Maddy is going to sing
00:00:13.58\00:00:15.64
a beautiful
song about that today
00:00:15.68\00:00:17.68
'cause we're going
to be talking about
00:00:17.71\00:00:19.51
it's time to grow up.
00:00:19.55\00:00:21.42
And you and I
need to ask ourselves
00:00:21.45\00:00:23.95
whatever He wants of me
that's what I want to do.
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Surrender
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To the perfect will of God
00:00:46.71\00:00:52.11
I do not give
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Him less
00:00:56.28\00:01:00.99
Though He may lead my steps
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From here abroad
00:01:03.93\00:01:07.70
I want His will
00:01:07.73\00:01:12.50
My life to bless
00:01:12.53\00:01:16.54
Whatever He wants
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For me His will
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His will I must know
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Wherever He wants
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To send me
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His way by faith
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I must go
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If He once speaks
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I'll obey at His voice
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I've already decided
00:02:07.02\00:02:12.29
His will is my choice
00:02:12.33\00:02:17.47
Whatever He wants
00:02:17.50\00:02:22.10
For me His will
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His will I must do
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My plans must not
oppose His perfect will
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I want to live
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His thoughts
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My words and deeds
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His purpose to fulfill
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For I am His
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So dearly bought
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Whatever He wants
00:03:12.79\00:03:17.89
For me His will
00:03:17.93\00:03:24.73
His will I must know
00:03:24.77\00:03:31.47
Wherever He wants
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To send me
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His way by faith
00:03:40.75\00:03:45.15
I must go
00:03:45.19\00:03:50.69
If He once speaks
00:03:50.73\00:03:54.03
I'll obey at His voice
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I've already decided
00:03:59.20\00:04:04.47
His will is my choice
00:04:04.51\00:04:11.18
Whatever He wants
00:04:11.21\00:04:16.18
For me His will
00:04:16.22\00:04:23.46
His will I must do
00:04:23.49\00:04:30.77
His will
00:04:30.80\00:04:33.77
His will
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I must do
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Gracious Father,
00:05:02.06\00:05:05.23
we come to You today
00:05:05.27\00:05:08.70
to express our thanks
00:05:08.74\00:05:11.91
for the presence of Your Spirit.
00:05:11.94\00:05:15.24
Also, Lord, open
our hearts to You.
00:05:15.28\00:05:20.38
Lord, we ask
that each of us here
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may make sure
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that we're right
with Jesus Christ.
00:05:29.72\00:05:34.26
Lord, may I know
00:05:34.30\00:05:37.93
and if my heart was to
stop beating right now,
00:05:37.97\00:05:42.27
that everything
would be right with Jesus.
00:05:42.30\00:05:45.61
As we study Your Word,
00:05:45.64\00:05:48.74
we ask that You
will give us insight,
00:05:48.78\00:05:52.11
You'll give us understanding.
00:05:52.15\00:05:56.02
I pray that we might see all
that Jesus wants to do for us.
00:05:56.05\00:06:01.09
We ask that Your blessing
00:06:01.12\00:06:03.53
might rest with each
individual here today.
00:06:03.56\00:06:06.93
For this, we ask in Your name,
00:06:06.96\00:06:09.66
Amen.
00:06:09.70\00:06:13.13
In the Christian life,
00:06:18.94\00:06:21.64
it is absolutely necessary
00:06:21.68\00:06:24.78
that you grow.
00:06:24.81\00:06:26.85
There is no such thing
00:06:26.88\00:06:30.25
in the walk with the Lord
00:06:30.29\00:06:32.22
as standing still,
00:06:32.25\00:06:35.06
that doesn't exist.
00:06:35.09\00:06:37.46
If your Christian
experience is not moving ahead,
00:06:37.49\00:06:41.96
then it's going backwards.
00:06:42.00\00:06:44.97
So it is necessary
00:06:45.00\00:06:47.40
that you and I continue
00:06:47.44\00:06:49.94
day by day to grow.
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The Scripture tells us
00:06:53.07\00:06:55.14
in Ephesians 4:15,
00:06:55.18\00:06:58.41
"But, speaking
the truth and love,
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may grow up in
all things into Him
00:07:01.02\00:07:03.79
who is the head, Christ."
00:07:03.82\00:07:05.99
So the Bible just simply says
00:07:06.02\00:07:07.72
that you and I need to grow up.
00:07:07.76\00:07:11.19
Growth is not
something that is instantaneous.
00:07:11.23\00:07:15.66
Growth is
something that takes place
00:07:15.70\00:07:17.53
over a period of time.
00:07:17.57\00:07:20.04
There is no such thing
00:07:20.07\00:07:22.70
as instantaneous sanctification.
00:07:22.74\00:07:28.14
Justification, yes.
00:07:28.18\00:07:31.18
When you give your heart
to the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:07:31.21\00:07:34.78
then at that moment,
00:07:34.82\00:07:37.19
your sins are
forgiven, you are justified,
00:07:37.22\00:07:40.49
you are made
right with Jesus Christ.
00:07:40.52\00:07:43.96
But from that moment
on, it is a walk with Jesus.
00:07:43.99\00:07:49.86
It is a growth day by day.
00:07:49.90\00:07:53.87
That is necessary
in the Christian life.
00:07:53.90\00:07:57.11
2 Peter 3:18,
00:07:57.14\00:08:00.18
"But grow in grace
00:08:00.21\00:08:02.01
and the knowledge of the
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
00:08:02.04\00:08:05.65
So you and I are
to grow in grace.
00:08:05.68\00:08:09.82
You are to realize
00:08:09.85\00:08:12.45
that as one who
has accepted Christ
00:08:12.49\00:08:16.39
that that is the most
important thing in your life
00:08:16.42\00:08:20.80
is your
relationship with Jesus Christ.
00:08:20.83\00:08:24.33
That is the most
important thing that you have.
00:08:24.37\00:08:27.80
And therefore, it is necessary
that you do those things
00:08:27.84\00:08:33.11
that will cause
growth to take place.
00:08:33.14\00:08:36.78
Those are important.
00:08:36.81\00:08:39.11
There are two men in the Bible.
00:08:39.15\00:08:42.25
Two men other than Jesus Christ
00:08:42.28\00:08:45.19
that you never read anything
that they ever did wrong.
00:08:45.22\00:08:50.99
Now the Bible is unique
00:08:51.03\00:08:53.96
in the fact that it tells
the good and bad of people.
00:08:54.00\00:08:58.30
I mean, it doesn't
just tell the good,
00:08:58.33\00:09:00.44
it tells the bad as
well, but there's two men,
00:09:00.47\00:09:02.74
that you can't read
00:09:02.77\00:09:04.11
where they ever
did anything wrong.
00:09:04.14\00:09:05.57
One of those was Joseph.
00:09:05.61\00:09:08.24
You read the life of Joseph,
00:09:08.28\00:09:09.91
it doesn't ever tell about
anything that Joseph did wrong.
00:09:09.94\00:09:13.75
Now true enough,
he was a human being.
00:09:13.78\00:09:16.72
And as a human
being, we are all sinners.
00:09:16.75\00:09:20.49
We all come short
of the glory of God.
00:09:20.52\00:09:22.79
So there's no
question he did things wrong,
00:09:22.82\00:09:25.16
but the Scripture
doesn't record it.
00:09:25.19\00:09:27.73
Okay?
00:09:27.76\00:09:29.10
So you've got an example
00:09:29.13\00:09:31.07
in the life of two men
that will help you and I
00:09:31.10\00:09:34.40
in our Christian life.
00:09:34.44\00:09:35.77
And it says this about Joseph.
00:09:35.80\00:09:37.47
"Joseph is a fruitful bough,
00:09:37.51\00:09:39.97
a fruitful bough by a well.
00:09:40.01\00:09:43.48
His branch runs over the wall."
00:09:43.51\00:09:45.45
Now that may sound
00:09:45.48\00:09:46.88
like a very simple statement.
00:09:46.92\00:09:48.98
There are great,
great truths in that.
00:09:49.02\00:09:53.46
When it says that
00:09:53.49\00:09:54.82
he is a fruitful
bough by a, what?
00:09:54.86\00:10:00.40
By a well.
00:10:00.43\00:10:02.66
We'll come back
and talk about that.
00:10:02.70\00:10:04.57
Because of being a
fruitful bough by well,
00:10:04.60\00:10:08.54
his branches ran over the wall.
00:10:08.57\00:10:12.44
Great, great truth in that.
00:10:12.47\00:10:16.14
Grew, his experience grew,
00:10:16.18\00:10:19.15
he stayed close to the Lord.
00:10:19.18\00:10:21.05
And as a result of that,
00:10:21.08\00:10:22.88
his branches ran over the wall.
00:10:22.92\00:10:26.35
The other person
00:10:26.39\00:10:27.89
that the Scripture mentions
00:10:27.92\00:10:29.76
that you can't read anything
00:10:29.79\00:10:31.93
who ever did
anything wrong was Daniel.
00:10:31.96\00:10:35.13
And it says this, Daniel 6:10.
00:10:35.16\00:10:37.93
"Now when Daniel knew
that the writing was signed,
00:10:37.97\00:10:41.34
he went home.
00:10:41.37\00:10:43.14
And in his upper room,
00:10:43.17\00:10:44.74
with his window
open towards Jerusalem,
00:10:44.77\00:10:48.88
he knelt down on his
knees three times that day
00:10:48.91\00:10:52.21
and prayed and gave
thanks before his God,
00:10:52.25\00:10:54.85
as was his
00:10:54.88\00:10:56.75
custom since early days."
00:10:56.79\00:11:00.22
That the creed had
gone forth from the king
00:11:00.26\00:11:03.43
that nobody
00:11:03.46\00:11:05.39
was to pray to any
other God but the kings.
00:11:05.43\00:11:09.53
That was it.
00:11:09.56\00:11:11.33
But Daniel's custom
was to pray every day.
00:11:11.37\00:11:15.04
It didn't stop him,
00:11:15.07\00:11:16.40
didn't deter him one bit, folks.
