Participants: Dwight Hall
Series Code: OTR
Program Code: OTR000877
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01:00 You know, this message that I have today
01:04 is kind of 01:07 a hard message for me in some ways. 01:10 I have not given it very often. 01:11 But... 01:15 I like telling stories, not to tell stories 01:18 but, you know, it's hard, 01:20 it's hard for me sometimes to read the Bible without... 01:24 I have got to make a practical in my life. 01:25 That's why Jesus told parables. 01:27 Amen? 01:28 You know, He talked about the soil going forth, 01:30 and He sold those seeds, 01:32 and He mentioned all these things 01:34 so that people would have an indelible picture, 01:36 you know what I mean? 01:37 When I started speaking years ago, 01:39 I told you, I tithe my time 01:40 two and half hours every morning 01:42 and I can quote scripture after scripture, many books, 01:46 I can quote those books, paragraphs, 01:51 and I thought that alone would humble me, 01:55 that that would take care of my temper but it never did. 01:58 You know, it seemed like, the more that I memorized 02:02 and read, sometimes, it seemed like 02:04 it was a bigger curse in my life 02:05 'cause somehow there was something else 02:08 that needed power. 02:09 And so I used to bore people maybe 02:12 with just text after text after text 02:15 and the Word is what changes lives 02:16 but I can take one text today, 02:18 one or two texts... 02:20 Look at in the Parables of the Pearl, 02:21 that's just a couple of texts 02:23 but you know there is a whole story 02:24 behind that pearl of great price. 02:26 There is a great story. 02:28 And you and I, for the Bible to come alive, 02:30 we need to get in this and assimilate it 02:32 into our hearts and in our minds. 02:34 Amen? 02:35 And so anyways, this message, I first gave it probably, 02:40 I don't know, it was probably 12 years ago 02:44 and it was down in Florida 02:48 with a group of, 02:51 you know, you call them supportive ministries, 02:52 self-supporting ministries. 02:54 There are ministries that are not supported 02:57 by finances by any church. 03:00 And that's what Remnant is, that's what 3ABN is 03:03 where we call ourselves self-supporting or supporting, 03:06 however, you know, you get mixed up on words, 03:08 but we're self-supporting to the fact that 03:10 we're not getting paid by any church. 03:12 Okay? 03:13 So there was a big meeting down there 03:15 and we had people from New Zealand, 03:17 Australia, England, 03:18 ministers that had all these self-supporting ministries 03:23 and I had been a big part of putting that on, 03:26 I had a real burden, 03:27 and there's one thing about people when you become in... 03:32 When you get into God's Word, you get, you read a lot 03:35 and you see things that you should be doing 03:39 and you start changing those things. 03:41 And if you're not careful, you start, 03:43 you obviously you'll see sins of others 03:45 and they're there, you know, I mean, those red flags pop up 03:49 and God gives us red flags, doesn't He? 03:51 I mean, wouldn't it be terrible 03:53 if we didn't have any feelings? 03:54 And you could cut yourself and you never feel it? 03:57 Or somebody could come maybe to your daughter 04:01 or your little boy and they could be someone 04:04 that would be was going to come to molest them 04:06 and you... 04:08 I mean, you had no clue, you had no red flags, 04:09 whatever go up. 04:11 God gives us red flags. 04:12 He gives us red flags. 04:13 That's why you also need to read the Word of God 04:16 because that's how we know the truth. 04:17 Amen? Amen. 04:19 Okay. 04:20 Well, after saying that, I want to mention this. 04:23 It's kind of, like, not a disclaimer, 04:25 but a balance. 04:27 Number one, I believe that God 04:30 does not at all condone sin. 04:33 Amen? Amen. 04:35 He does not condone sin. 04:37 We're told there's no excuse for sin. 04:41 But Jesus paid the price 04:45 that when we have sinned, 04:48 it says this in 1 John, that what? 04:50 He is able to forgive us of those sins, right? 04:53 When we ask for forgiveness, and faith, 04:57 and we forsake those sins... 04:59 I had a guy... 05:00 It was Pastor CD Brookes that I heard this 05:01 from years ago. 05:03 He said, "Most of us like sin so much 05:05 that we'll ask forgiveness" 05:06 and he says, "then it's we're on our hands and knees 05:08 crawling away from sin looking back, 05:11 hoping sin would catch up with us." 05:12 Because we don't want 05:14 to get rid of our little pet sins, 05:16 and bottom line is if there is sin in our heart, 05:19 if we have evil in our heart, will we make it to heaven. 05:22 Will we? No. 05:24 And I don't care how, what church you go to, 05:27 I don't care what you eat, I don't care what you wear, 05:31 even though those things make a difference, 05:33 I believe that, 05:34 because we're Christians and people see 05:36 that we're Christians by what? 05:37 By our testimony, not by what we mouth to them. 05:41 And that was my message a little bit last night. 05:43 I could talk to people and tell them, 05:44 you should be doing this, you should be doing, 05:46 you shouldn't be doing that. 05:47 And yet, my own life was messed up, 05:49 even though I knew all the scripture, 05:50 not all but a lot of it. 05:52 And so today, 05:55 I want to share with you this message, 05:59 who will cast the first stone. 06:03 When we went to this... 06:04 When I went to this ministry 06:06 with all these ministers down in Florida, 06:08 my wife and our children, 06:09 it was kind of a fun thing, we got a bunch of flat rocks. 06:12 Now this rock here, cameras will pick that up, 06:15 I'm sure. 06:17 I don't know if they can see it because of mirrors right there, 06:18 but it says Dwight, it's got my name on there. 06:20 Then it says, will you, okay? 06:23 On this mirror. 06:25 And we did this to about a hundred other ministers 06:27 that were there, that had ministries 06:29 and I knew who was going to be there 06:30 and I wrote their name on it, 06:32 and I put will you with this little mirror, 06:33 and then we packaged it up. 06:34 Okay? 06:36 Now I've got felt on the back of this 06:37 'cause I put that right on my desk. 06:39 I don't want to scratch my desk. 06:41 And every time I start thinking of negative thoughts, 06:46 I look at that 06:49 and I say, "Dwight, will you?" 06:51 I look in the mirror. 06:53 Okay, so think about that as we would, 06:55 if you will right now to set the stage, 06:57 open your Bibles to John, 07:00 John Chapter 8, 07:03 starting with verse 3. 07:06 We're at? 07:08 John. Okay, good. 07:10 I love hearing the pages of the Bible turn. 07:14 Because I can read these texts to you, 07:16 but, you know, 07:17 the power is in you reading the Word. 07:21 John Chapter what? Eight. 07:22 Okay, great. 07:24 John Chapter 8, starting with verse 3. 07:33 And we'll read it. 07:34 John Chapter 8, starting with verse 3. 07:36 It says, "Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to him 07:39 a woman caught in adultery." 07:41 Now think, you got to understand, 07:43 she was caught red-handed. 07:45 Now I don't know how it was. 07:47 I'm sure she certainly wasn't having adultery 07:49 in the middle of the street. 07:51 She was behind closed doors. 07:53 By the way, she knew it was not right. 07:55 She understood the law of God. 07:57 She knew it wasn't right. 