Address—Bob Thonney
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Begin the meeting by singing #335.
335.
Oh God, how wide thy glory shines.
How high thy wonders rise. Known through the Earth by 1000. Signs by thousands through the skies.
They get somebody to start this song for me, please.
Oh God, how wise thy glory.
Shine.
No good.
By thousands of times.
I thought.
Was my favorite.
Story My power.
Their motion speak I still.
I know.
It's all very hard weary on your face.
Strange days.
To slavery.
Compression drawings.
Our hairs are great.
By Strong.
And praise and praise.
Let's pray.
Like to start by reading a verse in John chapter 17?
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Quite a well known verse.
John 17 and verse 3.
And this is life eternal, that they might.
Know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.
Like to speak about life this afternoon?
Life. We all have natural life.
From our parents.
And hopefully most, if not all here have.
What is called in this verse eternal life?
But what is life?
You know, it's interesting as travel around and meet up with different peoples that I find.
That there are so many people that have no clue as to why what life's about.
They just don't seem to have any understanding. I heard not too long ago about a girl out in California.
That I think it was the SAT test that they take for college.
And she aced it. She got a whatever. It was a completely perfect.
Test.
And they asked her what her purpose in life was. She says. I have no clue what my purpose in life is.
That kind of tragic. Don't understand what your life's about?
I think there's a lot of people there and I must say I grew up in a Christian home. I was brought up in the meeting as we talk about it.
But I struggled with those issues for quite a while, and I expect that there are others here too who struggle with those issues. What is life all about anyhow?
You know.
In scripture it talks about the first creation that God made.
And the purpose of his first creation was that he.
Would be glorified, but man fell into sin and man is now a marred creature.
God brought in new creation, something that is completely new.
And you enter that new creation by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It says, if any man be in Christ.
There is a new creation. Old things have passed away.
Behold, all things are become new.
And in that new creation.
What we speak of when we speak of life is what it says here in this verse 3 eternal life.
What is eternal life?
If I would ask you young people right now, what is eternal life?
What would you tell me?
This verse really tells it very clear this is eat life eternal that they might know the the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.
In other words, eternal life has its focus on God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Who was the sent one of God.
You know, dear young people, I just want to challenge you. I really find it. I found it in my own life as a young person when I got to the point where I couldn't answer those questions to realize life is not about me. Life is about God. The focus is on God. And I like to put it this way, the Old Testament was more a focus on what man was.
And so man under the law was put to the test and he showed himself to be a complete failure.
That's what we are as men in the flesh.
Paul had to be brought to the point in Romans 7 where he would say, I know that in me that is, in my flesh dwelleth no good thing.
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Come on Paul, don't you have any self esteem left in you?
Now he's talking reality, and I see that in my own experience in life. The Lord had to bring me to that.
I was totally fed up with what I found here so that I would turn.
Into a different direction, an eternal life, dear young person, is the knowledge of God. Oh, the blessedness of turning from what we are to be occupied with a God whose glory fills the whole universe.
Can't contain it in here.
Just can't. It's too big. But that's my life. That's eternal life. It's not so much a thought of duration. Yes, it does last forever because God is eternal.
But it's more quality of life.
In John chapter 10, the Lord Jesus said.
I am come that they might have life.
And that they might have it in abundance. Eternal life is life in abundance. We're going to see another verse I trust and the Scriptures where it says.
That which is really life.
You want to know what it really means to live live with a focus.
On the Lord Jesus Christ, you're going to find it thrilling.
Beyond your greatest capacity to comprehend.
You know the scripture talks a lot about the knowledge of God. I was just noticing it the other day we were reading. I just like to point out a few places. Let's go to 2nd Corinthians chapter 4.
I'm going to just point out a few verses that talks about the knowledge of God.
I've often mentioned.
They continue to do so.
That you may be aware that the Muslim religion.
One of their.
Points of doctrine is that God is unknown and unknowable.
And the tragic that over a billion people in this world.
Profess allegiance to someone who is unknown and unknowable.
And if it were left to us, we'd have to say the same thing. But dear young person, dear older brother and sister too, God has made himself known in the person of the Lord Jesus. We can now say we know God. To me, that is an extremely wonderful thing to think about. Chapter four of Second Corinthians. Notice verse five and six. For we preach, not ourselves.
But Christ Jesus the Lord and ourselves your servants, for Jesus sake.
