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 happy Sabbath.
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We are so glad
you are joining us
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for 3ABN Family Worship.
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I'm Shelley Quinn. I'm JD Quinn.
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We want just to
thank you for tuning in.
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We have a great topic tonight.
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Want to hold on to the
title for just a second.
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But, you know, we
find our spiritual rest
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in Christ Jesus.
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But He still set aside a day
for us to have a physical rest,
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a day that we could fully
devote our attention to Him,
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and to our family
and our loved ones.
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And I'm very
thankful for the Sabbath
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because without it,
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we'd work ourselves
to death around here.
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You want to introduce
our family at the table.
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This is some of
my favorite people.
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I call these my
spiritual giants.
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Pastor John
Lomacang, he is our pastor,
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you know, at the Thompsonville
Seventh-day Adventist Church,
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his lovely, lovely wife,
who's always by his side.
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This is Angie. Good to be here.
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And then I have my
good buddy Ryan over here.
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I have to go to Ryan every day
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and say what
does this mean, Ryan?
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I love Ryan.
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So anyway and, of course,
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this is my little
precious darling Shelley.
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So what are we going to
talk about tonight, Shelley?
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Have you ever
played hide and seek?
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What do you do when you fin...
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If you're the one
that's counting down
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and everybody else is hiding
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and you get to 50 or 100
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or whatever you're counting to?
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What do you holler when
you're through counting?
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When the countdown is
over? Ready or not, here I come.
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Ready or not, here I come.
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And you know what?
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The Lord is going
to be saying that soon.
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We see the countdown.
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We see that prophecies
being fulfilled around us.
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So tonight, we
want to kind of define
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what readiness means in general.
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And then we're going to look at,
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the Bible has a lot
to say about being ready,
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be ready to share the
gospel, be ready for good works,
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be ready for Christ's return.
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How do we get ready?
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And then finally,
and most importantly,
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how do we know we are ready?
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So, Honey, you want
to open with prayer?
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Most certainly.
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Father, we come
together on a Sabbath.
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We just want to thank You, Lord,
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that we can take that
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deep breath of relaxation, Lord.
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Father, we just
turn it all over to You
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as we do every day.
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But, Father,
especially on Sabbath
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because this is a
time Lord of refreshing.
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So, Father, we just
ask that You be with us
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as we go through this.
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I'm anxious to see
what it means to be ready.
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And, Father, that we just
dedicate this time to You.
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We just ask, Lord, that
You be with each one of us
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and that the Holy Spirit reigns.
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Get us out of the way. Lord.
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We love You and we thank
You in the name of Jesus.
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Amen. Amen.
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Amen. Okay,
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just I'm gonna pop it out there.
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What does it mean to be ready?
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What is readiness all about?
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Well, I know you like
to get the house ready
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when people are coming over.
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Yeah.
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Yeah, just get things
ready, prepare, vacuum,
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do whatever I
need to do, mop, cook.
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You know, we're
coming to your house.
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I remember, one
thing that impressed me
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is you ask what
foods do we like to eat?
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What, you know,
I'm allergic to soy.
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So she's saying
what can you eat? Yeah.
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So part of
readiness is what can we say
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that we're trying to
please someone by being ready.
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What?
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Yeah, knowing what to do.
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I think that's the biggest list.
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A lot of times people
say, "We're going on vacation.
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Okay, what do we
need to do?" Yeah.
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What we need to remember?
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What do we need to take with us?
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You make a
list. You make a list.
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And I think that take inventory
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I think is another
way of saying get ready.
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Take inventory,
examine what do you need
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and what you don't need.
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And when we think
about the coming of the Lord,
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take inventory,
what is He asking us
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to do in light of the
fact that He is returning?
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That's good. That's right.
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It means to
prepare. It's a preparation.
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We get ready to
go to church. Yeah.
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We get ready to go to work.
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We get ready to go
out and shop or, you know,
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go to the store or
wherever it is we're going.
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You know, I love to cook.
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I'm the one that
cooks in our family.
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And so I have a very meticulous,
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very methodical
way that when I'm...
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When I'm ready
to cook something,
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I don't just go
on there and just,
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you know, just start throwing.
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There's a very
tactful way that I go into it.
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I prepare, I do a preparation
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before I
actually do the cooking.
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And so, it's
just, it's a preparation
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when we're getting
ready for Christ coming.
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We're preparing
ourselves for His return.
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Yeah. Honey?
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I think there's
also an eagerness,
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you know, you're eager,
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because I want to
be fully prepared,
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I want...
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So you have that
inclination for whatever,
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whatever, you're
going to focus on.
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I learn more about everybody,
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every time we
have a family worship.
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I would have
never guessed that you
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were the chef of the family.
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But now, when you said
that you were very meticulous
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and all that, I knew that,
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I would have got that one right.
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You know,
because you do prepare,
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you know, it's important to you
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to have all your
ducks lined up in a row.
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To me, I'm just the opposite,
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you know,
Shelley, where's the pots,
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where are the pans, you know?
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And I could have just
done it a week before.
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More likely six
months before, you know?
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Try once a year? No.
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Well.
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But anyway,
being fully prepared.
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Yeah.
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And I like what you said
there is that when Paul said,
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"Hey, don't wait for me,
I'm ready to be bound up.
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I want to do the Lord's will."
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So readiness can be
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a predisposition of willingness.
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But it means, you know,
when you think about soldiers
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getting ready to go into battle,
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they're fully equipped.
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They've got on all
their armor, their gear,
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and they are intentional.
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Would you not say
that they're intentional?
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So sometimes getting ready.
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There's an urgency, you know,
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if you're the
kind of hostess I am,
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I like to have everything
done before people come,
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so that I don't
have any kind of stress.
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But if I find out that somebody
is coming from out of town,
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and they're going
to spend the night
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and I've only got a few hours,
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I'd like to
chi-chi, Charlie Chaplin.
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Exactly.
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So it is being equipped
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waiting for event
being fully prepared.
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I'm gonna tell the
story right quick. Sure.
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This goes back
before most of you.
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I want to talk
between 1949 and 1957,
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Texas had a major drought.
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And it's called
seven year drought.
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And I mean, the farmers,
they were just starving.
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You had cracks in
the earth that were just,
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you know, that you
could lose your puppy on.
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And so anyway, Ben Dunn,
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Ben Dunn was my
grandfather's best friend.
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And they were both farmers.
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And, so Ben Dunn,
he was an optimist.
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He was the major optimist
in that little community.
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Ben Garvin Dunn,
wow, thank you, Jesus.
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So Ben went into his barn
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and he stayed in his
barn for a couple of days.
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I'm exaggerating there,
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but it'll make
sense in a minute.
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Went in his barn
because he had a project,
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he came out and say 1950.
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I mean, everybody
was just starving,
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no, there was nothing.
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And in 1950, he
came out with this sign,
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it was three foot
tall and six foot wide.
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"Get ready, the
rains are coming."
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And so the sign was up.
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And, of course,
it didn't take long
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for around the county to
know that there's a sign up.
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And I mean,
everybody thought he was crazy,
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because we're in
the middle of a drought.
00:09:01.44\00:09:03.14
Well, we weren't even in
the middle of the drought.
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It was at the
first of the drought,
00:09:04.54\00:09:05.87
a year gone by, no rain.
00:09:05.91\00:09:07.54
But anyway, whenever
Shelley was telling about,
00:09:07.58\00:09:09.91
well, I think a good
title would be get ready,
00:09:09.94\00:09:12.58
the rain is coming.
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And that is true.
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And most, he was the
optimist of optimist.
00:09:15.92\00:09:20.99
And sure enough,
it did start raining,
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it was a couple of years
later, but it did start raining.
00:09:22.69\00:09:27.00
And then all of
a sudden, you know,
00:09:27.03\00:09:28.43
it was made the
front newspapers.
00:09:28.46\00:09:30.87
You know, the rains
are coming, you know,
00:09:30.90\00:09:33.03
as we got that shower,
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and then had a
picture of old Ben,
00:09:35.10\00:09:36.67
old Ben, good guy, you know.
00:09:36.71\00:09:39.11
Anyway, good story. Get
ready, the rain is coming.
00:09:39.14\00:09:43.81
He was prepared. Yeah.
00:09:43.85\00:09:45.21
He had his paints
and everything ready.
00:09:45.25\00:09:46.88
He was prepared to
paint it just exactly right.
00:09:46.92\00:09:49.65
And it all just was
perfect. And the rain did come.
00:09:49.68\00:09:53.15
He was ready. Amen. Amen.
00:09:53.19\00:09:55.69
And, you know, the Bible talks
about readiness quite a bit.
00:09:55.72\00:09:59.36
I mean, it talks
about being ready to share
00:09:59.39\00:10:01.73
the gospel having being
ready to have a word in season
00:10:01.76\00:10:07.44
and out of season
00:10:07.47\00:10:08.80
where you've got a
word to explain to someone,
00:10:08.84\00:10:10.84
why you have the
hope in your heart,
00:10:10.87\00:10:12.41
talks about being
ready for service.
00:10:12.44\00:10:15.64
But let's focus on
what the Bible has to say
00:10:15.68\00:10:20.12
about being ready
for the Lord's return.
00:10:20.15\00:10:23.59
Ryan, you want to kick in?
00:10:23.62\00:10:24.95
Yeah, let's kick it off here.
00:10:24.99\00:10:26.52
You know, we're thinking
about preparing, being ready.
00:10:26.55\00:10:30.79
Obviously, this is within
the context of being ready
00:10:30.83\00:10:32.63
for the second coming
of Jesus or the return
00:10:32.66\00:10:34.90
of our Lord and Savior.
00:10:34.93\00:10:36.33
And a text that
popped in my mind as we were,
00:10:36.36\00:10:39.03
as I was preparing
for this was Amos 4:12-13.
00:10:39.07\00:10:43.81
And I'm not gonna read it
all, but just the latter part
00:10:43.84\00:10:45.57
of verse 12 there.
00:10:45.61\00:10:46.94
Again, this is Amos Chapter 4.
00:10:46.98\00:10:48.44
It says, "Prepare to
meet your God, O, Israel."
00:10:48.48\00:10:51.91
And then it describes who
they're preparing to meet.
00:10:51.95\00:10:54.15
It describes our God.
00:10:54.18\00:10:55.62
And it says there in
verse 13, "For behold,
00:10:55.65\00:10:57.62
He who forms
mountains, and creates the wind,
00:10:57.65\00:10:59.85
who declares to man
what his thoughts is,
00:10:59.89\00:11:02.76
and what his thought is,
and makes the morning darkness,
00:11:02.79\00:11:05.46
who treads the high
places of the earth,
00:11:05.49\00:11:07.73
the Lord God of
hosts is His name."
00:11:07.76\00:11:10.57
When we're
talking about preparation,
00:11:10.60\00:11:12.13
we're preparing ourselves,
not so much for the event,
00:11:12.17\00:11:16.17
of course, we're
preparing for the event.
00:11:16.20\00:11:17.77
But we're
preparing for something
00:11:17.81\00:11:19.47
even greater than that.
00:11:19.51\00:11:20.84
And that is to dwell in
the presence of our maker.
00:11:20.88\00:11:22.98
Amen.
00:11:23.01\00:11:24.35
Right now, you know,
that's the whole purpose
00:11:24.38\00:11:25.71
of why God told
Moses to build a sanctuary.
00:11:25.75\00:11:28.15
He said, "Let them
make Me a sanctuary
00:11:28.18\00:11:29.62
that I may dwell among them."
00:11:29.65\00:11:30.99
When sin was
introduced into this world,
00:11:31.02\00:11:33.05
there was a separation.
