Living by God's Word Everyday - E.C. 2016

Fred R. Coulter—May 21, 2016

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As we get into the things we're going to cover, looking back on what we have in the book, From a Speck of Dust to a Son of God: Why Were You Born?, it shows us that God's plan is so great.

We just looked at some pictures of newborn babies. What does the baby know? Nothing! Although it did learn to suck its thumb in the womb so it could nurse. That's it! How much will we know when we're resurrected? Think of it, even if we could have everything in the Bible jammed into what our brain is, how much do we know about eternal life? What is that going to be like? We're going to need the four months on the Sea of Glass to understand how this works. When it talks about the Tree of Life, that means we will be learning forever. That is amazing!

If we can convey these things to the brethren… Most people still view a church as a church like you see on the corner and people go to it and attend where they can learn how to be better people. It's good to learn how to be better people, that's fine. But God has called us to be His sons and daughters. We're not just to be better people. We ought to be, but God wants us to be like Him.

It's so important and it's so great that we must be human first so we can have the bare rudimentary things to start eternal life with. We'll be kind of like—at the resurrection when you're born again—the infant that know how to nurse because it sucked its thumb. With that in mind, it's important to understand why we're here and what we're doing and what we need to do for the people of God.

Don't let your physical emotions and feelings get between you and anybody here! If you have any problems, go solve them in a Godly way. That's important to understand. You convey that to the brethren, too. We're not here to take sides with anybody's feelings, emotions and hurts, except to help them get over it. They must use the Spirit of God to reconcile, not only to God, but to each other.

John 15—let's apply this to us. When we are ordained as elders, likewise with deacons—but more importantly elders—we have a covenant that Christ gave to Peter that I covered yesterday. That is the covenant for all elders and ministers.

Just like God gave the keys of the kingdom to Peter (Matt. 16), that's for all the apostles, all the ministers. You read Eph. 4 why He has apostles, evangelists, teachers and so forth for the perfecting of the saints!

• we're not here for status
• we're not here for money
• we're not here for reputation
• we are here to serve God and His people

We're going to see that we are going to have a lot of problems to face so we better 'buck up' and get ready. The only way that we're going to do it is right here:

John 15:1: "I am the true vine, and My Father is the husbandman." We work in the vineyard of God. Remember when Jesus talked about the vineyard? He set up the vineyard, He put in the wine vat and hired those to take care of it. They turned their backs on God. That goes right back to Isa. 5 and vineyard that God planted there, which was Israel who was to bring out wonderful grapes, great wine, but it was wild grapes. Now with the Church of God we don't want to repeat that. We don't want wild grapes. He's the husbandman!

Verse 2: "He takes away every branch in Me that does not bear fruit…" This is true!

Those who have been in the Church of God a long time, some of them are bored because where they go to Church its is the same as it's been for twenty years. It shouldn't be that way with us. That's why we need to encourage them; we need to help them. We need to help them understand that through prayer and study, loving each other, serving each other that we grow in grace and knowledge and understanding and are preparing for eternal life!

Who cares who does what? We used to have arguments over who is going to pass out hymnals. How stupid is that? With God's Spirit we have direct connection with God!

Notice what He does: "'…but He cleanses each one that bears fruit, in order that it may bear more fruit'" (v 2).

Look at every trial and difficulty that you have and convey that to the brethren. Even William Tyndale understood that. I want you to read that whole book: The Obedience of the Christian Man. It's going to be hard to read; some of it is difficult. He's got some good diatribes against the Catholics. WOW! If you think that we've been hard on them… But Tyndale understood that every trial and difficulty is a purging, an opportunity to bear more fruit—spiritually.
Verse 3: "You are already clean through the word that I have spoken to you. Dwell in Me…. [that's where we all need to dwell, especially as elders in serving God's people] … and I in you. As a branch cannot bear fruit of itself…" (vs 3-4).

We did that one year at the Feast of Tabernacles because it says to 'break off branches and build yourselves booths.' So we broke off some branches on some trees the first day. We put them up on a shelf and every day we would look at those branches.

The first day after being cut off the leaves were still green, looked pretty good. Second day, wasn't too bad. Third day got a little worse. Fourth day was looking really rugged. Fifth day it was beginning to really dry up and shrivel away. By time we got to day eight, it was just twigs. So, that's the way with us spiritually. We cannot bear fruit by ourselves.

"…but only if it remains in the vine… [that sometimes means that you may have to stand alone] …neither can you bear fruit unless you are dwelling in Me" (v 4).

Matthew 7:21: "Not everyone who says to Me 'Lord, Lord' shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but the one who is doing the will of My Father, Who is in heaven." Some will stand around and say, 'Lord, Lord, we did many wonderful works in Your name. We did this, we did that, we had colleges, we had hospitals, we had all of these things.' Jesus said, 'I'll look at you and say, I don't know you; I never knew you; depart from Me you who work lawlessness,' because they didn't stay dwelling in Christ!

Verse 5: "I am the vine, and you are the branches. The one who is dwelling in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; because apart from Me you can do nothing."

Just like Jesus said, 'Of Myself I can do nothing, but the Father within Me, He does the work. What He commanded Me to speak, I speak. What I see Him do, I do'; likewise with us in serving the brethren.

Notice what happens, and we've seen this. Why are we here and there are those who are not here? I mean in any Church of God. Because they did not dwell in Him!

Verse 6: "If anyone does not dwell in Me, he is cast out as a branch, and is dried up; and men gather them and cast them into a fire, and they are burned. If you dwell in Me, and My words dwell in you…" (vs 6-7).

