1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:01,720 Turn with me please to the book of 2 00:00:01,720 --> 00:00:02,540 Philippians again. 3 00:00:03,420 --> 00:00:05,740 When Brody started to read, I thought, there 4 00:00:05,740 --> 00:00:06,240 it goes. 5 00:00:06,940 --> 00:00:08,520 But he didn't read anything that I got 6 00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:09,080 on my mind. 7 00:00:10,560 --> 00:00:15,800 Philippians in chapter 2, and we're going to 8 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:17,200 read at verse number 1. 9 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:20,840 Now, last night we mentioned the idea of 10 00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:21,960 spiritual preparation. 11 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:24,380 We'll touch that just a little bit. 12 00:00:24,460 --> 00:00:26,760 But we're going to look here at spiritual 13 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:27,640 discernment. 14 00:00:28,580 --> 00:00:29,540 Spiritual discernment. 15 00:00:29,540 --> 00:00:31,900 Philippians in chapter 2, verse number 1. 16 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:36,260 If there be, therefore, any consolation in Christ, 17 00:00:36,980 --> 00:00:39,360 if any comfort of love, if any fellowship 18 00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:42,060 of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 19 00:00:42,820 --> 00:00:43,980 fulfill ye my joy. 20 00:00:44,700 --> 00:00:46,700 That ye be like-minded, having the same 21 00:00:46,700 --> 00:00:49,400 love, being of one accord, of one mind. 22 00:00:50,180 --> 00:00:52,780 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory, 23 00:00:52,860 --> 00:00:54,280 but in lowliness of mind. 24 00:00:54,920 --> 00:00:57,620 Let each esteem other better than themselves. 25 00:00:58,140 --> 00:01:00,200 Look not every man on his own things, 26 00:01:00,300 --> 00:01:01,900 but every man also on the things of 27 00:01:01,900 --> 00:01:02,200 others. 28 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:04,740 Let this mind be in you, which was 29 00:01:04,740 --> 00:01:07,720 also in Christ Jesus, who being in the 30 00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:09,840 form of God, thought it not robbery to 31 00:01:09,840 --> 00:01:12,880 be equal with God, but made himself of 32 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:15,980 no reputation, took upon him the form of 33 00:01:15,980 --> 00:01:17,740 a servant, and was made in the likeness 34 00:01:17,740 --> 00:01:18,160 of men. 35 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:20,800 And being found in fashion as a man, 36 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:23,280 he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, 37 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:25,640 even the death of the cross. 38 00:01:26,220 --> 00:01:28,940 Wherefore, God also hath highly exalted him, and 39 00:01:28,940 --> 00:01:31,240 given him a name, which is above every 40 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:33,160 name, that at the name of Jesus every 41 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:36,120 knee should bow, of things in heaven, and 42 00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:37,960 things in earth, and things under the earth, 43 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:41,140 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus 44 00:01:41,140 --> 00:01:43,960 Christ is Lord, to the glory of God 45 00:01:43,960 --> 00:01:44,460 the Father. 46 00:01:45,220 --> 00:01:48,480 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, 47 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:51,100 not as in my presence only, but now 48 00:01:51,100 --> 00:01:53,980 much more in my absence, work out your 49 00:01:53,980 --> 00:01:56,840 own salvation with fear and trembling. 50 00:01:57,000 --> 00:01:58,900 For it is God which worketh in you, 51 00:01:59,420 --> 00:02:02,500 both to will and to do of his 52 00:02:02,500 --> 00:02:03,760 good pleasure. 53 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:08,060 Do all things without murmurings and disputings, that 54 00:02:08,060 --> 00:02:10,160 ye may be blameless and harmless to sons 55 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:12,820 of God, without rebuke in the midst of 56 00:02:12,820 --> 00:02:16,300 a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye 57 00:02:16,300 --> 00:02:19,240 shine as lights in the world. 58 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:21,480 Holding forth the word of life, that I 59 00:02:21,480 --> 00:02:23,960 may rejoice in the day of Christ, and 60 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:25,420 that I have not run in vain, neither 61 00:02:25,420 --> 00:02:28,440 labored in vain. 62 00:02:28,700 --> 00:02:30,340 Lord, bless to us the reading of his 63 00:02:30,340 --> 00:02:31,660 word and what we've been privileged to listen 64 00:02:31,660 --> 00:02:33,420 to already this morning. 65 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:38,240 Spiritual discernment. 66 00:02:39,180 --> 00:02:41,540 And particularly, it's been upon my heart as 67 00:02:41,540 --> 00:02:44,280 we live in this crooked and perverse nation. 68 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:47,280 We read that here and the Philippians would 69 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:49,800 have understood what that meant as Brodiarty gave 70 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:53,060 the context of the book under the subject 71 00:02:53,060 --> 00:02:53,940 of Rome. 72 00:02:55,040 --> 00:02:58,320 But many of God's people today are extremely 73 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:00,500 disappointed. 