Matthew 15:21,
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shall we pray?
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Father God,
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into Your hands now
we commend ourselves
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and asked you
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to feed us with Your Word,
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teach us those things
that would have us to know
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and then enable
us Lord to do them
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that in so doing
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we may be children
of the Most High God.
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In Jesus' name, amen.
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Matthew 15, begin with
me if you will at verse 21.
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The Bible says, "Then
Jesus went out from there
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and departed to the
region of Tyre and Sidon."
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I'm reading from
the New King James.
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'And behold, a woman of Canaan
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came from that region
and cried out to Him, saying,
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"Have mercy on me,
O Lord, Son of David!
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My daughter is
severely demon-possessed.'
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But he answered her not a word.
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And His disciples
came and urged Him, saying,
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'Send her away,
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for she cries out after us.'
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But he answered and said,
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'I was not sent
except to the lost sheep
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of the house of Israel.'
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Then she came and
worshiped Him, saying,
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'Lord, help me!'
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But he answered and said,
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'It is not good to
take the children's bread
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and throw it to
the little dogs.'
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And she said, 'Yes, Lord,
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yet even the
little dogs eat the crumbs
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which fall on
the master's table.'
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Then Jesus
answered and said to her
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'O woman,
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great is your faith!
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Let it be to you as you desire.'
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And her daughter was healed
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from that very hour.'"
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This self same story is written
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in the Gospel of Mark 7.
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And we will go back
and forth between the two
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in order to get as
clear and understanding
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of what is
happening as is possible.
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But I want to deal today
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with an aspect
of spiritual growth
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that is not doctrinal per se,
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nor the doctrinaire,
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nor is it even part of
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what we might call
systematic theology.
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It is rather
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an issue of
spiritual quality of life.
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Or we might say
quality of spiritual life.
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And since this sayonara sermons
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are supposed to
leave some sort of legacy.
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I should like us to ruminate
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on this demonstration of faith
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that was so exemplary
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that Christ said
something about it
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only two times interestingly
enough in the New Testament.
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And both times they were said
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to or about non Jews.
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And I must question myself
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if I am there yet.
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And perhaps you will
have occasion to do the same.
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So I'm calling
it actualized faith.
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In short it is
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Christ praised faith.
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While I was in school,
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I stayed around
long enough to get
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an additional bachelor's
in Behavioral Sciences,
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and there's nothing
to be impressed about,
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I don't think there
is more useless degree
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than a B.S. in
Behavioral Science.
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Can't do anything with it.
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It's not enough of
anything to follow in that path.
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It's a little
sociology, a little psychology,
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a little bit of this,
and a little bit of that.
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But to my mind it's not a degree
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you can do much with B.S.
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or B.A in
Behavioral Sciences and...
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So for our discussions
what I want to leave with you
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comes out of
what little I remember
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of my behavioral
scientist studies.
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Let me toss a name at
you, Dr Abraham Maslow.
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Now that name may
not be familiar to you,
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but what he brought to
psychology probably is.
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He was one of the
more eminent psychologists
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of the 19th and
early 20th century.
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So Abraham
Maslow and Sigmund Freud
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who are both
humanistic psychologists
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really left their
mark on psychology.
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Now I need to
say this, psychology
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is a rather new science.
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It's because we want
to blend this all together
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just a little bit.
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It is only
about a 150 years old.
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Now that ought to tell
you something about psychology
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if that does not
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the first
psychologist Wilhelm Wundt,
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sounds like William
Wharf, was a German guy
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who opened up a
laboratory in 1882
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that I'll tell
you something else.
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From 1844 be
close of the 2300 days
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to about World War I
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there was a
reaction in this country
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and across the world
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against what we call
the second great awakening.
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Second great awakening
was a religious consciousness
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that took over the world
in the wake of the 2300 days
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that made men and women
sensitive to the need for God.
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And the pendulum Satan saw
would swing back the other way
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because in those
years between 1844-1917
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a number of things happened.
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Darwinism, Fascism, Marxism,
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Communism,
Utopianism, Dystopianism,
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which we'll come back
to in just a little bit.
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All of them in
reaction against God
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and man's leaning towards God,
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that's a religious movement
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that I get tossed in there also,
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got to hold on that
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'cause we don't want
to poison anybody's mind.
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Psychology popped up
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about the late
1880's as a science.
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But in the legacy
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of this reaction against God.
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Maslow, Freud
some of these other
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humanistic psychologists
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never included God
in any of their studies,
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in any of their practices,
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and were for the
most part agnostic
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or outright atheist.
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Hold on to me, more to come.
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Freud said,
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"Love, work, work
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and love that's all there is."
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He also said,
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"Your parents ruin the
first part of your life
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and your children
will ruin the rest."
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That's why the world
is in such a shambles.
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Maslow is known
for what he calls
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the hierarchy of needs.
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You may have
studied this in school.
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Maslow says, men and
women all have basic needs,
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they are ranked
in a certain order
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and that order chooses
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how those needs must be met.
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If we are to achieve any
level of what he calls status,
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or equilibrium,
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or what he calls
self actualization
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there is an order of
needs that have to be met.
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First, he says our
physiological need.
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You put a man on the island,
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what are the
most important things
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that he has to have.
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One, food, the
physiological necessity.
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Two, water, the
physiological necessity.
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Three, sleep, a
physiological necessity.
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These needs he says are
fundamental to survival.
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If you don't
get these needs met,
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you will die, including sleep.
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If you are severely
sleep deprived, you can die.
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No oxygen, you die quickly.
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No water, you die slowly.
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No food, you die slowly.
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No sleep, a slow death.
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Maslow said,
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"If a person has been starved
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of these essential needs,
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all of their energy is
devoted to getting his needs met
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and getting them met first."
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You're alone and by yourself,
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the first thing you
want to do is get fed.
00:11:04.43\00:11:07.73
Amen.
00:11:07.76\00:11:09.26
Yeah, got to get fed.
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You don't get fed, you die.
00:11:11.67\00:11:14.64
Then you got to get water.
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You don't drink, you will die.
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The next level of needs
00:11:20.11\00:11:21.74
which are still
basically biological
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or physiological, he
says, is for safety or shelter.
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You studied
this stuff in school.
00:11:30.22\00:11:32.79
Yeah, the
Maslow's hierarchy of needs
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and has dominated all
psychological thoughts
00:11:35.22\00:11:37.29
since he put this out.
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He says, "Human beings
desire a relatively stable
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and secure
environment to protect them
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from the
elements, inclement weather,
00:11:47.94\00:11:50.91
predators, other human beings,
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things that could do us harm,
00:11:54.11\00:11:56.44
that's why American
spend some $20.6 billion
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every year on home
and office security.
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Doorbells, and
lights, and whistles
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and all kinds of things
because we desire to be safe.
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You cannot really relax
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unless you are safe
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which is why most people
when they buy a new house,
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the first thing they
do is change the locks.
00:12:22.14\00:12:25.61
Dr. Elden Chalmers, an
Adventist psychologist says,
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"When a woman is
considering marrying a man,
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one factor is,
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will this guy look out for me
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and keep me safe."
00:12:44.76\00:12:48.50
Amen.
00:12:48.53\00:12:50.27
Yeah, that's want
they want to know.
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Can you handle the
job of keeping me safe?
00:12:51.87\00:12:56.97
Now men look
out for other stuff.
00:12:57.01\00:13:02.34
But women want to
know, can he keep me safe?
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Can he take care of me?
00:13:05.91\00:13:07.48
Can he support me?
00:13:07.52\00:13:09.92
Now it is true that
a small number of women
00:13:09.95\00:13:13.39
like dating wild men,
00:13:13.42\00:13:18.33
but dating and being married
00:13:18.36\00:13:21.40
is not the same thing.
00:13:21.43\00:13:24.27
Amen.
00:13:24.30\00:13:26.84
Nobody wants to
spend all of their life,
00:13:26.87\00:13:28.70
their entire
life on the wild side.
00:13:28.74\00:13:32.54
And though it may
be fun at 18 or 19
00:13:32.57\00:13:35.34
to date an atavistic barbarian,
00:13:35.38\00:13:39.68
you don't want to
be married to one.
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You don't want to
bring Tarzan home.
