Participants:
Series Code: TDY
Program Code: TDY017090A
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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 01:07 Hello and welcome to 3ABN Today. 01:09 I am Chris Shelton along with my husband 01:11 Pastor Kenny Shelton. 01:13 And we are so excited, 01:14 we're going to study a Bible topic tonight. 01:17 And tonight's topic or today's topic 01:19 whenever you may be watching is entitled 01:22 "Choose you this day", 01:24 that might even sound a little scriptural, 01:25 Pastor Kenny, what do you think? 01:26 It is, and that's what I love about, right. 01:29 Absolutely. It's scriptural, yes. 01:31 And we've got a couple wonderful guests 01:33 over to our right. 01:34 The first one is Jason Bradley, he is the general assistant... 01:38 Assistant to the General Manager. 01:40 Assistant to the General Manager, 01:42 which is Sister Yvonne Lewis, 01:43 we all love her very, very much, 01:45 and we love you too. 01:46 And next to him is Dee Casper. 01:49 And, Dee Casper, you've got a ministry, 01:51 and it's entitled UnScene Media? 01:53 Yeah, UnScene Media. 01:54 I think a lot of our visitors 01:56 that are visiting by television, 01:58 they've seen and heard you speak before, 02:00 and tell a little bit about your ministry before, 02:03 'cause I have been one of those. 02:04 I've heard a little bit about it so... 02:06 You keep pretty busy too, don't you? 02:08 Yeah, I travel a lot right now. Yes. 02:10 Ten straight weeks. 02:11 Praise the Lord, that's good. 02:13 Well, we're glad you've taken time out 02:14 to join with us today. 02:16 And to me, it's an exciting subject 02:18 that may be elementary to some, 02:20 we'll say ABC, 02:21 but really there ought be millions 02:24 that have no idea what it is to "Choose you this day" 02:27 whom you're going to serve, and the thing is the process. 02:30 So we're going to be discussing that process, 02:31 it's a six step process, right? 02:34 You might as well talk about that. 02:35 Yeah, I love it 02:36 because you broken it down into six. 02:38 You called it six easy steps, but when I went back through, 02:40 it took me a while to just look up 02:42 all these Bible passages, 02:43 but that's good, that's really good. 02:45 In fact, I'm planning on putting it 02:47 in a pamphlet for people, 02:48 so they can have it in the future. 02:50 It's a good, good six point steps 02:54 because many times, we come in, 02:56 and we are baptized, and we joined the church, 03:01 and we think that's all there is to it. 03:03 But, you know, it's a daily walk, 03:06 it's a daily decision. 03:08 So we have to choose each and every day, 03:10 sometimes each and every moment whom we're going to serve. 03:13 And how do we do that? 03:15 A lot of new Christians, 03:16 in fact, not just new Christians, Pastor, 03:19 but a lot of people that have been in the church 03:21 for many years 03:22 really don't understand these simple steps. 03:25 And I think as we see time drawing closer and closer 03:30 to the second coming, 03:31 we're going to see 03:33 just how important these six steps are. 03:35 So we used the word 'easy' lightly. 03:39 You know, it's easy if we just have faith, 03:41 and read scripture, and follow through, 03:43 but to follow 03:45 what we're going to be reading from the scripture 03:47 is sometime a challenge to lot of us, 03:49 not just the young 03:51 but may be the older has been in the church a while. 03:52 So anyway, by the grace of God 03:54 we're going to get in this study. 03:55 That's right. 03:57 And, you know, it's all built on the solid rock, 03:59 isn't that beautiful? 04:00 And we're going to start out 04:01 by listening to sister Yvonne Lewis 04:04 from Dare to Dream and 3ABN as she sings the "Solid Rock". 04:34 On Christ the solid rock I stand 04:40 All other ground is sinking sand 04:47 All other ground is sinking sand 05:00 My hope is built on nothing less 05:05 Than Jesus' blood and righteousness 05:12 I dare not trust the sweetest frame 05:16 But wholly lean on Jesus' name 05:22 On Christ the solid rock I stand 05:26 All other ground is sinking sand 05:32 All other ground is sinking sand 05:44 When darkness fails His lovely face 05:48 I rest on His unchanging grace 05:55 In every high and stormy gale 06:00 My anchor holds within the veil 06:05 On Christ the solid rock I stand 06:09 All other ground is sinking sand 06:15 All other ground is sinking sand 06:25 His oath, His word, His blood 06:27 His blood, He heals me 06:34 He then is all my Hope and Stay 06:41 When He shall come with trumpet sound 06:48 Oh, may I then in Him be found 06:53 Dressed in His righteousness alone 06:59 Faultless to stand 07:02 Before His throne 07:09 All other ground is sinking sand 07:15 All other ground is sinking sand 07:21 On Christ the solid rock I stand 07:25 On Christ the solid rock I stand 07:29 All other ground is sinking sand 07:35 On Christ, the solid rock 07:40 I stand 07:56 Wow! Hallelujah. 07:57 Thank you, Sister Yvonne. Mercy. 08:00 That was a sermon within itself. 08:01 Absolutely. 08:03 Every other ground is sinking sand. 08:05 And that's what this lesson 08:07 is built upon is that solid rock, 08:09 and we want to give our folks at home six simple steps 08:13 to stay grounded on that solid rock. 08:15 But before we do, Pastor, would you have prayer for us? 08:18 Yes, let's pray, shall we? 08:20 Loving Father in heaven, truly it is a privilege 08:22 to be part of the family of God today. 08:24 We thank You for the power that You've promised to us 08:28 as we set our hearts and our minds upon Thee. 08:31 We ask and invite Thy Holy Spirit, 08:33 take possession of our hearts, our minds, our lives. 08:37 We praise, we break the precious bread of life 08:40 that You will impart the knowledge 08:41 that we need and the wisdom. 08:43 And work upon each individual who either listens or watches 08:48 that each one may want to sit down, 08:49 take some notes to realize these are important things 08:53 that we need to put in order. 08:54 And if we put them in order, 08:56 the Holy Spirit has promised to do great things for us. 08:58 Bless now, we pray, each and every one 09:00 as we break the bread of life again. 09:02 May it come back and bear a fruit 09:03 which it will, and we're going to thank You in advance, 09:05 thank You for it again. 09:07 Each and everyone who views, 09:08 may the spirit of the living God 09:10 touch hearts and lives right now, in Jesus' name. 09:12 There's nothing like the Word of God, 09:14 it does not return void. 09:17 It's beautiful. 09:18 In fact, I found myself 09:19 claiming some of these Bible verses, 09:22 and then I told him, he put it together real quick. 09:25 After they asked us, I said, "I love it, I love it." 09:29 And the first one, 09:30 I don't know 09:32 how far we're going be able to get with this study, 09:35 but if we don't get through all of it, 09:37 at least, I might go through some of the topics 09:39 with you towards the end of this study 09:41 so they have an idea. 09:43 But the first one, step one, 09:45 "Ask God to wake you up early so time can be spent with Him." 09:51 And, you know, by profession, I am a teacher, 09:53 and I taught school for several years, 09:56 and I would tell my kids, 09:57 "Don't even get out of bed until you pray first. 