Participants: Kenny Shelton, Pastor
Series Code: POF
Program Code: POF000013A
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00:27 And we welcome you once again to Pillars of Faith,
00:30 a word for today in today's world. 00:34 We thank you for joining us 00:35 for this third in a series of very powerful 00:39 and pointed messages by our speaker, 00:41 Pastor Kenny Shelton of Behold the Lamb Ministries. 00:45 My name is C.A. Murray. 00:46 And it is my privilege and pleasure 00:48 to welcome you and to greet you 00:49 in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ 00:52 to yet another sitting in this powerful series 00:56 that Kenny is entitling a Vessel for the Refiner. 01:01 We talked about that the other day. 01:03 A vessel is something that holds something. 01:05 We are vessels of God 01:06 and a refiner of course is something 01:09 that makes things smooth and right for their usage, 01:13 and so what a wonderful series. 01:15 His first message was holiness is not just a feeling, 01:19 very, very pointed and powerful messages, 01:22 message rather, and then filled with the spirit. 01:25 We can indeed be blessed by 01:27 and filled with the Spirit of God. 01:30 Tonight, this message, shake off the dust. 01:34 What a powerful, 01:36 powerful theme and idea to shake off the dust. 01:39 That's a command, 01:40 and I'm sure Pastor Kenny will take us through 01:42 each and every aspect of this powerful message, 01:44 shake off the dust. 01:46 So we want you to get your minds and your hearts ready 01:48 for a blessing 01:49 because the man of God is coming 01:50 to speak to our hearts into our souls 01:52 and God has got something very, very special 01:55 that He wants to say to you and for your life. 01:59 We're going to have prayer 02:00 and then we're going to call out Pastor Kenny Shelton 02:03 of Behold the Lamb Ministries, 02:04 our friend to this pulpit 02:06 and ask him to allow God to use him once again 02:11 to give us a message for our hearts and for our souls. 02:14 Shall we pray? 02:16 Gracious Father, how we praise You 02:18 and thank You for your word. 02:19 It is truly a lamp unto our feet. 02:21 It is truly a light onto our path, 02:24 and we walk in that light 02:26 each and every day of our lives. 02:29 Father God, bless now your speaker, 02:31 bless the one who has been chosen to give us 02:33 a word for the Lord 02:35 and help us to be hearers of that word 02:39 and doers of that word. 02:42 Enable us and bold us to walk the walk, 02:45 talk the talk, and live the lives 02:48 of those who are saved for eternity. 02:52 Please, dear God, teach us this day, 02:55 help us to know what You'd have us to do 02:57 and then give us strength to do what we know to be right. 03:01 Bless the speaker. 03:03 Bless those in this house 03:04 and around the world who will hear. 03:06 And we praise You and we thank You in Jesus' name. 03:10 Amen and Amen. 03:13 And now Pastor Kenny Shelton, the man of God, hear ye him. 03:25 Praise the Lord. It's good to be with you again. 03:28 As been mentioned here by Pastor CA, 03:30 this is our third meeting together. 03:33 And of course we have five. So Praise the Lord. 03:36 This is an exciting subject, you know, shaking off the dust. 03:40 Is there ever a time that in our Christian experience 03:43 that we come to a point to where we say 03:46 we need to shake the dust of our feet and move on? 03:49 What does that really mean? 03:51 Well, you know, I find many times 03:54 that we continue to labor and labor and labor 03:57 and there's no results 03:59 and we do it for years and year and year, 04:02 a lot of time with family and friends 04:03 because we love them, we want them in the kingdom, 04:05 but what happens? 04:08 We continue to work but there are no results. 04:10 And there comes a time when, you know, 04:13 that we need to move on and continue pray for them, 04:16 labor where we can, 04:17 but we must realize Jesus is coming 04:19 and the fields are ripe for harvest. 04:22 So shake off the dust. 04:23 We're going to talk about that 04:25 and read a few passages of scripture 04:26 and we pray that's going to be an inspiration to you. 04:28 I want to kneel up hear and have a pray. 04:32 So I pray those of you joining us 04:34 and those who are around the world 04:36 that where you can that you're going to kneel with me 04:38 and we're going to ask God's blessing, 04:40 you know, we can't present this message 04:42 without the Holy Spirit, can we? 04:43 Would you just pray with me? 04:45 Some of you will not be able to kneel, 04:46 but that's all right. 04:48 Let just pray. 04:50 Our kind and loving Heavenly Father, 04:51 we approach your throne. 04:53 We're very grateful and thankful 04:54 for Your mercy and for Your love. 04:55 We're thankful for Calvary. 04:57 We invite Thy Holy Spirit and presence 04:59 to take possession of each and every one 05:01 of your children today. 05:03 We realize there's an impossibility 05:05 to understand the spiritual things 05:07 without the Spirit. 05:08 We ask that You would come in, around, through, 05:11 among each and every one of us that our ears, our hearts, 05:14 our minds may be open that we may have the feast 05:17 that You would have us to participate in today. 05:20 The feast of Your Word, to learn more about You 05:23 and how to be prepared for Your soon coming. 05:26 We thank You for each one who listens, 05:28 each one who views, we pray their need will me met 05:30 and it will be in Jesus Christ. 05:32 I ask for forgiveness, 05:34 if any sin in my heart and life that needs to not be there. 05:37 I need to hear Your sweet voice from the power of Thy Spirit. 05:41 Take this mess that I'm getting ready to make 05:44 and we pray that You will put it sweet into the ears 05:46 of each and every one of your children 05:47 and I'm gonna thank You in advance for it. 05:49 In Jesus' name. Amen. 05:52 How wonderful is it? 05:53 Just so wonderful to be able to pray. 05:56 We come boldly, the Bible says, 05:59 "We may come boldly to the throne." 06:00 So I pray that each one of you, day by day, 06:02 you're coming boldly to the throne of God. 06:05 You have that right because of Jesus, 06:09 not because of who you are, 06:10 anything that you've ever done or ever will do, 06:13 but because of Jesus Christ. 06:15 I'd like for you to turn with me and some of you, 06:18 you know, pencil, paper, jot down. 06:20 Some say, "Oh! 06:21 You move so quickly, I can't stay up with you." 06:23 That's why you have a pencil 06:24 and a paper and write these things down. 06:26 And then you go study to make sure they are so. 06:30 Don't believe every pastor that gets up 06:33 or every evangelist 06:35 without checking him by the Word. 06:36 I always say check it by the Word. 06:38 It's very important 06:40 because the enemy is working very, very... 06:41 I'm telling you, he's working hard, 06:43 he's not quitting 06:44 because he knows Jesus is ready to come to claim His own. 06:47 In Luke 9, I want to start with this, 06:50 shake off the dust 06:51 and see what this is talking about here. 06:54 In Luke 9, 06:56 we're going to look at verse 5, Luke 9:5. 07:00 Now again, I'm thankful to have the Word of God 07:02 because when you have the Word of God, 07:03 we open the pages, 07:05 we're promised to be a blessing from the Spirit. 