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By the grace of the Lord and as

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he enables this very important message on the

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heart of the Lord in relation to seeing

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our spiritual maturity.

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We already have three tapes back there that

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our dear brother Gary has been making, and

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we do appreciate his and all the other

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labor of love in our midst.

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There's many who, because of love alone, are

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working together with others and providing great services

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for everyone, and this tapes that he's doing

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is providing a great blessing.

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But we're going to continue along this subject

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of maturity, and I'm going to write a

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third point here, and I'm going to call

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it character qualities.

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This morning, by the help of God's Spirit,

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we're going to continue along these lines, and

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we're going to look at three different aspects

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of maturity.

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I don't want to go over the material

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that we've already covered for fear that I

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won't be able to cover the material that

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I feel is in my spirit this morning,

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so I won't.

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The best thing to do if you want

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the entire message is to get the tapes.

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There's no cost.

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Everything is made available free of cost, as

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the Lord provides.

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This has been our policy for 15 years

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or so, and God has never failed us.

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And so all the material and the literature

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is available free of cost.

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I want to ask you a rhetorical question,

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meaning one that you don't have to answer

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out loud, but one that I'd like for

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you to answer to yourself, and that is

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this.

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Ask yourself, do I truly see the Father

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heart of God in desiring me to grow

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up spiritually?

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Together with my brothers and sisters, do I

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really see the Father heart of God in

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desiring me to grow up spiritually?

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Together with my brothers and sisters, it is

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very important that each and every one of

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us come to this point in our spiritual

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walk with the Lord, where we see in

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a very clear way that it's Father's desire

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to bring spiritual maturity in my life.

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And if we've been seeing over the past

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several weeks, spiritual maturity can be a difficult

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road because it requires putting off childish things.

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It requires putting off childish ways.

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It requires putting off childish thinking.

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And so if you have a desire in

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your heart for the Holy Spirit to work

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in you spiritual maturity together with other brothers

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and sisters in your life, so that together

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we can grow into spiritual adulthood, then there

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are three important aspects of God's dealing in

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your life regarding spiritual maturity that we're going

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to have to grasp.

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Because nobody here will come into spiritual maturity

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unless we partake of our Father's child-training

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hand resulting in working in us

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brokenness.

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Number two, working in us the capacity to

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redeem the time.

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And number three, character qualities.

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That is, qualities of our character that reveal

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a maturing going on in us.

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I suggest you listen carefully to the Word

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this morning, because this message is applicable to

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every single Christian who is destined by God

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to come to spiritual maturity.

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I'd like to begin in reading from the

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prophet Isaiah chapter 57.

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I had a brother call me yesterday, Daniel,

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and we chatted on the phone for a

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good 30 minutes or so, and Daniel was

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reading from Isaiah 66, not knowing that it

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was one of the Scriptures I was planning

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on sharing this morning.

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And so I didn't even tell him, I

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just listened and rejoiced together with the teaching

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that the Holy Spirit had been giving him.

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But it was perfectly in unison with this

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first point that we're going to deal with

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this morning.

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And I thank God that we're all hearing

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the same thing.

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Because one of the goals, one of the

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passions of the Father's heart, and one of

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the passions of true leaders among God's people,

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is not to create a bunch of people

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dependent upon them, but to prevail and to

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bring the Word, and to bring prayer, in

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order that maturity might occur so everybody might

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be able to hear the Lord.

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Everybody might be able to recognize His voice.

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The true heart of a leader rejoices when

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people grow spiritually, and are able to hear

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from the Lord, are able to get into

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the Word, and be taught properly what God

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is saying.

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And so that's the end of true leadership,

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to see spiritual maturity.

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Not to create a co-dependence relationship upon

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a particular flock or church, which many leaders

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are doing today.

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And it's dangerous.

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It's not God's thought.

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Isaiah chapter 57, beginning in verse 15.

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For thus saith the High and the Lofty

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One that inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy,

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I will dwell in the High and the

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Holy Place with Him also that is of

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a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the

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spirit of the humble and to revive the

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heart of the contrite ones.

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Isaiah chapter 66, beginning in verse 1.

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Thus saith the Lord, the heaven is my

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throne, the earth is my footstool.

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Where is the house that ye build unto

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me?

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And where is the place of my rest?

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For all those things hath my hand made,

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and all those things have been, saith the

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Lord.

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But to this man will I look, even

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to him that is poor and of a

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contrite spirit, and trembles at my

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word.

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Job 41, verse number 25.

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You may turn there if you like.

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I'm going to simply read it.

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By reason of breakings they purify themselves.

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Job 41, verse 25.

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By reason of breakings they purify themselves.

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I'm going to be reading from October 15th

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of Streams in the Desert.

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Listen carefully as we hear the heart of

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the Lord regarding this first aspect of brokenness.

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And remember, beloved, that this is the road

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that you and I will travel upon if

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we aspire to spiritual maturity.

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Now, if we want to live the rest

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of our Christian lives as spiritual children and

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play religious games, we'll experience Father's provision, won't

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we?

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Because He's faithful.

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If we want to just have fun and

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just, you know, sing and dance and just

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do our own thing and see God blessing

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us and see God blessing us when we

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go and when we come and we just

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want to live a fun, happy Christian life,

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well, God will be there because He's faithful.

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But if the Holy Spirit and the Word

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of God grips a hold of your heart

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and you see the Father heart of God,

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the Father heart of God, it's in the

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heart of a father to see his children

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come to maturity in the natural, isn't it?

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Every true father delights in the little baby,

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the little toddler.

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I love my children.

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I love the little ones.

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They're so precious.

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But oh, how my heart longs to see

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maturity in all my children.

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And unfortunately, my oldest one now is suffering

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under that burden.

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Because sometimes we deal with our children when

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it's time for them to mature in a

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way that they don't like.

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And likewise, Father deals with us in a

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way that we don't like when it's time

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to grow up.

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He starts crossing our will, doesn't He?

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He starts denying us things that perhaps we've

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always been able to have.

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And we misunderstand it and we say, Father,

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why are you being so mean to me?

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How about this?

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Everybody else is doing it.

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Everybody else has got it.

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And you wonder in loneliness and in quietness

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why Father has seemingly denied you this thing.

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Could it be that God in His infinite

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wisdom has looked down upon you and said,

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It is time, my son, it is time,

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my daughter, to experience a different aspect of

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my heart.

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You've known the nurturing aspect of my heart.

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You've known the nurturing of a mother.

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You know, mothers are so gifted of God,

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aren't they?

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Mothers have such a unique, unique gift.

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A mother is able to take a crying

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child and so nurture that child and so

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coddle that child and just everything's going to

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be all right.

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Now, if I say that, it doesn't work.

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But if Mommy says it, it works.

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I can't tell you how many times my

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little ones will fall or they'll get hurt

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and I'll say, Aw, come to Daddy.

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No, I want Mommy.

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Excuse me?

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I want Mommy.

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Collette!

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Something about a nurturing heart of a mother.

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And our Father reveals Himself in the Old

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Testament as the Breasty One.

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Did you know that that's one of His

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names?

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The Breasty One?

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That indicates the aspect of God that is

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capable of nurturing His children like a mother

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would nurture and nurse their little babies.

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And don't we all appreciate that aspect of

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our Father?

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He's got such a gentle touch.

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But the day comes when we hear the

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voice of our Father.

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And He says, It's time to grow up.

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Now, listen closely.

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God uses most for His glory those people

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and things which are most perfectly broken.

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The sacrifices He accepts are broken and contrite

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hearts.

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It was the breaking down of Jacob's natural

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strength at Pineal that gave him where God

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could clothe him with the spiritual power.

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It was breaking the surface of the rock

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at Horeb by the stroke of Moses' rod

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that let out the cool waters to thirsty

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people.

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It was when the 300 elect soldiers under

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Gideon broke their pictures, a type of breaking

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themselves, that the hidden lights shone forth to

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the consternation of their adversaries.

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It was when the poor widow broke the

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seal of the little pot of oil and

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poured it forth that God multiplied it to

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pay her debts and supply means of support.

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It was when Esther risked her life and

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broke through the rigid etiquette of a heathen

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court that she obtained favor to rescue her

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people from death.

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It was when our Lord Jesus took the

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five loaves and broke them that the bread

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was multiplied in the very act of breaking,

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sufficient to feed 5,000.

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It was when Mary broke her beautiful alabaster

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box, rendering it henceforth useless, that the pinup

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perfume filled the house.

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It was when Jesus allowed His precious body

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to be broken to pieces by thorns and

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nails and spear that His inner life was

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poured out like a crystal ocean for thirsty

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sinners to drink and live.

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It is when a beautiful grain of corn

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is broken up in the earth by death

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that its inner heart sprouts forth and bears

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hundreds of other grains and thus on and

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on through all history and all biography and

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all vegetation and all spiritual life.

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God must have broken things.

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00:15:35,460 --> 00:15:38,700
Those who are broken in wealth and broken

274
00:15:38,700 --> 00:15:41,540
in self-will and broken in their ambitions

275
00:15:41,540 --> 00:15:45,300
and broken in their beautiful ideas and broken

276
00:15:45,300 --> 00:15:48,780
in worldly reputation and broken in their affections

277
00:15:48,780 --> 00:15:51,080
and broken oftentimes in health.

