1 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:08,900 That's Pastor Daniel said earlier this weekend flew by and 2 00:00:08,900 --> 00:00:13,000 that's I think a good indication of a wonderful time and time 3 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:14,600 seems to just slip out of your hands. 4 00:00:15,300 --> 00:00:19,100 And I don't want to say too much because I want to take the 5 00:00:19,100 --> 00:00:22,900 remainder of our session in the word, but I think it would be 6 00:00:22,900 --> 00:00:27,400 unjust for me, not to thank. So many people, I can't name You 7 00:00:27,407 --> 00:00:30,600 by name but beyond the surface. There are people have been 8 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:32,800 working tirelessly in the background. 9 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:36,700 We have a shopping crew that had to go get stuff. 10 00:00:36,700 --> 00:00:39,400 We have a prayer crew that has been praying, not just over the 11 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:43,000 weekend, but even the days leading up to this event, we 12 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:46,400 have the ushers. We have, we have people who are 13 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:49,700 doing so much beyond what we see the sound team. 14 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:53,400 We had a Sunday School going on through this whole weekend so 15 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:55,100 that people can come with their families. 16 00:00:55,700 --> 00:01:00,100 And just wanted to say thank you from the bottom of my heart and 17 00:01:00,100 --> 00:01:02,900 we want to just now show appreciation to everybody just 18 00:01:02,900 --> 00:01:13,600 say thank you. And so for those who took so 19 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:16,500 much of their time who missed these meetings even to serve so 20 00:01:16,500 --> 00:01:19,800 that you can be here. We're so grateful, especially to 21 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:22,000 Bishop and Phoebe. Thank you guys so much. 22 00:01:28,900 --> 00:01:34,200 Every year, they oversee this, they prepare this, and they have 23 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:38,900 done with so much excellence. What we get to experience every 24 00:01:38,900 --> 00:01:40,600 single year and they do it because they love the Lord. 25 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:43,000 I see that firsthand and so we're so blessed by you 26 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:48,800 especially without further Ado today this morning at the end of 27 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:52,200 this weekend I want to speak to you from the word of God, of how 28 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:54,700 you. And I based on the principles of 29 00:01:54,700 --> 00:01:57,600 the word of God can live a life free from deception. 30 00:01:58,300 --> 00:02:01,900 In other words, how you? And I can be deceived proof, 31 00:02:02,000 --> 00:02:08,500 deceit proof between now and when The truth capital T takes 32 00:02:08,500 --> 00:02:11,200 us home. I hope you would be passionate 33 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:15,600 about what this has to offer. Because Jesus, as I now make 34 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:20,200 this a full circle, Jesus told us that we are only heading 35 00:02:20,200 --> 00:02:25,000 towards greater deception. That even will have if possible 36 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:31,200 the elect to be to be tricked, will even have the elect to look 37 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:33,100 and question. If this is sincere, if it is of 38 00:02:33,100 --> 00:02:37,200 god but we can be assured based on the word of God that you. 39 00:02:37,200 --> 00:02:43,000 And I can have a shield a filter because our God loves us, and he 40 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:45,900 cares for us and he Longs for us to be prepared, he Longs for us 41 00:02:45,900 --> 00:02:49,800 to be strong, he Longs us to have eyes Beyond these things on 42 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:52,700 our faces. And I want to prove that to you 43 00:02:52,708 --> 00:02:55,500 from one verse and it's in the book of second Thessalonians. 44 00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:06,300 In verse 3. In 2nd Thessalonians 2:3. 45 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:10,800 The Apostle writes to this group of believers. 46 00:03:11,900 --> 00:03:15,500 Let no one deceive you in any way. 47 00:03:16,900 --> 00:03:19,900 For that day will not come unless the Rebellion comes first 48 00:03:19,900 --> 00:03:23,100 and the man of lawlessness is revealed the son of Destruction 49 00:03:23,100 --> 00:03:27,100 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called God or 50 00:03:27,100 --> 00:03:30,400 object of worship so that he takes his seat in the temple of 51 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:33,100 God proclaiming himself to be God. 52 00:03:33,700 --> 00:03:37,000 Do you not remember, you not remember that when I was still 53 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:41,600 with you, told you these things? I want you just to look at that 54 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:48,000 first phrase, in verse 3, let no one deceive you in any way. 55 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:53,800 Now, when Paul wrote this, he is issuing a charge because of a 56 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:58,000 situation that is occurring with Isola Thessalonians. 57 00:03:58,500 --> 00:04:00,600 They were alarmed. They were shaken by some 58 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:04,000 supposed Revelation or a misinterpretation of Paul's 59 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:07,500 teachings that the Lord had returned. 60 00:04:07,900 --> 00:04:11,300 He had retrieved his bride and apparently they were numbered 61 00:04:11,300 --> 00:04:14,100 among the redeem because here they are, they're still there 62 00:04:14,100 --> 00:04:17,300 still here, they are left behind and this clearly shook them to 63 00:04:17,300 --> 00:04:21,100 the core that news. Came to the Apostle and he seeks 64 00:04:21,100 --> 00:04:24,300 to bring clarity about this Doctrine. 65 00:04:25,100 --> 00:04:28,000 He wants to remind them of the sequence of events that have to 66 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:32,800 take place, even even before the Lord would return in judgment. 67 00:04:33,500 --> 00:04:36,400 But we see here as Paul addresses this, as he seeks to 68 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:40,700 bring Clarity to the specific. Doctrine is a statement that 69 00:04:40,700 --> 00:04:44,200 reaches beyond the scope of this particular situation at hand. 70 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:47,700 With this church, do not be deceived or let. 71 00:04:47,700 --> 00:04:50,900 No one deceive you. You not just concerning the 72 00:04:50,900 --> 00:04:55,500 doctrine of the return of Jesus Christ, but in any way in any 73 00:04:55,500 --> 00:05:01,100 way, God Longs for you and I to be able to detect and diverted 74 00:05:01,100 --> 00:05:04,900 from any scheme of deception, that comes our way that would 75 00:05:04,900 --> 00:05:07,500 seek to lead us into Disobedience that would seek to 76 00:05:07,500 --> 00:05:10,600 cause us to believe something that is untrue. 77 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:14,600 And cause damage as a result to be, unfulfillable if I can use 78 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:18,400 that word, and if you look quickly at verse 2, you get 79 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:23,100 another Insight of how deception can be so subtle, the means of 80 00:05:23,100 --> 00:05:25,500 deception. Well, let's start from verse 1. 81 00:05:25,500 --> 00:05:27,400 Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus. 82 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:30,600 Jesus Christ and are being gathered together to him. 83 00:05:30,600 --> 00:05:35,200 We ask you Brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarm. 84 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:37,300 Pause. See when you have a deceive 85 00:05:37,300 --> 00:05:43,000 proof life. You're not easily feared anxiety 86 00:05:43,300 --> 00:05:46,800 concern. Is diminished. 87 00:05:48,100 --> 00:05:52,200 Verse 2 not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarm either by a 88 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:57,000 spirit, or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us to 89 00:05:57,000 --> 00:05:58,600 the effect that the day of the Lord Has. 90 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:01,000 Come. What impresses me about that? 91 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:04,500 Verse is not how his Spirit can directly deceive. 