00:13:43.59\00:13:47.22
When you get married,
00:13:52.29\00:13:54.20
you need consistency, amen,
00:13:54.23\00:13:59.03
sanity
00:13:59.07\00:14:00.40
and security.
00:14:03.64\00:14:06.44
How about that, Pastor.
00:14:06.47\00:14:08.54
Yeah, you want consistency,
00:14:08.58\00:14:12.08
sanity, and security.
00:14:12.11\00:14:15.55
You may want to
date the Tasmanian devil,
00:14:18.72\00:14:22.06
but not spend your life with it.
00:14:22.09\00:14:23.49
Next come social needs.
00:14:29.53\00:14:32.30
They include the need to belong.
00:14:32.33\00:14:36.97
This is one of the
reasons why kids join gangs,
00:14:37.01\00:14:40.31
even bad gangs
because there is in us
00:14:40.34\00:14:44.08
and in a intrinsic
need to belong to something.
00:14:44.11\00:14:49.05
And also why
people who join the church
00:14:49.08\00:14:51.95
and get baptized in the church
00:14:51.99\00:14:53.79
tend to live longer
than those who do not.
00:14:53.82\00:14:59.06
Amen.
00:14:59.09\00:15:01.06
And you want to
add a couple of years
00:15:01.10\00:15:02.93
and make them good
years, join a church.
00:15:02.96\00:15:05.30
One of the
reasons why people stay
00:15:11.31\00:15:13.41
even in abusive relationships
00:15:13.44\00:15:17.31
because there is in us
00:15:17.35\00:15:18.95
a need to belong to something,
00:15:18.98\00:15:23.18
to belong to someone,
to be part of something.
00:15:23.22\00:15:28.82
That's why people retire
after a long working career
00:15:28.86\00:15:31.73
and come to 3ABN in
their retirement years
00:15:31.76\00:15:36.13
because there is a
need to belong to something,
00:15:36.16\00:15:39.83
particularly something
that is bigger than us.
00:15:39.87\00:15:45.21
Let me add
00:15:45.24\00:15:46.57
that when we belong,
00:15:49.98\00:15:55.32
we actually grow.
00:15:55.35\00:15:58.85
Once you leave the
physiological stuff,
00:15:58.89\00:16:02.96
we move into what Maslow calls
00:16:02.99\00:16:07.76
cognitive realities.
00:16:07.80\00:16:11.33
Now really this is
00:16:11.37\00:16:14.17
the image of God stuff.
00:16:14.20\00:16:16.87
But he was too much of
a humanist to admit that
00:16:16.91\00:16:18.87
so he called it cognitive.
00:16:18.91\00:16:22.88
That is why this need to belong
00:16:22.91\00:16:25.61
that is why
being married on face
00:16:25.65\00:16:28.32
is better than being alone.
00:16:28.35\00:16:32.42
And the church said...
00:16:32.45\00:16:36.06
Somebody ought to say amen.
00:16:36.09\00:16:39.36
Yeah, being married
00:16:39.39\00:16:41.26
on face is better
00:16:41.30\00:16:44.27
than being alone.
00:16:44.30\00:16:47.54
To it, a mate that is a spouse
00:16:47.57\00:16:52.44
who is long and
strong on support
00:16:52.47\00:16:55.54
and encouragement,
00:16:55.58\00:16:58.45
and light on criticism
00:16:58.48\00:17:02.48
worth their weight in gold.
00:17:02.52\00:17:05.62
Let me add obiter dictum,
00:17:05.65\00:17:11.33
if a person doesn't love you,
00:17:11.36\00:17:15.00
they forfeit the
right to criticize you.
00:17:15.03\00:17:17.37
Did you hear what I said?
00:17:21.90\00:17:25.24
If a person does not love you,
00:17:25.27\00:17:28.81
they forfeit the
right to criticize you.
00:17:28.84\00:17:33.11
Amen.
00:17:33.15\00:17:36.08
Jesus or rather John
00:17:36.12\00:17:39.72
notes in Revelation 3:19,
00:17:39.75\00:17:44.16
quoting the words of Jesus,
00:17:44.19\00:17:45.53
"As many as I love
I rebuke and chasten,
00:17:45.56\00:17:50.20
but I get the right
to rebuke and chasten you
00:17:50.23\00:17:53.03
because I love you."
00:17:53.07\00:17:56.67
So even Christ
puts it in perspective,
00:17:56.71\00:17:58.71
as many as I love, I correct.
00:17:58.74\00:18:01.01
And Ellen White says,
Christ uttered the most,
00:18:01.04\00:18:02.84
His most scathing
rebukes with tears in His eyes,
00:18:02.88\00:18:05.68
those tears were love.
00:18:05.71\00:18:07.18
Sometimes, you forgive
my pejorative of English,
00:18:07.22\00:18:09.78
stuff has to be said.
00:18:09.82\00:18:13.89
Sometimes you got to
straighten stuff out.
00:18:13.92\00:18:16.66
Amen.
00:18:16.69\00:18:19.16
But do it in love.
00:18:19.19\00:18:21.90
Why?
00:18:21.93\00:18:23.26
Oh, why would
anybody take counsel,
00:18:23.30\00:18:26.57
much less criticism from
somebody that hates them?
00:18:26.60\00:18:29.97
Amen.
00:18:34.48\00:18:35.81
The fourth
00:18:41.45\00:18:44.02
is the need for esteem.
00:18:44.05\00:18:47.62
Now Maslow
calls these cognitive.
00:18:47.66\00:18:51.43
But really these are God given
desires that are in all of us.
00:18:51.46\00:18:55.60
Everybody needs to belong,
00:18:55.63\00:18:58.00
everybody needs to
love and being loved,
00:18:58.03\00:19:00.64
and forget this iron man stuff,
I am a rock, I am an island,
00:19:00.67\00:19:04.37
I don't need anybody,
I can do it by myself.
00:19:04.41\00:19:08.91
Oh, you can't.
00:19:08.94\00:19:10.28
So the next level
that God put in us
00:19:13.58\00:19:16.82
is the need for esteem.
00:19:16.85\00:19:21.46
Everybody needs
affirmation, Shelley.
00:19:21.49\00:19:25.79
We all need affirmation.
00:19:25.83\00:19:27.16
JD call them attaboys.
00:19:27.20\00:19:28.73
We don't say
attaboy in New York,
00:19:32.30\00:19:33.87
but I understand what he meant.
00:19:33.90\00:19:36.44
Everybody needs to be
encouraged, don't you?
00:19:36.47\00:19:41.91
Everybody needs to feel
00:19:41.94\00:19:44.55
that at least one person
00:19:44.58\00:19:47.15
feels that they
are worth something.
00:19:47.18\00:19:51.55
Amen.
00:19:51.59\00:19:52.92
We all have that need.
00:19:52.95\00:19:54.29
Somebody's got that feel
that you're worth something
00:19:54.32\00:19:58.23
or you begin to question
00:19:58.26\00:20:01.23
your own worth.
00:20:01.26\00:20:04.33
Guess what marriage is for?
00:20:04.37\00:20:06.90
Go outside and
get your head whipped,
00:20:06.94\00:20:08.57
you got to come home,
have somebody to stroke it.
00:20:08.60\00:20:13.41
Amen.
00:20:13.44\00:20:15.68
Somebody is
getting little rough,
00:20:15.71\00:20:17.28
when you're fighting
World War I in the street
00:20:17.31\00:20:20.92
and then you come
home and it's World War II.
00:20:20.95\00:20:24.19
Yeah, you've got a God
given need inside of you
00:20:27.89\00:20:30.93
for somebody to value you.
00:20:30.96\00:20:35.60
It's part of life.
00:20:35.63\00:20:37.97
It is a basic
psychological need.
00:20:38.00\00:20:43.20
And we all have it.
00:20:43.24\00:20:45.57
We all have a desire
to be good at something.
00:20:45.61\00:20:50.01
Amen.
00:20:50.05\00:20:51.51
Everybody wants to know
that they're good at something.
00:20:51.55\00:20:57.49
The problem is,
00:20:57.52\00:21:00.69
when you are good
and you compare your good
00:21:00.72\00:21:06.70
with my not so good,
now we got a problem.
