Participants: John Lomacang (Host), Pr. Wintley Phipps
Series Code: AOT
Program Code: AOT000168A
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00:14 Welcome to Anchors Of Truth,
00:16 live from the 3ABN Worship Center. 00:24 Hello friends, and welcome to the 3ABN Worship Center 00:27 for this third message in a series of five messages 00:31 that have been preached and will continue to be preached 00:35 here at our 3ABN Worship Center 00:37 in Thompsonville/ West Frankfort, Illinois. 00:41 We have been blessed from night to night. 00:43 Can we all say amen to that? 00:45 The Lord has really cooked up a meal in the mind and heart 00:49 of His servant, Pastor Wintley Phipps. 00:52 And we know that tonight through the message entitled, 00:55 The Bride of Christ, we will not be underfed. 00:59 We can trust that when the Lord calls a man to stand 01:03 in behalf of the kingdom of heaven, that He turns 01:07 on the power of His Spirit to do exceedingly 01:11 abundantly above all that we ask or think. 01:14 And tonight I know. 01:15 We have not only had wonderful messages, 01:17 but I have enjoyed Wintley's singing. 01:19 Can you say amen to that? 01:20 A man who not only has been experienced 01:23 in the Word of the Lord, but he also sings 01:26 the messages that God has given to him. 01:30 With about 25 recordings... 01:33 And I say recordings because he began when they were records. 01:36 Now they are CD's. 01:38 He has been so well anointed of the Lord and decorated 01:43 of heaven that I want to share with you tonight 01:46 some of his accomplishments, not to magnify the man, 01:51 but to magnify the Lord. 01:53 For he has talked about... 01:56 There was an album a number of years ago 01:58 that he produced entitled, The Power of a Dream. 02:01 And to be able to walk in the dream that God had for him 02:06 has been nothing short of a miracle in his life. 02:09 His wife is here tonight; Linda. 02:11 Good to have you here. Good to see you every evening. 02:14 And they are the proud parents of three sons. 02:17 They are grown men now. 02:19 They are looking forward to some daughter-in-laws in the future, 02:22 as God will have His way in their lives. 02:26 But Pastor Wintley Phipps is not only a good friend of ours 02:29 here at 3ABN, personal friends, but a man who knows 02:32 how to walk where God leads. 02:35 He is a world renowned vocal artist, 02:37 educational activist, motivational speaker, 02:39 pastor, and CEO and founder of The U.S. Dream Academy, 02:44 for which he has received numerous service awards. 02:48 Among them, The Excellence in Mentoring for Program 02:52 Leadership award from National Mentoring Partnership. 02:57 He also is friends of the well known Oprah Winfrey. 03:02 He was blessed of God to be in her life 03:04 at a very pivotal intersection. 03:07 And that friendship has blossomed into ministry 03:09 for both of them through the years. 03:12 He has also received a number of awards 03:14 because of the gifts he has. 03:16 He has also been philanthropic through the years; 03:20 The National Center for Black Philanthropy Inc. 03:23 And he has been able to sing for more than five, now six, 03:28 Presidents, and also for some presidential hopefuls, 03:31 being there in the Washington D.C. area. 03:35 And so tonight we know that the man that God calls 03:38 is the man that He anoints. 03:40 The man that He anoints is the man that He appoints. 03:43 And tonight as we speak of the importance of 03:45 preparing for the coming of the Lord through the message, 03:48 The Bride of Christ, tonight, your manservant, 03:51 the one God calls to preach and to sing, 03:54 is going to anoint our hearts this evening 03:56 as we go before the Lord. 03:57 But before we call him to bring what God has given to him, 04:00 let us invite the presence of the Lord to be with us. 04:03 Let us pray. 04:04 Gracious Father in heaven, we thank You 04:08 that our hearts are open now as we sit at the table of grace. 04:13 Lord, You have reminded us in more than one occasion 04:17 that preparation for the kingdom of God is more important 04:20 than knowing when the kingdom of God will be. 04:24 We have been given insight into the Word of God 04:26 to know that the times in which we live 04:28 are a harbinger of the soon coming of our Savior. 04:32 But what a day that would be if You come and not 04:35 find Your people ready. 04:37 We have thanked You, Lord, and we continue to give Your name 04:40 the praise it is due, as Your manservant has reminded us 04:44 that reflecting and showing Christ's character to the world 04:50 is the most important gift that we can give 04:52 to this world and this society. 