Participants:
Series Code: TDYFW
Program Code: TDYFW200019S
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00:01 I want to spend my life
00:07 Mending broken people 00:12 I want to spend my life 00:19 Removing pain 00:24 Lord, let my words 00:30 Heal a heart that hurts 00:34 I want to spend my life 00:40 Mending broken people 00:46 I want to spend my life 00:51 Mending broken people 01:08 Hello, and a great big welcome to each and every one of you, 01:11 as we're going to be studying today 01:13 on 3ABN Family Worship, 01:14 we're going to be talking about, 01:15 are you ready? 01:17 We've had several lessons on this. 01:18 And I've been excited about every one of them. 01:19 Honey, I know that you have too. 01:21 Oh, yeah. 01:22 So we're looking forward to this part. 01:24 We're going to be on question number five. 01:25 It's taken us a little while to get there. 01:26 But you know, I've enjoyed the journey myself. 01:28 Oh, yes. 01:29 It's been a real learning experience 01:30 as we get different ones with us on the panel 01:32 and they talk about things and been drawn closer to Jesus. 01:35 So again, we're glad that you're here with us 01:37 and we pray that you get your Bible 01:38 and whatever it takes, jot some things down. 01:40 Sometimes it seemed 01:41 like we move rather quickly another time, 01:43 maybe some people might say it slow. 01:45 But as you cover a lot of material here, 01:47 we want you to go back and to check it out 01:49 and to make sure 01:50 you study to show yourself approved unto God. 01:52 God bless you again. 01:53 We're glad you have a lot of different choices. 01:54 You made the right choice here tuning in with us today. 01:57 I guess, first of all, let's introduce our panel. 01:59 Honey, would you help me today? 02:01 Oh, absolutely. 02:02 Thank you. Go right ahead. 02:03 Over to your right is our nephew Jason, 02:06 Jason Bradley. 02:07 Jason, what do you do here at 3ABN? 02:09 Well, so I'm the general manager 02:11 of 3ABN's Dare to Dream Network. 02:13 We all wear multiple hats, whatever is required. 02:17 I understand that very, very well. 02:19 We wear lots and lots of hats. 02:21 You know I wanted to comment on what you were saying too 02:24 about enjoying these messages over the last few months. 02:28 I have really enjoyed you guys writing in 02:30 on Facebook or Messenger 02:32 and they have really been, 02:34 you know, expressing 02:36 how much that these messages have touched their heart, 02:37 and that means a lot to me when I go back and I read that 02:40 because that's what this is all about, 02:41 is reaching people. 02:43 Amen. 02:44 And, Brother Ryan, do you enjoy reaching people? 02:46 I know you do. I know you do. 02:48 That's the goal, mending broken people. 02:50 Yes. That's right. 02:52 Spend our lives mending broken people. 02:53 That's what we're called to do. 02:55 So, Ryan Day, what do you do at 3ABN? 02:57 Well, I have to echo what he said 02:59 because we wear multiple hats here. 03:01 So a little bit of everything 03:03 but I kind of split at the moment, 03:06 I do some duties 03:07 with the 3ABN Praise Him Network, 03:09 which I assist Tim from time to time 03:11 when he needs my assistance and then, 03:13 I'm also 03:14 in the pastoral department here. 03:16 I'm a part of the pastoral team here. 03:18 We answer calls and we answer Bible questions 03:21 and do whatever is necessary 03:23 for the continuation of God's kingdom 03:25 and God's message. 03:26 So that's what it's all about. 03:28 And I know not only are you a blessing 03:30 to everyone at home, 03:31 you both are a blessing to us. 03:33 We're so thankful that you were here. 03:34 We're looking forward 03:35 to what the Lord has on your heart 03:38 for question number five, 03:39 you know, a lot of people say question number five. 03:42 In fact, when you came in, he says, these people, 03:44 they can turn one question into an hour. 03:47 When I looked at question five, 03:48 you know, I thought that that could be a book, 03:51 I mean there's so much involved in it. 03:54 So we're hopeful we'll get into it 03:56 and dig a little deeper 03:58 you know, with our roots need to be dug deep. 03:59 You know what, 04:01 really what I find about sitting around 04:02 just this table and everybody I'm sure is this way, 04:05 but everyone here answers the call, I like that, 04:08 that'd be a good sermon, answer the call, 04:10 that every time they're called upon 04:11 to do something in the cause of Christ. 04:14 I don't think I've ever heard one of them here say, 04:15 No, I can't or I'm too busy, always willing to go, 04:18 always willing to do 04:20 to try something good for Jesus. 04:22 And I think that's wonderful. And I really appreciate that. 04:24 Praise God for that. 04:26 I think we have, we need prayer. 04:28 You know, I'm a believer in prayer. 04:30 Nothing can operate without prayer. 04:31 This program's no good 04:33 without the power of the Holy Spirit. 04:34 We're going to invite the Holy Spirit 04:35 to come near to us 04:37 and then we're going to be singing a song 04:38 and I like that, "O, when shall I see Jesus." 04:40 That's right. That's our theme song. 04:42 Oh, I like that thing. 04:44 So, Mama, how about you? 04:45 Would you pray for us? Oh, certainly. 04:47 Most Gracious Heavenly Father, 04:49 we want to ask you to come into our hearts 04:51 and our minds and take complete control. 04:54 We pray that we will be vessels of honor 04:56 for which the Holy Spirit may come in 04:58 and work in and through us, 05:00 may the people at home no longer see us but see Jesus, 05:03 hear Jesus speaking to their hearts, 05:06 bless us, 05:07 bring these things back that we've studied 05:09 over the last few months and days, 05:11 and bring them back to our memory. 05:14 You've said if we would just show up, 05:16 Father, You will show up. 05:18 So we're just asking for Your presence 05:20 and for Your blessing upon this study. 05:22 And for those of people who are watching at home, 05:24 may they also receive a blessing, 05:26 we pray in Jesus' name, amen. 05:28 Amen. 05:30 All right, Brother Ryan, shall we sing? 05:32 That's right. Absolutely. 05:33 And we're going to make sure we get the right key. 05:35 Okay, good. All right. 05:36 Well, because we've been here we, 05:38 you know, the previous months and you know, 05:41 you're trying to find the right key for everyone, 05:43 but I think we're going to do it 05:44 in the key of E. 05:46 I've got my little piano up here. 05:49 O, when shall I see Jesus 05:53 And reign with him above 05:55 And shall hear the trumpet sound 05:58 In that morning 06:00 And From the flowing fountain drink 06:04 Everlasting love 06:06 And shall hear The trumpet sound 06:08 In that morning? 06:11 O, shout glory! 06:14 For I shall mount Above the skies, 06:16 When I hear the trumpet sound In that morning 06:23 Gird on the gospel armor Of faith and hope and love 06:28 And you'll hear The trumpet sound 06:31 In that morning 06:33 And when the combat's ended 06:36 He'll carry you above 06:38 And you'll hear The trumpet sound 06:41 In that morning 06:43 O, shout glory! 06:46 For I shall mount Above the skies 06:49 When I hear the trumpet sound In that morning 06:55 Our ears shall hear With gladness 06:58 The host of heaven sing 07:00 And shall hear The trumpet sound 07:02 In that morning 07:05 Our tongues Shall speak the glories 07:08 Of our immortal King 07:10 And shall hear The trumpet sound 07:13 In that morning 07:15 O, shout glory! 07:18 For I shall mount Above the skies 07:21 When I hear the trumpet sound In that morning. 07:27 Nice. Hallelujah. 07:28 Oh, beautiful. Hallelujah. 07:29 Praise the Lord. Amen. 07:31 You know what, we will shout. 07:32 I don't know anybody 07:34 that will be quiet when the Lord comes. 07:35 You'll be shouting 07:37 when you hear that trumpet sound. 07:39 That trumpet is going to be loud enough. 07:40 It's going to pierce the ears of the dead. 07:43 Somebody better be shouting, 07:44 "Hallelujah, our Savior is here." 07:47 That's right. 07:48 And our title is, "Are you ready?" 07:51 So are we ready for that trumpet? 07:53 That has been a blessing. 