WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:03.200 Turn with me in your Bibles to Ephesians chapter 6. 00:00:03.359 --> 00:00:08.640 Man, I have enjoyed this message, these first few messages on the armor. 00:00:08.800 --> 00:00:10.080 Now, you gotta go back. 00:00:10.160 --> 00:00:16.719 If you've missed the beginning, the introduction, you gotta go back and go online and watch it. 00:00:16.960 --> 00:00:23.039 And stay with us, because really, I really believe in the book of Ephesians. 00:00:23.519 --> 00:00:26.160 I call it the resource book. 00:00:26.879 --> 00:00:30.160 I call it the power book. 00:00:30.399 --> 00:00:36.960 In fact, by the way, if you don't have a worship guide, raise your hand. 00:00:37.119 --> 00:00:39.280 If you don't have a worship guide, everybody's got one. 00:00:39.359 --> 00:00:39.840 Good. 00:00:40.079 --> 00:00:41.759 But I call it the power book. 00:00:41.920 --> 00:00:47.200 Now into him that's able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or think. 00:00:47.280 --> 00:00:53.200 Now, watch, according to the power, the dynamite, that Greek word there, that's in us. 00:00:54.000 --> 00:01:00.799 In fact, Paul has outlined this tremendous resources in this book for the Christian. 00:01:01.200 --> 00:01:21.040 But even though he doesn't want us to get overconfident or under the illusion, now listen to me, that our resources, and I really believe this, will make our war in that we fight with Satan easy. 00:01:21.519 --> 00:01:29.040 Sometimes I think we misinterpret it that the Christian life, once you get saved, is a bed of roses. 00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:31.760 I wish that was true. 00:01:33.120 --> 00:01:36.640 But I'm gonna tell you something, when I got saved, all hell broke loose. 00:01:38.159 --> 00:01:42.560 I mean, I I the first six months, everything could happen was happening. 00:01:42.640 --> 00:01:46.959 And I thought to myself, my soul, what have I done? 00:01:48.480 --> 00:01:52.400 But then the more I got in the book of Philippians, that was the first book I read, and I'm glad I did. 00:01:52.480 --> 00:01:54.480 It's called The Joy Book of the Bible. 00:01:54.719 --> 00:01:56.079 Four small chapters. 00:01:56.239 --> 00:02:01.200 Paul wrote the book in prison while he was getting ready to be beheaded. 00:02:01.920 --> 00:02:03.359 Can you imagine that? 00:02:03.680 --> 00:02:10.000 But Paul writes this book in the book of Ephesians, and he's outlining the resources, but he's saying, don't get over it. 00:02:10.240 --> 00:02:17.680 He says, even though, Ephesians 1.3, you've been blessed and you've been raised up to sit in the heavenlies. 00:02:17.919 --> 00:02:19.039 Ephesians 1.3. 00:02:19.520 --> 00:02:25.280 And then he goes on and he says, Oh, and and we have all power in Ephesians 3.20. 00:02:25.360 --> 00:02:31.759 And then he says, We are filled with the Spirit of God in Ephesians 5.18. 00:02:31.840 --> 00:02:35.360 Be not drunk with wine wearing his excess, but be filled with the Spirit of God. 00:02:35.520 --> 00:02:38.240 He says, But all these resources, you've been lifted up. 00:02:38.319 --> 00:02:41.680 He says, Don't get lazy. 00:02:42.240 --> 00:02:44.960 Don't get overconfident. 00:02:45.840 --> 00:02:48.000 Because he says, you're in a battle. 00:02:48.240 --> 00:02:49.280 It's a war. 00:02:49.520 --> 00:02:51.520 Most of us don't understand that. 00:02:51.759 --> 00:02:54.000 And it's a daily battle. 00:02:54.159 --> 00:03:04.000 And that's why Paul picks up, finally, my brethren, in verse 10, be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. 00:03:04.159 --> 00:03:07.919 And he goes all the way through verse 17. 00:03:08.639 --> 00:03:12.719 And he says, You can experience this victory. 00:03:12.879 --> 00:03:16.240 But here's how you experience this victory. 00:03:16.400 --> 00:03:23.280 And the sum of it is that we must put on, verse 11 and 13, the whole armor of God. 00:03:23.520 --> 00:03:25.120 Say this with me this morning. 00:03:25.280 --> 00:03:26.560 I want you to repeat this. 00:03:26.719 --> 00:03:29.120 We must put on the whole armor of God. 00:03:29.280 --> 00:03:29.840 Ready? 00:03:30.159 --> 00:03:33.680 We must put on the whole armor of God. 00:03:34.159 --> 00:03:42.159 Every piece is vital to your Christian walk in order to be victorious over Satan. 00:03:42.400 --> 00:03:44.240 It's a must. 00:03:44.639 --> 00:03:47.439 In fact, I want you to look at this verse. 00:03:48.400 --> 00:03:56.800 I call it probably one of the most powerful verses that you hear very little of in the Christian circle. 00:03:56.960 --> 00:04:05.039 I want you to, Denson, go to Luke 14, 31 and listen to what it says. 00:04:05.360 --> 00:04:23.040 He says, okay, what king going to make war against another king does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with 10,000 to meet him who comes against him with 20,000? 00:04:23.439 --> 00:04:25.759 Now what is he talking about there? 00:04:26.079 --> 00:04:36.879 What king would ever enter into a battle, are you ready, without a careful examination of his resources? 00:04:37.199 --> 00:04:37.839 Amen? 00:04:38.399 --> 00:04:51.439 And what king would enter into a battle with not only examining his resources, but sitting down with his key generals, and are you ready? 00:04:51.839 --> 00:04:55.519 Mapping out a strategy for that battle. 00:04:55.759 --> 00:04:58.160 That's exactly what our council does here. 00:04:58.399 --> 00:05:05.839 We meet together pretty regularly and map out and consider our resources and all that. 00:05:05.920 --> 00:05:07.040 That's what we do. 00:05:07.199 --> 00:05:09.439 That's why that verse is so important. 00:05:09.600 --> 00:05:18.079 And by the way, if you haven't gone down and looked at our field about ready to get grass on it. 00:05:18.160 --> 00:05:19.839 And I'm so excited. 00:05:20.959 --> 00:05:26.639 Darren and his team, four or five big machines out there this week, did a phenomenal job. 00:05:26.800 --> 00:05:27.920 Let's give God a hand. 00:05:28.079 --> 00:05:28.720 Amen. 00:05:28.959 --> 00:05:30.000 Love you, Darren. 00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:30.879 Appreciate it. 00:05:33.439 --> 00:05:36.160 And Jeremy's fixing to go to work now. 00:05:36.319 --> 00:05:37.600 He's just been waiting on us. 00:05:37.680 --> 00:05:39.360 He's ready to put the grass in. 00:05:39.439 --> 00:05:52.079 And hopefully this summer by mid-July or maybe at least by August, we'll be on that field playing soccer, having our own soccer leagues, and watching hundreds of people come out here. 00:05:52.160 --> 00:05:53.600 And we're so excited. 00:05:53.759 --> 00:05:54.639 But what do we do? 00:05:54.800 --> 00:06:03.680 We sit down and we we we we have a strategy and we count the cost and we're very good stewards around here with our money. 00:06:03.759 --> 00:06:04.879 Can I get an amen? 00:06:05.519 --> 00:06:08.480 And we don't believe in heavy debt, but there's a reason. 00:06:08.639 --> 00:06:10.319 Well, Paul's saying the same thing. 00:06:10.480 --> 00:06:12.879 Christian, wake up, listen to me. 00:06:13.600 --> 00:06:15.680 Examine your resources. 00:06:16.480 --> 00:06:18.560 Here's your resources right here. 00:06:18.879 --> 00:06:21.279 This is all that we have. 00:06:22.079 --> 00:06:24.319 And this is all that we need. 00:06:25.839 --> 00:06:28.959 And now let me give you a strategy. 00:06:29.120 --> 00:06:32.319 You gotta have a strategy in order to win. 00:06:32.480 --> 00:06:46.480 And that strategy, in essence, that is what we're doing here, he says in Ephesians 6, and that we're in a war, and we must have a careful evaluation of the strategy and resources available to us to win the war against the enemy. 00:06:46.720 --> 00:06:48.240 And let me tell you what it is. 00:06:48.480 --> 00:06:50.800 It's nothing short, write this down. 00:06:50.959 --> 00:06:54.000 Here's our strategy, hey, and our resources. 00:06:54.160 --> 00:07:01.759 It's nothing short of true and total commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:07:02.079 --> 00:07:04.879 Total commitment, not half-heartedness. 00:07:05.360 --> 00:07:08.000 98 and a half won't do, won't do. 00:07:08.399 --> 00:07:11.519 God wants 100%, He wants you, and He wants me. 00:07:11.839 --> 00:07:13.040 So that's what it is. 00:07:13.199 --> 00:07:25.360 And with that said, one way of defining what we're going to be looking at in verse 14, the second piece of armor, the breastplate of righteousness. 00:07:25.680 --> 00:07:26.319 Wow. 00:07:26.800 --> 00:07:30.319 The first thing I want us to look at this morning is the protection. 00:07:30.720 --> 00:07:35.920 Let's look at the protection of this breastplate of righteousness. 00:07:36.079 --> 00:07:37.759 And there's two areas. 00:07:38.079 --> 00:07:39.439 Oh, I love this. 00:07:39.839 --> 00:07:44.240 And first of all, one way of defining righteousness. 00:07:44.399 --> 00:07:46.639 Let me, I want you to write this out. 00:07:46.879 --> 00:07:53.360 Here's what the definition of righteousness is when we talk about the breastplate of righteousness. 00:07:53.519 --> 00:07:58.639 It literally means a relationship with Jesus Christ. 00:07:58.959 --> 00:08:04.399 Now let me even put it a better way: a right relationship with Jesus Christ. 00:08:04.639 --> 00:08:07.120 Because sometimes we have a relationship. 00:08:07.279 --> 00:08:08.000 Hey, right? 00:08:08.160 --> 00:08:08.639 Amen? 00:08:08.720 --> 00:08:12.079 And we're going to be looking at this, but sometimes it's not right. 00:08:12.480 --> 00:08:14.160 Sometimes there's sin in our life. 00:08:14.319 --> 00:08:21.040 Sometimes we're in a carnal state and we're not right with the Lord because we, hey, we're wanting to do it our way instead of God's way. 00:08:21.120 --> 00:08:22.399 Can I get a know me? 00:08:24.160 --> 00:08:39.600 So righteousness, walking in, hey, righteousness, putting on the breastplate of righteousness means that I am walking in a right relationship with God through his Son, Jesus Christ. 