WEBVTT 00:00:00.490 --> 00:00:03.240 Would you please open in God's Word 00:00:03.240 --> 00:00:09.591 to 1 John 1:1. 00:00:09.595 --> 00:00:12.124 1 John 1:1. 00:00:12.124 --> 00:00:14.684 "That which was from the beginning, 00:00:14.684 --> 00:00:16.132 which we have heard, 00:00:16.132 --> 00:00:19.278 which we have seen with our eyes, 00:00:19.278 --> 00:00:20.491 which we looked upon 00:00:20.491 --> 00:00:22.503 and have touched with our hands, 00:00:22.503 --> 00:00:26.134 concerning the word of life - 00:00:26.134 --> 00:00:27.635 the life was made manifest, 00:00:27.635 --> 00:00:28.614 and we have seen it, 00:00:28.614 --> 00:00:29.924 and testify to it 00:00:29.924 --> 00:00:31.641 and proclaimed to you 00:00:31.641 --> 00:00:33.385 the eternal life, 00:00:33.385 --> 00:00:34.701 which was with the Father 00:00:34.701 --> 00:00:37.511 and was made manifest to us- 00:00:37.511 --> 00:00:39.220 that which we have seen and heard 00:00:39.220 --> 00:00:41.130 we proclaim also to you, 00:00:41.130 --> 00:00:44.923 so that you too may have fellowship with us; 00:00:44.923 --> 00:00:47.033 and indeed our fellowship 00:00:47.033 --> 00:00:51.728 is with the Father and with His Son, 00:00:51.728 --> 00:00:53.579 Jesus Christ 00:00:53.579 --> 00:00:55.758 We are writing these things so that our joy 00:00:55.758 --> 00:01:00.777 may be complete." NOTE Paragraph 00:01:00.777 --> 00:01:03.231 Brothers and sisters, 00:01:03.231 --> 00:01:07.051 when we read John's Gospel - 00:01:07.051 --> 00:01:11.935 not this first epistle, but his Gospel - 00:01:11.935 --> 00:01:13.829 John is pretty plain to tell us 00:01:13.829 --> 00:01:16.364 who he's addressing. 00:01:16.364 --> 00:01:17.920 Let me just quote John. 00:01:17.920 --> 00:01:18.899 John 20:30. 00:01:18.899 --> 00:01:20.842 You don't need to turn there but listen. 00:01:20.842 --> 00:01:22.714 This comes from John's Gospel. 00:01:22.714 --> 00:01:25.354 It gives us John's own reason 00:01:25.354 --> 00:01:27.862 for writing the Gospel. 00:01:27.862 --> 00:01:29.525 "Now Jesus," he says, 00:01:29.525 --> 00:01:30.704 "did many other signs 00:01:30.704 --> 00:01:32.662 in the presence of His disciples 00:01:32.662 --> 00:01:36.954 which are not written in this book." 00:01:36.964 --> 00:01:38.833 The book is the Gospel of John. 00:01:38.833 --> 00:01:41.503 "But these are written," 00:01:41.503 --> 00:01:43.678 here he is going to tell us the reason why, 00:01:43.678 --> 00:01:45.922 "so that you may believe 00:01:45.922 --> 00:01:51.092 that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, 00:01:51.092 --> 00:01:53.690 and that by believing you may have life 00:01:53.690 --> 00:01:56.854 in His name." NOTE Paragraph 00:01:56.854 --> 00:02:02.253 John writes his Gospel to the lost, 00:02:02.253 --> 00:02:05.324 so that they might believe. 00:02:05.324 --> 00:02:08.749 But when we come to John's first epistle, 00:02:08.749 --> 00:02:11.151 John is not seeking to convince the lost 00:02:11.151 --> 00:02:13.415 in hopes that they will believe. 00:02:13.415 --> 00:02:16.635 John distinctly writes this letter 00:02:16.635 --> 00:02:18.471 to those who are already Christian 00:02:18.471 --> 00:02:21.895 and I want to show you this. 00:02:21.895 --> 00:02:27.421 Let your eyes go down to 1 John 2:1. 00:02:27.421 --> 00:02:30.390 "My little children," 00:02:30.390 --> 00:02:32.934 he's writing to Christians, 00:02:32.934 --> 00:02:34.402 "I'm writing these things--" 00:02:34.402 --> 00:02:35.828 what "these things"? 00:02:35.828 --> 00:02:36.914 All of chapter one. 00:02:36.914 --> 00:02:42.224 "To you so that," 00:02:42.224 --> 00:02:45.832 well all of chapter one and all of the epistle. 00:02:45.832 --> 00:02:49.773 "But I'm writing these things to you..." 00:02:49.774 --> 00:02:53.309 to who? To "little children." 00:02:53.309 --> 00:02:55.023 1 John 2:7: 00:02:55.023 --> 00:02:56.278 "Beloved." 00:02:56.278 --> 00:03:02.030 You use beloved because they're beloved of God. 00:03:02.030 --> 00:03:05.066 "I'm writing you," 00:03:05.066 --> 00:03:06.719 that's who he is writing too. 00:03:06.719 --> 00:03:07.916 1 John 2:12: 00:03:07.916 --> 00:03:10.606 "I'm writing to you little children..." 00:03:10.606 --> 00:03:12.062 who are these little children? 00:03:12.062 --> 00:03:14.852 Well, they're the ones whose sins are forgiven 00:03:14.852 --> 00:03:17.318 for His namesake. 00:03:17.318 --> 00:03:18.538 He says in verse 13, 00:03:18.538 --> 00:03:21.016 "I'm writing to you fathers because you know Him." 00:03:21.016 --> 00:03:24.007 These are people that know God. 00:03:24.017 --> 00:03:25.665 If you go to 1 John 2:18: 00:03:25.665 --> 00:03:29.120 "Children." 00:03:29.120 --> 00:03:30.382 1 John 2:21: 00:03:30.382 --> 00:03:32.044 "I write to you," who? 00:03:32.044 --> 00:03:35.266 "Not because you do not know the truth but because you know it." 00:03:35.266 --> 00:03:37.122 These are people that know the truth. 00:03:37.122 --> 00:03:38.867 1 John 3:1: "See what kind of love 00:03:38.867 --> 00:03:40.573 the Father has given to us." 00:03:40.573 --> 00:03:43.875 John's including himself with his audience. 00:03:43.875 --> 00:03:44.753 That what? 00:03:44.753 --> 00:03:47.111 "We should be called the children of God." 00:03:47.111 --> 00:03:48.559 That's who this is to and for. 00:03:48.559 --> 00:03:51.057 And so we are. 00:03:51.057 --> 00:03:53.190 We're the children of God. 00:03:53.190 --> 00:03:55.019 If you go to 1 John 3:2, 00:03:55.019 --> 00:03:57.459 "Beloved, we are God's children..." 00:03:57.459 --> 00:03:59.547 That's who this is written to. 00:03:59.547 --> 00:04:01.043 1 John 3:7, 00:04:01.043 --> 00:04:02.544 "Little children;" 00:04:02.544 --> 00:04:03.836 1 John 3:13, 00:04:03.836 --> 00:04:07.623 "Do not be surprised, brothers..." 00:04:07.623 --> 00:04:08.555 1 John 3:18, 00:04:08.555 --> 00:04:10.932 "Little children." 00:04:10.932 --> 00:04:11.956 1 John 3:21, 00:04:11.956 --> 00:04:14.696 "Beloved;" 00:04:14.696 --> 00:04:15.813 1 John 4:1, 00:04:15.813 --> 00:04:16.791 "Beloved." 00:04:16.791 --> 00:04:18.468 I mean what you see is: 00:04:18.468 --> 00:04:19.468 "Little children," 00:04:19.468 --> 00:04:21.761 "beloved," 00:04:21.761 --> 00:04:23.331 "God's children." 00:04:23.331 --> 00:04:25.025 You see this kind of terminology 00:04:25.025 --> 00:04:29.138 literally every few verses. 00:04:29.138 --> 00:04:30.592 1 John 4:11, 00:04:30.592 --> 00:04:32.273 "Beloved." 00:04:32.273 --> 00:04:33.205 1 John 5:13, 00:04:33.205 --> 00:04:35.250 "I write these things to you who believe." 00:04:35.250 --> 00:04:36.887 That's who he's writing to. 00:04:36.887 --> 00:04:38.804 1 John 5:21, the book ends: 00:04:38.804 --> 00:04:41.061 "Little children, keep yourselves from idols." 00:04:41.061 --> 00:04:42.297 I think you get the idea. NOTE Paragraph 00:04:42.301 --> 00:04:45.905 1 John is not written for the same purpose 00:04:45.905 --> 00:04:48.728 as John's Gospel. 00:04:48.728 --> 00:04:50.277 It's not written to unbelievers 00:04:50.277 --> 00:04:51.457 that they might believe. 00:04:51.457 --> 00:04:55.422 This epistle is specifically targeting 00:04:55.422 --> 00:04:58.262 God's children. 00:04:58.262 --> 00:05:01.613 It's not like James 00:05:01.613 --> 00:05:03.709 You remember when David went through James? 00:05:03.709 --> 00:05:06.051 I mean when I read James 00:05:06.051 --> 00:05:07.071 I try to follow, 00:05:07.071 --> 00:05:08.952 "Ok, is he talking to a believer here?" 00:05:08.952 --> 00:05:10.586 "Is he talking to an unbeliever?" 00:05:10.586 --> 00:05:12.163 When you were going through it, I always thought, 00:05:12.163 --> 00:05:13.886 "How's David going to handle this?" 00:05:13.886 --> 00:05:14.816 Because with James, 00:05:14.816 --> 00:05:17.011 you're just not certain a lot of the times. 00:05:17.011 --> 00:05:20.573 But there is no doubt with John in this epistle 00:05:20.573 --> 00:05:22.248 who he's writing to. 00:05:22.248 --> 00:05:24.769 There's no doubt whatsoever. 00:05:24.769 --> 00:05:26.875 Now that doesn't mean the lost can't read it 00:05:26.875 --> 00:05:29.525 and even, you know, perhaps get saved 00:05:29.525 --> 00:05:31.078 through exposure to its truths. 00:05:31.078 --> 00:05:32.406 But the principle audience 00:05:32.406 --> 00:05:34.637 John has in mind are Christians. NOTE Paragraph 00:05:34.637 --> 00:05:38.884 Now there is a reason I am emphasizing this. 00:05:38.884 --> 00:05:40.354 I emphasize this 00:05:40.354 --> 00:05:42.427 because it helps us recognize 00:05:42.427 --> 00:05:46.690 what's going on back up in 1 John 1:3. 00:05:46.690 --> 00:05:49.644 When you hear this, 00:05:49.644 --> 00:05:50.826 "So that you too--" 00:05:50.826 --> 00:05:53.996 he's saying we "proclaim this truth 00:05:53.996 --> 00:05:56.310 about this Christ whom we felt, 00:05:56.310 --> 00:05:58.052 and heard, and saw. 00:05:58.052 --> 00:05:59.465 We proclaimed this to you 00:05:59.465 --> 00:06:03.222 so that you too may have fellowship with us 00:06:03.222 --> 00:06:05.431 and indeed our fellowship is with the Father 00:06:05.431 --> 00:06:07.504 and with His Son Jesus Christ." 00:06:07.504 --> 00:06:08.804 We don't want to imagine 00:06:08.804 --> 00:06:11.727 that these words are aimed 00:06:11.727 --> 00:06:15.180 primarily at unbelievers. 00:06:15.180 --> 00:06:16.623 Listen. 00:06:16.623 --> 00:06:18.252 1 John 2:13 00:06:18.252 --> 00:06:22.722 "I am writing to you, fathers." Why? 00:06:22.726 --> 00:06:24.065 "Because you know Him." 00:06:24.065 --> 00:06:25.765 These are people that do know Him. 00:06:25.765 --> 00:06:28.969 They do have some intimacy with Him. 00:06:28.969 --> 00:06:30.642 Again in verse 13. 00:06:30.642 --> 00:06:31.770 of chapter 2. 00:06:31.770 --> 00:06:33.117 "I write to you children 00:06:33.117 --> 00:06:35.685 because you know the Father." 00:06:35.685 --> 00:06:37.557 There's some level of intimacy there. 00:06:37.557 --> 00:06:38.469 Verse 14, 00:06:38.469 --> 00:06:40.660 "I write to you fathers because you know Him 00:06:40.660 --> 00:06:42.667 who is from the beginning." 00:06:42.667 --> 00:06:44.757 Look, John speaks about fellowship 00:06:44.757 --> 00:06:47.693 to these people much the same way 00:06:47.693 --> 00:06:49.593 and in much the same manner 00:06:49.593 --> 00:06:53.050 as he speaks to them about abiding in Christ. 00:06:53.050 --> 00:06:55.620 You go to 1 John 2:28, 00:06:55.620 --> 00:06:58.193 What does it say? 00:06:58.193 --> 00:07:01.423 "Little children, abide in Him." NOTE Paragraph 00:07:01.423 --> 00:07:03.862 Now let's think about that truth, 00:07:03.862 --> 00:07:06.757 "abiding in Christ". 