00:21:06.73\00:21:10.13
Nothing wrong with being
good and knowing you're good.
00:21:13.64\00:21:17.71
Because if you don't
know you have a gift,
00:21:17.74\00:21:19.21
then you have no
push to improve that gift.
00:21:19.24\00:21:24.31
That's all right to
know that you're good.
00:21:24.35\00:21:27.65
Just don't compare
your good with my good.
00:21:27.68\00:21:31.15
'Cause my good
ain't good as your good.
00:21:31.19\00:21:33.82
But that doesn't matter
00:21:33.86\00:21:35.32
because God
asked me to do the best
00:21:35.36\00:21:37.06
with what I got
just like you do the best
00:21:37.09\00:21:39.16
with what you got.
00:21:39.19\00:21:41.10
Amen.
00:21:41.13\00:21:43.03
Nothing wrong with
knowing you've got a skill
00:21:43.06\00:21:45.53
as long as you
don't compare yourself
00:21:45.57\00:21:47.70
to those who
don't have that skill
00:21:47.74\00:21:50.14
and don't think that your skill
makes you more favorable to God
00:21:50.17\00:21:55.24
because of your skill.
00:21:55.28\00:21:57.48
That make sense?
00:21:57.51\00:22:01.42
Almost another
sermon, getting really close.
00:22:01.45\00:22:06.69
Now Maslow added
one other element,
00:22:06.72\00:22:11.96
but he was too much
of a humanist to realize
00:22:11.99\00:22:15.06
that it was
really God consciousness.
00:22:15.10\00:22:20.67
And like most 19th and
20th century psychologists,
00:22:20.70\00:22:23.41
he had no real use for God.
00:22:23.44\00:22:25.21
You look at the
list of the top 10
00:22:25.24\00:22:27.11
19th and 20th century
psychologists as I said before,
00:22:27.14\00:22:30.71
they're either
agnostic or outright atheists.
00:22:30.75\00:22:33.21
Nietzsche said in 1882,
00:22:36.35\00:22:40.82
"God is dead.
00:22:40.86\00:22:43.29
He will remain dead
and we have killed Him".
00:22:43.32\00:22:48.76
In the latter half of the 1800s,
00:22:48.80\00:22:50.83
the world suffered
through as I said before
00:22:50.87\00:22:52.77
a reaction against the
second great awakening.
00:22:52.80\00:22:56.74
And in that time Darwinism,
00:22:56.77\00:22:58.87
Marxism, Communism, Fascism,
Utopianism, Dystopianism,
00:22:58.91\00:23:03.51
a humanistic ideologies
00:23:03.55\00:23:06.75
which left to
themselves squeezed God out.
00:23:06.78\00:23:11.09
Now here's where
things get a bit tricky.
00:23:15.46\00:23:19.33
As I said you before,
00:23:19.36\00:23:20.73
psychology is a
fairly recent science.
00:23:20.76\00:23:24.83
Wilhelm Wundt, I kept
thinking William Wharf,
00:23:24.87\00:23:28.30
but it's Wilhelm Wundt.
00:23:28.34\00:23:30.27
In 1889 opened
the first laboratory
00:23:30.31\00:23:34.11
for studying psychology.
00:23:34.14\00:23:38.81
It is by nature humanistic.
00:23:38.85\00:23:43.05
If you don't believe
me, ask Dr. Magna Parks.
00:23:43.08\00:23:46.19
She's no longer Magna Parks,
00:23:46.22\00:23:47.56
she's been remarried
since her husband died.
00:23:47.59\00:23:49.42
But she is a PhD in psychology.
00:23:49.46\00:23:52.93
Psychology has developed
00:23:55.86\00:23:57.27
a parallel universe to religion.
00:23:57.30\00:23:59.70
Many say that
00:24:04.47\00:24:06.88
psychology is a religion.
00:24:06.91\00:24:11.98
And God has no place in it.
00:24:12.01\00:24:15.65
Psychology basically is
a study of the human mind
00:24:15.68\00:24:19.52
how it functions,
its effect on behavior.
00:24:19.55\00:24:23.96
It has many subfields.
00:24:23.99\00:24:25.69
You've got
developmental psychology,
00:24:25.73\00:24:27.76
you've got clinical psychology,
you've got abnormal psychology,
00:24:27.80\00:24:30.77
you've got
functional psychology,
00:24:30.80\00:24:32.20
you've got
analytical psychology,
00:24:32.23\00:24:33.77
you've got applied psychology,
00:24:33.80\00:24:35.37
you've got many, many subfields
00:24:35.40\00:24:38.51
to psychological study.
00:24:38.54\00:24:41.38
Here is where the danger lies.
00:24:41.41\00:24:45.15
The goal in life
according to Maslow
00:24:45.18\00:24:50.35
and accepted by
the vast majority
00:24:50.39\00:24:52.79
of psychologists
00:24:52.82\00:24:54.49
is self actualization.
00:24:54.52\00:24:57.79
Self actualization.
00:25:00.90\00:25:04.60
That put Maslow on a
collision course with heaven.
00:25:04.63\00:25:08.44
Because the aim of psychology
00:25:08.47\00:25:11.64
is not sinlessness or salvation,
00:25:11.67\00:25:16.81
it's self actualization.
00:25:16.85\00:25:20.48
Or peace with whatever you are
00:25:20.52\00:25:25.55
and whatever you,
00:25:25.59\00:25:27.06
wherever you find yourself.
00:25:27.09\00:25:29.86
Now if you're connecting dots,
00:25:29.89\00:25:31.23
you can see how
that can be problematic.
00:25:31.26\00:25:35.00
Self actualization replaces sin.
00:25:35.03\00:25:38.93
Isn't it interesting
how you take almost any word
00:25:38.97\00:25:42.10
in the English language,
00:25:42.14\00:25:43.47
add the word self to it
and it becomes a problem.
00:25:43.51\00:25:46.84
Yeah, that's
going to be the door
00:25:46.88\00:25:48.34
that Satan uses to get in.
00:25:48.38\00:25:50.88
Pick a word, add self to
it, it's going to be a problem.
00:25:50.91\00:25:53.78
Psychologists say and
one of the great ones,
00:25:57.35\00:26:02.36
Baruch Spinoza said, "If
you're going to have faith
00:26:02.39\00:26:07.70
in anything, have
faith in yourself.
00:26:07.73\00:26:13.17
And that sound like
a problem to anybody?
00:26:13.20\00:26:17.27
Which by the way is the
message of the new age church,
00:26:17.31\00:26:20.01
the emergence church,
and contemplative prayer.
00:26:20.04\00:26:23.78
Don't go out,
don't go up, go in.
00:26:23.81\00:26:29.18
So the
philosopher psychologist said,
00:26:29.22\00:26:32.22
"Faith in God is an illusion.
00:26:32.25\00:26:35.46
A useless dependence
on a nonexistent deity.
00:26:35.49\00:26:39.06
You're wasting your time."
00:26:39.09\00:26:42.70
So for many new
age psychologists,
00:26:42.73\00:26:45.67
for many humanist psychologists,
00:26:45.70\00:26:48.80
God simply has no place.
00:26:48.84\00:26:54.08
So in their minds,
00:26:54.11\00:26:55.84
faith is fake.
00:26:55.88\00:27:00.25
And if you look at
the top ten psychologists
00:27:00.28\00:27:02.58
of the past two
centuries, Skinner, Piaget,
00:27:02.62\00:27:05.95
Freud, Bandura,
00:27:05.99\00:27:09.46
Festinger, James, Pavlov.
00:27:09.49\00:27:11.79
Remember, Pavlov and the
dogs with the saliva look,
00:27:11.83\00:27:14.90
Rogers, Erikson,
Vygotsky, and Maslow,
00:27:14.93\00:27:18.23
none included Christ in
anything they had to say,
00:27:18.27\00:27:21.80
in any of their writings
or in any of their teachings
00:27:21.84\00:27:24.87
and their minds
00:27:24.91\00:27:26.47
that has dominated psychology.
00:27:26.51\00:27:31.81
So Maslow says
here's what we need,
00:27:31.85\00:27:35.62
the ultimate in life
is self actualization,
00:27:35.65\00:27:40.62
the total realization
of all your potential.
