Participants:
Series Code: TDYFW
Program Code: TDYFW190006A
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00:01 I want to spend my life
00:07 Mending broken people 00:12 I want to spend my life 00:19 Removing pain 00:24 Lord, let my words 00:30 Heal a heart that hurts 00:34 I want to spend my life 00:40 Mending broken people 00:46 I want to spend my life 00:51 Mending broken people 01:12 Hello and welcome to 3ABN's Family Worship 01:14 and happy Sabbath to each and every one of you. 01:17 I'm Chris Shelton, and I'm here 01:19 with my wonderful husband, Pastor Kenny Shelton. 01:23 We don't know what I do without you, that's for sure. 01:24 That's sweet, thank you. 01:26 Be lost in more ways than one. Thank you, sweetie. 01:29 And we are surrounded by so many of your 3ABN family 01:33 that I like to introduce to you tonight. 01:36 To my right is Brother Tim Parton, 01:38 I know Tim, no one knows you, right? 01:40 No, I'm working on... 01:42 I'm working on my worldwide acclaim. 01:44 No one's ever heard of you or the talent 01:45 that you can actually play the piano. 01:47 It truly doesn't matter whether they know me or not, 01:49 I'm just glad to be here, 01:51 and glad to be part of this family. 01:52 That's good. 01:54 We've probably taught, you know, 01:55 indirectly half of America 01:57 how to play the piano, you know. 01:58 Well... 01:59 That's good, that's a blessing. 02:01 Well, just let's move on. Okay. 02:03 But I'm enjoying this, because when I get to the kingdom, 02:05 I'm gonna have a playoff with you, 02:08 Are you kidding? 02:09 I'm gonna sit back and listen to you 02:10 with all my worldwide students. 02:12 Oh, that would be wonderful, wonderful. 02:14 And next to you is Sister Janelle. 02:16 Owen Janelle, you do a lot of things 02:18 that people don't realize that you do, 02:21 they see it all the time because you work in graphics. 02:23 Tell us a little bit about what you do? 02:25 I'm in the publishing department 02:27 and we just... 02:29 Our team is just amazing, 02:31 we work on the worldwide magazine, 02:32 the 3ABN World Magazine. 02:35 And lots of other things that include printing web, 02:39 all of the websites, all the social media, 02:42 we are behind the scenes 02:43 but we enjoy it and I love my team so. 02:46 Well, you work behind the scenes 02:48 but actually a lot of the work that you do 02:50 comes out before many of us to prepare the people, 02:54 to let them know about events, 02:56 and programs, and camp meetings, 02:58 and all these stuff, it's wonderful. 02:59 And beautiful work that you guys do. 03:01 Amen. Praise the Lord! 03:02 I know she's helped me a time or two, 03:04 not near enough but... 03:06 I don't know if there's ever going to be enough help for me. 03:08 She has it all. We all need it. 03:12 There's a lot that goes into that magazine 03:13 that you wouldn't believe, 03:15 the details that are involved on the magazine, 03:17 but God is good, He gets us through each one. 03:20 He got the right people on it. 03:21 Praise the Lord. 03:23 Amen, amen, and to my left, 03:24 if you didn't hear her punching me over here 03:27 and telling her that she had a word cut out for her, 03:30 in so many words, 03:31 is my sister-in-law Tammy Chance. 03:33 Tammy, we love having you and Bruce with us all. 03:35 It's been too long since you have been here. 03:37 I'm glad you're back. Thank you. 03:38 We're glad to be here. 03:40 Yeah, and Tammy is a kind of... 03:42 Tell us about what you're doing, Tammy? 03:44 Oh, that will take several hours... 03:47 Press it down, we don't want to go there. 03:49 No, I'm raising lab puppies. 03:52 We have got lot of parent dogs and lot of litters, 03:56 and it's just kind of a ministry for me. 03:59 Amen. 04:00 When people, I talk to people for months 04:02 in advance of getting the puppy 04:04 and I try to share about God and God's love and then, 04:08 whenever they pick up their little puppy packets, 04:10 I always put Steps to Christ in there. 04:12 Amen. 04:13 And so it's amazing 04:15 how you can 04:16 may be work with people in that manner 04:18 that you couldn't in another way, 04:20 that doesn't go to church or, you know, 04:22 doesn't care about that kind of thing. 04:24 But as you talk to them, you can find out a lot. 04:27 Awesome. 04:29 You know, we get people saying, you know what? 04:30 I believe that God's in charge and that kind of things. 04:34 I too, yes. Amen. 04:35 And He's blessed it so tremendously... 04:37 He has. 04:38 And I know, I've got one of your punk creep puppies, 04:41 and I love him to death. 04:43 So and, Bruce, how about you? 04:45 Well, I run the donation department 04:47 here as most people know, and I work with Janelle somewhat 04:51 and she takes great attention to detail, 04:55 so we appreciate her. 04:57 Well, you do too. 04:58 You have taken a lot of attention to detail. 05:03 You've done a lot study of over the years. 05:05 You know things 05:06 that sometimes even dealers in the area 05:08 aren't sure about, 05:09 you know, when it comes to price and things, 05:11 which is such a beautiful, 05:13 you know, the knowledge for you to have 05:16 because so many people, 05:17 they have got something in their hand 05:18 and they want to donate it and use it for the Lord, 05:20 it goes to you. 05:22 So it's up to you to get the best price possible, right? 05:24 Had to be good stewards of the Lord's work we have now. 05:27 Now, you're going. Yeah. 05:28 You know, I've always said the Lord's message is free 05:32 but it takes finances to get it out. 05:34 Yes, it is. It does. Amen. 05:36 Pastor Kenny, would you lead us off in prayer, 05:38 we are going to talk tonight about "Truth that Transforms." 05:42 Well. 05:43 The truth that transforms, so let's have prayer, 05:45 shall we? All right, let's pray. 05:46 We're going to invite you at home, pray along with us. 05:48 Oh, how wonderful that is, isn't? 05:51 You know, just talk about little bit some people 05:54 whom they write in or they call in, they say, 05:56 you know, when you folks may be kneel in prayer 05:58 or you are sitting around the table and you pray, 06:01 we pray right along. 06:02 Where we can, we get on our knees 06:04 and we pray too. 06:05 That's so comforting and so encouraging 06:08 that God's people are willing to do that 06:10 because you know, it's good that we come together, 06:12 pray together, counsel together, 06:13 so we're gonna invite you right now. 06:15 Let's pray, shall we? 06:16 Amen. 06:17 Our kind, loving, gracious heavenly Father, 06:19 it is a privilege, 06:21 privilege tonight to come to Thee 06:22 and be able to call You our Father. 06:25 Thank You that we are part of the family of God, 06:27 not because of anything 06:28 we've done because we're so good at anything, 06:30 but because of Jesus... 06:32 Amen. 06:33 Thank you for that precious blood 06:34 that flowed so freely on Calvary's Cross, 06:37 that we might have eternal life. 06:39 And, Lord, we just, 06:41 we sense that we need Your presence 06:42 in a very special ways 06:43 we look at the subject here, the truth that transforms. 06:48 And, Lord, we pray that 06:49 we take this beautiful truth of Your words 06:51 inside of our heart, and our mind, and our life. 06:54 We truly be transformed, 06:55 we need the Holy Spirit to make that transformation. 06:58 But we had to be willing 07:00 and so I pray tonight for each and every one, 07:02 and we pray that in the homes right now, 07:05 there are those who may be in the valley of decision 07:06 that want to make that decision or not sure what to do. 07:09 We pray You'll lead and guide, direct every one of us here 07:12 that You will put Your thoughts in our mind, 07:15 and we may relate those away 07:16 that heaven would rejoice and be exceedingly glad. 07:19 As decisions are made, Lord, we're gonna give You praise, 07:22 give You honor, and give You glory, 07:23 and thank You for what You're gonna to do. 07:25 Thank You for each one that participates in the filming, 07:30 even though they sit behind the scenes, 07:32 everything that takes place, Lord, 07:33 for maybe for Your honor and for Your glory, 07:36 and at last we just praise Your name, 07:38 and thank You in Jesus' name. 07:39 Amen. 07:41 Truth that transforms... Yes. 07:43 You know, it's going to help and able us 07:46 to be in the kingdom someday. 