THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT<br> <br> 

PROGRAM AIR DATE – 3-2-14<br> <br> 



LESSON TITLE:  “GOD’S CHURCH FOLLOWS HIS WORD.”



<br> <br> WELCOME<br> <br> 

LET ME WELCOME YOU TO OUR PROGRAM ON THIS WONDROUS LORD’S DAY MORNING. I HOPE ALL OF YOU ARE WELL AND THAT YOU ARE PROSPERING GREATLY, IN YOUR PHYSICAL LIVES ACCORDING TO WHAT YOU ARE GIVING TO GOD SPIRITUALLY. IT IS WONDERFUL TO BE A PART OF GOD’S FAMILY AND TO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES SUCH AS THIS TO COME BEFORE HIM AND LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT HE WANTS OF US, AS WELL AS PRAISING HIS NAME THROUGH SONG. AS WE BEGIN OUR HOMAGE TO GOD THIS MORNING, WON’T YOU BOW WITH ME IN PRAYER? <br> <br> 

PRAYER:  OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOU ARE A GREAT AND WONDROUS GOD. FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THE LOVE THAT YOU HAVE SHOWN US IN EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES AND GIVEN US EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED BOTH PHYSICALLY AND SPIRITUALLY. FATHER, HELP US THIS DAY TO DO ALL IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH AS YOU COMMAND IN YOUR WORD THAT OUR OFFERINGS AND SACRIFICES MIGHT BE ACCEPTABLE IN YOUR SIGHT AND PLEASING BEFORE YOUR THRONE. FATHER, IN THE END GIVE US THE REWARD OF HEAVEN WHEN WE HAVE BEEN FOUND FAITHFUL THROUGH YOUR GRACE, LOVE AND MERCY. HELP US TO RECEIVE THE GREAT REWARD OF THE MANSION WHICH AWAITS US. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN.<br> <br> 

OUR FIRST SONG OF THE MORNING REMINDS US THAT GOD IS ALWAYS THERE TO HELP US IN THIS LIFE FOR HE IS OUR BEST FRIEND. ONLY WITH THE HELP OF SUCH A FRIEND CAN WE MAKE IT FROM DAY TO DAY. SO, WON’T YOU JOIN IN WITH THE CONGREGATION TODAY AS WE SING THIS MAGNIFICENT SONG OF PRAISE TO OUR GOD. THE NAME OF THE FIRST SONG, “THERE’S NOT A FRIEND LIKE JESUS.” <br> <br> 



DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS<br> <br> 

WHAT A CRAZY, FAST PASSED SOCIETY WE LIVE IN TODAY. EVERY DAY WE SEE PEOPLE DRIVING BY IN A HURRY OR RUSHING TO GET THROUGH A STORE. IT SEEMS LIKE WE HAVE LOST OUR ABILITY TO SLOW DOWN, REALLY ENJOY LIFE, OR TO STOP AND SMELL THE ROSES. IN FACT, I THINK MOST OF US HAVE ALLOWED OURSELVES TO BE TAKEN OVER BY LIFE AND CONTROLLED BY IT, RATHER THAN US BEING IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT. 

I READ AN ARTICLE ONCE THAT REMINDED ME OF THE FACT THAT JESUS ALWAYS HAD TIME TO STOP AND HELP THOSE WHO NEEDED IT. EVEN THOUGH HE HAD THE GREATEST TASK EVER KNOWN TO MAN, HE STILL HAD TIME TO STOP AND GIVE TIME TO OTHERS, AS WELL AS TO GIVE TIME TO GOD. THINK ABOUT THE MANY TIMES WE READ ABOUT JESUS STOPPING TO HEAL THE SICK OR TO CARE FOR THE NEEDY. THINK ABOUT THE TIMES HE WAS WILLING TO STOP AND LISTEN, AND FURTHERMORE, WILLING TO GIVE HIS TIME IN ANSWERING QUESTIONS WHEN HE WAS ASKED. <br> <br> 

