I'd like to invite you
to pray with me right now.
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The message, the
anatomy of peace.
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Let us pray.
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Loving Father in
heaven, this is the opportunity,
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Lord, for Your Spirit
to speak to our hearts,
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give us ears to hear,
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in Jesus' name, amen.
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The scripture
reading for this morning
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is 2 Chronicles 14:2.
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2 Chronicles 14:2,
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it's a very short scripture,
but it is power packed.
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It explains the secret
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I believe
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to having a peaceful
relationship with God.
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2 Chronicles 14:2
and the Bible says
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in a very short way that
we can read this together.
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Let us do so.
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The Bible says,
"Asa..." Together,
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"Asa did what was good and right
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in the eyes of the Lord."
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Praise the Lord.
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When I was growing up,
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periodically mama
used to say to me,
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"God's watching you."
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And that term used to
send shrills through me
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because I didn't
really know God for myself,
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and I used to think that
God was this big guy somewhere
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that just cannot wait
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to whack me or to
push me into the line.
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And then I grew up
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and I heard the
phrase on several occasions,
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Big Brother is watching you.
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And I thought,
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"Well, let me look
into this Big Brother phrase
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and actually what it
means, and where it came from."
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And as one that likes to pull in
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really good stories,
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I want you to walk with
me through this whole phrase,
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this idea that
God is watching us,
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God is upset with us,
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God is keeping
track of everything we do.
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And I believe that when we
see God in the right light,
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we would have less fear
and more adoration and praise.
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Now I did my homework in
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to discover the
phrase Big Brother.
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It seems to be a term
that just refuses to die.
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From generation to generation
it rises to the surface
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through the interpretive minds
of musicians, movie producers,
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songwriters, sitcom writers,
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slogans.
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We've seen them on billboards,
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we've heard them on
television programs,
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but I decided where,
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I like to find out
where something came from.
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So I'm going to share with you,
this morning just walk with me
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through some of the research
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to understand the
phrase Big Brother
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in context to our
Heavenly Brother who is Jesus.
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According to the record
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Big Brother is a
fictional character
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and symbol in
George Orwell's novel
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entitled Nineteen Eighty-Four.
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He is allegedly a
leader or symbolic figurehead
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of a fictional
place called Oceana.
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It is a totalitarian
state where the ruling party
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wields total power
over its inhabitants,
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Big Brother.
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However,
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according to other sources
there is much speculation
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as to the origin of the phrase.
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For example
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in the essay
section of his novel 1985,
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Anthony Burgess states
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that Orwell got the
idea for the name Big Brother
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from an advertising billboard
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for educational correspondence
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from a company
called The Bennett's
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that existed
during World War II.
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Burgess suggests
that Orwell got the idea
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from a billboard
that simply talked
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about educational supplies,
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what the educational system
wanted to do for young people.
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The original poster showed
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a man by the
name of J.M. Bennett,
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a kindly looking old man
offering guidance and support
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to would be
students with the phrase,
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"Let me be your
father" attached.
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But according to
Burgess when J.M. Bennett died,
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his son took over the company,
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and the poster was replaced
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with a picture of a son
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who instead of being
kind and compassionate,
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the poster showed
an imposing stern son
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in contrast to a kind
father with the phrase,
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"Let me be your big brother."
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That's where they
suggest the phrase came from,
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"Let me be your big brother."
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But to go a little deeper,
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in the society of George Orwell,
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he describes that every citizen
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and we know this in
modern times every citizen
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is under constant
surveillance by authorities.
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And in his world,
you can see in the movie
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large screens placed at
locations around the town
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with a large face of Big Brother
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watching its citizens
as they walk the streets,
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as they shop,
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as they do their
day-to-day business.
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They call them telescreens.
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People constantly being watched
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and they had under the caption,
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"Big Brother is watching you."
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In the modern culture,
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the term Big Brother
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has transitioned into a synonym
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for the abusive government.
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Today we say Big
Brother is watching you,
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I know people that
would not use their iPads
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unless they put a piece of tape
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over the camera.
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Don't raise your hand
if you're one of those.
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But I've seen people at 3ABN,
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open their computers
and there's a piece of tape
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over the camera.
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There are some
people that buy iPhones
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and they put tape
because they have been told
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in some of these
smart televisions
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that they can turn the
camera on or off at their whim,
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Big Brother is watching you
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everywhere.
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The government is
looking at the things that we do
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in our day-to-day
lives so people suggests.
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When my wife and
I were in London,
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we noticed that London
is the one city in the world
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that is laced with CCD-TVs.
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In other words,
cameras watching everything,
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intersection, how you drive,
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and they have in
their system in London
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a warning on the GPS
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or the tracking
device in your car,
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it will let you know
where the next camera is
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so by the time you get there,
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you've slowed down
to the legal speed.
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But in our world today,
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the term Big Brother
has quite an implication.
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Musicians in our world today
like David Bowie and Kanye West
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have both produced
songs entitled Big Brother.
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I also discovered that
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in some of the movies we watch
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like as far back as
the Andy Griffin Show,
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and CSI Miami,
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in the show Glee they
use the phrase Big Brother.
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It seems to be a phrase
that refuses to go away.
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And so when we
think about Big Brother
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and all the information
that is being gathered on us,
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the thought came to my mind,
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if man with his
empire of spying devices
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is gathering
information on every click,
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on every website we visit
on all of our daily activity,
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the phone calls we make,
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the places we travel,
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as we go into Best
Buy or into the mall.
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If we are all being
continually watched,
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and man is
collecting this information,
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how much more
does God know about us.
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Now let me go
ahead and frighten you
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before I give you comfort.
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Go with me in your Bible
to the Book of Hebrews 4.
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Hebrews 4, let's
look together at verse 13.
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It is really sobering
when you think about the fact
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that all of our
activity is monitored by God,
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it is seen by God,
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there is nothing
hidden from the eyes of God.
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Notice the writer of Hebrews
suggests this, Hebrews 4:13.
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And the Bible tells us,
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"There is no creature hidden..."
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How many creatures?
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None of us
hidden from His sight...
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"But all things are naked
and open to the eyes of Him
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to whom we must give account."
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When we go to the airport,
thankfully my wife and I
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have what's called TSA,
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and for those
of you that travel,
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you know what that is.
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We have a TSA pass which
means when we go to the airport,
00:09:03.10\00:09:07.41
we don't have to go
through those big machines
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where they say
put your hands up,
00:09:09.11\00:09:10.51
take everything
out of your pocket,
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and they scan you,
and the beep goes off.
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I remember
before I got my TSA pass
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they would have
signs and they'd say,
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"Do you have
metal in your head?"
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And I say, "I don't."
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But there'd be a
yellow dot and I say,
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"Why is that dot
showing up on my brain?"
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These are the
cameras picking up something,
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they're looking not
only on our outside,
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but they're
scanning our insides,
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and they said,
"Well, let us know right now
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if there's any
metal in your body,
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any metal in your head."
00:09:37.31\00:09:38.77
We're being surveyed
internally and externally.
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So is it not a sobering thought,
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Terry, to think that
there is nothing hidden
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from the eyes of God?
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And He is the one to whom
we must all give an account.
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Let that revolutionize
the way you live this week.
00:09:54.42\00:09:57.66
But as that
scripture finds fertile soil,
00:10:00.43\00:10:04.70
as was my experience, it
tends to plant seeds of fear
00:10:04.73\00:10:09.50
rather than praise
and admiration about God.
00:10:09.54\00:10:12.61
So before I dive into
the heart of the message,
00:10:12.64\00:10:14.64
let me begin by
00:10:14.68\00:10:16.01
letting you know
one of the reasons
00:10:16.04\00:10:17.38
why we have fear
when we read scriptures
00:10:17.41\00:10:19.15
like that is because
rebellion changes the way
00:10:19.18\00:10:22.22
we perceived God.
00:10:22.25\00:10:25.45
I mean, children will
say "My parents are mean."
00:10:25.49\00:10:27.76
When somebody would say,
00:10:27.79\00:10:29.12
"Well, your parents are nice..."
00:10:29.16\00:10:30.49
Rebellion changes
the way that we see God,
00:10:30.53\00:10:33.09
but allow me to begin
my message by giving you
00:10:33.13\00:10:37.53
an accurate
assessment of almighty God.
00:10:37.57\00:10:41.04
Go with me to Psalms 103:8-14.
00:10:41.07\00:10:43.84
Come on now, turn there quickly.
00:10:43.87\00:10:45.71
Want to hear
those Bibles turning,
00:10:45.74\00:10:47.08
don't rely on the screen.
00:10:47.11\00:10:49.38
You might want to outline
00:10:49.41\00:10:50.75
or highlight this in your Bible.
00:10:50.78\00:10:53.85
Psalm
00:10:53.88\00:10:55.42
103 and let's
look at verse 8-14.
00:10:55.45\00:11:01.42
And the reason why the scripture
00:11:01.46\00:11:02.79
is so necessary at this point is
00:11:02.82\00:11:04.16
because we're going to get into
00:11:04.19\00:11:05.53
some amazing understandings
of God and how He works.
00:11:05.56\00:11:08.06
And why it is
important to live our lives
00:11:08.10\00:11:09.96
in the side of God now
00:11:10.00\00:11:11.60
because one day we
will be living our lives
00:11:11.63\00:11:14.27
in the physical
literal side of almighty God.
00:11:14.30\00:11:17.67
But notice the
accurate assessment
00:11:17.71\00:11:19.24
of who God is.
00:11:19.27\00:11:20.61
David the
Psalmist says in verse 8,
00:11:20.64\00:11:22.91
"The Lord is
merciful and..." What?
00:11:22.94\00:11:24.51
"Gracious.
00:11:24.55\00:11:25.88
Slow to..." What?
00:11:25.91\00:11:27.25
"Anger and
abounding in..." What?
00:11:27.28\00:11:29.38
"Mercy.
00:11:29.42\00:11:30.75
He will not
always strive with us,
00:11:30.79\00:11:33.76
nor will he keep
His anger forever."
00:11:33.79\00:11:36.32
Amen, somebody?
00:11:36.36\00:11:37.86
Because sometimes I've been told
00:11:37.89\00:11:39.23
when I was being raised,
00:11:39.26\00:11:40.60
"God is angry with
you, go to your room."
00:11:40.63\00:11:43.06
And I'm thinking, "How
long is God going to get angry?"
00:11:43.10\00:11:44.73
Until I grew up,
00:11:44.77\00:11:46.10
I understand that
God is not this guy
00:11:46.13\00:11:47.47
that's always angry.
00:11:47.50\00:11:48.84
Can you imagine if God
was angry by what we do?
00:11:48.87\00:11:51.51
Will God ever be happy?
