I want to spend my life
00:00:01.36\00:00:07.04
Mending broken people
00:00:07.07\00:00:11.91
I want to spend my life
00:00:11.94\00:00:18.21
Removing pain
00:00:18.25\00:00:23.15
Lord, let my words
00:00:23.18\00:00:29.42
Heal a heart that hurts
00:00:29.46\00:00:34.03
I want to spend my life
00:00:34.06\00:00:39.77
Mending broken people
00:00:39.80\00:00:45.07
I want to spend my life
00:00:45.11\00:00:50.81
Mending broken people
00:00:50.85\00:00:54.32
Hello, my precious friends.
00:01:08.33\00:01:10.00
Thank you so much
for joining us today
00:01:10.03\00:01:12.60
and allowing us to
come into your living room.
00:01:12.63\00:01:15.70
Thank you for that.
00:01:15.74\00:01:17.07
And also I wanted
to just take a minute
00:01:17.11\00:01:19.94
to thank you for
the years of support,
00:01:19.97\00:01:23.88
your love, your prayers
00:01:23.91\00:01:25.25
and your
financial support of 3ABN.
00:01:25.28\00:01:27.98
If it wasn't for you,
00:01:28.02\00:01:29.35
this ministry
would suffer severely,
00:01:29.38\00:01:31.29
but because of you
00:01:31.32\00:01:32.65
we are able to
reach the whole world
00:01:32.69\00:01:35.02
with the undiluted
messages of Revelation 14.
00:01:35.06\00:01:38.43
Thank you so much
00:01:38.46\00:01:39.79
for allowing us
to be your friends
00:01:39.83\00:01:42.50
and to work with you.
00:01:42.53\00:01:44.20
We have an
amazing program today.
00:01:44.23\00:01:46.67
We have got, I've got two guests
00:01:46.70\00:01:48.67
and this is the truth,
00:01:48.70\00:01:50.21
they have absolutely been
sitting here bubbling over,
00:01:50.24\00:01:52.87
they just can't wait
to get to the subject.
00:01:52.91\00:01:55.14
And our subject today
is what, Pastor Lomacang?
00:01:55.18\00:01:58.58
The Right Action of the Will.
The Right Action of the Will.
00:01:58.61\00:02:01.58
Right Action of the Will,
00:02:01.62\00:02:02.95
we're gonna answer
a number of questions
00:02:02.98\00:02:04.35
and we're gonna end,
00:02:04.39\00:02:05.72
we're gonna hold
on to the very end,
00:02:05.75\00:02:07.12
how to know the will of
God and how to accomplish it.
00:02:07.16\00:02:10.49
But the right action of the will
00:02:10.53\00:02:11.89
is what this
program is all about.
00:02:11.93\00:02:13.40
And Dee Casper,
00:02:13.43\00:02:14.76
you are the
evangelism director I believe
00:02:14.80\00:02:17.80
of UnScene Media Group.
00:02:17.83\00:02:19.43
Thank you so much for being
with us and Pastor Lomacang,
00:02:19.47\00:02:22.04
I didn't introduce
you everybody knows you.
00:02:22.07\00:02:24.41
You're the pastor
of the Thompsonville
00:02:24.44\00:02:26.01
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:02:26.04\00:02:27.51
right here in Southern Illinois.
00:02:27.54\00:02:29.48
That's right. That's right.
00:02:29.51\00:02:30.85
And we just love and
appreciate our pastor.
00:02:30.88\00:02:32.48
Dee, tell me a
little of what you do
00:02:32.51\00:02:35.62
at UnScene Media
before you talk to us
00:02:35.65\00:02:37.55
about the will of God?
00:02:37.59\00:02:38.92
Sure.
00:02:38.95\00:02:40.29
So our ministry
is basically seeking
00:02:40.32\00:02:42.42
to make content to
reach young people,
00:02:42.46\00:02:44.33
that's principled
in Christ centered
00:02:44.36\00:02:46.29
for social media to basically
00:02:46.33\00:02:48.06
permeate social
media with the gospel.
00:02:48.10\00:02:50.73
Part of what I do
as evangelism director
00:02:50.77\00:02:52.67
is we run a school
of evangelism as well.
00:02:52.70\00:02:54.80
We're training our young people
00:02:54.84\00:02:56.17
in filmmaking and in evangelism.
00:02:56.20\00:02:58.17
So I teach the Bible classes,
00:02:58.21\00:02:59.54
I preach on
behalf of the ministry
00:02:59.57\00:03:01.34
and do all the
networking and stuff
00:03:01.38\00:03:02.98
on behalf of the
ministry as well.
00:03:03.01\00:03:04.35
Well, this is
an exciting subject
00:03:04.38\00:03:07.12
that we're presenting today,
00:03:07.15\00:03:08.88
we're going to talk about today.
00:03:08.92\00:03:10.62
And the will, how
we submit our will,
00:03:10.65\00:03:15.76
the purpose of our will,
00:03:15.79\00:03:17.13
so many aspects of our
will that we want to look at,
00:03:17.16\00:03:20.96
but before we look into
this and I'm going to come back,
00:03:21.00\00:03:24.77
and I'm going to
ask this question
00:03:24.80\00:03:26.74
just what is the will?
00:03:26.77\00:03:28.64
And I'm going to have
Pastor Lomacang and Dee delve
00:03:28.67\00:03:31.41
into this,
00:03:31.44\00:03:32.77
but before we
look into this subject,
00:03:32.81\00:03:35.28
let's ask Mary Grace to come,
00:03:35.31\00:03:38.61
and she's going to play a
beautiful song on the piano.
00:03:38.65\00:03:41.62
The name of the song is,
"It Is Well With My Soul".
00:03:41.65\00:03:45.25
She always just amazes me,
00:06:02.22\00:06:04.16
she does such a
wonderful job on that piano.
00:06:04.19\00:06:07.20
Thank you Mary Grace, very much.
00:06:07.23\00:06:09.33
Well, our opening
question is, what is the will?
00:06:09.36\00:06:14.57
And so Pastor Lomacang,
00:06:14.60\00:06:15.94
I know that you want
to jump into that one
00:06:15.97\00:06:18.41
so first let's look
at what the will is?
00:06:18.44\00:06:21.41
Well, in a simple
forthright direct answer,
00:06:21.44\00:06:27.72
the will is the governing
power in the nature of man,
00:06:27.75\00:06:33.89
it's the governing power.
00:06:33.92\00:06:35.59
I like to use an illustration
if you had a car with gears,
00:06:35.62\00:06:39.53
you know the manual shift
00:06:39.56\00:06:40.90
not, not many people
use manual shift today,
00:06:40.93\00:06:43.50
we call it stick shift.
00:06:43.53\00:06:45.87
But when you get into the
car that has a stick shift
00:06:45.90\00:06:48.14
you have to choose the
gears, you go sequentially.
00:06:48.17\00:06:50.77
Hopeful you begin
with one, two, three, four,
00:06:50.81\00:06:52.61
five or six speed
whatever the choice is,
00:06:52.64\00:06:55.11
but you have to, you
have to make a choice,
00:06:55.14\00:06:58.28
so the will is
the governing power
00:06:58.31\00:07:01.28
in the nature of man.
00:07:01.32\00:07:02.78
Simply says, which
one am I going to choose?
00:07:02.82\00:07:06.86
And then when
you choose the gear,
00:07:06.89\00:07:09.39
it does what
it's designed to do.
00:07:09.42\00:07:11.66
When you make a choice
whether to go left or go right,
00:07:11.69\00:07:15.53
if you choose to go
into the road of life,
00:07:15.56\00:07:17.77
everything on the
road of life is there,
00:07:17.80\00:07:19.60
the road of death or darkness,
00:07:19.63\00:07:22.00
everything of death
and darkness is there,
00:07:22.04\00:07:23.97
but the choice determines
00:07:24.01\00:07:25.34
what the following
experience is going to be
00:07:25.37\00:07:27.31
in a simple
straightforward point.
00:07:27.34\00:07:29.24
So it sounds like
00:07:29.28\00:07:30.61
our will is our
choice making ability.
00:07:30.65\00:07:34.22
Right Dee?
00:07:34.25\00:07:35.58
Yeah. You want
to expand on that?
00:07:35.62\00:07:37.05
Yeah, it is the power of choice,
00:07:37.09\00:07:38.72
it's kind of the way
that I explain it to people
00:07:38.75\00:07:40.49
that when someone
exercises their will,
00:07:40.52\00:07:42.96
they're basically
exercising their ability
00:07:42.99\00:07:44.96
to choose for good, for bad,
00:07:44.99\00:07:47.70
for whatever
else the option may be
00:07:47.73\00:07:49.70
but basically
the power of choice.
00:07:49.73\00:07:51.90
Okay.
00:07:51.93\00:07:53.27
And also what I
would add to that
00:07:53.30\00:07:54.64
is the will is not my
tastes or my inclinations,
00:07:54.67\00:08:01.18
you know, sometimes people say,
00:08:01.21\00:08:02.78
"Well, I don't
have a taste for that."
00:08:02.81\00:08:04.38
And sometimes you say,
00:08:04.41\00:08:05.75
"Well, you'll
develop a taste for that."
00:08:05.78\00:08:07.62
Our taste is not our will,
00:08:07.65\00:08:11.42
our
inclinations is not our will,
00:08:11.45\00:08:14.82
but our choice in a
simple straightforward point
00:08:14.86\00:08:17.66
is what the will is all about.
00:08:17.69\00:08:19.49
When you use
that power to choose,
00:08:19.53\00:08:22.36
then the outcome
is predetermined,
00:08:22.40\00:08:24.73
you know, going back
and we're going to have,
00:08:24.77\00:08:27.67
we're going to get
deeply into the program,
00:08:27.70\00:08:29.04
but I'd like to begin
by looking at some examples
00:08:29.07\00:08:31.57
of the wrong action of the will.
00:08:31.61\00:08:33.21
You know, we
are in the condition
00:08:33.24\00:08:34.58
we're in today, the
whole world, everyone,
00:08:34.61\00:08:37.38
we're born into the
condition of our world today
00:08:37.41\00:08:39.18
because of the
wrong action of the will.
00:08:39.21\00:08:41.08
And I think a
good place to begin,
00:08:41.12\00:08:42.45
we talked about
this collectively,
00:08:42.48\00:08:43.89
we like to begin to show
how the great controversy began
00:08:43.92\00:08:49.12
when Lucifer decided
00:08:49.16\00:08:51.43
he was not going to put his will
00:08:51.46\00:08:53.46
on the side of God.
00:08:53.50\00:08:54.83
So the great controversy,
00:08:54.86\00:08:56.33
this is where
we're going to began,
00:08:56.36\00:08:57.93
began in heaven and it
was a great controversy
00:08:57.97\00:09:01.97
between God and Lucifer
00:09:02.00\00:09:06.17
and it began in
the portals of heaven
00:09:06.21\00:09:08.64
by somebody making,
00:09:08.68\00:09:10.28
by using their
will inappropriately.
00:09:10.31\00:09:11.75
Yes. Exactly.
00:09:11.78\00:09:13.11
Okay. That's the...
00:09:13.15\00:09:14.48
So that's the understatement.
00:09:14.52\00:09:15.85
That's based on the
point we were going to make.
00:09:15.88\00:09:17.22
Yes.
00:09:17.25\00:09:18.59
No, I'm saying
now expand on that.
00:09:18.62\00:09:19.95
Yeah.
00:09:19.99\00:09:21.32
Okay, you want to
read Isaiah 14:12.
