Participants: Chris Shelton (Host), Kenny Shelton
Series Code: BTLP
Program Code: BTLP000011
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00:39 Hello friends, and welcome to another
00:42 Behold the Lamb presents. I am Chris Shelton, 00:44 and I will be your host today. 00:46 Have you ever wondered what is it in this world 00:50 that we are going to be privileged to take to 00:52 the glories of heaven, up in the heaven 00:55 when the Lord returns? I will give you a hint; 00:58 it's the same thing you were born with, nothing, 01:01 just your character. It's who you are, 01:04 how you think, its your thought process, 01:07 its your personality. We are going to learn 01:10 about that today in a sermon that Pastor Kenny 01:13 has entitled "Destroying the Earthly Nature". 01:17 And I pray that you will be blessed. 01:19 But before we go to Pastor Kenny 01:21 we are blessed once again to go to 3ABN's 01:23 worship center, and we are going to listen to 01:26 "I Worship You Medley" as done by Lyndon Carriger. 01:50 I worship You, Almighty God, there is none like You. 02:07 I worship You, oh Prince of Peace, 02:17 that is all I long to do. I give you praise for 02:32 You are my righteousness. 02:42 I worship You, Almighty God; there is none like You. 02:59 I worship You, Almighty God; there is none like You. 03:17 I worship You, oh Prince of Peace, 03:27 that is all I long to do. I give you praise for 03:42 You are my righteousness. 03:50 I worship You, Almighty God; there is none like You. 04:10 there is none like You. 04:21 I sing praises to Your Name, oh Lord 04:29 Praises to Your Name, oh Lord 04:38 For Your Name is great, and greatly to be praised 04:53 I sing praises to Your Name, oh Lord 05:03 Praises to Your Name, oh Lord 05:11 For Your Name is great, and greatly to be praised 05:27 I sing praises to Your Name, oh Lord 05:36 Praises to Your Name, oh Lord 05:44 For Your Name is great, and greatly to be praised 05:59 I sing praises to Your Name, oh Lord 06:08 Praises to Your Name, oh Lord 06:17 For Your Name is great, and greatly to be praised 06:32 For Your Name is great, and greatly to be praised 07:07 Praise the Lord, and thank you for another 07:09 opportunity that we can come into your home 07:11 or wherever you may around the world to 07:14 present the gospel of Jesus Christ. 07:16 I know you are believer that Jesus is soon to come, 07:20 and in believing that we need to be preparing 07:23 for his coming. You know I've heard people 07:25 say sometime you know just be good, 07:28 and you will make it to heaven just kind of do 07:31 the right things, and oh you will make it up there. 07:33 Oh I just wonder how heaven use that kind 07:36 of thinking. Are we going to be like the angels 07:39 of heaven or are we not. Is just a good person 07:42 going to make, or is it going to be those 07:45 who are like Jesus. What really needs 07:48 to be crucified in our life? We are going to 07:52 be studying today, so we have a lot of passage 07:55 of scripture. We have a lot of things that 07:57 we want to cover, so I am going to ask 07:59 you that you jott these things down, 08:01 but always before, we always go to God in prayer. 08:04 We need the power of the Holy Spirit, don't we, 08:06 to understand these things, so that we make 08:09 sure we don't miss heaven. 08:10 Why don't you pray with me, where you can 08:12 just kneel down, if you can't just go ahead 08:15 and just pray along with me, I am going 08:17 to kneel now? Let's ask God to help us. 08:22 Kind, gracious, heavenly Father, we thank you for 08:25 the privilege of studying your word once again. 08:27 We ask you to forgive us of anything in our hearts, 08:31 in our life any sin, anything that needs 08:33 to be removed. Right now, I claim that we 08:36 by the blood of Jesus Christ for the remission 08:39 of sin. I need heavens windows opened up, 08:44 we need to hear from the throne room of God. 08:46 We need the power of thy Spirit, 08:48 and we don't need anything that might 08:50 work across purposes. So I dedicate my life 08:54 to you right here at this moment. 08:56 May you speak to each one of us round the 08:59 world those who are longing to know what truth is? 09:02 As we set at your feet, please Lord speaks 09:05 and may our ears be open that we may hear 09:08 and then that we may obey in Jesus name, amen. 09:16 Well as we study the word to me its always exciting, 09:19 so if I get little excited from time to time, 09:22 don't think anything about it, in fact I hope 09:23 you get excited along with me, because of today's 09:27 subject "Destroying the Earthly Nature". 09:31 Destroying the Earthly Nature, as probably most 09:35 of you realize, I am sure there are many in the 09:37 world that have no idea what we are talking about, 09:39 but if you stay enough and pay attention 09:41 you are going to find out, that there is a battle 09:44 that is going on for the mind. 09:46 There is a struggle that's going on between 09:49 that earthly and the heavenly, and so when 09:53 we talk about, the Bible talks about two natures. 09:56 We have the earthly nature, and we have 09:59 the divine nature. In another times you read 10:03 in scripture you will see or the carnal nature. 10:07 Now the earthly nature, and the carnal nature, 10:10 and the human nature, the fleshly nature, 10:16 these things are all against God. 10:19 But then we have the spiritual nature, 10:22 and we have the divine nature, and so when 10:25 we have this conflict going on, this division, 10:29 we are going to have to choose. 10:31 We are going to have to choose one nature 10:33 or the other. We are going to allow God 10:35 to come in to change because we have the 10:37 tendencies to do the wrong things, or you 10:41 will say well maybe you don't, well I do, 10:43 and I need some divine help. 10:45 You have your Bibles turn with me to 10:47 Ephesians chapter 2 verse 3, the Bible here 10:51 will indicate to us and show us that there are 10:54 two natures in case you haven't studied in just 10:57 in a while. In Ephesians chapter two verse 3 11:00 the Bible says among whom also we all had 11:04 our conversation in times past, in the lusts 11:08 of the flesh, notice the word, the lust of what, 11:11 in the lusts of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of 11:15 the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature 11:19 the children of wrath, even as others. 