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Series Code: SCM
Program Code: SCM190009A
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00:39 Previously on Law of Love & Liberty:
00:44 We are standing 00:47 in His presence 00:52 on holy... 00:55 on holy 00:57 ground. 01:01 The word but indicates a contrast. 01:04 Here He's actually saying: "Look, I did not come to destroy 01:08 the law. I came to magnify the law. " 01:11 God's means of salvation 01:13 has always and only been 01:16 salvation by grace through faith. 01:18 The entire Bible - Genesis to Revelation - 01:21 is the progressive unfolding of God's covenant. 01:26 The law is made for the unrighteous we're told. 01:28 That's what it's made for... that's what it's for. 01:29 Let the law do what the law is supposed to do. 01:33 Let the law convict you 01:35 and let Jesus save you. 01:37 But not only does the second commandment introduce us 01:41 to the fact that we live in a war zone. 01:43 The second commandment tells us - and this is crucial - 01:48 that the war is primarily psychological in nature. 01:54 That is to say we become like what we worship. 02:03 Welcome back to 3ABN. Thank you for joining us. 02:07 Tonight it's my privilege to introduce a brother and a friend 02:11 for probably thirty years or so. 02:14 No stranger to any of you. Probably one of the most... 02:17 not probably, I'm going to say one of the most well known 02:20 singers, preachers, personalities 02:23 in the history of the Seventh-day Adventist church. 02:27 I'm talking about none other than Pastor Wintley Phipps 02:30 with the Dream Academy. Still pastoring, still traveling 02:34 around the world. Recently he told us 02:36 he got off of the airplane. As he walked out 02:40 he saw balloons and somebody was having a party. 02:43 He saw his name up in the lights 02:45 and he's: "Why is Delta having a party with my name? " 02:50 Four million miles he had flown with them. 02:52 So that'll give you an idea. Isn't that amazing? 02:56 He's flown 4 million miles. That'll tell you how much. 02:58 I told someone back stage kidding, I didn't say it 03:01 to Wintley... hope he's not listening. I said: 03:04 "That's amazing. He has to travel 4 million miles 03:07 to get places to sing or preach. 03:09 I can do it within 10 miles. I don't even have to travel 03:12 that much. " Don't think about that too much, 03:15 all right? 'Cause that may get you. 03:18 But what a privilege to know he and his wife Linda, 03:21 the three boys. And God has blessed them 03:24 and blessed him with a tremendous talent, 03:26 tremendous gift. In fact, the song that he's getting ready 03:30 to do: Amazing Grace... many of you have seen it 03:35 that he's done on the Internet... 03:37 I asked him. It's got something like 15 or 16 million hits. 03:42 People have watched... 15 or 16 million 03:44 have watched him do the song that you're getting ready to. 03:48 So he's going to come out. I'm going to introduce 03:49 Bro. Wintley Phipps right now 03:51 and then he's going to be singing to us 03:53 and then ministering the Word of God to us. 03:55 Bro. Wintley: 05:33 Amazing grace... 05:40 how sweet the sound... 05:45 That saved 05:48 a wretch 05:51 like me! 05:57 I once 06:00 was lost 06:04 but now am found, 06:09 Was blind 06:11 but now 06:14 I see. 06:40 Thru many 06:44 dangers, 06:47 toils and snares 06:51 I have 06:53 already 06:57 come; 07:02 'Twas grace that brought me 07:09 safe thus far, 07:16 And grace will lead 07:20 me home. 07:34 When we've 07:37 been there 07:39 ten thousand years, 07:44 Bright shining as 07:49 the sun, 07:54 We've no less days 08:00 to sing God's praise 08:04 than when 08:07 we'd first 08:09 begun! 08:14 Hallelujah! 08:16 Hallelujah! 08:18 Amen! 08:24 Hallelujah! 08:26 Hallelujah! 08:28 Amen! 08:34 Hallelujah! 08:36 Hallelujah! 08:39 AMEN! 08:48 Amen! 08:54 Praise the Lord; praise the Lord! 08:57 Amen! It's a blessing to be here again 09:01 at 3ABN Camp Meeting. 09:05 Allow me to share one of my favorite quotes. 09:08 It simply says that: "Love may be silent 09:15 but gratitude must speak. " Amen! 09:19 And so before I begin this message today 09:22 I would like to take a moment and speak a word of thanks 09:27 to my brother Danny Shelton 09:30 and the ministry staff of 3ABN. 09:33 What God has done through Danny and this ministry 09:37 can never be fully understood this side of heaven. Amen! 09:42 The lives that have been touched; the souls that have 09:45 been won... what a reunion it's going to be 09:49 when we all get to heaven! Amen! 09:52 I am particularly grateful for the selfless 09:56 support Danny and 3ABN have given to 09:59 many many other ministries like mine. 10:03 Danny is one of the most self- less persons I've ever known. 