00:11:33.09\00:11:34.46
And ever since then,
00:11:34.49\00:11:35.82
the whole Bible
story is a story filled,
00:11:35.86\00:11:38.36
I heard it, somebody
summoned up one time,
00:11:38.39\00:11:39.86
if you could just
sum this whole story,
00:11:39.89\00:11:42.26
this narrative of Scripture
up just a sentence or two,
00:11:42.30\00:11:45.10
it's literally
about a loving God,
00:11:45.13\00:11:47.40
who desires to be
reconciled with His people.
00:11:47.44\00:11:50.77
And so that's what this
preparation is all about,
00:11:50.81\00:11:52.97
being ready for the
second coming of Jesus.
00:11:53.01\00:11:55.24
Of course, the text
that comes to my mind,
00:11:55.28\00:11:56.75
as we're
talking about, you know,
00:11:56.78\00:11:58.61
being prepared and being ready
for the return of the Lord.
00:11:58.65\00:12:01.82
1 Thessalonians Chapter 5,
00:12:01.85\00:12:03.32
Paul writes these
beautiful, beautiful words.
00:12:03.35\00:12:05.92
He says, "But concerning
00:12:05.95\00:12:07.29
the times and
seasons, brethren."
00:12:07.32\00:12:08.86
Again, speaking to the church,
00:12:08.89\00:12:10.23
because he's writing this letter
00:12:10.26\00:12:11.59
to the Church of Thessalonica.
00:12:11.63\00:12:13.19
So he's speaking to the brothers
00:12:13.23\00:12:14.63
and sisters in the church.
00:12:14.66\00:12:16.00
"But concerning the times
and the seasons, brethren,
00:12:16.03\00:12:18.70
you have no need that
I should write to you.
00:12:18.73\00:12:20.90
For you
yourselves know perfectly
00:12:20.94\00:12:22.54
that the day of the Lord
00:12:22.57\00:12:24.07
so comes as a
thief in the night.
00:12:24.11\00:12:27.38
For when they,"
notice there's you
00:12:27.41\00:12:30.25
and then there's they,
00:12:30.28\00:12:31.61
there's two groups of
people mentioned in this.
00:12:31.65\00:12:33.25
There's you the
brothers and sisters,
00:12:33.28\00:12:35.28
and then there's they,
the people of the world,
00:12:35.32\00:12:37.09
and it says here,
"For when they say,
00:12:37.12\00:12:39.15
'Peace and safety!'
00:12:39.19\00:12:40.52
Then sudden
destruction comes upon them,
00:12:40.56\00:12:42.26
as labor pains
upon a pregnant woman."
00:12:42.29\00:12:44.53
And they shall,
00:12:44.56\00:12:45.89
and there's a double
negative here in the Greek.
00:12:45.93\00:12:47.43
Paul wanted to
add extra emphasis
00:12:47.46\00:12:49.56
who may in the Greek, he
said, they shall no, not escape.
00:12:49.60\00:12:53.47
But then I love
the following verses
00:12:53.50\00:12:55.34
talking about preparation.
00:12:55.37\00:12:57.01
How do we prepare?
00:12:57.04\00:12:58.37
This is an aspect
of how Paul counsels us
00:12:58.41\00:13:00.78
to prepare for that soon return.
00:13:00.81\00:13:03.28
Verse 4, "But you, brethren,
00:13:03.31\00:13:05.91
are not in darkness,
00:13:05.95\00:13:07.28
so that this Day should
overtake you as a thief.
00:13:07.32\00:13:10.49
You are all sons of
light and sons of the day.
00:13:10.52\00:13:14.76
We are not of the
night nor of darkness."
00:13:14.79\00:13:17.19
Therefore, it comes his counsel.
00:13:17.23\00:13:19.26
"Therefore let us
not sleep, as others do,
00:13:19.29\00:13:22.30
but let us watch and be sober.
00:13:22.33\00:13:25.53
For those who
sleep, sleep at night,
00:13:25.57\00:13:27.74
and those who get
drunk are drunk at night."
00:13:27.77\00:13:30.41
And then I love verse 8,
00:13:30.44\00:13:31.77
"But let us who are
of the day be sober,
00:13:31.81\00:13:34.71
putting on the
breastplate of faith and love,
00:13:34.74\00:13:37.08
and as a helmet
the hope of salvation."
00:13:37.11\00:13:40.52
So preparing for,
there's a lot that is entailed
00:13:40.55\00:13:43.99
that has to come
into conversation
00:13:44.02\00:13:46.69
when you're
talking about preparation
00:13:46.72\00:13:48.39
for our
reconciliation with our Creator.
00:13:48.42\00:13:51.46
But Paul makes it clear
that we have to be watchful,
00:13:51.49\00:13:54.60
we have to be
spiritually and mentally sober.
00:13:54.63\00:13:57.43
And we have to put on
the breastplate of faith
00:13:57.47\00:13:59.97
and love and the
helmet of salvation,
00:14:00.00\00:14:02.24
we must have the mind of Christ.
00:14:02.27\00:14:04.51
So I'm going to leave it there
00:14:04.54\00:14:05.87
and kick it off to someone else.
00:14:05.91\00:14:07.24
Amen. All right.
00:14:07.28\00:14:08.61
So let's talk a little
more about what the Bible says
00:14:08.64\00:14:11.48
about not so much how
we get ready but just,
00:14:11.51\00:14:15.48
it's warning us
that we need to be ready.
00:14:15.52\00:14:18.62
Well, you know, Paul in Romans
continues that whole idea.
00:14:18.65\00:14:21.32
Yes. He says in Romans 13:11-14,
00:14:21.36\00:14:24.73
he says, and do
this, knowing the time,
00:14:24.76\00:14:27.90
he starts pointing
to the reality of you
00:14:27.93\00:14:30.57
should understand the time.
00:14:30.60\00:14:32.30
As Paul says, as you
just read in 1 Thessalonians 5
00:14:32.33\00:14:36.34
concerning the
times and seasons.
00:14:36.37\00:14:37.94
And Paul, once
again, in knowing the time,
00:14:37.97\00:14:40.24
he was a very
time focused apostle,
00:14:40.28\00:14:44.25
knowing the time
that now it is high time
00:14:44.28\00:14:47.45
to awake out of
sleep, for now our salvation
00:14:47.48\00:14:50.92
is nearer than
when we first believe.
00:14:50.95\00:14:52.62
He's making it immediate.
He's saying don't wait.
00:14:52.65\00:14:56.19
Now, this is the
time, now is the time
00:14:56.22\00:14:58.19
to wait because
now our salvation
00:14:58.23\00:15:00.46
is nearer than
when we first believe.
00:15:00.50\00:15:02.23
And then, so he
tells us what to do.
00:15:02.26\00:15:04.50
I'm gonna have my
wife read verse 12 here,
00:15:04.53\00:15:06.53
we have it written down.
00:15:06.57\00:15:07.90
He says here...
00:15:07.94\00:15:09.37
"The night is far
spent, the day is at hand.
00:15:09.40\00:15:12.87
Therefore let us cast
off the works of darkness,
00:15:12.91\00:15:16.78
and let us put on
the armor of light."
00:15:16.81\00:15:20.45
Notice the change,
00:15:20.48\00:15:21.82
get rid of one,
put on the other one.
00:15:21.85\00:15:23.18
Yes, yes.
00:15:23.22\00:15:24.55
And then he said, look
verse 13, look at that.
00:15:24.59\00:15:26.19
"Let us walk
properly, as in the day,
00:15:26.22\00:15:28.72
not in revelry
or and drunkenness,
00:15:28.76\00:15:31.49
not in lewdness and
lust, not in strife and envy."
00:15:31.53\00:15:36.10
Verse 14, "But put on
the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:15:36.13\00:15:39.40
and make no
provision for the flesh,
00:15:39.43\00:15:41.87
to fulfill its lust."
00:15:41.90\00:15:43.94
So he's talking about
guys, you know what time it is.
00:15:43.97\00:15:47.44
Yeah.
00:15:47.48\00:15:48.81
And people that go on
vacation, which we like to do.
00:15:48.84\00:15:51.98
We believe we work
hard, we also play hard.
00:15:52.01\00:15:55.15
But when it's time to play hard,
00:15:55.18\00:15:56.52
we make as much preparation
00:15:56.55\00:15:57.89
as we do when
it's time to work hard.
00:15:57.92\00:15:59.39
That's right.
00:15:59.42\00:16:00.76
And you all know
about work hard here.
00:16:00.79\00:16:02.52
I don't brag
about Shelley's schedule
00:16:02.56\00:16:04.89
of not taking enough
vacation, but we plan.
00:16:04.93\00:16:09.46
And my wife has a
good plan for vacation.
00:16:09.50\00:16:11.30
I just leave it all. I
call her my travel agent.
00:16:11.33\00:16:13.97
But she gives me choices.
00:16:14.00\00:16:15.34
She said, "What
do we want to do?
00:16:15.37\00:16:17.11
What do we want to pay?
Where do we want to go?"
00:16:17.14\00:16:19.54
And so this is a whole
retinue of Paul saying, okay,
00:16:19.57\00:16:22.94
it's getting close to
time to go on vacation.
00:16:22.98\00:16:25.45
What do we want to do? Let
us, let us the instruction.
00:16:25.48\00:16:29.02
So, when we know
what the time is,
00:16:29.05\00:16:31.12
we've got to do
something about it.
00:16:31.15\00:16:32.49
You just can't know it
and not make preparations.
00:16:32.52\00:16:34.32
That's right.
00:16:34.36\00:16:35.69
And we know that in Luke,
00:16:35.72\00:16:38.29
Jesus said that
there are certain signs
00:16:38.33\00:16:41.36
of things that are
going to be happening.
00:16:41.40\00:16:42.96
And when we see these
signs, we should look up
00:16:43.00\00:16:45.30
for redemption draws near.
00:16:45.33\00:16:47.24
But I just want
to add this thought.
00:16:47.27\00:16:50.04
As we are getting ready,
00:16:50.07\00:16:52.51
God is getting ready.
00:16:52.54\00:16:54.51
He is preparing us
mansions in heaven, Jesus said.
00:16:54.54\00:16:58.48
He's gonna come back for us.
00:16:58.51\00:17:00.78
And He did say in Matthew 24:44,
00:17:00.82\00:17:04.19
"Be ready for the
Son of man is coming
00:17:04.22\00:17:06.89
when you at an hour
you did not expect."
00:17:06.92\00:17:09.82
But I want to
read Revelation 19:7-9,
00:17:09.86\00:17:13.60
to show what
God is doing for us.
00:17:13.63\00:17:18.27
He says in
Revelation 19, "Let us be glad
00:17:18.30\00:17:23.10
and rejoice and give Him glory,
00:17:23.14\00:17:27.84
for the marriage
of the Lord has come."
00:17:27.88\00:17:30.78
This is when it's talking
about Christ has come back
00:17:30.81\00:17:33.85
the first resurrection.
00:17:33.88\00:17:35.55
He's taking us to heaven.
00:17:35.58\00:17:37.25
That's what we're getting
ready for is the resurrection.
00:17:37.29\00:17:41.22
But he says his wife,
that's the church, that's us.
00:17:41.26\00:17:46.56
We are the bride of Christ
00:17:46.59\00:17:49.80
has made herself ready.
00:17:49.83\00:17:53.94
And you know what?
00:17:53.97\00:17:55.30
He ain't come to
get us till we're ready.
00:17:55.34\00:17:58.21
But it says, "To her it
was granted to be arrayed
00:17:58.24\00:18:00.78
in fine linen, clean and
bright, for the fine linen
00:18:00.81\00:18:04.31
is the righteous
acts of the saints.