07:48 So we're gonna actually sing 07:50 and we pray that you will sing along with us. 07:52 This world is not my home, 07:53 one of our favorite songs, I think. 07:55 We'll do at the end. 07:56 We might do it again at the end, we'll see. 07:58 You know, okay, I tell you this is really good. 08:00 I love it. 08:06 This world is not my home I'm just a passing through 08:12 My treasures are laid up Somewhere beyond the blue 08:18 The angels beckon me From Heaven's open door 08:24 And I can't feel at home 08:27 In this world anymore 08:31 Oh Lord, you know I have no friend like you 08:37 If Heaven's not my home Then Lord what will I do 08:43 The angels beckon me From Heaven's open door 08:49 And I can't feel at home 08:52 In this world anymore 08:57 They're all expecting me And that's one thing I know 09:03 My Savior pardoned me 09:06 And now I onward go I know He'll take me through 09:12 Though I am weak and poor 09:15 And I can't feel at home 09:18 In this world anymore 09:23 Oh Lord, you know I have no friend like you 09:29 If Heaven's not my home Then Lord what will I do 09:34 The angels beckon me From Heaven's open door 09:40 And I can't feel at home 09:43 In this world anymore 09:48 Just over in Glory Land We'll live eternally 09:54 The Saints on every hand Are shouting victory 10:00 Their song of sweetest praise Drifts back from Heaven's shore 10:06 And I can't feel at home 10:09 In this world anymore 10:14 Oh Lord, you know I have no friend like you 10:20 If Heaven's not my home Then Lord what will I do 10:26 The angels beckon me From Heaven's open door 10:31 And I can't feel at home 10:34 In this world anymore 10:39 No, I can't feel at home 10:42 In this world anymore 10:49 Amen! Halleluiah! 10:51 We can't feel like at home in this world. 10:53 Yeah, that is beautiful 10:56 and those angels beckoning us to come on in. 10:58 They're all singing along with us, amen. 11:00 Wow, that is awesome. Yes. 11:01 I love that because it reminds us, 11:04 when all these things are happening around us 11:07 and we feel down and discouraged, you know, 11:09 this song reminds us that this world is not our home. 11:13 We are just pilgrims that are passing through, 11:15 isn't that beautiful? 11:16 Amen. Yeah. 11:17 And as we are passing through, 11:19 we are going to learn about truth that transforms, 11:22 and we are going to basically dissect Psalm 15:1-2. 11:28 Psalm 15:1-2 and I was hoping, Janelle, 11:31 that maybe you would read that for us. 11:33 Sure, yeah. 11:35 "Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? 11:38 Who shall dwell in thy holy hill? 11:41 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, 11:45 and speaketh the truth in his heart." 11:47 Amen. 11:48 You know, it's beautiful because that asks the questions 11:51 that many of us ask. 11:52 You know, we might not say it in those specific words, 11:55 we might say more like, what do I need to do to be saved? 11:58 Right. 12:00 You know, then it gives the answer, 12:01 but we're gonna talk little bit more about that. 12:03 We're gonna be reading from the book 12:04 that is entitled, "My Life Today." 12:06 Some of the portions here, 12:08 I'm gonna begin reading in that book now. 12:11 It reads, "We must present the principles of truth 12:14 that led them work upon the hearts of the people. 12:18 We may pick the leaves 12:19 from a tree as often as we please, 12:22 but this will not cause the tree to die. 12:24 The next season the leaves will come out again 12:27 just as thick as before." 12:30 But we know that when we're mowing especially, 12:33 don't we? Well, absolutely, yes. 12:35 "But strike the ax at the root of the tree 12:38 and not only will the leaves fall of themselves, 12:42 but the tree will die." Yes. 12:45 "Those who accept the truth, and the love of it, 12:49 will die to the world, and will become meek 12:52 and lowly in heart like their divine Lord. 12:54 Just as soon as the heart is right..." 12:57 Listen to this, just as soon as, what? 12:59 The heart. The heart is right. 13:02 "The dress, the conversation, the life will be in harmony 13:06 with the Word of God." 13:08 Yes. 13:09 So in another words here, if we just really were to focus 13:11 on that one sentence alone we find out, it's not our place. 13:15 When someone comes in and ask, "What shall I do to be saved?" 13:18 It's not our place to change the heart. 13:21 Right. 13:22 We can lead them into all truth, 13:23 but it's the Holy Spirit that has to come in 13:26 and do that work. 13:27 Yes. 13:28 "We all need to humble ourselves 13:30 under the mighty hand of God. 13:32 May He help us to plant our feet firmly 13:34 upon the platform of eternal truth." 13:38 And the question that we want to begin 13:40 with tonight is number one, the platform of eternal truth. 13:45 With such spiritual confusion in the world today, 13:48 how may we, how may you at home be certain 13:52 that we are learning what truth really is? 13:58 That's pretty heavy-duty question, isn't it? 14:00 Because each person when you talk to which I found, 14:03 regardless to what church or may be even background, 14:06 they will simply say, we have the truth. 14:09 Then maybe, you know, that's, maybe how they should feel. 14:11 We should feel we have it and maybe, you know, we do, 14:14 we don't, but how do we really figure out what is truth, 14:18 you know, from the Word of God here, 14:20 I thought was very, very interesting, 14:21 and even what you talked about. 14:22 First of all, there's four points in there 14:24 I thought was interesting. 14:25 I'll mention quickly and we'll talk about if you want to. 14:27 But it says, "Just as soon as the heart is right..." 14:31 She emphasized that, but just as soon as the heart is right, 14:34 everything else will find its place. 14:36 You know, a lot of times 'cause we bicker about what we wear, 14:39 how we wear, and what we don't wear, 14:40 and what we eat, what we don't eat. 14:42 As soon as the heart is right with God, 14:46 there ceased to be issues 14:47 because we simply read the Word of God 14:49 and what God says about this certain issue 14:52 is what we want to do. 14:53 In other words, the way that I dress, 14:56 right? 14:57 If once my heart is changed, 15:00 I don't have to try worry about. 15:01 I'm gonna be modest. 15:04 I'm gonna be like Christ wants me to be. 15:06 When my heart is right, 15:08 my conversation, I don't have to try to guard 15:10 and my conversation will be same, 15:12 whether you and I are standing out 15:13 in the parking lot or not 15:15 or whether we are in the church, 15:16 it's going to be the same. 15:18 The conversation is going to be right. 15:19 It goes on... 15:20 What that says to me is you don't beat people 15:22 over the head with the do's and the don'ts 15:24 that are just learning and just coming into truth. 15:28 There's a saying, 15:29 "Give them time, let their heart change, 15:31 let things will change, 15:32 their life will change with that." 15:34 We don't need to beat people over their head with it. 15:36 So work on the heart then... 15:38 Yes, and go head 15:40 I was trying to find that verse, 15:42 "You shall know the truth, 15:44 and the truth shall set you free." 15:46 And, you know, is there a freedom, 15:49 you know, like you were saying 15:50 not beating people over their head with it 15:52 because if their heart is really, truly seeking 15:55 and finds that truth, 15:58 then we will have that peace and love 16:01 in our heart and we won't, 16:02 you know, do that to people 16:03 and then we'll have that for ourselves 16:05 and we'll have that security of knowing that 16:07 what we are learning is the truth, is because, 16:09 you know, we'll have that freedom 16:11 and peace in Christ. 