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, I'm
Shelley Quinn. J.D. Quinn.
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And we want to wish
you a happy Sabbath.
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Amen.
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And welcome you
to Family Worship.
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We are always blessed
to have this opportunity
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to welcome in
this Sabbath with you.
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And, honey,
we've got some family
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around the table.
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Why don't you introduce?
Well, I'd be happy to.
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This is my
buddy, Ryan over here.
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That's Ryan.
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Ryan, you always feel
comfortable with Ryan.
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Really!
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You know, you're
just a wonderful man,
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you know the word
inside and out and...
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I try, I try.
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You compliment, compliment.
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Praise the Lord.
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And then we have
Jason, we have Francine,
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we love Jason and Francine.
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We are in accounting
and we're with the kids.
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That's the two
responsibilities we have.
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Chief Financial
Officer and General Manager
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of 3ABN Kids Network.
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Yes. And this is fun.
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We're gonna have a
wonderful time today
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because this is a great topic.
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Yes it is.
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And who do we have at the piano?
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We have our precious
Summer boy at the piano.
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Yes.
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We always love you
when Summer's here.
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That's right.
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Well, we just want
to take this time first
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to thank you for your
prayers, and your love,
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and your
financial support of 3ABN.
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But our topic tonight,
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let me just start it
by reading the scripture
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1 Corinthians 10:12.
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And it's funny.
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I had a man call
me many years ago
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when I was first on 3ABN,
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and very busy but still
doing the ministry from home.
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This gentleman
called me and said,
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"Sister, are you aware
of 1 Corinthians 10:12?
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Therefore let him
who thinks he stands,
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take heed lest he fall."
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And I told him, "Oh, absolutely.
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I pray that scripture every
day and ask the Lord, you know,
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'Help me to examine
myself and make sure that,
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first, what I'm
teaching is true,
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but second that I really
am in relationship with You.'"
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And can you
think our topic tonight
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is keep a finger on
your spiritual pulse.
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Can you think of an
example in the Bible of someone
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who was a bit overconfident
and thought he would stand?
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Yet Jesus said to him,
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"Satan desires to
sift you like wheat,
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and when you've
returned, you know,
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encourage and feed my lambs.
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So Peter was overconfident.
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And just because
we are in ministry,
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just because you go
to church twice a week,
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we all have to take the counsel
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of 2 Corinthians 13:5,
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where Peter says,
"Examine yourselves."
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That's present tense.
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It means keep on
examining yourself.
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"As to whether you are in
the faith, test yourselves."
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And that also is present tense.
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Keep on testing.
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He said, "Do you
not know yourselves,
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that Jesus Christ is in you?
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Unless indeed you
are disqualified."
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So what Peter is
encouraging us to do
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is to make a
regular self examination.
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And not in a fearful way
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because, you know,
one good thing is that
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sometimes we feel like
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maybe we're not
grasping hold of God,
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strongly enough that
He's still holding on to us
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and that's the beautiful thing.
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And that's why we're gonna sing.
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What are we gonna sing, honey?
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Blessed Assurance.
And what number is that?
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I love Blessed Assurance.
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And in your
hymnal, it's number 649.
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Is that right?
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462.
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Well, if you have problem
with reading, then it's 462.
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But the words will also be
at the bottom of the screen.
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So sing along with us.
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Let's make a joyful noise.
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Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine
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O what a
foretaste of glory divine
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Heir of
salvation, purchase of God
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Born of His
Spirit, washed in His blood
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This is my
story, this is my song
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Praising my
Savior all the day long
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This is my
story, this is my song
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Praising my
Savior all the day long
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Perfect
submission, all is at rest
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I in my Savior
am happy and blessed
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Watching and
waiting, looking above
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Filled with His
goodness, lost in His love
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This is my
story, this is my song
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Praising my
Savior all the day long
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This is my
story, this is my song
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Praising my
Savior all the day long
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Amen. Thank you.
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One of my
favorites. I love that song.
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Amen. Me too.
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Thank you, Summer, so much.
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All right, let's
just kick this off.
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It's always good
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to sit around the
table and discuss the Bible.
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Yes.
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But I have a question.
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Can we get so busy doing things,
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good things in the name of God
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and find that we're actually
ignoring the greatest thing,
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and that is to
stay close to Jesus.
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Have you ever
had that experience?
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Absolutely.
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Many times, many times,
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especially when you're
in a daily relationship
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as it's supposed to be,
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you know, Paul
mentioned that he died daily.
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Yes.
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And so that means
that he had to learn,
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he had to be in a
surrendered state,
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every single day.
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And of course,
throughout that journey,
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the Lord's gonna bring
things to your attention
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that you weren't aware of.
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And sometimes,
it may be shocking,
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like, "Oh, what?
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Really that aspect of my life,
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that aspect of my relationship,
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I never really considered
that it was that important
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or that the Lord would want
to bring that to my attention
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or that that's something
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that He wants to fix in my life,
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that He wants to cleanse me of."
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What makes it even
more dangerous though
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is when you think
you're in that relationship
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and you are in that
saving relationship,
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and you hear
Christians say I'm saved,
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and they take
that particular concept
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and they run with it.
00:08:04.01\00:08:05.35
And they don't realize,
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they don't allow
Christ to show them.
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And a couple of
passages that come to mind.
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I'm thinking of, you
know, it's interesting
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'cause Christ began His ministry
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with making this point.
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And He would end His ministry
prior to being crucified,
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also making the same point.
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And I'm thinking
of Matthew 7:21-23.
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This is the Sermon on the Mount.
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So this is Christ
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beginning His
ministry, of course,
00:08:30.37\00:08:31.71
this will be His first ever
recorded sermon in scripture.
00:08:31.74\00:08:37.28
And notice what Jesus says here,
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and this is, again,
kind of asking the question,
00:08:39.48\00:08:41.38
can we get so
busy doing good things
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which reiterating
what you would ask.
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That's perfect.
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In the name of
God that we forget
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to do the greatest thing
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maintain an intimate
relationship with the Lord.
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And it is possible, and
we see that it's possible,
00:08:51.16\00:08:54.00
and this kind of brings
in the question also is,
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is it possible that I think
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that I'm saved
when really I'm not.
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Is it possible that I
think everything's okay
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when really, you know what,
00:09:02.74\00:09:04.24
I need to do
some self-examination
00:09:04.27\00:09:06.01
and allow Christ to show me.
00:09:06.04\00:09:07.64
This group of people
that Christ is talking about
00:09:07.68\00:09:09.54
here in verses 21
through 23 of Matthew 7
00:09:09.58\00:09:13.45
is vitally important
00:09:13.48\00:09:14.85
because it shows us
00:09:14.88\00:09:16.35
the need of
surrendering to Christ daily,
00:09:16.38\00:09:19.59
so that He can show us.
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Notice this group
here, it says, of course,
00:09:21.02\00:09:22.36
it's Christ speaking, He says,
00:09:22.39\00:09:23.76
"Not everyone who
says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,'
00:09:23.79\00:09:25.56
shall enter the
kingdom of heaven,
00:09:25.59\00:09:27.23
but he who does
the will of my Father,"
00:09:27.23\00:09:28.96
which is in heaven.
00:09:29.00\00:09:30.37
And then he describes a
particular group of people
00:09:30.40\00:09:33.07
that respond to Him, He says,
00:09:33.10\00:09:34.44
"Many will say
to Me in that day,
00:09:34.47\00:09:35.80
'Lord, Lord,'
00:09:35.84\00:09:37.21
have we not
prophesied in Your name,
00:09:37.24\00:09:38.57
cast out demons in Your name,
00:09:38.61\00:09:40.01
and done many
wonders in Your name?"
00:09:40.08\00:09:41.78
So this group of people saying,
00:09:41.81\00:09:43.14
"Hey, Jesus, wait a
second, you know me.
00:09:43.18\00:09:45.15
You know, I'm that person
that sit in church every week,
00:09:45.18\00:09:46.92
I paid my tithe,
00:09:46.95\00:09:48.28
that was a deacon
in the local church
00:09:48.32\00:09:49.65
or I was in altar,
00:09:49.68\00:09:51.02
I was involved in
this group and that group
00:09:51.05\00:09:52.62
and this small group study."
00:09:52.65\00:09:54.16
You know, these group of people,
00:09:54.19\00:09:55.99
they're recognizing that
they were fully convinced.
00:09:56.02\00:09:58.99
I'm in a saving
relationship with Jesus.
00:09:59.03\00:10:01.30
But notice what
Christ says in verse 23.
00:10:01.33\00:10:03.16
He says, "And then I
will declare to them,
00:10:03.20\00:10:04.60
I never knew you,'
00:10:04.63\00:10:06.20
depart from me, you
who practice lawlessness."
00:10:06.23\00:10:09.67
And I'm not
gonna read this text,
00:10:09.70\00:10:11.04
but I'm referencing also
00:10:11.07\00:10:13.07
the very last
kind of mini sermon
00:10:13.11\00:10:16.01
that Jesus would
give to His disciples
00:10:16.04\00:10:18.58
a top the Mount of Olives,
00:10:18.61\00:10:20.28
about a week before
He went to the cross.
00:10:20.32\00:10:23.55
In the end, we're talking
about the Olivet Discourse,
00:10:23.59\00:10:25.89
where Christ is sitting
atop the Mount of Olives,
00:10:25.92\00:10:27.62
He's come out of the temple,
00:10:27.66\00:10:28.99
He's having this private meeting
00:10:29.02\00:10:30.36
with His disciples.
00:10:30.39\00:10:31.73
Then He's pouring
through the signs of the times,
00:10:31.76\00:10:33.09
He's telling them
what to be aware of.
00:10:33.13\00:10:34.73
And then when we transition
00:10:34.76\00:10:36.10
from Matthew 24 into Matthew 25,
00:10:36.13\00:10:38.33
He starts to tell a
parable of these Ten Virgins.
00:10:38.37\00:10:42.07
And of course,
these Ten Virgins,
00:10:42.10\00:10:43.44
you have five
wise, five foolish,
00:10:43.47\00:10:45.74
they all have their lamps.
00:10:45.77\00:10:47.58
They've got
their lamps, you know,
00:10:47.61\00:10:49.08
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet
00:10:49.11\00:10:50.78
and a light unto my path."
00:10:50.81\00:10:52.15
They have their lamps,
00:10:52.18\00:10:53.52
but five of them
were fully convinced
00:10:53.55\00:10:55.18
"I've got my lamp,
I'm going out in faith
00:10:55.22\00:10:57.55
to meet the bridegroom,"
but they lack the oil.
00:10:57.59\00:11:00.79
And it wasn't until
the midnight cry went out
00:11:00.86\00:11:03.26
that they realized, "Uh-oh,
I don't have enough oil."
00:11:03.29\00:11:05.66
And really at that point,
00:11:05.69\00:11:08.00
they should have had enough oil.
00:11:08.03\00:11:09.36
It was a little too late
at that point but nonetheless,
00:11:09.40\00:11:11.57
I think these
are biblical examples
00:11:11.60\00:11:13.17
that answer this
question, Shelley...
00:11:13.20\00:11:14.54
Absolutely.
00:11:14.57\00:11:15.90
That we can't be going
along in our relationship
00:11:15.94\00:11:19.21
and thinking that
everything's okay,
00:11:19.24\00:11:21.54
when everything's really not.
00:11:21.58\00:11:22.94
And that's where we have to...
00:11:22.98\00:11:24.31
I love the title of this.
