Participants: Randy Skeete
Series Code: OTR
Program Code: OTR000393
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01:01 Did you miss me a little bit? I missed you a lot.
01:10 And because of John 15 verse 12, 01:13 "This is my commandment, that you love one another 01:15 as I have loved you." 01:17 I can say freely and without hesitation, 01:20 I love you, as they say in Uganda, 01:26 [Foreign Language] 01:29 May I ask you another question? 01:32 Do you like me just a little bit? 01:36 I didn't say I love, I won't be that bold, 01:38 but do you like me just a little bit? Amen. 01:42 Do you promise tonight 01:43 to tolerate me just a little bit. Amen. 01:47 Well, in return for your kindness, 01:48 I promise tonight not to rough you up. 01:53 Did you enjoy the roughing up last night? Amen. 01:56 I'm glad you did. I enjoyed doing it. 02:01 I really did. 02:03 But I want to tell you in all seriousness 02:05 that all during the day I have been encouraged 02:08 by the comments I have received of people 02:11 who told me to said, "Elder, preach the word." Amen. 02:17 "If you step on toes, preach the word." Amen. 02:22 And when God's people say that, 02:24 you know that something is happening. 02:28 Preach the word. Amen. 02:30 If you read John Chapter 6, 02:32 Jesus said, "Eat My Flesh and Drink My Blood." 02:36 And some of the listeners 02:38 including the disciples did not like it. 02:42 And they said, "This is a hard saying." 02:46 And Jesus turned and said unto them, 02:48 "Does this offend you?" 02:49 Now the Bible says, I believe in verses 66 02:51 and thereafter from that point many of His disciples left 02:56 and walked no more with Him. 03:00 Why? Because he roughed them up 03:05 and their left in such large numbers. 03:08 The Bible says that he turned to the twelve and said, 03:10 "Will ye also go" 03:13 And the implication seems to be that 03:15 all the disciples left except the twelve, 03:18 you will remember he also had 70 unnamed 03:23 but disciples none the less 03:24 and the word is that a specific 03:25 many of his disciples left him and walked no more meaning, 03:31 they've ceased to live the Christ like life, why? 03:35 Because Jesus said something they did not like. 03:41 Did that make Jesus softened His message? 03:43 No. No. 03:46 You know why people don't like the straight truth? 03:50 Because we are born with a nature that is anti-truth. 03:55 We are born with a nature that is anti surrender. 03:59 We are born with a nature that is anti obedience. 04:04 And so we find ourselves 04:06 even the converted men or women 04:08 finds himself or herself 04:10 from time to time with an internal struggle. 04:16 That is why we have to die once a week. 04:20 Daily, daily. 04:24 And that word die is very literal 04:26 because not all dying has to physical, 04:28 it is literal, we must die daily. 04:33 And so I just want you to know that 04:36 my love for you will not cause me 04:39 to dilute God's message. 04:41 It won't be one part of the message 04:44 and 47 parts of water. 04:47 It will be all the message in concentrate form. 04:52 Some of you have also told me, 04:53 "Elder, we've been praying for you," 04:55 and I am deeply appreciative 04:57 and profoundly grateful for those of you 04:59 who have been praying for me. 05:01 Let me tell you why. 05:02 I told you perhaps on the first night of this week 05:05 that preaching is not a person activity, 05:08 you hear one voice. 05:10 But it is a complete activity. I speak, you pray. 05:15 Now why do I say that, if you read Acts Chapter 2, 05:18 the Pentecost chapter, when Peter stood up to preach, 05:22 verse 14, Acts Chapter 2, the Bible says, 05:24 "Then Peter stood with the eleven." 05:30 I hope you get the significance of that. 05:33 "Then Peter stood with the eleven." 05:37 They heard one voice 05:38 but it was a 12 voice presentation, 05:41 Peter stood with the eleven, 05:43 meaning that all 12 disciples 05:46 were together in this presentation. 05:48 And you see the evidence of that 05:50 because in verse 37, verse 38, 05:52 the Bible says, "Now when they heard this, 05:53 they were pricked in their heart, 05:55 and said to Peter 05:56 and to the rest of the apostles, 05:58 Men and brethren, what shall we do?" 06:00 Because they understood that the message 06:02 that came from the lips of Peter 06:04 also came from the lips 06:06 and the hearts of the other eleven disciples. 06:09 And I say to you tonight, 06:11 I want to stand with the eleven, 06:17 is that the best "Amen" 06:18 you can give God's man servant? Amen. 06:22 I want to you to stand with me not now, 06:23 not physically but I want to feel 06:25 you're with me as I preach. 06:30 Jesus in the Garden of the Gethsemane, 06:32 He said, "can you pray with me?" 06:35 He needed support. 06:39 Well if Jesus needed it, 06:40 you can imagine how much this poor fellow needed. 06:45 So you pray with me, you pray for me, 06:48 you lift me up. Amen. 06:51 Let's bow our heads now. 06:53 Our Father in heaven, we come again this evening 06:57 because Your word was found and we did eat them, 07:03 we have esteemed Your word more than our necessary food. 07:08 And Father, I ask You one more time 07:10 to fill me Your manservant with Your Spirit, 07:13 the spirit of truth. 07:16 I pray that you touched the hearts 07:17 and the minds of those seated before me 07:20 and in Your presence. 07:22 Father, let the Holy Spirit, take these words, 07:27 sharpen them and pierce every heart with conviction 07:33 that lives maybe change tonight to Your glory 07:37 and Your glory alone and their salvation. 