HIS TYPE OF LIVING BROUGHT JOY, PEACE AND A CALMNESS TO LIFE, UNLIKE THE HECTIC AND FRENZY LIVING OF TODAY. WE NEED TO ALL TAKE A DEEP BREATH, REEVALUATE, REMEMBER THAT THERE IS NOTHING IN THIS WORLD WORTH LOOSING OUR SOUL OVER. JESUS SAID, “FOR WHAT WILL IT PROFIT A MAN IF HE GAINS THE WHOLE WORLD, AND LOSES HIS OWN SOUL,” MARK 8:36? THE NEXT VERSE GOES ON TO SAY, “OR WHAT WILL A MAN GIVE IN EXCHANGE FOR HIS SOUL?” 

<br> <br> I FEAR MANY OF US HAVE BEEN WILLING TO JEOPARDIZE OUR OWN SOULS FOR THE SAKE OF THE THINGS OF THIS LIFE. WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN WILLING TO SACRIFICE YOUR SOUL FOR? CHOOSE TODAY TO PUT GOD FIRST, AND GET YOUR PRIORITIES IN ORDER. LET’S ALL SLOW DOWN ENOUGH TO STUDY GOD’S WILL, TO REALIZE WHAT HE WANTS, AND TO LIVE LIVES THAT ARE PLEASING TO HIM. ALWAYS REMEMBERING, THERE IS NOTHING IN THIS LIFE WORTH LOOSING OUR SOULS OVER! <br> <br> 

TODAY, WE WILL BE CONTINUING OUR STUDY TOGETHER CONCERNING JESUS STATEMENT, “UPON THIS ROCK I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH.” OUR NEXT LESSON IN THIS SERIES IS ENTITLED, “GOD’S CHURCH FOLLOWS HIS WORD.” SO PLEASE STAY WITH US AND AFTER OUR NEXT SONG I WILL LEAD OUR THOUGHTS IN THIS STUDY OF THE MORNING. NOW LET’S AGAIN JOIN IN SONG TOGETHER. THE NAME OF OUR NEXT HYMN, “TO GOD BE THE GLORY.” <br> <br> 







LESSON <br> <br> 

BY RAY SULLINS<br> <br> 

WE'RE SO GLAD THAT YOU HAVE CONTINUED WITH US THIS MORNING AS WE GO TO ANOTHER LESSON THAT REALLY HELPS US TO FOCUS ON THOSE THINGS PERTAINING TO THE CHURCH OF GOD, THE CHURCH WHICH GOD HIMSELF ESTABLISHED, THEREFORE GIVING THE VERY BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST TO PURCHASE THE CHURCH AND SHOWING US THE GREAT SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPORTANCE AND THE VALUE OF AN INSTITUTION THAT WAS PURCHASED WITH THE GREATEST AND MOST VALUABLE THING WHICH IS EVER EXISTED OR WILL EVER EXIST. AGAIN, THAT IS THE BLOOD OF JESUS HIMSELF. <br> <br> 

