Participants: C. A. Murray
Series Code: WOFP
Program Code: WOFP000006
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00:23 Welcome to our sixth program of Week of Prayer.
00:26 We want to welcome you. 00:28 This is live 00:29 from Thompsonville Seventh-day Adventist Church 00:31 in Southern Illinois. 00:34 We welcome our viewing audience tonight. 00:36 We welcome those who are listening by radio. 00:39 And we welcome those who are watching via internet. 00:43 Welcome and we hope you are greatly blessed this evening. 00:46 Before we start, I want to remind you 00:48 that our prayer lines are open. 00:50 Please do call in your prayer requests, 00:52 and that number should be 00:54 on the lower portion of the screen. 00:55 The number is 618-627-4651, 01:00 618-627-4651. 01:04 And please at the prompt, 01:05 press the number one and that will direct you, 01:07 direct to you our prayer line. 01:09 Also I want to let you know that if you're unable to call, 01:12 you could also email your prayer requests, 01:14 we welcome those. 01:16 The way you would email your prayer request 01:18 would be prayer@3ABN.org, 01:22 prayer@3ABN.org. 01:27 And I'd also like to remind you 01:29 that we've been giving a free offer 01:30 over the past week or so, 01:32 it's a book entitled "After the Storm," 01:35 and it was written by Danny Shelton, 01:36 so we're still offering that tonight. 01:38 When you do call into the prayer line, 01:39 just mention that you'd like a copy of that book 01:41 and we can write your name and address down, 01:43 and we'll be sure to get one of those to you. 01:48 Our subject of prayer tonight, 01:50 is that the financial needs of God's people would be met 01:54 in order to support the work of the Lord. 01:57 You know, when we often think about finances, 01:59 we often see those as a means to support 02:02 not only ourselves but our families. 02:04 And while this is within God's will, 02:07 His desire 02:09 is that our perspective on finances 02:11 should extend beyond 02:13 the temporal necessities of life 02:15 to the eternal realities of redemption. 02:20 In this perspective finances can be properly used. 02:24 Finances are to be understood in the context 02:28 of the proclamation of the gospel. 02:32 Finances are needed on every level. 02:35 Planes need gas to fly missionaries 02:38 to remote locations of the world. 02:41 Boats are needed and supplies are needed 02:43 to travel up rivers 02:45 to villages outside the view of beyond looking world, 02:49 to areas where supplies are greatly needed 02:51 and to those who have not heard 02:54 of the blessed peace of forgiveness 02:55 in the light of the gospel. 02:57 Heavy machinery is needed 02:59 to dig wells in areas of the world 03:01 where water is scarce. 03:04 And churches need timber in order to be constructed. 03:09 Children, homeless children need food. 03:13 And many children need sponsorship 03:16 so they can not only receive an education 03:20 but an education, true education as it's centered 03:23 in the grand themes of salvation. 03:28 Our 3ABN studios 03:30 would not even be able to bring hope 03:32 to the hopeless, 03:34 if it were not for the faithful support 03:36 and the continuous support of godly men and women 03:39 around the globe 03:41 who have a proper perspective of finances. 03:44 We just could not do it. 03:48 Every aspect of ministry from the souls of our feet 03:52 to the blessing in our hands require money. 03:57 Paul was a tentmaker, 04:00 and I believe Paul was probably a good tentmaker. 04:03 But Paul's finances were not used 04:06 to build a vacation home in the countryside, 04:10 for when the work of the gospel became rough 04:12 where he could gain a little rest and repose. 04:14 You see, Paul used his finances 04:17 to support the work of the early church. 04:20 Paul saw in his monetary income a means by which more souls 04:26 could be reached. 04:29 Now many of us hesitate to give a gift 04:31 because so often our circumstances, 04:34 we see our gift as insignificant, 04:38 as not worthy to be given, 04:39 sometimes we're almost embarrassed. 04:42 But the Widow's Two Mites of Luke 21 remind us, 04:45 that far and above the size of the gift, 04:50 God looks at the heart. 04:53 What matters most to God is not the size of the gift 04:56 but rather the intent and motive of the heart. 05:01 And it is for this reason 05:03 that every Christian around the world 05:05 regardless of your financial circumstances 05:07 and situation, 05:09 we have the privilege 05:11 to give a meaningful gift to the cause of Christ. 05:16 And so with this, these things in mind, 05:17 I would like to pray tonight 05:19 that the Lord help us have a proper perspective 05:22 of finances, 05:24 and by His grace 05:25 we too can give 05:28 that souls may be continued, 05:30 may continued to be won for His sake. 05:33 Let us pray. 05:35 Father we thank You, 05:37 we thank You because 05:38 You are the ruler of the heavens and the earth 05:42 that would appears to reside in men's wallets. 05:46 And what appears to be theirs 05:48 in their bank accounts really is Yours. 05:52 You own the cattle on a thousand hills, 05:55 You own those hills as well. 05:58 And we just pray tonight, Lord, 06:00 that, yes, we ask that 06:02 You would provide for our needs, 06:05 so that we can support our families 06:08 but more than that 06:10 so that others can be won for Your sake. 06:13 So that the truth may continue to go forward 06:16 that they might become a part 06:20 of our great family in Christ. 06:24 Be with us Lord, 06:26 give us understanding, 06:27 give us wisdom in financial management. 