07:59 So these Pharisees caught her. 08:01 Now maybe one of the Pharisees went in, 08:05 as someone that wants to have adultery, 08:08 commit adultery with her, and he was setting her up. 08:10 But in any event, 08:11 they took this lady 08:14 and they caught her in adultery. 08:18 It's quite a scene if you just put it in your mind. 08:21 It says, 08:22 "And when they had set her in the midst..." 08:25 Okay, think of it, they caught her in adultery, 08:27 they drug her out, maybe by here... 08:29 I don't even know, they drug her out 08:31 where Jesus is speaking in the midst of a crowd. 08:33 Did Jesus always bring crowds? 08:35 Amen, He did. 08:37 And they brought her out there. 08:38 I don't know about you, but if I was her, 08:40 I would want to shrink down to be invisible. 08:46 And then they said to him, "Teacher," 08:49 you know, it just kills me about this, "Teacher, " 08:52 it's like they didn't know anything, 08:53 "Teacher, " 08:55 did they really believe he was a teacher? 08:57 Did they really love this man? 08:59 No. 09:00 So they brought her out. 09:02 They were using her to trip up who? 09:06 Jesus. 09:07 They said, "Teacher, this woman, 09:10 she was caught in adultery, we caught her in the very act. 09:17 Now Moses in the law commanded us 09:18 that such should be stoned, 09:22 but what do you say?" 09:25 They... 09:26 "This they said, testing him, that they might have something 09:29 to which to accuse Him, but Jesus stooped down 09:31 and wrote on the ground with His finger." 09:35 What was He writing? 09:37 He was starting to write their sins. 09:39 Isn't that amazing? 09:41 I want you to think about that. 09:43 Think about that. 09:45 He started writing their sins. 09:46 So when they continued, 09:48 they wasn't going to give a teacher, 09:50 "You're the teacher, 09:51 you are supposed to be the Messiah. 09:53 If you really are from God, tell us, what does Moses say?" 09:56 Number one, it wasn't Moses law, was it? 09:59 It was God's law. 10:00 Moses just wrote it down. 10:04 Never get that mixed up. 10:05 And so they're saying, "Come on. 10:06 I mean, you're the Messiah. 10:08 Tell us what should we do 10:12 because this is what the law said, 10:13 we need to stone her." 10:16 And so they kept pressing and pressing 10:17 and continued to ask Him. 10:19 It says, "He raised Himself up and said to them, 10:23 'He, " excuse me, "who is without sin among you, 10:27 let him throw a stone at her first." ' 10:32 You know what? 10:33 I used to pitch when I was in little league 10:36 and that's a nice size stone. 10:38 I could do some damage with this. 10:44 Can you imagine getting hit with a stone? 10:47 I would hope that the first stone hit me 10:48 right in the head, and knocked me out, 10:49 and I wouldn't feel any more here, 10:51 but that is not normally what happened. 10:53 But Jesus said, "You who are without sin, 10:56 you pick up the... 10:58 You who are without sin, you pick up that stuff 11:00 and you cast them. 11:01 I want to see the first... 11:03 I just want to see 11:04 who is bold enough to pick up that stone. 11:08 Throw it." 11:12 You know, when I... 11:15 When I rededicated my life to the Lord 11:17 back in about 1984, 11:19 I tell you, I was so on fire for the Lord. 11:22 I still am today by the way. 11:24 But when you first come to Jesus, 11:27 I don't think most of us even look at other people 11:31 of how bad or how good they are, whatever. 11:34 But I was so on fire for the Lord, 11:36 I had no time to look at anybody else. 11:38 The only thing I wanted to do is submerse myself, 11:41 be a sponge that would soak up the Word of God. 11:44 That's all I wanted. 11:45 All I wanted to do was be like Jesus. 11:50 And I've shared a few of my testimonies 11:51 about studying, 11:53 but it seemed like the more I study 11:54 and the more I found out, 11:57 sometimes the more bitter I became at other people, 12:00 maybe some of you, why aren't they doing this, 12:04 why can't they do that, do you know so and so. 12:06 So I started thinking of that 12:07 and I want to represent something here 12:10 as we, as we talk, 12:11 this is a pretty nice white shirt right here. 12:15 But, you know, as we... 12:19 as we go along in life, 12:20 when we start taking our eyes off of Jesus, 12:24 what do we do? 12:25 We put them on self and others, 12:28 I've had people tell me, "You know, Dwight, 12:31 I'll never go back to that church again." 12:33 "Why?" 12:35 "The way they treated me, I went to that church 12:36 and they never even said hi." 12:39 Boy, if you can't handle that one, 12:41 then we're in trouble. 12:43 I mean, what did they do to Jesus? 12:44 He had no sin at all. 12:46 And so I started looking at the sins of others. 12:48 And, you know what? 12:49 I want to just want to represent... 12:51 What I did is I said, you know, so and so is, 12:55 they are a pretty good person, 12:56 but sometimes I hate that word, 12:59 but, and so what do I do, I take and... 13:02 I take what people see 13:04 and that's what I want you to be thinking about. 13:06 You see this, 13:08 that big old hole right there in the arm, 13:10 enough to put my hand through it. 13:14 I started picking apart different sins and saying, 13:17 "You know, that person is okay 13:21 but..." 13:23 And I started taking my eyes off Lord 13:24 and, you know, here's some of the sins 13:26 that I did. 13:27 I... 13:30 I talked to him about health. 13:31 You see, when I came back into the faith, 13:33 I believe that there's three things 13:35 that make us a whole being for Jesus. 13:38 You should know what that is. It's what? 13:40 Body, mind, and soul. 13:43 It takes those three things to be a complete Christian. 13:44 Amen? 13:46 Physical, mental, and spiritual. 13:48 You find it all through the scriptures. 13:50 And so as I came back in through eating better 13:53 'cause I want my mind clear, so I used to drink a lot, 13:57 not grape juice, 13:58 drank a lot of alcohol years ago. 14:01 And, you know, when I drank enough of it, 14:03 do you think I got smarter or dumber? 14:07 Dumber. I wasn't aware of things. 14:09 I thought I knew it all. 14:10 I thought I knew more the more I drank. 14:12 "I'll tell you what." 14:15 Isn't that strange, how you can...? 14:17 So what you put in here, does affect this up here. 14:20 Amen? Amen. 14:21 And if this is affected up here by your physical, 14:26 what about the mental and what about the spiritual? 14:27 And so I used to... 14:29 but I used to go in and say, "You know what? 14:31 Look what it says in the Bible. 14:33 Know you know that your bodies are the temple of God, 14:36 and you've been bought with a price, 14:37 and you're not your own." 14:38 And so you know what? 14:40 I would go to them 14:41 and instead of just telling them 14:43 because I was too afraid to tell him personally, 14:44 see, we want to talk about people 14:45 but we always want to go to the one 14:47 that will go along with us 14:49 'cause we don't want someone to go against us. 14:51 So we don't want to share with them 14:53 because we're too embarrassed to tell them, 14:54 "What would they think of me, if I tell them?" 14:57 So now we want to go tell somebody else 14:59 and, you know what? 15:01 I started talking about health, but I talk behind their back. 15:05 And then pretty soon, 15:06 you know, I started talking about, 15:10 you know what? 15:11 People ought to give more time to the scriptures. 15:16 Why aren't they studying more, 15:17 you know, what's wrong with these people, 15:19 they call themselves a Christian. 15:20 Now am I right? 15:21 Should we study more? 15:23 Amen. 15:25 But see, I wouldn't go up to that person. 