07:54 You should hear us try it without you, 07:57 you know, it's a mess. 07:58 But when you are here, we can do it, 08:00 and it's a blessing to have you. 08:02 To the Lord's ears, that's a blessing. 08:03 Yes. Anyone who sings that. 08:04 Amen. Oh, wow. 08:06 Oh, praise the Lord. 08:07 Let's get into our study, 08:08 we got just a little small opening 08:10 and maybe it will help 08:11 those who maybe haven't tuned in 08:12 and seen either program before. 08:14 Are you ready? 08:15 Question that needs to be asked every day of our life. 08:17 Are we ready to meet Jesus? 08:19 Because it could be our final day, 08:21 our final moment on this planet and then what's next? 08:25 So question number five simply said 08:26 explain what it means to have Christ 08:29 formed within and how this makes us worthy. 08:34 May give just a few thoughts on it 08:35 and then we'll just open it up for everybody to talk about 08:38 because it is to me is a big subject, 08:40 exciting subject 08:42 when I think about Christ being formed within 08:45 and also how much I needed. 08:48 I need Him formed within, 08:50 He's my hope of glory, I know that. 08:52 I thought about this word formed 08:54 and I looked it up just in dictionary say form 08:56 because it seemed like it's in construction 08:58 we always, you know, 08:59 we're going to put a side walk or whatever, 09:00 we put forms. 09:02 And put a form up there, it kind of says, 09:04 what's going to be, 09:05 what's going to be in that parameter, 09:07 how you're going to pour it wherever it's going to be. 09:09 And so as our spiritual condition, 09:11 as the pouring of the Holy Spirit in us, 09:14 we need to see how this thing works. 09:15 And so the word simply means the combination of qualities, 09:19 making something what it is. 09:22 Did you get that? 09:24 Notice, it's a combination of qualities 09:27 that make that something what it is. 09:30 So Christ within, right? 09:31 It makes you what we need to be. 09:34 And they kind of explain this way. 09:36 It's the way that we act. 09:38 It's the way that we behave. 09:40 It's conditions of the mind. 09:43 It's how we're shaped, it's how we're fashioned, 09:46 it's how we develop. 09:48 I thought that's kind of interesting, 09:49 but before that, as we talk about it here, 09:52 before this takes place. 09:53 I think this is noteworthy for us here 09:55 that Christ formed within. 09:58 First of all, I think before He is formed within 10:00 and correct me if I'm wrong, before He's formed within, 10:03 we must answer the call, right? 10:06 Called, everyone's called maybe few are chosen 10:09 but God gives a call to everyone 10:11 for Lord to begin this work. 10:12 Matthew 11:28 and 29, 10:14 pray this is a foundation now 10:16 we're talking about forming things here. 10:17 He says, "Come unto me, all ye that are heavy laden, " 10:21 and what? 10:22 He said, "I will give you rest." 10:24 And just part of verse 29. 10:25 He says, "Take my yoke upon me." 10:29 And, of course, we want to learn of Him. 10:30 So we take number one, his yoke, 10:33 or that which makes the burden lighter. 10:36 Right? 10:37 We need a lighter burden, we can't handle it on our own. 10:39 He puts us in the complete union with Him. 10:42 When we yoke up, 10:43 we're in complete union with Christ. 10:45 Now notice this 10:46 that this making the possibility 10:49 of being like him a reality. 10:51 I like that when we yoke up 10:53 and so it simply says Christ formed within 10:55 because Jesus made this statement 10:56 then we'll open it up. 10:58 Christ made a statement, 10:59 He said for without me and in what is it? 11:01 John 15:5, 11:03 "For without me ye can do nothing." 11:05 That's right. 11:06 So we just laid out on the table like that 11:08 without Christ, we can do nothing, 11:10 but we're looking for Him to come in, right? 11:12 And form us into His image. 11:14 And how does that, 11:15 really how does that take place? 11:17 And how does He come in 11:18 and form to make us worthy of heaven, right? 11:22 Or will we ever be, Brother Ryan, 11:24 are we ever be worthy of heaven? 11:26 Or is it something else? 11:28 Well, we will never feel or think within our own minds 11:32 that we're ever worthy. 11:34 You know, often people 11:35 when I'm talking about the gospel and 11:37 overcoming sin, 11:38 you know, I believe in victory over sin, 11:39 I believe in the gospel. 11:41 I believe Jesus didn't just die on the cross, 11:42 that we, you know, just have forgiveness. 11:45 Jesus did die on the cross that we can have forgiveness. 11:48 That was the forgiveness, that was the pathway. 11:50 I want to make this clear, 11:51 was the pathway that leads us to something 11:54 even greater that Jesus died for 11:55 and that is that we might have complete victory over sin. 11:58 And so you hear people all the time, 12:00 you know, as I'm expressing that to them, 12:01 and they'll say, "Oh, you know, we'll never be perfect, 12:05 we'll never be sinless, right?" 12:07 Well, you know, I don't think we'll ever feel perfect. 12:10 I don't ever think we should ever be, 12:11 we should never be as arrogant to say 12:13 that we are perfect and we were without sin. 12:15 You know, 1 John Chapter 1 verse, 12:17 I think it's 10 that says, 12:18 "You know, if you say you have no sin, 12:20 you lie and deceive yourself." 12:21 You know, we are sinners because we have sinned. 12:24 But to answer your question, Brother, 12:27 I don't think we will ever feel clean enough. 12:29 I'm thinking of Paul. Paul's a great example. 12:32 Paul was a man, I believe, 12:34 probably a New Testament version 12:36 of David, 12:37 a man after the Lord's heart in the sense 12:38 that he was vigilant, he was passionate, 12:41 he was a pious spiritual man. 12:43 And, you know, you look at Paul 12:45 who wrote the majority of the New Testament, 12:46 and you read all of those beautiful letters, 12:49 those epistles that he wrote to the churches 12:51 expressing his faith in Jesus. 12:53 And when you read through those, 12:54 especially my favorite epistle of Paul, to the Romans, 12:57 it kind of his manifesto of the gospel 12:59 which we'll reference in just a few moments, 13:01 but you read Romans and you could just hear Paul 13:05 pouring out his theological mind 13:06 and a theological heart 13:07 in such an elegant, passionate way. 13:10 And you read those and you think yourself, 13:11 man, that brother, 13:13 that brother was full of the Spirit 13:15 of the Lord, before he left. 13:17 In fact, Paul had an assurance, 13:18 we're not talking about not having an assurance, 13:20 my friends. 13:21 We can have an assurance, 13:22 we can have faith to know as Paul would say, 13:24 I know that I have a crown laid up for me 13:26 of righteousness. 13:28 The Lord has built my mansion, 13:29 you know, but we don't want to be 13:30 as arrogant to think 13:32 that we're just perfect and without sin 13:33 I don't think we'll ever feel that 13:35 because I think we'll always feel unworthy 13:37 as Paul near his, 13:39 end of his life he considered himself 13:41 the chief of sinners, right? 13:43 The chief of sinners. Yes. 13:45 So we'll always feel dirty and unworthy, 13:47 but praise the Lord for the grace of God 13:49 that we're not our own judge. 13:50 The Lord can see us in our condition 13:52 and He declares whether or not 13:54 we are perfect in His eyes or not. 13:57 Amen. It's beautiful. 13:58 Absolutely. 14:00 Honey, you have something? 14:01 Well, when I answer... 14:02 My short answer for that question was this 14:05 and then I'm going to bounce back 14:06 to what you're talking about. 14:08 It says to have Christ form within 14:10 is to become a living reflection of truth, 14:14 life and the light of Christ. 14:16 We are living vessels. 14:17 We are the temple of God in which He wishes to dwell in. 14:20 And this is what Christ is waiting for. 14:22 He's waiting for a people to fully reflect Him 14:26 and His character 14:28 so that He may place His robe of righteousness. 14:31 We talked about that 14:32 in one of our messages around us 14:34 and a heavenly crown upon our heads. 14:38 But that just doesn't happen overnight. 14:41 There are steps to having our sins forgiven. 14:44 You know, first of all, our heart needs to be pricked 14:46 as it were, 14:48 it needs to come under conviction. 