06:31 Give us a desire, Lord, to share what has been given 06:34 to give back. 06:36 Not that it may be given in return, 06:38 shaken together and press down, 06:41 but just to give because Christ gave all for us. 06:46 We pray, Lord, that as the income comes in, 06:52 the love would go out, 06:54 that others around us might be blessed 06:57 by the meager earnings of our salaries. 07:01 We pray that Christ to be glorified 07:04 in this aspect of our lives. 07:07 Bless all of Your people worldwide, Lord, 07:09 that those blessings may be shared, 07:11 so that those who are without may have 07:15 that they too can give 07:17 and that You might be glorified in Your people's lives, 07:21 that when others see Your children, 07:24 they will know that they are Your children 07:26 because they will reflect that spirit of giving 07:30 that we so often saw and see in Your word. 07:35 Bless us to this end, we pray in Jesus' name, amen. 07:41 When I was 21, 07:44 my mother invited me to church for two reasons. 07:49 The first reason was, 07:50 to expose me to the truth of God's word. 07:54 The second reason was to meet a man 07:55 who had caught her attention. 07:58 His name was Pastor C.A. Murray. 08:01 Now being the protective son that I was, I reluctantly went, 08:04 I put my plans on side that day and went to church. 08:08 And by the time the sermon was ended, 08:10 I had given my life to Christ. 08:15 I was a little upset with C.A. 08:16 because I felt like he was reading my heart 08:18 and reading my mind 08:20 but I later discovered that 08:21 it was because of the Holy Spirit 08:23 and not because of C.A. 08:25 that my heart was convicted. 08:27 And I think that kind of characterizes 08:29 Pastor C.A. Murray. 08:31 You see C.A. can walk you through the deep things of God, 08:34 and use difficult words like ecclesiastical obiter dictum, 08:39 but C.A. can also sit down with you at the dinner table 08:42 and talk to you as a friend in common language. 08:46 C.A. has been a blessing to my family. 08:48 He baptized my sister, 08:50 he baptized myself 08:52 and then later on much to 08:55 what I could not have predicted, 08:56 he married my mother. 08:59 So C.A. is now honestly a part of my family. 09:03 Before he came to 3ABN, CA wore several hats 09:05 at the Northeastern Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, 09:08 and about seven years ago when he came to 3ABN, 09:12 he put those hats on the shelf and gained another 12. 09:17 So we're happy for the hats that C.A. wears around here. 09:20 He truly is the Lord servant 09:22 and tonight he's going to share with us 09:23 a message entitled "The Richness of the Word." 09:27 But before C.A. comes out, 09:29 we're going to be blessed by Reggie Smith. 09:32 He's going to be singing "Christ the Solid Rock." 09:35 This was taken from our Pillars Hymns project 09:37 that was done right here on this platform 09:39 not too long ago. 09:40 Now you'll be blessed and after Reggie sings, 09:43 then we'll be blessed 09:44 by the message by Pastor C.A. Murray. 10:11 On Christ, the solid rock I stand 10:18 All other ground is sinking sand 10:24 All other ground 10:26 Is sinking sand 10:37 My hope is built on nothing less 10:42 Than Jesus' blood and righteousness 10:49 I dare not trust the sweetest frame 10:53 But wholly lean on Jesus' name 10:59 On Christ, the solid rock, I stand 11:03 All other ground is sinking sand 11:09 All other ground 11:11 Is sinking sand 11:21 When darkness veils His lovely face 11:25 I rest on his unchanging grace 11:32 In ev'ry high and stormy gale 11:36 My anchor holds within the veil 11:42 On Christ, the solid rock, I stand 11:46 All other ground is sinking sand 11:52 All other ground is sinking sand 12:02 His oath, His word, His blood 12:05 Support me in the flood 12:08 When all around gives way 12:11 He then is all my hope 12:13 And stay 12:18 When He shall come with trumpet sound 12:24 O may I then in Him be found 12:31 Dressed in His righteousness alone 12:36 Faultless to stand before the throne 12:42 On Christ, the solid rock, I stand 12:46 All other ground is sinking sand 12:52 All other ground is sinking sand 12:58 On Christ, the solid rock, I stand 13:02 On Christ, the solid rock, I stand 13:06 All other ground is sinking sand 13:12 On Christ, the solid rock, 13:18 I stand. 13:36 Amen and amen, well done. Shall we pray? 13:41 Father God, we come to You now with uplifted hearts, 13:45 open and receptive minds 13:48 and we ask that You would speak to us 13:51 and help us to know and to understand the richness 13:54 and power of Your word, 13:58 and we thank You in Jesus' name, amen. 14:00 Turn with me if you will to Matthew 3. 14:05 We want to read the last two verses 14:07 in Matthew 3 14:09 and just the first two or three verses 14:12 in Chapter 4, Matthew 3:16. 14:17 And then we will read Chapter 4:1-3. 14:26 The word of God says, Matthew 3:16, 14:29 "When He had been baptized, 14:32 Jesus came up immediately from the water, 14:36 and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, 14:41 and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove 14:45 and alighting upon Him." 14:47 I'm reading from the New King James. 14:49 "And suddenly a voice came from heaven saying, 14:52 'This is My beloved Son, 14:56 in whom I am well pleased.' 15:00 Then Jesus was led up 15:02 by the Spirit into the wilderness 15:04 to be tempted of the devil. 15:07 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, 15:10 afterward He was hungry. 15:13 Now when the tempter came to Him, 15:15 he said, 'If You are the Son of God, 15:19 command that these stones 15:22 become bread."' 15:27 Jesus and John the Baptist were cousins, 15:34 that is fairly well-known and fairly well documented, 15:37 first cousins I believe closely related 15:41 through their circumstances of birth. 