Jesus Oh To His love I'll always run, Supporting Him above my family. All around my soul He's waiting, He hears all my prayers say. On Christ's golden rock I stand, All my new ground is sinking sand. All my new ground is sinking sand. Oh It is a name I love to hear I love to sing its word It sounds like music in my ear The sweetest name on earth Oh, how I love Jesus Oh, how I love Jesus Oh, how I love Jesus It tells me of our Savior's love, who died to set me free. It tells me of His precious blood, what sinners perfectly. Oh, how I love Jesus. Oh, how I love Jesus. Oh, how I love Jesus, because He first loved me. Tells me what my Father has been sore for every day And though I tread a dark suburb He'll sunshine all the way Oh, how I love Jesus Oh, how I love Jesus Oh, how I love Jesus Because He first loved me Tells the one whose loving heart Can feel my deepest woe Oh, who in each sorrow bears a part That none can bear below Oh, how I love Jesus Oh, how I love Jesus Oh, how I love Jesus Because He first loved me Let me hide myself in Thee. Let the water and the blood from Thy wounded side which flow, be of sin a double cure. Save from wrath and make me pure. Could my tears forever flow? Could my zeal no longer know? This poor sin could not atone. Thou must save and thou alone. In my hand, O price I bring Simply to thy cross I cling While I draw this fleeting breath When my eyes shall close in death When I rise to worlds unknown and be holy on thy throne. Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee. I shall not be, I shall not be moved. I shall not be, I shall not be moved. I shall not be, I shall not be moved. I shall not be, I shall not be moved. I shall not be, I shall not be moved. I shall not be, I shall not be moved. I shall not be, I shall not be moved. I shall not be, I shall not be moved. I shall not be, I shall not be moved. I shall not be, I shall not be moved. I shall not be, I shall not be moved. I shall not be, I shall not be moved. I shall not be, I shall not be moved. I shall not be, I shall not be moved. I shall not be, I shall not be moved. I shall not be, I shall not be moved. I shall not be, I shall not be moved. I shall not be, I shall not be moved. I shall not be, I shall not be moved. I shall not be, I shall not be moved. I shall not be Lordy hallelujah, I shall not be moved just like a tree that's planted by her. I shall not be moved. My grip is heavy, I shall not be moved. When my burdens hit me, I shall not be moved. Just like a tree that's planted by water, I shall not be moved. When my struggles shake me, I shall not be moved. When my friends forsake me I shall not be moved Just like a tree that's planted by the water I shall not be moved I shall not be moved Out in the slums for the Savior Out in the byway of sin Out in the highways and hedges Somebody's soul you may win Out in the slums for the Savior Out in the hills bleak and cold Telling of Christ the Good Shepherd Bringing the lost to the fold Out in the slums of Judea Once was a mission begun Rule like God, do loving Jesus Search for the wandering one Out in the suns for the Savior Out in the hills bleak and cold Telling of Christ the Good Shepherd Bringing her lost to the fold Out in the sin-cursed region, Ignorance, blight, and despair, Out in the slums for the Savior, Care on His word anywhere. Out in the slums for the Savior, Out in the hills bleak and cold, ♪ Telling of Christ the good shepherd ♪ Bringing the lost to the fold ♪ Telling of Christ the good shepherd ♪ Bringing the lost to the fold It is good again to be here tonight to be able to come here and to be able to open God's Word, something that for generations has been just enough for God's people. It's something that people like to replace. As I told the youth group tonight, this book is full of love. The kind of love that we like to give people is we look for those things that make them special. For us to truly understand God's love, God's love reveals the things about us that aren't real pretty. And that's the reason why a lot of people don't like God's Word, because it reveals what we need, and sometimes we don't really want what we need. So tonight we're going to go straight to the Scriptures here in just a moment. I've often been told, and I know I repeat myself all the time, but it must be a gift. I repeat myself often. But you know, I've always been told whenever I learned to really, really like writing was to write what you know. You know, if you take a person from New York City and you tell them to write a story about some guy growing up the way I did, it is not going to sound natural. And vice versa, I have no idea and don't want to have any ideas what it's like to grow up in the inner city. I would not fit in real well. But you know, if I'm going to speak on things that I know, sometimes, even whenever you think you know it all, you find something that you wanna dig a little deeper into. And you know, not too long ago, and I think it was just last week, Dad used the book of Lamentations for a part of his lesson. And you know, and I don't think it's happenstance, don't think it's accidental, or just, you know, it happens because God wants it to, but that's exactly some of the thoughts that I already have. Brother John had mentioned to us that he needed us to fill in. And you know, right now, in 2024, we are in one of those years where everybody knows as soon as it turned 2024, one thing started just dominating people's minds. We live in a country where we have democratic elections and people recognize the need for, you know, we need those opportunities to change leadership from time to time. You know, a president can be elected twice for a four-year