00:18:04.35\00:18:06.51
Then he said to me, 'Write:
00:18:06.55\00:18:09.48
'Blessed are those
00:18:09.52\00:18:11.25
who are called to the
marriage supper of the Lamb!'"
00:18:11.29\00:18:14.29
We just went to a
wedding this past weekend
00:18:14.32\00:18:19.36
was a beautiful
covenant wedding.
00:18:19.39\00:18:23.16
After the ceremony,
the couple had communion.
00:18:23.20\00:18:27.00
Then they prayed with
the mother and father,
00:18:27.04\00:18:31.57
the parents of the
bride and they prayed
00:18:31.61\00:18:34.24
with the parents of the groom.
00:18:34.28\00:18:36.61
We sang a worship
song after the ceremony.
00:18:36.64\00:18:39.15
It was all about God.
00:18:39.18\00:18:41.25
But, boy, I'll tell
you, you walked in there
00:18:41.28\00:18:44.22
and you knew they were ready.
00:18:44.25\00:18:47.36
Everything was
perfect in the reception room.
00:18:47.39\00:18:51.46
Everything was beautiful.
00:18:51.49\00:18:53.83
And the bride, this is
our neighbor's daughter.
00:18:53.86\00:18:58.43
The bride was so excited.
00:18:58.47\00:19:00.74
They've been
dating for six years.
00:19:00.77\00:19:03.14
They dated through high school,
00:19:03.17\00:19:05.41
they went to separate colleges.
00:19:05.44\00:19:07.68
And they were true
00:19:07.71\00:19:09.51
to one another
through that whole time.
00:19:09.54\00:19:10.95
We always knew these two
were going to get married.
00:19:10.98\00:19:13.95
And she was so ready,
00:19:13.98\00:19:17.69
that she was nearly
galloping down the aisle.
00:19:17.72\00:19:21.12
It was...
00:19:21.16\00:19:22.49
Her father was leading her out
00:19:22.52\00:19:23.86
and she was just
dragging the father.
00:19:23.89\00:19:25.76
Oh, my. It was fun.
00:19:25.79\00:19:27.96
And she was all
dressed out in a beautiful gown
00:19:28.00\00:19:30.07
and everything
and it was really...
00:19:30.10\00:19:32.53
That's great,
Shelley. It was precious.
00:19:32.57\00:19:35.24
She was ready. She was
ready as was her groom.
00:19:35.27\00:19:40.28
So that's what we're
talking about getting ready
00:19:40.31\00:19:44.65
for the resurrection
and the coming of the Lord
00:19:44.68\00:19:48.68
in the marriage supper.
00:19:48.72\00:19:51.35
Hallelujah. Amen.
00:19:51.39\00:19:53.82
It also tells us
in Matthew 24:44,
00:19:53.86\00:19:57.03
I mean, this is
short, "But therefore you
00:19:57.06\00:19:59.39
also be ready," this just
fits in what you're saying,
00:19:59.43\00:20:02.23
"also be ready for the Son
of man is coming in an hour
00:20:02.26\00:20:04.93
that you do not expect."
00:20:04.97\00:20:06.47
And this particular situation
should be looking forward
00:20:06.50\00:20:08.90
to this as we're looking
forward to Christ coming.
00:20:08.94\00:20:12.27
But then he tells us
in 1 Corinthians 16:13,
00:20:12.31\00:20:16.71
yes, be ready.
00:20:16.75\00:20:19.28
But he's saying, "Watch
and stand fast in the faith,
00:20:19.31\00:20:22.45
be strong, be brave."
00:20:22.48\00:20:25.35
As we are ready in ourselves
for this wonderful occasion
00:20:25.39\00:20:29.76
is right in
front of us, I believe.
00:20:29.79\00:20:32.26
So would you agree with me?
00:20:32.29\00:20:34.20
I'm gonna put
something forth that,
00:20:34.23\00:20:36.70
let's just kind of
like you've started us off
00:20:36.73\00:20:39.53
what we need to do to be ready.
00:20:39.57\00:20:41.47
I would say the number one thing
00:20:41.50\00:20:43.84
to being ready
00:20:43.87\00:20:45.57
is to be filled
with the Holy Spirit.
00:20:45.61\00:20:47.24
Amen. Amen.
00:20:47.28\00:20:48.74
Romans 8:14,
00:20:48.78\00:20:50.68
"Those who are
led by the Holy Spirit
00:20:50.71\00:20:53.88
are the children of God."
00:20:53.92\00:20:56.52
How are some other
ways that we can get ready?
00:20:56.55\00:21:02.42
What do we need to do?
00:21:02.46\00:21:06.36
Ryan? Go ahead, Ryan. Okay.
00:21:06.39\00:21:08.13
Well, I mean, to me, you first,
00:21:08.16\00:21:11.63
you first have to recognize
that if you're, you first
00:21:11.67\00:21:14.07
have to be able to
recognize if you're not ready.
00:21:14.10\00:21:16.67
That's the
problem with Laodicea.
00:21:16.71\00:21:18.21
Yeah.
00:21:18.24\00:21:19.57
And we're living in
that last church age Laodicea
00:21:19.61\00:21:21.58
cannot see her condition.
00:21:21.61\00:21:23.14
Because she's wretched,
miserable, poor, blind,
00:21:23.18\00:21:24.88
and naked, because
she thinks she's rich,
00:21:24.91\00:21:26.65
and abundant, and has everything
00:21:26.68\00:21:28.32
and is in need of nothing.
00:21:28.35\00:21:29.68
But Christ gives that counsel.
00:21:29.72\00:21:31.59
And when we know that
there's a lot that goes
00:21:31.62\00:21:34.12
into that counsel, but
in my mind I'm thinking of,
00:21:34.16\00:21:36.86
we have to be able to
take as pastor said earlier,
00:21:36.89\00:21:39.36
we have to take inventory.
00:21:39.39\00:21:40.73
We have to do
some self examination.
00:21:40.76\00:21:42.73
2 Corinthians 13:5,
Paul makes it very clear.
00:21:42.76\00:21:46.33
He says, "Examine yourself
00:21:46.37\00:21:47.70
as to whether
you are in the faith.
00:21:47.74\00:21:50.11
Test yourselves.
00:21:50.14\00:21:51.47
Do you not know yourselves
that Jesus Christ is in you?
00:21:51.51\00:21:54.04
Unless indeed you
are disqualified."
00:21:54.08\00:21:56.68
You know, there comes a time
in our life every single day,
00:21:56.71\00:21:59.25
we have to, as Jesus said,
if you desire to come after Me,
00:21:59.28\00:22:02.32
I'm thinking of Luke 9:23,
00:22:02.35\00:22:04.12
"If you desire to come after Me,
00:22:04.15\00:22:05.49
you know, take
up your cross daily,
00:22:05.52\00:22:07.06
deny yourself, take
up your cross daily,
00:22:07.09\00:22:09.39
and follow Me.
00:22:09.42\00:22:10.76
That process of
denying yourself means
00:22:10.79\00:22:12.66
that every single day,
you're taking inventory
00:22:12.69\00:22:15.20
and you're praying the
prayer of Psalm 139:23-24,
00:22:15.23\00:22:19.90
"Search me, O
God, and know my heart,
00:22:19.93\00:22:22.50
try me, and know my anxieties,
00:22:22.54\00:22:24.44
and see if there is
any wicked way in me,
00:22:24.47\00:22:27.08
and lead me in the
way of everlasting."
00:22:27.11\00:22:29.54
So we have to get
up each day and say,
00:22:29.58\00:22:31.61
Lord, if there's anything
in me that needs to be changed,
00:22:31.65\00:22:34.28
that needs to be taken out,
00:22:34.32\00:22:35.65
if there's any
pruning that needs to be done
00:22:35.68\00:22:37.89
to this branch, Lord,
please do what is necessary.
00:22:37.92\00:22:41.22
Lamentations 3:40,
00:22:41.26\00:22:43.39
"Let us search out
and examine our ways
00:22:43.43\00:22:46.93
and turn back to the Lord."
00:22:46.96\00:22:48.96
So I would say one of
the number one first steps
00:22:49.00\00:22:51.80
in the preparation process
is we have to take inventory,
00:22:51.83\00:22:55.30
we have to take
spiritual inventory.
00:22:55.34\00:22:57.11
And that means
getting in that mental,
00:22:57.14\00:23:00.18
antitypical day of
atonement mentality,
00:23:00.21\00:23:03.31
where we put ourselves in our,
00:23:03.35\00:23:05.21
you know, for lack of
a better concept or idea,
00:23:05.25\00:23:07.45
well, we put ourselves
in that sackcloth and ashes.
00:23:07.48\00:23:09.92
And we're humbling ourselves
before the Lord and saying,
00:23:09.95\00:23:12.35
Lord, if there's
anything that I can't see in me,
00:23:12.39\00:23:15.29
that needs to be
cleansed to prepare me
00:23:15.32\00:23:17.89
for Your soon return.
00:23:17.93\00:23:19.86
Please do that
work in my heart now.
00:23:19.89\00:23:21.56
Amen. Amen. And JD?
00:23:21.60\00:23:23.20
Give me permission
to, to put it on my mind.
00:23:23.23\00:23:27.07
And then give me the
boldness to actually do it,
00:23:27.10\00:23:28.77
not just think about it.
00:23:28.80\00:23:30.21
Yes, I was thinking of
the parable of the wise
00:23:30.24\00:23:32.04
and the foolish in
Matthew 25, ten virgins,
00:23:32.07\00:23:36.48
five were wise,
five were foolish,
00:23:36.51\00:23:38.15
give us your oil.
00:23:38.18\00:23:39.51
There's going to be two
classes in these last days,
00:23:39.55\00:23:42.42
the wise and the foolish,
00:23:42.45\00:23:44.12
and those are
classes of watchers,
00:23:44.15\00:23:46.12
they are watching
for the Lord to come.
00:23:46.15\00:23:48.96
But what did the foolish say?
00:23:48.99\00:23:50.76
Give us some of your oil.
00:23:50.79\00:23:52.79
I don't want to be in
that class begging for the oil.
00:23:52.83\00:23:55.50
I want the Holy
Spirit to dwell in me.
00:23:55.53\00:23:59.03
And that's what we're
told here, don't be foolish.
00:23:59.07\00:24:03.51
We want the Holy Spirit
to be in us at all times.
00:24:03.54\00:24:07.51
And how do we know that
the Holy Spirit is in us?
00:24:07.54\00:24:10.25
Okay, here we go.
00:24:10.28\00:24:11.88
The way that we do
that is we ask daily.
00:24:11.91\00:24:17.42
This is not
something, when you think about,
00:24:17.45\00:24:20.32
when you think
about fuel in your tank
00:24:20.36\00:24:22.42
or gas in the tank.
00:24:22.46\00:24:24.13
I say fuel, my wife says gas.
00:24:24.16\00:24:26.06
We have fun with that.
00:24:26.09\00:24:27.43
She's gonna get some gas,
and I'm gonna get some fuel.
00:24:27.46\00:24:28.90
He always says that.
00:24:28.93\00:24:30.27
You will know,
00:24:30.30\00:24:31.63
he'll do the same
thing, fuel and the gas.
00:24:31.67\00:24:35.17
Gas and fuel.
Yeah, fuel and the gas.
00:24:35.20\00:24:36.74
So when you look at the needle,
00:24:36.77\00:24:39.57
this is where the
examine yourself comes in.
00:24:39.61\00:24:41.68
You should know personally
your spiritual stance.
00:24:41.71\00:24:44.91
That's right. Sure.
00:24:44.95\00:24:46.28
You could sense the
lackadaisical spirit,
00:24:46.31\00:24:48.82
you could sense the ebb
00:24:48.85\00:24:50.69
and flow of your spiritual life.