15:46 John had followed Jesus, 15:50 he had heard about Jesus and he... 15:53 we would say in America kept tabs on him. 15:58 It was even revealed to John 16:00 that the Messiah would be baptized by him. 16:03 So he knew that one day 16:05 they were going to be intimately connected. 16:09 John knew all about Jesus long before the baptism, 16:12 even though they had never met. 16:14 John had never laid eyes on Jesus, 16:16 Jesus had never laid eyes on John. 16:19 And when Jesus came to John 16:21 there at the Jordan River that day, 16:23 that was the first time these two men 16:26 had ever laid eyes on each other. 16:29 And yet each knew instinctively through the Spirit 16:34 who the other one was. 16:36 John had been told 16:39 that he was going to hear a word 16:42 from the Lord. 16:44 He was going to hear something 16:46 that would mark that particular event. 16:49 And so this event John knew would be marked by the word. 16:55 He was told that, that word, 16:58 though spoken to Jesus would embrace all of humanity. 17:03 Those words that would come from heaven on that day, 17:08 though specifically spoken to Christ 17:13 would be a pride to all of us. 17:18 And yet many there that day at the Jordan 17:21 didn't know what the words meant 17:24 just as so many in the world today 17:26 don't really understand what those words mean. 17:32 When God said, 17:33 "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." 17:38 Those words were given to inspire faith and hope 17:43 in all of the people there, 17:45 but also to strengthen Jesus for His mission. 17:50 You see, 17:52 all words have power, don't they? 17:55 All words have power, 17:56 but spiritual words have spiritual power. 18:00 All words have the ability to lift up or tear down, 18:04 to encourage or discourage, 18:06 but spiritual words have life giving power. 18:11 Ellen White says 18:13 in The Ministry of Healing, page 458. 18:15 She says, 18:16 "The word of God 18:18 is a safeguard against temptation and sin." 18:21 Now, I want you to hold that in your mind 18:23 because we're gonna come back to that 18:24 in just a little bit. 18:26 But these words were given 18:28 to help Jesus in His ministry, 18:32 to help the man Jesus 18:33 because Christ was going to go through some stuff. 18:38 And those words were gonna come back to him 18:40 over and over and over again. 18:42 He needed to know 18:44 that what He was about to do 18:47 was cosigned and endorsed by heaven. 18:50 And so He heard the words, 18:52 this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. 18:58 Christ knew what was coming. 19:02 And so He needed the word 19:05 to fortify Him against the battles, 19:09 the tests, the trials that were sure to come. 19:14 In the book, Desire of Ages, page 70, Ellen White said, 19:17 Ellen White tells us, "That angels draw near 19:21 when we seek to know God through His Word." 19:24 And when I read that, I like that, Shelley, 19:25 I like that idea that I could do something 19:27 that would have angels draw near to me. 19:30 I really like that idea 19:31 that I could engage in certain kinds of activities 19:34 that would draw angels. 19:35 I like the idea of having angels near me, 19:37 that's kind of a comforting thought, 19:39 that there are certain things you can do 19:41 that will bring angels close to you. 19:44 Prayer brings angels close to you. 19:47 Praise brings angels close to you. 19:51 Singing brings angels close to you. 19:55 Worship brings angels close to you. 19:58 That's a nice thought, isn't it? 20:00 That you can do things 20:01 that would bring angels kind of close to you. 20:04 And also, when you get into trouble 20:08 for Jesus sake, angels draw close to you. 20:15 And just as most of the people at the baptism 20:18 didn't understand the meaning and power of God's words, 20:21 there are so many, many people in the church today 20:24 who do not understand the meaning of those words 20:27 and as such failed to avail themselves 20:31 of the power of those words. 20:35 Jesus said in John 6:63, 20:37 "The words that I speak to you they are spirit, 20:40 they are life." 20:42 Not have life, give life, they are life. 20:47 There is life giving power in the Word of God. 20:52 And if you want spiritual vitality, 20:54 spiritual life, spiritual health, 20:57 being a vegan doesn't do it. 21:02 Doing good deeds alone doesn't do it. 21:05 Studying your Sabbath school lesson, 21:06 Mollie, doesn't do it, 21:08 not by our self, all those things are good, 21:10 even prayer alone is not enough. 21:13 You have to study, not just read, 21:16 but study the Word of God 21:19 because there is life in the Word. 21:26 Let me just toss out some, 21:28 Kevin said, ecclesiastical obiter dictum. 21:30 Patriarchs and Prophets, page 423, I like this. 21:39 Ellen White says, "When you read the word 21:43 and you understand what God wants you to do. 21:47 For God sake, get on with it." 21:50 Amen. Amen. 21:53 And amen. 21:55 If you can't say amen, say ouch. 21:57 When you read the Word 21:59 and you know what God wants you to do, 22:02 get on with it. 22:04 James 1:22 says, "Be doers of the Word, 22:07 not just hearers thereof deceiving yourself." 22:10 I'm glad to see my boss Jim Gilley here. 22:13 I happen to know that he broke the speed limit getting here. 22:16 He's a doer of the Word 22:18 because he told me he's going to be here, 22:19 so he kept his word, praise the Lord. 22:22 I like this translation, Shelley, 22:24 from The Clear Word. 22:27 James 1:22, 22:29 "Don't deceive yourselves into thinking 22:31 that all you have to do is listen to God's Word. 22:34 You also have to put it into practice. 