Participants: Pr. Kenneth Cox
Series Code: TOTE
Program Code: TOTE000018
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00:02 Can you believe it?
00:05 Can you build your faith on it? 00:08 The promises of God's word are sure. 00:12 They do not fail. 00:17 This book has stood the test of time. 00:29 Tonight our subject is entitled Living Water. 00:34 Living Water. The Bible says 00:37 that when you and I come to Christ, 00:40 that we become streams of living water. 00:45 Then out of us flows a river of living water. 00:50 And tonight Michael Harris is going to sing for us 00:53 that beautiful song there is a river. 00:58 There is a River. 01:13 There is a river, and it flows from deep within 01:34 There is a fountain, that frees the soul from sin 01:54 Come to this water; there is a vast supply 02:15 There is a river, that never shall run dry 02:35 One day a thirsty woman, 02:45 She was drawing from a well 02:55 See her life was ruined and wasted 03:05 And her soul was bound for hell 03:16 Oh, but then she met the master 03:26 And he told about her sin 03:37 And he said "if you drink this water, 03:47 You'll never thirst again. 03:58 There is a river, and it flows from deep within 04:18 There is a fountain that frees the soul from sin 04:39 Come to this water; there is a vast supply 04:59 There is a river that never shall run dry. 05:37 Gracious Father, tonight 05:41 we're thankful that the water of life is given to us 05:47 as a river that never will run dry. 05:52 Lord, help us this evening to drink 05:57 and to drink deeply of the water of life. 06:03 Give us ears to hear, hearts that are open, 06:09 minds that are clear, that we may accept your word, 06:14 for this we pray in Christ's name, amen. 06:25 Once a year, Jewish people made their way 06:29 from all over Israel, they're coming up to Jerusalem 06:35 and they are coming to Jerusalem 06:36 for the Feast of the Tabernacles. 06:40 It's also referred to in scripture 06:42 as the Feast of Booths. 06:44 And so from every little village and hamlet, 06:47 all across Israel, little groups are making 06:50 their way towards Jerusalem. 06:51 This is a very festive time, because the climate 06:54 at this time of the year is just about ideal. 06:58 And they're going to come to Jerusalem, 07:00 everybody, everybody is gonna move out of their house. 07:05 And they're going to in the backyard 07:07 or out of the vacant field, 07:09 maybe went up on the top of the house. 07:11 They're gonna build a little Tabernacle 07:13 or a little booth and they are going to move 07:16 into this Tabernacle and they are going to 07:18 live in it for a week. 07:21 It's reminding them of the 40 years 07:23 that their forefathers spent in the wilderness. 07:25 This is a very, very special time 07:27 because they can visit with relatives and friends 07:30 and just have a good time visiting, 07:32 but every morning they make their way up 07:36 the Mountainside to the temple. 07:39 And there in the courtyard of the temple 07:41 but they worship God and they sing songs 07:43 and they spend time there praising the Lord 07:47 and reading the scripture together 07:48 and then during the day, they visit with friends and family. 07:52 But when they come down to the last day of this feast, 07:56 early that morning, they all gather 07:59 there in the courtyard of the temple. 08:02 And a couple of priests take too large jugs 08:06 and set them on their shoulder and then those priests 08:09 begin to march around the courtyard. 08:13 And the other priests begin to fall in behind them 08:16 and then the people begin to march with them 08:18 and they march around the courtyard. 08:20 As they sing Psalms and as they play musical instruments 08:23 and they march around the courtyard. 08:25 And then outside of the temple gate 08:27 down through the streets of Jerusalem, 08:30 outside the gates of the city of Jerusalem 08:32 and down the hillside 08:34 till they come to a brook called Kidron. 08:37 And there those two priests now take those two large jugs 08:41 and they dip them into the brook and fill them with water. 08:45 Place them on their shoulder 08:47 and they begin to make their way back up 08:48 the hillside singing songs 08:51 and repeating scripture together, 08:53 until they've arrived in the courtyard again. 08:57 Now one of those priests takes one of those jugs of water, 09:01 another priest takes a jug of wine 09:04 and they make their way up 09:06 the stairway of the alter of sacrifice. 09:09 And they walk right after the very front of it 09:12 and there in the front of it is a large funnel 09:15 and they begin to pull water and wine into that funnel. 09:20 Just at that moment, while they're pouring the water 09:24 and the wine into that funnel someone out 09:27 in the crowd of people begin to shout. 09:30 And you find his words recorded in the Book of John. 09:33 John the 7th chapter and verse 37 09:36 and it says, On the last day, 09:39 that great day of the feast, 09:41 Jesus stood and cried out, saying, 09:44 'If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink." 09:48 So you can just imagine, 09:49 here that whole courtyard is just crowded with the people, 09:52 and Jesus is shouting out across that whole crowd, 09:55 if anybody is thirsty let him come unto me and drink. 