WEBVTT 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:07.780 I appreciate those who work in our sound and 00:00:07.780 --> 00:00:14.439 media. It's not always an easy job. Amen. Brethren, 00:00:14.500 --> 00:00:19.399 we appreciate you. Thank you so much. No stones 00:00:19.399 --> 00:00:21.940 can be cast in any direction because if I went 00:00:21.940 --> 00:00:29.739 back there, it would be bad. I am thankful for 00:00:29.739 --> 00:00:34.420 the Lord who gives and gives talents. Amen. So 00:00:34.420 --> 00:00:36.619 thank you, brethren, and just keep it working, 00:00:36.700 --> 00:00:43.200 and it'll be just fine. Amen. If you have your 00:00:43.200 --> 00:00:46.039 Bibles, and I trust you do, turn with me to Psalm 00:00:46.039 --> 00:00:52.280 119. I'm going to read one verse there, and then 00:00:52.280 --> 00:00:55.899 we're going to read out of Isaiah 40, and we're 00:00:55.899 --> 00:01:01.329 going to read verse 8. Psalm 119, 89, and Psalm 00:01:01.329 --> 00:01:09.870 40 in verse 8. Amen. God's good, isn't he? Hallelujah. 00:01:11.469 --> 00:01:14.010 One thing I have determined. You think we need 00:01:14.010 --> 00:01:16.849 to preach all six pages or just two or three? 00:01:22.870 --> 00:01:27.409 I'm sorry, there's seven. We could be a while. 00:01:29.959 --> 00:01:33.980 I think the Lord, I don't think, I know. I know 00:01:33.980 --> 00:01:39.939 the Lord is mindful of us. Amen. There's a lot 00:01:39.939 --> 00:01:44.879 to be praying about in the kingdom today. You 00:01:44.879 --> 00:01:47.200 know, we've all got our own dilemmas and situations. 00:01:48.079 --> 00:01:51.060 I was reminded of another again this morning, 00:01:51.159 --> 00:01:55.159 Pastor Gan from the Prospect Church. Well, looky 00:01:55.159 --> 00:01:57.250 here. Don't hold this against me. That was my 00:01:57.250 --> 00:01:59.549 page holder opening my Bible while I was studying. 00:01:59.829 --> 00:02:02.969 I'm sorry. That could have got dangerous in a 00:02:02.969 --> 00:02:06.069 little while. An open blade. Well, it is a two 00:02:06.069 --> 00:02:11.409 -edged sword. But I forgot and left my pocket 00:02:11.409 --> 00:02:15.909 knife laying there. I'm sorry. Could have been 00:02:15.909 --> 00:02:41.080 a nine. Psalm 119, verse 89 reads, Forever, O 00:02:41.080 --> 00:02:53.120 Lord, thy word is settled in heaven. In my margin 00:02:53.120 --> 00:03:02.469 it reads, stands firm. Isaiah 40, verse 8 reads, 00:03:02.750 --> 00:03:07.650 The grass withers, the flower fades, but the 00:03:07.650 --> 00:03:15.550 word of our God shall stand forever. Just for 00:03:15.550 --> 00:03:18.870 a little while, I think the Lord, I hope this 00:03:18.870 --> 00:03:22.090 blesses you, but I actually think this is for 00:03:22.090 --> 00:03:27.490 me today. I want to preach to us concerning the 00:03:27.490 --> 00:03:34.330 immutable. Anchor. The immutable anchor. Now, 00:03:34.349 --> 00:03:35.930 some of you say, well, what's that mean? Well, 00:03:36.069 --> 00:03:42.270 that word immutable. Unchanging over time. Or 00:03:42.270 --> 00:03:50.810 unable to be changed. Forever, oh Lord, thy word 00:03:50.810 --> 00:03:55.909 is established. Forever. It's immutable. You 00:03:55.909 --> 00:03:59.930 can't change it. And it doesn't vary. It will 00:03:59.930 --> 00:04:03.509 never change. The grass withers, right? The flower 00:04:03.509 --> 00:04:07.870 fades. But the word of our God shall stand forever. 00:04:08.270 --> 00:04:10.650 His word is not fleeting. Man, I feel our help 00:04:10.650 --> 00:04:14.069 showing up today. His word is not fleeting. Amen. 00:04:14.169 --> 00:04:19.589 It's not variable. It is stable. And if we ever 00:04:19.589 --> 00:04:22.149 need stability, we need it today. Father, I love 00:04:22.149 --> 00:04:26.439 you. Add the richness of your grace to our heart 00:04:26.439 --> 00:04:30.720 and life this morning. Lord, that liberty that 00:04:30.720 --> 00:04:33.420 makes it easy to preach, that's where your spirit 00:04:33.420 --> 00:04:37.819 resides. And we're here to glorify you this morning, 00:04:37.879 --> 00:04:41.660 Lord, and you alone. But as we glorify you and 00:04:41.660 --> 00:04:46.139 we declare this unchanging word, speak to the 00:04:46.139 --> 00:04:49.160 hearts and minds of your people. Empower us all 00:04:49.160 --> 00:04:53.230 today with the richness of your grace. In Christ's 00:04:53.230 --> 00:04:56.589 name. And the church said, amen. Tell your neighbor, 00:04:56.689 --> 00:05:02.089 it's immutable. Immutable. With everything that 00:05:02.089 --> 00:05:04.550 is going on in our culture and in our society, 00:05:04.709 --> 00:05:08.930 we do see things shaking. We do see things very 00:05:08.930 --> 00:05:13.069 unstable. Amen. Highly volatile around the world. 00:05:13.709 --> 00:05:17.689 Truly, we're living out those latter scriptures 00:05:17.689 --> 00:05:22.100 of that 24th chapter of Matthew's gospel. Those 00:05:22.100 --> 00:05:26.579 last days, nations are rising, wars all across 00:05:26.579 --> 00:05:31.720 the landscape, and the intensity of the demonic 00:05:31.720 --> 00:05:34.639 warfare that's going on in the heavens is increasing 00:05:34.639 --> 00:05:38.639 as well. Amen. Not only are men's hearts being 00:05:38.639 --> 00:05:42.920 stirred and calls to rise up, but I believe there 00:05:42.920 --> 00:05:45.379 is a battle in the spiritual realm taking place 00:05:45.379 --> 00:05:48.990 as well. The enemy knows that his time is drawing 00:05:48.990 --> 00:05:52.709 near to its end, that his free reign is going 00:05:52.709 --> 00:05:54.769 to be over. Amen. And I don't know about you, 00:05:54.850 --> 00:05:58.129 but that really does excite me. And in the process 00:05:58.129 --> 00:06:00.329 of trying to live through, you know, we have 00:06:00.329 --> 00:06:03.430 to live through these things, right? We have 00:06:03.430 --> 00:06:06.930 to live through and beyond the effects of war, 00:06:07.089 --> 00:06:10.110 and they are great. Amen. There may be even those 00:06:10.110 --> 00:06:12.949 in this room today who still suffer from some 00:06:12.949 --> 00:06:15.920 of those effects emotionally. Psychologically, 00:06:16.100 --> 00:06:19.259 spiritually, we fight those battles daily, amen, 00:06:19.300 --> 00:06:22.420 because there's an unleashing of the enemy against 00:06:22.420 --> 00:06:25.519 all of humanity. He is just unleashed, and he's 00:06:25.519 --> 00:06:29.740 trying his very best to steal, kill, and to destroy 00:06:29.740 --> 00:06:34.360 everyone and everything because he knows what 00:06:34.360 --> 00:06:38.500 his destiny is. You do realize that, right? That's 00:06:38.500 --> 00:06:41.680 the reason the enemy is so intently trying to 00:06:41.680 --> 00:06:46.689 set against us. I know what's helping me right 00:06:46.689 --> 00:06:50.629 now is that I am reminded that God is still God, 00:06:50.930 --> 00:06:54.269 and that God is still in charge, and that God 00:06:54.269 --> 00:06:57.170 is still in control, that the throne of eternity 00:06:57.170 --> 00:07:00.829 has not been moved by the will of man, nor the 00:07:00.829 --> 00:07:04.410 whims of man, nor the power -hungerness of man, 00:07:04.610 --> 00:07:08.529 nor the strive for fame. God still sits high 00:07:08.529 --> 00:07:11.970 above it all, and he is still exalted above the 00:07:11.970 --> 00:07:15.290 heavens, and he's still exalted above... No matter 00:07:15.290 --> 00:07:19.209 what transpires in the, when you start coming 00:07:19.209 --> 00:07:21.870 from heaven downward, you see just how small 00:07:21.870 --> 00:07:24.350 a fear that you and I, a sphere that we live 00:07:24.350 --> 00:07:27.389 in. It's a very small order. And when you see 00:07:27.389 --> 00:07:30.589 how God sits above it all and how that he is 00:07:30.589 --> 00:07:34.149 concerned even with what's going on in my and 00:07:34.149 --> 00:07:37.089 your sphere of life, he is very concerned. And 00:07:37.089 --> 00:07:41.529 I am reminded today that the word of God is unchanging. 00:07:41.730 --> 00:07:45.540 Hallelujah. else around me is changing, when 00:07:45.540 --> 00:07:48.800 everything in our culture and society is moving 00:07:48.800 --> 00:07:51.420 and changing. Even in the church world today, 00:07:51.560 --> 00:07:54.620 if you will, it is evolving. I don't necessarily 00:07:54.620 --> 00:07:58.439 like everything that it's evolving into and growing 00:07:58.439 --> 00:08:02.560 into because we have to be careful that we grow 00:08:02.560 --> 00:08:05.800 beyond what God has for us, amen? And we have 00:08:05.800 --> 00:08:09.839 to take very close care that we guard the things 00:08:09.839 --> 00:08:12.160 of the Lord and that the things that are being 00:08:12.160 --> 00:08:15.480 moved. around us should not move us amen and 00:08:15.480 --> 00:08:19.139 I know how hard trust me I know how hard it is 00:08:19.139 --> 00:08:21.920 to say that and I don't just say that on a whim 00:08:21.920 --> 00:08:25.720 but you and I can remain anchored in the hope 00:08:25.720 --> 00:08:29.199 of the word of God when everything around you 00:08:29.199 --> 00:08:32.000 is shaking and everything in our society and 00:08:32.000 --> 00:08:35.240 culture seems to be coming down around us one 00:08:35.240 --> 00:08:39.049 thing I do know is that God is still sitting 00:08:39.049 --> 00:08:42.309 above it all. And one thing I am concerned about 00:08:42.309 --> 00:08:46.509 is this, knowing that my concern toward him remains 00:08:46.509 --> 00:08:50.610 immutable as his is toward me, that I remain 00:08:50.610 --> 00:08:54.230 unchanged in my faith, that I remain unmoved 00:08:54.230 --> 00:08:57.190 in my faith and the stability that I have in 00:08:57.190 --> 00:08:59.870 God's grace and the sufficiency that meets me 00:08:59.870 --> 00:09:03.509 every single day of my life. It is a reminder 00:09:03.509 --> 00:09:07.039 to me that all I have to do is simply stop. and 00:09:07.039 --> 00:09:10.759 lift up my eyes and join with the word and begin 00:09:10.759 --> 00:09:13.100 to declare, O Lord, that thou wouldst come down 00:09:13.100 --> 00:09:16.720 and let your glory one more time cover and fill 00:09:16.720 --> 00:09:20.639 this earth. I need it, amen. I long for it and 00:09:20.639 --> 00:09:23.580 I'm yearning. And the immutable anchor of our 00:09:23.580 --> 00:09:26.860 life is the word of God. When we understand that, 00:09:26.919 --> 00:09:29.840 that miracles are not ceased today, that God 00:09:29.840 --> 00:09:33.460 still works his mighty deeds among humanity, 00:09:33.580 --> 00:09:37.370 God can. bring healing and wholeness to our life 00:09:37.370 --> 00:09:41.129 this very day. God can change our circumstances 00:09:41.129 --> 00:09:45.450 this very day. God can perform a miracle in our 00:09:45.450 --> 00:09:49.070 life right now. Hallelujah. Because the Word 00:09:49.070 --> 00:09:51.909 of God, when it is read and when it is studied, 00:09:51.990 --> 00:09:55.529 gives us one variable that we must hold to, and 00:09:55.529 --> 00:09:59.190 that is that the Word never changes. Amen. My 00:09:59.190 --> 00:10:02.149 life goes up and down. My faith goes up and down. 00:10:02.289 --> 00:10:05.179 But one thing that doesn't move in me, me is 00:10:05.179 --> 00:10:08.779 the throne of God upon my heart. It remains sure. 00:10:08.919 --> 00:10:12.820 He remains firm. My God, if I could get a good 00:10:12.820 --> 00:10:16.379 grip on him as he's got on me, hallelujah, life 00:10:16.379 --> 00:10:19.120 would even get more better and more better and 00:10:19.120 --> 00:10:21.759 more better no matter though all hell assail 00:10:21.759 --> 00:10:26.399 me. I shall not be moved. Hallelujah. Why become 00:10:26.399 --> 00:10:29.179 we? We are the tree that becomes planted by the 00:10:29.179 --> 00:10:32.519 rivers of the living water. 2 Timothy 2 and 15, 00:10:32.720 --> 00:10:35.299 study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman 00:10:35.299 --> 00:10:37.639 that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing 00:10:37.639 --> 00:10:42.299 the word of truth. That immutable word of God 00:10:42.299 --> 00:10:47.220 in our life, that unchanging stable factor, when 00:10:47.220 --> 00:10:51.320 we understand it to its core. Psalm 107 verse 00:10:51.320 --> 00:10:54.889 20 declares that his word heals us. He sent his 00:10:54.889 --> 00:10:57.690 word and healed them, and not only healed them, 00:10:57.750 --> 00:11:00.769 but there's always a, you get a bonus with God, 00:11:00.970 --> 00:11:03.970 amen. When you go over and you read in James 00:11:03.970 --> 00:11:06.110 where it said, if any sick among you, let him 00:11:06.110 --> 00:11:07.990 call on the elders of the church, anointing them 00:11:07.990 --> 00:11:09.750 with oil and praying a prayer of faith, and they 00:11:09.750 --> 00:11:12.230 shall be healed, and the bonus, if they've committed 00:11:12.230 --> 00:11:15.149 any sins, they shall be forgiven unto them. He 00:11:15.149 --> 00:11:18.769 sent his word, and he healed them, and he delivered 00:11:18.769 --> 00:11:21.549 them from all their destructions. Aren't you 00:11:21.549 --> 00:11:24.879 glad that the Lord gives? you the bonus every 00:11:24.879 --> 00:11:27.820 time you come to him. The word will make us free 00:11:27.820 --> 00:11:30.720 according to John 8, 32. And you shall know the 00:11:30.720 --> 00:11:34.240 truth and the truth shall make you free, not 00:11:34.240 --> 00:11:37.799 set you free. A lot of times we'll quote it there. 