For a God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness.
Hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Isn't that beautiful?
To give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, in the face of a human being, He who was God manifest in the flesh, in his face shines forth the knowledge of the glory of God. And I think of that face, dear young person.
Touches my heart. It was a face that was marred more than anyone. It was a face that those soldiers.
Hit.
It was a face that they spit into.
It was a face that we no human eye was allowed to see in those hours of darkness.
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When God forsook his only son because he was.
Bearing our sins in his own body on the tree.
But in that face shines the light of the knowledge.
Of the glory of God. How wonderful. Let's go on to.
Ephesians, chapter one.
Just to show you how important the knowledge of God is, and it's something we should desire continually to grow in.
Chapter one of Ephesians.
And verse.
17 This is the prayer of the apostle Paul, and he says that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory.
May give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in.
The knowledge of him.
It's knowing him, brethren.
Colossians excuse me, chapter in Philippians first chapter 3.
Verse.
8 Yay, doubtless I count all things but loss for the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, verse 10, that I may know him.
It's a person. It's not just a mere doctrine. Doctrine is important, but doctrine is about a person, and we can know him.
Colossians, Chapter One.
Verse 10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all, pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.
That was the Apostles desire for the Saints at Colossians.
It's our desire for everyone. Here too, we might increase in the knowledge of God.
Second Peter, chapter one.
Verse 2.
Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through.
The knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
The more you get to know your God.
The more grace and peace is going to be multiplied to you.
Verse three. According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue.
Verse 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises.
That by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. I'm sorry, brethren, it was verse eight I wanted to read. And if these things be in you and abound, they make you, that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Oh, how important it is to know him.
There's just one more verse here. Second, the last verse of the 2nd Epistle of Peter, chapter 3, verse 18.
But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever. Amen.
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Oh, dear brother, and.
How much do we know him?
Is that the burning desire of your soul to know him better?
It should be, and if there's any other thing I can do to wet your thirst to know him better.
That's my desire and standing up here this afternoon.
To know him, that's really life, that's life in abundance. That's what life's about. Our culture here in this country is so man centered.
And I've never seen.
Young people. So Borg.
Always wanting to do something interesting, something fun.
Why do they think that way? Because they're thinking about themselves.
I'm going to suggest to you that that is an empty life.
Turn your thinking around.
Look in the other direction. You'll never exhaust the riches, the knowledge of God and our Savior Jesus Christ.
It's sad to me to see.
That we have come under the influence of the culture that we are passing through.
And young people and older ones too, Don't think I'm pointing a finger out there at you. I point her right here. I know I've been affected by it.
But I think we need to recognize the fact that we've been affected by it.
Confess it to the Lord and see if we can get our thinking turned around to be occupied with what He is. That's what life is about, especially when we deal with the question of eternal life. I like to look through scriptures a bit now to.
That deal with the question of life.
Eternal life and a special way. But let's go to John's Gospel to begin with, because.
John in his ministry deals with the family of God.
Not so much with the Church of God as with the family of God, yes.
It involves the same people.
We are the Church of God. We are also the family of God.
But how do you become one of God's family? How are you born into God's family?
John deals with this question. Let's go to the first chapter of John's Gospel.
And verse 10 start reading. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
That incredible, the very creator of the universe was passing through this world. World had not a clue.
The religious people have the Bible in their hands.
They did not know he was here. They could answer the questions. And you know, sometimes we're like that. We can answer the questions.
But do you know him?
The Scribes and Pharisees answered the question about where he was going to be born.
Daniel. If they would have been reading, Daniel would have told about the time frame he was going to be born.
Who's going to be presenting himself to his people, at least?
They had no clue he was in the world and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
The donkey knew him.
The fish in the sea knew him.
Yes.
But people that were made in his image.
Not a clue.
Tragic.
Verse 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not, that's his Jewish people.
Verse 12 but as many as received him.
To them he gave, to them gave he power to become the sons of God.
Even to them that believe on his name. Oh how simple this is.
How do you become one of God's children?
By being born into his family. What do you do to be born into God's family?
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Scripture says receive him. How do you receive him?
I remember asking that to.
A young man in Bolivia who came to my house very much trouble about his.
Salvation.
He said I don't know what I have to do to be saved.
And he was almost in tears, he was so intense.
