THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT<br> <br>

PROGRAM AIR DATE – 4-27-14<br> <br>



LESSON TITLE:  “THE DESTRUCTIVE WAY.”<br> <br>



WELCOME<br> <br>

LET ME WELCOME EACH OF YOU TO OUR PROGRAM ON THIS BEAUTIFUL 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 GODÕS 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 THIS DAY AND THE MANY BLESSINGS OF LIFE AND THE PRIVILEGE THAT WE HAVE AS WELL TO SERVE YOU AND TO BE CALLED YOUR OWN CHILDREN. FATHER, WE ARE THANKFUL FOR NOT ONLY THE PHYSICAL BLESSINGS BUT THE SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS, FOR WE KNOW ALL GOOD THINGS COME FROM YOU. FATHER, WE THANK YOU MOST OF ALL FOR THE GIFT OF YOUR SON JESUS AND THE SACRIFICE THAT HE MADE ON THE CROSS AS WELL AS HIS RESURRECTION ON THE THIRD DAY WHICH HELPS US TO STAND JUSTIFIED IN YOUR GRACE, LOVE AND MERCY EACH AND EVERY MOMENT OF OUR LIVES. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN. <br> <br>

CONSIDER FOR A MOMENT WHAT IT IS IN THIS LIFE THAT GIVES US TRUE JOY AND HAPPINESS!  WHAT IS IT THAT CAUSES US TO HAVE THE BLESSING AND PROMISES WHICH WE DO FROM GOD?  OUR FIRST SONG OF THE MORNING FOCUSES ON ONE THING IN OUR WORLD WHICH LEADS US TO LIFE AND TRUE HAPPINESS „ THE CALL OF JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.  SO, WONÕT YOU JOIN IN WITH THE CONGREGATION AT THIS TIME AS WE SING TOGETHER THE SONG, “SOFTLY AND TENDERLY!”<br> <br>







DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS<br> <br>

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THAT PERSON ON THE JOB DID SOMETHING AGAINST YOU?  WHAT ABOUT YOUR NEIGHBOR WHO JUST KEEPS ACTING IN A WAY OR SAYING THINGS THAT ARE NOT KIND?  MAYBE YOU HAVE HAD A RUN IN WITH A FAMILY MEMBER OR A LOVED ONE.  WHATEVER THE SITUATION, LET ME ASK YOU, “HOW DID YOU REACT?”

<br> <br>ONE OF THE TOUGHEST LESSONS OF CHRISTIANITY IS TO DO GOOD TO THOSE WHO DO BAD TOWARD US.   HOWEVER, WE KNOW THIS TO BE TRUE BECAUSE EVEN JESUS DEALT A LOT WITH THESE SAME PRINCIPLES DURING HIS MINISTRY.  IN MATTHEW 7:12, WE READ THE GOLDEN RULE WHERE WE ARE TO TREAT OTHERS AS WE WANT TO BE TREATED.  BUT NOW GO BACK TO SOMETHING JESUS SAID EARLIER IN THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT, IN CHAPTER 5, AND VERSE 44 OF THE SAME BOOK.  THERE WE READ, “BUT I SAY TO YOU, LOVE YOUR ENEMIES, BLESS THOSE WHO CURSE YOU, DO GOOD TO THOSE WHO HATE YOU, AND PRAY FOR THOSE WHO SPITEFULLY USE YOU AND PERSECUTE YOU,”  DID YOU HEAR THE WORDS OF OUR SAVIOR AND LORD, THE KING OF GOD’S KINGDOM?  HE SAID WE ARE TO DO GOOD IN RETURN FOR EVIL.  

