September 19, 2025 • 71 mins
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The attributes of God are glorious. Everything that makes him who he is compels all of creation not just to see his glory but to give him praise.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Biblical Talks Sermon of the Week.
I remember when I was growingup I used to love to watch the
Chicago Bulls play and everybodywanted to see Michael Jordan.
And the reason why everyonewanted to see Michael Jordan?
Because Michael Jordan hadglory.
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He had a unique ability to dothings that even the best in the
game found amazing.
The NBA players stood some timejust watching him play.
That's what glory looks like.
Glory is the result ofdemonstrating extraordinary
qualities.
It's the byproduct created fromshowing everyone else something
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truly remarkable.
Now, in the case of God, god'sglory comes as a result of not
just God showing what he can do,but showing who he is.
The attributes of God areglorious.
Everything that makes him whohe is is compare all of creation
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, not just to see his glory, butto give him praise for his
glory.
Beloved, we can see his praiseand his glory through his
creation, his works, his wordand his spirit.
God shows us that, more thanany other, he is worthy of our
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admiration, for he is the kingof glory.
Dr S M Lockridge preached thesermon that's my King in 1976 in
Detroit, michigan.
This sermon has continued toresonate with people for nearly
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50 years.
It was also recorded at theMoody Bible Institute in Chicago
, illinois, during their FounderWeek conference in 1981.
During their Founder Weekconference in 1981.
This one the greatest sermon Iheard as someone to strive to
(02:14):
the glory of God, let's listento a doctor, the late Dr
Lockridge, preach this sermon.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
That's my king.
I am called upon everywhere Igo to explain what kind of name
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is SM Lockridge.
They want to know what SM, whatis that for?
And I tell them SM is forShadrach Meshach.
And they really don't believeme.
And when I assure them that itis Shedrick Mayshak, then they
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say well, what happened toAbednego?
And I tell them.
I had to stop using Abednegobecause people misunderstood me.
(03:52):
They thought I was sayingShedrickinary.
My house burned and thestudents started calling me the
Shedrick, no Shack locker.
As I said last night, pastor,I'll always be thankful to you
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for inviting me here.
I wondered, however, why youwould choose me.
You know, I'm like the fellowwho was sent to give a death
message.
A man was killed in anautomobile accident and the
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witnesses at the scene knew hiswife and knew that she was
already sick and of the nervoustype, and whoever carried her
this news was going to have todo it tactfully, diplomatically.
They were going to have to easeit over to her so it wouldn't
unduly upset it.
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They chose this man and toldhim what they wanted him to do,
gave him their address, and whenthis man went to that address
and rang the doorbell and thelady came to the door, he said
are you Widow Smith?
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She said my name is Smith, butI'm not a widow.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
He said that's what you think.
Now, whoever thought that Icould do justice to an occasion
like this?
Speaker 2 (05:58):
that's what you think .
I'm happy to see people of allwalks of life, all ages.
(06:18):
Your presence here indicatesthat you are interested in your
own salvation and in thesalvation of others.
You know, you can have a pocketfull of pearls, but you'll not
have a necklace until you get astring.
Each one of us is a pearl inhis or her own right, but we'll
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not be effective in ourwitnessing until we are strung
together in Jesus Christ.
Tonight we turn to our Lord'sGospel, according to Matthew,
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the sixth chapter, and I'llbegin reading with verse 5.
Matthew, 6th chapter, and verse5.
And when thou prayest, thoushall not be, as the hypocrites
are for they love to praystanding in the synagogues and
in the corners of the streets,that they may be seen of men.
(07:35):
Verily, I say unto you, theyhave their reward.
But thou, when thou prayest,enter into thy closet and when
thou hast shut thy door.
Pray to thy Father, which is insecret, and thy Father, which
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seeth in secret, shall rewardthee openly.
But when ye pray, use not vainrepetitions, as the heathen do,
for they think that they shallbe heard for their much speaking
.
Be not ye lack unto them, foryour Father knoweth what things
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ye have need of before you askit.
After this manner, therefore,pray ye, our Father, which art
in heaven.
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth as itis in heaven.
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Give us this day our dailybread, and forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors, andlead us not into temptation but
deliver us from evil, for thineis the kingdom and the power and
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the glory forever.
Amen, amen.
This evening, the last word inverse 13.
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Amen, amen.
I mean, that's what I'm talkingabout Amen, amen, amen.
And now, when it comes topreaching here at this church, I
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find it difficult to getstarted.
You know, to get up to preachhere is kind of like calling a
business meeting after therapture.
But I'm going to do my best Now.
(10:40):
A sermon should do at leastfour things for you.
One.
A sermon should stretch yourmind.
A sermon should inform andinstruct you, you ought to be
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able to learn something from asermon.
Two a sermon should correct you.
Three a sermon should warm yourheart.
It should inspire you.
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Four a sermon should provokethe will.
It should challenge you to dowhat the Lord would have you do.
Every one of us has a checkmade out on the bank of heaven,
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but many fail to catch it at thewindow of prayer.
Now, prayer is man's job.
That's the only unendingobligation that our Lord has
given to men.
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That's the only unendingobligation that our Lord has
given to men.
He did not say that men oughtto always work.
He did not say that men oughtto always play, but men ought to
always to pray, pray.
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Pray for your personal life.
Pray when you are successful,lest you become selfish.
Pray when you're in sorrow,lest you become cynical.
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Pray when you're in prosperity,lest you become proud.
Pray when you're in materialpoverty, lest you become
spiritually poor, and that's theworst kind of God.
In prayer, we declare ourdependence upon God.
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Now, prayer is perplexingly.
Paradoxical, that is, you haveto pray in order to pray.
Paradoxical, that is, you haveto pray in order to pray.
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When the disciples saw howlacking they were in prayer,
they prayed Lord and notice.
They didn't say Lord, teach usto preach.
They didn't say Lord, teach usto work miracles or teach us to
be wise, but Lord, teach us topray.
When you recognize how lackingyou are in prayer, you'll pray,
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you know out of all of our Biblecolleges, our seminaries.
They have a lot of courses thatteach us a little of everything
Homiletics, hermeneutics, allthe rest but nobody offers a
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course in prayer, simply becausethere's only one teacher, and
that's the Lord Jesus Christhimself.
Now some people think thatprayer is a monologue, where you
do all the talk and some of ustalk to the Lord, just like he
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doesn inform him, tell him whatto do and how to do it and when
to do it, and use it right now,right now, lord, right now.
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And some people talk to the Lordlike they're picketing the
throne of grace, Like the Lord,is reluctant to answer, and you
have to bombard his throne withprayer in order to get him there
, so he's reluctant to give youwhat you're asking for.
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We call him loud and long.
Lord, come on now.
We want you to go here and goyonder, Do this and do that and
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on the double.
But prayer is not just amonologue where you do all the
double, but prayer is not just amonologue where you do all the
talking.
Prayer has got to be a dialogue.
Not only must you talk to theLord, but you've got to wait and
let Him talk to you Now.
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It's far better for us to hearwhat the Lord has to say than it
is for Him to hear what we haveto say.
But we don't know what to say.
We don't know what to ask for.
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Praise, ye, the Lord.
I will praise the Lord with mywhole heart in the assembly of
the upright.
Now, praise for worship is dueGod and that's the reason I'm so
blessed by worshiping here withyou.
Praise for worship is due God.
We are here tonight to glory inHis grace, to meditate on His
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might and His mercy and to putHis praises before our petition.
We are to put His praisesbefore our petition.
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In other words, before you goon to ask the Lord for so much,
thank Him for what he's alreadydoing.
You know we are good at countingbruises Poor me.
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I have one here, I have onehere, I have one here.
Instead of counting yourbruises, spend some time
counting your blessings.
Of course, I don't do too wellwith an accurate account because
I soon get on shouting groundand lose the count.
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Instead of lamenting over whatyou've lost, thank God for what
you have left.
Pastor, pray tonight.
That this would be athanksgiving service, and every
time we go to God in prayer weought to first pray to Him
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Instead of numbering yourenemies.
Thank God that you have somefriends and I thank Him that I
have a friend above all othersin Jesus Christ.
You know I used to whine andmurmur and complain Whenever I
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called myself praying.
I'd go to the Lord telling himwhat's ailing me and what people
are holding me down and peopleare mistreating me and it's so
hard.
I go to him with a long list ofnegatives.
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But when I found Jesus preciousto my soul, I moved off ofprant
Avenue and I'm now living onThanksgiving Boulevard.
Praise the Lord.
Personal worship is due God, wehave access to the throne of
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grace and we can come on thedoor.
You know, I'm so glad.
I'm so glad that I don't haveto write back to Los Angeles and
tell somebody what I want themto tell the Lord.
You know, males are slow andsometimes males get lost.
