Walk In the Spirit Sun. AM 7-7-96

2 Kings chapter 6 and the book of Mark chapter 8.

2 Kings 6 · chapter mention Mark 8 · chapter mention

And again, like I promised, we're not going to go through entire stories, but I want to pick something out here and I want you to see it.

And we're going to talk about it in a few different ways.

2 Kings 6 and Mark chapter number 8.

2 Kings chapter 6.

2 Kings 6 · chapter mention

Again, our evening service tonight at 6 o'clock.

We hope you'll come.

And Wednesday evening at 7 o'clock, Brother McGay will be here.

I think you'll enjoy him a great deal.

2 Kings chapter 6.

2 Kings 6 · chapter mention

And notice if you would in verse number 13.

Verse number 13.

And he said, Go and spy where he is, verse 13, that I may send and fetch him.

And it was told him, saying, Behold, he's in Dothan.

Therefore sent he thither horses and chariots and a great host.

Now what that is, it's a huge army with horses and chariots.

They come in by night and they compassed the city.

What they did, they surrounded the city, this great host, this great army.

Now look at verse 15.

And when the servant of the man of God was risen early and gone forth, behold, in host compassed the city, both with horses and chariots.

And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master, and what's the question?

How shall we do?

Please look up here.

What this servant was seeing, he looked around, and all he could see was these horses and chariots that were surrounding this city, and he felt overwhelmed with this thing.

And look at verse 16.

And he answered, Fear not, for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.

And Elisha prayed and said, Lord, I pray thee, and look what he says.

Read the next three words with me.

Ready?

Begin.

Open his eyes, and then the next four that he may see.

Read those first three words again with me.

Ready?

Begin.

Open his eyes, the last four, that he may see.

You see, what was going on here was Elisha could not only see in three-dimensional, and by that I mean, you know, you think of height and width and depth, or you could even talk about, you know, see and hear and touch.

Elisha could not only just see in the three-dimensional as we think of, but Elisha saw in the fourth dimension that was something spiritual going on.

And what he said was, Would you open the eyes of my servant?

He's seeing three-dimensionally.

And what he needs to see is fourth-dimensionally.

By faith.

Open his eyes that he may see.

Now, what I want to talk to you about is this.

The Bible talks about, as Christians, that we're not supposed to just walk three-dimensionally.

We're supposed to walk four-dimensionally.

Now you may say, I don't know what that's all about.

Three-dimensionally, like you would think of the 3D as height and width and depth.

Or if you would, uh, see and hear and touch.

But the idea is by faith, we're supposed to walk fourth-dimensionally, believing that this book is true, and believing that God's worth working, and what we need to see sometimes is this: we need to pray and say, open my eyes that I might see.

Did you ever get to the place where you say, I just wish I could see God working?

I mean, I just, if God would just show up just for a minute, uh, 30 seconds, five seconds, then I'd know what to do.

Did you ever do that?

Come on.

God, if you just ever just show up, tell me what to do, then I'll do it.

Well, if he did, he'd be violating the scriptures.

What he wants us to do is not just walk three-dimensionally, but walk four-dimensionally.

Look if you would at Mark chapter 8.

Mark 8 · chapter mention

Stay with me.

Mark chapter 8.

Mark 8 · chapter mention

In Mark chapter 8, another illustration of this.

Mark 8 · chapter mention

In Mark chapter 8, and look if you would, beginning in verse 22.

Mark 8 · chapter mention

Verse 22.

And he cometh to Bethseida, Mark chapter 8, verse 22, and they bring him a what?

Mark 8:22

A blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him.

He took the blind man by the hand, led him out of the town, and when he had spit on his eyes, put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw aught.

Look what he says in verse 24.

He, that's the blind man, looked up and said, I see men as what?

Trees doing what?

Walking.

Now, what had happened here was, yes, Jesus healed him, but he took him past the third dimension and put him into the fourth dimension.

You say, I don't understand.

Well, the Bible often refers to men as trees, and by your fruits you shall know him.

And he looked up and he said, I said men as walking as trees, as trees walking.

Look at verse 25.

After that, he put his hands again upon his eyes and made him look up.

And he was what?

Restored and saw every man how?

Clearly.

I want to say to you that the blind man went from not being able to see, past being able to see like we can see, into seeing into the fourth dimension and men as trees walking, and back to, if you would, seeing as we see.

You say, Well, you're reading a lot into it there.

No, look at it.

It's a blind man, he couldn't see.

He said, Now, verse 23, now that I've done that to you, what do you see?

Verse 24, I see men as trees walking.

After that, he put his hands upon his eyes and made him look up and it was restored.

He saw every man how?

Clearly.

If you would, he saw every man like we see men, but I want to say something to you.

How do you see men and women?

Do you see them with souls?

Do you see them as trees that's supposed to be bearing fruit to the Lord?

Every once in a while, even we as Christians, we get so much focused on three-dimensional that we stop walking fourth-dimensionally.

Now I'll give you a way that you can look at that in just a minute.