00:11:16.44\00:11:19.24
He went up with
his windows open,
00:11:19.27\00:11:21.01
he didn't even close them,
00:11:21.04\00:11:22.91
left the windows
open and prayed to his God
00:11:22.94\00:11:26.01
as his custom was, okay?
00:11:26.05\00:11:29.35
There are some very
important things about
00:11:29.38\00:11:31.95
what Daniel did that
is necessary for you and I
00:11:31.99\00:11:36.12
in our Christian growth, okay?
00:11:36.16\00:11:39.06
Why is it necessary?
00:11:39.09\00:11:40.93
Why is it necessary
for Christian growth?
00:11:40.96\00:11:45.33
What do I have to do
00:11:45.37\00:11:47.37
for my spiritual
experience to grow?
00:11:47.40\00:11:50.31
What is necessary?
00:11:50.34\00:11:51.67
Well, to begin with,
00:11:51.71\00:11:53.04
it says, "As newborn babes,
00:11:53.07\00:11:55.68
desire pure milk of the word,
00:11:55.71\00:11:58.81
that you may grow thereby."
00:11:58.85\00:12:02.48
It makes it very
clear that as babes,
00:12:02.52\00:12:05.25
you and I need
the milk of the word.
00:12:05.29\00:12:09.32
This is it.
00:12:09.36\00:12:11.06
That's what I need.
00:12:11.09\00:12:12.43
You can't really grow
spiritually without it.
00:12:12.46\00:12:16.97
So you've got to
take the milk of the word
00:12:17.00\00:12:21.20
and drink of it
00:12:21.24\00:12:22.94
if you're going to grow.
00:12:22.97\00:12:25.27
And, dear friend,
00:12:25.31\00:12:27.74
if that Bible is laying
there on the coffee table
00:12:27.78\00:12:31.91
or if it's in the closet,
00:12:31.95\00:12:34.48
if it's gathering dust,
00:12:34.52\00:12:37.32
dust it off
00:12:37.35\00:12:39.12
and get in it.
00:12:39.15\00:12:40.79
You know, spend
time in the Word of God.
00:12:40.82\00:12:45.43
There are some
very simple things
00:12:45.46\00:12:47.06
about the Word of God.
00:12:47.10\00:12:48.86
The Bible
00:12:48.90\00:12:51.23
is necessary.
00:12:51.27\00:12:52.77
It does a lot of things
for us, the Scripture does.
00:12:52.80\00:12:55.90
And so you need to get a Bible.
00:12:55.94\00:12:58.17
Get one, folks,
that you can understand,
00:12:58.21\00:13:00.91
okay?
00:13:00.94\00:13:02.28
What I've been
preaching to you here
00:13:02.31\00:13:04.21
five weeks out
of is what's called
00:13:04.25\00:13:05.95
the New King James Version.
00:13:05.98\00:13:08.02
Why do I use the
New King James Version?
00:13:08.05\00:13:10.62
I use the New King James Version
00:13:10.65\00:13:13.49
because I grew up
on the Old King James.
00:13:13.52\00:13:17.33
That's how I grew up.
00:13:17.36\00:13:18.69
In fact, when I was a boy,
00:13:18.73\00:13:20.46
I had a difficult time
with this because my mother...
00:13:20.50\00:13:26.13
You know, I didn't appreciate it
00:13:26.17\00:13:27.64
and didn't like it.
00:13:27.67\00:13:29.00
But now, as I got older,
00:13:29.04\00:13:31.17
I realized what
invaluable help it was
00:13:31.21\00:13:34.14
that she would make me...
00:13:34.18\00:13:36.31
She would make me sit down
and read her the Scripture.
00:13:36.34\00:13:40.38
I mean, she'd make
me read several chapters
00:13:40.42\00:13:42.95
to her out loud,
00:13:42.98\00:13:44.45
you know what I mean?
00:13:44.49\00:13:45.82
And I detested that
00:13:45.85\00:13:47.52
as a young person.
00:13:47.56\00:13:48.89
I didn't want to do that at all,
00:13:48.92\00:13:50.99
but she insisted I read to her.
00:13:51.03\00:13:52.76
And I can still remember,
00:13:52.79\00:13:54.13
I'd read it just as fast
as I could read it, you know?
00:13:54.16\00:13:58.00
But, boy, those texts
00:13:58.03\00:14:00.04
that I read her over and over,
00:14:00.07\00:14:02.80
they stuck,
00:14:02.84\00:14:04.37
you know, they stayed there.
00:14:04.41\00:14:05.97
And now great, great help
00:14:06.01\00:14:07.91
because those
texts come flooding back.
00:14:07.94\00:14:10.61
So spend time
in the Word of God.
00:14:10.65\00:14:14.75
It has tremendous
effect upon your life.
00:14:14.78\00:14:18.59
Speaking of those in Berean,
00:14:18.62\00:14:23.53
it says they were faithful
00:14:23.56\00:14:26.90
because they did something.
00:14:26.93\00:14:28.26
It says here in Acts 17:11,
00:14:28.30\00:14:30.53
"These were more fair-minded
than those in Thessalonica,
00:14:30.57\00:14:34.37
in that they received the word
00:14:34.40\00:14:38.67
with all readiness and
searched the Scriptures
00:14:38.71\00:14:42.38
daily to find out whether
00:14:42.41\00:14:45.25
these things were so."
00:14:45.28\00:14:46.92
They heard Paul,
they heard Silas speak
00:14:46.95\00:14:49.42
that they got the Scriptures,
00:14:49.45\00:14:51.35
and they checked it out,
and they studied the Scripture
00:14:51.39\00:14:54.16
to see if what was being
preached to them were so.
00:14:54.19\00:14:57.63
That's what you need to do.
00:14:57.66\00:14:59.86
I stand up here
and preach to you,
00:14:59.89\00:15:01.90
but you need to
open the Word of God
00:15:01.93\00:15:03.67
and see what I told
you if it's true or not.
00:15:03.70\00:15:06.94
You do not build
your belief on a preacher.
00:15:06.97\00:15:12.17
You build your
belief on the Word of God.
00:15:12.21\00:15:16.01
What in this text
that I just read you
00:15:16.04\00:15:19.71
other than the fact
that they spent time
00:15:19.75\00:15:21.58
in the Word of God is important?
00:15:21.62\00:15:24.79
There's one word there you ought
00:15:24.82\00:15:26.19
to very special attention to.
00:15:26.22\00:15:28.76
Yeah, that word daily.
00:15:28.79\00:15:32.06
They did it daily.
00:15:32.09\00:15:33.90
It wasn't something
that was spasmodic with them,
00:15:33.93\00:15:37.47
it wasn't something
they done once in a while,
00:15:37.50\00:15:39.70
but they did it daily.
00:15:39.73\00:15:41.84
And you and I
00:15:41.87\00:15:43.20
need to spend time in
the Word of God daily,
00:15:43.24\00:15:47.48
so important that you do.
00:15:47.51\00:15:49.11
I learned a long time ago
00:15:52.58\00:15:55.02
that you've got to
give it special priority.
00:15:55.05\00:15:57.65
Why do you have to
give it special priority?
00:15:57.69\00:16:01.82
Do you know why?
00:16:01.86\00:16:03.39
You have to give
it special priority
00:16:03.43\00:16:04.99
because the devil
will do everything he can
00:16:05.03\00:16:06.93
to keep you from doing it daily.
00:16:06.96\00:16:10.07
I can assure you,
00:16:10.10\00:16:11.47
he'll bring up
everything he can,
00:16:11.50\00:16:14.47
every way to try to
keep you from doing that.
00:16:14.50\00:16:19.24
But I decided that if
I could eat physically,
00:16:19.27\00:16:24.08
I seem to find time
to do that every day.
00:16:24.11\00:16:27.62
If I could do that,
00:16:27.65\00:16:28.98
I could spend time
eating spiritually every day.
00:16:29.02\00:16:32.35
And so I made a
decision, I said,
00:16:32.39\00:16:34.86
"Okay,
00:16:34.89\00:16:36.22
if I do not spend
time eating spiritually,
00:16:36.26\00:16:39.46
I don't eat physically."
00:16:39.49\00:16:42.56
And since that day, I
found time to do both.
00:16:42.60\00:16:45.90
So, you know,
00:16:45.93\00:16:47.27
open up the Word of
God, spend time in it daily,
00:16:47.30\00:16:52.87
make all the difference
in the world in your life.
00:16:52.91\00:16:55.91
You see, the Scripture
00:16:55.94\00:16:58.21
is your defense against sin.
00:16:58.25\00:17:01.72
Did you know that?
00:17:01.75\00:17:03.25
The Scripture is
your defense against sin?
00:17:03.28\00:17:07.32
If you're having a hard time
00:17:07.36\00:17:09.52
struggling over
some particular sin
00:17:09.56\00:17:12.83
that plagues your life,
00:17:12.86\00:17:14.50
spend time in the Word of God.
00:17:14.53\00:17:17.13
This is what the Scripture says,
00:17:17.17\00:17:19.63
"Your word have I
hidden in my heart
00:17:19.67\00:17:21.94
that I might
not sin against You.
00:17:21.97\00:17:25.97
Your word if I hid in my heart
00:17:26.01\00:17:27.64
that I might not
sin against You."
00:17:27.68\00:17:30.21
That is simply
what the word does.
00:17:30.25\00:17:32.71
I take it into my life
and it builds, it helps.
00:17:32.75\00:17:36.69
I grow spiritually.
00:17:36.72\00:17:39.05
And as I grow,
00:17:39.09\00:17:40.42
it's a defense against sin.
00:17:40.46\00:17:42.22
That's the way
you meet temptation.
00:17:42.26\00:17:46.39
Did you know that?
00:17:46.43\00:17:48.96
I've known
people saying thank you,
00:17:49.00\00:17:51.63
you meet
temptation by willpower.
00:17:51.67\00:17:55.74
No, you don't,
00:17:55.77\00:17:57.94
you meet
temptation by the Word of God.
00:17:57.97\00:18:00.61
That's how you meet it.
00:18:00.64\00:18:01.98
In fact, that's
the way Jesus met it.