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And that fellow to whom I'mwriting is waiting for me to
send him a fee and I've got towait for his answer.
He's going to talk to the Lordand and then write me back and
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tell me what the answer is.
Oh, excuse me, Let me tell youI'm so glad that he's arranged
it so that I can talk to him formyself.
Now.
I appreciate you praying for me, but when it comes to prayer I
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don't trust you.
Then nobody can beat me.
Talking to the Lord about me.
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We must worship with our wholeheart and sincerely give thanks.
Worship is a privilege and aduty of redeemed souls united in
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faith and fellowship and thefurtherance of the gospel.
Don't you know it's a blessingjust to be here.
The Lord has given you thehealth and the strength to make
it here and then to sit there anhour and a half while I preach.
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That's a blessing, you know.
Sometimes we've got some.
You have to keep them reminded.
We have to call them.
Don't forget the prayer meetingtonight.
When you ask them, when youtell them or invite them to come
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to the house of the Lord, thefirst thing you know what's
going on, like something extraspecial, has to go on before he
puts in his appearance.
Don't you know it's a blessingjust to be able to congregate
here.
In the name of the Lord, I'mhaving a good time tonight.
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Amen.
Let the assembly of the uprightjoin together in praise and in
prayer.
Let the congregation of all wholove and serve God join
together at the mercy seat wherethey may obtain mercy and find
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grace to help in the time ofneed.
Prayer is a great privilege, Itell you.
That's the reason David saidlet the redeemed of the Lord say
so.
You know, if the Lord hasredeemed you, if the Lord has
saved you, the least you can dois say so.
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Everything I have, abovenothing, god gave it to me.
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And the least I can do is say so.
Prayer is a great privilege.
I tell you, prayer is a weaponin the hour of conflict.
It defense in the moment ofperil, is a retreat in the
seasons of exhaustion.
Oh, I said I was going to talkabout amen.
All right, amen simply meansthat which is certain, that
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which is credible, that which istrue.
Amen simply means so be it asit is in thy purpose, as it is
in thy promises.
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So be it in our praises, so beit in our prayers.
In the Old Testament there areat least 30 references to Amen.
And in the New Testament thereare at least 50 references to
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Amen.
And in the New Testament thereare at least 50 references to
Amen.
And in every one of thesereferences you will find that
Amen is a word of affirmation,it has a force of a superiority
and it has a note of finality.
When you've said it, you havesaid it and there's just nothing
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to top it.
The best you can do is repeatit and don't knock repetition.
You know, every once in a while, maybe once or twice a year,
I'll preach a sermon there atCalvary, that I've preached
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before, and invariably somebodycomes charging up to me, pastor.
I heard that one before and Isaid yes, and if it didn't bear
repeating, I shouldn't havepreached it in the first place.
Do not repetition.
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You see, there are no degreesof holiness.
You know, god is just holy.
He's not less holy one day andmore holy another day.
He's just holy.
In the year that King Uzziahdied, I saw the Lord high and
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lifted up and his train filledthe temple and above him stood
the serpent and each one had sixwings.
With twain he covered his faceand with twain he covered his
feet, and with twain he did fly.
And one cried unto another andsaid holy.
And I get the idea that the onein the north cried holy.
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And the one in the south triedto find something to top it and
he couldn't come up with it andhe cried holy.
And the one in the south triedto find something to top it and
he couldn't come up with it andhe cried holy.
And the one in the east triedto find something better to say
and he couldn't find it and hecried holy.
The one in the west tried tofind something to top it and he
couldn't come up with it and hecried holy.
Holy is the Lord of hosts, I'mtrying to tell you don't knock
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repetition.
We have an old spiritual thatjust says Amen, amen, and that's
all.
Just about the third timearound.
Things start happening.
Don't knock repetition.
Start happening, don't knockrepetitions.
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That's the reason we have atwo-fold amen and a four-fold
and a three-fold, and Dana has aseven-fold amen.
And that doesn't mean five, six, seven, but it means without
number and without it, amen.
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It simply means yes, lord, andeverybody here ought to say yes
to the Lord.
That means let the Lord havehis way in your life.
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Just think what would happenhere tonight If every one of us
just let the Lord have His way.
You know, we want our way.
We want to do what somebodyelse told us to do, or say what
somebody else told us to say, orsound like somebody else.
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If we would listen for thevoice of the Lord, let Him have
His way, while revival wouldbreak out here tonight and
spread throughout the length andbreadth of this country.
If you'll allow the Lord to letuse you on his own terms and
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let the Lord have his way,you'll not only see what the
Lord can do for you, but what hecan do with you and through you
.
Now, nothing is going to happenthrough you until something
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happens to you.
Until you let the Lord have Hisway, until you let the Lord
have his way.
You know we go to the Lord,nearly every one of us.
Lord, we want revival.
Lord, we want revival.
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Lord, send us revival.
Lord, we want revival.
The Lord is saying if my people, which are called by my name,
shall humble themselves and prayand seek my face and turn from
their wicked ways, you won'thave to worry about revival.
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I'll hear from heaven, I'llforgive their sins and I'll heal
their land.
It's our move now.
God has already done everythingthat it takes for us to have
revival.
All we have to do is plug in,but that's it.
We're reluctant to plug in.
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The moment we feel somethingcoming on of a worshipful and a
praised nature, we grabourselves.
I got to remember who I am.
Now Let the Lord have his way.
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Amen is an indication of solemnassent to the words of another
on the part of an individual orcongregation.
Amen was used in the synagogueand it is passed on to Christian
congregations.
It was customary to say Amen atthe giving of thanks.
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Our Lord used Amen when hewished to vest a statement with
special authority.
He would often say Verily,verily, I say unto you.
Truly, truly I say unto you, ortruly, truly I say unto you.
Or amen, amen, I say unto you.
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The title amen was given to ourLord.
In the epistle to the church atLaodicea, paul preached about
Christ, the amen, the seal ofGod's promise.
In all of these references,every time we hear one praising
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the Lord, we can't help but sayAmen.
If he's singing, we don't wantto take the song, but he just
wanted to let you know.
That's my song.
You don't take the sermon, butyou just let you know.
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If I was up there, I'd say thesame thing.
Amen makes a doxology of whatit is.
Amen makes a doxology of whatit is.
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Even when the scriptures areread, all of the people will say
Amen.
As far back as Ezra's time,when the scriptures were read,
all the people said amen.
I don't mean some of them, allof them.
You know.
Some of us think that amen isjust for some people who don't
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know any better.
But I've come to tell you it'sfor people who do go better.
You know, the first five yearsof my preaching ministry I used
to ask the congregation to sayAmen.
When I'd walk in I'd say SayAmen, church.
Then I'd say Say it again.
But you know I soon learnedbetter than that.
I don't want to encourageanybody to be a hypocrite.
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If you don't know what's goingon, keep quiet.
If the Lord is not yourshepherd, don't play like he is
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Shepherd, don't play like he is.
Speaker 3 (36:06):
And another thing if the Lord is your shepherd, I
won't have to ask you to sayamen.
Speaker 2 (36:12):
Yeah, we think that amen is for people who don't
know any better, but I say it'sfor people who do know better.
And Paul's writing to theCorinthians and talking about
spiritual gifts.
He says now the Lord is able togive each individual what he
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wants that individual to have.
He'll give you something thathe does not give me and he'll
give me something that he doesnot give you Now, just because
you don't have what I have,don't knock it.
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But Paul zeroed in on thosepeople who call themselves
speaking in tongues.
He said now, I'm well awarethat the Lord can give a person
the power to speak anotherlanguage on the spot.
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I'm not talking about somebabbling.
You don't know what you'retalking about and nobody else.
And if you ask you what you'retalking about, you get angry and
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talk about you, the devil.
But I'm talking about anotherlanguage, something that
somebody else can understand.
Why, if the Lord opened themouth of a donkey and called him
to speak, surely he can take ahigh school graduate and call
him to speak.
So Paul went on to say but youpeople who call yourselves
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speaking in tongues, if you'regoing to insist in speaking in
tongues, get you an interpreter.
So how can these people sayamen when they don't know what
you're talking about.
Amen is for people who know.
See, if you don't know, keepquiet.
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You know, I heard a man saysome time ago there's no brother
in our church that just saysamen so loud and so frequently
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it just turns me off.
And I said to him just becausesomebody else puts too much
seasoning on his food, thatisn't going to keep me from
seizing mine to my taste.
Look, our sophistication issapping the life out of our
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religion.
You know, we work hard,especially when we come to
church.
We work hard at being dignified.
Especially when we come tochurch, we work hard at being
dignified.
All our dignity comes down onthe hard and heavy.
Listen.
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Don't you know?
Don't you know, when you quenchthe spirit, you grieve the
spirit.
Amen will work anywhere, ifyou'll allow it.