10:01 Then if you need to get up, get a drink of water, 10:04 you come back, 10:05 and you have your little Bible study." 10:07 And that's good for even adults. 10:10 And when we're out doing evangelism, 10:12 we encourage people to do the very same thing. 10:15 Don't event take a bite of food, 10:17 not even physical food till you eat that spiritual, 10:20 why is that? 10:22 I think it's the most important thing we can do, 10:25 because what happens if you're like I am, 10:28 maybe you guys, we get busy. 10:30 Sometimes, we get very busy. 10:31 If we get up and start, you know, 10:33 "Well, we're just going to do this first, 10:34 and then we'll get back into the word," 10:36 first never comes, 10:37 you know, so the very thing that we need to do is to do, 10:40 like you said, dedicate this time, and energy, 10:43 everything to the cause of Christ first, 10:45 then all these other things will be added 10:47 in will get them done. 10:48 And what I find 10:49 and what I have found through the years, 10:51 if you don't do it first, the phone starts ringing, 10:54 the kids get up. 10:55 And I know, you got a wonderful story 10:56 when you first started studying early in the morning. 10:59 The kids start getting up, 11:01 things begin to happen because the old enemy, 11:03 he doesn't want you to spend time 11:05 in the Word of God 11:06 'cause the Word of God is power, it is truth. 11:09 Tell us what happened 11:10 when you first dedicated morning time 11:12 to worshiping the Lord? 11:14 Yeah. 11:15 You know, each morning, 11:17 you may have a story different ones, 11:18 there comes a time, 11:19 I think, in our life and probably yours too, 11:21 you know, belonging to the church 11:23 as we're being Christians, 11:25 Adventist Christians, whatever might be, 11:27 and you're really not converted, 11:29 you know, I was there for a lot of years. 11:31 And my failure was, I didn't even realize I wasn't. 11:34 You can be been so lukewarm, you don't know 11:35 'cause you go through all the emotions, 11:37 and you're consistent in doing those things. 11:39 And I remember when conversion really came, 11:41 and knocked at my door, 11:42 and Lord came to me in a dream that I had, 11:46 and He talked to me, 11:47 and it's very interesting thing. 11:49 Well, when you're lukewarm, you don't know the master, 11:51 you don't know the shepherd, 11:53 but I remember one thing quickly, 11:54 what's interesting is when the Lord 11:56 as it were appeared to me in the dream, 11:59 He said, "Kenny," first thing He said was Kenny. 12:03 And my response to Him was, "Yes, Lord." 12:07 I knew His voice, that makes you good. 12:10 I knew and recognized His voice, 12:11 but still in a lukewarm condition, 12:13 'cause I said, "Yes, Lord." 12:14 And I knew He's seen all the way through me, 12:16 no alibis, no excuses, no anything. 12:19 The bottom line is after that, the conversion came, 12:21 and I needed to study more. 12:23 I realized it, and you take time to do it, 12:25 and with couple of kids running around the house that time, 12:28 it is very difficult, 12:29 so we had a bigger house at a basement. 12:31 So I said, "You know what, about 5 o'clock every morning, 12:34 I'm gonna go down there, 12:35 and I'm gonna spend an hour or so before I go to work." 12:37 I was doing construction at the time. 12:39 And I went down at 5 o'clock in the morning, 12:42 you know, before anybody else would get up, 12:43 was quite in the basement, close the door, 12:45 it wasn't two, three minutes, 12:47 and here come the little man about three years old, 12:49 opened the door, and come in, wants to play in the corner, 12:51 you know. 12:52 "Oh, man! I can't concentrate with all those," you know. 12:55 So any way, I put up with that. 12:57 The next morning, same thing. 12:59 He's not used to getting up. 13:00 I thought, "Right then, 13:02 I'm gonna be careful with this one." 13:03 I said, "The old enemy is waking him up, 13:05 and he is coming down here, so that I can't spend time." 13:07 So I thought, "Well, I'll just fool him, 13:09 I'm going to get up at 4 o'clock." 13:10 So next day, I get up at 4 o'clock in the morning, 13:13 and just couple of minutes after 4, here he came down. 13:16 I thought, "This is not going to work." 13:17 You know, I said, "Let's give it another chance." 13:19 Next morning, same thing, 13:20 come down there, he is right there, 13:22 want to play, and you hate to send him back, 13:23 you hate to, you know... 13:25 And so finally, I said, "Well, I'm going to fool him, 13:26 I'm going to get up at 3 o'clock." 13:28 No way he is going to be up at 3 o'clock. 13:30 I tell you, the little man was down, 13:31 a few minutes after 3, there he was again. 13:33 I realized I was faced to fate, 13:34 the enemy was working very hard. 13:36 So for a couple of days in row, 13:37 I encouraged him to stay in his bed. 13:39 If he didn't, he's going to be in trouble. 13:41 And finally, he still came down, 13:42 so what I basically did is stay in his hide, 13:44 put him in bed, and I never had any more problems. 13:48 Well, that's technically one solution. 13:51 That does not always work for everybody. 13:53 I worked for quite a few days different. 13:55 But that finally worked, 13:57 and so I just see how the enemy, 13:59 you know, can try to disturb you. 14:00 And I think it's good that we realize, as Christians, 14:04 that when we are stepping forward 14:07 in truth and in power, 14:10 you know, this is a spiritual warfare, 14:12 and we're going to see these things happen, 14:14 so how do we deal with them? 14:16 And that's a way you dealt with them, 14:17 so how about you, guys? 14:19 I think that time early is helpful 14:20 and the keyword is early, 14:22 because it's before the world wakes, 14:23 it's before the world kind of shows up 14:24 and starts clamoring at your doorstep 14:26 but with the exception of your situation 14:28 in a general sense, 14:29 I know that when I try to sleep in 14:31 to catch up from travels or other things, 14:33 life shows up so quick 14:35 that if you don't get that time first, 14:37 it just comes and steals it from you. 14:38 Exactly. 14:39 And I made a commitment years ago, 14:42 about eight or nine years ago 14:43 that I was not going to start my day without that. 14:46 I may make hot water, early plane flights, 14:48 it didn't matter what it was, and God has blessed that time. 14:51 He's restored it to me tenfold, 14:53 and who I am now 14:54 is not who I was when I started that process. 14:56 By first submitting to the process 14:58 and choosing to honor Him with my firstfruits 15:00 and letting Him have the rest of the day. 15:03 And, yeah, that time never returns to you void. 15:06 Amen. Amen. 15:07 You ever noticed that is just, I think in Exodus 31, 15:12 where the manna, 15:13 I always relate to that, the manna, 15:15 you know, you're going to put the manna out there, 15:17 and what did God say, "You go out there, 15:18 and you get the manna early," because when the sun begin to, 15:21 what, come up as it were, what happened to the manna? 