10:07 Many of you know that for the last twenty years 10:10 my ministry, the U.S. Dream Academy, 10:13 has been providing tutoring and mentoring 10:16 in the name of Christ to children whose parents 10:20 are in prison. And for twenty years 10:24 we've provided daily support in character development 10:28 and academic support for over 10,000 children 10:33 in this country. Amen! 10:35 And over the years Danny has been so gracious 10:37 to feature the work of the U.S. Dream Academy 10:41 on 3ABN. He's always encouraged 10:45 the 3ABN viewers to support our ministry. 10:49 And for that I for one wanted to speak a word 10:53 of gratitude. 10:57 My message today: For the Glory of His Name. 11:03 Will you bow your heads with me? Father, 11:06 as we open Your Word I ask that You would cleanse me 11:09 of all unrighteousness. 11:11 Fill my life with Your Holy Spirit's presence 11:14 and power. Speak to me, through me, 11:18 and for me. I promise You, Lord, I'll 11:21 always give You the honor, the glory, and the praise. 11:25 In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Amen! 11:30 If you have your Bibles with you, I want you to turn 11:33 with me to the book of Exodus chapter 34 verse 4. 11:37 The Word of God says: "And he hewed... " 12:07 Now don't miss that moment. 12:10 The Lord proclaimed His name. 12:34 Brothers and sisters, just as the Lord had commanded 12:38 Moses rose up early in the morning and went up 12:41 into the mount called Sinai. 12:44 In his hand he carried two tables of stone. 12:47 The Bible simply says in Exodus 34:5 12:51 "And the Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there 12:55 and proclaimed the name of the Lord. " 12:59 I can only imagine what it must have been like 13:02 for Moses to watch God 13:06 descend from heaven in a wondrous display 13:10 of spectacular unadulterated power. 13:16 That day God took an ordinary mountain, 13:20 draped it with the presence of His Holy Spirit, 13:24 wrapped it in sound and fury, 13:27 dressed it in drama and darkness. 13:30 And Exodus 34:6 says 13:33 the Lord passed by before Moses 13:36 and proclaimed His own name: 13:40 "The Lord, the Lord God, 13:45 merciful and gracious, 13:48 longsuffering and abundant in goodness and truth. " 13:53 Now we pronounce the name written here in God's Word 13:57 as Yahweh, but the truth is the pronunciation of this name 14:02 of God is still a mystery. 14:05 The reason we are not sure how that name should be pronounced 14:10 is because the original Hebrew language 14:14 as it is written has no vowels. 14:17 So when God proclaimed His name to Moses 14:21 we do not know the vowels Moses heard from the mouth of God. 14:27 All we have written in the Scripture here 14:29 for the name of God are those four Hebrew letters 14:33 Y - H - W - H. 14:37 Sometimes those four letters were pronounced Yah-Way. 14:41 Sometimes they were pronounced Yah-Ho-Vah. 14:46 Jehovah. 14:48 But whichever way the name of God is pronounced 14:51 it should only be pronounced and spoken 14:54 with awe and admiration. Amen! 14:58 For no other name but that name is entitled to our worship. 15:03 No other name but that name 15:05 had earned the right to our reverence. 15:08 No other name but that name 15:10 can ever merit our praise. 15:14 In the book of Isaiah 44 verse 8 15:16 God lays out an axiomatic truth. 15:20 That means an obvious, self-evident truth. 15:24 God says: "Is there a God beside Me? " 15:28 "Yea... " He says... "there is no God... I know not any. " 15:33 I love that verse of Scripture 15:35 because the Lord is saying: "If there is another God, 15:38 I've never met Him. " 15:41 Hallelujah! 15:42 "I've visited every constellation; 15:44 I've traveled to the farthest star; 15:47 I've walked the halls of Orion; 15:49 I've vacationed in the Pleiades; 15:51 I've paid courtesy calls to every planet 15:54 and if there is another God 15:56 He has never shown His face... not to Me. " 16:03 "I've never met Him. " 16:05 Church and friends, the singularity 16:08 and peculiarity of this pivotal truth 16:12 cannot be overstated. 16:13 Whatever our differences of view or pronunciation 16:18 or interpretation there is NO OTHER GOD 16:23 but the pre-existing, life-giving Yahweh. 16:29 Jehovah. And for those who may not recognize Him 16:33 or acknowledge Him as God 16:36 that's not a problem for God. 16:39 His identity is not predicated on any human validation. 16:44 Hallelujah! As the old folks used to say: 16:47 "He's God all by Himself! " 16:51 He doesn't need anybody to affirm His divinity. 