Purity

Before I left we were talking about Ezekiel 47.12, as in the whole thing about a river

where it flows from the sanctuary and it flows uninterrupted wherever it goes, it gives life.

One of the things that's required if the water from the sanctuary is to flow through you

is that you or your life be coated inside and outside with purity.

Purity must coat you inside and out because we talked about how the water

that flows from the sanctuary is crystal pure and so for it to affect lives

it must flow through lives that are coated with purity.

And so I want to talk about that today.

And remember guys, the purity of heart is a work in progress.

The purity of heart is a work in progress and both God and you share a responsibility.

Both God and I share a responsibility in having pure hearts.

In the sense that he has made me pure and placed his spirit in me.

God has taken care of one part of the responsibility where he has made me pure

and placed his pure spirit in me.

That's not all he has to do but that's one major obstacle that he took care of.

Now, as it says in James chapter 4 verse 8, I have to draw near to him

James 4:8

and as I do he will draw near to me and in the process I'll be able to work out the purity of heart

because it's a work that is progressive and it will continue till the day I leave this earth.

While there may be many reasons why I am called to purity as in the father is holy so I am called to be holy

the one that I really want us to focus on and perhaps look at it again next week

is blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.

Guys, if we can see God all our problems are solved.

And what do I mean by seeing God? As in seeing his ways, seeing how his mind works.

Seeing him even before he emerges. If I am able to see God, see the way he works

then life gets sorted out.

Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.

It's in Matthew 5 verse 8.

Matthew 5:8

Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.

And when I talk about purity guys, when we talk about purity over maybe a couple of weeks

we are not talking about purity as in freedom from sexual immorality.

That's just a part of it.

Because nowadays in the world whenever we talk about purity we are always thinking of

oh purity means I should be sexually pure.

That's a part of it. What about purity in speech?

What about purity in my thinking?

What about purity in my relationships?

What about purity in my

What about purity in my generosity?

What about purity in my affection?

What about purity in what I grieve over?

What about purity in what I rejoice over?

Suddenly you find that purity is not limited to sexual morality but it goes way beyond that.

So when we think of the word purity don't limit it to sexual purity.

In Psalm 51 verse 6 he said, Oh God you desire truth in the inward parts.

Psalms 51:6

It's a degree of purity and honesty.

A combination of honesty and holiness.

Not just holiness. There's an honesty in it.

And David said you want it from my inward parts.

You want truth in my inward parts.

That's what he said to God.

Why are we pursuing those guys?

While there are many reasons our emphasis

Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.

Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.

If you and I are able to see God even slightly better

six months from now we got a huge part of our life sorted out.

I mean it's like increasing what Betty said a million times.

She said I don't know I really have no testimony to share except that

God has become present in my life.

We increase that a million times where because of the purity

because of the honesty and the desire to have a heart that

yearns for a godlikeness or a godliness

God becomes more and more evident.

We begin to see him.

We begin to see how his mind works.

The Bible says to the pure all things are pure.

One of the things God is trying to convey there Jacob

We begin to yearn after that you easily see me.

You easily see me.

It's like having night vision goggles.

We are able to identify things of God easily.

Any questions before we go on?

I'm so wrong with you when you still ask who sees me,

sees your father.

The more we read the Bible, the more we know how God is.

True.

Blessed are the pure for they shall see God.

I'm talking about seeing how his mind works,

seeing his ways, seeing him even before he emerges.

I'm talking about seeing how his mind works,

seeing his ways, seeing him even before he emerges.

As in we don't need confirmations, we don't need a verse,

we don't need a prophetic word, we just know

because we've gotten so accustomed to attuning our hearts to him.

It's like a couple who've been together for so long

that they know without knowing.

They know without knowing.

But that doesn't come necessarily through prayer

or even through reading the word.

It has to go way beyond that.

When it gets to a point where your heart is yearning

to become so much like Jesus's,

that you begin to see God.

I mean, physical examples are so limited, guys.

It's like I never noticed a Hyundai Tucson

till I bought one.

I mean, I never noticed a Hyundai Tucson

till I bought one.

I never noticed a Hyundai Tucson till I bought one.

And then everywhere I go, I see Hyundai Tucson's.

I never noticed a Kia till I bought a Kia 16 years ago.

I started noticing Land Rovers because I want to buy one.

It's where your heart begins to resonate

with whatever you have now a desire for.

That's what I mean by,

Blessed are the pure, for they shall see God.

And where did Jesus borrow this from?

I mean, once you see God, everything is simplified.

Once you see God, everything is simplified.

Once you see God, everything is simplified.

Guys, there are very few things that I do during times of worship

that are Jacob-led.

Most of them are spirit-led.

If they don't have the quality of God,

it is only because of my inadequacy,

not because I don't know what God wants.

So, for instance, today in the middle of worship,

how is it that I pick up her singing?

I'm not listening to her sing.

I never listen to her sing.

I'm not interested in listening to her sing.

Now that we know how disinterested I am,

how come God picks her out to sing

when she's not feeling well?