00:27:40.66\00:27:45.03
Ladies and
gentlemen, that is fake news.
00:27:45.06\00:27:50.13
It is the ultimate illusion,
00:27:50.17\00:27:52.13
if not the ultimate delusion
for a number of reasons.
00:27:52.17\00:27:57.21
Psychology as
preached and practiced today
00:27:57.24\00:28:00.94
is devoid of God,
00:28:00.98\00:28:02.94
and I believe a direct and
demonic shot at true faith.
00:28:02.98\00:28:08.58
Strong statement.
00:28:08.62\00:28:12.42
Here is why.
00:28:12.45\00:28:13.79
Number one, who can determine
00:28:13.82\00:28:16.12
what your ultimate potential is?
00:28:16.16\00:28:19.33
You?
00:28:19.36\00:28:22.33
How many sitting here today
00:28:22.36\00:28:23.97
think you have reached
your ultimate potential?
00:28:24.00\00:28:26.07
You've gone as
far as you can go,
00:28:26.10\00:28:27.97
you know as
much as you can know.
00:28:28.00\00:28:29.44
You've done everything you
can, you cannot get any better,
00:28:29.47\00:28:32.61
you've reached
your ultimate potential,
00:28:32.64\00:28:34.94
you have self actualized.
00:28:34.98\00:28:36.85
Anybody willing to
stand and make that statement?
00:28:36.88\00:28:38.81
Not me.
00:28:38.85\00:28:40.18
Two,
00:28:43.02\00:28:45.22
who can decide
when you've reached it?
00:28:45.25\00:28:49.06
You see, your potential
00:28:52.89\00:28:54.56
is a combination
of your education,
00:28:54.60\00:28:57.63
your
opportunities, and your drive.
00:28:57.67\00:29:00.60
Some people have
education and opportunity,
00:29:00.64\00:29:02.60
they're just lazy.
00:29:02.64\00:29:04.77
They don't get anywhere.
00:29:04.81\00:29:06.17
Some people have drive,
00:29:06.21\00:29:08.64
but never get the
education or the opportunity.
00:29:08.68\00:29:12.85
You know, there are some people
who can really do some stuff,
00:29:12.88\00:29:15.38
but they don't
get encouragement,
00:29:15.42\00:29:16.75
they don't get the education,
00:29:16.79\00:29:18.12
they don't get
the opportunities,
00:29:18.15\00:29:19.49
so they never reach potential
00:29:19.52\00:29:20.96
because they just
haven't had the opportunity.
00:29:20.99\00:29:23.83
So how can the idea
00:29:28.20\00:29:30.30
of a totally
self actuated person
00:29:30.33\00:29:33.44
even make sense outside of God,
00:29:33.47\00:29:36.71
particularly in
light of Matthew 16:26?
00:29:36.74\00:29:40.08
What does it profit a man
00:29:40.11\00:29:43.35
to get everything he
wants and lose his soul?
00:29:43.38\00:29:47.95
So you're as rich
as Mark Zuckerberg.
00:29:51.59\00:29:53.96
Now two weeks
ago, Mark Zuckerberg
00:29:53.99\00:29:55.72
lost $90 million.
00:29:55.76\00:29:57.86
He lost $90 million.
00:30:01.10\00:30:04.20
How much money do you have
00:30:04.23\00:30:07.27
so that you can lose 90 million
00:30:07.30\00:30:10.11
and not jump off a
building at some place?
00:30:10.14\00:30:13.58
Lost 90 million.
00:30:13.61\00:30:15.78
Most of us will
never see 90 million.
00:30:15.81\00:30:21.05
So in Maslow's
mindset, Mark Zuckerberg
00:30:21.08\00:30:24.62
because he is famous and
rich has self actualized.
00:30:24.65\00:30:30.19
But my question is, is his name
written in the book of life.
00:30:30.23\00:30:35.80
So what does it profit a
man to be Mark Zuckerberg
00:30:35.83\00:30:38.67
and lose his own self?
00:30:38.70\00:30:40.04
You forgive my
pejorative of English,
00:30:40.07\00:30:41.40
that ain't no self
actualization in hell.
00:30:41.44\00:30:43.34
So the greatest
gift of God to man
00:30:51.41\00:30:55.42
is the way of
salvation through Jesus Christ
00:30:55.45\00:30:59.79
and the key to that
gift is faith in God.
00:30:59.82\00:31:04.93
Amen.
00:31:04.96\00:31:08.43
In all of your getting,
00:31:08.46\00:31:10.37
you got to get faith
or you ain't got nothing.
00:31:10.40\00:31:15.50
Amen.
00:31:18.61\00:31:19.94
So Maslow made the mistake
of mentioning some people
00:31:23.91\00:31:28.55
who he thought had
reached self actualization,
00:31:28.58\00:31:32.35
they've done it all.
00:31:32.39\00:31:35.12
Baruch Spinoza, philosopher,
00:31:35.16\00:31:39.36
and then what
caught my attention,
00:31:39.39\00:31:41.26
he put in there, Aldous Huxley.
00:31:41.30\00:31:45.20
Checking my time.
00:31:45.23\00:31:47.17
You remember who
Aldous Huxley is?
00:31:47.20\00:31:50.17
From a rich
British Huxley family.
00:31:50.21\00:31:54.18
He wrote the
book Brave New World.
00:31:54.21\00:31:59.41
Brave New World was the first
00:31:59.45\00:32:00.98
of what they call
the dystopian novels.
00:32:01.02\00:32:04.75
You know what utopia
is, that's perfection,
00:32:04.79\00:32:07.36
dystopia is
perfection turned upside down.
00:32:07.39\00:32:10.33
It's a world where right
is wrong, and wrong is right,
00:32:10.36\00:32:13.63
nothing makes any sense,
00:32:13.66\00:32:15.00
and the government
is out to destroy you
00:32:15.03\00:32:16.56
rather than help you.
00:32:16.60\00:32:17.93
Brave New World was the first,
00:32:17.97\00:32:20.10
1984 is the dystopian novel.
00:32:20.14\00:32:23.07
Animal Farm is
a dystopian novel.
00:32:23.10\00:32:26.21
Handmaid's Tale, a
really grouse novel
00:32:26.24\00:32:29.71
is a dystopian novel.
00:32:29.74\00:32:31.08
Lord of the Flies
is a dystopian novel.
00:32:31.11\00:32:34.15
Hunger Games
00:32:34.18\00:32:35.52
is a dystopian novel.
00:32:38.69\00:32:42.92
But Maslow says,
00:32:42.96\00:32:45.79
this guy has
reached self actualization.
00:32:45.83\00:32:51.47
Lincoln, Thomas
Jefferson, a deist,
00:32:51.50\00:32:55.54
Eleanor Roosevelt, and Einstein.
00:32:55.57\00:32:57.51
Einstein did some great stuff.
00:33:00.61\00:33:03.68
My question is, is his
name written in the book?
00:33:03.71\00:33:09.18
So can it be that
if you're not famous,
00:33:09.22\00:33:11.49
you cannot be
so self actualized.
00:33:11.52\00:33:14.06
I am so glad that
you can be nothing
00:33:14.09\00:33:17.29
in the eyes of man
00:33:17.33\00:33:19.26
and great in the
kingdom of heaven.
00:33:19.29\00:33:23.80
Now there's some of us
who have some notoriety.
00:33:23.83\00:33:26.37
People see us on 3ABN,
00:33:26.40\00:33:28.60
but there's nobody
here who is famous.
00:33:28.64\00:33:32.64
And if you think
you are, look again.
00:33:32.67\00:33:36.18
You're not famous.
00:33:36.21\00:33:39.71
God has given you a position.
00:33:39.75\00:33:41.95
And there comes some
disability with that position.
00:33:41.98\00:33:45.79
Forget that famous stuff.
00:33:45.82\00:33:47.29
Fame is an illusion.
00:33:50.36\00:33:52.66
Amen.
00:33:52.69\00:33:54.36
Anybody know who Clara Bow is?
00:33:54.40\00:33:57.73
Nobody.
00:33:57.77\00:33:59.10
One of the most
famous actresses of all time.
