SNT-0478- Obedience to God (Cummins)
Format: Mp3
Publication Date: 11-29-1970
Walter J. Cummins graduated from the Power for Abundant Class in 1962.
He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Ohio State University in 1968 and his Master of Education degree in Secondary School Administration in 1978 from Wright State University.
He was ordained to the Christian by The Way International in 1968. He has studied at The Way International under Victor Paul Wierwille and K.C.Pillai. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, he was director of the Research department of the Way International and served as assistant to the president.
DRAFT
SNT-478-ObediancetoGod(Cummins) DRAFT
SUMMARY KEYWORDS: God, Saul, sacrifices, obey, Samuel, Israel, offerings
turn to Psalms, chapter 40. And put a little smile on your face. Psalms chapter 40. Israel was a peculiar nation. One minute they were walking on the word, one minute they were the next minute, they'd be off in left field. And as you read the Old Testament, and watch how Israel moved, it's just a wonder they even made it through. But they didn't at certain periods of time in history. But Israel, one of the kings, God did not want kings over Israel. But God said, If you want a king, this is how you're going to do it.
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He sat down the guidelines by which the king was chosen, and by which they set up the kingdom and so on. At another period of time in history, in the Old Testament history, Israel wanted judges to rule over them. God did not want them to have judges. But God said, if you're going to have judges, you're going to do it by my rule book. And he set down the guidelines for putting judges and how they would rule over the people. The same way with offerings, sacrifices, and so on, which were offered by the people to God, whether it was before the law administration, or during the law administration. God did not want the people to offer sacrifices. God did not want them to have these burnt offerings and so forth, the things that they laid on the altar and burnt the putting of the, the animals on there and burning them up, or the this kind of thing. He did not want sacrifices. But the people wanted to make sacrifices beginning with Adam. From Adam on down what Cain and Abel remember them made sacrifices, didn't they? Sure. Abraham, a lot of other people, you get down to the law. And God said, Well, if you want to make sacrifices, you're going to do it by my rulebook. And God set up the pattern for making sacrifices to him. He did not want them to make sacrifices. But he says if you're going to make sacrifices, this is how you're going to do it. And he sat down the guidelines. The people were the ones that wanted to make sacrifices God didn't want to. And Psalms chapter 40. In verse six, it says, sacrifice and offering, thou did not desire. God did not desire sacrifice and offering. mine ears has now open bird offering and sin offering hast thou not required, God did not require, notice there are four kinds of offerings Miss mentioned here, sacrifice will sacrifice an offering and burn offering in sin offering. God did not desire these he did not require them. Then said I, lo, I come in the volume of the book, it is written of Me. I delight to do sacrifices. I delight to do the will of whom I delight to do thy will, oh my god. I did like to do my thy will. Oh my god. And this is what God took pleasure in when people walked on his word when people did what God said when they were obedient to Him. Not by the sacrifices. God did not require sacrifices and offer but the people said we want to make sacrifices and offering So God said Alright, this is the way you do it. But what God wanted was people to walk inside to his will which you know by knowing is what his word that's right. By knowing his words, you know his will that you have to write down on the blackboard by knowing his we all you know, his work and this is what God wanted people to walk inside of that will. He did not want the sacrifices, the offerings and so forth. But people wanted to make sacrifices and offerings. So what you're going to do, like Dr. word was said many times, especially in the early part of the ministry, even though it does not say any more that we are under baptism, circumcision, a lot of other things, these are law. And even though it does not say we are under the law, and we have to baptize people, if somebody wanted to be baptized, he baptized them. They wanted to be sprinkled sprinkling, they want to be deputy different. They want to be dumpy, Duncan Murphy wanted to be dry cleaned, he drives me my guess.
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But he, for people, God work the same way. He says, If you want sacrifices, this is how we'll do it. All right. Well, let's finish this idea like to do thy will, oh, God, yea, thy law is within my heart. I have preached righteousness in the great congregation. Low I have not refrained my lips, oh Lord, thou knows I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart. I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation. I have not concealed by loving kindness, and by truth from the great congregation. He was doing the will of the Lord, right. He was declaring it he just didn't receive it and then hide it in his heart. He declared it to people, the salvation, the loving kindness and so forth of the Lord. Alright, look at Hebrews chapter 10.
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Hebrews chapter 10. That's in the New Testament. Hebrews chapter 10 And verse five. Do any of you have any indication in your bibles like center reference, or by boldface print or something that this was quoted from the Old Testament?
