Latest / INSIGHT FOR LIVING: Biblical Wisdom For Everyday Living / Beware! Religious Performance Now Showing │ Msg 714 - Pastor Chuck Swindoll Insight for Living

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Beware! Religious Performance Now Showing │ Msg 714 - Pastor Chuck Swindoll Insight for Living · INSIGHT FOR LIVING: Biblical Wisdom For Everyday Living

• 0:02
  Speaker 1: In many ways, our walk with God is something we
• 0:04
  Speaker 1: shouldn't keep to ourselves. By sharing our faith, we not
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: only spread the good news. We go on record as
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: being Christians, followers of Christ, and not ashamed of it.
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: On the other hand, it's possible to be so conscious
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  Speaker 1: of others watching us that we turn our spirituality into
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  Speaker 1: well a public performance. When that occurs, we're practicing righteousness
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  Speaker 1: to be noticed by them, rather than walking humbly with
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  Speaker 1: our God. In this section of the Sermon of the Mount,
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  Speaker 1: Jesus took on the hypocrites with both guns blazing. Drawing
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  Speaker 1: on common examples of showy righteousness, he instructed us on
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  Speaker 1: the importance of being people of quiet sincerity, seeking to
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  Speaker 1: glorify God rather than impress others. Our scripture for today
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  Speaker 1: is found in Matthew six, verses one through eight. Listen
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  Speaker 1: as I read it for you from the New Living
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  Speaker 1: Translation Matthew six, beginning with verse one, Watch out. Don't
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  Speaker 1: do your good deeds publicly to be admired by others,
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  Speaker 1: for you will lose the reward from your Father in
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  Speaker 1: heaven when you give to someone in need. Don't do
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  Speaker 1: as the hypocrites do, blowing trumpets in the synagogues and
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  Speaker 1: streets to call attention to their acts of charity. I'll
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  Speaker 1: tell you the truth, they have received all the reward
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  Speaker 1: they will ever get. But when you give to someone
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  Speaker 1: in need, don't let your left hand know what your
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  Speaker 1: right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and
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  Speaker 1: your father, who sees every ever, will reward you when
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  Speaker 1: you pray. Don't be like the hypocrites who love to
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  Speaker 1: pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where
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  Speaker 1: everyone can see them. I'll tell you the truth. That
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  Speaker 1: is all the reward they will ever get. But when
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  Speaker 1: you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you,
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  Speaker 1: and pray to your father in private. Then your father,
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  Speaker 1: who sees everything, will reward you when you pray. Don't
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  Speaker 1: babble on and on as people of other religions do.
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  Speaker 1: They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their
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  Speaker 1: words again and again. Don't be like them, for your
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  Speaker 1: father knows exactly what you need, even before you ask him.
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  Speaker 1: Every preacher must wear at least two hats. Must be
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  Speaker 1: part priest and must be part profit. It has not
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  Speaker 1: always been so. Back in biblical times, there were two
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  Speaker 1: distinct people who did those two distinct things. I sat
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  Speaker 1: down in my study and wrote out a list of
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  Speaker 1: contrasts between priest and prophet. The priest's work was pretty routine.
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  Speaker 1: He studied the books of Moses, and then he followed
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  Speaker 1: the divine orders, and he kept the calendar of scheduled
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  Speaker 1: events exactly as God commanded. There were few surprises for
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  Speaker 1: the priest, and really not many opportunities for him to
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  Speaker 1: get into trouble with the people. He just did his
• 3:44
  Speaker 1: job faithfully and consistently, and was usually wanted and often appreciated.
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  Speaker 1: Sometimes he was absolutely essential. His work was safe. However,
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  Speaker 1: he could keep his mouth shut, never had to share
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  Speaker 1: his opinion or make waves. He just did his job faithfully.
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  Speaker 1: The priest dealt primarily with externals among the nation of Israel.
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  Speaker 1: The washings and the ceremonies, and the sacrifices, and the
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  Speaker 1: special days and those unique feasts and festivals. That was
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  Speaker 1: his job to maintain an eye on those things and
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  Speaker 1: to guide the people in observing them. His work was
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  Speaker 1: relatively easy, long hours, I'm sure, but no one could
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  Speaker 1: say he was operating from a spontaneous or on an
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  Speaker 1: emotional basis. Had the law and he followed it. His
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  Speaker 1: job was to preserve, preserve the past, and maintain and
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  Speaker 1: protect the status quo. The prophet, however, was not like
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  Speaker 1: that at all. Every day for him was different. It
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  Speaker 1: was no ritual. The profit followed. He not only had
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  Speaker 1: to know what God taught in his book, he had
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  Speaker 1: to understand his times, so he had to be kept
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  Speaker 1: up on the daily news. He not only had to
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  Speaker 1: be kept up on it, he had to know how
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  Speaker 1: to interpret it in light of what God had said,
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  Speaker 1: so he could challenge and warn the people about the future.
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  Speaker 1: The prophet's work was a vulnerable work. It required courage.
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  Speaker 1: He was not wanted. He was seldom respected by the
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  Speaker 1: sinful people, often hated, resented, and even martyred. No simple
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  Speaker 1: game plan for the prophet to follow. His work was
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  Speaker 1: spontaneous and emotional. He had a disturbing influence because he
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  Speaker 1: wasn't dealing with externals. He always went to the internals,
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  Speaker 1: the sin of the heart, the erosion of the people.