07:07 And I believe that 07:09 and I realize this, and once again, 07:10 spiritual things are spiritually discerned. 07:13 That's why many people in the world, 07:15 they want to bicker, they want to fight, 07:16 they want to argue, they want to say, 07:18 it says this but it really doesn't mean this. 07:21 You have to have the Holy Spirit, 07:22 invite the Holy Spirit. 07:23 You have to be a learner in the school of Christ. 07:25 You have to be willing to be taught 07:27 by the Holy Spirit. 07:28 I mean we never come to Him and say we know everything. 07:30 Oh, we don't know. We never learn everything. 07:32 Throughout eternity, we'll still be learning. 07:34 Notice what the Bible says in Luke 9:5, 07:38 and it's talking about Jesus sends out the twelve. 07:40 You remember, He prays for them, 07:42 He sends them out and tells them, you know, 07:44 He's going to give them what they need, 07:46 to heal the sick, you know, 07:47 and to go forward preaching the Gospel, 07:50 said, don't take anything with you, 07:51 just go by faith and I'll meet all of your needs. 07:54 But then notice, verse 5, 07:56 "And whosoever will not receive you 07:59 when you go out of that city, 08:02 shake off the dust from your feet 08:05 for a testimony against them." 08:08 So evidently there might come a time 08:10 when we're presenting the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 08:12 People don't want to hear it. 08:14 You know, you keep trying, you try to give them studies, 08:16 you're inviting them, you want them to come, 08:18 to want them to be saved in God's kingdom, 08:19 but they just don't want to. 08:22 May be there comes a time that we shake the dust. 08:26 And we simply move on. 08:27 Still love them, 08:28 still want them in the kingdom we talked about. 08:30 "Shake off the very dust of the feet." 08:35 And when you're talking about shake, 08:36 the word here in the Greek talking about stake, 08:38 jostle it just a little bit, shake it up a little bit, 08:41 brush it off a little bit and move on. 08:43 Don't get discouraged by it, just move on. 08:45 Leave the work up to the Holy Spirit. 08:48 In fact, should we be thinking along this line? 08:51 Absolutely. 08:52 The book of Ephesians 6:11, the Bible says 08:56 that we are to stand against the wiles of the devil. 09:02 Now notice this, 09:03 I want to read a quote here and then go back and say, 09:05 "Okay, if are to stand against the wiles of the devil, 09:09 we need to know what the wiles maybe are. 09:12 Four Testimonies 180, 09:13 I'm going to read this paragraph 09:15 and then let's dissect just a little bit here 09:17 because remember, in this series 09:19 we're preparing to what? 09:21 To repopulate Heaven. 09:23 And only those who have become like Jesus 09:25 will repopulate Heaven. 09:27 And I realized mature, I realized my growth. 09:29 I'm talking about perfection of character. 09:31 I'm talking about righteousness by faith to be like Him. 09:35 Character development. 09:38 This is all essential if heaven is going to be our home. 09:41 Notice this, 4 T 180, it says, 09:43 "The Lord is fitting a people for Heaven." 09:45 Hallelujah. The Lord is done what? 09:47 He's fitting a people for heaven. 09:52 I don't know if you ever, I've never went a tailor 09:55 as it were and be fitted for a suit. 09:58 Many of you probably have. 10:00 But you know, to be fitted for it means 10:02 it's going to make it fit, 10:03 there's going to be some alterations, 10:05 there may be some changes that have to be made. 10:09 And God is fitting up a people, he's sewing it up. 10:15 He's going to make it fit because after all, 10:18 He wants you to have His robe of righteousness 10:20 but He is fitting up a people for heaven. 10:22 Notice this. 10:23 It goes into detail the defects of character. 10:26 What are the defects of character? 10:28 Oh, there might be many but notice in this article, 10:31 it says, "The stubborn will. 10:34 The selfish idolatry, the indulgence of faultfinding, 10:39 hatred, and contention provoke the wrath of God 10:44 and must be put away 10:46 from the commandment keeping people." 10:47 If you profess, if I profess I am a commandment keeping... 10:52 By the grace of God, I'm a commandment keeper, 10:54 then all these things have to be put away. 10:56 How is that we can have contention with one another 10:59 and be commandment keepers. 11:02 How is that I can be a faultfinder. 11:04 Everything you go to somebody finds fault, 11:06 faultfinder. 11:07 That's the old devil, you know that. 11:09 May be a hatred or you just don't like somebody. 11:12 You say, well, I don't like them. 11:14 Oh no, we have to love our enemies. 11:16 The Bible says, "Love those who persecute you." 11:18 Do good to them is what the Bible said. 11:20 Some time, we're just stubborn. 11:23 We can't be stubborn 11:25 and entering the portals of glory 11:26 or have idols, we can't do that. 11:28 So these things have to be put away, 11:30 the article goes on, notice another line here. 11:33 "Those living in the sins, 11:35 " these sins we have been talking about, " 11:37 are deceived and blinded by the wiles of Satan. 11:42 Is it possible, the so-called commandment 11:45 keeping people of God can be deceived 11:48 by the wiles of the devil? 11:50 You say, no, it can't be because I know the scripture. 11:52 Is it possible? 11:53 Do we have that stubborn will, 11:54 we're fault finding and in our hatred and contention? 11:57 Are we always fussing and arguing? 12:00 The wiles of the devil is very, very interesting 12:03 because we just mentioned Ephesians 6:11, 12:05 we're to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12:10 And that simply means here the method of the enemy. 12:14 That means the trickery of the enemy. 12:18 Or hear the wiles would be anything 12:20 that would come between God and man. 12:23 Hope that makes sense. 12:25 Anything that would come 12:26 between God and man is a wile of the devil. 12:31 It's his method to separate. 12:34 So sometimes, believe it or not, 12:36 brothers and sisters, 12:38 there can be or must be a separation, 12:41 maybe even a division of those who want to follow Christ 12:44 and those who refuse to follow Christ. 12:48 A very interesting thought, 12:50 I believe this is a very important subject. 12:54 And not enough can really be said, preached, talked about. 12:59 I believe our salvation depends upon our accepting. 13:03 Notice the two things we've been talking about 13:05 over and over is the early rain 13:07 and the latter rain with its conditions. 13:12 How interesting? 13:13 Because receiving the early rain 13:15 and the latter rain does have conditions. 13:17 It's not just, okay, I want it, somebody give it to me. 13:20 There are conditions to receiving it. 13:23 And then we've come to this point, 13:25 we talked about it, previous lesson. 13:27 Only those who are living up to the light 13:30 that they have will receive greater light. 13:34 Now let that soak into your, may I say your noodle, 13:38 into your mind. 13:39 Only those who are living up to the light 13:42 that they have that the Holy Spirit has given them 13:45 will receive greater light. 13:47 Does anyone need greater light? 