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In 1970, march 15th, I was oneof the ten preachers from across
this nation to be given aninvitation by the President of
the United States to be hisguest in the White House.
Now, I used to love to tellthis before Watergate, but at
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any rate.
But at any rate, that Sundaymorning we were among 360
dignitaries from around theworld I'm talking about heads of
state to be invited to theworship service in the East Room
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of the White House.
There was more dignity therefor a square inch than you could
have found anywhere in theworld.
Dr Billy Graham got topreaching that morning on the
23rd Psalm and he just kepthammering away on how good God
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is and how great he is and howgracious he is.
There were two or three of uswho stood it just about as long
as we could and we let loosewith amen.
And you know we had a shoutinggood time in the East Room of
the White House.
The next morning the WashingtonPost had its headlines Amen
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sounded in the White HouseDidn't work anywhere.
But you know some people try tojustify themselves for not using
it by saying well, I don't knowwhether to say it at the
beginning or in the middle or atthe end.
You know, I just like to sitand listen.
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I don't like to interrupt,don't?
You know you can't interrupt aGod-called preacher by saying
amen, amen.
If you think you can, you try.
And then some will say I woulduse it, but I don't know whether
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to pronounce it amen or amen.
You know we can get sotechnical when it comes to
things spiritual, but you're notmisleading me.
You know when to pronounceT-H-E, the, and when to
pronounce it the.
You know to say the east andthe west, but what does it
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matter?
The Lord isn't listening to howyou pronounce your words.
He's concerned about thecondition of your heart.
And then some will say and I'mgoing on some will say well,
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that's for people who don't knowany better.
And that's for people who don'tknow any better, and that's for
people who just picked upsomething and it's just become a
habit, and and they, it wouldbe better if they leave it all.
Well, I, let's, let's look atthe word of the Lord and and see
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if it's all right to leave itall.
The Lord say when you pray, I'mnot talking about when you
recite some words, but when youpray, I'm not talking about
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going visiting and hear somebodysay something in a prayer, and
it impressed the congregationthat they responded
affirmatively to it and you madea note of it.
And when you got back here thenyou said that in your ear he's
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not talking about that.
He said when you pray, I'm nottalking about when you recite
what you heard somebody else sayit sounds good.
When you pray, you know, prayafter this man, and somebody
gets tripped up right there.
Then we start arguing.
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Somebody over here will say theLord just meant for us to
recite these words verbatim andthat's it.
Somebody over here will say, no, he didn't mean that.
He means for you to recitethese words and then close out
with something of your own.
And then somebody over herewill say, no, he didn't mean
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that.
He meant for you to start outwith something of your own and
then close out with these words.
The Lord just say after thismanner, therefore, pray, ye,
after this manner.
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You know, when I was inelementary school I was taught
to add, subtract, multiply anddivide, and then they gave me
some problems, and with everyset of problems.
They'd give me some examples toshow me how to work the
problems.
Now, that didn't mean that allthe numbers that I was going to
encounter would be the samenumbers that would be in that
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example.
Well, whatever numbers Iencountered, this is the way you
work.
After this matter, and longabout that same time, we were
taught letter writing and wewere taught that any good letter
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had to have at least six parts.
We were taught that you had tohave the name of the person to
whom you're writing In thisprayer letter.
The name is Our Father.
When you pray, you're going tohave to pray for you and you're
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going to have to pray for me,our Father, you know, if God is
your Father and he is my Father,that makes us brothers.
Oh, a man's not going to acceptanother man as brother until he
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recognizes that they both havethe same father.
When you pray, Jesus said youpray our fault.
And then we were taught thatyou had to have the address of
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the one to whom you're writing,which ought in heaven, and
somebody gets the idea that Godis sitting high way somewhere
and got his feet popped up onearth for a footstool.
You have to call him and tellhim to come here and go yonder.
Come here, Lord, and go out inCalifornia and see by my son, Go
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by the hospital, and don'tforget that one over there that
just had the accident.
That's that other fellow whohas to go to and fro.
God is already here, you know.
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We ask him to come on and be inthe meeting.
He's already here, Don't youknow?
Don't you know?
Don't you know that distancedoesn't refer to God.
He's everywhere here.
Satan is in this meeting.
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The poor fellow.
He had to catch him.
A ride.
You had to bring him.
You had to bring him.
You had to bring him.
If he's here, you brought him.
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But God is all over here.
He's God in heaven, he's God onearth.
He's God everywhere which arein heaven.
He's God on earth.
He's God everywhere which arein heaven.
And then we were taught that aletter there was a greeting or
salutation, and the greeting orsalutation you use depends upon
(49:32):
what you think about the personto whom you're writing.
If you're writing Mary and Maryis just a casual friend, you're
satisfied to just say Dear Mary.
But, brother, if you love Mary,you will spend about an hour
(49:52):
and a half trying to findanother name sweeter than this
name there.
Somebody here knows what I'mtalking about.
You know what her name is.
Why don't you go and put itdown there?
But no, you want a name sweeterthan that name.
(50:12):
The greeting or salutation inthis prayer letter is hallowed
be thy name.
This name is holy.
This name is to be respected,this name is to be hallowed.
Oh, I get disturbed when I hearpeople and some of them call
(50:34):
themselves Christians and whenthey get ready to use vulgarity
and profanity and swear that wecan get that holy name and drag
it down through the field.
Oh, that name is holy, it's anexcellent name, don't you know?
That's the only name that cansave us, don't you know that's
(50:54):
the only name that can save us,don't you know?
That's the only name you canpray in, that's the only name
that we can meet.
In the name Jesus, there is aname I love to hear.
I love to sing its words.
It sounds like music in my ear.
(51:15):
The sweetest name on earth.
Hallowed be thy name.
And then we were taught thatwhen you start off the body of
the letter, always express someinterest in the one for whom
you're writing.
Don't start off talking aboutyourself.
Express some interest in him.
(51:37):
Those of us who have been awayfrom home, possibly in school,
and we needed something.
It didn't take us long to learnhow to ask about the other
sisters and brothers and theaunts and the uncles, and then
go on and tell them to send you$100.
Always, always, express someinterest in the one to whom
you're writing.
You have to start this prayerletter off by saying Thy kingdom
(52:01):
come.
Thy will be done In earth as itis in heaven.
And then, when you've expressedsome interest in him, then go
on and ask him for what you want.
Give us this day, our dailybread.
Some interest in him.
Then go on and ask him for whatyou want.
Give us this day our dailybread and forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors andlead us not into temptation.
(52:23):
And then we were taught thatthere is a complementary clause,
and the complementary clausediffers from the greeting of
salutation in that now you can'tfigure out who you are when we
get down to that complimentaryclose.
We'll say I am your, and youspend another hour trying to
(52:47):
figure out who you are.
I am your, I am your.
And then, finally, when youarrive at it, you put something
like always and forever and ever, and you'll underscore it two
or three times and put someexclamation points there.
Now you may change your mindtomorrow, but for now it's
(53:08):
forever and ever.
Well then, the complimentaryclose.
And I got to thine.
The complimentary close and Igot to close it here.
The complimentary close isthine is the kingdom and the
power and the glory.
(53:28):
Forever.
Thine is the kingdom.
Whoever heard of a kingdomwithout a king?
You know, everybody's got aking.
Who is your king?
If, when I ask you who is yourking, you ask me who is mine,
(53:51):
you got a minute.
Is your king?
You ask me who is mine, you gota minute.
Well, my king is the only onequalified to be king.
My king has always been king.
(54:12):
You know these other kings.
They were born a prince and youhad to wait until the father
died, or the mother, if she wasa ruling mother, wait until she
died and then become king.
But my king was born king.
In fact, the Bible says he's aseven-way king.
(54:34):
He's the king of the Jews.
He's the king of the Jews, he'sthe king of Israel.
Oh, my king will let you knowwho's who and what's what.
I told you a few minutes agoabout being invited by the
(54:56):
President of the United Statesto be a guest in the White House
.
Now, you please pardon me, thatmay not mean a thing to you.
This might be an everydayoccurrence Before a black boy
born down in Robertson County,texas, and people shoved him
(55:20):
around and thought he wasretarded and said he'd never
mount anything.
Oh, the Lord picked me up andthe Lord built me up and the
Lord saved me.
And then the Lord make apreacher out of me and then have
the President of the UnitedStates invite me to be his guest
in the White House.
That meant something to me, youknow.
(55:43):
For about two months after thatvisit.
Everybody I talked with I'dweave the conversation around,
you know, to let them know I'dbeen to the White House.
I'd tell them how good I feltbeing guarded by the same
security officers as thePresident of the United States.
(56:05):
I told them how good I feltsitting there, talking to the
President face to face, forthree hours and fifteen minutes.
I told them how good I felt.
Well, now, that was in March.