00:07:06.757 --> 00:07:09.690 Do you know that John tells us 00:07:09.690 --> 00:07:11.694 in John 15 00:07:11.694 --> 00:07:13.528 that if you don't abide in Christ 00:07:13.528 --> 00:07:18.729 what happens to you? 00:07:18.729 --> 00:07:20.541 "If anyone does not abide in Christ 00:07:20.541 --> 00:07:22.654 he is thrown away like a branch and withers, 00:07:22.660 --> 00:07:26.238 and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned." 00:07:26.238 --> 00:07:28.013 Here's the truth: 00:07:28.013 --> 00:07:34.496 does every Christian abide in Christ? 00:07:34.496 --> 00:07:37.496 Yeah! 00:07:37.496 --> 00:07:39.175 Well if they do, 00:07:39.175 --> 00:07:42.983 I mean if that's part of the essence 00:07:42.983 --> 00:07:44.641 of what it is to be a Christian, 00:07:44.641 --> 00:07:46.551 why do you tell the little children 00:07:46.551 --> 00:07:47.995 to abide in Him? 00:07:47.995 --> 00:07:50.315 Brethren, that's just consistent with the way 00:07:50.315 --> 00:07:51.882 Scripture operates. 00:07:51.882 --> 00:07:53.446 Scripture all over the place, 00:07:53.446 --> 00:07:58.236 gives us these indicatives, these truths. 00:07:58.236 --> 00:08:00.257 This is the way it is. 00:08:00.257 --> 00:08:01.744 And then it comes right around 00:08:01.744 --> 00:08:03.285 and gives us the imperatives. 00:08:03.285 --> 00:08:05.695 And it commands us to do the very things 00:08:05.695 --> 00:08:07.068 that over here it tells us 00:08:07.068 --> 00:08:08.878 will always be true of the Christian. 00:08:08.878 --> 00:08:10.805 Over here it tells us to do those things 00:08:10.805 --> 00:08:12.654 that are always true of the Christian. 00:08:12.654 --> 00:08:13.767 That's the way it is. 00:08:13.767 --> 00:08:17.314 "Little children, abide in Him." 00:08:17.314 --> 00:08:18.989 And it's the same with fellowship. 00:08:18.989 --> 00:08:22.319 John presses us into the inner circle 00:08:22.319 --> 00:08:25.047 of this fellowship with the Father and with the Son. 00:08:25.047 --> 00:08:26.052 Why? 00:08:26.052 --> 00:08:28.103 Not because he thinks we are on the outside 00:08:28.103 --> 00:08:30.012 of those windows out there looking in, 00:08:30.012 --> 00:08:31.292 wishing, well, you know 00:08:31.292 --> 00:08:33.444 we could have a part with the people of God. 00:08:33.444 --> 00:08:36.600 That's not it. But because we, as Christians, 00:08:36.600 --> 00:08:38.613 need to be pressed. 00:08:38.613 --> 00:08:41.023 We need to be pressed to continue 00:08:41.023 --> 00:08:43.528 more and more in this fellowship 00:08:43.528 --> 00:08:46.390 and to dive further and further in! NOTE Paragraph 00:08:46.390 --> 00:08:47.810 In fact I want you to notice 00:08:47.810 --> 00:08:50.556 what John says in 1 John 2:1. 00:08:50.556 --> 00:08:51.802 Now we looked at it 00:08:51.802 --> 00:08:54.544 but I want you to look at it more closely. 00:08:54.544 --> 00:08:56.567 "My little children, 00:08:56.567 --> 00:09:01.091 I'm writing these things to you 00:09:01.091 --> 00:09:02.896 so that you may not sin." 00:09:02.896 --> 00:09:05.326 Now notice three things about this verse. 00:09:05.326 --> 00:09:12.095 First, again, who's John specifically writing to? 00:09:12.095 --> 00:09:13.133 Believers! 00:09:13.133 --> 00:09:14.620 "My little children." 00:09:14.620 --> 00:09:16.124 Second. 00:09:16.124 --> 00:09:20.017 What's his purpose for writing to them? 00:09:20.017 --> 00:09:22.522 That they may not sin. 00:09:22.522 --> 00:09:25.077 But third, 00:09:25.077 --> 00:09:28.652 what are "these things?" 00:09:28.652 --> 00:09:31.619 that he writes to them that they may not sin. 00:09:31.619 --> 00:09:35.722 I mean if someone just got done writing 00:09:35.722 --> 00:09:38.066 to you, and they just wrote 00:09:38.066 --> 00:09:38.986 a couple paragraphs 00:09:38.986 --> 00:09:40.890 and you're reading through the letter 00:09:40.890 --> 00:09:41.727 from them to you 00:09:41.727 --> 00:09:43.552 and you've read a couple paragraphs 00:09:43.552 --> 00:09:45.852 and then you come to where it says, 00:09:45.852 --> 00:09:48.992 "I'm writing these things so that you may not sin;" 00:09:48.992 --> 00:09:54.238 it's pretty normal and naturally intuitive 00:09:54.238 --> 00:09:56.107 to think that "these things" 00:09:56.107 --> 00:09:58.414 are the things he just got done writing to you. 00:09:58.414 --> 00:10:01.927 Now that doesn't mean that there's not application to the whole letter. 00:10:01.927 --> 00:10:05.829 But certainly he's talking about chapter 1! 00:10:05.829 --> 00:10:07.190 Chapter one is in view here. 00:10:07.190 --> 00:10:09.302 And chapter one is about fellowship. 00:10:09.302 --> 00:10:11.499 Listen, fellowship gets mentioned 00:10:11.499 --> 00:10:13.799 four times in chapter one. 00:10:13.799 --> 00:10:16.696 Fellowship with God is certainly a major incentive 00:10:16.696 --> 00:10:20.718 to not sin, is it not? 00:10:20.718 --> 00:10:22.225 Isn't fellowship with God 00:10:22.225 --> 00:10:26.336 an incentive not to sin? 00:10:26.346 --> 00:10:28.726 Maybe you're not making the connection. 00:10:28.726 --> 00:10:35.649 Why is fellowship with God an incentive not to sin? 00:10:35.653 --> 00:10:37.736 Well, obviously because sin is the major 00:10:37.736 --> 00:10:39.907 disturber of fellowship with God. 00:10:39.907 --> 00:10:42.624 But again, my point that I'm making to you 00:10:42.624 --> 00:10:44.939 is that I want you to see that John 00:10:44.939 --> 00:10:49.923 is addressing Christians in chapter 1. 00:10:49.925 --> 00:10:51.651 He tells us that 00:10:51.651 --> 00:10:58.211 by the very thing that he says in 1 John 2:1. 00:10:58.211 --> 00:10:59.626 You know what John's doing? 00:10:59.626 --> 00:11:02.290 He's coming alongside us believers, 00:11:02.290 --> 00:11:03.681 in 1 John 2:1, 00:11:03.681 --> 00:11:06.361 and he's encouraging purity. 00:11:06.361 --> 00:11:08.795 I mean he's saying, "I'm writing these things..." 00:11:08.795 --> 00:11:10.151 the encouragement to purity 00:11:10.151 --> 00:11:12.717 is in the things that he's writing. But he says, 00:11:12.717 --> 00:11:15.332 "I write these things to you that you might not sin." 00:11:15.332 --> 00:11:17.342 Now yes, there may be failure, 00:11:17.354 --> 00:11:18.816 and if so we have an advocate, 00:11:18.816 --> 00:11:20.255 Jesus Christ the Righteous. 00:11:20.255 --> 00:11:23.495 But we're to be pressing towards 00:11:23.495 --> 00:11:25.075 more and more purity. 00:11:25.075 --> 00:11:26.683 I'll tell you this, 00:11:26.683 --> 00:11:27.876 fellowship with God 00:11:27.876 --> 00:11:31.107 and purity go hand and in hand. 00:11:31.107 --> 00:11:33.299 There's a real connection there. 00:11:33.299 --> 00:11:38.539 Now, if we fail, there's blood. 00:11:38.539 --> 00:11:42.106 If we fail, we can confess. 00:11:42.106 --> 00:11:43.622 But they go hand in hand, 00:11:43.622 --> 00:11:46.889 and he's encouraging purity and progress. 00:11:46.889 --> 00:11:49.578 He's pressing us onward and inward 00:11:49.578 --> 00:11:51.405 fighting to maintain fellowship, 00:11:51.405 --> 00:11:53.425 striving to abide in Christ. NOTE Paragraph 00:11:53.425 --> 00:11:56.665 And so, I come to the question of the hour. 00:11:56.665 --> 00:12:02.797 How is your fellowship with God? 00:12:02.797 --> 00:12:05.813 That's the question that I want us to think about. 00:12:05.813 --> 00:12:08.263 Every Christian ought to be able to say - 00:12:08.263 --> 00:12:10.339 doesn't John say it so boldly? 00:12:10.339 --> 00:12:14.526 He says, "Our fellowship is with the Father 00:12:14.526 --> 00:12:17.318 and with His Son Jesus Christ." 00:12:17.318 --> 00:12:19.220 I mean are we all able to say that? 00:12:19.220 --> 00:12:20.647 Can we say that boldly? 00:12:20.647 --> 00:12:22.951 Can you come in here today and say that, 00:12:22.951 --> 00:12:24.459 "Yes! I know it!" 00:12:24.459 --> 00:12:27.254 "That is my life!" 00:12:27.254 --> 00:12:29.824 "My life is one of fellowship 00:12:29.824 --> 00:12:31.943 with the Father and with His Son. 00:12:31.943 --> 00:12:32.780 I know it!" 00:12:32.780 --> 00:12:35.883 "Since I've been saved, that is true!" 00:12:35.883 --> 00:12:37.764 That is normative of my life. 00:12:37.764 --> 00:12:39.836 That is descriptive of my life. 00:12:39.836 --> 00:12:41.072 That is true! 00:12:41.072 --> 00:12:41.933 I see it! 00:12:41.933 --> 00:12:43.572 Oh it's not where I want it to be! 00:12:43.572 --> 00:12:46.502 Some days, I can't find Him the way that I want to find Him. 00:12:46.502 --> 00:12:47.482 But as a rule, 00:12:47.482 --> 00:12:48.847 I have walked with the Lord, 00:12:48.847 --> 00:12:50.450 and I know what that is. 00:12:50.450 --> 00:12:53.221 And it's heaven on earth. 00:12:53.221 --> 00:12:54.944 It's as best as it gets here. 00:12:54.944 --> 00:12:57.021 And the little bit that I've tasted 00:12:57.021 --> 00:12:58.908 I would not turn back from the world." 00:12:58.908 --> 00:12:59.881 Can you say that? 00:12:59.881 --> 00:13:02.313 Can you say that dogmatically 00:13:02.313 --> 00:13:04.954 like he says it? 00:13:04.954 --> 00:13:07.668 Or are you seized by hesitation? 00:13:07.668 --> 00:13:09.986 Does conscience hold back? 00:13:09.986 --> 00:13:12.376 And look you know what I'm talking about here. 00:13:12.376 --> 00:13:13.247 John hit on it. 00:13:13.247 --> 00:13:14.890 We're not talking doctrine here. 00:13:14.890 --> 00:13:16.735 We're not talking just the knowledge, 00:13:16.735 --> 00:13:17.547 a head knowledge. 00:13:17.547 --> 00:13:20.630 I'm not talking about whether you made it to church on Sunday. 00:13:20.630 --> 00:13:23.067 I'm talking about this, can you say 00:13:23.067 --> 00:13:25.550 "I walk with the Lord"? 00:13:25.550 --> 00:13:26.859 Can you say that? 00:13:26.859 --> 00:13:28.173 Are you walking with Him? 00:13:28.173 --> 00:13:33.215 Jesus Christ died to purchase us 00:13:33.215 --> 00:13:36.001 the privilege to walk with God. 00:13:36.001 --> 00:13:37.492 That's what He died for. 00:13:37.492 --> 00:13:38.997 That's what this is all about. NOTE Paragraph 00:13:38.997 --> 00:13:42.407 So let's think about this relationship with God. 00:13:42.407 --> 00:13:44.287 Let's put our minds there. 00:13:44.287 --> 00:13:46.817 Let's think about how we nurture this. 00:13:46.824 --> 00:13:49.244 And I want to give you some thoughts this morning. 00:13:49.244 --> 00:13:50.782 Maybe that's what we'll call it, 00:13:50.782 --> 00:13:53.429 "Some Thoughts on Walking with God." 00:13:53.429 --> 00:13:57.798 That's the title. NOTE Paragraph 00:13:57.798 --> 00:14:00.588 Here's the first point that I want to make. 00:14:00.588 --> 00:14:11.268 Fellowship with God takes effort. 