11:22 Here is a whole study right here in this one verse, 11:26 we will go to all of it, but I want you to know 11:29 Paul is brining something home to us here. 11:32 He say, as we would say we are all in the same boat. 11:35 He is brining us down to the thought that 11:37 because of sin that we are all brought down 11:40 to a common level, we are in need of a savior, 11:44 we are all sinners. And so he reminds us of that 11:48 and then he goes on he points out some of the sins, 11:50 some of the problem, he talks about here the 11:53 lust of the flesh. Remember we are 11:57 talking about either divine nature, or the 11:59 fleshly nature, you are going to have one 12:01 or the other, if it's the fleshly, 12:03 if it's the earthly, and if the carnal, 12:05 if it's the human nature where it needs 12:07 to be changed. And only God can do that, 12:10 we need to allow God to come into our lives. 12:12 Paul says here is something he calls out, 12:15 he call the lust of the flesh, what does that 12:18 really mean lust of the flesh. Let us make a 12:22 real plain, he is talking about here the impulses 12:25 of the lower nature, the impulses of the 12:29 lower nature, what the body and the mind, 12:32 the natural man wants to do, and what he 12:34 wants to do is always enmity against God, 12:37 is always the wrong things. Have you ever noticed 12:40 that that things that are wrong sometime, 12:42 or the things that are enticing you and 12:44 challenging you and challenging me because 12:46 there is a warfare going on, what nature 12:48 do you have? How can that nature be change 12:52 if we have the wrong nature? After all born 12:55 into the word where sin and all of the problems 12:58 that's going on, we need to be born again don't we. 13:01 There needs to be change that takes place. 13:03 Paul is bringing it out, the impulses of that 13:05 lower nature, or doing the desires of our flesh. 13:09 We have to realize that we talk about a sin issue, 13:14 sin issue always boils down to simply just 13:16 one point, I want, I need, and the 13:21 I situation always. I've heard people saying 13:24 well I know what is right, I know what the 13:27 Bible says, but you know what they don't 13:30 want to do it, I know. Do they really know, 13:34 do they really understand the word of God? 13:37 The lust of the flesh, the desire of the flesh, 13:40 and because we follow the Bible says the desire 13:45 of the flesh, we are going to be subject, 13:47 we are children the Bible says of wrath. 13:50 So we see right now that one nature is talking 13:53 about the fleshly, the earthly, the human. 13:58 And then Hebrews chapter 2, you can 14:00 turn with me if you have your Bibles, 14:01 Hebrews chapter 2 verse 6, Hebrews chapter 2 14:05 verse 6. Now you think that you are going to 14:08 remember these verses but you know what 14:11 you probably will not. And so if you right them 14:13 down you will be able to study to show yourself 14:16 approved unto God. Hebrews chapter 2 verse 16, 14:21 I am sorry Hebrews 2 verse 16, here is what 14:24 the Bible says. For verily he took not on him the 14:28 nature of angles; but he took on him the seed 14:33 of Abraham. Answer the question for me, 14:36 who is it talking about here. I heard someone say, 14:40 they are talking about Jesus, when Jesus came 14:42 down here, he did not take the nature of angels 14:45 but he took on him the seed of Abraham. 14:50 He is subject to things as we are human beings 14:53 wasn't he, and so we are looking at here for 14:57 he took not the Bible says or of course not 15:01 he didn't take it, and why did he take the 15:03 seed of Abraham. Oh please pay attention, 15:06 this is exciting. Why didn't he take that 15:09 of the angels, why did he take the nature of man? 15:15 Its interesting as you look a bit deeper, 15:17 you dig in the Greek, the Greek text as it reads, 15:21 it reads like this. It says it is not angels 15:25 that Christ is helping but he remembers, 15:30 or members of the human family. 15:33 So its not angles that he is helping because 15:35 they have so sin, right they are not sinners, 15:37 but he is helping what, the human family, 15:39 why because we need it, because we have 15:41 that human nature, we've fallen short, 15:44 we've sinned, we've have come short, 15:45 we needs some help. This is good news, 15:48 he took the nature, and he gained the victory 15:50 where you and I fouled it up. Oh and he offers 15:53 it to us today, I am thankful that he took 15:56 that nature, aren't you? I am thankful he came 15:59 and live the life that I so miserably messed up. 16:01 I don't know about you, if you admit that or not, 16:03 but it might be time that you be honest 16:05 with yourself, maybe honest with some other 16:08 people too. Bible says in Luke chapter 5 verse 31, 16:12 it says that they are talking about. 16:15 They that are whole need not a physician. 16:19 Jesus came down here to help us, 16:21 where angles that needed help, who needed help, 16:23 I needed help, you needed help, because as the 16:27 Bible says they are that wholly not a physician. 16:30 Some people say they are whole today, 16:33 but are you really whole, are you really everything 16:35 alright with Jesus, we are going to discuss that, 16:37 we are going to get that little bit more depth 16:39 about those who claimed that they don't really 16:41 need more, they are alright the way that they are. 16:44 It might that be a red flag, may that be something 16:48 that we need to check out in our life. 16:50 2 Peter 1 verse 14, turn with me your Bibles, 16:56 its just a few pages over, sometime we fumble 16:59 around little bit when we are looking for passage 17:01 of scripture that's alright. 2 Peter, 17:03 2 Peter chapter 1 verse 4, 2 Peter chapter 1, 17:09 good verse 4, this is what the Bible says. 17:12 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great 17:15 and precious promises: Do you like those promises 17:19 boy I like those promises. It says that by these 17:22 ye might be partakers of the divine nature 17:27 having escaped the corruption that is in the 17:30 world through lust. Lust keeps coming up 17:35 as you notice in scripture here, but there is a 17:38 great promise the Bible says that's giving to us 17:40 that we might escape all of the mess that the 17:42 devil is throwing at us everyday. 