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  Speaker 1: Never easy. The prophet's task, unlike the pre was to
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  Speaker 1: interpret the present in light of the past and then
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  Speaker 1: give direction that would preserve the future. Priests calm things down,
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  Speaker 1: profits stirred things up, author Warren Weersby has done a
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  Speaker 1: fine job on this in his book The Integrity Crisis,
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  Speaker 1: and I'm indebted to him for a number of those
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  Speaker 1: statements in the contrast, and then he adds this, if
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  Speaker 1: I had my choice, I would rather be a priest
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  Speaker 1: than a prophet. Most people don't want a profit around
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  Speaker 1: because he makes him uncomfortable. A prophet weeps while others
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  Speaker 1: are laughing. A prophet wears a yoke that gets in
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  Speaker 1: people's way and knocks expensive trinkets off the shelves, while
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  Speaker 1: the popular leaders bend with them. When the prophet stands
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  Speaker 1: firm as a wall so he can lead the nation forward.
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  Speaker 1: He is a physician who exposes the ugly sores before
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  Speaker 1: he applies the medicine. He is, in short, a person
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  Speaker 1: who creates problems by revealing problems so he can solve problems.
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  Speaker 1: Who wouldn't want to be a priest instead of a prophet.
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  Speaker 1: There once lived a prophet named Micah. Unfortunately in our
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  Speaker 1: day he is among the lesser known heroes of the Bible.
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  Speaker 1: But he spoke for God in a day in which
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  Speaker 1: it was hard to do so. In the sixth chapter
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  Speaker 1: of his journal, the Book of Micah. He stands for
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  Speaker 1: God against the people of his day. He begins by
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  Speaker 1: telling them in this sixth chapter that his men message
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  Speaker 1: does not come from himself, from his colleagues, or from
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  Speaker 1: his times. He begins by saying, hear now what the
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  Speaker 1: Lord is saying. I don't know about you, but if
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  Speaker 1: I had been living in a day when God spoke
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  Speaker 1: through the vocal cords of a man, I, when I
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  Speaker 1: heard those words would be very quiet. I would feel intimidated.
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  Speaker 1: I would probably feel immediately a rebuke. This man speaks
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  Speaker 1: for God. I have to listen. And then the prophet
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  Speaker 1: speaking for God addresses the mountains around them. Plead your
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  Speaker 1: case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice.
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  Speaker 1: Listen you mountains to the to the indictment of the Lord,
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  Speaker 1: and you enduring foundations of the earth. Because the Lord
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  Speaker 1: has a case against his people. Sounds like a prophet,
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  Speaker 1: doesn't it. Listen to what God is saying, he has
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  Speaker 1: a case against you. He continues to talk about the
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  Speaker 1: people's condition and their need for God, and he begins
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  Speaker 1: about verse verse six to represent the people, and he
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  Speaker 1: asks the question that is in their minds. The question
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  Speaker 1: is with what shall I come to the Lord, What
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  Speaker 1: will it take to remove the indictment? How can we
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  Speaker 1: get back on speaking terms? Then he dips into his
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  Speaker 1: bag of possibilities and lifts out six, each one growing
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  Speaker 1: in intensity. He starts small, go it's larger until he
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  Speaker 1: comes to the ultimate sacrifice. Look at how he puts it.
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  Speaker 1: Shall I come to him with burnt offerings a few
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  Speaker 1: pigeons and doves? Will that win his favor? Will their
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  Speaker 1: carcasses on the altar as the smoke is consumed before him?
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  Speaker 1: Will that satisfy? Oh? Well, then how about yearlings? What
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  Speaker 1: if I went out into the field and found several
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  Speaker 1: yearlings and brought them in to the altar and slaughtered
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  Speaker 1: them on that place of constant burning, and let their
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  Speaker 1: smoke ascend to heaven? How about the offering of yearlings?
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  Speaker 1: Not enough? Does the Lord take delight in thousands of rams?
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  Speaker 1: What if we pulled together the entire flock and we
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  Speaker 1: brought thousands of rams to him? Will that remove the indictment?
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  Speaker 1: How about ten thousand rivers of oil? Will that do it?
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  Speaker 1: Ten thousand rivers of oil? Lord? If that won't, what
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  Speaker 1: about the first born? What if I took my oldest
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  Speaker 1: and I brought him to the altar and slit his throat,
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  Speaker 1: and he were consumed before you? Would that do it?
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  Speaker 1: And then the ultimate the fruit of my body for
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  Speaker 1: the sin of my soul. Lord, What if I your child,
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  Speaker 1: crawled up on the place of sacrifice and allowed it
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  Speaker 1: to take my life? Is that what you want? I'm
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  Speaker 1: sure there were priests around him, and I'm sure there
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  Speaker 1: were false prophets around Micah who had suggested one, if
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  Speaker 1: not more, of these six. And Micah's answer is no, no, no.
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  Speaker 1: God doesn't demand that he speaks all alone. In verse eight,
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  Speaker 1: standing like that wall, he has told you, o man,
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  Speaker 1: what is good? And what does the Lord require of you?
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  Speaker 1: All of those sacrifices? No, a great showplace of thousands
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  Speaker 1: of rams, No, no, no. He requires of you that
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  Speaker 1: you do justice, that you love kindness, and that you
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  Speaker 1: walk humbly with your God. That's it, That's everything. I
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  Speaker 1: do not know if you remember when President Carter took office,
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  Speaker 1: but when he did, he chose Micah six' eight as his,
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  Speaker 1: Statement what does The lord require of you but to do,
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  Speaker 1: justice to love, kindness and to walk humbly with Your?
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  Speaker 1: God and it is still the. Same faith is not
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  Speaker 1: a series of religious performances done to impress the. Public
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  Speaker 1: faith is a deep devotion carried out in secret for
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  Speaker 1: the glory Of. GOD i hope you can hear that
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  Speaker 1: in the din of our, day when faith is more
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  Speaker 1: a performance than it is. Piety years, later there came
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  Speaker 1: on the scene the prophet of all, Prophets jesus Our.