THIS DAY WE WANT TO CONTINUE AGAIN LOOKING AT ANOTHER TOPIC THAT WILL HELP US UNDERSTAND THE IDENTITY OF THE CHURCH IN UNDERSTANDING TRULY IF WE ARE GOD'S CHURCH AND IF WE'RE GOD'S PEOPLE. AND IF WE'RE DOING THE THINGS ACCORDING TO HIS PERFECT WILL. MANY OF US HAVE PROBABLY HAD INDIVIDUALS COME TO OUR DOORS BEFORE WHO ARE RELIGIOUS AND KNOCKED ON OUR DOORS TO TALK TO US. PERHAPS MANY OF US AS WELL HAVE GONE AND KNOCKED ON OTHER'S DOORS. I'VE ALWAYS FOUND IT INTERESTING, HOWEVER, THAT WHEN INDIVIDUALS DO AND I AM ABLE TO STRIKE UP A RELIGIOUS CONVERSATION WITH THEM THEY OFTEN ARE TRYING TO GIVE ME DIFFERENT TYPES OF RELIGIOUS MATERIALS. WHEN THEY BEGAN TO TALK ABOUT THOSE MATERIALS AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE I OFTEN FIND IT QUITE QUESTIONABLE BECAUSE I KNOW THAT GOD ALONE IS PERFECT. GOD ALONE IS THE CREATOR. GOD ALONE HAS GIVEN US WHAT WE KNOW TO BE THE WORD OF GOD, HIS WORD IN THE BIBLE. I FIND IT QUITE STRANGE, FRANKLY, THAT THERE ARE MANY RELIGIONS TODAY WHO WILL ACTUALLY TELL YOU THAT THE BIBLE IS THE INSPIRED WORD OF GOD, WHO WILL ACTUALLY TELL YOU THAT YOU MUST FOLLOW THE BIBLE, WHO WILL ACTUALLY TELL YOU THAT IF YOU DON'T FOLLOW THE BIBLE THAT IT IS NOT RIGHT BUT WHEN THEY ARE ASKED THE QUESTION DO WE NEED ANY OTHER BOOK? THEY WILL SAY WELL, YES. YOU NEED THIS CREED OR YOU NEED  THIS PAMPHLET OR YOU NEED THIS DOCUMENT WHICH WAS WRITTEN BY A MAN, A MAN WHO WAS A MODERN DAY PROPHET. <br> <br> 

HOW SAD BECAUSE EVEN THE PROPHETS THEMSELVES NEVER PROCLAIMED TO CHALLENGE OR WANT PEOPLE TO FOLLOW THEM. THEY ONLY SAID  FOLLOW THE WORD OF GOD. MOSES SAID FOLLOW THE LAW OF GOD. THE PROPHETS AFTER MOSES CHALLENGED THE PEOPLE TO FOLLOW THE LAW OF GOD, WRITTEN BY MOSES THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT. THEY DIDN'T SAY FOLLOW ME. DANIEL DIDN'T SAY FOLLOW MY WORDS AS I TELL YOU WHAT THE WILL OF GOD IS. HE DIDN'T SAY FOLLOW ME AS I EXPLAIN TO YOU WHAT I THINK IT SAYS. HE NEVER SAID THAT, NOR DAVID, NOR ISAIAH, NOR JEREMIAH. NONE OF THEM DID, INCLUDING THE FACT THAT WHEN JOHN THE IMMERSER CAME AND EVEN JESUS, THEY ALSO DID NOT SAY JUST FOLLOW MY WORDS OR MY IDEAS OR HERE'S THE EXTRA PAMPHLET OR THE EXTRA BOOKLET. THEY SAID FOLLOW THE WILL OF GOD. JESUS SAID I SPEAK NO OTHER WORDS THEN THE WORD OF GOD. YET THERE ARE MANY DENOMINATIONS WHICH WILL ADMITTEDLY SPEAK OF THEIR CREEDS WHICH ARE THE CREEDS OF MEN. NOT ONLY THE CONCEPTS OF THE CREEDS OF MEN WHICH HAVE BEEN WRITTEN TO GUIDE SOMEONE IN THEIR DOCTRINAL BELIEFS BUT OFTEN THE CONCEPT OF CONFESSIONS OF FAITH. SOMETIMES THOSE CAN BE QUITE LENGTHY. THEY NOW INVOLVE MORE THAN JUST ONE MIGHT CONFESS. IN THE RELIGIOUS IDEA OF THAT GROUP TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN, THEY INVOLVE WHAT THEY MUST DO EVERY DAY AND SO SOMEONE SAYS YES, YOU NEED TO FOLLOW THE BIBLE BUT YOU NEED TO PUT THAT MAN-MADE BOOK RIGHT UP AGAINST IT. YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO LOOK THROUGH THAT MAN-MADE BOOK BEFORE YOU CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ........YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT GOD EXPECTS ME TO GO THROUGH ANOTHER MAN IN ORDER TO KNOW HIM AND TO DO HIS WILL? THAT'S NOT WHAT MY BIBLE SAYS. THAT'S NOT WHAT THE WORD OF GOD THAT I HAVE IN MY HAND SAYS, BECAUSE WHAT IT TELLS ME IS THAT I MUST OBEY GOD AND GOD ALONE. EVEN THE DEFINITION OF A CREED OR CONFESSIONAL IS THIS: A CREED IS A BELIEF SYSTEM FOR A RELIGIOUS GROUP. WHAT? YOU MEAN A RELIGIOUS GROUP CAN CHOOSE THEIR BELIEFS? HOW SAD, THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SAY. HOW SAD BECAUSE MY BELIEF SYSTEM IS IN THIS BOOK RIGHT HERE, THE BIBLE AND THE WORD OF GOD. I DON'T NEED ANOTHER BOOK. I DON'T NEED A MAN TO TELL ME WHAT GOD SAID. I CAN READ IT FOR MYSELF. I CAN KNOW FOR MYSELF WHAT IT IS THAT GOD DESIGNED.<br> <br>  