74 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:04,000 Many of God's people today in this world 75 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:05,720 in which we live, we find ourselves in 76 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:08,480 times that have not been seen in any 77 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:10,400 of your generations that are alive today. 78 00:03:12,660 --> 00:03:14,060 How do we behave ourselves? 79 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:18,860 How do we discern spiritually what to do, 80 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:21,240 how to behave, how to act in this 81 00:03:21,240 --> 00:03:23,140 present evil age in which we are in? 82 00:03:23,620 --> 00:03:25,500 And just very simply, I want to appeal, 83 00:03:25,920 --> 00:03:27,640 especially to the young people here this morning, 84 00:03:27,980 --> 00:03:29,840 if you're going to be able to discern 85 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:32,380 what to do with your life. 86 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:35,940 And you young people, just to say, you 87 00:03:35,940 --> 00:03:38,660 older ones, older than myself, we have no 88 00:03:38,660 --> 00:03:40,260 clue what these young people are going through. 89 00:03:42,860 --> 00:03:47,120 The times are very, very troublous. 90 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:50,200 And so you young people, if you're going 91 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:52,220 to make decisions and go on for God, 92 00:03:53,740 --> 00:03:55,680 you're going to need spiritual discernment. 93 00:03:56,640 --> 00:03:58,340 And I'm not here up here to preach 94 00:03:58,340 --> 00:03:59,900 on this because I'm an expert at this. 95 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:02,160 It's because I struggle with this just like 96 00:04:02,160 --> 00:04:02,900 everyone else. 97 00:04:03,540 --> 00:04:05,460 But if we're going to try to manipulate 98 00:04:05,460 --> 00:04:08,040 through this lifetime, we're going to need God 99 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:08,680 to guide us. 100 00:04:08,740 --> 00:04:10,400 And we look to that, but we're also 101 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:12,340 going to understand the context in which we 102 00:04:12,340 --> 00:04:12,700 live. 103 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:15,040 And what I want to say by that 104 00:04:15,040 --> 00:04:17,140 is just this, we need to understand where 105 00:04:17,140 --> 00:04:19,040 we are in this world. 106 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:20,760 We need to understand where we are. 107 00:04:20,760 --> 00:04:23,980 We need to understand what we are as 108 00:04:23,980 --> 00:04:24,660 God's people. 109 00:04:25,360 --> 00:04:27,100 If we're going to get help with spiritual 110 00:04:27,100 --> 00:04:30,020 discernment, we need to understand who we serve. 111 00:04:31,340 --> 00:04:32,880 And if you can keep these three questions 112 00:04:32,880 --> 00:04:34,540 in mind as you're going through this life, 113 00:04:34,680 --> 00:04:36,060 you're going to be told things that are 114 00:04:36,060 --> 00:04:37,940 contrary to what you hear this morning. 115 00:04:39,660 --> 00:04:41,220 We're living in a world that is a 116 00:04:41,220 --> 00:04:42,480 crooked and a perverse nation. 117 00:04:42,580 --> 00:04:44,480 I love the phrase here that Paul uses 118 00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:45,740 to the Philippians. 119 00:04:45,940 --> 00:04:48,300 He says to the Galatians, it is a 120 00:04:48,300 --> 00:04:50,180 present evil world. 121 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:53,980 This is not new in the big picture 122 00:04:53,980 --> 00:04:54,880 of mankind. 123 00:04:55,940 --> 00:04:58,960 What we're seeing in morality and its failure 124 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:01,380 and what we're seeing in sin and its 125 00:05:01,380 --> 00:05:04,660 increase is not new to this generation. 126 00:05:06,850 --> 00:05:09,590 It's happened over and over and over again. 127 00:05:10,870 --> 00:05:12,570 Come with me quickly in your mind to 128 00:05:12,570 --> 00:05:13,230 Noah's day. 129 00:05:14,390 --> 00:05:16,090 The thoughts and the intentions of men were 130 00:05:16,090 --> 00:05:17,450 only evil continuously. 131 00:05:17,830 --> 00:05:18,570 God moved. 132 00:05:19,190 --> 00:05:20,630 Come to Sodom and Gomorrah. 133 00:05:21,550 --> 00:05:23,250 And there's a man Lot and his soul 134 00:05:23,250 --> 00:05:25,870 was vexed daily, just like yours is vexed 135 00:05:25,870 --> 00:05:26,210 daily. 136 00:05:27,050 --> 00:05:28,830 With the unlawful deeds of the things that 137 00:05:28,830 --> 00:05:29,890 we see and that we hear. 138 00:05:30,050 --> 00:05:31,210 So this is not new. 139 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:34,940 There is nothing new under the sun. 140 00:05:35,380 --> 00:05:36,460 It's just new to us. 141 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:39,280 It's just new to us. 142 00:05:40,100 --> 00:05:41,940 And so if we're going to have spiritual 143 00:05:41,940 --> 00:05:43,980 discernment, first of all, I want to just 144 00:05:43,980 --> 00:05:45,960 mention about the spiritual preparation. 145 00:05:50,300 --> 00:05:53,620 Spiritual preparation and Joshua, we read last night, 146 00:05:53,620 --> 00:05:56,020 the two times that sanctify yourself is used. 147 00:05:56,480 --> 00:05:58,020 One is they were to prepare to receive 148 00:05:58,020 --> 00:05:59,780 a blessing and then they were to sanctify 149 00:05:59,780 --> 00:06:01,620 themselves when Achan had sinned. 150 00:06:03,020 --> 00:06:04,720 And the secret sins must be revealed. 151 00:06:05,420 --> 00:06:07,260 And just to sum that up for those 152 00:06:07,260 --> 00:06:09,160 who weren't there last night, and this is 153 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:10,780 going to be important for us for today, 154 00:06:10,860 --> 00:06:13,280 because if we're going to have a successful 155 00:06:13,280 --> 00:06:16,400 spiritual discernment, we have to be spiritually prepared. 