Sermon
How To Receive Greater Revelation | Pastor Daniel Batarseh (Gospel of Mark Bible Study Series)
Publisher transcript
Transcript
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I Echo the sentiments of David when he said in Psalm 16 as for
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the Saints of the land, they are, the excellent ones in whom
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is all my delight. I'm delighted to be in the
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presence of God's people this afternoon and I hope you are the
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same. We haven't been in the gospel of
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Mark for some time, but today we continue and so open your Bibles
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with me and come to Mark, chapter 4, as we look at two
Mark 4 chapter mention
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verses together, As a family, trusting that the Holy Spirit
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has much to say even in these two verses Mark chapter 4.
Mark 4 chapter mention
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And meet me at the words of Jesus.
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In verse 24 of Mark, chapter 4, If you're a person who does not
Mark 4 chapter mention
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have a Bible, come see me after the service, want to give you a
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Bible, I want you to have a copy of God's word in your hand,
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especially when you come to the house of God and more
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importantly from Monday to Saturday as well.
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Mark, 424 and he said to them, Pay attention to what you hear.
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With the measure you use, it will be measured to you and
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still more will be added to you. For to the one who has more will
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be given. And from the one who has not,
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even what he has will be taken away.
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Lord with these two verses before us, we ask for the spirit
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of wisdom and Revelation. Lord, protect us from confusion,
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guide us into Divine Clarity. And Lord may your word inspire,
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obedience in our lives, and not just obedience out of Duty, but
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Delight may cause us to worship you.
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As we face with the living voice of God, we ask Lord that as your
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words here were just read. You would give us the grace to
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pay attention. And reap the great benefit that
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these principles have to offer Us in this life.
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We give you all praise and honor in Jesus name.
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Amen. It's quite interesting to note
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how much the Lord Jesus throughout his time here on
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Earth and even Beyond his Earthly Ministry mentions, the
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necessity of hearing. The careful reader of the Bible
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will even remember that in the final book of sacred scripture
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Christ, himself repeats, the statement, and the charge to the
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churches that he had rest of that day.
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He who has ears to hear, Let Him hear what the spirit says, to
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the churches several times, he brings that up.
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The relationship between Jesus and man's hearing is far beyond
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his capability of making the death hole.
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Again, The Miracle Worker that you and I worship is also the
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teacher of teachers, he is the creator.
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Yes, but he is also the communicator of divine
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revelation and as the communicator of Truth, he also
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has an expectation of how his audience should engage with the
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truth that they come into contact with what you and I are
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doing this afternoon. As we are sitting under the
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preaching of God's word and what you do in your private time.
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As you come face-to-face, with the written word of God is no
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small thing. We should not be for one moment.
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Allowing ourselves to slip into indifference or passivity when
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we are in such a place, whether it's privately or corporately,
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like today, we Hear that according to Christ receiving
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the truth. Having that projected on us
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requires a level of awareness and discipline that will
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determine pay attention to this that will determine whether or
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not. We will be rewarded with
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spiritual riches or we will forfeit those spiritual riches.
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It is all contingent upon one thing and that is hearing and
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hearing rightly that is essentially what Jesus is saying
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in these two verses Christ, wants us to know how you and I
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can maximize absolutely capitalize on the revelation.
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He has to offer. And yet at the same time, he
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warns us how we can forfeit the truth.
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That is available to us in a way that can change us and profound
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ways. the maximizing or the minimizing of the manifestation,
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of God's insight and wisdom pertaining to the things of this
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life and the things that are unseen, Are wholly dependent
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upon Jesus, instructions here and how you and I adhere to
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them. perhaps, you have observed, like I have How
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they're just some Christians, who have such a firm grasp on
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the word of God, and more than that.
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They seem to only go deeper and deeper and understanding Divine
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realities. And at the same time, you can
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look over just very closely and see Christians who are in that
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same person's environment, who have the same access to the
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resources. And the vessels that God use to
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bring things to Clarity concerning his word and yet,
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they An unskilled and they are stagnant.
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Over the years, concerning the word of righteousness.
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How does this occur? Do?
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We not all have the same, Holy Spirit living in us.
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Do we not all have the same Bible at our disposal again, do
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we not all have access to resources more than any time of
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history and do we not also have the availability to receive from
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gifted teachers and preachers. Not just in your local setting.
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But even across the world, Jesus explanation to why it is that
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some seem to grow in Revelation While others, don't is plain and
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clear. Here.
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Come back with me to verse 24. And look at this, precious verse
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concerning this subject Jesus says, pay attention to what you
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hear with. The measure you use, it will be
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measured to you and still more will be added to you the seems
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ambiguous, but it's really clear when you think about it.
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It's very simple, essentially. What the Lord is saying is this
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the standard of action The standard of action and attention
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that you give to anything will ultimately determine the level
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of gain that you will receive in return.
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That's a law that applies to almost everything in life and
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what the Lord is trying to convey here is that it also is
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related to how your spiritual perception and expansion is
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realized. Now that's the main thought and
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we can we can be grateful to understand that that is the main
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thought, but there are still questions that we need to
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explore. Here's the question that I have
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when I come, when I come to this verse earlier this week, I said
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well if that's what the Lord is saying, then one What is the
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measure necessary for me to apply in order to no spiritual
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success? What is it?
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That is needed of me. What standard must I adopt and
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practice in order to no greater and greater Revelation and
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secondly which I kind of answer what exactly will be added to
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us. If we use the appropriate
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measure, that's what I want to answer this afternoon because my
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desire for you. Especially for those who were
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eager to uncover gold, in God's word.
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And to see precious realities and Provisions of his grace and
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from there, to experience a greater personal transformation
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as a result of what you come into contact with this message,
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I pray will be a blessing to you and that it will instruct you.
