Hello, friends, welcome
to the 3ABN Worship Hour.
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I'm Pastor John Lomacang,
and I have the privilege
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and responsibility of bringing
the Word of God to you today.
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I'd like you to
bow your heads with me
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as we consider the
topic "Eternal Flame."
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How important and how imperative
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is it for us to maintain
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and even to begin
if you haven't done so,
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thus far, a relationship
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with the unchanging Word of God,
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we'll find out,
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but let's first go
to the Lord in prayer.
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Loving Father in heaven,
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we thank You that
You have sustained us,
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You have directed us,
You have enlightened us
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through Your all-powerful word.
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As we take the time to consider
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its relevance to
our lives as Christians.
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And even if
we're not a Christian,
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the relevance of
leading us to You
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through the
written and living Word,
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we pray that Your Holy
Spirit will speak and guide
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those who hear
and those who listen.
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In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
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Eternal flame.
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I want to begin with a passage
in the Book of Psalm 119:105.
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It's a very short passage,
but it's extremely potent.
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Listen to the words
of David the patriarch,
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he says, "Your word
is a lamp unto my feet
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and a light on to my path."
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According to
what David just said,
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there should
never be a time that
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the journey before
you is one that is obscure
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or in the darkness.
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When we follow God's Word,
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we will discover that it
is, in fact, an eternal flame.
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By the 1960s,
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during the time
of the 35th president
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John Fitzgerald Kennedy,
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he was
assassinated November 22nd,
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1963 at 12:30 PM.
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Central time in Dallas, Texas,
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while riding in
an open motorcade
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in Dealey Plaza.
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It was a tragic event.
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I was a very young boy
and I emphasize very young boy
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not understanding
what was going on,
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but I never forgot
hearing the cries of my mother
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as she vacuumed the carpet
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and there on the
black and white television,
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she stopped the
vacuum and just stood there.
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And I heard her
muttering through her voice.
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Kennedy was shot.
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Kennedy was shot.
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What a tragic day it was
for the country of America,
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for this great nation
was shaken to its core
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by his untimely death.
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Following that
though, two days later
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on November 24th, 1963,
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his wife,
Jacqueline Kennedy requested
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something
unusual about the place
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where her husband
was going to be buried.
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She said, "I would like to
have there an eternal flame."
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And the question is,
why would she suggest that?
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While I discovered further,
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that that side
of his burial place
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became chosen
because President Kennedy
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and his friend architect,
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John Carl Warnecke
had visited that place.
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And this was in
March of that year in 1963.
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And Kennedy said,
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"If ever I was
going to be buried,
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this place is,"
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and I quote, "a
peaceful atmosphere
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and a wonderful location."
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Never knowing that
between March and November,
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his life would be
snuffed out untimely.
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But I asked the question,
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I asked the question,
what makes the flame eternal?
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And I did some homework.
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The flame was built to
withstand rain and wind
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that eternal flame that
you just saw in the picture.
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That is what John Kennedy
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talked about this eternal flame.
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His wife suggested,
let's put an eternal flame
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so that the light
of my husband's life
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will never go out.
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According to the
Presidential Library,
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it's referred to as
eternal, because quote,
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"There is a
constantly flashing spark
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near the tip of the nozzle,"
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because of this if
the flame is extinguished,
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it reignites
almost instantaneously.
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In other words, if
the rain is coming down
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and the wind is blowing heavily,
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it can blow it out.
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But the clicking
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of the ignition
switch never stops.
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So you really never
see the flame going out.
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That's what makes
the flame eternal.
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And I read that
story, I said, "Wow,
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what an analogy
for the Word of God?
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You see God's Word
is an eternal flame.
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It is built to withstand
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the extinguishing winds
and rains of its adversaries.
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It is connected
to the constantly
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flashing flicker
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of the power of the Holy Spirit.
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Every attempt to extinguish
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its flame has resulted
in an instant re-ignition.
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Friends, think about that.
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God's Word will never be denied.
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Its flame will
never be extinguished.
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It will never go out.
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Even though atheists
deny it, agnostics doubt it,
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and sinners disagree with
it, that flame still burns.
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Some call it a
fable, some call it fiction,
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some call it a fabrication,
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but the Word of God still burns.
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God's Word is endless,
everlasting and eternal.
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That is why it
continues to burn.
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But listen to how
Isaiah the prophet
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describes the Word
of God in Isaiah 40:8.
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This is what he
says about God's Word.
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He says, "The grass
withers, the flower fades,
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but the Word of
God stands forever."
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God's Word will never go out.
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Kings and prelates,
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people that have
hated God's Word,
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people that have
disagreed with God's Word
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have made attempts through
the centuries to get rid of it.
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But God's Word
is an eternal flame.
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Praise the Lord for that.
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On that note,
God's Word is unchanging,
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undeniable, and unequivocal.
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And today in our
day above all the books
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that have ever been written,
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the Word of God
still stands firmly.
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When you follow the
power of God's Word,
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you can't help but to
go to the day of Pentecost.
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What made the day of
Pentecost so powerful?
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It was the
proclamation of the Word of God
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by a converted
fisherman named Peter.
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As Dr. Luke records the
events of the day of Pentecost,
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listen to what he says
about the power of God's Word.
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In Acts 4:31,
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he says these words to us today.
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"And when they had
prayed, the place where
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they were assembled
together was shaken,
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and they were all
filled with the Holy Spirit,
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and they spoke the
Word of God with boldness."
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They spoke the Word
of God with boldness.
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How?
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Because there's
power in the Word of God.
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There is dunamis
in the Word of God.
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It is a constant ignition
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between heaven and
earth flaming the heart
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of the proclaimer
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and igniting the
lives of those that listen.
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And when you study
the New Testament church,
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you find
something very interesting.
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Twelve times in
the Book of Acts,
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the success of the
early church is described.
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And every time it is described,
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it is linked to the
preaching of the Word.
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Every time, you
think about that,
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how powerful is God's Word?
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Every time the Word
of God was proclaimed,
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the church continued to grow,
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but every attempt to neutralize
the Word of God failed.
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Look at Acts 12:24,
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when they tried to
neutralize God's Word,
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look what Dr. Luke wrote.
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He said, "But the Word
of God grew and multiplied."
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Well, here's the question.
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If the Word of God was needed
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for the
inauguration of the church,
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how much more is the Word of God
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needed as we prepare
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for the
coronation of the church?
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If the Word of God was needed
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in the
beginning of Christianity,
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how much more is it needed
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as we come down
to the latter days
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of the Christian Church?
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It is needed now
more than ever before.
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Here's the reason why?
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Effective discipleship begins
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with a
relationship to the living Word,
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but we cannot be
connected to the living Word
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and be disconnected
from the written Word.
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Look at John 1:1,
if you're going to be
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connected to the
living Word Christ,
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you got to be connected to
the written Word, His Bible.
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The Bible says in John
1:1, these powerful words,
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"In the beginning was the Word,
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and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God."
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If the Word of God
was in the beginning,
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let me make a suggestion.
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If the Word of God
is in the beginning
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of your walk with
Christ and you keep it there,
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your walk with Christ
will never become boring.
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It will never grow dim.
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It will never lose its power.
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In the beginning was the Word,
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but it's going to be
there in the very end also.
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Look at Revelation 19:13,
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the Apostle John
writes these powerful words
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concerning the Word of God.
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Describing the
second coming of Jesus,
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he says, "He was clothed
with a robe dipped in blood,
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and His name is
called The Word of God."
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Notice that, in
the beginning the Word,
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in the end the Word,
00:10:08.50\00:10:09.97
all the way through
from the creation of humanity
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to the recreation
of the perfect world,
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the Word of God is needed.
00:10:16.18\00:10:18.35
You think about
the life of Christ.
00:10:18.38\00:10:20.12
When He was in the
wilderness of temptation,
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He faced every
temptation with the phrase,
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it is written, it is
written, it is written.
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And then when the disciples
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went forth to
proclaim the reason
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why they proclaimed the
Word of God, unerringly,
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undiluted, and with passion
and conviction is John 17:17.
00:10:35.86\00:10:40.17
The Bible says,
00:10:40.20\00:10:41.54
and these are
the words of Christ.
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He says, "Sanctify
them by your truth.
00:10:42.97\00:10:46.71
Your word is truth."
00:10:46.74\00:10:49.81
Well, how much do we
need truth in these last days?
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We live in a day and age
00:10:52.35\00:10:53.68
where people make up theories
00:10:53.72\00:10:55.98
that are not
connected to God's Word.
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People have doctrines and ideas
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that are not
found in God's Word.
00:11:00.06\00:11:02.29
Christianity has been diluted.
00:11:02.32\00:11:04.49
It has been redesigned.
00:11:04.53\00:11:06.19
It has been made fashionable
rather than biblical,
00:11:06.23\00:11:10.57
more than ever before.
00:11:10.60\00:11:12.40
We need to follow
the words of Christ,
00:11:12.43\00:11:13.94
sanctify them.
00:11:13.97\00:11:15.30
What does that mean?
That means make them holy.
00:11:15.34\00:11:17.37
Sanctify them by your
truth, your word is truth.
00:11:17.41\00:11:22.71
Now more than ever
before, we need the application
00:11:22.74\00:11:27.32
and adherence
to the Word of God,
00:11:27.35\00:11:29.78
because we are in a
battle against biblical erosion.
00:11:29.82\00:11:34.96
Look at Revelation 12:17.
00:11:34.99\00:11:37.59
Why is the devil angry?
00:11:37.63\00:11:38.99
The Bible says, "And the dragon
00:11:39.03\00:11:40.36
was enraged with the woman,
00:11:40.40\00:11:42.80
and he went to make war
with the rest of her offspring,
00:11:42.83\00:11:46.77
who keep the commandments of God
00:11:46.80\00:11:48.64
and have the
testimony of Jesus Christ."
00:11:48.67\00:11:51.87
He's angry, he's upset.
00:11:51.91\00:11:53.98
He doesn't want God's
Word to be stood upon.
00:11:54.01\00:11:57.05
He doesn't want God's Word to be
00:11:57.08\00:11:58.91
the defense of the
church and so he's angry.
00:11:58.95\00:12:01.65
In God's Word, you find
instruction for daily living.
00:12:01.68\00:12:05.69
In God's Word, you find
the Ten Commandments of God.
00:12:05.72\00:12:09.16
And unlike the experience
in the Garden of Eden,
00:12:09.19\00:12:11.79
the devil comes back
again and finds that this time
00:12:11.83\00:12:15.06
the woman has a
different attitude.
00:12:15.10\00:12:16.80
She's standing on
the unerring Word of God.
00:12:16.83\00:12:20.30
Think about the
power of the church.