So we read the 1St 12 verses of this chapter and he was studying law at the time, so he was not.
A slouch using his mind so.
When we got to verse 12, I said, what does it say you have to do?
Says well receive him.
But how do I do that? I say keep on reading. What does it say you do to receive him?
Believe on his name.
Trust Him, that's what it comes down to. And to those that have received Him, Oh, isn't this wonderful? Have you received the Lord Jesus as your Savior, young person? It's really that at the core of the issue. Have you received Him? You might know all about him, but have you received Him?
Oh, the wonder of just opening the heart's door and let him come in this young man.
Got down on his knees. He says can I pray? I said sure you can pray, but it doesn't say by praying that you become a child of God. Find to pray if you want to pray what we can and we did.
But it's by receiving him.
Believing on his name.
Oh, how simple it is. Have you taken that step, young person? Have you received him? I know you've sat in meetings, you've listened, but have you come to the decision yourself to receive Him? That's where this eternal life begins. Let's go over to the third chapter. There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night and said unto him.
Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God, for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee.
Except a man be born again.
Cannot see the Kingdom of God, Nicodemus saith unto him. How can a man be born again when he is old? Can he enter as the second time into his mother's womb and be born?
You know, it's the way he was reasoning was naturally, we're not talking about a natural new birth. We're talking about a new birth that is completely different. And Jesus answers him in verse 5. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God.
Two things, water and the Spirit.
What's the water?
There's a common idea around that. It's baptism. No, not talking about baptism here. Baptism speaks of death, not life.
Peter tells us in his epistle being born again, not of corruptible seed. That's the way we were born the first time. That's why I got Gray hairs on my head. That's why I get aches in my body. Corruptible seed, but not that seed, but of incorruptible by the word of God, that liveth and abideth forever. Isn't it wonderful, brother? This is the living.
And abiding word of God.
And it's that which is the water. That's the thing by which we are born again. That's the incorruptible seed. Fill your minds with the Word of God.
It will have a definite positive effect on you, but it's the Spirit of God that takes the Word of God.
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And imparts new life.
And that's what.
New birth is.
Just wanted to say a word.
There's a verse in Proverbs that says the seeing.
I and the hearing ear, the Lord hath made both of them. Do you have a hearing here? Sometimes it's easy to sit in meeting and kind of pretend that we're listening, but our minds just going way off that ball game. They must be playing, playing out there or my business. I should be over there and taking care of those things. I forgot about that.
Do you have a hearing here?
You know, it takes some attention to have a hearing here, and there's a special blessing about it here. And your soul shall live.
Oh, I just want to encourage you.
Old and young alike to cultivate a hearing here, I have to confess that sometimes in the morning.
When I read my chapter.
I get through the whole thing and I said no. What did I read here? I nothing seems to have stuck my mind was off another directions.
This is the word of the living God. Oh, the treasure that it is.
Cultivate a hearing here. It's when you listen.
The word of God, that water the Spirit of God takes and.
A soul is born again into God's family. Verse six says that which is born of the flesh.
Is flesh. You can fix up on the flesh all you want all your life long, and it's not going to be any more than flesh.
Just dressed up flesh, that's all.
That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. Oh, how wonderful it is these simple truths. Marvel not that I said unto you, thee, you must be born again.
This wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, or whither it goeth? So is everyone that is born of the Spirit.
In other words, you hear that wind blowing outside. Where'd that wind come from? I don't know. Where is that wind going? I don't know. So is everyone born of the Spirit?
In other words, where did that work begin in your soul?
I don't know that any of us really remembers the first time that seed was planted in our hearts. Thank God for mothers that teach their children the precious word of God. Thank God for Sunday school teachers. Thank God for those who get out to give the gospel. It's going to be a blessing.
That precious word of God.
I'd like to go to the book of Romans now to talk a little bit about this life. I'm going to go through a few of the epistles that talk about this life, and I'd like you to follow me.
Going to try to make it as understandable as I can, but in Romans chapter 6 we have.
Something that tells us about death.
And also life.
You know, the life that we have through the Lord Jesus Christ is really life in resurrection. In other words, it's beyond that.
Let's read a few verses here in chapter 6. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Maybe it helped to get the connection. If we go back to the last verse of the last chapter, chapter 521 Says, as sin has reigned unto death, Even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. I should have read verse 20. Moreover, the law entered that the fence might abound.