278
00:15:51,520 --> 00:15:54,880
Those who are despised and seem utterly forlorn

279
00:15:54,880 --> 00:15:55,480
and helpless.

280
00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:59,720
The Holy Ghost is seizing upon and using

281
00:15:59,720 --> 00:16:00,980
for God's glory.

282
00:16:01,860 --> 00:16:06,080
Isaiah says, the lame take the prey.

283
00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:10,380
And then a poem by Thomas Bunch.

284
00:16:10,900 --> 00:16:13,780
Oh, break my heart, but break it as

285
00:16:13,780 --> 00:16:14,360
a field.

286
00:16:14,720 --> 00:16:17,160
It is but the plow up broken for

287
00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:17,900
thy corn.

288
00:16:18,420 --> 00:16:21,120
Oh, break it as the buds by green

289
00:16:21,120 --> 00:16:24,820
leaves sealed are to unloose the golden blossom

290
00:16:24,820 --> 00:16:25,440
torn.

291
00:16:26,180 --> 00:16:29,360
Love what I offer unto the love's great

292
00:16:29,360 --> 00:16:29,860
Master.

293
00:16:30,340 --> 00:16:31,600
Set free the odor.

294
00:16:32,100 --> 00:16:33,560
Break the alabaster.

295
00:16:34,360 --> 00:16:36,220
Oh, God, break my heart.

296
00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:41,000
Break it, victorious God, that life's eternal well

297
00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:42,460
may flash abroad.

298
00:16:43,060 --> 00:16:45,020
Oh, let it break as when the captive

299
00:16:45,020 --> 00:16:49,700
trees, breaking cold bounds, regain their liberties.

300
00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:54,780
And as thought's sacred grove to life is

301
00:16:54,780 --> 00:16:59,380
springing, be joys like birds, their hope, thy

302
00:16:59,380 --> 00:17:00,780
victory singing.

303
00:17:06,569 --> 00:17:14,270
Brokenness before Almighty God is a quality that

304
00:17:14,270 --> 00:17:20,069
every mature, aspiring child of God will have

305
00:17:20,069 --> 00:17:20,770
to taste.

306
00:17:21,390 --> 00:17:23,869
And as the Word of God so clearly

307
00:17:23,869 --> 00:17:28,430
indicates this morning, brokenness is a quality through

308
00:17:28,430 --> 00:17:32,990
which God reduces us down to a posture

309
00:17:32,990 --> 00:17:38,530
inwardly where we realize that we have no

310
00:17:38,530 --> 00:17:42,750
strength, no wisdom, no power, no ability.

311
00:17:43,270 --> 00:17:46,710
We have nothing in ourselves but are wholly

312
00:17:46,710 --> 00:17:50,630
dependent upon a sovereign God to lead us

313
00:17:50,630 --> 00:17:52,590
and move us and guide us and grant

314
00:17:52,590 --> 00:17:53,690
us the victory.

315
00:17:55,170 --> 00:17:59,750
Brokenness is the posture whereby the creature acknowledges

316
00:17:59,750 --> 00:18:05,390
that it is only in the Creator that

317
00:18:05,390 --> 00:18:08,430
we have our life and our joy and

318
00:18:08,430 --> 00:18:10,530
our righteousness and our strength.

319
00:18:12,820 --> 00:18:15,920
And this work of brokenness is something that

320
00:18:15,920 --> 00:18:19,000
only God can do in our life as

321
00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:21,120
His eyes of love fall upon us.

322
00:18:22,500 --> 00:18:26,240
And He chooses, as Hebrews chapter 12 indicates,

323
00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:27,560
and then we're going to move on.

324
00:18:27,960 --> 00:18:29,380
Hebrews chapter 12.

325
00:18:38,700 --> 00:18:42,400
This quality of brokenness is only something that

326
00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:44,820
God Himself can bring in our life.

327
00:18:48,180 --> 00:18:49,900
We read this last week.

328
00:18:50,900 --> 00:18:54,520
Verse 2, Hebrews 12, looking unto Jesus, the

329
00:18:54,520 --> 00:18:56,300
Author and Finisher of our faith.

330
00:18:57,780 --> 00:18:59,980
Let me tell you, beloved, when God begins

331
00:18:59,980 --> 00:19:02,860
the process of bringing brokenness into your life,

332
00:19:03,220 --> 00:19:06,200
you're going to discover quite quickly that there

333
00:19:06,200 --> 00:19:08,440
is no place that you can look to

334
00:19:08,440 --> 00:19:10,560
except the Lord Jesus Christ.

335
00:19:10,900 --> 00:19:13,640
Because when God begins to produce brokenness in

336
00:19:13,640 --> 00:19:16,840
our life, everything else becomes insufficient.

337
00:19:17,540 --> 00:19:20,580
We can't look to anyone or anything else.

338
00:19:24,240 --> 00:19:26,560
There's a story that the late Dr. J.

339
00:19:26,660 --> 00:19:28,800
Vernon McGee used to tell over the radio.

340
00:19:29,140 --> 00:19:30,660
He and his wife had gone to a

341
00:19:30,660 --> 00:19:32,060
conference and heard a speaker.

342
00:19:32,380 --> 00:19:33,800
And he was a young man.

343
00:19:34,700 --> 00:19:37,240
Relatively young in the Lord, but very gifted.

344
00:19:37,940 --> 00:19:40,020
And he got up and he spoke a

345
00:19:40,020 --> 00:19:43,980
tremendous gifted message on a topic that I

346
00:19:43,980 --> 00:19:46,240
don't even think Dr. McGee divulged on the

347
00:19:46,240 --> 00:19:47,000
radio program.

348
00:19:47,300 --> 00:19:50,280
And afterwards, his wife looked at him and

349
00:19:50,280 --> 00:19:52,100
said, what did you think?

350
00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:55,260
Thought it was pretty good.

351
00:19:55,580 --> 00:19:56,800
And J.

352
00:19:56,900 --> 00:20:02,220
Vernon McGee looked at his wife and said,

353
00:20:03,460 --> 00:20:06,180
the boy needs to suffer a little bit.

354
00:20:07,620 --> 00:20:09,680
He needs to go through life a little

355
00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:10,000
bit.

356
00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:17,960
And then years later, years later, they found

357
00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:20,320
themselves in an audience where the same speaker

358
00:20:20,320 --> 00:20:21,080
was speaking.

359
00:20:21,080 --> 00:20:23,900
And afterwards, his wife said, what do you

360
00:20:23,900 --> 00:20:24,380
think?

361
00:20:25,520 --> 00:20:26,380
And old J.

362
00:20:26,480 --> 00:20:29,540
Vernon McGee said, not like that.

363
00:20:32,040 --> 00:20:32,520
Why?

364
00:20:34,460 --> 00:20:39,440
Because the first message may have been gifted,

365
00:20:40,220 --> 00:20:42,620
might have been accurate to the letter, might

366
00:20:42,620 --> 00:20:46,960
have been good doctrinal truth, but it wasn't

367
00:20:46,960 --> 00:20:50,900
being delivered through a vessel that knew brokenness.

368
00:20:54,510 --> 00:20:59,030
But the second presentation was an earthen vessel

369
00:20:59,710 --> 00:21:03,110
who had suffered, who had been subject to

370
00:21:03,110 --> 00:21:05,630
Father's hand of discipline, who had come to

371
00:21:05,630 --> 00:21:08,290
know weakness, come to know brokenness, come to

372
00:21:08,290 --> 00:21:09,910
know what it was to be crushed.

373
00:21:13,030 --> 00:21:15,870
The greater the brokenness that God works in

374
00:21:15,870 --> 00:21:18,690
us, the greater capacity does the ministry of

375
00:21:18,690 --> 00:21:21,570
life have to flow through us into the

376
00:21:21,570 --> 00:21:22,370
lives of others.

377
00:21:22,690 --> 00:21:24,710
You remember what Paul said, that it's death

378
00:21:24,710 --> 00:21:27,070
that worked in him, but life in others.

379
00:21:27,270 --> 00:21:29,970
So it's the ministry of life flowing out

380
00:21:29,970 --> 00:21:32,490
of us that comes through death working in

381
00:21:32,490 --> 00:21:32,850
us.

382
00:21:34,150 --> 00:21:35,350
What kind of death?

383
00:21:35,690 --> 00:21:44,180
The death that God works in us, weaning

384
00:21:44,180 --> 00:21:48,940
us from all dependence and trust in ourself.

385
00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:55,460
Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of

386
00:21:55,460 --> 00:21:58,720
our faith, who for the joy that was

387
00:21:58,720 --> 00:22:04,940
set before Him endured the cross, despising the

388
00:22:04,940 --> 00:22:06,900
same, and is set down at the right

389
00:22:06,900 --> 00:22:08,280
hand of the throne of God.

390
00:22:09,020 --> 00:22:12,040
For consider Him that endured such contradiction of

391
00:22:12,040 --> 00:22:16,240
sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and

392
00:22:16,240 --> 00:22:17,760
faint in your minds.