10:01 Marvelous promise that he gives to you and me, 10:05 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, 10:09 out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." 10:14 So it says that out of you 10:17 and me will flow rivers of living water. 10:22 Marvelous promise that God gives to each one of us. 10:26 Jesus and His disciples, they have left Israel. 10:32 They've gone over into Samaria. 10:35 They're approaching a city by the name of Sychar. 10:39 Jesus has sent his disciples into town 10:41 to buy something to eat. And he has gone over 10:45 and had a seat beside Jacob's well. 10:49 A woman of Samaria, from the city of Sychar 10:52 has come to the well to draw water. 10:56 As she approaches the well she sees Jesus sitting there, 10:59 but she doesn't pay any attention to him. 11:02 You see, Jesus is a Jew and she is a Samaritan. 11:07 And the scripture puts it very politely, 11:09 it says that they had no dealings, 11:11 that's what the scripture says. 11:13 Let me tell you how it was. 11:16 Well, if you were a Jew and you were eating 11:20 and a Samaritan walked by, 11:23 and his shadow fell on your foot 11:25 and you turned your plate upside down. 11:27 So she didn't expect Jesus to speak to her. 11:32 But Jesus knew that in the middle east 11:34 there is a request that you cannot refuse. 11:37 Doesn't make any difference how much you dislike the person, 11:40 how much they might be your enemy, 11:42 you cannot refuse a request for a drink of water. 11:46 And so Jesus said to her give me a drink. 11:51 And she couldn't understand and she said, 11:53 how is that you being a Jew would ask me 11:56 a Samaritan for a drink of water? 12:00 And Jesus said, if you knew who was asking, 12:03 you would have asked him and he would have giving you. Listen. 12:12 and Jesus answered and said to her, 12:14 'If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 12:19 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, 12:21 and HE would have given you living water." 12:25 How he said if you just knew that 12:27 you would have asked of him, 12:28 and he would have given you living water. 12:32 It's a promise, over and over in this book. 12:35 God gives you and I an invitation 12:38 to come and to drink. 12:40 And to drink of the water of life 12:43 and it says that out of us 12:44 will flow rivers of living water. 12:47 Isaiah 51:1, Ho! everyone who thirsts, 12:53 come to the waters; and you who have no money, 12:59 come, buy and buy wine and milk without money 13:03 and without price. So it says come. 13:06 Come to the waters. What's that going to do for you? 13:10 Revelation 22:17, And the Spirit and the bride say, 13:15 "Come!" And let him who hears say, 'Come!" 13:18 And let him who thirsts come. 13:21 Whoever desires let him take of the water of life freely." 13:27 Totally free dear friends; there is no other way tonight 13:33 that you can get it. It's free. 13:38 Do you understand what I mean? 13:39 It's free. You see money can't buy it, 13:47 wisdom can't impart it, impossible. 13:52 Merit will not procure it. 13:56 The only way you can receive it is by, what? 14:04 Do you know? Only way you can get it is by accepting it. 14:10 You can't buy it, you can't work for it. 14:13 It is given to you totally and completely free, 14:18 it's given on the basis of grace. 14:21 And God offers to you and says come, 14:24 come to me and I will give you the water of life. 14:30 And out of you will flow rivers of living water. 14:34 This woman, she couldn't understand this. 14:37 She couldn't understand it 14:38 and she said you don't have a rope? 14:42 You don't have anything to draw with, 14:44 what do you mean? You would give me water of life? 14:50 Jesus answered and said to her, 14:52 whoever drinks of this water will thirst again. 14:58 Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again. 15:03 Oh! I find so many people today that are trying to drink 15:07 of the water of this life and find satisfaction. 15:12 Flying on the plane the other day, 15:15 picked up a magazine and was thumbing 15:17 through the magazine. And here was a full page ad 15:21 in the magazine and it said, find happiness, lay linoleum. 15:31 Is that the way you find happiness, lay linoleum? 15:35 We get the idea that satisfaction 15:39 in life can be found in these things. 15:43 I have people say, oh, Brother Cox, 15:45 if I just had a better job, I'd be happy. 15:49 No, you wouldn't. That isn't what produces happiness. 15:54 I have people say well, 15:57 if I just made more money I will be happy, 15:59 no, you wouldn't. That isn't what produces happiness. 16:04 An individual say well, 16:06 if my spouse just love me I would be happy. 16:09 No, you won't. That isn't what makes happiness. 16:13 He that drinks of this water shall thirst again. 16:18 You see that's what happens the waters of this life, 16:21 dear friends, only take place when the showers come. 16:26 When the shower comes, the pond overflows. 16:31 But you let the heat of hard times come 16:36 and that water goes dry. 16:39 It's only the well, only the well 16:43 that has water in winter and summer to say. 16:47 He that drinks of the water 16:49 that I shall give him shall never thirst. 