Hello, I'm Lance
Wilbur. And I'm Dwayne Lemon.
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And we like to welcome you
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to another edition of
TKS a True Knowledge of Self,
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where we get to know ourselves
from a biblical perspective.
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Now, as we been
going through this series,
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we've been
touching various subjects,
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and in our last discussion
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we talked about the
origin of false education,
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and we saw that origin was there
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right in the very
beginning in the Garden of Eden.
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And we saw that the
tree of the knowledge
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of good and evil,
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the mingling of truth with error
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and the subtle
lies of the serpent
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which we identified as Satan
according to Revelation 12:9.
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And the rationalization
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that Eve used in
her mind to say that
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"Maybe this would benefit me
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and put me in a better
position and make me happy.
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And maybe this would be
better than what God offered
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and maybe God was not right
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when He said we
shall surely die."
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She rationalized in her mind
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and through her
feelings and senses,
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she chose self over
God and the tree of life
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and the wisdom and
the peace and happiness
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that only God could provide.
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And we're doing this all
in the backdrop of Babylon.
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We saw that Daniel
took a stand for God
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and God honored him for that.
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And we saw that Nebuchadnezzar
even though he was,
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it was revealed to him
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that God, the God of
heaven was the true God
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that he began to
trust in himself once again
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and he had this
experience with God,
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but it did not
translate into right living
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and God had to humble him.
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Now there were
also some other things
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and as, Dwayne, you
begin to help us understand,
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there were some other
things that took place
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when those Hebrew boys
were taken captive into Babylon
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outside of just
in educational aspect
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whether their
education was changed
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to try to get them away
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from their
upbringing in the truth
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and kind of mingled
the error with that,
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there was something else
that was changed as well.
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Can you please
elaborate on that?
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Oh, yeah, definitely.
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And remember, we're
always looking for the parallels
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because truth that
only pertains to the past
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and has no
bearing upon our present
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is not really a beneficial truth
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in most cases.
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And therefore, we
always want to find out
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where is the
practical application?
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Where do I find a parallelism
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between what has
been done in times pass
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and where do I see myself
today in the same experience?
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Do I see myself there?
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Now Daniel Chapter 1,
I'm gonna go back there
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because once
again we find ourselves
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in a situation where it
was not just Nebuchadnezzar
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trying to change
the educational system
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and to try to take
away that true education
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from the minds of
Daniel and his associates
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but there was also
another attack that he did.
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It's a very subtle
one but nevertheless
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it's worthy of recognition.
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The Bible says in
Daniel the 1 Chapter.
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We're gonna look at Daniel 1
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and we're gonna
go to verses 6 and 7.
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Daniel 1:6, 7
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and we're gonna notice
what the Bible says here
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as it is very, very
powerful as we unfold this.
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Daniel 1:6, 7,
here's what it says.
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"Now among these were
of the children of Judah,
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Daniel, Hananiah,
Mishael, and Azariah,
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unto whom the prince
of the eunuchs gave names,
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for he gave unto Daniel
the name of Belteshazzar,
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and to Hananiah, of Shadrach,
and to Mishael, of Meshach,
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and to Azariah, of Abednego."
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We find that it was not
just in Nebuchadnezzar's plan
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to take away the education
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that the children
of Israel received,
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but he also wanted to
take away even their names,
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because Nebuchadnezzar
understood something
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that is revealed
all throughout the Bible
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and that is that names
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were not just simply
given to people randomly.
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Today when an
individual chooses a name,
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they like
something that sounds cute,
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maybe reflects a
favorite celebrity
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or what have you.
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You know, one time I
even looked at my name,
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you know, because I, you know,
grown up a hip-hop culture,
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you know how it is.
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In hip-hop
culture names are crucial.
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That's right. We know that.
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So, you know, I obviously
grown up in this culture
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I said, "Well, I want to
know what my name represents."
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So I had to start looking around
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and as I started to look around,
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true story, I did find out
what the name Dwayne means.
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My name is spelled
differently from some other.
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Some do D-U-A-N-E,
mine is D-W-A-Y-N-E,
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and both names can
have a different meaning.
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So I looked up
D-W-A-Y-N-E, Dwayne.
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You know what it meant? What?
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Little dark one.
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Oh, matches you perfectly.
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Oh, it matched me perfectly.
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My mother saw
this little black child
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coming out of her and she said,
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"Let's call him
Dwayne, you know."
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And I can't trace myself
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back to anything really special.
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I know I'm dark,
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it's pretty much
nothing I can do about that,
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but nevertheless in
the Bible it was different.
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It wasn't just
about a complexion.
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It wasn't just about, you know,
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some favorite actor or
actress that I wanted--
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I mean, I had a boy
that his daughter was born
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and he names her Alize.
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Alize. After alcoholic beverage.
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You see what I'm saying? Yes.
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So, you know, people
have the strangest reasons
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why they give a person a name.
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But in Bible times when
God gave a name to someone,
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God always wanted that
name to represent a character.
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That was very important to God.
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And this is why
you will notice that,
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you know, as we put
up on the screen here,
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you're gonna notice
that there is a comparative
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between the names
that were represented
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in Daniel 1:6, 7
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and then also the new
names that were given to them.
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And here's an example.
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You will notice on the screen
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that when
Daniel's name comes up,
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it says God is my judge.