393
00:22:18,740 --> 00:22:21,660
Ye have not yet resisted unto blood striving

394
00:22:21,660 --> 00:22:25,940
against sin, and you have forgotten the exhortation

395
00:22:29,690 --> 00:22:33,150
which speaketh unto you, as the King James

396
00:22:33,150 --> 00:22:34,030
says, children.

397
00:22:34,930 --> 00:22:38,250
But the actual word there means sons.

398
00:22:40,990 --> 00:22:44,030
The idea here is you have forgotten that

399
00:22:44,030 --> 00:22:46,290
God is speaking to you and dealing with

400
00:22:46,290 --> 00:22:47,770
you as sons now.

401
00:22:48,370 --> 00:22:50,690
Not as little children, but as sons.

402
00:22:53,460 --> 00:22:54,660
And listen to what He says.

403
00:22:54,740 --> 00:22:55,600
My son.

404
00:22:56,540 --> 00:22:58,720
See, the same word, My son, is the

405
00:22:58,720 --> 00:23:00,960
same word that is used when it says

406
00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:02,980
unto children.

407
00:23:03,140 --> 00:23:03,980
It's the same word.

408
00:23:04,660 --> 00:23:09,960
Despise not the chastening, the child-training of

409
00:23:09,960 --> 00:23:14,340
the Lord, nor faint when you are rebuked

410
00:23:14,340 --> 00:23:14,760
of Him.

411
00:23:15,380 --> 00:23:18,760
For whom the Lord loves, He chasteneth and

412
00:23:18,760 --> 00:23:22,220
scourges every son whom He received.

413
00:23:22,700 --> 00:23:26,080
If ye endure chastening, God deals with you

414
00:23:26,080 --> 00:23:27,120
as with sons.

415
00:23:27,120 --> 00:23:29,960
For what son is He whom the Father

416
00:23:29,960 --> 00:23:31,120
chasteneth not?

417
00:23:32,340 --> 00:23:36,080
But if ye be without chastisement, whereof are

418
00:23:36,080 --> 00:23:42,380
all partakers, then are ye bastards and not

419
00:23:42,380 --> 00:23:42,800
sons.

420
00:23:43,800 --> 00:23:47,120
Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh

421
00:23:47,120 --> 00:23:50,660
which correct us, and we gave them reverence.

422
00:23:51,180 --> 00:23:54,040
Shall we not much rather be in subjection

423
00:23:54,040 --> 00:23:56,840
unto the Father of spirits and live?

424
00:23:58,300 --> 00:24:02,140
For verily for a few days they chastened

425
00:24:02,140 --> 00:24:05,520
us after their own pleasure, but He for

426
00:24:05,520 --> 00:24:09,540
our profit, that we might be partakers of

427
00:24:09,540 --> 00:24:13,280
His holiness, of His sanctification, that word.

428
00:24:13,600 --> 00:24:15,540
In other words, that we might be partakers

429
00:24:15,540 --> 00:24:19,300
of the fullness of who He is.

430
00:24:20,220 --> 00:24:24,260
Not just the gift of eternal salvation, although

431
00:24:24,260 --> 00:24:25,940
that's part of it, but to be a

432
00:24:25,940 --> 00:24:31,160
partaker of the fullness, the stature, His manhood,

433
00:24:31,340 --> 00:24:33,740
His maturity, His character.

434
00:24:34,200 --> 00:24:37,320
That we might be partakers of the fullness

435
00:24:37,320 --> 00:24:40,460
of His beauty, of His righteousness.

436
00:24:41,480 --> 00:24:43,760
This is God's heart for you and I.

437
00:24:44,960 --> 00:24:48,800
Verse 11, Now no chastening for the present

438
00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:51,580
seems to be joyous but grievous.

439
00:24:52,440 --> 00:24:56,140
Nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of

440
00:24:56,140 --> 00:25:00,120
righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

441
00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:13,340
Be prepared.

442
00:25:20,170 --> 00:25:21,050
Brokenness.

443
00:25:23,530 --> 00:25:24,970
Be prepared, beloved.

444
00:25:30,420 --> 00:25:34,460
And may I say, as we go on

445
00:25:34,460 --> 00:25:41,290
to point to, take special heed of verse

446
00:25:41,290 --> 00:25:41,850
5.

447
00:25:45,660 --> 00:25:49,140
Despise not, nor faint.

448
00:25:50,980 --> 00:25:55,220
The greatest temptation that you will experience when

449
00:25:55,220 --> 00:25:57,980
God is dealing with you as sons and

450
00:25:57,980 --> 00:26:00,740
when God begins to bring brokenness into your

451
00:26:00,740 --> 00:26:05,800
life, is the temptation to despise it and

452
00:26:05,800 --> 00:26:09,120
the temptation to faint under the dealing of

453
00:26:09,120 --> 00:26:12,100
the Lord, to become weary in your mind.

454
00:26:14,900 --> 00:26:18,100
So look to Jesus and He'll give you

455
00:26:18,100 --> 00:26:18,680
the grace.

456
00:26:20,320 --> 00:26:28,340
Number two, a second feature that each one

457
00:26:28,340 --> 00:26:30,740
of us will have to experience in a

458
00:26:30,740 --> 00:26:34,380
very real way, on the road to maturity,

459
00:26:35,160 --> 00:26:38,840
is learning to redeem the time.

460
00:26:40,260 --> 00:26:41,180
Ephesians.

461
00:26:42,680 --> 00:26:44,980
We've read this Scripture a number of times.

462
00:26:48,080 --> 00:26:49,720
We're going to read it again.

463
00:26:50,040 --> 00:26:50,980
Chapter 5.

464
00:26:51,940 --> 00:26:53,540
Hebrews 5.

465
00:27:03,720 --> 00:27:06,380
Beginning in verse 6.

466
00:27:07,520 --> 00:27:10,980
Let no man deceive you with vain words,

467
00:27:10,980 --> 00:27:13,940
for because of these things cometh the wrath

468
00:27:13,940 --> 00:27:16,660
of God upon the children of disobedience.

469
00:27:17,520 --> 00:27:19,960
Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

470
00:27:21,100 --> 00:27:25,480
For ye were sometime darkness, but now are

471
00:27:25,480 --> 00:27:26,920
ye light in the Lord.

472
00:27:27,220 --> 00:27:31,300
Walk as children of light, for the fruit

473
00:27:31,300 --> 00:27:34,160
of the Spirit is in all goodness and

474
00:27:34,160 --> 00:27:35,920
righteousness and truth.

475
00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:40,880
Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

476
00:27:42,520 --> 00:27:45,400
The word acceptable there means agreeable.

477
00:27:45,900 --> 00:27:48,080
Proving what is agreeable to the Lord.

478
00:27:50,370 --> 00:27:52,710
Oh, how important that we learn to do

479
00:27:52,710 --> 00:27:53,150
this.

480
00:27:54,150 --> 00:27:57,350
Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of

481
00:27:57,350 --> 00:27:59,690
darkness, but rather reprove them.

482
00:27:59,850 --> 00:28:01,990
For it is a shame even to speak

483
00:28:01,990 --> 00:28:03,690
of those things which are done of them

484
00:28:03,690 --> 00:28:04,330
in secret.

485
00:28:04,330 --> 00:28:07,950
But all things that are reproved are made

486
00:28:07,950 --> 00:28:09,310
manifest by the light.

487
00:28:09,550 --> 00:28:12,510
For whatsoever doth make manifest is light.

488
00:28:13,490 --> 00:28:17,330
Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and

489
00:28:17,330 --> 00:28:19,990
arise from the dead, and Christ shall give

490
00:28:19,990 --> 00:28:20,510
thee light.

491
00:28:21,710 --> 00:28:21,990
Listen.

492
00:28:23,130 --> 00:28:26,790
See then that ye walk circumspectly.

493
00:28:27,110 --> 00:28:27,350
Listen.

494
00:28:27,350 --> 00:28:27,450
Listen.

495
00:28:27,870 --> 00:28:36,780
Not as fools, but as wise.

496
00:28:37,980 --> 00:28:44,140
Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

497
00:28:53,470 --> 00:28:55,910
On point number one, we could say that

498
00:28:55,910 --> 00:29:04,150
if brokenness indicates a growing maturity, then the

499
00:29:04,150 --> 00:29:07,310
absence of brokenness would indicate the presence of

500
00:29:07,310 --> 00:29:08,030
immaturity.

501
00:29:10,800 --> 00:29:15,960
And so likewise, in order to help make

502
00:29:15,960 --> 00:29:20,080
the point of redeeming the time, if redeeming

503
00:29:20,080 --> 00:29:22,620
the time would be an indication that we're

504
00:29:22,620 --> 00:29:26,340
growing spiritually, then the absence of redeeming the

505
00:29:26,340 --> 00:29:28,120
time would indicate immaturity.