14:51 And then, of course, comes conversion. 14:53 There's three steps to having our sins forgiven, 14:55 repentance, confession, and restitution. 14:59 Repentance. 15:00 And what does that involve? 15:02 And it has to be a true sorrow, a true sorrow. 15:06 You know, what is the word that the Bible uses? 15:09 If you guys can think of it right now, 15:11 it's escaped me. 15:12 But when you begin to read about a true sorrow, 15:15 it's not just, "Oh, Lord, you know, 15:17 I ate that cookie and I shouldn't have done it. 15:19 Would you forgive me?" 15:21 And the next night is the same thing, 15:22 will you forgive me over and over and over. 15:24 We're never really convicted that it was wrong. 15:29 It's spiritual affliction, afflicting of the soul. 15:31 Exactly, it's afflicting of a soul, 15:33 it's coming to the knowledge of what sin really is, 15:37 and how it hurts us, 15:39 and how it hurts our relationship, 15:41 it separates us from Christ. 15:43 And so then we truly repent. 15:45 And a lot of times, you know, I'll be honest, 15:48 because all of these three things 15:50 are a gift of the Holy Spirit. 15:51 There's been times that I've repented, 15:54 but I haven't really felt it. 15:56 But I wanted to feel, that was the key. 15:59 So when you want to feel it, and you really don't feel it, 16:02 you can say, "Lord, would You please, 16:05 would You please give me that conviction? 16:08 Will You please open my spiritual eyes?" 16:10 And He will. It's a free gift. 16:12 So every step of the way, we are never alone. 16:16 He's there, He's provided a way. 16:18 He is the truth, the life, the way. 16:21 He is the one that gives us the power through His Spirit, 16:23 the Comforter, he said, I have to go, 16:26 it's important that I go 16:27 so that I can send you the Comforter, 16:29 and praise God that we have that Comforter. 16:31 So, you know, a lot of times we're living in a world of sin, 16:35 and we become conditioned to accept it. 16:38 I've said this over and over truth 16:40 has become err and err has become truth. 16:42 And so we got, 16:44 we have to ask God to quicken our eyesight, 16:48 to quicken our heart, 16:49 to change it and to bring that repentance, 16:52 and then of course confession, 16:53 that doesn't mean confession to every person. 16:57 A lot of people think when get up 17:00 that we've got to confess every little, 17:03 well, that cookie had sugar in it, 17:05 and it had milk in it. 17:06 And we, you know, we have to go 17:08 through this long list of confession. 17:10 It's just, I was intemperate, you know, pray for me. 17:13 And we confess to our Heavenly Father, 17:15 we confess to Jesus, 17:17 who's our mediator. 17:19 And, of course, if we've wronged somebody else, 17:21 and then, of course, restitution, 17:23 making things right, 17:24 living that life of righteousness, 17:26 walking that straight, narrow path. 17:29 Yeah, that's good point. 17:30 Go ahead. Absolutely. 17:32 You know, I think 17:33 that when we ask for forgiveness, 17:35 we have to have faith 17:37 that it's already been granted to us. 17:38 So, you know, 17:40 sometimes we want to feel that forgiveness, 17:44 we want to feel like we've been forgiven, 17:47 but we have to take God at His word 17:48 that He is faithful 17:50 and just to forgive us of all our sins 17:52 and cleanse us of all unrighteousness. 17:55 And, you know, I think that that principle 17:59 is very, very important. 18:01 But before we do that we have to recognize our needs. 18:04 So let's go to Isaiah Chapter 64. 18:08 And let's look at verses 6 and 8. 18:11 And, you know, 18:12 even let's say there's a person who's addicted to substances, 18:17 that they may not realize that they have a problem. 18:20 You can't fix a problem 18:22 that you don't realize even exists. 18:23 There you go. 18:24 So Isaiah 64:6, it says, 18:27 "But we are all like an unclean thing, 18:30 and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags, 18:34 we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, 18:36 like the wind, have taken us away." 18:39 Now in verse 8, it says, 18:40 "But now, O Lord, You are our Father, 18:43 we are the clay, and You our potter, 18:47 and all we are the work of Your hand." 18:50 And then there's this beautiful, 18:52 this beautiful illustration here in Ministry of Healing, 18:55 the Ministry of Healing, page 472. 18:57 It says, 18:59 "The great master worker desires to mold and fashion us. 19:03 And as the clay is in the hands of the potter, 19:07 so are we to be in his hands. 19:09 We're not to try to do the work of the potter. 19:12 Our part is to yield ourselves 19:15 to be molded by the master worker." 19:18 You know, I think about 19:19 when you start a new job, 19:21 right, you start a position, and I'll use, 19:24 let's use the hospitality industry, 19:26 I used to manage a restaurant 19:27 and then I had worked in a restaurant for years. 19:30 And so anytime you enter into new industry, 19:35 you have to learn new things. 19:37 So you go through a training process. 19:40 And so, as Christians 19:41 when we are learning about Christ 19:43 and inviting Him to live in us, 19:47 we have to go through a training process, 19:50 we learn how to see things as Christ sees them. 19:54 And so in the restaurant industry, 19:56 they have silent service and so you're going around, 20:00 you see a need and you fill it, 20:03 and you don't say anything about it, 20:05 you're not looking for any praise, 20:06 you're not looking for any accolades, 20:08 none of that. 20:09 You just go and you take care of what you're supposed to do, 20:12 because it's what you're supposed to do, 20:14 it's the right thing to do. 20:15 And so, it's important 20:17 to be able to recognize these things. 20:20 So you go through training. 20:22 Now, in this training, once you get out of training, 20:27 you have to, you sharpen your skills, 20:29 you keep developing those skills 20:31 and honing in on those skills. 20:33 But you don't have to, it's not like, 20:36 hmm, let me go through my checklist. 20:39 It becomes innate. Good. 20:41 And it, yes, and it permeates the heart. 20:44 That is, I mean, it's incredible. 20:47 And I think that's how it is with the Word of God. 20:49 We have to stay in the Word of God, 20:51 we have to continue to feed ourselves and grow, 20:56 you know, as a Christian 20:57 because sanctification is the work of a lifetime. 21:00 But we have to first recognize our need. 21:04 Invite the Lord to take over and say, 21:07 "Lord, I need Your help. 21:10 My righteousness is like filthy rags, 21:13 I need You to come into my life 21:16 and reign supreme over it. 21:18 Help me to be like You 21:20 and die to self and live to You." 21:24 That is awesome. 21:25 So really part of that is He lives His life 21:28 right through us. 21:29 We have to be a vessel. 21:31 I think Romans 8:3 and 4 talks about that Christ 21:33 actually living in us, I'm talking about spirit. 21:35 Let me just read that, Romans 8:3 and 4. 21:38 And then we can talk about 21:39 or go to some of the thought that we hear we might have. 21:42 It says, "For what the law could not do 21:44 in that it was weak through the flesh, 21:46 God sending His own Son 21:48 in the likeness of sinful flesh, 21:50 and for sin condemned sin in the flesh." 21:53 But notice verse 4, 21:54 "That the righteousness of the law 21:56 might be fulfilled in us 21:58 who walk not after the flesh but what? 22:03 According or after the Spirit." 22:04 So the spirit within the Holy Spirit. 22:07 Praise God for the Holy Spirit. 22:08 Amen. Amen. 22:09 We might be talking about there, you don't have, 22:11 you know, when the situation comes upon you 22:13 when you're working somewhere doing, 22:14 you don't have, 22:15 somebody says or doesn't, you gonna say, 22:17 let's see what are the rules here? 22:18 What am I supposed to do 22:19 but it's an automatic outflowing, 22:21 is it not? 22:23 Christ within hope of glory. 22:24 So that's where the mind of Christ comes in, 22:26 right? 22:28 That we want to respond 22:29 the way Christ responds to the issue. 22:31 Now, the issue is, do we do that all the time? 22:34 And if not, why not or should we? 22:37 See, this is debate that goes on a lot of time. 22:38 Well, we can't always do the right thing. 