07:41 I offer this prayer in Jesus name 07:42 and for His sake, let everyone say with me, Amen. 07:46 And amen. 07:47 Now you'll notice I began tonight 07:49 not quite as early as I normally get up. 07:53 What that means. 07:59 You must be prophetic, how can you read my mind. 08:02 But let me tell you for those of you 08:04 who don't have the gift. 08:05 What that means is that I may have to trespass 08:11 into unknown territory 08:13 which probably goes beyond 9 O'clock, I'll try not to. 08:17 One of my problems is I try to finish too soon 08:20 and I must learn to stop that. 08:23 So if necessary I may find myself inching past 9 O'clock. 08:28 If I do that let there not be a second Exodus. 08:33 Are you with me? Yes. Say, amen. Amen. 08:37 Those of you in the back, can you hear me 08:39 wave your hands, in the back. 08:41 Ah, there you are, full of energy, full of life. 08:44 Good, I feel much, much better. 08:49 New age, new life, not new age, 08:54 I was listening 08:56 to a very well known preacher on the television. 09:00 His name is Creflo Dollar, have you ever heard of him? 09:05 Well, I'm glad too many of you have not 09:08 and I hope he's not listening to me now. 09:10 Then again I hope he is, 09:12 because Jesus died for everybody. Amen. 09:15 This man, his text came from Genesis 1:26 and onward, 09:22 the passage where man is made. 09:26 His argument followed this line, 09:29 he began in Genesis 1 verse 9, 09:34 "And God said, 'Let the waters under the heavens 09:38 be gathered together unto one place, 09:39 and let the dry land appear, and it was so'. 09:42 And God called the dry land Earth, 09:45 and the gathering together of the waters called He Seas, 09:47 and God saw that it was good." 09:49 And God said, 'Let the Earth bring forth grass, 09:53 the herb yielding seed, 09:54 and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, 09:57 whose seed is in itself, upon the Earth and it was so.' 10:00 And he hung on to the expression 10:02 after his kind and the Earth brought forth grass." 10:07 Verse 12, Genesis 1, 10:09 "And herb yielding seed after his kind, 10:11 and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, 10:13 after his kind, and God saw that it was good. 10:16 And the evening and the morning 10:18 were the third day." 10:19 Producing after their kind so that 10:23 this bush will produce a bush just like it. 10:27 And a maple tree produces a maple tree 10:30 and an apple tree produces an apple tree 10:32 this is by God's arrangement. 10:35 And I had no argument with that. 10:39 Then he skipped the creation of the sun, 10:41 morning and stars Genesis 1:14 through 19 10:44 because there are inanimate objects, 10:46 they don't produce after their kind 10:49 and he went on the creation of the creatures of the sea 10:52 and the creatures of the air, verse 20 of Genesis 1. 10:57 "And God said, Let the waters bring forth 10:58 abundantly the moving creature that hath life, 11:01 and fowl that may fly above the Earth 11:03 in the open firmament of heaven. 11:05 And God created great whales, 11:07 and every living creature that moveth, 11:09 which the waters brought forth abundantly after their kind, 11:12 and every winged fowl after his kind, 11:14 and God saw that it was good. 11:15 And God blessed them, saying, be fruitful, and multiply, 11:18 and fill the waters in the seas, 11:19 and let fowl multiply in the Earth." 11:24 Now, he said, here's my proof 11:28 that God created creatures to produce after their kind. 11:34 And he was right. 11:37 Now he came to the creation of the animals. 11:42 Verse 21, "And God said, 11:44 Let the Earth bring forth the living creature 11:46 after his kind-- Verse 24 11:48 "And God said, Let the Earth bring forth 11:49 the living creature after his kind, 11:51 cattle and creeping thing, 11:52 and beast of the Earth after his kind, and it was so. 11:55 And God made the beast of the Earth after his kind, 11:57 and cattle after their kind, 11:59 and every thing that creepeth upon the Earth after his kind, 12:01 and God saw that it was good." 12:03 And again he proclaimed that it was God's will 12:06 that living things produce after their kind. 12:09 And of course I had no disagreement 12:11 with Brother Creflo Dollar Bill. 12:15 Then he came to verse 26 and he said, 12:22 "And God said, Let us make man in our image, 12:28 after our likeness, and let them 12:30 have dominion over the fish of the sea, 12:32 and over the fowl of the air, 12:33 and over the cattle, and over all the Earth, 12:35 and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the Earth. 12:39 So God created man in his own image, 12:43 in the image of God created he him, 12:45 male and female created he them. 12:47 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, 12:49 be fruitful, and multiply, 12:50 and replenish the Earth, and subdue it." 12:53 Then he said, here we see God producing after his kind. 13:03 His argument was 13:05 and you will not believe it anymore than I. 13:09 He said on the basis of Genesis 1:26 through 28, 13:16 that we are Gods, because God produced how? 13:26 After his guide. 13:28 So we, he said, are Gods as much as lion produces 13:33 after his kind a lion produces a lion, 13:35 and a maple tree produces a maple tree, 13:38 God produced Gods. 13:42 And so He said, we are Gods trapped in this body. 13:51 For those of you who may be tempted to even sip that. 13:55 Let me tell you now in my clearest English, 14:00 Deuteronomy 6 verse 4 "Hear, O Israel, 14:06 The Lord our God is one God" 14:11 and that's not you. Amen. 14:15 And that's not me, and that's not Elder Paulsen. Amen. 14:21 By the way who is Elder Paulson, who? 14:27 The general--you all know who your people are. 14:29 The General Conference President. 