THE LIVING WORD TRANSCRIPT <br><br>

PROGRAM AIR DATE: 11-18-18<br><br>

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LESSON TITLE: "THAT THEY MAY ADORN THE DOCTRINE OF GOD" <br><br>

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WELCOME <br><br>



      TODAY WE ARE BLESSED WITH A WONDERFUL GIFT FROM GOD, THE BIBLE. THIS BOOK IS GOD'S LIVING WORD. IN ITS PAGES, WE ARE TOLD "FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND POWERFUL AND SHARPER THAN ANY TWO-EDGED SWORD." IT IS IN THIS BOOK OF BOOKS THAT WE FIND THE ANSWERS TO ALL OF MAN'S QUESTIONS AND NEEDS. THIS MORNING YOUR AREA CHURCHES OF CHRIST WELCOME YOU TO A PROGRAM COMMITTED TO THAT PERFECT LAW OF LIBERTY AS WE PRESENT THE LIVING WORD. NOW HERE IS YOUR HOST, RAY SULLINS. <br><br>



      WELCOME TO THE LIVING WORD PROGRAM ON THIS WONDROUS LORD'S DAY MORNING. WE THANK GOD THAT YOU HAVE CHOSEN TO BE WITH US TODAY, AS WE COMMIT THIS TIME TO OUR WONDROUS CREATOR. WHAT A GREAT PRIVILEGE WE HAVE TODAY TO JOIN IN THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PRAISE OUR GOD AND GLORIFY OUR SAVIOR. MAY WE EACH DO OUR PART TO MAKE THIS TIME ACCEPTABLE IN HIS SIGHT AND ACCORDING TO HIS WILL. NOW, LET'S APPROACH OUR FATHER'S THRONE IN PRAYER. <br><br>

      PRAYER: OUR GOD AND FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE'RE SO THANKFUL FOR THIS DAY AND THE MANY GREAT BLESSINGS OF LIFE, KNOWING FATHER THAT ALL GOOD THINGS COME FROM YOU AND KNOWING FATHER THAT ALL THINGS PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL ARE FROM YOU. AND FATHER, WE KNOW THAT ONLY BECAUSE OF YOUR GRACE, YOUR LOVE, AND YOUR MERCY CAN WE BE FOUND JUSTIFIED IN THE END AND, THEREFORE, FATHER HELP US TO DO OUR PART TO LIVE FAITHFULLY THAT YOU MAY BLESS US WITH THESE GREAT PROMISES KNOWING THAT IN THE END WE CAN HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. AND FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR JESUS AND HIS SACRIFICE FOR BECAUSE OF THESE THINGS WE'RE ABLE TO FIND OUR WAY TO YOU. IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN. <br><br>

      WHAT A WONDERFUL PRIVILEGE WE HAVE AS CHRISTIANS TO LIFT UP OUR VOICES IN PRAISE TO GOD. FURTHERMORE, WHAT A SWEET SMELLING SAVOR THE FRUIT OF OUR LIPS IS TO OUR CREATOR. SO, THIS MORNING WON'T YOU JOIN IN WITH THE CONGREGATION AT THIS TIME AS WE SING TOGETHER OUR FIRST HYMN OF THE MORNING. THE NAME OF THE SONG "THE STEADFAST LOVE OF THE LORD!"<br><br>

      <br><br>

      DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS<br><br>

      <br><br>

      HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU FELT LIKE YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE WITH TROUBLES IN THIS WORLD? DOESN'T IT SEEM LIKE EVERY TIME THINGS ARE GOING GOOD, SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENS TO BURDEN US DOWN IN THE TROUBLES OF THE WORLD? IN FACT, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER YOU ARE OF GOD OR OF THE WORLD, WE ARE ALL AFFECTED BY THE TROUBLES OF EVERYDAY LIFE. <br><br>