Because that's what he wants to do.

You begin to see things of God

as you begin to resonate with his heart.

And that was just because my heart was worshipful with God.

What if my heart begins to yearn for a degree of purity

that I've never had in the last 28 years as a Christian?

What will life be like if I suddenly elevate myself

to that platform of purity?

I'm not talking about sexual morality.

I'm talking about purity in every which way.

Affection, speech, relationship, thoughts, intents, motives,

generosity, in everything, a new level of purity,

a new level of honesty.

Ah, it'll be so brilliant, man.

Life gets simplified because you see God.

And don't be surprised if you actually see God,

as in not in his brilliance because you'll die,

but actually see God as in God begins to visit

or sometimes speaks to you audibly.

Don't be surprised by that either.

Don't be surprised to see heaven open.

Really.

Happened to Isaiah.

Where did Jesus borrow this whole thing of

blessed are the pure, for they shall see God?

He goes, amazing, even though Jesus was fully God,

even he would go to scripture to take out scripture

and then interpret it differently, but he would go to scripture.

So he's borrowing this whole idea of blessed are the pure,

for they shall see God from Matthew 24, verses 3 to 6,

Matthew 24:3–6

or Matthew 24, 1 to 3, where it says,

Who shall ascend on the holy hill?

And what is the holy hill?

The holy hill is Zion.

Zion is the resting place of God.

Who shall ascend the holy hill?

And it says, they who have clean hands,

a clean heart, and a mouth that does not swear deceitfully,

they shall stand before the Lord.

That's where Jesus is borrowing this from.

Saying, and he's talking to Israel.

Israel's one desire was,

we want to go to the mountain of God.

Because they remember how Moses went up to the mountain

Sinai, and since then Israel's been longing,

we want to go see God, we want to go see God.

And that's why Jesus comes and says,

you want to see God?

Well, let me tell you how to see God.

You don't have to go to any mountain.

Blessed are the pure.

That's where he brings this beatitude out of.

And he says, anybody with clean hands, clean heart,

and a tongue that does not swear deceitfully.

Again, it goes back to clean hands, actions, clean heart,

motives and intents, and a mouth that does not swear deceitfully.

Words. Three areas where purity is required.

Three areas where purity is required.

So here are a few things that we can do,

which I think are practical and doable,

to move towards greater purity.

To move towards greater purity.

First one, guys, is...

Self-control. Self-control.

Self-control. Self-control.

Actually, it's all the grace of God, right?

It is and it is not.

Because the grace of God has to be received.

The receiving is left to you.

Paul actually goes on to say,

it is possible to receive the grace of God in vain.

Paul also says, it is possible to oppose the grace of God,

as many do.

So it is all the grace of God, but as in,

I can give you a million dollars, but you can oppose it,

or you can waste it, squander it, receive it in vain.

So that's why I said it's a shared responsibility.

With God doing all the work, but I got to come alongside.

It's like those barbecues we have at Acts 29.

Someone else does all the work,

and then I come and pray for the food.

So, self-control. That's the first one.

Self-control. This is actually a fruit of the Spirit.

And what do we really mean when we say a fruit of the Spirit?

All we mean is, it's a character of Jesus Christ

brought to me by His Spirit.

That's what we mean when we say fruit of the Spirit.

Because sometimes fruit of the Spirit seems quite distant.

Self-control is actually a character of Jesus Christ.

I mean, boy, did He exert self-control.

Even on the cross, they taunted Him, saying,

hey, are you really God? Call a few legions of angels.

And if I was on the cross and someone taunted me that way,

legions? I'd send thousands of legions.

But then you would all remain unsaved.

So, self-control was something that God was.

It's a characteristic of Jesus.

Self-control is a characteristic of Jesus.

And let me define self-control.

It's the mastery of self

so that you reflect the character of God.

The character of God.

It's the mastery of self so that you reflect the character of God.

It's the mastery of self so that you reflect the nature of God

or the character of God.

That's what self-control is.

Guys, whenever we think of self-control,

we always think of restraint,

as in we've got to restrain ourselves from things.

From God's perspective,

self-control is a disciplining towards things of God.

Self-control is a disciplining towards things of God,

not a restraint from things.

Very rarely does the Bible talk about abstinence.

Abstinence does not carry much value in Christianity.

Abstinence may apply to all other religions.

Penance, abstinence, all this stuff applies to other religions.

But when it comes to Christianity,

very rarely do you hear God saying,

don't do this, don't do this, don't do this, abstain from this, abstain.

No.

So even self-control,

we must remove the negative connotation from it of,

oh, I've got to restrain myself from.

No.

It's not a restraining myself from.

It's disciplining myself towards.

So an athlete who's training for, say, the 100 meters,

does not restrain himself from.

He disciplines himself towards.

Very different way of approaching things, eh?

It's not a holding back.

It's working towards a goal.

It's working towards a goal.

And what is that goal?

At the end of the day, it can't be a project,

it can't be a mission trip, it can't be anything like that.