506
00:29:29,160 --> 00:29:31,400
Brothers and sisters, I believe one of the

507
00:29:31,400 --> 00:29:35,260
greatest needs in our lives today as a

508
00:29:35,260 --> 00:29:37,800
company of believers here, but also as the

509
00:29:37,800 --> 00:29:42,000
church abroad, is the need to come to

510
00:29:42,000 --> 00:29:46,860
realize that time is a gift from God,

511
00:29:47,220 --> 00:29:50,080
and if we don't redeem the time, and

512
00:29:50,080 --> 00:29:52,300
that word redeem means to buy it back.

513
00:29:52,400 --> 00:29:55,480
If we don't buy back the time for

514
00:29:55,480 --> 00:29:58,180
God, then the time will be used for

515
00:29:58,180 --> 00:29:59,580
everything but God.

516
00:30:04,300 --> 00:30:04,860
Now listen.

517
00:30:07,890 --> 00:30:14,590
I'm going to read a fictitious but powerful

518
00:30:14,590 --> 00:30:17,230
story.

519
00:30:17,390 --> 00:30:18,830
It will not take long.

520
00:30:20,270 --> 00:30:27,190
In this story, we are going to see

521
00:30:27,190 --> 00:30:31,590
the seriousness of our need to redeem the

522
00:30:31,590 --> 00:30:32,030
time.

523
00:30:35,280 --> 00:30:38,360
The story is not true, and neither are

524
00:30:38,360 --> 00:30:41,300
the various different things being said in the

525
00:30:41,300 --> 00:30:45,380
story necessarily something we should do or shouldn't

526
00:30:45,380 --> 00:30:45,660
do.

527
00:30:45,900 --> 00:30:47,760
But you'll understand as I read it.

528
00:30:47,940 --> 00:30:49,360
The point is well taken.

529
00:30:54,500 --> 00:30:56,540
Satan called a demonic convention.

530
00:30:57,740 --> 00:31:00,200
We can't keep people from going to church.

531
00:31:00,500 --> 00:31:02,420
We can't keep them from reading a Bible

532
00:31:02,420 --> 00:31:03,800
and seeking the truth.

533
00:31:04,200 --> 00:31:07,160
We might, however, keep them from forming an

534
00:31:07,160 --> 00:31:09,920
intimate, abiding relationship with Christ.

535
00:31:10,720 --> 00:31:14,840
When that connection is achieved, our power over

536
00:31:14,840 --> 00:31:18,000
them is broken, so we must prevent it.

537
00:31:19,340 --> 00:31:21,220
So let them go to their churches.

538
00:31:22,260 --> 00:31:25,980
Let them have their conservative lifestyles, but steal

539
00:31:25,980 --> 00:31:29,700
their time so they don't seek that relationship

540
00:31:29,700 --> 00:31:30,440
with Jesus.

541
00:31:32,820 --> 00:31:34,620
That is what I want you to do,

542
00:31:35,480 --> 00:31:35,920
demons.

543
00:31:36,900 --> 00:31:40,760
Distract them from gaining hold of Jesus and

544
00:31:40,760 --> 00:31:43,280
achieving that intimate union with Him.

545
00:31:43,280 --> 00:31:45,220
How shall we do this?

546
00:31:45,440 --> 00:31:46,480
shouted the devils.

547
00:31:47,360 --> 00:31:50,140
Keep them busy in the non-essentials of

548
00:31:50,140 --> 00:31:54,680
life and invent innumerable schemes to occupy their

549
00:31:54,680 --> 00:31:55,260
minds.

550
00:31:56,000 --> 00:32:00,400
He answered, tempt them to spend, spend, spend,

551
00:32:00,760 --> 00:32:02,660
and borrow, and borrow, and borrow.

552
00:32:03,560 --> 00:32:06,160
Persuade the wives to go to work for

553
00:32:06,160 --> 00:32:09,660
long, arduous hours and the husbands to work

554
00:32:09,660 --> 00:32:13,000
six, seven days each week, ten, twelve, fourteen

555
00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:15,400
hours a day, so they can afford their

556
00:32:15,400 --> 00:32:16,800
empty lifestyles.

557
00:32:17,580 --> 00:32:20,440
Keep them from spending time with their children.

558
00:32:21,040 --> 00:32:25,560
As their family fragments, soon their home will

559
00:32:25,560 --> 00:32:28,500
offer no escape from the pressure of work.

560
00:32:29,340 --> 00:32:32,320
Over-stimulate their minds so that they cannot

561
00:32:32,320 --> 00:32:35,240
hear that still, small voice.

562
00:32:36,120 --> 00:32:39,260
Entice them to play the radio or cassette

563
00:32:39,260 --> 00:32:41,240
player whenever they drive.

564
00:32:41,660 --> 00:32:43,540
Keep them from silence.

565
00:32:47,380 --> 00:32:51,660
Entice them to keep the TV, VCR, CDs,

566
00:32:52,100 --> 00:32:55,780
and their PCs going constantly everywhere they go.

567
00:32:56,740 --> 00:32:59,360
See to it that every store and restaurant

568
00:32:59,360 --> 00:33:02,240
in the world plays worldly music.

569
00:33:02,640 --> 00:33:05,460
This will jam their minds and prevent them

570
00:33:05,460 --> 00:33:06,740
from thinking on Christ.

571
00:33:07,140 --> 00:33:10,720
Fill the coffee tables with magazines and newspapers.

572
00:33:10,720 --> 00:33:14,500
Pound their minds with the news 24 hours

573
00:33:14,500 --> 00:33:14,900
a day.

574
00:33:15,260 --> 00:33:18,140
Invade their driving moments with billboards.

575
00:33:19,040 --> 00:33:21,840
Flood their mailboxes with junk mail.

576
00:33:22,260 --> 00:33:26,960
Mail order catalogs, sweepstakes, and every kind of

577
00:33:26,960 --> 00:33:31,580
newsletter and promotional offering free products, services, and

578
00:33:31,580 --> 00:33:32,540
false hopes.

579
00:33:34,990 --> 00:33:37,950
Take Bibles and prayers from all their children's

580
00:33:37,950 --> 00:33:45,370
classrooms and give the children more time to

581
00:33:45,370 --> 00:33:46,310
learn of Me.

582
00:33:47,410 --> 00:33:49,050
Remember, Satan's writing this.

583
00:33:49,150 --> 00:33:49,490
Me.

584
00:33:51,070 --> 00:33:56,510
Keep skinny, beautiful models on the magazines so

585
00:33:56,510 --> 00:33:59,750
the husbands will believe that external beauty is

586
00:33:59,750 --> 00:34:03,050
what's important and they'll become dissatisfied with their

587
00:34:03,050 --> 00:34:03,610
wives.

588
00:34:07,940 --> 00:34:08,350
Ha!

589
00:34:09,010 --> 00:34:12,530
That will fragment those families very quickly.

590
00:34:15,760 --> 00:34:19,380
Even in their recreation, let them be excessive.

591
00:34:21,060 --> 00:34:26,100
Have them return from their recreation exhausted, disquieted,

592
00:34:26,360 --> 00:34:28,239
and unprepared for the coming week.

593
00:34:28,739 --> 00:34:30,739
Don't let them go out in nature to

594
00:34:30,739 --> 00:34:32,120
reflect on God's wonders.

595
00:34:32,940 --> 00:34:36,280
Send them to amusement parks and sporting events,

596
00:34:36,659 --> 00:34:38,600
concerts and movies instead.

597
00:34:38,600 --> 00:34:41,320
Keep them busy, busy, busy.

598
00:34:42,340 --> 00:34:45,280
And when they meet for spiritual fellowship, involve

599
00:34:45,280 --> 00:34:47,880
them in gossip and small talk so that

600
00:34:47,880 --> 00:34:51,739
they leave with troubled consciences and unsettled emotions.

601
00:34:53,020 --> 00:34:53,620
Go ahead.

602
00:34:54,040 --> 00:34:56,480
Let them be involved in soul winning, but

603
00:34:56,480 --> 00:34:59,160
crowd their lives with so many good causes

604
00:34:59,160 --> 00:35:01,720
they have no time to seek power from

605
00:35:01,720 --> 00:35:02,160
Jesus.

606
00:35:03,020 --> 00:35:05,140
Soon they will be working in their own

607
00:35:05,140 --> 00:35:08,440
strength, sacrificing their health and family for the

608
00:35:08,440 --> 00:35:10,120
good of their personal causes.

609
00:35:11,220 --> 00:35:14,460
Let us boost their egos to the heavens.

610
00:35:15,660 --> 00:35:17,460
They think they aspire to.

611
00:35:17,920 --> 00:35:18,840
It will work.

612
00:35:19,100 --> 00:35:19,920
It will work.

613
00:35:20,100 --> 00:35:21,460
I know it'll work.

614
00:35:23,580 --> 00:35:26,300
It was quite a convention.

615
00:35:27,340 --> 00:35:31,140
The devil's angels were eagerly to their assignments,

616
00:35:31,760 --> 00:35:34,400
causing religious people everywhere to get more busy,

617
00:35:34,480 --> 00:35:36,140
more rushed, going here and there.

618
00:35:39,260 --> 00:35:40,540
They began to chant.

619
00:35:41,840 --> 00:35:44,240
I guess the question is this.

620
00:35:45,080 --> 00:35:48,040
Has the devil been successful at his scheme

621
00:35:48,040 --> 00:35:51,000
as far as you are concerned?

