1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:03,260 I have some good news. 2 00:00:03,360 --> 00:00:04,400 The clock's been fixed. 3 00:00:07,830 --> 00:00:10,730 I was told new batteries have been installed. 4 00:00:12,350 --> 00:00:15,990 And, uh, I think I was shocked more 5 00:00:15,990 --> 00:00:18,010 than anybody else this morning when I looked, 6 00:00:18,130 --> 00:00:19,910 I sat down, I looked at my, uh, 7 00:00:19,910 --> 00:00:22,410 watch and I, what has happened? 8 00:00:23,550 --> 00:00:28,590 And, uh, just kept going and, uh, felt 9 00:00:28,590 --> 00:00:31,049 a little bad about it, but I got 10 00:00:31,049 --> 00:00:31,650 over it. 11 00:00:33,980 --> 00:00:36,520 I'm surprised that Warren Parrish didn't tell his 12 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:39,380 story about, uh, the preacher that went overtime. 13 00:00:40,380 --> 00:00:43,000 And, uh, the, uh, fellow warned the preacher, 14 00:00:43,160 --> 00:00:44,920 if you do that one more time, I'm 15 00:00:44,920 --> 00:00:45,280 leaving. 16 00:00:46,460 --> 00:00:49,000 And so the preacher did do it again, 17 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:51,440 and, uh, the fellow was, uh, leaving. 18 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:52,760 Where are you going? 19 00:00:52,820 --> 00:00:54,180 He said, I'm going to get a haircut. 20 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:59,480 And the preacher said, uh, what did the 21 00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:00,080 preacher say? 22 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:06,010 And he said, before I came to the 23 00:01:06,010 --> 00:01:07,250 meeting, I didn't need a haircut. 24 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:15,940 I'd like for us tonight to look in 25 00:01:15,940 --> 00:01:17,680 2 Peter chapter 1. 26 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:21,920 Uh, there is a connection, I think, between 27 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:24,020 some of the things that we have been, 28 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:25,920 uh, discussing. 29 00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:33,960 And I'd like to make, uh, uh, some, 30 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:39,420 uh, draw upon the similarity between some of 31 00:01:39,420 --> 00:01:47,060 the things that we have regarding, uh, how, 32 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:51,260 how wonderful it is to have the Word 33 00:01:51,260 --> 00:01:54,540 of God as a resource, uh, when it 34 00:01:54,540 --> 00:01:58,900 comes to, uh, problems that develop in the 35 00:01:58,900 --> 00:01:59,820 body of Christ. 36 00:02:02,330 --> 00:02:06,030 And, uh, Peter, uh, is addressing a problem. 37 00:02:08,789 --> 00:02:12,410 Uh, his letter is to, uh, those that 38 00:02:12,410 --> 00:02:15,870 had gone out and, uh, have been spread 39 00:02:15,870 --> 00:02:16,350 abroad. 40 00:02:17,210 --> 00:02:19,550 I think one of the things that, uh, 41 00:02:19,550 --> 00:02:21,450 more or less amazes me is to how 42 00:02:21,450 --> 00:02:26,750 early on, uh, in, uh, the development of 43 00:02:26,750 --> 00:02:30,130 the church, uh, there were problems. 44 00:02:30,650 --> 00:02:33,890 There were, there was the introduction of false 45 00:02:33,890 --> 00:02:34,490 doctrine. 46 00:02:36,350 --> 00:02:40,610 Uh, in so many instances, uh, it related 47 00:02:40,610 --> 00:02:42,670 to the person of our Lord Jesus Christ. 48 00:02:44,530 --> 00:02:50,030 And, uh, I know when we read in 49 00:02:50,030 --> 00:02:51,930 Scripture and we find that one of the 50 00:02:51,930 --> 00:02:54,810 marks of the last days, uh, there will 51 00:02:54,810 --> 00:02:59,990 be a departure, uh, from obedience to the 52 00:02:59,990 --> 00:03:02,310 Word of God and a reliance upon the 53 00:03:02,310 --> 00:03:02,630 Scripture. 54 00:03:02,850 --> 00:03:05,550 So, I'd like to, uh, just read, uh, 55 00:03:05,550 --> 00:03:09,770 perhaps the, uh, let's see, the first chapter 56 00:03:09,770 --> 00:03:12,990 is some 21 verses. 57 00:03:14,530 --> 00:03:17,250 And, uh, let's, let's just read the entire 58 00:03:17,250 --> 00:03:19,130 chapter, beginning at verse 1. 59 00:03:19,830 --> 00:03:22,470 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of 60 00:03:22,470 --> 00:03:26,250 Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like 61 00:03:26,250 --> 00:03:29,850 precious faith with us through the righteousness of 62 00:03:29,850 --> 00:03:33,890 God and our Savior Jesus Christ, grace and 63 00:03:33,890 --> 00:03:37,830 peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge 64 00:03:37,830 --> 00:03:42,350 of God and of Jesus our Lord, according 65 00:03:42,350 --> 00:03:45,270 as His divine power hath given unto us 66 00:03:45,270 --> 00:03:49,590 all things that pertain unto life and godliness 67 00:03:49,590 --> 00:03:52,690 through the knowledge of Him that hath called 68 00:03:52,690 --> 00:03:57,670 us to glory and virtue, whereby are given 69 00:03:57,670 --> 00:04:02,030 unto us exceeding great and precious promises that 70 00:04:02,030 --> 00:04:04,490 by these ye might be partakers of the 71 00:04:04,490 --> 00:04:08,490 divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is 72 00:04:08,490 --> 00:04:09,910 in the world through lust. 73 00:04:10,890 --> 00:04:14,030 And besides this, giving all diligence to your 74 00:04:14,030 --> 00:04:17,790 faith, to your faith, virtue, and to virtue, 75 00:04:18,070 --> 00:04:21,890 knowledge, to knowledge, temperance, and to temperance, patience, 76 00:04:22,310 --> 00:04:27,010 and to patience, godliness, and to godliness, brotherly 77 00:04:27,010 --> 00:04:31,850 kindness, and to brotherly kindness, charity, or love. 78 00:04:32,570 --> 00:04:35,010 For if these things be in you and 79 00:04:35,010 --> 00:04:38,770 abound, they make you that you shall neither 80 00:04:38,770 --> 00:04:41,650 be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of 81 00:04:41,650 --> 00:04:46,660 our Lord Jesus Christ, but he that liketh 82 00:04:46,660 --> 00:04:49,640 these things is blind and cannot see afar 83 00:04:49,640 --> 00:04:52,960 off, and hath forgotten that he was purged 84 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:54,120 from his old sins. 85 00:04:55,500 --> 00:04:57,940 Wherefore, the rather brethren, give diligence to make 86 00:04:57,940 --> 00:04:59,760 your calling and election sure. 87 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:02,600 For if ye do these things, ye shall 88 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:03,500 never fall. 89 00:05:04,500 --> 00:05:06,940 For so an inference shall be ministered unto 90 00:05:06,940 --> 00:05:10,840 you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our 91 00:05:10,840 --> 00:05:12,700 Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 92 00:05:13,700 --> 00:05:15,940 Wherefore, I will not be negligent to put 93 00:05:15,940 --> 00:05:19,160 you always in remembrance of these things, though 94 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:21,480 ye know them, and be established in the 95 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:22,320 present truth. 