THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT<br> <br>

PROGRAM AIR DATE – 4-26-15<br> <br>



LESSON TITLE:  “WE ARE CHRIST’S.”<br> <br>



WELCOME<br> <br>

	IN JOSHUA 24:15, WE READ, “CHOOSE FOR YOURSELVES THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE, …BUT AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD.”  PRAISE GOD FOR OUR OPPORTUNITY THIS DAY TO SERVE HIM.  FURTHERMORE, IT IS MY HOPE AND PRAYER THAT ALL OF US HAVE MADE THIS SAME DETERMINATION IN EACH OF OUR LIVES - THAT WE WILL SERVE GOD, WITH ALL OF OUR HOUSE.  <br> <br>

      WE THANK YOU THIS DAY FOR JOINING US FOR THE LIVING WORD PROGRAM.  AS ALWAYS, IT IS A BLESSING TO HAVE YOU WITH US AS WE TOGETHER BREAK THE BREAD OF LIFE AND AS WE MAGNIFY OUR CREATOR.  YOU HAVE MADE THE RIGHT DECISION TO GIVE THIS TIME TO GOD, SO LET’S ALL DO SO WITH OUR FULL HEARTS AND IN ACCORDANCE TO HIS WILL.  SO, AS WE CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON GOD, WILL YOU BOW WITH ME IN PRAYER.<br> <br>

      PRAYER:  OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE ARE SO THANKFUL FOR THE MANY GREAT BLESSINGS OF LIFE - BOTH PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL. FOR FATHER, WE KNOW ALL GOOD THINGS COME FROM YOU. AND FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALL - YOUR SON JESUS - AND THE SACRIFICE THAT HE MADE ON THE CROSS; GIVING HIS LIFE AND DYING - SHEDDING HIS BLOOD AS WELL AS RISING AGAIN ON THE THIRD DAY. AND FATHER, WE KNOW THAT THROUGH HIS GIFT, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OF JUSTIFICATION. THAT WE MIGHT BE FOUND PLEASING IN YOUR SIGHT WHEN WE DO THOSE THINGS THAT YOU'VE ASKED. THEREFORE FATHER, THIS DAY MAY WE DO ALL IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH EXACTLY AS YOU HAVE COMMANDED. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN.<br> <br>

      WELL, IT IS TIME TO JOIN IN OUR FIRST SONG OF THE MORNING. OUR FIRST HYMN FOCUSES ON THE FACT THAT GOD DOES GIVE US ALL THE ANSWER WHICH WE NEED IN THIS LIFE.  HOWEVER, WE MUST TURN TO HIM AND LISTEN TO THE TRUTH OF HIS WORD.   SO, WON’T YOU PARTICIPATE WITH THE CONGREGATION AT THIS TIME AS WE SING TOGETHER, “SAVIOR LEAD ME!”<br> <br>

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS<br> <br>

      I AM ALWAYS AMAZED AS I READ ABOUT THE ISRAELITES OF OLD, TO FIND THAT THEY CONTINUALLY TURNED AWAY FROM GOD AND FAILED TO ACCOMPLISH HIS WILL!  THE VERSE WE MENTIONED EARLY IN JOSHUA 24:15 MAKES THIS VERY POINT.  THE WHOLE VERSE SAYS, “AND IF IT SEEMS EVIL TO YOU TO SERVE THE LORD, CHOOSE FOR YOURSELVES THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE, WHETHER THE GODS WHICH YOUR FATHERS SERVED THAT WERE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER, OR THE GODS OF THE AMORITES, IN WHOSE LAND YOU DWELL. BUT AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD.”  THIS PASSAGE IS EVIDENCE THAT THE MAJORITY OF ISRAEL WERE STILL WORSHIPPING OTHER GODS AND IDOLS.  AND AGAIN, JOSHUA WAS CHALLENGING THEM TO PUT AWAY THEIR FOREIGN GOD’S.  LATER, IN VERSE 23 OF THE SAME PASSAGE, JOSHUA TOLD THE PEOPLE, “PUT AWAY THE FOREIGN GODS WHICH ARE AMONG YOU, AND INCLINE YOUR HEART TO THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL.”  IT IS ALMOST UNBELIEVABLE THAT AFTER ALL GOD HAD DONE FOR THEM UP TO THIS POINT - THAT THEY WERE STILL FOLLOWING OTHER GOD’S.  <br> <br>