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But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.
Taking that into context, then notice verse one of our chapter where we just read. What shall we say then? Shall we continue and sin that grace might abound?
If we're sin abounds, then grace much more abounds. Shall we continue and sin then?
God forbid, he says.
How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein? Here we learn that the believer in the Lord Jesus is dead.
To sin. You ever see a dead man sinning?
Sometimes you see you go to a funeral and see a dead person lying in the coffin. You ever seen any of them sinning? No.
What are they doing? Nothing.
That's your relationship to sin.
You're dead to it.
Notice it does not say you ought to be dead to sin.
No you are dead to sin that's the way God looks at you now if you have put your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ you're dead to sin interesting isn't it you might say well I don't feel very dead we're not talking about feelings here we're talking about what God says about us?
Feelings are extremely deceptive. You can't trust them.
And don't go putting your faith in your feelings, dear young people. Dear feelings are like a yo-yo, up and down and up and down and up and down.
Put your faith in facts.
Scripture says you are dead. Notice it doesn't say.
The old man is dead does say in verse six that the old man is crucified.
With him doesn't say the old man is dead. You're dead.
To sin. So whenever sin presents itself, it's presenting itself to a dead man.
Does a dead man respond?
Here's a dead man laying on the platform up here.
Let's say that this guy was a real drunk in his life. Let's offer him a beer. Is he gonna take it?
Absolutely no response.
You are dead. That's what scripture says.
And because of that, what do you do with dead people?
Verse three. Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death, Therefore we are buried with him by baptism unto death, That like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, Even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Oh this is wonderful to get ahold of. I would guess that most of.
Everybody here today are probably baptized. You know what you expressed when you were baptized? Maybe you don't remember.
When you were baptized. Still, it's true of you, even if you might not remember it.
But in your baptism you are identified with the Lord Jesus Christ in his death.
If I can put it in this simple way, Jesus died for me.
Now that I accept Him as my Savior, God looks at me as dead as well. He died to sin once, and now I'm identified with Him in his death and in His resurrection as well, which comes in the latter half of verse 4.
Oh, how important it is to just simply let these truths sink into our souls.
We're dead to sin.
Sin, it says in the latter part of this chapter, shall not have dominion over you.
Is there some area where you're letting?
Sin have dominion over you.
You're not understanding the position that you occupy in the Lord Jesus.
I think it is extremely important. There's a lot of things that get power over people.
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The Internet. I'm amazed at how sometimes games on the Internet just seem to get a hold of the kids to the point they're not themselves.
Completely forget about their homework.
And there are other addicting things.
Not only alcohol.
There's things on the Internet are addicting. Are you addicted to some of that?
Do you understand what we're talking about here? You're dead to that. Don't give that any place.
Verse 11 going down to verse 11 of this chapter, notice.
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Reckon simply means think that way.
You might say I don't feel very dead inside when there's temptation, I feel like I'm alive inside. Yeah, you might feel that way.
Think this way that you are dead indeed unto sin. When something presents itself for your attention, make the question, is this sin? If it's sin, just simply say I'm dead to that. I remember a particular thing that I struggled with in my youth. It wasn't maybe anything that you would consider that awful serious.
I'll tell you what it was. It was just.
Joking around.
And one of my friends invited me over for a meal one time, and there were about three of us young single guys.
And we sat around on the couch just joking around like young guys do you know?
And then he called this the dinner table, and he brought the.
He brought a tape recorder to the table that he had had going on behind the couch.
Man, when I heard my voice, I just had to put my head down. I was so terribly ashamed to think that that was me saying that stuff. I was convicted. It just didn't glorify the Lord.
Says in Ephesians 5, neither jesting, but we're going to occupy our mouths with something giving of thanks.
So I struggled with that for a while. I'd confess it to the Lord and I'd get up with more determination. I'm not going to do that again. I just not going to do that.
And before I knew it, I was doing it again.
Oh man, I'm going to be more determined now. I'm not going to do that again.
Before I realized I was doing it again.
You can't wrestle with sin. It's a powerful principle.
But I got the victory when I was reading one day these very verses in chapter 6 says you're dead indeed and to sin and alive into God. And I said I'm just not going to struggle with this issue any longer. I'm going to just simply believe God. When the temptation came again, I just said I'm dead to that.