term. And you know, in our Constitution, thank God we had forefathers who saw, who lived through a time whenever we had a king that was ruling from across the pond, and he was ruling in a way that was unsuitable, which led to a revolution, which led to some people helping to found a great nation, which needed a constitution. And the reason why is because they saw what happened firsthand whenever somebody was appointed or self-appointed for a lifetime and did not recognize man's limitations. You know, you and I are going to go through a cycle of life, and we are going to grow from infancy to where we need everything done for us. We'll get into those teenage years where you know it all. Then you'll get past that, and then all of a sudden you become what they call an independent adult. Think of how many of you have had the opportunity, or whatever you want to call it, to then begin caring again for the person who cared for you. Because what you see is you see life cycles. We see our bodies are not meant to last. Our bodies are designed for a time period. And you know, whenever we look at that, too many people in the world, too many people in the world ascribe those same attributes to our Almighty God. Friends, any time that you ascribe those types of attributes, those manly attributes of needing us and then getting to the point to where basically we doubt God, we put God in man's shoes, He's not God any longer. We have taken away His credibility as an almighty and everlasting God whenever we start ascribing traits of man to God. It's the other way around. We were made in God's image. And you know today what I like to speak on for a little bit is our everlasting God because you know that is something that this world cannot figure out. And you want to know something? It's not meant to be figured out. It's meant to be believed. And you know, there are a lot of people in here who are masters of different trades and do jobs that I cannot do at this very point in time because I've never had the training or studying. And you know what? There are things that I do that people sitting out there cannot do without the training. And that's the way we work as humans. But you know something? Again, we want to look at God in the same way. People try to figure our God out. Friends, we approach God with faith, knowing that He's not to be found out in all ways. Again, that's what makes Him God. That's what makes Him the Creator. And we're going to look tonight at some verses. We're going to start with some verses and we'll have a word of prayer. We'll go to Psalm 102. Psalm 102, and again, think about how that mankind, the reason why man will not believe in an almighty God in a six-day creation, will not believe that God is eternal is because they ascribe the traits of man to God. It will never work. But Psalm 102, we're gonna look at a few verses, then we'll have a word of prayer. Psalm 102, verse 25. We're going to read 25 through 28. And again, these verses were read in somebody's lesson here not too long ago, because I remember. But again, I think God works in that way, because whenever you pin these things down, all of a sudden, somebody's using those notes. It's like, wow. In 25, it says, of old thou hast laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure. Yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment. As a vesture thou shalt change them, and they shall be changed. But thou art the same, and thy years have no end. The children of the servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee. In that verse, number 27, thou art the same. God is not changing. Years ago, there was a song, and it's in that folder right there. It's called He's God, and He has not changed. And it wants you to just stop and ponder the fact what's really changed. It's us. Mankind, now I say us, generalizing the world, the world has tried to become independent without God. Cannot work. And again, we're gonna take a look at the everlasting God and why the God that was needed so many years ago during Moses' time is the very same God that you and I need today. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, Lord, thank you so much for the day and thank you for watching over us. And we do pray, God, that tonight these words will be your words and just help me to speak clearly and plainly, Lord, and be honoring to you. And we do pray for our pastor as he's away that you give him the grace he needs to be healed. And Lord, God, give him strength to be back here with us soon. Again, thank you for your mercy. Forgive my sins. I ask in Jesus' name, amen. I want you just to consider also the fact that God needs no replacement. And you know, every one of us in here have had to go through replacements. Our pastor here recently had a knee replacement. That is again evidence of a body that is always in need of a tune-up. Think of all the vehicles we drive. There's one man sitting here that relies on tune-ups and things, people needing help. And you know something? When people need help with a vehicle, it's because it was not meant to last. And all of you people out here who have had older vehicles, you hear people say, that's when they were built to last right there. Some of those things are built to last. And they don't. It seems like they purposely don't want them to work long. But again, that's man. That's the way we are. We do not have infinite possibilities like God does. God gives us the grace to understand. But anyways, go to Lamentations chapter 5. Lamentations chapter 5. And this is the verse Dad used the other night and I thought was very, very important for us to get. Lamentations 5. Lamentations 5, we'll read 19 through 21. It