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That's what the
name Daniel means,
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God is my judge.
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But when he was given
the name of Belteshazzar,
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Belteshazzar and, you know,
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some of these
names that were given,
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they were given
from the Chaldean dialect
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so as a result of that,
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there is not a
full understanding
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of what these
words actually meant,
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but nevertheless
there is enough information
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that we're gonna go
ahead and present this
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knowing that there
could be some more to unfold.
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But again, Daniel
meant God is my judge.
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But then when you
looked at Belteshazzar,
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it meant that Bel
would protect my life
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which of course is
dealing with a false God,
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you know, an idol.
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Then you had Hananiah.
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Hananiah, his name
meant God has shown favor.
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So God has shown
favor unto this individual,
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therefore the name was Hananiah,
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one whom God has shown favor to.
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And their lives were
supposed to demonstrate a life
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that God has shown favor.
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But then his name
was changed to Shadrack.
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And the name Shadrack comes out
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as a commander of Aku
which was actually a moon god.
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So again we see that
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a name that represents
the true and living God,
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but then there was pagan name
that was associated with them
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to try to take away
the power of that name.
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Then there was Mishael.
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Mishael today many
people say Michael.
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And Mishael was
one who was like God.
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And Michael anybody
who is gifted or blessed
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with that name
Michael, that's a powerful name.
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It meant Mike is one
who is like, El means God.
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So it was--
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When a person's name is Michael,
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it was God's expectation
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that person should
reflect God's character.
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But of course, Mishael's
name was changed to Meshack
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which meant the
shadow of the prince.
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And again because Nebuchadnezzar
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was giving these
names, we know that
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again this would
have to associate
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to some false prince, false
god or to shadow someone else
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who clearly was
not representing God.
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So in all cases thus far,
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we see that negativity
connected to new names.
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Finally there was Azariah.
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Azariah meant God has helped.
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It's powerful
when a man can remember
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that every time
his name is mentioned
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that thought will
come into his mind
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that God has helped me.
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And therefore it
would be reciprocated to God
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in our devotion to
Him, our lives to Him.
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But Azariah's name
was changed to Abednego,
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a servant of Nego
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which again was
dealing with the false God.
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And now were these
just any false gods
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or was Nebuchadnezzar,
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the Nebuchadnezzar
have some ulterior motive
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or some agenda here?
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Well, there was
definitely an agenda
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because Nebuchadnezzar knew
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that if I can take
them away from their gods
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and get them to
acknowledge the gods
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that are represented
through us here in Babylon,
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then obviously I can create
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better more faithful
servants because he knew it.
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And to make them
Babylonian essentially.
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Absolutely to
make them Babylonians.
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That's the goal.
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So we find that, you know,
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these were things
that were taking place
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and in the days of captivity
of the children of Israel
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and the children
of the tribe of Judah
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and we find that as
a result of this effort
00:09:04.27\00:09:07.51
that Nebuchadnezzar was making,
00:09:07.54\00:09:09.34
there was a seeking
to steal away this truth
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about what a name was
supposed to represent.
00:09:12.35\00:09:15.32
Now again in hip-hop
culture this is huge.
00:09:15.35\00:09:17.79
Because in hip-hop culture,
00:09:17.82\00:09:19.52
we know that there
are many people today
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who go by different names.
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I'm sure that Afrika Bambaataa
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did not grow up with
the name Afrika Bambaataa.
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You know, he came to
his level of consciousness
00:09:26.93\00:09:29.26
and therefore he
realized, "Hey, you know what,
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I need to make a
change to my name
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to associate it more with
my roots and my heritage."
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Yeah. So it is.
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We know the story of even
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a man who is very
great in this world
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and did many great things
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even though we know
that we cannot agree with him
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when it comes to
certain religious principles.
00:09:43.88\00:09:45.85
Malcolm X, you know, we know
00:09:45.88\00:09:47.28
he was born in this
world as Malcolm Little
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but
nevertheless because of again
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looking and reviewing
over the issues of slavery
00:09:51.59\00:09:53.72
and slave masters and so
on, he got to a point to say,
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"I don't even know if
this is really my last name."
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Therefore he just
eliminated the little
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and put the "X" there instead.
00:10:00.63\00:10:02.76
And of course, you have scores
and scores of individuals today
00:10:02.80\00:10:06.50
in the hip-hop and R&B community
00:10:06.53\00:10:08.44
that go by different
names that are more Afro-Asiatic
00:10:08.47\00:10:12.27
and so on that's
designed to bring them back.
00:10:12.31\00:10:14.74
And it's not just that idea
00:10:14.78\00:10:16.11
that all people
are loosely doing it.
00:10:16.14\00:10:17.55
Some people do that
but some of these groups,
00:10:17.58\00:10:22.38
you know, some of these
00:10:22.42\00:10:24.19
religious groups
that we call them
00:10:24.22\00:10:25.65
that they wouldn't
admit that they are religion
00:10:25.69\00:10:28.66
but the Nuwaubian,
the Five Percenters,
00:10:28.69\00:10:30.46
the Noy is actually
part of the initiation.
00:10:30.49\00:10:34.43
That's right. Yeah.
00:10:34.46\00:10:35.80
So therefore, it's imperative
00:10:35.83\00:10:37.17
that you are
willing to recognize
00:10:37.20\00:10:39.53
that the names that have been
given to you are false names.