22:41 You know, have you ever heard that, 22:42 we can't always do, well, it's not... 22:43 Well, I didn't mean to say all that, 22:45 I just did anyway, well, they needed any, 22:46 you know, how is this 22:48 when we're talking about Christ really formed within. 22:50 How should our conduct, 22:51 our talk, our actions, our deed, 22:53 what we, how we dress? 22:55 Yes, honey? 22:57 I just have to jump in here. Well, just go right ahead. 22:59 It has to be what Jason said, 23:01 it has to become heart knowledge. 23:03 I love the whole hospitality, you know, lesson there. 23:08 And one thing that very key points 23:11 to all of this is study in prayer. 23:14 We said years ago, 23:17 Pastor Kenny and I, that we would, 23:19 every morning 23:21 before we would eat of any physical food, 23:22 we will partake of that spiritual food first. 23:25 And it changed our lives, it changed my life. 23:29 And I know that it can change your life. 23:31 You know, you can start maybe with five minutes, 23:34 10 minutes and then all of a sudden, 23:36 as you begin to study the Word 23:37 or you're studying Spirit of Prophecy, 23:39 that 10 minutes goes to 20 and then 30 and then 40, 23:42 then an hour, hour and a half, 23:44 pretty soon 23:45 you don't want to go to work at all. 23:46 That's when your life changes. 23:48 We must be connected to heaven. 23:51 It doesn't just happen on its own. 23:53 We have a part to play and that is submission, 23:55 that is saying, Lord, I want to know more. 23:58 Father, please give me Your mind, 24:00 help me to understand Your Word. 24:02 We never pick up the Word, 24:04 never pick up the Word without praying 24:05 for the Holy Spirit's guidance and direction. 24:08 So I love that hospitality that was wonderful 24:10 because it has to become heart knowledge. 24:13 That is the key to having Christ formed within. 24:16 We can't have Him formed within, Brother, 24:18 if we don't know what He's all about. 24:19 You don't know what He's all about. 24:21 Absolutely. 24:22 what you were saying is key and very much on point. 24:25 Because, as I think one of you had said earlier, 24:28 that it's a process. 24:30 We're talking about a process here, 24:31 this doesn't happen overnight. 24:32 In fact, I would like to take us 24:34 on a little bit of a spiritual journey 24:36 to prove that at this point, 24:38 you know what we're essentially discussing, 24:40 here's two major elements of the gospel, 24:42 but this particular question 24:44 is dealing with the second aspect 24:45 of the gospel. 24:47 So the first one is considered justification. 24:49 So when we come to Christ, you know, Christ declares us, 24:53 we are justified in His sight. 24:55 When we accept Him 24:56 again that process of repentance, 24:58 confession and we come to Him 25:01 and we pour out ourselves to Him, 25:02 we accept Him as Lord and Savior. 25:04 His righteousness is applied to us immediately. 25:06 We are justified at that moment, 25:08 but many people's gospel stops right there. 25:11 Many people's gospel stops at the altar of sacrifice 25:14 in the courtyard, 25:16 or they'll go as far as being baptized, 25:18 they may take a trip to the laver, 25:19 but they never enter 25:21 the holy place of the sanctuary. 25:22 Okay? 25:24 And so we want you to, we want you to go in, 25:26 the Lord wants you to go into that corner. 25:27 He wants you to have a courtyard experience. 25:29 But does the gospel experience stop there? 25:32 According to this question, 25:33 and according to what we're talking about, 25:35 no, it doesn't. 25:36 It continues on and it's a process, 25:37 and I want to prove that right now. 25:39 So what we're essentially talking about 25:40 is the sanctification aspect of the gospel. 25:43 Go with me to Luke Chapter 5, Luke Chapter 5. 25:46 This is powerful, 25:48 I'm just going to take us on a couple of scriptures here 25:50 and to prove this that, 25:52 that the process 25:53 of forming Christ within us is a... 25:55 It is a process. 25:57 It takes time. 25:58 It doesn't happen immediately, right? 26:00 It is a process. 26:02 However, that justification aspect 26:04 obviously can happen immediately. 26:05 But does this, 26:07 does the experience stop there? 26:08 No. Christ accepts you as you are. 26:10 Amen, right? 26:11 He accepts us as we are. 26:13 We come to Him filthy, dirty, horrible, 26:16 just draped in the world. 26:17 He accepts us as we are, 26:19 but does He want to leave us that way? 26:21 He doesn't want to leave us that way. 26:22 Luke Chapter 5. 26:23 I think this is an interesting parable 26:25 that Jesus illustrates to bring this about, 26:28 okay to explain what we're talking about. 26:29 So notice what He says in Luke Chapter 5. 26:31 And I'm going to start with verse 37 here. 26:34 He's just previously in the previous verse 36, 26:37 spoke of how you don't put a new garment on an old one 26:40 or new piece of garment on an old garment. 26:42 But then notice what he says here in verse 37 and onward. 26:44 He says, "And no one puts new wine into old wineskins, 26:48 or else the new wine will burst 26:49 and the wineskins will be spilled, 26:52 and the wineskins will be ruined." 26:56 And then notice what verse 8 says, 26:57 "But new wine must be put into new wineskins, 27:01 and both are preserved." 27:02 And in verse 39 is key here, 27:03 notice this, "And no one, having drunk old wine, " 27:07 what's the next word there, 27:09 immediately or straightforward, it says straightway, 27:12 immediately same thing, 27:14 "desires the new, for he says, 27:16 'The old is better.'" 27:17 So notice the illustration. 27:18 Sometimes we got to take ourselves 27:20 out of our Western cultural mindset, 27:23 and we got to place ourselves in that Middle Eastern culture. 27:25 As Jesus is telling this to Jews, 27:28 they're going to understand what he's talking about. 27:30 Picture this for me. 27:31 These people would have traveled 27:32 some very deciduous plains in the hot, hot sun 27:35 out there with their camels clucking along, 27:37 they've got their wineskin 27:39 on the outside part of the belly of that, 27:41 you know, of that camel 27:44 and it's bouncing around 27:45 in that hot heated desert sun, right? 27:47 And we're talking about an old wineskin, right? 27:49 These are old and they're not new wineskins, 27:51 they're a little brittle. 27:52 They've been there while. 27:53 They've been through, 27:55 they're kind of weathered at this point. 27:56 Now you take new wine and we know the Bible, 27:57 you know says that new wine, 27:59 of course, is straight from the vine, 28:01 it's fresh grape juice. 28:03 It's not that fermented stuff. 28:04 So you take new wine freshly squeezed grape juice, 28:07 and you go put that new wine into that old wineskin, 28:09 and they're out there 28:11 clucking around in that heat and traveling 28:12 and it's out there swishing and swashing around 28:15 in that old wineskin, what's going to happen? 28:18 Well in that hot, that hot, desert heated sun, 28:22 it's going to start fermenting, 28:23 it's going to start swelling and before you know it, 28:25 okay, the wineskins are going to burst. 28:27 That's essentially what Jesus is saying. 28:29 So don't take that fresh stuff 28:30 and put it immediately 28:31 into that new wineskin and expect it, 28:33 everything's going to be okay. 28:34 You put the old wine which is already fermented 28:36 into the old wineskin, 28:38 you put the new wine into the new wineskin, 28:40 because that's how the process works. 28:41 But the key verse here 28:42 in reference to what we're talking about 28:44 is verse 39. 28:45 He says 28:46 that no one having drunk old wine, 28:48 here's the key word, immediately desires new, 28:50 for he says the old is better. 28:51 You go found 28:52 and this is again an illustration 28:54 but if you go find your local town drunk, 28:56 okay, I'm just using the illustration you know. 28:59 He's out there on the street corner, 29:00 he's drunk 29:01 with the fermented stuff of the world 29:04 and you come up and present him freshly squeezed grape juice 29:08 and you say, "Hey, Brother, 29:09 I got something better for you." 29:11 You think he's going to drink 29:12 that freshly squeezed grape juice 29:14 and go, Ooh, wow, what have I been missing? 