14:31 "The Lord our God is one Lord 14:33 and that is not you that is one God, 14:36 three in one, Father, Son, Holy Spirit and that is it. 14:41 But let me go back to Genesis 1:26, 14:47 because as much as one tree produced after its kind 14:53 as much as an apple tree produces apple trees, 14:56 as much as a lion produces lions, 14:58 as much as a cow produces cows, 15:01 God wants to produce in us not Gods but godly people. Amen. 15:09 So that He requires of us, 15:11 that we be God-like and we be godly. 15:18 Does not our beloved writer Ellen White tell us 15:21 "Higher than the highest human thought can reach 15:24 is God's ideal for His children." 15:26 Finish that quotation with me. 15:29 Godliness, godlikeness is the goal to be reached. 15:34 God as goal for you and He has goal for me 15:38 and that goal is godliness, godlikeness He needs 15:43 and He desires and He yearns for you 15:46 and for me to be like Him. Amen. 15:53 The purpose of the gospel is to restore in us, what? 16:01 The image of God. 16:05 The purpose of the gospel 16:08 is to restore in you individually, 16:14 the image of God. 16:18 That's the only image God is interested in. 16:21 And so in the Second Commandment 16:22 he says, "Thou shalt not make unto thee any," what? 16:26 "Graven image. 16:27 Not a likeness of anything that is in heaven 16:29 or that is in the Earth beneath, 16:31 or that is in the water under the Earth." 16:32 The only image unlikeness to God 16:35 is concerned with is His image 16:37 and His likeness, in His people. 16:40 We must act like God. We must think like God. 16:45 We must treat each like God. 16:47 We must deal with the world like God. 16:50 We must take care of our business like God 16:52 everything the converted man or women does 16:56 must be done like God. Amen. 17:04 How is that possible, 17:07 because since Adam made his mistake, 17:10 we have been saddled with something 17:12 called the sinful nature. 17:16 And so one night in John Chapter 3 17:20 reading from verse 1, a well known fellow, 17:22 brother Nicodemus "There was a man of the Jews 17:26 of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, 17:28 a ruler of the Jews" John 3 verse 1, 17:31 "The same came to Jesus by night, 17:32 and said unto him, Rabbi, 17:35 we know that thou art a man send from God 17:37 for no man can do these miracles 17:39 that thou doest, except God be with him. 17:43 " Verse 3, "Jesus answered and said unto him, 17:47 verily, verily, I say unto you." 17:50 Now the expression of verily, verily 17:52 is only found in the gospel of John. 17:56 The gospel written by the man 17:58 who most perfectly reflected 18:00 the character of Jesus Christ, John the beloved. 18:04 You find verily in the other gospels, 18:07 you only find verily, verily in John. 18:12 John understood the mind of Jesus. 18:15 John was written, John Chapter 20 verse 31, 18:18 that we might believe in Jesus Christ, 18:20 and so Jesus says, "verily, verily I say unto you. 18:24 Except a man be born again, 18:26 he cannot see the kingdom of heaven." 18:30 Can see it. 18:32 Here, here in any form or fashion, 18:35 except a man be born again, he cannot see, 18:41 he can't see the need for the kingdom of heaven. 18:45 I was canvassing in Canada many years ago, 18:49 all my sales were in homes where the people appeared to be 18:54 unable to afford the books. 18:59 I couldn't make one sale in wealthy homes 19:02 because they could not see the need 19:05 for what I was offering. 19:07 When you go home tonight, read Job Chapter 21, 19:11 when did I say you should read it? Amen. 19:14 Don't start now. 19:17 Job 21 when you go home 19:20 the wicked you see in that Chapter 19:22 Job is talking about the prosperity of the wicked 19:25 and the wicked say in verse 14, 19:26 what profit is there in praying to God." 19:32 There is none for them why? 19:34 Because they have everything the wicked rich. 19:40 Now that's not a condemnation of wealth, 19:42 Genesis 13:2 says 19:43 "Abraham was very rich in cattle, 19:45 in silver, and in gold." 19:49 " But the rich wicked see no need for God. 19:53 And so Jesus says, except a man be born again, 19:56 he cannot see, it makes no sense, 20:00 he cannot perceive that he has a great need 20:04 and that need is to be saved in God's kingdom, 20:06 can't see it. 20:11 Can I tell you a secret? 20:13 They are many members of the church 20:15 who can't see it either. 20:23 Nicodemus says unto Him, 20:26 "how can a man be born when he is old? 20:32 Shall he enter the second time into his mother's womb, 20:34 and be born?" 20:36 Jesus said to him in verse 5, 20:39 "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, 20:43 he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven." 20:45 In verse 3 you can see it, in verse 5 you cannot enter, 20:49 in verse 3 it makes no sense to you, 20:51 you cannot perceive, you cannot visualize, 20:53 you cannot conceptualize something called life 20:56 where there is no sin, where there is no wickedness, 20:59 you cannot even conceptualize that fact. 21:01 And in verse 5 you can't enter. 21:05 But Jesus said to this man, you've got to be born again. 21:10 Now Jesus Christ could have said, 21:12 you've got to improve your behavior. 21:18 But conversion is not improvement, 21:23 are you following me? 21:25 Anyone sleeping? 21:30 Conversion is not improvement. 21:34 Many people come to Jesus Christ to be improved. 21:38 Now improvement means they are some areas 21:41 that need some work. 21:46 Conversion means there is nothing good 21:50 about the whole thing. 21:53 I heard a young man say to a preacher, 21:55 conversion is like this. 21:59 Here is a house the house is you or the house is me. 22:03 Jesus Christ comes driving a bulldozer call Calvary. 