God has promised that if we draw near to Him, He will draw near
to us. The Bible tells the story of a father longing to be
reunited with His wayward son. And of the father's joy when
His son finally returns home. This touching illustration
reveals God's desire to have us come close to Him.
Let's draw near to God and He will draw near to us.
Good evening again everybody! Welcome to this week of
spiritual emphasis and revival. Have you been blessed as you've
come night after night to these meetings? Amen!
Have you sensed the Holy Spirit speaking to your hearts?
Have you been drawn closer to God?
Cause that's the purpose of why we've been doing this
revival so that we can be drawn closer to God.
To those of you who are watching us live via satellite across the
country and around the world we would like to extend a very
special welcome to you as well. We thank you for joining us.
And I trust that the Holly Spirit is also be working in
your heart and in your life as we gather together to seek His
presence.
We would like to greet a group that has sent in a picture,
that's a church in Canada, Ontario Canada, and I'm
looking to see if we have a picture up.
It's the Iron Bridge SDA Church in Ontario Canada.
Thank you for joining us! Everybody say Hello, to the
the group in Ontario Canada! Hello! All right!
Welcome! I would also like to say hello
to my three children tonight. Justin, Jesse and Chandelle.
They're watching from granny and grandpa's house in California.
I hope they are not giving to granny and grandpa to many
gray hairs, but I do wanted to say Hi to them.
Friends this weekend we have a very special program plant.
Starting at 10:30 Saturday morning we're going to be
broadcasting our special Sabbath morning service. So please be
sure to be here on time for that.
And then in the afternoon at 6:00 we will be having a special
musical program and then at 7:00 we will be finishing out
this week of revival.
Some of you have asked about getting copies of this revival
series. I've been told that there is a special discounted
price for those of you who would like to order before Sunday.
To order you can go to the website - amaizingfacts.org
and you can order that way. Or you can call our resource
number. And the number there is: 866-905-Revive.
That's 7384. And just mention to them that you are looking for
the resources for the DVD, or VHS copy of this revival series.
And those who are watching! If you would like a copy and
get the early discount you can go ahead and contact us and we
will be sure to get that out to you.
We have an exciting program once more tonight.
And again we thank you for joining us. Pastor Doug ceremony
is entitled "The Pride Of Life". And let's stand and sing our
theme song "Revive us Lord". Those of you who are watching
I hope you're joining and sing with us as John and Kelly lead
us.
Amen!
Tonight our prayer will be brought to us by pastor Doug
Kiltecher. We will like to invite you to remain standing
as we kneel on the platform to go before the Lord in prayer.
Gracious Father in Heaven. You have written long ago that
the fool sais in His heart or her heart - there is no God!
But you go on to say that You look for the sons and daughters
who will understand, who will be willing to commit.
We are those kinds of people tonight around this world.
Father, guide and direct us as we listen, as we hear, and as we
obey. Bless pastor Doug as he speaks,
as he leads us. The opportunity to be able to turn our lives
over to You. Is the most important thing we can do.
Be with us Father! Thank you for sending the Holy Spirit
to be with each listener we pray, in Jesus name, Amen!
You may be sited!
Good evening friends!
Tonight we have a very important subject we'll be sharing it
with you about the pride of life and something I hope will
encourage and bless and edifying and even challenge everybody.
I want to welcome in a special way those who are watching.
We're hearing that there are hundreds who are watching on
the internet from around the world we've been getting your
questions and mail. From Central America, Europe, and we want to
welcome you as well as those who are watching of course on
3ABN, listening on 3ABN radio, on ACN the Hope Channel.
And it is a pleasure to welcome you as well.
Now we're going to go to our Bible questions and tonight
pastor John... You know! Pastor John and I have been doing
evangelism together for more than 20 years now.
And he use to always do the Bible questions with me.
The problem was he always wanted to answer them.
So tonight I'll resist the temptation!
And then I'd have Karen do the questions with me, and she would
help me too. So, you all pray for me and John!
Well we have a number of questions tonight and I'm always
glad that the Lord has an answer on His word.
Our first question tonight it says:
Pastor Doug you said you believe Jesus is coming soon,
but you did not give any reasons or signs. What were some of the
most convincing signs that make you say that?
Well there are many. Hundreds I think.
Probably for me, one of the most obvious is what's happening
right here.
And what I mean by that is Jesus said in Mathew 24:14:
"The gospel of this Kingdom will be preached in all the world,
for a witness to all nations, then the end will come."
And now because of the blessings of communications through the
media this message is bouncing off satellites around the world.
Going via the internet. The tapes then, the videos, DVDs,
cassette tapes will follow.
So the message is going around the world. And I've been to New
Guinea where they're receiving this programs on satellites, the
most remote places that you can imagine.
And so, that's why I think Jesus has to come in this generation.
Not to mention the threat of the war of course, rumors of
war, people's hearts failing for fear and the wave's roaring.
That's tsunami made you wonder. If that was a fulfillment of
what Luke said: And I think is Chapter 17:21 "The sea and the
waves roaring!"
So the distress of nations with perplexity. They are talking now
about another pandemic flew that up to 15 million could die.
I could go on and on and on.
But there are many signs. And one of them is the church is
asleep and that's why we're having this revival. We need to
wake up! Amen! Snoring is a sign of Jesus imminent return!
Especially in church! That's right!
Remember you wrote a book about how to survive a dead church?
Yeah! Very good book. How to survive and thrive in
a dead church.
Another question? Is it wrong to read Christian
fiction books for a pleasure reading?
Well, I'm hesitating the answer because I certainly don't think
you ought to be wasting your precious time to fortify your
soul reading Glues Lamoure's Westerns.
When you say fiction...If you're talking about pilgrim's progress
well, technically that's a fiction but it's a spiritual allegory
it's even recommended by the book Great Controversy.
It says it's a wonderful book.
And so there are some things that technically you can call
fiction, but they are pure and true in the sense that they're
convey truth. So you need to apply that test that you find
in Philippians. We have so little time to feed our souls.
And there is so much nonsense in the world. But I think that
if you're going to take time to read...Try to read things that
will be a blessing, can be interesting, but will fortify
your soul at the same time.
Otherwise you're living in an imaginary world and it doesn't
help you prepare for the real temptations of life.
Well, the next question comes from somebody in Switzerland
it says from Switzerland: "I am enjoying this seminar
very much. The other night we heard a question: How do you
overcome sin? You didn't give any specific answer!"
You know part of the reason was because it's such a big subject.
I've actually done a whole camp meeting series on being
overcomes and it's you know, seven hours of information.
Because it is one of the most important questions.
Let me give you some simple answers:
What's the best way to get darkness out of a room?
Introduce light.
You don't have to use a snow shovel to get the darkness out.
Just turn the light on.
The more you absorb the light the more it will dispel the
the darkness.
"Thy word I've heed in my heart that I might not sin."
So! The word of God is the weapon Jesus used to be an
overcomer against sin.
Moody said: "Sin will keep you from the Bible or the Bible will
keep you from sin."
I've been telling you all along. Through prayer. Jesus said:
"Pray that you enter not into temptation." Prayer will give
you the victory and help you resist temptation.