29:17 Right, makes sense. 29:19 He's already acquired a taste for the bad stuff. 29:23 In other words, 29:24 he's already been fermented by the world. 29:27 Now, is it impossible for him 29:29 to take a take a liking to the fresh wine 29:33 or the new wine or the grape juice? 29:35 It's not impossible. 29:36 In fact, that verse doesn't imply that there. 29:38 It just says 29:40 he doesn't immediately desire the new. 29:42 In other words, what does this imply? 29:44 It's a process. It's a process. 29:46 There's hope for this drunk guy. 29:48 There's hope that he can get away 29:50 from the old stuff 29:51 and desire the fresh new squeezed grape juice, 29:54 but it's going to take time. 29:55 Now let's go to a couple more verses here 29:57 to just kind of nail this in. 29:58 Let's go to Romans Chapter 1, Romans Chapter 1. 30:01 This is again, the book of Romans 30:02 probably my favorite by Paul, 30:04 because this is just kind of all of his theological mind 30:07 juiced into one book. 30:09 But if you could even juice 30:11 even more of a concentrated form 30:14 of what all Paul is saying 30:15 in this beautiful Book of Romans, 30:17 verses 16 and 17 of Romans Chapter 1 30:21 is probably the synopsis of Paul's writings, 30:24 probably the most powerful statements 30:26 that he makes in here, very truthful. 30:28 Notice what he says here, verse 16 and 17 of Romans 1. 30:31 He says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, 30:33 for it is the power of God 30:35 to salvation for everyone who believes, 30:37 to the Jew first and for the Greek." 30:38 Amen. Yes. 30:39 Now notice verse 17. 30:41 "For in it the righteousness of God 30:45 is revealed from faith to faith, 30:50 as it is written, 30:51 'The just shall live by faith.'" 30:52 So notice here, 30:54 he's communicating the process from faith to faith. 30:57 Okay, 2 Corinthians Chapter 3. 30:59 2 Corinthians Chapter 3, this is powerful. 31:00 Going to take you 31:02 on a little bit of a journey here. 31:03 To prove this, this process is powerful. 31:06 3 Corinthians Chapter 3, I'm going to read verse 18. 31:08 We've read this many times, powerful. 31:11 So notice here, "But we all, with unveiled face, 31:14 beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, 31:16 and being transformed into the same image 31:19 from glory to glory." 31:22 Okay, notice what Jesus says, 31:23 we're going to put this together real quick. 31:25 Jesus says over here, 31:26 no one having drunk old wine 31:28 is going to immediately desire the new one. 31:30 In other words, what he's saying is, 31:32 you know what? 31:33 It's going to take time, it involves a process. 31:35 It doesn't happen immediately. 31:37 Paul says over here in Romans Chapter 1, 31:39 he says, you know what? 31:41 It's a process, it's going to take you 31:42 from faith to faith, 31:44 in other words, step by step 31:46 and over here in 2 Corinthians Chapter 3, 31:47 right there in verse 18. 31:49 Again, we are to bring 31:50 about the divine glory of the Lord 31:52 and as His character becomes our character. 31:55 It doesn't happen overnight. 31:56 It doesn't happen immediately. 31:58 It involves a process. It takes time. 31:59 It happens from glory to glory. 32:01 One more text, you're in 2 Corinthians 3, 32:04 go to 2 Corinthians 4. 32:05 All right, now look at verse 16. 32:08 Paul nails this down, it's beautiful. 32:10 He says, "Therefore we do not lose heart 32:13 even though our outward man is perishing, 32:16 yet the inward man is being renewed day by day." 32:22 Jesus says, "No one having drunk old wine 32:24 immediately desires the new, 32:25 it involves a process, it takes time. 32:27 It doesn't merely happen. 32:29 Paul says it's like 32:30 from one level of Christian character development 32:32 to the next. 32:33 From faith to faith, from glory to glory, 32:36 step by step, day by day, it's a process. 32:40 Yes. 32:41 So we have to understand this is a sanctification. 32:43 How is Christ going to be formed within me? 32:46 We're going to talk about what that looks like. 32:47 I'm going to come back to that in just a moment 32:49 because I'm going to kick it to these beautiful people here. 32:51 But I just want to nail that down. 32:52 A lot of people think that again, 32:54 as you brought it earlier, 32:55 that it's once saved, always saved. 32:56 I come and say one prayer back in 19, 32:58 whatever. 32:59 I'm saved, nothing else will happen. 33:01 Well, that's wonderful. 33:02 You might have been justified in that moment 33:03 because you came to the Lord. 33:05 But now God wants to take you on a spiritual journey 33:07 to take that fallen nature of yours 33:11 and he wants to reshape it, remodel it, 33:14 kind of like the potter with the clay. 33:16 And that takes time. It's a process. 33:18 It is a day by day process. 33:19 Amen. I love that. 33:21 I love that. 33:22 Wonderful Bible study. 33:24 But don't you know 33:25 that just as much as Christ wants us 33:27 to grow in Him day by day. 33:28 By the way, I call that progressive revelation. 33:31 I mean, if you live this life as a Christian, 33:34 can you imagine? 33:35 Can you imagine 33:37 if God gave us everything at once, 33:39 because I already have felt many times in my life 33:41 that's too heavy. 33:42 That's too heavy, 33:44 because it's not what I thought it was going to be. 33:46 I didn't realize we were in a warfare. 33:49 I didn't really realize what Lord meant 33:51 and what I needed to say from in the beginning, 33:53 but we are in a warfare 33:55 and just as much as Jesus wants to help us, 33:57 the enemy doesn't want you to get past sanctification. 34:00 He doesn't want you to go on to sanctification. 34:03 Because if he knows, he knows if we do, 34:06 he's going to lose us. 34:07 He's going to lose us. 34:09 So he's happy for those. 34:10 And I can remember having a girlfriend 34:12 I went to high school with, 34:13 I think even grade school and her husband. 34:15 I mean, he just, 34:17 he did everything like the world, 34:19 you know, smoke, drink, talk everything. 34:21 And he's 34:23 and we were trying to witness to him, 34:24 she and I both. 34:26 And he says, I don't need that, I've already been saved. 34:29 I don't need that, I'm saved. 34:31 You know, that is what the enemy wants us to think. 34:34 He wants us to think that everything's okay. 34:37 It doesn't matter what we do, what we say, where we go, 34:40 what we listen to, we don't need to change. 34:43 You know, in fact, now what is the world doing? 34:45 They're throwing the Bible out, 34:47 they're creating new Bibles that fit their lifestyle. 34:50 Hello. 34:51 Jesus is calling us to be to inherit heaven, 34:56 to be Christians 34:57 that are fit for the kingdom of God. 35:00 And so we're to line up with Him. 35:02 And I am so thankful that He is such a patient, 35:05 loving, gentle God 35:09 because we certainly aren't that way 35:10 with each other. 35:12 We expect everybody should know everything of the world. 35:14 Think about it. 35:16 That's another lesson I learnt from that. 35:18 We have to do a whole topic on that one. 35:19 Yeah. 35:20 What do you think about when you say, 35:22 what do they say the old habits are not easily broken. 35:25 Right. 35:26 You know, I think that it takes time. 35:30 And again, it goes back to recognizing 35:32 that you have a problem. 35:34 You have to recognize that you have a problem. 35:36 But then you also have to have the resources for the solution. 35:40 And the resources exist right here 35:42 in the Word of God. 35:43 And so you know, when I think about, you know, 35:45 the whole "once saved, always saved" thing, 35:47 I think about Adam and Eve, they were created by God. 35:50 They were in a perfect environment 35:53 made by God, 35:55 but yet they chose to do something different 35:57 and we see what happened to them 35:59 as a result of that. 36:00 But yet, you know, 36:02 God provided a way for mankind to be saved. 36:06 But it's not "once saved, always saved." 36:10 I want to stay in 2 Corinthians because we're already there. 