Hello, my name is Dwayne
Lemon. And I'm Lance Wilbur.
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And we'd like to welcome
you to another program on TKS,
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a True Knowledge of
Self, Where we get to know
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ourselves from a
biblical perspective.
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We want to thank
you for joining us.
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We've been studying so much
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as we have gone
through the word of God.
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And we have watched how
the Lord has been leading
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as we were studying
history, but at the same time
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we realized that history is
not necessarily always history.
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Because we saw that
the thing that hath been
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is that which shall be.
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We read that
from Ecclesiastes 1:9.
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We saw that history has
a tendency to repeat itself
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and as we look at the
condition of Israel as a nation.
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And we saw the challenges
that they went through
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as a result of not being
content with what God had given
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and of course desiring the
things that were around them.
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They were not
content with the culture
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and the lifestyle
that God wanted to give.
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So they started to look
at the culture and lifestyle
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of the nations around them.
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This of course created a
major problem to the point
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that God's
blessings was not able to be
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poured out upon them,
and as a result of them
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choosing sin and going
deeper into a life of rebellion,
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it brought them to a
point where they be--
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they were now found in bondage,
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and so it is that we
look at our own lives.
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We look at our lives today and
we know that God has created us
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with purpose but we know that
there are elements out there.
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There are distractions
and when we are not content
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with God or do not know God,
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we become subject
to our surroundings.
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Yeah, we'll even
choose our surroundings
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and in our case we're talking
about what happens specifically
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in the urban
community dealing with
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the hip-hop and R&B culture.
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Not just the
music but the culture,
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the whole entire lifestyle
package that deals with
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eating, drinking,
dressing, the way you talk,
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walking and live and so on.
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And we see that many
individuals in urban youth
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today are being
plagued by the influences
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that are connected to
hip-hop and R&B culture.
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And as a result of that we
see a parallel taking place
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in the Bible that God really,
really wants to clear up.
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And I'm thankful
that God gives counsel
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to help us know how to do this.
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Lance, once again we're here...
we're getting ready to go
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deeper into the word
of God and to understand
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some things on how, you
know, the Bible gives us
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pictures of things that
has happened in the past
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and how they play a
role in our future today.
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And you know there's
one thing that I think
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would be very
necessary for us to qualify.
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And I want to know if you
are in agreement with this
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that when we talk about Babylon,
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obviously when
we look at Israel,
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we're looking at a Babylon,
which is an actual location--
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You know, in the
past but today we know
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that there's a spiritual
application to Babylon.
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Are we saying that the
hip-hop and R&B culture
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is the spiritual
application of Babylon?
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No.
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Okay, therefore we are
in agreement and so viewers,
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we want to make it
very clear that we are not
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by any means saying
that the institution known as
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Babylon that we read
about in Revelation 14:8
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as well Revelation
18:1-5, we are not saying that
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the hip-hop and
R&B culture is Babylon.
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We believe that Babylon
is a different institution
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that we would love to
talk about in future programs.
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But what we do want
to make clear is that
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some of the influences and
effects of spiritual Babylon,
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we can see manifested
through hip-hop and R&B culture
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and it's very, very
important so that we understand
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that's why we wanted to take
a moment to make that point.
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Lance, you know there's
one thing I was thinking about.
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Sometimes people
will think, you know,
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especially if we have--
we have several viewers,
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I'm sure that are looking.
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Some of them have
Christian backgrounds,
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some of them don't.
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There is an
opinion in Christianity
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that many say
which is you know what?
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Why do you spend
time exposing or under--
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or talking about the
devices of the devil.
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Why is that we're exposing
some of these challenges
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and problems that come
through hip-hop culture.
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Why can't we just talk about
Jesus and only Jesus? Yeah.
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And you know some times
people think things like that
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and I just wanted to
know, do you have a thought
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just to share in reference to--
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why do we talk about
some of these things?
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What's the point of bringing
out some of these negatives,
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these dangers
that are out there?
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I think it's our duty to
give justice to the truth
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you have to highlight the risk.
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We looked at for
example Samuel and we saw
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that God's people
asked for a king. Right.
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And Samuel he--
you know it literally
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the Bible says
that it upset him.
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But he spent time
warning and giving a clear
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practical you know,
unadulterated warning of what
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would be the
result if God's people
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went through with
their inclination.
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So as people of God and
God himself would not be God,
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if He didn't give us
a clear choice and say,
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if you choose this way,
this is what will happen.
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If you choose the
other way however,
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this is what will happen.
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And not only saying this
is what will happen but saying
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this is why it will happen
and this is how it will happen.
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So I think it's
not just enough to say,
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well, we're just
gonna speak about "Jesus"
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and not talk about
any of these things.
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When you're then
removing the ability of people
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to deal with the
problems practically,
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because if you just talk about
an abstract concept of Christ
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and God and
truth and righteousness
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and never able to apply it
to real everyday practical life
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then how can that
individual listening to that
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have any of the tools
needed to live successfully--
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And from a biblical perspective,
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it's virtually impossible.