So the devotional life. Sharing your faith actually
strengthens your faith. As you give your faith away, yours gets
stronger. Don't ask me to explain it, but it's a spiritual
rule you can trust. So there are many things, but...
We've got some books at the Amazing Facts website you can
download for free. One of them by Joe Cruise is a classic.
It is called: "Is it possible to live without sinning?"
Don't get scared by the title! It's an encouraging book.
On Wednesday the pastor said: "God sends disasters such as:
floods, hurricanes, etc... This confuses me because I've
heard other Adventist pastors say - the devil causes these
calamities and not God."
You know I saw that question and I printed something out.
This is a quote from Review and Herald, November 8, 1892.
"The day of test and purification is just upon us.
Signs of a most startling character appear, in floods, in
hurricanes, in tornadoes, in cloud-bursts, in casualties by
land and by sea, that proclaim the approach of the end of all
things. The judgments of God (what do
they call)? The judgments of God are falling on the world,
that men may be awakened to the fact that Christ will come
speedily." And so when these natural
disasters happen people say: Is this from God or is it from
the devil? When the judgments came on Job?
It seems that the devil had the ability to cause a tornado that
brought down the house his children were in.
That brought fire down from heaven-that will be lightning.
But the devil had to go to God to get the permission to send
those judgments. So ultimately sometimes God allows these
things to come. Whether the devil is sending them. And he
does have some power. Or God... Did God send?...Well, I mean
it wasn't the devil that sent the flood in Noah's days was it?
He probably was looking for a higher ground Himself.
And so, Yes God does sometimes use the forces of nature to get
our attention.
Like Sodom and Gomorrah wasn't from the devil. Destruction of
Jerusalem wasn't. Laughing...Ok!
Next question. Pastor Loma Kane...I mean pastor Doug!
Pastor Novocain??!!!
If God expects us to be honest in all things, does that include
driving the posted speed limit?
You will answer that one John?
How fast do you drive?
Fast enough to keep up with you!
Ok!
I thought a lot about this. The Bible is clear:
"Obey the laws of the land!"
No, I am not going to ask for a show of hands about how many
of you are often tempted to drive faster than the speed
limit, cause I might tempt you to be dishonest.
But for a while there I read that scripture-obey the laws
of the land and I was somebody with a lead foot.
My father drove idée cars.
We raced in our family.
And so it was a struggle.
And you know what I noticed it is the first few times I
really tried to go to the speed limit, I was becoming a meanness.
Cars were coming up behind me and hitting their brakes and
squinting and zooming around me and honking and...
I said: Lord what am I supposed to do?
I am trying to obey the law of the land and you know...
People with Volkswagen bugs are passing me.
And I've got peace now. If the Holy Spirit is telling you
to always stay under whatever the posted speed limit is, then
bless your soul I have no burden to change your impression.
For me. I have realized that some of these speed limits
represent the spirit of the law. Laughing...
and not the letter.
And even today I was going through town and there was a
police sheriff going with the flow and everybody was going
above the posted speed limit right there with the policeman
with them.
And so...Just keep in mind whatever law you're breaking
you need to be willing to pay the penalty.
Fortunately the penalty for the speed limit is not death.
But could be if you're really driving too fast.
So... I don't know the answer! Laughs...
Next question!
Ok. Can you preach to us a little bit about music.
Is all secular music bad? What is good and bad music?
A Christian rap? Can you show us some principles on music?
Well. let's start with Christian rap.
I feel the same way about Christian rap as I do about
Christian pornography. Laughing...
It is an oxymoron in my opinion.
Now I know some people took great offence on that.
But... I just did a two part series at my church in
Sacramento on music. Because it is a big subject. It is a
controversial subject. I believe that there is a place
for us to sing new songs to the Lord. What you might call
contemporary... When I say contemporary doesn't mean rock
music it means music to this current.
And there is a place for new songs. All the songs in your
hymnal at one point were new. Isn't that right?
But the principles for music is not so much weather it is new
or old its weather the words in the music itself is glorifying
God. Sometimes the emphasis of the music is on the rhythms
that have a very scentous nature to them. And I think is hard to
put godly words to striper music.
Dance music. And I'm not talking about the kind of dance David
and Miriam did, I'm talking about disco.
And so all you have to do is say: Well, is sanctified
because I put Christian words to it!
And that's a real struggle. And I think it creates an
appetite in the young people for the worldly music.
So both the music and the words should be of a godly character.
It's a deep study. I wished I had more time for that.
Get the two sermons and listen to them!
Next question Doug. Came from the young lady by the name of
Jessica. I think she has a nice art, she wants you to keep, but
it says: Hi, pastor Doug I have a question: Do you have to be
baptized to go to Heaven? And besides the movie Final Events
is really cool. I hope you'll like my drawing!
Question: - Do you have to be baptized to go to Heaven?
Well obviously there's going to be lot of people prior to John
the Baptist that will be in the Kingdom and weren't baptized.
So the simple answer is NO!
I mean you're hopping that Noah was baptizing the whole
world, wasn't he? Laughs... But you're hopping people like
Enoch and Abraham and others will be in the Kingdom, we trust
they will and they were not baptized as you know the right
of baptism. Maybe they means since New Testament times.
Of course you have a few exceptions like the thief on the
cross who we believe he'll be in the Kingdom. We have no
knowledge that he was baptized.
But some would might be wondering if it necessary
for me to be baptized if I'm following Jesus. Is it something
I have to do in connection with salvation?
I'd say that it is obviously something the Lord wants you
to obey. The great commission is: "Go ye therefore teaching
and baptize!" He that believes and baptize will be save, he
that believes not will be damned.
He that is born of the water and the spirit will enter the
Kingdom of heaven. You need both births, unless you're born
of the water and the spirit. And so baptism is basically
the public declaration of your acceptance of Christ.
Baptism is as important to a Christian as a marriage
ceremony is to a marriage.
So, why wouldn't someone who is accepting Jesus want to be
baptized?
We have a book on that too. You can be read it for free.
It is called: "Is it baptism necessary?"
Just go to the Amazing Facts website.
Thank you!
Thank you Doug! Can you say Amen! - Amen!
Continue keeping those questions coming our way.
And tonight we have a special offer for those of you who are
watching even for our audience is called:
"ho will sing the song?" Understanding the 144,000.
If you would like a copy of that. Offer number 172
and you can call for that free offer 866 905 Revive.
Or 905 7384 or those of you who are here could stop by
our table or go to the Amazing Facts website to receive a
copy. The 144,000 has been quite a controversial issue.
Pastor Doug has done a wonderful job on presenting that topic.
And I think you would like that free copy, free offer for that
specific book "Who will sing the song?" Understanding the 144,000
Also we would like to thank you for your offerings each night.
Amen!
These meetings are meetings that costs quite a bit.
As you can see this wonderful auditorium, all the staff and
the equipment, 3ABN and Amazing Facts together has put this
program together to cause Revival.
And if those of you who are watching, would like to support
you can go to the 3ABN website, or amaizingfacts.org, or
3ABN.org there and give your offerings to support the
continued presentations of these meetings or support your local
churches or your local sites where these meetings are being
held. But tonight I'd like to invite our ushers to stand
as we invite the Lord's presence to encourage our hearts
to support the meetings. Because we do believe that we're
living in the day and age where revival is necessary because
Jesus is soon to come.