00:08:39.759 --> 00:08:42.000 That's exactly what it means. 00:08:42.240 --> 00:08:48.000 And so with that, let's look at the protection of this breastplate of righteousness. 00:08:48.639 --> 00:09:00.240 In fact, there's basically several types of, should I say, breastplates that the Roman soldier would use. 00:09:00.480 --> 00:09:12.639 Some would have a lot of thick lining, and some would have bones all on the lining around them, which I didn't think was a not the one that was used most often. 00:09:12.879 --> 00:09:17.279 Second was a real thick hide of animals. 00:09:17.440 --> 00:09:30.879 They would take a big, thick hide and place it over them, kind of like a bulletproof vest for our policemen and people that were and our soldiers that wear bulletproof vests. 00:09:31.039 --> 00:09:33.200 But the most common was a metal. 00:09:33.440 --> 00:09:42.960 It was a metal, metal breastplate, and it was the length of right under the neck going to about mid-thighs. 00:09:43.840 --> 00:09:54.480 And the reason it would cover two tremendous organs in our body that meant life or death. 00:09:54.639 --> 00:09:56.799 And that's what I want us to look at this morning. 00:09:56.960 --> 00:10:00.960 First of all, the vital areas under your outline. 00:10:01.600 --> 00:10:09.039 And the kind of battles the Romans were in, they needed to protect these areas from the neck to the mid thighs. 00:10:09.200 --> 00:10:16.720 They endeavored to protect around the heart and around the belly, the intestines. 00:10:17.120 --> 00:10:19.360 That was the key areas. 00:10:20.399 --> 00:10:33.919 Now, what they called the functional areas, the stomach, the intestines, in the Bible they call it the bowels, B-O-W-E-L-S. 00:10:34.320 --> 00:10:39.039 And that was the section where the functional organs of the body were located. 00:10:39.279 --> 00:10:53.200 So the breastplate basically covered the heart, the lungs, and the stomach, the intestines, the functional part, the key part of our body functions. 00:10:53.440 --> 00:11:00.799 Our heart, our stomach, our intestines, our spleen, all those very functional parts. 00:11:00.960 --> 00:11:03.440 Now, with that said, let's look at the heart. 00:11:03.600 --> 00:11:08.320 To the Jew, let me show you what the heart symbolically represented. 00:11:08.480 --> 00:11:09.679 Now this is important. 00:11:10.080 --> 00:11:16.240 The heart in the Bible to the Jew symbolically represented the mind. 00:11:17.039 --> 00:11:17.679 The mind. 00:11:17.919 --> 00:11:20.720 For example, look at Proverbs 23, 7. 00:11:21.279 --> 00:11:27.440 And it says, For as a man thinks in his heart, what? 00:11:28.240 --> 00:11:30.159 So is he. 00:11:30.799 --> 00:11:42.000 Look at Mark 7, 21, which says, Out of the heart of men, ready, proceeds what? 00:11:42.559 --> 00:11:44.320 Evil thoughts. 00:11:44.559 --> 00:11:46.879 Look at Jeremiah 17, 9. 00:11:47.279 --> 00:11:53.840 The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, who can know it? 00:11:55.279 --> 00:11:58.480 It's one of the most important verses. 00:11:58.720 --> 00:11:59.360 Amen. 00:11:59.679 --> 00:12:07.759 So the mind, when we talk about the heart, it's in reference, Paul's writing here, to the mind. 00:12:08.320 --> 00:12:10.320 We've got to protect our mind. 00:12:10.720 --> 00:12:12.080 It's very important. 00:12:12.639 --> 00:12:17.200 Now the second, the second vital area is the bowels. 00:12:17.440 --> 00:12:20.159 I want you to look at 1 John 3, 17. 00:12:20.879 --> 00:12:25.840 When the Hebrew referred to the Bowels, he was referring to ready. 00:12:26.480 --> 00:12:28.960 Feelings and emotions. 00:12:29.120 --> 00:12:30.159 Write that down. 00:12:30.480 --> 00:12:32.960 Feelings and emotions. 00:12:33.200 --> 00:12:34.799 In fact, look at what it says. 00:12:35.039 --> 00:12:40.720 The Bible talks about shutting up, look at it in verse 17 in 1 John 3. 00:12:40.879 --> 00:12:46.639 Shutting up the bowels of compassion and not loving someone properly. 00:12:46.879 --> 00:12:47.360 Wow. 00:12:47.600 --> 00:12:48.159 Look at that. 00:12:48.320 --> 00:12:56.559 But whosoever has this world goods and sees his brother in need and shuts up his heart, the King James says bowels or heart. 00:12:56.720 --> 00:13:06.000 Again, what we're talking about in reference to the reference to the feelings, up his heart from him, how does he love God? 00:13:06.480 --> 00:13:08.480 In other words, look at what he's saying. 00:13:08.559 --> 00:13:15.200 That the Hebrews thought the bowels were a good way to demonstrate emotional feelings, emotional love. 00:13:16.240 --> 00:13:19.279 So basically, look at what we're talking about. 00:13:19.519 --> 00:13:28.320 Right here, the heart refers, now ready, to the thinking process, and then the bowels refers to the emotions. 00:13:28.399 --> 00:13:37.039 So what we're saying that when we put on the breastplate of righteousness, we are guarding our thinking and our feelings. 00:13:38.000 --> 00:13:39.279 Is that not good? 00:13:40.799 --> 00:13:44.480 Where does Satan sidetrack us mostly? 00:13:45.039 --> 00:13:46.639 In our thoughts. 00:13:47.039 --> 00:13:49.519 And our thoughts, guess what? 00:13:49.840 --> 00:13:52.480 Determines our feelings. 00:13:53.600 --> 00:13:58.559 And then our thoughts equals feelings equals actions. 00:13:59.840 --> 00:14:15.440 So if Satan can detour us, fill our minds and our emotions with wrong thoughts, wrong feelings, wrong truths, then it leads to wrong actions. 00:14:16.320 --> 00:14:19.840 My feelings have gotten me into trouble a lot of times. 00:14:20.879 --> 00:14:22.080 Are you listening with me? 00:14:22.639 --> 00:14:31.600 I mean, how many times have you gotten I've you know when I've gotten in trouble is when bam Satan attacks me and woo-woo, he pushes. 00:14:32.159 --> 00:14:34.320 Every one of us has a button. 00:14:35.519 --> 00:14:37.679 You push my button, look out. 00:14:39.039 --> 00:14:39.360 Okay? 00:14:39.679 --> 00:14:41.360 Don't push my button. 00:14:44.320 --> 00:14:46.480 Susan says you need a control panel. 00:14:46.639 --> 00:14:47.039 Yeah. 00:14:49.039 --> 00:14:50.720 Don't push this button. 00:14:50.879 --> 00:14:52.879 Hey, put on that one button. 00:14:53.120 --> 00:14:54.559 Do not touch. 00:14:56.080 --> 00:14:56.720 Amen. 00:14:57.279 --> 00:14:58.559 Do not touch. 00:14:58.960 --> 00:15:01.200 But my wife knows my button. 00:15:01.679 --> 00:15:03.200 I know her button. 00:15:03.600 --> 00:15:07.440 And the only time I push her button is when I'm losing the fight. 00:15:08.879 --> 00:15:09.519 Amen. 00:15:09.919 --> 00:15:11.600 Guys, you know what I'm talking about? 00:15:12.159 --> 00:15:14.000 Hello, hello, hello. 00:15:14.240 --> 00:15:15.440 Does that mean it's right? 00:15:15.679 --> 00:15:16.720 Absolutely not. 00:15:16.879 --> 00:15:19.039 But it does mean that's true. 00:15:19.600 --> 00:15:21.519 And I don't win too many. 00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:25.600 But again, look at what he's saying here. 00:15:25.679 --> 00:15:26.799 This is so powerful. 00:15:26.960 --> 00:15:29.360 I want you to look at the vicious attacks. 00:15:29.600 --> 00:15:31.759 Look at the vicious attacks. 00:15:32.399 --> 00:15:33.120 Are you ready? 00:15:33.279 --> 00:15:34.320 Boy, this is it. 00:15:34.559 --> 00:15:38.159 Satan wants to attack a believer in two areas primarily. 00:15:38.240 --> 00:15:40.000 Here they are, our thinking and our emotions. 00:15:40.159 --> 00:15:41.360 And how does he do that? 00:15:41.679 --> 00:15:45.759 He feeds our mind with false doctrine. 00:15:46.720 --> 00:15:49.519 He feeds our mind with lies. 00:15:51.440 --> 00:15:52.480 I can't. 00:15:52.720 --> 00:15:56.000 If you're watching news, shame on you. 00:15:58.639 --> 00:16:01.519 It's all lies or half-truths. 00:16:01.840 --> 00:16:04.320 By the way, Satan's good at half-truths, too. 00:16:04.480 --> 00:16:07.600 He gives you just enough truth to make you think it might be right. 00:16:08.559 --> 00:16:12.639 When in reality, he's laughing all the way because he knows he's got you. 00:16:13.440 --> 00:16:14.080 Amen. 00:16:15.039 --> 00:16:17.279 So that's how he works. 00:16:18.000 --> 00:16:21.039 Satan's ultimate goal is to what? 00:16:21.440 --> 00:16:25.600 Get us to think wrongly about who God is. 00:16:25.759 --> 00:16:26.240 Remember? 00:16:26.480 --> 00:16:32.799 He wants to dethrone God from our lives and put, hey, himself in that position. 00:16:32.879 --> 00:16:37.919 And he wants to dethrone us from fulfilling God's purpose in our life. 00:16:38.159 --> 00:16:39.279 And how does he do that? 00:16:39.440 --> 00:16:42.240 Through our thinking and through our feelings. 00:16:42.799 --> 00:16:44.240 That's how he does it. 00:16:44.480 --> 00:16:46.960 And he's a master at it. 00:16:47.200 --> 00:16:49.360 The mind and the emotions together. 00:16:49.519 --> 00:16:50.240 Are you ready? 00:16:50.399 --> 00:16:51.120 Think about this. 00:16:51.279 --> 00:16:52.639 I got to thinking about this. 00:16:52.799 --> 00:16:55.840 A little bit of my psychology background, too. 00:16:56.000 --> 00:17:04.799 But I got to thinking, thank God I went to a Christian school under Christian counseling, but uh biblical counseling. 00:17:05.039 --> 00:17:08.160 By the way, that's the only right counseling, it's biblical counseling. 00:17:08.400 --> 00:17:09.519 Can I get an amen? 00:17:09.680 --> 00:17:10.400 Right, Edmund? 00:17:10.480 --> 00:17:12.240 We were talking about that on the porch the other night. 00:17:12.319 --> 00:17:14.240 Hey, there's only one thing that's going to help you. 00:17:14.400 --> 00:17:16.000 You should know the truth and what? 00:17:16.319 --> 00:17:18.400 The truth should set you free. 00:17:20.160 --> 00:17:22.559 So now listen to what we're saying here. 00:17:22.720 --> 00:17:23.920 This is so important. 