If you have your
Bibles, go with me to John 14.
00:00:33.09\00:00:39.87
The very passage,
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where Jesus was bidding farewell
00:00:44.27\00:00:46.74
to His disciples,
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and the famous
words that we find
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in the
beginning of this book is,
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"Let not your
heart be troubled."
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He also understood that
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His time of
crucifixion was at hand
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that His life was
one of continual pursuit
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of those that rejected Him,
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those that
denied His messiahship.
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And He knew it was
just a matter of moments
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before His betrayers would come
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to administer the
final blow of arresting Him.
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But He wanted to assure us
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that His
mission was not thwarted
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and that what He was
sent for was accomplished.
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And so we read
these words in John 14:30.
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Jesus said,
let's read it together,
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"I will no longer
talk much with you,
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for the ruler of
this world is coming,
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and he has nothing in Me."
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King James Version says
the prince of this world.
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Bow your heads with me
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as I turn to the Lord in prayer.
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Loving Father in heaven,
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thank You for the
privilege and opportunity,
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the wonderful responsibility
of communicating a message
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to encourage Your
people including me
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that we have a God
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whom the enemy
never found a way in
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to His life and to His heart.
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And we pray now as we
consider our own journey
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where we stand and how we are
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the focus of the
enemy every moment,
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every ticking of the clock,
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every turn of
another calendar day,
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hell has an agenda for us.
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We pray that as we
embark on this New Year
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that we would
determine by Your grace
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that when the ruler, the
prince of this world comes,
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he will find nothing in us,
and I pray this in Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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Two years in a row,
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we had our
heating furnace serviced
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because it would not
ignite, for two years in a row.
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On both service
calls, we discovered that
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the very thing that prevented
our furnace from igniting
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the year before
during the cold months
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was the very same thing
that prevented our furnace
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from igniting
the following year.
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Two years in a
row, for same reason.
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That kept it from firing
up when the weather got cold
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was the same reason
that it would not ignite
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to the following year.
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As I stood over the
shoulder of the servicemen
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because I had tried everything
I could to get it to ignite.
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You know, those of us
who are pseudo mechanics.
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Come on, husbands,
we try to fix stuff
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and sometimes we
ought not to try to do that
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because the servicemen
said, "I saw you try to fix it."
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But he had the skill
to do what I couldn't do,
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and I stood over his shoulder
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trying to gain
access to his knowledge base
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so that I could save
myself the service fees
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the following year.
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And he showed me
a small little seed,
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small enough about a
16th of an inch wide,
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small enough he said
to clog a vacuum tube.
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And when the vacuum
tube was clogged or prevented
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from allowing air
to flow through it,
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it wouldn't flip the switch
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which would be
the ignition switch
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and the furnace
wouldn't come on.
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No ignition, no heat, no matter
how expensive the furnace was,
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a tiny little seed
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could prevent that
monstrosity from igniting.
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Well, $168 later
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I asked him what
do I do to prevent it.
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He said block the opening.
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I said, "How do I do that?
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Where is the opening?"
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He said "Well, on
the roof there is a vent
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that feeds its
way into this pipe
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that graduates down
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till it connects to
this particular metal tube
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that winds behind your furnace
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that connects to
this small rubber tube."
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And on the roof,
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these small seeds
begin to manifest themselves
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during the spring of the year
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and when that
tree begins to bud,
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it drops these
seeds from its leaves,
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and in many cases,
they get into that pipe,
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and it takes time for the vacuum
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to suck them through spring,
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summer, fall, and by the winter
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it's where it is,
two years in a row.
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It takes almost three
seasons to get that tiny seed
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from entrance to blockage.
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And I thought about our
relationship as Christians.
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How when we fail to block
the openings in our lives,
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the seeds of
trials may take months
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to manifest their presence.
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But eventually, they'll
block the openings in our lives
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and prevent us from
igniting to the glory of God.
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Little seeds, you
never know when they get in,
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the only thing you know is that
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they eventually
manifest themselves,
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and they begin to show
up, in the result in our lives
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when we are no longer capable
of reflecting the glory of God,
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and how odd it
is, how providential,
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and how I would
say how parabolic
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that at the time of the
year when we need heat the most,
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is when that
furnace chose not to ignite.
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When we are at
the pivotal places
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in our walk as Christians
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and we need the glory of God
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to warm up our lives the most
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it is often at
those pivotal moments
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that we discover
that there is something
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that has worked its
way through our lives.
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Week after week, day after day,
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month after month,
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and finally get to
the place where they choke
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the productivity
of our Christian life,
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and they are ever so
small, little, little seeds.
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Now I want to take my
time with this morning.
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Luis, I know I could
only take my time but so long,
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but I want to allow
this to unfold in the way
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that I believe God
will be glorified by it.
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Because what I speak of is
not just the seeds in your walk,
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but the seeds in my
walk, the seeds in our walk,
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we're all God seeds.
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And they manifest themselves
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at various
intervals of our lives,
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and we think that
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they are insignificantly
small when they bud,
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but they show us that
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they are really
not insignificant
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when they prevent us
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from being productive Christians
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at the most
pivotal and needed times
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in the cycle of our
Christian walk with Christ.
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But before you
begin to blame yourself,
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let me allow you that,
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allow me to let
you know that the story
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has a twist in it
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that in fact in some
degree takes us off the hook
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because we were, in
fact, born with a nature
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predisposed to allowing
seeds to inhabit our lives.
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Go with me to Romans 5:12.
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We inherited the best
that Adam could offer us.
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And Romans 5:12.
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I so much
appreciate the Book of Romans,
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anybody else?
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It is a powerful book.
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Every time you read it,
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it's like
something else was hiding,
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waiting for another
occasion to come out.
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Romans 5:12
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gives us an accurate
picture of who we are,
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and why we are
predisposed seeds.
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"Therefore, just as
through," how many men,
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"one man sin
entered," that's the seed,
00:10:05.57\00:10:08.24
"sin entered the world,
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and death through sin,
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and thus death
spread to all men,
00:10:13.88\00:10:17.91
because all sinned."
00:10:17.95\00:10:20.32
Notice, death, sin
entered, the seed of sin
00:10:20.35\00:10:24.75
ever so insignificant
when we think about it,
00:10:24.79\00:10:29.59
but very much impacting
when we see its end result.
00:10:29.62\00:10:35.30
So in reality, sin
is not a little thing.
00:10:35.33\00:10:41.30
Can I get an amen? Amen.
00:10:41.34\00:10:42.84
It's not a small thing.
00:10:42.87\00:10:44.21
It just appears to be small
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because our
nature is predisposed
00:10:45.61\00:10:47.41
to allowing the
seeds to come in.
00:10:47.44\00:10:49.44
Adam opened the
door, and the seed came in.
00:10:49.48\00:10:51.81
However, when you think
about the seed called sin,
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it even goes farther
back than that of Adam.
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Ezekiel 28:15,
turn there with me.
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The seed goes farther back
00:11:01.76\00:11:06.96
than just the Adam scenario.
00:11:07.00\00:11:11.73
Adam opened the door
and the seed came in.
00:11:11.77\00:11:14.07
But notice where the
seed manifested itself first.
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Ezekiel 28:15, we
read the Word of God.
00:11:18.37\00:11:22.44
Speaking of Lucifer,
00:11:22.48\00:11:24.28
the son of the morning,
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this beautiful angel,
00:11:25.68\00:11:28.22
the Bible tells
us, "You were," what?
00:11:28.25\00:11:34.52
"Perfect in your ways
from the day you were created,
00:11:34.56\00:11:39.49
till iniquity was found," where?
00:11:39.53\00:11:42.96
"In you." There
is the seed again.
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Lucifer had a furnace
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and he opened the door to
the seed of self-exaltation.
00:11:48.74\00:11:54.01
He opened the seed
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to one thing what God
never ordained for him to have.
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He opened the seed
00:12:00.68\00:12:02.95
for wanting to take
the position that God
00:12:02.98\00:12:05.39
never appointed him to
occupy, he opened the door,
00:12:05.42\00:12:09.46
and we wrestle with this passage
00:12:09.49\00:12:12.46
because the Bible
further says in Ezekiel 28,
00:12:12.49\00:12:16.26
his heart was corrupted
00:12:16.30\00:12:18.37
for the sake of his splendor,
00:12:18.40\00:12:19.97
he was corrupted
because of his beauty.
00:12:20.00\00:12:22.40
And people have said,
"Well, if God knew that
00:12:22.44\00:12:25.01
his beauty was
going to corrupt him,
00:12:25.04\00:12:26.81
why did God make him beautiful."
00:12:26.84\00:12:30.68
Let me tell you some, brethren,
00:12:30.71\00:12:32.05
God does not create sin.
00:12:32.08\00:12:34.98
If we take what God has
so graciously given to us
00:12:38.09\00:12:42.49
in a beautiful package
00:12:42.52\00:12:44.56
and use it in the way
00:12:44.59\00:12:46.96
that our selfish
hearts desire to use it,
00:12:47.00\00:12:50.10
don't blame God
for a beautiful gift.
00:12:50.13\00:12:53.64
Amen somebody? Amen.
00:12:53.67\00:12:55.57
God made Lucifer to
reflect the glory of divinity.
00:12:55.60\00:13:02.51
And we really
wouldn't understand
00:13:02.54\00:13:04.55
the mystery of iniquity
00:13:04.58\00:13:06.48
until we get to the kingdom,
the mystery of iniquity.