00:11:37.960 --> 00:11:40.980 Oh, the word will set you free. No, the word 00:11:40.980 --> 00:11:45.919 of God will make you free. Lord, I begin to think 00:11:45.919 --> 00:11:48.919 about that. He begins to make things happen. 00:11:49.159 --> 00:11:51.519 He don't just sit. He don't just break a chain. 00:11:51.659 --> 00:11:55.480 He comes in. and transforms, and he makes me 00:11:55.480 --> 00:11:59.519 free. He creates me free if necessary. He enters 00:11:59.519 --> 00:12:02.120 into my situation by the accordance and the power 00:12:02.120 --> 00:12:05.440 of his word, and he comes into my dilemma, and 00:12:05.440 --> 00:12:08.220 he makes me free. Why? Because of the established 00:12:08.220 --> 00:12:12.320 truth, and he is truth, and his word is true. 00:12:12.460 --> 00:12:15.840 Jesus declared it of himself. I am the way and 00:12:15.840 --> 00:12:19.840 the truth. And aren't you so glad that truth 00:12:19.840 --> 00:12:24.320 enters in and makes you free? I'm glad to know 00:12:24.320 --> 00:12:26.200 the devil don't want to let me go, but he has 00:12:26.200 --> 00:12:31.019 no choice in the matter. Hallelujah. He makes 00:12:31.019 --> 00:12:34.419 me free. He comes in and forces the enemy away. 00:12:34.620 --> 00:12:38.179 If God arises within us and he is the hope within 00:12:38.179 --> 00:12:40.960 us, then the enemies that are against us shall 00:12:40.960 --> 00:12:50.480 scatter. according to Psalm 119 and 130. It becomes 00:12:50.480 --> 00:12:53.539 a light and a lamp. A light to the path and a 00:12:53.539 --> 00:12:56.840 lamp to your feet. Amen. According to John 20 00:12:56.840 --> 00:12:59.360 and 31, he'll bear witness. The word, this immutable 00:12:59.360 --> 00:13:02.539 word, bears witness. These things are written. 00:13:03.210 --> 00:13:06.450 that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, 00:13:06.649 --> 00:13:11.370 the Son of God. Hallelujah. The Word will produce 00:13:11.370 --> 00:13:13.710 faith in our heart and life. Have you ever gotten 00:13:13.710 --> 00:13:15.710 to a place where your faith level's been going 00:13:15.710 --> 00:13:18.629 low? Your faith's been draining. You've had so 00:13:18.629 --> 00:13:21.070 much against you that your faith seems to be 00:13:21.070 --> 00:13:23.769 diminishing, and you begin to worry about yourself 00:13:23.769 --> 00:13:26.230 and your faith. Well, don't do that. Get in the 00:13:26.230 --> 00:13:29.429 Word. Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by 00:13:29.429 --> 00:13:32.230 the Word of God. When you begin to feel weak 00:13:32.230 --> 00:13:35.429 in faith, just get in the word. Why? It's like 00:13:35.429 --> 00:13:38.629 plugging in a hybrid to an outlet. Hallelujah. 00:13:38.850 --> 00:13:41.690 You plug in and you've got a direct connection 00:13:41.690 --> 00:13:44.870 to the source of your power and the source of 00:13:44.870 --> 00:13:47.669 your strength. Hallelujah. And you get charged. 00:13:47.970 --> 00:13:51.090 Hallelujah. It gets you built up. It provides 00:13:51.090 --> 00:13:54.429 strength for your life. According to 2 Timothy 00:13:54.429 --> 00:13:58.070 3, 15 through 17, it'll cause one to be wise. 00:13:58.860 --> 00:14:01.259 In 2 Timothy, Paul writes to him in that second 00:14:01.259 --> 00:14:05.820 letter, and he says, preach the word. Preach 00:14:05.820 --> 00:14:08.759 the word. Be instant in season. Reprove, rebuke 00:14:08.759 --> 00:14:11.399 with all own suffering, but preach the word. 00:14:12.460 --> 00:14:15.360 According to Jeremiah 15 and 16, it causes the 00:14:15.360 --> 00:14:19.879 heart to rejoice. James 1 and 18, it'll cause 00:14:19.879 --> 00:14:23.460 one to be regenerated. The Word of God is no 00:14:23.460 --> 00:14:26.100 dead letter. You understand that, right? The 00:14:26.100 --> 00:14:29.200 Word of God is not some dead letter. But as the 00:14:29.200 --> 00:14:32.679 Word of the living God, it cannot itself fail 00:14:32.679 --> 00:14:37.240 to be living. Why? Oh, how did John record it 00:14:37.240 --> 00:14:40.340 in John 1? In the beginning was. The Word, and 00:14:40.340 --> 00:14:42.500 the Word was God, the Word was with God, and 00:14:42.500 --> 00:14:45.000 the same was in the beginning. Skip down to verse 00:14:45.000 --> 00:14:49.600 14, and the Word was made flesh. You go to the 00:14:49.600 --> 00:14:52.679 end of every gospel, and you'll see the crucifixion 00:14:52.679 --> 00:14:55.240 of the Christ, but you'll also not be left at 00:14:55.240 --> 00:14:57.919 Calvary's hill. It'll walk you through, amen, 00:14:58.019 --> 00:15:01.159 an empty tomb scene, and it'll take you to the 00:15:01.159 --> 00:15:04.299 next 40 days, and after those 40 days, it'll 00:15:04.299 --> 00:15:07.240 introduce you into Acts 1, that while they are 00:15:07.240 --> 00:15:09.590 yet assembled and they are talking, While they 00:15:09.590 --> 00:15:12.809 were talking, he began to ascend into the heavens. 00:15:13.009 --> 00:15:16.409 And as he is gone before their very eyes on that 00:15:16.409 --> 00:15:19.309 40th day, the angel stood beside him and said, 00:15:19.429 --> 00:15:21.590 Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye here gazing? 00:15:21.649 --> 00:15:26.590 This same Jesus in like manner. Here I am trying 00:15:26.590 --> 00:15:29.850 to describe to us this morning this living word. 00:15:29.970 --> 00:15:33.029 And he sits at the right hand of the Father forever 00:15:33.029 --> 00:15:45.149 and ever. ways remain living as the living word 00:15:45.149 --> 00:15:49.009 it continues through each age immutable with 00:15:49.009 --> 00:15:54.590 compelling relevance late in the 19th century 00:15:54.590 --> 00:15:58.610 Gypsy Smith the British evangelist man who said 00:15:58.610 --> 00:16:02.889 he had received no inspiration from the Bible 00:16:02.889 --> 00:16:06.639 was speaking to him Told him, said, I've not 00:16:06.639 --> 00:16:09.980 received anything inspirational from the Bible. 