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Because this text here is a launching pad and it will launch
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us into other places in the Bible to discover exactly what
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it is. That God requires of us in order
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to open more and more doors and the corridor of divine truth.
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And I hope that that is something that you would want
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because today I want to present to you.
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Three measures three measures needed to receive greater
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Revelation from God. And this is what precisely
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Christ wants to get at and I can assure you based on the
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authority of the word of God. That if you if you Embrace what
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I'm about to tell you and I will reference it as much as I can.
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With the scriptures, you will set yourself on the path on the
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course of Glorious growth. That will only increase until
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you arrive into Glory itself. Three measures three disciplines
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three practices, whatever word you want to use.
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For the person that says, I don't want to be a babe in
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Christ anymore. I don't want to just drink milk
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anymore. Give me meat, give me meat, all
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this will bless you for those who are intimidated by the
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content here, for those who don't believe that they have,
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the ability to understand these deep things.
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All of this is for those who are simply going to hear what God
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has to say. Three measures, let me give you
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the first one. The first one is right here in
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the verse that we just read. If you and I want to grow and
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greater Revelation concerning the word of God, and the things
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of God, and the ways of God, then you must do, this pay
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attention, pay attention. That is the first instruction,
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Jesus declared it pay attention to what you hear.
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Pay attention to what you here for the Lord to cause to pay
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attention means that you and I can hear the word of God, like
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you are right now. You and I can even read the word
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of God in a way that I wish you. Hope you do throughout the week
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and still do so ineffectively if you want a classic example for
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that, look at the Pharisees, how many times has the Lord engage
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with the Pharisees and he says, have you not read only what an
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insult. You're talking to The Experts of
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the law of the day and you're saying, have you not read
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obviously they read that industry.
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They memorized large portions of the Hebrews.
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Scriptures, and Jesus by asking that question is saying you
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didn't really read the way you were supposed to read.
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You didn't really see what you were supposed to see you.
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Absorb the information it was there you can rehearse it, but
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you didn't really read it. In other words, you really
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didn't pay attention to what God was trying to say to you.
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That's why he makes this clear call for you, and I to be
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mindful of whatever is being presented before us, but what
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does that really mean? Mean, what does it really mean
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for me to pay attention, which is becoming a lost art in our
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day, by the way? We can't pay attention to almost
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anything without checking a notification or checking this,
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or scrolling to that. And then refreshing, this pay
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attention. To pay attention is an act of
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the will and it is a willful decision to ignore other
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elements around you or within you, as you choose to carefully,
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put your attention on an object worthy of consideration, it is
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an aspect of concentration, almost, like I kind of feel
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silly almost giving you a definition of what it means to
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pay attention and almost seems like a silly thing to review.
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But as I said for Jesus to give that instruction, Suction then
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how much more is it relevant for us now in an age of so much?
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Distraction of so much saturation, pulling your
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attention and so many different directions and I cannot think of
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a greater and stronger. Biblical example of how God
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rewards, those who pay attention.
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Then a text in the Old Testament that ironically was something
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that the Lord opened my eyes to on a summer night.
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While reading the, my Bible on my bed, I want you to go there
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with me in Exodus chapter 3. Exodus 3.
Exodus 3 chapter mention
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And this is beginning there in verse 2.
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Exodus 3 verse 2. This is the chapter where Moses
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is called by God to be the shepherd, and the leader of the
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people of Israel to be the deliverer of those who are
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oppressed under pharaohs tyranny, an exodus 32.
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As you're there, listen to what I'm about to say, the Holy
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Spirit does not waste one word and his word.
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Now, one word, and you're going to see that.
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I hope in this Exodus 3 verse 2 and the angel of the Lord
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appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush.
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Bush. He looked and behold the Bush
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was burning yet, it was not consumed.
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And Moses said, I will turn aside to see this great sight.
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Why? The bush is not burned.
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I find it so fascinating, how the Holy Spirit records, the
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very words that Moses spoke to himself as he in his peripheral
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vision, saw something that was strange.
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A burning bush but it was not consumed.
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It just kept burning and perhaps it wasn't a strange thing to see
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burning bushes in the wilderness but this was different.
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It didn't stop. It didn't turn into smoke then
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it consumed the object that it was consuming And we see here
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that this catches is attention and if you if you don't have the
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ESV, which we read from here on the pulpit.
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If you have a King James, it will read for you.
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I will now turn aside if you have the nasb, it will say I
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must turn aside whatever translation you hold.
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What we're seeing here is that Moses is communicating this
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curiosity. That is prioritized something
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now Peaks. His curiosity and it is more
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important than anything else going around him.
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And he must seek to understand this phenomenon.
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I must, I will I need to see what this is all about.
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And what's more significant about?
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Moses decision to turn his attention to this Burning Bush
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was the timing of it. Go back to verse 1, what are we
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told in verse 1 of Exodus? 3 were told there that Moses was
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leading the Sheep real sheep, the Sheep of his Father-in-law,
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that was his employment. He was managing and supervising
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this flock. And so let me put it this way,
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Moses was at work, or maybe at the end of his work.
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We don't know where he's at with his shift, but we know that he
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is performing a duty and God saw it necessary to come at this
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specific point. But that detail enhances it
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enhances here, the great interest that Moses had in the
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strange sight and what he was witnessing.
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He would turn aside to see this display.
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Listen, even if it cost him some time to turn his attention away
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from a duty, an important duty, a good Duty, a faithful Duty.
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And yet still, this was so important that he even wanted to
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look elsewhere and give his full attention to this.
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But there's more look at verse 4.