16:56 When the Lord proclaimed His name to Moses 16:58 God made it clear that the glory of His name 17:03 is His character. 17:08 Now don't miss what I just said. 17:10 The glory of His name is His character. 17:17 And His character He says is: "mercy, 17:22 grace, and love. " Amen! 17:25 The servant of the Lord tells it this way. She says: 17:40 "God wants the world to see that His character of mercy, 17:45 grace, and love is embodied in and personified 17:50 in His name. And the Ten Commandments 17:54 are an expression of the character of God. " 18:00 And for those who say the Ten Commandments are irrelevant, 18:03 for those who say they are superfluous prose, 18:09 those who say they are examples of non-essential verse, 18:14 I say to them that these Ten Commandments 18:17 are the guardrails of human society. 18:20 Amen! Without them, human civilization 18:24 is doomed to self-destruction. 18:26 Amen! But today I would like to focus on the third commandment. 18:31 "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord 18:35 thy God in vain for the Lord will not hold him 18:40 guiltless who taketh His name in vain. " 18:45 For thousands of years this commandment 18:48 has been seen as focusing in on three distinct behaviors. 18:54 The first is cursing and swearing. 18:58 Let's face it: we live in an age 19:00 where using the name of God as swearing 19:03 is no longer considered vile and revolting. 19:08 God wants us to know that the use of His name 19:12 to damn others will not be allowed in heaven. 19:15 Amen! 19:17 And frankly, the use... stay with me for a moment... 19:21 the use of any term or word 19:26 that degrades the sacred act of procreation - 19:31 I'm speaking in code... 19:34 Well, let me say it again... maybe you'll understand: 19:36 the use of any word that degrades 19:40 the sacred act of procreation... 19:44 you got it? will not be spoken in heaven. 19:49 Amen! I think you know which word I mean. 19:52 I don't have to spell it out, right? 19:54 Any word that degrades the sacred act of procreation 19:59 will not be spoken in heaven. 20:01 To take a word or make a word that takes what God created 20:06 sacred and then try to use it to curse others 20:09 God considers that profane and disgusting. 20:13 When we hear God's name used as profanity 20:16 we should be offended. Amen! 20:21 Not offended enough to be nasty 20:25 but offended enough to turn and walk away. 20:28 Amen! 20:30 Or... or... offended enough to change the channel! 20:37 One day a man was talking to me and then he swore. 20:40 Not at me... but he swore in my presence 20:42 then he: "Oh, oh, oh... oh sorry, preacher. " 20:46 Now when that happens the last thing you want to say 20:48 is: "That's OK. " No... it's not OK! 20:52 I wanted to tell him: "My brother, don't apologize 20:54 to me. Apologize to the Lord! " Amen! 20:57 "It was His name you took in vain... not mine. " 21:03 I have a friend who is a very famous comedian. 21:05 In one of his shows on television he was using 21:08 those words - God - and then damning people with that name. 21:14 And I called him. I said: "My brother, 21:16 if you want God to bless you you've got to recognize 21:19 that this name is sacred. " And he said: "Pastor Phipps... " 21:22 he said... "I never saw it like that. " 21:25 He said: "I will never do that again. " 21:30 In case you are not aware, it has become so bad 21:33 that millions of people on YouTube 21:36 are giving "thumbs up" to toddlers and children 21:41 cursing and swearing. 21:45 Another form of conduct this commandment warns against 21:48 is using the name of God carelessly or flippantly. 21:52 That means you should never use the name of God in a joke - 21:56 Amen - or to make fun of the name of God. 21:59 And you should never use the name of God, Ellen White says 22:02 in mindless repetition even in prayer. 22:06 Whoo! Did you hear that today? 22:09 The third type of conduct this commandment warns us against 22:13 is perjury. When you stand before a judge 22:17 and pledge to tell the truth, the whole truth, 22:20 and nothing but the truth so help you God, 22:25 if after taking such an oath and making such a pledge 22:28 you then boldly lie, 22:31 you are taking the name of God in vain. 22:36 To invoke the name of God and then lie under oath 22:40 is taking the name of God in vain. 22:44 But today with the help of God I want to share a perspective 22:47 He has been nurturing in my spirit. 22:50 You see, God has helped me to see that this commandment 22:53 is more than just about profanity and perjury. 