156 00:06:17,320 --> 00:06:18,840 And what they had to do in those 157 00:06:18,840 --> 00:06:21,080 days is they were going to empty themselves 158 00:06:21,620 --> 00:06:23,380 and they were going to be dependent upon 159 00:06:23,380 --> 00:06:23,820 God. 160 00:06:24,020 --> 00:06:25,260 They were going to be quiet. 161 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:28,180 They were going to be honest, but they 162 00:06:28,180 --> 00:06:29,440 were going to be expectant. 163 00:06:30,260 --> 00:06:32,400 And when you come to chapter three, where 164 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:34,320 they're about to cross to Jordan and they 165 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:36,220 were there in all the anticipation of God 166 00:06:36,220 --> 00:06:38,840 working a wonder, they were dependent upon God. 167 00:06:39,020 --> 00:06:40,060 They were empty of self. 168 00:06:40,180 --> 00:06:41,020 They were quiet. 169 00:06:41,420 --> 00:06:42,280 They were honest. 170 00:06:42,460 --> 00:06:44,520 And they were looking forward to the blessing. 171 00:06:45,880 --> 00:06:47,780 In chapter seven, it was the same. 172 00:06:48,780 --> 00:06:50,900 Israel could not prosper because of the hidden 173 00:06:50,900 --> 00:06:51,340 sin. 174 00:06:52,620 --> 00:06:54,400 And again, they would be empty. 175 00:06:54,700 --> 00:06:55,600 They would be dependent. 176 00:06:55,900 --> 00:06:56,580 They would be quiet. 177 00:06:56,780 --> 00:06:57,700 They would be honest. 178 00:06:57,940 --> 00:06:59,600 They would be expecting the truth to come 179 00:06:59,600 --> 00:06:59,880 out. 180 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:04,040 And so now you and I, in this 181 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:05,360 world in which we live, how do we 182 00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:06,100 live for God? 183 00:07:07,320 --> 00:07:09,920 We need spiritual discernment. 184 00:07:10,820 --> 00:07:13,060 And to understand the atmosphere in which we 185 00:07:13,060 --> 00:07:15,780 live is a start. 186 00:07:16,280 --> 00:07:17,880 You see, the reason there needs to be 187 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:21,440 discernment at all is because of the opposites 188 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:23,720 of where we are. 189 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:26,560 We're living in a sinful world and yet 190 00:07:26,560 --> 00:07:28,500 we're part of a spiritual holy kingdom. 191 00:07:31,030 --> 00:07:32,470 Two places at once. 192 00:07:34,150 --> 00:07:36,610 We're walking on the sands of time and 193 00:07:36,610 --> 00:07:38,350 yet we are in a spiritual kingdom. 194 00:07:39,010 --> 00:07:41,110 And so we're going to only be able 195 00:07:41,110 --> 00:07:42,690 to be in one place at a time. 196 00:07:43,850 --> 00:07:45,930 And the sad reality is, and I'm not 197 00:07:45,930 --> 00:07:47,250 trying to be mean, I'm trying to be 198 00:07:47,250 --> 00:07:49,730 honest, most of us are living double lives. 199 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:55,120 Six and a half days out of the 200 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:59,980 week we're conformed to this world. 201 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:04,820 And the other half a day, on the 202 00:08:04,820 --> 00:08:07,340 Lord's Day morning, our mind and our focus 203 00:08:07,340 --> 00:08:07,860 are here. 204 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:09,520 I wish I could say it was that 205 00:08:09,520 --> 00:08:11,200 way for Sunday night and Wednesday night, but 206 00:08:11,200 --> 00:08:13,460 you brethren know in every assembly it's not 207 00:08:13,460 --> 00:08:14,040 that way. 208 00:08:16,470 --> 00:08:18,450 And so the problem then is our discernment. 209 00:08:20,330 --> 00:08:21,810 And we go out into the world and 210 00:08:21,810 --> 00:08:23,050 we go to work and we go to 211 00:08:23,050 --> 00:08:25,510 school and we go about our daily things 212 00:08:25,510 --> 00:08:27,450 and we are conformed to this world while 213 00:08:27,450 --> 00:08:28,030 we're in the world. 214 00:08:28,110 --> 00:08:28,910 That's not right. 215 00:08:30,830 --> 00:08:32,530 And then we try to turn the switch 216 00:08:32,530 --> 00:08:33,909 or flip the switch and we come in 217 00:08:33,909 --> 00:08:35,970 to the presence of God's people and we're 218 00:08:35,970 --> 00:08:38,169 going to be now spiritually discerning and we're 219 00:08:38,169 --> 00:08:39,590 going to do the right thing and the 220 00:08:39,590 --> 00:08:44,540 God honoring thing and it doesn't work very 221 00:08:44,540 --> 00:08:44,820 well. 222 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:49,960 And could I say this, that maybe in 223 00:08:49,960 --> 00:08:52,300 my life that is why my spiritual existence 224 00:08:52,300 --> 00:09:01,860 is shallow and spiritual power is weak and 225 00:09:01,860 --> 00:09:04,140 maybe the blessing of the gospel is skimpy. 226 00:09:08,120 --> 00:09:09,320 Spiritual discernment. 227 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:11,840 Spiritual discernment. 228 00:09:11,920 --> 00:09:14,060 This chapter two of Philippians kind of takes 229 00:09:14,060 --> 00:09:15,720 in, it takes in the whole idea. 230 00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:20,660 So now remember, this is a crooked and 231 00:09:20,660 --> 00:09:21,760 a perverse world. 232 00:09:23,440 --> 00:09:24,400 Crooked and perverse. 233 00:09:24,740 --> 00:09:26,800 It's a warped and a winding world. 234 00:09:27,740 --> 00:09:30,880 And perverse, it is a misinterpreted world. 235 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:32,760 Everything is twisted. 236 00:09:33,820 --> 00:09:35,380 Discernment is necessary. 