It was not the
path I would've chosen
00:00:48.58\00:00:55.02
I could see no
hope from where I stood
00:00:55.05\00:01:01.62
Even though I knew
What God has promised
00:01:01.66\00:01:07.53
I didn't see
00:01:07.56\00:01:08.90
how he could work it for my good
00:01:08.93\00:01:14.77
Yet that road where
pain was my companion
00:01:14.80\00:01:21.18
Took me to an unexpected place
00:01:21.21\00:01:27.52
And standing in the
middle of the darkness
00:01:27.55\00:01:34.49
That was where my
heart would learn to say
00:01:34.52\00:01:40.43
I choose Christ
00:01:40.46\00:01:44.07
When everything
around me says give up
00:01:44.10\00:01:50.04
I choose faith I choose to trust
00:01:50.07\00:01:53.38
To believe he is good
00:01:53.41\00:01:56.64
He'll come through
like he said he would
00:01:56.68\00:02:01.85
Oh I choose Christ
00:02:01.88\00:02:07.32
I don't know the
story he's unfolding
00:02:07.36\00:02:13.73
But, I know in
his will he has a plan
00:02:13.76\00:02:20.27
So every day my
prayer is to surrender
00:02:20.30\00:02:27.18
Even when it's
hard to understand
00:02:27.21\00:02:32.88
I choose Christ
00:02:32.91\00:02:36.69
When everything
around me says give up
00:02:36.72\00:02:42.69
I choose faith I choose to trust
00:02:42.72\00:02:45.93
To believe he is good
00:02:45.96\00:02:49.23
He'll come through like he said
00:02:49.26\00:02:51.10
He would every time
00:02:51.13\00:02:54.50
Oh I choose Christ
00:02:54.54\00:02:59.54
His grace is sufficient
00:02:59.57\00:03:02.71
whatever happens in my life
00:03:02.74\00:03:06.11
I've made my decision
00:03:06.15\00:03:09.35
no matter what the price
00:03:09.38\00:03:14.79
I choose Christ
00:03:14.82\00:03:19.46
When everything
around me says give up
00:03:19.49\00:03:25.37
I choose faith
00:03:25.40\00:03:26.74
I choose to trust
00:03:26.77\00:03:28.67
To believe he is good
00:03:28.70\00:03:31.91
He'll come through like
he said he would every time
00:03:31.94\00:03:37.15
Oh I choose Christ
00:03:37.18\00:03:41.98
I believe he is good
00:03:42.02\00:03:45.09
He'll come through like he said
00:03:45.12\00:03:47.06
He would every time
00:03:47.09\00:03:50.29
Oh I choose
00:03:50.33\00:03:53.06
Christ
00:03:53.09\00:03:57.50
I choose
00:03:57.53\00:03:59.23
Christ
00:03:59.27\00:04:05.71
I choose
00:04:05.74\00:04:08.74
Christ
00:04:08.78\00:04:15.55
Good morning and happy Sabbath.
00:04:27.90\00:04:30.77
I don't know about
you but I choose Christ.
00:04:30.80\00:04:33.23
Amen. That was a beautiful song.
00:04:33.27\00:04:35.64
Thank you so much Celestine.
00:04:35.67\00:04:39.11
I know we prayed,
didn't we prayed again.
00:04:39.14\00:04:41.28
But you know what,
we're going to pray again.
00:04:41.31\00:04:43.61
Thank you Holy Father,
00:04:43.65\00:04:44.98
for this opportunity
that You've given all of us
00:04:45.01\00:04:47.35
to come together this morning
00:04:47.38\00:04:49.05
and break the breath of life.
00:04:49.08\00:04:50.49
Father, I pray over this Word
00:04:50.52\00:04:52.09
that is already anointed
00:04:52.12\00:04:53.92
that it will go forth
and it will produce mightily
00:04:53.96\00:04:56.59
in the hearts
00:04:56.62\00:04:57.96
and in the lives
of everyone here.
00:04:57.99\00:04:59.56
Father, we just thank You
00:04:59.59\00:05:01.36
for Your presence
in Jesus' name, amen.
00:05:01.40\00:05:04.03
Amen.
00:05:04.07\00:05:05.40
The power of the Word of God.
00:05:05.43\00:05:06.77
How many of you know
Gods' Word is powerful.
00:05:06.80\00:05:08.80
Amen.
00:05:08.84\00:05:11.31
And I want to talk to us
a little about the Bible.
00:05:11.34\00:05:17.25
I would remember
00:05:17.28\00:05:19.01
when Hal and I
first got married.
00:05:19.05\00:05:20.85
He and I were talking
about it this morning.
00:05:20.88\00:05:22.72
We had this big white
Bible. Somebody gave us a Bible.
00:05:22.75\00:05:25.92
Anyone of you know
what I'm talking about.
00:05:25.95\00:05:27.49
This where you put
when you got married
00:05:27.52\00:05:30.13
and then all your
kids and you fill...
00:05:30.16\00:05:31.83
I don't even know
where that Bible is.
00:05:31.86\00:05:33.93
It laid on the coffee table.
00:05:33.96\00:05:35.93
I'm going to say
for about five years
00:05:35.96\00:05:38.50
after Hal and I got married,
00:05:38.53\00:05:39.93
neither one of
us ever opened it.
00:05:39.97\00:05:42.44
That was the only
Bible in the house.
00:05:42.47\00:05:44.11
Now the Word of God is powerful.
00:05:44.14\00:05:46.11
But did that word
00:05:46.14\00:05:47.48
that was in that
white Bible do us any good?
00:05:47.51\00:05:50.21
Why?
00:05:50.25\00:05:51.58
Because it was just lying there.
00:05:51.61\00:05:53.08
See the Bible...
00:05:53.11\00:05:56.45
My Bible, oh, I love it.
See it's kind of fallen apart.
00:05:56.48\00:05:59.45
I got two, three
others I could show you two
00:05:59.49\00:06:01.72
that are kind of fallen apart.
00:06:01.76\00:06:03.63
But this is merely
words written down on pages.
00:06:03.66\00:06:08.73
And will do you absolutely
00:06:08.76\00:06:10.53
no good as long it shut up there
00:06:10.57\00:06:13.84
in the bookcase.
00:06:13.87\00:06:15.20
What's the only time this
Word is profitable to you?
00:06:15.24\00:06:20.01
When you read the Word.
00:06:20.04\00:06:21.38
Have you ever heard the saying,
00:06:21.41\00:06:24.45
you are what you eat
00:06:24.48\00:06:26.18
or that...
00:06:29.52\00:06:32.59
What you feed grows
and what you starve dies.
00:06:32.62\00:06:35.16
You've heard that?
We are what we eat.
00:06:35.19\00:06:38.59
How many of you
want to be conformed
00:06:38.63\00:06:39.96
to the very image
00:06:40.00\00:06:41.33
and likeness of
the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:06:41.36\00:06:42.80
that's your prayer?
00:06:42.83\00:06:44.17
Well, we are what we eat
and as we feed on God's Word,
00:06:44.20\00:06:49.74
something amazing
takes place in our lives.
00:06:49.77\00:06:55.34
And if we feed on God's
Word where we gonna grow
00:06:55.38\00:06:58.65
just as if you feed
on enough pinto beans
00:06:58.68\00:07:02.32
and mashed potatoes something
is going to happen to us.
00:07:02.35\00:07:05.82
You got to have
corn bread with butter.
00:07:05.85\00:07:09.92
And this time of the season,
00:07:09.96\00:07:12.19
oh, don't those sliced
tomatoes go good with that.
00:07:12.23\00:07:15.30
But as we feed this flesh,
something happens to our flesh.
00:07:15.33\00:07:18.90
What happens to
our flesh? It grows.
00:07:18.93\00:07:22.77
The same is true
in the spiritual.
00:07:22.80\00:07:25.27
What you feed grows,
what you starve dies.
00:07:25.31\00:07:28.61
And what I want us to do
today is look at the power
00:07:28.64\00:07:32.61
that is in God's
Word to make us grow.
00:07:32.65\00:07:37.09
Did you know that this
Bible is what God left us,
00:07:37.12\00:07:42.22
don't we appreciate it?
00:07:42.26\00:07:43.86
These words God left these to us
00:07:43.89\00:07:46.59
so that we might know Him.
00:07:46.63\00:07:48.20
The Bible is not God.
00:07:48.23\00:07:51.23
We don't worship our
Bible but do you know
00:07:51.27\00:07:54.04
that as you read this
Bible, you find out a lot,
00:07:54.07\00:07:59.37
an awfully hell lot
00:07:59.41\00:08:00.74
about the character and
nature of God, do you not?
00:08:00.78\00:08:03.45
I have some scriptures
00:08:03.48\00:08:04.81
that I'm going
to share with you.