04:54 So bless him again tonight, Father, as he sings 04:57 and uplifts Your holy name through the spoken word. 05:00 We pray this in Jesus' name and for His sake, amen. 05:04 Tonight, let us now welcome with a hearty amen 05:06 Pastor Wintley Phipps. 05:12 Praise the Lord. 05:14 A number of people have been calling and asking, 05:17 how do we get the workbook, Perfecting Me; Becoming the 05:22 Person You Were Created to Be, 05:25 and the book, Your Best Destiny, 05:27 where we talk about growing to be like the character of Jesus. 05:32 Well you can get it at goodsamaritanmall.com. 05:37 And they'll put it up on the screen. 05:39 But we praise the Lord that you'll be able to 05:42 get this resource. 05:44 Some time ago, I recorded this song. 05:46 Listen to the message in it. I hope you're blessed. 06:07 Mine eyes have seen the glory 06:12 of the coming of the Lord; 06:18 He is trampling out the vintage 06:23 where the grapes of wrath are stored; 06:29 He hath loosed the fateful lightning 06:34 of His terrible swift sword; 06:39 His truth is marching on. 06:51 Glory, glory! Hallelujah! 06:57 Glory, glory! Hallelujah! 07:02 Glory, glory! Hallelujah! 07:07 His truth is marching on. 07:22 In the beauty of the lilies 07:28 Christ was born across the sea, 07:33 with a glory in His bosom 07:38 that transfigures you and me. 07:44 As He died to make men holy, 07:49 let us live to make men free. 07:55 Our God is marching on. 08:06 Glory, glory! Hallelujah! 08:12 Glory, glory! Hallelujah! 08:17 Glory, glory! Hallelujah! 08:22 His truth is marching on. 08:31 Glory, glory! Hallelujah! 08:41 Oh, glory, glory! Hallelujah! 08:52 Glory, glory! Hallelujah! 08:57 His truth is marching on. 09:03 His truth is marching on. 09:14 Marching on. 09:18 Marching on. 09:36 Let us pray. 09:38 Father, as we open Your Holy Word, 09:42 I ask that You would cleanse me of all unrighteousness. 09:47 Fill my life with Your Holy Spirit's presence and power. 09:53 Speak to me, through me, and for me. 09:57 And I promise You, God, I'll always give You 09:59 the honor, the glory, and the praise. 10:04 In Jesus' name I pray, amen. 10:08 Praise the Lord. 10:11 God is so awesome, amen? 10:15 Tonight we're going to be talking about 10:18 the character of the bride. 10:23 The character of the bride. 10:28 The patriarch, Abraham, was nearing the end of a prosperous 10:35 and remarkable life. 10:39 With his footsteps beginning to falter 10:41 and his eyesight beginning to fail, 10:45 Abraham prepared his heart to pass through 10:50 the valley of the shadow of death. 10:54 But like many parents today, Abraham was concerned 11:00 that his 40 year old son, Isaac, was still not yet married. 11:08 As Abraham looked around the land in which he lived 11:11 and saw the character and caliber of the young ladies 11:15 Isaac had to choose from, Abraham was troubled. 11:21 Abraham had seen many of his own relatives 11:24 from his brother Lot led astray by their decision to marry 11:30 outside of their faith. 11:33 And Abraham knew that because Isaac was a gentle soul, 11:36 a giving soul, a loving young man whose heart was 11:40 tender and affectionate, Abraham knew that if Isaac 11:44 married the wrong woman, his desire to please her 11:49 would be so overwhelming that it would cause him to compromise 11:54 his faith for the sake of keeping harmony in the home. 12:00 Abraham went to his son Isaac and said, 12:03 "Son, you know I love you, but I'm going to choose your wife." 12:09 I believe, brothers and sisters, if your parents 12:12 are praying people... 12:15 Uh-huh. 12:17 ...God may use them to show you the character of the one 12:23 you intend to marry. 12:25 And no matter how well intentioned and pure 12:28 a spouses motive is, history has proven 12:33 that it's easier for a wife or husband who is an unbeliever 12:37 to pull down a believing spouse than it is the other way around. 12:44 Maybe it's just the power of gravity at work 12:46 that it's always easier to pull someone down 12:51 than it is to pull somebody up. 12:54 For example, have you ever noticed that when it comes 12:56 to going to church, that it's easier to stop going 13:01 than it is to start going. 13:04 As a matter of fact, the only way you can stay married long 13:07 is if you learn to compromise. 13:10 When it is, "My way or the highway," 13:14 both of you will end up in a ditch. 13:17 In a great marriage, you have to learn to perfect 13:20 the art of accommodation and concession. 13:25 In a great marriage, you always have to be ready 13:27 to bless your partner with copious showers 13:32 of humility and diplomacy. 13:35 You know, when he wants to watch wrestling on Friday night, 13:39 nothing much you can do. 13:41 You can't make it an issue. 13:42 It's his house too. 13:45 A great marriage is a constant search for 13:48 harmony and understanding. 