237 00:09:37,000 --> 00:09:38,380 Discernment is necessary. 238 00:09:38,500 --> 00:09:39,600 How is it going to start? 239 00:09:39,960 --> 00:09:42,420 It's going to start with spiritual preparation. 240 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:45,080 And last night we made the application of 241 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:48,280 preparing for this conference this weekend and to 242 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:50,480 seeking the Lord's presence and the Lord's voice 243 00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:51,520 and the Lord's power. 244 00:09:53,160 --> 00:09:55,680 But we need spiritual discernment in this world 245 00:09:55,680 --> 00:09:56,400 in which we live. 246 00:09:56,580 --> 00:09:59,060 We need spiritual discernment in the assemblies of 247 00:09:59,060 --> 00:10:00,300 which we form a part of. 248 00:10:00,460 --> 00:10:02,680 And you've just heard about that in an 249 00:10:02,680 --> 00:10:03,040 aspect. 250 00:10:06,860 --> 00:10:08,100 So how are you going to know what 251 00:10:08,100 --> 00:10:08,380 to do? 252 00:10:10,990 --> 00:10:12,210 How are you going to know when to 253 00:10:12,210 --> 00:10:12,550 do it? 254 00:10:13,750 --> 00:10:16,150 How are you going to know how to 255 00:10:16,150 --> 00:10:16,550 do it? 256 00:10:19,210 --> 00:10:25,150 It'll be when we're empty of self, when 257 00:10:25,150 --> 00:10:28,870 we're dependent upon God, when we're hushed in 258 00:10:28,870 --> 00:10:34,330 our spirits, when we're honest before God and 259 00:10:34,330 --> 00:10:38,010 we look to him expectantly, to his word 260 00:10:38,010 --> 00:10:39,650 to be a light unto our path. 261 00:10:42,860 --> 00:10:45,140 This is Christianity 101, brethren. 262 00:10:48,230 --> 00:10:49,870 We need to confess our sin. 263 00:10:51,270 --> 00:10:52,570 We need to read our Bibles. 264 00:10:54,840 --> 00:10:56,040 You want to know what to do in 265 00:10:56,040 --> 00:10:56,540 your life? 266 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:00,720 Keep a short account with God and read 267 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:01,240 your Bible. 268 00:11:04,210 --> 00:11:04,850 It's that simple. 269 00:11:06,930 --> 00:11:09,490 The spiritual discernment, understanding where we are, we're 270 00:11:09,490 --> 00:11:10,650 in a place that hates God. 271 00:11:10,790 --> 00:11:13,770 It's kind of like Daniel in a godless 272 00:11:13,770 --> 00:11:14,250 world. 273 00:11:15,150 --> 00:11:16,770 And there the young men were and did 274 00:11:16,770 --> 00:11:18,370 they not need spiritual discernment? 275 00:11:18,550 --> 00:11:19,930 What happened when they got there? 276 00:11:20,430 --> 00:11:22,470 Oh, their menu was changed. 277 00:11:22,470 --> 00:11:23,390 Their food was changed. 278 00:11:23,490 --> 00:11:24,390 Their name was changed. 279 00:11:24,830 --> 00:11:26,990 They tried to change everything about them and 280 00:11:26,990 --> 00:11:29,090 the world is trying to conform you to 281 00:11:29,090 --> 00:11:32,670 its image and change everything about you as 282 00:11:32,670 --> 00:11:33,790 well as about me. 283 00:11:35,470 --> 00:11:38,050 But those men had spiritual discernment. 284 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:47,740 They had conviction and they knew that they 285 00:11:47,740 --> 00:11:50,300 needed the God of heaven. 286 00:11:51,940 --> 00:11:56,160 Those men were willing not only to suffer 287 00:11:56,160 --> 00:12:02,040 reproach and not only to suffer persecution, but 288 00:12:02,040 --> 00:12:03,140 to honor their God. 289 00:12:04,500 --> 00:12:08,980 They were willing to trust him with their 290 00:12:08,980 --> 00:12:09,380 life. 291 00:12:14,500 --> 00:12:15,860 Can you trust him this morning? 292 00:12:19,540 --> 00:12:21,120 You must trust him this morning. 293 00:12:23,420 --> 00:12:25,500 And what we have here is understanding just 294 00:12:25,500 --> 00:12:26,520 a little of where we are. 295 00:12:28,080 --> 00:12:29,920 Let's look at this a little about what 296 00:12:29,920 --> 00:12:30,360 we are. 297 00:12:33,250 --> 00:12:33,890 What we are. 298 00:12:35,860 --> 00:12:37,060 What are you in Christ? 299 00:12:42,370 --> 00:12:44,330 You're a son of God positionally. 300 00:12:45,790 --> 00:12:46,830 You're chosen. 301 00:12:48,410 --> 00:12:49,830 You are sanctified. 302 00:12:52,250 --> 00:12:53,230 You are set apart. 303 00:12:54,490 --> 00:12:55,650 You are holy. 304 00:12:57,940 --> 00:12:59,080 You see the conflict. 305 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:02,300 Perverse versus holiness. 306 00:13:03,620 --> 00:13:05,700 It is the battle that rages inside of 307 00:13:05,700 --> 00:13:06,480 every one of us. 308 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:11,620 How do I know what is right in 309 00:13:11,620 --> 00:13:12,740 this world? 310 00:13:13,160 --> 00:13:15,340 So we understand where we're living in this 311 00:13:15,340 --> 00:13:15,700 world. 312 00:13:16,380 --> 00:13:22,720 But to understand what we are, you have 313 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:30,650 been placed here, every Christian here, by divine 314 00:13:30,650 --> 00:13:37,460 providence, by divine plan to live in this 315 00:13:37,460 --> 00:13:38,140 day and age. 316 00:13:42,820 --> 00:13:43,760 Smile, please. 317 00:13:47,790 --> 00:13:49,830 God has made you who and what you 318 00:13:49,830 --> 00:13:52,790 are, the way you are, for it's by 319 00:13:52,790 --> 00:13:54,210 the grace of God that we are what 320 00:13:54,210 --> 00:13:54,690 we are. 321 00:13:56,960 --> 00:13:58,800 And God has made you who and what 322 00:13:58,800 --> 00:14:00,020 you are by his grace. 323 00:14:00,820 --> 00:14:03,540 And he has placed you in this world 324 00:14:03,540 --> 00:14:05,020 at this time. 325 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:07,880 For a very specific purpose. 