22:09 What does he do? 22:10 He levels the house, digs up the foundation, 22:17 removes it and then he builds a brand new structure 22:24 that bears no resemblance to the one just demolished. 22:33 Someone put it this way, 22:35 conversion is like car that has been an accident, 22:38 it's dented from front to back, 22:41 both sides, the top, damage underneath, 22:45 it goes into the repair shop. 22:49 And it comes out with no evidence 22:53 whatsoever that it had been in a crash. 22:56 It looks like an entirely a different car because it is. 23:05 God made us to reflect him. 23:11 God made us to be godly and to be God like. 23:14 The new age says, you are divine. 23:19 The new age says you're a God. 23:23 Ultimately you're accountable to no one but yourself, 23:27 you are God, you are a little God, 23:31 that's the teaching of new age, you are divine. 23:33 And so the new age essentially teaches people 23:35 to bring out that divinity. 23:39 The Buddhist tell you, you can reach 23:40 the state of enlightenment, 23:41 so that you become your own Buddha, 23:44 Buddha meaning enlightenment one, 23:46 it is a journey towards full enlightenment 23:48 and when you reach that point you are Buddha. 23:55 God gives us through Christ new life, 24:02 but it has nothing to do with new age. 24:06 We are not God, but we must be godly. 24:12 We must be born again, 24:16 meaning, you start all over again 24:22 because no part of the whole journey is worth saving. 24:27 Did you hear me? 24:29 No part of the prior journey is worth saving, 24:32 Jesus canceled it from beginning to end 24:35 and He gives you a brand new beginning. 24:39 Meaning that all that was in the prior life is worthless. 24:50 And so in verse 6 of John 3 he says, 24:52 "That which is born of the flesh" is what? 24:55 Flesh that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit." 25:01 You notice, Jesus does not mix the two. 25:06 He says this is flesh, this is Spirit. 25:13 Too many church members are Spirit-flesh. 25:20 You know, we're African Americans, 25:22 African-American, we are Irish-American, 25:26 we are Mexican-American. 25:28 We have these hyphenated relationships 25:31 on a cultural level. 25:34 We are Filipino-American, Korean-American, 25:40 Japanese-American and I have no particular of that 25:45 but we carry that into the spiritual life. 25:47 And so you have people who are Spirit-flesh, 25:52 save-lost, Christian-hypocrite, 25:58 vegetarian- carnivore. 26:01 We have all these hyphenated people 26:03 in the church and there are very few 26:05 who are just one thing, no hyphen, 26:07 I'm just one thing, I'm godly, 26:09 I'm a child of God, I'm not Spirit-flesh. Amen. 26:16 It's okay to be an African-American, 26:17 it's not okay to be Spirit-flesh. Amen. 26:22 You're either Spirit or you're flesh. 26:27 A converted person is Spirit, 26:31 meaning the life of Christ is what energizes that person, 26:35 the person's thinking is controlled 26:38 and influenced by the life of Christ. 26:42 Let's take a look at our forefathers, 26:46 the Israelites, these things are written 26:48 for our examples, First Corinthians 11, 26:51 I think it is. 26:54 First Corinthians 10, 26:56 the Egyptians, the Israelites came out of Egypt. 26:59 Now they had seen God perform ten miracles, 27:01 the ten plagues. 27:04 You know, there is an interesting miracle 27:05 God performed that we don't normally pay attention to. 27:11 The Egyptians pursued the Israelites, 27:15 caught them by the Red Sea. 27:19 Now in verse 19 of Exodus 14 the Bible says, 27:25 "And the angel of the Lord, 27:27 which went before the camp of Israel, 27:29 removed and went behind them, 27:32 and the pillar of the cloud removed 27:35 and stood behind them, remove, 27:37 went from before their face, and stood behind them." 27:40 Verse 20. 27:41 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians 27:45 and the camp of Israelites, 27:48 it was a cloud and darkness to them, 27:51 but it gave light by night to these, 27:55 so that the one came not near the other all the night." 27:59 Now, what is the miracle, well here it is. 28:01 The Egyptians pursued the Israelites 28:03 and the Israelite saw them because in Genesis-- 28:06 Exodus 14 verse 10 the Bible says 28:08 "And when Pharaoh drew nigh, 28:09 the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, 28:11 and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them, 28:14 and they were so afraid, 28:15 and the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord." 28:18 They saw the Egyptians coming but that light, 28:24 the Shekinah glory that pillar of cloud 28:27 moved from its customary position, 28:29 the leadership role, leading the people, 28:32 it came behind the camp and it occupied a position 28:38 between the Israelites and the Egyptians. 28:40 The Bible says, the same pillar of cloud 28:47 provided light that night for the Israelites, 28:50 but it kept the Egyptians in darkness, 28:54 so they could not mobilize, they could not organize, 28:57 they could not attack that night 28:59 because they were ruffed in darkness. 29:03 But the same source of darkness 29:06 was a source of light. Amen. 29:12 The Israelites saw that. 29:14 The next morning the Red Sea was parted, 29:17 they crossed they saw it. 29:21 Even before crossing the Red Sea 29:22 they had some complaints. 29:25 Because when they saw, and I'm talking about the heart 29:27 of those who came out of Egypt. 29:28 In Exodus 14, we just read verse 10 verse 11, 29:33 verse 10 ends by saying, 29:35 and the Israelite cried out unto the Lord 29:36 and they said unto Moses," verse 11 Exodus 14, 29:40 "because there were no graves in Egypt hast thou brought us, 29:44 taken us away to die in the wilderness? 