I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Removing pain
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Lord, let my words
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Heal a heart that hurts
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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Hello.
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Happy Sabbath and welcome
to 3ABN's Family Worship.
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I'm Chris Shelton along
with my very handsome husband,
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Pastor Kenny
Shelton. Oh, honey, thank you.
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And we're so
thankful that you have chosen
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to start your Sabbath with us
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or maybe in the Sabbath with us,
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whatever time it
may be in your area,
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we're just glad
that you are tuned in.
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Amen. Good.
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And I believe that
we're going to have
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a wonderful time together
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around this table
as the Holy Spirit...
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We prayed for the Holy Spirit
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to fill our
hearts and our minds.
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And as He takes control,
we're going to be discussing
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developing
spiritual discernment,
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developing
spiritual discernment.
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We'll talk a little bit more
about that in a few minutes,
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but we want to introduce
our guests, don't we, pastor?
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Absolutely, yes. Okay.
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To your right is Brother...
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And I have to say it again
Brother Timmy, Timmy Parton
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aka, also known, as
Brother Tim Parton to the world.
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But we have
accepted him as family,
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and I know that many
of our viewers have too.
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Tim, what do
you do here at 3ABN?
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I am the General
Manager of Praise Him Network,
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Praise Him channel.
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We're about creating a
channel for music to glorify God
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and edify the saints.
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And I think that
we live in a time
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where we truly need...
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Oh, we do.
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We need to edify, we need
encouraging as children of God,
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but when our content
is about worshipping God,
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our song is
about worshipping Him,
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He inhabits the
praises of His people.
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He does. Yes.
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And that's our job to make
beautiful music to glorify Him.
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It's a privilege to
be with both of you.
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You both are
looking great today.
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Oh, bless your heart.
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Well, it's summertime
here in Southern Illinois,
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so we've had a little more sun.
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Yeah, we've got the
sun little bit here, yeah.
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Good thing. Absolutely.
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As you were
speaking about music,
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my mother always
said that music...
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And I've experienced
it too and I know you have
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and I know many of
our viewers have as well,
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where music can touch a heart
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and change a
heart like nothing else.
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Right. Amen.
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And to my left is someone
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who made a big
splash during our...
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It was the Three
Angel's camp meeting,
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and some of those
wonderful, wonderful,
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very difficult
music compilations
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that you came in and
just really let us know
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who you were, Ryan
and his lovely wife,
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Stephanie Day.
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We are so thankful
that you are here, Ryan.
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And now you're going
to be here permanently,
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and our viewers are going
to be seeing you more and more.
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That it true.
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So we are looking
so forward to that.
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Tell us a little
bit about what you folks
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are doing here at 3ABN.
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Sure, sure.
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So my official
title is the assistant
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or I'm an associate...
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We haven't quite
decided on that one yet, but...
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Well, we're working on it.
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The assistant to
the General Manager
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of Praise Him,
which would be good Tim.
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He's kind of my
supervisor but a good friend.
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And so, yeah, we're going
to be working hard together
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in the music department
to bring glory to God.
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Amen. And through song.
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And so I'm kind of
also wearing multiple hats.
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I'm going to be
doing a little preaching
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and singing and
speaking and programs like this.
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And it's a blessing and an honor
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to be a part of
this amazing ministry.
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Absolutely. Good.
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Praise God. Amen.
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And Stephanie, how
about you, my dear,
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what are you going to
be doing in this area?
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I am the Principal
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at the
Thompsonville Christian Academy.
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I'm starting this
school year, so it's exciting.
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Now for our family at home,
this is actually the first time
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that we have actually met you,
isn't it, around this table?
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And I didn't tell
you, but by profession,
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that's what I was.
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I was a teacher. Okay.
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Oh, wonderful.
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And I was the
Director and Principal
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of our church school
for many, many years.
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And so that's near
and dear to my heart.
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Amen.
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As we begin to
think about our topic,
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I would like to just maybe
read a little bit of something
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that I wrote as
I was contemplating
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developing
spiritual discernment.
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By the way, discernment
is the ability to judge.
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It's spiritual direction,
it's spiritual judgment
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that we each and
everyone need in our life.
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Let me just read this to you.
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I may stop a few times.
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I'm good at that, right? Yeah.
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"There are times
that accepting Christ
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as our Lord and Savior is easy."
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You know, many
times, we're at a meeting
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or we're listening to
a song as we mentioned,
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and we feel the
unction of the Holy Spirit,
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and we just ask God to come in.
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"We experience and
fill the conviction
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upon our lives,
but then the path
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that we choose to walk with Him
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can become
overwhelmingly confusing.
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There are so many
religious ways to choose from,
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so many paths we can choose
to walk in, and many times,
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people choose a path or a church
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not because of what they've read
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in Scripture or studied
but because their friends
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or their family go there."
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You know, sometimes,
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it's generation
after generation,
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or I've even known
personal people, excuse me,
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that were in politics,
and they would choose a church
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that was the largest
church in town literally,
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and they weren't...
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You know, they
weren't ashamed to admit that.
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Yes, yes. Right.
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"You know, we are in
such a spiritual warfare,
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a warfare that began in heaven.
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And we are truly blinded
when it comes to discerning
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what is right and what is wrong.
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And yet where we
will spend eternity
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depends upon our having correct,
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the right spiritual discernment.
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We see this in Christ Himself,
true spiritual discernment,
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living a life,
knowing, breathing,
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and teaching truth was
paramount in Christ's walk
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while He was
here upon this earth.
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Otherwise, why, why
would He lay down His life
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on the cross
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if true spiritual
discernment was not important?
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Amen.
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"Why is it said of Him
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that He kept His
Father's Commandments?"
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He was obedient,
He never once sinned.
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"Today, we hope to share
during this study how we,
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all of us here, how we
have and how we are continuing
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to develop
spiritual discernment."
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And so as we begin
our study, Pastor Kenny,
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would you please lead
us in a word of prayer?
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Absolutely.
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We encourage you at
home, pray along with us.
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The opportunity,
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some may want to get on
your knees, that's fine.
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Maybe in your recliner,
just pray along with us.
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And we're going to pray here
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for the guidance
of the Holy Spirit.
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And right afterwards,
we're going to sing a song.
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So we have some
wonderful musicians here,
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and we're
looking forward to that.
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Brother Tim, what would
the title of our song be?
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Do you have a title?
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Open My Eyes That I
May See. Okay, praise God.
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Go ahead, pastor.
All right, let's pray.
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Our kind,
loving, Heavenly Father,
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it is a privilege as we
talk about the beginning,
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the edges of the Sabbath.
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We thank You for the special day
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that You've given to us,
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a time that we can
come apart from the world
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to worship Thee
in spirit and truth.
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Taking time to open the
pages of a beautiful book
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called the Bible to
learn more about Jesus.
00:08:05.18\00:08:08.08
We've come here
together around this table
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because we sense
our need of a Savior,
00:08:10.35\00:08:13.09
we sense our need
of better discernment,
00:08:13.12\00:08:16.12
we sense our need of a
spiritual enlightenment.
00:08:16.16\00:08:19.26
So, Father, we pray that
You'll enlighten our hearts
00:08:19.29\00:08:21.56
and our minds and
all of the viewers,
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those who are listening,
those who are watching,
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they may have
questions in their life.
00:08:27.14\00:08:29.94
And we pray that
through this program
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that they will be met
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by the power of the Holy Spirit.
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Lord, we need your spirit.
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We don't want to
be sad, we're happy.
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This is a joyous occasion.
This is a time for learning.
00:08:38.31\00:08:41.08
So we pray that
You'll be with us now
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in a very special way,
anoint us with Thy Holy Spirit.
00:08:42.48\00:08:45.52
May we, after
it's all said and done,
00:08:45.55\00:08:47.49
may we know that
we've been with Jesus,
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may we be energized, may
we be filled to the full,
00:08:49.29\00:08:52.59
may our cup be flowing over.
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We're going to praise
You, we're going to thank You
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as You answer questions
for us now through Thy spirit.
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In Jesus' name, amen. Amen.
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Amen. Amen.
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Open my eyes that I may see
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Glimpses of truth
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Thou hast for me
00:09:16.55\00:09:18.95
Place in my
hands the wonderful key
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That shall
unclasp and set me free
00:09:23.12\00:09:27.80
Silently now I wait for Thee
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Ready, my God, Thy will to see
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Open my eyes, illumine me
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Spirit Divine!
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Open my ears that I may hear
00:09:44.95\00:09:48.98
Voices of truth
Thou sendest clear
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And while the wave
notes fall on my ear
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Everything false will disappear
00:09:57.16\00:10:01.90
Silently now I wait for Thee
00:10:01.93\00:10:05.93
Ready, my God, Thy will to see
00:10:05.97\00:10:10.21
Open my ears, illumine me
00:10:10.24\00:10:14.54
Spirit Divine!
00:10:14.58\00:10:19.48
Open my mouth and let me bear
00:10:19.51\00:10:23.95
Gladly the warm truth everywhere
00:10:23.99\00:10:28.36
Open my heart and let me prepare
00:10:28.39\00:10:32.59
Love with Thy
children thus to share
00:10:32.63\00:10:37.37
Silently now I wait for Thee
00:10:37.40\00:10:41.84
Ready, my God, Thy will to see
00:10:41.87\00:10:46.21
Open my heart, illumine me
00:10:46.24\00:10:50.98
Spirit Divine!
00:10:51.01\00:10:55.42
Amen. Amen.
00:10:58.05\00:10:59.62
Praise the Lord.
00:10:59.65\00:11:00.99
You know, we spoke
before, we're saying that
00:11:01.02\00:11:02.82
how appropriate this song is,
00:11:02.86\00:11:05.46
Open My Eyes,
00:11:05.49\00:11:07.23
Open My Ears,
00:11:07.26\00:11:08.96
Open My Heart.
00:11:09.00\00:11:10.33
That's what we wanted today
00:11:10.37\00:11:11.73
because we want to
be open to the truth.
00:11:11.77\00:11:14.54
Pastor, would you
read our key text there
00:11:14.57\00:11:17.64
found in 1 Corinthians 2:14?
00:11:17.67\00:11:20.58
Yes. All right.
00:11:20.61\00:11:21.94
So those of you at home,
00:11:21.98\00:11:23.31
be sure to look these things up,
00:11:23.35\00:11:24.68
get a pencil and paper
and jot some things down
00:11:24.71\00:11:26.41
so you can do some more studying
00:11:26.45\00:11:27.92
'cause we're looking for
is spiritual discernment.
00:11:27.95\00:11:29.28
We want to know if we're telling
00:11:29.32\00:11:30.65
the truth or not.
00:11:30.69\00:11:32.02
The only way we
can do it is to, what,
00:11:32.05\00:11:33.39
get into the Word of God.
00:11:33.42\00:11:34.76
That's right. Check
it out for ourselves.
00:11:34.79\00:11:36.12
So we challenge you with it,
00:11:36.16\00:11:37.49
and we know that
you're going to do it.
00:11:37.53\00:11:38.86
That's in the 1 Corinthians
2:14, the Bible says,
00:11:38.89\00:11:41.93
"But the natural man receiveth
not the things of the Spirit
00:11:41.96\00:11:45.30
of God for they are
foolishness unto Him.
00:11:45.33\00:11:48.60
Neither can He know them
00:11:48.64\00:11:50.61
because they are
spiritually discerned."
00:11:50.64\00:11:53.07
Okay.
00:11:53.11\00:11:54.44
So what we're studying tonight
is biblical truth, right?
00:11:54.48\00:11:56.85
Yes.
00:11:56.88\00:11:58.21
This is something that
God is asking of His people.
00:11:58.25\00:12:00.52
And I love as we begin
to dive and dissect this
00:12:00.55\00:12:04.69
that we're going to learn
more about how to do that.
00:12:04.72\00:12:07.72
I think there's steps that
00:12:07.76\00:12:09.09
we can take as
Christians to do just that.
00:12:09.12\00:12:12.19
I love even just
this first paragraph.
00:12:12.23\00:12:14.46
Who would like to
read that first paragraph?
00:12:14.50\00:12:16.06
Maybe, Tim, would
you like to read it?
00:12:16.10\00:12:17.63
I actually don't
have that paper...