15:26 I would just... 15:28 I would just start talking behind their back 15:29 and it's strange. 15:31 And then as I, as I'm doing this, 15:32 I'd go here and I'd say, 15:34 "You know, Dwight, you look pretty, 15:35 you remember that some of you Zolder folks 15:38 that like myself, " 15:39 I don't consider myself really old, 15:40 but, you know, I think it was happy days 15:42 and they had the funds, I remember the beginning 15:44 where he looked at himself in the mirror 15:45 and just going to comb his hair 15:47 and "Forget it, I look good enough." 15:48 But see me, I'm not quite that naive. 15:52 I'd say, "Well, you know, those folks, they're okay 15:56 but I'm not perfect either. 15:59 You know, I need to straighten my tie 16:01 just a little bit here. 16:02 But I look pretty good." 16:04 I like being neat. 16:07 And so I even being neat, I would start saying, 16:09 "Well, you know what? 16:11 People ought to go to church, 16:13 the way they dress at churches amaze me." 16:15 Now does Jesus accept us any way that we are? 16:17 Amen. 16:19 But when we go see Jesus, shouldn't we wear our best? 16:21 Amen. 16:22 I don't care what it is, but we should, we're... 16:24 We're meeting God. 16:26 And so then I will look at people and say, 16:28 "I know they can dress better than that." 16:30 Then I will talk to somebody. 16:32 And I would tell him about that and say, 16:34 "Why would they ever come 16:35 into sanctuary looking like that?" 16:37 Okay? Never talked to them. 16:40 You see what's happening here? 16:42 What do you think? 16:43 Well, there's one right in the old back. 16:45 Have you ever talked behind someone's back? 16:49 But, you know what? 16:50 I'd go in the mirror and say, "Well, you know what? 16:53 They're okay, but now, Dwight, make sure you look good. 16:58 I'll put that in. 17:00 Man, that's not bad." 17:06 And then, you know, I started watching television, 17:09 like 3ABN. 17:12 And before I ever knew Danny Shelton... 17:16 Man, I thought, man, what a blessing that guy is. 17:20 But as I got to know Danny, 17:21 I've known him for about 23 years now, 17:23 I said, you know that Danny is a pretty good guy. 17:26 Amen? Amen. 17:28 But you know what? He's got a couple of problems. 17:32 Good thing is, this shirt is large. 17:38 Hope you get this, Danny. 17:40 Danny, just because I know you so well, 17:43 pretty well, 17:45 I'm cutting three big pieces right out of this shirt. 17:50 Wow. 17:52 Look at that shirt, starting to get pretty holy, 17:54 isn't it? 17:55 And I would say, you know, 17:57 "Danny's a nice guy, but look at me, 17:59 I look pretty good, got a nice smile. 18:02 You know, hair's looking all right." 18:04 Try to keep the weight off, and exercise, 18:08 study the Word, look pretty good. 18:12 Then I started watching, I hope Doug doesn't mind this, 18:15 Doug Batchelor. 18:17 And that Doug, he's a pretty nice guy, 18:19 I mean, he's got a following because he loves Jesus 18:23 and he's preaching the truth. 18:25 But, you know what? 18:26 I got to know Doug a little bit. 18:27 Man, and I think 18:29 if he would just change this here, 18:31 you know. 18:34 Well, he needs more than one too, 18:35 I mean, it's not just changes. 18:37 I mean, you know, 18:38 I didn't like his tie the other... 18:40 I mean, why did he wear that color tie, 18:43 didn't look good on camera to me, 18:44 I mean, seems like he'd have better, 18:46 his wife probably didn't pick it out for him. 18:50 Seriously, it's a little funny if you think about it, 18:53 but how often do we nitpick our brothers and sisters? 18:57 Until finally, 18:59 no matter what they're preaching, 19:00 it doesn't matter, 19:01 we will go around behind the backs of others, 19:04 and we will say things about them, 19:06 and we don't even know if they're true 19:09 because somebody told us. 19:11 I've had people say things about our ministry 19:14 that are negative. 19:15 And I'm thinking, 19:17 well, it's almost laughable sometimes on what people say 19:20 but it really doesn't matter. 19:21 I mean, I cannot worry about that, 19:23 I have to keep my eyes focused on Jesus. 19:25 Amen? 19:26 If you think 19:27 that you're going to live in this world in a glass bubble 19:29 and no one's going to say anything about you, 19:30 the more you're like a Christian, 19:31 the more you become like Jesus. 19:33 Do you think you're going to get more persecuted? 19:35 Amen, sure. 19:36 Now, absolutely, now where do you think that... 19:38 Where do you think this all started? 19:43 Started in heaven. 19:46 Lucifer. 19:47 Do you know what the word "Lucifer" means? 19:49 Shining light. 19:51 He was a light-bearer. 19:53 He was the brightest thing. 19:55 He was in charge of all the angelic host. 19:58 One of the most, probably beautiful as angel, 20:00 he was a great singer. 20:02 I mean, this angel had great talents. 20:05 You know what started his problem 20:07 on his downward path? 20:09 Yeah, he... 20:11 I mean, I'm sure they didn't wear, 20:12 but I don't like ties that well to be honest with you. 20:13 So when I get through with here, 20:15 I'll probably have this tore off, 20:17 but so they probably didn't have ties, 20:18 they probably didn't have them in heaven 20:20 but whatever he has out there, had up there, 20:23 "Boy, I'm the greatest angel. 20:25 I'm Lucifer. 20:27 I'm the light bearer. 20:29 But, you know what? 20:30 That Jesus is a pretty good person, 20:33 but I don't know why is He doing this? 20:37 What's his problem?" 20:40 And then he'd go up to some of the other angels 20:43 and they did not, they respect him. 20:45 Absolutely. 20:47 He was in charge of them. 20:48 And he said, "You know what? 20:49 Jesus is a wonderful being. 20:51 Praise the Lord for Jesus. 20:53 But if He could just change this one thing, 20:57 don't you think? 20:58 Wouldn't it be a better heaven?" 21:01 And he started going on and on. 21:04 Because see, he was the accuser of the brethren. 21:08 Amen? 21:10 And so as we go around, 21:12 I come up with many more names. 21:15 And pretty soon, 21:17 this nice white shirt right here, 21:20 you got holes in the back and the arm, 21:22 there's holes all over the place. 21:24 Why? 21:25 Because what started out to be good, 21:30 people maim, they speak. 21:32 I've done it so often and I'm so sorry for it. 21:37 I'll never make it to heaven like that. 21:39 Let's look in your Bibles real quick here to... 21:45 If you'd turn your Bibles to Romans Chapter 8. 21:51 Romans Chapter 8. 21:55 And we've got to realize this is such a serious problem 21:57 and I don't know why, but don't you think 21:59 if the devil was the brightest angel, 22:02 the smartest angel, whatever, 22:04 if he felt a certain way, 22:07 what is his best tool to use on you and I 22:09 as fallen human beings? 22:12 Wouldn't it be the same thing? 22:14 If you ever find yourself talking about people, 22:17 even if it's true, I mean, what if it's true? 22:20 You know, isn't it strange? 22:22 I want to, before I read this, 22:23 I've got a family, a beautiful family, 22:24 my wife Deb, three lovely children, 22:27 you know, they're all grown up now. 22:29 Alisha, Natasha, Seth, I love them very much 22:31 and the son-in-laws, 22:32 David Berthiaume that sings with one voice, 22:34 my son-in-law and Brian, I love them. 22:37 But if they do something wrong, you know what? 22:40 I can't wait to get up here 22:41 'cause I'm going to tell you all about them. 22:43 I love my children, 22:44 but would you do that to your children 22:47 or your spouse? 