00:10:39.57\00:10:42.40
They will connect it
back to the "Right man"
00:10:42.44\00:10:45.37
and try to paint a evil
picture of that in many respects
00:10:45.41\00:10:48.78
and therefore if
a person like myself
00:10:48.81\00:10:51.08
or yourself Lance
Wilbur or Dwayne Lemon
00:10:51.11\00:10:53.62
if I would have said,
00:10:53.65\00:10:54.98
"Well, I'm gonna
hold on to that name"
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it could be viewed by
some in hip-hop culture
00:10:56.38\00:10:59.32
especially those who
are deeply rooted in it
00:10:59.35\00:11:01.09
as almost an apostasy,
00:11:01.12\00:11:02.72
like, you know, you're
not really following the truth
00:11:02.76\00:11:06.09
of what this culture
was designed to teach
00:11:06.13\00:11:08.06
and coming back to your
roots and these type of things.
00:11:08.10\00:11:10.47
Sacrilegious, blasphemy.
00:11:10.50\00:11:11.83
That's right. That's right.
00:11:11.87\00:11:13.44
Now as an example of names,
00:11:13.47\00:11:15.80
you know,
representing character,
00:11:15.84\00:11:17.47
you know, I say that
but I think it's good
00:11:17.51\00:11:19.07
to demonstrate
that in the Bible.
00:11:19.11\00:11:20.78
You know, coming from
a Pentecostal background,
00:11:20.81\00:11:23.65
in a charismatic background
00:11:23.68\00:11:25.35
you will hear a lot
about giving God glory.
00:11:25.38\00:11:29.02
You will hear that a lot.
00:11:29.05\00:11:30.39
You know, it's
time to praise the Lord,
00:11:30.42\00:11:31.85
it's time to give God glory
00:11:31.89\00:11:33.36
and all of these
different things.
00:11:33.39\00:11:34.76
Now, where I came from, I
understood giving God glory
00:11:34.79\00:11:38.19
to mean the more
that to clap your hands,
00:11:38.23\00:11:40.60
the more you stomp your
feet, wave side to side,
00:11:40.63\00:11:42.80
you know, this all
meant, I'm giving God glory.
00:11:42.83\00:11:44.93
Or money.
00:11:44.97\00:11:46.30
And certainly
giving money, definitely.
00:11:46.33\00:11:47.80
In many respects giving money.
00:11:47.84\00:11:49.30
All of this was
giving God glory.
00:11:49.34\00:11:51.17
But one day I really sat
down and thought about it
00:11:51.21\00:11:53.78
and again, you know,
you observe hypocrisies.
00:11:53.81\00:11:56.28
When you start
to see individuals
00:11:56.31\00:11:57.65
who one minute are
clapping their hands
00:11:57.68\00:11:59.01
and waving side to side
shouting and giving money,
00:11:59.05\00:12:01.12
but then you also see
these same individuals
00:12:01.15\00:12:03.82
smoking and drinking
and beating their wives
00:12:03.85\00:12:06.62
and cussing and swearing
and just demonstrating a life
00:12:06.65\00:12:09.56
that is clearly testifying
that there is no connection
00:12:09.59\00:12:12.33
between
themselves and their Savior.
00:12:12.36\00:12:14.06
You get to a point to say,
00:12:14.10\00:12:15.43
"Well, is there
more to giving God glory
00:12:15.46\00:12:18.50
than simply what the external
activities make it to be?"
00:12:18.53\00:12:22.84
And here's what happened.
00:12:22.87\00:12:24.27
As I was reading Revelation 14,
00:12:24.31\00:12:26.11
you remember we
talked about which gospel.
00:12:26.14\00:12:28.14
We were looking at which gospel.
00:12:28.18\00:12:29.88
And we saw that
in Revelation 14:6-12
00:12:29.91\00:12:34.88
we saw the
three angels' messages
00:12:34.92\00:12:36.65
which is defined
by John the Revelator
00:12:36.69\00:12:38.52
in verse 6 as the
everlasting gospel.
00:12:38.55\00:12:41.59
In verse 7, the
first angels' message says,
00:12:41.62\00:12:45.29
"Fear God, and
give glory to him,
00:12:45.33\00:12:47.56
for the hour of
his judgment is come,
00:12:47.60\00:12:50.20
and worship him that
made heaven and earth."
00:12:50.23\00:12:52.27
So we find that the
first angels' message
00:12:52.30\00:12:55.17
which is the gospel message
00:12:55.20\00:12:56.84
is to call
individuals to give God glory.
00:12:56.87\00:13:00.54
So one day I
began to think about it.
00:13:00.58\00:13:01.91
I said, "Well, how
do you give God glory?"
00:13:01.94\00:13:03.95
I mean, really, is
there a Bible definition
00:13:03.98\00:13:06.92
or do I have to keep going
00:13:06.95\00:13:08.28
with
individuals' interpretations.
00:13:08.32\00:13:10.05
So the more that I
started to think about it,
00:13:10.09\00:13:12.02
I started to look
at the Word of God.
00:13:12.05\00:13:13.46
I pulled out my
little concordance,
00:13:13.49\00:13:14.92
started looking at the
word glory, glory, glory.