00:12:20.34\00:12:22.50
The power of the church
00:12:22.54\00:12:24.11
is when we put on
the whole armor of God,
00:12:24.14\00:12:27.28
but the weapon of the church
00:12:27.31\00:12:29.18
is when we fight with
the living Word of God.
00:12:29.21\00:12:32.88
Let me repeat that again.
00:12:32.91\00:12:35.08
The armor or the
uniform of the church
00:12:35.12\00:12:37.52
is when we put on
the whole armor of God.
00:12:37.55\00:12:40.22
But the weapon of the church
00:12:40.26\00:12:41.76
is when we use the
living Word of God.
00:12:41.79\00:12:45.86
The writer of Hebrews
4:12 says it this way,
00:12:45.89\00:12:50.27
listen to these powerful words.
00:12:50.30\00:12:52.30
He said, "The Word of
God is living and powerful,
00:12:52.33\00:12:56.57
and sharper than
any two-edged sword,
00:12:56.60\00:12:59.97
piercing even
00:13:00.01\00:13:01.34
to the division
of soul and spirit,
00:13:01.38\00:13:03.45
and of joints and marrow,
00:13:03.48\00:13:05.68
and is a
discerner of the thoughts
00:13:05.71\00:13:08.55
and intents of the heart."
00:13:08.58\00:13:11.42
I read that and I
thought to myself,
00:13:11.45\00:13:12.89
wow, what a powerful book.
00:13:12.92\00:13:14.36
Here's the point.
00:13:14.39\00:13:15.72
When we are
reading the Word of God,
00:13:15.76\00:13:17.63
the Word of God is reading us.
00:13:17.66\00:13:19.93
Isn't that powerful?
00:13:19.96\00:13:21.36
It is a
discerner of the thoughts
00:13:21.40\00:13:22.96
and intents of the hearts.
00:13:23.00\00:13:24.57
It is sharper than
any two-edged sword.
00:13:24.60\00:13:27.80
It can cut away error
and it can surgically remove
00:13:27.84\00:13:31.14
those things from our lives
that does not need to be there.
00:13:31.17\00:13:33.88
That's how
powerful God's Word is.
00:13:33.91\00:13:36.21
It pierces the
issues of our lives.
00:13:36.24\00:13:38.91
It divides us from the things
00:13:38.95\00:13:41.18
that should not be
in our walk with Christ.
00:13:41.22\00:13:43.52
And it even decides and knows
00:13:43.55\00:13:46.02
what we're going
to do before we do it.
00:13:46.05\00:13:49.02
It discerns our
thoughts and intentions.
00:13:49.06\00:13:51.99
I like what the
astronomer Galileo said
00:13:52.03\00:13:54.10
about God's Word.
00:13:54.13\00:13:55.46
He says, this is powerful.
00:13:55.50\00:13:56.83
He says, "The Bible shows
us the way to go to heaven,
00:13:56.87\00:14:00.54
not just the
way the heavens go."
00:14:00.57\00:14:03.57
He was a man that had
a wonderful relationship
00:14:03.61\00:14:05.81
with the stars of the heavens,
00:14:05.84\00:14:07.28
but he said,
"When I read the Bible,
00:14:07.31\00:14:09.04
I can find my way to heaven.
00:14:09.08\00:14:10.98
But when I look at the stars,
00:14:11.01\00:14:12.35
I simply see how the heavens go.
00:14:12.38\00:14:14.48
I don't want to just
know how the heavens go,
00:14:14.52\00:14:16.69
I want to know
how to go to heaven."
00:14:16.72\00:14:19.35
In these last days, friends,
the Word of God is needed.
00:14:19.39\00:14:22.19
I have become very
moved by the ideology,
00:14:22.22\00:14:26.19
but the
conviction has come to me
00:14:26.23\00:14:28.30
that the church
today needs to get back
00:14:28.33\00:14:31.03
to the simplicity
of the Word of God.
00:14:31.07\00:14:33.87
Let me say that again.
00:14:33.90\00:14:35.24
The church needs to
get back to the simplicity
00:14:35.27\00:14:38.11
and the power
of the Word of God,
00:14:38.14\00:14:40.78
because there's so many things
00:14:40.81\00:14:42.51
that have entered into
the Christian experience.
00:14:42.54\00:14:44.61
We have music on one
side, drama on the other,
00:14:44.65\00:14:47.85
community outreach on one side,
helping the poor on the other,
00:14:47.88\00:14:51.55
building buildings,
doing missionary work.
00:14:51.59\00:14:54.96
The Word of God could get
so caught up in doing things
00:14:54.99\00:14:58.69
and forgetting that
00:14:58.73\00:15:00.06
the most important
power of the Christian life
00:15:00.10\00:15:02.40
is not what we do for the Lord,
00:15:02.43\00:15:05.07
but what the Lord is
able to do within us.
00:15:05.10\00:15:07.50
And only by His
Word are the works
00:15:07.54\00:15:10.54
in the
Christian's life accomplished.
00:15:10.57\00:15:12.67
How much more do we
need the Word of God?
00:15:12.71\00:15:15.31
Galileo said it
well, the Bible shows us
00:15:15.34\00:15:18.98
not only the way
that the heavens go,
00:15:19.01\00:15:21.55
but the Bible shows us
the way to go to heaven.
00:15:21.58\00:15:24.62
Why is that so necessary?
00:15:24.65\00:15:26.25
In these last days, friends,
00:15:26.29\00:15:27.62
we are living in critical times.
00:15:27.66\00:15:29.29
We are not in a turf war,
00:15:29.32\00:15:30.99
we are not in a drug war or
not even in a political war.
00:15:31.03\00:15:34.93
We are not in a competition
for the new world order.
00:15:34.96\00:15:37.93
It is a battle
for the human mind,
00:15:37.97\00:15:40.44
a struggle for the human heart.
00:15:40.47\00:15:42.97
We are in a
combat against darkness
00:15:43.00\00:15:46.14
and we are
soldiers of the light.
00:15:46.17\00:15:48.38
We preach to
the spiritually dead
00:15:48.41\00:15:50.31
that are marching
to Christless graves.
00:15:50.35\00:15:52.71
And we use God's Word to do it.
00:15:52.75\00:15:54.98
We are physicians to
those that are affected
00:15:55.02\00:15:57.25
by the terminal illness of sin,
00:15:57.29\00:15:59.45
and we use the Word of God
to diagnose their condition.
00:15:59.49\00:16:02.92
And the only reliable weapon
in this war is the efficacious,
00:16:02.96\00:16:08.13
all powerful,
undiluted Word of God.
00:16:08.16\00:16:12.60
I like surveys.
00:16:12.63\00:16:14.80
And in 2018, April 25th, 2018,
00:16:14.84\00:16:18.84
the New York Times did a survey
00:16:18.87\00:16:20.84
and they asked the
question about Bibles.
00:16:20.88\00:16:23.58
And they said, "Do you
believe in God's Word?"
00:16:23.61\00:16:25.71
It was under the article.
00:16:25.75\00:16:27.32
Most Americans
believe in a higher power,
00:16:27.35\00:16:30.19
but not always in
the God of the Bible.
00:16:30.22\00:16:33.39
Listen to the statistics.
00:16:33.42\00:16:35.59
Out of 4,729 people polled,
00:16:35.62\00:16:39.29
they were asked the question.
00:16:39.33\00:16:40.83
Do you believe in God or not?
00:16:40.86\00:16:43.77
Now 80% said yes, but
let's break that down.
00:16:43.80\00:16:47.74
Fifty six percent believe in God
00:16:47.77\00:16:50.34
as described in the Bible,
00:16:50.37\00:16:52.97
but 24% believe in
00:16:53.01\00:16:54.71
some other higher
power or spiritual force.
00:16:54.74\00:16:58.65
So the 80% doesn't mean
they all believe in God.
00:16:58.68\00:17:01.45
Some said, I believe in God,
00:17:01.48\00:17:02.95
just like the
Bible describes Him.
00:17:02.98\00:17:05.45
But 24% said, "I believe that
00:17:05.49\00:17:07.32
there is a higher
power out there somewhere."
00:17:07.36\00:17:09.86
That's why
sometimes you hear people say
00:17:09.89\00:17:11.99
the universe or mother nature.
00:17:12.03\00:17:15.10
Friends, the universe is
not in control of anything.
00:17:15.13\00:17:17.40
God is in control.
00:17:17.43\00:17:18.77
Mother nature
doesn't call the shots,
00:17:18.80\00:17:20.37
God call the shots.
00:17:20.40\00:17:21.84
By the Word of the
Lord were the heavens made.
00:17:21.87\00:17:25.87
And if the Word of the Lord
was used to make the heavens,
00:17:25.91\00:17:28.98
the Word of God can
be used to make you.
00:17:29.01\00:17:32.68
Now let's look at
the rest of the survey.
00:17:32.71\00:17:35.38
What about the
other 20% of people?
00:17:35.42\00:17:38.22
Well, 19% of them said,
00:17:38.25\00:17:40.06
"No, they do not believe in God,
00:17:40.09\00:17:42.59
or they do not
believe in God at all."
00:17:42.62\00:17:44.86
But let's break
that... Let's break that down.
00:17:44.89\00:17:47.43
Nine percent said,
00:17:47.46\00:17:49.90
"They believe in a higher power,
00:17:49.93\00:17:51.40
but do believe
in some higher power
00:17:51.43\00:17:53.94
or spiritual force."
00:17:53.97\00:17:56.50
Ten percent said,
00:17:56.54\00:17:57.97
"They do not
believe in any higher power
00:17:58.01\00:18:00.58
or spiritual force."
00:18:00.61\00:18:02.94
Let me repeat
that one more time.
00:18:02.98\00:18:05.11
Nine percent
said, "I believe in God,
00:18:05.15\00:18:06.61
but I do not believe
00:18:06.65\00:18:07.98
in some higher
power or spiritual force."
00:18:08.02\00:18:10.09
So the question I
had to ask myself is then
00:18:10.12\00:18:11.85
what God do you believe in?
00:18:11.89\00:18:13.56
If you believe
in some higher power
00:18:13.59\00:18:15.29
of some spiritual force,
but not the God of the Bible,
00:18:15.32\00:18:18.69
what power can you
possibly believe in?
00:18:18.73\00:18:21.16
So the 10% said,
00:18:21.20\00:18:22.66
"I don't believe
in any higher power
00:18:22.70\00:18:24.33
or any spiritual force at all."
00:18:24.37\00:18:27.94
Now, why is that tragic?
00:18:27.97\00:18:29.40
Because the Apostle
Paul raised the curtains
00:18:29.44\00:18:31.97
on the last days and
he describes a pandemic
00:18:32.01\00:18:35.41
that has become a
worldwide concern.
