- ♪ Give me the Bible ♪

>>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 men's questions and need. This morning, your area churches of Christ welcome you to a program committed to that perfect law of liberty- ♪ Thy light shall guide me in the narrow way ♪

>>As we present "The Living Word". ♪ Precept and promise, law and love combining ♪ ♪ Till night shall vanish in eternal ♪

>>Now here is your host, Ray Sullins.

>>Paul to all the Galatian churches: "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all especially to those who are of the household of faith." and welcome to our program on this wondrous Lord's Day morning as those who are of the household of faith. And what a privilege we have today to join together in the study of God's living word. And we're happy that you have chosen to join us and are excited about this opportunity to give glory and praise to our Creator, and we each do our part to make this time acceptable in His sight and according to His perfect will. Now as we approach our Father's throne, will you bow with me before that throne in prayer? Our God and Father in heaven, we thank You so much for this another day of life, the great blessing that we have in life and of life, and knowing, Father, that all things come from You, physical and spiritual. And, Father, we thank You for the greatest of all gifts, your son Jesus and the life that he gave on the cross, that we might have life eternal ourselves as well as his resurrection, which gives us the hope of being able to resurrect someday as well. And, Father, we thank You that we have this day that we can worship and praise Your name and help us to give You our very best as we always do those things that are according to Your perfect will. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Think for a moment about all the wondrous promises of God and how wonderful it is as children of God that we are recipients of such promises. This morning we want to begin with a song that reminds us of a God who is alive and well and who will fulfill all of those promises. So won't you join in with the congregation at this time as we sing our first song of the day, the name of the hymn, "I Know That My Redeemer Lives". ♪ I know that my Redeemer lives ♪ ♪ And living cares for me ♪ ♪ I know eternal life He gives ♪ ♪ And gave on Calvary ♪ ♪ O 'twas won ♪ ♪ Wonderful, wonderful love ♪ ♪ Wonderful, wonderful love ♪ ♪ Wonderful, wonderful love ♪ ♪ That brought Him ♪ ♪ Brought Him from Heaven above ♪ ♪ From heaven above ♪ ♪ Brought Him from Heaven above ♪ ♪ As a ransom ♪ ♪ Ransom to die on the tree ♪ ♪ To die on the tree ♪ ♪ Ransom to die on the tree ♪ ♪ To save ♪ ♪ Save a poor sinner like me ♪ ♪ A poor sinner like me ♪ ♪ Save a poor sinner like me ♪ ♪ I know the promise cannot fail ♪ ♪ The hour is drawing nigh ♪ ♪ Though cruel death my flesh assail ♪ ♪ My soul shall never die ♪ ♪ O twas won ♪ ♪ Wonderful, wonderful love ♪ ♪ Wonderful, wonderful love ♪ ♪ Wonderful, wonderful love ♪ ♪ That brought Him ♪ ♪ Brought Him from Heaven above ♪ ♪ From heaven above ♪ ♪ Brought Him from Heaven above ♪ ♪ As a ransom ♪ ♪ Ransom to die on the tree ♪ ♪ To die on the tree ♪ ♪ Ransom to die on the tree ♪ ♪ To save ♪ ♪ Save a poor sinner like me ♪ ♪ A poor sinner like me ♪ ♪ Save a poor sinner like me ♪ ♪ I know my mansion He prepares ♪ ♪ Beside the crystal sea ♪ ♪ That where He lives and loves and cares ♪ ♪ There I may ever be ♪ ♪ O 'twas won ♪ ♪ Wonderful, wonderful love ♪ ♪ Wonderful, wonderful love ♪ ♪ Wonderful, wonderful love ♪ ♪ That brought Him ♪ ♪ Brought Him from Heaven above ♪ ♪ From heaven above ♪ ♪ Brought Him from Heaven above ♪ ♪ As a ransom ♪ ♪ Ransom to die on the tree ♪ ♪ To die on the tree ♪ ♪ Ransom to die on the tree ♪ ♪ To save ♪ ♪ Save a poor sinner like me ♪ ♪ A poor sinner like me ♪ ♪ Save a poor sinner like me ♪