00:11:51.54\00:11:54.04
And so many people
get turned off to God
00:11:54.08\00:11:55.64
because they think,
00:11:55.68\00:11:57.01
"He's this angry guy
that's got divine binoculars,
00:11:57.05\00:11:59.65
and he can't wait..."
00:11:59.68\00:12:01.02
Ha!
00:12:01.05\00:12:02.48
But the Bible says,
00:12:02.52\00:12:03.85
"He will not keep
His anger forever."
00:12:03.89\00:12:05.89
And then verse 10, this
is the hallelujah verse.
00:12:05.92\00:12:09.32
"He has not dealt with
us according to our sins,
00:12:09.36\00:12:14.13
nor punished us
according to our iniquities."
00:12:14.16\00:12:17.83
Somebody said, "If
you get in trouble,
00:12:17.87\00:12:19.33
put your life in God's hands."
00:12:19.37\00:12:21.47
Your parents might
beat the life out of you,
00:12:21.50\00:12:23.04
but God will
keep the life in you.
00:12:23.07\00:12:24.44
Amen, somebody?
00:12:24.47\00:12:26.54
For He says, "For as high,
00:12:26.57\00:12:28.24
for as the heavens
are high above the earth,
00:12:28.28\00:12:31.28
so great is His mercy
toward those who fear Him."
00:12:31.31\00:12:34.48
That's not afraid but
honor, adore, worship Him.
00:12:34.52\00:12:38.72
"As far as the east
is from the west..."
00:12:38.75\00:12:40.86
My favorite text,
00:12:40.89\00:12:42.32
"So far has He removed
our transgressions from us."
00:12:42.36\00:12:46.83
You know I wish,
when I read that text,
00:12:46.86\00:12:48.23
I wish people were at least half
00:12:48.26\00:12:50.03
as nice as God.
00:12:50.07\00:12:52.30
Amen?
00:12:52.33\00:12:53.67
But we live among a
society where people
00:12:53.70\00:12:55.17
like to remind others of our sin
00:12:55.20\00:12:57.24
to make them feel
good about themselves,
00:12:57.27\00:12:59.01
but look at the next verse.
00:12:59.04\00:13:01.31
"As a father
pities his children,
00:13:01.34\00:13:04.35
so the Lord pities
those who do..." What?
00:13:04.38\00:13:07.45
"Fear Him, for
He knows our frame,
00:13:07.48\00:13:10.25
He remembers that we are dust."
00:13:10.29\00:13:15.02
Is that a
beautiful picture of God?
00:13:15.06\00:13:16.62
And I would suggest one
of the most damaging lies
00:13:19.96\00:13:21.83
that have ever
been told about God
00:13:21.86\00:13:24.10
is that He is exacting,
00:13:24.13\00:13:25.67
that He is judgmental,
00:13:25.70\00:13:27.04
and that He
rejoices in our punishment.
00:13:27.07\00:13:29.40
I mean, think about that,
00:13:29.44\00:13:30.77
where else can
you find the platform
00:13:30.81\00:13:33.34
for the doctrine
of eternal torment?
00:13:33.38\00:13:35.08
Where else can you find support
00:13:35.11\00:13:37.61
for fire and
brimstone preaching?
00:13:37.65\00:13:39.88
And I was raised,
00:13:39.91\00:13:41.25
I was raised in
an Adventist Church,
00:13:41.28\00:13:42.98
but if the preacher
didn't tell you off,
00:13:43.02\00:13:45.49
you didn't feel
like you went to church.
00:13:45.52\00:13:46.89
Amen, Pastor CA.
00:13:46.92\00:13:48.42
"You all ain't anything,
but a bunch of heathens.
00:13:48.46\00:13:51.83
All you'll help him."
00:13:51.86\00:13:53.76
I mean, they try to
frighten Jesus in you,
00:13:53.80\00:13:56.20
when in fact all they did was
push us away further from God.
00:13:56.23\00:13:59.97
But when you know that
God is not the kind of God
00:14:00.00\00:14:02.00
that's gonna beat you up
00:14:02.04\00:14:03.74
even though He
knows you have sinned.
00:14:03.77\00:14:06.17
What did He say to the
woman caught in adultery?
00:14:06.21\00:14:09.11
He said, "Neither
do I condemn thee."
00:14:09.14\00:14:12.21
But He didn't cradle the sin.
00:14:12.25\00:14:14.98
He said, "Go and sin no more."
00:14:15.02\00:14:16.65
And John 3:17,
this is just a credit.
00:14:22.02\00:14:24.99
"For God sent not
His Son into the world
00:14:25.03\00:14:26.96
to condemn the world,
00:14:27.00\00:14:29.56
but that the world
through Him might be saved."
00:14:29.60\00:14:31.67
He didn't come to condemn us,
00:14:31.70\00:14:34.20
He came to condemn sin.
00:14:34.24\00:14:38.41
And like a toothache,
00:14:38.44\00:14:39.77
don't connect the
person with the toothache,
00:14:39.81\00:14:41.51
because that will mean
00:14:41.54\00:14:42.88
the only way to get
rid of the toothache
00:14:42.91\00:14:46.21
is give it to the person.
00:14:46.25\00:14:48.42
Praise God, our
tooth is separate from us,
00:14:48.45\00:14:51.95
although a part of us.
00:14:51.99\00:14:53.72
But when we read
about God's love...
00:14:57.66\00:15:00.06
And you know, the older I get,
00:15:00.10\00:15:01.70
I don't know if
this is something
00:15:01.73\00:15:03.06
about the age, Pastor CA,
00:15:03.10\00:15:04.43
or those of you
that are getting older,
00:15:04.47\00:15:06.30
there's something
about getting older
00:15:06.33\00:15:09.94
that helps us to see
God in a more loving light
00:15:09.97\00:15:15.38
than when we were young people.
00:15:15.41\00:15:17.78
And I think a
lot of it had to do
00:15:17.81\00:15:19.28
with the way we were raised,
00:15:19.31\00:15:20.98
or the church we went to,
00:15:21.02\00:15:22.48
or the people we
were associated with,
00:15:22.52\00:15:24.82
or judgmental
pastors, or hardheaded deacons,
00:15:24.85\00:15:27.82
or judgmental deaconesses,
00:15:27.86\00:15:29.46
or elders that always wag
their finger in your face,
00:15:29.49\00:15:32.66
but as we get older and
we read God's love letter...
00:15:32.69\00:15:36.13
I mean, look at these
scriptures very quickly,
00:15:36.16\00:15:38.33
1 John 4:19,
00:15:38.37\00:15:40.17
I praise the Lord for
our audio visual team,
00:15:40.20\00:15:41.87
it says, "We love
Him because He" what?
00:15:41.90\00:15:45.57
"First loved us."
00:15:45.61\00:15:48.14
That means when you
know somebody loves you,
00:15:48.18\00:15:51.58
then it will activate a
new love for that individual.
00:15:51.61\00:15:54.75
He doesn't tolerate us, He
loves us, and Jeremiah says,
00:15:54.78\00:15:58.19
"With an everlasting love,
00:15:58.22\00:15:59.95
therefore with
loving-kindness He draws us."
00:15:59.99\00:16:03.69
And he knows our sin.
00:16:03.73\00:16:05.43
I mean, if
anybody knows our sin,
00:16:05.46\00:16:07.30
God does.
00:16:07.33\00:16:08.66
Here's another one, John 15:13,
00:16:08.70\00:16:10.90
"Greater love
has no one than this,
00:16:10.93\00:16:13.34
than to lay down
one's life for his friends."
00:16:13.37\00:16:16.37
Did Jesus lay
down His life for us?
00:16:16.40\00:16:18.37
Yes or no?
00:16:18.41\00:16:20.61
And that was not just
love but that was great love.
00:16:20.64\00:16:23.65
And here's one more
which is one of my favorites,
00:16:23.68\00:16:26.55
I've said that so many times,
00:16:26.58\00:16:27.92
I have so many
favorite scriptures
00:16:27.95\00:16:29.88
so just give me some license,
1 John 4:18, here it is,
00:16:29.92\00:16:34.86
"There is no fear in" what?
00:16:34.89\00:16:37.56
"Love, but perfect
love casts out" what?
00:16:37.59\00:16:42.46
"Fear, because
fear involves torment.
00:16:42.50\00:16:46.07
But he who fears has not
been made perfect in love."
00:16:46.10\00:16:51.57
When your relationship with God
00:16:51.61\00:16:52.94
is a fear relationship,
you don't know God.
00:16:52.97\00:16:54.74
I mean, you cannot know
somebody who is as loving
00:16:54.78\00:16:57.58
and compassionate
and long suffering,
00:16:57.61\00:16:59.51
you cannot know
Him and fear Him,
00:16:59.55\00:17:03.05
and even further than that,
00:17:03.08\00:17:04.42
you can't know God
00:17:04.45\00:17:06.19
and pray like God
doesn't want to bless you.
00:17:06.22\00:17:09.36
You can't know
God and not know that
00:17:09.39\00:17:11.79
that He wants the
best for His children.
00:17:11.83\00:17:17.10
You cannot know God and think
00:17:17.13\00:17:18.97
that He doesn't
want to hear my prayer.
00:17:19.00\00:17:21.70
As a father pities his children,
00:17:21.74\00:17:24.37
so the Lord pities
those who fear Him,
00:17:24.41\00:17:29.68
so you got to understand
where this fear came from.
00:17:29.71\00:17:31.85
Timothy makes it clear, 2
Timothy 1:7 makes it clear
00:17:31.88\00:17:35.62
that this fear is not from God.
00:17:35.65\00:17:37.35
If we live in fear,
we are not living in God.
00:17:37.39\00:17:39.59
Notice what He says,
00:17:39.62\00:17:41.86
"For God has not
given us a spirit of" what,
00:17:41.89\00:17:44.13
church?
00:17:44.16\00:17:45.59
"God has not given
us a spirit of fear."
00:17:45.63\00:17:47.66
So the question is
where did it come from?
00:17:47.70\00:17:50.07
What did he give us?
00:17:50.10\00:17:51.83
Together.
00:17:51.87\00:17:53.20
"But of power and of love
and of a" what kind of mind?
00:17:53.23\00:17:57.04
"Sound mind."
00:17:57.07\00:17:58.57
So when you are living in fear,
you've got to know right away,
00:17:58.61\00:18:01.98
God has not put
that spirit on you,
00:18:02.01\00:18:06.15
doesn't come from God.
00:18:06.18\00:18:08.02
When people come to church...
00:18:08.05\00:18:09.38
When we are afraid to pray,
00:18:13.96\00:18:16.86
when we are
afraid to talk to God,
00:18:16.89\00:18:20.00
that fear has come
from someplace else,
00:18:20.03\00:18:22.83
it hasn't come from God.