This evening as our offerings is being collected, we'll be
blessed by a good friend of mine Jamie Jorge who's going
to be playing "People need the Lord" accompanied by Kelly
Mower.
Amen!
Thank you!
Thank you Jaime and Kelly. People do need the Lord.
And that's why we're having these series. Amen!
Again I want to take a moment to welcome those who may have
just joined us to drawing near. 05 Revive. We do want to get
your questions. If you have prayer requests. You could also
post them. Hope we've been mentioning that at the website.
And remember the theme of this series is very simply:
"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you."
Now part of that verse that you read in our, I should say it's
our scripture that is sort of a model for our series, our theme.
If you turn in your Bibles to the book of James Chapter 4.
It begins by talking about... "Therefore, verse 7..."
"Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will
flee from you.
Someone was asking about victory - submit to God. -
"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your
hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to
mourning, your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight
of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
You know? It doesn't say anywhere in the Bible that
we're to pray that God humbles us.
It always sais: "Humble yourself!"
You can chose to humble yourself.
And what's the fruit of that? He will lift you up!
The whole focus of these verses: - Draw near to God,
humble yourself and He will lift you up!"
That's what repentance is all about.
We're going to talk a little bit about the pride and humility.
Which is I think; one of the most important and frequently
neglected subjects.
Our message tonight is dealing with the Pride of Life.
We've talked about those three great areas where Jesus was
tempted in the wilderness. The lust of the flesh, the lust
of the eyes and the pride of life.
Three great areas where God promise us to give us victory.
And so now as we again open the word please pray with me!
Lord, Almighty Father, we would ask that the Holy Spirit
will take possession of everybody in this room.
Those who are listening via the television, radio, internet.
And we pray that You will speak to us Lord. Touch our hearts
for the principles of truth. And even more important;
we ask that the seeds that are sown will bear fruit, they'll
be rooted in our hearts and they'll be able to abide the
storm.
We thank You for hearing this, cause we asked in the name of
Your Son Jesus, Amen!
One of my favorite books Daniel. Go with me please!
Daniel chapter 4, Tells a story about when king Nabucadnezar
had a dream.
He was sleeping one night. Of course this is not the dream
we were talking about in chapter 2. In chapter 4 he has another
dream.
And he dreams something that he knows is a message from God.
Latter calls in the wise men, and the astrologers and ask for the
interpretation to his dream and they can't help him.
Latter Daniel is called.
And his dream is about this great tree.
That both shades and feeds the world.
And the tree is cut down, but the stump is left with a band
of bronze and iron and eventually is restored.
And Daniel tells to Nebucadnezar: You are the tree!
And all nations have come to look to you for leadership and
Babylon has become the golden empire. One of the greatest
most magnificent, if not the most magnificent empire of the
ancient world.
And the problem with success is that power corrupts, and absolute
power corrupts absolutely.
And Daniel wormed that brilliant king he said:
"In spite of all your success you're a great risk of being
cut down!"
So, my council to you is that you humble yourself.
Break up your sins by doing righteousness it might be a
lengthener of your tranquility.
Well, at first even the proud monarch was convicted by this
dream. He knew that God was telling him something. And so
evidently he tried to behave himself and followed Daniel's
council for a while, about a year went by.
And it says in verse 28 of Daniel Chapter 4:
"All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.
At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of
the kingdom of Babylon." Makes it sound like he's walking
on the balcony. Maybe by the hangings gardens there.
Surveying the magnificence of this kingdom that just was so
opulent.
Gold everywhere.
The hanging gardens and the river Euphrates and...
All the leaders of the world came to his feet.
And the King spoken said:
"Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of
the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honor of
my majesty?
He was preoccupied with himself wasn't he?
While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice
from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee
it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.
And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be
with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat
grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over Thee, until thou
know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and
gives it to whomsoever he will.
The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar:
and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and
his body was wet with the dew, evidently he is living outdoors
the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like
eagles' feathers. That doesn't means he started growing eagles'
feathers, that was a term that was used when your hair gets
mad it in lumps.
They got a kind of religious sect that grows their hair that
way today don't day?
And his nails like birds' claws. His fingernails run capt...
he became an animal."
Groubeling out there, eating straw, here he thought he
is a proud monarch. And he said: I'm the one that conquer, I'm
the one that built, and this is my power, my wisdom, my majesty.
Me, me, me...
And bingo! He became a raving lunatic grueling around,
eating straw like an ox. One of the lowest of creatures.
You know that story! That passage written by the wisest
king: A hoty spirit goes before a fall.
Have you learned that?
I don't know that I've learned completely, but I had that
lesson many times, probably one I'll have o learn again.
Under my left eye, on my left hand and under my left foot,
I've got scars.
All three times because I was showing off.
Is just something between the Lord and me. He is trying to
to tell me the eye, the hand, the foot's got... Probably
some spiritual significance. And all this happened before
I was 17.
I remember I was showing off, on a bike, going over some jumps
I knew some girls were watching. I really wanted to impress them.
Well I flipped it. Bike lends it on my face and cut me under
my eye. I'm very thankful I can still see.
I got a cut right here on my hand. I had to stitch it up by
myself. I was showing off for a friend. Up in the cave. How I
can spear fish and I was sharpening the stick cutting
towards myself. You're never suppose to do that.
Cut right down to the bone. All the nerves are dead here.
Whenever I look at that I think pride, Showing off.
Some people came to my cave, when I was living up in the
hills, I was going to show them how I could drive off the rocks.
High dive into shallow water. Like someone at the circus.
I didn't get hurt diving.
Walking across the creek, which I had done for years, I don't
how it got there, there was a little gabber baby food jar,
in the creek. I didn't eat baby food I don't know how it got
there way up in the mountains.
And I stepped on it and broke under my foot. Cut my foot
open. Had to sewed up myself.
It hurt.
Got a big old "C" underneath my foot. Pride. Hoty spirit
goes before a fall. Have you had those experiences before?
Whenever you wanting everybody to notice you, better watch out!
And it is something I tried to impress in my children
when they are young. And you know, kids like attention and a
certain amount is healthy. You want to encourage
but you don't want to foster pride within them through
flattering.
I remember one time I was renting, I travel a lot, I was
renting a car and I happened to get an upgrade.
And I was with this national car that says: You pick anything in
that row it is the executive premiere. Whatever they call it.
And they had some fancy cars up there.
And so I thought: Well, you know!
It is not going to cost me any more or less than the
economy car. And I thought Doug, you better not getting...
There was one that was like a sporty race high and no one it
was but this was really fancy.
And I thought: What will people think?
You don't want make anyone stumble, be a bad witness and
I thought: Well, when I get to church, I'll just park far away.
Laughs!!!
So I took it. And it was fun. Gotten that sport car, powerful,
all the modern conveniences and....
And when I got to the church I tried to discretely parking
in the outer back 40, and everybody was coming in and as
I was getting out of the car, I went to look it and instead I
pressed the panic button. Laughs!!!