Let me bear it out a little bit further.

Look at Acts chapter 9.

Acts 9 · chapter mention

Acts chapter 9 and Ephesians chapter 1.

Acts 9 · chapter mention Ephesians 1 · chapter mention

I told you we'd go quickly.

Acts chapter 9, stay with me.

Acts 9 · chapter mention

In Ephesians chapter 1.

Ephesians 1 · chapter mention

Lord opened his eyes that he may see, and when he did, he he saw all the spiritual, if you would, heavenly host that was surrounding him that he couldn't see before.

Jesus healed the blind man and to the place where he said, I see men as trees walking.

Then he did it again, and then he saw men clearly, if you would, as we see them.

Look at Acts chapter 9.

Acts 9 · chapter mention

In Acts chapter 9, you're holding your place in Ephesians chapter 1.

Acts 9 · chapter mention Ephesians 1 · chapter mention

Acts chapter 9.

Acts 9 · chapter mention

Look, if you would at verse 17.

Verse 17.

Paul had just met the Lord on the road to Damascus.

And Saul at that time, who was going to become Paul, was blinded.

Look at verse 17.

And Anaias went into his house, went his house, and entered into his house, and putting his hands on him, said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, has sent me that thou mightest receive thy what?

Thy sight.

Up to that point in time, for the last three days, he had been blind.

And he said, You know what, Brother Saul, God sent me so you could see again, and be filled with the what?

The Holy Ghost.

Verse 18, and immediately there fell from his what, say it, eyes, as it had been scales, and he received sight forwith, and arose and was baptized.

May I say to you that when those scales fall off fell off, Paul saw like he had never seen before.

Paul saw, if you would, men and women like he had never seen them before.

How did he see them?

Look at Ephesians chapter 1.

Ephesians 1 · chapter mention

Ephesians chapter 1.

Ephesians 1 · chapter mention

Stay with me, Christian.

Ephesians chapter 1.

Ephesians 1 · chapter mention

And look, if you would at verse number 17.

Ephesians 1, 17.

I'll begin to tie this together.

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of what, say it?

Wisdom and revelation.

Do you understand that contained in the root word of revelation is reveal?

And revelation in knowledge in the knowledge of Him.

Verse 18.

The what?

Eyes of your understanding, being enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.

I'm going to make a statement to you.

As people, we can read this Bible, and we can read the words.

We can even memorize the words, but that doesn't mean we understand them.

We can read stories in the Bible, but that doesn't mean the eyes of our understanding are enlightened.

Where would you bring your baby up just for a moment?

It wasn't planned.

It just happened to work out this way, amen?

Now, how old?

Eleven months.

Eleven months.

Looking looking right at me.

Now, okay.

If this baby understood what she was looking at, she would begin to immediately cry.

Amen.

Now I understand you say, no babies understand.

I understand, but as baby's eyes developed, they see, they see shapes, they see images, they see, but as they develop, the eye is connected to the mind, and the mind doesn't totally understand what's going on.

Come on, talk to me.

What you're looking at is an example of someone when they first get saved, their eyes are open and they're seeing, and they're beginning to understand maturity has to come for what we see to be connected spiritually to what's going on up here.

Is that right?

Come on.

Stay with me.

Now I know right now she's looking at you all.

I gotta tell you, she's probably not gonna remember this.

She might.

She might doubt it.

And may I say, don't be afraid of the oh, already turned around.

I don't blame you.

Hey.

You can't see her, but she's just taking it all in and everything.

And you know what?

You say, shouldn't she be nervous?

What for?

She don't understand it all.

It's kind of like blissful naivety or you get the illustration?

And just like she's looking at me right now, that's the way we looked at this Bible, those of us who weren't saved and looked at it.

We looked at it and we we saw it, but we didn't see it.

We saw it in the three-dimensional part of it, but we didn't see it in the fourth-dimensional.

She sees me right now and she probably let's see.

Oh yeah, she already got me.

She's saying, Who is this crazy guy and what's she doing?

You ever watch babies?

They they when they're just young and they're laying there in the crib, you can, you know, and they get focused in and they come on you like that.

What?

They're developing their eyesight.

Same as Christians when they first get saved.

Thank you, sir.

Amen.

Bye-bye.

Be good.

Don't cry.

Or in church.

Now, do you get the illustration?

The idea is this: people look at this Bible or look at spiritual things three-dimensionally, but they don't look by faith in the fourth dimension and understand that there really is a God, that there is a Holy Spirit, and that all these things are really true.

It's called faith.

Stay with me a little bit farther and look if you would at Luke 18.

Now let me give you a very practical illustration, Luke 18, and you'll see what I'm talking about.

You say, I don't know if I really believe that or not.

Let me point blank show you.

Luke 18 and John 12.

Open his eyes that he might see.

Brother Saul, I'm going to tell you what's going to happen.

God's going to fill you with the Holy Spirit, the scales are going to fall off your eyes.

And you're going to see in a new way that you've never seen before.