00:17:24.480 --> 00:17:36.079 It when Satan, he comes along, but anyway, the mind and emotions together, the mind and the emotions together encompass everything that we are. 00:17:36.400 --> 00:17:38.000 Did you realize that? 00:17:38.319 --> 00:17:39.680 Everything that we are. 00:17:39.839 --> 00:17:45.680 We are created with a mind and feelings and emotions. 00:17:46.240 --> 00:17:48.799 And Satan wants to disrupt those. 00:17:49.039 --> 00:17:50.880 He wants to, I wrote this down. 00:17:51.039 --> 00:17:58.559 He wants to fill our minds with lies, perversion, immorality, false doctrine, untruths, half-truths. 00:17:58.880 --> 00:18:03.440 He doesn't want us to interpret anything correctly. 00:18:04.720 --> 00:18:07.519 He does not want, let me repeat that, that was important. 00:18:07.680 --> 00:18:11.279 He does not want us to interpret anything correctly. 00:18:11.680 --> 00:18:13.839 Especially the absolute truth. 00:18:14.000 --> 00:18:18.400 In fact, he wants us to believe there is no such thing as absolute truth. 00:18:18.640 --> 00:18:44.559 For example, can you believe in school, I had a gentleman in our church tell me he went to school this past week and talking about sexual harassment, that, hey, do you realize even in schools now, they're saying with this gender junk, and I'm gonna call it like it is junk, that now a child has up to nine years to decide whether they want to be a boy or want to be a girl. 00:18:44.799 --> 00:18:46.160 Now I got news for you. 00:18:46.319 --> 00:18:49.680 If you want to believe that, folks, you're in trouble. 00:18:51.440 --> 00:18:56.160 I know what a boy is, and I know what a girl is, and I know what they are when they're born. 00:18:57.440 --> 00:18:58.079 Hello. 00:18:59.440 --> 00:19:00.880 Give me a break. 00:19:01.039 --> 00:19:02.480 That you know what that is? 00:19:02.640 --> 00:19:11.039 That's Romans 1.28, where Paul said they're beginning to serve and love the creature more than the creator. 00:19:12.640 --> 00:19:13.759 God help us. 00:19:13.920 --> 00:19:17.039 And he says, I'll turn them over to abomination. 00:19:17.119 --> 00:19:18.960 It's abomination unto God. 00:19:19.359 --> 00:19:20.720 God help us. 00:19:21.119 --> 00:19:22.799 We need revival. 00:19:23.519 --> 00:19:25.119 But that's what we're talking about. 00:19:25.279 --> 00:19:26.559 That's Satan. 00:19:27.599 --> 00:19:28.480 Our mind. 00:19:29.680 --> 00:19:37.359 Oh, he wants us to drown in a sea of sin so that we become very tolerant of it. 00:19:37.519 --> 00:19:41.759 When is the last time you've seen a movie or a now? 00:19:41.839 --> 00:19:44.480 Thank God for the Christian new movies that are coming out. 00:19:44.640 --> 00:19:46.720 And by the way, they're doing very well. 00:19:47.119 --> 00:19:50.400 The Hollywood crowd said they wouldn't even make it at the box. 00:19:50.559 --> 00:19:51.279 Oh, really? 00:19:52.720 --> 00:19:54.079 But can you imagine? 00:19:54.240 --> 00:19:54.880 Can you imagine? 00:19:54.960 --> 00:20:13.119 When's the last time you saw a home show about where a traditional biblical, what, husband and wife, married and family being raised in a godly home, good home, good job, helping one another. 00:20:13.279 --> 00:20:14.799 When's the last time you've seen that? 00:20:14.880 --> 00:20:16.880 You'd have to go back to the 50s. 00:20:21.119 --> 00:20:22.559 God help us. 00:20:22.880 --> 00:20:25.200 But you say, where's all this come from? 00:20:25.359 --> 00:20:30.400 And Satan's laughing at us because we sit there and watch it and laugh at it. 00:20:31.039 --> 00:20:33.119 He wants us to laugh at sin. 00:20:33.920 --> 00:20:36.079 We laugh at sin, won't be long. 00:20:36.319 --> 00:20:39.599 We tolerate sin, won't be long, we accept sin. 00:20:42.559 --> 00:20:44.079 That's where we are. 00:20:44.640 --> 00:20:45.839 That's where we are. 00:20:46.160 --> 00:20:49.519 He wants to, hey, destroy our conscience. 00:20:49.839 --> 00:20:59.119 He wants us to do things that will sear our conscience, and once your conscience is seared, you can commit anything. 00:20:59.519 --> 00:21:05.200 Because there's no there's no conviction of wrong feelings. 00:21:06.720 --> 00:21:07.279 Hello? 00:21:07.519 --> 00:21:08.480 You with me? 00:21:10.240 --> 00:21:14.240 Which brings me not only on the mind, look at the attack on the emotions. 00:21:14.880 --> 00:21:22.720 Satan wants to confuse your emotions by corrupting your desires and drawing your affections to the wrong things. 00:21:23.839 --> 00:21:26.480 You know what I learned a long time ago? 00:21:28.319 --> 00:21:41.359 Steve Green, many years ago when I was young, pastor, came out with a song from Proverbs 423, which says, Guard your hearts, guard your mind. 00:21:42.000 --> 00:21:44.559 For out of it flows the issues of life. 00:21:44.799 --> 00:21:46.960 You know what that word issue in the Hebrew there means? 00:21:47.279 --> 00:21:53.200 Out of, hey, your heart, your thinking, your emotions is what you become. 00:21:53.920 --> 00:21:55.920 He says, You gotta guard it. 00:21:56.559 --> 00:21:58.079 Guard your heart. 00:21:58.640 --> 00:21:59.759 For out of it flows. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:02.319 The issues of life or who you are. 00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:09.440 And then you go over to Proverbs 26, I'm at 23, 26, and we see how we do that. 00:22:09.759 --> 00:22:25.920 Solomon said, My son, give me, talking about God, he's saying that God says, Hey, my son, give me your heart and let your eyes observe my ways, my truth, the real truth, the biblical truth. 00:22:26.880 --> 00:22:27.839 So true. 00:22:28.319 --> 00:22:31.200 The attacks of Satan comes to the mind and the emotions. 00:22:31.359 --> 00:22:37.359 The apostle Paul says that those vital areas are protected by the breastplate of righteousness. 00:22:37.519 --> 00:22:43.839 Protect your thinking and feelings, and we will be able to be victorious over Satan's attack. 00:22:44.000 --> 00:22:50.240 That's why he says in Psalms 139, 23, and 24, he says, Search me, O God, know my heart. 00:22:50.799 --> 00:22:53.359 Again, remember the heart is my thinking process. 00:22:53.519 --> 00:22:55.039 Know my mind, know my thinking. 00:22:55.200 --> 00:22:56.799 Search me, O God, know my thinking. 00:22:56.960 --> 00:23:00.960 If there be any wicked way in me, lead me in the way of everlasting. 00:23:01.519 --> 00:23:02.559 Get rid of it. 00:23:02.720 --> 00:23:05.519 That's why Paul said, Cast it down, cast it down. 00:23:05.599 --> 00:23:10.240 Hey, cast down those imaginations, those half-truths, those bad feelings. 00:23:10.400 --> 00:23:10.880 All of that. 00:23:11.039 --> 00:23:12.240 Cast it down. 00:23:13.279 --> 00:23:14.480 Get it out of your mind. 00:23:14.559 --> 00:23:17.920 And the way you get it out is by putting in the good stuff. 00:23:18.160 --> 00:23:21.200 Garbage in, garbage out. 00:23:21.440 --> 00:23:25.200 Righteousness in, righteousness out. 00:23:26.000 --> 00:23:27.839 Brings me to the second point. 00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:31.920 Not only the protection, but now let's look at the possibilities. 00:23:32.319 --> 00:23:35.920 What is the righteousness that Paul is referring to? 00:23:36.480 --> 00:23:38.319 There are three possibilities. 00:23:38.880 --> 00:23:41.440 Three possibilities to consider. 00:23:44.319 --> 00:23:49.440 One, and that's the first one we want to look at, a self-righteousness. 00:23:53.039 --> 00:23:54.319 Self-righteousness. 00:23:54.480 --> 00:24:01.039 Two, we'll be looking at imputed righteousness, which is the righteousness that Christ has given to us. 00:24:01.119 --> 00:24:06.160 And then three, practical righteousness, which involves living out the righteousness of Christ. 00:24:06.240 --> 00:24:09.680 But now, let's deal with, first of all, self-righteousness. 00:24:09.920 --> 00:24:15.680 There are people who think they're okay because of their self-righteousness. 00:24:15.920 --> 00:24:18.559 Now, what is self-righteousness? 00:24:18.880 --> 00:24:21.359 In a biblical setting. 00:24:21.680 --> 00:24:24.160 Self-righteousness, and we're going to give examples. 00:24:25.359 --> 00:24:28.079 The best example are the scribes and Pharisees. 00:24:28.319 --> 00:24:33.359 They were very religious, and they were very self-righteous. 00:24:33.680 --> 00:24:42.160 Self-righteousness literally means that you are okay, you think you are okay with God because of what you do. 00:24:44.799 --> 00:24:46.400 That is self-righteousness. 00:24:46.480 --> 00:24:47.359 Let me repeat that. 00:24:47.599 --> 00:24:55.359 Self-righteousness is defined as you thinking you're okay with God by what you do. 00:24:56.640 --> 00:24:57.680 Do you understand that? 00:24:57.839 --> 00:24:58.559 Say amen. 00:24:59.279 --> 00:25:00.480 That's very important. 00:25:00.880 --> 00:25:01.839 Very important. 00:25:02.960 --> 00:25:10.319 And this is Satan's ultimate goal: drawing men into eternal hell with him to keep them from going to God. 00:25:10.400 --> 00:25:11.599 And how does he do that? 00:25:11.920 --> 00:25:17.680 By making you think that you are okay with God because you do right. 00:25:19.039 --> 00:25:22.000 Now, listen, don't get me wrong. 00:25:22.319 --> 00:25:29.519 Walking with God and living with the breastplate of righteousness on means you have a right relationship with God. 00:25:30.079 --> 00:25:32.559 But that's not the basis of your salvation. 00:25:32.720 --> 00:25:36.880 You don't get better to get saved, you get saved to get better. 00:25:37.680 --> 00:25:38.880 Can I get an amen? 00:25:39.119 --> 00:25:46.480 You can't get better without the power on the person of the Holy Spirit of God dwelling in and through you. 00:25:46.640 --> 00:25:47.279 You can't. 00:25:47.519 --> 00:25:49.039 I know I tried. 