00:12:17.67\00:12:19.00
Okay. Oh, you
don't have it. Okay.
00:12:19.03\00:12:20.54
The Jewels of
Truth? Is that the one?
00:12:20.57\00:12:22.17
I will read...
00:12:22.20\00:12:23.54
Okay, the Jewels of Truth. Yes.
00:12:23.57\00:12:25.57
"The jewels of truth
lie scattered over the field
00:12:25.61\00:12:28.31
of revelation, but
they have been buried
00:12:28.34\00:12:30.58
beneath human
traditions, beneath the sayings
00:12:30.61\00:12:33.28
and commandments of men,
and the wisdom from heaven
00:12:33.31\00:12:36.28
has been practically ignored.
00:12:36.32\00:12:38.39
For Satan has
succeeded, succeeded,
00:12:38.42\00:12:40.76
in making the world
believe that the words
00:12:40.79\00:12:43.36
and achievements of men
are of a great consequence."
00:12:43.39\00:12:46.43
Mercy.
00:12:46.46\00:12:47.80
"The Lord God, the
Creator of the world,
00:12:47.83\00:12:49.46
at infinite cost
has given the gospel,
00:12:49.50\00:12:52.53
the teaching revelation
of Christ to the world.
00:12:52.57\00:12:55.64
Through this divine agent, glad,
00:12:55.67\00:12:57.87
refreshing springs
of heavenly comfort
00:12:57.91\00:12:59.71
and abiding consolation
have been opened for those
00:12:59.74\00:13:02.41
who will come to
the Fountain of Life.
00:13:02.44\00:13:04.81
There are veins of
truth yet to be discovered,
00:13:04.85\00:13:07.25
but spiritual things
are spiritually discerned."
00:13:07.28\00:13:10.09
Amen. Beautiful.
00:13:10.12\00:13:11.89
Jewels of Truth.
00:13:11.92\00:13:13.25
You know, it's like
when we were studying this...
00:13:13.29\00:13:15.22
The more I began to study
it, the more I was like, "Wow!
00:13:15.26\00:13:18.99
This is wonderful",
because just opening the Bible,
00:13:19.03\00:13:21.83
you begin to
fall in love with it,
00:13:21.86\00:13:23.40
and you see things anew
and afresh every time you do.
00:13:23.43\00:13:27.57
"But jewels of
truth lie scattered
00:13:27.60\00:13:30.11
over the field of revelation,
divine revealing from heaven."
00:13:30.14\00:13:34.28
Isn't that beautiful? Yes.
00:13:34.31\00:13:35.64
"But beneath the
sayings and commandments of men,
00:13:35.68\00:13:39.55
the wisdom from heaven
has been practically ignored."
00:13:39.58\00:13:43.75
That dirty devil
as you often say.
00:13:43.79\00:13:45.45
Oh, he's dirty.
Dirty to the core.
00:13:45.49\00:13:47.46
He's got us so
drunk with the wine
00:13:47.49\00:13:49.06
and the wrath
of her fornication.
00:13:49.09\00:13:50.43
Well, that's a
drunkard. That's right.
00:13:50.46\00:13:52.73
And spiritualism,
there's so many things.
00:13:52.76\00:13:55.16
What do you guys
think about that?
00:13:55.20\00:13:56.73
You know, think about
it, like Brother Ryan,
00:13:56.77\00:13:59.10
you probably never heard at
home, my dad sometimes said,
00:13:59.13\00:14:01.60
"Son, son, use
the good judgment."
00:14:01.64\00:14:03.00
That's right.
00:14:03.04\00:14:04.37
I didn't realize that was
another word for discernment.
00:14:04.41\00:14:05.74
Sure, sure.
00:14:05.77\00:14:07.11
And maybe it's now that
we look at it, and we say,
00:14:07.14\00:14:08.48
"Just use good
judgment, look it over.
00:14:08.51\00:14:11.08
Think about it."
00:14:11.11\00:14:12.45
Do you ever hear
it, maybe at home?
00:14:12.48\00:14:13.82
Oh, absolutely. Yeah.
00:14:13.85\00:14:15.18
Definitely. It was
a good advice for me.
00:14:15.22\00:14:16.55
Yeah, absolutely.
00:14:16.58\00:14:17.92
And I think, you know,
00:14:17.95\00:14:19.29
you're alluding to
the relationship between,
00:14:19.32\00:14:20.66
you know, parents
and their children,
00:14:20.69\00:14:22.02
I think that that's
exactly what God wants for us.
00:14:22.06\00:14:24.53
Yes, He wants a
special relationship with us
00:14:24.56\00:14:26.46
because we in and of ourselves
cannot have that judgment.
00:14:26.49\00:14:30.33
We cannot
exercise the right judgment
00:14:30.37\00:14:33.94
without the help and
the divine guidance of God.
00:14:33.97\00:14:36.14
And so, you
know, praise the Lord,
00:14:36.17\00:14:37.81
just like that
parent, you know, to a child.
00:14:37.84\00:14:40.94
We depend on our parents
to lead us and to guide us
00:14:40.98\00:14:42.78
and to teach us.
00:14:42.81\00:14:44.15
And the same
thing here, you know,
00:14:44.18\00:14:45.65
we're talking about discernment,
00:14:45.68\00:14:48.45
but there is a
difference, I see, at least,
00:14:48.48\00:14:50.29
between discernment
and spiritual discernment.
00:14:50.32\00:14:53.72
Oh, absolutely.
00:14:53.76\00:14:55.09
Because, you know,
anyone can exercise
00:14:55.12\00:14:56.69
a certain
amount of good judgment
00:14:56.73\00:15:00.13
pertaining to certain things.
00:15:00.16\00:15:01.50
But there is a
different type of judgment
00:15:01.53\00:15:03.87
when it pertains to the
spiritual things of God,
00:15:03.90\00:15:06.53
the spiritual
will and nature of God.
00:15:06.57\00:15:09.67
And so in this case, I
think, we definitely need to be
00:15:09.70\00:15:12.81
dependent upon the spirit of God
00:15:12.84\00:15:15.61
that we may obtain and exercise
that spiritual judgment,
00:15:15.64\00:15:19.61
that spiritual discernment.
00:15:19.65\00:15:20.98
And many times,
spiritual discernment
00:15:21.02\00:15:22.95
goes against what we
believe, what we've grown up,
00:15:22.98\00:15:25.82
what we've accepted as truth.
00:15:25.85\00:15:27.46
That's why it's says,
"But the natural man."
00:15:27.49\00:15:29.72
That's right.
00:15:29.76\00:15:31.09
If you're non-spiritual...
00:15:31.13\00:15:32.46
So really, we don't
expect the cook to go out
00:15:32.49\00:15:37.37
and work on the
car if, you know,
00:15:37.40\00:15:39.23
because he's not a
mechanic, he's a cook.
00:15:39.27\00:15:41.54
I mean, if he's multitalented,
you know, good for him.
00:15:41.57\00:15:44.47
But, you know, I
hope he washes his hands
00:15:44.51\00:15:46.51
before he goes back to cook.
00:15:46.54\00:15:47.88
But truly, yeah, it's
because it's the natural things
00:15:47.91\00:15:51.31
and the supernatural
things, they're different.
00:15:51.35\00:15:54.35
And so truly, my
doctor, I want him
00:15:54.38\00:15:57.35
to have gone to university,
00:15:57.39\00:16:00.79
medical school
for multiple years
00:16:00.82\00:16:03.12
and have multiple
surgeries before he works on me.
00:16:03.16\00:16:06.06
If he does open-heart surgery...
00:16:06.09\00:16:07.63
Oh, my God, yes.
00:16:07.66\00:16:09.00
You've been
through that experience.
00:16:09.03\00:16:10.37
And you could say
because you've been through
00:16:10.40\00:16:12.00
that experience,
"Well, I can probably do that
00:16:12.03\00:16:14.50
because I've had it done on me."
00:16:14.54\00:16:16.07
Well, no, it's not that.
00:16:16.10\00:16:17.97
You've got to have
some knowledge of it.
00:16:18.01\00:16:20.51
And so you've got
to have been there,
00:16:20.54\00:16:22.31
you've got to
have studied the Word.
00:16:22.34\00:16:24.48
In the case of
being a spiritual man,
00:16:24.51\00:16:26.41
you have to that's
whole accepting Christ,
00:16:26.45\00:16:28.88
accepting His
ways, accepting the Word.
00:16:28.92\00:16:31.02
And so it's the
difference between being natural
00:16:31.05\00:16:33.96
and supernatural,
00:16:33.99\00:16:35.32
and that's where
spiritual discernment...
00:16:35.36\00:16:36.69
I know.
00:16:36.73\00:16:38.06
The difference in,
you mentioned a while ago,
00:16:38.09\00:16:39.43
discernment and
spiritual discernment.
00:16:39.46\00:16:40.80
That's right.
00:16:40.83\00:16:42.16
And it's seems
to me on this study
00:16:42.20\00:16:43.97
that would bring out kind
of at least clearly in mind
00:16:44.00\00:16:47.44
that a person doesn't
have spiritual discernment...
00:16:47.47\00:16:49.67
Now I'm being careful,
00:16:49.70\00:16:51.04
I'm not hurting
anybody's feelings.
00:16:51.07\00:16:52.41
But a person is very
selfish and self-centered
00:16:52.44\00:16:57.71
if they don't have
the spiritual discernment
00:16:57.75\00:16:59.45
because they're
using their own wisdom
00:16:59.48\00:17:02.45
and their own judgment
rather than that from heaven.
00:17:02.48\00:17:06.52
So that's just one
aspect maybe to look at it
00:17:06.55\00:17:08.39
and you'll be very careful
and be willing and open, right?
00:17:08.42\00:17:11.89
For the Holy Spirit to come
in because I think Brother Ryan
00:17:11.93\00:17:15.30
mentioned a while ago,
what's that, in John 14:26.
00:17:15.33\00:17:19.23
The third person of the Godhead,
00:17:19.27\00:17:20.87
you talked about
Holy Spirit comes in,
00:17:20.90\00:17:22.94
He's going to do what
when the comforter has come?
00:17:22.97\00:17:25.91
He's going to
do something. Yeah.
00:17:25.94\00:17:28.01
So from that, you're
saying even the spiritual man
00:17:28.04\00:17:31.08
can act natural, right?
00:17:31.11\00:17:34.08
I mean, we can even
when we're spiritual
00:17:34.12\00:17:39.45
and supposedly following Christ,
00:17:39.49\00:17:41.79
we can still go
back, we can go back
00:17:41.82\00:17:45.36
because it's only
natural because we're living
00:17:45.39\00:17:47.70
in a natural world, but
that's really excellent point.
00:17:47.73\00:17:51.13
Some people think,
"Well, we're not..."
00:17:51.17\00:17:52.67
"You know, I'm not
susceptible to doing anything
00:17:52.70\00:17:54.97
by having
spiritual discernment."
00:17:55.00\00:17:56.34
That's right.
00:17:56.37\00:17:57.71
And we go into those
opinions and our own...
00:17:57.74\00:18:01.21
In fact, I think
that what I read,
00:18:01.24\00:18:03.18
there's something
to do with when we...
00:18:03.21\00:18:04.81
The last line, "There are
veins of truth to be discovered.
00:18:04.85\00:18:08.88
Spiritual things are
spiritually discerned."
00:18:08.92\00:18:11.55
That's right. So
you have to use...
00:18:11.59\00:18:12.92
Okay, I'm just
making sure I get the fact
00:18:12.95\00:18:15.46
that even though, you
know, as a Christian, I can't,
00:18:15.49\00:18:17.89
I'm totally susceptible too.
00:18:17.93\00:18:19.49
Anybody that takes their
eyes, right, off of Christ,
00:18:19.53\00:18:23.80
take your hand out of
His, we're susceptible to fall.
00:18:23.83\00:18:27.77
Peter walking on the water.
00:18:27.80\00:18:29.14
That's true. Oh,
just a split second.
00:18:29.17\00:18:31.34
That is a wonderful explanation.
00:18:31.37\00:18:33.64
I don't trust myself. No.
00:18:33.68\00:18:35.78
Anybody here... We
don't trust you either.
