Hello, my name is Dwayne
Lemon. And I'm Lance Wilbur.
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And we like to welcome you
to another program with TKS,
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a "True Knowledge of Self"
where we get to know ourselves
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from a biblical perspective.
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We are so
grateful that you joined us
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again today for another session.
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We are getting so
deep into the word of God
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as we are understanding
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the role of true
education versus false education
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and how it effects
people in times past.
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We are looking in Bible times
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but then we are
also looking at it today
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because they are several methods
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of false education
that are affecting society
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and we are
specifically because our program
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is geared towards
reaching those especially
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in our urban
communities and urban societies.
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We know that hip-hop
culture, RnB culture,
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this is one form of "education"
that comes to many individuals
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upon which we have to
find out is it true education,
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is it false education,
is it knowledge of self
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or is it a true
knowledge of self
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and that's the reason
why you are joining us again
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and we welcome you.
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Lance, we've
been talking so much
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about the Book of Daniel.
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We've been
looking at Daniel's life,
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we've been
looking at Nebuchadnezzar,
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we looked at the fact
that as soon as the Israelites
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as they came into
slavery in Daniel Chapter 1
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that we found
that Nebuchadnezzar had
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for lack of better
turns of modus operandi.
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He had, he had a
means of how he was going to
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try to take away
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the various stands and positions
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that the Israelites
held and to mold them.
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And Nebuchadnezzar wanted
to get the cream of the crop.
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He wanted to start with the best
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as we saw in Daniel 1:4.
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And here it is that
one of his first methods
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of trying to take
away the true education
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was by
introducing false education.
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And we learned
in previous sessions
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that Ecclesiastes 1:9
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it says "That which hath
been, is that which shall be,
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and that which is done
is that which shall be done
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and there is no new
thing under the sun."
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History has a
tendency to repeat itself
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and so we find ourselves
in a circumstance today
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even in our day
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where individuals through
the means of false education
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are being pulled away
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from
understanding God and His truth
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rather than
drawing closer towards it.
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And so it is that we
looked in our last session
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about this idea
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and we looked at true
education what is that,
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false education what is that
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and then of course kind of
seen how does that fit today
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in urban society.
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How does that fit
today in urban culture
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and when you talk about
urban society and urban culture
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you can't help but
to address the things
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that are
surrounding that society
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and we know that
the hip-hop culture
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is very, very
huge in that respect
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and that's the reason
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why we've been
talking along that vein.
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But I know that you,
you know, you've grown up
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in the public
school system as well.
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You introduced different
concepts and principles
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of false education when you
were going through your journey
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and I wanted to know
if you can kind of build
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on some of those experiences
and how it affected you.
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All right.
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So I mean, I had a
little different experience
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in regards to the
public school system.
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I mean, I
absolutely hated school
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and everything
associated with it.
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So I treated it more like a,
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you know, a social
connection and network
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rather than taking any
actual academics seriously.
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I had the capabilities to
do it but other than athletics
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and social
interaction the class--
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there was always a
few classes here and there
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that I thought were
important and I attended
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but, you know, homework on time,
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being on time, skipping school,
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going to school leaving early,
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you know, all kinds
of crazy things I can--
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I mean, I could tell
story after story after story
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my experience in school
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especially
getting up to high school.
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Obviously
elementary those things
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are not even in your
mind but as you get older
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and more devious
these things come into play.
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So yeah, you see everything.
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All right, you have all now
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you are in a more
multicultural setting
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than you probably have been
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in your local
neighborhood schools
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and you have people
from different sides
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of the town and
different locations,
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sometimes different
cities, swapping students,
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they had this
program swapping students.
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So, you see every possible
thing going on in the school,
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during school hours.
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I mean, you are getting into,
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you know, I used to
sell drugs in school.
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You know, I would sell
all kinds of things in school.
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You know, that we
would steal things in school,
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we would drink
and smoke in school
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and there was sex
going on in school.
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All of things.
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Anything,
anything you can think of
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is going on in school
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and that becomes
now the focal point
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and kind of the education aspect
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is like a bio-product
with something on the side.
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So you don't realize
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that you are actually
getting indoctrinated,
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you are kind of getting oriented
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into this me first mentality
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and then now in
the social interactions
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its kind of playing itself out
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is being
encouraged at every level,
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it seems at every stage.
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And you get this me against,
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you know, them, me
against the world kind of thing
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where the administrators
and the disciplinarians
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become your enemies
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and I mean, it gets
to the point where to me
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school became just a place of,
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you know, I didn't
take it seriously at all.
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I eventually
dropped out of high school.
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I got to the point where
I dropped out of high school
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again as I
shared in my testimony
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I picked the street life over
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the only thing that
kind of kept me in school
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which was the athletics.
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The, you know, the
organized athletics.
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So once I made
that decision in my mind
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school was
absolutely of no important
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so I dropped out.
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I did however go
and I get my GED,
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I mean, I understood
kind of the importance
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and at least that, you know,
you should get your diploma
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and, you know, I figured
out there was a GED program.