That's why we need prayer and study. I tell you what will happen when you do: You won't have to worry about if you're going to give a sermon what are you going to speak on, you'll have so much to speak on you won't know where to separate it out to get it out.

"…you shall ask whatever you desire, and it shall come to pass for you. In this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; so shall you be My disciples. As the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you; live in My love" (vs 7-9). That's how we are to teach and preach and do what we do. It all comes from God.

Dealing with Demons:

We are going to end up in a time where there are some very difficult things coming down the road. {Note sermon: How to Heal a Broken Heart} I'm going to do that again in a series. With all that people are facing out there, and God is going to call those who have taken drugs, who've had abortions, whose lives have been ruined. What are you going to do with them? They have to be strengthened.

Remember this. Remember how Manasseh sinned? Did God forgive him and bring him back and put him on the throne? Yes, He did! Same way with these people; God still loves them if they will repent. It's our job to help them to repent and help bring the things to them that will give them strength and comfort.

They will never be able to survive in a 'wishy-washy' environment. It's not to be military strength, but it is to be spiritual strength that they will desire to overcome. They will desire to put the past behind them. They will have learned those terrible lessons that they went through. We need to be prepared to cast out demons and not shirk back one step. Demons have no authority or no power at all in the face of Jesus Christ!

Jesus sent out the seventy. He says send them out two-by-two. This was in addition to the apostles when He sent them out.

Luke 10:2: "And so, He said to them, 'The harvest is indeed great, but the workmen are few. Therefore, beseech the Lord of the harvest that He may send out workmen into His harvest…. [not destroyers, but workmen] …Go forth! Behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves" (vs 2-3). That's the way the world is going to be.

He wanted to make sure that they weren't going to rely on anything physical, so He said, 'Don't take any food; don't take a purse; don't take anything. You go and preach. Whatever house will hear you, you stay there and preach from there.'

Verse 8: "And whatever city you may enter, and they receive you, eat the things set before you, and heal the sick in it, and say to them, 'The Kingdom of God has drawn near to you'" (vs 8-9).
We have a lot of sickness today because of the degeneracy of so many things: food, water, everything that there is. We need to do all we can to correct that. But nevertheless, if we have faith in our prayers, God will answer!

When it comes time to die, God isn't going to answer that, because that's part of the plan. Think of this. Every Christian that has ever been up to this point, aside from those who are still living, are in the graves—are they not? God hasn't failed, He's harvesting! He's waiting for the resurrection day!

Verse 10: "But whatever city you may enter, and they do not receive you, go into the streets and say, 'Even the dust of your city, which clings to us, we wipe off against you; yet, know this, that the Kingdom of God has drawn near to you'" (vs 10-11). Then He gives the warning!

Verse 16—here is a great responsibility. This is why we need to preach the Word of God, the Truth, the Truth, the Truth, and God the Father, Jesus Christ, not ourselves. We are to be stewards of the property of God! Remember that! The people of God belong to God, and we are stewards so that they can attain to eternal life, and God fulfill His purpose in them and in us.

Verse 16: "The one who hears you hears Me… [make sure you are preaching what God has said] … and the one who rejects you rejects Me; and the one who rejects Me rejects Him Who sent Me…. [what a commission] …Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, 'Lord, even the demons are subject to us through Your name'" (vs 16-17).

We're going to have to cast out demons. Many times when we do, we need to have enough knowledge of nutrition so that they can have their bodies also rejuvenated from the lack of things that they hadn't been taking into their body, which made them more weak to be subject to demons as well.

You don't have to be afraid. There is no demon that can stand before you. 'You are commanded to leave in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth and never come back!' They must go! Jesus guarantees it!

Verse 18: "And He said to them, 'I was watching when Satan fell from heaven like lightning…. [Don't get all excited about that] …Behold, I give you authority… ['exousia'] …to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and upon all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall injure you in any way" (vs 18-19).

This is where Jesus sent out the apostles. It's interesting, right after He selected the apostles; Matthew 10:1: "And when He had called His twelve disciples, He gave them authority over unclean spirits…"

When you have this come up and you're dealing with people, you need to be alert. You need to see what their environment is.

• What do they listen to?
• What do they watch?
• What do they wear?

All of those things can be entrances for demons to come!

• through music
• through sex
• through art
• through drugs

You need to understand those things and to arm yourselves with the Truth on how to handle it. That's what's happening in the world especially with pot today; pot can be twenty times stronger than it was back in 1969 when they had their Woodstock thing in New York. It can bring upon psychoses with one or two intakes of that kind of pot.

There was this one woman who went out to Colorado to report on the recreational pot that they had there. She bought one of these chocolate bars that had marijuana in it. It had this real strong marijuana in it and they didn't tell her to eat only one piece a day. She went back to her apartment and ate the whole candy bar and was 'wasted' for three days.

These things can hurt and destroy the mind. It can be rebuilt physically and spiritually. We can help them in both ways, but they have got to understand that they have got to grab hold of their thoughts. They've got to control what goes into their eyes, ears, and hence into their minds.

"…to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every kind of sickness" (v 1). Whenever we send out an anointed cloth and we pray for those who need to be anointed, we need to claim this promise. because it's not us, but God Who is doing the work of healing and everything like that. That's why when you pray, you claim the promise that God has promised. If you need to, you can say, 'God, you cannot lie. We bring this person before you for healing, or for casting out a demon.'

When they are difficult ones, we have Mark 9. Some are difficult; some are not easy. Remember the one of the man who was possessed with Legion, and he lived in the tombs? No one could restrain him!