22:49 Are we not supposed to be a church family? 22:51 If we're real Christians, why in the world 22:54 would we want to go out 22:55 and tell the world about our sins, 22:57 even if they're true? 22:58 Why would you do it? 23:01 Jesus said, "He who is without sin, 23:05 you cast that." 23:06 I want to watch you right here. 23:08 I want you to cast that first stone. 23:12 Romans Chapter 8 23:19 with verse 6. 23:22 It says, "For those who live according to the flesh, 23:24 set their minds on the things of flesh, 23:26 but those who live according to the spirit, 23:28 the things of the spirit for to be fleshly 23:32 or carnally minded is," what? 23:33 Death. "Death." 23:35 Eternal death. 23:38 You know, I had been so right 23:41 but been all wrong. 23:42 Amen? 23:44 You can have the truth a 100% but like Romans 1:18 says, 23:49 "If you hold the truth and unrighteousness, 23:53 you're a castaway." 23:55 I've held the truth. 23:56 I've held that banner up so much, 23:58 but I've held it in unrighteousness 24:00 and I can pick apart all kinds of things. 24:02 My parents thought I'd be a good lawyer. 24:05 Used to love to debate and argue. 24:09 But even when I prove that you're wrong, 24:12 what good did it do? 24:14 What good? 24:15 Now remember what I said before the balance, 24:18 we cannot excuse sin. There is no excuse for sin. 24:20 Amen? 24:22 And that doesn't mean 24:23 you should never talk to somebody, 24:24 but to go out, and throw the dirty, 24:26 and cut their shirts. 24:27 If you want to go there and rebuke someone 24:29 like the Bible says, go do it. 24:30 Give them the Matthew treatment, right? 24:32 But don't go around spreading it to other people 24:34 so you can get people on your side 24:35 'cause you see, you know, 24:38 the only bad thing about me right now 24:40 is that these glasses, shows I'm getting older, 24:43 got a little gray hair. 24:44 Maybe I should color, what do you think? 24:45 Maybe that would make me look better. 24:51 For to be what? 24:52 "For to be fleshly or carnally minded is death, 24:55 but to be spiritually minded is," what? 24:58 "Life and peace." 25:01 And, you know, 25:03 as I kept cutting the holes of people 25:05 saying they're okay, they're okay, 25:10 when Jesus really revealed Himself to me, 25:15 here's what I found out. 25:18 This picture of the Dwight that looks good to you all, 25:21 like I said I'm on equal side, I like things in order, 25:23 I like my hair right on that way, 25:26 but you know something, here's what I look like. 25:33 But look at... 25:35 When I've got my coat on, you can't tell. 25:37 Can you? 25:38 Do you know why? 25:39 Because I look good. 25:42 Look at that. 25:44 Look at what I can do with one piece of clothing. 25:46 I don't even have to button the button. 25:51 Which one of you today will cast the first stone? 25:57 Who is brave enough? 26:00 Who is perfect enough to go out 26:03 and cast the first stone? 26:06 It's sad to me that when I liked casting stones, 26:10 I could never see Dwight Hall. 26:12 This is kind of embarrassing. 26:14 That's why I don't like giving this 26:15 'cause I don't like looking like this. 26:18 But that's me. 26:21 I don't condone it, I do not make excuse for sin, 26:24 but when I keep my eyes on Jesus 26:26 and I say, "Lord, 26:29 put other people out of my mind, 26:33 I want to make it to heaven, I want to be a shining light. 26:40 Lord, I need you." 26:42 You remember that Pharisee and the Publican? 26:45 The Pharisee goes above and asked a question, 26:47 how much percentage of perfection, 26:50 not perfectionism, 26:52 and I want to explain something, 26:54 when you read perfection in the Bible, 26:55 it stands for mature. 26:56 Look it up in the Greek, it says mature. 26:58 How many of us need to be mature Christians 27:00 to go to heaven? 27:02 Let me ask you a question. 27:04 If you're 90% given to Jesus, 27:06 90% surrendered, are you saved? 27:11 I'm gonna ask the question again. 27:13 If you're 90% saved 27:16 and 10% lost, what are you? 27:19 Lost. Lost. 27:21 Now think of this story. 27:26 Jesus was viewing and saying about this Publican firsthand, 27:31 at first he says, you know, Lord, 27:34 I'm so thankful to be here, and I'm so thankful 27:37 that I do this right, and this right, and that right. 27:39 Well, I fast once or twice a week or whatever. 27:42 I'm paraphrasing. 27:43 "I do this, I do that, and boy, I am so glad 27:46 I'm not like that person, over that Publican." 27:52 Was that Pharisee saved? 27:54 No. 27:55 I don't care if he was 99%. 27:58 It doesn't matter. 28:00 And you and I need to start taking the Bible 28:01 and making it serious in our lives 28:03 because we can't go to Jesus when He comes and say, 28:06 "Lord..." 28:07 Really look at... 28:08 I mean, because we're not saved by works, 28:10 faith through Jesus Christ, but if we love Jesus, 28:12 we'll do His works. 28:13 Is that not true? 28:14 It's a pretty simple thing to me. 28:16 If you speak of the plan of salvation... 28:18 Hope you don't mind me to put my shirt back on. 28:22 Just remember what it looks like. 28:24 Do you have a hole in your shirt? 28:25 Your dress? 28:27 Are you good enough to pick up the stone? 28:32 Because the angels are putting it all down. 28:36 They're putting it down and they write it. 28:37 And the reason I have this mirror up here 28:38 is because of this and this, 28:40 when I look at myself and I see Dwight Hall, 28:42 what's the problem? 28:44 Itself, through and through. 28:47 When I look at this mirror itself 28:49 through and through. 28:51 And that's why I keep this on my desk, 28:54 because like the Publican, 28:57 he said, "Lord, " 28:59 he went on his knees, 29:01 "Lord, I don't deserve any of Your love. 29:04 I'm a sinner. 29:06 I'm a Publican. 29:09 I am so sorry 29:11 for my sorry person that I've become. 29:16 I don't deserve anything, 29:18 but will You please come into my heart? 29:22 Will You come into my heart?" 29:27 I'd like to read this statement. 29:29 I've had it my Bible. 29:30 In fact, some of you might be able to see it. 29:32 But this has been in my Bible and I had it glued in there. 29:36 You can see it's frayed. 29:37 I've had... 29:39 In fact, I kind of hate to tell you this, 29:40 but I might as well, that's maybe to humble myself. 29:43 I know that you probably can't see it real good 29:45 but, you know what, 29:46 this was typed through the typewriter. 29:49 You know how many years that might've been ago? 29:51 I didn't think I was old enough to know what a typewriter was. 29:54 Not a computer. 29:56 So you can see, that's not computer stuff. 29:58 But let me read this to you. 30:00 It has meant so much and I read it many times. 30:03 It says, 30:07 "When a crisis comes in the life of any soul 30:09 and you attempt to give counsel or admonition, 30:11 your words 30:12 will only have the weight of influence for good. 30:15 That's your own example and spirit have gained for you. 30:20 You must be good before you can," what? 30:23 "Before you can do good. 30:26 You cannot exert an influence that will transform others, " 30:30 what does it say? 30:31 "Transform," what? 30:32 "You and I, others until your own heart 30:35 has been humbled, and refined, 30:38 and made tender by the grace of Christ. 30:39 When this change has been wrought in you, 30:41 it will be as natural. 30:43 I love that word. 30:44 It will be as natural for you to live to bless others 30:47 as it is for the rosebush to yield its fragrant bloom 30:51 or the vine, it's purple clusters." 