1 00:00:00,930 --> 00:00:03,410 Welcome to From the Pulpit and Classic Sermons. 2 00:00:04,090 --> 00:00:06,150 Each week we bring you a different message 3 00:00:06,150 --> 00:00:07,970 from some of history's greatest speakers in the 4 00:00:07,970 --> 00:00:10,450 Christian faith and powerful sermons for modern preachers 5 00:00:10,450 --> 00:00:10,750 too. 6 00:00:11,690 --> 00:00:13,590 This week we'll have Chuck Smith and his 7 00:00:13,590 --> 00:00:15,530 message, The People Used by God. 8 00:00:19,090 --> 00:00:22,830 Let's turn now to Acts chapter 3. 9 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:29,680 Now Peter and John went up together into 10 00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:33,060 the temple at the hour of prayer, being 11 00:00:33,060 --> 00:00:33,860 the ninth hour. 12 00:00:35,000 --> 00:00:37,200 And a certain man laying from his mother's 13 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:39,480 womb was carried, whom they laid daily at 14 00:00:39,480 --> 00:00:42,060 the gate of the temple, which is called 15 00:00:42,060 --> 00:00:45,300 Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered 16 00:00:45,300 --> 00:00:46,140 into the temple. 17 00:00:47,020 --> 00:00:49,040 Who, when he saw Peter and John about 18 00:00:49,040 --> 00:00:51,220 to go into the temple, asked for alms? 19 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:54,980 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with 20 00:00:54,980 --> 00:00:57,400 John, said, Look at us. 21 00:00:57,860 --> 00:00:59,980 And he gave heed unto them, expecting to 22 00:00:59,980 --> 00:01:01,260 receive something of them. 23 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:04,379 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I 24 00:01:04,379 --> 00:01:07,640 none, but such as I have, give I 25 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:07,980 thee. 26 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:11,540 In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, 27 00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:13,180 rise up and walk. 28 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:15,600 And he took him by the right hand 29 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:19,540 and lifted him up, and immediately his feet 30 00:01:19,540 --> 00:01:22,500 and his ankle bones received strength. 31 00:01:23,380 --> 00:01:27,020 And he, leaping, stood and walked and entered 32 00:01:27,020 --> 00:01:30,580 in with them into the temple, walking, leaping, 33 00:01:31,380 --> 00:01:32,820 and praising God. 34 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:36,580 And all the people saw him walking and 35 00:01:36,580 --> 00:01:38,180 praising God. 36 00:01:38,780 --> 00:01:42,100 I am certain that the majority of us 37 00:01:42,100 --> 00:01:46,940 here tonight seek to know God better. 38 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:49,140 That's why we're here. 39 00:01:50,440 --> 00:01:53,060 And I believe that we have a desire 40 00:01:53,060 --> 00:01:58,260 to be used of God in the accomplishing 41 00:01:58,260 --> 00:01:59,900 of his purposes. 42 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:04,040 I believe that it is a common desire 43 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:07,160 in all of us to know what God's 44 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:12,620 will is for our lives, and to be 45 00:02:12,620 --> 00:02:16,700 used of God as he desires to use 46 00:02:16,700 --> 00:02:17,040 us. 47 00:02:18,580 --> 00:02:22,840 God, for his own reason, has chosen and 48 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:28,120 ordained to use men and women in the 49 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:30,880 accomplishing of his eternal purposes. 50 00:02:32,020 --> 00:02:36,540 God not only has chosen to use men 51 00:02:36,540 --> 00:02:42,260 in the accomplishing of his purposes, but God 52 00:02:42,260 --> 00:02:49,140 also prepares those that he uses for their 53 00:02:49,140 --> 00:02:50,600 ministry or their use. 54 00:02:52,120 --> 00:02:56,840 The very purpose of our existence is to 55 00:02:56,840 --> 00:02:58,460 please God. 56 00:02:59,840 --> 00:03:01,740 That's why we do exist. 57 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:06,560 And we are told in Hebrews, without faith 58 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:08,640 it's impossible to please God. 59 00:03:10,300 --> 00:03:12,440 We know that God is pleased by our 60 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:16,100 obedience, complete obedience to his will. 61 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:20,320 So there is that desire within us as 62 00:03:20,320 --> 00:03:23,980 the children of God, to know the will 63 00:03:23,980 --> 00:03:26,080 of God and to do the will of 64 00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:30,500 God, to be faithful in accomplishing all that 65 00:03:30,500 --> 00:03:33,160 God has purposed for me. 66 00:03:35,390 --> 00:03:39,990 God said to Jeremiah, before I formed you 67 00:03:39,990 --> 00:03:42,990 in your mother's womb, I knew you. 68 00:03:43,990 --> 00:03:46,830 And before you came forth from her womb, 69 00:03:47,470 --> 00:03:51,010 I set you apart and I ordained you 70 00:03:51,010 --> 00:03:53,130 as a prophet unto the nations. 71 00:03:54,310 --> 00:03:56,350 And that could be said of each of 72 00:03:56,350 --> 00:03:56,730 us. 73 00:03:58,190 --> 00:04:00,730 While we were still in our mother's womb, 74 00:04:01,010 --> 00:04:01,910 God knew us. 75 00:04:03,130 --> 00:04:06,550 And God had a plan for each of 76 00:04:06,550 --> 00:04:07,350 our lives. 77 00:04:08,410 --> 00:04:13,150 The purposes that he created us for. 78 00:04:15,040 --> 00:04:21,160 And God is working in us as we 79 00:04:21,160 --> 00:04:26,400 are yielded to him, to prepare us to 80 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:30,380 accomplish those things that he desires that we 81 00:04:30,380 --> 00:04:33,220 should accomplish for his kingdom's sake. 82 00:04:34,540 --> 00:04:36,980 When Paul was writing to the Ephesians, he 83 00:04:36,980 --> 00:04:42,640 said, God is working in you in order 84 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:46,580 to prepare you for the good works that 85 00:04:46,580 --> 00:04:50,680 he has already ordained that you should accomplish 86 00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:51,760 for his glory. 87 00:04:53,460 --> 00:04:59,060 And so God prepares the instrument that he 88 00:04:59,060 --> 00:05:02,900 has chosen to accomplish the work that he 89 00:05:02,900 --> 00:05:07,420 has ordained that we should accomplish for him. 90 00:05:08,580 --> 00:05:14,240 God must first work in us before he 91 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:16,100 can work through us. 92 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:20,920 The Bible tells us that the husbandman must 93 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:24,400 be first partaker of the fruits. 94 00:05:25,780 --> 00:05:29,060 Sometimes we have great ambitions of things that 95 00:05:29,060 --> 00:05:31,160 we would like to do for God. 96 00:05:33,220 --> 00:05:35,640 And we feel like we need to go 97 00:05:35,640 --> 00:05:38,520 out and start our own great crusades. 98 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:42,480 After all, Billy Graham is getting old and 99 00:05:42,480 --> 00:05:45,500 he's not able to get out as he 100 00:05:45,500 --> 00:05:46,300 once did. 101 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:49,840 He is not able to have as many 102 00:05:49,840 --> 00:05:51,900 meetings as he did before. 103 00:05:52,340 --> 00:05:54,680 And he has to be helped into the 104 00:05:54,680 --> 00:05:56,760 pulpit and it's only a matter of time 105 00:05:56,760 --> 00:05:59,720 until he's going to have to cease his 106 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:02,440 campaigns and someone's got to take over for 107 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:06,540 Billy Graham and I'm just waiting for the 108 00:06:06,540 --> 00:06:09,080 opportunity to step into his shoes. 109 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:17,400 And so many people are just waiting for 110 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:21,340 God to place them into some great position 111 00:06:21,340 --> 00:06:24,380 of prominence and ministry. 