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My girlfriend who is my wife,
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wife now she was my
girlfriend at the time
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she went this program--
you know, nonprofit in the city
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so actually
started going to school
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just prepare to pass a test.
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Oh, man, I thought
that was way more practical
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than the other side
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and I was going to school
for four hours a day working,
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you know, in the city
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and, you know, I thought I
was doing what I had to do.
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So in two months time
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I was able to get
my GED instead of,
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you know, spending
four years in high school.
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So it was just to me I
did not enjoy school at all,
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so it's something
that I never took seriously
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but at the same
time I did not realize
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the impacts that
all of those classes
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that I did sit through
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and all of those interactions
that I did have with the staff
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and the teachers
and the administrators
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and all the other shady things
that you see from top to bottom
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was kind of feeding
the monster if you will
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and played out in my life
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and in my every day life
because you are spending,
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you know, six to
eight hours a day
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with these
teachers and these people
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in developing
these relationships
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and you being taught
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and indoctrinate
to such an extent
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that it definitely impacts
you whether you like it or not
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or whether you know it or not.
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Now did you see
any type of connection
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between this form of education
that you were getting in school
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and then of course the education
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that started to come to
you through hip-hop culture
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because I remember you said,
you know, you started reading,
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you started learning some things
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even though you did--
you kind of hated reading.
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At first you were doing
more listening than reading
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but either way you
were receiving education.
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Is there a
connection between the education
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you were receiving in school
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and then the education
that you started to get
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when you were really stopping
to embrace hip-hop culture?
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Well, at first the
contrast was what now you are
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being delivered in the street.
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The street education
and the street knowledge
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and the science and
all this from the brethren
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and the places and
the people and the music
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and the culture is coming in
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and now you are
looking at the institution,
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you know, the school
and the system as suspects.
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Now all together it
becomes even more corrupt
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because now you
are learning things
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outside of the system
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that you now
believe the system has been
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deliberately keeping from you.
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So they are deliberately
keeping you in ignorance
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and deliberately
propping you up to fail
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or to just be either a
good member of their system
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or become
something that's discarded
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and goes to jail
or just get becomes
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somebody that an
undesirable if you will.
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You know, you kind of opening up
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something here that I
think is very powerful
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for our viewers to
take a look at as well.
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You, you are talking about,
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you are in one
entrapment already
00:09:01.30\00:09:03.84
which was this false
education that you were getting
00:09:03.87\00:09:06.98
through the various things
you were taught and exposed to
00:09:07.01\00:09:09.98
in the public school system.
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Then comes this
other form of education
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and of course is the
education of knowledge itself
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and as you are
coming into this education
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it's more appealing,
it seems more intelligent,
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it seems more attractive
than what you are currently in.
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So it made it
almost easy for you to say
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let me break out of
this and start embracing
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this form of education.
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Now this is powerful.
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One evangelist one time
he talked about the devil
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and he said that the
devil is a great trapper
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and what he does is
he will set one trap here
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but then what he will do is
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he will go ahead and
set another trap here.
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So when you are dealing
with the kind of creature
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that's hard to catch
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what they will do is
they will put a trap here
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and when the
creature goes near it
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and they will make
this trap somewhat obvious
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so that the creature
sees, oh, that's a trap
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and then it will try
to run away from this trap
00:10:00.06\00:10:03.13
to another trap
that is far more subtle.
00:10:03.16\00:10:07.70
And they will run
from one trap, bang
00:10:07.74\00:10:09.64
and fall into another trap.
00:10:09.67\00:10:11.11
And so it is that we find that
when we look at hip-hop culture
00:10:11.14\00:10:13.71
and the type of
education of knowledge of self
00:10:13.74\00:10:16.28
that comes to an individual
we've already shown thus far
00:10:16.31\00:10:19.21
and we are gonna
magnify it even more
00:10:19.25\00:10:21.25
that this is a
form of false education.
00:10:21.28\00:10:23.18
It's taking us away
from true education.
00:10:23.22\00:10:25.59
And it was interesting that
00:10:25.62\00:10:27.86
they played a role of
being the more attractive
00:10:27.89\00:10:30.36
quite honestly trapped
00:10:30.39\00:10:32.23
because there is still
a false form of education.
00:10:32.26\00:10:34.86
And now the comparison
00:10:34.90\00:10:36.93
there was the
start contrast initially
00:10:36.97\00:10:39.43
but now looking at it
it's the idea that both
00:10:39.47\00:10:46.41
were feeding
the self-exultation.
00:10:46.44\00:10:49.84
So both were propped up
00:10:49.88\00:10:51.71
to generate in me and
produce in me the idea
00:10:51.75\00:10:54.92
that I'm the most
important individual
00:10:54.95\00:10:58.15
in my existence
00:10:58.19\00:10:59.65
and that my well being and
the well being of my family
00:10:59.69\00:11:03.12
and my loved ones, my
success is dependent upon me
00:11:03.16\00:11:07.20
excelling and the
weaker individuals,
00:11:07.23\00:11:10.50
you know, decreasing
and getting out of the way
00:11:10.53\00:11:12.77
and becoming extinct.