(56:27):
In September that same year, Iwas scheduled to leave two days
before the President wouldarrive and I rearranged my
itinerary.
I said I'm going to stay righthere until my king comes.
(56:49):
I'm going to stay right hereuntil my President gets here.
I didn't think I'd get a chanceto see him, but I just want to
have it said that I was in Romeat the same time the president
was, and while I was goingaround sightseeing I saw a
letter on the wall Nixon, romewill be your grave.
I said uh-oh.
(57:10):
I got out of there and went ondown in Africa.
I went on down in Africa.
I went on down to Africa.
I found out.
I found out that my husband,king, couldn't do me any good.
I found out somebody else hadto protect him.
I found out that, under certainconditions, somebody had to
(57:31):
rescue him, then that made medraw close to my son of king.
Oh, my king always has been kingand always will be king.
Oh, my king is where David saidthe heavens declare the glory
of God and the sun of the showof his handiwork, that's my king
(57:54):
.
God and the front of the showof his handiwork, that's my king
.
No means of measure can definehis limitless love.
That's my king.
No far-seeing telescope canbring into visibility the
coastline of his soul insurprise.
That's my king.
No barrier can hinder him frompouring out his blessings.
(58:15):
Nobody can keep him from savingme.
Nobody can keep him.
I don't care what you tell himabout me, he knows me.
Yeah, there's no barrier canhinder him from pouring out his
blessings.
He's enduringly strong.
He's entirely sincere.
(58:36):
He's eternally steadfast.
He's immortally graceful.
He's imperially powerful.
He's impartially merciful.
He's the greatest phenomenonthat has ever crossed the
(58:57):
horizon of this world.
He's God's son.
He's the sinner's savior.
He's the centerpiece ofcivilization.
That's my king.
And what I like about it.
He doesn't need me and he doesnunique.
He's unparalleled, he'sunprecedented.
He is supreme and preeminent.
(59:17):
He is the loftiest idea inliterature.
He is the highest personalityin philosophy.
He is the supreme problem inhigher criticism.
He's the fundamental doctrine oftrue theology.
He's the corner of necessity ofspiritual religion.
He's the miracle of the age.
(59:38):
He's the superlative ofeverything good that you choose
to call Him.
He's in every way able tosatisfy every need, your need
and mine and everybody's needsimultaneously.
He can hear all of us pray atthe same time.
He supplies strength for theweak, he's available for the
(01:00:02):
tempted and tried.
He sympathizes and he saves, hestrengthens and sustains, he
guards and he guides.
He heals the sick, he cleansesthe lepers, he forgives sinners,
he discharges debtors, hedelivers the captives, he
defends the feeble, he blessesthe young, he serves the
(01:00:26):
unfortunate, he regards the aged, he rewards the diligent and he
beautifies the meek.
Now, that's my king.
Well, do you know him?
Do?
You know him, do you know him?
That's my king.
Well, I ask you, do you knowhim?
(01:00:49):
He's the key to knowledge.
He's the wellspring of wisdom.
He's the doorway of deliverance.
He's the pathway of peace.
He's the roadway ofrighteousness.
He's the highway of holiness.
He's the gateway of glory.
He's the master of the mighty.
(01:01:12):
He's the captain of theconquerors.
He's the head of the mighty.
He's the captain of theconquerors.
He's the head of the heroes.
He's the leader of thelegislators.
He's the overseer of theovercomers.
He's the governor of governors.
He's the prince of princes,he's the king of kings and he's
the Lord of Lords.
That's my king.
(01:01:34):
He's heroes and he's the Lordof Lords.
That's my King.
Is he yours?
What I like about him?
His office is manifold, hispromise is sure, his life is
matchless, his goodness islimitless, his mercy is
everlasting, his love neverchanges, his word is enough, his
(01:01:57):
grace is sufficient, his reignis righteous, his yoke is easy
and his burden is light.
I wish I could describe him toyou indescribable.
(01:02:20):
He's indescribable, he'sirresistible.
Well, the heavens of heavenscannot contain him, let alone a
man explaining you can't get himout of your mind, you can't get
him off of your hands, youcan't outlive him and you can't
(01:02:41):
live without him.
That's my king.
Well, the Pharisees couldn'tstand him, but they found out.
They couldn't stop him.
Pilate couldn't find any faultin him, the witnesses couldn't
get their testimonies to agree,herod couldn't kill him, death
(01:03:05):
couldn't handle him and thegrave couldn't hold him.
Blessed assurance.
Jesus is mine.
What a foretaste of glorydivine.
What are you talking about?
I'm an eye of salvation,precious of God.
(01:03:26):
I've been born of his spirit.
I've been washed in his blood,washed in his blood.
This is my story.
This is my song, praising mySavior all the day long.
Thine is the kingdom and thepower.
(01:04:06):
He's got all power, and everand ever and ever and ever.
How long is that?
And ever.
And when you get through withall of the forevers, then amen.
Forever, then Amen.
We were taught that the letteris not mine, it is not yours
until you affix your signature.
(01:04:28):
Anybody can type it out for you, but until you sign it, it's
not yours.
Amen is the signature to thisprayer letter.
Now you can say all of thatother, but if you can't say amen
(01:04:51):
I'm talking about if you can'tlet him have his way in your
life it doesn't mean a thing.
Amen.
Now we're just having arehearsal down here.
We're just practicing.
(01:05:15):
We're just here tonightpracticing what we're going to
do when we get on the other side.
Now look, if you can't actright in the rehearsal, you're
not going to be in theperformance.
You're not going to be in theperformance.
(01:05:37):
Really, really, you know, Iwonder how some people think
that they're going to get toheaven and sit there still and
crap, you're going to get runover.
Hey, they're going to be moving.
Yes, sir, hey, they're going tobe moving.
That's tough, you know.
(01:06:04):
In Southwestern Seminary theytaught me how to stand in the
same track.
They taught me how to hold myBible.
They taught me how to gestureTo emphasize my points, if I had
(01:06:25):
any.
And then they even taught mehow to regulate and modulate my
voice so it wouldn't be so loudand obnoxious.
And do you know, I passed thecourse Whoa.
But when I get to thinkingabout Jesus, I can't help but
(01:06:49):
get excited.
When I think about Jesus, whosaved me, I can't help but get
loud.
I can't help but shout.
Maybe you don't have anythingto shout about, but I have.
If you just do, you think I'mshouting now.
(01:07:11):
You just wait.
You just wait until my feetstrike dry.
You just wait until I beholdhis face.
You just wait until I hear himsay Sir, well done.
You haven't seen me in theshower?
(01:07:32):
Oh, you haven't seen anyshouting.
Oh, you know we have a time downhere trying to find a song that
suits everybody.
If you repeat the same songwithin a month, you're going to
hear grumbling all over thecountry.
(01:07:53):
Why don't you sing somethingelse?
I don't like that.
You've got a song and I've gota song and all of God's children
got a song.
But when we get over therewe're going to sing one song.
Amen, amen, amen.
Will you be there.
(01:08:13):
Let the Lord have his way.
Amen, amen and amen.
Will you be there?
Speaker 4 (01:08:25):
Let the Lord have his way in your life now.
Hello, my name is MichelleTolliver and this month's
Biblical Talks book offer forSeptember is Hard Sayings
Understanding Difficult Passagesof Scripture by RC Sproul.
God gave us his words that wemay know him and live by his
truth.
So what should we do when we'rereading the Bible and a
difficult passage stops us inour tracks?
Sometimes the solution is rightthere on the page if we know
(01:08:49):
where to look, while otherpassages gain clarity in light
of the rest of the Bible or itshistorical background.
With the help of an experiencedguide, we can overcome the
obstacles to our progress andknow God's Word more deeply.
In hard sayings, rc Sproulapplies his wisdom as a
theologian and biblical teacherto some of the most challenging
(01:09:09):
verses in Scripture.
By showing us how to navigatetough texts in the Old and New
Testament, he outlines keyprinciples to help us grow in
our knowledge of God.
For any amount of donation toBiblical Talks, we will send you
the book.
Please go to biblicaltalkscomand click the Donate here tab.
Thank you for listening toBiblical Talks.
Welcome to Biblical Talks Sermon of the Week.
I remember when I was growingup I used to love to watch the
Chicago Bulls play and everybodywanted to see Michael Jordan.
And the reason why everyonewanted to see Michael Jordan?
Because Michael Jordan hadglory.
(00:21):
He had a unique ability to dothings that even the best in the
game found amazing.
The NBA players stood some timejust watching him play.
That's what glory looks like.
Glory is the result ofdemonstrating extraordinary
qualities.
It's the byproduct created fromshowing everyone else something
(00:44):
truly remarkable.
Now, in the case of God, god'sglory comes as a result of not
just God showing what he can do,but showing who he is.