30:54 If Christ is in you, the hope of glory, 30:56 you will have no disposition. 30:58 How much disposition? 30:59 No disposition... 31:02 to watch others and to expose your errors. 31:06 You won't. 31:08 If you're in Christ, you will have no disposition. 31:10 Now what that means is 31:13 that you won't go around 31:14 talking bad about other people, 31:16 especially when you haven't talked to the person first, 31:18 and even then you do what Matthew 18 says, 31:21 you will not want to expose, 31:22 no different than you'd want expose your spouse 31:24 or your family members. 31:27 I just want you to know that my children, 31:29 Deb and I raised them, 31:31 and we tried to raise them the best 31:32 that they can be raised 31:33 but we didn't do everything right. 31:35 We made mistakes. 31:37 And I am so glad that our children 31:38 didn't go on and say, 31:40 "You know, mom and dads are mom and dad 31:41 but, boy, I wish I could have been a genie 31:45 and changed their ways of thinking." 31:47 I'm sure they thought that at times 31:50 but they didn't expose it and we didn't go around 31:52 sharing all the bad things that our children did at home. 31:56 We had no disposition to do it. 32:02 It says, "Instead of seeking to accuse and condemn, 32:06 it will be your object to help to bless, 32:09 and to say, and dealing with those who are in error, 32:12 you will need the injunction. 32:15 Consider thyself as to also be tempted. 32:19 You will call to mind the many times you have erred, 32:22 and how hard it was to find the right way 32:24 when you had one... 32:25 Brothers and sisters, is there any besetting sins 32:27 that you've been working on for years? 32:30 Is there? 32:31 I mean, there is my life, 32:32 you know, I'll get on my knees and I say, 32:34 "Lord, when will I ever learn? 32:37 How come my head is so hard and so thick?" 32:41 I can blame my dad and my mom. 32:43 I've done it before. 32:45 I blamed it on the church, blamed it on the pastor. 32:49 But the bottom line is, 32:51 it's because we don't surrender. 32:53 True? Amen. 32:55 You know, I've done this before, 32:56 but I won't have any of you come up, but I've done it. 33:00 I've taken a pen like this and it's got a lid on it. 33:04 Okay? 33:05 Most pens do. 33:06 And I've asked people come up, especially young people 33:09 and I want you to take this pen for me. 33:13 And they go to take it, they are... 33:16 And I won't let it go and I'm just standing there, 33:17 I got a good grip on it. 33:19 And you know what they usually say? 33:20 "Oh, you've asked me to take it but you won't give it to me." 33:24 Is that what we not do to Jesus? 33:25 "Lord, please take my sins," 33:27 but we get up and never really give them to Him. 33:30 Has that happened in your life? 33:31 It has in mine. 33:33 Are you willing to allow Jesus to come into your life 33:36 and not worry about others? 33:38 When I have found out in my own life 33:39 the things that I need, this shirt right here, 33:41 when I found out the sins that I have, 33:45 I have no time nor disposition to accuse 33:50 and to look for sins of others. 33:54 I want to finish the statement here. 33:57 Without that... 34:00 I will be so glad in heaven 34:02 when you don't have to wear these things, I hate them. 34:05 Amen? 34:07 So I see some of you have them. 34:08 You know what I mean. 34:10 It says, "He who looks often upon the cross of Calvary 34:15 remembering that his sins placed the savior there 34:19 will never try to estimate the degree of his guilt 34:22 in comparison with that of others." 34:25 Did you catch that? 34:27 Amen. I love that. 34:28 That should have been a lot more amen. 34:30 Shouldn't it? 34:31 Maybe I ought to read it again, 34:33 maybe I'm going to read it again, 34:34 you tell me if you believe it. 34:35 "He who looks often upon the cross of Calvary, 34:37 remembering that his sins placed the savior there 34:40 will never," I repeat, 34:42 "will never try to estimate the degree of his guilt 34:45 in comparison with that of others. 34:47 He will not climb upon the judgment 34:49 to bring accusation against another." 34:51 Amen? Amen. 34:53 Thank you. 34:54 I believe that too. 34:57 It says, "Not until you feel 34:59 that you could sacrifice your own self-dignity 35:01 and your life itself." 35:03 Now I have said, "You know, I would die for that person" 35:06 and maybe I could, like Peter. 35:09 Clip that ear off. 35:11 Isn't it strange? 35:12 Peter was certainly willing to tell the sins of others 35:14 and when Jesus was there that night at Gethsemane, 35:17 Peter pulled that sword out and he just whop. 35:20 You know what I would've done? 35:22 I wouldn't have whopped one's ear off, 35:24 forget that stuff. 35:25 I mean, that's just... 35:26 I mean whop, whop, 35:28 I would have shot both of them off 35:29 just in a split second because that guy was wrong. 35:33 What did Jesus do? 35:35 Was that guy right? 35:37 Jesus bent down and said, He looked at Peter, 35:39 He didn't have to say... 35:40 He looked at Peter and, you know, 35:43 "I'm going to talk to Peter and ask what he felt." 35:45 Jesus went down, 35:46 grabbed that ear and put it back on. 35:48 You know why, because you and I need our ears. 35:52 Listen. 35:53 Listen to that still small voice. 35:56 Know what God's asking you to do. 35:59 Remember, after Christ's resurrection, 36:01 you remember what happened there? 36:02 When Peter comes out and says, 36:04 but Lord, what about so and so, what... 36:08 "Are you willing to feed my sheep? 36:10 Why are you worried about all the other disciples? 36:12 You need to worry... 36:13 Peter, do you understand? 36:15 You need to worry about yourself. 36:16 You and I, I believe, 36:19 have more than we can handle without Christ 36:22 to get ourselves ready for Jesus to come. 36:26 Probation will close one day, like it says in Revelation." 36:30 I don't know about you, 36:31 but how many of you believe Jesus is coming soon? 36:33 Can I see your hands? Amen. 36:34 And everyone that's watching out there, 36:35 you can raise your hand. 36:37 Do you believe Jesus is coming soon? 36:38 I do. 36:39 And I believe that you do. 36:41 And if that's the case, 36:42 you can't wait till the last minute. 36:44 Character does not change in a heartbeat. 36:46 Character is revealed in a crisis. 36:49 Understand? 36:51 What crisis brings you closer to Christ? 36:55 Might appear so much for you, 36:56 and I'd like to share just a few stories 36:59 that put this hopefully into perspective. 37:04 With my family, 37:05 I like doing that, like you said. 37:11 Before I do that, I got a note here. 37:12 I didn't look at this note 37:14 but I got to share the story of the two things. 37:15 It says, 37:17 "There can be no more conclusive evidence 37:18 that we possess the spirit of Satan 37:21 than the disposition to hurt and destroy 37:23 those who do not appreciate our work 37:26 or who act contrary to our ideas." 37:28 You know, we all want people to agree with us. 37:32 I've heard this so many times, 37:33 "I might not have all the answers, 37:35 but," boy, there goes that but again, 37:36 I might not have all the answers 37:38 but, you know what, 37:39 I'm open that so many people coming to me, 37:41 "Dwight, what do you think about this? 37:42 You know, I'm open to what you said, 37:44 but I want to show you this and this and this." 37:46 I mean, I could tell right from the get go 37:48 when they start talking to me that they don't want to hear 37:49 what I have to say. 37:51 They've got an agenda. 