00:13:14.96\00:13:17.03
And one of the areas
that I found in the Bible
00:13:17.06\00:13:19.36
that was powerful that
led me to an understanding
00:13:19.39\00:13:22.30
better than I've ever had before
00:13:22.33\00:13:23.73
on what is the glory of God?
00:13:23.77\00:13:25.43
It was an Exodus the 33 Chapter.
00:13:25.47\00:13:28.40
In Exodus Chapter 33,
00:13:28.44\00:13:30.61
you will find that Moses
is having a dialog with God.
00:13:30.64\00:13:34.64
And as Moses is
having this dialog with God,
00:13:34.68\00:13:37.21
he says in Exodus 33:18.
00:13:37.25\00:13:40.82
Watch this, Exodus 33:18,
00:13:40.85\00:13:44.22
it says, "And he said,
00:13:44.25\00:13:46.72
I beseech thee,
shew me thy glory."
00:13:46.76\00:13:51.83
So Moses wants
to see God's glory.
00:13:51.86\00:13:55.16
That was on his mind.
00:13:55.20\00:13:56.73
Now what I like is
notice how God responds to him.
00:13:56.77\00:14:00.64
It says in verse
19, "And he said,
00:14:00.67\00:14:04.21
I will make all my
goodness pass before thee,
00:14:04.24\00:14:07.58
and I will proclaim the
name of the Lord before thee,
00:14:07.61\00:14:12.51
and will be gracious to
whom I will be gracious,
00:14:12.55\00:14:14.88
and will shew mercy on
whom I will shew mercy."
00:14:14.92\00:14:17.99
Now I learned a
lesson from this.
00:14:18.02\00:14:20.26
According to verse 18,
what did Moses want to see?
00:14:20.29\00:14:23.09
God's glory.
00:14:23.12\00:14:24.46
God answers him in
verse 19 by saying,
00:14:24.49\00:14:26.49
"I'll show you My goodness
and I will proclaim My name."
00:14:26.53\00:14:31.33
Now, if you and I
are having a dialog and--
00:14:31.37\00:14:35.07
Let's say you were asking
me, "Dwayne, what time is it?"
00:14:35.10\00:14:39.04
And then if I
answered you and said,
00:14:39.07\00:14:40.74
"Did you know that
there is coffee in China?"
00:14:40.78\00:14:43.14
You will probably look
at me strange, wouldn't you?
00:14:43.18\00:14:44.71
Because you are saying
00:14:44.75\00:14:46.08
"What does that statement
have to do with anything
00:14:46.11\00:14:48.32
that I just asked him
about the time, right?"
00:14:48.35\00:14:50.35
So in other words, when
people have conversation
00:14:50.39\00:14:52.49
there should be a flow.
00:14:52.52\00:14:53.86
You are talking to me
and I'm responding to you
00:14:53.89\00:14:55.82
in light of the conversation
and the question you asked.
00:14:55.86\00:14:58.66
So God, He is answering Moses
00:14:58.69\00:15:01.06
but He is using different words.
00:15:01.10\00:15:02.63
But God is in full
harmony with Moses' question.
00:15:02.66\00:15:05.67
Moses says, "Lord,
show me Your glory."
00:15:05.70\00:15:07.77
And God is saying "No, problem,
00:15:07.80\00:15:09.40
I'll show you My
goodness and proclaim My name."
00:15:09.44\00:15:12.61
So the lesson we learnt
just from verses 18 and 19
00:15:12.64\00:15:15.94
is that the glory of
God, the goodness of God
00:15:15.98\00:15:19.58
and the name of
God are synonymous.
00:15:19.61\00:15:22.85
So we find that now.
00:15:22.88\00:15:24.22
So when the angel
says give God glory,
00:15:24.25\00:15:27.86
we can also
faithfully say biblically
00:15:27.89\00:15:30.33
that the angel is calling
us to reflect the name of God.
00:15:30.36\00:15:33.86
Now, how did God
proclaim His name?
00:15:33.90\00:15:37.83
It's found in the
next chapter in Exodus 34.
00:15:37.87\00:15:41.30
In Exodus 34:5-7
00:15:41.34\00:15:43.61
watch how God proclaims His name
00:15:43.64\00:15:45.94
and you tell me if
you see what I see.
00:15:45.97\00:15:47.81
The Bible says in Exodus 34:5-7.
00:15:47.84\00:15:51.91
It says, "And the Lord
descended in the cloud,
00:15:51.95\00:15:54.98
and stood with him there,
00:15:55.02\00:15:56.52
and proclaimed
the name of the Lord.
00:15:56.55\00:15:58.49
And the Lord passed by
before him, and proclaimed,
00:15:58.52\00:16:00.42
The Lord, The Lord
God, merciful and gracious,
00:16:00.46\00:16:04.96
longsuffering, and
abundant in goodness and truth,
00:16:04.99\00:16:08.16
keeping mercy for thousands,
00:16:08.20\00:16:09.96
forgiving iniquity
and transgression and sin,
00:16:10.00\00:16:12.73
and that will by no
means clear the guilty,
00:16:12.77\00:16:15.20
visiting of the
fathers upon the children,
00:16:15.24\00:16:17.17
and upon the
children's children,
00:16:17.21\00:16:18.87
unto the third and to
the fourth generation."