326 00:14:09,020 --> 00:14:16,120 That only you have been gifted, have been 327 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:19,220 called, have been chosen to do. 328 00:14:22,210 --> 00:14:23,530 That gift should give you the chills. 329 00:14:26,450 --> 00:14:27,690 The tingly should go up and down your 330 00:14:27,690 --> 00:14:28,110 back. 331 00:14:31,630 --> 00:14:33,110 Do you understand what that means? 332 00:14:35,330 --> 00:14:37,830 When God takes a human being, when God 333 00:14:37,830 --> 00:14:39,990 takes one of his creations, and he moves 334 00:14:39,990 --> 00:14:42,030 them and he places them where he wants 335 00:14:42,030 --> 00:14:43,990 them, at the time that he wants them, 336 00:14:46,660 --> 00:14:49,160 there is no greater privilege upon this earth. 337 00:14:52,470 --> 00:14:53,850 Think about that for a moment. 338 00:14:55,230 --> 00:14:57,510 When you see Adam and Eve placed in 339 00:14:57,510 --> 00:15:01,990 the garden, God said they may have everything 340 00:15:01,990 --> 00:15:03,230 but the tree of the knowledge of good 341 00:15:03,230 --> 00:15:03,630 and evil. 342 00:15:04,530 --> 00:15:06,750 The knowledge of good and evil belongs to 343 00:15:06,750 --> 00:15:07,150 God. 344 00:15:08,870 --> 00:15:10,910 God expected Adam and Eve to obey. 345 00:15:11,930 --> 00:15:13,810 That's all that they needed to do. 346 00:15:14,710 --> 00:15:16,210 But they sinned. 347 00:15:16,650 --> 00:15:17,510 Eve was deceived. 348 00:15:17,810 --> 00:15:18,850 Adam sinned willfully. 349 00:15:19,750 --> 00:15:21,150 They disobeyed God. 350 00:15:22,030 --> 00:15:24,410 And all God's what he had called very 351 00:15:24,410 --> 00:15:26,790 good was contaminated by sin. 352 00:15:29,590 --> 00:15:34,750 For you and I, God has put us 353 00:15:34,750 --> 00:15:35,050 here. 354 00:15:35,690 --> 00:15:37,670 What does he expect of us? 355 00:15:38,890 --> 00:15:40,790 To fight the battle on our own? 356 00:15:42,390 --> 00:15:42,990 No. 357 00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:48,480 He expects us to obey. 358 00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:53,020 Just like he expected Adam to obey. 359 00:15:53,660 --> 00:15:57,180 God placed Adam in that place for a 360 00:15:57,180 --> 00:15:58,280 purpose, for a reason. 361 00:15:58,940 --> 00:16:01,960 And Adam's responsibility was to obey God. 362 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:04,620 And he failed. 363 00:16:07,580 --> 00:16:09,680 Our brother mentioned about being a slave this 364 00:16:09,680 --> 00:16:10,000 morning. 365 00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:12,500 Not only we are the chosen of God, 366 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:14,740 we are the bond servants of God. 367 00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:17,800 We are laborers together with God. 368 00:16:18,020 --> 00:16:19,680 Now what I'm hoping the spirit of God 369 00:16:19,680 --> 00:16:21,760 will do, what he has done in me, 370 00:16:21,980 --> 00:16:27,260 is give you a light, a feeling, more 371 00:16:27,260 --> 00:16:30,500 than a feeling, a reality of optimism. 372 00:16:33,310 --> 00:16:33,830 Optimism. 373 00:16:37,180 --> 00:16:39,080 For most assemblies that I visit, when we 374 00:16:39,080 --> 00:16:41,800 talk in the interval or wherever, it seems 375 00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:43,400 like we're always talking about the negative. 376 00:16:44,620 --> 00:16:46,080 We're talking about the world. 377 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:47,860 We're talking about the drought, the dryness. 378 00:16:47,940 --> 00:16:49,600 We're talking about all the bad things in 379 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:50,100 this world. 380 00:16:56,000 --> 00:17:00,400 God has placed you as a light in 381 00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:01,100 a dark world. 382 00:17:03,530 --> 00:17:05,170 Again, chills down your spine. 383 00:17:08,020 --> 00:17:10,319 He has placed you here as a representative 384 00:17:10,319 --> 00:17:12,079 of himself and of his kingdom. 385 00:17:14,880 --> 00:17:19,420 And we do need spiritual discernment. 386 00:17:19,980 --> 00:17:21,440 So that's where we're living. 387 00:17:22,240 --> 00:17:23,579 And that's who we are. 388 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:26,099 And you can see now the spiritual battle 389 00:17:26,099 --> 00:17:28,100 that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, 390 00:17:28,340 --> 00:17:35,100 but against spiritual wickedness in high places, principalities 391 00:17:35,100 --> 00:17:38,720 and powers that are even greater than us, 392 00:17:39,060 --> 00:17:40,740 but they're not greater than our God. 393 00:17:41,980 --> 00:17:44,060 They are not greater than our God. 394 00:17:44,780 --> 00:17:48,600 And so in this dark world, if we 395 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:56,300 are spiritually prepared, we will shine as lights 396 00:17:56,300 --> 00:17:56,840 for God. 397 00:18:00,020 --> 00:18:01,540 It's about time for tears now. 398 00:18:03,020 --> 00:18:09,940 That should melt your heart to tears that 399 00:18:09,940 --> 00:18:13,880 God has chosen you and God has chosen 400 00:18:13,880 --> 00:18:18,180 me to be witnesses for him. 401 00:18:20,540 --> 00:18:23,800 And perhaps the final days of this age, 402 00:18:28,390 --> 00:18:34,100 you are blessed beyond measure. 403 00:18:38,860 --> 00:18:40,760 The third thing we need to understand a 404 00:18:40,760 --> 00:18:44,960 little bit is who we serve, who we 405 00:18:44,960 --> 00:18:45,320 serve. 406 00:18:47,040 --> 00:18:48,900 This whole chapter is all about the Lord 407 00:18:48,900 --> 00:18:49,660 Jesus Christ. 