13:49 Absolutely. 13:50 Well, the enemy knows that too 13:52 so he sends along the counterfeit many times 13:54 and somebody will come to me and say, "Oh, oh! 13:56 I have some new light here." 13:59 And they might give you the old message 14:01 that's always been but new to them. 14:03 That's beautiful, it's all right 14:04 as long as it harmonizes with scripture. 14:06 But you know, I can just, my mind, think about that, 14:09 you know, we're going along the pathway toward heaven. 14:11 There is a light that's shining on that pathway. 14:14 And as you're going along that way, 14:16 the enemy likes to get as close to you as he can. 14:20 Does that makes sense? 14:21 He has his own little light, he has a flash light. 14:24 And he puts it real close to the real McCoy. 14:27 And pretty soon, if you're not careful, 14:29 all of a sudden that you are going off 14:31 into, what, the enemy's light and you're calling it, 14:35 "Oh, this is new truth." 14:38 It must harmonize with scripture. 14:41 In this moment that we are in, we must realize that not a peg 14:45 or pin can be removed from our foundation principles, 14:49 the pillars of faith. 14:51 And yet, people are trying to remove them. 14:53 They're trying to replace them, to change them, 14:57 to make it more convenient for the day and hour, 15:00 the year that we live in. 15:02 Truth does not change. We've got to get back. 15:06 Heaven is just around the corner, 15:08 my brothers and sisters. 15:10 Light, we need that light of Jesus Christ. 15:15 John 13, the bible simply says in verse 35, 15:18 John 12:35 says, "We walk in the light, 15:23 lest darkness come upon you." 15:25 So when the light is shining, we must walk in that light, 15:28 if we don't, darkness will come. 15:30 The enemy is right there, he hates light. 15:33 He likes to work in the dark, 15:34 so you can't really tell what's going on. 15:38 Another little book I love, the Nine Testimonies 182, 15:41 and I might just mention 15:43 that it's all made difficult in this sense. 15:46 There is so much information on the subjects 15:50 that we're talking about here, it's mind-boggling. 15:53 Well, I didn't know there's that much information. 15:55 Mind boggling and so, you have to sort through 15:58 and try to pick out some little gems 16:00 that might help to encourage you 16:02 and encourage me along my walk toward heaven. 16:06 Nine Testimonies, 182 says this. 16:08 "The Lord brings his erring children." 16:11 Notice what he does. 16:13 You say, well, I'm going to one test, 16:14 one trial, same like the same thing 16:17 is coming up over and over. 16:19 Is there a reason for that? 16:21 Might there be a reason 16:23 why God allows some of the same tests 16:25 to come back, maybe in a little different way, 16:29 God knows what He's doing and who He's dealing with. 16:32 But notice the Lord bring his erring children 16:35 over the same ground again and again. 16:39 But notice, but if they continually fail 16:42 to heed the admonition of His Spirit, 16:45 if they fail to reform on every point 16:50 where they have erred, 16:51 he will finally leave them to their own weakness. 16:56 There comes a time 16:57 as the spirit continues to bring 16:59 the truth to us, continues to lead people to us, 17:02 to help us to gain the victory to know what truth is, 17:06 there comes a time. 17:08 If we will not accept that, if we fail, notice this, 17:12 the Word says, if we fail to reform, 17:15 if we fail to change our life, 17:18 notice this on every part were we have erred, 17:21 finally the spirit then leaves us. 17:23 Let me tell you, my brothers and sisters, 17:25 the Spirit of Living God leaves you, 17:27 I can tell you who's going to take control immediately, 17:29 it is the Devil. 17:32 I want that to be clear, 17:33 I don't want there to be any question about it. 17:35 There is no question about it. You serve one or the other. 17:38 You serve God or you serve the Enemy. 17:40 Well, you say, well, I'm not a Christian. 17:41 Let me just be bold, I'm not trying to judge. 17:44 The Bible is clear. 17:47 Jesus said, he who is not with me is against me. 17:52 It becomes very clear, 17:53 you're with one leader or the other, 17:55 not both of them at the same time. 17:56 We need to keep this in our thinking. 17:59 Another book I love, 18:01 The Great Controversy, page 614. 18:03 It says this. 18:05 And of course, we realize in the book of Genesis. 18:06 We realize the Bible indicates in principle 18:09 that if we reject the Holy Spirit, 18:12 it will be withdrawn as it was withdrawn, 18:15 the flood and so on. 18:16 And just notice this. 18:18 "The spirit of God persistently resisted 18:21 has been at last withdrawn." 18:24 So there's comes a time in earth's history 18:26 because man no longer wants to listen. 18:28 He no longer wants to reform his life. 18:30 We no longer want to hear revival and reformation. 18:33 We don't want to hear about 18:34 we need to make a change in our life. 18:36 Most people are happy where they're at. 18:39 See, I'm not going to be happy in this life 18:41 regardless of how good you say 18:43 or how nice things are until heaven is my home. 18:47 I'm just passing through. 18:49 There's something inside 18:51 and I pray that's inside of you. 18:53 There's something inside, 18:54 there's that longing inside 18:57 for a place you could say that you've never been. 19:01 Is there a longing inside that no matter how good, 19:04 how nice things seem to be right now, 19:06 it is only temporary. 19:09 Everything changes 19:10 but yet there's still a longing for something, 19:13 a place that you've never been that you've never seen. 19:16 By faith, you're looking for heaven, 19:18 it's that longing that God, 19:19 I think, through the Spirit puts in. 19:21 We won't be happy till we've reached home. 19:25 That Spirit is going to be gradually withdrawn 19:28 and man then becomes, what, nothing but demons. 19:32 Now Jesus gave the instructions 19:34 that we read about there and also in Mathew 10:14. 19:40 And he says it like this in Mathew, 19:42 "Whosoever shall not receive you, 19:44 nor hear your words 19:46 when ye depart out of that house or city, 19:49 shake off the dust of your feet." 19:53 Interestingly, we you think about shake off the dust, 19:55 what is the dust? 19:57 Ecclesiastes 3:20 says, 19:59 "All are of the dust and all return to the dust." 20:03 So it pertains to what? It must pertain to man. 20:07 We're made out of dust, when we die, 20:09 we return to the dust. 20:10 And so dust and particles 20:12 or maybe what man is associated with, 20:15 we need to shake something off here. 20:17 Let's notice what it says here, dust, earth, clay. 20:23 Genesis 2:7 talks about we're made of dust. 20:26 So Jesus says in Matthew 10:14 shake off the white wash. 20:31 Interesting, shake off the loose dirt, 20:34 brush it off. 20:36 And notice this, the rubbish of man. 20:39 It's time we shake off the rubbish of man, 20:43 man's traditions, man's thinking, 20:44 I think it seems like, 20:46 it ought to, should be, shake it off. 20:49 Go back to the Word of God, 20:50 what does God say on this issue. 20:54 Time will come once again that we will not hear and obey, 20:59 He's going to leave us. 21:01 Wow, we cannot always just war 21:05 against the Spirit of God or the message that God brings. 