Mark 9:14: "And after returning to the disciples, He saw a great multitude around them, and the scribes disputing with them. And all the people who saw Him ran to Him at once in great amazement and saluted Him. And He asked the scribes, 'What are you disputing with them?' Then one from the multitude said, 'Master, I brought my son who has a dumb spirit to You; for wherever it seizes him it dashes him down; and he foams and gnashes his teeth, and is withering away. And I spoke to Your disciples, in order that they might cast it out, but they did not have the power'" (vs 14-18).

It has to come from God. Remember what did Jesus say a little later? 'Oh, you hardhearted.' That's why we have to stay close to God. We don't know when the situation like this may come up.

Verse 19: "And He answered him, saying, 'O faithless generation! How long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me.' Then they brought him to Him. But when the spirit saw Him, it immediately threw him into convulsions; and he fell down on the ground and began rolling about and foaming at the mouth. And He asked his father, 'How long a time has this demon been with him?' And he said, 'From childhood'" (vs 19-21).

We need to learn a lesson here because I'm sure that God is going to add to us younger people with children. We need to instruct them: Don't let your children feast on cartoons! Look at how many advertisements where they have miniature people, little animals talking and carrying on a conversation with the main character. What is that? That is introduction into demonism!

Take a gander at some of those cartoons for a little while, if you can stand it. These open up the children to demon possession very early. That's why there's probably a lot of rebellion very young, in addition to the lack of child training, and everything like that. You watch the cartoons, it goes Whiz! Whiz! everything is moving so fast. What that does, it's scrambling the thought process. The parents don't know this, the children don't know this.

• Why do they have bad attitudes?
• Why are they rebellious?

You need to teach them who controls television, media, and entertainment! Satan the devil! So, you need to make sure that you and your children don't get involved in that.

You ever gone into a store where they are playing this awful music? I don't know if it happens to you. I'm sure it does. It happens to me. Go in the store, especially in the morning and they've got all this pounding music going on at 9:30 in the morning.

Here all of the senior citizens in there, shopping in the morning and they have all of this music blasting in there. It's just like someone taking a handful of chalk and going backwards on a blackboard. That's how it affects me. I don't know how it affects you.

One time I talked to the manager and I said, 'Your music is really bad.' He said, 'Oh, well, corporate sends it down.' I said, 'Corporate needs an education. You see all these customers here? See all these gray hairs all around? If you want us to shop, and if you want us to spend more money, give us some soothing music. When you have all of this 'razzy-dazzy' music coming down, I only want to get what I want to get and get out of here.' I don't know if it affects you the same way.

Think of what that does to people. People say, 'I don't hear it.' What's going in your brain? You've had this, I've had this, you're watching television and here comes a commercial with a nice little ditty, the song going. The next thing you know you're out in the kitchen, or you're going someplace, or riding in the car, guess what comes into your head? That commercial music! Think of what it's going into little children's minds; all of that demonism, all of that magic. So, they couldn't cast them out from childhood!

Verse 22: "'For it often throws him both into the fire and into the water, that it might destroy him. But if You have the power to do anything, have compassion on us and help us.' And Jesus said to him, 'If you can believe, all things are possible to the one who believes'" (vs 22-23).

Let me tell you something that is absolutely true: If you're not praying and studying, how strong is your belief in time of trouble? Also that's another way how Satan can, for those people who drift away, come along with a little benefit:

'What would it hurt to watch this football game on the Sabbath? You aren't doing anything, are you? Besides, it's an important game. You're interested in the team, if they win or lose? Are you working? No! Would be okay to watch it? No! Because that would be our pleasure. We're not to do that, but God's pleasure. But when we get weak, Satan is there with these nice subtle little temptations. "…all things are possible…"; they can be cast out!

Verse 24: "And the father of the little child cried out at once, saying with tears, 'Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief.'" We have to pray and ask God to strengthen our faith. Give us the faith! Give us the belief!

Faith is the noun in the Greek. Believing is the verb; same word. It doesn't come across that way in English. That's why it's so very important that we pray and study every day. If you do that, I'll guarantee you one thing, it's happened to me….

I've got five Bibles: one in my briefcase, the one where I preach for Sabbath services, the one where I preach for Church at Home (churchathome.org), the one I study at home, the one that I study down at my office at work. I read different things at different times.

I thought, I'm going to go back and seriously read the book of Psalms and look for the patterns that are there. Like we covered: teach, teach, teach or may, may, may—the different patterns. I started reading some of these Psalms, and so many things flooded into my thoughts that it was almost like I was reading it for the first time. But I've read it how many times over. With the New Testament translated, how many times have I gone over the Greek?

All the Word of God is spiritual and it's layered. So, every time we study we learn, because these are the words of Life that are spiritual and have come from God. If we're doing that then we can overcome the unbelief.

And with something else, notice what He said, v 25: "Then Jesus, seeing that the multitude was running together, rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, 'You deaf and dumb spirit, I command you to come out of him, and you are not allowed to go into him any more!'" That's how you handle demons. You don't give them any space! You don't give them any time!

Verse 26: "And after crying out and throwing him into severe convulsions, it came out; and he became as dead, so much so that many said, 'He is dead.' But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. And when He came into a house, His disciples asked Him apart, 'Why were we not able to cast it out?' Then He said to them, 'This kind cannot be made to go out by anything except prayer and fasting'" (vs 26-29)—because this is a big-time spiritual battle.

We're going to be facing many more of these things in the future. If God is calling them, remember Mary Magdalene? What did it say of her? Cast out seven demons! So, this is something that we need to really ask God to help us in.