      HOWEVER, DAVID REMINDS US THAT TROUBLES ARE DIFFERENT FOR THOSE WHO ARE FOLLOWERS OF THE LORD'S WILL. IN PSALMS 34:19, WE READ, "MANY ARE THE AFFLICTIONS OF THE RIGHTEOUS, BUT THE LORD DELIVERS HIM OUT OF THEM ALL." IN THIS VERSE, WE ARE ASSURED THAT THE LORD IS ALWAYS THERE TO DELIVER US FROM PROBLEMS IF WE ARE FOLLOWING HIM ACCORDING TO HIS WILL. ANOTHER FACT, THAT IS POINTED OUT IN THE SAME VERSE IS EVEN THE RIGHTEOUS HAVE AFFLICTIONS. <br><br>

      THINK BACK TO THE MANY BIBLE CHARACTERS THAT SUFFERED GREAT TRIALS IN LIFE TO PROVE THEMSELVES WORTHY OF GOD. JOB IS THE FIRST TO ALWAYS POP IN MY MIND, BECAUSE HE WAS A RIGHTEOUS MAN BEFORE GOD, YET HE SUFFERED GREATER TEMPTATIONS THAN YOU AND I WILL EVER UNDERSTAND. HOWEVER, HE DID NOT TURN FROM GOD OR BLAME GOD THROUGH ANY OF HIS AFFLICTIONS. NOW, HOW MANY OF US ARE THAT GOOD?

USUALLY, THE FIRST THING YOU AND I THINK IS, "WHY IS GOD ALLOWING THIS TO HAPPEN TO ME?" YOU SEE, WE ALWAYS PUT THE BLAME WHERE IT IS NOT DUE FOR GOD DOES NOT AND WILL NOT TEMPT MAN. JAMES STATED THIS VERY IDEA IN HIS BOOK, WHEN HE SAID, "LET NO ONE SAY WHEN HE IS TEMPTED, 'I AM TEMPTED BY GOD'; FOR GOD CANNOT BE TEMPTED BY EVIL, NOR DOES HE HIMSELF TEMPT ANYONE," CHAPTER 1, VERSE 13. THIS INSPIRED WRITER TELLS US THAT GOD CANNOT BE TEMPTED NOR DOES HE TEMPT ANYONE. SO, WHY DO THESE TRIALS AND PROBLEMS COME OUR WAY? THE ANSWER, BECAUSE GOD ALLOWS US TO BE TESTED! <br><br>

      AGAIN, THINK ABOUT THE STORY OF JOB. WHY WERE THOSE AWFUL THINGS HAPPENING TO HIM? IT WAS BECAUSE GOD WAS ALLOWING SATAN TO TEST HIM, TO CONFIRM HIS FAITHFULNESS TO GOD. WHEN WE ARE TESTED, THIS BRINGS SUFFERING, BECAUSE SATAN USES OUR FLESHLY DESIRES AND WEAKNESSES AGAINST US. IN VERSES 2 TO 3, OF THE SAME OPENING, JAMES ALSO SAID, "MY BRETHREN, COUNT IT ALL JOY WHEN YOU FALL INTO VARIOUS TRIALS, KNOWING THAT THE TESTING OF YOUR FAITH PRODUCES PATIENCE." PROBLEMS AND TRIALS IN THIS LIFE TEST US AND MAKE OUR FAITH STRONGER, BECAUSE WE LEARN TO RELY MORE ON GOD, AS WE READ EARLIER. <br><br>

      A FINAL EXHORTATION IN DEALING WITH TROUBLES IS FOUND IN PAUL'S WORDS TO THE CORINTHIANS, WHERE HE SAID, "NO TEMPTATION HAS OVERTAKEN YOU EXCEPT SUCH AS IS COMMON TO MAN; BUT GOD IS FAITHFUL, WHO WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO BE TEMPTED BEYOND WHAT YOU ARE ABLE, BUT WITH THE TEMPTATION WILL ALSO MAKE THE WAY OF ESCAPE, THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO BEAR IT," FIRST CORINTHIANS 10:13! HAVE YOU GOT IT NOW? WE WILL BE TEMPTED, BUT GOD WILL HELP, EVEN TO THE POINT OF SHOWING US A WAY OF ESCAPE TO REMOVE OURSELVES FROM THE SITUATION. <br><br>