29:48 Wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, 29:51 to carry us forth out of Egypt." 29:53 They began to complain, 29:54 they're saying it would have been better for us 29:56 to stay in Egypt, 29:58 that is not the attitude of a converted person, 30:01 I will tell you why. 30:04 You see a converted man or women 30:06 no longer desires the former life. 30:09 Ellen White, says, the things he used to loved, 30:12 he now hates and the things he used to hate, he now loves. 30:16 But too many of us still love the things. 30:22 Am I talking truth? Yes. Yes. 30:29 In verse 12, they go on to say-- 30:34 is not this is this not the world 30:36 that we did tell thee in Egypt 30:38 saying, leave us along that we may serve the Egyptians, 30:43 for it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, 30:46 than that we should die in the wilderness. 30:49 Leave, you should have left us in Egypt. 30:51 They are making that complaint 30:54 just a few days after seeing the plagues, 30:58 their hearts were still in Egypt. 31:02 Is your heart still in Egypt, 31:05 yes, your membership is on the book, 31:08 where is your heart? 31:11 Do you have that new life in verse, 31:16 in Chapter 16 verse 2, the Bible says and the whole, 31:20 now they're hungry, nothing to eat? 31:22 The Bible says in Exodus 16 31:23 "To the whole congregation of the children of Israel 31:26 murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. 31:28 And the children of Israel said unto them, 31:30 Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord 31:32 in the land of Egypt, 31:33 when we sat by the flesh pots, 31:35 and when we did eat bread to the full." 31:38 Again they're saying, 31:39 we preferred to have remained in Egypt. 31:43 The very next Chapter they're thirsty, 31:46 no water, they complain again verse 3 31:49 "And they thirsted there for water, 31:51 and they murmured against Moses and said, 31:56 did you bring us, 32:00 why hast brought us up out of Egypt, 32:04 to kill us wherefore? 32:07 For what reason, to kill us, 32:10 our children and our cattle, with what? Thirst. 32:17 Complaining against Moses. 32:19 Each time they complained they longed for Egypt, 32:25 but you'll notice that 32:26 the revelation of their longing for Egypt 32:29 only occurred in times of crisis, 32:32 we can disguise our worldliness. 32:36 Until the Lord allows a crisis in the life 32:39 and our true love of the world is exposed. 32:44 In Numbers Chapter 11 verse 4 32:49 they've been in the wilderness now for a few years, 32:52 the Bible says "And the mixed multitude 32:54 that was among them fell a lusting, 32:56 and the children of Israel wept again, and said, 32:58 who shall give us flesh to eat?" 33:00 Verse 5 "We remember the fish 33:02 which we did eat in Egypt freely, 33:04 the cucumbers, and the melons, 33:06 and the leeks, and the onions, 33:08 and the garlic, but now our soul is dried away, 33:10 there is nothing at all beside this manna, 33:12 before our eyes." 33:13 They are complaining again, 33:15 we miss Egypt, but it took a crises 33:18 to bring that out of them. 33:21 Numbers 21 verse 5 33:26 "And they spake against God, and against Moses, 33:29 Wherefore have ye brought us up 33:31 out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? 33:33 For there is no bread, neither is there any water, 33:35 and our soul loatheth this light bread." 33:37 Again they are missing Egypt, 33:40 a converted person does not miss the former life. Amen. 33:50 Ren Stephen give that powerful message 33:52 in Acts Chapter 7. 33:54 He said something in verse 39, 33:56 referring to Moses and Moses' relationship 33:58 with the Israelites in the wilderness, 34:00 verse 39 Acts Chapter 7 the Bible says, 34:02 "To whom our fathers would not obey, 34:05 and thrust him from them, 34:06 and in their hearts," did what? 34:11 In their hearts did what? 34:14 "Went back again to Egypt." 34:18 May I ask you a question? 34:21 Is Egypt still in your heart? 34:27 Does that world still occupy 34:29 some real estate in your heart and mind? 34:33 Or have you left Egypt by the process of conversion. 34:42 In the Book of Hebrews, Chapter 11, 34:45 the great Chapter of faith, 34:48 let us take a look at the thinking, 34:49 the attitude of converted people. 34:54 Now, Egypt and Babylon are both mentioned 34:57 in the Book of Revelation, 34:59 Egypt particularly in Chapter 11 35:00 where the two witnesses are talked about. 35:03 Egypt is the land where they know not God, 35:06 Babylon is a place where there is a lot of false worship. 35:10 Either way, Babylon and Egypt 35:12 are places we need to leave. 35:15 So the Israelites are brought out of Egypt 35:17 that's the land of sin. 35:18 Spiritually Egypt is a land of sin 35:20 and of course we must call people out of Babylon, 35:22 the land of false doctrine and false teaching 35:25 mingled with the little truth. 35:28 Hebrews 11 from verse 13 talked about 35:30 Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah. 35:34 These all died how? 35:36 In faith, not having received the promises 35:40 but having seen them afar off and embraced them 35:43 and were persuaded of them, 35:45 and confessed that they were what, 35:47 strangers and pilgrims where? On the Earth. 35:50 Now a stranger on the Earth is someone who understands 35:55 and recognizes he or she 35:57 does not belong to this Earth. Amen. 36:00 You're a stranger, you're a pilgrim. 36:02 You're passing through, and so you don't live 36:05 as if you're here for the long haul. 36:10 You're on your way somewhere else, 36:12 and confessed there were strangers 36:14 and pilgrims on the Earth, 36:16 for they that say such things declare plainly 36:20 that they seek a country verse 14. 