37:53 I went that way before with an agenda. 37:56 I kind of say this, you know, can you imagine? 37:59 I mean, God has made other planets. 38:03 He's got galaxies out there, 38:04 you know, the Milky Way galaxy that we're in 38:07 is one of the smaller galaxies in the universe. 38:10 And I won't get into that because I don't have time 38:12 but I love... 38:13 I wanted to be an astronaut when I was smaller 38:15 and I love stuff about space. 38:17 It goes on and on forever. 38:18 Can you imagine it? I keep thinking. 38:20 So what happens when you go a billion years, 38:21 light years out there, 38:23 there's got to be some kind of a door, 38:24 or a wall, or... 38:26 it's got in somewhere. 38:28 See mind, us finite beings cannot imagine infinite things, 38:32 but I like dreaming about it. 38:34 But God has other systems, and other planets, 38:37 and other things out there and, you know, 38:39 I've thought about this 38:40 when I've been at my quiet time. 38:41 I thought, you know what? 38:43 When God redeems us 38:45 and the faithful ones are in heaven, 38:46 He's going to put each one of us 38:48 on a separate planet. 38:50 And we're not going to be able to travel. 38:52 And He's going to put us by ourselves. 38:55 And after a million years and we've never seen anybody, 38:59 the one that was our worst enemy on earth, 39:01 if they come, 39:02 then after the million years to visit them, 39:03 I guarantee I'll give him the biggest hug you ever saw. 39:06 Because I love animals and all kinds of nature 39:08 but I mean, it'd be nice to talk to somebody 39:10 'cause I like to talk. 39:12 I mean, do you think that? 39:13 I mean, do you think 39:15 it's going to be that way in heaven? 39:16 No. 39:18 A thousand times no. 39:20 We've got to learn to get along here, 39:21 you and I together right now as Christians. 39:23 We don't condone sin. 39:24 Amen. 39:26 Sometimes we have to rebuke people. 39:27 Amen. 39:28 We need to live the truth, amen, if we love Jesus, 39:30 but we don't go around saying, "I am the greatest. 39:35 I just look so good. 39:37 Oh, I've got a few..." 39:39 You know, no. 39:40 A thousand times no. 39:42 Thousand times no. 39:48 You know, when we lived out in Montana, 39:56 the reason I moved out there from here, from Coldwater 40:00 was because I was so busy, 40:01 had a successful business with my father, and uncle, 40:04 and my three brothers, and we always got along, 40:06 but I was so busy working and then I started studying 40:09 and, you know, I was head elder in our church, 40:12 and I taught a class, a Bible class, 40:14 and I did prayer meetings, 40:18 and I started to run the publications, 40:20 and I did all these things. 40:22 And then I could go give a Bible study in the evening, 40:25 and feel good about it, and get home, 40:27 and see one misplaced thing or something wrong 40:30 and scream or yell, not scream, but yell at my wife. 40:36 See, I was the Pharisee. 40:38 I was at 90%, or 80, or whatever. 40:42 And I said, "Lord, what is my problem? 40:44 Why am I not gaining victories over my temper? 40:46 Why am I not gaining victory over the things 40:49 that You said I can have victory over?" 40:51 Can Jesus give us victory over everything? 40:52 Amen. 40:54 Then why don't we believe 40:55 and why are we not having victory? 40:57 And then what happens is, if we don't have it, 41:00 we'll hold high certain standards 41:03 that seemed fairly easy for us, 41:04 but we'll step and stomp the other standards 41:07 in the dust of the ground. 41:11 And then when we start taking our eyes off Jesus 41:13 and we look at others, 41:15 that is the prime reason why we do it 41:16 because when we can see the faults in others, 41:18 that always makes me look pretty good. 41:22 And then I can forget or try to forget those things 41:26 that I have a problem with and I'm not dealing with. 41:33 And so I then went out to Montana, 41:36 and I learned to give my temper to Jesus, 41:38 and learn to deal with my children 41:41 in a better way and in a spiritual way 41:44 instead of a carnal fashion. 41:47 This was after we had been out there 41:49 for a few years 41:50 and it was the middle of the winter. 41:51 But you know where I lived in Montana there, 41:53 it was beautiful, 41:54 we bordered Glacier National Park, 41:56 a 10, 000 foot rocky mountain peaks out there. 41:59 Beautiful. 42:01 And this one particular morning in the winter, 42:05 it was like 20 below zero, no windshield factor. 42:08 It's cold, let me tell you. 42:10 And so our kids always had their chore list, 42:12 so they got up and started doing the dishes, 42:13 and so we always took a walk. 42:15 So I said, "Deb, let's go take a walk. 42:16 I know it's 20 below, but we'll bundle up." 42:18 So we bundled up and, you know, 42:20 when it's 20 below, once it gets 20 below, 42:21 it could be 40 below, 42:23 it really doesn't make much difference, 42:24 cold, I'll tell you. 42:26 And so we bundled up. 42:27 I had my big old carhartts, and my boots, 42:29 and my gloves and, and Deb's all bundled up, 42:30 and we walk out. 42:32 It was a beautiful sunshiny day 42:33 and it's a drier kind of a climate. 42:35 So it's not as humid. 42:36 It doesn't feel as cold, I guess. 42:37 Whatever, it's still cold, let me tell you. 42:39 But we were walking up our driveway, 42:41 and we were walking down the road, 42:43 and there's just nobody out because where we lived, 42:46 if maybe 10 people passed our driveway, 42:49 we were down off the main road 42:50 but the main road, 42:52 if there was 11 people that went by there in a day, 42:54 that was a lot. 42:56 People didn't go up there. 42:57 We were way up there. 42:58 And so we're walking down the road, hand in hand, 43:01 and talking and all of a sudden my wife said something. 43:07 And she didn't say it, I know that now, 43:10 she didn't say it to upset me, but what she said upset me. 43:15 It just... 43:16 Here we're having a great time and you know 43:17 how words can be so cutting and you don't even know it? 43:20 I've had people come up to me 43:21 that are bold enough to come up to me 43:23 and they said, "Dwight, the way you said that..." 43:25 And I didn't mean it. 43:28 It's just part of me. 43:29 Now that doesn't excuse me, I just didn't mean it. 43:31 And so we're walking there, and she says this, 43:33 and I'm thinking, "Oh, I can't believe, 43:36 it's a beautiful sunny day, I can't believe she said that." 43:39 So we're walking a little bit more 43:41 'cause she's quite a lot shorter than me 43:42 and I got these big long legs, 43:44 so I'm walking a little fast and kind of 43:45 almost trying to drag her behind me, 43:46 and we're just talking, I was thinking, what can I say, 43:49 so it didn't take me long and fairly quick witted 43:51 and I said something back to her. 43:54 And then she said something back to me. 43:57 Then I said something back to her. 44:00 Until finally I let go off her hand. 44:03 I don't want to hang on to her hand anymore. 44:05 What's wrong with her anyway, she might be my wife 44:07 but I don't have to hang onto it all the time. 44:09 And so I let it go and I'm walking, 44:10 I'm like this in this big muddled suit, 44:12 and she's behind me 44:13 'cause she's, you know, 44:14 and I got about probably 100 feet ahead of her 44:17 and the Lord spoke to my heart and said, 44:20 "Dwight, you're evil surmising. 