00:13:06.51\00:13:10.05
God doesn't create imperfection,
00:13:10.09\00:13:11.92
God did not
create the circumstances
00:13:11.95\00:13:14.12
in which sin was
going to naturally abound.
00:13:14.16\00:13:17.63
These things
were born in Lucifer,
00:13:17.66\00:13:19.73
till iniquity was found in you,
00:13:19.76\00:13:22.86
that is in Lucifer.
00:13:22.90\00:13:24.70
You see the iniquity
that was found in Lucifer,
00:13:24.73\00:13:26.97
and I want you to
follow me carefully today
00:13:27.00\00:13:28.47
because this is a message
that the Lord gave to me,
00:13:28.50\00:13:30.84
he packaged it very
quickly and during the week
00:13:30.87\00:13:33.88
these nuggets of wisdom
began to flow into my mind
00:13:33.91\00:13:39.91
and help me understand
00:13:39.95\00:13:41.28
how necessary it is
for us to pay attention
00:13:41.32\00:13:45.72
to the openings in our lives.
00:13:45.75\00:13:49.52
The iniquity that
was born in Lucifer
00:13:49.56\00:13:54.80
was found at the
seed of his affection.
00:13:54.83\00:13:58.33
That's why I
chose to put a heart.
00:13:58.37\00:14:00.97
The seed of his affection.
00:14:01.00\00:14:02.70
The heart is often the...
00:14:02.74\00:14:04.14
You know, when kids go like this
00:14:04.17\00:14:07.01
or people go like that,
00:14:07.04\00:14:08.64
they say I heart you,
that means I love you,
00:14:08.68\00:14:11.11
that means it's coming
from the seed of our affections.
00:14:11.15\00:14:13.48
And what affects the
heart, affects the mind,
00:14:13.52\00:14:15.28
what affects the
mind, affects the heart.
00:14:15.32\00:14:17.45
When the mind is
fearful, the heart speeds up.
00:14:17.49\00:14:19.72
When the mind, when
the eyes see something
00:14:19.75\00:14:22.42
that may
challenge us physically,
00:14:22.46\00:14:24.33
it sends a signal to the mind,
00:14:24.36\00:14:25.96
the mind sends a
signal to the heart,
00:14:25.99\00:14:27.76
the blood begins to pump,
00:14:27.80\00:14:29.13
we begin to get a
different feeling,
00:14:29.16\00:14:30.50
the heart is very much
the seed of our affections.
00:14:30.53\00:14:35.60
But we look at
Lucifer and we say,
00:14:35.64\00:14:41.78
"Why would he do that?
00:14:41.81\00:14:44.65
When he was placed in
such a perfect environment,
00:14:44.68\00:14:47.75
why would he mess it up?"
00:14:47.78\00:14:51.35
We often said if I could reverse
00:14:51.39\00:14:55.02
what happened, I
would say to Lucifer,
00:14:55.06\00:14:57.43
you already have everything,
00:14:57.46\00:15:00.36
why are you going to mess it up?
00:15:00.40\00:15:03.57
And we think about Adam,
00:15:03.60\00:15:04.93
in the very same
way we say to Adam,
00:15:04.97\00:15:06.40
"How could you trade
so much for so little."
00:15:06.43\00:15:09.84
And when you think about
the beginning of our own plight
00:15:13.68\00:15:16.71
both Lucifer and
Adam had God's best.
00:15:16.75\00:15:21.95
You see the issue
00:15:21.98\00:15:25.72
that found a place in
the heart of Adam and Lucifer
00:15:25.75\00:15:29.69
was the spark that led
00:15:29.72\00:15:31.96
to the forfeiting of God's best.
00:15:31.99\00:15:34.36
The issue were the
issues of the heart.
00:15:34.40\00:15:37.83
Look at the Bible,
00:15:37.87\00:15:39.20
how it unfolds
this in Isaiah 14.
00:15:39.23\00:15:41.87
Look at that very briefly.
00:15:41.90\00:15:43.24
Isaiah 14:12-14,
00:15:43.27\00:15:45.54
and I'm reading this
in the King James Version
00:15:45.57\00:15:47.71
because I appreciate the
way that it unfolds in verse 12.
00:15:47.74\00:15:51.85
If you have your Bibles,
you can go there with me,
00:15:51.88\00:15:53.45
if not, it will
appear on the screen.
00:15:53.48\00:15:58.32
But Isaiah 14:12 and
although the statement
00:15:58.35\00:16:03.99
does not end with a question,
it sounds like a question.
00:16:04.03\00:16:07.90
"How art thou
fallen from heaven,
00:16:07.93\00:16:10.60
O Lucifer, son of the morning!
00:16:10.63\00:16:13.57
how art thou cut
down to the ground,
00:16:13.60\00:16:15.77
which didst weaken the nations!"
00:16:15.80\00:16:18.51
And notice the
seed of affection,
00:16:18.54\00:16:20.18
notice the very place
that we all find our issues.
00:16:20.21\00:16:24.31
"For thou hast
said in thine heart."
00:16:24.35\00:16:29.95
Notice all of a sudden
the focus changes to self.
00:16:29.98\00:16:33.46
You got to be really
careful when as a Christian
00:16:33.49\00:16:37.13
your focus all of a
sudden changes to self.
00:16:37.16\00:16:42.26
"I will ascend into heaven,
00:16:42.30\00:16:44.10
I will exalt my throne
above the stars of God:
00:16:44.13\00:16:46.63
I will sit also on the
mount of the congregation,
00:16:46.67\00:16:49.87
in the farthest
sides of the north.
00:16:49.90\00:16:52.64
I will ascend above
the heights of the clouds.
00:16:52.67\00:16:55.38
I will be like the most High."
00:16:55.41\00:16:57.75
I always try to
resist it, but I must say it,
00:16:57.78\00:17:00.22
Lucifer had I trouble.
00:17:00.25\00:17:04.59
And you'll discover
that the seed of affection,
00:17:04.62\00:17:07.29
the heart often finds its
way in the maze of mediocrity
00:17:07.32\00:17:12.33
when we begin to focus on
00:17:12.36\00:17:13.96
what we want, what we desire,
00:17:14.00\00:17:17.73
what we believe
should have happened,
00:17:17.77\00:17:20.07
what we believe
should not have happened.
00:17:20.10\00:17:22.80
How things were
dealt with in us,
00:17:22.84\00:17:26.68
what we believe we deserve,
00:17:26.71\00:17:28.74
what we believe
we do not deserve.
00:17:28.78\00:17:31.95
When I gets on the throne...
00:17:31.98\00:17:34.98
the issues of the heart
00:17:39.09\00:17:41.02
begin to manifest
themselves in our own lives.
00:17:41.06\00:17:44.99
And I'd hate to
say on salvation...
00:17:45.03\00:17:47.96
When you think about salvation,
00:17:48.00\00:17:49.50
our salvation is
not based on the issues
00:17:49.53\00:17:52.43
taken the world by
storm, and I'll say that again.
00:17:52.47\00:17:55.40
What happens in Washington D.C.
does not affect my salvation.
00:17:55.44\00:17:59.84
What happens in the Middle East
00:17:59.87\00:18:01.21
whether
Jerusalem, whether Israel,
00:18:01.24\00:18:04.18
whether Jerusalem becomes
00:18:04.21\00:18:05.55
the capital of
the next embassy...
00:18:05.58\00:18:07.25
It doesn't
really affect my life.
00:18:07.28\00:18:10.15
Whether there's a war
between Korea and United States,
00:18:10.19\00:18:12.45
it will affect us in
a very detrimental way,
00:18:12.49\00:18:16.19
but it does not
affect my salvation.
00:18:16.22\00:18:18.99
Salvation is not
affected by the storms
00:18:19.03\00:18:22.66
that have taken the world,
00:18:22.70\00:18:24.13
but salvation is
affected by the issues
00:18:24.17\00:18:29.07
that take our hearts by storm.
00:18:29.10\00:18:32.54
The issues that come in un...
00:18:32.57\00:18:36.81
unexpected, unprepared
00:18:36.85\00:18:41.08
and begin to take our
hearts and our lives by storm.
00:18:41.12\00:18:43.75
That's why the wise man Solomon
00:18:43.79\00:18:45.55
at the
intersection of eternal laws
00:18:45.59\00:18:47.12
and eternal gain,
00:18:47.16\00:18:48.49
he talks about
the issues of life.
00:18:48.52\00:18:49.86
Look at Proverbs 4:23.
00:18:49.89\00:18:52.33
Look at Proverbs 4:23,
00:18:52.36\00:18:54.80
eternal laws on one side,
eternal again on the other,
00:18:54.83\00:18:57.63
he says be careful
00:18:57.67\00:18:59.00
because this is a spring
00:18:59.03\00:19:00.70
that could have so much
impact in your walk with God.
00:19:00.74\00:19:04.37
He says in Proverbs
4:23, notice what he says,
00:19:04.41\00:19:10.55
he says, "Keep your
heart with all diligence."
00:19:10.58\00:19:16.52
Another word for
diligence is be sober,
00:19:16.55\00:19:19.35
be vigilant, examine the heart,
keep it with all diligence,
00:19:19.39\00:19:23.66
put a wall around it.
00:19:23.69\00:19:26.80
"For out of it
springs the" what?
00:19:26.83\00:19:29.96
"The issues of life."
00:19:30.00\00:19:31.60
The issues of life.