The goal is, I want to be everything I need to be for Jesus.

That is my goal.

It's like some husbands who are deeply in love with their wives,

who say, I want to be everything she wants,

I want to be everything she wants me to be,

and so I will do whatever it takes to change in this area

so that I might be a more compatible spouse.

Anything it takes.

I've had guys in this church who've come and said to me,

Jacob, anything it takes, I'll do,

so that it works out with her.

Anything it takes.

Every time I hear that, it thrills my heart.

When a husband says, anything it takes,

it thrills my heart.

Because at the end of the day, the first thing

and the last thing we can offer is our words.

In between, action happens, but you start with words.

And so that's how we work self-control.

And guys, let's put it this way.

If any development without personal governing of self is impossible,

if I do not govern myself personally, mediocrity is guaranteed.

If I do not govern myself personally,

mediocrity is guaranteed.

If there is no personal government,

as in if I don't govern my actions, my thoughts, my ways,

if I don't govern them, if I don't rule over them,

then mediocrity is guaranteed.

Because there is no greatness apart from self-control.

There is no greatness apart from self-control.

There is no greatness apart from self-control.

Very rarely do we talk about this because it's one of the hardest things to work on, we think.

But that's because we are always thinking of restraint instead of disciplining towards.

Anything that I really want to achieve in life,

I'm not talking about godly things, I'm talking about mundane things,

anything I want to achieve in life, I find that I'm willing to do it.

Anything.

Small things.

I'll work towards it.

We have this as a fruit,

in us, now that we have it, it must be developed. It's like, let's assume Tate is an amazing hockey player.

He just has this amazing shot. How old is he? Five. At five, every time he hits a puck, it's like hitting a golf ball.

And he's got this amazing shot. And you know he has the ability, but now it has to be trained. It doesn't matter how much ability you have.

If it's not trained, it stays a wonderful ability. Nothing else. So we have this. It is in me. It is a character of Jesus Christ.

It's actually resident in me by his spirit. I actually have it. Now I will be given opportunities to train in it.

You cannot train without being given opportunities. It is possible. It is possible.

Any questions before we go on? Any questions?

Is this doable? Self-control is doable. Surely. You'll have opportunities today, tomorrow to exert self-control.

A man who does not have control over his spirit is like a city without walls, Proverbs 25-28 or 28-25.

And therefore a city without walls can be entered into as and when required and can be exited as and when required.

You can ravage a city without walls.

Essential to build. Not build. To cultivate what we already have.

Which leads us then to a second point which we can immediately continue into which is learned habits.

Learned habits. From self-control we go to learned habits.

Remember why we are doing this guys. Blessed are the pure for they shall see God.

Blessed are the pure for they shall see God. Huge advantage in increasing in 2016 our level of purity.

Perhaps we have achieved remarkable results guys.

There are days in my life where the purity of my life is pretty good man.

Like even I am impressed at times.

But that's not every day. Some days.

What if it went up by another 10? What will it be like man?

So the next one is learned habits.

Ephesians 4.20 if you look at it in the message version.

Ephesians 4.20. Paul actually is saying to the guys in Ephesus.

You learned Christ. I love that the way it's worded.

You learned Christ. As in hey guys you learned Christ's ways.

So there's learned habits.

Over years you've learned if I do this this way things will work out.

I mean one of the things that happened at Bahrain is I met this guy who's now a leader in that church there.

His name is Legend.

He put a simple principle into practice.

For a year. Since last year.

And a simple principle was to learn the ways of God.

And he put a simple principle into practice.

And a simple principle was put first things first.

So he started practicing that. Every morning for a year

he put God first.

It's just

in a good sense wrecked his life.

As in it's completely turned things around.

He said Jacob there were a couple of weeks when I would not and then I would go back.

And he's entered into a place of consistency where the first thing he does is put God first.

It's changed his marriage.

It's changed his way of...that's why he's a leader today in the church.

The pastor there was saying Jacob no one has grown as rapidly as this guy has.

And he did just one simple thing. Put God first.

Put first things first. He I think is the only guy who's practiced

what we taught last year in this church as much as he has done.

Nobody including me has practiced it like him. At least the results don't bear it out.

Perhaps there are people who are practicing it but the results haven't borne it out. Put first things first.

So he's put God first

in his finances. Put God first in his marriage.

Put God first in his day. What results man?

I'm thinking to myself really father this sermon could actually bring this

kind of results? You should have told me before I preached it.

Praise the Lord.

It's alive.

So learned habits. These are learned habits. I've been trying so hard to do

that simple thing of putting God first. So hard. It's not easy man. Some days you just

want to sleep in. Especially after you watch three hours of Milo's round it's getting beaten.

But I was thrilled that Serena lost.

I shouldn't be that thrilled. But moving on.

Yeah. Guys so learned habits

ask yourself this question. What learned habits do you have in your life

right now? What learned Christian habits do you have in your life right now?

I was traveling with Eddie

for three or four days. Just he and I. He took me on this road trip.