16:12 Yeah, John 8, John 8:32. John 8, that was... Okay. 16:16 It says that in John 8:32. Okay. 16:18 John 8:32? I think. 16:20 The truth will make you free, right? 16:21 Yeah. 16:22 That's what you were talking about, 16:24 what the truth transforms. 16:25 Remember a lie never transformed, 16:26 let me transform you something else. 16:28 But if you want to be transformed 16:29 into the image of Jesus, 16:31 it takes knowing what truth is. 16:32 And so I'm always challenge this, 16:34 is this really truth of God's Word 16:37 because I know we are talking about today is, 16:39 if the truth is inside the heart, 16:41 there will be a change. 16:43 Now, if the changes don't come, 16:45 that means possibly the truth is not there 16:47 or we don't love the truth. 16:48 We are not taking it in because to me 16:50 it's an impossibility to take truth in and say, 16:53 I love it and I want to know what it, 16:54 and no change comes about. 16:56 But I want to make a point too because, 16:59 I don't want anybody to be confused and probably anyone 17:01 that's walked this walk, they are not confuse, 17:04 but it doesn't happen overnight. 17:05 Right. 17:07 I praise God for His mercy with me. 17:09 Mercy, I mean because a lot of these things we struggle with, 17:14 you know, but we are coming into a time 17:16 in this world's history 17:17 that I think we're gonna see a lot of these things. 17:20 In fact, we're told, 17:21 we're going to see a lot of these things 17:22 happen quicker than perhaps 17:24 what they've happened in our lives, 17:25 you know, because it didn't just happen with me, 17:29 you know, just instantaneously, it was a growth process. 17:32 That was a daily study process. 17:34 Sure. 17:35 I think that's the case with anybody, 17:37 because that's the fact and the question you're asking is, 17:39 how do we... How can we be certain 17:41 that what we've learned is truth. 17:43 And personally, 17:46 we all have to encounter just like you're saying, 17:48 we have to grow in the Word if we're studying. 17:50 But, Kenny, like you mentioned, 17:52 you ask, you could get a mass, 17:55 multiple, number of answers to that question 17:57 because everybody would say that they have the truth. 18:00 It's personal testimony, 18:03 you know, what you've been through. 18:04 I think it's a personal story of what, 18:07 how you learn the truth. 18:10 How you know that the truth is the truth. 18:12 How you know that those scripture is the truth, 18:13 because if you ask a Buddhist, 18:16 if they believe that what they've studied 18:19 and what they've learned is the truth, 18:20 then they're going to say, that's the truth. 18:23 So I think it all boils down to faith, 18:28 having faith in the Word of God 18:30 and faith in Jesus, that He is the truth. 18:32 He said, "I am the way, the life, 18:34 the truth and the life." 18:36 But, you know, maybe somebody else 18:38 comes along and says that same thing. 18:40 So I think truth, 18:43 if I'm understanding what this question says, 18:46 you know, how can we be certain 18:47 that what we're learning as Christians is the truth, 18:51 but then how do we witness 18:53 to someone else who says 18:55 and maybe this is, I'm getting too deep 18:57 to soon on this conversation, 18:58 but how do we... Yeah. 19:00 How do we tell somebody else 19:02 that Jesus is the truth, and then believe us? 19:05 Yeah. 19:07 And then there has to be that we talked about 19:08 proof of scripture here then, don't wait. 19:10 So we have to know because we'll sit 19:12 and we'll talk all day long. 19:13 But then we get back into the Word of God, 19:15 to truth what is... 19:16 Right. That has to be. 19:17 I think we all have it, Isaiah 8:20, 19:19 if we want the truth, "To the law 19:21 and to the testimony! 19:23 If they speak not according to this 19:25 is because there is no light in them." 19:29 So right quick, that will make void 19:31 and awful lot of people in the world 19:33 that say, we have the truth. 19:35 Because that's what we have to do 19:37 if we find out truth, the law and the testimony. 19:39 Testimony is the testimony of the Bible, 19:42 the testimony of what? 19:43 The prophets of old, their life, what they live, 19:46 what they taught that 19:48 we have to go back to something solid. 19:49 That is the only moral absolute that we have. 19:52 Yeah. 19:53 Because what you were explaining 19:55 is that there are just numerous... 19:57 Numerous truths. 19:58 Yes, numerous truths. 19:59 But we have to allow the Bible to interpret itself 20:03 and the problem is, you've got... 20:05 Remember, there's 10 virgins, you know, 20:08 and then five that are lost and five that are saved. 20:11 The ones that are saved, their lamps are full of oil, right? 20:14 They've been studying, they've been praying, 20:16 they're full of the Holy Spirit. 20:17 Yet they all still fell asleep, don't forget that. 20:21 They all felt sleep. Sleeping, all right. 20:22 So when we go back to Isaiah 8:20 20:25 and we find to the law and to the testimony, 20:26 we have to, no matter which church it is, 20:29 what denomination it is, what they're believing, 20:31 go back to the Word of God that He profoundly, 20:35 just absolutely held intact over so many years 20:40 when the devil tried to just destroy the scriptures. 20:44 I mean people die because they had him hid, 20:46 they would sew them in their clothes. 20:49 So I mean what God has done just to preserve His word, 20:52 so that we can now study it, is phenomenal. 20:55 But to go back and say, 20:57 okay, well, this church says this, this church... 21:00 For example, we'll just talk about the Sabbath. 21:02 It's obvious, we're welcoming in the Sabbath, right? 21:04 We're all here to welcome in the Sabbath. 21:06 Most people, they're going to church on another day. 21:10 You know, there's some religions that go on Friday, 21:12 some on Thursday, 21:14 and many here in the United States 21:15 that go on Sunday, good people. 21:17 But we are told in scriptures, 21:19 especially once we get into Revelation, 21:21 it says, "Come out of her, My people, 21:24 and be not partakers of her sins." 21:26 It's talking about that spiritual confusion. 21:28 The only way, 21:30 the only way that we can find out 21:32 what is truth is by line upon line, 21:36 precept upon precept 21:37 to the law and to the testimony. 21:39 If they're saying, okay, well, this day, 21:42 but the Bible says, Sabbath, 21:44 there you go, that's a truth. 21:47 Now does that mean it, 21:48 it's not gonna cut us 21:50 if we brought up with something else. 21:51 But can we really know it? 21:53 See this is what people said... 21:54 I think you can. 21:56 You can't really know it because we think we know it, 21:57 but it's interesting and is it John 7:17, 22:02 he says, "You will know the truth, 22:04 you will know the doctrine." 22:06 You see, so if we want to know what truth is, 22:08 we will know what it is because it is possible, isn't it? 22:12 Tammy, what you think, is it possible to know what is truth, 22:15 and, Bruce, isn't it? 22:16 Kenny, I like to keep it simple. 22:17 Well, I do too. Thank you, Bruce. 22:19 Thank you, Bruce. Almost simple for us. 22:21 Just put it out there for us, all right. 22:23 God Word gives us facts and reasons. 22:25 History has prevailed that His Word is truth. 22:28 I like that. 22:29 Because things have happened the way he said they would. 22:32 Our faith must rest upon good reasoning, 22:35 not absolute proof. 22:36 That is awesome. That's exactly right. 22:38 So, so faith... 22:40 Read that last line... Yeah, there... 22:41 Our faith must rest on good reasoning, 22:44 not absolute proof. 22:46 Good. 22:47 You said. Proof, proof. 