622
00:35:52,740 --> 00:35:54,180
You be the judge.

623
00:35:56,830 --> 00:36:03,810
Does busy mean being under Satan's yoke?

624
00:36:06,740 --> 00:36:09,720
Reflect honestly, beloved.

625
00:36:14,070 --> 00:36:19,890
Our second point, redeeming the time under maturity.

626
00:36:21,010 --> 00:36:24,490
When God begins to work in your life

627
00:36:25,170 --> 00:36:29,190
seeking to see maturity, you will come to

628
00:36:29,190 --> 00:36:29,750
a crisis.

629
00:36:29,910 --> 00:36:31,930
You'll have to come to a crisis whether

630
00:36:31,930 --> 00:36:34,710
you are a single person, whether you are

631
00:36:34,710 --> 00:36:38,150
a married person, whether you have one children

632
00:36:38,150 --> 00:36:39,750
or ten children.

633
00:36:40,150 --> 00:36:42,490
You will have to come to a crisis

634
00:36:42,490 --> 00:36:47,690
where you will begin to experience God's dealing

635
00:36:47,690 --> 00:36:51,110
in your life regarding the things that you

636
00:36:51,110 --> 00:36:54,350
do, the things that your family does, and

637
00:36:54,350 --> 00:36:57,050
you'll begin to have to hear Him say,

638
00:36:57,490 --> 00:37:01,350
this might not be unlawful, but it is

639
00:37:01,350 --> 00:37:02,150
unnecessary.

640
00:37:02,950 --> 00:37:06,990
This might not be overtly sinful, but it

641
00:37:06,990 --> 00:37:08,310
is not productive.

642
00:37:08,950 --> 00:37:11,390
And as we preached a number of weeks

643
00:37:11,390 --> 00:37:14,950
ago, at that time, it's going to be

644
00:37:14,950 --> 00:37:17,250
time to make some tough decisions.

645
00:37:18,650 --> 00:37:22,030
The church is in the valley of decision

646
00:37:22,030 --> 00:37:22,610
today.

647
00:37:23,410 --> 00:37:25,890
We have got to decide.

648
00:37:30,240 --> 00:37:49,660
And in making decisions, we

649
00:37:49,660 --> 00:37:54,480
will see the Lord work in our lives.

650
00:37:56,380 --> 00:37:58,460
I will not go into detail on this

651
00:37:58,460 --> 00:37:58,800
point.

652
00:37:59,540 --> 00:38:01,580
I will not play the Holy Spirit.

653
00:38:02,300 --> 00:38:05,280
I will not legislate laws and rules and

654
00:38:05,280 --> 00:38:06,880
regulations for people to follow.

655
00:38:07,120 --> 00:38:09,000
That is not what I'm called to do.

656
00:38:09,420 --> 00:38:12,100
I will not write a list of do's

657
00:38:12,100 --> 00:38:13,080
and don'ts for you.

658
00:38:13,300 --> 00:38:15,260
I will not tell you how to spend

659
00:38:15,260 --> 00:38:16,960
your time and what to do and what

660
00:38:16,960 --> 00:38:17,560
not to do.

661
00:38:17,560 --> 00:38:21,480
But I believe with all my heart, as

662
00:38:21,480 --> 00:38:24,140
I stand in the presence of Jesus Christ,

663
00:38:24,400 --> 00:38:27,640
along with you, that if you will listen

664
00:38:27,640 --> 00:38:31,300
to the voice of your Shepherd Jesus Christ,

665
00:38:31,560 --> 00:38:32,000
He will.

666
00:38:33,160 --> 00:38:36,180
I won't, but He will.

667
00:38:37,060 --> 00:38:39,740
And He will not do it in order

668
00:38:39,740 --> 00:38:42,260
to create a legalistic lifestyle for you.

669
00:38:42,480 --> 00:38:44,380
He won't do it so that you can

670
00:38:44,380 --> 00:38:46,980
conform the rules and regulations and then think

671
00:38:46,980 --> 00:38:49,840
by doing so, you're attaining to spiritual maturity.

672
00:38:49,920 --> 00:38:52,780
No, He'll do it, and the basis of

673
00:38:52,780 --> 00:38:53,820
it will be love.

674
00:38:54,620 --> 00:38:55,220
Love.

675
00:38:55,300 --> 00:38:57,680
It will be born out of a relationship.

676
00:38:58,940 --> 00:39:00,420
That's what He's after.

677
00:39:01,820 --> 00:39:03,260
People maturing.

678
00:39:04,440 --> 00:39:08,020
That's springing out of love for Him.

679
00:39:24,910 --> 00:39:26,870
Redeeming the time.

680
00:39:29,880 --> 00:39:33,050
Because the days are evil.

681
00:39:39,380 --> 00:39:46,200
This whole second point, the road to spiritual

682
00:39:46,200 --> 00:39:50,360
maturity, begins with an awakening within the heart.

683
00:39:50,760 --> 00:39:52,320
And here's what the awakening is.

684
00:39:52,480 --> 00:39:54,080
It comes by the Holy Spirit.

685
00:39:54,520 --> 00:39:55,480
And this is what it is.

686
00:39:55,580 --> 00:40:05,390
Father, You have got to order my life

687
00:40:05,390 --> 00:40:07,090
and the life of my family.

688
00:40:08,050 --> 00:40:11,630
And I've got to come to where I

689
00:40:11,630 --> 00:40:16,090
am hearing You give me wisdom on how

690
00:40:16,090 --> 00:40:18,670
to conduct my life and my family's life

691
00:40:18,670 --> 00:40:22,710
that is most inducive to spiritual maturity.

692
00:40:23,490 --> 00:40:27,310
That is most inducive to spiritual development.

693
00:40:28,670 --> 00:40:32,630
When that awakening occurs in your heart, and

694
00:40:32,630 --> 00:40:34,650
you realize there's going to come a day

695
00:40:34,650 --> 00:40:36,930
when you will give an account for every

696
00:40:36,930 --> 00:40:40,170
minute that you spent on this earth every

697
00:40:40,170 --> 00:40:40,630
day.

698
00:40:40,870 --> 00:40:42,430
You're going to have to give an account

699
00:40:42,430 --> 00:40:43,250
to the Savior.

700
00:40:43,950 --> 00:40:46,390
And He's going to require of each one

701
00:40:46,390 --> 00:40:48,850
of us to stand before Him and give

702
00:40:48,850 --> 00:40:52,450
an account of how we spent the time

703
00:40:52,450 --> 00:40:57,650
that God gave us from the moment we

704
00:40:57,650 --> 00:40:59,370
wake up to the moment we go to

705
00:40:59,370 --> 00:40:59,710
bed.

706
00:41:02,250 --> 00:41:06,650
And those who under the hand of God

707
00:41:06,650 --> 00:41:11,990
come and grow and mature and enter into

708
00:41:11,990 --> 00:41:17,610
the process of spiritual maturity will refuse to

709
00:41:20,460 --> 00:41:25,060
conform to the role and to the pressures

710
00:41:25,060 --> 00:41:28,640
of society that are pushing us and pressing

711
00:41:28,640 --> 00:41:32,720
us to spend all of our waking moments

712
00:41:32,720 --> 00:41:37,600
so busy, our minds so preoccupied that we

713
00:41:37,600 --> 00:41:40,580
cannot and do not find time for the

714
00:41:40,580 --> 00:41:40,900
Lord.

715
00:41:41,760 --> 00:41:46,780
The maturing Christian by the grace of God,

716
00:41:47,400 --> 00:41:50,500
by the Spirit of God in meekness, in

717
00:41:50,500 --> 00:41:54,580
weakness, in recognizing that the Lord alone is

718
00:41:54,580 --> 00:41:57,500
their strength will arise by the Spirit of

719
00:41:57,500 --> 00:42:01,820
God and say, Lord, this cannot happen in

720
00:42:01,820 --> 00:42:02,440
my life.

721
00:42:03,100 --> 00:42:06,580
And until this rises up within you and

722
00:42:06,580 --> 00:42:10,020
in your home, you are destined to continue

723
00:42:10,020 --> 00:42:12,100
in spiritual immaturity.

724
00:42:18,120 --> 00:42:18,720
Destined.

725
00:42:21,990 --> 00:42:27,910
Spiritual immaturity lets the winds of life govern

726
00:42:27,910 --> 00:42:28,430
you.

727
00:42:29,650 --> 00:42:33,810
But maturity rises up, feels the wind pushing

728
00:42:33,810 --> 00:42:35,930
this way, and says, No!

729
00:42:36,490 --> 00:42:38,730
Father doesn't want us to go that way.

730
00:42:39,090 --> 00:42:41,210
Feels the pressure to do this.

731
00:42:41,630 --> 00:42:44,410
Maybe you even feel the pressure of other

732
00:42:44,410 --> 00:42:44,930
people.

733
00:42:45,330 --> 00:42:48,110
Your own children might want this and want

734
00:42:48,110 --> 00:42:48,350
that.