00:33:59.13\00:34:02.27
Nobody even knows her name.
00:34:02.30\00:34:05.37
It's an illusion.
00:34:05.41\00:34:07.71
It's not real.
00:34:07.74\00:34:09.74
Look what Christ
Himself said to Daniel
00:34:09.78\00:34:12.45
when he was homeschooling
him in Daniel 10:19,
00:34:12.48\00:34:17.55
"Don't be
afraid," the Lord said,
00:34:17.59\00:34:20.39
"for you are very
precious to God," that's fame.
00:34:20.42\00:34:25.36
Amen.
00:34:25.39\00:34:26.73
That's what I'd like to hear.
00:34:26.76\00:34:28.66
Don't worry about anything.
00:34:28.70\00:34:31.37
You're very precious to God.
00:34:31.40\00:34:33.64
Very, very precious to God.
00:34:33.67\00:34:35.64
That's from I think
the Jerusalem translation.
00:34:35.67\00:34:41.14
Matthew 5:19,
"Anyone who obeys God's laws
00:34:41.18\00:34:44.51
and teaches them
will be called great
00:34:44.55\00:34:47.72
in the kingdom of heaven."
00:34:47.75\00:34:49.78
It doesn't really
matter what you call down here
00:34:49.82\00:34:53.29
as long as your
name is written there.
00:34:53.32\00:34:57.93
So Maslow didn't connect
the dots on self actualization
00:34:57.96\00:35:03.90
doing what
you're supposed to do,
00:35:03.93\00:35:05.40
being where
you're supposed to be,
00:35:05.43\00:35:07.70
fulfilling your highest goals
can only be found in Jesus.
00:35:07.74\00:35:13.54
Hebrews 11:6, "Without
faith it is impossible."
00:35:13.58\00:35:17.55
Paul writes and
admonishes the Corinthians
00:35:20.62\00:35:22.52
in 2 Corinthians 8:7,
00:35:22.55\00:35:25.29
trying to get
through this quickly.
00:35:25.32\00:35:27.92
But abound in
everything and the first thing
00:35:27.96\00:35:29.56
he begins that
list with is faith.
00:35:29.59\00:35:32.83
Faith is the PIN number
00:35:32.86\00:35:35.86
to your heavenly bank account.
00:35:35.90\00:35:39.10
That makes sense.
00:35:39.13\00:35:41.44
Yeah, faith is the PIN.
00:35:41.47\00:35:43.14
So you can get in
there and get the goodies.
00:35:43.17\00:35:46.17
Ellen White says,
"Prayer is the key
00:35:46.21\00:35:48.41
in the hands of faith to
unlock heaven's storehouse
00:35:48.44\00:35:53.45
where are treasured
00:35:53.48\00:35:54.95
the boundless
riches of omnipotence."
00:35:54.98\00:35:58.39
There's stuff waiting for
you, but you need a PIN number
00:35:58.42\00:36:01.86
and faith is your PIN.
00:36:01.89\00:36:04.69
Without the PIN,
you can't get in.
00:36:04.73\00:36:06.73
Fifth Volume
Testimonies, page 630,
00:36:10.20\00:36:13.70
"God's blessed promises are set
00:36:13.74\00:36:17.01
in a framework of faith."
00:36:17.04\00:36:22.38
Ellen White talks in
Early Writings, page 81,
00:36:22.41\00:36:24.58
she is walking along
in vision with an angel,
00:36:24.61\00:36:26.68
and the angel
handed her a green cord.
00:36:26.72\00:36:30.32
It was wound up very tightly.
00:36:30.35\00:36:33.52
The angel said,
"Take this green cord
00:36:33.56\00:36:35.76
and keep it
close to your heart."
00:36:35.79\00:36:38.63
The angel said, "But don't
let it stay coiled up too long
00:36:38.66\00:36:43.06
because it's
going to be difficult
00:36:43.10\00:36:44.47
to straighten out."
00:36:44.50\00:36:45.83
And whenever you
want to see Jesus,
00:36:45.87\00:36:47.24
just straighten out that
cord to its longest length.
00:36:47.27\00:36:51.07
But don't let it
stay coiled up too long
00:36:51.11\00:36:52.97
because the
longer it's coiled up,
00:36:53.01\00:36:54.34
the more kinky it gets
00:36:54.38\00:36:55.71
and the harder it
is to straighten out.
00:36:55.74\00:36:57.58
She says, "The Lord impressed me
00:36:57.61\00:36:59.75
that that cord was fake."
00:36:59.78\00:37:04.65
Use it often when
you want to see Jesus,
00:37:04.69\00:37:09.89
and when you want
Jesus to be near to you.
00:37:09.92\00:37:12.83
4 Testimony, 377,
00:37:16.53\00:37:18.93
"Faith is ever
interested in others,"
00:37:18.97\00:37:21.17
which was kind
of shocking to me.
00:37:21.20\00:37:22.54
I thought really faith
was a one-on-one relationship
00:37:22.57\00:37:24.74
between me and God.
00:37:24.77\00:37:26.11
But Ellen White
says that true faith
00:37:26.14\00:37:27.71
always has an
interest in other people.
00:37:27.74\00:37:29.98
Now in every thesis
there must be a case study.
00:37:33.72\00:37:38.85
Now is a sermon, seven minutes.
00:37:38.89\00:37:43.39
Matthew 15:21,
put your finger there
00:37:43.43\00:37:46.46
and if you have double marker,
you want to go to Mark 7:24
00:37:46.49\00:37:51.63
because they
recite the same incident.
00:37:51.67\00:37:54.57
Mark adds some nuances
that Matthew does not add.
00:37:54.60\00:38:00.01
And then Matthew
adds some explanations
00:38:00.04\00:38:03.14
that Mark does not have.
00:38:03.18\00:38:05.28
When you read the Book of Mark,
00:38:05.31\00:38:06.65
you will know that Mark
jumps into miracles right away.
00:38:06.68\00:38:09.15
Not like Matthew, not like Luke,
00:38:09.18\00:38:10.72
certainly not like John,
00:38:10.75\00:38:12.32
Matthew is big on genealogy
00:38:12.35\00:38:14.06
and Jewishness
and all that stuff.
00:38:14.09\00:38:15.82
Mark didn't care
about any of that,
00:38:15.86\00:38:17.56
he jumps into
miracles very first chapter.
00:38:17.59\00:38:20.43
So each gives us some
details that only is...
00:38:23.53\00:38:26.47
Now Matthew does not mention
that she was Syrophoenician,
00:38:26.50\00:38:30.01
Mark does.
00:38:30.04\00:38:31.94
Mark also affirms
00:38:31.97\00:38:33.44
as does Ellen White
that she was Canaanite,
00:38:33.48\00:38:35.58
living in Syrian territory
under Phoenician control.
00:38:35.61\00:38:38.68
Here's another big word.
00:38:38.71\00:38:40.05
She was living
00:38:40.08\00:38:41.42
in the Phoenician thalassocracy.
00:38:41.45\00:38:45.42
Isn't that a pretty word?
00:38:45.45\00:38:46.79
A thalassocracy is an empire
that is ruled from the sea.
00:38:51.23\00:38:55.00
The Phoenicians were sea people.
00:38:55.03\00:38:56.50
The city of
Sidon was on the coast
00:38:56.53\00:38:58.70
and the city of Tyre
00:38:58.73\00:39:00.07
actually was an
island off of the coast.
00:39:00.10\00:39:01.87
So she was living
00:39:01.90\00:39:03.24
in the Phoenician thalassocracy,
00:39:03.27\00:39:05.97
the Phoenician empire,
north, slightly west of Israel.
00:39:06.01\00:39:11.38
The Phoenicians were sea people.
00:39:11.41\00:39:14.78
Christ came to this area
00:39:14.82\00:39:18.32
and Christ commended this woman
00:39:18.35\00:39:20.76
for her great faith, "Oh,
woman, great is thy faith."
00:39:20.79\00:39:24.96
Let's quickly unpack this
story and then we're done.
00:39:24.99\00:39:27.76
She doesn't know
Jesus, but she has heard.
00:39:27.80\00:39:30.90
Now what's interesting
is the Greek tenses here.