00:11:24.35\00:11:25.75
Keep a finger on
our spiritual pulse
00:11:25.78\00:11:27.75
because if we're dying daily,
00:11:27.78\00:11:29.78
and we're in a daily
relationship with Jesus,
00:11:29.82\00:11:32.19
then that means
each and every day,
00:11:32.22\00:11:33.92
I'm in prayer saying
00:11:33.96\00:11:35.29
"Christ, not my
will but yours..."
00:11:35.32\00:11:37.66
Amen.
00:11:37.69\00:11:39.03
"Whatever it is,
that's in my life,
00:11:39.06\00:11:40.40
Lord, please help me surrender."
00:11:40.46\00:11:41.76
And I think we have
all experienced those times
00:11:41.80\00:11:45.67
when we get so busy doing good
00:11:45.70\00:11:47.90
that we're
forgetting the greatest thing.
00:11:47.94\00:11:50.04
So let's talk
about how do we know,
00:11:50.07\00:11:54.11
how do we keep a
finger on our spiritual pulse.
00:11:54.14\00:11:57.71
Now the very first
thing that comes to my mind
00:11:57.75\00:12:00.65
is check your priorities.
00:12:00.72\00:12:03.59
You know, because what we esteem
00:12:03.62\00:12:07.46
is what we spend our time on.
00:12:07.49\00:12:09.02
That's right.
00:12:09.06\00:12:10.83
So, Francine,
00:12:10.86\00:12:12.19
why don't you read Matthew 6:33,
00:12:12.23\00:12:17.13
Matthew 6:33.
00:12:17.17\00:12:19.77
"But seek ye first the kingdom
of God and His righteousness
00:12:19.80\00:12:23.17
and all these things
shall be added to you."
00:12:23.20\00:12:26.64
And it reminds me also,
sometimes, I'm thinking of
00:12:26.68\00:12:30.11
I know Jason's more
in the business world,
00:12:30.15\00:12:31.81
but every company
or even every school
00:12:31.85\00:12:34.42
that I've been to,
00:12:34.45\00:12:35.78
we always want a mission
or some kind of goal to set.
00:12:35.82\00:12:40.26
And when you do that,
00:12:40.32\00:12:43.29
everything hopefully that you do
00:12:43.32\00:12:44.93
in your company or the school
00:12:44.96\00:12:47.23
or whatever you're setting,
00:12:47.30\00:12:48.60
for example, in 3ABN,
goes toward that mission.
00:12:48.63\00:12:52.47
And so if you have that light
00:12:52.50\00:12:54.27
of what is your focus for Jesus,
00:12:54.30\00:12:57.71
then hopefully everything
that you do throughout the day
00:12:57.74\00:13:01.51
is going toward that goal.
00:13:01.54\00:13:03.08
Amen. That's right.
00:13:03.11\00:13:04.55
Amen. That's really good.
00:13:04.58\00:13:05.91
You would assume that
our chief purpose in life,
00:13:05.95\00:13:10.39
even for our existence
00:13:10.42\00:13:13.29
is seeking first
the Kingdom of God.
00:13:13.36\00:13:16.56
But how many times do...
00:13:16.59\00:13:19.13
Hey, we never point,
I never point fingers.
00:13:19.16\00:13:22.30
Because we've all
been through it all I think
00:13:22.33\00:13:25.07
but I mean, there are
days that I wake up late,
00:13:25.10\00:13:29.00
actually, today was one,
and you hit the floor running
00:13:29.04\00:13:33.54
and you go, go,
go, go and you think,
00:13:33.58\00:13:35.24
"Okay, Lord, I don't
have time for my devotional.
00:13:35.28\00:13:38.45
I've got to get
ready, get to work on time."
00:13:38.48\00:13:41.35
And then you get to work,
00:13:41.38\00:13:42.72
and of course,
we're very blessed here
00:13:42.75\00:13:44.15
'cause we get to start
our days with a devotional.
00:13:44.19\00:13:47.76
But guess what,
today wasn't a time
00:13:47.79\00:13:51.23
that we got to
start with a devotional.
00:13:51.26\00:13:54.13
And so all of a
sudden you find yourself
00:13:54.20\00:13:57.03
just into the rhythm of the day
00:13:57.10\00:13:59.70
and all the
things that are required,
00:13:59.73\00:14:02.64
and it's not till you get home
00:14:02.67\00:14:04.01
and you're going
"Oh, Lord, forgive me."
00:14:04.04\00:14:06.71
And you feel like
you're giving God leftovers.
00:14:06.78\00:14:09.81
Anybody ever been through that?
00:14:09.84\00:14:11.18
Absolutely.
00:14:11.21\00:14:12.55
And so it happens to everyone.
00:14:12.58\00:14:15.22
And there's
something even that I told J.D.
00:14:15.25\00:14:17.72
and particularly the
Lord's been bringing it
00:14:17.75\00:14:19.99
to my attention lately.
00:14:20.06\00:14:21.69
He's the most
important person on earth to me
00:14:21.72\00:14:25.19
yet I can get so busy working
00:14:25.23\00:14:28.43
that I'm robbing Him of time
00:14:28.46\00:14:31.03
and the Lord's been showing me
I need more balance in my life.
00:14:31.07\00:14:35.40
So when I say what we
esteem we spend time with,
00:14:35.44\00:14:39.57
there we can become
so intimate with someone
00:14:39.61\00:14:44.78
that you can think
00:14:44.81\00:14:46.15
"Oh, okay, I can
spend my time doing this
00:14:46.18\00:14:48.85
because this is secure."
00:14:48.88\00:14:51.19
Some people end up getting
a divorce because of that,
00:14:51.22\00:14:53.92
but also some people
00:14:53.96\00:14:55.29
who are like
these the Ten Virgins
00:14:55.32\00:14:58.36
who aren't
surrendered to the Lord.
00:14:58.39\00:14:59.76
Yeah, I think, you know,
00:14:59.79\00:15:01.93
this western American
culture that we live in
00:15:01.96\00:15:04.73
has kind of set us up
for defeat in that area.
00:15:04.77\00:15:08.27
Because in the culture
that we live in, you know,
00:15:08.30\00:15:13.78
trying to attempt to
achieve the American dream is...
00:15:13.81\00:15:18.25
Push yourself, work, work,
00:15:18.28\00:15:19.85
work hard, hard,
hard, as hard as you can,
00:15:19.88\00:15:22.58
to, you know, reach those goals,
00:15:22.62\00:15:24.69
you know, to be that
person you want to be.
00:15:24.72\00:15:26.62
And there's nothing
wrong with those things.
00:15:26.65\00:15:27.99
I think we all
should have goals,
00:15:28.02\00:15:29.36
we all should love our jobs.
00:15:29.39\00:15:30.73
And, you know, the Bible said
00:15:30.76\00:15:32.09
"You don't work, you don't eat."
00:15:32.13\00:15:33.50
And so we have to
work, working is important.
00:15:33.53\00:15:35.36
But I think in this
western American culture
00:15:35.40\00:15:37.23
that we live in, you know,
00:15:37.27\00:15:38.70
sometimes
talking about priorities,
00:15:38.73\00:15:40.80
we instead of seeking
first the Kingdom of God
00:15:40.84\00:15:43.57
at the top, you know,
it's kind of, you know,
00:15:43.61\00:15:46.17
it may be, you know,
00:15:46.21\00:15:47.54
family first or maybe
job first and then family
00:15:47.58\00:15:50.55
and then relationships
and then, you know,
00:15:50.61\00:15:52.75
church and the
mission of the church,
00:15:52.78\00:15:54.52
and God's work
and the Kingdom of God
00:15:54.55\00:15:55.95
kind of gets shoved
down at the bottom, you know,
00:15:55.98\00:15:58.25
if I have any time
left over in the week,
00:15:58.29\00:15:59.75
you know, I might
go to prayer meeting
00:15:59.79\00:16:01.19
if I feel okay or I
might go to church this week
00:16:01.22\00:16:04.16
if I feel like it,
if I'm not too tired.
00:16:04.19\00:16:06.09
And so just an
example, you know.
00:16:06.13\00:16:08.03
I think when we put
that list right side up,
00:16:08.06\00:16:11.30
and then we put Jesus first
and His mission and His kingdom
00:16:11.33\00:16:13.77
and the work of the church,
00:16:13.84\00:16:15.57
you know, in a
responsible perspective,
00:16:15.60\00:16:18.17
then everything else as
He said, it will be added,
00:16:18.21\00:16:20.78
everything else
will fall in line
00:16:20.81\00:16:22.51
as it's supposed to.
00:16:22.54\00:16:23.88
And I'm gonna take
it one step further
00:16:23.95\00:16:25.78
because I always
have Kingdom work first,
00:16:25.81\00:16:29.45
that's where he
gets ignored sometimes.
00:16:29.48\00:16:32.59
I think,
00:16:32.62\00:16:34.26
if you're gonna keep a
finger on your spiritual pulse,
00:16:34.29\00:16:37.46
they say prayer is
the breath of the soul.
00:16:37.53\00:16:39.56
Right.
00:16:39.59\00:16:40.93
I mean, if you're
not starting your day
00:16:40.96\00:16:42.46
in serious prayer,
and not just a list of,
00:16:42.50\00:16:47.54
you know, like you're
thinking he is running a casino
00:16:47.60\00:16:52.71
and you're on the slot machine,
00:16:52.74\00:16:54.08
"Lord, I need this, this,
00:16:54.14\00:16:55.48
and this today
or do this or that."
00:16:55.51\00:16:57.05
That's not what
I'm talking about.
00:16:57.11\00:16:58.45
If we're not seeking His face,
00:16:58.48\00:17:02.58
that intimate relationship,
00:17:02.62\00:17:05.82
I mean, to me that's when...
00:17:05.85\00:17:07.19
If your prayer
life is suffering,
00:17:07.22\00:17:10.06
let me tell you, your
spiritual pulse is weak.
00:17:10.09\00:17:13.06
So, J.D, why don't
you read Psalms 62:8?
00:17:13.09\00:17:18.27
Psalms 62, because as
we go through priorities,
00:17:18.30\00:17:21.50
and how do we stay
within the parameters
00:17:21.54\00:17:24.01
of the priorities
that we're setting
00:17:24.04\00:17:26.37
as a believing child of God,
00:17:26.41\00:17:29.18
and I believe that it
probably starts with prayer.
00:17:29.21\00:17:32.01
And when you think of prayer,
you think of David, okay,
00:17:32.05\00:17:35.15
'cause David was just...
00:17:35.18\00:17:37.59
How many books in David?
00:17:37.62\00:17:39.12
150?
00:17:39.15\00:17:40.49
In Psalms? How many Psalms?
00:17:40.56\00:17:42.06
Yes. Yeah.
00:17:42.09\00:17:43.43
So, I mean,
lots of prayer there.
00:17:43.46\00:17:45.49
Here in Psalms 62:8,
00:17:45.53\00:17:48.80
"Trust in Him," capital H,
00:17:48.83\00:17:50.93
"trust in Jesus at
all times, you people.
00:17:50.97\00:17:54.24
Pour out your heart before Him,
00:17:54.27\00:17:56.14
because God is
indeed a refuge for us."
00:17:56.17\00:17:59.74
Amen. Amen.
00:17:59.77\00:18:01.18
So what does it mean
00:18:01.21\00:18:02.54
to pour out your
heart before the Lord?
00:18:02.58\00:18:04.98
I would say to
give up everything.
00:18:05.01\00:18:07.15
Just to focus on Him.
00:18:07.18\00:18:09.75
You know, I
think of Matthew 7:24
00:18:09.78\00:18:13.89
talks about building
your life on the rock.
00:18:13.92\00:18:16.86
Amen.
00:18:16.89\00:18:18.23
And when we can do
that, that's when, you know,
00:18:18.26\00:18:20.63
we're grounded on
something that is solid.