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How many do all right good? Nah, it's notice how similar it is to that which we just read from the book of Psalms. Wherefore, when he comes into the world, he said, sacrifice and offerings that would have snuck. But a body has now prepared me in burn offerings and sacrifices for sin doll has had no pleasure. Sounds like the same thing, doesn't it? Now we just read from salt. There's a few words there that are different, and for very good reason. Because it's not quoted from the book of salt. And that's what it says, read what's written verse five. Wherefore? When the guy that wrote the book of Psalms wrote it, no. It says, Wherefore? When he talks about Jesus Christ, when He come up into the world? Well, when did he come into the world when they wrote the book of Psalms? No. He said, sacrifice and offerings, that word is not the same basic truth is there though that I'm that I read to you from the book of Psalm, that sacrifice and offerings, that word is not. God did not desire sacrifice and offering, but it's in a different context. It's in a new light. Because in the Old Testament, He said, I don't desire sacrifice and offerings, My desire is that you do the will of God. Now look at the application of the thing here. sacrifice and offerings, I would it's not but a body has prepared me in. In Psalms it says an ear, because people have to listen with their ears, in order to be able to do the will of the Lord right. Here it's a body, talking about the body of Jesus Christ. He had a body. In verse six in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin, das had no pleasure, Then said I, lo, I come in the volume of the book, it is written of Me to do thy will I come to do thy will. Jesus Christ came to do the will of the Father, he always did the will of the Father, right? He always did the will of the Father. In the Old Testament, in the book of Psalms, where we read it, it says, that God desire people to do the will of the Lord, right? To do that you have to hear the word. Here, it's talking about Jesus Christ, who did the will of the Lord. He said, I come to do thy will, oh, God, verse eight, above when he said, sacrifice and offerings, and burn offerings, in offering for sin, thou what is not, neither heads pleasure there, which are offered by the law. Then said he, lo, I come to do thy will. Oh, God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second, he took away the Coven, or the law, the sacrifices and sins which he really didn't want to establish a second. In the Old Testament, they still did the sacrifices because it was part of the law. Because the people wanted sacrifices, God said, this is the way you do it. So they did sacrifices, but they also were to do with the will of the Lord. Here, he takes away the first the sacrifices to establish the second, verse 10, by the way, which by the which will, we are sanctified through the offering of the body, the body of Jesus Christ, once, once for once, that at once with the sacrifices, the sin offerings, and so on, every year, they had to offer these things didn't pay for their sins, but Jesus Christ did it once, by doing the will of the gods at will of God. He did not offer sacrifices, like they offered in the Old Testament, like the priests laid on the altar, and so he offered his body, his body, not the sacrifices, the sin offerings, and so, but he offered his own body, which took care of a lot more than the Old Testament sacrifices did. Look at Jeremiah chapter seven. Jeremiah chapter seven. Verse 22. Verse 22, says, For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning what burn offerings are sacrifices? That's right. He did not speak to them when he brought them out of Egypt concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices.
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That's not what God wanted. He brought them out of Egypt, to get them out of Egypt, and he wanted them to walk. And he said, Here, he did not speak to them. When they came out of Egypt, concerning burn offerings or sacrifices in verse 23, says, But this, I commanded, commanded I them saying, next word, obey, obey, obey my voice, obey my voice, to obey the voice of God would be to do the will of God, right? To do the will of God, to obey his voice, to walk in obedience. That's what God wanted. He did not care about the sin offerings of sacrifices, the burn offering, what God wanted was people to obey Him, to do His will. And to do as well I had to know is what we're obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people, and Waukee in all the ways that I have commanded you, that I may, that it may be well unto you. So what's the will of God? Well, for one thing to obey, God, obey. That's what God wanted was for the people to obey him. Even when they came out of Egypt, he did not command them to have birth, offering sacrifices. It wasn't until later when the people wanted to make sacrifices and so on. That God said, Okay, here's the rulebook for what had to be done. He had the right for extra books to the Old Testament, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. Law, right. Look at Proverbs 21. Proverbs chapter 21, verse three, to do justice and the word justice is the word righteousness, to do righteousness to do righteousness now which is right in God's sight, which would not be sin and would be doing God's will to do righteousness and judgment is more acceptable To the Lord than one. That's right. To do righteousness is and judgment is more acceptable unto God than the sacrifices. Look at Hosea chapter six