The attributes of God areglorious.
Everything that makes him whohe is is compare all of creation
(01:08):
, not just to see his glory, butto give him praise for his
glory.
Beloved, we can see his praiseand his glory through his
creation, his works, his wordand his spirit.
God shows us that, more thanany other, he is worthy of our
(01:32):
admiration, for he is the kingof glory.
Dr S M Lockridge preached thesermon that's my King in 1976 in
Detroit, michigan.
This sermon has continued toresonate with people for nearly
(01:52):
50 years.
It was also recorded at theMoody Bible Institute in Chicago
, illinois, during their FounderWeek conference in 1981.
During their Founder Weekconference in 1981.
This one the greatest sermon Iheard as someone to strive to
(02:14):
the glory of God, let's listento a doctor, the late Dr
Lockridge, preach this sermon.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
That's my king.
I am called upon everywhere Igo to explain what kind of name
(02:56):
is SM Lockridge.
They want to know what SM, whatis that for?
And I tell them SM is forShadrach Meshach.
And they really don't believeme.
And when I assure them that itis Shedrick Mayshak, then they
(03:17):
say well, what happened toAbednego?
And I tell them.
I had to stop using Abednegobecause people misunderstood me.
(03:52):
They thought I was sayingShedrickinary.
My house burned and thestudents started calling me the
Shedrick, no Shack locker.
As I said last night, pastor,I'll always be thankful to you
(04:18):
for inviting me here.
I wondered, however, why youwould choose me.
You know, I'm like the fellowwho was sent to give a death
message.
A man was killed in anautomobile accident and the
(04:42):
witnesses at the scene knew hiswife and knew that she was
already sick and of the nervoustype, and whoever carried her
this news was going to have todo it tactfully, diplomatically.
They were going to have to easeit over to her so it wouldn't
unduly upset it.
(05:02):
They chose this man and toldhim what they wanted him to do,
gave him their address, and whenthis man went to that address
and rang the doorbell and thelady came to the door, he said
are you Widow Smith?
(05:23):
She said my name is Smith, butI'm not a widow.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
He said that's what you think.
Now, whoever thought that Icould do justice to an occasion
like this?
Speaker 2 (05:58):
that's what you think .
I'm happy to see people of allwalks of life, all ages.
(06:18):
Your presence here indicatesthat you are interested in your
own salvation and in thesalvation of others.
You know, you can have a pocketfull of pearls, but you'll not
have a necklace until you get astring.
Each one of us is a pearl inhis or her own right, but we'll
(06:44):
not be effective in ourwitnessing until we are strung
together in Jesus Christ.
Tonight we turn to our Lord'sGospel, according to Matthew,
(07:12):
the sixth chapter, and I'llbegin reading with verse 5.
Matthew, 6th chapter, and verse5.
And when thou prayest, thoushall not be, as the hypocrites
are for they love to praystanding in the synagogues and
in the corners of the streets,that they may be seen of men.
(07:35):
Verily, I say unto you, theyhave their reward.
But thou, when thou prayest,enter into thy closet and when
thou hast shut thy door.
Pray to thy Father, which is insecret, and thy Father, which
(07:57):
seeth in secret, shall rewardthee openly.
But when ye pray, use not vainrepetitions, as the heathen do,
for they think that they shallbe heard for their much speaking
.
Be not ye lack unto them, foryour Father knoweth what things
(08:21):
ye have need of before you askit.
After this manner, therefore,pray ye, our Father, which art
in heaven.
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth as itis in heaven.
(08:46):
Give us this day our dailybread, and forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors, andlead us not into temptation but
deliver us from evil, for thineis the kingdom and the power and
(09:09):
the glory forever.
Amen, amen.
This evening, the last word inverse 13.
(09:34):
Amen, amen.
I mean, that's what I'm talkingabout Amen, amen, amen.
And now, when it comes topreaching here at this church, I
(09:56):
find it difficult to getstarted.
You know, to get up to preachhere is kind of like calling a
business meeting after therapture.
But I'm going to do my best Now.
(10:40):
A sermon should do at leastfour things for you.
One.
A sermon should stretch yourmind.
A sermon should inform andinstruct you, you ought to be
(11:18):
able to learn something from asermon.
Two a sermon should correct you.
Three a sermon should warm yourheart.
It should inspire you.
(11:40):
Four a sermon should provokethe will.
It should challenge you to dowhat the Lord would have you do.
Every one of us has a checkmade out on the bank of heaven,
(12:04):
but many fail to catch it at thewindow of prayer.
Now, prayer is man's job.
That's the only unendingobligation that our Lord has
given to men.
(12:24):
That's the only unendingobligation that our Lord has
given to men.
He did not say that men oughtto always work.
He did not say that men oughtto always play, but men ought to
always to pray, pray.
(12:45):
Pray for your personal life.
Pray when you are successful,lest you become selfish.
Pray when you're in sorrow,lest you become cynical.
(13:08):
Pray when you're in prosperity,lest you become proud.
Pray when you're in materialpoverty, lest you become
spiritually poor, and that's theworst kind of God.
In prayer, we declare ourdependence upon God.
(13:53):
Now, prayer is perplexingly.
Paradoxical, that is, you haveto pray in order to pray.
Paradoxical, that is, you haveto pray in order to pray.
(14:26):
When the disciples saw howlacking they were in prayer,
they prayed Lord and notice.
They didn't say Lord, teach usto preach.
They didn't say Lord, teach usto work miracles or teach us to
be wise, but Lord, teach us topray.
When you recognize how lackingyou are in prayer, you'll pray,
(14:52):
you know out of all of our Biblecolleges, our seminaries.
They have a lot of courses thatteach us a little of everything
Homiletics, hermeneutics, allthe rest but nobody offers a
(15:15):
course in prayer, simply becausethere's only one teacher, and
that's the Lord Jesus Christhimself.
Now some people think thatprayer is a monologue, where you
do all the talk and some of ustalk to the Lord, just like he
(15:41):
doesn inform him, tell him whatto do and how to do it and when
to do it, and use it right now,right now, lord, right now.
(16:11):
And some people talk to the Lordlike they're picketing the
throne of grace, Like the Lord,is reluctant to answer, and you
have to bombard his throne withprayer in order to get him there
, so he's reluctant to give youwhat you're asking for.
(16:33):
We call him loud and long.
Lord, come on now.
We want you to go here and goyonder, Do this and do that and
(17:00):
on the double.
But prayer is not just amonologue where you do all the
double, but prayer is not just amonologue where you do all the
talking.
Prayer has got to be a dialogue.
Not only must you talk to theLord, but you've got to wait and
let Him talk to you Now.
(17:22):
It's far better for us to hearwhat the Lord has to say than it
is for Him to hear what we haveto say.
But we don't know what to say.
We don't know what to ask for.
(17:43):
Praise, ye, the Lord.
I will praise the Lord with mywhole heart in the assembly of
the upright.
Now, praise for worship is dueGod and that's the reason I'm so
blessed by worshiping here withyou.
Praise for worship is due God.
We are here tonight to glory inHis grace, to meditate on His
(18:09):
might and His mercy and to putHis praises before our petition.
We are to put His praisesbefore our petition.
(18:30):
In other words, before you goon to ask the Lord for so much,
thank Him for what he's alreadydoing.
You know we are good at countingbruises Poor me.
(18:51):
I have one here, I have onehere, I have one here.
Instead of counting yourbruises, spend some time
counting your blessings.
Of course, I don't do too wellwith an accurate account because
I soon get on shouting groundand lose the count.
(19:12):
Instead of lamenting over whatyou've lost, thank God for what
you have left.
Pastor, pray tonight.
That this would be athanksgiving service, and every
time we go to God in prayer weought to first pray to Him
(19:39):
Instead of numbering yourenemies.
Thank God that you have somefriends and I thank Him that I
have a friend above all othersin Jesus Christ.
You know I used to whine andmurmur and complain Whenever I
(20:00):
called myself praying.
I'd go to the Lord telling himwhat's ailing me and what people
are holding me down and peopleare mistreating me and it's so
hard.
I go to him with a long list ofnegatives.
(20:28):
But when I found Jesus preciousto my soul, I moved off ofprant
Avenue and I'm now living onThanksgiving Boulevard.
Praise the Lord.
Personal worship is due God, wehave access to the throne of
(20:57):
grace and we can come on thedoor.
You know, I'm so glad.
I'm so glad that I don't haveto write back to Los Angeles and
tell somebody what I want themto tell the Lord.
You know, males are slow andsometimes males get lost.
(21:28):
And that fellow to whom I'mwriting is waiting for me to
send him a fee and I've got towait for his answer.
He's going to talk to the Lordand and then write me back and
(21:51):
tell me what the answer is.
Oh, excuse me, Let me tell youI'm so glad that he's arranged
it so that I can talk to him formyself.