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Now, it's interesting that
the points that you are making,
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I see them come
out very forcefully
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in two passages of scripture.
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I want to share
those because I believe
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that it's not just
to edify you and I.
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But it's also to edify
our viewers that you know
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we consider the--
what the Bible says
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even about dealing with
the devices of the enemy.
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You know, in the Book
of 2 Corinthians 2, Paul,
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he knows that
there's a lot of problems
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in the Church of Corinth.
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If anybody studies the
first and second Corinthians,
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you can't help but to notice
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that there's lots of
problems in the church.
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Well, here it is that
Paul is talking about a brother
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who fell into sin and
he's counseling the people
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in the Church of Corinth to
try to win this person back.
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You know, not to
just let him go astray,
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just walking in
his guilt and so on.
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And Paul gives specific
counsel in verses 10 and 11
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that I believe is very,
very key as he's encouraging
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the people in the Church of
Corinth to forgive his brother.
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Notice what it says
this is in 2 Corinthians 2
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and we're
looking at verses 10, 11.
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And it's building on this point.
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It says, "To whom
ye forgive any thing,
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I forgive also, for
if I forgave any thing,
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to whom I forgave
it, for your sakes
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forgave I it in
the person of Christ,
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Lest Satan should
get an advantage of us,
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for we are not
ignorant of his devices."
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Notice that Paul literally
is talking about forgiving
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and he
encourages them to forgive.
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After he
encourages them to forgive,
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he talks about the importance
of how he has also done this
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even though he's not present.
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And he talks about what
would happen if he didn't do it.
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He says lest, he says lest Satan
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would unfortunately
get an advantage over them
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and then he concludes
the statement by saying,
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for we are not
ignorant of his devices.
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It's interesting that Paul who
was a very successful preacher.
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Paul was somebody who was
not ignorant of Satan's devices
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and he shows us
in this verse that,
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if he was Satan would
have had an advantage over him.
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Right. So yeah--
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And sorry, but if we're in
a war and the enemy is Satan
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and he's constantly
attacking us and attacking God
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through us if you
will, then would it not be an
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advantage or benefit
for us to know his strategy,
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his plan of attack.
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You know if you are
fighting a literal war,
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you know we spend more
money probably on intelligence
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and the gathering of
intelligence to avoid war
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or to gain an upper
hand in the war than we do
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in the actual
fighting of the war.
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So intelligence
gathering is the paramount
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and people are
willing to, you know,
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put morals and ethics aside
in order to gather intelligence
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to avoid a
conflict or avoid hazard.
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Now, Brother Lance, I got
to let you know something.
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Flesh and blood hath
not revealed that unto thee.
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And the reason why I say
that, do you know that you just
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literally spoke the
words of Jesus in Luke 14.
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Oh, we got to go
there-- look at this,
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Luke 14 watch this.
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It's amazing that you
used the parallel of warfare
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because look at what
Jesus did in Luke 14,
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talking about warfare
and look at the words.
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And you're gonna
notice that-- like I said,
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flesh and blood
have revealed it to you.
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Watch this-- Yes.
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In Luke 14, the Bible
shows us an example of Christ
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giving counsel to those
who dare to be His disciples
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and He says in
Luke 14:31, notice this,
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"Or what king, going to
make war against another king,
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sitteth not down
first, and consulteth whether
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he be able with ten
thousand to meet him
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that cometh against
him with twenty thousand?"
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Here it is that Jesus
literally is using warfare
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as an example to
bring out the same point.
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We would dare not
go into a natural war,
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if we don't understand
some things about our opponents.
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And Jesus shows that
it's not wise to do that
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and so it is that
we're in a warfare,
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but this warfare is not
against flesh and blood,
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it's against
principalities and powers
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and spiritual
wickedness in high places.
00:10:13.40\00:10:15.13
So as a result of that
crisis, you need to understand
00:10:15.16\00:10:17.65
your enemy, you
need to understand him.
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Not that we give him
glory but that his methodologies
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and his principles
would become expose so that
00:10:23.25\00:10:26.79
when it comes in front of us,
00:10:26.82\00:10:28.45
we'll be able to
call the counterfeit.
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And be able to say,
this is not the genuine.
00:10:30.27\00:10:31.86
Let me go ahead
and follow the truth.
00:10:31.89\00:10:33.84
So this is why we
talk about these things.
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This is why there are
times we have to, you know,
00:10:36.12\00:10:38.10
highlight specific danger points
00:10:38.13\00:10:40.59
as it relates to the
urban issues in the cities
00:10:40.62\00:10:44.73
and hip-hop and R&B culture.
00:10:44.76\00:10:46.73
Right. This is why we're doing.