16:52 Listen, Jesus promises and says, 16:57 whoever drinks of the water 16:59 that I shall give him shall never thirst. 17:01 But the water that I shall give him 17:04 will become in him a fountain of water 17:07 springing up into everlasting life." 17:12 Oh, it just says if you come to me the water 17:15 that I will give you will come in you 17:17 and dear friends please understand 17:20 it doesn't say it will be from you, 17:24 it doesn't say, it will be around you, 17:26 it doesn't say it will be about you. 17:29 It says it will be in you, springing unto everlasting life. 17:36 You see when you and I drink water, 17:40 it goes into our system, it goes into our blood, 17:43 it becomes part of our blood, 17:44 it infuses every cell of our body. 17:49 So when I come to Christ 17:51 and I drink of the water of life 17:53 it becomes part of me. 17:55 It infuses every part of our body. 18:00 You see folks, I don't hear music, 18:07 I don't feel music, that's just not part of my being, 18:14 it's just not there. You could give me music lessons 18:19 for ten years and I still wouldn't ever 18:22 feel it or anything, it's just not part of me. 18:26 When I was in school I had to take a class called conducting, 18:30 when I was in college. And I will never forget, 18:33 the teacher had a girl sit down at the Piano 18:36 and she had a play of piece 18:38 and she said when she got through, 18:39 she said tell me what time was that played in. 18:42 I said you got to be crazy, what are you talking about, 18:45 I don't know what time that was played in. 18:47 It's just; it's just not in my being. 18:51 But let me tell you something. 18:53 These people like Donna Cline, Marni Hanes, Adriane Windy, 19:00 Michael Harris, it's part of them. 19:04 They feel it; it's in their inmost being. 19:08 That's what I'm talking about? 19:10 This is what Christ is talking about? 19:12 When you drink of the water of life it becomes part of you. 19:16 It's in your inmost being. 19:19 And dear friends, if it is not, if it is not, 19:24 then it is totally external religion. 19:29 You say, music. I'm sorry, 19:32 will always be external with me. 19:36 Because it's just not in me, 19:38 God didn't give that to me. 19:40 But dear friend, he did give me the water of life. 19:43 And he gives to each one of you the water of life. 19:46 And tonight if it is not that to you tonight 19:50 then your religion is external 19:52 and you're missing the joy that's there. 19:55 You are missing what it's all about. 19:58 When I grow up as a boy, we had a phrase that we said, 20:03 we talked about people putting on 20:05 their Sunday go to meeting hats. 20:08 You know what I'm talking about. 20:10 Put on their Sunday go to meeting hats 20:12 and they go to church. But it's all external, 20:17 because when Sunday was passed well 20:19 then they put on their work hat. 20:20 There was no difference you see, they changed. 20:25 They didn't, it wasn't internal, 20:27 it wasn't part of their being. 20:29 That's what I am talking about tonight. 20:31 And that's what Christ is talking about. 20:34 In the Book of Jeremiah, he talks about this very thing. 20:40 Says here in Jeremiah 2 verse 13, 20:43 For My people have committed, what? 20:46 Two evils. Let's see what those two evils are. 20:49 They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living water, 20:55 hewn themselves cisterns, 20:56 broken cisterns that can hold no water." 20:59 So he said one thing they have forsaken me 21:03 the fountain of living water. 21:05 And you see I talked to people who go to church, 21:08 who keep people who claim to be Christians 21:12 and they say to me, oh, Brother Cox, 21:15 I'm so busy, I'm so busy, I don't have time to pray. 21:22 Let me tell you something. 21:24 If you're so busy, you don't have time to pray 21:27 you are too busy, okay. 21:32 If you don't have time to pray you're too busy. 21:37 I don't care what you do, I don't care what your work is, 21:41 I don't care if you're a preacher, 21:44 I don't care if you are a elder or a Deacon in church, 21:48 if you don't have time to pray, you're too busy. 21:54 It's absolutely necessary if you are going to 21:57 understand what Jesus Christ will do in your life, 22:00 you must take time to pray. 22:04 I have people say well, Brother Cox, 22:08 I don't have time to read God's word. 22:12 You have time to eat, don't you? 22:15 I don't see any of you starving to death out there? 22:20 You have time to eat, then dear friends, 22:22 you need to take time to eat spiritually. 22:27 You put it in your schedule, 22:28 you see, I'm one of these individuals that 22:30 I cannot do something on a half hazard basis. 22:36 I've got to know exactly what I'm gonna do 22:39 when it comes to God's word, 22:41 I've got to know what I'm going to do tomorrow, 22:43 I've got to know what I'm going to do the next day, 22:46 I've got to know what my devotional life is 22:48 at the end of the year. 22:49 So before next year starts, 22:51 I will plan that whole thing out 22:53 and I will know what exactly what I'm going to read, 22:56 I will know exactly because I'm going to eat, 22:59 I'm going to feast on God's word everyday. 