00:18:22.86\00:18:24.30
And, you know, let me
also add this component,
00:18:24.33\00:18:26.00
the reason why this
sermon is so important to me
00:18:26.03\00:18:28.24
is because we've got to
be people to let others know
00:18:28.27\00:18:31.41
that it's not fearful to come,
00:18:31.44\00:18:33.81
to worship the God we serve.
00:18:33.84\00:18:37.08
If they know that
God is the God of love...
00:18:37.11\00:18:41.78
He doesn't excuse sin.
00:18:41.82\00:18:44.09
Let me not make this
sermon sound unbalance.
00:18:44.12\00:18:47.12
He does not excuse sin,
but He does not deal with us
00:18:47.16\00:18:51.73
according to our sin.
00:18:51.76\00:18:54.13
He doesn't overlook our sin,
00:18:54.16\00:18:56.46
He's a Holy God.
00:18:56.50\00:18:57.93
But, you know, is what we need
00:19:01.14\00:19:02.47
more than
condemnation is forgiveness.
00:19:02.50\00:19:05.31
To understand
the anatomy of peace,
00:19:08.34\00:19:11.41
let's examine
the anatomy of fear.
00:19:11.45\00:19:13.38
Genesis 3:6, 7.
00:19:13.42\00:19:15.32
Look at this.
00:19:15.35\00:19:17.12
Genesis 3:6, 7,
00:19:17.15\00:19:19.75
let's go there.
00:19:19.79\00:19:21.96
To understand where
the peace comes from
00:19:21.99\00:19:24.39
or how the peace got robbed,
00:19:24.43\00:19:25.89
let's examine
the anatomy of fear.
00:19:25.93\00:19:28.93
The context is,
00:19:28.96\00:19:31.73
Eve is in the
garden having a discussion
00:19:31.77\00:19:34.04
with a fallen
angel named Lucifer,
00:19:34.07\00:19:36.10
transitioning
into the name Satan,
00:19:36.14\00:19:39.11
and so she's at a tree
that God told her not to go to,
00:19:39.14\00:19:42.08
and the
conversation ensues as recorded.
00:19:42.11\00:19:45.31
"So when the woman saw
00:19:45.35\00:19:46.68
that the tree was good for food,
00:19:46.72\00:19:48.28
that it was
pleasant to the" what?
00:19:48.32\00:19:50.25
"Eyes.
00:19:50.29\00:19:51.62
A tree desirable
to make one wise,
00:19:51.65\00:19:54.96
she took of its fruit and ate.
00:19:54.99\00:19:58.29
She also gave to her
husband with her, and he ate."
00:19:58.33\00:20:03.06
I want you to get this
00:20:03.10\00:20:04.43
because we're talking
about eyes in the sermon.
00:20:04.47\00:20:06.50
"The eyes of both
of them were opened,
00:20:06.53\00:20:09.07
and they knew
that they were naked,
00:20:09.10\00:20:12.17
they sewed fig leaves together
and made themselves coverings."
00:20:12.21\00:20:15.98
They lost the covering of
God and they tried to provide
00:20:16.01\00:20:19.68
a substitute covering.
00:20:19.71\00:20:21.28
Let me make it clear.
00:20:21.32\00:20:22.65
There's no better covering
than the covering of Jesus.
00:20:22.68\00:20:25.52
You want to be saved,
you want to be blessed?
00:20:25.55\00:20:27.16
Let the covering of
Jesus be your covering.
00:20:27.19\00:20:29.66
When you examine
what happened here,
00:20:33.40\00:20:34.96
Adam placed greater weight
00:20:35.00\00:20:39.23
on what seemed
right in their eyes.
00:20:39.27\00:20:41.67
Adam and Eve,
it wasn't just Eve,
00:20:41.70\00:20:43.84
Adam and Eve
placed greater weight,
00:20:43.87\00:20:46.68
follow me carefully, to
what they felt was right
00:20:46.71\00:20:50.85
in their sight than what was
right according to God's Word.
00:20:50.88\00:20:55.95
In other words,
they said what we see
00:20:57.69\00:20:59.42
doesn't look as bad as
what God made it out to be.
00:20:59.45\00:21:03.59
That's why when our
sight clashes with God's Word,
00:21:03.63\00:21:06.73
we are on the wrong path.
00:21:06.76\00:21:09.90
We can't trust our sight.
00:21:13.00\00:21:15.80
We cannot trust what we
see, whether it's good or bad.
00:21:15.84\00:21:19.74
In so many instances
00:21:19.77\00:21:22.78
our perception of
what we see is skewed
00:21:22.81\00:21:26.11
because we don't
see like God sees.
00:21:26.15\00:21:29.42
And so what looks
good is sometimes bad,
00:21:32.25\00:21:35.82
what looks bad
is sometimes good,
00:21:35.86\00:21:38.93
but look at Genesis 3:9, 10,
00:21:41.83\00:21:43.97
as the story continues.
00:21:44.00\00:21:46.00
They got on...
00:21:46.03\00:21:47.37
They made the
wrong choice based on
00:21:47.40\00:21:48.74
what they felt was right,
according to their own sight,
00:21:48.77\00:21:50.91
and then look at this.
00:21:50.94\00:21:52.81
Fear was born.
00:21:52.84\00:21:55.04
Then the Lord God
called to Adam and said to him,
00:21:55.08\00:21:57.08
"Where are you?"
00:21:57.11\00:21:58.45
God wasn't asking
for GPS coordinates,
00:21:58.48\00:22:00.15
He was asking for confession.
00:22:00.18\00:22:02.32
So he said, "I heard
Your voice in the garden,
00:22:02.35\00:22:05.55
and I was afraid because
00:22:05.59\00:22:09.46
I was naked, and I hid myself."
00:22:09.49\00:22:12.96
When a person is
fearful, it often results
00:22:12.99\00:22:16.60
in a person hiding from God.
00:22:16.63\00:22:19.57
You know, when
you don't see people,
00:22:19.60\00:22:22.37
when people are locked into the
closet of their own decisions,
00:22:22.40\00:22:25.34
into the world of
their own choices,
00:22:25.37\00:22:27.18
into the scenario
of their own fear,
00:22:27.21\00:22:29.21
when they are
locked into this place
00:22:29.24\00:22:30.58
that they
cannot seem to get out,
00:22:30.61\00:22:32.31
it's often because
00:22:32.35\00:22:33.72
they have
stepped in the direction
00:22:33.75\00:22:36.22
opposite to God's
leading, but I need to say this,
00:22:36.25\00:22:39.39
what's beautiful
about this verse is God
00:22:39.42\00:22:42.42
didn't wait for Adam
to go looking for Him.
00:22:42.46\00:22:45.19
God came looking for Adam.
00:22:45.23\00:22:48.53
That's the true
picture of how God is.
00:22:48.56\00:22:50.00
He doesn't wait for us
to come looking for Him,
00:22:50.03\00:22:51.87
He goes looking for us.
00:22:51.90\00:22:53.90
That's why Oswald Chambers,
one of my favorite devotions...
00:22:53.94\00:22:57.84
If you want to
be revolutionized,
00:22:57.87\00:22:59.37
get Oswald
Chambers' devotions, powerful.
00:22:59.41\00:23:01.31
He said, "The
remarkable thing about God
00:23:01.34\00:23:03.98
is that when you fear
God, you fear nothing else,
00:23:04.01\00:23:08.28
whereas, if you do not fear God,
00:23:08.32\00:23:10.15
you fear everything else.
00:23:10.19\00:23:12.69
"When you fear God, you
don't fear anything else,
00:23:12.72\00:23:14.69
but when you do not fear
God, you fear everything else.
00:23:16.62\00:23:21.90
And Satan was successful in
leading our parents to believe
00:23:21.93\00:23:26.57
that they needed to see
00:23:26.60\00:23:27.94
more than God was
willing to show them.
00:23:27.97\00:23:31.07
In other words, he said,
"If you settle for what God
00:23:31.11\00:23:33.81
is telling you is right,
00:23:33.84\00:23:35.41
then you would miss
what I want to show you.
00:23:35.44\00:23:37.68
If you let me work on your eyes,
00:23:37.71\00:23:40.22
I will show you more than
God is willing to let you see."
00:23:40.25\00:23:43.52
Young folk, let me give
you a point of caution here.
00:23:43.55\00:23:46.52
People will approach you
and say, "Have you ever seen?
00:23:50.33\00:23:54.06
Have you ever
done that?" "Oh, no.
00:23:54.10\00:23:56.90
My parents told
me not to do that."
00:23:56.93\00:23:58.27
"Oh, well, really,
that's your parents
00:23:58.30\00:24:01.07
but if you let me show you..."
00:24:01.10\00:24:05.17
Let me tell you, if your
parents told you it's not good,
00:24:05.21\00:24:09.94
listen to the
advice of the experienced
00:24:09.98\00:24:13.31
because it is the
same cunning words
00:24:13.35\00:24:15.88
that Satan used on deceiving Eve
00:24:15.92\00:24:18.72
and Adam acquiesce into the
deception already completed,
00:24:18.75\00:24:22.86
but he had a choice.
00:24:22.89\00:24:24.29
He did not have to
lean, he had a choice,
00:24:24.33\00:24:27.13
but he allowed his eyes to see
00:24:27.16\00:24:29.80
what God never
intended for him to see,
00:24:29.83\00:24:32.63
and he let all of us
down the path of fear.
00:24:32.67\00:24:36.67
Look at Genesis 3:5,
00:24:36.71\00:24:38.14
which I left
for the latter part,
00:24:38.17\00:24:41.08
the anatomy, the
lie of the devil,
00:24:41.11\00:24:44.01
"For God knows that in the day
00:24:44.05\00:24:46.21
you eat of it your
eyes will be" what?
00:24:46.25\00:24:48.62
"Opened, and you will be like
God, knowing good and evil."
00:24:48.65\00:24:54.06
From that day unto this,
00:24:54.09\00:24:57.89
Mike, we have
ventured into places
00:24:57.93\00:24:59.83
that God never intended for
us to go, and we've seen things
00:24:59.86\00:25:03.50
that God never
intended for us to see.
00:25:03.53\00:25:06.77
I mean, I can tell you now,
00:25:06.80\00:25:09.10
there're some things in
my mind I wish I never saw.
00:25:09.14\00:25:11.54
Can I get a witness?
00:25:11.57\00:25:14.11
There're some places I've
been I wish I've never gone
00:25:14.14\00:25:16.78
because the one thing about
the human mind is it holds on,
00:25:16.81\00:25:19.71
it banks these
things, and it holds them
00:25:19.75\00:25:22.18
for those very moments
00:25:22.22\00:25:23.79
when the scenario of
the present reminds us of
00:25:26.22\00:25:29.39
a situation of the past,
they come back to our mind
00:25:29.42\00:25:32.46
in vivid 4K high definition
like it just happened.