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Hosea six verse six Friday desired mercy and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God more than burn offerings. That's something that's what God wanted mercy not sacrifice and knowledge of God, the knowledge of God and how do you get a knowledge of God but from his word, sure, a knowledge of God, he did not want the burn offering the sacrifice, he would rather have them to have a knowledge of God and mercy, or to have righteousness to do righteousness and judgment, greater than sacrifice, to do the will of God. To obey God to do what God says, to obey him. Alright, look at Genesis 22. All you got to know the books of the Bible tonight. Genesis 22. Genesis 22 Verse 18, talking to Abraham here the angel of the Lord stocking to Abraham and he says in verse 18, and in by seed, shall all the nations of the earth be blessed? Because thou has offered sacrifice, burn offering, sin offering? No, because thou has done what obeyed my voice obeyed my voice. They obey Abraham obeyed God. That's why his people would be blessed. He said, not because he offered sacrifices, and Abraham did offer sacrifices. Remember the one in place of Isaac, there were others. But it wasn't the sacrifice that was important. The thing that was important was that Abraham did what? He obeyed God, he obeyed God did what God says. Look at Exodus chapter 23. Exodus 23. God did not desire sacrifices, burn offerings, and so on. What God desired was that people obey his voice, that people obey him that they do His will. But the people said, We want sacrifice. We want offering. So God said, This is how you doing? Exodus chapter 23, verse 14, gives us part of this record. He says, three times, thou shall keep a feast unto Me in the year. Christmas, Easter, and I think God, three times I shall keep a feast on me in the year. Verse 15, thou shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Thou shalt eat unleavened bread seven days as I commanded thee, in the time appointed of the month of IP, for in it thou Caymus out from Egypt, and none shall appear before me empty, and the Feast of harvests the first fruits of die labors, which now has sown in the field, and the Feast of the in gathering, which is the end of the year. When thou hast gathered in by labors out of the field would be the autumn. Verse 17, three times in the year all by males shall appear before the Lord God. Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with love and bread, because the commandment was unleavened bread. Neither shall the fat of my sacrifice remain until the morning because the commandment was Everything had to be eaten up or burned, right? One of the first 19, the first of the first fruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the LORD thy God couldn't just be the first fruits. They wanted it. They wanted the law of the soul sword. They wanted it. God said, this is the way you do it. I don't want the first fruits. I want the first of the first fruits.
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How about that? Thou shalt not see the kid in thy mother's milk.
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A kid, the small goat right? In the east, they took the mother's milk of this kid, and they boiled this kid in in the milk, and they used it for fertilizer. Use it for fertilizer A lot like leaven bread, he told him, I don't want you to use the Lebanon, I want you to make unleavened bread. Here the commandment was not to fertilize the field with this stuff. I want you to grow up naturally. Now shall not see the kid, boil a kid in its mother's milk for fertilizer. Verse 20, Behold, I send an Angel before the to keep the in the way, the good thing to do. And to bring the into the place which I have prepared.
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Be aware of him and obey his voice. Obey His voice. provoke him not, for He will not pardon your transgression, for my name is Indian. But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, obey his voice, and do all that I speak. Then, when you obey his voice, and do all that I speak, then then I will be an enemy unto your enemies, and an adversary unto your adversaries. They wanted sacrifices, and so on. They wanted the commandments. The law, okay, God said, this is the way you're going to do it. Three times a year. You do these things. When you have the Feast of Unleavened Bread, you don't have leavened bread. And you don't use fertilizer, kid, boiled in mother's milk. He set the guidelines. But even though they wanted this, and God gave it to him, that still was not the important thing. The important thing was that he obey what God said, he obey the voice of this angel that he sent to him and do all that I God speak. That was the important thing. Because when you do this, he didn't say when you offer the sacrifice, or when you eat unleavened bread, or when you plant your crops and such in such a way that then I'm going to be an enemy to you know, when you obey what God says, then God when he, when they obeyed what God said, then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies in an adversary and design adversaries, for my angel shall go before the end, bring the into the in unto the Amorites and the Hittites, and the parasites and the Canaanites, and the Hivites and the Jebusites. A, you're going to be missionaries unto her No, and I will cut them off, cut them off. I will be an enemy design enemies and adversaries by adversaries. Only. When you do obey God's voice what God says. Alright, look at we just did First Samuel 15. First Samuel 15. We're going to read this entire chapter. Because the keys in here are just fantastic. When you look at the life of Saul on the prophet Samuel, and here again is an instance, Saul was king of Israel. God did not want them to have kings. But he says if you do it, this is the way you're going to do it. And God chose the Kings over Israel, some of them at least one at its inception. And God anointed the king as the prophets to anoint them. looking and even with the best people that God could find to be kings, even with the best people, those people even tripped out at times. And one example was saw, the best man God could find. But saw really tripped out
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verse one, Samuel 15, first same a 15 one. Samuel also said unto Saul, the Lord sent me to anoint the to be King over His people over Israel. Now therefore, hearken thou unto the voice of the words of the Lord. hearken unto the voice of the words of the Lord. Listen to what God has to say. All right, Thus says the Lord of hosts, I remember that which Emilich did the Israel how he laid wait for him in the way when he came up from Egypt now go and smite Emilich and utterly destroy