00:08:04.85\00:08:06.38
I have so many today
00:08:06.41\00:08:08.48
that I've asked Mike to
put them up on the screen
00:08:08.52\00:08:11.05
so that you don't have
to flip through your Bible.
00:08:11.09\00:08:14.66
I think that would
be a bit time consuming
00:08:14.69\00:08:16.89
but the Bible says,
00:08:16.93\00:08:19.03
"In the beginning was the
Word and the Word was with God,
00:08:19.06\00:08:23.60
and the Word was God."
00:08:23.63\00:08:25.83
Now we go on, that's John 1:1.
00:08:25.87\00:08:28.17
We go on to John 1:14, the
first part of that it says,
00:08:28.20\00:08:31.67
"And the Word became
flesh and dwelt among us."
00:08:31.71\00:08:36.95
So when we're
talking about the Word,
00:08:36.98\00:08:39.05
what are we talking about?
00:08:39.08\00:08:40.88
The power that is in our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
00:08:40.92\00:08:44.42
Amazing things happen to people
00:08:44.45\00:08:49.02
as they hear
and read God's Word.
00:08:49.06\00:08:51.59
It has the power to
absolutely change us.
00:08:51.63\00:08:56.56
What kind of
change? An absolute change.
00:08:56.60\00:09:00.24
How many of you
00:09:00.27\00:09:01.60
before you made Jesus
the Lord of your life knew
00:09:01.64\00:09:04.64
that you needed to change?
00:09:04.67\00:09:06.64
But we make Jesus
Christ the Lord of our life,
00:09:06.68\00:09:09.08
we start feeding on God's Word
00:09:09.11\00:09:11.21
and the most
amazing things happens.
00:09:11.25\00:09:14.62
And the reason it
happens is Hebrews 4:12,
00:09:14.65\00:09:18.09
I think we've got
that in the bulletin.
00:09:18.12\00:09:19.95
Hebrews 4:12,
00:09:19.99\00:09:21.62
"For the Word of God
is" what's that Word?
00:09:21.66\00:09:25.49
"It's living in powerful."
00:09:25.53\00:09:27.80
Now in the King James
and say I learned to quote
00:09:27.83\00:09:30.17
in The King James
through the years.
00:09:30.20\00:09:32.03
The King James says,
"The Word of God is quick,
00:09:32.07\00:09:35.14
that means powerful and
alive, quick and powerful,
00:09:35.17\00:09:38.47
sharper than
any two-edged sword,
00:09:38.51\00:09:40.84
piercing even to the
division of soul and spirit,
00:09:40.88\00:09:44.28
and have joints and marrow,
00:09:44.31\00:09:45.68
and is a
discerner of the thoughts
00:09:45.71\00:09:47.85
and intents of the heart."
00:09:47.88\00:09:49.92
So is this Word
a powerful force?
00:09:49.95\00:09:52.79
We see that here
is a powerful force.
00:09:52.82\00:09:55.32
Now I've shared
this with you before,
00:09:55.36\00:09:58.16
but early on in my
walk with the Lord,
00:09:58.19\00:10:04.17
Hal and I were on our way
to Clarksville, Tennessee.
00:10:04.20\00:10:07.54
We had come off
00:10:07.57\00:10:08.90
of the interstate and back then
00:10:08.94\00:10:12.57
there was a country
road going into Clarksville,
00:10:12.61\00:10:14.84
it's all built up now.
00:10:14.88\00:10:16.98
But as we rounded a
curve going into Clarksville,
00:10:17.01\00:10:20.02
there was this
church setting up on a hill.
00:10:20.05\00:10:23.69
And across the front porch...
00:10:23.72\00:10:27.46
entry way at the church,
00:10:27.49\00:10:29.16
it had something
written in big black letters,
00:10:29.19\00:10:32.49
"The entrance of
thy word gives light."
00:10:32.53\00:10:37.30
The entrance of
Gods' Word gives light
00:10:37.33\00:10:40.70
that jumped off of that church
and went right into my heart.
00:10:40.74\00:10:45.04
The power that's in God's Word,
00:10:45.07\00:10:47.84
if there is any darkness in you,
00:10:47.88\00:10:50.88
don't you want it
to be changed to light.
00:10:50.91\00:10:53.72
And this tells us
that this living force
00:10:53.75\00:10:56.92
that is the Word of God,
00:10:56.95\00:10:58.45
as we eat this Word,
as we consume this Word,
00:10:58.49\00:11:02.62
as this Word goes down into us,
00:11:02.66\00:11:05.16
if there are
areas of darkness in us,
00:11:05.19\00:11:07.86
this Word will shine
on those areas of darkness
00:11:07.90\00:11:11.93
and will become light.
00:11:11.97\00:11:13.94
It goes on to say,
00:11:13.97\00:11:15.67
"It gives
understanding to the simple."
00:11:15.70\00:11:18.27
That wasn't written
over the church that I saw,
00:11:18.31\00:11:21.84
it didn't have
the B part to that.
00:11:21.88\00:11:23.65
But isn't that
encouraging to you?
00:11:23.68\00:11:26.15
It gives...
00:11:26.18\00:11:29.48
understanding to the simple.
00:11:29.52\00:11:31.99
Do you know this
Word isn't biased at all?
00:11:32.02\00:11:35.36
This Word is
powerful to changes,
00:11:35.39\00:11:39.63
it is powerful to change someone
00:11:39.66\00:11:42.00
that has got a double
master in three doctorates.
00:11:42.03\00:11:46.00
All of them in the Word of God.
00:11:46.03\00:11:50.24
But the end and
it's got power to change
00:11:50.27\00:11:53.04
the rich and the famous.
00:11:53.07\00:11:54.51
But you know
00:11:54.54\00:11:55.88
what it's also got
the power to change?
00:11:55.91\00:11:58.21
We that have a very,
very limited education,
00:11:58.25\00:12:01.52
it gives
understanding to the simple.
00:12:01.55\00:12:04.59
You've even heard stories
00:12:04.62\00:12:06.15
of this Word
changing people that had.
00:12:06.19\00:12:09.32
Oh, let's think of somebody
00:12:09.36\00:12:10.69
we know that had no more
than a third grade education.
00:12:10.73\00:12:13.40
Do you all know anybody
00:12:13.43\00:12:14.76
that might fit that description,
00:12:14.80\00:12:16.43
"And what did she do?
00:12:16.46\00:12:17.90
Did she change?
00:12:17.93\00:12:19.43
Was she a powerful
instrument in the hand of God?
00:12:19.47\00:12:22.57
Gives
understanding to the simple.
00:12:22.60\00:12:26.98
If the Word of God is powerful
00:12:27.01\00:12:28.84
because it's guaranteed
by God to be effective.
00:12:28.88\00:12:32.45
And I want us to...
00:12:32.48\00:12:34.05
We're going to have it
on the screen, Isaiah 55:11.
00:12:34.08\00:12:38.42
The Word of God is
powerful because it guarantees,
00:12:38.45\00:12:44.16
it is guaranteed by
God to be effective.
00:12:44.19\00:12:47.66
Isaiah 55:11 says,
00:12:47.70\00:12:50.67
''So shall my
word be that goes forth
00:12:50.70\00:12:53.67
from my mouth, it
shall not return to me how?
00:12:53.70\00:12:57.44
It's not going to return void,
00:12:57.47\00:12:59.67
but it shall
accomplish what I please,
00:12:59.71\00:13:02.34
and it shall
prosper in the thing
00:13:02.38\00:13:04.91
for which I sent it."
00:13:04.95\00:13:06.28
Do you know God sent His word?
00:13:06.31\00:13:09.08
Did He send
anybody to the earth?
00:13:09.12\00:13:11.79
God sent His word and it's...
00:13:11.82\00:13:15.06
Psalms 107:20
says, "He sent His Word,
00:13:15.09\00:13:19.53
and did something to us?
00:13:19.56\00:13:21.20
What did that?
00:13:21.23\00:13:22.56
He sent His
Word, and He healed us,
00:13:22.60\00:13:25.53
and delivered us from
all of our destructions."
00:13:25.57\00:13:29.07
That is power
that's in the Word of God.
00:13:29.10\00:13:31.61
And the Word of God
has the power to transform.
00:13:31.64\00:13:36.08
Now how many of
you want to be changed?
00:13:36.11\00:13:38.08
How many of you
want to be transformed?
00:13:38.11\00:13:40.22
We're looking at the power
00:13:40.25\00:13:42.88
that's in the Word of
God that will change you.
00:13:42.92\00:13:46.65
Romans 12:2,
00:13:46.69\00:13:48.19
we have that up, Romans 12:2.
00:13:48.22\00:13:50.73
And be not conformed to what?
00:13:50.76\00:13:53.96
To this world but
be transformed how?
00:13:54.00\00:13:57.60
By the renewing of your
mind, that's what you think.