92 00:06:04,500 --> 00:06:07,400 Even Believers. It's the fact that Paul warned 93 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:12,100 of the possibility of forged letters to be written in the 94 00:06:12,100 --> 00:06:16,000 names of the Apostles, to have some kind of authority, and then 95 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:18,800 lead Christians into a Direction. 96 00:06:20,200 --> 00:06:22,500 What? That tells me is that Satan even 97 00:06:22,500 --> 00:06:28,000 at this time utilized the technology of Paul's day to 98 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:31,800 bring deception and his tricks are no different today. 99 00:06:31,800 --> 00:06:34,100 And how much more should we be discerning? 100 00:06:35,300 --> 00:06:38,700 With the engineering that is able to engage with all of our 101 00:06:38,700 --> 00:06:42,000 senses. I believe, even if you read 102 00:06:42,000 --> 00:06:45,400 Revelation, there are clues, that technology will be strongly 103 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:47,900 used by the system of the Antichrist. 104 00:06:49,500 --> 00:06:53,100 And so, we have to be very aware that there are different means 105 00:06:53,100 --> 00:06:57,000 by which Deception comes, and this should not cause us to be 106 00:06:57,000 --> 00:07:01,000 feared or worry, but all the more alert the first step to 107 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:03,000 being deceived free. This isn't a point because I 108 00:07:03,008 --> 00:07:06,200 have three points this morning but a Prelude. 109 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:08,300 Just a thought. The first step of being deceived 110 00:07:08,300 --> 00:07:11,000 free is to realize of the possibility of being deceived 111 00:07:11,800 --> 00:07:17,200 That's it's as simple as that. People in this world don't care 112 00:07:17,200 --> 00:07:18,900 about truth. I think we're convinced about 113 00:07:18,900 --> 00:07:21,200 that but not only, don't they care about truth. 114 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:24,700 They want you to believe a lie, there's no neutrality. 115 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:28,900 And Paul year is worried as he should be. 116 00:07:29,500 --> 00:07:32,500 And this sounds frightening, but we can equip ourselves, we can 117 00:07:32,500 --> 00:07:36,600 be strong and that includes not being deceived with personal 118 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:39,400 decisions in your life. I'm not just speaking about 119 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:43,400 Doctrine this morning, Everything from those major 120 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:47,000 decisions, those choices that will alter the rest of your life 121 00:07:47,000 --> 00:07:51,100 to not being caught up with the friends, he's from the agendas 122 00:07:51,100 --> 00:07:55,700 in the narratives of society. The past two years, in my 123 00:07:55,700 --> 00:07:59,700 opinion has proven. How the Antichrist will be able 124 00:07:59,700 --> 00:08:04,500 to deceive the world? You saw it firsthand, not just 125 00:08:04,500 --> 00:08:07,100 because of one narrative but multiple narratives that came 126 00:08:07,100 --> 00:08:10,700 crashing in from all directions and the things that I saw 127 00:08:10,700 --> 00:08:15,300 Christians so quickly, adopt so quickly say yes to so quickly. 128 00:08:15,300 --> 00:08:19,400 Join and partner with is a testament that deception can 129 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:23,500 easily swallow up. Anybody's judgment. 130 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:26,600 But before we get into the three points, can I show you something 131 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:28,500 inspiring about our Lord? Jesus Christ. 132 00:08:28,500 --> 00:08:32,700 The lord Jesus is our Capital example. 133 00:08:32,900 --> 00:08:35,900 And if you just study carefully, you would see how much of what 134 00:08:35,900 --> 00:08:38,500 he does. In his ministry relates to our 135 00:08:38,500 --> 00:08:41,600 day-to-day living, go to Luke chapter 20, in your Bibles with 136 00:08:41,600 --> 00:08:45,900 me, Meet me in verse 20 of Luke 20. 137 00:08:48,600 --> 00:08:50,900 Jesus is approaching his final days. 138 00:08:52,300 --> 00:08:56,200 On Earth, he's reaching the point of why he came ultimately 139 00:08:56,200 --> 00:08:58,800 to die on the cross. But before that, there was a 140 00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:05,000 series of Investigations and accusations and the spiritual 141 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:08,600 leaders of this time sought to get him in trouble. 142 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:12,600 Before he does any more damage to their idea of who the Messiah 143 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:15,200 should be. So in verse 20 of chapter 144 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:18,900 twenty, look what we see. So they watched him and send 145 00:09:18,900 --> 00:09:21,800 spies who protect. I love the way the ESV puts us, 146 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:28,500 who Pretended to be sincere. That they might catch him in 147 00:09:28,500 --> 00:09:32,500 something, he said. So, as to deliver him up to the 148 00:09:32,500 --> 00:09:35,800 authority and jurisdiction of the governor. 149 00:09:36,300 --> 00:09:40,100 So they asked him teacher. We know that you speak and teach 150 00:09:40,100 --> 00:09:46,000 rightly and show no partiality. But truly teach the way of God 151 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:51,000 that phrase touches me who pretended to be sincere. 152 00:09:51,600 --> 00:09:55,600 There are pretenders in your life. 153 00:09:57,100 --> 00:10:00,500 There will be Pretenders that will come into your life. 154 00:10:01,500 --> 00:10:04,800 And those types of people are one of the greatest tools that 155 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:09,200 the enemy uses to try to Allure. And cause the people of God to 156 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:12,900 stumble to make decisions that will hurt their testimony to 157 00:10:12,900 --> 00:10:14,900 make decisions that will hurt them. 158 00:10:16,600 --> 00:10:20,600 And I love to see the details of how these people were when they 159 00:10:20,600 --> 00:10:22,600 stood before. Jesus, they thought they were 160 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:25,900 clever, they thought that they have come up with this dilemma 161 00:10:25,900 --> 00:10:29,100 that was really a lose-lose scenario because they would ask 162 00:10:29,100 --> 00:10:32,400 him a particular question about taxes and in their minds, they 163 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:35,600 thought no matter how Jesus answers this, he's going to get 164 00:10:35,600 --> 00:10:37,700 in trouble with at least one group of people. 165 00:10:37,900 --> 00:10:41,900 If he says don't pay your taxes, the Jews, the Romans rather will 166 00:10:41,900 --> 00:10:43,300 come against him as we just read. 167 00:10:43,300 --> 00:10:46,100 If he says go, yeah, you need to pay your taxes and and you 168 00:10:46,100 --> 00:10:48,500 should The Jews are going to think that he is siding with the 169 00:10:48,500 --> 00:10:50,800 Romans. So this seemed like a perfect 170 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:53,800 plan, but here's the thing, you can't mess with Jesus. 171 00:10:57,200 --> 00:11:00,500 And the Holy Spirit highlights something that ministers to me 172 00:11:00,500 --> 00:11:02,700 as a follower of the same Christ that I read Up. 173 00:11:02,700 --> 00:11:05,700 In this passage look at verse 23 quickly. 174 00:11:06,800 --> 00:11:10,400 But he being Jesus perceived, their craftiness. 175 00:11:12,200 --> 00:11:15,500 He perceived their craftiness and set to them and I won't get 176 00:11:15,500 --> 00:11:20,800 into what he says perceived their craftiness. 177 00:11:20,800 --> 00:11:26,300 He saw through the flattery He saw through the smoke screen of 178 00:11:26,300 --> 00:11:28,900 sincerity. Oh, we know that you teach the 179 00:11:28,900 --> 00:11:30,500 truth. We know that you don't care 180 00:11:30,500 --> 00:11:33,200 about the opinions of men and they try to disarm him. 181 00:11:33,200 --> 00:11:36,600 They try to let his guard down. And yet, Jesus, through all of 182 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:42,500 that had laser precision and discernment past the words, past 183 00:11:42,500 --> 00:11:45,200 the actions and right into the mode of the whole thing. 184 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:50,300 That is the Jesus who is on your side. 185 00:11:51,500 --> 00:11:55,300 The one who sees what you cannot see, the one, who perceives, 186 00:11:55,300 --> 00:11:57,700 what? You cannot perceive he is for 187 00:11:57,700 --> 00:12:04,500 us, and with us, And the best thing that you can do to endure 188 00:12:04,500 --> 00:12:09,300 the deception of these days that will only intensify is hold that 189 00:12:09,300 --> 00:12:11,700 hand who can see what, you can't see. 190 00:12:14,300 --> 00:12:16,000 But this isn't only unique to Jesus. 