00:18:35.44\00:18:37.95
And this pandemic is something
that has affected Christianity.
00:18:37.98\00:18:42.48
Listen to what he says.
00:18:42.52\00:18:43.85
2 Timothy 4:3-4.
00:18:43.89\00:18:46.49
These are
powerful sobering words.
00:18:46.52\00:18:49.22
He says, "For the
time will come..."
00:18:49.26\00:18:51.29
And I like to
say, "The time has come
00:18:51.33\00:18:53.19
when they will not
endure sound doctrine,
00:18:53.23\00:18:55.96
but according to
their own desires or lusts,
00:18:56.00\00:18:58.97
because they have itching ears,
00:18:59.00\00:19:01.90
they will heap up
for themselves teachers
00:19:01.94\00:19:05.37
and they will
turn their ears away
00:19:05.41\00:19:08.24
from the truth and be
turned aside to fables."
00:19:08.28\00:19:12.48
Has that happened?
00:19:12.51\00:19:14.28
It surely has happened.
00:19:14.32\00:19:15.98
You can't find a
secret rapture in God's Word.
00:19:16.02\00:19:19.85
When Jesus comes,
it's going to be audible,
00:19:19.89\00:19:22.09
visible and earth
shattering fables.
00:19:22.12\00:19:24.99
You can't find a
hell in the Bible
00:19:25.03\00:19:27.36
where people are going to
be burning eternally forever
00:19:27.40\00:19:29.66
and ever and ever
and ever without rest.
00:19:29.70\00:19:32.77
They're going to
burn until everything
00:19:32.80\00:19:34.54
that can be
consumed is consumed.
00:19:34.57\00:19:37.01
And the Bible
says they will be ashes
00:19:37.04\00:19:39.34
under the soles of our
feet in Malachi Chapter 4.
00:19:39.37\00:19:42.44
These are fables.
Where did they come from?
00:19:42.48\00:19:45.25
Fables that are
gifts from the dark ages.
00:19:45.28\00:19:48.28
When the Word of God was muted,
00:19:48.32\00:19:50.62
when the Word of God was
taken from the common man,
00:19:50.65\00:19:53.66
that's the best way
to introduce fables.
00:19:53.69\00:19:56.09
But today it's even
more diabolical than that.
00:19:56.12\00:19:59.19
We have the Word of God today.
00:19:59.23\00:20:01.06
We can buy a Bible
at any store, Walmart,
00:20:01.10\00:20:03.93
any local convenience store,
00:20:03.97\00:20:06.53
almost every place you
go, you can find a Bible.
00:20:06.57\00:20:09.17
So what's the problem?
00:20:09.20\00:20:11.11
Men are willingly ignorant.
00:20:11.14\00:20:13.07
Entertainment has taken
00:20:13.11\00:20:14.44
the place of the
study of God's Word.
00:20:14.48\00:20:16.18
And we live in the day and age
00:20:16.21\00:20:17.55
where people would
rather make up their minds
00:20:17.58\00:20:19.61
about what they
believe based on a movie
00:20:19.65\00:20:22.28
rather than studying God's Word.
00:20:22.32\00:20:24.45
I mean, years ago
00:20:24.49\00:20:25.82
when The Ten
Commandment movie came out with
00:20:25.85\00:20:27.22
Cecil B. DeMilles.
00:20:27.26\00:20:29.42
And we looked at
the Moses' character
00:20:29.46\00:20:31.89
there with Yul
Brynner as the Pharaoh.
00:20:31.93\00:20:34.56
People thought that
that was an actual depiction
00:20:34.60\00:20:36.80
of how it
happened in God's Word,
00:20:36.83\00:20:38.73
but that's not.
00:20:38.77\00:20:40.27
But people would
rather look at movies.
00:20:40.30\00:20:42.24
Then when Noah, a movie came out
00:20:42.27\00:20:44.21
not too many years
ago about the flood.
00:20:44.24\00:20:46.34
They made it look like
Noah was angry with God,
00:20:46.37\00:20:48.94
but that's not
what the Bible teaches.
00:20:48.98\00:20:51.68
When you think about the movie,
The Passion of the Christ,
00:20:51.71\00:20:54.68
Mel Gibson depicts
it as though Christ
00:20:54.72\00:20:57.52
had been beaten to death.
00:20:57.55\00:20:59.05
But when you read the Bible,
00:20:59.09\00:21:00.42
Jesus died for
your sin and mine.
00:21:00.46\00:21:02.42
He said, "I have
power to lay down my life
00:21:02.46\00:21:05.33
and to take it again."
00:21:05.36\00:21:06.70
But once again,
fables are being developed
00:21:06.73\00:21:08.93
because people are
not reading God's Word.
00:21:08.96\00:21:11.03
They would
prefer to look to movies
00:21:11.07\00:21:13.84
to understand what they believe.
00:21:13.87\00:21:15.67
And that's
creating a misconception
00:21:15.70\00:21:17.94
about the Word of God.
00:21:17.97\00:21:19.31
And that's why I say,
00:21:19.34\00:21:20.68
if the Bible
does not endorse it,
00:21:20.71\00:21:22.24
don't preach it.
00:21:22.28\00:21:23.61
If the Word of
God is not its origin,
00:21:23.65\00:21:26.05
leave it where you found it.
00:21:26.08\00:21:27.58
Do not trade scriptural clarity
for intellectual vagueness.
00:21:27.62\00:21:32.49
Allow the Word of
God to be your guide.
00:21:32.52\00:21:35.19
Allow the Word of
God to be your teacher.
00:21:35.22\00:21:37.73
Do not allow the Word of God
00:21:37.76\00:21:40.10
to have a question mark
where God has put a period.
00:21:40.13\00:21:44.17
Some people
say, "If you love Me,
00:21:44.20\00:21:46.03
keep My commandments?
00:21:46.07\00:21:49.37
Should we keep the commandments?
00:21:49.40\00:21:50.74
No, Jesus didn't
put a question mark.
00:21:50.77\00:21:52.71
He says, "If you love
Me, keep My commandments."
00:21:52.74\00:21:55.18
No question mark there.
00:21:55.21\00:21:56.54
Remember the
Sabbath to keep it holy."
00:21:56.58\00:21:58.31
But people put a question mark,
00:21:58.35\00:21:59.78
should we keep the Sabbath holy?
00:21:59.81\00:22:01.45
God's Word didn't put
a question mark there.
00:22:01.48\00:22:03.35
Remember the
Sabbath to keep it holy.
00:22:03.39\00:22:05.32
But once again,
00:22:05.35\00:22:06.69
in this age of
developing fables,
00:22:06.72\00:22:09.92
men have veered
away from God's Word.
00:22:09.96\00:22:12.36
That's why I'm saying,
00:22:12.39\00:22:13.73
this is the hour to
come back to God's Word.
00:22:13.76\00:22:16.50
And why is it so important?
00:22:16.53\00:22:18.07
Friends, think about it,
00:22:18.10\00:22:19.43
the first attack and
the last attack on humanity
00:22:19.47\00:22:23.37
and on the Christian
Church is going to be the same.
00:22:23.41\00:22:26.01
It was started by
questioning what God said.
00:22:26.04\00:22:29.28
Serpent said to
Eve, has God said,
00:22:29.31\00:22:32.08
and to the
Christian Church today,
00:22:32.11\00:22:33.75
think about it.
00:22:33.78\00:22:35.25
Has God said that
He changed the day?
00:22:35.28\00:22:37.92
Think about it.
00:22:37.95\00:22:39.29
Has God's Word said
that men will never die.
00:22:39.32\00:22:42.32
They'll burn
eternally never to go out.
00:22:42.36\00:22:46.06
Has God's Word says that
sinners receive immortal life.
00:22:46.09\00:22:49.83
We have to trace our
beliefs back to God's Word.
00:22:49.86\00:22:53.40
Satan rejected the truth
00:22:53.44\00:22:55.37
and the authority of
God's Word in heaven.
00:22:55.40\00:22:57.84
Then he led Eve to doubt
00:22:57.87\00:22:59.54
the truth of God's
Word in the beginning.
00:22:59.57\00:23:01.94
He's seeking to do
the same thing again.
00:23:01.98\00:23:06.51
That's why when we
think about God's Word,
00:23:06.55\00:23:09.32
we have to consider
00:23:09.35\00:23:10.69
what our position
should be about God's Word.
00:23:10.72\00:23:13.86
Where should we stand
00:23:13.89\00:23:15.22
when it comes to
relating to God's Word
00:23:15.26\00:23:17.63
and what kind of attitude
00:23:17.66\00:23:18.99
should we have
toward God's Word?
00:23:19.03\00:23:21.33
I think about the story of David
00:23:21.36\00:23:23.53
and Saul, King Saul and David,
00:23:23.57\00:23:25.80
and they were
facing the opposition
00:23:25.83\00:23:28.54
a great battle against Israel,
00:23:28.57\00:23:31.17
and then Saul seeking
to be of help to young.
00:23:31.21\00:23:33.98
David said these
words in 1 Samuel 17:38-39.
00:23:34.01\00:23:39.61
Saul gave David his armor,
but look what the Bible says.
00:23:39.65\00:23:43.65
"So Saul clothed
David with his armor,
00:23:43.69\00:23:47.19
and he put a
bronze helmet on his head,
00:23:47.22\00:23:51.26
he also clothed him
with a coat of mail."
00:23:51.29\00:23:54.73
That's a metal coat.
00:23:54.76\00:23:56.23
Verse 39, "David
fastened his sword,"
00:23:56.26\00:24:00.17
that is Saul's sword,
00:24:00.20\00:24:01.70
"to his armor,"
that is Saul's armor,
00:24:01.74\00:24:03.81
"and he tried to walk,
for he had not tested them.
00:24:03.84\00:24:08.64
And David said to Saul,
'I cannot walk with these,
00:24:08.68\00:24:12.65
for I have not tested them.'"
00:24:12.68\00:24:16.08
And what did
David do the Bible says,
00:24:16.12\00:24:17.75
"So David took them off."
00:24:17.79\00:24:21.32
What a powerful analogy
00:24:21.36\00:24:24.29
about the untested
doctrines of our day.
00:24:24.33\00:24:27.90
You see Saul
gave David his armor.
00:24:27.93\00:24:31.43
It was Saul's
armor, not David's armor.
00:24:31.47\00:24:33.87
It was Saul's
sword, not David's sword.
00:24:33.90\00:24:37.54
It was Saul's coat of
mail, not David's coat of mail.
00:24:37.57\00:24:42.54
What's the lesson here?
00:24:42.58\00:24:44.05
Don't try to walk
in your Christian life
00:24:44.08\00:24:47.02
with somebody else's armor.
00:24:47.05\00:24:49.25
Get used to using your sword.