00:13:57.63\00:14:02.60
I know this isn't
applicable to anybody here.
00:14:02.64\00:14:05.71
But some people
have stink in thinking.
00:14:05.74\00:14:08.94
And they need the way
they think to be changed.
00:14:08.98\00:14:14.18
We are today a direct
result of what we think.
00:14:14.22\00:14:19.75
Every decision you made
is based on what you think.
00:14:19.79\00:14:24.83
Proverbs 23:7 says,
00:14:24.86\00:14:28.90
"For as a man
thinks in his heart,
00:14:28.93\00:14:33.20
so is he."
00:14:33.23\00:14:34.60
So with the Word of God
will change what we think,
00:14:34.64\00:14:38.21
goes on to say,
00:14:38.24\00:14:39.57
"Renewing our
mind that we may prove
00:14:39.61\00:14:42.98
what is that
good, and acceptable,
00:14:43.01\00:14:45.38
and perfect will of God."
00:14:45.41\00:14:47.22
If we don't
change what we think,
00:14:47.25\00:14:50.55
we don't change.
00:14:50.59\00:14:52.15
Have any of you ever said,
"You know, I'm going to change.
00:14:52.19\00:14:56.02
I'm not going to
do this any more.
00:14:56.06\00:14:59.46
I'm going to
stop doing something,
00:14:59.49\00:15:01.43
" and find
yourself doing it again.
00:15:01.46\00:15:03.70
You know you can't
modify your behavior,
00:15:03.73\00:15:07.74
you can make good decisions.
00:15:07.77\00:15:09.87
But we need the power
and the help of Almighty God
00:15:09.90\00:15:13.07
to make us, to help us change.
00:15:13.11\00:15:17.18
And change isn't
change until you change.
00:15:17.21\00:15:23.18
Sometimes we will
say the right things,
00:15:23.22\00:15:26.69
will quote the right scriptures,
00:15:26.72\00:15:28.36
and we'll go right
back into that very thing
00:15:28.39\00:15:30.93
that we said we were
never going to do again.
00:15:30.96\00:15:33.23
Changes and
change until you change.
00:15:33.26\00:15:35.56
And the only way you can change
is to change your thinking,
00:15:35.60\00:15:39.03
the only thing
00:15:39.07\00:15:40.40
that can change
your thinking is what?
00:15:40.44\00:15:42.94
It's the Word of God.
00:15:42.97\00:15:45.17
2 Peter 1:4 says,
00:15:45.21\00:15:48.44
"By which have been given to us
00:15:48.48\00:15:51.21
exceeding great
and precious promises."
00:15:51.25\00:15:54.85
Where are those promises,
00:15:54.88\00:15:56.25
those great and
precious promises?
00:15:56.28\00:15:58.35
Where are they given to us?
00:15:58.39\00:16:00.42
It's in His Word that
through this you may be...
00:16:00.46\00:16:05.49
I love this
00:16:05.53\00:16:06.86
"partakers of
the divine nature."
00:16:06.90\00:16:08.96
isn't that...?
00:16:09.00\00:16:10.90
And I'm sure I'll
look at this again.
00:16:10.93\00:16:13.03
But over in Romans it says,
00:16:13.07\00:16:15.80
"We have been predestined
to be conformed to something.
00:16:15.84\00:16:19.87
What have we been
predestined to be conformed to?
00:16:19.91\00:16:23.38
We have been predestined
to be conformed to the image
00:16:23.41\00:16:26.78
of the Lord Jesus
Christ, that's our destiny.
00:16:26.82\00:16:30.19
And scripture also says
that when Christ shall return,
00:16:30.22\00:16:35.32
we shall be like Him, for
we shall see Him as He is.
00:16:35.36\00:16:38.56
Now I don't know about you,
00:16:38.59\00:16:40.10
but I am not going to
look like a Jewish man.
00:16:40.13\00:16:45.87
However this says
that I have been destined
00:16:45.90\00:16:49.87
by Almighty God
00:16:49.90\00:16:51.57
to be in the image
and likeness of His Son.
00:16:51.61\00:16:54.64
What is the only way
that can transpire in my life?
00:16:54.68\00:16:58.15
How can that occur in my life?
00:16:58.18\00:17:00.78
See it's not the
outward that it's talking about,
00:17:00.82\00:17:03.95
all we need on the outside,
see this morning I got up,
00:17:03.99\00:17:08.59
and I bathed
up, and pampered up,
00:17:08.62\00:17:11.03
and patted up, and...
00:17:11.06\00:17:12.39
up and put on.
00:17:12.43\00:17:13.76
Somebody tell me,
00:17:13.80\00:17:15.13
I look like
00:17:15.16\00:17:16.50
I was in my
preaching clothes today.
00:17:16.53\00:17:18.07
So, see, I cannot
outward for people.
00:17:18.10\00:17:22.80
But God don't
look at the outward,
00:17:22.84\00:17:24.21
what does He look at?
00:17:24.24\00:17:25.84
He looks at us on the inside,
00:17:25.87\00:17:27.64
that's where that
change needs to take place.
00:17:27.68\00:17:31.91
We partake of
that divine nature.
00:17:31.95\00:17:35.68
And let me ask you this also.
00:17:35.72\00:17:40.32
We are what we eat.
00:17:40.36\00:17:41.92
If we eat God's Word,
00:17:41.96\00:17:43.59
then that's what we
are going to become.
00:17:43.63\00:17:48.06
But also we
become what we behold.
00:17:48.10\00:17:53.47
And that's 2 Corinthians 3:18.
00:17:53.50\00:17:56.81
I don't have that
scripture, Mike, I'm sorry.
00:17:56.84\00:17:58.81
But that's when you
look into the Word of God,
00:17:58.84\00:18:02.88
what does it say
we're looking into?
00:18:02.91\00:18:05.38
A mirror.
00:18:05.41\00:18:07.08
And it's that Word
as we take on the Word,
00:18:07.12\00:18:10.15
as we allow that
change to take place
00:18:10.19\00:18:13.22
that we look more and more
00:18:13.25\00:18:14.96
like the Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ.
00:18:14.99\00:18:18.79
It's as we partake of
the promises of His word
00:18:18.83\00:18:22.63
that we become like Jesus.
00:18:22.66\00:18:24.60
It changes us
from the inside out,
00:18:24.63\00:18:27.30
that's called transformation.
00:18:27.34\00:18:29.87
Transformation.
00:18:29.90\00:18:32.17
The Word became
flesh and walked among us.
00:18:32.21\00:18:38.91
Now our flesh must
put on the Word of God
00:18:38.95\00:18:43.42
and walk among men that
Jesus may be seen again.
00:18:43.45\00:18:47.56
The Word became
flesh and did what?
00:18:47.59\00:18:50.03
The Word, John 1:14,
00:18:50.06\00:18:52.69
"And the Word became
flesh and He dwelt among us."
00:18:52.73\00:18:56.87
Now as we take
00:18:56.90\00:18:58.23
on the Word of God on this flesh
00:18:58.27\00:19:01.54
we are taking on the
image and likeness of Christ.
00:19:01.57\00:19:04.57
So as we take that on
and walk in this world,
00:19:04.61\00:19:08.78
then what we are
doing is putting on Jesus.
00:19:08.81\00:19:11.65
You know I read this recently.
00:19:11.68\00:19:14.45
The statement was
that out of a 100 men,
00:19:14.48\00:19:19.82
lost people a 100,
00:19:19.85\00:19:22.02
possibly one
will read the Bible.
00:19:22.06\00:19:26.23
Do you know what
those other 99 do?
00:19:26.26\00:19:28.96
They read us.
00:19:29.00\00:19:30.90
They look at the Christian
and they read their life
00:19:30.93\00:19:34.60
whether you like it or not,
00:19:34.64\00:19:37.61
you are all of
the Lord Jesus Christ
00:19:37.64\00:19:40.48
that some people may ever see.
00:19:40.51\00:19:42.74
So as we put on Christ,
00:19:42.78\00:19:44.91
we become
instruments in the hand of God
00:19:44.95\00:19:47.48
that He can use
for those other 99.
00:19:47.52\00:19:50.75
One may read the Bible
00:19:50.79\00:19:52.12
but the other 99
are going to read you
00:19:52.15\00:19:54.06
and your life.
00:19:54.09\00:19:55.56
So we take on God's Word.
00:19:55.59\00:19:58.16
I wanted to
give an illustration.
00:19:58.19\00:20:01.43
In 1945,
00:20:01.46\00:20:03.87
when the American
troops were on Okinawa,
00:20:03.90\00:20:07.80
they found a tiny
village named Shimabuku.
00:20:07.84\00:20:13.17
And they later
named it the village
00:20:13.21\00:20:16.68
that lived by the
Bible 30 years previously.