15:25 Disappeared. It melted away. 15:26 It's gone, it disappeared. 15:28 So I relate that to spiritual study, 15:29 if we're not careful, 15:31 you know, get it early 15:32 before the phone starts ringing in, 15:34 before the day's activities, 15:36 and the Lord will bless you for that. 15:37 You ever seen that happen in your life? 15:39 Yes, and you know what, 15:40 it's like I'm not really a morning person 15:43 to be honest. 15:44 Well, let's be honest. 15:47 But, you know, they always say, be careful what you pray for. 15:50 I pray and ask God to get me up in the morning 15:51 so that I can study, 15:53 and have my devotion, and all that stuff, 15:54 and He will wake you up in the morning, 15:57 He is better than the alarm clock. 15:58 But I think that 16:00 it's so important to study early on, 16:02 because one, 16:04 you have to surrender your day and your life to the Lord, 16:07 what better time than the morning to do that. 16:10 That's not saying, 16:11 "Don't pray throughout the day," 16:13 of course, you pray throughout the day, 16:14 but studying early in the morning 16:15 where your mind is fresh, 16:17 you know, and you're waking up, and everything, 16:21 you're able to absorb a lot more than if you wait 16:24 until the middle or towards the end of day, 16:27 your faculties aren't going to be as strong. 16:30 So it's important to pray 16:32 and ask the Lord to order our steps. 16:35 You know, because He knows the end from the beginning. 16:37 And so we have to plan our whole day 16:40 involving God in our lives. 16:43 So whose example should we follow, 16:45 'cause that's the part of our lesson 16:46 that we're doing here. 16:47 It's Christ example. It's whose example. 16:49 Jesus Christ. With Jesus' example. 16:51 And it was our first passage on there, 16:53 it says in John 13:15. 16:56 Some people at home, they'll say, 16:58 "Oh, you're talking about communion service," 17:00 and so on and so forth, it's everything that Jesus did. 17:03 He's our example right in everything. 17:06 And there in John 13:15, 17:08 now you can jot this down at home 17:09 because there's a lot of things, 17:10 and hopefully we'll get to few of them. 17:12 It says, "For I've given you" what? 17:13 An example. 17:15 "An example that you should do as I have done to you." 17:18 And to me, that just opened up another door besides, 17:21 you know, the communion. 17:22 That's everything that Jesus did, 17:24 He is my example, then, in all things. 17:28 So we can learn through this study here. 17:30 What did Jesus do? How did He do it? 17:33 How did He, you know, how was He victorious? 17:35 How did He gain the victory over the enemy? 17:38 You know, what did He do with His time? 17:40 It helps me to understand what I need to do. 17:41 Exactly. 17:43 And, you know, I want to echo what they're saying, 17:45 because that's when my life 17:46 really changed as a Christian, too, 17:49 is when I decided to dedicate time 17:51 in the morning for Jesus, 17:53 and the first fruit of the morning to Him, 17:57 and that's when things began to change, 17:59 and I love it. 18:01 I'm going to jump down to Mark 1:35, 18:03 'cause you said, "What did Jesus do?" 18:05 It says, "And in the morning, 18:07 rising up a great while before day, 18:10 He went out and departed into a solitary place, 18:14 and there, prayed." 18:16 Amen. What an example! 18:19 Exactly, there's no better example 18:21 than what He's given us. 18:23 And if we wait... 18:25 I know when we're doing evangelism, 18:27 it's usually late night, 18:28 so it's hard to get up quite as early, 18:31 and when the sun is up, 18:33 and you feel like you've lost that morning, 18:34 it's a little more difficult, but it's still important, 18:37 and we're going to touch on just how important it is. 18:39 It still applies, you know, you've mentioned, Dee, 18:43 you go traveling, and you get back, 18:45 and sometimes you're little out of source with time, 18:47 and changes, and all that, but it doesn't mean, 18:50 "Well, you don't study for that day." 18:52 It means to getting up at 5, 18:53 you may have got up at 6 o'clock. 18:55 It's still the same process goes on when you get up, 18:58 and get balanced, and ready to go. 18:59 Absolutely. 19:01 One of the beautiful things 19:02 that I find in John 13:15 is where it says, 19:07 "For I have given you an example 19:08 that you should do as I have done to you." 19:12 Not as I have said to you, but as I have done to you, 19:16 you know, that's one of the many things 19:19 that makes Christ such a great leader. 19:20 So He doesn't just tell you just go do this, He's done it. 19:24 Yes. Oh, absolutely. 19:26 He set the example, isn't that right? 19:28 Yes. And I don't know about you. 19:30 You guys and my wife here, 19:32 but if I'm working with someone or for someone, 19:35 I kind of like them set a good example. 19:37 You know, preacher comes along, says, 19:39 "Boys, let's dig a ditch." 19:40 I want to see that preacher with shovel in his hand, 19:42 I want to see him down in the ditch first. 19:44 Yeah, I mean, even think about when Christ was baptized, 19:47 you know, like He doesn't tell us to do 19:50 what He didn't do. 19:52 That's right. Exactly. 19:53 And if He needed it, how much more do we, right? 19:56 It wasn't just that He was going 19:57 through the motions just as an outward example. 19:59 But He Himself, 20:01 baptism is a little different, right, 20:03 like Jesus' situation 20:04 was different than ours in that sense. 20:05 But He did it as an example, 20:07 when it comes to communing with God, 20:08 He drew strength from God daily, 20:09 He needed that time with Him 20:11 to have wisdom on what to do for that day, 20:13 to have power to overcome for that day, 20:16 serving his heart and his decisions. 20:18 And if Jesus needed that, 20:19 you better believe that you and I need it. 20:21 And that's always been the reminder for me 20:23 that whether I feel like it or not, 20:24 it doesn't matter, I know that I have a need. 20:27 I don't go to God in the morning in scripture, 20:29 because I'm trying to save myself, 20:31 because I'm trying to get myself 20:32 out of the mess, 20:34 I know that I have a need, and I'm confessing that need, 20:36 and asking God to provide for that 20:38 when I commune with Him. 20:39 Really, it's like a light, right? 20:42 If you have a lamp 20:43 that's sitting over there unplugged, 20:45 it's useless. 20:46 Just sitting there, 20:48 you have to plug into the power source 20:50 which is God, 20:51 which is why we have to commune with God. 20:54 In preparation, I was thinking about this as well, 20:57 because there's so many people that don't realize 20:59 they have this need, 21:01 and that's a scary, that's too lukewarm. 21:03 We need to really wake up. 21:05 But I was thinking, "Boy! 21:06 Wouldn't it be nice 21:08 if I could just clean my house one time, 21:09 just one time, and it would stay like that?" 21:12 But our house gets dirty. 