112 00:06:25,600 --> 00:06:27,880 Chuck Smith, after all, is getting old. 113 00:06:29,260 --> 00:06:33,520 He can't go on forever and someone's got 114 00:06:33,520 --> 00:06:36,180 to step into the gap and be in 115 00:06:36,180 --> 00:06:38,320 position to minister to his flock when he's 116 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:38,660 gone. 117 00:06:40,180 --> 00:06:45,960 There have been people who have started ministries 118 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:51,900 in this very area with the expressed purpose 119 00:06:51,900 --> 00:06:57,640 of being able to draw our congregation unto 120 00:06:57,640 --> 00:06:59,320 them as soon as I die. 121 00:07:00,740 --> 00:07:05,000 And they've already started their fellowships in hopes 122 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:06,740 of being able to pick up the slack 123 00:07:06,740 --> 00:07:07,260 when I die. 124 00:07:07,340 --> 00:07:09,180 But I'm going to fool them. 125 00:07:17,030 --> 00:07:19,350 I'm going to live until the Lord comes. 126 00:07:28,840 --> 00:07:33,340 And because some people are just waiting to 127 00:07:33,340 --> 00:07:37,340 take over somebody else's ministry, they never get 128 00:07:37,340 --> 00:07:38,260 out of the gate. 129 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:46,960 They despise and drop out of the days 130 00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:48,060 of preparation. 131 00:07:49,780 --> 00:07:52,000 They don't like that. 132 00:07:53,360 --> 00:07:54,920 That's beneath them. 133 00:07:56,140 --> 00:08:00,540 They have great ambitions for great things for 134 00:08:00,540 --> 00:08:00,980 God. 135 00:08:03,390 --> 00:08:07,050 But you know, God usually starts us off 136 00:08:07,050 --> 00:08:08,130 in small things. 137 00:08:09,850 --> 00:08:11,990 And when we are faithful in the small 138 00:08:11,990 --> 00:08:13,490 things, then he gives us more. 139 00:08:14,090 --> 00:08:16,490 If we continue to be faithful, he will 140 00:08:16,490 --> 00:08:18,470 give us yet more. 141 00:08:20,960 --> 00:08:27,700 Zechariah received a vision that he might encourage 142 00:08:27,700 --> 00:08:35,380 Zerubbabel in the building of the temple that 143 00:08:35,380 --> 00:08:37,600 Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed. 144 00:08:40,299 --> 00:08:44,700 It seemed like an insurmountable task because when 145 00:08:44,700 --> 00:08:47,600 they returned from the Babylonian captivity for the 146 00:08:47,600 --> 00:08:52,740 purpose of rebuilding the temple, they were really 147 00:08:52,740 --> 00:08:55,760 not mentally prepared for what they found. 148 00:08:57,850 --> 00:09:00,710 The temple had been so thoroughly destroyed that 149 00:09:00,710 --> 00:09:06,190 there was just a huge mountain of huge 150 00:09:06,190 --> 00:09:07,030 rocks. 151 00:09:08,110 --> 00:09:11,390 The stones that Solomon had used in the 152 00:09:11,390 --> 00:09:14,310 building of the temple were now just a 153 00:09:14,310 --> 00:09:17,750 huge mound of stones, rubble. 154 00:09:19,410 --> 00:09:25,070 So the first part of the project was 155 00:09:25,070 --> 00:09:29,310 the clearing of the rubble, the mountain of 156 00:09:29,310 --> 00:09:29,910 rubble. 157 00:09:31,030 --> 00:09:35,270 And these stones weighed 500 to 1000 pounds 158 00:09:35,270 --> 00:09:38,870 and thus it was not an easy task 159 00:09:38,870 --> 00:09:40,870 to remove all of the rubble. 160 00:09:42,090 --> 00:09:43,770 But it had to be done. 161 00:09:44,970 --> 00:09:48,930 You really couldn't start the building project until, 162 00:09:49,350 --> 00:09:51,990 first of all, the rubble was removed. 163 00:09:54,080 --> 00:09:59,980 Now, removing rubble doesn't give you a lot 164 00:09:59,980 --> 00:10:00,800 of excitement. 165 00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:06,420 You know, in building there is, first of 166 00:10:06,420 --> 00:10:08,180 all, the site preparation. 167 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:11,900 And sometimes that's not easy. 168 00:10:14,290 --> 00:10:15,710 Of course, the hardest thing in building is 169 00:10:15,710 --> 00:10:16,490 getting a permit. 170 00:10:21,700 --> 00:10:24,260 If they would only make getting welfare as 171 00:10:24,260 --> 00:10:28,220 difficult as getting a permit, I think we'd 172 00:10:28,220 --> 00:10:30,120 be much better off in our society. 173 00:10:30,340 --> 00:10:36,980 But then the site preparation, the soils test, 174 00:10:37,140 --> 00:10:40,500 get an analysis of the soils in order 175 00:10:40,500 --> 00:10:42,400 to know what kind of a footing is 176 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:43,400 going to be necessary. 177 00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:47,720 I know that down there at Murrieta when 178 00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:53,280 we built the sanctuary, the soils test showed 179 00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:55,320 that there was a lot of tule mud 180 00:10:57,620 --> 00:10:59,900 underneath, at least 12 feet. 181 00:11:01,180 --> 00:11:03,220 And so we got our equipment in there 182 00:11:03,220 --> 00:11:05,940 and we excavated down 12 feet into the 183 00:11:05,940 --> 00:11:06,720 tule mud. 184 00:11:08,160 --> 00:11:13,900 And we had the, well, we got our 185 00:11:13,900 --> 00:11:16,820 equipment stuck a lot of times in that 186 00:11:16,820 --> 00:11:17,560 tule mud. 187 00:11:18,720 --> 00:11:21,320 I don't know why people like to cover 188 00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:23,340 themselves with that and bake in the sun, 189 00:11:23,480 --> 00:11:26,520 but that's what used to be at Murrieta. 190 00:11:26,620 --> 00:11:29,360 People would take that black tule mud and 191 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:32,040 cover themselves and think they were getting healthy 192 00:11:33,610 --> 00:11:36,650 as they would wash it off in the 193 00:11:36,650 --> 00:11:37,230 hot pools. 194 00:11:37,530 --> 00:11:42,340 But after we got down 12 feet, it 195 00:11:42,340 --> 00:11:43,380 was still oozy. 196 00:11:44,980 --> 00:11:49,980 So we then dumped in tons and tons 197 00:11:49,980 --> 00:11:52,600 of rubble, concrete. 198 00:11:53,380 --> 00:11:57,680 And we tried to compress the concrete to 199 00:11:57,680 --> 00:11:59,340 make a strong base. 200 00:12:00,360 --> 00:12:03,560 And still we couldn't get the compaction that 201 00:12:03,560 --> 00:12:03,980 we needed. 202 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:07,060 We built our pad, but we couldn't get 203 00:12:07,060 --> 00:12:08,580 the compaction necessary. 204 00:12:09,100 --> 00:12:11,420 And so we then had to drive these 205 00:12:11,420 --> 00:12:20,300 huge 38 foot long concrete pilings down into 206 00:12:20,300 --> 00:12:20,860 the earth. 207 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:25,500 And then sort of build the building on 208 00:12:25,500 --> 00:12:26,840 top of the pilings. 209 00:12:27,780 --> 00:12:32,760 And it seemed like we were forever in 210 00:12:32,760 --> 00:12:36,040 the project of just preparing the site. 211 00:12:37,360 --> 00:12:40,400 People would go by and instead of seeing 212 00:12:40,400 --> 00:12:42,720 something going up, they saw things going down. 213 00:12:42,860 --> 00:12:44,980 They saw the hole getting deeper and deeper. 214 00:12:47,380 --> 00:12:49,080 And then when we finally were able to 215 00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:51,380 level the pad, they're expecting the building to 216 00:12:51,380 --> 00:12:51,820 go up. 217 00:12:52,180 --> 00:12:54,160 And the next thing, we have a pile 218 00:12:54,160 --> 00:12:56,600 driver in there driving down. 219 00:12:58,220 --> 00:13:02,400 And it seemed like forever getting the site 220 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:03,240 prepared. 221 00:13:06,050 --> 00:13:10,250 Those could be called days of small things. 222 00:13:11,590 --> 00:13:13,410 And we don't like them. 223 00:13:14,510 --> 00:13:16,010 But they're necessary. 224 00:13:17,470 --> 00:13:21,110 You've got to have a strong base to 225 00:13:21,110 --> 00:13:23,870 build or to put your foundation on. 226 00:13:25,410 --> 00:13:30,530 And so the Prophet Zechariah was talking to 227 00:13:30,530 --> 00:13:34,170 Zerubbabel, giving him the word of the Lord. 228 00:13:35,290 --> 00:13:38,750 This mountain will become a plain before Zerubbabel. 