00:16:18.91\00:16:21.34
Question. Yeah.
00:16:21.38\00:16:22.71
What did God show Moses?
00:16:22.74\00:16:25.35
To me it sounds like character.
00:16:25.38\00:16:26.82
That's exactly is.
00:16:26.85\00:16:28.18
Because God says,
"I'm gonna go ahead
00:16:28.22\00:16:29.78
and answer your request.
00:16:29.82\00:16:31.15
Your request was
show me Your glory.
00:16:31.19\00:16:33.09
I respond by saying,
00:16:33.12\00:16:34.52
"I'll show you My
goodness and proclaim My name."
00:16:34.56\00:16:37.23
God then proclaims His
name and what does He do?
00:16:37.26\00:16:40.46
He reveals His character.
00:16:40.50\00:16:42.20
You want to know My name?
00:16:42.23\00:16:43.57
He says, "I'm gracious."
00:16:43.60\00:16:44.93
You want to know My name?
00:16:44.97\00:16:46.30
He says, "I'm longsuffering."
00:16:46.33\00:16:47.67
You want to know My name?
00:16:47.70\00:16:49.04
And He starts
going down this list,
00:16:49.07\00:16:50.61
gracious,
merciful, longsuffering,
00:16:50.64\00:16:52.41
abundant and truth and
goodness and the list goes on.
00:16:52.44\00:16:55.11
So therefore the glory
of God, the name of God,
00:16:55.14\00:16:58.41
the goodness of God,
it reveals His character
00:16:58.45\00:17:01.92
and this is why
even in Matthew 1:21
00:17:01.95\00:17:05.65
the Bible says
00:17:05.69\00:17:07.02
"And they shall
call His name Jesus,
00:17:07.06\00:17:09.29
name, for He
shall save His people
00:17:09.32\00:17:12.69
from their sins, character."
00:17:12.73\00:17:14.86
So the name Jesus
00:17:14.90\00:17:16.23
is directly connected to Savior.
00:17:16.26\00:17:19.37
And therefore,
these are the ways
00:17:19.40\00:17:21.34
that God function
00:17:21.37\00:17:22.70
and this is what
the Bible demonstrates
00:17:22.74\00:17:24.07
as it relates to
an individual's name.
00:17:24.11\00:17:26.47
This is why it was so important
00:17:26.51\00:17:28.38
that Daniel,
Hananiah, Azariah and Mishael,
00:17:28.41\00:17:31.25
they held to their names,
where we see Nebuchadnezzar,
00:17:31.28\00:17:34.82
he wanted to
steal away those names.
00:17:34.85\00:17:37.39
It was a deliberate
diabolical plan of Satan
00:17:37.42\00:17:40.36
to try to change their names.
00:17:40.39\00:17:42.59
So the removal of the name
00:17:42.62\00:17:45.19
was almost like
removing the character.
00:17:45.23\00:17:47.23
Trying to remove the
character, change the character.
00:17:47.26\00:17:50.50
That's correct. That's correct.
00:17:50.53\00:17:51.90
That's exactly
what was happening.
00:17:51.93\00:17:53.27
There is a trying to
steal away from the character.
00:17:53.30\00:17:56.71
Now here's the thing.
00:17:56.74\00:17:58.54
In hip-hop culture
today we know that,
00:17:58.57\00:18:01.48
you know, names again,
00:18:01.51\00:18:02.84
they carry a lot of
weight a lot of weight.
00:18:02.88\00:18:05.15
And what would typically happen
is someone who is heavily into
00:18:05.18\00:18:08.85
or influenced by
hip-hop culture will say,
00:18:08.88\00:18:11.45
"Well, Brother Dwayne,
based on everything you said
00:18:11.49\00:18:13.76
that's exactly
why I changed my name
00:18:13.79\00:18:16.02
and that's exactly why
you should change yours.
00:18:16.06\00:18:18.33
Why do you still
go by Dwayne Lemon
00:18:18.36\00:18:20.20
when clearly you know
that names represents character
00:18:20.23\00:18:22.66
and the list goes on.
00:18:22.70\00:18:24.03
Why do you do that?" I
mean, that's a good question.
00:18:24.07\00:18:25.80
It's a legit
question, I can't deny that.
00:18:25.83\00:18:27.80
That's a very
legitimate question
00:18:27.84\00:18:29.37
but it deserves a
legitimate answer.
00:18:29.40\00:18:31.41
The key is understanding
that there is something,
00:18:31.44\00:18:34.48
if we carefully
look at the scriptures,
00:18:34.51\00:18:36.64
there's something more
important than the name
00:18:36.68\00:18:40.08
because the name
was to carry a purpose.
00:18:40.12\00:18:43.72
What's the purpose?
00:18:43.75\00:18:45.19
Character.
00:18:45.22\00:18:46.55
So therefore, it's
the name that is given
00:18:46.59\00:18:50.16
but what's more
important is the character.
00:18:50.19\00:18:52.99
I'll give you an example.
00:18:53.03\00:18:54.50
In the beginning
remember we studied this,
00:18:54.53\00:18:56.03
we looked at Isaiah 14:12-14.
00:18:56.06\00:18:59.67
We also saw compared with
that, we saw Ezekiel 28:13-17.