It may not come right away. It may be somewhere down the road, but it will happen. You will have buildings that are also haunted. Don't they have television programs now looking for the ghosts? 'Hello, are you there?' We're in this haunted house. They are waiting to get an answer. When they get an answer, they'll be all excited. Look out! I remember years ago there weren't any ministers around anywhere, just me, and there was this woman in Australia. She called me. She said, 'I moved into this home and it's haunted.'

I thought to myself, I'm here in U.S. and she's there half way around the world and down under and she's living in a haunted house. What do I do? An idea came to me and I'm sure it came from God. I said, 'You take this phone and make sure that you go into every room and when you're in the room, let me know, and I will command the demons to leave. You go through room by room.' And the demons left! So, even in the circumstances that look impossible, God can take care of it.

We'll look at some more things that we need to consider and to do. But this is very important to keep in mind. That's why, as Roger said, we have to have the whole armor of God!

You can answer the question this way, whether you study or pray: Would I leave the house in my underwear? No!

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Before we go on, I had a question concerning casting out demons and so forth, from Steve. What if the person doesn't want them cast out? Don't bother! Here's another thing, too; this is an add-on to the first part.

Luke 11:14: "Now, He was casting out a demon, and it was dumb; but it came to pass that when the demon had gone out, the one who had been dumb spoke. And the multitudes were amazed. some of them said, 'He is casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub, prince of the demons'" (vs 14-15). Can higher-powered demons cast out lower-powered demons to further their deception? Yes!

Verse 16: "But He, knowing their thoughts, said to them, 'Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falls'" (vs 16-17). That is an absolute true statement. Is that not what it's going to be with the kingdom of Satan? Yes! We've seen it within the Church.

Verse 18: "And if Satan also is divided against himself… [which he is] …how shall his kingdom stand?... [because it won't] …Consider now, because you are saying that I cast out demons by Beelzebub. And if I by Beelzebub cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast them out? Because of this, they shall be your judges. But if I by the finger of God cast out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you'" (vs 18-20). They're not in it, but the effects and power of the Kingdom of God has come upon them.

Verse 21: "When a strong man who is armed guards his own dwelling, his goods are safe. But when a stronger man than he comes upon him, he overcomes him, and takes away his armor… [Isn't that interesting? Remember what Roger brought about the armor of God: Signs to the Kingdom of God (Roger Kendall)] …in which he trusted, and divides his spoil. The one who is not with Me is against Me, and the one who does not gather with Me scatters. When the unclean spirit has gone out of a man, it goes through waterless places, seeking rest…" (vs 21-24).

Remember when He cast out the demons called Legion?[transcriber's correction] What did they say? 'Put us into the swine.' When I first read that I wondered, why were there swine over there in the Holy Land? You think the scribes and rabbis would have them over there? No! This was across the lake. They were raising the swine for the Roman garrison. When they all ran down the steep slope into the sea, there was a shortage of ham in Fort Antonia.

"…and when it does not find any, it says, 'I will return to the house from which I came out'" (v 24). This tells us that we need to instruct them:

• do not go back and live the way you've been living.
• do not go back and listen to the music you've been listening to.
• if there are any idols in the house, get rid of all idols, crosses and pictures that have to do with satanism.
• if you have any books or magazines, get them out

• Then you have got to fortify your mind with the Word of God.
• You have to keep your mind in the Word of God!

If they're really, really new, start them in the book of Proverbs. That's right and wrong, good and evil. Prov. 4 there says, 'Diligently guard the door of your mind.' We also in addition to casting out, we've got to teach them to keep them from coming back.

Verse 25: "'And when it comes, it finds it swept and adorned…. [a person perfectly normal] … Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they enter in and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first" (vs 25-26).

If a person doesn't want it cast out, don't bother. Parents have the control over children.

Let's do this, since this is an important topic and we'll be facing it here. Let's take a few questions, if you have any.

• How can you identify a demon?

Generally, it's rebellious. It may also be sweet and religious, as well as evil and hateful. So, you have to really ask God for discernment. Sometimes you can tell by looking at them, but generally they are identified by what they wear, how they have their hair. I don't know how much demons follow tattoos, but I tell you what, there may be some connection there. I don't know what you're going to do with tattoos. You can't go out and tell them to get a skin transplant. There are those different things that may come up. That's a good question: How can you tell? Generally, rebellious!

Sometimes a demon will speak and then a person will come to themselves. Like happened with you, 'Damn, you.' Then he said, 'Oh, I didn't say that.'

Also, there are a lot of demons in prisons. The worst of the criminals say, 'If I get out, I'll kill again.' That's why God had the death penalty. You have to be alert and in circumstances like that ask God for discernment. Sometimes you can identify because they have strange sounds. Not always, but sometimes.

• What if someone is asking about casting out a demon and they're not sure whether it's a demon?

It may or may not be possession. It may be influence. So therefore, what you do in that case if you're not sure, then you fast and the person fasts. You pray and the person prays. You come back together at another time, and you ask God for discernment, what to do.

If it's with the person, that person can rebuke it because they're still of their own sound mind. Sometimes things will come along. I know when I was pastoring in Torrance and Santa Monica, California, that's like greater Los Angeles, I remember one time I was driving down to visit some people in this very bad neighborhood in L.A., the Watts area.

I left the house, everything was fine, my thinking was just fine. When I got to a certain place down close there, all of a sudden thoughts came into my head of killing, murdering, and things like that. I said to myself: Where did that come from? That had to come from the demons in the area, because Satan is the prince of the power of the air!