00:18:35.81\00:18:37.35
I've often said, all
this time, I mean, really,
00:18:37.38\00:18:39.91
to stay off of it
means by on our own,
00:18:39.95\00:18:41.95
I don't trust
myself, I trust Jesus,
00:18:41.98\00:18:44.59
and I stay close to Jesus.
00:18:44.62\00:18:45.95
This is good. I
don't trust myself.
00:18:45.99\00:18:48.16
The human nature,
it'll always come back.
00:18:48.19\00:18:49.82
Oh, absolutely. Absolutely true.
00:18:49.86\00:18:52.69
That is so true.
00:18:52.73\00:18:54.06
Boy, oh, boy, some
good, good thoughts there.
00:18:54.10\00:18:56.50
You know, another thing
I mentioned earlier about
00:18:56.53\00:18:58.73
why would Christ
have to be crucified
00:18:58.77\00:19:01.54
if truth wasn't so important.
00:19:01.57\00:19:03.64
And part of what
Tim read here, it reads,
00:19:03.67\00:19:06.68
"The Lord God, the
Creator of the world,
00:19:06.71\00:19:08.91
at infinite cost."
00:19:08.94\00:19:10.51
We just can't even fathom
the cost of giving Christ.
00:19:10.55\00:19:15.05
And remember, Christ is related
to as the light, as truth.
00:19:15.08\00:19:18.65
He is revealed to
us. He's the revelation.
00:19:18.69\00:19:22.06
He was given to this world
00:19:22.09\00:19:23.43
so that we can
really know who God is.
00:19:23.46\00:19:25.49
Amen.
00:19:25.53\00:19:26.86
And when I read that,
my mind automatically went
00:19:26.90\00:19:29.66
to John 3:16.
00:19:29.70\00:19:31.13
"For God so loved
the world that He gave
00:19:31.17\00:19:34.30
His only begotten Son."
00:19:34.34\00:19:36.37
And we have that opportunity
to make those choices
00:19:36.40\00:19:39.67
each and every
day to accept Him.
00:19:39.71\00:19:41.88
But when you were
talking about slipping up,
00:19:41.91\00:19:44.21
that's why it's
so very important
00:19:44.25\00:19:47.32
that our walk with
Christ is not once a week,
00:19:47.35\00:19:49.85
it's not once...
00:19:49.88\00:19:51.22
Well, there's some people,
00:19:51.25\00:19:52.59
they're only in
church if it's a holiday.
00:19:52.62\00:19:54.16
You know, it's not
once or twice a year.
00:19:54.19\00:19:56.46
Yeah. So it's a daily thing.
00:19:56.49\00:19:58.33
We're to die daily,
we're to pick up that cross
00:19:58.36\00:20:00.80
daily because we
cannot trust ourselves.
00:20:00.83\00:20:05.03
You know, beautiful. Good.
00:20:05.07\00:20:06.40
Well, Brother Ryan,
maybe you can comment on this.
00:20:06.43\00:20:08.74
I thought it was
interesting. This is John 12:35.
00:20:08.77\00:20:11.51
And anybody here
can comment on it
00:20:11.54\00:20:12.97
because that's what
we've been talking about.
00:20:13.01\00:20:14.94
John 12:35 says,
"Then Jesus said unto them,
00:20:14.98\00:20:18.28
'Yet a little while
is the light with you.
00:20:18.31\00:20:21.65
Walk while you have the light
lest darkness come upon you
00:20:21.68\00:20:25.35
for he that walketh in darkness
knoweth not whither he goeth.'"
00:20:25.39\00:20:29.16
Well, that's
pretty simple, isn't it?
00:20:29.19\00:20:31.16
What was Jesus really...
00:20:31.19\00:20:32.93
Was He talking to us
and telling this, right,
00:20:32.96\00:20:34.86
"We need to walk
while the light shining
00:20:34.90\00:20:37.53
on the path or soon
as it's revealed to us
00:20:37.57\00:20:39.93
that rather make excuses of
why I'm not going to do it."
00:20:39.97\00:20:43.17
Sure, sure.
00:20:43.20\00:20:44.77
Yeah, well,
everything goes right back to
00:20:44.81\00:20:46.24
what we were
talking about earlier
00:20:46.27\00:20:48.11
as our complete
dependency upon the Holy Spirit,
00:20:48.14\00:20:51.05
our complete dependency upon God
00:20:51.08\00:20:52.98
to keep us on that path.
00:20:53.01\00:20:54.35
But obviously, there's
a special condition there,
00:20:54.38\00:20:56.52
we have to surrender, we have
to be in constant surrendered
00:20:56.55\00:20:58.75
to Him, and as has
been mentioned here,
00:20:58.79\00:21:00.89
keep our eyes
completely focused upon Him.
00:21:00.92\00:21:03.89
You know, we were
talking a little bit about this
00:21:03.93\00:21:05.66
before the program began,
before the recording here,
00:21:05.69\00:21:09.86
you know, and I was
just, you know, brainstorming
00:21:09.90\00:21:12.10
and mentioning how I believe
00:21:12.13\00:21:13.47
that a person's
lack of discernment,
00:21:13.50\00:21:16.24
someone who does not
yearn or desire for that
00:21:16.27\00:21:19.31
spiritual
leadership and guidance
00:21:19.34\00:21:21.11
from God is very much
prone and subject to deception.
00:21:21.14\00:21:25.65
And I think that's
where we're going here.
00:21:25.68\00:21:27.32
We want to stay in
that light of Jesus.
00:21:27.35\00:21:30.15
We don't want to fall out of it.
00:21:30.19\00:21:31.52
Well, we know there's times
that, you know, it happens.
00:21:31.55\00:21:33.46
We take our eyes off Jesus.
00:21:33.49\00:21:35.22
We fall away
from the will of God,
00:21:35.26\00:21:37.66
but yet He is
quick to forgive us.
00:21:37.69\00:21:39.19
He is quick to
forgive us our sins,
00:21:39.23\00:21:42.06
but yet also cleanse us
from that unrighteousness
00:21:42.10\00:21:44.37
to get back on that path.
00:21:44.40\00:21:46.57
But I think, you know,
when you're talking about
00:21:46.60\00:21:48.24
spiritual discernment,
we're talking about, you know,
00:21:48.27\00:21:51.07
people that are...
00:21:51.11\00:21:52.87
It's a possibility
for someone to reject
00:21:52.91\00:21:55.84
that spiritual leadership,
that spiritual guidance,
00:21:55.88\00:21:58.15
the discernment, the judgment
that God wants to bestow
00:21:58.18\00:22:01.35
upon someone that they may
properly discern between that
00:22:01.38\00:22:05.75
which is the will of
God and that which is not.
00:22:05.79\00:22:08.02
One particular
text that comes to mind
00:22:08.06\00:22:10.36
when we're talking
about the danger of rejecting
00:22:10.39\00:22:13.73
or not yearning and desiring
for spiritual discernment...
00:22:13.76\00:22:18.43
This comes to my mind here.
00:22:18.47\00:22:19.80
Stephanie, you
want to read that?
00:22:19.83\00:22:21.17
It's 1 Timothy 4:1-2. Sure.
00:22:21.20\00:22:25.04
It says, "Now the
Spirit expressly says
00:22:25.07\00:22:27.44
that in latter times,
00:22:27.48\00:22:29.18
some will depart from the faith,
00:22:29.21\00:22:31.25
giving heed to deceiving spirits
00:22:31.28\00:22:33.38
and doctrines of demons,
speaking lies in hypocrisy,
00:22:33.42\00:22:37.32
having their own conscience
seared with a hot iron."
00:22:37.35\00:22:40.56
Absolutely.
00:22:40.59\00:22:41.92
So that the conscience
which, you know, I obviously...
00:22:41.96\00:22:44.83
You know, when a
person talks about, you know,
00:22:44.86\00:22:46.76
"My conscience
tells me this", you know,
00:22:46.80\00:22:49.43
I automatically interpret
that, at least, myself.
00:22:49.46\00:22:52.30
I believe that's the
spirit of God talking to us,
00:22:52.33\00:22:54.87
trying to lead us and
steer us and to guide us.
00:22:54.90\00:22:56.94
And, you know, the
danger of not yearning
00:22:56.97\00:23:00.21
and desiring for that
spiritual discernment, Lord,
00:23:00.24\00:23:03.81
give me the right judgment,
00:23:03.85\00:23:05.18
give me the
ability to be able tell
00:23:05.21\00:23:08.68
and then
determine what is Your will,
00:23:08.72\00:23:10.59
what is not Your
will, where's the path
00:23:10.62\00:23:12.65
that I'm supposed to be walking
00:23:12.69\00:23:14.02
versus the path I'm
not supposed to be walking.
00:23:14.06\00:23:17.53
You know, Paul prophesied
that there's coming a time when,
00:23:17.56\00:23:21.26
you know,
deceiving spirits would bring
00:23:21.30\00:23:23.93
about doctrines of demons.
00:23:23.97\00:23:25.30
But, you know,
obviously, we know just as God
00:23:25.33\00:23:27.74
does not force Himself upon
us, you know, the devil cannot,
00:23:27.77\00:23:31.47
and will not in most
cases, force himself,
00:23:31.51\00:23:33.07
but he wants to deceive.
00:23:33.11\00:23:34.44
He wants to come in.
00:23:34.48\00:23:35.84
But there has
to be a willingness
00:23:35.88\00:23:37.91
on our part to turn
our eyes from that truth,
00:23:37.95\00:23:41.42
from the path that
God wants us to be on.
00:23:41.45\00:23:44.09
And so it talks
about having our conscience
00:23:44.12\00:23:46.25
seared with a hot iron.
00:23:46.29\00:23:47.76
And I think of the...
00:23:47.79\00:23:49.12
You know, the old
movies where you see the people
00:23:49.16\00:23:50.59
on the battlefield, and
they get shot or wounded,
00:23:50.63\00:23:53.16
and so what do they do?
00:23:53.19\00:23:54.53
I think, they call it a searing
where they take the blade
00:23:54.56\00:23:56.77
of the sword, and they
put it in the hot fire,
00:23:56.80\00:23:58.77
and they heat it up, and
then they seal the wound.
00:23:58.80\00:24:00.80
Well, I think of that in a sense
00:24:00.84\00:24:02.20
of a conscious
being seared to someone
00:24:02.24\00:24:04.31
who's just made up
their mind and said,
00:24:04.34\00:24:05.67
"No, I think, I know enough.
00:24:05.71\00:24:07.84
I'm good. I don't
have to learn anymore.
00:24:07.88\00:24:10.65
I'm good where I am in
my salvation, and, you know,
00:24:10.68\00:24:13.72
I'm already saved.
00:24:13.75\00:24:15.28
And there's
nothing else to be gain,
00:24:15.32\00:24:16.65
and there's
nothing else to learn."
00:24:16.69\00:24:18.19
And then I'm going
to read this one text,
00:24:18.22\00:24:19.55
and then I'm going
to be quite myself.
00:24:19.59\00:24:20.92
Let's talk. No, no, that's good.
00:24:20.96\00:24:22.29
But 2 Thessalonians,
when I was studying this,
00:24:22.32\00:24:23.69
I was just on fire
'cause I love the Word of God.
00:24:23.73\00:24:27.00
2 Thessalonians 2:10-12,
also the writings of Paul here.
00:24:27.03\00:24:31.97
Notice what he says.
00:24:32.00\00:24:33.34
He says, "And with
all unrighteousness..."
00:24:33.37\00:24:35.77
Or excuse me,
"Unrighteous deception
00:24:35.80\00:24:37.97
among those who
perish because they did not
00:24:38.01\00:24:42.01
receive the love of
truth, that they might be saved.
00:24:42.04\00:24:47.45
And for this reason,"
notice, "God will send them
00:24:47.48\00:24:50.99
strong delusion that
they should believe a lie."
00:24:51.02\00:24:56.16
And it goes
onto say in verse 12,
00:24:56.19\00:24:57.53
"That they all may be condemned
who did not believe the truth
00:24:57.56\00:25:01.66
but had pleasure
in unrighteousness."
00:25:01.70\00:25:03.60
So when we...