00:18:02.01\00:18:05.35
If you don't think
00:18:05.38\00:18:06.72
that He didn't meet it that way,
00:18:06.75\00:18:08.32
listen to the temptation
00:18:08.35\00:18:10.92
for the devil is come to Him,
00:18:10.95\00:18:13.92
said, you know,
00:18:13.96\00:18:15.32
"If you're the Son of God,
00:18:15.36\00:18:18.23
turn these stones into bread."
00:18:18.26\00:18:21.26
Haven't had
anything to eat for 40 days.
00:18:21.30\00:18:23.13
But He answered and said, what?
00:18:26.47\00:18:30.81
"It is written.
00:18:30.84\00:18:34.58
It is written."
00:18:34.61\00:18:37.35
Are you getting the point?
00:18:37.38\00:18:38.81
I mean, when the
temptation was there,
00:18:38.85\00:18:41.28
He went to the
Word of God, He said,
00:18:41.32\00:18:42.78
"It is written
man shall not live
00:18:42.82\00:18:45.15
by bread alone."
00:18:45.19\00:18:46.89
Yeah?
00:18:46.92\00:18:48.26
I mean, that's where He went.
00:18:48.29\00:18:49.62
Devil wasn't satisfied with that
00:18:49.66\00:18:51.76
but by every word that proceeds
out of the mouth of God,
00:18:51.79\00:18:54.93
and then it says
00:18:54.96\00:18:57.10
that the devil
00:18:57.13\00:18:59.10
took Him where?
00:18:59.13\00:19:01.54
Okay.
00:19:01.57\00:19:02.90
And it says,
00:19:02.94\00:19:05.37
the Lord has said, you know,
00:19:05.41\00:19:07.81
taking the pinnacle temple said,
00:19:07.84\00:19:09.51
"Cast yourself off."
00:19:09.54\00:19:11.45
In fact, He quoted,
00:19:11.48\00:19:13.45
Jesus had quoted the Scripture,
00:19:13.48\00:19:15.18
quoted the devil
Scripture, He said,
00:19:15.22\00:19:16.65
"It is written
00:19:16.69\00:19:18.02
man shall not
live by bread alone."
00:19:18.05\00:19:19.52
So the devil said, "Okay,
you want to quote Scripture?"
00:19:19.55\00:19:22.72
While over here in Psalms,
00:19:22.76\00:19:24.59
it says He'll give His
angels charge over You,
00:19:24.63\00:19:27.73
lest you dash your
foot against the stone.
00:19:27.76\00:19:29.76
Jump off, see if He will."
00:19:29.80\00:19:32.63
And Jesus responded,
00:19:32.67\00:19:34.27
Jesus said to him, "It is..."
00:19:34.30\00:19:37.51
Okay, you see,
00:19:37.54\00:19:38.87
coming back from the Scripture.
00:19:38.91\00:19:40.24
"It is written you shall
not tempt the Lord your God."
00:19:40.28\00:19:44.35
So that's it.
00:19:44.38\00:19:46.38
And then devil said, "Well,
if I can't get him that way..."
00:19:46.41\00:19:49.25
He took Him
00:19:49.28\00:19:50.62
to an exceedingly high mountain,
00:19:50.65\00:19:52.45
showed Him all the
kingdoms of this world,
00:19:52.49\00:19:56.26
He said,
00:19:56.29\00:19:57.63
"I'll give it all to You
00:19:57.66\00:19:59.46
if You'll just fall
down and worship me."
00:19:59.49\00:20:05.17
But Jesus said to him,
00:20:05.20\00:20:07.14
"Away with you, Satan.
00:20:07.17\00:20:10.01
Get away, Satan.
00:20:10.04\00:20:11.37
For it is written,
00:20:11.41\00:20:13.24
'You shall
worship the Lord your God,
00:20:13.27\00:20:17.35
and Him only you shall serve.'"
00:20:17.38\00:20:19.31
Every time, every time
00:20:19.35\00:20:21.68
Jesus went to the Word of God.
00:20:21.72\00:20:23.69
So, dear friends,
00:20:23.72\00:20:25.05
that's where you
and I have to stand.
00:20:25.09\00:20:26.82
When the temptation comes,
00:20:26.86\00:20:28.62
we've got to go
to the Word of God.
00:20:28.66\00:20:30.36
It's where you've got to go.
00:20:30.39\00:20:31.73
This is what the
Word of God says,
00:20:31.76\00:20:33.70
"This is where I stand,
00:20:33.73\00:20:35.83
this is where my faith is,
00:20:35.86\00:20:38.40
it's in the Word of God."
00:20:38.43\00:20:40.87
If I do that,
00:20:40.90\00:20:42.57
then it's a defense against sin,
00:20:42.60\00:20:45.91
then it helps me begin to grow.
00:20:45.94\00:20:48.88
It's also the way
00:20:48.91\00:20:51.08
that you get
acquainted with Jesus.
00:20:51.11\00:20:54.75
Hey,
00:20:54.78\00:20:56.89
how can you get
acquainted with Him
00:20:56.92\00:21:00.02
if you never
spend any time with Him?
00:21:00.06\00:21:02.59
I've never understood that.
00:21:02.62\00:21:05.49
You know,
00:21:05.53\00:21:06.86
how can you get acquainted Jesus
00:21:06.90\00:21:09.40
if you don't
spend time with Him?
00:21:09.43\00:21:11.23
In fact, Jesus said,
00:21:11.27\00:21:12.60
"That's the way you
got acquainted with Him."
00:21:12.63\00:21:16.57
John 5:39,
00:21:16.60\00:21:18.61
"You search the Scriptures,
00:21:18.64\00:21:20.51
for in them you think
you have eternal life.
00:21:20.54\00:21:24.65
And these are they
which testify of Me."
00:21:24.68\00:21:29.08
He said,
00:21:29.12\00:21:30.45
"These are the ones
that testify of Me."
00:21:30.49\00:21:33.59
So if you want to
come to know Jesus Christ,
00:21:33.62\00:21:36.22
then you've got to
spend time in the Word of God.
00:21:36.26\00:21:39.93
That makes all the
difference in the world.
00:21:39.96\00:21:42.76
I can tell you
right now, dear friend,
00:21:42.80\00:21:45.60
it's Jesus Christ
00:21:45.63\00:21:48.17
that makes the
Scripture come to life.
00:21:48.20\00:21:51.91
It's Jesus Christ
00:21:51.94\00:21:54.08
that puts meaning
into the Christian life.
00:21:54.11\00:21:58.41
It's Jesus Christ
00:21:58.45\00:22:00.65
that brings peace to your heart.
00:22:00.68\00:22:03.39
It's Jesus Christ
00:22:03.42\00:22:05.32
that puts joy in your soul.
00:22:05.35\00:22:08.12
And if you have
religion without Jesus Christ,
00:22:08.16\00:22:12.39
I'm sorry.
00:22:12.43\00:22:14.26
Sorry, but you
don't have those things
00:22:14.30\00:22:18.00
'cause religion without Jesus
00:22:18.03\00:22:22.20
doesn't bring peace,
00:22:22.24\00:22:24.67
it brings fear.
00:22:24.71\00:22:27.38
Let's say,
religion without Jesus
00:22:27.41\00:22:30.78
doesn't bring joy,
00:22:30.81\00:22:33.08
it does away with those things.
00:22:33.11\00:22:34.98
It's Jesus
00:22:35.02\00:22:36.38
that makes it real in every way.
00:22:36.42\00:22:39.35
Now Job 22:21.
00:22:39.39\00:22:42.42
"Now acquaint yourself with Him,
00:22:42.46\00:22:45.76
and be at peace."
00:22:45.79\00:22:48.36
So, dear friend,
00:22:48.40\00:22:49.73
I'm going to tell you
if you're going to grow
00:22:49.76\00:22:51.10
in Jesus Christ,
00:22:51.13\00:22:53.10
you're going to have to spend
some time in the Word of God,
00:22:53.13\00:22:56.81
daily, on a regular basis.
00:22:56.84\00:22:59.14
I've had many you
come up to me and say,
00:22:59.17\00:23:00.84
"Oh, Brother Cox, I've
enjoyed the meeting so much.
00:23:00.88\00:23:03.58
My Christian
experience has been enriched.
00:23:03.61\00:23:06.75
It's helped me so much."
00:23:06.78\00:23:08.65
Folks,
00:23:08.68\00:23:10.09
let's be real
honest with one another,
00:23:10.12\00:23:13.22
that has nothing to
do with the preacher,
00:23:13.25\00:23:16.36
it has nothing to do
with the preacher at all.
00:23:16.39\00:23:20.26
It only has to do with the fact
that you're spending more time
00:23:20.30\00:23:24.13
in the Word of God.
00:23:24.17\00:23:25.57
That's what it has to do with.
00:23:25.60\00:23:27.64
You see, your interest
is not in the preacher.
00:23:27.67\00:23:30.64
If a Western Union
boy comes to your door
00:23:30.67\00:23:32.47
knocking on the door,
00:23:32.51\00:23:33.84
what are you interested in most?
00:23:33.88\00:23:35.21
The Western Union
boy or the message?
00:23:35.24\00:23:38.31
Okay, that's all I am
as a Western Union boy,
00:23:38.35\00:23:40.62
nothing more, okay?
00:23:40.65\00:23:42.88
That's it.
00:23:42.92\00:23:44.29
So spend time
in the Word of God.
00:23:44.32\00:23:47.72
Learn what it has to say
00:23:47.76\00:23:49.32
because it's in it
that you become acquainted
00:23:49.36\00:23:52.63
with Jesus Christ.
00:23:52.66\00:23:54.23
You must not,
you must not, folks,
00:23:54.26\00:23:56.93
and those of you
that are being baptized,
00:23:56.97\00:23:58.87
those of you that have come here
00:23:58.90\00:24:00.47
and some 275 of
you or so that have
00:24:00.50\00:24:04.57
accepted Jesus Christ
as your personal Savior.
00:24:04.61\00:24:07.41
And you're born
into the kingdom of God,
00:24:07.44\00:24:09.18
you're born into
the kingdom as babes,
00:24:09.21\00:24:12.01
Okay?