00:25:32.49\00:25:37.37
But here's my point, if
God has not revealed it,
00:25:41.67\00:25:44.11
leave it alone.
00:25:44.14\00:25:45.47
Can I get an amen?
00:25:45.51\00:25:46.84
Here's the evidence
of it, Deuteronomy 29:29,
00:25:46.88\00:25:50.61
look there with me.
00:25:50.65\00:25:53.11
And by the way, I
haven't even gotten to Asaph,
00:25:53.15\00:25:54.88
but I'm going to
end on time today.
00:25:54.92\00:25:57.85
I know with no
amens, it's all right.
00:25:57.89\00:26:01.19
Deuteronomy 29:29,
00:26:01.22\00:26:02.92
leave the things that God
has not revealed to you alone.
00:26:02.96\00:26:08.73
Moses tells us, "The
secret things belong to the Lord
00:26:08.76\00:26:13.94
our God, but those things
which are revealed belong to us
00:26:13.97\00:26:18.81
and to our children forever,
00:26:18.84\00:26:20.84
that we may do all
the words of this law."
00:26:20.88\00:26:23.75
In other words, when
God reveals it, it's safe.
00:26:23.78\00:26:27.42
But when God keeps it
secret, don't go digging for it
00:26:27.45\00:26:33.52
'cause often we find
what we wish we never did.
00:26:33.56\00:26:36.89
They eyes of
them both were opened,
00:26:36.93\00:26:38.56
and I can tell you when
Eve was finally laid to rest,
00:26:38.59\00:26:42.93
I'm sure Adam
wished he had never
00:26:42.96\00:26:45.67
made the decision he made.
00:26:45.70\00:26:48.04
I don't know how Eve
died, the Bible doesn't tell us,
00:26:48.07\00:26:50.27
we have no record of that,
but if Eve began to slip away
00:26:50.31\00:26:53.21
in the
manifestation of some disease
00:26:53.24\00:26:55.21
that has now been
introduced into sin,
00:26:55.24\00:26:57.41
I can imagine Adam
by her bedside saying,
00:26:57.45\00:26:59.61
"Eve, hold on."
00:26:59.65\00:27:01.28
And she says, "I can't."
00:27:01.32\00:27:03.89
And she could
trace that very moment
00:27:03.92\00:27:07.12
back to ignoring
God's subtle voice,
00:27:07.16\00:27:12.73
"In the day you eat
thereof, you will surely die."
00:27:12.76\00:27:17.07
The first funeral was
Adam's son, and I could imagine,
00:27:17.10\00:27:20.64
I don't know how many
other children he had,
00:27:20.67\00:27:22.24
but somewhere along the way,
he had to lay his wife to rest.
00:27:22.27\00:27:25.47
In all 930 years that Adam lived
00:27:25.51\00:27:29.21
were years of stress,
00:27:29.24\00:27:34.02
where he thought
on many occasions,
00:27:34.05\00:27:36.58
"If I'd only allowed God's
sight to be sufficient for me."
00:27:36.62\00:27:41.52
You see, a Christian that
insists on walking by sight
00:27:45.63\00:27:49.46
is really not a Christian.
00:27:49.50\00:27:51.53
For the Bible says, "We walk
by faith, and not by sight."
00:27:51.57\00:27:56.17
This is where the
Lord revealed to me
00:27:56.20\00:27:58.17
one of the dangers of being
a Christian for a long time.
00:27:58.21\00:28:00.58
And I'll say that again,
00:28:00.61\00:28:01.94
this is where the
Lord revealed to me
00:28:01.98\00:28:03.31
one of the dangers of being
a Christian for a long time.
00:28:03.35\00:28:05.18
Last night when
we were sitting down
00:28:05.21\00:28:06.55
with Dr. Salta and Victoria...
00:28:06.58\00:28:10.49
I said, "I want to
share this with you."
00:28:10.52\00:28:12.39
She said, "No,
wait till tomorrow."
00:28:12.42\00:28:14.29
So here it is Dr.
Salta. Those of you...
00:28:14.32\00:28:16.56
This is a conversation
between me and Dr. Salta,
00:28:16.59\00:28:18.19
you can listen in.
00:28:18.23\00:28:20.66
This is powerful.
00:28:20.70\00:28:22.03
And I want to preface
it once again by saying,
00:28:22.06\00:28:23.77
God revealed to me
00:28:23.80\00:28:25.37
that one of the
dangers of being a...
00:28:25.40\00:28:27.60
There's a danger in being
a Christian for a long time.
00:28:27.64\00:28:31.27
And you know
what that danger is?
00:28:31.31\00:28:32.67
We get used to
trusting our sight.
00:28:32.71\00:28:35.58
Knowledge increases but
wisdom belongs only to God.
00:28:39.95\00:28:43.39
What we don't realize is
there are certain conditions
00:28:46.39\00:28:51.09
that don't manifest
themselves until we are older,
00:28:51.13\00:28:54.56
and I want you to listen
with Q-tipped clean ears,
00:28:54.60\00:28:59.23
it's called age-related
macular degeneration.
00:28:59.27\00:29:04.44
Let me quote The
Medical Association,
00:29:04.47\00:29:09.94
"Age-related
macular degeneration.
00:29:09.98\00:29:12.81
More than 10 million
people in the United States
00:29:12.85\00:29:15.05
are affected by this condition.
00:29:15.08\00:29:18.49
In fact, it is a
leading cause of blindness
00:29:18.52\00:29:21.16
in people over age 65.
00:29:21.19\00:29:26.36
Age-related macular
degeneration is a condition
00:29:26.39\00:29:29.93
that affects the center of
the retina, called the macular.
00:29:29.96\00:29:34.67
The macular is the
part of the eye responsible
00:29:34.70\00:29:38.74
for our most acute vision
00:29:38.77\00:29:43.01
which we use when reading,
00:29:43.04\00:29:45.98
driving,
performing other activities,"
00:29:46.01\00:29:49.75
get this, "that
require fine, sharp,
00:29:49.78\00:29:53.86
or straight ahead vision."
00:29:53.89\00:29:56.29
So when the macular
begins to degenerate,
00:29:56.32\00:29:59.93
we don't have sharp,
00:29:59.96\00:30:03.10
fine, straight ahead vision.
00:30:03.13\00:30:06.53
We start looking in
different directions
00:30:06.57\00:30:09.54
because the macular is
beginning to degenerate.
00:30:09.57\00:30:14.28
Are you ready?
00:30:14.31\00:30:15.64
I'd like to
suggest that when we don't
00:30:15.68\00:30:17.71
keep our
relationship with God fresh,
00:30:17.75\00:30:20.42
our ability to see
sin is also affected.
00:30:20.45\00:30:27.16
The longer, hear me carefully,
00:30:27.19\00:30:29.19
the longer we practice
religion without Jesus,
00:30:29.22\00:30:32.59
the more in
danger we are in thinking
00:30:32.63\00:30:35.56
that our eyesight is reliable.
00:30:35.60\00:30:40.40
Let me get
deeper into the cause.
00:30:40.44\00:30:43.27
"Age-related macular
degeneration have symptoms.
00:30:43.30\00:30:46.07
Here's some of the symptoms.
00:30:46.11\00:30:48.78
What you see,
according to the AMA,
00:30:48.81\00:30:51.41
what you see begins to
appear blurry or hazy."
00:30:51.45\00:30:55.95
Spiritual application,
00:30:55.98\00:30:57.95
teachings that
used to be clear clear,
00:30:57.99\00:31:00.96
now that you're older now
appear difficult to understand.
00:31:00.99\00:31:04.63
Blurry and hazy.
00:31:04.66\00:31:06.13
"I don't believe in
the sanctuary anymore
00:31:06.16\00:31:09.06
'cause I'm smarter now.
00:31:09.10\00:31:11.10
I got more knowledge now.
00:31:11.13\00:31:12.90
When I was
young, I was gullible,
00:31:12.93\00:31:16.10
but now that I
got more information,
00:31:16.14\00:31:18.41
what used to be
clear to me is blurry
00:31:18.44\00:31:20.91
and hazy 'cause I
got new vision out."
00:31:20.94\00:31:23.35
When, in fact, you're suffering
from degenerated vision.
00:31:23.38\00:31:27.08
Truth never
changes, can I get an amen?
00:31:27.12\00:31:29.48
But when you
begin looking at things
00:31:29.52\00:31:31.92
that are blurry and hazy,
00:31:31.95\00:31:33.69
what used to be clear
looks indistinguishable.
00:31:33.72\00:31:39.13
Another
condition about age-related
00:31:39.16\00:31:41.36
macular degeneration, this says,
00:31:41.40\00:31:43.47
"You need brighter
light when you are reading."
00:31:43.50\00:31:45.93
Whoa, you need
brighter light, come on.
00:31:45.97\00:31:48.90
You need brighter light,
00:31:48.94\00:31:50.27
which means you
cannot keep reading material
00:31:50.31\00:31:53.14
that leads you into dark places.
00:31:53.17\00:31:55.44
You need to read
with brighter lights.
00:31:55.48\00:31:59.01
David prayed, "Open
my eyes that I may behold
00:31:59.05\00:32:02.95
wonderful
things out of your law"
00:32:02.98\00:32:05.22
The word of God is
a lamp to our feet,
00:32:05.25\00:32:07.36
a light to our path.
00:32:07.39\00:32:08.72
Amen?
00:32:08.76\00:32:10.09
Don't read materials
00:32:10.13\00:32:11.73
from people that
produce dark things
00:32:11.76\00:32:14.56
and expect to find
bright light there.
00:32:14.60\00:32:19.67
If you've been
around long enough,
00:32:19.70\00:32:21.04
you know that the one thing that
00:32:21.07\00:32:23.04
the Adventist
message has is enemies,
00:32:23.07\00:32:26.94
enemies of the
sanctuary message,
00:32:26.98\00:32:29.31
the health message,
the Sabbath message,
00:32:29.34\00:32:32.81
and the list
goes on and on and on.
00:32:32.85\00:32:34.55
And these are people that claim
00:32:34.58\00:32:35.92
to have been a
part of us at one time,
00:32:35.95\00:32:38.52
but they begin
to produce material
00:32:38.55\00:32:40.59
that brings in dark
thoughts and dark ideas.
00:32:40.62\00:32:44.69
The evidence of the fact that
00:32:44.73\00:32:46.26
we are being
degenerated in our eyesight
00:32:46.29\00:32:48.30
for spiritual things is
that we start reading things
00:32:48.33\00:32:51.67
that need brighter light
00:32:51.70\00:32:53.64
to differentiate
truth from error.