229 00:13:40,190 --> 00:13:42,910 But he talked about the people despising the 230 00:13:42,910 --> 00:13:44,950 days of small things. 231 00:13:45,810 --> 00:13:46,930 And that's dangerous. 232 00:13:48,290 --> 00:13:52,990 When we despise the days of small things. 233 00:13:54,470 --> 00:13:59,690 Because those days are necessary as God prepares 234 00:13:59,690 --> 00:14:04,010 us to accomplish the things that he has 235 00:14:04,010 --> 00:14:07,090 purposed for us to accomplish for him. 236 00:14:08,550 --> 00:14:15,070 Paul, with his strong biblical background, a student 237 00:14:15,070 --> 00:14:20,470 of Gamaliel, years in school studying the Scriptures, 238 00:14:21,550 --> 00:14:26,690 when he was converted, rather than beginning his 239 00:14:26,690 --> 00:14:29,950 ministry immediately, he went away into the desert 240 00:14:29,950 --> 00:14:30,670 to Arabia. 241 00:14:32,510 --> 00:14:37,710 And there for three years, he was homeschooled 242 00:14:37,710 --> 00:14:42,850 by the Lord, who taught Paul the glorious 243 00:14:42,850 --> 00:14:44,010 gospel of grace. 244 00:14:45,510 --> 00:14:49,990 When he came back to Jerusalem, there wasn't 245 00:14:49,990 --> 00:14:52,950 really a warm reception for him in the 246 00:14:52,950 --> 00:14:53,250 church. 247 00:14:53,470 --> 00:14:56,890 There was a fear because they knew how 248 00:14:56,890 --> 00:14:58,790 Paul had persecuted the church. 249 00:14:59,570 --> 00:15:02,110 And they were reluctant to accept him. 250 00:15:03,730 --> 00:15:06,770 Barnabas interceded, but they weren't really comfortable. 251 00:15:07,830 --> 00:15:10,710 And so Paul took off and he headed 252 00:15:10,710 --> 00:15:12,830 back to his home in Tarsus. 253 00:15:14,150 --> 00:15:17,470 And he was there in Tarsus for seven 254 00:15:17,470 --> 00:15:19,170 more years. 255 00:15:20,610 --> 00:15:25,190 No doubt still studying the Scriptures and sort 256 00:15:25,190 --> 00:15:30,610 of adjusting to the realization that Jesus is 257 00:15:30,610 --> 00:15:33,330 the Messiah and seeing the Scriptures in a 258 00:15:33,330 --> 00:15:34,170 whole new light. 259 00:15:35,730 --> 00:15:40,390 But he was ten years from conversion to 260 00:15:40,390 --> 00:15:43,410 the beginning of his ministry in Antioch of 261 00:15:43,410 --> 00:15:43,830 Syria. 262 00:15:45,310 --> 00:15:49,690 When Barnabas came to Antioch because they heard 263 00:15:49,690 --> 00:15:52,550 that many Gentiles were coming to the faith. 264 00:15:53,890 --> 00:15:55,990 And so Barnabas went up to check out 265 00:15:55,990 --> 00:16:00,210 the church in Antioch and he saw the 266 00:16:00,210 --> 00:16:02,430 believers, the Gentile believers. 267 00:16:02,430 --> 00:16:04,730 And in his mind he thought, you know, 268 00:16:05,930 --> 00:16:08,730 the perfect man for this would be Saul. 269 00:16:10,170 --> 00:16:14,050 And so he went to Tarsus and he 270 00:16:14,050 --> 00:16:15,090 searched for Saul. 271 00:16:16,250 --> 00:16:18,490 And he encouraged him to come back to 272 00:16:18,490 --> 00:16:19,050 Antioch. 273 00:16:20,070 --> 00:16:22,330 And it was then that Saul began his 274 00:16:22,330 --> 00:16:25,590 ministry, but it was ten years from his 275 00:16:25,590 --> 00:16:26,070 conversion. 276 00:16:26,570 --> 00:16:30,050 And remember, he already had a strong biblical 277 00:16:30,050 --> 00:16:30,730 background. 278 00:16:32,530 --> 00:16:36,370 And so it's important that God prepare the 279 00:16:36,370 --> 00:16:40,330 vessel for the work that God has already 280 00:16:40,330 --> 00:16:43,650 ordained that should be accomplished for him. 281 00:16:45,030 --> 00:16:47,510 Now, as we come to the third chapter 282 00:16:47,510 --> 00:16:52,610 of the book of Acts, we look at 283 00:16:52,610 --> 00:16:59,830 the characteristics of these men that God used 284 00:16:59,830 --> 00:17:02,810 in the accomplishing of his purposes. 285 00:17:04,670 --> 00:17:06,550 And here in the third chapter we look 286 00:17:06,550 --> 00:17:09,349 at two of the men, Peter and John. 287 00:17:10,890 --> 00:17:15,390 Men that God had prepared because God had 288 00:17:15,390 --> 00:17:18,810 a ministry that he desired that they should 289 00:17:18,810 --> 00:17:19,369 fulfill. 290 00:17:21,310 --> 00:17:24,410 And as we look at these two men, 291 00:17:24,589 --> 00:17:28,270 we realize, first of all, that they were 292 00:17:28,270 --> 00:17:30,290 men of prayer. 293 00:17:32,640 --> 00:17:34,660 Now, should that surprise us? 294 00:17:35,840 --> 00:17:37,800 They were going into the temple at the 295 00:17:37,800 --> 00:17:41,060 hour of prayer, which was three o'clock 296 00:17:41,060 --> 00:17:42,120 in the afternoon. 297 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:49,080 Prayer is having a conversation with God, and 298 00:17:49,080 --> 00:17:52,500 it is the greatest outlet of spiritual power 299 00:17:52,500 --> 00:17:54,160 that we have. 300 00:17:55,380 --> 00:18:01,620 There are perhaps five outlets of spiritual power. 301 00:18:02,620 --> 00:18:06,500 There is one inlet, that's the Holy Spirit. 302 00:18:07,860 --> 00:18:10,860 Jesus said, you will receive power when the 303 00:18:10,860 --> 00:18:13,040 Holy Spirit comes upon you. 304 00:18:13,480 --> 00:18:14,240 One inlet. 305 00:18:15,140 --> 00:18:18,000 But there are five outlets of power. 306 00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:22,720 And the first of them is your life. 307 00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:28,000 When you are walking in the Spirit, walking 308 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:32,720 with the Lord, as John said, as we 309 00:18:32,720 --> 00:18:34,340 walk in the light, as he is in 310 00:18:34,340 --> 00:18:38,620 the light, there is something that goes forth 311 00:18:38,620 --> 00:18:42,860 from you, this outlet of spiritual power that 312 00:18:42,860 --> 00:18:47,700 emanates from you, that affects people around you. 313 00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:52,420 You may not even be conscious of it, 314 00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:57,820 but people recognize that there is a difference 315 00:18:57,820 --> 00:19:01,860 between you and the normal person. 316 00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:05,580 That there is that influence that goes out 317 00:19:05,580 --> 00:19:09,600 from you, that touches those where you go. 318 00:19:11,360 --> 00:19:19,430 Conversations clean up, that people recognize and feel 319 00:19:19,430 --> 00:19:23,910 the difference of your life when you are 320 00:19:23,910 --> 00:19:26,070 walking close to the Lord. 321 00:19:27,570 --> 00:19:34,630 The second outlet of spiritual power is found 322 00:19:34,630 --> 00:19:35,690 in your words. 323 00:19:38,120 --> 00:19:41,040 The Spirit of God can use your words 324 00:19:41,040 --> 00:19:50,220 to minister comfort, to minister hope, to minister 325 00:19:50,220 --> 00:19:57,500 encouragement, to minister healing, to minister love and 326 00:19:57,500 --> 00:19:58,900 to minister strength. 327 00:20:00,100 --> 00:20:04,300 And as our words, anointed by the Spirit, 328 00:20:04,420 --> 00:20:06,440 go forth, there is a power, there is 329 00:20:06,440 --> 00:20:07,140 a dynamic. 330 00:20:08,920 --> 00:20:10,680 You've all experienced it. 331 00:20:12,040 --> 00:20:14,580 When someone who is really walking in the 332 00:20:14,580 --> 00:20:17,600 Lord and with the Lord and walking in 333 00:20:17,600 --> 00:20:20,420 the Spirit, as they are speaking, there is 334 00:20:20,420 --> 00:20:22,460 a dynamic, there is a power, there is 335 00:20:22,460 --> 00:20:26,380 something that you can feel of God's Spirit 336 00:20:26,380 --> 00:20:29,020 that comes forth and touches your heart. 337 00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:33,180 It's an outlet of spiritual power, your words. 338 00:20:34,600 --> 00:20:38,780 Then there is your service, what you do 339 00:20:38,780 --> 00:20:41,860 for the Lord, anointed by the Holy Spirit. 340 00:20:43,640 --> 00:20:46,180 And this has such a wide variety of 341 00:20:46,180 --> 00:20:48,220 service for God. 342 00:20:49,600 --> 00:20:51,540 Jesus said, if you'll just give a cup 343 00:20:51,540 --> 00:20:54,580 of cold water in the name of the 344 00:20:54,580 --> 00:20:58,660 Lord unto a prophet, you'll receive a prophet's 345 00:20:58,660 --> 00:20:59,120 reward. 346 00:21:00,680 --> 00:21:05,620 And thus, as we serve the Lord, it 347 00:21:05,620 --> 00:21:08,960 becomes an outlet of spiritual power, ministering to 348 00:21:08,960 --> 00:21:09,320 people. 