00:14:11.268 --> 00:14:13.621 Look if I were to ask you this, 00:14:13.621 --> 00:14:15.768 "Does God want your love?" 00:14:15.768 --> 00:14:19.012 I mean you can think about the chiefest of all commandments. 00:14:19.012 --> 00:14:20.760 Are we to love the Father? 00:14:20.760 --> 00:14:25.771 Are we to love the Son? 00:14:25.771 --> 00:14:32.461 Well, any of you that are married 00:14:32.461 --> 00:14:33.930 for any amount of time, 00:14:33.930 --> 00:14:36.749 you're past your honeymoon, 00:14:36.749 --> 00:14:39.945 is love always easy? 00:14:39.945 --> 00:14:43.014 I mean, fellowship with the Father 00:14:43.014 --> 00:14:45.192 and with the Son is not automatic. 00:14:45.192 --> 00:14:47.484 And it is not effortless. 00:14:47.484 --> 00:14:50.349 Any relationship in this world 00:14:50.349 --> 00:14:53.321 that has any sort of real depth or value 00:14:53.321 --> 00:14:55.022 takes time. 00:14:55.022 --> 00:14:57.162 And it takes effort. NOTE Paragraph 00:14:57.163 --> 00:14:59.373 I mean you answer this, 00:14:59.373 --> 00:15:06.157 do good marriages happen spontaneously? 00:15:06.157 --> 00:15:07.662 I hear "no's." 00:15:07.662 --> 00:15:09.535 I mean does anybody raise their hand 00:15:09.535 --> 00:15:14.017 and says, "yes mine happens spontaneously." 00:15:14.017 --> 00:15:16.369 Della. 00:15:16.369 --> 00:15:19.163 She's laughing, so I take that as a no. 00:15:19.163 --> 00:15:23.695 There's effort there. Effort! 00:15:23.695 --> 00:15:26.626 Look, you know what you know. 00:15:26.626 --> 00:15:29.745 if you look over and you see a good marriage - 00:15:29.745 --> 00:15:31.273 I mean it's good. 00:15:31.273 --> 00:15:35.543 You can see, they are happily married. 00:15:35.543 --> 00:15:37.292 You can be certain about this. 00:15:37.292 --> 00:15:40.129 You can be certain that somewhere 00:15:40.129 --> 00:15:41.259 in that good marriage, 00:15:41.259 --> 00:15:43.171 you're going to find somebody 00:15:43.171 --> 00:15:45.861 who's doing something to keep 00:15:45.877 --> 00:15:52.630 that marriage close, warm, healthy. 00:15:52.630 --> 00:15:54.365 Are you not? 00:15:54.365 --> 00:15:56.617 I mean somebody in there 00:15:56.617 --> 00:15:59.871 is working to communicate. 00:15:59.874 --> 00:16:02.136 Somebody is working to keep 00:16:02.136 --> 00:16:06.269 the kind of words and actions that tend 00:16:06.269 --> 00:16:07.897 to cause distance. 00:16:07.897 --> 00:16:09.272 They're working at that. 00:16:09.272 --> 00:16:11.760 They're working to keep those things out of there. 00:16:11.760 --> 00:16:13.121 They're going after them. 00:16:13.121 --> 00:16:15.914 Somebody is committed to battling through hard situations 00:16:15.914 --> 00:16:17.959 and hurt feelings and suspicion 00:16:17.959 --> 00:16:20.323 and anger that crops up 00:16:20.324 --> 00:16:23.018 and distrust and hostility and grudges 00:16:23.018 --> 00:16:24.467 and resentment and offenses. 00:16:24.467 --> 00:16:27.167 I mean somebody there 00:16:27.167 --> 00:16:28.812 is making an effort. NOTE Paragraph 00:16:28.812 --> 00:16:33.674 And look, the thing is God regards Himself 00:16:33.674 --> 00:16:35.096 as our Husband. 00:16:35.096 --> 00:16:37.616 This is a relationship that we're in. 00:16:37.629 --> 00:16:39.071 The Lord is our Husband. 00:16:39.071 --> 00:16:41.453 Is this any different? Yes. 00:16:41.453 --> 00:16:43.498 In some ways it is different. 00:16:43.498 --> 00:16:47.148 He is invisible to my naked eye. 00:16:47.148 --> 00:16:50.247 He is high and He is holy. 00:16:50.247 --> 00:16:52.051 And He is lifted up. 00:16:52.051 --> 00:16:55.251 And that is true. 00:16:55.251 --> 00:16:57.496 But you remember this, 00:16:57.496 --> 00:17:04.364 we have a personal God. 00:17:04.364 --> 00:17:08.133 Scripture tells us He feels. 00:17:08.133 --> 00:17:14.180 Scripture tell us He is sensitive. 00:17:14.180 --> 00:17:16.551 That's what it tells us. 00:17:16.551 --> 00:17:21.294 And I recognize that this is different about the relationship too, 00:17:21.294 --> 00:17:23.519 one of us - 00:17:23.519 --> 00:17:28.267 one of us is perfect. 00:17:28.267 --> 00:17:32.105 And it's not me. 00:17:32.105 --> 00:17:36.825 That's different. 00:17:36.825 --> 00:17:39.530 And you know what that means. 00:17:39.530 --> 00:17:41.959 It means that whenever my relationship with Him 00:17:41.959 --> 00:17:53.771 becomes strained or there's distance, 00:17:53.771 --> 00:17:55.350 it's never His fault. 00:17:55.350 --> 00:17:57.891 It's mine. 00:17:57.891 --> 00:18:01.303 That I know. 00:18:01.313 --> 00:18:03.771 It's always my fault. 00:18:03.771 --> 00:18:05.237 But it is a relationship. 00:18:05.237 --> 00:18:08.914 And it's one that we have to work at and make time for. 00:18:08.914 --> 00:18:14.769 Listen, any relationship in your life that's healthy, 00:18:14.769 --> 00:18:17.099 you need to work at it. 00:18:17.099 --> 00:18:18.405 And we need to work. 00:18:18.405 --> 00:18:22.003 There's priorities. 00:18:22.003 --> 00:18:24.556 This walk with the Lord needs to be a priority. 00:18:24.556 --> 00:18:27.255 It needs to be something that we are giving thought to, 00:18:27.255 --> 00:18:29.363 that we are giving our mind, our heart to. 00:18:29.363 --> 00:18:31.836 There has to be a prioritization. 00:18:31.836 --> 00:18:34.546 We must make choices 00:18:34.546 --> 00:18:37.056 that nurture this relationship. 00:18:37.056 --> 00:18:39.606 We must turn away from the things 00:18:39.606 --> 00:18:42.984 that create distance between us and God. 00:18:42.984 --> 00:18:44.385 Priority! Priority! 00:18:44.385 --> 00:18:45.901 This takes effort! 00:18:45.901 --> 00:18:48.754 This takes time! 00:18:48.754 --> 00:18:50.678 There's going to be an exertion. 00:18:50.678 --> 00:18:53.708 It doesn't happen for free. 00:18:53.713 --> 00:18:58.646 Oh yeah you get into it for free. 00:18:58.646 --> 00:19:00.569 But there's effort. 00:19:00.569 --> 00:19:02.530 That's the thing we need to recognize. 00:19:02.530 --> 00:19:04.580 There is effort. 00:19:04.587 --> 00:19:09.320 Did James not say, "draw near to God." 00:19:09.320 --> 00:19:10.538 God says that to us, 00:19:10.538 --> 00:19:11.945 "draw near to Me 00:19:11.945 --> 00:19:13.397 and I will draw near to you." NOTE Paragraph 00:19:13.397 --> 00:19:16.228 When you think about fighting the good fight of faith, 00:19:16.228 --> 00:19:17.879 fighting the good fight of faith, 00:19:17.879 --> 00:19:20.240 I mean one of the points of that fight 00:19:20.240 --> 00:19:22.440 is just staying where we trust God. 00:19:22.440 --> 00:19:24.014 That's what faith is all about. 00:19:24.014 --> 00:19:25.576 We're fighting to trust Him. 00:19:25.576 --> 00:19:27.884 We're fighting to keep our hope in Him. 00:19:27.884 --> 00:19:29.293 We're fighting for that. 00:19:29.293 --> 00:19:30.910 There's a battle in this. 00:19:30.910 --> 00:19:33.197 You have all manner of enemies 00:19:33.197 --> 00:19:35.540 that are moving at you 00:19:35.540 --> 00:19:36.970 to distract you away. 00:19:36.970 --> 00:19:38.563 And to take your time away. 00:19:38.563 --> 00:19:41.118 And to take your eyes off. 00:19:41.118 --> 00:19:43.154 To move you away from this relationship. 00:19:43.154 --> 00:19:45.823 You've got to fight for this relationship. 00:19:45.823 --> 00:19:48.643 A man will fight for his marriage. 00:19:48.643 --> 00:19:49.986 We got to fight for this. 00:19:49.986 --> 00:19:52.557 This is the chiefest of all relationships. 00:19:52.557 --> 00:19:53.943 We've got to fight for it! 00:19:53.943 --> 00:19:56.396 That means priorities in your life! 00:19:56.396 --> 00:19:58.089 Is it a priority in your life? 00:19:58.089 --> 00:20:00.189 You know, if you hesitated, 00:20:00.189 --> 00:20:02.814 your conscience wouldn't let you say, 00:20:02.814 --> 00:20:04.511 "Yes, I can boldly say 00:20:04.511 --> 00:20:07.791 my fellowship is with the Father and with His Son!" 00:20:07.791 --> 00:20:09.852 One of the reasons you may have hesitated 00:20:09.852 --> 00:20:12.268 is because you don't have your priorities right. 00:20:12.268 --> 00:20:14.090 And your conscience knows it. 00:20:14.090 --> 00:20:16.362 Your walk with God is not what it ought to be 00:20:16.362 --> 00:20:19.374 because your priorities are not what they ought to be. 00:20:19.374 --> 00:20:20.437 Effort brethren! 00:20:20.437 --> 00:20:23.007 Effort! NOTE Paragraph 00:20:23.007 --> 00:20:26.108 The second thing. 00:20:26.108 --> 00:20:31.086 Worship and honor are essential 00:20:31.086 --> 00:20:32.806 to this relationship. 00:20:32.806 --> 00:20:35.736 Now John was telling us in the Sunday school about missions. 00:20:35.736 --> 00:20:38.464 And he's calling us, you know, to give ourselves 00:20:38.464 --> 00:20:40.177 to one another in love 00:20:40.177 --> 00:20:41.771 and help encourage one another 00:20:41.771 --> 00:20:43.580 so that we might see this church grow 00:20:43.580 --> 00:20:45.659 and people being able to be launched forth. 00:20:45.659 --> 00:20:47.255 But you just remember this, 00:20:47.255 --> 00:20:51.151 missions is never the end. 00:20:51.151 --> 00:20:55.226 Missions is not the goal. 00:20:55.226 --> 00:20:56.993 What does God want most? 00:20:56.993 --> 00:20:58.034 He wants our heart. 00:20:58.034 --> 00:20:59.066 He wants our love. 00:20:59.066 --> 00:21:00.138 He wants our worship. 00:21:00.138 --> 00:21:03.742 This thing is about worship, by and large. 00:21:03.742 --> 00:21:06.622 That's the chief thing. 00:21:06.622 --> 00:21:08.973 Piper said it in his book on missions. 00:21:08.973 --> 00:21:10.604 You know the reason we launch 00:21:10.604 --> 00:21:11.969 off to those foreign coasts 00:21:11.969 --> 00:21:14.691 is because there isn't worship there. 00:21:14.691 --> 00:21:15.929 That's what we're after. 00:21:15.929 --> 00:21:17.585 That's what we're longing for. NOTE Paragraph 00:21:17.585 --> 00:21:23.204 Now look, I want you to all turn to over to Malachi 1. 00:21:23.204 --> 00:21:25.485 Some of you, you're familiar with this. 00:21:25.485 --> 00:21:26.885 But I want you to see this, 00:21:26.885 --> 00:21:31.508 I want you to feel this. 00:21:31.508 --> 00:21:33.829 We're talking about 00:21:33.829 --> 00:21:36.387 some thoughts on walking with God 00:21:36.387 --> 00:21:38.713 and we're going to let the Lord Himself 00:21:38.713 --> 00:21:42.767 speak to us about some things that, 00:21:42.767 --> 00:21:45.412 to Him, are of chief importance 00:21:45.412 --> 00:21:47.469 in this walk that we have with Him. 00:21:47.469 --> 00:21:52.994 If you go to Malachi 1:6. 00:21:52.994 --> 00:21:57.535 Watch this. Last book in the Old Testament, 00:21:57.535 --> 00:22:00.128 if you're looking for it. 00:22:00.128 --> 00:22:04.049 Right before Matthew. 