22:36 Whoever listens to God's word and doesn't do what it says 22:40 is like a person 22:41 who takes a good look at himself in a mirror 22:44 and sees, and sees himself as he really is 22:47 and then goes away and ignores 22:49 what he has just seen. 22:52 But if he carefully looks 22:54 into the mirror of God's perfect law, 22:56 if he continues to do this 22:59 and doesn't forget what it says, 23:01 but puts it into practice, 23:04 God will bless him in all he does." 23:09 So the blessing, 23:11 forgive me, Danny Shelton, is on the do. 23:17 Now Danny says, that's on the go. 23:18 So I will not, I will not besmirch my friend 23:20 and brother, 23:22 I will synthesize and synergize them both. 23:24 The blessing is on the do and the go. 23:26 Go and do, amen? 23:28 Amen. 23:29 You got to go and you got to do. 23:30 So the blessing is on the go and the do. 23:33 The Spirit of Prophecy says, don't dilly-dally, 23:36 get on with it. 23:38 I'm reading Patriarchs and Prophets. 23:39 She says, it is important to believe God's Word 23:43 and act promptly 23:44 while his angels are waiting to work for us. 23:47 His angels are there, they're waiting. 23:50 Evil angels are ready to contest 23:54 every step of advance 23:56 and when God's providence bids His children to go forward, 24:01 when He is ready to do great things for them, 24:04 Satan tempts them to displease the Lord 24:07 by hesitating and delay. 24:11 So when God opens the door, 24:14 your job is to walk through the door, amen? 24:18 Your job is to get on with it. 24:22 You know, you say, I have decided to follow Jesus. 24:27 And Satan says, "I've decided 24:29 you're not going to follow Jesus." 24:31 Now you can sit and debate about that 24:33 or you can follow Jesus, amen. 24:36 So Ellen White says, "When God opens the door, 24:39 do not displease Him by hesitating and delaying." 24:43 He says this, she says this rather. 24:44 "He seeks to kindle, this is Satan, 24:46 a spirit of strife or to arouse murmuring 24:51 and unbelief and thus deprive them, 24:53 that's you and I, 24:55 of the blessing that God desires to bestow. 24:58 You can't wait your blessing away. 25:02 God says, "When I open the door, 25:05 you got to go through that door. 25:07 I mean you know, the Lord will bring, 25:09 rather Satan will bring discouragement 25:12 out of your own family. 25:14 Anybody ever have that? 25:16 He'll use your own family to discourage you. 25:19 But you got to serve God, 25:21 you got to walk through those doors 25:23 that He opens. 25:26 God's servants she says, 25:28 should be minuteman 25:31 ever ready to move, get this, 25:33 as fast as his providence opens the way. 25:39 Any delay on their part gives time 25:42 for Satan to work to defeat them. 25:47 So when it's time to go, you got to go. 25:52 And so the power of the Word, 25:54 the power of the word is activated by action, 25:59 activated by action, 26:01 it's like that OxiClean stuff that they have, 26:02 you got to pour in the water before the oxygen comes out, 26:05 you got to get wet, amen. 26:09 Activated by action, action indicates faith. 26:14 When Christ set out the 70, 26:18 they were armed with nothing more 26:21 than power and authority of the Word, 26:26 and when you got the power and authority of the Word, 26:28 you got all you need. 26:30 Jesus knew that sometimes under trial, 26:34 hope is gone feeling is gone. 26:39 Maybe even friends and family gone. 26:42 There are going to be times 26:43 when all you'll have left is you and this Word. 26:50 So look at the assurance that we get in John 15:20. 26:54 Christ says, "Remember the word that I said to you, 26:57 a servant is not greater than his master. 27:02 If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. 27:06 And if they kept My word, they will keep Yours also." 27:11 Christ needed to hear those words 27:16 there at Jordan. 27:18 Christ needed to hear 27:20 what God had to say in confirming His mission. 27:25 So He heads now to the desert 27:28 for a little self imposed solitary confinement, 27:34 to prepare Himself for His life's work, 27:38 to prepare Himself for the mission. 27:42 And in Matthew when, you know, when the Bible says, 27:44 "He went to the desert to be tempted." 27:46 That too doesn't mean 27:48 that He went there 27:49 for the purpose of being tempted. 27:51 It simply means that Satan seized 27:54 the opportunity to tempt. 27:55 He didn't go out there to be tempted, 27:56 He went out there to get ready 27:58 to get fired up, to get prayed up, 28:02 to get ready for His mission. 28:04 But Satan saw and attack and attempt... 28:08 attempted to make an attack. 28:11 So Christ didn't go to the wilderness 28:12 for the purpose of being attempted, 28:14 of being tempted, 28:16 He went for the purpose of coming to God, 28:19 and Satan saw that time and attacked Him. 28:24 So Matthew 4 uses the word to be tempted. 28:28 Luke 4 in discussing 28:29 the same things leaves it out altogether. 28:32 Luke says, "He was led into the wilderness." 28:35 And of course the imperfect tense mean, 28:37 meant he is continually being led by God. 28:40 Testimony to Ministers, page 80 and 81, 28:43 I like this, Ellen White says, 28:44 "The Word of God alone can reclaim man from sin 28:48 and keep him from transgression." 28:52 Thy word, you know it well, Psalms 119:11, 28:55 "Have I hid in my heart 28:58 that I might not sin against thee." 28:59 I did a little playing with that word. 29:00 I don't think there's a more impoverished translation 29:02 than the word hid in my heart. 29:05 Because the Hebrew 29:06 there actually is much, much stronger. 29:08 It's more like thy word have I hoarded in my heart, 29:12 thy word have I treasured in my heart. 