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 and welcome
to 3ABN Family Worship.
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We are so excited that
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you have joined us here tonight.
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We are going to be taking on
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an exciting Bible topic entitled
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"Knowing God."
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And we want to be the
first to say Happy Sabbath.
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We're here in
these Sabbath hours.
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I love this app, amen? Amen.
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It's time to just
stop and reflect and rest
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and as the Bible says in
the original Hebrew nefesh
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when Jesus rested He
nefeshed, just a moment,
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we can just pause and
just take in the moment
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and we're so glad to have you.
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Thank you for your love,
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prayers and
support of 3ABN Ministry.
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And you know what?
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We have a lots and
lots to discuss tonight
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on how to know God,
according to the Bible,
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and I'm going to get right into
introducing our guests today.
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Actually, this is, I'm
kind of new at this usually
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I'm where you guys are sitting
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and so I have
first and foremost,
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I want to
introduce my lovely wife.
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This is one of the few times
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she's actually
been on the set with me.
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This is Stephanie, my wife
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and she's kind of
co-hosting with me tonight.
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And so, yeah, just
tonight this evening.
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And on my right over here
we have Miss Angela Lomacang
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and Pastor John
Lomacang, my pastor.
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Good to be here.
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It's a blessing to
have the both of you.
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Thanks for inviting us.
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Yeah, it's good
to have you guys.
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I know you guys
bring a lot to the table
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and pastor with your
knowledge of Scripture,
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we certainly appreciate
all that you do, Brother.
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Praise the Lord.
Knowing God, a great topic.
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Amen. Praise the Lord.
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And then over
here to our far left
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we have someone
that I'm very familiar
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with my Brother
Dakota and his wife, Anna.
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It's so good to
have you guys here.
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Thank you for having us.
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You travel on
behalf of 3ABN Ministry.
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Excuse me.
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No, you don't travel on
behalf of 3ABN Ministry.
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The other
ministries. You travel...
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I travel on
behalf of 3ABN Ministry.
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They travel on
behalf of the ministry
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that I am also
very familiar with,
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Amazing Facts Ministry.
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That's correct.
Yeah, that's correct.
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Absolutely.
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And so what do you
do for Amazing Facts?
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So I'm a public speaker
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and evangelist
with Amazing Facts.
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And me and my wife Anna,
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we travel full time and
do Bible prophecy seminars
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all over the globe.
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So, yeah.
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I couldn't do
without her though.
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That's right.
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Same here,
Brother, I understand that.
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So if you need to pay,
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if you need an
evangelist come to your church,
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Dakota's the man.
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Absolutely.
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We appreciate
you guys being here
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and being able to join us.
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And, Stephanie, we're
so again glad to have you.
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My wife, Stephanie,
she is the principal
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of the Thompsonville
Junior Christian Academy,
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and we're just going to
just study the Bible tonight.
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Seeing, study the Bible,
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get into the Word of the Lord
and learn and grow together.
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And you know, I'm going
to get right into our song
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because Tim over
there is anxiously waiting.
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Mr. Tim Parton,
we're so glad to have him.
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And this guy, when
he gets on the piano,
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it just blesses my soul.
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And we're going to be
singing a familiar hymn,
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Draw Me Near in Your SDA Hymnal,
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it should be hymn
number 306, Draw Me Near.
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Tim, take it away.
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Let, guys, worship all together.
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I am Thine, O Lord
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I have heard Thy voice
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And it told Thy love to me
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But I long to rise
In the arms of faith
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And be closer drawn to Thee
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Draw me nearer
Nearer blessed Lord
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To the cross
where Thou hast died
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Draw me nearer
Nearer, nearer blessed Lord
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To Thy precious bleeding side
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Consecrate me now
To Thy service, Lord
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By the power of grace divine
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Let my soul look up
with a steadfast hope
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And my will be lost in Thine
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Draw me nearer
Nearer blessed Lord
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To the cross
where Thou hast died
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Draw me nearer
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Nearer blessed Lord
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To Thy precious
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Bleeding side.
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O the pure
delight of a single hour
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That before Thy throne I spend
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When I kneel in
prayer And with Thee, my God
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I commune As friend with friend!
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Draw me nearer
Nearer blessed Lord
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To the cross
where Thou hast died
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Draw me nearer
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Nearer blessed Lord
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To Thy precious bleeding side
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Amen. Amen.
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Praise the Lord.
I love those words.
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I chose that
song because I think
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it goes so well with
our topic, Knowing God.
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How do we know God
according to the Bible?
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This is something
that's vitally important
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and some might consider it
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fundamental or
an elementary topic,
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something that's very simple,
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but sometimes I find
that it's those simple things
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that we think we know so well,
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that we need a reminding
of or that we need to revisit
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and so we're going
to be talking about
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how to know God
according to the Bible,
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but before we go any further,
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I think we probably
should go to the Lord in prayer.
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Pastor, why don't you
open us up in prayer, Brother?
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Sure.
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Loving Father in heaven,
the privilege is always ours
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and the blessing
comes when we recognize
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the need of Your Holy Spirit.
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Come now and fill
our hearts and minds.
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We have an idea of our topic.
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We do pray that You
give us more than an idea.
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Give us wisdom from above,
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by the leading and guiding
of Your Holy Spirit's presence.
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In Jesus' name I pray, amen.
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Amen. Praise the Lord.
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I'm going to
jump right into this.
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John 17:3,
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this is one of those
texts that we all should know,
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one of those foundational
gospel texts that remind us
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of the
importance of eternal life.
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And, of course,
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Jesus is in the
Garden of Gethsemane
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and He's having a prayer
because He's just moments away
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from being
arrested, taken to trial
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and, of course, hours
away from being hung across.
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And so John 17:3,
we all should know it,
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but it says, "And
this is eternal life,
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that they may know
You, the only true God,
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and Jesus Christ
whom You have sent,"
00:08:09.32\00:08:14.49
that they may know
You, the only true God.
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Pastor, is it
possible for us to know God?
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Well, yes. To really know God?
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Well, it is
possible because He said,
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and this is life
eternal that you may know,
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that you may know.
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How I think the
question is, how we get it...
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Right, absolutely.
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Because if we don't know Him,
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how would we look
forward to spending eternity
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with somebody we don't know?
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And I think this
is a privilege now
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we have to get to
know Him here and now.
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Absolutely.
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And it's
interesting because, you know,
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I run into a lot of
people that I witness to,
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and they say, you know,
can you really get to know
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someone whom you've never seen?
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Perhaps never heard
audibly speak to you
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like each and every.
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I can say that I
know my wife, Stephanie.
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I'm with her each and every day.
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I spend time with her, you know,
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I get to embrace her and hug her
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and speak to her
each and every day.
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There's a personal relationship
here in which I can say,
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I know her.
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And so there's a lot of
people that will challenge,
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how can you come
to know an individual
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who you don't see,
who you don't hear from,
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who you can't
feel, who's not tangible?
00:09:15.38\00:09:17.49
I guess you could say.
00:09:17.52\00:09:18.85
And so that being said,
you know, is it important?
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And this is a
really simple question,
00:09:22.19\00:09:24.16
but I think it's important
for us to address this.
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Is it important that
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we are in an abiding personal
relationship with Christ?
00:09:27.63\00:09:30.40
I think the simple sufficient
clear answer is absolutely yes.
00:09:30.43\00:09:35.10
In other words, is it
really important for me
00:09:35.14\00:09:37.31
to know, God, and
as that clear text
00:09:37.34\00:09:40.11
just said in John
17:33, Jesus said,
00:09:40.14\00:09:41.81
"This is eternal life."
00:09:41.84\00:09:43.35
And so what I want to do
is go to Matthew 7:21-23.
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So Matthew Chapter 7,
let's go there in our Bibles.
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This is one of
those foundational texts.
00:09:51.29\00:09:53.52
This is
actually a part of Christ
00:09:53.56\00:09:55.32
first recorded
sermon in Scripture,
00:09:55.36\00:09:57.43
in which Jesus is
giving the Sermon on the Mount.
00:09:57.46\00:10:00.56
So Matthew Chapter 7
and this is verses 21-23.
00:10:00.60\00:10:06.80
And, Stephanie, why
don't you read that for us,
00:10:06.84\00:10:09.60
Matthew 7:21-23?
00:10:09.64\00:10:12.81
Sure.
00:10:12.84\00:10:14.91
"Not everyone who
says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,'
00:10:14.94\00:10:17.15
shall enter the
kingdom of heaven,
00:10:17.18\00:10:19.21
but he who does the
will of My Father in heaven.
00:10:19.25\00:10:22.38
Many will say to Me
in that day, 'Lord, Lord,
00:10:22.42\00:10:25.59
have we not
prophesied in Your name,
00:10:25.62\00:10:27.36
cast out demons in Your name,
00:10:27.39\00:10:29.52
and done many
wonders in Your name?
00:10:29.56\00:10:31.59
And then I will declare to them,
00:10:31.63\00:10:33.40
'I never knew
you, depart from Me,
00:10:33.43\00:10:35.83
you who practice lawlessness!'"
00:10:35.86\00:10:37.63
What is Jesus saying here?
00:10:37.67\00:10:39.73
This is one of those texts
I read many, many years ago.
00:10:39.77\00:10:42.10
And it's like, it opened my eyes
00:10:42.14\00:10:44.07
and there was a sense
of, almost a sense of fear,
00:10:44.11\00:10:47.88
a sense of unsettling
feeling that overcame me
00:10:47.91\00:10:51.21
because of the deep
words that He shares here about
00:10:51.25\00:10:54.98
how it's possible
that someone can think that
00:10:55.02\00:10:58.65
they know God, think that
00:10:58.69\00:11:00.52
they have a
relationship with God.
00:11:00.56\00:11:01.89
So what does this
text say to you guys?
00:11:01.92\00:11:04.23
Matthew 7:21-23
that we just read?
00:11:04.26\00:11:07.50
Well, let me use
us as an example.
00:11:07.53\00:11:10.10
We've known each
other for a long time.
00:11:10.13\00:11:13.34
And I could come home,
00:11:13.37\00:11:16.37
and I could see
something a certain way.
00:11:16.40\00:11:20.24
And I know right away,
00:11:20.28\00:11:22.08
not just because we
don't have any children,
00:11:22.11\00:11:24.48
but I know right
away, Angie did that.
00:11:24.51\00:11:26.88
And vice versa,
she can come home
00:11:26.92\00:11:28.52
and see something a certain way,
00:11:28.55\00:11:29.98
she say, I know, John did that.
00:11:30.02\00:11:31.95
Because we not
only know each other,
00:11:31.99\00:11:35.19
you know, as husband and wife,
but we know about each other.
00:11:35.22\00:11:39.56
And I think many
people know about God.
00:11:39.59\00:11:44.60
But we go deeper
than just knowing about
00:11:44.63\00:11:46.84
the things she
does and how she cooks.
00:11:46.87\00:11:49.00
I think you
commented on how good she is.
00:11:49.04\00:11:52.81
But I get to eat
that all the time.
00:11:52.84\00:11:54.18
I know man.
00:11:54.21\00:11:56.01
And so, but the thing
about is we know each other,
00:11:56.04\00:11:58.28
but we'd not only just
know about the things we do,
00:11:58.31\00:12:00.62
but we know each
other so I could say,
00:12:00.65\00:12:02.62
somebody said,
well, who's cooking?
00:12:02.65\00:12:04.02
And I say my wife is.
00:12:04.05\00:12:05.39
I don't have to question
00:12:05.42\00:12:06.76
whether or not
I'm going to eat it
00:12:06.79\00:12:08.42
because she knows what I like.
00:12:08.46\00:12:10.33
And I have nuance and
knows... We have a relationship.
00:12:10.36\00:12:13.83
Thank you. That's right.
00:12:13.86\00:12:15.20
Absolutely. It goes
back to relationship.
00:12:15.23\00:12:16.80
And the fascinating part
about this particular text,
00:12:16.83\00:12:19.50
I think, that got me years ago
00:12:19.53\00:12:21.40
when I really
comprehended it is that,
00:12:21.44\00:12:23.84
you know, look at this list here
00:12:23.87\00:12:26.07
that these people are responding
00:12:26.11\00:12:27.58
with, you know, "Lord, Lord,
00:12:27.61\00:12:29.18
have we not
prophesied in your name?
00:12:29.21\00:12:31.45
Have we not cast
out demons in your name?
00:12:31.48\00:12:33.35
Have we not done
many wonderful works
00:12:33.38\00:12:35.15
or wonderful
things in your name?"
00:12:35.18\00:12:38.09
And then he declares to them,
I never knew you depart from Me
00:12:38.12\00:12:40.69
you who practice lawlessness
or it would say iniquity
00:12:40.72\00:12:43.96
there in the King James Version.
00:12:43.99\00:12:45.39
So it's
interesting to consider that,
00:12:45.43\00:12:47.66
you know, who's going to go,
00:12:47.70\00:12:49.53
you know, prophesying
in the name of Jesus?
00:12:49.56\00:12:52.77
Who's going to go cast out
demons in the name of Jesus?
00:12:52.80\00:12:55.20
Who's going to work
many wonderful works
00:12:55.24\00:12:57.04
in the name of Jesus?