21:14 And likewise, our spiritual house gets dirty. 21:17 We need that time. 21:19 I used to encourage people, even if it's just 10 minutes, 21:22 because a lot of people say, "Why? 21:23 I don't like to read, I don't like this," 21:26 all kinds of excuse, 21:27 you know, there's going to be a lot of excuses 21:29 that keep people 21:30 from out of heaven unfortunately. 21:32 So, you know, get rid of those excuses, 21:35 get back to what Jesus has done and set for us to do. 21:38 And just start with 10 minutes, 21:40 the beautiful thing is 21:41 if you spend 10 minutes in prayer, 21:43 10 minutes reading your Bible, or Spirit of Prophecy, 21:47 pretty soon you're going to want more. 21:49 You're going to hunger and thirst for more. 21:51 And an hour goes by, 21:53 and it still feels like 10 minutes. 21:55 It's beautiful. 21:56 So you cannot, you cannot get too much of God. 21:59 You know, one thing what ways you should work in here 22:02 is one my favorite text in Isaiah 50:4 22:05 even though we might have passed it 22:06 in the order, still yet, 22:07 because here's what I've heard, 22:09 see if you heard the same thing. 22:11 I just can't get up in the morning. 22:14 I just can't wake up, I set the alarm, 22:17 and then presume I don't even hear the alarm, 22:18 I can't get up. 22:20 This passage really should help us 22:22 and encourage us who really does wake us up. 22:26 Someone have that, may want to read that. 22:27 Yes. Yes. 22:29 Isaiah 50:4, 22:31 "The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, 22:34 that I should know how to speak a word in season 22:36 to Him that is weary, 22:38 He weakeneth morning by morning, 22:40 He weakeneth... 22:41 He wakeneth," 22:43 not weakeneth, wakeneth, sorry, 22:44 I should have some glasses on 22:46 "He wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned." 22:50 Don't you love the passage there, Dee, 22:52 where he said, who does the waking if we pray? 22:54 Do we have to ask or we just, 22:56 He just automatically gonna do it? 22:58 Oh, it's really. 22:59 I mean it could be either one of that sense, 23:01 you can ask Him to do it but there are times 23:02 when I have been awakened 23:03 not because I gave God permission 23:05 but because God had a burden 23:06 that He needed someone to be praying 23:08 at that given moment. 23:09 And, yeah, you got to respond. 23:12 I mean, that happens maybe 23:13 when you're preparing for a message, or sermon, 23:15 and different things in the wee hours. 23:17 Lot of times, you will find that I'm gone 23:20 because again maybe, 23:21 you know, our prayer has been always, 23:23 "Lord, wake us up 23:25 or help us to have an ear to hear 23:26 so that we can study and do what," 23:28 and sometime in the middle of the night, 23:29 maybe you slept a couple of hours, 23:31 and all of a sudden, you're just wide awakened, 23:32 and Lord says, "Go down and study. 23:34 Go down and read." 23:35 So to me, He's waking us up. 23:38 But for those who have a difficult time, pray, pray. 23:42 Say, "Please, Holy Spirit, wake me up in the morning." 23:45 And I guarantee you, He will wake you up, 23:48 and then you have to do your part, get out of bed. 23:50 And this is a good time 23:52 that we all need our personal study 23:54 but we needed... 23:55 Those of us who have had children, 23:57 they need that time with Jesus too. 23:59 And they need to be taught at an early age, 24:02 and we're quickly running out of time. 24:04 I like to, kind of, 24:05 may be wrap this first step up with this. 24:09 Family worship should not be governed 24:11 by circumstances. 24:13 And we touched on the circumstances, 24:15 if you don't do it first thing, then the devil comes in, 24:18 he steals your time. 24:19 So we don't let circumstances do it. 24:22 It says, "You are not to pray occasionally." 24:25 By the way, this is found in Child Guidance, page 520, 24:29 "You are not to pray occasionally 24:31 and when you have a large day's work 24:33 to do neglected." 24:35 How often have we got up and, 24:37 "Oh, I'm just too busy," we're never to do that. 24:41 What is more important? 24:43 She says in 'Steps to Christ', 24:44 if the enemy enshrouds in darkness, 24:46 those who neglect to pray, 24:47 there's one of those ways 24:49 that we can be protected from darkness, 24:50 from those attacks is to commit that first time to God. 24:53 Yes. Precisely. 24:55 And that's why I said earlier, 24:56 we're going to see how important in the days 24:58 we're living in, 24:59 in the days that we're just on 25:01 the precipice of a time at trouble. 25:04 You know, there's an early time at trouble, 25:07 and later a greater time at trouble, 25:10 and how are we going to get through that 25:11 if we're not filled up fully with Jesus. 25:15 It says, "In thus doing, 25:18 you lead your children to look upon prayer 25:20 as of no special consequence. 25:23 Prayer means very much to the children of God. 25:26 And thank offering should come up 25:28 before God morning," 25:30 and we haven't touched on this, "but in an evening," 25:34 so we need time with our children, 25:36 we need time, I need our personal time, 25:38 and God should be the first and the last 25:41 and everything in our lives. 25:42 Amen. Shall we go on to step two? 25:44 Yeah. 25:45 You think about that, was it Proverbs 8:17, 25:49 Lord tells us what, say, He loves those who loves Him, 25:53 but you'll find Him when you, what? 25:55 Seek. Seek early. 25:57 Early, when you seek Him, you shall find Him, 25:59 so that's important, you find Him, 26:02 that's a promise in the Word of God, 26:03 and that's another point, 26:04 we'll be studying more may if we get to it, 26:06 promises of God. 26:07 He said, "I'll find Him, I love those who love me, 26:10 if you seek me early, you will find me." 26:12 That's just a beautiful promise is 26:14 that if you're really looking for Him, you will find. 26:16 That's right. That's right. 26:18 You want to go with the part, step number two, okay. 26:19 Just knock and He'll answer. Yeah, step two. 26:23 All right. 26:24 "Give God permission to take your heart, 26:26 consecrate yourself to God every day." 26:29 It kind of goes back 26:31 to that house cleaning scenario. 26:33 You know, we go into the water once 26:35 and we think, "Ah! 26:36 That's it." 26:38 In fact, we've actually baptized 26:39 whole families, 26:40 and they came to church religiously 26:43 until the baptism, 26:45 and even though we were teaching them 26:47 that this is a walk of sanctification, 26:49 it's like they thought, 26:50 "Okay, now I'm saved, 26:52 I can go on back to my old life." 26:54 Is that how it works? No. 26:56 No, it's a daily struggle to daily battle. 26:59 But we've been promised God's strength, 27:01 and God's accompanying through each process, 27:03 but God can't go where He's not invited. 27:05 And that's the point here is that God needs permission, 27:07 He needs access daily to do the work in you to will 27:11 and to do of His good pleasure, 27:12 but He can't go where He is not invited, 27:14 that's what we're telling them. 27:16 Sanctification is the work of a lifetime. 