22:49 Not absolute proof. 22:51 Yeah, that's what faith is. 22:53 It's not, I mean, 22:55 that's why they call it faith, you know. 22:57 If it's absolute truth, 22:59 I can know that this table is going to hold up my, 23:02 this water because it's a table, 23:04 it's got four legs, I mean, we've tried it 23:06 and but faith... 23:10 Faith is setting your glass on it. 23:12 Right, well, yeah, faith is setting, 23:14 you know, I mean it's not... 23:17 Well, you just have to have some things, 23:19 you just have to build trust and belief. 23:21 Right. 23:23 You know, it's... 23:24 That's why when you tell somebody... 23:26 Especially, especially in the day we're living in, 23:28 because truth is becoming error, 23:31 and error is becoming truth. 23:33 So I think, you know, the truth we have to... 23:36 First of all we need to study to know, 23:38 study show ourselves approved into God. 23:40 So we need to study what the Bible says truth is 23:43 and then by faith, 23:45 even though you're hearing other people 23:46 saying this and this and that, 23:48 and we realize there's going to come 23:49 even a strong delusion upon this world someday. 23:52 The enemy's going to impersonate Christ, 23:54 and we're told in Spirit of Prophecy, 23:56 he's going to even tell us that he changes Sabbath, 23:59 from Saturday to Sunday. 24:00 Now, if you were to listen, which the Bible says don't do, 24:04 he says if he hurries in the desert, don't go. 24:06 Don't turn on Channel 12, 24:08 don't turn on Channel 6, don't listen, 24:11 because he's going to imitate Christ to a tee. 24:14 And I just want to say that, you know, like, 24:16 I think you mentioned earlier, Tim, about, you know, 24:18 different faiths that have different truths. 24:20 And, you know, I'm thankful 24:22 that God takes us where we're at, 24:23 and he knows the heart 24:27 and He knows someone that's genuinely seeking Him. 24:30 So maybe they're not in the truth 24:32 that we know right now. 24:33 But maybe they're living the life that they have, 24:36 you know, and we need to have mercy for people 24:39 in those walks, you know... 24:40 Yes, amen. 24:42 And our job is to give them, 24:44 you know, let to go ahead and give them 24:46 because every man will have that opportunity. 24:49 So, if somebody is honest, it doesn't, 24:52 I started to say, it didn't matter where they... 24:55 Well, I guess in a sense, 24:56 it doesn't matter where you start, 24:57 it's where we end up 24:59 but, you know, that there's a lot of people 25:01 that start in another denomination. 25:03 But as they continue to grow in grace, 25:05 and in strength, and in truth, 25:07 they feel that calling to come out. 25:09 That's what we talked about when the heart is right. 25:11 There's so much evidence here. 25:13 There's so much evidence in Scripture 25:14 that reveals what the Holy Spirit's going to do 25:17 if you're searching for truth. 25:19 And John 16 and John 15, 25:20 you can look at it in 1 Timothy 2:4. 25:23 It says, "We come to the knowledge of the truth." 25:26 Again, knowledge is not the whole answer, is it? 25:29 No, Like Tim was saying with the faith 25:31 that made me think of when a tragedy happens. 25:35 And people say, you know, why would God allow this 25:39 and you have no answer. 25:41 We don't know the end from the beginning. 25:43 And all we can say is you have to trust Him. 25:47 So that's where the faith comes in, 25:49 to say, I don't understand but I have to trust. 25:51 And when we know the character of God, 25:53 and we know His principles and His ways, 25:56 then we can trust that, 25:57 you know, that He has our best interest 25:59 whether we understand those situations or not. 26:02 If we know God's character, enough about His character, 26:04 then we'll know that we can trust Him. 26:07 We don't know all the answers 26:08 because our mind is not on the certain level. 26:10 Oh, no. Right. No, no. 26:12 But we can be assured like say, the Holy Spirit will teach us 26:15 and as we're willing to learn. 26:16 And then the other thing is teaching knowledge, 26:18 we just talked about here, 26:19 you know, it's going to come to the knowledge of truth, 26:21 then Peter, what is it 1:22 talks about, 26:25 then we need to obey. 26:26 So we come to a what? 26:27 A knowledge and understanding... 26:29 Yes, accountability. 26:30 Simple, accountability, and then we have to obey. 26:32 So to say, I know. 26:34 I talk to lot of people, they know everything. 26:37 Okay, say that I, whatever thing you... 26:39 Everything you say. 26:40 I know, I've been there already, 26:42 I've already done all that. 26:43 Well, that's true, a lot of them are there. 26:45 But again, it's not, you know, 26:47 we stress that it's being obedient 26:49 to what you understand and know is true. 26:52 Exactly. 26:53 Even if I'm a little confused about something, 26:55 and I'm honest in heart, 26:56 and I'm growing in Christ, God accepts it. 26:58 I'm still off, I'm still off the mark, 27:00 but He's going to lead me because you're honest in heart, 27:03 He's going to continue to lead me into what? 27:05 All truth. 27:06 All truth, that's a function of the Holy Spirit. 27:10 So you can say, well, we have the Holy Spirit, 27:13 you know, and then we're way off in the North 40 somewhere. 27:16 You know what I mean? 27:18 That's a good point, 27:19 because there's a lot of churches that claim, 27:22 you know, in fact, they build their whole church 27:24 around the Holy Spirit, we have the Holy Spirit. 27:27 But once they leave that sanctuary, 27:29 basically, they're living the same life 27:31 that they've always lived in the world. 27:33 Now, sometimes they might sometimes, 27:35 they might dress a little differently. 27:37 But it's the same TV programs, it's the same place, 27:39 you know, there's not a real change in the lot. 27:42 The thing that just all, 27:44 we can talk about thing is as one pastor said one time, 27:47 "Oh, I know, I know, I know. 27:49 We had the Holy Spirit 27:51 and you Adventist folks have the truth." 27:54 That's an impossibility. You can't separate. 27:56 My goodness. 27:57 That's an impossibility, 27:59 it separate truth from the Holy Spirit. 28:01 But see how confused. 28:03 That man eventually became an Adventist by the way. 28:04 Oh, my goodness. 28:06 We're not gonna go too far, but, yeah, that's true. 28:09 But you see the point, 28:11 we have the spirit 28:12 and we do a lot of things at church, 28:14 and there's a lot of hype and there's lot of this and that, 28:15 that doesn't mean diddly. 28:16 Can I say diddly? You did. 28:18 It doesn't mean anything? 28:19 That's like saying you can drive a car without a battery. 28:22 Oh, my goodness. 28:24 And you know like something else 28:25 that God has really been like, just showing me like, 28:28 the last few years is, you know, 28:29 if you really have the truth 28:30 and if you're really following God, 28:32 there will be balance in your life. 28:34 You know, you won't go to one extreme or the other, 28:36 you'll be solid and balanced. 28:39 You know, there won't be that, 28:41 you know, the crazy, you know, extremes, 28:44 and I think that's another way we can tell 28:46 if we're learning truth is that balance. 28:48 Amen. Good balance. 28:49 I like that 'cause we do need balance. 28:52 That's one thing years ago, he helped me to do is balance 28:55 because I was one of those, I think, 28:57 I was, always had a tendency to go to a park 29:00 because I wanted to please the Lord. 29:01 I wanted to do what was right and he taught me balance. 29:05 I really appreciate that. 29:06 Scripture teaches a good balance, 29:08 it will... As you bring in the scripture to me... 29:09 Well, that's... 29:10 You know, I'd like to jump back to where the faith 29:13 and truth connect 29:16 because we're talking about 29:17 how we're going to know what truth is. 29:18 What if we were 29:20 just in the audience and in Pharaoh's hall, 29:25 When Moses came in? 29:26 Oh, boy. 29:28 You know, when his staff was turned into a serpent, 29:32 and then the magicians came up 29:33 and their staffs turned into serpents. 