735
00:42:48,630 --> 00:42:51,790
It's time, parents, that we arise in the

736
00:42:51,790 --> 00:42:55,090
meekness of Christ and say, This is not

737
00:42:55,090 --> 00:42:55,950
good for you.

738
00:42:56,850 --> 00:42:57,490
No!

739
00:43:02,560 --> 00:43:07,240
Brothers and sisters, if we do not find

740
00:43:08,140 --> 00:43:13,240
this quality walking in us by God's grace,

741
00:43:13,800 --> 00:43:18,660
we're going to be under and controlled by

742
00:43:18,660 --> 00:43:20,840
the Spirit in this age.

743
00:43:23,860 --> 00:43:28,160
How many have found this second point to

744
00:43:28,160 --> 00:43:32,860
be a real, real battle in your life?

745
00:43:33,540 --> 00:43:34,380
Absolutely.

746
00:43:35,200 --> 00:43:36,400
Okay.

747
00:43:43,110 --> 00:43:44,750
Number three.

748
00:43:49,650 --> 00:43:53,070
Character qualities.

749
00:43:55,650 --> 00:44:02,010
As we had mentioned in an earlier message,

750
00:44:03,250 --> 00:44:07,150
in 1 Corinthians 13, we won't go there.

751
00:44:07,930 --> 00:44:12,310
But we saw in 1 Corinthians 13 that

752
00:44:12,310 --> 00:44:14,730
the Holy Spirit showed us that when I

753
00:44:14,730 --> 00:44:19,810
was a child, I thought like a child,

754
00:44:19,950 --> 00:44:23,310
I acted like a child, I reasoned like

755
00:44:23,310 --> 00:44:23,870
a child.

756
00:44:25,550 --> 00:44:28,490
In other words, I had the character of

757
00:44:28,490 --> 00:44:29,010
a child.

758
00:44:36,340 --> 00:44:44,330
The qualities of being a child and we're

759
00:44:44,330 --> 00:44:46,750
going to have to find in Jesus Christ

760
00:44:47,270 --> 00:44:52,230
the grace to begin to demonstrate the character

761
00:44:52,230 --> 00:44:55,070
qualities of maturity.

762
00:45:10,910 --> 00:45:12,830
Now listen, please.

763
00:45:15,970 --> 00:45:19,730
I want you to turn to John chapter

764
00:45:19,730 --> 00:45:20,270
21.

765
00:45:20,410 --> 00:45:21,470
We've read this before.

766
00:45:22,150 --> 00:45:24,410
I believe even other brothers have read this

767
00:45:24,410 --> 00:45:24,770
before.

768
00:45:26,820 --> 00:45:31,720
But I have no problem repeating these things.

769
00:45:34,650 --> 00:45:38,330
Because each time we hear them, new light

770
00:45:38,330 --> 00:45:38,810
comes.

771
00:45:44,520 --> 00:45:45,660
Are you ready?

772
00:45:48,620 --> 00:45:51,660
The words that we're about to read follow

773
00:45:51,660 --> 00:45:54,880
the time when Jesus and Peter had a

774
00:45:54,880 --> 00:45:55,540
conversation.

775
00:45:58,660 --> 00:46:01,700
And Jesus asked Peter, do you love Me?

776
00:46:02,560 --> 00:46:05,120
And Peter said, Lord, I like You.

777
00:46:10,260 --> 00:46:12,620
That's the meaning of the words.

778
00:46:13,600 --> 00:46:16,040
Jesus asked Peter, do you love Me with

779
00:46:16,040 --> 00:46:18,360
that God love that is willing to give

780
00:46:18,360 --> 00:46:21,320
Your life and to sacrifice everything for me?

781
00:46:21,660 --> 00:46:24,460
And Peter said, well, Lord, I like You.

782
00:46:26,140 --> 00:46:26,980
We're buddies.

783
00:46:28,320 --> 00:46:29,880
I mean, we've hung out together.

784
00:46:30,080 --> 00:46:31,400
We did a lot of things together.

785
00:46:32,100 --> 00:46:35,280
But I just denied You three times.

786
00:46:35,280 --> 00:46:37,100
I would be a fool to say yes.

787
00:46:39,080 --> 00:46:41,240
But it was good because Peter was getting

788
00:46:41,240 --> 00:46:41,680
honest.

789
00:46:42,400 --> 00:46:44,200
You see, the Lord can't do anything in

790
00:46:44,200 --> 00:46:45,880
our life until we're honest with Him.

791
00:46:46,680 --> 00:46:47,440
Did you know that?

792
00:46:48,100 --> 00:46:50,660
Did you know the Lord is continuously getting

793
00:46:50,660 --> 00:46:52,040
us to where we need to be honest?

794
00:46:52,900 --> 00:46:55,380
You see, before this incident, what was it

795
00:46:55,380 --> 00:46:57,300
that Peter said to the Lord Jesus at

796
00:46:57,300 --> 00:46:57,980
the Last Supper?

797
00:46:58,880 --> 00:47:11,790
Though all men forsake You, I won't, might

798
00:47:11,790 --> 00:47:14,370
have been sincere, but he was sincerely deceived.

799
00:47:15,090 --> 00:47:16,910
So the Lord couldn't do much in Peter's

800
00:47:16,910 --> 00:47:19,170
life until He brought what?

801
00:47:22,280 --> 00:47:22,720
Brokenness.

802
00:47:24,700 --> 00:47:25,140
Brokenness.

803
00:47:27,570 --> 00:47:28,870
We won't go into that now because I

804
00:47:28,870 --> 00:47:29,650
want to read this part.

805
00:47:30,270 --> 00:47:34,010
So Jesus asked him two times, do you

806
00:47:34,010 --> 00:47:34,390
love Me?

807
00:47:34,530 --> 00:47:35,790
Peter said, I like You.

808
00:47:36,070 --> 00:47:39,070
And then the third time, Jesus said, and

809
00:47:39,070 --> 00:47:40,810
He changed the Greek word, and He said,

810
00:47:40,930 --> 00:47:43,090
oh, Peter, so you only like Me?

811
00:47:44,270 --> 00:47:45,890
And Peter said, Lord, You know all things.

812
00:47:45,970 --> 00:47:46,750
You know I like You.

813
00:47:48,900 --> 00:47:51,320
Jesus was basically saying, that's good, Peter.

814
00:47:52,020 --> 00:47:52,640
It's okay.

815
00:47:53,120 --> 00:47:53,940
It's okay.

816
00:47:54,080 --> 00:47:55,520
Because you're being honest with Me.

817
00:47:55,620 --> 00:47:56,940
I can work with you, Peter.

818
00:47:59,770 --> 00:48:01,030
And now watch what He says.

819
00:48:03,460 --> 00:48:06,980
Verse 18, Verily, verily, I say unto thee,

820
00:48:07,580 --> 00:48:13,100
when thou wast young, immature...

821
00:48:13,740 --> 00:48:14,220
Listen.

822
00:48:14,680 --> 00:48:15,120
Listen.

823
00:48:15,400 --> 00:48:19,360
Listen to the qualities that characterize the features

824
00:48:19,360 --> 00:48:22,340
that characterize an immature soul.

825
00:48:25,550 --> 00:48:28,490
Thou girdest thyself.

826
00:48:30,730 --> 00:48:34,550
Thou walkest whither thou wouldest.

827
00:48:38,450 --> 00:48:44,870
But when thou shalt be old, thou shalt

828
00:48:44,870 --> 00:48:49,930
stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird

829
00:48:49,930 --> 00:48:55,550
thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

830
00:48:55,550 --> 00:48:58,450
And of course, Jesus here was speaking of

831
00:48:58,450 --> 00:49:02,330
the death that Peter would experience in relation

832
00:49:02,330 --> 00:49:04,570
to how He would glorify the Lord.

833
00:49:04,770 --> 00:49:07,210
But there is a much deeper meaning to

834
00:49:07,210 --> 00:49:10,070
this Scripture than simply pointing to an event

835
00:49:10,070 --> 00:49:13,890
where Peter died by stretching out his hands

836
00:49:13,890 --> 00:49:14,930
and was crucified.

837
00:49:16,690 --> 00:49:20,590
This Scripture reveals to us as the Holy

838
00:49:20,590 --> 00:49:23,870
Spirit bursts it open that there is a

839
00:49:23,870 --> 00:49:28,270
distinct difference being made between Peter as a

840
00:49:28,270 --> 00:49:31,730
young man, as an immature man, versus Peter

841
00:49:31,730 --> 00:49:34,810
as one who is old or one who

842
00:49:34,810 --> 00:49:36,770
comes into maturity.

843
00:49:37,330 --> 00:49:41,590
The former is characterized by doing what you

844
00:49:41,590 --> 00:49:42,810
want to do.

845
00:49:43,390 --> 00:49:45,210
Retaining your rights.

846
00:49:46,590 --> 00:49:48,710
Making your own decisions.

847
00:49:49,930 --> 00:49:52,750
Girding yourself with what you want.

848
00:49:52,970 --> 00:49:56,010
You see, we want to gird ourselves with

849
00:49:56,010 --> 00:49:56,410
honor.

850
00:49:57,050 --> 00:49:59,670
We want to gird ourselves with being seen

851
00:49:59,670 --> 00:50:00,250
of men.