27:18 And it's not a once saved always saved type of deal. 27:23 Let's say you get married, right? 27:25 Well, you guys are married. 27:26 Let's say if on that wedding day, 27:30 you know, you said I do, and you said I do, 27:33 and then you just treat this lovely young lady 27:38 over here anyway you want, you go out, 27:40 and do whatever you want to do, 27:44 I mean, do you think that's going to last. 27:45 How long? No. It's not going to work. 27:48 No, so we have a commitment to God. 27:53 And kind of, like, marriage vows, if you will. 27:57 Yes. 27:59 And so we have to honor those. 28:01 And then I said daily, it takes work everyday. 28:04 Because he is talking about, where's it? 28:05 David, was it in Psalm 51, 28:07 when he said create in me a, what? 28:11 So was he asking? Yeah. 28:14 To me, he was asking. 28:15 He was coming to the throne room of God, 28:17 and he's saying, "Please, create in me," right. 28:20 You know, talk about clean heart 28:22 and right spirit, renew the right spirit in me. 28:25 To me, renew means maybe he once had it, 28:27 and he lost it. 28:28 Yeah, and we can be prone to lose it. 28:30 And I think that, that sense of, 28:32 you know, Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10, 28:35 "Be careful, if you think you stand, lest you fall." 28:38 Just because we've had 28:39 a mountaintop experience with God, 28:40 doesn't mean we won't have valleys. 28:42 And one of the ways that we can survive 28:45 and thrive through those valleys 28:46 is by continually depending upon God, 28:48 and relying upon God, 28:50 and asking Him to transform our hearts, 28:52 to consecrate ourselves to Him a fresh to say, 28:54 "Hey, I have a need, and I can't supply this need, 28:56 I can't change my heart. 28:58 In fact, I can't even fully give it to you, 29:00 but I can give you permission to take it." 29:02 Ellen White says that in Steps to Christ. 29:03 And that's, yeah, we need that reminder a lot. 29:07 So really we need that permission, 29:09 we need to give God, I mean, this may sound strange, 29:11 I don't know, but a lot of people are saying, 29:13 "We have to give Him permission." 29:14 But it's true, because He's not... 29:16 Does He just bud in? That's ultimate, that's love. 29:19 That is love. 29:21 He's not a controlling God, you know. 29:23 We're not puppets. No. 29:25 No, we're not. We're not puppets. 29:27 No, He's given each of us free will, you know. 29:29 And if we don't make a choice, we made our choice. 29:33 You know, in our inaction, that's a form of action. 29:36 It is. It is. 29:37 I've often said, honey, 29:39 this in working, sometime, with people, 29:42 I say there, see how simple this might be. 29:44 I said, you know, there's three things. 29:47 It's not work your way, 29:48 but if you would do these three things, 29:50 kind of like, 29:51 we're studying here a process here, 29:52 you will never backslide, 29:54 you will never lose your connection with Christ. 29:56 Three things. 29:58 And they're going, "Three? 29:59 I'll never backslide, I will never..." 30:00 They said, "Now what is it?" 30:02 I said simply, 30:03 "Look at the sanctuary, what did you do?" 30:05 You studied the word everyday we're talking about here, 30:08 you pray everyday, and you witness. 30:11 Those three things, 30:12 if you keep those alive constantly 30:15 everyday of your life, 30:17 you will never, never backslide. 30:18 You can't do it while 30:20 you're studying, praying, and witnessing. 30:22 It's an impossibility. 30:23 But when you begin backslide, you've led one of those things, 30:27 just even one of them go, and you start to backslide. 30:30 And then it means the others gonna let go, 30:32 and then certainly the third one will be out. 30:34 So this is important here in our consecration, 30:38 permission to God to come in. 30:40 Let Him do what He wants to do. I like how Joshua put it. 30:43 In Joshua 24:15, it says, 30:46 "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord" 30:49 because for some people it does. 30:50 They don't want to be part of it. 30:52 It says, "Choose you this day whom you will serve," 30:55 hence our title of this Bible study 30:57 tonight or today, 30:59 "Choose you this day", 31:01 "Whether the gods which your fathers served 31:05 and were on the other side of the flood." 31:08 You know, even though we're a little bit further 31:10 hence from the flood, 31:12 it's still a lot of things 31:13 we find that our families, our fathers, 31:15 our mothers are serving other gods today, 31:17 you know, so you're going to serve those gods, 31:19 you know, it might be alcohol, my real dad was an alcoholic. 31:23 And that was the god that he served, 31:25 and he couldn't let go of, you know. 31:27 So "Choose you this day, 31:29 or the gods of the Amorites in which land you dwell," 31:32 but I like this last part, 31:34 "but," and I pray, pray, pray, 31:36 that you will 31:38 take this last part to your own heart, 31:41 and pray it to claim it, 31:43 "but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." 31:48 And as Christians, our home, 31:51 you know, those who come into our home, 31:53 you know, they need to know that as for us and our house, 31:57 we're serving the Lord, you know. 32:01 But I can remember back, 32:02 my mother made before she passed away, 32:04 she made just a little, I don't know what you call, 32:06 it's sewing to sew whatever it is, 32:09 and embroidery whatever, 32:11 and that was the passage 32:14 that she want to instill in my mind 32:15 as far as me and my house, we will serve the Lord. 32:18 I thought, how wonderful, 32:19 I still have that little plaques, 32:21 you put a little frame around and that means a lot, 32:23 and it's meant a lot as far as me and my house, 32:26 that's a commitment that you have to make 32:28 in your home. 32:29 There's a husband or, you know, it's in your home, 32:31 whatever it might be. 32:32 We had to make that commitment to God 32:34 that we're going to serve Him. 32:35 Amen. Choose to serve Him. 32:37 And I love 2 Corinthians, 32:39 you guys, or one of you guys want to read 32:40 that 2 Corinthians 5:17? 32:43 You know, so often... 32:46 In fact, we just were confronted with this. 32:48 You know, Jesus says, "Come as you are," 32:52 but are you left that way? 32:54 Second Corinthians 5:17. 32:57 Yeah, it says, 32:58 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, 33:00 he is a new creation, old things have passed away, 33:04 behold, all things have become new." 33:06 Isn't that beautiful? 33:08 That is so beautiful 33:09 'cause a lot of people come just out of curiosity, 33:13 but there's some 33:15 that are carrying heavy burdens, 33:17 you know, they've experienced 33:19 some of these things in this world 33:21 that do not bring lasting happiness or peace. 33:26 In fact, you know, just not long ago, 33:29 there were people out in Las Vegas, 33:31 they're for a concert. 33:34 And they were having 33:35 what they considered a happy time, 33:38 and yet 58 souls 33:41 did not come out of that little area, 33:45 and about 500 were injured bad enough 33:48 to even be taken to the hospital, 33:51 so people are living in fear, 33:54 and they're beginning to realize 33:56 "Hey, this is it what it's supposed to be like. 33:58 Is there something better?" 