00:25:50.720 --> 00:25:51.599 But I couldn't. 00:25:51.759 --> 00:25:53.599 The flesh is too strong. 00:25:53.920 --> 00:25:56.400 That sin nature's too strong. 00:25:56.799 --> 00:26:00.880 So we see that's the definition of self-righteousness. 00:26:00.960 --> 00:26:02.799 Let me give you an example, Matthew 5.20. 00:26:02.880 --> 00:26:04.480 Here it is, the scribes and Pharisees. 00:26:04.559 --> 00:26:06.480 This is what Jesus said about them. 00:26:07.200 --> 00:26:18.000 Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. 00:26:18.319 --> 00:26:21.200 They were not good enough to go to heaven. 00:26:21.359 --> 00:26:22.480 Can I get an amen? 00:26:23.599 --> 00:26:28.559 Ephesians 2, 8 and 9, you know it, for by grace are you saved through faith? 00:26:28.720 --> 00:26:29.119 What? 00:26:29.519 --> 00:26:31.279 Not of yourself. 00:26:31.599 --> 00:26:37.119 But it is the gift of God, not of righteousness, lest any man should boast. 00:26:38.960 --> 00:26:43.039 Another good illustration is Luke chapter 18, verse 10 and 14. 00:26:43.440 --> 00:26:45.440 You remember that one? 00:26:47.440 --> 00:26:55.839 And by the way, let me say, every religious system other than true Christianity is based on a work salvation. 00:26:57.680 --> 00:27:07.440 Every other religious organization or cult on works, what you do, not what he did. 00:27:07.920 --> 00:27:09.519 And it's amazing. 00:27:09.839 --> 00:27:10.960 You remember what they said? 00:27:11.039 --> 00:27:18.000 Two men went up into the, the Lord tells us parable, two men went up into the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee, the other a tax collector. 00:27:18.160 --> 00:27:19.200 Remember the story? 00:27:19.440 --> 00:27:21.920 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself. 00:27:22.079 --> 00:27:25.440 God, I thank thee that I'm not as other men are. 00:27:25.599 --> 00:27:26.960 Oh my goodness. 00:27:27.200 --> 00:27:35.039 Extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector, I fast twice in the week. 00:27:35.200 --> 00:27:43.200 The Jewish people were required to fast only to fast only several times a year, but he was fasting twice a week. 00:27:43.359 --> 00:27:44.480 And I give tithes. 00:27:44.559 --> 00:27:46.880 He was given a tenth of all that I possess. 00:27:47.279 --> 00:27:53.839 And the tax collector, standing afar off, smote his breast, looking up into heaven. 00:27:54.160 --> 00:27:57.119 God be merciful to me, a sinner. 00:27:57.279 --> 00:28:01.920 I tell you, this man went down to the house justified rather than the other. 00:28:02.079 --> 00:28:07.839 For everyone that exalts himself shall be abase, and he that humbles himself shall be exalted. 00:28:08.000 --> 00:28:15.119 Another way of saying this, and I really believe this, another way of saying, justified is this, made righteous. 00:28:15.359 --> 00:28:16.480 Who was righteous? 00:28:16.640 --> 00:28:19.519 The man who thought he could be righteous on his own merit? 00:28:20.400 --> 00:28:23.039 Or the man who knew he couldn't? 00:28:23.440 --> 00:28:26.319 Jesus said that it was the man who knew he couldn't. 00:28:26.480 --> 00:28:28.240 You could tell the story another way. 00:28:28.480 --> 00:28:33.359 A good man who went to hell and a bad man who went to heaven. 00:28:34.480 --> 00:28:35.119 Hello. 00:28:35.920 --> 00:28:36.960 Is that not good? 00:28:37.200 --> 00:28:40.720 A good man who went to hell and a bad man who went to heaven. 00:28:42.400 --> 00:28:46.160 Notice the same example of us, of men. 00:28:46.319 --> 00:28:48.559 Look at Isaiah 64, 6. 00:28:48.799 --> 00:28:57.599 If you think you can be righteous on your own, you're, hey, you're self-righteous, and you do not have a breastplate of righteousness. 00:28:57.839 --> 00:28:59.200 Notice what he says. 00:28:59.440 --> 00:29:02.160 We are all like an unclean thing. 00:29:02.480 --> 00:29:04.880 I want you to see what he says next. 00:29:05.200 --> 00:29:05.839 And what? 00:29:06.480 --> 00:29:09.599 All our righteousness is what? 00:29:12.400 --> 00:29:13.039 Wow. 00:29:13.680 --> 00:29:14.319 Wow. 00:29:14.960 --> 00:29:16.240 Filthy rags. 00:29:16.480 --> 00:29:20.720 We're a fade as a leaf, and our iniquities like the wind. 00:29:21.599 --> 00:29:23.200 Have taken us away. 00:29:23.519 --> 00:29:25.440 Lord, help us. 00:29:26.000 --> 00:29:27.119 You know what Paul said? 00:29:27.279 --> 00:29:28.240 You gotta see this. 00:29:28.400 --> 00:29:30.960 This is the great apostle Paul who's writing Ephesians. 00:29:31.039 --> 00:29:31.680 Look at what he said. 00:29:31.759 --> 00:29:33.759 You know this scripture, Romans 3. 00:29:33.920 --> 00:29:36.240 Listen to what he says in verses 10 through 12. 00:29:36.400 --> 00:29:40.000 As it is written, there is none righteous. 00:29:40.400 --> 00:29:41.359 No, not one. 00:29:41.519 --> 00:29:42.960 There's none that understands. 00:29:43.119 --> 00:29:44.799 There's none that seeks after God. 00:29:44.960 --> 00:29:46.640 They are all gone out of their way. 00:29:46.720 --> 00:29:47.519 They are together. 00:29:47.680 --> 00:29:48.720 Now, watch this. 00:29:48.960 --> 00:29:50.640 Become unprofitable. 00:29:50.720 --> 00:29:54.799 Now that word is our unprofitable. 00:29:55.039 --> 00:29:56.559 You know what that means? 00:29:56.960 --> 00:29:58.880 To make useless. 00:30:00.240 --> 00:30:02.240 It means, are you ready? 00:30:02.480 --> 00:30:06.079 It's kind of like to go sour like milk. 00:30:07.039 --> 00:30:09.359 It's useless once it gets sour. 00:30:12.079 --> 00:30:14.880 As a result, look at what Paul says. 00:30:15.119 --> 00:30:16.400 Verse 19. 00:30:17.039 --> 00:30:21.279 Every mouth is stopped and all the world is guilty before God. 00:30:21.599 --> 00:30:22.240 Wow. 00:30:22.799 --> 00:30:23.440 Why? 00:30:23.839 --> 00:30:25.359 Look at verse 23. 00:30:25.519 --> 00:30:28.240 For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. 00:30:28.400 --> 00:30:31.440 Self-righteousness is not the breastplate of righteousness. 00:30:31.519 --> 00:30:39.039 You will surely become a victim of the forces of hell if we try to get to God on our own merit. 00:30:40.319 --> 00:30:41.519 Can't be done. 00:30:44.000 --> 00:30:45.759 No remission of sins. 00:30:46.000 --> 00:30:48.079 What about the Apostle Paul? 00:30:49.119 --> 00:30:50.400 Remember what Paul said? 00:30:50.640 --> 00:30:53.359 Philippians chapter 3, verses 4 through 6. 00:30:53.440 --> 00:30:54.400 This is unbelievable. 00:30:54.640 --> 00:30:56.000 You've got to see what Paul said. 00:30:56.160 --> 00:31:00.640 He said, if anybody could get to heaven on their own merit, I ought to be able to. 00:31:01.759 --> 00:31:03.680 I mean, I'm the best of the best. 00:31:04.160 --> 00:31:05.359 Now you say he didn't say that. 00:31:05.519 --> 00:31:06.480 Oh, yeah, he did. 00:31:06.799 --> 00:31:08.720 Because he said, I'm the Hebrew of the Hebrews. 00:31:08.799 --> 00:31:10.480 That means he's the best of the best. 00:31:11.119 --> 00:31:11.680 Amen? 00:31:11.839 --> 00:31:12.799 That's what he said. 00:31:12.960 --> 00:31:15.279 In fact, I kind of gave a little list here. 00:31:15.359 --> 00:31:16.000 You know what he said? 00:31:16.160 --> 00:31:17.920 Hey, you know why I'm the best of the best? 00:31:18.160 --> 00:31:19.519 My circumcision. 00:31:20.000 --> 00:31:20.960 Verse 5. 00:31:21.119 --> 00:31:25.519 Paul says, I was circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel. 00:31:25.680 --> 00:31:30.960 He was a real Israelite from circumcision, and it occurred on the right day. 00:31:32.000 --> 00:31:34.799 He said, Man, I got it together. 00:31:35.200 --> 00:31:36.640 And then notice what he said. 00:31:36.799 --> 00:31:38.240 His tribe, verse five. 00:31:38.319 --> 00:31:39.839 He's the tribe of Benjamin. 00:31:40.000 --> 00:31:48.799 Now, if I had time, I'd go on and tell you what all that meant, but it meant like this that the tribe of Benjamin was the top tribe of the 12 tribes. 00:31:48.880 --> 00:31:50.559 It was the best of the best. 00:31:51.039 --> 00:31:55.759 So now you got the Hebrew of the Hebrews out of the tribe of the best. 00:31:57.759 --> 00:31:59.359 But he doesn't stop there. 00:32:00.880 --> 00:32:03.759 He says, huh, are you ready for this? 00:32:04.000 --> 00:32:04.960 My race. 00:32:05.680 --> 00:32:07.680 Paul was a Hebrew of the Hebrews. 00:32:07.839 --> 00:32:09.119 What about his sect? 00:32:09.759 --> 00:32:12.480 He says, as touching the law, a Pharisee. 00:32:12.640 --> 00:32:22.160 Now he says, now not only am I the best of the best, from the best tribe, not only am I, hey, he said, but I'm of the best sect. 00:32:22.319 --> 00:32:23.920 In other words, I'm the smartest. 00:32:24.079 --> 00:32:25.519 I'm the Pharisee. 00:32:28.160 --> 00:32:31.039 I mean, I'm the smartest of all of them. 00:32:31.440 --> 00:32:33.599 He says, I've got it all together. 00:32:33.759 --> 00:32:35.680 And then he goes on and he says, this. 00:32:35.839 --> 00:32:37.519 Hey, his zeal. 00:32:37.839 --> 00:32:41.759 Verse 6, concerning, he says, concerning zeal, persecuting. 00:32:41.920 --> 00:32:44.880 He said, I'm so zealous that I was killing the Christians. 00:32:44.960 --> 00:32:47.279 I was putting them out, taking them out. 00:32:48.559 --> 00:32:52.400 I was doing all this in the name of Jehovah. 00:32:52.720 --> 00:32:54.240 Can you imagine that? 00:32:56.240 --> 00:33:02.559 But when God got him on the road to Damascus, on the road to Emmaus, not Amaz. 00:33:03.680 --> 00:33:04.799 Damascus. 00:33:05.359 --> 00:33:07.440 Thinking about the two disciples. 00:33:07.680 --> 00:33:09.519 Oh, what a story that is. 00:33:09.839 --> 00:33:18.240 But when God got him, struck him down, he realized that, hey, all his righteousness was as filthy rags. 00:33:18.880 --> 00:33:21.920 That all these accomplishments meant nothing. 