25-0615p Transcript

Preacher: Mike Mathis

(0:44) Before we really get into the lesson tonight, (0:53) this morning I did not get into the Scriptures. (1:01) There are three warnings from God that are given in the Bible.

(1:10) We had two verses read this morning, which were Deuteronomy 4.2. (1:25) You shall not add to the word which I command you, (1:32) nor take from it that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you. (1:45) God’s brother Moses is speaking to the people, (1:50) and he’s telling the people what God has issued. (1:58) He’s issuing the word to Moses.

(2:03) And Moses in turn is giving this to the people. (2:09) God said, you don’t add to the word which I command you, nor take from it. (2:17) Proverbs 30 and verse 6 says, (2:23) Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you, and you be found a liar.

(2:34) I think that is the reason some people get mad, (2:42) because when they are corrected in what they say, (2:48) and someone shows from the Bible that they are not right, (2:57) instead of being glad, they get mad. (3:06) And the third one is Revelation 22, verses 18 and 19. (3:17) For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book, (3:25) If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book.

(3:37) And if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, (3:43) God shall take away his part from the book of life, (3:50) from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. (3:58) So we have these three warnings throughout the Bible. (4:04) The word not to add to, or to take away from his words.

(4:12) The commands that he gives to us. (4:17) Now I started this morning talking about the blessing of reading. (4:28) And my lesson this morning dealt with an encouragement to read, (4:41) and to read or write.

(4:45) But in the midst of all that, there are these commands. (4:50) The not to add to his word. (4:53) That means that as we’re reading this, (4:56) that we just let this word in the Bible say what it is intended for it to say.

(5:06) Let it do the speaking. (5:09) A lot of times, man does veer away from the Bible, (5:17) and then tells you things that is not there. (5:26) But then there is a problem with some people, (5:32) and it seems like that whenever you hear them, (5:42) they seem to be looking for what they say is contradictions in the Bible.

(5:57) Now I’m going to give you one supposed contradiction (6:02) that is in advance that was shown to me, (6:10) or at least this one was showing this. (6:20) And it’s in 1 Samuel 15. (6:38) And verses 1 through 3. (6:46) Now the prophet Samuel comes to King Saul.

(6:54) Samuel also said to Saul, (6:58) The Lord sent me to anoint you king over his people, or over Israel. (7:09) Now therefore heed the voice of the words of the Lord. (7:17) Thus says the Lord of hosts, (7:21) I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, (7:29) how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt.

(7:37) Now go and attack Amalek, (7:41) and utterly destroy all that they have, (7:46) and do not spare them. (7:49) But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, (7:56) ox and sheep, camel and donkey. (8:02) Now show me the Ten Commandments.

(8:09) Well one of the commandments is, (8:13) Thou shalt not kill. (8:20) And here God is telling the king to go and kill everyone. (8:34) Now they want to make this a contradiction.

(8:40) But there’s one thing that they don’t realize. (8:46) These people, the Amalekites, attacked Israel. (8:53) And Israel was leading Egypt.

(8:58) They were going under way, and they attacked Israel. (9:03) Which led to a battle between the Israelites and Amalek. (9:11) And God made a promise that Amalek would be wiped completely off, (9:21) without remembrance.

(9:26) Now they think that God contradicted himself. (9:32) Actually this command in the Ten Commandments should say, (9:39) Thou shalt not murder. (9:42) Murder is not right.

(9:47) Murdering someone is evil. (9:55) And here God is saying, I will punish Amalek. (10:01) For he’s going to punish this nation.

(10:05) Because they attacked the Israelites. (10:10) And how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. (10:19) Now I know there’s going to be a question in the minds of some.

(10:25) Why didn’t God do that himself? (10:31) We may as well ask, why didn’t God kill all those people (10:38) that the Israelites went into the land of Canaan, (10:47) and overthrow them, and kill them. (10:52) Why didn’t God do that? (10:57) Well, man has this notion that God, I suppose, should do everything. (11:07) And man do nothing.

(11:10) We’ve got this notion that God’s foot will do everything for us. (11:18) We don’t have to do anything. (11:23) And yet, God gives them a reason for going in there and eradicating these people.

(11:32) Now God could have himself struck Amalek. (11:41) They all would have died. (11:43) All the animals, and they all would have died.