00:16:10.440 --> 00:16:13.620 He said that he had gone through it many times 00:16:13.620 --> 00:16:18.480 to no avail. And he told him in response, he 00:16:18.480 --> 00:16:21.559 said, well, if you'll let it go through you one 00:16:21.559 --> 00:16:24.600 time, it will make the biggest difference in 00:16:24.600 --> 00:16:28.509 your life. You let it go through you once. Then 00:16:28.509 --> 00:16:31.769 you will tell a different story. I'm here to 00:16:31.769 --> 00:16:33.809 declare to you and I today it doesn't matter 00:16:33.809 --> 00:16:36.450 the hardships of life and you think you've been 00:16:36.450 --> 00:16:39.610 in the Bible, but let the Bible get in you. Amen. 00:16:39.649 --> 00:16:41.809 I've been in there and I've found no relief. 00:16:41.889 --> 00:16:44.649 Well, let it. get in your heart and relief finds 00:16:44.649 --> 00:16:48.009 itself towards you. Amen. If you'll let the word 00:16:48.009 --> 00:16:51.370 of God in and the power of its existence in your 00:16:51.370 --> 00:16:54.350 life, the living nature of the word that calls 00:16:54.350 --> 00:16:57.929 you to rise up, it falls into the category of 00:16:57.929 --> 00:17:00.570 Hebrews 4 and 12. For the word of God is quick 00:17:00.570 --> 00:17:02.610 and powerful and sharper than any two -edged 00:17:02.610 --> 00:17:05.450 sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder 00:17:05.450 --> 00:17:08.230 of soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow 00:17:08.230 --> 00:17:11.789 and is a discerner of them that have its intent. 00:17:11.950 --> 00:17:14.650 of the heart. For the word of God is quick means 00:17:14.650 --> 00:17:17.549 it's alive. The word of God is living. The word 00:17:17.549 --> 00:17:30.250 of God, the Bible, unlike any other book. The 00:17:30.250 --> 00:17:34.849 brag of the congressional library of Congress 00:17:34.849 --> 00:17:37.789 is that there's nothing written that they don't 00:17:37.789 --> 00:17:46.440 have at least a copy of. 178 million written 00:17:46.440 --> 00:17:53.059 items. Over 500 miles of bookshelves in distance. 00:17:55.460 --> 00:18:00.940 Collection includes over 38 .6 million books 00:18:00.940 --> 00:18:05.480 and other printed materials, 3 .6 million recordings, 00:18:05.960 --> 00:18:10.960 15 .7 million photographs, 5 .8 million maps. 00:18:12.300 --> 00:18:16.680 78 .3 million manuscripts. Yet among all those 00:18:16.680 --> 00:18:19.920 millions of volumes, there's none alive but one. 00:18:20.819 --> 00:18:24.279 There's none living but one. There's not one 00:18:24.279 --> 00:18:27.299 literary article that you can read that will 00:18:27.299 --> 00:18:30.160 have a transforming effect on your life. You 00:18:30.160 --> 00:18:32.599 can read Longfellow. You can read any of the 00:18:32.599 --> 00:18:35.220 poets, and it may stir you for a moment. But 00:18:35.220 --> 00:18:38.390 when you get in to read the Psalms. It begins 00:18:38.390 --> 00:18:41.710 to transform your life. Hallelujah. It's the 00:18:41.710 --> 00:18:45.269 only written literature that is alive and well. 00:18:45.410 --> 00:18:48.730 Over 1 ,500 years in expanse by 40 different 00:18:48.730 --> 00:18:53.069 authors, but yet by one divine inspiration. It 00:18:53.069 --> 00:18:56.710 was breathed upon old men in days gone by. By 00:18:56.710 --> 00:18:59.789 the Holy Spirit, he breathed on him. And the 00:18:59.789 --> 00:19:03.150 word of God was transcribed to you and I. I don't 00:19:03.150 --> 00:19:06.049 know about you, but I am so grateful. Even as 00:19:06.049 --> 00:19:08.890 archaeology is. beginning to confirm. They thought 00:19:08.890 --> 00:19:10.829 they had some of the oldest scrolls and then 00:19:10.829 --> 00:19:13.750 they found those old clay jars in those Qumran 00:19:13.750 --> 00:19:15.849 hills and they dug them up and they began to 00:19:15.849 --> 00:19:18.269 go through them and what they have found is the 00:19:18.269 --> 00:19:21.369 accuracy one more time confirmed. I don't know 00:19:21.369 --> 00:19:23.569 about you, but it makes my heart happy. You get 00:19:23.569 --> 00:19:25.910 a newer copy, but when you find the older copy, 00:19:26.049 --> 00:19:29.549 it's still the same. Hallelujah! It lets me know 00:19:29.549 --> 00:19:31.589 that the word of God is consistent throughout 00:19:31.589 --> 00:19:34.410 the ages and that the spirit of God still inspires, 00:19:34.670 --> 00:19:38.170 renews, refresh, restores, and delivers. Any 00:19:38.170 --> 00:19:43.250 who will dare to read it. The word of God is 00:19:43.250 --> 00:19:46.109 not only a living word. It's quick. It's alive. 00:19:46.329 --> 00:19:52.269 But it's a powerful word. Amen. Living and powerful. 00:19:52.289 --> 00:19:55.069 That word. Powerful, translated from the Greek, 00:19:55.089 --> 00:19:57.869 is the word used for which we get our energy 00:19:57.869 --> 00:20:02.869 and energetic. The word literally means at work. 00:20:04.769 --> 00:20:10.170 Woo, the word is at work. Not just at work, but 00:20:10.170 --> 00:20:17.549 powerfully at work. Amen. There's no other creative 00:20:17.549 --> 00:20:21.630 literary around than the word of God. In the 00:20:21.630 --> 00:20:28.680 beginning. Amen. Aren't you glad that he was 00:20:28.680 --> 00:20:33.660 there? His word reveals to us the power, the 00:20:33.660 --> 00:20:36.700 energy of his being at work. Charles Swindle 00:20:36.700 --> 00:20:39.180 once said this, news articles may inform us, 00:20:39.259 --> 00:20:43.900 novels may inspire us, poetry may enrapture us, 00:20:43.940 --> 00:20:48.960 but only the living, active word of God can transform 00:20:48.960 --> 00:20:55.319 us. There's just some times in life when I just 00:20:55.319 --> 00:20:57.440 need a reminder to know that what we're doing, 00:20:57.460 --> 00:21:02.180 we're not doing in vain. Aren't you? It helps 00:21:02.180 --> 00:21:04.259 me to know that the life that I'm living out 00:21:04.259 --> 00:21:07.559 day in and day out is not in vain. But it's by 00:21:07.559 --> 00:21:19.160 design. It's by design. The steps of a good man 00:21:19.160 --> 00:21:27.930 are ordered. Amen? We may step sometimes. Like 00:21:27.930 --> 00:21:29.490 Brother Stephen, I stepped into the bathroom 00:21:29.490 --> 00:21:31.569 there just a minute ago, and he was wiping off 00:21:31.569 --> 00:21:35.430 his shoes. I said, if you're doing a shine. He 00:21:35.430 --> 00:21:38.970 said, oh, I stepped in some mud. Don't want to 00:21:38.970 --> 00:21:43.910 track it