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This is what really blesses me when the Lord saw that, he
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turned aside to see. When the Lord saw that, he
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turned aside to see the Holy Spirit wants to make sure to
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confirm to us that the Lord spoke only after he perceived
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that Moses was willing to give his full attention to the
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burning bush. For what reason?
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In order to tell you what Jesus wants to tell us that the Lord
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rewards, those who sacrifice the time to pause and pay attention
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to what he desires to say to us. When I read those words slowly,
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it just ministers to me so deeply when the Lord saw he
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sees. He might be silent but he's
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always seeing, he's always observing his always
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calculating. He's, he's always understanding.
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He's always there. And in this moment though, he's
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manifesting through the burning bush.
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There are burning eyes that look passed through everything else
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and see the very motive that this Moses had.
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And when the Lord saw and he observed, that Moses wanted to
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respond to this voiceless shrub, it was only then that The
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Searcher of Hearts was willing to unlock his voice and give him
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greater revelation. Think about that. because in the
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context of this Shepherd, God's voice was heard through a
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burning bush your context and mine is different.
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Now we have a burning book and this is where and when and how
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God speaks to us. But what happened here with
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Moses is the same for us in the same way God, waited for Moses
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to even pause on his duty or to prioritize this ambition not
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neglecting his duty but pausing and sanctifying and consecrated
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a portion of time of his day to say, let me come to this Burning
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Bush and see what it's all about.
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And the same way God waited for that.
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That kind of attendance and that kind of attention.
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It is no different with you and I he is no different than you
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and I the same eyes through that burning bush is the same God,
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who sees what we do with the supernatural book or how often
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do we walk by it in our homes? How often do we turn our
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attention away from it? How often do we get so caught
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up? And we tell ourselves that will
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give what we have left. The crumbs of our time to God's
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word, and we wonder why he is not speaking.
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God requires the necessary attention and attendance before
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he does. Why?
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Because he's a king, I read this quote from Spurgeon many months
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ago and I put it in my phone, as a reminder, little notes.
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It's a Wonderful feature in your app, your phone.
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And I think it relates to even to our subject today Spurgeon
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said, what should we think of a petitioner?
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What should we think of a petitioner if while having an
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audience with a prince? He should be playing with a
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feather, catching a fly. What should we think of a
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petitioner if while having an audience with the prince should
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be chasing a feather or catching a fly?
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Yeah, it's quite humbling. So my instruction here is very
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simple and I thank God that God made a very simple.
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The first thing that we must do in order for us to be posture
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for God, to grant us greater Revelation things.
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I will Exhilarate you and bless you and bring answers to you.
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We got to give him some attention. we got to be able to
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learn how to pause and say I'm going to give a portion of my
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time to push away all these other things and to just meet
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with God's word, And God sees that he sees that, let me offer
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some practical tips of how we pay attention to the word of
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God, eliminate as many distractions as possible.
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Eliminate as many distractions as possible, not just when
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you're alone. But even when you come to the
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house of God, when you come to the house of God, I say this all
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the time, my ambition coming to the house of God is not to sit
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with somebody that I like I want to be in a sphere and I want to
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position myself in a way in which I have as much of exposure
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to God's word with the least amount of traction.
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I don't know what it is about Christians.
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They're like afraid of the front row.
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That's my favorite spot to be. I love that because I mean some
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people have the grace to be back there.
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And that's fine too. I just know myself.
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I want to see the least amount of heads.
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So that I can hear all that as being said.
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Now when you are alone. Yes.
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As we all know, this is very, this, very simple, eliminate as
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many distractions but here's the thing.
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My brain is very loud. So even if I put these things
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away and I close the shades and I lock the door, this Cranium is
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filled with things and it doesn't, it doesn't hesitate to
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remind me of my laundry and what meal I need to make and what I
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need to take care of. Can I offer you a tip that helps
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me from time to time as you were with God's word read it out
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loud, read it out loud. Submit your senses to the
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engagement of the word of God. Now that doesn't have to read it
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the whole time if you can then do it.
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But I'm saying from time to time.
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Time pause and declare it read out loud the word and I'll tell
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you something, fascinating oftentimes the most Revelation I
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get from God's word is when I'm hearing it from my own mouth,
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there is this shift of focus, you go into another gear.
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When you are not just reading it with your eyes but you're
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hearing it with your ears and your lips are declaring it.
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Now there are some times where I wake up and my I just want to
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say anything my voice still needs to warm up.
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So I'm not saying I'm perfect at this but I can tell you every
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time I have done it in private or reading it with somebody
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one-on-one, there's just this heightened experience of the
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word of God. So do that, do that give a
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realistic amount of time. With the word of God.
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Don't Be Inspired from a message like this and say, I'm going to
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give three hours. I'm gonna wake up two hours
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early and I'm going to read. That's a great great motivation.
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I'm glad you're excited, but be realistic.
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It's better to give God 1530 minutes of concentrated time
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than an hour and a half of you periodically, falling asleep.
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As you're reading the word of God.
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Let's not measure our success by time here.
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Let's read and engage in absorb all that God has to say,
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brothers and sisters. We must pay attention.
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If we can't go to that step. Then the rest of what I'm about
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to say, is not going to help, but let me bring you not to
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step. Number two, how do we receive
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greater Revelation from God? Well, let's go to 2nd Timothy
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chapter 2. 2nd Timothy chapter 2.
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Let's look here at verse 4 together.
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Paul says to spiritual son. No soldier gets entangled in
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civilian Pursuits. Since his aim is to, please the
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one who enlisted him an athlete is not crowned, unless he
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competes, according to the rules, it is the hard-working
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farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops.
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And look what he says in verse 7.
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Think over what I say for. The Lord will give you
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understanding and everything. Point number one, pay Attention
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Point number to ponder frequently, Ponder frequently.