And

he gets up every morning

before I get up. He'd be

sitting there with his Bible open reading it. Doesn't matter whether it's in India,

whether it's in South Africa, wherever it is. And you think to yourself these

old guys who seem so stuck up seem to be

doing so well because they have cultivated these habits man.

Doesn't matter where he is he does that.

Learned habits. First Peter 1.22

First Peter 1.22. Beautiful verse.

Really cool verse. It says in First Peter 1.22

Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth

through the Spirit. Since you have purified your souls

through obeying the truth. By obeying the truth

through the Spirit. So one of the ways we step into

purity is by starting

with the simple premise of I'll obey the first few things that I know.

Since you have purified your souls by obeying the truth

through the Spirit. So where do you begin with this whole purity thing? Tomorrow

by getting up and doing the simple things you already know.

Remember guys, mediocrity is guaranteed.

If you can't govern yourself personally, it's guaranteed.

Mediocrity is

neither high nor low. Lukewarm. Average.

Yeah.

Crazy. Everything mediocrity is like

passionless. No. Mediocrity has a violence in it.

Because it destroys life. Proverbs 1.32. The complacency

or the mediocrity of fools will kill them.

Yeah. Proverbs 1.32 says

the complacency or mediocrity of fools will kill

them. There's a certain violence in mediocrity.

Proverbs 1.32. There's a

violence in mediocrity. Fight it guys. Especially you young

guys. You know the older people sitting at Acts 29 probably have

more discipline than, may I say, we younger guys?

Because these

things were insisted on when they were growing up. Oh, feels so good to say they.

Because they have more years

of learning behind them. I don't think so, Gisela. It was just a different

way of growing up. Yeah. I don't think

so. Because I've met many who are your age who have zero discipline and are

totally mediocre. And churches are full of

them. Oh, absolutely Gisela.

I can show you. In any church you take me, I'll show you. So

it really is based on our discipline.

Guys, learn habits. Cultivate them.

Cultivate them. I pray God that I begin to cultivate this. You know

guys, here's the thing. If I cultivate them, I benefit. But if I cultivate them, anyone

I touch benefits. Which means Acts 29 benefits.

Anywhere I go they benefit. Everything changes when you benefit.

Everybody around you gets touched. Up your game, man.

So obedience to the truth through the spirit purifies

my character. Why? Because the moment I start obeying truth on a regular basis,

I'm already creating a habit guys. The moment I obey

truth on a regular basis, I'm already cultivating

a habit.

I'm already cultivating a habit. The moment you start making

obeying the truth prerogative in any area in your life,

it already starts a habit.

That aside,

seek environments that induce hunger.

Seek environments that induce hunger.

May I suggest to you, and suggest it very humbly, without us taking

any credit for it, but the sovereign work of God, may I suggest

to you that one of the reasons Betty could stand here and say what she said

was because she sought an environment that was conducive to hunger.

And a year ago, perhaps

she couldn't have said the same thing.

Find environments where hunger can be

cultivated.

And by the same token then, avoid things that hinder appetite.

Avoid things that hinder appetite. Avoid things

that hinder appetite. Appetite for what? Appetite

for purity in every area. Avoid things that hinder

appetite. Don't nibble at the world. Don't sleep the feeding,

don't feed the sleeping bear. Avoid nibbling at the

world. Don't feed the sleeping bear.

I remember reading this quote out to you, I don't

know who wrote it, but the person was saying that we keep nibbling

at the world and because we nibble at the world, we are like trees that are slowly

rotting from inside. But on the outside, everything still looks pretty good and strong.

And so we are not conscious

that when a storm comes, the tree of a life

just snaps in two. And the reason it snaps in two is for years we've been

nibbling away and there's a rottenness inside that was not exposed. And then along

comes a fierce wind and it snaps the tree in

two. And you wonder why. And it's happening to thousands of

Christians across the world and some really well known Christians. Didn't happen overnight, guys.

Hollowed out from inside.

But praise God, we don't have to allow this, right?

Guys, there's nobody here who's reached

any place of stunning purity in God. We are progressively

working towards it. None of you are glowing

with brilliance, trust me, like Jesus did on the Mount of Transfiguration.

So as long as that isn't happening, know that you haven't arrived.

The next one.

This one we've talked about a million times so I'll quickly go over it. Fidelity.

Fidelity. Fidelity.

Fidelity is basically love based allegiance.

Fidelity is love based allegiance. It's not just an allegiance

that is plain. It is love based allegiance.

Love based allegiance. Fidelity is love based allegiance.

Does anyone know where the erasers are?

I didn't take them with me to India.

What did you ask?

The...

Yeah.

We'll have to talk to the person in charge of the Sunday School.

Or the person who keeps taking this away for

purposes other than what it's meant for.

Love based allegiance.

Love based allegiance.

Guys, allegiance is the starting point of any relationship.

Allegiance is the starting point of any relationship.

Because the moment you swear allegiance or give your allegiance to something,

you will confront other allegiances.