I see men walk in his trees.

Look if you would at Luke 18 and John chapter 12.

John 12 · chapter mention

In Luke 18, stay with me.

Look if you would at verse 31.

I'm setting all this up.

There's a reason.

Luke 18, verse 31.

Luke 18:31

Then he took unto him the twelve and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, this is Jesus talking, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man shall be accomplished.

For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked and spitefully entreated and spitted upon.

And they shall scourge him and be put and be put him to death.

And the third day he shall do what?

Rise again.

Now he just told him everything, and as a Christian, we look at that and we say, What's so hard to understand about that?

They were yet without the Holy Spirit.

Verse 34 says this, and they understood what?

How much?

None of these things.

Now they had been with him for a while.

He tells them, We're going to Jerusalem.

They're going to mock, they're going to spit, they're going to scourge, they're going to kill the Son of Man, and the third day he's going to rise again.

They didn't understand any of that.

Why?

They were looking for a king.

And they understood none of these things.

And this saying, look at it, was what?

Hid from them.

Neither knew they the things which were spoken.

Well, he just told them.

I know.

But just like that baby just looked at me, what's her name?

Say again?

Monet.

Monet?

Just like Monet looked at me and she saw, but she didn't see.

She saw, you know, but she really didn't understand.

She understood some.

Oh, she'd know who mommy is by now.

And daddy, but mommy, I know, and daddy I know, but who art thou?

Amen?

You know what I'm talking about?

They they heard, but they didn't understand.

Look if you would at John chapter 12.

John 12 · chapter mention

John chapter 12.

John 12 · chapter mention

Follow with me now.

Just say, preacher, I know all this.

Stay with me, Christian.

John chapter 12.

John 12 · chapter mention

In John chapter 12, look at verse 12.

John 12 · chapter mention

Verse 12 of John chapter 12.

John 12 · chapter mention

On the next day, much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went forth to meet him and cried, Hosanna, blessed is the king of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.

And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon, as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Zion.

Behold, the king cometh sitting on an ass's colt.

Verse 16.

These things understood what?

Not his disciples at the first.

But when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.

Please look up here.

Why they were doing these things, they didn't understand what they were doing.

While they were casting these branches down, why were they crying Hosanna?

They didn't realize they were fulfilling scriptures.

They said, hey, listen, we didn't understand it at that time.

But after he was glorified, they thought back, you know what?

We did just what the scriptures told us we were going to do.

Please look up here.

While the Lord was riding that little donkey in and they were doing all that, they just thought, hey, great, here he's coming in Jerusalem, he's going to be king.

They didn't understand.

It wasn't until after he had died, buried, resurrected, and he opened the eyes of their understanding to the scriptures that they said, you know what?

Wow.

Do you remember what we did?

That was according to the scriptures, wasn't it?

Look at John chapter 13.

John 13 · chapter mention

John chapter 13.

John 13 · chapter mention

You okay this morning?

John 13.

You say, but how does this apply to me?

It will in just a moment.

John chapter 13.

John 13 · chapter mention

In John chapter 13, look at verse 7.

John 13 · chapter mention

Verse 7.

Jesus answered and said, He's talking to Peter.

Unto him.

What I do thou knowest not when.

Now.

But thou shalt know when hereafter.

That's a good verse of scripture for Christians.

Amen.

Doug, what I'm doing now, you really don't know.

But you know what?

Later on, you'll know hereafter.

It's kind of like, Doug, by faith, you don't understand everything I'm doing in your life right now.

But hang in there, stay in there.

One of these days you will understand it.

Amen?

You ever have a period of time in your life where you said, I don't understand really, Lord, what's going on right now?

I really don't.

A lot of Christians, when they don't understand, they start running to, you know, well, I gotta find this, or I gotta find that.

Hey, you know, if you're a mature Christian and you don't understand what's going on, stay pat, stay firm, stay in your book, stay in church, and don't go run off trying to find a guru.

Just stay right here.

Stay at it.

What I do, thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know when.

Hereafter.

Look if you would at John chapter 2.

John 2 · chapter mention

John chapter 2.

John 2 · chapter mention

You say, man, how many scriptures are you going to give us?

Till it's done.

Amen.

John chapter 2.

John 2 · chapter mention

Open mine eyes that I might see.

John chapter 2.

John 2 · chapter mention

Look if you would in John chapter 2, another illustration.

John 2 · chapter mention

Verse 19.

He said, You don't understand, Peter, what I'm doing now, but you'll understand it later.

Verse 19.

Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up again.

Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple and building.

Jesus said, Destroy this temple in three days I'll raise it up.

The Jews thought he was talking about the big building, the huge temple that had taken so long to build up.

And they said, You're going to destroy this thing and rear it up again in three days?

But look at look at verse 21.

But he spake of the temple of his what?

His body.

When therefore, and here's the key verse, he was risen from the dead, his disciples what?

Say it.

Remembered that he had said this unto them, and they believed the scripture and the word which Jesus had said.