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Now, what Paul does here is he gives Timothy 3 metaphors of
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what the Christian experience is like he wants to inform above
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what. It's like he tells them that
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it's like being an athlete. He tells him, it's like being a
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soldier. He tells him, it's like being a
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farmer and after giving these analogies, he gives them an
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instruction Timothy think. I think in the word there is to
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reflect it is to ponder, it is to meditate.
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It is to sit on something until it becomes more and more obvious
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consider. Its meaning Timothy consider its
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application in your life, in your ministry Timothy.
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Now, what I find so interesting is that, when Paul gives these
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analogies, he does not give a detailed explanation of how they
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work and how they apply to you. Notice that it's almost like in
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Rapidfire fashion yet like a soldier like an athlete, like a
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farmer think. Well, it would help if you just
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elaborate a little bit more. No, no.
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I'm giving you these. I'm giving you enough.
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But now you need to take it. Here's the Baton and run with
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it. Think about how these things
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relate to the Christian experience.
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Think about the realities of a farmer of a soldier of a runner
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in the context of God's word and the boundary of his word and now
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think about how this works. Now, I would make sense for Paul
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to say, think about these things..
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That makes sense. Yeah, I obviously have to think
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about it. It, but he attaches the charge
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with a promise. Think over what I say, here's
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the promise for the Lord will give you understanding and
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everything. In other words polishers this,
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man, he sure is Timothy if he does what he's supposed to do,
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which is to ponder, then God will do what only he can do.
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And that's give illumination we can't miss that.
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This is a supernatural thing. This is a supernatural thing
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because the latter experience. Is contingent upon our
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compliance with the former exhortation.
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In essence, God will not provide insight to the person who does
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not think about them. Who does not internally
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investigate the interpretation, the implementation of it.
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And the same way that God was looking for Moses to turn and
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pay attention before. He spoke God at the same time,
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looks into our hearts to see if we are thinking about his truth.
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Let me put it this way. Revelation comes not to just
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readers, but the thinkers Revelation comes not merely to
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readers, but the thinker's, the people who come to the word of
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God. And ask the who, what, when,
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where? How questions?
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and it is those people who ask those questions not just to
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themselves, not just as they bounce back and forth with the
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word of God but even to their God, It is those people in which
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the promise is made, Supernatural guidance will come.
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And answers will be provided. This is a promise.
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In that should encourage the student, who is fearful.
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I remember coming to the Bible at one point early in my life
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and not knowing where to start, I remember hearing other people
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talk about the things of God, I remember not even being able to
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know what books were in my Bible.
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When the preacher said turn to this book and it can be
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overwhelming and it can be discouraging, and it can be
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frustrating to know yourself and see how slow you are to grasp
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certain things. But if that is you you remember
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what Paul is saying here? The Lord will give you
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understanding in everything everything.
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Now he could have said in what I just said well how Christian is
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like this and like that? And I guess but he doesn't just
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limited to what he just said. He says in all of the counsel of
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God's word, God is willing to teach you personally, God is
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willing to become your personal tutor. when he sees that you're
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willing to learn, But, hold on, brace yourself your because he
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says, God will the Lord will give you understanding in
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everything and he stopped there. That's important.
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You know why? Because many of us interpret it,
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the Lord will give you understanding in everything
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immediately. He doesn't say immediately.
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He's a good teacher, he's the perfect teacher, and he knows
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exactly what to disclose to you. At what time, remember what he
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said to his own disciples, because I have so much more to
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say to you, but you cannot bear them.
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Now, see if I reveal this to you will overwhelm you, it will
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crush. You you're such a state of
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sadness. You're so overwhelmed
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emotionally that it's not going to benefit you right now if I
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revealed these things to you. So the Lord knows exactly when
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to make known what? But that is not our duty to
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determine it is our responsibility to Simply do what
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he tells Timothy. And that is to think not as to
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think. And to realize that yes, there
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might be a shell over the scripture as we read it.
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But as we bring our thoughts to that, she'll and allow our
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thoughts and our meditations, and our questions, and yes,
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sometimes even our righteous frustration to crack at that
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Shell at the right time. The Lord will supply a Grace
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that will break it open for you to enjoy the fruit.
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They're in the Lord will give you understanding and everything
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and this is why you and I have to understand God, and many
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things, works with people who are willing to work who are
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willing to work, even when the Lord calls many in the Bible, if
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not all what you will find in the objects of his calling, is
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that those people who are Servants of his in the ministry
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were found working when he called them.
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And in the same way we come to this word and we must engage
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with it before, the Lord comes with the tools necessary to make
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it real. How does the Lord do it though?
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How does he give understanding is the answer is simple, as he
-
deposits Clarity in your mind and he provides the wisdom for
-
you to grasp it. I just had to know where
-
Supernatural like an epiphany. You sure?
-
You can do it that way. I don't think that's the only
-
legitimate Avenue though. He has many means by which he
-
makes known these things and I'll prove to you want because
-
some of this has happened to many of you when you've come to
-
the house of God, whether it's here or elsewhere and earlier
-
that week you read something or there's something that you've
-
been pondering about or a situation where you're trying to
-
see, how does God's word make this make sense and offer.
-
Soon, as you come here unsuspectingly, you hear
-
something? And there it is, there's the
-
answer. It came forth, it illuminated
-
shined light. And some of you even said, I've
-
heard you say, you said, you know, brother.
-
I've been, I've been thinking about this for the past few
-
days. I've been trying to wonder, I
-
need to know more about this subject and here I am.