96 00:05:23,460 --> 00:05:25,300 Yea, I think it meet, as long as 97 00:05:25,300 --> 00:05:28,160 I am in this tabernacle, to stir you 98 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:31,280 up by putting you in remembrance, knowing that 99 00:05:31,280 --> 00:05:34,460 shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, 100 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:36,980 even as our Lord Jesus Christ has showed 101 00:05:36,980 --> 00:05:37,320 me. 102 00:05:38,060 --> 00:05:40,200 Moreover, I will endeavor that you may be 103 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:43,340 able, after my decease, to have these things 104 00:05:43,340 --> 00:05:45,180 always in remembrance. 105 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:49,560 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables 106 00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:52,240 when we made known unto you the power 107 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:55,080 and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 108 00:05:55,080 --> 00:05:59,920 But we are eyewitnesses of his majesty, for 109 00:05:59,920 --> 00:06:02,280 he received from God the Father's honor and 110 00:06:02,280 --> 00:06:05,200 glory when there came such a voice to 111 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:08,880 him from the excellent glory, This is my 112 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:12,200 beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. 113 00:06:12,780 --> 00:06:14,920 And this voice, which came from heaven, we 114 00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:17,100 heard when we were with him in the 115 00:06:17,100 --> 00:06:17,780 Holy Mount. 116 00:06:18,460 --> 00:06:20,820 We have also a more sure word of 117 00:06:20,820 --> 00:06:24,300 prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take 118 00:06:24,300 --> 00:06:27,000 heed as unto a light that shineth in 119 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:30,040 a dark place until the day dawns and 120 00:06:30,040 --> 00:06:33,960 the day star arise in your hearts, knowing 121 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:37,080 this first, that no prophecy of this scripture 122 00:06:37,080 --> 00:06:38,940 is of any private interpretation. 123 00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:42,260 For the prophecy came not in old time 124 00:06:42,260 --> 00:06:44,840 by the will of man, but holy men 125 00:06:44,840 --> 00:06:48,020 of God spake as they were moved by 126 00:06:48,020 --> 00:06:49,240 the Holy Ghost. 127 00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:53,360 Let's bow again in a word of prayer. 128 00:06:53,540 --> 00:06:57,280 Father in heaven, we gather as your people 129 00:06:57,280 --> 00:06:59,660 to hear the voice of God through the 130 00:06:59,660 --> 00:07:00,120 word. 131 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:03,440 We thank thee for the Spirit of God 132 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:06,180 that indwells us and enlightens us and helps 133 00:07:06,180 --> 00:07:06,600 us. 134 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:09,420 He is that heavenly comforter. 135 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:13,200 He is the one that can give discernment 136 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:16,440 and understanding of the things that we've read 137 00:07:16,440 --> 00:07:18,440 this evening. 138 00:07:18,900 --> 00:07:21,440 Lord, grant to each one of us a 139 00:07:21,440 --> 00:07:24,660 better understanding of all that we've read, and 140 00:07:24,660 --> 00:07:26,720 may it be a rich blessing to us. 141 00:07:27,460 --> 00:07:28,960 Thank thee for this Lord's Day. 142 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:30,760 Thank thee for the time together. 143 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:34,300 Thank thee for the privileges that we enjoy, 144 00:07:35,140 --> 00:07:37,700 the liberty that we have to gather in 145 00:07:37,700 --> 00:07:38,340 this fashion. 146 00:07:39,740 --> 00:07:41,520 We bless thee and thank thee for your 147 00:07:41,520 --> 00:07:44,460 goodness to us, Lord, and ask that you 148 00:07:44,460 --> 00:07:48,600 will indeed presence yourself with us tonight in 149 00:07:48,600 --> 00:07:50,440 a real and wonderful way. 150 00:07:50,440 --> 00:07:52,600 In the name of the Lord Jesus we 151 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:53,320 ask this. 152 00:07:53,860 --> 00:07:54,180 Amen. 153 00:07:56,860 --> 00:08:00,360 Well, as I said, the Apostle Peter had, 154 00:08:00,500 --> 00:08:04,300 I think, some of the same reasons for 155 00:08:04,300 --> 00:08:08,180 writing what he wrote to the saints that 156 00:08:08,180 --> 00:08:09,300 were scattered abroad. 157 00:08:11,380 --> 00:08:16,800 When Paul wrote that 2 Timothy, his second, 158 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:21,080 his last letter that he wrote in 2 159 00:08:21,080 --> 00:08:25,280 Timothy, he starts it off with the last 160 00:08:25,280 --> 00:08:27,360 days shall be perilous times. 161 00:08:29,120 --> 00:08:30,340 And that came as a warning. 162 00:08:30,900 --> 00:08:33,919 And I sense in this some of that 163 00:08:33,919 --> 00:08:37,200 warning to the churches that were established at 164 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:37,919 that time. 165 00:08:39,059 --> 00:08:43,280 It seems they must have been prepared of 166 00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:43,740 Satan. 167 00:08:45,720 --> 00:08:49,240 Those that had the gift of teaching had 168 00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:53,360 some knowledge concerning spiritual things, and they were 169 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:57,480 going about and they were creating havoc among 170 00:08:57,480 --> 00:09:01,680 so many of the small churches and testimonies 171 00:09:01,680 --> 00:09:03,260 that had been established. 172 00:09:03,600 --> 00:09:06,100 And I think a part of his warning 173 00:09:06,820 --> 00:09:10,620 is to direct them and to help them 174 00:09:10,620 --> 00:09:14,720 to face this and to face it in 175 00:09:14,720 --> 00:09:18,180 a way that they will be overcomers and 176 00:09:18,180 --> 00:09:23,100 they'll not be injured and set back because 177 00:09:23,100 --> 00:09:26,340 of things that were contrary to what we 178 00:09:26,340 --> 00:09:30,040 believe was the clear teaching of the Word 179 00:09:30,040 --> 00:09:30,700 of God. 180 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:33,620 A warning to the churches. 181 00:09:33,820 --> 00:09:36,540 I think that would be the way that 182 00:09:36,540 --> 00:09:38,580 I began to look at this. 183 00:09:38,900 --> 00:09:43,900 And when false doctrine and when something focused 184 00:09:43,900 --> 00:09:46,840 upon the person of the Lord Jesus Christ 185 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:51,100 and that holy life that was lived and 186 00:09:51,100 --> 00:09:55,240 that all-sufficient sacrifice, they were quick to 187 00:09:55,240 --> 00:09:58,780 respond to that because so often other things 188 00:09:58,780 --> 00:10:00,100 had been introduced. 