191 00:12:16,100 --> 00:12:23,500 Listen Satan uses craftiness. All the way from the beginning. 192 00:12:23,500 --> 00:12:27,800 The very mess that were in today with our human nature, all 193 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:31,800 started with deception, and we have to read our Bible slowly 194 00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:36,900 because in Genesis 3:1, we are told about one particular animal 195 00:12:36,900 --> 00:12:40,100 pre-fall. So if you have this idea that 196 00:12:40,100 --> 00:12:43,400 the reason why Satan used the snake is because it's hideous. 197 00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:44,800 Sorry. If you like snakes. 198 00:12:46,800 --> 00:12:49,000 You have to understand there is nothing frightful there is there 199 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:51,200 is no sense of evil at this point. 200 00:12:51,900 --> 00:12:55,800 So that this this serpent was used strategically, the enemy is 201 00:12:55,800 --> 00:12:58,100 not going to use something just like he doesn't come to you with 202 00:12:58,100 --> 00:13:03,000 horns and a pitchfork. So he uses the serpent but why 203 00:13:03,000 --> 00:13:05,700 the Bible tells us? Because the serpent was 204 00:13:05,700 --> 00:13:09,400 craftier. And all the other animals. 205 00:13:10,500 --> 00:13:18,000 Satan then, Satan today, loves to use crafty things and crafty 206 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:25,000 people to deceive. And his roster is wide. 207 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:28,500 He listened. He uses gifted musicians. 208 00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:36,400 He uses mesmerizing artists, he uses people who can communicate 209 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:38,300 and almost put people under a spell. 210 00:13:38,500 --> 00:13:40,700 Just, by the way, they speak Hitler did. 211 00:13:40,700 --> 00:13:47,000 That it was demonic though. He uses crafty things and crafty 212 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:53,500 people, he uses people and he he has these individuals who don't 213 00:13:53,500 --> 00:13:57,300 come off as adversaries who come off as sincere and genuine and 214 00:13:57,800 --> 00:14:02,100 they know the words to use to to show you that they are for truth 215 00:14:02,100 --> 00:14:06,000 or they are for justice and they even know how to intertwine 216 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:10,100 God's name and scriptures Satan uses craftiness. 217 00:14:10,500 --> 00:14:14,600 He is not obvious, he's not Lead detectable. 218 00:14:17,000 --> 00:14:20,800 So being mindful that people who are gifted, people who are 219 00:14:20,800 --> 00:14:25,300 smart, people who have abilities, but don't have 220 00:14:25,300 --> 00:14:30,500 Christ. Are who Satan recruits to 221 00:14:30,500 --> 00:14:35,100 deceive God's people? And Eve failed to do what Jesus 222 00:14:35,100 --> 00:14:37,900 was able to do. She could not perceive the 223 00:14:37,900 --> 00:14:42,500 craftiness before her, but Jesus could and Jesus through his 224 00:14:42,500 --> 00:14:47,200 word, gives us the tools to know how to build the ability to 225 00:14:47,200 --> 00:14:49,100 discern. And so, I want to give you those 226 00:14:49,100 --> 00:14:52,100 three points and we're going to try to do this quick. 227 00:14:53,700 --> 00:14:58,100 Number one, if you want to live a deceived proof life. 228 00:14:58,100 --> 00:15:01,500 If you want to be able to amplify your ability to discern, 229 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:04,800 then do what we see here in the same chapter of second 230 00:15:04,800 --> 00:15:08,700 Thessalonians. Love the truth, no matter what 231 00:15:08,700 --> 00:15:13,600 it costs, you Love the truth, no matter what it cost. 232 00:15:13,600 --> 00:15:16,700 You second Thessalonians chapter 2, 9 and 10. 233 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:21,600 The coming of the Lawless one is by the activity of Satan with 234 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:26,800 all power and false signs and wonders. if you're a signs and 235 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:32,000 wonders person, That believes a Ministry, has Authority based on 236 00:15:32,000 --> 00:15:34,300 the Miracles. They seem to present an offer 237 00:15:34,300 --> 00:15:41,200 and claim you're in trouble. verse 10 and with all Wicked 238 00:15:41,200 --> 00:15:45,700 deception for those who are perishing, because why will 239 00:15:45,700 --> 00:15:50,900 people Embrace Wicked deception, Why will they be open to it? 240 00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:56,100 Well, he tells us because they refused to love the truth and so 241 00:15:56,100 --> 00:16:01,200 be saved. You may have an intellectual 242 00:16:01,200 --> 00:16:05,900 grasp of the truth, you may be intrigued with the philosophies 243 00:16:05,900 --> 00:16:10,500 around truth. You may even be able to explain 244 00:16:10,500 --> 00:16:15,900 elements of the truth, but none of that equates to loving the 245 00:16:15,900 --> 00:16:19,300 truth. Paul did not say because they 246 00:16:19,300 --> 00:16:22,000 did not know the truth and so be saved. 247 00:16:22,300 --> 00:16:25,900 He said, because they did not love the truth and so be saved. 248 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:30,100 There's a difference. So the deception that was easily 249 00:16:30,100 --> 00:16:34,300 received was not because of the lack of exposure to biblical 250 00:16:34,300 --> 00:16:39,200 Revelation, it was due to the lack of willingness to surrender 251 00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:41,500 to the claims that the truth makes. 252 00:16:42,500 --> 00:16:46,300 How do you know if you are a person who loves the truth 253 00:16:46,300 --> 00:16:48,300 again? It's not because you can quote 254 00:16:48,300 --> 00:16:51,300 it, not because you enjoy hearing sermons, not because you 255 00:16:51,300 --> 00:16:55,200 have podcast that you listen to, that are biblical the way, you 256 00:16:55,200 --> 00:16:59,300 know that you love the truth, which is the way to be protected 257 00:16:59,300 --> 00:17:03,700 from deception is that you joyfully and willingly submit to 258 00:17:03,700 --> 00:17:06,800 whatever claims the truth, make of you. 259 00:17:07,800 --> 00:17:11,000 That's what it means. And because of the refusal to do 260 00:17:11,000 --> 00:17:15,099 that deception, had a way to enter into these Hearts. 261 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:19,800 It was the stubbornness it was the refusal to ultimately bow, 262 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:22,700 the knee to the revealed will of God. 263 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:26,500 And here's the thing, many people can say, I love the truth 264 00:17:26,500 --> 00:17:29,900 and you would be amazed to know how God will test that and very 265 00:17:29,900 --> 00:17:35,700 challenging ways. someone clearly said, in light of this 266 00:17:35,700 --> 00:17:39,600 scripture, one example of how the love of the truth can be 267 00:17:39,600 --> 00:17:44,600 proven in US, Is by just thinking about your own church 268 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:46,300 background. Think about the way you grew up 269 00:17:46,300 --> 00:17:47,600 think about what you've learned about God. 270 00:17:47,600 --> 00:17:49,600 Many people in here grew up in that kind of a culture. 271 00:17:50,700 --> 00:17:53,600 I think about the things that you've adopted in your theology 272 00:17:53,600 --> 00:17:56,500 and in your church practice and in your Christianity. 273 00:17:57,700 --> 00:18:01,200 That was based on tradition or maybe even a misinterpretation 274 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:04,200 of certain scriptures and what do you do when you come to the 275 00:18:04,200 --> 00:18:06,700 point where you personally study the word of God? 276 00:18:08,100 --> 00:18:11,800 And you compare scripture with scripture and you dig and you 277 00:18:11,800 --> 00:18:15,400 pray and you learn something as you grow in this knowledge. 278 00:18:15,500 --> 00:18:19,600 And this is what you realize. This is teaching me something 279 00:18:19,600 --> 00:18:22,200 that I thought was true for so long in my life. 280 00:18:23,800 --> 00:18:25,400 This is, this is, this is saying something. 