00:09:21.36\00:09:22.69
Isaiah 14, we
will begin at verse 12,
00:09:22.72\00:09:25.49
this is kind of
heaven's response
00:09:25.53\00:09:27.00
to the fall of Lucifer
00:09:27.03\00:09:28.73
and they're asking
a question of sorts,
00:09:28.76\00:09:30.37
"How you are fallen
from heaven, O Lucifer,
00:09:30.40\00:09:32.60
son of the morning!
00:09:32.63\00:09:33.97
How you are cut
down to the ground,
00:09:34.00\00:09:35.57
you who weakened the nations!
00:09:35.60\00:09:37.44
For you have said in your heart:
00:09:37.47\00:09:39.34
'I will ascend into heaven,
00:09:39.37\00:09:41.41
I will exalt my throne
above the stars of God,
00:09:41.44\00:09:44.31
I will also sit on the
mount of the congregation.
00:09:44.35\00:09:46.92
On the farthest
sides of the north,
00:09:46.95\00:09:48.68
I will ascend above the
heights of the clouds..."
00:09:48.72\00:09:50.99
and the scariest
one is the end here,
00:09:51.02\00:09:53.09
"I will be like the Most High."
00:09:53.12\00:09:57.46
So he longed and coveted
a position that wasn't his,
00:09:57.49\00:10:02.60
actually coveting
the position of God.
00:10:02.63\00:10:04.20
Now he doesn't want
the character of God,
00:10:04.23\00:10:06.43
he wants the position of
God, there's a big difference.
00:10:06.47\00:10:07.80
He's not looking for
another centered love
00:10:07.84\00:10:10.97
that he's lusting
after, it's the position,
00:10:11.01\00:10:13.61
it's the power of God.
00:10:13.64\00:10:15.28
And he said over and over,
00:10:15.31\00:10:16.78
"I will, I will, I
will, I will, I will."
00:10:16.81\00:10:19.81
He continue to expound I will.
00:10:19.85\00:10:22.15
He knew he had a will.
00:10:22.18\00:10:23.52
See, God created every one of us
00:10:23.55\00:10:24.99
with this free moral
agency we use that term,
00:10:25.02\00:10:27.16
which simply means God
created every one of you
00:10:27.19\00:10:29.76
with the ability to
decide this is the choice
00:10:29.79\00:10:32.56
or this is the
choice, free moral agency.
00:10:32.59\00:10:35.46
God does not force our will.
00:10:35.50\00:10:38.10
God does not control our will.
00:10:38.13\00:10:40.54
And I want to make that
point clearly even further.
00:10:40.57\00:10:42.70
We think that God
controls our will.
00:10:42.74\00:10:44.07
No.
00:10:44.11\00:10:45.44
We have to choose
to give God our will
00:10:45.47\00:10:47.81
and then it
becomes under His control
00:10:47.84\00:10:51.81
but He doesn't say,
00:10:51.85\00:10:53.18
"I'm gonna take these will
00:10:53.21\00:10:54.55
and make him do
what I want to do."
00:10:54.58\00:10:55.92
We're not robots,
when are not automatons.
00:10:55.95\00:10:57.62
God didn't set us
into a particular position
00:10:57.65\00:11:00.06
and then we
kept on doing things.
00:11:00.09\00:11:02.26
But Lucifer said over and over,
00:11:02.29\00:11:04.09
and what he did and
there are five points
00:11:04.13\00:11:06.46
that are brought out
here about what he did
00:11:06.49\00:11:07.83
and I brought them
down to like about three.
00:11:07.86\00:11:10.07
He chose not to
yield his will to God.
00:11:10.10\00:11:13.34
And you'll
discover any time we fall,
00:11:13.37\00:11:16.20
it's a moment of choice
what ever the temptation is,
00:11:16.24\00:11:19.64
it's a moment of choice,
00:11:19.67\00:11:21.38
and we consciously choose
00:11:21.41\00:11:24.41
to not yield our will to Christ.
00:11:24.45\00:11:28.52
The next thing we do,
00:11:28.55\00:11:30.55
when we choose not to
yield our will to Christ,
00:11:30.59\00:11:32.75
we then choose to
oppose the will of God.
00:11:32.79\00:11:36.99
I don't want that,
I am opposed to that.
00:11:37.03\00:11:39.83
The other thing we
do is which Lucifer did,
00:11:39.86\00:11:43.77
then the outcome of
our choice is distorted
00:11:43.80\00:11:47.24
because I really don't believe
00:11:47.27\00:11:48.60
and we could
expound this together,
00:11:48.64\00:11:50.14
I really don't believe
00:11:50.17\00:11:51.51
that anyone
makes a choice thinking
00:11:51.54\00:11:53.58
that this choice is
gonna end in my death
00:11:53.61\00:11:56.54
or in my
destruction or in my failure.
00:11:56.58\00:12:00.08
And so what Lucifer
did in all these ascending
00:12:00.12\00:12:03.79
the wrong action of
the will, he said to us,
00:12:03.82\00:12:06.05
results in an exalted
state he told that to Eve.
00:12:06.09\00:12:09.22
But it results
really in a fallen state.
00:12:09.26\00:12:12.23
He also made it the
wrong action of the will
00:12:12.26\00:12:15.23
does not result in
the seat of your choice,
00:12:15.26\00:12:18.07
it results in the wrong seat.
00:12:18.10\00:12:20.54
And then the other thing,
00:12:20.57\00:12:22.30
the wrong action of the
will does not take us higher,
00:12:22.34\00:12:24.74
it always takes us slower.
00:12:24.77\00:12:26.11
That was the next verse he says,
00:12:26.14\00:12:27.48
"That you will be cast down."
00:12:27.51\00:12:28.84
Even though he
has... That's right.
00:12:28.88\00:12:30.21
There are 11 upward
words used in that span of like
00:12:30.25\00:12:32.75
three verses, 11 of them.
00:12:32.78\00:12:34.62
And he has
upward ambition in mind
00:12:34.65\00:12:36.79
at the expense of everyone else,
00:12:36.82\00:12:39.02
but in the end God's
going to bring him down
00:12:39.05\00:12:40.96
and that's what
actually ends up happening
00:12:40.99\00:12:42.32
is that reality check.
00:12:42.36\00:12:43.69
In Genesis 3, Eve had
a choice to make, right?
00:12:43.73\00:12:47.36
And the way which Satan led
her to make the wrong choice
00:12:47.40\00:12:50.57
was by first giving her
false pictures of who God was,
00:12:50.60\00:12:54.37
her relationship with
Him and how God treats her.
00:12:54.40\00:12:57.21
So by lies being
sewn into her experience,
00:12:57.24\00:13:00.44
she then informed her will
with lies and made bad choices
00:13:00.48\00:13:04.81
that led to her demise
00:13:04.85\00:13:06.45
that we're still
having to contend with now,
00:13:06.48\00:13:08.68
and what God is trying
to do is to speak truth
00:13:08.72\00:13:10.99
in our experience so
that we'll make wise choices.
00:13:11.02\00:13:14.22
You kind of see that,
that competing approach
00:13:14.26\00:13:17.49
carried out in Genesis 3.
00:13:17.53\00:13:20.06
And so, question?
00:13:20.10\00:13:21.83
Well, we were
looking at what is the will?
00:13:21.86\00:13:24.90
The will is the governing power,
00:13:24.93\00:13:27.10
our governing power,
00:13:27.14\00:13:28.54
and you're saying that
where you are right now,
00:13:28.57\00:13:31.41
where every one
of us are right now
00:13:31.44\00:13:33.54
is it in direct
relation to us using our will.
00:13:33.58\00:13:37.08
We have made choices
00:13:37.11\00:13:38.85
that have put us
where we are right now,
00:13:38.88\00:13:40.88
we can't blame anybody else.
00:13:40.92\00:13:42.78
And you made the
point that our choice
00:13:42.82\00:13:46.25
is using Satan and
Eve as the example.
00:13:46.29\00:13:50.93
Our choices that
we think we're making
00:13:50.96\00:13:53.03
that are going to exalt us.
00:13:53.06\00:13:54.96
Never once does
it cross our mind
00:13:55.00\00:13:56.97
that our choices
that we're making
00:13:57.00\00:13:59.73
are going to bring us down,
00:13:59.77\00:14:01.20
but these two
examples the end result was...?
00:14:01.24\00:14:04.74
Failure. Failure.
00:14:04.77\00:14:06.11
And both rooted in
false pictures of God,
00:14:06.14\00:14:09.04
somehow Satan...
00:14:09.08\00:14:10.41
this is why it's called
the mystery of iniquity.
00:14:10.45\00:14:11.98
Somehow the
person closest to God
00:14:12.01\00:14:14.32
developed thoughts
about God that He is not fair,
00:14:14.35\00:14:16.65
that someone else
is receiving something
00:14:16.69\00:14:18.19
that I should receive,
00:14:18.22\00:14:19.55
and it's the same
approach he used with Eve,
00:14:19.59\00:14:21.26
both felt in similar ways,
00:14:21.29\00:14:22.96
distorted pictures of
God led to action against God
00:14:22.99\00:14:25.56
and then into their own demise.
00:14:25.59\00:14:27.10
They exercise their
power of choice wrongly
00:14:27.13\00:14:29.13
and it led to their demise.
00:14:29.16\00:14:30.50
And you find all
that in the Bible,
00:14:30.53\00:14:31.87
even in the Book of
Ezekiel, Ezekiel 18,
00:14:31.90\00:14:33.80
Ezekiel 33 were the
Israelites keep saying to God,
00:14:33.84\00:14:36.77
"Your way is not fair."
00:14:36.81\00:14:38.74
Satan has always
made it look like
00:14:38.77\00:14:40.28
God's way is not
fair and, you know,
00:14:40.31\00:14:43.11
I wish we could look
do a two hour program
00:14:43.14\00:14:45.78
on this topic, but
let's just take the time
00:14:45.81\00:14:48.38
we have to use it efficiently.
00:14:48.42\00:14:51.22
Somebody may say,
"I want to do right."
00:14:51.25\00:14:55.46
But desire for
goodness and purity
00:14:55.49\00:15:00.40
if that's all you have
00:15:00.43\00:15:02.06
is not using
your choice correctly.
00:15:02.10\00:15:07.57
If desire is all you
have and you stop at desire,
00:15:07.60\00:15:11.11
you don't accomplish
00:15:11.14\00:15:13.04
what will be for your best good.
00:15:13.07\00:15:15.91
I want to lose weight but
give me that box of donuts.
00:15:15.94\00:15:19.75
Or more specifically do nothing
00:15:19.78\00:15:22.35
even if you don't
eat the box of donuts,
00:15:22.38\00:15:24.12
do nothing to
accomplish what you desire.
00:15:24.15\00:15:26.42
Okay.
00:15:26.45\00:15:27.79
And so, I use
these equations desire
00:15:27.82\00:15:29.96
plus the wrong
actions equal failure.
00:15:29.99\00:15:32.49
Desire plus the right
actions equal success.
00:15:32.53\00:15:35.73
But desire
without action is failure.
00:15:35.76\00:15:39.30
There's actually a
powerful quote on this
00:15:39.33\00:15:41.30
in Desire of Ages says
00:15:41.34\00:15:42.67
this very thing
in Steps to Christ,
00:15:42.70\00:15:44.04
I said Desire of Ages,
it's Steps to Christ 47.2
00:15:44.07\00:15:46.94
it starts with the word desire.
00:15:46.98\00:15:48.54
She says, "Desires for
goodness and holiness are right
00:15:48.58\00:15:51.25
as far as they go,
00:15:51.28\00:15:52.61
but if you stop here
they will avail nothing..."
00:15:52.65\00:15:54.65
That's right.
00:15:54.68\00:15:56.02
"Many will be lost while hoping
and desiring to be Christians.