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  Speaker 1: Lord and when he sat down with his followers on
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  Speaker 1: that mountain to preach his, sermon he simply took up
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  Speaker 1: where the prophet left off when he got to this
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  Speaker 1: section chapter, six perhaps ringing in the back of his
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  Speaker 1: mind or in his ears at the time he, spoke
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  Speaker 1: were the words of the, prophet to do, justice to love,
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  Speaker 1: kindness to walk humbly with Your. God and he looked around,
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  Speaker 1: him and he recalled in days past the scenes that
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  Speaker 1: had appeared before him in the name of ritual. Religion
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  Speaker 1: and he decided to address it, directly and he spoke
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  Speaker 1: like a. Prophet beware he. Begins. Beware prophets often got
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  Speaker 1: the attention of the public by startling opening. Statements here's an.
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  Speaker 1: Example i'm sure those who had been taught their religion
• 14:53
  Speaker 1: at the feet of the pharisees immediately could imagine the
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  Speaker 1: scene That jesus. Was they had seen it, dozens if
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  Speaker 1: not hundreds of times in their. Lives beware of practicing
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  Speaker 1: notice the word practicing your righteousness before men to be
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  Speaker 1: noticed by. Them center you're a focus on the word.
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  Speaker 1: Noticed the original term used By matthew is the word
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  Speaker 1: from which we get our word. THEATER a theatrical performance
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  Speaker 1: is in Our lord's. Mind beware of practicing your righteousness
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  Speaker 1: and in doing, so putting on a. Show those of
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  Speaker 1: us who live in The Los angeles area should have
• 15:48
  Speaker 1: no trouble identifying with. Showtime we have a national or
• 15:56
  Speaker 1: really a world champion basketball team that looks like it's
• 16:00
  Speaker 1: on its way to another another championship. Season every once
• 16:06
  Speaker 1: in a, while they will race down the court and
• 16:09
  Speaker 1: the passes will go back and, forth sometime with a
• 16:12
  Speaker 1: great deal of, flare and a man will go up
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  Speaker 1: and the ball will be passed to. Him he'll stuff
• 16:18
  Speaker 1: it down in the, basket almost bruising his elbow when
• 16:21
  Speaker 1: he does, it and the, Announcer Chick hearn says it's,
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  Speaker 1: showtime and everybody in the radio audience applauds and, smiles
• 16:30
  Speaker 1: and we should it's an entertaining. Industry at no time
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  Speaker 1: is religion. Showtime we don't believe that we have our
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  Speaker 1: own scenes that play themselves before. Us we can remember
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  Speaker 1: scenes when religion was presented as, showtime matching garments and
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  Speaker 1: matching microphones and matching look stages that lift out from,
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  Speaker 1: below and lights that come, on and the glitzy glamor
• 17:13
  Speaker 1: of showtime, appears and everybody laughs and everybody, applauds And
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  Speaker 1: god is, grieved especially when the hypocrisy of that nonsense
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  Speaker 1: makes the. Headlines The Revised Standard version, says beware of
• 17:39
  Speaker 1: practicing your piety before. Men The New English bible be
• 17:44
  Speaker 1: careful not to make a show of your. RELIGION. Jb
• 17:49
  Speaker 1: phillips and his, paraphrase beware of doing your good deeds
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  Speaker 1: conspicuously to catch men's. Eyes look closely at that. Warning
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  Speaker 1: there's a motive stated here by Our, lord and only
• 18:08
  Speaker 1: he knows. Motive you AND i think we know, motives
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  Speaker 1: but often we're, wrong maybe more often than. Not he
• 18:15
  Speaker 1: who knows the heart as well as the, skin says
• 18:19
  Speaker 1: they do it to be noticed by one. Another you,
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  Speaker 1: say what sounds to me like it's a. CONTRADICTION i,
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  Speaker 1: mean after all over in chapter, five he, said verse,
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  Speaker 1: sixteen let your light so shine before, men that they
• 18:38
  Speaker 1: will see your good works and glorify your, father who
• 18:41
  Speaker 1: is in. Heaven here he is in chapter six, saying
• 18:44
  Speaker 1: don't let them see chapter. Five let them. See which is.
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  Speaker 1: Right the answer is in the. Motive the difference is
• 18:54
  Speaker 1: in the. Motive letting your light shine out of an
• 18:57
  Speaker 1: authentic lifestyle is not only absolutely, acceptable it is. Required
• 19:04
  Speaker 1: don't hide the fact you know The savior live for his.
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  Speaker 1: Glory regardless of what, Occurs god will have them take
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  Speaker 1: note of the. Light on the other side is the
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  Speaker 1: purpose of impressing. People and therefore we act out our,
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  Speaker 1: righteousness which is really not piety at. All it is.
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  Speaker 1: Pride Ab BRUCE i think said it. Best we are
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  Speaker 1: to show when tempted to, hide and hide when tempted to.
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  Speaker 1: Show our good works must be lived before the, public
• 19:38
  Speaker 1: otherwise they will know of no good. Works but our
• 19:43
  Speaker 1: religious devotions are to be kept. Secret they're never to
• 19:47
  Speaker 1: be paraded for the purpose of causing men and women
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  Speaker 1: to suck in their breath and to be. Impressed, otherwise
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  Speaker 1: he says in verse, one you have no reward with your,
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  Speaker 1: father who is in. Heaven and that really is what it's,
• 20:03
  Speaker 1: about isn't. It reward is canceled when the world says,
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  Speaker 1: Showtime god says no. Reward having sounded the, Warning jesus
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  Speaker 1: applies it in three cardinal works of. Piety first of,
• 20:23
  Speaker 1: all verse two when you, give verse five when you,
• 20:31
  Speaker 1: pray and verse sixteen when you. Fast all three are
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  Speaker 1: perfect platforms upon which to display one's, piety or perfect
• 20:47
  Speaker 1: places to deepen one's walk With. God now the prophet
• 20:51
  Speaker 1: gets painfully. Specific we don't have time to go over
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  Speaker 1: all of, them but we will as we read those days.