Same thing happened when I went out towards Santa Monica, toward the homosexual area out there. All of a sudden a couple of thoughts came in my head and I knew that time where it came from, so I just rebuked it. Something like that happens, you rebuke it and say, 'Get you hence from me, Satan.' Then ask God to cleanse your mind from it. Being prince of the power of the air, they can insert the thought.

Eph. 4 says don't give place to the devil. Emotional rages and anger can open the mind for demons to come in. That's why it says that. Sometimes it's a subtle thing. 'They sure did you bad, didn't they?'

Sometimes there is bi-polar and there's ADA, and things like that. That can relate to:

• diet
• inheritance
• lack of proper training
• children isolating themselves from other children and not participating

Those things need to be looked into, too.

Sometimes it can be a combination: emotion or medical situation. You can have extended long-term bad diet, leaves you weak-minded. There are many different things that can affect it. Sometimes there will be influence, but not possession; it leaves you for a while, comes back again; that can happen. There are all sorts of things. That's why you need to pray for discernment and ask God to help you.

When evil thoughts come in your mind, just rebuke it.; ask God to rebuke and clean it out. 'God, where did this thought come from?' That's why when you read the model prayer, what does it say? Deliver us or rescue us from the evil one, because he'll be there. Pornography will do it.

• pornography will give an entrance
• excessive television and violence will give it entrance
• studying witchcraft will give an entrance

In this world, where it says that Satan is deceiving the whole world, with us being in the Church and close to each other, and many of us having Sabbath services every week, we're not out there in the world and these things are taking place and going on. There are some terrible things going on.

Watch NatGeo on Sunday when they track the drug dealers. They have cameras and people go with them. They show how they mix the drugs. They don't show where they buy it, but the drug situation in America is unbelievable! Many of those people were in the echelons of dealing with it, they're right in there with Satan the devil.

If there are parents involved, then it's the parents' decision. If it's an individual involved, and they want it cast out, then say, 'Okay, we'll cast it out. Let's do this: we'll fast on this day and pray on this day. Then we will get together and we'll cast it out.' That way you can be sure.

You have to make the judgment and evaluation if it's a family member and the rest of the family is involved. Then you better get the whole family involved in fasting, praying and understanding what to do. In all of these situations I would strongly recommend that you tell them to follow it up with a good nutritional program. In some cases they may need some pretty heavy supplementation, because they are so deficient in everything within their body. That's another reason why they are weak. There are a lot of variations in it.

Anybody have a past thing, new people come along, be alert to séances, be alert to Ouija boards, all of those things. The world is filled with satanism and Satan-things.

That's why I told you to watch the ads. They have these little people talking to them, talking to each other. They teach in grade school that you have a 'personal helper.' You just talk to your personal helper. That's demonism!

I tell you we're living in an age when you read during the days of Jesus you think, 'Boy, there were a lot of demons out and around there.' What do you think it is today? I just ask this question: I don't know, but there demons in prison. When there's more sin in the society, do some of them get released out of prison? I don't know! Why does it go from bad to worse, to worse, to demonic? Possible. I don't know!

Can a person who has God's Spirit allow a demon if it opens the door? You are inviting it in, yes! That's not to say that a person who has the Holy Spirit of God that doesn't allow it to come in, it can still come in? No, it won't! God doesn't take away free choice from us; we have control over it. I'm sure that all demon possession, or most nearly all demon possession starts with barrages of evil thoughts, which then may soften the mind and open the door in curiosity.

• Can someone who is not a true minister of Jesus cast out demons?

Yes! Matthew 7:21: "Not everyone who says to Me 'Lord, Lord' shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but the one who is doing the will of My Father, Who is in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy through Your name? And did we not cast out demons through Your name? And did we not perform many works of power through Your name?' And then I will confess to them, 'I never knew you….'" (vs 22-23).

Remember what Jesus asked the people? 'If I, as you claim, cast out demons by Beelzebub, then by whom do your sons cast them out?' So, it shows that individuals have strength and power against the evil spirits. We're not subjected to them in a wholesale manner that they can invade us and take over our minds and all of this sort of thing. We're not talking about the main things that go on, we're talking about the small number and exceptional things that go on.

Hypnotism can be demonism! You look at some of these sporting events, lights going around, blinking, blinking. You look at all of these rock concert lights, smoke, pot, flashes, on and off, on and off, the booming of the music and the beating of the drums, the strumming of the guitars, and all of that sort of thing. The shouting, the yelling and the screaming, and the nudity, and all of this sort of thing is all Satan-inspired. That doesn't mean they're all demon possessed, but while they are there, they are all under the influence of that.

Then you consider this. All those people who blast the music into their ears wherever they're going, something is going on. All of those are kind of different things out there in the world that are taking place.

Catholics believe in Harry Potter things and witchcraft and things like that. Not all Catholics, but some of them. So, yes, there will be mailers come into your home; they can advertise anything they want in this world. It really shows something.

Concerning seizures: Sometimes there are seizures because of short circuits within your own physical system. Not all seizures are caused by demons.

What we're seeing is that when you're confronted with some of these things you don't know anything about, you better pray right on the spot, 'God, give me some discernment here!' So many things can be so different.

• What about demons in water?

I don't know. I have no idea what it is, but if they love water, think how they're going to hate the Lake of Fire.

Speculation: Is the blackest darkness some black hole where God is going to put Satan and all the demons for all eternity as a perpetual witness that rebellion never pays? I don't know!

This tells you we have got to be sharp, we have got to be alert. This shows us that we've got to be armed with God's Spirit and God's Word, because many different things can come up.