00:39:30.93\00:39:33.60
Her is in the aorist tense,
00:39:33.64\00:39:35.67
aorist simply means she
may not have heard a lot,
00:39:35.70\00:39:39.17
she may not have
heard a long time,
00:39:39.21\00:39:41.08
she may not have
heard many times,
00:39:41.11\00:39:43.71
simply that this
occurred, she heard about Jesus.
00:39:43.75\00:39:49.12
And hearing about
Jesus evidently was enough.
00:39:49.15\00:39:53.86
Somehow she had gotten word
00:39:53.89\00:39:56.56
that Jesus was in her vicinity.
00:39:56.59\00:40:00.33
She had heard
that Jesus heals all.
00:40:00.36\00:40:04.13
And when she discovered
that, she found Jesus.
00:40:04.17\00:40:08.40
The Bible says,
she worshipped Him,
00:40:08.44\00:40:10.24
meaning she fell at His
feet which Mark makes plain.
00:40:10.27\00:40:14.08
And she asked Him,
"Heal my daughter."
00:40:14.11\00:40:17.91
Now already she is
showing great faith
00:40:17.95\00:40:20.12
because she's going to a
man that she's never seen,
00:40:20.15\00:40:22.58
never spoken to, a religion
that she is not familiar with,
00:40:22.62\00:40:27.02
people who hate her
for being who she is,
00:40:27.06\00:40:30.83
and she's going to this place
00:40:30.86\00:40:33.06
because of her
love for her daughter.
00:40:33.09\00:40:37.47
Ellen White
says, 4 Testimony, 377,
00:40:37.50\00:40:41.37
"Great faith is ever
interested in others."
00:40:41.40\00:40:44.57
Well, this lady,
it was her daughter,
00:40:44.61\00:40:46.54
for the Roman centurion,
00:40:46.57\00:40:47.91
the other person
that Christ commended
00:40:47.94\00:40:49.51
for having great
faith, it was his sleigh.
00:40:49.54\00:40:52.25
This woman is serious
00:40:52.28\00:40:57.02
about finding some help.
00:40:57.05\00:41:00.09
And Christ is going
to test her seriousness.
00:41:05.59\00:41:09.70
Do you not know
that Christ tests you?
00:41:09.73\00:41:11.73
Yeah.
00:41:11.77\00:41:13.34
If you have not been
tested, keep on living,
00:41:13.37\00:41:15.60
you will be tested.
00:41:15.64\00:41:17.41
Amen.
00:41:17.44\00:41:18.81
It's coming.
00:41:18.84\00:41:22.78
So Christ is testing her.
00:41:22.81\00:41:24.71
The first thing He
does when she asked for help
00:41:24.75\00:41:28.52
is Christ gives her
the silent treatment.
00:41:28.55\00:41:34.19
Bible says, He
answered not a word.
00:41:34.22\00:41:38.26
Mark doesn't say
it, Matthew does.
00:41:38.29\00:41:41.63
Not a word.
00:41:41.66\00:41:43.43
Here is a thing.
00:41:43.47\00:41:44.93
Most people are not
intellectually wired
00:41:44.97\00:41:48.00
for silent treatment.
00:41:48.04\00:41:50.47
Yeah.
00:41:50.51\00:41:52.04
Most people don't do well
in the absence of information.
00:41:52.07\00:41:56.01
Amen.
00:41:56.04\00:41:57.38
That's why when you
counsel for marriage
00:41:57.41\00:41:59.88
you tell them communicate,
communicate, communicate.
00:41:59.91\00:42:03.12
Technically it is better
to scream than to say nothing.
00:42:03.15\00:42:08.22
Yeah, if you're screaming,
00:42:08.26\00:42:09.59
at least I know
what's on your mind,
00:42:09.62\00:42:11.16
if you're saying nothing,
00:42:11.19\00:42:12.66
then I tend to guess
and I usually guess wrong.
00:42:12.69\00:42:15.13
Now screaming is not good.
00:42:15.16\00:42:17.03
But of the two,
yelling or total silence,
00:42:17.07\00:42:22.90
yelling is
better, because in silence
00:42:22.94\00:42:26.68
all kinds of things
come up in your mind.
00:42:26.71\00:42:28.64
So Christ gives this
woman the silent treatment.
00:42:32.51\00:42:36.79
Didn't say anything.
00:42:40.52\00:42:43.26
Not a word.
00:42:43.29\00:42:45.09
But she was neither
dissuaded nor distracted.
00:42:45.13\00:42:51.10
That's another
aspect of great faith.
00:42:51.13\00:42:53.94
It's perseverance.
00:42:53.97\00:42:56.71
Amen.
00:42:56.74\00:42:58.14
When you really believe it,
00:42:58.17\00:43:00.01
you hang in
there till you get it.
00:43:00.04\00:43:02.01
Here's the amplified
version of Hebrews 10:23.
00:43:05.91\00:43:10.19
I love this.
00:43:10.22\00:43:11.82
"Let us seize and hold tightly
the confession of our hope,
00:43:11.85\00:43:15.69
without wavering for he
who promised is reliable,
00:43:15.72\00:43:19.46
and trustworthy, and
faithful to his word."
00:43:19.49\00:43:24.70
So you hang in there,
because you know that the God
00:43:24.73\00:43:28.20
that you are
praying to is faithful.
00:43:28.24\00:43:31.57
She didn't have that
scripture, all she had was need.
00:43:31.61\00:43:35.28
And sometimes, when
all you got is need,
00:43:35.31\00:43:39.28
Christ gives you
the answer to that need
00:43:39.31\00:43:43.39
because it is your need
that commends you to Jesus.
00:43:43.42\00:43:46.99
You've got no place else to go.
00:43:47.02\00:43:49.56
You can't get
anything from anyone else.
00:43:49.59\00:43:51.79
It's your lack of other options
00:43:51.83\00:43:54.73
that tugs them the
heartstrings of Jesus.
00:43:54.76\00:43:56.90
Hebrews 10:35 and 36,
00:44:00.30\00:44:01.97
"So do not throw away
00:44:02.00\00:44:03.61
this confident
trust in the Lord,"
00:44:03.64\00:44:06.24
this is from the New Living,
00:44:06.27\00:44:07.61
"remember the great
reward it brings you."
00:44:07.64\00:44:10.65
So don't fatigue,
hold on to your faith.
00:44:10.68\00:44:13.98
Verse 36, "Patient
endurance is what you need now,
00:44:14.02\00:44:16.92
so that you will
continue to do God's will,
00:44:16.95\00:44:19.45
then you receive all
that He has promised."
00:44:19.49\00:44:21.76
Amen.
00:44:21.79\00:44:23.12
Christ silence was strategic.
00:44:23.16\00:44:24.86
It was a strategic
test which she passed.
00:44:24.89\00:44:28.83
Messages to Young People,
page 121, Ellen White says,
00:44:28.86\00:44:31.57
"Conflicts and obstacles
actually increase our faith."
00:44:31.60\00:44:36.60
So don't ask for it to be easy,
00:44:36.64\00:44:39.07
ask for enough faith
to climb those mountains.
00:44:39.11\00:44:42.28
So He is not talking,
but He didn't say get lost,
00:44:45.41\00:44:48.48
He didn't say scram,
He didn't say take a hike,
00:44:48.52\00:44:50.72
He didn't say anything.
00:44:50.75\00:44:52.09
The disciples
were busy saying that.
00:44:52.12\00:44:54.12
In Matthew 15:23, His disciples
thought that Jesus silence
00:44:54.16\00:44:59.63
was meaning that He was thinking
00:44:59.66\00:45:01.30
like they were thinking.
00:45:01.33\00:45:02.76
They didn't like her,
they didn't want her there,
00:45:02.80\00:45:04.67
and they thought
Jesus felt the same.
00:45:04.70\00:45:06.33
That His silence
meant He too distained her.
00:45:06.37\00:45:10.07
So they piped up.
00:45:10.11\00:45:11.64
Jesus, send this woman away.
00:45:11.67\00:45:16.75
Her cries and cry is
in the imperfect tense
00:45:16.78\00:45:19.61
was mean she kept on
crying, she just stayed on it,
00:45:19.65\00:45:22.55
stayed on it, stayed on it.