And you will forge commitment. The moment you say, I have an allegiance

then it means that now I might have to confront my allegiance

to Chris and to Matt.

So allegiance is the starting point of any relationship.

And the thing with fidelity is

love propels what

allegiance

prioritizes. Love propels

or love fuels or propels what allegiance

prioritizes. And the Bible is constantly going over this

again and again and again. In the Old Testament

and the New Testament. The Bible keeps coming back to this one thing.

Guys, so why is this important? Because when it comes to purity

you will fall. It's not a negative confession but unfortunately

given the track record I've seen of my past and given the track record I've seen

of people who've gone before me who were better than me in the future,

you will fall. There will be times when you'll really blow it.

But the first thing you do is return to your primary allegiance.

As in return to your first love. Return to allegiance.

That's to come back again and say, slain

lamb of God. I know I've blown it by but my allegiance

is to you. I know that my undoing

of what I've constructed with your help for so long

is not the end of me. I start again. My allegiance is to

you. This sin does not define me.

I have done something evil. I may have done something wicked.

I may have done something unrighteous. But despite that

that is not who I am. For you have seen

how I've walked before you. You have seen how I've walked before you.

Today someone sent me a little

text message thingy from 1st Thessalonians which said that I remember

your faith and your labor of love. And as I was

looking at it I was thinking to myself, brilliant Father. Even though this is Paul saying it to somebody

I take it as you saying it to me. And suddenly it made me feel really good

because it doesn't matter how messed up I can get.

God remembers my faith and my labor of love.

And I thought to myself, great. So that's how you think of me.

It's so easy to return to your allegiance when you know how

well God thinks of you. Keep doing that guys. Keep returning.

Hosea chapter 6 verse 6. Look at it. You'll see these scriptures

Hosea 6:6

throughout the Bible. It keeps talking about that. Hosea 6 6.

Hosea 6 6.

Hey Derek, once you find Hosea 6 6 can you get me

a cup of Hosea

coffee?

Pardon?

Hosea 6 6 probably not.

No I think that was Hosea 2. 6 6 maybe something else.

Hosea 6 6. It says that for I

desire steadfast love and not sacrifice the knowledge of

God rather than burnt offerings. I desire

steadfast love and not sacrifice the knowledge of God

rather than burnt offerings. Let's start at verse

4.

What shall I do with you Ephraim? What shall I do with you Judah?

Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes early away.

Therefore I've hewn them by the prophets, I've slain them by the words of my mouth and my judgment goes forth

as the light. But then he returns to the simple thing. But look at what I really desire.

I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

It comes back to this love fueled or love based

allegiance. That's what God is continuously looking for. And it starts

Hosea 6 starts off with the simple thing. Come let us return to the Lord. For he has

torn us that he may heal us. He has struck us down that he may bind us up. Remember

anytime the Old Testament talks like that you're not to assume that God tears us up

so that he can heal us. I want to be healer God. Hmm let's look

for someone to tear up. That's not how he works. The Old Testament

always would write that way because they could not understand God as

father. Nowhere in the Old Testament is God called father. They didn't even know

that it is characteristic. So never take an Old Testament statement

like that to think. God rips us up so he can heal us. God destroys us so he can build us up.

That's not a good God. That's a pretty nasty God.

So go to

So go to

Yep absolutely. Mark 834

Mark 834

Mark 834

comes back to this whole thing of allegiance.

And calling the crowd to him with his disciples he said to them

If anyone would come after me let him deny himself, take up his cross

and follow me. Allegiance.

Allegiance to Christ confronts other allegiances.

So whenever I mess up or I move away from purity

my first thing is father I know

I didn't do well but my allegiance is to you. It has been to you for the last

28 years. If anything it's increasing and that makes me more shame faced at what I did.

But here I come to renew my allegiance to you.

And my allegiance to you now confronts every other association

or allegiance I've made and I come back to you. Keep coming back. Return.

Return. Return. And don't take time eh. Return immediately.

One of the tricks the devil introduces is that

when we do something wrong he says take time to fix it and then

go back to God. And then you wait for another day and it's still not fixed.

And then you wait another day and it's still not fixed. And the devil is just rubbing his

hands in glee because you're falling for the same trick again and again. He uses sin to

keep you away from God.

As in saying show God that you really mean you're repentant.

That's a trick guys.

That's a trick.

Show God that you're really repentant and then you can begin to start again.

It's a trick. It's never true. God never says that. Show me you're

repentant. He says repent and then show the works of repentance.

He doesn't say show me your repentance and repent. He says repent and then show me the

works of repentance.

Revelations 2.25.

Revelations sorry. I'm speaking

too fast. Revelation 2.25.

Allegiances again.

Only hold fast what you have until I come.

The one who conquers and keeps my works until the end.

To him I will give authority over the nations. Only hold fast what you

have until I come. Hold fast to what you've already achieved.

Hold fast to what you've already achieved. Fidelity.

Fidelity is like a husband and wife walking together with

great fidelity to each other and anytime they mess up they keep returning to

but I have only one and that is you. I have only one and that is you.