Just because you have a seizure doesn't necessarily open the door for demon possession. Some people may have strokes. I wouldn't put it that way. I know a girl that was born with a brain disorder and she had seizures. When she got to be twenty-one they were able to have an operation and operate on the brain; they had to wait until she got that old in order to do it. They were able to have it so she didn't have any seizures. Don't dismiss everything as demonic. There can be:

• medical problems
• physical problems
• health problems
• spiritual problems
• just a life so messed up with wrong thinking

which may have come from demons, but they are not demon possessed.

Everything requires an understanding of the particular situation. It's like saying, 'All people are worthless.' Then why did God create us? Some people are worthless, but are all people worthless? No! Even some of those we count as worthless, God's going to resurrect in the second resurrection and make something out of them. What are we going to do with that? We always have to keep these things in mind.

You do not have to be an elder to cast out demons. Were the disciples elders? No! He gave them authority. Do parents have authority over children? Yes! Could they do it? Yes!

Everything comes back to the Word of God! What does it say and how should we view it and what is the cause of it? That's why we need to pray for discernment and right understanding.

You don't want to come to someone who has had a stroke and say they have a demon. It would scare them to death. If you come to someone who is all messed up and you tell them, 'You're reading all this garbage and you're listening to all this bad music and your mind is all scrambled. You better be careful that you don't give yourself over to Satan the devil.' Entirely different situation! Each situation is different!

(go to the next track)

Track 3 or Download

I want to cover another situation. Sometimes people get things of fleeting thoughts coming through their minds. It almost becomes an obsession and you can't get rid of it.

• How do you handle that?

I know a man who one time when he was praying would periodically curse God. What I told him to do is to fast, pray. Pray about it every day and ask God to remove it from you. Over first time it was gone!

That was just the internal workings of the mind, because where this individual was working and in the military and things like that there was swearing and cursing all the time. This was just part in the back of his mind, of his memory squeezing out some of the filth that's in there.

Look at what happened to Peter. 'Lord, I'll never deny You. I'll go to prison, even to death with You.' Jesus said, 'Peter, I tell you, today this night before the cock crows you will deny Me three times.' What did Peter do? Denied Christ and swore and cursed!

Sometimes the working of the mind will do that. Same way with as you get older, you're going along, whatever age you are, and the older you get what do you remember? Some of the things you did as a kid. Some of the stupid things you did that you hadn't thought of for years. All of a sudden there it is. You are all shaking your head, yes, it's happened. Those who are not shaking your head, you're not old enough. Just wait!

So, you handle it the same way. What did David say in one of his Psalms? 'Remember not the sins of my youth.' Why did he say that? Because it probably came up! We have a lot of things to fight today. Think about it: The hardest thing in the world to do today is not be a Laodicean and become so overwhelmed with so many things in the world and so many things coming at us.

CHARGES to the MINISTRY

Now we're going to switch gears here. I want you to read and study all of 1st and 2nd Timothy very carefully. We'll cover some of the verses here. But I'm going to cover what he calls charges. What is a charge? A charge is an emphatic command with great emphasis!

1-Timothy 1:3: "WhenI was going to Macedonia, I exhorted you to remain in Ephesus, in order that you might solemnly charge some not to teach other doctrines."

At this time there were a lot of doctrines coming in. There were a lot of things happening in the churches:

• false prophets
• false apostles
• contrary doctrines

Verse 4: "Nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which lead to empty speculations rather than to edification from God, which is in faith. Now, the purpose of the commandment…" (vs 4-5). This means everything he's giving in 1-Tim., because he says I charge you and this is a solemn commandment.

"…is love out of a pure heart, and a good conscience, and genuine faith; from which some, having missed the mark, have turned aside unto vain jangling" (vs 5-6).

We've seen this, wanting to be teachers of the law, not knowing what they're talking about or what they're affirming.

Verse 15: "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of full acceptance: that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief."

He never forgot all the things that he did in arresting and persecuting the people of God. Christ forgave him, but He said, 'You're going to suffer'—and he suffered. Sometimes there are sufferings we go through, and that's just the way that it is. Many times it's beyond our control. Was everything that Paul had done at this point in his ministry beyond his control? Yes, it was! He used that to help him repent.

Verse 16: "But for this reason I was shown mercy in order that in me first Jesus Christ might demonstrate all long-suffering, for an example to those who would afterwards believe on Him unto eternal life."

He looked upon all of his experiences now and all the lessons that he learned from that to help him become a better preacher, teacher and so forth.

Verse 17: "Now to the King of eternity, the incorruptible, invisible, and only wise God, be honor and glory into the ages of eternity. Amen. This charge… [everything up to this point] … I am personally committing to you, my son Timothy, in accordance with the prophecies that were made long ago concerning you; in order that by them you yourself might wage a good war" (vs 17-18).

• we have warfare against the sin within
• we have warfare against the society without
• we have warfare against Satan the devil

That's why we need, as Roger said, all the armor of God.

Verse 19: "Holding to the faith and a good conscience. For some, having cast aside a good conscience, have made shipwreck in regard to the faith." Then he names them.

1-Timothy 2:4: "Who… [God our Savior] …desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth." This can only be understood when you know the truth of the second resurrection.

There will be some skeptics and some doubters when you read John 3:16, especially those who have no understanding of it. How can the Baptists read this and then say if you're not in the Baptist church before you die, you're going to roast in hell. How much different is that from the Catholic doctrine? It's just the temperature of hell, I guess.

John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish, but may have everlasting life."

There's an awful lot in this verse. First of all it says "…everyone who believes in Him…" Someone is going to come up and say, 'When did Jesus come in the history of man?' About 4,000 years from creation!

• What about all those before the creation?
• What about all of those that God killed in the Flood?
• Are they not everyone?
• Does everyone mean everyone?
• How can God mean everyone if He's done that?