852
00:50:00,670 --> 00:50:03,470
We want to gird ourselves of being great

853
00:50:03,470 --> 00:50:04,850
ones in the eyes of others.

854
00:50:05,570 --> 00:50:07,630
We want to go where we want to

855
00:50:07,630 --> 00:50:07,850
go.

856
00:50:08,010 --> 00:50:11,170
We usually choose places that are comfortable for

857
00:50:11,170 --> 00:50:11,330
us.

858
00:50:11,570 --> 00:50:15,050
We usually choose places that are good to

859
00:50:15,050 --> 00:50:16,670
accomplish our agendas.

860
00:50:21,690 --> 00:50:24,850
But when you are old, when you come

861
00:50:24,850 --> 00:50:29,430
under my hand of maturing, you will stretch

862
00:50:29,430 --> 00:50:30,710
forth your hand.

863
00:50:32,330 --> 00:50:34,410
In other words, you'll give up that right

864
00:50:34,810 --> 00:50:37,550
and you'll be led by another.

865
00:50:38,530 --> 00:50:43,910
The great quality of maturity, the overwhelming, all

866
00:50:43,910 --> 00:50:48,630
-surpassing feature of a truly maturing child of

867
00:50:48,630 --> 00:50:52,870
God is that they are not living their

868
00:50:52,870 --> 00:50:55,630
life according to their own tastes.

869
00:50:56,610 --> 00:51:00,090
But they are stretching forth their hand and

870
00:51:00,090 --> 00:51:02,510
they're being governed by another.

871
00:51:03,550 --> 00:51:05,890
They're being led by another.

872
00:51:06,770 --> 00:51:09,590
They've given up the rights of doing their

873
00:51:09,590 --> 00:51:11,130
own thing their own way.

874
00:51:11,370 --> 00:51:14,210
But they've come to see the Crucified One

875
00:51:14,210 --> 00:51:18,910
and they've come to say, Lord, whithersoever You

876
00:51:18,910 --> 00:51:21,590
would lead me, I will follow.

877
00:51:23,470 --> 00:51:26,370
Wherever You want me to go, I will

878
00:51:26,370 --> 00:51:26,890
go.

879
00:51:28,050 --> 00:51:30,330
Putting off childish ways.

880
00:51:31,450 --> 00:51:37,790
Taking on character qualities that represent maturity is

881
00:51:37,790 --> 00:51:42,250
a very real dealing with the Lord.

882
00:51:44,010 --> 00:51:48,750
Stripping us from that tendency to demand our

883
00:51:48,750 --> 00:51:49,330
own way.

884
00:51:50,170 --> 00:51:54,290
How many of us are willing to clothe

885
00:51:54,290 --> 00:51:56,230
ourself with dishonor?

886
00:51:58,450 --> 00:52:00,350
This is more than just putting on our

887
00:52:00,350 --> 00:52:00,870
clothes.

888
00:52:01,490 --> 00:52:01,790
No.

889
00:52:02,650 --> 00:52:06,830
This is clothing ourself, making ourself.

890
00:52:06,990 --> 00:52:08,430
How do you want to look in the

891
00:52:08,430 --> 00:52:14,030
eyes of men when you're led by another?

892
00:52:14,030 --> 00:52:15,970
You no longer care.

893
00:52:16,890 --> 00:52:18,470
It no longer is a concern.

894
00:52:19,010 --> 00:52:20,990
If God wants to lead you to be

895
00:52:20,990 --> 00:52:22,690
a servant, you'll be a servant.

896
00:52:23,030 --> 00:52:24,990
If God wants to lead you to sell

897
00:52:24,990 --> 00:52:27,530
everything you've got and be a fool, that's

898
00:52:27,530 --> 00:52:28,830
exactly what you'll do.

899
00:52:29,290 --> 00:52:31,490
If God wants to lead you into a

900
00:52:31,490 --> 00:52:34,410
place of dishonor, not through a moral act

901
00:52:34,410 --> 00:52:36,510
or an immoral act, but a place of

902
00:52:36,510 --> 00:52:39,890
dishonor where you're misunderstood, it doesn't matter.

903
00:52:39,990 --> 00:52:44,170
If you're clothed with misunderstanding, it won't matter.

904
00:52:45,190 --> 00:52:46,050
It won't matter.

905
00:52:47,710 --> 00:52:50,050
You see, because you're led by another one

906
00:52:50,050 --> 00:52:50,390
now.

907
00:52:51,930 --> 00:52:54,070
And I tell you, brothers and sisters, you

908
00:52:54,070 --> 00:52:56,090
don't have this in yourself and neither do

909
00:52:56,090 --> 00:52:56,430
I.

910
00:52:56,990 --> 00:52:58,730
Only God can work this in us.

911
00:52:59,050 --> 00:53:02,290
But I'm telling you, God's heart is searching

912
00:53:02,290 --> 00:53:05,690
and the tears of Christ are falling as

913
00:53:05,690 --> 00:53:09,090
He longs to see these kinds of awakenings

914
00:53:09,090 --> 00:53:10,650
come into the body of Christ.

915
00:53:10,650 --> 00:53:13,830
The day of chasing after things and having

916
00:53:13,830 --> 00:53:16,810
a good old jolly Christian time while we're

917
00:53:16,810 --> 00:53:19,390
doing our own thing and we're serving God

918
00:53:19,390 --> 00:53:21,790
in our own way are coming to an

919
00:53:21,790 --> 00:53:22,130
end.

920
00:53:22,470 --> 00:53:25,330
God is raising up a church, a people,

921
00:53:25,690 --> 00:53:28,550
a company of people who under the hand

922
00:53:28,550 --> 00:53:31,210
of God's Spirit are coming to know maturity.

923
00:53:31,950 --> 00:53:34,970
And they're making themselves available to God without

924
00:53:34,970 --> 00:53:35,570
conditions.

925
00:53:37,450 --> 00:53:40,610
Lord, I'll serve You, but don't do this.

926
00:53:52,100 --> 00:53:52,240
Okay.

927
00:53:57,300 --> 00:54:00,980
I have got ten, which I'm not going

928
00:54:00,980 --> 00:54:01,820
to go into now.

929
00:54:02,920 --> 00:54:12,690
Ten character qualities that represent

930
00:54:12,690 --> 00:54:13,470
maturity.

931
00:54:15,550 --> 00:54:18,950
That we will save for our next time

932
00:54:18,950 --> 00:54:19,370
together.

933
00:54:20,910 --> 00:54:26,210
But now, I sense that we can...

934
00:54:26,210 --> 00:54:31,770
I want to close this message and just

935
00:54:31,770 --> 00:54:36,850
give time for the Holy Spirit to take

936
00:54:36,850 --> 00:54:42,110
what has already been given and just speak

937
00:54:42,110 --> 00:54:49,650
into our hearts and confirm His Word.

938
00:54:53,680 --> 00:55:03,630
Now, in closing, I'd like to read

939
00:55:13,390 --> 00:55:14,990
Revelation.

940
00:55:29,340 --> 00:55:30,620
Revelation 14.

941
00:55:31,840 --> 00:55:35,760
It is not my intention this morning to

942
00:55:35,760 --> 00:55:39,800
give an interpretation to this portion of Scripture.

943
00:55:40,380 --> 00:55:41,580
Who is it talking about?

944
00:55:42,520 --> 00:55:44,680
Now, we're not interested in that at this

945
00:55:44,680 --> 00:55:44,900
time.

946
00:55:45,440 --> 00:55:48,100
The purpose of the Holy Spirit this morning

947
00:55:48,100 --> 00:55:50,220
is to catch a hold of the heart

948
00:55:50,220 --> 00:55:51,960
attitude of this Scripture.

949
00:55:52,520 --> 00:55:54,000
Because this is our starting point.

950
00:55:54,000 --> 00:55:55,280
This is where it starts.

951
00:55:55,380 --> 00:55:57,780
This is where all of these things begin

952
00:55:57,780 --> 00:55:58,320
to happen.

953
00:55:58,320 --> 00:55:59,720
Now listen closely.

954
00:56:00,280 --> 00:56:02,800
Verse 1, chapter 14, Revelation.

955
00:56:03,000 --> 00:56:04,840
And I looked, and lo, a lamb stood

956
00:56:04,840 --> 00:56:07,000
on the Mount Zion, and with Him a

957
00:56:07,000 --> 00:56:10,240
hundred forty and four thousand, having His Father's

958
00:56:10,240 --> 00:56:11,760
name written in their foreheads.

959
00:56:12,180 --> 00:56:14,800
And I heard a voice from heaven as

960
00:56:14,800 --> 00:56:16,820
the voice of many waters and as the

961
00:56:16,820 --> 00:56:18,120
voice of a great thunder.

962
00:56:18,360 --> 00:56:21,280
And I heard the voice of harpers harping

963
00:56:21,280 --> 00:56:23,540
with their harps, and they sung as it

964
00:56:23,540 --> 00:56:26,280
were a new song before the throne and

965
00:56:26,280 --> 00:56:28,360
before the four beasts and the elders.