00:18:59.70\00:19:05.07
We know that in the beginning
00:19:05.11\00:19:07.74
before even
mankind was on earth,
00:19:07.78\00:19:09.78
there were angels in heaven.
00:19:09.81\00:19:11.15
The chief angel,
his name was Lucifer.
00:19:11.18\00:19:13.15
Now Lucifer was a right name
00:19:13.18\00:19:16.25
because Lucifer
meant light bearer.
00:19:16.28\00:19:18.75
So therefore God is light,
00:19:18.79\00:19:20.32
so therefore Lucifer was
supposed to take from God
00:19:20.36\00:19:22.72
and bear that light.
00:19:22.76\00:19:24.09
So Lucifer had a right name
00:19:24.13\00:19:27.20
and for a time he demonstrated
00:19:27.23\00:19:29.33
a right
character with that name.
00:19:29.36\00:19:31.80
But then what happened was
00:19:31.83\00:19:33.27
as Lucifer
began to focus on self
00:19:33.30\00:19:36.54
and as he began
to build upon himself
00:19:36.57\00:19:39.27
we found that
Lucifer's character
00:19:39.31\00:19:42.31
was now flawed.
00:19:42.34\00:19:43.91
In other words,
Lucifer right name,
00:19:43.95\00:19:47.15
character was in harmony
with that name for a time,
00:19:47.18\00:19:50.12
but eventually a time came that
as a result of self-exaltation,
00:19:50.15\00:19:54.39
his character changed.
00:19:54.42\00:19:56.42
And as a result of
his character changing,
00:19:56.46\00:19:58.66
he was no longer
worthy of the name Lucifer.
00:19:58.69\00:20:01.56
He was now called Satan.
00:20:01.60\00:20:03.63
All right, so just
walk us down again.
00:20:03.67\00:20:06.10
Oh, yeah.
00:20:06.13\00:20:07.47
So the name match
the character initially.
00:20:07.50\00:20:10.41
That's correct.
00:20:10.44\00:20:11.87
But the character changed,
00:20:11.91\00:20:13.71
although he still held the name.
00:20:13.74\00:20:16.08
And after the
character became deformed
00:20:16.11\00:20:19.58
or depraved or corrupted,
00:20:19.61\00:20:21.58
the name was changed to
reflect the change in character.
00:20:21.62\00:20:24.75
That's correct. All right.
00:20:24.79\00:20:26.12
Very powerful.
00:20:26.15\00:20:27.49
So Lucifer good
name, his character
00:20:27.52\00:20:29.76
was in harmony with
that name so all was good.
00:20:29.79\00:20:32.13
But then when his
character became corrupted,
00:20:32.16\00:20:34.23
his name changed.
00:20:34.26\00:20:36.10
Now let's look at
it on the flip side.
00:20:36.13\00:20:38.97
Jacob, we know
that the Bible tells us
00:20:39.00\00:20:41.40
in Genesis 32, it
talks about Jacob.
00:20:41.44\00:20:43.77
And the name Jacob
was not a good name.
00:20:43.81\00:20:46.41
Jacob meant
supplanter, deceiver, or liar.
00:20:46.44\00:20:50.45
Jacob bad name
but at the same time
00:20:50.48\00:20:53.98
Jacob's character
matched that name.
00:20:54.02\00:20:57.22
So therefore we
find that Jacob bad name,
00:20:57.25\00:21:00.19
then his
character matched that name.
00:21:00.22\00:21:02.22
And how did his character
00:21:02.26\00:21:04.16
matched the name
at the beginning?
00:21:04.19\00:21:05.93
Well, what happened was
00:21:05.96\00:21:07.30
Jacob wanted to deceive
or deceived his own father
00:21:07.33\00:21:10.80
by stealing the birthright
00:21:10.83\00:21:12.43
that belonged to
his brother Esau.
00:21:12.47\00:21:14.44
So we find that Jacob
was fulfilling the name.
00:21:14.47\00:21:17.87
He was a deceiver.
00:21:17.91\00:21:19.27
He was dishonest
and as a result of that,
00:21:19.31\00:21:21.64
you have Jacob
dealing with a bad name,
00:21:21.68\00:21:24.25
but then you have his character
00:21:24.28\00:21:25.98
that was matching that bad name.
00:21:26.01\00:21:27.75
Well, we know the story
that as Esau was pursuing him,
00:21:27.78\00:21:30.42
Jacob found himself
in a state of repentance.
00:21:30.45\00:21:32.85
And as Jacob
repented for his sins
00:21:32.89\00:21:35.16
and he found himself now
wrestling with the angel.
00:21:35.19\00:21:38.36
Here it is that when the
angel was talking to Jacob,
00:21:38.39\00:21:40.70
the angel asked him,
"Well, what is your name?"
00:21:40.73\00:21:42.86
And he said,
"Well, my name is Jacob"
00:21:42.90\00:21:44.50
but the angel then
told him not anymore.
00:21:44.53\00:21:47.64
Your name is no longer
Jacob, you name is now Israel
00:21:47.67\00:21:51.47
because you have overcome
00:21:51.51\00:21:52.87
and you have
prevailed with God and with men.
00:21:52.91\00:21:55.51
And therefore we find that
once again Jacob, bad name,
00:21:55.54\00:21:59.25
his character, bad character.