00:24:12.05\00:24:13.38
But please don't stay a baby,
00:24:13.42\00:24:17.92
you know? We all love babies.
00:24:17.95\00:24:21.79
You pick them up, love
them, they're wonderful.
00:24:21.82\00:24:24.13
But if it stays a baby,
00:24:24.16\00:24:25.79
there's
something seriously wrong.
00:24:25.83\00:24:28.50
Okay?
00:24:28.53\00:24:29.86
We want it to grow,
00:24:29.90\00:24:31.33
and you must grow in
your Christian experience.
00:24:31.37\00:24:34.04
If you don't,
then it's not right.
00:24:34.07\00:24:37.34
So don't stay a baby, grow.
00:24:37.37\00:24:40.38
How do you do that?
00:24:40.41\00:24:41.74
1 Corinthians 3:2,
00:24:41.78\00:24:44.05
"I fed you with milk
00:24:44.08\00:24:46.31
and not with solid food."
00:24:46.35\00:24:51.72
I've given you a mixture here.
00:24:51.75\00:24:54.36
I've given you some milk
00:24:54.39\00:24:55.72
and I've given some
of you some solid food,
00:24:55.76\00:24:58.29
okay?
00:24:58.33\00:24:59.66
But nevertheless,
00:24:59.69\00:25:01.03
you don't need to
just stay on milk,
00:25:01.06\00:25:03.50
you need to get on solid food.
00:25:03.53\00:25:05.73
"For until now
00:25:05.77\00:25:07.17
you were not able to receive it,
00:25:07.20\00:25:09.34
and even now
00:25:09.37\00:25:10.81
you are still not
able to receive it."
00:25:10.84\00:25:13.27
"For everyone who
partakes only of milk
00:25:16.68\00:25:19.35
is unskilled in the
word of righteousness,
00:25:19.38\00:25:23.45
for he is a babe."
00:25:23.49\00:25:26.86
So it's saying if you just...
00:25:26.89\00:25:28.82
"All you get is milk,
00:25:28.86\00:25:30.73
well, then you're just a babe.
00:25:30.76\00:25:34.33
You need to get
into some solid food."
00:25:34.36\00:25:38.33
That means you
need to spend time
00:25:38.37\00:25:40.47
studying the Word of God
00:25:40.50\00:25:41.84
but solid food belongs to
those who are of full age.
00:25:41.87\00:25:47.81
So, dear friend,
00:25:47.84\00:25:49.18
get into the Word of
God, begin to study it.
00:25:49.21\00:25:52.21
This is the reason,
00:25:52.25\00:25:54.72
"That is, those who by reason
00:25:54.75\00:25:57.25
of use have
their senses exercised
00:25:57.29\00:25:59.72
to discern both good and evil."
00:25:59.75\00:26:01.96
All right, what does it do?
00:26:01.99\00:26:04.09
You take a tree
00:26:08.63\00:26:11.50
when it sprouts, comes up,
00:26:11.53\00:26:13.90
just a very, very
small twig, a tree.
00:26:13.94\00:26:18.87
A child can go and pull it up.
00:26:18.91\00:26:22.98
Not difficult.
00:26:23.01\00:26:24.35
I mean, when it comes up
and it's just a little twig,
00:26:24.38\00:26:26.72
a child can reach
and get hold of that tree
00:26:26.75\00:26:28.78
and pull it out of the ground.
00:26:28.82\00:26:31.59
But you let that tree grow,
00:26:31.62\00:26:35.42
and you let it
become a mighty oak,
00:26:35.46\00:26:40.40
and 10 men can't move it.
00:26:40.43\00:26:43.47
That's the same thing in
the Christian experience.
00:26:43.50\00:26:46.84
That's what
Jesus was talking about
00:26:46.87\00:26:49.04
when He talked about
the sower that sowed seed
00:26:49.07\00:26:52.04
and He said that it sprung up.
00:26:52.07\00:26:54.21
Remember?
00:26:54.24\00:26:55.58
Sprung up, but He said
it didn't have much root.
00:26:55.61\00:27:00.28
And it says
when the sun came out
00:27:00.32\00:27:02.48
and persecution came,
it withered up and died.
00:27:02.52\00:27:06.02
You see,
00:27:06.05\00:27:07.39
you've come here,
you've read the Word of God,
00:27:07.42\00:27:09.76
you've seen it on the
screen, you've studied it,
00:27:09.79\00:27:12.06
and you have
reached out in faith,
00:27:12.09\00:27:13.66
and given your
heart to Jesus Christ.
00:27:13.70\00:27:15.73
It's as a twig that's come up,
00:27:15.76\00:27:19.40
but you mustn't stay there,
you've got to put down root.
00:27:19.43\00:27:24.44
When you put down root,
00:27:24.47\00:27:26.27
then the tree begins
to get solid and fast,
00:27:26.31\00:27:29.51
and no one can
shake it or move it.
00:27:29.54\00:27:32.55
That's what you and I are to be,
00:27:32.58\00:27:34.02
"My faith must be
based on the Word of God.
00:27:34.05\00:27:37.42
I must stand there.
00:27:37.45\00:27:38.79
That's what I must believe."
00:27:38.82\00:27:41.26
And if I do that,
00:27:41.29\00:27:43.19
then it becomes solid.
00:27:43.22\00:27:45.89
I grew up.
00:27:45.93\00:27:47.50
When we left
Chicago, we moved to Oklahoma.
00:27:47.53\00:27:52.13
I grew up in the
southeast part of the state.
00:27:52.17\00:27:56.20
In the southeast
part of the state,
00:27:56.24\00:27:57.91
they have what's
called strip mines.
00:27:57.94\00:28:00.81
I don't know if
you've ever heard of
00:28:00.84\00:28:02.44
what's called a
strip mine or a strip pit.
00:28:02.48\00:28:05.71
That feels like this.
00:28:05.75\00:28:08.28
And what they do
00:28:08.32\00:28:09.65
is they find that
just under the soil,
00:28:09.68\00:28:12.95
two or three foot
under the soil is coal.
00:28:12.99\00:28:16.32
And so they go in,
00:28:16.36\00:28:17.89
and they take bulldozers,
and they push away the soil,
00:28:17.93\00:28:20.93
and they begin to
strip out the coal.
00:28:20.96\00:28:24.57
Dig it up, strip it out.
00:28:24.60\00:28:27.54
But let me tell you something,
00:28:27.57\00:28:29.44
in strip mines,
00:28:29.47\00:28:31.77
like this type, they
dig up the ore, you know,
00:28:31.81\00:28:35.74
you don't find diamonds.
00:28:35.78\00:28:40.58
You understand me?
00:28:40.62\00:28:42.05
In strip mines,
00:28:42.08\00:28:43.59
you do not find diamonds.
00:28:43.62\00:28:47.56
You know where
diamonds are found?
00:28:47.59\00:28:50.33
Way down
00:28:50.36\00:28:52.53
in the mine shafts,
00:28:52.56\00:28:53.90
way back deep
00:28:53.93\00:28:56.77
is where the diamonds are found.
00:28:56.80\00:28:59.07
And what I'm trying to tell you
00:28:59.10\00:29:00.50
that same thing is
true in the Word of God.
00:29:00.54\00:29:03.24
That's where you find it.
00:29:03.27\00:29:04.61
If you're just
going to peruse it
00:29:04.64\00:29:06.01
and if you're just
going to go over it shallow,
00:29:06.04\00:29:08.21
you're never
gonna find the diamonds.
00:29:08.24\00:29:11.18
So when you get into it,
00:29:11.21\00:29:12.85
and you dig, and you study,
00:29:12.88\00:29:15.02
then all of a sudden,
you run across the diamonds.
00:29:15.05\00:29:18.39
And when you find
them, you know it,
00:29:18.42\00:29:20.46
no question, it
speaks to your heart.
00:29:20.49\00:29:22.82
There's the
diamond of God's Word
00:29:22.86\00:29:24.86
and you see things.
00:29:24.89\00:29:26.23
All of a sudden,
00:29:26.26\00:29:27.60
the inspiration of the scripture
00:29:27.63\00:29:28.96
stands out in vivid form,
00:29:29.00\00:29:31.10
and you understand what
God is trying to tell you.
00:29:31.13\00:29:35.30
That takes place, folks,
00:29:35.34\00:29:37.31
by solid food,
digging in the Word of God.
00:29:37.34\00:29:41.78
So spend time in the
Word of God, dig in it.
00:29:41.81\00:29:47.05
How to study the Bible?
00:29:47.08\00:29:49.52
I want to share with
you just some principles
00:29:49.55\00:29:52.05
because I think a lot of people
00:29:52.09\00:29:54.59
don't know how to study it.
00:29:54.62\00:29:56.59
One, always pray first,
00:29:56.62\00:30:02.06
always pray first.
00:30:02.10\00:30:04.17
Let me tell you something,
00:30:04.20\00:30:06.30
human mind of
itself won't comprehend it.
00:30:06.33\00:30:11.74
So you need to pray,
00:30:11.77\00:30:13.54
and you need to ask God
to give you understanding.
00:30:13.58\00:30:19.28
John 16:13,
00:30:19.31\00:30:21.38
"However, when He, the
Spirit of truth has come,
00:30:21.42\00:30:25.35
He will guide
you into all truth."
00:30:25.39\00:30:28.26
You see, you have to have
the Spirit of God lead you in.
00:30:28.29\00:30:33.46
I know people who
read the Word of God
00:30:33.50\00:30:35.73
that they never
get anything out of it.
00:30:35.76\00:30:38.63
They never seem
to understand it.
00:30:38.67\00:30:40.94
As it says in the Scripture,
00:30:40.97\00:30:42.30
they wrestle it to
their own destruction.
00:30:42.34\00:30:44.84
Do you know why?
00:30:44.87\00:30:48.14
'Cause they're
lacking the Spirit of God.
00:30:48.18\00:30:52.35
What does that
mean they're lacking
00:30:52.38\00:30:53.72
the Spirit of God?