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that's like the Cow that jumped over the barbed wire fence he was utterly destroyed now go and smite Amelie. The only all you're the one that told it to me Oh, all right. Where are we? Oh, Mercy now going smite am like and utterly destroy all that they have. And spare them not. spare them not. Don't spare one. But slay both man and woman. Infant and suckling oxen sheep cam on ass. Now that was the word of the Lord. And like, had bumped up against God when He came and started chopping away it Israel. So God told Saul via Samuel that he should go to Amelie my family and destroy all that they have. Men, women, infants, the cattle sheep whatever they hand off I asked him and verse for Saul gathered the people together in number them in chillin 200,000 foot men and 10,000 men of Judah. And Saul came to a city of Amulek and laid weight in the valley. And Saul said unto the Kenites, go, depart, get you down from among the AMA lights less I destroy you with them, for you show kindness to all the children of Israel when they came up out of Egypt. So the Kenites departed from among the Amalekites. God told him to utterly destroy those of Amelie. Nothing about the Kenite. the Kenites had been good to Israel, Paul a saw let him go. He says Get out of here. Because we're going to take care of ama like in just a few hours. All right. Verse seven, Sol, and Sol smoke the Amalekites. From habla until thou comes to shirt that is over against Egypt. And he took a gag the king of the Amalekites. Alive. Hey, he took him alive. What did God say to do to everybody there? Kill them. knock them off. Get rid of them because they had bucked up against Israel. wasn't God coming in there and just clamping people for no reason? These people had bucked up against the law of God, hadn't they? They had brought it on themselves. Right? God just didn't go in there and start destroying people. The people have bucked up against God, they come against the commandment of God and brought all these things on themselves. But Saul took a gag the king of the Amalekites alive. Hey, was that the will of God? Did he Harken under the voice of the Lord? Not completely. He went in there but He made an exception. And if you make one exception, are you doing the well of the Lord? No, no. Like Eve, remember? First she considered she answered him. And then she left out a word. She changed the word she added a word. And when she ended up she had the direct opposite of what God has said, God said, Thou shalt surely die and and Eve ended up with from the serpent, Thou shalt not surely die, the direct opposite. But she started on some small point, maybe one exception, one word, what it's all do, he made one exception to begin with. And when you make one exception, you're no longer doing the will of God.
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He took a gag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword, but saw on the people spared a gag, and the best of the sheep. They spared the sheep to the best of, and of the oxen, and of the fat links and of the Lambs, and all that was good, and what not utterly destroy them. But everything that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly. Was Paul doing the will of the Lord started with one exception, the king? Then he starts, well, how about some of the sheep and the oxen and the fat links and so on. We want to keep the best of those want to keep the best ones? So we can, well, there's no sense in destroying these things as they're, I mean, if they're so good, you know, there's a mess. We better hang on to and get rid of the others. But what's he doing the well of the Lord? That's the point. What was the will of the Lord, utterly destroy everything? No exception. So Paul, or Saul is not doing the will of the Lord at this point of the ballgame. Now, verse 10, then came the word of the Lord and the same you'll sing. it repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be a king. For he is turned back from following me and has not performed my command. And it grieves Samuel and he cried unto the Lord all night. One time Samuel Saul been like that. They were close. But when Saul didn't do the will of the Lord, how do you think Samuel felt? He was grieved, deeply grieved. Verse 12, when Samuel rose early to meet Saul in the morning, it was told Samuel sang Saul came to Carmel, and behold, he set him up a place and he's gone about and passed on and going down to Gilgal. And Samuel came to Saul, and Saul said unto him, bless would be down with the Lord. I have performed the commandment of the Lord Hattie. No. But Saul said, I have performed the commandment of the Lord, was God clear back in verse three, what to do, to utterly destroy everything. But Saul said, Well, we got to save the king. He reasoned this out in his mind, because the will of the Lord was to get rid of him to everything. And he saved the best of some of the animals. That was not the will of the Lord. But Saul said to Samuel, bless it Be thou the Lord, I have performed the commandment of the Lord. And Samuel said, what means then, this bleeding of the sheep in my ears, and the lowering of the oxen, which I hear. Because same y'all remember the word of the Lord was to utterly destroy everything. And Saul said, they have brought them from the Amalekites, knows that they have their na. They have brought them from the Melaka. For the people, spared the best sheep in the end of the oxen, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God and the rest we have utterly destroyed. Good excuse. First of all, Samuel did not obey the will of the Lord. And then, when he gets back, he makes excuses. Sounds real religious. We've done it Now that we can sacrifice these beautiful animals unto the Lord, that's why we brought them back. Verse 16, then Samuel said unto Saul, stay, and I will tell thee what the Lord has said to me this night. And he said unto him, say on and Samuel set, when thou was little indein own site, was thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed the king over Israel, and the Lord Cynthiana journey and said, Go, and utterly destroyed the sinners, the America and fight against them, until they be consumed. Wherefore, then did now not obey the voice of the Lord, but that's fly upon the spoil, and this evil in the sight of the Lord.