189 00:10:01,500 --> 00:10:03,180 There were many legalists. 190 00:10:03,440 --> 00:10:06,340 There were those that were hedonistic and said, 191 00:10:06,620 --> 00:10:08,300 Save by the grace of God, do what 192 00:10:08,300 --> 00:10:09,780 you want to do when you want to 193 00:10:09,780 --> 00:10:11,640 and as often as you want to. 194 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:12,700 That sort of thing. 195 00:10:12,840 --> 00:10:14,920 And it had to be addressed. 196 00:10:15,940 --> 00:10:19,600 And this man, he identifies himself as a 197 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:22,800 servant and that certainly reminds you of the 198 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:23,660 Apostle Paul. 199 00:10:24,340 --> 00:10:27,520 A born slave of our Lord Jesus Christ 200 00:10:27,520 --> 00:10:33,360 to those who have obtained light, precious faith. 201 00:10:35,820 --> 00:10:37,940 You know, I think the grace of God 202 00:10:37,940 --> 00:10:41,720 is something that comes to us through experience, 203 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:44,280 through knowing something about it. 204 00:10:45,460 --> 00:10:48,440 And I was looking at 2 Corinthians 12 205 00:10:49,400 --> 00:10:52,020 and that was the experience of the Apostle 206 00:10:52,020 --> 00:10:52,480 Paul. 207 00:10:54,240 --> 00:10:56,060 I really am looking at that. 208 00:10:56,280 --> 00:10:58,900 I believe the Apostle Paul fully expected to 209 00:10:58,900 --> 00:11:01,780 be healed of his thorn in the flesh. 210 00:11:03,280 --> 00:11:05,980 I think it came back to him as 211 00:11:05,980 --> 00:11:08,380 a warning, No, not every time you pray 212 00:11:08,380 --> 00:11:09,820 for healing are you going to get healing. 213 00:11:09,820 --> 00:11:13,120 Sometimes there can be something better than getting 214 00:11:13,120 --> 00:11:13,560 healed. 215 00:11:14,880 --> 00:11:17,000 You know, when you're hurting, that's not too 216 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:18,100 easy to accept. 217 00:11:18,440 --> 00:11:21,400 But I think Paul at least thought that. 218 00:11:22,260 --> 00:11:26,260 But out of that experience, you know the 219 00:11:26,260 --> 00:11:26,640 story. 220 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:30,920 He prayed three times and the Lord gave 221 00:11:30,920 --> 00:11:32,740 a negative response each time. 222 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:35,680 But he says, I am going to prove 223 00:11:35,680 --> 00:11:38,060 to you the sufficiency of my grace. 224 00:11:39,440 --> 00:11:40,820 And he did. 225 00:11:41,780 --> 00:11:44,840 And the Apostle Paul says, I rejoice in 226 00:11:44,840 --> 00:11:45,480 infirmities. 227 00:11:45,680 --> 00:11:49,200 It's a wonderful opportunity for God to prove 228 00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:52,460 just how sufficient his grace is in the 229 00:11:52,460 --> 00:11:53,620 experiences of life. 230 00:11:53,800 --> 00:11:56,540 And so I think what we have just 231 00:11:56,540 --> 00:11:58,520 read, there's a lot of that in this. 232 00:12:00,780 --> 00:12:03,240 This growth in grace and knowledge of our 233 00:12:03,240 --> 00:12:05,020 Lord Jesus Christ, and that's the way Peter 234 00:12:05,020 --> 00:12:08,100 closes this little letter that he's written. 235 00:12:08,100 --> 00:12:10,400 It comes through understanding. 236 00:12:10,720 --> 00:12:11,800 A better understanding. 237 00:12:12,740 --> 00:12:13,200 Growing. 238 00:12:13,560 --> 00:12:18,080 Growing is so necessary in our knowledge of 239 00:12:18,080 --> 00:12:20,140 God and of our Lord Jesus Christ. 240 00:12:20,860 --> 00:12:23,800 And so we obtain more grace. 241 00:12:24,100 --> 00:12:28,800 We know how to appropriate that grace and 242 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:32,220 make it operative in our lives by the 243 00:12:32,220 --> 00:12:33,680 grace of God. 244 00:12:34,640 --> 00:12:36,620 By the grace of God. 245 00:12:36,620 --> 00:12:39,520 And we begin to apply that to our 246 00:12:39,520 --> 00:12:40,300 lives. 247 00:12:42,340 --> 00:12:45,020 The experience may be something you might say, 248 00:12:45,100 --> 00:12:46,660 well, what has the grace of God got 249 00:12:46,660 --> 00:12:47,540 to do with this? 250 00:12:49,180 --> 00:12:51,160 If that's the way God wants to deal 251 00:12:51,160 --> 00:12:53,040 with it, and He wants you and I 252 00:12:53,040 --> 00:12:56,600 to draw from heaven, from a resource that's 253 00:12:56,600 --> 00:12:59,860 available to us, the sufficiency of that grace, 254 00:13:00,300 --> 00:13:01,860 Paul says that's better. 255 00:13:02,800 --> 00:13:03,620 That's better. 256 00:13:03,620 --> 00:13:07,380 I learned out of my own experience that 257 00:13:07,380 --> 00:13:09,620 that's an experience that you wouldn't want to 258 00:13:09,620 --> 00:13:11,160 pass up. 259 00:13:11,480 --> 00:13:12,540 You'll learn something. 260 00:13:13,640 --> 00:13:17,100 And indeed, I believe that Peter has a 261 00:13:17,100 --> 00:13:20,080 very similar feeling about the whole thing. 262 00:13:20,620 --> 00:13:26,000 Because there was something important here to be 263 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:26,560 gained. 264 00:13:27,200 --> 00:13:29,100 And he didn't want these things to pick 265 00:13:29,100 --> 00:13:29,420 it up. 266 00:13:29,720 --> 00:13:32,140 The adversity, the trial, all of these things 267 00:13:32,140 --> 00:13:36,400 that you're faced with, if you grow under 268 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:39,340 the good hand of God, if you grow 269 00:13:39,340 --> 00:13:43,080 spiritually, you will be able to come out 270 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:44,420 of it victoriously. 271 00:13:46,900 --> 00:13:50,820 And when you think about faith, it's precious. 272 00:13:51,860 --> 00:13:53,060 Precious faith. 273 00:13:55,040 --> 00:13:57,020 That's what he lays hold on. 274 00:13:58,040 --> 00:14:01,120 Precious faith claims precious promises. 275 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:04,440 This morning we were looking at that word 276 00:14:04,440 --> 00:14:04,840 precious. 277 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:08,140 It's a word that Peter used quite frequently. 278 00:14:08,820 --> 00:14:12,260 Precious faith lays hold upon precious promises. 279 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:15,960 And this lifts the soul up. 280 00:14:16,640 --> 00:14:18,700 You know, when you feel that you're sagging 281 00:14:18,700 --> 00:14:21,960 spiritually and you're really getting low, you need 282 00:14:21,960 --> 00:14:23,660 something to pick you up. 283 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:26,060 You need something to encourage you. 284 00:14:26,420 --> 00:14:30,660 And so Peter can say, "...whereby are given 285 00:14:30,660 --> 00:14:34,680 unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that 286 00:14:34,680 --> 00:14:37,020 by these ye might be partakers of the 287 00:14:37,020 --> 00:14:40,640 divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is 288 00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:42,240 in the world through lust." 289 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:48,950 Now, we have to say this, that he 290 00:14:48,950 --> 00:14:52,130 can become a partaker of the divine nature. 