And so the car start going **********
and everybody turns and sees pastor Doug there, by this
hot ride. I said: Ok, Lord I won't do that again!
I could go on and on. I can take the rest of the service and tell
you the little things that Lord has done to try to get my
attention. And you know, in my position.
I hope you all pray for me. Don't pray God will humiliate me.
But, you know whenever you're up front there's risk. There is
a danger, even in the Spirit of Prophecy she said:
"One of her greatest fears was pride." Because pride...You are
never more like the devil than when you're proud.
And you're never more like Christ than when you're humble.
You know when I first heard that?
At the general conference session in 2000 in Toronto.
I went to the front desk... The hotel was connected to this
great, big auditorium where the belugas play. It's a big
super dome or whatever it is.
And when I went in...It was Karen's birthday. I got there
before her, I wanted to get a nice room.
So I went to the front desk, where we had the regular
room book, it didn't look like we have any hope to change it
to something else. But while I was there at the desk, someone
came up to me and they said: "Oh, we sure appreciate your TV
program!" And the ...? was listening.
And the ...? said: You're on TV?
This is while he's looking for another room.
And I said: Yes!
Laughing!
Now, doesn't always work that way!
I've been going through lines before and someone was checking
out they're going: You're on TV aren't you?
And I said: Yes!
And they said: -You're that annoying car sells man or something!
I said: No! But so doesn't always pen out the way you'd
hope! So the clerk says look:
I got a nice room for you!
Says: I think you're like it!
So he hands me the key, so I go upstairs and in armored side
and it turns out there is one room, that is a room, that the
owner of the team that is... What is it? The Belugas whoever
has that? Yeah! Is his room when there's games.
Is like the people room.
It had a big balcony. It didn't cost me a penny more, but it
had a big balcony and that overlooked the whole General
Conference session. And we would walk out on our balcony and I
always wanted to go like this when I saw everybody during
that... Because you just... 50,000 people I'll go out on the
on the balcony!
Any of you went to the General Conference Session in Toronto?
That was Karen and I up there.
And so it was great. Well, the context goes on here.
At one point during the series on Sabbath, they brought out
all the net speakers, from Net '95 to Net 2000 or...
And Dwight Nelson, and Ken Carson and Lonnie Milershin and
Alexander Bunion and myself, Mark Finley. We're all standing
there waiting to go out and say something about the nets.
Actually they didn't get to say anything. They weren't going
to let evangelists to have a microphone.
But, just before we went out, I am thinking within myself:
Oaw! You came a long way from the cave!
Here you've got the people room, and you're going get to go out
and wave at 50,000 people! And while I'm about to do that
"Dwight's back there rocking back and forth and he said:
Doug just remember! You're never..." He doesn't know
what I'm thinking! He says: "You're never more like the
devil than when you're proud!" Laughing!
Just before I go up there!
Laughing!!!
So, I know the Lord has His ways and then I pray that God
will help me follow this passages that say:
"Humble yourself, because it hurts a lot more when He does it!
Right?!!
You get two choices: - You can humble yourself in the
sight of God and He will lift you up!
Or you can let Him humble you!
And that's what He did to Nabuchadnetar.
Nebuchadnetar thought He was really smart.
Wisdom is a gift from God.
And when you start to take the credit for yourself, God can
retract it. And you will be nothing more than a raving
imbecile.
Which is what happened to Nebuchadnetar. This brilliant
king.
Everyone saw his council.
Then all of a sudden, he is just foaming at the mouth and
graveling out in the ground and...They didn't know what
to do with him, I guess they just sort of put him out in his
hone grounds for a while and try to tell everybody, the king is
on extended vacation. I don't know how they kept the
kingdom together for seven years.
Major cover up.
King lost his mind. What caused it? Pride!
Proverbs 12:15 "The way of a fool is right in
his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise."
Pride keeps people from listening to others.
They think they know everything.
In the multitude of counselors there is safety.
As soon as you start thinking you're really smart, you stop
listening and then you make foolish decisions.
Proverbs 11:2 "When pride comes, then comes
shame-humiliation; But with the humble is wisdom."
What preserves intelligence?
Humility!
You know! You're never too little for God to use.
But you can be too big for God to use.
Proverbs 15:33 "The fear of the LORD is the
instruction of wisdom, And before honor is humility."
Proverbs 27:2 "Let another man praise you,
and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your
own lips."
And, you know, it's often a temptation everybody
likes to someone squeeze in something positive,
that has been said about them. And isn't it a true that we
always seem to remember a compliment?
Something about our nature that when someone says something
nice or compliment us, that we sort of basking that, and
embraced it. Is good to encourage people, don't
misunderstand, but flattering is something different.
Many bee has drown in his own honey.
And you don't want to be blowing your own trumpet.
And when someone complements you, you got to know how to take
that and it is appropriate to encourage and to compliment
other people, but you don't want to flatter people.
That's when it starts getting sticky; and I remember when I
first starting preaching. I love the Lord, I love His word,
I love to share His word, but I am human. I like to be liked.
Don't you?
Sure you do! You won't admitted but you do!
Everyone wants to be liked.
I mean what's the converse? You want to be hated?
And you get up an you say something, you get back to the
door, people shake hands on Sabbath and you're kind of
hopping that you did a good job, you're listening for
encouragement. And I learned not to take everything everybody
said too seriously.
Because it occur to me they don't know what else to say.
And just as soon as someone will go by and say:
"Great sermon pastor!" I overhear someone else saying:
I didn't get anything out of that!
And then it occur to me;
There are pastors, there's a few pastors on the radio that I hear
from time to time and one of them; I don't know how he
manages to stay on the radio, but he's been there a long way,
I think he owns the station.
And he answers Bible questions.
And his answers to me are the most bizarre off the wall,
indubitable things I've ever heard.
And I think, he can't possible be reading the Bible.
But people are always calling him and saying:
Brother we sure appreciate your program!
So whenever I am tempted to think that I am something,
then I remember there are also people that like this guy.
So you can't take it too seriously.
Someone said that the compliment is like perfume.
Sniff but don't swallow, it will make you sick.
So, Nebuchadnezzar lost the kingdom.
After seven years his wots returned and God revealed to him
why he was up there grabbling, then he praise the Lord and gave
God the credit for everything and we hope to see Nebuchadnezzar
in the Kingdom.
Because he finally realize, that he really had nothing to be proud
off. Who was it? Spurgeon that said:
We should never be proud of race or place or face.
Shouldn't be proud of our position, our appearance,
our possessions and yet we all struggle with that.
A lots of people are insecure.
And that's sort of like another manifestation of pride.
We're so worried about, so preoccupied with what others
think of us that we're constantly struggling with what
you might call low self esteem.
What we should really be preoccupied with is:
What does God think of me?
And remember this is what Jesus focused on so much during His
ministry.
Some struggle with pride of appearance.
And we are so preoccupied with how we look.
And I believe that there is still strong Biblical support
in simplicity in dress. And appearance Christians should
not be flamboyant and ostentatious.
People should not be attracted or distracted by outward
appearance in what we wear.
Amen!