23:04 And if you want to your spiritual experience to grow, 23:08 you got to spend some time in the word of God. 23:12 If you are not praying, if you are not spending time 23:16 in the word of God then, dear friend, 23:19 your religion is external. You understanding me? 23:24 That is external religion, 23:27 and that's what he's talking about here. 23:29 They have forsaken me, the fountain of living water. 23:35 But he goes on, talks about it, 23:37 Jesus makes some comparisons here at Matthew 13:22. 23:42 Now he who receives seed among the thorns 23:46 is he who hears the word, okay, ye person, hears the word. 23:52 And the cares of this world, what is that? 23:58 What's the cares of this world? 24:00 What's the cares of this world are clothing and food. 24:05 That's what cares of this world are. 24:07 Okay, shelter. Those are all cares of this world, 24:11 the cares of this world 24:13 and the deceitfulness of riches choke thee. 24:19 What chokes the word? What chokes the word? 24:24 Cares of this world. Deceitfulness of riches 24:28 that's what chokes the word of God. 24:33 And dear friends, I hope tonight 24:35 that you are not letting those things 24:37 keep you spending time in the word of God. 24:42 I can assure you, I can tell you right now. 24:46 You are much better off, if you spend time with the Lord. 24:52 Much better off. And he becomes what unfruitful. 24:58 So dear friends take time, 25:01 the Bible speaks about these people 25:02 whose their religion is totally external 25:05 and it makes some comparisons of them like in Jude here. 25:09 Jude 1 verse 12 it says, 25:11 They are clouds without water, carried about by every winds, 25:18 late autumns trees without fruit, 25:20 twice dead, pulled up by the roots. 25:24 I don't know here in Chicago do you have, 25:26 do you have clouds without water, 25:29 do you ever have that? 25:30 California, we have clouds without water. 25:33 You know. Get up in the morning, 25:35 here are some great big beautiful clouds 25:37 and sun comes out and they just all kind of 25:39 dry upand disappear. Clouds without water, 25:42 it says that's way you and I are if we are not spending time 25:46 in God's word, if you're not spending time in prayer. 25:49 It says for you shall be as the terebinth tree, 25:53 that's a tree, whose leaf fades, 25:55 and as a garden that has no water." 26:01 You know what a garden is like without water. 26:05 Boy, Oklahoma, what was it, the last of March, 26:09 first of April that we planted the garden. 26:13 Plowed the garden, planted the garden. 26:16 April rains came, the garden begins to come up, 26:21 it's vibrant, it's green, it's growing. 26:25 And usually by, oh, in May sometime 26:29 we are eating some things in the garden. 26:31 It's still is, it rains and it's nice 26:34 and green and we're eating from it. 26:38 End of May, June, the garden is really barring now, all of it. 26:46 But we hit July and you can begin to see around 26:50 the deges of the garden a little bit of brown. 26:56 August comes, there is no rain. 27:00 No rain in August and the whole garden just dries up. 27:05 Is that way your Christian experience is? 27:11 Like a garden without water, dry. 27:15 Dry as the Hills of Gilboa. 27:20 That's what he is talking about. 27:21 That's external religion, that's what I'm talking about. 27:25 It's when I don't spend time with the Lord, 27:29 he says that these people, 27:32 they hewn themselves cisterns, 27:35 broken cisterns that can hold no water, 27:39 broken cisterns that hold no water. 27:42 Jesus talked about these type of people in his day. 27:46 Listen, Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, 27:49 and hypocrites, for you are like whitewashed tombs, 27:54 which indeed appear beautiful outwardly. 27:59 If you have ever been to Jerusalem 28:01 you understand what I mean, whitewashed tombs. 28:04 They have tombs there, they whitewash them and all. 28:06 Whitewashed tombs but inside are full of dead men's bones 28:12 and all uncleanness. You see, if you are going to church, 28:21 but you don't have any joy in your heart. 28:25 If you are going to church out of habit, 28:30 if you are going to church just because it's tradition, 28:37 and your relationship with Jesus Christ is totally lacking? 28:44 Then dear friend you are like a whitewashed tomb, 28:49 full of dead men's bones. 28:52 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men. 29:00 But inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. 29:06 This is what Jesus is talking about, you see. 29:08 This is why he said that they are cisterns, 29:11 broken cisterns that can hold no water 29:14 cause they don't take anytime to spend 29:16 with the Lord Jesus Christ. 29:20 I talked about one of the Pharisees, 29:21 he told the story about this Pharisee, 29:25 who went down the temple to pray. 29:28 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 29:31 God, I thank you that I am not like other men. 29:39 Extortioners, unjust, adulterers, even as this, 29:44 see over on the side there was a poor tax collector. 