00:10:46.76\00:10:48.12
Because it has become a force
that is literally universal
00:10:48.15\00:10:52.12
that has broken
every language barrier
00:10:52.15\00:10:53.92
every race and creed and color.
00:10:53.95\00:10:55.61
I mean, I literally
saw a video of individuals
00:10:55.64\00:10:58.64
who are break
dancing before the pope.
00:10:58.67\00:11:00.57
I mean, they were
literally six feet away
00:11:00.60\00:11:02.81
before Pope John Paul II.
00:11:02.84\00:11:04.30
I mean, to watch a video
like that and to see that
00:11:04.33\00:11:06.71
this is how far
hip-hop has gone.
00:11:06.74\00:11:08.46
And he is there
blessing, giving--
00:11:08.49\00:11:09.85
Yeah, and Pope John
Paul he's literally blessing
00:11:09.88\00:11:11.99
these break dancers.
00:11:12.02\00:11:13.11
I mean, it has
broken every barrier.
00:11:13.14\00:11:15.96
So obviously this is why
we're talking about these things
00:11:15.99\00:11:18.52
because it is a counterfeit
force against the truth of God.
00:11:18.55\00:11:22.27
It is a
counterfeit knowledge of self
00:11:22.30\00:11:24.29
in comparison to the
true knowledge of self.
00:11:24.32\00:11:27.19
Now here it is that
Israel is in bondage. Yeah.
00:11:27.22\00:11:30.84
We're learning some lessons
from this whole experience.
00:11:30.87\00:11:33.17
Daniel is there now
and we're in Daniel 1,
00:11:33.20\00:11:36.30
we reviewed from
our last program that
00:11:36.33\00:11:39.30
Daniel and his
fellows, the fellow Israelites
00:11:39.33\00:11:42.64
and the children of Judah.
00:11:42.67\00:11:43.77
They are all captives now
and Nebuchadnezzar is trying
00:11:43.80\00:11:48.16
to introduce a three
fold means of breakdowns,
00:11:48.19\00:11:51.62
specifically in Daniel 1.
00:11:51.65\00:11:53.35
It's talking about
change their education,
00:11:53.38\00:11:56.31
change their
names, change their diet.
00:11:56.34\00:11:59.90
And I know we're
gonna have some programs,
00:11:59.93\00:12:01.10
where we're gonna specifically
deal with these things
00:12:01.13\00:12:02.76
because we're gonna
see a parallel again of how
00:12:02.79\00:12:05.24
Satan is trying to unfit
us for the final conflicts,
00:12:05.27\00:12:08.04
that we're getting
ready to face and of course
00:12:08.07\00:12:09.63
how to be
prepared to meet Jesus.
00:12:09.66\00:12:11.32
So why don't you build
with us and bring us to Daniel
00:12:11.35\00:12:13.29
and help us see some
things that come out of this,
00:12:13.32\00:12:15.55
so that we can again look at it
00:12:15.58\00:12:16.80
and know how to
apply it practically.
00:12:16.83\00:12:18.75
All right, we're
just gonna take a snapshot
00:12:18.78\00:12:21.38
where we're looking at Daniel
1 and to kind of bring us up
00:12:21.41\00:12:27.63
to speed if you
want a little background.
00:12:27.66\00:12:30.45
There were three campaigns
that Nebuchadnezzar levied
00:12:30.48\00:12:36.44
against the
Southern Kingdom of Judah,
00:12:36.47\00:12:38.92
which Israel have been
fractured into two kingdoms
00:12:38.95\00:12:41.58
and now the northern kingdom
had already been besieged
00:12:41.61\00:12:44.94
by Syria and now
fast 40 years later
00:12:44.97\00:12:48.03
the Southern Kingdom of Judah
is present and Nebuchadnezzar
00:12:48.06\00:12:51.17
is expanding his
territory as a faithful general.
00:12:51.20\00:12:55.22
And as Nebuchadnezzar,
the first time as it was
00:12:55.25\00:12:58.96
his common
practice, he took the royalty.
00:12:58.99\00:13:03.37
He took the royal
seed if you will and he--
00:13:03.40\00:13:05.66
he took the
intelligence of Israel
00:13:05.69\00:13:09.22
that the cream of the crop
and brought them back to Egypt.
00:13:09.25\00:13:12.55
This was the first campaign,
this is roughly 605, 606 BC.
00:13:12.58\00:13:17.42
Nebuchadnezzar's first campaign
00:13:17.45\00:13:19.38
against the
Southern Kingdom of Judah.
00:13:19.41\00:13:21.65
So this royalty and
this intelligence now
00:13:21.68\00:13:26.31
that's brought to Babylon,
Daniel is a part of that.