00:21:59.28\00:22:01.38
But it was through a
change in character for the good
00:22:01.42\00:22:05.15
that he received a new name.
00:22:05.19\00:22:07.69
And so you will find that
we have it in the vice versa.
00:22:07.72\00:22:10.53
Lucifer, good
name, good character,
00:22:10.56\00:22:12.76
but then eventually,
bad character, name change.
00:22:12.79\00:22:16.60
Jacob, bad name, bad character,
00:22:16.63\00:22:20.34
but through a
conversion experience,
00:22:20.37\00:22:22.80
his name was changed.
00:22:22.84\00:22:24.67
God has a
people in the last days
00:22:24.71\00:22:27.31
and God's people
in the last days,
00:22:27.34\00:22:28.98
He refers to them
inflicted by a disease,
00:22:29.01\00:22:32.55
a condition that
is called Laodicea
00:22:32.58\00:22:35.32
in Revelation 3:14-17.
00:22:35.35\00:22:38.35
And God is
letting His people know
00:22:38.39\00:22:41.69
that even though
Laodicea, that's a serious name.
00:22:41.72\00:22:45.59
Laodicea deals with
the people of the judgment
00:22:45.63\00:22:47.96
but the problem is, is that
00:22:48.00\00:22:49.33
Laodicea even though right
now our characters are corrupt,
00:22:49.36\00:22:53.97
we are wretched,
we are miserable,
00:22:54.00\00:22:55.37
we are poor, we are
blind and we are naked.
00:22:55.40\00:22:58.27
So therefore, while we
have a bad character right now,
00:22:58.31\00:23:02.01
through a conversion,
00:23:02.04\00:23:03.51
experience through Jesus Christ,
00:23:03.55\00:23:06.28
the Bible tells us
00:23:06.31\00:23:07.65
that as our
characters become like Him
00:23:07.68\00:23:10.02
and we give Him
glory and reflect His image
00:23:10.05\00:23:13.49
and His character
in a sinful world,
00:23:13.52\00:23:15.72
the Bible makes a
promise in Revelation 3:12,
00:23:15.76\00:23:18.69
here's what it says.
00:23:18.73\00:23:20.06
The Bible says
in Revelation 3:12.
00:23:20.10\00:23:23.53
Yes, we are going
through the battle of sin
00:23:23.57\00:23:25.43
and we are definitely
going through trials right now
00:23:25.47\00:23:27.60
and our
characters are being tested.
00:23:27.64\00:23:29.44
But as we hold on
and if we experience
00:23:29.47\00:23:31.54
what the Bible calls overcoming,
00:23:31.57\00:23:33.17
notice what God says He will do.
00:23:33.21\00:23:35.38
The Bible says
in Revelation 3:12,
00:23:35.41\00:23:38.65
it says, "Him that
overcometh will I make a pillar
00:23:38.68\00:23:43.18
in the temple of my God,
and he shall go no more out,
00:23:43.22\00:23:47.82
and I will write upon
him the name of my God,
00:23:47.86\00:23:52.96
and the name of
the city of my God,
00:23:52.99\00:23:56.50
which is new Jerusalem,
00:23:56.53\00:23:57.87
which cometh down out
of heaven from my God,
00:23:57.90\00:23:59.93
and I will write
upon him my new name."
00:23:59.97\00:24:04.71
You see for the
Christian, for the child of God
00:24:04.74\00:24:07.91
we see that there
is absolutely no need
00:24:07.94\00:24:10.81
for me to go from
Dwayne Lemon to Dwayne X.
00:24:10.85\00:24:13.82
That does not
change my character.
00:24:13.85\00:24:15.72
In fact, I say this
as respectfully as I can.
00:24:15.75\00:24:19.19
There are
individuals who supposedly
00:24:19.22\00:24:21.09
have all these
wonderful African-Asiatic names,
00:24:21.12\00:24:24.46
but they are some of the biggest
00:24:24.49\00:24:25.83
promoters of fornication,
00:24:25.86\00:24:27.43
they are some of
the biggest promoters
00:24:27.46\00:24:28.80
of drinking
Guinness Draught and Hennessy
00:24:28.83\00:24:30.60
and all these
other poisonous alcohols
00:24:30.63\00:24:32.47
that are killing
people, their own people,
00:24:32.50\00:24:34.30
even the ones who pay
money to buy their records.
00:24:34.34\00:24:36.57
There are individuals
who are changing their names,
00:24:36.60\00:24:40.11
but they are the ones
who'll lift up their hands
00:24:40.14\00:24:42.31
and even lift up a gun
00:24:42.34\00:24:43.78
and they will go ahead
and shoot their own brothers
00:24:43.81\00:24:45.65
just because of some
point of competition,
00:24:45.68\00:24:48.08
yet they got
supposedly righteous name.
00:24:48.12\00:24:51.15
This is ridiculous
00:24:51.19\00:24:52.52
and this is what God
wants us to understand
00:24:52.55\00:24:54.99
is that right now
the focus is character,
00:24:55.02\00:24:57.06
not the name.
00:24:57.09\00:24:58.43
Jesus says, I got a
name and reserved for you
00:24:58.46\00:25:00.46
but first I want to see my
character reflected in you.