36:23 And truly verse 15, Hebrews 11, 36:26 and truly if they had been mindful of that country 36:32 which take him out of, they might have had 36:35 opportunity to do what? Return. 36:39 You know that verse is saying, 36:42 Abraham did not long for the land that he left. 36:52 If they had been mindful of that country 36:54 from which they came out of, which they came, 36:56 they wouldn't have had opportunity to return. 36:59 But now verse 16, they desire a better country, 37:04 which is a heavenly, 37:05 wherefore God is not ashamed to be their God. 37:10 Is God ashamed to be your God? No. 37:14 Because you still desire this world. 37:17 The Bible says, because their minds 37:19 were set on another country 37:22 God took pride in declaring Himself to be their God. 37:26 You see that man Abraham who has no desire for Hiram 37:29 and for Ur of the Chaldees, I'm his God. 37:32 You see that man Isaac, 37:33 who no longer desires his former life I am his God. 37:37 You see that man Jacob 37:39 who longer desires to go back to Hiram, 37:42 I am his God. 37:43 I want the world to know I am the God of Abraham, 37:45 Isaac, and Jacob. 37:48 People who don't desire their former life 37:52 because they are changed, they were converted. 38:05 I'm about to ask you a question 38:07 I want you to answer me. Tell the truth. 38:15 All those of you who are converted, 38:22 raise your right hand. Hands down. 38:31 Question number two, 38:34 those of you who are not sure, 38:36 raise your right hand. 38:38 Raise them high, you're not arthritic, 38:40 raise them high. Hands down. 38:44 Question number three, 38:48 those of you who never ever remember 38:52 having consciously given your life to Jesus Christ, 38:56 you're just grouping to church 38:57 and by osmosis you became an Adventist. 39:00 You don't ever recall 39:02 having consciously given your life to Jesus Christ, 39:07 raise your right hand. 39:09 Come on, raise it. God bless you. 39:13 There must more than one honest person, 39:14 God bless you. Must be more than two. 39:17 Who else? 39:19 God bless, I saw that hand back to the right. 39:26 There will be no unconverted people in heaven. 39:33 All those who enter the Pearly Gates 39:35 will do so pulsing with the new life 39:40 that is in Jesus Christ. 39:45 You'll never be God, nor will I, 39:49 but you and I are called to be godly. 39:55 Only a converted person can be godly. 40:00 As we're told in First John 2, verse 14, 15, 16, 40:04 "love not the world neither the things 40:07 that are in the world. 40:09 If any man love the world 40:11 the love of the father is not in him." 40:17 That doesn't mean that God hates him, 40:19 it means he does not really love God. 40:21 If any man love the world 40:23 the love of the Father is not in him. 40:28 All that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, 40:32 the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, 40:37 we've got to avoid. 40:40 Not most of what is in the world 40:42 all of that in the world. 40:44 Jesus needs in these last days 40:47 are people so separate from the world 40:52 that the world considers them 40:55 the strangest phenomenon under heaven. 40:58 You know the seven wonders of the ancient world, 41:01 the pyramids of Egypt, 41:03 the hanging gardens of Babylon, 41:05 the Jupiter's image, the Temple of Aphrodite, 41:11 the Colossus of Rhodes, 41:13 and some tomb of Mausolous or Mausoleum I believe. 41:17 But there needs to be a wonder of the world 41:21 in these last days. 41:24 Are you listening to me? Amen. 41:26 Now the wonder you see and it will be a greater wonder 41:30 than the wonder of Adam 41:31 when Adam came from the Savior's hand. 41:34 Now why do I say that? 41:36 Adam was made flawless, 41:38 faultless, perfect, no fallen nature. 41:42 Follow me closely, I'm not far from ending. 41:47 When Adam came forward from the Creator's hand, 41:49 he was perfect, sinless, flawless, 41:51 not internal urges to sin. 41:55 And God required of him the development of Godliness. 42:01 Ellen White said through obedience 42:02 Adam could have developed a character. 42:06 You don't develop a character in one day. 42:07 Adam was made perfect but he then had to develop 42:10 a character through constant obedience 42:12 and surrender to his father. 42:14 He didn't have it down packed, 42:16 day one really opened his eyes 42:17 and realized he was in a glorified dirt, 42:20 he didn't even do that. 42:23 He should have now obeyed God 42:25 and in that process develop 42:27 and become more like his Creator, 42:28 more like his Creator, more like God, 42:32 which was the original purpose. 42:34 But Adam sinned and bequeath to us 42:41 the burden of the sinful nature. 42:45 Now here is what is remarkable, 42:48 God did not change His standard. 42:53 You know, we use the expression, 42:55 lower the bar, the same bar 42:59 God set for Adam in his perfect condition 43:04 is the same bar God sets for us 43:07 with the fallen nature. 43:11 Few more amens would encourage me greatly. Amen. 43:17 Now how is this possible, 43:19 if I'm asking a man to jump over six foot bar 43:24 and then putting 200 pounds on his back, 43:27 he can do it. 43:30 But God says to us, this bar you can get over it 43:35 with 200 pounds of the sinful nature 43:38 on your back if you give your life to me. Amen. 43:45 If you give your life to Christ 43:46 and you're in Him and He in you, 43:49 then when Jesus jumps you jump with him. Amen. 43:57 And so the world needs to see the modern end time wonder 44:04 that is greater than all the ancient wonders 44:06 of the world combined and that is of people 44:09 who perfectly reflect 44:11 the character of Jesus Christ. Amen. 44:19 God has to produce that people, 44:23 because the universe has not yet seen that. 44:25 The universe has seen Enoch. 