All the bubbles and beads and ornamentation that people put
on themselves as though they are going to...through their
expensive cloths and a tire, increase their worth before God.
Christians should be neat and clean.
I remember a story in the Bible. Acts chapter 12:
King Herod gave a speech arrayed in his royal apparel.
He had a...? robes, probably glittered in the sunlight.
And while he was giving the speech the intoxicated crowd
said: Is the voice of a god and not
of a man! And he knew better. He knew that was blasphemy.
And he should have stippled that.
But instead he drunk it.
Yes, that's true. I am a god!
And the Bible sais - the angel of the Lord, because he
didn't gave God he glory, the angel of the Lord smoke him.
Proud of his appearance.
Smoke him with worms. He was eaten from the inside out
That will give you a little idea about how God feels about
pride. And by the way is the great sin.
As C.S. Luis said in his book: "Mirror Christianity"
The sin of the devil principally began with pride.
How did sin enter in our world?
Pride! We shall be as God!
And have you read about what the devil's ambition is?
I will be like the Most High!
And really we're all attracted by, we're all enticed by
the idea that we can be little gods.
There even some religions that say: You are gods!
And people had not completed gotten the victory over that
delusion.
Herod took the glory that belonged to God - proud of his
appearance.
Now, oh I better keep moving!"
Proud of possessions.
Go with me please to Isaiah. And this story is actually found
three places in the Bible so I think that God is trying to
tell us and He doesn't want us to miss the point.
If you go to Isaiah chapter 39:
You remember Hezekiah was sick. Hezekiah good king.
He prayed and you know God deliver him from an army that
was going to destroy the whole nation.
And then through Isaiah, when he was sick and he was healed
the Lord made the sun dial and go back. Ten degrees.
You remember this story in the Bible?
I don't have time to read it all.
And he was healed.
Well he felt good. Problem was he felt a little too good.
Start to feeling pretty good about himself.
You know, because I prayed, God heard my prayer.
Not only did he let me live longer, he made the whole solar
system readjust for me.
I mean Isaiah said: What do you want?
The sun to go down 10 degrees, or back 10 degrees?
And I said: Go back 10 degrees! And He did!
I am really something!
And then ambassadors came from Babylon.
To find out about this God, that Hezekiah worshiped.
He had an opportunity to talk about God.
But instead of talking about God Hezekiah was pleased
because you know, Babylon! I mean it was a mighty empire.
All of the who's who of the intelligent was in Babylon.
The great scientists were in Babylon.
And the very fact that they would send emissaries to him
made him feel pretty important.
He wanted to impress them. You know, because he felt a
little insecure, because they going to think, we're just a
hockey nation. I want them to know how powerful we really are.
And so you read here in Isaiah chapter 39:
"Hezekiah was pleased, verse 2, with these ambassadors, that came
and showed them the house of his treasures.
the silver and gold, the spices and precious ointment, and all
his armory - all that was found among his treasures.
There was nothing in his house or in all his dominion that
Hezekiah did not show them."
How sad!
Didn't show them the Lord!
They came to find out about God!
Now this was before Nabukanedzar came and destroyed the temple.
And then Isaiah the prophet went to King Hezekiah, and said
to him, "What did these men say, and from where did they come
to you?" So Hezekiah said, "They came to me from a far
country, from Babylon."
We talked about a far country before didn't we?
And he said, "What have they seen in your house?"
What have they seen in your house?
One more time: What they have seen in your house?
I want that to sink in.
God sends people to us.
Your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit.
What are they seeing in your house?
Maybe you invite people over. What are they seeing in your
house?
If the pastor comes over do you have to leave him at the door
while you redecorate?!
What will they see in your house?
You act one way at church and another way at home?
What do your children see in your house?
Here he had an opportunity to show them the Lord,
and instead he showed them his stuff.
He wasn't proud so much of his appearance, as he was of his
possessions.
What is it that matters to God?
Is not what matters to the world!
The world spells success differently.
In the world people measure you by what kind of car you drive.
God isn't interested in what kind of car the man drives,
he is interested in what kind of man drives the car.
In the world people want to know if you're living in the right
neighborhood. Is what kind of house does the family live in.
God is at the least bit impressed with what kind of
house you might live in, He's interested in what kind of
family lives in the house.
In the world, they have all of the cameras pulled out during
the academy awards to see what kind of dress the woman wears.
God doesn't care what kind of dress the woman wears, He wants
to know what kind of woman wears the dress.
We have our priorities all mixed up with our stuff.
We get our value and our worth by our stuff.
We measure our success by how much stuff we have.
And the fact is that it's all going to melt one day. Amen!
Nothing is going to Heaven.
You don't ever see a horse pulling the ...? do you?
Nothing is going to heaven.
The only thing that matters is what's going to last, and the
only thing that's going to last is people.
Character.
In the resurrection we'll have our priorities straight.
For many that will be too late.
And it will be the wrong resurrection.
The reason that we've got stuff is we are stewards of God's
value. And that value can be converted into the currency of
heaven. I know I've hammered on this, because it is a big
problem.
It needs a lot of attention.
Hezekiah showed them all this stuff; and you know what?
Later the Babylonians came, and Isaiah said - this were happened
and took all this stuff.
They came to find out what his treasure was and unfortunately
instead of his treasure being in heaven, his treasure was on
earth. And they came back for his treasure.
Here is a law of life. Don't ever forget this!
People are going to want your treasure.
That's ok if you are a Christian, you can share it and
you'll never run out.
You want them to want your treasure.
They can't take your treasure from heaven!
But if your treasure is Christ, there is plenty to go around.
Jesus said: "Lay not up for yourself treasure on earth
where thieves brake through and steal, moth and rust that
corrupt. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where
where thieves do not break through in and steal."
You don't have to worry about weather is Government insured
CD, its secure.
Nothing can take it away.
Where is your treasure? People are going to want you treasure.
Your treasure is on earth? People might applaud your
success, but you know in their hearts, because people are
covetous creatures, and our hearts are desperately wicked;
In their innermost thoughts they are thinking:
Wish I had it!
They covet!
Is just a part of the unconverted heart.
You start highlighting and bragging about your treasure
unless your friends are really converted.
Instead of being happy for you, they'd be smiling and going:
Oau why couldn't this happen to me?
Why it had to happen to them? Wish I had that!
I think you got quite, because of conviction.
And the prophet Isaiah came to Hezekiah.
Oh, I want to back up. He said:
"What have they seen in your house?" He said:
"I've shown them everything in my house; there is nothing
among my treasures that I have not shown them."
And Isaiah said: "Hear the word of the LORD!"
"Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house,
and what your father's have accumulated until this day,
shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,
says the LORD." They'll even takes away some of
your sons and daughters, and the sons will be made eunuchs
in the palace of the king." And that happened when Daniel was
one of those eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.
And that prophecy was fulfilled exactly.
You know one of the great\a ~ tragedy of history is:
When Marco Polo and his father Nicolo Polo and his uncle Mateo
Polo, when they were with the great Koublikan in China.
Because Kublikan was a mango, he didn't practice the closed
empire of the Chinese, and he allowed freedom of religion.
And he was in tread with Christianity.