00:30:53.75\00:30:55.08
I mean, that if you
won't open your heart,
00:30:55.12\00:30:59.05
if you won't
keep your heart soft,
00:30:59.09\00:31:01.42
if you won't give
the Holy Spirit the right
00:31:01.46\00:31:03.83
to work in your
life in the mourn
00:31:03.86\00:31:05.59
and to impress and to guide you,
00:31:05.63\00:31:07.60
then you're not gonna understand
00:31:07.63\00:31:09.16
the Word of God.
00:31:09.20\00:31:12.30
If that's what it talks about,
00:31:12.33\00:31:13.87
reading the Scripture
with a veil over your face,
00:31:13.90\00:31:17.61
you can't do that.
00:31:17.64\00:31:18.97
So you've got to pray
00:31:19.01\00:31:20.48
and you've got to
open up your heart
00:31:20.51\00:31:22.18
and invite the Holy
Spirit to come into your life
00:31:22.21\00:31:25.48
and to fill your life
00:31:25.51\00:31:26.95
so that you can
understand the Word of God.
00:31:26.98\00:31:29.68
That is necessary, friends.
00:31:29.72\00:31:33.15
So first, pray.
00:31:33.19\00:31:36.46
Secondly, learn simple things.
00:31:36.49\00:31:42.03
Don't start out
studying the Word of God
00:31:42.06\00:31:45.43
by taking on
some major question.
00:31:45.47\00:31:49.50
I find people
that are babes trying
00:31:49.54\00:31:52.04
to run out and
understand the nature of God.
00:31:52.07\00:31:56.75
What are you talking about,
friend, you're a human being?
00:31:56.78\00:32:00.25
You're not gonna
understand divinity.
00:32:00.28\00:32:02.75
Never in 10,000
years will you understand
00:32:02.78\00:32:05.75
totally the
question of divinity?
00:32:05.79\00:32:09.02
Don't take
something on like that.
00:32:09.06\00:32:12.13
Oh, you may as years go by,
00:32:12.16\00:32:15.03
you may begin to get a glimpse
00:32:15.06\00:32:17.57
and you may understand,
00:32:17.60\00:32:18.97
but start out with
some simple things.
00:32:19.00\00:32:22.57
Learn some, just
the basic truths.
00:32:22.60\00:32:25.74
Look for those simple things.
00:32:25.77\00:32:28.38
What a difference it
will make in your life
00:32:28.41\00:32:30.81
when you see those,
00:32:30.85\00:32:32.18
and then when you
run across the diamond,
00:32:32.21\00:32:34.48
well, praise God.
00:32:34.52\00:32:36.72
Something
wonderful has happened, see,
00:32:36.75\00:32:38.99
but that's what you need to do.
00:32:39.02\00:32:40.36
Spend time with Him.
00:32:40.39\00:32:41.92
But just learn
simple things to start with.
00:32:41.96\00:32:45.69
Thirdly,
00:32:45.73\00:32:47.30
read the
Scripture for your own soul.
00:32:47.33\00:32:51.53
I run on the people who read it,
00:32:51.57\00:32:54.90
always trying to read it
for somebody else, you know?
00:32:54.94\00:32:59.14
Read it for your own soul.
00:32:59.17\00:33:01.78
Let it speak to your own heart.
00:33:01.81\00:33:05.18
Seek what God has to say to you?
00:33:05.21\00:33:08.55
That's not easy.
00:33:08.58\00:33:10.89
That's not easy
00:33:10.92\00:33:12.85
because you get
into the Word of God
00:33:12.89\00:33:16.22
and sometimes it
speaks so direct to you
00:33:16.26\00:33:19.49
that you don't
wanna hear it, you know?
00:33:19.53\00:33:22.33
This says...
00:33:22.36\00:33:23.70
God just very clear
says this, and you say, "My,"
00:33:23.73\00:33:28.07
wish I hadn't
read that, you know?
00:33:28.10\00:33:31.47
But you got to let
it speak to your soul.
00:33:31.51\00:33:34.78
And if you let it
speak to your soul,
00:33:34.81\00:33:36.95
then you begin to grow.
00:33:36.98\00:33:39.31
Things begin to
happen in your life,
00:33:39.35\00:33:41.22
but if you're
always going to read it
00:33:41.25\00:33:43.85
and read it for
somebody else or...
00:33:43.89\00:33:45.95
As I run on some people
00:33:45.99\00:33:47.32
that read it
strictly for argument sake.
00:33:47.36\00:33:50.39
No, no,
00:33:50.43\00:33:53.19
it's not the way you
study the Word of God.
00:33:53.23\00:33:56.46
It's His letter to you.
00:33:56.50\00:33:59.07
That's what He's
talking, He's talking to you.
00:33:59.10\00:34:01.87
Read it.
00:34:01.90\00:34:03.24
Understand it as
He speaks to you.
00:34:03.27\00:34:06.61
Four,
00:34:06.64\00:34:09.41
read it slowly, like I told you.
00:34:09.44\00:34:13.42
Man, I read it to my mother
just as fast as I can read it,
00:34:13.45\00:34:17.09
but that didn't help, you know?
00:34:17.12\00:34:18.65
I mean, sure it implanted a
lot of Scripture in my mind,
00:34:18.69\00:34:22.32
but that isn't the way
you really understand it.
00:34:22.36\00:34:25.59
You need to read it slow.
00:34:25.63\00:34:28.03
You're not trying to
win some contest, you know?
00:34:28.06\00:34:33.13
Just read it and as you read it,
00:34:33.17\00:34:35.34
try to understand
00:34:35.37\00:34:36.71
what each verse
is talking about.
00:34:36.74\00:34:39.54
So don't try to read it fast.
00:34:39.57\00:34:42.54
Just read it.
00:34:42.58\00:34:44.35
As I told you, I
cannot haphazardly do it,
00:34:44.38\00:34:49.88
it's not my nature.
00:34:49.92\00:34:51.72
So I know before a year starts,
00:34:51.75\00:34:53.66
I know what I'm going
to read that whole year.
00:34:53.69\00:34:57.03
I read my Bible
through every year
00:34:57.06\00:34:59.39
completely from cover to cover.
00:34:59.43\00:35:02.03
And I probably will
read five, six, seven books
00:35:02.06\00:35:07.14
related to the
Bible at that time.
00:35:07.17\00:35:10.41
I'll read that.
00:35:10.44\00:35:11.81
And I'll study those.
00:35:11.84\00:35:13.17
That's what I do.
00:35:13.21\00:35:14.54
That's my devotion.
00:35:14.58\00:35:15.91
That's the time I
spend with Jesus Christ.
00:35:15.94\00:35:19.51
Some have very wonderful
time, but read it slowly.
00:35:19.55\00:35:23.39
It'll help you if you do.
00:35:23.42\00:35:25.09
Five,
00:35:25.12\00:35:26.45
try to understand
what God's Word is saying.
00:35:26.49\00:35:30.43
If you don't understand
00:35:30.46\00:35:31.79
what it's saying on
one particular verse,
00:35:31.83\00:35:34.50
stay with that
verse until you understand
00:35:34.53\00:35:36.70
what God's saying.
00:35:36.73\00:35:38.07
Don't go away from it.
00:35:38.10\00:35:39.43
Just stay there
until you read it
00:35:39.47\00:35:41.87
or read something about
it, until you understand
00:35:41.90\00:35:44.44
what that verse
is saying to you.
00:35:44.47\00:35:48.54
Have you...
00:35:48.58\00:35:50.45
Simple illustration.
00:35:50.48\00:35:52.41
Do you remember when
David went to fight Goliath?
00:35:52.45\00:35:55.38
Huh?
00:35:55.42\00:35:57.29
You know how big Goliath was?
00:35:57.32\00:36:00.72
Huh?
00:36:00.76\00:36:02.09
Yeah, almost 10
foot, almost 10 foot.
00:36:02.12\00:36:07.36
The head of his
spear weighed 70 pounds.
00:36:07.40\00:36:11.93
And you remember David went out
00:36:11.97\00:36:14.27
to fight him with a slingshot.
00:36:14.30\00:36:18.97
That's all.
00:36:19.01\00:36:20.94
And it says that David
got to the brook there,
00:36:20.98\00:36:26.15
and it says that he
picked up five smooth stones
00:36:26.18\00:36:32.32
is what the Scripture said.
00:36:32.35\00:36:33.69
Now, folks,
00:36:33.72\00:36:35.06
surely David had
enough sense to know
00:36:35.09\00:36:37.86
that all he was going to
be able to throw was one.
00:36:37.89\00:36:41.63
That was it.
00:36:41.66\00:36:43.00
And by the way,
00:36:43.03\00:36:45.00
don't think for a moment
00:36:45.03\00:36:46.37
that David didn't
know how to throw it
00:36:46.40\00:36:49.27
because I can read
to you in the Scripture
00:36:49.30\00:36:51.61
where it says that he
was able to throw that stone
00:36:51.64\00:36:54.58
so it hit within a
hair of breadth every time.
00:36:54.61\00:36:58.85
So I can guarantee you
00:36:58.88\00:37:00.22
when Goliath
pulled back that helmet,
00:37:00.25\00:37:02.38
David knew where
the rock was going.
00:37:02.42\00:37:04.89
No question about that.
00:37:04.92\00:37:06.55
Okay?
00:37:06.59\00:37:08.22
So he pulled back his
helmet and David hit him
00:37:08.26\00:37:10.66
right between
the eyes with a rock.
00:37:10.69\00:37:13.60
But why did he pick
up five smooth stones?
00:37:13.63\00:37:16.33
'Cause the Scripture says
that Goliath had four brothers,
00:37:19.40\00:37:23.57
and David picked
up one for each one.
00:37:23.61\00:37:25.74
You see what I'm talking about?
00:37:29.38\00:37:31.41
Spend a little
time in the Word of God,
00:37:31.45\00:37:34.72
learn what it's talking about.
00:37:34.75\00:37:36.69
It'll enrich your soul.
00:37:36.72\00:37:38.62
You'll find things
00:37:38.65\00:37:39.99
there that God will
speak to your heart.
00:37:40.02\00:37:42.26
Take the Bible for what it says.