44:22 I mean, don't you love your wife?" 44:23 "Well, yeah, Lord, I do love her, 44:25 but it was her fault and, you know what, 44:27 I've been saying I'm sorry so long, 44:29 she's going to think I'm a wimp. 44:31 I'm supposed to be the man of the house. 44:33 I'm tired of saying, I'm sorry all the time, 44:35 especially when it's her fault and this was her. 44:37 She started it." 44:40 Have you ever tried arguing with God? 44:43 I've never won a battle yet. 44:47 And so as I'm walking in, I start to slow down 44:50 and the Lord spoke, said, 44:51 "Dwight, did you deal right with her 44:53 the way you came back?" 44:55 "What? Well, no, but..." 44:57 "But what, no, I heard you say no. 45:02 You are the leader, 45:03 you are the priest of the household, 45:04 you need to tell her you're sorry." 45:06 "But, Lord, 45:08 I mean, I just want to hear a sorry from her." 45:12 "Dwight, it doesn't matter. 45:15 What are you here for? 45:17 You came out here to this wilderness 45:18 to learn to walk with me? 45:20 Are you going to walk away from Me 45:21 over this small bowl of porridge right now? 45:24 Is it so big in your life 45:25 that you're not willing to do what's right?" 45:28 And so I was arguing with the Lord 45:30 and pretty soon after I was walking, 45:32 I said, "Lord, You're right, I am so sorry." 45:34 You know, when you finally listen 45:38 and you open your heart... 45:42 you can see a lot better. 45:43 Amen? 45:45 And so I said, "Yes, Lord, I am sorry" 45:47 and I had a prayer right there, 45:49 "Lord, give me courage, I'm so sorry. 45:50 Make sure that whatever's in my voice, I don't say, 45:52 well, I'm sorry, 45:54 but you should say you are sorry too." 45:57 And so I turn around, and there she was, 45:59 and she was kind of walking, kicking the snow, 46:01 you know, and had her head down. 46:04 And I said, "Deb." 46:06 And she looked up. 46:08 And I said, "I am so sorry. 46:12 Will you forgive me? 46:14 I love you so much." 46:16 And, you know, 46:18 20 below zero, the tears didn't run down her cheeks, 46:22 they shot out. 46:25 It's like bullets. Boom. 46:29 And she said, in between sobs, 46:32 "I'm sorry too. 46:36 Will you forgive me?" 46:40 And right there at 20 below zero, 46:42 we knelt, we hung on to hands, and my prayer was that 46:45 "Lord, I'm sorry, but please help my wife 46:47 to understand me better." 46:48 No, no, no. 46:52 We got on to our knees and I said, 46:53 "Lord, I am so sorry. 46:55 I'm supposed to be the head of the household, 46:56 I'm supposed to be the priest, I'm supposed to be the leader. 46:59 Lord, please forgive me. 47:01 I love my wife so much and my children. 47:04 I want to walk with You. 47:06 I want to learn what You have for me. 47:09 I want in the end of time, my whole family to be safe. 47:14 And I know that all the preaching in the world 47:15 isn't going to do it, Lord. 47:17 Please Lord, help my wife 47:22 to forgive me." 47:26 And when she prayed, she prayed the same prayer, 47:29 and when we got up, with tears in our eyes, 47:33 we hugged each other and kissed each other. 47:34 Amen? Amen. 47:37 Heaven is going to be cheap enough, 47:39 I mean, these are ridiculous things. 47:42 But at the time, they're important. 47:45 They are important. 47:48 It starts in the home, brothers and sisters. 47:55 It starts in the home. 47:57 If you will do what God is calling you to do 48:02 in your home, 48:05 behind closed doors, 48:08 I tell people that and in one of my messages, 48:10 I say, "You know, wouldn't be something 48:11 if I had a hidden camera, 48:13 and I had it in every one of your homes this last week, 48:18 and I went up to you and said, you know what, 48:20 I was going to have the sermon, but I decided 48:24 since I had these cameras 48:25 and you didn't know they were in there, 48:27 I decided that I was going to have you 48:29 as the sermon today. 48:30 I'm just going to... 48:32 I'm going to show up on these screens 48:33 that you see right now. 48:35 I'm just going to show a few clips of your life 48:39 with your spouse and your children this week." 48:41 What would you say to me? 48:43 "Oh, boy, listen, I've had a hard week. 48:46 I mean, you don't understand. 48:49 I mean, you don't understand 48:50 what I've been through this week. 48:51 I've been stressed. I mean, please, Dwight, here. 48:54 I mean, you know, listen, what do you need? 48:57 I'll write a check. 48:59 Whatever. 49:00 Please not... 49:01 Please, don't do that." 49:03 Wouldn't it be nice that behind closed doors 49:06 that Jesus and our angels see, 49:07 wouldn't it be nice if you could say, okay, 49:11 if it would glorify God. 49:15 That will glorify God, 49:16 and if we cannot learn it in the homes, 49:18 then it will be so easy for us, like it is, 49:20 to talk bad about others. 49:23 And the accuser of the brethren, 49:25 which is Satan, 49:29 he is pretty powerful. 49:30 He's very powerful foe. 49:33 Very powerful. 49:35 And he catches us up in our habits. 49:40 Do you all have habits? 49:42 You know, we lost our power last night at home. 49:47 I hate it when it does that and it's dark, 49:49 you can't see anything, and so we went home, 49:52 and I found the flashlight and some candles, 49:54 and put them up on the dresser, 49:56 and give a kiss to my wife good night, 49:59 and went to sleep, slept beautifully, 50:02 got up in the morning 50:03 and turned a little lantern, little light on, 50:07 and Deb was still in bed 50:09 'cause I wanted to come to Remnant 50:11 and have time with God, where there was a light, 50:13 I could read and prepare, 50:15 my last preparations for this message. 50:18 And so Deb's awake, and she's laying in bed, 50:20 and so I said, "Now listen, honey," 50:21 I said, "since we can't see, we have no electricity yet, 50:24 as you know, it's not come on, 50:27 we're not supposed to get it till about noon on Sunday, " 50:29 so I said, "since we're not going to have it," I said, 50:31 "can you make sure you get my suit and my things 50:34 'cause I want to run to the shop." 50:36 And she said, "No problem, that's fine." 50:37 I said, "And so don't," 50:39 I said, "don't fall back asleep, 50:40 it'll be easy 'cause it's very comfortable, 50:41 and the right temperature, and..." 50:44 "No, honey, I won't fall back asleep." 50:46 And so we talked a little bit about that 50:48 and the power being out and everything, 50:51 once you know, I had to run into our bathroom. 50:53 We have a walk in closet, that's... 50:55 I walk in there and what do I do, 50:57 I walk in that bathroom and flip the light on, 51:01 just after I spent five minutes telling her, 51:02 you know, we don't have any power and all that, 51:04 I go into the bathroom 51:05 and I just flipped the light on. 51:07 Why do I do those things? 51:09 Because of habit. 51:11 Because you can't see unless you turn the light on 51:12 to go into a bathroom, so I flipped it on. 51:15 We are born with inherent weaknesses. 51:19 Amen. 51:20 And then as we grow up, there are certain weaknesses 51:22 that we keep doing it and it becomes a habit. 51:24 Until finally, 51:26 we don't even know that we're doing it. 51:30 That's why I don't want you to become discouraged, 51:32 you know, but what I want you to do is 51:34 start learning that it's not worth 51:38 you trying to make yourself look better 51:40 by cutting other people down 51:43 because that's not going to help your bad habits. 