22:57 It is more than just about cursing and swearing 23:00 and the flippant use of the name of God. 23:03 This commandment is about how we treat 23:08 the most sacred trust in the universe: 23:14 the glory of His name. 23:20 It is the most sacred trust in the universe. 23:26 This commandment is about the protection and exaltation 23:31 of the glory of His name. 23:34 And the glory of His name is His character! 23:39 The glory of His name is His character. 23:43 This commandment is about honoring the reputation 23:47 and character of God that the name of God represents. 23:51 The glory of God's name is the most sacred trust 23:57 and He has given that trust to us. 24:02 Whoo! When the Bible says: "Thou shalt not take the name 24:06 of the Lord thy God in vain" 24:08 in the original language the Hebrew word used 24:11 for taking the name of God in vain 24:14 is the word "Tisa. " And that word means 24:18 to lift up, to bear up, to carry, to support, 24:23 to exalt. So when we hear "take the name of God in vain" 24:27 we just think of speaking it in vain. 24:30 But if we look deeper we will see that to take the name of God 24:35 also means to take up the name of God as a banner; 24:41 to take on the name of God as a label. 24:46 To take the name of the Lord means to lift up that name; 24:51 to carry that name. It means to declare to the world 24:55 that you're a Christian, that you're a child of God. 24:59 And in the commandment God lets us know 25:02 that He considers any conduct that gives to others 25:08 a wrong view of His character a sin. 25:14 "My God. " And He considered it a sin so dangerous 25:21 that the third commandment is the only commandment 25:26 that comes with a warning. 25:30 There's a commandment that comes with a promise. 25:33 You know? Honor thy father and thy mother 25:36 that thy days may be long upon the land 25:37 which the Lord thy God giveth thee. " 25:39 But this commandment is the only commandment 25:44 that comes with an explicit warning. 25:48 "Thou shalt not take the name of God in vain 25:53 for the Lord will not 25:55 hold him guiltless 26:00 who taketh His name in vain. " 26:02 Here God is saying that any of His followers 26:05 who wear His name without aligning their lives 26:08 with His gracious loving character 26:10 violates this commandment and is guilty 26:13 of taking His name in vain. 26:15 Here God is saying to misrepresent to the world 26:19 what a Christ-like Christian is or is supposed to be 26:23 takes the name of the Lord in vain. 26:28 You know, in my town where I live I get my clothes cleaned 26:32 at 60 Minutes Dry Cleaners. And one day I... 26:36 I ran in in a hurry and I presented my clothes 26:39 and the lady said: "When do you need it back? " 26:41 I said: "Oh, in about an hour. " 26:43 She said: "Oh, no, no, no... that's just the name 26:45 on the door! 26:51 We can't have it back till Thursday. " 26:57 What God is saying is: "The name Christian 27:01 without the character of Christ 27:04 is just a name on a door. " 27:09 Now as many of you know, I am what I call 27:12 a "T" preacher. What is a "T" preacher? 27:15 A teaching preacher. 27:17 A preacher who teaches when he preaches. 27:19 And after the Bible I must tell you 27:24 honestly my primary source of spiritual content 27:27 is the Spirit of Prophecy. Amen! 27:30 I am grateful for the Spirit of Prophecy 27:33 especially on this subject, and I will tell you why. 27:37 For 20 years I have studied many different theological 27:42 writings on the character of God 27:44 and I can tell you no other writer in history 27:50 in the history of the world 27:52 has had more to say about the character of God 27:56 with as much depth and clarity 27:59 as Ellen White. Amen! 28:01 I believe it is just as important for us as a church 28:07 to share what she teaches 28:10 about the character of God. 28:14 No other writer in the history of the Christian church 28:17 that's saying something has spoken so clearly 28:21 about the theological centrality of the character of God. 28:26 And because of the writings in the Spirit of Prophecy 28:29 I understand more clearly that it is God's will 28:33 that we not only be redeemed and saved 28:37 from the penalty of sin 28:39 but it is also God's will that we be delivered 28:43 from the power of sin... 28:47 Yes! Hallelujah! 28:49 and restored into the image 28:55 and likeness and character of God. 29:00 Amen! 29:03 We are not only to be saved from the penalty of sin 29:07 but from the power of sin. 29:09 And for me, her writings often fall into what I call 29:13 the "inch-sib" category. 29:16 Inch-sib... I have an inch-sib file. 29:20 What is an "inch-sib" category? 