      HOWEVER, BEFORE WE GET TOO DOWN ON THE ISRAELITES, WE MIGHT NEED TO TAKE A LOOK IN THE MIRROR.  WE MAY NOT HAVE LITERAL IDOLS OR GODS WHICH WE WORSHIP, BUT HOW MANY THINGS IN THIS LIFE DO WE ALLOW TO GET IN THE WAY OF OUR SERVICE TO GOD?  AND WHEN WE PUT THINGS BEFORE OUR GOD, ARE WE NOT GUILTY OF SERVING OTHER GODS, AND OF BEING IN IDOLATRY.  WELL ACCORDING TO GOD’S WORD WE ARE.  PAUL HELPS US TO UNDERSTAND THIS BETTER IN WHAT HE SAID TO THE COLOSSIAN BRETHREN IN CHAPTER 3, AND VERSE 5 OF THAT BOOK.  THERE WE READ, “THEREFORE PUT TO DEATH YOUR MEMBERS WHICH ARE ON THE EARTH: FORNICATION, UNCLEANNESS, PASSION, EVIL DESIRE, AND COVETOUSNESS, WHICH IS IDOLATRY.”  YOU SEE, EVERYTHING THAT COMES BEFORE GOD OR SEPARATES US FROM OUR PROPER SERVICE TO GOD IS CONSIDERED IDOLATRY.  <br> <br> 

      MAY WE ALL STRIVE TO SERVE OUR GOD AND PUT HIM FIRST IN ALL THINGS.  AND JUST AS JOSHUA SAID, “BUT AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD.”  WILL YOU DETERMINE TO CHOOSE GOD AND SERVE HIM FIRST?   <br> <br>  

      IN JUST A FEW MINUTES IT WILL BE TIME TO BEGIN OUR MAIN STUDY OF THE DAY.  AS FAR AS OUR TOPIC OF STUDY, WE WILL BEGIN A NEW SERIES TODAY ENTITLED, “FOR ALL THINGS ARE YOURS.”  OUR SPECIFIC LESSON THIS MORNING WILL DEAL WITH THE FACT THAT, “WE ARE CHRIST’S.” SO PLEASE STAY WITH FOR THIS STUDY FROM GOD’S WORD, AND I WILL RETURN IN JUST A FEW MINUTES TO LEAD OUR THOUGHTS ON THIS IMPORTANT TOPIC.  NOW LET’S JOIN TOGETHER IN OUR NEXT SONG OF THE MORNING.  THE NAME OF THIS HYMN, “SEEKING THE LOST.”<br> <br>



LESSON<br> <br>

BY RAY SULLINS<br> <br>

      AGAIN, WE'RE SO THANKFUL THIS DAY THAT YOU HAVE CONTINUED WITH US AND NOW THAT WE HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO GOD'S WORD. IT IS MY HOPE AND PRAYER THAT AS WE BEGIN A NEW SERIES THIS DAY, THAT WE MIGHT ALL BE CHALLENGED TO UNDERSTAND JUST HOW BLESSED WE ARE IN THIS LIFE BY A GOD WHO HAS LOVED US. WHO HAS LOVED US NOT ONLY TO CREATE ALL THINGS INCLUDING YOU AND I BUT TO BLESS US WITH ALL OF HIS CREATION - KNOWING THAT WE CERTAINLY HAVE, NOT ONLY SOME BENEFITS, BUT WE ARE VERY BLESSED. WE HAVE AN EXCEEDING ABUNDANCE OF GOD'S BLESSINGS IN OUR DAILY LIVES AND ESPECIALLY AS THOSE WHO LOVE THE LORD, WE CAN SEE THAT, ARE AWARE OF THAT, AND WE KNOW IT TO BE VERY TRUE.<br> <br> 