>>When was the last time You thank God for all that He has done for you? More specifically, when was the last time you thanked Him for your brethren in Christ? I often think we do forget just how blessed we are to not only have an earthly family but also an earthly church or spiritual family. In fact, many of us are as close to our church family as we are our literal and fleshly families in this life. I love the way that Paul spoke along these lines as he was writing the Thessalonian Church in Second Thessalonians chapter one, in verse three. There we read: "We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting because your faith grows exceedingly and the love of every one of you abounds toward each other." What do we find here? We find that Paul was thankful for his brethren, but we might ask why. Well, he went on to say the reason for his thankfulness, and he said it was because of their great faith. Also notice here that Paul said that they were demonstrating their faith by loving one another. You see, we are well blessed when we show the proper love and care for one another as Christians because we are doing what pleases God, because it therefore will benefit us now in the life that we are living and the relationships that we have, but even more than that, it benefits us as the faithful of God. This is how we and others are able to be truly known by God and to truly be known of God in the face of this world. Isn't that what Jesus said in John chapter 13, and verse 35? There we read, "By this, all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another." Even Christ himself said that we are truly known as God's followers by how we treat one another as brethren. On the other hand, think for a moment about what you have heard others say and how that others might even in a way demonstrate a hatred for others, but yet claim a love for Christ. We all have been guilty at time of maybe a dislike of someone, but notice what John said in First John chapter four, and verse 20. There we read, "If someone says I love God and hates his brother, he is a liar. For he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?" You see, brethren, we must love one another. So let's all remember the great need that we have to love each other in and through the name of Jesus Christ. Remembering that this is how we are encouraged to help one another in life, to encourage one another in life, and to strive to demonstrate faith before others in life that God might see that faith as well. So the question, are you loving your brothers and sisters in God according to His commands today? This morning we'll be continuing our series of study which has been focusing on the works of the flesh. And our specific study of the morning is selfish ambition. So please continue with us this day, and in just a moment our guest speaker who we are all familiar with will return and lead us in these thoughts of the day. We are thankful to have Brother Jerry Sullins with us. Brother Jerry is the director of the Bible Institute of Missouri here in Springfield. So stay with us this morning in just a few minutes and he will lead us in our main thoughts from God's Word. But for now, let's return to our songs of praise. The next song, "My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less". ♪ My hope is built on nothing less ♪ ♪ Than Jesus' blood and righteousness ♪ ♪ I dare not trust the sweetest frame ♪ ♪ But wholly lean on Jesus' name ♪ ♪ On Christ the solid rock I stand ♪ ♪ All other ground is sinking sand ♪ ♪ All other ground is sinking sand ♪ ♪ When darkness veils his lovely face ♪ ♪ I rest on His unchanging grace ♪ ♪ In every high and stormy gale ♪ ♪ My anchor holds within the veil ♪ ♪ On Christ the solid rock I stand ♪ ♪ All other ground is sinking sand ♪ ♪ All other ground is sinking sand ♪ ♪ When He shall come with trumpet sound ♪ ♪ Oh may I then in Him be found ♪ ♪ Dressed in his righteousness alone ♪ ♪ Faultless to stand before the throne ♪ ♪ On Christ the solid rock I stand ♪ ♪ All other ground is sinking sand ♪ ♪ All other ground is sinking sand ♪