29:13 I've got some stuff down 29:15 in the basement that I hide down there, 29:16 if somebody came and stole, I wouldn't mind. 29:18 But the stuff that I really, 29:20 really value like my passport 29:22 is right next to me on the nightstand. 29:25 See, the Word is like that passport. 29:26 Thy word have I treasured in my heart, why? 29:29 Because I don't want to sin against God. 29:32 So I've hoarded that Word in my heart, 29:35 I value that Word, 29:36 I've treasured that word in my heart. 29:40 Job 23:12 is something I love this. 29:43 The Bible says, 29:45 "I have not departed from the commandment 29:48 of his lips, 29:49 I have treasured the word of his mouth 29:51 more than my necessary food." 29:55 How many of you'd like to eat? 29:57 I do. 29:59 If you don't eat, pretty soon you'll die. 30:03 And if you eat junk, pretty soon you'll die. 30:08 Same thing with the Word. 30:11 You've got to feast on the Word every day, 30:14 if you want to be spiritually strong. 30:18 And so armed with this approbation 30:23 and divine imprimatur, 30:24 a blessing of God in his heart 30:25 Christ went out to be tempted 40 days. 30:28 In other words, it makes it plain that, 30:29 that Satan dogged Christ steps all 40 of those days. 30:33 Every day he was on Jesus, every single day. 30:37 And let me say something, just popped into my mind. 30:39 People always say, 30:41 God is good all the time and all the time God is good. 30:45 I'm determined not to state 30:46 that anymore because I don't believe it. 30:48 And I don't believe 30:49 you should be forced to say something 30:50 that you don't believe 30:52 even if a pastor leads you into that, 30:54 Pastor John, 30:55 because I don't think it's true. 30:58 Here's my thesis. 31:02 God is good only in good times. 31:11 Correct. 31:13 I believe God is good only in good times. 31:18 In bad times God is great. 31:21 Amen. 31:23 In the good times, He is good. 31:26 But if you want to see the greatness of God, 31:28 let something bad happen to a child of God, 31:30 He steps it up. 31:32 In bad times God is great, He's much more than good. 31:36 And His word is sure and you can trust His word. 31:41 Just last week you know, the Lord sent His little test 31:44 with this cancer diagnosis, 31:47 and a surgeon and all the stuff, 31:48 there's all kinds of little bills, 31:50 you got to buy things, you got to buy, 31:51 you know, you got to buy a little kind of things, 31:52 you do an expense and money is going and your money. 31:54 Last week I had to buy two tires for the truck, 31:56 big 20 inch tires cost a fortune 31:58 and then two tires for the van. 32:00 So when the check came, 32:02 as the check came the chat went, Mollie. 32:06 So that I heard my mind 32:10 say to myself, 32:13 you just survived cancer. 32:16 God is not going to mind, Jim, 32:19 if you take your tithe this one time. 32:26 You're broke. 32:30 And as that thought, 32:31 Pastor John, formulated in my mind, 32:34 I ran to the ATM. 32:38 And got my tires out in cash, 32:39 I didn't even have to write a check. 32:42 And last Sabbath we were in green room 32:43 and Pastor John said, 32:45 he saw me putting the money in the tithe envelope, 32:46 he said, I usually write a check. 32:48 I said, I usually, I usually do it also 32:50 but today I'm making a statement 32:51 to the devil. 32:55 So I put the cast in there 32:57 because I didn't want something to pop up on Sunday, 32:58 you know, you start looking at it 33:00 and your guy wanted it out of the house 33:02 and in the hands of God. 33:04 Say how good God is. 33:05 I had 3ABN taking something out of my check 33:08 and it overtook. 33:10 So I walked in Monday to David Carson 33:13 and I said, just run some figures for me. 33:14 He said, "You know what? 33:16 We owe you some money. 33:20 Now, now, it wasn't 33:22 a big old stash of cash, JD. 33:28 Just enough for gas and a couple of other things, 33:33 you know, this week, amen. 33:35 You see the Word of God is sure 33:38 but you never get to receive the blessing 33:43 unless you act on the blessing, amen? 33:46 Now, I could have kept that 33:48 tithe money and done something with it 33:51 and not have the blessing of that, 33:52 I'd rather be broke with a blessing... 33:55 Amen. 33:58 Than have a pocket full of money 34:00 and no blessing. 34:02 Amen. 34:03 Amen. Amen. 34:05 So the Word of God is sure and it's powerful 34:08 and God does what He says, 34:12 He's going to do, but to tap into that greatness 34:15 you got to study the Word and know the Word. 34:18 You see I studied Malachi 4, which says, 34:20 "If you pay your tithes 34:22 I will open unto you the windows of heaven 34:25 and pour you out a blessing." 34:28 Now, I'd like that blessing, Mollie, to be $10,000, 34:33 but I didn't need, well, I did need 34:36 but I didn't needed right then. 34:38 So I got a lot less but it was a blessing, amen? 34:44 And I went back and I told Irma, 34:46 we got a little blessing. 34:48 Praise the Lord. 34:50 So the blessing is on the go 34:53 and that it's activated by faith. 34:58 And to use a Krinonian locution God exalts His word. 35:07 And when you had the Word in your heart, 35:10 it's like putting 35:11 a little battery down there, you know. 35:15 And it's activated and it grows 35:18 and you get the power to live victoriously. 35:24 Now, let's take a little quick Greek lesson. 