Now.
I appreciate you praying for me, but when it comes to prayer I
(22:13):
don't trust you.
Then nobody can beat me.
Talking to the Lord about me.
(22:37):
We must worship with our wholeheart and sincerely give thanks.
Worship is a privilege and aduty of redeemed souls united in
(23:04):
faith and fellowship and thefurtherance of the gospel.
Don't you know it's a blessingjust to be here.
The Lord has given you thehealth and the strength to make
it here and then to sit there anhour and a half while I preach.
(23:26):
That's a blessing, you know.
Sometimes we've got some.
You have to keep them reminded.
We have to call them.
Don't forget the prayer meetingtonight.
When you ask them, when youtell them or invite them to come
(23:55):
to the house of the Lord, thefirst thing you know what's
going on, like something extraspecial, has to go on before he
puts in his appearance.
Don't you know it's a blessingjust to be able to congregate
here.
In the name of the Lord, I'mhaving a good time tonight.
(24:16):
Amen.
Let the assembly of the uprightjoin together in praise and in
prayer.
Let the congregation of all wholove and serve God join
together at the mercy seat wherethey may obtain mercy and find
(24:41):
grace to help in the time ofneed.
Prayer is a great privilege, Itell you.
That's the reason David saidlet the redeemed of the Lord say
so.
You know, if the Lord hasredeemed you, if the Lord has
saved you, the least you can dois say so.
(25:03):
Everything I have, abovenothing, god gave it to me.
(25:25):
And the least I can do is say so.
Prayer is a great privilege.
I tell you, prayer is a weaponin the hour of conflict.
It defense in the moment ofperil, is a retreat in the
seasons of exhaustion.
Oh, I said I was going to talkabout amen.
All right, amen simply meansthat which is certain, that
(25:54):
which is credible, that which istrue.
Amen simply means so be it asit is in thy purpose, as it is
in thy promises.
(26:16):
So be it in our praises, so beit in our prayers.
In the Old Testament there areat least 30 references to Amen.
And in the New Testament thereare at least 50 references to
(26:37):
Amen.
And in the New Testament thereare at least 50 references to
Amen.
And in every one of thesereferences you will find that
Amen is a word of affirmation,it has a force of a superiority
and it has a note of finality.
When you've said it, you havesaid it and there's just nothing
(26:58):
to top it.
The best you can do is repeatit and don't knock repetition.
You know, every once in a while, maybe once or twice a year,
I'll preach a sermon there atCalvary, that I've preached
(27:24):
before, and invariably somebodycomes charging up to me, pastor.
I heard that one before and Isaid yes, and if it didn't bear
repeating, I shouldn't havepreached it in the first place.
Do not repetition.
(27:48):
You see, there are no degreesof holiness.
You know, god is just holy.
He's not less holy one day andmore holy another day.
He's just holy.
In the year that King Uzziahdied, I saw the Lord high and
(28:09):
lifted up and his train filledthe temple and above him stood
the serpent and each one had sixwings.
With twain he covered his faceand with twain he covered his
feet, and with twain he did fly.
And one cried unto another andsaid holy.
And I get the idea that the onein the north cried holy.
(28:31):
And the one in the south triedto find something to top it and
he couldn't come up with it andhe cried holy.
And the one in the south triedto find something to top it and
he couldn't come up with it andhe cried holy.
And the one in the east triedto find something better to say
and he couldn't find it and hecried holy.
The one in the west tried tofind something to top it and he
couldn't come up with it and hecried holy.
Holy is the Lord of hosts, I'mtrying to tell you don't knock
(28:55):
repetition.
We have an old spiritual thatjust says Amen, amen, and that's
all.
Just about the third timearound.
Things start happening.
Don't knock repetition.
Start happening, don't knockrepetitions.
(29:17):
That's the reason we have atwo-fold amen and a four-fold
and a three-fold, and Dana has aseven-fold amen.
And that doesn't mean five, six, seven, but it means without
number and without it, amen.
(29:41):
It simply means yes, lord, andeverybody here ought to say yes
to the Lord.
That means let the Lord havehis way in your life.
(30:09):
Just think what would happenhere tonight If every one of us
just let the Lord have His way.
You know, we want our way.
We want to do what somebodyelse told us to do, or say what
somebody else told us to say, orsound like somebody else.
(30:32):
If we would listen for thevoice of the Lord, let Him have
His way, while revival wouldbreak out here tonight and
spread throughout the length andbreadth of this country.
If you'll allow the Lord to letuse you on his own terms and
(31:02):
let the Lord have his way,you'll not only see what the
Lord can do for you, but what hecan do with you and through you
.
Now, nothing is going to happenthrough you until something
(31:23):
happens to you.
Until you let the Lord have Hisway, until you let the Lord
have his way.
You know we go to the Lord,nearly every one of us.
Lord, we want revival.
Lord, we want revival.
(31:43):
Lord, send us revival.
Lord, we want revival.
The Lord is saying if my people, which are called by my name,
shall humble themselves and prayand seek my face and turn from
their wicked ways, you won'thave to worry about revival.
(32:05):
I'll hear from heaven, I'llforgive their sins and I'll heal
their land.
It's our move now.
God has already done everythingthat it takes for us to have
revival.
All we have to do is plug in,but that's it.
We're reluctant to plug in.
(32:26):
The moment we feel somethingcoming on of a worshipful and a
praised nature, we grabourselves.
I got to remember who I am.
Now Let the Lord have his way.
(32:52):
Amen is an indication of solemnassent to the words of another
on the part of an individual orcongregation.
Amen was used in the synagogueand it is passed on to Christian
congregations.
It was customary to say Amen atthe giving of thanks.
(33:17):
Our Lord used Amen when hewished to vest a statement with
special authority.
He would often say Verily,verily, I say unto you.
Truly, truly I say unto you, ortruly, truly I say unto you.
Or amen, amen, I say unto you.
(33:40):
The title amen was given to ourLord.
In the epistle to the church atLaodicea, paul preached about
Christ, the amen, the seal ofGod's promise.
In all of these references,every time we hear one praising
(34:03):
the Lord, we can't help but sayAmen.
If he's singing, we don't wantto take the song, but he just
wanted to let you know.
That's my song.
You don't take the sermon, butyou just let you know.
(34:24):
If I was up there, I'd say thesame thing.
Amen makes a doxology of whatit is.
Amen makes a doxology of whatit is.
(34:50):
Even when the scriptures areread, all of the people will say
Amen.
As far back as Ezra's time,when the scriptures were read,
all the people said amen.
I don't mean some of them, allof them.
You know.
Some of us think that amen isjust for some people who don't
(35:13):
know any better.
But I've come to tell you it'sfor people who do go better.
You know, the first five yearsof my preaching ministry I used
to ask the congregation to sayAmen.
When I'd walk in I'd say SayAmen, church.
Then I'd say Say it again.
But you know I soon learnedbetter than that.
I don't want to encourageanybody to be a hypocrite.
(35:37):
If you don't know what's goingon, keep quiet.
If the Lord is not yourshepherd, don't play like he is
(35:58):
Shepherd, don't play like he is.
Speaker 3 (36:06):
And another thing if the Lord is your shepherd, I
won't have to ask you to sayamen.
Speaker 2 (36:12):
Yeah, we think that amen is for people who don't
know any better, but I say it'sfor people who do know better.
And Paul's writing to theCorinthians and talking about
spiritual gifts.
He says now the Lord is able togive each individual what he
(36:42):
wants that individual to have.
He'll give you something thathe does not give me and he'll
give me something that he doesnot give you Now, just because
you don't have what I have,don't knock it.
(37:04):
But Paul zeroed in on thosepeople who call themselves
speaking in tongues.
He said now, I'm well awarethat the Lord can give a person
the power to speak anotherlanguage on the spot.
(37:24):
I'm not talking about somebabbling.
You don't know what you'retalking about and nobody else.
And if you ask you what you'retalking about, you get angry and
(37:46):
talk about you, the devil.
But I'm talking about anotherlanguage, something that
somebody else can understand.
Why, if the Lord opened themouth of a donkey and called him
to speak, surely he can take ahigh school graduate and call
him to speak.
So Paul went on to say but youpeople who call yourselves
(38:10):
speaking in tongues, if you'regoing to insist in speaking in
tongues, get you an interpreter.
So how can these people sayamen when they don't know what
you're talking about.
Amen is for people who know.
See, if you don't know, keepquiet.
(38:35):
You know, I heard a man saysome time ago there's no brother
in our church that just saysamen so loud and so frequently
(38:58):
it just turns me off.
And I said to him just becausesomebody else puts too much
seasoning on his food, thatisn't going to keep me from
seizing mine to my taste.
Look, our sophistication issapping the life out of our
(39:25):
religion.