-
I came this day and not knowing what you were going to speak on
-
and you set it. And that's what I needed is that
-
coincidence, is it coincidence? When you go to another place or
-
a conference, or whatever the case may be, and something
-
happens in this transaction? No, it's the Lord, the Lord
-
giving you understanding. That's what happened with the
-
psalmist asaph If this man had so many questions about
-
suffering, he didn't understand how the wicked could prosper in
-
the righteous. There who are faithful to God,
-
are being punished. So, it seems, it is understand
-
how those who are wicked can be rewarded with life, and health
-
and families, and vacations, and raises.
-
And so, he was so overwhelmed wondering if he washed his hands
-
in vain, if he's following the truth and obeying righteousness
-
in vain and so he says in Psalm 73 16, but when I thought, how
-
Now, to understand this, it seemed to me a weary, some
-
tasks. Let me say this ASAP.
-
As much as he was and a place of great frustration was a thinker.
-
He meditated. He thought about it.
-
He was wondering, he's trying to put the pieces together.
-
He prayed he ached when he thought about this.
-
And how to understand, it was a weary, some task, and then, in
-
verse 17, until I went into the sanctuary of God, Then I
-
discerned their end. Until I came to the house of
-
God. We're God's laws being performed
-
and God's word is being declared.
-
It was in that setting where the lord gave me understanding But
-
before the Lord gave him understanding, he was already
-
thinking. He was pondering.
-
He was chewing the cud of the word.
-
And God says, I see your thoughts.
-
I see how it's a weary some tasks.
-
I see how you're seeking understanding.
-
Here it is. Here it is.
-
The Lord can do it while you're in prayer.
-
The Lord can do it while you're systemically reading through the
-
Bible and there is a portion of scripture that brings light to a
-
mystery that you read early on in that month.
-
The Lord can do it and I've experienced it.
-
Where you going out to lunch with a Spirit-filled brother or
-
sister in Christ? Nothing planned.
-
But there you are talking and talking about the things of God
-
and there, they bring something up brother.
-
I've been thinking about that for so long and you just gave
-
the answer your brother. I've been going through this
-
situation and you just brought light to it with that.
-
Reference with that story in the Bible with that proverb.
-
The Lord can do it by putting a book in your hand with a
-
wonderful author who had insights in the word of God.
-
The Lord has many means but the goal is the same and the promise
-
is the same, he will give you understanding and he will find a
-
way to give you understanding, but before you can even expect
-
for the Lord to do that, you heard it so many times but pay
-
attention. Not just pause and pay attention
-
but pause and Ponder or ponderize.
-
You go ponderize you go. And this is the Gateway of
-
experiencing truth and watching it make an imprint on our lives
-
and it I'm telling you it is one of the most exhilarating things
-
that when you wrestle with the word and God comes and brings
-
relief, it's like just this Rush of water to your soul, and as
-
much as it is invisible, The Sensation from that is the Lord
-
spoke to me here. God just revealed something to
-
me. whatever means he uses, you know what your thoughts are like
-
you know, the prayers in your heart and God comes and he just
-
Thunders it or you Whispers it and it blesses you Thomas Watson
-
Puritan, he says quote the reason we come away so cold from
-
reading. The word is because we do not
-
warm ourselves at the fires of meditation and I think if we're
-
honest and I'm going to be honest with you, the coldest
-
times that I've had with the word is when I rushed through it
-
or when I don't take at least a piece of it with me.
-
To hold on to and to let roll in my mind or to savor in my mouth.
-
Those are very very limited in their benefit.
-
When I'm satisfied with this, checking off that, I read
-
something. So that is somebody at churches,
-
when did you last week? So I read, two days ago.
-
That's not Christian. That's not what God wants us to
-
do. Pay attention.
-
Don't just pay attention, do take it further Ponder, Ponder
-
as much as you can ponder as much as you can.
-
When you're in that empty space of not having to engage your
-
mind in something that requires so much.
-
Whether it's work or helping your kids or whatever the case
-
me, just bring bring it to yourself and bring it before.
-
The Lord Lord, what is was that I don't get this.
-
I didn't understand that. Fully.
-
Could you help me? He might answer that.
-
He might not. But he will.
-
That is the promise. Pay attention Ponder.
-
Here we are in our final step. You have to meet me in John 14,
-
though to know it in John 14. John 14:21.
-
Hear the words of the master. Whoever has my Commandments and
-
keeps them. He it is, who loves me?
-
And he, who loves me Will Be Loved by my father.
-
And I will love him. And here it is Manifest myself
-
to him. We know one thing about this,
-
Jesus is not speaking about salvation and how to attain it.
-
Paul said in Romans 3:20 that it is not by The Works of the flesh
-
that we are Justified, no human being will ever be justified in
-
his side, by adhering to the law as perfectly as possible.
-
So, knowing that with the concert of the rest of the word
-
of God, we can eliminate that interpretation.
-
In of what Jesus is saying here. If you obey my Commandments, I
-
will love you. The context, clearly suggests
-
that Jesus is giving this instruction with a promise to
-
believers. He speaking to those who have
-
already believed on him and not just those who have believed on
-
him, but who have because of their submission to his
-
lordship, his Commandments. And so from there he speaking to
-
those who follow him of what they ought to do with his
-
Commandments in order to know a particular glorious reward, this
-
is what he is saying. You, my people who have my
-
Commandments, those who keep what they currently, no, Will Be
-
Loved by my father and Will Be Loved by the Sun.
-
That kind of scares people. Because I'm sure the first
-
question that pops into our minds as well.
-
Doesn't God. Love everybody is not his love
-
available to all. Yes, that's true.
-
But not everybody experiences his love the same way.
-
Not everybody, even among the children of God can enjoy that.
-
Holy Love. In the same way that others do.
-
The father and the son seek to Lavish and manifest their Love
-
by the spirit, but his contingent again upon something.