349 00:21:11,480 --> 00:21:16,080 There is your money, and it can become 350 00:21:16,080 --> 00:21:18,240 an outlet of spiritual power. 351 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:23,720 Money is the closest thing to omnipotence that 352 00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:28,360 you possess, but it is also the most 353 00:21:28,360 --> 00:21:32,040 impotent thing that many people possess. 354 00:21:33,620 --> 00:21:35,660 It isn't the money that you spend on 355 00:21:35,660 --> 00:21:37,960 yourself, it's the money that you release for 356 00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:41,480 the purposes of God that can become an 357 00:21:41,480 --> 00:21:42,800 outlet of spiritual power. 358 00:21:43,880 --> 00:21:47,340 When Paul wrote to the church in Philippi, 359 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:53,080 who had supported his ministry, wherever he would 360 00:21:53,080 --> 00:21:54,720 go, they would send support. 361 00:21:55,760 --> 00:21:59,700 He thanked them for that support, for the 362 00:21:59,700 --> 00:22:00,760 gift that they sent. 363 00:22:01,760 --> 00:22:05,340 He said, I'm not thanking you because of 364 00:22:05,340 --> 00:22:09,720 the necessity that I had, but I am 365 00:22:09,720 --> 00:22:15,120 grateful for your gift, that fruit might abound 366 00:22:15,120 --> 00:22:17,000 to your account. 367 00:22:19,750 --> 00:22:23,870 And so Paul saw their giving as investing 368 00:22:23,870 --> 00:22:26,330 in the things of the kingdom, and from 369 00:22:26,330 --> 00:22:29,830 their giving, fruit would abound to their account. 370 00:22:31,390 --> 00:22:34,690 To the Romans, Paul wrote, how can they 371 00:22:34,690 --> 00:22:38,230 hear, unless they have a preacher? 372 00:22:39,290 --> 00:22:42,290 How can they preach, unless they have been 373 00:22:42,290 --> 00:22:42,950 sent? 374 00:22:44,650 --> 00:22:48,010 And so there is that whole line, those 375 00:22:48,010 --> 00:22:49,810 that have gone out, but those who are 376 00:22:49,810 --> 00:22:51,490 supporting those that have gone out. 377 00:22:52,170 --> 00:22:55,010 And it becomes an outlet of spiritual power, 378 00:22:56,010 --> 00:22:58,530 as we support those that have gone out. 379 00:22:59,470 --> 00:23:01,230 I'm certain that when we get to heaven, 380 00:23:01,370 --> 00:23:02,630 we're going to find that God has a 381 00:23:02,630 --> 00:23:04,750 very interesting system of bookkeeping. 382 00:23:06,150 --> 00:23:08,570 And I wouldn't be a bit surprised when 383 00:23:08,570 --> 00:23:10,390 you get to heaven, that you'll have people 384 00:23:10,390 --> 00:23:13,030 come up to you that you've never seen 385 00:23:13,030 --> 00:23:13,530 before. 386 00:23:14,910 --> 00:23:16,870 Total strangers to you. 387 00:23:18,330 --> 00:23:22,110 And they'll be hugging you, and all excited 388 00:23:22,110 --> 00:23:25,890 to see you, for they'll say, when we 389 00:23:25,890 --> 00:23:29,330 got here, and we looked at the books, 390 00:23:30,110 --> 00:23:32,570 we realized that you were the one that 391 00:23:32,570 --> 00:23:34,850 supported the person that came and brought us 392 00:23:34,850 --> 00:23:35,510 the gospel. 393 00:23:36,850 --> 00:23:39,850 And it's because of your support for that 394 00:23:39,850 --> 00:23:42,370 person that I'm here in heaven today. 395 00:23:43,530 --> 00:23:47,790 It's going to be interesting when we see 396 00:23:47,790 --> 00:23:51,510 God's total plan, how he operated things. 397 00:23:51,510 --> 00:23:57,030 Several years ago, in Biola College, there was 398 00:23:57,030 --> 00:24:01,580 a young girl who was in school training 399 00:24:01,580 --> 00:24:03,540 to be a missionary. 400 00:24:04,440 --> 00:24:06,400 That was her goal, she felt called of 401 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:09,280 God, to go to China as a medical 402 00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:09,720 missionary. 403 00:24:10,700 --> 00:24:13,240 So she was taking the nursing course to 404 00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:16,360 prepare her to be a medical missionary in 405 00:24:16,360 --> 00:24:16,700 China. 406 00:24:17,860 --> 00:24:22,120 And after seven years of schooling, that is 407 00:24:22,120 --> 00:24:28,090 in college level, having graduated, she then went 408 00:24:28,090 --> 00:24:30,110 to the mission board and made her application. 409 00:24:31,470 --> 00:24:33,430 And as a part of the process, she 410 00:24:33,430 --> 00:24:39,610 had to have a physical examination, upon which 411 00:24:39,610 --> 00:24:42,350 they discovered that she had a heart condition, 412 00:24:43,370 --> 00:24:46,410 and the doctors recommended that she not try 413 00:24:46,410 --> 00:24:47,990 to go to China. 414 00:24:48,530 --> 00:24:52,470 With that heart condition, the missionary board summarily 415 00:24:52,470 --> 00:24:55,490 rejected her application. 416 00:24:57,150 --> 00:24:58,150 She was devastated. 417 00:25:00,310 --> 00:25:06,030 She had spent seven years preparing to be 418 00:25:06,030 --> 00:25:09,290 a medical missionary, and then find out that 419 00:25:09,290 --> 00:25:15,700 this physical condition prevented her from fulfilling what 420 00:25:15,700 --> 00:25:17,160 she felt was the call of God upon 421 00:25:17,160 --> 00:25:17,600 her heart. 422 00:25:18,620 --> 00:25:21,400 They used to have an annual missionary conference 423 00:25:21,400 --> 00:25:23,800 at the Open Bible Church in Los Angeles. 424 00:25:25,900 --> 00:25:28,220 And because she was so interested in missions, 425 00:25:28,340 --> 00:25:32,620 she went to this missionary conference, and she 426 00:25:32,620 --> 00:25:35,780 happened to be seated next to a young 427 00:25:35,780 --> 00:25:39,540 lady, and as they got to talking, this 428 00:25:39,540 --> 00:25:45,780 young lady expressed her call of God to 429 00:25:45,780 --> 00:25:47,580 go to China as a medical missionary. 430 00:25:48,940 --> 00:25:51,700 And she was saying, all I need is 431 00:25:51,700 --> 00:25:53,040 the support to go. 432 00:25:54,800 --> 00:25:57,820 So this girl said to her, she had 433 00:25:57,820 --> 00:25:59,260 actually gone to work in one of the 434 00:25:59,260 --> 00:26:01,180 major hospitals in Los Angeles, she said, I'll 435 00:26:01,180 --> 00:26:04,220 tell you what, make a covenant with you. 436 00:26:05,360 --> 00:26:08,100 You go, and I'll support you. 437 00:26:09,260 --> 00:26:11,080 Because I felt the call of God to 438 00:26:11,080 --> 00:26:13,140 go, and you can go for me, I'll 439 00:26:13,140 --> 00:26:14,080 support you to go. 440 00:26:15,140 --> 00:26:17,820 And so she lived in a very inexpensive 441 00:26:17,820 --> 00:26:22,220 apartment, didn't spend much on herself in order 442 00:26:22,220 --> 00:26:25,200 that she might take half of her wages, 443 00:26:25,660 --> 00:26:29,040 and support this girl in China as a 444 00:26:29,040 --> 00:26:29,800 medical missionary. 445 00:26:31,120 --> 00:26:33,860 Because of her sacrifices, God blessed her, and 446 00:26:33,860 --> 00:26:39,040 she received some great advancements there on her 447 00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:39,460 job. 448 00:26:40,880 --> 00:26:42,600 And by the next year, when she went 449 00:26:42,600 --> 00:26:44,840 to the missionary conference again, again she was 450 00:26:44,840 --> 00:26:47,000 seated next to a young girl who had 451 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:50,340 finished her graduate work and wanted to go 452 00:26:50,340 --> 00:26:51,880 to China as a missionary, she said, all 453 00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:52,600 I need is support. 454 00:26:52,740 --> 00:26:54,440 She said, well, God has blessed me, tell 455 00:26:54,440 --> 00:26:55,880 you what, you go, and I'll support you. 456 00:26:56,680 --> 00:26:59,720 God continued to bless her, she finally had 457 00:26:59,720 --> 00:27:04,620 a very excellent executive position. 458 00:27:06,420 --> 00:27:09,660 And the last I heard of that, she 459 00:27:09,660 --> 00:27:14,100 was supporting five girls in China as medical 460 00:27:14,100 --> 00:27:14,740 missionaries. 461 00:27:15,840 --> 00:27:20,720 Now when she gets to heaven, and the 462 00:27:20,720 --> 00:27:25,140 books are opened, I'm certain that God will 463 00:27:25,140 --> 00:27:28,920 put to her account missionary work in China. 