>>Welcome again to "The Living Word" broadcast, and we're so happy this morning that you've decided to become a part of our viewing audience. We know that many of you are with us every Sunday morning, for that we're so grateful. We've been examining for the past few weeks a list of the sins of the flesh that are found in Galatians 5:19 through 21. Specifically today, I'm dealing with one of a set of four that are found in verse 20. That's Galatians 5, verse 20, and those are hatred, contentions, jealousies, outburst of wrath, and selfish ambitions. Now, the selfish ambitions basically is something that is dealing with, as is stated in all of these that there are animosities one toward another, it deals with a great hostility that people can have as they seek those selfish ambitions in their lives. We're dealing with a desire to have what others have. It's akin to the great sin of envy and also of covetousness, which comes, actually, which a lot of sins come from and originate in. Now, we're not, not in any case wanting to be those people who have any types of selfish ambitions. As human beings, much less as Christians, we strive to be like Jesus. I heard a person say one time, in fact, he had a whole lesson on Jesus Christ, and he said there wasn't a selfish bone in his body. Well, there wasn't a selfish bone in his spirit at all. We could examine his life as far as his lack of selfishness, but basically we know that he was one person who had no selfishness at all. Now we see this problem as we see all of these sins actually demonstrated in the home, men who are so selfish that they cannot see beyond their own wants and desires. In fact, they buy and purchase things when they know their children need help and their wife needs assistance with making ends meet every week. This is a common thing that we hear all of the time. Women are also very selfish sometimes. Oh, we're human beings, but sometimes we let this selfishness in the home, including children, get so selfish, and parents yield to their selfishness. All of these things will develop in a person's character to such a degree that they can become sinful, because they get to that great degree of actually violating many principles of God's word. In our society today, especially in the workplace, many of you see that every week when you go to work, in fact, every day, people having that selfish ambition to rise above every other thing, that is every other person in the company itself wanting to be above other people. You know, when you get to be my age and maybe even middle-aged, you begin to realize that there are much more important things in this life and that basically we've been set in a part of our society and we are part of the economical scene to such a degree that many of us will never rise above, and so why are we even worried about that anyway? We live in this life for such a short time. Why not involve ourselves in those things that are more important? But the problem with this sin specifically is that it actually causes a lot of mistreatment and abuse of other people. Really, when you get to thinking about it, it shows actually the opposite of love that we should have for one another, and that is described in First Corinthians chapter 13, a lack of care for one another. We only care about ourselves sometimes, don't we? But then we have to readjust our attitude as Christians as those people who love God. Now, if you love God and you seek to do His will, you will do everything that you can in this life to not be involved in selfish ambitions, because they within themselves will lead you away from God. As I've already said, it shows in itself many ways in our lives. We can look at our own lives and we can see it vividly. Now in these series of lessons, we continue to go back to what John had to say in First John chapter 2, verse 15 through verse 17, where he said that we're not to love the world... Listen, we're not to love the world neither the things that are in this world. For all that is in the world, the lust of the eyes, the lust of flesh, and the pride of life is not of the Father but of the world. Now, the world and the things of this world, as John said, pass away, but he who does the will of God endures forever. So do we deal with the lust of flesh, all of us, from time to time in our life? And that brings about that sin, that ultimate sin, it seems like it is of covetousness, where we desire so much the things that we see with our eyes. It can be another person. It can be an automobile. It can be so many things that we desire of these things of this world which will all pass away when Jesus comes again or when we leave this world. I love what Jesus said in Luke 12, verse 15. He said simply this, he said that we in every way should understand that man's life does not consist in the abundance of the things which he possesses. Now, to put it where it refers to all of us. and by the way, that verse does, even though it says man, every one of us, our lives do not consist in the abundance of the things that we possess, because we'll not be taking any of these things that we possess in this life with us past this life. That's when we will meet the one who will judge us in every way. Well, what about the lust of the flesh? Well, we've been discussing the lust of the flesh throughout this series, and many people get involved in those sins of the flesh. In fact, as you well know Galatians 5:19 through 21, it says, "They who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of life." And what about the pride of life, wanting to have yourself above all other people? Well, Jesus was not that way. In fact, the scripture tells us plainly that Jesus was tempted in all ways as we were tempted, but yet He was without sin. Now, one of the major ways that he was tempted as is stated in Matthew chapter four, the devil took him up to the high mountain. He said, "You see all the kingdoms of this world. If you would just bow down and worship me, I will give you all of these kingdoms." Well, Jesus already had them anyway, but Jesus took the scripture and he said to Satan that you must worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve. And at that time, Jesus left him because he had been tempted in every way by the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life, and he humbled himself as he always did in every case in his life. Well, when we understand what selfish ambition is all about, we must understand that it is sometimes our willingness to have the desires, the unlawful desires of this life. David experienced that, and we keep bringing David up because it's such a great example. Well, I don't say it's a great example that we should follow but it is such an example that we should understand. Now, this was the king of Israel. Now what did he do? He committed a grave sin. He had a selfish desire for a woman who was not his wife. He even made it possible after he desired her physically and in every way to actually have her husband killed in battle. And later on he was convicted of that sin by the prophet Nathan. He said, "You are the man who is guilty of that grave sin." And David recognized that when that son was taken away from him, he was in a great mourning over the loss of that son. But he said this, one thing I'm going to do now that that son is dead is that I'm going to do everything that I can to get my life right with God and to serve Him properly. Now, he overcame the grave sin of selfish ambition, the ambition to want someone else's wife. That goes on every day, probably every hour in the United States, people having a selfish desire and even that same one. And maybe they're not willing to kill that is physically, but they're willing to do anything and everything they can to have that. Jesus simply said this, "Do not lay up for yourself treasures in heaven, or on earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves can break through and steal, but lay up for yourself treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust can corrupt, nor thieves can break through and steal. For where your treasure is, that's where your heart will be also." Well, what about it? Are you willing to lie, to cheat, to steal, to defraud and to even kill, maybe even with your words, other people to have what you want in this life? Why do that? Why not give your life to Christ and try to live as Jesus lived? Remember what the Hebrew writer said, and I'm going to turn over to that. He said in Hebrews 13, verses 5 and 6, "Let your conduct be without covetousness, but be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' So we may boldly say, 'The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man can do to me.'" Are we content with those things that we have? Are we selfishly seeking our own will in everything? Are we selfishly seeking the things of this life, which sometimes are okay to seek but to such a degree that we're willing to even violate God's law to get the things of this world? What are the things of this world? There are things that pass away, something that will not take with us, something that will maybe give us a satisfaction in this life but not beyond this life, because the greatest satisfaction in one's life is to understand that I have lived this life. I have humbled myself even as is stated in the Book of Philippians chapter two, as Jesus humbled himself and became obedient to the death, the death of the cross, we humble ourselves and become obedient to Christ and to desire to live for him; to understand that the things of this world are not what we are really needing in this life, but we need to commit our lives to Christ. Have you done that? Have you obeyed the Gospel? Have you heard what Jesus wants you to do? He who was the most humble person on the face of this earth, who never had any selfishness within him, but he sought to do the father's will. Will you make that decision today to obey Christ, to desire to confess his name before men, have him believe that he is truly the Son of God and to do what Jesus said to be baptized for the remission of your sins so that you can have a life eternal with him as you live a faithful Christian life? My friends, my brethren, you know what you need to do. You know how fleeting life is. It is but a vapor that pierces for a while and then vanishes away. Will you not make that decision today to desire to obey the Gospel? We can assist you in doing that and you can have hope of eternal life and you can give up the things of this world very easily knowing that at the end of your life you will have that great and wonderful home in heaven with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. My friend, it's your decision. And I hope and pray, and we hope and pray that you will make that decision today to be faithful throughout your life and inherit eternal life ♪ Whate'er you do in word or deed ♪ ♪ Do all in the name of the Lord ♪ ♪ Do naught in name of man or creed ♪ ♪ Do all in the name of the Lord ♪ ♪ Do all in His name ♪ ♪ Do all in the name of the Lord ♪ ♪ In word or deed, as God decreed ♪ ♪ Do all in the name of the Lord ♪ ♪ Bless the Lord ♪ ♪ Be not deceived by worldly greed ♪ ♪ Do all in the name of the Lord ♪ ♪ The Spirit says, in word or deed ♪ ♪ Do all in the name of the Lord ♪ ♪ Bless the Lord ♪ ♪ Do all in His name ♪ ♪ Do all in the name of the Lord ♪ ♪ In word or deed, as God decreed ♪ ♪ Do all in the name of the Lord ♪ ♪ Bless the Lord ♪ ♪ Till toil and labors here are done ♪ ♪ Do all in the name of the Lord ♪ ♪ Dear Christian friends, if you'd be one ♪ ♪ Do all in the name of the Lord ♪ ♪ Bless the Lord ♪ ♪ Do all in His name ♪ ♪ Do all in the name of the Lord ♪ ♪ In word or deed, as God decreed ♪ ♪ Do all in the name of the Lord ♪ ♪ Bless the Lord ♪