00:13:26.34\00:13:29.05
And his three--
as referred to as
00:13:29.08\00:13:31.08
a three Hebrew
boys, Shadrach, Hannaniah,
00:13:31.11\00:13:34.47
Mishael, and Azariah,
with their Hebrew names
00:13:34.50\00:13:37.05
and so they find
themselves in a foreign land
00:13:37.08\00:13:41.03
literally 1,500
miles, perhaps on foot
00:13:41.06\00:13:45.71
but they're trudging
though, perhaps they cut through
00:13:45.74\00:13:48.23
the desert or they went
around the fertile crescent
00:13:48.26\00:13:50.45
but nevertheless they
find themselves coming
00:13:50.48\00:13:52.73
into a foreign land as
we looked at Deuteronomy 28
00:13:52.76\00:13:56.21
would be the result if God's
people continued in rebellion.
00:13:56.24\00:13:59.07
So in Daniel 1,
we're just going to kind of
00:13:59.10\00:14:01.88
look at how the Bible
approaches this experience,
00:14:01.91\00:14:07.67
this first experience of Daniel
00:14:07.70\00:14:10.29
and his associates
in this foreign land.
00:14:10.32\00:14:13.01
We talked about the
changes that were forced against
00:14:13.04\00:14:17.16
the Israelites and we see
how Daniel gained the victory.
00:14:17.19\00:14:25.03
He did not
compromise although individuals
00:14:25.06\00:14:28.48
were apparently
forced, they still had a choice
00:14:28.51\00:14:31.63
and in standing for God,
Daniel gained the victory.
00:14:31.66\00:14:36.41
So we're looking at Daniel 1
and we're looking at verse 17
00:14:36.44\00:14:40.43
and we're looking at verses
17 all the way through verse 20.
00:14:40.46\00:14:45.07
So it says in Daniel 1:17,
" As for these four children,
00:14:45.10\00:14:50.42
God gave them
knowledge and skill
00:14:50.45\00:14:53.97
in all learning and
wisdom, and Daniel had
00:14:54.00\00:14:57.95
understanding in
all visions and dreams.
00:14:57.98\00:15:01.77
Now at the end of the
days that the king had said
00:15:01.80\00:15:04.68
he should bring them in,
then the prince of the eunuchs
00:15:04.71\00:15:08.73
brought them in
before Nebuchadnezzar.
00:15:08.76\00:15:11.58
And the king communed with them,
00:15:11.61\00:15:13.60
and among them all was
found none like Daniel,
00:15:13.63\00:15:17.67
Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
00:15:17.70\00:15:20.68
therefore stood
they before the king.
00:15:20.71\00:15:23.74
And in all matters of
wisdom and understanding,
00:15:23.77\00:15:26.24
that the king enquired of
them, he found them ten times
00:15:26.27\00:15:30.49
better than all the
magicians and astrologers
00:15:30.52\00:15:33.82
that were in all his realm."
00:15:33.85\00:15:37.21
Now it shows us in summary
at the very end of the chapter
00:15:37.24\00:15:41.67
that the
Israelites were preparing
00:15:41.70\00:15:44.21
for a special
examination that was to be done
00:15:44.24\00:15:46.58
by the king himself to
see, if they were ready,
00:15:46.61\00:15:51.39
if they were competent
enough to serve in his realm.
00:15:51.42\00:15:55.41
Because again the king wanted
to take the best of the nations
00:15:55.44\00:15:58.00
that he conquered and he
wanted to then trained them
00:15:58.03\00:16:00.52
and employee
them in his service.
00:16:00.55\00:16:02.45
So he could have the best
of the best from all nations.
00:16:02.48\00:16:05.68
So Nebuchadnezzar
was very intelligent man
00:16:05.71\00:16:07.62
and he had a system
and a schooling system,
00:16:07.65\00:16:10.36
a university if you will
that was designed to do this.
00:16:10.39\00:16:13.60
However he thought that he
was giving them an advantage
00:16:13.63\00:16:17.25
by offering them his own
food, from his own table,
00:16:17.28\00:16:20.63
his own drink from
his own table to them.
00:16:20.66\00:16:22.62
So that they could
excel and be prepared
00:16:22.65\00:16:26.07
in the best shape to
learn and be educated
00:16:26.10\00:16:29.64
in Babylonian alliance.
00:16:29.67\00:16:31.27
Because they
thought themselves to be
00:16:31.30\00:16:32.50
at the height of civilization,
the leaders of existence.
00:16:32.53\00:16:36.52
Daniel and his Hebrew
friend saw that the food
00:16:36.55\00:16:40.36
offered by the king, the
drink offered by the king
00:16:40.39\00:16:44.02
was not according
to the will of God.
00:16:44.05\00:16:47.14
It was not in line
with God's instruction
00:16:47.17\00:16:50.44
and as we talk about this.
00:16:50.47\00:16:53.42
It was very interesting is
that they chose to honor God
00:16:53.45\00:16:58.34
and obey their conscience
rather than eat the meat
00:16:58.37\00:17:02.47
and eat the food
from the king's table.
00:17:02.50\00:17:03.98
It seems simple and it
seems trivial but this very act,
00:17:04.01\00:17:08.27
the proposal
that Daniel then made.