13:51 And you will find a good marriage to be a refining 13:54 and sanctifying influence in your life. 13:58 And I don't care how brilliant you are, 14:01 when you marry outside of the will of God, 14:05 you're taking the biggest gamble of your life. 14:09 Because Isaac was confident that the God of heaven 14:12 was guiding his father, Abraham, he had learned to trust 14:17 and have great faith in the wisdom 14:20 and judgment of Abraham. 14:21 And back in those days, remember, the love connection 14:25 was generally made by believing faithful parents. 14:31 But don't worry, God had prescribed an ejection clause 14:35 in this agreement, in this arrangement. 14:37 God had instructed that no one was to marry someone 14:42 they could not love in a romantic way. 14:46 Somebody say, "Praise the Lord." 14:50 Because you can love everybody in a brother/sister way, 14:53 but it's only a select group of people you can love 14:56 in a romantic way. 14:59 But Isaac was a son who trusted his father with his life. 15:02 You remember, you know that he would trust his father 15:07 with the choice of his wife too. 15:10 As he prayed, Abraham remembered that back in the 15:13 land of his childhood, there still lived a believing 15:17 people who kept the commandments of the living God. 15:21 And Abraham believed that there had to be somewhere 15:25 in Mesopotamia a young lady of character 15:29 who could make a good bride for his son. 15:36 A bride who was willing to follow the leading 15:40 of the Holy Spirit. 15:42 Abraham believed that somewhere in Mesopotamia 15:46 there was a young lady who, when convicted by the Holy Spirit, 15:51 would leave her home and family to unit her life 15:56 in marriage with one whom she had never seen. 16:04 There was no FaceTime back then. 16:07 Because of his age and the rigors of such a journey, 16:11 Abraham delegated the responsibility of choosing 16:15 the young lady to his eldest servant, Eliezer. 16:19 Before Eliezer left to carry out the most important 16:23 mission of his life, Abraham said to him, "The Lord of God 16:27 will be with you, He will guide you in all your ways. 16:30 He will send an angel to guide you to the angel who He has 16:35 chosen for my son." 16:38 And so Abraham's servant made the long journey 16:40 beyond Damascus. 16:42 When he arrived, he went straightway to the well. 16:47 He sat there patiently, hoping to find a woman of character. 16:55 As the women came to draw water for the evening, 16:58 he prayed to the Lord, "Lord, let it be that whoever 17:01 I ask for a drink, and she says, 'Oh, and let me bring water 17:06 for your camels too,' let her be the one You have chosen 17:11 for Isaac." 17:13 Eliezer prayed that God's providence would lead him 17:17 to a woman of character. 17:20 In the book of 2 Peter, God presents to us 17:24 eight key dimensions that are necessary for people of 17:30 character to have. 17:33 You find it in 2 Peter 1:5. 17:48 Temperance, or self-control. 18:00 Charity, or love. 18:02 But look at what it says in 2 Peter 1:8. 18:24 That means that a bride of character would have 18:30 these dimensions of character. 18:33 She would be a woman of faith, 18:37 she would be woman of virtue, she would be a woman of wisdom, 18:42 a woman of temperance, a woman of self-control, 18:46 a woman of patience, a woman of reverence for God, 18:52 a woman of kindness, and a woman of love. 18:57 "For man looketh on the outward appearance, 18:59 but God looketh upon the heart." 19:04 No matter how handsome or how pretty you are 19:07 on the outside, with God it is character that counts with Him. 19:14 I read about this lady who was out on a first date, 19:19 and said to the young man, "What do you love most about me; 19:25 my natural beauty or my gorgeous figure?" 19:31 Her date quietly replied, "What I really love about you 19:35 is your sense of humor." 19:41 Too many people today are caught up with the Hollywood externals 19:48 and they forget that with God it is character that counts. 19:54 Hollywood has its standards, but God has His. 19:58 And the difference is, most people can never measure up 20:02 to Hollywood's standards. 20:04 But God has promised, everyone that listens to my voice today, 20:09 He has promised you the power to measure up 20:12 to His standards. 20:14 Eliezer, Abraham's servant, was looking for a woman of character 20:19 Isaac could love. 20:20 And in Genesis 24:10, the Bible tells us the servant 20:26 took ten camels of the camels of his master. 20:31 And verse 11, "He made his camels to kneel down 20:36 without the city by a well. 20:38 And he said, 'O Lord God,'" verse 12, "O God of my 20:41 master Abraham, send me good speed today. 