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  Speaker 1: Together so move into verse two with. Me this is
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  Speaker 1: how not to do it when you, pray when you
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  Speaker 1: therefore give, alms or how not to do it when you.
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  Speaker 1: Give when you therefore give. Alms do not sound a
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  Speaker 1: trumpet before, you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues
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  Speaker 1: and in the, streets that they may be honored by. Men,
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  Speaker 1: TRULY i say to, you they have their reward in.
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  Speaker 1: Full you may not know, it but The pharisees had
• 21:31
  Speaker 1: a little ritual when they came with their alms to the.
• 21:34
  Speaker 1: Poor they were preceded by trumpeters who blew a. Fanfare
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  Speaker 1: AND i suppose at that point they would drop in their.
• 21:45
  Speaker 1: Coins i'm sure they excused it by saying this would
• 21:48
  Speaker 1: attract the attention of the, poor and they would know
• 21:51
  Speaker 1: money as. Available but knowing What john writes of, them
• 21:55
  Speaker 1: And john, twelve verse forty, three we are sure that
• 21:58
  Speaker 1: they love the approval of men more than the approval Of.
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  Speaker 1: God notice what he calls. THEM i say he's a
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  Speaker 1: prophet when he does, this he calls them. Hypocrites hypocrites
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  Speaker 1: sound a. Trumpet JOHN. R. W stott writes of. Hypocrisy
• 22:19
  Speaker 1: it is the word Which jesus used to characterize this.
• 22:22
  Speaker 1: Display in Classical, greek The hippocrates was first an orator
• 22:28
  Speaker 1: and then an. Actor so, figuratively the word came to
• 22:32
  Speaker 1: be applied to anybody who treats the world as a
• 22:35
  Speaker 1: stage on which he plays a. Part he lays aside
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  Speaker 1: his true identity and assumes a false. One he's no longer,
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  Speaker 1: himself but in, disguise impersonating somebody. Else he wears a. Mask,
• 22:51
  Speaker 1: now in a, theater there's no harm or a deceit
• 22:53
  Speaker 1: in the actors playing their. Parts it is an accepted.
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  Speaker 1: Convention the audience knows they have come to. Drama they
• 23:01
  Speaker 1: are not taken in by. It the trouble with the religious,
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  Speaker 1: Hypocrite stought, adds is that he deliberately sets out to deceive.
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  Speaker 1: People he is like an actor in that he is.
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  Speaker 1: Pretending yet he is quite unlike the actor in this.
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  Speaker 1: Respect he takes some religious, practice which is a real,
• 23:24
  Speaker 1: activity and turns it into what it was never meant to,
• 23:28
  Speaker 1: be namely a piece of make, believe a theatrical display
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  Speaker 1: before an, audience and it is all done for. Applause
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  Speaker 1: don't do, that says Our. Lord if you do, that
• 23:45
  Speaker 1: you have your reward in. Full you who love the
• 23:49
  Speaker 1: business world will appreciate the meaning of reward in. Full
• 23:53
  Speaker 1: it was used in Extra biblical literature for a receipt
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  Speaker 1: that was sent back stamped payment in. Full what The
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  Speaker 1: lord does when we do such hypocritical, things says back
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  Speaker 1: to us. Stamped you have just received your full. Reward
• 24:09
  Speaker 1: that applause is all you're going to get payment in.
• 24:14
  Speaker 1: Full this is how to do. It but when you,
• 24:18
  Speaker 1: give do not let your left hand know what your
• 24:23
  Speaker 1: right hand is. Doing now we've been through this. Before
• 24:27
  Speaker 1: in this sermon on The, mount we have tried our
• 24:30
  Speaker 1: best to stay away from a wooden. Literalism we have
• 24:34
  Speaker 1: kept ourselves from cutting off hands and plucking out. Eyes
• 24:40
  Speaker 1: now we must keep ourselves from a literal ignoring of
• 24:45
  Speaker 1: what the right or left hand is. Doing the whole
• 24:47
  Speaker 1: point is. Anonymity anonymity when you give it is not
• 24:56
  Speaker 1: to be dangled in the air before dropped in the
• 24:59
  Speaker 1: play so that others can notice the number on the
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  Speaker 1: bill or on the. Check that's putting it to. Extremes
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  Speaker 1: we have much, more much more sophisticated ways of announcing our.
• 25:16
  Speaker 1: Gifts we have things named after, us and it's important
• 25:22
  Speaker 1: to us that they be named after. Us we have
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  Speaker 1: plaques put up on, things we have the word passed among,
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  Speaker 1: us or even our own conscience that, SAYS i feel
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  Speaker 1: real good about. That, no says Our. Lord don't let
• 25:41
  Speaker 1: the left hand know what the right hand is. Doing
• 25:45
  Speaker 1: don't spend your time enjoying the delights of your sacrificial.
• 25:52
  Speaker 1: Generosity do it and get it, done and go on with.
• 25:57
  Speaker 1: Living leave the reward. Me don't give it to. Yourself
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  Speaker 1: SO i, think when he talks about how to do,
• 26:05
  Speaker 1: it he, says, first do not display. It, second do
• 26:09
  Speaker 1: not be so conscious of it that you're enamored by
• 26:13
  Speaker 1: it or enamored of. It do it anonymously, secretly don't
• 26:20
  Speaker 1: look for later. Gratification this is a good time to
• 26:25
  Speaker 1: give a word to all who are responsible for raising,
• 26:28
  Speaker 1: money and it is a profession that is certainly represented
• 26:34
  Speaker 1: in our world. Today and it is not an ugly.