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Boys Samuel is really putting it to him point blank, he's telling it like it is. God said, utterly destroy and so you haven't done this. You have you flew upon the spoil, you kept the best thing. And you did evil by doing this, you did evil in the sight of the Lord. And Saul said unto Salman, yeah, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord. Not right, Sam. I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and have gone the way which the Lord sent me. Sure, I did what he said, and have brought against the king of the king of Emilich and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. Ah, one exception. One exception. First, he made excuses while we brought him back to make sacrifices under God. That was his excuse. Now he says it now he makes one exception we brought the king back but we destroyed all the Amalekites. While shoe wasn't a gag and Amalekite to mer with Paul, so I have brought back a gag the king of Amelie and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. Did he utterly destroy them all? No, he made one exception. The king, it's all sort of figured well. We got to save the king. Verse 21. But the people the people is shifting the blame set.
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Firstly made excuses that it was for sacrifice. Then he says, Well, there's one exception, the king. And then he shifts the blame the people, the people took the spoil. Sounds like something the child would say. Or adults. The people that took the spoil the sheep, the oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God in Gilgal. The people did it. I didn't do it. The people did it. He shifts the blame shirt. So it was in the suit. He had to get out of it somehow. Verse 22, and Samuel said, half the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifice sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord. We read in other places God did not delight or did had no desire for burnt offerings and sacrifices. But he said if you're going to do it, you do it this way. But Saul was emphasizing the sacrifices and the burnt offerings, far above the obedience or obedience to the Word of the Lord. But which does God put first? Obedience, obedience. Has the Lord has great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord, which is more important to God? obeying the voice of the Lord, that's right. Behold, to obey, to obey is better than to sacrifice. To obey is better than to sacrifice and to hearken unto the word of the Lord, I do hearken, then, the fat of rams. Obedience is the most important thing to do what God says to do. The second under this administration of the law was to offer sacrifices but only because the people wanted it. God said do it this. The most important thing is always to obey what God says. They're what he says. Verse 23, for rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because das rejected the word of the Lord. He has also rejected the from being king puts a pretty point my daughter Saul do. Saul said to Samuel if sin finally admits it. Firstly, he made an excuse. We brought him back to offer for sacrifice. Then he said, Well, there's one exception, the king, but we destroyed all the American. Third, he says he puts the blame on other people, blames other people for Finally, after same you'll read in the riot act and set him in his place. He said, the first the most important thing with God is obedience. He says, I have sinned. For I've transgress the commandment of the Lord, and thy words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. He listened to people rather than God. He listened to people rather than God. There's the choice, whether you're going to listen to your neighbor, or listen to what God says. Verse 25, now therefore I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me that I may worship the Lord. And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee, for thou is rejected, the word of the Lord now has rejected the word of the Lord, He did not obey Him. And the Lord hath rejected the from being king over Israel. Saul pulled the button or pushed a button, didn't he? God would never have rejected him from being king. If Saul had obeyed and done what God said. Anna Samuel turned about to go away he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it ramped. And Samuel said unto him, the Lord hath rent the kingdom of Israel from the this day, and have given it to a neighbor of dying, that is better than thou, and also the strength of Israel will not lie nor Repent, for he is not a man that he should repent. Then he said, I have sin, yet honor me now, I praise the before the elders of my people, and before Israel, in turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord thy God. So Samuel turned again after Saul and Saul worship the Lord.
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These animals that they had brought back, were later destroyed, in the sacrifices that go Gala, and so on. So all the animals were taken care of, they were utterly destroyed. But there was one that still remained, and that was a gay, the king of the Amalekites. In verse 32, then said, Samuel, bring you hither to me a gag the king of the Amalekites. And a gag came on to him delicately.
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And a gag said, Surely the bitterness of death is in there, so he thought, boy, you know, I've really been informed. Now here I am. Surely the bitterness of death
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He was real cool that he thought he had made. Verse 33 Samuel said, as I sword has made women childless, so So shall thy mother be childless among women, and Samuel huge gag in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal. Because what was the word of the Lord, destroy him all. Samuel had to do it. Because Saul had not obeyed the will of the Lord. So Samuel took care of it. Samuel obeyed the word of the Lord. This reminds me in in a ministry such as we have here, many of us have responsibilities and opportunities in the body of Christ, things that we have to do, but there are those who are in authority.