00:20:16.71\00:20:20.58
So that would
have been about 1915,
00:20:20.62\00:20:24.62
a missionary on its
way to mainland Japan
00:20:24.65\00:20:29.56
had stopped long
enough to make two converts.
00:20:29.59\00:20:33.96
The name of the converts
were Kenan and Nakamori.
00:20:34.00\00:20:37.43
So he was going
to mainland Japan,
00:20:37.47\00:20:39.53
stopped on the
island of Okinawa,
00:20:39.57\00:20:42.60
and he made two
converts in 1915,
00:20:42.64\00:20:46.57
30 years previously.
00:20:46.61\00:20:48.18
He taught them,
00:20:48.21\00:20:49.54
the missionary taught
them a couple of hymns
00:20:49.58\00:20:52.88
but then he gave them something.
00:20:52.91\00:20:54.72
Guess what he gave them?
00:20:54.75\00:20:56.08
Written in
Japanese, gave them a Bible,
00:20:56.12\00:21:01.86
and encouraged
them to live by it.
00:21:01.89\00:21:05.09
The villagers patterned
00:21:05.13\00:21:09.40
their lives on Jesus.
00:21:09.43\00:21:12.50
And the Sermon
on the Mount became
00:21:12.53\00:21:15.64
their guide to social conduct.
00:21:15.67\00:21:18.11
They took the Ten Commandments
as their legal code.
00:21:18.14\00:21:22.41
Wouldn't you have loved
to live in that environment?
00:21:22.44\00:21:26.58
The Bible was
the main literature
00:21:26.61\00:21:29.58
in their school.
00:21:29.62\00:21:30.99
Every day, every child
had to read from the Bible,
00:21:31.02\00:21:34.89
it was in their classrooms.
00:21:34.92\00:21:37.33
The result was that for
years that village had no jail,
00:21:37.36\00:21:44.10
had no brothel, had no
drunkenness, no divorce,
00:21:44.13\00:21:49.30
and there was a high
level of health and happiness.
00:21:49.34\00:21:52.77
Actually the
soldier that was going
00:21:52.81\00:21:57.95
through the
countryside in Okinawa
00:21:57.98\00:22:00.68
had noticed many villages.
00:22:00.72\00:22:03.02
But they were very
poor, very disharmonious.
00:22:03.05\00:22:08.86
But when he came to this village
00:22:08.89\00:22:11.09
what it attracted his attention
00:22:11.13\00:22:13.26
so quickly was that
it was well manicured,
00:22:13.29\00:22:17.17
it wasn't a rich village,
00:22:17.20\00:22:18.67
but it was a prospering village
00:22:18.70\00:22:21.47
that he could tell just
coming into this village,
00:22:21.50\00:22:24.74
there was something different
00:22:24.77\00:22:27.04
about the
people in this village.
00:22:27.08\00:22:29.21
Time had dimmed
the Shimabukun's memory
00:22:29.24\00:22:33.11
of the missionary
00:22:33.15\00:22:34.48
neither Kenan nor
Nakamori could recall his name.
00:22:34.52\00:22:38.15
They did remember
his parting statement
00:22:38.19\00:22:41.79
as expressed by Nakamori,
it was study this book well.
00:22:41.82\00:22:47.30
It will give you strong
faith in the Creator God.
00:22:47.33\00:22:51.87
And when your
faith in God is strong,
00:22:51.90\00:22:55.44
everything is strong.
00:22:55.47\00:22:57.01
And you know what
these two converts did?
00:22:57.04\00:22:59.61
They took him at his word,
they believed what he said.
00:22:59.64\00:23:03.14
And these people
became what they beheld.
00:23:03.18\00:23:08.28
The Word of God
can de-transform them.
00:23:08.32\00:23:12.45
And the same power
00:23:12.49\00:23:13.92
that's in that Word can
transform every one of us.
00:23:13.96\00:23:17.89
The Word also has
the power to bring faith.
00:23:17.93\00:23:21.53
I mean there are so many things
the Word has the power to do.
00:23:21.56\00:23:25.17
Word has the
power to transform us.
00:23:25.20\00:23:27.14
I think that's the first thing
we all need is transformation.
00:23:27.17\00:23:31.07
Do you not agree with that?
00:23:31.11\00:23:32.91
We've been transformed out
of the kingdom of darkness,
00:23:32.94\00:23:35.44
we are now in the
kingdom of God's dear Son,
00:23:35.48\00:23:37.91
we're in this process called
the sanctification process.
00:23:37.95\00:23:42.48
And that's a lifelong process
that we are going to begin.
00:23:42.52\00:23:47.52
And it's through
the power of God's Word
00:23:47.56\00:23:49.79
that we're
changed into His image
00:23:49.82\00:23:52.06
and into His likeness.
00:23:52.09\00:23:53.86
Now, my next topic is the word
00:23:53.90\00:23:59.23
has the power to bring faith.
00:23:59.27\00:24:01.87
But I want to say this,
00:24:01.90\00:24:03.24
and so and I'm
talking to myself.
00:24:03.27\00:24:05.81
I've got right now
all the faith I want.
00:24:05.84\00:24:10.01
Y'all think
00:24:10.05\00:24:11.38
that's a true statement for you?
00:24:11.41\00:24:12.78
Right now do you
have all the faith
00:24:12.81\00:24:14.78
that you won't donate
so one way or the other
00:24:14.82\00:24:17.19
'cause I don't want
to embarrass anybody.
00:24:17.22\00:24:19.45
The Word says,
00:24:19.49\00:24:20.82
"So then faith comes by hearing
and hearing by the Word of God.
00:24:20.86\00:24:26.29
If you want more
faith, what do you have to do?
00:24:26.33\00:24:30.17
Spend more time
in the Word of God.
00:24:30.20\00:24:34.00
Spending more
time in the Word of God
00:24:34.04\00:24:36.37
will build your faith.
00:24:36.40\00:24:38.01
Much word, much faith.
Little word, little faith.
00:24:38.04\00:24:43.51
So right now we've all got
just as much faith as we want
00:24:43.55\00:24:48.25
because if we wanted
more, what would we do?
00:24:48.28\00:24:51.65
We would act on the Word of God.
00:24:51.69\00:24:53.79
Faith comes by
hearing and hearing
00:24:53.82\00:24:55.76
by the Word of God.
00:24:55.79\00:24:57.29
Do you know that
you are also just as,
00:24:57.33\00:25:00.40
how many of you
want to be righteous now,
00:25:00.43\00:25:02.20
we can all raise
our hands to that.
00:25:02.23\00:25:03.97
And thank God for 1 John 1:9.
00:25:04.00\00:25:07.64
"If we confess
our sins, what is He?
00:25:07.67\00:25:10.14
Faithful and just to
forgive us of our sins
00:25:10.17\00:25:14.41
and cleanse us from
all unrighteousness."
00:25:14.44\00:25:17.15
If the Lord cleanses you
from all unrighteousness,
00:25:17.18\00:25:20.18
what does that make you?
00:25:20.22\00:25:22.08
The righteousness
of God in Christ Jesus.
00:25:22.12\00:25:24.55
Right now you've got
just as much righteousness
00:25:24.59\00:25:27.92
at work within you as you want.
00:25:27.96\00:25:29.89
And here is my proof of that.
That would be Matthew 6:33.
00:25:29.92\00:25:34.10
"But seek ye
first the Kingdom of God
00:25:34.13\00:25:36.67
and His righteousness,
00:25:36.70\00:25:39.67
and all these things
will be added unto you."
00:25:39.70\00:25:43.81
Matthew 5:6.
00:25:43.84\00:25:45.97
"Blessed are those who hunger
and thirst for righteousness,
00:25:46.01\00:25:49.91
for they shall be filled."
00:25:49.94\00:25:52.81
So if you are hungering
00:25:52.85\00:25:54.18
and thirsting for righteousness,
00:25:54.22\00:25:56.12
you will be
feeling that those of you
00:25:56.15\00:25:57.72
that are in my
Sabbath school class,
00:25:57.75\00:25:59.19
you know that every lesson,
00:25:59.22\00:26:01.12
most every lesson,
00:26:01.16\00:26:02.82
I always want to
be going somewhere
00:26:02.86\00:26:07.00
where we're going
to pray for everybody.
00:26:07.03\00:26:09.06
And so at the
end of this lesson...
00:26:09.10\00:26:13.34
I want to pray
for every one of you
00:26:13.37\00:26:14.80
that want this prayer.
00:26:14.84\00:26:16.17
Here's what I
want to pray, Father,
00:26:16.20\00:26:18.71
increase our hungering
00:26:18.74\00:26:20.81
and thirsting
after righteousness,
00:26:20.84\00:26:23.85
turn that up in me.
00:26:23.88\00:26:25.21
You know, right now I spend
just as much time in the Word
00:26:25.25\00:26:28.48
of God as I want to.