20:45 Send me someone. Show kindness. 20:48 I'm going to stand here. 20:50 Let it come to pass that this damsel to whom I shall say, 20:55 'Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink,' 20:58 and she shall say, 'Drink, and I will give your 21:00 camels drink too.' 21:02 And it came to pass," verse 15 of chapter 24 of Genesis, 21:09 "It came to pass, before he had even done speaking..." 21:14 What a God you serve. 21:16 Before you even finish your prayer, 21:19 He's answering that prayer. 21:21 "Before he had done speaking," the Bible says, 21:24 "that behold, Rebekah came out..." 21:29 Praise the Lord. 21:30 And I like verse 16. 21:32 It starts, "And the damsel was very fair to look upon..." 21:38 Well, let's get that out of the way. 21:40 Rebekah was a stunning beauty. 21:44 There are very few women in the Bible that the word of God 21:48 says that they were fair, or they were gorgeous. 21:52 Queen Vashti was one. 21:55 Queen Esther was another. 21:58 Rebekah was another. 22:01 Rebekah was so beautiful that Isaac was scared 22:07 people would kill him to get her. 22:10 As a matter of fact, in Genesis 26:7 it says, 22:14 "And the men of the place asked him of his wife. 22:17 And he said, 'Oh no, no, she's not my wife. 22:18 She's my sister.'" 22:20 And in Genesis 26:8 it tell us that the king saw Rebekah 22:27 and Isaac laughing and playing one day. 22:32 And the king said to himself, "Whoa, whoa, whoa. 22:35 Wait a minute. 22:37 No brother and sister play like that." 22:41 "And it came to pass," chapter 26 verse 8, 22:44 "when he had been there a long time, 22:46 that the king looked out of the window and he saw them playing, 22:49 and Abimelech said, 'No, this can't be your sister.'" 22:57 Externals may be noticed, but it is character 23:02 that counts with God. 23:04 Remember, God tells us all that through His Scriptures. 23:07 Proverbs 31:30, you remember that? 23:09 It says, "Charm is deceitful, beauty is fleeting; 23:13 but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." 23:19 Proverbs 11:22 tells us that a beautiful woman 23:23 who lacks character, who lacks discretion, 23:26 who lacks wisdom, is like a gold ring in a pigs nose. 23:32 My God. 23:34 Ezekiel 16 warns against God's people trusting in their beauty. 23:38 And in 1 Peter 3:3-5, it tells us that beauty 23:42 should come, not from outward adornment such as jewelry and 23:46 wearing of gold and clothes. 23:48 It should come from the inner character, 23:51 the sweet gentle quiet spirit. 23:55 So let's look at the character of Rebekah. 23:59 Genesis 24:16. 24:06 So we got that out of the way; she was pretty. 24:09 Somebody say amen for pretty. 24:12 And then it also says, not only was she very fair to look upon, 24:18 it says she was a virgin. 24:25 And it adds and explains what a virgin is. 24:29 "...neither had any man known her..." 24:35 She was a woman of character. 24:39 "...she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, 24:40 and come up..." 24:42 That means she was a working woman. 24:45 A woman of character. 24:47 Verse 17... 24:58 That meant to me she was a woman of kindness. 25:02 And a woman of kindness is a woman of character. 25:06 "And she hasted and let down her pitcher upon her hand..." 25:10 "Sir," she said, "you drink first." 25:14 Well, that meant to me that she was a woman of patience. 25:18 She was a woman of self-control. 25:21 She didn't drink first. She said, "You drink first." 25:24 And in verse 19... 25:43 So Rebekah was not a prima donna 25:48 who couldn't get her hands dirty. 25:51 Oh, somebody say amen. 25:54 Rebekah was a woman of character. 25:57 Now keep in mind, Eliezer had, the Bible tells us, ten camels. 26:02 And each camel, after a long trip, is able of drinking 26:09 25 gallons of water. 26:12 So if you average it out, 26:14 five gallons of water for each time... 26:17 Believe me, five gallons of water to carry is pretty heavy. 26:22 Well that's 40 pounds of water. 26:24 And the ten camels needed 250 gallons. 26:28 That meant that Rebekah probably took 40 to 50 26:33 trips to the well to get enough water for all those camels. 26:40 Well, that's a woman of character. 26:43 You know you wouldn't do it. 26:47 Rebekah was not only beautiful, she was not only morally pure, 26:52 she's a hard working woman full of kindness and generosity. 26:58 In other words, Rebekah was beautiful outside and inside. 27:02 She had an inward moral beauty, and she was still a virgin, 27:07 the Bible says. 27:08 And today, what do you call that? 27:10 You call that, a miracle. 27:14 Isn't that the truth? 27:15 A woman of inward moral beauty, 27:19 and a woman who is still a virgin. 27:23 And Rebekah was God's perfect match for Isaac. 