And you start again. You start again. You start again. And we're not talking about

infidelity. Nobody in this room actually if you have given your

life to Christ and have begun walking a Christian life nobody in this room will turn their backs on

Christ. I would go so far as to say guys that you would rather die than

give up Christ. And you think to yourself really if I was persecuted

I would stand up for Christ? You would be surprised at how you would.

You would be surprised at how you would not give up Christ.

I was reading an article in the McLean's last issue

and it talks about Christians in North Korea. It's talking about how

this particular pastor called Folly, Nick Folly or something like that

he says that he has no desire to get Christians

out of North Korea. Because he says if he took all the Christians

out of North Korea there wouldn't be any Christians left in North Korea which would be pointless.

So he helps them continue there and he says

they are beginning to develop a faith that is so strong that they know to become a Christian

is to become a martyr.

Open Door says that 50 to 70 thousand Christians are in camps and prisons

in North Korea. 50 to 70 thousand.

I trust guys not because of your character

or my character. I really believe that if it came, Shove came to Push

you and I, or Push came to Shove, yeah. Push came to Shove.

You and I would not turn our back

on Christ. It's too late for that. It's too late for that.

And God would give us the courage to do that.

Let's move on and kind of begin to conclude.

Another thing that really helps guys is beholding him.

Beholding him. Beholding him.

2 Corinthians 3, 18

It says, And we all with unveiled faces

behold the glory of the Lord and are being transformed

into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from

the Lord who is spirit. One of the ways we walk in purity is by finding

ways to behold God in our daily lives. Finding

ways to behold God in our daily lives. How do we do that?

One of the ways is what Gisela earlier mentioned. We behold God

by beholding his word. Another way, we behold God by beholding

him in worship. Another way,

Psalm 16, verse 8. I continuously or constantly or steadfastly

Psalms 16:8

hold God before me. That's what it says. Beholding God

is this thing that, what's her name, I was talking about, Betty

where God has become evident and now if he is absent, that would be the strange thing

because I would know he was absent. Guys, please

understand that your children, and I really feel bad for

you parents who have children now, like the Tate,

Roxanne, Maximo age group, because you have to

teach your children right now to reflect or try to

see God face to face because their absorption with the world is beyond

saturation levels to the point where it's getting demonic.

Everywhere around them, they are surrounded

by images, thoughts, talks, decision making,

hearing things, seeing things. It's beyond saturation

level. And it all bothers on the demonic,

if it is not actually demonic. And if you don't teach your kids now

to behold God's face by, in this

messed up world that they live in, if they do not learn how to

find God's face, then

it'd be a shame because after all that they have learned,

they won't be able to put it into practice. So don't feel

like you're being a restrictive parent when you ask them

to step away from certain television series or certain video games.

Foolish would you be. I mean my dad would always tell me this story.

It sticks with me. It's a terrible story, but it sticks with me. He'd say,

and he'd always say this after he'd punish me. He'd talk about how

it's a really gory story. He'd talk about how

this kid would keep doing wrong and his dad wouldn't

discipline him.

And in the end he goes

to jail. And

so when he's going to jail, the kid tells his dad

to come close to him. And when he comes close to him, he bites his

nose off or bites his ear off. The whole point being, I wish

you had corrected me when I was young. Now you think I'm going to jail

and you're ashamed, I'll bite your nose off because that'll even bring more shame to you kind of thing.

The whole idea was why didn't you correct me?

And he'd always do that after he gave me a good spanking or good pun and I'd think, really I

have to hear the story again. But the point of the story was

that listen, I must correct you when you're young.

Guys you've got no idea. There is, yeah, you've

got to help your kids see God face to face.

And you have to do that too eh?

Behold him. Because in beholding him you will be transformed. And there are two things that you'll certainly

behold him in. One is the word. One is the word.

The word is a mirror. It's a mirror. The Bible says so.

You behold him in the word. Especially in the gospels. You begin to see an accurate picture of him.

Don't take your kids to the Old Testament. Don't take them to Jonah and David and Goliath.

Those are nice stories. Take them to Jesus first.

Let them see the face of God in Jesus.

And then take them to David.

And then help them to behold God in worship.

Help them to behold God in worship. You need to behold God in worship.

Guys at the end of the day

whatever you devote yourself to, let me put it this way,

people resemble what they devote themselves to. People resemble

what they devote themselves to. Either for ruin or for restoration.

This is why God would turn to Israel and the pagan nations

and say, if you follow idols you shall become like your idols.

God would say that. So idols are deaf and dumb. And God would say, therefore you will become deaf and dumb.

Whatever you

devote yourself to is what you will resemble. Therefore, what do you devote

yourself to? And what do your kids devote themselves to?

Beholding his character through the word, through worship and

through senses. You know, I had this favorite

pastime when I was in Bahrain. That's where I started my life as a Christian. I'd go

hang out. Really, I would deliberately go hang out with three or four

grown-ups who seemed to know a lot about Jesus Christ.