They didn't believe it prior to it because they didn't understand it.

They had to wait to understand it.

Alright.

Now let me get to it.

Look at Romans chapter 8.

Romans 8 · chapter mention

Romans chapter 8 and Hebrews chapter 2.

Romans 8 · chapter mention Hebrews 2 · chapter mention

And I only have these two scriptures, one more for you to turn to, but that doesn't mean the message is open.

Romans chapter 8.

Romans 8 · chapter mention

Now what we've just looked at in a very short period of time, 10, 15 minutes, is some scriptures that deal with seeing by sight three-dimensionally, and seeing by sight plus our understanding four-dimensionally.

By the way, a person that can't see in this world can still understand this book.

Seeing by sight or seeing by understanding.

Look if you would at Romans chapter 8, look at verse 1.

Romans 8 · chapter mention

Therefore, there is therefore now know what?

Say it.

Condemnation.

To them which are in who?

Christ Jesus.

And then it says this: who walk not after the flesh, but after the what?

Spirit.

Look if you would at verse 5.

For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the what?

The flesh.

But they that are after the what?

The spirit, the things of the spirit.

Mark it down this way.

We're surrounded.

What are we going to do?

Alas, my master, mark it down, he's seeing third-dimensionally, or New Testament, he'd be after the flesh.

The prophet said, Open his eyes that he might see.

And when God did, he looked around, and now he saw that they that be with him were much more than they be against him, and now he was looking by spirit.

Brethren, we have a choice, even as Christians.

To walk after the temporary or to walk after the eternal.

To walk after the flesh and mind the things of the flesh only, or to walk after the things of the spirit and mind the things of the spirit.

Verse 6, look at it.

For to be carnally minded, that's after the flesh, is death.

But to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

You ever run into Christians that are miserable?

Talk to me.

You ever run into Christians that are miserable?

You know why a Christian gets miserable?

They stop walking after the Spirit and start walking after the flesh.

They stop looking fourth dimensionally and start walking, looking third dimensionally, and they lose their peace and their joy.

I'm talking to you today as Christians who one time you say, Boy, I just used to read that Bible and understanding it was fresh, and church was fresh, and preaching was great and all that.

And I was walking in the not only just the third dimension, but in the fourth dimension.

But I'm telling you as a Christian, we can backslide away from those things and to begin walking after the flesh and lose our peace and our joy.

You say, how do you know that?

Look at Hebrews chapter 2.

Hebrews 2 · chapter mention

Hebrews chapter 2.

Hebrews 2 · chapter mention

Stay.

Hebrews chapter 2.

Hebrews 2 · chapter mention

Therefore.

Hebrews chapter 2.

Hebrews 2 · chapter mention

Therefore, and this is probably the text verse of the whole message.

Therefore, we ought to give the more what?

Earnest heed to the things which we have say it, heard, lest at any time we should, would you say the next three words?

Let them slip.

What can we let slip?

The things that we've heard.

How many in here, honestly, truthfully, have at one time had a good strong walk at God with God, but then you know for a fact that there was a period of time that you backslid?

Come on.

Alright, let me put them down.

How many should have raised your hand, but you did?

You tell me if there's Is true or not?

When we begin to backslide, the spiritual part of our walk begins to lessen.

You say, like what?

For example, in the fourth dimension, there's prayer.

Come on, look up here.

In the fourth dimension, when we're walking after the Spirit, there is prayer.

Yes or no?

You say, I don't understand.

All right?

Let me tell you what prayer is.

Prayer is talking to somebody that we've never yet seen with our eyes in the three-dimensional, but we see with the eyes of our understanding.

When I bow my head to pray, I can picture the best I can the throne of God.

It's sapphire, it's blue.

Around it, there's an emerald green ring.

There's a sea of glass before it.

And I know there's thunderings and lightnings coming out of that thing, and around that throne they're saying, holy, holy, holy, holy.

Now please look up here.

It's just a three-dimensional picture.

It can't fathom what it's actually like.

But do you remember when you first started your prayer life?

How many of you ever went through this?

Oh Lord, I wish I could believe you're there, and I really want to believe you're there, and so would you please help me?

And then a little voice in the back of your mind said, This is silly.

What am I doing talking to somebody I've never seen before?

How many had that happen, something like that?

What about the rest of y'all?

You never even doubted it, huh?

Or maybe you forgot that you haven't started praying yet?

Come on now.

You see, our our how we walk in the spirit will affect something like our prayer life.

If we get in the spirit and we walk in the spirit and we live in the spirit and we read his word and we understand his words, hey, brother, you know what?

There is no problem at any time of the day walking, kneeling, standing in an airport, in a car, whatever, just to break into prayer.

But because a lot of Christians don't have a strong spiritual life, their prayer life isn't much.

Come on, amen.

Why?

Well, you know, okay, prayer.

I'm talking to somebody I've never seen before.

I know he's there.

I know he's likened to the wind.

I've never seen the wind, and you know, but you see the effects of the wind and everything like that.