17:45 We can be partakers of what, of divine nature, 17:48 so the Bible is very clear, there is a 17:50 fleshly nature, there is a divine nature and 17:53 Jesus came down and live the life, 17:55 and he offers that to me and you who so 17:57 miserably have fallen short. Oh it's such 18:00 good news. We are going to escape the 18:03 Bible says the corruption that's in the world 18:05 through lust because of the power of nature 18:09 that he gives us if you are willing, 18:11 are you willing to work along with him. 18:13 Don't work at cross purposes, you can't win, 18:16 just turn your life over to him, things are going 18:19 to be good. I think if we just thought back 18:25 just for a minute here because as we are 18:27 looking at, as we read 2 Peter 1 verse 4. 18:30 We find that Adam was created in the, good, 18:35 image of what, image of God, wasn't he? 18:38 Adam was created in the image of God, 18:40 you will find that in Genesis 1 verse 27. 18:42 Then we find the sin came in and sinned it what? 18:45 Sin marred the image of Adam, am I right, 18:49 the image of God was in Adam that was marred 18:51 because of sin. And then Christ came here to what, 18:56 to win that back, to straighten everything, 18:58 I praise God for that. And so with that promise, 19:02 I can expect that Christ is going to work things 19:06 out to where I can divinity living in me. 19:09 That I can buy his grade, you can reflect his image. 19:15 Wow, hey, Jesus so fully living in you and 19:20 in me his image, it's Jesus, its no longer 19:24 you and I, but it's Jesus. We've read 19:27 that so often but it's so hard for us to get it 19:29 through our head. People say yeah but this is 19:32 transformation thing, when does it really 19:34 take place, what really have, this transformation 19:37 we are talking about begins at the new birth, 19:42 and it last continues until Jesus shall come. 19:48 Have you experience that new birth, 19:50 or if you haven't experience, why not? 19:52 It's so simple to experience that new birth 19:55 because I know the Holy Spirit is working in you. 19:58 The Holy Sprit has been wooing you and pleading 20:01 with you to get it right because there are 20:03 some of you, you love Jesus with all your heart 20:06 and somehow you turn your back on him, 20:07 you left the church, you don't go to church 20:10 anymore, you don't study the word anymore, 20:12 and Jesus is calling you back into the fold, 20:14 and there is a battle that's going on. 20:17 He wants you to have his nature, and the 20:19 enemy will says no, I want you to have the 20:21 human nature. We expect to have the victories 20:24 in this life, we need that nature, don't we the 20:26 image of Jesus Christ in us. But that divine nature 20:31 can only come in our lives and in our hearts after 20:36 we fled away from sin and corruption. 20:40 In other words until when we make a decision 20:42 that we want to get Jesus in our life, 20:44 we want sin to go, and we are willing to turn 20:47 from the corruption of this world. 20:50 You can't say you want Jesus in your life, 20:52 you want a change, you want his image 20:55 reproduced in us while we are out there messing 20:58 in the world and the things of the world. 21:00 Too many of us have so many worldly people 21:03 that we deal with on a daily basis. 21:05 Somehow we get along better with the worldlings 21:07 things than we do with Christians, 21:08 something is not right. Why is that your, 21:13 some of you are happier when you around 21:15 worldlings than you are around Christian people, 21:17 something is wrong. How is it that you move around, 21:22 and you don't do your job and so on and so forth, 21:24 and people, oh boy we like this person, 21:27 we like to be around him. 21:33 We need some changes to take place in our life. 21:36 We need to give the power, the Holy Spirit, 21:39 we need to ask for that Holy Spirit to come into 21:40 our hearts and to our lives, and watch what 21:44 God would do for us. I read this in the book 21:47 Desire of Ages, and again a very beautiful 21:50 book on the life of Christ and I just pray that 21:52 each one of us here will take this to heart. 21:55 This is really, this is exciting, this is what 21:58 God has promised to do, let me just read 22:01 this to you. He says the very image of God 22:02 is to be reproduced in humanity. 22:05 Did we get it, the very image of God is to be 22:09 what, good reproduced in humanity. 22:13 The honor of God, and the honor of Christ is 22:18 involved in the perfection of the character 22:21 of His people. As we read this that we see 22:24 the God's character here is on trial. 22:27 The devil says well you can't be obedient, 22:29 God says all things are possible through him. 22:32 The honor of God, the honor of Christ is 22:35 involved in the perfection of the character of 22:39 His people. Do you really want that character, 22:42 do you really want to be like Jesus, 22:45 the very image of God is going to be reproduced, 22:48 that's a promise to us today. 22:50 In fact it's most important work that's 22:55 ever been given to mankind. I am believer 22:59 in this; I believe this, lot of prophecies 23:02 in the Bible. Oh they are all good, we can 23:04 read them. People talk about Sunday Laws, 23:07 they talk about lot of other prophecy. 23:08 Well its all good, and we are going to see come 23:10 to past just like the Bible says. 23:12 But I am convinced of this, God is looking for 23:15 people that has His character, and when 23:18 His character is fully reproduced in us, 23:20 He will come back. That's what He is waiting on, 23:24 He is waiting for his character to be perfectly 23:26 reproduced in us, and then He will come back. 23:29 So how is your life, how is your character today, 23:33 is it like Jesus, will you fit in heaven 23:36 or you will be little different, the different 23:39 won't be there. We've got to be like the angels 23:43 of heaven. We've have to let the power 23:45 of the spirit of God come in. 23:48 Some people say you know I had these 23:50 traits of character all my life, I've said this, 23:53 I've done that, I've smoked this, I've drink 23:55 this, I've talked like this all my life. 23:57 God understands it and I am sure that 23:59 I am going to make it into the kingdom. 