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IF YOU GO TO PAUL’S WRITING YOU WILL FIND THE SAME PRINCIPLES PRESENTED AS HE NO DOUBT WAS LEAD IN THESE THINGS BY GOD.  IN ROMANS 12:21, WE READ, “DO NOT BE OVERCOME BY EVIL, BUT OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD.”  HERE AGAIN WE SEE THAT WE ARE TO RETURN GOOD FOR EVIL NOT EVIL FOR EVIL AS OUR SOCIETY TEACHES.  HOWEVER, I THINK THIS SAME VERSE ALSO TELLS US WHY WE ARE TO DO THIS - THE ANSWER IS SO THAT WE WILL NOT BE “OVERCOME WITH EVIL,” OR “PARTAKERS OURSELVES OF EVIL THINGS.” <br> <br>



DOESN’T THIS ALL MAKE GOOD SENSE?  WHEN WE CHOOSE TO STOOP TO THE BAD LEVEL OF THOSE WHO DO THINGS AGAINST US WE ARE NO BETTER THAN THEY ARE.  WE ARE GUILTY OF THE SAME SIN.  HOWEVER, WHEN WE CHOOSE TO BE LIKE CHRIST AND REACT AS HE DID - THEN PEOPLE CAN TRULY SEE JESUS IN US.  NO DOUBT THIS IS WHY JESUS FURTHER SAID, “BUT I TELL YOU NOT TO RESIST AN EVIL PERSON. BUT WHOEVER SLAPS YOU ON YOUR RIGHT CHEEK, TURN THE OTHER TO HIM ALSO,” MATTHEW 5:39.  

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MAY WE NEVER CHOOSE TO BE LIKE THE WORLD AND TO FALL INTO THE SINS OF THOSE AROUND US WHO OFTEN DO THINGS AGAINST US.  INSTEAD MAY WE ALSO GO THE EXTRA MILE AND LEARN NOT TO STRIKE BACK, SO THAT THE WHOLE WORLD, AS WELL AS OUR GOD WILL TRULY KNOW WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT OUR CHRISTIANITY.   SO, HOW DO YOU REACT WHEN THINGS ARE DONE AGAINST YOU?

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THIS MORNING, I WILL BE LEADING OUR LESSON THOUGHTS OF THE DAY, AS WE CONTINUE OUR STUDY TOGETHER ENTITLED, “ASK FOR THE OLD PATHS.” OUR SPECIFIC LESSON OF THE DAY IS CALLED, “THE DESTRUCTIVE WAY.”  SO STAY WITH US AND AFTER OUR NEXT SONG TOGETHER WE WILL RETURN WITH THIS STUDY FROM GOD’S WORD.  NOW LET’S RETURN TO OUR SINGING.  THE NAME OF THE NEXT HYMN, “SOLDIERS OF CHRIST ARISE.”



<br> <br>LESSON<br> <br>

BY RAY SULLINS<br> <br>

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CONTINUING WITH US THIS DAY AS WE NOW GO TO GOD'S WORD AND WE CONSIDER AGAIN ANOTHER LESSON IN OUR SERIES CONCERNING THOSE OLD PATHS THAT WE READ ABOUT IN JEREMIAH CHAPTER 6. CERTAINLY, GOD CHALLENGED THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL TO CONSIDER THE OLD PATHS AND TO ASK FOR THEM AND TO WALK IN THEM. THERE IS A GREAT ACTION AND A NEED TO UNDERSTAND, NOT ONLY WHAT IT IS THAT GOD WANTS OF US BY SEEKING OUT HIS PATH, BUT ALSO TO DO THOSE THINGS THAT HE HAS TOLD US WITHIN THAT WHICH WE LEARN ABOUT THE OLD PATHS. CERTAINLY, AS WE HAVE CONTINUED TO SEE WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THOSE OLD PATHS, IT IS REALLY MAKING A REFERENCE TO THOSE THINGS WHICH HAVE BEEN. THOSE THINGS DECLARED BY GOD WHICH ARE OF OLD AND WHICH HAVE BEEN FOR HUNDREDS, AND IN SOME CASES, THOUSANDS OF YEARS. GOD'S WILL IS ESTABLISHED AND DOES NOT CHANGE. WITH THAT BEING THE CASE, HOW WONDERFUL IT IS TO KNOW THAT WE AS CHILDREN OF GOD TODAY CAN, NOT ONLY KNOW THE PATHS OF JESUS CHRIST WHICH ARE SOME 2000 YEARS OLD, BUT WE CAN KNOW THOSE OLD PATHS AND WE CAN ASK ABOUT THEM AND THEN WE CAN WALK IN THEM TO BE FOUND PLEASING TO GOD. <br> <br>