00:19:31.63\00:19:33.64
When I thought about this,
00:19:33.67\00:19:35.00
I said, "Lord,
what wonderful way
00:19:35.04\00:19:37.14
can we illustrate
the issues of life."
00:19:37.17\00:19:38.91
Because, you know,
you could just mention
00:19:38.94\00:19:40.28
the issues of
life, the issues of life,
00:19:40.31\00:19:41.64
the issues of life,
00:19:41.68\00:19:43.01
the issues of life,
you can mention finances,
00:19:43.04\00:19:44.61
you can mention work, family,
you can mention relationships,
00:19:44.65\00:19:48.05
marriage, single people,
00:19:48.08\00:19:50.12
wars, conflicts,
struggles, trials,
00:19:50.15\00:19:52.69
difficulties, tribulations.
00:19:52.72\00:19:54.46
But I like to allow God
to give me different pictures
00:19:54.49\00:19:59.16
so that each one of us
when we leave here today,
00:19:59.19\00:20:02.46
we could remember the picture
that God drew in our minds
00:20:02.50\00:20:05.73
about how important the
issues of life really are.
00:20:05.77\00:20:08.90
And the Lord
gave me this example.
00:20:08.94\00:20:10.91
The issues of life
affect the Christian life
00:20:10.94\00:20:12.97
in the same way
00:20:13.01\00:20:16.14
diseases of the
heart affects the body.
00:20:16.18\00:20:19.95
The issues of life
affect the Christian life,
00:20:19.98\00:20:24.79
in the very same way
diseases of the heart
00:20:24.82\00:20:28.86
affect the physical body.
00:20:28.89\00:20:32.76
Now when I thought about that,
00:20:32.79\00:20:36.93
JD, I went ahead
00:20:36.97\00:20:38.70
and started praying
for some good examples.
00:20:38.73\00:20:44.87
Because when you
study the life of Jesus,
00:20:44.91\00:20:46.54
He used parables.
00:20:46.57\00:20:48.28
Where if you are a farmer,
00:20:48.31\00:20:49.94
and He said the
sower went forth to sow,
00:20:49.98\00:20:52.35
you cannot forget that
every time you go to sow
00:20:52.38\00:20:55.05
that you remember
the parables of Jesus.
00:20:55.08\00:20:57.45
If you are
fishermen, you cannot forget,
00:20:57.49\00:21:00.16
He says, "I will
make you fishers of men,"
00:21:00.19\00:21:02.56
you can't forget that
because He took His time
00:21:02.59\00:21:05.46
to give us such a picture
00:21:05.49\00:21:06.83
that when you go
to the ocean you say,
00:21:06.86\00:21:10.03
"Fishers of men."
00:21:10.07\00:21:12.47
So I said, "Lord,
what do each of us have?"
00:21:12.50\00:21:15.20
What do each of us have
00:21:15.24\00:21:18.07
that I could use as an example
00:21:18.11\00:21:19.94
and illustration that
we will remember in 2018,
00:21:19.97\00:21:23.55
how important it is
00:21:23.58\00:21:27.28
to keep our hearts
with all diligence.
00:21:27.32\00:21:29.92
So the Lord said,
"Talk about heart diseases."
00:21:29.95\00:21:35.29
Now you have to be patient
with me, I'm not a doctor,
00:21:35.32\00:21:38.66
but I have done my homework.
00:21:38.69\00:21:41.83
And I believe
that in these examples,
00:21:41.86\00:21:43.26
you will begin to see that
00:21:43.30\00:21:44.97
the Lord has many
spiritual examples
00:21:45.00\00:21:47.80
that can help us understand
00:21:47.84\00:21:49.80
how important and
how imperative it is
00:21:49.84\00:21:52.61
for us to guard
our spiritual hearts,
00:21:52.64\00:21:55.94
as we are
concerned about the health
00:21:55.98\00:21:58.21
of our physical hearts.
00:21:58.25\00:22:00.88
Nobody wants a bad heart.
00:22:00.92\00:22:04.72
And when you start
feeling those pains
00:22:04.75\00:22:06.35
as sometimes when
I'm going too fast
00:22:06.39\00:22:08.36
and moving too
quickly and doing so much,
00:22:08.39\00:22:10.69
I go like this, my
wife said, "What's wrong?"
00:22:10.73\00:22:12.06
I said, "Ooh, I felt the pain."
00:22:12.09\00:22:14.93
She says,
"Where?" I say, "My heart."
00:22:14.96\00:22:17.20
She says, "You want
me take you to Harran."
00:22:17.23\00:22:19.37
I say, "No, this is going away."
00:22:19.40\00:22:21.87
Because, hey, the
issues of the heart
00:22:21.90\00:22:24.01
can take you out like that.
00:22:24.04\00:22:27.08
And medical science says
00:22:27.11\00:22:28.74
that women are
less likely to have
00:22:28.78\00:22:30.45
pre-signs of a
coming heart attack
00:22:30.48\00:22:33.21
than a man is.
00:22:33.25\00:22:35.15
And they also say
that if the young you are,
00:22:35.18\00:22:38.52
as a male and you
have a heart attack,
00:22:38.55\00:22:40.62
the less likely
you are to survive it
00:22:40.66\00:22:43.43
because a person that's
young and has a heart attack,
00:22:43.46\00:22:45.89
the issue is very critical.
00:22:45.93\00:22:49.06
But the older you get
and have a heart attack,
00:22:49.10\00:22:51.37
the higher the chances
are that you may survive it
00:22:51.40\00:22:54.37
because chances are it's
something that has accumulated
00:22:54.40\00:22:57.41
through the course of time
00:22:57.44\00:22:59.24
that has
eventually become an impact
00:22:59.27\00:23:02.28
to the function of your
heart, like plaque, or diet,
00:23:02.31\00:23:05.61
or lack of exercise,
or wrong eating habits,
00:23:05.65\00:23:08.72
or the way that
you live, lifestyles,
00:23:08.75\00:23:10.75
congenital issues of your life.
00:23:10.79\00:23:13.62
So the Lord said,
"Look at this list."
00:23:13.66\00:23:16.12
And I thank the Lord
for the medical community
00:23:16.16\00:23:17.86
because we know more today
than we knew a long time ago.
00:23:17.89\00:23:20.46
Amen, somebody?
00:23:20.50\00:23:22.20
But think about it in this way.
00:23:22.23\00:23:23.83
I chose four
conditions of the heart,
00:23:23.87\00:23:26.53
let me begin with angina.
00:23:26.57\00:23:29.04
Angina, the
primary cause of angina
00:23:29.07\00:23:33.17
is the accumulation of
plaque in the walls of arteries,
00:23:33.21\00:23:38.18
which narrow down or restrict
00:23:38.21\00:23:41.55
the flow of blood
to the heart muscles.
00:23:41.58\00:23:45.49
Spiritual angina
does the same thing.
00:23:45.52\00:23:48.62
Look at this, spiritual
angina does the same thing.
00:23:48.66\00:23:53.46
When we allow the
issues to accumulate,
00:23:53.50\00:23:58.03
they restrict
00:23:58.07\00:23:59.63
the flow of
Christ's blood to our hearts.
00:23:59.67\00:24:03.34
It gets even deeper than that.
00:24:13.62\00:24:15.98
Go to Hebrews 9:14.
00:24:16.02\00:24:18.59
Let's find out what I mean
00:24:18.62\00:24:20.82
by the flow of
Christ's blood to our hearts.
00:24:20.86\00:24:23.46
Hebrews 9:14.
00:24:29.83\00:24:36.50
"When I think of the value
00:24:36.54\00:24:38.97
of the blood of Jesus
being applied to my heart,
00:24:39.01\00:24:41.78
the value is inestimable."
00:24:41.81\00:24:45.11
You could never
put a dollar amount
00:24:45.15\00:24:47.15
on the blood of Jesus Christ
00:24:47.18\00:24:48.58
but look at this, look
at what sin tries to do,
00:24:48.62\00:24:53.32
restrict the flow
00:24:53.36\00:24:54.69
of Christ's blood to our hearts.
00:24:54.72\00:24:58.76
The apostle
writes in Hebrews 9:14,
00:24:58.79\00:25:02.20
"How much more
shall the blood of Christ,
00:25:02.23\00:25:06.53
who through the eternal Spirit
00:25:06.57\00:25:08.27
offered Himself
without spot to God,
00:25:08.30\00:25:11.51
cleanse our
conscience from dead works
00:25:11.54\00:25:15.24
to serve the living God?"
00:25:15.28\00:25:17.01
In other words,
when we try to solve
00:25:17.05\00:25:19.91
the issues of our
lives with our works,
00:25:19.95\00:25:22.65
what the
apostle is saying to us,
00:25:22.68\00:25:24.65
if we rely on
the blood of Christ,
00:25:24.69\00:25:27.12
the blood of Christ
can resolve far more
00:25:27.16\00:25:30.96
than our human effort
will ever be able to resolve.
00:25:30.99\00:25:35.00
I know that, I've
had issues in my life,
00:25:38.50\00:25:40.67
I tried to resolve them myself.
00:25:40.70\00:25:43.10
If we try to resolve
the issues of our lives
00:25:43.14\00:25:45.04
without applying the
blood of Jesus Christ,
00:25:45.07\00:25:47.18
we are surrounding ourselves
00:25:47.21\00:25:49.88
and trying to cleanse our
conscience with dead works
00:25:49.91\00:25:54.78
rather than trusting in
the blood of the Living God.