-
He says, those who have my Commandments who have access to
-
them who might even know them. So you can put that under the
-
category of your attentive of them.
-
Maybe you know them but here's the third thing, we gotta go
-
beyond paying attention. We got to go more than just
-
paying attention, we must Ponder.
-
Here's Point number three, we have to put it into action.
-
Put it into action, those who have my Commandments and keeps
-
them. Keeps them, cherishes them and
-
then exercises them with whatever Revelation that you
-
have at this time on January, 15th 2023, wherever you're at
-
right now what you do with that, in terms of its application in
-
your life will determine a manifestation of Jesus in your
-
life. This is what the Lord is looking
-
for. So here's what I'm trying to
-
say, and this is where honesty is so important.
-
It's important all the time. But especially with a point like
-
this, it would be dishonest to claim that every Christian loves
-
Jesus. Same, I know it's hard to hear,
-
but it would be dishonest to say that and as a result that love
-
is proven It would be, it would be dishonest and unrealistic to
-
say that every Christian obeys. Jesus, the same.
-
Now, are we willing to acknowledge that?
-
I hope we can all acknowledge that.
-
It is not true. That every believer in this
-
world loves the Lord, the same and obeys the Lord, the same now
-
for willing to submit to that then we have to also accept the
-
last part if that is the case, that not every Christian
-
experiences Christ, in the same way.
-
And that is exactly what Jesus is doing here.
-
He's making a differentiating mark.
-
This is precisely what the Lord is communicating the
-
manifestation of God. Now, think about that.
-
This is not theoretical. This is a real manifestation of
-
God is only reserved to those who not just read who, not just
-
understand, but who seek to implement, what has been made
-
known to them. And say Lord I want to I want to
-
really see this lived out of my life.
-
The Lord is not promising. Physical manifestation, I'm
-
sorry to disappoint you if that's what you were hoping for
-
but he is promising. He is referring to a spiritual
-
enlightenment. Something that can be just as
-
real as something appearing right before you something.
-
So real in the soul where he enlarges your knowledge of his
-
glory and his wisdom, and his power and his grace, and his
-
might with the eyes of your heart.
-
Now, begin to open and you perceive things Beyond this
-
world and what has to offer? There's another dimension and
-
Christ what he's promising. Here is I will be more real to
-
you in this world. The father will be more real and
-
the means by that is the Holy Spirit who might have sent will
-
be the the agent and making that a reality in your life.
-
What an amazing promise. I mean, take every other
-
treasure away and give me that the manifestation of Christ, not
-
just when I die but even as I live, he can intensify the
-
intimacy that my heart longs for and he is perfectly wise and
-
doing it. Exactly how he needs to do it.
-
And I believe that includes making this word so loud.
-
How else will Christ manifest who he is?
-
Apart from his word? Surely not, but even as this
-
word comes alive, things around this world become more alive.
-
As it is all connected and submitted to this.
-
The psalmist said, something incredible and Psalm 25 14.
-
He says, the Friendship of the Lord, now the Hebrew word.
-
For friendship is the secret, the secret Council.
-
The Friendship of the Lord, is for those who fear Him and He
-
will make known to them. His Covenant.
-
The Friendship of the Lord is for those who fear Him you can't
-
fear God. Unless you're willing to obey
-
God that equation is settled the Friendship of the Lord
-
friendship with almighty God friendship with Jesus Christ,
-
the resurrected King friendship with the Holy Spirit, who knows
-
all things and can do all things.
-
Yes, the Friendship of the Lord is for those who fear Him and
-
then he says and he will make known to them his Covenant.
-
I don't think that means he's going to I introduce to you the
-
way you can come into Covenant with him.
-
I think it means that he will unravel and unwrap the layers of
-
the glories of the Covenant that you're in with him already. and
-
so as you fear Him and you say I'm coming into Covenant with
-
you Lord, And I want to walk in your ways and I want to obey the
-
commands of your Covenant. I may fail but Lord my heart
-
desires. It here's the promise of God let
-
me reveal to you the glories of my Covenant now Can you begin to
-
see things and you go deeper than just Jesus died on the
-
cross, for my sins, as glorious as that is.
-
But then you see the parts of that the details of that, the
-
implications of that, the promise of that, the Prophecies
-
of that and your eyes begin to open and it will take n.
-
Eternity of Eternity, To realize all of it.
-
And it can begin. Now, it can begin now.
-
Pay attention Ponder, put into action.
-
And the promise of God is theirs, Revelation coming your
-
way. Perpetual growing more of me in
-
your life. Now that's Mark 424 we still
-
have one more verse. So hang on Mark 425. we're
-
concluding with this verse not with this verse, but with the
-
thoughts of this verse Mark 425. Jesus said, in first 24, pay
-
attention to what you hear with. The measure you use, it will be
-
measured to you. We learn about three measures
-
and still more will be added to you.
-
We know what, he's going to add to us more of the truth.
-
Verse 25, he says for the one who has more will be given
-
that's repeated now of what we just heard.
-
And from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken
-
away. Okay, the first part of verse
-
25, we covered. We haven't touched on the second
-
part. It seems cryptic.
-
What are you trying to say? Lord, from the one who has not
-
even what he has will be taken away?
-
It's not as perplexing as we think for those who hear absorb
-
diligently, meditate on the truth that has been given to
-
them. More truth will be given to you,
-
right? That is the promise.
-
But for the person who is a here, He's Not absent from the
-
environment of hearing for the person who does here.
-
But as careless, they don't pay attention.
-
They don't care to give a piece of even an ounce of real estate
-
in their brains, those who have no desire to put the words of
-
Christ into action. The opposite effect will take
-
place. If the first part means, if I
-
absorb those three measures, then I'm going to grow.