00:12:57.07\00:12:58.41
Is it going to be a professed
believer or a non believer?
00:12:58.44\00:13:02.34
Well, I mean,
00:13:02.38\00:13:04.08
I don't want to
take too much of the time
00:13:04.11\00:13:05.45
but what it's saying is that
00:13:05.48\00:13:07.15
it's possible to do godly things
00:13:07.18\00:13:10.15
without having a
godly relationship
00:13:10.19\00:13:12.35
is possible to preach.
00:13:12.39\00:13:13.99
Can you see they
cast out demons prophesied
00:13:14.02\00:13:17.19
to many wonderful friends?
00:13:17.23\00:13:18.99
That's why one of the dangers
00:13:19.03\00:13:20.36
in Christianity
today is we often say,
00:13:20.40\00:13:22.76
Well, I want to
be a part of a church
00:13:22.80\00:13:24.13
that has a great
program in this particular area,
00:13:24.17\00:13:26.53
but has a lot of
community connections,
00:13:26.57\00:13:28.07
or they start
listing all the reasons
00:13:28.10\00:13:30.01
why they want
to be a part of it.
00:13:30.04\00:13:31.37
So the Lord said, well,
you know, he said to Peter,
00:13:31.41\00:13:33.41
"Follow me."
00:13:33.44\00:13:34.78
And I think the following
part is where we are made,
00:13:34.81\00:13:37.35
you know, follow me
and I will make you.
00:13:37.38\00:13:39.68
And so the key is,
00:13:39.71\00:13:41.22
the following
Christ is where the making
00:13:41.25\00:13:43.15
and the relationship comes.
00:13:43.18\00:13:44.82
The cart comes after the horse,
00:13:44.85\00:13:48.32
if I could use
that illustration.
00:13:48.36\00:13:49.69
So many of these
things are the things
00:13:49.72\00:13:51.06
that people do
without a relationship.
00:13:51.09\00:13:54.20
But the only
reason why they will last
00:13:54.23\00:13:56.43
is when we do
them in a relationship.
00:13:56.46\00:13:57.93
Amen.
00:13:57.97\00:13:59.30
And I would say, adding
to what he said is that,
00:13:59.33\00:14:01.77
you know a lot of people,
they know a lot about God,
00:14:01.80\00:14:03.97
but they don't really know God.
00:14:04.01\00:14:05.77
And it's possible to
know a lot about someone
00:14:05.81\00:14:07.31
and not really know them.
00:14:07.34\00:14:08.68
I mean, think
about it, you can know
00:14:08.71\00:14:10.05
what someone's
favorite color is,
00:14:10.08\00:14:11.41
what kind of car they
drive or their addresses,
00:14:11.45\00:14:13.08
you can know all
these details about them
00:14:13.11\00:14:14.68
and not really yet know them.
00:14:14.72\00:14:16.25
And so I used to
say this all the time,
00:14:16.28\00:14:18.02
and I preach it all
the time everywhere I go,
00:14:18.05\00:14:19.95
you can know the rules
and not know the ruler.
00:14:19.99\00:14:22.72
You can know the doctrines
and not know the doctor.
00:14:22.76\00:14:25.29
You can know the Word of God
00:14:25.33\00:14:26.66
and not know
the God of the Word.
00:14:26.70\00:14:28.03
Right.
00:14:28.06\00:14:29.40
And so, you know, we
have to be careful that
00:14:29.43\00:14:30.77
when we study God's Word,
00:14:30.80\00:14:32.13
even that even as
professed believers
00:14:32.17\00:14:34.20
that we get to know
the God of the Word,
00:14:34.24\00:14:36.37
not just the Word of God
00:14:36.40\00:14:37.74
not just having a
mere head knowledge of God
00:14:37.77\00:14:40.14
and what He has to say to us.
00:14:40.18\00:14:41.51
That is interesting
because I, years ago,
00:14:41.54\00:14:43.08
I remember a friend
shared a book with me
00:14:43.11\00:14:45.15
and I'll never
forget the name of it.
00:14:45.18\00:14:47.02
It just stuck out to
me. It was called Not a Fan.
00:14:47.05\00:14:49.92
Yeah, yeah. I
remember that. Not a fan.
00:14:49.95\00:14:51.79
And he said, "You
got to read this book
00:14:51.82\00:14:53.15
and he handed to me, Not a Fan."
00:14:53.19\00:14:54.52
I thought that's
interesting you know,
00:14:54.56\00:14:56.02
this is a religious book.
00:14:56.06\00:14:57.49
Yeah, man, it has transformed
00:14:57.53\00:14:59.23
my understanding
of following Christ.
00:14:59.26\00:15:00.70
And I thought, okay, so
I began reading the book
00:15:00.73\00:15:02.56
and eventually it came out.
00:15:02.60\00:15:03.93
That was a Bible study
set that came out on DVD
00:15:03.97\00:15:06.13
and we went through it.
00:15:06.17\00:15:07.50
It was
transforming to consider that
00:15:07.54\00:15:09.77
many Christians
approach living for Christ
00:15:09.80\00:15:13.07
or serving Christ as a
fan rather than a follower.
00:15:13.11\00:15:16.08
There's a difference between
00:15:16.11\00:15:17.45
a fan of Jesus and
a follower of Jesus.
00:15:17.48\00:15:19.51
In other words,
and in these kind of
00:15:19.55\00:15:20.98
a sports analogy
that is used here
00:15:21.02\00:15:23.02
in the sense that you know,
00:15:23.05\00:15:24.39
Jesus wants those people
who are willing to go out
00:15:24.42\00:15:27.26
on the field with Him,
00:15:27.29\00:15:28.62
follow Him and serve with Him,
rather than being a cheerleader
00:15:28.66\00:15:33.33
or a fan standing in the stands,
00:15:33.36\00:15:35.16
cheering Him on from the sides.
00:15:35.20\00:15:37.13
You know, a fan can know a
lot about the players, right?
00:15:37.17\00:15:39.73
A fan can know a
lot about even the game,
00:15:39.77\00:15:42.60
but do they
really know the people
00:15:42.64\00:15:44.21
that are in the game?
00:15:44.24\00:15:45.57
Do they really know, you know,
the experience of the game?
00:15:45.61\00:15:47.84
Right?
00:15:47.88\00:15:49.21
And so are you a fan
or are you a follower,
00:15:49.24\00:15:51.05
and that's essentially
what Jesus is bringing out
00:15:51.08\00:15:53.11
here in Matthew Chapter
7, He's saying, hey, look,
00:15:53.15\00:15:55.75
you know what you
done, you could say you done
00:15:55.78\00:15:57.65
all these good
things and you have,
00:15:57.69\00:15:59.02
but at the end of the day
00:15:59.05\00:16:00.39
I still lack that
personal relationship with you.
00:16:00.42\00:16:02.96
I want to really
know You and I want You
00:16:02.99\00:16:05.19
to really know me for who I am.
00:16:05.23\00:16:07.40
Another equivalent passage
to this, a similar nature
00:16:07.43\00:16:10.17
but also
different is Luke 13:24-30.
00:16:10.20\00:16:14.77
So Luke 13:24-30.
00:16:14.80\00:16:18.04
Anna, could you
read that for us there?
00:16:18.07\00:16:19.87
Luke 13:24-30.
00:16:19.91\00:16:22.28
And, of course,
Jesus is speaking here.
00:16:22.31\00:16:24.25
And, again, kind
of on the same note
00:16:24.28\00:16:26.41
of what we were
just talking about,
00:16:26.45\00:16:27.78
but Jesus adds a
few extra details
00:16:27.82\00:16:30.19
and some information
that helps us to understand
00:16:30.22\00:16:32.15
this importance of knowing God.
00:16:32.19\00:16:34.36
Go ahead, Anna.
00:16:34.39\00:16:35.79
He says, "Strive to
enter in at the narrow gate,
00:16:35.82\00:16:38.59
for many, I say unto you,
00:16:38.63\00:16:39.96
will seek to enter
in, and shall not be able.
00:16:40.00\00:16:42.36
When once the Master
of the house has risen up
00:16:42.40\00:16:44.57
and shut the door, and
you begin to stand outside
00:16:44.60\00:16:47.20
and knock at the door,
00:16:47.24\00:16:48.57
saying, 'Lord,
Lord, open for us,'
00:16:48.60\00:16:50.91
and He will
answer and say to you,
00:16:50.94\00:16:52.51
'I do not know you,
where you are from,'
00:16:52.54\00:16:55.51
then you will begin to say,
00:16:55.54\00:16:57.78
'We ate and
drank in Your presence,
00:16:57.81\00:16:59.61
and You taught in our streets.'
00:16:59.65\00:17:01.55
But He will say, 'I
tell you I do not know you,
00:17:01.58\00:17:04.55
where you are from.
00:17:04.59\00:17:05.92
Depart from Me, all
you workers of iniquity.'
00:17:05.95\00:17:08.72
There will be weeping
and gnashing of teeth,
00:17:08.76\00:17:10.79
when you see
Abraham and Isaac and Jacob
00:17:10.83\00:17:13.80
and all the prophets
in the kingdom of God,
00:17:13.83\00:17:15.80
and yourselves thrust out,
00:17:15.83\00:17:17.57
They will come from
the east and the west,
00:17:17.60\00:17:19.43
from the north and the south,
00:17:19.47\00:17:21.04
and sit down in
the kingdom of God.
00:17:21.07\00:17:23.84
And indeed there are
last who will be first,
00:17:23.87\00:17:27.58
and there are
first who will be last.'"
00:17:27.61\00:17:30.81
So again, you have
this very religious group
00:17:30.85\00:17:33.58
and I just want to add here.
00:17:33.62\00:17:36.25
Notice these individuals
00:17:36.28\00:17:37.62
if you were to find
these people in the street,
00:17:37.65\00:17:39.85
and say, "Are you a Christian?"
00:17:39.89\00:17:41.36
Of course, I'm a
Christian. They will say yes.
00:17:41.39\00:17:42.72
Do you believe in Jesus?
Of course, I believe in Jesus.
00:17:42.76\00:17:44.96
Are you saved? Of
course, I'm saved.
00:17:44.99\00:17:48.40
These are people that
were, I mean, sold on the fact,
00:17:48.43\00:17:51.03
completely convinced, I'm saved.
00:17:51.07\00:17:52.93
Why will we know
we know Jesus, right?
00:17:52.97\00:17:54.64
They believe that
they know who He is.
00:17:54.67\00:17:56.47
He was in our streets.
He preached to us, right?
00:17:56.50\00:17:58.67
And we did all
these good things.
00:17:58.71\00:18:00.14
We drank in His
presence, we, you know,
00:18:00.18\00:18:02.18
He drank in our presence,
He taught in our streets,
00:18:02.21\00:18:04.31
we really, really know Him.
00:18:04.35\00:18:05.78
But when they
show up at the house,
00:18:05.81\00:18:07.15
knock, knock, knock,
hey, let us in, it's us.
00:18:07.18\00:18:09.35
What does He
say? I don't know you.
00:18:09.38\00:18:12.32
And He says the same thing.
00:18:12.35\00:18:13.69
He says in Matthew Chapter
7, you know, "Depart from Me you
00:18:13.72\00:18:16.89
who work iniquity."
00:18:16.93\00:18:18.69
So again, we can think
that we know God, but yet still,
00:18:18.73\00:18:23.50
and this is interesting.
00:18:23.53\00:18:25.50
Completely, it's a
completely contrasting concept.
00:18:25.53\00:18:29.17
You can think that you
know, God, but at the same time
00:18:29.20\00:18:31.41
be living in a life of sin
00:18:31.44\00:18:33.38
that is separating you from God.
00:18:33.41\00:18:35.74
Another passage
that comes to my mind
00:18:35.78\00:18:37.51
is Matthew 25:11-12.
00:18:37.55\00:18:40.35
Again, this is referring to
the Parable of the Ten Virgins.
00:18:40.38\00:18:43.82
And again, the same
thing is repeated to them.
00:18:43.85\00:18:46.05
Of course, this is the five
foolish versions of the ten.
00:18:46.09\00:18:48.82
Afterwards the other
virgins came also, saying,
00:18:48.86\00:18:50.93
'Lord, Lord, open to us!
00:18:50.96\00:18:52.29
But He answered and
said, 'Assuredly, I say to you,
00:18:52.33\00:18:54.53
I do not know you.'"
00:18:54.56\00:18:57.50
Okay, so it's interesting
when I did a search here.
00:18:57.53\00:19:01.07
And maybe we can kind of
discuss this a little bit here.
00:19:01.10\00:19:03.44
When I broke out
my Bible software,
00:19:03.47\00:19:06.47
and I was going
through my Bible software
00:19:06.51\00:19:07.84
and doing some in
depth research on this,
00:19:07.88\00:19:10.45
and I clicked on the word Know,
00:19:10.48\00:19:12.11
because I wanted to know
what kind of word is this?
00:19:12.15\00:19:14.55
What does it really
teach us to really know God?
00:19:14.58\00:19:17.62
And it came up.