29:35 You see, we can't always believe what we see, 29:39 you can't always believe what you hear. 29:41 And what about Christ in the desert, 29:43 the loaves of bread, don't you know 29:45 he smelled that bread after 40 days and 40 nights 29:49 and you're so hungry, you're in a mess. 29:53 What's the word? 29:54 Anyway, was very, very hungry. 29:56 Emancipated, is that the right word? 29:58 I may forget it. Emaciated. 30:01 That's it, emaciated. I knew there was a word. 30:04 He was emaciated from hunger. Too hungry to think. 30:06 That's right. I needed to learn a thing. 30:09 But you see what I'm saying? 30:10 It would've been so easy, 30:12 like God has sent me bread after 40 days. 30:16 You know so... 30:17 Because the devil came as what, honey? 30:18 As an angel of light. 30:20 As the devil or as an angel from heaven to come to help, 30:22 come to help Christ. 30:24 And he had to know the scriptures, 30:26 I mean to the tee, 30:28 to a tee to be able to pinpoint the just minute differences 30:33 that the enemy presented to him so is truth important. 30:37 Amen. 30:38 Same for us, we wouldn't really, we wouldn't... 30:40 How do we understand? 30:41 If you know truth that exposes error, 30:44 what do we present is the truth, 30:45 we don't present error, 30:46 but you have to know what truth is first, 30:49 and the Holy Spirit will lead and guide you 30:50 into all truth as Bible says. 30:52 That's the point. We praise God. Yes. 30:54 You know, I think faith to like for me getting older, 30:57 I've often complained, I don't recall, 31:00 I don't remember as well as I used to. 31:03 And I'm not sure if that has anything to do 31:05 with just getting older or just, 31:07 you know, health problems or whatever, I'm not sure. 31:11 But that concerns me. 31:12 Most of them around the table is not gonna be able 31:14 to answer that, they say we're not there. 31:15 But, you know, I think... 31:16 I'm passed there. 31:18 You passed, but I'm thinking about faith, 31:21 even in that ramification, 31:23 because there's a lot of people that you see, 31:26 and eventually they may come down 31:28 with a terrible disease and lose their mind, 31:30 you know, but it's faith knowing that God 31:32 even through that trial will take care of them. 31:35 He understands and He's going to oversee everything for us. 31:39 Truth is so valuable is what you're talking about. 31:43 Proverbs 23:23, so it's easy to remember 31:45 Proverbs 23, it says, 31:47 you know, "Buy the truth and sell it not." 31:51 So, and again, what does it cost? 31:53 You know, Bruce, 31:54 what does it cost to buy the truth? 31:56 What did it cost, Bruce? What did they cost? 32:00 Truth, Jesus is right, is truth. 32:02 It costs Him all of heaven. All of heaven, that's right. 32:06 He's emptied down 32:07 to make sure we understood what truth is, 32:09 and how we can follow the truth, 32:11 set an example. 32:12 When people say, somebody, I just don't know what to do? 32:15 I can't get in with that truth and what did... 32:17 I just say something very simple, 32:18 I'm like Bruce, I'm simple-minded. 32:20 It's simple, said, you know, what? 32:21 Just read the Bible, what Jesus did, just do that, 32:23 by the grace of God, by His strength. 32:25 Just follow in His footsteps and you're going to be okay. 32:29 Don't scratch out thing. 32:30 Well, He did 'cause somebody said it changed now. 32:32 I said no, no, He never changes. 32:34 What He did, what He lived on this earth, 32:37 we can by faith follow in those footsteps. 32:40 And it's going to be okay. 32:41 It's pretty simple, I think. 32:43 Doesn't mean you're accepted by the world. 32:45 The world doesn't... They're not gonna accept you. 32:46 At a time, but not completely. 32:49 You know, I wrote down several passages 32:51 that deal with truth, 32:53 but one that I thought about Matthew 18:3. 32:56 It said, "And said, 'Verily I say unto you, 32:59 except ye be converted, and become as little children, 33:04 ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.'" 33:07 And I thought about that 33:08 because little children are so loving, so trusting. 33:13 When they hear mom and dad and we look 33:16 at our Heavenly Father as our father. 33:19 What He says, He changes not, it is absolute truth. 33:23 So when we read that, it's like a little child, 33:26 when they hear mom and dad say something about, 33:29 you know, don't touch that 33:31 or don't put that plant in your mouth, 33:33 that's poisonous. 33:35 You know, most children 33:36 are not gonna put that plant in their mouth, 33:40 because they realize it could make them sick. 33:42 There's a few of us. 33:45 I said most. 33:46 I think there's always a challenge. 33:48 I know for somebody maybe a challenge. 33:49 They say, don't do it, that's automatically they're doing it. 33:51 Yeah, but you're trying to give back. 33:52 A good parent would put that plant up 33:54 or if it were a houseplant or, you know, so God is good. 33:58 Again talking about the ways that He leads us to truth, 34:02 you know, through the process of life. 34:05 So... So it's more than what? 34:07 Just telling them. Right. 34:08 We have to do, also do something with it. 34:12 Just leave it down from here to get into, 34:14 no we have to do something take it, 34:16 and put it maybe in the place where they can't get. 34:18 That reminds me of my, our granddaughter Kaylee, 34:21 when she was little, it didn't matter 34:24 what nana and papa said, that was the gospel truth. 34:28 Yeah, it was the gospel truth, and if anybody questioned her, 34:31 she shook her head, she said that's what nana said. 34:34 That's what papa said. 34:35 He got off on the... The plant. 34:38 The disobedient child. 34:40 But if a child is obedient and they're loving, 34:42 they're going to, 34:44 they're going to do exactly what she did. 34:46 That is right 34:47 because that's what my nana said, 34:49 I can't eat that... 34:50 And nobody could change your mind. 34:51 Nobody could change your mind 34:53 because nana said and papa said, 34:54 you know, so and that's how we should be with God, exactly. 34:57 Exactly. 34:59 And I like that because we realize, 35:01 when we become inundated with the things of the world, 35:04 there comes a time when that little twig, 35:06 you think of a child as twig, 35:07 you know, you can kind of bend and mold them into little. 35:10 But once they're older, 35:12 it's very difficult to move that tree now, 35:15 you know, but, and that's what I mean. 35:17 When a child is little, 35:19 they're not so inundated with the things of the world, 35:21 they haven't been, 35:22 their minds haven't been drawn in so many other facets of... 35:27 And I like to say, snares of the enemy 35:30 that confuses the mind. 35:32 So he likes to get us so busy, so confused, 35:35 that when we hear truth, we're skeptic 35:39 as to whether or not it's true. 35:40 If it's not truth, what would it be? 35:42 Error. 35:43 I mean, it's error, it would be what Jesus spoke about, 35:45 wouldn't it be... 35:47 He talks about, wasn't Matthew 15:9, 35:50 you know, "In vain do they worship Me, 35:51 teaching for doctrines" the what? 35:54 "The commandments of men." 35:56 So we're either preaching, teaching traditions, 35:58 or this is what the church taught, 36:00 this is what our forefathers what they all taught, 36:02 rather than what does the Bible teach. 36:04 This is what, if it not, then we're teaching, 36:06 you know, traditions rather than what is truth, 36:09 so and the devil likes that. 36:11 He's not going to fight this. 36:12 Oh, let's let the church, let these people 36:14 to teach all kind of traditions and all kind of this and that, 36:17 because we're talking about truth transform, 36:20 tradition doesn't. 36:21 I was gonna put you off in some other place 36:23 where we won't be transformed to image of Jesus, right? 