21:10 Jesus says, you know, I didn't come to come to bring peace 21:13 but a sword. 21:14 I thought that it is very interesting 21:15 as I was growing up. 21:17 I didn't quite understand it 21:18 nor will I understand it all now. 21:20 He said, I didn't come to bring peace. 21:22 He's the peace maker. There is no peace without Him. 21:25 But He said, He didn't come to bring peace, 21:27 what was He talking about? 21:28 But a sword. 21:30 A division would come 21:31 because some would choose to follow him, 21:33 others would choose not to follow him, 21:35 and there is contention, there is division, 21:36 there is separation. 21:38 You ever find that you maybe have more contact with people 21:41 who kind of think like you think 21:43 or maybe even believe like you believe? 21:46 Interesting. 21:50 God said, there'll be division, there will be separation, 21:53 there's a shaking that's going on. 21:57 Are we living up to every ray of light 21:59 that God has given us 22:00 so that our characters can be that we can be 22:02 what Jesus wants to take back to heaven with Him. 22:06 Are we living up to that light? 22:08 John 12:35, 36 says, 22:10 walk in the light while you have the light. 22:14 A book that I read often is Testimonies 22:16 to Minister page 5 or 7, it makes a statement. 22:18 Notice this. 22:19 "There must be no neglect of the grace, 22:22 represented by the former rain." 22:25 Now some of you are not familiar 22:26 maybe with former rain, 22:28 but we're talking about here the former rain. 22:30 You come to Jesus, you know, you're convicted, 22:33 Holy Spirit convicts you. 22:35 We come to Jesus, we confess our sins, 22:37 He's faithful and just to forgive us for our sins. 22:39 Filled with the Holy Spirit is what it is. 22:42 We're supposed to be filled with the Holy Spirit. 22:45 The old man is supposed to die, 22:46 a new man is supposed to come up, 22:48 old things are passed away, 22:49 behold all things become new, sins are gone, 22:52 they're buried to gain victory over sin, 22:55 even in the former rain. 22:57 Notice. 22:59 This article goes on, it says, 23:01 only those who are living up 23:03 to what we've been talking about 23:04 up to the light they have will receive greater light. 23:09 And then it says, unless we are daily, 23:12 daily advancing, 23:13 unless every day that we are advancing 23:16 in cause of Christ, 23:18 advancing in knowledge and wisdom and strength, 23:20 advancing and growing in the cause of Christ, 23:22 notice this, "In the exemplifications, 23:26 " that means showing by example. 23:28 It's coming out in your life, wherever you are at, 23:30 who ever you are talking to, they no longer see you 23:33 but they see Christ who lives within. 23:37 Isn't that sad, many times people, 23:38 we call ourselves Christian and we have this long old face. 23:41 Lord, have mercy. 23:43 We have this disposition that you almost, 23:46 you don't want to be around. 23:48 You have these cold, hurtful words. 23:50 That cannot be Christ within. 23:52 Surely there's no one here like that. 23:56 I don't want to be like that. 23:59 I want to have the Spirit of the living God, 24:01 you see, living inside of me. 24:03 Remember, if you are the only representative of Jesus Christ 24:07 that there is on this earth, you are the only one, 24:09 would you draw people to Jesus? 24:13 Wow. 24:16 And you are the only, as it were, 24:17 Jesus that some people will see. 24:21 You call yourself a Christian? 24:23 Does it turn him on, at it were, to Jesus 24:25 or does it turn him off. 24:27 I've heard some people say... 24:29 This person has been going to church all of their life 24:32 and I'm as good a Christian as they are. 24:35 How sad? 24:37 Shouldn't there be a difference, 24:40 should there not be? 24:43 We need Christian virtues. 24:46 Now why are we talking about Christian virtues? 24:48 Because these Christian virtues must be inside of us 24:50 and being inside living in us, 24:53 developing in us will help us to have the character of Jesus. 24:57 Jesus had these characteristics. 24:59 And I know, many people say, you know, 25:00 we get tired here and about being like Jesus. 25:03 Why was it? Question. 25:07 Why did Jesus come down here? 25:12 Why did He come down here? 25:13 Why did He assume flesh of man? 25:20 Sinful flesh, not that He did any sin. 25:24 Why did He come down here? 25:26 Was it not because there was a war in heaven, 25:28 it was because of what was going on, 25:30 satan was challenging the government of God, 25:32 no one can obey the law of God. 25:34 No one can be perfect. 25:37 No one can do the right thing all the time. 25:40 Even the angel of Heaven, we can't do all this. 25:42 He's telling you the truth on this thing. 25:44 Jesus came down to show us that in full humanity, 25:49 empty of self, filled with the Father, 25:51 that man by the grace, and power, 25:54 and strength of God could live the victorious life. 25:56 If not, why did He go through what He did? 26:00 He has shown us that man is capable 26:06 through the power of the Spirit, 26:07 through the grace of God. 26:12 But why come down and go through all that 26:14 if it doesn't matter? 26:18 I want to call them active Christian virtues. 26:21 You might say, well, they're not an important, 26:23 oh, they're so important 26:24 because they will change your life. 26:26 And if you feel like you will change of life today, 26:29 if you want some changes to develop, 26:31 you've read this many times before 26:33 but let's just kind of put it in perspective, shall we? 26:36 If you have your Bible, turn to 2 Peter, 26:38 we're reading chapter 1, several verses. 26:43 I'll refer to them as we go down, 26:45 then you can read them a little bit later. 26:48 Because we realize these Christian virtues 26:50 and they are active Christian virtues 26:54 because we realize 26:56 that God wants to put His seal of approval on you and me 27:00 and we must have that before heaven can be our home. 27:04 We must have the seal of the living God. 27:08 But I want to make this statement, 27:09 it was real big. 27:11 Only here in these last days 27:14 of those who will received the seal of the living God 27:18 must by His grace and His strength and His power, 27:22 keep all the commandments. 27:25 I'm not trying to be ugly. 27:26 If you've never seen or never heard it before, 27:28 I want you to think about it 27:31 because we're dealing with the sin issue. 27:34 The commandments are the only 10 things 27:36 that point out what sin is, right? 27:38 Sin is a transgression of God's law. 27:41 So we're dealing with the issue here 27:43 that should be clear but it's not clear to many. 27:47 And it includes the fourth commandment. 27:49 Remember the Sabbath day, certainly to keep it holy. 27:52 That contains the seal of God. 27:55 Sabbath is sign, Ezekiel 31 tells us. 27:59 The seal, we must be sealed. 28:01 The living righteous receives 28:03 the seal prior to the close of probation. 28:06 We're almost there. 