ANOTHER DEFINITION OF A CREED IS A STATEMENT OF SHARED BELIEFS BY A RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY. YOU MEAN WE CAN ALL JUST GET TOGETHER AND SAY, WHAT DO YOU THINK? WHAT DO I THINK? WHAT DO OUR FOUNDERS THINK? YOU KNOW WHO MY FOUNDERS? JESUS CHRIST AND YOU KNOW WHO SAID HE SPOKE NOT OF HIS OWN AUTHORITY, BUT OF THE AUTHORITY GIVEN TO HIM BY THE FATHER AND THE WORDS HE SPOKE WERE NONE OTHER THEN THE FATHER'S WORDS THEMSELVES? JESUS, AND YOU KNOW WHAT I'M GOING TO DO AS A CHILD OF GOD? I'M GOING TO GO TO THE WORD OF GOD AND I'M GOING TO SPEAK AND FOLLOW NONE OTHER THAN WHAT IT IS THAT THE FATHER HAS DELIVERED THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT. I DON'T NEED A MAN TO TELL ME WHAT IT IS THAT GOD SAYS, WHO WAS NOT INSPIRED AS THE APOSTLES WERE, OR THOSE AUTHORS WHO WERE LED LITERALLY BY THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THOSE BOOKS. WE HAVE IN OUR BIBLE TODAY WHAT IS REFERRED TO AS THE CANON OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. <br> <br> 

I WANT YOU TO NOTICE SOMETHING ELSE BECAUSE EVEN THE BIBLE IDENTIFIES ITSELF TO BE THE WORD OF GOD AND IT GOES FURTHER TO IDENTIFY THE REALITY THAT WE NEED NOTHING ELSE AND THAT THE BIBLE GIVES US EVERYTHING  WE NEED. IT GIVES US EVERYTHING WE NEED, NOT ONLY TO LIVE THIS LIFE, BUT TO FOLLOW THE THINGS OF GOD SPIRITUALLY, WHICH IS REQUIRED. LOOK WITH ME IN THE FAMILIAR TEXT OF 2 TIMOTHY CHAPTER 3. IT IS QUITE SIGNIFICANT THAT IN VERSE 15 IT ACTUALLY SAYS THAT THERE IS SOMETHING THAT IS ABLE TO MAKE US WISE UNTO SALVATION. IT’S NOT THE CREEDS OF MEN, IT'S NOT A RELIGIOUS BOOK WRITTEN BY A MAN OF THIS FLESH AND OF THIS WORLD, BUT IT IS A BOOK THAT WAS INSPIRED BY GOD ALMIGHTY HIMSELF. IN FACT, WHAT IT IS THAT PAUL SAYS HERE TO TIMOTHY IS THAT FROM CHILDHOOD, YOU HAVE KNOWN THE HOLY'S SCRIPTURES WHICH ARE ABLE TO MAKE ONE WISE UNTO SALVATION. WHAT ARE THESE HOLY SCRIPTURES? WELL, HOLY IS GOD. GOD IS RIGHTEOUS. GOD IS PERFECT. THE ONLY BOOK THAT IS GOING TO BE PERFECT OR HOLY OR RIGHTEOUS LIKE GOD IS AND CAN REALLY BE WITHOUT ERROR AND CAN REALLY BE WHAT IT NEEDS TO BE IS THIS BOOK BECAUSE GOD DESIGNED IT AND GOD HAS PROVIDENTIALLY BROUGHT IT TO US. <br> <br> 