27:26 God didn't need eHarmony, or Christian Mingles, 27:31 or Match.com. 27:32 God doesn't need social media to find you a wife or a husband. 27:38 Amen. 27:39 Have you ever heard of prayer? 27:42 God is able to arrange a marriage of two praying people 27:48 from hundreds of miles away without the aid of social media. 27:54 He did it then and He can still do it today. 27:57 The Bible says, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; 28:00 lean not unto thine own understanding. 28:01 In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path." 28:07 Somebody say, "Praise God." 28:10 Rebekah was exactly who Isaac needed to complete him. 28:13 And after Eliezer made arrangements with 28:16 Rebekah's family, Rebekah set out on a journey of faith. 28:20 Rebekah was a woman of faith. 28:22 And a woman of faith is a woman of character. 28:27 Rebekah was willing to leave her family, her country, 28:30 400 miles, to marry somebody she had never met. 28:37 That's faith. 28:39 All because she knew God was leading her and guiding her. 28:42 I remember while in my teenage years, 28:45 I began to pray that God would give me a woman of character. 28:51 And I went down to Oakwood College, 28:54 and I went there to their well. 28:57 And I sat by the side of that well, and I prayed, 29:01 "Lord, whoever I ask for a cup of water, 29:05 let her be the one. 29:07 And if she says, 'Let me feed your camels too..'" 29:11 And I waited and waited, and nobody came. 29:15 But one day I was on campus talking to a 29:18 couple of young ladies. 29:19 But if you hear my wife tell the story, 29:21 I was with about twelve young ladies. 29:23 And in the midst of those young ladies, 29:25 my wife now, Linda, walked up to me and said, 29:29 "Excuse me," tapped me on the shoulder, 29:32 "when you're free, I'd like to have a word with you." 29:35 Now, you know, that took courage. 29:39 To walk up with other young ladies around and 29:43 tap me on the shoulder. 29:45 You know, she braved all the looks that said, 29:48 "Oh no she didn't!" 29:52 And then she waited for me. 29:54 That meant she had courage and patience. 29:58 Praise the Lord. 30:00 And she said to me, "My mama sent me some money, 30:04 and I heard you have a car. 30:06 Would you mind taking me to pick up the money?" 30:09 Back in the Western Union days, you know. 30:12 Well not only did she have courage and patience, 30:15 she also had wisdom. 30:18 She didn't want to leave her mother's money 30:20 sitting too long at Western Union drawing interest. 30:23 Amen. 30:24 And then when I got to know her, I understood 30:27 she was also a woman of kindness. 30:29 And I now knew why. 30:30 Because my wife had a sister, a crippled sister, 30:36 who was dropped when she was a baby. 30:39 And she grew to be 29 years of age with the 30:44 brain of a 5 month old. 30:45 She could not take care of herself. 30:50 And so, she slept in my wife's room with her. 30:55 And my wife, Linda, took such good care of her invalid sister. 31:01 Even if a mosquito landed on her, Linda was the one there 31:06 to kill it. 31:08 So Linda grew up cultivating kindness. 31:14 One day at her house, a man pulled out a gun. 31:18 Started waving it around to their family. 31:20 She calmly went to the phone and dialed 911. 31:25 That's a woman of courage. 31:28 Amen. 31:30 And my wife is the most virtuous woman I've ever known. 31:33 I can't begin to tell you all the stories that showed me 31:36 the character of my wife Linda. 31:39 But this I know, when a man wants a bride, 31:43 the most important thing he wants to find 31:47 is a woman of character. 31:51 Jesus, too, is looking for a bride. 31:58 His church. 32:01 He is looking for a bride that has character. 32:09 In the book of Ephesians 5:25, it says, 32:11 "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ 32:17 also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; 32:22 that He might sanctify it and cleanse it 32:26 with the washing of water by the word. 32:28 That He might present it to Himself a glorious church, 32:34 not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; 32:39 but that it should be holy and without blemish." 32:44 Jesus is looking for a bride of character. 32:49 And He calls this bride, His church. 32:53 He's looking for a church that has character 32:57 that resembles His own. 33:00 And what is the church? 33:02 The church is a group of people God has brought together 33:06 to prepare as a bride to take to His kingdom. 33:11 Amen. 33:12 What is the church? 33:14 The church is a place where people are united 33:17 in the holy bonds of fellowship, and they are all committed, 33:21 they are all committed to walking in the footsteps 33:25 of Christ and resembling, reflecting, and revealing 33:30 His character to the world. 