00:37:42.29\00:37:45.69
I have preached to
you night after night,
00:37:45.73\00:37:48.06
and I've tried to get across
00:37:48.10\00:37:49.43
to you that the
Scripture will be consistent.
00:37:49.46\00:37:53.60
Don't buy that, folks,
00:37:53.64\00:37:55.74
that's so
prevalent in the world today
00:37:55.77\00:37:57.97
that seemed to think that Moses
is going to disagree with Paul.
00:37:58.01\00:38:02.11
And Paul's going to
disagree with Jeremiah.
00:38:02.14\00:38:04.61
And Jeremiah is going
to disagree with Matthew.
00:38:04.65\00:38:07.12
No, they will not.
00:38:07.15\00:38:10.92
It will be
consistent all the way through.
00:38:10.95\00:38:14.66
If you run across a text
00:38:14.69\00:38:16.83
that doesn't
seem to be consistent
00:38:16.86\00:38:18.79
with other Scripture,
00:38:18.83\00:38:20.26
then you need to spend
more time with that text.
00:38:20.30\00:38:24.73
And as you do, it'll clear up,
00:38:24.77\00:38:26.43
and you'll see that
it will be consistent
00:38:26.47\00:38:28.74
with all the Scripture.
00:38:28.77\00:38:30.54
So take the
Scripture for what it says.
00:38:30.57\00:38:34.74
It will make
great, great difference.
00:38:34.78\00:38:37.35
Don't try to
spiritualize it, just read it,
00:38:37.38\00:38:41.42
try to understand it
for what it's telling you.
00:38:41.45\00:38:44.45
Seven, take it verse by verse.
00:38:44.49\00:38:48.32
Just go through it.
00:38:48.36\00:38:49.69
Take it verse by
verse, read it, study it.
00:38:49.72\00:38:52.59
It'll make great,
00:38:52.63\00:38:54.66
great improvement
in your Christian life.
00:38:54.70\00:38:59.53
Secondly, it's prayer.
00:38:59.57\00:39:04.27
I'm talking about ways to grow.
00:39:04.31\00:39:06.78
You've got to spend
time in the Word of God,
00:39:06.81\00:39:09.94
and you've got to
spend time in prayer.
00:39:09.98\00:39:13.52
Prayer is the
breath of the soul.
00:39:13.55\00:39:18.55
So you've got to breathe,
00:39:18.59\00:39:21.02
you've got to.
00:39:21.06\00:39:22.39
You've got to take time to pray.
00:39:22.42\00:39:24.63
Absolutely necessary.
00:39:24.66\00:39:26.56
Prayer is simply
talking to a friend.
00:39:26.59\00:39:31.07
Okay?
00:39:31.10\00:39:32.43
That's all it is.
00:39:32.47\00:39:33.80
Simply talking to a friend.
00:39:33.84\00:39:36.67
There is no prescribed way.
00:39:36.71\00:39:40.14
Oh, I believe that when
you come before the Lord,
00:39:40.18\00:39:44.51
it's nice to kneel.
00:39:44.55\00:39:46.92
That's the
reason I do each night
00:39:46.95\00:39:49.42
because I'm
coming before the Lord,
00:39:49.45\00:39:51.62
I want His
presence, I think that's nice.
00:39:51.65\00:39:54.62
I think that's what I as
a servant of Jesus Christ
00:39:54.66\00:39:58.99
that I should do.
00:39:59.03\00:40:00.73
So I kneel, but you
don't always have to kneel
00:40:00.76\00:40:02.73
to pray, folks.
00:40:02.76\00:40:04.40
You can pray anywhere you're at,
00:40:04.43\00:40:07.50
anytime.
00:40:07.54\00:40:09.04
And just open up your heart
and have a talk with Jesus.
00:40:09.07\00:40:14.08
So a song says,
00:40:14.11\00:40:15.44
"A little talk with
Jesus makes things right."
00:40:15.48\00:40:19.55
Okay?
00:40:19.58\00:40:20.92
Little talk with Jesus.
00:40:20.95\00:40:22.52
So just talk to Him as
a friend and you'll find
00:40:22.55\00:40:25.32
it will make a
great, great difference.
00:40:25.35\00:40:28.82
Let me try to illustrate
what I'm trying to tell you.
00:40:28.86\00:40:31.93
Let's say you
came to me and said,
00:40:36.46\00:40:39.70
"I'm interested
in getting married,
00:40:39.73\00:40:44.27
but I can't find anybody."
00:40:44.31\00:40:47.34
And I say, "Well,
who are you looking for?"
00:40:47.38\00:40:50.35
And you say, "Well,
00:40:50.38\00:40:51.71
I'm looking for
somebody that's kind,
00:40:51.75\00:40:54.58
and that's gentle,
and that is helpful,
00:40:54.62\00:40:59.49
and is loving,
00:40:59.52\00:41:03.39
and never sees
anything bad in me,
00:41:03.43\00:41:07.60
and who will be a
very, very close friend,"
00:41:07.63\00:41:11.63
and you go on and
enumerate all these things,
00:41:11.67\00:41:14.04
and I'm gonna say
to you, "Good luck."
00:41:14.07\00:41:17.67
So I'm gonna say
to you, "Good luck."
00:41:17.71\00:41:20.18
If you could find
somebody that was kind,
00:41:20.21\00:41:22.54
and gentle, and loving,
and always saw good in you,
00:41:22.58\00:41:25.85
and did all those things,
00:41:25.88\00:41:27.28
would you be interested in them?
00:41:27.32\00:41:29.48
Huh?
00:41:29.52\00:41:31.32
Would you?
00:41:31.35\00:41:32.72
Oh, absolutely.
00:41:32.75\00:41:34.52
It's like wonderful.
00:41:34.56\00:41:35.99
Well, what I'm trying to
tell you is Jesus is like that.
00:41:36.02\00:41:39.89
That's how Jesus is, He's
kind, He's gentle, He's loving,
00:41:39.93\00:41:46.13
He's merciful,
00:41:46.17\00:41:47.50
He only wants that
which is good for you.
00:41:47.54\00:41:51.57
So why don't you talk to Him?
00:41:51.61\00:41:55.24
See, He's your friend.
00:41:55.28\00:41:57.61
That's what it says.
00:41:57.65\00:41:59.78
"Come to Me,
00:41:59.81\00:42:01.58
all you who labor
and are heavy laden,
00:42:01.62\00:42:04.29
and I will give you rest."
00:42:04.32\00:42:07.96
He said, "Just come to Me,
00:42:07.99\00:42:09.82
I'll give you rest."
00:42:09.86\00:42:11.66
He loves you, cares for you.
00:42:11.69\00:42:14.63
"Take my yoke upon
you and learn of Me,
00:42:14.66\00:42:19.50
for I am," what,
"gentle, lowly in heart,
00:42:19.53\00:42:23.97
and you will find
rest for your souls."
00:42:24.01\00:42:27.74
So take the time
to spend with Jesus.
00:42:27.78\00:42:30.38
"My yoke is easy,
My burden is light."
00:42:30.41\00:42:34.88
Marvelous, the
things that He promises.
00:42:34.92\00:42:37.42
Jesus is that friend.
00:42:37.45\00:42:41.12
That's what He is.
00:42:41.16\00:42:42.56
And so prayer is just
00:42:42.59\00:42:43.93
a matter of talking to a friend.
00:42:43.96\00:42:45.83
It's what it is.
00:42:45.86\00:42:47.20
So don't get all
caught up and think
00:42:47.23\00:42:49.50
that you have to
say special words,
00:42:49.53\00:42:52.37
you know?
00:42:52.40\00:42:53.87
Just talk to Him as your
friend and it'll make great,
00:42:53.90\00:42:58.54
great difference.
00:42:58.57\00:43:00.18
"A man who has friends
must himself be friendly,
00:43:00.21\00:43:06.18
but there is a friend
00:43:06.21\00:43:07.95
who sticks
closer than a brother."
00:43:07.98\00:43:12.22
So Jesus is that friend.
00:43:12.25\00:43:14.39
And so I'd like to
encourage you to spend time,
00:43:14.42\00:43:17.06
talk with Him.
00:43:17.09\00:43:18.43
I think you'll find it'll help
your Christian experience grow.
00:43:18.46\00:43:21.33
There's many ways to
pray, folks, many ways to pray.
00:43:21.36\00:43:25.53
There are prayers of confession.
00:43:25.57\00:43:29.70
That's when I'm
coming to Him and saying,
00:43:29.74\00:43:33.24
"I messed up.
00:43:33.27\00:43:34.61
I did something
I shouldn't have.
00:43:38.48\00:43:42.22
I'm sorry, for what I did.
00:43:42.25\00:43:46.19
Forgive me."
00:43:46.22\00:43:47.99
Prayers of confession.
00:43:48.02\00:43:50.63
There's prayers of intercession.
00:43:50.66\00:43:53.66
When your heart is
burden for somebody
00:43:53.70\00:43:57.47
and you wanna talk to
Him about that person.
00:43:57.50\00:44:01.40
And then there's
prayers of thanksgiving,
00:44:01.44\00:44:06.04
where you're thanking the Lord,
00:44:06.07\00:44:07.41
praising Him for what He's done.
00:44:07.44\00:44:08.88
Those are all
different types of prayer.
00:44:08.91\00:44:10.71
And I've read lots
of books on prayer.
00:44:10.75\00:44:13.72
And it's always kind of,
00:44:13.75\00:44:16.28
you know,
00:44:16.32\00:44:17.65
amused me 'cause they act like
00:44:17.69\00:44:20.89
that you take these
different types of prayer
00:44:20.92\00:44:22.62
and you come to
the Lord and you say,
00:44:22.66\00:44:24.46
"Well, Lord, today,
I've got to confess my sins,"
00:44:24.49\00:44:28.53
you know?
00:44:28.56\00:44:29.90
Or "Today,
00:44:29.93\00:44:31.30
I need to spend some
time in thanksgiving."
00:44:31.33\00:44:33.64
No, no, that's
not the way it is.
00:44:33.67\00:44:36.91
Prayer is the result
of a relationship, okay?