291 00:14:53,070 --> 00:14:55,010 We cannot become divine. 292 00:14:56,670 --> 00:14:58,470 We are human beings. 293 00:14:59,330 --> 00:15:00,670 There are limitations. 294 00:15:01,910 --> 00:15:04,410 But God would put no limitations upon how 295 00:15:04,410 --> 00:15:07,650 much we can grow and we can experience 296 00:15:07,650 --> 00:15:11,130 blessing through faith and trust in Him. 297 00:15:11,970 --> 00:15:15,650 We can become partakers of the holy character 298 00:15:15,650 --> 00:15:18,230 of the God that we have trusted as 299 00:15:18,230 --> 00:15:21,250 our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. 300 00:15:22,170 --> 00:15:27,310 That's a wonderful hope and promise that should 301 00:15:27,310 --> 00:15:28,630 excite each one of us. 302 00:15:28,750 --> 00:15:32,130 I can become something for God that I 303 00:15:32,130 --> 00:15:33,350 never was before. 304 00:15:35,490 --> 00:15:38,250 You know, some of us might look at 305 00:15:38,250 --> 00:15:40,370 our lives and we went through a time, 306 00:15:40,450 --> 00:15:43,530 a dry time, in which we were not 307 00:15:43,530 --> 00:15:44,710 profitable for the Lord. 308 00:15:44,770 --> 00:15:48,170 The Lord couldn't use us because of things 309 00:15:48,170 --> 00:15:49,850 that we didn't understand. 310 00:15:50,950 --> 00:15:54,850 But now, through the experiences in life and 311 00:15:54,850 --> 00:15:59,470 claiming the sufficiency of these precious promises, we 312 00:15:59,470 --> 00:16:00,150 have grown. 313 00:16:01,890 --> 00:16:03,430 We're making progress. 314 00:16:03,650 --> 00:16:04,450 We're maturing. 315 00:16:05,610 --> 00:16:09,330 We're better qualified to face trial and testing 316 00:16:09,330 --> 00:16:11,150 in our lives and do it for the 317 00:16:11,150 --> 00:16:12,130 glory of God. 318 00:16:13,470 --> 00:16:18,870 And we value holiness, being sanctified and set 319 00:16:18,870 --> 00:16:22,470 apart to be used by God. 320 00:16:23,250 --> 00:16:26,610 And isn't it wonderful to recognize and sometimes 321 00:16:26,610 --> 00:16:28,710 sense that God is using me. 322 00:16:29,450 --> 00:16:30,770 God is using me. 323 00:16:31,390 --> 00:16:32,850 He has His hand upon me. 324 00:16:33,370 --> 00:16:36,850 He's entrusted me with responsibility that at one 325 00:16:36,850 --> 00:16:39,690 time He couldn't entrust me with because I 326 00:16:39,690 --> 00:16:41,250 didn't know enough to handle it. 327 00:16:41,810 --> 00:16:45,150 But now I can handle it by the 328 00:16:45,150 --> 00:16:45,910 grace of God. 329 00:16:46,210 --> 00:16:48,110 By the grace of God, I'll handle this. 330 00:16:48,590 --> 00:16:50,530 By the grace of God and all of 331 00:16:50,530 --> 00:16:53,910 His sufficiency, I will be able to come 332 00:16:53,910 --> 00:16:54,870 through this experience. 333 00:16:55,310 --> 00:16:58,750 So you see, there is a value even 334 00:16:58,750 --> 00:16:59,510 in adversity. 335 00:17:01,410 --> 00:17:04,210 That verse that we have in Romans 8, 336 00:17:04,270 --> 00:17:04,609 28. 337 00:17:05,109 --> 00:17:07,730 Man, that's one that I see more of 338 00:17:07,730 --> 00:17:08,010 that. 339 00:17:08,230 --> 00:17:13,089 It seems like we know that all things 340 00:17:13,089 --> 00:17:15,790 work together for good to them that love 341 00:17:15,790 --> 00:17:18,050 the Lord, that are called according to His 342 00:17:18,050 --> 00:17:18,730 purposes. 343 00:17:19,510 --> 00:17:22,349 And then you come to that part of 344 00:17:22,349 --> 00:17:26,410 this passage that is often used to draw 345 00:17:26,410 --> 00:17:30,090 upon and to make us aware of progressive 346 00:17:30,090 --> 00:17:30,830 growth. 347 00:17:31,470 --> 00:17:34,190 It says, besides this, giving all diligence. 348 00:17:35,050 --> 00:17:36,710 Take it seriously, brother. 349 00:17:37,370 --> 00:17:41,310 Apply yourself and apply yourself with all that 350 00:17:41,310 --> 00:17:41,910 you've got. 351 00:17:42,370 --> 00:17:44,250 You want to get out of this everything 352 00:17:44,250 --> 00:17:46,190 that can be gained from it. 353 00:17:47,560 --> 00:17:49,420 This is not a crip course. 354 00:17:50,580 --> 00:17:51,840 This is the real thing. 355 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:53,080 We need this. 356 00:17:53,300 --> 00:17:56,380 We need this one if we're going to 357 00:17:56,380 --> 00:18:00,080 really be used of God and be effective 358 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:01,260 for Him. 359 00:18:01,680 --> 00:18:03,820 Add to your faith virtue and to virtue 360 00:18:03,820 --> 00:18:04,560 knowledge. 361 00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:08,240 You link all of these things together. 362 00:18:09,580 --> 00:18:11,860 You place one of them upon another. 363 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:16,780 It's just like someone said, the stones and 364 00:18:16,780 --> 00:18:20,120 an arch, a stone arch. 365 00:18:20,780 --> 00:18:23,460 Every one of the stones is important. 366 00:18:24,020 --> 00:18:26,360 And you put them all together in the 367 00:18:26,360 --> 00:18:27,120 right position. 368 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:28,680 And man, it is really strong. 369 00:18:29,900 --> 00:18:31,220 It's there to stay. 370 00:18:31,360 --> 00:18:33,660 It can bear the weight of everything that 371 00:18:33,660 --> 00:18:34,680 is placed upon it. 372 00:18:34,940 --> 00:18:38,080 And that, I think, is a good illustration 373 00:18:38,080 --> 00:18:42,100 of what we have in building, building upon 374 00:18:42,100 --> 00:18:43,860 these things, link upon link. 375 00:18:44,880 --> 00:18:47,640 The stones that are placed there and each 376 00:18:47,640 --> 00:18:49,360 one of us is a living stone. 377 00:18:50,040 --> 00:18:52,860 We provide some mutual support. 378 00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:55,360 It's not like one of us could do 379 00:18:55,360 --> 00:18:57,720 it by ourselves, but put us together. 380 00:18:58,680 --> 00:19:03,420 That's why unity and oneness in the body 381 00:19:03,420 --> 00:19:06,020 is so vital and important to what we're 382 00:19:06,020 --> 00:19:07,280 doing in the world today. 383 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:10,460 If one of us stands up against the 384 00:19:10,460 --> 00:19:12,720 devil and one says, I'm going to put 385 00:19:12,720 --> 00:19:14,420 on the whole armor of God that I 386 00:19:14,420 --> 00:19:15,360 might be able to stand. 387 00:19:15,440 --> 00:19:18,860 Everybody, all of us, let's be strong for 388 00:19:18,860 --> 00:19:19,420 the Lord. 389 00:19:20,300 --> 00:19:21,320 And let's stand up. 390 00:19:21,500 --> 00:19:24,520 And I'm bearing my part of the responsibility. 391 00:19:25,260 --> 00:19:28,720 I'm bearing my part as someone that can 392 00:19:28,720 --> 00:19:31,860 contribute something to making this strong. 