281 00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:29,400 Contrary to what my parents told me contrary to what my Seminary 282 00:18:29,400 --> 00:18:32,800 professor said, contrary to my church denomination, and what 283 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:38,000 they Proclaim for centuries, when God by his Mercy, opens 284 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:41,400 your eyes to a clear, truth in the word of God. 285 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:45,100 And yet, you have come with presuppositions in your heart 286 00:18:45,200 --> 00:18:48,500 and not because you had a desire to be in anything that is false. 287 00:18:48,500 --> 00:18:51,000 But because you were just raised in a certain way or because you 288 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:53,400 just easily digest. The certain things, what? 289 00:18:53,600 --> 00:18:59,200 Do you do after 25 years of believing a certain thing in 290 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:03,700 that moment will determine if you love the truth, more than 291 00:19:03,700 --> 00:19:08,100 your tradition more than your reputation more than the fear of 292 00:19:08,100 --> 00:19:10,800 people saying, you believe this for so long and now you couldn't 293 00:19:10,800 --> 00:19:12,000 see it. Now you do see it. 294 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:17,600 Love for truth is seeing in your willingness to surrender to it 295 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:20,400 even if you believe it to be something else. 296 00:19:21,200 --> 00:19:23,100 I believe that is extremely challenging. 297 00:19:24,200 --> 00:19:27,300 And that is one way. You can ensure that you 298 00:19:27,300 --> 00:19:29,100 yourself. Love the truth. 299 00:19:29,200 --> 00:19:31,200 No matter what God's word says, I will do it. 300 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:34,200 Even if it's been so long since I've heard or believe something 301 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:37,200 else, if this is the truth, I will submit to it. 302 00:19:37,200 --> 00:19:41,600 Additionally love for the truth is ultimately proven by a love 303 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:47,500 for all the truth. If there was a sure way to 304 00:19:48,900 --> 00:19:51,600 invite deception into your life, it is by claiming that God's 305 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:55,100 word is authoritative until something in the word touches. 306 00:19:55,100 --> 00:19:58,300 A nerve or challenge is something that you really, 307 00:19:58,300 --> 00:20:03,500 really, really, really want to hold on to And here's an example 308 00:20:03,508 --> 00:20:08,500 of how even followers of Jesus Christ who claimed who even 309 00:20:08,500 --> 00:20:14,000 confessed to love the truth. Cannot love all of the truth and 310 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:18,200 that literally is a foothold for Satan to enter into your 311 00:20:18,200 --> 00:20:23,700 thinking and then persuade you to certain actions, there was a 312 00:20:23,700 --> 00:20:27,300 time when Jesus was walking with his disciples and he many times, 313 00:20:27,300 --> 00:20:32,100 but his initial attempts was telling them I must suffer at 314 00:20:32,100 --> 00:20:35,600 the Of the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and I 315 00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:39,100 will be killed and I will raised on the third day, and on a 316 00:20:39,108 --> 00:20:43,300 particular day, Peter heard this and he felt a little extra 317 00:20:43,300 --> 00:20:46,300 confident because he just had the Revelation that Jesus is the 318 00:20:46,300 --> 00:20:47,900 Christ. He is the Son of God. 319 00:20:48,100 --> 00:20:49,500 And so, Peter does something very bold. 320 00:20:49,500 --> 00:20:54,600 He takes Jesus aside, not a good move, Peter Jesus moves. 321 00:20:54,600 --> 00:20:59,300 You you don't move him, he takes Jesus aside and he rebukes 322 00:20:59,300 --> 00:21:03,700 Jesus. This shall not happen to you. 323 00:21:05,500 --> 00:21:11,300 And in Matthew, 16:23, we read, but he turned and said to Peter, 324 00:21:11,500 --> 00:21:15,200 get behind me, Satan. We talked about you all talk 325 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:17,000 about highs and lows in your Christian Life. 326 00:21:20,100 --> 00:21:21,900 Get behind me. Satan. 327 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:27,400 And now he gives the insight to how Peter came to this point of 328 00:21:27,700 --> 00:21:29,800 taking Jesus, and rebuking Jesus. 329 00:21:29,800 --> 00:21:33,900 And correcting Jesus, right after Jesus perfection. 330 00:21:35,500 --> 00:21:37,500 Explain something that's going to happen. 331 00:21:39,400 --> 00:21:41,700 For you are not setting your mind on the things of God. 332 00:21:41,700 --> 00:21:46,500 But on the things of, man, That's how it all started. 333 00:21:47,100 --> 00:21:51,000 Your mind is not completely saturated with the knowledge of 334 00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:55,400 God and the will of God, you see, Peter believed in aspect of 335 00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:58,500 Jesus, you know, which aspect he loved them believed and champion 336 00:21:59,600 --> 00:22:03,200 A conquering Messiah, a triumphant Messiah. 337 00:22:04,600 --> 00:22:07,800 A nation's ruling Messiah and guess what? 338 00:22:07,800 --> 00:22:10,200 He was right to believe that because the prophets pointed to 339 00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:14,200 that and so all he's doing is really just he just reacting to 340 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:17,700 something that he knew. But what Peter and the disciples 341 00:22:17,700 --> 00:22:22,000 could not figure out not because of their lack of exposure per se 342 00:22:22,400 --> 00:22:24,400 but of their lack of their ability to understand and be 343 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:27,000 willing to accept it is the suffering Messiah. 344 00:22:28,900 --> 00:22:31,500 A messiah that will die. This can't be. 345 00:22:31,500 --> 00:22:35,000 And so, he rebukes Jesus from what an imbalanced 346 00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:38,900 understanding, and application of the word of God, I like the 347 00:22:38,900 --> 00:22:41,300 Triumph. And Jesus, I'm not very 348 00:22:41,300 --> 00:22:43,300 comfortable of the idea of him suffering. 349 00:22:44,900 --> 00:22:48,300 And when you look at the word of God that way, I like the old or 350 00:22:48,300 --> 00:22:50,800 the New Testament, I don't like the Old Testament. 351 00:22:51,900 --> 00:22:53,900 You have Christians and talk like this, especially in Middle 352 00:22:53,900 --> 00:22:59,100 Eastern Christians. I like the New Testament. 353 00:22:59,900 --> 00:23:03,000 I don't like the Old Testament. We're not going to preach on the 354 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:09,000 Old Testament. I like the stuff about love and 355 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:12,500 social justice and the poor. I don't like the ideas of 356 00:23:12,500 --> 00:23:17,100 Holiness, repentance and emphasis on the gospel you have 357 00:23:17,100 --> 00:23:20,700 just opened a door for Satan to enter into your thinking. 358 00:23:23,100 --> 00:23:26,900 When you elevate one truth and diminish another when it is 359 00:23:26,900 --> 00:23:31,200 clear there before you Satan himself, can enter into your 360 00:23:31,200 --> 00:23:34,100 thinking and he is merciless when he does that. 361 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:40,500 And soul of the truth. The safest place to be in this 362 00:23:40,500 --> 00:23:44,700 is to Bow before the entirety of the scriptures, even the parts 363 00:23:44,700 --> 00:23:48,300 that you cannot readily acknowledge at first perhaps. 364 00:23:48,500 --> 00:23:52,200 But, you know, it's the truth and because of that, know this, 365 00:23:52,500 --> 00:23:55,800 you give Satan very little to work with in your mind. 366 00:23:58,300 --> 00:24:01,800 So, love the truth, no matter what it costs, you more than 367 00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:04,700 just doctrinally. What will it cost you to follow 368 00:24:04,700 --> 00:24:06,400 this word? What will happen to your 369 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:08,600 relationships? Well, happened to your job. 370 00:24:08,600 --> 00:24:11,800 Well, happened to your future, love the truth. 371 00:24:12,400 --> 00:24:16,200 And here's your inheritance, you will know an honor from God that 372 00:24:16,200 --> 00:24:18,300 will keep you from being Hoodwinked. 373 00:24:19,800 --> 00:24:22,200 Love the truth, no matter what it costs, you not know the 374 00:24:22,200 --> 00:24:25,500 truth, not talk about the truth, love it. 375 00:24:25,900 --> 00:24:30,300 Number two, there is one of the clearest illustrations of 376 00:24:30,300 --> 00:24:33,000 deception at work found in the Old Testament. 377 00:24:33,500 --> 00:24:38,000 And in this case, you see how even God's best men are able to 378 00:24:38,000 --> 00:24:42,000 get dizzy in their discernment because of the ploys of enemies. 