00:44:36.94\00:44:42.58
Prayer is the
result of a relationship.
00:44:42.61\00:44:45.28
I'm going to come
to the Lord and say,
00:44:45.31\00:44:46.98
"Lord, listen,
00:44:47.02\00:44:49.08
I'm so sorry, I let you down.
00:44:49.12\00:44:53.05
You've had so
much confidence in me
00:44:53.09\00:44:56.66
and I just blew it.
00:44:56.69\00:44:59.56
I'm sorry."
00:44:59.59\00:45:01.46
That's a relationship, folks.
00:45:01.50\00:45:04.53
Or I'm gonna
come to Him and say,
00:45:04.57\00:45:05.90
"Lord, my heart's burden today,
00:45:05.93\00:45:10.84
burden because of
that child of mine.
00:45:10.87\00:45:14.78
He doesn't serve You, Lord.
00:45:14.81\00:45:18.08
Child's not listening.
00:45:18.11\00:45:22.32
He doesn't know
You as his Savior.
00:45:22.35\00:45:25.35
My heart is burden for him."
00:45:25.39\00:45:28.62
It's prayers of intercession.
00:45:28.66\00:45:31.36
Or I'm gonna say,
00:45:31.39\00:45:32.73
"Lord, you've
been so good to me,
00:45:32.76\00:45:36.40
done so much for me.
00:45:36.43\00:45:38.87
I thank You for
what You did today."
00:45:38.90\00:45:42.40
Prayers of thanksgiving.
00:45:42.44\00:45:44.11
All those are the
result of a relationship.
00:45:44.14\00:45:48.08
Okay?
00:45:48.11\00:45:49.44
And that's simply what
the Lord wants you to do.
00:45:49.48\00:45:52.11
He just wants you to come
00:45:52.15\00:45:53.48
and talk to Him
and visit with Him,
00:45:53.52\00:45:56.02
spend time with Him.
00:45:56.05\00:45:57.79
And as you do that,
that's what changes your life?
00:45:57.82\00:46:02.39
It what makes it different?
00:46:02.42\00:46:04.03
You just spend
time in prayer with Him,
00:46:04.06\00:46:08.23
but you got to balance it out.
00:46:08.26\00:46:12.00
You can't spend
time in the Word of God
00:46:12.03\00:46:17.81
and spend time in
prayer and let it stop there.
00:46:17.84\00:46:22.41
You see...
00:46:22.44\00:46:26.35
And you got to grow.
00:46:26.38\00:46:28.85
Body has to grow.
00:46:28.88\00:46:31.35
You can't be hydrocephalic.
00:46:31.39\00:46:35.72
You understand what I mean?
00:46:35.76\00:46:37.53
Can't have a great
big head and little body.
00:46:37.56\00:46:41.66
That isn't the way it works.
00:46:41.70\00:46:43.03
You've got to exercise.
00:46:43.06\00:46:44.80
And we're gonna do a
little exercise right now.
00:46:44.83\00:46:48.04
We're gonna have all the folks
00:46:48.07\00:46:50.61
that are being
baptized right now
00:46:50.64\00:46:54.44
have an exercise and
go right out that door,
00:46:54.48\00:46:56.91
right over there,
00:46:56.95\00:46:58.28
and go get
ready for the baptism.
00:46:58.31\00:47:00.52
All the folks
are being baptized.
00:47:00.55\00:47:03.12
We're going to let
them go do that right now.
00:47:03.15\00:47:07.29
Okay,
00:47:07.32\00:47:08.66
so we'll let them do that,
00:47:08.69\00:47:10.03
but we aren't through
with this sermon, okay?
00:47:10.06\00:47:12.23
But when we finish the sermon,
00:47:12.26\00:47:14.20
we wanna be ready to
go right into the baptism.
00:47:14.23\00:47:16.16
So that's what they're gonna do,
00:47:16.20\00:47:17.53
you know?
00:47:17.57\00:47:18.90
But you...
00:47:18.93\00:47:20.27
If your Christian
experience is going to grow,
00:47:20.30\00:47:21.64
you've got to exercise.
00:47:21.67\00:47:24.21
That is absolutely necessary
00:47:24.24\00:47:25.97
in the Christian
experience is to exercise.
00:47:26.01\00:47:29.74
So what does that mean?
00:47:29.78\00:47:31.85
Well, it says,
"Joseph is a," what,
00:47:31.88\00:47:36.12
"fruitful bough," okay,
00:47:36.15\00:47:38.82
"a fruitful bough by a well,
00:47:38.85\00:47:41.26
his branches run over the wall."
00:47:41.29\00:47:44.26
Great lesson here, folks.
00:47:44.29\00:47:45.96
Joseph spent time with the Lord,
00:47:45.99\00:47:49.86
that's the well.
00:47:49.90\00:47:51.90
See, he drank of the well,
00:47:51.93\00:47:54.30
and because he
drank of the well,
00:47:54.34\00:47:56.24
what happened?
00:47:56.27\00:47:57.87
The vine grew,
00:47:57.91\00:48:00.34
the vine grew,
and it bore fruit,
00:48:00.38\00:48:03.08
and it even ran
over the wall, okay?
00:48:03.11\00:48:07.78
If you spend time
in the Word of God,
00:48:07.82\00:48:11.02
you spend time in
prayer, you're going to grow.
00:48:11.05\00:48:15.02
Okay?
00:48:15.06\00:48:16.39
You're going to
grow, and as you grow,
00:48:16.42\00:48:19.03
it will be necessary
00:48:19.06\00:48:21.00
for you to
witness 'cause it says,
00:48:21.03\00:48:25.20
"He shall be like a," what,
00:48:25.23\00:48:27.44
"tree planted by
the river of waters,
00:48:27.47\00:48:30.57
and bring forth
its fruit in season."
00:48:30.61\00:48:33.74
That person that
spends time in the Word of God
00:48:33.78\00:48:38.21
gonna be like a
tree, he's gonna grow,
00:48:38.25\00:48:41.92
and it's going to produce fruit.
00:48:41.95\00:48:45.52
Now what I'm trying
to tell you this morning
00:48:45.55\00:48:51.39
is if you don't have
any fruit, what's wrong?
00:48:51.43\00:48:55.26
If you don't have
any fruit, what's wrong?
00:48:59.20\00:49:03.97
Well, yeah,
you're not spending time
00:49:04.01\00:49:07.04
in the Word of God.
00:49:07.08\00:49:09.18
You're not
spending time in prayer.
00:49:09.21\00:49:13.15
Okay?
00:49:13.18\00:49:14.52
'Cause you can't
drink of the water
00:49:14.55\00:49:16.55
and not produce fruit.
00:49:16.58\00:49:18.45
Impossible.
00:49:18.49\00:49:19.82
"Whose leaf
also shall not wither
00:49:19.85\00:49:22.36
and whatever he
does shall prosper.
00:49:22.39\00:49:26.13
But whoever drinks of the water
00:49:26.16\00:49:27.83
that I shall give
him will never thirst."
00:49:27.86\00:49:31.67
Now let's watch
what's going to happen to him
00:49:31.70\00:49:33.54
if I drink of the water of life,
00:49:33.57\00:49:36.10
I spend time in the Word of God,
00:49:36.14\00:49:37.71
I spend time in prayer,
00:49:37.74\00:49:39.34
I've given my heart
to the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:49:39.37\00:49:42.14
"But the water
that I shall give him
00:49:42.18\00:49:44.35
will become in him
a fountain of water
00:49:44.38\00:49:48.08
springing up into
everlasting life."
00:49:48.12\00:49:52.29
You become a
stream of water, okay?
00:49:52.32\00:49:57.09
That's what you become.
00:49:57.13\00:49:58.63
And when that happens, then,
00:49:58.66\00:50:02.26
dear friend, you can't help it.
00:50:02.30\00:50:05.70
Jeremiah, Jeremiah said,
00:50:05.73\00:50:09.54
"I've talked to these people
00:50:09.57\00:50:10.91
until I'm tired
of talking to them."
00:50:10.94\00:50:13.88
He said, "I've preached
to them early in the morning,
00:50:13.91\00:50:16.38
late at night.
00:50:16.41\00:50:17.75
I've talked to
them, they won't listen.
00:50:17.78\00:50:19.78
I'm tired of
talking to these people."
00:50:19.81\00:50:22.02
And then watch
what happened here.
00:50:22.05\00:50:23.72
"Then I said,
00:50:23.75\00:50:25.09
'I will not make mention of Him,
00:50:25.12\00:50:27.02
nor speak any
more of His name.'"
00:50:27.06\00:50:28.49
Jeremiah said,
00:50:28.52\00:50:29.86
"I'm not going to talk
about the Lord to them anymore,
00:50:29.89\00:50:32.16
not going to mention His name,
00:50:32.19\00:50:33.86
I'm not going to
say anything about Him."
00:50:33.90\00:50:38.37
"But His...
00:50:38.40\00:50:41.84
But His Word was in my
heart like a burning fire
00:50:41.87\00:50:47.68
shut up in my bones,
00:50:47.71\00:50:49.68
I was weary of
holding it back, I could not."
00:50:49.71\00:50:55.38
That what you and I ought to do.
00:50:55.42\00:50:59.05
Spending time in the Word of God
00:50:59.09\00:51:00.96
until its soul floods
my soul, and until I say,
00:51:00.99\00:51:06.13
"I can't keep
from talking about it."
00:51:06.16\00:51:09.23
Preachers, preachers,
00:51:09.26\00:51:13.00
if you're going to preach,
00:51:13.03\00:51:15.80
preach out of the overflow.
00:51:15.84\00:51:19.74
Do you
understand what I'm saying?
00:51:19.77\00:51:21.71
Preach out of the overflow,
00:51:21.74\00:51:23.71
spend time in this
book until it flows over,
00:51:23.75\00:51:27.72
and when it starts running over,
00:51:27.75\00:51:29.78
people will know it.
00:51:29.82\00:51:31.49
Preach out of the overflow.
00:51:31.52\00:51:34.62
Spend time with the Lord.
00:51:34.66\00:51:37.19
Then you can't help
it, friends, can't help it.