00:25:54.82\00:25:59.35
You see, angina is
an amazing disease,
00:25:59.39\00:26:02.46
I continued reading about it.
00:26:02.49\00:26:03.83
Angina symptoms are similar
to those of a heart attack.
00:26:03.86\00:26:08.10
In other words,
unless you get a check up,
00:26:08.13\00:26:09.96
you might think that
you're having a heart attack
00:26:10.00\00:26:11.77
when you're not.
00:26:11.80\00:26:13.13
In other words,
00:26:13.17\00:26:16.00
the issues of life
00:26:16.04\00:26:19.37
are not always as
critical as we think they are.
00:26:19.41\00:26:23.04
So why do we
think they're critical?
00:26:27.12\00:26:31.12
Are you ready?
00:26:31.15\00:26:34.02
Because of our feelings.
00:26:34.06\00:26:36.22
What I just say? Our feelings.
00:26:36.26\00:26:39.63
Angina and heart attacks
have the similar feeling,
00:26:39.66\00:26:43.33
the feeling in your chest.
00:26:43.37\00:26:47.94
When we begin to just
00:26:47.97\00:26:51.87
gauge our condition
based on the feeling
00:26:51.91\00:26:55.48
rather than getting a check up,
00:26:55.51\00:26:59.35
we think we might
have a heart attack
00:26:59.38\00:27:01.38
when, in fact, it's only angina.
00:27:01.42\00:27:05.25
But because we're
basing it on our feelings,
00:27:05.29\00:27:10.09
we don't
understand our true condition.
00:27:10.13\00:27:12.33
In other words,
00:27:12.36\00:27:18.53
the reason why we
ought to get checked up
00:27:18.57\00:27:20.24
is because angina
is not to be ignored
00:27:20.27\00:27:23.87
because when you ignore,
00:27:23.91\00:27:25.41
the condition of
continually narrowing arteries,
00:27:25.44\00:27:31.41
the eventual outcome
will be, Jim, a heart attack.
00:27:31.45\00:27:36.38
So when you have feelings
in your life that you ignore,
00:27:36.42\00:27:40.06
you put them aside,
you don't deal with them.
00:27:40.09\00:27:43.02
You allow them to be the focus
of your life from day to day,
00:27:43.06\00:27:46.56
eventually your
heart will get to the place
00:27:46.59\00:27:49.40
where you can't handle it,
00:27:49.43\00:27:52.03
and your spiritual
life will self-destruct,
00:27:52.07\00:27:55.94
heart attack.
00:27:55.97\00:27:57.31
I thank the Lord for
the servant of the Lord
00:28:02.11\00:28:05.85
because God gave Ellen
White some beautiful insights,
00:28:05.88\00:28:10.79
and how important it is
not to trust in feelings.
00:28:10.82\00:28:12.69
They're on the screen
00:28:12.72\00:28:14.06
because I think when you see it,
00:28:14.09\00:28:15.42
you can follow it better.
00:28:15.46\00:28:16.79
Listen to this, Our
High Calling, page 124,
00:28:16.83\00:28:19.66
"A feeling of
assurance is not to be despised,
00:28:19.69\00:28:22.83
we should praise God
for it," but get this,
00:28:22.86\00:28:26.63
"but when your
feelings are depressed,
00:28:26.67\00:28:29.87
do not think
that God has changed.
00:28:29.90\00:28:32.77
Praise Him just as much,
00:28:32.81\00:28:35.51
because you trust in His," what?
00:28:35.54\00:28:37.71
"In His word,
and not in feelings.
00:28:37.75\00:28:41.28
You have
covenanted to walk by faith,
00:28:41.32\00:28:45.45
not to be
controlled by feelings."
00:28:45.49\00:28:47.82
Why?
00:28:47.86\00:28:49.19
"Feelings vary
with circumstances."
00:28:49.22\00:28:52.06
Do they not?
00:28:52.09\00:28:54.10
You know, people up in Michigan,
00:28:54.13\00:28:55.46
I look at the demographics,
00:28:55.50\00:28:56.83
and I'll have Mike bring
the next one up in a moment.
00:28:56.87\00:28:58.63
I look at the demographics,
00:28:58.67\00:29:00.00
you know, that in places
where the sun hardly shines,
00:29:00.04\00:29:02.60
the suicide rate is higher.
00:29:02.64\00:29:05.94
You know why? Because
people feel depressed.
00:29:05.97\00:29:12.11
They trust their feelings.
00:29:12.15\00:29:15.15
If your heart's
working, your mind's working,
00:29:15.18\00:29:16.89
you're
breathing, you're walking,
00:29:16.92\00:29:18.25
you're thinking, you
can eat, you can sleep,
00:29:18.29\00:29:20.36
you can function normally.
00:29:20.39\00:29:22.16
If you've got a
job, you've got a car,
00:29:22.19\00:29:23.53
you've got a house,
you have a place to eat,
00:29:23.56\00:29:24.96
a place to lay your
head, you have a family,
00:29:24.99\00:29:26.96
you have all the
necessities of life,
00:29:27.00\00:29:28.40
you are functioning,
00:29:28.43\00:29:29.86
why allow feelings
00:29:29.90\00:29:33.07
to rob you of the very
present list of blessings
00:29:33.10\00:29:37.51
that anybody around the world
00:29:37.54\00:29:40.34
in less fortunate circumstances
00:29:40.38\00:29:43.08
would love to trade
places with many of us.
00:29:43.11\00:29:49.52
We're in America,
where America's so selfish
00:29:49.55\00:29:51.42
when you don't...
00:29:51.45\00:29:52.79
That's why I
appreciate traveling sometimes.
00:29:52.82\00:29:54.16
You go to places when you
say, "So where do you live?"
00:29:54.19\00:29:57.06
"In Iraq." "You live in Iraq?"
00:29:57.09\00:30:00.70
And they're happy,
and they're smiling,
00:30:00.73\00:30:03.67
they don't really care about
00:30:03.70\00:30:05.03
what happens in
Washington D.C. next.
00:30:05.07\00:30:07.47
I've gone places that
if there's an earthquake,
00:30:07.50\00:30:11.64
they don't really care about it
00:30:11.67\00:30:13.68
because they sleep
out under the stars.
00:30:13.71\00:30:17.15
If the mortgage rates go
up, they don't care about it
00:30:17.18\00:30:19.35
because their
houses are made of mud.
00:30:19.38\00:30:21.48
They're not
worrying about what's on HBO
00:30:21.52\00:30:24.12
because they got a can
00:30:24.15\00:30:25.49
that they're
rolling down the street.
00:30:25.52\00:30:27.99
And they don't go
to bed with issues,
00:30:28.02\00:30:29.89
they don't worry
about the next pair of shoes
00:30:29.92\00:30:31.43
because all they
want is a T-shirt.
00:30:31.46\00:30:35.30
I've been in places of the world
00:30:35.33\00:30:37.57
where a T-shirt is more valuable
00:30:37.60\00:30:41.14
than a car for some people.
00:30:41.17\00:30:44.47
I remember giving a
pair of socks to a young man
00:30:44.51\00:30:46.17
in Zimbabwe, and
the man began to cry.
00:30:46.21\00:30:50.85
I said, "What's wrong?"
00:30:50.88\00:30:52.21
He says, "The first
pair of socks I ever owed."
00:30:52.25\00:30:54.65
He's the head elder
of the church there.
00:30:54.68\00:30:57.22
My wife and I sat in our room
00:30:57.25\00:30:58.59
when we went
with Maranatha there.
00:30:58.62\00:31:00.56
Look at this young man...
00:31:00.59\00:31:03.06
And we went to the
market, and we said, "How much?"
00:31:03.09\00:31:06.70
You know, they ask,
"Do you have any T-shirts?"
00:31:06.73\00:31:10.37
They don't want your
money, they want your T-shirts.
00:31:10.40\00:31:13.47
They said when you go
00:31:13.50\00:31:14.84
to this particular
community next time,
00:31:14.87\00:31:16.64
you go back again, they
said bring T-shirts and socks
00:31:16.67\00:31:19.77
that go farther
than dollars and cents.
00:31:19.81\00:31:23.95
And here we are,
got T-shirts and socks
00:31:23.98\00:31:27.62
and don't mean anything to us.
00:31:27.65\00:31:31.05
Don't allow your
feelings to become the altar
00:31:31.09\00:31:33.15
on which your life takes
away the blessings of God.
00:31:33.19\00:31:38.86
Here's another quotation.
00:31:38.89\00:31:40.56
I'm gonna try to
move with expedition
00:31:40.60\00:31:41.93
because this is very important.
00:31:41.96\00:31:43.30
I want to get it all done today.
00:31:43.33\00:31:44.67
From the book,
From the Heart, page 79,
00:31:44.70\00:31:47.20
paragraph 2, "We are not
to make our feelings a test
00:31:47.24\00:31:50.94
by which to
discern whether we are in
00:31:50.97\00:31:53.21
or out of favor with God,
00:31:53.24\00:31:56.01
whether they be what we consider
00:31:56.04\00:31:57.65
encouraging or not."
00:31:57.68\00:31:59.55
Some people say,
"Oh, I feel good today,
00:31:59.58\00:32:00.92
I'm going to church."
00:32:00.95\00:32:02.28
You are not based
whether you feel good
00:32:02.32\00:32:03.79
to go to church
00:32:03.82\00:32:05.45
or whether you
feel good to serve God.