00:11:12.80\00:11:14.40
And but here is where
it gets just so amazing
00:11:14.44\00:11:17.24
because you have
one trap system here
00:11:17.27\00:11:20.21
which is false education
00:11:20.24\00:11:21.88
but then you have
another fall of false education
00:11:21.91\00:11:24.48
but this one appears
better and therefore you say,
00:11:24.51\00:11:27.38
hey, well, this is
better than what I have here
00:11:27.42\00:11:29.75
so let me go to
that which is better.
00:11:29.78\00:11:31.52
Now, viewers, this is a
very powerful point again
00:11:31.55\00:11:34.09
because you know how it is.
00:11:34.12\00:11:35.46
We try to take
the practical lessons
00:11:35.49\00:11:37.33
of what we are discussing.
00:11:37.36\00:11:38.69
The practical lesson is remember
00:11:38.73\00:11:40.93
that the greatest enemy of best
00:11:40.96\00:11:43.80
is that which is called better.
00:11:43.83\00:11:46.13
Better is
typically the enemy of best.
00:11:46.17\00:11:49.37
When God gives us something
00:11:49.40\00:11:50.91
that is the best
form of education
00:11:50.94\00:11:53.24
we ought to do
everything within us fear,
00:11:53.27\00:11:55.94
influence, power and
ability to embrace the best
00:11:55.98\00:11:59.85
because what can
happen is just like
00:11:59.88\00:12:01.58
what Brother
Lance is talking about.
00:12:01.62\00:12:03.35
He was in a bad situation
he found a better situation
00:12:03.39\00:12:07.29
but better was
still the enemy of best.
00:12:07.32\00:12:09.82
And as a result of that
00:12:09.86\00:12:11.19
he just found a better
way to receive false education
00:12:11.23\00:12:14.20
which is gonna lead
to the same end result
00:12:14.23\00:12:16.80
which is not-- a lack
of acknowledging of God
00:12:16.83\00:12:20.67
is gonna lead
to self-exaltation,
00:12:20.70\00:12:23.34
is gonna lead to a
life of selfishness
00:12:23.37\00:12:26.14
and it ultimately
will accomplish the goal
00:12:26.17\00:12:28.21
completely
opposite of true education
00:12:28.24\00:12:30.31
which is it will lead
to a loss of eternal life.
00:12:30.35\00:12:33.38
And so we find that
when we read John 17:3
00:12:33.42\00:12:37.95
"This is life
eternal, that they might know
00:12:37.99\00:12:39.79
thee the only true God,
00:12:39.82\00:12:41.16
and Jesus Christ,
whom thou hast sent."
00:12:41.19\00:12:43.32
That form of true education
which is the mental, physical,
00:12:43.36\00:12:46.83
spiritual
development of an individual
00:12:46.86\00:12:49.03
so that they may
faithfully serve God
00:12:49.06\00:12:51.83
and serve their fellow men.
00:12:51.87\00:12:54.24
This is the kind of
00:12:54.27\00:12:55.60
true education,
the best education
00:12:55.64\00:12:57.87
that God wants
His people to receive
00:12:57.91\00:13:00.08
and it should be our
life work to see Father,
00:13:00.11\00:13:03.01
how can You make this
real for me in my life,
00:13:03.04\00:13:05.75
in my situation,
in my circumstance.
00:13:05.78\00:13:08.88
Lance, where-- you were
talking about true education
00:13:08.92\00:13:12.32
but where did it
really come from?
00:13:12.35\00:13:14.42
Where does true education
find is beginning from,
00:13:14.46\00:13:17.99
you know, let's say
a biblical stand point?
00:13:18.03\00:13:19.63
Right.
00:13:19.66\00:13:21.00
Where would we
find the true education
00:13:21.03\00:13:22.36
is in its origin
or in its beginning?
00:13:22.40\00:13:23.77
Again we want to go to
the Bible and we want--
00:13:23.80\00:13:27.87
when we want to find the origin
we begin at the beginning.
00:13:27.90\00:13:30.67
Find the earliest
point in the Bible
00:13:30.71\00:13:32.41
that addresses
this particular subject
00:13:32.44\00:13:34.61
and it addresses just
00:13:34.64\00:13:35.98
as many other
subjects are addressed
00:13:36.01\00:13:37.78
in the very
first book of Genesis
00:13:37.81\00:13:40.68
and we are gonna
look at Genesis Chapter 2
00:13:40.72\00:13:43.72
and looking at Genesis Chapter 2
00:13:43.75\00:13:46.32
this is Genesis 1
and 2 is before the fall.
00:13:46.35\00:13:49.06
We kind of addressed the fall
already in a previous episode
00:13:49.09\00:13:51.49
we are gonna address
it again in a few moments.