464 00:27:30,120 --> 00:27:33,720 And those people whose lives were affected by 465 00:27:33,720 --> 00:27:39,420 those that she supported, she'll be rewarded along 466 00:27:39,420 --> 00:27:40,440 with those that went. 467 00:27:40,440 --> 00:27:45,300 As you remember, when David was pursuing after 468 00:27:45,300 --> 00:27:49,920 the enemy, and the men, some of them 469 00:27:49,920 --> 00:27:52,220 were so weary, they couldn't go on. 470 00:27:52,380 --> 00:27:54,420 It was evening, and David wanted to pursue 471 00:27:54,420 --> 00:27:56,420 them all night, so he could wipe them 472 00:27:56,420 --> 00:27:57,140 out completely. 473 00:27:57,500 --> 00:27:59,020 And some of the fellows said, oh, we're 474 00:27:59,020 --> 00:28:00,100 too tired, we can't go. 475 00:28:00,200 --> 00:28:01,920 And so David said, well, which guys will 476 00:28:01,920 --> 00:28:02,400 go with me? 477 00:28:02,460 --> 00:28:04,080 And some guys went with him, and they 478 00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:05,960 went down, they caught the enemy, they caught 479 00:28:05,960 --> 00:28:07,760 him by surprise, they wiped him out, and 480 00:28:07,760 --> 00:28:10,620 they brought back all of the loot that 481 00:28:10,620 --> 00:28:12,520 these marauders had taken. 482 00:28:14,160 --> 00:28:16,820 And so, as these guys were coming back, 483 00:28:16,880 --> 00:28:18,580 they said, those sissies didn't go with us, 484 00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:21,040 they can't have the loot, you know, it's 485 00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:21,720 all ours. 486 00:28:22,540 --> 00:28:26,680 And David said, no, they that stay by 487 00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:29,640 the stuff share equally with those that go 488 00:28:29,640 --> 00:28:30,200 into battle. 489 00:28:30,320 --> 00:28:33,540 He saw the necessity of people staying by 490 00:28:33,540 --> 00:28:34,160 the stuff. 491 00:28:35,220 --> 00:28:37,880 And so, we who sort of stay by 492 00:28:37,880 --> 00:28:44,580 the stuff, but yet help those that go, 493 00:28:46,360 --> 00:28:50,880 will receive, I'm certain, from the Lord, the 494 00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:54,240 rewards as though we had gone ourselves. 495 00:28:55,460 --> 00:28:58,020 Because how can they go except they be 496 00:28:58,020 --> 00:28:58,460 sent? 497 00:28:59,660 --> 00:29:03,080 And so, our money can be an outlet 498 00:29:03,080 --> 00:29:04,920 of spiritual power. 499 00:29:07,160 --> 00:29:09,860 But by far the greatest outlet of spiritual 500 00:29:09,860 --> 00:29:11,220 power is prayer. 501 00:29:13,410 --> 00:29:21,210 Many people emphasize service, and service is important. 502 00:29:24,010 --> 00:29:26,710 But one of the problems with serving is 503 00:29:26,710 --> 00:29:29,330 that it is limited to locality, I'm not 504 00:29:29,330 --> 00:29:30,210 omnipresent. 505 00:29:31,650 --> 00:29:36,090 And so, while I am here, I am 506 00:29:36,090 --> 00:29:37,630 ministering here. 507 00:29:38,890 --> 00:29:41,610 When I go down Friday to teach the 508 00:29:41,610 --> 00:29:44,470 Bible school, I'll be ministering there, but I 509 00:29:44,470 --> 00:29:46,790 can't be ministering to the Bible school students 510 00:29:46,790 --> 00:29:48,770 tonight, while I'm here. 511 00:29:50,410 --> 00:29:52,670 I might have a split personality, but I 512 00:29:52,670 --> 00:29:54,910 have to be in one body, so you're 513 00:29:54,910 --> 00:29:56,310 in the same place. 514 00:29:59,060 --> 00:30:01,120 And so you're limited by locality. 515 00:30:02,020 --> 00:30:04,700 A lot of people put the emphasis upon 516 00:30:04,700 --> 00:30:07,940 witnessing, the importance to witness your words, the 517 00:30:07,940 --> 00:30:09,880 power that can go forth from your words. 518 00:30:10,420 --> 00:30:13,780 But we do recognize that your words, as 519 00:30:13,780 --> 00:30:17,340 important as they are, can never be greater 520 00:30:17,340 --> 00:30:18,500 than your life. 521 00:30:21,200 --> 00:30:24,500 Many times what a person says is totally 522 00:30:24,500 --> 00:30:27,560 negated because of what they are. 523 00:30:29,130 --> 00:30:32,890 And thus, you dismiss what they say, because 524 00:30:32,890 --> 00:30:34,970 their life doesn't back it up. 525 00:30:36,130 --> 00:30:38,530 I've heard some of the smoothest talkers in 526 00:30:38,530 --> 00:30:42,510 the world, some of the greatest orators. 527 00:30:43,730 --> 00:30:53,680 They were very funny, and they were interesting 528 00:30:53,680 --> 00:30:54,740 to listen to. 529 00:30:58,010 --> 00:31:00,150 But I found that there was no lasting 530 00:31:00,150 --> 00:31:02,050 impact by what they said. 531 00:31:04,310 --> 00:31:05,830 I know that I laughed a lot, and 532 00:31:05,830 --> 00:31:07,290 I know I enjoyed it, but if you'd 533 00:31:07,290 --> 00:31:10,690 asked me later when I got out, well, 534 00:31:10,750 --> 00:31:11,450 what did they say? 535 00:31:11,870 --> 00:31:13,450 Well, it was sure funny. 536 00:31:15,090 --> 00:31:16,350 Boy, we really laughed a lot. 537 00:31:16,990 --> 00:31:18,590 One good joke, I do remember one of 538 00:31:18,590 --> 00:31:18,970 the good jokes. 539 00:31:30,450 --> 00:31:37,510 And yet, I've heard others. 540 00:31:38,030 --> 00:31:38,790 I'll never forget. 541 00:31:38,910 --> 00:31:40,330 Kay and I were on vacation up at 542 00:31:40,330 --> 00:31:40,890 Bass Lake. 543 00:31:42,070 --> 00:31:44,110 We went over to this little Assembly of 544 00:31:44,110 --> 00:31:48,090 God church in North Fork on Sunday. 545 00:31:49,400 --> 00:31:54,860 And they had a guest speaker that Sunday 546 00:31:54,860 --> 00:31:58,460 morning from Kentucky. 547 00:31:58,980 --> 00:32:04,330 She was a lady, a tall, lanky lady 548 00:32:04,330 --> 00:32:05,910 from Kentucky, an older lady. 549 00:32:07,310 --> 00:32:10,510 And she talked like she had a mouth 550 00:32:10,510 --> 00:32:11,250 full of marbles. 551 00:32:12,750 --> 00:32:15,850 And she butchered the English language. 552 00:32:16,530 --> 00:32:20,670 I mean, she didn't know anything about grammar. 553 00:32:22,330 --> 00:32:26,210 But you know, as she spoke, my heart 554 00:32:26,210 --> 00:32:26,590 burned. 555 00:32:27,790 --> 00:32:30,210 The Spirit of God was so powerful in 556 00:32:30,210 --> 00:32:33,650 that lady's life that it touched my heart. 557 00:32:34,830 --> 00:32:36,310 It ministered to my spirit. 558 00:32:39,860 --> 00:32:41,080 It's not the eloquence. 559 00:32:42,480 --> 00:32:44,740 Paul, when he wrote to the Corinthians, said 560 00:32:44,740 --> 00:32:47,080 that when he came to them, it was 561 00:32:47,080 --> 00:32:50,520 not with the enticing words of men's wisdom, 562 00:32:50,720 --> 00:32:53,440 but his speech was the demonstration of the 563 00:32:53,440 --> 00:32:56,020 power of the Spirit, because he didn't want 564 00:32:56,020 --> 00:32:59,420 their faith to be established in the wisdom 565 00:32:59,420 --> 00:33:01,680 of man, but in the power of God. 566 00:33:04,880 --> 00:33:08,800 And our words can have great spiritual power, 567 00:33:11,450 --> 00:33:13,350 but they can't be more than your life. 568 00:33:14,850 --> 00:33:15,950 Money? 569 00:33:18,020 --> 00:33:20,900 Well, as I said, it's probably the closest 570 00:33:20,900 --> 00:33:23,180 thing to omnipotence that you have. 571 00:33:23,340 --> 00:33:24,100 Money is power. 572 00:33:25,460 --> 00:33:27,140 There are those who say, I believe in 573 00:33:27,140 --> 00:33:29,680 the golden rule, whoever has the gold rules. 574 00:33:31,040 --> 00:33:35,340 And they, money is their, mammon is their 575 00:33:35,340 --> 00:33:35,700 God. 576 00:33:36,920 --> 00:33:39,600 And money is power, there's no doubt about 577 00:33:39,600 --> 00:33:39,980 that. 578 00:33:41,740 --> 00:33:46,100 But money can also make you totally impotent. 579 00:33:48,410 --> 00:33:50,910 It can bind you, it can make you 580 00:33:50,910 --> 00:33:57,410 so cunnerious that you can't spend it. 581 00:34:00,810 --> 00:34:06,980 But prayer, you know, the interesting thing about 582 00:34:06,980 --> 00:34:09,940 prayer is that it isn't bound to locality, 583 00:34:10,260 --> 00:34:11,520 like service. 584 00:34:13,429 --> 00:34:18,070 You can go around the world tonight, when 585 00:34:18,070 --> 00:34:18,710 you get home. 586 00:34:20,230 --> 00:34:28,250 And you can strengthen the work of missionaries 587 00:34:28,250 --> 00:34:28,770 in Hungary. 588 00:34:30,620 --> 00:34:34,420 You can encourage the missionaries in the Ukraine. 