I WANT YOU TO LOOK WITH ME NOW IN JEREMIAH CHAPTER 18 BECAUSE A FEW CHAPTERS OVER FROM CHAPTER 6, WHERE WE SEE THE INTRODUCTION OF OUR MAIN THEME. WE SEE AGAIN THIS CONCEPT OF WHAT ISRAEL WAS DOING AND HOW REALLY HE SAYS HERE THAT THEY WERE STUMBLING AND THEREFORE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS THAT WAS ALLOWING THEM TO STUMBLE. IN VERSE 15 OF JEREMIAH CHAPTER 18, THE BIBLE SAYS, “BECAUSE MY PEOPLE HAVE FORGOTTEN ME. THEY HAVE BURNED INCENSE TO WORTHLESS IDOLS. AND THEY HAVE CAUSED THEMSELVES TO STUMBLE IN THEIR WAYS, FROM THE ANCIENT PATHS, TO WALK IN THE PATHWAYS AND NOT THE HIGHWAY.” YOU SEE THERE THAT GOD HAD GIVEN THEM THE WAY AND HAD GIVEN THEM THE PATH AND THE DIRECTION, BUT RATHER THAN DOING THAT, THEY CHOSE NOT TO FOLLOW THE ANCIENT WAYS AND CHOSE TO FOLLOW, AS YOU MIGHT NOTICE IN THE VERSE, THEIR OWN WAYS. THEY STUMBLED BECAUSE THEIR DESIRE WAS TO DO WHAT THEY WANTED. WHAT WAS BEST FOR THEM. WHAT FELT GOOD TO THEM. WHAT WAS REALLY ACCORDING TO MAN'S IDEA. DOES THAT SOUND FAMILIAR? I WOULD CHALLENGE YOU TO LOOK AROUND, EVEN SPRINGFIELD TODAY, AND MAKE NOTE OF THE MANY TYPES OF RELIGIONS THAT THERE ARE. MANY PROFESSING TO HAVE THEIR OWN CREEDS, THEIR OWN BELIEFS, THEIR OWN IDEOLOGIES, AND THEIR OWN OWN DOCTRINE. CERTAINLY THAT'S NOT WHAT GOD REQUIRED OR PRAYED FOR IN JOHN 17. WITHIN THAT MINDSET, I HOPE WE UNDERSTAND THAT AS IS SEEN THE DOCTRINES OF MEN AND THE TEACHINGS AND THE WAYS OF MEN, NO MATTER HOW NEW THEY ARE AND NO MATTER HOW UP TO MODERN TIMES AND GREAT STANDARDS THEY ARE, THEY'RE STILL NOT THE OLD PATHS OF GOD. <br> <br>