00:19:17.65\00:19:18.99
It's the Greek word ginosko,
00:19:19.02\00:19:22.39
which when you
really study it deeply,
00:19:22.42\00:19:24.56
and how it's used
in much of the context
00:19:24.59\00:19:26.63
that it is using
knowing a person,
00:19:26.66\00:19:28.46
it means an intimate, deep,
00:19:28.50\00:19:31.03
personal, below the
surface, not casual friendship.
00:19:31.07\00:19:35.57
We're talking about a
very, very personal, personal,
00:19:35.60\00:19:38.47
personal relationship.
00:19:38.51\00:19:40.68
And so do we have any
biblical examples of this?
00:19:40.71\00:19:44.58
The other, that
anybody that comes to mind
00:19:44.61\00:19:46.35
that we believe or
we see in Scripture
00:19:46.38\00:19:49.05
that really sticks out and
says this person knows God,
00:19:49.08\00:19:51.69
this person didn't have
00:19:51.72\00:19:53.05
just a casual
relationship with the Lord.
00:19:53.09\00:19:55.02
They really had a deep intimate
relationship with the Lord.
00:19:55.06\00:19:57.83
Enoch. Enoch.
00:19:57.86\00:19:59.33
Right? Yeah. Moses.
00:19:59.36\00:20:01.00
Moses did. Moses, right.
00:20:01.03\00:20:03.53
Elijah. Elijah. That's right.
00:20:03.57\00:20:06.17
These individuals, you
know, Moses, Elijah, Joseph,
00:20:06.20\00:20:11.84
who else did I mentioned?
00:20:11.87\00:20:13.21
Oh, so many.
00:20:13.24\00:20:14.58
There's so many in the Bible,
but the point of the matter is,
00:20:14.61\00:20:16.48
they were called of God.
00:20:16.51\00:20:20.72
But their call wasn't just,
00:20:20.75\00:20:22.45
okay, I'm
responding to the call.
00:20:22.48\00:20:24.42
They built that
on a relationship.
00:20:24.45\00:20:26.29
It wasn't just, I know
what God wants me to do,
00:20:26.32\00:20:28.72
but I know God.
00:20:28.76\00:20:30.13
And one of the
questions I had out of the text
00:20:30.16\00:20:32.26
here in Matthew 16:13.
00:20:32.29\00:20:37.43
This is an interesting text
00:20:37.47\00:20:39.17
because that was a
question in the days of Christ.
00:20:39.20\00:20:42.87
Honey, would you read
that for us, Matthew 16:13?
00:20:42.90\00:20:45.61
Okay.
00:20:45.64\00:20:46.98
It says, "When Jesus came
00:20:47.01\00:20:48.98
into the region
of Caesarea Philippi,
00:20:49.01\00:20:51.91
He asked His disciples, saying,
00:20:51.95\00:20:54.32
'Who do men say that
I, the Son of Man, am?'"
00:20:54.35\00:20:58.92
Okay, that's huge.
That's pretty much it.
00:20:58.95\00:21:00.79
Who do they say I am?
00:21:00.82\00:21:02.72
And when the response came,
you are the Christ, He said,
00:21:02.76\00:21:06.29
flesh and blood did
not reveal that to you.
00:21:06.33\00:21:08.80
In other words, you know this
because you got a connection.
00:21:08.83\00:21:13.23
We have to, you have to have
a connection to be connected.
00:21:13.27\00:21:17.54
And I think that
makes a difference.
00:21:17.57\00:21:18.91
When the Holy Spirit is working
in our lives, the Holy Spirit,
00:21:18.94\00:21:21.91
as the Bible says in John 16:13,
00:21:21.94\00:21:23.75
"He will not speak
on his own authority,
00:21:23.78\00:21:25.45
whatever He hears,
00:21:25.48\00:21:26.82
he'll speak and he'll
tell you things to come."
00:21:26.85\00:21:28.62
And there are many people
that say they know Christ,
00:21:28.65\00:21:30.85
but they're
glorifying the Holy Spirit,
00:21:30.89\00:21:33.29
or the Holy Spirit
doesn't even glorify himself.
00:21:33.32\00:21:35.12
That's right.
00:21:35.16\00:21:36.49
So, you know, He doesn't even,
00:21:36.52\00:21:38.13
He will not glorify
himself, He will glorify me.
00:21:38.16\00:21:41.16
So one of the
external indications
00:21:41.20\00:21:43.67
in Christianity
today is this constant,
00:21:43.70\00:21:47.27
well, I need the Holy
Spirit, I want the Holy Spirit.
00:21:47.30\00:21:49.77
Well, if you want the
Holy Spirit for the, for...
00:21:49.80\00:21:51.97
What's that?
00:21:52.01\00:21:53.64
What was that man
in the Book of Acts,
00:21:53.68\00:21:55.58
he want the Holy
Spirit for the wrong reasons?
00:21:55.61\00:21:57.28
Simon. Simon.
00:21:57.31\00:21:59.01
He was, he had the
last name, okay, but anyway.
00:21:59.05\00:22:01.45
He wanted Holy
Spirit for what he saw
00:22:01.48\00:22:03.28
the power of the Holy Spirit.
00:22:03.32\00:22:04.99
And I like the way that...
I like the way that tells us.
00:22:05.02\00:22:08.96
Now, Jesus, we know.
00:22:08.99\00:22:13.46
Jesus we know again.
00:22:13.50\00:22:15.43
Paul we know. Right.
00:22:15.46\00:22:16.90
But who He is? That's right.
00:22:16.93\00:22:19.97
That's true. Right.
00:22:20.00\00:22:21.34
Absolutely. So
right away he wanted...
00:22:21.37\00:22:24.17
He wanted the thing
associated with God,
00:22:24.21\00:22:27.08
but he didn't want God.
00:22:27.11\00:22:29.24
I just want to
say something to that.
00:22:29.28\00:22:30.61
You know, my
friend Jordan Moore,
00:22:30.65\00:22:32.28
and me and him
preached a revival together
00:22:32.31\00:22:34.95
back in December,
and he made a message
00:22:34.98\00:22:37.95
and it was very beautiful title.
00:22:37.99\00:22:39.32
It was right
around Christmas time,
00:22:39.35\00:22:40.69
it was titled Home Alone.
00:22:40.72\00:22:42.06
Oh.
00:22:42.09\00:22:43.43
And you know,
the movie Home Alone,
00:22:43.46\00:22:44.79
it's a very famous movie.
00:22:44.83\00:22:46.16
And it's very interesting
00:22:46.19\00:22:47.53
because he used the illustration
00:22:47.56\00:22:48.90
about how he was out
canvassing and knocking,
00:22:48.93\00:22:50.27
doing door knocking, you know,
00:22:50.30\00:22:51.63
and trying to share
the gospel with people.
00:22:51.67\00:22:53.17
And he knocks on this door.
00:22:53.20\00:22:54.80
And this woman
said, "Who are you?"
00:22:54.84\00:22:57.04
And he's like, "Oh, Jordan."
She's like, "I don't know you."
00:22:57.07\00:23:01.91
And she locked the
door and won't let him in.
00:23:01.94\00:23:04.61
And he said, as I was
walking away, he said it hit me.
00:23:04.65\00:23:08.22
She didn't let me in
because she didn't know me.
00:23:08.25\00:23:10.65
Wow. I get it.
00:23:10.69\00:23:12.29
And then and then he
remembered the Scripture,
00:23:12.32\00:23:13.92
Jesus knocking on
the door in Revelation.
00:23:13.96\00:23:17.03
Revelation 3:20.
Revelation 3:20, right.
00:23:17.06\00:23:18.86
He says, I knock,
00:23:18.89\00:23:20.66
right as many as
would open the door,
00:23:20.70\00:23:22.03
I will come in and dine with him
00:23:22.06\00:23:23.40
and supper with
him and he with me,
00:23:23.43\00:23:24.77
but the only reason why
00:23:24.80\00:23:26.13
we don't let Jesus in our lives
is because we don't know Him.
00:23:26.17\00:23:28.20
If we really knew
Him, we would let Him in.
00:23:28.24\00:23:30.81
We would want Him to
come in. That's right.
00:23:30.84\00:23:32.74
Amen. Absolutely.
00:23:32.77\00:23:34.11
You know it's
powerful what you just said
00:23:34.14\00:23:35.64
but all these
are powerful points
00:23:35.68\00:23:37.18
and my brain is just spinning
90 miles per hour right now.
00:23:37.21\00:23:40.45
But it's interesting going
back to what you're referencing
00:23:40.48\00:23:42.52
that particular
text, what is it?
00:23:42.55\00:23:44.45
What can it be said about,
00:23:44.49\00:23:46.76
when the devil knows
that if you know God or not?
00:23:46.79\00:23:49.42
That's right. There you go.
00:23:49.46\00:23:51.26
What can it be
said when the devils,
00:23:51.29\00:23:53.53
the demons know
00:23:53.56\00:23:54.90
when they know you
specifically by name,
00:23:54.93\00:23:56.80
when they could say, oh, wait,
00:23:56.83\00:23:58.33
you know, Jesus I
know, Peter I know.
00:23:58.37\00:24:01.04
You, I don't know.
00:24:01.07\00:24:02.40
You know, Paul, we
know, we don't know you.
00:24:02.44\00:24:04.21
What does that say?
00:24:04.24\00:24:05.57
You know, I pray that
that you know, as much as
00:24:05.61\00:24:07.88
I don't want the demons to
be in my life and affect me,
00:24:07.91\00:24:10.61
at the same time
00:24:10.65\00:24:11.98
I want the
demons to know who I am,
00:24:12.01\00:24:13.75
in the sense because they know
that I know the master, right?
00:24:13.78\00:24:16.62
What does it say when
the demons and the devils
00:24:16.65\00:24:19.55
in this dark
world that we live in
00:24:19.59\00:24:21.32
know that you have a
special relationship with God?
00:24:21.36\00:24:23.46
And what does it say
when they know you don't?
00:24:23.49\00:24:25.86
You know that's true.
00:24:25.89\00:24:27.23
If you don't know the law,
00:24:27.26\00:24:29.20
they won't even
think of you as a threat.
00:24:29.23\00:24:31.63
Yeah. Right.
00:24:31.67\00:24:33.00
If you're just a
spectator at the football game,
00:24:33.03\00:24:35.77
I don't have to worry
about you getting to the goal
00:24:35.80\00:24:38.01
because you're not even
concerned about the goal line.
00:24:38.04\00:24:40.28
You're just
watching this play off.
00:24:40.31\00:24:42.41
Okay, say it
again. A fan as you said.
00:24:42.44\00:24:43.98
That's right, yeah.
00:24:44.01\00:24:45.35
I recall from what
you just said a moment,
00:24:45.38\00:24:46.72
Dakota, Home Alone.
00:24:46.75\00:24:48.08
That's a powerful sermon title.
00:24:48.12\00:24:49.45
There are many people
that are in at church home,
00:24:49.48\00:24:51.99
but alone.
00:24:52.02\00:24:53.36
Because they
don't know the Lord.
00:24:53.39\00:24:54.72
Wow.
00:24:54.76\00:24:56.09
So thank you for
the sermon title.
00:24:56.12\00:24:57.46
That's nice and
interesting. Going back to that.
00:24:57.49\00:24:58.83
You know, when I was, again,
00:24:58.86\00:25:00.20
I was researching this topic
00:25:00.23\00:25:01.56
and I clicked on that word know.
00:25:01.60\00:25:02.93
And it came up the
Greek word ginosko.
00:25:02.96\00:25:04.83
And not only did it
give me an understanding
00:25:04.87\00:25:06.50
or a deeper meaning of
that, but I also wanted to know,
00:25:06.53\00:25:09.24
as in many of
these Bible softwares
00:25:09.27\00:25:11.57
that you can do today,
00:25:11.61\00:25:12.94
praise the Lord
for modern technology.
00:25:12.97\00:25:14.38
I could click on that
word, and it will tell me
00:25:14.41\00:25:16.54
every single aspect of scripture
00:25:16.58\00:25:18.65
where that particular
word is used in the Greek.
00:25:18.68\00:25:21.98
And one of the
first ones that popped up
00:25:22.02\00:25:23.89
was very fascinating to me.
00:25:23.92\00:25:26.02
Mark, excuse me,
Matthew 1: 24-25.
00:25:26.05\00:25:29.22
And notice what it
says here, it says,
00:25:32.43\00:25:34.26
"Then Joseph being
aroused from sleep,
00:25:34.30\00:25:36.20
dead as the angel of
the Lord commanded him
00:25:36.23\00:25:38.97
and took to him his wife,
00:25:39.00\00:25:41.64
and did not know
her till she had brought
00:25:41.67\00:25:46.27
forth her firstborn son,
and he called his name Jesus."
00:25:46.31\00:25:50.18
Now, when we read that text,
00:25:50.21\00:25:53.42
we, of course,
because we understand
00:25:53.45\00:25:55.65
the very nature of
this particular text,
00:25:55.68\00:25:57.79
this particular text is talking
about that up to this point,
00:25:57.82\00:26:01.66
they had not had an intimate
husband and wife relationship
00:26:01.69\00:26:05.79
that had not occurred.
00:26:05.83\00:26:07.16
And so when it says
that he did not know her,
00:26:07.20\00:26:09.43
that's what it
is implying there.