00:32:53.67\00:32:56.81
We also say, "That
as the disease advances,
00:32:56.84\00:32:59.97
there may be dark or
blank spots in the vision."
00:33:00.01\00:33:04.88
When it begins to advance,
00:33:04.91\00:33:06.51
there may be dark or
blank spots in the vision.
00:33:06.55\00:33:09.45
In other words, what you
used to see, you no longer see.
00:33:09.48\00:33:11.99
In other words, you can
no longer discern between
00:33:12.02\00:33:14.06
what is right and what is
wrong because the dark spots
00:33:14.09\00:33:18.09
and the blank areas now
blocked what used to be clear.
00:33:18.13\00:33:21.73
And let me tell you
something, that's what sin does.
00:33:21.76\00:33:24.57
It blocks what used to be clear.
00:33:24.60\00:33:28.27
And one of the sign
that's really amazing to me
00:33:28.30\00:33:30.27
is one of the other signs
of AMD is visual distortion.
00:33:34.64\00:33:39.28
"Straight lines appear wavy."
00:33:39.31\00:33:42.95
That was amazing to me.
00:33:42.98\00:33:44.32
Straight lines, all of a sudden,
00:33:44.35\00:33:46.49
appear wavy because your
vision begins to degenerate.
00:33:46.52\00:33:49.76
In other words, straight
truth seems to be crooked now,
00:33:49.79\00:33:53.66
straight truth
seems to be defective now,
00:33:53.70\00:33:56.36
straight truth seems
to be unreliable now.
00:33:56.40\00:33:59.13
Come on,
Bishop, give me an amen.
00:33:59.17\00:34:01.50
So when you get
older, be careful
00:34:01.54\00:34:06.98
to prevent your spiritual
walk with God from degenerating.
00:34:07.01\00:34:12.21
Spiritual age-related macular
degeneration is responsible
00:34:12.25\00:34:16.89
for
accommodating worldly practices
00:34:16.92\00:34:19.65
and beliefs into the church.
00:34:19.69\00:34:21.19
I mean, think about
what's happening in our church.
00:34:21.22\00:34:24.23
Think about what's happening.
00:34:24.26\00:34:25.59
Controversies over scripturally
00:34:25.63\00:34:28.10
appointed gender-specific roles.
00:34:28.13\00:34:31.23
Recently, I
entertained a thought that...
00:34:31.27\00:34:33.37
I was trying to figure out...
00:34:33.40\00:34:34.74
And I'm not going to
tell you which side I'm on
00:34:34.77\00:34:36.47
but that's not the
point of this next comment,
00:34:36.50\00:34:39.11
but we have been
fighting, for the last 30 years,
00:34:39.14\00:34:42.61
over women's roles in America.
00:34:42.64\00:34:44.51
Anybody old enough to
remember the women's lib?
00:34:44.55\00:34:46.48
Come on. Remember women's lib?
00:34:46.51\00:34:49.52
And I'm not saying that
00:34:49.55\00:34:50.89
you should not
be given equal pay
00:34:50.92\00:34:52.25
for equal work, that's
not what I'm talking about.
00:34:52.29\00:34:53.92
But there seems to be
an agenda that, one time,
00:34:53.96\00:34:57.83
only the world was pushing it
00:34:57.86\00:35:00.80
but now the
church is pushing it,
00:35:00.83\00:35:05.07
these gender-specific issues.
00:35:05.10\00:35:06.77
And I thought about
00:35:06.80\00:35:08.14
where it could
possibly have come from?
00:35:08.17\00:35:09.50
And my mind was led
back, as I was discussing,
00:35:09.54\00:35:11.54
my mid was led back to
the idea that ever since
00:35:11.57\00:35:14.84
Eve strayed from Adam's sight,
00:35:14.88\00:35:19.15
women have become uncomfortable
00:35:19.18\00:35:22.02
being subject to
godly male authority.
00:35:22.05\00:35:26.32
Think about that.
00:35:26.35\00:35:28.22
What else could be behind
this push, this hard push,
00:35:28.26\00:35:31.76
to begin to accept things
that are not scripturally based?
00:35:31.79\00:35:35.23
When we see things that
are not scripturally based,
00:35:35.26\00:35:38.63
and ignore the
Bible, and use voting
00:35:38.67\00:35:42.64
to put it into play rather than
the authority of God's Word,
00:35:42.67\00:35:45.97
there's got to be some
spiritual macular degeneration.
00:35:46.01\00:35:52.81
Seeing things that are
not supported by God's Word,
00:35:52.85\00:35:55.98
but you insist on
putting it into play anyway,
00:35:56.02\00:35:58.59
overwriting it, and saying,
00:35:58.62\00:36:01.02
"Adam, what do you
think about the tree?
00:36:01.06\00:36:02.62
Well, Eve, what do you think?
00:36:02.66\00:36:04.13
Well, I know what God says,
00:36:04.16\00:36:05.63
but let's go
ahead and have a fruit.
00:36:05.66\00:36:08.43
Let's vote. Two to one.
00:36:08.46\00:36:10.37
Eve in favor, Adam in favor"
Satan says, "I'm in favor."
00:36:10.40\00:36:15.14
"Okay, God, three to one."
00:36:15.17\00:36:16.50
And we vote and
that's what we are today.
00:36:16.54\00:36:19.14
Spiritual macular degeneration.
00:36:19.17\00:36:22.48
And I would suggest it
also affects the belief that,
00:36:22.51\00:36:26.08
"I'm not done yet."
00:36:26.11\00:36:27.68
As some of us get
older, there is degeneration
00:36:27.72\00:36:31.42
in other areas of our lives
that affects the way we see
00:36:31.45\00:36:34.89
the things that
are necessary for us.
00:36:34.92\00:36:36.26
For example, some people
believe that regular prayer
00:36:36.29\00:36:39.16
and Bible study is
no longer necessary.
00:36:39.19\00:36:42.83
"It was
necessary when I was young
00:36:42.86\00:36:44.20
and excited about my baptism,
00:36:44.23\00:36:45.57
it was necessary when
I first joined a church.
00:36:45.60\00:36:47.40
I was excited
about carrying my Bible,
00:36:47.44\00:36:49.34
showing up at prayer meeting,
00:36:49.37\00:36:50.71
being on time
for Sabbath school,
00:36:50.74\00:36:52.14
being there for evangelism,
volunteering for positions.
00:36:52.17\00:36:54.94
But now that I'm older,
00:36:54.98\00:36:58.45
I've already been
there, done that."
00:36:58.48\00:37:00.82
Somebody is
spiritually degenerated.
00:37:00.85\00:37:03.12
Come on, help me out.
00:37:03.15\00:37:05.65
Age-related macular degeneration
00:37:05.69\00:37:07.69
in the spiritual areas is
00:37:07.72\00:37:09.06
when we think
that service to God,
00:37:09.09\00:37:11.36
with full
dedication, is optional.
00:37:11.39\00:37:13.46
There are people today
that when you ask them to serve
00:37:13.50\00:37:16.06
in the office, in the church
to serve God, not serve men,
00:37:16.10\00:37:19.83
but to serve God, they
say, "I don't feel like it.
00:37:19.87\00:37:23.34
I've done this for a long
time; it's my chance to rest."
00:37:26.51\00:37:29.81
No, when you die,
it'll be your chance to rest.
00:37:29.84\00:37:35.85
Read Samuel, the Lord...
00:37:35.88\00:37:39.62
Come on, his mother's name?
00:37:39.65\00:37:41.92
Hannah.
00:37:41.96\00:37:43.29
Hannah said, "I'm
going to dedicate Samuel
00:37:43.32\00:37:45.39
to the work of the
Lord as long as he lives."
00:37:45.43\00:37:48.93
Not as long as he wants to.
00:37:48.96\00:37:51.00
Now we got people that
serve 'cause they feel like it.
00:37:51.03\00:37:54.80
They are the people that are
degenerated in the areas of...
00:37:54.84\00:37:56.81
They think if they work for God,
00:37:56.84\00:37:58.47
that how they treat
people don't matter.
00:37:58.51\00:38:02.84
And these are folk that are...
00:38:02.88\00:38:05.11
They didn't
just join the church,
00:38:05.15\00:38:06.75
they've been here a long time.
00:38:06.78\00:38:08.22
But as I said,
there're certain conditions
00:38:08.25\00:38:10.35
that don't manifest
themselves until you get older,
00:38:10.39\00:38:13.52
that's why doing
what is right in our sight
00:38:18.89\00:38:20.80
is the prelude to defeat.
00:38:20.83\00:38:24.07
The blessings of
God will slip away
00:38:24.10\00:38:26.23
when we feel that
our sight is reliable.
00:38:26.27\00:38:29.20
That's why we have to pray
the prayer that David prayed.
00:38:29.24\00:38:31.41
Go with me to Psalm 139.
00:38:31.44\00:38:33.61
This is my prayer,
I've been praying it more
00:38:33.64\00:38:36.24
'cause you know what?
00:38:36.28\00:38:38.58
I'm going to be one
year older tomorrow.
00:38:38.61\00:38:41.42
You figure it out,
00:38:41.45\00:38:44.45
not going to tell you my age.
00:38:44.49\00:38:46.62
But I'll be one
year older tomorrow
00:38:46.65\00:38:49.39
and there's nothing that...
00:38:49.42\00:38:50.96
Jim, there's
nothing more important,
00:38:50.99\00:38:52.69
and I know you
feel the same way.
00:38:52.73\00:38:54.06
There's nothing more important
to me than when Jesus comes,
00:38:54.10\00:38:58.33
my name is on His
list for eternal security.
00:38:58.37\00:39:03.47
So how am I going to
be sure that I'm there?
00:39:05.44\00:39:08.01
Here's the prayer of David,
00:39:08.04\00:39:09.38
shows that our sight is
not reliable, we are biased,
00:39:09.41\00:39:11.85
we cannot examine ourselves.
00:39:11.88\00:39:13.42
David prayed the payer,
00:39:13.45\00:39:14.78
"Search me, O
God, and know my heart.
00:39:14.82\00:39:17.35
Try me, and know my
thoughts and my anxieties."
00:39:17.39\00:39:21.09
And I like this
verse 24, "And see"
00:39:21.12\00:39:23.32
Let Him do the examining,
00:39:23.36\00:39:25.39
"And see if there is
any wicked way" where?
00:39:25.43\00:39:29.46
"In me, and then lead
me in the way everlasting."
00:39:29.50\00:39:34.80
Lord, you do the searching
'cause, I mean, like right now
00:39:34.84\00:39:37.57
I've been comparing
myself with other members.