He even, the limited version of Christianity that Marco Polo
understood. He saw that was a superior religion.
And he said: Go to your great priest!
Kublikan said to Marco Polo when he'd go back.
Go to your great priest and send me a hundred priests to
teach everybody in my empire your religion!
Well, when they did finally get back, they went to the
Pope several times and said: You must send priests!
If you want to see the Christian religion spread, you got to go
China, there are millions of people there and it's opened
now. Go! Send them! But at that time the Roman
Church lost that opportunity. Because they were arguing
between two popes.
And they were just preoccupied with political problems and...
Finally at the persistence of the Polo's they sent two priests.
One died in route, the other one got discouraged and turned
back. And historians have said: The whole course of history
would have been drastically changed.
If the church had listened at that time and send priests to
China.
Instead of it being a Buddhist country. It would be a catholic
country.
But they missed the opportunity to tell them about God.
It wasn't a priority.
What have they seeing in your house?
When people come over; are you wanting them to Ooo and Ahh,
over your decor?
Over your view?
Your toys in the yard.
Is that how you spell success? Is not how God spells.
This story in the Bible is extremely convicting for me.
I may tell you why!
We have a cabin up in the hills for which we're very
thankful. We've had this land for thirty years.
Praise the Lord we bought it back when it was real cheep.
Build the house. But I tell you is a beautiful view.
And, John's been there before up to our place in Colowel and
I designed it myself. He said Humbly.
False humility is really pride. It is one of the problems with
the humility. As soon as you think you've achieved it you've
lost it. Then you're proud of your humility.
Right? Sort of an endless cycle.
Thank you Lord I am so humble!
And, I designed the house, solar electric, southern
exposure and whenever people come to visit; gravity flow
water, it's a nice cabin.
And when they're there for the first time and they say: - nice
place - that's all I need.
Come on guys you know what I'm talking about. You got a truck
with all the gizmos on and someone says: - Nice truck.
You start to walk him around and say: Yeah, look at this engine
10,000 Pounds, and we're all a little bit that way.
They open the door and you walk right through it.
And one day I was up at the house by myself. Went home to
take care of some stuff and need it to get some propane
delivery. We do use propane for the refrigerator and the
stove.
And propane truck came up the road and this young strapping
gentleman hops out and I looked at him I thought:
He looks familiar.
And he said: How are you doing Doug?
And I thought: I knew who he is. I called him by his name.
I use to teach him. I used to teach juniors in Sabbath school.
And he was one of the young men and women that I thought.
And as with many. As he got older drifted away and had
not been going to church.
When I saw him there I thought to myself:
Lord, You brought him up here so I can say something to him.
And as soon as that thought, fleeing thought, came to my
mind, he looked around and he said:
This is a really nice place you've got here.
Well, that's all I need it.
Laughing!
And I said: Yeah, you know it! I designed it myself.
And see, you saw the panels, the house is solar electric, got
all the power, we got all the modern conveniences, because
we've got the solar power, we use the pomp wheel, and I was
show him all the things and... As I was giving him the tour
and talking about how wonderful place was... I could see he
looked at his watch and he started to get restless and
he... by this point had unloaded the propane. He hopped in his
truck said hey! See you next time!
And, then as he was going down the dirt road and I saw
the cloud of ...? behind him a little voice spoke to me and
said: Did you say anything about Me?
He was gone. I have never seen him again!
And I think. Oh. Lord I am so proud!
And all I could think about was me, me, me...
God sent me someone to talk to him about the soul, and all
I could think about was me, and how smart I was, and...
Behold, the great Babylon that I have made!
We're all a little that way right?
So what Hezekiah did?
And you know, God is telling you and me to same thing he told
Hezekiah! He said: "Nothing that you have laid up
in this kingdom is going to be here. It's all going to Babylon!
And you know what the Bible says it happened to the ancient
Babylon? Melt down!
All of our stuff in this world, it's not going to make it.
It's not going to last.
The purpose for the things in this world is somehow utilize
them to sustain life and to reach others.
That's really the main purpose! And I am thankful for the
conveniences and I know I've got a lot more than I need.
I am constantly throwing stuff out of the garage.
Little while ago in the Bachelor's home I told Karen:
Karen it's a collector.
Sorry dear!
It's valuable. She saves all this stuff that is sentimental.
When we come back from a convention, she'll save up from
the convention, little things, and badges and...
to remember the experience. Karen please, throw them out!
Yes, but it helps me to remember the trip and...
Sorry!
Pray for us! Laughing!
So, I wanted to clean out. And so, I told Karen I was going
to get, I was going to ramp one of these dumpsters, and we
actually hired a company to bring a Dumpster that was
20 feet long. A 4 or 5 feet high and 8 feet across and drop it
there in our front yard. We spent a week and we filed it to
brim.
And they hold it off. I had to pay 100 dollars to hold up.
Now our grand did have some brush and stuff, we cleared it
up. There's a whole lot of junk in there and you know what?
When they pulled away, you walk back in the house, you
can barely tell it that you got rite of anything.
Laughing...
You're laughing because you probably have some of the same
problems.
I think every now and then you need to move just to find out
you really have!
That will really help you strum line a little bit if you have to
move every few years. All of it it's going to be cared away.
Pride also of position.
Some people the big goal in life is to get the name on the
door. President.
Vice-president.
And it's amazing sometimes the medial positions that they try
to glorify by renaming them.
Sanitary engineer.
When I grew up that was garbage man.
Custodial engineer.
Genitor! But we try to in rise our value
by rising the title, you know!
Doctor. P.H.D.
And everybody wants... The title is very important.
Bible tells a story about another king.
You noticed I am going through a few kings in our discussion.
Good king! I mean even Nebuchadnezzar will be in heaven,
Hezekiah will be in Heaven. King Uzziah the next one.
I think he'll be in heaven, good king.
But you know what? One day he thought:
Why is it that only the priests are allowed to go into the Holy
Place, I am the king!
And he grabbed the incense and he did what only the priest
was supposed to do.
This is actually a picture of a priest. But gives you the idea.
He went in to the Holy Place, he took a sensor that has the
incense and went in, and the priest saw him coming in to
burn incense and he said: King Uzziah! That is forbidden!
It is only the priests, the sons of Aaron that are allowed to
minister here in the Holy Place; what you are doing God is not
going to bless. Well, what he said it was absolutely true.
It was in the word, he knew what is true, but it offended his
pride. He felt: I am the king!
Who do they think they are telling me! I can do all I want
I am the king!
And he began...He got furious. You know sometimes when a
person is offended is their pride that is offended.
When people retaliate and get angry, it's often because their
pride is offended.
Remember hearing a story one time when Mohammad Ally was at
the top of his game and he said: - I am the king of the world!
You all remember hearing that.
He was on a jet airplane, the flight attendant came through.
There he was in first class and reporters were even on the plane.
And she said: -Mister Ally you will be to fasten the seatbelt.
And he said: - Darling Superman don't need
no seatbelt!
And she said: Yes, and Superman don't need no airplane either!
So you better fasten your seat belt!
Laughing!!
King Uzziah got mad. I am the king!
And they said: What you are doing is against
what God said. And while he had his ?...