34:00 And Jesus says, "Yes, there is. 34:03 If you come to Me just as you are, 34:06 come to Me with all your baggage, 34:08 but I'm going to make you a new creature. 34:11 All those old things are going to pass away, 34:14 behold all things are going to become new." 34:17 The things that we once liked, now we don't like. 34:21 The things that we once hated, now we love. 34:25 We want to spend time, waking up in the morning, 34:28 we want to give Him our heart. 34:30 This is step two, we want Him to take it. 34:32 We want to be new in Jesus. 34:34 We want that peace, think about it. 34:37 "Though I walked through the valley 34:39 of the shadow of death 34:40 I shall fear no evil," that's what we want. 34:44 We're talking permission, or can another word be consent? 34:48 I've heard, maybe discuss this little bit is, 34:51 I've heard people who say 34:52 when they pray 34:54 and they give permission to come in, 34:55 and change my heart and life. 34:57 They say when they're praying this consent, 35:00 they say it out loud, they pray it out loud, 35:04 so the enemy, he's always listening in, 35:07 so the enemy can hear 35:09 that you have committed your will, 35:12 your mind, your body, mind, soul, body 35:14 to the creator of heaven and earth. 35:17 Therefore, the enemy knows right off the reel 35:19 if you've done that from a mind, 35:20 you know, it's always focused upon God 35:24 that the enemy 35:25 then have a difficult time to get to you. 35:28 And of course, 35:30 the Holy Spirit knows when we pray, 35:31 you know, certainly but there are real believer, 35:34 what do you think about it, 35:35 you know, it's not something 35:36 we have to do or something maybe we should do 35:38 just to consent out loud, 35:40 I give God permission to take my will, 35:43 to take my body, my mind, everything, 35:46 and use it in His service today, 35:48 what do you think? 35:49 I think there's power in the proclaimed Word of God. 35:51 And I think that, 35:53 you know, in the sense of taking a stand for God, 35:54 one of the things I found great help 35:56 in when it comes praying daily 35:58 is it's easy for your mind to wander 36:00 when you're just praying internally, 36:01 even when you're reading. 36:03 And one of the things I do as I read out loud 36:05 but just under my breath. 36:06 Just enough so that I'm actually 36:08 hearing and reading, I'm engaging more of my senses, 36:10 I'm more immersed in what I'm reading. 36:12 And I do the same whenever I pray, 36:13 like when I walk in the mornings 36:15 is the same idea is just, 36:16 it keeps my mind more focused, more diligent, 36:20 and I'm thinking about what I'm saying 36:21 is just having a go on, like I've had times 36:23 where I sit down in front of my Bible. 36:25 And what comes out in front of my mouth 36:26 or what comes out of my mouth is thanking God for my food, 36:29 like because you just do muscle memory prayer, 36:32 it's like you forget, like I'm sitting 36:33 I should be praying about something 36:35 and that comes out, 36:36 but when I stop, and think, and pray out loud, 36:39 I find myself being a little more cognizant 36:42 of what I'm trying to say, 36:43 and what I'm wanting to do in more disciplined, 36:45 if that makes sense. 36:46 And I find this to be very helpful 36:48 to pray audibly, 36:50 and to try to catch myself 36:52 if I had fallen to that muscle memory. 36:54 One of the reasons 36:55 I'd say I bring that up is because we realize, 36:57 I think it's Ministry of Healing, 36:59 that talks about 37:00 that the enemy cannot read our mind 37:03 and cannot read our thoughts 37:04 but he can sure look at the actions, 37:07 tell what's going on. 37:09 So that's why they say, 37:10 I'm saying this out loud so that the enemy knows 37:12 whose side I'm on and who I choose this day. 37:15 And see, for me, like a lot of times 37:17 I'll pray silently unless 37:18 I'm praying in a group or something like that, 37:21 but I know God is so powerful. 37:25 And whether I pray out loud or silently, 37:28 His power is going to be manifested, 37:30 and the enemy is going to see that regardless in the actions, 37:34 you know, and there was something 37:37 I wanted to comment on from earlier 37:39 that we were talking about where, 37:43 basically in 2 Corinthians 5:17, word says, 37:46 "Therefore, if any man be in Christ, 37:48 he is a new creature, old things are passed away, 37:50 behold, all things are become new." 37:53 You know, a lot of times 37:55 where the enemy wants people to think 37:57 that you've done too much, 38:00 you've gone too far, you can't go to Christ now, 38:03 you know, you have to be perfect first 38:05 before you can go to Christ. 38:07 But the bottom line and the truth of the matter 38:10 is that Jesus wants all of us to come to Him. 38:16 He's longing for us to come to Him, 38:19 and He's not going to leave us the way that He finds us. 38:22 Amen. Praise the God. 38:23 He wants to make us new. 38:26 You can't wait till you're perfect, 38:29 don't procrastinate, 38:30 you don't know when that time or probation is going to close, 38:33 those poor people that were at that concert... 38:35 Oh, mercy. 38:36 You know, they had no idea 38:38 that when they walked up the door that day, 38:40 that that was going to be the last time 38:43 they ever did that. 38:44 And it just speaks to the sense of urgency 38:48 of why people need to give their hearts 38:50 to the Lord, now. 38:52 Amen. Absolutely. 38:53 Amen, I think it's imperative and wisdom, 38:56 that's why He's choose you this day 38:58 who you will serve, 38:59 you know, today is the day of salvation. 39:00 We don't know what we're going to face, 39:02 and that's why I think starting your day with God 39:04 and making these commitments is so important 39:07 because, you know, 39:09 it wouldn't make any sense for a soldier to go out, 39:12 and fight with no armor all day, 39:13 and just hope that he would survive, 39:14 and then come home, 39:16 and put armor on before he went to bed. 39:17 It wouldn't make any sense. 39:19 And this is one of the means 39:20 through which you fortify and strengthen yourself 39:22 for the day's battles. 39:23 I do both, I do morning and evening, 39:25 but at the bare minimum, start your day with God 39:28 because you don't know what you're going run into, 39:30 you don't know what this world is coming at you with, 39:32 and it's so, so important for us 39:34 to recognize, 39:35 this isn't legalism, this is not, 39:37 "I'm doing this so that God will like me," 39:38 that's not the point at all. 39:39 I have a need, 39:41 I'm living in the midst of the real battlefield, 39:43 I desperately need Jesus. 39:45 That's what this whole process is about. 39:46 It's receiving Jesus, 39:48 and letting Jesus live through me, 39:49 and fight for me on my battles from day to day. 39:52 Amen. 39:53 And part of this walk 39:55 and part of what we were talking about 39:56 is because when we come, a lot of times we don't realize 39:59 that draws that we're carrying. 