00:13:51.53\00:13:53.66
But the fall comes in chapter 3.
00:13:53.70\00:13:55.60
So Genesis 1 and 2 is
God's creation in perfection.
00:13:55.63\00:13:59.90
Everything God evaluates
and He says it's very good.
00:13:59.93\00:14:03.00
The earth is without
sin, there is no death,
00:14:03.04\00:14:06.71
there is no
sickness, there is no sadness,
00:14:06.74\00:14:09.28
there is no
suffering of any kind.
00:14:09.31\00:14:10.95
Everything is
perfect including man,
00:14:10.98\00:14:13.82
all of those relationships
00:14:13.85\00:14:15.18
that we talked about were broken
00:14:15.22\00:14:16.55
and man's
relationship with environment
00:14:16.58\00:14:17.92
and his health all
of that was nonexistent.
00:14:17.95\00:14:20.52
It was all pristine and perfect.
00:14:20.56\00:14:22.79
Even though the
war had begun in heaven
00:14:22.82\00:14:25.03
it had not penetrated the realm
of God's creation on the earth.
00:14:25.06\00:14:28.83
And so this was the
scene and this is the backdrop
00:14:28.86\00:14:31.53
to Genesis 2:9 for the
origin of true education.
00:14:31.57\00:14:36.71
Genesis 2:9 says,
00:14:36.74\00:14:40.18
"And out of the
ground made the Lord God
00:14:40.21\00:14:43.55
to grow every tree that
is pleasant to the sight,
00:14:43.58\00:14:47.42
and good for
food, the tree of life
00:14:47.45\00:14:51.15
also in the midst of the garden,
00:14:51.19\00:14:53.52
and the tree of
knowledge of good and evil."
00:14:53.56\00:14:59.16
So we see here that
God created or provided
00:14:59.19\00:15:04.60
a means by which
man can eat and live.
00:15:04.63\00:15:09.44
Man needs food
and water to live.
00:15:09.47\00:15:12.97
And so God
creates this organism,
00:15:13.01\00:15:14.91
this physical being,
man is a spiritual being,
00:15:14.94\00:15:18.15
he is a mental being
00:15:18.18\00:15:19.51
but physically
he needs nutrients
00:15:19.55\00:15:21.45
and He provides him
with every kind of food
00:15:21.48\00:15:24.59
and the end result of man
00:15:24.62\00:15:28.69
taking from that
which God has provided
00:15:28.72\00:15:31.06
is access to the tree of life.
00:15:31.09\00:15:34.06
In this tree of life now
00:15:34.10\00:15:35.56
access to that tree
of life is choosing God,
00:15:35.60\00:15:38.87
choosing that life
in that eternal life
00:15:38.90\00:15:44.27
that we discussed
that only God can provide.
00:15:44.31\00:15:46.94
So if man access
that which God provided
00:15:46.98\00:15:49.74
he was given a reward
00:15:49.78\00:15:51.38
and that reward
was that eternal life
00:15:51.41\00:15:53.62
and that tree of life was
what he was provided with.
00:15:53.65\00:15:57.49
But in contrast to
that there was the tree
00:15:57.52\00:16:00.16
of the knowledge
of good and evil.
00:16:00.19\00:16:02.12
It's something that
God explicitly commanded
00:16:02.16\00:16:04.93
that man should not eat of,
00:16:04.96\00:16:07.16
they could eat of
every tree of the garden.
00:16:07.20\00:16:09.46
He provided them with abundance
00:16:09.50\00:16:10.83
that we probably
know nothing about
00:16:10.87\00:16:12.83
and variety that we
probably know nothing about.
00:16:12.87\00:16:15.37
But there was one thing
00:16:15.40\00:16:17.24
very, a very simple instruction,
00:16:17.27\00:16:19.94
God said, there is a tree
there you can eat everything
00:16:19.97\00:16:23.35
except that one tree.
00:16:23.38\00:16:25.01
Don't eat it
because if you eat it
00:16:25.05\00:16:27.82
you will die.
00:16:27.85\00:16:29.35
If you eat it you will die.
00:16:29.38\00:16:30.72
And some people say
well, that's kind of, it seems,
00:16:30.75\00:16:34.42
you know, kind of
arbitrary or corrupt.
00:16:34.46\00:16:36.42
Why would God do that?
00:16:36.46\00:16:38.46
Well, there was
one heaven we remember.
00:16:38.49\00:16:40.60
Sin has already
come into the universe
00:16:40.63\00:16:43.03
and literally
everything is at stake.
00:16:43.06\00:16:46.43
God has allowed His creation
to express the free will
00:16:46.47\00:16:49.94
to choose to follow God
00:16:49.97\00:16:51.97
or choose to
follow something else.
00:16:52.01\00:16:54.11
Satan if it's that or
yourself or what have you
00:16:54.14\00:16:57.81
and so God in His simplicity,
00:16:57.85\00:17:00.22
you know, He is beyond reason
00:17:00.25\00:17:02.98
and beyond our comprehension yet
00:17:03.02\00:17:05.52
He makes everything so simple.