44:28 Enoch was not a people, Enoch was a person. 44:32 The universe saw Abraham, 44:33 he was a person not a people. 44:35 The universe saw the prophets of old, 44:37 Samuel, Elisha, Elijah they were persons not people. 44:42 The universe saw God's frustration 44:44 with the Israelites for hundreds of hundreds of years 44:46 until he rejected them physically 44:48 and then began with spiritual Israel. 44:50 The universe has not yet seen an entire people 44:56 that reflect the character of Christ. 45:03 We live in the day where that can happen. 45:11 When finally God can say to the universe, 45:17 look, perfect obedience to my law. 45:24 Look, not one sand grain of the world in him. 45:29 Look, no desire for her former life. 45:33 Look, absolutely different from the environment 45:36 where she is. 45:37 Look at them, you'll see them 45:40 and you'll see Jesus. 45:44 And so Jesus prayed the high priestly prayer 45:47 in John 17 verse 14 "I have given them thy word, 45:50 and the world hath hated them, 45:52 because they are not of the world, 45:54 even as I am not of the world." 45:56 The same way Jesus was not of this world 45:59 He prayed that his disciples would not be of this world. 46:04 And in verse 15 he says 46:05 "I pray not that thou shouldest 46:07 take them out of the world, 46:08 but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil." 46:12 It is possible I say to live in a sin, 46:15 sick world and live sinlessly. Amen. 46:22 In verse 16, John 17 He says again, 46:25 I'm not of this world, they're not of this world 46:27 even as I am not of this world. 46:29 In John 8:23 he tells the scribes and pharisees, 46:31 "Ye are from beneath, I am from above, 46:38 ye are of this world, 46:39 I am not of this world," says Jesus. 46:45 You and I must come to the place 46:48 where we say I'm not of this world. Amen. 46:55 I'm from above. 46:58 And indeed Paul tells us in Philippians 3, verse 20, 47:02 "For our conversation is in heaven, 47:05 from whence also we look for the Savior, 47:06 the Lord Christ Jesus." 47:10 Our conservation is in heaven, 47:13 the world conversion there means citizenship 47:14 in the Greek word is related to the word 47:17 we get, Polish, Politeias, meaning citizen, 47:20 Polis meaning city and we have the English word politics. 47:28 I'm a citizen of heaven. 47:34 Let me say it again, 47:36 we're citizens of heaven. Amen. 47:40 Which means then, every facet of our lives 47:44 must be lived by the principles of heaven 47:47 not the principles of this Earth. Amen. 47:51 If there is a disagreement in a church 47:52 it must be settled by principles 47:54 that work in heaven not by principles 47:56 you get from covey. 48:01 We raise our children by principles 48:03 that originate from heaven 48:05 through our beloved Ellen White 48:06 and the word, God's word, 48:07 not by what James Dobson says. Amen. 48:13 We carry on our church work by principles 48:16 that originate from heaven not from what T. D. Jake says. 48:23 We dress based on principles that originate from heaven 48:27 mediated through God's work not by what Fifth 48:31 or Madison Avenue tells me or Gucci 48:33 or who is the other fellow, 48:38 Calvin Klein and whoever else. 48:42 Because we are not of this world. 48:48 And so tonight I've a burden on my heart for you, 48:52 there is no reason 48:54 why anyone should leave this place tonight 48:56 unsure of his or her conversion and salvation. 48:59 Conversion is the work of an instant, 49:03 sanctification is a lifetime of obedience 49:05 that extents into the life to come. 49:07 We're always growing in Christ. 49:09 But conversion is instant, justification by faith, 49:15 instance and you can have that instant experience tonight. 49:23 For those of you who're trying your best 49:24 to shut me out I'll pray that Holy Spirit 49:28 will force open your heart by the force of love 49:32 and let the truth come in like a hurricane, 49:34 blow away all that is of this world 49:36 and replace it with the furnishings of heaven. 49:41 God wants you saved, I want you saved, 49:45 your leaders want you saved, 49:47 and I believe somewhere in the privacy of your heart 49:49 when you're honest with yourself 49:51 you want to be saved. Amen. 49:55 How many of you want to be lost? 49:56 Let me see your hands. 50:00 You know what it feels like to burn, 50:02 have you ever touched a hot stove, 50:04 have you ever been burned. 50:07 I have no desire to go to hell, 50:13 absolutely none. 50:17 The Bible has positive motivation, 50:19 it also has negative motivation. 50:23 The Bible talks a lot about hell, 50:24 that's negative motivation, 50:26 meaning here is something to avoid. 50:28 Ellen White says not enough people are aware 50:30 they have a hell to shun and a heaven to gain 50:33 and both must be stressed. 50:34 I have no interest whatsoever in hell. 50:39 I don't burn very well. 50:41 I want to go to heaven in Jesus. Amen. 50:47 Conversion means heaven starts for us on this Earth. 50:53 Ellen White says, in the Faith I live by page 269, 50:56 the life on Earth 50:58 is the beginning of the life in heaven. 51:03 Heaven is both the place and a way of life. 51:08 The Kingdom of Heaven is a place, 51:09 it is a way of life. 51:11 The face called the way of life begins on this Earth. 51:14 The life on Earth, Ellen White says, 51:16 which is the life of the converted man or woman 51:19 is the beginning of the life in heaven 51:22 and when we live the heavenly life on this Earth 51:25 the world will turn and pay attention 51:28 because the world has never ever seen 51:33 a people living a heavenly life on this Earth. 