00:32:05.49\00:32:07.72
"As soon as we begin
to contemplate feeling,"
00:32:07.76\00:32:11.29
what does it say?
00:32:11.33\00:32:12.66
"We are on,"
what? "Dangerous ground.
00:32:12.69\00:32:16.77
If we feel
joyous, we are confident
00:32:16.80\00:32:18.70
we are in a favorable condition,
00:32:18.73\00:32:20.97
but when a change
comes, as it will,
00:32:21.00\00:32:24.77
for circumstances
will be so arranged
00:32:24.81\00:32:27.61
that feelings of depression
will make the heart sad,
00:32:27.64\00:32:32.11
then we will be
naturally led to doubt
00:32:32.15\00:32:35.92
that God has accepted us."
00:32:35.95\00:32:39.15
Some people say,
00:32:39.19\00:32:40.52
"I don't feel
that God loves me."
00:32:40.56\00:32:45.49
You just said that, which
means if your mouth could work,
00:32:45.53\00:32:48.96
you're farther ahead
than a lot of other people.
00:32:49.00\00:32:52.23
Here's another one
in the Book Maranatha.
00:32:52.27\00:32:54.60
One of my favorite
devotions, Maranatha, page 233,
00:32:54.64\00:32:57.17
paragraph 3,
"Impressions and feelings
00:32:57.21\00:33:00.81
are no sure
evidence that a person
00:33:00.84\00:33:03.98
is led by the Lord.
00:33:04.01\00:33:06.41
Satan will, if
he is unsuspected,
00:33:06.45\00:33:10.45
give feelings and impressions.
00:33:10.49\00:33:13.29
These are not safe guides.
00:33:13.32\00:33:16.39
All should
thoroughly acquaint themselves
00:33:16.42\00:33:20.33
with the
evidences of our faith,"
00:33:20.36\00:33:22.33
that's the Word of God,
00:33:22.36\00:33:24.57
"and the great study should be
00:33:24.60\00:33:27.37
how they can
adorn their profession
00:33:27.40\00:33:31.47
and bear fruit to
the glory of God."
00:33:31.51\00:33:34.61
Don't let feeling...
00:33:34.64\00:33:35.98
The devil will
bring in feelings?
00:33:36.01\00:33:37.81
Feelings would
change with the temperature.
00:33:37.85\00:33:40.02
I was up in Camp
Akita the other day.
00:33:40.05\00:33:43.52
When I left up
downhill it was like 18,
00:33:43.55\00:33:45.62
I went up
there, it was minus 15.
00:33:45.65\00:33:48.52
I woke up and started
working at minus 15 degrees.
00:33:48.56\00:33:52.19
Angie went with me
to drive, and she said,
00:33:56.36\00:33:59.70
"I'll be upstairs later."
00:33:59.73\00:34:03.81
I started to go
from the room downstairs.
00:34:03.84\00:34:05.64
I want to tell you that
when I opened that door,
00:34:05.67\00:34:07.51
I saw a beautiful
Chris winter morning,
00:34:07.54\00:34:10.21
the snow untouched,
00:34:10.25\00:34:12.31
not a footprint
anywhere, beautiful.
00:34:12.35\00:34:15.65
But I took a deep
breath very carefully
00:34:15.68\00:34:18.75
because when you
breathe too quickly,
00:34:18.79\00:34:20.62
minus 15, your lungs know it.
00:34:20.66\00:34:25.13
Feelings
change, feelings change.
00:34:25.16\00:34:29.03
That's why Jeremiah
the prophet what he did.
00:34:29.06\00:34:31.03
In Jeremiah 17:9, let
me move on quickly here.
00:34:31.07\00:34:33.90
He says, together,
00:34:33.94\00:34:35.70
"The heart is
deceitful above all things."
00:34:35.74\00:34:38.47
The heart is what?
"Deceitful above all things."
00:34:38.51\00:34:43.04
And what else?
00:34:43.08\00:34:44.45
"Desperately
wicked, who can know it?"
00:34:44.48\00:34:49.72
If a tiny seed could
cripple an expensive furnace
00:34:49.75\00:34:53.15
and miniscule pieces of
plaque can clog the artery,
00:34:53.19\00:34:57.46
there are no such things
as tiny and miniscule issues
00:34:57.49\00:34:59.79
of our lives, left unchecked,
00:34:59.83\00:35:01.76
they can weaken
us as Christians.
00:35:01.80\00:35:03.67
That's why David prayed
the prayer in Psalms 139.
00:35:07.57\00:35:10.71
A heart prayer, a heart prayer.
00:35:10.74\00:35:14.28
Read it with me.
00:35:14.31\00:35:15.78
"Search me, O God,
and know my," what?
00:35:15.81\00:35:18.71
"Know my heart. Try
me and know my," what?
00:35:18.75\00:35:21.98
"Anxieties of my thoughts.
00:35:22.02\00:35:23.89
And see if there is
any wicked way," where?
00:35:23.92\00:35:27.16
"In me, and lead me
00:35:27.19\00:35:31.79
in the way everlasting."
00:35:31.83\00:35:34.96
So something wicked
in you. You know what?
00:35:35.00\00:35:36.53
If there's
something wicked in you
00:35:36.56\00:35:38.17
and you ask God to reveal it,
00:35:38.20\00:35:39.53
do you think He's
going to reveal it?
00:35:39.57\00:35:41.14
He is going to show it to you.
00:35:41.17\00:35:42.50
You got to get ready for
it because when He reveals it,
00:35:42.54\00:35:44.47
He shows us who we are.
00:35:44.51\00:35:46.91
And if we ask Him to reveal
it, and He shows us who we are,
00:35:46.94\00:35:50.31
we are blessed and
benefited the most when we make
00:35:50.35\00:35:53.18
the changes by His
grace when God shows us.
00:35:53.21\00:35:57.35
Right now we are
reading 2 Samuel together,
00:35:57.39\00:36:00.76
my wife and I, a
fascinating story,
00:36:00.79\00:36:03.53
the triumphs
and trials of David.
00:36:03.56\00:36:07.23
The choices that
made God happy with David
00:36:07.26\00:36:09.53
and the choices that
made God sick of David.
00:36:09.56\00:36:12.27
But the one thing that David
had was a heart of repentance.
00:36:15.84\00:36:21.68
And when God dealt with David
for his issues with Bathsheba
00:36:21.71\00:36:25.21
and their first child died.
00:36:25.25\00:36:28.55
David stopped mourning,
when he washed his face
00:36:28.58\00:36:34.12
and went about
business as usual.
00:36:34.16\00:36:37.83
And they said, "Your son died,
00:36:37.86\00:36:39.19
why are you not still mourning?"
00:36:39.23\00:36:41.56
I like the example,
00:36:41.60\00:36:42.93
"Why are you not still mourning?
00:36:42.96\00:36:44.77
David said, "He is
dead. What am I going to do?
00:36:44.80\00:36:47.90
He can't come to
me, I could go to him,
00:36:47.94\00:36:49.90
but he can't come to me.
00:36:49.94\00:36:51.27
I got work to do."
00:36:51.31\00:36:53.17
Some of us, when the Lord
allows issues in our lives
00:36:53.21\00:36:56.81
to die, stop keeping them alive,
00:36:56.85\00:37:01.48
when God has already
answered with a final answer,
00:37:01.52\00:37:07.26
which takes me to the
second one, arrhythmia.
00:37:07.29\00:37:10.19
Arrhythmia, the
primary cause of arrhythmia
00:37:10.23\00:37:15.16
typically includes damage
00:37:15.20\00:37:16.53
of the heart's
electrical conductive system,
00:37:16.56\00:37:19.13
congenital or is often
inherited heart defects
00:37:19.17\00:37:23.61
and other types
of heart disease.
00:37:23.64\00:37:25.44
In this condition, the
heart's electrical impulses
00:37:25.47\00:37:28.68
which coordinate
heartbeats dysfunction
00:37:28.71\00:37:33.01
making it either
be too fast, too slow,
00:37:33.05\00:37:37.25
or it starts
beating erratically.
00:37:37.29\00:37:39.99
Spiritual
arrhythmia is the same thing,
00:37:40.02\00:37:43.56
when our spiritual connection
with God is dysfunctional
00:37:43.59\00:37:48.56
and damage to him image,
00:37:48.60\00:37:50.93
when it's
dysfunctional and damaged,
00:37:50.97\00:37:53.07
we lack the
power to stay in rhythm
00:37:53.10\00:37:57.01
with spiritual things.
00:37:57.04\00:38:00.48
Which means, Bible study
or not, I really care less,
00:38:00.51\00:38:04.48
prayer meeting or
not, I really care less.
00:38:04.51\00:38:06.61
We're out of rhythm
with the spiritual things
00:38:06.65\00:38:08.62
that God has given to us
to keep us in rhythm with Him.
00:38:08.65\00:38:13.05
But we are either going so fast,
00:38:13.09\00:38:15.09
we can't stop to
have Bible studies,
00:38:15.12\00:38:16.96
or going too slow
that Bible studies
00:38:16.99\00:38:18.56
don't really matter, or
we can take it or leave it,
00:38:18.59\00:38:21.36
erratic behavior, arrhythmia.
00:38:21.40\00:38:27.00
And what happens
when arrhythmia sets
00:38:27.04\00:38:28.57
in our spiritual
condition lacks power,
00:38:28.60\00:38:31.31
the proof that our heart
is spiritually damaged is,
00:38:31.34\00:38:35.54
watch this carefully, if
your life is moving too fast
00:38:35.58\00:38:39.48
that you cannot keep up with it,
00:38:39.51\00:38:41.32
you are having
spiritual arrhythmia.