00:33:22.160 --> 00:33:27.119 But if anyone could count on his self-righteousness, Paul had more going than anyone. 00:33:28.240 --> 00:33:30.720 So it's not self-righteousness, number two. 00:33:30.960 --> 00:33:33.759 Look at the second righteousness. 00:33:34.000 --> 00:33:35.680 Imputed righteousness. 00:33:37.920 --> 00:33:39.359 Boy, this is good. 00:33:40.640 --> 00:33:42.799 Same chapter, Philippians chapter 3. 00:33:42.880 --> 00:33:46.160 Look at verses 7 through 9 in Paul's life. 00:33:46.480 --> 00:33:55.839 Paul says, but what things were gained to me, all those things that we just looked at, those I counted lost for Christ. 00:33:56.400 --> 00:34:05.119 Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but lost for the excellence, the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. 00:34:05.279 --> 00:34:16.159 Now watch, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but rubbish garbage, that I may win Christ and be found in him. 00:34:16.480 --> 00:34:25.519 Not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. 00:34:25.679 --> 00:34:28.800 In other words, look, he says, my own righteousness is useless. 00:34:28.960 --> 00:34:29.760 It's garbage. 00:34:29.920 --> 00:34:31.119 It's rubbish. 00:34:32.800 --> 00:34:33.440 Wow. 00:34:34.639 --> 00:34:42.079 Boy, that wouldn't meet with today's humanistic psychological analysis, would it? 00:34:47.039 --> 00:34:48.480 Wow, what truth. 00:34:48.719 --> 00:34:50.719 You say, but he's just beating himself up. 00:34:50.880 --> 00:34:52.960 No, he's being liberated. 00:34:54.079 --> 00:34:57.920 He's being liberated from that self-righteousness. 00:34:58.159 --> 00:34:59.840 It's so beautiful here. 00:35:01.119 --> 00:35:05.119 I must have the righteousness of God that comes by faith in Christ. 00:35:05.280 --> 00:35:06.079 That's what he said. 00:35:06.239 --> 00:35:08.239 Now look at the life of the believer. 00:35:08.400 --> 00:35:09.360 Look at this. 00:35:10.000 --> 00:35:24.800 When you become a Christian and reach out to God through Christ, and you accept Christ as your Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit comes up into your heart and he takes up residency, and God clothes you in the righteousness of Christ. 00:35:25.119 --> 00:35:27.119 He puts a canopy over you. 00:35:27.760 --> 00:35:31.599 It's kind of like those little tents that we put up when we go to a ballgame. 00:35:31.840 --> 00:35:38.239 He puts a canopy, a tent over you, and he clothes you in Christ's righteousness. 00:35:38.400 --> 00:35:39.360 In fact, look at this. 00:35:39.519 --> 00:35:41.840 2 Corinthians 5.21 says this. 00:35:42.079 --> 00:35:42.719 Beautiful. 00:35:42.880 --> 00:35:50.239 For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be, here it is, made the righteousness of God in him. 00:35:51.039 --> 00:35:51.360 Oh. 00:35:52.800 --> 00:35:53.119 Oh. 00:35:53.760 --> 00:35:57.280 God sees you righteous in Christ. 00:35:57.440 --> 00:36:04.719 Now, when God looks down, he sees the righteousness of Christ that he's bestowed upon you through his son Christ. 00:36:04.880 --> 00:36:06.960 Now, let me tell you what that's called. 00:36:07.280 --> 00:36:10.079 In the theological, hey, sec. 00:36:10.800 --> 00:36:13.599 That's called imputed righteousness. 00:36:13.760 --> 00:36:16.639 You didn't deserve it, you didn't work for it. 00:36:16.960 --> 00:36:24.800 God loved you so much that he imputed, he gave you that righteousness through the person of Jesus Christ. 00:36:27.039 --> 00:36:28.320 Is that not good? 00:36:29.199 --> 00:36:30.880 You say, I'm not sure I understand it. 00:36:31.039 --> 00:36:33.440 Hang with me, you will, before I finish. 00:36:34.320 --> 00:36:56.320 So positionally, you and I are right with God because of God's gift, Jesus Christ, who died for us 2,000 years ago on Calvary, buried, rose again the third day, hey, and now is seated at the right hand of God the Father that makes intercession for you and me. 00:36:56.480 --> 00:37:00.400 And because of that, we call that imputed righteousness. 00:37:00.719 --> 00:37:02.320 The thief did nothing. 00:37:02.480 --> 00:37:03.679 He couldn't do nothing. 00:37:03.920 --> 00:37:09.760 He died that moment, but right before he died, he turned to Jesus and said, Remember me. 00:37:10.480 --> 00:37:12.880 And Jesus said, I'm not going to remember you. 00:37:12.960 --> 00:37:14.400 I'm taking you with me. 00:37:14.559 --> 00:37:16.880 I am giving you what you don't deserve. 00:37:17.039 --> 00:37:19.360 I'm giving you what you didn't work for. 00:37:19.599 --> 00:37:22.159 I am giving you a relationship with me. 00:37:22.320 --> 00:37:23.920 You're going with me today. 00:37:24.159 --> 00:37:30.239 Woo! He didn't even have time to join the church. 00:37:31.679 --> 00:37:32.320 Hello. 00:37:32.800 --> 00:37:34.800 He didn't even have time to be baptized. 00:37:34.880 --> 00:37:36.880 That really gets the church of Christ. 00:37:39.360 --> 00:37:43.039 Hey, hey, he didn't even have time to tithe. 00:37:45.760 --> 00:37:47.840 He didn't even have time to fast. 00:37:50.639 --> 00:37:51.280 Hello. 00:37:51.760 --> 00:37:54.480 That's imputed righteousness. 00:37:56.079 --> 00:37:57.440 Man, that's good. 00:37:57.840 --> 00:37:58.960 Man, that's good. 00:37:59.119 --> 00:38:00.800 I didn't deserve it. 00:38:01.679 --> 00:38:04.000 That brings me to the third thing. 00:38:04.320 --> 00:38:05.920 Self-righteousness. 00:38:06.239 --> 00:38:06.559 No. 00:38:07.679 --> 00:38:11.360 That's you working to try to get your way to heaven. 00:38:11.679 --> 00:38:14.320 You working to go to heaven. 00:38:14.880 --> 00:38:16.559 Not going to get you there. 00:38:17.039 --> 00:38:20.559 Secondly, the imputed righteousness, that's the right one. 00:38:20.719 --> 00:38:22.400 It's going to get you there. 00:38:23.280 --> 00:38:24.800 If you really mean that. 00:38:25.039 --> 00:38:28.239 And if you do really mean that, are you ready? 00:38:28.559 --> 00:38:47.039 Then you've got what we really call, what we really call the breastplate of righteousness lives out into practical righteousness. 00:38:50.800 --> 00:38:59.519 When you receive Christ, he, hey, God the Father, when you receive his Son Jesus Christ, he imputes to you righteousness. 00:38:59.840 --> 00:39:05.119 You are right before God through Christ. 00:39:05.440 --> 00:39:15.760 He then gives you the person of the Holy Spirit that takes up residence in your life, for by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, 1 Corinthians 12, 13. 00:39:16.000 --> 00:39:23.760 He takes up residence so that now you can live out that imputed righteousness in practice. 00:39:24.880 --> 00:39:27.440 You can live like Christ. 00:39:28.159 --> 00:39:30.400 You can be like Christ. 00:39:30.719 --> 00:39:33.280 You can walk like Christ. 00:39:33.440 --> 00:39:35.599 You can think like Christ. 00:39:35.760 --> 00:39:48.400 You can feel like Christ, which means the peace of God that passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus in the good times, in the bad times, in the joyful times, in the sad times. 00:39:52.800 --> 00:39:54.079 Is that not good? 00:39:55.280 --> 00:39:57.679 It's called practical righteousness. 00:39:59.199 --> 00:40:02.800 You can't be protected by the righteousness of your own life. 00:40:03.119 --> 00:40:11.039 Your breastplate is made of the righteousness that God granted to you at salvation, but there's one thing we must do. 00:40:11.440 --> 00:40:12.239 Now you ready? 00:40:12.320 --> 00:40:13.519 Look what Paul says. 00:40:13.760 --> 00:40:16.079 Okay, I've got the imputed righteousness. 00:40:16.320 --> 00:40:17.840 Now notice what Paul says. 00:40:18.000 --> 00:40:18.480 Mm-mm. 00:40:18.800 --> 00:40:19.679 Philippians 3. 00:40:19.920 --> 00:40:21.199 Staying right there in Philippians 3. 00:40:21.360 --> 00:40:22.400 Look at verse 10. 00:40:22.639 --> 00:40:26.079 Paul recognized he had imputed righteousness. 00:40:26.800 --> 00:40:29.360 And he realized there was nothing he could do. 00:40:29.599 --> 00:40:34.960 All those things that I listed a while ago, he said, the rubbish, the garbage. 00:40:36.159 --> 00:40:38.239 But he said, This one thing I must do. 00:40:38.400 --> 00:40:40.400 Look at what he says in verse 10. 00:40:41.039 --> 00:40:42.480 I must know him. 00:40:45.599 --> 00:40:48.800 And the power of his resurrection. 00:40:48.960 --> 00:40:52.559 And the fellowship of his suffering, being made conformable. 00:40:52.719 --> 00:40:55.280 Oh, like him into his death. 00:40:55.599 --> 00:40:57.440 Now look at verse 12. 00:40:58.800 --> 00:41:00.880 Not as though I have already attained. 00:41:00.960 --> 00:41:03.440 In other words, I hey, I'm not there yet. 00:41:03.599 --> 00:41:06.719 There's not a one of us in here today that's there yet. 00:41:08.639 --> 00:41:10.239 We're all growing. 00:41:10.719 --> 00:41:11.679 Every day. 00:41:11.920 --> 00:41:13.840 We're fighting about her every day. 00:41:14.079 --> 00:41:15.519 We're growing every day. 00:41:15.760 --> 00:41:20.719 Paul says, not as though I have already attained, either we're already perfect. 00:41:20.880 --> 00:41:24.480 In other words, I'm not mature yet, but I follow after. 00:41:25.199 --> 00:41:26.239 Follow after what? 00:41:26.400 --> 00:41:27.760 Look at verse 13. 00:41:28.960 --> 00:41:32.480 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended. 00:41:33.360 --> 00:41:34.880 But then look at verse 14. 00:41:34.960 --> 00:41:38.000 In other words, he says, I do not count myself to arrive. 00:41:38.239 --> 00:41:39.440 Man, I'm just like you. 00:41:39.599 --> 00:41:43.119 We're, hey, every day we wake up to be more like Jesus. 00:41:43.280 --> 00:41:44.320 And then look at what he says. 00:41:44.480 --> 00:41:46.960 But I here's what he realized he had to do. 00:41:47.119 --> 00:41:57.599 What do I have to do after I receive that imputed righteousness in order to have practical righteousness, in order to live like Christ, to be like Christ, think like Christ, walk like Christ. 