NOT ONLY DOES HE STOP THERE, THAT IS ONLY IN THE HOLY SCRIPTURES WHERE WE FIND SALVATION AND NOT IN WHAT SOME MAN TELLS ME ABOUT THE HOLY SCRIPTURES OR HIS INTERPRETATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, BUT VERSE 16 GOES ON TO SAY THIS. ALL SCRIPTURE, NOT SOME, NOT MOST OF IT, NOT A LITTLE BIT OF IT, NOT THE ONES THAT YOU LIKE BUT NOT THE ONES YOU DON'T LIKE, BUT ALL SCRIPTURE IS GIVEN BY INSPIRATION OF GOD. THE WORD INSPIRATION HERE MEANS BREATHED BY GOD THROUGH WHAT? THE AUTHORS OR THE AGENTS CHOSEN AND LED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT TO WRITE THE WILL OF GOD, NOT MAN'S THOUGHTS ABOUT THE WILL OF GOD AND NOT MAN'S FEELINGS OR MAN'S INTERPRETATION, BUT GOD'S WILL AND GOD'S REVELATIONS SPECIFICALLY. HE GOES ON TO SAY THIS, “ALL SCRIPTURE IS GIVEN BY INSPIRATION OF GOD,” NOT MAN, “AND THEREFORE IT IS PROFITABLE FOR DOCTRINE, FOR REPROOF, FOR CORRECTION, FOR INSTRUCTION, FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT THE MAN OF GOD MIGHT BE COMPLETE AND THOROUGHLY EQUIPPED,” WITH EVERYTHING HE NEEDS UNTO EVERY GOOD WORK. ISN'T THAT A BEAUTIFUL THOUGHT THAT THE HOLY SCRIPTURES THAT ARE FROM GOD, THEY GIVE DOCTRINE. I DON'T NEED A MAN TO GIVE ME DOCTRINE. I DON'T NEED A MAN'S BOOK OR MAN'S COVENANT, OR MAN'S CREED TO SHOW ME DOCTRINE. IT SAYS HERE THAT THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, THE HOLY PASSAGE OF GOD AND INSPIRED OF GOD, ALL SCRIPTURE IS INSPIRED OF GOD AND IS THAT WHICH GIVES ME THE DOCTRINE OF GOD. <br> <br> 