00:26:09.46\00:26:11.10
And then my mind
starts going at it
00:26:11.13\00:26:13.13
and I start thinking
to myself, how does this,
00:26:13.17\00:26:15.17
why did Jesus choose
that word when He said,
00:26:15.20\00:26:18.67
"And this is eternal
life that you may know God
00:26:18.71\00:26:23.14
and Jesus Christ,
whom thou have sent."
00:26:23.18\00:26:25.11
Because that's powerful,
00:26:25.15\00:26:26.48
I think that communicates
a special nature here
00:26:26.51\00:26:28.58
not an improper sexual nature,
00:26:28.62\00:26:32.42
but I think it
communicates the deepness,
00:26:32.45\00:26:35.39
the spiritual intimacy
that God wants to have with us,
00:26:35.42\00:26:39.33
in the sense that He
wants us to really know Him.
00:26:39.36\00:26:41.40
He wants us to be close to Him,
00:26:41.43\00:26:43.06
because He says
that is eternal life.
00:26:43.10\00:26:45.53
I don't want you
to just know about Me,
00:26:45.57\00:26:47.34
I want you to really,
really come to know Me.
00:26:47.37\00:26:50.14
And so God ultimately,
00:26:50.17\00:26:52.47
He wants to
reach the heart, right?
00:26:52.51\00:26:53.98
We know that.
00:26:54.01\00:26:55.34
He wants to reach the
heart, and I made a note here.
00:26:55.38\00:26:57.25
God wants more than lip service.
00:26:57.28\00:26:59.31
That's right.
00:26:59.35\00:27:00.78
God wants more than lip service.
00:27:00.82\00:27:02.75
How can we make sure
00:27:02.78\00:27:04.35
that our hearts
are genuinely engaged
00:27:04.39\00:27:06.39
in a deep
relationship with Christ.
00:27:06.42\00:27:09.12
And I have a text
here, a couple of texts here.
00:27:09.16\00:27:11.46
And if you guys want to chime
in on this, please come in.
00:27:11.49\00:27:13.90
But when we were talking
about really knowing the person.
00:27:13.93\00:27:16.30
If I walk out on
the streets and I,
00:27:16.33\00:27:17.93
you know, say to somebody,
00:27:17.97\00:27:19.73
oh, you know, hey,
I know John Lomacang,
00:27:19.77\00:27:22.30
but I really don't
know John Lomacang.
00:27:22.34\00:27:23.97
I've never spent time with
him, I've never talked to him.
00:27:24.01\00:27:26.27
He's just someone,
maybe an acquaintance.
00:27:26.31\00:27:27.91
Someone that I've
met on the street,
00:27:27.94\00:27:29.41
maybe met at one time,
but I'm telling people,
00:27:29.44\00:27:31.48
oh, yeah, John
Lomacang's my friend,
00:27:31.51\00:27:33.18
I really know him,
but I really don't.
00:27:33.21\00:27:35.68
What does that say?
00:27:35.72\00:27:37.19
And I think a lot of
people's relationship
00:27:37.22\00:27:38.69
with the Lord is just that.
00:27:38.72\00:27:40.06
Oh, yeah, we know
Jesus. Oh, yeah, we're safe.
00:27:40.09\00:27:42.06
I invited Him into my heart.
00:27:42.09\00:27:43.63
But Jesus says it's
much more of a heart issue.
00:27:43.66\00:27:45.76
I think the danger of that
00:27:45.79\00:27:47.13
is that we're
telling other people,
00:27:47.16\00:27:49.43
we're
witnessing to other people.
00:27:49.46\00:27:50.80
Yes.
00:27:50.83\00:27:52.17
And we're saying, I know Him
00:27:52.20\00:27:53.54
and He's like this
when really we don't.
00:27:53.57\00:27:54.90
And that is the truth. Wow.
00:27:54.94\00:27:56.27
So what do we really say?
00:27:56.30\00:27:57.64
I might use,
our voice all of us,
00:27:57.67\00:27:59.07
you know, your spouse's voice.
00:27:59.11\00:28:00.44
Honey I'm home. That's right.
00:28:00.48\00:28:02.58
The Father. What
about Jesus and His sheep?
00:28:02.61\00:28:05.45
My sheep brought him.
My sheep hear my voice.
00:28:05.48\00:28:08.18
Wow, that is powerful.
00:28:08.22\00:28:09.65
One of the commandments,
I believe that's broken
00:28:09.68\00:28:11.15
probably more
than any of them is,
00:28:11.19\00:28:13.59
is the third
commandment, where Jesus says,
00:28:13.62\00:28:15.59
take not my name in vain, right?
00:28:15.62\00:28:17.13
And you know,
00:28:17.16\00:28:18.49
when we call
ourselves a Christian,
00:28:18.53\00:28:20.20
we're taking on
the name of Christ.
00:28:20.23\00:28:21.56
That's right, we
become representatives.
00:28:21.60\00:28:22.93
And we're
representing Him, right?
00:28:22.96\00:28:24.30
The reward of
Christian is Christ.
00:28:24.33\00:28:25.67
And so if we're saying,
I'm a Christian, you're saying,
00:28:25.70\00:28:28.30
I know God, Christ is my God.
00:28:28.34\00:28:30.71
But if your life
does not, you know,
00:28:30.74\00:28:32.54
synonymous with
the life of Christ,
00:28:32.57\00:28:34.98
then really you're
taking His name in vain.
00:28:35.01\00:28:37.11
And, you know,
00:28:37.15\00:28:38.48
I think we have to
be careful with that,
00:28:38.51\00:28:39.85
that we truly do know God.
00:28:39.88\00:28:41.35
And, you know, I've
gotten to the point lately
00:28:41.38\00:28:43.65
when someone asked
me, "Are you a Christian?"
00:28:43.69\00:28:45.32
I said, "I'm in
a walk with Jesus.
00:28:45.35\00:28:47.72
I'm in a walk with Jesus.
00:28:47.76\00:28:49.19
I'm doing my
best to be like Him.
00:28:49.22\00:28:51.59
I'm following Him every day."
00:28:51.63\00:28:52.96
You're striving
to get to know Him
00:28:52.99\00:28:54.33
more and more
each and every day.
00:28:54.36\00:28:55.70
Matthew 15:7-9.
00:28:55.73\00:28:57.27
Let's go there,
because this particular text
00:28:57.30\00:28:59.30
really sticks out to me
when you're talking about
00:28:59.33\00:29:01.54
a prime biblical
example of lip service,
00:29:01.57\00:29:04.54
but no heart commitment, right?
00:29:04.57\00:29:06.94
Jesus wants that
heart commitment.
00:29:06.98\00:29:08.38
He wants everything about
you. He wants your whole being.
00:29:08.41\00:29:11.31
He really wants to know you
and He wants you to know Him.
00:29:11.35\00:29:14.38
But we're talking about a
prime example in the Bible
00:29:14.42\00:29:16.48
where Jesus is
condemning someone who says
00:29:16.52\00:29:18.32
they know God
when really they don't.
00:29:18.35\00:29:20.52
We're talking
about Matthew 15:7-9.
00:29:20.56\00:29:23.53
Pastor, why don't you read that
00:29:23.56\00:29:24.89
and let's discuss this a little?
00:29:24.93\00:29:26.26
"Hypocrites!
00:29:26.29\00:29:27.63
Well did Isaiah
prophesy about you, saying:
00:29:27.66\00:29:31.67
'These people draw
near to Me with their mouth,
00:29:31.70\00:29:34.90
and honor Me with their lips,
00:29:34.94\00:29:36.97
but their heart is far from
Me and in vain they worship Me,
00:29:37.01\00:29:42.34
teaching as doctrines
the commandments of men."
00:29:42.38\00:29:46.18
You know what is
in essence saying
00:29:46.21\00:29:47.55
is I think of Isaiah 4:1.
00:29:47.58\00:29:51.75
"Many was, you
know, in that day,
00:29:51.79\00:29:55.76
seven women will
take hold of the one man."
00:29:55.79\00:29:57.76
Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah.
00:29:57.79\00:29:59.13
"Saying we will
eat our own bread,
00:29:59.16\00:30:01.03
wear our own apparel,
00:30:01.06\00:30:02.90
only let us be
called by Your name."
00:30:02.93\00:30:05.03
I just wants Your name
to take away our reproach.
00:30:05.07\00:30:08.10
And you know the
name Christian is a name
00:30:08.14\00:30:09.60
that does take away reproach.
00:30:09.64\00:30:11.47
But what the Lord is in
essence saying here, well, you,
00:30:11.51\00:30:14.31
but you just
give me lip service.
00:30:14.34\00:30:16.21
I really don't know you.
00:30:16.24\00:30:17.58
So today we have to be
very careful in this society
00:30:17.61\00:30:20.05
where these
descriptions are so prevalent.
00:30:20.08\00:30:22.38
He says, don't
just take what they say.
00:30:22.42\00:30:26.35
See who they are.
00:30:26.39\00:30:27.86
That's where the
fruit of Spirit come from,
00:30:27.89\00:30:29.39
and the fruit of the Spirit.
00:30:29.42\00:30:30.76
Fruit don't
appear inside the tree.
00:30:30.79\00:30:32.59
They appear on the outside.
00:30:32.63\00:30:33.96
That's right.
00:30:34.00\00:30:35.33
So how we live our
lives should be evidence here,
00:30:35.36\00:30:37.40
that person knows.
00:30:37.43\00:30:40.20
We were in San
Francisco years ago.
00:30:40.24\00:30:42.64
And it's kind of like I'm
telling my own story here.
00:30:42.67\00:30:45.94
Talk about the time
when they told me go upstairs
00:30:45.97\00:30:47.38
and get something
come back on line.
00:30:47.41\00:30:48.74
Remember that story
00:30:48.78\00:30:50.18
and the ladies
jumped in front of me?
00:30:50.21\00:30:51.55
Oh, yeah. Yeah,
you told that before.
00:30:51.58\00:30:52.91
Okay.
00:30:52.95\00:30:54.28
And the ladies
jumped in front of you
00:30:54.32\00:30:55.65
and they were so...
00:30:55.68\00:30:57.02
The lady behind the
counter was so impressed.
00:30:57.05\00:31:00.39
She says, wow, you
know, the lady you on line.
00:31:00.42\00:31:03.73
But they told me to go upstairs
and get something in my bag.
00:31:03.76\00:31:05.09
You know the story
better. You tell it.
00:31:05.13\00:31:08.16
It sounds funny
telling your story.
00:31:08.20\00:31:10.87
Okay, I'll make the point.
00:31:10.90\00:31:12.50
You know, I was on line already,
00:31:12.53\00:31:13.94
but there's a
particular document I needed.
00:31:13.97\00:31:15.47
They said, well, go
upstairs and when you come down,
00:31:15.50\00:31:17.47
just come to the
front of the line, right?
00:31:17.51\00:31:19.51
Don't wait, just come to.
00:31:19.54\00:31:20.88
So I came down there were
three women in front of me.
00:31:20.91\00:31:22.98
And I just waited
behind the third woman,
00:31:23.01\00:31:25.75
fourth in line.
00:31:25.78\00:31:27.22
And I was looking at my wife,
00:31:27.25\00:31:29.08
she was on the
other side of the,
00:31:29.12\00:31:30.99
and there was a nurse looking.
00:31:31.02\00:31:33.12
And I came back and said,
00:31:33.15\00:31:34.49
"What she's saying
because she looked at me,
00:31:34.52\00:31:35.86
she looked at you and
you look back and you guys,
00:31:35.89\00:31:37.73
what were you saying?"
00:31:37.76\00:31:39.09
And she said, "Is
your husband a Christian?"
00:31:39.13\00:31:43.70
And I said, "Why
would she say that?"
00:31:43.73\00:31:45.40
She said, "Because
you were so patient.
00:31:45.43\00:31:47.60
You just went to
the back of the line,
00:31:47.64\00:31:48.97
you weren't flustered."
00:31:49.00\00:31:50.37
Most people be upset,
they just walk through
00:31:50.41\00:31:52.31
the front of line
regardless of who's there.
00:31:52.34\00:31:54.98
What is being said
there is your behavior.
00:31:55.01\00:31:59.11
It speaks louder
than what you say.
00:31:59.15\00:32:02.68
So that's important.
That's what this was about.
00:32:02.72\00:32:05.92
That's powerful even
more to consider that
00:32:05.95\00:32:07.79
these were the
spiritual leaders of Israel
00:32:07.82\00:32:10.63
that Jesus is addressing here.
00:32:10.66\00:32:12.43
These were the
what we consider this,
00:32:12.46\00:32:14.20
the seminary professors,
00:32:14.23\00:32:15.56
these are the
ones who, you know,
00:32:15.60\00:32:16.93
they didn't just have
multiple copies of the scrolls
00:32:16.97\00:32:19.07
and the text laying around,
00:32:19.10\00:32:20.44
these guys had to
commit this stuff to memory.
00:32:20.47\00:32:22.60
And so this even goes further
to prove our point in the sense
00:32:22.64\00:32:25.07
that you can have a
lot of head knowledge,
00:32:25.11\00:32:27.68
you know, you can have it
all tucked away in your mind,
00:32:27.71\00:32:29.64
you can know the rules,
00:32:29.68\00:32:31.05
you can have all
the text memorized.