24:01 So they are blaming well, I saw, I've heard 24:05 people say oh I inherited this, so what. 24:09 Well I was born on the wrong side of the track, 24:11 so what, Paul said all things become new. 24:14 See we can all look for excuses and why we 24:16 conduct our self the way that we do. 24:18 But what about this, what about this hereditarian, 24:24 this cultivated tendencies, after all 24:27 they are real, I've inherited some things 24:30 from my parents that I don't like. 24:33 And I am sure my children have inherited some 24:36 things from me they don't like. 24:39 Maybe you inherited some things from your father, 24:41 I mean people say oh I've got the temperatures 24:43 like my dad, well I act and I respond just 24:47 like momma does, they have always been, 24:51 doesn't make it right. So let me just challenge 24:55 you quickly, if you are relying and saying well 24:58 God understand because I was born this way, 25:01 or I was, I inherited this thing, let me just read 25:06 something to you, still Desire of Ages 671, 25:09 this is powerful. Christ has given His Spirit 25:13 as a divine power to overcome all hereditary 25:19 and cultivated tendencies, we've discussed a little 25:24 bit about the things that we inherit, 25:26 cultivated are those things are what, 25:28 you keep in operation all the time, that's wrong. 25:30 The more that you continue to do the wrong thing; 25:33 the more of what it becomes a habit to us. 25:35 It grows, is more difficult to deal with, 25:38 more difficult to gain a victory. 25:41 But Christ through his Spirit has given us power 25:45 to overcome all hereditary and cultivated tendency 25:49 to evil, and to impress His character upon 25:55 His church, or upon His people, wow what power. 26:01 Fleshly nature, divine nature, with that divine 26:05 my nature, he is talking about here that 26:08 we can gain victory over all these things that 26:11 so easily beset us, victory over sin. 26:14 There are people in the churches today, 26:16 they preach oh you are not going to gain 26:17 completed victory over sin, yes you are. 26:19 You are living in the last days. 26:22 We are going to gain complete victory in Jesus. 26:25 We are going to gain victory over sin in your life 26:28 because he has promised to us, he has promised us 26:31 His life. He is going to empty all of heaven 26:33 if necessary to make sure if you are in test, 26:36 and you are in trial, and you don't know which 26:38 way you turn, you think you are just about to fall 26:40 and go into the camp of the enemy, 26:41 all you have to do is dart a prayer quickly 26:43 to heaven, and all of heaven will be emptied 26:45 for you. All of heaven will come down 26:48 if need be to fight that battle, so that 26:51 you don't fall prey to Satan. I've a difficult 26:55 time in understanding that kind of love. 26:59 God helped me to understand that kind of love, 27:02 then I understand that I have to have the 27:03 love of Jesus in my heart. I have to love one 27:06 and another the way Jesus loves me. 27:09 I've to love people, I love the gospel. 27:13 Some of us are not very lovely Christians, 27:16 we talk love, and we say we've to have love 27:19 but boy I am telling you, you look on your face 27:21 sometime Lord help us. There needs to be peace 27:25 when someone looks to you and then they will 27:27 see you, they see some peace, they see some love, 27:30 they see something that's just pouring out 27:32 of your pores. That's the Spirit of God wooing 27:38 them, encouraging them, strengthening them. 27:43 This is what we need today. God has promised 27:46 us full and complete victory over cultivated 27:50 and inherited tendencies to do evil, 27:53 that means complete victory, and shame on 27:56 some of you read Bible passage of scripture 27:59 and say well I read this and say you know Christ 28:01 I am coming after a church without spot 28:03 or wrinkle or any such thing and then you make 28:05 a excuse if he is going to take sinners on into 28:08 the heaven its not going to happen, 28:09 because he able. 28:16 That blood that cleanses us whiter than snow, 28:20 all we have to do is ask for forgiveness of sin, 28:23 the Bible says he is faithful in just to 28:24 forgive us, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 28:28 See some of you are just, bless your heart, 28:30 you weighted down with the sin of the world. 28:32 I've talked to people, you've talked to them, 28:34 at time it seem like we had a lot of weight, 28:36 and every time there is a weight gets on 28:37 my shoulder, oh Lord this is a heavyweight. 28:39 He reminds me ever, He is faithful, He reminds me, 28:44 Kenny its not you that's carrying the load, 28:49 I am carrying you. I am carrying the load for you. 28:54 I am winning the battles for you. 28:57 You know Paul said never not I be the Christ, 29:00 and so often we don't sense that, so often 29:06 we just don't, we don't cry out to God when 29:09 we should be crying out to God because every 29:11 decision we make is so important. 29:14 It hinges one on the other. And if we make 29:20 one wrong decision dear friends it makes 29:22 it easier to make that same thing again, 29:24 and its get easier and easier until you no longer 29:26 hear the voice of the Spirit of God. 29:30 And its so simple you gonna to say oh God 29:32 please forgive me. I want to be like you, 29:36 I want your spirit within me. And just do not, 29:41 do not be like many people today just say 29:44 oh well you know its going to be alright 29:46 you know you do the best we can, and 29:48 we are going to make it all friend, I don't want to 29:49 be bearer of different kind of news, but you know 29:52 what that's not, that's not. We are going to be 29:55 like Jesus. We are going to be like the angels 29:56 of heaven if we are going to repopulate, 29:59 that beautiful place that He has prepared for us. 30:02 Now is the time, now is the acceptable time 30:06 for salvation. Today is the day, so why don't 30:09 you do it right now. I just think, I am just 30:12 talking to somebody right, now there is 30:14 somebody is going to listen. There is somebody 30:16 who is going to heave the voice of God, 30:18 I know that, because he said His word will 30:21 not return void. And you are burden down 30:24 and you just stand it any longer. 30:26 Why don't you just turn it over to him right now. 30:29 There will be weight lifted all for you, 30:31 you will feel different, your attitude will be 30:33 different. You know while you go to job, 30:35 job tomorrow that you probably hated, 30:38 you whistle all day along. 