00:18:20.66\00:18:23.67
And, you know,
we can move forward.
00:18:23.70\00:18:27.04
You know, I also look at...
00:18:27.07\00:18:29.47
In my life, I love analytics.
00:18:29.50\00:18:33.61
And I go through my whole day.
00:18:33.68\00:18:35.01
And at the end of the day,
00:18:35.04\00:18:36.38
I look at all the things
that I could have done better.
00:18:36.41\00:18:40.42
And I analyze those things.
00:18:40.45\00:18:42.85
And then I pray, I'm like,
00:18:42.88\00:18:44.55
"Okay, Lord, tomorrow help
me with those kind of things."
00:18:44.59\00:18:50.33
But I find that
when I step back,
00:18:50.36\00:18:54.10
that has
happened to me in that day
00:18:54.10\00:18:58.20
and those things that
I could have done better.
00:18:58.23\00:19:01.70
I ask the Lord, you know,
00:19:01.74\00:19:03.07
"Give me those attributes
or give me those things
00:19:03.10\00:19:05.11
that maybe I could
have done better with."
00:19:05.14\00:19:08.24
You know, so
sometimes stepping back
00:19:08.28\00:19:10.61
and searching your own
life, and all the activities
00:19:10.68\00:19:13.75
and all the things that
you've done in your life,
00:19:13.78\00:19:15.88
and then focusing
on Jesus and saying,
00:19:15.92\00:19:17.95
"Hey, you know, I
need to be on the rock.
00:19:17.99\00:19:20.99
I need to be focused on Jesus
00:19:21.02\00:19:22.59
and what He's done in my
life and all the attributes
00:19:22.62\00:19:25.83
that He can give
me to do better."
00:19:25.86\00:19:28.73
But I always and I always fall
00:19:28.76\00:19:32.43
when I think that I can do it.
00:19:32.47\00:19:36.04
And that's when Jesus...
00:19:36.07\00:19:37.41
You know, that's
what's so awesome with Jesus.
00:19:37.44\00:19:39.47
He will never force us
00:19:39.51\00:19:41.64
into doing something that, we...
00:19:41.68\00:19:44.98
You know, we want to do stuff,
but sometimes by letting go,
00:19:45.01\00:19:48.95
the Lord can take over.
00:19:48.98\00:19:50.92
But when I say "I can do it."
00:19:50.99\00:19:52.82
Right.
00:19:52.85\00:19:54.19
That's when the Lord said okay,
00:19:54.26\00:19:55.72
He backs off and
then He allows us to fall
00:19:55.76\00:20:00.13
and then we get up.
00:20:00.20\00:20:01.50
And as long as we
can stand on the rock
00:20:01.53\00:20:04.13
and realize that
we have messed up,
00:20:04.17\00:20:06.94
that's when we can go
00:20:07.00\00:20:08.34
to that next rung in that ladder
00:20:08.37\00:20:10.37
and climb to that next step
in a relationship with Jesus.
00:20:10.41\00:20:13.64
That's right.
00:20:13.68\00:20:15.01
If my people who
are called by my name
00:20:15.04\00:20:17.01
will humble themselves and pray.
00:20:17.05\00:20:20.08
But now, let me
ask you something
00:20:20.12\00:20:21.68
I recently...
00:20:21.72\00:20:23.05
Well, actually, today, I
was talking with someone,
00:20:23.08\00:20:25.35
and I told them, I just learned
00:20:25.39\00:20:27.26
that I'm going to
have to have surgery
00:20:27.32\00:20:29.56
on four vertebrae at
once, which is, I mean,
00:20:29.59\00:20:32.53
some serious major back surgery.
00:20:32.56\00:20:35.10
You know, what the
most interesting thing.
00:20:35.13\00:20:37.03
When I got the news,
part of it was expected,
00:20:37.10\00:20:41.17
the rest of it was not expected.
00:20:41.20\00:20:43.64
And it was like,
00:20:43.67\00:20:45.84
"Ah" and I just cocooned.
00:20:45.87\00:20:52.41
I became like a
recluse, and when I was...
00:20:52.45\00:20:55.28
I could pray for other people,
but I couldn't pray for myself.
00:20:55.32\00:20:59.39
Does that make sense?
00:20:59.42\00:21:00.86
You know, there are times
'cause we don't want to...
00:21:00.89\00:21:02.82
When we're sitting here,
00:21:02.86\00:21:04.36
I think pouring
out our heart to God,
00:21:04.39\00:21:07.86
He knows our fears,
00:21:07.93\00:21:09.23
He knows when we
don't want to do something.
00:21:09.26\00:21:11.73
And sometimes
even I'll say to Him,
00:21:11.77\00:21:13.64
"Lord, you got
to make me willing,
00:21:13.70\00:21:15.77
I'm willing to be made willing,
00:21:15.80\00:21:17.27
but I really
don't want to do this."
00:21:17.31\00:21:19.07
That's right.
00:21:19.11\00:21:20.44
But this was a
time when it was like,
00:21:20.48\00:21:23.18
I just kept saying,
00:21:23.21\00:21:26.48
"Lord, don't let
me make a mistake
00:21:26.51\00:21:27.88
here in the decision."
00:21:27.92\00:21:29.25
That's all I could say,
but I couldn't pray anymore.
00:21:29.28\00:21:32.09
There are times that we
become like a paralytic,
00:21:32.12\00:21:35.29
be paralytic.
00:21:35.32\00:21:37.19
And when we can't
pray for ourselves,
00:21:37.23\00:21:39.53
we need to go to others.
00:21:39.56\00:21:40.90
Oh, absolutely.
00:21:40.93\00:21:42.23
And say, "I need
a stretcher bearer."
00:21:42.26\00:21:44.93
And if you will pray for me
00:21:44.97\00:21:48.20
'cause sometimes, other people
00:21:48.24\00:21:50.64
when you've been
hit with some news,
00:21:50.67\00:21:52.47
maybe that is
just shocking to you,
00:21:52.51\00:21:54.78
you need somebody else
00:21:54.81\00:21:57.31
to help you get
to the throne of God.
00:21:57.38\00:21:59.28
That's true.
00:21:59.31\00:22:00.72
Someone just recently...
00:22:00.75\00:22:02.08
This is powerful on the
note you're talking about
00:22:02.12\00:22:03.52
because someone just
recently sent me a link
00:22:03.59\00:22:05.69
to an inter...
00:22:05.72\00:22:07.26
Well, it's kind of an interview
00:22:07.29\00:22:08.62
but more or less say
a testimony of a lady.
00:22:08.66\00:22:11.43
And in this
testimony, it's powerful.
00:22:11.46\00:22:15.13
Long story short,
00:22:15.16\00:22:16.50
this lady basically
ends up in the hospital
00:22:16.53\00:22:18.17
with a strong
bacteria in her bloodstream.
00:22:18.20\00:22:21.60
And she was on
the verge of dying
00:22:21.64\00:22:23.57
and she knew it.
00:22:23.61\00:22:24.94
And she was calling
everyone in her church,
00:22:24.97\00:22:27.74
everyone she knew,
00:22:27.78\00:22:29.11
"Please, please
send up a prayer for me,
00:22:29.14\00:22:30.81
please send up a prayer for me."
00:22:30.85\00:22:32.18
Even herself all night
long, laying in that bed
00:22:32.21\00:22:34.48
getting sicker and sicker,
praying, praying, praying,
00:22:34.52\00:22:36.18
praying the Lord.
00:22:36.22\00:22:37.55
Eventually this led her
00:22:37.59\00:22:38.92
to this kind of
this rock-bottom moment
00:22:38.95\00:22:42.26
where she was kind
of almost delirious,
00:22:42.29\00:22:44.33
but at the same time
calling out to the Lord saying,
00:22:44.36\00:22:46.29
"Lord, why
aren't You hearing me?
00:22:46.33\00:22:48.06
Why aren't You
answering my prayer?
00:22:48.10\00:22:49.43
Why aren't You answering?
00:22:49.46\00:22:50.80
Lord, I'm pleading, I'm
calling, I'm Your servant,
00:22:50.83\00:22:52.60
I'm asking You
to answer my prayer
00:22:52.63\00:22:54.40
but You're silent.
00:22:54.44\00:22:55.77
You're not hearing me,
You're not answering me."
00:22:55.80\00:22:57.74
And then she goes to this moment
00:22:57.77\00:22:59.11
where she believes
the Lord spoke to her,
00:22:59.14\00:23:01.41
told her, "I'm gonna heal you,
00:23:01.44\00:23:02.78
but it's not
because of your prayers.
00:23:02.81\00:23:04.61
It's because there's
another person praying for you.
00:23:04.65\00:23:06.65
I'm gonna heal you
00:23:06.72\00:23:08.05
because someone
else is praying for you.
00:23:08.08\00:23:09.42
Amen.
00:23:09.45\00:23:10.79
And through this experience,
00:23:10.82\00:23:12.15
this woman had a
revival like no other.
00:23:12.19\00:23:14.16
And I think sometimes
we have to keep in mind
00:23:14.19\00:23:16.56
that, you know,
00:23:16.59\00:23:17.93
there are people in the Bible,
there's examples in the Bible
00:23:17.96\00:23:19.86
were strong men
and women in the Lord,
00:23:19.89\00:23:22.43
you know, they found
themselves in circumstances
00:23:22.46\00:23:24.17
where they, I'm
sure they prayed.
00:23:24.23\00:23:25.57
I could imagine the many
years that Joseph spent in jail,
00:23:25.60\00:23:29.67
every single
day, "Lord, save me.
00:23:29.70\00:23:31.51
Lord, save me. Lord, save me."
00:23:31.54\00:23:33.44
You know, most of us
would probably give up
00:23:33.48\00:23:35.48
after a week or a
month or two months,
00:23:35.51\00:23:37.31
and he's in there for years.
00:23:37.35\00:23:38.81
And you can
imagine day in and day out,
00:23:38.85\00:23:40.18
"Lord, save me.
00:23:40.22\00:23:41.55
Lord, save me."
00:23:41.58\00:23:42.92
And he could have eventually,
you know, threw in the towel
00:23:42.95\00:23:44.29
and say, "Well, I
guess, the Lord's just...
00:23:44.32\00:23:45.69
He's given up on
me," but He didn't.
00:23:45.72\00:23:48.39
Think of Job, Job went through.
00:23:48.42\00:23:50.43
He could have easily get through
00:23:50.49\00:23:51.83
no throwing in
the towel, and said,
00:23:51.86\00:23:53.19
"You know what, the
Lord's not hearing me,
00:23:53.23\00:23:54.56
He's ignoring me, He's silent."
00:23:54.56\00:23:56.73
But he isn't. The
Lord hears our prayers.
00:23:56.80\00:23:58.40
But sometimes the
Lord will answer a prayer
00:23:58.43\00:24:01.24
through someone
else to reach us.
00:24:01.27\00:24:03.27
Let me piggyback.
00:24:03.30\00:24:05.04
Let's go back
to that Psalms 62:8
00:24:05.07\00:24:07.48
and follow the story
00:24:07.51\00:24:08.84
that you just told on that lady.
00:24:08.88\00:24:11.21
"Trust in him at all times,
trust in Jesus at all times.
00:24:11.25\00:24:15.25
Pour out your heart,"
00:24:15.28\00:24:16.99
the lady's pouring
out her heart before Him,
00:24:17.02\00:24:20.39
"and then God is the refuge."
00:24:20.46\00:24:22.16
That's right.
00:24:22.19\00:24:23.53
We don't have any
idea how, you know...
00:24:23.56\00:24:26.19
Great story and the tie in there
00:24:26.23\00:24:28.33
and that's what
we all need to do.