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If I do not do the will of God. If I am told to do something, and I do not do it according to to God's word. Then it's Dr. Wearables responsibility to take care of it. I am responsible to him, or I am responsible to God under him, and then he's responsible to God over the whole thing because he's in charge of the ministry. So if I do not do something, then he has to take care of it. He has to do it. Same thing here, Samuel. Samuel, Samuel, or Saul did not do the will of God. So Samuel had to take care of it for him. Tremendous key, verse 34, then same he went to Rama install went into his house to go to GBIF, to be of Saul. And Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death. Nevertheless, Samuel mourn for Saul. And the Lord repented that he had made Saul king over Israel. Notice the contrast, the Lord repented that he had made talking about over Israel, but Samuel mourn for Saul. It shows the weakness of the flesh, even though many times and this is what makes it hard in the ministry that, that you may have to stand up to somebody to tell him he hasn't done the will of the Lord. It's hard. Because of the flesh, the flesh, you look at him and say, Here's my best friend flipping out and less left field. But you got to make up your mind are you going to do what Saul did to hearken unto the voice of the people? Or are you going to do what Samuel did hearken unto the voice of the Lord Samuel love Saul had been close to him at one time. And that's why he mourn for Saul. Bye, but God repented, that he had made Saul king over Israel, as Paul or Saul had really flipped out.
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He did not obey the will of the Lord. Now which is most important to offer for ocra. To offer sacrifices, or to obey God, obey God. I thought this record in First Samuel 15 really drew the picture, point blank, explained it exactly like it is. In Jeremiah Chapter 35. Jeremiah 35, verse eight. Thus have We obeyed the voice of jonadab, the son of rekom, our Father, in all that he have charged us to drink no wine all our days, we our wives, our sons, nor our daughters, nor to build houses for us to dwell in? Neither have we vineyard, nor field nor sea, but we have dwelt in tents, and have obeyed and done according to all that jonadab Our Father commanded us. They obeyed their father, they were obedient to Him. He told him, don't drink wine, don't live in a house, the other minor thing, and they obeyed Him, they did what their father Jonah dabit said to do. Verse 12. Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, go and tell the men of Judah in the inhabitants of Jerusalem, will you not receive instruction to hearken to My Word says the Lord, hey, they hearken to the words of their father. But God says, they have not parking under my word. The choice again, like Saul chose to hearken unto the voice of the people because they feared him. Whereas Samuel chose to hearken unto the voice of God. There's the choice. They had it here too. They hearken or they listened to their father, Jonah dam. They did what he said they obeyed him, but they did not obey what God had said, verse 14, the words of Jonah dab the son of a cob, that he commanded his sons not to drink, wine are perform, they did this. For onto this day they drink none, but obey their fathers come in. Notwithstanding I have spoken unto you rising early and speaking, but he, you hearkened, not unto me, God says, they listen to their father, but they didn't listen to God.
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I have sent also unto you, all my servants, the prophets, rising up early and sending them same, returning now every man from his evil way, and a manger doing, then go not after other gods to serve them, and you shall dwell in the land which I have given to you, and to your father's, but you have not inclined your ear, nor hearken unto me. They had not obeyed God, verse 16, because the sons of jonadab, the father, the son of McCobb, have performed a commandment of their father, which he commanded them. But this people have not hearken unto me. How many times has he said, four, four times, I believe. He says, They listened to their dad. But they didn't listen to me. Again, it's a choice. Now, I'm not going to say flip out and not obey your father. But if it's a choice between a father a mother, or a brother, or sister, or a neighbor, or friend, and the Lord, which one you got to choose? Haven't made up your mind? Well, let's just think about it. Know, you make up your mind, you're going to listen to your neighbors, to your friends, your family, or you're going to listen to the Lord what God says to do. And that doesn't mean you have to sell your house and trip out move to Timbuktu or some other place either. Most of the revelation that God makes known to his people is already available in the word. It's already written here. So if you want to know the word or the will of God, you read the Word of God.
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And you choose, are you going to go by that word? Are you going to go by what man says? You're going to go obey God, or you're going to obey your neighbor, your family, your friends?