393 00:19:32,260 --> 00:19:33,640 Strong for God. 394 00:19:34,140 --> 00:19:36,280 And there's nothing like holiness. 395 00:19:37,140 --> 00:19:39,720 There's nothing like what God provides. 396 00:19:40,760 --> 00:19:43,020 And again, you take the Word of God 397 00:19:43,680 --> 00:19:46,040 and you remember our Lord said to Satan, 398 00:19:46,380 --> 00:19:47,780 it is written, it is written. 399 00:19:48,460 --> 00:19:50,620 Oh, it's so wonderful to be able to 400 00:19:50,620 --> 00:19:53,560 reach back and you have at your command 401 00:19:54,700 --> 00:19:55,860 passages of Scripture. 402 00:19:56,000 --> 00:19:57,800 When someone says something, but it is written. 403 00:19:58,520 --> 00:19:59,640 But it is written. 404 00:20:00,120 --> 00:20:01,140 It's so wonderful. 405 00:20:01,620 --> 00:20:04,280 I'm telling you, you feel very confident when 406 00:20:04,280 --> 00:20:06,180 you can turn to something in the Scripture. 407 00:20:06,620 --> 00:20:07,820 There it is right there. 408 00:20:07,820 --> 00:20:09,620 There it is right there. 409 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:11,980 And if you believe it and if you 410 00:20:11,980 --> 00:20:15,440 claim it, it really works. 411 00:20:16,840 --> 00:20:22,600 So we give diligence to the things that 412 00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:26,640 God has placed before us that He entrusts 413 00:20:26,640 --> 00:20:27,860 us to do for Him. 414 00:20:30,020 --> 00:20:34,620 For if these things be in you and 415 00:20:34,620 --> 00:20:39,160 abound, they make you that you shall neither 416 00:20:39,160 --> 00:20:42,640 be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of 417 00:20:42,640 --> 00:20:44,380 our Lord Jesus Christ. 418 00:20:45,720 --> 00:20:48,400 But he that lacketh these things is blind 419 00:20:48,400 --> 00:20:49,640 and cannot see. 420 00:20:50,760 --> 00:20:54,600 I was reading about that and you know 421 00:20:54,600 --> 00:20:57,420 how limited a short-sighted person or near 422 00:20:57,420 --> 00:20:58,940 -sighted person really is? 423 00:21:00,680 --> 00:21:02,120 They can only see something. 424 00:21:02,780 --> 00:21:05,360 You see people, they'll look at something. 425 00:21:05,820 --> 00:21:07,580 Close range is the only thing they can 426 00:21:07,580 --> 00:21:07,780 see. 427 00:21:08,260 --> 00:21:10,540 They don't know a thing about what's going 428 00:21:10,540 --> 00:21:11,740 on out there. 429 00:21:11,860 --> 00:21:12,520 They can't see. 430 00:21:13,540 --> 00:21:15,340 And I think there was some of this 431 00:21:15,340 --> 00:21:18,500 in this, near-sightedness or short-sightedness. 432 00:21:20,060 --> 00:21:22,160 It sounds like the fellow said, well, what 433 00:21:22,160 --> 00:21:24,120 you don't see or what you don't know 434 00:21:24,120 --> 00:21:24,860 won't hurt you. 435 00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:26,260 You know that's purifying. 436 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:29,620 We want to see just as far as 437 00:21:29,620 --> 00:21:30,680 we can see, don't we? 438 00:21:32,930 --> 00:21:34,670 And I tell you what, the Word of 439 00:21:34,670 --> 00:21:39,170 God and what it provides for us in 440 00:21:39,170 --> 00:21:42,790 the way of a clear perception of how 441 00:21:42,790 --> 00:21:45,910 things really are is something that we can't 442 00:21:45,910 --> 00:21:46,830 afford to be without. 443 00:21:47,990 --> 00:21:49,610 Oh, I don't want to just see what's 444 00:21:49,610 --> 00:21:50,930 right here under my nose. 445 00:21:52,690 --> 00:21:54,590 I want to see what's going on out 446 00:21:54,590 --> 00:21:54,990 there. 447 00:21:55,210 --> 00:21:58,810 If there's danger coming, if there's a warning 448 00:21:58,810 --> 00:22:02,570 given, I want to have good, clear spiritual 449 00:22:02,570 --> 00:22:03,150 vision. 450 00:22:03,810 --> 00:22:05,170 And I want to be able to see 451 00:22:05,170 --> 00:22:05,450 it. 452 00:22:06,130 --> 00:22:07,890 I want to be able to recognize it 453 00:22:07,890 --> 00:22:08,770 for what it is. 454 00:22:09,710 --> 00:22:11,110 And I want to be prepared. 455 00:22:12,530 --> 00:22:15,710 So these things are given to us by 456 00:22:15,710 --> 00:22:17,510 a man, I think out of his own 457 00:22:17,510 --> 00:22:19,270 experience, he's warning. 458 00:22:19,610 --> 00:22:21,010 He's warning those people. 459 00:22:22,470 --> 00:22:24,030 He's warning to us. 460 00:22:24,790 --> 00:22:27,170 I think we're living in the last days. 461 00:22:29,210 --> 00:22:32,830 And as I've quoted the Apostle Paul, the 462 00:22:32,830 --> 00:22:37,490 last days will be very stressful times. 463 00:22:39,450 --> 00:22:41,710 There's so many crazy things going on in 464 00:22:41,710 --> 00:22:42,470 the world today. 465 00:22:44,750 --> 00:22:46,410 Don't criticize the President now. 466 00:22:46,550 --> 00:22:49,350 We're not to take issue with those that 467 00:22:49,350 --> 00:22:51,090 are in authority over us. 468 00:22:51,110 --> 00:22:52,050 We pray for them. 469 00:22:53,110 --> 00:22:54,150 I'm not a politician. 470 00:22:54,150 --> 00:22:56,990 I'm not a military strategist. 471 00:22:57,190 --> 00:22:59,290 I don't know all those things, but I 472 00:22:59,290 --> 00:23:02,850 can pray for those that are involved in 473 00:23:02,850 --> 00:23:04,810 making decisions about these things. 474 00:23:05,790 --> 00:23:07,430 I think that's our responsibility. 475 00:23:08,350 --> 00:23:10,770 But I want to be perceptive enough and 476 00:23:10,770 --> 00:23:14,850 based upon the Word of God know what's 477 00:23:14,850 --> 00:23:17,010 about to happen, at least as a warning 478 00:23:17,010 --> 00:23:17,490 here. 479 00:23:18,290 --> 00:23:20,150 It's not like we're going to be caught 480 00:23:20,150 --> 00:23:26,970 unaware about how conditions will worsen as the 481 00:23:26,970 --> 00:23:30,270 days go along and until our Lord comes. 482 00:23:30,390 --> 00:23:31,230 But He is coming. 483 00:23:32,150 --> 00:23:33,330 We anticipate it. 484 00:23:33,950 --> 00:23:35,010 We believe it. 485 00:23:35,730 --> 00:23:37,090 We look forward to it. 486 00:23:37,970 --> 00:23:39,710 And it encourages our hearts. 487 00:23:42,130 --> 00:23:43,250 And Peter says this. 488 00:23:43,450 --> 00:23:46,370 He says, "...Wherefore, the rather brethren, give diligence 489 00:23:46,370 --> 00:23:49,430 to make your calling and election sure. 490 00:23:50,550 --> 00:23:52,370 For if you do these things, you shall 491 00:23:52,370 --> 00:23:54,110 never fall." 492 00:23:55,680 --> 00:23:57,860 I think someone said from this platform, I 493 00:23:57,860 --> 00:24:00,440 believe it was Mark, said, you know, sometimes 494 00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:05,800 check up, thinking about your experience, your testimony, 495 00:24:06,320 --> 00:24:09,740 and how it was with you when you 496 00:24:09,740 --> 00:24:12,020 made that decision for the Lord Jesus Christ. 497 00:24:15,160 --> 00:24:17,740 I don't think it's time ill spent to 498 00:24:17,740 --> 00:24:19,100 review that in your mind. 499 00:24:19,520 --> 00:24:20,680 How did that happen? 