00:24:28.36\00:24:30.53
You know, trust
in Him at all times.
00:24:30.57\00:24:34.60
It doesn't get
any better than that
00:24:34.64\00:24:36.44
if you can understand the hope,
00:24:36.47\00:24:38.61
the eager expectation
of when you're going,
00:24:38.64\00:24:40.74
"Lord, I trust in You.
00:24:40.78\00:24:42.11
You're the one
that has the plan."
00:24:42.14\00:24:44.25
And you're the one
that's from the beginning.
00:24:44.28\00:24:46.05
Yeah.
00:24:46.08\00:24:47.42
But don't stop
pouring out your heart to Him
00:24:47.48\00:24:50.35
because now we're
cooperating with each other.
00:24:50.39\00:24:53.25
And then the
creator what He does best,
00:24:53.32\00:24:57.23
then recreates.
00:24:57.29\00:24:58.63
But, you know, and
we've got to remember
00:24:58.66\00:25:00.06
that pouring out our heart,
00:25:00.10\00:25:02.53
I mean, there's nothing wrong
00:25:02.56\00:25:03.90
with having showing
our emotions in prayer.
00:25:03.97\00:25:05.83
Now first of all,
00:25:05.87\00:25:07.24
God knows everything
we're thinking, right?
00:25:07.27\00:25:09.17
But I think that Psalms 27:8
is one of my favorite verses
00:25:09.20\00:25:13.17
because there was a
time that God was teaching me
00:25:13.21\00:25:16.28
to press into His presence
00:25:16.31\00:25:18.68
and, and like David,
00:25:18.71\00:25:20.42
what I heard was seek my face.
00:25:20.45\00:25:23.79
In Psalms 28:7, or Psalms 27:8,
00:25:23.82\00:25:29.29
David said to the Lord,
00:25:29.32\00:25:31.33
"When you said, 'Seek my face'"
00:25:31.36\00:25:34.36
this is God speaking to David.
00:25:34.36\00:25:36.83
"Seek my face."
00:25:36.87\00:25:39.13
He said, "My heart said to you,
00:25:39.17\00:25:41.50
'your face, Lord, I will seek.'"
00:25:41.54\00:25:43.91
And what that means is,
00:25:43.97\00:25:46.44
this is a complete
turning to the Lord in devotion,
00:25:46.47\00:25:50.81
not looking for
what God can do for you
00:25:50.85\00:25:55.52
but to get to know God.
00:25:55.55\00:25:57.15
That's right.
00:25:57.19\00:25:58.52
And, you know, for
me in one way that...
00:25:58.55\00:26:01.99
How do you seek His face?
00:26:02.02\00:26:03.76
What I would do is I would pray.
00:26:03.79\00:26:06.93
And then I'd say, now, Lord...
00:26:06.96\00:26:09.80
John 17:17 says that "You
sanctify me by Your word."
00:26:09.83\00:26:13.64
So sanctify me by this word.
00:26:13.67\00:26:15.80
Speak to me through your word."
00:26:15.84\00:26:17.21
And then I would read
00:26:17.24\00:26:18.67
and I pray over the
scripture to the Lord.
00:26:18.71\00:26:21.58
So seeking God's face is
to get to understand His love,
00:26:21.61\00:26:26.48
and His plan
better, don't you think?
00:26:26.51\00:26:27.85
That's right.
00:26:27.88\00:26:29.22
Also on that
same note, you know,
00:26:29.25\00:26:30.69
the face of the
Lord, I think, the Moses,
00:26:30.72\00:26:32.75
you know, Moses
wanted to see God.
00:26:32.79\00:26:34.16
Yeah. That's exactly...
00:26:34.19\00:26:35.52
He was able to see God's
body on a couple of accounts,
00:26:35.56\00:26:38.69
but he was never able to
look upon the face of God
00:26:38.73\00:26:40.70
because of God's glory.
00:26:40.73\00:26:42.50
And of course, the
glory within the face of God
00:26:42.53\00:26:44.40
would represent His
character, His righteousness.
00:26:44.43\00:26:46.90
And so when we seek God's face,
00:26:46.94\00:26:48.27
we're seeking His
perfect character,
00:26:48.30\00:26:49.97
His righteousness.
00:26:50.01\00:26:51.34
And I love what you said there,
we don't want to be seeking...
00:26:51.37\00:26:53.44
There's a song I sing,
00:26:53.48\00:26:54.81
you know, with all my
heart and in the lyrics it says,
00:26:54.84\00:26:57.61
"You faithfully supply my
need according to Your plan
00:26:57.65\00:27:00.55
so help me, Lord,
00:27:00.58\00:27:01.92
to seek your face
before I seek your hand."
00:27:01.95\00:27:03.92
Amen.
00:27:03.95\00:27:05.29
Because a lot of times
00:27:05.32\00:27:06.65
we're in this
constant perpetual state of
00:27:06.69\00:27:08.02
"Lord, give me,
give me, give me.
00:27:08.06\00:27:09.42
Lord, help me,
help me, help me."
00:27:09.46\00:27:11.06
And the Lord does
want to give to us
00:27:11.09\00:27:12.79
and He does want to help us.
00:27:12.83\00:27:14.30
But before He always provides,
00:27:14.36\00:27:16.60
the most important thing
is that we're transformed.
00:27:16.67\00:27:19.23
And so His face would be
of course that knowing factor,
00:27:19.27\00:27:22.47
that personal relationship.
00:27:22.50\00:27:23.84
But looking up
on the face of God,
00:27:23.91\00:27:26.24
seeking the face of God
is seeking His righteousness,
00:27:26.27\00:27:28.94
His perfect character.
00:27:28.98\00:27:30.35
And I think
praying with thanks...
00:27:30.38\00:27:32.18
I begin my prayer with
thanksgiving and praise.
00:27:32.21\00:27:35.78
Actually, I would say
50 percent to 70 percent
00:27:35.82\00:27:39.82
of my prayers,
thanksgiving and praise.
00:27:39.85\00:27:42.26
And I think that is bringing you
00:27:42.29\00:27:44.43
into where you're
really seeing the face of God.
00:27:44.46\00:27:47.93
You know, I've
actually experienced that
00:27:47.96\00:27:49.90
I had a pastor
where I was working with,
00:27:49.93\00:27:52.87
and we're going through...
00:27:52.90\00:27:54.74
Both of us we're
going through some trials.
00:27:54.77\00:27:56.57
And, you know, he told
me one morning he goes,
00:27:56.60\00:27:59.64
"You know, we just
need to praise God.
00:27:59.67\00:28:02.84
Spend a few
minutes just praising God."
00:28:02.88\00:28:05.21
And so I actually
started doing that.
00:28:05.25\00:28:06.95
It was amazing,
the transformation,
00:28:06.98\00:28:08.78
just in my own mind.
00:28:08.82\00:28:10.92
When, you know, I
started, you know...
00:28:10.95\00:28:12.99
And it's not like,
"Well, I praise the Lord."
00:28:13.02\00:28:15.22
But it's, you
know, outright saying,
00:28:15.26\00:28:18.19
I praise You, to
You be all the glory.
00:28:18.23\00:28:22.03
And to praise God in the
way that will give glory to Him,
00:28:22.06\00:28:26.00
which, you know,
we're denying ourselves,
00:28:26.03\00:28:27.64
we're denying anything,
00:28:27.67\00:28:29.10
but we're realizing
00:28:29.14\00:28:30.51
that without
Jesus, we're nothing.
00:28:30.54\00:28:32.61
But then when we focus,
and our mission is on Jesus,
00:28:32.64\00:28:37.98
and we start today
with just praising God.
00:28:38.01\00:28:42.08
And I can attest you
that when I did this,
00:28:42.12\00:28:46.09
and I did it for
about three to four minutes
00:28:46.12\00:28:48.16
while I was walking to work.
00:28:48.19\00:28:50.86
And I had this armor.
00:28:50.93\00:28:53.40
Amen.
00:28:53.43\00:28:54.73
It felt like that when
people were doing things
00:28:54.76\00:28:57.90
and saying things
and acting inappropriate,
00:28:57.93\00:29:02.17
it didn't bother me.
00:29:02.20\00:29:03.64
And, you know, you
get through the day...
00:29:03.67\00:29:05.07
And yeah, at the end of the day,
00:29:05.11\00:29:06.44
you felt like you've been,
00:29:06.47\00:29:07.84
you know, you
went through a war,
00:29:07.88\00:29:09.48
and you felt tired
and all that burden,
00:29:09.51\00:29:12.38
but you were able to
get through that day,
00:29:12.41\00:29:15.25
with that start of the
day of just praising God
00:29:15.28\00:29:18.42
for all that He has done for us,
00:29:18.45\00:29:20.29
and the glory that is His.
00:29:20.32\00:29:22.86
Well, you know,
when you're praising God
00:29:22.89\00:29:24.26
for His
faithfulness, for His mercy,
00:29:24.29\00:29:26.03
for His power, it's like,
00:29:26.06\00:29:27.83
suddenly you're remembering
who He really, really is.
00:29:27.86\00:29:30.67
That's right.
00:29:30.70\00:29:32.03
But also, one
thing that I praise God
00:29:32.07\00:29:34.04
and thank Him for all the time
00:29:34.07\00:29:35.87
is that salvation is a gift.
00:29:35.90\00:29:40.28
And, you know...
00:29:40.31\00:29:41.64
And I'm always telling
Him, "Lord, I thank you
00:29:41.68\00:29:43.24
because I know I
can never save myself."
00:29:43.28\00:29:46.15
That is for me growing up
00:29:46.18\00:29:48.98
in the pattern
in which I grew up.
00:29:49.02\00:29:53.46
I tried so hard to
save myself for 50 years,
00:29:53.49\00:29:55.89
and it was just...
00:29:55.92\00:29:57.26
I got so
discouraged from time to time.
00:29:57.33\00:29:59.79
But when I really
understood God's grace,
00:29:59.83\00:30:02.46
and that I don't
obey to be saved,
00:30:02.50\00:30:04.97
I obey because I am saved,
00:30:05.00\00:30:07.64
I obey because I love Him.
00:30:07.67\00:30:09.20
It's just...
00:30:09.24\00:30:10.57
It's how I
express my love to Him.
00:30:10.61\00:30:12.51
That made all the
difference in the world.
00:30:12.54\00:30:14.48
You know, this certainly
brings up 1 Thessalonians 5:17.
00:30:14.51\00:30:17.78
Yes, amen.
00:30:17.81\00:30:19.15
Because we are in
prayer, we go to Him,
00:30:19.18\00:30:20.52
we pour out our voices to Him,
00:30:20.58\00:30:23.28
you know, and 1
Thessalonians 5:17
00:30:23.35\00:30:25.69
is "Pray without
ceasing, but our love..."
00:30:25.72\00:30:27.62
You have to start
with 16, don't you?
00:30:27.66\00:30:29.56
Yeah.
00:30:29.59\00:30:32.46
Rejoice always,
00:30:32.49\00:30:33.86
as you were just
saying, you know.
00:30:33.90\00:30:35.20
I mean, I
remember when someone...
00:30:35.23\00:30:37.20
You mentioned that to me,
00:30:37.23\00:30:39.80
thanking Him and
praising and all things,
00:30:39.83\00:30:41.67
and I did the same thing.
00:30:41.70\00:30:43.27
And, boy, that was a aha moment.
00:30:43.34\00:30:45.94
That next whatever
and even to this day,
00:30:45.97\00:30:47.94
"Thank You, Jesus."
00:30:47.98\00:30:49.31
I don't know what's
coming but this is what threw me
00:30:49.34\00:30:52.55
because I never
really saw the end.