29:23 Well I'm glad you asked. 29:27 Let me tell you what "inch-sib" stands for. 29:30 I- N-C-H-S-I-B. 29:33 It says for: "I could have never said it better. " 29:45 And I have an Ellen White "inch-sib" file. 29:48 And for those who have issues with my "inch-sib" file 29:52 you know what I tell them? I say: "Don't worry... 29:54 when you start writing things just as profound 29:57 I'll put you in the file, too. " 29:59 "I'll... " AMEN! "I'll quote you, too. " 30:03 Listen to what the servant of the Lord has to say 30:05 about wearing Christ's name without His character. 30:10 She says: "The reason... " Listen! 30:29 And then she says: 30:44 And that makes it difficult to win souls. 30:49 I tell people all the time: 30:50 "This message does not run people from the church. 30:53 People run people from the church. " 30:57 She also says that God... listen to this one: 31:19 My God... it goes all the way down to attitude! 31:24 We cannot misrepresent Christ in our attitude. 31:30 God will not hold us guiltless if we take that name 31:34 in vain. And listen to what she also says. She says: 31:56 Brothers and sisters, the sin of wearing God's name 32:00 and not His loving character is nothing new. 32:04 Throughout history this has been Satan's most effective weapon: 32:10 the distortion and misrepresen- tation of the character of God 32:16 by those who wear His name. 32:19 To wear His name and not grow every day 32:23 to be like Him is taking His name in vain. 32:28 In this commandment God is saying to us 32:31 "Do not give to the world a distorted view of who I am. " 32:36 "Don't wear My name without resembling, reflecting 32:40 and revealing to the world My true loving character 32:45 of grace and love and mercy. " 32:47 And for those who have more reverence for the text of the 32:51 Ten Commandments than the character that the text 32:55 expresses: "You can't have more reverence for the text 33:01 than you have for the character that the text expresses. " 33:05 God makes it clear He is more concerned 33:08 that we live in harmony with His character 33:11 because it is His character that gives the Ten Commandments 33:16 its authority - Amen! and its legitimacy. 33:20 AMEN! 33:21 That's why what God is looking for in us 33:24 is not an outward reverence for the letters in His name 33:29 but rather an inward reverence 33:32 for the character the name expresses and represents. 33:37 And He warns us in this commandment - 33:39 this third commandment - that He will deal harshly 33:44 with any of His followers who wear His name 33:48 while at the same time in their attitudes, 33:52 in their words... I often tell people: 33:55 "You are not going to get to heaven and look at angels... 33:58 and look at them and say: 'What'd you say to me? ' " 34:12 Here are the words... here... these are the words 34:15 from God's servant. Listen to what she says: 34:40 Whoo! I'm preachin' it tonight! 34:42 Amen! 34:45 She says... listen: Why cannot God do that? 35:05 And then she says: "God will not put His seal... " 35:09 Brothers and sisters, "God will not put His seal 35:13 and blessing on duplicity and on pretense. " 35:16 Wherever you have politics 35:21 driving the agenda in the church 35:26 God cannot bless it. 35:34 I heard... I heard an old black lady say it a little different. 35:38 Said: "Child... " said: "God don't bless mess. " 35:43 We who say "Lord, Lord" and do not the things the Lord 35:47 says to do we take His name in vain. 35:49 We who don't practice what we teach 35:54 take His name in vain. 35:57 Did you know that on earth Jesus reserved His most 36:01 harshest criticisms not for those who were obviously 36:06 sinners. He reserved His harshest criticisms 36:11 for the ones who were the caretakers of His reputation. 36:17 The caretakers of His name... He called them dogs, 36:22 devils, hypocrites, graves full of dead men's bones! 36:26 He said: "You go to the ends of the earth to make new members 36:30 and disciples but when you're through with them 36:32 they are twice the child of hell that you are. " 36:36 What Jesus was saying is: "When you're through with them 36:39 they look more like you than they look like Me. " 36:42 Amen! "They don't resemble My Father's loving character. " 36:47 Listen to more of the servant of God. She says: 37:03 And friends, throughout history 37:06 the most atrocious, shocking, egregious 37:12 atrocities and misrepresen- tations of the loving character 37:17 of God have come from the church! Amen! 37:24 People who carry His name. Let me tell it to you this way: 37:30 when the church allies itself 37:34 with power... military power, economic power, 37:40 