00:17:08.30\00:17:10.26
Said, listen, we're going
to eat just pulse and water.
00:17:10.29\00:17:14.04
And they were considering
this in the light of risking
00:17:14.07\00:17:18.49
their very lives, if
they were doing something
00:17:18.52\00:17:21.22
outside of the authorization
of the king not only were
00:17:21.25\00:17:24.02
Daniel and his friends at risk
but the administrators at risk,
00:17:24.05\00:17:27.72
the overseers, the
supervisors, the instructors,
00:17:27.75\00:17:29.76
everybody is at risk,
if this doesn't work out.
00:17:29.79\00:17:32.49
If they are
willing to sacrifice these
00:17:32.52\00:17:35.61
Hebrew prospects for the
sake of their own, you know,
00:17:35.64\00:17:41.75
their won preference
if you will in their eyes.
00:17:41.78\00:17:44.74
Yeah. So they took a stand.
00:17:44.77\00:17:47.34
They obeyed their conscience,
they chose to serve God
00:17:47.37\00:17:50.55
over the
offerings of a foreign king
00:17:50.58\00:17:54.49
and at the end of this process.
00:17:54.52\00:17:57.05
After the 10 days
they were examined,
00:17:57.08\00:17:58.86
they were found on
a healthier condition
00:17:58.89\00:18:00.35
than all of their peers.
00:18:00.38\00:18:01.68
At the end of their
training, they were examined
00:18:01.71\00:18:04.09
by the king himself
and he found them to be
00:18:04.12\00:18:05.89
10 times wiser than the entire
university and he exalted them
00:18:05.92\00:18:10.91
to the highest
offices if you will
00:18:10.94\00:18:13.01
especially for a foreign
group and we're talking about
00:18:13.04\00:18:16.95
Daniel and his friends under 25,
00:18:16.98\00:18:19.93
maybe under 21 at this time.
00:18:19.96\00:18:22.06
Young people
taking stands for God
00:18:22.09\00:18:24.77
in the midst of
overwhelming circumstances.
00:18:24.80\00:18:27.72
Now you see
that's the very point
00:18:27.75\00:18:29.19
that I wanted to build on.
00:18:29.22\00:18:30.42
Because I'm looking
at again these parallels,
00:18:30.45\00:18:33.52
here goes a group of
youth that were slaves.
00:18:33.55\00:18:37.76
They were in
captivity, what we know that
00:18:37.79\00:18:39.76
hip-hop culture
teaches many people that
00:18:39.79\00:18:42.50
they are slaves and
that we're in a world
00:18:42.53\00:18:44.53
that's not our own and
this where they get into
00:18:44.56\00:18:46.42
the whole planets and
this is where we're gonna
00:18:46.45\00:18:48.29
supposedly ascend
to and have control
00:18:48.32\00:18:50.72
and have our own government,
but nevertheless we see
00:18:50.75\00:18:53.32
that Daniel, he's a
young person and his comrades.
00:18:53.35\00:18:57.32
They're young but they're
captives but nevertheless,
00:18:57.35\00:19:00.62
they didn't allow the captivity
to become an excuse to blend
00:19:00.65\00:19:04.69
with what was around them.
00:19:04.72\00:19:06.21
Another thing,
Daniel and his friends
00:19:06.24\00:19:08.90
saw the
majority of their people.
00:19:08.93\00:19:12.33
There's a reason
why the Bible says,
00:19:12.36\00:19:13.57
there was none but
Daniel and the other friends
00:19:13.60\00:19:17.64
who were the ones
that were faithful.
00:19:17.67\00:19:18.96
So that indicates
that the rest were not.
00:19:18.99\00:19:21.88
So here it is
that we find young men,
00:19:21.91\00:19:24.24
who were men of
principle and standard
00:19:24.27\00:19:26.37
that were not
influenced even by the crowd
00:19:26.40\00:19:29.46
and everybody else
that was around them.
00:19:29.49\00:19:31.03
Daniel had every
reason to compromise based on
00:19:31.06\00:19:34.22
the " peer
pressures" of society.
00:19:34.25\00:19:36.35
Yet Daniel did not
give in to that. Right.
00:19:36.38\00:19:38.30
That's a lesson to our
urban youth to let them notice,
00:19:38.33\00:19:40.54
say listen, just
because you are surrounded
00:19:40.57\00:19:43.56
by certain influences,
things that tempt you
00:19:43.59\00:19:47.36
and pull at you,
does not mean that
00:19:47.39\00:19:49.15
you have to be part of it.
00:19:49.18\00:19:50.26
Right. It
doesn't mean that you--
00:19:50.29\00:19:51.81
you can still stand for
God and you can still lift up
00:19:51.84\00:19:54.55
standard and truth,
and you can definitely
00:19:54.58\00:19:56.99
not violate your conscience
even as a young person.