00:24:50.72\00:24:52.92
That's right.
00:24:52.95\00:24:54.29
And I don't think
and we all know that
00:24:54.32\00:24:55.66
you could tell when
you're at a spiritual low,
00:24:55.69\00:24:57.29
you can tell when
you're at spiritual norm.
00:24:57.33\00:24:59.59
I don't look for spiritual highs
00:24:59.63\00:25:01.20
because spiritual highs
00:25:01.23\00:25:02.86
can be deceptive, because
you don't live on the mountain,
00:25:02.90\00:25:05.00
you live in the valley.
00:25:05.03\00:25:06.70
Yeah, Elisha was a moment,
but it was in the valley.
00:25:06.74\00:25:09.84
We are called to
live in the valley.
00:25:09.87\00:25:11.74
The valley is where no
one is looking but God.
00:25:11.77\00:25:14.34
So if you spend that
time daily preparing yourself
00:25:14.38\00:25:18.35
going before the Lord in prayer
and studying the Word of God,
00:25:18.38\00:25:21.45
He promises as I'm going
to read here in 1 Peter 3:15,
00:25:21.48\00:25:26.22
"But sanctify the Lord
your God in your hearts,
00:25:26.25\00:25:30.96
and always be ready."
00:25:30.99\00:25:32.69
And I like that.
00:25:32.73\00:25:34.06
You know, we go to the next part
00:25:34.10\00:25:35.43
to give an answer.
00:25:35.46\00:25:36.80
But I want to
focus on the first part,
00:25:36.83\00:25:38.17
but sanctify the
Lord God in your hearts.
00:25:38.20\00:25:40.54
Now, normally the
Lord sanctifies us.
00:25:40.57\00:25:43.61
But Peter is saying,
00:25:43.64\00:25:45.27
but you sanctify the
Lord your God in your heart.
00:25:45.31\00:25:47.51
That means, while
God sets us aside,
00:25:47.54\00:25:50.75
he's saying, I want
you to set God aside.
00:25:50.78\00:25:53.82
You're not setting
God aside in the corner,
00:25:53.85\00:25:55.82
say, God, I need
You to be with me.
00:25:55.85\00:25:57.79
God is saying, I
want you to be with Me.
00:25:57.82\00:25:59.15
But when he says,
that's one of the few times
00:25:59.19\00:26:01.26
in the Bible where we are
told to sanctify the Lord.
00:26:01.29\00:26:03.79
That's right. Amen.
00:26:03.83\00:26:05.16
But the Lord is
often sanctifying us.
00:26:05.19\00:26:07.00
I love that he says,
but sanctify the Lord
00:26:07.03\00:26:10.13
in your hearts,
and always be ready.
00:26:10.17\00:26:12.60
If God is with
me, am I always ready?
00:26:12.63\00:26:14.90
Of course, to give
a defense to everyone
00:26:14.94\00:26:17.74
who asked for the
hope, the reason for the hope
00:26:17.77\00:26:19.87
that is within you.
00:26:19.91\00:26:21.54
So when God is with us,
00:26:21.58\00:26:23.21
when I've set God aside with me,
00:26:23.24\00:26:26.05
I don't have to
wake up in the morning
00:26:26.08\00:26:27.42
trying to figure out now
how am I going to do that?
00:26:27.45\00:26:29.15
And one of my
favorite devotional writers,
00:26:29.18\00:26:30.69
Oswald Chambers, he said,
00:26:30.72\00:26:32.75
"Whenever you are overwhelmed
by the task that is before you,
00:26:32.79\00:26:36.02
you are trusting
in human ability."
00:26:36.06\00:26:38.26
But when you trust
those tasks to the Lord,
00:26:38.29\00:26:40.66
is there, I'm
the God of all flesh.
00:26:40.70\00:26:42.06
Is there anything hard for me?
00:26:42.10\00:26:43.70
So I would say, how
do you know you're ready
00:26:43.73\00:26:45.37
for the Holy Spirit or
ready with the Holy Spirit?
00:26:45.40\00:26:47.80
That's a daily preparation.
00:26:47.84\00:26:49.70
It is not something
that you need to get ready.
00:26:49.74\00:26:52.61
But it's a daily
preparation in your life.
00:26:52.64\00:26:55.21
Now I might throw
this out real quick,
00:26:55.24\00:26:56.91
because some people
would might ask this question.
00:26:56.95\00:27:00.68
Well, how do I know
that, that I'm ready?
00:27:00.72\00:27:04.19
Sometimes you don't
know that you're ready,
00:27:04.22\00:27:05.75
but you have to
step out in faith.
00:27:05.79\00:27:07.76
You have to
determine ahead of time,
00:27:07.79\00:27:10.66
there's nothing wrong
with rehearsing to yourself.
00:27:10.69\00:27:14.50
I've learned a valuable
lesson in talking with people.
00:27:14.53\00:27:18.13
Everybody wants to be
heard as well as yourself.
00:27:18.17\00:27:22.04
And there's nothing
wrong as I'm finding out,
00:27:22.07\00:27:24.54
people may think you're crazy
00:27:24.57\00:27:25.91
if you're driving
down the road talking,
00:27:25.94\00:27:27.58
but you're rehearsing,
00:27:27.61\00:27:29.44
what would I do if
this certain thing happened?
00:27:29.48\00:27:32.35
Yeah.
00:27:32.38\00:27:33.72
Sometimes today,
00:27:33.75\00:27:35.08
because
everything is so complicated,
00:27:35.12\00:27:38.15
that we may need to rehearse
00:27:38.19\00:27:40.42
how we're going to
handle that situation.
00:27:40.46\00:27:42.36
Right.
00:27:42.39\00:27:43.73
And, of course,
00:27:43.76\00:27:47.66
the secret, the secret
loudest voice that you can have
00:27:47.70\00:27:52.57
is by inviting
the Holy Spirit in,
00:27:52.60\00:27:55.47
because the Holy Spirit says,
00:27:55.50\00:27:57.27
you don't have
to know a whole lot,
00:27:57.31\00:27:59.97
but you do have to
have the legs to move.
00:28:00.01\00:28:02.91
And if you will
take that step of action,
00:28:02.94\00:28:05.61
I'll guarantee I will be there.
00:28:05.65\00:28:08.15
I'm not going to just
let you fall in the hole.
00:28:08.18\00:28:10.95
So anyway, there's just a lot
of people that ask questions.
00:28:10.99\00:28:16.73
Let God be God.
00:28:16.76\00:28:18.09
That's right. Amen.
00:28:18.13\00:28:19.46
I want to piggyback
on what you just said.
00:28:19.49\00:28:21.56
How, some people
may think they already,
00:28:21.60\00:28:24.27
like the Pharisees they
thought they were ready, right?
00:28:24.30\00:28:27.40
But they're not.
00:28:27.44\00:28:28.77
How do you know if you're
ready for the Lord to come?
00:28:28.80\00:28:32.94
You know,
00:28:32.97\00:28:34.94
I think that...
00:28:34.98\00:28:39.31
First we need to know
that the Holy Spirit is in it.
00:28:39.35\00:28:41.85
Some people ask me,
00:28:41.88\00:28:43.22
"How do you know
the Holy Spirit?"
00:28:43.25\00:28:44.59
Well, Romans 5:5 says
that God pours His love
00:28:44.62\00:28:47.52
into our hearts by the
power of the Holy Spirit.
00:28:47.56\00:28:51.49
And if God is love and
the Holy Spirit is God,
00:28:51.53\00:28:56.53
that's a spirit
of love that's in us.
00:28:56.56\00:28:58.93
I believe that, you
know, when the Bible says
00:28:58.97\00:29:02.20
God is a consuming fire.
00:29:02.24\00:29:05.61
Love consumes sin. Yes.
00:29:05.64\00:29:09.18
And when we look at
the Ten Commandments,
00:29:09.21\00:29:11.38
the first tablet is
all about our love for God.
00:29:11.41\00:29:14.68
And the second is
about our love for humanity.
00:29:14.72\00:29:18.29
So I believe, you
know, I hear people say,
00:29:18.32\00:29:21.92
oh, let's don't talk about love.
00:29:21.96\00:29:24.26
Yeah, we need to talk about it.
00:29:24.29\00:29:26.59
We need to talk about
self-sacrificing love.
00:29:26.63\00:29:30.73
We need to talk about
being ready to serve others.
00:29:30.77\00:29:34.20
And to me, I
have seen Christians
00:29:34.24\00:29:37.24
that know a lot about the Bible.
00:29:37.27\00:29:40.31
They may lead
the prayer service,
00:29:40.34\00:29:42.94
but they got no love.
00:29:42.98\00:29:44.31
It was like the Pharisees.
00:29:44.35\00:29:45.88
They had the Bible memorized,
00:29:45.91\00:29:47.72
but there was no
love in their hearts.
00:29:47.75\00:29:52.89
So, Honey, touch on
prayer because I know
00:29:52.92\00:29:55.69
if we're going to be ready,
00:29:55.72\00:29:59.09
we've got to be praying
00:29:59.13\00:30:02.90
and seeking the Lord.
00:30:02.93\00:30:06.63
In Matthew 26:41,
00:30:06.67\00:30:09.94
"Watch and pray, lest
you enter into temptation.
00:30:09.97\00:30:14.88
The spirit indeed is
willing, but the flesh is weak."
00:30:14.91\00:30:18.51
Yes.
00:30:18.55\00:30:20.52
But then it comes back
and says in 1 Peter 4:7-8,
00:30:20.55\00:30:23.59
"But the end of
all things is at hand,
00:30:23.62\00:30:29.16
therefore be serious and
watchful in your prayers.
00:30:29.19\00:30:32.69
And above all
things have fervent love
00:30:32.73\00:30:37.43
for one another,
for love will cover
00:30:37.47\00:30:40.24
a multitude of sins."
00:30:40.27\00:30:42.24
Yes, that speaks it.
00:30:42.27\00:30:43.71
John, what's on your
mind? I know, say it.
00:30:43.74\00:30:45.67
And also watch and pray.
00:30:45.71\00:30:47.31
I like that one in Matthew,
00:30:47.34\00:30:48.74
but Luke 21:36 say,
00:30:48.78\00:30:52.45
"Pray always that
you may be counted worthy
00:30:52.48\00:30:56.52
to escape all these
things that will come to pass,
00:30:56.55\00:30:59.49
and to stand
before the Son of Man."
00:30:59.52\00:31:01.76
Psalm Chapter 1
is it opens the Book
00:31:01.79\00:31:04.26
of Psalm with this contrast.
00:31:04.29\00:31:07.23
And let's look at
that very quickly.
00:31:07.26\00:31:08.60
It opens this book,
and I wanna have us walk.
00:31:08.63\00:31:10.73
I want to have the
contrast work itself out here,
00:31:10.77\00:31:13.94
because this
picture is so beautiful.
00:31:13.97\00:31:17.14
As Psalms opens up,
it's only six verses,
00:31:17.17\00:31:21.01
but it contrasts the
righteous with the unrighteous.
00:31:21.04\00:31:24.71
Honey, start from verse 1 to 3.
00:31:24.75\00:31:26.11
And I'm gonna pick up 4 to 6.
00:31:26.15\00:31:27.92
"Blessed is the man who walks
00:31:27.95\00:31:29.82
not in the
counsel of the ungodly,
00:31:29.85\00:31:32.25
nor stands in
the path of sinners,
00:31:32.29\00:31:34.59
nor sits in the
seat of the scornful.
00:31:34.62\00:31:37.99
But his delight is
in the law of the Lord,
00:31:38.03\00:31:41.46
and in His law he
meditates day and night.