00:39:37.61\00:39:40.28
So there's certain
things I can't see.
00:39:40.31\00:39:42.78
And that's part of the
problem of being an Adventist,
00:39:42.81\00:39:47.22
or Christian,
in any denomination
00:39:47.25\00:39:49.02
for a long time.
00:39:49.05\00:39:50.45
We call them church
fathers or church mothers
00:39:50.49\00:39:52.75
whereas one
pastor said, he said,
00:39:52.79\00:39:54.42
"That lady has been
in the church so long,
00:39:54.46\00:39:56.02
every time she
comes to church, she says,
00:39:56.06\00:39:57.46
'I've been in the
way for 40 years.'
00:39:57.49\00:39:58.83
" He said, "You
have been in the way.
00:39:58.86\00:40:00.46
You've been in everybody's way."
00:40:00.50\00:40:03.30
And there's some people
00:40:03.33\00:40:04.67
that think they
are so experienced
00:40:04.70\00:40:06.03
in
ecclesiastical obiter dictum...
00:40:06.07\00:40:07.74
Can I borrow the term?
00:40:07.77\00:40:10.07
That they are hindrance
00:40:10.11\00:40:12.34
to those who
will need to look to
00:40:12.37\00:40:13.94
an experienced
Christian and say,
00:40:13.98\00:40:15.68
"That's who I want
to be able to be like."
00:40:15.71\00:40:20.75
And so there's no
excuse for being a Christian
00:40:20.78\00:40:22.48
a long time and
still being mean,
00:40:22.52\00:40:25.45
there's no excuse for saying
00:40:25.49\00:40:26.86
you've been in
second and third generation.
00:40:26.89\00:40:28.76
Don't boast
about what you've been
00:40:28.79\00:40:30.86
unless you're like Jesus.
00:40:30.89\00:40:32.59
Why should we let
the Lord search us?
00:40:37.33\00:40:39.33
1 Samuel 16:7,
00:40:39.37\00:40:43.84
"For the Lord does
not see as man sees,
00:40:43.87\00:40:46.57
for man looks at the" what?
00:40:46.61\00:40:48.71
"Outward appearance,
00:40:48.74\00:40:51.41
but the Lord looks at the" what?
00:40:51.45\00:40:53.82
"Heart."
00:40:53.85\00:40:56.42
So often we have
misunderstood things
00:40:56.45\00:40:59.29
because we think that somebody
don't want to talk to us,
00:40:59.32\00:41:02.92
and we were sure they saw
us, and we know they avoided us
00:41:02.96\00:41:08.23
'cause we see on
the outward appearance.
00:41:08.26\00:41:10.23
That's why one of the churches
I was in few years ago...
00:41:13.97\00:41:18.77
Few years ago,
more like, 15 years ago,
00:41:18.81\00:41:21.91
before I came here.
00:41:21.94\00:41:23.35
I had a Sabbath school
class that was a long way
00:41:23.38\00:41:24.98
down the hallway, from
my office to the church.
00:41:25.01\00:41:27.48
And I would be,
after Sabbath school,
00:41:27.52\00:41:29.22
instead of
00:41:29.25\00:41:30.59
coming down the steps
and go around the back,
00:41:30.62\00:41:31.95
like I do here
with less interruption,
00:41:31.99\00:41:34.02
I had to go through
the whole crowd of people,
00:41:34.06\00:41:35.79
and our church
would be jam-packed,
00:41:35.82\00:41:38.36
people in the
foyer and, you know.
00:41:38.39\00:41:41.16
And it's like I'm
wearing an orange jumpsuit,
00:41:41.20\00:41:43.57
everybody sees me but
I don't see everybody.
00:41:43.60\00:41:47.24
And people used
to complain "Pastor,
00:41:47.27\00:41:48.60
you ignored me last Sabbath.
00:41:48.64\00:41:49.97
I tried to get to
you, you ignored me."
00:41:50.01\00:41:52.84
And so I had to
build in this safety net.
00:41:52.87\00:41:55.51
I said, "If you think I
ignored you, tell my wife.
00:41:55.54\00:42:00.45
And she'll remind me
not to ignore you next week.
00:42:00.48\00:42:03.65
If there's an announcement
you need to get to me
00:42:03.69\00:42:05.19
between Sabbath
school and church,
00:42:05.22\00:42:06.86
make sure she gets it
00:42:06.89\00:42:08.36
'cause while I'm
trying to figure out
00:42:08.39\00:42:10.19
which lane to swim in,
00:42:10.23\00:42:12.59
she has a little bit
more time to take that down
00:42:12.63\00:42:15.43
and I will be
glad to talk to you."
00:42:15.46\00:42:18.20
But so often, we
look with human eyes
00:42:18.23\00:42:23.41
and we do what's right
in our sight rather than
00:42:23.44\00:42:26.54
what's right in
the sight of the Lord.
00:42:26.57\00:42:28.01
But I'm going to
give you some good news
00:42:28.04\00:42:29.44
about age-related
macular degeneration.
00:42:29.48\00:42:32.51
There' some good news
about it, and the good news is,
00:42:32.55\00:42:34.65
according to the AMA that
00:42:34.68\00:42:37.12
"Age-related macular
degeneration is a condition
00:42:37.15\00:42:40.52
that should be
monitored closely."
00:42:40.56\00:42:44.19
Now watch this.
00:42:44.23\00:42:45.56
When things
begin to appear wavy,
00:42:45.59\00:42:47.76
when the dark
spots begin to show up,
00:42:47.80\00:42:51.57
when you begin to
have difficulties seeing
00:42:51.60\00:42:54.47
like you used to,
start monitoring it.
00:42:54.50\00:42:58.37
And according to the quote
00:42:58.41\00:43:00.21
as I share with
you from the AMA,
00:43:00.24\00:43:02.34
"Some changes in your
00:43:02.38\00:43:03.71
age-related macular degeneration
00:43:03.75\00:43:06.51
may only be detected by
an eye care professional."
00:43:06.55\00:43:10.69
You can't detect it.
00:43:10.72\00:43:12.12
"So it is important to keep
your eye doctor appointments
00:43:12.15\00:43:16.12
as directed."
00:43:16.16\00:43:17.49
You can't detect
your degeneration
00:43:21.70\00:43:23.43
unless you come
to prayer meeting.
00:43:23.47\00:43:27.90
'Cause what you got on
Sabbath, ain't going to keep you
00:43:27.94\00:43:30.04
till next Sabbath.
00:43:30.07\00:43:32.64
And if you don't
pick up your Bible,
00:43:32.67\00:43:34.01
you're getting that much
more blind by the moment.
00:43:34.04\00:43:37.25
Everything else is coming
in, messing with your sight.
00:43:37.28\00:43:40.18
You think that what you hear
00:43:40.22\00:43:41.58
this morning is going to
keep you till next Sabbath,
00:43:41.62\00:43:43.92
if you eat one meal today,
00:43:43.95\00:43:45.99
wait till next
Sabbath and eat another,
00:43:46.02\00:43:47.86
then wait till the next
Sabbath and eat another.
00:43:47.89\00:43:49.62
In a matter of four weeks,
00:43:49.66\00:43:50.99
you will be the most emaciated
00:43:51.03\00:43:52.69
tired Christian
walk on the earth.
00:43:52.73\00:43:56.16
You got to monitor that.
00:43:56.20\00:43:58.23
We cannot monitor ourselves,
and you cannot trust yourself.
00:43:58.27\00:44:01.57
You got to go to the
professionals, the Holy Spirit.
00:44:01.60\00:44:04.41
You got to go to the
professionals, the Word of God.
00:44:04.44\00:44:06.54
You got to read
God's diagnosis about you,
00:44:06.57\00:44:10.18
and He says in Psalms 119:105,
00:44:10.21\00:44:12.95
"Your word is a lamp to our feet
00:44:12.98\00:44:16.15
and a light to our path."
00:44:16.18\00:44:17.52
Can we say amen to that?
00:44:17.55\00:44:18.89
"Your word is a
lamp to our feet."
00:44:18.92\00:44:20.26
God's Word is a what? Lamp.
00:44:20.29\00:44:22.09
You can't trust
in your own sight.
00:44:22.12\00:44:24.13
His word is a lamp to our
feet and the light to our path.
00:44:24.16\00:44:26.56
If you don't study your Bible,
00:44:26.59\00:44:27.93
you don't have
a good flashlight.
00:44:27.96\00:44:31.07
I mean, really, think about it.
00:44:31.10\00:44:32.77
How many of you ever
had the lights go off?
00:44:32.80\00:44:34.37
In Thompsonville,
that's not unusual.
00:44:34.40\00:44:35.74
The lights just
go off for no reason.
00:44:35.77\00:44:38.37
Do you ever hear all the
stuff in your house just reset?
00:44:38.41\00:44:43.51
Every time the power go off,
my emergency radio comes on.
00:44:43.55\00:44:46.85
Temperature's
going to be 65 degrees,
00:44:46.88\00:44:48.28
you probably got up, oh,
the auto power just went off
00:44:48.32\00:44:50.59
'cause I always mute it
unless it's an emergency.
00:44:50.62\00:44:53.29
And where we live, the
power can go off at any moment.
00:44:53.32\00:44:55.92
Let me suggest you, if
you're not connected to God,
00:44:55.96\00:44:58.09
the power can go
off at any moment.
00:44:58.13\00:45:02.83
So you can't trust in,
"Everything looks just fine."
00:45:02.86\00:45:08.27
You got to keep
your vision sharp, Bob.
00:45:08.30\00:45:11.44
Right?
00:45:11.47\00:45:13.81
And only God's Word can do that.
00:45:13.84\00:45:16.95
So when you want to ask
the question, "Well, how?
00:45:16.98\00:45:19.21
Pastor John, how
are we going to prevent
00:45:19.25\00:45:22.68
age-related spiritual
macular degeneration?"
00:45:22.72\00:45:26.35
Let God's Word...
00:45:26.39\00:45:27.72
Listen to this
quotation from the book,
00:45:27.76\00:45:29.32
"A Call to Stand Apart"
a devotion by Ellen White,
00:45:29.36\00:45:32.13
page 69, paragraph 2.
00:45:32.16\00:45:34.90
It's not difficult
to have good vision,
00:45:34.93\00:45:37.93
it's not difficult to know
what to do in the sight of God,
00:45:37.97\00:45:40.90
but you have to have a guide.
00:45:40.94\00:45:42.67
Here's what she says,
00:45:42.70\00:45:45.41
"There is nothing
more calculated..."
00:45:45.44\00:45:48.24
More what? Calculated.
00:45:48.28\00:45:50.68
"To energize the mind
and strengthen the intellect
00:45:50.71\00:45:55.15
than the study
of the Word of God."