THERE IS ANOTHER TEXT THAT I THINK IS OF EQUAL IMPORTANCE AND IT IS FOUND OVER IN THE BOOK OF PETER. IF YOU WILL TURN THERE TO THE SECOND EPISTLE OF PETER YOU MIGHT RECALL WITH ME THERE WHAT HE SAYS THAT IS SIMILAR IN RELATIONSHIP TO WHAT WE FOUND IN THE BOOK OF TIMOTHY. WHAT PETER DOES HERE IS TELL US A LITTLE MORE OF THE MECHANICS OF HOW IT TOOK PLACE AND THE ACTUAL APPLICATION OF INSPIRATION WHEN HE SAYS THIS BEGINNING IN VERSE 20. HE SAYS, “KNOWING THIS THAT NO PROPHECY OF HOLY SCRIPTURES IS OF ANY PRIVATE INTERPRETATION, NOT FROM MAN.” SCRIPTURES, THOSE THINGS WE FOLLOW, DON'T COME FROM MEN. THEY DON'T COME FROM MEN WHO CLAIM TO BE PROPHETS. THEY COME FROM GOD DIRECTLY OR MEN WHO WERE LITERALLY AND PRO ABLY ARE INSPIRED BY GOD WITHIN A SPECIFIC PERIOD OF TIME WHERE GOD DID SUCH AND PROCLAIMED SUCH. NOTICE ALSO WHAT VERSE 21 ADDS, “FOR PROPHECY NEVER CAME BY THE WILL OF MAN, BUT HOLY MEN OF GOD WROTE AS THEY WERE MOVED AND INSPIRED,” BY GUESS WHO? THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD. IT'S NOT WHAT MEN THOUGHT BUT IT IS WHAT THE SPIRIT MOVED THEM AND INSPIRED THEM WITH. WHEN PAUL AND PETER AND OTHERS WROTE, THEY WROTE THE WILL OF GOD NOT BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT IT OR THEY FELT IT BUT BECAUSE GOD GUIDED THEM THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND CONTROLLED WHAT THEY WROTE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS EXACTLY WHAT THE WORD OF GOD WAS. BRETHREN, THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED THE BIBLE. THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED THE BOOK OF BOOKS. THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED THE WORD OF GOD. THAT'S WHY IT IS DESCRIBED AS BEING PERFECT AND INERRANT AND HOLY AND PURE AND RIGHTEOUS FOR IT IS OF GOD AND NOT MAN. OH, HOW SAD IT IS THAT ANY MAN WOULD CHOOSE AND KNOWINGLY CHOOSE TO FOLLOW THE PRECEPTS OR THE WILL OR THE INTERPRETATIONS OF JUST PHYSICAL MEN WHEN WE HAVE THE VERY WORDS OF GOD HIMSELF WRITTEN IN A WAY IN A LANGUAGE LEVEL THAT IS REALLY CAPABLE FOR ANYONE WHO IS LITERATE TO UNDERSTAND AND COMPREHEND THE TRUTH.<br> <br> 

 THERE'S ANOTHER TEXT FROM HERE IN THE SAME PASSAGE OF 2 PETER AND IN FACT IT IS EARLIER IN CHAPTER ONE AND IT TELLS US MORE ABOUT THIS KNOWLEDGE OF GOD THAT WAS GIVEN TO US THROUGH THOSE HOLY MEN THAT WERE MOVED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT HIMSELF TO BE INSPIRED AND TO WRITE THE WORD OF GOD. WHAT IS THE WORD OF GOD? ALL SCRIPTURE AND ALL REVELATION CHOSEN BY GOD TO HAVE BEEN INSPIRED IN THE FACT THAT HE CHOSE MEN TO WRITE CERTAIN THINGS IS THAT WHICH WE TURN TO. MOSES, FOR INSTANCE, WAS TOLD THREE OR MORE TIMES TO WRITE THESE WORDS. WHY? BECAUSE GOD WAS INSPIRING HIM TO MAKE SURE THAT HE ADEQUATELY PUT DOWN THE LAW AS GOD INTENDED. NOW, GO BACK WITH ME TO 2 PETER THERE IN CHAPTER 1 AND I WANT YOU TO NOTICE WHAT THIS BOOK SAYS ABOUT THE KNOWLEDGE BEGINNING IN VERSE TWO. IT SAYS, “GRACE AND PEACE BE MULTIPLIED TO YOU IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND OF JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD, AS GOD'S DIVINE POWER HAS GIVEN TO US ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE AND GODLINESS THROUGH THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM WHO CALLED US BY GLORY AND VIRTUE.” WHAT HAS GOD DONE? HE HAS GIVEN US KNOWLEDGE. WHAT KIND OF KNOWLEDGE HAS GOD GIVEN US? HE'S GIVEN US KNOWLEDGE TO SOME THINGS, NO. TO A FEW THINGS, NO. HE HAS GIVEN US KNOWLEDGE TO ALL THINGS THAT PERTAIN TO DAILY LIFE AND AS HE GOES ON TO SAY HERE GODLY THINGS. YOU MEAN I CAN GO TO THE BIBLE AND FIND THE ANSWERS TO EVERYTHING? EXACTLY. YOU MEAN I DON'T HAVE TO TURN TO MAN TO FIND OUT...........? EXACTLY, BECAUSE A MAN'S WILL CANNOT SAVE ME. A MAN DID NOT DIE FOR ME. JESUS ALONE DIED FOR ME, SO WHY WOULD I WANT TO TURN TO ANY OTHER MAN? <br> <br> 