NO DOUBT THAT IS WHAT IS BEING REFERENCED THERE IN MATTHEW 15 BY JESUS AS HE IS REFERRING TO WHAT IS TAKING PLACE AGAIN BACK IN THE DAYS OF ISAIAH AND JEREMIAH. AS HE WAS TALKING ABOUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS THEN, HE SAYS, “THESE PEOPLE ARE DRAWING NEAR TO ME WITH THEIR MOUTHS, AND THEY HONOR ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEARTS ARE FAR FROM ME,” JESUS SAYS THAT IN MATTHEW 15:8. BUT THEN NOTICE WHAT HE SAYS IN VERSE 9. HE SAYS, “IN VAIN THEY WORSHIP ME. THAT ACT LIKE THEY LOVE ME BUT REALLY THEIR HEARTS ARE NOT WITH ME BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT DOING MY WILL. RATHER, WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS THEY'RE WORSHIPING IN VAIN BECAUSE THEY ARE TEACHING COMMANDMENTS THAT ARE THE DOCTRINES OF MEN.” MAY WE NEVER BE SATISFIED WITH THE NEW DOCTRINES OF MEN. THE DOCTRINES THAT ARE NOT GROUNDED IN THE OLD PATHS OR CONFIRMED FOR US THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO, BUT RATHER THEY ARE WHAT SOMEONE HAS TOLD US SINCE. WAS SOMEONE HAS TOLD US WHO CLAIMS TO BE A PROPHET SINCE THE DAYS THAT JESUS DELIVERED HIS NEW COVENANT. THOSE THINGS CERTAINLY CANNOT BE OF GOD. THIS CERTAINLY CANNOT BE OF GOD WHEN WE KNOW WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE FULL REVELATION. ALL THINGS PETER SAID THAT PERTAIN TO LIFE AND GODLINESS AND NOT SOME OF THEM. JESUS SAID WE CAN KNOW THE TRUTH. HE WAS TELLING PEOPLE THAT EVEN IN HIS DAY AND YOU CAN KNOW IT TODAY. ALL THINGS PERTAINING TO LIFE AND GODLINESS IS THERE AND HAVE BEEN DELIVERED UNTO SALVATION. WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR SOMETHING NEW. IF YOU ARE, THEN YOU HAVE MISSED THE IDEA OF THE SERIES. YOU MISUNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS THAT GOD HAS ALWAYS DESIRED. FOR WE MUST SEEK THOSE THINGS OF GOD, AND IF THEY BE OLD BRETHREN AND FRIENDS, PRAISE BE TO GOD! FOR THEN WE CAN BE SURE THAT WE KNOW WE ARE RIGHT WHEN WE HAVE SEEN THE PATTERN FOLLOWED FOR SO LONG IN RELATIONSHIP OF THOSE WHO TRULY LOVE GOD. <br> <br>

TODAY, AS WE CONTINUE OUR THOUGHTS, WE NOW LOOK TO AGAIN TO ANOTHER TEXT IN MATTHEW SEVERAL CHAPTERS BACK IN THE GREAT SERMON ON THE MOUNT. WERE GOING BACK TO CHAPTER 7 AND YOU MIGHT RECALL WITH ME THE FROM OUR DISCUSSION AS WAS CALLED OFTEN THE NARROW WAY OR EVEN THE BROAD WAY. WITHIN THAT DISCUSSION WE SEE SOMETHING IN VERSE 13 THAT IS QUITE INTERESTING. AFTER HE SAYS THERE IS A NARROW WAY AND ENTER THE NARROW GATE, HE THEN IN AN IMMEDIATE TURNAROUND CONTRASTS THE BROAD WAY. HE SAYS THIS, AND BY THE WAY THESE ARE THE WORDS OF JESUS CHRIST, “FOR WIDE IS THE GATE AND BROAD IS THE WAY.” THERE IS THAT IDEA..........BROAD IS THE WAY, THE WIDE WAY OR THE WIDE PATH OR THE WIDE ROAD OR THE WIDE HIGHWAY. THERE IT IS. IT'S WIDE AND BROAD AND, IN FACT AS YOU GO ON, IT SAYS MANY GO IN BY IT AND MANY FOLLOW THAT BROAD AND WIDE WAY. BUT THERE IS SOMETHING I LEFT OUT PURPOSELY. HE ADDS THIS, “WIDE IS THE GATE AND BROAD IS THE WAY THAT LEADS TO DESTRUCTION.” THERE IS A WAY, THERE IS A ROAD, THERE IS A PATH THAT LEADS TO DESTRUCTION. VERSE 14 SAYS, MANY AND NOT JUST A FEW BUT MANY, IN CONTRAST TO THE VERY FEW THAT ARE ON THE NARROW AND THE RIGHT WAY THAT LEADS TO ETERNAL LIFE. YOU SEE, THERE IS A DESTRUCTIVE WAY AND SO THIS WEEK WE WANT TO FOCUS ON THAT DESTRUCTIVE WAY AND THEN NEXT WEEK WE ARE GOING TO SEE MORE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THAT NARROW AND THAT UNIQUE WAY THAT WE MUST FOLLOW IN ORDER TO BE RIGHT WITH OUR GOD. <br> <br>