00:24:49.28\00:24:51.52
Don't look for victory
with somebody else's sword.
00:24:51.55\00:24:54.12
But even more than
that, even more powerful
00:24:54.16\00:24:56.66
than the sword and the
armor is if you have not tested
00:24:56.69\00:25:00.83
what you are wearing,
if you have not tested
00:25:00.86\00:25:04.00
what you are
believing by God's Word,
00:25:04.03\00:25:06.53
do what David did.
00:25:06.57\00:25:09.00
He took it off.
00:25:09.04\00:25:10.61
I would say these are the days
00:25:10.64\00:25:11.97
to take off the
error and put on the light,
00:25:12.01\00:25:14.98
to take off the lies
and embrace the truth,
00:25:15.01\00:25:18.01
to take off the
fables and begin to embrace
00:25:18.05\00:25:21.08
the unerring
truths of God's Word.
00:25:21.12\00:25:23.45
If it has not been tested
00:25:23.49\00:25:25.22
and proven by the
Bible, take it off.
00:25:25.25\00:25:29.29
Here's what the
Apostle Paul says
00:25:29.32\00:25:31.33
in 1 Thessalonians 5:21.
00:25:31.36\00:25:35.26
Look at what he said.
00:25:35.30\00:25:37.17
He said, "Test all
things, hold fast what is good?"
00:25:37.20\00:25:43.57
Test all things,
hold fast what is good?
00:25:43.61\00:25:48.58
When we preach the Word of God,
00:25:48.61\00:25:51.18
we've got to
test what we believe
00:25:51.21\00:25:53.75
based on God's Word
00:25:53.78\00:25:55.12
and let God's Word
have the final say.
00:25:55.15\00:25:57.39
Don't file down God's Word
to believe what you believe.
00:25:57.42\00:26:02.09
But if you have to
abandon your own ideologies,
00:26:02.12\00:26:05.43
your own
philosophies, even the things
00:26:05.46\00:26:08.10
you may have learned
by your church doctrines
00:26:08.13\00:26:10.87
or your minister
or where you worship.
00:26:10.90\00:26:13.90
If you have to
abandon those things,
00:26:13.94\00:26:15.67
you'll never go wrong
00:26:15.70\00:26:17.47
when you embrace the
unerring Word of God.
00:26:17.51\00:26:20.61
I remember years ago,
when I was preaching in
00:26:20.64\00:26:23.41
one of my
churches in California.
00:26:23.45\00:26:25.65
I was giving a
Revelation seminar.
00:26:25.68\00:26:28.38
And on the opening night,
00:26:28.42\00:26:30.02
a wonderful couple
walked in, a Spanish couple.
00:26:30.05\00:26:33.12
I never forgot the couple's name
00:26:33.15\00:26:34.49
was Helen and Thomas.
00:26:34.52\00:26:36.32
We say Thomas, but she said,
"This is my husband Thomas."
00:26:36.36\00:26:40.03
And she says, "I came
to the Revelation seminar
00:26:40.06\00:26:42.16
because my husband does
not want to go to church,
00:26:42.20\00:26:45.63
but he is interested in
the Book of Revelation."
00:26:45.67\00:26:48.40
So, I invited him to
come and there he is stood
00:26:48.44\00:26:51.41
just kind of uninterested,
00:26:51.44\00:26:53.34
kind of slouching,
seeming not to even care.
00:26:53.38\00:26:56.75
And he came in
and he registered.
00:26:56.78\00:26:58.68
He got his book.
00:26:58.71\00:27:00.05
He got his very first lesson
about the Revelation seminars.
00:27:00.08\00:27:03.15
And he sat there
from night to night,
00:27:03.18\00:27:05.52
seeming disinterested.
00:27:05.55\00:27:07.89
But when the Word of God
00:27:07.92\00:27:09.26
was being preached,
a seed was being sawn.
00:27:09.29\00:27:11.89
Another seed was being sawn.
Another seed was being sawn.
00:27:11.93\00:27:16.16
Speed, fast
forward to six weeks later.
00:27:16.20\00:27:18.83
Yes, we used to have
00:27:18.87\00:27:20.20
evangelistic
series six weeks long.
00:27:20.24\00:27:22.70
Times have changed tremendously.
00:27:22.74\00:27:24.74
At the end of six weeks
and I made an appeal for people
00:27:24.77\00:27:27.38
to give their lives to
Christ and to embrace the things
00:27:27.41\00:27:30.51
that were
taught from God's Word,
00:27:30.55\00:27:32.81
Thomas stood up and it
was to his wife's shock
00:27:32.85\00:27:37.22
that he stood up.
00:27:37.25\00:27:39.12
She came to me and she said,
00:27:39.15\00:27:40.49
"Pastor, pastor,
my husband stood up.
00:27:40.52\00:27:42.62
I'm concerned."
00:27:42.66\00:27:43.99
And I said, "Helen,
why are you concerned?"
00:27:44.03\00:27:46.03
She said, "Because he
wants to join your church."
00:27:46.06\00:27:49.43
I said, "No, he's
joining God's church."
00:27:49.46\00:27:51.90
He's made his decisions
00:27:51.93\00:27:53.37
based on what
God's Word has said.
00:27:53.40\00:27:55.20
He's not joining
Pastor John's church.
00:27:55.24\00:27:56.97
I just preach here.
But this is God's church.
00:27:57.01\00:27:59.74
If it's in God's Word, Helen,
00:27:59.77\00:28:01.21
you have absolutely
nothing to worry about.
00:28:01.24\00:28:04.01
Well, Thomas or
Thomas took another step.
00:28:04.05\00:28:07.08
He said, "I want
to get baptized."
00:28:07.12\00:28:08.58
That really
concerned her because she said,
00:28:08.62\00:28:11.02
"I've been a
Christian all my life.
00:28:11.05\00:28:13.36
And I don't believe that
00:28:13.39\00:28:14.72
God is going to judge
me for just one thing."
00:28:14.76\00:28:17.96
I said, "What one
thing are you talking about?"
00:28:17.99\00:28:20.60
And she said to me,
00:28:20.63\00:28:22.13
"Do we really have to remember
the Sabbath to keep it holy?"
00:28:22.16\00:28:25.00
I said, "Well, Helen, it's
one of the Ten Commandments."
00:28:25.03\00:28:27.50
She said, "But do we
have to remember it?"
00:28:27.54\00:28:29.60
I said, "If I was answering you,
00:28:29.64\00:28:32.07
I would say, maybe
you have an option,
00:28:32.11\00:28:33.88
but I can only answer
what God's Word says."
00:28:33.91\00:28:36.64
He says,
"Remember the Sabbath day
00:28:36.68\00:28:38.51
to keep it holy."
00:28:38.55\00:28:39.88
Well, it was a Friday evening,
00:28:39.91\00:28:41.25
I was getting my baptismal
certificates all filled out.
00:28:41.28\00:28:44.75
And my wife came into my office
00:28:44.79\00:28:46.72
and I didn't take long
with Helen on the phone.
00:28:46.76\00:28:49.02
I said, "Your husband
00:28:49.06\00:28:50.39
has decided to
put his baptism off
00:28:50.43\00:28:52.16
for one more week
00:28:52.19\00:28:53.53
because he wants
to wait for you."
00:28:53.56\00:28:55.40
And she said,
"But I love the Lord."
00:28:55.43\00:28:56.87
And I said, "This is the reason
why God is revealing to you
00:28:56.90\00:29:00.80
from His Word,
00:29:00.84\00:29:02.17
those things He
wants you to remember."
00:29:02.20\00:29:04.84
And I prayed
with her and I said,
00:29:04.87\00:29:06.84
"Let me pray with you.
00:29:06.88\00:29:08.21
Father, teach me to
love You this much."
00:29:08.24\00:29:10.95
And we prayed and
hung up the phone.
00:29:10.98\00:29:13.05
Well, when I hung up the phone,
00:29:13.08\00:29:14.88
I began to fill out
her baptismal certificate.
00:29:14.92\00:29:17.29
And my wife asked me,
she said, "Did she say yes?"
00:29:17.32\00:29:20.46
I said, "No, she didn't say yes,
00:29:20.49\00:29:21.82
but she's going to."
00:29:21.86\00:29:23.43
And she said, "Well,
how do you know that?"
00:29:23.46\00:29:24.79
I said, "Here's what she said."
00:29:24.83\00:29:26.16
She said, "I love the Lord
and I want to follow his Word."
00:29:26.19\00:29:28.96
And I said, "There's no way that
00:29:29.00\00:29:30.33
she can really love the Lord
00:29:30.37\00:29:32.03
and not make a decision
about following his Word."
00:29:32.07\00:29:35.10
That was Friday
evening, Sabbath morning came
00:29:35.14\00:29:37.67
and I cut my
Sabbath school class short
00:29:37.71\00:29:39.91
to get all the
baptismal candidates ready.
00:29:39.94\00:29:41.78
We had about 27 baptisms
00:29:41.81\00:29:43.35
that Sabbath morning
and I had to meet with them.
00:29:43.38\00:29:46.31
I had all the baptismal
certificates in my Bible,
00:29:46.35\00:29:49.25
tucked away in my Bible.
00:29:49.28\00:29:51.02
Well, when my class was done,
00:29:51.05\00:29:53.09
Thomas had his bag
ready for the baptism.
00:29:53.12\00:29:55.79
And his wife came to me.
00:29:55.82\00:29:57.16
She said, "Pastor,
pastor," I said, "What?"
00:29:57.19\00:29:59.06
She says, "I've got
to tell you something."
00:29:59.09\00:30:00.96
I said, "What?" She said what?
00:30:01.00\00:30:02.73
Sorry. I said what.
00:30:02.76\00:30:04.10
She says, "I made my decision
to give my life to the Lord.
00:30:04.13\00:30:07.67
I'm going to be
baptized with my husband."
00:30:07.70\00:30:09.27
I said, "I know."
00:30:09.30\00:30:11.44
And I took out her
baptismal certificate.
00:30:11.47\00:30:14.01
She smiled and I smiled.
00:30:14.04\00:30:15.74
Here's what the Lord showed me.
00:30:15.78\00:30:18.35
When you truly love the Lord,
His Word will not offend you.
00:30:18.38\00:30:22.45
When you truly have
given your life to Christ,
00:30:22.48\00:30:25.12
you will give
your life to His Word.
00:30:25.15\00:30:27.06
It is impossible to be connected
00:30:27.09\00:30:29.72
or say you are
connected to the living Word
00:30:29.76\00:30:32.36
without being
connected to the written Word.
00:30:32.39\00:30:34.43
Well, I went back to California,
00:30:34.46\00:30:35.96
my wife and I did
on a few occasions.
00:30:36.00\00:30:37.50
And guess what?