36:26 Isn't this what we're talking about? 36:27 And so truth is so, so very, very important. 36:31 Matthew 15:6, it says, 36:32 "Thus have you made the commandments of God 36:35 of none effect by your traditions." 36:38 So we had to figure out whether it's truth or it's not. 36:41 If you don't, you just made the Word of God 36:42 just none effect right here. 36:45 So I have thing, I'll read it quickly... 36:47 I mean, this may gets heavy duty 36:50 because of the subject matter, 36:53 and this goes a little deeper than some will want to go, 36:55 but I like to do that, I like to challenge people. 36:59 I like to get in and dig. 37:01 Sometime I dig a little bit too deep. 37:02 But I think we need to dig, I mean, dig, dig, dig 37:05 to find out what... 37:07 There's such thing as we gonna dig in too deep. 37:08 Little bit too deep, and then they say 37:09 you have tried to dig your way out. 37:11 Yeah, dig your way out. 37:12 Get in deep and let's get the Word of God 37:14 and let's dig our way back out of it, 37:15 because I want to be never, never, 37:17 never be so prideful that you can't say, 37:19 oh, I was mistaken on that. 37:21 Yes, that's true. Oh, I thought this was true. 37:24 I had to back up and take another step here 37:25 and there in my Christian growth 37:27 from the youth on up to today, to say 37:30 this was what I really thought it seemed like, 37:32 well, but I see another aspect of it right now. 37:36 Then that, that's always the learning stage. 37:38 There's a Review and Herald article, 37:40 20-1896, this was written. 37:42 It says, let the watchman, 37:44 so every time I see that, I just... 37:46 We're all watchman. 37:47 We're to be watchman on the wall. 37:48 On the wall. 37:50 Yeah, "Let the watchman 37:51 not join with those who making none effect the truth." 37:54 Excuse me. So and this is interesting. 37:56 We have to balance it, 37:58 we're talking about balance again. 37:59 We're not to join in with those who what? 38:01 Are making none affect the truth 38:04 as it is in Christ. 38:06 Now, this is heavy now. 38:07 Let them not join, notice this, the confederacy of infidelity, 38:12 popery or Protestantism 38:14 in exalting tradition above scripture, reason," 38:18 Bruce, was talking about reason about basically Revelation, 38:22 human talent above the divine influence 38:25 and the vital power of godliness. 38:27 That's really good. That... 38:29 I mean that could be the rest of the subject as far as, 38:31 you know, our discussion here. 38:33 There has to come a point that we love truth 38:35 and love God enough 38:37 that sometime we have to let other things go in life, 38:40 and it may be friendships and everything 38:42 that's pulling us backwards, pulling us down, 38:44 pulling us against what is truth, 38:47 what the Holy Spirit has impressed you, me, 38:49 each one, this is truth. 38:51 And then a good friend comes along, 38:52 said, well, this is not really the way 38:54 that it is. 38:55 Sometimes we have to kind of get away from that 38:56 and go back to the Word of God, 38:58 because we're watchman on the walls, 39:00 and we need not get involved in that 39:02 because we lose the power of godliness in life. 39:06 But we have a form, remember Bible talks 39:07 about a form of godliness, 39:09 but we're denying the power of trans... 39:12 You know, we were talking about transformed, 39:15 being transformed, has to be the power of God. 39:18 You know, you mentioned friends and Satan can use anyone that, 39:22 you know, sometimes don't even realize 39:24 they're being used by Satan. 39:25 But, you know, early on in my Christian walk 39:27 I had friends that, you know, especially one good friend 39:30 that you know, we were like sisters 39:33 and that friendship, 39:34 I could see it from the beginning, 39:36 that if it continued 39:38 that there would be a bad influence there, 39:39 and so I really prayed about it and that was really hard. 39:43 But I had to distance myself from her, 39:46 my really good friend and but, you know, I can see now 39:50 where God was doing that on purpose 39:52 because, you know, 39:54 even though you have that connection with that person, 39:56 that can, 39:58 you know, Satan can use relationships. 40:01 And he does it to his advantage to where it makes us, 40:05 you know, question things about God, 40:07 but if we go for our emotions and our... 40:10 You know, those connections then we can get in trouble. 40:14 Is that scriptural? Yes, I mean, absolutely. 40:17 I'm just asking just, is it scriptural? 40:19 Is it from Book of Genesis 40:22 to the back of the Book of Revelation? 40:23 Yeah. 40:25 That's consistent whatsoever that God requires us. 40:28 He says, "Come apart and be separated 40:30 and touch not the unclean." 40:31 Doesn't mean you go and work for them, 40:33 and you love them, and you're gonna be here, 40:34 but sometime socializing and spending a lot of time. 40:38 Well, if it's not elevated, it's gonna drag us down. 40:42 You know, I've been trough that earlier years 40:43 and probably everybody here has... 40:45 There's different people who want... 40:47 You'd want to be around because they elevate you 40:49 toward heaven, 40:50 and there's others who drag you down, 40:52 and give you questions 40:53 that maybe we shouldn't have it, 40:54 you know, in the Word of God. 40:56 So I'm 100% agreeing with that we need to stay close. 41:00 When I'm working with kids, 41:01 Tammy, lot of times we're saying 41:03 there's a flag flying high in the castle of my heart. 41:06 You know that flag represents a standard 41:09 and what happens because we love people so much 41:13 and when we spend more time 41:15 or we go somewhere where you say, 41:16 Well, I know they're not preaching all the truth, 41:19 but they've got some of it. 41:20 We find ourselves beginning to lower our standards. 41:25 And I know there's a lot of times that, 41:27 you know, Jesus said, 41:29 there's so many things I want to tell you, 41:30 but you're not ready. 41:32 And thank you, Bruce, because now I sense, 41:35 I see that I've experienced that more than ever before, 41:39 because there's things that I want to tell people 41:41 but they're not there yet. 41:44 The heart hasn't been made ready 41:46 and so, you know, until the heart's made ready 41:49 but I think our job 41:51 and that's why it's so wonderful, 41:52 we have all of these avenues, 41:54 whether it's 3ABN 41:56 or these wonderful books you mentioned, 41:58 Steps to Christ 41:59 that we can give and just pray 42:01 that the Holy Spirit 42:02 will encourage someone to pick it up and read it. 42:04 And someone asked me, 42:07 as I discussed the Steps to Christ 42:09 and the puppy folders and someone said, 42:11 well, so do you follow up after they go home, 42:14 they take, do you follow up 42:15 and ask, have they read it? 42:17 What did they think about? 42:18 And I said, absolutely not, 42:20 that's not my job to follow up and do that. 42:23 I put, I plant the seed and it's up to God 42:27 to do the rest and open the heart. 42:29 And the last thing I want to do is put somebody on the spot 42:32 and say, "Did you read that book, 42:34 you know, that I gave you?" 42:36 And then they're embarrassed if they didn't. 42:38 You know, so you're just kind of 42:40 putting people in a corner, 42:42 so that's just my way of planting the seed 42:44 and hoping that God will take care of rest. 42:46 And many times people have questioned you. 42:48 That's a beautiful thing. 42:50 Yeah, that's kind of a tough one, isn't it? 42:53 I'm the one who follows up with some drag. 42:57 But I think it just takes... It is personality driven. 42:59 And discernment. Yeah, yeah, you're right. 43:01 The discernment. It has to be right discernment. 