40:02 No being now sent in the kingdom. 40:04 So Jesus is wanting to recreate a new heart, 40:07 a new life within us. 40:09 And of course, some due come, and they want to change, 40:11 and so they're struggling with that change. 40:14 We were just in Virginia, and we had a lovely lady 40:18 that came to some meetings, her name was Anna Joy, 40:21 and she had been coming to this church for years 40:24 but she never made that commitment 40:26 to go all the way with Jesus. 40:29 And she was feeling the Holy Spirit's 40:32 prompting in a heavy, heavy way, very convicted. 40:36 And I found out the week that we were going to present 40:41 the message on baptism 40:43 that she was going to go on vacation, 40:45 and she would be gone right 40:47 when we were going to have the baptism. 40:50 So I just felt the prompting of the Holy Spirit 40:53 to sit and talk with her at the beginning of that week. 40:56 And I knew that God's spirit was there. 40:59 I mean, it even brought tears to both of our eyes, 41:02 and you could feel Him convicting her 41:05 that this is what she needed to do. 41:07 But the next day I tried to call her, 41:10 I thought, you know what, 41:11 if she cannot be there on Sabbath, 41:15 she could may be, be there Wednesday night. 41:17 And we can have a baptism Wednesday night. 41:20 So I tried all day till Tuesday, no answer. 41:23 I called some friends of hers in the church. 41:25 I said, "Hey, will you try to get a hold of her?" 41:27 "Wouldn't answer the phone, no contact." 41:30 And so Wednesday came, she didn't come to the meeting. 41:33 I felt, "What has happened? 41:35 I know the Holy Spirit was involved in that. 41:38 What happened?" 41:39 You know, and you're beating yourself up. 41:41 Well, if I just not said anything, 41:42 should I not have said anything? 41:44 Maybe she would have been here, 41:45 she might have heard the message, 41:47 and she might have come up on her own and say, 41:48 "I want another way 41:50 or I'm not going on a vacation right away." 41:52 And then Thursday morning came, 41:54 I send her a quick little text 41:55 just something to start her day with. 41:58 And pretty soon, she started texting back. 42:01 Later on, she knocked at our door. 42:04 And she came in, she said, 42:07 "Do you believe God's made another way?" 42:10 Well. 42:11 And I'm thinking in my mind, 42:12 "Well, yeah, that was yesterday. 42:16 There's no time for the baptismal tank now, 42:18 it was yesterday." 42:19 And she says, "No, do you believe it?" 42:21 She said, "My neighbors would think I'm crazy, 42:23 but I think you were going to tell me 42:26 that He's made another way." 42:28 And I said, "Yes, He's made another way." 42:30 She said, "I failed that test." 42:32 The enemy was just bringing back 42:34 all these things that I am so bad at. 42:36 She said, "I even felt suicidal, 42:39 and I failed the test." 42:40 But today is another day. 42:42 If God's made another way, and He said 42:44 we could go to river if you want. 42:45 She said, "The river, I'll call you in a minute 42:47 if I decide." 42:48 She wasn't gone 10 minutes, and she started texting, 42:51 "I want to go to the river." 42:52 Go down to the river, be baptized, yeah. 42:55 And it was just amazing to see God take. 42:59 But that's just a beginning. 43:01 And this is how we continue to walk in that walk, 43:04 that walk of sanctification. 43:06 And if you don't mind 43:08 if I could just read from Bible commentary, 43:11 because we need to try to at least get to three steps. 43:15 Before time runs out, 43:16 we're going to give them all six points. 43:17 Okay, we'll do that. 43:19 I'm going to have the gentlemen to be sure and hold 43:20 on this material because, you know, 43:22 we might be able to come back sometime 43:23 and do the second part 43:24 because there's too much material here to let go. 43:26 And to me to go through quickly. 43:28 I never did like to go through quickly, 43:30 I was always kind of slow studier, you know. 43:31 Yeah. 43:33 But there's so much. Yes. 43:34 That we read the passage, and we read another over here 43:36 that just ads and it bills. 43:38 And pretty soon when you get done, 43:39 you know that this is the truth, 43:41 you know this is the way to in which to do it. 43:43 And this is so important. Go ahead. 43:44 Amen. 43:46 So this is found in seven Bible commentary. 43:49 It says, "Jesus asked us to consecrate ourselves to Him. 43:53 He has played signal honor upon the human race." 43:56 He says, "As many as received Him, 43:59 to them gave He power to become the sons of God." 44:04 That's what He wants to anoint you 44:05 with every morning, every evening. 44:08 He wants to overshadow you with His protection, 44:11 His Holy angels. 44:13 "Even to them that believe on His name 44:16 shall we not then give to Christ 44:18 that which He has died to redeem. 44:21 If you will do this, He will quicken, 44:24 He will bring it back to life, your conscious, 44:26 renew your heart, sanctify your affections, 44:30 purify your thoughts, 44:31 and set all your powers at work for Him. 44:34 Every motive, listen to this guys." 44:37 "Every motive and every thought 44:39 will be brought into captivity to Jesus Christ." 44:43 The motives of our heart, how we react to one and other, 44:47 you mentioned marriage, 44:48 how we speak to each other in the home, 44:51 you know, even our thoughts will change. 44:55 They won't be carnal as they once were. 44:58 He's preparing us for the kingdom. 45:01 Why don't you introduce step three, Pastor. 45:03 Okay, that's a little thought there first. 45:05 And if you guys have a thought on this before we move on, 45:07 be sure to bring it up, 45:08 because I know in Steps to Christ, 45:10 you know, page 70 talks about, 45:12 you know, every morning consecrate yourself to God. 45:16 And when you consecrate yourself to God, 45:18 you come and tell Him 45:19 just exactly how you're feeling about it. 45:21 You know, you just explain to Him, 45:23 you know, I need some help for today. 45:25 Yes, absolutely. 45:26 I need a touch for today, 45:27 you know, I want to be victorious today. 45:29 And when we do that, and we bring it to Him, 45:31 these thoughts, He would do something fantastic for us, 45:34 He will give us that victory, He will use us for that day. 45:38 And I want to be used, I know, every body here 45:40 wants to be used of God in a special way. 45:42 Absolutely. 45:44 Okay, was it three you got? Step three. 45:45 Okay. 45:47 Each morning, what are we to claim? 45:49 Well, it says to claim the gifts that Jesus used, 45:52 so that's been our... 45:53 He received. 45:54 Received, that's been our focus is 45:56 He's our example as we started out. 45:58 And very few people realize, and they look at, what was it, 46:01 four we jotted down that four of those things 46:04 that Jesus used in His life. 46:07 And therefore, I know I need those in my life. 46:10 And so let's look at those four real quick. 46:12 Oh, what's number one, Jason? 46:15 Number one is baptism of the Holy Spirit. 