00:45:22.58\00:45:24.52
And the disciples said,
"You know, frankly Jesus,
00:45:24.55\00:45:26.79
this woman is
getting on our nerve.
00:45:26.82\00:45:32.09
She is hounding
us, send her away."
00:45:32.13\00:45:37.03
But see, if
your burden is great,
00:45:37.07\00:45:40.77
you stick with it.
00:45:40.80\00:45:42.94
The Bible says,
she worshiped Him,
00:45:44.41\00:45:45.84
meaning she fell at His feet.
00:45:45.87\00:45:49.24
She went down to
her knees or prostrate
00:45:49.28\00:45:52.11
because her burden for
her daughter was great.
00:45:52.15\00:45:55.98
Now that falling on her knees
00:45:56.02\00:45:57.42
wasn't
something Christ demanded.
00:45:57.45\00:45:59.59
Christ doesn't demand you
00:45:59.62\00:46:00.96
to flagellate
yourself, do that kind of thing.
00:46:00.99\00:46:03.32
No, that was her burden,
00:46:03.36\00:46:05.06
Christ wants
obedience, not obeisance.
00:46:05.09\00:46:08.30
The truth is, she
had Him at have mercy.
00:46:08.33\00:46:14.17
When you ask Christ for mercy
and your prayer is sincere,
00:46:14.20\00:46:18.44
that is a prayer that
Jesus will never ever turn down.
00:46:18.47\00:46:24.05
Amen.
00:46:24.08\00:46:25.55
Never, never turn down.
00:46:25.58\00:46:28.38
Any time you
ask Jesus for mercy,
00:46:28.42\00:46:30.89
guess what you get.
00:46:30.92\00:46:32.82
Mercy.
00:46:32.85\00:46:36.46
James 5:11, "We call
them blessed who endure,
00:46:36.49\00:46:39.89
who have heard the
perseverance of Job
00:46:39.93\00:46:43.70
and seen the end
intended by the Lord.
00:46:43.73\00:46:47.54
And the Lord is very
compassionate and merciful."
00:46:47.57\00:46:52.34
Now take note.
00:46:52.37\00:46:53.71
Jesus only performed
one miracle in Phoenicia,
00:46:53.74\00:46:58.38
in this town,
00:46:58.41\00:47:00.08
only one just like He did
only one miracle in Samaria,
00:47:00.12\00:47:05.19
which means that
Christ went up there
00:47:05.22\00:47:07.56
to that alien country
00:47:07.59\00:47:09.26
specifically to meet this woman.
00:47:09.29\00:47:11.73
Only did one miracle, He
turned around and came back.
00:47:11.76\00:47:15.03
That shows you how
important she was to Him
00:47:15.06\00:47:17.93
and how
important you are to Him.
00:47:17.97\00:47:20.64
Amen.
00:47:20.67\00:47:22.47
That says, He will move heaven
and earth just to save you
00:47:22.50\00:47:27.34
and just as He spoke
with this woman in Phoenicia,
00:47:27.38\00:47:32.01
He spoke with this woman
in Samaria at Jacob's Well
00:47:32.05\00:47:35.68
who had five husbands
and one living boyfriend
00:47:35.72\00:47:39.29
because He was
anxious to save their souls.
00:47:39.32\00:47:44.46
So again she asked,
Lord, lift me, Lord, help me.
00:47:44.49\00:47:48.66
Christ knew her sincerity,
He's reading her heart,
00:47:48.70\00:47:51.63
He tests her just one more time.
00:47:51.67\00:47:54.40
"I'm here for the
lost sheep of Israel."
00:47:54.44\00:47:58.24
Mark says, "Let the
children be filled first."
00:47:58.27\00:48:01.54
Now it doesn't say
they won't be filled,
00:48:01.58\00:48:03.24
they need to be filled first.
00:48:03.28\00:48:05.81
It's not good to give
bread to the little dogs."
00:48:05.85\00:48:10.79
Almost done, to little dogs.
00:48:10.82\00:48:14.52
He was sending
her a dog with her.
00:48:14.56\00:48:19.69
Yeah, that was code.
00:48:19.73\00:48:22.96
He didn't say, it's not
good for me to give food
00:48:23.00\00:48:27.74
to the dogs in a street.
00:48:27.77\00:48:30.34
The term here little
dogs means household pets.
00:48:30.37\00:48:35.71
Little dogs, little
pets around the house.
00:48:35.74\00:48:39.31
So though He is challenging her,
00:48:39.35\00:48:42.08
He is at the same time
softening her, soothing her,
00:48:42.12\00:48:47.09
because He's got a
blessing in store for her.
00:48:47.12\00:48:50.33
So He's saying, "It's not
good for me to give the food
00:48:50.36\00:48:56.06
to the household pets."
00:48:56.10\00:48:58.50
Now she's thinking in her mind
00:48:58.53\00:48:59.93
since He's sending her
clues at least I'm in the house.
00:48:59.97\00:49:03.97
Amen.
00:49:04.01\00:49:05.61
Yeah, I'm a
household pet not a street dog,
00:49:05.64\00:49:09.18
I'm in the house.
00:49:09.21\00:49:10.98
So now she's pushing forward.
00:49:11.01\00:49:12.81
She's pushing
forward because she knows
00:49:12.85\00:49:15.12
she's got a chance
00:49:15.15\00:49:16.48
and she sees a little
window opening and she says,
00:49:16.52\00:49:20.26
"Yes, Lord, You're
right, that is true,
00:49:20.29\00:49:23.66
but even the house pets
00:49:23.69\00:49:28.13
get food from
the master's table."
00:49:28.16\00:49:30.37
And Christ had no
intention of drowning
00:49:33.77\00:49:36.04
or draining her fledgling faith.
00:49:36.07\00:49:39.64
In fact, He is so impressed.
00:49:39.67\00:49:41.74
The Greek word is
stomatos, his mouth was open.
00:49:41.78\00:49:46.51
He is amazed
that this alien woman
00:49:46.55\00:49:50.15
from an alien country
has this kind of faith.
00:49:50.19\00:49:53.19
I got a
question before we close.
00:49:56.49\00:49:58.79
Here it is.
00:49:58.83\00:50:00.16
What got that woman her faith,
00:50:00.20\00:50:04.00
her miracle?
00:50:04.03\00:50:06.74
What got her a miracle?
00:50:06.77\00:50:08.54
Was it her
persistence or her faith?
00:50:08.57\00:50:12.47
Now there are three answers,
00:50:16.75\00:50:18.38
two of them are
right, one is wrong.
00:50:18.41\00:50:24.12
How many of you
think was her faith?
00:50:24.15\00:50:29.39
Anybody think it
was her persistent?
00:50:29.42\00:50:30.76
Not a persistence.
00:50:34.83\00:50:38.47
It's her
persistence and her faith.
00:50:38.50\00:50:41.17
Got to be both.
00:50:41.20\00:50:42.94
Because
persistence without faith
00:50:42.97\00:50:44.67
is not going to get you anything
00:50:44.71\00:50:46.37
and faith without persistence
00:50:46.41\00:50:47.98
is not going to
get you anywhere.
00:50:48.01\00:50:50.41
The reason I know is
not persistence is this.
00:50:50.45\00:50:52.91
Remember the story
of the unjust judge.
00:50:52.95\00:50:55.68
Remember that story,
widow came to avenge me.
00:50:55.72\00:50:59.95
And the judge
respected neither God nor man.
00:50:59.99\00:51:04.79
But he said,
00:51:04.83\00:51:06.66
I'm going to take
care of this woman's case
00:51:06.70\00:51:08.90
because she's
getting on my nerves.
00:51:08.93\00:51:13.03
She's wearying me.
00:51:13.07\00:51:15.17
And before I lose my mind,
00:51:15.20\00:51:17.14
let me just take
care of her case.
00:51:17.17\00:51:19.87
Now she got what she wanted,
00:51:19.91\00:51:21.81
but that was a
matter of persistence.
00:51:21.84\00:51:25.48
Amen.
00:51:25.51\00:51:26.85
She just nagged a
blessing out of Him.
00:51:26.88\00:51:31.95
So it can't be persistent
00:51:31.99\00:51:34.19
because you can't nag
a blessing out of Jesus.