00:38:41.35\00:38:45.55
Slow it down, what
I say, slow it down.
00:38:45.59\00:38:49.69
If your life is so
packed that you can't take time
00:38:49.72\00:38:52.69
to serve the Lord
and study His Word,
00:38:52.73\00:38:55.16
you got to slow it down.
00:38:55.20\00:38:57.17
Another very telling
symptom of arrhythmia
00:39:04.17\00:39:06.84
that's spiritual
is also fainting,
00:39:06.88\00:39:09.04
there's people
that have arrhythmia,
00:39:09.08\00:39:10.51
they could faint at
any moment, they don't know
00:39:10.55\00:39:12.28
when they're going to
faint, they're going to faint.
00:39:12.31\00:39:14.08
Look at Proverbs
24:10, they're going to faint,
00:39:14.12\00:39:16.79
they don't know
what's going to happen,
00:39:16.82\00:39:18.15
but they're going to
faint because arrhythmia
00:39:18.19\00:39:20.69
is manifesting
itself in speeding up,
00:39:20.72\00:39:22.89
slowing down, erratic,
00:39:22.92\00:39:24.43
the heart is not getting
the oxygen that it needs,
00:39:24.46\00:39:27.43
so they eventually
faint without notice.
00:39:27.46\00:39:31.30
And look at the
spiritual application,
00:39:31.33\00:39:33.44
"If you faint in
the day of adversity,"
00:39:33.47\00:39:35.60
what does the Bible say?
00:39:35.64\00:39:37.54
"Your strength is,"
what? "Your strength is small."
00:39:37.57\00:39:40.84
If you fail
when adversity comes,
00:39:40.88\00:39:44.68
it is a sign that you
are out of rhythm of heaven.
00:39:44.71\00:39:49.28
Because what did Jesus
pray for Peter, He said,
00:39:49.32\00:39:51.75
"The devil will
sift you as wheat,
00:39:51.79\00:39:53.86
but I pray that your
faith will not fail."
00:39:53.89\00:39:58.39
Trials will come, but
when the trials you face
00:39:58.43\00:40:01.30
cause your faith to
fail, you are out of rhythm
00:40:01.33\00:40:04.63
with the promises of God's Word.
00:40:04.67\00:40:09.24
I don't know some
of you probably hear
00:40:09.27\00:40:10.94
the sermon really well
while you sleep, I don't know,
00:40:10.97\00:40:13.21
I'm not bothering you
anymore because you might be
00:40:13.24\00:40:15.61
suffering from arrhythmia
right now, I don't know.
00:40:15.64\00:40:20.62
But the challenge
with many Christians
00:40:20.65\00:40:22.15
is that we don't
recognize our weakness,
00:40:22.18\00:40:24.35
we don't recognize our weakness,
00:40:24.39\00:40:25.85
we don't recognize the
arrhythmia in our lives,
00:40:25.89\00:40:28.29
therefore we fail to experience
the blessings, the abundance,
00:40:28.32\00:40:34.96
the gifts of God, we fail
to recognize our weakness.
00:40:35.00\00:40:41.20
We fail to
recognize the arrhythmias
00:40:41.24\00:40:43.04
of our spiritual
life, moving too fast,
00:40:43.07\00:40:45.67
moving too slow,
erratic spiritual life,
00:40:45.71\00:40:47.91
we don't really care,
and the blessings of God.
00:40:47.94\00:40:50.65
We don't say, "Lord, I'm weak,
00:40:50.68\00:40:52.01
I need your help."
00:40:52.05\00:40:53.38
That's why the
Apostle Paul wrote what he did
00:40:53.42\00:40:55.95
in 2 Corinthians 12:9.
00:40:55.98\00:40:57.55
Go there with me. Look at it.
00:40:57.59\00:40:59.35
"He gave a perfect diagnosis
for those who recognize
00:40:59.39\00:41:02.92
the weakness of
their spiritual hearts."
00:41:02.96\00:41:05.86
"And He said to me."
00:41:05.89\00:41:07.23
The Lord said to
the Apostle Paul.
00:41:07.26\00:41:10.00
Come on, let's
read this together.
00:41:10.03\00:41:11.37
What He say? My what?
00:41:11.40\00:41:13.07
"'My grace is
sufficient for thee,
00:41:13.10\00:41:15.24
for My strength is
made perfect in weakness.'
00:41:15.27\00:41:18.11
Therefore, most
gladly I will rather boast
00:41:18.14\00:41:23.58
in my
infirmities, that the power
00:41:23.61\00:41:25.88
of Christ may," what?
00:41:25.91\00:41:27.32
"Rest on me."
Because, you know what?
00:41:27.35\00:41:29.38
When we are weak,
He is strong, Amen?
00:41:29.42\00:41:31.89
Amen.
00:41:31.92\00:41:33.25
But you can't get the
blessings of God, young people,
00:41:33.29\00:41:36.22
unless you
recognize that you're weak.
00:41:36.26\00:41:38.73
You can't get the blessings
of God, elders, deacons,
00:41:38.76\00:41:41.23
deaconesses,
leaders, husbands, wives,
00:41:41.26\00:41:44.33
you can't get
the blessings of God,
00:41:44.37\00:41:46.53
lest you say, "I am weak."
00:41:46.57\00:41:50.87
Can't get the blessings.
00:41:50.91\00:41:52.24
I have learned
in a very real way
00:41:55.54\00:41:58.08
when you try to handle
things that only God can handle,
00:41:58.11\00:42:00.98
you will mess up.
00:42:01.02\00:42:02.35
This is another powerful
one, high blood pressure.
00:42:06.59\00:42:09.32
Oh, I'm almost done.
00:42:09.36\00:42:11.89
What is high blood pressure?
00:42:11.93\00:42:13.26
The blood flows
through the blood vessel
00:42:13.29\00:42:17.40
at a faster pace, which leads
00:42:17.43\00:42:19.93
to an increased
pressure in the arteries.
00:42:19.97\00:42:22.44
If this condition
persists for a long period,
00:42:22.47\00:42:25.77
then it might
damage the arteries
00:42:25.81\00:42:28.08
or other blood
vessels and increase the risk
00:42:28.11\00:42:30.55
of a stroke or a heart attack.
00:42:30.58\00:42:33.31
Main causes of
high blood pressure are,
00:42:33.35\00:42:36.38
are you ready?
00:42:36.42\00:42:37.75
Lifestyle changes like, what?
00:42:37.79\00:42:41.46
Excessive
consumption of salt, alcohol,
00:42:41.49\00:42:45.23
lack of physical activities,
and being overweight.
00:42:45.26\00:42:50.50
But look at
spiritual high blood pressure,
00:42:50.53\00:42:53.00
the symptoms are similar.
00:42:53.03\00:42:55.70
When we live a
life at a fast paced
00:42:55.74\00:42:59.41
for long periods of
time, it damages the avenue
00:42:59.44\00:43:05.61
of communication
between us and God,
00:43:05.65\00:43:09.78
you know why,
because we're moving too fast
00:43:09.82\00:43:13.96
to even think about God.
00:43:13.99\00:43:18.29
Spiritually
speaking, lifestyle choices
00:43:18.33\00:43:21.36
should not be ignored because...
00:43:21.40\00:43:23.06
Are you ready?
00:43:23.10\00:43:24.43
The things that you consume
00:43:24.47\00:43:26.53
will eventually consume you.
00:43:26.57\00:43:32.24
Luke 21:34, go there with me.
00:43:32.27\00:43:36.91
The Bible says, what
are the first three words?
00:43:36.95\00:43:39.51
"But," do what?
"Take heed to," who?
00:43:39.55\00:43:42.52
"Yourself, lest your hearts
be weighed down with carousing,"
00:43:42.55\00:43:46.59
that's too much partying,
too much having a fun time,
00:43:46.62\00:43:50.79
"drunkenness,"
that's intemperance,
00:43:50.83\00:43:52.86
"and the cares of this life,
00:43:52.89\00:43:54.60
and that day come
on you unexpectedly."
00:43:54.63\00:43:58.20
We as Christians must
be doing everything we can
00:43:58.23\00:44:02.50
to be ready at any moment
for the coming of our Lord.
00:44:02.54\00:44:06.61
We don't believe
in the secret rapture,
00:44:06.64\00:44:08.01
He's not going to
show up after lunch today,
00:44:08.04\00:44:11.01
but the situations of life
and in the world politically,
00:44:11.05\00:44:14.08
economically,
socially, militarily,
00:44:14.12\00:44:16.79
could change in
the drop of a hat
00:44:16.82\00:44:18.45
without any prior notice.
00:44:18.49\00:44:20.82
And the question
is, "Are we ready,
00:44:20.86\00:44:22.52
are we in pace with our God,
00:44:22.56\00:44:24.33
or are we living a
life of great pressure?
00:44:24.36\00:44:28.33
And what many Christians
don't understand is that
00:44:28.36\00:44:31.33
Satan uses the
cares of this life
00:44:31.37\00:44:34.20
to lead us to
ignore the eternal impact
00:44:34.24\00:44:37.24
of our decisions.