28:08 I hear the doors swinging shut. 28:11 I sense that is closing up rather quickly right now. 28:14 The events in the world, 28:16 things that are happening in almost every nation, 28:18 someone said the other day, 28:19 almost every nation has war or the threat of war, 28:22 something is going on, some kind of disaster, 28:24 some kind of a nuclear something is going to go on, 28:27 there's going to be an exchange 28:28 and every body is going to be involved, look out. 28:31 Probation's door is closing. How do you stand with God? 28:39 Living righteous receive what the seal of God prior to, 28:42 what, the close of probation that receive it during, what, 28:45 the latter rain, just before the time of trouble. 28:52 Well, Jesus is our high priest in the most holy place 28:55 is blotting out our sins. 28:57 We're living in the Day of Atonement. 29:02 Jesus has moved from the holy from the most holy place, 29:04 standing before the Ark at the Covenant. 29:06 We know that 10 commandment law, 29:07 what's He doing? 29:09 He's pleading our cases. 29:11 Praise God for that, mercy. To be like Jesus. 29:15 I read this article and it thrilled my heart. 29:17 It challenges me. 29:18 I'm not up here saying, 29:20 Oh, I've got everything all under control. 29:21 I pray daily that God will help me to be like Him. 29:26 And when I'm not like Him, 29:30 take my eyes off of Him for a second, 29:32 the Holy Spirit reminds me, 29:35 you're part of the family of God, Kenny, 29:37 you need to act like it, all places and all times. 29:42 Review an Herald article in April 24th, written in 1900. 29:48 Please listen to this, 1900. 29:50 It is our privilege. 29:52 "It is our privilege to be partakers of divine nature." 29:57 See we think, we look at, 29:58 Jesus was fully, what, come on, church, 30:00 He was fully divine and He was fully human. 30:03 It blows our mind. 30:06 He kept the two completely separate. 30:09 He didn't fudge over. Fully human. 30:16 We have that privilege today, 30:19 our privilege to partake of the divine nature. 30:24 Notice, then we can be cleansed of our sin. 30:28 We can't do it in the flesh, 30:30 the spirit of flesh wars against the things of God. 30:33 I need a change, you need a change. 30:35 You say, well, I have never given my heart to... 30:38 You need to. 30:40 The flesh will not inherit the kingdom of God. 30:43 We need to make that change, give our life to him. 30:47 When we partake of that divine nature, 30:50 when we ask Him to come in 30:51 and take control of our heart and our life, 30:53 then we can be cleansed from all sin. 30:55 Notice this, and all defects of character. 30:57 How many? 30:59 Oh, well, I've had these forever. 31:00 Somebody said, "Well, I have fowl-mouth, 31:02 I've cussed all my life. 31:04 You know, I've ran out in the north forty 31:05 and scream cuss words all the time 31:07 and I'm a Christian, but I guess 31:08 that's the way it's going to be, 31:10 he'll take me anyway." 31:11 I doubt it. 31:14 Oh, I know, you don't want to hear it like that. 31:15 I challenge you with that. 31:18 The dirty thoughts, the dirty mouth, 31:20 the dirty tongue will not inherit 31:22 the kingdom of God. 31:24 Bible says, nothing evil, 31:26 nothing bad is going to enter the kingdom of God. 31:30 Think with me, all defects of character, 31:33 we, here it goes, come on. 31:36 We not retain one sinful propensity. 31:40 Did you notice that? 31:42 We need not retain, not one sinful propensity. 31:48 Why? Because we've given everything to Jesus Christ. 31:52 How wonderful that is? 31:53 We pray for divine strength and grace. 31:57 We really feel the Spirit of God 32:00 and ready to receive that latter rain 32:01 as it's poured out. 32:03 Are we living up to everything that we know or it there a time 32:05 we find people that just don't want to 32:07 and they are feeding us lies of the devil. 32:10 Maybe time to shake off the dust 32:12 and let's move on in the light 32:15 that God is shining on our pathway. 32:19 At least to me, it's clear. 32:22 It's very clear, we're talking about pillars of faith. 32:24 Praise God. 32:26 It gives me spiritual goose bumps 32:28 when I think about the pillars of faith. 32:30 The pillars of the Word of God. 32:33 The pillar, I think about it 32:34 as a builder doing construction. 32:39 The pillars has to be firm, 32:42 you see, it's to be steadfast, it's immovable. 32:46 The rain can't hurt it, 32:48 you know, and the winds can't hurt. 32:50 We're to build upon that rock which is Jesus Christ. 32:54 It seems to be so clear in order for me. 32:59 Oh, Lord, have mercy on my soul. 33:01 In order for me to be like Jesus, 33:05 I must receive these graces. 33:09 So I'm going to put myself out there 33:11 and you can deal with me if you want to. 33:13 I hope, maybe by faith, you'll put yourself out there 33:15 and just see, maybe if you need some of these graces. 33:17 After all, the Bible does say that we need them. 33:22 If the Bible says we need them, then we need them. 33:26 Don't bicker and fight about it. 33:27 Notice, I want to call them enabling graces. 33:33 I need these graces that empower each of us 33:37 to be overcomers from the corruption 33:40 that is in this world through lust. 33:43 You read that in 2 Peter 1:4. I'm sure you have. 33:46 I need these graces when temptation comes. 33:50 I need these graces, enabling graces, 33:54 to give me victory in my life. 33:57 You say, well, I'm not sure what they are. 34:01 You remember the disciples, what a mess, 34:04 what a mess they were to begin with? 34:06 Wow. 34:08 But it was by this transforming agency of grace 34:12 that we're talking about here 34:15 that change these characters into the image of God. 34:21 It was reproduced in the disciples. 34:24 Jesus was reproduced 34:26 in the disciples as an end-result. 34:28 It was these virtuous enabling graces. 34:33 Now do we think that we need them? 34:35 Oh, what a change took place for them. 34:36 It can take place for you and me too. 34:39 The Bible says in 2 Peter 1:5, it says, "All diligence." 34:44 What is it talking about, 34:45 we need diligence to be an overcomer? 34:47 Do I need diligence? 34:49 It says daily diligence or add to your character, 34:53 the graces that will make you strong 34:55 to resist the devil. 34:58 We must resist the devil. 35:00 Temptation, church, temptation must be met 35:05 and resisted by the grace of God. 35:07 Temptation must be what? 35:09 Oh, you better believe it, 35:10 it is to be met and it is to be resisted. 35:13 And notice, with each victory, what happens? 35:16 We gain more strength to resist the next temptation. 35:21 If we fall short... Oh, church, please, 35:25 If we fall short 35:26 and the temptation overcomes us, we get weaker. 35:28 Does that make sense? 35:29 We get weaker, weaker, 35:31 but by the grace of God in these virtues of grace 35:35 enabling us to gain the victory, 35:37 we become stronger each and every time. 35:40 You take a little weight in your arm 35:41 and you give it a little... 35:43 One or two today, 35:45 three or four tomorrow, five or six... 35:46 You automatically become stronger and stronger. 35:51 It works the same way spiritually. 35:53 Notice, so the Bible is talking about virtues, 35:56 let's quickly, notice, it says faith. 35:58 Talks about faith, 36:00 it talks about virtue, knowledge, 36:02 temperance, the Bible says, 36:04 patience and godliness and kindness and charity. 