00:51:34.22\00:51:39.09
You can't.
00:51:39.13\00:51:40.70
You know people
back in Christ day
00:51:40.73\00:51:42.60
used to walk around fasting,
00:51:42.63\00:51:44.87
you know, and
prayer, just fasting rather,
00:51:44.90\00:51:49.07
trying to get a
blessing out of Lord.
00:51:49.10\00:51:50.97
Christ went to the cross.
00:51:51.01\00:51:52.34
You think you skipping a couple
of meals don't impress Him.
00:51:52.37\00:51:56.64
When we were in school,
00:51:56.68\00:51:58.78
and a guy wanted
to impress a girl,
00:51:58.81\00:52:02.42
he would go
fasting and prayer for her.
00:52:02.45\00:52:05.29
Particular theology majors
00:52:05.32\00:52:06.65
who were going
to be in ministry,
00:52:06.69\00:52:08.02
they wanted
somebody with a lot of hair,
00:52:08.06\00:52:09.46
played the piano, you
know, about the guys back then.
00:52:09.49\00:52:11.96
I remember
Raymond Baker was fasting
00:52:11.99\00:52:14.06
for Corliss Claiborne.
00:52:14.10\00:52:15.43
Corliss Claiborne couldn't
care a hoot about Raymond Baker,
00:52:15.46\00:52:17.63
and he's skipping meals,
00:52:17.67\00:52:19.00
come into the
cafeteria dragging himself
00:52:19.03\00:52:21.04
and drinking one
glass of juice per day.
00:52:21.07\00:52:23.34
I'm fasting for you, baby.
00:52:23.37\00:52:25.41
I'm fasting.
00:52:25.44\00:52:26.78
And she is like please.
00:52:26.81\00:52:28.14
She wasn't
impressed and neither was God.
00:52:30.75\00:52:34.12
You fasting and flagellating
yourself and beating yourself,
00:52:34.15\00:52:36.72
which doesn't impressed God.
00:52:36.75\00:52:38.19
He didn't ask for that.
00:52:38.22\00:52:39.65
He didn't want
you to die for Him.
00:52:39.69\00:52:41.36
He wants you to live for Him.
00:52:41.39\00:52:44.19
So perseverance
doesn't get it done.
00:52:44.23\00:52:48.90
Faith alone doesn't get it done.
00:52:48.93\00:52:51.27
It's perseverance and faith.
00:52:51.30\00:52:54.90
Amen.
00:52:54.94\00:52:56.30
Believe that is
coming and stay with it
00:52:56.34\00:52:59.17
until you get it
00:52:59.21\00:53:02.84
and don't fatigue.
00:53:02.88\00:53:06.45
Because Jesus is more
willing to give you a good gift
00:53:06.48\00:53:10.02
than you are to ask so
you don't have to nag Him.
00:53:10.05\00:53:13.49
Amen.
00:53:13.52\00:53:15.09
Because He's coming.
00:53:15.12\00:53:16.46
Let me close with this.
00:53:19.59\00:53:20.93
Christ spoke to Peter
00:53:26.37\00:53:27.94
and He said to Peter,
00:53:30.61\00:53:34.94
"Satan has desired
to sift you as wheat."
00:53:34.98\00:53:39.41
I'm at Luke 22.
00:53:39.45\00:53:41.98
"But I have prayed for you."
00:53:42.02\00:53:46.42
The Amplified Classics says,
00:53:46.45\00:53:48.89
"I have pleaded
for you in prayer
00:53:48.92\00:53:51.89
that your faith fail not."
00:53:51.93\00:53:56.36
In listening to Pastor
John's unclean spirits,
00:53:56.40\00:54:01.14
it occurs to me
00:54:01.17\00:54:02.97
that every aspect of life
00:54:03.00\00:54:08.14
has been touched on
00:54:08.18\00:54:10.38
by the Lord.
00:54:10.41\00:54:14.52
And every aspect of life
00:54:14.55\00:54:18.15
has been poisoned by Satan.
00:54:18.19\00:54:22.46
Every aspect.
00:54:22.49\00:54:24.09
And that's what got me looking
into the psychology thing.
00:54:24.13\00:54:27.90
The time it came
up, how it came up,
00:54:27.93\00:54:31.23
the godless
people who started it.
00:54:31.27\00:54:34.54
And then think
about some young people
00:54:34.57\00:54:35.90
'cause I've got a grandson
00:54:35.94\00:54:38.07
who is talking about psychology.
00:54:38.11\00:54:40.98
So what's going to happen
00:54:41.01\00:54:42.34
when you take
that course of study?
00:54:42.38\00:54:44.61
You're going to get a
heaping, helping of humanism.
00:54:44.65\00:54:49.15
And you have to really
keep your eyes focused on God.
00:54:49.18\00:54:53.09
It's not that it can't be done.
00:54:53.12\00:54:56.22
It's that you've
got to take extra care
00:54:56.26\00:54:59.39
to stay on Jesus.
00:54:59.43\00:55:02.13
And to keep Jesus inside
00:55:02.16\00:55:04.63
because there are
ideologies in this world
00:55:04.67\00:55:07.20
that will turn your mind around
00:55:07.24\00:55:11.77
that are being used by the enemy
00:55:11.81\00:55:13.88
to raise up a
generation of skeptical,
00:55:13.91\00:55:18.75
irritable, parent disrespecting,
00:55:18.78\00:55:23.22
lawless young people
00:55:23.25\00:55:27.36
who are self righteous,
00:55:27.39\00:55:30.89
self indulgent, self satisfied,
00:55:30.93\00:55:35.53
and who rebel against authority.
00:55:35.56\00:55:38.80
It is out of the
church, it is in the church.
00:55:38.83\00:55:42.94
And the only answer,
00:55:42.97\00:55:44.54
the only bulwark we
have is faith in God.
00:55:44.57\00:55:49.88
Yeah, God's done His part.
00:55:49.91\00:55:51.81
Bank account is there.
00:55:51.85\00:55:53.78
We now have to respond to Him.
00:55:53.82\00:55:56.75
And so Christ said to Peter,
00:55:56.79\00:55:59.59
"Satan wants to scramble you
00:55:59.62\00:56:01.79
like an egg,
00:56:01.82\00:56:05.69
but I've prayed for you.
00:56:05.73\00:56:07.90
I am interceding for you
00:56:07.93\00:56:10.50
that your faith fail not."
00:56:10.53\00:56:15.67
And I'd like to
have one sentence,
00:56:15.70\00:56:18.07
then I would leave
with any congregation.
00:56:18.11\00:56:21.78
It would be, I'm praying
00:56:21.81\00:56:26.25
that your faith fails not.
00:56:26.28\00:56:30.75
And if you hang on and hold on,
00:56:30.79\00:56:34.62
soon and very soon
00:56:34.66\00:56:37.49
you'll hear the well done
00:56:37.53\00:56:41.66
from the Lord.
00:56:41.70\00:56:43.73
Then your life will
truly be actualized.
00:56:43.77\00:56:49.17
Because Christ
will say, "Come now,
00:56:49.20\00:56:53.21
enter into the joy of heaven."
00:56:53.24\00:56:57.31
Shall we pray?
00:56:57.35\00:56:58.68
Father God,
00:56:58.71\00:57:01.72
we ask You now to
accept who we are,
00:57:01.75\00:57:06.42
and what we are,
00:57:06.45\00:57:08.36
and make us what
You would have us to be.
00:57:08.39\00:57:13.09
Forgive us,
Lord, for those times
00:57:13.13\00:57:15.90
when we've fallen short
00:57:15.93\00:57:18.40
and our faith has
failed us and failed you.
00:57:18.43\00:57:24.31
But we recommit ourselves to You
00:57:24.34\00:57:29.64
to stand by You,
00:57:29.68\00:57:32.25
to stand with
You, to stand for You,
00:57:32.28\00:57:37.55
and to stand strong
00:57:37.59\00:57:40.22
until Jesus comes again.
00:57:40.26\00:57:44.36
Dedicate us now,
Lord, to that end
00:57:44.39\00:57:47.33
and we thank You
in Jesus' name, amen.
00:57:47.36\00:57:52.07