00:22:04.049 --> 00:22:06.357 "A son honors his Father 00:22:06.357 --> 00:22:10.834 and a servant his master. 00:22:10.834 --> 00:22:13.434 If then, I am a Father, where is My honor?" 00:22:13.434 --> 00:22:14.981 God wants honor. 00:22:14.981 --> 00:22:16.489 God deserves honor. 00:22:16.489 --> 00:22:20.177 God is worthy of honor! 00:22:20.177 --> 00:22:24.547 "If I am a master, where is my fear?" 00:22:24.547 --> 00:22:28.972 Now you see, intimacy - yes. 00:22:28.977 --> 00:22:32.402 But you need to remember this, 00:22:32.402 --> 00:22:35.784 the one that we are in relationship with here 00:22:35.784 --> 00:22:37.985 is God Almighty. 00:22:37.985 --> 00:22:40.192 And there needs to be a fear on our part 00:22:40.192 --> 00:22:43.906 and there needs to be an honor. 00:22:43.906 --> 00:22:49.661 We are not equals. 00:22:49.661 --> 00:22:51.190 "'Where is My fear?' 00:22:51.190 --> 00:22:52.943 says the Lord of Hosts, 00:22:52.943 --> 00:22:55.240 'To you, O priests who despise My name.' 00:22:55.240 --> 00:22:56.299 But you say, 00:22:56.299 --> 00:22:57.981 'How have we despised your name?'" 00:22:57.981 --> 00:23:00.267 And you know what that happens to many of us. 00:23:00.267 --> 00:23:02.636 If God could speak to you right now - 00:23:02.636 --> 00:23:04.434 well, He can. 00:23:04.434 --> 00:23:08.521 But if He did speak to you audibly 00:23:08.521 --> 00:23:11.063 or in written word through a prophet 00:23:11.063 --> 00:23:12.904 just like this, 00:23:12.904 --> 00:23:14.879 He may say the same things about you. 00:23:14.879 --> 00:23:16.455 "You despise Me." 00:23:16.455 --> 00:23:19.371 And for many of you who do despise Him, 00:23:19.371 --> 00:23:23.536 you would say, "Where do I despise Him?" 00:23:23.536 --> 00:23:26.184 "Well, by offering polluted food upon My altar." 00:23:26.184 --> 00:23:29.911 Now look, we offer sacrifices 00:23:29.911 --> 00:23:33.453 as New Testament believers. 00:23:33.453 --> 00:23:35.539 Our sacrifices are good works. 00:23:35.539 --> 00:23:38.563 Our sacrifices are sharing what we have. 00:23:38.563 --> 00:23:41.360 Our sacrifices are the praise of our lips. 00:23:41.360 --> 00:23:43.779 You get many texts in the New Testament 00:23:43.779 --> 00:23:46.697 that talk about the sacrifices that we offer. 00:23:46.697 --> 00:23:47.900 But you say, 00:23:47.900 --> 00:23:50.116 "How have we polluted you?" 00:23:50.116 --> 00:23:52.919 "By saying that the Lord's table may be despised." 00:23:52.919 --> 00:23:53.964 Now watch this, 00:23:53.964 --> 00:23:57.728 "When you offer blind animals in sacrfice 00:23:57.728 --> 00:23:58.953 is that not evil?" 00:23:58.953 --> 00:24:00.112 Now here's the thing. 00:24:00.112 --> 00:24:02.060 Here's a thing that I want you to see. 00:24:02.060 --> 00:24:07.153 These priests were making the offering. 00:24:07.153 --> 00:24:09.855 You say, you know, I do this. 00:24:09.855 --> 00:24:12.476 I do that. I'm at church! Right? 00:24:12.476 --> 00:24:16.530 I mean I'm there. 00:24:16.530 --> 00:24:17.858 God looks at the quality 00:24:17.858 --> 00:24:20.037 because the quality has a lot to do with 00:24:20.037 --> 00:24:24.072 where your heart is. 00:24:24.072 --> 00:24:27.354 He says, when you're offering 00:24:27.357 --> 00:24:32.617 substandard sacrifices 00:24:32.617 --> 00:24:34.346 God says, "Is that not evil?" 00:24:34.346 --> 00:24:36.173 And He's looking for 00:24:36.173 --> 00:24:39.143 an answer that you all know. 00:24:39.143 --> 00:24:42.043 Yes, it is evil when you offer 00:24:42.043 --> 00:24:44.172 substandard sacrifices to God. 00:24:44.172 --> 00:24:46.152 "When you offer those that are lame 00:24:46.152 --> 00:24:48.390 or sick is that not evil?" 00:24:48.390 --> 00:24:51.902 Present that to your governor. NOTE Paragraph 00:24:51.902 --> 00:24:56.281 You know when I think about worship, 00:24:56.281 --> 00:25:05.117 I think, oh, I want to be in my seat 00:25:05.117 --> 00:25:07.597 when God's word begins to be preached. 00:25:07.597 --> 00:25:08.885 I want to be in my seat 00:25:08.885 --> 00:25:11.056 when they begin to sing His-- 00:25:11.056 --> 00:25:12.461 I want to hear from Him. 00:25:12.461 --> 00:25:16.212 I want to be ready. 00:25:16.212 --> 00:25:18.117 You know, 00:25:18.117 --> 00:25:20.543 the problem with this whole setup here is 00:25:20.543 --> 00:25:22.413 everybody that walks in late 00:25:22.413 --> 00:25:23.920 you all see it. 00:25:23.920 --> 00:25:26.649 And you know, the thing is 00:25:26.649 --> 00:25:29.708 would you guys walk into work like that? 00:25:29.708 --> 00:25:31.143 Offer it to your governor! 00:25:31.143 --> 00:25:33.078 Offer it to your boss! 00:25:33.078 --> 00:25:35.329 Will he accept it? 00:25:35.329 --> 00:25:37.175 And I'm not saying 00:25:37.175 --> 00:25:38.820 that whether you make it on time 00:25:38.820 --> 00:25:40.215 is the pinnacle of all this. 00:25:40.215 --> 00:25:41.428 But I can tell you this, 00:25:41.428 --> 00:25:43.217 when somebody's walking with the Lord 00:25:43.217 --> 00:25:45.297 and their heart - their heart is hungry, 00:25:45.304 --> 00:25:47.677 Oh, I want to be there when the Word's opened up. 00:25:47.677 --> 00:25:49.255 I don't want to miss any of it. 00:25:49.255 --> 00:25:51.321 I want to be there when they sing. I don't want to miss any of it. 00:25:51.321 --> 00:25:52.625 Where are your priorities? 00:25:52.625 --> 00:25:54.859 You see this has to do with walking with God, 00:25:54.859 --> 00:25:56.931 not just appeasing those who are watching. 00:25:56.931 --> 00:26:02.320 But as what are you offering to Him? 00:26:02.320 --> 00:26:05.807 What are you offering? 00:26:05.807 --> 00:26:08.986 Are you giving? 00:26:08.986 --> 00:26:11.246 And I know some are. 00:26:11.246 --> 00:26:12.967 There's sacrifice. 00:26:12.967 --> 00:26:14.873 But when you walk with the Lord, 00:26:14.873 --> 00:26:17.052 He watches to see the qualtity. 00:26:17.052 --> 00:26:20.100 Why? Because the quality matters. 00:26:20.100 --> 00:26:22.169 Men, you come to this woman 00:26:22.169 --> 00:26:23.803 and you say, "will you marry me?" 00:26:23.803 --> 00:26:27.384 And then she finds out you got the ring from a pawn shop, 00:26:27.384 --> 00:26:30.166 Is she going to be affected by that? 00:26:30.166 --> 00:26:31.625 Well, some might not be. 00:26:31.625 --> 00:26:33.533 But some might just be prudent, 00:26:33.533 --> 00:26:34.917 "Well I'm glad he did that." 00:26:34.917 --> 00:26:36.413 He saved a bunch of money, 00:26:36.413 --> 00:26:41.419 now we can get into a house sooner. 00:26:41.419 --> 00:26:45.246 Ask her first if that's ok. 00:26:45.246 --> 00:26:48.366 But look, the reality is, 00:26:48.366 --> 00:26:49.681 I mean he might as well say 00:26:49.681 --> 00:26:50.883 not just your governor, 00:26:50.883 --> 00:26:53.466 would your wife accept that? 00:26:53.466 --> 00:26:55.193 I mean the truth is, 00:26:55.193 --> 00:26:57.357 that we become negligent 00:26:57.357 --> 00:27:00.281 with the way that we serve God. 00:27:00.281 --> 00:27:03.931 We give Him the leftovers. 00:27:03.933 --> 00:27:05.384 You wake up in the morning 00:27:05.384 --> 00:27:08.187 and boy, the best part of your day, 00:27:08.187 --> 00:27:09.942 and what do you do with it? 00:27:09.942 --> 00:27:12.981 Well you wake up fifteen minutes before you got to be at work, 00:27:12.981 --> 00:27:14.577 and so the best part of your day, 00:27:14.577 --> 00:27:15.845 those first hours 00:27:15.845 --> 00:27:19.517 you give to your employer. 00:27:19.517 --> 00:27:21.356 Or you hit the weights. 00:27:21.356 --> 00:27:25.622 Or you turn on the news. 00:27:25.622 --> 00:27:27.322 Not all of you do that. 00:27:27.322 --> 00:27:30.866 But are you giving God the best? 00:27:30.866 --> 00:27:32.419 I mean when you walk with Him, 00:27:32.419 --> 00:27:33.451 He's mindful of that. 00:27:33.451 --> 00:27:35.607 You can see it right here in the Scriptures. 00:27:35.607 --> 00:27:36.489 I mean He says, 00:27:36.489 --> 00:27:38.019 "Present that to your governor, 00:27:38.019 --> 00:27:39.972 will he accept you or show you favor?" 00:27:39.972 --> 00:27:41.321 says the Lord of Hosts. 00:27:41.321 --> 00:27:42.696 I mean, come on! 00:27:42.696 --> 00:27:44.916 Don't give to God 00:27:44.916 --> 00:27:47.256 what you wouldn't give to your parents! 00:27:47.256 --> 00:27:51.156 Don't give to God what you wouldn't give to your spouse. 00:27:51.156 --> 00:27:55.755 Don't give to God what you wouldn't give to your boss. 00:27:55.755 --> 00:27:57.135 Or to your governor. 00:27:57.135 --> 00:27:59.043 Don't do that! 00:27:59.043 --> 00:28:03.514 God is worthy of your best. 00:28:03.524 --> 00:28:05.209 Walk with Him this way. 00:28:05.209 --> 00:28:06.115 He's says, 00:28:06.115 --> 00:28:08.693 "For from the rising of the sun to its setting 00:28:08.693 --> 00:28:11.382 My name will be great among the nations." NOTE Paragraph 00:28:11.382 --> 00:28:13.662 Do you all remember when David - 00:28:13.662 --> 00:28:15.429 remember David did a foolish thing, 00:28:15.429 --> 00:28:17.312 and he went and he numbered the people. 00:28:17.312 --> 00:28:19.801 And you remember the prophet came to him and said, 00:28:19.801 --> 00:28:21.402 "Well God sent me with a message. 00:28:21.402 --> 00:28:26.369 David, you got to pick one of three bad things. 00:28:26.369 --> 00:28:28.066 I mean you're either going to get 00:28:28.066 --> 00:28:31.088 three days, three months, or three years 00:28:31.088 --> 00:28:33.378 of some really horrible stuff." 00:28:33.378 --> 00:28:35.501 And David said, 00:28:35.501 --> 00:28:38.291 "I don't want God to turn me over into the hands of men; 00:28:38.291 --> 00:28:39.319 let God do it." 00:28:39.319 --> 00:28:43.668 And He brought three days of pestilence. 00:28:43.668 --> 00:28:47.549 And you may remember what happened there. 00:28:47.549 --> 00:28:49.910 In the end of that whole scenario, 00:28:49.910 --> 00:28:54.100 he was to go to this man Araunah. 00:28:54.100 --> 00:28:59.127 To his threshing floor. 00:28:59.127 --> 00:29:01.497 Araunah saw him coming and said, 00:29:01.509 --> 00:29:03.810 "I am coming and I have to build 00:29:03.810 --> 00:29:06.051 an altar and make a sacrifice here." 00:29:06.051 --> 00:29:08.987 And Araunah said, "David, it's all yours." 00:29:08.987 --> 00:29:12.555 Do you remember what David said? 00:29:12.555 --> 00:29:15.265 He said, "I will not give to the Lord 00:29:15.265 --> 00:29:19.583 that which cost me nothing." 00:29:19.583 --> 00:29:22.495 Are you giving to the Lord that which costs you nothing. 