00:31:41.50\00:31:45.33
He shall be like a tree
planted by the rivers of water,
00:31:45.37\00:31:49.50
that brings forth
its fruit in its season,
00:31:49.54\00:31:52.77
whose leaf also
shall not wither,
00:31:52.81\00:31:55.78
and whatever he
does shall prosper."
00:31:55.81\00:31:58.28
That's the good side but
now, there's no gray area
00:31:58.31\00:32:00.95
because we go
right to the other side.
00:32:00.98\00:32:03.42
Verse 4, "The
ungodly are not so,
00:32:03.45\00:32:06.92
but are like the chaff
which the wind drives away.
00:32:06.96\00:32:09.66
Therefore the ungodly
shall not stand in the judgment,
00:32:09.69\00:32:12.99
nor sinners in the
congregation of the righteous."
00:32:13.03\00:32:15.80
And here's the
contrasting verse, one,
00:32:15.83\00:32:18.63
it summarizes the whole thing.
00:32:18.67\00:32:20.50
"For the Lord knows
the way of the righteous,
00:32:20.54\00:32:22.54
but the way of the
ungodly shall perish."
00:32:22.57\00:32:25.37
So the very first
question that he's asking
00:32:25.41\00:32:27.64
is who's going to stand?
00:32:27.68\00:32:29.11
And then in Revelation 6:17,
00:32:29.14\00:32:31.41
"The great day of
His wrath has come,
00:32:31.45\00:32:33.15
who shall be able to stand."
00:32:33.18\00:32:35.05
If you're standing daily,
00:32:35.08\00:32:37.45
you don't have to
worry about standing
00:32:37.49\00:32:38.82
when the moment comes.
00:32:38.85\00:32:40.19
Amen.
00:32:40.22\00:32:41.56
People that take a
stand for Christ today
00:32:41.59\00:32:42.92
are not
concerned about the moment.
00:32:42.96\00:32:44.39
They're not
trying to figure it out,
00:32:44.43\00:32:45.76
if I'm ever asked that question,
00:32:45.79\00:32:47.93
what's my position on it?
00:32:47.96\00:32:49.46
If I'm asked the question
on, what do I think about this,
00:32:49.50\00:32:51.50
or what do I think about that,
00:32:51.53\00:32:52.87
or what would I
do in this situation?
00:32:52.90\00:32:54.24
When I rehearse that,
00:32:54.27\00:32:55.60
and know that
I'm going to stand.
00:32:55.64\00:32:56.97
Now, I'm just waiting
for the question to be asked,
00:32:57.01\00:32:59.47
because I've made
that decision already.
00:32:59.51\00:33:01.54
Be ready to give an answer
00:33:01.58\00:33:02.91
with the hope
that is within you.
00:33:02.94\00:33:04.48
And so, that daily
preparation is going
00:33:04.51\00:33:07.25
to make a big difference.
00:33:07.28\00:33:08.62
You got to watch and pray
00:33:08.65\00:33:10.19
and make those decisions daily.
00:33:10.22\00:33:11.75
So we know we need to
be filled with the Spirit,
00:33:11.79\00:33:13.56
Holy Spirit daily,
we need to be praying.
00:33:13.59\00:33:17.16
Ryan?
00:33:17.19\00:33:18.73
Well, I'm thinking
in terms of going back
00:33:18.76\00:33:22.36
to that parable
of the 10 virgins.
00:33:22.40\00:33:26.97
All 10 virgins
went out to meet Christ.
00:33:27.00\00:33:30.07
They all went out.
00:33:30.11\00:33:31.57
But five of them were
wise, five of them were foolish.
00:33:31.61\00:33:33.48
They all had their lamps.
00:33:33.51\00:33:34.84
In other words, they put all,
00:33:34.88\00:33:36.21
all of them had to
profess their faith in Christ
00:33:36.24\00:33:39.05
and His Word, right?
00:33:39.08\00:33:40.45
So they all went out there.
00:33:40.48\00:33:41.82
But what separated the wise
from the foolish was the oil.
00:33:41.85\00:33:44.55
And we know that oil
represents the Holy Spirit,
00:33:44.59\00:33:46.45
which we clearly
communicated here.
00:33:46.49\00:33:48.56
But to me, it's like,
how do you truly prepare?
00:33:48.59\00:33:51.29
I think it really truly
does come down to making sure
00:33:51.33\00:33:54.36
that not only that
you have your lamp,
00:33:54.40\00:33:56.10
but do you have enough oil?
00:33:56.13\00:33:57.47
Here's the catch here.
00:33:57.50\00:34:00.14
The Scripture doesn't say
00:34:00.17\00:34:01.50
that they didn't
have oil in their lamp.
00:34:01.54\00:34:05.51
Because they had
oil in their lamp
00:34:05.54\00:34:06.88
when they went out.
00:34:06.91\00:34:08.24
That's right.
00:34:08.28\00:34:09.61
But when they
slumbered and slept,
00:34:09.64\00:34:11.38
that lamp, the oil
in that lamp went out.
00:34:11.41\00:34:13.45
And so how are they going
to put more oil in that lamp?
00:34:13.48\00:34:15.85
They went to their vessels.
00:34:15.88\00:34:18.15
The Scripture says
they did not have enough oil
00:34:18.19\00:34:20.09
in their vessels.
00:34:20.12\00:34:21.72
In other words, many of us,
00:34:21.76\00:34:23.99
we profess our
faith in God's Word,
00:34:24.03\00:34:26.16
you know, kind of like the
seed sown on the stony rocks.
00:34:26.19\00:34:28.60
You know, for a
moment we're joyous
00:34:28.63\00:34:30.13
and to live a
life as a Christian,
00:34:30.17\00:34:31.83
to profess Christ.
00:34:31.87\00:34:33.20
But are you in it
for the long haul?
00:34:33.23\00:34:35.17
Do you have enough
oil in your vessel?
00:34:35.20\00:34:37.54
And so, Shelley was
asking the question,
00:34:37.57\00:34:39.11
how can I truly
know that I have that oil
00:34:39.14\00:34:42.21
and my vessel is full,
that my reserves are full?
00:34:42.24\00:34:45.38
And I believe that
goes right back to the,
00:34:45.41\00:34:47.42
you know, my good
friend Ian was showing me his,
00:34:47.45\00:34:50.72
he has, he just planted
his new trees the other day.
00:34:50.75\00:34:53.32
He said, "You've to
come and see my apple trees."
00:34:53.36\00:34:54.89
Well, they're small right
now, but they're going to grow.
00:34:54.92\00:34:57.13
Now when they
become fully mature,
00:34:57.16\00:34:58.49
I don't know how
long it's going to be,
00:34:58.53\00:34:59.86
two, three years, I don't know.
00:34:59.89\00:35:01.23
But when I go back out
there in a few years and it's,
00:35:01.26\00:35:03.23
I see a fully mature
tree, but I look at that tree
00:35:03.26\00:35:05.73
and there's no apples on it.
00:35:05.77\00:35:07.24
I'm going to be questioning,
is this really an apple tree,
00:35:07.27\00:35:09.20
right? How do we know that
we're full of the Holy Spirit?
00:35:09.24\00:35:11.67
How do we know that
our oil reserves are full?
00:35:11.71\00:35:14.08
You will produce the
fruits of the Spirit.
00:35:14.11\00:35:16.54
When the Holy
Spirit is working in you,
00:35:16.58\00:35:18.01
there's evidence of that.
00:35:18.05\00:35:19.48
And my good friend
Ivor Myers would say,
00:35:19.51\00:35:21.38
"When you're full
of the Holy Spirit,
00:35:21.42\00:35:22.75
you'll have heartburn."
00:35:22.78\00:35:24.59
Just like the guys,
just like the disciples
00:35:24.62\00:35:26.62
on the road to
Emmaus in Luke 24,
00:35:26.65\00:35:28.52
did not our
hearts burn within us?
00:35:28.56\00:35:30.79
When you have that
daily relationship with Jesus,
00:35:30.83\00:35:33.06
you're on fire for the
Lord, you can't help it.
00:35:33.09\00:35:35.40
And that fire leads you to want
to go tell people about Christ.
00:35:35.43\00:35:39.33
Acts 1:8, "When you have
received the Holy Spirit,
00:35:39.37\00:35:42.30
you shall receive power
to be a witness unto Me."
00:35:42.34\00:35:45.44
And so there's many
different texts in Scripture,
00:35:45.47\00:35:47.68
many different passages
that give us clear indication
00:35:47.71\00:35:50.11
of how we can know.
00:35:50.15\00:35:51.48
But some of us the problem is,
we assume we have enough oil,
00:35:51.51\00:35:54.68
we assume we're
led by the Holy Spirit.
00:35:54.72\00:35:56.15
But some of us
need to do an oil check.
00:35:56.18\00:35:58.05
Some of us need to take
that little dipstick out
00:35:58.09\00:35:59.85
and take that oil and see,
00:35:59.89\00:36:01.86
do I have enough in it
'cause that's where that
00:36:01.89\00:36:03.79
self-examination comes in.
00:36:03.83\00:36:05.16
Lord, search me, O God,
and see if there's any ways
00:36:05.19\00:36:08.70
in me that's not right.
00:36:08.73\00:36:10.07
And so I think it also goes back
00:36:10.10\00:36:12.03
to Christ's counsel to Laodicea,
00:36:12.07\00:36:15.84
because he said to them,
00:36:15.87\00:36:17.37
right there in
Revelation Chapter 3.
00:36:17.41\00:36:20.11
He said, "I counsel you
to buy for me gold refined
00:36:20.14\00:36:22.21
in the fire."
00:36:22.24\00:36:23.58
What is he telling them?
00:36:23.61\00:36:24.95
We know that's symbolic.
00:36:24.98\00:36:26.31
If you compare
that to 1 Peter 1:7,
00:36:26.35\00:36:28.45
it's talking
about a faith of gold.
00:36:28.48\00:36:30.22
What kind of faith?
00:36:30.25\00:36:31.95
Third angel's
message, the faith of Jesus,
00:36:31.99\00:36:34.59
not just any old kind of
faith, the faith of Jesus.
00:36:34.62\00:36:36.86
And then he says,
"And that you may clothe
00:36:36.89\00:36:39.63
yourself with
the white garments."
00:36:39.66\00:36:41.56
What does white
garments represent?
00:36:41.60\00:36:43.83
Isaiah 61:10,
00:36:43.87\00:36:45.83
"The righteous,
not our righteousness,
00:36:45.87\00:36:47.50
but Christ's righteousness."
00:36:47.54\00:36:49.04
And then last but not least,
anoint your eyes with eyesalve.
00:36:49.07\00:36:52.61
We got a bunch
of blind Christians
00:36:52.64\00:36:54.54
walking around and
Jesus says, "You're blind.
00:36:54.58\00:36:56.04
You can't even see."
00:36:56.08\00:36:57.41
So anoint your
eyes with eyesalve.
00:36:57.45\00:36:59.05
1 Corinthians
2:14, then I'll be quiet.
00:36:59.08\00:37:01.58
It says, "But
the natural man does
00:37:01.62\00:37:02.95
not receive the
things of the Spirit of God."
00:37:02.98\00:37:05.32
Why, Lord, why?
00:37:05.35\00:37:06.69
Why am I not
being led by the Spirit?
00:37:06.72\00:37:08.06
Well, I can't, my
dipstick shows that I'm low.
00:37:08.09\00:37:11.13
I can't perceive that I'm
being led by the Spirit of God.
00:37:11.16\00:37:13.60
Here it is.
00:37:13.63\00:37:14.96
"But the natural man
does not receive the things
00:37:15.00\00:37:16.33
of the Spirit of God,
00:37:16.36\00:37:17.70
for they are foolishness to him,
00:37:17.73\00:37:19.57
nor can he know them," why?