-
Then what Jesus is saying here is, if you don't and something
-
else will happen. Careless.
-
Here's are in danger. This is what the Lord is trying
-
to say of not only failing to graduate in Revelation.
-
But of blunting whatever truth they might possess even now.
-
That seems strange, right? That seems strange.
-
But again, this law is an operation in the material world,
-
think about physical exercise. If I give myself to working this
-
body out and my goal is to be more in shape put on more
-
massive muscle and reduce fat that's going to require
-
discipline and the more I train myself.
-
What's going to happen? The more I'm going to be able to
-
lift over time, push-pull move. That is the trajectory.
-
That's the promise of those disciplines being adhered to
-
consistently. But what happens if I stop what
-
happens. If I pause, what happens if I
-
neglect it? Now, if the answer in your mind
-
as well, you just kind of leave off where you stopped, that's
-
not the right answer for those who have exercised, you know
-
what happens, you not only pause but you begin to lose.
-
Now your physique is taking a different shape and listen just
-
freeze when you stop and then you get the resume when you
-
want, that'd be wonderful. No, now you see a reversal
-
taking place and your body is taking a different shape and
-
you're losing your strength more and more.
-
Let me borrow the words of Jesus.
-
You begin to what you have now removed from you.
-
What about learning a language. I've seen this in my own life,
-
I'll confess. My family, my siblings and I, we
-
grew up learning French up in Canada.
-
Went to French. Elementary School is French high
-
school. I'll be honest.
-
I haven't practiced a language in years.
-
And I used to be able to write essays in French and do
-
presentations and French, you know what's happening.
-
Now I'm losing a lot of it. I didn't just stop.
-
And now I'm at the grade 11 level, where I left French,
-
going went to an English High School in an English college.
-
That didn't happen. I'm losing touch with grammar,
-
basic vocabulary, basic terms, my heads, getting cloudy.
-
And things are not evaporating more, and more, and more, and
-
for people who lose a language over time.
-
If they keep going in that direction, they if they have a
-
revived concern and desire to relearn it, they got to go back
-
to the basics. You actually got to go back to
-
the ABCs and rebuild the foundation.
-
Here's what the Lord is saying. What happens with your body?
-
What happens with that language happens in the things of the
-
spirit? When you pause and you neglect
-
and you refuse to ponder pay attention and put into practice,
-
what the Lord is saying, is not only will you stand still.
-
That's actually category. And spiritual growth that
-
doesn't exist. You'll begin to revert.
-
This actually happened to a group of Christians.
-
And this is my final text a group of Christians, that the
-
author of this book, wanted to take them deeper into spiritual
-
truths. But he knowing his audience
-
could not hold their hand and take them there because they did
-
exactly what Jesus warned about Hebrews chapter 5.
Hebrews 5 chapter mention
-
In verse 11. This will now make sense.
-
What Jesus is saying in verse 25 of Mark for will now make sense,
-
it actually happened to a group of Jewish Christians.
-
Hebrews 5 11 to 13. The debated author writes about
-
this. We have much to say and it is
-
hard to explain since you have become dull of hearing.
-
For though. By this time you ought to be
-
teachers, you need someone to teach you.
-
Again, the basic principles of the Oracles of God, you need
-
milk. Not solid food for everyone who
-
lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since
-
he is a child, so much to stay. And to say about this passage
-
First point, these Christians have become dull of hearing
-
meaning, they didn't start that way at one point.
-
Their ears, their antennas were wide open.
-
They were eager. They were hungry.
-
They wanted to learn more. They want to see how Jesus
-
fulfilled these Jewish prophecies.
-
They want to see how he was the substance of the Shadow.
-
They long for that, but over time they became dull.
-
What does that mean? Dull.
-
Well. Very simple term is bored.
-
They became disinterested, they became distant.
-
They became satisfied with the level that they were at.
-
And here's the scary part, they're dull of hearing but
-
they're still hearing, they're still present, they're still in
-
attendance, they're here, but they're uninterested, they're
-
here, but they're inattentive their dull of hearing.
-
And what happened to this group of Christians is like what
-
happens to you? And I when we get on a flight,
-
And like every flight the flight attendants coming to the middle,
-
their aisle, and they do their safety protocol presentation,
-
right? I've been on many flights, every
-
single flight, they did that. But be honest.
-
Do you really pay attention. Are you hearing it though?
-
Yes. But are you paying attention?
-
No, and I think that's a scary thing because they're giving you
-
the exact instructions. If this thing goes down, this is
-
what you need to do. And here we are making sure we
-
can hold onto our data before we take off and texting and that's
-
fine. And here there's people all
-
these faithful preachers, right? It's funny but how we listen to
-
that. Is how often Christians Listen
-
to the message every week. You're hearing it, but you're
-
not really paying attention. This is exactly what it means to
-
be dull of hearing. And I want to tell you
-
something. Because I love you. the moment
-
that you catch yourself being bored with the engagement of
-
God's word, whether it's personally or corporately, Is a
-
warning sign to a spiritual sickness that you might have
-
caught. It is not a light thing to
-
become dull of hearing. You realize that these Hebrew
-
Christians were on the verge of apostasy?
-
And I think what played a role in that though not immediately
-
is that the beginning point was very much of this.
-
They became dull of hearing, and we become dull of hearing become
-
dull of affection, become dull affection, you become open to
-
other things that can persuade you in a different direction
-
than Christ. And so we see here that these
-
Christians began to See, and hear the word as a tedious
-
thing, that's dangerous. Now, look at the secondly, the
-
same group of Christians who become dull of hearing,
-
according to the estimation of the Holy Spirit through the
-
author. This group apparently should
-
have reached the level of teaching others.