00:29:22.495 --> 00:29:24.294 The lame thing, 00:29:24.294 --> 00:29:26.833 You see when they brought the blind thing, 00:29:26.833 --> 00:29:27.893 what did that say? 00:29:27.893 --> 00:29:31.827 Well, it was the lamb they didn't want! 00:29:31.827 --> 00:29:33.934 Don't do that to God? David wouldn't do it. 00:29:33.934 --> 00:29:35.858 He was a man after God's own heart. 00:29:35.858 --> 00:29:37.388 Imitate David in this. 00:29:37.388 --> 00:29:40.568 You remember what was said in the days of Eli? 00:29:40.568 --> 00:29:45.115 That God honors those who honor Him. 00:29:45.115 --> 00:29:46.525 Just that's the second thing. 00:29:46.525 --> 00:29:49.812 Worship and honor are essential to this relationship. NOTE Paragraph 00:29:49.812 --> 00:29:51.935 The third thing I would say. 00:29:51.935 --> 00:29:54.705 Sin wrecks intimacy. 00:29:54.705 --> 00:29:57.813 And here we might go back to 1 John 2:1 00:29:57.813 --> 00:29:59.714 where it says, "My little children 00:29:59.714 --> 00:30:01.380 I am writing these things to you 00:30:01.380 --> 00:30:05.301 so that you may not sin." 00:30:05.311 --> 00:30:07.586 Remember one of the things he's written to them 00:30:07.586 --> 00:30:08.923 or he's mentioned four times 00:30:08.923 --> 00:30:10.096 in that first chapter 00:30:10.096 --> 00:30:12.637 which is clearly an emphasis to him 00:30:12.637 --> 00:30:14.254 is he's talking to Christians 00:30:14.254 --> 00:30:15.919 about fellowship with God. 00:30:15.919 --> 00:30:18.786 It's the perfect thing to talk to God's children about, 00:30:18.786 --> 00:30:20.705 who you want to encourage not to sin. 00:30:20.705 --> 00:30:22.021 And why? 00:30:22.021 --> 00:30:25.111 Is the danger that they're going to go to hell? 00:30:25.111 --> 00:30:26.348 Perish forever? 00:30:26.348 --> 00:30:28.271 Well, not for God's true children 00:30:28.271 --> 00:30:31.216 who are trusting in Christ alone. 00:30:31.216 --> 00:30:33.373 Who are clinging to His cross work 00:30:33.373 --> 00:30:35.415 as their only hope. 00:30:35.415 --> 00:30:37.588 For the true Christian, 00:30:37.588 --> 00:30:40.578 sin - there's no condemnation. 00:30:40.578 --> 00:30:42.069 And we have an Advocate. 00:30:42.069 --> 00:30:44.861 That's what he's assuring us of. 00:30:44.861 --> 00:30:49.525 But it ruins close fellowship and intimacy. 00:30:49.525 --> 00:30:50.645 Brethren! 00:30:50.645 --> 00:30:55.017 Throughout history, the men and the women 00:30:55.018 --> 00:30:57.799 who have, among God's children, 00:30:57.799 --> 00:31:01.391 who have had the privileges 00:31:01.391 --> 00:31:03.144 to ascend that hill of the Lord 00:31:03.144 --> 00:31:04.684 into the secret places 00:31:04.684 --> 00:31:09.311 of God's most glorious manifest presence. 00:31:09.311 --> 00:31:13.518 Brethren, throughout the age of man, 00:31:13.518 --> 00:31:16.011 there have been those that had been invited 00:31:16.011 --> 00:31:22.185 most closely into manifestations of God. 00:31:22.185 --> 00:31:25.387 And I'll guarantee you this, 00:31:25.387 --> 00:31:26.896 you're hard pressed to find 00:31:26.896 --> 00:31:33.368 that it's ever been the spiritually sloppy. 00:31:33.368 --> 00:31:35.468 We have too many professing Christians 00:31:35.468 --> 00:31:38.408 who sin cheap! 00:31:38.408 --> 00:31:41.006 You just sell it for a song! 00:31:41.006 --> 00:31:43.058 Walking with Him. NOTE Paragraph 00:31:43.058 --> 00:31:46.078 Some of you need to stop and think 00:31:46.084 --> 00:31:48.592 before you do and say the things you do and say! 00:31:48.592 --> 00:31:50.260 You need to count the cost 00:31:50.260 --> 00:31:52.357 of the intimacy with God 00:31:52.357 --> 00:31:53.558 that's going to be lost 00:31:53.558 --> 00:31:55.072 for doing those very things 00:31:55.072 --> 00:31:56.177 that some of you do 00:31:56.177 --> 00:31:58.160 and some of you say. 00:31:58.160 --> 00:32:00.025 Brethren, we have to walk 00:32:00.025 --> 00:32:04.815 recognizing God is sensitive. 00:32:04.815 --> 00:32:10.017 Our sin hurts closeness. 00:32:10.017 --> 00:32:12.812 And I know, the Lord is gracious. 00:32:12.812 --> 00:32:14.725 And I know that there are times 00:32:14.725 --> 00:32:17.426 that when we do stupid and foolish things, 00:32:17.426 --> 00:32:18.646 and we are expecting Him 00:32:18.646 --> 00:32:20.247 to turn His back on us 00:32:20.247 --> 00:32:22.611 or to take the rod to us, 00:32:22.611 --> 00:32:24.952 and He just lavishes us with hugs and kisses. 00:32:24.952 --> 00:32:26.970 I know that, but listen, 00:32:26.970 --> 00:32:32.047 the innermost regions of fellowship with God 00:32:32.047 --> 00:32:34.169 goes beyond anything in this world. 00:32:34.169 --> 00:32:36.092 It's glorious without description. 00:32:36.092 --> 00:32:37.460 Those that have tasted of it 00:32:37.460 --> 00:32:39.445 can barely put words together 00:32:39.445 --> 00:32:41.684 to describe to other people. 00:32:41.684 --> 00:32:48.158 But it's a very sensitive place to walk. 00:32:48.158 --> 00:32:49.219 Very delicate. NOTE Paragraph 00:32:49.219 --> 00:32:50.855 Martin Lloyd-Jones, 00:32:50.855 --> 00:32:51.862 I came across this, 00:32:51.862 --> 00:32:53.782 I don't even know where I got this from, 00:32:53.782 --> 00:32:55.284 but he said, 00:32:55.284 --> 00:32:58.154 "The air here in this region--" 00:32:58.154 --> 00:32:59.847 these innermost regions, 00:32:59.847 --> 00:33:03.122 he said, "it's very pure and very rarified 00:33:03.122 --> 00:33:06.947 and slight changes are immediately felt." 00:33:06.947 --> 00:33:10.855 You know we can grieve God. 00:33:10.855 --> 00:33:14.381 Ephesians chapter four warns us 00:33:14.381 --> 00:33:20.911 against grieving the Holy Spirit. 00:33:20.911 --> 00:33:24.865 Brethren you think about grieving the Spirit 00:33:24.865 --> 00:33:26.615 We don't have a God who is 00:33:26.615 --> 00:33:28.534 cold and indifferent 00:33:28.534 --> 00:33:30.934 and distant and disinterested. NOTE Paragraph 00:33:30.934 --> 00:33:33.333 Brethren, grief. 00:33:33.333 --> 00:33:36.461 You think about grief. 00:33:36.461 --> 00:33:42.932 Who has the greatest ability to cause you grief? 00:33:42.932 --> 00:33:45.554 I mean, you think about it. 00:33:45.554 --> 00:33:48.761 If John happens to be walking over 00:33:48.761 --> 00:33:53.485 somewhere in Mozambique or in Nepal, 00:33:53.485 --> 00:33:54.945 and somebody, you know, 00:33:54.945 --> 00:33:56.449 somebody just said, 00:33:56.449 --> 00:33:58.717 "I hate you Christians!" 00:33:58.717 --> 00:34:00.927 Well, John just shakes that off. 00:34:00.927 --> 00:34:03.297 If his wife said that to him... 00:34:03.297 --> 00:34:07.754 Who has the greatest ability to cause you grief? 00:34:07.754 --> 00:34:09.306 And here we have God, 00:34:09.306 --> 00:34:13.863 He's bidding us not to grieve Him. 00:34:13.863 --> 00:34:15.656 The more one person loves another 00:34:15.656 --> 00:34:18.352 the more the person doing the loving is affected by 00:34:18.352 --> 00:34:20.480 any coldness or any distance 00:34:20.480 --> 00:34:21.699 or any failure 00:34:21.699 --> 00:34:23.449 on the part of the one who they're 00:34:23.449 --> 00:34:24.677 extending their love to. 00:34:24.677 --> 00:34:26.966 Brother. Sister. 00:34:26.966 --> 00:34:29.065 Would you suppose that your sins 00:34:29.065 --> 00:34:30.925 don't grieve God? 00:34:30.925 --> 00:34:32.543 I mean do read that text and say, 00:34:32.543 --> 00:34:34.117 "Well, that's for somebody else 00:34:34.117 --> 00:34:36.733 it's certainly not for me when I sin." 00:34:36.733 --> 00:34:40.047 Brethren, that's given to common 00:34:40.047 --> 00:34:42.402 brothers and sisters at Ephesus. 00:34:42.402 --> 00:34:46.957 People just like you and just like me. NOTE Paragraph 00:34:46.957 --> 00:34:49.605 I mean did Jesus not say - 00:34:49.605 --> 00:34:52.994 speaking of His manifest presence - 00:34:52.994 --> 00:34:54.564 He said this, 00:34:54.564 --> 00:34:57.695 "I will love him and manifest Myself to him." 00:34:57.695 --> 00:35:00.124 Who is that? 00:35:00.124 --> 00:35:02.352 Well, "whoever has My commandments." 00:35:02.352 --> 00:35:05.668 You see this is a person that's walking in truth. 00:35:05.668 --> 00:35:08.720 This a person walking in righteousness. 00:35:08.720 --> 00:35:12.015 They are walking in obedience. 00:35:12.015 --> 00:35:14.351 "Whoever has My commandments and keeps them, 00:35:14.351 --> 00:35:15.757 he it is who loves Me, 00:35:15.757 --> 00:35:18.564 and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father 00:35:18.564 --> 00:35:21.336 and I will love him and manifest Myself to him." 00:35:21.336 --> 00:35:22.861 Look, are you going to forsake 00:35:22.861 --> 00:35:24.802 a closer walk with Him 00:35:24.802 --> 00:35:28.968 for some cheap sin? 00:35:28.968 --> 00:35:30.301 Is Jesus not making it clear 00:35:30.301 --> 00:35:34.173 that our fellowship with God 00:35:34.173 --> 00:35:39.225 is clearly impacted by our obedience? 00:35:39.225 --> 00:35:43.648 I mean look, the doctrine of justification 00:35:43.648 --> 00:35:48.143 is a wonderful doctrine. 00:35:48.143 --> 00:35:50.423 But the reason some of you walk around 00:35:50.423 --> 00:35:53.970 with a cloud hanging over your head all the time 00:35:53.970 --> 00:35:58.626 is because you sin way too easily. 00:35:58.626 --> 00:36:01.981 Yeah, the doctrine of justification is wonderful, 00:36:01.987 --> 00:36:04.433 but if you're living an impure life - 00:36:04.433 --> 00:36:09.384 you're regularly giving God 00:36:09.396 --> 00:36:12.211 the off-scouring, the leftovers; 00:36:12.217 --> 00:36:14.894 if you're walking like that, 00:36:14.894 --> 00:36:18.592 brethren, it's not surprising 00:36:18.592 --> 00:36:21.006 that you're not enjoying 00:36:21.006 --> 00:36:22.914 the manifestations of God 00:36:22.914 --> 00:36:26.116 the way others are. 00:36:26.124 --> 00:36:27.925 I mean the more we humbly obey Him, 00:36:27.925 --> 00:36:31.213 empowered by His Spirit, 00:36:31.213 --> 00:36:32.462 helped by His grace, 00:36:32.462 --> 00:36:34.330 the more intimate is our fellowship 00:36:34.330 --> 00:36:35.736 with the Father and the Son. NOTE Paragraph 00:36:35.736 --> 00:36:37.905 I mean ask yourself this, 00:36:37.905 --> 00:36:40.585 (incomplete thought) 00:36:40.585 --> 00:36:42.645 Choices. 00:36:42.645 --> 00:36:43.734 Sin. 00:36:43.734 --> 00:36:45.229 Intimacy. 00:36:45.229 --> 00:36:49.094 Do I want this empty, fleeting pleasure 00:36:49.094 --> 00:36:51.275 of this sin, or do I want 00:36:51.275 --> 00:36:52.449 the unsearchable riches 00:36:52.449 --> 00:36:54.739 of what this fellowship 00:36:54.739 --> 00:36:56.358 with the Father and with His Son 00:36:56.358 --> 00:36:57.669 is going to be. 00:36:57.669 --> 00:36:59.682 John tells in chapter 1 00:36:59.682 --> 00:37:01.787 how this deeper walk with God 00:37:01.787 --> 00:37:02.934 can become a reality. 