30:41 You have a smile on your face, 30:44 because you have been redeemed by the blood 30:46 of the lamp. This is what its going to be, 30:48 I need to be redeemed daily moment by moment, 30:53 I need the Spirit of God, I need him to help me 30:57 with my evil tendencies and I want His character 31:02 impressed in my heart and in my mind, 31:04 and it might be what he would have me to be. 31:07 Let me say this somebody still you 31:09 are not listening, He has a map, a road map 31:14 spiritually with your name on it, I believe 31:17 this will all my heart. The only way that 31:19 you are going to make it and I am going to 31:21 make it is if we follow his road map or 31:25 his way to heaven. He knows exactly how to 31:30 get you there. He knows exactly that is going to 31:33 take through test and trials and disappointment 31:36 and heartaches. After all these trials are you know 31:41 His way of testing us, isn't it, you know that. 31:45 He knows exactly what is going to take, 31:47 and he realizes that is too much for you, 31:49 and is too much for me, but he knows that 31:53 its possible through him. He said I prepared 31:55 a way for you. He is the way, exercise that faith, 32:01 exercise that love today. He is going to do great 32:05 things and he is doing great things for His people. 32:08 I am just, I want to use the word shock, may I, 32:13 let me do that, because this is one subject that 32:17 I would not think that the people of God need 32:22 more instruction on, and when I read this, 32:27 I was surely not. We profess to be Christian; 32:31 we profess to love Jesus with all of our heart 32:34 and our soul and our minds. And yet how can this, 32:38 how can this be. And I ask the question what 32:42 subject, I hope this make sense to you. 32:45 What subject mattered as the people of God 32:49 need more instruction on? See this is what we 32:52 need to be praying about, this is what we 32:54 need to be laboring on. You know preachers 32:57 get in the pulpit and they say well I want 32:59 to preach about this, and I want to talk about that, 33:01 I want to do this, get I out of the way. 33:04 Ask God every time you prepare a message say 33:06 God what do I need, and what do the people need. 33:11 Every time and it has to do with the people 33:13 that are here. It has to do with my own life, 33:15 and when you are preparing you get the 33:17 message first hand and this work in your heart 33:20 and your life, and you are more able to pass it 33:22 on by the power of God to the people. 33:25 What do they need? What instruction do 33:27 we need as a people, maybe more than any 33:29 other right now, and I use the word shocked again. 33:34 Another book called For Testimonies 394 said this. 33:38 He said the people of God, the people of God 33:42 are more ignorant in regard to the plan 33:46 of salvation and they need more instruction 33:51 upon this all-important subject than any other. 33:57 How could we as a people profess to love 34:00 Jesus need more instructions. 34:02 I am not saying we've to learn everything, 34:03 but we need more instruction on plan 34:06 of salvation more than any other because what, 34:09 because we are ignorant. That means we don't 34:11 know about it, that's shocking. 34:13 How can that be? I mention the other day 34:17 in the message and let me just bring it to 34:19 you quickly. In recent survey it had many, 34:23 many people took a bunch of test and the 34:26 test had to do with some scripture and 34:28 with some simple answers, some questions 34:31 from scripture. And they had a group of people 34:34 that answered them, we say we live and 34:35 we call the Bible belt and everybody is going 34:37 to say we are believer in Jesus, we've studied 34:39 the word, we know scripture, we know the Bible. 34:43 Many, many people took the test and they look, 34:45 and on the test you have to put down what faith 34:47 you were and so on and so forth. 34:49 When they got done with the whole thing 34:50 you know who had the best answers, right answers 34:53 of all the Christians, the agnostics 34:57 and the infidels. Now that's pretty interesting, 35:05 the unbelievers, how could they, how could someone 35:12 who doesn't believe in Jesus, those who laugh 35:16 and scorn like our religion is nothing, 35:18 the atheists, the scored higher than 35:22 Christians on the Bible. Maybe we do need more 35:28 instructions, and the more instruction 35:30 we have on the salvation and what salvation has 35:33 cost, the plan of salvation, the more 35:36 it would touch our hearts, the more that 35:38 we will cry out for Jesus. 35:42 In fact I think some time we are ignorant of the 35:45 righteousness of God. Have you ever read 35:47 that in the Bible? Why don't we just do that 35:49 right now? Lets jott down and those 35:51 who are jotting down or even looking up the 35:53 Book of Romans, the Book of Romans chapter 35:55 10 verses 2 and 3, Romans chapter 10 35:59 verses 2 and 3, this is what the Bible said. 36:02 It says for I bear them record that they have 36:04 a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 36:09 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, 36:14 and going about to establish their own 36:16 righteousness, have not submitted themselves 36:19 unto the righteousness of God. 36:21 See some people close it, and say that's 36:23 little bit too much of this and little bit of that. 36:25 I want you to follow very carefully here. 36:29 For I bear them record they have a zeal of God, 36:32 here in scripture in Book of Romans, 36:34 he is talking about what, the Jew is talking 36:36 about Israel, God so called chosen people, 36:38 they had a real zeal to it were the letter of law 36:42 with our self we need to do this, we need to do 36:44 that and we are going to make this right 36:46 and they had a real zeal, but really they 36:49 won the real zeal, real knowledge of Jesus Christ 36:51 was it. A zeal that they had did not attained 36:55 unto righteousness. See our zeal must attain, 37:00 it must transform us and want us to be more 37:02 like Jesus as we go on. How is your zeal for 37:07 Jesus today? Is it like the Jews of old, 37:11 is it like Israel, which has been rebuked by 37:15 the way in these verses here which says what, 37:17 legalism and formalism. Legalism and formalism, 37:25 surely not in your church you say. 37:29 Really do you have that zeal, but yet is not 37:34 changing anything or anybody, is it, as 37:37 I say do's and don'ts and we are doing it not 37:40 because the Spirit of God is working upon our hearts 37:43 and convicting us to sin and changing our hearts 37:45 and our life but because well the church says, 37:48 or somebody else says. What kind of a zeal, 37:52 I think its time for us to come out that 37:55 dead formalism, and have the Spirit of God, 37:59 you have freedom in Jesus. We will be able 38:02 to follow His word, follow His counsel. 