• 26:37
  Speaker 1: Profession it can be an honorable. One who knows how
• 26:42
  Speaker 1: many great works have been accomplished because some faithful people
• 26:46
  Speaker 1: behind the scenes Sought god's mind and sought his will
• 26:52
  Speaker 1: and how to let the public know of a need
• 26:56
  Speaker 1: and present it. Correctly so do not think this a
• 27:00
  Speaker 1: backhanded insult against all in the work of raising. Money
• 27:06
  Speaker 1: we can make it hard on people by promising them
• 27:09
  Speaker 1: things that are unbiblical and even, unrealistic to say nothing of.
• 27:17
  Speaker 1: Untrue the motivation for someone's giving should never be what
• 27:22
  Speaker 1: they are going to get out of. It in light
• 27:24
  Speaker 1: of the public's, ATTENTION i personally believe there is nothing
• 27:29
  Speaker 1: wrong with a. PLEDGE a pledge often helps me know
• 27:33
  Speaker 1: a game plan for my, budget for my. FUTURE a
• 27:39
  Speaker 1: pledge will at times help me feel that sense of.
• 27:42
  Speaker 1: Commitment when the zeal dies down AND i reflect back
• 27:45
  Speaker 1: on WHAT i put my thought to and WHAT i prayed,
• 27:49
  Speaker 1: over SO i have no problem with the. Pledge my
• 27:55
  Speaker 1: concern is when it is done for the purpose of personal.
• 27:59
  Speaker 1: Aggrandize spurgeon put it very. Well to stand with a
• 28:03
  Speaker 1: penny in one hand and a trumpet in the other
• 28:06
  Speaker 1: is the posture of. Hypocrisy very good, Word have your
• 28:12
  Speaker 1: penny in one, hand have your heart committed to that,
• 28:15
  Speaker 1: decision and do it For god's, glory and forget the
• 28:19
  Speaker 1: public's ever knowing about. It and he says that your
• 28:23
  Speaker 1: alms may be in. Secret we have long since left,
• 28:27
  Speaker 1: it haven't, We not among, everyone but among. Some the
• 28:33
  Speaker 1: joy of doing it in. Secret you will notice that your,
• 28:36
  Speaker 1: father who sees in, secret will repay. You what does that?
• 28:45
  Speaker 1: Mean some have argued that this makes giving. Mercenary if
• 28:50
  Speaker 1: you give a gift because you know The father is
• 28:53
  Speaker 1: going to reward, you then you're giving it for mercenary.
• 28:56
  Speaker 1: Reasons that's why you wrote that check. Out you Know
• 28:59
  Speaker 1: god going to reward. You wait a, minute he will notice,
• 29:04
  Speaker 1: it says he will reward you in. Secret he will
• 29:07
  Speaker 1: repay you as you have, given so he will repay.
• 29:09
  Speaker 1: YOU i take it it's a secret. Transaction what does it? Mean? WELL. C.
• 29:16
  Speaker 1: S lewis has helped a. Little in his Work The
• 29:18
  Speaker 1: weight Of. Glory he, writes there are different kinds of.
• 29:21
  Speaker 1: Reward there is the reward which has no natural connection
• 29:25
  Speaker 1: with the things you do to earn, it and is
• 29:28
  Speaker 1: quite foreign to the desires that ought to accompany those.
• 29:32
  Speaker 1: Things then he gives this. Illustration money is not the
• 29:36
  Speaker 1: natural reward of. Love that is why we call the
• 29:40
  Speaker 1: man mercenary if he marries a woman for the sake
• 29:42
  Speaker 1: of her. Money but marriage is the proper reward for
• 29:48
  Speaker 1: a real, lover and he is not mercenary for desiring.
• 29:53
  Speaker 1: It the proper rewards are not tacked on to the,
• 29:57
  Speaker 1: activity but are the activity. ITSELF i like that if
• 30:06
  Speaker 1: you're wondering how my scales tip on this, POINT i
• 30:09
  Speaker 1: think the reward comes in the, inner secret, desire knowing
• 30:13
  Speaker 1: that there's been. FULFILLMENT i see a need the hungry
• 30:19
  Speaker 1: needs to be, fed AND i give my offering in,
• 30:22
  Speaker 1: secret and in my HEART i know the hungry are
• 30:26
  Speaker 1: being fed from that. GIFT i see a tribe that
• 30:30
  Speaker 1: is without a, language AND i know that it will
• 30:32
  Speaker 1: take money to reach that tribe with a missionary so
• 30:36
  Speaker 1: trained to decipher the language and put it into, writing
• 30:41
  Speaker 1: and then to bind it so that there can be
• 30:44
  Speaker 1: A gospel Of john or A New testament provided in their.
• 30:48
  Speaker 1: Language and knowing that my gift was given toward that
• 30:51
  Speaker 1: end and the tribe received the, LANGUAGE i am rewarded in,
• 30:56
  Speaker 1: secret knowing down deep inside that desire was. Fulfilled there
• 31:01
  Speaker 1: is no feeling greater than, that knowing there is a true,
• 31:05
  Speaker 1: need having the need presented nobly, personally and then helping
• 31:12
  Speaker 1: and meeting that. NEED i find a sense of genuine.
• 31:15
  Speaker 1: Excitement AND i think it is called here a, reward
• 31:19
  Speaker 1: and it comes from The father who sees in secret
• 31:23
  Speaker 1: those secret. Joys, now when you Pray verses five through.