      OUR MAIN TOPIC THIS MORNING AS WELL AS THROUGHOUT  OUR SERIES IS GOING TO BE TAKEN FROM 1CORINTHIANS 3. AND THERE ARE SOME ENCOURAGING STATEMENTS THAT ARE MADE HERE THAT REALLY I THINK ARE, NOT ONLY UPLIFTING BUT CHALLENGING, SO THAT WE MIGHT UNDERSTAND - NOT ONLY EXACTLY WHO WE ARE BUT WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE HAVE BECAUSE WE CHOOSE TO FOLLOW CHRIST AND THEREFORE, WE ARE CONSIDERED THE CHILDREN OF GOD AND NOT JUST CHILDREN OF GOD - REALLY FAITHFUL CHILDREN - THOSE COMMITTED TO HIS WILL.<br> <br> 

      SO AS WE GO TO THE TEXT THERE IN 1 CORINTHIANS 3, TWICE THIS IDEA IS MENTIONED THAT I WANT YOU TO FIRST FOCUS ON WITH ME. THE FIRST TIME IT'S FOUND THERE IN VERSE 21 THE BIBLE SAYS, “THEREFORE LET NO ONE BOAST IN MEN, FOR ALL THINGS ARE YOURS.” DID YOU CATCH THAT? ALL THINGS ARE YOURS. BOASTING'S NOT IN MEN OR NECESSARILY THE THINGS OF THIS LIFE OR IN THE FLESHLY THINGS. BUT REALLY, AS A CHRISTIAN, ALL THINGS ARE YOURS. BOY, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU REALLY COULD FIND ANYTHING MUCH MORE ENCOURAGING THAN THAT. THE REALLY EXTREME CONCEPT OF SAYING NOT JUST SOME THINGS BUT ALL THINGS ARE REALLY FOR ME AND ABOUT ME IN RELATIONSHIP TO MY COMMITMENT TO GOD. CERTAINLY, GOD IS THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE AND SHOULD BE THE CENTER OF OUR LIVES. BUT BECAUSE HE IS LORD GOD AND BECAUSE HE IS KING OF KINGS AND HE RULES ALL OF HIS CREATION, YOU AND I ARE IN HIS FAMILY. WE'RE HIS CHILDREN AND THUS ROYALTY. AND AS ROYALTY, GUESS WHAT? WE ARE THOSE WHO ARE KINGS AND PRIESTS. A KINGDOM OF GOD - THEREIN  REVELATION CHAPTER 1, WE HAVE EMPHASIZED. BUT NOT ONLY THAT, BUT AS CHILDREN OF GOD, WE ARE HEIRS OF GOD AND THEREFORE, AN HEIR OF THE KING OR THE EMPEROR, ALL THINGS ARE THEIRS IN A SENSE. AND SO AS CHRISTIANS, ALL THINGS ARE OURS. <br> <br>

      HE SAYS IT ONCE AGAIN IN VERSE 22 IF YOU'LL READ ON WITH ME. HE SAYS WELL, “WHETHER PAUL OR PAULUS OR CEPHAS, OR THE WORLD OR LIFE OR DEATH, OR THINGS PRESENT OR THINGS TO COME,” HE AGAIN SAYS, “ALL ARE YOURS.” WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN A SERIES TO LOOK AT THE IDEA AS TO THE THINGS THAT ARE OURS, SPECIFIED IN VERSE 22, BECAUSE WE ARE CHRIST'S. AND REALLY THAT'S THE KEY THAT WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND AS WE LAY A FOUNDATION TO WHY IT IS WE ARE SO BLESSED. UNDERSTANDING THAT YES, GOD LOVED US. HE LOVED US ENOUGH TO MAKE THE WORLD AND TO CREATE US. AND WE CERTAINLY THEREFORE HAVE BEEN WELL BLESSED BY GOD, EVEN TO THAT EXTENT. BUT ARE WE REALLY DESERVING OF WHAT GOD CONTINUES TO DO? ARE WE REALLY DESERVING OF HIS GRACE AND MERCY? ARE WE REALLY A PEOPLE WHO HAVE PROVEN OURSELVES WORTHY OF SUCH? AND  YOU AND I KNOW THE ANSWER. THE ANSWER IS NO! BECAUSE NO MATTER HOW MUCH WE LOVE GOD, WE STILL MESS UP. WE STILL MAKE MISTAKES. WE STILL SIN AGAINST HIM, FOR ALL HAVE SINNED AND FALLEN SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD - ROMANS 3:23. BUT ALTHOUGH THAT BE THE CASE, IN CHRIST AS HIS CHILDREN, TO THE BLOODSHED WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO AT LEAST BE PRESENTABLE IN HIS SIGHT. AND AS THOSE WHO ARE PRESENTABLE, WE KNOW THEREFORE THAT ALL THINGS ARE OURS. AND WE THEREFORE ARE RICHLY BLESSED. FOR WE ARE CHILDREN OF THE CREATOR. <br> <br>