00:30:37.53\00:30:39.23
That couple is
still in the church
00:30:39.27\00:30:41.24
some 25 years later.
00:30:41.27\00:30:43.71
They're still in
the Lord serving God
00:30:43.74\00:30:45.97
in that very same church
there in Northern California,
00:30:46.01\00:30:49.54
in the conference there,
and my heart is thrilled.
00:30:49.58\00:30:52.91
Every time I see them,
I never forgot that story.
00:30:52.95\00:30:56.62
Now, why is
that story important?
00:30:56.65\00:30:58.15
Isaiah 55:11, listen to what
00:30:58.19\00:31:00.66
Isaiah the prophet says
about the power of God's Word.
00:31:00.69\00:31:03.89
He says, "So
shall My word be that
00:31:03.93\00:31:07.56
goes forth from My mouth,
it shall not return to Me void,
00:31:07.60\00:31:13.17
but it shall
accomplish what I please,
00:31:13.20\00:31:16.17
and it shall
prosper in the thing
00:31:16.20\00:31:18.57
for which I sent it."
00:31:18.61\00:31:21.04
He is saying,
friends, God's Word,
00:31:21.08\00:31:23.18
when we sow with God's Word,
it will not return to Him void.
00:31:23.21\00:31:27.55
God's Word is like a check
00:31:27.58\00:31:29.35
that doesn't need your signature
00:31:29.38\00:31:31.22
because God has
already signed it.
00:31:31.25\00:31:33.02
It's like a credit
card with no limit.
00:31:33.05\00:31:35.12
It is like
taking hold of a supply
00:31:35.16\00:31:37.89
that never runs dry.
00:31:37.93\00:31:40.03
It is like embracing the
power that never is unplugged.
00:31:40.06\00:31:44.23
The Word of God is
living and powerful.
00:31:44.27\00:31:47.07
That's what happens
when your life is connected.
00:31:47.10\00:31:49.17
It transforms your life.
00:31:49.20\00:31:51.14
And that's why I say this,
00:31:51.17\00:31:52.51
and I say this humbly
and very sober-minded.
00:31:52.54\00:31:55.48
Worship without Bible
based truth is a deception.
00:31:55.51\00:32:00.58
Let me repeat myself.
00:32:00.62\00:32:02.02
Worship without Bible
based doctrines is a deception
00:32:02.05\00:32:07.52
because you can never be
saved by the song you sing.
00:32:07.56\00:32:11.56
You can never be saved
00:32:11.59\00:32:13.29
by the feeling you
get when you worship.
00:32:13.33\00:32:16.06
The Lord says,
00:32:16.10\00:32:17.43
"We shall not
live by bread alone,
00:32:17.47\00:32:19.70
but by every word that proceeds
00:32:19.73\00:32:21.97
from the mouth of
God," Matthew 4:4.
00:32:22.00\00:32:25.01
Worship that is
based on man's word
00:32:25.04\00:32:27.68
cannot replace God's Word.
00:32:27.71\00:32:30.15
Look at the words
of John the Apostle
00:32:30.18\00:32:32.01
in John 4:23-24.
00:32:32.05\00:32:34.78
What does he say to
the Christian today?
00:32:34.82\00:32:36.79
He says, "But the
hour is coming, and now is,
00:32:36.82\00:32:41.02
when the true worshiper,"
notice what kind of worshiper,
00:32:41.06\00:32:45.29
"will worship the
Father in spirit and truth,
00:32:45.33\00:32:49.23
for the Father is
seeking such to worship Him.
00:32:49.26\00:32:53.90
God is Spirit, and
those who worship Him,"
00:32:53.94\00:32:57.64
look at the next word,
00:32:57.67\00:32:59.01
"must worship in
spirit and truth."
00:32:59.04\00:33:03.18
Notice He didn't
say should worship
00:33:03.21\00:33:04.98
in spirit and truth.
00:33:05.01\00:33:06.35
He said, must
worship in spirit and truth.
00:33:06.38\00:33:09.92
So what is our
commission? 2 Timothy 4:2.
00:33:09.95\00:33:13.32
Here's our commission.
This is why I preach the Word.
00:33:13.36\00:33:16.39
Paul the
Apostle said to Timothy,
00:33:16.42\00:33:17.99
his young protege.
00:33:18.03\00:33:19.36
He said, "Preach the word!
00:33:19.39\00:33:21.73
Be ready in
season and out of season.
00:33:21.76\00:33:24.47
Convince, rebuke, exhort,
00:33:24.50\00:33:26.77
with all
longsuffering and teaching."
00:33:26.80\00:33:30.94
But something's
happened in modern worship.
00:33:30.97\00:33:33.34
The emphasis is placed on
experience and not on truth.
00:33:33.38\00:33:37.05
So let's talk about it.
00:33:37.08\00:33:38.41
Let's talk about
the most powerful weapon
00:33:38.45\00:33:40.02
on earth, the Bible.
00:33:40.05\00:33:42.05
It can outlast any onslaught
and transform any life,
00:33:42.08\00:33:45.12
the Bible.
00:33:45.15\00:33:46.49
It can humble the
exalted and educate the simple.
00:33:46.52\00:33:49.42
That's what God's Word can do.
00:33:49.46\00:33:50.99
It is a light in the darkness
and a pathway to the lost.
00:33:51.03\00:33:54.56
It can encourage the
weak and comfort the weary.
00:33:54.60\00:33:58.37
If you are
hungry, it will feed you.
00:33:58.40\00:34:01.17
If you are
thirsty, it will soothe you.
00:34:01.20\00:34:03.20
I speak of nothing
other than the Holy Bible,
00:34:03.24\00:34:06.24
the book of truth.
00:34:06.27\00:34:07.61
This book
reveals the mind of God,
00:34:07.64\00:34:09.94
the state of man and
the way of salvation.
00:34:09.98\00:34:12.45
It reveals the doom of sinners
and the happiness of believers.
00:34:12.48\00:34:16.28
Its precepts are binding.
00:34:16.32\00:34:18.12
Its history is true
00:34:18.15\00:34:19.75
and its decisions are immutable.
00:34:19.79\00:34:22.02
Listen carefully,
read it to be wise.
00:34:22.06\00:34:24.83
Believe it, to be saved
00:34:24.86\00:34:26.19
and practice the
Bible to be holy.
00:34:26.23\00:34:28.46
It contains light to direct you,
00:34:28.50\00:34:30.53
food to support you,
and comfort to cheer you.
00:34:30.57\00:34:34.57
God's Word is the Traveler's map
00:34:34.60\00:34:36.91
and the Christian charter,
00:34:36.94\00:34:38.77
it cannot lie,
but it can detect one.
00:34:38.81\00:34:41.24
It has no pulse and
yet it is the living Word.
00:34:41.28\00:34:44.31
In the Bible,
paradise is restored.
00:34:44.35\00:34:47.32
Heaven is open
and the gates of hell
00:34:47.35\00:34:49.38
are permanently closed.
00:34:49.42\00:34:51.09
Christ is its grand theme.
00:34:51.12\00:34:53.36
Our good its design
00:34:53.39\00:34:55.29
and the glory of God is its end.
00:34:55.32\00:34:58.09
Read it slowly,
frequently and prayerfully.
00:34:58.13\00:35:01.63
In it is a mind of wealth,
00:35:01.66\00:35:03.16
a paradise of glory
and a river of pleasure.
00:35:03.20\00:35:06.50
It will reward your
labor and condemn all
00:35:06.53\00:35:10.11
who trifle with
its sacred contents.
00:35:10.14\00:35:13.07
Paul turned the
world upside down with it.
00:35:13.11\00:35:16.08
Elijah called
down fire through it
00:35:16.11\00:35:18.45
and God created the world by it.
00:35:18.48\00:35:21.35
It can't be stopped,
prevented, denied, or destroyed.
00:35:21.38\00:35:24.32
That's how
powerful God's Word is.
00:35:24.35\00:35:26.05
It will outlast any
novel and outlive any show.
00:35:26.09\00:35:30.03
It is divine, dynamic, didactic
00:35:30.06\00:35:32.49
and delightful at
the very same time.
00:35:32.53\00:35:35.26
It is a conundrum to the proud
and a solution to the humble.
00:35:35.30\00:35:38.40
It can open and close
your eyes at the same time.
00:35:38.43\00:35:41.30
It can confuse the scoffer
but enlighten the seeker.
00:35:41.34\00:35:45.11
The book, the book of books,
00:35:45.14\00:35:46.81
the book of
life, the book of God,
00:35:46.84\00:35:48.64
the Bible, the
Revelation of God to man,
00:35:48.68\00:35:51.08
but it comes with a warning.
00:35:51.11\00:35:52.61
Listen carefully,
00:35:52.65\00:35:53.98
"This book will
keep you from sin
00:35:54.02\00:35:56.12
or sin will keep
you from this book."
00:35:56.15\00:35:59.02
Reading and confessing
00:35:59.05\00:36:00.56
the Bible will
terrify the devil,
00:36:00.59\00:36:02.69
stupefied the rebellious,
00:36:02.72\00:36:04.26
mystify the world,
pacify the critics,
00:36:04.29\00:36:07.13
ratify the
covenant, edify the church,
00:36:07.16\00:36:09.86
magnify the word
and glorify the Lord.
00:36:09.90\00:36:12.77
And, friends,
let me take a breath
00:36:12.80\00:36:14.14
and say this.
00:36:14.17\00:36:15.50
It is still the number
one best seller of all time.
00:36:15.54\00:36:19.04
Amen. Praise the Lord.
00:36:19.07\00:36:22.14
What a powerful book.
00:36:22.18\00:36:25.01
That's why the Prophet Amos
00:36:25.05\00:36:28.18
reaches out with
a word of warning
00:36:28.22\00:36:30.85
to this modern generation.
00:36:30.89\00:36:33.15
And he says to
this modern generation,
00:36:33.19\00:36:35.62
you are standing on thin ice.
00:36:35.66\00:36:39.06
When we push aside God's Word,
00:36:39.09\00:36:41.56
we are going out in
a torrential downpour
00:36:41.60\00:36:44.53
without the proper covering.
00:36:44.57\00:36:46.47
These are not the days
00:36:46.50\00:36:48.40
where the
battlement of hell is light.
00:36:48.44\00:36:51.37
The devil is
pulling out every armament
00:36:51.41\00:36:54.28
he can to keep us from studying
00:36:54.31\00:36:57.65
the unerring
powerful Word of God.
00:36:57.68\00:37:00.45
And the only way
00:37:00.48\00:37:01.82
to keep the
flame burning is to do
00:37:01.85\00:37:05.65
what Amos the prophet
says because, friends,
00:37:05.69\00:37:08.22
as sure as I'm
preaching this message,
00:37:08.26\00:37:10.43
there is a famine
coming on the world.