36:14 So let's look at 2 Corinthians 5:17-21. 36:19 Okay, yes. 36:21 17-21. Yes. 36:23 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, 36:25 he is a new creation, 36:26 old things have passed away, behold, 36:28 all things have become new. 36:31 Now all things are of God, 36:33 who has reconciled us to Himself 36:36 through Jesus Christ, 36:37 and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 36:40 that is, that God was in Christ 36:42 reconciling the world to Himself, 36:45 not imputing their trespasses to them, 36:48 and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 36:53 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, 36:57 as though God were pleading through us: 37:00 we implore you on Christ's behalf, 37:03 be reconciled to God. 37:05 For He made Him 37:06 who knew no sin to be sin for us, 37:10 that we might become 37:12 the righteousness of God in Him." 37:15 So it's not our righteousness, it's Christ's righteousness. 37:18 You know, we, the old, old things have passed away, 37:22 behold, all things have become new. 37:25 You know, we were talking about the training experience 37:28 and stuff in the hospitality industry. 37:30 Well, now, 37:31 I've gone from the hospitality industry 37:33 and restaurants and stuff into ministry, 37:37 in full-time ministry, but media ministry and so now, 37:42 as I've learned about television 37:44 and the different things that go on behind the scenes, 37:47 my eyesight is different. 37:50 And so as we study the Word of God, 37:52 we learn about what's going on behind the scenes. 37:55 So I don't watch TV exactly the same as I used to 37:58 because I can see, you know, is that an, is that an edit? 38:03 What, you know what? 38:04 Look at that, 38:05 okay, that's, they used three camera angles 38:07 from different angle. 38:08 You see from the different angles. 38:10 Now when you have spiritual eyesight, 38:12 you look at different instances and issues 38:14 that are taking place. 38:16 And you know that it's not just man's doing. 38:20 They're being used by the enemy or they may be, 38:23 it might be a positive situation 38:25 where they're being inspired by God 38:27 and so you see from a different eyesight 38:30 and when you have Christ within you, 38:33 you know, you see as He sees. 38:35 You see and in the world today, sin is becoming, 38:40 you know, very obvious what sin is and righteousness, 38:43 you know, way things are going in the world. 38:45 And that's why God is making, I won't easier on us. 38:47 We have entered the School of Christ 38:49 in which we will never graduate. 38:51 You know, getting education with Christ. 38:53 So it's constantly ongoing, always learning and getting. 38:56 I'm going to read something here, 38:57 it's found in Review and Herald, 38:59 1892, April 12, this was written 39:01 and just talking about 39:02 what everybody's been talking about. 39:03 They're talking about the old nature, 39:05 the old nature is that which born of blood right 39:07 with drunk flesh and blood, 39:09 and will, notice this, 39:10 and the will of the flesh 39:11 cannot inherit the kingdom of God. 39:13 So there has to be a change in some house take place, 39:17 right take place in our life, 39:18 in our heart when we're born in this world, 39:20 sometime, you know, 39:22 in our life that we need to give it to Him, 39:25 because what happens it says here, the old ways, 39:28 the hereditary tendencies, 39:30 the former habits must be given up. 39:34 I've noticed many people who have 39:35 and I'll use the smoking for one 39:38 if it's okay to do that. 39:39 I'm not trying to offend anyone here, 39:41 but you can talk someone 39:42 who's given it up 15 or 20 years, 39:44 and I've had this happen, 39:45 I get tickled to and I always say, 39:47 what do you do? 39:48 They'll be talking to me and they'll be going, 39:52 they're digging for one, 39:53 so they're reaching for one and I'll say, 39:55 what are you, what are you reaching for? 39:56 What do you do? 39:57 Oh, I know, well, that's just a habit. 39:59 I did that for so many years. 40:02 The habit. But notice what it says here. 40:04 It says, the always hereditary tendencies 40:07 and those, you know, of course cultivated, 40:09 former habits must be given up, 40:11 for grace is not inherited. 40:14 That's an interesting thought. 40:15 Notice this, 40:17 the new birth consist in having new motives. 40:19 And we know that new taste and new tendencies, 40:22 those who are begotten with a new life 40:24 by the Holy Spirit 40:26 have become partakers of divine nature. 40:29 So what's all about? 40:31 They said it's going to be accomplished by humanity 40:33 and divinity cooperating working together, 40:36 yoking up, 40:38 that this is accomplished, 40:39 because I really, I really have nothing 40:41 in which to give or to help the cause of Christ. 40:44 But I can commit my will to Him, 40:46 I can yoke up with Him. 40:49 And then He said, "Kenny, if you yoke up with Me, 40:50 your burden is going to be light. " 40:52 We talked about that. 40:53 He's going to take control and He's going to lead us 40:55 into that path of righteousness to be like Him. 40:58 I love it because He said, I began a good work 41:00 and I claim that all the time. 41:02 I've begun a good work in you Kenny, 41:03 believe it or not, 41:05 and I will finish it if you let me. 41:07 Our part is promised. 41:08 We're supposed to let Him do it. 41:09 It's a promise. 41:11 Because sometimes you get discouraged 41:12 because you don't maybe always think 41:14 or react or say 41:16 what you should as a Christian, as a... 41:18 My wife every once in a while, son goes little, 41:20 you know, going a little bit haywire. 41:23 Oh, I know it never happens in your life. 41:24 But I'm coming, pastor, I'll just back away a minute, 41:27 give me a minute, 41:28 with them is going maybe haywire. 41:30 You know what she'll say to me sometime? 41:31 She say honey, remember who you represent. 41:34 That's right. Remember who you are. 41:36 So what does that do? 41:37 That calls you right back that I'm a child of God. 41:41 And that's what I want to be a child of God. 41:43 But my actions or my thoughts or words 41:45 maybe wasn't that way. 41:46 So they need to be controlled to where consistently, right? 41:51 Because to me, it's not Christ formed within 41:53 if I'm wishy-washy. 41:55 If I'm going this way one day and going that way, 41:58 you know, when I see myself go the other way, 42:00 I say for your work's not complete in me Christ, 42:03 I need You more. 42:04 It doesn't discourage me, a certain aspect of it, 42:07 it just, it drives me to the foot of the cross 42:09 and therefore I lay out before him and say, 42:10 Oh, Lord, I'm so weak, I'm so vacillating. 42:13 You know what a pathetic example, 42:14 I think sometime is, 42:16 you're not worthy to preach the Word of God, 42:17 you're not worthy to be a witness for Me. 42:19 But God said I've called you, right? 42:21 I've chosen you. And that's awesome. 42:23 And I will equip you 42:25 with what you need when the time arises. 42:28 I am your all in all, 42:30 it's not a, it's not about you Kenny. 42:33 It's not about any individual. 42:35 It's about Jesus Christ and to lift Him up, 42:37 let Him be formed within. 42:39 I want to be like Jeremiah, 42:40 leave it here and go to whoever 42:42 maybe you talk about some things, Ryan, 42:44 you had on your mind there. 42:46 Jeremiah, you get a lot on your mind. 42:48 Praise God for that. It's got to keep coming out. 42:51 No, it's got to keep coming out as we share Jeremiah 15:6, 42:54 he said, "Thy words were found, 42:57 and I did," what? 42:58 "And I did eat them up." 43:01 Thy words were found, 43:02 you can't find something unless you're looking for it. 43:04 That's right. 43:05 Man, keep looking for it, 43:07 keep digging and searching and scratching and looking, 43:09 the words were found and as soon as they were found, 43:11 I was starved to death. 43:12 That's right. I did eat them up. 43:14 I didn't just take a little spoonful and said, 43:15 "Oh, how wonderful this is. 43:17 Oh, how wonderful it is." 43:19 I mean, I'm digging in. That's right. 43:20 I come home and I'm hungry sometime 43:21 take the big spoon. 