00:44:37.27\00:44:38.91
One of my favorite quotations,
00:44:38.94\00:44:40.28
I'm going to
share with you right now
00:44:40.31\00:44:41.64
from Testimonies to
Ministers and Gospel Workers,
00:44:41.68\00:44:43.45
look at this one,
and you've heard me
00:44:43.48\00:44:45.15
quote the beginning
part, but from the word go,
00:44:45.18\00:44:47.32
I want you to follow carefully
because from the word go,
00:44:47.35\00:44:50.02
God has given Sister
White special insight
00:44:50.05\00:44:53.36
into how Satan thinks about us.
00:44:53.39\00:44:55.99
Listen to this,
"As the people of God."
00:44:56.02\00:44:59.29
Testimonies to Gospel Workers
and Ministers, page 472-474.
00:44:59.33\00:45:03.26
"As the people of God approach
the perils of the last days,
00:45:03.30\00:45:06.37
Satan holds earnest
consultation with his angels
00:45:06.40\00:45:11.04
as to the most successful plan
of overthrowing their faith."
00:45:11.07\00:45:16.38
Here is the directive of hell.
00:45:16.41\00:45:19.15
"Go, make the possessors
of land and money drunk
00:45:19.18\00:45:23.55
with the cares of this life.
00:45:23.59\00:45:25.55
Present the world before them
in its most attractive light,
00:45:25.59\00:45:30.16
that they may lay up
their treasures here,
00:45:30.19\00:45:33.09
and fix their
affections upon earthly things."
00:45:33.13\00:45:37.20
The angels of
darkness are saying,
00:45:37.23\00:45:38.93
"We must do our utmost
to prevent those who labor
00:45:38.97\00:45:43.17
in God's cause from obtaining
means to use against us.
00:45:43.20\00:45:49.24
Keep the money in our ranks."
00:45:49.28\00:45:50.91
The Devil says, "Keep the
money in our demonic ranks."
00:45:50.95\00:45:54.78
"The more means they obtain,
the more they will injure
00:45:54.82\00:45:58.55
our kingdom by
taking from us our subjects.
00:45:58.59\00:46:02.72
Make them care more for
money than for the upbuilding
00:46:02.76\00:46:06.06
of Christ's kingdom.
00:46:06.09\00:46:08.33
For we know that every selfish,
covetous person will fall
00:46:08.36\00:46:13.13
under our power,
and will finally," what?
00:46:13.17\00:46:16.84
"Be separated
from God's people."
00:46:16.87\00:46:20.21
God has given us
what He has given to us
00:46:20.24\00:46:21.81
to help the kingdom get advance.
00:46:21.84\00:46:24.11
The cares of this life
affect the spiritual function
00:46:24.15\00:46:27.02
of our hearts and lead
us to believe that our likes
00:46:27.05\00:46:29.92
and dislikes are more
important than eternity.
00:46:29.95\00:46:33.46
What do you think
internal wars come from,
00:46:33.49\00:46:35.36
contention, division among
like believers, and suspicion,
00:46:35.39\00:46:38.96
these are all
components and Satan's plan
00:46:38.99\00:46:42.86
to create a church that
is fragmented and divided.
00:46:42.90\00:46:47.34
You know, during
the time of King David,
00:46:47.37\00:46:49.60
we'll just listen to
this again in Bible Lives,
00:46:49.64\00:46:52.04
we have this audio program,
we listen to it together
00:46:52.07\00:46:53.84
on Sabbath mornings
when we don't listen
00:46:53.88\00:46:55.34
to 3ABN music channel,
plug for the music channel.
00:46:55.38\00:47:00.52
But during the
reign of King David,
00:47:00.55\00:47:02.98
the Ammonites hated him
and his army so passionately
00:47:03.02\00:47:06.29
that no matter what David
did they always read into it,
00:47:06.32\00:47:11.23
follow me here, they read into
what David did with suspicion.
00:47:11.26\00:47:15.13
Listen carefully,
look at this quote,
00:47:15.16\00:47:17.03
Patriarchs and
Prophets, 714, paragraph 2.
00:47:17.07\00:47:20.40
This is powerful.
00:47:20.44\00:47:21.77
That's why you
have to be careful
00:47:21.80\00:47:23.14
how your mind
thinks about other people.
00:47:23.17\00:47:24.67
"When Satan
controls the minds of men,
00:47:24.71\00:47:28.04
he will excite
envy and suspicion
00:47:28.08\00:47:32.45
which will misconstrue
the very best intentions."
00:47:32.48\00:47:37.62
Has it ever happened to you?
00:47:37.65\00:47:39.69
Has somebody ever said to
you? "I didn't like that."
00:47:39.72\00:47:41.69
And you said, "What
are you talking about?"
00:47:41.72\00:47:43.46
And for the life of
me, you cannot figure out
00:47:43.49\00:47:45.46
what they're talking
about, but they are ready
00:47:45.49\00:47:48.13
to nail you to
wall, am I right Luis?
00:47:48.16\00:47:51.17
He's gonna have a hard
time nailing Luis to the wall,
00:47:51.20\00:47:53.03
but I'm saying.
00:47:53.07\00:47:54.90
They're ready to
take you down the road
00:47:54.94\00:47:56.60
and do what they can to you
00:47:56.64\00:47:58.11
because they misconstrue
the very best intentions, why?
00:47:58.14\00:48:03.48
It's not what you
said, it's because Satan
00:48:03.51\00:48:05.68
was controlling their minds,
00:48:05.71\00:48:08.25
and they heard what you said
00:48:08.28\00:48:09.78
through the
portals of their own likes
00:48:09.82\00:48:11.62
and dislikes and
preconceived opinion
00:48:11.65\00:48:13.69
about you already.
00:48:13.72\00:48:17.86
That's why Satan knows
that what takes place in me
00:48:17.89\00:48:20.26
is more important
than what I profess,
00:48:20.30\00:48:22.80
that's why he focuses on
keeping many of our hearts
00:48:22.83\00:48:26.10
towards one another in
an avenue of suspicion.
00:48:26.13\00:48:29.17
We got to love one another.
Come on, somebody say, amen.
00:48:29.20\00:48:30.97
Amen.
00:48:31.01\00:48:32.34
We got to love each
other beyond our faults,
00:48:32.37\00:48:34.21
look at this quotation.
00:48:34.24\00:48:35.58
Review and Herald, May 14, 1895,
00:48:35.61\00:48:39.35
"Before passing
unfavorable judgment
00:48:39.38\00:48:41.85
upon one another,
00:48:41.88\00:48:43.95
we should go to the
one who we think has erred
00:48:43.99\00:48:47.62
and tell him our fears,
having our own souls subdued
00:48:47.66\00:48:52.76
by the pitying love of Jesus.
00:48:52.79\00:48:55.23
It may be that some
explanation can be made
00:48:55.26\00:49:00.67
that will remove our
unfavorable impressions."
00:49:00.70\00:49:05.71
That means, sometimes you
need to give people a chance
00:49:05.74\00:49:08.54
to explain themselves.
00:49:08.58\00:49:10.81
Before you say that
I know you meant that,
00:49:10.85\00:49:13.28
I've been on the
receiving end of that.
00:49:13.31\00:49:15.32
I got phone calls from people
00:49:15.35\00:49:16.69
that I had to
hold the phone away,
00:49:16.72\00:49:18.05
they're cussing me
out, Christians, Adventists,
00:49:18.09\00:49:21.59
here because they said
I did it intentionally.
00:49:21.62\00:49:27.90
And after they cooled
down, and I praise God,
00:49:27.93\00:49:30.40
"Lord, I give you the
glory, I didn't unload on them
00:49:30.43\00:49:32.73
the same way
they unloaded on me."
00:49:32.77\00:49:34.37
That's why Paul
says, what he does,
00:49:38.81\00:49:41.64
in 2 Corinthians
13:5, look at what he says.
00:49:41.68\00:49:45.71
He says, "Examine
yourselves," examine who?
00:49:45.75\00:49:48.92
"Yourselves as to
whether you are in the faith.
00:49:48.95\00:49:51.99
Test," who? "Yourselves.
00:49:52.02\00:49:54.09
Do you not know yourselves,
that Jesus Christ is in you?
00:49:54.12\00:49:58.13
Unless indeed you
are disqualified."
00:49:58.16\00:50:01.06
Notice in you, if
Jesus is not in you,
00:50:01.10\00:50:05.53
you are disqualified.
00:50:05.57\00:50:09.27
Your service as
human, it's not divine,
00:50:09.30\00:50:12.47
it's not from the heart
of a Christ with compassion,
00:50:12.51\00:50:15.61
it's from the heart
of a preferential person
00:50:15.64\00:50:17.65
that's arrogant
and self-centered,
00:50:17.68\00:50:20.48
and that's not an individual
00:50:20.52\00:50:21.85
that's going to
make it to the kingdom.
00:50:21.88\00:50:24.32
Which takes me to my last one,
00:50:24.35\00:50:25.95
and I'm going to go
through this very quickly.
00:50:25.99\00:50:27.82
Heart valve
problems, this condition arises
00:50:27.86\00:50:32.59
when the heart valves don't work
00:50:32.63\00:50:34.00
the way they supposed to.
00:50:34.03\00:50:37.77
Good valves ensure that
blood flows unidirectional,
00:50:37.80\00:50:41.64
that means in one direction.
00:50:41.67\00:50:43.47
The blood flows
in one direction,
00:50:43.51\00:50:45.44
it never goes backward.
00:50:45.47\00:50:48.54
The heart valve problem
can be hereditary in nature,
00:50:48.58\00:50:52.41
it might have been
developed before birth
00:50:52.45\00:50:54.42
or one might have obtained
it in due course of time.