966
00:56:28,900 --> 00:56:31,260
And no man could learn that song but

967
00:56:31,260 --> 00:56:34,040
the hundred and forty and four thousand which

968
00:56:34,040 --> 00:56:35,360
were redeemed from the earth.

969
00:56:35,860 --> 00:56:39,340
These are they which were not defiled with

970
00:56:39,340 --> 00:56:42,160
women, for they are virgins.

971
00:56:42,940 --> 00:56:44,360
Now here's what I want to capture.

972
00:56:46,260 --> 00:56:52,900
These are they which follow the Lamb, whithersoever

973
00:56:52,900 --> 00:56:55,880
He goeth.

974
00:57:05,620 --> 00:57:07,480
Let's bow our hearts now.

975
00:57:10,490 --> 00:57:16,980
Father, these are they which follow the Lamb

976
00:57:16,980 --> 00:57:20,820
wherever He goes.

977
00:57:21,820 --> 00:57:29,100
Lord, I pray that You will grant to

978
00:57:29,100 --> 00:57:39,000
each of us a heart that

979
00:57:39,000 --> 00:57:43,380
is able to say along with this Scripture,

980
00:57:46,190 --> 00:57:49,750
I will follow the Lord by His grace

981
00:57:51,510 --> 00:57:53,890
wherever He goes.

982
00:58:01,490 --> 00:58:06,630
Lord, give us the heart that hears Your

983
00:58:06,630 --> 00:58:14,400
voice whispering to us, it is time for

984
00:58:14,400 --> 00:58:17,100
spiritual growing up.

985
00:58:19,380 --> 00:58:23,580
Help us not to resent the work of

986
00:58:23,580 --> 00:58:24,400
brokenness.

987
00:58:27,180 --> 00:58:31,060
Help us not to resent the work of

988
00:58:31,060 --> 00:58:32,920
having to redeem our time.

989
00:58:35,280 --> 00:58:39,760
And help us, Lord, not to resent the

990
00:58:41,460 --> 00:58:48,340
character qualities that must be formed in us

991
00:58:49,840 --> 00:58:51,320
to the road of maturity.

992
00:58:54,350 --> 00:58:56,190
We want to commit this into Your hands

993
00:58:56,190 --> 00:59:00,980
now, Lord, and ask for these next few

994
00:59:00,980 --> 00:59:11,000
moments You would speak to us and

995
00:59:11,000 --> 00:59:14,890
guide us to Yourself.

996
00:59:14,890 --> 01:00:33,840
We're going

997
01:00:33,840 --> 01:00:37,160
to quietly, the girls and Norman, we're going

998
01:00:37,160 --> 01:00:42,000
to quietly worship Jesus and sing the potter's

999
01:00:42,000 --> 01:00:42,540
hand.

1000
01:00:44,360 --> 01:00:47,320
And all I want to say from the

1001
01:00:47,320 --> 01:00:52,380
Lord is this, listen to Him this morning.

1002
01:00:53,520 --> 01:00:56,880
Whatever He says to you, do it.

1003
01:00:57,740 --> 01:01:02,040
If you want special prayer this morning and

1004
01:01:02,040 --> 01:01:04,580
you feel that God has spoken to you,

1005
01:01:04,800 --> 01:01:06,940
you might not even understand what He's saying,

1006
01:01:07,100 --> 01:01:08,440
but you know He has spoken.

1007
01:01:09,320 --> 01:01:12,000
I want to make myself available as a

1008
01:01:12,000 --> 01:01:16,460
brother to agree with you that the Great

1009
01:01:16,460 --> 01:01:18,660
Shepherd Himself will touch you.

1010
01:01:19,240 --> 01:01:21,260
All you have to do is indicate it

1011
01:01:21,260 --> 01:01:23,100
by raising your hand or if you want,

1012
01:01:23,200 --> 01:01:24,040
you can come forward.

1013
01:01:24,040 --> 01:01:27,080
So let's listen.

1014
01:01:27,840 --> 01:01:33,560
As we worship, the Shepherd will speak to

1015
01:01:33,560 --> 01:01:33,880
you.

1016
01:02:10,010 --> 01:02:19,030
Perfect plan You gently call me Into Your

1017
01:02:19,030 --> 01:02:26,990
presence Guiding me by Your Holy Spirit Teach

1018
01:02:26,990 --> 01:02:30,490
me, dear Lord To live all of my

1019
01:02:30,490 --> 01:02:40,110
life Through Your eyes I'm captured by

1020
01:02:40,110 --> 01:02:46,790
Your holy calling Set me apart I know

1021
01:02:46,790 --> 01:02:53,830
You'll join me To Yourself Lead me, Lord,

1022
01:02:53,890 --> 01:03:03,690
I pray Take me Mold

1023
01:03:03,690 --> 01:03:11,830
me Use me Fill me I give my

1024
01:03:11,830 --> 01:03:21,550
life To the Father's hand Call me You

1025
01:03:21,550 --> 01:03:29,550
guide me Lead me, Lord, beside me I

1026
01:03:29,550 --> 01:03:40,260
give my life To the Father's hand You

1027
01:03:40,260 --> 01:03:46,600
gently call me Into Your presence Guiding me

1028
01:03:46,600 --> 01:03:52,920
by Your Holy Spirit Teach me, dear Lord

1029
01:03:52,920 --> 01:03:58,220
To live all of my life Through Your

1030
01:03:58,220 --> 01:04:07,740
eyes I'm captured by Your holy calling Set

1031
01:04:07,740 --> 01:04:13,200
me apart I know You'll join me To

1032
01:04:13,200 --> 01:04:24,240
Yourself Lead me, Lord, I pray Take

1033
01:04:24,240 --> 01:04:33,620
me Mold me Use me Fill me I

1034
01:04:33,620 --> 01:04:41,900
give my life To the Father's hand Call

1035
01:04:41,900 --> 01:04:49,480
me You guide me Lead me, Lord, beside

1036
01:04:49,480 --> 01:04:56,720
me I give my life To the Father's

1037
01:04:56,720 --> 01:05:05,920
hand Call me Mold me Use

1038
01:05:05,920 --> 01:05:12,780
me Fill me I give my life To

1039
01:05:12,780 --> 01:05:22,280
the Father's hand Call me You guide me

1040
01:05:22,460 --> 01:05:29,040
Lead me, Lord, beside me I give my

1041
01:05:29,040 --> 01:06:31,210
life To the Father's hand Call

1042
01:06:31,210 --> 01:06:44,470
me Use

1043
01:06:44,470 --> 01:06:50,510
me Lead me I give my life To

1044
01:06:50,510 --> 01:06:50,610
the Father's hand I give my life To

1045
01:06:50,610 --> 01:06:52,930
the Father's hand I

1046
01:06:52,930 --> 01:07:20,410
give

1047
01:07:20,410 --> 01:07:23,930
my life To the Father's hand I give

1048
01:07:23,930 --> 01:07:32,130
my life To

1049
01:07:32,130 --> 01:07:48,670
the Father's hand I

1050
01:07:48,670 --> 01:07:54,070
give my life To the Father's hand I

1051
01:07:54,070 --> 01:08:05,240
give my life To the

1052
01:08:05,240 --> 01:08:16,540
Father's

1053
01:08:16,540 --> 01:08:22,500
hand I give my life I give my

1054
01:08:22,500 --> 01:08:22,600
life To the Father's hand I give my

1055
01:08:22,600 --> 01:08:30,359
life Touch us, Lord Oh, Lord, do the

1056
01:08:30,359 --> 01:08:36,200
work by your Holy Spirit It's Your work,

1057
01:08:36,359 --> 01:08:49,100
Lord We offer ourselves to You I

1058
01:08:49,100 --> 01:08:58,500
give my life All that I adore

1059
01:08:58,500 --> 01:09:08,479
is in you Lord I give you

1060
01:09:08,479 --> 01:09:15,060
my heart, I give you my soul I

1061
01:09:15,060 --> 01:09:20,720
live for you alone Every breath that I

1062
01:09:20,720 --> 01:09:28,359
take Every moment I'm awake Lord have your

1063
01:09:28,359 --> 01:09:41,960
way in me This

1064
01:09:41,960 --> 01:09:51,380
is my desire To honor you

1065
01:09:52,359 --> 01:09:59,820
Lord with all my heart I worship you

1066
01:10:03,030 --> 01:10:12,570
All I have within me I give you

1067
01:10:12,570 --> 01:10:20,890
praise All that I adore is in

1068
01:10:20,890 --> 01:10:30,660
you Lord I give you my heart,

1069
01:10:30,800 --> 01:10:36,880
I give you my soul I live for

1070
01:10:36,880 --> 01:10:42,720
you alone Every breath that I take Every

1071
01:10:42,720 --> 01:10:49,500
moment I'm awake Lord have your way in

1072
01:10:49,500 --> 01:10:54,280
me Lord I give you my heart I

1073
01:10:54,280 --> 01:11:00,360
give you my soul I live for you

1074
01:11:00,360 --> 01:11:06,160
alone Every breath that I take Every moment

1075
01:11:06,160 --> 01:11:11,680
I'm awake Lord have your way