33:34 A church that does not reveal the character of Christ 33:39 to the world cannot say they are His bride. 33:46 Ooh, my my. 33:48 And I tell people that Christ has brought us together 33:51 from different backgrounds and races and different places 33:55 because a fist is always stronger than a finger. 34:01 He wants us all to be united. 34:04 For as the body is one, and one body being many a one, 34:08 so also is our Lord Christ. 34:12 So praise the Lord, our God is looking for 34:15 a bride of character. 34:18 She must first put on the robe of Christ's righteousness. 34:23 That means she has to withdraw from all allegiance 34:27 to the world. 34:30 And why should you join the church? 34:33 The church of Christ is made of people 34:37 who have made a commitment to be representatives 34:42 of the character of Christ. 34:46 By beholding the goodness, the mercy, the justice, 34:51 and the love of God revealed in the church, 34:55 the world is to have a representation 34:58 of His character. 35:00 In other words, when the world looks at the church, 35:04 the world should see the character of Christ 35:09 being made manifest in the world. 35:13 Amen. 35:14 In the church here below, God's children are to be prepared 35:19 for the great reunion in the church above. 35:23 Yes, there is a church on earth and there is a church above. 35:27 Those who here live in harmony with Christ 35:30 may look forward to an endless life 35:34 in the family of the redeemed. 35:37 Now I want to share with you some of the most wonderful 35:41 quotes from the spirit of prophecy I've come across. 35:45 Christ longs to see true Christian character 35:51 manifested in the church here below. 35:55 That is why all of us who are members of the church 35:59 this side of heaven ought to feel a responsibility 36:04 to overcome our defects of character. 36:09 We cannot hold on... 36:11 He is looking for a bride without spot or wrinkle. 36:15 So we cannot hold on to our defects and still claim 36:20 we are the church. 36:22 We have to encourage others to overcome while we do our best 36:28 to overcome ourselves. 36:30 Jesus says, "My bride is My church." 36:33 Jesus wants to know that He is the Bridegroom. 36:37 He wants us to know He is the Bridegroom 36:41 and we are His bride. 36:44 In the church, the servant of God says, 36:46 in the church, Jesus is making experiments of grace 36:52 on human hearts and is effecting such a transformation 36:58 of character in the members of the church 37:01 that angels are amazed, and they express their joy 37:06 in songs of praise seeing us transformed 37:10 into the character of Christ. 37:13 Angels rejoice, she says, to think that sinful 37:18 erring human beings can be so transformed 37:23 into the likeness of Jesus. 37:27 And though enfeebled and defective, 37:29 one of my favorite quotes, even though the church is 37:31 enfeebled, often defective, needing constantly to be 37:35 warned and counseled, the church is still 37:40 the object of Christ's supreme regard. 37:43 He loves us with our wrinkles, but He does not want us 37:49 to stay wrinkled. 37:52 Oh, you didn't hear what I said. 37:53 He loves us with our wrinkles, 37:56 but He doesn't want us to remain or to think we can 38:01 go to heaven with our wrinkles. 38:04 The church is God's fortress in the world. 38:07 It is His city of refuge which He holds secure 38:10 in a world of sin and rebellion. 38:13 And I love this one... 38:14 "Betrayal of the church is treachery to Christ..." 38:19 Wow. 38:21 "Through centuries of persecution, 38:23 conflict, and darkness, God has sustained His church." 38:31 And no matter how dark, 38:33 no matter how disheartening the horizon, 38:36 no matter how threatening the future may seem, 38:40 the church of the living God will stand secure. 38:46 And those who keep the commandments of God 38:48 and the faith of Jesus will stand. 38:53 He is the good Shepherd, we are the sheep of His pasture. 38:57 And may we never forget that we belong to the church 39:01 of the living God. 39:03 And that church belongs to Christ. 39:07 He said, "Upon this rock I will build my church; 39:10 and the gates of hell shall never prevail." 39:15 Jesus says, "I have in the earth children who delight 39:20 to do My will. 39:22 And they are My church. 39:25 In have in the earth children who wear the righteous robe 39:29 of My character. 39:31 And they are My church. 39:33 They love Me with a love that is stronger than death. 39:38 They are My church." 39:40 This church, brothers and sisters, is His church. 39:45 And it will always be His church. 39:49 I know some people act like it's their church. 39:52 But it's not their church. 39:54 It is His church. 