      ARE YOU TRUSTING IN GOD AND ALLOWING HIM TO BE BY YOUR SIDE IN TROUBLES? HAVE YOU FORGOT YOUR FRIEND, JESUS, WHO HAS PROMISED TO ALWAYS BE WITH YOU? LET'S FACE EVERY DAY STRONGER KNOWING THAT GOD IS THERE AND WILL GUIDE, GUARD AND PROTECT US ALWAYS, AS WE ARE LABORING IN HIS VINEYARD. <br><br>

      TODAY WE WILL CONTINUE OUR STUDY ENTITLED, "SHOWING YOURSELVES TO BE!" OUR SPECIFIC TOPIC OF THE DAY IS CALLED, "THAT THEY MAY ADORN THE DOCTRINE OF GOD." SO PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US THIS MORNING AND AFTER OUR NEXT SONG I WILL RETURN WITH THIS LESSON FROM GOD'S WORD. IT'S NOW TIME TO JOIN IN OUR SECOND HYMN OF THE MORNING, THE NAME OF THE SONG, "A HILL CALLED MT. CALVARY." <br><br>

      <br><br>

      LESSON<br><br>

      BY RAY SULLINS<br><br>

      <br><br>

      WE THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING WITH US THIS DAY AS WE NOW GO TO GOD'S WORD AND WE LOOK AT ANOTHER LESSON FROM TITUS CHAPTER 2 CONCERNING REALLY THOSE THINGS THAT PERTAIN TO MEN AND WOMEN OF ALL AGES WHO LOVE GOD AND WHO ARE STRIVING TO SERVE HIM. AND WE'VE BEEN LOOKING TOGETHER AT THOSE THINGS THAT WE SHOULD BE STRIVING TO SHOW OURSELVES FORTH AS IF WE'RE TO BE RIGHT IN THE SIGHT OF GOD AND TOGETHER WE'VE HAD A GREAT DISCUSSION I THINK IN RELATIONSHIP TO ALL OF OUR ACTIONS INCLUSIVE OF SPEECH AND ALSO THE THINGS THAT WE SHOULD DO IN ORDER TO HELP OTHERS TO KNOW OR TO SEE GOD WITHIN US. AND THEREFORE TODAY WE'LL CONTINUE WITHIN THAT DISCUSSION AND WE'RE LOOKING NOW AT VERSES NINE AND 10 AFTER HE MENTIONED SPECIFICALLY MEN AND WOMEN OLD AND YOUNG ALIKE AND THEN HE TALKS ABOUT THE FACT OF THE CHURCH IN GENERAL AS THEY SHOW FORTH THE THINGS OF GOD HE THEN MENTIONS BONDSERVANTS. AND IT IS QUITE INTERESTING BECAUSE HE HERE IS NOT USING THE WORD IN A SPIRITUAL OR GENERIC SENSE, LIKE THAT WE ARE SLAVES TO CHRIST BECAUSE THE BIBLE DOES USE THE SAME WORD OF A SERVANT UNDER BONDAGE OR A SLAVE, BUT HERE IS TALKING ABOUT THOSE WHO LITERALLY WERE SLAVES IN THAT DAY. AND BY THE WAY, IN THE TIME IN WHICH THE BIBLE WAS WRITTEN THERE WERE SOME 60 MILLION SLAVES IN THE ROMAN EMPIRE WHICH WAS NOT UNCOMMON. IT WAS REALLY NOT AGAINST LAW AND THAT MEANS MANY WHO ACTUALLY BECAME CHRISTIANS PROBABLY WERE SLAVES. AND THEREFORE, THAT SHOWS US WHY THAT CHRISTIANITY WOULD'VE BEEN SO IMPORTANT AND SUCH A LIGHT TO THEM, SOMETHING THAT THEY REALLY REACHED OUT FOR AND DESIRED. <br><br>