      BUT NOW I WANT YOU TO NOTICE WITH ME WHAT WILL EMPHASIZE THIS MORNING IN UNDERSTANDING WHY WE ARE SO BLESSED - THE LAST VERSE OF 1 CORINTHIANS 3, THAT IS VERSE 23. AFTER MENTIONING THE FACT OF THE GREAT BLESSINGS WE HAVE AND THAT ALL THINGS ARE OURS, HE THEN SAYS, “AND YOU ARE CHRIST'S, AND CHRIST IS GOD'S.” YOU SEE THAT? YOU KNOW, IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE HAVE GOD IN HEAVEN WE KNOW THE GODHEAD IS MADE UP OF THE FATHER, SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT. AND HE SAYS HERE THAT JESUS, AS EVEN JESUS CAME TO THE EARTH, CERTAINLY HE WAS STILL GOD. AND HE HAD THE FATHER. HE HAD THE SPIRIT. AND SO AS YOU THINK ABOUT THE PECKING ORDER IF YOU WILL OR THE IDEA OF HOW GOD HAS LAID THINGS OUT - THE FATHER, THE SON, THE HOLY SPIRIT - YET WE FIND HERE THE IDEA THAT AS CHRIST HAS GOD OR ALL THINGS ARE CHRIST THROUGH GOD, REMEMBER MATTHEW 28 AS WELL THERE FOUND IN VERSE 18 THAT ALL AUTHORITY OR POWER WAS GIVEN TO CHRIST - ALL THINGS ARE CHRIST'S THROUGH GOD THE FATHER - HE TURNS AROUND BEFORE THAT AND SAYS THE SAME THING ABOUT US IN RELATIONSHIP TO CHRIST. AND HE SAYS THAT YOU, YOU AND I THE FAITHFUL, ARE CHRIST'S WHICH IS THE IDEA OF BEING POSSESSED OF CHRIST OR THROUGH CHRIST JUSTIFIED.<br> <br> 

      ISN'T THAT EXACTLY WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES US ABOUT OUR FRIEND JESUS? ABOUT OUR MEDIATOR AS THE BIBLE CALLS JESUS? THE INTERCESSOR WHO ALWAYS GOES BETWEEN THE FATHER AND YOU AND I. THE ONE WHO EVER TAKES OUR NAME BEFORE THE VERY THRONE OF GOD AND MAKES US PRESENTABLE THROUGH HIS BLOOD THAT WE SHED. YES, TRULY WE ARE CHRIST'S CHILDREN? WE ARE THE FOLLOWERS OF JESUS CHRIST. AND THEREFORE, BECAUSE OF CHRIST, WE ARE JUSTIFIED AND WE HAVE HOPE. AND THEREFORE, ALL THINGS ARE OURS. <br> <br>