379 00:24:43,100 --> 00:24:45,100 And in this particular case, I'm going to bring you there in a 380 00:24:45,108 --> 00:24:49,400 moment. What you see is a very real 381 00:24:49,400 --> 00:24:55,700 example, again of how even the most faithful of God's men and 382 00:24:55,700 --> 00:24:59,700 gods woman, can fall you and I can stumble make mistakes every 383 00:24:59,700 --> 00:25:02,100 day and this teaching is not to say how you can create a bubble 384 00:25:02,100 --> 00:25:04,400 around you or you'll never know a mistake. 385 00:25:04,700 --> 00:25:07,900 What will your never know, trials or difficulties or 386 00:25:07,900 --> 00:25:10,400 afflictions or Temptations? That's not what I'm trying to 387 00:25:10,408 --> 00:25:12,700 bring here. But what I am saying is that 388 00:25:12,900 --> 00:25:16,500 When I can pull up a guard in such a way where we minimize 389 00:25:16,500 --> 00:25:21,100 unnecessary self-inflicted harm. And decisions in life. 390 00:25:21,100 --> 00:25:24,300 Very some decisions. If we get them wrong, have 391 00:25:24,300 --> 00:25:27,400 little consequences like you know, you bought a bad mattress, 392 00:25:27,400 --> 00:25:29,800 you didn't do the research, you didn't look at the reviews and 393 00:25:29,808 --> 00:25:30,600 you didn't care. You just did it. 394 00:25:30,608 --> 00:25:33,100 Now you got to return it, you wasted a whole day, right? 395 00:25:34,100 --> 00:25:39,300 To decisions that can alter the rest of your existence on this 396 00:25:39,300 --> 00:25:42,800 planet. And what we see here is that 397 00:25:42,800 --> 00:25:47,500 there is a point in Israel's history, where the whole book is 398 00:25:47,500 --> 00:25:49,300 really about Conquest in the land. 399 00:25:50,200 --> 00:25:52,900 It's about physical Warfare where Israel comes into the land 400 00:25:52,900 --> 00:25:56,100 of Canaan and they receive and they fight for their inheritance 401 00:25:56,100 --> 00:25:58,700 in God. But what's interesting is in the 402 00:25:58,700 --> 00:26:01,700 midst of all of that, you think it's all about swords and Spears 403 00:26:01,700 --> 00:26:04,100 and strange commands to see miracles happen. 404 00:26:04,100 --> 00:26:07,000 So walls can come down and Stones can fly from the sky. 405 00:26:07,000 --> 00:26:09,900 But in the middle of all of that, you see this aspect of 406 00:26:09,900 --> 00:26:12,100 warfare. That is very much familiar. 407 00:26:12,100 --> 00:26:15,800 Today we don't use sorts today. We don't use bone arrows. 408 00:26:15,800 --> 00:26:19,000 We don't use guns are weapons are not against flesh and blood. 409 00:26:20,900 --> 00:26:25,900 What we do see is in Joshua chapter 9, deception in Warfare 410 00:26:26,800 --> 00:26:29,900 and this deception, please, listen, it's not just limited to 411 00:26:29,900 --> 00:26:33,000 Doctrine. This deception deals with all 412 00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:36,900 aspects of life. Israel was commanded, cleanse 413 00:26:36,900 --> 00:26:41,200 the land cleanse, the land. These people who inhabit the 414 00:26:41,200 --> 00:26:43,900 land of Canaan are my enemies. They are perverted. 415 00:26:43,900 --> 00:26:47,600 They have persisted in their sin for centuries and my judgment is 416 00:26:47,600 --> 00:26:50,000 going to be through you, invading the land. 417 00:26:51,100 --> 00:26:53,200 And removing those who are my enemies. 418 00:26:54,400 --> 00:26:56,300 No mercy. They already had a chance to 419 00:26:56,300 --> 00:26:59,300 have mercy read Genesis 15. Centuries of chances to be able 420 00:26:59,300 --> 00:27:03,200 to come to repentance and so their focus was within the 421 00:27:03,200 --> 00:27:06,500 boundaries of the land of Canaan and as they come. 422 00:27:08,100 --> 00:27:11,200 A group, a mysterious group, approaches Joshua, and the 423 00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:12,800 leadership by the name of the gibeonites. 424 00:27:13,300 --> 00:27:18,100 The gibeonites were inhabitants of the land of Canaan and they 425 00:27:18,100 --> 00:27:21,400 learned very early on. These guys are coming in to take 426 00:27:21,400 --> 00:27:23,300 over and they're doing very well. 427 00:27:23,400 --> 00:27:26,000 We heard what they did in Egypt, we are what happened with those 428 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:29,000 kings outside of Israel, just by the Jordan. 429 00:27:29,700 --> 00:27:32,600 And now they're here. We got to do something, we will 430 00:27:32,600 --> 00:27:35,200 fail, we will lose. So they have a scheme, they come 431 00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:37,600 up with a crafty plan and here's the crafty plan. 432 00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:43,700 They approached Joshua, and they heavily emphasized to appeal, 433 00:27:43,900 --> 00:27:50,000 pay attention now to the senses. They want to convince this 434 00:27:50,800 --> 00:27:55,000 nation that we are not among the inhabitants of this land, we're 435 00:27:55,000 --> 00:27:59,700 from a distant land and and some wonder if they knew somehow of 436 00:27:59,700 --> 00:28:03,200 God's instructions to the nation of Israel, because God's 437 00:28:03,200 --> 00:28:06,300 instructions were with the cities outside of the parameters 438 00:28:06,300 --> 00:28:08,900 of Israel. You had a different negotiation 439 00:28:09,300 --> 00:28:13,100 with these places but within no talk it's done. 440 00:28:14,900 --> 00:28:16,700 If that is true, then that is a clear example. 441 00:28:16,700 --> 00:28:19,700 How Satan knows the word and uses the word against the people 442 00:28:19,700 --> 00:28:23,000 of God, but they come and so they seem like they're from a 443 00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:24,600 distant neighbor, how are they going to do this? 444 00:28:24,900 --> 00:28:26,200 And we're going for the rest of this time. 445 00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:28,000 We're going to stay in Joshua chapter 9. 446 00:28:28,100 --> 00:28:31,000 Look at what they do. In verse 14 of Joshua chapter 9, 447 00:28:33,000 --> 00:28:36,600 Let's go back to verse 12, these are the gibeonites speaking to 448 00:28:36,600 --> 00:28:38,600 Joshua, I want you to Envision it. 449 00:28:38,600 --> 00:28:41,600 Here's Joshua lined up with the other elders. 450 00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:45,100 And here, are these gibeonites, these ambassadors who are 451 00:28:45,100 --> 00:28:48,100 approaching Joshua and are trying to now, convince them to 452 00:28:48,100 --> 00:28:53,200 make a covenant so that they can be saved from judgment Joshua 453 00:28:53,200 --> 00:28:57,300 912. Here is our bread, It was still 454 00:28:57,300 --> 00:29:00,200 warm when we took it from our houses, as our food for the 455 00:29:00,200 --> 00:29:03,500 journey on the day, we set out to come to you now behold. 456 00:29:04,000 --> 00:29:09,000 It is dry and crumbly These wineskins were new when we 457 00:29:09,000 --> 00:29:12,400 filled them and behold, they have burst and these garments 458 00:29:12,500 --> 00:29:16,200 and sandals of ours are worn out from the very long journey. 459 00:29:18,900 --> 00:29:22,800 Unfortunately Joshua would make a grave mistake. 460 00:29:22,800 --> 00:29:27,000 He would make a judgment simply because of what he saw. 461 00:29:28,200 --> 00:29:33,000 What he saw, what he felt. What he tasted. 462 00:29:35,800 --> 00:29:39,800 And there are times in life, when our senses help confirm 463 00:29:39,800 --> 00:29:42,500 something. Right there are times when our 464 00:29:42,500 --> 00:29:45,400 senses help us make sense of something, right? 465 00:29:47,400 --> 00:29:51,100 But what we see here is that their critical moments in life, 466 00:29:51,100 --> 00:29:54,800 where we need to do something much more than just agree with 467 00:29:54,800 --> 00:29:57,600 what we perceive in the natural. I believe the lord gave this 468 00:29:57,600 --> 00:30:01,000 chapter for his people, so that they would not make the mistake 469 00:30:01,000 --> 00:30:07,200 of making serious confirmations unconditionally based upon what 470 00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:09,900 you see and feel. See what I'm saying. 471 00:30:09,900 --> 00:30:13,500 They're not that we are enemy against our senses but to make 472 00:30:13,500 --> 00:30:19,100 unconditional judgments based on our senses, it's extremely 473 00:30:19,100 --> 00:30:26,100 dangerous. and if you want to be humbled, By this truth, in a 474 00:30:26,100 --> 00:30:30,400 simple way. There's something known as the 475 00:30:30,600 --> 00:30:33,300 McClurg affect, anybody hear about the McClurg effect. 476 00:30:35,200 --> 00:30:37,100 The McClurg effect is really interesting. 477 00:30:37,100 --> 00:30:40,100 It's an auditory visual illusion that essentially reveals how 478 00:30:40,100 --> 00:30:48,700 sometimes What you see can override and reinterpret, what 479 00:30:48,700 --> 00:30:54,300 you hear? so what happens is based on your 480 00:30:54,500 --> 00:31:01,200 visual sensory that can actually change the sound that you are 481 00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:07,200 perceiving, So it's a conflict of the senses and you can 482 00:31:07,200 --> 00:31:09,500 experiment with this. You want here, say thank you for 483 00:31:09,500 --> 00:31:11,000 this. You're going to make your trip a 484 00:31:11,008 --> 00:31:12,900 little bit more fun. You can actually experiment with 485 00:31:12,900 --> 00:31:15,400 this. I want to experiment with it 486 00:31:15,900 --> 00:31:17,300 because I'm a skeptical individual. 