38:06 We are ignorant the Bible says of God's 38:09 righteousness, do you see why we need more 38:11 instruction on this plan of salvation. 38:15 You say well I am not really convinced just yet. 38:19 Just look up 1 Corinthians, 38:21 Bible in 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 18, 38:25 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 18. 38:29 Takes us a moment to find this, but you stay with 38:32 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 18, here is what 38:35 the Bible said. It said for the preaching of 38:37 the cross is to them that perish what foolishness; 38:41 but unto us which are saved it is the power 38:45 of God. Very interesting many people say be 38:48 careful with the word saved, I understand 38:52 that very well, I understand that 38:55 but its interesting here in scripture what 38:57 the Bible says. But unto us which are saved it is 39:01 the power of God and I realize that we need 39:04 to be in saving relationship, and its 39:06 ongoing until we die or Jesus comes. 39:09 But I like it, its powerful here, but here is the 39:12 problem the cross is the power of the Christian, 39:16 and yet into the world its foolishness. 39:20 When you preach about Jesus Christ, 39:22 some people will say that's foolishness. 39:23 They don't want to hear, they run scared. 39:26 Many Christians run scared today you know 39:28 that they run scare when you want to talk 39:30 about Jesus. You care more for their soul and 39:33 they care for themselves. You are laboring for them, 39:36 you are calling them, you are inviting them. 39:39 You are talking about Jesus, you are sharing 39:42 miracles and things that happened, encourage 39:45 them and is like they want to shut it out, 39:48 they don't want hear it. They want to get out 39:50 in the world. They love the world and the things 39:52 that are in the world and they don't love 39:53 Jesus anymore. Friend, friend when will we 39:58 choose the right side. The image of Jesus needs 40:01 to be what fully reproduced in us, 40:03 and it cannot or self is like, it cannot. 40:07 But we have the whole of the world, 40:10 it cannot be we have to let it go, and trust 40:14 Jesus with all of our hearts and all of our mind. 40:18 In fact in the Book of Hosea chapter 4 verse 6, 40:23 it said God's people are destroyed for what, 40:27 didn't hear you, ah a lack of knowledge. 40:31 God's people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge. 40:36 We just read from the Spirit of Prophecy 40:37 that we need more instruction on the plan 40:40 of salvation because we are ignorant of it, 40:42 and the Bible says here His people are destroyed 40:45 for a lack of what, for a lack of knowledge, 40:48 understanding salvation, the great plan of 40:50 salvation. Oh I know there is so much, 40:52 oh we learned through the ceaseless ages, 40:54 that theme of redemption just excites me but 40:58 you know that will be something that will, 40:59 is going to employ my mind, is going to employ 41:02 your mind, and your tongue and the redeemed through 41:05 the ceaseless ages. We will never learn all there 41:09 is to know about the plan of salvation for millions 41:12 and billions of years Jesus will still be 41:15 revealing things to us that will lighten our heart, 41:18 to bring joy to our hearts and life as we 41:21 in heaven setting His feet. Wow what 41:25 a theme, we scratch the surface. 41:32 Let me ask you another question, what is the 41:36 problem, I have been involved with this, 41:39 I talked to people, what is the problem 41:41 with a person who says they feel reasonably good. 41:50 You talk to people when you say you know Jesus 41:53 as your Lord and Savior and they say I know who 41:55 Jesus is, and I feel pretty good, I feel reasonably 41:59 good about my salvation, reasonably good. 42:04 What does that really mean, what's the problem. 42:08 A little book, there is a precious little book 42:11 called Mount of Blessing. I have read this quote 42:14 and it just fits right here. He who feels whole, 42:22 who thinks that he is reasonably good, 42:26 or what or just reasonably here means just, 42:29 he is okay, and he is contented, that means 42:33 he is happy where he is at, you met people 42:35 like that, oh we are happy, we are happy 42:38 when we are going to church, whether they 42:39 are preaching truth or not, oh we are happy 42:41 where we are going. Well my family goes there, 42:42 grandma and grandpa goes there, oh we are happy. 42:45 Are they content, satisfied, are they pleased with 42:50 their condition does not seek to become a partaker 42:54 of the grace and righteousness of Christ. 42:57 So what is the problem with the person 42:59 who thinks he is reasonably good, 43:02 and he is reasonably just, everything is alright. 43:06 He quirts really seeking the grace and the 43:09 righteousness of Jesus Christ because you feel 43:11 that you are good. You feel that you have gained 43:13 the victories. See the closer I get to Jesus, 43:16 the more I see what a rascal I am. 43:20 The closer you behold Jesus on the Cross of Calvary, 43:24 the closer we get to him, the more we see how 43:27 dirty that we are, how unrighteous, 43:30 how filthy rag, none good, no not one, 43:33 and all of this don't depress me but it 43:35 drives me to the feet of Jesus, who can help me 43:38 to be like him. Never feel that you are reasonably 43:43 good or you are comfortable where you are. 43:44 I really don't like when the Christian say I am 43:46 comfortable, it is just dead wrong, that's all 43:49 there is to it. Just dead wrong, that's somewhat 43:55 lukewarm. We need to be on fire for Jesus. 44:00 We need to be like him, and again we need to 44:03 be seeking Him at all times. We don't want 44:07 to be left out when the song said when the roll 44:12 is called up yonder I will be there. 44:15 Friend when that roll is called up yonder, 44:18 will you be there? I want to be there but 44:24 I need that grace, I need that righteousness of 44:27 Jesus Christ. And by the way the Bible says 44:30 in Ephesians 2 and you read 8-10, 44:33 that God's grace is what, it's a free gift, 44:38 and he offers it to you today regardless of your 44:40 life, or your lifestyle, he offers that to you 44:42 and he offers it to me. The Bible says that we need, 44:48 this might separate we say the Christian from 44:50 the professed. If we want the grace and 44:53 we want the righteousness of Jesus Christ 44:55 we want to have that image, image of Jesus 44:59 reproduced in us. We want that divine nature 45:03 that we are going to have to be hungering 45:06 and thirsting as the Book of Matthew chapter 5 45:09 tells us. How long has it been since you been 45:12 maybe challenged with this thought, 45:16 Matthew chapter 5 verse 6. 