      AND SO NOTICE WHAT HE SAYS IN VERSE NINE. HE SAYS, "EXHORT BOND SERVANTS OR SLAVES TO BE OBEDIENT TO THEIR MASTERS, TO BE WELL PLEASING IN ALL THINGS, NOT ANSWERING BACK, NOT PILFERING BUT SHOWING ALL GOOD FIDELITY, THAT THEY MAY ADORN THE DOCTRINE OF GOD OUR SAVIOR IN ALL THINGS." NOW WE ARE NOT GOING TO SPEND THE ENTIRE LESSON JUST LOOKING AT SLAVES OR BONDSERVANT BUT YOU'LL NOTICE IN GENERAL WHAT HE IS SAYING HERE. IT IS THAT THEY SHOULD BE OBEDIENT TO THEIR MASTER, THEY SHOULD SET A STANDARD FOR THEIR MASTERS AND THEIR MASTERS SHOULD KNOW THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE TALKING BACK OR BACK-TALKERS OR COMPLAINING. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE PILFERING AS IT SAYS HERE BUT REALLY THEY'RE GOING TO BE HONORABLE. THAT'S WHAT THIS CONCEPT MEANS OF HONESTY OR FIDELITY. THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE TRUSTWORTHY AND COUNTED ON AND SO WHEN THE MASTER ASKS SOMETHING OF THEM, WHETHER THEY LIKE IT OR NOT, THEY'RE JUST GOING TO DO IT. AND THEY ARE JUST PRETTY MUCH KEEPING THEIR COMMENTS TO THEIR SELFS. AND THAT IS SOMETHING WE PROBABLY COULD ALL LEARN A LOT FROM ESPECIALLY IN THE FACT THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD SPEECH AND PROPER SPEECH LAST WEEK. BUT I WANT YOU NOW TO THINK WITH ME OF WHAT HE SAYS AT THE END AS APPLICATION WHEN HE SAYS WHEN THAT'S SLAVE OR BONDSERVANT IS STRIVING TO BE OBEDIENT AND JUST DO WHAT THE MASTER SAYS AND TO DO IT TO THE BEST, AS WE LEARN OVER IN THE BOOK OF COLOSSIANS AND EPHESIANS, TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITIES THAT THEY MIGHT IN ALL THINGS GIVE WHAT? GLORY TO GOD. HE SAYS SOMETHING SIMILAR HERE, THAT THEY MAY ADORN THE DOCTRINE OF GOD. <br><br>

      WHAT DOES THAT BEGAN TO TELL US? IT BEGINS TO TELL US THAT THE VERY THING THAT IS BEING ASKED OF THESE BONDSERVANTS IS THAT THEY WOULD CLOTHE OR DRESS THEMSELVES IN THE DOCTRINE OF GOD WHICH TELLS US THAT WHAT IS BEING ASKED OF THEM THAT THEY WOULD BE OBEDIENT TO THEIR MASTERS, THAT THEY WOULD BE PLEASING IN ALL THINGS, THAT THEY WOULD BE INDIVIDUALS WHO WOULD NOT ANSWER BACK BUT THEY WOULD BE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE HONEST AND FAITHFUL, NOT PILFERING. HE IS SAYING THAT THEY SHOULD CLOTHE THEMSELVES WITH CHRISTIAN CHARACTERISTICS. WITH THINGS THAT SHOW FORTH GOD, WHICH SHOW FORTH CHRIST. IT REMINDS ME OF THE GREAT SERMON ON THE MOUNT WHEN JESUS SAID, IF WE LET OUR LIGHT SO SHINE WHAT DOES IT DO? IT GLORIFIES THE FATHER IN HEAVEN, WHETHER IT BE WHAT WE SAY OR WHAT WE DO. IT GIVES GLORY TO GOD WHEN WE DO WHAT IS RIGHT, WHETHER IT SEEMS NORMAL OR NOT, WHETHER IT IS WHAT THE WORLD WOULD DO OR NOT. WE RESPOND IN A GOOD WAY TO THAT WHICH IS NEGATIVE OR WE DO WHAT IS GOOD OR HONEST OR RIGHT, EVEN WHEN SOMETHING BAD HAS HAPPENED TO US, IT SHOWS PEOPLE WE ARE DIFFERENT AND IT GIVES GLORY TO GOD BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO CLOTHE OR ADORN OURSELVES WITH THE CHARACTER OF GOD. NOW I WANT YOU TO LOOK A LITTLE BIT DEEPER WITH ME AT THAT WORD BECAUSE THE WORD ADORN IS NOT JUST THE CLOTHING. IT IS ACTUALLY A DECORATING OF ONESELF IN A WAY TO MAKE SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL, TO PUT SOMETHING IN ORDER. SO IF WE PUT ALL THOSE IDEAS TOGETHER IT'S THE IDEA OF SOMEONE WHO LOVES GOD WHO IS GOING TO DETERMINE WHAT GOD WANTS AND PUT THOSE THINGS IN ORDER THAT GOD WANTS SO THAT WHEN SOMEONE LOOKS WHAT DO THEY SEE? BEAUTY. WHAT THEY ACTUALLY SEE IS THAT WHICH HAS BEEN DECORATED OR THAT WHICH HAS GIVEN GLORY TO. <br><br>