00:15:56.05\00:16:00.06
They do not come to the point
of yielding the will to God.
00:16:00.09\00:16:02.96
They do not now
choose to be Christians."
00:16:02.99\00:16:04.96
That's right.
00:16:04.99\00:16:06.33
And that's where
the shortcoming happens.
00:16:06.36\00:16:08.00
In a Ministry of
Healing she says also
00:16:08.03\00:16:10.03
with that quote
augmented, she says,
00:16:10.07\00:16:11.63
"They do not
choose to serve Him."
00:16:11.67\00:16:16.24
This is a powerful concept.
Let's go to Joshua 24:15.
00:16:16.27\00:16:19.44
Joshua brings into view the...
00:16:19.47\00:16:23.95
And a profound example,
00:16:23.98\00:16:27.22
I've read this
text so many times,
00:16:27.25\00:16:29.95
Joshua 24:15 and we
all know it, you know,
00:16:29.98\00:16:32.49
choose this day
whom you will serve,
00:16:32.52\00:16:34.09
but in looking at
this with fresh eyes,
00:16:34.12\00:16:37.53
I'm gonna go ahead
and break this down
00:16:37.56\00:16:39.33
in a very
realistic way Joshua 24:15,
00:16:39.36\00:16:43.87
okay, it says and he says,
00:16:43.90\00:16:45.23
"And if it seems evil
to you to serve the Lord,
00:16:45.27\00:16:49.07
there's a word choose
for yourselves this day
00:16:49.10\00:16:51.97
whom you will serve."
00:16:52.01\00:16:53.34
And then he brings out choices,
choices of our past, he says,
00:16:53.38\00:16:56.48
"Whether the gods
which your father served
00:16:56.51\00:16:58.35
that were on the
other side of the river..."
00:16:58.38\00:17:00.15
Meaning the gods of your
past, your relative's gods.
00:17:00.18\00:17:03.12
You know, sometimes people think
00:17:03.15\00:17:04.49
that that they can't
choose another church
00:17:04.52\00:17:07.22
because this is the
church of their relatives.
00:17:07.26\00:17:08.79
Right.
00:17:08.82\00:17:10.16
That's predisposed,
00:17:10.19\00:17:11.89
but we're not
predisposed to choose
00:17:11.93\00:17:13.93
what our parents chose.
00:17:13.96\00:17:15.56
Any more than we are predisposed
00:17:15.60\00:17:17.30
to ride a horse and buggy
00:17:17.33\00:17:19.17
of our great,
great, great, grandparents,
00:17:19.20\00:17:21.34
we choose something
different, a modern vehicle.
00:17:21.37\00:17:23.91
So the Lord is
saying here through Joshua,
00:17:23.94\00:17:26.44
you've got to
choose to break away
00:17:26.47\00:17:28.08
from the choices
your parents made.
00:17:28.11\00:17:29.54
So heredity doesn't
mean it has to be cultivated.
00:17:29.58\00:17:33.28
So we can't blame our
parents, then he also says,
00:17:33.31\00:17:36.18
"Or the gods of the Amorites,
in whose land you dwell,"
00:17:36.22\00:17:39.19
the present
situation as you're in.
00:17:39.22\00:17:41.22
Sometimes you say,
well, I have no choice,
00:17:41.26\00:17:42.69
look at the kind
of world I live in.
00:17:42.72\00:17:44.09
You do have a choice.
00:17:44.13\00:17:45.46
He says, "You got
to choose even the gods
00:17:45.49\00:17:48.13
in the land of the Amorites."
00:17:48.16\00:17:50.40
You could even choose them,
00:17:50.43\00:17:51.90
but you don't
have to choose them,
00:17:51.93\00:17:53.40
you're not
predisposed to choose them.
00:17:53.44\00:17:56.04
You can choose the true God,
not the gods of the Amorites,
00:17:56.07\00:17:59.11
but then he says,
00:17:59.14\00:18:00.88
"But as for me and my
house, we will serve the Lord."
00:18:00.91\00:18:06.21
Now this is amazing point here.
00:18:06.25\00:18:09.15
Joshua didn't say,
"We will do right."
00:18:09.18\00:18:13.72
He said, "We
will serve the Lord."
00:18:13.76\00:18:16.09
And so often we
make righteousness...
00:18:16.12\00:18:19.56
Now I'll look at the cameras,
so often we make righteousness
00:18:19.59\00:18:22.83
what we do rather
than who we serve.
00:18:22.86\00:18:25.83
We're going to
bring this out even more.
00:18:25.87\00:18:27.20
Yes.
00:18:27.24\00:18:28.57
So much, so much we say,
00:18:28.60\00:18:29.94
this is what I want to
do to be a good Adventist.
00:18:29.97\00:18:32.47
This is what I want to eat.
This is how I want to dress.
00:18:32.51\00:18:35.41
This is how I want to worship.
00:18:35.44\00:18:37.11
When we're Christians whatever
the denomination we see.
00:18:37.15\00:18:39.35
Well, here are the things
00:18:39.38\00:18:40.72
that identify
us as good Baptist,
00:18:40.75\00:18:42.38
good Pentecostal,
good Methodist, you know,
00:18:42.42\00:18:44.09
we have a tenet, a set of tenets
00:18:44.12\00:18:45.92
we want to live in harmony with.
00:18:45.95\00:18:47.29
So we choose what we
want to do and not want to do,
00:18:47.32\00:18:49.59
not who we gonna, who
we are going to serve.
00:18:49.62\00:18:51.59
Exactly. Two
entirely different things.
00:18:51.63\00:18:53.23
Two entirely different things.
00:18:53.26\00:18:54.86
You wanna say
something before I go further.
00:18:54.90\00:18:57.33
Yeah, I was just going to
say that this idea of choice
00:18:57.37\00:19:00.07
is continually found in
the scripture it remind,
00:19:00.10\00:19:01.77
what you shared initially
reminding me of Genesis 4
00:19:01.80\00:19:04.01
with God talking to Cain,
00:19:04.04\00:19:05.84
the God was laying
out before him that,
00:19:05.87\00:19:07.71
you know, sin is at the door,
00:19:07.74\00:19:10.41
but you should
have mastery over it.
00:19:10.45\00:19:12.15
And he makes the point
that why are you angry?
00:19:12.18\00:19:13.68
Why is your countenance falling,
00:19:13.72\00:19:15.05
if you do right
will you not be blessed
00:19:15.08\00:19:16.42
and if wrong and so
on, but then he says,
00:19:16.45\00:19:19.22
but if you do
will we not be blessed
00:19:19.25\00:19:20.76
and he goes on and says,
00:19:20.79\00:19:22.29
"And if you do not
sin lie at the door
00:19:22.32\00:19:23.66
and his desires for you
but you should rule over it."
00:19:23.69\00:19:26.53
God is letting him know
that the exercise of your will
00:19:26.56\00:19:28.80
can lead you to
overcoming in this very moment.
00:19:28.83\00:19:31.67
And Joshua makes a
similar appeal to the people
00:19:31.70\00:19:33.90
that your situation
isn't really the issue here.
00:19:33.94\00:19:35.54
Right.
00:19:35.57\00:19:36.91
You can choose right regardless
of what the situation may be
00:19:36.94\00:19:40.74
and just
Genesis 4 was a reminder
00:19:40.78\00:19:42.98
that came to my mindful there.
00:19:43.01\00:19:44.35
You know, it makes me
think of the many, many people
00:19:44.38\00:19:46.61
that are
watching 3ABN in countries
00:19:46.65\00:19:50.92
where being a
Christian can cost you your life
00:19:50.95\00:19:54.42
and they're
having to make a choice
00:19:54.46\00:19:57.03
by an act of their will,
00:19:57.06\00:19:58.39
they make a choice that
could cost them their lives,
00:19:58.43\00:20:00.73
they are choosing
the Lord Jesus Christ
00:20:00.76\00:20:03.37
over what their
whole, whole history is about
00:20:03.40\00:20:07.97
and everybody around them,
00:20:08.00\00:20:09.50
that's a choice by an act
of your will to serve God.
00:20:09.54\00:20:14.28
And so, what Joshua said
differently than Lucifer.
00:20:14.31\00:20:17.18
He said, Lucifer chose
to serve his own desire.
00:20:17.21\00:20:20.88
He had all the exalted
points that he want to focus on,
00:20:20.92\00:20:24.19
but in the end, no,
you'll be brought down,
00:20:24.22\00:20:26.42
and we knew he was cast out,
00:20:26.45\00:20:28.16
as angels were
cast out with him.
00:20:28.19\00:20:30.03
It never
resulted in the good end.
00:20:30.06\00:20:31.89
But Joshua said, "We
will serve the Lord."
00:20:31.93\00:20:35.43
There is the
word again, "We will".
00:20:35.46\00:20:37.13
He made the choice to direct
his will to serving the Lord
00:20:37.17\00:20:41.50
and when you serve the Lord...
00:20:41.54\00:20:44.04
that's the beautiful thing
about when you serve the Lord,
00:20:44.07\00:20:46.07
I want to use this
text more than once,
00:20:46.11\00:20:48.01
because the will
of God is unlocked
00:20:48.04\00:20:50.71
when we decide
to serve the Lord.
00:20:50.75\00:20:55.05
Example I could use
when you go to a restaurant.
00:20:55.08\00:20:57.49
We talked about this
prior to the program.
00:20:57.52\00:20:58.85
When you go to a
restaurant you sit at the table.
00:20:58.89\00:21:00.76
We often refer to the
person as a waitress or waiter,
00:21:00.79\00:21:03.59
and we refer to
ourselves as a customer.
00:21:03.63\00:21:05.59
But I want to
change those designations,
00:21:05.63\00:21:07.63
the waitress or
waiter is the servant,
00:21:07.66\00:21:10.87
let me get even
deeper the slave.
00:21:10.90\00:21:13.40
They don't bring to us
00:21:13.44\00:21:14.77
unless we tell
them what to bring.
00:21:14.80\00:21:16.14
We tell them what we...
00:21:16.17\00:21:17.51
We do it politely, we don't say,
00:21:17.54\00:21:18.87
"Bring me a drink."
00:21:18.91\00:21:20.51
And we tell them what kind,
what flavor, more ice, no ice,
00:21:20.54\00:21:25.25
less ice, and we are determined
00:21:25.28\00:21:28.85
that they bring us
exactly what we ask for,
00:21:28.88\00:21:32.59
and even if they
bring us what we ask for,
00:21:32.62\00:21:34.26
we don't like it we
say, "I don't like it,
00:21:34.29\00:21:35.62
bring me something else."
00:21:35.66\00:21:36.99
And they have to,
because the customer...?
00:21:37.03\00:21:39.53
Is the boss.
00:21:39.56\00:21:41.23
The customer is
always right. Always right.
00:21:41.26\00:21:42.93
And so this happens
00:21:42.96\00:21:44.30
when you choose
to serve the Lord,
00:21:44.33\00:21:46.13
so they're serving us.
00:21:46.17\00:21:47.67
In that sense,
they're the slave,
00:21:47.70\00:21:49.57
we're the master.
00:21:49.60\00:21:50.94
And a person who
doesn't get his master
00:21:50.97\00:21:55.04
who doesn't get what he wants
00:21:55.08\00:21:56.44
will not come back
to that establishment.
00:21:56.48\00:21:58.65
My wife and I experienced that.
00:21:58.68\00:22:01.05
She didn't like a
meal, she told the...
00:22:01.08\00:22:03.08
The waitress picked it
up and the manager came
00:22:03.12\00:22:04.95
and said, "What would you like?"