And it just dropped off. It didn't have any more effect on me. I'm not saying that I don't do that once in a while, even now. But dear young people, it should not have dominion over you.
That's the character of the life you have. It's a life of victory. This is the victory which overcomes even.
Our faith.
I'd like to go now to some of the epistles.
Chapter one of.
Philippians.
Not sure how far we're going to get here, but we'll.
Into some of these here are the apostle Paul is in is writing to the Philippian believers.
He is in prison.
His situation is not very pleasant.
But it is beautiful in this epistle. How often?
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Joy and rejoicing.
Occur.
You know.
You like to be happy.
Like to have feel that joy in your soul?
You know, true joy is not connected with circumstances and you might have problems in your life, you might have things that are very unpleasant, you may have sickness, but true joy is not connected with circumstances, it's having.
The soul in fellowship with God, That one we have been brought to know. And here's the Apostle Paul, and let's read his testimony here in verse.
Verse 20 forward of chapter one, according to my earnest expectation and my hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness as always.
So now also Christ may be magnified in my body.
Whether it be by life or by death. In other words, Paul is saying it really isn't too important whether I live or whether I die. That's not important. What's important is that Christ be magnified. I think that's beautiful. You know what happens when you magnify something?
You see the defects?
Brethren, let's not go magnifying human instruments.
Because you're going to start seeing defects if you do that. Don't. Let's not do that.
Let's magnify the Lord Jesus Christ, and I can guarantee you the more you magnify Him, the more you're going to see the complete perfection that was there.
Just go through the Gospels.
I just revel in it, go through the gospels to think that they could never.
Find one little defect in him. He was a completely perfect man.
I've had some court cases that I've been involved in my life and I've learned to respect. Or how should I say it, maybe keep a healthy distance from lawyers.
Is they have a way of taking your words and twisting them around to say what you didn't really mean to say.
The Lord Jesus was surrounded by lawyers trying to catch him in his words.
They always went away completely confounded. He was a completely perfect man.
Oh, magnify. Christ might be magnified in my life or my death, doesn't matter, Paul says verse 21. Notice this.
For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain that beautiful.
Somebody has an objective in life to earn $1,000,000 and they get up to 500,000 and death surprises them.
Is death gain for that person? No.
It curtailed his objective in life.
Live your life so that if death surprises you.
It will only be gained. Dear young people, live your life that way.
And gives us tremendous challenge.
Verse 22 But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor. Yet what I shall choose I want not, for I am in a Strait means he was in a tough place trying to decide between 2 betwixt 2. Having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better.
Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh is more needful for you, and having this confidence, I know that I shall abide. Continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith.
In this beautiful though, live your life, dear young person, dear brother and sister, in the Lord Jesus, so that.
You can say the same thing. I don't think any of us can say it in the same way that the Apostle Paul said it.
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But it should be the desire of our hearts to be able to say that for me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Let's go to Colossians chapter 3.
In Colossians 2 and verse 12, you're going to find the fact that.
As we've already spoken of in Romans, that we are dead and buried.
In chapter 3 verse one it says if then.
If you then be risen with Christ, dead, buried and risen.
Seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth. On the right hand of God sets your affections, or the margin says your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Here's the beginning of the exhortation of this epistle. And it is.
If ye then be risen with Christ, it could read sense.
Ye are risen with Christ. OK, what should we do now? Seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
Oh dear young people, dear older brethren too, how important this is in our Christian lives to set our minds on things above.
Sometimes I've used this and talking to young people and when there's liberty to ask them.
What are some of these things that are above that we should be thinking about?
And you know, a reaction I get, and I think it would be the same for me too. So I'm not criticizing as I see a blank look on their face.
And maybe if they come up with something, they say love.
Yeah, there's love up above.
But come on, let's think of some things out there. Scripture is full of things that are up there.
We know the Lord Jesus is there, but it's Speaking of things in plural.
The heavenly city, the river of water of life, the tree of life.
The Plaza, the street, I should say I'm thinking of in Spanish here because in Spanish it's Placa. It's the place of concourse and interchange.
The Street of of Gold.
Those walls of the city, those dimensions.
Of that city.
Let your mind be occupied with things above. You know, brethren, one of these moments we're going to hear the trumpet and we're going to go from this world where we have occupied ourselves so much of the time.
We have 24 hours every day.
How much of that 24 hours would you say you spend each day in your mind on things above?