00:41:57.760 --> 00:42:04.079 I've got to press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in and through Christ Jesus. 00:42:04.159 --> 00:42:11.840 And that word press means with all my effort, with all my mind, with all my feelings, I try to be like Christ. 00:42:12.000 --> 00:42:14.159 Whoa, that's good, preacher. 00:42:20.159 --> 00:42:22.480 You say, man, that'd so that'd be work. 00:42:22.639 --> 00:42:24.000 Yes, it's work. 00:42:25.840 --> 00:42:29.280 You just don't get saved and say, Whoo, I got all that. 00:42:31.360 --> 00:42:35.599 There's some that say once you get saved, you pray your way through, and I'm all for praying through. 00:42:36.559 --> 00:42:39.039 You know, you you don't sin anymore. 00:42:40.159 --> 00:42:42.159 I wish that was true. 00:42:48.320 --> 00:42:48.639 Man. 00:42:51.039 --> 00:42:52.719 Paul says I have to what? 00:42:53.199 --> 00:42:54.239 Die daily. 00:42:54.559 --> 00:42:56.400 1 Corinthians 15, 31. 00:42:56.639 --> 00:42:57.840 I have to die daily. 00:42:58.000 --> 00:43:00.159 Now look, man, it even gets now. 00:43:00.320 --> 00:43:03.440 Let's quickly, let's go to us, the believer's life. 00:43:04.239 --> 00:43:07.280 When you and I were saved, we were given the righteous Jesus Christ. 00:43:07.440 --> 00:43:10.480 That righteous will cover us for all eternity. 00:43:10.880 --> 00:43:11.920 We understand that. 00:43:12.079 --> 00:43:15.280 But we have to live the kind of life that wins the battle over Satan. 00:43:15.360 --> 00:43:16.320 Can I get an amen? 00:43:17.599 --> 00:43:23.679 You must apply to your life the righteous principles that are available to you and me through Christ. 00:43:23.760 --> 00:43:24.639 Now here it is. 00:43:24.800 --> 00:43:27.199 One, we can't excuse sin. 00:43:28.079 --> 00:43:29.280 Excuse and sin. 00:43:29.440 --> 00:43:31.840 Are we not good at excusing sin? 00:43:32.400 --> 00:43:34.639 Come on now, let's get a little honest. 00:43:36.239 --> 00:43:38.639 When's the last time you had a bad attitude? 00:43:39.039 --> 00:43:40.719 Some of you this morning. 00:43:41.760 --> 00:43:43.360 On the way to church. 00:43:43.679 --> 00:43:44.880 With your wife. 00:43:45.119 --> 00:43:47.119 You say, how do you know I saw you at the red light? 00:43:49.039 --> 00:43:50.239 Oh, hi, preacher. 00:43:50.480 --> 00:43:51.760 God bless you. 00:43:55.280 --> 00:43:56.320 Excusing. 00:43:56.719 --> 00:43:58.159 Excusing your sin. 00:43:58.559 --> 00:43:59.840 And you know what you let me tell you. 00:44:00.159 --> 00:44:02.079 Tell you how you know when you're excusing it. 00:44:02.400 --> 00:44:07.119 The moment you know you're wrong, you blame something else other than you. 00:44:11.119 --> 00:44:13.039 You're excusing it away. 00:44:15.440 --> 00:44:19.119 But here's what we need to be doing instead of excusing sin. 00:44:19.519 --> 00:44:20.400 Are you ready? 00:44:20.639 --> 00:44:25.039 We need to be experience, experiencing holiness. 00:44:25.280 --> 00:44:30.079 Woo! The righteousness of Christ and that old nature can't be separated. 00:44:30.159 --> 00:44:31.519 We got to battle every day. 00:44:31.679 --> 00:44:38.800 Although we are covered by the righteousness of Jesus Christ, that doesn't guarantee we will live every moment in the Spirit. 00:44:39.119 --> 00:44:40.559 I wish it did. 00:44:40.960 --> 00:44:43.760 But be not drunk with wine, but be filled. 00:44:43.840 --> 00:44:50.239 It's in what we call the present tense, which is occurring, constantly being refilled. 00:44:51.679 --> 00:44:55.039 And that's very important that you understand that. 00:44:55.599 --> 00:44:56.719 There's a difference. 00:44:56.880 --> 00:44:57.440 Are you ready? 00:44:57.519 --> 00:44:58.480 Now I'm going to help you. 00:44:58.639 --> 00:45:00.000 Now don't miss this. 00:45:01.519 --> 00:45:04.400 Go to Philippians tens and for me. 00:45:05.360 --> 00:45:07.360 Chapter 2, verses 12 and 13. 00:45:07.440 --> 00:45:09.119 This is powerful, folks. 00:45:09.440 --> 00:45:16.400 Although we are covered by the righteousness of Jesus Christ, that doesn't guarantee we're going to live every moment in victory. 00:45:16.639 --> 00:45:18.400 In other words, we can lose battles. 00:45:18.639 --> 00:45:19.199 Amen? 00:45:19.440 --> 00:45:21.039 And we do lose some. 00:45:21.440 --> 00:45:24.320 But the key is that we're winning more than we're losing. 00:45:24.480 --> 00:45:25.599 Can I get an amen? 00:45:25.840 --> 00:45:32.000 Because if we're winning more than we're losing, that means we're learning to walk in practical righteousness. 00:45:32.800 --> 00:45:34.639 Now here's what I wrote down. 00:45:34.960 --> 00:45:36.719 Went back to my theological notes. 00:45:36.880 --> 00:45:37.760 This is good. 00:45:38.320 --> 00:45:46.400 There's a difference between positional righteousness and practical righteousness. 00:45:46.960 --> 00:45:56.880 There's a difference between imputed righteousness, which is positional righteousness, than practical righteousness. 00:46:01.920 --> 00:46:08.320 Our position, our imputed righteousness, is forever. 00:46:08.480 --> 00:46:10.480 Nobody can take that away from you. 00:46:10.719 --> 00:46:12.320 Jesus Christ died one time. 00:46:12.480 --> 00:46:13.119 Amen. 00:46:14.159 --> 00:46:15.280 It's settled. 00:46:15.440 --> 00:46:18.079 That's done once you receive Him. 00:46:18.480 --> 00:46:23.199 But our practice doesn't always match up with our position. 00:46:24.000 --> 00:46:25.360 Hello, O me. 00:46:25.679 --> 00:46:30.639 And Paul knew that because watch, he had been given the righteousness of God. 00:46:30.800 --> 00:46:34.880 He knew that didn't mean he had attained the righteousness in his life. 00:46:35.119 --> 00:46:42.880 He had been given the righteousness of God, but he knew that didn't, hey, mean that he had that righteousness exhibited in his life. 00:46:42.960 --> 00:46:45.360 That's why he said, I have to press toward the mark. 00:46:45.440 --> 00:46:47.760 But now watch Philippians 2, 12, 13. 00:46:47.920 --> 00:46:55.679 He said, Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence. 00:46:55.840 --> 00:46:56.320 Now watch. 00:46:56.480 --> 00:46:57.199 Are you ready? 00:46:57.360 --> 00:46:59.280 Woo! Now you gotta listen. 00:46:59.440 --> 00:47:00.960 Everybody wake up. 00:47:02.719 --> 00:47:05.920 You'll walk out of here with the wrong theology. 00:47:06.239 --> 00:47:07.840 If you miss this. 00:47:08.719 --> 00:47:10.719 Then he says, watch. 00:47:11.039 --> 00:47:15.119 Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 00:47:15.360 --> 00:47:19.119 Now that doesn't mean work out your what? 00:47:20.079 --> 00:47:22.079 Imputed righteousness? 00:47:22.320 --> 00:47:22.639 No. 00:47:23.119 --> 00:47:24.880 You've had that given to you. 00:47:25.039 --> 00:47:26.559 You didn't do anything for it. 00:47:26.719 --> 00:47:27.840 Are you with me? 00:47:28.239 --> 00:47:38.559 But what that does mean, work out your imputed righteousness through practical living, practical righteousness, and that takes work. 00:47:39.760 --> 00:47:40.960 Man, that's good. 00:47:41.199 --> 00:47:43.199 So many people miss that verse. 00:47:44.159 --> 00:47:49.519 What they're trying to say is a lot of people take that and say, You got to work for your uh no, no, no. 00:47:49.679 --> 00:47:54.559 What you're doing is you're now working out what's already in you. 00:47:55.119 --> 00:47:58.239 You're living it out so people can see it. 00:47:58.960 --> 00:48:01.519 And that's what he was telling the church at Pilipi. 00:48:02.079 --> 00:48:02.800 Work it out. 00:48:02.960 --> 00:48:05.119 You got it now, work it out. 00:48:06.559 --> 00:48:09.920 And most of us, we don't even know what we got. 00:48:11.280 --> 00:48:14.000 We've got it and we don't know what to do with it. 00:48:17.599 --> 00:48:21.119 I'm catching a no, I'm not going there. 00:48:21.519 --> 00:48:24.320 You catch it and you don't know what to do with it. 00:48:25.360 --> 00:48:27.440 You got it, now what do you do with it? 00:48:27.519 --> 00:48:29.599 Now you've got to live it out, and how do you do that? 00:48:29.840 --> 00:48:50.239 Every day putting on the armor of God, and it starts with the belt of truth, but then the most, one of the most necessary parts, the breastplate of righteousness, living righteously, because that way it means you're thinking right, your feelings are intact, your feelings are right, and you're living right. 00:48:50.320 --> 00:48:51.679 Does that not sound good? 00:48:51.840 --> 00:48:53.119 Does that not feel good? 00:48:53.280 --> 00:48:54.880 That ought to feel good. 00:48:57.519 --> 00:48:58.639 There it is. 00:49:02.239 --> 00:49:02.800 All right. 00:49:05.519 --> 00:49:07.280 Gotta go, gotta go. 00:49:09.519 --> 00:49:10.800 Number three. 00:49:11.280 --> 00:49:12.480 What's the problem? 00:49:13.840 --> 00:49:15.039 Here we go. 00:49:15.440 --> 00:49:27.599 If you don't live out this practical righteousness, I believe that holiness is a forgotten commodity in America today. 00:49:28.559 --> 00:49:33.599 There's no holiness as a whole in America today. 00:49:33.920 --> 00:49:38.639 If there was, we wouldn't have the divisiveness that we have. 00:49:38.880 --> 00:49:40.719 Can I get an Amen? 00:49:42.639 --> 00:49:44.559 I mean, it's it's unbelievable. 00:49:44.719 --> 00:49:46.480 Just the immorality, the lie. 00:49:46.639 --> 00:49:50.800 Just it's it's it's just, we're just being drowned. 00:49:50.960 --> 00:49:52.159 That is a great word. 00:49:52.400 --> 00:49:53.760 Drowned in it. 00:49:55.360 --> 00:49:57.280 And here's what's happening. 00:49:59.039 --> 00:50:07.280 If you and I do not live a holy life, that's why Jesus said, Be ye holy in all manner of behavior, because it's written, be ye holy, for I am holy. 00:50:07.440 --> 00:50:09.039 1 Peter 1:15, 16. 