589 00:34:36,760 --> 00:34:39,440 You can open doors for the missionaries in 590 00:34:39,440 --> 00:34:39,860 China. 591 00:34:41,280 --> 00:34:43,739 And you can spend an hour of your 592 00:34:43,739 --> 00:34:46,620 life tonight around the world as a missionary, 593 00:34:48,790 --> 00:34:52,130 as you pray for those on the various 594 00:34:52,130 --> 00:34:53,070 mission fields. 595 00:34:53,750 --> 00:34:57,090 And your prayers become a power of force, 596 00:34:58,980 --> 00:35:04,220 influencing, opening up the hearts of people to 597 00:35:04,220 --> 00:35:08,420 stop and listen to the street witnessing. 598 00:35:09,300 --> 00:35:11,860 Or to read the tract that's been handed 599 00:35:11,860 --> 00:35:13,860 to them and touch their hearts. 600 00:35:15,980 --> 00:35:18,220 Prayer is interesting in that it does take 601 00:35:18,220 --> 00:35:20,600 on the nature of a spirit. 602 00:35:21,620 --> 00:35:24,640 Now, there are spirit beings, there is the 603 00:35:24,640 --> 00:35:26,520 spirit realm, the spirit world. 604 00:35:27,440 --> 00:35:30,040 And those in the spirit world have a 605 00:35:30,040 --> 00:35:33,620 decided advantage over us, in that they are 606 00:35:33,620 --> 00:35:37,580 not limited by material obstacles, nor are they 607 00:35:37,580 --> 00:35:38,740 limited by space. 608 00:35:39,960 --> 00:35:43,620 Now, the Lord has told us that the 609 00:35:43,620 --> 00:35:46,860 angels are ministering spirits who have been sent 610 00:35:46,860 --> 00:35:48,620 forth to minister to those that are heirs 611 00:35:48,620 --> 00:35:49,380 of salvation. 612 00:35:49,940 --> 00:35:53,000 And it tells us that the angels desire 613 00:35:53,000 --> 00:35:56,600 to look into those things, of God's grace 614 00:35:56,600 --> 00:35:58,380 and all for his church. 615 00:35:59,320 --> 00:36:04,240 They're sort of amazed that God would do 616 00:36:04,240 --> 00:36:05,260 so much for you. 617 00:36:07,710 --> 00:36:10,190 And we're told that he would give his 618 00:36:10,190 --> 00:36:12,630 angels charge over us to keep us in 619 00:36:12,630 --> 00:36:14,530 all of our ways, to bear us up 620 00:36:14,530 --> 00:36:16,290 lest at any time we dash our foot 621 00:36:16,290 --> 00:36:17,270 against his stone. 622 00:36:18,630 --> 00:36:21,310 So there are angels here tonight, very curious 623 00:36:21,310 --> 00:36:23,310 as to the work of God's spirit in 624 00:36:23,310 --> 00:36:23,930 our midst. 625 00:36:26,280 --> 00:36:26,760 Observing. 626 00:36:28,300 --> 00:36:32,060 Now, the angels that are here tonight, when 627 00:36:32,060 --> 00:36:34,740 they came in, they came in through the 628 00:36:34,740 --> 00:36:37,100 ceiling or through the floor, perhaps coming from 629 00:36:37,100 --> 00:36:38,960 China, they decided to take a shortcut and 630 00:36:38,960 --> 00:36:40,020 just come straight through. 631 00:36:41,740 --> 00:36:45,220 They're not limited by material obstacles. 632 00:36:47,670 --> 00:36:50,410 You had to come in the doors, but 633 00:36:50,410 --> 00:36:51,210 not the angels. 634 00:36:52,470 --> 00:36:53,910 You had to get in your car and 635 00:36:53,910 --> 00:36:55,990 drive here and park and so forth, but 636 00:36:55,990 --> 00:36:58,190 they just, as quick as you can think 637 00:36:58,190 --> 00:36:58,930 it, they're there. 638 00:37:00,860 --> 00:37:07,680 They could have been in Hungary today and 639 00:37:07,680 --> 00:37:09,600 decided, well, let's cruise over to Calvary Chapel, 640 00:37:09,660 --> 00:37:10,520 see what's going on tonight. 641 00:37:12,680 --> 00:37:16,420 Times, space, material obstacles are nothing to them. 642 00:37:17,400 --> 00:37:20,260 But, you know, prayer, in a way, takes 643 00:37:20,260 --> 00:37:22,240 on the nature of a spirit. 644 00:37:23,500 --> 00:37:28,280 In that, as you pray, you can enter 645 00:37:28,280 --> 00:37:33,620 into a spiritual conflict that's going on in, 646 00:37:33,780 --> 00:37:35,820 say, China tonight. 647 00:37:36,880 --> 00:37:40,140 And through your prayers, you can drive back 648 00:37:40,140 --> 00:37:41,600 the forces of darkness. 649 00:37:42,940 --> 00:37:46,860 Or perhaps a missionary in Russia is discouraged 650 00:37:46,860 --> 00:37:47,620 this evening. 651 00:37:48,940 --> 00:37:52,460 Maybe he's having sort of a restless early 652 00:37:52,460 --> 00:37:55,560 morning over there as he's facing another difficult 653 00:37:55,560 --> 00:37:56,100 day. 654 00:37:56,100 --> 00:37:59,620 And your prayers can be as a spirit 655 00:37:59,620 --> 00:37:59,920 force. 656 00:38:00,060 --> 00:38:01,980 They can go over there immediately in the 657 00:38:01,980 --> 00:38:04,560 house where they are and begin to minister 658 00:38:04,560 --> 00:38:09,260 to them encouragement and strength, driving away the 659 00:38:09,260 --> 00:38:13,720 powers of darkness, liberating them for a day 660 00:38:13,720 --> 00:38:14,780 of serving the Lord. 661 00:38:16,380 --> 00:38:18,540 Prayers take on the nature of a spirit 662 00:38:18,540 --> 00:38:21,300 in that they become unlimited by time and 663 00:38:21,300 --> 00:38:23,700 it is engaging in the spiritual warfare. 664 00:38:25,020 --> 00:38:29,160 We can do more than pray after we 665 00:38:29,160 --> 00:38:32,940 have prayed, but we can't do any more 666 00:38:32,940 --> 00:38:34,640 than pray until we have prayed. 667 00:38:35,540 --> 00:38:39,480 You cannot accomplish any worthwhile work for God 668 00:38:39,480 --> 00:38:40,380 apart from prayer. 669 00:38:41,380 --> 00:38:43,780 It's the greatest outlet of spiritual power we 670 00:38:43,780 --> 00:38:44,080 have. 671 00:38:45,000 --> 00:38:46,940 We're always trying to muster the forces for 672 00:38:46,940 --> 00:38:48,740 service, but we need to muster them for 673 00:38:48,740 --> 00:38:49,580 prayer first. 674 00:38:49,580 --> 00:38:53,100 Jesus said you don't go into a strongman's 675 00:38:53,100 --> 00:38:59,500 house and try and spoil his goods, but 676 00:38:59,500 --> 00:39:02,960 you first of all bind the strongman of 677 00:39:02,960 --> 00:39:05,720 the house and then you go in and 678 00:39:05,720 --> 00:39:07,060 spoil his goods. 679 00:39:08,380 --> 00:39:11,680 Prayer is binding the strongman of the house 680 00:39:11,680 --> 00:39:17,500 and service is just spoiling the goods, taking 681 00:39:17,500 --> 00:39:18,140 the spoil. 682 00:39:18,940 --> 00:39:22,840 As Jesus said, men ought always to pray. 683 00:39:23,940 --> 00:39:26,100 Because Jesus taught so much on the subject 684 00:39:26,100 --> 00:39:29,000 of prayer, no wonder the disciples said, Lord, 685 00:39:29,220 --> 00:39:30,940 teach us to pray. 686 00:39:31,180 --> 00:39:33,480 Notice they didn't say teach us how to 687 00:39:33,480 --> 00:39:36,120 pray, just teach us to pray. 688 00:39:37,060 --> 00:39:39,460 Teach us the importance of prayer. 689 00:39:39,620 --> 00:39:42,520 Help us to grasp and understand the importance 690 00:39:42,520 --> 00:39:43,480 of prayer. 691 00:39:44,740 --> 00:39:48,560 These men that God used were men of 692 00:39:48,560 --> 00:39:48,880 prayer. 693 00:39:50,000 --> 00:39:52,880 They were going into the temple at the 694 00:39:52,880 --> 00:39:54,060 hour of prayer. 695 00:39:55,440 --> 00:39:58,720 No doubt it was a regular routine in 696 00:39:58,720 --> 00:39:59,260 their life. 697 00:40:00,520 --> 00:40:03,280 Prayer was a very important part. 698 00:40:03,280 --> 00:40:08,440 In a couple of chapters, when pressure comes 699 00:40:08,440 --> 00:40:15,040 on them to take charge of the distribution 700 00:40:15,040 --> 00:40:19,520 of the welfare, they said it isn't right 701 00:40:19,520 --> 00:40:23,480 that we should leave the word of God 702 00:40:23,480 --> 00:40:25,600 and prayer to wait on tables. 703 00:40:25,600 --> 00:40:28,720 We will appoint men for that task who 704 00:40:28,720 --> 00:40:29,980 are filled with the Holy Spirit, have a 705 00:40:29,980 --> 00:40:34,380 good reputation, that we might give ourselves continually 706 00:40:34,380 --> 00:40:36,820 to the word and to prayer. 707 00:40:39,130 --> 00:40:40,450 They were men of prayer. 708 00:40:41,890 --> 00:40:44,830 Secondly, they were men of faith. 709 00:40:47,540 --> 00:40:49,540 We read that Peter first of all spoke 710 00:40:49,540 --> 00:40:51,340 a word of faith to the men. 711 00:40:52,880 --> 00:40:54,700 He said, silver and gold have I none, 712 00:40:54,840 --> 00:40:57,480 but such as I have, I will give 713 00:40:57,480 --> 00:40:57,980 to you. 714 00:40:58,800 --> 00:41:02,220 In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, 715 00:41:02,820 --> 00:41:04,720 rise up and walk. 716 00:41:06,000 --> 00:41:09,460 He spoke to the man a word of 717 00:41:09,460 --> 00:41:13,220 faith, but then he acted. 