51:47 I've got this thing 51:48 and if you have a piece of paper, 51:50 if you can remember this, write this down. 51:53 I learned it from a wise person, 51:55 quite a while ago. 51:57 Never forgot it. 51:58 Now if you can write this down, put it in your Bibles, okay? 52:03 Put in your Bible, this is good. 52:05 When we're talking about fruit, 52:07 you don't have to write this part down, 52:09 but when you're talking about fruit, or vegetables, 52:11 or whatever, if there's... 52:14 Let's say you get a banana and have you ever... 52:17 Any of have you ever seen bananas 52:20 that has little brown spots on them, bruises? 52:23 Anybody that...? 52:25 I don't know about you 52:27 but I really don't like that mushy brown stuff. 52:30 And so what do I do, 52:31 when I peel that banana 52:33 and the rest of it's really good, 52:35 but there's that one bruise that might be, 52:36 you know, a spot this big or whatever. 52:38 It's a spot on there, that's at brown mushy stuff. 52:42 It looks ugly, that brown dark, ugly, right? 52:46 And I just don't want to stick it in my mouth. 52:48 And so what do you do? 52:50 You cut it out. 52:52 Take that knife, you slice, 52:54 and then the rest of the banana is fine. 52:56 Okay? 52:57 But with human beings, it's different. 53:03 Here's what I want you to write down and remember, 53:05 you cannot take people by the slice. 53:10 Okay? 53:12 You can't take people by the slice. 53:19 I can't take my staff, or my wife, or my kids, 53:23 I can't take them and say, you know, 53:24 I don't like this about him, I don't like that about him. 53:27 I mean, wouldn't it be great if I could take Danny Shelton, 53:29 Doug Batchelor, anyone here and say, 53:31 you know what, I don't like this about him, 53:32 so I'm just going to take a big old set of scissors, 53:35 that might work better than a knife, 53:36 I'd hurt a little more maybe to remind them, 53:38 and I just sit there and kind of plucking them away. 53:43 You know, you can't take people by the slice. 53:47 You either accept them or reject them. 53:50 And you know what, 53:51 I've chosen to accept every one of you. 53:53 Amen. 53:54 And I hope you accept me. 53:56 We don't condone sin, but I accept you. 53:59 You know why? 54:00 Because Jesus paid the price for your sins. 54:05 Amen. 54:08 You can't accept people by the slice. 54:10 In closing. 54:15 A couple of years ago, 54:18 our son Seth was... 54:22 Had a part time job, he works at our printing place, 54:25 he runs a press, runs a folder, does things, 54:27 he's been there for... 54:29 He's been there a long time. 54:30 I mean, he was pretty young when we got him 54:32 doing work at the press. 54:35 And so but he wanted to make a little extra money, 54:37 and so he had a part time job, 54:38 and Deb would take him to the place, 54:41 it was a place where he cleaned the stables for horses, 54:43 he loves horses, we've got horses at home, 54:46 and he loves animals. 54:47 He loves the outer doors. 54:48 And so he went there, 54:50 and it was a cold winter day this time, 54:52 very cold, and he... 54:55 He went there, and Deb was there, 54:58 and I think maybe Natasha, one of the daughters was there, 55:01 and they were sitting there talking, 55:02 and they could see Seth, 55:04 you know, cleaning some of the stables 55:05 and getting it done, and, and he was... 55:08 Had a hose, 55:09 and he was watering one of the buckets, 55:12 and all of a sudden he kind of fell forward 55:15 and he hit his head against the thing, 55:17 you know, hard. 55:19 And then he just kind of slid down. 55:21 And so Deb and Natasha got out, and they ran out of the car, 55:26 and they went there, and he had fainted. 55:28 He'd passed out. 55:30 Never had happened before and so they shut the water off, 55:33 and all of a sudden he came to, 55:35 and he was just white as a sheet, 55:36 and Deb called me right away. 55:38 She was frantic, and took him to the emergency room, 55:40 and I was in Detroit picking someone up. 55:43 And so she called me, of course, 55:45 "Hear, you're the dad, you want to be home." 55:47 "What's wrong with my son?" 55:49 So they said, "Well, you know, come to find out 55:53 he could have been dehydrated. 55:54 They really didn't know." 55:55 And so then we went to a specialist and they, 55:58 and they want to put this machine on him 56:00 to check everything. 56:02 And so I had to wait for 24 hours, 56:04 then he was kind of going to go, 56:05 and do a stress test, and certain tests. 56:07 So if there was something wrong, 56:08 and so he had this machine on 56:10 and when he came home that night, 56:14 and I'll never forget, 56:18 I was walking by his bedroom, 56:20 and I said, "Goodnight, Seth, I love you." 56:22 And there was a pause and he said, 56:26 "I love you too, Dad." 56:27 And he I said, 56:28 "Dad, dad, could you come here a minute?" 56:33 So I walked in there and he said, 56:34 "Dad, 56:39 I'm kind of scared." 56:41 I mean, what would you feel, you never had a problem, 56:42 and you got this machine on you, 56:44 and you've got to wear it all night. 56:46 And I said, "Well, Seth, what are you afraid of? 56:48 Are you... 56:50 You love Jesus?" 56:52 He said, "Yes, Dad, I do." 56:53 And I said, "I mean even if we die, 56:55 if something happens, " I said, "if you're faithful, 56:58 you'll be in the heavenly kingdom 57:00 and by faith." 57:01 And he said, 57:03 "Dad, I'm not afraid of dying." 57:08 I said, "Well, then, Seth, what's the problem?" 57:10 By this time we've sat on the bed 57:11 and the tears started coming down his face, 57:14 he said, "Dad, I'm not sure that 57:17 if I die, have I really given 57:19 everything in my heart to Jesus." 57:24 You know, I could sit right there and say, 57:25 Don't worry about that, Son, you need to know about this, 57:28 you need to learn this so and so done this one, 57:30 you need this, you need that, you need that, don't... 57:32 What do you think I said? 57:34 I said, "Seth, let's get underneath. 57:38 Let's make sure 57:40 that everything in your heart is surrendered 57:41 and ask the Holy Spirit to come into your heart 57:44 that there may be nothing there. 57:46 Set it at the altar." 57:48 I didn't try to tell them about the birds, and the bees, 57:50 and all the other stuff about, 57:52 you know, if you're really Christian, 57:53 you'll do this and you know this. 57:55 No, no. It wasn't about that. 57:57 Is Jesus your personal savior, 58:00 has He made a difference in your life. 58:02 Amen. Amen. 58:05 So often we get to cart 58:06 before the horse and we continue... 58:08 We continue want to put ourselves on the stool, 58:12 on the pedestal, 58:16 so that we look pretty good and put people down. 58:19 It's not about that. 58:23 In your life, please, this is not fun and games 58:27 that Jesus is coming very soon. 58:31 It's not time to cut other people down. 58:33 It's time to lift Jesus up. 58:36 Amen? Amen. 58:38 Will you please, 58:41 if you are ready to commit your life to Him, 58:44 would you please kneel with me right now? 58:53 Father in heaven, 58:55 Father, I pray again, 58:56 my burden is that each soul here 58:59 will be touched by Your Word. 59:01 Father, they may give their hearts to You, 59:04 that they may not look at others but themselves. 59:06 Father, please, Father, be with them, 59:10 guide, and direct their life, encourage them at this moment. 59:14 Please, Father, let them know that 59:16 they're never a failure until they quit. 59:18 Oh, Father, I pray that each one of us 59:20 one day would be in that sea of glass, 59:22 hugging one another and saying, 59:24 "Heaven is cheap enough." 59:26 Father, this is my prayer 59:28 and I pray it in the name of Jesus. 59:31 Amen. |
Revised 2018-11-29