But it just doesn't seem real right now.

You know why?

Three-dimensional.

This world seems more real than the heavenly world.

Well, I can see this world, I can I can touch it, I can, I can see it, I can hear it, I can smell it.

This is real.

No, this is temporary.

Things up in heaven are eternal.

The things that are seen are temporary, the Bible says, but the things that are not seen are what?

Say it.

Eternal.

But if we're not careful, we function in the three-dimensional plane, we backslide away, and it gets to the place where, you know what?

We read our Bible, but not earnestly.

Verse 1, we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

The things that we've learned.

And I'm talking to you to Christians, you've been Christians for two years, four years, eight years, ten years, twenty years.

If we're not careful, any one of us can get to the place where we let these things slip.

One of the immediate results is the time we used to spend praying goes by.

And sometimes we don't even really give it that much thought.

Well, God, you're gonna do whatever you're gonna do anyway, so please do it.

Come on, do you know what I'm talking about?

God, you're God.

I'm not gonna be able to change your mind anyway, so whatever you're gonna do, just do it.

Amen.

How many would honestly say, I not quite that way, but I understand what you're talking about?

Sure.

You know why?

That's a good indication that we've slipped from a strong walk in the Spirit, abiding by the Spirit, talking with the Spirit, listening to the Spirit.

It's a good indication that we're slipping and that we need to get back to Him.

And if we're not careful, what happens is all of a sudden the things in the fourth dimension aren't as important anymore, and the things in the third dimension, the three-dimensional things, take much more importance.

You say, like what?

Well, I'll give you an illustration.

Instead of going witnessing, TV takes its place.

Now, all that is is simply this.

Witnessing is something we do in the fourth dimension, is that right?

Come on, yes or no?

Talk to me now.

Some of you are even losing it in the third dimension right now, amen.

Huh?

Come on.

Somebody go on.

I know how it goes.

If we don't believe what's in this Bible, why should we want to tell anybody else about it?

If we don't believe in the fourth dimension that this really is true, why do I want to go and tell everybody else?

I know I'm supposed to, but you know, until I believe it more, I'm not going to do it.

The more we believe it, the more we want to witness to somebody, give out a track and say, Here, you need this.

This will be good for you.

Now, when we first got saved, how zealous we were.

If we're not careful, we let those things slip.

Amen?

Uh, Brother Tugman, I see you back there.

Welcome back.

How long have you been gone, Doc?

Six months on that float, huh?

Got a lot of third-dimensional things out there, right?

Do you have some good fellowship out there?

Uh, not to put you on the spot or anything.

But on that Westpac, you know it's easy for things to slip.

I don't want to put you on the spot or anything like that, but can you relate to what I'm saying?

I know him real well.

You say, oh man, you're calling this guy out.

It's almost like saying, Dugman, are you backslid?

I don't have to ask him, I already know he is, amen.

Faithful are the wounds of a friend.

You say, don't do that, he'll never come back.

Oh, he'll be back.

Why?

Because God's called him here, amen.

But you can't go in a six-month west pack with having them control your schedule, all kinds of things going on, and not being in a in a church in a fellowship, amen.

Not being in a place when you come home where your wife says, Have you read your Bible, Tugman?

Right, Quarth?

Amen.

I got all these babies stirred up.

We got a little, that's okay.

We're having a little fellowship here and everything.

That's all right.

How are we doing?

Hey there, good.

How you doing, Lisa?

Good?

Amen.

Good, good.

See ya.

Bye.

Oh, there's a baby's fellowship in the four-year.

Brother Wade, out.

Amen.

Some of you aren't laughing.

Tugman's laughing, amen.

If we're not careful, and they can still hear us out there.

If we're not careful, you know what we do?

In the middle of the summer, we let things slip.

Now there's nothing wrong with having entertainment and hey, you know what I did on the 4th of July?

I got myself in a corner now, I'm trying to think.

No, I'll tell you what I did.

Somebody, we got some tickets to the Padres game or something like that, and I took the boys on the afternoon of the Padre game.

You say that's third dimensional.

I know.

But we had a good time.

It was fun for the boys.

We had a great time.

You say we're with the girls.

Oh, they were third-dimensionally shopping.

Amen?

Can you gals relate?

Hot summer sun, Padres game?

Not interested.

Cool, air-conditioned shopping center, that's for me.

Amen?

But uh we had a good time.

But you know, on that day I made sure too, I spent some time with the Lord.

And I tried to make sure my boys spent some time with the Lord and my girls.

Because if we're not careful, what happens over the summer is we begin to let some things slip.

And when we used to be walking in the spirit, we start walking in the flesh.

And you say, oh, how do you know when you're walking in the flesh?

Well, first of all, prayer.

Witnessing.

I'll tell you another thing when you're walking in the flesh, irritation and anger comes quicker.

Why?

Because the peace that passes all understanding is not there.

Amen.

See, brother, when we get to walk in the flesh or start walking in the flesh, we let some of those things slip.