39:57 We cannot shape its teachings to our liking. 40:01 It is His church. 40:03 Neither can we do in it what we please. 40:07 It is His church. 40:09 It is not ours. 40:10 He is the master Architect. 40:12 And it is our privilege to be co-laborers with Him. 40:16 He said, "Upon this rock we will build His church." 40:21 No, "Upon this rock," He said, "I will build My church." 40:27 And in this hour of fear and uncertainty, 40:30 we find comfort in this sure word; 40:34 that Christ is still today, even today, 40:38 still building His church. 40:41 And nothing shall prevail against it. 40:44 Systems of religion have come and gone. 40:49 Philosophies have burst upon the scene only to pass away. 40:54 And yet the church of Christ, 40:56 the bride of Christ, still stands. 41:00 It has survived, it has survived the villainy of its enemies 41:06 and the treachery of its friends. 41:09 The church of God still stands. 41:12 We are troubled on every side, says the Scriptures, 41:15 yet not distressed. 41:18 We are perplexed, but not in despair. 41:21 We are persecuted, but not forsaken. 41:24 Cast down, but not destroyed. 41:27 The church of God will never know defeat. 41:34 When America is no more... 41:39 ...when America is no more... 41:43 ...the church of God will still stand. 41:47 No power in earth or hell will ever bring the 41:51 church of God to nothing. 41:54 The church of God has been marched against 41:58 by the might of the Roman empire; 42:00 and it still stands. 42:03 It has been persecuted by the Caesars, 42:05 and yet it still stands. 42:08 Like the desert flame that Moses saw, the church still burns 42:14 without being consumed. 42:17 Storms have beat against it, 42:19 floods have sought to overflow it, 42:22 empires have risen against it, 42:25 thrones and kingdoms have sought to conquer it, 42:29 yet the church still stands. 42:33 She has survived scoffers and schisms, 42:37 she has outlived the poisoned words of skeptics and infidels; 42:44 the church of God still stands. 42:48 Entire civilizations have come and gone, 42:53 traditions and customs have faded away; 42:56 still, the church of God stands. 42:59 The church of God will always stand, because it is built 43:04 on the irresistible purpose, power, and presence of Jesus. 43:11 The Bridegroom is the Lamb, our Lord Jesus Christ. 43:15 The wedding is the marriage of the Lamb 43:18 to His bride, the church. 43:21 And Jesus says, "I love My church." 43:27 And He's looking for a church that is without spot or wrinkle. 43:35 A church that is holy, without blemish. 43:41 The bride of the Lamb, the faithful saints of all ages; 43:45 this bride is clothed, the Scripture say, 43:48 in fine white clean linen. 43:51 The white linen is the righteousness of the saints. 43:55 And the righteous robe they wear is not a real robe, 43:58 it is the robe of character; the robe of righteousness. 44:04 And she's arrayed in fine linen that is provided by the Lamb. 44:08 And she's ready for her marriage. 44:11 Amen. 44:13 I once read a story about a handsome prince, 44:17 stately royal prince, 44:20 who fell in love with a peasant girl. 44:25 She wasn't much. 44:26 As a matter of fact, folks were amazed 44:30 that this prince would even be interested in this peasant girl. 44:37 This peasant girl had a lot of growing to do, however, 44:41 in her character. 44:43 And there were times when she was irritable, 44:48 short tempered, times that she would stumble and fall. 44:53 No one knew what that prince saw in her. 45:00 What they could not do was see that peasant girl 45:06 through the eyes of the prince. 45:10 But that prince decided that he couldn't live without her. 45:18 And so he asked her to be his bride. 45:22 The angels in heaven listened as she accepted his proposal. 45:27 The prince promised his bride that he was going to prepare 45:32 the home they would live in together, 45:35 and he would come back for her very soon. 45:39 The peasant girl, now a princess betrothed, 45:44 pledged that she would be faithful and await his return. 45:51 After a while though, the story tells us that the 45:54 bride to be stopped living in anticipation and preparation 46:02 for the return of her prince. 46:05 Sometimes the way she lived, you wouldn't even know 46:10 that she was to be the bride of a prince. 46:16 There were times when that princess could be seen 46:22 flirting with the other men of the village. 46:27 And you would have expected a blessing like that, 46:31 a gift like that, that she would be faithful. 46:37 You would expect her to be filled with wonder 46:41 that she was so fortunate. 46:44 Fortunate to be loved by such a prince. 46:48 You would think that she would be careful to remain pure 46:55 in anticipation of the return of her royal groom. 