43:03 Well, but think about sometimes too 43:04 because when somebody gives me something 43:08 a guy just gave me a couple of DVDs 43:11 and some paper, while I'm working so on 43:13 and so forth and say, can you watch these? 43:14 And I want to know what you think about it, 43:16 you know, it's all good but he's gonna come back. 43:19 This is about spiritual matters. 43:22 Yes. Yeah, spiritual matters. 43:23 Oh, yes, yeah, spiritual matters, 43:24 so, I mean, it's all good. 43:26 But I thoroughly expect that he will come back to me 43:29 as a friend, and I know him or something's to say. 43:31 Not that what Tammy is doing wrong 43:33 because it's very clear, because one plants and what? 43:38 The other waters. 43:39 Another waters, and somebody comes by and reach. 43:41 So there's phases of that, 43:43 but again everybody is not the same 43:45 in a way that they do and I think that's okay too, 43:47 so sometime I just, I expect he will come back and say, 43:51 now did you watch those, you know, did you, 43:55 which is kind of holding me responsible and accountable 43:58 for what he will you. 43:59 Right. 44:00 No, you go. Okay. 44:02 I was just thinking to, 44:03 I think it also depends on the situation, 44:05 like if you directly just gave him the book 44:07 and talked about it and then later followed up, 44:10 I think that's one thing but another, 44:11 you know, what she's doing is given 44:13 like where it's include with other stuff, 44:16 the focal point 44:17 and maybe so 44:19 there's a little bit of a different focus there too, 44:21 you know, so it's kind of like pray it definitely 44:24 by the Holy Spirit. 44:25 Everybody has touched on something 44:27 that is true that we can find scripturally. 44:30 But I think the biggest thing is, 44:32 and I learned this many, many years ago 44:34 is to pray for an open door. 44:36 Amen. Yes. 44:37 So if they read that book, 44:40 and they may have questions, more questions for Tammy, 44:43 or if she's talking to them, 44:45 and she's been praying for an open door 44:47 and they say something, 44:49 then she might be able to allude back to the book, 44:52 back to God, 44:54 you know, so we pray for those open doors 44:56 'cause if we force that door open 45:00 and they'll slam it in our face. 45:01 How, not just me 45:03 but how people conduct business. 45:06 When you have a lot of interaction 45:09 with different people, 45:10 I have people that come from all over. 45:13 And how you conduct business and try to do the right thing, 45:18 if there's a problem that does more than just about anything 45:22 because then people will... 45:25 I've had an instance and I won't go into it. 45:27 But anyway, I helped the person and with this puppy situation, 45:32 and they said, you know what? 45:34 And I'd never through the months of talking to him, 45:36 I had never got the impression that they were Christians. 45:40 Not in a bad way, I just hadn't, you know, 45:43 said anything that would lead me to believe 45:46 and when I gave them this puppy, 45:49 they said, we're going to name this puppy Shiloh, 45:51 because we've looked it up in it in different aspects 45:54 it might mean gift of God, something like that. 45:57 And they said, 45:58 we feel that what you have done is a gift of God 46:01 and so we're going to name the puppy this. 46:03 Well, that just blew me away, 46:04 because you know, 46:06 you never know what people's thinking. 46:08 But when you try to conduct yourself 46:10 in the right manner 46:11 and ask the Lord to help you to do that, 46:13 it makes an impression, 46:14 a lot more than you could preach or teach 46:16 I think sometimes. 46:17 Exactly, and they'll read that book sometimes, 46:20 they'll read your letter 46:21 because you've witnessed in your business transaction. 46:25 They have seen Christ in you, the hope of glory 46:27 and it makes people want to say, 46:29 man, they gave me this, I think I'll look at that. 46:31 So none of the aspect is wrong, 46:33 those are all perfect and wonderful 46:34 what everybody's doing. 46:36 But there will be different ones, 46:37 will do different things, 46:38 and like saying still being a Christ like way 46:41 that we do those things 46:42 and be a witness you're talking about 46:44 because witness is transforming. 46:46 I can hear here, there's some people being transformed. 46:49 You see the transformed people that you work with, 46:51 you see them being transformed. 46:53 You mentioned while ago, whatnot, immediately sometimes. 46:56 Oh, yeah. Right, right. 46:58 Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. 47:00 And, you know, a lot of times we pass judgment. 47:03 Like you mentioned you had no idea 47:04 whether or not they were Christians, 47:07 but you made a very important point 47:09 and that's one reason that I think our dress, 47:12 our deportment, or the way we speak, 47:15 because people are going to pick up on those things. 47:17 They're looking. They're watching. 47:19 Oh, they are. 47:20 And those in our family are going to know the truth. 47:23 They're really going to see it. 47:25 You know, they see all signs in this. 47:27 So really our missionary work begins where? 47:30 At home. Yeah. 47:32 At home, and then as a home begins 47:35 to become more Christ like 47:36 and heavenly atmosphere begins to be, 47:41 to dwell in that facility, 47:43 then we can share these things with other people. 47:46 You know, because you've all experienced, 47:48 I've experienced it with some of the way. 47:52 I don't really want to describe it to a tee, 47:54 but there's some people way they dress 47:56 I wouldn't think that they knew anything about Christ. 47:59 But then again, you know, 48:02 it can be deceiving because maybe... 48:05 Maybe where they're at in their Christian experience, 48:07 they're trying at times 48:08 that they are on maybe the bottom rung. 48:10 I feel like when I look at that big ladder 48:11 leads from earth all way to heaven, 48:13 I'm on the bottom rung. 48:14 You know, and I'm fighting, struggling by the grace of God 48:18 doing what I understand do to reach up for the next one. 48:21 And that's why it's so important 48:23 that no matter who we mean, 48:24 what they look like, that we love them all the same. 48:28 You know, Christ loved the sinner, 48:30 but he hated the what? 48:31 The sin. 48:33 The sin, because it's sin that separates us from heaven. 48:36 It's sin that emptied all of heaven to save us. 48:41 And it's sin that will keep us out of the kingdom. 48:44 Oh, absolutely. 48:45 But it's the truth that will set us free. 48:48 Free from what? Sin. 48:50 From sin. Yes. 48:51 Free from sin. 48:53 So that's why truth is so vitally important. 48:56 How do you... 48:58 How do you come to love the truth? 48:59 And there's a difference. 49:01 When we talk about truth and knowledge, 49:02 it's not going to get you anywhere. 49:03 It's nice to have. Right. 49:05 This brings me to a good question. 49:06 Yeah, but how do I come to love it? 49:08 Well, like I know somebody that they, 49:12 all they watched 3ABN 24/7, they study, 49:16 they read to the point that it's like, 49:21 they're so unhappy because they're going, they're saying, 49:25 I can never reach all these goals, 49:28 all these things that were told that we must do and say, 49:32 and I am just... 49:33 I'm never gonna make it. I'm never going to make it. 49:37 How do you deal with somebody like that? 49:39 I've to say one thing 49:40 and everybody have their own maybe comment. 49:41 I'm saying we're not... 49:43 When I look into the spiritual mirror 49:46 and I see my face there, I'm in trouble. 49:48 Yeah. 49:50 See, when I see Jesus there, I'm not in trouble. 49:54 We following that, in other words, everybody, 49:56 we're reading all these things and we're looking, 49:58 I just can't do it. I can't attain that. 50:00 No, you can't. 50:02 You can't gain victory over sin in your life on your own. 50:05 You can't get over all these problems that we have, 50:06 hereditary, cultivated, whatever it might be. 50:09 We're lost sinners. 