00:30:52.58\00:30:55.45
It's "Rejoice
always, pray without ceasing,
00:30:55.48\00:30:57.85
give thanks in all things."
00:30:57.89\00:31:00.36
I just always can't
think for all things,
00:31:00.39\00:31:02.46
you know, if it's in all things.
00:31:02.49\00:31:04.33
And man, that's
good times bad times.
00:31:04.36\00:31:06.13
And that's hard.
00:31:06.16\00:31:07.50
You bet it's hard.
00:31:07.50\00:31:08.83
I mean, when
you're in the hard times,
00:31:08.86\00:31:10.33
you know, I don't
feel like praising God...
00:31:10.37\00:31:12.83
Yeah. In those times.
00:31:12.87\00:31:14.20
But I find that when we do that
00:31:14.24\00:31:16.47
when we give up
ourselves and we're like,
00:31:16.50\00:31:18.97
"Okay, let's just
take that Bible verse
00:31:19.01\00:31:21.04
and let's put it to the test."
00:31:21.08\00:31:23.61
It's amazing how God
can transform our lives and,
00:31:23.65\00:31:28.72
you know, and protects us.
00:31:28.75\00:31:30.85
You know, I also
look at this also...
00:31:30.89\00:31:32.59
As I ask the question,
00:31:32.62\00:31:35.26
I like asking my question,
00:31:35.29\00:31:36.69
why, why do I
do the things I do?
00:31:36.73\00:31:40.16
You know, for what purpose?
00:31:40.20\00:31:41.50
What is...
00:31:41.53\00:31:42.86
You know, as we're talking about
00:31:42.90\00:31:44.30
what is your
mission, what's your goals.
00:31:44.33\00:31:46.57
And when I look at Jesus,
00:31:46.60\00:31:48.50
and I look at everything
that He has done for me,
00:31:48.54\00:31:52.31
it's all about relational.
00:31:52.34\00:31:53.71
Amen.
00:31:53.74\00:31:55.08
And I do it because number one,
I want to be closer to Jesus.
00:31:55.11\00:31:59.88
And I do that because I know
00:31:59.95\00:32:02.72
that there is nothing in my life
00:32:02.75\00:32:04.59
that's really good of myself.
00:32:04.62\00:32:06.02
Amen.
00:32:06.05\00:32:07.39
But it's all because of
what Jesus has did for me.
00:32:07.46\00:32:09.79
And He created me for a purpose.
00:32:09.82\00:32:13.50
And He created each
one of us for a purpose.
00:32:13.53\00:32:16.63
That's why, you know,
00:32:16.67\00:32:18.30
I look at the fruits
of the spirit saying,
00:32:18.33\00:32:20.60
"Okay, I need those attributes
00:32:20.64\00:32:22.77
because we're all
brothers and sisters,
00:32:22.80\00:32:25.77
and we need to treat everyone
00:32:25.81\00:32:27.74
with love and
respect and have patience."
00:32:27.78\00:32:30.25
And not, you know,
00:32:30.31\00:32:31.65
some people may
need more patience
00:32:31.68\00:32:33.58
than others and,
00:32:33.62\00:32:35.25
or I may need more
patience, you know, you know.
00:32:35.28\00:32:38.59
So it's...
00:32:38.62\00:32:39.95
And, you know, I'm
talking about myself
00:32:40.02\00:32:41.36
because I see a lot of things
00:32:41.39\00:32:43.29
that in my life I
need to improve on.
00:32:43.32\00:32:46.16
But I know that I'm doing this
00:32:46.19\00:32:48.56
because I want a
relationship with Jesus.
00:32:48.60\00:32:51.67
And the bonus, the goal,
00:32:51.70\00:32:54.54
the final thing is
being with Him for eternity.
00:32:54.57\00:32:57.34
Amen.
00:32:57.37\00:32:58.71
So if we're
checking our spiritual pulse,
00:32:58.74\00:33:03.11
we start by looking at
what are our priorities.
00:33:03.14\00:33:07.82
Sometimes we need
to reprioritize things.
00:33:07.85\00:33:11.65
And of course,
00:33:11.69\00:33:15.09
prayer should be one
of our top priorities.
00:33:15.12\00:33:17.89
If you love somebody,
you want to talk with them.
00:33:17.93\00:33:20.43
But now, prayer is more of a...
00:33:20.50\00:33:23.63
it's actually a
two way conversation
00:33:23.67\00:33:25.67
if you learn to
listen for His voice.
00:33:25.70\00:33:28.07
But how this God
primarily speak to us?
00:33:28.10\00:33:32.21
So I would put that
on our second, I mean...
00:33:32.24\00:33:37.11
Our third rink here
is reading God's word.
00:33:37.15\00:33:41.92
So you want to read
Matthew 4:4, Francine?
00:33:41.95\00:33:45.09
Yeah. Mathew
4:4. Let me get to it.
00:33:45.12\00:33:48.26
Let's see.
00:33:48.29\00:33:49.62
I like that Bible with you.
00:33:54.03\00:33:55.36
I like it. It's nice and big.
00:33:55.40\00:33:57.73
That's a big print.
00:33:57.77\00:33:59.10
"But He answered and said..."
00:33:59.13\00:34:00.94
Am I in the
right place? That's it.
00:34:00.97\00:34:02.77
Okay, "It is written,
00:34:02.80\00:34:04.41
Man shall not
live by bread alone,
00:34:04.44\00:34:06.14
but by every word that
proceeds from the mouth of God."
00:34:06.17\00:34:09.71
So what's going
on in this scene?
00:34:09.74\00:34:13.62
Well, Jesus is being tempted
by the devil of brethrens.
00:34:13.65\00:34:15.95
And by the devil. Yeah.
00:34:15.98\00:34:17.79
And so Jesus is applying
a primary example here to us
00:34:17.82\00:34:22.72
because He is our example.
00:34:22.76\00:34:24.23
Peter tells us
that He's our example,
00:34:24.26\00:34:26.73
that, you know,
00:34:26.80\00:34:28.10
where Jesus is
showing us here that
00:34:28.13\00:34:29.46
when the devil comes along,
00:34:29.50\00:34:31.17
and he brings that temptation,
00:34:31.20\00:34:33.60
that He like Himself,
00:34:33.64\00:34:35.50
we should also
follow in His steps
00:34:35.54\00:34:36.97
to defend ourselves
00:34:37.01\00:34:39.01
or to allow the
Word of God to defend us
00:34:39.04\00:34:41.11
and declaring the promises
00:34:41.14\00:34:42.81
and the powerful
words of the Word of God.
00:34:42.84\00:34:45.45
And so...
00:34:45.48\00:34:46.82
When He says
that, we live by this,
00:34:46.88\00:34:50.55
if the Bible is our
spiritual nourishment,
00:34:50.59\00:34:54.26
what kind of pulse do you have
00:34:54.29\00:34:55.66
if you're not doing some
kind of daily Bible study?
00:34:55.69\00:34:59.79
Probably not much of one
00:34:59.83\00:35:01.26
because you're
spiritually malnourished.
00:35:01.30\00:35:03.67
At least that's
the concept of it,
00:35:03.70\00:35:05.03
you know, we have to
feed on the Word of God.
00:35:05.07\00:35:07.77
I think of the sanctuary,
00:35:07.80\00:35:10.11
the sanctuary is
the perfect laid out
00:35:10.14\00:35:12.74
beautiful
blueprint plan of salvation.
00:35:12.77\00:35:15.44
And that table of showbread
was there for a purpose.
00:35:15.48\00:35:18.98
The priesthood would
eat on that bread daily,
00:35:19.01\00:35:23.79
and it was a part of
their daily experience
00:35:23.82\00:35:26.45
in the sanctuary.
00:35:26.49\00:35:27.92
And that is an example
to us that just as Christ
00:35:27.96\00:35:30.13
is the bread of life,
00:35:30.16\00:35:31.49
we should feast on
Him daily in His Word.
00:35:31.53\00:35:34.93
I think of also
Isaiah 8:20, which says
00:35:34.93\00:35:37.43
"And to the law
and to the prophets,"
00:35:37.47\00:35:39.27
if they speak, you know...
00:35:39.30\00:35:40.64
It should be that a
law and the testimony
00:35:40.70\00:35:42.04
if they speak not
according to this word,
00:35:42.07\00:35:44.21
it is because there
is no light in them,
00:35:44.27\00:35:45.64
there's heavy emphasis
placed on the importance
00:35:45.67\00:35:48.68
and significance of the
Word of God in our life.
00:35:48.71\00:35:51.08
Faith comes by hearing and
hearing by the Word of God.
00:35:51.11\00:35:55.22
So you have a daughter, Amanda.
00:35:55.25\00:35:59.05
And I know that
this is something
00:35:59.09\00:36:00.89
that you're
teaching and training her up
00:36:00.92\00:36:03.46
is to have this
daily Bible study.
00:36:03.49\00:36:06.03
And it's interesting
when she takes the time
00:36:06.06\00:36:08.23
and shows that interest
and she reads to us on a,
00:36:08.26\00:36:11.83
you know, and
she's getting excited.
00:36:11.87\00:36:14.04
I mean, that is again,
00:36:14.07\00:36:16.14
a little bit of the
fruit of the Spirit.
00:36:16.17\00:36:17.61
But, you know,
00:36:17.64\00:36:18.97
when I see the bread
coming in, we take that in
00:36:19.01\00:36:22.61
and it gives us the
nourishment that we need.
00:36:22.64\00:36:25.31
And I like how you said,
00:36:25.35\00:36:26.82
you know, daily check your pulse
00:36:26.85\00:36:28.45
because the blood is
giving all this nourishment
00:36:28.48\00:36:32.69
to the different
organs, every part of your body.
00:36:32.72\00:36:35.69
And just like the Holy Spirit
00:36:35.72\00:36:37.33
is giving all these
different attributes
00:36:37.36\00:36:40.30
of who God is,
00:36:40.33\00:36:41.66
and focusing on all
these little areas is
00:36:41.70\00:36:44.63
if you do spend time in prayer,
00:36:44.67\00:36:46.80
if you do try to
study God's Word,
00:36:46.84\00:36:49.40
all of these
things are again feeding
00:36:49.44\00:36:52.14
into what is going to
help you grow spiritually.
00:36:52.17\00:36:55.61
And so it just
reminds me again, about...
00:36:55.64\00:36:58.58
It's not just the body,
00:36:58.61\00:37:00.05
but that is a good
connection of an example
00:37:00.08\00:37:02.35
of who God is trying
to show His character.
00:37:02.38\00:37:05.75
Seems to me like
He's reminding us.
00:37:05.79\00:37:08.06
He says, "Yes,
being human beings,
00:37:08.09\00:37:10.26
we all need bread, we
all need food to sustain us.
00:37:10.29\00:37:14.83
But there's
something more important that
00:37:14.86\00:37:18.30
if you want to spend
00:37:18.33\00:37:21.17
a joy filled life for eternity,
00:37:21.20\00:37:26.44
well, then you might
pay attention to my words.
00:37:26.47\00:37:31.11
Amen.
00:37:31.15\00:37:32.48
And that's a...
00:37:32.51\00:37:37.09
That's heavy. You know what...
00:37:37.12\00:37:39.19
Because it's
stepping out in faith now.
00:37:39.22\00:37:41.96
You know, I mean,
00:37:41.99\00:37:43.32
I can see this
loaf of bread here
00:37:43.36\00:37:44.79
and I know boy, I
hear my stomach growling.
00:37:44.83\00:37:47.30
And I know about
take that and put it here.
00:37:47.30\00:37:49.60
That's just going to satisfy me.