THINK ABOUT THIS CONCEPT OF THE DESTRUCTIVE WAY. THERE IS SOMETHING THAT IS OBVIOUS FROM WHAT IT IS CALLED. IF YOU GO BY THIS WAY THERE IS DESTRUCTION INVOLVED. I DON'T BELIEVE IT IS ONLY ETERNAL DESTRUCTION, ALTHOUGH I THINK THAT IS IMMEDIATELY WHAT HE IS DEALING WITH IN THE FACT THAT HE TURNED AROUND AND IN VERSE 14 SAYS THE NARROW WAY LEADS TO LIFE, OR A WAY OF ETERNAL LIFE. SO HE CERTAINLY IS DEALING WITH THAT IDEA OF MAYBE A COMPLETE DESTRUCTION IN THE END. BUT WHAT ABOUT THE DESTRUCTION AND THE SIN OF LIFE? THOSE THINGS THAT MIGHT BRING US DOWN OR CAUSE US TO NOT BE WHAT WE SHOULD BE BUT INSTEAD CHOOSE TO SERVE SATAN RATHER THAN GOD. THE DESTRUCTIVE WAY. THAT PATH THAT MIGHT BE VERY POPULAR AND IT MIGHT BE WHERE EVERYONE IS AND IT MIGHT BE WHERE ALL THE OTHER NATIONS ARE AND WHAT EVERYBODY IS DOING......PEER PRESSURE, BUT IT'S NOT RIGHT.<br> <br>

 IT MAKES ME THINK IMMEDIATELY OF ISRAEL. HOW MANY TIMES UNDER THE OLD COVENANT, EVEN BEFORE THEY HAD A KING AND AFTER THEY HAD A KING, THE ISRAELITES WERE DESIROUS OF AND BEGGING TO BE LIKE THE OTHER NATIONS. IN FACT, I LOVE IT WHEN IT IS ASKED OF SAMUEL TO DECLARE A REQUEST OF GOD TO HAVE A KING. THEY KEPT SAYING GIVE US A KING. WHY? THEY ANSWERED WE WANT TO BE LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE. ISN'T IT SAD WHEN PEOPLE WANT TO BE LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, EVEN WHEN THE WAY IS DESTRUCTIVE? GOD TOLD THEM IF YOU HAVE A KING THEN HE IS GOING TO DO THIS, AND HE IS GOING TO TAKE YOUR MONEY, AND HE IS GOING TO TAKE YOUR SONS AND PUT THEM IN THE ARMIES, AND ALL OF THESE NEGATIVE THINGS. IT IS GONNA BE THE DESTRUCTIVE WAY AND MANY IN A PHYSICAL SENSE, BUT YET WHAT DID THEY SAY? GIVE US OUR KING. WE WANT TO BE LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.<br> <br>

 WELL, I SEE THAT IN THE WORLD TODAY. I SEE THAT IN DENOMINATIONALISM. I SEE THAT IN PEOPLE WHO CLAIM TO BE FOLLOWERS OF GOD BECAUSE THEY SAY WE LOVE GOD AND GIVE US GOD. BUT OH YEAH, GIVE US OUR KING. GIVE US WHAT WE LIKE. GIVE US WHAT WE WANT. OH BROTHER RAY, WE SURE ENJOY DOING THAT. IT MAY NOT BE SOMETHING WE FIND IN THE BIBLE AND WE MIGHT NOT HAVE AUTHORITY BUT IT SURE IS SOMETHING WE ENJOY DOING. IT SURE FEELS GOOD WHEN WE DO IT. IT'S THE DESTRUCTIVE WAY FOR IT IS NOT THE OLD PATHS. IT HAS NO AUTHORITY. IT IS NOT FOUNDED IN WHAT GOD HAD DECLARED THAT WE SHOULD, NOT ONLY KNOW BUT WHAT WE SHOULD DO. THE ANCIENT PATHS. THE ANCIENT WAYS. THE WAYS THAT ARE TRIED-AND-TRUE AND TESTED. YOU KNOW, YOU THINK ABOUT THAT THROUGH LIFE, IS THERE NOT GREAT WISDOM WHEN WE TELL OUR CHILDREN AND OUR GRANDCHILDREN, SON OR DAUGHTER, THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THAT. YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THAT BECAUSE HERE'S THE OUTCOME. IT'S TRIED-AND-TRUE AND I CAN TELL YOU BECAUSE I'VE EXPERIENCED ALONG WITH OTHERS THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THAT. I CAN ASSURE YOU OF THE DESTRUCTION THAT IS FOUND THERE IN DOING THAT. YET IN RELIGIOUS THINGS, WE CAN LOOK AT THE SAME THINGS AND CONCLUDE THAT THIS IS NOT OF GOD AND WE KNOW GOD IS NOT PLEASED WHEN WE DON'T DO HIS WILL. BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER IN SPIRITUAL THINGS. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF WE FOLLOW GOD OR NOT. AS LONG AS WE LOVE HIM AND AS LONG AS WE ARE SHOWING HIM LOVE THEN THAT'S ALL IT TAKES. WHAT ABOUT THE OLD PATHS? WHAT ABOUT THE WAY THAT IT GIVES US? WHAT ABOUT HIS DOCTRINE? WHAT ABOUT HIS TRUTH? <br> <br>