00:26:28.52\00:26:30.59
You know, that's just
a fact and you can say,
00:26:30.62\00:26:32.59
"Oh, they just have more time."
00:26:32.62\00:26:34.42
We do with our time
00:26:34.46\00:26:35.79
what we want to
do with our time.
00:26:35.82\00:26:37.73
We do basically we
do what we want to do.
00:26:37.76\00:26:41.60
So I'm a procrastinator.
I can't begin it.
00:26:41.63\00:26:46.17
Oh, and you know the best time
00:26:46.20\00:26:47.97
in the world to
study God's Word is when?
00:26:48.00\00:26:50.97
First thing in the morning, why?
00:26:51.01\00:26:52.81
You're mind's fresh.
00:26:52.84\00:26:54.34
So to study God's Word
first thing in the morning,
00:26:54.38\00:26:57.31
what do you have to do?
00:26:57.35\00:26:59.88
Get up earlier to spend...
00:26:59.91\00:27:02.62
So we can ask God by the power
00:27:02.65\00:27:05.99
of His Spirit in
the early morning
00:27:06.02\00:27:08.42
before it's your
normal time to get up,
00:27:08.46\00:27:10.63
to wake you up
00:27:10.66\00:27:11.99
that you'll
spend time in His Word.
00:27:12.03\00:27:13.73
How many of you
would like for the Lord
00:27:13.76\00:27:15.43
to start waking you up earlier,
00:27:15.46\00:27:17.10
don't raise your hands.
00:27:17.13\00:27:18.47
So you can spend
more time in the Word
00:27:18.50\00:27:20.47
because remember you spend
00:27:20.50\00:27:22.40
just as much time
in the Word right now
00:27:22.44\00:27:24.57
as you want to.
00:27:24.61\00:27:25.94
But if we study God's
word early in the morning
00:27:25.97\00:27:29.44
that early morning
season with the Lord,
00:27:29.48\00:27:31.65
you know, it sets the
tone for our whole day.
00:27:31.68\00:27:34.42
So He that hungers and thirst
00:27:34.45\00:27:36.89
after
righteousness will be filled.
00:27:36.92\00:27:40.56
The Word has the power
to heal and deliver us.
00:27:40.59\00:27:43.09
I think we read this
scripture a little earlier.
00:27:43.12\00:27:45.89
He send His
word and healed them,
00:27:45.93\00:27:49.43
and delivered them
from their destructions.
00:27:49.46\00:27:51.67
That's the power
that's in the Word.
00:27:51.70\00:27:54.37
And I love Romans 8:1,
2. There is therefore what?
00:27:54.40\00:27:59.61
Now how much condemnation
any of you ever think
00:27:59.64\00:28:03.28
that you're living
under condemnation?
00:28:03.31\00:28:05.68
You know that feeling
that we have the words
00:28:05.71\00:28:08.72
is there is therefore
now no condemnation to those
00:28:08.75\00:28:12.35
who are in Christ Jesus,
00:28:12.39\00:28:14.79
who walk not after the
flesh but after the Spirit,
00:28:14.82\00:28:18.63
for there is this law at work.
00:28:18.66\00:28:20.60
The law of the Spirit of life
00:28:20.63\00:28:22.56
and Christ Jesus
has done something,
00:28:22.60\00:28:25.43
He set us free from
the law of sin and death.
00:28:25.47\00:28:28.40
That law of death can
no longer work within us
00:28:28.44\00:28:31.54
because of the
power in the Word of God
00:28:31.57\00:28:35.51
given to us by Almighty God
00:28:35.54\00:28:38.01
to set us free from
the law of sin and death.
00:28:38.05\00:28:40.75
And the law has the
power to fight the enemy.
00:28:44.95\00:28:48.02
The Word has the
power to fight the enemy.
00:28:48.06\00:28:50.29
It's God's Word
that transforms us
00:28:50.33\00:28:54.10
from defenseless ordinary people
00:28:54.13\00:28:56.53
into powerful
warriors armed and dangerous.
00:28:56.56\00:28:59.70
You know, that's what
I want the enemy to say
00:28:59.73\00:29:02.50
when I get up in the morning
00:29:02.54\00:29:03.87
"Oh, look at she's awake again.
00:29:03.91\00:29:06.57
Look at that,
00:29:06.61\00:29:07.94
she's spending time in the Word.
00:29:07.98\00:29:09.84
She's getting stronger and
more powerful in the thing.
00:29:09.88\00:29:13.05
You know greater
is he that is in us,
00:29:13.08\00:29:15.55
than he that is in the world,
00:29:15.58\00:29:17.02
and God has given you
absolutely everything you need
00:29:17.05\00:29:20.86
to be an overcoming
victorious Christian,
00:29:20.89\00:29:23.63
free from the
weight of sinfulness,
00:29:23.66\00:29:25.59
the weightiness of the world.
00:29:25.63\00:29:27.16
And you don't have to,
00:29:27.20\00:29:28.56
I'm not saying he's
given you prosperity.
00:29:28.60\00:29:30.80
How many times have
you heard of men and women
00:29:30.83\00:29:33.74
and just watch this program
we have on 3ABN Free Indeed.
00:29:33.77\00:29:38.81
Where are these
people that are free indeed?
00:29:38.84\00:29:41.64
They are in prison.
00:29:41.68\00:29:43.01
See it's not your
circumstances that determines
00:29:43.04\00:29:46.85
that you have
power over the enemy
00:29:46.88\00:29:49.35
that determines your happiness,
00:29:49.38\00:29:51.32
it is what is in you
that makes that determination.
00:29:51.35\00:29:55.02
God's power is
made available to us
00:29:55.06\00:29:57.36
through His word just like power
00:29:57.39\00:30:00.90
from the electric
company is made available.
00:30:00.93\00:30:04.33
If we don't flip the switch,
00:30:04.37\00:30:06.33
there's some
switches around here.
00:30:06.37\00:30:07.90
Lord, there are so many switches
00:30:07.94\00:30:09.44
in this building
y'all would not know,
00:30:09.47\00:30:11.31
you have to just go looking
for the right switch sometimes,
00:30:11.34\00:30:14.24
there are so many switches.
00:30:14.28\00:30:16.01
But let me ask you something,
00:30:16.04\00:30:17.38
if somebody knew
where the switch was,
00:30:17.41\00:30:19.91
if they flipped it off,
00:30:19.95\00:30:21.28
what would happen
to all of these lights?
00:30:21.32\00:30:23.59
Would be sitting
here in darkness,
00:30:23.62\00:30:26.02
would we have to,
00:30:26.05\00:30:27.39
would it be necessary for
us to be sitting in darkness.
00:30:27.42\00:30:31.36
All you have to
do is flip the switch
00:30:31.39\00:30:34.80
and here the light is,
00:30:34.83\00:30:36.16
the same is true
with the Word of God,
00:30:36.20\00:30:38.83
the entrance of
God's Word does what?
00:30:38.87\00:30:41.50
It gives us light.
00:30:41.54\00:30:42.87
If we don't study God's Word,
and become acquainted with it,
00:30:42.90\00:30:47.31
and live by its precepts
and concepts like the people
00:30:47.34\00:30:51.91
of Shimabuku did,
00:30:51.95\00:30:53.55
you know,
00:30:53.58\00:30:54.92
it's absolutely worthless to us.
00:30:54.95\00:30:56.55
It's just like
that big old white Bible
00:30:56.58\00:30:58.79
that was on my
coffee table for years
00:30:58.82\00:31:01.29
when Hal and I
first got married.
00:31:01.32\00:31:02.82
That book never did me,
00:31:02.86\00:31:04.19
even, even a
particularly pretty book.
00:31:04.23\00:31:05.93
I don't know why?
00:31:05.96\00:31:07.30
I think I guess I
left it on the coffee table
00:31:07.33\00:31:09.73
cause us trying to
make somebody think
00:31:09.76\00:31:11.47
we were righteous
or holy or something,
00:31:11.50\00:31:13.70
believe me we weren't.
00:31:13.74\00:31:15.40
But there was
that big old Bible,
00:31:15.44\00:31:17.71
you know, it's the Word
that you fight the enemy with.
00:31:17.74\00:31:20.88
I guess it was big enough
if I threw it at the enemy,
00:31:20.91\00:31:23.55
surely it would have hurt him,
00:31:23.58\00:31:24.91
but it wouldn't have
been coming out of my heart
00:31:24.95\00:31:29.05
that's where the power is.
00:31:29.08\00:31:30.72
When that Word
comes forth out of you,
00:31:30.75\00:31:33.02
it had accomplishes that
thing which God send it to,
00:31:33.05\00:31:36.12
but it has to be in you.