00:19:57.02\00:20:00.43
Daniel had temperance,
Daniel had self control.
00:20:00.46\00:20:03.81
I mean, come on, now you know
to watch a bunch of the kings
00:20:03.84\00:20:06.92
meet and I
guarantee you this was not
00:20:06.95\00:20:08.73
the worst of the
distributions of food.
00:20:08.76\00:20:11.54
This was the best,
this was the highest quality
00:20:11.57\00:20:14.01
of the meat, of the
highest quality of the wines.
00:20:14.04\00:20:16.60
The highest quality of
all sorts of food items
00:20:16.63\00:20:18.60
and yet Daniel could
look at that attractive
00:20:18.63\00:20:20.76
thought it may have been.
00:20:20.79\00:20:21.95
And say give me a simple diet
00:20:21.98\00:20:23.70
because Daniel
had a higher standard.
00:20:23.73\00:20:25.28
I don't want to defile my body.
00:20:25.31\00:20:26.69
I don't want to do anything
that's gonna debilitate my mind
00:20:26.72\00:20:29.20
from clearly understanding
God and His will for me.
00:20:29.23\00:20:31.80
That's another lesson
that we can see that we can
00:20:31.83\00:20:34.37
pass on to our youth in,
you know, the urban cities
00:20:34.40\00:20:37.90
and to let them
know you don't have
00:20:37.93\00:20:40.42
to give into your surroundings.
00:20:40.45\00:20:42.00
If hip-hop culture pulls
at you and says come on man,
00:20:42.03\00:20:44.96
you got to do this,
everybody else is doing it.
00:20:44.99\00:20:46.74
We have a lesson
from Daniel that says,
00:20:46.77\00:20:48.10
I don't have to do it. Right.
00:20:48.13\00:20:49.47
When hip-hop culture
begins to impress upon
00:20:49.50\00:20:51.45
the hearts and
minds of our youth to say,
00:20:51.48\00:20:53.62
it's all right after
all it contains wisdom.
00:20:53.65\00:20:56.40
Nebuchadnezzar's educational
system contained wisdom,
00:20:56.43\00:20:58.99
but the wisdom was designed
to steal away God's truth.
00:20:59.02\00:21:02.18
The same way that so
called wisdom that is given
00:21:02.21\00:21:05.02
in hip-hop culture is designed
to steal away God's truth.
00:21:05.05\00:21:08.83
The youth can say
no, as Daniel said no.
00:21:08.86\00:21:11.45
And when they were
under the pressures of life,
00:21:11.48\00:21:14.25
Daniel and his
fellows understood
00:21:14.28\00:21:16.72
that I can go to God.
00:21:16.75\00:21:18.57
I can go to somebody
outside of me that has power
00:21:18.60\00:21:22.24
and that has resources to give
me so that I can stand against
00:21:22.27\00:21:26.34
this incredible
world power like Babylon.
00:21:26.37\00:21:29.05
So it is with our youth
today that they can access God,
00:21:29.08\00:21:31.92
when the temptation
come, when the weaknesses come,
00:21:31.95\00:21:34.44
they can go to God and say Lord,
00:21:34.47\00:21:36.06
I want to come
to you and access in
00:21:36.09\00:21:38.30
and step into your
power source of your spirit
00:21:38.33\00:21:41.19
to give me power to
resist that which is evil
00:21:41.22\00:21:44.24
and to embrace
that which is good.
00:21:44.27\00:21:46.55
Right and God
rewarded their efforts.
00:21:46.58\00:21:48.70
And God rewarded.
00:21:48.73\00:21:49.80
That's another thing, serving
God has practical benefits.
00:21:49.83\00:21:53.86
It's not just future benefits.
00:21:53.89\00:21:55.59
They are real
life, real time benefits
00:21:55.62\00:21:58.32
that we obtain from serving God.
00:21:58.35\00:22:00.23
So God honor-- they honored God,
00:22:00.26\00:22:02.55
God honored
them and exalted them
00:22:02.58\00:22:04.60
above their brethren
that were compromisers.
00:22:04.63\00:22:07.09
Exactly. So we're
looking now to see that Daniel,
00:22:07.12\00:22:11.07
you know, he
access the wisdom of Go7d
00:22:11.10\00:22:13.46
and as a result of
this God rewarded him.
00:22:13.49\00:22:16.22
God blessed him, and
God did amazing things
00:22:16.25\00:22:18.65
in him and
through him that not only,
00:22:18.68\00:22:21.09
you know the
practical benefits, you know,
00:22:21.12\00:22:22.93
we can look at how Daniel was
strong and Daniel was powerful.
00:22:22.96\00:22:27.56
And you know his
physical stature was good
00:22:27.59\00:22:30.75
but in addition to
that, God also demonstrated
00:22:30.78\00:22:33.55
his favor to him through
his influence for God's glory.