I'm afraid the percentage point for me is pretty low.
And so this exhortation comes home pretty strong to my own sore heart. If ye be risen with Christ, set your mind on things above, not on things on this earth. Yeah, there's a lot of things on this earth too, and you can't totally.
Take your mind off of everything on this earth. You got to make a living. You got to think about the car you're driving, if you can get to Saint Louis for the conference or not. You got to think about some of those things.
But shouldn't we be taking time to think about where we're going to spend eternity, brother? Shouldn't we think about that side of things, dedicate ourselves? I think it would have a real effect on our lives if we did. Notice verse 3YE are dead. There's that same truth. It doesn't say you should be dead. No, you are.
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Doesn't say anything about feelings here. You're you are dead.
And your life is hid with Christ in God. I love that.
Your life is hid. The world around looks at us and says what are those people sitting around that room inside there for? What in the world they find so interesting to sit there for 2 1/2 days and just open that book?
They don't understand why.
Our life is hid should be willing to not be understood in this world.
That now notice verse four when Christ, who is our life.
Shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. In other words, this is talking about the appearing. It's not talking about the rapture here. It's when the Lord Jesus comes in power and glory to this world.
And I thought about it in this way. Maybe your neighbor.
That you've gotten to know by chatting with him a bit.
He said if he's not saved when the Lord comes, he's going to stay here. And when the Lord comes in glory, every eye shall see him. And maybe if he's still here, he'll say, oh, there's that neighbor of mine. I always thought he was such a weird guy. I never understood why he lived like he did.
Now I understand our life is going to be manifested in that day.
It may not be before that day, but it will in that day.
Oh dear brethren, let's be content. If we're not understood by the world around, we are going to in the coming day be manifested before a world. And I just like to say before we get to the end of the meeting, this verse for Christ who is our life. I find this a tremendous joy to my soul. So I remember as I was mentioning to you, the struggle I had with myself until I was willing to turn away.
From what I was to be occupied with what my God is and to be able to say Christ is my life. All that perfection I have bases in the word of God to say that's my life.
Isn't that beautiful? I just want to read one more verse before we close. And it's in First Timothy chapter 6. This is the verse I mentioned earlier.
Verse.
17 through 19 we're going to read charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. That they may do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on.
Eternal life, and that's in the Darby translation. It says that they may hold on, lay hold on that which is really life.
You know, somebody asked the question one time when they were reading through this chapter, verse 17. Who are these rich in the world? You know, we always like to look at somebody else. They're richer than us. I'm not really the rich in the world.
But, brethren, if you consider that a vast amount of the population of the world lives on approximately $2.00 a day.
We are rich.
Beyond any.
Question we are the rich in this world. Don't go putting the finger anybody else?
It's us, everyone of us live as the rich in this world.
And what are we exhorted to? Do we have means in our hands and.
Want to challenge you young people in this special way but if the challenges for us all to use our means to lay up in store against the time to come.
That they might lay hold on that which is really life. You know, Paul speaks in Second Timothy of his that which I've committed unto him, and it's kind of indistinct, that word there. But in the Darby translation it says.
01:00:00
My deposit.
There's such a thing as a deposit box on the other side. Are you depositing there, or are you just depositing in some earthly bank? Let's use our means. There's so much need.
Christians in China are crying for Bibles.
Can't we do something about it? I'm convicted.
I think we could can do something about it and we should. It's not over in China only. Don't be thinking about yourself, young people. Don't be thinking what you want to buy and what I would like to have think about others.
Be rich in good works, willing, ready to distribute, willing to communicate.
It's a very real joy to the soul when you are able and willing to.
To give, just want to say as we close here.
Wasn't too long ago I was down in Mexico.
In the little town of Hamilton Peck in Oaxaca.
And justice, As I was getting ready to leave, a poor widow's sister comes up and.
Puts 1000 Mexican pesos in my hand.
And that's about $100. That's a lot of money for.
Her a widow.
Sister, please don't do this. You keep it, you need it. No, no, she was insistent.
Oh, the beauty of that willingness to communicate, to see somebody in need. You don't have to give that much, but you know, in your cities there, there are people that are hungry. Sometimes there are.
There are women that have been abandoned by their husbands and they're struggling to make ends meet. Are you willing to communicate? Let's lay hold on that which is eternal life. I'm sorry I went over brethren, let's.