36:09 2 Peter 1:9, says add this. 36:11 Notice this, "But he that lacketh these is blind." 36:15 Okay, automatically, 36:16 you say, well, I don't know if I need all these, not. 36:18 If you lack these, if I lack these, 36:20 automatically I am blind. 36:23 2 Peter 1:9 says, "I don't want to be blind." 36:26 Let's dissect them just quickly as we can. 36:29 Let's take a few of them because we're on our road 36:32 by the grace of God to perfection. 36:34 After all, Christ is in the most holy place. 36:37 Right, sin has been taken out of our life or what. 36:41 It's going to stay with us. 36:45 Think about it. 36:46 What an awesome thought. 36:47 Names are coming up in the judgment. 36:51 What an awesome time. 36:53 I don't want to lack these, I want to make heaven my home 36:56 so I don't want to be blind 36:58 and I need to take my journey 37:00 toward living the life of perfection, 37:02 which you find in the most holy place 37:05 to be like Jesus. 37:08 First, it talks about, after a person receives faith 37:12 that we just talked about just a little bit, 37:13 faith of the gospel 37:15 that changes your heart and changes your life. 37:17 Then we seek to add 37:20 virtuous principles to our life, 37:22 so faith then would it not be the first step 37:26 in this ladder toward heaven? 37:28 Okay, I'm on the ladder, here I go. 37:30 Come on, come, step high. 37:32 Don't try to jump up four or five rungs up there, 37:35 take the first step on the ladder toward heaven. 37:39 Interesting, who is the ladder? 37:41 Certainly, it's Jesus Christ, isn't it? 37:43 And it must reach the earth and it must touch the heaven. 37:49 How wonderful. 37:50 Our step, we can't please God without faith. 37:54 You know what the Bible says? 37:56 Hebrews 11:6, "Without faith, 37:58 it's impossible to please God." 38:04 We must believe that He is, 38:06 you got people in the world today 38:07 that don't believe that God even exists, 38:08 that Christ exists. 38:11 We need to get back to the Word. 38:13 See, we can't stop here because the Bible says, 38:15 we are to... 38:17 Notice this. We are to add. 38:18 So let's let the Bible do the speaking. 38:20 Now we've come to grips with I need these virtues 38:24 in order to help me to gain the victory, 38:27 live the victorious life. 38:30 And so I'm going to have to add to my faith, it says virtue, 38:33 excellence is what that means, or you know, 38:36 it becomes the foundation. 38:39 I need a good strong foundation. 38:41 1 Peter 2:5 says, "We are to be lively stones." 38:45 We're to be on a good spiritual foundation. 38:49 It's where the house rests, 38:51 the spiritual house rests on a good foundation. 38:54 Many of us today, bless your heart, 38:55 your foundation is not... 38:56 You're house is not on good foundation. 38:59 It's shaky. Back and forth. 39:02 Somebody comes up and has a good argument, 39:04 all of a sudden you're going this way. 39:05 Somebody else says, did you hear about it, 39:07 then we're going over here, 39:08 we've got to settle into the truth, 39:11 God can't seal up people, prepare them, 39:14 keep them for heaven unless we're settling into the truth. 39:19 Wow. 39:23 As we accept these Christian virtues, 39:28 Christ's virtues, 39:31 as they blend into my character, 39:34 it then becomes as nature, think about it, 39:37 obedience becomes natural as breathing. 39:41 I'm gonna have to fight it. This is going to be a mess. 39:44 You don't talk to yourself, 39:45 take the next breath, I need to breathe. 39:50 Sometimes people tell us we need to slow down a little. 39:54 Take the next breath. 39:56 Obedience becomes natural as breathing. 40:00 Now there will be a lot of people 40:01 who try to make excuses, they'll say, 40:02 "Well, I didn't have the knowledge, 40:04 I didn't have the spiritual knowledge. 40:05 I didn't really have the understanding." 40:07 Let me just say it to you right quick, 40:08 my brother, my sister, you are in trouble. 40:12 Let me explain it to you a little bit, 40:13 you're in trouble. 40:15 You say, "Well, I don't have that spiritual knowledge 40:16 and that understanding." 40:17 Because the Bible said, add to you... 40:19 talking about faith and then add to your virtue 40:22 and add to virtue, knowledge, is what the Bible said. 40:26 We were to gain all the knowledge 40:28 we possibly can, Church, are we listening? 40:31 We are to gain all the spiritual knowledge 40:34 that we can that's available. 40:37 That's why what the Bible said, 40:38 "Study to show thy self approved unto God, 40:41 " have you read that 2 Timothy 2:15, 40:43 oh, I know you have. 40:44 Study to show yourself approved unto God and don't be ashamed. 40:48 Some people are gonna be ashamed in the judgment. 40:51 I believe this in the last days 40:53 God is going to work out of the ordinary, 40:56 God chooses whom he will, he puts them in a position, 40:59 he uses them, they just, "Lord, I hear you speaking. 41:04 Your servant hears, what would you have me to do? 41:07 Where would you have me to go? 41:11 He's going to use, listen carefully, ordinary, 41:14 as it were, men, women, and children 41:16 to get this message unto all the world. 41:19 He's going to use those who will respond 41:21 to the Holy Spirit. 41:23 God will use anyone that wants to be used. 41:28 Well, I don't have the knowledge. 41:30 The Bible simply said, James 1:5, you remember, 41:32 "If any of you lack what? 41:34 Good. 41:35 If any of you lack wisdom, 41:36 you ask and God will give it to you liberally 41:38 and unbraided. 41:39 God wants you to have the knowledge, 41:41 the knowledge of Him, spiritual knowledge. 41:43 Why? 41:44 Because He knows if we don't and I don't, 41:46 the enemy will defeat us, we will be defeated, 41:49 heaven won't be our home. 41:51 This is a whole ballgame for the enemy. 41:53 He doesn't want you there 41:54 and he's doing everything in his power 41:56 to make sure you're not. 41:57 And let me tell you, 41:58 heaven has done everything to make sure you are. 42:02 There is nothing more 42:05 as the end result that heaven could do for you or me 42:08 to make sure that we're there. 42:10 But you have to choose. 42:12 Make sure you make that choice today, 42:15 Bible says, in Psalms 111:10, 42:19 you know this is said, "The fear of the Lord, 42:21 is the beginning of wisdom." 42:24 It says, "A good understanding have they that do His..." 42:28 "A good understanding are they that do His commandments, 42:30 " So if we're not doing by the grace of God, 42:32 living out those commandments. 42:34 We really don't have a real good wisdom then 42:36 or a good understanding, 42:38 interesting with this, a good understanding. 42:40 Interesting when you look at that word, 42:42 a good understanding means, "Oh, boy, a good success." 42:47 In order to have a good spiritual success and wisdom, 42:53 it's fear of the Lord, 42:55 but too bad today that we live in a world 42:57 where you can't seem to have the fear 42:59 which is reverence and respect. 43:01 Young people have no respect for the older people, 43:03 church people have no respect for the pastor and the leader 43:06 and probably in some cases, it may be rightfully so. 43:10 No respect for mom and dad, 43:11 no respect for this or that in the world today, 43:12 we've lost that. 43:14 And certainly there's no respect and no reverence 43:15 for the God who sits upon the throne 43:17 that rules this universe. 