35:26 Because I thought for many years 35:28 that there were actually, 35:29 that there were two words there were translated power, 35:31 there're actually four. 35:32 The challenge is 35:34 two of them are used about 90% of the time 35:36 and the other two don't get much play 35:39 but they are great words, so I'm gonna give you all four. 35:41 The first one you probably know, 35:43 that's exousia, 35:44 we get that, we see that in John 19:2, 35:48 "As many as received Him 35:49 gave he the power or the exousia, 35:52 or the authority to become sons of God." 35:57 Exousia is translated authority, capacity, 36:00 jurisdiction, privilege, competency, 36:05 and it's the word you see most of the time, 36:07 about 80% of the time when you see the word power, 36:09 it means authority. 36:12 The next word is dunamis. 36:14 We see that in Ephesians 1:19. 36:18 The Bible talks about the exceeding greatness 36:21 of His power towards us. 36:23 So it's the exceeding greatness of his dunamis towards us. 36:27 We get the word dynamite from that. 36:29 It's translated might, 36:31 miraculous work and that's the sort of subset 36:35 that usually see. 36:36 When we're talking about dunamis, 36:37 you're talking about a miraculous working of God 36:40 in the life of His people, 36:42 the physical ability to get the job done. 36:45 It's also called abundant ability. 36:50 It's doing the work. 36:53 You know, the Bible says, 36:55 He bless us abundantly more than 36:56 we can ask or think, that's dunamis power. 37:00 Now those are the ones we know. 37:02 I stumbled on another one that I really, really like, 37:04 it's called ischus. 37:06 2 Peter 2:11, it's only used the handful of times, ischus. 37:11 It's translated force or might, it's like kinetic energy. 37:15 It's like you take a little snowball, 37:17 you start rolling it down the hill 37:18 and it picks up mass, and it picks up weight, 37:21 and it's rolling down 37:22 and it's got a lot of kinetic energy, 37:24 but you never, you never really feel 37:26 that energy until it hits something 37:27 like a tree or smacks into a car, 37:29 then you realize 37:30 how much energy that little snowball has. 37:33 Well, ischus, ischus is like that, it's kinetic energy. 37:37 You'll never know how much power you have 37:40 until you hit something like the devil, amen? 37:44 So, Peter says, "We've got this kinetic energy. 37:48 Christians have this kinetic energy. 37:49 Listen, just because you're a Christian, 37:51 it doesn't mean you're a wimp. 37:54 Amen? 37:56 Yeah, Christians are called to face and to fight, 38:01 it doesn't mean you're wimp. 38:02 You know years ago, 38:04 we had a roller skating club, 38:05 I used to be back in another life, 38:07 a pretty good roller. 38:08 In fact I was a, I was a very good roller skater. 38:10 Had Christian roller skating night. 38:12 And we'll go after Christian roller skating night 38:14 to this restaurant. 38:15 And we're in this restaurant one night 38:17 and you know, 38:19 I can't, I can't tell that story 38:21 because if I told you the story, 38:23 you might think less of me. 38:26 Suffice it to say, 38:28 Christians are not wimps, Pastor Lomacang, 38:32 ain't not? 38:34 Amen. 38:37 So that's ischus, ischus. 38:42 There is a fourth word 38:44 that is translated power called kratos or cratus. 38:48 Colossians 1:11, 38:50 "According to His glorious kratos 38:53 or His power." 38:55 It is also translated dominion. 38:57 It is the ability to hold on to what you've got. 39:04 Amen. 39:05 Kratos is the ability given by God 39:08 to hold on to what you got. 39:10 Back in 1996, 39:12 I was coming home from a funeral 39:14 and my front door is open. 39:16 And as I'm walking in, 39:18 two individuals are walking out with my stuff. 39:22 They got my VCR, you folk remember VCRs? 39:25 That's what you had before you had the DVD player. 39:29 They walked out with my VCRs, 39:30 my television sets 39:33 and they'd even stolen my cologne. 39:38 Now, I can't tell you what happened because if I did, 39:44 you would think less of me. 39:47 But suffice it to say 39:49 that God allowed me to kratos. 39:54 He allowed me to hold on to what was mine, Pastor Jim. 40:01 It's a powerful word, 40:03 it is not used many times in the New Testament, 40:05 but it is also translated power. 40:06 It's a God given ability to possess the land 40:10 and then stay on the land 40:12 to keep what God has given you, 40:14 to hold on to what you have. 40:16 So you've got exousia, dunamis, ischus and kratos. 40:22 And in Matthew, Mark, Christ says, 40:25 "No one can enter a strong man's house 40:29 and plunder his goods 40:31 unless he first binds the strong man 40:34 and then he will put under his house." 40:35 And I wasn't about to be bound that night. 40:43 See the power of the Word makes you a strong man, amen. 40:49 You look at, look at little Greg Morikone, 40:51 I caught him little 'cause he, the guy's about 50 pounds. 40:56 Little guy but he's pretty strong. 40:58 You let somebody start fooling around with Jill 41:00 and see if he doesn't become a strong man. 41:04 Little kratos, hold on to what you got. 41:09 Let me say this obiter dictum. 41:11 Not a man knows when to say this. 41:13 If, if you know someone and I got to say this kindly. 41:19 If you know someone, 41:23 who has an up and down Christian experience, 41:29 or if you are someone like that 41:30 whose spirituality is a roller coaster ride. 41:36 Sinning and repenting, sinning and repenting, 41:38 you know, one day 41:39 they're ready to fly off to heaven 41:41 and the next day they are ready to jump off a cliff. 41:45 Always battling depression, 41:47 can't seem to get a break through 41:50 little or no joy, 41:53 I suspect their challenge is, 41:57 their problem is 41:59 they are soft on or light in 42:03 or marginally conversant with the Word of God. 42:09 Now, I'm not casting stones or picking a fight, 42:12 but if you are up and down 42:14 and up and down and up and down, 42:16 listen, prayer won't even solve that, 42:20 not by itself, 42:22 you got to get your head in the Word, 42:26 because if you're praying 42:28 and don't know what your guarantees are, 42:30 you don't know what to claim. 