      SO THINK FOR A MOMENT ABOUT GOING TO A BIRTHDAY PARTY AND YOU WALK IN AND YOU SEE ALL THE DECORATIONS AND YOU SEE THE FESTIVE NATURE. IMMEDIATELY OFTEN YOU CAN SAY, 'OH WOW, WE'RE AT A BIRTHDAY PARTY.' YOU MIGHT EVEN SEE A SIGN THAT SAYS HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND YOU MIGHT SEE A CAKE AND YOU MIGHT SEE HATS. CERTAIN THINGS THAT AGAIN SHOW THE DECORATIONS AND HOW BEAUTIFUL IT IS. WHAT ABOUT A WEDDING CEREMONY OR A TYPE OF A RECEPTION AFTER A WEDDING? AGAIN THE SAME THING. YOU GO IN AND SAY, 'OH, THE BEAUTIFUL LIGHTS AND ALL THE DECORATIONS.' AND IMMEDIATELY YOU'RE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE BEAUTY OF THE DECORATIONS AND WHY THEY'RE SET IN CERTAIN WAYS IN CERTAIN ORDERS TO BE PLEASING TO THE EYE. TO HAVE AN EFFECT, TO DRAW YOU IN, TO MAKE THE OCCASION ENJOYABLE AND FUN AND CREATIVE. WELL, THE SAME IS TRUE IN A SPIRITUAL SENSE. SO WHEN I WALK UP OR YOU WALK UP AS A CHILD OF GOD OR A SLAVE OR A BONDSERVANT IN THE SENSE THAT IS BEING GIVEN HERE, THAT YOU HAVE BEEN ADORNED, DECORATED IN A BEAUTIFUL WAY, SHOWING FORTH THE GLORY TO GOD AND WHAT YOU SAY. SHOWING FORTH THE GLORY TO GOD IN WHAT YOU DO. THEREFORE, YOU'RE GIVING GOD THE GLORY AND PEOPLE ARE SEEING GOD IN YOU RATHER THAN YOURSELF OR EVEN THE WORLD BECAUSE THAT'S HOW MANY TIMES THOSE OF THIS WORLD WOULD REACT IN A DIFFERENT WAY. AND SO ADORN OR DECORATE OR BEAUTIFY YOURSELF WITH THE VERY DOCTRINE OF GOD. <br><br>