or political power - yes! whenever the church has allied 37:45 itself with the Babylonian powers of the world 37:49 that power has corrupted the church. Amen! 37:52 I'm going to say it to you in a very tough but straight way: 37:56 there has never been a time in history 38:00 when the church has allied itself with any political party 38:05 and any political power that that church 38:09 has not gone from being a persecuted church 38:13 to being a persecuting church. Amen! 38:18 Did you hear what I just said? Yes! 38:20 There has never been a time in history 38:23 when the church has allied itself with political powers, 38:27 with parties... any political party 38:31 that that church has not gone from being a persecuted church 38:35 to being itself a persecuting church. 38:41 Ah... let me explain. Saul! 38:44 They were persecuted by the Romans. 38:46 Saul got a little power. He began to persecute Christians. 38:52 Christians were being persecuted. 38:54 They got a little power... they began to persecute others 38:58 who didn't believe the way they believed. That's right. 39:00 They persecuted Martin Luther. 39:02 Martin Luther allied himself with the German princes. 39:08 He got a little power. 39:10 He began to persecute. 39:12 Yes... Martin Luther, the spark of the Protestant Reformation, 39:18 began to persecute Anabaptists. 39:21 He supported the mass killings of men and woman and children 39:25 because they believed in baptism by immersion 39:28 and he still believed in infant baptism. 39:31 He persecuted the Jews. 39:34 One of the worst evil wicked despicable books ever written 39:37 was written by Martin Luther 39:39 when he allied himself with political power. 39:43 The church persecuted... The Roman church persecuted 39:49 the church in England. 39:52 The church in England allied itself with the king of England. 39:56 They became the Church of England. 39:59 They began to persecute 40:02 the Puritans and the Pilgrims. 40:06 The Puritans and the Pilgrims fled religious persecution. 40:12 Came to America. They began to persecute. 40:16 When they got power, if you were found in New England as a Quaker 40:21 your first offense was your right ear was cut off. 40:24 The church that allies itself with political power 40:28 will always become a pawn of the devil. 40:33 Listen to what Ellen White says. "Churches... " 40:43 We as Christians, brothers and sisters, 40:46 must always live for the glory of His name. 40:50 You know, even men and corporations 40:53 go to great lengths to protect their brand and their name. 40:58 One of the great blessings of my life 41:01 was to travel with three great men in ministry: 41:04 Cliff Barrows, George Beverly Shea, and Billy Graham. 41:09 And when these men started in ministry 41:11 they made a pact that they would never be seen anywhere 41:14 alone with a woman who was not their wife. 41:19 And they stayed with it for 50 years or more. 41:22 This pact helped to give their names power and integrity 41:27 throughout the world. 41:29 In 1992 I was invited 41:31 to be a singing evangelist for Mr. Graham's first crusade 41:34 in Moscow. And one night I remember I sang 41:37 How Great Thou Art with a 5,000-Russian-voice choir 41:42 behind me. Wow! It was an amazing experience. 41:45 Well, my last night in Moscow 41:48 I caught a taxi and went down to see the legendary 41:51 Moscow Circus. 41:54 I didn't have a ticket, and to my dismay 41:56 there were no tickets to be found. 41:58 In fact, the problem was that there were more tickets 42:00 sold than there were seats. 42:03 So standing around outside were scores of people 42:06 who had tickets for that night's performance 42:09 but there were no seats to be found. 42:11 Now I knew that this was my last night in Moscow 42:15 and I was determined to find a way to see the Circus. 42:19 So I walked around the back to the stage entrance. 42:22 And though I couldn't speak Russian 42:24 I was able to make it clear that I wanted to see the manager. 42:33 So just imagine someone looking like me 42:40 in the doorway in the middle of Moscow 42:44 asking in English to see the manager. 42:49 It was quite a sight, and after some time 42:51 a kind man came, and I began to tell him as best as I could 42:55 that this was my last night in Moscow 42:57 and I wanted to see the Circus. 42:59 And nothing was making sense to him until I said 43:02 I was here in Moscow singing for the Billy Graham 43:06 crusade. And the man said: "Billy Graham! " 43:12 Before I knew what was happening 43:14 I was being escorted to a posh, private box. 43:18 I was given the best seat in the house 43:21 from which to see the Circus. 