408 00:18:51,480 --> 00:18:54,980 And if we're going to have spiritual discernment, 409 00:18:55,280 --> 00:18:56,680 we would do well to learn of him. 410 00:18:58,020 --> 00:18:59,440 The one who always did the will of 411 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:01,440 the father, the one who was absolutely perfect 412 00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:03,980 in every way, brought joy to the father's 413 00:19:03,980 --> 00:19:04,240 heart. 414 00:19:04,480 --> 00:19:06,200 And that is our goal, is it not? 415 00:19:06,260 --> 00:19:07,260 To be more like him. 416 00:19:08,600 --> 00:19:10,380 And here we read of this one and 417 00:19:10,380 --> 00:19:12,880 how he lived in this world. 418 00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:18,480 And again, you'll see here the spiritual preparation. 419 00:19:19,300 --> 00:19:21,060 There was the attitude of humility. 420 00:19:22,300 --> 00:19:24,780 The mind is mentioned four or five times 421 00:19:24,780 --> 00:19:26,520 in these few verses that we have read. 422 00:19:27,480 --> 00:19:30,120 And the Lord Jesus humbled himself and became 423 00:19:30,120 --> 00:19:32,320 obedient unto death, even the death of the 424 00:19:32,320 --> 00:19:32,780 cross. 425 00:19:33,360 --> 00:19:35,180 And so we'll understand here that if we're 426 00:19:35,180 --> 00:19:37,360 going to have spiritual discernment and our humility, 427 00:19:37,560 --> 00:19:38,860 we are going to be available. 428 00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:42,160 For whenever God is placed in front of 429 00:19:42,160 --> 00:19:44,420 us, whatever God has fitted us for, whatever 430 00:19:44,420 --> 00:19:46,520 God has gifted us for, we're going to 431 00:19:46,520 --> 00:19:48,320 be available in humility. 432 00:19:50,760 --> 00:19:54,880 And so that when the call comes, the 433 00:19:54,880 --> 00:19:58,740 heart is prepared spiritually to say, Lord, send 434 00:19:58,740 --> 00:20:01,580 me, send me. 435 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:03,840 That was the mind of Christ. 436 00:20:04,280 --> 00:20:05,480 Who shall I send? 437 00:20:06,260 --> 00:20:08,600 And the son was willing to come and 438 00:20:08,600 --> 00:20:11,160 he humbled himself and he became obedient unto 439 00:20:11,160 --> 00:20:11,400 death. 440 00:20:11,500 --> 00:20:14,000 He had the attitude of humility. 441 00:20:16,000 --> 00:20:18,500 How many people in this world do you 442 00:20:18,500 --> 00:20:20,480 read about every day with an attitude of 443 00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:20,800 humility? 444 00:20:22,860 --> 00:20:24,780 You must go to a special website on 445 00:20:24,780 --> 00:20:27,440 the computer where all the humble people put 446 00:20:27,440 --> 00:20:28,540 their name because they're so humble. 447 00:20:29,440 --> 00:20:30,220 There are none. 448 00:20:32,360 --> 00:20:33,200 There are none. 449 00:20:37,180 --> 00:20:39,240 Are there any in this conference today? 450 00:20:39,240 --> 00:20:40,320 Loaded question. 451 00:20:42,350 --> 00:20:43,850 Oh yeah, I'm a humble one. 452 00:20:46,120 --> 00:20:47,540 The point is this. 453 00:20:49,100 --> 00:20:52,060 When we look out into the world and 454 00:20:52,060 --> 00:20:55,900 we see all the self-exaltation and the 455 00:20:55,900 --> 00:21:00,440 self-glorification, when we come to a gathering 456 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:06,930 like this in local assembly capacity, an attitude 457 00:21:06,930 --> 00:21:08,990 of humility should fall upon every heart. 458 00:21:09,850 --> 00:21:10,430 Wrong. 459 00:21:12,540 --> 00:21:14,680 An attitude of humility should have been seen 460 00:21:14,680 --> 00:21:16,060 in every heart all week long. 461 00:21:18,040 --> 00:21:19,860 That was the Lord Jesus Christ. 462 00:21:22,140 --> 00:21:24,260 And some of you are great at business 463 00:21:24,260 --> 00:21:26,840 and you are what the business world might 464 00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:27,560 call sharks. 465 00:21:29,920 --> 00:21:31,100 You know how to make a deal. 466 00:21:31,820 --> 00:21:33,380 You know what leverage is and you know 467 00:21:33,380 --> 00:21:34,160 how to use it. 468 00:21:35,080 --> 00:21:40,830 That's the way the business world works as 469 00:21:40,830 --> 00:21:44,570 a Christian with spiritual discernment. 470 00:21:45,730 --> 00:21:47,430 Although you may have a job to do, 471 00:21:47,930 --> 00:21:51,130 be humble, be humble. 472 00:21:52,110 --> 00:21:57,200 The Lord Jesus had the greatest, he had 473 00:21:57,200 --> 00:21:58,820 the greatest responsibility, didn't he? 474 00:22:00,820 --> 00:22:02,060 And he was the most humble. 475 00:22:04,840 --> 00:22:07,580 Spiritual discernment, humility. 476 00:22:08,720 --> 00:22:10,620 The next one as we just trace down 477 00:22:10,620 --> 00:22:12,860 through these imperatives really is, is in verse 478 00:22:12,860 --> 00:22:13,540 number 12. 479 00:22:15,320 --> 00:22:17,840 He says, Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have 480 00:22:17,840 --> 00:22:20,600 always obeyed, not in my presence only, but 481 00:22:20,600 --> 00:22:22,000 now much more in my absence. 482 00:22:22,120 --> 00:22:24,420 Work out your own salvation with fear and 483 00:22:24,420 --> 00:22:24,760 trembling. 484 00:22:25,060 --> 00:22:25,960 They were obedient. 485 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:31,000 I appreciated as these thoughts were coming to 486 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:33,020 me that they were just not obedient when 487 00:22:33,020 --> 00:22:34,280 they were being watched by Paul. 488 00:22:37,210 --> 00:22:39,590 They weren't just obedient when somebody was keeping 489 00:22:39,590 --> 00:22:40,390 an eye on them. 490 00:22:42,820 --> 00:22:47,140 They were obedient in his absence also. 491 00:22:51,590 --> 00:22:56,970 When there's no Christians around, no overseers around, 492 00:22:59,580 --> 00:23:03,810 are you consistent in obedience? 493 00:23:07,000 --> 00:23:08,320 Consistent in obedience. 494 00:23:08,840 --> 00:23:10,780 That is spiritual discernment. 