00:50:54.45\00:50:57.45
In some cases the
cause of heart valve disease
00:50:57.49\00:51:00.02
remains unknown
for a long period
00:51:00.06\00:51:04.09
or maybe a lifetime.
00:51:04.13\00:51:05.79
But watch this, but given
time the symptoms are manifest.
00:51:05.83\00:51:12.47
Spiritual heart valve
problems are the same.
00:51:12.50\00:51:15.74
Are you ready?
00:51:15.77\00:51:17.27
Christians that have
00:51:17.31\00:51:20.91
spiritual heart valve problems
00:51:20.94\00:51:24.48
don't work as they supposed to.
00:51:24.51\00:51:29.75
They take the
office, but they don't work
00:51:29.78\00:51:32.29
as they supposed to.
00:51:32.32\00:51:33.66
Just like the heart you
can't tell what's going on
00:51:46.87\00:51:49.40
because they look
good on the surface.
00:51:49.44\00:51:52.94
But just like the
heart valve problem,
00:51:52.97\00:51:54.64
the condition is hidden
00:51:54.68\00:51:56.01
behind the walls of
their hearts, it's inside.
00:51:56.04\00:52:02.08
The same is true
on a spiritual level,
00:52:02.12\00:52:03.92
spiritual
functioning Christians,
00:52:03.95\00:52:06.22
and this is powerful,
00:52:06.25\00:52:07.59
spiritual functioning Christians
00:52:07.62\00:52:09.56
are unidirectional also,
00:52:09.59\00:52:12.26
they receive blood
and they give blood.
00:52:12.29\00:52:15.00
I want this point
to be very careful.
00:52:15.03\00:52:19.47
Spiritually functioning
Christians give blood,
00:52:19.50\00:52:23.10
what did I just say?
00:52:23.14\00:52:24.87
They also receive blood.
00:52:24.91\00:52:27.01
They receive
blood, they give blood,
00:52:27.04\00:52:29.94
what does that mean?
00:52:29.98\00:52:31.31
That means that spiritually
functioning Christians
00:52:31.35\00:52:34.82
accept the fact that
the blood of Jesus Christ
00:52:34.85\00:52:37.72
that forgave them
can also forgive you.
00:52:37.75\00:52:44.33
They don't think
that they themselves
00:52:44.36\00:52:45.96
are preferential.
00:52:45.99\00:52:47.50
They say, "If the
blood of Jesus Christ
00:52:47.53\00:52:49.06
can forgive me, it
could forgive you."
00:52:49.10\00:52:51.60
It's unidirectional.
00:52:51.63\00:52:52.97
The forgiveness of God
does not stop with them,
00:52:53.00\00:52:56.87
but it flows through them.
00:52:56.91\00:53:00.04
This New Year, learn
how to forgive one another.
00:53:00.08\00:53:03.51
Amen, somebody? Luke 6:37.
00:53:03.55\00:53:07.82
The Bible says, "Judge not,
and you shall not be judged.
00:53:07.85\00:53:11.52
Condemn not, and you
shall not be condemned.
00:53:11.55\00:53:14.69
Forgive, and you
will be forgiven."
00:53:14.72\00:53:18.36
Salvation is not
just what you're in,
00:53:18.39\00:53:23.16
but salvation is what is in us,
00:53:23.20\00:53:27.00
forgiveness.
00:53:27.04\00:53:30.84
As I close, I bring
out a very important point,
00:53:30.87\00:53:35.34
I go back to the scripture.
00:53:35.38\00:53:36.71
When Jesus was being pursued
by the forces of darkness,
00:53:39.81\00:53:43.39
the devil, listen,
the devil was disappointed
00:53:43.42\00:53:48.36
on every occasion
when he came after Jesus.
00:53:48.39\00:53:52.96
Amen.
00:53:52.99\00:53:55.26
You know why?
00:53:55.30\00:53:56.63
Satan came to Jesus
with a magnifying glass
00:53:56.67\00:54:01.60
to examine His
fitness to be Redeemer.
00:54:01.64\00:54:05.77
And I am so
glad that the results
00:54:05.81\00:54:07.71
of that examination
00:54:07.74\00:54:09.51
have been preserved
for us today, Karen.
00:54:09.54\00:54:12.45
Look at John
14:30, when the devil came
00:54:12.48\00:54:16.75
to look at the life of Jesus,
00:54:16.79\00:54:19.29
look at what the
Bible recorded for us today.
00:54:19.32\00:54:23.93
The Apostle John said,
00:54:23.96\00:54:25.29
"I will no longer
talk much with you,"
00:54:25.33\00:54:27.00
recording the words
of Jesus, Jesus said,
00:54:27.03\00:54:29.26
"I will no longer
talk much with you,
00:54:29.30\00:54:32.40
for the ruler of
this world is coming."
00:54:32.43\00:54:34.34
See his magnifying glass,
00:54:34.37\00:54:36.57
he's coming to
check My life out,
00:54:36.60\00:54:38.71
to see what's there,
he's looking at my life,
00:54:38.74\00:54:42.04
"And he has nothing in Me."
00:54:42.08\00:54:44.35
Can the church say amen?
00:54:44.38\00:54:46.61
You see if he found anything
in Jesus, we'd all be lost.
00:54:46.65\00:54:51.49
If he found anything in
Jesus, we'd all be lost.
00:54:51.52\00:54:55.86
So let me ask you
the question as I close.
00:54:55.89\00:54:58.39
Why is what's
happening so much more important
00:54:58.43\00:55:03.37
than what's happening around us?
00:55:03.40\00:55:04.73
Why is it?
00:55:04.77\00:55:06.10
My last quotation,
Christ's Object Lessons,
00:55:06.13\00:55:08.90
and the devil knows this.
00:55:08.94\00:55:10.37
Christ's Object
Lessons, page 69.
00:55:10.41\00:55:12.97
Look at this
familiar but powerful,
00:55:13.01\00:55:15.28
very timely quote.
00:55:15.31\00:55:19.11
Let's read it together.
00:55:19.15\00:55:20.48
"Christ..."
Let's read it together.
00:55:20.52\00:55:22.28
"Christ is waiting
with longing desire
00:55:22.32\00:55:27.02
for the manifestation
of Himself," where?
00:55:27.06\00:55:30.83
"In His church.
00:55:30.86\00:55:32.93
When the character of the Savior
00:55:32.96\00:55:36.20
shall be perfectly
reproduced," where?
00:55:36.23\00:55:38.97
"In His people, then He
will come to claim His own."
00:55:39.00\00:55:45.04
Amen.
00:55:45.07\00:55:46.41
So my question to you today
is what's happening in you?
00:55:46.44\00:55:49.54
What's happening in you?
00:55:49.58\00:55:50.98
What does that
devil still have in you?
00:55:51.01\00:55:53.58
Greed, jealousy,
anger, dissatisfaction,
00:55:53.62\00:55:59.75
what does he have in
you? What does he have in you?
00:55:59.79\00:56:04.69
What's causing you to feel...
What's causing you to feel...
00:56:04.73\00:56:09.53
What's causing you to feel
that your life is not worth it
00:56:09.56\00:56:13.47
that the Lord has abandoned you?
00:56:13.50\00:56:15.67
'Cause somehow
life's circumstances
00:56:15.70\00:56:18.74
are too great for you to bear.
00:56:18.77\00:56:20.91
What's happening in you?
00:56:20.94\00:56:22.71
I pray that as the
moments of probation continue
00:56:22.74\00:56:26.41
to linger for each one of us,
that we will examine our lives.
00:56:26.45\00:56:31.72
And whatever the
Lord finds there,
00:56:31.75\00:56:35.96
we will submit it to
Him that the only thing
00:56:35.99\00:56:39.49
that can be found in us,
00:56:39.53\00:56:42.36
the only one that can
be found in us is Jesus.
00:56:42.40\00:56:48.40
Amen?
00:56:48.44\00:56:49.77
Christ in you is
the hope of glory.
00:56:49.80\00:56:52.57
If anyone is in
Christ, he is a new creation.
00:56:52.61\00:56:57.38
May the Lord find a place in you
00:56:57.41\00:57:02.25
that the devil cannot
occupy, in your entertainment,
00:57:02.28\00:57:05.69
in your Bible
study, in your prayer life,
00:57:05.72\00:57:08.19
in your devotional life,
00:57:08.22\00:57:09.56
in your church attendance life,
00:57:09.59\00:57:10.96
in your Sabbath
school attending life.
00:57:10.99\00:57:14.16
I still don't know
why on Sabbath morning
00:57:14.20\00:57:17.70
9 o'clock is little early
00:57:17.73\00:57:20.04
and during the
week 7:30 is late.
00:57:20.07\00:57:22.47
I just can't
figure that one out.
00:57:22.50\00:57:25.21
If we would have
more spiritual activity,
00:57:25.24\00:57:27.28
we will find the
strength for the journey
00:57:27.31\00:57:29.48
that still lies
ahead of us, am I right?
00:57:29.51\00:57:32.11
Am I right?
00:57:32.15\00:57:33.65
Let's make that
commitment this year
00:57:33.68\00:57:36.08
that the issues of our heart
00:57:36.12\00:57:39.29
will be in the hand
of the Lord who loves us,
00:57:39.32\00:57:41.92
and the only one
that can create in us,
00:57:41.96\00:57:44.79
this new heart
and this right spirit.
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