00:37:49.63\00:37:51.80
But, boy, now you're
talking about eternity
00:37:51.83\00:37:54.50
and talking about a relationship
00:37:54.54\00:37:55.97
where I have love, joy, peace,
00:37:56.00\00:37:57.91
longsuffering instead, etcetera.
00:37:57.94\00:38:00.51
Wow! I do want that.
00:38:00.54\00:38:03.98
And so that means,
well, it's available to you.
00:38:04.01\00:38:07.35
That's right.
00:38:07.38\00:38:08.72
You know, I look at this verse,
00:38:08.75\00:38:10.15
and I see the bread as
substance for the body.
00:38:10.22\00:38:15.02
But when it really comes
down to the tug of war in life,
00:38:15.06\00:38:19.13
is all about the mind.
00:38:19.16\00:38:20.63
Amen.
00:38:20.66\00:38:21.96
You know, because the
devil wants to take your mind
00:38:22.00\00:38:24.07
and pollute it, but
Jesus says, "Take My words
00:38:24.10\00:38:27.44
because that's gonna
illuminate your minds."
00:38:27.47\00:38:30.41
And it's your
mind that, you know,
00:38:30.44\00:38:33.68
what you think is
what you're gonna do.
00:38:33.71\00:38:36.85
And so by focusing on
the words of the Bible,
00:38:36.88\00:38:41.42
as you were saying,
00:38:41.45\00:38:43.49
that's where we're
gonna get the strength,
00:38:43.52\00:38:45.02
we're gonna get the endurance,
00:38:45.05\00:38:46.62
and we're gonna
get the peace of mind
00:38:46.65\00:38:48.79
knowing that we're on that rock,
00:38:48.82\00:38:50.86
and we have that power
00:38:50.93\00:38:52.26
and the illumination
that God's before us.
00:38:52.29\00:38:55.50
That's right.
00:38:55.53\00:38:57.63
The heart in the
Bible is often reference
00:38:57.67\00:39:00.67
to the mind obviously not so,
00:39:00.70\00:39:02.64
you know, give your,
you know, love the Lord
00:39:02.67\00:39:04.94
with all your
heart, mind, and soul.
00:39:04.97\00:39:06.31
You're not obviously
the Bible's not talking
00:39:06.34\00:39:07.68
about your aortic
pump in your chest,
00:39:07.71\00:39:09.28
but it's often a
reference to the mind.
00:39:09.31\00:39:11.35
And so I think
of that scripture,
00:39:11.38\00:39:13.05
the Psalm is right.
00:39:13.08\00:39:14.42
David writes, you know,
00:39:14.45\00:39:15.78
"Thy word I had hid in my heart
00:39:15.82\00:39:17.22
that I might not
sin against You."
00:39:17.25\00:39:18.59
And so we're not...
00:39:18.62\00:39:19.95
It's important, as
you're stating that,
00:39:19.99\00:39:21.59
you know, Christ...
00:39:21.62\00:39:23.06
You know, let
this mind be in you.
00:39:23.09\00:39:25.09
So it's spiritual
nourishment for eternity,
00:39:25.13\00:39:28.80
but it is also
our defensive weapon.
00:39:28.83\00:39:30.77
I mean, this is the
sword of the Spirit.
00:39:30.80\00:39:32.40
The word is the
sword of the Spirit.
00:39:32.43\00:39:34.50
And that's how
we, it is written.
00:39:34.54\00:39:38.37
This is how we can
fend off the devil's rise.
00:39:38.41\00:39:43.08
And it's not an
offensive weapon,
00:39:43.11\00:39:46.21
it's a defensive weapon.
00:39:46.25\00:39:48.05
You put on the full armor of God
00:39:48.08\00:39:50.72
because you're
trying to be defended
00:39:50.79\00:39:52.32
from the devil's attacks.
00:39:52.35\00:39:54.26
And many people try to use
this as an offensive weapon.
00:39:54.29\00:39:57.23
But God never meant for us
00:39:57.26\00:39:58.59
to be used as an
offensive weapon,
00:39:58.63\00:39:59.96
but a defensive weapon.
00:40:00.00\00:40:01.46
Defending the devil. Okay.
00:40:01.50\00:40:03.37
Priorities, prayer, the Bible.
00:40:03.43\00:40:07.00
And I have to say,
00:40:07.04\00:40:08.70
if you go a day
without reading the Bible,
00:40:08.74\00:40:11.97
I mean, it's not like
00:40:12.01\00:40:13.34
God's up there
with His checklist
00:40:13.38\00:40:15.31
saying, "Uh-oh,
Ryan didn't read today,
00:40:15.34\00:40:18.68
put a little X by this day."
00:40:18.71\00:40:22.52
This is
practical and good advice.
00:40:22.55\00:40:27.92
And we want to be doers that
they would not hear us only.
00:40:27.96\00:40:31.16
This is for our eternal benefit.
00:40:31.19\00:40:34.83
But I think it is only as
we pray in getting the word
00:40:34.86\00:40:39.20
that we can really
be walking in surrender,
00:40:39.23\00:40:42.97
and boy that is,
00:40:43.00\00:40:44.87
you know, bottom line is
00:40:44.91\00:40:46.44
if you want to check
your spiritual pulse,
00:40:46.47\00:40:48.94
are you walking in spirits?
00:40:48.98\00:40:51.51
J.D, you want to read Luke 9:23?
00:40:51.55\00:40:54.15
Luke 9:23. Yes, sir.
00:40:54.18\00:40:57.12
Matthew, Mark,
Luke, here we are.
00:40:57.15\00:40:59.05
Luke, right here, 9:23, 9:23.
00:40:59.09\00:41:04.33
"And then He said to them all,
00:41:04.36\00:41:07.20
'If anyone
desires to come after Me,
00:41:07.23\00:41:10.83
let him deny himself,
00:41:10.87\00:41:12.30
take up his cross
daily, and follow Me.'
00:41:12.33\00:41:15.77
" Now walking in surrender.
00:41:15.80\00:41:17.84
You know, that scripture
has always been a powerful...
00:41:17.87\00:41:22.14
There is a book I
read a few years ago called
00:41:22.18\00:41:25.41
"Not a Fan."
00:41:25.45\00:41:28.18
And the whole
book is talking about
00:41:28.22\00:41:29.62
how there's a difference
between a fan and a follower.
00:41:29.65\00:41:33.42
And many of us
are fans of Jesus.
00:41:33.46\00:41:35.99
We know a lot about Him.
00:41:36.02\00:41:38.23
We're willing to
profess His name.
00:41:38.26\00:41:40.76
We're willing to tell
others that He's our Lord.
00:41:40.80\00:41:43.80
But really, the experience
00:41:43.83\00:41:45.57
that we're
experiencing in Christ
00:41:45.60\00:41:47.37
is more or less a fan experience
00:41:47.40\00:41:49.17
rather than a follower
00:41:49.20\00:41:50.54
because we're willing
to stand on the sidelines
00:41:50.57\00:41:52.01
and cheer for
Him from the stands.
00:41:52.04\00:41:54.21
But are we
willing to follow Him?
00:41:54.24\00:41:56.18
And that the key verse
00:41:56.21\00:41:58.45
throughout this
book that is built,
00:41:58.48\00:41:59.85
that this whole book
and the purpose of this book
00:41:59.88\00:42:02.02
is built on is Luke 9:23.
00:42:02.05\00:42:03.99
And I love how
Jesus starts with,
00:42:04.02\00:42:06.32
"If you desire to come after Me,
00:42:06.35\00:42:07.99
you have to do what first?"
00:42:08.02\00:42:09.52
Deny yourself.
00:42:09.56\00:42:11.36
When you learn to deny yourself,
00:42:11.39\00:42:13.26
then you prepare yourself
00:42:13.29\00:42:14.76
to be placed upon
the altar of sacrifice.
00:42:14.83\00:42:17.83
In other words,
00:42:17.87\00:42:19.20
pick up your instrument
of death and follow me
00:42:19.23\00:42:23.20
because when Christ was speaking
00:42:23.24\00:42:24.61
of taking up His cross,
00:42:24.64\00:42:26.17
He's not speaking of it
00:42:26.21\00:42:27.54
in the modern
western cultural sense of,
00:42:27.58\00:42:29.31
you know, we
look at a cross today,
00:42:29.34\00:42:30.71
and we just smile,
00:42:30.75\00:42:32.08
and it's just such a
great symbol of hope,
00:42:32.11\00:42:33.78
because of what we
see it in hindsight,
00:42:33.82\00:42:36.52
looking back.
00:42:36.55\00:42:37.89
But in His day to go
up to someone and say,
00:42:37.92\00:42:40.62
you know, take up your cross
00:42:40.66\00:42:42.19
would be like
us telling someone,
00:42:42.22\00:42:44.33
you know, stab
yourself in the chest
00:42:44.36\00:42:46.06
with a knife or, you know,
00:42:46.09\00:42:47.86
go grab a noose and,
00:42:47.86\00:42:49.20
you know, hang
yourself from a tree.
00:42:49.23\00:42:50.60
That's horrible
imagery, but nonetheless,
00:42:50.63\00:42:52.83
that's what Christ was saying.
00:42:52.87\00:42:54.20
Yeah, because
they knew in that day
00:42:54.24\00:42:55.84
when they said
pick up your cross,
00:42:55.87\00:42:57.24
if you picked up your cross,
00:42:57.27\00:42:58.61
you were gonna go be crucified.
00:42:58.64\00:43:00.38
So, you know,
this is when Paul says
00:43:00.41\00:43:02.11
"I die daily."
00:43:02.14\00:43:03.48
He's talking about
picking up this cross daily,
00:43:03.55\00:43:06.11
dying to self.
00:43:06.15\00:43:07.52
This isn't...
00:43:07.55\00:43:08.88
I remember once I was
in Roswell, New Mexico,
00:43:08.92\00:43:10.25
and I was doing this series,
00:43:10.29\00:43:11.69
and I was talking
about how Paul said,
00:43:11.72\00:43:14.29
"I'm crucified with Christ,
I'm crucified to the world,
00:43:14.32\00:43:17.03
the world to me,
picking up Your cross."
00:43:17.06\00:43:19.26
And this woman came to
me afterwards and said,
00:43:19.29\00:43:21.96
"Well, that's just the
harshest sermon I've ever heard.
00:43:22.00\00:43:26.47
All this dying to self
stuff, and being crucified."
00:43:26.50\00:43:30.71
And I said, "You know,
this is how, by dying to self,
00:43:30.77\00:43:35.31
we can only be
filled with the Holy Spirit
00:43:35.34\00:43:37.65
to that griever emptied himself.
00:43:37.68\00:43:40.38
So it's as Romans 8:13 says,
00:43:40.42\00:43:45.12
that if you live
according to the flesh,
00:43:45.15\00:43:46.86
what's gonna happen?
00:43:46.92\00:43:48.26
You die.
00:43:48.29\00:43:49.62
You're gonna die.
00:43:49.66\00:43:50.99
But if by the
power of the Holy Spirit,
00:43:51.03\00:43:55.16
you put to death the
mistakes of the flesh,
00:43:55.20\00:43:57.23
you're gonna live.
00:43:57.30\00:43:58.70
So let me say one point on that.
00:43:58.73\00:44:01.77
You and I can't put to
death the misdeeds of our flesh,
00:44:01.80\00:44:05.64
not by ourselves.
00:44:05.67\00:44:07.01
It's because Romans 8:13 says,
00:44:07.08\00:44:09.24
"If you, by the
power of the Holy Spirit
00:44:09.28\00:44:14.58
put to death
misdeeds of your flesh,"
00:44:14.62\00:44:16.99
you can't do it on your own.