says, thou, O Lord, remainest forever, thy throne from generation to generation. You know, I always really did like these old estate sales and things and seeing these old items that, you know, I love finding these old, I know people look at them as junk, but treasures that have a lot of age on them. because you know you get a lot of these old hand forged you know chisels or hand forged pieces and you know that there was a man somewhere back in time who had the knowledge to and probably just an old makeshift forge in his barn where he was able to smelt enough metal a pound for long enough to shape out i've got shackles up there that you can see the rolled that you know shaped like a u and you can see where they roll the edges over to put a little put a little loop in the end of them it's like a run a bolt through it and you just look at those hand forged materials And you see that it was created for a specific purpose. But you know what? That old rusty piece that's hanging up in my barn outlived its creator. It outlived him, probably became useless, and it was sold in a bucket of junk that I bought and I mined it out of the bucket and I hung it in the barn. Will I ever use it? Probably not. But the point is this. That man at that very point in time knew that what he was creating was going to fulfill the purpose he needed. You know, he probably didn't stand there and think, boy, I tell you what, if I make this good enough, it'll outlast me. But you know something? That is God. God outlasts all. And God is the creator. God created us not to be forever here. But God did create us to be something greater than here, even. And you know what? I'll bet you if that old farmer lived, he'd have been proud to know that that shackle he made on that farm, on that forge with his hands, if it could be passed to his next kin, wouldn't it be a neat thing? He'd probably say, you know, I made that. That would be fulfilling. But you know what? Mine and your lives, when God sees the perpetuation from generation to generation in a church, that's exactly what we were created for. And you know what? God has us here for now. But we have an eternal soul that lives in us. And I want you to notice there, so you notice it says, thou remains forever. Thy throne from generation to generation. God hasn't had to change. He's never gone out of style. And again, it always cracks me up. And you guys and girls have always seen these old yearbooks. You look at people and you look at the styles that we're in. You flip through old catalogs. And I bought something the other day, and it was a little shoe booklet. I'm gonna tell you what, women back in the 1920s, they had to have like 30 minutes to tie their shoes. That thing had about 30 loops up it, and even you had to buy these little, I don't know, looked like crochet needles to tie your shoes with. And I can see why that went out of style real, real quick, you know, because you know, styles come and go, but people are so into it, and then all of a sudden, it's gone. And you know what? God is not like that. God is not some vintage old man who's gone out of style and we have to continue to mold him to shape our lives. It should be the total other way around. That God who hasn't changed We should be working to mold ourselves to fit what He would have us to be. And that's not what man does. Man wants to just create a God, keep God where it's comfortable for them, and they live a life where they're kind of keeping God the way they want Him, old and maybe He needs us. Friends, that right there tells me that He lasts from generation to generation. I've said it before, the same God who helped Moses to have the courage to stand at the Red Sea and to follow God's commandment, to watch that open, that same God is the same God who is with us today. And that's amazing to me, the same God. He hasn't gotten tired of helping His children either. But look what it says in verse 20. Wherefore dost thou forget us forever, and forsake us so long? Turn thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned, renew our days as of old. But thou hast utterly rejected us, for thou art very wroth against us. You know, that verse, number 21, is so important for us because, you know, there's a word that is repent. And Brother John says it often that it's not used a whole lot anymore in modern churches. It's not used in a lot of modern teaching because it is a word that makes you have to stop and ponder what you really are. You know, we've got to realize that God has not changed in His expectations of His children. You know, I remember a lot of times being a parent, it's sometimes hard to remember what you told your kid that they could or couldn't do. And then kids have that amazing ability to keep asking the same question over and over and over, even though they've already got an answer. And then after a while, you start thinking, well, did I say they could or couldn't? I don't know what I told them. God is not like that. God has not changed and does not come to that point of confusion where we keep saying, you know, God, is it right that I do this? And you know it's not. Then you pray it again. God, is it right that I do this? And you know it's not. But you keep asking it until you've shaped it to fit what you think you should do. God hasn't changed in the things that we should and shouldn't do. And I love that verse again, verse 19. Thou remains forever from generation to generation. Guys, what God has required repentance during Christ's time is the same repentance He requires now. He hasn't changed. God from generation to generation, the generation that was here before us, They had to come to Christ the same way. They had to see