00:25:03.63\00:25:04.97
You know, if we truly desire
for true spiritual discernment,
00:25:05.00\00:25:08.77
I believe the Bible
teaches us that we have to be
00:25:08.80\00:25:11.04
in a completely
humble state at all times.
00:25:11.07\00:25:13.78
Yes.
00:25:13.81\00:25:15.14
When we're completely
depended on God and say,
00:25:15.18\00:25:16.51
"Lord, I can't
depend on my own heart,
00:25:16.54\00:25:19.11
on my own
thoughts, on my own guidance.
00:25:19.15\00:25:20.98
Lord, I don't want to
believe or hear the truth,
00:25:21.02\00:25:24.25
and the truth come my
way, but I turned it away to be
00:25:24.29\00:25:27.69
prone to believing a
lie and being deceived."
00:25:27.72\00:25:30.19
So I think that's the importance
00:25:30.23\00:25:32.53
of spiritual discernment,
00:25:32.56\00:25:33.93
it's that we are
completely dependent on God
00:25:33.96\00:25:36.13
and His Spirit to
constantly lead us
00:25:36.16\00:25:39.43
and guide us in
His will, in His ways.
00:25:39.47\00:25:41.60
Yes, yes.
00:25:41.64\00:25:42.97
You know, I've heard people
say to what you've brought up
00:25:43.00\00:25:44.97
a while ago is our conscience.
00:25:45.01\00:25:47.28
You know, our conscience...
00:25:47.31\00:25:49.04
Sometimes we feel certain
ways and how do we gauge that?
00:25:49.08\00:25:52.85
God chooses to
work through our mind
00:25:52.88\00:25:54.88
'cause we're
talking about discernment.
00:25:54.92\00:25:56.52
The enemy works the
same way as God does,
00:25:56.55\00:25:58.32
it's through the mind.
00:25:58.35\00:25:59.92
So sometimes,
the enemy comes in,
00:25:59.95\00:26:01.89
and he gives you an impression.
00:26:01.92\00:26:03.26
People say, "Well, I
know what it says here,
00:26:03.29\00:26:04.63
but, you know, I feel this way,
00:26:04.66\00:26:06.59
and I've seen Him work miracle."
00:26:06.63\00:26:08.70
But it's all...
00:26:08.73\00:26:10.07
We go back to the Word of
God if what our conscience
00:26:10.10\00:26:12.77
or whatever we're feeling
00:26:12.80\00:26:14.20
is not
harmonizing with Scripture.
00:26:14.24\00:26:15.97
That's right. It is
not, provides the truth.
00:26:16.00\00:26:19.64
What did Jesus
say in John 17:17?
00:26:19.67\00:26:23.55
"Sanctify them by Thy
truth, Thy word is truth."
00:26:23.58\00:26:27.42
And then when we...
00:26:27.45\00:26:28.92
As we read a while ago in
John 12, when we hear truth,
00:26:28.95\00:26:33.12
we need to immediately
respond to that truth
00:26:33.15\00:26:36.93
and not delay because the
enemy will find a way to come in
00:26:36.96\00:26:40.30
or we need not do like...
00:26:40.33\00:26:41.86
Who was it? Balaam.
00:26:41.90\00:26:44.17
Remember, how many times
he tried to get away from
00:26:44.20\00:26:46.23
when he was supposed to curse.
00:26:46.27\00:26:47.60
That's right. That's
right. He kept going back.
00:26:47.64\00:26:49.50
He kept going back.
00:26:49.54\00:26:50.87
And there is no
use to keep going back.
00:26:50.91\00:26:52.34
Once the truth
has been enlightened
00:26:52.37\00:26:54.68
or we
understand that it's right,
00:26:54.71\00:26:56.91
don't keep going back and say,
00:26:56.95\00:26:58.28
"Well, give me more
time or I need to..."
00:26:58.31\00:26:59.78
What time do we
need? That's right.
00:26:59.81\00:27:04.75
Your heart will
become harder. Yes. Yes.
00:27:04.79\00:27:07.16
And what we're
summarizing is the last church,
00:27:07.19\00:27:09.72
the Laodicea Church.
00:27:09.76\00:27:11.23
We're in need of
nothing. We have everything.
00:27:11.26\00:27:13.60
And what we're talking
about, this not only happens
00:27:13.63\00:27:16.56
outside of the church,
this happens inside the church
00:27:16.60\00:27:19.80
which is precisely why I
said in the very beginning,
00:27:19.83\00:27:23.17
you know, where we
choose to walk with Him,
00:27:23.20\00:27:25.34
what church we
choose to worship Him.
00:27:25.37\00:27:27.54
It's not going to where
everybody else is going,
00:27:27.58\00:27:30.35
everybody I love is
gone, or the biggest church
00:27:30.38\00:27:32.61
'cause where I'll get more votes
00:27:32.65\00:27:34.15
is what church lines
up with the Word of God.
00:27:34.18\00:27:37.79
So we go to the Word of God,
we begin to seek those jewels,
00:27:37.82\00:27:41.39
those hidden
treasures, and as we apply those
00:27:41.42\00:27:44.09
to our heart by the
power of the Holy Spirit,
00:27:44.13\00:27:46.90
then God says
to, "Walk ye in it."
00:27:46.93\00:27:49.13
Amen. And so we
need to walk in it.
00:27:49.16\00:27:51.07
So what church, and
that is so vitally important.
00:27:51.10\00:27:54.54
Otherwise, you
know, we've often said
00:27:54.57\00:27:56.91
we could have had a mega church
00:27:56.94\00:27:58.27
in our younger years.
00:27:58.31\00:27:59.64
You know, I believe I'm
talking about my husband
00:27:59.67\00:28:04.31
'cause I just love, you know,
00:28:04.35\00:28:05.91
I feel like he's
a man led by God.
00:28:05.95\00:28:09.08
But if we had just been outside
00:28:09.12\00:28:11.62
and maybe some of
these wonderful things
00:28:11.65\00:28:13.72
'cause just like the way
that they rejected Christ
00:28:13.76\00:28:18.46
for upholding truth,
they reject those of us
00:28:18.49\00:28:21.60
who are
upholding the truth today.
00:28:21.63\00:28:23.60
And we'll see that get
worse and worse as time goes on.
00:28:23.63\00:28:27.77
Sure. So very good thoughts.
00:28:27.80\00:28:30.17
You know, the Jews did that too.
00:28:30.21\00:28:33.04
They knew they
expressed the will of God,
00:28:33.07\00:28:35.54
but yet they came
back and then said,
00:28:35.58\00:28:37.51
"Well, show us a sign."
00:28:37.55\00:28:38.98
That's right. Some
people still do that.
00:28:39.01\00:28:40.68
You show him from the
Word of God, they say,
00:28:40.72\00:28:42.08
"Well, I'm going to
have to have a sign."
00:28:42.12\00:28:43.59
I've heard people
say over and over.
00:28:43.62\00:28:45.15
"Well, you know, that
seems like truth to me
00:28:45.19\00:28:46.92
but you know what,
I'm going to have to go
00:28:46.96\00:28:48.42
pray on some more."
00:28:48.46\00:28:49.79
That's right.
00:28:49.82\00:28:51.16
After they've
already acknowledged that
00:28:51.19\00:28:52.53
that is truth, mine is, I
know we still need to pray.
00:28:52.56\00:28:56.30
But let's think about
why do we need to go back
00:28:56.33\00:28:58.07
and pray over something
we already said is the truth?
00:28:58.10\00:29:00.00
Right. Right. Yeah.
00:29:00.04\00:29:01.37
Absolutely.
00:29:01.40\00:29:02.74
It comes to the point
of taking a step of faith
00:29:02.77\00:29:04.34
and grasping that truth,
and God will bless you for it.
00:29:04.37\00:29:07.54
He calls you
right on the high places
00:29:07.58\00:29:09.61
and get you out
of those low places.
00:29:09.64\00:29:11.25
That's what we
need to do right now.
00:29:11.28\00:29:12.61
And there's a lot of
times that people are misled,
00:29:12.65\00:29:14.85
and they believe
it's the Holy Spirit.
00:29:14.88\00:29:17.25
There are many spirits,
00:29:17.29\00:29:18.79
but they're not
all the Holy Spirit.
00:29:18.82\00:29:20.69
You know, we
have the evil spirits,
00:29:20.72\00:29:22.46
and we have the Spirit of God.
00:29:22.49\00:29:24.36
And the Bible says
that we're to worship God
00:29:24.39\00:29:27.20
because He is a spirit.
00:29:27.23\00:29:28.60
We're to worship Him
in spirit and in truth.
00:29:28.63\00:29:31.63
That's right.
00:29:31.67\00:29:33.00
And many people in
this world, sad to say,
00:29:33.03\00:29:34.84
they leave out the truth part.
00:29:34.87\00:29:36.97
"Oh, we're enjoying the
spirit, we're enjoying this.
00:29:37.01\00:29:39.64
Oh, boy, we were in the spirit."
00:29:39.67\00:29:41.38
Where was the
truth? That's right.
00:29:41.41\00:29:42.91
You know?
00:29:42.94\00:29:44.28
And the truth is
so vitally important.
00:29:44.31\00:29:46.25
It's the truth that...
00:29:46.28\00:29:47.62
Yeah, both of
them at one time. Yes.
00:29:47.65\00:29:49.15
This is really
good, right? Amen.
00:29:49.18\00:29:50.69
One guys said
one time, you know,
00:29:50.72\00:29:52.12
"You folks have the
truth, and we have the spirit."
00:29:52.15\00:29:55.59
Now you can't
separate the truth, can you?
00:29:55.62\00:29:58.46
I mean, two different faces.
00:29:58.49\00:29:59.89
And he said, "You
guys have the truth,
00:29:59.93\00:30:02.06
but we have the spirit
because we worship Him as a..."
00:30:02.10\00:30:04.90
You can't have it
00:30:04.93\00:30:06.27
because the Holy Spirit doesn't
tell two different things.
00:30:06.30\00:30:07.84
That's right.
00:30:07.87\00:30:09.20
If you have the truth,
you have to have the spirit
00:30:09.24\00:30:10.57
because you can't have the truth
00:30:10.61\00:30:11.94
unless the spirit
reveals that truth.
00:30:11.97\00:30:13.31
Jesus called Him the
spirit of truth in John 16.
00:30:13.34\00:30:16.14
1 Corinthians talks about that.
We talked about a while ago.
00:30:16.18\00:30:19.11
We read 1 Corinthians
2:14, read verses 9 and 10.
00:30:19.15\00:30:22.08
Before then, we're not
incapable of understanding it,
00:30:22.12\00:30:25.09
we're not incapable of fathoming
00:30:25.12\00:30:27.56
unless the
Spirit of God comes in.
00:30:27.59\00:30:29.22
That's right.
That's what we need.
00:30:29.26\00:30:30.59
We need about an
Adventist church,
00:30:30.63\00:30:31.96
we need it all the time.
00:30:31.99\00:30:33.33
We think we need
more of the spirit.
00:30:33.36\00:30:34.73
We need to not say sad Adventist
00:30:34.76\00:30:36.10
but happy Adventist.
00:30:36.13\00:30:37.53
Sadventist? Yeah. Sadventist.
00:30:37.57\00:30:39.23
Nothing like
Sadventist, gentlemen.
00:30:39.27\00:30:41.40
Doesn't makes sense, does it?
00:30:41.44\00:30:43.07
When we have the spirit
of God, this lesson brings...
00:30:43.10\00:30:44.91
When you have the Spirit
of the living God inside,
00:30:44.94\00:30:47.44
it brings happiness and
peace and joy and contentment,
00:30:47.48\00:30:51.71
and your life is different,
your attitude changed,
00:30:51.75\00:30:54.15
your character
changed, everything changes
00:30:54.18\00:30:56.69
when Christ really lives within.
00:30:56.72\00:30:58.49
Amen.
00:30:58.52\00:30:59.85
And if the
character hasn't changed,
00:30:59.89\00:31:01.79
we're becoming more like
Him by His grace every day,
00:31:01.82\00:31:04.36
then that's not
the wrong spirit.
00:31:04.39\00:31:06.06
Yeah, it is wrong.
00:31:06.09\00:31:08.16
No, no, no, that's all good
because, I mean, oftentimes,
00:31:08.20\00:31:11.80
we have been approached by that
because it's hard to be quiet.