00:37:02.934 --> 00:37:03.952 What did he say? 00:37:03.952 --> 00:37:05.964 He said, "Walk in God's light." 00:37:05.964 --> 00:37:07.290 Bring all your words, 00:37:07.290 --> 00:37:09.721 bring all your actions into the light. 00:37:09.721 --> 00:37:11.188 Bring your sin into the light. 00:37:11.188 --> 00:37:12.467 Be honest about your sins. 00:37:12.467 --> 00:37:15.235 Confess them to God for forgiveness and cleansing. 00:37:15.235 --> 00:37:16.496 But press on brethren. 00:37:16.496 --> 00:37:17.972 Walking in the light. 00:37:17.972 --> 00:37:20.054 Walk in the light. 00:37:20.054 --> 00:37:22.804 That's where your fellowship with God is. 00:37:22.804 --> 00:37:24.974 It's in the light. 00:37:24.974 --> 00:37:29.752 And he says, "I write these things to you that you sin not. 00:37:29.752 --> 00:37:32.617 Well, that's the third thing. 00:37:32.617 --> 00:37:33.819 Sin wrecks intimacy. NOTE Paragraph 00:37:33.819 --> 00:37:39.309 Let's move on even into the realm 00:37:39.309 --> 00:37:41.949 where we're not talking specifically about sin. 00:37:41.949 --> 00:37:43.420 I would say fourthly, 00:37:43.420 --> 00:37:48.476 beware of distractions. 00:37:48.476 --> 00:37:50.936 Of course sin always hinders fellowship. 00:37:50.936 --> 00:37:53.066 But so often our problem is not with sin. 00:37:53.066 --> 00:37:55.093 It's with the things that are permissible. 00:37:55.093 --> 00:37:58.158 And you remember how Paul said it. 00:37:58.158 --> 00:38:01.441 He said, "All things are lawful," but what? 00:38:01.441 --> 00:38:04.752 He said it various ways. 00:38:04.752 --> 00:38:11.771 But what? 00:38:11.771 --> 00:38:13.241 Not all things are profitable. 00:38:13.241 --> 00:38:14.448 Not all things edify. 00:38:14.448 --> 00:38:18.775 Not all things build up. 00:38:18.775 --> 00:38:20.211 Beware! 00:38:20.211 --> 00:38:23.739 Beware of the things that pull you 00:38:23.739 --> 00:38:25.282 away from the Lord! 00:38:25.282 --> 00:38:27.095 I'll tell you this, the devil 00:38:27.095 --> 00:38:30.815 will happily have you doing lawful things 00:38:30.815 --> 00:38:33.045 if it keeps you away from 00:38:33.045 --> 00:38:35.166 intimacy with God. 00:38:35.166 --> 00:38:36.743 Be sure of it. 00:38:36.743 --> 00:38:38.963 Be sure! 00:38:38.963 --> 00:38:41.073 How many professing Christians 00:38:41.073 --> 00:38:43.430 squander precious time? 00:38:43.430 --> 00:38:44.467 O brethren! 00:38:44.467 --> 00:38:47.247 If we could have all the time 00:38:47.247 --> 00:38:50.245 from every one of you that has been 00:38:50.245 --> 00:38:55.014 spent foolishly in social media! 00:38:55.014 --> 00:38:56.576 And we can just put it together 00:38:56.576 --> 00:38:58.859 that precious time like gold 00:38:58.859 --> 00:39:01.324 and take it back from Facebook 00:39:01.324 --> 00:39:03.774 and whatever other things they got out there now. 00:39:03.774 --> 00:39:07.012 They're just inviting new ones one after another. 00:39:07.012 --> 00:39:11.339 They're just time absorbers for Christians. 00:39:11.339 --> 00:39:13.677 How many professing Christians squander 00:39:13.677 --> 00:39:16.927 that precious time spent with the Lord 00:39:16.932 --> 00:39:18.514 not just on social media but 00:39:18.514 --> 00:39:20.974 laying in bed! 00:39:20.974 --> 00:39:22.254 Or, TV. 00:39:22.254 --> 00:39:25.880 Or movies, music, and clothes, 00:39:25.880 --> 00:39:28.731 and houses and gardens and yards, 00:39:28.731 --> 00:39:30.106 and hobbies. 00:39:30.106 --> 00:39:33.048 There's all this stuff that just chews up. 00:39:33.048 --> 00:39:34.972 If you live a life 00:39:34.972 --> 00:39:37.998 where you regularly make choices 00:39:37.998 --> 00:39:39.806 allowing other things, 00:39:39.806 --> 00:39:41.169 it just becomes a pattern. 00:39:41.169 --> 00:39:43.061 You're making these choices. 00:39:43.061 --> 00:39:46.691 Constantly making choices that crowd out 00:39:46.691 --> 00:39:48.936 time spent with the living God 00:39:48.936 --> 00:39:50.440 and in His Word, 00:39:50.440 --> 00:39:51.622 and talking with Him, 00:39:51.622 --> 00:39:53.364 and in meditation; 00:39:53.364 --> 00:39:55.003 You're not going to grow closer. 00:39:55.003 --> 00:39:56.957 You're not going to grow more intimate. 00:39:56.957 --> 00:40:04.765 Brethren, the place where the glory comes; 00:40:04.765 --> 00:40:08.435 the place of transformation, 00:40:08.435 --> 00:40:12.062 Paul tells us is when you behold His glory. NOTE Paragraph 00:40:12.062 --> 00:40:13.411 And that doesn't mean, 00:40:13.411 --> 00:40:14.888 oh, you wake up in the morning 00:40:14.888 --> 00:40:16.414 and five minutes you're there 00:40:16.414 --> 00:40:17.736 and then you're out. 00:40:17.736 --> 00:40:19.152 That's all you gave God. 00:40:19.152 --> 00:40:21.750 The best of your time you've given to the world. 00:40:21.750 --> 00:40:24.591 You've given to other stuff. 00:40:24.591 --> 00:40:28.709 You think that is just going to emblazon 00:40:28.709 --> 00:40:30.678 the image of Christ on you? 00:40:30.678 --> 00:40:32.203 No! 00:40:32.203 --> 00:40:35.341 You do not have a quality walk with God, 00:40:35.341 --> 00:40:38.735 any less then you can have a quality walk with a wife 00:40:38.735 --> 00:40:41.975 if it's just five minutes. 00:40:41.980 --> 00:40:43.774 That doesn't work. 00:40:43.774 --> 00:40:45.950 Beware of the distractions. 00:40:45.950 --> 00:40:48.717 Beware! Beware! Beware! NOTE Paragraph 00:40:48.717 --> 00:40:53.041 Brethren, if you can put on spiritual glasses 00:40:53.041 --> 00:40:56.497 and but see and look with me 00:40:56.497 --> 00:40:58.351 at the Song of Solomon. 00:40:58.351 --> 00:40:59.547 Go back there. 00:40:59.547 --> 00:41:02.570 Right after the Proverbs. 00:41:02.570 --> 00:41:08.246 You have this Song of Solomon 00:41:08.246 --> 00:41:09.757 after the Psalms 00:41:09.757 --> 00:41:14.968 and after the Proverbs. 00:41:14.968 --> 00:41:19.287 Like I say if you can put the spiritual glasses on, 00:41:19.287 --> 00:41:20.780 did Christ not tell us 00:41:20.780 --> 00:41:22.518 that Scripture is all about Him 00:41:22.518 --> 00:41:24.148 and I believe the Song of Solomon 00:41:24.148 --> 00:41:26.115 is not just a story about Solomon 00:41:26.115 --> 00:41:27.957 and one of his earthly wives. 00:41:27.957 --> 00:41:29.920 I believe that this is a picture, 00:41:29.920 --> 00:41:32.482 as many of the forefathers 00:41:32.482 --> 00:41:33.914 have down through history 00:41:33.914 --> 00:41:35.863 believed that this is a picture 00:41:35.863 --> 00:41:37.285 of Christ and His Church. 00:41:37.285 --> 00:41:45.614 And if you look at the Song of Solomon 5:2 00:41:45.614 --> 00:41:47.495 the church is saying this, 00:41:47.495 --> 00:41:51.206 "I slept, but my heart was awake." 00:41:51.206 --> 00:41:53.766 I mean this is a person who's thinking on Christ. 00:41:53.766 --> 00:41:54.750 "...the sound; 00:41:54.750 --> 00:41:56.099 my Beloved is knocking." 00:41:56.099 --> 00:41:58.221 Christ has come knocking. 00:41:58.221 --> 00:42:00.836 "Open to Me, My sister." 00:42:00.836 --> 00:42:04.034 This is Christ calling out to the church. 00:42:04.034 --> 00:42:06.289 My sister open. 00:42:06.289 --> 00:42:12.446 I want even a greater closeness. 00:42:12.456 --> 00:42:15.094 "My love, My dove, My perfect one, 00:42:15.094 --> 00:42:16.549 for My head is wet with dew, 00:42:16.549 --> 00:42:19.666 My locks with the drops of the night." 00:42:19.666 --> 00:42:22.068 How the church responded, 00:42:22.068 --> 00:42:23.926 with an excuse. 00:42:23.926 --> 00:42:25.809 That's all this is. 00:42:25.809 --> 00:42:29.762 "Well, I've put off my garment, 00:42:29.762 --> 00:42:32.079 how can I put it on again?" 00:42:32.079 --> 00:42:33.226 I've bathed my feet; 00:42:33.226 --> 00:42:35.620 I'm going to get them dirty if I go on the floor. 00:42:35.620 --> 00:42:37.693 And do you known what this moment 00:42:37.693 --> 00:42:43.405 of hesitation cost her? 00:42:43.405 --> 00:42:45.358 My Beloved put His hand to the latch 00:42:45.358 --> 00:42:47.267 and my heart was thrilled within me. 00:42:47.267 --> 00:42:48.868 I arose to open to my Beloved, 00:42:48.868 --> 00:42:50.863 and my hands dripped with myrrh, 00:42:50.863 --> 00:42:52.254 my fingers with liquid myrrh, 00:42:52.254 --> 00:42:54.399 on the handles of the bolt. 00:42:54.399 --> 00:42:56.094 I opened to my Beloved, 00:42:56.094 --> 00:43:04.626 but my Beloved had turned and gone. NOTE Paragraph 00:43:04.626 --> 00:43:06.619 Brethren, there are times when the Lord 00:43:06.619 --> 00:43:07.780 is bidding us to come. 00:43:07.780 --> 00:43:09.412 You feel prompted to pray. 00:43:09.412 --> 00:43:12.714 You feel prompted to get alone. 00:43:12.714 --> 00:43:14.403 And you don't do it. 00:43:14.403 --> 00:43:15.997 You know what? 00:43:15.997 --> 00:43:18.844 It's not even that she didn't do it. 00:43:18.844 --> 00:43:21.441 She did it. 00:43:21.441 --> 00:43:24.252 She just took too much time 00:43:24.252 --> 00:43:26.862 thinking about it. 00:43:26.862 --> 00:43:29.214 Give yourself freely to Christ. 00:43:29.214 --> 00:43:31.710 Oh, be ready when He prompts, to go. NOTE Paragraph 00:43:31.713 --> 00:43:32.918 To you who are young, 00:43:32.918 --> 00:43:35.091 you're full of health and strength. 00:43:35.091 --> 00:43:39.082 We need to stop and think. 00:43:39.082 --> 00:43:41.243 What are all those things that you're trading 00:43:41.243 --> 00:43:42.363 for time with Christ? 00:43:42.363 --> 00:43:44.435 What are they? You tell me! 00:43:44.435 --> 00:43:46.896 What real rest have they brought to your soul? 00:43:46.896 --> 00:43:49.594 What real joy have they brought to you? 00:43:49.594 --> 00:43:54.475 What quietness in your spirit? 00:43:54.484 --> 00:43:56.653 What true satisfaction? 00:43:56.653 --> 00:43:58.802 You know it. You know it as well as I do. 00:43:58.802 --> 00:44:00.977 Their pleasures are fleeting 00:44:00.977 --> 00:44:03.352 and they're quickly hollow. 00:44:03.352 --> 00:44:05.181 But Christ is never that way. 00:44:05.181 --> 00:44:09.893 He's truly satisfying. 00:44:09.893 --> 00:44:14.241 Do those things that you trade, 00:44:14.241 --> 00:44:15.848 I mean are they really fit 00:44:15.848 --> 00:44:17.820 objects for your highest love? 00:44:17.820 --> 00:44:20.039 Think about what you're giving your life to? 00:44:20.039 --> 00:44:21.452 You're walking with God. 00:44:21.452 --> 00:44:24.484 Christ bought us the privilege! 