00:37:10.46\00:37:13.16
While the world is ignoring God
where the day is going to come
00:37:13.19\00:37:16.83
when the Word of
God will not be found.
00:37:16.87\00:37:19.80
Listen to what
Amos the prophet says?
00:37:19.83\00:37:22.77
In Amos 8:11-12,
00:37:22.80\00:37:26.98
he said, "Behold,
the days are coming,
00:37:27.01\00:37:29.21
says the Lord God,
00:37:29.24\00:37:30.85
'That I will send
a famine on the land,
00:37:30.88\00:37:35.05
not a famine of bread,
nor a thirst for water,
00:37:35.08\00:37:39.19
but of hearing the
words of the Lord."
00:37:39.22\00:37:42.26
And verse 12,
00:37:42.29\00:37:43.86
"They shall
wander from sea to sea
00:37:43.89\00:37:46.83
and from north to east,
they shall run to and fro,
00:37:46.86\00:37:51.33
seeking the word of the Lord,
00:37:51.37\00:37:55.44
but shall not find it."
00:37:55.47\00:37:58.17
Think about it.
00:37:58.21\00:37:59.54
Have you ever
lost your car keys?
00:37:59.57\00:38:01.41
Well, losing God's
Word is a lot worse.
00:38:01.44\00:38:04.05
When you cannot find God's Word,
00:38:04.08\00:38:05.75
you will not find eternal life.
00:38:05.78\00:38:07.65
When you cannot find God's Word,
00:38:07.68\00:38:09.55
the light in your life
will be permanently shut off.
00:38:09.58\00:38:12.59
When you cannot find God's Word,
00:38:12.62\00:38:14.16
there'll be no
way to understand.
00:38:14.19\00:38:15.92
It's like ripping
out a GPS from your car
00:38:15.96\00:38:18.39
and being in a community
that you've never been in.
00:38:18.43\00:38:21.76
No one to call,
no map to look at,
00:38:21.80\00:38:24.47
no directions from anyone.
00:38:24.50\00:38:26.74
That's how
powerful God's Word is.
00:38:26.77\00:38:28.87
That is how much we
need to embrace God's Word.
00:38:28.90\00:38:32.41
Don't let it drop
because the famine is coming.
00:38:32.44\00:38:35.44
The famine. What is a famine?
00:38:35.48\00:38:37.35
I decided some people say,
00:38:37.38\00:38:38.71
well, it's just
a scarcity of food,
00:38:38.75\00:38:40.28
but it's a lot deeper than that.
00:38:40.32\00:38:42.15
I looked up the definition
and listen to what I found.
00:38:42.18\00:38:45.59
A famine is a
widespread scarcity of food
00:38:45.62\00:38:48.99
caused by several factors,
00:38:49.02\00:38:51.36
including crop failure
and population unbalanced.
00:38:51.39\00:38:56.16
Meaning when
there's not enough food
00:38:56.20\00:38:58.80
for the population, a
famine is going to ensue
00:38:58.83\00:39:02.17
and then
malnutrition is going to come.
00:39:02.20\00:39:04.57
This phenomenon is
usually accompanied
00:39:04.61\00:39:07.21
or followed by
regional malnutrition
00:39:07.24\00:39:10.48
and increased casualties.
00:39:10.51\00:39:12.45
Think about that again.
00:39:12.48\00:39:13.82
When there's not enough
food to feed the population,
00:39:13.85\00:39:16.92
the result is
population unbalanced,
00:39:16.95\00:39:20.62
regional malnutrition,
and increased casualties.
00:39:20.66\00:39:24.73
Increased casualties.
Now think about it that way.
00:39:24.76\00:39:28.93
If there's not enough
food, will there be casualties?
00:39:28.96\00:39:31.70
The answer is yes,
00:39:31.73\00:39:33.07
but let me make
the statement today.
00:39:33.10\00:39:34.70
God's Word contains enough food
00:39:34.74\00:39:38.87
for every man, woman, boy,
00:39:38.91\00:39:41.11
and girl on this planet.
00:39:41.14\00:39:44.25
When you read God's Word,
there will never be a point
00:39:44.28\00:39:47.58
where it has no more
food remaining in it.
00:39:47.62\00:39:50.32
Every day God's Word becomes
more and more nourishing.
00:39:50.35\00:39:53.96
It will empower your life,
it will transform your life.
00:39:53.99\00:39:57.76
It'll let you put
down the temporal things
00:39:57.79\00:40:00.56
and get excited
about the eternal things.
00:40:00.60\00:40:03.57
That's what God Word does.
00:40:03.60\00:40:05.80
And the Apostle
Paul makes it clear that
00:40:05.83\00:40:08.20
the only way to prevent
famine is to feed on God's Word.
00:40:08.24\00:40:14.18
When I have
breakfast in the morning,
00:40:14.21\00:40:15.78
my wife says to me,
"Did you have your vitamins?"
00:40:15.81\00:40:18.75
I said, "My vitamins."
00:40:18.78\00:40:20.18
She said, "Yeah, did
you get your vitamins yet?
00:40:20.22\00:40:22.05
I said, "No."
00:40:22.08\00:40:23.42
And my vitamins are
right there on the table.
00:40:23.45\00:40:24.79
You know, she says,
00:40:24.82\00:40:26.15
"Now take your
over 50 vitamins."
00:40:26.19\00:40:28.66
So I take my over 50 vitamin.
00:40:28.69\00:40:30.33
She said, " Don't
forget to take vitamin D."
00:40:30.36\00:40:32.73
I take the vitamin.
00:40:32.76\00:40:34.10
She's now, "Take a vitamin B,"
00:40:34.13\00:40:35.96
and she said, "Now
go ahead and take it.
00:40:36.00\00:40:37.70
Don't just put on the table."
00:40:37.73\00:40:39.37
And I thought to
myself, man, that's probably
00:40:39.40\00:40:42.00
what God is
doing to us every day.
00:40:42.04\00:40:43.91
He says, "Are
you reading My Word?
00:40:43.94\00:40:45.77
Are you taking your
spiritual vitamins?"
00:40:45.81\00:40:48.24
What is He saying?
00:40:48.28\00:40:49.61
You see, unless
we ingest God's Word,
00:40:49.64\00:40:52.55
it will never work.
00:40:52.58\00:40:53.98
Here's how the
Apostle Paul verifies that.
00:40:54.02\00:40:56.48
1 Thessalonians 2:13,
00:40:56.52\00:40:59.55
we can't just
look at God's Word,
00:40:59.59\00:41:00.99
we have to ingest that.
00:41:01.02\00:41:02.36
Here's what he says,
00:41:02.39\00:41:03.83
"For this reason
we also thank God
00:41:03.86\00:41:06.96
without ceasing,
00:41:07.00\00:41:08.33
because when you
receive the word of God,
00:41:08.36\00:41:10.47
which you heard from us,
00:41:10.50\00:41:12.40
you welcomed it
not as the word of men,
00:41:12.43\00:41:15.37
but as it is in
truth, the word of God,
00:41:15.40\00:41:18.74
which also effectively
works in you who believe."
00:41:18.77\00:41:23.41
Yeah, I could see
my wife right now.
00:41:23.45\00:41:25.61
She calls me sometimes
during the day she said,
00:41:25.65\00:41:27.78
"How do you feel?" I
said, "I'm a little tired."
00:41:27.82\00:41:29.18
She said, "Did you
take your vitamins?"
00:41:29.22\00:41:31.15
And I could look
right across the kitchen
00:41:31.19\00:41:33.15
and see my
vitamins on the plate.
00:41:33.19\00:41:34.72
I get busy in the morning.
00:41:34.76\00:41:36.42
I get all task
driven and task oriented.
00:41:36.46\00:41:39.23
She said, "Did you
have breakfast yet?"
00:41:39.26\00:41:41.43
She says, "It's like 11:15."
00:41:41.46\00:41:42.96
I said, "No, I
didn't have breakfast."
00:41:43.00\00:41:44.67
She said, "Are you
going to eat breakfast now
00:41:44.70\00:41:46.63
or wait till I
come home for lunch."
00:41:46.67\00:41:48.50
And I want to be very
candid and confess sometimes
00:41:48.54\00:41:50.71
I wait too late and I'm tired.
00:41:50.74\00:41:53.14
Friends, that's what happens
when we don't eat God's Word,
00:41:53.17\00:41:55.44
when we don't allow God's Word
00:41:55.48\00:41:56.95
to become a part
of our morning diet.
00:41:56.98\00:41:59.31
That's why it's
called daily bread.
00:41:59.35\00:42:01.22
When you wake up in the morning,
00:42:01.25\00:42:02.88
try to get that daily bread.
00:42:02.92\00:42:05.15
Try to expose yourself
to the living Word of God.
00:42:05.19\00:42:07.96
It will nourish your life.
00:42:07.99\00:42:09.92
And the passage
says it effectively works
00:42:09.96\00:42:12.83
in those who believe.
00:42:12.86\00:42:14.56
What is Paul saying?
00:42:14.60\00:42:16.13
Don't just read God's
Word, believe God's Word.
00:42:16.16\00:42:19.60
Don't just recite it
as you're going through
00:42:19.63\00:42:21.97
a particular exercise.
00:42:22.00\00:42:23.74
Allow what you've just
read to begin to permeate
00:42:23.77\00:42:26.51
your thought
patterns, highlight.
00:42:26.54\00:42:28.84
My wife and I have our
highlight is highlighted.
00:42:28.88\00:42:31.71
Do whatever you can,
00:42:31.75\00:42:33.18
but don't allow
God's Word to just go by.
00:42:33.21\00:42:35.42
Because if you think about
it, when you open God's Word,
00:42:35.45\00:42:39.32
you are opening your
mind to the eternal one.
00:42:39.35\00:42:42.52
You are opening your
mind to the omnipotent one.
00:42:42.56\00:42:45.89
You are opening your
thoughts to the omniscient one,
00:42:45.93\00:42:48.86
the all powerful, all
knowing, all existent God.
00:42:48.90\00:42:52.27
And He's speaking to you,
00:42:52.30\00:42:53.84
but you'll only
see the difference
00:42:53.87\00:42:56.57
if you allow the
Word of God to come in,
00:42:56.60\00:42:58.71
it effectively works
in those who believe.
00:42:58.74\00:43:03.41
But now think of it this way.
00:43:03.45\00:43:05.18
I've gone to homes
where I've seen people,
00:43:05.21\00:43:06.68
they have this gigantic
family Bible on the kitchen
00:43:06.72\00:43:09.72
or in the dining room table,
actually the living room table,
00:43:09.75\00:43:13.46
open to the Book
of Psalms right there,
00:43:13.49\00:43:15.29
and I go back again and
it's still the same page.