00:51:37.23\00:51:40.46
It makes great,
great difference.
00:51:40.50\00:51:43.83
Witnessing.
00:51:43.87\00:51:45.37
Witnessing is when one who tells
00:51:45.40\00:51:48.90
what he or she has
heard, seen, or experienced.
00:51:48.94\00:51:54.08
That's witnessing.
00:51:54.11\00:51:55.44
That's what you were
called to do is to witness,
00:51:55.48\00:52:00.45
every one of you,
called to witness.
00:52:00.48\00:52:03.72
But, dear friend,
00:52:03.75\00:52:06.96
you've got to
spend in time here.
00:52:06.99\00:52:08.82
So you see, and so you
hear, and so you experience.
00:52:08.86\00:52:14.13
See, that's what it's about.
00:52:14.16\00:52:16.46
If you haven't seen anything
00:52:16.50\00:52:18.57
or you haven't heard anything,
00:52:18.60\00:52:19.93
you haven't
experienced anything,
00:52:19.97\00:52:21.30
then you aren't
gonna have much to say.
00:52:21.34\00:52:24.87
But a witness is one who tells
00:52:24.91\00:52:26.51
what he's seen,
heard, or experienced.
00:52:26.54\00:52:29.34
Now let me tell you
something about witnessing.
00:52:29.38\00:52:31.15
When you're witnessing to people
00:52:34.48\00:52:37.95
who do not know the
Lord Jesus Christ, okay?
00:52:37.99\00:52:42.26
You're talking to
someone who does not know
00:52:42.29\00:52:44.79
the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:52:44.83\00:52:47.00
then you must
witness to them subjectively.
00:52:47.03\00:52:51.63
Do you understand
what I mean by that?
00:52:51.67\00:52:54.07
In other words,
00:52:54.10\00:52:55.44
you must talk to them
00:52:55.47\00:52:57.04
about what Jesus means to you,
00:52:57.07\00:53:01.58
what Jesus has done for you,
00:53:01.61\00:53:04.28
the experience that
you've had with Jesus.
00:53:04.31\00:53:06.85
They can't argue with that.
00:53:06.88\00:53:09.85
Do you understand me?
00:53:09.88\00:53:11.59
That's my experience,
00:53:11.62\00:53:13.76
my experience and nobody else's.
00:53:13.79\00:53:15.16
So you can't argue with that.
00:53:15.19\00:53:17.33
So your witness
must be subjective.
00:53:17.36\00:53:21.76
You only witness
to people objectively
00:53:21.80\00:53:26.87
after they've given
their heart to Jesus.
00:53:26.90\00:53:30.87
You see, if you go out here
00:53:30.91\00:53:32.87
and you start taking
one of the Bible doctrines
00:53:32.91\00:53:35.71
and you're trying to explain
a Bible doctrine to someone
00:53:35.74\00:53:38.88
who has never given their
heart to the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:53:38.91\00:53:42.28
I'm sorry, you're
wasting your time.
00:53:42.32\00:53:45.52
You're not helping that person.
00:53:45.55\00:53:48.06
You need to talk to
that person about Jesus.
00:53:48.09\00:53:52.03
After they have given
their heart to Jesus Christ,
00:53:52.06\00:53:54.90
then, as a
follower of Jesus Christ,
00:53:54.93\00:53:57.37
you can talk to them
about what Jesus taught, okay?
00:53:57.40\00:54:02.04
But you don't until then.
00:54:02.07\00:54:04.11
So make sure
00:54:04.14\00:54:05.84
when you're talking
to people about Jesus,
00:54:05.87\00:54:10.35
that you keep it subjective
if they don't know Jesus Christ
00:54:10.38\00:54:13.35
as their Savior.
00:54:13.38\00:54:15.08
Don't argue with them.
00:54:15.12\00:54:17.15
John 1:45 says,
00:54:17.19\00:54:20.49
"Philip found
Nathanael and said to him,
00:54:20.52\00:54:23.22
'We have found Him of
whom Moses in the law."
00:54:23.26\00:54:26.86
He said, "We found this person
00:54:26.90\00:54:28.23
that Moses in
the law spoke about."
00:54:28.26\00:54:30.83
"And also the prophets,
wrote Jesus of Nazareth,
00:54:30.87\00:54:34.14
the son of Joseph."
00:54:34.17\00:54:35.50
He said,
00:54:35.54\00:54:36.87
"Well, we've found this man
00:54:36.91\00:54:38.24
that all the Bible talked about,
00:54:38.27\00:54:39.91
Jesus of Nazareth."
00:54:39.94\00:54:42.61
Watch Nathanael.
00:54:42.64\00:54:45.48
"And Nathanael said to him,
00:54:45.51\00:54:47.15
'Can anything good
come out of Nazareth?'"
00:54:47.18\00:54:50.29
He said,
00:54:50.32\00:54:51.65
"You found this man in Nazareth?
00:54:51.69\00:54:53.19
Is this possible?"
00:54:53.22\00:54:54.56
Now, folks,
Philip argued with him.
00:54:54.59\00:54:57.89
Huh?
00:54:57.93\00:54:59.43
Philip argued with him.
00:54:59.46\00:55:00.80
No, he didn't argue
with him, what did he do?
00:55:00.83\00:55:04.30
"Philip said to him, 'Come see.
00:55:04.33\00:55:07.24
Come see.'"
00:55:07.27\00:55:08.60
That's all.
00:55:08.64\00:55:09.97
Didn't argue with him,
didn't say, "Now listen,
00:55:10.01\00:55:11.51
everybody in
Nazareth is not bad."
00:55:11.54\00:55:14.24
He didn't argue about that.
00:55:14.28\00:55:15.68
He just said, "Come see."
00:55:15.71\00:55:18.88
And he came, and he saw,
00:55:18.91\00:55:21.12
and what he saw convinced him
00:55:21.15\00:55:24.05
that he was all
that he claimed to be.
00:55:24.09\00:55:26.99
That's witnessing, folks.
00:55:27.02\00:55:29.49
That's witnessing.
00:55:29.52\00:55:30.86
That brings about a balance.
00:55:30.89\00:55:33.09
Your witness is an indication
00:55:33.13\00:55:36.90
of your
relationship with Christ.
00:55:36.93\00:55:39.17
That's what your witness is.
00:55:39.20\00:55:40.80
It's an indication
of your relationship
00:55:40.84\00:55:43.81
with Jesus Christ 'cause
if you're full of Christ,
00:55:43.84\00:55:47.34
I'll guarantee you,
you will talk about Him.
00:55:47.38\00:55:50.18
"You are our epistles
written in our hearts,
00:55:50.21\00:55:53.92
known and read by all men."
00:55:53.95\00:55:58.29
You are a living epistle.
00:55:58.32\00:56:00.89
You're a witness
and people look at you
00:56:00.92\00:56:03.79
and they read Jesus Christ.
00:56:03.83\00:56:08.40
They read what Jesus Christ is.
00:56:08.43\00:56:10.93
"But what does it say?
00:56:10.97\00:56:12.73
'The word is near you,
00:56:12.77\00:56:14.50
in your mouth and in your heart.
00:56:14.54\00:56:18.14
That if you
confess with your mouth."
00:56:18.17\00:56:22.68
If you confess, what?
00:56:22.71\00:56:25.55
With your mouth.
00:56:25.58\00:56:28.15
So, folks, as a
witness of Jesus,
00:56:28.18\00:56:30.62
sure, I must live it.
00:56:30.65\00:56:34.76
I must live it day by day.
00:56:34.79\00:56:38.33
Living it
includes a lot of things.
00:56:38.36\00:56:41.60
But I must not just live
it, I must talk about it.
00:56:41.63\00:56:46.60
I must talk about it.
00:56:46.63\00:56:48.30
I must witness with my mouth.
00:56:48.34\00:56:52.07
If I confess...
00:56:52.11\00:56:53.44
"If you confess with your
mouth the Lord Jesus Christ
00:56:53.48\00:56:55.94
and believe in your heart
00:56:55.98\00:56:57.31
that God has
raised Him from the dead,
00:56:57.35\00:56:58.75
you will be saved."
00:56:58.78\00:57:02.02
So what it says,
"But with the heart,
00:57:02.05\00:57:05.29
one believes unto
righteousness," listen,
00:57:05.32\00:57:09.22
"and with the mouth,
00:57:09.26\00:57:10.99
confession is
made unto salvation."
00:57:11.03\00:57:15.83
So, dear friend,
00:57:15.86\00:57:17.20
if you're going to
have a Christian life,
00:57:17.23\00:57:20.10
if you're going to grow,
00:57:20.14\00:57:22.14
you've got to spend
time in the Word of God.
00:57:22.17\00:57:25.51
Okay?
00:57:25.54\00:57:27.11
Secondly,
00:57:27.14\00:57:29.51
you need to learn to
talk to Jesus as a friend,
00:57:29.54\00:57:32.88
visit with Him.
00:57:32.91\00:57:34.82
And then if He
is very real to you,
00:57:34.85\00:57:38.05
you'll witness to those
about you of the marvelous,
00:57:38.09\00:57:42.22
wonderful love of Jesus Christ.
00:57:42.26\00:57:45.53
This is what He will do for you.
00:57:45.56\00:57:49.36
So He just simply
invite you and I to invite Him
00:57:49.40\00:57:53.84
into our hearts,
00:57:53.87\00:57:56.60
to accept Him as our Savior,
00:57:56.64\00:57:58.94
to give our life to Him
00:57:58.97\00:58:01.91
that He will pour out
His Holy Spirit upon us.
00:58:01.94\00:58:05.45
Heavenly Father,
00:58:05.48\00:58:07.65
we just place our
lives in Your hands,
00:58:07.68\00:58:11.02
thankful for the
blessings that You give us
00:58:11.05\00:58:14.26
for each one that has made
this decision this morning.
00:58:14.29\00:58:18.29
Bless them, Lord.
00:58:18.33\00:58:19.93
For this, we thank
You in Christ's name,
00:58:19.96\00:58:22.36
amen.
00:58:22.40\00:58:23.73