00:45:55.18\00:45:58.42
Nothing, the
commentaries ain't sufficient.
00:45:58.45\00:46:02.12
Oswald Chambers, Ellen
White, all the theological books
00:46:02.16\00:46:06.13
are not sufficient because
there is only one living Word.
00:46:06.16\00:46:11.80
"Nothing more calculated."
00:46:11.83\00:46:13.64
Ellen White is saying that
00:46:13.67\00:46:15.00
so she's not even putting
her writings above the Bible.
00:46:15.04\00:46:17.61
There're some people that
are Ellen White professionals,
00:46:17.64\00:46:21.81
but she said, "No, our creed is
the Bible and the Bible only."
00:46:21.84\00:46:26.68
She goes on to say,
"No other book is so potent
00:46:26.72\00:46:31.05
to elevate the thoughts, to
give vigor to the faculties,
00:46:31.09\00:46:35.76
as the broad,
ennobling truths of the Bible."
00:46:35.79\00:46:40.96
You want to
have a powerful life?
00:46:41.00\00:46:42.33
Pick your Bible up and read it.
00:46:42.36\00:46:44.07
And all of a sudden,
00:46:44.10\00:46:45.43
a dead moment can
become an exciting moment.
00:46:45.47\00:46:46.94
My wife and I do
that all the time.
00:46:46.97\00:46:48.50
We're going through
the Book of 1 Samuel now.
00:46:48.54\00:46:50.81
And you know what?
00:46:50.84\00:46:52.17
The Bible will beat you up
and then straighten you up.
00:46:52.21\00:46:56.14
Ain't I right?
00:46:56.18\00:46:57.51
You read a story in
the Bible and say, "Oh no.
00:46:57.55\00:47:00.75
That reminds me of me."
00:47:00.78\00:47:02.48
And, you know, when you
know when you've found a story?
00:47:02.52\00:47:04.25
When you're quiet.
00:47:04.29\00:47:06.02
Even the on person says,
00:47:06.05\00:47:07.39
you get quite
when you read the text,
00:47:07.42\00:47:08.76
you kind of read
it with a low volume
00:47:08.79\00:47:11.33
'cause God is saying,
"Terry, reminds you of anybody?"
00:47:11.36\00:47:16.53
Am I right? That's
what the Bible do...
00:47:16.56\00:47:18.37
It doesn't let you off the hook.
00:47:18.40\00:47:19.83
It's dramatic.
00:47:19.87\00:47:21.20
You want to find drama?
00:47:21.24\00:47:22.57
Read the Bible.
00:47:22.60\00:47:23.94
You want to find intrigue?
00:47:23.97\00:47:25.31
Read the Bible.
00:47:25.34\00:47:26.68
You want to find mystery,
00:47:26.71\00:47:28.04
if you like war, read the Bible.
00:47:28.08\00:47:29.41
It's got everything
that the movie producers
00:47:33.85\00:47:37.42
are trying to duplicate
in a factitious setting.
00:47:37.45\00:47:42.46
It's all in there, but you'll
never know until you read it.
00:47:42.49\00:47:45.89
Young people, you'll never
know how exciting this book is
00:47:45.93\00:47:49.76
until you get out of
Facebook and face this book.
00:47:49.80\00:47:54.24
Amen?
00:47:54.27\00:47:55.60
That's why the devil
creates those distractions.
00:47:55.64\00:47:58.14
You're reading it...
00:47:58.17\00:47:59.51
You're sending a text
rather than reading a text.
00:47:59.54\00:48:01.98
Let God's Word be the
text that controls your life,
00:48:05.71\00:48:09.58
young people.
00:48:09.62\00:48:11.15
Be the young people...
00:48:11.19\00:48:12.52
I'm always excited
when I see young people
00:48:12.55\00:48:14.19
that are excited about Jesus.
00:48:14.22\00:48:16.42
They're not afraid to
tell people about Jesus.
00:48:16.46\00:48:20.60
And so when you
think about that,
00:48:20.63\00:48:21.96
she finishes the
quotation by saying
00:48:22.00\00:48:25.60
not only is no other book
00:48:25.63\00:48:26.97
so potent to
elevate the thoughts,
00:48:27.00\00:48:28.34
to give vigor to the
faculties, as the broad,
00:48:28.37\00:48:29.94
ennobling truths of
the Bible, but she says,
00:48:29.97\00:48:31.87
"If God's Word were
studied as it should be,
00:48:31.91\00:48:36.11
men would have
a breadth of mind,
00:48:36.14\00:48:38.45
a nobility of character,
and a stability of purpose
00:48:38.48\00:48:42.95
that are rarely
seen in these times."
00:48:42.98\00:48:46.45
Stable folk, stable people.
00:48:46.49\00:48:49.76
Storms are raging, they say,
00:48:49.79\00:48:51.69
"It's all right,
it's going to pass over."
00:48:51.73\00:48:53.96
Now go with me
to 2 Chronicles 14,
00:48:54.00\00:48:56.97
as I wind up my sermon.
00:48:57.00\00:48:58.93
2 Chronicles 14:2-6,
00:48:58.97\00:49:00.77
we're going to go back
to the scripture reading,
00:49:00.80\00:49:02.50
and we're going
to see what happens
00:49:02.54\00:49:04.54
in a life that is
guided by God's sight.
00:49:04.57\00:49:09.01
And I will suggest you there,
you cannot make any changes
00:49:09.04\00:49:12.01
in your life until your
sight is guided by God's sight.
00:49:12.05\00:49:16.89
You will never even see
the need to make changes.
00:49:16.92\00:49:19.69
When you read this
story, what you need to do is
00:49:19.72\00:49:22.86
read a few chapters back or
three or four chapters back,
00:49:22.89\00:49:25.49
and you'll discover that
the battles of the kings,
00:49:25.53\00:49:28.33
of the leaders in
Judah, and in Israel,
00:49:28.36\00:49:30.30
there was one battle
after the other after the other,
00:49:30.33\00:49:32.80
defeat after
defeat after defeat.
00:49:32.83\00:49:35.07
But all of the sudden,
00:49:35.10\00:49:37.61
when Abijah
rested with his fathers,
00:49:37.64\00:49:39.77
Asa, his son,
reigned in his place,
00:49:39.81\00:49:42.18
and Asa did what the
preceding kings refused to do,
00:49:42.21\00:49:46.01
that is, to trust the
sight of God over his own sight.
00:49:46.05\00:49:50.22
Look at what 2
Chronicles 14:2 points out.
00:49:50.25\00:49:53.39
And I want you to see this
after Asa did what was right,
00:49:53.42\00:49:55.99
notice the changes
he made in his kingdom
00:49:56.02\00:49:58.53
because God was
guiding his sight.
00:49:58.56\00:50:00.40
I preface this by saying,
00:50:00.43\00:50:01.76
you cannot make any
changes in your life
00:50:01.80\00:50:03.93
until God is leading your sight.
00:50:03.97\00:50:07.70
Verse 2," Asa did what was good
00:50:07.74\00:50:09.50
and right in the
eyes of the Lord his God."
00:50:09.54\00:50:13.61
There was nobody else
between him and his God.
00:50:13.64\00:50:16.41
And look at what
he did, the changes.
00:50:16.44\00:50:18.18
We need to make
changes in our lives,
00:50:18.21\00:50:20.02
but we cannot make those changes
00:50:20.05\00:50:21.85
if we're
trusting in our eyesight.
00:50:21.88\00:50:23.28
It says, "For he removed the
altars of the foreign God's..."
00:50:23.32\00:50:26.65
I'm sure we have
foreign gods in our own lives,
00:50:26.69\00:50:29.22
but you can't move those altars
00:50:29.26\00:50:31.06
unless God is
guiding your sight.
00:50:31.09\00:50:32.53
Unless God shows you
that this altar is foreign,
00:50:32.56\00:50:35.33
it doesn't belong there.
00:50:35.36\00:50:36.70
What you're watching,
what you're practicing,
00:50:36.73\00:50:38.70
what you're doing
doesn't belong there.
00:50:38.73\00:50:42.07
"He removed the
altars of the foreign gods
00:50:42.10\00:50:44.04
and the high places, he broke
down the sacred pillars..."
00:50:44.07\00:50:47.54
Not sacred to God but
sacred to the false gods.
00:50:47.58\00:50:51.18
"He cut down the wooden images"
00:50:51.21\00:50:53.38
that they worshipped
in place of the true God.
00:50:53.42\00:50:55.92
"He commanded
Judah to seek the Lord."
00:50:55.95\00:50:58.39
Listen to your pastor.
00:50:58.42\00:50:59.75
I'm commanding our
church to seek the Lord.
00:50:59.79\00:51:02.56
"God of their
fathers, and to observe the law
00:51:06.33\00:51:08.76
and the commandments.
00:51:08.80\00:51:10.87
He also removed
the high places..."
00:51:10.90\00:51:12.73
Spiritual
wickedness in high places.
00:51:12.77\00:51:15.97
"And the incense altars
from all the cities of Judah..."
00:51:16.00\00:51:18.61
He cleaned up the town.
00:51:18.64\00:51:22.01
"And the kingdom
was quiet under him."
00:51:22.04\00:51:24.95
You want peace in your life?
00:51:24.98\00:51:27.55
Let God guide your eyes
00:51:27.58\00:51:29.22
and He'll show you the
changes that need to be made.
00:51:29.25\00:51:32.99
"And he built
fortified cities in Judah..."
00:51:33.02\00:51:35.89
He strengthened the cities.
00:51:35.92\00:51:38.06
"For the land had rest..."
00:51:38.09\00:51:39.89
For the land had what? Rest.
00:51:39.93\00:51:41.70
Anybody here need
rest? You need rest?
00:51:41.73\00:51:45.50
Come unto me, all who
are weary and heavy laden,
00:51:45.53\00:51:47.74
I will give you rest."
00:51:47.77\00:51:50.27
And I like this part, "He
had no war in those years,
00:51:50.31\00:51:55.81
because the Lord
had given him rest."
00:51:55.84\00:52:00.18
How did the Lord give him rest?
00:52:00.22\00:52:01.55
'Cause he did what
was right in God's sight.
00:52:01.58\00:52:04.42
He did what was
right in God's sight.
00:52:04.45\00:52:07.99
Now let me also take
it at the next level.
00:52:08.02\00:52:11.46
The anatomy of peace is
doing right in God's sight
00:52:11.49\00:52:14.20
but it comes with
an extra blessing.
00:52:14.23\00:52:16.30
Now not only do we want rest,
00:52:16.33\00:52:17.80
but some of us
have wars in our lives
00:52:17.83\00:52:19.53
that have not yet been settled.
00:52:19.57\00:52:21.04
Go with me to Proverbs 16:7.