718 00:41:14,500 --> 00:41:18,360 And it says, he took the man by 719 00:41:18,360 --> 00:41:22,380 his right hand and lifted him to his 720 00:41:22,380 --> 00:41:22,960 feet. 721 00:41:23,960 --> 00:41:26,480 That was an act of faith. 722 00:41:28,160 --> 00:41:30,420 And I would like to suggest that both 723 00:41:30,420 --> 00:41:32,920 of these showed great faith. 724 00:41:34,240 --> 00:41:38,140 To say to a lame man, look at 725 00:41:38,140 --> 00:41:42,480 me, no I don't have any coins, but 726 00:41:42,480 --> 00:41:43,740 what I have I'll give to you. 727 00:41:44,740 --> 00:41:47,100 In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, 728 00:41:47,540 --> 00:41:48,940 rise to your feet and walk. 729 00:41:49,900 --> 00:41:51,400 That took faith to say that. 730 00:41:52,880 --> 00:41:55,320 But then it took faith to take hold 731 00:41:55,320 --> 00:41:57,240 of the man and lift him onto his 732 00:41:57,240 --> 00:41:57,660 feet. 733 00:41:59,340 --> 00:42:02,480 Now it's important that we recognize that Peter 734 00:42:02,480 --> 00:42:05,720 is no different from you or me. 735 00:42:08,040 --> 00:42:09,120 He's just a man. 736 00:42:10,240 --> 00:42:11,960 Not any different from us. 737 00:42:13,380 --> 00:42:15,520 Whenever we read of Elijah, we sort of, 738 00:42:15,780 --> 00:42:17,200 ooh, Elijah. 739 00:42:19,460 --> 00:42:20,840 But James said, hey, he's a man of 740 00:42:20,840 --> 00:42:22,440 like passions just like we are. 741 00:42:23,160 --> 00:42:24,180 No different from you. 742 00:42:25,360 --> 00:42:27,520 Peter, a man of like passions just like 743 00:42:27,520 --> 00:42:27,960 we are. 744 00:42:29,180 --> 00:42:31,720 In fact, I'm glad the Lord chose Peter 745 00:42:31,720 --> 00:42:34,740 because he was a bumbler, just like I 746 00:42:34,740 --> 00:42:35,020 am. 747 00:42:35,960 --> 00:42:37,420 And it encourages me. 748 00:42:38,240 --> 00:42:41,640 No great spiritual, he was just a common, 749 00:42:41,980 --> 00:42:43,060 well he's a fisherman. 750 00:42:44,020 --> 00:42:46,920 But he became a man of faith and 751 00:42:46,920 --> 00:42:47,700 a man of prayer. 752 00:42:49,160 --> 00:42:52,060 And God can use men of prayer and 753 00:42:52,060 --> 00:42:54,100 God can use men of faith. 754 00:42:55,260 --> 00:42:58,320 Now, because Peter was a man just like 755 00:42:58,320 --> 00:43:02,140 we are, he was subject to the same 756 00:43:02,140 --> 00:43:04,240 kind of thoughts that we would be subject 757 00:43:04,240 --> 00:43:06,800 to in the same condition, in the same 758 00:43:06,800 --> 00:43:07,500 situation. 759 00:43:08,840 --> 00:43:12,660 That is, you speak the word of faith, 760 00:43:13,620 --> 00:43:15,600 you act upon it and lift the man 761 00:43:15,600 --> 00:43:19,660 to his feet, and Satan is whispering in 762 00:43:19,660 --> 00:43:21,940 your ear and saying, what are you going 763 00:43:21,940 --> 00:43:23,580 to do if he can't stand up? 764 00:43:25,140 --> 00:43:26,300 What if he collapses? 765 00:43:27,580 --> 00:43:31,620 And then all these people around here are 766 00:43:31,620 --> 00:43:34,120 going to wonder what in the world you 767 00:43:34,120 --> 00:43:36,440 were trying to do, lift that lame man 768 00:43:36,440 --> 00:43:37,120 to his feet. 769 00:43:37,320 --> 00:43:38,820 You're going to make a big fool out 770 00:43:38,820 --> 00:43:39,320 of yourself. 771 00:43:41,040 --> 00:43:44,880 I'm sure that Satan was saying that to 772 00:43:44,880 --> 00:43:48,820 Peter, because we know from Peter's background that 773 00:43:48,820 --> 00:43:50,640 he could hear the voice of the Lord, 774 00:43:50,700 --> 00:43:52,120 but he could also hear the voice of 775 00:43:52,120 --> 00:43:54,380 Satan, and he often didn't know the difference 776 00:43:54,380 --> 00:43:55,240 between the two. 777 00:43:56,240 --> 00:43:58,460 And yet he acted in faith. 778 00:44:00,200 --> 00:44:02,020 Now he's going to tell us in a 779 00:44:02,020 --> 00:44:05,980 moment why he did, and I think that's 780 00:44:05,980 --> 00:44:07,760 an important thing to note. 781 00:44:08,860 --> 00:44:11,820 Why Peter did what he did. 782 00:44:13,200 --> 00:44:16,660 Peter tells us, or told the people when 783 00:44:16,660 --> 00:44:19,460 they were standing there marveling at the miracle, 784 00:44:21,790 --> 00:44:27,330 that in the name of Jesus, and through 785 00:44:27,330 --> 00:44:31,110 faith in his name, this lame man has 786 00:44:31,110 --> 00:44:35,110 been made strong, whom you see and you 787 00:44:35,110 --> 00:44:35,450 know. 788 00:44:36,610 --> 00:44:40,290 Yes, the faith which is by him, and 789 00:44:40,290 --> 00:44:41,150 there is the key. 790 00:44:42,290 --> 00:44:43,890 The faith which is by him. 791 00:44:44,190 --> 00:44:47,090 That is, Peter is saying, it wasn't really 792 00:44:47,090 --> 00:44:49,750 my faith, it was the faith that was 793 00:44:49,750 --> 00:44:50,630 by him. 794 00:44:51,770 --> 00:44:54,810 Now as we get into 1 Corinthians chapter 795 00:44:54,810 --> 00:44:59,760 12, we will discover that one of the 796 00:44:59,760 --> 00:45:02,580 gifts of the Spirit is faith. 797 00:45:04,180 --> 00:45:06,560 Listed there in the first part of chapter 798 00:45:06,560 --> 00:45:07,080 12. 799 00:45:07,080 --> 00:45:09,680 The gift of faith. 800 00:45:10,800 --> 00:45:14,200 And I believe that there are times and 801 00:45:14,200 --> 00:45:21,480 situations where the Lord grants to you the 802 00:45:21,480 --> 00:45:26,580 gift of faith for a specific issue. 803 00:45:28,100 --> 00:45:30,900 And that there is just that moment that 804 00:45:30,900 --> 00:45:34,620 God speaks to your heart, and you have 805 00:45:34,620 --> 00:45:38,340 the faith to act upon it. 806 00:45:39,700 --> 00:45:42,840 And that's where you see the mighty power 807 00:45:42,840 --> 00:45:44,020 of God working. 808 00:45:45,460 --> 00:45:50,100 It isn't really your faith, it is that 809 00:45:50,100 --> 00:45:53,780 gift of faith that God gives on special 810 00:45:53,780 --> 00:45:57,520 occasions to accomplish his work. 811 00:45:59,300 --> 00:46:01,160 The third thing that I note about these 812 00:46:01,160 --> 00:46:05,000 men, is they were men who were not 813 00:46:05,000 --> 00:46:07,500 seeking glory for themselves. 814 00:46:09,220 --> 00:46:12,200 But they were men who were only interested 815 00:46:12,200 --> 00:46:15,580 in glorifying Jesus Christ. 816 00:46:16,600 --> 00:46:18,980 When the people began to gather and they 817 00:46:18,980 --> 00:46:21,240 began to look on Peter and John as 818 00:46:21,240 --> 00:46:25,860 though they were some special kind of holy 819 00:46:25,860 --> 00:46:26,500 people. 820 00:46:27,860 --> 00:46:32,180 Peter immediately turned them away from looking at 821 00:46:32,180 --> 00:46:38,060 him, and pointed them to Jesus Christ, to 822 00:46:38,060 --> 00:46:38,940 look to the Lord. 823 00:46:40,720 --> 00:46:43,320 Why do you look on us, Peter said, 824 00:46:44,860 --> 00:46:48,560 as though our own power or holiness have 825 00:46:48,560 --> 00:46:52,460 done this good deed to this lame man? 826 00:46:52,460 --> 00:46:54,360 Why are you looking at us? 827 00:46:56,120 --> 00:47:00,020 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and 828 00:47:00,020 --> 00:47:02,400 of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has 829 00:47:02,400 --> 00:47:06,220 glorified his son Jesus, whom you delivered up 830 00:47:06,220 --> 00:47:08,520 and denied in the presence of Pilate when 831 00:47:08,520 --> 00:47:10,080 he was determined to let him go. 832 00:47:10,080 --> 00:47:12,320 But you denied the Holy One and the 833 00:47:12,320 --> 00:47:14,700 Just, and you desired a murderer to be 834 00:47:14,700 --> 00:47:15,560 granted unto you. 835 00:47:15,820 --> 00:47:17,900 You killed the Prince of Life, whom God 836 00:47:17,900 --> 00:47:20,300 hath raised from the dead, whereof we are 837 00:47:20,300 --> 00:47:20,900 witnesses. 