45:20 The Bible said blessed are they which do hunger 45:24 and thirst after righteousness: 45:27 for they shall be filled. Now is that a promise, 45:30 or is it not. Yes it is. When blessing is 45:33 pronounced on the person who is hungering 45:37 and thirsting, are you hungering today? 45:41 Or do you get enough, are you really filled, 45:45 or are you satisfied here or you are reasonably 45:48 good. The Bible said if you are hungering 45:51 and thirsting, that means as you walk 45:53 through this life that you are always going 45:55 to be what, I am going to be hungry, 45:57 and I am going to be thirsty. Jesus said you 46:02 come into him, and he is gonna fill those needs, 46:05 but he continues to fill, he continues to give you, 46:07 he continues as you reach out by faith and 46:10 say I want more of these righteousness. 46:12 I want more, I am hungry, I am starved to death. 46:18 He says you know what you are going to be filled, 46:21 Revelation 19:8 he says you are gonna be filled, 46:24 I am going to cloth you with white linen 46:28 symbolizing victory, victory in Jesus. 46:32 Let just get a focus on our last few minutes of 46:36 the program, I think this is very, very 46:38 interesting because we entitle this, you know 46:40 we are talking about destroying the earthly 46:43 nature. I am not just getting into and spending 46:46 a lot of time on love you know flesh and the spirit 46:49 but just kind of combing and coming down here 46:52 is something that just really will get home to us. 46:55 The question what destroys the natural 46:59 earthly nature, or what crushes it down, 47:04 what destroys that earthly nature now, 47:06 have we come to grips with this, that the earthly 47:09 nature must be destroyed, and we have to put on 47:12 Jesus Christ only. So how is it accomplished, 47:17 see this is what I would want to know, 47:19 if I am studying I want to know if somebody says 47:21 well this needs to be done, you say okay, yeah, 47:23 yeah, that's right, that needs to be done, 47:25 now how is this accomplished. 47:27 All becomes very clear and once again Desire of Ages 47:32 and many scriptures given, but let me just 47:34 read this, it just really hits home Desire of Ages 47:37 page 391 says this. As they feed upon the word, 47:43 what was the question? How, what destroys the 47:47 natural earthly nature which has to be crushed, 47:51 which has to be done away with, and we have 47:53 to put on the nature of Jesus Christ. 47:55 Now how is it crushed, as they feed upon the word, 48:00 they find that it is spirit and it is life, 48:04 listen carefully, clear, the word, the word destroys 48:10 the natural earthly nature and imparts 48:14 a new life in Jesus Christ. Friend what destroys, 48:21 what destroys this earthly nature, the word of God, 48:27 the word of God? As we read, as we take 48:31 the word of God inside it destroys the human 48:34 nature, the human desire, but see the 48:38 problem the devil knows this, and 48:40 he doesn't want you to spend time in the word. 48:42 He doesn't want you reading because he 48:43 knows it will change you; it will destroy that 48:47 earthly nature. Acts chapter 22, I am going 48:53 to turn there. There are several passages, 48:55 I hope we can get to just really quickly 48:57 as we can. Acts chapter 22 verse 15, 48:59 Acts 22 verse 15, it says for thou shalt be 49:03 his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen 49:06 and what thou has what, has heard. 49:11 God says we take this word inside of us, 49:14 that beings to destroy that earthliness and 49:17 the spiritual man becomes alive, and then 49:20 he says you will be my witnesses and you go 49:22 tell everything that you have seen and heard, 49:24 the word going inside of you makes you a 49:27 witness for Jesus Christ. Oh how we desperately 49:30 we need it, see the devil understands just better 49:32 than you do, maybe better than I do. 49:34 And so that's why he prevent you from 49:38 spending time everyday in the word of God. 49:41 But the word makes us a witnesses, makes us 49:49 a witness, you say what, I will tell you, 49:52 you know what's the Bible says Matthew 4:4. 49:55 It talks about we need to be taking what, 49:58 every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. 50:01 We will be obedient to every word, why, 50:04 because the word destroys that fleshly nature. 50:08 And as this destroy what, spiritual nature 50:12 is revived. How we desperately we need 50:15 that Luke 11:28 says we need to be, 50:18 we need to hear and we need to keep those things 50:21 that are written or the word of God, 50:23 so we hear and we keep it, faith cometh by what, 50:28 by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 50:32 If we can only know how simply this is to 50:34 gain the victory, to have the image of Jesus 50:37 really reproduced in us, is if we spend time 50:41 in the word, it crushes the devil, it crushes the 50:44 human nature. James 122 says we need to be what? 50:49 Good doers of the word, not just hearers only 50:53 but doers of the word, because the devil knows 50:56 the power of the word, power of God, 50:59 the gospel of salvation. Colossians 3:16-17, 51:06 I am just giving some of these, so you can write 51:08 them down quickly here. It said the word needs 51:11 to be dwelling in you, and it needs to dwell in me, 51:13 are you ready for that today. As you feed upon 51:16 his word, you find it is spirit and its life 51:20 and the word, the word destroys the earthly nature. 51:26 Praise God, they don't just destroy but then 51:29 he does what, it imparts a new life in Jesus Christ, 51:33 that is exciting. I've heard people say well 51:36 I love to present the gospel of Jesus Christ, 51:39 let me say to you, how do you present the gospel 51:41 of Jesus Christ, you present in such, in such 51:44 a way that to let the Holy Spirit to tell us 51:48 its exciting, and its new every time, 51:51 its an old love story, that one that you have 51:54 heard so often but it just get you every time 51:56 that you hear, every time that you sing the song, 51:58 every time you read that verse. 