00:37:19.60\00:37:21.14
"Because they are
spiritually discerned."
00:37:21.17\00:37:24.67
You have to have
that spiritual eyesight,
00:37:24.71\00:37:26.68
and how do we have
that spiritual eyesight?
00:37:26.71\00:37:28.61
A daily faithful
walk with Christ.
00:37:28.64\00:37:32.01
You put oil and water
in the same container,
00:37:32.05\00:37:34.85
the oil is going to
dominate that water,
00:37:34.88\00:37:36.69
but many of us we have
our jars filled with water
00:37:36.72\00:37:39.55
rather than the oil.
00:37:39.59\00:37:40.92
Jesus said, or
John the Baptist said,
00:37:40.96\00:37:42.92
"He must increase
and I must decrease."
00:37:42.96\00:37:45.86
It's safe to say
we're leaky vessels.
00:37:45.89\00:37:49.16
Right.
00:37:49.20\00:37:50.53
That's what to your
point while ago is that...
00:37:50.57\00:37:52.70
Jeremiah. Yeah,
we are leaky vessels.
00:37:52.73\00:37:55.87
And it's
something that we can...
00:37:55.90\00:38:00.68
Somebody told me once,
00:38:00.71\00:38:02.34
"What do you
mean you repent daily.
00:38:02.38\00:38:03.78
I don't sin."
00:38:03.81\00:38:05.31
I said, "Really?"
00:38:05.35\00:38:06.68
"Yes, well, I
can't think of anything."
00:38:06.72\00:38:08.05
I said, "Have you
grieved the Holy Spirit lately?
00:38:08.08\00:38:10.89
Have you
resisted the Holy Spirit,
00:38:10.92\00:38:12.85
maybe even
quenched the Holy Spirit?"
00:38:12.89\00:38:15.06
Those are the three
things I pray about every night,
00:38:15.09\00:38:17.86
said, oh, Lord, please.
00:38:17.89\00:38:19.76
It's something that Jesus said
00:38:19.79\00:38:23.97
in Luke 11:9-13.
00:38:24.00\00:38:27.40
He said, "Ask, seek, knock."
00:38:27.44\00:38:31.64
And then He said,
it's in linear verbs.
00:38:31.67\00:38:35.04
It's what he was really
saying and a better translation
00:38:35.08\00:38:38.25
would be ask and keep on asking,
00:38:38.28\00:38:40.72
seek and keep on seeking,
knock and keep on knocking.
00:38:40.75\00:38:44.29
And then he gets
down to verse 13.
00:38:44.32\00:38:47.89
And he tells us,
00:38:47.92\00:38:49.46
"If you being evil know
00:38:49.49\00:38:50.83
how to give your
children good gifts,
00:38:50.86\00:38:53.50
how much more will
the heavenly Father
00:38:53.53\00:38:55.66
with the Holy Spirit?
00:38:55.70\00:38:57.03
But I want to hit
00:38:57.07\00:38:59.33
on if we are getting ready.
00:38:59.37\00:39:03.41
It's not...
00:39:03.44\00:39:05.67
Well, okay, we're
filled with the spirit.
00:39:05.71\00:39:08.44
We're praying
because communication
00:39:08.48\00:39:11.05
-is the relationship.
00:39:11.08\00:39:12.41
But let's touch on obedience.
00:39:12.45\00:39:14.02
Let me read you 1 Peter 1:13-16.
00:39:14.05\00:39:18.95
Peter writes,
00:39:18.99\00:39:21.26
"Gird up the loins of your mind,
00:39:21.29\00:39:25.79
be sober, and rest your hope
00:39:25.83\00:39:29.46
fully upon the grace
that is to be brought to you
00:39:29.50\00:39:32.70
at the
revelation of Jesus Christ."
00:39:32.73\00:39:35.90
And that word hope
means eager expectation,
00:39:35.94\00:39:40.08
so eagerly expect the
grace that's coming to us
00:39:40.11\00:39:44.71
when Jesus returns.
00:39:44.75\00:39:46.78
But look at what
he says in verse 14,
00:39:46.82\00:39:50.59
which is a
continuation of that sentence,
00:39:50.62\00:39:53.89
"As obedient children,
00:39:53.92\00:39:58.23
not conforming
yourselves to the former lusts,
00:39:58.26\00:40:01.56
as in your ignorance,
00:40:01.60\00:40:03.63
but as He who
called you is holy,
00:40:03.67\00:40:07.40
you also be holy
in all your conduct,
00:40:07.44\00:40:12.27
as it is written, 'Be
holy, because I am holy.'"
00:40:12.31\00:40:15.28
Being holy is a synonym
00:40:15.31\00:40:19.01
with being sanctified.
00:40:19.05\00:40:21.38
God says, He's in the
sanctification business.
00:40:21.42\00:40:25.32
Both of them mean to
be set apart from sin.
00:40:25.35\00:40:29.66
So let's touch
on obedience, John.
00:40:29.69\00:40:31.83
Okay.
00:40:31.86\00:40:33.19
Well, Hebrews 12:1-2,
00:40:33.23\00:40:34.73
I'm gonna have
Angie read verse 1,
00:40:34.76\00:40:37.23
and then I'm gonna read
verse 2 because they both
00:40:37.27\00:40:40.10
while they're in
harmony with each other,
00:40:40.14\00:40:41.97
they give two directives.
00:40:42.00\00:40:44.94
All right. Okay.
Start with verse 1.
00:40:44.97\00:40:46.88
Okay. This is about
our sins that ensnares us.
00:40:46.91\00:40:50.85
"Therefore we also,
since we are surrounded
00:40:50.88\00:40:53.78
by so great a
cloud of witnesses,
00:40:53.82\00:40:57.52
let us lay aside every weight,
00:40:57.55\00:41:00.16
and the sin which
so easily ensnares us,
00:41:00.19\00:41:04.69
and let us run with endurance
00:41:04.73\00:41:07.36
the race that is set before us."
00:41:07.40\00:41:10.50
You notice, what is it saying,
00:41:10.53\00:41:11.87
lay something aside.
00:41:11.90\00:41:13.23
Let it go. If
you don't let it go,
00:41:13.27\00:41:14.60
you can't run.
00:41:14.64\00:41:16.00
So this whole preparation
has to do with obedience.
00:41:16.04\00:41:19.47
So people may
say, "Well, I'm ready."
00:41:19.51\00:41:21.14
But then have you
laid aside everything
00:41:21.18\00:41:23.21
that's hindering your run?
00:41:23.24\00:41:25.08
Because Paul says,
"I finished the race."
00:41:25.11\00:41:28.12
Now you find
mostly in the Bible,
00:41:28.15\00:41:30.25
the Christian life is
referred to as a walk.
00:41:30.29\00:41:32.65
Walk as he
walked where Paul said,
00:41:32.69\00:41:34.79
"I finished the race."
00:41:34.82\00:41:36.59
There's a time you
have to stop walking
00:41:36.62\00:41:37.99
and start running.
00:41:38.03\00:41:39.36
And that's what I
was focusing on here,
00:41:39.39\00:41:41.16
you got to get,
your walking is so fit.
00:41:41.20\00:41:43.06
Now you're at the
point where you could run,
00:41:43.10\00:41:45.03
you're no longer a
child drinking milk,
00:41:45.07\00:41:46.74
you're an adult
handling the meat of the Word,
00:41:46.77\00:41:49.04
you're getting stronger.
00:41:49.07\00:41:50.41
And when you get stronger,
you're able to run into,
00:41:50.44\00:41:53.98
run into God and be saved.
00:41:54.01\00:41:57.38
And that's the
picture, Shelley, you know,
00:41:57.41\00:42:00.82
what's the picture
that's drawn so beautifully
00:42:00.85\00:42:02.98
in the City of Refuge.
00:42:03.02\00:42:07.56
When you are going
to the City of Refuge,
00:42:07.59\00:42:09.06
and you'd walk to
the City of Refuge?
00:42:09.09\00:42:11.29
No.
00:42:11.33\00:42:12.66
You're running for
your life to be saved.
00:42:12.69\00:42:15.03
The City of
Refuge was so necessary,
00:42:15.06\00:42:17.57
so essential to the
person that was going,
00:42:17.60\00:42:20.60
that they will
give an instruction,
00:42:20.64\00:42:22.10
make sure the path is clear,
00:42:22.14\00:42:24.14
and no stones that are there
and nothing they could trip on.
00:42:24.17\00:42:26.84
And therefore it
starts developing the picture
00:42:26.88\00:42:28.51
now that's given
in the New Testament.
00:42:28.54\00:42:30.61
I make straight
paths for your feet,
00:42:30.65\00:42:32.91
so that the lame won't
be turned out of the way.
00:42:32.95\00:42:35.05
So here's the point.
00:42:35.08\00:42:36.42
When you start
making those decisions
00:42:36.45\00:42:37.85
to lay aside
those simple habits,
00:42:37.89\00:42:39.79
then you are able
to run with endurance,
00:42:39.82\00:42:42.22
the race that is set before you.
00:42:42.26\00:42:43.93
You're able to run
the race and say one day,
00:42:43.96\00:42:45.76
I finished the race.
00:42:45.79\00:42:47.80
But when you run,
00:42:47.83\00:42:49.16
that's just the
beginning part of it.
00:42:49.20\00:42:51.60
Were you looking when you run...
00:42:51.63\00:42:53.17
To Jesus. Read verse 2. Okay.
00:42:53.20\00:42:55.00
You know, this is
my favorite passage.
00:42:55.04\00:42:57.01
I almost end all my
prayers with this one.
00:42:57.04\00:42:58.97
Look at it. "Looking unto Jesus,
00:42:59.01\00:43:00.84
the author and
finisher of our faith,
00:43:00.88\00:43:03.38
who for the joy
that was set before him,
00:43:03.41\00:43:06.88
endured the cross,
despising the shame,
00:43:06.92\00:43:10.45
and has sat down
at the right hand
00:43:10.49\00:43:13.59
of the throne of God."
00:43:13.62\00:43:14.96
Right. So where is he looking?
00:43:14.99\00:43:16.89
He's running but
he's got his eyes
00:43:16.93\00:43:18.43
peeled at the finish line,
00:43:18.46\00:43:20.10
you know, on Jesus, the author
and finisher of our faith.
00:43:20.13\00:43:22.63
Amen.
00:43:22.66\00:43:24.00
And that's what Peter had said,
00:43:24.03\00:43:25.47
you know, is to keep
your hope in Him in the grace,
00:43:25.50\00:43:30.07
but we can't be obedient
00:43:30.11\00:43:34.11
to what we don't know.
00:43:34.14\00:43:35.91
So I mean, there's being filled
with the Holy Spirit praying.
00:43:35.94\00:43:40.85
But it requires
that we get in the Word.
00:43:40.88\00:43:44.42
Prayer's really supposed
to be a two way communication.
00:43:44.45\00:43:47.76
We talk to God, we
allow God to talk to us.
00:43:47.79\00:43:50.89
And He talks to
us through His Word,
00:43:50.93\00:43:54.36
and He renews our mind.
00:43:54.40\00:43:55.73
JD?
00:43:55.76\00:43:57.23
You know, boy, this
is really good stuff.
00:43:57.27\00:43:58.93
And it's just too bad that
we don't have lots of times.
00:43:58.97\00:44:01.47
Every story that I'm hearing,
00:44:01.50\00:44:03.27
piggybacks me to another story.
00:44:03.30\00:44:05.07
Me too. I mean, this is amazing.
00:44:05.11\00:44:07.08
But the main thing is,
00:44:07.11\00:44:09.01
is because we are, we
do have our eyes focused
00:44:09.04\00:44:11.55
on the prize we are running.