You know, we work hard,especially when we come to
church.
We work hard at being dignified.
Especially when we come tochurch, we work hard at being
dignified.
All our dignity comes down onthe hard and heavy.
Listen.
(39:47):
Don't you know?
Don't you know, when you quenchthe spirit, you grieve the
spirit.
Amen will work anywhere, ifyou'll allow it.
(40:10):
In 1970, march 15th, I was oneof the ten preachers from across
this nation to be given aninvitation by the President of
the United States to be hisguest in the White House.
Now, I used to love to tellthis before Watergate, but at
(40:34):
any rate.
But at any rate, that Sundaymorning we were among 360
dignitaries from around theworld I'm talking about heads of
state to be invited to theworship service in the East Room
(40:55):
of the White House.
There was more dignity therefor a square inch than you could
have found anywhere in theworld.
Dr Billy Graham got topreaching that morning on the
23rd Psalm and he just kepthammering away on how good God
(41:15):
is and how great he is and howgracious he is.
There were two or three of uswho stood it just about as long
as we could and we let loosewith amen.
And you know we had a shoutinggood time in the East Room of
the White House.
The next morning the WashingtonPost had its headlines Amen
(41:35):
sounded in the White HouseDidn't work anywhere.
But you know some people try tojustify themselves for not using
it by saying well, I don't knowwhether to say it at the
beginning or in the middle or atthe end.
You know, I just like to sitand listen.
(41:57):
I don't like to interrupt,don't?
You know you can't interrupt aGod-called preacher by saying
amen, amen.
If you think you can, you try.
And then some will say I woulduse it, but I don't know whether
(42:31):
to pronounce it amen or amen.
You know we can get sotechnical when it comes to
things spiritual, but you're notmisleading me.
You know when to pronounceT-H-E, the, and when to
pronounce it the.
You know to say the east andthe west, but what does it
(42:52):
matter?
The Lord isn't listening to howyou pronounce your words.
He's concerned about thecondition of your heart.
And then some will say and I'mgoing on some will say well,
(43:12):
that's for people who don't knowany better.
And that's for people who don'tknow any better, and that's for
people who just picked upsomething and it's just become a
habit, and and they, it wouldbe better if they leave it all.
Well, I, let's, let's look atthe word of the Lord and and see
(43:33):
if it's all right to leave itall.
The Lord say when you pray, I'mnot talking about when you
recite some words, but when youpray, I'm not talking about
(43:57):
going visiting and hear somebodysay something in a prayer, and
it impressed the congregationthat they responded
affirmatively to it and you madea note of it.
And when you got back here thenyou said that in your ear he's
(44:17):
not talking about that.
He said when you pray, I'm nottalking about when you recite
what you heard somebody else sayit sounds good.
When you pray, you know, prayafter this man, and somebody
gets tripped up right there.
Then we start arguing.
(44:39):
Somebody over here will say theLord just meant for us to
recite these words verbatim andthat's it.
Somebody over here will say, no, he didn't mean that.
He means for you to recitethese words and then close out
with something of your own.
And then somebody over herewill say, no, he didn't mean
(45:02):
that.
He meant for you to start outwith something of your own and
then close out with these words.
The Lord just say after thismanner, therefore, pray, ye,
after this manner.
(45:23):
You know, when I was inelementary school I was taught
to add, subtract, multiply anddivide, and then they gave me
some problems, and with everyset of problems.
They'd give me some examples toshow me how to work the
problems.
Now, that didn't mean that allthe numbers that I was going to
encounter would be the samenumbers that would be in that
(45:45):
example.
Well, whatever numbers Iencountered, this is the way you
work.
After this matter, and longabout that same time, we were
taught letter writing and wewere taught that any good letter
(46:05):
had to have at least six parts.
We were taught that you had tohave the name of the person to
whom you're writing In thisprayer letter.
The name is Our Father.
When you pray, you're going tohave to pray for you and you're
(46:37):
going to have to pray for me,our Father, you know, if God is
your Father and he is my Father,that makes us brothers.
Oh, a man's not going to acceptanother man as brother until he
(47:06):
recognizes that they both havethe same father.
When you pray, Jesus said youpray our fault.
And then we were taught thatyou had to have the address of
(47:33):
the one to whom you're writing,which ought in heaven, and
somebody gets the idea that Godis sitting high way somewhere
and got his feet popped up onearth for a footstool.
You have to call him and tellhim to come here and go yonder.
Come here, Lord, and go out inCalifornia and see by my son, Go
(47:55):
by the hospital, and don'tforget that one over there that
just had the accident.
That's that other fellow whohas to go to and fro.
God is already here, you know.
(48:17):
We ask him to come on and be inthe meeting.
He's already here, Don't youknow?
Don't you know?
Don't you know that distancedoesn't refer to God.
He's everywhere here.
Satan is in this meeting.
(48:42):
The poor fellow.
He had to catch him.
A ride.
You had to bring him.
You had to bring him.
You had to bring him.
If he's here, you brought him.
(49:07):
But God is all over here.
He's God in heaven, he's God onearth.
He's God everywhere which arein heaven.
He's God on earth.
He's God everywhere which arein heaven.
And then we were taught that aletter there was a greeting or
salutation, and the greeting orsalutation you use depends upon
(49:32):
what you think about the personto whom you're writing.
If you're writing Mary and Maryis just a casual friend, you're
satisfied to just say Dear Mary.
But, brother, if you love Mary,you will spend about an hour
(49:52):
and a half trying to findanother name sweeter than this
name there.
Somebody here knows what I'mtalking about.
You know what her name is.
Why don't you go and put itdown there?
But no, you want a name sweeterthan that name.
(50:12):
The greeting or salutation inthis prayer letter is hallowed
be thy name.
This name is holy.
This name is to be respected,this name is to be hallowed.
Oh, I get disturbed when I hearpeople and some of them call
(50:34):
themselves Christians and whenthey get ready to use vulgarity
and profanity and swear that wecan get that holy name and drag
it down through the field.
Oh, that name is holy, it's anexcellent name, don't you know?
That's the only name that cansave us, don't you know that's
(50:54):
the only name that can save us,don't you know?
That's the only name you canpray in, that's the only name
that we can meet.
In the name Jesus, there is aname I love to hear.
I love to sing its words.
It sounds like music in my ear.
(51:15):
The sweetest name on earth.
Hallowed be thy name.
And then we were taught thatwhen you start off the body of
the letter, always express someinterest in the one for whom
you're writing.
Don't start off talking aboutyourself.
Express some interest in him.
(51:37):
Those of us who have been awayfrom home, possibly in school,
and we needed something.
It didn't take us long to learnhow to ask about the other
sisters and brothers and theaunts and the uncles, and then
go on and tell them to send you$100.
Always, always, express someinterest in the one to whom
you're writing.
You have to start this prayerletter off by saying Thy kingdom
(52:01):
come.
Thy will be done In earth as itis in heaven.
And then, when you've expressedsome interest in him, then go
on and ask him for what you want.
Give us this day, our dailybread.
Some interest in him.
Then go on and ask him for whatyou want.
Give us this day our dailybread and forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors andlead us not into temptation.
(52:23):
And then we were taught thatthere is a complementary clause,
and the complementary clausediffers from the greeting of
salutation in that now you can'tfigure out who you are when we
get down to that complimentaryclose.
We'll say I am your, and youspend another hour trying to
(52:47):
figure out who you are.
I am your, I am your.
And then, finally, when youarrive at it, you put something
like always and forever and ever, and you'll underscore it two
or three times and put someexclamation points there.
Now you may change your mindtomorrow, but for now it's
(53:08):
forever and ever.
Well then, the complimentaryclose.
And I got to thine.
The complimentary close and Igot to close it here.
The complimentary close isthine is the kingdom and the
power and the glory.
(53:28):
Forever.
Thine is the kingdom.
Whoever heard of a kingdomwithout a king?
You know, everybody's got aking.
Who is your king?
If, when I ask you who is yourking, you ask me who is mine,
(53:51):
you got a minute.
Is your king?
You ask me who is mine, you gota minute.
Well, my king is the only onequalified to be king.
My king has always been king.
(54:12):
You know these other kings.
They were born a prince and youhad to wait until the father
died, or the mother, if she wasa ruling mother, wait until she
died and then become king.
But my king was born king.
In fact, the Bible says he's aseven-way king.
(54:34):
He's the king of the Jews.
He's the king of the Jews, he'sthe king of Israel.
Oh, my king will let you knowwho's who and what's what.
I told you a few minutes agoabout being invited by the
(54:56):
President of the United Statesto be a guest in the White House
.
Now, you please pardon me, thatmay not mean a thing to you.
This might be an everydayoccurrence Before a black boy
born down in Robertson County,texas, and people shoved him
(55:20):
around and thought he wasretarded and said he'd never
mount anything.