JESUS WAS NOT ONLY THE WAY BUT HE WAS THE TRUTH AND HE WAS THE LIFE. HE GAVE THE RIGHT DIRECTION. HE DIDN'T JUST SAY THAT THERE WAS TRUTH AND THAT THE WORD WAS TRUTH. HE SAYS THAT YOU MUST KNOW THE TRUTH AND IT'S THE TRUTH..... OBEDIENCE TO IT. LOVE PROVED BY OBEDIENCE TO THE TRUTH THAT IT DOES WHAT? IT SHOWS SOMEONE THAT THEY TRULY ARE OF GOD. THE OLD BROAD DESTRUCTIVE WAY, AS THE BIBLE SAYS, IS GOING TO BE ONE THAT MANY ARE SURPRISED ABOUT THAT DAY. WHEN THEY STAND BEFORE GOD, AND THEY FEEL JUSTIFIED AND THEY DECLARE AS WE FIND IN MATTHEW CHAPTER 7 BUT LORD, DID WE NOT PROPHESY IN YOUR NAME? DID WE NOT DO MANY WONDROUS WORKS IN YOUR NAME? I'M AFRAID, THAT AS THE SCRIPTURES SAY IN THE VERY WORDS OF JESUS, DEPART FROM ME. YOU, WHO WORK IN INIQUITY, I HAVE NEVER KNOWN YOU.” WHY? THEY WOULDN'T DO THE WILL OF GOD. THEY WOULDN'T FOLLOW THE WAYS OF GOD, THE PATHS OF GOD, THE DIRECTION OF GOD, AND THE WORD OF GOD. THEREFORE, BY CHOOSING THEIR OWN WAYS AND THE WAYS OF MAN AND OF RELIGIONS OR IDOLS, THEY HAVE FORSAKEN THEIR MAKER AND CREATOR AND DONE THAT WHICH IS CONTRARY. <br> <br>

TURN OVER IF YOU WILL WITH ME TO THE BOOK OF PETER. WE SEE ANOTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THESE DESTRUCTIVE WAYS THAT I FIND QUITE SIGNIFICANT AND INTERESTING. AS PETER DEALS WITH TALKING TO CHRISTIANS IN SECOND PETER CHAPTER 2, HE BEGINS TO WARN THEM AFTER HE IS SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN KNOW THE TRUTH AND THE WORD IN CHAPTER 1 AND HOW WE CAN KNOW HOW TO ACT AS CHRISTIANS AND HOW WE CAN KEEP IN REMEMBRANCE. IN FACT, PETER ACTUALLY SAYS I'M GONNA KEEP REMINDING YOU OF THOSE THINGS THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE KNOWN AND THAT YOU'VE ALWAYS HEARD. I'M GOING TO REMIND YOU ABOUT ALL THAT OLD STUFF THAT YOU GET TIRED OF HEARING. I'M GONNA KEEP REMINDING YOU BECAUSE THAT'S THE PROPHETIC WORD OF GOD. HE THEN IN VERSE ONE OF CHAPTER 2 SAYS, “BUT YOU WERE ALSO KNOWING THAT THERE WERE THOSE WHO WERE FALSE PROPHETS AMONG THE PEOPLE IN THE PAST.” THEN HE GOES ON TO SAY, “EVEN AS THERE WILL BE FALSE PROPHETS OR TEACHERS AMONG YOU WHO WILL SECRETLY BRING IN DESTRUCTIVE HERESIES. EVEN DENYING THE LORD WHO BROUGHT THEM. THEY BRING ON THEMSELVES SWIFT DESTRUCTION.” THERE'S THE FIRST TIME IT SAYS DESTRUCTION. SO THOSE WHO WERE FALSE TEACHERS OR FALSE PROPHETS, AS IN OLDEN DAYS, WILL BRING DESTRUCTION ON THEMSELVES. THE SAME IS TRUE TODAY. WHEN PEOPLE FOLLOW DESTRUCTIVE WAYS, THEY BRING DESTRUCTION UPON THEMSELVES. GOD DOESN'T HAVE TO BRING DESTRUCTION ON THEM. THEY BRING IT ON THEMSELVES. IT'S THEIR CHOICE. <br> <br>