Whenever they would come into town, I'd ask the guy who was hosting them if I

could help carry the bags or bring them from the airport.

And I would sit quietly in the back of the car. Not say a word, eh? Me not saying

a word. I would not say a word. I'd just sit there and listen as

these three or four men would talk about God.

It would fascinate me. And I'd think to myself, man, I wish I knew the stuff that

they knew. Man, I wish I knew the stuff that they knew.

You behold God through the word, you behold God through worship, you also behold God through your senses

by surrounding yourself, by putting yourself in environments where God's character

is constantly being brought up. And in the process, you are changed. You are transformed

from glory to glory. This is the scripture. By the same token then, whatever you behold

that is not God will also transform you. Not from strength to strength, glory to glory,

but from shame to shame and weakness to weakness.

One last point and then we are done.

If all this fails, if we blow it, lose

self-control,

seems like the right word to use but I won't,

mess up fidelity,

where love has suddenly vanished and you don't feel connected to God,

if you start beholding other people's

if you start beholding other things that are taking you from weakness to weakness

and shame to shame, if all these things go wrong,

there's still Hebrews 4.15.

There is still Hebrews 4.15 which says

that we don't have a priest who is out

of touch with our reality.

He's been through weaknesses and testing. I can't believe this.

I can't believe the fact that Jesus has been tested in every

area that I'm being tested in. That he's experienced

every temptation, every testing that I've been through.

There's nothing that I'm going through that he hasn't

experienced except sin.

As in he didn't sin. Hebrews 4.15 says we don't have

a priest, as in we don't have a Jesus who is out of touch with

Jacob's reality. He's been through the weaknesses and testing experienced by Jacob

by all actually. But let's just think about Jacob. All but sin.

And then it goes on to say, let us then approach the throne of grace.

With what? With confidence. Why?

So that first I may receive mercy and then

I may receive grace in my time of need. When all else fails,

there's still a fail safe. Hebrews 4.15.

This is how we keep sustaining, maintaining and increasing

in purity. Simple methods guys.

Breathe. I mean I remember once asking God when

I really messed up. I was telling God, Father just like you did with the bones

in the valley, could you breathe pure holy life into me so that these

wretched bones may live again? Because I know there is mercy.

There is always mercy and there is always grace to revive me. So would you breathe

your holy pure life into me again that these wretched bones may live?

Wretched is rarely a word I associate with myself

but those times I easily do.

And at the end of the day guys, when you begin to live like this,

Psalm 24 verse 3-6 kicks in and Psalm 24 verse 3-6 says this,

Psalms 24:3–6 Psalms 24:3–6

lift up you ancient doors, lift up your gates

for the king of glory may come in. Who is the king of glory?

The Lord strong and mighty in battle. Guys, you know who opens

ancient doors? By the way, what are ancient doors? Ancient doors are hidden doors

or concealed doors. Ancient doors, guys these doors

actually exist otherwise God wouldn't talk about them. He says

in Psalm 24 verse 3-6, lift up your gates

Psalms 24:3–6

and be opened you everlasting doors or in some versions

ancient doors. Ancient doors are hidden doors or

concealed doors that have been since everlasting. As in before time began

these doors exist. What do you mean these doors exist?

Peter opened a door like this.

When? When Jesus said to him, I give you the keys of the kingdom.

Whatever you shall open shall stay open, whatever you shall shut shall stay shut. Peter

stands up after the Holy Spirit comes and he opens the doors

to the kingdom and the first day 3000 get saved. Daniel opened

doors like this. For years Israel was in exile

and Daniel says at such and such a time 70 times 7, in 490

years you'll walk out of here free and yet he had

kept some things locked. Paul opened

doors. Paul opened doors in Corinth,

Ephesus, Paul goes shut some doors and opens doors.

So much so that the silver smiths in Ephesus got together and

they said, man this Paul, he's come in and created havoc

and our goddess Diana or Artemis of Ephesus

is doing really badly because Paul has come in. He opened doors

and when he opened doors to one kingdom the other kingdom started shutting down.

But here's the thing, who gets to open doors to let the king of glory

come in? They that can ascend the hill with clean hearts, clean

hands and lips that don't swear deceitfully. One of the reasons we are called

to be pure is so that we can see him and so that he can enter cause he

allows us to open doors. The pure can open ancient doors. That's

one other reason why I desperately want to increase my level of purity

not let it stay where it is. What God does

then is say, here are the keys son. You've begun to match or resonate

with my heart in terms of purity. I will now allow you to open doors.

Ancient doors, everlasting doors will be open.

Actually

authority to speak

salvation and forgiveness to impending

people. I just went to the bank

and did something and I told everybody about Jesus

and they sat here and I had a

little chat with my brother about the life of God and the

Jesus and when I was finished and soon she

left and said and make sure

trusting Jesus so that we meet in heaven.

It's your brother she said. Think of it. Yep. I'm glad

she agreed to. Guys

I promise you

this on the authority of the word of God that every time

there's an upgrade in your purity. There's an increase in your authority.