00:32:31.08\00:32:33.05
And these guys were the
kind of the prime example
00:32:33.08\00:32:36.42
of who in that
particular society
00:32:36.45\00:32:38.92
and that particular culture,
00:32:38.95\00:32:40.46
everyone looked
up to the priest,
00:32:40.49\00:32:42.16
everyone looked
up to the priesthood
00:32:42.19\00:32:43.53
and to the Pharisees
who taught the Scripture,
00:32:43.56\00:32:45.59
but Jesus is condemning him.
00:32:45.63\00:32:46.96
He says, look,
you talk big about Me,
00:32:47.00\00:32:49.36
you know, you have
good things to say about Me,
00:32:49.40\00:32:50.93
but your heart is far from Me.
00:32:50.97\00:32:52.87
And so what does
that say about us today?
00:32:52.90\00:32:54.70
I think, you know,
my heart yearns to be
00:32:54.74\00:32:57.34
more closer to Christ
so that I don't just know
00:32:57.37\00:32:59.31
a lot about Him, but
I actually do know Him.
00:32:59.34\00:33:01.68
Absolutely.
00:33:01.71\00:33:03.04
James said,
00:33:03.08\00:33:04.41
"Do not love in
word or in tongue,
00:33:04.45\00:33:06.65
but indeed and in truth."
00:33:06.68\00:33:08.02
Oh, that's good.
00:33:08.05\00:33:09.38
And I think that's synonymous
00:33:09.42\00:33:10.75
that the whole Bible Jesus said,
00:33:10.79\00:33:12.12
you'll know them by their fruits
00:33:12.15\00:33:13.49
in Matthew 7:20.
00:33:13.52\00:33:14.86
Yeah. It makes the fruit.
00:33:14.89\00:33:16.22
Yeah.
00:33:16.26\00:33:17.59
Inspector, see we're not judges,
00:33:17.63\00:33:18.96
we're fruit inspectors.
00:33:18.99\00:33:20.33
Right. That's right.
00:33:20.36\00:33:21.70
It's a difference all together.
00:33:21.73\00:33:23.06
We were down in
Southern California
00:33:23.10\00:33:24.43
remember number of years ago?
00:33:24.47\00:33:25.80
We're trying to
find somebody else
00:33:25.83\00:33:27.17
around Thanksgiving.
00:33:27.20\00:33:28.54
We couldn't find it.
00:33:28.57\00:33:29.90
So we went to this restaurant
to try to ask for directions.
00:33:29.94\00:33:31.27
Do you remember
that? Yeah, vaguely.
00:33:31.31\00:33:33.34
It was many years
ago. Back in the 90s.
00:33:33.38\00:33:36.04
But you remember we were
walking up to the restaurant.
00:33:36.08\00:33:37.55
There's a guy came
out, what did he say to us?
00:33:37.58\00:33:40.02
He said, did he say,
"Are you a Christian?"
00:33:40.05\00:33:42.05
He said, "Are
you guys Christian?"
00:33:42.08\00:33:43.42
Yeah. He looked at
us. Are you a Christian?
00:33:43.45\00:33:46.05
We're like, where
did that come from?
00:33:46.09\00:33:47.66
Yeah, he said, I could tell.
00:33:47.69\00:33:50.16
Just walk into any directions
and said I could tell.
00:33:50.19\00:33:53.16
That's right.
00:33:53.19\00:33:54.80
But you know, the
Bible tells us that
00:33:54.83\00:33:56.16
we should walk as He walks.
00:33:56.20\00:33:58.03
We should you know,
Jesus wants to share
00:33:58.07\00:33:59.73
His Spiritual mind with us.
00:33:59.77\00:34:01.10
The Bible says,
let this mind be in you
00:34:01.14\00:34:02.97
which is also in Christ Jesus.
00:34:03.00\00:34:04.41
When we reach the point
where when people look at us
00:34:04.44\00:34:06.94
and hear us and see us,
00:34:06.98\00:34:08.44
and we become a
reflection of Him,
00:34:08.48\00:34:10.81
in which they, you know,
00:34:10.85\00:34:12.18
our words become
like that of Jesus,
00:34:12.21\00:34:14.02
our actions become
like that of Jesus,
00:34:14.05\00:34:15.88
our lifestyle and who we are.
00:34:15.92\00:34:17.95
It just beams Jesus' light.
00:34:17.99\00:34:20.52
You know, people as you
just told that beautiful story,
00:34:20.56\00:34:22.42
people notice those things.
00:34:22.46\00:34:23.79
I was thinking, you
know, in relation to how people
00:34:23.83\00:34:26.43
really know each other.
00:34:26.46\00:34:27.83
Last night
funniest thing happened.
00:34:27.86\00:34:30.13
We were in our
house and we were,
00:34:30.17\00:34:33.30
I know she was looking,
Stephanie was looking up
00:34:33.34\00:34:35.00
something online.
00:34:35.04\00:34:36.40
And something came across
her phone of some lady singing.
00:34:36.44\00:34:40.48
And she knew that I
was like, just based off,
00:34:40.51\00:34:45.51
like seeing
this particular image
00:34:45.55\00:34:48.22
and hearing this
particular voice.
00:34:48.25\00:34:50.09
She knew exactly what
how I was about to respond.
00:34:50.12\00:34:53.39
And I was literally...
He was about to talk.
00:34:53.42\00:34:57.49
It was about to
literally come out of my mouth
00:34:57.53\00:35:00.90
and I was about to
start singing or talking
00:35:00.93\00:35:03.77
like I saw and
heard this person to be.
00:35:03.80\00:35:06.67
And before I could
even get it out of my mouth,
00:35:06.70\00:35:08.57
she goes, you're about
to start singing like this,
00:35:08.60\00:35:10.54
the way this lady sings, right?
00:35:10.57\00:35:11.91
You're about to start, you know,
00:35:11.94\00:35:13.27
talking the way that you know,
00:35:13.31\00:35:14.64
because they had
a particular accent
00:35:14.68\00:35:16.01
or particular sound.
00:35:16.04\00:35:17.38
And I just
started rolling laughing
00:35:17.41\00:35:19.21
because it showed us
00:35:19.25\00:35:20.58
just how much
we know each other.
00:35:20.62\00:35:22.05
God wants to know us like that.
00:35:22.08\00:35:23.79
And He wants us to
know Him like that.
00:35:23.82\00:35:25.62
So that when we live our lives
and we talk and we, you know,
00:35:25.65\00:35:29.72
we're out there
engaged in everyday life among
00:35:29.76\00:35:32.16
our brothers and sisters
in our communities that people
00:35:32.19\00:35:34.96
when they see us,
they see you know what?
00:35:35.00\00:35:37.03
That sounded just like
Jesus, that look just like Jesus
00:35:37.07\00:35:40.44
and that's the way I
want to live my life.
00:35:40.47\00:35:41.80
So I just want to ask a
practical question here.
00:35:41.84\00:35:43.17
I'm sorry, go ahead.
00:35:43.20\00:35:44.54
No, I was just
going to say like,
00:35:44.57\00:35:45.91
you guys have
used the illustrations
00:35:45.94\00:35:47.28
of your wives knowing so well,
00:35:47.31\00:35:48.64
and even you know that
that close relationship,
00:35:48.68\00:35:50.45
you guys so it's funny.
00:35:50.48\00:35:51.81
I think every
couple has that experience.
00:35:51.85\00:35:54.48
But what's amazing,
you know is that Christ
00:35:54.52\00:35:56.18
is referred to as our
husband in the church.
00:35:56.22\00:35:58.75
We are His bride.
00:35:58.79\00:36:01.29
And so He wants that
close knit relationship,
00:36:01.32\00:36:03.83
just like it is
between a husband or wife
00:36:03.86\00:36:05.63
in a spiritual way.
00:36:05.66\00:36:07.00
And it's a very close way.
00:36:07.03\00:36:08.50
And so I think that
00:36:08.53\00:36:09.86
just relates
beautiful what it says.
00:36:09.90\00:36:11.23
No, that's
awesome. Praise the Lord.
00:36:11.27\00:36:12.60
So what are some practical ways?
00:36:12.63\00:36:14.14
Let's talk about, you know,
00:36:14.17\00:36:15.60
my question that I put
here in the notes here.
00:36:15.64\00:36:17.11
How can we make sure
00:36:17.14\00:36:18.47
our hearts are genuinely engaged
00:36:18.51\00:36:20.44
in a deep
relationship with Christ?
00:36:20.48\00:36:22.54
We want to make
sure that our lifestyle
00:36:22.58\00:36:24.61
and the way we represent Christ
00:36:24.65\00:36:25.98
is not just lip
service, but we have a genuine,
00:36:26.01\00:36:29.22
deep connection with Christ.
00:36:29.25\00:36:30.59
How can we make sure,
00:36:30.62\00:36:32.39
what are some
things that we can do,
00:36:32.42\00:36:34.82
not do that
would help us to remain
00:36:34.86\00:36:38.79
and stay connected to
Jesus on a daily basis?
00:36:38.83\00:36:41.16
So let's just
talk amongst ourselves
00:36:41.20\00:36:42.53
about that for a moment.
00:36:42.56\00:36:43.90
Read the Word. Okay.
00:36:43.93\00:36:45.27
Amen. That is the way.
00:36:45.30\00:36:46.63
You read your
love letter. Right.
00:36:46.67\00:36:48.00
I know I remember.
00:36:48.04\00:36:49.37
When I was at school,
00:36:49.40\00:36:50.74
I was at Oakwood
College many years ago,
00:36:50.77\00:36:53.17
and I used to get
these beautiful letters
00:36:53.21\00:36:55.71
from my
boyfriend right next to me,
00:36:55.74\00:36:58.65
he's my husband but
he's still my boyfriend.
00:36:58.68\00:37:00.65
I used to get
these beautiful letters
00:37:00.68\00:37:02.78
with all these hyssop...
00:37:02.82\00:37:04.55
I used to play guitar
and all the guitar picks
00:37:04.59\00:37:06.86
are different shapes
circle, heart, triangle.
00:37:06.89\00:37:11.23
And I would take
all the guitar picks
00:37:11.26\00:37:13.09
outline the shapes on
the front of the letter
00:37:13.13\00:37:15.60
and cover them all in.
00:37:15.63\00:37:17.47
And then I would,
what else did I do?
00:37:17.50\00:37:19.03
Spray cologne on the letter.
00:37:19.07\00:37:20.97
So when the letter came Angela,
00:37:21.00\00:37:23.20
they would just smell so
good all the girls says...
00:37:23.24\00:37:27.41
You could smell my letter.
00:37:27.44\00:37:29.01
And in the dorm,
they all said, what?
00:37:29.04\00:37:31.45
You got a letter?
I'm seeing my letter.
00:37:31.48\00:37:33.45
I couldn't wait
to get his letters.
00:37:33.48\00:37:35.72
Almost every day I
got a letter from him.
00:37:35.75\00:37:37.75
He's in New York, I'm away.
00:37:37.79\00:37:39.35
And it was his love letter to me
00:37:39.39\00:37:41.36
and so is the Word of God.
00:37:41.39\00:37:42.89
It's God's love letter to
us. You know, we just absorb it.
00:37:42.92\00:37:47.26
I can smell the
cologne. I can smell it.
00:37:47.30\00:37:49.46
Taste and see,
right? Well you know what?
00:37:49.50\00:37:50.83
Taste and see
that the Lord is good.
00:37:50.87\00:37:52.20
That's what this
generation is missing.
00:37:52.23\00:37:55.00
They sent emails, you know,
00:37:55.04\00:37:58.47
those of you that
are internet savvy
00:37:58.51\00:38:00.64
and technical,
use some of the things
00:38:00.68\00:38:03.68
that really matter,
you could save an email,
00:38:03.71\00:38:06.38
you know, you can just drag it
00:38:06.41\00:38:07.75
and drop it into
your special box,
00:38:07.78\00:38:09.58
but it can't beat the
letter Oh, you know what?
00:38:09.62\00:38:11.35
You just...
00:38:11.39\00:38:12.72
It cannot beat the
letter that was written
00:38:12.75\00:38:14.39
that the person
took their hand to.
00:38:14.42\00:38:16.42
And what makes
the difference is,
00:38:16.46\00:38:17.86
Elder C.D. Brooks and
his wife visited with us
00:38:17.89\00:38:19.83
whenever they would
come to Thompsonville 3ABN,
00:38:19.86\00:38:22.96
and he sent us to
response like how much he...
00:38:23.00\00:38:27.90
He said, "Normally
00:38:27.94\00:38:30.31
I have my secretary
write thanking people for,
00:38:30.34\00:38:33.71
you know their hospitality."
00:38:33.74\00:38:35.08
He said, "But I
did this myself."
00:38:35.11\00:38:36.44
He said, "I put my hand to it."
00:38:36.48\00:38:38.68
The part of our
joy in coming to 3 ABN
00:38:38.71\00:38:41.05
is we know we're
going to spend time
00:38:41.08\00:38:42.42
with the Lomacang.
00:38:42.45\00:38:43.79
Right. That's awesome.
00:38:43.82\00:38:45.15
We had that relationship. Yes.
00:38:45.19\00:38:46.52
And it makes a difference.