00:43:15.32\00:43:17.29
And I go back again,
it's still the same page.
00:43:17.33\00:43:18.79
And I think to myself,
00:43:18.83\00:43:20.46
are they reading that same page
over and over and over again?
00:43:20.50\00:43:24.67
And I'll never forget
what somebody once said to me.
00:43:24.70\00:43:26.57
They said, "An open
Bible does not fear the devil."
00:43:26.60\00:43:30.17
A Bible that is
put in our hearts
00:43:30.21\00:43:32.34
is the only thing that
the devil is concerned about.
00:43:32.37\00:43:34.61
He's not concerned about
Bibles on the living room table
00:43:34.64\00:43:38.31
or Bibles on pretty stands
in the corner of our house.
00:43:38.35\00:43:41.68
He's only concerned about
the Bible that's in our heart.
00:43:41.72\00:43:44.42
That's why
David, the Psalmist says
00:43:44.45\00:43:45.79
"Thy word have I hid in my heart
00:43:45.82\00:43:48.72
that I might not
sin against thee?"
00:43:48.76\00:43:50.56
Are you hiding
God's Word in your heart?
00:43:50.59\00:43:52.99
Are you content for God's
Word just to be on the shelf?
00:43:53.03\00:43:57.07
Are you one of
those that have 15 Bibles,
00:43:57.10\00:43:59.53
but you don't know
where five of them are.
00:43:59.57\00:44:02.40
Friends, this is the time
to get back to God's Word,
00:44:02.44\00:44:04.54
that eternal Word.
00:44:04.57\00:44:05.91
It will ignite your life,
00:44:05.94\00:44:07.28
but it will only
make a difference
00:44:07.31\00:44:09.71
if you are allowing yourself
to ingest it, chew it up.
00:44:09.74\00:44:13.62
That's why the Bible tells
us if you hunger and thirst.
00:44:13.65\00:44:17.52
Let me say those words again.
00:44:17.55\00:44:19.05
If you hunger and thirst
00:44:19.09\00:44:23.02
after
righteousness in God's Word,
00:44:23.06\00:44:25.99
you will be filled.
00:44:26.03\00:44:27.36
You cannot be filled
00:44:27.40\00:44:28.73
if you're not
hungry for eternal things.
00:44:28.76\00:44:30.53
You'll have
those temporary things
00:44:30.57\00:44:32.87
and they'll lose
their impact quickly.
00:44:32.90\00:44:35.67
They'll lose their
hold on your life quickly.
00:44:35.70\00:44:38.81
When the new phone comes out,
you'll toss away the old one,
00:44:38.84\00:44:42.24
but I wanna say something,
the Bible never grows old.
00:44:42.28\00:44:45.61
And the life that is taking
in God's living everlasting,
00:44:45.65\00:44:50.09
never dying word, never dies.
00:44:50.12\00:44:53.09
Years ago somebody said to me,
"How many Bibles do you have?"
00:44:53.12\00:44:56.19
And I said, "Well, I
think I've lost count
00:44:56.22\00:44:57.66
maybe about six."
00:44:57.69\00:44:59.39
And they said,
"Can I see your Bibles?"
00:44:59.43\00:45:01.60
And I'll be honest with you.
00:45:01.63\00:45:02.96
The reason I have
my Bible in the case
00:45:03.00\00:45:04.97
is if I don't have a
case, my Bible will fall apart.
00:45:05.00\00:45:08.50
And I never forgot
what an older person in
00:45:08.54\00:45:10.57
one of my churches in
California said to me,
00:45:10.61\00:45:13.01
he said, "Pastor, a
Bible that's falling apart
00:45:13.04\00:45:16.64
belongs to a
person whose life is not.
00:45:16.68\00:45:20.05
I'll repeat that again.
00:45:20.08\00:45:21.58
Is your Bible falling
apart from continuous use?
00:45:21.62\00:45:24.55
Is your Bible's pages frayed
00:45:24.59\00:45:26.45
because of
continually turning them?
00:45:26.49\00:45:28.72
Are you so
familiar with your Bible
00:45:28.76\00:45:31.59
that you can
see your hand prints
00:45:31.63\00:45:33.46
or are the edges
of your page is dirty
00:45:33.50\00:45:35.60
because you are
always handling it.
00:45:35.63\00:45:38.23
That's what happens.
00:45:38.27\00:45:39.67
I know an older pastor
00:45:39.70\00:45:41.04
in one of the
churches I pastored.
00:45:41.07\00:45:42.94
He's now resting in Jesus,
but I remember visiting him
00:45:42.97\00:45:46.84
and I was so
impacted by what I saw.
00:45:46.88\00:45:49.04
He opened his Bible
and I can see highlights
00:45:49.08\00:45:51.88
of all
descriptions, every location.
00:45:51.91\00:45:55.12
And I asked him, "How many times
00:45:55.15\00:45:56.55
have you read
your Bible through?"
00:45:56.58\00:45:59.15
And I was shocked when
he said, "I've lost count."
00:45:59.19\00:46:01.76
I said, five times, 10 times.
00:46:01.79\00:46:04.26
He said, "Young
man, I've lost count."
00:46:04.29\00:46:07.53
But I was moved that day
00:46:07.56\00:46:08.90
when he called me to
the foyer of the church
00:46:08.93\00:46:10.63
there in Fairfield, California.
00:46:10.67\00:46:13.44
And he reached
up and he took, uh,
00:46:13.47\00:46:15.47
there was a torch made
out of some kind of metal.
00:46:15.50\00:46:19.91
And as he was leaving the church
00:46:19.94\00:46:21.38
and putting that
church in my hand,
00:46:21.41\00:46:22.98
he says, I'm
passing you the torch.
00:46:23.01\00:46:25.41
I want you to keep the
torch burning in this church.
00:46:25.45\00:46:28.25
And six and a half
years later in that church,
00:46:28.28\00:46:30.25
it was jam packed
every Sabbath morning,
00:46:30.29\00:46:33.02
people were growing
and thriving in the Lord.
00:46:33.05\00:46:34.86
Why?
00:46:34.89\00:46:36.22
Because by God's grace,
00:46:36.26\00:46:37.59
we kept the Word of
God burning in our church.
00:46:37.63\00:46:40.03
You see, friends,
famine will only occur
00:46:40.06\00:46:42.56
if you're looking for
what God is not giving.
00:46:42.60\00:46:45.03
Waiting for what
God is not sending,
00:46:45.07\00:46:47.37
and praying for what
God is not answering.
00:46:47.40\00:46:50.27
The world today is selling
what God is not manufacturing
00:46:50.31\00:46:53.68
and supporting what
God is not endorsing,
00:46:53.71\00:46:56.41
Christianity today has become
a concoction of confusion.
00:46:56.44\00:46:59.38
We are living in the
days of merging Christianity,
00:46:59.41\00:47:03.42
but the challenge
is, common interests
00:47:03.45\00:47:06.49
are not a bad thing,
00:47:06.52\00:47:07.86
but never allow
a common interest
00:47:07.89\00:47:10.06
to result in the
abandonment of scriptural truth.
00:47:10.09\00:47:13.93
Today, people are deciding
to go ahead and join together,
00:47:13.96\00:47:17.80
denominationally
to feed the hungry.
00:47:17.83\00:47:19.83
That's okay.
00:47:19.87\00:47:21.27
Or to clothe the
naked, that's okay.
00:47:21.30\00:47:23.51
Or to help people
build up their community,
00:47:23.54\00:47:25.31
that's just fine.
00:47:25.34\00:47:26.68
But never allow common interest
00:47:26.71\00:47:29.68
to result in
abandoning scriptural truth.
00:47:29.71\00:47:33.15
And there is a push today
00:47:33.18\00:47:34.52
for the merging of Christianity,
00:47:34.55\00:47:38.12
but we should never abandon
00:47:38.15\00:47:40.79
the truth of God
for the basis of unity.
00:47:40.82\00:47:44.39
God's Word must be
loved above ecumenical unity.
00:47:44.43\00:47:50.30
Common outreaches
should not require
00:47:50.33\00:47:52.83
the abandonment of God's Word.
00:47:52.87\00:47:54.90
Providing
shelter should not result
00:47:54.94\00:47:56.87
in the dilution of God's truth.
00:47:56.91\00:47:58.97
And working together
00:47:59.01\00:48:00.34
with other clergy
should not lead us
00:48:00.38\00:48:02.51
to doctrinal desertion.
00:48:02.54\00:48:04.95
Here's what the
Apostle Paul says
00:48:04.98\00:48:06.75
in 2 Thessalonians 2:10-11.
00:48:06.78\00:48:10.52
These are the words.
00:48:10.55\00:48:11.89
He talks about how
much we must love the truth
00:48:11.92\00:48:14.69
to prevent
ecumenical malnourishment.
00:48:14.72\00:48:17.56
Listen to what he says.
00:48:17.59\00:48:19.23
2 Thessalonians 2:10-11.
00:48:19.26\00:48:22.36
He says, "And with
all unrighteous deception
00:48:22.40\00:48:26.10
among those who perish," why?
00:48:26.13\00:48:29.57
"Because they did not
receive the love of the truth,
00:48:29.60\00:48:33.04
that they might be saved.
00:48:33.07\00:48:34.94
And for this
reason God will send them
00:48:34.98\00:48:38.61
strong delusion
00:48:38.65\00:48:40.82
that they should
believe the lie."
00:48:40.85\00:48:45.15
Why is that so powerful?
00:48:45.19\00:48:46.62
Why are those words so sobering?
00:48:46.65\00:48:49.02
Because Satan knows that
00:48:49.06\00:48:51.06
the Lord will not
return until the gospel
00:48:51.09\00:48:53.96
is being
preached in all the world.
00:48:54.00\00:48:55.70
He said, Matthew 24:14,
00:48:55.73\00:48:57.83
"When that
gospel is proclaimed,"
00:48:57.87\00:48:59.90
he says, "then
the end will come."
00:48:59.93\00:49:02.17
Well, no wonder, no wonder
the enemy tries to stop us
00:49:02.20\00:49:06.57
from reading God's Word.
00:49:06.61\00:49:08.31
An empty car can go nowhere
and empty life has no mission,
00:49:08.34\00:49:12.65
but a life filled
with the never dying,
00:49:12.68\00:49:15.58
ever powerful Word of God
00:49:15.62\00:49:17.52
has nothing but mission
and has a lot of places to go.
00:49:17.55\00:49:21.66
The Lord filled His
disciples with His Word.
00:49:21.69\00:49:24.56
And then He
says, go and proclaim
00:49:24.59\00:49:26.80
this never dying
truth to a dying world.