LET'S LOOK AT VERSE 2, “MANY WILL FOLLOW IN THEIR DESTRUCTIVE WAYS.” THERE IT IS AGAIN. WHAT ARE THOSE PATHS AND WHAT ARE THOSE WAYS? DESTRUCTIVE WAYS ARE FALSE. WHY? THEY ARE INCORRECT AND THEY'RE NOT OF GOD. THEY'RE NOT ACCORDING TO WHAT THE WAY THAT JESUS GAVE US WHEN HE GAVE US HIS WILL. HOW DO WE KNOW? WE COMPARE WHAT THEY SAY THAT IS FALSE AND DESTRUCTIVE AND WE SEE THAT IT IS NOT HERE IN THE BIBLE. WE SEE THERE'S NO AUTHORITY. WE SEE THAT THERE IS NO COMMANDMENT OR EXAMPLE. WE SEE THERE'S NO INFERENCE. WE LOOK AT THE TEXT AND WE HAVE NO RIGHT TO DO THESE THINGS BECAUSE WE CANNOT ADD TO NOR CAN WE TAKE AWAY FROM THE WORD OF GOD. THEREFORE, WE SEE THAT DESTRUCTIVE   WAY CLEAR AND BRIGHT. WE HAVE A CHOICE. WILL WE FOLLOW THAT BROAD WAY THAT MOST FOLLOW OR WILL WE WILL LOOK AROUND FOR THAT NARROW WAY AND STAY ON THE PATH TO JESUS? IT IS THE PATH OF THE CROSS, BUT THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT HE SAYS. 

IF I WOULD ASK YOU WHAT IS A BLASPHEMER? THINK ABOUT WHAT COMES TO YOUR MIND FIRST AND FOREMOST. HE GOES ON TO VERSE 2 TO SAY, “THESE DESTRUCTIVE WAYS ARE A RESULT OF WHOM THE WAY OF TRUTH HAS BEEN BLASPHEMED.” THE TRUTH IS THE WORD OF GOD. JESUS SAID HE WAS THE TRUTH AND HE BROUGHT THE WORD OF GOD. WE HAVE THE WORD OF GOD TODAY, WHICH IS THE TRUTH, AND THOSE WHO DO WHAT? THOSE WHO DO NOT FOLLOW THE WAY OF TRUTH, WHICH THEREFORE THEY FOLLOW THE DESTRUCTIVE WAY RATHER THAN THE WAY OF TRUTH, THOSE ARE BLASPHEMERS. HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT THAT? WHEN SOMEONE DOES THE WILL OF GOD OR CHOOSES NOT TO DO THE WORD OF GOD OR THE TRUTH OF GOD AND THEY DO SOMETHING AGAINST THE WORD OF GOD, IT IS NOT ONLY A DESTRUCTIVE WAY BUT IT IS BLASPHEMING. DO YOU THINK ANYBODY IN HEAVEN IS GOING TO BE A BLASPHEMER? NOT IF IT'S UNREPENTANT OF. WE KNOW THAT YOU HAVE TO REPENT OF YOUR SINS. CERTAINLY IF SOMEONE HAS REPENTED, GOD CAN FORGIVE ALL THINGS, BUT THIS CLEARLY SAYS THOSE WHO CHOOSE THE DESTRUCTIVE WAYS OF MAN OR SELF WILL NOT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. FOR THEY ARE BLASPHEMERS. 