Oh, the Lord picked me up andthe Lord built me up and the
Lord saved me.
And then the Lord make apreacher out of me and then have
the President of the UnitedStates invite me to be his guest
in the White House.
That meant something to me, youknow.
(55:43):
For about two months after thatvisit.
Everybody I talked with I'dweave the conversation around,
you know, to let them know I'dbeen to the White House.
I'd tell them how good I feltbeing guarded by the same
security officers as thePresident of the United States.
(56:05):
I told them how good I feltsitting there, talking to the
President face to face, forthree hours and fifteen minutes.
I told them how good I felt.
Well, now, that was in March.
(56:27):
In September that same year, Iwas scheduled to leave two days
before the President wouldarrive and I rearranged my
itinerary.
I said I'm going to stay righthere until my king comes.
(56:49):
I'm going to stay right hereuntil my President gets here.
I didn't think I'd get a chanceto see him, but I just want to
have it said that I was in Romeat the same time the president
was, and while I was goingaround sightseeing I saw a
letter on the wall Nixon, romewill be your grave.
I said uh-oh.
(57:10):
I got out of there and went ondown in Africa.
I went on down in Africa.
I went on down to Africa.
I found out.
I found out that my husband,king, couldn't do me any good.
I found out somebody else hadto protect him.
I found out that, under certainconditions, somebody had to
(57:31):
rescue him, then that made medraw close to my son of king.
Oh, my king always has been kingand always will be king.
Oh, my king is where David saidthe heavens declare the glory
of God and the sun of the showof his handiwork, that's my king
(57:54):
.
God and the front of the showof his handiwork, that's my king
.
No means of measure can definehis limitless love.
That's my king.
No far-seeing telescope canbring into visibility the
coastline of his soul insurprise.
That's my king.
No barrier can hinder him frompouring out his blessings.
(58:15):
Nobody can keep him from savingme.
Nobody can keep him.
I don't care what you tell himabout me, he knows me.
Yeah, there's no barrier canhinder him from pouring out his
blessings.
He's enduringly strong.
He's entirely sincere.
(58:36):
He's eternally steadfast.
He's immortally graceful.
He's imperially powerful.
He's impartially merciful.
He's the greatest phenomenonthat has ever crossed the
(58:57):
horizon of this world.
He's God's son.
He's the sinner's savior.
He's the centerpiece ofcivilization.
That's my king.
And what I like about it.
He doesn't need me and he doesnunique.
He's unparalleled, he'sunprecedented.
He is supreme and preeminent.
(59:17):
He is the loftiest idea inliterature.
He is the highest personalityin philosophy.
He is the supreme problem inhigher criticism.
He's the fundamental doctrine oftrue theology.
He's the corner of necessity ofspiritual religion.
He's the miracle of the age.
(59:38):
He's the superlative ofeverything good that you choose
to call Him.
He's in every way able tosatisfy every need, your need
and mine and everybody's needsimultaneously.
He can hear all of us pray atthe same time.
He supplies strength for theweak, he's available for the
(01:00:02):
tempted and tried.
He sympathizes and he saves, hestrengthens and sustains, he
guards and he guides.
He heals the sick, he cleansesthe lepers, he forgives sinners,
he discharges debtors, hedelivers the captives, he
defends the feeble, he blessesthe young, he serves the
(01:00:26):
unfortunate, he regards the aged, he rewards the diligent and he
beautifies the meek.
Now, that's my king.
Well, do you know him?
Do?
You know him, do you know him?
That's my king.
Well, I ask you, do you knowhim?
(01:00:49):
He's the key to knowledge.
He's the wellspring of wisdom.
He's the doorway of deliverance.
He's the pathway of peace.
He's the roadway ofrighteousness.
He's the highway of holiness.
He's the gateway of glory.
He's the master of the mighty.
(01:01:12):
He's the captain of theconquerors.
He's the head of the mighty.
He's the captain of theconquerors.
He's the head of the heroes.
He's the leader of thelegislators.
He's the overseer of theovercomers.
He's the governor of governors.
He's the prince of princes,he's the king of kings and he's
the Lord of Lords.
That's my king.
(01:01:34):
He's heroes and he's the Lordof Lords.
That's my King.
Is he yours?
What I like about him?
His office is manifold, hispromise is sure, his life is
matchless, his goodness islimitless, his mercy is
everlasting, his love neverchanges, his word is enough, his
(01:01:57):
grace is sufficient, his reignis righteous, his yoke is easy
and his burden is light.
I wish I could describe him toyou indescribable.
(01:02:20):
He's indescribable, he'sirresistible.
Well, the heavens of heavenscannot contain him, let alone a
man explaining you can't get himout of your mind, you can't get
him off of your hands, youcan't outlive him and you can't
(01:02:41):
live without him.
That's my king.
Well, the Pharisees couldn'tstand him, but they found out.
They couldn't stop him.
Pilate couldn't find any faultin him, the witnesses couldn't
get their testimonies to agree,herod couldn't kill him, death
(01:03:05):
couldn't handle him and thegrave couldn't hold him.
Blessed assurance.
Jesus is mine.
What a foretaste of glorydivine.
What are you talking about?
I'm an eye of salvation,precious of God.
(01:03:26):
I've been born of his spirit.
I've been washed in his blood,washed in his blood.
This is my story.
This is my song, praising mySavior all the day long.
Thine is the kingdom and thepower.
(01:04:06):
He's got all power, and everand ever and ever and ever.
How long is that?
And ever.
And when you get through withall of the forevers, then amen.
Forever, then Amen.
We were taught that the letteris not mine, it is not yours
until you affix your signature.
(01:04:28):
Anybody can type it out for you, but until you sign it, it's
not yours.
Amen is the signature to thisprayer letter.
Now you can say all of thatother, but if you can't say amen
(01:04:51):
I'm talking about if you can'tlet him have his way in your
life it doesn't mean a thing.
Amen.
Now we're just having arehearsal down here.
We're just practicing.
(01:05:15):
We're just here tonightpracticing what we're going to
do when we get on the other side.
Now look, if you can't actright in the rehearsal, you're
not going to be in theperformance.
You're not going to be in theperformance.
(01:05:37):
Really, really, you know, Iwonder how some people think
that they're going to get toheaven and sit there still and
crap, you're going to get runover.
Hey, they're going to be moving.
Yes, sir, hey, they're going tobe moving.
That's tough, you know.
(01:06:04):
In Southwestern Seminary theytaught me how to stand in the
same track.
They taught me how to hold myBible.
They taught me how to gestureTo emphasize my points, if I had
(01:06:25):
any.
And then they even taught mehow to regulate and modulate my
voice so it wouldn't be so loudand obnoxious.
And do you know, I passed thecourse Whoa.
But when I get to thinkingabout Jesus, I can't help but
(01:06:49):
get excited.
When I think about Jesus, whosaved me, I can't help but get
loud.
I can't help but shout.
Maybe you don't have anythingto shout about, but I have.
If you just do, you think I'mshouting now.
(01:07:11):
You just wait.
You just wait until my feetstrike dry.
You just wait until I beholdhis face.
You just wait until I hear himsay Sir, well done.
You haven't seen me in theshower?
(01:07:32):
Oh, you haven't seen anyshouting.
Oh, you know we have a time downhere trying to find a song that
suits everybody.
If you repeat the same songwithin a month, you're going to
hear grumbling all over thecountry.
(01:07:53):
Why don't you sing somethingelse?
I don't like that.
You've got a song and I've gota song and all of God's children
got a song.
But when we get over therewe're going to sing one song.
Amen, amen, amen.
Will you be there.
(01:08:13):
Let the Lord have his way.
Amen, amen and amen.
Will you be there?
Speaker 4 (01:08:25):
Let the Lord have his way in your life now.
Hello, my name is MichelleTolliver and this month's
Biblical Talks book offer forSeptember is Hard Sayings
Understanding Difficult Passagesof Scripture by RC Sproul.
God gave us his words that wemay know him and live by his
truth.
So what should we do when we'rereading the Bible and a
difficult passage stops us inour tracks?
Sometimes the solution is rightthere on the page if we know
(01:08:49):
where to look, while otherpassages gain clarity in light
of the rest of the Bible or itshistorical background.
With the help of an experiencedguide, we can overcome the
obstacles to our progress andknow God's Word more deeply.
In hard sayings, rc Sproulapplies his wisdom as a
theologian and biblical teacherto some of the most challenging
(01:09:09):
verses in Scripture.
By showing us how to navigatetough texts in the Old and New
Testament, he outlines keyprinciples to help us grow in
our knowledge of God.
For any amount of donation toBiblical Talks, we will send you
the book.
Please go to biblicaltalkscomand click the Donate here tab.
Thank you for listening toBiblical Talks.
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