      I'VE MENTIONED BEFORE IN THE SAME SERIES THAT THE CONCEPT OF DOCTRINE HERE IS SIMPLY THE WORD TEACHINGS. BUT IT HAS AN ARTICLE OR SPECIFIC THE IN THE GREEK. WHICH MEANS THE TEACHINGS, THE TEACHINGS OF GOD, WHICH ARE THE DOCTRINE OF GOD IN ENGLISH. THAT IS WHY THE WORD DOCTRINE IS USED BECAUSE IT SPECIFIES THAT THERE IS A SPECIFIC SET OF LISTS OR DOCTRINES OR TEACHINGS THAT MAKE UP THE SUM OF WHAT GOD REQUIRES. SO ADORN MYSELF IN THE WHAT? THE DOCTRINE OF GOD SO THAT PEOPLE CAN SEE GOD AGAIN. BUT THEN HE DOESN'T JUST SAY IN SOME THINGS BUT WHAT DOES HE END BY SAYING? ADORN YOURSELF IN THE DOCTRINE OF GOD, IN ALL THINGS AND EVERYTHING, NO MATTER HOW GOOD, HOW BAD, HOW DIFFICULT, HOW EASY. THAT WE ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO SHOW FORTH GOD. SHOW FORTH THE GLORY DESERVING OF GOD AND HELPING THE WORLD SEE CHRIST THROUGH US OR IN US. <br><br>

      NOW, WITH THAT IN MIND KNOWING THAT THE TEACHINGS OF GOD, THE DOCTRINE OF GOD OR THAT WHICH WE ARE TO CLOTHE OURSELVES IN SO THAT WHEN PEOPLE SEE US THEY SEE GOD AND THE MESSAGE OF GOD, THE SALVATION OF GOD. I WANT YOU THEN TO LOOK WITH ME AT SEVERAL OTHER PASSAGES THAT WILL HELP US WITH THIS THOUGHT. FIRST OF ALL LOOK WITH ME AT THE BOOK OF PHILIPPIANS. AND THERE IN PHILIPPIANS CHAPTER 1, YOU MIGHT NOTICE IN THE CONTEXT THAT IT IS TALKING ABOUT AROUND VERSE 19 THAT WE ARE TO LIVE TO CHRIST AND REALLY IF WE ARE ABLE TO LIVE OUR LIVES IN SUCH A WAY THAT SHOW FORTH CHRIST AND GIVE GLORY TO CHRIST THEY WE'RE GOING TO BE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE PLEASING. BUT I WANT YOU NOTICE WHAT HE SAYS ABOUT OUR CONDUCT IN VERSE 27. HE SAYS THIS, "ONLY LET YOUR CONDUCT BE WORTHY OF," GUESS WHAT? THE GOSPEL. "LET YOUR CONDUCT BE WORTHY OF THE GOSPEL." THIS MEANS OF THE VERY GOOD NEWS OF GOD. SO WHEN I LOOK AT WHAT GOD HAD TO SAY, AND THE MESSAGE OF GOD, AND THE GOOD NEWS OF GOD LET IT BE WORTHY OF GOD WHEN I ACT AND WHEN I DO THE THINGS THAT I DESIRE TO DO, AGAIN, THAT GOD WHAT? RECEIVES THE GLORY. THAT YOUR CONDUCT BE WORTHY OF THE GOSPEL. SO THAT WHEN I COME, HE SAYS, I'M GOING TO SEE THAT YOUR AFFAIRS ARE PROPER AND RIGHT IN RELATIONSHIP TO WHAT? AGAIN AT THE END OF THAT VERSE HE SAYS THE FAITH OF THE GOSPEL. SO WHEN I LOOK AT YOUR FAITH AND I COMPARE IT TO THE GOSPEL AND THE MESSAGE OF GOD, I'M GOING TO SEE THAT YOUR CONDUCT IS IN A LINE WITH WHAT? THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. THE MESSAGE. THE GOOD NEWS. THE TEACHINGS. THE DOCTRINE AS WE LOOKED AT IN TITUS CHAPTER 2. <br><br>