00:50:09.119 --> 00:50:09.760 Now watch this. 00:50:09.840 --> 00:50:10.719 Don't miss this. 00:50:10.880 --> 00:50:17.360 If we don't live out that practical righteousness that we've been imputed with, here's what happens. 00:50:17.519 --> 00:50:21.199 Number one, we lose joy and blessings. 00:50:21.360 --> 00:50:23.119 Look at 1 John 1:4. 00:50:23.840 --> 00:50:27.440 These things write we unto you that your joy may be full. 00:50:27.760 --> 00:50:32.400 They were written so that in obeying the word our joy would be full. 00:50:32.639 --> 00:50:34.880 No obedience, no joy. 00:50:35.360 --> 00:50:36.639 Let me repeat that. 00:50:36.800 --> 00:50:38.719 No obedience, no joy. 00:50:39.039 --> 00:50:40.639 And let me take it another step. 00:50:40.800 --> 00:50:43.199 No obedience, no strength from God. 00:50:43.440 --> 00:50:47.119 For the joy of the Lord is my strength. 00:50:47.440 --> 00:50:48.800 Nehemiah 8:10. 00:50:49.039 --> 00:50:53.599 So we miss that joy, and we miss the strength that comes from God. 00:50:53.760 --> 00:50:55.519 And you know I put this down. 00:50:55.760 --> 00:51:02.559 If we have problems in our life, the first place to look is in the area of our holiness. 00:51:06.400 --> 00:51:07.039 Hello. 00:51:08.000 --> 00:51:09.199 That's pretty tough. 00:51:10.079 --> 00:51:11.360 But is that not true? 00:51:11.599 --> 00:51:16.320 Why does you think Paul in 1 Corinthians 13 said, Examine yourself. 00:51:16.880 --> 00:51:18.480 Search me, O God. 00:51:18.880 --> 00:51:20.159 Know my heart. 00:51:20.480 --> 00:51:21.440 Try me. 00:51:22.079 --> 00:51:27.599 See if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way of everlasting. 00:51:27.760 --> 00:51:29.039 It fits, folks. 00:51:29.280 --> 00:51:30.400 It's like a puzzle. 00:51:30.559 --> 00:51:31.440 It fits. 00:51:33.599 --> 00:51:35.039 Man, that's good. 00:51:35.599 --> 00:51:36.880 But that's what happens. 00:51:37.119 --> 00:51:38.559 David knew this. 00:51:38.880 --> 00:51:40.320 David knew that to be true. 00:51:40.400 --> 00:51:43.039 You remember when he sinned with Bathsheba? 00:51:43.360 --> 00:51:46.320 When he was in sin, what did he say to the Lord? 00:51:46.559 --> 00:51:48.000 Psalms 51, 12. 00:51:48.159 --> 00:51:49.840 Restore unto me what? 00:51:51.760 --> 00:51:54.239 The joy of my salvation. 00:51:55.599 --> 00:51:57.519 Wow, that's so true. 00:51:58.480 --> 00:52:00.079 That's so true. 00:52:00.639 --> 00:52:04.159 The problem is we have paper armor instead of the real armor. 00:52:04.639 --> 00:52:06.480 You know what paper armor is? 00:52:06.719 --> 00:52:07.760 It's programs. 00:52:09.360 --> 00:52:10.480 It's programs. 00:52:11.599 --> 00:52:13.039 It's programs. 00:52:13.519 --> 00:52:29.280 Our society is drowning in a sea of immorality, materialism, humanism, and it has enged and victimized us to the point that we easily bypass personal holiness and go for 12 steps to this and 12 steps to that and 14 steps to that. 00:52:29.440 --> 00:52:30.559 And I'm not against those. 00:52:30.719 --> 00:52:32.719 And thank God for godly counselors. 00:52:32.960 --> 00:52:36.559 Very few of them, but we got two of the best right there, Gwen and Edmund. 00:52:39.840 --> 00:52:44.639 But hey, we're running to this seminar, that seminar, every seminar. 00:52:44.719 --> 00:52:51.199 We got more seminars, more books written on success and happiness than ever's been written. 00:52:51.360 --> 00:53:11.679 And we have more we have more people discouraged, more people on pills and booze and drugs to escape reality when what they need is a good old dose of the Holy Ghost, and what they need is to get right with God and get in the Word of God, and that's what God will do. 00:53:12.000 --> 00:53:13.920 He will set you free. 00:53:19.199 --> 00:53:21.280 Are you listening, church? 00:53:21.519 --> 00:53:22.880 You're listening online. 00:53:25.760 --> 00:53:26.800 Lord help us. 00:53:26.880 --> 00:53:27.840 We don't need a pill. 00:53:28.079 --> 00:53:30.159 We need, hey, we need a channel. 00:53:31.920 --> 00:53:34.800 We need the power of the Holy Spirit of God. 00:53:36.239 --> 00:53:38.480 A gospel pill, that's it. 00:53:40.880 --> 00:53:42.559 Check your holiness. 00:53:43.840 --> 00:53:45.440 Examine your life. 00:53:45.679 --> 00:53:46.400 Are you ready? 00:53:46.480 --> 00:53:46.880 What's this? 00:53:46.960 --> 00:53:47.599 Do you have problems? 00:53:47.760 --> 00:53:48.719 I wrote this down to me. 00:53:48.880 --> 00:53:49.679 Do you hey? 00:53:49.760 --> 00:53:53.360 And I'm preaching to my family, me and my kids. 00:53:53.519 --> 00:53:55.280 Do we have problems in our family? 00:53:55.519 --> 00:53:56.800 Check your holiness. 00:53:57.039 --> 00:53:59.519 Are we faithful in reading the Word of God? 00:53:59.760 --> 00:54:00.400 Hello. 00:54:00.960 --> 00:54:09.199 Most of the time when I talk to people about they're they're having problems, they're discouraged, they're down and out, I ask them, I said, talk to me about your quiet time. 00:54:09.280 --> 00:54:10.320 What'd you read this morning? 00:54:10.480 --> 00:54:12.400 What's God talking to you this week? 00:54:12.880 --> 00:54:15.519 Or I ask them this, how much have you been in the word? 00:54:15.760 --> 00:54:17.920 Here's what they always say every time. 00:54:18.159 --> 00:54:18.960 Not enough. 00:54:19.119 --> 00:54:20.480 Let me get let me interpret that. 00:54:20.639 --> 00:54:22.000 They're not in it. 00:54:27.360 --> 00:54:28.000 Hello. 00:54:28.639 --> 00:54:29.599 I'm not a president. 00:54:31.119 --> 00:54:33.360 But that, hey, are you speaking? 00:54:33.519 --> 00:54:34.639 Are you ready for this? 00:54:34.880 --> 00:54:36.800 What about your prayer life? 00:54:37.119 --> 00:54:38.320 What it ought to be. 00:54:38.480 --> 00:54:39.679 Is it what you ought to be? 00:54:39.760 --> 00:54:40.079 No. 00:54:40.239 --> 00:54:43.599 Are you, hey, loving your family the way you should. 00:54:43.840 --> 00:54:50.239 If you're loving God and loving your family, there shouldn't be any problems with you and your wife or you and your husband. 00:54:50.719 --> 00:54:53.280 Well, I just don't love him anymore. 00:54:54.000 --> 00:54:55.440 Well, who are you loving? 00:54:57.599 --> 00:54:58.239 Hello? 00:54:59.519 --> 00:55:01.679 Well, I'm not loving anybody. 00:55:01.920 --> 00:55:03.119 You're loving something. 00:55:03.199 --> 00:55:05.119 It may not be a body, but it's something. 00:55:05.280 --> 00:55:06.400 And let me tell you what it is. 00:55:06.480 --> 00:55:08.960 I already know who you weren't hanging out with and who you love. 00:55:09.199 --> 00:55:09.840 Yourself. 00:55:11.519 --> 00:55:16.639 More people are getting divorced today because they said, I've never lived the life that I want to live. 00:55:16.800 --> 00:55:17.840 That's the problem. 00:55:18.079 --> 00:55:23.199 They've never lived, hey, the problem is they've never lived the life that God wanted them to live. 00:55:24.880 --> 00:55:26.800 There's a way that things brought into the ends of the day. 00:55:26.960 --> 00:55:28.880 But the ends are death. 00:55:29.679 --> 00:55:31.760 Now, what about this? 00:55:31.920 --> 00:55:34.880 Are you speaking unashamedly for Jesus in your society? 00:55:35.519 --> 00:55:36.559 You know what I learned? 00:55:37.199 --> 00:55:40.880 Hey, you won't speak up for Jesus if you don't have on the armor of God. 00:55:42.000 --> 00:55:42.639 Amen? 00:55:43.199 --> 00:55:45.039 You're not going to say anything. 00:55:45.280 --> 00:55:46.559 Yeah, you want to hide. 00:55:46.639 --> 00:55:47.199 That's right. 00:55:47.440 --> 00:55:54.000 Are you giving sacrificially to the Lord what you ought and being, hey, a good steward of the rest of what you have? 00:55:54.719 --> 00:55:59.039 Are you living a righteous life as God has outlined in his word for you? 00:55:59.360 --> 00:56:06.239 If you're not, why would you expect your life to go well if you're a Christian? 00:56:09.119 --> 00:56:10.880 Lord, that's tough. 00:56:11.599 --> 00:56:14.159 You're beating me up this morning. 00:56:14.559 --> 00:56:14.880 No. 00:56:15.920 --> 00:56:19.760 He says, I'm revealing to you this morning the truth. 00:56:19.840 --> 00:56:23.119 And if you shall know the truth, it'll set you free. 00:56:23.360 --> 00:56:27.679 And if you're free, if the Son sets you free, you're free indeed. 00:56:28.480 --> 00:56:29.440 John 8. 00:56:30.400 --> 00:56:31.039 Amen. 00:56:31.679 --> 00:56:32.320 Alright. 00:56:32.719 --> 00:56:33.360 Quick. 00:56:34.320 --> 00:56:36.559 Loss number two of fruitfulness. 00:56:37.760 --> 00:56:39.679 You'll become unproductive. 00:56:40.320 --> 00:56:42.800 You'll come, hey, you won't have any fruit. 00:56:43.039 --> 00:56:43.679 You know what? 00:56:43.840 --> 00:56:46.480 When you don't have any fruit, you're not joyful. 00:56:47.760 --> 00:56:48.400 Amen. 00:56:49.119 --> 00:56:52.719 And then number three, the lost of rewards. 00:56:53.679 --> 00:56:54.800 2 John 8. 00:56:54.960 --> 00:57:01.119 Look to yourselves that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. 00:57:01.599 --> 00:57:06.719 Woo! Number four, lost opportunity to glorify God. 00:57:06.880 --> 00:57:19.440 Now, can you see, folks, look at what I just, the loss of the joy and the blessings and the strength, the loss of fruitfulness, the loss of reward, and the loss of opportunity to honor and glorify God. 00:57:19.599 --> 00:57:23.280 Whether you eat or drink or whatsoever you do, you do all to the glory of God. 00:57:23.679 --> 00:57:24.800 1031. 00:57:25.199 --> 00:57:26.639 Now, look at there. 00:57:27.119 --> 00:57:31.920 Are we so ungrateful that we would live a sinful and unrighteous life? 00:57:33.360 --> 00:57:39.199 Would we restrict ourselves by saying no to what he wants us to do? 00:57:40.159 --> 00:57:40.719 Wow. 00:57:40.960 --> 00:57:47.920 Would we say no to the God who seeks glory in the midst of men by living an unrighteous life that brings down his name? 00:57:48.159 --> 00:57:50.079 This is what I was talking to me this morning. 