in. Sometimes in life, even on the designed 00:21:43.910 --> 00:21:48.309 pathway, we step in a little mud. Huh? We slip, 00:21:48.390 --> 00:21:53.460 we slide. Don't we? I said it was designed. I 00:21:53.460 --> 00:21:58.900 didn't say it was totally just divine. Because 00:21:58.900 --> 00:22:05.980 a designed pathway leads you to Calvary. But 00:22:05.980 --> 00:22:09.500 it doesn't leave you at Calvary. The steps of 00:22:09.500 --> 00:22:11.599 a good man are ordered of the Lord. We are walking 00:22:11.599 --> 00:22:14.619 out the designed pathway for our life. But what 00:22:14.619 --> 00:22:17.039 has comforted my heart to know is every step 00:22:17.039 --> 00:22:20.140 I pick up my foot and put down in faith, it is 00:22:20.140 --> 00:22:25.019 held by faith. Why? Because he is faithful who 00:22:25.019 --> 00:22:28.240 has promised. Amen. So every day that you live, 00:22:28.299 --> 00:22:30.059 every day you get up, it doesn't mean there's 00:22:30.059 --> 00:22:32.059 not some mud along the way. You're going to step 00:22:32.059 --> 00:22:34.160 in some mud along your way. But you know what 00:22:34.160 --> 00:22:35.740 happens to the mud? We talked about it a little 00:22:35.740 --> 00:22:38.039 bit ago. He'll pick us up out of the mud. I reclaim. 00:22:38.279 --> 00:22:40.660 He'll put us on the rock. He'll establish our 00:22:40.660 --> 00:22:44.339 going. Why? Because that's his word and the promise 00:22:44.339 --> 00:22:47.700 of God to you and I no matter what transpires. 00:22:53.200 --> 00:22:58.099 It's wonderful by design itself the word. There's 00:22:58.099 --> 00:23:03.559 so many descriptions throughout scripture. You 00:23:03.559 --> 00:23:06.140 can hold within one hand a hammer and pick one 00:23:06.140 --> 00:23:10.000 up another hand. You've got a sword. That two 00:23:10.000 --> 00:23:12.200 -edged sword of Hebrews 4 and 12, the hammer 00:23:12.200 --> 00:23:16.039 of Jeremiah 23 and 29, breaks into pieces the 00:23:16.039 --> 00:23:20.819 resistant heart. Jeremiah 23, 29, and 20 and 00:23:20.819 --> 00:23:23.400 9 declares it's a fire. It's a refiner's fire, 00:23:23.599 --> 00:23:26.940 but it's also a passion that burns within the 00:23:26.940 --> 00:23:30.039 depths of one's soul. In the midst of despair, 00:23:30.359 --> 00:23:32.960 in the midst of disgust, you may be standing 00:23:32.960 --> 00:23:35.380 in a mud puddle of life and you want to pout 00:23:35.380 --> 00:23:37.799 and sit down on the stump. But the longer you 00:23:37.799 --> 00:23:40.660 sit, if the word of God's in you, it begins to 00:23:40.660 --> 00:23:44.220 burn, burn, burn. Amen. And you're standing there 00:23:44.220 --> 00:23:46.079 and then you leap to your feet and you begin 00:23:46.079 --> 00:23:49.500 to declare, it's like fire shut up in my bones. 00:23:49.599 --> 00:23:52.660 How can I hold my peace? I'll speak thus saith 00:23:52.660 --> 00:23:55.259 the Lord as the spirit moves on me. I'll proclaim 00:23:55.259 --> 00:23:59.500 the word of the living God. Hold on. is a little 00:23:59.500 --> 00:24:02.779 inspiration. Amen. And life is the inspiring 00:24:02.779 --> 00:24:06.160 factor. I get it every single day. I'm inspired 00:24:06.160 --> 00:24:09.500 to trust. I'm inspired to believe. I'm inspired 00:24:09.500 --> 00:24:12.539 to keep going. I'm inspired to praise him. I'm 00:24:12.539 --> 00:24:15.440 inspired to pray to him. My Lord, I'm inspired 00:24:15.440 --> 00:24:18.539 to proclaim his everlasting goodness and the 00:24:18.539 --> 00:24:21.599 forever comfort of his word that wraps the bosom 00:24:21.599 --> 00:24:24.660 of my soul because when I would hush, it begins 00:24:24.660 --> 00:24:40.930 to break. to the occasion, to know that by design. 00:24:42.470 --> 00:24:54.630 Whoo! Well, hallelujah. Mm. The wonder of its 00:24:54.630 --> 00:25:00.609 power. The Word of God has a power to change. 00:25:00.690 --> 00:25:04.390 It's the only thing that has the power to change. 00:25:06.569 --> 00:25:13.109 Change what? Lives. It has the power to pick 00:25:13.109 --> 00:25:16.130 a drunkard up out of a gutter and put him behind 00:25:16.130 --> 00:25:23.369 a pulpit. Huh? It has the power to take sinners 00:25:23.369 --> 00:25:29.089 and transform them into saints. To take a lying 00:25:29.089 --> 00:25:32.430 tongue to be converted and yielded to be a tongue 00:25:32.430 --> 00:25:41.279 of prophetic utterance. Woo! Power to restore 00:25:41.279 --> 00:25:50.579 broken images. Broken vessels. Hallelujah. It 00:25:50.579 --> 00:25:54.859 has the power to give hope to a murderer on murder's 00:25:54.859 --> 00:25:59.000 row. Yes, they may have to pay the consequence 00:25:59.000 --> 00:26:08.720 of society. That's the law. But there is one. 00:26:10.990 --> 00:26:15.309 If on whom they are drawn and fall and cry out, 00:26:15.549 --> 00:26:22.250 he will hear their cry. Amen. And deliver their 00:26:22.250 --> 00:26:24.930 soul. Hence where the word begins to give comfort 00:26:24.930 --> 00:26:28.440 even to a... A sinner on murder's row who's been 00:26:28.440 --> 00:26:32.039 transformed by the power of the living God. He 00:26:32.039 --> 00:26:35.500 can also know there is therefore now no condemnation. 00:26:35.720 --> 00:26:39.279 Yes, he's condemned by society and rightly so. 00:26:39.380 --> 00:26:41.920 If heinous crimes have been committed, he has 00:26:41.920 --> 00:26:45.140 to pay the price. But one thing he can go in 00:26:45.140 --> 00:26:47.819 with is the hope of knowing that that's the last 00:26:47.819 --> 00:26:50.819 of his punishment. If he's redeemed by love divine. 00:26:51.279 --> 00:26:53.920 If his sins are washed away and he's totally 00:26:53.920 --> 00:26:57.029 converted. trusting in God for his everlasting 00:26:57.029 --> 00:27:01.769 soul. He may die consequent as a murderer in 00:27:01.769 --> 00:27:04.809 this world, but he can open his eyes in a realm 00:27:04.809 --> 00:27:08.509 of glory knowing that he had been forgiven. Oh, 00:27:08.529 --> 00:27:10.730 it's not just the murderer forgiven. It's the 00:27:10.730 --> 00:27:13.529 adulterer. It's the fornicator. Amen. It's those 00:27:13.529 --> 00:27:16.130 who are caught up in the bondage of an LGBTQ 00:27:16.130 --> 00:27:19.130 lifestyle that has been delivered. It doesn't 00:27:19.130 --> 00:27:22.049 matter the sin. We quit categorizing that. It's 00:27:22.049 --> 00:27:24.440 not that. We've missed the mark. We've missed 00:27:24.440 --> 00:27:27.140 the mark. But one thing I know is through the 00:27:27.140 --> 00:27:29.460 promises in the living word of God, all those 00:27:29.460 --> 00:27:33.039 that call upon the name of the Lord shall be 00:27:33.039 --> 00:27:37.920 saved. For we are saved by grace through faith. 