      BUT THEN THE CORINTHIAN WRITER, PAUL AGAIN, THE SAME WRITER AS TO THE PHILIPPIANS SAID SEVERAL THINGS IN SECOND CORINTHIANS THAT HELP US WITH THE SAME THOUGHT. IF YOU'LL FIRST TURN OVER TO SECOND CORINTHIANS CHAPTER THREE. AND THERE SPECIFICALLY NOTICE WHAT HE SAYS IN RELATIONSHIP TO WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE SHOULD ACCOMPLISH. I LOVE THE IDEA HERE BECAUSE HE DESCRIBES US AS BEING AN EPISTLE OURSELVES, A LETTER IF YOU WILL, AND WHAT HE MEANS IS HE SAYS THAT AN EPISTLE OF COMMENDATION THAT PERHAPS MIGHT HAVE BEEN GIVEN IN THE PAST. THAT I CARRY A LETTER AND I GIVE IT TO SOMEONE AND I SAY I AM RAY SULLINS AND THIS IS FROM THE CHURCH OR THIS IS FROM THE REPRESENTATIVES AND HERE THEY CONFIRM WHO I AM AND WHAT I CLAIM. AND HE SAYS THAT'S WHAT I NEED YOU TO BE. AND I NEED THAT EPISTLE TO BE WRITTEN ON A PAPER WITH INK. BUT HE SAYS I NEED THAT EPISTLE, VERSE TWO OF SECOND CORINTHIANS THREE, TO BE WRITTEN ON YOUR HEARTS THAT IT MIGHT BE READ BY ALL MEN. AGAIN, ISN'T THAT A BEAUTIFUL THOUGHT? THAT SOMEONE CAN LOOK AT ME AND CAN LOOK INTO MY HEART AND HEAR WHAT I SAY AND SEE WHAT I DO AND IT MAKES A BEAUTIFUL LETTER. AN EPISTLE. LIKE ALMOST A LOVE LETTER OF COMMITMENT TO GOD. WHY? THAT WE RESPOND TO LOVE THE GOD HAS SHOWN US. BECAUSE WE LOVE HIM ENOUGH TO KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. <br><br>

      BUT THEN IF YOU'LL GO ON WITH ME IN THE SAME TEXT HE HAS THIS, VERSE THREE, "CLEARLY YOU ARE AN EPISTLE OF CHRIST, MINISTERED BY US, WRITTEN NOT WITH INK BUT," WHAT? "THE SPIRIT OF GOD." HE SAYS YOU HAVE THE VERY WORD OF GOD. THE MESSAGE OF GOD. AND THAT DAY THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS LITERALLY INDWELLING THEM AND GUIDING THEM IN MANY THINGS. BUT NOW WE HAVE THAT SAME MESSAGE, THAT SAME WORD IN OUR HAND THAT WE NOW CAN PUT INTO OUR HEARTS AS WE READ AND STUDY AND GROW AND THEN AS WE SHOW FORTH THAT EPISTLE. IT IS AS IF YOU PICK UP YOUR FAVORITE BOOK AND YOU BEGIN TO READ AND YOU CAN'T PUT IT DOWN BECAUSE YOU LOVE TO READ IT. YOU SEE OTHER PEOPLE ARE READING THAT EPISTLE IN US, WE ARE THAT LIGHT. WE ARE THAT WHICH SHINES FORTH AND THAT'S WHY IN THE SAME BOOK IN THE NEXT CHAPTER, CHAPTER 4, GUESS WHAT HE BEGINS TO TALK ABOUT AGAIN? THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL. HE SAYS THAT GOSPEL HAS BEEN VEILED TO SOME LIKE THE JEWS WHO REALLY DON'T WANT TO KNOW ABOUT CHRIST OR ACCEPT CHRIST. AND SOME HAVE REJECTED IT. HE SAYS WE DON'T PREACH OURSELVES, WE PREACH JESUS. BUT THEN NOTICE WITH ME VERSE SIX. HE SAYS, "FOR IT IS GOD WHO COMMANDED LIGHT TO SHINE OUT OF DARKNESS." IT IS GOD IT THAT BROUGHT LIGHT TO THIS WORLD, A WORLD OF DARKNESS AND SIN, THAT THE LIGHT, THE WORD, JESUS AND HIS WORD, MIGHT ILLUMINATE. AND WE KNOW THAT'S THE CASE BECAUSE IT THEN SAYS, "WHO HAS SHONE IN OUR HEARTS." SO NOW GOD HAS BROUGHT THE LIGHT AND SHOWN IN OUR HEARTS THAT WHAT? IT MIGHT SHINE THROUGH US. WE KNOW AGAIN THAT'S THE CASE BECAUSE IT THEN SAYS, "TO GIVE THE LIGHT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF GOD." <br><br>