00:25:00.50\00:25:03.33
So that's my response
00:25:03.37\00:25:04.70
to those into
hip-hop culture is that,
00:25:04.73\00:25:06.40
"Dwayne, why is that you
haven't changed your name?"
00:25:06.43\00:25:08.24
Is because Jesus
already got a name for me.
00:25:08.27\00:25:10.51
And what I want to do
00:25:10.54\00:25:11.87
is I want to enter into
an experience with Christ
00:25:11.91\00:25:13.98
that I can
overcome as He overcame
00:25:14.01\00:25:16.38
and when I get
00:25:16.41\00:25:18.05
to that new
heaven and new earth,
00:25:18.08\00:25:19.71
I'm gonna be
rewarded with a new name
00:25:19.75\00:25:23.08
and that name, praise God,
00:25:23.12\00:25:24.45
is gonna also recognize
itself with my character.
00:25:24.49\00:25:27.79
And that's what's
important right now.
00:25:27.82\00:25:29.82
So how does--
00:25:29.86\00:25:32.03
Again, Daniel is
there, he takes the stand,
00:25:32.06\00:25:34.70
but his name is changed.
00:25:34.73\00:25:36.67
Does the name changed
00:25:36.70\00:25:38.07
or the fact that I
have a negative name,
00:25:38.10\00:25:39.80
on the flip side,
00:25:39.83\00:25:41.17
does it make me
corrupt or can I take the stand
00:25:41.20\00:25:44.54
even if I've gone
through the process?
00:25:44.57\00:25:46.61
You know, you definitely
can and I'm not here to knock
00:25:46.64\00:25:49.84
if somebody wants
to change their name.
00:25:49.88\00:25:51.71
Just because
someone changed their name,
00:25:51.75\00:25:53.75
if you want to
do that that's fine,
00:25:53.78\00:25:55.32
but when we try to make
the changing of our names
00:25:55.35\00:25:57.92
to make a point or
standard of righteousness,
00:25:57.95\00:26:00.42
that's false righteousness.
00:26:00.46\00:26:01.79
Isaiah 64:6 tells us
00:26:01.82\00:26:03.79
that "All our righteousness
are as filthy rags."
00:26:03.83\00:26:07.13
There is no
righteousness that we can offer
00:26:07.16\00:26:08.83
or commend ourselves to God
00:26:08.86\00:26:10.23
wherein He can look
upon us as holy people
00:26:10.27\00:26:12.30
just because we
have some different name.
00:26:12.33\00:26:14.57
And that's
what's very, very key.
00:26:14.60\00:26:16.17
So, God wants us right
now, the focus for God's people
00:26:16.20\00:26:20.51
is for us to reflect
that character of Christ
00:26:20.54\00:26:23.28
in this very
sinful wicked world.
00:26:23.31\00:26:25.85
That's the message right
now that God wants to give.
00:26:25.88\00:26:28.72
And that's the
core of true education.
00:26:28.75\00:26:30.69
Yes, sir.
00:26:30.72\00:26:32.05
So, there is something
very special and very distinct
00:26:32.09\00:26:37.43
that God desires
to provide us with.
00:26:37.46\00:26:39.83
He desires us to have a way
to escape all of the trappings
00:26:39.86\00:26:46.33
and all of the
past errors and failures
00:26:46.37\00:26:49.57
that we've seen
and that we've done
00:26:49.60\00:26:51.61
and committed through our lives.
00:26:51.64\00:26:53.34
God wants to give us a
transformation of character,
00:26:53.38\00:26:58.05
a complete restoration.
00:26:58.08\00:26:59.71
He wants to give us not
only a physical restoration,
00:26:59.75\00:27:02.88
but He wants to give
us a mental restoration
00:27:02.92\00:27:05.22
and a spiritual restoration.
00:27:05.25\00:27:06.79
Now understand again
as we said many times,
00:27:06.82\00:27:09.12
this restoration does not mean
00:27:09.16\00:27:10.73
that you'll not experience
suffering or hardship.
00:27:10.76\00:27:13.60
This is not what
we are talking about.
00:27:13.63\00:27:14.96
We are not
talking about nirvana.
00:27:15.00\00:27:17.63
We are talking
about peace of mind
00:27:17.67\00:27:20.44
that only God can provide
00:27:20.47\00:27:22.37
and the ability to
navigate through life
00:27:22.40\00:27:25.14
and not
compromise, stand for God
00:27:25.17\00:27:27.34
and God will
honor us and reward us
00:27:27.38\00:27:29.34
according to His
righteousness and not our own.
00:27:29.38\00:27:32.05
Amen.
00:27:32.08\00:27:33.42
We want to thank you
again for joining us at TKS,
00:27:33.45\00:27:35.65
A True Knowledge of Self.
00:27:35.68\00:27:37.12
We want to encourage
you to join us again.
00:27:37.15\00:27:39.12
Invite a friend and
consider these things
00:27:39.15\00:27:42.59
and study them out for yourself
and understand and remember.
00:27:42.62\00:27:46.86
The Bible says in Proverbs 2:6,
00:27:46.90\00:27:49.60
"That it is God
who gives wisdom,
00:27:49.63\00:27:51.97
the Lord gives wisdom
00:27:52.00\00:27:53.74
and out of His mouth comes
knowledge and understanding."
00:27:53.77\00:27:58.81
God bless you.
00:27:58.84\00:28:00.18