43:18 How sad? Wisdom. 43:21 The beginning here is to recognize that he is 43:23 and that what he can accomplish in you and in me. 43:28 After all, did not Jesus use the unlearned fisherman? 43:33 How wonderful, the unlearned fisherman, 43:36 He took them and He began to teach them. 43:40 Now notice, they begin to change... 43:42 This is very important. 43:44 The unlearned, almost, be careful, heathen, 43:50 disciples that He chose 43:52 began to change as they had contact. 43:57 Contact with who? With Jesus. 44:02 They were weak and vacillating, they became able, 44:05 they became efficient. 44:06 They became powerful witness for Him, 44:09 contact then is needed with Jesus. 44:13 Not done. We don't have the contact that we needed. 44:16 Bible goes ahead and says quickly, it says, 44:18 add again, add to knowledge, temperance. 44:21 This is the... 44:23 One, two, three, third step on the ladder to perfection. 44:29 1 Corinthians 9:25, says, 44:30 "Every man that striveth for the mastery is tempered..." 44:34 In how many things, church? 44:36 Good. "All things." 44:38 Does all mean all in the Bible? 44:39 Absolutely, it does. All means all. 44:43 If you're striving for the master, 44:44 you're striving to win the race for heaven to be your home. 44:49 We must be temperate in all things. 44:51 This is very important. The devil is out to do what? 44:53 He's out to take the mind 44:54 and he's doing it in almost everything 44:56 that's out there in the world today, 44:58 we need to be aware 44:59 of what he's doing and how he's doing it. 45:01 The things that we eat, the thing that we look at, 45:03 the things that we do, the devil is there working, 45:05 trying to take and steal your mind. 45:09 We have entered this gospel race. 45:13 And since we have entered this gospel race, 45:16 then we must, the Bible says, 45:18 refrain from indulgence that war against the soul. 45:24 Any indulgence, anything we take in, 45:27 in any direction that affects the mind or the body, 45:32 that wars against my soul, 45:34 we must be willing to give to God. 45:37 We must keep strict guard over our bodies, 45:43 over our passions and our appetites 45:45 and our pride, our propensities, 45:50 natural and cultivated. 45:53 We need help that talking about physical, mentally, 45:56 and moral powers, 45:58 they must be kept in the best possible condition 46:02 that we may be victorious. 46:03 People are not victorious today because the mind is diseased. 46:09 It's diseased by so many different things of the senses 46:11 that God has given us, what we're taking in. 46:14 1 Corinthians 9:27 says, 46:17 Paul said, "I keep under my body 46:20 and I bring it into subjection." 46:23 He knew the steps toward heaven. 46:26 He wanted to follow those steps. 46:29 I keep, by the grace of God, I say, Oh, I can't control. 46:33 Holy Spirit can help you control it. 46:35 You can't control anything, I can't control anything, 46:38 but the spirit of the Living God sure can. 46:41 And I think about, you say, well, Kenny, be careful now, 46:43 you're gonna start meddling a little bit here. 46:45 Yeah, I'm going to get real personal, 46:47 meddle just a little bit 46:48 because part of the series is being ready to meet Jesus 46:52 and it's talking about perfection of character. 46:54 And let me tell you, if our diet, 46:56 are we're talking exercise, keeping our bodies, 46:58 our body temple the way God would have it, 47:02 heaven will not be our home. 47:03 Let me just read you a few things 47:04 if you don't mind, Desire of Ages, 47:06 122 says this, "Our only hope, " when I read this, I said, 47:10 what's this, what's this, what's this? 47:13 My only hope, I want to know what it is. 47:15 "My only hope of eternal life is to bring the appetites 47:19 and passions induce objection to the will of God." 47:24 Can't do it all my own. Oh, wait. 47:26 Boy, it tastes good. I look good. 47:28 Are you still with me? 47:31 We need the mind of Christ. 47:33 We need my only hope of eternal life. 47:35 There has to be some changes. 47:37 We may have to go to the icebox and the cabinets 47:40 and I know it can be overdone. 47:41 We had a person who used to visit church years ago, 47:43 and every time they go in, they go into the kitchen, 47:45 they start opening the cabinet doors 47:47 and start reading labels. 47:49 I told them one day, get out of there. 47:54 You know what I'm talking about. 47:56 There's a time and there's certainly a place. 48:00 This is important. 48:01 "Our hope of eternal life." Why? 48:03 Because the devil can clog the mind 48:05 that we cannot make an intelligent decision 48:07 for Jesus, 48:08 a little book that I like to read called, 48:10 Counsels on Diets and Foods, 48:12 page 55 says, notice this, "God cannot, 48:16 " this is either truth or not, 48:17 people bless your hearts, bless my heart, 48:20 I'm either a believer in Spirit of prophecy or I'm not, 48:22 identifying mark or God's last days. 48:24 Church, I'm not ashamed of it. I love it. I thank God for it. 48:27 It helps poor, my poor little mind, 48:28 helps to comprehend eternal things. 48:31 God knew I needed this help. Do you need this help? 48:34 Don't reject that which God 48:35 has put for us to be a blessing. 48:38 It makes it clear. 48:41 God cannot let... 48:42 Church, God cannot let the Holy Spirit 48:45 rest upon those who knowingly in feeble mind and body... 48:50 What? 48:51 The Holy Spirit cannot rest upon... 48:54 I cannot have the Holy Spirit the way I need the Holy Spirit 48:57 to gain these victories 48:58 if I knowingly am in enfeebling my body and my mind, 49:02 taking things in it to alter it, to change it, 49:05 can't think properly, can't make the right choices, 49:07 can't make the right decisions. 49:09 Wow, a little book, Counsels to Parents and Teachers, 49:13 295, listen carefully. 49:16 "He who remains in sinful ignorance 49:20 of the laws of life and health, 49:24 who willfully violate these laws, sin against God." 49:30 We all agree. Most church members agree. 49:32 Our body is the temple. 49:37 We have to balance what I'm talking about. 49:39 Some people can't balance it. 49:41 They're like this when it comes to certain things 49:43 in the health and love. 49:44 I want to balance it with the word of God. 49:46 What God approves of is good to me. 49:47 What God disapproves is disapproved. 49:50 I hope that makes sense. It's nothing to argue about. 49:52 Yeah, but I liked it. 49:55 Maybe he might have said that too. 49:59 The world was lost, the human race was lost, 50:02 because of appetite of choice. 50:04 Thank God, Jesus came to win it back. 50:09 So we cannot remain in ignorance of these laws. 50:13 We sin against God, Three Testimonies 489, 50:16 says this, 50:18 "Our eternal destiny depends upon 50:21 strict temperate habits." 50:25 I still need some correcting. 50:27 Go by some of these places, some of these bakeries 50:29 I'm walking along the street down there 50:31 and you smell all that good stuff 50:32 coming from the bakery, 50:34 start think about, "Well, that smells good. 50:37 Well, I'll bet it even taste a little bit better." 