00:31:11.83\00:31:15.17
You know, my
life totally changed.
00:31:15.20\00:31:16.54
I don't intend on being quiet.
00:31:16.57\00:31:19.57
It totally changed as I began
to put God first every day.
00:31:19.61\00:31:23.45
Amen.
00:31:23.48\00:31:24.81
When I began to study every day,
00:31:24.85\00:31:26.92
when I had worship
before I would eat,
00:31:26.95\00:31:28.95
you know, I'd take
of that spiritual food
00:31:28.98\00:31:30.59
before I would
eat any physical food,
00:31:30.62\00:31:32.85
my life began to change.
00:31:32.89\00:31:34.96
And now that it's changed,
I never want to go back,
00:31:34.99\00:31:37.69
I never want to be silent.
00:31:37.73\00:31:40.20
One of you guys, I
don't know who mentioned it,
00:31:40.23\00:31:41.86
but God inhabits our praises.
00:31:41.90\00:31:44.33
And when it comes
from a sincere heart,
00:31:44.37\00:31:47.10
you will begin to sense
00:31:47.14\00:31:48.47
the Holy Spirit
walking in and amongst us.
00:31:48.50\00:31:51.04
And that's when all of
these things come alive.
00:31:51.07\00:31:53.84
You know, years ago,
00:31:53.88\00:31:55.21
we could probably
read the very same passages
00:31:55.24\00:31:57.31
and not get excited about it.
00:31:57.35\00:31:59.21
But now as the Holy
Spirit is enlightening our minds
00:31:59.25\00:32:03.42
and giving us that
spiritual discernment,
00:32:03.45\00:32:05.82
all of a sudden, it's like,
00:32:05.85\00:32:07.59
"Wow! Thank you,
Lord. Wow! That's here.
00:32:07.62\00:32:09.49
Wow! We can read it."
00:32:09.52\00:32:11.09
I did it for
years. I did it for years.
00:32:11.13\00:32:14.20
I read the Scriptures,
00:32:14.23\00:32:15.56
and I never really
found the joy and the peace
00:32:15.60\00:32:17.07
until I was born again.
00:32:17.10\00:32:18.43
That's true. That's true.
00:32:18.47\00:32:19.80
You know, I
raised up in the faith
00:32:19.83\00:32:21.17
as it were bestow you
until you're born again,
00:32:21.20\00:32:22.54
until you really give
your life to Jesus Christ.
00:32:22.57\00:32:24.71
I've often said, once
conversion came and as after...
00:32:24.74\00:32:27.88
I mentioned many
times, that was after
00:32:27.91\00:32:30.48
you get the little plaques
for teaching the early married,
00:32:30.51\00:32:34.15
and that's after
you become the deacon,
00:32:34.18\00:32:36.38
and as actually become an
elder and still not born again.
00:32:36.42\00:32:39.35
People said that was impossible.
00:32:39.39\00:32:40.72
No...
00:32:40.76\00:32:42.09
It was possible.
00:32:42.12\00:32:43.46
The lukewarmness, Laodicea,
and you just kind of raise,
00:32:43.49\00:32:47.90
and you just go
through the emotions.
00:32:47.93\00:32:49.43
And then when God
really gets hold of you,
00:32:49.46\00:32:50.80
when you're ready for Him
to get a hold of you and say,
00:32:50.83\00:32:52.30
"God, you changed",
00:32:52.33\00:32:54.40
everything
changes, attitude changes,
00:32:54.44\00:32:56.27
the word changes,
everything changes.
00:32:56.30\00:33:01.08
To me, that's called conversion.
00:33:01.11\00:33:02.78
And then started...
00:33:02.81\00:33:04.51
By the grace of God,
00:33:04.55\00:33:05.88
a little bit of a spiritual
discernment begin to be
00:33:05.91\00:33:08.78
on hand rather before
it was human discernment.
00:33:08.82\00:33:11.95
So I mean, God can do
wonderful, wonderful things,
00:33:11.99\00:33:14.32
and He does them.
00:33:14.36\00:33:15.69
But He's willing to change
our hearts and change our lives
00:33:15.72\00:33:17.79
and change our attitudes.
00:33:17.83\00:33:19.43
What I really loved about
the quote that you had shared,
00:33:19.46\00:33:22.20
the last line, it says,
00:33:22.23\00:33:23.57
"There are veins of
truth yet to be discovered,
00:33:23.60\00:33:27.14
but spiritual things
are spiritually discerned."
00:33:27.17\00:33:29.50
And I think that's an
amazing sentence there
00:33:29.54\00:33:32.44
because we think
we have so much truth,
00:33:32.47\00:33:35.91
but we can always learn more.
00:33:35.94\00:33:38.18
We can read the same
passage over and over and over,
00:33:38.21\00:33:40.78
and we're still going to
get something new out of it.
00:33:40.82\00:33:42.25
And I love that. I
just love that sentence.
00:33:42.28\00:33:44.19
Amen. Praise God.
00:33:44.22\00:33:45.55
Amen.
00:33:45.59\00:33:46.92
And it's learning to accept
it even when it doesn't fit
00:33:46.96\00:33:50.09
the way our thinking is.
00:33:50.13\00:33:51.46
It's learning to say,
I mean, how many times
00:33:51.49\00:33:53.80
some of our biggest
battles is with self
00:33:53.83\00:33:56.03
because we're reading them
and thinking, "Oh", you know?
00:33:56.06\00:34:01.10
Oh, absolutely.
00:34:01.14\00:34:02.47
"Are you sure that's
what you mean, Lord?"
00:34:02.50\00:34:05.81
And maybe about diet and foods,
00:34:05.84\00:34:07.61
"Oh, but I
really love that food."
00:34:07.64\00:34:10.28
But let me give you an example.
Let me give you an example.
00:34:10.31\00:34:14.38
Talk about yourself now.
00:34:14.42\00:34:15.75
No, this was
not the ice cream...
00:34:15.78\00:34:17.12
You were the ice cream man.
00:34:17.15\00:34:18.49
I was the ice cream man.
00:34:18.52\00:34:19.85
No, no. When I was...
00:34:19.89\00:34:21.22
You know, I truly
believed as I was growing up,
00:34:21.26\00:34:23.99
it had to be my grandparents
that were praying for me.
00:34:24.03\00:34:26.56
I ended up living with my
grandparents for a long time
00:34:26.59\00:34:29.76
'cause my mom, she
had left the church,
00:34:29.80\00:34:32.40
and she was
singing in the taverns.
00:34:32.43\00:34:34.70
In fact, she was
asked to sing on Hee Haw,
00:34:34.74\00:34:36.57
but that's right
00:34:36.60\00:34:37.94
when she started to
come back to the Lord,
00:34:37.97\00:34:39.31
so she turned that one down.
00:34:39.34\00:34:40.71
But she had several restaurants
that were connected to taverns,
00:34:40.74\00:34:45.31
you know, and
there'd be a door in-between,
00:34:45.35\00:34:47.58
and that's how we grew up.
00:34:47.62\00:34:50.45
But I would go visit
my grandma and my grandpa,
00:34:50.49\00:34:52.95
and they'd take me to church.
00:34:52.99\00:34:54.76
And while I was at church,
00:34:54.79\00:34:56.12
and if you've never heard
about this, please, forgive me.
00:34:56.16\00:34:58.96
Study it in Leviticus
11, study in Deuteronomy,
00:34:58.99\00:35:03.73
but there are
clean and unclean meats.
00:35:03.77\00:35:06.43
And one day, my
parents were in the back,
00:35:06.47\00:35:09.14
and I had learned
that pork was unclean.
00:35:09.17\00:35:11.57
And I wouldn't eat
pork. How old were you?
00:35:11.61\00:35:13.21
Seven or eight? I
don't know but I was little.
00:35:13.24\00:35:15.31
I was very, very young.
00:35:15.34\00:35:17.85
You know, 'cause I came
to live with my grandparents,
00:35:17.88\00:35:20.28
probably I was either in
the third or fourth grade,
00:35:20.32\00:35:22.42
so it was prior to that.
00:35:22.45\00:35:23.79
Yep.
00:35:23.82\00:35:25.32
So anyway, we were in
the back of the restaurant,
00:35:25.35\00:35:29.16
and they were over
there arguing about food
00:35:29.19\00:35:31.56
and what I wouldn't
eat and why I would eat.
00:35:31.59\00:35:34.10
And finally, my dad
looks at me and he says,
00:35:34.13\00:35:37.73
"What about that ham sandwich?"
00:35:37.77\00:35:39.47
See, the ham sandwich,
that was my favorite sandwich.
00:35:39.50\00:35:43.51
And he says, "What do
you think about that?"
00:35:43.54\00:35:44.87
I'm like, "Well,
it's ham. Ham's ham."
00:35:44.91\00:35:48.04
You didn't know? I did not know.
00:35:48.08\00:35:50.55
And he said, "That's pork."
00:35:50.58\00:35:54.68
And that was my
favorite sandwich.
00:35:54.72\00:35:56.99
But it had to be the
Spirit of God through prayer
00:35:57.02\00:36:00.09
'cause I laid that down,
00:36:00.12\00:36:01.46
and I would
never pick it back up.
00:36:01.49\00:36:03.53
And I wasn't even able to
read that for myself, you know?
00:36:03.56\00:36:08.53
That was just little
things, little examples
00:36:08.56\00:36:11.33
of how we're to learn to
trust even when it goes against
00:36:11.37\00:36:15.07
what we believe or what we like.
00:36:15.10\00:36:17.27
What I hear, and I'm
going to just ask a question.
00:36:17.31\00:36:20.58
It's kind of a
rhetorical question,
00:36:20.61\00:36:21.94
but, you know, can we separate
00:36:21.98\00:36:26.41
spiritual
discernment from the Word of God
00:36:26.45\00:36:29.68
in the sense of can we
have true spiritual discernment
00:36:29.72\00:36:35.09
absent from or separate from
00:36:35.12\00:36:37.09
the divine
leadership of God's Word?
00:36:37.13\00:36:40.10
No. I think that is the answer.
00:36:40.13\00:36:41.96
I've looked up this text here.
00:36:42.00\00:36:43.33
This is, you know,
Christ, He gives a parable here.
00:36:43.37\00:36:47.37
In fact, I think
this is the first,
00:36:47.40\00:36:48.84
and I can be
corrected on this if I'm wrong,
00:36:48.87\00:36:50.77
but I believe it's
the first recorded parable
00:36:50.81\00:36:52.84
that Christ tells in the Bible.
00:36:52.87\00:36:54.31
And it's the
Parable of the Sower,
00:36:54.34\00:36:55.71
which is not ironic because
He actually says in Mark 4,
00:36:55.74\00:36:58.88
I believe it's, verse 13,
00:36:58.91\00:37:00.68
when the disciples
were questioning Him,
00:37:00.72\00:37:02.55
He says, "How do you
not understand this parable?
00:37:02.58\00:37:05.49
If you don't
understand this parable,
00:37:05.52\00:37:06.99
you can't understand
any of the parables."
00:37:07.02\00:37:08.36
So this is a very
important parable.
00:37:08.39\00:37:09.89
And what is the
parable all about?
00:37:09.92\00:37:11.59
It's focused on the Word of God,
00:37:11.63\00:37:13.23
the importance
of the Word of God.
00:37:13.26\00:37:14.60
And these four
different groups of people
00:37:14.63\00:37:17.00
who respond differently
to the divine Word of God.
00:37:17.03\00:37:20.14
But I noticed...
00:37:20.17\00:37:21.50
I've put the Scripture down here
00:37:21.54\00:37:22.87
because Christ says in
His response to His parables
00:37:22.90\00:37:27.91
and talking about the
purpose of His parables
00:37:27.94\00:37:29.84
which is, of course,
the teachings of Christ.
00:37:29.88\00:37:32.18
He says here, "Therefore,
I speak to them in parables
00:37:32.21\00:37:36.52
because seeing they do not see
00:37:36.55\00:37:39.49
and hearing they do not
hear nor do they understand."
00:37:39.52\00:37:42.99
And this is actually
coming from Matthew 13:13,
00:37:43.02\00:37:47.86
I just read.