500 00:24:21,780 --> 00:24:23,060 How did that happen? 501 00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:24,700 I'm going to enjoy that again. 502 00:24:25,460 --> 00:24:28,100 You ever do that, an experience in life? 503 00:24:28,340 --> 00:24:30,600 I'm going to enjoy that one more time. 504 00:24:33,390 --> 00:24:35,850 I enjoy going over the night I got 505 00:24:35,850 --> 00:24:36,270 saved. 506 00:24:37,550 --> 00:24:39,130 Boy, that's where it started for me. 507 00:24:39,530 --> 00:24:42,670 I was dead in trespasses and sin, and 508 00:24:42,670 --> 00:24:45,090 you mean to tell me being made alive 509 00:24:45,090 --> 00:24:47,510 spiritually and being born again and becoming a 510 00:24:47,510 --> 00:24:49,210 child of God is not something that should 511 00:24:49,210 --> 00:24:50,330 excite each one of us? 512 00:24:51,390 --> 00:24:56,310 Go back and relive the experience and say, 513 00:24:56,490 --> 00:24:57,950 God, I'm glad it happened. 514 00:24:58,530 --> 00:25:00,890 I praise You for what happened. 515 00:25:01,910 --> 00:25:02,670 I know! 516 00:25:03,090 --> 00:25:03,710 I know! 517 00:25:05,330 --> 00:25:07,630 We don't go for that hope-so stuff. 518 00:25:09,030 --> 00:25:10,870 Oh, I hate to hear a person say, 519 00:25:10,930 --> 00:25:12,150 oh, I hope I'm saved. 520 00:25:12,930 --> 00:25:13,930 Hope you're saved. 521 00:25:15,050 --> 00:25:16,730 You mean you don't know you're saved? 522 00:25:16,870 --> 00:25:18,370 You could know it from the Word of 523 00:25:18,370 --> 00:25:18,770 God. 524 00:25:19,850 --> 00:25:21,610 Well, I don't know about that, but I'm 525 00:25:21,610 --> 00:25:22,230 just hoping. 526 00:25:22,230 --> 00:25:23,570 I'm hoping. 527 00:25:24,070 --> 00:25:26,410 You can't get much joy into that. 528 00:25:27,470 --> 00:25:28,050 You're hoping. 529 00:25:28,570 --> 00:25:31,870 You're speculating about something happening that you're not 530 00:25:31,870 --> 00:25:33,590 sure if it's real or not. 531 00:25:35,920 --> 00:25:41,080 So Peter could say, look, check up. 532 00:25:43,150 --> 00:25:45,730 God issued a divine call to every one 533 00:25:45,730 --> 00:25:47,690 of us to trust Christ as our Savior. 534 00:25:51,450 --> 00:25:52,710 And it's up to you. 535 00:25:52,850 --> 00:25:56,310 That's our responsibility to accept it or to 536 00:25:56,310 --> 00:25:56,890 turn away. 537 00:25:56,890 --> 00:26:00,170 Thank God tonight that we're in the family 538 00:26:00,170 --> 00:26:00,890 of God. 539 00:26:01,290 --> 00:26:02,890 We recall that experience. 540 00:26:03,170 --> 00:26:05,810 I'm glad that I had that experience. 541 00:26:06,030 --> 00:26:09,330 I'm rejoicing in that moment in time when 542 00:26:09,330 --> 00:26:12,890 the Spirit of God finally came in power. 543 00:26:13,990 --> 00:26:15,010 And that's what He did. 544 00:26:15,070 --> 00:26:16,830 And that was your experience if you know 545 00:26:16,830 --> 00:26:17,590 the Lord Jesus. 546 00:26:19,450 --> 00:26:22,210 You felt miserable and you wanted relief. 547 00:26:22,810 --> 00:26:24,650 And He said, this is the way you 548 00:26:24,650 --> 00:26:25,070 get it. 549 00:26:25,070 --> 00:26:27,610 You just say, Lord, I surrender. 550 00:26:28,830 --> 00:26:29,830 I'm a poor sinner. 551 00:26:30,950 --> 00:26:33,090 And you accept the Lord Jesus as your 552 00:26:33,090 --> 00:26:33,530 Savior. 553 00:26:34,990 --> 00:26:38,010 Peace like a river flows into your soul. 554 00:26:39,810 --> 00:26:42,690 Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace 555 00:26:42,690 --> 00:26:45,450 with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 556 00:26:45,550 --> 00:26:47,070 Oh, it's a wonderful experience. 557 00:26:49,240 --> 00:26:52,880 Some people, they seem to grow weary of 558 00:26:52,880 --> 00:26:56,400 hearing anyone tell about how they got saved. 559 00:26:58,100 --> 00:27:00,440 I can't think of anything any more important 560 00:27:00,440 --> 00:27:02,060 in your life than getting saved. 561 00:27:04,550 --> 00:27:07,070 You're not going to be subjected to the 562 00:27:07,070 --> 00:27:09,070 judgment and the wrath of God. 563 00:27:09,450 --> 00:27:12,730 You're going to spend eternity with the God 564 00:27:12,730 --> 00:27:17,010 who created all things and provided salvation for 565 00:27:17,010 --> 00:27:20,050 you, a poor lost sinner, and He has 566 00:27:20,050 --> 00:27:21,510 brought you into His family. 567 00:27:24,230 --> 00:27:26,670 You say, well, I can't get excited about 568 00:27:26,670 --> 00:27:27,270 that anymore. 569 00:27:27,270 --> 00:27:28,850 It's been a long time ago. 570 00:27:30,790 --> 00:27:32,510 Review it in your mind. 571 00:27:34,090 --> 00:27:36,290 I'm thinking that if somebody did take that 572 00:27:36,290 --> 00:27:39,250 way, I don't think they'd take very seriously 573 00:27:39,250 --> 00:27:40,310 any growth. 574 00:27:41,550 --> 00:27:44,430 What had happened all of those years in 575 00:27:44,430 --> 00:27:47,350 between the time they made that decision and 576 00:27:47,350 --> 00:27:50,690 the presence, this present day. 577 00:27:51,390 --> 00:27:54,050 What has happened in my life since I 578 00:27:54,050 --> 00:27:55,050 trusted Christ. 579 00:27:56,410 --> 00:27:58,790 Peter would remind his brother, he'd say, you 580 00:27:58,790 --> 00:28:02,570 need to grow in grace and knowledge of 581 00:28:02,570 --> 00:28:03,970 our Lord Jesus Christ. 582 00:28:07,320 --> 00:28:09,520 And if that's happened to you, thank God 583 00:28:09,520 --> 00:28:11,300 you did it in this day in which 584 00:28:11,300 --> 00:28:11,840 we're living. 585 00:28:12,100 --> 00:28:13,340 In your lifetime. 586 00:28:14,640 --> 00:28:16,200 Someone said it like this. 587 00:28:17,620 --> 00:28:20,360 You were saved at the glory of the 588 00:28:20,360 --> 00:28:20,720 flood. 589 00:28:21,380 --> 00:28:23,100 The full flood tide. 590 00:28:25,270 --> 00:28:27,330 You know, the tide came in and there 591 00:28:27,330 --> 00:28:29,590 was blessing and there was refreshing and you 592 00:28:29,590 --> 00:28:31,310 were there and you took advantage of it. 593 00:28:34,490 --> 00:28:37,370 I think about what happened in Durham so 594 00:28:37,370 --> 00:28:39,590 many years ago, over 50 years ago for 595 00:28:39,590 --> 00:28:40,270 most of us. 596 00:28:42,700 --> 00:28:44,360 The Spirit of God moved mightily. 597 00:28:46,420 --> 00:28:47,760 You know, a lot of poor sinners got 598 00:28:47,760 --> 00:28:48,300 saved. 599 00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:52,020 Sometimes you hear people talk about it and 600 00:28:52,020 --> 00:28:55,300 again, someone says, what was that all about? 601 00:28:55,360 --> 00:28:56,180 I wasn't there. 602 00:28:56,320 --> 00:28:58,600 Well, I'll tell you, it was a wonderful 603 00:28:58,600 --> 00:28:59,420 experience. 604 00:29:00,580 --> 00:29:03,440 Oh, there was something to excite your soul. 605 00:29:04,720 --> 00:29:08,560 It wasn't anything for not just Brother Detwiler 606 00:29:08,560 --> 00:29:10,740 or Lester Wilson or many others. 607 00:29:10,900 --> 00:29:15,140 I remember one time as somebody they laid 608 00:29:15,140 --> 00:29:16,080 their hands on. 609 00:29:16,480 --> 00:29:18,620 I preached a message on a Sunday morning 610 00:29:18,620 --> 00:29:20,940 at the Gospel Center and nine people came 611 00:29:20,940 --> 00:29:21,440 forward. 