43:23 And I'll go, yeah, just say honey, don't slurp. 43:28 We see a lot of times we don't realize, 43:30 we don't realize what we need 43:31 which is what you just pointed out. 43:33 We don't realize 43:34 that our very best works are as filthy rags. 43:37 We don't realize that we're lost 43:38 and we're in need 43:40 and we think we have everything 43:41 but we're as wretched and hopeless. 43:44 You know, Jeremiah going on with Jeremiah 29:13, 43:47 the beautiful promise is this, 43:49 "You shall seek Me and find Me 43:53 when you shall search for Me with all your heart." 43:58 You see, Jesus is calling for all of us, 44:02 He is that master potter, we're His clay. 44:04 It's not just a portion, 44:06 I'm just going to take this piece of clay, 44:07 I'll take that right arm and you keep the left. 44:10 He wants all of us. 44:12 You know, Spirit of Prophecy, 44:13 I think this was found in Steps to Christ, 44:16 reads like this, 44:17 because it's so important, 44:18 but it's a progressive revelation. 44:20 It's a sanctification process. But you know what? 44:23 If, let's say, 44:25 once we were justified 44:26 if we were like that thief on the cross 44:28 wants to be in the kingdom, so don't ever get discouraged. 44:31 But when God gives us breath, He gives us life. 44:35 He gives us opportunity to learn what, 44:37 you know, and we'll be judged for those things 44:39 that we had opportunity to learn. 44:42 And yet we chose not to. 44:44 So it's important. 44:45 It reads as this, Steps to Christ, 44:47 I think is probably page 43, 44:50 "The whole heart must be yielded to God, 44:53 or a change can never be wrought in us 44:56 by which we are to be restored into His likeness." 45:00 We are to be restored. 45:02 You see, that's what happened, the enemy stole us. 45:04 And now Christ is trying to win us back 45:06 and we were made in His likeness. 45:08 He made man after the image of God, right? 45:11 "Okay, by nature, we are alienated from God, 45:15 the Holy Spirit describes our condition 45:17 in such words as these, 45:18 dead in trespasses and says, dead, we're dead." 45:22 We don't understand what life is 45:23 until we begin to live it for Him. 45:25 "The whole head is sick. 45:27 The whole heart faint, no soundness in it. 45:31 We are held fast in the snare." 45:33 Oh, have mercy of Satan. 45:36 You know, I didn't realize how many snares he had. 45:39 But the more you begin to study, 45:41 the more your eyes are opening and you go, wow, 45:44 I had no idea, 45:46 taken captive by him and his will. 45:49 God desires. This is good news. 45:52 That poor drunk you describe God desires to heal us. 45:57 We're all poor drunks. 45:59 We are drunk with the wine of the wrath 46:01 of her fornication. 46:03 We're all on that side of the street. 46:05 We're all hopeless without Him. 46:07 God desires to heal us to set us free 46:11 and people used to say, set us free from what? 46:14 From sin. 46:15 Set us free from sin and self. 46:18 But since this requires an entire transformation, 46:22 or renewing of the whole nature, 46:25 we must yield ourselves wholly to Him. 46:30 The warfare against self is the greatest battle 46:33 that we will ever fight. 46:35 I read this one time before it said 46:36 sometimes Christ's plan is the only safe plan. 46:41 You know, take that, I don't know 46:43 whatever you've got there with it, 46:44 because she's brought some good things. 46:46 This makes your mind like this. Oh, Lord, have mercy. 46:48 No, it's powerful. This is what I'm saying. 46:50 This is lot to chew on. 46:51 When you consider as what we've talked 46:53 about this process. 46:55 It's a powerful process. 46:57 And we don't have to worry. 46:58 There may be someone at home right now that says, 47:00 "You know what? 47:01 I want Christ formed within me, 47:02 I believe 47:04 maybe I'm forming Christ within me. 47:05 But there may be someone watching this that says, 47:07 I don't really know, how can I know? 47:09 Are there any indications that I'm on the right path 47:12 that I'm on this journey?" 47:13 Let me take you on another journey. 47:15 All right. Matthew Chapter 5. 47:18 This is powerful to consider 47:20 because Jesus began His ministry 47:24 by preaching this process of sanctification. 47:28 Yes. 47:30 And he ended His ministry 47:31 by preaching this process of sanctification. 47:34 Matthew Chapter 5, 47:35 we know this to be the great Sermon on the Mount. 47:38 And it's interesting that you know, 47:39 when a minister is preparing his sermon, 47:42 you know, you want that fine, powerful introduction, right? 47:46 You want that attention getter, 47:47 you know, I was taught, 47:49 you know, in a homiletics class on how to, 47:51 you know, how to prepare and properly you know, 47:55 basically set up a sermon and create a sermon, 47:59 and we're always taught to do a great introduction, 48:01 a powerful attention getter is going to grab the attention. 48:04 And so you want to say 48:05 some of your most important words first 48:07 to really grab the attention of the people 48:09 because you want to pull them. 48:10 You want to take them on a journey. 48:11 Well, it's interesting 48:13 that Jesus was probably the greatest preacher of all, 48:15 He's the greatest teacher of all. 48:17 And in his very first ever recorded sermon, 48:20 He opens His mouth and what is His introduction? 48:24 Blessed are the poor in spirit, 48:28 for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 48:31 What? 48:33 You know, I'm sure the people in his day 48:34 because of their kind of twisted, 48:36 perverted, traditional mentality 48:38 of the gospel, which was, you know what, he just said, 48:41 blessed are the poor. 48:42 They didn't hear poor in spirit. 48:43 Blessed are the poor men, because in those days, 48:45 it was you know, what? 48:46 If you're poor, you know, 48:49 you have demons in your life, right? 48:51 You're not being led by God, you're not saved, right? 48:53 But if you're rich and you know you're wealthy, 48:55 God's ultimately blessed you. 48:57 But Jesus didn't say blessed are the poor. 48:59 He said, blessed are the poor in spirit. 49:02 In other words, what is he saying? 49:03 And again, watch this. 49:04 This is powerful, what He opens us up with this, 49:06 blessed are you when you realize 49:09 that you are spiritually bankrupt, 49:12 you have nothing to learn, have nothing to add. 49:15 Blessed are you when you realize 49:16 that you have reached a spiritual depravity 49:19 that you have to turn to God and say, 49:20 "Lord, I've hit rock bottom. 49:22 There's nothing else that I can, Lord, I give up. 49:24 I surrender to you." 49:25 Now, once you reach that state, the Lord says, 49:27 "Now I can do something with this." 49:28 Now watch this. 49:30 Now a lot of people read these beatitudes 49:31 and they see them almost like in a poetic sense, 49:33 kind of like these different individual little bullet points 49:36 where Jesus is just like, 49:37 you know, blessed that are these kind of people, 49:38 blessed are these kind of people 49:40 and oh, this kind of people over here, 49:41 they're blessed too. 49:42 But it's interesting, 49:44 Jesus is taking you on a journey, get this. 49:45 He's showing you the process of sanctification 49:49 from one level of Christian character development 49:51 to the next, get this. 49:52 Blessed are the poor in spirit. 49:55 Blessed are... 49:56 Notice them in verse 4, "Blessed are those who mourn." 50:00 You see, when you reach your rock bottom moment, 50:02 you realize you're spiritually bankrupt. 50:06 You turn to the Lord and you realize, 50:07 wow, Jesus is the Savior. 50:10 He took my sin. 50:12 He bled on a cross and died for me. 50:14 I deserved that death 50:16 and when you realize that your sins 50:18 nailed Jesus to a cross, what are you going to do? 50:20 You're going to mourn. That's right. 50:21 In fact, Zacharias says in Chapter 12, I believe it is, 50:24 Zachariah 12:10, he says, they will mourn, 50:26 "They will look upon me whom they have pierced, 50:28 and they will mourn as one who has lost 50:31 their firstborn or their only son." 50:33 Powerful, you will mourn but notice this, 50:36 I love the next part. 50:37 Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be, 50:40 notice, comforted. 