487 00:31:19,400 --> 00:31:21,700 So there's a test go on, go on the internet. 488 00:31:21,700 --> 00:31:25,000 There's a video online. Look it up and here's what it 489 00:31:25,000 --> 00:31:26,300 is. You have a professor looking at 490 00:31:26,300 --> 00:31:29,900 the screen, you watch it on your phone to the laptop and you see 491 00:31:29,900 --> 00:31:32,000 his face. And all he does is repeat the 492 00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:35,400 sound bad. Bye. 493 00:31:36,100 --> 00:31:37,400 Bye. Bye. 494 00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:40,600 And he's staring at the screen, bye-bye and you're hearing. 495 00:31:40,600 --> 00:31:43,800 Bye. Now, what he does now in the 496 00:31:43,800 --> 00:31:48,800 second clip is he changes the movement of his lips but he 497 00:31:48,800 --> 00:31:50,900 doesn't change the sound that he's making. 498 00:31:51,700 --> 00:31:55,800 So when you transition to the second clip, he's actually 499 00:31:55,800 --> 00:32:01,300 saying bah, bah, bah. But what you hear is 555, 500 00:32:05,400 --> 00:32:08,400 Immediately like this is a hoax. I see it. 501 00:32:08,400 --> 00:32:11,200 He's going. Ah, he's doing that. 502 00:32:12,000 --> 00:32:16,600 I know how words. Work, ba ba, there's no way that 503 00:32:16,600 --> 00:32:19,300 this is a different. This is the same sound, so I 504 00:32:19,300 --> 00:32:21,900 watched it again. I looked at the comments, 505 00:32:21,900 --> 00:32:24,900 obviously, to make sure I'm and the consensus. 506 00:32:26,000 --> 00:32:27,800 And sure enough. They were disagreeing with me. 507 00:32:29,500 --> 00:32:31,500 So I watched and I watched you guys, so you know what this is 508 00:32:31,508 --> 00:32:34,200 why I'm going to do. I'm going to rewind this thing. 509 00:32:35,500 --> 00:32:36,900 But this time I'm going to close my eyes. 510 00:32:38,100 --> 00:32:41,200 Let's see if this is true. Because here's what's crazy. 511 00:32:41,200 --> 00:32:44,900 Even when the man at the end explains explains, the whole 512 00:32:44,900 --> 00:32:47,900 phenomena explains, the illusion explains this bizarre effect, 513 00:32:48,100 --> 00:32:50,600 even after he explains it, you watch it again and you still 514 00:32:50,600 --> 00:32:53,800 don't see the difference. Where you see the difference? 515 00:32:53,800 --> 00:32:57,200 Rather, it's your brain still tricks or even after the guy 516 00:32:57,200 --> 00:33:00,300 tells you the trick some like this there's something wrong 517 00:33:00,300 --> 00:33:01,400 you. So I went back. 518 00:33:01,500 --> 00:33:04,700 I close my eyes and to my shock throughout the whole video. 519 00:33:04,700 --> 00:33:10,500 You know what I heard bad. Still didn't believe it. 520 00:33:12,400 --> 00:33:13,800 So now there's something weird here. 521 00:33:14,500 --> 00:33:16,300 So this is what I said, I'm going to watch it. 522 00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:20,900 I'm going to close my eyes but halfway through the second clip 523 00:33:20,900 --> 00:33:24,200 when he I'm confident is saying fa. 524 00:33:26,100 --> 00:33:27,400 I'm going to disprove this whole thing. 525 00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:29,900 I'm gonna get the most likes for my comment. 526 00:33:33,400 --> 00:33:37,300 So I close my eyes. Here's this man by bah-bah-bah 527 00:33:41,900 --> 00:33:45,900 Or rather bye-bye. And I open my eyes and to my 528 00:33:45,900 --> 00:33:52,300 greater shock immediately 555 lat, I try to look at different 529 00:33:52,300 --> 00:33:54,900 points in the second clip that yeah. 530 00:33:55,100 --> 00:33:58,200 Baba baba 555. Bye, bye. 531 00:33:58,200 --> 00:34:01,100 Bye. My old convinced. 532 00:34:02,500 --> 00:34:06,700 And I believe God. In his wisdom uses. 533 00:34:06,700 --> 00:34:10,000 Things like this uses, science to prove a spiritual truth. 534 00:34:10,000 --> 00:34:16,000 You can lie to yourself, man. You can trick yourself. 535 00:34:18,000 --> 00:34:20,500 You can actually believe something to be true when it is 536 00:34:20,500 --> 00:34:24,900 not true at all. And so as I kept contemplating 537 00:34:24,900 --> 00:34:27,100 on this, I realize a spiritual principle. 538 00:34:27,500 --> 00:34:31,400 How true is it that we interpret truth not with the conflict of 539 00:34:31,400 --> 00:34:33,600 our eyes and our ears, but our flesh. 540 00:34:34,600 --> 00:34:38,199 Divine revelation. How much of this do we 541 00:34:38,199 --> 00:34:42,300 reinterpret? And actually believe to be 542 00:34:42,300 --> 00:34:46,500 right. When in reality, it's saying 543 00:34:46,500 --> 00:34:53,300 something completely different. I was convinced that it was two 544 00:34:53,300 --> 00:34:58,400 different sounds. The reality was one and you have 545 00:34:58,400 --> 00:35:03,200 people who are so strongly, convinced that some aspect of 546 00:35:03,200 --> 00:35:07,900 Truth, some aspect in their life is right, or it's wholly or it's 547 00:35:07,900 --> 00:35:14,100 God's Will, and it isn't Some of you think you have bad and fan, 548 00:35:14,100 --> 00:35:18,900 it's really bad. How do we protect ourselves from 549 00:35:18,900 --> 00:35:22,900 this fearful possibility? How do we Shield ourselves from 550 00:35:22,900 --> 00:35:28,300 spiraling into our own world? Filled with delusions the? 551 00:35:28,300 --> 00:35:30,900 Same text and Joshua tells us something incredible. 552 00:35:31,300 --> 00:35:37,000 Look at verse 14, Joshua 9:14. So the men took some of their 553 00:35:37,000 --> 00:35:44,000 Provisions but did not ask counsel from the Lord How to 554 00:35:44,000 --> 00:35:48,900 live a life free from deception? Number to bring all matters. 555 00:35:49,900 --> 00:35:55,000 Of earnest prayer before God. This was their error. 556 00:35:55,100 --> 00:35:57,800 This was the core reason why they made their mistake that 557 00:35:57,800 --> 00:36:01,800 would cost them generationally because they did not in their 558 00:36:01,800 --> 00:36:05,500 humility and understanding that, even what they see and perceive 559 00:36:05,500 --> 00:36:08,500 can be wrong to come before the Lord and say, Lord is this 560 00:36:08,500 --> 00:36:11,400 right? Is this your will? 561 00:36:11,900 --> 00:36:14,600 Is this true? Is she the one? 562 00:36:14,900 --> 00:36:18,400 Is this where you want me to go? Is this the right opportunity? 563 00:36:21,000 --> 00:36:23,800 And I meditate on this and I thought to myself how could have 564 00:36:23,800 --> 00:36:27,500 got answered like what would he have done to remove the veil 565 00:36:27,500 --> 00:36:29,800 from the gibeonites? The veneer, what would he have 566 00:36:29,800 --> 00:36:33,000 done and that the Bible is not clear and telling us what he 567 00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:35,000 would have done? And that kind of comfort to me 568 00:36:35,000 --> 00:36:38,500 more than anything else because it wasn't telling us that there 569 00:36:38,500 --> 00:36:40,700 was a specific way that he was going to answer and they should 570 00:36:40,700 --> 00:36:44,200 look for that thing. All it says is that they were 571 00:36:44,400 --> 00:36:47,800 fault for not seeking counsel. Here's my responsibility in 572 00:36:47,800 --> 00:36:49,600 yours in this life, bring it before. 573 00:36:49,600 --> 00:36:52,600 God, that's Part and God will do his part. 574 00:36:52,600 --> 00:36:55,900 A God, who is a god of communication, to make it 575 00:36:55,900 --> 00:37:00,500 exactly know how you need to know about it, to be confirmed 576 00:37:00,900 --> 00:37:05,500 before moving forward. It's not a but about putting 577 00:37:05,500 --> 00:37:08,300 certain things down what you look for, it just simply coming 578 00:37:08,300 --> 00:37:11,100 before him and laying it down before him. 579 00:37:11,500 --> 00:37:15,700 And in humility persisting in that posture of dependency, it's 580 00:37:15,700 --> 00:37:18,200 not about a particular sign. It's not about some kind of a 581 00:37:19,300 --> 00:37:23,100 wonder that will persuade you, it's simply about doing your 582 00:37:23,100 --> 00:37:27,400 part Lord. I see this as a good thing, I 583 00:37:27,400 --> 00:37:30,600 might not understand the depths of it, I don't know the motive 584 00:37:30,600 --> 00:37:34,900 here, but protect me. Protect me. 585 00:37:35,700 --> 00:37:37,100 I don't want to do the wrong thing. 586 00:37:37,400 --> 00:37:40,600 I want to be in your will when you when you talk like that, 587 00:37:40,700 --> 00:37:44,400 when you speak to the Lord, he has a holy obligation. 588 00:37:44,400 --> 00:37:48,300 As a father would for his child to hold you tight in, to make 589 00:37:48,300 --> 00:37:51,100 sure that you will not Veer off into something. 