WHAT MUST WE THEN DO AS THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN? WE MUST FOLLOW WHAT THEY SAID. WHAT IT SAYS HERE IS CLEARLY THE WAY OF TRUTH. WHAT I LOVE ABOUT OUR DISCUSSION IN OUR SERIES IS THAT WE KEEP COMING BACK TO THE SAME PLACE. TRUTH IS TRUTH. GOD IS TRUTH AND HIS WORD IS TRUTH, AND IF WE DO IT THOSE ARE THOSE OLD PATHS. THOSE TRIED-AND-TRUE PATHS. THOSE SOUND PATHS. THE DESTRUCTIVE WAYS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN. THEY HAVE BEEN IN OLD TIMES AND IN THESE TIMES AND THEY WILL BE IN FUTURE TIMES. THEY WILL ALWAYS BE. HOW DO WE KNOW? THE DESTRUCTIVE WAYS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT THAT WHICH IS AGAINST THE WILL OF GOD. HOW DO I KNOW THAT? AGAIN, I TURN TO THE THE ONLY PLACE WHERE I CAN FIND THE WILL OF GOD AND I COMPARE WHAT I DO, IN WHAT I BELIEVE, HOW I WORSHIP, HOW I LIVE MY DAILY LIFE, MY ATTITUDE, MY CHARACTERISTICS, AND I COMPARE EVERYTHING TO WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN ME IN A PERFECT BOOK. JAMES 1:25 CONTAINS THE PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY, LAW OF JESUS CHRIST, WHICH GUIDES ME IN NOT JUST SOME THINGS BUT IN ALL THINGS AS SAID IN 2PETER CHAPTER 1. THE QUESTION IS, WILL YOU FOLLOW THE WAY OF MAN? THE GREAT AND WISE MAN SOLOMON IN PROVERBS 14:12 SAID, “THE WAY OF MAN OFTEN SEEMS RIGHT BUT IT'S WAY IS DEATH. YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT CHOOSE A DESTRUCTIVE WAY OF DEATH THAT IS ACCORDING TO YOUR OWN DESIRES AND THE WAY OF MAN BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? THE WAY OF TRUTH, THE WAY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, SAYS PROVERBS 12:28, IS GOD'S WAY. THE WAY OF LIFE, SAYS JEREMIAH 21:8, IS GOD'S WAY AND THEREFORE WHEN WE FOLLOW THE WAY OF GOD AND THE WAY OF LIFE AND THE WAY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WE CAN STAY AWAY FROM THE WRATH OF GOD AND THEREFORE NOT BE CAUGHT IN THE DESTRUCTIVE WAYS THAT WILL LEAD US TO A PLACE WE DON'T WANT TO BE. CHOOSE TODAY TO LIVE FOR GOD AND TO WALK IN THE PERFECT WAY AND TO STAY AWAY FROM THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE DESTRUCTIVE.<br> <br>



CLOSING COMMENTS<br> <br>

IT WAS CERTAINLY GREAT TO HAVE YOU WITH US TODAY.  THANKS BE TO GOD FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY WE HAVE HAD TO COME BEFORE HIS THRONE THIS MORNING.  PLEASE REMEMBER, YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN US EVERY SUNDAY MORNING AT 7:30, AS WE JOIN TOGETHER IN THIS SERVICE TO GOD.<br> <br>



NOW LET ME ASK IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ABOUT TODAYÕS LESSON?  MAYBE, YOU WOULD LIKE A FREE TRANSCRIPT OR A CD/DVD 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>

The Living Word

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AS THOSE WHO LOVE GOD, MAY WE STAY AWAY FROM THE DESTRUCTIVE PATHS OF SATAN AND THIS WORLD.  FOR THERE IS ONLY ONE PERFECT WAY TO GOD AND LIFE ETERNAL „ THAT IS THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR SAVIOR!

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