00:49:26.83\00:49:30.93
And, friends, they
turned the world upside down
00:49:30.97\00:49:33.67
in 34 short years.
00:49:33.70\00:49:37.01
If we keep
planting the Word of God,
00:49:37.04\00:49:39.71
there will be no crop failure.
00:49:39.74\00:49:41.91
If there's no crop failure,
00:49:41.94\00:49:43.35
there will be no
congregational malnutrition.
00:49:43.38\00:49:46.85
And no
congregational malnutrition,
00:49:46.88\00:49:49.05
there will be no
increased casualties.
00:49:49.08\00:49:52.15
Friends, today, let's
get back to our commission.
00:49:52.19\00:49:54.82
The three angels'
messages is our commission.
00:49:54.86\00:49:57.79
The restoration
of the Sabbath truth
00:49:57.83\00:49:59.89
is a part of that commission.
00:49:59.93\00:50:01.66
The accuracy of the
second advent of Christ
00:50:01.70\00:50:04.37
as taught in scripture
is a part of our commission.
00:50:04.40\00:50:07.57
And most importantly,
00:50:07.60\00:50:09.07
lifting up Jesus
and His righteousness
00:50:09.10\00:50:12.17
by faith is our
undying commission.
00:50:12.21\00:50:17.28
But it all comes back to
that everlasting eternal flame.
00:50:17.31\00:50:21.98
Is God's Word
igniting your life today?
00:50:22.02\00:50:24.69
Is God's Word
making a difference
00:50:24.72\00:50:27.52
in your heart today?
00:50:27.56\00:50:29.69
I'm going to invite
my good friend, Tim,
00:50:29.72\00:50:31.39
to come and play a
song that is so significant.
00:50:31.43\00:50:35.56
He's going to play
and sing that song,
00:50:35.60\00:50:37.03
I need thee every hour.
00:50:37.07\00:50:39.20
Now, why is that so significant?
00:50:39.23\00:50:40.94
You know, friends,
when you are in God's Word,
00:50:40.97\00:50:42.90
something happens in your life.
00:50:42.94\00:50:44.84
Not only are you in
00:50:44.87\00:50:46.21
an intimate
connection with Jesus,
00:50:46.24\00:50:48.41
but you find that
your need of Christ
00:50:48.44\00:50:50.55
will continue to increase.
00:50:50.58\00:50:52.48
As he plays listen,
when you find Christ,
00:50:52.51\00:50:57.52
you understand your need.
00:50:57.55\00:50:59.29
When you understand your need,
00:50:59.32\00:51:01.66
you have a never
broken connection
00:51:01.69\00:51:03.89
with the living and
written Word of God.
00:51:03.93\00:51:05.86
I need Thee every hour
00:51:10.77\00:51:16.04
Most gracious Lord
00:51:16.07\00:51:21.94
No tender voice like Thine
00:51:21.98\00:51:27.85
Can peace afford
00:51:27.88\00:51:34.86
I need Thee, O I need Thee
00:51:34.89\00:51:41.86
Every hour I need Thee
00:51:41.90\00:51:47.70
Oh, bless me now, my Savior
00:51:47.74\00:51:54.38
I come to Thee
00:51:54.41\00:52:00.78
I need Thee every hour
00:52:03.99\00:52:08.89
Teach me Thy perfect will
00:52:08.92\00:52:13.83
And Thy rich promises in me
00:52:13.86\00:52:20.60
Oh Lord, fulfill
00:52:20.64\00:52:25.37
I need Thee, O I need thee
00:52:25.41\00:52:31.98
Every hour
00:52:32.01\00:52:36.32
I need Thee
00:52:36.35\00:52:39.62
Oh, bless me now
00:52:39.65\00:52:43.29
My Savior
00:52:43.32\00:52:46.90
I come to
00:52:46.93\00:52:51.47
Thee
00:52:54.60\00:52:56.34
As Tim continues to play,
00:53:01.71\00:53:05.35
I want you to think about
your need of Christ today.
00:53:05.38\00:53:08.15
He's waiting and hoping that
00:53:08.18\00:53:10.69
someone would say, I
need a change in my life.
00:53:10.72\00:53:15.76
Number of years ago,
a young man came to me
00:53:15.79\00:53:17.53
in my office at church,
00:53:17.56\00:53:19.59
and he looked
disheveled, he looked confused,
00:53:19.63\00:53:21.76
he looked quite frustrated.
00:53:21.80\00:53:23.63
His face was red.
00:53:23.67\00:53:25.00
And I was
wondering, is he upset?
00:53:25.03\00:53:26.37
Or what is the situation?
00:53:26.40\00:53:28.90
And he sat on my couch
00:53:28.94\00:53:30.27
and then tears began
to flow from his eyes.
00:53:30.31\00:53:31.97
He said, "Pastor, this morning,
00:53:32.01\00:53:34.54
I went to wake up
my daughter for school.
00:53:34.58\00:53:38.18
And I saw her laying on
her bed reading her Bible."
00:53:38.21\00:53:42.72
And it was at that moment
00:53:42.75\00:53:44.95
that I walked away
and I said to myself,
00:53:44.99\00:53:47.76
"I need what my daughter has."
00:53:47.79\00:53:52.13
He said, "That's
why I'm here today."
00:53:52.16\00:53:53.50
He said, "My life is a
mess. It's falling apart.
00:53:53.53\00:53:56.23
I can't hold down
a really good job.
00:53:56.26\00:53:57.70
I'm struggling
with this and that.
00:53:57.73\00:53:59.47
He talked about all
the things in his life
00:53:59.50\00:54:01.70
that was pulling him down.
00:54:01.74\00:54:03.37
He said, "I need
what my daughter has."
00:54:03.41\00:54:06.34
She wakes up in the
morning and reads the Word.
00:54:06.37\00:54:08.28
And I didn't know how
much she was connected
00:54:08.31\00:54:10.45
until I saw her this morning.
00:54:10.48\00:54:13.38
And I said, "You want
to get into God's Word?"
00:54:13.42\00:54:14.75
He said, "Yes, I do."
00:54:14.78\00:54:16.28
Well, friends,
you may want to do
00:54:16.32\00:54:17.65
the same in your life.
00:54:17.69\00:54:19.92
God is waiting
for you this morning.
00:54:19.95\00:54:21.52
How much do you need Him?
00:54:21.56\00:54:23.36
And when you embrace Him,
you will embrace His Word.
00:54:23.39\00:54:26.59
When you find Him,
00:54:26.63\00:54:28.50
you will find
His ever nourishing,
00:54:28.53\00:54:31.47
never dying sharper
than any two-edged sword,
00:54:31.50\00:54:36.57
halogen light,
divine holiness God's Word.
00:54:36.60\00:54:41.31
But my wife and I travel.
00:54:41.34\00:54:44.01
I always think about
00:54:44.05\00:54:45.38
how much God's Word
has opened those doors.
00:54:45.41\00:54:49.18
God's Word takes us
from one place to the next,
00:54:49.22\00:54:51.85
from one country to the
next, from one city to the next.
00:54:51.89\00:54:55.82
And I think would I be here
00:54:55.86\00:54:57.19
if I wasn't preaching God's Word
00:54:57.23\00:54:58.56
and I could conclude the
answer is absolutely not.
00:54:58.59\00:55:01.63
You see, the world
was created by God's Word.
00:55:01.66\00:55:04.27
Lives are
transformed through God's Word.
00:55:04.30\00:55:07.64
And Jesus will not come again
until we proclaim God's Word.
00:55:07.67\00:55:13.84
When I travel, I
carry three things with me.
00:55:13.88\00:55:17.25
I don't want to
call the Lord a thing.
00:55:17.28\00:55:19.71
I don't want to
call my wife a thing,
00:55:19.75\00:55:21.75
but listen to what I mean.
00:55:21.78\00:55:23.75
"We've traveled together.
00:55:23.79\00:55:26.62
My Bible and I,
through all kinds of weather
00:55:26.65\00:55:30.63
with smile or with sigh,
00:55:30.66\00:55:32.96
in sorrow or
sunshine, in tempest or calm,
00:55:32.99\00:55:36.90
thy friendship
unchanging my lamp and my psalm.
00:55:36.93\00:55:41.20
We've traveled
together, my Bible and I,
00:55:41.24\00:55:44.41
when life has grown
weary and death was even nigh,
00:55:44.44\00:55:47.58
but all through the
darkness of mist and of wrong,
00:55:47.61\00:55:51.35
I've found there a
solace, a prayer and a song.
00:55:51.38\00:55:55.58
So now who shall
part us my Bible and I?
00:55:55.62\00:55:59.09
Shall "isms" or "schisms"
or "new lights" who try?
00:55:59.12\00:56:04.19
Shall shadow for substance,
or stone for good bread,
00:56:04.23\00:56:07.60
supplant thy sound
wisdom, and give folly instead?
00:56:07.63\00:56:11.47
Oh, no, my dear
Bible, exponent of light!
00:56:11.50\00:56:15.97
Thou sword of the spirit
will put error to flight!
00:56:16.00\00:56:19.67
And still
through life's journey,
00:56:19.71\00:56:21.51
until my last sigh,
00:56:21.54\00:56:25.21
we'll travel
together, my Bible and I.
00:56:25.25\00:56:30.09
Friends, my commitment
is to the eternal flame.
00:56:30.12\00:56:34.76
Is your commitment
to the eternal flame?
00:56:34.79\00:56:37.03
God is calling you
today to put down the temporal
00:56:37.06\00:56:41.03
and pick up the eternal.
00:56:41.06\00:56:43.16
To keep that
flame burning eternally,
00:56:43.20\00:56:45.63
we have to be connected
00:56:45.67\00:56:47.00
to the ever igniting
power of God's Holy Spirit,
00:56:47.04\00:56:51.04
so that any
attempt to extinguish
00:56:51.07\00:56:53.58
it will result in
an instant re-ignition.
00:56:53.61\00:56:57.05
My fellow brethren,
let it be said of us.
00:56:57.08\00:57:00.98
Psalm 119:105,
"Let it be said of us.
00:57:01.02\00:57:04.25
'Your word is a
lamp unto my feet
00:57:04.29\00:57:08.02
and a light unto my path."
00:57:08.06\00:57:10.46
That is my prayer for you.
00:57:10.49\00:57:12.39
The eternal
flame, we're going to see
00:57:12.43\00:57:14.56
the eternal flame
one day face-to-face.
00:57:14.60\00:57:16.97
Let us become familiar with Him
as His Word lightens our lives.
00:57:17.00\00:57:22.60
God bless you, my
brothers and sisters.
00:57:22.64\00:57:24.84
May the Word of
God strengthen you
00:57:24.87\00:57:26.94
until we see you again.
00:57:26.98\00:57:28.31