00:31:36.16\00:31:39.09
I'm going to
read Ephesians 16-13
00:31:39.13\00:31:42.93
just 'cause
it's too good not to.
00:31:42.96\00:31:45.03
"Finally, my brethren..."
00:31:45.07\00:31:46.40
That's talking
to every one of us.
00:31:46.43\00:31:48.54
"Be strong in the Lord, in what?
00:31:48.57\00:31:51.44
The power of His might
put on the whole armor of God
00:31:51.47\00:31:55.64
that you may be able to stand
against the wiles of the devil,
00:31:55.68\00:31:59.41
for we do not wrestle
against flesh and blood,
00:31:59.45\00:32:01.95
but people, we wrestle."
00:32:01.98\00:32:04.22
You wrestle not
with flesh and blood.
00:32:04.25\00:32:06.42
What do you wrestle with?
00:32:06.45\00:32:07.92
Principalities and powers,
00:32:07.96\00:32:09.89
rulers of
darkness and high places,
00:32:09.92\00:32:12.89
and spiritual wickedness,
and the heavenly places."
00:32:12.93\00:32:16.06
Therefore the word says,
00:32:16.10\00:32:17.50
"Take up the whole armor of God,
00:32:17.53\00:32:19.70
that you may be able
to stand in the evil day,
00:32:19.73\00:32:23.41
and having done all to stand."
00:32:23.44\00:32:26.54
Galatians 15 and more tells
us that we are to stand fast.
00:32:26.57\00:32:31.55
Now I'm reminded
of this young man,
00:32:31.58\00:32:35.38
took his horse to
the Kentucky Derby.
00:32:35.42\00:32:38.02
Have you ever seen
00:32:38.05\00:32:39.39
the running at
the Kentucky Derby?
00:32:39.42\00:32:41.12
Boy, those horses
are amazing, aren't they?
00:32:41.16\00:32:44.49
And anybody had ever
seen the movie Secretariat?
00:32:44.53\00:32:47.20
Oh, man,
00:32:47.23\00:32:48.56
I like big red in
that movie, didn't you?
00:32:48.60\00:32:50.83
He was a beautiful horse.
00:32:50.87\00:32:52.90
But this young
man took his horse
00:32:52.93\00:32:55.60
and he was proud of his horse.
00:32:55.64\00:32:57.64
And he was taking it
around to the stables
00:32:57.67\00:33:00.31
where these
magnificent horses were.
00:33:00.34\00:33:02.94
And his horse on the
other hand had a swayback
00:33:02.98\00:33:08.25
and it just kind
of shuffled along.
00:33:08.28\00:33:10.99
It wasn't very pretty.
00:33:11.02\00:33:13.05
But when one of
the jockeys asked him,
00:33:13.09\00:33:16.89
"Son, well that
horse run very fast?"
00:33:16.93\00:33:23.00
And he said,
00:33:23.03\00:33:24.63
"No, but it
sure can stand fast."
00:33:24.67\00:33:27.44
You know,
sometimes God's not asking us
00:33:27.47\00:33:29.74
to do great feats for Him.
00:33:29.77\00:33:33.17
He's just asking us to
stand after doing all to stand.
00:33:33.21\00:33:39.15
Now I'm going to use
myself as an example.
00:33:39.18\00:33:45.65
And I was
noticing the other day,
00:33:45.69\00:33:47.62
it seems like I
just say the same,
00:33:47.66\00:33:49.92
give the same
testimonies over and over.
00:33:49.96\00:33:51.83
You know why I do
that? Only got one testimony.
00:33:51.86\00:33:56.10
I mean, you have to start
making up stuff if you got.
00:33:56.13\00:33:59.67
So I just have to tell
the same things over and over.
00:33:59.70\00:34:03.17
Well, several years ago,
00:34:03.20\00:34:05.94
I went through a difficult time.
00:34:05.97\00:34:07.91
I've been at 3ABN,
now I'm going on 23 years.
00:34:07.94\00:34:11.31
So it was like over 23 years
or what probably 23 years ago,
00:34:11.35\00:34:15.48
I went through a
really difficult time.
00:34:15.52\00:34:18.05
And so I, what I
wanted to do was just quit,
00:34:18.09\00:34:23.32
go back to
Alabama, get my job back,
00:34:23.36\00:34:26.06
get me another job
00:34:26.09\00:34:27.63
and because it was
hard to hold your head up.
00:34:27.66\00:34:33.23
Sometimes it was hard
for me to hold my head up,
00:34:33.27\00:34:36.71
and continue moving forward.
00:34:36.74\00:34:39.91
I shared this the other day,
00:34:39.94\00:34:42.24
I think I just shared
it with Jill and Shelley.
00:34:42.28\00:34:44.58
I don't think
00:34:44.61\00:34:45.95
I've even shared this in public.
00:34:45.98\00:34:47.45
But I think I'd forgotten it.
00:34:47.48\00:34:49.22
But I remember one time
00:34:49.25\00:34:50.99
in the midst of all
the real hard issues
00:34:51.02\00:34:55.19
that I was going through
that I went to a beauty shop
00:34:55.22\00:34:59.09
in West Frankfort to get a perm.
00:34:59.13\00:35:01.63
Well, you know when
they put your head up
00:35:01.66\00:35:03.40
in those rollers
and put that stuff,
00:35:03.43\00:35:05.47
I mean, you sit there.
00:35:05.50\00:35:06.84
I mean, you can't
just get up and leave.
00:35:06.87\00:35:09.04
And, you know, all of a
sudden in this beauty shop
00:35:09.07\00:35:12.37
and the people I had never been
00:35:12.41\00:35:13.74
to the beauty shop before.
00:35:13.78\00:35:16.04
I don't think
anybody in there evidently
00:35:16.08\00:35:17.88
they must have known me
00:35:17.91\00:35:19.25
because they
started talking about it.
00:35:19.28\00:35:22.68
And if I could have,
00:35:22.72\00:35:24.79
I'd layoff but you can't leave
00:35:24.82\00:35:27.22
with perm solution on your hair.
00:35:27.26\00:35:30.16
And they had it all wrong
00:35:30.19\00:35:32.23
and they were
telling this big hotel
00:35:32.26\00:35:34.30
and they were
talking about my husband,
00:35:34.33\00:35:36.23
and my church,
00:35:36.26\00:35:37.60
and my friends
00:35:37.63\00:35:38.97
that's who they
were talking about.
00:35:39.00\00:35:40.34
You know, those were hard times.
00:35:40.37\00:35:42.47
I didn't want to have
to walk through a situation
00:35:42.50\00:35:45.87
where people knew
my personal business
00:35:45.91\00:35:47.88
and it wasn't good business.
00:35:47.91\00:35:49.41
I just thought,
00:35:49.44\00:35:50.78
"I'll just take
Jeremy and sneak out of here,
00:35:50.81\00:35:53.01
when load up
me, are you hauling,
00:35:53.05\00:35:54.75
go back to Alabama."
00:35:54.78\00:35:56.62
And the more I
thought about doing that,
00:35:56.65\00:35:59.42
of course, that
wasn't God's plan,
00:35:59.45\00:36:03.02
thank goodness
that somebody that...
00:36:03.06\00:36:07.53
Has a hand and a heart
for mending broken people
00:36:07.56\00:36:11.27
call me and told me
00:36:11.30\00:36:12.83
that if you find
yourself in a position
00:36:12.87\00:36:14.70
that you just
can't handle it any more,
00:36:14.74\00:36:16.50
let me know
I'll put you to work.
00:36:16.54\00:36:18.91
So I called one time
and said, "Today any...
00:36:18.94\00:36:23.88
I can't take it anymore."
00:36:23.91\00:36:25.25
And he put me to work.
00:36:25.28\00:36:26.61
Now to me that was God,
00:36:26.65\00:36:28.45
but I just want you to
know that during that time
00:36:28.48\00:36:32.35
when what I really wanted to do
and I could have justified it.
00:36:32.39\00:36:36.12
No, nobody would
have faulted me for that.
00:36:36.16\00:36:38.63
I wanted to run,
God wouldn't allow that,
00:36:38.66\00:36:41.86
He had me to stand.
00:36:41.90\00:36:43.80
Now, how did I stand
in the midst of all that?
00:36:43.83\00:36:47.60
It was because of the Word,
00:36:47.64\00:36:50.81
the power that was in God's Word
00:36:50.84\00:36:52.94
that I had planted in my heart.
00:36:52.97\00:36:55.04
What does the
Psalmist say about planting
00:36:55.08\00:36:57.18
the Word in your heart?
00:36:57.21\00:36:58.81
I put your word
in my heart, why?
00:36:58.85\00:37:01.98
That I wouldn't sin against you.
00:37:02.02\00:37:03.92
You put God's
Word in your heart.
00:37:03.95\00:37:07.72
And that Word was the only thing
00:37:07.76\00:37:10.09
that sustained me.