00:22:04.99\00:22:06.32
He said, "I have
potatoes for the evening,
00:22:06.35\00:22:07.69
and we have a
squash for the morning,
00:22:07.72\00:22:09.99
then I serve together."
00:22:10.03\00:22:11.73
And she said, "I
want both of them."
00:22:11.76\00:22:13.23
He said, "Done."
00:22:13.26\00:22:15.36
Because she was the
master of the moment,
00:22:15.40\00:22:17.50
the slave is always
subject to the master.
00:22:17.53\00:22:20.00
So when he said, "We
will serve the Lord."
00:22:20.04\00:22:22.37
He put the Lord,
you know, the Lord,
00:22:22.40\00:22:24.57
he didn't say we will
serve God or the Savior,
00:22:24.61\00:22:26.98
we will serve the
Lord and was the word Lord,
00:22:27.01\00:22:28.78
the landlord,
he's the one in charge,
00:22:28.81\00:22:30.75
I don't want to
go too far. Yeah.
00:22:30.78\00:22:32.68
I was just thinking
that when you make the choice
00:22:32.71\00:22:34.22
to serve God,
00:22:34.25\00:22:35.82
in that choice comes the power
and the ability to serve God.
00:22:35.85\00:22:39.19
In John 5, Jesus tells
the man at the pool Bethesda,
00:22:39.22\00:22:42.42
he says, "Do you
want to be made well."
00:22:42.46\00:22:43.79
And then he tells him to,
00:22:43.83\00:22:45.16
"Rise, take up
your mat and walk."
00:22:45.19\00:22:47.10
And Ellen White quotes
and refers to the situation
00:22:47.13\00:22:49.40
in Steps to Christ
when she talks about
00:22:49.43\00:22:50.77
the action of
the will after that,
00:22:50.80\00:22:52.93
but in this particular situation
00:22:52.97\00:22:55.24
when Jesus
asked the man to rise,
00:22:55.27\00:22:56.71
take up his mat and walk,
00:22:56.74\00:22:58.84
he's asking him to do something
that isn't possible seemingly.
00:22:58.87\00:23:02.24
That's right.
00:23:02.28\00:23:03.61
But by the man choosing
to follow what God had asked,
00:23:03.65\00:23:07.48
power was provided to
him to do what God had asked.
00:23:07.52\00:23:10.99
So when we choose
to serve the Lord,
00:23:11.02\00:23:12.62
we receive power from
God to serve the Lord,
00:23:12.65\00:23:15.89
if that makes sense.
00:23:15.92\00:23:17.26
So with every command
that we have when we exercise
00:23:17.29\00:23:19.16
that power of
choice, we receive power
00:23:19.19\00:23:21.30
to walk in the
choice that we had.
00:23:21.33\00:23:22.66
Had he laid there on his mat
00:23:22.70\00:23:24.03
and said, you
know, that I can't walk.
00:23:24.07\00:23:26.70
Had by an act of his
will he chose not to do,
00:23:26.74\00:23:30.34
he would still, he
would have still laid there
00:23:30.37\00:23:33.44
but he chose, by
an act of his will
00:23:33.48\00:23:36.21
he chose to trust
what Jesus has said.
00:23:36.24\00:23:40.38
And in so doing
there was the unleashing
00:23:40.42\00:23:44.52
of the power of God for
him, but that's a good point.
00:23:44.55\00:23:47.72
It's an act of
belief, so the command itself
00:23:47.76\00:23:50.26
bears within it
the power to obey,
00:23:50.29\00:23:52.59
but the act of belief
secures the power to walk in it.
00:23:52.63\00:23:55.50
There you go. So we
obey and God supplies.
00:23:55.53\00:23:58.17
Yes. Awesome principle.
00:23:58.20\00:23:59.83
And the Word of God is powerful,
00:23:59.87\00:24:01.20
is sharper than
any two edged sword.
00:24:01.24\00:24:02.87
By the word of the
Lord was the heavens made
00:24:02.90\00:24:04.64
and all the host of them
by the breath of his mouth,
00:24:04.67\00:24:06.44
he spake and it was done.
00:24:06.47\00:24:08.14
This same power says, "Get up"
00:24:08.18\00:24:10.28
if he could create
worlds that just hang out there
00:24:10.31\00:24:13.18
could he not enable
those of us who are afflicted,
00:24:13.21\00:24:15.88
or are disabled in
some area of our lives
00:24:15.92\00:24:19.19
to get up and walk.
00:24:19.22\00:24:20.96
And so many of us
think that we say,
00:24:20.99\00:24:22.62
"Well, what does
God want me to do?"
00:24:22.66\00:24:24.89
He just wants
you to believe Him.
00:24:24.93\00:24:26.80
He wants you to
believe that He can do
00:24:26.83\00:24:28.36
what He has asked you to do.
00:24:28.40\00:24:30.77
A lot of people say, Jesus says,
00:24:30.80\00:24:32.37
"If you love me,
keep my commandments."
00:24:32.40\00:24:34.40
And they think, okay, well,
now what are the commandments?
00:24:34.44\00:24:38.04
And so they want to
itemize this righteousness now.
00:24:38.07\00:24:40.81
He says, "If you love
me keep my commandments."
00:24:40.84\00:24:42.24
And then he gives
you the power to do them,
00:24:42.28\00:24:45.68
Joshua and I use this
text on a number of occasions
00:24:45.71\00:24:47.85
but it fits so
wonderfully, Philippians 2:13.
00:24:47.88\00:24:51.55
When Joshua said,
"We will serve the Lord."
00:24:51.59\00:24:53.29
He put the Lord in charge.
He's a landlord of his life.
00:24:53.32\00:24:56.22
The landlord tells him
what to do and how to do it.
00:24:56.26\00:24:59.49
But even deeper than that
00:24:59.53\00:25:01.00
the landlord
comes in and does it.
00:25:01.03\00:25:03.67
Yeah.
00:25:03.70\00:25:05.30
"For it is God,
Philippians 2:13,
00:25:05.33\00:25:06.94
for it is God which
work is in you both to will
00:25:06.97\00:25:12.34
and to do of His good pleasure."
00:25:12.37\00:25:15.11
The thing about it
is we sometimes say,
00:25:15.14\00:25:17.15
"If I could just
figure out the will of God."
00:25:17.18\00:25:18.61
I'm not jumping ahead
because I'm gonna leave
00:25:18.65\00:25:20.62
a hook at the very end.
00:25:20.65\00:25:21.98
If we could just figure
out God's will, we'll do it.
00:25:22.02\00:25:24.45
And so we pray this prayer,
00:25:24.49\00:25:25.85
"Father, reveal
Your will to me."
00:25:25.89\00:25:27.96
Like we say, "Lord,
reveal Yourself to me."
00:25:27.99\00:25:30.56
And I learned as
I continue to study,
00:25:30.59\00:25:32.89
you know, you can
still learn after 30 years.
00:25:32.93\00:25:36.06
After continuing
to stay in God's word,
00:25:36.10\00:25:38.43
I learned just recently
00:25:38.47\00:25:40.17
and I'll just thank you
Lord for continued revelation.
00:25:40.20\00:25:43.74
I learned that God doesn't
want to reveal Himself to us,
00:25:43.77\00:25:46.88
He wants to reveal
Himself through us.
00:25:46.91\00:25:50.25
We will say, "Lord,
show us the Father."
00:25:50.28\00:25:52.55
He wants to reveal
Himself through us not to us,
00:25:52.58\00:25:55.12
in the very same way
00:25:55.15\00:25:57.19
He doesn't want
to empower us to do.
00:25:57.22\00:26:00.09
He wants to be the power
that comes in us and does,
00:26:00.12\00:26:04.39
for it is God who
works in us both to will.
00:26:04.43\00:26:07.56
And to do. And to do
of His good pleasure.
00:26:07.60\00:26:09.23
All right.
00:26:09.26\00:26:10.60
In Philippians 2
in that same place,
00:26:10.63\00:26:12.03
we talked about in Isaiah 14,
00:26:12.07\00:26:13.40
how Satan
wanted to go up, up, up
00:26:13.44\00:26:15.24
at the expense of everyone
else but God to bring him down.
00:26:15.27\00:26:18.47
The other side of
the great controversy
00:26:18.51\00:26:20.78
is Jesus exercising His choice,
00:26:20.81\00:26:23.91
His choice was
to become nothing.
00:26:23.95\00:26:26.28
According to Philippians 2:6,
00:26:26.31\00:26:28.72
"Being in the form of
God, did not consider,
00:26:28.75\00:26:30.52
I like the NIV version
00:26:30.55\00:26:31.89
of this particular phrase better
00:26:31.92\00:26:33.25
that he didn't
consider equality with God
00:26:33.29\00:26:34.66
something to be
grasped the idea of robbery
00:26:34.69\00:26:37.36
kind of gets
confusing for some folks.
00:26:37.39\00:26:39.13
"But he made
Himself of no reputation,
00:26:39.16\00:26:40.90
taking the form
of a bondservant,
00:26:40.93\00:26:42.26
and coming in
the likeness of men.
00:26:42.30\00:26:44.03
And being found in
appearance as a man,
00:26:44.07\00:26:45.43
He humbled Himself
00:26:45.47\00:26:46.84
and became obedient
to the point of death,
00:26:46.87\00:26:49.00
even the death of the cross.
00:26:49.04\00:26:50.57
And therefore God
is highly exalted him
00:26:50.61\00:26:53.17
and given him the name above
every name, says all will bow."
00:26:53.21\00:26:55.94
So there's these two opposing
views and motives and actions
00:26:55.98\00:27:00.38
in the great controversy
of the exercise of the will.
00:27:00.42\00:27:02.98
Jesus chooses to lay down
00:27:03.02\00:27:04.85
aspects of His power
to uplift everyone else,
00:27:04.89\00:27:08.12
and at the end
He will be exalted
00:27:08.16\00:27:09.82
above every name.
00:27:09.86\00:27:11.19
And just continuing
that great controversy theme,
00:27:11.23\00:27:13.16
I think is a
powerful example of this
00:27:13.19\00:27:15.46
and that's what enables
us to be able to will and do
00:27:15.50\00:27:18.23
because He walked indeed
00:27:18.27\00:27:19.77
and continually
surrendered His will
00:27:19.80\00:27:21.97
to His Father
every step of His life.
00:27:22.00\00:27:23.77
And how did He
become equal with God?
00:27:23.81\00:27:25.41
He humbled Himself,
and then what did He do?
00:27:25.44\00:27:27.91
He became a bondservant,
another word for slave.
00:27:27.94\00:27:30.61
Yeah.
00:27:30.65\00:27:31.98
He became
connected, He linked Himself,
00:27:32.01\00:27:34.88
He humbled Himself,
said, I'm not going to do it,
00:27:34.92\00:27:37.85
My Father is going to do it.
00:27:37.89\00:27:39.22
That's why the Lord,
00:27:39.25\00:27:40.59
that's why God the
Father allowed Jesus
00:27:40.62\00:27:43.53
to come in the
form of human flesh,
00:27:43.56\00:27:47.33
the fallen nature of Adam.
00:27:47.36\00:27:49.86
Jesus came clothed in
that fallen nature of Adam,
00:27:49.90\00:27:53.94
the same weak
nature that we all have,
00:27:53.97\00:27:56.27
but He came to
rely on His Father,
00:27:56.30\00:27:58.37
He became a bondservant.
00:27:58.41\00:28:00.34
And that's how the
power was revealed through Him
00:28:00.38\00:28:03.11
because it was the
Father working through Him.