      AND SO IF YOU'LL NOTICE WITHIN THIS TEXT THEN, HE BEGINS TO SHOW US THE DISTINCTION THEN OF BEING IN CHRIST. WELL, THE IDEA OF WHAT BEING IN CHRIST IS ALL ABOUT - NOT JUST THE REALITY OF HAVING TO BEGIN THE PROCESS OF FOLLOWING CHRIST AS WE EVEN FOCUSED ON LAST WEEK. BUT THE IDEA OF WHAT THE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST IS LIKE. AND THE FIRST THING THAT HE DEALS WITH IS REALLY THE IDEA OF SIN OR WICKED THINGS - CARNAL THINGS - HOW THEY WOULD DIVIDE US OR SEPARATE US FROM GOD. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT ISAIAH WOULD SAY BACK IN ISAIAH 59:1-2, THAT SIN SEPARATES US FROM GOD OR OUR INIQUITIES SEPARATE US FROM GOD. SO SIN IS ALWAYS THAT DIVIDING FACTOR THAT WOULD KEEP GOD FROM US. AND NOT NECESSARILY JUST THE FACT THAT I MIGHT SIN AND THEN REPENT OF SIN, BUT THE FACT THAT I MIGHT CHOOSE SIN AND CONTINUE IN SIN. THAT'S WHEN THE PROBLEM COMES IN BECAUSE GOD KNOWS THAT WE WILL SIN AND THAT WE NEED HEARTS THAT ARE PENITENT BEFORE HIM. DAVID FOR INSTANCE WAS A MAN - A MAN AFTER GOD'S OWN HEART WHO OFTEN DID WHAT? SINNED. BUT GOD DID NOT HOLD SINS TO HIS CHARGE WHEN HE WAS WHAT? PENITENT OF THOSE SINS. IF WE HAVE THAT SPIRIT GOD IS ALSO FORGIVING OF US. BUT IF WE CHOOSE SIN AND CONTINUE IN SIN AND DO NOT REPENT OF THAT SIN, WHAT IS THE RESULT? AS THE TEXT HERE SAYS: WE CHOOSE TO BE CARNAL. OR LIKE THE WORLD OR THE FLESH. AND CERTAINLY GOD HAS NO PART WITH DARKNESS OR WORLDLY EVIL THINGS. AND THEREFORE HIS CHILDREN CANNOT HAVE THAT AS A PRIORITY EITHER. THEY MUST HAVE AS THEIR PRIORITY RATHER STAYING AWAY FROM SUCH THINGS. <br> <br>

      BUT IN THE SAME TEXT, I WANT YOU TO NOTICE SOME OF THE REWARDS THAT HE BEGINS TO TALK ABOUT HERE THAT ARE OURS - ALL THINGS ARE OURS BECAUSE WE ARE CHRIST'S, REMEMBER? LOOK THERE WITH ME FIRST OF ALL IN VERSE 8 BEGINNING, “NOW HE WHO PLANTS AND HE WHO WATERS ARE ONE, AND EACH ONE WILL RECEIVE HIS OWN REWARD ACCORDING TO HIS OWN LABOR.” WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TEACH US? WELL, IN 2CORINTHIANS 5:10, WE WILL ALL STAND BEFORE THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST AND WE WILL BE JUDGED IN THE BODY BASED ON WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE BODY, WHETHER IT BE GOOD THINGS OR BAD THINGS. AND SO DO YOU NOTICE WHAT IS FOUND HERE? HE SAYS WE'RE GOING TO BE JUDGED BY OUR LABORS. AND AS WE ARE JUDGED BY OUR LABORS, NOTICE WHAT WE HAVE HOPE OF - A REWARD, A BLESSED REWARD. ALL THINGS ARE OURS EVEN THE INCLUSIVE CONCEPTS OF GOD'S BLESSINGS TODAY AND ETERNAL LIFE IN HEAVEN. <br> <br>

      BUT HE DOESN'T STOP THERE. HE ACTUALLY CONTINUES THERE IN THE NEXT VERSE AND HE TELLS US THAT WE ARE ACTUALLY GOD'S FELLOW WORKERS, GOD'S FIELD, AND GOD'S BUILDING. OH WOW! ISN'T THAT NEAT TO THINK ABOUT? THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY GOD'S PEOPLE. HE IS OUR GOD AND WE ARE HIS PEOPLE - AND THEN HE LOOKS AT US AS THOSE WHO ENCOMPASS HIS ASSEMBLY, HIS CHURCH, HIS BUILDING, AND THAT WE THEREFORE ARE HIS VERY TEMPLE AND REPRESENTATIVE OF GOD TO THE WORLD AND AS THOSE WHO ARE THE BUILDING OF GOD, MAKING UP THAT TEMPLE OF GOD. WE THEREFORE REPRESENT THOSE WHO ARE BLESSED, THOSE WHO ARE OF CHRIST, AND THEREFORE BLESSED OF CHRIST. AND THIS IS THE SAME IDEA THAT WE FIND, NOT ONLY IN THIS TEXT, BUT ALSO FOR INSTANCE OVER IN 1 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 6. YOU MIGHT RECALL WITH ME IN VERSE 19 - THE BIBLE SAYS, “OR DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT YOUR BODY IS THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO IS IN YOU, WHOM YOU HAVE FROM GOD, AND YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN.” SEE, WE’RE NOT OUR OWN. WE ARE CHRIST'S. THAT'S WHAT IT'S TEACHING US. WE ARE THE TEMPLE OF GOD THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT MIGHT DWELL IN US AND WE ARE NOT OUR OWN. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE? VERSE 20 SAYS, WE HAVE BEEN BOUGHT WITH A PRICE. GLORIFY GOD BECAUSE HE HAS PURCHASED US. HOW? THROUGH THE BLOOD WAS SHED; THE MOST VALUABLE, REDEMPTIVE PRICE EVER PAID FOR MAN. SO THAT WE MIGHT BE WHAT? FORGIVEN OF SINS. <br> <br>