00:22:33.58\00:22:37.03
And that's what God wants
to do with all of our youth.
00:22:37.06\00:22:38.86
That's what God wants to
do with us even as adult.
00:22:38.89\00:22:41.29
He wants to demonstrate
His power and His character,
00:22:41.32\00:22:44.56
so that we can
have a holy influence
00:22:44.59\00:22:47.22
on those we
come in contact with.
00:22:47.25\00:22:48.83
That's right. So when
we're talking about wisdom,
00:22:48.86\00:22:51.50
whether we're talking about
in regards to the word wisdom.
00:22:51.53\00:22:54.75
You know, what do
we mean, when we say
00:22:54.78\00:22:55.81
what's the difference
between knowledge and wisdom?
00:22:55.84\00:22:58.13
Okay, now in a previous program,
00:22:58.16\00:22:59.50
remember we talked about
knowledge and the difference
00:22:59.53\00:23:02.48
is Nebuchadnezzar was
willing to teach Daniel
00:23:02.51\00:23:04.68
all sorts of
amazing things, you know.
00:23:04.71\00:23:06.80
Learning great
things about history,
00:23:06.83\00:23:08.37
learning great
things, even perhaps about
00:23:08.40\00:23:10.14
spirituality to a
very large degree.
00:23:10.17\00:23:12.48
But we learned that the
chief knowledge that God
00:23:12.51\00:23:15.23
wants to give is a knowledge
of Himself and Jesus Christ,
00:23:15.26\00:23:19.14
whom He has sent in
John 17:3 we saw that.
00:23:19.17\00:23:22.21
So the first aspect of
this wonderful blessing of God
00:23:22.24\00:23:26.31
is that we're to gain knowledge
but that true knowledge
00:23:26.34\00:23:30.00
to understand who God is and
Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
00:23:30.03\00:23:35.00
This is where you get the
quotation in Jude verse 24.
00:23:35.03\00:23:37.78
Jude only has one book
so therefore it's just Jude.
00:23:37.81\00:23:40.22
And verse 24 and it says,
"Now unto him that is able
00:23:40.25\00:23:43.35
to keep you from falling,
and to present you faultless
00:23:43.38\00:23:45.95
before the presence of
his glory with exceeding joy."
00:23:45.98\00:23:48.95
Verse 25, "To
the only wise God."
00:23:48.98\00:23:54.41
In other words this is the
one that we want access to.
00:23:54.44\00:23:57.01
We want the one who only is wise
00:23:57.04\00:23:59.11
and then what we
do is we go to him
00:23:59.14\00:24:01.75
and say give me
this wisdom Lord.
00:24:01.78\00:24:03.74
I don't have any
in and of myself.
00:24:03.77\00:24:05.63
The wisdom of the
world is foolishness
00:24:05.66\00:24:07.49
but the wisdom of
God is almighty indeed.
00:24:07.52\00:24:09.91
So therefore the first aspect
is I must recognize who God is,
00:24:09.94\00:24:14.89
and Jesus Christ
whom he has sent.
00:24:14.92\00:24:16.64
And then the wisdom
connected to it is that
00:24:16.67\00:24:19.94
whatever God
instructs me to do, I will do.
00:24:19.97\00:24:24.16
Yes, so it's the
application of the knowledge.
00:24:24.19\00:24:26.76
It's the
application of the knowledge
00:24:26.79\00:24:28.21
but watch this
regardless of how you feel.
00:24:28.24\00:24:30.97
I mean, how many
times have we been told
00:24:31.00\00:24:32.69
to do certain things
but we don't feel to do it.
00:24:32.72\00:24:34.90
So therefore feelings
is not in the equation.
00:24:34.93\00:24:37.19
When we know something is right,
00:24:37.22\00:24:38.80
God calls us to do it
because think about it.
00:24:38.83\00:24:40.87
When I was pulled out
of hip-hop and R&B culture,
00:24:40.90\00:24:42.92
I'm gonna tell you right now,
00:24:42.95\00:24:43.98
my feelings were
not in harmony with it.
00:24:44.01\00:24:45.82
Yeah. I knew what God said.
00:24:45.85\00:24:47.57
God said, this music does not
draw you keep your mind on me.
00:24:47.60\00:24:50.89
This culture does not
make you reflect my image.
00:24:50.92\00:24:54.08
It makes you reflect the image
00:24:54.11\00:24:55.15
of the rebellious
one Lucifer, Satan.
00:24:55.18\00:24:57.43
So therefore God had to
pull me out of these things
00:24:57.46\00:25:01.34
but in my
feelings quite honestly,
00:25:01.37\00:25:04.37
I didn't want to do it.
00:25:04.40\00:25:05.97
And this is a powerful
lesson because we are told
00:25:06.00\00:25:08.72
to walk by faith
and not by sight,
00:25:08.75\00:25:11.73
and faith is
demonstrated through works.