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There's the choice. All right, look at that. We'll go the New Testament. Acts chapter five. Verse 17. Is people in the book of Acts chapter five, we're really moving in Jerusalem with the greatness of God's word, sharing it with people. Incidentally, I'm reminded that you know, in the book of Acts, they didn't move out from Jerusalem basically, until persecution said in while I tell you, I'm sure glad that our people are moving out in other communities, other than just Jerusalem here without a big persecution. Praise the Lord. Amen. Isn't it great to see how New York and ECU in Wichita, California, Australia, other places are just thriving on the word how people are getting turned on with God's word without a big persecution to split up Jerusalem here, and that great day. I think it is. Sure. I don't think this one will fall down. Because it's got a lot of weight to it. We were deliberating earlier whether we ought to take it off. So wouldn't gouge some holes in there but I think the weights gonna hold it on here. I just heard it shake. All right. Now in the great, you know, but here here in chapter five, they were still adrift. Islam and they didn't really basically move out from Jerusalem to other areas until after the persecution in chapter eight. But here they were in Jerusalem, but they were really hot on the word that the ministry right at that time was to Jews only because of their background and hadn't really a knowledge of the mystery that was available to the Gentiles. So, but for the Jews anyway, they were sort of taking a stand here and in verse 17, then the high priest rose up all day that we're with him, which is the sector, the side, you see. And we're filled with indignation, and laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison. And you hear been put in prison for standing on the word yet. But they enjoy the Lord by night, opened the prison doors, and brought them forth and said, Go stand and speak in the temple to the people, all the words of this life now, what is the word of the Lord? To go, stand in the temple and speak one, all the words of this life. Go to the temple, stand in the temple and speak the words, the words of life, this life, that they were involved, not the secular physical life, but the spiritual life. That was the will of God. Now, did the apostles have a choice? Did they have a choice? Yes, they had a choice. The choice was they could obey God, or obey, man. Now what was the Willemijn? Here? Well, they put him in prison. They didn't want him to talk, did they? They told him to shut up. That's why they put him in. You think they put him in prison because they enjoyed it. They just wanted to keep him around, you know, so they could go down here and whenever they wanted to. That's why they put them in prison, right? No. They put him in prison, because they wanted him to shut up. They didn't want him to speak the words, but the will of the Lord it says via the angel was to speak the word of the Lord in the temple. Now, the apostles had a choice to make, they could have a man or they could obey God. That was the choice. If they obeyed man, they were often left field like Saul, they obeyed God. They were in alignment in harmony, but they might get in more trouble with the worldly boy who had put them in prison. Now if they put them in prison, they're not going to like it. If they go back in the temple and start talking the word are they they're not going to like that too much at all. Well, let's see what choice they made. Verse 21, when they heard that they entered into the temple early in the morning and taught which choice did they make? To go by God's Will right? They did what God said not what man has said. They made the right choice. Do you think that was a hard choice to make? Well, I'll tell you something. I spent three hours in jail and night for selling encyclopedias in a town that said no soliciting. Had a Green River long, no soliciting three hours that's all walking around that stupid cell because I had my good suit on and I couldn't sit down on the beds, which didn't have mattresses on they just solid iron because any prisoner they put in there usually tore them up, you know, and they just couldn't afford to put new mattresses in there every week. So all they had was this iron slab that they laid on. And it looked like they just washed it down and forgot to dry. So I couldn't very well sit down on that wet piece of iron with my good suit on now. Good. So I walked around. And it was two of my friends and they're with me. They they hit us up big that night. I'll tell you and we were in there and since we couldn't sit down we thought we'd walk and be better and standing you know. And they threw a couple other guys in there. The one was laying on the floor. He didn't mind the wet but he was half drunk and every other word was unbiblical. But we played some of these games, you know, just to pass the time. But Angel bailed him out. He just opened doors and get out of here, go to the temple. So they had a choice to make. And it was hard, I would assume. But there's one big difference here. When you're really sold on something, I don't know, I don't care what it is, whether it's encyclopedias, or the word, it makes the choice in the right direction easier. I wasn't completely sold on encyclopedias. So that sort of weakened my decision there. But when it comes to the word, they could throw me in jail for a year. And when I get out of that jail, I want to tell you something my mind's made up now that I would stand. If God told me go back in the temple, I go back in the temple. This is the choice they had to make. But their dedication, their concern, their conviction, that God said what he meant, meant what he said that His word was true, that there was real power in the man's life when he had the knowledge of the word, and that Holy Spirit in there. That's what gave these men the ability to go back into that temple to obey God's voice and not the voice of man. When they got out of that jail makes a difference. Yes, it makes a difference. But still, I had to make the choice. And it's still hard. Because you've got the flesh and you've got the spirit. Now, when you really make up your mind and get a conviction, like I'm sure these apostles hand makes the choice a lot easier to make. You just don't care what happens, since knowledge wise, as long as you do what God says to do. obey God's voice and not the voicemail. Alright. They entered into the temple early in the morning and talk, but the high priest came, and they that were with him and called the Council to go together and all the Senate of the children of Israel and sent to the present to have them brought, they didn't even know they had gotten out of jail. Yeah, verse 22. But when the officers came and found them not in the prison, they returned and told, saying, The prison truly found we shot with all safety and the keeper standing without before the doors. But when we had opened, we found no man within. Now when the high priests and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them were onto this with growth. Then came one and told them saying, Behold, the men whom you put in prison, are standing in the temple, and teaching the people then went the captain with the officers and brought them without violence. For they feared the people less they should have been stoned. Yeah, they brought him but without violence. They had to be careful like that guy. Remember? A gag?