42:33 So you're gonna be up and down 42:34 all your life, up and down, why is this happening to me? 42:37 Why me? Why me? Oh, your answer is in the Word. 42:42 So you got to study the Word and inculcate the Word. 42:48 You got to take it inside and it will strengthen you, 42:50 it will fortify you, 42:52 it will give you a victorious Christian life. 42:57 You need to get in that Word, 42:59 Psalms 119:30, 43:01 "The entrance of thy word giveth light." 43:06 No need to be groping in darkness, 43:08 stumbling and fumbling like I did the other night 43:10 and woke Irma up, 43:12 she said, why did you turn on the light? 43:15 Why are you groping in darkness? 43:18 Light is righteousness and faith. 43:21 John 17:70, you know the text, 43:23 "Sanctify them through thy truth, 43:25 thy word is truth and light." 43:31 Let's look at Ephesians 6:14. 43:34 My time is getting away from me. 43:35 Ephesians 6:14. 43:39 Don't want to go through it all but I will summarize. 43:44 You got truth around your waist. 43:49 You've got the gospel on your feet. 43:54 You've got faith covering your chest. 43:58 You've got salvation on your head. 44:03 And you got the sword of the spirit 44:06 which is the word, amen. 44:10 Now you will know 44:12 and I'm sure you've seen this already many times. 44:14 That all of that, of all of that armament, 44:18 only one is an offensive weapons, 44:20 you know that. 44:21 Everything else is defense. 44:24 All the other pieces allow you 44:26 to take a blow and not get hurt. 44:32 But the Word, praise God, 44:35 allows you to fight back. 44:39 Amen. Amen. 44:41 Who wants to sit there all the time 44:42 and just take punishment? 44:44 To say the devil beat up on you. 44:48 The sword allows you to fight back. 44:50 The sword allows you 44:52 to fight back. 44:58 The Word allows you to go out 45:02 and actively defend yourself and your territory. 45:06 And then go out to the devil's kingdom 45:09 and bring back some POWs from Satan's kingdom. 45:15 Now let me follow that metaphor through. 45:18 Not only are you able to defend your home 45:22 and your heart and yourself, 45:24 the Word allows you to break into Satan's kingdom 45:29 and take back some of what he's stolen. 45:34 Hebrews 4:12, 45:36 "For the Word of God is living and powerful, 45:39 and sharper than any two-edged sword." 45:44 Now why a two-edged sword? 45:46 Stronger than a one-edged sword. 45:50 Here's the deal. 45:52 Here's why there are two edges. 45:55 Because while it is cutting others, 45:59 it's cutting you too. 46:04 Two-edged sword cuts both ways 46:06 while you're teaching and preaching to others, 46:09 you are teaching and preaching to yourself. 46:13 No teacher, no preacher should ever stand 46:15 before our congregation and not talk to themselves. 46:18 Any time you lead a Bible study or a Sabbath school class, 46:21 you're teaching others but you ought to be, 46:24 you better be teaching yourself. 46:27 And so that sword is cutting them, 46:30 is cutting you too. 46:32 Amen. 46:33 So you got two-edges, 46:35 that changes them, it also changes you. 46:38 That's why one of the best ways 46:39 to strengthen your own spirituality is, 46:42 is study with somebody else. 46:44 And trying to convert somebody else, 46:46 guess what? 46:48 You would be converted. 46:49 And try to make them stronger in the Lord, 46:50 you will become stronger in the Lord. 46:52 It's a two-edged sword, 46:54 it changes them, it changes you. 46:57 Christ life had been changed by the Word. 46:59 He had learned the Word from His mother's knee 47:01 and from His youth 47:02 and that's why He could say in John 14:30, 47:04 I'm jumping just a little bit, New King James, 47:06 He says, "I will no longer talk much with you, 47:09 for the ruler of this world cometh 47:11 and he has nothing in me." 47:12 For years I kind of stumbled at that text. 47:15 I like it from The Clear Word, 47:16 I just got to read it to you from The Clear Word. 47:19 Christ says, "After tonight 47:22 I'll not be talking with you for a while, 47:25 the devil who thinks 47:27 he's the prince of this world 47:29 has no power over me 47:31 because he can't find one sinful desire in me 47:35 that response to his temptation." 47:37 Lord, I wish that could be said about me, 47:39 how about you? 47:40 Christ said, 47:41 "He's got nothing in me, there are no hooks, 47:44 there's nothing he can grab on to hold on to me. 47:47 There's a commercial, 47:48 Irma and I are watching the other day. 47:51 It's a commercial for a cheeseburger. 47:56 I guess, it's about a half pound of meat. 47:59 And it's got 48:01 about a quarter inch of cheese on it 48:04 and it's got bacon on top of that. 48:08 And then it's got some things 48:09 that I didn't even know existed till I moved out 48:11 to Southern Illinois pulled pork. 48:14 We don't do pulled pork in New York. 48:16 So it's got a big old thing, a pulled pork on it, 48:18 and there's two guys standing there 48:20 with their mouths open staring at it. 48:23 And Irma said to me, 48:26 "That's enough to make me want to throw up." 48:29 And I said, amen. 48:32 See that's not a temptation for me, 48:33 there's nothing in me that responds to that. 48:38 Well, that's what Christ is saying here. 48:39 There's nothing in the world, when I, when I see sin, 48:42 it's like looking at that cheeseburger 48:43 with all that pulled pork on it. 48:46 Satan's got nothing in me. There's nothing that he has. 48:50 His temptations don't allure me. 48:55 So he's got nothing in me. 48:57 Christ said, 48:58 "There's nothing in me that Satan can, 49:00 can put in front of me that will allure me. 49:02 And I say to this day, 49:04 I wish I could make that statement. 