00:44:17.02\00:44:18.82
And the Holy Spirit's
not gonna do it without you.
00:44:18.85\00:44:21.66
So that is where we...
00:44:21.69\00:44:24.46
When we talk about surrender
it's yielding to His leading.
00:44:24.49\00:44:29.43
And it's only
as we yield to Him,
00:44:29.46\00:44:34.34
and let Him lead,
00:44:34.37\00:44:35.97
that we can die to
our selfish desires.
00:44:36.00\00:44:38.91
And there's nothing
frightening about it
00:44:38.94\00:44:40.44
'cause God always
gives us some banner.
00:44:40.48\00:44:42.84
What were you gonna say?
00:44:42.88\00:44:44.45
Well, you know, I look at this
00:44:44.48\00:44:45.98
and there's what
I see in my life,
00:44:46.01\00:44:49.18
that there's no better place
00:44:49.22\00:44:50.55
than being where
God wants you to be.
00:44:50.59\00:44:52.15
Amen.
00:44:52.19\00:44:53.52
And when I find
myself wanting to do my will
00:44:53.56\00:44:57.09
or wanting to
go in my direction,
00:44:57.13\00:45:00.26
I found that the Lord
has a way of correcting that.
00:45:00.33\00:45:02.63
Yes. That's right.
00:45:02.66\00:45:04.00
And sometimes you
go through situations
00:45:04.07\00:45:07.27
in your life and
you're like, "Well, you know,
00:45:07.34\00:45:10.31
I thought I was going
in the right direction.
00:45:10.34\00:45:12.07
But when we look at what Jesus
is trying to do in our lives,
00:45:12.11\00:45:17.35
and we go in that
direction, and we follow Him,
00:45:17.38\00:45:21.45
we're in a perfect spot.
00:45:21.48\00:45:22.82
I know when Francine and I,
00:45:22.85\00:45:24.29
we had to leave Michigan
and we went to Washington,
00:45:24.32\00:45:28.52
you know, we left our family,
00:45:28.56\00:45:30.83
we left our jobs that we liked,
00:45:30.86\00:45:33.73
we left, you know,
all the things we had
00:45:33.80\00:45:36.56
what we called our dream home,
00:45:36.63\00:45:38.80
we left all that
00:45:38.83\00:45:40.97
because we knew that
the Lord was taking us
00:45:41.00\00:45:43.17
in another direction.
00:45:43.20\00:45:45.07
And I'm driving,
and it was interesting
00:45:45.11\00:45:47.24
because I had all...
00:45:47.28\00:45:48.74
You know, I had my
goals and Francine,
00:45:48.78\00:45:51.28
and we're at that
stage, you know, young people,
00:45:51.31\00:45:53.68
we were building our lives,
00:45:53.72\00:45:55.42
and we thought we
knew what was good for us.
00:45:55.45\00:45:58.99
And when we
realized after three years,
00:45:59.02\00:46:02.26
we didn't really
build relationships
00:46:02.29\00:46:04.19
with our neighbors,
00:46:04.26\00:46:05.59
you know, we were
doing all the right things.
00:46:05.63\00:46:07.56
You know, we were elders,
we were deacons, we were,
00:46:07.60\00:46:10.47
you know, doing
Sabbath School in our church,
00:46:10.50\00:46:12.30
we were involved in our church,
00:46:12.33\00:46:13.67
in the conference, you know,
00:46:13.74\00:46:15.07
we're doing all
these great things...
00:46:15.10\00:46:16.44
But spiritually.
00:46:16.47\00:46:17.81
But spiritually we
were draining ourselves,
00:46:17.84\00:46:19.84
but we weren't getting
connected with the Lord.
00:46:19.87\00:46:22.51
And we were doing
all these good things.
00:46:22.54\00:46:24.28
But until we realized
00:46:24.31\00:46:25.65
that the Lord has
something better for us,
00:46:25.68\00:46:28.68
and we need to focus on that,
00:46:28.72\00:46:30.12
and then move in that direction.
00:46:30.19\00:46:31.79
And when we did that,
we had an amazing joy.
00:46:31.82\00:46:35.19
We wouldn't have been
able to adopt our little girl
00:46:35.22\00:46:37.99
if we didn't go to
Washington, you know.
00:46:38.03\00:46:40.23
So there's a lot of things
when we're focusing on Jesus,
00:46:40.30\00:46:43.63
and we realize
that He's guiding us
00:46:43.67\00:46:46.37
in the direction,
00:46:46.40\00:46:47.74
even though we
have to give up so much,
00:46:47.77\00:46:50.57
there's so much more
00:46:50.61\00:46:52.04
that we don't
realize that He's giving us.
00:46:52.07\00:46:54.48
And there's so many
times that you wonder
00:46:54.51\00:46:56.71
if you had yielded
to God's will more often
00:46:56.75\00:47:00.58
and not be so driven
00:47:00.65\00:47:02.22
on what you
thought was the mission,
00:47:02.25\00:47:05.99
then you wonder
00:47:06.02\00:47:07.89
what other
blessings God had in store
00:47:07.92\00:47:09.72
that you could have
already been blessed with.
00:47:09.76\00:47:12.53
And, you know,
00:47:12.56\00:47:13.93
if you hadn't
focused on yourself first
00:47:13.96\00:47:16.20
or what you thought
the goal should have been.
00:47:16.23\00:47:19.13
Because I know that
I see it in tithing,
00:47:19.17\00:47:21.44
I see it with so many people,
00:47:21.47\00:47:22.80
there are so many people
00:47:22.84\00:47:24.21
that they think
they're doing what's right
00:47:24.24\00:47:25.81
and you want to
just say, hold back,
00:47:25.84\00:47:28.08
now that I'm a little
older, you think in your mind,
00:47:28.11\00:47:31.48
you could be preventing so much
00:47:31.51\00:47:33.52
and God wants to
do so much for you.
00:47:33.55\00:47:36.22
You always just want
to tell people sometimes,
00:47:36.25\00:47:39.62
and sometimes they
just have to learn it.
00:47:39.65\00:47:41.19
Again, it's that
relationship with Christ
00:47:41.22\00:47:43.46
when you get to that point.
00:47:43.53\00:47:44.86
And so I think that's why
we have to pray for each other,
00:47:44.89\00:47:48.06
is lifting each
other up, and those prayers
00:47:48.10\00:47:50.13
that you were
talking about earlier
00:47:50.17\00:47:52.00
is because we don't
know all these things
00:47:52.03\00:47:54.47
that God really has in store.
00:47:54.50\00:47:56.04
I think there's so much more
that God is waiting for us on.
00:47:56.07\00:47:59.61
Amen. Absolutely, absolutely.
00:47:59.64\00:48:01.51
You mentioned earlier that,
00:48:01.54\00:48:02.88
you know, we can't
do the work ourselves.
00:48:02.91\00:48:06.28
And, you know, it's hard to move
00:48:06.31\00:48:10.22
when you're nailed to a cross.
00:48:10.25\00:48:13.72
It's hard to be in control
when you're nailed to a cross.
00:48:13.79\00:48:17.93
When Jesus was
hanging on that cross,
00:48:17.96\00:48:19.43
He was completely vulnerable,
00:48:19.46\00:48:21.16
and in the
control of other people.
00:48:21.20\00:48:24.53
And when I read Luke 9:23,
00:48:24.57\00:48:26.53
when we deny ourselves
00:48:26.57\00:48:27.90
and we take up that
instrument of death,
00:48:27.94\00:48:30.01
when we hang ourselves
on a cross spiritually,
00:48:30.04\00:48:32.34
obviously, when we crucify self,
00:48:32.37\00:48:35.91
we at that moment are saying,
"Lord, I don't trust myself.
00:48:35.94\00:48:39.18
I'm nailed to this cross.
00:48:39.21\00:48:40.55
Lord, I don't...
00:48:40.62\00:48:41.95
I'm pining myself to this cross
00:48:41.98\00:48:43.32
because I don't trust myself
00:48:43.35\00:48:44.69
to act, to do, to
decide, to make choices
00:48:44.72\00:48:47.09
and what's best in my life,
00:48:47.16\00:48:48.49
Lord, not my will but Yours."
00:48:48.52\00:48:50.43
Yeah, but see,
00:48:50.46\00:48:51.79
we can't even do
that by ourselves,
00:48:51.83\00:48:53.16
if we ever gonna try to
nail ourselves to the cross,
00:48:53.19\00:48:55.46
we could get one
but then it's like,
00:48:55.50\00:48:57.87
"Oh, okay, how do I do this?"
00:48:57.90\00:48:59.83
So, we can't even deny self
00:48:59.87\00:49:03.64
without the Holy Spirit's help.
00:49:03.67\00:49:05.71
And that's why Paul
in Ephesians 5:18 says,
00:49:05.74\00:49:08.98
always be filled
with the Holy Spirit.
00:49:09.01\00:49:12.01
And I think, you know,
00:49:12.05\00:49:13.38
what we have to look
at is if we're walking
00:49:13.45\00:49:16.28
under the
influence of the Spirit,
00:49:16.32\00:49:19.49
the Word of God will
have control in our lives.
00:49:19.52\00:49:23.26
We will confess our known sins
00:49:23.29\00:49:26.93
and the Holy Spirit
will help us to recognize
00:49:26.96\00:49:29.83
when we're not pleasing to God,
00:49:29.86\00:49:32.37
we will die to self
according to His will,
00:49:32.40\00:49:35.64
but we're
depending upon His power.
00:49:35.67\00:49:37.94
You know, I used
to try to do this
00:49:37.97\00:49:39.67
under my own power and
it was so discouraging.
00:49:39.71\00:49:42.44
I actually walked away
from the Lord once and said,
00:49:42.48\00:49:46.18
shaking my little
finger in His face,
00:49:46.21\00:49:48.62
"You demand too much."
00:49:48.65\00:49:51.85
It was just impossible.
00:49:51.89\00:49:53.86
So in Luke 11:13
00:49:53.89\00:49:56.22
is probably one of
my favorite scriptures.
00:49:56.26\00:49:59.56
J.D, why don't
you read that one.
00:49:59.59\00:50:01.66
Luke 11:13.
00:50:01.70\00:50:04.33
"If you then, being evil,
00:50:04.37\00:50:06.07
know how to give good
gifts to your children,
00:50:06.10\00:50:08.17
how much more will
your heavenly Father
00:50:08.20\00:50:10.41
give the Holy Spirit
to those who ask him?"
00:50:10.47\00:50:13.17
Remember, you're
walking in surrender here.
00:50:13.21\00:50:15.71
So you're allowing
Him to be in charge.
00:50:15.74\00:50:18.51
And so, Him being in
charge, He's just saying,
00:50:18.55\00:50:21.32
"Listen, Quinn, I
want to give you things
00:50:21.35\00:50:22.95
that you'd never knew
that is even possible."
00:50:22.98\00:50:24.95
You know.
00:50:24.99\00:50:26.32
And, you know, when
you look in Luke 11,
00:50:26.35\00:50:28.59
this is where Jesus is saying,
00:50:28.62\00:50:31.59
ask and it'll be given to you,
00:50:31.63\00:50:34.30
seek and you will find,
00:50:34.30\00:50:36.00
knock and the door will be open.
00:50:36.03\00:50:37.77
These are linear verbs.
00:50:37.80\00:50:39.30
They are constant present tense.
00:50:39.33\00:50:42.17
So He's saying,
00:50:42.20\00:50:43.84
"Keep on
asking, keep on seeking,
00:50:43.87\00:50:47.01
keep on knocking."
00:50:47.04\00:50:49.31
But then He comes down
to this point where He says,
00:50:49.34\00:50:53.38
"Here's what I'm telling you.