29:50 He may not have been poor; 29:51 he may have been a rich tax collector. I don't know. 29:53 But he was over there and this Pharisee said, 29:57 sure glad I am not like him. 30:03 I fast twice every week, 30:07 I give tithes of all that I possess. 30:13 Any of you here tonight think for one moment 30:20 what you give makes you righteous, 30:24 then dear friend, your religion is external. I'm sorry. 30:33 He said I am not glad; I am not like this tax collector. 30:37 But that tax collector says, 30:39 just beat on his chest and said, 30:42 God be merciful to me a sinner. 30:47 And it says that he went down to his home justified. 30:53 You see I will never forget I was speaking 30:54 to a room full of fifth graders 30:58 and I was trying to explain to them the grace of Jesus Christ 31:03 and what the Lord Jesus Christ does for them. 31:06 And how that it was a gift that Jesus gave 31:08 and how they, all they had to do 31:10 is just reach out and accept him, 31:11 and accept Jesus into their heart all that 31:14 he would do for them, 31:15 and this little fifth grade boy raised his hand. 31:19 And he said are you trying to tell me 31:21 that all this stuff my parents have been telling me, 31:23 I've got to do is not true. 31:25 You talk about a loaded question. 31:29 And I said, well I don't know what your parents 31:31 have been telling you, but I'm telling you 31:33 that the only people that are going 31:35 to be saved is those that qualify. 31:40 He got a downcast look on his face and he said to me. 31:44 Okay, what do I have to do qualify. 31:48 And I said, the only people that qualify are sinners. 31:52 And he smiled and he said, I qualify. 31:56 That's what I am trying to tell you tonight, 31:58 dear friend. You see it's the grace of God. 32:02 That must come in into your heart. 32:05 It's the grace of God that must work in your life 32:07 and only as it takes place that way will anything happen. 32:11 The children of Israel couldn't understand this, 32:13 it was external watch. Romans 9:31, 32:17 But Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, 32:20 has not attained to the law of righteousness. 32:23 What were they pursuing? 32:26 They were pursuing the law of righteousness 32:29 and as a result what? They wouldn't have find in it. 32:35 Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, 32:39 but as it were, by the works of the law. 32:42 They said oh, if I do this, 32:44 this and this I'm going to make it. 32:46 No, you're not. No, you're not. 32:51 Let me tell you right now dear friend, 32:53 if you don't know Jesus Christ, you missed it. 32:58 You can pursue the works of the law, 33:00 all day long but if you don't know Jesus, 33:06 you're not going to make it into the Kingdom of Heaven. 33:09 It's what it takes. 33:12 For they stumble at the stumbling stone. 33:16 Who was the Stumbling Stone? 33:19 Jesus Christ. Let me talk to you just 33:23 a little bit about internal religion. 33:26 We've talked about external. 33:28 Let's talk about internal. What takes place, what happens? 33:34 And being found in him, not having my own righteousness. 33:41 I don't have any folks, I don't have any. 33:47 Bible makes that very clear, 33:48 my righteousness is as filthy rags, 33:52 don't have any. Not having my own righteousness 33:57 which is from the law, 34:00 but that which is through faith, what? Faith in Christ. 34:08 Yes. That's the way it comes, faith in Christ, 34:10 the righteousness which is from God by faith. 34:14 You see I reach out and I claim Jesus Christ 34:20 and his righteousness, then something begins to happen, 34:26 begins to take place. 34:27 Internal religion takes place by faith. 34:32 That's the way you get folks, is by faith. 34:35 Let me tell you something. 34:37 Quit, quit living lives that inefficient, 34:44 quit living weak lives. What do I mean? Faith. 34:50 Faith requires that you have something 34:52 in your hand that's bigger than you can accomplish. 34:56 Move out in faith and do something for God. 35:00 Take him at his word. If his word says 35:03 this is what I want you to do, 35:05 then step out in faith and say, okay Lord, 35:08 I can do that, not of my strength not what I can do 35:11 but what you can do in my life. 35:15 That's faith. If you don't do it that way, 35:20 you are like a garden without water. 35:23 But if you do it by faith, 35:25 this is what internal religion will do for you. 35:32 Instead of being a garden without water, 35:35 it says, The Lord will guide you continually, 35:38 and satisfy your soul in drought. 35:42 You see the well of water has water in drought. 35:47 Okay. Satisfy your soul in drought, 35:51 strengthen your bones, 35:53 you shall be like a watered garden, 35:56 and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail. 36:02 Never fail, never will. Because that's what the Lord 36:06 does for you and for me. 36:09 Internal religion must be a work of the heart. 36:15 So it has to be, it is not external, 36:19 has to be work of the heart. 36:23 For he is not a Jew, who is one outwardly, 36:28 nor a circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. 36:33 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; 36:37 and circumcision is that of the heart. 