00:17:05.55\00:17:07.82
God in His simplicity
reduced the whole entire world
00:17:07.86\00:17:11.56
and the whole entire
conflict to one simple choice.
00:17:11.59\00:17:14.96
And man was there
and he could choose God
00:17:15.00\00:17:18.40
symbolize by the tree
of life or choose himself
00:17:18.43\00:17:21.80
and say, you know what, I need
00:17:21.84\00:17:23.54
that thing that God
says I shouldn't have.
00:17:23.57\00:17:26.74
And that
essentially is the temptation
00:17:26.78\00:17:28.78
when we are talking
about this battle or the war
00:17:28.81\00:17:31.05
between true and
false is at times
00:17:31.08\00:17:34.22
we think we need something
that God deliberately told us
00:17:34.25\00:17:37.95
to stay away from
because it will destroy us.
00:17:37.99\00:17:40.46
And we find
ourselves indulging in that
00:17:40.49\00:17:42.29
which destroys us and
destroys those around us.
00:17:42.32\00:17:45.86
Now question,
was this a big test
00:17:45.89\00:17:49.03
or was this a small test?
00:17:49.06\00:17:50.80
I mean, it can be semantics.
00:17:50.83\00:17:53.50
I mean, essentially
it was big in the sense
00:17:53.54\00:17:56.30
that everything
depended the future of humanity
00:17:56.34\00:18:00.58
and the earth
depended upon this choice.
00:18:00.61\00:18:03.81
At the same time it was
small and simple meaning
00:18:03.85\00:18:07.12
there wasn't thousand laws.
00:18:07.15\00:18:10.19
They could have
everything they needed.
00:18:10.22\00:18:13.09
There is one thing
that they don't need,
00:18:13.12\00:18:14.92
in fact they will
be harmful for them
00:18:14.96\00:18:17.03
and God said don't
touch it, don't eat it.
00:18:17.06\00:18:19.29
So it was small in
the fact that was simple
00:18:19.33\00:18:22.30
in my estimation
00:18:22.33\00:18:23.67
but it was big in the
fact that it really determine
00:18:23.70\00:18:26.70
oh, what's the big deal
they just ate a piece of fruit.
00:18:26.74\00:18:29.40
Well, the big deal is
they chose themselves over God
00:18:29.44\00:18:34.38
and that is immense.
00:18:34.41\00:18:35.94
Now you know the
reason why that's important
00:18:35.98\00:18:37.71
and I asked this question
because I see it as something
00:18:37.75\00:18:40.85
when God says of
every tree in the garden
00:18:40.88\00:18:46.49
you may freely eat,
00:18:46.52\00:18:47.86
freely, that means that mangoes,
00:18:47.89\00:18:50.46
apples, I mean, you name it
00:18:50.49\00:18:51.83
its loaded with everything.
00:18:51.86\00:18:53.40
He says, only one tree,
00:18:53.43\00:18:54.76
He says, that just I
don't want you to touch it.
00:18:54.80\00:18:56.13
Don't, don't,
don't, don't eat from it.
00:18:56.16\00:18:58.13
Don't eat from it.
Don't eat for your benefit.
00:18:58.17\00:19:00.30
Not to keep something
from you, for you benefit.
00:19:00.34\00:19:03.10
For your benefit, small
test and yet here it is that
00:19:03.14\00:19:06.07
that's exactly where they failed
00:19:06.11\00:19:07.44
and it brought
sin into the world.
00:19:07.48\00:19:09.04
Now this is interesting
00:19:09.08\00:19:10.41
because when you read Luke 16:10
00:19:10.45\00:19:13.05
the Bible says,
"He who is faithful
00:19:13.08\00:19:15.98
in that which is least
is faithful also in much,
00:19:16.02\00:19:21.66
but he who is
unjust in the least
00:19:21.69\00:19:24.43
is unjust also in much."
00:19:24.46\00:19:26.29
Adam and even were
created full grown adults.
00:19:26.33\00:19:29.06
They didn't grow up
from childhood to adult.
00:19:29.10\00:19:31.63
Now there is a differential.
00:19:31.67\00:19:33.37
When a person is born
into this world as a child
00:19:33.40\00:19:36.77
they go through
something called development
00:19:36.81\00:19:39.87
and they develop and they mature
00:19:39.91\00:19:42.28
and then
ultimately they become adults.
00:19:42.31\00:19:44.08
Adam and Eve are created,
they brought into this world
00:19:44.11\00:19:46.48
and they are full grown adults.
00:19:46.51\00:19:47.95
So therefore even though
they did not have to develop
00:19:47.98\00:19:49.95
or mature to adulthood
00:19:49.98\00:19:51.42
they had to develop
or mature in character.