43:23 And all night long I was offered wine and vodka. 43:28 But don't worry... I didn't drink any. 43:30 I just... I enjoyed the Circus! 43:34 Brothers and sisters, unless we resemble, reveal, 43:38 and reflect the character of God at all times 43:44 we take the name of God in vain. 43:46 Listen to what the servant of the Lord said. She says: 44:03 That means all day every day... no excuses. 44:07 All the time. "You mean I can't be nasty ever? " 44:10 No! 44:13 "You mean I can't at least just for a minute? " NO! 44:20 We must be Christ-like in our actions all the time. She says: 44:29 Brothers and sisters, this I know for sure: 44:31 if we commit ourselves to live for the glory of His name, 44:35 God will bless us. 44:38 I gave my life to Christ when I was 16 years old. 44:42 At 16 years old I decided I would only sing for the glory 44:46 of God. And I wrote a song once that says 44:51 "I'd choose You again and again. " Yes! 44:53 It just said: "Lord, if I had to live my life all over again 44:57 I would choose You... I would choose to spend 45:01 my life singing for the glory of Your name! " 45:06 Amen! 45:07 Many of you may not know that one day I was asked 45:10 to try out for a singing group called The Temptations. 45:15 Yeah, I did all the voices... I did all the voices by myself. 45:23 But I said: "No! I'm going to spend my life 45:26 singing for the glory of His name. " Amen! 45:31 And so instead of singing for The Temptations 45:34 I've spent my life helping people gain victory 45:37 over temptation. 45:43 And I can say with confidence 45:46 I would not have accomplished in my life half of what God has 45:50 allowed me to accomplish if I did not choose in my youth 45:54 to live for the glory of His name. 45:57 The last thing I want to do - and I say this 46:00 humbly, fearfully... humbly and fearfully: 46:04 the last thing I want to do with my life 46:07 is misrepresent the Lord. 46:12 Look at how the servant of the Lord says it. 46:14 She says it this way: 46:25 And then look at what she says: 46:41 And then she says: 47:04 We must not make any excuses. 47:08 Live every day for the glory of His name. 47:13 Amen! 47:15 One night a lawyer was leaving his firm downtown 47:19 and he saw a homeless man on the sidewalk. 47:24 The man was leaned up against the building 47:26 and he felt sorry for the man. 47:27 He walked up to him and told him what he wanted 47:30 to do. He said: "I want to help you. " 47:32 And he took out a pen and he wrote a large check 47:36 and handed it to the man. 47:38 He told him to take that check to the bank the next day. 47:43 Present the check and he would be given enough money 47:46 to get some food, a room to stay in with a hot shower 47:51 and he'd be able to sleep in a comfortable bed. 47:54 The next evening the lawyer was walking to his car again 47:58 and he saw the same man leaning up against the wall 48:04 with a check in his pocket. 48:09 He asked the homeless man why he didn't follow 48:12 his instructions. The homeless man said: 48:14 "Well I went down to the bank 48:17 but when I looked in I saw all these clean 48:20 professional people walking around in shirts and ties. " 48:25 He said: "I knew there was no way they would cash the check 48:28 for someone as dirty as me. " 48:33 The lawyer then explained to him that the check 48:36 would not be cashed based on how he looked. 48:42 The check would be cashed 48:45 on the name that was on the check. 48:50 All he had to do was present the check 48:54 and all would be well. 48:56 I want you to know, brothers and sisters, 48:57 In John 14:13-14 Jesus says: 49:00 "Whatsoever you ask 49:04 in My name 49:07 I will do it. " 49:08 Can I give you some more words from my "inch-sib" file? 49:14 Hmm? You know, my I never could have said it better. 49:20 Servant of God says... just blew me away: 49:23 We're not there yet, I'm going to give you this from my head. 49:27 "When a soul is in discourage- ment... " Ellen White says... 49:31 "God sends help from heaven even before the prayer 49:36 for help is uttered. " 49:41 "When a soul is in discouragement 49:45 God sends help from heaven 49:48 even before the prayer for help is uttered. " 49:54 God commissions His angels to come to us with aid. 49:59 And don't even worry... if you, like me, 50:03 have been a victim of a fast-talking church-going 50:09 con artist... Yeah, I've been a victim. 50:14 Call on the name of Jesus! 50:19 You will see miracles happen 50:23 when you've been taken advantage of. 50:25 As a matter of fact, before I leave I've gotta give you 50:28 these promises. Isaiah 61 verses 6-7. 