(11:47) And do you know what would come after the wild animals? (11:54) Animals of prey would come. (11:59) We need to realize that God is God. (12:03) And what God finally decides is the way that he will do things.

(12:15) Anyway, man has attacked other nations without his approval. (12:27) And they have literally wiped out the people that they attacked. (12:37) Whether he gives, whether he’s approving of it or not.

(12:45) But he’s punishing Amalek for what Amalek did. (12:53) And for you young people, I want to tell you that Amalek here (13:01) is standing for the people of the Amalekites. (13:07) He’s using one name.

(13:11) He mentions them other places of the Israel. (13:17) He mentions Jacob. (13:19) Jacob stands for the Israelite people.

(13:25) But because these people attacked his people, (13:34) now he has decided to take revenge on them. (13:37) And he has chosen the message to do so. (13:46) And at first I was wondering whether they had overlooked (13:54) what he said in verse 2. (14:00) But then again, as I said, the question, (14:04) why didn’t God do this himself? (14:10) Now, as I said, that this lesson is geared for the young people, (14:18) but those of us that are older can benefit from this.

(14:26) And in the reading of 1 Timothy 4 and then in verse 15, (14:38) we are told, meditate on these things. (14:49) He wants Timothy to meditate. (14:55) Now, meditate means to turn over any subject in the mind.

(15:12) That means we’ve got to think about what we’re reading. (15:16) We’ve got to think when we read in a certain place, (15:24) while we read, have I missed something? (15:30) There are times that I do have to go back, be reading something. (15:36) Not necessarily what’s in the scriptures, (15:40) but what’s in whatever I’m reading.

(15:44) Now wait a minute. (15:46) This doesn’t make sense. (15:49) I have to go back before that and read over, (15:53) because I miss it.

(15:58) Now, this will require study. (16:06) This will require, as we brought up this morning, (16:12) in 2 Timothy 2, verse 15, (16:17) that Timothy is said to be diligent, (16:22) to present yourself approved to God, (16:25) a worker who does not need to be ashamed, (16:29) rightly dividing the word of truth. (16:32) Timothy couldn’t be a good evangelist (16:35) if he didn’t know what he was preaching.

(16:41) And it takes study, it takes diligence. (16:45) We are to meditate on these things. (16:50) Well, let’s look at some things (16:52) that Timothy is supposed to meditate upon.

(17:03) One thing is, let no one despise your youth. (17:11) Now, the Bible gives instructions on how to live. (17:20) Tells us how to go about doing things through our life, (17:28) the right things to do.

(17:32) But we find many times, (17:37) and it’s especially so now, (17:40) that young people seem to be more bent on doing evil than anything. (17:50) Young ones having guns out on the street, (17:56) holding up people, (17:58) robbing people. (18:02) So let no one despise your youth, (18:06) because the youth will be getting a bad reputation (18:14) knowing the evil things that is being done.

(18:23) But be an example. (18:27) Be an example. (18:30) Be an example to the believers in words, (18:34) in conduct, (18:37) in love, (18:38) in spirit, (18:41) in faith, (18:41) in purity.

(18:46) Yes, young people that are here, (18:51) don’t let yourself be despised (18:57) because you just don’t listen to authority. (19:02) You won’t listen to your parents. (19:04) You don’t want to listen to the teachers of school, (19:10) the civil authorities, the police.

(19:16) But we’re supposed to give an example on how to live. (19:25) And we’re supposed to. (19:26) And it tells Timothy, (19:28) give yourself to them.

(19:31) That is these things that he has mentioned. (19:36) He says to give yourself to them (19:44) and then take heed to yourself and the doctrine. (19:50) The doctrine being the doctrine of Christ, (19:53) the teaching that is being taught.

(20:00) He says to continue in them. (20:04) That is to continue in all this. (20:11) Continue in them for in doing this, (20:15) you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

(20:24) But the thing that I want to get to you is (20:31) how do we get there? (20:35) And that’s from the Word. (20:37) That’s from reading. (20:39) That’s from studying diligently, (20:45) giving ourselves to the Word (20:47) and meditating on the Word.