00:37:10.13\00:37:12.13
And then there's Romans12:11.
00:37:12.16\00:37:15.76
"And they over came him," how?
00:37:15.80\00:37:19.30
"By the blood of the lamb
and the word of their testimony
00:37:19.33\00:37:22.20
and they loved not
their lives until then."
00:37:22.24\00:37:25.41
Are we overcomes?
00:37:25.44\00:37:27.18
Are we victorious? We
are overcoming victory.
00:37:27.21\00:37:30.28
I think we live below
00:37:30.31\00:37:32.21
what Christ
accomplished for us at Calvary.
00:37:32.25\00:37:35.22
He gave us total victory,
00:37:35.25\00:37:37.42
we don't need to walk in defeat
00:37:37.45\00:37:39.32
or we're going to go
through difficult times,
00:37:39.35\00:37:41.46
nothing in God's
Word will ever tell you
00:37:41.49\00:37:44.83
that you're not going to
go through a difficult time.
00:37:44.86\00:37:47.20
As a matter of
fact, God's word says,
00:37:47.23\00:37:50.43
"That if you
don't produce fruit,
00:37:50.47\00:37:52.10
what's He going to do to you?"
00:37:52.13\00:37:54.24
He's going to prone you.
00:37:54.27\00:37:55.87
Actually, the word was purge.
00:37:55.90\00:37:58.54
Y'all have had any
purging in your life?
00:37:58.57\00:38:00.84
It is not a pleasant thing.
00:38:00.88\00:38:02.81
So he says, if you
don't produce fruit,
00:38:02.84\00:38:06.25
I'm going to prone you,
purge you, but you know,
00:38:06.28\00:38:08.98
what He goes on to say.
00:38:09.02\00:38:10.95
And if you do produce fruit,
00:38:10.99\00:38:13.25
I'm going to prune you
so you produce more fruit.
00:38:13.29\00:38:15.92
You know what that's telling us.
00:38:15.96\00:38:18.03
We're pruned if we do
and we're pruned if we don't.
00:38:18.06\00:38:21.16
Nobody gets out
and getting pruned.
00:38:21.20\00:38:23.73
But what is the purpose of this?
00:38:23.77\00:38:25.90
So we'll produce more fruit.
00:38:25.93\00:38:27.97
And right now I
want to go off on,
00:38:28.00\00:38:30.61
we are fruit
producers in the kingdom of God,
00:38:30.64\00:38:33.78
but it's what God works in us,
00:38:33.81\00:38:36.11
what God affects in us.
00:38:36.14\00:38:37.75
Okay.
00:38:37.78\00:38:39.11
The Word gives us
courage, not to compromise,
00:38:39.15\00:38:42.32
don't y'all just
hate that word compromise.
00:38:42.35\00:38:45.12
What is compromise?
00:38:45.15\00:38:47.09
It's insidious,
00:38:47.12\00:38:48.72
it creeps up on
us before we know it
00:38:48.76\00:38:50.89
and you know what we
find ourselves doing,
00:38:50.93\00:38:53.46
things that we never thought
we'd do because of compromise.
00:38:53.50\00:38:59.13
It takes courage to
stand for the truth.
00:38:59.17\00:39:03.37
You know, we
adults, the older we get,
00:39:03.41\00:39:07.38
I'm going to say that the easier
00:39:07.41\00:39:10.11
it is for us one thing should be
00:39:10.15\00:39:13.01
because we've
got more Word in us.
00:39:13.05\00:39:15.15
But I think
about our young people
00:39:15.18\00:39:17.72
that are facing things
00:39:17.75\00:39:19.22
that, you know,
we never had to face.
00:39:19.25\00:39:21.32
I didn't even know about
drugs until I was in my 20s.
00:39:21.36\00:39:26.26
And there was some other things
00:39:26.29\00:39:28.40
I had never even
imagined possible
00:39:28.43\00:39:31.47
that I've found out
in like in the big cities
00:39:31.50\00:39:35.00
were doing it all the time.
00:39:35.04\00:39:36.87
And this same sex
thing and all that.
00:39:36.91\00:39:39.67
I didn't even know
00:39:39.71\00:39:41.04
I was raised on
a farm in Alabama.
00:39:41.08\00:39:43.55
There's just not much
like that were known out
00:39:43.58\00:39:45.51
there in the
country I assure you.
00:39:45.55\00:39:47.58
And so it was easier
maybe for us to stand
00:39:47.62\00:39:52.65
and to stand true
to the Word of God.
00:39:52.69\00:39:54.76
But, you know, it's
harder for our children.
00:39:54.79\00:39:57.63
And so it takes
courage to stand.
00:39:57.66\00:40:00.80
And we can only do
it through the power
00:40:00.83\00:40:03.80
that's in the Word of God.
00:40:03.83\00:40:06.70
In the early 1970s,
00:40:06.74\00:40:09.74
the Iraqi
government arrested a group
00:40:09.77\00:40:13.04
of American college
students on trumped up charges,
00:40:13.07\00:40:18.35
the Iraqis wanted confessions,
00:40:18.38\00:40:21.25
and to elicit
00:40:21.28\00:40:22.68
the desired admissions of guilt,
00:40:22.72\00:40:25.29
they began to torture
these college students.
00:40:25.32\00:40:30.66
The prisoners were
told that if they confessed
00:40:30.69\00:40:35.20
they could go free,
00:40:35.23\00:40:37.10
compromised the
truth, admit a lie.
00:40:37.13\00:40:42.27
The promise of
freedom became irresistible.
00:40:42.30\00:40:46.11
One by one as the
pressures and the pain mounted,
00:40:46.14\00:40:50.35
every prisoner
confessed to crimes
00:40:50.38\00:40:54.65
he didn't commit.
00:40:54.68\00:40:56.89
Every prisoner except one.
00:40:56.92\00:41:00.06
For this one man
the torture intensified,
00:41:00.09\00:41:03.89
the loneliness of
isolation became unbearable.
00:41:03.93\00:41:08.53
And he came close to breaking,
00:41:08.56\00:41:11.93
then his captors announced
00:41:11.97\00:41:13.70
that they were
finished with his case
00:41:13.74\00:41:16.30
that he could
simply confess or die.
00:41:16.34\00:41:20.31
to his head and cock the hammer,
00:41:24.55\00:41:27.02
and started to count down.
00:41:27.05\00:41:29.05
He'd heard executions
along this line from his sail,
00:41:29.08\00:41:33.02
so he knew what
was about to happen.
00:41:33.05\00:41:36.12
Sign your name he was
told and you will live.
00:41:36.16\00:41:39.89
But he refused.
00:41:39.93\00:41:41.66
He couldn't and wouldn't lie.
00:41:41.70\00:41:46.94
He closed his eyes,
grimaced, and prepared to die.
00:41:46.97\00:41:51.81
They pulled the trigger.
00:41:51.84\00:41:54.18
When he heard the
click, he thought he was dead.
00:41:54.21\00:41:57.58
The gun however
had not been loaded.
00:41:57.61\00:42:01.12
He was eventually released.
00:42:01.15\00:42:03.39
He discovered
afterwards that there were other
00:42:03.42\00:42:07.29
that every other student
who had confessed to the lie
00:42:07.32\00:42:12.53
had been hanged
in the public square,
00:42:12.56\00:42:16.03
only he survived.
00:42:16.06\00:42:18.33
Now, what are we
to learn from that?
00:42:18.37\00:42:21.77
What would we learn from that?
00:42:21.80\00:42:25.07
The compromise represents
00:42:25.11\00:42:28.74
a far greater risk than courage.
00:42:28.78\00:42:33.82
Compromising with the
world, stand on God's Word.
00:42:33.85\00:42:38.42
It's far greater
risk if we compromise.
00:42:38.45\00:42:44.49
As difficult as it
is to stand for truth,
00:42:44.53\00:42:47.66
it's much harder to live
00:42:47.70\00:42:50.00
with the
consequences of failure.
00:42:50.03\00:42:52.73
How many of you have read
the story of Martin Luther,
00:42:52.77\00:42:55.64
not know about Martin Luther?
00:42:55.67\00:42:57.77
On October 31st, 2017,
00:42:57.81\00:43:02.84
it will be 500 years
00:43:02.88\00:43:04.88
since Martin Luther
took his stand, what stand?
00:43:04.91\00:43:08.08
You know he was a monk,
00:43:08.12\00:43:09.88
and he got his
hands on the Word of God.
00:43:09.92\00:43:14.02
You know what
the church had done
00:43:14.06\00:43:15.39
at this time?
00:43:15.42\00:43:16.76
They had taken the
Word from the people
00:43:16.79\00:43:19.79
and had put it in the churches
00:43:19.83\00:43:21.46
and then the only way the people
00:43:21.50\00:43:25.13
would be through
the church hierarchy,
00:43:25.17\00:43:27.54
and did they always
handle the Word accurately?