• 31:30
  Speaker 1: Eight and that's not all he says about, it will
• 31:33
  Speaker 1: have to look later at the. Rest but let's get
• 31:35
  Speaker 1: our foot in the. Door when you, pray you're not
• 31:38
  Speaker 1: to be as the. Hypocrites once, again he describes what
• 31:43
  Speaker 1: was familiar to, them because they love to stand and
• 31:46
  Speaker 1: pray in the synagogues and on the street. Corners nothing
• 31:50
  Speaker 1: wrong with praying in the, synagogue nothing wrong with praying
• 31:54
  Speaker 1: on the street, corner if that's the best place and
• 31:56
  Speaker 1: the only. Place but they love to do it in
• 32:00
  Speaker 1: order to be seen by. Men he puts his finger
• 32:02
  Speaker 1: on it. Again, TRULY i say to, you they have
• 32:06
  Speaker 1: their reward in. Full when that prayer is. Offered you
• 32:09
  Speaker 1: just got what you're going to get from that. Prayer
• 32:12
  Speaker 1: the oohs and ahs of the, public they love to
• 32:18
  Speaker 1: see themselves seen by. Others but this is how to
• 32:23
  Speaker 1: do it when you. Pray, now let's Let jesus words guide.
• 32:29
  Speaker 1: Us go into your inner room before we go any.
• 32:38
  Speaker 1: Further most homes in those days only had one. Room in,
• 32:42
  Speaker 1: fact many of the homes had no, closet and we
• 32:46
  Speaker 1: have taken it to mean a literal. Closet i'm thinking
• 32:50
  Speaker 1: it's more inner than a, room inner being inner sanctuary
• 33:00
  Speaker 1: of the. Spirit or if you prefer a public, place
• 33:04
  Speaker 1: perhaps your car is your best place to get. Alone
• 33:09
  Speaker 1: maybe you have a closet or a room where you
• 33:12
  Speaker 1: can be, alone away from the noise and even more,
• 33:15
  Speaker 1: important the eyes of. Others when you, pray go into
• 33:22
  Speaker 1: your inner, room and when you have shut the, door
• 33:26
  Speaker 1: could that be closing the? EYES i, think whatever it,
• 33:31
  Speaker 1: is it is certainly symbolic of shutting out all other,
• 33:34
  Speaker 1: knowledge that, is others knowing of your being, there or
• 33:37
  Speaker 1: of your even concerned about their knowing. It you shut
• 33:41
  Speaker 1: all of that. Out you close that, off and, there
• 33:50
  Speaker 1: with the secrecy and the closed, door you pray to
• 33:55
  Speaker 1: your father who is in. Secret again and again in
• 34:01
  Speaker 1: this passage there's. Secrecy Pal i'm twenty seven to eight
• 34:09
  Speaker 1: says when thou didst, say seek my, face my heart
• 34:14
  Speaker 1: said to THEE O, lord thy, FACE i shall. SEEK
• 34:21
  Speaker 1: i wonder if you have a secret. PLACE i wonder
• 34:26
  Speaker 1: if you spend time. THERE i am learning in my
• 34:32
  Speaker 1: years in ministry that it is possible to be engaged
• 34:36
  Speaker 1: in the work of ministry and be in, secret very very,
• 34:40
  Speaker 1: seldom very. SELDOM i say it to my. Embarrassment it
• 34:48
  Speaker 1: is easy to be so caught up in the people,
• 34:51
  Speaker 1: needs and they are, endless and they are, urgent and
• 34:59
  Speaker 1: to be we so wrapped up in the meeting of
• 35:02
  Speaker 1: many of those, needs or the preparation of that which
• 35:05
  Speaker 1: will involve me with, people THAT i am not really
• 35:08
  Speaker 1: in a secret. PLACE i mean alone With, god as
• 35:20
  Speaker 1: though there is not another, care another, need another, person
• 35:26
  Speaker 1: just With. HIM i, have in the last year and
• 35:30
  Speaker 1: a half maybe, two begun to realize the value of.
• 35:34
  Speaker 1: This you, know the benefits men and women are. Numerous
• 35:44
  Speaker 1: there comes as a result of the secret place such
• 35:49
  Speaker 1: an invincible sense Of god's direction In god's, hand such
• 35:54
  Speaker 1: a sensitive feeling regarding iniquity in my own. LIFE i
• 36:02
  Speaker 1: haven't stopped. Sinning that would be, wonderful BUT i have
• 36:06
  Speaker 1: not reached that. Place but What i'm saying, is as
• 36:09
  Speaker 1: a result of The Secret, PLACE i am increasingly more
• 36:13
  Speaker 1: sensitive to the motive behind things and my. LIFE i
• 36:17
  Speaker 1: mean my. LIFE i am so constantly aware of the
• 36:23
  Speaker 1: log in my own eye THAT i haven't the time
• 36:26
  Speaker 1: for the speck in. Yours that's a healthy way to.
• 36:29
  Speaker 1: LIVE i gossip. Less that's a great relief to you
• 36:37
  Speaker 1: as well as to. ME i judge. LESS i feel
• 36:43
  Speaker 1: less anxious about my times and about those who feel
• 36:48
  Speaker 1: different towards me THAN i wish they. Would The Secret
• 36:51
  Speaker 1: place is a cleansing. PLACE i talk to my father
• 36:55
  Speaker 1: and he tells me the things in SECRET i need to.