00:27:41.559 --> 00:27:52.299 Well, hallelujah. Woo. Isaiah 55 and 11. So shall 00:27:52.299 --> 00:27:55.200 my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth. 00:27:56.180 --> 00:28:02.319 It shall not return unto me void. But it shall 00:28:02.319 --> 00:28:07.160 accomplish that which I please. I am so glad 00:28:07.160 --> 00:28:11.359 it's not your pleasure or mine. I'm glad it's 00:28:11.359 --> 00:28:17.019 his pleasure. Which I please. And it, what is 00:28:17.019 --> 00:28:20.740 it? The declaration of his voice. That's what 00:28:20.740 --> 00:28:24.920 it is. His word, whatever he sends it out, it'll 00:28:24.920 --> 00:28:29.539 prosper in the thing. There's our tie to a new 00:28:29.539 --> 00:28:34.200 thing. That object that you choose not to or 00:28:34.200 --> 00:28:37.940 cannot have a descriptive or rather not have 00:28:37.940 --> 00:28:44.799 a descriptive on. Whatever thing that he so chooses 00:28:44.799 --> 00:28:48.960 and pleases, it'll prosper in your life. Aren't 00:28:48.960 --> 00:28:52.410 you glad? It's going to prosper where into he 00:28:52.410 --> 00:28:57.150 sends it. Someone once asked old Charles Spurgeon 00:28:57.150 --> 00:29:01.130 one time if he was prepared to defend the word 00:29:01.130 --> 00:29:06.309 of God. To which Spurgeon replied, I would as 00:29:06.309 --> 00:29:10.349 soon try to defend a lion. God's word doesn't 00:29:10.349 --> 00:29:14.269 need defending, just preach it. Let it out of 00:29:14.269 --> 00:29:18.990 its cage and it will defend itself. You don't 00:29:18.990 --> 00:29:23.369 have to defend the word. Just let it out. Unloose 00:29:23.369 --> 00:29:27.089 it. That's the reason that the three occasions 00:29:27.089 --> 00:29:30.690 in the wilderness that the devil come up to Jesus. 00:29:32.049 --> 00:29:36.670 Not an imp, not a demonic force, but old slew 00:29:36.670 --> 00:29:46.150 foot himself showed up tempting the Lord. It 00:29:46.150 --> 00:29:51.819 is written. I think we really need to take in 00:29:51.819 --> 00:29:58.259 deep what that means. It is written. And how 00:29:58.259 --> 00:30:01.220 the enemy is refuted by what is written here. 00:30:02.019 --> 00:30:06.099 The living word. And is put to flight. Amen. 00:30:06.880 --> 00:30:09.660 The wonder of its message. Again, 1500 years, 00:30:09.779 --> 00:30:13.579 40 authors. They all begin to point toward the 00:30:13.579 --> 00:30:17.960 preeminence of the Messiah. Who is Jesus the 00:30:17.960 --> 00:30:22.339 Christ. I don't know that I have time nor the 00:30:22.339 --> 00:30:25.420 energy to do what I'm about to embark on, but 00:30:25.420 --> 00:30:29.519 we're going to try. In order to see the landscape 00:30:29.519 --> 00:30:32.000 of the preeminence of Christ, you must see him 00:30:32.000 --> 00:30:34.039 in the revelation of the entirety of the book. 00:30:35.079 --> 00:30:41.140 He is there. He is there. Those Old Testament 00:30:41.140 --> 00:30:44.259 volumes hold within him the types and the shadows. 00:30:47.089 --> 00:30:49.410 Twenty -odd books of the New Testament give you 00:30:49.410 --> 00:30:51.829 the revelation of everything that was typed and 00:30:51.829 --> 00:30:56.890 shadowed out. It's the Christ. Amen? In Genesis, 00:30:56.990 --> 00:31:01.309 he is that 315 seed of the woman. Exodus, he 00:31:01.309 --> 00:31:06.170 is the Passover lamb. Amen? He is. It's his blood. 00:31:06.670 --> 00:31:11.490 Leviticus, he is our high priest. Amen? In Numbers, 00:31:11.529 --> 00:31:14.829 he is the star of Jacob. In Deuteronomy, he is 00:31:14.829 --> 00:31:19.289 the rock. In Joshua, he is the champion of the 00:31:19.289 --> 00:31:21.750 Lord's host, and yet it is his blast from his 00:31:21.750 --> 00:31:25.789 voice that the walls of Jericho fall flat. They 00:31:25.789 --> 00:31:28.349 don't fall inward. They fall outward. Come on, 00:31:28.369 --> 00:31:31.150 somebody. I read a little archaeological discovery 00:31:31.150 --> 00:31:33.509 on that the other day, and it amazed them that 00:31:33.509 --> 00:31:36.130 the walls of Jericho had actually fallen out. 00:31:36.190 --> 00:31:39.190 Why? It just made a ramp and a rampart for God's 00:31:39.190 --> 00:31:42.109 army to get in. That's why. Hallelujah! When 00:31:42.109 --> 00:31:44.210 we begin to think about the revelation, he is 00:31:44.210 --> 00:31:46.690 the captain of the host of the Lord's army. Amen. 00:31:46.829 --> 00:31:49.230 In Judges, he is the sword of Gideon, but he's 00:31:49.230 --> 00:31:53.329 also the strength of Samson. My God. Hey! When 00:31:53.329 --> 00:31:56.170 we begin to see the Lord, it's through his strength. 00:31:56.309 --> 00:31:59.329 In Judges, the sword of Gideon. In Ruth, he is 00:31:59.329 --> 00:32:02.589 the kinsman redeemer, and I am so glad. Amen. 00:32:02.589 --> 00:32:04.950 Because there are days when I want to cry like 00:32:04.950 --> 00:32:08.029 Naomi. Oh, don't call me Naomi anymore. Call 00:32:08.029 --> 00:32:11.130 me Mara for my life. Life has grown bitter. But 00:32:11.130 --> 00:32:13.670 don't call me that. Call me blessed. Hallelujah. 00:32:13.950 --> 00:32:18.269 Because I know that my Redeemer lives when we 00:32:18.269 --> 00:32:21.400 see him throughout. He is the seed of David, 00:32:21.460 --> 00:32:23.480 but he's the voice that still calls the prophet. 00:32:23.779 --> 00:32:26.920 Hallelujah. And he is the laser force that guides 00:32:26.920 --> 00:32:29.839 the stone of David, who each of us have to face 00:32:29.839 --> 00:32:33.059 down our own Goliath. He is with you in the kings, 00:32:33.079 --> 00:32:35.660 the Lord God of Israel. In Chronicles, the king 00:32:35.660 --> 00:32:38.279 of kings and Lord of lords. And Ezra, he is the 00:32:38.279 --> 00:32:41.539 Lord of heaven and the Lord of the earth. In 00:32:41.539 --> 00:32:45.220 Nehemiah, he is the restorer of broken down lives. 00:32:45.519 --> 00:32:48.900 He is the one who is empowered to raise the gate. 00:32:49.099 --> 00:32:52.500 and to open up access into the glory of God for 00:32:52.500 --> 00:32:55.700 each of our life. When we see in Esther, oh, 00:32:55.759 --> 00:32:57.740 we've just heard a little about Esther's celebration. 