612 00:29:22,940 --> 00:29:24,840 You know the most surprised person in the 613 00:29:24,840 --> 00:29:25,240 audience? 614 00:29:26,260 --> 00:29:26,900 Me. 615 00:29:27,940 --> 00:29:28,280 Me. 616 00:29:28,280 --> 00:29:29,180 I was shocked. 617 00:29:30,020 --> 00:29:32,400 The power of the Gospel of our Lord 618 00:29:32,400 --> 00:29:34,260 Jesus Christ working. 619 00:29:36,320 --> 00:29:38,320 And brethren had to come forward and we 620 00:29:38,320 --> 00:29:40,520 dealt with those people and people were saved. 621 00:29:41,180 --> 00:29:43,620 Now listen, that's something to excite the soul. 622 00:29:44,660 --> 00:29:46,340 Would to God we would see that today. 623 00:29:47,940 --> 00:29:51,480 We have churches today that a brother and 624 00:29:51,480 --> 00:29:54,100 I fellowship together and he's done a large 625 00:29:54,100 --> 00:29:57,240 fellowship and he said, we have a lot 626 00:29:57,240 --> 00:30:00,660 of people that identify with our fellowship, but 627 00:30:00,660 --> 00:30:05,800 sad to say, we don't have many that 628 00:30:05,800 --> 00:30:09,180 have an outright conversion experience. 629 00:30:11,630 --> 00:30:13,110 It seems to be on the decline. 630 00:30:13,770 --> 00:30:15,730 We hear about it in other places. 631 00:30:17,330 --> 00:30:18,930 That's something for us to pray about. 632 00:30:20,070 --> 00:30:22,150 Something for us to really pray about. 633 00:30:23,270 --> 00:30:26,830 Stay active witnessing for the Lord doing what 634 00:30:26,830 --> 00:30:27,450 you can. 635 00:30:28,290 --> 00:30:30,090 You know anybody can put a tract in 636 00:30:30,090 --> 00:30:31,270 somebody else's hand. 637 00:30:32,710 --> 00:30:34,190 I do a lot of that and sometimes 638 00:30:34,190 --> 00:30:36,090 I get a good response and sometimes you 639 00:30:36,090 --> 00:30:37,410 never hear anything about it. 640 00:30:37,550 --> 00:30:39,410 Nobody even says anything about it. 641 00:30:40,230 --> 00:30:41,790 But don't be discouraged. 642 00:30:42,110 --> 00:30:44,830 Keep doing what you believe God would have 643 00:30:44,830 --> 00:30:45,430 you to do. 644 00:30:47,800 --> 00:30:49,680 I mean the issues that are at stake 645 00:30:49,680 --> 00:30:52,640 are too important for us to just sit 646 00:30:52,640 --> 00:30:54,140 down and say, I'm going to take it 647 00:30:54,140 --> 00:30:56,520 easy and I'm saved and I'm happy in 648 00:30:56,520 --> 00:30:58,460 my salvation and I'm on my way to 649 00:30:58,460 --> 00:31:03,160 heaven and I'm just going to coast on 650 00:31:03,160 --> 00:31:03,980 into glory. 651 00:31:04,200 --> 00:31:05,680 Don't let it happen that way. 652 00:31:07,900 --> 00:31:10,480 And Peter says, I would not be negligent 653 00:31:10,480 --> 00:31:12,380 to put you always in remembrance of these 654 00:31:12,380 --> 00:31:16,240 things though you know them and be established 655 00:31:16,240 --> 00:31:18,080 in the present truth. 656 00:31:19,080 --> 00:31:20,580 Yeah, I think it need as long as 657 00:31:20,580 --> 00:31:22,880 I'm in this tabernacle to stir you up 658 00:31:22,880 --> 00:31:24,380 by putting you in remembrance. 659 00:31:24,380 --> 00:31:30,490 You know, there's nothing wrong with recalling these 660 00:31:30,490 --> 00:31:31,050 things. 661 00:31:32,330 --> 00:31:34,090 Someone might say, well, the only thing you 662 00:31:34,090 --> 00:31:35,990 can talk about is the past and past 663 00:31:35,990 --> 00:31:36,450 blessings. 664 00:31:37,930 --> 00:31:39,970 Well, if that would be the stimuli to 665 00:31:39,970 --> 00:31:43,450 get us to wake up and say what 666 00:31:43,450 --> 00:31:45,270 we were doing then, I'm going to do 667 00:31:45,270 --> 00:31:45,890 it now. 668 00:31:46,610 --> 00:31:50,590 I'm going to get up and turn the 669 00:31:50,590 --> 00:31:52,890 telly off and stop looking at all those 670 00:31:52,890 --> 00:31:54,610 events on there and I'm going to go 671 00:31:54,610 --> 00:31:55,150 out. 672 00:31:55,490 --> 00:31:56,950 I'm going out now. 673 00:31:57,130 --> 00:31:58,910 I'm not inviting people to come in. 674 00:31:59,010 --> 00:32:02,150 I'm going out into the world we live 675 00:32:02,150 --> 00:32:05,090 today and I'm going to make a mark 676 00:32:05,090 --> 00:32:05,990 for God. 677 00:32:06,970 --> 00:32:09,370 I'm going to tell people about the Lord 678 00:32:09,370 --> 00:32:10,270 Jesus Christ. 679 00:32:12,030 --> 00:32:14,150 And if we're not doing that, I don't 680 00:32:14,150 --> 00:32:17,930 think that we're up with what God wills 681 00:32:17,930 --> 00:32:18,930 for our lives. 682 00:32:20,970 --> 00:32:22,630 And you can sense in Peter, you know, 683 00:32:22,710 --> 00:32:23,530 Peter was there. 684 00:32:23,530 --> 00:32:26,590 He was there on the mount when our 685 00:32:26,590 --> 00:32:28,490 Lord was transfigured there. 686 00:32:29,770 --> 00:32:31,750 He had been through a lot of experiences 687 00:32:32,950 --> 00:32:36,130 and he had already been informed that shortly 688 00:32:36,130 --> 00:32:39,130 I will put off this, my tabernacle. 689 00:32:39,350 --> 00:32:40,890 Our Lord had already told him. 690 00:32:42,490 --> 00:32:44,470 Somewhere down the line, it may not be 691 00:32:44,470 --> 00:32:46,650 too far, he didn't know exactly when, but 692 00:32:46,650 --> 00:32:49,950 he said the Lord Jesus had showed him. 693 00:32:52,200 --> 00:32:54,160 Same thing happened to the Apostle Paul. 694 00:32:54,160 --> 00:32:55,720 He warned Timothy, you know. 695 00:32:56,580 --> 00:32:57,460 It won't be long. 696 00:32:58,380 --> 00:32:59,200 It won't be long. 697 00:32:59,880 --> 00:33:01,460 I see the handwriting on the wall. 698 00:33:02,720 --> 00:33:06,440 I am nearing the end of my ministry 699 00:33:06,440 --> 00:33:08,280 and service for God. 700 00:33:08,840 --> 00:33:10,900 And brother and sister, tonight in this room, 701 00:33:10,980 --> 00:33:14,160 not one of us knows when he may 702 00:33:14,160 --> 00:33:15,960 say, it's time to come home. 703 00:33:18,050 --> 00:33:19,110 It's time to come home. 704 00:33:19,710 --> 00:33:21,870 If he called me or he called you 705 00:33:21,870 --> 00:33:26,110 tonight, would you be satisfied with your performance 706 00:33:26,110 --> 00:33:28,950 as a believer, as a witness to the 707 00:33:28,950 --> 00:33:29,510 Lord Jesus? 708 00:33:29,730 --> 00:33:31,810 Have you learned all that he would have 709 00:33:31,810 --> 00:33:35,690 you to learn of that wonderful, rich experience 710 00:33:35,690 --> 00:33:38,950 of being holy and sanctified for God and 711 00:33:38,950 --> 00:33:40,890 a mighty witness for him here in the 712 00:33:40,890 --> 00:33:41,310 world today? 713 00:33:41,390 --> 00:33:43,730 Are you satisfied with where you stand today? 714 00:33:46,350 --> 00:33:49,110 Would the Spirit of God speak to us 715 00:33:49,110 --> 00:33:53,530 and say, No, I'm not, but I'm making 716 00:33:53,530 --> 00:33:54,310 a move. 717 00:33:54,310 --> 00:33:56,530 I'm making a move for God. 718 00:33:58,120 --> 00:34:00,920 I've just been awakened to the reality of 719 00:34:00,920 --> 00:34:02,220 how important it is. 720 00:34:02,800 --> 00:34:05,240 Well, that's what Peter, he said, I was 721 00:34:05,240 --> 00:34:07,820 an eyewitness of what took place on that 722 00:34:07,820 --> 00:34:08,179 mount. 