Wherein the Holy Spirit used to hold us back, let me say it again.

Wherein the Holy Spirit used to hold us back.

Wherein the Holy Spirit used to hold us back.

You say, What do you mean the Holy Spirit used to hold us back?

Your spouse will say something, the Spirit will say, Don't say a word.

And your mind will say, And the Holy Spirit will say, Quiet.

And your mind will say, Oh, I'm gonna say something! Quiet.

Forgive, for bear.

Leave it alone.

It's no big deal.

When we're not walking in the spirit, we don't even give it a thought.

It just amen.

Yes or no?

Come on.

Walking in the spirit keeps things at peace.

There's forbearance, there's forgiveness.

But when we get out of the spirit and start getting in the flesh, oh, we're still saved.

But I tell you what, irritations and angers and imaginations and thoughts and all kinds of stuff starts swarming around in there, capturing our mind.

When we used to be focused on Christ and that He had everything under control, panic can set in.

So sometimes it's good for Christians to even say, Lord, uh, you know what?

Well, let me show you 1 Thessalonians 5, last scripture.

1 Thessalonians 5.

Brother Tugman, I'm going to call you later just to make sure that you're not offended at me.

Are you offended?

Okay, good.

Boy, I'm sweating it.

1 Thessalonians 5.

Anybody here friends with Brother Tugman?

No.

Okay, I just want to make sure.

Anybody that's Brother Tugman's friends, you're not offended, are you?

I saw a hand somewhere.

You're not offended wherever you're.

No, just give me.

Because sometimes if you say something to someone else, a friend over here will say, Oh, I wish he wouldn't have said it.

No, this is okay.

1 Thessalonians 5.

Let's start with verse 1.

But the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write unto you.

For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh of the thief in the night.

For when they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape.

Verse 4, watch it.

But ye who, brethren, that saves people, are not in what?

Darkness.

That that day should overtake you as a thief.

Ye are all children of the light.

And the children of the day.

We are not of the night nor of darkness.

Wait a minute, verse 6.

Therefore, because of all that in one through five, therefore, let us not what?

Please look up here.

I know this is simple.

Let me remind you what we do when we sleep.

Please look up here.

Right?

You say, What'd you do?

I just close my eyes.

And when I close my eyes when I sleep, I don't see very well.

How about you?

My eyelids are thick enough that if my eyes are closed, I don't see.

And the idea is this therefore, let us, brethren, children of God, not sleep as others do.

But let us do what?

Watch.

And when we watch, we are looking at it with our eyes, if you would, and be sober.

That sobriety talks about understanding.

For they that sleep, sleep in the night.

They got their eyes closed.

And they that be drunken are drunken are not.

But let us who are of the day be what?

Sober.

You know what he says?

Keep your eyes open and walk with the understanding, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for in helmet the hope of salvation.

The idea is, even though we're Christians, it's an opportunity, if you would.

There are opportunities to backslide away, let some things slip, and if you would, don't take this wrong.

I know, I know, I know when Christians, when we backslide, it's almost like we're sleepwalking.

Now, how many of you ever had the experience of moving around or getting up out of your bed while you're asleep, called sleepwalking.

None of you?

I only had one or two experiences with this, and I can only go on what my brother said, but uh, we were somewhere one night, and I got up out of bed, and he said my eyes were open, but I was going somewhere and doing something.

But please look up there, even though my eyes were open, I was asleep.

And you can read stories about people who uh one time uh we were at a hotel somewhere, and I don't even remember the time or the place, I was a young boy or something like that, but somehow I got up and he followed me.

And I got out of the hotel room and I was just in my underclothes and walked down the stairs and was outside or something like that, and just about then he he he grabbed me and carried me back up the room and all that.

He said, But it was he said I was laughing all the way.

He said, I thought it was funny.

The idea is this though, even though I was functioning, and I don't do it anymore, I don't think, even though I was even though I was functioning, please look up here, my my eyes were open, but I wasn't understanding.

Sometimes, Christians, what we can do is we begin to sleepwalk.

We begin to, even though we we think we're seeing, we we don't really see it because we're away from God.

Some of the indications?

Please look up here.

Okay, I gotta pray.

Lord, I'm not into this.

Okay, let's see.

Let me get with it.

Okay.

Father, I just want to thank you.

Oh, let's see, what's gonna happen today?

Oh, yeah, I'm gonna do that, I gotta do that, and that's gonna happen.

Oh my Lord, I'm sorry, I gotta get back to this thing.

Let's see.

What happened yesterday?

Yeah, look at man.

Yeah, boy.

Well, that was something yesterday, wasn't it?

Man, oh man.

Wow.

Yeah, that was.

Oh, Lord, I'm I'm sorry.

God, I gotta get into this thing.

Okay.

Oh, man.

Yeah, that's gonna be fun tomorrow.

Man, I'm gonna have a great time tomorrow.

Okay, Lord.

Well, listen, that's about all the time I have.

Uh God bless me.