00:37:47.90\00:37:49.23
And it goes onto say, and
He's quoting, "And in them,
00:37:49.26\00:37:52.93
the prophecy of Isaiah
is fulfilled which says,
00:37:52.97\00:37:55.57
'Hearing you'll hear
and shall not understand
00:37:55.60\00:37:58.64
and seeing you will
see and not perceive..."
00:37:58.67\00:38:01.11
And you said this earlier,
00:38:01.14\00:38:02.48
"For the hearts of the
people have grown dull."
00:38:02.51\00:38:04.18
You mentioned the
hardening of the heart.
00:38:04.21\00:38:05.95
"Their ears are hard of hearing
00:38:05.98\00:38:07.48
and their eyes,
they have closed,
00:38:07.52\00:38:09.62
lest they should
see with their eyes
00:38:09.65\00:38:11.25
and hear with their ears,
00:38:11.29\00:38:12.62
and lest they should understand
with their hearts and turn
00:38:12.65\00:38:15.32
so that I should heal them."
00:38:15.36\00:38:17.29
But you cannot separate
the divine Word of God from,
00:38:17.33\00:38:22.93
you know, the
concept, the very reality
00:38:22.96\00:38:25.37
of spiritual discernment.
00:38:25.40\00:38:26.84
We must seek
God through His Word
00:38:26.87\00:38:29.57
and in seeking God in His
Word, that spiritual discernment
00:38:29.60\00:38:33.01
will become a
reality in our life
00:38:33.04\00:38:35.08
because we're not
depending upon self's ideas
00:38:35.11\00:38:37.95
and ideologies and perceptions,
00:38:37.98\00:38:40.02
but we're depending
upon the Holy Scripture.
00:38:40.05\00:38:42.82
That's right. That's
right. And that is a good segue.
00:38:42.85\00:38:46.05
If we jump down to
the last, the last verse,
00:38:46.09\00:38:50.56
not verse, but the
last paragraph there
00:38:50.59\00:38:52.99
because I think in
this last paragraph,
00:38:53.03\00:38:54.93
we're going to see three
very important steps to follow
00:38:54.96\00:38:58.33
and how we can become
more spiritually discerning
00:38:58.37\00:39:01.67
disciples for Christ.
00:39:01.70\00:39:03.41
Number one, "But those who
profess to believe in Jesus
00:39:03.44\00:39:07.34
should ever...",
00:39:07.38\00:39:08.71
and here it is, number
one, "Pressed to the light.
00:39:08.74\00:39:12.25
The light represents..." What?
00:39:12.28\00:39:14.08
"The truth of God's Word,
00:39:14.12\00:39:15.88
Christ is the
light of the world."
00:39:15.92\00:39:18.45
You know, we can
read in John 8:12,
00:39:18.49\00:39:21.46
"Then spake Jesus
again unto them, saying,
00:39:21.49\00:39:23.63
'I am the light of the world.
00:39:23.66\00:39:25.26
He that followeth Me
shall not walk in darkness,"
00:39:25.29\00:39:28.60
as we've been
talking about here,
00:39:28.63\00:39:30.97
"But shall have
the light of life."
00:39:31.00\00:39:33.23
You shall walk in the truth,
00:39:33.27\00:39:34.60
you'll be down
that narrow pathway.
00:39:34.64\00:39:36.30
`So can we separate
Christ from His Word? No.
00:39:36.34\00:39:40.14
So many people have perished
00:39:40.18\00:39:42.94
to just be able to
preserve that Word of God.
00:39:42.98\00:39:46.35
I think about the
Waldensians, you know,
00:39:46.38\00:39:48.98
they were lead
into the Alps Mountains,
00:39:49.02\00:39:51.65
and they would
go down to witness.
00:39:51.69\00:39:53.29
I mean in a time where if
you just shared God's Word,
00:39:53.32\00:39:57.13
you would be
burned, you'd be crucified,
00:39:57.16\00:39:59.26
you'd be, you know, sometimes,
they would take the babies and,
00:39:59.29\00:40:03.40
you know, just slay
them against the rocks.
00:40:03.43\00:40:05.80
It's horrible what
these people endured,
00:40:05.83\00:40:08.00
but they would sow the scripture
00:40:08.04\00:40:10.07
inside their garments sometimes.
00:40:10.11\00:40:12.77
And when they felt it
was just the right time,
00:40:12.81\00:40:15.01
they would loosen that and
share just bits and pieces.
00:40:15.04\00:40:17.81
That's right.
00:40:17.85\00:40:19.18
And here we
have all these books,
00:40:19.21\00:40:21.88
and we let them
gather dust on our shelves.
00:40:21.92\00:40:23.85
That's right. So
can we separate it?
00:40:23.89\00:40:26.15
Absolutely not.
00:40:26.19\00:40:28.29
Now then, number
two, daily prayers.
00:40:28.32\00:40:31.96
So we have study, and
now it says daily prayer
00:40:31.99\00:40:36.13
for the light
of the Holy Spirit,
00:40:36.16\00:40:38.93
spiritual things must
be spiritually discerned.
00:40:38.97\00:40:41.60
You never open a
study without asking God
00:40:41.64\00:40:44.94
to bless us
with His Holy Spirit.
00:40:44.97\00:40:46.81
We asked Him to bless
us here and by His grace,
00:40:46.84\00:40:49.34
I believe He has already.
00:40:49.38\00:40:51.31
And I pray that He's
blessing you at home as well.
00:40:51.35\00:40:53.08
Amen. Oh, yes. Sure. Sure.
00:40:53.11\00:40:55.52
"So we want to pray for
the light of the Holy Spirit
00:40:55.55\00:40:58.05
to shine upon the
pages of the sacred book
00:40:58.09\00:41:01.49
that they may be unable
to comprehend the things
00:41:01.52\00:41:05.33
of the Spirit of God."
00:41:05.36\00:41:07.66
So is prayer
important? Oh, absolutely.
00:41:07.70\00:41:11.87
Absolutely.
00:41:11.90\00:41:13.70
It's a must. Absolutely,
yes. And number three, implicit.
00:41:13.74\00:41:15.87
And I've referred
to this several times,
00:41:15.90\00:41:18.01
implicit trust in God's Word.
00:41:18.04\00:41:21.41
And Mrs. White goes on
to say, "Or we are lost."
00:41:21.44\00:41:26.45
So that means, even
though we're looking
00:41:26.48\00:41:27.98
through the
glass, and we're saying,
00:41:28.02\00:41:30.39
"But there are so many people
that believe it this is way."
00:41:30.42\00:41:35.49
She says, "Implicit trust."
00:41:35.52\00:41:37.96
Even in our prayer life,
for our prayers to be answered,
00:41:37.99\00:41:41.26
we must trust that God
is answering those prayers.
00:41:41.30\00:41:44.27
We must have faith
that He's hearing us,
00:41:44.30\00:41:47.24
and we walk in there.
00:41:47.27\00:41:48.60
"The words of
men, however great,
00:41:48.64\00:41:50.91
however wonderful
that preacher was..."
00:41:50.94\00:41:53.14
I'm adding a little bit
here, so she didn't say that,
00:41:53.17\00:41:56.95
but you know what I'm
saying, "The words of men,
00:41:56.98\00:41:59.11
however great they may be
are not able to make us perfect
00:41:59.15\00:42:03.08
to thoroughly furnish
us unto all good works."
00:42:03.12\00:42:06.69
And you're not
going to have good works
00:42:06.72\00:42:08.39
until you're living up
to the light of God's Word
00:42:08.42\00:42:11.13
because it's in
His Word that we find
00:42:11.16\00:42:14.06
how a Christian is to
be, what good works are.
00:42:14.10\00:42:18.37
Do we have to
understand everything?
00:42:18.40\00:42:20.94
Say, we're studying
something for truth,
00:42:20.97\00:42:22.77
we want to
figure out what is it,
00:42:22.80\00:42:24.47
do we have to
understand every aspect of it
00:42:24.51\00:42:27.18
before we are obedient
to what we do understand?
00:42:27.21\00:42:30.51
Oh, no. Absolutely, no.
00:42:30.55\00:42:31.88
You know, some
people say, "You know,
00:42:31.91\00:42:33.45
I have to
understand more of this.
00:42:33.48\00:42:34.92
I see this part",
00:42:34.95\00:42:36.28
but they're not
willing to walk in that
00:42:36.32\00:42:38.65
explicit trust
in the Word of God.
00:42:38.69\00:42:41.42
That's right. To
say, "I'm not..."
00:42:41.46\00:42:43.32
I still read it to this day.
00:42:43.36\00:42:44.69
I read to this day and say,
"I know there's more to here
00:42:44.73\00:42:47.80
than I'm getting, Lord,
help me to understand it."
00:42:47.83\00:42:49.96
But know what is truth
help me to walk in this truth,
00:42:50.00\00:42:53.13
I think it's very
important that we do that
00:42:53.17\00:42:54.97
or we might get bypassed.
00:42:55.00\00:42:59.27
And I truly believe.
00:42:59.31\00:43:01.11
And we're seeing it
00:43:01.14\00:43:02.48
as we're seeing
laws being passed,
00:43:02.51\00:43:04.21
as we're seeing people
00:43:04.25\00:43:05.91
coming into the
highest court of the land,
00:43:05.95\00:43:08.68
things are changing.
00:43:08.72\00:43:10.05
The whole
atmosphere is changing.
00:43:10.09\00:43:11.75
I've said this many, many times.
00:43:11.79\00:43:13.69
Truth in our country, truth,
many times, in our churches,
00:43:13.72\00:43:17.16
truth, many
times, in our families
00:43:17.19\00:43:20.70
has become error.
00:43:20.73\00:43:22.63
And error has become truth.
00:43:22.66\00:43:24.80
So we must have
implicit, as she says here,
00:43:24.83\00:43:28.27
trust in God's Word.
00:43:28.30\00:43:30.21
When He says our
lifestyle is wrong,
00:43:30.24\00:43:31.97
when He says
eating this is wrong,
00:43:32.01\00:43:33.58
when He says this day is
holy, He didn't make any...
00:43:33.61\00:43:36.68
I had one family that brought
their children to our school.
00:43:36.71\00:43:40.48
And they talked to me
one day and they said,
00:43:40.52\00:43:42.92
"Well, we keep
every day as the Sabbath."
00:43:42.95\00:43:45.55
It's impossible.
When would you work?
00:43:45.59\00:43:48.59
How would you feed your family?
00:43:48.62\00:43:50.96
There was only one
day that God made holy,
00:43:50.99\00:43:53.70
that He set apart,
that He sanctified,
00:43:53.73\00:43:56.67
and He said,
"Come and remember Me.
00:43:56.70\00:43:59.13
Remember Me as
your Lord, your Savior,
00:43:59.17\00:44:01.37
your Creator, your God."
00:44:01.40\00:44:03.41
You know, so implicit
trust in His Word is what we...
00:44:03.44\00:44:07.08
And then we walk in.
00:44:07.11\00:44:08.61
And we don't hesitate
because as pastor said,
00:44:08.64\00:44:11.51
we don't know if we
have tomorrow, you know?
00:44:11.55\00:44:14.88
The Bible says today what,
00:44:14.92\00:44:16.69
"Today is the day of salvation."
00:44:16.72\00:44:19.05
That's right.
00:44:19.09\00:44:20.42
"As we walk in that light,
00:44:20.46\00:44:21.79
then it's going
to increase in it."
00:44:21.82\00:44:23.66
the passage here in
Proverbs 4, I think it's 18,
00:44:23.69\00:44:26.03
it says, "But the
path of the just."
00:44:26.06\00:44:28.23
So we need to look at
it by the grace of God,
00:44:28.26\00:44:30.40
path of the just.
00:44:30.43\00:44:31.77
You know, it says,
"As the shining light
00:44:31.80\00:44:33.74
that shineth more and
more into that perfect day."
00:44:33.77\00:44:37.34
But then it goes
on, talks about...
00:44:37.37\00:44:38.77
It says, "The way of
the wicked is as darkness.
00:44:38.81\00:44:42.44
They know not at
what they stumble."