49:07 Jesus could say it because in the desert, 49:10 Satan through his Sunday punch 49:14 and Christ withstood them all. 49:20 He fired three times 49:23 but he was unable to hurt him. 49:27 He saw Jesus emaciated, 49:30 drawn after 40 days of fasting. 49:33 Anybody ever fasted? 49:36 When I decided to go into ministry, 49:38 I fasted one solid week. 49:41 I know now that what I did was wrong 49:43 because I took nothing, no water, 49:44 nothing from Sabbath to Sabbath. 49:47 You're not supposed to do that, 49:48 you need to have water in your system 49:50 and you need to cleanse yourself, 49:52 but they call it brute fasting. 49:54 I just fasted and prayed. 49:57 Drug myself around school, I was in college. 50:02 But I know how, how beat up you can get when you fast. 50:05 Tell you a quick story, we had a fellow, 50:07 I better not call his name, he was fasting for a wife. 50:10 He said, his eyes are on a girl and he was fasting for her, 50:13 and she didn't, she wasn't fasting. 50:17 And so he was fasting for two weeks 50:19 and he's dragging himself around school 50:21 and he said, 50:22 "Has the Lord spoken to you yet?" 50:24 She said, "No." 50:27 And so he fasted and fasted and fasted 50:28 and after a while after three weeks of nothing, 50:31 he realized that God was calling him 50:33 to another ministry. 50:38 But Satan took his best shot at Jesus. 50:43 He loaded his 357 Magnum. 50:46 The most powerful handgun, 50:49 locked and loaded it with, 50:52 if you are the Son of God, 50:55 command these stones to be made bread. 51:00 And then he put it against Jesus' chest 51:05 and he pulled the trigger. 51:07 But before that bullet could touch Jesus, 51:11 it ran into man shall not live by bread alone. 51:16 And fell harmlessly to the ground. 51:20 Then he took Jesus to the top 51:23 of the temple. 51:25 And realized that a mere handgun 51:27 couldn't hurt the Lord so he, 51:29 he got what they call an RPG, rocket propelled grenade. 51:35 And he turned it on Jesus. 51:39 And he said, 51:43 "Hasn't Your Father said to you, 51:46 is it written in the Word." 51:49 You see, Satan knows the Word, 51:52 that He will give His angels charge over you 51:58 to bear you up. 52:01 So if you are the Son of God, 52:05 jump. 52:07 That's all, just jump. 52:10 What are you? Scared chicken, jump. 52:14 In fact, I'll give you little push. 52:18 Satan say he'll do, he'll give you a little push. 52:23 Trying to give up cigarettes, 52:25 yet you put one little pack 52:26 in a glove compartment of your car. 52:28 Then Satan sees to it 52:30 that you get stuck on the road behind traffic 52:31 and you're nervous and mad and you're late for work. 52:34 And you know that if you could just take that one little smoke 52:39 calm you down. 52:41 Satan says, I'll give you little push. 52:44 So Jesus, what's the problem? 52:48 Do you have any faith? 52:50 Jump. 52:52 That's all, just jump. 52:55 God will take care of you. 52:57 And he pulled the trigger on, jump. 53:01 And that RPG 53:02 ran into thou shalt not tempt the Lord, thy God 53:08 and fell harmlessly to the ground. 53:12 Then he used his masterstroke 53:16 vanity and ego... 53:22 took him to an exceedingly high mountain. 53:28 Let Him see the world. 53:32 So by the way Jesus, 53:35 these belong to me, it's a lie. 53:40 If you want them, 53:42 I'll give it to you. 53:45 Just drop to one knee. 53:50 You don't have to lay prostrate on the ground, 53:54 just dip to one day, 53:59 and it's all yours. 54:03 And he pulled the trigger. 54:07 And that missile ran into 54:11 worship God and God alone, 54:16 and no one else. 54:18 And then Christ said, 54:22 "It's time for you to go. 54:25 Get the hence sayonara, adios, hasta la vista, baby... 54:35 See ya. 54:38 How do you overcome? 54:40 By the power of the Word. 54:43 Amen. 54:45 He didn't shadowboxed with Satan, 54:47 He didn't fight with Satan, He used the Word. 54:52 How we overcome in these last days? 54:56 Same way Christ overcame. 54:59 One of the greatest texts in the Bible, 55:01 Revelation 12:11. 55:04 And they overcame him 55:07 by the blood of the Lamb 55:12 and the word of their testimony. 55:17 You see, the power is still in the Word. 55:22 Nothing about you that the devil fear. 55:25 There's nothing about you that makes him afraid. 55:27 He is afraid of your father and your best friend. 55:32 Amen. 55:34 And you never know that 55:36 until you study the Word of God. 55:42 Until you let the Word come into your heart. 55:48 Until you live out the Word. 55:52 For therein is your power, 55:55 therein is your strength, 55:57 and therein is your victory 56:02 in Christ Jesus. 56:05 But in fact they used to say, 56:06 you never know until you try. 56:11 You never know until you study 56:15 the Word of God. 56:17 And that's what these weeks of prayer 56:19 are designed to do, 56:20 to take us closer to the Word. 56:25 Amen. 56:26 And amen, shall we pray? 56:29 Gracious Father, 56:31 we thank You 56:32 because Your word is truly a lamp unto our feet 56:37 and a light unto our path. 56:40 Help us, Lord, to study the Word 56:45 and then to put in practice those things 56:49 that we have studied. 56:53 Help us to be overcomers 56:57 even as Christ overcame. 57:00 Help us through the blood of the Lamb 57:05 and the word of our testimony, 57:09 to be victorious children 57:13 of the Most High God. 57:16 And we thank You for the promise of victory 57:21 in the precious name of Jesus. 57:26 Amen and amen. |
Revised 2017-05-01