God as almighty the same way. But I want you to know again, every person who has a cell phone, and I tell the teenagers this all the time, I really think the world is losing touch with the most intimate things that God wants us to have because of screens. But you think of any device that you buy, as soon as it's unpackaged, and this always blows my mind, I look up a holler. You know how hard it is to update a cell phone up that holler? It doesn't happen. Okay, just saying, it won't happen. You can sit there and it'll tell you what it needs for the longest time. And I'm telling you what, I have driven to town and got there and had like 30 phone updates. It is never satisfied. I mean, they can make the best model of a phone, and before you have it even out of the package, it needs an update. But think about it, if you own one of those fancy phones, have you ever said, no, I'm not updating it? I don't care if it does say best virus protection. No, you update your phone. You click yes because you feel that it's going to bring that extra protection, that extra storage, that extra whatever they promise. Humans are never satisfied. We go through life trying to make things easier, better, when all along we have a God who has not changed. The one place in my personal life, and I can't even do it with my family. I mean, our family is six. I cannot rest assured that what happens today, the love that's shown today will be the same love shown tomorrow. And that's a fact. They can tell me they love me today, but tomorrow, there may be something happen to where they just write me off and hate me for the rest of their being. But you know what? God is not changed. God loves us today. If you're one of his children, he may not approve of actions tomorrow, but his love does not go away. And you know, that is the comfort I find in knowing an everlasting God, because he knows me well enough to keep me, loves me well enough to keep me. But you know what? What keeps us close to God is just what Gatlin mentioned this morning, getting close to God. If we're close to God, I believe He reveals more of His attributes to us. You know, there have been times in my life where I was filled with fear that I didn't know where it come from. I mean, could not really pinpoint where did that come from. Why is this bothering me? And you know what? Whenever you find yourself in that situation, then you start, you know, talking to God about it. And then all of a sudden you feel this, well, wait a minute, I wasn't relying on God for that situation maybe. Maybe I wasn't praying about it. Maybe I had allowed myself to be in that situation. But you know what? That's what brings us closer to God. And He reveals His attributes of, you know, I'm not going to leave you. You're not here alone. You are here with me. Those cell phones I was gonna mention to you just here in just a moment God being everlasting last year Apple and I looked it up this morning net profit 97 billion dollars last year Microsoft net profit 72 billion dollars got people in their pocketbooks don't they but you know what our God Friends, it costs zero dollars to serve God. It costs a lot of personal and self-sacrifice, though. And you know what? People will just love those phones so much, those apps so much, that they are willing to shell out all this money, yet they will not sit for just a moment and talk to God, a God who hasn't changed. He needs no update. He needs no reboot. He needs no no finishing God is God forever if you would go to Hebrews chapter 13 Hebrews 13 Hebrews 13 Verse 8 and 9, I do remember Dad mentioned they sang songs. I do remember he told us one time that this is a verse that he used in school because they had to recite a verse. And it would be in verse 8, is Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever. You know, if we believe that God is the holy, everlasting God and that Christ is His holy, everlasting Son, Look at that attribute they share. You know, family members may pass traits to one another, eye color, hair color, you know, different things. But this attribute right here is the perfect match. Yesterday, today, forever. There's been no change. There's been no change whatsoever. I was talking to somebody the other day, and they were mentioning how that they run into some people that they used to know. And people coming up to them saying, hey, how you doing? and you stand there with this awkward, great, how are you? You know, kind of exchange back and forth, and you're listening for a verbal cue, you're watching for some sort of a look. It was Steven, that's who it was, I just remember, yeah. But anyways, and it's such a strange thing to come to a point to where somebody knows your name and knows who you are, but you just can't, you know something? That does not happen with God. We know, you gotta realize this, God is not gonna look at us and be like, you know, I'm pretty sure you used to be. No, God is very straightforward. He knows who we are, and you know what? If you're a born again believer, and I know that people do walk away, and I guess you'd say backslide, and you know what, whenever God's voice speaks though, They know who it is because he's the same yesterday, today, and forever. And I'm not even talking about his physical look. I'm talking about the way he approaches us has never changed. He calls people the same way. He speaks to your heart the same way as he did during his ministry. You know, he walked up physically to his disciples and said, follow me. He doesn't walk up to you and I physically, but you know what He does say? Follow me. He has not changed. Think of the things He said throughout the Scriptures about how we should treat one another. Friends, after His death and resurrection, that did not change. He expects the same from us. His expectations have not changed. Now I want you to notice the very next verse, verse 9. Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines, for it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace, not with meats which have not profited them which have occupied their end. Again, we should never try to mold or fit God to our life. It should be the other way around. You know, I know that a lot of times, and I never fully understood it, but whenever dad would go to a new job, they would go all around, and I don't know, wouldn't call it the perimeter, but numerous points around there to create benchmarks. These places that you always went back to, and they could shoot an elevation from there to make sure that so many points around that structure were right where it needed to be, and that always amazed me. And you know what? That word benchmark is pretty important because that is a mark at which you do everything, you compare everything to. If we use any other man or woman on this earth as our benchmark, guys, that's exactly what the world has done. That's the reason why God isn't God to so many people. God is just a convenience tool for so many people. They pray when they're in need, they cry out to him when they're in pain, And that's the extent of it. Because they limit God to, wait, I need Him now. But what about the times we don't need God? Should we still be expressing godly values? And that's an absolute yes. We should still be seeking out God, even in our best of times. We should still be seeking out God's way in our life. But in that verse right there, verse number 9, don't be carried about with diverse and strange doctrines. The world is full of it. The world is full of so many things that make it seem so easy. And you know, we say this often, that we have church on Sunday mornings, Sunday nights, and a Wednesday. And there are circumstances where people cannot come to church. I mean, it happens. It happens to every person here. But you know, The world, since COVID came through, has pretty much tried to brand the fact that you can have church at your house on Facebook Live all you want, and it's just the same because you're listening to the same preacher, you can get the same thing. Friends, that is a lie, according to Scriptures, because it tells us to assemble together. And God hasn't changed in that. And I believe that God wants us to look at His Scriptures in those strange doctrines of, you know, you can just fellowship amongst yourselves, or this or that. And again, I'm thankful for the fact that people who are constrained physically can't go, and they can watch. But people who are willingly to stand out of God's house because, well, you just never know. Yeah, you just never know. Go to Walmart and you just never know. But anyways, God would have us to not use the world as our measuring stick. And that's what that means there. You know, not with meats which have not profited them. Don't try to live a life where you're going to believe every little thing that comes along if it's not proved. You know, we're very fortunate to have a church, I want to call it like a constitution and also a church covenant, that every person who can physically read the word should be able to sit down and read that and understand that that's what we truly do live and worship by. And you know something, when we look at that, that hasn't changed since it's creation and it's taken from God's word, which hasn't changed since it's creation, which comes from a God who hasn't changed. Friends, that's the reason why I believe this little church has been blessed, because we've looked at God as being an everlasting God. We haven't had to rebrand God, change God. If you would turn to James chapter one, James one. James chapter one, verse 17. And I love this right here. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above. Coming down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. You know, math class, I hated that word variable. Oh, that was a horrible, horrible word in math class. It still is to me. And you know, a variable can be anything, can be just anything at all. Friends, guess what? It tells me right there, God is not that. God is God. There's no variableness. There's no change in God. And I truly don't know how, other than the fact that the Scriptures tell us that people are darkened in their minds, that they can doubt God, that they can see a creation. You know, last night down at the wildlife dinner, there was a brother that gave a really neat devotion. And a lot of you who do spend time outside, you see things out there that there's not a logical explanation for. You know, I often think of this right now, we have so many people wanting spring to come, and right now, underground, there are some of those little bulb plants. You know, they lay there all winter long, and as far as I know, nobody goes out there and teaches the crocus to bloom. Nobody goes out there and tells a tulip it's time to come up. And yet, it does it like clockwork every year the way it's supposed to. And people who see that over and over and over will, there are some people who will sit and talk about these evolutionary processes where the flower, the bulb adapted to come up at a certain time, so it can pollinate at a certain time, and they go through these big scientific explanations. And as a believer, you're sitting there thinking, how do you sit and concoct this? Well, the point is, because they don't see God as God, they see God again as just being, as Dad mentioned, as the old man upstairs, some ancient creator who needs man's help. Friends, listen. God has not changed. God who said He created it in the beginning is the same God that we serve today. The same God who saved our forefathers is the same God that we serve today. And I want you just to think of this right now. So if God hasn't changed and His Son hasn't changed, then it has to be mankind's way of thinking that has changed over time that has made the world the way it is. If you will, go to 2 Corinthians chapter 5. 