50:39 You better put your tennis shoes on and run. 50:42 Bible does say, "Be tempered in all things, 50:44 " so I'm not going as far some people do. 50:47 If you take one, buy this or that, 50:49 you're hell-bound. 50:50 I like to balance it up but I realize... 50:52 Is it affecting? 50:54 We have to be very careful. 50:58 Wow. 51:00 Diet, this even gets a little bit stronger 51:01 and I don't mind doing it 51:03 because you want to be prepared for it. 51:04 I do too. 51:05 And remember, we can't gain the victory. 51:07 We can't be victorious in this life 51:09 if our mind is disease. 51:10 We just can't. 51:13 You ever had friends and family who has Alzheimer's 51:17 and has something that affects the brain? 51:19 It just breaks your heart. 51:22 Maybe your mother, maybe your dad, your brother, 51:24 they don't they don't know who you are. 51:26 They can't make a good diligent decision 51:28 because, not saying things they've done personally, 51:30 I'm just saying they can't make a good choice 51:32 or decision anymore. 51:34 Well, your brain is healthy. 51:35 Please, Two Testimonies, 400, notice how powerful, 51:39 "It is impossible for those who indulge the appetite 51:44 to attain to Christian perfection." 51:49 I took another beating. 51:51 It's all right Lord says, He loves those, you know, 51:53 we chastise those who He loves. 51:56 But we're talking about Christian perfection here, 51:59 are we not? 52:00 But it's impossible, either is truth or it's not, 52:03 who indulge the appetite. 52:04 We go so far that it affects us physically, 52:08 spiritually, mentally, and it does the whole body. 52:11 Look, the world knows this better than some of us. 52:15 The world has had to do 52:17 what we have neglected to do and to live. 52:21 They tell about what we eat 52:23 and what we take into our bodies, 52:24 how it affects us, 52:28 what's healthy for us, how it effects our mind, 52:31 what we take in, what we eat, it affects our choices. 52:35 Three Testimonies, 492 says, 52:37 "Those who are slaves to appetite 52:40 will fail in perfecting Christian character. 52:44 Did you get that? 52:46 If you are a slave to appetite, you just can't say, "No." 52:52 We're going to fail perfecting Christian character 52:56 and heaven will not be our home. 52:58 Can we just put it out close, let's put it out there. 53:01 Word is clear. 53:03 Indulgence of appetite, I know, we can go on and on and on, 53:06 time's running out, we can't do that. 53:07 But let me tell you. 53:08 Indulgence of appetite, perverted appetite, 53:11 one that's not under the control of the Spirit 53:12 of the living God, 53:14 the body becomes enfeebled by the wrong diet, 53:17 what we take in. 53:19 Our brain becomes cloudy and clogged, 53:22 our conscience becomes numb, 53:26 our digestive organs become weak, 53:29 our body becomes diseased. 53:34 It causes injury to our self, 53:37 our judgment becomes confused, the mind... 53:40 Notice this, mind becomes... 53:43 The mind becomes controlled by satan. 53:47 Why? Because you get warded off anymore. 53:50 Faith comes by hearing, hearing by the word of God. 53:51 We're not putting it there. 53:52 We don't understand, our judgment is confused. 53:54 Satan takes over the mind. That's what he wants. 53:59 You know what happens? Sin appears less sinful. 54:04 I want this to make sense. We do all this. 54:06 We can say we're doers. Doesn't make sense. 54:09 Does it make sense what decisions we want to make. 54:16 Remember the... 54:17 Oh, there's much more. 54:19 I'm not going to keep going on, 54:20 but I want you to study this issue out. 54:22 God is leading and guiding people, 54:26 peculiar people, different people, 54:29 He's leading them out. 54:32 They're not going to be like the world. 54:33 They're not going to talk like the world. 54:34 They're not going to wear what the world wears. 54:37 They're not going even think like the world, 54:38 they're not going eat like the world. 54:40 They're not gonna put all the things on that 54:41 the world puts on, 54:43 but some people are still doing it, 54:44 but you know what? 54:45 The Bible has never sanctioned it. 54:47 A group of people might say 54:48 it's all right to wear certain things 54:49 but the Bible doesn't say it. 54:51 Who are you going to line up with? 54:54 Well, my husband wants this, wife want this. 54:56 So what? 54:59 We don't always get what we want. 55:00 What does God say in His word? 55:03 This is what we have to come back to 55:04 if we want heaven to be our home. 55:08 Many are simply killing themselves today. 55:11 We don't want to do that, we don't want. 55:13 We want to be like Jesus. 55:15 We may come time, 55:17 we're going to have to shake the dust off our feet, 55:18 we're going to have to find new friends 55:20 or we're going to have to be hanging out, 55:21 as it were, in a different place 55:23 that's reading the Bible and studying scripture. 55:28 We can make no excuses in this hour that we live. 55:33 We need to know our self, we need to know our condition, 55:36 and we need to do some self-examination, 55:38 there's no doubt in my mind. 55:42 There's so much more material, 55:43 we'll not have time to go into that right now. 55:47 Someone asked you, what would be your answer? 55:50 How by the grace of God can I obtain a godly character? 55:56 How can I be like Jesus? 56:00 After all, Jesus came down here, 56:02 emptied himself of self, filled with the Father, 56:04 He came to show us what the Father's like, 56:06 what heaven is like. 56:08 We plan on repopulating, don't we, heaven? 56:12 What's so wrong with looking at and say, 56:15 "All things are possible through Jesus Christ." 56:18 What's so wrong to saying, "I need to be like Jesus." 56:21 Everybody says it, 56:22 but when it goes about to accomplish it, 56:25 to follow what the Bible says about these Christian virtues 56:27 and graces that enable us to become like Him, 56:30 we want to throw some of them out 56:31 because we're not willing to deny self. 56:35 My brothers and sisters, I want to pray for you, 56:37 pray for myself as well, 56:39 I'm going to kneel down here and have closing prayer. 56:41 Please pray with me that you make the decision. 56:43 Don't let this be so difficult 56:45 and say, "Oh, this is horrible." 56:46 Give it to Jesus. He'll make it simple for you. 56:49 Let's pray shall we. 56:51 Merciful Father in heaven, again, 56:52 we thank You for the power of prayer. 56:54 We thank You that it moves the arm of God by faith. 56:57 We're thankful for the decision, 56:58 the choices that have been made right now 57:01 for the conviction that You have brought upon 57:03 those who are honest in heart. 57:04 They'll be others who will rise up against 57:06 and they want to stone the messenger 57:08 and want to get rid of the message, 57:09 but, Lord, I pray Your Holy Spirit 57:11 will continue to lead, guide, and direct. 57:12 And thank You for the decision to continue to lead and guide 57:14 in Jesus' name we pray and for His sake. 57:17 Amen. 57:18 It's always good to spend time with you. 57:20 We're going to come back again for our fourth part 57:23 and you won't want to miss that. 57:24 God loves you. We love you. 57:26 We look forward to seeing you next time. |
Revised 2016-09-19