Perfect opportunity to explain the second resurrection! Yes, God means everyone, but in their time! That was not their time. So then, He's going to give them a second physical life, so they will have that opportunity.

"…so that everyone who believes… [this means continually, because it's present-tense participle] …in Him may not perish… [the second death] …but may have everlasting life" (v 16).

When we die, the saints who die and are buried are asleep (1-Cor. 15). If Christ was not raised, then they have perished. Dying once and never having an opportunity… God is going to give that at a later time. Think of all the evil that's going to be undone in the second resurrection. Think of all the evil that is going to be wiped away.

1-Timothy 2:4: "Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth." Same thing applies. What if they didn't have the Bible? That's why God has a second resurrection!

Verse 5: "For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men—the Man Christ Jesus, Who gave Himself as a ransom for all…" (vs 5-6). Not some, not for Baptists only, not for Church of God only, not for Catholics only, but for all! However, again you've got to have the second resurrection for that to be fulfilled.

"…the testimony of which is to be preached in its appointed times" (v 6). The appointed time for us is now. The feast days of God tell us the other appointed times of God. The main weekly appointed time is the Sabbath. Remember, that's the first one that starts out Lev. 23. There's a whole lot more you could read in 1-Tim. 1.

Timothy 3:14: "These things I am writing to you, hoping to come to you shortly; but if I should delay, you have these things in writing, so that you may know how one is obligated to conduct oneself in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the Truth. And undeniably, great is the mystery of Godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, was justified in the Spirit, was seen by angels, was proclaimed among the Gentiles, was believed on in the world, was received up in glory" (vs 14-16).

1-Tim. 4 talks about those who leave because of demonic spirits. 1-Tim. 6 is what's happened to the Church. This is how God has scattered it and Jesus, being the Chief Shepherd, re-gathers it in different areas, in different ways. This is how you keep the congregations and the fellowship groups from getting themselves in trouble.

1-Timothy 6:3: "If anyone teaches any different doctrine…"—especially calendar, sacred names, Sabbath/Sunday, whatever, that gets way off there.

"…and does not adhere to sound words, even those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the doctrine that is according to Godliness, he is proud and knows nothing. Rather, he has a morbid attraction to questions and disputes over words, from which come envy, arguments, blasphemy, wicked suspicions, vain reasonings of men who have been corrupted in their minds and are destitute of the Truth… [we've seen that within the Church of God] …men who believe that gain is Godliness. From such withdraw yourself" (vs 4-5).

That's how the Truth is preserved. Every individual stands for the Truth and if the whole congregation goes against God, withdraw! Can God watch over you, protect you, and help you and teach you and all of this sort of thing? Yes!

There were some people who said, 'I'm going to stay over here and be an example for them.' How can you be an example for them if you stay with them? Your example is that you stand for the Truth and you leave!

Verse 11: "But you, O man of God, flee these things… [all that's listed there] … and pursue righteousness, Godliness, faith, love, endurance and meekness. Fight the good fight of the faith! Take hold of eternal life to which you were also called, and did profess a good profession in the presence of many witnesses. I charge you…" (vs 11-13).

Let's take this charge for ourselves. What are we going to take away from this conference? What are we going to learn here?

Paul writes, v 13: "I charge you in the sight of God, Who gives life to every living thing, and Jesus Christ, Who in testifying before Pontius Pilate gave the exemplary profession of faith, that you keep this commandment… [that ties right in with 1-Timothy 1:5; that is this entire epistle] …with fault and without rebuke until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ" (vs 13-14).

2-Timothy 2:14: "See that they remain mindful of these things, earnestly charging them in the sight of the Lord… [that's a very strong statement] …not to argue over words that are not profitable in any way, but which lead to the subverting of those who hear. Diligently study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman… [that means an expert] …who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of the Truth" (vs 14-15).

When we come to things we don't know, we have to admit we don't know. We come to things we don't yet understand, we have to admit we don't yet understand. "…rightly dividing the Word of the Truth…"

• so we can understand the doctrine
• so we can understand the Truth
• so we can understand the teaching

You're sitting in the congregation when all this turmoil was coming about and all of sudden you hear a minister say something that is completely off the wall? What happens? Your mind goes, 'Oh, oh, that's not right!' How did you know? Because you knew the Word of God!

How many people who weren't studying and praying said, 'Wonderful.' That happened in Pasadena at the auditorium. You probably heard me mention this one time, but I'll mention it again: One Sabbath after they were all dumbed down… And know this for sure, that if the ministers are not feeding the brethren the Truth of God, heresy is coming, just like the tide, it will come. Here they are, right there supposedly in the house of God, it was said, 'It's okay to eat unclean meats.' So, the whole congregation stood up in mass and said, 'You're wrong!' NO! They all said hooray!

Out in the foyer and in the halls and everything they were all getting together so they could all go down to as many as could get into the Red Lobster and immediately have unclean foods.

When they said, 'Christmas is not that bad,' one woman said, 'You know, I missed the wonderful smell of the Christmas tree in my house all these years. I am so happy that we can have Christmas again.'

Because they didn't diligently study, they didn't know the Word of God! They did like Lot's wife and looked back at Sodom. Instead of turning into a pillar of salt, they became a Christmas tree.

This is why it's important. Have you ever tried to give a sermon on the Sabbath when you didn't study and pray very much during the week? Did you have a hard time with that sermon? Yes! Let's be honest with ourselves. It's happened! Take it as a lesson. Don't do it again!