00:44:42.48\00:44:44.88
So basically, what
we've been saying here,
00:44:44.91\00:44:46.68
but know that there is
going to be an increase,
00:44:46.72\00:44:49.75
the shining light, the
more that we accept it,
00:44:49.78\00:44:52.09
the more we walk
in it, the more...
00:44:52.12\00:44:54.09
You're not going
to outdo the light.
00:44:54.12\00:44:57.03
You walk along this
dark world, it gets brighter.
00:44:57.06\00:45:01.33
And before you
take the next step,
00:45:01.36\00:45:03.23
by the grace of God, the just,
00:45:03.26\00:45:05.07
God's going to
shine light on that path,
00:45:05.10\00:45:06.84
so you don't stumble.
00:45:06.87\00:45:08.40
I don't trip over the
rock, I don't hurt myself.
00:45:08.44\00:45:10.97
The light there is progressive,
00:45:11.01\00:45:12.71
and it's going to
always go before us,
00:45:12.74\00:45:15.28
and it gets better and better.
00:45:15.31\00:45:17.05
That's right. I like that.
00:45:17.08\00:45:18.58
And if we don't fight
it. If we don't fight it.
00:45:18.61\00:45:19.95
Thank you.
00:45:19.98\00:45:21.32
When we fight it,
that's the problem,
00:45:21.35\00:45:22.82
that's the problem,
00:45:22.85\00:45:24.19
that's when we get discouraged,
that's when we're down,
00:45:24.22\00:45:26.19
that's when things
just don't go our way.
00:45:26.22\00:45:28.39
It's a progressive revelation.
00:45:28.42\00:45:30.63
You know, Jacob's ladder,
00:45:30.66\00:45:31.99
it's as though we're
stuck on a rung, you know?
00:45:32.03\00:45:35.13
And if you're not going forward,
00:45:35.16\00:45:36.63
the Lord tells
us, "We go backwards."
00:45:36.67\00:45:40.04
So, well, you know,
00:45:40.07\00:45:41.50
I love this
verse in Romans 12:2.
00:45:41.54\00:45:45.11
It says, "And be not
conformed to this world,
00:45:45.14\00:45:48.48
but be ye transformed by
the renewing of your mind."
00:45:48.51\00:45:52.61
God wants to renew our
mind, give us a new heart,
00:45:52.65\00:45:56.99
take that stony heart out.
00:45:57.02\00:45:59.02
He wants to recreate in us
00:45:59.05\00:46:01.22
the image of
Jesus Christ Himself.
00:46:01.26\00:46:04.69
"That ye may
prove what is that good
00:46:04.73\00:46:07.53
and acceptable and
perfect will of God."
00:46:07.56\00:46:11.10
Truth is the
perfect will of God.
00:46:11.13\00:46:13.34
Truth is why Lucifer could
not stay in the realm of heaven.
00:46:13.37\00:46:18.04
The law of God was broken,
and he refused to repent.
00:46:18.07\00:46:22.41
And he was cast out
with a third of the angels
00:46:22.44\00:46:24.65
which we have no idea
00:46:24.68\00:46:26.05
how many that
meant is, but we...
00:46:26.08\00:46:28.48
You know, just as we think about
00:46:28.52\00:46:30.52
how many people
there are on this earth
00:46:30.55\00:46:32.52
and how much the enemy
is attacking and deriding
00:46:32.55\00:46:35.42
and working in
the lives of so many,
00:46:35.46\00:46:37.93
it's a lot of angels,
it's a lot of fallen beings.
00:46:37.96\00:46:41.80
So truth is vitally important.
00:46:41.83\00:46:44.70
You mentioned there the
fallen beings because...
00:46:44.73\00:46:49.64
The famous text that many people
00:46:49.67\00:46:52.54
when they think of
spiritual discernment,
00:46:52.57\00:46:54.18
they think of the list
of the gifts of the spirit.
00:46:54.21\00:46:57.08
Oh, yes. Absolutely.
00:46:57.11\00:46:58.45
And so many
people often refer to
00:46:58.48\00:46:59.81
as one of the
gifts of the spirit
00:46:59.85\00:47:03.02
often given to people
00:47:03.05\00:47:04.59
as the spiritual
gift of discernment
00:47:04.62\00:47:06.76
or spiritual discernment.
00:47:06.79\00:47:08.12
I want to read this in the text
00:47:08.16\00:47:09.49
because I read this in several
different translations today.
00:47:09.52\00:47:14.56
1 Corinthians 12 which is
where we find that list there,
00:47:14.60\00:47:16.97
it says here, "Each
one for the profit of all,
00:47:17.00\00:47:20.44
for one is given
the word of wisdom,"
00:47:20.47\00:47:21.87
obviously,
"through," notice, "the spirit,"
00:47:21.90\00:47:23.87
notice the
emphasis on the spirit,
00:47:23.91\00:47:26.07
"to another, the
word of knowledge
00:47:26.11\00:47:27.78
through the same spirit,"
so the gift of knowledge,
00:47:27.81\00:47:30.75
"to another, faith
by that same spirit."
00:47:30.78\00:47:32.85
So there's still
emphasis on the spirit.
00:47:32.88\00:47:34.68
"To another, gifts of
healing by the same spirit,
00:47:34.72\00:47:37.05
to another, the
workings of miracles,
00:47:37.09\00:47:39.02
to another, prophecy, and
then it comes to another..."
00:47:39.05\00:47:41.76
And the words are,
00:47:41.79\00:47:43.12
instead of spiritual discernment
00:47:43.16\00:47:45.03
or the gift of
spiritual discernment,
00:47:45.06\00:47:46.39
it says,
"Discerning of spirits."
00:47:46.43\00:47:48.73
That's actually
how it's translated,
00:47:48.76\00:47:51.03
discerning of spirits.
00:47:51.07\00:47:53.20
And you mentioned
these fallen angels,
00:47:53.23\00:47:54.70
you know, the
devil is a counterfeiter.
00:47:54.74\00:47:57.11
Yes, he is.
00:47:57.14\00:47:58.47
Guess you haven't
figured that one out yet.
00:47:58.51\00:47:59.84
Yes, he is.
00:47:59.87\00:48:01.21
You know, for everything
that God has given to us
00:48:01.24\00:48:03.75
as the original real thing,
00:48:03.78\00:48:05.58
the devil is going to
try to counterfeit that.
00:48:05.61\00:48:07.32
And so we know
00:48:07.35\00:48:08.68
that while there is a true
genuine real spirit of God,
00:48:08.72\00:48:13.15
there is also a
counterfeit spirit there
00:48:13.19\00:48:15.89
also fighting for our souls.
00:48:15.92\00:48:17.79
Now we receive counsel
from John in 1 John 4:1
00:48:17.83\00:48:22.46
which we are
probably all familiar with.
00:48:22.50\00:48:25.27
Very, very first
verse in 1 John 4,
00:48:25.30\00:48:28.30
"Beloved, do not
believe every spirit,
00:48:28.34\00:48:32.54
but test the spirits,
whether they are of God."
00:48:32.57\00:48:35.91
We're talking about
spiritual discernments.
00:48:35.94\00:48:37.78
So the emphasis there
is on the spirit of God,
00:48:37.81\00:48:40.15
spiritual discernement.
00:48:40.18\00:48:41.55
"Whether they are of God
because many false prophets
00:48:41.58\00:48:43.85
have gone out into the world."
00:48:43.89\00:48:45.45
Now I found a quote.
00:48:45.49\00:48:48.52
This comes from...
00:48:48.56\00:48:49.89
I got to read
this because this is...
00:48:49.92\00:48:51.26
You know, I like to
bring things to a practical,
00:48:51.29\00:48:54.46
something that deals
with me and currently
00:48:54.50\00:48:56.46
and maybe the
state of our church
00:48:56.50\00:48:57.90
or the state of whatever
00:48:57.93\00:48:59.27
that we're dealing
within our own lives.
00:48:59.30\00:49:00.64
And I found this quote,
Great Controversy, page 48.
00:49:00.67\00:49:03.51
I'm just going to
read a little bit here.
00:49:03.54\00:49:05.41
And this is what
she wrote, she says,
00:49:05.44\00:49:06.78
"The religion which
is current in our day
00:49:06.81\00:49:10.51
is not of the
pure and holy character
00:49:10.55\00:49:12.81
that marked the Christian faith
00:49:12.85\00:49:14.28
in the days of
Christ and His Apostles.
00:49:14.32\00:49:18.62
It is only
because," check this out,
00:49:18.65\00:49:20.76
"because of the spirit
of compromise with sin,
00:49:20.79\00:49:25.19
because the great
truths of the Word of God
00:49:25.23\00:49:27.13
are so indifferently regarded."
00:49:27.16\00:49:28.66
So notice how the
spirit of compromise with sin
00:49:28.70\00:49:31.00
and what did she tied to that?
00:49:31.03\00:49:32.63
"The great truths
of the Word of God."
00:49:32.67\00:49:35.30
Remember that, we
can't separate those two,
00:49:35.34\00:49:37.47
"Are so indifferently regarded
00:49:37.51\00:49:38.91
because there is so little
vital godliness in the church
00:49:38.94\00:49:43.24
that Christianity is apparently
so popular with the world."
00:49:43.28\00:49:46.55
I don't want to...
00:49:46.58\00:49:49.68
You know, we know that
God has true genuine followers
00:49:49.72\00:49:52.75
I believe in every church.
00:49:52.79\00:49:54.26
God has spirit-filled,
loving people in every church.
00:49:54.29\00:49:57.13
But the truth of
the matter is that
00:49:57.16\00:49:58.79
while the Spirit of God
is most definitely at work
00:49:58.83\00:50:01.60
in His people and in His church,
00:50:01.63\00:50:03.10
so as the spirit of the enemy.
00:50:03.13\00:50:04.70
Oh, absolutely.
00:50:04.73\00:50:06.07
And when we're talking
00:50:06.10\00:50:07.44
about this conversation
of spiritual discernment,
00:50:07.47\00:50:08.80
people need to
pray and earnestly yearn
00:50:08.84\00:50:12.21
and seek after God in prayer
00:50:12.24\00:50:14.08
and in daily devotion
00:50:14.11\00:50:15.54
and say, "Lord,
I want to make sure
00:50:15.58\00:50:18.41
that I'm being led
by the right Spirit."
00:50:18.45\00:50:21.32
Because many times, we
may think and attribute
00:50:21.35\00:50:24.32
some thought or idea
or notion or perception
00:50:24.35\00:50:27.46
that we believe is from God
00:50:27.49\00:50:29.32
and really it's
from a different spirit
00:50:29.36\00:50:31.29
not from the spirit of God.
00:50:31.33\00:50:32.66
That's where that Scripture
comes and tests the spirits
00:50:32.69\00:50:35.06
whether they're of God.
00:50:35.10\00:50:36.43
And then the question is
how do we test the spirits?
00:50:36.46\00:50:37.80
"How can I make sure,
00:50:37.83\00:50:39.17
Lord, that this
is truly Your Spirit
00:50:39.20\00:50:40.54
speaking to me?"
00:50:40.57\00:50:41.90
I always think of
that text in Isaiah 8:20,
00:50:41.94\00:50:46.51
"To the law and to the prophets,
00:50:46.54\00:50:47.88
if they speak not
according to this word..."
00:50:47.91\00:50:50.28
No light. There
is the word again.
00:50:50.31\00:50:51.75
There it is.
00:50:51.78\00:50:53.11
"It is because
there is no light."
00:50:53.15\00:50:54.48
Beautiful. There you go.
00:50:54.52\00:50:55.85
Beautiful. Absolutely.
00:50:55.88\00:50:57.22
Wow. Awesome. Amen.
00:50:57.25\00:50:58.92
There is so much to
be said for the truth,
00:50:58.95\00:51:01.49
for the Spirit of God.
00:51:01.52\00:51:02.86
He wants to
recreate in us, and so much,
00:51:02.89\00:51:05.03
you just covered right
there, that was beautiful.
00:51:05.06\00:51:08.60
Any other thoughts?
00:51:08.63\00:51:09.96
Tim, we haven't heard from you.
00:51:10.00\00:51:11.33
What do you
think about all of it?
00:51:11.37\00:51:12.70
And we've been going at it here.
00:51:12.73\00:51:14.07
Yeah, I've just
really been soaking this in.