00:19:51.45\00:19:54.72
And as a result of that
00:19:54.76\00:19:56.09
that's why God
allowed a small simple test
00:19:56.12\00:20:00.46
for the purpose of
developing character in them
00:20:00.50\00:20:03.77
to say, listen, of
every tree go ahead and eat it
00:20:03.80\00:20:06.53
but this one don't eat from it
00:20:06.57\00:20:09.37
and there was
nothing to pull at them
00:20:09.40\00:20:10.87
because they had
everything available to them
00:20:10.91\00:20:12.41
freely other trees.
00:20:12.44\00:20:13.78
So this is a very power thing.
00:20:13.81\00:20:15.14
The least or the smallest test
00:20:15.18\00:20:17.31
and here it is
that they still failed.
00:20:17.35\00:20:19.68
And could be friends that,
00:20:19.71\00:20:21.05
you know, many of
times we face test,
00:20:21.08\00:20:22.78
we have various
pop quizzes of life
00:20:22.82\00:20:25.29
that come our way
00:20:25.32\00:20:26.65
but if we can't
learn to get victory
00:20:26.69\00:20:29.09
and to access God and His power
00:20:29.12\00:20:31.49
over the smaller tests of life
00:20:31.53\00:20:34.83
what makes us think
that we are prepared
00:20:34.86\00:20:37.13
for the larger tests of life.
00:20:37.17\00:20:38.50
In other words,
if a man or a woman
00:20:38.53\00:20:40.10
wants to really gauge
00:20:40.14\00:20:41.50
how strong they are in the Lord
don't look at the big victories
00:20:41.54\00:20:44.44
that you had last
year or the year before,
00:20:44.47\00:20:46.41
look at the little
tests that you face everyday.
00:20:46.44\00:20:49.38
And the question is how
do you deal with those tests?
00:20:49.41\00:20:51.85
Are you faithful
in that which is least
00:20:51.88\00:20:54.15
because if you can
learn and cultivate the habits
00:20:54.18\00:20:57.02
of being faithful
in the little things,
00:20:57.05\00:20:59.32
the little duties of life
and even the little trials.
00:20:59.35\00:21:02.89
If you can bear them
right then it positions us
00:21:02.92\00:21:05.83
that we will be faithful
even in the larger things,
00:21:05.86\00:21:10.07
the larger trials in our life.
00:21:10.10\00:21:12.07
So God is teaching us a lesson
00:21:12.10\00:21:13.47
even as we are
looking at this study.
00:21:13.50\00:21:15.34
So, Lance, here
we are, we are asking
00:21:15.37\00:21:17.37
where did true education began?
00:21:17.41\00:21:19.94
I would imagine
that the true education
00:21:19.97\00:21:21.51
must tie into the tree of
life and certainly not the tree
00:21:21.54\00:21:23.58
of the knowledge
of good and evil.
00:21:23.61\00:21:25.31
So how do we see this more
00:21:25.35\00:21:27.08
because, you know,
some people maybe thinking
00:21:27.12\00:21:29.22
that the tree of life
represents true education,
00:21:29.25\00:21:31.45
how is that so?
00:21:31.49\00:21:32.82
Where did you get that from?
00:21:32.85\00:21:34.19
How would you have somebody see
00:21:34.22\00:21:35.56
that especially from
the biblical perspective?
00:21:35.59\00:21:36.93
Again we will walk
through a few verses here
00:21:36.96\00:21:38.99
and see if we can
bring this to light.
00:21:39.03\00:21:40.53
I want to start in
the Book of Proverbs
00:21:40.56\00:21:43.00
and in Proverbs 1:7
00:21:43.03\00:21:45.97
there is a verse here
that we are going to build
00:21:46.00\00:21:48.10
and add some more verses to
00:21:48.14\00:21:49.47
so we can get a
clear understanding.
00:21:49.50\00:21:51.17
In Proverbs 1:7 it
says, "The fear of the Lord
00:21:51.21\00:21:56.28
is the beginning of knowledge,
00:21:56.31\00:21:59.61
but fools despise
wisdom and instruction."
00:21:59.65\00:22:04.05
Now I want to read another verse
00:22:04.09\00:22:05.42
to kind of, to
make a connection here.
00:22:05.45\00:22:06.96
So it says,
"The fear of the Lord
00:22:06.99\00:22:08.52
is the beginning of knowledge,
00:22:08.56\00:22:10.09
but fools despise
wisdom and instruction."
00:22:10.13\00:22:13.36
I want to turn
over to Proverbs 3,
00:22:13.40\00:22:16.36
and Proverbs 3:13 it says,
00:22:16.40\00:22:20.90
"Happy is the man
that findeth wisdom,
00:22:20.94\00:22:24.97
and the man that
getteth understanding."
00:22:25.01\00:22:27.94
So there's a
happiness, a joy involved.
00:22:27.98\00:22:30.55
We talked about that
joy before in John 15.
00:22:30.58\00:22:33.55
There is a
happiness involved here.