00:38:46.55\00:38:47.89
So you know, young folk that
like to just text, you know,
00:38:47.92\00:38:50.66
impress your girlfriend.
00:38:50.69\00:38:52.63
Get some writing paper,
00:38:52.66\00:38:54.66
get some envelopes, get a stamp.
00:38:54.70\00:38:57.40
Get a Hallmark
card. Get a Hallmark card.
00:38:57.43\00:38:59.77
Put some time in it
and the saddest thing
00:38:59.80\00:39:01.74
we got to tell the
last part of the story.
00:39:01.77\00:39:03.54
We went away to Heritage Singers
00:39:03.57\00:39:05.41
and left so much of
our stuff in Florida,
00:39:05.44\00:39:07.28
you know by her aunt's house
where she lived in the room
00:39:07.31\00:39:10.01
but somebody else
came and rented the room
00:39:10.05\00:39:12.48
and they put a lot of
our stuff in the shed.
00:39:12.51\00:39:15.02
Well, Florida... Humidity.
00:39:15.05\00:39:17.49
And all of our letters
soaked together and just...
00:39:17.52\00:39:20.72
When we came back home
all she had a stack of letters
00:39:20.76\00:39:23.02
and rubber bands.
00:39:23.06\00:39:24.39
They all just... It
was just one solid piece.
00:39:24.43\00:39:26.09
One solid piece
of mag, messed up...
00:39:26.13\00:39:28.90
Rubber band,
letters, everything.
00:39:28.93\00:39:30.97
I tell, meant for life.
00:39:31.00\00:39:33.27
But it's the love letter
from God, read and talk to Him.
00:39:33.30\00:39:36.04
It's a prayer.
00:39:36.07\00:39:37.41
It's amazing you guys say that,
00:39:37.44\00:39:38.77
me and Anna still
have all of our letters
00:39:38.81\00:39:40.14
in high school
when we were dating.
00:39:40.18\00:39:41.94
We still kept up
with all of them.
00:39:41.98\00:39:43.31
We still have them
and put them in our safe.
00:39:43.35\00:39:45.25
And I was just
thinking about those who didn't.
00:39:45.28\00:39:47.25
We have our
letters that are safe.
00:39:47.28\00:39:49.48
So we don't ever lose
them and they're protected
00:39:49.52\00:39:51.02
and think about the Word of God.
00:39:51.05\00:39:53.46
We should cherish it that much,
00:39:53.49\00:39:54.82
so we have to hid in our hearts.
00:39:54.86\00:39:56.19
Amen. That's right.
00:39:56.22\00:39:57.56
We always have it with us.
00:39:57.59\00:39:58.93
What did David say, "I
hear Thy word in my heart
00:39:58.96\00:40:01.83
that I might not
sin against thee."
00:40:01.86\00:40:03.26
Right. Absolutely.
00:40:03.30\00:40:04.63
I mean, but this
fits the theme though,
00:40:04.67\00:40:06.00
you know, you just mentioned
00:40:06.03\00:40:07.37
it should have
been a topical marriage.
00:40:07.40\00:40:08.74
I go back to that
point. You know, Adam...
00:40:08.77\00:40:11.37
Joseph did not know her
till he had brought forth
00:40:11.41\00:40:14.24
till she had
brought forth her firstborn.
00:40:14.28\00:40:16.08
Also think of you
know, Adam knew Eve,
00:40:16.11\00:40:18.21
you know, Abraham knew Sarah.
00:40:18.25\00:40:20.32
But Jesus
likens His relationship
00:40:20.35\00:40:22.48
with us unto that.
00:40:22.52\00:40:23.85
That's why Jesus said, you know,
00:40:23.89\00:40:25.22
this is eternal life
that they may know you
00:40:25.25\00:40:27.59
the only true
God and Jesus Christ
00:40:27.62\00:40:28.96
who thou have sent.
00:40:28.99\00:40:30.33
And so I want to hit the
pause button for a moment.
00:40:30.36\00:40:32.09
I normally don't do this,
00:40:32.13\00:40:33.46
but you just said
something that just sparked me.
00:40:33.50\00:40:35.40
Okay.
00:40:35.43\00:40:36.77
We're going to
hit the pause button
00:40:36.80\00:40:38.13
on most practical
items on how we can make sure
00:40:38.17\00:40:40.84
that we know God.
00:40:40.87\00:40:42.20
We're going to hit
the pause button on that
00:40:42.24\00:40:43.71
and come right back to
that in just a few moments.
00:40:43.74\00:40:45.07
But, Pastor, I want you
to allude on something here.
00:40:45.11\00:40:46.54
You just said a few minutes ago,
00:40:46.57\00:40:48.04
you said this generation.
00:40:48.08\00:40:51.38
This generation, you
recently did a sermon,
00:40:51.41\00:40:54.72
and I'll never forget the
title of it, Generation Z.
00:40:54.75\00:40:57.29
Amen.
00:40:57.32\00:40:58.65
And this text came to
my mind, Judges 2:7-10.
00:40:58.69\00:41:04.03
Stephanie, why
don't you read that?
00:41:04.06\00:41:05.49
Judges 2:7-10.
00:41:05.53\00:41:08.43
Now, there are
some names in here.
00:41:08.46\00:41:09.80
I tell you what?
00:41:09.83\00:41:11.17
Let's just focus in on verse 10.
00:41:11.20\00:41:12.53
Let's just focus in on verse.
00:41:12.57\00:41:13.90
Basically this is talking
about the time of Joshua.
00:41:13.94\00:41:15.54
Joshua has died, and basically
00:41:15.57\00:41:19.84
some generations pass.
00:41:19.87\00:41:21.78
And so, Stephanie,
read verse 10, Joshua 2:10,
00:41:21.81\00:41:25.31
about the time after Joshua.
00:41:25.35\00:41:28.22
"When all that generation
00:41:28.25\00:41:29.58
had been
gathered to their fathers,
00:41:29.62\00:41:31.45
another
generation arose after them
00:41:31.49\00:41:34.36
who did not know
the Lord nor the work
00:41:34.39\00:41:36.59
which he had done for Israel."
00:41:36.62\00:41:38.43
Okay, so notice it said,
they did not know the Lord.
00:41:38.46\00:41:42.16
And I went and looked
at that in the Septuagint,
00:41:42.20\00:41:44.03
which would be the Greek
copy of the Old Testament.
00:41:44.07\00:41:46.94
And that same word
ginosko is used right here
00:41:46.97\00:41:50.44
in the Septuagint in
this particular verse.
00:41:50.47\00:41:52.61
You did a
phenomenal sermon on this.
00:41:52.64\00:41:54.28
I just want you
to take some moments
00:41:54.31\00:41:55.94
and freely kind of
unpack that in connection with
00:41:55.98\00:41:58.61
what we're
talking about knowing God,
00:41:58.65\00:42:00.02
but this is
speaking of a generation
00:42:00.05\00:42:01.42
and you said earlier
this generation, more living,
00:42:01.45\00:42:04.75
it seems like
more and more people,
00:42:04.79\00:42:06.35
they don't know God, you know,
00:42:06.39\00:42:07.72
we're living in a generation
that does not know God.
00:42:07.76\00:42:09.36
Talk about that?
00:42:09.39\00:42:10.73
But, and you know
the thing about it,
00:42:10.76\00:42:12.09
they have a knowledge of God
00:42:12.13\00:42:13.46
that they have a head knowledge.
00:42:13.50\00:42:14.83
In Romans 1, Paul
says, although they knew God,
00:42:14.86\00:42:17.40
they glorified Him not as God,
00:42:17.43\00:42:20.04
but became vain
in their imagination
00:42:20.07\00:42:22.07
and their foolish
hearts were darkened.
00:42:22.10\00:42:24.17
We live in a
generation that's philosophical,
00:42:24.21\00:42:26.24
that's atheistic by profession,
00:42:26.27\00:42:28.04
but they don't even
know what atheists mean.
00:42:28.08\00:42:30.15
They are, you
know, they have locked
00:42:30.18\00:42:32.01
into theologies of the society,
but they don't know God.
00:42:32.05\00:42:34.98
And that, this is the reason
why this is so powerful is
00:42:35.02\00:42:38.02
because knowing God and
now I'm going to go back
00:42:38.05\00:42:40.72
to something you
said, Adam knew Eve,
00:42:40.76\00:42:43.99
you know, all the knew.
00:42:44.03\00:42:45.56
Abraham knew Sarah.
Joseph did not knew.
00:42:45.59\00:42:48.63
Yeah. Until.
00:42:48.66\00:42:50.27
So you see, there's an
intimate there's a change,
00:42:50.30\00:42:53.44
and I want to I
want to make a point here
00:42:53.47\00:42:54.80
because here's
where it's so significant.
00:42:54.84\00:42:56.71
I did a message
called, a baby had Mary,
00:42:56.74\00:43:01.68
Mary had a baby, a
baby that had Mary.
00:43:01.71\00:43:03.75
I like it.
00:43:03.78\00:43:05.11
He's so creative with his title.
00:43:05.15\00:43:06.88
Now watch what happens.
00:43:06.92\00:43:09.05
And this is
where it's so amazing.
00:43:09.08\00:43:10.69
And I want to just say
even include those of us
00:43:10.72\00:43:12.39
who are Seventh-day Adventists.
00:43:12.42\00:43:13.92
There are a lot of
things we do differently
00:43:13.96\00:43:15.62
because the Bible tells
us how to live, how to eat,
00:43:15.66\00:43:18.23
how to dress, you know,
our entertainment, all that.
00:43:18.26\00:43:20.86
But everything that
happened in Mary's life happened
00:43:20.90\00:43:23.40
because the baby
was making the change.
00:43:23.43\00:43:25.67
What did He do?
00:43:25.70\00:43:27.04
First thing was,
00:43:27.07\00:43:28.40
there's a glow
that came over her
00:43:28.44\00:43:31.11
after the baby's being developed
00:43:31.14\00:43:32.47
after three months.
00:43:32.51\00:43:33.84
You know, there's a glow,
00:43:33.88\00:43:35.21
there's a light
that shines in us,
00:43:35.24\00:43:36.58
you cannot hide the
fact that after three months
00:43:36.61\00:43:38.28
it's obvious is
something taken place in you.
00:43:38.31\00:43:40.62
So when Christ is in
you, you can't hide it.
00:43:40.65\00:43:42.85
A pregnant woman
00:43:42.88\00:43:44.49
doesn't have to
say I'm pregnant.
00:43:44.52\00:43:48.29
It's obvious. Yeah.
00:43:48.32\00:43:49.66
What else happens?
00:43:49.69\00:43:51.03
She changes the way she eats
00:43:51.06\00:43:52.49
not because I like
that Adventist diet,
00:43:52.53\00:43:55.10
but because the
baby requires the change,
00:43:55.13\00:43:57.67
the baby and not, you know,
00:43:57.70\00:43:59.40
we don't have
any children but we,
00:43:59.43\00:44:01.04
we know about her
sister had children.
00:44:01.07\00:44:03.10
I remember being
with her sister on a bus
00:44:03.14\00:44:04.61
once in Brooklyn,
and they looked at us
00:44:04.64\00:44:06.81
like we were a couple.
00:44:06.84\00:44:08.18
I said, "No, no, no, no,
00:44:08.21\00:44:09.54
I'm just going
with her to the store."
00:44:09.58\00:44:10.91
But we noticed her
face was all of glow.
00:44:10.95\00:44:12.51
And then women
that are pregnant,
00:44:12.55\00:44:14.42
their diets are weird.
00:44:14.45\00:44:16.62
They start eating strange stuff.
00:44:16.65\00:44:18.25
Pickles. But why?
00:44:18.29\00:44:19.69
Because the baby
is making the change.
00:44:19.72\00:44:21.82
It changes the way they dress.
00:44:21.86\00:44:24.16
A six month old, a
six month pregnant woman
00:44:24.19\00:44:26.73
can't dress like
she's not pregnant.
00:44:26.76\00:44:29.90
Okay. There you go.
00:44:29.93\00:44:32.27
You don't change the way
00:44:32.30\00:44:34.14
you dress to show
that you're Christian,
00:44:34.17\00:44:36.17
the baby makes the change.
00:44:36.20\00:44:38.21
That's why when you try to
change the way people dress
00:44:38.24\00:44:40.24
without knowing Christ,
00:44:40.28\00:44:41.61
they'll do it
just to please you,
00:44:41.64\00:44:42.98
but they'll put it on later
on because they're not pregnant.
00:44:43.01\00:44:45.15
That's right. Oh, wow.
00:44:45.18\00:44:47.02
If Christ is in you,
00:44:47.05\00:44:48.45
it's going to
change the way you dress.
00:44:48.48\00:44:50.22
What else is He going to do?
00:44:50.25\00:44:51.59
He is going to
change the way you walk.
00:44:51.62\00:44:52.95
Women that are pregnant,
the longer they're pregnant,
00:44:52.99\00:44:54.62
they start
walking really careful.
00:44:54.66\00:44:56.73
They avoid slippery places.
00:44:56.76\00:44:58.66
They hold on to
their husband's hand
00:44:58.69\00:45:00.03
so they don't fall.