00:52:21.07\00:52:23.51
Proverbs 16:7,
let's look at that.
00:52:23.54\00:52:25.94
Proverbs 16:7.
00:52:25.97\00:52:28.24
Look at that, this is powerful.
00:52:28.28\00:52:30.31
God not only will give
you peace in your days,
00:52:30.35\00:52:33.42
but He wants to
do something else.
00:52:33.45\00:52:35.18
When I read this text,
00:52:35.22\00:52:36.62
and I start living
in harmony with it,
00:52:36.65\00:52:37.99
I started
noticing... Let me testify.
00:52:38.02\00:52:40.06
I started noticing that
folk that didn't like me,
00:52:40.09\00:52:43.12
all of a sudden
started talking to me.
00:52:43.16\00:52:46.83
And I would bring them...
00:52:46.86\00:52:48.20
I'd come home
to my wife and say,
00:52:48.23\00:52:49.56
"Guess who was
talking to me today?"
00:52:49.60\00:52:50.93
She said, "No!
00:52:50.97\00:52:53.64
What happened?"
00:52:53.67\00:52:55.00
"I don't know."
00:52:55.04\00:52:57.41
But then the
Lord sent me the text.
00:52:57.44\00:52:58.77
Here it is.
00:52:58.81\00:53:00.14
Are you ready for it?
00:53:00.18\00:53:01.51
"When a man's
ways please the Lord,
00:53:01.54\00:53:04.78
He makes even his enemies
to be at peace with him."
00:53:04.81\00:53:08.98
Amen?
00:53:09.02\00:53:10.89
You know why so many
of us are still battling?
00:53:10.92\00:53:12.52
'Cause our ways are
not pleasing to God.
00:53:12.55\00:53:14.46
We don't live a
life pleasing to God.
00:53:19.43\00:53:21.90
But it even goes further,
00:53:21.93\00:53:23.26
the anatomy of peace
is not only the promise
00:53:23.30\00:53:25.47
of your battles being
fought and finding peace,
00:53:25.50\00:53:28.34
but it's also the
anatomy of blessings.
00:53:28.37\00:53:30.54
It gets better.
00:53:30.57\00:53:31.91
1 John 3:22.
00:53:31.94\00:53:34.88
Alice, could you come
and play softly for me.
00:53:34.91\00:53:37.38
1 John 3:22.
00:53:37.41\00:53:41.08
Look at this. It gets...
00:53:41.12\00:53:42.62
When you let God guide you,
00:53:42.65\00:53:44.82
He will not only give you
peace and settle the wars,
00:53:44.85\00:53:47.59
He'll fight your battles,
00:53:47.62\00:53:48.96
He'll make your enemies at
peace with you, and then...
00:53:48.99\00:53:51.53
This is where
so many of us live,
00:53:51.56\00:53:53.70
but I want to tell you,
the secret is in this verse.
00:53:53.73\00:53:57.03
1 John 3:22,
"And whatever we ask
00:53:57.07\00:54:01.50
we receive from Him..."
00:54:01.54\00:54:03.81
Whatever we what? Ask.
00:54:03.84\00:54:05.57
We receive from where?
00:54:05.61\00:54:06.94
Him, not from everybody else.
00:54:06.98\00:54:09.11
He'll move on
the hearts of people
00:54:09.14\00:54:11.21
when you're living
right in His sight.
00:54:11.25\00:54:13.38
He'll say to people...
00:54:13.42\00:54:15.42
Somebody will call you
and bless you and you say,
00:54:15.45\00:54:19.09
"Where'd that come from?"
00:54:19.12\00:54:21.29
Somebody will say, "I want
to do this for you" And you say,
00:54:21.32\00:54:24.49
"Why did they think about us?"
00:54:24.53\00:54:26.26
Somebody will say, "I want
to take you somewhere with...
00:54:26.29\00:54:28.36
And all your
expenses are covered."
00:54:28.40\00:54:31.00
"Why'd you think about us?"
00:54:31.03\00:54:34.04
I told you, my wife and I
had entered 2017 in our Bibles
00:54:34.07\00:54:37.51
and on our knees, and God
revealed to us in Isaiah 60,
00:54:37.54\00:54:41.74
"You will have double honor
00:54:41.78\00:54:43.21
but you got to
live right in my sight."
00:54:43.24\00:54:45.91
And my wife and I
have come to the place,
00:54:45.95\00:54:47.35
we're so excited
about what God is doing,
00:54:47.38\00:54:49.32
we don't want to do
wrong in God's sight.
00:54:49.35\00:54:51.89
Look at the
blessing, "And whatever we ask
00:54:51.92\00:54:55.69
we receive from Him because
we keep His commandments..."
00:54:55.72\00:54:59.49
Come on, commandment keepers.
00:54:59.53\00:55:00.90
"And do those things
00:55:00.93\00:55:03.97
that are pleasing in His sight."
00:55:04.00\00:55:08.27
"We talk about keeping
the commandments," He say,
00:55:08.30\00:55:09.64
"What are you doing
when nobody else is around?
00:55:09.67\00:55:12.07
Who are you when
you ain't at church?
00:55:12.11\00:55:15.24
Who are you when
you're driving to the store?
00:55:15.28\00:55:17.68
Who are you when
you're walking in a mall?
00:55:17.71\00:55:19.98
Who are you when
you're visiting with people
00:55:20.02\00:55:21.52
that are not Christians?
00:55:21.55\00:55:23.55
Who are you?"
00:55:23.59\00:55:25.55
See, how we live in private
00:55:25.59\00:55:27.32
and how we live in public
are the seeds of blessings.
00:55:27.36\00:55:30.03
I'm going to just
throw this one and I think
00:55:30.06\00:55:31.39
there's extra credit,
but Matthew 6:6, hear it,
00:55:31.43\00:55:35.30
"Your Father who sees in
secret will reward you openly."
00:55:35.33\00:55:41.87
Ain't that a blessing, Rosemary?
00:55:41.90\00:55:43.77
He sees you in secret, Gary,
but He rewards you in openly.
00:55:43.81\00:55:46.84
You see, if we plan to
live in the kingdom of holiness,
00:55:46.88\00:55:53.62
do you hear me? If we plan...
00:55:53.65\00:55:55.58
If you plan on living
in the kingdom of holiness,
00:55:55.62\00:55:58.79
now is a good time to start.
00:55:58.82\00:56:03.46
You're not
going to get righteous
00:56:03.49\00:56:04.83
when you step into heaven.
00:56:04.86\00:56:07.10
He that is just,
let him be just still.
00:56:07.13\00:56:09.86
He that is
holy, let him be what?
00:56:09.90\00:56:11.23
Holy still.
00:56:11.27\00:56:12.60
It is good to get used
to living holy lives now.
00:56:12.63\00:56:17.24
How do you do it?
00:56:20.98\00:56:22.31
By inviting Jesus
in by constant prayer,
00:56:22.34\00:56:25.38
by reading your
Bibles, by practicing His Word.
00:56:25.41\00:56:29.35
We experience deliverance
from wars, we find peace,
00:56:29.38\00:56:34.32
we get what we ask for if
it's in harmony with God's will.
00:56:34.36\00:56:38.49
And the reality is,
Big Brother is watching us.
00:56:38.53\00:56:42.56
Not to condemn us, but to
bless us and bring us peace.
00:56:42.60\00:56:47.77
After all, Jesus is
the prince of peace.
00:56:47.80\00:56:51.84
Now I end with this verse,
00:56:54.08\00:56:57.61
2 Chronicles 16:9,
just a portion of it.
00:56:57.65\00:57:01.38
2 Chronicles 69, I'll just
read it and you're hearing,
00:57:01.42\00:57:05.45
"For the eyes of the Lord..."
00:57:05.49\00:57:07.16
You see, Asa did what was
right in the eyes of the Lord.
00:57:07.19\00:57:09.62
"For the eyes of
the Lord run to and fro
00:57:09.66\00:57:14.26
throughout the whole
earth, to show Himself strong
00:57:14.30\00:57:18.63
in behalf of those
00:57:18.67\00:57:20.64
whose heart is loyal to Him."
00:57:20.67\00:57:26.54
Do you got somebody loyal?
00:57:26.57\00:57:29.01
You won't be afraid to give
him the keys to the business.
00:57:29.04\00:57:32.01
If you have
somebody who is loyal,
00:57:32.05\00:57:33.38
you won't be afraid to
say, "Make this deposit for me."
00:57:33.42\00:57:36.58
Am I right?
00:57:36.62\00:57:37.95
If you have
somebody who is loyal,
00:57:37.99\00:57:40.56
you won't be afraid to put
your life in his or her hand.
00:57:40.59\00:57:44.16
If we're loyal to God, He
will fix the broken things
00:57:44.19\00:57:47.60
of our world,
put us in His will,
00:57:47.63\00:57:50.73
and bless us, quiet our wars,
00:57:50.77\00:57:53.34
give us peace, and
get us ready for eternity.
00:57:53.37\00:58:00.31
My appeal is simple, is there
somebody today, by standing,
00:58:00.34\00:58:04.45
you're saying, "I want to
experience the anatomy of peace
00:58:04.48\00:58:09.25
and blessings."
00:58:09.28\00:58:10.62
Is there somebody here today?
00:58:10.65\00:58:13.79
It may sound hard,
but all you got to do
00:58:13.82\00:58:17.16
is do what's right in
the sight of the Lord.
00:58:17.19\00:58:23.03
Loving Father in
heaven, bless Your people.
00:58:23.06\00:58:27.34
Give us spiritual discernment
00:58:27.37\00:58:29.10
to do what is
right in Your sight.
00:58:29.14\00:58:31.17
Not what seems right,
not what appears right,
00:58:31.21\00:58:34.54
because what appears right to us
00:58:34.58\00:58:37.08
could lead us to
the way of death.
00:58:37.11\00:58:38.91
Bless our hearts, and
our minds, our bodies,
00:58:38.95\00:58:40.72
our hands, our
relationships with one another.
00:58:40.75\00:58:44.29
Bless our worship in our homes
with our family, our children.
00:58:44.32\00:58:47.32
Help us to guide them,
not in the areas of comfort,
00:58:47.36\00:58:50.46
but in the areas of holy living
00:58:50.49\00:58:52.36
and they will then find
comfort living a holy life.
00:58:52.39\00:58:57.17
May Your people of this earth
00:58:57.20\00:58:59.93
prepare for the kingdom of peace
00:58:59.97\00:59:02.14
and may You be the Lord
that guides us all the way.
00:59:02.17\00:59:05.67
In Jesus name we pray,
and everyone said amen.
00:59:05.71\00:59:09.91
Amen.
00:59:09.94\00:59:11.28