495 00:23:11,600 --> 00:23:13,500 Okay, they're there and they're telling me at 496 00:23:13,500 --> 00:23:14,320 work to be crooked. 497 00:23:15,380 --> 00:23:17,100 They're telling me at work that I need 498 00:23:17,100 --> 00:23:18,780 to, that I need to cut the corners 499 00:23:18,780 --> 00:23:19,620 like we heard. 500 00:23:21,440 --> 00:23:23,000 They're telling me there that I need to 501 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:23,860 cheat the grade. 502 00:23:24,660 --> 00:23:25,880 Push it a little bit more. 503 00:23:26,160 --> 00:23:27,540 That was always in my industry. 504 00:23:27,820 --> 00:23:29,200 Push the grade a little bit more. 505 00:23:34,840 --> 00:23:35,820 Can't do that, can you? 506 00:23:38,990 --> 00:23:39,890 Can't do that. 507 00:23:41,210 --> 00:23:41,610 Why? 508 00:23:43,850 --> 00:23:46,270 Because we're going to be obedient. 509 00:23:48,950 --> 00:23:54,450 See, when we're humble, when we're obedient, discernment 510 00:23:54,450 --> 00:23:59,440 takes care of itself because we're spiritually now 511 00:23:59,440 --> 00:24:02,780 prepared for God to guide us and God 512 00:24:02,780 --> 00:24:03,440 to direct us. 513 00:24:03,500 --> 00:24:06,440 And always remember that it's always, it's always 514 00:24:06,440 --> 00:24:07,640 God that does the work. 515 00:24:09,880 --> 00:24:11,140 It's always God. 516 00:24:13,040 --> 00:24:17,160 And so these Philippians, they were obedient and 517 00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:19,380 they were working out their salvation and they 518 00:24:19,380 --> 00:24:21,180 were living it out and feeling and trembling. 519 00:24:21,320 --> 00:24:23,760 They weren't, their works weren't their salvation and 520 00:24:23,760 --> 00:24:25,420 they were living out the enjoyment of their 521 00:24:25,420 --> 00:24:28,440 salvation and the responsibility of their salvation and 522 00:24:28,440 --> 00:24:29,500 they were living the gospel. 523 00:24:32,570 --> 00:24:35,630 And that's a great way to find spiritual 524 00:24:35,630 --> 00:24:36,310 discernment. 525 00:24:37,130 --> 00:24:39,690 And Brody's already touched on this quite extensively. 526 00:24:41,310 --> 00:24:42,930 Live according to the gospel. 527 00:24:44,350 --> 00:24:45,570 According to the gospel. 528 00:24:45,790 --> 00:24:47,990 That nothing would hinder the work of the 529 00:24:47,990 --> 00:24:48,450 gospel. 530 00:24:49,770 --> 00:24:53,210 The spiritual discernment, who we serve. 531 00:24:54,490 --> 00:24:56,290 The Lord Jesus, obedience. 532 00:25:00,780 --> 00:25:01,220 Obedience. 533 00:25:03,640 --> 00:25:05,540 Sometimes God doesn't give us what we want. 534 00:25:05,600 --> 00:25:06,540 He gives us what we need. 535 00:25:07,180 --> 00:25:08,600 He always gives us what we need. 536 00:25:12,180 --> 00:25:13,260 He gives us probably every need. 537 00:25:17,360 --> 00:25:18,640 But can we be honest today? 538 00:25:22,390 --> 00:25:24,130 Do I really want to obey Him? 539 00:25:29,840 --> 00:25:31,320 Some, there may be some here and it's 540 00:25:31,320 --> 00:25:32,300 never crossed your mind. 541 00:25:33,660 --> 00:25:35,600 That you profess to be saved and now 542 00:25:35,600 --> 00:25:37,320 you've been saved for many years and you've 543 00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:40,240 never shown any act of obedience really per 544 00:25:40,240 --> 00:25:41,700 se, personally for the Lord Jesus. 545 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:52,050 If that's you here today, something's wrong. 546 00:25:55,160 --> 00:25:56,600 I have no desire to please the Lord. 547 00:25:56,800 --> 00:25:58,440 I have no desire to go on. 548 00:25:58,620 --> 00:25:59,660 Just go with the flow. 549 00:26:00,080 --> 00:26:02,080 And then the old brethren say any old 550 00:26:02,080 --> 00:26:03,340 dead fish can go downstream. 551 00:26:04,740 --> 00:26:06,180 But when the time comes and there's a 552 00:26:06,180 --> 00:26:11,140 stand that needs to be taken, sooner or 553 00:26:11,140 --> 00:26:12,920 later even, the Lord brings out the secret 554 00:26:12,920 --> 00:26:14,660 disciples like Joseph of Arimathea. 555 00:26:16,340 --> 00:26:18,340 What was it that brought Joseph out of 556 00:26:18,340 --> 00:26:19,000 hiding? 557 00:26:21,690 --> 00:26:23,070 It was the fact that as he waited 558 00:26:23,070 --> 00:26:24,910 for the kingdom of God, the king had 559 00:26:24,910 --> 00:26:25,650 been rejected. 560 00:26:29,570 --> 00:26:31,410 And our king has been rejected. 561 00:26:33,070 --> 00:26:35,970 And the Lord Jesus has been despised and 562 00:26:35,970 --> 00:26:37,030 rejected of men. 563 00:26:40,970 --> 00:26:45,110 Does it not stir an affection of love 564 00:26:45,110 --> 00:26:49,420 and motivation for His honor to be obedient 565 00:26:49,420 --> 00:26:49,940 unto Him? 566 00:26:54,350 --> 00:26:54,930 His obedience. 567 00:26:56,570 --> 00:26:58,950 Number 14, verse 14, it says, Do all 568 00:26:58,950 --> 00:27:00,790 things without murmurings and disputings. 569 00:27:03,730 --> 00:27:05,410 Be safe to say then, if we're murmuring 570 00:27:05,410 --> 00:27:07,970 and grumbling and complaining about everything that we're 571 00:27:07,970 --> 00:27:10,490 involved in that we're maybe not very spiritual 572 00:27:10,490 --> 00:27:11,030 discerning. 573 00:27:14,900 --> 00:27:16,700 Christians are great complainers, aren't we? 574 00:27:17,840 --> 00:27:18,740 We really are. 575 00:27:21,080 --> 00:27:21,920 We're good at it. 576 00:27:22,420 --> 00:27:24,700 Because after all, we're justified in it, right? 577 00:27:25,460 --> 00:27:27,680 We're only complaining about the sin of others, 578 00:27:27,760 --> 00:27:28,220 by the way. 579 00:27:28,820 --> 00:27:31,380 We're only complaining about the shortcomings of others. 580 00:27:33,200 --> 00:27:34,400 And we're murmuring. 