50:41 Jesus is not going to be mourning for long, 50:43 I'm going to comfort you. 50:44 I'm going to prepare your heart. 50:46 But notice verse 5, "Blessed are the meek." 50:48 In other words, once you've hit rock bottom, 50:50 you've mourned, 50:51 but God has now brought you to a comforting place 50:53 to recognize Him as the Lord and Savior of your life. 50:56 Now, He's going to make you meek. 50:58 Yeah, praise God. 50:59 You're going to adopt an attitude of meekness, 51:01 this is powerful. 51:03 "The blessed are the meek, 51:04 for they shall inherit the earth." 51:06 The next one, 51:07 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness." 51:09 You see, once you're brought to a level of meekness, 51:12 you've been humbled. 51:13 You've been humbled by the cross. 51:15 You've been humbled by Jesus. 51:16 Now you create that, that hunger and thirst, 51:20 you can't get enough. 51:21 You get a hunger and thirst for righteousness. 51:23 You want more and more of this wonderful Savior 51:25 who has saved you from your sin. 51:27 Notice, going on verse 7, "Blessed are the merciful." 51:31 Now this ain't just any old kind of mercy. 51:33 You see, sometimes we have a twisted idea of mercy. 51:36 Blessed are those who are merciful. 51:37 Why? 51:38 In other words, blessed are you 51:40 when you begin to treat others the way Christ has treated you. 51:45 Notice how He's bringing you 51:47 from one level of Christian character development 51:48 to the next. 51:49 Let's continue on here. We're running out of time. 51:51 Blessed are the pure in heart. 51:53 You see, once you begin to treat others, 51:55 the way Christ has treated you, 51:58 then you become pure in heart. 52:00 That's good news. I love it. 52:02 I love it. 52:03 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." 52:05 Verse 9, "Blessed are the peacemakers." 52:08 You see, once you have been made 52:09 pure at heart, 52:10 because you've treated others, 52:12 you begin to treat others the way God has treated you 52:14 and you've become pure in heart. 52:15 The Lord has begin to purify you, 52:17 then you not only want 52:19 the Prince of Peace in your life, 52:21 but you want to imitate, 52:24 you want to exemplify 52:26 the character of the Prince of Peace. 52:28 You become a peacemaker. 52:29 This is powerful. 52:31 And then notice this next one, in fact, this is the last one. 52:33 "Blessed are those who are persecuted 52:35 for righteousness sake, 52:36 for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." 52:38 This is what caps it off here. Don't miss this point. 52:41 Once you partake 52:43 in the divine character of the Prince of Peace 52:45 and the Lord has shaped and molded. 52:47 He's brought you 52:48 from one level of Christian character development 52:49 to the next, 52:51 He's already commissioned you 52:52 but now you take the commission extremely serious. 52:56 It's life and death. 52:58 It's your life. 53:00 And when you're out there going into a dark world, 53:04 and you are shining the bright beacon of the light 53:07 of Jesus Christ 53:08 in the hearts and minds of others 53:10 who are lost in this dying world. 53:12 The devil can't have that. 53:14 He can't have you out there 53:16 taking the light of the Word of God, 53:18 and shining into the dark, 53:19 stony cold hearts of other people, 53:21 he can't have that. 53:22 So what is he going to do? 53:24 The dragon was wroth with the woman. 53:27 And he went to make war with the remnant of her seed 53:29 which keep the commandments of God 53:31 and have the testimony of Jesus. 53:32 The ultimate, 53:34 all of these different levels of 53:35 Christian character development 53:36 can show you where you are 53:38 in that process of sanctification. 53:40 The ultimate thing is that the devil 53:42 when you've reached that point, 53:43 where you start irritating the devil, 53:45 where you have become a problem, 53:47 you become a problem to the devil's agenda, 53:51 he can't have that. 53:52 He's going to lie, 53:53 he's going to put you in his crosshairs. 53:55 And you know, you may, 53:56 you're not, you may not, no, no, 53:59 you might, no, no, you will receive persecution, 54:03 and I always go back to James. 54:05 James reminds us that when persecution comes, 54:07 when that trial comes count it as joy. 54:11 Count it as joy because it builds patience. 54:13 Know that the devil's attacking you, 54:15 it's probably 54:17 because the Lord is doing something marvelous 54:19 in your life. 54:20 Amen. Well said. 54:22 Amen. 54:23 That is really, that's really exciting in there 54:25 because it reminds you in Colossians 2:10, it says, 54:28 "At that point in time to go through there 54:30 ye are complete in him." 54:33 That's it. 54:34 A couple of words, we got few minutes left. 54:36 Yes, you know, like when you accept Christ. 54:39 So let's say prior to accepting Christ, 54:41 what you're doing 54:42 is you're making behavioral modifications. 54:45 But when you accept Christ then comes 54:47 about that genuine transformation, 54:49 that long-lasting change, 54:51 because you want to, like you said, emulate Christ. 54:55 You want to be like Christ 54:56 and you want to take on His ways, 54:58 you don't like the things that He doesn't like 55:01 and you loved the things that He loves. 55:03 And so, I love what, how you broke that down, 55:06 the beatitudes, Sermon on the Mount. 55:10 Powerful, powerful. 55:11 And so, 55:13 there's plenty of examples in the Bible, 55:15 where you can look at it and say, 55:17 "Well, how do I measure up to that, you know, Lord. 55:20 Is Christ within me truly being manifested 55:26 in my actions? 55:27 You know, do I have the fruits of the Spirit?" 55:28 Amen. 55:30 "Am I behaving like a Christian in Romans 12?" 55:33 Which, if you read that... 55:35 Oh, oh. 55:36 If you read that. 55:38 Check out Romans 12, but yes, 55:40 genuine transformation 55:42 that's what we're all in need of. 55:43 Well, Brother Ryan was talking about where steps of anguish 55:46 that we as Christians need to be taken. 55:48 We talk about being God's remnant people. 55:50 I want to just read this quickly 55:52 from Early Writings. 55:53 It says, "The angel of the Lord said to them, 55:55 'Will you shun the seven-last plagues.'" 55:57 We're in that time where we could experience that 55:59 will we shun it. 56:01 If so, and this is what we're talking about 56:03 what you just read, ye must die. 56:07 We need to die to self. 56:10 And that's where this anguish, that's where this battle, 56:13 the spiritual battle comes in. 56:15 We must die that we may live and the angel says, 56:19 "Get ready, get ready, get ready, 56:23 ye must have a greater preparation 56:25 than ye now have, 56:26 sacrifice all to God, lay all upon his offer, 56:30 sell property and all. 56:32 A living sacrifice, 56:34 it will take all to enter glory. 56:38 Absolutely, absolutely. 56:40 Praise the Lord. 56:42 I'm going to talk about, you know, powerful study. 56:45 You know, this, again, it can go on and on 56:47 and there's so much more to it. 56:49 I like when you study the Bible, 56:50 there's a weight of evidence, 56:52 as you're talking about step by step 56:54 and in our own personal life, 56:55 how God is appointed by the power of the Holy Spirit 56:58 to appoint us to take a step at a time, 57:00 step at a time. 57:01 Not worry about tomorrow, 57:02 not worry about next week but today. 57:05 And today we ask the questions. 57:06 Are you ready? Isn't this title? 57:08 Are you ready? That's right. 57:09 If I look back and I read the Word of God, 57:11 I say, I need some help. 57:12 I don't think 57:14 I'll ever come to a point that I'll say, Oh, I'm ready. 57:15 I'm ready. 57:16 I hear people say I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready. 57:18 When I say that, it means I need Christ within me, 57:21 formed within me the hope of glory. 57:22 1 Thessalonians 5:23 says, 57:25 "He wants to present us blameless before His father." 57:30 That's what Jesus wants in your life, 57:31 what He wants in my life. 57:33 Thank you for joining us in 3ABN Family Worship 57:34 and we'll see you next time. 57:36 Amen. |
Revised 2020-07-30