36:42 That's internal. And so tonight and guess 36:47 what I'm trying to tell you. 36:50 If you've been going to church all these years 36:54 and it's been boring to you. 36:57 And you go to church 36:58 and you kind of have to make yourself go. 37:01 Well, then dear friend the problem is, 37:04 you don't know Jesus, sorry, you don't know Jesus, 37:11 because if you know Jesus, he changes that. 37:15 Jesus Christ is the one that puts joy in your heart. 37:18 He puts a spring in your step, he makes the sky blue, 37:23 makes the birds sing sweeter. 37:26 And then if you don't know him, 37:28 then your religion will never be joyous, 37:32 will never be happy. You go and you come back home 37:36 and it hasn't done anything for you. 37:40 That's all external. 37:44 It has to be a work of the heart. 37:46 In the spirit not in the letter whose praise 37:51 is not from men but from God. 37:55 That's what it is. When I do that, 37:58 all things begin to change, our life begins to change, 38:02 I begin to find a life that I've never known before. 38:09 And so to you tonight I just say, take time. 38:16 Take time to get acquainted with Jesus Christ. 38:22 Don't get so busy, that you can't spend time with him, 38:28 that the righteous requirements of the law 38:31 might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according 38:37 to the flesh but according to the spirit. 38:41 You see if you are keeping God's law because 38:44 you think you have to, that's drudgery. 38:49 That's total drudgery if you're keeping the law of God 38:52 because you think you have to. 38:54 And I talk to people and they say well I keep, 38:56 I keep the commandments. I keep the Ten Commandments; 39:02 well bless your heart you may, 39:04 but you maybe miserable. 39:09 I don't keep the commandments of God; 39:12 I do not keep the commandments of God to be saved. 39:19 I keep them because I am saved, okay. 39:25 Keep them because I am saved. 39:29 That's a total different situation. 39:33 You see God says to each one of you here tonight, 39:35 come to me and I will make you, 39:39 I will make you priest. 39:43 I will make you Kings, 39:46 he promises that he would do that for you that is his work. 39:51 If you come to him, he says he will take his law 39:54 and he will write it on your heart. 39:58 Oh, if he writes it on my heart, then dear friends, 40:02 that's an internal experience and I'm gladly keep his law. 40:07 Gladly keep it. 40:10 Then I will give them one heart, 40:13 and I will put a new spirit within them, 40:18 putting new what? Putting new spirit within you, 40:21 I'm talking about the water of life, 40:23 he puts that new spirit in you. 40:26 And take the stony heart out of their flesh, 40:28 and I'll give them a heart of flesh. 40:33 Dear friend, when Jesus comes into your life 40:35 and does that, what a difference, 40:39 what a difference. It changes you, 40:42 makes you totally different. 40:45 And they may walk in my statues 40:48 and keep my judgments and do them. Why? 40:54 Why are they are gonna walk into statues 40:56 and keep his commandments, his judgments and do them? 40:58 Why, why are they going to do this? 41:03 Because he wrote it on their hearts. 41:06 Came in and he wrote it down in their heart 41:09 and because it's in your heart, you're going to do it, 41:11 that's what the scripture is simply telling you. 41:14 And they shall be my people and I will be their God. 41:20 You better believe, they are his people. 41:24 Keeping the law of God is the fruit; 41:28 it's the fruit of an inward experience. 41:32 Are you with me? It's the fruit of it. 41:36 For this is the covenant that I will make 41:38 with the house of Israel after those days, 41:40 says the Lord, I will put my law in their mind 41:43 and write them on their hearts; 41:46 I will be their God, they shall be my people. 41:52 And so to many of you here who had been watching 41:56 by television or you being coming here to the meeting 42:01 and maybe you've been struggling over 42:03 some of the things you've been hearing. 42:06 Dear friend, let me tell you, 42:07 the answer to that comes in surrendering 42:10 your heart to Jesus Christ. 42:13 That's where the answer comes. 42:16 You see if you try, to face it on your own 42:21 and if you try to reason out all the reasons 42:25 why it won't work, it won't work. 42:28 But if you come in faith and surrender 42:31 your heart to Jesus Christ, 42:34 marvelous will be the results of what He'll do in your life. 42:39 Where he says I delight to do thy, 42:43 delighting thy law of God according to the inward man. 42:49 It says I delight to do; 42:51 I delight to keep the law of God. 42:55 You see when I first became a Christian 42:57 I had a trouble with that, because I had pick up my Bible. 43:03 And I read it. And you know something 43:04 strange about the Bible, it says the same thing 43:07 every time you read it, have you ever noticed that? 43:11 I will read this text and man it just hit me hard, 43:15 I mean just hit me right between the eyes 43:17 and so I would go read some other place you know. 43:20 Read there and then later I would be reading again 43:23 and there was again it said the same thing again. 43:26 You know. And I said, listen Lord, listen, I love you, 43:32 but I don't like some of these things that it says. 43:36 You know, but it wasn't until I understood. 