50:11 And so we need outside help, don't we? 50:14 And so what we do, and when I read this thing, 50:16 and I read some things I look at, 50:17 I say, oh, Lord, that's not possible with me. 50:20 And it's like the answer comes back, it's beautiful. 50:22 It comes back as, no, you can't. 50:24 You know, it's like, 50:25 kind of a good relationship is no, you can't. 50:28 Lord, I just can't. 50:30 How am I going to gain victory? 50:31 No, you can't, 50:32 but I can help you gain that victory. 50:34 It's all about Christ. 50:35 That's why we see His face more and looked at all these things. 50:39 All things are possible through Christ Jesus. 50:42 What's the blood of the Lamb that cleanses us from sin, 50:46 and that, that's the way we get into heaven. 50:49 We don't get into heaven by following all the precepts. 50:52 Our goal is to follow them to the best of our ability 50:55 by His grace and power. 50:57 It's strictly through the blood that we even have a chance. 51:01 It's all about... 51:02 It's all Him. It's Him. 51:04 It's all Him. Good. 51:05 It is a gift. It is a gift. 51:07 Thank you. 51:08 And that opens up the whole... 51:09 But we will act upon faith. 51:11 Yeah. Good. 51:12 I like that. And that's our deeds. 51:14 Yeah, so. 51:16 That's beautiful. 51:17 I love how you just blended that because I thought, 51:19 "Boy, that's another hour study." 51:21 You know, because I can remember in my early 20s, 51:24 when we just started having a Bible study 51:27 every Friday evening by the way. 51:29 And I started reading through the scriptures, 51:32 just really reading, and all of a sudden, 51:34 I kept seeing this word obedience, obedience. 51:37 I thought, what in the world obedience is. 51:41 Hmm. Ouch. 51:43 Most people say ouch. 51:45 You know, but Christ, we just, you mentioned follow Christ 51:48 and follow in His footsteps and we'll be fine. 51:50 He was obedient unto death. 51:53 The only reason He shed that blood 51:56 was because of the law. 51:58 And because of the steps that we learned from the sanctuary 52:01 that there had to be blood that was shed 52:03 in order for forgiveness to be forgiven. 52:06 Yeah. 52:07 So what's the greatest argument, right, 52:11 that the law of God is still binding? 52:13 Oh, that Christ went to the cross. 52:15 That's another Calvary. Calvary. 52:17 Did we get that? 52:18 We need to get that 52:19 if we don't get anything else out this study. 52:21 The greatest argument 52:22 that the law of God is still binding is Calvary. 52:24 Why? 52:26 Because of sin, Christ went there to die in our place. 52:29 Wages of sin is death. 52:32 What is by the law is the knowledge of sin. 52:35 Does it say, you know, what law, no. 52:37 Points out what sin is and drives me to Jesus. 52:40 That's a good point. 52:42 It's kind of on that idea of knowledge 52:44 know what Tammy was saying about knowledge is, 52:46 sometimes we can make knowledge our God 52:48 instead of looking to the Savior 52:52 and, you know, the real God, we're looking at the knowledge, 52:55 thinking that's gonna save us 52:56 and making that our God, you know. 52:58 We won't get to that during this study. 53:01 But I think we'll do another part on this, 53:03 and that's gonna be talked about 53:05 because there is there a difference between knowledge 53:07 and, you know, 53:09 knowing the truth, and loving the truth. 53:11 And I like Tammy's question again too, 53:14 I think, everybody's kind of touched on a little bit, 53:16 but really we can do nothing without Christ. 53:20 The person has to praise the Lord, 53:23 if this is the way You want me to walk, 53:25 then strengthen me to walk in. 53:26 Amen. 53:27 And just take... That's where faith comes in, 53:30 take the step of faith. 53:32 You can't eat the whole cake at one sitting. 53:34 At least I can't. 53:36 There might be some people, okay, 53:37 he's always gonna take the other one. 53:38 There's gonna be some people that can, I cannot. 53:41 Let's say it's a huge cake, okay. 53:45 Now there's some huge problems. 53:46 It's just big as this table. You got a huge appetite. 53:49 I don't know anybody that can eat one that big, okay. 53:52 Actually that might be the answer. 53:55 One little bit at a time. 53:56 Yeah, because, because this person, 53:59 I mean, they know 54:01 that they can do anything through Christ. 54:03 They know that. 54:04 But, yet, it's just a constant burden. 54:08 You know, even with this help, 54:09 maybe I'm not going to get there, 54:11 and I look at this and I look at that. 54:13 And I always say to them, it's one step at a time, 54:17 because when you look at it as a whole 54:19 of where you should be and where you are, 54:22 it is overwhelming. 54:23 Because you say, oh, you know, 54:24 I'm never gonna, but that's not how it happens. 54:28 It's a step at a time. 54:29 And remind her as we will remind everybody else 54:32 that's listening to this story, it's the enemy, the devil, 54:34 the Bible says is the accuser of the brethren. 54:37 It is he that brings about the depression. 54:39 He says, "You see, you can't live up to all that, 54:42 you can't do all those things. 54:44 Give it up. 54:45 I've been there. I have been there." 54:48 But, you know the Bible talks about we can be free from sin, 54:51 right. 54:52 Think about free from sin. 54:54 Let me see the power of the Holy Spirit, 54:55 He can give us all, let this mind be in you. 54:58 What does all that mean if it doesn't mean what it says, 55:00 right? 55:02 That our mind needs to be, we commit our mind to Him, 55:04 we commit our tongue to Him, our thoughts to Him, 55:07 and then we react in a way 55:09 that that's the Holy Spirit gives us that victory. 55:11 I mean, to me, that's just exciting. 55:12 I don't know about you, 55:14 I don't get overwhelmed when I read it. 55:15 But I realized I'm far away, and I'm in need of a Savior. 55:18 And then you reach out for Him. 55:20 And I reach out for Him, 55:21 and I cling to His feet as it were, 55:22 I cling to the cross of Calvary, and say, 55:24 "Oh, God, I need some help, don't leave me. 55:26 I'm in bad shape. Help me." 55:28 And God will always help me. 55:29 Please do that today. Amen. 55:31 Truly, we are pilgrims and this world is not our home. 55:34 You mentioned singing in at the end. 55:36 Let's do it again. Tim, just run over that piano. 55:39 This world is not our home... 55:41 I'm getting excited about this. Just passing through. 55:42 Sing it along with us again as we close. 55:44 They know it, don't they? All right. 55:47 Join in with us, everybody. 55:50 This world is not my home I'm just a passing through 55:56 My treasures are laid up Somewhere beyond the blue 56:01 The angels beckon me From heavens open door 56:06 And I can't feel at home In this world anymore 56:14 Oh, Lord, you know I have no friend like you 56:20 If heaven's not my home Then Lord what will I do 56:25 The angels beckon me From heaven's open door 56:31 And I can't feel at home In this world anymore 56:38 They're all expecting me And that's one thing I know 56:44 My Savior pardon Yes, He did And now I on would go 56:50 I know He'll take me through Though I'm weak and poor 56:55 And I can't feel at home In this world anymore 57:00 You want to pray? Ready. 57:03 Oh, Lord, you know I have no friend like you 57:08 If heaven's not my home Then Lord what will I do 57:14 The angels beckon me From heaven's open door 57:20 And I can't feel at home In this world anymore 57:27 Just over in Gloryland We'll live eternally 57:33 The saints on every hand Are shouting victory 57:39 Their songs of sweetest praise Drift back from heaven's shore 57:44 And I can't feel at home In this world anymore 57:52 Now praise the Lord. Amen. 57:56 Halleluiah. 57:59 Amen. Amen. |
Revised 2019-02-18