00:50:53.45\00:50:56.05
You're evil,
00:50:56.08\00:50:57.42
you know how to give
good gifts to your kids,
00:50:57.45\00:50:58.95
but if you keep
on asking the Father
00:50:58.99\00:51:02.39
for the Holy Spirit,
00:51:02.42\00:51:04.59
how much more is
He gonna give you
00:51:04.63\00:51:06.33
that good gift, you know?
00:51:06.36\00:51:08.30
And here's what I want to say.
00:51:08.33\00:51:11.23
If you want to get a finger
00:51:11.27\00:51:12.83
on your spiritual
pulse, priorities,
00:51:12.87\00:51:17.31
check your priorities.
00:51:17.37\00:51:19.57
Are you praying in a way
that's a friend to friend
00:51:19.61\00:51:24.38
that you're praying to God,
00:51:24.41\00:51:26.58
pouring out your
heart before Him,
00:51:26.61\00:51:28.35
seeking His face?
00:51:28.38\00:51:30.15
Are you in His word
00:51:30.19\00:51:31.52
so that you can
let Him counsel you?
00:51:31.55\00:51:33.92
And are you
saying, praying every day,
00:51:33.96\00:51:37.49
"Lord, fill me
with your Holy Spirit."
00:51:37.53\00:51:40.80
And it's not just day by day,
sometimes, it's hour by hour.
00:51:40.86\00:51:44.20
That's right.
00:51:44.23\00:51:46.53
Isn't it? Yes.
00:51:46.57\00:51:48.20
'Cause I certainly know
00:51:48.24\00:51:49.57
that I have
started my days surrendered
00:51:49.60\00:51:53.31
and somehow you end up not.
00:51:53.34\00:51:54.74
Of course.
00:51:54.78\00:51:56.78
Let's read 2 Corinthians 3:18.
00:51:56.81\00:52:01.18
Francine, you
want to read that one?
00:52:01.22\00:52:03.79
All right.
00:52:03.82\00:52:05.15
So 2 Corinthians 3:18.
00:52:05.19\00:52:06.62
"But we all, with unveiled faces
00:52:06.65\00:52:09.52
beholding as in a
mirror the glory of the Lord,
00:52:09.56\00:52:13.16
are being
transformed in the same image
00:52:13.19\00:52:15.30
from the glory to glory
00:52:15.33\00:52:16.87
just as by the
Spirit of the Lord."
00:52:16.93\00:52:21.77
It's just saying it again.
00:52:21.80\00:52:23.14
Again, it's that mirror we
want to reflect who Christ is.
00:52:23.17\00:52:26.54
That's right.
00:52:26.57\00:52:27.91
So you don't
want them to see you,
00:52:27.94\00:52:29.31
you want them to see God.
00:52:29.34\00:52:31.45
That's what
Jesus was communicating
00:52:31.48\00:52:32.85
to Nicodemus in John 3.
00:52:32.88\00:52:35.42
I love how Mrs.
White, she says that
00:52:35.45\00:52:37.39
"No other place in
the Bible is the gospel
00:52:37.45\00:52:39.39
put on display more
clearly than in John 3."
00:52:39.42\00:52:42.22
And that conversation
between Jesus and Nicodemus.
00:52:42.26\00:52:44.96
Because Nicodemus is
thinking fleshly, earthly.
00:52:44.99\00:52:48.06
Jesus is...
00:52:48.10\00:52:49.43
Jesus is having a
vertical conversation
00:52:49.46\00:52:51.67
and Nicodemus's mind
is completely horizontal.
00:52:51.70\00:52:54.10
And Jesus says, "No,
it's a spiritual thing."
00:52:54.17\00:52:56.54
And if you look in that chapter,
00:52:56.57\00:52:58.84
and you look for the one thing
00:52:58.87\00:53:00.28
that Jesus tells
Nicodemus that we must do,
00:53:00.31\00:53:03.55
in order to hurry the
work of the Spirit in our life,
00:53:03.58\00:53:07.78
he references Numbers 21.
00:53:07.82\00:53:10.42
The story of Numbers 21.
00:53:10.49\00:53:11.82
He says,
00:53:11.85\00:53:13.19
"As Moses lifted up the
serpent in the wilderness,
00:53:13.22\00:53:15.62
so shall also the
Son of Man be lifted up."
00:53:15.66\00:53:18.79
Jesus said, "I,
and if I am lifted up,
00:53:18.83\00:53:20.60
I will draw all
men unto myself."
00:53:20.63\00:53:22.70
You know, and sometimes we think
00:53:22.73\00:53:24.93
that us lifting up
Jesus, you know, that we're...
00:53:24.97\00:53:27.87
And it is important
that we uplift Jesus
00:53:27.90\00:53:29.70
for others to see but, you know,
00:53:29.74\00:53:31.41
we need to uplift
Jesus every single day
00:53:31.44\00:53:33.34
so we can see Him.
00:53:33.38\00:53:34.71
Amen. That's good.
00:53:34.74\00:53:36.75
And it's very
important that we understand
00:53:36.81\00:53:39.15
and by beholding
we become change.
00:53:39.18\00:53:41.08
If I'm keeping my attention
and my focus every single day
00:53:41.12\00:53:44.72
on the uplifted Savior,
00:53:44.75\00:53:46.09
and I'm beholding Christ
00:53:46.12\00:53:47.46
and the events that
transpired on Calvary
00:53:47.52\00:53:49.46
are in my mind, as
Mrs. White would say
00:53:49.49\00:53:52.13
"A thoughtful hour each
day on the life of Christ,
00:53:52.16\00:53:54.30
especially the closing ones."
00:53:54.30\00:53:56.06
When we put Christ in our view,
00:53:56.10\00:53:59.60
everything falls in
place where it should.
00:53:59.63\00:54:01.84
And the Holy Spirit takes us
00:54:01.87\00:54:03.20
from one level of His
character to the next.
00:54:03.24\00:54:05.47
But now we've got... I
just looked at the clock.
00:54:05.51\00:54:08.61
It's ticking away.
00:54:08.64\00:54:09.98
Yes, this is
probably one of the best ways
00:54:10.05\00:54:13.85
to check your spiritual pulse.
00:54:13.92\00:54:16.35
J.D, John 14:15,
what does Jesus say?
00:54:16.38\00:54:19.89
"Abide in me, and I am you,
00:54:19.92\00:54:22.69
as the branch cannot
bear fruit of itself,
00:54:22.72\00:54:25.46
unless it abides in the vine,
00:54:25.49\00:54:27.40
neither can you
unless you abide in Me.
00:54:27.40\00:54:30.27
I, Jesus Am the
vine, you are the branches
00:54:30.33\00:54:34.10
and who who abides
in Me and I in him,
00:54:34.14\00:54:36.97
bears much fruit for
without Me you can do nothing.
00:54:37.01\00:54:40.28
So that's John 15:4
and 5 that you read.
00:54:40.34\00:54:44.51
And John 14:15, Jesus said,
00:54:44.55\00:54:47.85
"If you love Me,
keep my commandments."
00:54:47.88\00:54:51.75
So and, you know,
we don't have time
00:54:51.79\00:54:53.42
but in that passage, John 14:15,
00:54:53.46\00:54:57.83
"If you love Me,
keep my commandments."
00:54:57.86\00:55:00.16
He's saying our
love is obedience,
00:55:00.23\00:55:02.46
I mean, our love is
evidence by our obedience.
00:55:02.50\00:55:05.43
But it goes on in
verses 15 through 17,
00:55:05.47\00:55:08.80
to say, "If you do this,
00:55:08.84\00:55:10.41
I'm gonna give
you the Holy Spirit
00:55:10.44\00:55:11.77
as you're helper."
00:55:11.81\00:55:13.14
So you got supernatural help.
00:55:13.17\00:55:14.51
And in verses 18 through 19,
00:55:14.54\00:55:16.01
He says, you're gonna
have a supernatural life.
00:55:16.04\00:55:18.58
And verse 20 through
25, supernatural union,
00:55:18.61\00:55:22.82
and 27 through 31,
00:55:22.85\00:55:24.65
you're gonna know
supernatural peace.
00:55:24.69\00:55:27.06
So if you want to keep a
finger in your spiritual pulse,
00:55:27.09\00:55:31.59
producing fruit,
what you just read,
00:55:31.63\00:55:34.76
what is He saying
in John 15:4 and 5?
00:55:34.83\00:55:37.80
What does it mean
to abide in Christ?
00:55:37.83\00:55:40.50
Be part of him,
00:55:40.54\00:55:41.97
be an extension
of him, you know.
00:55:42.00\00:55:44.67
And it's a
dwelling thing, isn't it?
00:55:44.71\00:55:46.11
Most certainly.
00:55:46.14\00:55:47.48
It's a settling thing.
00:55:47.54\00:55:48.88
It's basically
giving up your time
00:55:48.91\00:55:50.25
to have that
relationship with Him,
00:55:50.28\00:55:52.55
and it's through
prayer, reading His word,
00:55:52.58\00:55:54.78
you know, thinking on
all that He has done for us,
00:55:54.82\00:55:58.19
I mean, it's a full package.
00:55:58.22\00:56:00.29
Amen.
00:56:00.32\00:56:02.39
What I like is on John 15:7,
00:56:02.42\00:56:07.50
it says, "If you abide in
Me and My words abide in you,
00:56:07.56\00:56:11.00
you shall ask what you will
00:56:11.03\00:56:12.43
and it shall be given unto you."
00:56:12.47\00:56:14.04
I mean, that's amazing promise.
00:56:14.07\00:56:15.80
But it's not, you
know, what we want,
00:56:15.84\00:56:17.84
but it's what we
believe the Lord wants us to do
00:56:17.87\00:56:21.34
when He will give it to us
00:56:21.38\00:56:22.84
as long as
we're focusing on Him.
00:56:22.88\00:56:24.85
Praise the lord. Amen. Okay.
00:56:24.88\00:56:26.21
I think that I
should coming to Him
00:56:26.25\00:56:27.62
with an unveiled face.
00:56:27.65\00:56:28.98
That's right. Amen.
00:56:29.02\00:56:30.82
I can't believe
our time's all gone
00:56:30.89\00:56:32.45
'cause I know we can
really expound on this.
00:56:32.49\00:56:35.06
But let's just kind of recap.
00:56:35.09\00:56:37.43
If you want to keep a
finger on your spiritual pulse,
00:56:37.46\00:56:41.06
then we want to check
our priorities and see,
00:56:41.10\00:56:44.77
"Are we seeking God first?"
00:56:44.80\00:56:46.13
We want to make sure
we're staying in prayer
00:56:46.17\00:56:49.64
that that is a
persistent and regular prayer,
00:56:49.67\00:56:52.74
that we're reading God's word,
00:56:52.77\00:56:54.61
that we are
walking in surrender,
00:56:54.64\00:56:56.81
walking in
obedience, bearing fruit,
00:56:56.85\00:57:01.18
fruit of the spirit
and the fruit of activity,
00:57:01.22\00:57:04.12
and we will
become who we behold.
00:57:04.15\00:57:06.09
Amen.
00:57:06.12\00:57:07.49
I can't believe
our time's all gone.
00:57:07.52\00:57:09.32
We want to thank you
so much for joining us.
00:57:09.36\00:57:12.66
And our prayer for you
00:57:12.69\00:57:14.30
is that the grace of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
00:57:14.36\00:57:16.87
the love of the Father
00:57:16.90\00:57:18.23
and the
fellowship of the Holy Spirit
00:57:18.27\00:57:20.14
will be with you
this Sabbath and always.
00:57:20.17\00:57:24.31
Happy Sabbath.
00:57:24.34\00:57:25.67