43:41 That it wasn't what I had to do. 43:44 It was, what Jesus did, 43:46 that all of a sudden it began to do something for me. 43:50 All of a sudden I began to understand 43:52 that he was saying, listen, open up your heart, 43:55 accept me by faith, surrender your life to me 43:59 and I'll change you and make you different. 44:02 And the law of God was no longer offensive to me. 44:06 I could say Lord, write in my heart. 44:10 Go ahead, put it there and when I did that, 44:14 changed the whole thing. 44:16 You see if the law of God is to you this way, 44:21 we'll take a look at what is external 44:24 and what's internal. 44:27 If it's written on stone like with me. 44:32 It was written here on these pages 44:34 and I read it and I said I don't like it, 44:37 think that was totally external and it graded, 44:42 it went against what I wanted to do. 44:45 But when I surrendered my heart 44:49 and gave my life to the Lord and surrendered my heart 44:52 and he wrote it on my heart, 44:54 it was no longer offensive, that's internal. 44:58 Are you with me? 45:01 You see if circumcision is strictly external, 45:08 that's all it is. 45:10 That all it is with you, 45:13 but if it circumcision of the heart, that's internal. 45:19 If your religion is legalism, 45:23 do you understand what I mean by legalism? 45:26 And I understand I run on to people 45:28 who don't understand legalism. 45:31 Legalism is when I wanted to do my own thing. 45:37 I want to act like I wanted to do, 45:39 and I wanted to do what, it might be good, 45:41 I might go to church do all that. 45:44 But if it's what I want to do that's legalism. Okay. 45:50 Righteousness by faith is when I simply say hear Lord, 45:56 I don't have one thing in this world 46:01 to recommend myself to you except my great need. 46:07 Come into my heart, take possession of my life, 46:12 I'm yours that's internal religion. 46:17 Our Bible says the letter kills, spirit gives life. 46:25 See I can keep folks listen to me, 46:29 I can keep the Ten Commandments by will power. 46:36 I can do that. I can just you know say, 46:41 I'm not going to do this, and have strong will power. 46:44 I went on to some of these people. 46:46 Man, they have will powers like you, 46:48 I've never seen in my life. 46:50 There's nobody can live with them, you know, and just. 46:54 But I can keep the Ten Commandments by will power. 46:58 Okay. But let me tell you something you cannot, 47:02 you cannot keep the spirit of the law by will power. 47:09 You cannot do that. 47:11 You can keep the letter of the law by will power 47:15 but you can't keep the spirit of the law by will power. 47:18 But if you keep the spirit of the law 47:20 you will keep the letter of the law. 47:24 Come and go together. 47:27 Old covenant works. 47:31 That's the old covenant, new covenant, faith. 47:36 Internal, external. 47:39 Works of man, works of grace, that's the difference. 47:46 You see give me a man, give me a man or a woman, 47:55 who does not base their experience upon the preacher. 48:05 Give me a man or a woman who do not gather inspiration 48:12 from a warm hearted friend or from large meeting. 48:18 But give me a man or a woman, who has a personal relationship 48:24 with Jesus Christ and know Him personally 48:29 and that man and woman will stand if every preacher dies. 48:35 Okay that's what God is looking for. 48:39 He is looking for somebody this willing 48:42 to come to know Him in a close experience. 48:45 If you do that dear friend, 48:47 then you're talking about religion. 48:50 Then you're talking about the water of life 48:52 then you are talking about what Jesus Christ 48:54 will do in your life. 49:00 What will it do to you? 49:02 Let me explain what it do to you. 49:04 This is out of Ezekiel 47th chapter; 49:06 you may have read it, never known what it was talking about. 49:08 Watch what it says. 49:11 "And he brought me back to the door of the temple; 49:14 and there was water, 49:15 flowing from under the threshold of the temple 49:17 towards the east, for the front of the temple faced east; 49:22 the water was flowing from under the right side 49:24 of the temple, south of the altar. 49:26 " Now that text just simply saying that 49:28 Ezekiel got there to the front door of the church, 49:31 and here water was seeping out under the threshold, 49:35 that's what it says. 49:37 The Angel takes Ezekiel for a walk around the church, okay. 49:44 "He brought me out of the way 49:46 out by the way of the north gate, 49:48 and led me around on the outside 49:51 to the outer gate that faces east; 49:54 and there was water running out on the right side. 49:58 And when the man went out to the east 50:00 with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits. 50:04 " So it just simply says he took him for a walk 50:06 around the church one thousand cubits. 50:10 "And he brought me through the waters; 50:13 and the waters came up to my ankles. 50:16 " Now they've gotten back to the front of the church 50:20 and here water was ankle deep like tonight. 50:24 If we would have come here and water was seeping out 50:27 under its front door out there 50:28 we were said that's a catastrophe. 