(20:51) Think about what is said. (20:56) And we need to know this. (21:03) Now the scripture reading that I had, (21:07) you may think, (21:09) what in the world does what you read in Matthew 7, (21:16) 7 and 8 have to do (21:19) with what you have been saying about reading, (21:26) about reading the Word? (21:29) I’ve tried to encourage reading the Word.

(21:37) Well, let’s do it. (21:38) And I’m going to explain right now. (21:43) He says, (21:44) Ask, and it will be given to you.

(21:48) Seek, and you will find. (21:52) Knock, and it shall be opened unto you. (21:56) For anyone who asks, receives.

(22:00) And he who seeks, finds. (22:06) And to him who knocks, it will be opened. (22:11) Now here’s my explanation.

(22:16) God speaks to us through His Word. (22:20) And I’ve tried to show from this lesson, (22:24) trying to encourage young people (22:27) to get in the habit of reading and studying (22:33) and meditating upon the Word. (22:37) Because it’s God’s Word.

(22:40) It’s God speaking to us. (22:45) But you know, (22:49) just having God speak to us (22:53) and God doesn’t hear from us, (22:57) that’s not good. (23:00) We need to pray to God.

(23:05) And one of the things that we ought to pray for (23:10) as we’re reading this from His Word, (23:15) we ought to pray to God that He help us (23:20) to seek the truth. (23:24) For herein, the Scriptures is the truth. (23:32) And as I said this morning, (23:37) some people think or they say (23:41) the Bible contradicts itself.

(23:45) You know, it has. (23:46) The Bible total has 66 books in it. (23:53) It is the book of books.

(23:58) It has 66 books. (24:00) And all these 66 books, (24:05) they do not contradict (24:10) what other Scriptures say. (24:14) You know, because truth does not contradict itself.

(24:20) And that’s where the Bible is the truth. (24:28) And we need to learn to get from it. (24:33) But also, we need to learn (24:38) just like with our parents.

(24:43) Our parents may give us commands. (24:48) They may tell us what they want us to do. (24:55) But then, we ought to in turn speak to them.

(25:05) We need to speak to them for being our parents (25:08) and for caring for us. (25:11) And there’s a lot of things that maybe (25:13) as we grow, that what they tell us (25:19) may not seem right to us. (25:26) But yet, they’re telling us things (25:28) that they know that would be good for us.

(25:32) And God is telling us those things too. (25:38) But at the same time, (25:40) as children would speak to their parents (25:43) and ask them for different things, (25:47) He’s telling us here for us to ask God. (25:55) To ask Him for what’s on our minds.

(26:03) To keep asking. (26:05) To keep seeking. (26:07) To keep knocking.

(26:09) We don’t do it once. (26:12) We need to learn the practice of (26:15) learning what He says. (26:18) And we need to learn the practice of (26:21) praying to God.

(26:25) And I know, even for me, (26:30) my prayer line should be a whole lot better (26:32) than what it is. (26:35) And we need to talk to God. (26:38) God talks to us through His Word.

(26:41) We need to talk to Him (26:46) in our prayers. (26:49) And so, in our seeking for the truth, (26:54) let us seek God’s help (26:56) in guiding us to the truth (27:00) as we search His Word. (27:03) His Word is truth.

(27:08) Now I’m going to extend the invitation (27:12) in His Word (27:13) are things that God tells one (27:18) who needs to be saved, (27:20) what he needs to do. (27:23) He needs to believe (27:26) the Word. (27:28) He needs to run away from sin.

(27:33) And he needs to learn to confess with his mouth (27:38) that Jesus is Christ. (27:40) If he believes that Jesus is Christ, (27:45) who He said He is, (27:49) then he needs to be baptized (27:50) for the remission of sins. (27:54) If anyone has not done that, (27:58) we urge you to do so.

(28:02) And we also urge those that have done that, (28:09) if they need to be restored (28:11) or they’ve got a problem (28:14) that they need to make known, (28:19) why not let the church pray for you (28:23) for those that have gone astray (28:25) to be restored. (28:27) And for the problems that you may have, (28:31) to pray that God will help you (28:34) in dealing with your problems. (28:37) And solving them.

(28:41) If so, the invitation is to you, (28:44) if you’re subject to the gospel invitation, (28:47) in any way, (28:49) why not come while we stand and sing.