00:28:03.14\00:28:05.45
What many people don't realize
00:28:05.48\00:28:06.82
is Jesus couldn't
do anything of Himself
00:28:06.85\00:28:08.58
if He did anything of
his own source of divinity,
00:28:08.62\00:28:11.45
His own source,
the great controversy
00:28:11.49\00:28:13.79
would have been defeated
00:28:13.82\00:28:15.16
because we don't
have the same source,
00:28:15.19\00:28:16.52
but what He did was He
used the power of the Father,
00:28:16.56\00:28:19.63
"I come to do the
will of the Father,
00:28:19.66\00:28:21.13
who sent me."
00:28:21.16\00:28:22.50
Matter of fact here
it is, Hebrews 10:7,
00:28:22.53\00:28:27.90
"Behold, I come in the volume
of the book it is written of Me
00:28:27.94\00:28:32.07
to do the will of God,
to do thy will, O God."
00:28:32.11\00:28:35.44
He didn't come to
accomplish His will,
00:28:35.48\00:28:37.35
so here's what I want
to read this quotation
00:28:37.38\00:28:38.91
in The Ministry of
Healing 174 to 176.
00:28:38.95\00:28:42.62
So what happens when
we yield our will to God?
00:28:42.65\00:28:44.89
"Through the right
exercise of the will
00:28:44.92\00:28:46.79
an entire change may
be made in their lives."
00:28:46.82\00:28:50.13
What kind of change? Entire.
00:28:50.16\00:28:52.36
"By yielding up
the will to Christ,
00:28:52.39\00:28:54.96
we ally ourselves
with divine power.
00:28:55.00\00:28:59.20
We receive strength from above
00:28:59.23\00:29:01.64
to hold us steadfast
a pure and noble life.
00:29:01.67\00:29:05.64
A life of victory
over appetite and lust
00:29:05.67\00:29:09.51
is possible to
everyone who will unite his weak
00:29:09.54\00:29:13.85
wavering human will
00:29:13.88\00:29:15.62
to the omnipotent
unwavering will of God."
00:29:15.65\00:29:18.62
Isn't that
powerful? That's powerful.
00:29:18.65\00:29:21.06
And so we're seeing here
that Jesus humbled Himself.
00:29:21.09\00:29:27.10
Right. And He is exalted.
00:29:27.13\00:29:28.96
Yeah. That's right.
00:29:29.00\00:29:30.33
Every knee is going to bow,
00:29:30.37\00:29:31.70
every tongue is going
to confess that He is Lord,
00:29:31.73\00:29:34.17
Satan who exalted
himself, what is his end result?
00:29:34.20\00:29:39.04
He's gonna be
cast down. Cast down.
00:29:39.07\00:29:40.68
But he was humbled.
00:29:40.71\00:29:42.04
That's another
word I want to use.
00:29:42.08\00:29:43.65
But now we have
to bring this home,
00:29:43.68\00:29:45.65
this program has got to touch
00:29:45.68\00:29:47.38
the needs of the people
that are listening to it.
00:29:47.42\00:29:49.92
This isn't just
beautiful words for you to hear,
00:29:49.95\00:29:52.62
our new concepts is
for us to take to heart
00:29:52.65\00:29:55.69
and if you're
seeing in your life
00:29:55.72\00:29:57.33
there is some
exaltation oh, today,
00:29:57.36\00:29:59.89
let's pray and
ask God to humble us
00:29:59.93\00:30:02.46
that God can flow through us.
00:30:02.50\00:30:04.60
and if you have a
desire if you say it,
00:30:04.63\00:30:06.84
"Oh, I want to be a good person,
00:30:06.87\00:30:09.04
today is the day to
put your will behind that."
00:30:09.07\00:30:10.94
That's right.
00:30:10.97\00:30:12.31
What are some obstacles
00:30:12.34\00:30:13.68
that could keep us
from doing the very thing
00:30:13.71\00:30:18.11
that we're saying
that we want to do?
00:30:18.15\00:30:19.48
I'm thinking about Paul
in the 7th Chapter of Romans.
00:30:19.51\00:30:23.08
oh, the thing I want to do
that I found out I can't do.
00:30:23.12\00:30:26.02
That's right.
00:30:26.05\00:30:27.39
He made it, he made
it clear, Paul says,
00:30:27.42\00:30:28.86
for I know that in
me Romans 7:18 to 24,
00:30:28.89\00:30:31.73
"I know that in me
that is in my flesh
00:30:31.76\00:30:33.36
nothing good dwells,
00:30:33.40\00:30:34.76
for to will is present with me
00:30:34.80\00:30:37.27
but how to perform
what is good I do not find,
00:30:37.30\00:30:40.97
for the good that I will to do."
00:30:41.00\00:30:43.07
I want to do that
00:30:43.10\00:30:44.44
but remember we said
desire as far as it goes
00:30:44.47\00:30:46.71
if that's all you
have, you can't do it.
00:30:46.74\00:30:48.58
I will to do he said,
00:30:48.61\00:30:50.11
"For the good I
will to do verse 19,
00:30:50.15\00:30:52.11
I do not, but the evil
00:30:52.15\00:30:54.18
I will not to
do that I practice.
00:30:54.22\00:30:57.09
Now if I do,
what I will not to do,
00:30:57.12\00:30:59.85
it is no longer I who do it
00:30:59.89\00:31:01.42
but here is the key
but sin that dwells in me."
00:31:01.46\00:31:05.36
Now let me expound
on this very quickly.
00:31:05.39\00:31:07.80
Sin that dwells in me, you see,
00:31:07.83\00:31:11.73
Adam made a choice, he
opened the door to sin.
00:31:11.77\00:31:14.24
Adam didn't just,
00:31:14.27\00:31:15.60
Adam did not choose
to yield to his wife.
00:31:15.64\00:31:20.04
Adam chose...
00:31:20.08\00:31:22.48
Adam didn't choose what to eat?
00:31:22.51\00:31:24.31
Adam chose who to serve.
00:31:24.35\00:31:26.15
Right.
00:31:26.18\00:31:27.52
He didn't choose to
yield to his wife's suggestion
00:31:27.55\00:31:29.58
although he did yield,
00:31:29.62\00:31:31.95
he, didn't choose what
to eat although we ate,
00:31:31.99\00:31:33.76
he chose who to serve.
00:31:33.79\00:31:35.42
Romans 6:16, this is powerful.
00:31:35.46\00:31:39.29
"Do you not know
00:31:39.33\00:31:41.20
that to whom you
present yourselves
00:31:41.23\00:31:43.80
slaves to obey,
00:31:43.83\00:31:45.93
you are that one
slave whom you obey,
00:31:45.97\00:31:48.40
whether of sin leading to death
00:31:48.44\00:31:50.31
or of obedience
leading to righteousness."
00:31:50.34\00:31:51.97
I want to make this
point very carefully
00:31:52.01\00:31:53.41
so for those of you
that want to break the things
00:31:53.44\00:31:55.34
that hold you.
00:31:55.38\00:31:56.71
Yes.
00:31:56.75\00:31:58.08
For those of you
that are at that point
00:31:58.11\00:31:59.45
where you say, oh,
lust, appetite, greed, anger.
00:31:59.48\00:32:05.22
For those of you that
want to break that thing
00:32:05.25\00:32:07.02
that's holding you, Paul says,
00:32:07.06\00:32:10.59
"Whomever you
present yourself to,
00:32:10.63\00:32:12.79
you become
immediately that one slave."
00:32:12.83\00:32:16.10
Now the slave and the
master concept is powerful
00:32:16.13\00:32:18.63
because the slave is
always subject to the master.
00:32:18.67\00:32:22.24
The master is never...
00:32:22.27\00:32:24.14
The master never gives
up control to the slave.
00:32:24.17\00:32:26.14
Right.
00:32:26.17\00:32:27.51
So Paul says
here, when you present
00:32:27.54\00:32:28.88
you're immediately a slave,
you are immediately a slave,
00:32:28.91\00:32:33.42
so Adam gave all of
us the slavery nature.
00:32:33.45\00:32:37.02
I'm still holding
on to the key point
00:32:37.05\00:32:39.62
I want to make
00:32:39.65\00:32:40.99
as we come toward
the end of the program,
00:32:41.02\00:32:42.36
so what we have to do is
you don't choose what to do,
00:32:42.39\00:32:45.89
you choose who to serve.
00:32:45.93\00:32:48.83
So the life of Jesus I
think gives us a lot of answers
00:32:48.86\00:32:51.23
as to where the power is found.
00:32:51.27\00:32:53.10
Jesus lived a continually
abiding independent life
00:32:53.13\00:32:56.81
upon the Father...
00:32:56.84\00:32:58.17
That's right.
00:32:58.21\00:32:59.54
Which allowed Him to
overcome in human flesh,
00:32:59.57\00:33:00.91
Romans 8 gives the answer
to Paul's desperate election
00:33:00.94\00:33:03.41
"Oh, wretched man that I am,
00:33:03.45\00:33:04.78
who will deliver me
from this body of death?"
00:33:04.81\00:33:06.61
The answer is found
00:33:06.65\00:33:07.98
in the Ministry
of the Holy Spirit,
00:33:08.02\00:33:09.35
attributing Christ obedient life
00:33:09.38\00:33:11.15
to the broken sinner.
00:33:11.19\00:33:12.52
That's right.
00:33:12.55\00:33:13.89
So in Romans 8:1 it says,
00:33:13.92\00:33:15.26
"There is therefore now
no condemnation to those
00:33:15.29\00:33:16.89
who are in Christ Jesus."
00:33:16.93\00:33:18.96
Those who are resting in Jesus
00:33:18.99\00:33:20.33
and receiving His righteousness.
00:33:20.36\00:33:22.23
"Who do not walk
according to the flesh,
00:33:22.26\00:33:24.03
but according to the spirit."
00:33:24.07\00:33:25.63
And I must get down to verse 3,
00:33:25.67\00:33:27.04
"For what the law
could not do save us,
00:33:27.07\00:33:29.30
and it was weak to the flesh
00:33:29.34\00:33:30.67
because my flesh can't
keep the law by default.
00:33:30.71\00:33:33.04
That's right.
00:33:33.07\00:33:34.41
God did on my
behalf by sending Jesus
00:33:34.44\00:33:37.58
in the likeness
of sinful flesh."
00:33:37.61\00:33:39.68
In flesh like mine
that could have fallen,
00:33:39.71\00:33:41.88
"And on account of sin
00:33:41.92\00:33:43.35
Jesus condemned
sin in the flesh."
00:33:43.39\00:33:45.69
He overcame sin in the
flesh and here's why in verse 4
00:33:45.72\00:33:49.19
and He did that by continually
abiding in the Father
00:33:49.22\00:33:51.99
and receiving strength
to make the right decision
00:33:52.03\00:33:54.16
every step of the way,
00:33:54.20\00:33:55.76
but this is why
He did this, verse 4,
00:33:55.80\00:33:58.37
"So that the
righteous requirement of the law
00:33:58.40\00:34:00.34
might be fulfilled in us,
00:34:00.37\00:34:02.10
who do not walk
according to the flesh
00:34:02.14\00:34:03.74
but according to the spirit."
00:34:03.77\00:34:05.27
By continually
abiding in Christ,
00:34:05.31\00:34:07.21
by continually
receiving power from God,
00:34:07.24\00:34:09.74
we receive the strength
and the power to live the life
00:34:09.78\00:34:13.21
that Christ lived.
00:34:13.25\00:34:14.58
Christ lives His life in us,
00:34:14.62\00:34:17.09
but it is through
continually abiding in Him
00:34:17.12\00:34:19.59
that the blood, you know,
00:34:19.62\00:34:21.02
I think Jesus mentioned John 15,
00:34:21.06\00:34:22.66
that you can't produce
fruit apart from yourself
00:34:22.69\00:34:24.39
only if you abide in the vine
00:34:24.43\00:34:26.19
is that process of continually
surrendering and abiding
00:34:26.23\00:34:29.10
that we receive power
and fruit to overcome.