52:01 When the gospel dear friend is presented, 52:03 its not be in some lifeless theory, but its 52:09 presented in the power and in the living force 52:12 to change the life, when you hear it, 52:14 it changes you. Friend are you ready to be 52:18 changed today, are you really wanting your life 52:21 to be changed, this is the opportunity, 52:23 the last few moments we have together. 52:26 You want to get rid of that old nature, 52:28 and then you wanting that new nature, 52:30 this is the time, this is the time to do it 52:33 right now, because you have to realize that all 52:37 defects of character originate in the heart, 52:41 and in the mind. And you know what we could 52:45 make a little list where we can say there is pride 52:48 that's there. The pride will keep you out of heaven. 52:52 There is selfishness, there is vanity, there 52:56 is evil temper, that did any of those hit home 53:00 for you, oh might hit home for me. 53:04 Covetousness, do you realize covetousness 53:08 is one of the biggest sins in the church. 53:14 All of these precede, they originate you see 53:17 in the heart these defects, and they come 53:20 from a carnal heart unrenewed by the 53:23 grace of Christ. Why don't you change that 53:27 right now, why don't you renew your commitment? 53:29 What else you can tend for this victory. 53:33 Why don't you put forth an effort for this victory 53:36 right now. You can do it, you can fall on 53:39 your knees, wherever if you are driving the vehicle, 53:41 wherever you are, you can ask Jesus into your 53:44 life right now. You are tired of that flesh, 53:50 you are tired of falling out to the fleshly lust, 53:53 but you want a Spirit of God dwelling in you, 53:56 you want that new nature. 54:02 You my friend and including myself we are going 54:06 to stand or we are going to fall by the word of God. 54:11 Did you get that, we are going to stand or fall. 54:15 It's going to be by the word of God. 54:19 It's the word that we need to be hiding in our 54:22 heart that we might not sin against God, 54:24 and as that word as you allow, as you open 54:27 your heart and your mind and your soul right now 54:29 and say Jesus would you just come in. 54:34 And you are going to say right once again God 54:36 I want you to forgive me of my sins. 54:38 Thank you for Calvary, I want that new life, 54:44 I want things to change, I want my 54:47 home put back together, I want the children back 54:50 together, I want to be part of God's family, 54:56 I want my life to be different. Oh that is 54:58 the plea and the cry of millions around the world. 55:05 Jesus can change that for you. He can take that old 55:09 nature and give you that new one, but you 55:10 are going to have to present yourself to him, 55:12 and say Lord this is what I want. 55:15 And he is willing to do it, and he wants to do 55:18 it now, not next week, not down the road sometime 55:23 when everything is convenient, but right 55:25 now while there is still time. Why don't you 55:28 invite him in. We are going to pray about that in 55:31 just a moment. But I want the power of the 55:34 Holy Spirit now to bring conviction in your heart 55:37 and in my heart and say God whatever it takes 55:40 that I can spend eternity with you, let it happen 55:43 in my life. Do you trust him that much? 55:46 Do you love him that much? You say you have 55:50 a wayward child. Why don't you present that 55:54 child to God? You are struggling with something, 55:58 present that to God. Let him take it, 56:00 he wants to take, he wants to give you 56:03 that victory and you know oh how sad it is 56:06 when you have people who have been Christians 56:09 for a long time, and then they say I have been 56:12 struggling with this habit for years, 56:14 and I just can't gain victory over, and so 56:16 we begin to make excuses and how God 56:18 is going to accept. Oh he loves you with an 56:20 everlasting love, but you know we can't take 56:23 the wrong things to heaven? Why, because 56:26 he has promised you, he said all the heaven 56:27 is available, all powers given, so there is no 56:31 excuse for any of us, it's a matter of so 56:34 dedicating our hearts, and our lives, 56:36 our mind and soul to him, and this is the time 56:39 to do it. We need to take a few moments on this. 56:43 We need to give time for the Holy Spirit to work 56:45 on you, to think these issues through. 56:48 And if you want to change today is the day, 56:52 it's yours, it's just that simple. 56:55 Why don't we pray about it right now together 56:58 as we come in agreement, I know God is going to do 57:00 something very, very special in your life, 57:02 but you need to claim it now by faith, 57:05 he is going to do something, 57:06 lets kneel right now, and lets pray about it. 57:11 Father which ought in heaven, we thank you 57:13 for your precious word. Thank you for the promise, 57:15 that you will forgive us of sin that is so 57:18 nature that we have that can be exchanged. 57:20 The old filthy garments can be taken off; 57:23 those clean white linens can be given to us. 57:26 We can have a new nature, not the old one, 57:28 but the new one, just like Jesus. 57:30 We fully want you to come in, 57:32 we want your image to be perfectly reproduced 57:34 in us and then you are going to come. 57:36 Then we can go home for eternity, 57:38 but we need to submit to you right now. 57:40 May those choices, those decisions be made 57:42 right now in the lovely name of Jesus, 57:44 we give your praise and honor and 57:46 glory in Jesus name, amen. 57:50 As you have accepted that prayer, 57:51 may God bless you, we will see you next time. 57:56 Welcome back friends. You know the Lord 57:59 doesn't like any of us to be evil. 58:01 He wants all of us to be ready for his 58:04 soon return, and I pray and I know Pastor Kenny 58:08 prays and that message would certainly have 58:10 been a blessing to you. A blessing to help you 58:14 prepare your heart and your mind for the 58:17 kingdom of heaven. We so appreciate your prayers 58:21 for us as well and your support, financial support 58:24 of which without this program would not 58:27 be possible. So why don't you contact us today. 58:30 You may contact us at Behold the Lamb Ministries, 58:33 PO Box 2030, Herrin, IL 62948, or you can call us 58:40 Central Standard Time with area code 618-942-5044, 58:47 or you may e-mail us that's 58:49 BeholdTheLamb Ministries@yahoo.com. 58:53 or visit us on the web BeholdTheLambMinistries.com. 58:57 I look forward to hearing from you and by God's 59:01 grace you will hear back from me as well. 59:04 Until next time may our precious Lord 59:06 continue to richly bless you and yours. |
Revised 2014-12-17