00:32:58.059 --> 00:33:02.180 He is the God of providence. Hallelujah. He's 00:33:02.180 --> 00:33:05.400 watching over our life. In Job, he is the redeemer 00:33:05.400 --> 00:33:08.279 that lives forevermore. Though the skin worms 00:33:08.279 --> 00:33:11.220 devour this whole body, yet with these eyes I 00:33:11.220 --> 00:33:14.779 shall see him. Hallelujah. We hear that declaration 00:33:14.779 --> 00:33:21.940 in knowing that his redeemer forever lives. In 00:33:21.940 --> 00:33:26.160 the Psalms, the king of glory. The shepherd on 00:33:26.160 --> 00:33:30.960 the hillside. Hallelujah. In Proverbs, he is 00:33:30.960 --> 00:33:33.539 the wisdom of God. In Ecclesiastes, he is the 00:33:33.539 --> 00:33:36.299 creator. In the Song of Solomon, he's altogether 00:33:36.299 --> 00:33:39.480 lovely. He's the rose of Sharon and the lily 00:33:39.480 --> 00:33:42.660 of the valley. And he is more fair than the breast 00:33:42.660 --> 00:33:45.559 of the turtle dove. Hallelujah. He is the one 00:33:45.559 --> 00:33:50.500 who loves our soul. Isaiah, he is the wonderful 00:33:50.500 --> 00:33:53.579 counselor, the mighty God, the Prince of Peace, 00:33:53.640 --> 00:33:55.960 the everlasting Father. And yes, firmly upon 00:33:55.960 --> 00:33:59.000 his shoulders is the government of the world. 00:34:00.059 --> 00:34:06.900 He has broad soldiers to hold it up. Amen. Jeremiah, 00:34:07.160 --> 00:34:12.280 yeah, he is the Lord of our righteousness. Lamentation, 00:34:12.300 --> 00:34:15.780 he is the weeping prophet. But yet his mercy 00:34:15.780 --> 00:34:20.780 is new every morning. Amen. And Ezekiel, he is 00:34:20.780 --> 00:34:22.780 the power that drives the wheel within the wheel. 00:34:24.619 --> 00:34:28.539 And the radiance of the glory. And Daniel, he's 00:34:28.539 --> 00:34:30.619 the pillow in the cave where the lions are licking 00:34:30.619 --> 00:34:33.599 their chops. But he's also the fourth man that 00:34:33.599 --> 00:34:36.219 walks within the realms of the fiery furnace. 00:34:36.519 --> 00:34:39.480 Who is there to lead you, guide you, deliver 00:34:39.480 --> 00:34:42.539 you, empower you, and give you hope in a hopeless 00:34:42.539 --> 00:34:49.639 situation. And Hosea, he is the Lord God. And 00:34:49.639 --> 00:34:53.420 Joel, he is the hope of his people who becomes 00:34:53.420 --> 00:34:59.420 the baptizer in the Holy Ghost and fire. And 00:34:59.420 --> 00:35:01.699 Amos, he is the God of hosts. And Obadiah, he 00:35:01.699 --> 00:35:04.920 is the destroyer of the proud. And Jonah, he 00:35:04.920 --> 00:35:12.940 is the God of the second chance. Amen? And Micah, 00:35:12.960 --> 00:35:15.500 he's the God that pardons. And Nahum, he is the... 00:35:15.960 --> 00:35:19.099 avenging God and Habakkuk he is the everlasting 00:35:19.099 --> 00:35:22.159 glorious God who is the glory of the temple that 00:35:22.159 --> 00:35:25.880 is to come which is greater than the former that 00:35:25.880 --> 00:35:30.099 might not have done a lot for you but that one 00:35:30.099 --> 00:35:35.420 hit me really good matter of fact he is the revelation 00:35:35.420 --> 00:35:43.659 of the vision that was written plainly In Zephaniah, 00:35:43.780 --> 00:35:46.099 he is the king of Israel. In Haggai, he is the 00:35:46.099 --> 00:35:49.500 desire of all nations. In Zechariah, he is the 00:35:49.500 --> 00:35:52.780 one pierced in the house of his friends. In Malachi, 00:35:52.880 --> 00:35:55.860 he is the lord of remembrance, but he's also 00:35:55.860 --> 00:36:03.400 the keeper of the windows of grace. What does 00:36:03.400 --> 00:36:05.420 that mean? That means he's the one that opens 00:36:05.420 --> 00:36:09.559 the window from whom all good things come. Prove 00:36:09.559 --> 00:36:12.110 me, says the Lord. Prove me. me and see if I 00:36:12.110 --> 00:36:14.409 won't open up the windows of heaven and pour 00:36:14.409 --> 00:36:17.010 you out blessing which you are unable to get. 00:36:17.090 --> 00:36:20.070 That's him, the tender and the keeper of the 00:36:20.070 --> 00:36:28.550 window of heaven. Matthew, he's the revelation 00:36:28.550 --> 00:36:32.369 of the four -faced beast. In Matthew, he is the 00:36:32.369 --> 00:36:36.550 lion, the king of the Jews. In Mark, he is the 00:36:36.550 --> 00:36:40.820 ox, the servant. In Luke he is the son of man 00:36:40.820 --> 00:36:43.280 and therefore the face of the four -faced beast. 00:36:45.380 --> 00:36:51.739 In John he is the eternal. Therefore he is the 00:36:51.739 --> 00:36:55.239 expanse of the winged eagle that is sawn with 00:36:55.239 --> 00:37:00.119 the other three faces. He is the lion. He is 00:37:00.119 --> 00:37:04.119 the ox servant. He is the son of man. And he 00:37:04.119 --> 00:37:08.329 is risen with healing. In his wings. And he is 00:37:08.329 --> 00:37:11.650 the one that causes you and I to mount up with 00:37:11.650 --> 00:37:15.849 him on wings of eagles. We can run. We can walk. 00:37:15.929 --> 00:37:17.690 We're not going to faint. You're not going to 00:37:17.690 --> 00:37:21.630 grow weary. Why? Because we wait. We wait. We 00:37:21.630 --> 00:37:31.650 wait. We wait upon the Lord. In Acts, he is the 00:37:31.650 --> 00:37:39.860 ascended Lord. It is he who baptizes in the Holy 00:37:39.860 --> 00:37:44.639 Ghost. Remember what John would say? Behold the 00:37:44.639 --> 00:37:46.139 Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the 00:37:46.139 --> 00:37:50.980 world. Truly indeed, I baptize you with water, 00:37:51.019 --> 00:37:53.079 but he that's coming after me is mightier than 00:37:53.079 --> 00:37:56.900 I, whose shoes I'm not even worthy to latch. 00:37:57.920 --> 00:38:06.880 And he shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost. Y 00:38:06.880 --> 00:38:08.360 'all had to pardon me this morning. I thought 00:38:08.360 --> 00:38:10.139 I could make it with these breeches without my 00:38:10.139 --> 00:38:12.039 spenders, so I took them off right before I left. 00:38:12.400 --> 00:38:15.460 That was a mistake. These fit pretty good, and 00:38:15.460 --> 00:38:17.139 I thought I was going to be in good shape. Not 00:38:17.139 --> 00:38:24.599 so. In Romans, I've become conscious now because 00:38:24.599 --> 00:38:27.260 I don't normally have to do this. In the book 00:38:27.260 --> 00:38:29.079 of Romans, he is the Lord of our righteousness. 