47:02 But she forgot about her prince. 47:07 Brothers and sisters, we cannot forget 47:13 that we have been betrothed to a royal Groom 47:22 who loves us, who is coming back for us. 47:28 Coming to take us to His kingdom. 47:33 Revelation 19:7 says, "Let us be glad and rejoice, 47:38 and give honor to him: 47:40 for the marriage of the Lamb is come, 47:42 and his wife hath made herself ready. 47:46 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed 47:49 in fine linen, clean..." 47:53 The church of Christ should be clean. 47:58 "...for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints." 48:03 His bride should be righteous and clean. 48:08 Are we living everyday in preparation for the return 48:12 of our Groom? 48:14 You know, just when it seems like the engine of the church 48:18 is sputtering, I want you to know, God still has a people 48:25 even when those around us, you have wheat and tares 48:31 growing together. 48:33 Just when it seems like the church is faltering 48:36 and it might fail, I want you to know, there's a scripture 48:39 I keep in my heart, 1 John 5:4, 48:42 "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world. 48:49 And this is the victory that overcometh the world, 48:52 even our faith." 48:53 We may not be sure about the outcome of many things, 48:58 but this we do know; that in the end, 49:04 this church is going to win. 49:08 Amen. 49:10 And when this warfare against darkness is over, 49:14 because of Jesus the church will triumph. 49:20 Praise God. 49:22 Because of Jesus, we who sow in tears will reap in joy. 49:28 Because of Jesus, His church will march on through the flood 49:33 and the flames, waving palm branches of victory 49:37 in our hands. 49:38 Because of Jesus, we who are the church shall come up 49:43 from every side, from the north and south, 49:46 from east and west. 49:48 We're going to come up carrying our crosses. 49:51 Going home as a bride prepared for her Husband. 49:55 Going home to a land where flowers never fade 50:00 and the day never dies. 50:02 This is the heritage of all who belong to the church of Christ. 50:10 And it is not enough to be in the church. 50:15 We must be the church. 50:19 But to be the church, the bride of Christ, 50:24 we must have the character of Christ. 50:30 There are many who are undermining the bride 50:32 that Christ is in love with today. 50:35 They are sowing seeds of discord and disunity in the church. 50:40 They're calling the bride all kinds of names. 50:42 But I want you to know, let me read you something 50:45 before I close. 50:46 The servant of God says, and you may look at it as we read... 51:13 In other words, anybody who tells you that this church 51:16 is Babylon and you need to leave it, they are doing the work 51:20 of the enemy of our souls. 51:23 Amen. 51:27 Even if this church stumbles, is weak, defective, 51:33 it is still His church. 51:37 And He loves it with an amazing love. 51:40 Listen to the message in the song tonight. 51:58 Amazing love, how can it be 52:05 You broke the chains and set me free? 52:12 You fill my life with joy untold, 52:19 You right my spirit, You feed my soul. 52:25 Now I want to let the whole world know 52:33 of all You've done for me. 52:38 I want to praise Your name. 52:49 Amazing love, how can it be 52:56 You would give Your life for me? 53:03 You bring such comfort to my soul, 53:10 You raise me up and make me whole. 53:17 Now I want to let the whole world know 53:24 of all You've done for me. 53:30 I want to praise Your name. 53:43 Amazing love, amazing love. 53:56 Amazing, amazing love. 54:08 Amazing love, how can it be 54:15 You would give Your life for me? 54:21 You took the blame, 54:25 carried my shame all the way to Cavalry. 54:35 When I thought I was forever lost, 54:42 You caught my falling soul. 54:49 I don't think I could ever, 54:57 ever love You more. 55:02 Amazing love. 55:09 Amazing love. 55:18 Amazing love, how can it be? 55:24 Now I'll live eternally. 55:30 I once was lost, but now I'm found; 55:37 I was blind, but now I see. 55:44 And now I am forever Yours. 55:51 Soon I'll see Your face. 55:57 And I will love You more. 56:08 Amazing love. 56:15 Amazing love. 56:22 Amazing love. 56:31 Amazing love. 56:44 Father, we thank You that You love us 56:50 with an amazing love. 56:54 You love Your church, and You've blessed us 56:59 with the blessing and the privilege of being part 57:03 of Your church; 57:05 the bride that You are coming to take with You 57:10 to Your kingdom. 57:12 May we, dear God, so live that we will, in our character, 57:18 be clothed with the righteousness of Christ. 57:22 May Your bride be a bride of character. 57:27 Amen and amen. |
Revised 2016-03-17