00:34:29.13\00:34:32.00
So I want to get back
to this and thank you,
00:34:32.03\00:34:34.50
that's so beautiful,
Christ is the answer.
00:34:34.54\00:34:38.27
I can do all things...
00:34:38.31\00:34:40.01
But it's only through Christ.
00:34:40.04\00:34:41.61
Through Christ
who strengthens me.
00:34:41.64\00:34:45.25
We so often say,
"Lord, I wanna do Your will."
00:34:45.28\00:34:48.25
I want to do Your will, I
want to be a good Christian,
00:34:48.28\00:34:51.82
I want to eat right,
I want to dress right,
00:34:51.85\00:34:54.86
I, you know, we put this
big O I, Lucifer did that.
00:34:54.89\00:34:58.49
Learn from the one
who couldn't do it.
00:34:58.53\00:35:00.90
He put that big I in the
way, but I want to go further
00:35:00.93\00:35:03.37
because as I mentioned here,
00:35:03.40\00:35:04.73
when you choose whom
you're going to serve,
00:35:04.77\00:35:08.34
then you start
living out their agenda.
00:35:08.37\00:35:10.31
Right.
00:35:10.34\00:35:11.67
You go to Burger
King, you get one thing,
00:35:11.71\00:35:13.04
you go to Wendy's,
you get something else,
00:35:13.07\00:35:14.41
you go to McDonald's,
you get something else.
00:35:14.44\00:35:15.78
You go to wherever you
get, whatever is there,
00:35:15.81\00:35:18.61
you can't go to darkness
00:35:18.65\00:35:21.28
and try to live a life of light.
00:35:21.32\00:35:23.62
You can't choose light and
expect darkness to show up,
00:35:23.65\00:35:27.26
it just doesn't work.
00:35:27.29\00:35:28.69
Paul when he said,
that he chose righteousness,
00:35:28.72\00:35:34.46
obedience to
righteousness or sin to death,
00:35:34.50\00:35:38.43
when you choose
one, the other follows.
00:35:38.47\00:35:41.10
And so let's go
and bring it down,
00:35:41.14\00:35:42.47
I want to kind
of hit this point,
00:35:42.50\00:35:43.84
we gonna
reemphasize it over and over.
00:35:43.87\00:35:45.84
The point is Joshua
chose not what to do...
00:35:45.87\00:35:51.98
But who to
serve. But who to serve.
00:35:52.01\00:35:53.82
Now here I'm gonna hit this
00:35:53.85\00:35:55.18
and we're gonna
come back to this,
00:35:55.22\00:35:56.55
and I'm gonna
emphasize it even further
00:35:56.58\00:35:57.92
at the end of the program.
00:35:57.95\00:35:59.65
We cannot choose what to do.
00:35:59.69\00:36:03.22
You cannot choose what to do.
00:36:03.26\00:36:04.59
That's the problem.
00:36:04.63\00:36:05.96
You're saying, I need
to give up cigarettes,
00:36:05.99\00:36:08.20
need to give up alcohol,
need to give up pornography,
00:36:08.23\00:36:10.47
need to give up
stealing, need to give up lying.
00:36:10.50\00:36:12.73
I want to do this, I
don't want to do that,
00:36:12.77\00:36:14.90
I want to do... I, I, I, I.
00:36:14.94\00:36:17.44
Joshua chose who to serve.
00:36:17.47\00:36:19.34
Paul says, this is who we serve.
00:36:19.37\00:36:22.04
When you choose who to serve,
00:36:22.08\00:36:25.01
and instead of what to do,
00:36:25.05\00:36:26.95
then the one whom you
serve they choose what to do.
00:36:26.98\00:36:33.25
Now going back to slavery,
an awful dark spot in humanity
00:36:33.29\00:36:38.43
on so many different continents
including here in America.
00:36:38.46\00:36:42.60
But God has given me a
beautiful picture of slavery,
00:36:42.63\00:36:45.17
because when we
choose whom we serve,
00:36:45.20\00:36:48.24
they choose what we do.
00:36:48.27\00:36:50.34
They choose what we do.
00:36:50.37\00:36:51.71
In another words,
00:36:51.74\00:36:53.07
the slave never
controls the master,
00:36:53.11\00:36:54.54
the master always
controls the slave.
00:36:54.58\00:36:56.61
Now listen to this
text in that context
00:36:56.64\00:36:58.81
of a good context of
slavery, Romans 6:17 to 19,
00:36:58.85\00:37:06.79
"But God be thanked that
though you were slaves of sin,
00:37:06.82\00:37:12.53
yet you obeyed from the heart
00:37:12.56\00:37:14.96
that form of doctrine to
which you were delivered."
00:37:15.00\00:37:17.43
In other words,
you heard about freedom
00:37:17.47\00:37:19.63
so in your heart you desired it.
00:37:19.67\00:37:21.60
Slaves that are
bound, they hear about it,
00:37:21.64\00:37:23.54
oh, I just
can't wait to be free.
00:37:23.57\00:37:25.74
You obeyed it in your
heart, but you didn't,
00:37:25.77\00:37:27.84
you were not of able to
obey it in your actions yet,
00:37:27.88\00:37:30.61
but look what happened.
00:37:30.65\00:37:32.41
"And having been set free...
00:37:32.45\00:37:33.82
Now you are set free
having been set free from sin,
00:37:33.85\00:37:38.49
you're slave all over again,
00:37:38.52\00:37:39.95
you became slaves
of righteousness."
00:37:39.99\00:37:43.02
So what's that mean now,
00:37:43.06\00:37:44.39
all of a sudden
you no longer sinning,
00:37:44.43\00:37:46.26
you find yourself a
slave to righteousness,
00:37:46.29\00:37:49.43
but now this is good slavery,
because you're doing right,
00:37:49.46\00:37:52.77
you're not doing
wrong, you're living right,
00:37:52.80\00:37:54.40
you're not living
wrong, you're singing right,
00:37:54.44\00:37:55.90
you're not singing wrong,
00:37:55.94\00:37:57.31
everything that's right
is now a joy in your life.
00:37:57.34\00:37:59.87
Because somebody is doing this
00:37:59.91\00:38:01.78
and you say, "How
is this happening?"
00:38:01.81\00:38:03.65
It's God who is working in you
00:38:03.68\00:38:05.01
both to will and to
do of His good pleasure.
00:38:05.05\00:38:06.38
You let him come in
and Paul goes on to say,
00:38:06.41\00:38:08.55
he says, "I speak in human terms
00:38:08.58\00:38:09.95
because of the
weakness of your flesh."
00:38:09.98\00:38:12.22
But then he says,
00:38:12.25\00:38:13.86
"For just as you
presented your members
00:38:13.89\00:38:15.99
as slaves of uncleanness,
00:38:16.02\00:38:18.79
and lawlessness
leading to more lawlessness,
00:38:18.83\00:38:21.66
here's the choice.
00:38:21.70\00:38:24.63
So now present your members
00:38:24.67\00:38:26.60
as slaves of
righteousness for holiness."
00:38:26.63\00:38:30.31
So the same
cigarette lip that's the lip
00:38:30.34\00:38:33.51
that now sings
the praises of God,
00:38:33.54\00:38:35.54
the same hand that
turn the wrong channel
00:38:35.58\00:38:37.48
is the same hand that
heals the hurts of others.
00:38:37.51\00:38:39.81
Your instruments,
every aspect of your body
00:38:39.85\00:38:42.32
is now yielded to
a different master
00:38:42.35\00:38:45.32
and he is the one
empowering you to do right.
00:38:45.35\00:38:48.49
Make a point, Dee.
00:38:48.52\00:38:50.06
I was just
thinking in my mind...
00:38:50.09\00:38:51.43
I didn't say make a
point, make a point,
00:38:51.46\00:38:52.79
but you know what I'm saying.
00:38:52.83\00:38:54.16
Yeah, so I was just thinking
00:38:54.20\00:38:55.53
how many of us are
wrestling with yet how?
00:38:55.56\00:38:57.67
How? How?
00:38:57.70\00:38:59.03
Like theory, theory about how.
00:38:59.07\00:39:01.57
The thing that informs
the willingness to choose God
00:39:01.60\00:39:06.31
is an encounter with
the true picture of God
00:39:06.34\00:39:09.41
and the love of God
which is manifest in the life,
00:39:09.44\00:39:11.91
death, burial, resurrection,
and righteous life of Jesus,
00:39:11.95\00:39:15.75
and Jesus says in
Jeremiah Chapter 31,
00:39:15.78\00:39:18.65
it says in Jeremiah 31 that,
00:39:18.69\00:39:20.02
"I have loved you
with an everlasting love
00:39:20.06\00:39:21.59
therefore with loving kindness
I have drawn you to myself."
00:39:21.62\00:39:25.13
When we uplift
the cross of Christ,
00:39:25.16\00:39:27.26
a desire
awakens within our heart
00:39:27.30\00:39:29.20
to want to choose God.
00:39:29.23\00:39:31.13
'Cause you just want to
know, how do I choose God,
00:39:31.17\00:39:32.50
what does that look like.
00:39:32.53\00:39:33.87
Our first response
is to have an encounter
00:39:33.90\00:39:36.07
with the true gospel.
00:39:36.10\00:39:37.47
Paul says in Romans 10
00:39:37.51\00:39:39.24
that how are
they going to receive
00:39:39.27\00:39:41.21
unless someone preaches?
00:39:41.24\00:39:42.98
And the whole context
00:39:43.01\00:39:44.41
of what that
gospel should look like
00:39:44.45\00:39:45.78
is Romans 3 through 8
basically, 3 through 9
00:39:45.81\00:39:49.05
even of just
painting this picture
00:39:49.08\00:39:50.45
of a suffering Messiah
00:39:50.49\00:39:52.02
who gave all for broken humanity
00:39:52.05\00:39:53.92
who could not restore themselves
00:39:53.96\00:39:55.72
and who
promised would do for man
00:39:55.76\00:39:57.16
what He could
not do for Himself.
00:39:57.19\00:39:59.06
But we encounter
this amazing grace of God.
00:39:59.09\00:40:03.43
I would like to serve Him,
00:40:03.47\00:40:05.00
it wouldn't feel
like bondage to serve Him.
00:40:05.03\00:40:07.70
Right.
00:40:07.74\00:40:09.07
It wouldn't feel like
legalism or slavery to me
00:40:09.10\00:40:12.47
in a negative sense
to be a slave of His
00:40:12.51\00:40:15.28
because I know Him,
00:40:15.31\00:40:16.64
I know He has my
best interests at heart
00:40:16.68\00:40:18.01
and I know, He'd
never leave me in a way
00:40:18.05\00:40:19.38
that would not be in my good.
00:40:19.41\00:40:20.98
And I think this is where
00:40:21.02\00:40:22.35
the uplifting of
Christ in all of our ministry
00:40:22.38\00:40:23.92
can help people to prepare
them to make that decision.
00:40:23.95\00:40:27.06
It says in Revelation 13 and 14,
00:40:27.09\00:40:28.82
there's these
two contrasting views
00:40:28.86\00:40:30.19
of how people get worship.
00:40:30.23\00:40:31.63
The devil's looking for
worship in Revelation 13
00:40:31.66\00:40:33.83
by coercion,
manipulation, and death threats,
00:40:33.86\00:40:37.27
trying to deprive people
of the ability to choose.
00:40:37.30\00:40:40.07
What does God do?