      AND SO WE GO BACK TO 1 CORINTHIANS 3 AGAIN AND WE SEE THAT WE MAKE UP THAT GREAT BLESSING OF BEING CHRIST AND THEREFORE, ARE REWARDED AS HIS CHURCH, AS HIS PEOPLE, AS HIS TEMPLE, THAT WE MIGHT KNOW THAT YES, TRULY ALL THINGS ARE OURS - AND WE ARE BLESSED IN THAT TRUTH. WE ALSO SEE HERE ANOTHER FUNDAMENTAL GREAT BLESSING OF BEING IN CHRIST. WE ARE KNOWING AND CLEARLY KNOWING - AND TEACHING THAT HE IS THE FOUNDATION. DID YOU NOTICE THERE IN VERSE 11? AFTER TALKING ABOUT THE FOUNDATIONS OF MEN, VERSE 11 SAYS, “FOR NO OTHER FOUNDATION CAN ANYONE LAY THAN THAT WHICH IS LAID, WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST,” BY GOD - JESUS CHRIST IS THAT FOUNDATION. WE ARE CHRIST BECAUSE HE WAS GIVEN THE AUTHORITY BY THE FATHER. HE IS GOD AND WAS GOD IN THE FLESH - AND THEREFORE, WE ARE CHRIST BECAUSE HE PAID THE PRICE, PURCHASED THE CHURCH, AND BECAME HEAD OVER THE KINGDOM OF GOD. THEREFORE, WE ARE CHRIST AND THEREFORE ALL THINGS ARE OURS. WHAT A GREAT BLESSING! WHAT A GREAT REWARD! WHAT A GREAT ENCOURAGEMENT! WHAT A GREAT THING TO FIND, AS YOU AND I REPRESENT THAT VERY TEMPLE THAT THEREFORE GLORIFIES IT'S CREATOR.<br> <br> 

      AND THEN REALLY IN SUMMATION BEFORE WE GET DOWN TO THE VERSES THAT WE HAVE FOCUSED ON AS FAR AS OUR SERIES THAT WERE CONTINUING.... NOTICE AGAIN THAT IN VERSE 16 AND 17 OF 1 CORINTHIANS 3, HE TALKS ABOUT OUR BODIES AGAIN BEING THE TEMPLE OF GOD WHERE THE SPIRIT DWELLS, THE VERY HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD. BUT THEN VERSE 17 SAYS, “IF ANYONE DEFILES THE TEMPLE OF GOD,  GOD WILL DESTROY HIM. FOR THE TEMPLE OF GOD IS HOLY,” AND THEN HE SAYS, “WHICH TEMPLE YOU ARE.” WHICH TEMPLE YOU ARE, YOU ARE CHRIST'S TEMPLE. YOU ARE GOD'S TEMPLE - GOD DWELLS IN YOU. <br> <br>