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He came in before Samuel delicately. Beautiful words. Verse 28, verse 27. When they had brought them, they set them before the council and the high priests asked them saying, did not we straightly command you that she should not teach in this name? Didn't we tell you this just yesterday? And behold, a man. This guy wasn't even concerned about the fact that somehow they'd gotten out of prison, and the doors were still shut. And the keepers didn't even know about it. They weren't. They weren't even concerned about that thing. They were concerned about what then we tell you yesterday, not the teaching this man's name. That's what they were concerned about. screwy? What would you think about if you put somebody in jail and had a guard in front of it, and you next day you come back? There's nobody in there and the door shutting the guards off? Right? And he didn't see anything? What would you do? You I'll tell you what I do. I'd want to find out how I got out of there. That'd be first thing. Then we straightly command you that you should not teach in this name. And behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. Because remember, Peter even the first Say the day of Pentecost. He says this Jesus whom ye have crucified. That's right. But the blame where it was, were blown. He intend to bring this man's blood upon us. Verse 29, then Peter, and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God, rather than man. And boy, that's the choice. That's it. We ought to obey God, rather than man. We ought to obey God, rather than man. That's the choice. You obey God, or you obey man, oh, saw a man. Samuel obeyed God, the sons of what's his name, Jacob or something? Remember, we read it. Obey the father, but they did not obey God. The apostles here made up their mind. They did not obey man, they obey God. And they said to these guys, when they said, didn't we tell you command you strangely, you shouldn't teach in the temple and this guy's name. And Peter looks at him and the other apostles, and he says, We ought to obey God. We ought to obey God, rather than man. Well, praise the Lord, we ought to obey God rather than man. Amen. We just make up our mind, are we going to walk by what God says, we're going to walk by what man said. That's the choice the only choice you have to make. Basically. That's it. We ought to obey God, rather than me. God says speak in tongues. I would y'all speak in tongues? Man says I would y'all not speaking? What are you gonna do? Still not sure. God says this is a commandment of the Lord. Man says, it's a bunch of baloney. Speaking in tongues, right? Who are you going to obey? We ought to obey God rather than me. Some people have gotten past that stage, they obey God. God says, When you speak in tongues, believe that you may do up, interpret, man says you speak in tongues, somebody else interpret who you got to obey. God will obey God rather than man, right? God says, study, to show thyself approved under God. As workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Man says, study philosophers. secular history, church doctrine, who you're going to believe who you're going to obey God or man, we ought to obey God, rather than man. That's the choice. What it boils down to who you're going to be God, man, you're going to do what God's Word says.
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Don't do it man's words. God says to be safe. confess with your mouth, the Lord Jesus Christ, believe in your heart, God raised Him from the dead, and now shall be what? Say, that's right. Man says to be say, You pray the sinners prayer.
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Forget how it goes. Save me for Jesus. Repeat after me, the sinners, who you going obey God's word, or May. I want to let me ask you another question, which one you're going to get the results from? That's right. Sure. You want to get the results you better do it. The guy in charge says, We ought to obey God rather than me. Just make up your mind God or me. That's it. That's the choice. We ought to obey God rather than men. Verse 30, the God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew, and hang on a treat him half God exalted with his right hand, to be a prince and the Savior, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sin. And we are His witnesses of the saints. And so is incidentally also the Holy Ghost or the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to them that do one thing obey him. What do they have to obey? what God says? How do you get the Holy Spirit? How do you get saved? by confessing with your mouth, the Lord Jesus Christ, believing in your heart, God raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. If you obey what God says, then you get obedience, obedience to Romans 10, nine and 10. Have you confessed with your mouth, the Lord Jesus? Believe with your heart, God raised Him from the dead? Then what is the word say? You're saying, because you obeyed what God said, you obeyed what God said. There's a choice. And you always find that whatever it is, the other God's Word or in it is or it isn't. You hear something that you've never heard before. The first thing you ought to do is find out, is it in the Word? Is it biblical? Is it God's Word or isn't? Like that one? What's that thing? God helps those that help themselves? Oh, I thought that was biblical. Right? So you know, if I obey that, man, I'd have a meeting. I looked all through and I can't find it. So it must not be there. But that's the choice. We ought to obey God, rather than me. And how did you get that Holy Ghost, Holy Spirit? By obeying what God said? Obedience. Walking on that word, living doing what God says. And the only way you're going to know what God says is to know His Word. To know that word. That's the only thing there's no other way. Unless would be phenomenal. I don't see much of that. But what I do see is where are people are hungry for God's word. They find it though thing. They find that word and they stand on and then they get results, because they obey God rather than me.