723 00:34:08,679 --> 00:34:10,260 Man, it was inspirational! 724 00:34:14,320 --> 00:34:17,860 My Lord transfigured right before me. 725 00:34:19,630 --> 00:34:22,489 For he received from God the Father honor 726 00:34:22,489 --> 00:34:24,870 and glory when there came a voice to 727 00:34:24,870 --> 00:34:27,290 him from the excellent glory, This is my 728 00:34:27,290 --> 00:34:29,850 beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 729 00:34:30,630 --> 00:34:33,150 And this voice which came from heaven we 730 00:34:33,150 --> 00:34:35,690 heard when we were with him on the 731 00:34:35,690 --> 00:34:36,510 holy mountain. 732 00:34:42,800 --> 00:34:45,940 Would you prefer to have a voice from 733 00:34:45,940 --> 00:34:49,860 heaven speak to you and say something to 734 00:34:49,860 --> 00:34:53,699 you, or are you satisfied with what you 735 00:34:53,699 --> 00:34:55,679 have before you, the Word of God? 736 00:34:55,840 --> 00:34:56,620 What's the difference? 737 00:34:58,640 --> 00:35:00,960 You say, well, that would be an unusual 738 00:35:00,960 --> 00:35:02,540 experience if I heard a voice. 739 00:35:03,910 --> 00:35:07,310 You know, I would be frightened about strange 740 00:35:07,310 --> 00:35:07,770 voices. 741 00:35:09,410 --> 00:35:12,510 People have been deceived that heard voices. 742 00:35:14,960 --> 00:35:17,060 You know, Satan is a great magician. 743 00:35:17,360 --> 00:35:20,000 He is a master of deception. 744 00:35:21,760 --> 00:35:24,940 I'll tell you what, this is the Word 745 00:35:24,940 --> 00:35:26,120 of the living God. 746 00:35:27,640 --> 00:35:30,340 This is an inspired book that we have 747 00:35:30,340 --> 00:35:30,920 in our hands. 748 00:35:31,340 --> 00:35:33,740 This is God speaking to us. 749 00:35:35,180 --> 00:35:37,380 I don't want to run any risk of 750 00:35:37,380 --> 00:35:39,220 listening to any strange voices. 751 00:35:40,880 --> 00:35:42,780 The Spirit of God spoke to me. 752 00:35:43,140 --> 00:35:45,780 Yes, I'm sure the Spirit of God speaks 753 00:35:45,780 --> 00:35:47,500 to each one of us, and He uses 754 00:35:47,500 --> 00:35:48,480 the Word of God. 755 00:35:49,500 --> 00:35:52,540 We worship God in the power of the 756 00:35:52,540 --> 00:35:55,160 Spirit of God according to truth, truth found 757 00:35:55,160 --> 00:35:55,800 in the book. 758 00:35:56,600 --> 00:35:58,500 So when someone says, I would like to 759 00:35:58,500 --> 00:36:03,770 hear a voice, the witness of Scripture, I 760 00:36:03,770 --> 00:36:06,870 believe, is even more sure than hearing a 761 00:36:06,870 --> 00:36:07,290 voice. 762 00:36:08,250 --> 00:36:09,590 I've got the Word of God. 763 00:36:10,450 --> 00:36:11,810 Do we value it that way? 764 00:36:11,890 --> 00:36:13,470 Do we look at it and search it 765 00:36:13,470 --> 00:36:16,390 and seek that enlightenment that we need? 766 00:36:21,340 --> 00:36:23,700 And he closes with, knowing this first, that 767 00:36:23,700 --> 00:36:25,860 no prophecy of the Scripture is any private 768 00:36:25,860 --> 00:36:26,680 interpretation. 769 00:36:28,440 --> 00:36:30,200 Oh, we have the Word of God. 770 00:36:31,300 --> 00:36:33,320 I think we need to regard this book 771 00:36:34,160 --> 00:36:35,040 very highly. 772 00:36:36,360 --> 00:36:38,460 Most of us have a lot of Bibles 773 00:36:39,880 --> 00:36:41,180 in our homes. 774 00:36:41,860 --> 00:36:43,620 We've got them laying all over the place. 775 00:36:45,180 --> 00:36:46,780 We've got them in the back of every 776 00:36:46,780 --> 00:36:48,160 pew in this chapel. 777 00:36:51,800 --> 00:36:54,060 They get dusty from not being used. 778 00:36:55,240 --> 00:36:57,540 So often there may be a book there 779 00:36:57,540 --> 00:37:00,500 and that book has never been opened by 780 00:37:00,500 --> 00:37:02,740 anyone searching for light from heaven. 781 00:37:03,820 --> 00:37:04,980 That's so sad to me. 782 00:37:06,060 --> 00:37:08,900 So much that could enlighten the soul and 783 00:37:08,900 --> 00:37:10,100 change that life. 784 00:37:10,960 --> 00:37:11,840 And there it is. 785 00:37:13,000 --> 00:37:15,140 It's like having a cure for cancer. 786 00:37:16,120 --> 00:37:16,960 There it is. 787 00:37:17,020 --> 00:37:17,840 It's right there. 788 00:37:18,820 --> 00:37:20,940 But it's not used and it has no 789 00:37:20,940 --> 00:37:21,380 value. 790 00:37:21,940 --> 00:37:23,700 You've got to use this book. 791 00:37:24,400 --> 00:37:26,560 You have got to take it into your 792 00:37:26,560 --> 00:37:29,260 mind, your heart and soul, and the Spirit 793 00:37:29,260 --> 00:37:32,420 of God will give enlightenment and help and 794 00:37:32,420 --> 00:37:35,160 growth and grace and knowledge of our Lord 795 00:37:35,160 --> 00:37:36,020 Jesus Christ. 796 00:37:37,220 --> 00:37:41,820 We must regard this book as something that 797 00:37:41,820 --> 00:37:45,820 is filled with precious promises from God just 798 00:37:45,820 --> 00:37:47,660 for His family, for His children. 799 00:37:49,160 --> 00:37:50,900 He wants us to use it. 800 00:37:52,440 --> 00:37:54,460 I'm telling you, you can trust it. 801 00:37:55,760 --> 00:37:57,540 The Word of the living God. 802 00:37:57,620 --> 00:37:59,560 A lot of things may come and go, 803 00:37:59,560 --> 00:38:02,640 but the Word of God will stand forever. 804 00:38:04,140 --> 00:38:05,620 And how wonderful that is. 805 00:38:05,720 --> 00:38:07,100 And that's what we have in hand. 806 00:38:07,400 --> 00:38:09,700 And that's what we feed our souls upon. 807 00:38:10,480 --> 00:38:12,940 The truth that's found in this book, the 808 00:38:12,940 --> 00:38:13,680 Word of God. 809 00:38:14,900 --> 00:38:16,960 We've got a lot to be thankful for 810 00:38:17,560 --> 00:38:19,240 as believers in the Lord Jesus. 811 00:38:19,380 --> 00:38:22,400 Our Heavenly Father, we thank Thee again for 812 00:38:22,400 --> 00:38:25,380 the day we've spent together and for the 813 00:38:25,380 --> 00:38:27,300 time we've spent around the Word of God. 814 00:38:27,300 --> 00:38:30,760 Use it, we pray Thee, Lord, to awaken 815 00:38:30,760 --> 00:38:35,320 us, make us aware of all of the 816 00:38:35,320 --> 00:38:38,900 potential that we have for bringing blessing into 817 00:38:38,900 --> 00:38:40,780 the lives of someone else. 818 00:38:41,760 --> 00:38:45,740 Help us to use the Word, the sword 819 00:38:45,740 --> 00:38:47,880 of the Spirit, so powerful. 820 00:38:49,160 --> 00:38:52,840 O our God, we thank Thee and praise 821 00:38:52,840 --> 00:38:55,200 Thee that we've been included in that number 822 00:38:55,200 --> 00:38:59,240 of those that have trusted the Savior and 823 00:38:59,240 --> 00:39:00,440 we're on our way to heaven. 824 00:39:01,800 --> 00:39:03,520 And as we look forward to that moment 825 00:39:03,520 --> 00:39:05,220 in time when we'll be in His very 826 00:39:05,220 --> 00:39:09,960 presence, Lord, keep us busy being a good, 827 00:39:10,100 --> 00:39:11,440 strong witness for Him. 828 00:39:11,600 --> 00:39:13,220 We ask in His precious name. 829 00:39:13,420 --> 00:39:13,680 Amen.