581 00:27:35,360 --> 00:27:37,280 Children of Israel murmured against God. 582 00:27:37,380 --> 00:27:38,620 I hope none of us are murmuring against 583 00:27:38,620 --> 00:27:38,980 God. 584 00:27:40,320 --> 00:27:42,660 Children of Israel, they murmured against God. 585 00:27:43,660 --> 00:27:45,580 God had to move in judgment to correct 586 00:27:45,580 --> 00:27:46,100 their thinking. 587 00:27:48,270 --> 00:27:49,610 That's not out of the realm of possibilities 588 00:27:49,610 --> 00:27:50,370 for us. 589 00:27:51,830 --> 00:27:55,070 And if we are murmuring against God, maybe 590 00:27:55,070 --> 00:27:59,510 we should pray that He would change our 591 00:27:59,510 --> 00:27:59,830 thinking. 592 00:28:01,410 --> 00:28:03,230 How many people do you know in this 593 00:28:03,230 --> 00:28:06,570 world that aren't murmuring? 594 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:10,880 Everybody's complaining. 595 00:28:12,400 --> 00:28:13,320 Everybody's murmuring. 596 00:28:18,790 --> 00:28:20,410 You see why we're lights in the world? 597 00:28:22,800 --> 00:28:24,480 How many happy people are there in this 598 00:28:24,480 --> 00:28:24,760 world? 599 00:28:28,300 --> 00:28:30,100 You folks here live in rural America. 600 00:28:30,900 --> 00:28:33,080 And the farming communities are still somewhat friendly. 601 00:28:34,780 --> 00:28:35,440 Somewhat friendly. 602 00:28:36,860 --> 00:28:37,500 They're busy. 603 00:28:37,620 --> 00:28:38,640 They don't have time for you. 604 00:28:38,660 --> 00:28:39,820 But they're still somewhat friendly. 605 00:28:42,020 --> 00:28:42,860 But I can tell you this. 606 00:28:42,900 --> 00:28:44,480 You go to a metropolis somewhere, and you 607 00:28:44,480 --> 00:28:46,320 go down the street, and you can't get 608 00:28:46,320 --> 00:28:47,700 anybody to look at you, let alone smile 609 00:28:47,700 --> 00:28:48,080 at you. 610 00:28:52,570 --> 00:28:54,870 I was in Pennsylvania having breakfast. 611 00:28:55,550 --> 00:28:58,010 There was some, I don't even remember what 612 00:28:58,010 --> 00:28:58,270 it was. 613 00:28:58,290 --> 00:28:58,810 It was gross. 614 00:28:58,810 --> 00:29:00,910 They wanted to have me experience some Philadelphia 615 00:29:00,910 --> 00:29:01,790 breakfast thing. 616 00:29:02,290 --> 00:29:04,530 It was there, and the waitress was an 617 00:29:04,530 --> 00:29:05,010 older lady. 618 00:29:05,110 --> 00:29:06,190 And the brother who took me to this 619 00:29:06,190 --> 00:29:07,690 place, he had to take a phone call. 620 00:29:08,030 --> 00:29:09,210 And I was just being friendly. 621 00:29:09,470 --> 00:29:12,010 I was being Midwest friendly to a Philadelphian. 622 00:29:13,030 --> 00:29:15,250 And the brother comes back, and she says 623 00:29:15,250 --> 00:29:16,830 to him, what's the matter with him? 624 00:29:19,230 --> 00:29:20,530 Just being friendly. 625 00:29:21,210 --> 00:29:22,750 Just being smiley. 626 00:29:23,290 --> 00:29:24,490 Just not complaining. 627 00:29:25,470 --> 00:29:30,650 Just being humble is spiritual discernment. 628 00:29:32,110 --> 00:29:33,510 You know, it's a choice. 629 00:29:35,250 --> 00:29:36,290 It's a choice. 630 00:29:37,790 --> 00:29:40,970 And he was absolutely without murmuring, wasn't he? 631 00:29:46,440 --> 00:29:47,380 As a lamb dumb. 632 00:29:49,180 --> 00:29:51,020 As a sheep before his shears is dumb. 633 00:29:53,240 --> 00:29:54,380 He opened not his mouth. 634 00:30:00,020 --> 00:30:02,080 The bitterest agonies of the olive press of 635 00:30:02,080 --> 00:30:08,210 Gethsemane, where he sweat as it were great 636 00:30:08,210 --> 00:30:09,010 drops of blood. 637 00:30:10,570 --> 00:30:12,650 He was still always in the will and 638 00:30:12,650 --> 00:30:13,630 in the mind of God. 639 00:30:18,800 --> 00:30:21,760 He didn't grumble. 640 00:30:22,860 --> 00:30:24,100 He didn't murmur. 641 00:30:25,620 --> 00:30:26,680 He didn't argue. 642 00:30:31,970 --> 00:30:34,110 He's our example. 643 00:30:36,670 --> 00:30:39,650 Last point, verse number 18. 644 00:30:41,730 --> 00:30:43,770 It says, for the same cause also do 645 00:30:43,770 --> 00:30:48,350 you joy and rejoice with me. 646 00:30:52,500 --> 00:30:54,320 Joy and happiness, you know, are not the 647 00:30:54,320 --> 00:30:54,580 same. 648 00:30:58,080 --> 00:30:58,920 They are not the same. 649 00:30:59,620 --> 00:31:01,280 There can be true joy and sorrow. 650 00:31:01,280 --> 00:31:02,780 There can be true joy and suffering. 651 00:31:05,170 --> 00:31:09,170 And oftentimes it is, in retrospect, the greatest 652 00:31:09,170 --> 00:31:13,150 times in our lives of joy when suffering 653 00:31:13,150 --> 00:31:14,870 was upon us and the Lord was near. 654 00:31:17,770 --> 00:31:18,970 And for those of you that have gone 655 00:31:18,970 --> 00:31:21,430 through those trials, some of you have said 656 00:31:21,430 --> 00:31:23,830 that you wouldn't trade them for anything in 657 00:31:23,830 --> 00:31:24,250 this world. 658 00:31:27,160 --> 00:31:31,110 To know the nearness of the Father of 659 00:31:31,110 --> 00:31:31,350 heaven. 660 00:31:36,140 --> 00:31:37,400 How are we going to live in this 661 00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:37,640 world? 662 00:31:39,650 --> 00:31:42,090 How are we going to finish out our 663 00:31:42,090 --> 00:31:42,490 days? 664 00:31:44,710 --> 00:31:46,230 We need spiritual discernment. 665 00:31:48,530 --> 00:31:50,010 We need the word of God. 666 00:31:51,270 --> 00:31:52,470 We need each other. 667 00:31:53,890 --> 00:31:56,290 We need the teachings of the doctrines of 668 00:31:56,290 --> 00:31:56,730 the scriptures. 669 00:31:58,290 --> 00:31:59,830 We need a clear conscience. 670 00:32:01,650 --> 00:32:03,170 We need clean hands. 671 00:32:05,420 --> 00:32:06,260 We need Christ. 672 00:32:08,710 --> 00:32:09,390 We need Christ. 673 00:32:10,330 --> 00:32:14,330 Are you spiritually prepared today to be used 674 00:32:14,330 --> 00:32:14,810 of God? 675 00:32:18,250 --> 00:32:21,030 Are you discerning the call from his voice? 676 00:32:22,750 --> 00:32:25,270 For spiritual discernment. 677 00:32:25,470 --> 00:32:26,290 And Lord bless his word.