2-Timothy 3:16: "All Scriptures is God-breathed… [it is Spirit and life] …and is profitable for doctrine, for conviction, for correction, for instruction in righteousness so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work" (vs 16-17).

That is directed directly to Timothy as an elder. We need to take those words directly to us as elders and those who are serving, teaching and helping God's people.

2-Timothy 4:1: "I charge you… [there again, this is the most earnest charge of all] …therefore, in the sight of God, even the Lord Jesus Christ… [how much more authority can you add to that? None] … Who is ready to judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom. Preach the Word!.…" (vs 1-2).

That's what we are teach and preach. Not nice little stories, not good human tales and things like this—the Word of God! That doesn't mean just read the Word of God. We are to read it, but we are to explain it. If you are studying all the time and it becomes part of you, and God is writing it in our heart and in our mind, which He is, then when we preach the Word it will be more effective.

"…Be urgent in season and out of season… [that tells they were keeping the Holy Days] …convict, rebuke, encourage, with all patience and doctrine. For there shall come a time…" (vs 2-3)—way past that time now. We saw it in our generation in the Church.

"…when they will not tolerate sound doctrine; but according to their own lusts…" (v 3). Why did they all run out to the Red Lobster as soon as someone in authority gave them permission to eat it? Their lusts! 'Ooo, I missed the lobster all those years and all those shrimp. Yes, we'll go to Red Lobster and we'll get endless shrimp.'

"…they shall accumulate to themselves a great number of teachers, having ears itching to hear what satisfies their cravings" (v 3).

Why do we preach? We're not to be offensive, but we don't preach to please people. However, the people of God who have the Spirit of God, when they hear the Word of God are pleased. But what we've been studying here and saying here at this conference, would they be pleased to hear it in the First Baptist Church or the Second Presbyterian Church?

It's like the bank, the first bank of this, the first bank of that. The first time I heard of anything other than the first bank was when I came down the escalators here at the airport in Cincinnati years ago and it says the third bank. You ever heard of the third church? No!

Verse 4: "And they shall turn away their own ears from the Truth…" Why? Because they didn't receive the love of the Truth! Why is the satanic deception coming upon the whole earth? (2-Thes. 2)—because they didn't have the love of the Truth! That's what we have to love, brethren!

"…and they shall be turned aside unto myths" (v 4):

• Christmas
• Easter
• New Years
• Halloween

Whatever! If you are run by a deceptive, carnal mind, you like to hear deceptions that reinforce your deceptions. That's the solemn charge.

Verse 5: "But as for you, be vigilant in all things, endure hardships, do the work of an evangelist; fully carry out your ministry. For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand" (vs 5-6). Most of the New Testament Church was scattered beyond belief.

PROPOSAL:

I propose something to you that I've been thinking on. I mentioned it earlier. The website for the Church is cbcg.org  With a new configuration. You can't put in just cbcg alone, but it pop up an informational page and then Restored Church of God will pop in with an ad on it. So, you must do cbcg.org

I've been praying and thinking about ways so that it will be easier for people to find the website. The reason being we have so much material. Jesus said if you light a candle, you don't put it under a bushel basket and you don't put it under the couch. You put it on a lampstand so the light shines for everybody. It's awfully hard to find the light, cbcg.org They can find Church at Home (churchathome.org) much easier. So, we did the research on

• thetruthofGod
• truthofGod

In discussing with Ron Cary about it, you can't have a feeder website over here that has the same material on the main website, because then what Google will do is downgrade you, even take away the feeder site.

I'm thinking about—and I would appreciate your prayers—should we change the name of cbcg.org website, keep that still in the background, but change it to truthofGod.org? The question being for those sincerely looking for Truth; if they do a Google search Truth of God, BANG!

If they Truth of God now, they're not going to come up with cbcg.org. It's a mismatch. It's like you trying to put your foot into an infant's little bootie. Won't work! I appreciate your prayers on that, because if we could it—I don't know if it's possible—but if we could, then we could still have cbcg.org that would then feed into truthofGod.org. I just present it to you, ask for your prayers.

We had to re-index everything and it should be taken care of by now. If you do, if you come up with any error, going to cbcg.org, send an e-mail to Ron Cary. Let him know. Don't sit there and say, 'I wonder how this happened.' Send an e-mail and let us know.

Scriptural References:

• John 15:1-4
• Matthew 7:21
• John 15:5-9
• Luke 10:2-3, 8-11, 16-19
• Matthew 10:1
• Mark 9:14-29
• Luke 11:14-26
• Matthew 7:21-23
• 1-Timothy 1:3-6, 15-19
• 1-Timothy 2:4
• John 3:16
• 1-Timothy 2:4-6
• 1-Timothy 3:14-16
• 1-Timothy 6:3-5, 11-14
• 2-Timothy 2:14-15
• 2-Timmothy 3:16-17
• 2-Timothy 4:1-6

Scriptures referenced:

• Matthew 16
• Ephesians 4
• Isaiah 5
• Proverbs 4
• 1-Corinthians 15
• Leviticus 23
• 1-Timothy 4
• 2-Thessalonians 2

Also referenced:
Books:

• From a Speck of Dust to a Son of God: Why Were You Born? by Fred R. Coulter
• The Obedience of the Christian Man by William Tyndale

Sermons:
How to Heal a Broken Heart
Signs to the Kingdom of God (Roger Kendall)

FRC:lp
Transcribed: 6-27-16
Formatted: bo—6/28/16

Copyright 2016—All rights reserved. Except for brief excerpts for review purposes, no part of this publication may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means without the written permission of the copyright owner. This includes electronic and mechanical photocopying or recording, as well as the use of information storage and retrieval systems.