There's an increase in responsibility given to you.

There is greater dominion in the spiritual

and you begin to open things for other people that you couldn't open

till you stepped into this new level. It's like a new level in a

video game. You suddenly open bananas and

batteries and bullets and all this stuff. You know that monkey that

grabs the bananas once it gets to a new level and suddenly it gets more power?

It's literally like that. You begin to operate like that. Go to 2 Samuel

23, 7 and you'll see David talking about it. This is

David just before he dies. 2 Samuel 23

2 Samuel 23

2 Samuel 23:7

verse 7

verse 6

verse 6

verse 6

In some of your Bibles it says

for worthless men. The actual word is Belial. Belial is another

word for the devil. Like in 2 Corinthians

Paul says what is common between the table of the Lord and the table of

Belial. So it's talking about in some versions it says Belial.

So here's what it says. But Belial or worthless men are like thorns that are thrown

away for they cannot be taken with the hand. But the man who touches

them arms himself with iron and the shaft of a

spear and they are utterly consumed with fire.

Now go to 2 Corinthians 6. 2 Corinthians 6

So what is shaft of a spear and all that mean? How does it translate in the New Testament?

2 Corinthians 6 verse 7

2 Corinthians 6:7

Shaft and the spear. As in if you want to deal with things that are

evil. If you want to restore to people the inheritance that has

been robbed from them. Guys there is no way that Acts 29 will ever

be able to accomplish what it is supposed to accomplish in Nandigama. As in restoring

the desolate heritages of a group of people that have been

labeled untouchable who have been oppressed for 4,000 years. There is no way we can

break that oppression if Acts 29 does not commit to a greater

level of purity. Because every time you move to a greater level of purity you get to

undo things much easily. You get to deal with worthless things.

You get to deal with Belial. You get to deal with them with spear and shaft. And what does spear

and shaft represent in the New Testament? It's in 2 Corinthians 6. 7 where it says

By truthful speech and the power of God with the weapons of righteousness

for the right hand and the left. It goes back to purity.

The greater your purity the greater the devils you can handle.

The greater the purity the greater the devils you can handle.

Hey if you are a part of this church you really don't have a choice.

If you are a part of this church you are going to have

to be involved in this. And you can say I'll stay on the side

lines. Unfortunately if you stay on the side lines you'll still get the benefits

and you'll still be involved in battle.

It doesn't matter.

Stay on the side lines and you'll still get the benefits. So let's say we win a million

dollars we all get a million dollars.

And let's say the enemy tries to harm us

all of us get harmed if all of us don't jump into this.

That's the way it works. Any questions? I'm sorry I forgot to ask you if any questions.

I was quite excited about this teaching. Blessed are the pure for they shall

see God. They shall see God. That's what we are after.

Any questions before we finish? I'm done but any questions?

Any questions guys?

So I pray God that you and I begin to decide. It's still early in the years.

Jan 31st we've got 11 months to practice this. Begin to say Father

I've lived a relatively pure life. I've been doing pretty good.

But I want to upgrade it. I want to move into a place that is far greater than this.

And Father I'm not talking about sexual purity at all. I'm talking about purity in every area.

I want purity in every area and I want to up my game.

Even those things we don't see as pure like archipelagic.

Yeah. I want to up my game. I want to walk pure.

Blessed are the pure for they shall.

Blessed are the pure for they shall see God. Matthew 5

8. Blessed are the pure for they shall see God. And then these pure

shall be the ones who shall open ancient doors.

Who shall open ancient doors. Everlasting doors. God is continuously opening

them eh? I just love the fact that there are doors left for Acts

29 to open.

I mean I don't care if Acts 29 doesn't exist 20 years from now.

There will be a Maya and an Isaiah and a Tate and a

Finn and an Ari and a

Roxana and a Max and a

Lance that will exist. That's how generations continue.

It's not a... I mean haven't you seen churches that have existed

for 100 years? What good is that?

When I say we build

a church, I don't mean that we should exist for 100 years. Let them call it

whatever they want. But she should have the deposit to continue with it.

I'm so excited about... I'm not

faking excitement eh? Obviously I'm not jumping with joy or anything. But I'm so excited

about the ancient doors. As in doors that existed before time

existed. That are still left for Acts 29 to open.

Everlasting doors. And the moment we open them two things will happen.

Ahab will fall and the land will have rain. Ahab will fall

and the land will have rain. Ahab will fall, Jezebel will be

deposed, Jehus will be raised, Elisha will come forth and

the land will have rain. This is what happens when you open ancient doors.

One day if possible just come and visit

with Jeevan and me, Nandigama. You'll see what's happening.

And you'll be stunned. What a privilege

to break a 4000 year oppression. What a privilege. When I first went there

I remember coming back and saying to Jeevan, if 10 or 20 make it

that'll be huge. This time when I went, if 80 don't make it

I'll be disappointed.

So sometimes come on these trips not to do

anything.