>>Let me thank you again for choosing to be with us today for "The Living Word" program. It is always a great privilege to gather together and it's my hope and trust that together we have all benefited from this time that we've assembled before God's throne. Let me also invite you to join us every Lord's Day morning at 7:30 as we give this time to our Creator. But for now, let me ask you , excuse me, if you have any questions or comments about today's lesson, maybe like a free transcript or free CD or DVD of the program, or possibly we could assist you with free Bible materials our free Bible correspondence courses. No matter what your need is, please feel free to contact us at the following address: The Living Word, 2540 North Kansas Expressway, Springfield, Missouri 65803. Many of these items are also available on our website, that address the livingwordprogram.com. Or if you prefer, you may call us at 417-869-2284. May we never be caught up in this life with our own selfish ambitions, thus choking out the good things of this world and the good things of God Himself. Remember, Christianity is a religion that looks to the good of others. The question: are you loving your neighbor as yourself today?

>>Our prayer is to help the world know more about God through this television program. "The Living Word" has been brought to you under the oversight of the elders of the Kansas Expressway Church of Christ in Springfield, Missouri, with the assistance of the following area churches of Christ. ♪ To seek and save the lost ♪ ♪ Give me the Bible, Holy message shining ♪ ♪ Thy light shall guide me in the narrow way ♪ ♪ Precept and promise, law and love combining ♪ ♪ Till night shall vanish in eternal ♪