00:40:40.10\00:40:41.60
He preaches the
everlasting gospel
00:40:41.64\00:40:43.34
to every nation,
tribe, tongue and people
00:40:43.37\00:40:45.37
and their logical
response and appeal
00:40:45.41\00:40:47.51
to the everlasting gospel
00:40:47.54\00:40:48.88
is to fear God and
to give glory to Him
00:40:48.91\00:40:51.08
and to rejoice
because the judgment has come
00:40:51.11\00:40:53.58
and you had no
need to be ashamed.
00:40:53.62\00:40:55.65
And it causes Babylon to fall
00:40:55.68\00:40:58.19
and this is what
restores us to God.
00:40:58.22\00:41:00.02
So God gives an invitation
by showing His character,
00:41:00.06\00:41:03.43
Satan tries to
malign the character of God
00:41:03.46\00:41:05.79
and coerce people into worship.
00:41:05.83\00:41:07.56
And I think that the
model that God is using
00:41:07.60\00:41:09.46
is a model that we should use
00:41:09.50\00:41:10.83
and it will lead
to people saying,
00:41:10.87\00:41:12.43
"Yes, I will choose God."
00:41:12.47\00:41:14.07
Wow.
00:41:14.10\00:41:15.44
I want to throw something
00:41:15.47\00:41:16.81
that's really
going to be a hook here,
00:41:16.84\00:41:18.17
and I say hook not that
because I discovered it,
00:41:18.21\00:41:20.31
but we are always slaves,
00:41:20.34\00:41:23.04
that's the fact of the
matter is we are always slaves.
00:41:23.08\00:41:27.72
Yes.
00:41:27.75\00:41:29.08
There are two masters
00:41:29.12\00:41:30.45
we're going to
serve one or the other.
00:41:30.49\00:41:31.89
You will either love
the one and hate the other
00:41:31.92\00:41:34.29
or hold to the one
and despise the other.
00:41:34.32\00:41:35.79
Right.
00:41:35.82\00:41:37.16
We are always
slaves, so people say, well,
00:41:37.19\00:41:41.06
you know,
there's no neutral place
00:41:41.10\00:41:42.66
so given to the idea
that you are not a sinner
00:41:42.70\00:41:45.13
and you're not righteous,
00:41:45.17\00:41:46.50
you're just trying to figure out
00:41:46.53\00:41:47.87
which one you are.
00:41:47.90\00:41:49.24
If you choose
not to be righteous,
00:41:49.27\00:41:50.61
you are a sinner.
00:41:50.64\00:41:51.97
I mean, that is
you're on the road to death.
00:41:52.01\00:41:53.34
We're all
sinners saved by grace,
00:41:53.38\00:41:54.71
but if you choose
not the road of light,
00:41:54.74\00:41:56.08
you are on the road of darkness.
00:41:56.11\00:41:57.45
If you choose not to
choose the road of darkness,
00:41:57.48\00:41:59.18
you're on the road of light.
00:41:59.21\00:42:00.72
We are always slaves.
00:42:00.75\00:42:02.68
So the beauty of it is
in this going to this again,
00:42:02.72\00:42:06.32
a slave cannot
free him or herself.
00:42:06.35\00:42:11.83
Now this is powerful,
00:42:11.86\00:42:13.66
which means if I become
a slave to righteousness,
00:42:13.70\00:42:17.97
what am I going to do?
00:42:18.00\00:42:19.73
Righteousness. Righteousness.
00:42:19.77\00:42:21.10
Righteousness.
00:42:21.14\00:42:22.47
Because I can't
free myself from it,
00:42:22.50\00:42:23.84
I am a slave to that.
00:42:23.87\00:42:25.51
Meaning now God is working in me
00:42:25.54\00:42:27.48
both to will and to
do of His good pleasure.
00:42:27.51\00:42:29.51
Paul says it this way,
00:42:29.54\00:42:30.98
because we look
at the sinful nature
00:42:31.01\00:42:32.38
it's no longer I who
live, but he says this,
00:42:32.41\00:42:34.42
'cause there's one
thing we still have left
00:42:34.45\00:42:35.92
that God is going to
replace is the sinful flesh,
00:42:35.95\00:42:38.55
that's the one thing
that still battling with us,
00:42:38.59\00:42:40.39
the simple flesh,
00:42:40.42\00:42:41.76
that's why you
have to die every day,
00:42:41.79\00:42:43.12
you have to choose today,
00:42:43.16\00:42:44.49
choose you this day
whom you will serve,
00:42:44.53\00:42:46.19
I die daily, all right.
00:42:46.23\00:42:49.00
That's how you have to do that.
00:42:49.03\00:42:50.37
Slaves cannot free themselves
Paul says it this way,
00:42:50.40\00:42:53.64
2 Corinthians
12:9, "He said to me,
00:42:53.67\00:42:56.71
"My grace is sufficient for you,
00:42:56.74\00:42:58.74
my strength is made
perfect in weakness."
00:42:58.77\00:43:02.01
So what do we do every day?
00:43:02.04\00:43:03.68
Therefore most
gladly I rather boast in my,
00:43:03.71\00:43:07.55
in my weaknesses,
in my infirmities, why?
00:43:07.58\00:43:10.65
That the power of
Christ may rest on me.
00:43:10.69\00:43:14.69
So when you wake
up in the morning
00:43:14.72\00:43:16.06
you say, "I'm weak, Lord, I
am weak, but you are strong."
00:43:16.09\00:43:22.16
And we sing that song,
live out thy life within me,
00:43:22.20\00:43:24.83
oh, Jesus, King of kings,
that's what exactly we do.
00:43:24.87\00:43:27.37
We wake up in the morning
00:43:27.40\00:43:28.74
and we yield
ourselves to Christ.
00:43:28.77\00:43:30.11
There's a
quotation in Steps to Christ.
00:43:30.14\00:43:31.77
Do you have that one? Which one?
00:43:31.81\00:43:33.58
Where he says, you know,
"Lord, I give you my heart,
00:43:33.61\00:43:36.54
take my heart for
I cannot give it."
00:43:36.58\00:43:37.91
Yeah.
00:43:37.95\00:43:39.28
You know, this beautiful,
00:43:39.31\00:43:40.65
every day we have
to wake up and say,
00:43:40.68\00:43:42.02
"Father, take my
heart, I cannot give it."
00:43:42.05\00:43:45.62
And so before I
wind up on the...
00:43:45.65\00:43:48.09
The slave is always going
to do the work of the master.
00:43:48.12\00:43:51.89
And that we're
continually dependent,
00:43:51.93\00:43:54.00
so that we as a people
are continually dependent
00:43:54.03\00:43:57.10
to receive
Christ's righteousness,
00:43:57.13\00:43:59.00
to receive Christ's obedience,
00:43:59.03\00:44:00.37
we don't create it,
00:44:00.40\00:44:01.74
we don't procure
it with our deeds,
00:44:01.77\00:44:03.41
it's something that
we're totally dependent
00:44:03.44\00:44:05.17
upon God to receive
00:44:05.21\00:44:06.98
and the fruit of
that is obedience,
00:44:07.01\00:44:08.64
righteousness and so on.
00:44:08.68\00:44:10.25
You know, you're saying
every morning you wake up
00:44:10.28\00:44:12.31
and how the proclamation
that we want to make to God.
00:44:12.35\00:44:17.39
I'm just thinking of
those that are that they say,
00:44:17.42\00:44:21.42
"I'm going to get up
in the morning and pray.
00:44:21.46\00:44:23.56
I'm going to get up
early in the morning.
00:44:23.59\00:44:25.39
I'm going to make a
proclamation in the morning."
00:44:25.43\00:44:28.70
And then they
sleep right through it,
00:44:28.73\00:44:30.70
and then they wake
up and instead of doing
00:44:30.73\00:44:33.20
what they said the night before,
00:44:33.23\00:44:34.60
they were going to do,
00:44:34.64\00:44:36.37
it's like a battle
goes on within you.
00:44:36.40\00:44:38.64
Have y'all ever had this battle?
00:44:38.67\00:44:40.01
Yeah. Can I go into this...
00:44:40.04\00:44:41.48
Sure, hit that.
00:44:41.51\00:44:42.84
The pot of gold here,
this is Steps to Christ 47,
00:44:42.88\00:44:45.61
"Many are inquiring,
00:44:45.65\00:44:46.98
'How am I to make the
surrender of myself to God?'
00:44:47.02\00:44:49.18
You desire to
give yourself to Him,
00:44:49.22\00:44:50.79
but you are weak in moral power,
00:44:50.82\00:44:52.45
in slavery to doubt,
00:44:52.49\00:44:53.82
and controlled by the
habits of your life of sin.
00:44:53.86\00:44:56.66
Your promises and resolutions
are like ropes of sand.
00:44:56.69\00:44:59.96
You cannot
control your thoughts,
00:45:00.00\00:45:01.60
your impulses, your affections.
00:45:01.63\00:45:03.47
And the knowledge
of your broken promises
00:45:03.50\00:45:05.63
and forfeited pledges
weakens your confidence
00:45:05.67\00:45:08.14
in your own sincerity,
00:45:08.17\00:45:10.14
and causes you to feel
that God can't accept you,
00:45:10.17\00:45:12.94
but you need not despair.
00:45:12.97\00:45:14.91
What you need to understand
is the true force of the will.
00:45:14.94\00:45:18.01
This is the governing
power in the nature of man,
00:45:18.05\00:45:21.45
the power of
decision, or of choice.
00:45:21.48\00:45:23.69
Everything depends upon this.
00:45:23.72\00:45:25.82
The power of choice
God has given to men,
00:45:25.85\00:45:27.72
and it's theirs to exercise.
00:45:27.76\00:45:29.09
That's right.
00:45:29.12\00:45:30.46
You cannot change your heart,
00:45:30.49\00:45:31.83
you cannot of yourself
give to God its affections,
00:45:31.86\00:45:34.16
but you can choose to serve Him.
00:45:34.20\00:45:36.40
You can give Him your
will, He will then work in you
00:45:36.43\00:45:39.87
to do into will
according to His good pleasure.
00:45:39.90\00:45:42.37
And thus your whole
nature will be brought
00:45:42.40\00:45:44.54
under the control of
the Spirit of Christ,
00:45:44.57\00:45:47.04
your affections will
be centered upon Him,
00:45:47.08\00:45:49.18
and your thoughts will
be in harmony with Him."
00:45:49.21\00:45:51.58
So we can choose to serve Him.
00:45:51.61\00:45:54.05
Here's the answer to that
00:45:54.08\00:45:55.68
defeated morning proclamation
00:45:55.72\00:45:58.19
when you go to bed at night
00:45:58.22\00:45:59.55
say, "Lord, wake
me up in the morning."
00:45:59.59\00:46:02.76
He set that clock,
00:46:02.79\00:46:04.46
"Lord, wake me up in the morning
00:46:04.49\00:46:05.89
so that I can pray here."
00:46:05.93\00:46:07.26
Heal me Christ's
Spirit and the Savior.
00:46:07.30\00:46:08.63
Wake up and then
give me the bonus
00:46:08.66\00:46:10.97
and the heart to get up
00:46:11.00\00:46:13.84
and do what it is
that I know had to do.
00:46:13.87\00:46:16.30
Christ had this, right?
00:46:16.34\00:46:17.67
Christ woke up early sometimes,
He would stay up all evenings
00:46:17.71\00:46:19.57
you can ask to
receive Christ's discipline,
00:46:19.61\00:46:21.74
Christ's surrender,
00:46:21.78\00:46:23.35
Christ's longing to
commune with the Father.
00:46:23.38\00:46:25.61
We can receive our deficiencies
00:46:25.65\00:46:27.58
through the
Ministry of the Holy Spirit
00:46:27.62\00:46:28.95
that's the point that she makes.