00:22:33.58\00:22:34.92
So the idea that
God gives instruction,
00:22:34.95\00:22:37.72
the idea that
God provides wisdom
00:22:37.75\00:22:39.92
or gives a command if
you want to call it that
00:22:39.95\00:22:42.52
is not designed again
for oppression or suppression
00:22:42.56\00:22:47.36
or hiding things or
keeping things from us.
00:22:47.40\00:22:50.20
It's designed for our
benefit, our happiness.
00:22:50.23\00:22:53.54
So in the instruction of
God whether it's a commandment,
00:22:53.57\00:22:57.97
whatever you want to call it,
the wisdom that God provides us
00:22:58.01\00:23:01.11
the knowledge
and the instruction
00:23:01.14\00:23:02.51
that God provides
00:23:02.54\00:23:04.35
it makes us
happy if we follow it.
00:23:04.38\00:23:06.51
But we saw that in
contrast in Proverbs 1,
00:23:06.55\00:23:08.58
"Fools despise
wisdom and instruction."
00:23:08.62\00:23:12.15
It's foolish to reject
that which God is providing
00:23:12.19\00:23:16.12
for our benefit and happiness.
00:23:16.16\00:23:17.69
And literally the
word wisdom and knowledge
00:23:17.73\00:23:19.73
are directly
associated with education.
00:23:19.76\00:23:22.56
So therefore we are seeing
this that when God provides
00:23:22.60\00:23:24.73
a form of education to us,
00:23:24.77\00:23:26.67
to build us up and to develop us
00:23:26.70\00:23:28.54
we can see it's a
blessing if we follow
00:23:28.57\00:23:31.01
but it's foolish if we deny it.
00:23:31.04\00:23:32.77
In fact, when hip-hop culture
in the Five-Percent Nation,
00:23:32.81\00:23:35.88
a Zulu Nation, Nuwaubian Nation,
00:23:35.91\00:23:38.21
the analog, the
nation of Islam talks about
00:23:38.25\00:23:40.82
knowledge, wisdom
and over standing.
00:23:40.85\00:23:42.95
You know, its plain
words on the understanding
00:23:42.98\00:23:45.02
but they get that idea
00:23:45.05\00:23:47.76
and that
principle from the Bible.
00:23:47.79\00:23:49.49
So, you know,
00:23:49.52\00:23:51.33
it's kind of
taking from the Bible
00:23:51.36\00:23:53.33
and then spinning it.
00:23:53.36\00:23:55.20
And we are seeing
what the Bible is saying
00:23:55.23\00:23:57.57
without the spin.
00:23:57.60\00:23:59.00
And the spinning we
find that was always
00:23:59.03\00:24:01.47
a manifestation of the character
00:24:01.50\00:24:02.84
Satan wasn't it? Right.
00:24:02.87\00:24:04.21
Because in Matthew
4 he would go ahead
00:24:04.24\00:24:05.64
and he was an
instrument in tempting Jesus
00:24:05.67\00:24:08.08
but did Satan quote the Bible.
00:24:08.11\00:24:09.94
He did but he put a spin on it.
00:24:09.98\00:24:12.01
So we find that the
origin even of using the words
00:24:12.05\00:24:14.48
of God to
accomplish our own agendas
00:24:14.52\00:24:16.89
that that is not a
faithful handling of the word
00:24:16.92\00:24:20.16
but that's actually that
00:24:20.19\00:24:21.86
and I'm gonna
call it "satanic spin"
00:24:21.89\00:24:23.93
that can be used
the ultimate release
00:24:23.96\00:24:25.66
to deception and destruction.
00:24:25.69\00:24:27.50
So I want to nominate
00:24:27.53\00:24:28.86
the connects of the tree of life
00:24:28.90\00:24:30.23
so we are still in
the Book of Proverbs,
00:24:30.27\00:24:31.93
we are in chapter 3
00:24:31.97\00:24:33.30
and we are looking at verse 18.
00:24:33.34\00:24:35.17
It says, its talking
about wisdom now, all right.
00:24:35.20\00:24:37.94
And it's referring to
wisdom in the feminine, right.
00:24:37.97\00:24:40.14
Just like we
referred to a nation as she
00:24:40.18\00:24:42.58
or a car or a boat or
something like that, right.
00:24:42.61\00:24:46.25
So it is referring to wisdom now
00:24:46.28\00:24:47.88
as a feminine and it says,
00:24:47.92\00:24:50.25
"She is a tree of life to
them that lay hold upon her
00:24:50.29\00:24:55.36
and happy is every
one that retaineth her."
00:24:55.39\00:24:58.73
So now-- That's the connection.
00:24:58.76\00:25:00.46
So wisdom is now
connected to the tree of life
00:25:00.50\00:25:04.33
and this is what
provides happiness.
00:25:04.37\00:25:05.70
So the thing that
God wanted to provide
00:25:05.73\00:25:08.40
His creation in
the very beginning
00:25:08.44\00:25:11.11
is that happiness, that joy,
00:25:11.14\00:25:13.11
that and
essentially what that is,
00:25:13.14\00:25:15.31
is a perpetual
last thing eternal
00:25:15.34\00:25:19.01
presence in
relationship with God,
00:25:19.05\00:25:22.28
no separation, living,
00:25:22.32\00:25:24.92
literally living
with our creator.