Leprosy broke out in his forehead.
And he came down; he went out of their presence a leper.
And he died a leper.
He could never stand before the people again.
Now in contrast; just to balance things.
I like the story of Solomon when he was younger.
Turn with me please to the first book of Kings chapter 3.
His attitude was so different.
Chapter 3, 1 Kings verse 3: "And Solomon loved the LORD,
walking in the statutes of his father David, except that he
sacrificed and burned incense at the high places.
Now the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was
the great high place: Solomon offered a thousand burnt
offerings on that altar.
At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night;
and God said, "Ask! What shall I give you?"
Now when God says - what do you want? What you're going to ask
for?
God says: Plain check. What do you want?
What would you ask for?
Lord I really need a bigger house! A better house!
Mansion!
I've got some enemies I'd like to get even with!
I want to live a long time!
I want better clothes!
Now you're thinking: No, pastor Doug we wouldn't ask God for
those things. Some of us pray for those things every day.
And you know! A lot of pastors are capitalizing on our carnal
natures. They call that prosperity preaching!
They say: Accept Jesus and He's going to make you healthy,
wealthy and wise! And it appeals to the carnal pride in people's
hearts. It's not the message of Jesus friends!
What do you want Solomon?
And listen, listen to this! How different it is from
Hezekiah. I wanted to put these two back to back.
Solomon said: "You have shown great mercy to Your servant
(how is he identify himself) Servant.
David my father, because he walked before You in truth, in
righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with You;
You have continued this great kindness for him, and You have
given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.
"Now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king instead
of my father David, but I am just a little child."
Listen to the humility that he had as he came before the Lord
during this time.
I am just a little child I don't know how to go out or come in.
And Your servant is in the midst of Your people whom You have
chosen, a great people, too numerous to be numbered or
counted.
Before greatness comes humility.
Solomon became the greatest king.
Why? Because greatness comes humility!
How was that the David was like the Lord?
You're thinking: David!? I mean he was a violent king and I mean
after all what happened with the Uriah and Bathsheba, why is it
say - David was a King after God's own heart?!
David was humble!
And Solomon learned that from his father.
You don't find David ever manifesting pride.
When he was convicted about his sin he fell on his face and
he repented. When he fled from Absalom.
The Bible says: Someone came out throwing stones and cursing.
And one of his guards said: Let me go and cut off that dog's
head!
And David said: No, let him curse I probably
disserve it!
Humility! How different from his son Absalom.
Beautiful. No flaw. Movie star. From the top of his head to the
soul of his foot. Handsome. No blemish.
And he self destructed.
Good looks can be a blessing, and they can be a curse, right?
Most of us have reasons to thank the Lord.
I don't know how to come out or go in!
"And your servant", I am in verse 8,
s in the midst of Your people whom You have chosen.
Not my people. It's not my kingdom! You got it!
You hear his attitude? God could bless him abundantly because
of his humility.
He could lift him up, because he humbled himself.
Humble yourself and He will lift you up.
God is not going to humble you. You must humble yourself
and it needs to be from the heart.
"Therefore give to Your servant an understanding heart..."
He never specifically says wisdom.
"...give your servant an understanding heart,
to judge Your people, that I may discern between good and evil.
For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?"
What a contrast between Hezekiah that says:
My, my, my, my, my, my....
And Solomon that says: Yours, Yours, Yours, Yours...
And you know this is really the coax! There are two kingdoms
at war. There is the kingdom of the world which is all about me.
It's pride. That is the centre of the motives behind the devil
and all that follow him. It's all about me.
And a lot of churches are being built around that is coordinate.
The worship service and everything is about us.
What's in it for us!
And all of the songs. You noticed a lot of the newer songs
some are good, don't misunderstand, but all the
lyrics about: Lord, you do this for me, You do that for me,
me, me, me.
And some of the old great hymns and anthems were You, You, you.
Crown Him with many crowns!
There is a shift where it's all about me now.
Solomon said: Your Kingdom!
Nebukanedazar said: My Kingdom!
But notice Nebuchadnezzar says: My Babylon!
Babylon is going to be destroyed.
You know what I think of when I read this story about Solomon?
It says that this speech pleased the LORD, and God said:
"Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long
life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor
have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for
yourself understanding, that you could serve better and
wisdom. Because you have asked this, I am going to give you all
the others. Cause I can't trust you with it.
You won't squander my blessings for your glory.
That's what is all about friends.
That's the central issue.
Who's glory are we interested in?
God's or ours!
And once we understand this it's very liberating.
Any of you who know me.
And a lot of people come up and say: Doug you don't know me,
but I know you because I've been watching the programs for years
and this way you get to know a person.
I have been embarrassed so many times on camera.
I just get used to it. And I think that's why the Lord
still let me stay. Is because I made a fool of myself so many
times. You know how many letters I have to write to apologize for
something I said?
And I pray to the Lord, never let me go to a place where I
don't think I could be corrected or counseled.
Because then I know God can't use me anymore.
And I think about what Solomon said:
These are your people Lord, and it terrifies me.
I am just a little child, I don't know how to go out
or come in. I m not a great theologian.
I am just doing my best like one beggar tell another beggar
where the bread is!
And I am hoping that if I can maintain that balance that God
can keep using me, because I know with me, just like with
you as soon as I start thinking I am something; I am nothing.
Martin Luther said: God creates from nothing.
And so until we become nothing he can make nothing of us.
Where is God began recreating our hearts? When we realize
that we're nothing! That's why in our theme song
says: Shake us and break us!
Sometimes He just kind of break us.
God uses broken things.
It's broken grain that makes brad, it's broken clouds that
give rain.
It's Peter broken that comes forth with power preaching.
Have you ever pray God will brake you?
Have you ever prayed: Lord, give me a humble heart!
I am always afraid of that prayer you know, you're almost
asking God to, uh! Humiliate you. Who wants that?
But if that's what it takes.
Lord do it! I always expect lightning when I
But that's what we want! Otherwise you're never more
like the devil than when you're proud.
And you're never more like Christ than when your selfless
and humble.
These are the two great issues.
And you know one of the worst types of pride.
Is a religious pride.
You remember that story? Luke chapter 18 verse 10.
Two men went up to the temple to pray.
Publican and a Pharisee I'll paraphrase.
The Pharisee stands.
Praised us with himself.
I like the irony in how Jesus words that.
Lord I thank Thee that I am not like other man.
The Bible says: "He that compares him, those among
himself is not wise." And a lot of us pride...
We look around in this nature that we are better than others.
I thank Thee Lord that I'm not like the other man.
I fast and I pay tithe of all that I, and I am glad I am not
like that publican in the back pew.
But the publican, the tax collector would not so much has
lift up his eyes. Posture of humility.
Smote upon his breast. Broken, humbled himself.
Said: God have mercy on me, a sinner!
And then Jesus closes by saying: I tell you that the second man,
the publican, he went home justified, rather than the very
religious proud Pharisee.
God could work with the humble. What is the problem with
the Laodicea church? Enhance this message:
What is the identifying characteristics of the Laodicea
church? They think they are rich and
increase with goods and in need of nothing.
What do you call that? Pride!