2 Corinthians chapter 5. I know that we sing that song, Have Thine Own Way, Lord, and it talks about, Thou art the potter, I am the clay. And you know, that comes straight from the scriptures as far as it's worded differently, but you know, when we think of how that we are to be, when our pastor stands up here and teaches and tells us from God's word, not from his opinion, but from God's word that we are to do certain things, and to not do them a sin, or if we're not to do something and if we do it, it's sin. And if that doesn't convict us and change us, It's sort of like what that scripture's saying, does the clay tell the potter how to do things? Because that's the way a lot of people live. We live like, you know, well, God, I know I'm supposed to love that person, but man, they're mean. Or, you know, I know I'm really supposed to be a good witness, but that guy tells the best jokes in the world, and I'm gonna laugh at it no matter what. You know, and that's a hard thing. It really is to let God mold us and shape us. And this verse right here, chapter five, verse number 14, 2 Corinthians 5, 14, says, For the love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus judge that if one died for all, then we're all dead, and that he died for all, and they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them and rose again. This is saying that Christ died We are to be changed by Him for His glory. 16 says, wherefore, henceforth, know we no man after the flesh, yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him no more. That just simply means He's not there physically in front of them. Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given the ministry of reconciliation. When we are saved, there should be a marked difference in us. You know, we've all been in that situation where we saw someone that maybe the world had totally given up on. But through the miraculous work of God, that person came to a point to where no person could ever talk them into something. But there was a miraculous change and that came through God. We've all seen it. And that is exactly what we pray for all the time. And we notice here that He's a new creature. So our almighty God who doesn't change does expect a change in us. Because if we went continued after our old nature and that nature of sin, then we can never have fellowship with God. So our God expects this change and it says, and all things are of God who hath reconciled us unto himself by Jesus Christ and hath given us a ministry of reconciliation. Then it goes on to say, verse number 21, I'm sorry, 19, to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing a trespass into them, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ. As though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's stead. Be ye reconciled to God. For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. You know, whenever a person does come to God completely, then that is whenever a real change that other people can notice can really occur. I know that sometimes people have doubts about what God can do. And I will tell you this, whenever we think about a change in people, It is an amazing thing whenever you think back on your own life, what God has even helped you through. Personal struggles that maybe people don't know about, or even those sins that people don't know about, but God has helped you to overcome, and that's what God does. But you know what it takes? It takes that going to God, repenting, and also knowing that just like right there, He can make us a new creature, something that is worth looking at. And you know, eternally, speaking through God's eyes, He's not gonna look upon sin. But when we become that new creature, the world around us should be able to see evidence of it. If you will, go to Ephesians chapter four. It's a little bit longer reading right here, Ephesians chapter four, verse 17. I know, I like to watch people, you know, I think it's amazing how the athletes can become better athletes and you know that a lot of these coaches, they'll go to seminars and you know, people can use all these, you know, YouTube to watch how people, you know, maybe throw a pitch and how they place their fingers, how they land after the pitch is over and all the follow through. How having a great example before you makes you a better person. But you know, if you would do the opposite, which I would never do to somebody, but can you imagine teaching somebody purposefully how to do something, but teaching them totally wrong? And it seemed kind of funny in some situations, but you know, if you taught somebody how to do something totally wrong, and you knew they were going to perform in front of a bunch of people, you can imagine what the outcome would be. But sadly, that's exactly what we have people doing all around the world. We have people telling folks to, as people say, repeat prayers for baptism, for salvation. And they are literally leading people to carry that out. thinking they're doing something really, really great, but in the eyes of an almighty God. You know what that looks like. That's blasphemy. It's open corruption. But this verse right here is very important for us to remember. Do not use mankind as a measuring stick. You know, again, I thank God for good examples. Yes, we should use certain people as, you know, they teach it, it's from God's Word. We have to have examples. But you've got to understand, if God's Spirit's telling you that it's questionable, then you're doing what you need to do. You need to listen to that spirit who allows you to try that, to see it. And try it, I don't mean like go over there and try it. I'm talking about test it. See how it works out for that person and really go to God's word and see how it matches up. And look what it says in verse 17. This I say therefore and testify in the Lord that ye henceforth not walk as other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind. Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through ignorance that is in them because of the blindness in their heart. And again, guys, that describes a lot of the world, blindness of heart. Who being past feeling, have given themselves over to lasciviousness to work all uncleanness and greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ. In other words, that's not Christ-like. That's not something you've been taught in the things of Christ. That is not the way you are to live. This next part, if so be that you have heard him and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus, that you put off concerning the former conversation, the old man, which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts. And I know there's a semicolon there, but we're gonna stop just for a moment. Putting off. You know there are certain types of clothing that are acceptable for certain situations. You go into a place that requires the FR clothing, the fire retardant clothing, and you don't go wearing that certain kind of clothing, you catch on fire, guess what? You probably are getting what you're asking for. But you know what, if we go through life and there's not an obvious change, if we don't put off the old things, then it's going to be just like that. You're going to show up in the wrong clothes for the wrong situation, meaning you're not going to look like you're supposed to look and act like the way you're supposed to act. And it says here, having the understanding darkened. Guys, that's what the world is doing right now. They're darkening understanding because if you know the truth, and it clearly tells us in the scriptures that people live in darkness because the light reveals the truth. And you know something? The world is darkening the truth. They want darkness to be over because it reveals what we really need. And it says, put off concerning the form of conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lust. and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, that ye have put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." God has not changed. You know, and I think of this. I cannot imagine the burden that Noah carried those years after he was given that great calling to build an ark. To know that what he was doing was a directive from God. God gave him that directive. And we know that it tells us in scriptures that Noah found favor in the eyes of God. Friends, I don't think that Noah was like an eeny, meeny, miny, moe kind of person and God just said, well, that guy looks pretty good. No, this man was living in a very upright way, not self-righteous way, but in a way that was reflecting God and the world around him. So it was obvious that he was a new creature. He was wearing garments that God looked at and said, that man right there is the vessel that I want to carry out this commission. Think about us in our everyday life. Think about yourself in your everyday life, and there's not a person in here who can say that today you've lived the best you can. Everybody here could have done better. Everybody here could have done more. Everybody here could have been closer to God in some situations. Does that make us bad? No. It makes us people who at that very moment need to look to God and say, you know, God, I want to be closer. Just again, like that devotion, get closer to God in those situations when we self-examine. Be renewed in the spirit of your mind. And you guys know that I work in a library. And a renewal is a common thing. If you're not finished with something, you come in and you renew it. That is a common thing where I work. Does that mean that something is, I have like a burden or a grudge against that person because, my goodness, aren't you finished with a book yet? You're back here to renew it? No, I love that. Whenever people come back and they're enjoying something so much they want it again for a little bit longer. You know, we as human beings don't approach God once. We have to approach God multiple times. If you are honest, there are times I need renewed a whole lot throughout one course of one day. There are days that if I don't renew myself often, I'm in trouble because there are days and we all go through them where we're frustrated, we aren't the best witness we can be, and we find ourselves just the same, it's like we're stuck in the same rut over and over the same day. Guys, renew ourselves over and over to God. God's not going to get tired of hearing us. God's not going to be, you know, seriously, you've used up all your prayers for today. No, the scriptures tell us to pray without ceasing. That must mean that God recognizes you're going to have problems throughout your day. We need to renew ourselves often. Now, if you notice, it says right here in verse number 24, and that you put on the new man which God created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore, putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. Be ye angry and sin not, let not the sun go down upon