00:57:50.239 --> 00:57:51.440 That is affront to him. 00:57:51.760 --> 00:57:53.679 God wants to fill us with his blessings. 00:57:53.760 --> 00:57:58.400 And that includes fruitfulness, joy, and what? 00:57:58.559 --> 00:57:59.039 Peace. 00:57:59.199 --> 00:58:01.599 And it includes rewards. 00:58:03.440 --> 00:58:07.039 Number four, the plea. 00:58:08.480 --> 00:58:10.079 Get your armor on. 00:58:10.639 --> 00:58:11.599 This is war. 00:58:12.639 --> 00:58:13.599 This is war. 00:58:14.559 --> 00:58:16.159 Get your armor on. 00:58:18.960 --> 00:58:22.239 Peter said, Lord, I want to win this last battle. 00:58:22.480 --> 00:58:28.079 I believe that God wants us to accomplish all we can, but that involves every one of us making the same commitment. 00:58:28.239 --> 00:58:28.880 Here it is. 00:58:29.119 --> 00:58:31.199 1 Peter chapter 2, verse 11. 00:58:31.440 --> 00:58:39.360 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as sojourners and pilgrims of stain from fleshly lust which war against the soul. 00:58:40.079 --> 00:58:42.559 Peter is indicating that we are in a war. 00:58:43.039 --> 00:58:44.880 We must be committed to righteousness. 00:58:44.960 --> 00:58:46.960 That doesn't mean you never sin. 00:58:47.280 --> 00:58:51.679 It means that it is in a decreasing frequency. 00:58:51.840 --> 00:58:53.199 Can I get an amen? 00:58:53.840 --> 00:58:59.039 I ought not to sin more tomorrow than I did today if I'm growing in the Lord. 00:59:00.320 --> 00:59:04.000 You sin, not sin less, sin less. 00:59:04.719 --> 00:59:06.159 Can I get an amen? 00:59:10.159 --> 00:59:14.480 Living out that practical righteousness. 00:59:15.760 --> 00:59:18.320 There's a positive here and a negative. 00:59:18.480 --> 00:59:22.639 Peter says, Abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul. 00:59:22.880 --> 00:59:29.519 When you and I fall to those lusts, we lose our joy, our fruitfulness, our reward, and ultimately God's honor. 00:59:29.679 --> 00:59:31.760 But look at the positive, verse 12. 00:59:32.079 --> 00:59:35.360 Strive to have your behavior honest among the Gentiles. 00:59:35.519 --> 00:59:36.400 Be committed. 00:59:36.559 --> 00:59:37.440 Are you ready for this? 00:59:37.519 --> 00:59:39.440 No, I'm through. 00:59:40.239 --> 00:59:47.760 2 Corinthians 3.2 says, You are our letter written in our heart, known and read by all men. 00:59:49.760 --> 00:59:53.360 I was thinking of David this morning. 00:59:53.599 --> 00:59:55.360 David loved this saying. 00:59:55.440 --> 01:00:01.599 And I said this years ago when I was his pastor in Tuscaloosa. 01:00:02.639 --> 01:00:06.639 You're writing a gospel, a chapter each day. 01:00:07.519 --> 01:00:11.840 By the deeds that you do and the words that you say. 01:00:12.320 --> 01:00:14.719 Men read what you write. 01:00:15.199 --> 01:00:16.880 Distorted or true. 01:00:17.280 --> 01:00:20.320 What is the gospel according to you? 01:00:22.000 --> 01:00:24.400 That's 2 Corinthians 3, too. 01:00:24.880 --> 01:00:32.000 And that gospel in you is that practical righteousness being lived out through you. 01:00:33.920 --> 01:00:35.920 And then the last thing, and I'm through. 01:00:36.159 --> 01:00:39.519 Here's the per se perctive. 01:00:41.920 --> 01:00:43.440 Have I filled in all the blanks? 01:00:43.519 --> 01:00:44.800 I got to preach in there for a little bit. 01:00:44.880 --> 01:00:45.599 I might have missed some. 01:00:45.679 --> 01:00:46.559 Did I get them all? 01:00:46.960 --> 01:00:47.280 Okay. 01:00:47.760 --> 01:00:49.440 My wife said, You miss this blank. 01:00:49.599 --> 01:00:50.400 You miss this. 01:00:52.960 --> 01:00:53.920 Here it is. 01:00:54.159 --> 01:00:55.519 Here's our perspective. 01:00:55.679 --> 01:00:56.960 And I'm through. 01:00:58.159 --> 01:01:00.239 He said, Well, you said that three times. 01:01:06.079 --> 01:01:08.400 I'm just copying the Apostle Paul. 01:01:08.639 --> 01:01:15.440 Remember in several of his letters, he says, and now as I come to a conclusion, and he writes two more, three more chapters. 01:01:18.079 --> 01:01:18.559 Amen. 01:01:22.079 --> 01:01:22.400 Amen. 01:01:22.880 --> 01:01:24.239 Here's our perspective. 01:01:25.119 --> 01:01:30.480 Here is what we understand when we're living out our practical righteousness. 01:01:30.800 --> 01:01:33.280 One, we're a citizen of heaven. 01:01:34.159 --> 01:01:43.280 Hebrews 11, 13 says that the heroes of faith confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on this earth. 01:01:43.440 --> 01:01:48.480 We too are strangers and pilgrims on the earth, but we don't realize that enough here. 01:01:48.719 --> 01:01:52.639 We have become so locked into loving the things of the world. 01:01:52.960 --> 01:01:59.679 1 John 2.15, but the people of faith look for a city whose builder and maker is God. 01:01:59.840 --> 01:02:01.360 Hebrews 11 10. 01:02:01.519 --> 01:02:06.239 Paul said this to the Philippians, our citizenship's in heaven. 01:02:06.880 --> 01:02:07.760 Not here. 01:02:08.480 --> 01:02:09.280 Not here. 01:02:10.480 --> 01:02:16.079 And then secondly, you know why we don't belong of this world? 01:02:16.559 --> 01:02:20.559 Now, let me tell you where God convicted me this week. 01:02:20.960 --> 01:02:22.320 In a big way. 01:02:24.559 --> 01:02:26.960 In fact, do we have this verse, Denson? 01:02:27.039 --> 01:02:27.760 I want them to see. 01:02:27.920 --> 01:02:29.679 John 15, 18 and 19. 01:02:29.840 --> 01:02:33.440 This thing knocked me out of my chair studying this week. 01:02:33.760 --> 01:02:36.480 Jesus tells us that we don't belong in the world. 01:02:36.639 --> 01:02:38.000 You know what he says? 01:02:38.320 --> 01:02:40.480 He says, the world hates us. 01:02:40.719 --> 01:02:42.880 We're not of the world, we have no part in it. 01:02:43.039 --> 01:02:44.159 Now watch what he said. 01:02:44.400 --> 01:02:47.920 If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. 01:02:48.159 --> 01:02:51.360 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. 01:02:51.440 --> 01:02:54.719 Yet because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. 01:02:54.960 --> 01:02:55.760 Let me say something. 01:02:55.920 --> 01:02:59.280 If you're fitting in with an ungodly crowd, you got a problem. 01:03:02.079 --> 01:03:02.719 Hello. 01:03:03.440 --> 01:03:07.840 If you're fitting in with God, you got a sin problem. 01:03:10.480 --> 01:03:13.679 One of the things I praise the Lord. 01:03:14.960 --> 01:03:16.639 And I'm not boasting. 01:03:17.519 --> 01:03:21.280 But when I walk in the locker room every once in a while, the why. 01:03:21.840 --> 01:03:26.400 They'll say, Uh oh, Don and Danny and all these guys that work out. 01:03:26.880 --> 01:03:30.320 And what I love about Don, Don said, you know what he did the other day? 01:03:30.719 --> 01:03:32.960 I walked in there and he was coming out and I'm coming in. 01:03:33.039 --> 01:03:35.440 He said, Hey, hey, preacher. 01:03:35.840 --> 01:03:38.719 He wasn't ashamed to call his preacher preacher. 01:03:38.960 --> 01:03:40.239 And you know what that does to me? 01:03:40.400 --> 01:03:41.920 It opens the door for me. 01:03:42.159 --> 01:03:44.480 But he said, hey, you need to come here and preach. 01:03:44.559 --> 01:03:46.320 He preaches the word with passion. 01:03:46.400 --> 01:03:52.719 And I mean, but sometimes when we walk in there and say, Oh, watch out, the preacher's here. 01:04:04.639 --> 01:04:06.480 I don't have to say a word. 01:04:08.320 --> 01:04:09.440 Not that I don't. 01:04:23.840 --> 01:04:30.960 But I let my practical righteousness live out in all that I do. 01:04:32.480 --> 01:04:33.840 Not always. 01:04:34.320 --> 01:04:35.920 But most of the time. 01:04:36.960 --> 01:04:38.960 And you know where I fail the most? 01:04:39.519 --> 01:04:40.800 In my home. 01:04:43.280 --> 01:04:46.000 And that's where it ought to be exhibited the most. 01:04:47.920 --> 01:04:48.559 Amen. 01:04:50.159 --> 01:04:51.840 You know why we do that? 01:04:52.719 --> 01:04:54.719 We take each other for granted. 01:04:56.320 --> 01:04:57.760 Well, you know I love you. 01:04:58.000 --> 01:05:01.039 Well, if you really loved them, you wouldn't be acting that way. 01:05:01.360 --> 01:05:02.159 And that's me. 01:05:02.239 --> 01:05:03.119 I'm preaching to me. 01:05:03.280 --> 01:05:04.320 Y'all don't have to listen. 01:05:04.480 --> 01:05:05.920 I'm preaching to me. 01:05:10.000 --> 01:05:11.519 And then I finish. 01:05:11.679 --> 01:05:13.280 A soldier of God. 01:05:13.920 --> 01:05:19.840 Thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 01:05:20.079 --> 01:05:23.199 Colossians 3:2, set your minds on things above. 01:05:23.840 --> 01:05:26.639 Not on things of this earth and world. 01:05:26.880 --> 01:05:27.519 Amen. 01:05:29.679 --> 01:05:35.199 So, today, folks, it's not self-righteousness. 01:05:36.960 --> 01:05:41.440 But it's that imputed righteousness that God's given to us freely. 01:05:41.679 --> 01:05:44.800 We didn't deserve it, we didn't do anything for it. 01:05:45.039 --> 01:05:54.800 But now that we have it, if you love me, keep my commandments, we are to live out practically in our lives what He gave us. 01:05:55.039 --> 01:05:56.320 Now watch this. 01:05:57.440 --> 01:05:58.400 Thank you, Lord, for it. 01:06:00.079 --> 01:06:05.039 Now listen, that's what Jesus meant in the Lord's Prayer. 01:06:06.559 --> 01:06:09.519 When he said, Thy kingdom come. 01:06:10.880 --> 01:06:28.719 The only way we can bring the kingdom to this lost and dying world is living out that imputed righteousness in a practical way that makes us like Christ, which means that we've brought his kingdom to this earth. 01:06:28.880 --> 01:06:32.079 And we are ambassadors for Christ. 01:06:32.559 --> 01:06:34.159 Oh, is that not good?