• 36:58
  Speaker 1: Hear no one else could tell me Because i'm not
• 37:00
  Speaker 1: in secret with. Them Paul turnier writes in his Work,
• 37:05
  Speaker 1: secrets every human being needs secrecy in order to become
• 37:09
  Speaker 1: himself and no longer a member of his, tribe in
• 37:15
  Speaker 1: order to collect his, thoughts to respect the secrecy of
• 37:19
  Speaker 1: whoever it may, be even your own child is to
• 37:22
  Speaker 1: respect his. INDIVIDUALITY i was so late learning that to
• 37:28
  Speaker 1: intrude upon his private, life to violate his, secrecy is
• 37:32
  Speaker 1: to violate it's his. Individuality he then goes. On So,
• 37:38
  Speaker 1: therefore if keeping a secret was the first step in
• 37:41
  Speaker 1: the formation of the, individual telling it to a freely
• 37:45
  Speaker 1: chosen confidant is going to, constitute then the second step
• 37:51
  Speaker 1: in the formation of the. Individual he who cannot keep
• 37:54
  Speaker 1: a secret is not, Free but he who can never
• 37:57
  Speaker 1: reveal it is not. Free. Either the, beauty the wonder the,
• 38:05
  Speaker 1: magnificence the awe inspiring times of praise in the secret,
• 38:09
  Speaker 1: place there's nothing to be compared to. It as great
• 38:13
  Speaker 1: as corporate worship, is his magnificent is a pipe, organ
• 38:18
  Speaker 1: and as fully transparent as we may wish to be
• 38:23
  Speaker 1: in corporate, worship as wonderful as those times and, essential
• 38:28
  Speaker 1: they cannot compare to the secret, place where work is
• 38:32
  Speaker 1: done and great things are, accomplished And god is never.
• 38:38
  Speaker 1: Informed remember he knows all that we. ASK i think
• 38:41
  Speaker 1: at those, Times god nods and, says good now you see, it,
• 38:48
  Speaker 1: now you hear, IT i hear you. Good Good. Now
• 39:00
  Speaker 1: some prayers are public, prayers and if you've never been
• 39:02
  Speaker 1: involved in pastoral, praying you can't imagine the struggle connected with.
• 39:06
  Speaker 1: It it is very easy to pray a prayer that impresses.
• 39:09
  Speaker 1: PEOPLE i read some time ago of a newspaper account
• 39:13
  Speaker 1: that reported on a religious service held in The boston
• 39:17
  Speaker 1: area in when a more fashionable. Church it told of
• 39:20
  Speaker 1: an elaborate and ornate prayer offered by a famous, preacher
• 39:24
  Speaker 1: and it, added as only a journalist, could the most
• 39:27
  Speaker 1: eloquent prayer ever offered to A boston congregation was altered that.
• 39:31
  Speaker 1: Day it's easy to pray to. You it's easy for
• 39:37
  Speaker 1: me to catch up on some REPROOF i need to
• 39:39
  Speaker 1: give you by praying. Publicly it's as IF i were, saying,
• 39:44
  Speaker 1: Listen i'm talking to. YOU i don't have any business
• 39:48
  Speaker 1: talking to you in. Prayer i've heard announcements given in prayer,
• 39:53
  Speaker 1: before but forgot two. Announcements And, lord you know we
• 39:57
  Speaker 1: need that extra van for the trip this. Weekend, no
• 40:06
  Speaker 1: you pray to your father in, secret and Your father
• 40:09
  Speaker 1: in secret will reward. You there will come that, sense
• 40:13
  Speaker 1: that ground swell of growing. Confidence this is, right this
• 40:17
  Speaker 1: is what it's. About this is The christian, life this
• 40:21
  Speaker 1: is at its best when you're. Praying don't use meaningless
• 40:28
  Speaker 1: repetition as The gentiles. Do remember in The, kings oh
• 40:32
  Speaker 1: bail hear, Us oh bail hear, Us oh bail hear,
• 40:35
  Speaker 1: Us oh bail hear, Us oh bail hear. Us he
• 40:36
  Speaker 1: must have said it a thousand times all through the.
• 40:38
  Speaker 1: Morning elijah's over, there going, well WILL i ever quit that?
• 40:42
  Speaker 1: Nonsense as soon as they, quit he, Said Oh, lord hear.
• 40:45
  Speaker 1: Me roam and down came the, fire licked up the,
• 40:48
  Speaker 1: water licked up the. Altar meaningless. Words don't go over
• 40:53
  Speaker 1: and over and over and over and over and over
• 40:55
  Speaker 1: and over and over the same. Words never been around,
• 41:00
  Speaker 1: Somebody they just talked too. MUCH i, mean, besides, preachers
• 41:06
  Speaker 1: you ever been, around didn't you? Wish at? Times just be?
• 41:11
  Speaker 1: QUIET i Think god must sometimes, say just be, quiet
• 41:24
  Speaker 1: just be, Still just a few. Words they suppose they
• 41:37
  Speaker 1: will be heard for their many. Words the implication is. No,
• 41:44
  Speaker 1: therefore don't be like, them for Your father knows what
• 41:48
  Speaker 1: you need before you. Ask Had micah The prophet been
• 41:56
  Speaker 1: in the audience that, day he would have, said a rousing, Amen,
• 42:02
  Speaker 1: amen that, is walking humbly with Your god when it
• 42:10
  Speaker 1: touches you so deeply you invest your treasure in. It
• 42:14
  Speaker 1: when it touches you so, deeply you don't dare display your,
• 42:18
  Speaker 1: piety but you race to the secret place to find
• 42:22
  Speaker 1: strength and. Direction and in simple, words you talk in straight,
• 42:27
  Speaker 1: language sometime, monosyllables like a child to a. Father Oh
• 42:35
  Speaker 1: god help, me and that's. Enough let me see. This
• 42:52
  Speaker 1: when devotion becomes a, performance we lapse into. Hypocrisy take
• 43:01
  Speaker 1: a look at your, performance get rid of. It no
• 43:09
  Speaker 1: one is impressed with your list of great. Things when
• 43:14
  Speaker 1: devotion becomes a, performance we lapse into. Hypocrisy when giving lacks,
• 43:22
  Speaker 1: secrecy we lose our. Reward when you're giving is done
• 43:33
  Speaker 1: out of the realm of, secrecy you lose your. Reward,
• 43:40
  Speaker 1: third prayers are public, demonstrations we Lack god's. Power when
• 43:52
  Speaker 1: prayers are public, demonstrations we Lack god's. Power years, ago
• 44:03
  Speaker 1: WHEN i was a young marine on the island Of,
• 44:07
  Speaker 1: OKINAWA i became a closely associated with a MAN i deeply.