50:30 Well here it is now ice flowing out, 50:33 now it's ankle deep they take another walk around the church. 50:39 "Again he measured one thousand 50:40 and brought me through the waters; 50:43 and the waters came to my knees. 50:45 " You see the waters rising. 50:48 "Again he measured one thousand and brought me 50:52 through the waters they came up to my waist. 50:55 " It's getting deep. 50:57 "Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river, 51:02 I could not cross, for the water was too deep 51:08 water in which one must swim a river 51:10 that could not be crossed. 51:13 " What's he talking about? 51:15 He is talking about you and he is talking about me. 51:20 You see, when you come to Jesus Christ 51:24 and you open up your heart 51:27 and you invite Him into your heart the Bible says, 51:31 you become a spring of living water. 51:33 When Jesus comes in your heart, 51:36 and by the way dear friends when you drink, you drink, okay. 51:43 You got to drink. 51:46 Let me tell you a secret tonight. 51:48 If your cup is only half full, 51:53 you don't have anything to share with anybody. 51:56 But when you drink and you drink 51:59 until your cup runs over then you can't help yourself. 52:03 That's what this text is talking about. 52:05 You come to Jesus Christ and you drink the water swim in, 52:10 lots of water to river flowing 52:12 and out of you will flow streams of living water. 52:16 And when that religion is internal 52:20 and it flows out of you then you are gonna say 52:24 something to that neighbor next door. 52:27 And you're gonna say something to that loved one. 52:30 And you are gonna say something to that person 52:32 about what Jesus means to you. 52:35 And the wonderful experience that you have in Christ Jesus 52:38 and all the joy and happiness that he brings to your heart. 52:41 And as you witness to them, 52:43 you're gonna find other people gonna say, 52:46 man, I'd love to have what that person's got. 52:50 I'd love to have that. 52:51 And you are gonna find men and women 52:53 reaching out to accept Jesus Christ. 52:55 And when they accept Jesus Christ, 52:57 do you know what just happens? The stream just goes. 53:03 You see and then the two of them they bring people to Christ 53:08 in the stream rises again until it's ankle deep 53:10 and then it's knee deep and then it's waist deep, 53:13 and then it's a river. 53:15 That's what God has called 53:17 everyone of you here tonight to do. 53:19 That's what he has asked us to do. 53:22 Become rivers of life. 53:23 "And the Spirit and the bride say, 53:26 'Come!' let him who hears say, 53:28 'Come!', let him who thirsts come. 53:31 Whoever desires let him take of the water of life freely. " 53:37 See tonight. 53:39 God's inviting you to take of the water life. 53:43 Oh dear friend, 53:46 I hope it won't be an external experience with you. 53:50 I hope tonight you'll open up your heart, let Jesus in, 53:57 that you will accept Him like the woman at the well. 54:03 Reach out, accept the water of life. 54:09 Like the woman at the well I was seeking 54:17 For things that could not satisfy; 54:26 And then I heard the Savior speaking: 54:36 "Draw from the well that never shall run dry. 54:50 The first question tonight says, 54:54 I want to accept Christ's gift of the water of life. 54:57 It's a gift friend, it's free. 55:01 You can't buy it. 55:03 All you can do is accept it tonight. 55:06 If you would like to accept Christ's gift, 55:10 the water of life, put a check by number one. 55:15 Second question says, I would like to be baptized. 55:21 Baptism by water as great symbolism folks, 55:29 cause as you open up your heart to him 55:31 and you're baptized means 55:34 all those sins have been washed away. 55:37 If you come out of the baptistry clean, 55:39 nothing to your account. 55:43 God has given you the water of life, 55:48 that you may drink and never thirst again, marvelous. 55:54 Thirdly, I'd like to rededicate my life 55:58 to drinking deeply of the water of life. 56:02 Tonight if there are some of you here 56:05 who have accepted Christ, 56:09 that the cares of this world and a sea full of riches 56:15 have been suffering, chocking, suffocating, the word of God. 56:21 And tonight you would like to say, 56:23 listen, I am gonna rededicate my life, 56:25 I am gonna spend time with the Lord Jesus Christ 56:29 then put a check by number three. 56:31 Put your name, put your address on it, as Maddy sings. 56:37 Fill my cup Lord, I lift it up, Lord! 56:47 Come and quench this thirsting of my soul; 56:58 Bread of heaven, Feed me till I want no more 57:12 Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole! 57:29 Let's bow our heads for a word of prayer. 57:31 Father, we thank you, for your love, 57:35 for the hope that we have in Christ. 57:38 Tonight Lord, we ask that you give to us the living water. 57:45 To obtain a copy of this program or for more information, 57:48 please write to Kenneth Cox Ministries, 57:52 PO Box 1027, Loma Linda, CA, 92354. 57:56 Again, Kenneth Cox Ministries, 57:57 PO Box 1027, Loma Linda, CA, 92354. 58:02 In North America, you can call toll free at 888-747-1844 58:08 or internationally call 909-790-2770. |
Revised 2014-12-17