00:46:28.98\00:46:30.39
And so when you,
when you think about it
00:46:30.42\00:46:31.75
and I thank the
Lord for that it says,
00:46:31.79\00:46:33.22
you've heard a demon possession
or people being possessed.
00:46:33.25\00:46:36.56
What happens when we
yield ourselves to Christ
00:46:36.59\00:46:38.89
and we ask Him to
come in, here is the quote,
00:46:38.93\00:46:41.73
Temperance 1:13 paragraph 3,
00:46:41.76\00:46:45.07
"Your part is to put your
will on the side of Christ,
00:46:45.10\00:46:48.47
when you yield your will to his,
00:46:48.50\00:46:50.97
he immediately
takes possession of you
00:46:51.01\00:46:54.71
and works in you to will
and to do of His good pleasure.
00:46:54.74\00:46:57.88
Your nature is brought
00:46:57.91\00:46:59.25
under the control of His spirit,
00:46:59.28\00:47:00.62
even your thoughts
are subject to Him.
00:47:00.65\00:47:02.32
If you cannot
control your impulses,
00:47:02.35\00:47:03.82
your emotions, and your desires,
00:47:03.85\00:47:05.39
you cannot control the will.
00:47:05.42\00:47:07.29
And thus, the entire change
will be wrought in your life.
00:47:07.32\00:47:10.36
But when you yield
your will to Christ,
00:47:10.39\00:47:12.29
your life is hid with Christ
in God allied to the power
00:47:12.33\00:47:15.63
which is above
all principalities,
00:47:15.66\00:47:18.13
you have a strength from God
00:47:18.17\00:47:19.53
that hold you
fast to his strength,
00:47:19.57\00:47:21.34
a new life even the life
of faith is possible to you.
00:47:21.37\00:47:26.07
So what about
knowing the will of God?
00:47:26.11\00:47:29.74
How can we know the will of God,
00:47:29.78\00:47:31.11
Pastor Lomacang!
00:47:31.15\00:47:32.48
You thought I would never ask.
00:47:32.51\00:47:35.58
You wanna start with
that, I will just head...
00:47:35.62\00:47:37.02
I will say this
first and foremost,
00:47:37.05\00:47:38.59
it's when you wrestle
00:47:38.62\00:47:39.95
with what could be the
will of God possibly be,
00:47:39.99\00:47:41.76
we know without
a shadow of doubt
00:47:41.79\00:47:43.16
the immediate will of
God is for you to be saved.
00:47:43.19\00:47:45.36
That's right.
00:47:45.39\00:47:46.73
Above all else God
wants you to be saved,
00:47:46.76\00:47:48.43
He wants you to be free,
healthy and whole in Jesus,
00:47:48.46\00:47:52.80
and so we know immediately
00:47:52.83\00:47:54.17
that God wants
to commune with you,
00:47:54.20\00:47:55.54
to love you and to
make you like Himself,
00:47:55.57\00:47:56.94
that's the
immediate answer that we have.
00:47:56.97\00:47:58.64
Okay, so the will
of God, when we say,
00:47:58.67\00:48:02.38
"Lord, what is
Your will for my life?
00:48:02.41\00:48:04.45
What do You want me to do?
00:48:04.48\00:48:06.61
And we ask, you
know, we ask pastors,
00:48:06.65\00:48:08.28
I've had people ask me,
I have young people ask me,
00:48:08.32\00:48:09.92
I've had older people ask me,
00:48:09.95\00:48:11.29
I've had all people of
all different races ask me,
00:48:11.32\00:48:15.19
Pastor John, I've
been asking this question,
00:48:15.22\00:48:16.69
maybe you know,
because I watch you on 3ABN,
00:48:16.73\00:48:18.19
maybe you know the answer.
00:48:18.23\00:48:19.56
What is God's will for my life?
00:48:19.59\00:48:20.96
Can you pray with me
that God reveals His will
00:48:21.00\00:48:22.43
to my life?
00:48:22.46\00:48:23.80
And I said, "Now, let
me ask you the question.
00:48:23.83\00:48:25.57
If God reveals
His will to your life,
00:48:25.60\00:48:27.14
is that eternal life?
00:48:27.17\00:48:28.50
He said, "Well, no."
00:48:28.54\00:48:29.87
I said, "What is eternal life?"
00:48:29.90\00:48:31.44
This is life
eternal that you may know
00:48:31.47\00:48:34.14
that they may know you
00:48:34.18\00:48:35.51
the only true God
in Jesus whom you sent.
00:48:35.54\00:48:38.31
So what is eternal life?
00:48:38.35\00:48:39.95
To know God and Jesus.
00:48:39.98\00:48:43.08
And experiential knowledge
not, not a head knowledge,
00:48:43.12\00:48:45.62
to commune with them
to think deeply, yeah.
00:48:45.65\00:48:47.46
So follow this, to
know, to have a connection
00:48:47.49\00:48:50.03
an intimate spiritual connection
00:48:50.06\00:48:51.46
with the Father and the Son,
00:48:51.49\00:48:52.83
that's so is eternal
life to know God's will.
00:48:52.86\00:48:55.60
No, it's no God.
00:48:55.63\00:48:57.07
So how does that the
answer to my question?
00:48:57.10\00:49:00.00
Does God know His will?
00:49:00.04\00:49:01.37
Yes. Yes.
00:49:01.40\00:49:03.07
The prayer He taught us to pray,
00:49:03.10\00:49:04.97
"Father, thy will be done
on earth at is, as it is where?
00:49:05.01\00:49:09.88
In heaven."
00:49:09.91\00:49:11.25
So when we get to
know God who knows His will
00:49:11.28\00:49:14.82
because His
thoughts and our thoughts
00:49:14.85\00:49:16.18
are not the same.
00:49:16.22\00:49:17.65
When we get to know
Him, what does He do?
00:49:17.69\00:49:20.46
He comes in and I go
00:49:20.49\00:49:21.92
but once again He comes
into work in us both to will...
00:49:21.96\00:49:26.83
And to do.
00:49:26.86\00:49:28.20
And to do of His good pleasure,
00:49:28.23\00:49:29.80
so for those of you
that are struggling,
00:49:29.83\00:49:32.00
look at the two contrasts.
00:49:32.03\00:49:34.60
Satan says, "I will"
Jesus says, "Not my will,
00:49:34.64\00:49:37.94
but thy will be done."
00:49:37.97\00:49:39.31
He taught us to pray,
00:49:39.34\00:49:40.68
"Father thy will be done
on earth, as it is in heaven."
00:49:40.71\00:49:42.84
So how is God...
00:49:42.88\00:49:44.65
How is a perfect good
and perfect will of God
00:49:44.68\00:49:47.98
going to be
accomplished in imperfect men?
00:49:48.02\00:49:50.32
How is a good and
perfect will of God
00:49:50.35\00:49:51.82
going to be accomplished
00:49:51.85\00:49:53.19
in imperfect
human beings like us?
00:49:53.22\00:49:54.56
By us receiving Him.
00:49:54.59\00:49:56.89
Who is perfect. Yes.
00:49:56.93\00:49:58.66
"Be perfect as your
Father in heaven is perfect."
00:49:58.69\00:50:00.73
So when you
receive the perfect Christ,
00:50:00.76\00:50:03.26
the perfect Christ comes in
00:50:03.30\00:50:05.37
and the perfect will He performs
00:50:05.40\00:50:07.50
through the imperfect man,
00:50:07.54\00:50:09.04
thereby making us perfect
in the presence of His Father.
00:50:09.07\00:50:13.07
I want to share
one scripture. Sure.
00:50:13.11\00:50:14.71
Sure, go for it.
00:50:14.74\00:50:16.08
And that would be Romans 12:2.
00:50:16.11\00:50:19.91
You've got it
there. Go for Mollie.
00:50:19.95\00:50:21.45
May not conform to this world
but be you transformed how,
00:50:21.48\00:50:25.72
by the renewing of your mind
00:50:25.75\00:50:27.62
that you may
prove what it is that
00:50:27.66\00:50:30.73
good and acceptable
and perfect will of God.
00:50:30.76\00:50:33.96
You want to know what
the perfect will of God is.
00:50:34.00\00:50:36.46
That's right.
00:50:36.50\00:50:37.83
It has to do with your mind,
doesn't it, Pastor Lomacang,
00:50:37.87\00:50:40.34
and renewing that mind
00:50:40.37\00:50:41.77
and what do you
renew your mind with?
00:50:41.80\00:50:43.51
The word of God and prayer.
00:50:43.54\00:50:45.31
And you would want
to naturally do that.
00:50:45.34\00:50:47.31
When you engage in communion
with God and you seek God,
00:50:47.34\00:50:50.41
the best way to have
quality time with Him
00:50:50.45\00:50:52.31
is in His word and
in your prayer closet.
00:50:52.35\00:50:55.05
And I wanna hit text
because it doesn't say,
00:50:55.08\00:50:57.52
that you may
know what is that good
00:50:57.55\00:50:59.25
and acceptable and perfect
will of God or you may prove,
00:50:59.29\00:51:02.42
you know what
that word prove means,
00:51:02.46\00:51:03.79
that word prove means
that you may display it.
00:51:03.83\00:51:06.93
'Cause God knows it,
00:51:06.96\00:51:08.30
He wants to display
His will through us,
00:51:08.33\00:51:09.80
not just say, "Here
Dee, here's My will,
00:51:09.83\00:51:12.80
check it out see if you like it.
00:51:12.83\00:51:14.27
Mollie, I'm sending
you an email with My will
00:51:14.30\00:51:16.47
and see if you like
it, if you like it, do it."
00:51:16.50\00:51:18.14
He says, "No,
Mollie, if you get to know me
00:51:18.17\00:51:21.44
I'm gonna come in."
00:51:21.48\00:51:23.01
You know, we've got
just such a short time
00:51:23.04\00:51:25.71
and I'm looking at you,
Dee and you Pastor Lomacang,
00:51:25.75\00:51:29.55
do you feel like
you're in the perfect place
00:51:29.58\00:51:31.69
in God's perfect will
right now in your life?
00:51:31.72\00:51:33.86
Yes.
00:51:33.89\00:51:35.22
And how did that happen?
00:51:35.26\00:51:36.59
It didn't happen
by you working it out
00:51:36.62\00:51:38.99
or getting advice
from somebody else,
00:51:39.03\00:51:41.10
but by you yielding and
submitting your life to Him
00:51:41.13\00:51:44.43
and allowing Him
to direct your path.
00:51:44.47\00:51:46.57
That's right. And
direct your staff...
00:51:46.60\00:51:47.94
You swept me off my
feet. Yielded heart.
00:51:47.97\00:51:49.60
Yeah.
00:51:49.64\00:51:50.97
But we have got
to take a short break
00:51:51.01\00:51:52.61
and I hate to do that.
00:51:52.64\00:51:53.98
Sure.
00:51:54.01\00:51:55.34
But I want both
of you to be prepared
00:51:55.38\00:51:56.71
when we come back to
give a closing thought
00:51:56.75\00:51:58.45
and to speak to the
hearts of those that are saying,
00:51:58.48\00:52:01.08
"Oh, I want to do
the perfect will of God,
00:52:01.12\00:52:04.82
I want to live
godly in Christ Jesus."
00:52:04.85\00:52:09.86
And I want us to
have something prepared
00:52:09.89\00:52:12.09
to help them to make
that, that step forward.
00:52:12.13\00:52:15.16
But right now,
we've got a short break,
00:52:15.20\00:52:18.00
we're going to
take a short break,
00:52:18.03\00:52:19.37
but we'll be right back.
00:52:19.40\00:52:20.74