590 00:37:52,700 --> 00:37:55,300 That will hurt you and dishonor, his name. 591 00:37:58,200 --> 00:38:01,800 You sit before the Lord like that here in the safest place in 592 00:38:01,800 --> 00:38:04,600 the world safest place in the world. 593 00:38:04,800 --> 00:38:08,000 And I know some might think that this is overly simplistic. 594 00:38:08,000 --> 00:38:09,800 Maybe even dangerously simplistic. 595 00:38:09,800 --> 00:38:12,800 You know why I get it. The reason why is because you 596 00:38:12,800 --> 00:38:15,700 have some people who are out there who are obviously making 597 00:38:15,700 --> 00:38:18,200 terrible decisions, ungodly decision unscriptural, 598 00:38:18,200 --> 00:38:19,800 decisions. All in the name of, I prayed 599 00:38:19,800 --> 00:38:22,000 about it and God said it was fine, right? 600 00:38:22,600 --> 00:38:25,400 I prayed about it and God gave me peace. 601 00:38:26,400 --> 00:38:29,300 Yeah, so pray about it. That's all you need to do. 602 00:38:29,600 --> 00:38:33,700 You forgot the first point? Before you can even pray about 603 00:38:33,700 --> 00:38:35,200 anything. You first need to establish in 604 00:38:35,200 --> 00:38:37,800 your heart that you are a lover of the truth. 605 00:38:39,500 --> 00:38:41,800 You're a lover of that which is true. 606 00:38:41,800 --> 00:38:47,000 You are totally sold out for the will of God. 607 00:38:48,200 --> 00:38:53,200 In your life and if that is not established pray all you want 608 00:38:53,800 --> 00:38:57,300 get all the sensation of peace and calm that you can get. 609 00:38:57,800 --> 00:39:01,900 The Bible says in Proverbs 28:9 if anyone turns his ear away 610 00:39:01,900 --> 00:39:05,100 from the law even his prayer is an abomination. 611 00:39:06,500 --> 00:39:09,100 That's scary. This is say that he won't listen 612 00:39:09,100 --> 00:39:12,200 to your prayer. He says, your prayer is an 613 00:39:12,200 --> 00:39:15,600 Abomination. If you have no regard for my 614 00:39:15,600 --> 00:39:20,600 word, my will my sovereignty. My providential leading in your 615 00:39:20,600 --> 00:39:22,600 life. If you do not ultimately 616 00:39:22,600 --> 00:39:25,400 surrender to where I take you and what I want to do with you 617 00:39:25,900 --> 00:39:31,200 pray, all you want, it's futile. And will take you anywhere. 618 00:39:31,900 --> 00:39:35,900 What needs to happen first is a person who has the conviction of 619 00:39:35,900 --> 00:39:44,600 the truth being the driving seat of their lives. and if not, Even 620 00:39:44,600 --> 00:39:47,800 prayer can lead you astray. Because you're not praying to 621 00:39:47,800 --> 00:39:51,000 the god of Truth. What God looks for first in that 622 00:39:51,000 --> 00:39:53,000 heart that desires to know his will? 623 00:39:53,900 --> 00:39:56,400 Is that? Is that desire? 624 00:39:56,400 --> 00:40:00,700 There is a living. Is it Supreme is a primary if 625 00:40:00,700 --> 00:40:02,900 not can't hear your prayer, I'm sorry. 626 00:40:04,000 --> 00:40:07,400 So that's why I've seen so many people in life nose. 627 00:40:07,400 --> 00:40:13,000 Dive into concrete. And they backed up that trust 628 00:40:13,000 --> 00:40:16,600 when they flew off the ceiling or the roof because they prayed 629 00:40:16,600 --> 00:40:20,600 about it. Jesus says something astounding 630 00:40:20,600 --> 00:40:23,900 and John 7:17 highlight this one. 631 00:40:24,900 --> 00:40:29,300 He says, if anyone's will is to do, God's will he will know 632 00:40:29,300 --> 00:40:31,000 whether the teaching is from God? 633 00:40:31,000 --> 00:40:34,400 Or whether I am speaking on my own authority, look at the first 634 00:40:34,400 --> 00:40:39,700 part. If anyone's will, is to do God's 635 00:40:39,700 --> 00:40:46,500 will he will know? So there's a principal there 636 00:40:46,500 --> 00:40:49,600 that God looks at the motive. God looks at the heart. 637 00:40:49,600 --> 00:40:52,300 God looks at the sincerity. God looks for the longing. 638 00:40:52,300 --> 00:40:56,700 God looks for the purity of a person who wants to be where God 639 00:40:56,700 --> 00:40:59,600 wants him to be, who wants to believe the truth that will 640 00:40:59,600 --> 00:41:01,100 save. And once the accurate 641 00:41:01,100 --> 00:41:05,900 Revelation, Jesus said, if that is your will to do gods with, 642 00:41:05,900 --> 00:41:14,300 you will know That's glorious. Carry that with you, step by 643 00:41:14,300 --> 00:41:20,000 step. but there is something that Joshua failed to do here 644 00:41:20,000 --> 00:41:26,200 before even his His decision not to seek God and we may miss it, 645 00:41:26,200 --> 00:41:30,900 if we read the text very quickly because the interaction that he 646 00:41:30,900 --> 00:41:32,800 has, where they give you a knight's reveals another 647 00:41:32,800 --> 00:41:35,100 biblical principle, which I will close with. 648 00:41:36,900 --> 00:41:40,400 That will help us be deceive proof for the rest of our lives 649 00:41:40,500 --> 00:41:44,400 will help us minimize the chances of going the wrong way 650 00:41:44,900 --> 00:41:46,900 go back to Joshua 9 and we're going to end it here. 651 00:41:49,900 --> 00:41:53,100 Joshua is engaging with the gibeonites. 652 00:41:53,200 --> 00:41:55,000 He doesn't know that they're gibeonites. 653 00:41:56,100 --> 00:42:01,100 And we read here in Joshua 9 verse 6 and they the gibeonites 654 00:42:01,100 --> 00:42:06,100 went to Joshua in the camp at gilgal and said to him. 655 00:42:06,100 --> 00:42:08,600 And to the men of Israel, we have come from a distant 656 00:42:08,600 --> 00:42:11,300 country. So now make a covenant with us. 657 00:42:11,300 --> 00:42:15,200 That's pretty bold. Very general, very 658 00:42:15,200 --> 00:42:18,200 straightforward. And I applaud Joshua's 659 00:42:18,200 --> 00:42:22,500 leadership here verse 7, but the men of Israel said to the 660 00:42:22,500 --> 00:42:24,800 hivites. Perhaps, you are living among 661 00:42:24,800 --> 00:42:27,300 us, then how can we Make a covenant with you. 662 00:42:27,600 --> 00:42:31,800 Great question! Great, screening and guess who's 663 00:42:31,800 --> 00:42:33,500 really nervous at this point? They give you a nice. 664 00:42:33,500 --> 00:42:35,300 You know how I can tell look how they answer in verse a. 665 00:42:35,300 --> 00:42:37,200 They said to Joshua. We are your servants. 666 00:42:38,000 --> 00:42:41,400 So nervous, you can tell it's like we're your servants. 667 00:42:43,400 --> 00:42:46,800 And he presses. They continue to ask, they 668 00:42:46,808 --> 00:42:51,100 continue to investigate. And Joshua said to them, who are 669 00:42:51,100 --> 00:42:52,800 you? And where do you come from? 670 00:42:53,700 --> 00:42:55,700 Who are you and where you come from? 671 00:42:55,700 --> 00:42:59,100 Remember that because what you will see after this is in their 672 00:42:59,100 --> 00:43:04,200 answer, very lengthy and pretty sentimental, pretty heartwarming 673 00:43:04,200 --> 00:43:06,600 actually, but they didn't answer the questions. 674 00:43:08,200 --> 00:43:12,100 The questions were, who are you? Where do you come from? 675 00:43:12,600 --> 00:43:14,800 Here's their answer, at least in verse 9. 676 00:43:15,100 --> 00:43:17,800 They said to him from a very distant country. 677 00:43:17,800 --> 00:43:21,200 Your servants have come because of the name of the Lord your God 678 00:43:21,200 --> 00:43:23,600 for we have heard a report of him and all that he did in 679 00:43:23,600 --> 00:43:28,200 Egypt. My question is, who are you? 680 00:43:28,600 --> 00:43:31,500 Where did you come from? We are your servants were from a 681 00:43:31,508 --> 00:43:34,400 distant country. Joshua red flag. 682 00:43:35,700 --> 00:43:39,900 Red flag, they're not answering your questions, they're not 683 00:43:39,900 --> 00:43:43,700 satisfying, the measure that you need to know in order to make 684 00:43:43,700 --> 00:43:47,300 this decision. And although I can applaud 685 00:43:47,300 --> 00:43:51,100 Joshua up to this point. It goes downhill from here 686 00:43:51,100 --> 00:43:54,500 because they continue to speak and listen, they use the name of 687 00:43:54,500 --> 00:43:57,800 God and they even, they even show some knowledge of his ways. 688 00:43:57,800 --> 00:44:00,400 This is what you did to Sion. And this is what you did to OG. 689 00:44:00,400 --> 00:44:04,200 And we heard what happened in Egypt, and to top it all off, as 690 00:44:04,200 --> 00:44:08,100 the cherry on everything else, they brought these elements that 691 00:44:08,100 --> 00:44:12,900 seemed to indicate that they did come from a far place and Israel 692 00:44:13,400 --> 00:44:18,000 missed it. Here's what I am pointing to, as 693 00:44:18,000 --> 00:44:21,600 we close. While you are cultivating a love 694 00:44:21,600 --> 00:44:24,500 for the truth. And while you have a Perpetual 695 00:44:24,500 --> 00:44:28,200 practice of ringing matters before the God who can make 696 00:44:28,200 --> 00:44:31,800 things known in very creative ways, doesn't have to speak 697 00:44:31,800 --> 00:44:33,900 audibly. He and his great Providence and 698 00:44:33,900 --> 00:44:36,300 is a visible hand. Can maneuver things to protect 699 00:44:36,300 --> 00:44:38,300 you. And I while we do those two 700 00:44:38,300 --> 00:44:40,900 things, those foundational things, those pillar of 701 00:44:40,900 --> 00:44:44,100 practices. We each have the responsibility 702 00:44:44,100 --> 00:44:49,700 to test everything. Joshua failed. 