      SO WHAT IS THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD? IS IT NOT THE WILL OF GOD? THE WORD OF GOD? WHEN ONE KNOWS HIM AND KNOWS HIS WILL AND THEY DO IT AND THEY OBEY AND THEN THEY ARE SEEN AS THAT EPISTLE OR THAT LIGHT THAT GIVES GLORY TO GOD. WE ARE THOSE VESSELS, THOSE INSTRUMENTS THAT GOD HAS SHINED HIS LIGHT THROUGH THAT AS IT GOES THROUGH OUR HEART IT SHINES FORTH THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD BECAUSE WE ARE OBEYING THE THINGS THAT HE'S ASK US TO DO INDEED. WE ARE OBEYING THE THINGS THAT HE HAS ASKED US TO DO IN WORD AND THEREFORE WE GIVE GLORY TO GOD! <br><br>

      BUT HERE'S THE FINAL PART THAT TO ME IS SO BEAUTIFUL. "IN THE LIGHT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF GOD IN THE FACE OF JESUS CHRIST." OH WOW! THE FACE OF JESUS. CAN YOU IMAGINE TO SEE THE FACE OF JESUS? WHAT A BEAUTIFUL THING! TO SEE CHRIST HIMSELF! WHAT DO WE WANT IN LIFE? WE SHOULD WANT PEOPLE TO LOOK AT US AND TO BE ADORNED IN SUCH A WAY THAT WHEN THEY SEE US THEY SEE JESUS. THEY DON'T SEE RAY. THEY SEE JESUS. THEY SEE JESUS AND THEY WANT TO KNOW JESUS AND THEY WANT TO FOLLOW JESUS AND THEY WANT TO BE A RECIPIENT OF HIS BLESSINGS AND REWARDS AND PROMISES. AND THEN HEAVEN ITSELF. WHAT A BEAUTIFUL PROMISE THAT IS AVAILABLE FOR ALL OF US, THAT THEY TOO MIGHT OBEY HIM AND THEN THEMSELVES ADORNED THAT SAME GOSPEL. THAT SAME PRIVILEGE THAT THE WORLD MIGHT ALSO KNOW CHRIST THROUGH THEM. TODAY MAKE SURE YOU'RE RIGHT WITH GOD! MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE ADORNED YOURSELF WITH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST AND LIVE IN SUCH A WAY THAT YOU'LL NOT ONLY HAVE THE BLESSINGS OF GOD TODAY BUT THE BLESSED ETERNAL THINGS FROM GOD AS WELL. <br><br>

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      CLOSING COMMENTS <br><br>

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	LET ME THANK YOU AGAIN FOR CHOOSING TO BE WITH US TODAY FOR THE LIVING WORD PROGRAM. I HOPE AND TRUST, THAT TOGETHER WE HAVE ALL BENEFITED FROM THIS SERVICE TO OUR LORD. LET ME ALSO INVITE YOU TO JOIN US EVERY LORD'S DAY MORNING AT 730 AS WE GIVE THIS TIME TO OUR CREATOR. <br><br>

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      HAVE YOU ADORNED THE DOCTRINE OF GOD IN YOUR LIFE? FOR ONLY THOSE WHO HAVE COMMITTED THEMSELVES WITH WEARING GOD'S DOCTRINE CAN BE FOUND PLEASING IN HIS SIGHT! WHY NOT MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE RIGHT WITH GOD TODAY AND ONLY DO THOSE THINGS WHICH ARE ACCORDING TO HIS PERFECT WILL. <br><br>