00:44:24.484 --> 00:44:27.221 Don't squander this in idleness 00:44:27.221 --> 00:44:28.583 and foolishness, 00:44:28.583 --> 00:44:33.998 wasting your precious time! NOTE Paragraph 00:44:33.998 --> 00:44:35.194 I can remember reading - 00:44:35.194 --> 00:44:36.884 I think Spurgeon tells this story 00:44:36.884 --> 00:44:40.496 about a man who was in his eighties, 00:44:40.496 --> 00:44:42.189 and he got converted. 00:44:42.189 --> 00:44:44.281 Yeah, I think he got converted in a meeting, 00:44:44.281 --> 00:44:46.104 and in the very same meeting 00:44:46.104 --> 00:44:47.727 he just wailed. 00:44:47.727 --> 00:44:49.797 Seeking to console him, 00:44:49.808 --> 00:44:51.737 "You've been saved." 00:44:51.737 --> 00:44:53.590 He just wailed because 00:44:53.590 --> 00:44:56.470 he had wasted his life. 00:44:56.470 --> 00:44:59.373 It was gone. 00:44:59.373 --> 00:45:00.484 I mean Isaiah says it, 00:45:00.484 --> 00:45:02.169 "Why spend your money for that 00:45:02.169 --> 00:45:05.129 which is not bread?" NOTE Paragraph 00:45:05.129 --> 00:45:06.849 And I would say fifthly this, 00:45:06.849 --> 00:45:08.994 prayer is vital to this fellowship. 00:45:08.994 --> 00:45:09.758 Prayer. 00:45:09.758 --> 00:45:11.685 Listen to this again in Song of Solomon. 00:45:11.685 --> 00:45:14.740 If you're still there look at 2:14. 00:45:14.740 --> 00:45:17.805 Song of Solomon 2:14. 00:45:17.805 --> 00:45:21.125 This is Christ speaking to His church again, 00:45:21.137 --> 00:45:25.632 "O My dove, in the clefts of the rock, 00:45:25.632 --> 00:45:27.220 in the crannies of the cliff, 00:45:27.220 --> 00:45:30.048 let Me see your face, 00:45:30.048 --> 00:45:34.379 let Me hear your voice, 00:45:34.379 --> 00:45:35.925 for your voice is sweet, 00:45:35.925 --> 00:45:37.303 and your face is lovely." 00:45:37.303 --> 00:45:39.994 It's like Christ is saying to His people, 00:45:39.994 --> 00:45:42.261 "Don't go hide 00:45:42.261 --> 00:45:44.191 in the cracks and crevices. 00:45:44.191 --> 00:45:46.384 Come out and speak to Me. 00:45:46.384 --> 00:45:50.518 I want to hear your voice." 00:45:50.518 --> 00:45:51.911 I mean sometimes we feel like 00:45:51.911 --> 00:45:53.330 oh, we can hardly pray. 00:45:53.330 --> 00:45:55.955 All it is groans and sighs. 00:45:55.955 --> 00:45:57.325 But Jesus is saying, 00:45:57.325 --> 00:46:01.129 "Your voice to Me is sweet. 00:46:01.129 --> 00:46:04.504 Come out to Me in all your weakness." 00:46:04.504 --> 00:46:06.354 I mean, it's like a parent whose child 00:46:06.354 --> 00:46:08.703 struggles to get these words out. 00:46:08.703 --> 00:46:12.374 The child is not despised by his parents. 00:46:12.374 --> 00:46:14.038 Christ is saying, 00:46:14.038 --> 00:46:16.785 "Your sighing and groaning is sweet to Me. 00:46:16.785 --> 00:46:18.154 I'm not going to mock at it. 00:46:18.154 --> 00:46:21.485 I'm not going to mock at your weakness." 00:46:21.485 --> 00:46:23.292 Look, you won't enjoy 00:46:23.292 --> 00:46:25.187 the deepest of fellowship with God 00:46:25.187 --> 00:46:27.875 unless you learn to speak 00:46:27.875 --> 00:46:32.251 with your Beloved in prayer and praise. 00:46:32.251 --> 00:46:34.625 I mean, brethren, we need 00:46:34.625 --> 00:46:36.137 seasons of prayer. 00:46:36.137 --> 00:46:39.680 We need seasons where we talk. NOTE Paragraph 00:46:39.683 --> 00:46:41.225 I would say sixthly, 00:46:41.225 --> 00:46:43.079 God's Word is vital to this fellowship. 00:46:43.079 --> 00:46:44.580 I mean you know this text well, 00:46:44.580 --> 00:46:47.371 most of you, Isaiah 66:2. 00:46:47.371 --> 00:46:49.310 Don't turn there. But God says, 00:46:49.310 --> 00:46:51.272 "This is the one to whom I will look..." 00:46:51.272 --> 00:46:54.569 who does God look to? 00:46:54.569 --> 00:46:57.480 He looks to those who are 00:46:57.480 --> 00:46:59.098 humble and contrite in spirit 00:46:59.098 --> 00:47:00.503 and tremble at His Word. 00:47:00.503 --> 00:47:01.597 Coming to His Word. 00:47:01.597 --> 00:47:02.887 Trembling at His Word. 00:47:02.887 --> 00:47:04.339 "To them I'll look." 00:47:04.339 --> 00:47:05.274 That look of God. 00:47:05.274 --> 00:47:08.825 That means He'll look on them with favor. 00:47:08.825 --> 00:47:15.356 It means, it's a look that is very desirable. 00:47:15.356 --> 00:47:18.888 It's not only that God needs to be hearing our voice, 00:47:18.888 --> 00:47:21.823 we must hear the voice of God in our souls. 00:47:21.823 --> 00:47:24.476 You're never going to enjoy fellowship with Him 00:47:24.476 --> 00:47:27.826 unless your ear is trained to hear His voice. 00:47:27.826 --> 00:47:30.766 It's in the Word, yes. 00:47:30.766 --> 00:47:34.673 It comes from pulpits, yes. 00:47:34.673 --> 00:47:37.683 We see that the Psalmist says, 00:47:37.683 --> 00:47:39.653 "The heavens declare it." 00:47:39.653 --> 00:47:41.370 It's in the creation. 00:47:41.370 --> 00:47:43.770 God speaks to us by His Providence. 00:47:43.770 --> 00:47:46.324 He speaks to us in creation. 00:47:46.324 --> 00:47:48.716 He speaks to us through His preachers. 00:47:48.716 --> 00:47:53.338 He speaks to us in His book. 00:47:53.338 --> 00:47:57.594 He speaks to us in promptings of the Holy Spirit. 00:47:57.594 --> 00:48:00.983 He speaks to us in conscience. 00:48:00.983 --> 00:48:03.130 He's given Himself a voice 00:48:03.130 --> 00:48:04.310 through many means. 00:48:04.310 --> 00:48:06.049 We need ears, 00:48:06.049 --> 00:48:08.051 not just that are trained to hear, 00:48:08.051 --> 00:48:10.347 but take time to hear. 00:48:10.347 --> 00:48:12.410 O, when you got all the noise coming! 00:48:12.410 --> 00:48:13.914 That's one of the things 00:48:13.914 --> 00:48:16.184 about all the technology today 00:48:16.184 --> 00:48:20.428 it just bombs us with noise! NOTE Paragraph 00:48:20.428 --> 00:48:25.600 I would say seventhly, meditation. 00:48:25.600 --> 00:48:27.671 Close, sweet communion with God 00:48:27.671 --> 00:48:29.553 is kept up by meditation. 00:48:29.553 --> 00:48:31.455 You remember there in Genesis 24. 00:48:31.455 --> 00:48:33.649 Remember what Isaac was doing? 00:48:33.649 --> 00:48:36.599 Here comes his bride-to-be. 00:48:36.599 --> 00:48:38.839 And what was he doing? 00:48:38.839 --> 00:48:41.176 He was walking in the fields. 00:48:41.176 --> 00:48:43.371 Oh, if there is a time to walk in the fields - 00:48:43.371 --> 00:48:44.706 sunrise and sunset. 00:48:44.706 --> 00:48:46.825 Especially here in hot Texas. 00:48:46.825 --> 00:48:48.323 But there's a time to get out. 00:48:48.323 --> 00:48:50.635 I don't know, maybe not all of you need to walk. 00:48:50.635 --> 00:48:53.392 But oh, walking outside is the place 00:48:53.392 --> 00:48:55.742 for me to meditate. 00:48:55.742 --> 00:48:57.510 I know 00:48:57.510 --> 00:48:59.651 you know Charles and John Wesley's mother, 00:48:59.651 --> 00:49:01.101 hers was under an apron. 00:49:01.101 --> 00:49:03.214 The place isn't what's most important. 00:49:03.214 --> 00:49:06.497 But Isaac was out there meditating. 00:49:06.497 --> 00:49:11.362 Meditation is giving real time 00:49:11.362 --> 00:49:13.915 to think and chew, 00:49:13.915 --> 00:49:17.102 to contemplate God's works, 00:49:17.102 --> 00:49:19.146 and His wonders, and His glory, 00:49:19.146 --> 00:49:21.107 and His beauty, and what He says 00:49:21.117 --> 00:49:22.232 in His word. 00:49:22.232 --> 00:49:24.413 And what our needs are, our wants, 00:49:24.413 --> 00:49:25.702 it's how He's working. 00:49:25.702 --> 00:49:28.652 Meditation just rivets the mind 00:49:28.652 --> 00:49:30.932 to biblical truths, and it brings 00:49:30.932 --> 00:49:33.030 God and the soul close together. 00:49:33.030 --> 00:49:35.377 Those of you that know something about meditation, 00:49:35.377 --> 00:49:37.137 you know that's true. 00:49:37.137 --> 00:49:39.856 Meditation tends to open our eyes 00:49:39.856 --> 00:49:42.086 to the invisible glory of God. 00:49:42.094 --> 00:49:44.473 Brethren, I'll tell you, there have been times - 00:49:44.473 --> 00:49:45.656 Yes, you go in the Word. 00:49:45.656 --> 00:49:47.446 Yes, you have some time in prayer. 00:49:47.446 --> 00:49:49.567 But you walk and you walk, 00:49:49.567 --> 00:49:52.056 and you linger in prayer, 00:49:52.056 --> 00:49:53.682 and just communing with God 00:49:53.682 --> 00:49:54.620 and meditating. 00:49:54.620 --> 00:49:55.919 And you get into that 00:49:55.919 --> 00:49:58.002 maybe a half hour, an hour, 00:49:58.002 --> 00:49:59.399 an hour and a half 00:49:59.399 --> 00:50:01.446 and suddenly God comes! 00:50:01.446 --> 00:50:03.178 If you only did that for ten minutes 00:50:03.178 --> 00:50:04.930 it wouldn't have happened. 00:50:04.930 --> 00:50:07.348 Meditation, brethren. 00:50:07.348 --> 00:50:10.168 Oh, Psalm 63:6, we read there today. 00:50:10.168 --> 00:50:12.634 "I remember You upon my bed 00:50:12.638 --> 00:50:15.537 and meditate on You in the watches of the night." NOTE Paragraph 00:50:15.537 --> 00:50:18.637 And I would end with this last point. 00:50:18.637 --> 00:50:20.049 Number 8. 00:50:20.049 --> 00:50:22.012 Christian, 00:50:22.012 --> 00:50:26.133 Scripture says that you are God's garden. 00:50:26.133 --> 00:50:29.440 That is a such a picture for fellowship. 00:50:29.440 --> 00:50:31.772 If you're still there in Song of Solomon 00:50:31.772 --> 00:50:34.462 I want you to turn to chapter 4. 00:50:34.462 --> 00:50:39.780 Scripture describes you as God's garden, 00:50:39.780 --> 00:50:42.506 which means it's a place He wants to come 00:50:42.506 --> 00:50:46.280 and delight Himself in the beauty. 00:50:46.280 --> 00:50:51.919 It's a place God delights to walk. 00:50:51.919 --> 00:50:54.921 I mean, what this is 00:50:54.921 --> 00:50:56.882 is it's God telling His people, 00:50:56.882 --> 00:50:58.619 "I want fellowship with you. 00:50:58.619 --> 00:51:00.604 I want to find the sweetness there. 00:51:00.604 --> 00:51:02.604 I want to enjoy it. 00:51:02.604 --> 00:51:04.072 I want to delight in it." 00:51:04.072 --> 00:51:08.649 If you look at the Song of Solomon 4:10. 00:51:08.649 --> 00:51:11.166 Look what Christ says. 00:51:11.166 --> 00:51:12.647 Christ says this to His church, 00:51:12.647 --> 00:51:14.074 "How beautiful is your love 00:51:14.074 --> 00:51:15.783 My sister, My bride! 00:51:15.783 --> 00:51:17.894 How much better is your love than wine 00:51:17.894 --> 00:51:19.405 and the fragrance of your oils 00:51:19.405 --> 00:51:21.138 than any spice! 00:51:21.138 --> 00:51:23.554 Your lips drip nectar, My bride; 00:51:23.554 --> 00:51:25.495 honey and milk are under your tongue; 00:51:25.495 --> 00:51:26.934 the fragrance of your garments 00:51:26.934 --> 00:51:30.382 is like the fragrance of Lebanon." 00:51:30.392 --> 00:51:32.702 He says this in verse 12. 00:51:32.702 --> 00:51:39.375 "A garden locked is My sister, My bride." 