46:17 Oh, glory, yes. 46:20 John 14:26, I'm gonna get to 14 here. 46:26 Do you have it, Dee? Yeah. 46:28 It says, "But the helper..." 46:32 I just lost it. 46:33 "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit 46:34 whom the Father will send in my name, 46:36 He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance 46:39 all things that I said to you." 46:42 Could you read 27 as well? Sure. 46:44 "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. 46:49 Not as the world gives do I give to you. 46:51 And let not your heart be troubled, 46:53 neither let it be afraid." 46:55 Notice, He is not asking us to create our own peace. 46:58 He's asking us to receive His peace. 47:01 And it's not as the world gives, 47:02 it's far above what we could ask for. 47:04 And later, we're told I think in one of the Paul's writings. 47:06 It says the peace that surpasses 47:08 all understanding. 47:10 And that's a good news, 47:11 because I deal with a lot of hardship in life, 47:13 I don't know about you. 47:15 Oh, absolutely, yeah. Yes, test and trial. 47:16 Well, I think it's Christ's Object Lesson, 47:18 it says Christ received a fresh baptism 47:21 of the Holy Spirit every day early in the morning 47:24 when He went out to pray. 47:26 And I thought how beautiful that really is 47:29 because lot of people are living a stale, 47:31 bless your heart, Christian, you know, walk. 47:34 It's stale, they're living 20 years in the past, 47:36 and then they're trying to bring that up to the future, 47:38 but every day can be fresh in Christ, 47:42 every day can be a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit 47:45 which we have fresh thoughts, and fresh motives, 47:47 and fresh actions, 47:49 you know, fresh reaching out and touching people for Him. 47:53 That's what Jesus did, He prayed for that, 47:56 and the Holy Spirit came. 47:57 We can pray, and the Holy Spirit 47:58 will come to us too. 48:00 You know, He prayed for His lips, and His mind, 48:02 His heart to be anointed by the Spirit 48:04 so the words that He would speak 48:06 will be life and light to people. 48:07 And that's what we need to do, 48:09 you know, I know I need to do that, 48:10 I need to pray that He will anoint my mind. 48:12 I don't want the old mind, I want the new mind, 48:14 I don't want the old lips, I want the new one else down. 48:17 And I love that what he read in verse 27, 48:21 "Let not your heart be troubled, 48:24 neither let it be afraid." 48:26 I mean, we're living in a time, 48:28 it's fearful to go in your own home 48:30 by yourself at times. 48:32 You know, I remember a lady that, 48:34 in a church not far from here, years ago, 48:38 she started to go in her home in Pittsburg, 48:41 Illinois which you know that's not very far from here. 48:43 And something told her, "Don't go in," 48:47 and she listened 48:48 because she recognized the voice of God, 48:51 and she didn't go in, 48:53 and they later found out that there was a man 48:55 hiding in their closet to destroy that family. 49:00 Wow. Yes. 49:01 So we need to learn to listen. 49:04 And you won't know God's voice 49:05 if we're not taking time with Him. 49:08 But the peace, in amidst of a storm, 49:11 we live in a place... 49:12 I remember as a child, I used to think, 49:14 "Boy, I'm glad I don't live in Kansas, 49:16 'cause that's tornado alley." 49:18 Well, guess what, folks? 49:19 Southern Illinois is tornado alley, 49:22 we don't have normal storms anymore. 49:24 You know, and this year we've been bombarded 49:27 with record breaking hurricanes and disasters. 49:30 But even here in southern Illinois, 49:32 we've had record breaking storms, 49:34 inland hurricanes 49:36 that have done terrible disasters. 49:38 But you know what? 49:39 As a child of God, 49:41 and we did this during that inland hurricane, 49:43 knelt down and prayed. 49:45 And you can have peace 49:47 that God is there to protect you 49:49 in the midst of the storm, isn't that beautiful? 49:51 We're in a house, back home, 49:54 we're working all the time, new house. 49:57 And I'm telling you, there were trees, 50:00 I'm not exaggerating, was this big around. 50:03 And of cross in the front, 50:04 there was in the house over there, 50:06 that was just twisted and snapped. 50:08 Those things sound like shot gun blast going off, 50:10 those things are becoming and falling, 50:12 and just the leaves would touch our house. 50:15 In the back of the house, another split came and just... 50:18 When it came, few of the leaves touched the house. 50:21 We know that God heard and answered prayer. 50:23 All around us, we're talking about 50:25 devastation of any of those trees had hit, 50:28 we would been dead. 50:30 So God preserved, so we are thankful for that. 50:31 Yes, He does. Really. 50:33 I love that, the peace. 50:36 Yes. 50:37 In verse 27, "Peace I leave with you, 50:39 my peace I give unto you, 50:41 not as the world giveth give I unto you." 50:45 You know, that type of peace, 50:47 so many people search for that peace. 50:50 But they never find it, 50:52 because they look for it in money, 50:53 they look for it in relationships, 50:56 they look for it in cars, 50:58 or any type of materialistic thing. 51:01 But there is a void that only Christ can fill. 51:04 And so when you invite Christ 51:06 to be your personal Lord and Savior, 51:08 you will experience true inner peace. 51:13 Amen. Amen. 51:14 And it's interesting when you meet Christians 51:17 that have that inner peace. 51:19 The Holy spirit just kind of confirms. 51:21 You know, as a family, you may never meet before, 51:25 but just all of a sudden, you feel that connection, 51:28 and that is the Spirit of God at work. 51:29 Well, you know, Matthew 7 is the passage, 51:33 when we are talking about Christ, 51:34 you want the Holy Spirit, what we have to do first, ask. 51:37 Matthew 7 said, "Ask and it shall be given to you," 51:40 and then we, "knock, it's going to open." 51:42 So those are the passages that we need to be claiming. 51:45 You want the Holy Spirit, ask for the Holy Spirit. 51:47 Holy Spirit wants to come in your heart, 51:49 He wants to take possession of your life, 51:51 He wants to give you that peace that passes all understanding. 51:54 We live in the midst of the storm, 51:56 the Lord's coming, we understand that. 51:58 There's a work that needs to be done, 52:00 and we're all praying that God would use us 52:02 help finish His work so that we can all go home together. 52:05 This is the part of the study, this is what is about 52:07 is being anointed and consecrated to God 52:09 asking for the power of the Holy Spirit. 52:11 That's just one point that we're... 52:13 Yeah, we're looking at... Jesus used. 52:16 And we'd like to get in to all those 52:17 but we don't have time right now. 52:19 'Cause you know what we're gonna be doing, 52:20 we're running out of time right now. 52:22 But when we come back, 52:23 we're going to come back right after this for wrap up. 52:25 But right now, we're going to go to a news break. 52:28 And we'll be back to wrap it up in just a couple of minutes, 52:30 so just stay tuned. |
Revised 2018-01-03