-
That's significant. That's not to say that these
-
Christians should have occupied a position of a teacher in the
-
church. No.
-
No. But it does mean that they
-
should have reached a level of maturity and fullness and
-
familiarity with the word of God, that they should have been
-
comfortable enough with giving that truth to someone else by
-
themselves. They should have come to a place
-
where they didn't need to take somebody and bring them to
-
pasture every single time. They should have reached a place
-
is so much time has gone by apparently, that they should
-
have arrived where they could have comfortably discipled.
-
Another Soul based on the knowledge that they have
-
acquired concerning, the things of God, but they're not there
-
yet. And they should be there, which
-
tells me which tells me that this is really the goal for
-
every believer. Even now today, what the Holy
-
Spirit desires from you and I saw her arrive at a place where
-
we can, each of us become teachers, communicators of God's
-
truth, to another person who is at a lesser level understanding
-
than us. But again, that doesn't seem to
-
happen in many places, unskilled stagnant and five years has gone
-
by 10 years, has gone by By 15 years has gone by, it's like how
-
well Jesus told us, how throughout that time, you
-
haven't paid attention, you haven't pondered, you haven't
-
put it into action. Therefore Christ couldn't give
-
you revelation. And so this group of Christians
-
are still drinking milk. And he's saying here you should
-
be teaching and what is he referring to it on your own
-
time? Go on your own, he just finished
-
teaching about the priesthood of Melchizedek and what he's ready
-
to do in a little upset with the Hebrew Christians because it
-
could have been expanded when he was wanting to do, is show how
-
Christ is from the priesthood of Melchizedek and how that
-
Melchizedek priesthood is superior.
-
To the one of Aaron, that is what the Bible calls meat.
-
Meat. Milk is read Hebrews chapter 6.
Hebrews 6 chapter mention
-
In the first few verses that's milk repentance Faith, Eternal
-
judgment. Baptism the doctrine of the
-
laying on of hands. Not that is insignificant
-
unimportant, but we need to move on from that and we need to see
-
how these things are expanded in different ways.
-
And he says, I can't do this with you.
-
I can't because you're still there.
-
You become dull of hearing. Even if I do this with you,
-
you're not going to be able to understand.
-
So then what is He say, and here's the main point.
-
You need someone to teach you again.
-
They were taught the principles and the basic Oracles of God,
-
but he's like, because of this prolonged dullness of hearing,
-
we need to come back to the ABCs of Christianity.
-
Because what you have can be taken from you.
-
And there's a blur and there's an inability to be able to
-
articulate understand. The things that saved you in the
-
first place and here's how I want to conclude.
-
There is no standing still spiritually.
-
That category does not exist in the kingdom of God.
-
There is either growing or dwarfing.
-
Those are the only two options. And sometimes we don't realize
-
that we're dwarfing until meat comes our way.
-
And it's a frustrating experience.
-
And we're angry, or maybe even worse were disinterested when we
-
can smell the feasts, that God wants to put before us.
-
But here's the thing, the promise is not for Scholars, not
-
for phds, not for seminarians. But for all who would just say,
-
I want to pay attention Ponder and put into action, the
-
promises you can go from milk to meet Eat you saying, why is that
-
important? There's many reasons and I won't
-
keep you any longer can do a separate message on the joys and
-
the peace and the glories of Greater Revelation.
-
But let me just give you one to end with the psalmist who only
-
had the law by the way, that psalmist in Psalm 119 didn't
-
have, John didn't have a fission, didn't have the Book of
-
Revelation didn't have the Epistles, you know, what he was
-
working with Leviticus, Deuteronomy.
-
Numbers Exodus Christmas thing. I like Exodus.
-
I Genesis 9. Jesus is good.
-
And this is what he says. In Psalm 119 verse 162.
-
I Rejoice at your word, like, one who finds a great spoil.
-
I Rejoice at your word, like one who finds a great swell.
-
Can I translate that in modern times, I have more joy.
-
When I discovered something in your word and the person who
-
realize they won the lottery, same way, is that just
-
exaggeration? Is that poetic license?
-
No, that's experiential. That's something so deep.
-
That nothing in this world can offer it.
-
And that's available to you. If you would just pay attention,
-
Ponder and put it into action. Let's pray.
-
Lord with this practical message before us, we now ask that you
-
would give us the wisdom with our work, with our
-
relationships, with the timing, with our schedules, to know how
-
to put these measures. And two methods.
-
Lord. If there is anything that should
-
stir us into these directions, Let It Be The Joy.
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The promises of Revelation and manifestation that awaits.
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Well, we never want to come to this word because we feel
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whipped to do it because we want to impress someone around us.
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Oh no, Lord. That kind of fear will not take
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us very far. We know that, we just pray that
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even now that you would energize our hearts to be excited about
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the Bible, and especially as we start this New Year to, to
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recalibrate ourselves to say, I want to, I want to, I want to
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know meat I don't want to drink milk any longer, but we thank
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you for these words. We thank you for the promise
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that you will manifest yourself to us.
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We cannot fathom what that means.
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But Lord, we want it and we pray o God, that as we ended this
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time together with that, verse from the psalmist that we would
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be able to. Amen.
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It and say, yes. I know what that's like, I know
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what it's like, when God speaks to me when God reveals something
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to me, when I've learned something new in my faith, I
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know that Joy where I can't even sit still.
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Where I must tell somebody who also cherishes the truth about
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what I know. May that be the caliber of
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Christianity for this ministry. Oh Lord, we love you for your
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word. Has been made known and it was
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clear now. Help us remember it.
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We give you praise As we sing to you out of the Overflow of our
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hearts. Amen.
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And amen. Let's stand and sing to the
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Living. God.