00:38:31.400 --> 00:38:34.679 In Romans, he reveals who gets in and who don't. 00:38:36.519 --> 00:38:39.780 There's a list. There's a list. There's a list. 00:38:41.840 --> 00:38:43.760 And if you've committed any of these things, 00:38:43.900 --> 00:38:45.579 you shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven. 00:38:47.099 --> 00:38:50.639 It's righteousness. And we are not made righteous 00:38:50.639 --> 00:38:53.679 nowhere nearby the law. Can't do it, won't do 00:38:53.679 --> 00:38:55.440 it, couldn't do it then, and can't do it now. 00:38:56.519 --> 00:38:59.079 So if you're trying to dwell in the law, get 00:38:59.079 --> 00:39:02.739 out of that. Because if you're going to try to 00:39:02.739 --> 00:39:07.429 keep one part, you've got to keep it all. And 00:39:07.429 --> 00:39:09.250 you can't keep it because you don't have access 00:39:09.250 --> 00:39:11.650 to a red heifer and some ashes and all that other 00:39:11.650 --> 00:39:14.889 stuff. And you couldn't do it anyway unless you're 00:39:14.889 --> 00:39:24.070 of Levi's family. In Corinthians, he is the sufficiency 00:39:24.070 --> 00:39:28.849 of grace in our everyday life. But he's also 00:39:28.849 --> 00:39:34.130 the personification of love as revealed in Galatians. 00:39:34.889 --> 00:39:38.369 He is our liberator, but he's also the manifestation 00:39:38.369 --> 00:39:41.750 of the fruit which comes from above. Love, joy, 00:39:41.849 --> 00:39:46.030 peace, and on. In Ephesians, he is the head of 00:39:46.030 --> 00:39:49.449 the church, but he also becomes the armament 00:39:49.449 --> 00:39:54.530 of the believer. If I get started there, we're 00:39:54.530 --> 00:39:57.369 done. Let me move on. Philippians, he is our 00:39:57.369 --> 00:40:01.329 strength. Colossians, he is the preeminent one. 00:40:01.389 --> 00:40:05.389 He is the fullness of the Godhead. In Thessalonians, 00:40:05.409 --> 00:40:11.809 he is the coming Christ. Timothy, he is the mediator 00:40:11.809 --> 00:40:15.750 between God and man. Titus, he is the great God 00:40:15.750 --> 00:40:19.650 and Savior. Hebrews, he's the captain of our 00:40:19.650 --> 00:40:24.130 salvation. James, great physician. And Peter, 00:40:24.289 --> 00:40:28.550 the unblemished lamb. John, he becomes our advocate. 00:40:28.730 --> 00:40:32.210 And Jude, he is the Lord that cometh with 10 00:40:32.210 --> 00:40:39.429 ,000. Of his saints. And what's to say about 00:40:39.429 --> 00:40:43.510 the revelator? He is the alpha. He is the omega. 00:40:44.449 --> 00:40:47.929 He's the beginning and the end. He was, is, and 00:40:47.929 --> 00:40:52.909 is to come. It is he who stands. Whose blood. 00:40:53.670 --> 00:40:59.389 So vesture. Had been presented. It is he who 00:40:59.389 --> 00:41:04.099 becomes the light of the city. That John saw 00:41:04.099 --> 00:41:09.119 coming down. That's the revelation of the Christ. 00:41:11.079 --> 00:41:13.420 That's who he is. That's the wonder of this word. 00:41:13.920 --> 00:41:16.159 The wonder of its promises. The promises of God 00:41:16.159 --> 00:41:18.139 of salvation. Stand with me. I'm closing. The 00:41:18.139 --> 00:41:20.619 promise of forgiveness of sins. The promise of 00:41:20.619 --> 00:41:23.119 eternal life. The promise of heaven. The promise 00:41:23.119 --> 00:41:26.239 of Jesus' very own coming again. And the ultimate 00:41:26.239 --> 00:41:30.619 promise of hope. The word of God is all about 00:41:30.619 --> 00:41:41.030 hope. In and to a hopeless world. The immutable 00:41:41.030 --> 00:42:06.309 anchor. The word of God. The son of God. So the 00:42:06.309 --> 00:42:09.150 next time the adversarial winds of this life 00:42:09.150 --> 00:42:16.630 almost have you blown over and uprooted, hang 00:42:16.630 --> 00:42:22.110 on to his word. Because his word will hang on 00:42:22.110 --> 00:42:31.489 to you. I know looking around sometimes we scratch 00:42:31.489 --> 00:42:39.360 our head, or I do. And I don't know about what 00:42:39.360 --> 00:42:43.239 you've been praying, but I find myself just joining 00:42:43.239 --> 00:42:45.739 with that little prayer of old John on Padmas. 00:42:45.800 --> 00:43:00.460 Even so, Lord, come quickly. Come quickly. Get 00:43:00.460 --> 00:43:07.679 us out of this mess. Till the storm passes by. 00:43:14.349 --> 00:43:50.630 Passes over. Keep me safe till the storm passes 00:43:50.630 --> 00:44:00.489 by. Simple question. Anybody in a storm? Anybody 00:44:00.489 --> 00:44:10.170 in a storm? He's got you. Amen, he's got you. 00:44:16.619 --> 00:44:19.599 If you're in a storm, come and let's pray it 00:44:19.599 --> 00:44:25.800 away together. I heard a song one time that really 00:44:25.800 --> 00:44:28.000 touched me. It said, sometimes he calms the storm 00:44:28.000 --> 00:44:34.059 and then sometimes he calms me. Either way, there's 00:44:34.059 --> 00:44:47.789 a calm. Till the storm passes over. There's no 00:44:47.789 --> 00:45:05.929 more. Oh, hold me fast. Let me stand in the. 00:45:08.989 --> 00:45:19.860 Keep me safe. Till the storm. He passes by. Heavenly 00:45:19.860 --> 00:45:21.619 Father, we stand today. Would you just lift your 00:45:21.619 --> 00:45:25.159 hands this way, would you? Father, over each 00:45:25.159 --> 00:45:32.500 of us as we stand here today. The all -stabilizing 00:45:32.500 --> 00:45:37.219 power of your word in your hand. Keep us safe. 00:45:38.360 --> 00:45:43.059 Keep us safe. Keep us safe in the hollow of your 00:45:43.059 --> 00:45:50.659 hand. Keep us safe, oh Lord. Hold us fast. The 00:45:50.659 --> 00:45:53.559 thunder's rumbling and the waves are raging high 00:45:53.559 --> 00:45:57.760 and life's tossed up and life's in a turmoil. 00:45:58.840 --> 00:46:01.820 But I know, God, you are mindful of each of us. 00:46:02.219 --> 00:46:05.260 I know that you are mindful of each of us, Lord. 00:46:05.360 --> 00:46:10.679 I know it. I know it. I know you are. And to 00:46:10.679 --> 00:46:13.880 know that from glory you know the small sphere 00:46:13.880 --> 00:46:19.380 of my life. Lord, you're mindful of it. Every 00:46:19.380 --> 00:46:22.920 trouble, every trial, every problem, every effect, 00:46:23.199 --> 00:46:27.880 you, oh Lord, are mindful. Thank you for your 00:46:27.880 --> 00:46:31.340 word today. Thank you for your word this morning, 00:46:31.460 --> 00:46:35.559 oh God. I just need a reminder every now and 00:46:35.559 --> 00:46:39.900 then that you've got me, that you've got me, 00:46:39.920 --> 00:46:42.559 that you've got me, that you've got me. You've 00:46:42.559 --> 00:46:45.650 got us in your hand, oh Lord. You've got us in 00:46:45.650 --> 00:46:51.389 your hand. You are healer. You are healer. You 00:46:51.389 --> 00:46:52.210 are deliverer.