00:51:39.375 --> 00:51:42.025 And then you go to verse 16. 00:51:42.025 --> 00:51:44.392 And the church says, 00:51:44.392 --> 00:51:46.871 "Awake, O north wind, and come O south wind! 00:51:46.871 --> 00:51:48.685 Blow upon my garden, 00:51:48.685 --> 00:51:50.622 let its spices flow. 00:51:50.622 --> 00:51:53.156 Let my Beloved come to His garden 00:51:53.156 --> 00:51:55.786 and eat its choicest fruits." 00:51:55.786 --> 00:51:57.193 And then you go to 5:1 00:51:57.193 --> 00:52:00.118 and Christ responds, 00:52:00.118 --> 00:52:03.960 "I came to My garden, My sister, My bride 00:52:03.960 --> 00:52:06.876 I gathered My myrrh with My spice. 00:52:06.876 --> 00:52:09.152 I ate My honeycomb with My honey, 00:52:09.152 --> 00:52:10.862 I drank My wine with My milk. 00:52:10.862 --> 00:52:16.704 Eat, friends, drink, and be drunk with love!" NOTE Paragraph 00:52:16.704 --> 00:52:17.993 I just ask you this, 00:52:17.993 --> 00:52:20.283 I mean this is a picture of Christ 00:52:20.283 --> 00:52:24.030 wanting to come and enjoy 00:52:24.030 --> 00:52:28.705 the delights of His garden. 00:52:28.705 --> 00:52:32.196 We really need to see the Lord desiring that. 00:52:32.196 --> 00:52:34.244 I think sometimes we have this distant, 00:52:34.244 --> 00:52:37.803 austere idea. 00:52:37.803 --> 00:52:41.273 We don't see God really wanting 00:52:41.282 --> 00:52:44.823 this fellowship. 00:52:44.823 --> 00:52:46.754 Desiring it. NOTE Paragraph 00:52:46.754 --> 00:52:48.525 So I ask you this, how you would you 00:52:48.525 --> 00:52:50.764 rate your fellowship with God? 00:52:50.764 --> 00:52:53.104 We're going to move on in 1 John after this. 00:52:53.104 --> 00:52:55.294 But as we leave this topic, 00:52:55.294 --> 00:52:59.534 at least for now, 00:52:59.534 --> 00:53:03.626 how would you rate your fellowship with God? 00:53:03.626 --> 00:53:07.408 Is it distant? 00:53:07.408 --> 00:53:10.185 Is it sloppy? 00:53:10.185 --> 00:53:11.241 Disrespectful? 00:53:11.241 --> 00:53:13.606 Casual? 00:53:13.616 --> 00:53:15.766 Is it close? 00:53:15.766 --> 00:53:18.653 Is it precious to you? 00:53:18.653 --> 00:53:20.398 I mean, can you really say that? 00:53:20.398 --> 00:53:24.758 Walking with the Lord is precious. 00:53:24.768 --> 00:53:26.490 How would you rate it? 00:53:26.490 --> 00:53:28.093 Is it intimate? 00:53:28.093 --> 00:53:30.130 Are you the sort of garden 00:53:30.130 --> 00:53:32.718 where God comes looking for fruit 00:53:32.718 --> 00:53:35.926 and He finds it? 00:53:35.926 --> 00:53:38.584 Delights in it? 00:53:38.584 --> 00:53:42.769 I mean this, brethren, this is heaven on earth 00:53:42.769 --> 00:53:44.120 for the lover of God. 00:53:44.120 --> 00:53:45.240 It really is. 00:53:45.240 --> 00:53:46.856 And no matter how long 00:53:46.856 --> 00:53:50.338 that you have been a child of God, 00:53:50.338 --> 00:53:52.112 you've got to protect this. 00:53:52.112 --> 00:53:54.647 You've got to make efforts at this. 00:53:54.647 --> 00:53:57.449 This has to be a priority. 00:53:57.449 --> 00:53:59.070 We all make choices. 00:53:59.070 --> 00:54:00.671 We all have priorities. 00:54:00.671 --> 00:54:02.031 We all get up in the morning 00:54:02.031 --> 00:54:05.493 with the same number of hours in a day. 00:54:05.503 --> 00:54:07.433 Those who walk close with God 00:54:07.433 --> 00:54:11.234 have the same number of hours. 00:54:11.234 --> 00:54:13.397 How do we spend them? 00:54:13.397 --> 00:54:15.666 What are we doing with them? 00:54:15.666 --> 00:54:17.386 You need to guard 00:54:17.386 --> 00:54:20.048 your relationship with the Father 00:54:20.048 --> 00:54:21.171 and with the Son 00:54:21.171 --> 00:54:22.985 and with the Holy Spirit. NOTE Paragraph 00:54:22.985 --> 00:54:25.251 I mean brethren, ask yourself this. 00:54:25.251 --> 00:54:27.595 Ask, "When was the last time 00:54:27.595 --> 00:54:30.982 you had a sweet time with the Lord?" 00:54:30.982 --> 00:54:34.110 Where your heart jumped because He came! 00:54:34.111 --> 00:54:36.331 Oh, maybe it was overwhelming. 00:54:36.337 --> 00:54:39.797 Maybe it was just that still, small voice. 00:54:39.805 --> 00:54:41.158 He just came. 00:54:41.158 --> 00:54:42.654 He thrilled your souls. 00:54:42.654 --> 00:54:45.297 You felt your soul melt because His Word 00:54:45.297 --> 00:54:47.337 came to you personally. 00:54:47.337 --> 00:54:49.226 I mean, you know when that happens, 00:54:49.226 --> 00:54:50.470 "He spoke to me!" 00:54:50.470 --> 00:54:54.250 I mean you're in the Word and it's for me! 00:54:54.250 --> 00:54:56.686 Or you're out in prayer and He comes and He says, 00:54:56.687 --> 00:54:58.891 "I'm going to give you what you just asked." 00:54:58.891 --> 00:54:59.887 And you know it! 00:54:59.887 --> 00:55:01.710 Or you're just mediating on something 00:55:01.710 --> 00:55:04.524 and suddenly you are so blown away by His glory. 00:55:04.524 --> 00:55:06.246 And it's because His Spirit has come 00:55:06.246 --> 00:55:07.564 and opened your mind 00:55:07.564 --> 00:55:09.057 and your understanding 00:55:09.057 --> 00:55:11.492 and just swept you away. 00:55:11.492 --> 00:55:13.744 Brethren, when has that happened? 00:55:13.744 --> 00:55:17.288 Look, I'm not talking about 00:55:17.288 --> 00:55:19.484 knowing God in theory. 00:55:19.484 --> 00:55:21.388 I'm not talking about 00:55:21.388 --> 00:55:24.614 just knowing in theory that He loves you. 00:55:24.614 --> 00:55:28.352 Do you personally drink the love 00:55:28.352 --> 00:55:31.301 of the Father and the Son? 00:55:31.301 --> 00:55:33.774 Manifestly? 00:55:33.774 --> 00:55:35.164 I'm not talking about just 00:55:35.164 --> 00:55:37.303 diving into the theology book. 00:55:37.303 --> 00:55:38.914 Do you know this? 00:55:38.914 --> 00:55:39.950 Brethren! 00:55:39.950 --> 00:55:42.730 Do you know this? NOTE Paragraph 00:55:42.730 --> 00:55:44.277 I mean, we have a Husband. 00:55:44.277 --> 00:55:48.992 Didn't He give us that picture in Hosea? 00:55:48.992 --> 00:55:51.546 But we're like Gomer. 00:55:51.546 --> 00:55:53.159 What a name! Gomer. 00:55:53.159 --> 00:55:59.365 But we're like her! 00:55:59.365 --> 00:56:01.327 I always think of Gomer Pyle. 00:56:01.327 --> 00:56:02.918 It's like a ridiculous name. 00:56:02.918 --> 00:56:05.288 But, Gomer. 00:56:05.288 --> 00:56:09.071 She's unfaithful. 00:56:09.071 --> 00:56:13.651 And Hosea is like Christ. 00:56:13.662 --> 00:56:16.610 Brethren, He comes along to a bunch of prostitutes. 00:56:16.610 --> 00:56:17.563 That's what we are. 00:56:17.563 --> 00:56:20.086 That's what we were. 00:56:20.086 --> 00:56:21.236 You'd say that's what 00:56:21.236 --> 00:56:23.516 some of us are now. 00:56:23.516 --> 00:56:25.594 That's what many of us were before. 00:56:25.594 --> 00:56:27.808 Just prostitutes! 00:56:27.808 --> 00:56:30.495 Just these unfaithful - 00:56:30.495 --> 00:56:31.671 we were harlots. 00:56:31.671 --> 00:56:34.305 We just gave ourselves freely 00:56:34.305 --> 00:56:36.099 to our whoredom out there. 00:56:36.099 --> 00:56:37.638 And He comes along 00:56:37.638 --> 00:56:40.613 and He buys us off the slave block. 00:56:40.613 --> 00:56:42.761 Is that not what He did? 00:56:42.761 --> 00:56:45.985 He says, "I pay for you with My blood." 00:56:45.985 --> 00:56:51.519 And now, I want you for Me. 00:56:51.519 --> 00:56:56.084 I don't want you going and giving yourself 00:56:56.084 --> 00:56:59.072 to all your other lovers anymore. 00:56:59.072 --> 00:57:01.526 I want you for Me. 00:57:01.526 --> 00:57:04.146 Brethren, that's a picture of the gospel. 00:57:04.146 --> 00:57:05.730 That's what this is all about. 00:57:05.730 --> 00:57:08.160 He wants us for Him. 00:57:08.160 --> 00:57:11.646 He's bought us with a price. 00:57:11.646 --> 00:57:14.157 Calls us to leave our other lovers 00:57:14.157 --> 00:57:17.347 and surrender to His love. 00:57:17.347 --> 00:57:21.962 To be that garden that He delights in. 00:57:21.962 --> 00:57:24.130 If you all you ever heard is Christianity is 00:57:24.130 --> 00:57:26.531 just be saved from your sin and saved from hell. 00:57:26.531 --> 00:57:28.979 Brethren, this goes much deeper. 00:57:28.979 --> 00:57:33.578 This thing is beautiful and precious to the uttermost. 00:57:33.578 --> 00:57:37.192 Don't sell it for a song. 00:57:37.192 --> 00:57:38.983 Brethren, priorities. 00:57:38.983 --> 00:57:42.814 Priorities. 00:57:42.814 --> 00:57:45.196 Choices. NOTE Paragraph 00:57:45.196 --> 00:57:48.634 May God help us. 00:57:48.634 --> 00:57:52.801 Father, we ask for Your grace. 00:57:52.801 --> 00:57:54.082 We ask for the power 00:57:54.082 --> 00:57:56.457 of the Spirit of God. 00:57:56.457 --> 00:57:58.553 Make this a reality. 00:57:58.553 --> 00:58:00.308 Oh Lord, we know that you want us 00:58:00.308 --> 00:58:02.274 to walk with you in worship, in honor, 00:58:02.280 --> 00:58:05.772 in praise, in love. 00:58:05.772 --> 00:58:11.365 We know that this is indeed the chief thing. 00:58:11.365 --> 00:58:16.274 Giving our lives to You. 00:58:16.274 --> 00:58:18.256 Giving ourselves entirely; 00:58:18.258 --> 00:58:21.351 a sacrifice upon the altar of God 00:58:21.351 --> 00:58:22.776 to be consumed 00:58:22.776 --> 00:58:31.956 by Your fire of love for Your people. 00:58:31.956 --> 00:58:36.942 Lord, I pray for the grace for this church. 00:58:36.942 --> 00:58:38.221 That above all things 00:58:38.221 --> 00:58:42.376 no matter what you do with us, 00:58:42.376 --> 00:58:46.308 Lord, I pray, 00:58:46.308 --> 00:58:49.662 pray that you would make this church, 00:58:49.662 --> 00:58:54.281 at whatever cost necessary; 00:58:54.281 --> 00:58:55.675 whatever you have to bring, 00:58:55.675 --> 00:58:59.771 whatever fire to purify, 00:58:59.771 --> 00:59:04.012 whatever comforts to help, 00:59:04.012 --> 00:59:06.585 whatever is necessary, Lord. 00:59:06.585 --> 00:59:08.975 I pray that You would make this church 00:59:08.975 --> 00:59:10.683 what You want it to be. 00:59:10.683 --> 00:59:15.204 Fruitful, beautiful in your sight. 00:59:15.204 --> 00:59:19.172 Lord, spare us nothing 00:59:19.172 --> 00:59:21.176 that you've given to your elect people 00:59:21.176 --> 00:59:22.234 through the ages. 00:59:22.234 --> 00:59:24.544 Spare us nothing 00:59:24.544 --> 00:59:27.788 that will propel us forward 00:59:27.788 --> 00:59:31.928 into these degrees of glory. 00:59:31.938 --> 00:59:33.998 That will propel us forward 00:59:33.998 --> 00:59:36.228 into a deeper intimacy 00:59:36.228 --> 00:59:38.709 and knowing you with that knowledge, 00:59:38.709 --> 00:59:44.419 that oh, that is so sweet and so valuable. 00:59:44.419 --> 00:59:45.586 Help us, Lord, 00:59:45.586 --> 00:59:47.218 we pray in Christ's name. 00:59:47.218 --> 00:59:48.115 Amen.