      NOW, THE REASON I EMPHASIZE THIS SO STRONGLY AGAIN THIS MORNING AS WE LAY A FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE DISCUSSION OVER THE NEXT MONTH OR SO, IS BECAUSE I WANT US TO UNDERSTAND THAT ALL THINGS ARE OURS BECAUSE WE HAVE FIRST ESTABLISHED GOD AS LORD, RULER, AND KING OVER OUR LIVES. NOTHING ELSE - THAT HE IS THE ONE WHO IS IN US, IN HIS TEMPLE. AND THEREFORE - AS HE GOD IS LIGHT AND PERFECTION AND TRYING TO BE WHAT HE PROVES THROUGH HIS WORD - WE MUST DO WHAT? TRY TO DO THE SAME. WE CAN'T ENGAGE IN DARKNESS. WE CAN'T BE INVOLVED IN THINGS THAT ARE CONTRARY - WE'VE GOT TO USE GODLY WISDOM NOT EARTHLY WISDOM. WE'VE GOT TO USE THINGS THAT ARE ABOUT WHAT GOD HAD TAUGHT US THROUGH HIS WORD AND WHAT PERTAINS TO SALVATION AND ETERNAL LIFE AS WELL AS BLESSINGS TODAY AND TOMORROW. NOT WHAT THE EARTH, WHICH IS PASSING, THE EARTH WHICH IS FADING AWAY, THE EARTH WHICH IS TEMPORARY HAS TO OFFER US. YET - DO WE NOT FIND THAT SO MANY IN THIS DAY AND TIME PUT THEIR HOPES AND TRUST IN THEIRSELVES OR IN THE POSSESSIONS OF THE EARTH OR IN THEIR JOBS AND THEY FORSAKE GOD OR AT LEAST THEY DON'T GIVE GOD THE TIME THAT THEY SHOULD, CHOOSING WORLDLY WISDOM - WORLDLY BENEFIT - WORLDLY GAIN RATHER THAN THE BEAUTY OF BEING GOD'S PEOPLE, GOD'S FELLOW WORKERS, GOD'S BUILDING, GOD'S FIELD, GOD'S REPRESENTATIVE. AND THEREFORE AS GOD'S REPRESENTATIVE KNOWING THAT AS CHRIST IS GOD'S - WE ARE CHRIST'S. AND AS WE ARE OF CHRIST AND THEREFORE JUSTIFIED THROUGH AND BY HIM - WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO KNOW THAT ALL THINGS ARE OURS. THAT YOU'LL NOT ONLY HAVE EVERYTHING THAT YOU NEED HERE IN THIS LIFE BUT YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING WAITING YOU IN THE LIFE TO COME THAT IS FAR BETTER. <br> <br>

      AND THEN WHAT WE'LL LOOK AT OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS IS THE IDEA THAT WHETHER IT BE THROUGH OUR BRETHREN, THROUGH THE CHURCH - WHETHER IT BE THROUGH THE WORLD ITSELF THAT GOD HAS PLACED US OVER LIFE OR DEATH - NO MATTER WHAT COMES, THINGS THAT ARE TODAY OR THINGS THAT ARE TOMORROW - ALL THINGS ARE OURS. WE ARE BLESSED. WE ARE CARED FOR. WE ARE REWARDED BECAUSE WE ARE CHRIST. ASK YOURSELF THE QUESTION TODAY: ARE YOU CHRIST'S? NOT THAT YOU YOURSELF ARE CHRIST, BUT ARE YOU OF CHRIST'S? AND ARE YOU WILLING TO FOLLOW HIM AND ONLY DO THOSE THINGS THAT HE HAS COMMANDED? IF SO, PRAISE BE TO GOD! DIG INTO HIS WORD AND REMAIN FAITHFUL TO IT. IF NOT, WHY NOT CHOOSE TODAY TO BEGIN TO STUDY TO GROW TO KNOW WHAT HE WANTS, TO OBEY IT, AND THEREFORE FIND ETERNAL LIFE.<br> <br>



CLOSING COMMENTS<br> <br>

      LET ME THANK YOU AGAIN FOR CHOOSING TO BE WITH US TODAY. HOW BLESSED WE ALL ARE TO HAVE TIMES LIKE THIS TO COMMIT TO THE THINGS OF GOD.  WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US EVERY LORD’S DAY, AT 7:30, AS WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO THIS OFFERING TOWARD GOD!  <br> <br>

      BUT FOR 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>

The Living Word

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      ISN’T IT WONDERFUL TO KNOW THAT WE ARE CHILDREN OF GOD, SEALED BY CHRIST HIMSELF.  TRULY WE ARE CHRIST’S AS HIS FOLLOWERS AND THUS CHILDREN OF GOD!  HAVE YOU RESPONDED TO THIS BLESSING OPPORTUNITY THROUGH JESUS CHRIST YOUR LORD?

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