838 00:47:21,420 --> 00:47:23,640 And his name, through faith in his name, 839 00:47:23,920 --> 00:47:26,420 has made this man strong, whom you see 840 00:47:26,420 --> 00:47:26,840 and know. 841 00:47:26,920 --> 00:47:29,160 Yea, the faith which is by him has 842 00:47:29,160 --> 00:47:32,060 given him this perfect soundness in the presence 843 00:47:32,060 --> 00:47:32,760 of you all. 844 00:47:34,260 --> 00:47:37,420 One of the most dangerous times in a 845 00:47:37,420 --> 00:47:42,920 person's life who is ministering for the Lord 846 00:47:44,230 --> 00:47:48,530 is when God begins to use them through 847 00:47:48,530 --> 00:47:50,230 the gifts and the power of the Holy 848 00:47:50,230 --> 00:47:50,730 Spirit. 849 00:47:52,360 --> 00:47:56,920 Because people who are uninitiated to spiritual things 850 00:47:58,490 --> 00:48:02,070 have a tendency to look at what they 851 00:48:02,070 --> 00:48:05,490 can see, the instrument that God is using, 852 00:48:07,910 --> 00:48:10,650 and they have a tendency and they are 853 00:48:10,650 --> 00:48:15,970 prone to glorify the instrument and to begin 854 00:48:15,970 --> 00:48:19,170 to praise you and to lift you up 855 00:48:19,170 --> 00:48:20,550 and magnify you. 856 00:48:21,610 --> 00:48:24,630 And that is the most dangerous time in 857 00:48:24,630 --> 00:48:27,870 your whole spiritual experience when God begins to 858 00:48:27,870 --> 00:48:30,410 use you in a supernatural way. 859 00:48:30,850 --> 00:48:32,310 You are in real danger. 860 00:48:33,450 --> 00:48:36,790 Because people that don't know any better are 861 00:48:36,790 --> 00:48:41,950 going to begin to elevate you, to exalt 862 00:48:41,950 --> 00:48:44,330 you, and to lift you up. 863 00:48:45,710 --> 00:48:49,130 And the old man, the old nature, the 864 00:48:49,130 --> 00:48:54,630 flesh life, enjoys that, desires that. 865 00:48:55,950 --> 00:49:00,030 But the moment you reach out and touch 866 00:49:00,030 --> 00:49:04,410 the glory, you're in big danger. 867 00:49:05,630 --> 00:49:07,610 Peter was now in great danger. 868 00:49:07,810 --> 00:49:11,430 People were looking at him as though he 869 00:49:11,430 --> 00:49:14,330 was very righteous and holy, as though he 870 00:49:14,330 --> 00:49:17,210 had some great power within himself. 871 00:49:18,590 --> 00:49:21,270 They were ready to magnify Peter. 872 00:49:22,350 --> 00:49:24,110 But he said, wait a minute, wait a 873 00:49:24,110 --> 00:49:24,390 minute. 874 00:49:26,600 --> 00:49:28,980 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has 875 00:49:28,980 --> 00:49:30,480 glorified his son Jesus. 876 00:49:31,060 --> 00:49:33,560 And he pointed them immediately away from himself 877 00:49:33,560 --> 00:49:34,780 and unto Jesus. 878 00:49:36,240 --> 00:49:38,880 He had come to the cross in his 879 00:49:38,880 --> 00:49:39,520 own life. 880 00:49:41,320 --> 00:49:43,660 And in order to be used effectively by 881 00:49:43,660 --> 00:49:46,480 God, it is necessary to come to the 882 00:49:46,480 --> 00:49:48,740 cross in your own life where you don't 883 00:49:48,740 --> 00:49:52,080 have any ambitions for yourself or for self 884 00:49:52,080 --> 00:49:54,800 -glory, but your only desire is to bring 885 00:49:54,800 --> 00:49:57,480 glory unto our Lord Jesus Christ. 886 00:49:58,480 --> 00:50:00,760 Because there will be those that will seek 887 00:50:00,760 --> 00:50:05,780 to attribute the success to you, to attribute 888 00:50:05,780 --> 00:50:08,320 the good work to you. 889 00:50:09,060 --> 00:50:12,840 And that subtle danger of sort of intimating, 890 00:50:13,040 --> 00:50:16,980 well, I sort of have a part in 891 00:50:16,980 --> 00:50:17,580 this, you know. 892 00:50:18,300 --> 00:50:22,660 It takes a lot of sacrifice to have 893 00:50:22,660 --> 00:50:24,140 this kind of power, you know. 894 00:50:24,900 --> 00:50:26,600 You have to give up a lot of 895 00:50:26,600 --> 00:50:30,640 things and you're just sort of causing people 896 00:50:30,640 --> 00:50:32,240 to think, oh, isn't it wonderful he made 897 00:50:32,240 --> 00:50:32,960 all those sacrifices. 898 00:50:33,180 --> 00:50:36,760 Oh, my glorious sacrifices that he made. 899 00:50:36,920 --> 00:50:38,700 Oh, God bless him for his sacrifice. 900 00:50:40,950 --> 00:50:42,700 Don't look at us, Peter said. 901 00:50:43,720 --> 00:50:45,160 Look to Jesus. 902 00:50:46,660 --> 00:50:52,620 Paul said, one plants, one waters, but it 903 00:50:52,620 --> 00:50:54,840 is God who gives the increase so that 904 00:50:54,840 --> 00:50:57,540 he that plants is nothing and he that 905 00:50:57,540 --> 00:51:00,400 waters is nothing, but it is God who 906 00:51:00,400 --> 00:51:01,620 gives the increase. 907 00:51:02,620 --> 00:51:07,180 Paul the Apostle spoke about how that he 908 00:51:07,180 --> 00:51:12,060 beat his own body to keep the body 909 00:51:12,060 --> 00:51:18,040 under, lest having preached to others, I would 910 00:51:18,040 --> 00:51:19,120 be put on the shelf. 911 00:51:19,380 --> 00:51:24,640 He recognized the danger of having been used 912 00:51:24,640 --> 00:51:26,320 of God in a mighty way. 913 00:51:27,500 --> 00:51:29,820 There was still the danger of God setting 914 00:51:29,820 --> 00:51:32,540 you on the shelf unless you kept the 915 00:51:32,540 --> 00:51:33,280 body under. 916 00:51:34,600 --> 00:51:37,920 The moment you began to seek the glory 917 00:51:37,920 --> 00:51:42,500 or the credit or the praise, Paul realized 918 00:51:42,500 --> 00:51:44,040 the Lord would put him on the shelf. 919 00:51:45,240 --> 00:51:47,580 So it was necessary to keep the body 920 00:51:47,580 --> 00:51:52,730 under, crucified with Christ. 921 00:51:52,890 --> 00:51:55,210 He said, nevertheless, I live, not I, but 922 00:51:55,210 --> 00:51:56,570 it is Christ who lives in me. 923 00:51:57,170 --> 00:52:02,030 And it is so important, so important, that 924 00:52:02,030 --> 00:52:03,850 if you're to be used of God and 925 00:52:03,850 --> 00:52:05,730 doing the work of God, that you first 926 00:52:05,730 --> 00:52:07,910 of all come to know what it is 927 00:52:07,910 --> 00:52:10,270 to be crucified with Christ. 928 00:52:11,150 --> 00:52:15,090 To reckon that old man to be dead, 929 00:52:16,370 --> 00:52:17,810 crucify with Christ. 930 00:52:18,470 --> 00:52:20,790 That the body of sin will no longer 931 00:52:20,790 --> 00:52:22,530 rule over you. 932 00:52:23,890 --> 00:52:26,070 You'll be ruled by the Spirit and your 933 00:52:26,070 --> 00:52:30,830 one goal is not glory for yourself, but 934 00:52:30,830 --> 00:52:32,110 bringing glory to God. 935 00:52:33,800 --> 00:52:36,740 God can use those kind of people today. 936 00:52:37,820 --> 00:52:40,340 God's looking for those kind of people today 937 00:52:40,340 --> 00:52:43,140 that he might use in these days. 938 00:52:46,050 --> 00:52:48,510 We'll look at the other characteristics in our 939 00:52:48,510 --> 00:52:49,090 next lesson. 940 00:52:49,090 --> 00:52:53,750 Father, we thank you for your grace, your 941 00:52:53,750 --> 00:52:59,470 goodness, and Lord, that you do use the 942 00:52:59,470 --> 00:53:02,930 likes of us in the accomplishing of your 943 00:53:02,930 --> 00:53:03,850 eternal purposes. 944 00:53:04,730 --> 00:53:08,610 You give us the privilege, Lord, of working 945 00:53:08,610 --> 00:53:10,070 together with you. 946 00:53:11,870 --> 00:53:14,130 Though we recognize, Lord, that it's your work, 947 00:53:15,710 --> 00:53:18,110 not even our faith, the faith which is 948 00:53:18,110 --> 00:53:18,910 by him. 949 00:53:20,220 --> 00:53:22,520 And yet, Lord, here we are. 950 00:53:23,740 --> 00:53:27,860 How blessed and how privileged we are that 951 00:53:27,860 --> 00:53:31,380 you should use us, Lord, in the fulfilling 952 00:53:31,380 --> 00:53:33,720 of your plans and your purposes. 953 00:53:35,980 --> 00:53:36,980 Help us, Lord. 954 00:53:38,660 --> 00:53:40,520 Help us to spend more time with you 955 00:53:40,520 --> 00:53:41,040 in prayer. 956 00:53:42,360 --> 00:53:43,800 Lord, increase our faith. 957 00:53:46,920 --> 00:53:52,410 Lord, may we indeed reckon the old man 958 00:53:52,410 --> 00:53:56,560 to be dead, that the body of sin 959 00:53:56,560 --> 00:54:01,140 might not rule, but the Spirit of God 960 00:54:01,140 --> 00:54:02,120 would rule in our lives. 961 00:54:03,950 --> 00:54:05,430 In Jesus' name we pray. 962 00:54:06,590 --> 00:54:07,070 Amen. 963 00:54:10,090 --> 00:54:11,910 You've been listening to the From the Pulpit 964 00:54:11,910 --> 00:54:13,170 in Classic Sermons series. 965 00:54:13,970 --> 00:54:16,190 This week, we had Chuck Smith with his 966 00:54:16,190 --> 00:54:17,910 message, The People Used by God. 967 00:54:18,850 --> 00:54:20,110 Tune in next week to hear Art Katz 968 00:54:20,110 --> 00:54:22,950 speak about man's petty kingdom on From the 969 00:54:22,950 --> 00:54:24,450 Pulpit in Classic Sermons.