51:40 They can see it in Michigan. 51:44 And God is tired and waiting and eager and willing 51:52 and wanting to produce this people 51:55 that He might come back quickly 51:58 and take those with the heavenly life 52:01 and put them in the heavenly environment. 52:03 How many of you want to be with Christ when He comes? 52:06 Would you stand, would you stand with me? 52:10 You want to be with Jesus when He comes, 52:16 but to be with Jesus when He comes 52:19 you must be with Jesus before He comes. Amen. 52:22 You see, Jesus has gone to get a kingdom, 52:24 the noble man and to come back. 52:27 When Christ comes back 52:28 He isn't coming back to save people, 52:31 He's coming back to get those who have chosen salvation 52:35 and to get rid of those who've chose damnation. 52:37 Christ is not coming back to save people, 52:41 He is doing that now. Amen. 52:44 If you're not saved now, 52:46 you will not be saved when Jesus comes back. 52:52 Let's bow our heads, our Father in heaven, 52:57 we thank You so much for the word of God. 53:00 We thank You for the Spirit that has taken these words 53:03 and press them upon our hearts. 53:06 Father, as uncomfortable as it as, 53:08 we thank You for the pain 53:10 and the discomfort of conviction. 53:14 We ask You in the name of Jesus, 53:15 dear God, to move upon us now 53:18 as the service comes to a close. 53:21 There is no need, no need whatsoever, 53:24 Father, for any human being to be lost. 53:28 Because the Bible is so clear Matthew 25:41, 53:31 hell was prepared for the devil 53:33 and his angels not for us, and yet Father, 53:37 it's a tragedy so many of us will be there. 53:40 Oh, Father in the name of Jesus, 53:42 help us to believe the Lord 53:43 is not willing to any should perish. 53:45 The Lord is not willing that anyone under the sound 53:47 of your manservant's voice should perish. 53:49 Father, it is Your will that we be saved. 53:54 While every head is bowed and every eye's closed, 54:00 while hearts are lifted up in prayer, 54:03 that the right hearts may be touched 54:04 and respond to this appeal. 54:08 Any man or any woman who wants to say, 54:11 Lord, tonight I give myself to You without reservation. 54:20 Let me repeat that. 54:21 Father, tonight through Jesus Christ, 54:25 I give myself to You without reservation. 54:30 I'm tired living a double life, 54:33 one foot in the world, one foot in the church. 54:35 I tonight by the grace of God 54:38 and the enabling of his indwelling Spirit, 54:40 I give myself to you 100%, if you'll say that, 54:47 slip out of your seats and come like down front. 54:49 Then I've another appeal to make, come now. 54:52 I give myself to you 100%, no room for the world, 54:58 no interest in the world, like the family of Abraham 55:01 I do not desire my former life. 55:03 I give myself to you 100%, this is that call. Come. 55:15 I'm coming to give my all to Jesus Christ 55:17 who gave His all for me. 55:21 If you're physically unable to move 55:22 you may raise your hands in response to the appeal 55:25 and it amounts to the same thing. 55:29 You're coming to say I give myself to God 100%. 55:39 I see the raised hands, you may take them down, 55:41 God bless you. I see them. 55:46 Anyone else are at a risk of being repetitious 55:52 let me say it again, you're coming to say, 55:54 Father, by the grace of God 55:57 and the enabling of his indwelling Spirit, 55:59 I have come as a public demonstration 56:01 of my intention to give myself to You 100$. 56:11 My second appeal and I make this appeal 56:13 as I made the first one in the name of Jesus. 56:19 Anyone who under the force of the Holy Spirit 56:27 will say, Father, as I look at my life 56:29 I have to confess, I've never truly been concerted. 56:34 Because I find of things 56:35 I used to like I still like them. 56:38 And tonight I want that experience, 56:41 I want you with all the guts you have to raise your hand. 56:48 Keep your hands up. 56:50 I've never truly been converted 56:55 and I want that tonight, 56:57 so that indeed I can hate the things I used to love. 57:01 I love only spiritual things, 57:03 raise your hands, keep them up. 57:08 Let's pray. 57:10 Father, look first at the hands raised 57:13 in response to the appeal 57:17 for those who've never been converted 57:18 but have always been in the church. 57:21 Father, I believe I pray with their agreement 57:23 and so my voice represents the voice of many. 57:26 In the name of Jesus Christ their God, 57:29 I ask You now to touch their hearts. 57:34 Father, give them that new birth experience 57:36 now as they have committed themselves to you 100%. 57:41 They've confessed they're sinners, 57:44 they've admitted they never really been converted, 57:46 and Father, as they confess and admit 57:48 I ask You now in the and in the name of Jesus 57:51 to accept them as Your children 100%. 57:55 Put into their hearts now, 57:57 dear God, put into their hearts. 57:59 A hatred for this world, 58:01 a hatred for the things of the devil 58:03 and a love for spiritual things. 58:07 Put it in their hears, and that those who know them, 58:09 see the difference in their lives. 58:13 Father, the second appeal, 58:15 the first appeal was those who wanted to say 58:17 they're yours 100%, I present them to you. 58:21 Father, accept that commitment, 58:23 drive from their hearts all worldliness. 58:28 Let them recommit themselves to Your cause 58:33 and to Your business, so that You may have in them 58:36 and in us, people who live for Jesus only. |
Revised 2014-12-17