00:25:24.95\00:25:27.66
And this is what God promises
to restore at some point
00:25:27.69\00:25:30.63
when He deals with
sin and its sincerity
00:25:30.66\00:25:34.10
we will be talking
about that in future episodes.
00:25:34.13\00:25:36.10
Right.
00:25:36.13\00:25:37.47
So I think is a
clear connection there.
00:25:37.50\00:25:38.87
I want to go to another book
in the Bible of Deuteronomy.
00:25:38.90\00:25:42.74
We talked a little
bit about Deuteronomy,
00:25:42.77\00:25:44.17
we know that that was Moses
delivering his final sermons
00:25:44.21\00:25:47.78
to kind of summarize
the whole entire agreement
00:25:47.81\00:25:51.61
of God with his people.
00:25:51.65\00:25:52.98
Everything that
God has done for them
00:25:53.01\00:25:54.35
and what God requires of
them as he transitions out
00:25:54.38\00:25:57.15
and Joshua transitions in
00:25:57.19\00:25:58.72
and they go into
the Promise Land.
00:25:58.75\00:26:00.36
So we are looking at Deuteronomy
00:26:00.39\00:26:01.72
and we are
looking at chapter 30.
00:26:01.76\00:26:04.43
Deuteronomy Chapter 30
00:26:04.46\00:26:06.56
so we can, you
know, kind of tie in
00:26:06.59\00:26:08.90
and give bookends to
besides here the tree of life
00:26:08.93\00:26:11.70
and how it
connects to true education.
00:26:11.73\00:26:13.60
Deuteronomy 30:19, 20,
00:26:13.64\00:26:18.01
"I call heaven and earth to
record this day against you,
00:26:18.04\00:26:22.34
that I have set
before you life and death,
00:26:22.38\00:26:25.85
blessing and cursing,
therefore choose life,
00:26:25.88\00:26:30.15
that both thou
and thy seed may live.
00:26:30.19\00:26:33.46
That thou mayest
love the Lord thy God,
00:26:33.49\00:26:36.16
and that thou
mayest obey his voice,
00:26:36.19\00:26:38.46
and that thou
mayest cleave unto him,
00:26:38.49\00:26:40.80
for he is thy life,
and the length of thy days,
00:26:40.83\00:26:44.73
that thou mayest
dwell in the land
00:26:44.77\00:26:46.60
which the Lord
sware unto thy fathers,
00:26:46.63\00:26:48.87
to Abraham, to Isaac,
and to Jacob, to give them."
00:26:48.90\00:26:52.51
So that idea and that connection
00:26:52.54\00:26:55.01
God is the source of life.
00:26:55.04\00:26:56.38
He provided access
to that source of life
00:26:56.41\00:26:58.81
in the very Garden of Eden
00:26:58.85\00:27:00.58
but they had a choice
to make, life or death,
00:27:00.62\00:27:02.98
God or self. That's right.
00:27:03.02\00:27:06.35
And so we find then that
00:27:06.39\00:27:07.72
you're, you're
connecting the tree of life
00:27:07.76\00:27:10.03
because the tree of
life was a source of wisdom,
00:27:10.06\00:27:12.93
it was a source of knowledge.
00:27:12.96\00:27:14.60
It was designed as a medium
00:27:14.63\00:27:16.00
to bring out the
point of an education
00:27:16.03\00:27:18.17
that God wanted to give
00:27:18.20\00:27:19.53
right there in the
beginning before sin
00:27:19.57\00:27:21.07
was even in this world.
00:27:21.10\00:27:22.44
And this is what God
wanted to impart unto man
00:27:22.47\00:27:25.11
and this gives us
the true knowledge of God
00:27:25.14\00:27:28.04
which helps us have a
true knowledge of self.
00:27:28.08\00:27:31.58
We want to thank
you all for joining us.
00:27:31.61\00:27:32.95
This study is
gonna-- is already deep
00:27:32.98\00:27:34.92
but it's getting
even deeper as we prepare
00:27:34.95\00:27:36.99
our hearts to go
into the next session.
00:27:37.02\00:27:38.92
So we want you to stay tuned,
this is getting very exciting
00:27:38.95\00:27:41.79
because very few
individuals have ever connected
00:27:41.82\00:27:45.13
true education
with the tree of life.
00:27:45.16\00:27:48.30
We want you to tune in
and come on back with us
00:27:48.33\00:27:50.17
and always
remember to bring a friend
00:27:50.20\00:27:51.77
and until the next
time remember Proverbs 2:6,
00:27:51.80\00:27:54.84
"It is the Lord
that gives wisdom
00:27:54.87\00:27:56.57
and out of His mouth
00:27:56.60\00:27:57.94
comes knowledge
and understanding."
00:27:57.97\00:27:59.91