50:31 Ellen White says... I'm going to tell you Ellen White in a minute 50:33 but the Word of God says: "Instead of your shame... " 50:36 This is a promise from God when people have taken advantage 50:38 of you and you should be brought to shame. 50:41 Here's what God says: "Instead of your shame 50:43 you will receive a double portion. " 50:47 That's what God says. 50:49 "You will rejoice in your in- heritance instead of disgrace. " 50:53 And listen to how Ellen White says it. 50:55 I love the way... This is another "inch-sib" file. 50:57 She says: "If in your power 51:00 you would advantage yourself 51:03 at your neighbor's disadvantage 51:07 every dollar which comes to you in this manner 51:11 will carry with it a curse. 51:15 And you will feel that curse sooner or later. " 51:20 Can I read that to you again? 51:22 "If in your power if anybody advantages themselves 51:27 at your disadvantage, " 51:29 the servant of God says: "every dollar 51:32 they get comes with it a curse. 51:36 And they will feel that curse..." Hallelujah, Bro... 51:40 "sooner or later. " 51:42 And she says: "God marks every act of injustice 51:46 be it done to believers or unbelievers. " 51:50 So that means even if you're a believer 51:52 you may be a victim. 51:55 One day a pastor riding a horse 51:58 back in the day on the way to preach a sermon 52:01 was robbed. When he got back they asked him how it felt. 52:05 He said: "Well, you know, I'm just glad... " 52:08 Said: "they took my purse... " meaning my wallet... 52:11 "but they didn't take my life. " 52:14 He said: "I'm just glad that my wallet didn't have much in it 52:18 anyway. " 52:21 And then he said: "But most of all 52:24 I am glad that I was the one who was robbed 52:29 and not the one who robbed. " 52:34 Praise the Lord! I live for the glory of His name. 52:41 "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord 52:43 shall be saved. " Live for the glory of His name 52:46 for there is none other name under heaven 52:48 among men whereby we must be saved. 52:51 Live for the glory of His name. 52:53 And tonight I want to ask is there anyone here 52:57 determined... determined that you will not take 53:02 the name of God in vain? 53:06 You will wear His name and embrace His character 53:12 in your family, in your home, on your job. 53:17 Live for the glory of His name. 53:21 As Paul says: "Whatever therefore ye eat or drink 53:26 or... " Hallelujah! "whatsoever you do 53:32 all to the glory of His name. " 53:37 Then I want to give you two last quotes before we leave 53:41 from my "inch-sib" file. Can I go to that? 53:45 Amen? Listen. 53:53 What do you think the last piece of light 53:56 that will go to the world before Jesus returns? 53:59 Do you think it's a prophecy? 54:02 Listen to what Ellen White says: 54:16 Amen! 54:27 And then finally 54:29 those who believe in His name 54:34 shall show to the world an unmistakable 54:39 representation of His own character. 54:44 Does anybody here today want to say: "Lord, let me live 54:51 for the glory of Your name? " Amen! 54:56 Let me live - let me live - for the glory - for the glory - 55:01 of Your name - of Your name. 55:03 "Thou shalt not take 55:06 the name of the Lord in vain 55:11 for the Lord will not hold him guiltless 55:16 who taketh His name in vain. " 55:23 Will you pray with me? 55:28 Dear God in heaven, 55:31 You've spoken to us clearly tonight. 55:35 We are convicted and we are humbled. 55:40 We ask that You would teach us, Lord, 55:43 how to live every day 55:47 every moment for the glory of Your name. 55:54 Where we have failed You, God... where we have misrepresented You 56:01 misrepresented Your character, Your Christ-like character, 56:04 we ask Your forgiveness. 56:08 And we ask for Your Spirit's presence 56:11 and power that You would teach us how, day by day, 56:17 moment by moment, 56:20 as we commune with You 56:23 to grow, moment by moment, day by day, 56:29 hour by hour 56:31 to more and more resemble, 56:35 reflect, and reveal Your character. 56:41 Teach us 56:43 how to live for the glory of Your name. 56:49 In the name of Jesus I pray, 56:53 Amen. Hallelujah 56:57 and Amen. Amen! 57:00 God bless you. 57:06 Amen. Isn't He a wonderful God? 57:09 Amen. Anybody says "I'm going to live for the glory of His name" 57:12 just stand with me and say: "I'm going to live 57:15 for the glory of His name. " 57:19 Praise God. Thank you, Bro. Phipps, so much. 57:23 God bless you. I don't know about the rest of you 57:26 but I've been touched tonight. My heart's been touched, 57:29 my mind, and by God's grace will try to rightly represent 57:33 the character of God. |
Revised 2019-08-13