703 00:44:49,700 --> 00:44:52,100 Not because he asked questions but he didn't ask enough. 704 00:44:53,700 --> 00:44:56,400 That's where you feel. If you had asked more, if you 705 00:44:56,408 --> 00:44:59,400 had pressed the, perhaps everything would have been 706 00:44:59,400 --> 00:45:03,700 exposed, Paul told the Thessalonians not in his second 707 00:45:03,700 --> 00:45:08,300 letter, but the first in verse 20 of chapter 5 do not despise 708 00:45:08,300 --> 00:45:13,400 prophecies but test everything. Do not despise prophecies but 709 00:45:13,400 --> 00:45:15,900 test everything, hold fast. What is good? 710 00:45:15,900 --> 00:45:19,400 The nasb would read it this way but examine everything 711 00:45:19,400 --> 00:45:24,000 carefully. Christianity does not call us to 712 00:45:24,000 --> 00:45:27,500 give our hearts to Jesus and abandon our brains at the altar. 713 00:45:31,300 --> 00:45:34,300 But for some reason, many have this belief that rational 714 00:45:34,300 --> 00:45:37,800 thought is the enemy of spirituality. 715 00:45:38,700 --> 00:45:41,700 And so what you have is intellectualism apparently is a 716 00:45:41,700 --> 00:45:46,700 temptation is a temptation to avoid since it is an obstacle to 717 00:45:47,700 --> 00:45:52,700 spirituality because now spirituality even amongst this 718 00:45:52,700 --> 00:45:58,500 generation of Christians is synonymous with sensation, If it 719 00:45:58,500 --> 00:46:02,200 feels good, if it makes me cry, if it makes me do this, if it 720 00:46:02,200 --> 00:46:05,500 caused me to do that, then surely this experience that's 721 00:46:05,500 --> 00:46:11,400 producing some level of good. At least initially is spiritual. 722 00:46:14,900 --> 00:46:17,700 And so in order for me to prevent going in a different 723 00:46:17,700 --> 00:46:20,200 direction with this message, let me just say one thing with that. 724 00:46:20,200 --> 00:46:24,300 Thought the God, who is spirit that God who perform signs and 725 00:46:24,300 --> 00:46:27,700 wonders and can still do Miracles today, the god whose 726 00:46:27,700 --> 00:46:31,200 Supernatural did a surgery in the heart of your soul. 727 00:46:31,200 --> 00:46:35,800 And now fills you with real tangible observable power that 728 00:46:35,800 --> 00:46:40,400 same God chose to out of all. The means to communicate and 729 00:46:40,400 --> 00:46:44,600 reveal himself through a book. A book. 730 00:46:45,900 --> 00:46:51,200 Meaning, you got to pick it up and read it and study it and 731 00:46:51,200 --> 00:46:55,300 compare it, and dig into it. In other words, Christians 732 00:46:55,400 --> 00:47:02,100 should use their brains We're not a brainless religion. 733 00:47:03,900 --> 00:47:08,600 We are not some syrupy softie if it's all, yes, that's fine. 734 00:47:08,600 --> 00:47:11,300 Just because somebody said God said, just because a Bibles in 735 00:47:11,300 --> 00:47:14,000 their hands, just because the music makes me feel in a certain 736 00:47:14,000 --> 00:47:15,500 way. That's not us. 737 00:47:17,100 --> 00:47:20,300 And what's important to understand here is that even in 738 00:47:20,300 --> 00:47:23,100 the context of a spiritual experience, with the 739 00:47:23,100 --> 00:47:25,700 Thessalonians where somebody is prophesying. 740 00:47:25,700 --> 00:47:28,200 Now, whether you believe that means preaching, or speaking 741 00:47:28,200 --> 00:47:31,400 with a spontaneous revelation of the Holy Spirit, concerning a 742 00:47:31,408 --> 00:47:34,500 matter that couldn't be no naturally, both rules, apply 743 00:47:35,300 --> 00:47:42,500 test, everything. If it comes with the autograph, 744 00:47:42,500 --> 00:47:45,800 this is the Lord or this is of God. 745 00:47:47,000 --> 00:47:52,300 That's the ask questions. Compare pause step back, talk to 746 00:47:52,300 --> 00:47:55,600 people that, you know, love God's word fear, God's word. 747 00:47:57,100 --> 00:47:58,300 I've talked to some people listen. 748 00:47:58,400 --> 00:48:01,500 I've seen this in my short time in Ministry. 749 00:48:01,600 --> 00:48:08,700 There are some all it takes is, God said And there, what wrapped 750 00:48:08,700 --> 00:48:10,800 up in a whirlwind and you never see them again, or there are 751 00:48:10,800 --> 00:48:13,600 haunted by his statement, just because somebody came off 752 00:48:13,600 --> 00:48:17,100 spiritual and you, how to quote a few verses or knew them for 753 00:48:17,100 --> 00:48:21,400 about few months and said, the Lord showed me and the Lord told 754 00:48:21,400 --> 00:48:24,500 me. And then when you approach this 755 00:48:24,800 --> 00:48:27,600 person and when you try to be past all you try to be a friend 756 00:48:27,600 --> 00:48:30,200 who loves people because you love God and you're holding 757 00:48:30,200 --> 00:48:32,600 somebody called me said, what's what's going on? 758 00:48:32,700 --> 00:48:34,900 Well, I don't want to be skeptical, I don't want to doubt 759 00:48:34,900 --> 00:48:38,800 God. Hey, the same God that you're 760 00:48:38,800 --> 00:48:41,400 worried of displeasing for apparent, lack of faith, is the 761 00:48:41,400 --> 00:48:45,800 god who said test everything So, test it. 762 00:48:45,900 --> 00:48:47,700 He's telling you, you want to please God in this whole 763 00:48:47,700 --> 00:48:52,200 experience test. It will just swallow it up. 764 00:48:53,600 --> 00:48:58,500 Examine it evaluated and depending on the nature of the 765 00:48:58,500 --> 00:49:03,500 truth, don't be quick to get caught up in it. and my brothers 766 00:49:03,500 --> 00:49:07,000 and sisters, we can continue for the rest of this morning to do 767 00:49:07,000 --> 00:49:11,600 greater things that we can apply but these three suffice when you 768 00:49:11,600 --> 00:49:17,600 love the truth, in your heart, whatever it cost you Whatever 769 00:49:17,600 --> 00:49:20,500 cost you for your own Pride, whatever cost you in your life. 770 00:49:21,800 --> 00:49:25,200 And when you know how to come before God for Ernest council, 771 00:49:25,500 --> 00:49:30,800 with a Bible tightly gripped in your hand. and when you know how 772 00:49:30,800 --> 00:49:38,300 to exercise the command given to us to use this brain, And to ask 773 00:49:38,300 --> 00:49:41,000 specific questions and to examine. 774 00:49:41,600 --> 00:49:46,100 And to look, before you give a judgment, you can know a deceive 775 00:49:46,100 --> 00:49:48,300 proof life. Let's pray. 776 00:50:06,700 --> 00:50:10,300 Lord, we thank you for this weekend together. 777 00:50:11,400 --> 00:50:13,800 Thank you that your word has equipped us. 778 00:50:15,000 --> 00:50:19,100 For what is ahead? Lord has James told us. 779 00:50:20,600 --> 00:50:23,000 We do not presume that tomorrow will come. 780 00:50:24,500 --> 00:50:28,000 We do not presume that our plans, next year will be in 781 00:50:28,000 --> 00:50:33,800 place, but we say if the Lord wills, and Lord between now, and 782 00:50:33,800 --> 00:50:36,800 next year though, we long to be reunited. 783 00:50:37,200 --> 00:50:40,100 We know that events can quickly change, not just in our own 784 00:50:40,100 --> 00:50:43,400 lives. But around the world. 785 00:50:45,300 --> 00:50:47,500 Around the world to such a degree that it will alter Our 786 00:50:47,500 --> 00:50:51,900 Lives. We do not fear the future. 787 00:50:53,600 --> 00:50:56,400 We do not fear the future for your church for the Gates of 788 00:50:56,400 --> 00:51:00,300 Hell will not Prevail and we will not fear our own Futures 789 00:51:00,300 --> 00:51:03,600 because you are a God who leads us perfectly. 790 00:51:04,700 --> 00:51:08,900 And all you ask is for the humility to trust and obey. 791 00:51:11,200 --> 00:51:13,500 Lord, we ask that leaving this place. 792 00:51:13,500 --> 00:51:17,700 There would be an excitement. And that there would be a 793 00:51:17,700 --> 00:51:21,300 clarity. There would be a Clarity, like 794 00:51:21,300 --> 00:51:25,600 we've never known. And all aspects of Our Lives. 795 00:51:26,400 --> 00:51:31,600 We give you the glory for you or for us and you are with us and 796 00:51:31,607 --> 00:51:36,700 we pray that we would be testimonies of Truth in an age 797 00:51:36,700 --> 00:51:40,300 that hates the truth. We love you with all within us. 798 00:51:40,600 --> 00:51:44,200 Protect us as we go back home to our own Ministries, Throne 799 00:51:44,200 --> 00:51:47,800 families, thrown workplaces. May what has been deposited 800 00:51:47,800 --> 00:51:52,000 within us translate in our daily living We believe that you are 801 00:51:52,000 --> 00:51:56,300 able to do it and we would joy Rejoice at the truth As we sing 802 00:51:56,300 --> 00:52:00,100 together as final time in Jesus name we pray. 803 00:52:00,500 --> 00:52:00,900 Amen.