00:45:00.06\00:45:01.40
And one of the
reasons why we don't hold on
00:45:01.43\00:45:02.76
to our husbands hands
because we're not pregnant,
00:45:02.80\00:45:04.50
and we don't have a husband.
00:45:04.53\00:45:07.14
And lastly,
they are always ready
00:45:07.17\00:45:09.47
because nobody knows the day
00:45:09.50\00:45:10.87
nor the hour of the deliverance.
00:45:10.91\00:45:12.24
Oh! I love that, Brother.
00:45:12.27\00:45:14.04
You're giving me
heartburn over here.
00:45:14.08\00:45:16.21
Oh, man. That's
awesome. I love it.
00:45:16.24\00:45:19.25
So we have to have your
bags packed, so I'd be...
00:45:19.28\00:45:21.32
It behooves us as Christians
to say, I got to get ready.
00:45:21.35\00:45:25.09
A pregnant woman.
00:45:25.12\00:45:26.45
They get that bag
packed, like in the fifth month
00:45:26.49\00:45:27.86
because they don't know.
00:45:27.89\00:45:29.79
They don't know
00:45:29.82\00:45:31.16
when the Son of
the Mary is coming.
00:45:31.19\00:45:32.53
It'd be premature or late.
00:45:32.56\00:45:33.90
And you know, when
the fullness of time come,
00:45:33.93\00:45:37.70
God will send forth
His Son into our lives.
00:45:37.73\00:45:40.34
So this generation,
the reason why we don't see
00:45:40.37\00:45:42.74
the evidences of
what a Christian is,
00:45:42.77\00:45:45.11
is because they
choose not to allow Him in
00:45:45.14\00:45:47.14
and you made the point.
00:45:47.18\00:45:48.51
I'm knocking if you let me
in, there'll be some changes.
00:45:48.54\00:45:50.28
Right.
00:45:50.31\00:45:51.65
All these young folks have to do
00:45:51.68\00:45:53.08
is have a relationship
with somebody who is alive.
00:45:53.11\00:45:57.59
Yeah, there you go. Amen.
00:45:57.62\00:46:00.76
That's a trifle. Powerful, man.
00:46:00.79\00:46:02.16
And remember that story,
you tell it about the boring,
00:46:02.19\00:46:05.49
the boring?
00:46:05.53\00:46:06.86
Oh, yeah, that's right.
00:46:06.90\00:46:08.23
This young lady and young
man went out to dinner together
00:46:08.26\00:46:10.93
actually a lunch.
00:46:10.97\00:46:12.33
And the guy getting annoyed,
says, Well, what do you do?
00:46:12.37\00:46:15.10
She's like to read books.
00:46:15.14\00:46:16.47
And she said, Well,
00:46:16.50\00:46:17.84
I'm reading this book right now.
00:46:17.87\00:46:19.21
It's just so boring.
What's the title of the book?
00:46:19.24\00:46:21.24
And she told him, he
said, "I wrote that book."
00:46:21.28\00:46:25.21
And she was shocked because
she told him it was boring.
00:46:25.25\00:46:28.55
Two months later,
it had another day
00:46:28.58\00:46:29.92
and she said, I love this book.
00:46:29.95\00:46:33.56
What made the
difference? She knew.
00:46:33.59\00:46:36.69
That's awesome.
00:46:36.73\00:46:38.36
So you got to know
the author in order
00:46:38.39\00:46:39.83
for the book to make sense.
00:46:39.86\00:46:41.20
Young folk don't read the Bible
00:46:41.23\00:46:42.56
because they
don't know the author.
00:46:42.60\00:46:44.53
Praise the Lord.
00:46:44.57\00:46:46.13
Feel like I'm drinking
from a fire hydrant over here.
00:46:46.17\00:46:48.17
Just keep on
talking. Praise the Lord.
00:46:48.20\00:46:50.57
Dakota, there's a
text on the same point
00:46:50.61\00:46:52.74
what we're talking
about how to know God,
00:46:52.77\00:46:54.61
we should not have
just a mere head knowledge
00:46:54.64\00:46:57.01
and that's what we've
been talking about here.
00:46:57.05\00:46:58.88
We should not just
have a mere head knowledge
00:46:58.91\00:47:00.58
but we need to actually
know the rule maker, right?
00:47:00.62\00:47:04.22
And that's not,
we don't want to,
00:47:04.25\00:47:05.59
I hate to even say that
00:47:05.62\00:47:06.96
I wanted to kind of
change my words there.
00:47:06.99\00:47:08.32
He's not the
rule maker, you know,
00:47:08.36\00:47:10.03
but we have to know the Creator,
00:47:10.06\00:47:12.43
not just the
things He created, right?
00:47:12.46\00:47:14.80
We can't do, we can't just
know all about the Sabbath,
00:47:14.83\00:47:18.03
but not know the
Lord of the Sabbath.
00:47:18.07\00:47:19.60
And so we need to
actually know God.
00:47:19.63\00:47:21.94
And I love this
little saying years ago,
00:47:21.97\00:47:23.51
there was a series
that kind of transformed
00:47:23.54\00:47:26.41
all of us by Pastor Lee Vinden.
00:47:26.44\00:47:30.15
It was called all
about Jesus revival seminars.
00:47:30.18\00:47:32.15
I think he's been here
at 3ABN to speak before,
00:47:32.18\00:47:34.25
and he has this little slogan,
and it's so true and I love it.
00:47:34.28\00:47:37.32
He and his little motto,
I guess you could say is,
00:47:37.35\00:47:39.55
it's not about what
you do, it's who you know,
00:47:39.59\00:47:42.36
and who you know,
changes what you do.
00:47:42.39\00:47:43.96
Wow. That's right.
00:47:43.99\00:47:45.33
It's not about what you sow,
how so many people make living
00:47:45.36\00:47:47.96
for God about what you do,
00:47:48.00\00:47:50.00
that it becomes such
a legalistic approach
00:47:50.03\00:47:52.23
to serving God that
00:47:52.27\00:47:53.60
they have all
this head knowledge
00:47:53.64\00:47:55.07
and if you won't
know what the Bible says
00:47:55.10\00:47:56.74
and what it says down to the T
00:47:56.77\00:47:58.17
and you want to know all
this, you know logistical,
00:47:58.21\00:48:00.84
you know stuff
about the Bible they,
00:48:00.88\00:48:02.24
they're the people to go to,
00:48:02.28\00:48:03.75
but to tell you
who the Creator is
00:48:03.78\00:48:06.28
to really tell
you who He really is
00:48:06.31\00:48:07.82
because they really know
00:48:07.85\00:48:09.18
they're not the people to go to.
00:48:09.22\00:48:10.55
So it's not about what you do.
00:48:10.59\00:48:11.92
It's who you know,
00:48:11.95\00:48:13.29
and who you know
changes what you do.
00:48:13.32\00:48:14.66
I found this incredible
quote from Desire of Ages.
00:48:14.69\00:48:18.33
Dakota, I want you to read it.
00:48:18.36\00:48:19.69
I think it's like the third page
00:48:19.73\00:48:21.06
there are a Desire of Ages.
00:48:21.10\00:48:22.63
Look over on the third
page, flip that one over there,
00:48:22.66\00:48:25.33
right there.
00:48:25.37\00:48:26.70
Oh, there it is,
right there. Yes.
00:48:26.74\00:48:28.07
So read I know
it's a lengthy couple
00:48:28.10\00:48:30.44
of paragraphs here.
00:48:30.47\00:48:31.81
Do you want me to
read both paragraphs?
00:48:31.84\00:48:33.17
I want you to
read both paragraphs.
00:48:33.21\00:48:34.54
This is powerful, it comes
from Desire of Ages, page 309.
00:48:34.58\00:48:37.18
Read that there. All right.
00:48:37.21\00:48:39.05
It says," The greatest deception
00:48:39.08\00:48:40.42
of the human mind in Christ
day was that a mere ascent
00:48:40.45\00:48:44.35
to the truth
constitutes righteousness,
00:48:44.39\00:48:47.26
and all human experience
00:48:47.29\00:48:48.62
a theoretical
knowledge of the truth
00:48:48.66\00:48:50.33
has been proved
to be insufficient
00:48:50.36\00:48:52.59
for the saving of the soul.
00:48:52.63\00:48:54.33
It does not bring forth
the fruits of righteousness,
00:48:54.36\00:48:56.87
a jealous regard
00:48:56.90\00:48:58.23
for what is
termed theological truth.
00:48:58.27\00:49:00.37
Often accompanies a
hatred of genuine truth
00:49:00.40\00:49:02.87
as made manifest in life.
00:49:02.90\00:49:05.24
The darkest chapters
of history are burdened
00:49:05.27\00:49:07.41
with a record of crimes
00:49:07.44\00:49:08.78
committed by
bigoted religionists.
00:49:08.81\00:49:11.25
The Pharisees claimed
to be children of Abraham,
00:49:11.28\00:49:14.22
and boasted of their possession
of the oracles of God.
00:49:14.25\00:49:18.15
Yet these advantages
did not preserve them
00:49:18.19\00:49:20.86
from selfishness,
malignity, greed, for gain,
00:49:20.89\00:49:24.33
and the racist hypocrisy.
00:49:24.36\00:49:26.06
They thought themselves
00:49:26.09\00:49:27.50
the greatest
religionist of the world.
00:49:27.53\00:49:29.86
But their so called orthodoxy
00:49:29.90\00:49:31.73
led them to
crucify the Lord of Glory."
00:49:31.77\00:49:34.14
Wow, that is powerful.
00:49:34.17\00:49:35.97
Now she continues on,
last paragraph, get this.
00:49:36.00\00:49:38.94
"The same
dangerous still exists.
00:49:38.97\00:49:40.98
Amen.
00:49:41.01\00:49:42.94
Many take it for granted
that they are Christians simply
00:49:42.98\00:49:46.15
because they subscribe to
certain theological tenants,
00:49:46.18\00:49:49.52
but they have not brought
the truth into practical life.
00:49:49.55\00:49:53.36
They have not
believed and loved it.
00:49:53.39\00:49:55.56
Therefore they have not
received the power and grace
00:49:55.59\00:49:58.23
that come through
sanctification of the truth.
00:49:58.26\00:50:01.30
Men may profess
faith in the truth.
00:50:01.33\00:50:05.00
But if it does not take
them sincere, kind, patient,
00:50:05.03\00:50:08.34
forbearing, heavenly minded,
00:50:08.37\00:50:10.24
it is a curse to its possessors.
00:50:10.27\00:50:12.54
And through their influence,
it is a curse to the world."
00:50:12.57\00:50:15.64
Oh, my. It's amazing.
00:50:15.68\00:50:18.35
So you can
profess to know the truth.
00:50:18.38\00:50:21.55
But do you really know
the Lord of the truth, right?
00:50:21.58\00:50:23.79
You know, I just want
to say something, man.
00:50:23.82\00:50:25.35
That really inspired me
and reminded me of a passage
00:50:25.39\00:50:28.02
in the Scripture.
00:50:28.06\00:50:30.16
You know, there's
two men in the Bible
00:50:30.19\00:50:32.89
that seek Jesus back to back,
00:50:32.93\00:50:34.86
but they seek Jesus
for different reasons.
00:50:34.90\00:50:37.47
And I think in the Bible,
and even in today's society,
00:50:37.50\00:50:41.44
there's only two types of
people in the world, right?
00:50:41.47\00:50:44.07
And we want to make sure that
00:50:44.11\00:50:45.44
we seek Jesus for
the right reasons.
00:50:45.47\00:50:47.34
That's the rich
young ruler, right?
00:50:47.38\00:50:49.51
We're talking about people
00:50:49.54\00:50:51.11
who want to do right,
but they're not doing right.
00:50:51.15\00:50:54.32
They think they're
doing right but they're not.
00:50:54.35\00:50:56.12
And I think the rich young ruler
00:50:56.15\00:50:57.49
in Luke 18 is a
perfect example of this.
00:50:57.52\00:50:59.85
Notice why he
come to seek Jesus.
00:50:59.89\00:51:01.79
That's what the
scripture says here.
00:51:01.82\00:51:03.76
It says in Luke 18:18,
00:51:03.79\00:51:05.73
"And a certain
ruler asked him saying,
00:51:05.76\00:51:07.13
'Good Master, what shall I
do to inherit eternal life?'"
00:51:07.16\00:51:12.23
So his purpose for seeking Jesus
00:51:12.27\00:51:13.90
was that he wanted life eternal.
00:51:13.94\00:51:15.37
Right. Right?
00:51:15.40\00:51:16.74
He wanted eternal life.
00:51:16.77\00:51:18.11
"Jesus says unto Him,
Why callest thou me good?
00:51:18.14\00:51:20.34
There's none good
save one that is God."
00:51:20.38\00:51:22.08
And then the rest of the story,
00:51:22.11\00:51:23.45
I won't read
for the sake of time
00:51:23.48\00:51:24.81
because I know we're
getting close to closing
00:51:24.85\00:51:26.18
but we know the story.
00:51:26.21\00:51:27.55
The man walks away sorrowful.
00:51:27.58\00:51:29.32
He thought he was
doing right but he wasn't.
00:51:29.35\00:51:31.39
Jesus left out one
of those commandments
00:51:31.42\00:51:33.19
and that was the
tenth one, right?