Amen.

Come on, have you ever done that?

That's not in the spirit.

And that's what's wrong with that, is especially when we don't get convicted about it.

And we just think, how's your prayer life?

Oh, it's fine.

Just fine.

Our witnessing?

We get to the place where we don't pass out tracts and we don't want to go out and tell anybody about him.

And it's not so much that we don't want to, it's because we're not walking in the spirit and we've let some things slip that we just don't.

Can you relate to what I'm talking about?

If we're not careful, the eyes that used to see, the understanding that used to rejoice, begins to dissipate and we let some things slip.

Now, statement.

The very fact that you're in church this morning and that I'm here should be an indication to ourselves that we're not totally gone.

You say, oh, I'm just such a rotten, terrible, you know, I don't have a good walk and I'm backslidding right down and all that.

Listen, please don't beat yourself up too much.

Rather say, you know, Lord, I I need to get back.

I need to get focused again.

I need to get back walking in the spirit again instead of the flesh.

I need to get back to where, Lord, if you would, to where I want to pray and I and I want to come to church and I want to read my Bible.

Now please look up here.

You could be sitting here right now.

Look over to your left and look over to your right.

Make sure the person next to you is not asleep, sleepwalking, amen.

And if they are, wake them up.

Please look up here.

Now, I've been in church before, not just preaching.

Right now, you could be sitting here watching me like this.

And you can even have a smile on your face.

But you're not plugged in to the message.

You're thinking about last week, you're thinking about tomorrow.

You're thinking about lunch today.

And if somebody were to give you a quiz on what we talked about this morning, here's what you would do.

And you know if you sit in church long enough, even though everybody else thinks you're a good Christian and walking with the Lord, in your heart you know.

The lights are on.

Nobody's home.

You don't have to confess anything to me.

I don't have to confess anything to you.

There's one mediator between God and man, the man who?

Christ Jesus.

I don't have to know.

It's not necessary that anybody but God know.

But every once in a while it's good to evaluate ourselves and say, you know, I've let some things slip.

I need to get back to where I should be.

I want to make a statement.

I'm watching the time.

If you've never received Christ as Savior, may I say to you, and listen, please, you're missing the fourth dimension.

You're missing a dimension that brings peace and joy, love, forbearance and patience.

You're missing a part of the spiritual part that inside, I mean, you say, well, how'd you did you did you go out and did you do what you wanted to do?

I did what I wanted.

Oh, it's a great time.

But may I say, with the spirit, it it becomes joy and peace.

And there's no way to describe it.

I went to a ball game the other day with the boys.

Please look up here.

You say, who won?

The Padres won.

You say, Oh, wasn't that exciting?

Yeah, yeah.

But I was more excited about being with my boys.

You say, Well, aren't you guys that just really gets up there and roots and all that?

No, I kind of sit there and I I watch what's going on.

I I kind of watch people.

Some guys they go to the ballgame to watch the ballgame.

I kind of go to watch people.

People are curious to me, amen.

Now, oh, did you get excited?

Well, I got excited because my boys got excited.

And they had a great time.

But more important to me was them having a memory of dad taking them to a ballgame.

And we did a couple things, so it was kind of unusual, so they would remember it.

Because you never know how how long you have with it.

And you want to give the boys some memories.

I would have ruined their whole day.

I'm a quick shopper.

Do you know what I'm talking about?

Walk in, that's it, let's buy it, we're out of here.

Now, you ladies, some of you may be quick shoppers, but a lot of ladies I know, oh no, no, we want to go in and we'll be back in about 30 minutes.

You mean one store, 30 minutes?

Oh, yeah, we gotta look around.

Man, I I can look in the window and see what's in there, amen.

So you have to understand, no, I did not go shopping to ruin their day.

I've gone shopping, I don't know.

I went shopping with my wife.

Patty, you in here uh 15 years ago?

And I ruined her day.

So we don't.

You say, well, you know, don't you guys love each other?

Yeah, yeah, we just don't go shopping together.

She likes to linger, I like to be quick, and uh it just works out better that way.

Thank you.

I was feeling a little lonely.

But if she wanted me to, I would.

But I'd have to pray and get in the spirit first.

But no, it wasn't the ball game so much or I was watching the game, I guess, but not really watching it that much, and praying and praying for the boys a little bit.

Sitting at the ball game.

Right behind us, and you'd have to understand this, the sun was back here, and we were up in the nosebleed section.

You know, I'm talking about like way up there.

You could parachute from up there, amen.

Looking down, and uh the sun was coming, so the the shadow was coming down, and uh four people, as the sun was moving down the shadow, they come and sit right behind us.

And I heard the lady saying, uh, no, I don't I don't think it is.

Look, look what his hat says.

And the daughter was saying, Oh, yeah, yeah, that's that's him.

And I didn't say a word.

And uh, because I had a hat on that said Grace Baptist Church.

And the mom said, Well, that's Grace Baptist Church.

I thought you said Lighthouse Baptist Church.