00:44:11.58\00:44:13.75
And if our side is hurting
us or if we're out of breath,
00:44:13.78\00:44:16.89
but the City of
Refuge we are running.
00:44:16.92\00:44:20.19
So that, but and I think
that probably on our mind is,
00:44:20.22\00:44:23.46
JD, do not be
conformed to this world.
00:44:23.49\00:44:27.83
What scripture is
that? That is Romans 12:2.
00:44:27.86\00:44:30.33
Okay.
00:44:30.37\00:44:31.70
"Do not be
conformed to this world,
00:44:31.73\00:44:33.30
but be transformed by
the renewing of your mind."
00:44:33.34\00:44:36.40
I want to reach the goal.
00:44:36.44\00:44:38.11
Help me, Jesus, that You
may prove what is that good
00:44:38.14\00:44:41.31
and acceptable and
perfect will of God.
00:44:41.34\00:44:43.95
That's the plan
that He has for your life
00:44:43.98\00:44:47.05
to run toward the prize.
00:44:47.08\00:44:50.02
And it's inside.
00:44:50.05\00:44:51.72
And we'd run with endurance.
00:44:51.75\00:44:53.89
With endurance, most
certainly. It's real.
00:44:53.92\00:44:56.46
It's not a sprint,
it's a marathon, isn't it?
00:44:56.49\00:45:00.10
It isn't a sprint.
00:45:00.13\00:45:01.60
What would you say to obedience?
00:45:01.63\00:45:04.03
There's people who are watching
00:45:04.07\00:45:07.30
and we want to let them know,
00:45:07.34\00:45:08.84
we believe in salvation
by grace through faith.
00:45:08.87\00:45:12.47
But why is
obedience so important?
00:45:12.51\00:45:15.68
Well, obedience, it
expresses our love for God.
00:45:15.71\00:45:19.08
And that's what we find
Jesus saying in John 14:15,
00:45:19.11\00:45:22.88
that "If you love Me,
keep My commandments."
00:45:22.92\00:45:25.12
We don't keep the commandments
because it saves us.
00:45:25.15\00:45:27.69
We keep the
commandments because we love Him
00:45:27.72\00:45:29.36
who has saved us.
00:45:29.39\00:45:30.83
And that's just
a beautiful thing.
00:45:30.86\00:45:32.66
We are saved by
grace through faith,
00:45:32.69\00:45:35.46
not of works, but yet
also in Ephesians 2:10.
00:45:35.50\00:45:39.63
Right below those
famous verses 8, 9, it says,
00:45:39.67\00:45:41.94
"We were
created for good words."
00:45:41.97\00:45:44.27
That's right. I'm
thinking of Romans 1:5,
00:45:44.31\00:45:46.54
that tells us
that that we have been
00:45:46.57\00:45:48.98
given grace for obedience.
00:45:49.01\00:45:52.08
And so the natural response is,
00:45:52.11\00:45:54.98
it's kind of like doing
a scientific experiment.
00:45:55.02\00:45:57.35
You just expect that
when you throw some Mentos
00:45:57.39\00:45:59.52
in a Coca-Cola bottle
or in a Diet Coke bottle
00:45:59.55\00:46:03.56
of some kind
there's a chemical reaction.
00:46:03.59\00:46:05.89
When God pours His
love and His grace out on us
00:46:05.93\00:46:08.83
and He says, I'm
giving you my un...
00:46:08.86\00:46:11.90
Just the, my unconditional love
00:46:11.93\00:46:15.17
and He pours that
grace out upon us.
00:46:15.20\00:46:16.71
The natural response from
a person who is responding
00:46:16.74\00:46:20.14
positively and honestly
00:46:20.18\00:46:22.94
and responsibly to
that grace and that love
00:46:22.98\00:46:25.31
is that now I want
to serve this master.
00:46:25.35\00:46:28.05
He is my master. Amen.
00:46:28.08\00:46:29.65
You know, I find also
that a lot of individuals,
00:46:29.68\00:46:32.15
they struggle in preparation
for the coming of the Lord,
00:46:32.19\00:46:35.92
because they don't have
00:46:35.96\00:46:37.29
and we've talked
about the leading,
00:46:37.33\00:46:38.66
guiding power of the Spirit,
00:46:38.69\00:46:40.03
but I'm gonna
take it a step further.
00:46:40.06\00:46:41.40
They don't have
the Spirit of Prophecy.
00:46:41.43\00:46:44.07
Talking about God's true church,
00:46:44.10\00:46:45.60
Revelation 12:17, says,
00:46:45.63\00:46:47.87
"And the dragon was
enraged with the woman,"
00:46:47.90\00:46:49.54
here's the obedience factor,
00:46:49.57\00:46:50.91
"and he went to make war
with the rest of her offspring
00:46:50.94\00:46:53.27
who keep the
commandments of God."
00:46:53.31\00:46:55.24
So these people are
commandment keeping people.
00:46:55.28\00:46:57.35
Again, not
because it saves them,
00:46:57.38\00:46:58.78
but because they love Him,
00:46:58.81\00:47:00.32
but because
they're an obedient people.
00:47:00.35\00:47:02.18
Here it is. Here's
another result of that.
00:47:02.22\00:47:05.22
It says, who they?
00:47:05.25\00:47:06.59
"Who keep the commandments
of God and have the testimony
00:47:06.62\00:47:08.59
of Jesus Christ.
00:47:08.62\00:47:09.96
What is the
testimony of Jesus Christ?
00:47:09.99\00:47:11.99
We don't have to wonder
because Revelation 19:10
00:47:12.03\00:47:14.60
tells us that very clearly,
00:47:14.63\00:47:16.93
the testimony of Jesus Christ
is the Spirit of Prophecy.
00:47:16.97\00:47:20.84
How can a person
perceive the signs?
00:47:20.87\00:47:23.94
How can they perceive
that Christ is on His way?
00:47:23.97\00:47:26.68
How can they know that,
as Pastor was beautiful,
00:47:26.71\00:47:29.38
explaining
earlier, Paul, talking about
00:47:29.41\00:47:31.48
that sense of urgency
00:47:31.51\00:47:33.15
that we need to be
ready now, not tomorrow,
00:47:33.18\00:47:35.08
not next week, now because
today is the day of salvation.
00:47:35.12\00:47:38.19
How can you perceive that
00:47:38.22\00:47:39.79
if you're not
being led by the Spirit,
00:47:39.82\00:47:41.59
who's given that prophecy,
the Spirit of Prophecy,
00:47:41.62\00:47:44.16
God's true, last
day remnant people
00:47:44.19\00:47:46.16
will have the
Spirit of Prophecy,
00:47:46.19\00:47:48.16
and therefore
00:47:48.20\00:47:49.53
when they read these
texts from Matthew 24,
00:47:49.56\00:47:52.23
Luke 17, Luke 21, you know,
00:47:52.27\00:47:55.27
all through the
Book of Revelation,
00:47:55.30\00:47:56.64
those great prophetic chapters,
00:47:56.67\00:47:58.57
they see it because they
have that spiritual discernment
00:47:58.61\00:48:01.81
that yes, these
signs are very clear.
00:48:01.84\00:48:04.31
They have, God has
taken the scales off
00:48:04.35\00:48:06.95
their eyes and they
now can spiritually see
00:48:06.98\00:48:09.08
and discern the times
that they're in to be prepared
00:48:09.12\00:48:11.42
for the soon coming of Jesus.
00:48:11.45\00:48:12.79
Amen. And you know,
00:48:12.82\00:48:15.99
the Spirit of Prophecy when
we're talking about obedience,
00:48:16.02\00:48:20.10
obedience is we know
00:48:20.13\00:48:23.77
that Christ's obedience
00:48:23.80\00:48:25.73
has been imputed
to us, has it not?
00:48:25.77\00:48:28.80
Wait, his record
has been imputed to us.
00:48:28.84\00:48:31.94
But, you know, people ask me,
00:48:31.97\00:48:33.91
"Well, do you believe
in righteousness by faith
00:48:33.94\00:48:36.41
you're always talking about."
00:48:36.44\00:48:38.31
You know, I mean,
00:48:38.35\00:48:39.68
I'm an
ambassador for God's grace,
00:48:39.71\00:48:41.85
but, of course, I do.
00:48:41.88\00:48:43.75
Righteousness by
faith is the only kind
00:48:43.79\00:48:45.69
of righteousness there is.
00:48:45.72\00:48:48.22
Because the best I
can do, Isaiah says,
00:48:48.26\00:48:51.16
is like filthy
rags for the Lord.
00:48:51.19\00:48:53.83
But I love what 1
John 2:28-29 says.
00:48:53.86\00:48:59.27
And, JD, would you read
that for us because if we think,
00:48:59.30\00:49:03.47
"Oh, I'm righteous by faith,
I don't need to do anything."
00:49:03.51\00:49:06.51
Let's look at 1 John 2:28-29.
00:49:06.54\00:49:10.88
"And now little
children, abide in Him...
00:49:10.91\00:49:14.25
Whoo, boy, there's a key
00:49:14.28\00:49:15.62
that we've got to do
to be ready is abiding.
00:49:15.65\00:49:18.02
Yes. Meaning what?
00:49:18.05\00:49:19.99
That means we are
connected to the vine,
00:49:20.02\00:49:22.26
we stay in union
and united to Him.
00:49:22.29\00:49:24.96
Amen.
00:49:24.99\00:49:26.39
"So now little children
being in union with Him,"
00:49:26.43\00:49:28.63
that's a capital H with Jesus,
00:49:28.66\00:49:31.00
"that when He
appears, we may have confidence
00:49:31.03\00:49:34.40
and not be ashamed
before Him at His coming."
00:49:34.44\00:49:38.01
Wow.
00:49:38.04\00:49:39.37
If you know
that He is righteous,
00:49:39.41\00:49:42.91
in other words you know
that Jesus is righteous.
00:49:42.94\00:49:45.61
"You know that
everyone who practice
00:49:45.65\00:49:47.52
righteousness is born of Him."
00:49:47.55\00:49:49.68
Wait a minute.
00:49:49.72\00:49:51.45
Okay, if you know
that He's righteous.
00:49:51.49\00:49:54.16
Yes.
00:49:54.19\00:49:55.79
How do you know
that Jesus is righteous?
00:49:55.82\00:49:58.93
What does it say here?
00:49:58.96\00:50:00.76
That if we know Him,
00:50:00.80\00:50:03.67
everyone that's born of Him
00:50:03.70\00:50:06.03
is going to practice
that same righteousness.
00:50:06.07\00:50:08.27
We're gonna all
follow in His footsteps.
00:50:08.30\00:50:12.97
That's right.
00:50:13.01\00:50:15.88
And be happy to
call him your brother
00:50:15.91\00:50:18.81
and not be embarrassed.
00:50:18.85\00:50:20.62
Yeah. John?
00:50:20.65\00:50:22.48
And the other thing as
we're doing these things,
00:50:22.52\00:50:23.92
then you have to get
to the point of commit.
00:50:23.95\00:50:26.05
I mean, this, I
think, CA when he was here,
00:50:26.09\00:50:30.53
he talked about,
00:50:30.56\00:50:32.06
there are those
who are convicted,
00:50:32.09\00:50:34.76
but they're not converted.
00:50:34.80\00:50:36.33
And he said, and
I never forgot this.
00:50:36.36\00:50:37.83
He said, "Sometimes you have
a church filled with convicts
00:50:37.87\00:50:41.27
and not converts."
00:50:41.30\00:50:43.20
And I never
forget that, my hats,
00:50:43.24\00:50:44.61
my hat off to Pastor
CA if you're watching.