00:43:27.57\00:43:31.01
When Martin Luther,
00:43:31.04\00:43:32.37
he knew some of the
things in the church
00:43:32.41\00:43:34.08
just couldn't be right.
00:43:34.11\00:43:35.51
And he is
translating the Word of God,
00:43:35.54\00:43:39.68
he found the truth.
00:43:39.71\00:43:41.82
And he did something he found,
00:43:41.85\00:43:43.92
well, we know that at
least 95 things he found for,
00:43:43.95\00:43:46.96
he'd look in the Word and
look in the church and say,
00:43:46.99\00:43:49.59
this is how it should
be, and this is how it is.
00:43:49.62\00:43:51.96
And you know that
though the church hierarchy
00:43:51.99\00:43:54.13
didn't
appreciate him doing that.
00:43:54.16\00:43:56.46
The 95 tenets,
00:43:56.50\00:43:59.83
then what did he do
with those 95 tenets?
00:43:59.87\00:44:02.20
You remember what he did?
00:44:02.24\00:44:03.57
He nailed them to
the church house door
00:44:03.61\00:44:05.94
so everybody could see them.
00:44:05.97\00:44:08.04
Now, the church did something
00:44:08.08\00:44:12.51
as it though the church
00:44:12.55\00:44:14.38
put a gun to his
head and told him recant
00:44:14.42\00:44:18.49
or we will excommunicate you.
00:44:18.52\00:44:21.19
And you know what
excommunication meant,
00:44:21.22\00:44:24.46
would mean at that time?
00:44:24.49\00:44:26.13
Not only did you get
kicked out of your church
00:44:26.16\00:44:28.90
but understanding
the deeper meaning
00:44:28.93\00:44:31.10
was not only were you
00:44:31.13\00:44:32.63
not be able to
fellowship in church
00:44:32.67\00:44:34.40
but you won't get
to go to heaven either.
00:44:34.44\00:44:36.37
But here is what
Martin Luther said,
00:44:36.40\00:44:39.01
and you know the stand he took,
00:44:39.04\00:44:41.18
is it affecting
us even here today?
00:44:41.21\00:44:43.71
Here's what he said,
00:44:43.75\00:44:46.38
"My conscience is
captive to the Word of God."
00:44:46.41\00:44:51.75
Righteousness by fate,
justification by a faith.
00:44:51.79\00:44:54.56
He got into
Romans and Galatians,
00:44:54.59\00:44:57.63
and he found that it's not going
00:44:57.66\00:44:59.59
through another man, what is it?
00:44:59.63\00:45:01.40
Only through the
Lord Jesus Christ,
00:45:01.43\00:45:03.80
faith in Christ
and Christ alone.
00:45:03.83\00:45:06.53
My conscience is
captive to the Word of God.
00:45:06.57\00:45:09.57
I cannot and I will
not recant anything,
00:45:09.60\00:45:15.14
for to go against conscious
is neither right nor safe.
00:45:15.18\00:45:18.21
Here I stand, I can no other,
00:45:18.25\00:45:21.85
God help me, he took a stand.
00:45:21.88\00:45:24.29
Did he suffer for
that stand he took?
00:45:24.32\00:45:26.32
Was he persecuted?
00:45:26.35\00:45:28.79
But if he hadn't
taken that stand,
00:45:28.82\00:45:31.19
where would we be today?
00:45:31.23\00:45:32.83
No way of knowing,
00:45:32.86\00:45:34.20
the power of God's Word gave him
00:45:34.23\00:45:36.43
the courage not to compromise.
00:45:36.46\00:45:39.13
And we are all affected
by his stand that he took.
00:45:39.17\00:45:44.97
So I want to encourage us.
00:45:45.01\00:45:47.58
When your marriage is
hard, stand on God's word.
00:45:47.61\00:45:52.15
I know none of you have
00:45:52.18\00:45:53.52
ever had
difficulties in your marriage.
00:45:53.55\00:45:56.58
But should you
ever have difficulties
00:45:56.62\00:45:58.59
in your marriage,
stand on God's Word.
00:45:58.62\00:46:01.69
Parenting children.
00:46:01.72\00:46:03.89
I know none of you've
00:46:03.93\00:46:05.26
ever had any problems parenting
your little precious children.
00:46:05.29\00:46:09.16
And probably not when
00:46:09.20\00:46:10.53
they were little
precious children
00:46:10.57\00:46:11.90
but what about
the time they turn.
00:46:11.93\00:46:13.84
Well, I won't tell you the age.
00:46:13.87\00:46:16.81
But it just seems like
00:46:16.84\00:46:18.17
they can become
difficult at times.
00:46:18.21\00:46:20.64
And sometimes
they don't improve it
00:46:20.68\00:46:23.24
for a long time.
00:46:23.28\00:46:24.61
So when you have difficulty
parenting your children,
00:46:24.65\00:46:29.08
what is the only
thing that we can do?
00:46:29.12\00:46:31.89
Stand.
00:46:31.92\00:46:33.36
When your wedding vows
could so easily be broken,
00:46:33.39\00:46:37.76
stand on God's Word.
00:46:37.79\00:46:40.66
God will reward
your faithfulness.
00:46:40.70\00:46:43.53
Amen.
00:46:43.57\00:46:45.43
We are what we eat, what
we daily feed is growing,
00:46:45.47\00:46:50.34
what we daily neglect is dying.
00:46:50.37\00:46:55.08
And again
00:46:55.11\00:46:58.65
I want to pray over all of this.
00:46:58.68\00:47:01.62
The scripture tells
us blessed are those
00:47:01.65\00:47:04.19
who do hunger and
thirst for righteousness,
00:47:04.22\00:47:07.72
for they shall be filled.
00:47:07.76\00:47:11.89
So I'm going to pray
00:47:11.93\00:47:13.26
and then we're going
to go to our closing hymn,
00:47:13.29\00:47:15.56
it's page 272,
give me the Bible.
00:47:15.60\00:47:18.63
How many of you
would like for God
00:47:18.67\00:47:21.80
to just increase your hungering
00:47:21.84\00:47:24.91
and thirsting for
the things of Him.
00:47:24.94\00:47:27.64
God by the power of His Spirit
to touch us and set us on fire.
00:47:27.68\00:47:33.85
Remember when you
first made Jesus Christ
00:47:33.88\00:47:35.38
the Lord of your life?
00:47:35.42\00:47:36.75
Any of you
00:47:36.79\00:47:38.12
when you first came out
of darkness and into life?
00:47:38.15\00:47:40.12
There was a fire in you.
00:47:40.16\00:47:41.86
You had all this
zeal, not a lot of wisdom.
00:47:41.89\00:47:45.93
Now we got a lot of wisdom
I mean, and not much zeal.
00:47:45.96\00:47:49.66
And I don't think
00:47:49.70\00:47:51.03
one's much good
without the other.
00:47:51.07\00:47:52.70
So let's pray and ask
God to fill us with His zeal,
00:47:52.73\00:47:57.81
all zeal to excel
in the things of God,
00:47:57.84\00:48:00.74
after the things of God
that we won't be satisfied
00:48:04.21\00:48:07.72
just to skim a
passage every now and then,
00:48:07.75\00:48:10.32
but we'll get into this
Word and will devour it.
00:48:10.35\00:48:13.19
How many of you want God
to do a work on your heart?
00:48:13.22\00:48:15.72
Okay.
00:48:15.76\00:48:17.09
Holy Father, we come
before You in the name of Jesus.
00:48:17.13\00:48:19.56
And I praise You
and I thank you Holy God
00:48:19.59\00:48:21.96
for the power
that is in your Word
00:48:22.00\00:48:23.90
to change us from...
00:48:23.93\00:48:26.74
Into Your image
and into Your likeness.
00:48:26.77\00:48:29.20
Thank you, Father,
that You, Word goes into us.
00:48:29.24\00:48:34.14
And it brings light
in the darkened areas.
00:48:34.18\00:48:36.75
Now Father, we ask
that as You increase
00:48:36.78\00:48:39.41
our hungering and
thirsting after You.
00:48:39.45\00:48:42.08
Lord, You will
give us the opportunity
00:48:42.12\00:48:43.89
and the willingness, Father,
00:48:43.92\00:48:45.25
all of that stand
before you today telling you
00:48:45.29\00:48:48.69
we are willing for
You to make us willing.
00:48:48.72\00:48:51.39
Use us, oh, God, fill
us with Your presence,
00:48:51.43\00:48:54.16
draw us by Your Spirit
00:48:54.20\00:48:55.93
into that right
relationship with You
00:48:55.96\00:48:58.50
is my prayer in Jesus' name.
00:48:58.53\00:49:01.10