THERE'S ANOTHER TEXT I THINK THAT HELPS US WITH THIS BECAUSE SOMETIMES PEOPLE GET THE IDEA THAT WELL, THEY FOLLOWED THE APOSTLES DOCTRINES. I WANT YOU TO NOTICE WITH ME THERE ON THE DAY THAT THE CHURCH BEGAN, AS WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING THROUGHOUT OUR SERIES SEVERAL TIMES IN ACTS CHAPTER 2, THAT ONE OF THE STATEMENTS THAT IS MADE AFTER THEY BEEN BAPTIZED SAYS THERE WERE 3000 OF THEM THAT DAY AND IN VERSE 42 IT SAYS AND THEY CONTINUED STEADFASTLY IN THE APOSTLES DOCTRINE. WHAT WAS THE APOSTLES DOCTRINE? DO YOU REMEMBER THERE IN THE BOOK OF MATTHEW WHERE WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT TOGETHER AND CHAPTER 16 WHERE IT TALKS ABOUT JESUS SAYING I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH? REMEMBER WHAT HE SAID THERE? TIME AND TIME AGAIN, HE CONFIRMED FOR US THE FACT THAT THE THINGS BOUND WERE COMING FROM WHERE? GOD. WHAT PETER BOUND ON EARTH OR IN HEAVEN WAS FROM GOD. HOW DO WE KNOW THAT? BECAUSE NOT ONLY IN THE BOOK OF MATTHEW, BUT AS WE MOVE OVER TO THE BOOK OF JOHN THERE ARE SEVERAL TIMES IN CHAPTERS 14, 15 AND 16 THAT WE HAVE THIS EVIDENCE PROVED. NOW I WANT YOU TO NOTICE WITH ME SPECIFICALLY IN VERSE 16 BECAUSE I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE BEST OF THE THREE. IT SAYS IN VERSE 13, “HOWEVER, WHEN HE THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH HAS COME TO YOU, HE WILL GUIDE YOU IN ALL TRUTH AND HE WILL NOT SPEAK ON HIS OWN AUTHORITY BUT WHATEVER HE HEARS HE WILL SPEAK.” EVEN THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS COMING IN THE NAME OF GOD AND WAS GOING TO REVEAL TO THEM ALL THINGS AND ALL REMEMBRANCE. EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEEDED. THAT'S THE IDEA OF INSPIRATION. WHAT WE TURN TO AS WE THINK ABOUT THE HOLY SCRIPTURES IS THAT WHICH IS FROM GOD, NOT MAN. THE APOSTLES WERE BEING LED IN ALL THINGS BY GOD. HOW? THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT. HOW IS THAT HAPPENING? INSPIRATION AND THE GREAT MIRACULOUS GIFTS THAT HAVE BEEN BLESSED AND GIVEN TO THEM EVEN AS PROMISED AS THEY WERE WAITING FOR THE DAY OF PENTECOST AND WHICH TRANSPIRED IN ACTS CHAPTER 1, AS WELL AS ACTS CHAPTER 2. NO WONDER JAMES SAYS THAT WE HAVE TODAY THE PERFECT, THE COMPLETE LAW OF LIBERTY IN JAMES CHAPTER 1:25. WITHIN THAT SAME CONTEXT HE ALSO ADDS THEREFORE BE YE DOERS OF THE WORD. WHAT WORD? NOT MAN'S WORD AND NOT A MAN-MADE IDEA OR CREED OF MAN BUT BE DOERS OF THE PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY, AND THE ONLY PERFECT THING THAT WE HAVE THAT IS FROM GOD TODAY AND THAT STILL EXISTS ARE HIS PRECEPTS, HIS WORD, THE INERRANT BIBLE, THE SCRIPTURES, AND THAT WE ARE NEVER TO ADD TO, GALATIANS CHAPTER 2:14, AND WE ARE NEVER ALSO TO TAKE AWAY FROM. IF YOU WILL THINK ABOUT THE BOOK OF REVELATION AS WELL,  CHAPTER 22:18-19 GIVES US THE SAME PROMISE FROM OUR GOD. <br> <br> 

WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO CHALLENGE US WITH TODAY IS TO LOOK TO GOD FOR THE ANSWERS. NOW, THERE MIGHT BE A MAN WHO HELPS US TO SEE WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS AND WE ARE ABLE TO LOOK TO THE WORD OF GOD AND WE'RE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS BOOK SAYS TO A BETTER EXTENT BUT I DON'T NEED ADDITIONAL SCRIPTS OR GUIDANCE OR CREEDS OR BOOKS OR PAMPHLETS IN ORDER THAT I MIGHT BE ABLE TO FOLLOW SOMETHING IN ADDITION TO THAT WHICH IS PERFECT FROM GOD. GOD ALONE IS PERFECT AND THE ONLY WORD THAT CAN BE PERFECT IS FROM HIM. WHY WOULD YOU JEOPARDIZE YOUR SOUL'S SALVATION? WHY WOULD YOU PLACE YOUR HOPE, YOUR ETERNAL EXISTENCE, IN THE ARMS AND HANDS OF A MERE MAN WHEN YOU HAVE THE VERY BREATH OF GOD WHICH GIVES YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO BE COMPLETELY AND THOROUGHLY FURNISHED WITH EVERYTHING THAT IS NEEDED TO DO ALL THINGS IN A LIFE IN GODLINESS.  SO THAT YOU MIGHT NOT ONLY BE BLESSED TODAY BUT BLESSED ETERNALLY. WON'T YOU TURN TO GOD'S WORD AND GOD'S WORD ALONE IN THAT YOU MIGHT BE SAVED TODAY AND HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.

<br> <br> 

CLOSING COMMENTS<br> <br> 

I HOPE OUR TIME TOGETHER THIS MORNING, HAS BEEN AN ENCOURAGEMENT AND BLESSING TO ALL. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR CHOOSING TO BE WITH US IN GIVING THIS TIME TO GOD. PLEASE REMEMBER, YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN US EVERY SUNDAY MORNING AT 7:30, AS WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO THIS SERVICE OF GOD! <br> <br> 

NOW LET ME ASK IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT TODAY’S LESSON? MAYBE, YOU WOULD LIKE A FREE TRANSCRIPT OR A CASSETTE TAPE OF THIS PROGRAM? POSSIBLY, WE COULD ASSIST YOU WITH FREE BIBLE MATERIALS OR CORRESPONDENCE COURSES? NO MATTER WHAT YOUR NEED IS, PLEASE CONTACT US AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS:<br> <br> 

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BRETHREN AND FRIENDS, MAY WE ALWAYS BE SATISFIED WITH FOLLOWING GOD’S COMPLETE, PERFECT AND INERRANT WORD; FOR WE NEED NOTHING ELSE IN THIS LIFE TO KNOW HIS WILL OR TO FIND THE PATH OF SALVATION! SO WHAT ABOUT YOU, WILL YOU CHOOSE TO FOLLOW MAN’S IMPERFECT CREEDS OR GOD’S PERFECT GOSPEL?

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