00:50:44.64\00:50:46.68
And I never forgot
that, because there's a point
00:50:46.71\00:50:49.11
you have to commit,
because we can't keep anything.
00:50:49.14\00:50:52.51
But the Lord can keep
everything we commit to Him.
00:50:52.55\00:50:56.02
And that's where 2 Timothy 1:12,
00:50:56.05\00:50:58.29
I'm gonna my
wife read that here.
00:50:58.32\00:50:59.85
2 Timothy 1:12.
00:50:59.89\00:51:01.86
"For this reason I
also suffer these things,
00:51:01.89\00:51:04.86
nevertheless I am not ashamed,
00:51:04.89\00:51:07.40
for I know whom I have believed
00:51:07.43\00:51:10.27
and am persuaded
that He is able to keep
00:51:10.30\00:51:14.30
what I have committed
to Him until that Day."
00:51:14.34\00:51:17.61
I can't hear that without
wanting to burst out into song
00:51:17.64\00:51:20.54
because it's always
one of my favorites.
00:51:20.58\00:51:22.41
So what is it?
00:51:22.44\00:51:23.78
What are you
committing to the Lord?
00:51:23.81\00:51:25.15
So now we commit
things to memory,
00:51:25.18\00:51:27.08
we commit things to lists,
00:51:27.12\00:51:28.72
we commit things to practices,
00:51:28.75\00:51:30.95
but what are you
committing to the Lord?
00:51:30.99\00:51:33.39
Because we could lose that list,
00:51:33.42\00:51:35.09
we could forget our memory,
00:51:35.12\00:51:36.49
but the Lord would never
forget what we commit to Him,
00:51:36.52\00:51:38.53
because He's able to
keep what we commit to Him.
00:51:38.56\00:51:41.76
And so when I think about that,
I thought, well, okay, now,
00:51:41.80\00:51:44.90
I want to keep the Sabbath.
00:51:44.93\00:51:46.77
Am I keeping the Sabbath?
00:51:46.80\00:51:48.14
I want to keep the commandments.
00:51:48.17\00:51:49.64
Am I keeping the commandments?
00:51:49.67\00:51:51.01
The Lord said, "Wait a minute,
wait a minute, wait a minute,
00:51:51.04\00:51:52.74
if you're committed to
Me, I'll keep it through you."
00:51:52.77\00:51:56.08
I'm able to keep
whatever you commit to me.
00:51:56.11\00:51:58.28
So if you're making preparation
for the coming of the Lord,
00:51:58.31\00:52:01.38
start looking at what
you need to commit to Him
00:52:01.42\00:52:03.25
because everything
that you commit to Him,
00:52:03.28\00:52:04.85
He's able to keep, including us.
00:52:04.89\00:52:07.59
So I would say really
commit and when you commit,
00:52:07.62\00:52:10.23
then you can say as
Paul says in Romans 8,
00:52:10.26\00:52:12.16
"I am persuaded that
neither death nor life,
00:52:12.19\00:52:14.20
nor angels, nor principalities,
00:52:14.23\00:52:16.23
nor things
present or things to come,
00:52:16.26\00:52:18.10
nor height nor depth,
nor any other created thing
00:52:18.13\00:52:20.47
shall be able to separate
us from the love of God,
00:52:20.50\00:52:23.71
which is in Christ Jesus." Why?
00:52:23.74\00:52:25.54
Jesus says in John 10,
00:52:25.57\00:52:26.98
"Whoever the
Father has given to me,
00:52:27.01\00:52:28.71
no one is gonna
snatch out of my hand."
00:52:28.74\00:52:30.75
Why? He's able to keep us.
00:52:30.78\00:52:32.71
And He's able to
keep us from doing what?
00:52:32.75\00:52:34.58
From falling, Jude 24.
00:52:34.62\00:52:36.28
You know, I want
to piggyback off of,
00:52:36.32\00:52:39.85
kind of, combining two comments,
00:52:39.89\00:52:42.06
one that you
made about it's today
00:52:42.09\00:52:46.19
is the day of salvation.
00:52:46.23\00:52:47.56
Quit procrastinating.
00:52:47.60\00:52:49.36
You know, you don't know.
00:52:49.40\00:52:51.93
I just had a dear friend.
00:52:51.97\00:52:53.67
She's being buried
tomorrow. You don't know.
00:52:53.70\00:52:58.31
She was young.
00:52:58.34\00:53:00.11
She's young, and you
never know when you're gonna go.
00:53:00.14\00:53:04.75
And JD was talking about
00:53:04.78\00:53:08.32
been done in the
sign that says get ready,
00:53:08.35\00:53:11.89
the rain is coming.
00:53:11.92\00:53:13.46
I meet people who say, well,
00:53:13.49\00:53:18.43
when the latter rain comes,
we're all going to wake up
00:53:18.46\00:53:21.73
and we're going to do this
and we're going to do that.
00:53:21.76\00:53:24.00
I want to go back
to the Texas droughts.
00:53:24.03\00:53:26.30
When we first
moved to Central Texas,
00:53:26.33\00:53:29.07
to the family farm.
00:53:29.10\00:53:31.17
This was decades
after the drought
00:53:31.21\00:53:34.01
that he was talking about.
00:53:34.04\00:53:35.81
But Texas was in the
middle of a five-year drought,
00:53:35.84\00:53:38.58
lot of suffering here.
00:53:38.61\00:53:40.32
And when he's
talking about cracks
00:53:40.35\00:53:41.98
that your puppet could
fall in, you had to be careful.
00:53:42.02\00:53:45.15
As you walked around the farm,
there were six inch cracks.
00:53:45.19\00:53:48.52
I mean, you
could break your ankle,
00:53:48.56\00:53:50.63
you could really hurt yourself
if you weren't watching.
00:53:50.66\00:53:54.76
I prayed so hard for the rain.
00:53:54.80\00:53:58.83
I pray every night,
00:53:58.87\00:54:00.20
I was just joining my
voice to the local chorus.
00:54:00.24\00:54:04.04
I'm sure that
we're praying for rain.
00:54:04.07\00:54:06.81
One night I was laying
in bed, JD was out of town.
00:54:06.84\00:54:10.08
And we had a tin
roof on the farm.
00:54:10.11\00:54:12.98
And all of a sudden, it was
00:54:13.01\00:54:14.95
pit-pit, pat-pat,
pit-pit, pat-pat, pit-pit
00:54:14.98\00:54:19.02
and then I got so excited,
00:54:19.05\00:54:20.96
I jumped up and
I looked outside,
00:54:20.99\00:54:22.69
and the rain came down in
what we call a gully washer.
00:54:22.72\00:54:26.49
You know what a gully washer is?
00:54:26.53\00:54:28.50
I mean, you
couldn't even see outside.
00:54:28.53\00:54:32.80
I was just doing
my little praise dance
00:54:32.83\00:54:36.27
and hallelujah in the bedroom.
00:54:36.30\00:54:39.21
Next morning, I went
up and I got outside.
00:54:39.24\00:54:44.55
Nothing changed.
00:54:44.58\00:54:46.28
The ground was just as
hard as it had ever been.
00:54:46.31\00:54:49.95
You know why?
00:54:49.98\00:54:51.32
The ground was so hardened
00:54:51.35\00:54:54.06
that rain came
and it just ran off.
00:54:54.09\00:54:57.76
It just went on
down. It was just as dry.
00:54:57.79\00:55:03.10
And all of a sudden,
00:55:03.13\00:55:05.20
the Lord impressed
this thought upon my mind.
00:55:05.23\00:55:08.00
So it will be in the end Times.
00:55:08.04\00:55:12.24
Those who have
not had their hearts
00:55:12.27\00:55:15.14
softened by the early rain,
00:55:15.18\00:55:18.55
those who have not been
filled with the Holy Spirit
00:55:18.58\00:55:23.15
prior to the latter rain.
00:55:23.18\00:55:24.95
Listen, when that
latter rain comes,
00:55:24.99\00:55:27.12
it's gonna run off their backs,
00:55:27.16\00:55:29.72
like water runs
off the ducks back.
00:55:29.76\00:55:33.93
Isn't that a heavy thought?
00:55:33.96\00:55:35.30
It's one thing
really quickly here.
00:55:35.33\00:55:36.67
It's one thing to be prepared
and to learn how to prepare.
00:55:36.70\00:55:40.04
But it's a whole
another thing to stay prepared.
00:55:40.07\00:55:41.97
That's right.
And that's the thing,
00:55:42.00\00:55:43.34
we want to get ready.
00:55:43.37\00:55:45.07
But we need to
learn how to stay ready.
00:55:45.11\00:55:46.98
And that's where
we are right now.
00:55:47.01\00:55:48.34
We're living in that
antitypical Day of Atonement,
00:55:48.38\00:55:50.28
where we need to
be forsaking sin.
00:55:50.31\00:55:52.08
I hope that one day
when Jesus comes back,
00:55:52.11\00:55:54.02
you know, you
talk about being done.
00:55:54.05\00:55:55.98
No disrespect here,
but I hope we all can say
00:55:56.02\00:55:58.22
like a Southerner would that,
00:55:58.25\00:55:59.59
Lord, I've been done
with sin for a long time.
00:55:59.62\00:56:02.12
I've been done with this world,
00:56:02.16\00:56:03.49
I'm ready to go home
because at this moment,
00:56:03.53\00:56:05.43
like we need to put ourselves
at the foot of the cross,
00:56:05.46\00:56:08.06
and humble ourselves.
00:56:08.10\00:56:09.43
So that Holy
Spirit can cleanse us
00:56:09.46\00:56:11.40
and change us from the inside.
00:56:11.43\00:56:12.77
Amen. I want to
thank you all so much.
00:56:12.80\00:56:14.47
I do want to end with
a particular scripture.
00:56:14.50\00:56:16.60
But thank you each and
every one for your input,
00:56:16.64\00:56:21.14
and for those of you at home.
00:56:21.18\00:56:23.45
How do we know
that we are ready?
00:56:23.48\00:56:27.12
You can have
assurance of salvation
00:56:27.15\00:56:29.45
if you're in Christ, if
you're abiding in Christ,
00:56:29.48\00:56:31.95
you're filled
with the Holy Spirit.
00:56:31.99\00:56:34.29
Just read 1 John 5:10-12.
00:56:34.32\00:56:36.93
We can have
assurance of salvation.
00:56:36.96\00:56:39.23
But Colossians 1:27 tells us
00:56:39.26\00:56:41.76
it is Christ in us
that is our hope of glory.
00:56:41.80\00:56:46.40
And let me finish
with this particular verse.
00:56:46.43\00:56:50.11
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 says,
00:56:50.14\00:56:53.91
"May the God of peace
00:56:53.94\00:56:55.84
sanctify you completely.
00:56:55.88\00:57:00.28
And may your whole spirit,
00:57:00.32\00:57:02.92
soul and body be
preserved blameless
00:57:02.95\00:57:07.49
at the coming of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
00:57:07.52\00:57:11.23
Hallelujah, I want
that. That's right.
00:57:11.26\00:57:13.70
Then listen to verse 24,
00:57:13.73\00:57:16.13
"He who calls you is
faithful and he will also do it.
00:57:16.16\00:57:20.67
He will complete this
work that He's begun in you.
00:57:20.70\00:57:23.74
Thank you for joining us.
00:57:23.77\00:57:25.27
And our prayer for you at home
00:57:25.31\00:57:27.18
is that the grace of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
00:57:27.21\00:57:30.31
the love of the Father,
00:57:30.35\00:57:31.68
and the
fellowship of the Holy Spirit
00:57:31.71\00:57:33.85
is with you always.
00:57:33.88\00:57:35.68
Happy Sabbath.
00:57:35.72\00:57:37.05