She said, That's him, that's him.

And so the son moved down, they moved down a few more rows and everything, and and they got ready to leave again, and it was a bus girl.

One of our children, our bus children that ride the bus, and the parents had never been here.

And uh she kind of looked at me and I recognized her and I waved at her.

I had sunglasses on.

Incognito, amen.

I didn't want anybody to know I was at a baseball game.

And she waved at me and I waved back.

And I don't think she really wanted to make a big scene of it or anything like that.

But I told our boys, I said, uh, hey, there was one of our bus girls, and as she left with her parents, I prayed for her.

I guess three-dimensionally there was a lot of things going on.

Baseball and people getting excited.

But you know, as I sat in those stands that day, I thought, wow, look at all these people.

I wonder if they're saved.

I wonder if anybody's ever told them about the gospel.

I wonder if anybody ever gave them a personal witness.

And um, my boys didn't see it, but I had to wipe the tears away a couple times because I thought, somehow we gotta reach out to more people through this church that God's given us in San Diego.

And the boys said, hey dad, did you see that hit?

And I said, uh uh uh yeah, saw that.

But did you ever see but didn't see?

I was thinking about something else.

Something fourth-dimensionally today, if you've let some things slip, maybe all God's trying to do is encourage you back again to where you walk in the spirit, minding the things of the spirit.

If you do, there's there's life and there's peace, there's joy, there's contentment in the fourth dimension.

In the third dimension, please look up here, there's discontentment, there's misery, there's insecurity, there's panic, there's irritations and anger.

Seems like though, with God's presence, a lot of that is taken care of.

If you've never received Christ as Savior today, they that be with us are more than what this world has to offer.

And if you're Christian, may I say to you that walking in the Spirit, prayer and witnessing and Bible study and preaching, there's more joy in that than what this world has to offer.

Now, if you say, man, I'm I'm going to a ball game or something like that, I'm not trying to ruin your time.

Oh man, oh man, I just can't wait, you know.

The all-star game.

What night is that?

It's coming up, isn't it?

Come on, everybody's afraid.

I'm not gonna say a word.

It's it's this coming week, isn't it?

Tuesday night, all-star game.

Now, man, that may be a big night, and praise the Lord, glory to God, hallelujah, and all that stuff.

But don't make that your life.

Because it's all temporary.

And it comes and it goes.

The things that are eternal are more important.

Enjoyment, laugh, yeah.

Entertainment, sure, no problem.

But not a substitute for walking in the spirit.

Would you stand with me to your feet?

Please don't go to the foyer.

Please don't leave yet.

Please, just a little courtesy.

Look right up here at me.

Initially, the the idea of the fourth dimension when I was in the Marine Corps and got saved, initially the idea of prayer seemed a little silly to me.

The idea of carrying your Bible and reading it, I don't know, it seemed a little silly.

The idea of going to church and everything, I mean, okay, I went Sunday morning and slipped back in Sunday night, but I mean, I it's just a little silly.

Now that I've been doing it for years and years and years, now the world seems silly.

And this is real.

And church is real, and Bible reading is real, and prayer is real, and witnessing is real, and the things of the spirit are real, but you know what?

Don't take this wrong.

This world's entertainment and fun seems more silly and more silly as I go on.

I mean, don't take this wrong.

I mean, I looked around and somebody hit her home run for the Padres.

I mean, the guys were high-fives at each other.

I looked and I said, isn't that silly?

I mean, well, don't you want them to win?

Fine.

I'm all for them.

I don't have a problem with that.

But what they get excited about was kind of silly.

But then it didn't take me long to look back and remember the days when I played rugby.

And somebody would score a try and we'd pile on top of each other.

Yell and scream.

How silly.

You say, well, church is a little silly, not in God's eyes.

A, in the next few minutes we give an old-fashioned altar call.

You say that's a silly thing.

I mean, people come and as the instruments play and they pray.

You say, how silly.

Oh no.

No.

In the world's eyes it might be silly, but in God's eyes, I think he looks down and says, There comes my children to spend a little time with me.

Been trying to get that one back for a while.

Good to see that one coming back again to me.

I knew he would, I knew she would.

Just been waiting patiently.

It's not silly by faith to follow God.

With your heads bound and your eyes closed.

If you're in here and you never receive Christ as Savior, it's not silly to let someone take a Bible and show you how to be saved.

If you're in here today and you say, well, I'm a little off course, it's not silly to take some time of prayer.

Or maybe you know someone that's not saved, or maybe you know some that's someone that's a little backslid.

It would not be silly, Christian, to intercede in prayer for that person you know that's not yet saved, or that person who's a little bit backslid.

Please, let's do something today that's not silly.

In the fourth dimension, let's talk to our Father and ask him for his help and his assistance.

And if nothing else, before we get into the busyness of this day and next week, let's take a little time to say to one we've never yet seen in the third dimension, only through the eyes of our study, let's take some time to say I love you.

Thank you.

Thank you for loving me.

Christian, lead the way.