your wrath, neither give place to the devil. Always amazed me at school, you know, you go to a lunchroom and try to sit down, somebody say, no, it's a save for somebody. You know, we do sometimes choose who's right here next to us. And sadly, and that's what my boys have heard me say it, because I really do believe that in some situations, every person, without saying it, you let Satan sit down right next to you, he'll use you, manipulate your mind, the situation, and you have invited him over. And the whole reason is because you're not sitting on the right bench. Because I'm gonna tell you what, if we draw nigh to God, Satan can't be there. It just cannot be there. And we know that, I just think it's amazing to think about, and look what it says here, neither give place to the devil. So that tells me that we can give place to the devil. Verse number 28. Let him that stole steal no more, but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of the mouth, but that which is good, to the use of edifying, that it may minister to the grace and to the hearers. Grieve not the Holy Spirit, whereby you are sealed into the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice. And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you. And you know, the very first verse of chapter five, look what it says. Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children, and walk in love with Christ, who also loved us and given himself for us, for an offering and sacrifice to God, for a sweet-smelling savor. This has not changed. God has not changed. Christ has not changed, and the way we approach Christ has not changed. And I'm gonna say this. You know, we live in a society where it really is sad. And you grandparents and you parents, if you don't believe me that the world wants to get into your kid's mind, I challenge you tonight Go to their Instagram, their Twitter, their Facebook, and everything that they will probably tell you they don't have, and really look who they follow. Guys, they call these people online influencers. That is a real title, do you know that? That's a job. Do you know people get paid to do that? They're called social media influencers. That's a title. Get paid lots of money. And you know what they do? They influence. That's what they do. And do you know who doesn't get paid? Influencers who don't influence. All these platforms look for the hottest new trends that grab the most minds. And you know what's really, really sad? Is they're grabbing things that won't be good tomorrow. Because there'll be a new influencer. There'll be a new trend tomorrow. I'm going to tell you this, contentment does not come in following an influencer. It comes in following God. If He's not the influencer, it's not going to lead to true contentment. And I will tell you, several years ago, I used to, and I know that I see people all the time at these I don't know how in the world that people exist any longer because you'll see people who bought tickets to watch certain engagements or be certain places and never look up and all you see is a screen just flipping in front of their face. Never content. Never content. Because they have to have more. Guys, I tell you again, I think we all should do our best. And our best can only be as much as close as we are to God, but do our best to try to rely on what really matters. Rely on who really has not changed. Yes, it's a wonderful thing to be able to find out how to fix something online, to connect with family online, but whenever we allow the world to become our God, it's never going to quit changing, which means you're never going to be satisfied. You're always going to be updating, changing. We need to rely on the one unchanging God, our God Almighty. In the beginning, He created this earth. And whenever He says enough's enough, you know what He's going to do? He's going to destroy this earth. And it's not going to be on man's time. It's not going to be because of coal fire. It's going to be because God has an appointed time for it. But we need to realize that while we're here, We need to live as close as we can to God, acknowledge Him as everlasting and almighty, and when given the opportunity, with co-workers and friends, express Him as that. Express Him. It doesn't take a preachy person to be able to be a witness. It takes a person who's convicted and unshakable in that, not giving way to the slightest little change, not giving way to the slightest little alteration of what God really is, and that being an almighty God. Hebrews 11.1 says, faith is a substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. You cannot see our Almighty God in the physical flesh, but everything we see around us is evidence everywhere we go. The blessings we have are from God, but the creation around us speaks at volumes of an Almighty God. So again, never apply the attributes of man to God. See Him as an Almighty God, and also in situations where you think you might have Him figured out, Get a little closer, and He'll reveal to you some things that maybe you didn't even know at that very moment. But again, just give God the credit that is due to Him. Seeing Him as Almighty, we're not that. Oh Oh ♪ And this time is sacred ♪ ♪ For it gives us hope ♪ ♪ I look into Jesus ♪ ♪ While I hear the story ♪ ♪ Of the great love of God ♪ ♪ It's like you shall see ♪ ♪ Today it's time to be holy ♪ And by one we've all been there through whate'er we may try. Enjoy the joy of the world, to sing and follow the Lord. And when we want to change the world, to sing and trust in His Word. There ain't time to be all the way, He's coming, He's coming, He is returning. 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