The sin of the devil.
They don't know their need.
If they are going to receive the gold and the eye salve and the
garment that Christ is offering. This is in Revelation chapter 3
verse 17. They need to humble themselves.
He can then give them those things.
And this is my appeal for the church.
We need to humble ourselves.
The Laodicea condition if it's anything it's a proud condition.
We're more interested with race and place and face...
Our possessions, and our appearance, and our titles.
And that won't get you to heaven.
In the economy of heaven that's as is worthless.
God wants to know what's in your heart.
Religious pride.
Pride is the devil's drag net into which he catches the most
fish.
Mathew 6:1; "Take heed that you do not do
your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them."
As I said: Jesus heed on the very first thing he preached against
He said: They fast to be seen, they pray
to be seen, they give to be seen. And it was all about pride.
Which is really the opposite of what Jesus was all about.
Mathew 23:5; Speaking again of the religious
leaders. "But all their works they do to
be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge
the borders of their garments. They love the best places at
feasts, the best seats in the synagogues,
greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called 'Rabbi, Rabbi.'
Is the titles, is the appearance. And it was all under the guise
of religion.
You know! It's something you need to constantly resist.
Because the devil is in the world and this is a war;
I mean even with Christ. He says: All these kingdoms I'll
give you if you just bow down and worship. You'll be the king
of the world!
Jesus didn't come for this world. He doesn't want Babylon,
He wants the kingdom of Heaven.
What was it the disciples were arguing about the night before
Christ was crucified?
Which of them was the greatest?
So, if they have that problem do we think we're immune?
Is it still a problem in the church?
We're so concerned with what others think of us.
Which of us is better? I'll tell you!
There are a few times when we're valentine at the church.
I know pastor, I know!
The nominating committee time. Laughs.
Can I get an Amen! Amen!
You know why? Cause people get their positions.
And they're maybe a little esteem.
What do you mean? I've been in charge of that decorating
committee for years. And I am not even on the committee anymore?!
What!!!! I own that committee!!!
That's my committee!!!
Or, I am not a deacon, I am not an elder what?!!
People's pride; its typically the pride that's offended.
And I'll tell you I think the Lord has a lot of churches
go through the nominating committee and our church in
Sacramento we just sort of ignoring it hope no one will
notices.
We haven't had a nominating committee in about three years.
We just kind of reappoint people one at the time.
Probably it's against church rules but its working.
We call it a dynamic committee.
And it's a lot healthier than the blood on the walls
experience every year. Churches go...Boy, I'll say to my
announcement time if you want to know pastors how to do that.
Saves a lot of heartache. Dynamic committee!
People are concerned with the positions.
What did Jesus say; matters in the economy of heaven.
"He that is the greatest among you will be your servant.
He who exalts himself will be humbled and he who humbles
himself will be exalted.
Oh, but pastor you don't know what my accomplishments are!
You can't do anything without God!
Nebuchadnezzar thought that he had accomplished a lot.
It was because of the wisdom that God gave him.
Every good and perfect gift comes from God.
And if you have any ability, if you have any skills, if you have
any gifts, they are gifts of the Holy Spirit to give God the
glory.
Thank Him for anything you do, for anything you achieve.
The glory belongs to God.
Paul addresses this: 1 Corinthians 4:7;
"that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the
other. For who makes you differ from
another? And what do you have that you did not receive?
Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you
had not received it?
It's like the story of a woodpecker that was pecking on a
tree one day, and a storm went by and lightning hit the tree
and exploded and the woodpecker flew off and said:
Look what I did, look what I did!
That's how we are sometimes. The power of God and we take
the credit.
And we must look foolish.
You know one reason this subject is so important is I want to see
a revival. One of the fruits of revival will be conversions.
What brings conversion?
"If we would humble ourselves before God. This is Testimonies
vol. 9 page 189. "If we would humble ourselves
before God, and courteous and tenderhearted and pitiful,
there would be one hundred conversions to the truth where
now there is only one."
Thousand percent increase. If we would humble ourselves.
The Laodicea church will cease to be the Laodicea church, God
will fill us with His spirit, and the message will go around
the world. But we feel like we don't need God's spirit.
We're doing fine on our own.
Rich and increase with goods.
We need to humble ourselves.
All things are possible with God. Without Him nothing is possible.
Couple more quotes here.
Christ Object Lessons page 154.
"The evil that led to Peter's fall and that shut out the
Pharisee from communion with God is proving the ruin of
thousands today. There is nothing so offensive
to God or so dangerous to the human soul as pride and
self-sufficiency. Of all sins it is the most hopeless, the most
incurable.
Is the closest to the unpardonable sin.
When we start to make ourselves self-sufficient and proud.
God have mercy on us! Amen!
I am nothing without Christ. If we would humble ourselves
and surrender all to Him. Give Him the glory.
Then He can lift us up.
All to Jesus I surrender, All to Him I freely give.
I will ever love and trust Him, In His presence daily live
I surrender all,
All to Thee my blessed Savior I surrender all.
He who humbles himself will be lifted up;
He who exalts himself will be humbled.
You know, never is that principle more true than in
Jesus. The One who will ultimately be the most exalted,
is Christ, because He humbled himself, He surrender all that
you and I might be saved.
You know here, Satan is climbing and claim for the throne of God
and Jesus willingly left it behind that He might reach
you and me.
There's a passage in Philippians: "Let this mind be in you."
Let it be in you. "which was in Christ Jesus.
who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to
be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking
the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself
and became obedient to the point of death, even the death
of the cross. Therefore God also has highly
exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in
heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is
Lord, to the glory of God." To the glory of God!
That is the purpose of life.
He humbled Himself.
Would you like to say tonight: Lord, I am willing to surrender
all and to accept Jesus!
If that's your desire let's sing the chorus together!
And will join John and Jaime.
I surrender all,
All to Thee my blessed Savior I surrender all.
Dear Father in Heaven, we need Your Spirit. We are willing to
let the mid of Christ be in us.
We are choosing Lord, to humble ourselves.
We know that without You we are nothing.
We don't know how to go out, or how to come in we can't do
anything without Jesus. And if it wasn't for Your gifts and
Your Spirit we'll be grabbling like Nebuchadnezzar out in the
field.
Thank you Lord for Your gifts.
And now we pray that You will give us the gift of the Holy
Spirit. Use us Lord to reach others, help us like Christ our
master, to humble ourselves and be willing to be servants
to save a fallen world.
I pray that You will heal us from Laodicea condition,
that You will anoint our eyes with that salve and open them up
clothe us with your righteousness, give us the gold
of genuine love and conversion. Bless Your church and revive
Your church. We prayed in Jesus name. Amen.
Thank you friends and please remember:
When is our next meeting? Tomorrow night.
We still have room here in Forth Worth. Don't forget tomorrow
is Friday night, we're also having a Sabbath morning
service that will be broadcast as well as here in Texas.
We want to again thank you for toning in. Don't forget
if you have prayer requests or Bible questions go to the
05Revive.com website and there also you'll find the free offer
for tonight on 144,000. Just send for it.
God bless you friends. Keep these meetings in prayer
and He will pour out His Spirit. Amen!