• 44:13
  Speaker 1: ADMIRED i didn't know what it was about, him but
• 44:17
  Speaker 1: there was something terribly unreligious about him that attracted. Me,
• 44:23
  Speaker 1: oh he was deeply devoted to the things of The.
• 44:26
  Speaker 1: Lord but it was never done out of display, purposes
• 44:29
  Speaker 1: AND i love. THAT i still. DO i remember going
• 44:36
  Speaker 1: to his home late one rainy evening to visit with.
• 44:39
  Speaker 1: Him by, surprise he didn't KNOW i was, coming and
• 44:42
  Speaker 1: his wife met me and, said, oh he's not. Here she,
• 44:46
  Speaker 1: said you may have known lately he's been under some.
• 44:49
  Speaker 1: Stress he may be down in his. Office i'm not really,
• 44:53
  Speaker 1: sure but he just wanted to get. Alone didn't tell,
• 44:57
  Speaker 1: her didn't tell. ME i caught the little jitney that
• 45:02
  Speaker 1: got us from her that village down into the capital
• 45:06
  Speaker 1: city Of, naha and stepped off and stepped over the
• 45:10
  Speaker 1: puddles of, rain AS i have found my way down
• 45:13
  Speaker 1: an alley in another, alley and, little, unassuming modest bamboo
• 45:20
  Speaker 1: hut his. Office BEFORE i got, THERE i could hear
• 45:24
  Speaker 1: through the falling, Rain Come thou fount of every. Blessing
• 45:30
  Speaker 1: tune my heart to Sing thy. Grace and then he
• 45:36
  Speaker 1: got to that part that has always been so moving for.
• 45:39
  Speaker 1: Me prone to, Wander, LORD i feel, it prone to
• 45:42
  Speaker 1: leave The GOD i. Love here's my, heart take and seal,
• 45:47
  Speaker 1: it seal it To thy courts. Above by THEN i
• 45:53
  Speaker 1: knew the, voice AND i looked in through the through
• 45:57
  Speaker 1: the bamboo AND i saw a candle on a, table
• 46:03
  Speaker 1: AND i saw a man on his, knees not another soul.
• 46:07
  Speaker 1: AROUND i learned more about prayer that night THAN i
• 46:16
  Speaker 1: learned in four years a. Seminary here was a man
• 46:23
  Speaker 1: alone in secret With. God may we bow, together build
• 46:39
  Speaker 1: your own secret. Place god has put us together with
• 46:43
  Speaker 1: a body that allows us to do. That just close
• 46:45
  Speaker 1: out all the visual. Stimuli AND i sometimes say to,
• 46:53
  Speaker 1: folks just pull over the side of the, road just be.
• 46:57
  Speaker 1: Quiet has it been too long since you were examining
• 47:07
  Speaker 1: things like motive? Quietness have you gotten caught up in
• 47:18
  Speaker 1: the issues of our times but you've missed the perspective
• 47:21
  Speaker 1: That god gives you in that dynamic place alone with.
• 47:26
  Speaker 1: Him can you remember the last time you sang To
• 47:40
  Speaker 1: him all, alone just lost in worship and. Praise your
• 48:00
  Speaker 1: answers will reveal the reason you have spent these last
• 48:04
  Speaker 1: number of, hours DARE i say weeks and such anxious
• 48:09
  Speaker 1: turmoil or the lack of. It maybe you don't even
• 48:19
  Speaker 1: know The lord. Himself he seems so attractive to, you
• 48:25
  Speaker 1: but you've never bowed your knee to, him and all
• 48:30
  Speaker 1: those meaningless words of prayer just didn't get you. Connected
• 48:36
  Speaker 1: you don't need a lot of. Words people come To
• 48:40
  Speaker 1: god in various, ways but it's always through the same,
• 48:43
  Speaker 1: person Through Jesus, christ taking him by, faith receiving. Him
• 48:58
  Speaker 1: do that. Now if you're a little shaky on when
• 49:03
  Speaker 1: or if that's ever been, done just do it. Again
• 49:09
  Speaker 1: just firm up your mind right now so you could
• 49:14
  Speaker 1: know for sure you're in his. Family thank, You father
• 49:21
  Speaker 1: for my friend who taught me so much about walking with,
• 49:25
  Speaker 1: you even modeled it better than he taught. It thank
• 49:31
  Speaker 1: you for your faithfulness to us in the hard times
• 49:36
  Speaker 1: when the secret place becomes the place of. Survival and
• 49:42
  Speaker 1: thank you for speaking to us in a public place
• 49:45
  Speaker 1: such as this and making it seem so. Personal we
• 49:50
  Speaker 1: accept your. Reproof we acknowledge our. Sin it is ever
• 49:58
  Speaker 1: before us and therefore Our, father because we are prone
• 50:04
  Speaker 1: to wander and prone to leave The god we, love
• 50:08
  Speaker 1: we return to you today afresh and, anew to do,
• 50:18
  Speaker 1: justice to, love, kindness and to walk homely with you
• 50:28
  Speaker 1: In jesus'.
• 50:29
  Speaker 2: Name. Amen the preceding, message beware religious performance now showing
• 50:37
  Speaker 2: was copyrighted in nineteen eighty, eight and the sound recording
• 50:40
  Speaker 2: was copyrighted in twenty fourteen By charles. R Swindall. Inc
• 50:44
  Speaker 2: all rights are reserved worldwide