00:51:14.10\00:51:15.44
It's beautiful.
00:51:15.47\00:51:16.81
It is a beautiful
thing. It is heart-changing.
00:51:16.84\00:51:18.84
Yeah.
00:51:18.87\00:51:20.21
God wants us to...
00:51:20.24\00:51:21.98
He wants us to...
00:51:22.01\00:51:24.98
I mean, He wants
us to live this life
00:51:25.01\00:51:26.41
with knowledge of His
word, He wants us to...
00:51:26.45\00:51:30.15
He wants us to
win. Yes, He does.
00:51:30.19\00:51:31.52
You know, and so He's
not hoping that we will lose.
00:51:31.55\00:51:34.56
He's not trying to
make it so difficult.
00:51:34.59\00:51:36.32
But the fact is that
00:51:36.36\00:51:38.39
when we rely on
our own understanding
00:51:38.43\00:51:42.50
that it's easy
to get our eyes off.
00:51:42.53\00:51:44.60
I'm just...
00:51:44.63\00:51:45.97
I mean, I know these things,
but it's just amazing to me,
00:51:46.00\00:51:50.17
you know, when we get
to think we're so spiritual
00:51:50.21\00:51:53.64
that we think that
we can't be natural,
00:51:53.68\00:51:57.15
you know, we can't rely on
our own ways and our own...
00:51:57.18\00:52:01.52
So it's just...
00:52:01.55\00:52:02.92
As I'm listening to you all,
00:52:02.95\00:52:04.32
I really appreciated the fact
00:52:04.35\00:52:05.69
that the spirit is telling me,
00:52:05.72\00:52:07.42
you know, that there
are times that you think
00:52:07.46\00:52:09.69
you've got this all
figured out, and we don't.
00:52:09.72\00:52:13.19
You know, I love information,
00:52:13.23\00:52:15.76
and I'm reading
magazines all the time,
00:52:15.80\00:52:17.70
and I'm thinking of
people who don't know the Lord,
00:52:17.73\00:52:21.37
who are
searching for that whatever
00:52:21.40\00:52:25.61
that we claim to
have as Christians.
00:52:25.64\00:52:29.01
And they're looking
for it in knowledge,
00:52:29.04\00:52:31.85
but they're just not
searching in the right place.
00:52:31.88\00:52:34.18
You know, to me, it
makes me want to go out and,
00:52:34.22\00:52:39.95
you know, just
witness and tell people that,
00:52:39.99\00:52:43.09
you know, "This is where it is."
00:52:43.12\00:52:45.49
So that's not deep,
it's not revelation,
00:52:45.53\00:52:48.03
it's just letting
me know that it's...
00:52:48.06\00:52:50.47
It's important
that we go to the Word
00:52:50.50\00:52:52.87
because a lot of
people read the Word of God,
00:52:52.90\00:52:54.70
and it never
changed their heart.
00:52:54.74\00:52:56.47
So I think those steps
that we've talked about,
00:52:56.50\00:52:58.44
you know, press into the light,
the light, the Word of God,
00:52:58.47\00:53:01.21
and daily prayer,
asking for the Spirit of God,
00:53:01.24\00:53:04.98
and testing the spirit
is so vitally important
00:53:05.01\00:53:08.82
because you have whole churches
00:53:08.85\00:53:11.09
that are built around
the "Holy Spirit" as it were,
00:53:11.12\00:53:14.62
and yet the truth is not there.
00:53:14.66\00:53:16.42
So how can that be God's church?
00:53:16.46\00:53:17.83
Yeah, I mean, it is so
heartbreaking because on...
00:53:17.86\00:53:20.20
It is heartbreaking.
00:53:20.23\00:53:21.56
On the road, over
the past few years
00:53:21.60\00:53:22.93
that I've
traveled doing evangelism,
00:53:22.96\00:53:24.37
you know, you meet
hundreds and thousands of people
00:53:24.40\00:53:26.97
who, you know,
they're God's children,
00:53:27.00\00:53:29.00
and you want to reach
them with the Word of God.
00:53:29.04\00:53:31.24
But, you know,
what breaks my heart
00:53:31.27\00:53:32.84
is when I run into
someone who says, you know,
00:53:32.87\00:53:35.48
"Well, the Spirit
of God told me this,
00:53:35.51\00:53:37.11
and I know this is
what the Spirit told me."
00:53:37.15\00:53:39.41
And then what
they're telling you
00:53:39.45\00:53:41.75
is not in harmony with
what you know the Bible to say.
00:53:41.78\00:53:44.89
And then you ask people,
you know, "What you believe,
00:53:44.92\00:53:48.96
you know, in harmony with
the Word of God?" And they say,
00:53:48.99\00:53:51.49
"Well, I don't know
what the Bible says."
00:53:51.53\00:53:52.86
And I had people say this,
00:53:52.89\00:53:54.23
"I don't know
what the Bible says,
00:53:54.26\00:53:55.60
but I know that the
Spirit of God told me,
00:53:55.63\00:53:57.30
you know, God
told me in my spirit."
00:53:57.33\00:53:59.07
You know, the
Scripture comes to my mind,
00:53:59.10\00:54:01.34
and I think it's Proverbs 14:12,
00:54:01.37\00:54:04.34
"There is a way which
seemeth right to a man,
00:54:04.37\00:54:07.38
but the end thereof
are the ways of death."
00:54:07.41\00:54:09.68
And then you tie that to
00:54:09.71\00:54:11.55
the famous verse
00:54:11.58\00:54:14.35
and 6 there which tells us,
00:54:14.38\00:54:15.72
you know, "Trust in the
Lord with all thine heart
00:54:15.75\00:54:18.55
and lean not on
your own understanding."
00:54:18.59\00:54:20.59
You know, that
is the heart issue
00:54:20.62\00:54:22.02
of spiritual discernment.
00:54:22.06\00:54:23.59
We are completely depending
upon God and His guidance
00:54:23.63\00:54:27.00
because when we start
to go to our own ideas
00:54:27.03\00:54:29.33
and depend on our own
theories and speculations,
00:54:29.36\00:54:34.40
we will fail
each and every time.
00:54:34.44\00:54:37.37
Increased light
00:54:37.41\00:54:39.01
means increased
responsibility, doesn't it?
00:54:39.04\00:54:40.84
Absolutely.
00:54:40.88\00:54:42.21
The more light He
shines on our path,
00:54:42.24\00:54:43.58
the more responsible we are.
00:54:43.61\00:54:44.95
But He shines it on our pathway
00:54:44.98\00:54:46.31
as we read in the
passage in the Book of John
00:54:46.35\00:54:49.38
that we have to be very
careful because once that light,
00:54:49.42\00:54:52.95
and we understand
what happens to that light
00:54:52.99\00:54:55.56
if we don't respond to it.
00:54:55.59\00:54:58.23
When it comes our
way, you know, you say,
00:54:58.26\00:55:00.43
you're holding
meetings and people are like,
00:55:00.46\00:55:02.26
"We understand. We understand."
00:55:02.30\00:55:03.80
What happens?
00:55:03.83\00:55:05.17
Only God tells how
much they understood so
00:55:05.20\00:55:06.90
and so forth but just
as it's laid on the table.
00:55:06.94\00:55:09.54
What does the person do?
00:55:09.57\00:55:11.54
What happens to that light
if we do not respond to it?
00:55:11.57\00:55:15.44
The light stays bright as
it always was, it's our...
00:55:15.48\00:55:18.88
The cataracts,
our eyes, can't see...
00:55:18.91\00:55:20.95
Yes.
00:55:20.98\00:55:22.32
That's right.
00:55:22.35\00:55:23.69
It goes dim in your heart.
00:55:23.72\00:55:25.65
So what you're saying
is what Scripture says
00:55:25.69\00:55:27.19
in Luke 11:34 and 35.
00:55:27.22\00:55:30.39
Here's what happens to
light when you present it,
00:55:30.43\00:55:33.06
when you're doing meetings
00:55:33.09\00:55:34.53
and people
making call for someone
00:55:34.56\00:55:38.00
to come to Christ
and make that decision,
00:55:38.03\00:55:40.60
there's happiness
and there's heaviness.
00:55:40.64\00:55:43.30
I don't know if you
know what I'm talking about.
00:55:43.34\00:55:45.11
There's the happiness
00:55:45.14\00:55:46.47
because you're having the
opportunity to give a call,
00:55:46.51\00:55:48.84
and you're
seeing people respond.
00:55:48.88\00:55:50.35
At the same time,
you understand by talking
00:55:50.38\00:55:52.31
to people and may be
doing it, they understand,
00:55:52.35\00:55:54.62
and they won't respond,
00:55:54.65\00:55:56.15
it begins to tear your heart
00:55:56.18\00:55:58.55
because you know
the responsible...
00:55:58.59\00:56:00.72
You can't make
that decision for them.
00:56:00.76\00:56:02.09
You can't make,
and you'd want to.
00:56:02.12\00:56:03.46
It's their decision. Yes.
00:56:03.49\00:56:04.83
My dad said
sometimes, "You know,
00:56:04.86\00:56:06.19
I'm going to help
you make this decision,
00:56:06.23\00:56:07.56
what is best for you."
00:56:07.60\00:56:08.93
You just... God
operate that way.
00:56:08.96\00:56:11.00
But listen, what happens
to that light if we reject it.
00:56:11.03\00:56:14.17
We can't
dilly-dally around with it,
00:56:14.20\00:56:15.77
you can't go forever and say,
00:56:15.80\00:56:17.14
"Well, I'm going to..."
00:56:17.17\00:56:18.51
The enemy will
come, he'll take over.
00:56:18.54\00:56:19.87
Notice what it
says in Luke 11:34,
00:56:19.91\00:56:22.94
this is familiar passage.
00:56:22.98\00:56:24.31
It says, "The light
of the body is the eye.
00:56:24.35\00:56:27.22
Therefore, when
thine eye is single,
00:56:27.25\00:56:30.22
thy whole body
also is full of light.
00:56:30.25\00:56:34.26
But when thine eye is evil..."
00:56:34.29\00:56:37.46
Or we turn away from
that evil, what'll happen?
00:56:37.49\00:56:40.10
"Thy body also
is full of darkness.
00:56:40.13\00:56:43.33
Take heed, therefore,
00:56:43.37\00:56:44.70
that the light which is
in thee be not darkness."
00:56:44.73\00:56:48.77
So isn't it talking about people
00:56:48.80\00:56:50.91
that the lights in them?
00:56:50.94\00:56:53.24
They say, "We
understand this here,
00:56:53.27\00:56:55.41
we understand
where you're coming from,
00:56:55.44\00:56:56.85
we understand what the
Word of God is saying, "
00:56:56.88\00:56:58.65
but then they decide, "Oh, man,
00:56:58.68\00:57:00.55
that light turns to darkness."
00:57:00.58\00:57:03.18
You know, we are
about out of time...
00:57:03.22\00:57:04.75
Oh, honey, I'm
just getting started.
00:57:04.79\00:57:06.12
I'm starting to feel it.
Anybody starting to feel it?
00:57:06.15\00:57:08.59
Amen. Amen.
00:57:08.62\00:57:09.96
There is a great
controversy going on.
00:57:09.99\00:57:11.89
There is a controversy
00:57:11.93\00:57:13.26
between light
and between darkness,
00:57:13.29\00:57:14.86
and I pray that every one of you
00:57:14.90\00:57:17.27
has chosen tonight once
again to recommit your heart,
00:57:17.30\00:57:21.64
your life, your mind, your eyes,
00:57:21.67\00:57:23.17
everything to the Holy Spirit.
00:57:23.20\00:57:25.57
Do you have any
last thoughts, pastor?
00:57:25.61\00:57:26.94
No, we love you,
00:57:26.98\00:57:28.31
and we're so very
grateful and thankful.
00:57:28.34\00:57:29.74
You have made the right choice.
00:57:29.78\00:57:31.11
You are following the light.
00:57:31.15\00:57:32.48
And I tell you,
follow the light.
00:57:32.51\00:57:33.85
One of these days,
you're going to see Jesus.
00:57:33.88\00:57:35.22
Praise God. Hang in there.
00:57:35.25\00:57:36.58
We'll see you next time.
00:57:36.62\00:57:37.95