00:51:33.22\00:51:34.79
Thou shall not covet, right?
00:51:34.82\00:51:36.22
And it's very interesting
because when you look at this,
00:51:36.26\00:51:39.79
when you look at the next story,
00:51:39.83\00:51:41.16
this man was a rich man, right?
00:51:41.20\00:51:42.80
You go and you
see another rich man
00:51:42.83\00:51:44.17
named Zacchaeus
in the next chapter,
00:51:44.20\00:51:46.47
because the chapter ends here,
00:51:46.50\00:51:47.84
they said, who then can be saved
00:51:47.87\00:51:49.20
because he said,
it's hard for a rich man
00:51:49.24\00:51:50.57
to enter the kingdom of heaven.
00:51:50.61\00:51:51.94
Like who can be saved.
00:51:51.97\00:51:53.31
Zacchaeus comes along
00:51:53.34\00:51:54.68
and notice why
Zacchaeus sought Jesus.
00:51:54.71\00:51:57.21
The rich young
ruler sought Jesus
00:51:57.25\00:51:58.78
so that he might
have eternal life.
00:51:58.81\00:52:01.08
You know, and we
shouldn't seek Jesus
00:52:01.12\00:52:02.45
for that reason of
just mere eternal life,
00:52:02.48\00:52:04.39
just mere selfishness.
00:52:04.42\00:52:05.82
Because that's self
preservation, right?
00:52:05.85\00:52:07.19
Right. I mean,
it's not about us.
00:52:07.22\00:52:09.52
Those who seek to save
their lives will lose it.
00:52:09.56\00:52:11.19
There you go. Amen. Absolutely.
00:52:11.23\00:52:13.26
And so notice,
Zacchaeus, he was a rich man.
00:52:13.29\00:52:15.96
It says, and behold,
this is Luke 19:2 "Behold,
00:52:16.00\00:52:18.97
there was a man named Zacchaeus,
00:52:19.00\00:52:20.34
which was the chief
00:52:20.37\00:52:21.70
among the
publicans and he was rich."
00:52:21.74\00:52:24.31
And then notice verse 3.
00:52:24.34\00:52:25.74
"And he sought to
see Jesus, who he was."
00:52:25.77\00:52:31.01
He wanted to see
Jesus for who He was.
00:52:31.05\00:52:33.72
And the end of the story to
jump to the end of the story
00:52:33.75\00:52:36.62
is that there
are all these people
00:52:36.65\00:52:38.62
were in the way, right?
00:52:38.65\00:52:39.99
Sometimes we allow people
to keep us from seeing Jesus.
00:52:40.02\00:52:42.79
All these
people were in the way,
00:52:42.82\00:52:44.46
and he didn't let that stop him,
00:52:44.49\00:52:46.70
he climbed up into a tree.
00:52:46.73\00:52:48.96
In other words, the
only way we can see Jesus...
00:52:49.00\00:52:51.10
Is climb a tree.
Is to get up the tree.
00:52:51.13\00:52:53.03
I loved that.
00:52:53.07\00:52:55.40
Get on the tree, Matthew
says, take up your cross.
00:52:55.44\00:52:58.57
Take up your cross. I love that.
00:52:58.61\00:53:00.34
We got to get
on the tree, right?
00:53:00.38\00:53:02.58
And then we'll see Jesus.
00:53:02.61\00:53:03.95
And it's only when we see Jesus
00:53:03.98\00:53:05.38
that we will have that
divine appointment with Him.
00:53:05.41\00:53:08.18
And Jesus will
come into our lives.
00:53:08.22\00:53:10.15
And then notice the difference,
00:53:10.19\00:53:11.52
a dichotomy
between this rich man
00:53:11.55\00:53:13.49
and Luke 18.
00:53:13.52\00:53:14.86
And the rich man of Luke 19
is that salvation came to him
00:53:14.89\00:53:17.39
and his family at
the end of the story,
00:53:17.43\00:53:20.43
and it's because he sought
to see Jesus for who He was.
00:53:20.46\00:53:23.57
I just think that's power.
That's power, that is powerful.
00:53:23.60\00:53:24.93
What about the
seeking part on you said?
00:53:24.97\00:53:26.67
When you seek me you'll find
00:53:26.70\00:53:28.67
when you search for
Him with all your heart.
00:53:28.70\00:53:30.04
Amen. That's what popped up.
00:53:30.07\00:53:31.44
And that brings us to,
00:53:31.47\00:53:32.87
we have about
four minutes left here.
00:53:32.91\00:53:34.84
We were going to talk about
00:53:34.88\00:53:36.21
some practical
ways and Miss Angie,
00:53:36.24\00:53:37.61
you open the door up for
that to me one of the most
00:53:37.65\00:53:39.88
clear practical ways
that we can make sure that
00:53:39.91\00:53:42.38
we come to know
God for who He is.
00:53:42.42\00:53:44.25
How about spending
time in His Word, right?
00:53:44.29\00:53:46.05
We made the
point of spending time
00:53:46.09\00:53:47.82
in the Word of
God and you know what?
00:53:47.86\00:53:49.19
In the Word of
God we are told to
00:53:49.22\00:53:50.83
adhere to the words of the Lord,
00:53:50.86\00:53:52.39
follow the words of the Lord.
00:53:52.43\00:53:53.96
And you know in that
particular passage in Matthew 7
00:53:54.00\00:53:56.53
that we opened with, you
know, "Depart from Me you
00:53:56.56\00:53:58.60
who practice
lawlessness or inequity,
00:53:58.63\00:54:01.54
I do not know you."
00:54:01.57\00:54:02.90
You see, in 1 John 2:3-6
00:54:02.94\00:54:06.17
coming in talking
about knowing God,
00:54:06.21\00:54:07.91
I have to read this,
because this is a clear one.
00:54:07.94\00:54:10.15
It says here in 1 John 2:3-6.
00:54:10.18\00:54:13.08
Now by this we know that
00:54:13.11\00:54:14.45
we know Him if we
keep His commandments.
00:54:14.48\00:54:17.75
He who says, I know Him
00:54:17.79\00:54:19.12
and does not
keep His commandments
00:54:19.15\00:54:20.49
is a liar and the
truth is not in Him.
00:54:20.52\00:54:22.52
So we have to have
the Word of the Lord in us
00:54:22.56\00:54:24.39
and when we have the
Word of the Lord in us,
00:54:24.43\00:54:25.93
we will want to
follow God more and more,
00:54:25.96\00:54:28.03
we want to obey Him
because we are seeking Him
00:54:28.06\00:54:31.23
diligently, right?
00:54:31.27\00:54:32.60
Absolutely, so getting
in the Word of the Lord.
00:54:32.63\00:54:35.34
Let's just open up this.
00:54:35.37\00:54:36.71
What's another practical way
00:54:36.74\00:54:38.07
that we might can
come to know the Lord
00:54:38.11\00:54:39.84
more and more
each and every day?
00:54:39.87\00:54:41.24
Pray. Right, pray.
00:54:41.28\00:54:42.78
Talk to Him. Talk to Him.
00:54:42.81\00:54:44.28
That just makes sense, right?
00:54:44.31\00:54:45.65
I mean, we've
been giving marriage
00:54:45.68\00:54:47.02
and relationship
examples this whole time.
00:54:47.05\00:54:49.68
I can't imagine walking
in my home each and every day
00:54:49.72\00:54:51.99
and never talking to my wife.
00:54:52.02\00:54:53.36
Once a month maybe
saying I love you honey
00:54:53.39\00:54:55.26
and then like never
talking to her, right?
00:54:55.29\00:54:56.96
Like that just
doesn't even work sense to me,
00:54:56.99\00:54:58.83
it absolutely
doesn't make sense.
00:54:58.86\00:55:00.20
That's a body
slamming. That's true.
00:55:00.23\00:55:05.00
She says, hey,
00:55:05.03\00:55:06.87
dynamite comes in small package,
00:55:06.90\00:55:08.30
it's what I'm saying.
00:55:08.34\00:55:09.67
There you go.
There you go. Absolutely.
00:55:09.70\00:55:11.04
And then another one I
just want to share here
00:55:11.07\00:55:12.41
in the last couple of
minutes we have is sharing
00:55:12.44\00:55:15.41
and witnessing your
faith for others daily.
00:55:15.44\00:55:17.51
If you notice here,
we've mentioned three aspects.
00:55:17.55\00:55:19.68
And I actually learned
this also from Lee Vinden,
00:55:19.71\00:55:21.72
very simple but very profound.
00:55:21.75\00:55:23.39
He calls out the
three legs of the stool,
00:55:23.42\00:55:25.32
and you take one
of those legs off,
00:55:25.35\00:55:27.09
can that still stand properly?
00:55:27.12\00:55:28.52
Absolutely not.
00:55:28.56\00:55:29.89
And so these are the three major
00:55:29.92\00:55:31.26
aspects of making sure that
00:55:31.29\00:55:32.63
you're maintaining
a close relationship
00:55:32.66\00:55:34.33
with Jesus each day,
00:55:34.36\00:55:35.70
Bible study, not just, you know,
00:55:35.73\00:55:37.80
reading the Word of God,
00:55:37.83\00:55:39.17
but digging
deep, getting in there
00:55:39.20\00:55:40.54
to really know
the God of the Word.
00:55:40.57\00:55:42.57
And then, of course, prayer.
00:55:42.60\00:55:44.34
Opening up that
prayer line of conversation.
00:55:44.37\00:55:47.21
You know, each and every day.
00:55:47.24\00:55:48.64
There was an old song
that came out years ago,
00:55:48.68\00:55:50.51
long time ago,
00:55:50.55\00:55:51.98
Jesus own mainland,
00:55:52.01\00:55:57.45
tell him what you want.
00:55:57.49\00:56:01.46
It's got to go to
spiritual, Jesus own.
00:56:01.49\00:56:04.99
Jesus does own
the mainland, friends.
00:56:05.03\00:56:07.00
Tell Him what you want.
00:56:07.03\00:56:08.36
Tell Him, He
wants to talk to you.
00:56:08.40\00:56:10.10
And that just that
song came to my mind.
00:56:10.13\00:56:11.47
I had to share that.
00:56:11.50\00:56:13.13
But opening that line of prayer,
00:56:13.17\00:56:14.54
I made a note here
cease not to pray every day.
00:56:14.57\00:56:17.41
We need to be praying
to God each and every day.
00:56:17.44\00:56:19.04
And of course, the last one,
00:56:19.07\00:56:20.41
sharing, you're
witnessing your faith to others.
00:56:20.44\00:56:22.44
How important is that?
00:56:22.48\00:56:23.81
What would happen
to this generation
00:56:23.85\00:56:25.21
if they communicated
with God through His Word
00:56:25.25\00:56:28.25
as much as they text?
00:56:28.28\00:56:30.82
What would happen? Amen.
00:56:30.85\00:56:32.19
It's powerful. And that is true.
00:56:32.22\00:56:33.79
I like what Ivor
Myers had to say, you know,
00:56:33.82\00:56:35.66
he said, we need to face book.
00:56:35.69\00:56:38.46
We need to get
our face in the book.
00:56:38.49\00:56:42.20
We need to get
our face in the book
00:56:42.23\00:56:43.57
Get off the
Facebook because one day
00:56:43.60\00:56:44.93
we'll have to face the book.
00:56:44.97\00:56:46.30
And yeah, there you go. Amen.
00:56:46.33\00:56:47.94
In the closing moments here,
00:56:47.97\00:56:49.30
I just want to read
Paul's beautiful prayer
00:56:49.34\00:56:50.67
in Ephesians 3:14-19.
00:56:50.71\00:56:52.97
But I'm going to
pick it up in verse 17.
00:56:53.01\00:56:54.44
Here he's
praying and he says that
00:56:54.48\00:56:55.81
"Christ may dwell in your hearts
00:56:55.84\00:56:57.61
through faith
that you being rooted
00:56:57.65\00:56:59.95
and grounded in
love," I love this,
00:56:59.98\00:57:02.15
"may be able to
comprehend with all the saints
00:57:02.18\00:57:04.85
what is the width and
length and depth and height,"
00:57:04.89\00:57:07.96
and then notice this next
one, "to know the love of Christ
00:57:07.99\00:57:11.53
which passes knowledge
00:57:11.56\00:57:12.89
that you may be filled
with all the fullness of God."
00:57:12.93\00:57:16.36
My friends, that is
what He wants for you.
00:57:16.40\00:57:18.43
That's what He
wants for all of us here.
00:57:18.47\00:57:20.14
We have had a good
old time in the Lord.
00:57:20.17\00:57:22.00
We studied the Word.
00:57:22.04\00:57:23.44
We just thank you so
much for joining us today.
00:57:23.47\00:57:25.54
God bless all of
you for taking the time.
00:57:25.57\00:57:27.94
And you know what?
00:57:27.98\00:57:29.31
Join us next time here.
00:57:29.34\00:57:30.68
We're going to
continue on having
00:57:30.71\00:57:32.05
more and more Family Worships,
00:57:32.08\00:57:33.42
and we encourage
you to do so as well.
00:57:33.45\00:57:34.78
God bless.
00:57:34.82\00:57:36.15