00:25:11.76\00:25:13.63
It's something that I
do because I understand
00:25:13.66\00:25:16.59
this is what God
has called me to do
00:25:16.62\00:25:18.33
even though I don't feel it.
00:25:18.36\00:25:20.52
And there's a wonderful
book that I read sometime ago
00:25:20.55\00:25:23.41
but it's powerful,
it's written by Ellen White
00:25:23.44\00:25:25.96
and the book is
called Early Writings.
00:25:25.99\00:25:28.14
It is in page 72
under the chapter called
00:25:28.17\00:25:30.61
Prayer and
Faith and what it says
00:25:30.64\00:25:32.83
in that chapter is it
says, Faith is ours to exercise
00:25:32.86\00:25:38.06
but joyful feeling and the
blessing is Gods to give to us.
00:25:38.09\00:25:44.01
Now that's powerful-- Yeah.
00:25:44.04\00:25:45.35
Faith is mine to exercise.
00:25:45.38\00:25:46.98
I don't-- I may not
feel it but God says do it.
00:25:47.01\00:25:49.47
When I do it,
God says very good,
00:25:49.50\00:25:52.07
I will now reward you by
giving you joyful feeling
00:25:52.10\00:25:56.39
and the blessing
for the choice you made.
00:25:56.42\00:25:59.21
And I believe that
Daniel may have been tempted.
00:25:59.24\00:26:02.09
Daniel may very much he
said, man that food looks good.
00:26:02.12\00:26:04.34
You know the
majority of my people
00:26:04.37\00:26:05.57
are bowing and
giving in, why can't I do it
00:26:05.60\00:26:07.35
for the purpose of safety.
00:26:07.38\00:26:08.71
I believe that
temptation hidden.
00:26:08.74\00:26:10.72
But Daniel was
a man of principle
00:26:10.75\00:26:12.63
and he did not allow his
surroundings to take him over.
00:26:12.66\00:26:16.05
So it is with God.
00:26:16.08\00:26:17.50
God expects us
regardless of the influences
00:26:17.53\00:26:20.31
of the urban lifestyle,
00:26:20.34\00:26:21.37
the influences
of hip-hop culture.
00:26:21.40\00:26:23.06
When we know this thing
is not leading me towards God
00:26:23.09\00:26:26.27
and towards His word,
it's taken me away from it.
00:26:26.30\00:26:28.45
And when we can understand
that this is bad and not good,
00:26:28.48\00:26:31.16
it is at that
time that God says,
00:26:31.19\00:26:33.05
choose this day
whom you will serve.
00:26:33.08\00:26:34.91
He didn't say feel this
day whom you will serve.
00:26:34.94\00:26:36.95
He says chose it and
then when we choose it
00:26:36.98\00:26:40.29
then God says, very good
00:26:40.32\00:26:41.92
and he rewards us
with joyful feeling
00:26:41.95\00:26:45.28
and the blessings
for the choice we made.
00:26:45.31\00:26:47.92
That's absolutely
amazing and when we think
00:26:47.95\00:26:52.09
of the blessings that
God wants to provide us with,
00:26:52.12\00:26:56.33
when we think
of the relationship
00:26:56.36\00:26:58.88
and the right way that
God wants to restore to us
00:26:58.91\00:27:04.00
in the sense that
we're fallen away but
00:27:04.03\00:27:05.50
God wants to bring
us back and reinstate us
00:27:05.53\00:27:07.79
as His children, as
His sons and daughters.
00:27:07.82\00:27:10.12
We have to consider
these things and way them out.
00:27:10.15\00:27:12.71
Despite the fact that I
might have disadvantages,
00:27:12.74\00:27:15.44
I might have been
reared in poverty.
00:27:15.47\00:27:17.42
I might have-- or
had a single parent home.
00:27:17.45\00:27:20.12
I might have had this
happened or that happened
00:27:20.15\00:27:22.51
of these bad things happened.
00:27:22.54\00:27:24.20
Nothing is an
excuse to go against God.
00:27:24.23\00:27:27.96
He gives us every possible
opportunity and the power
00:27:27.99\00:27:33.69
to choose him no
matter what happens around us
00:27:33.72\00:27:36.80
and no matter what anybody does,
00:27:36.83\00:27:38.90
so we want to
continue to encourage you
00:27:38.93\00:27:41.17
to follow along
with us in this series
00:27:41.20\00:27:43.54
and we thank you
for watching TKS,
00:27:43.57\00:27:45.93
a True Knowledge of Self.
00:27:45.96\00:27:47.24
We ask that you come
again, join us again,
00:27:47.27\00:27:50.42
invite a friend and
remember in Proverbs 2:6
00:27:50.45\00:27:54.23
"It is the Lord
that gives wisdom,
00:27:54.26\00:27:56.76
out of his mouth comes
knowledge and understanding."
00:27:56.79\00:28:00.55
God bless you.
00:28:00.58\00:28:01.61