The Sermon Principles of Knowing God by Ronda McGee
Apr 27, 2014
Principles of Knowing God (30:31)
Referenced Scriptures: 1 John 2:3-29; 2 Corinthians 4:7-15
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- Obey God's Commandments
- Love God, Not The World
- Continue In Christ
- Treasure
The scriptures below are from the WEB Bible.
1 John 2:3-29
3) This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commandments.
4) He who says, "I know him," and doesn‘t keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
5) But whoever keeps his word, God‘s love has most assuredly been perfected in him. This is how we know that we are in him:
6) he who says he remains in him ought himself also to walk just like he walked.
7) Brothers, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning.
8) Again, I write a new commandment to you, which thing is true in him and in you; because the darkness is passing away, and the true light already shines.
9) He who says he is in the light and hates his brother, is in the darkness even until now.
10) He who loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no occasion for stumbling in him.
11) But he who hates his brother is in the darkness, and walks in the darkness, and doesn‘t know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
12) I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name‘s sake.
13) I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, little children, because you know the Father.
14) I have written to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God remains in you, and you have overcome the evil one.
15) Don‘t love the world, neither the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the Father‘s love isn‘t in him.
16) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, isn‘t the Father‘s, but is the world‘s.
17) The world is passing away with its lusts, but he who does God‘s will remains forever.
18) Little children, these are the end times, and as you heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have arisen. By this we know that it is the end times.
19) They went out from us, but they didn‘t belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have continued with us. But they left, that they might be revealed that none of them belong to us.
20) You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know the truth.
21) I have not written to you because you don‘t know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth.
22) Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the Antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son.
23) Whoever denies the Son, the same doesn‘t have the Father. He who confesses the Son has the Father also.
24) Therefore, as for you, let that remain in you which you heard from the beginning. If that which you heard from the beginning remains in you, you also will remain in the Son, and in the Father.
25) This is the promise which he promised us, the eternal life.
26) These things I have written to you concerning those who would lead you astray.
27) As for you, the anointing which you received from him remains in you, and you don‘t need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, you will remain in him.
28) Now, little children, remain in him, that when he appears, we may have boldness, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
29) If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of him.
2 Corinthians 4:7-15
7) But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the exceeding greatness of the power may be of God, and not from ourselves.
8) We are pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, yet not to despair;
9) pursued, yet not forsaken; struck down, yet not destroyed;
10) always carrying in the body the putting to death of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.
11) For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus‘ sake, that the life also of Jesus may be revealed in our mortal flesh.
12) So then death works in us, but life in you.
13) But having the same spirit of faith, according to that which is written, "I believed, and therefore I spoke." We also believe, and therefore also we speak;
14) knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus, and will present us with you.
15) For all things are for your sakes, that the grace, being multiplied through the many, may cause the thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.
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Knowing that he had it. It's starting to get on at his brother 's funeral and he did a part of the speaking for God, that whole thing was just the realm blessing, but it really felt God moved in the lives, particularly in he shared with this Wednesday night, particularly in the life of one of his great nephews. He really, really got share best better clip that thank you you given me a warning okay, but what things that Glenda and I just talked about before church, and one of the things that you know whenever yesterday. He said he. He wasn't, you know it's too late. I can't call anybody specific behaviors you know you can help it. And he said. I said while the Sunday school, but when I Sunday school lesson yesterday and studied it even more early this morning. I really felt like it's okay if they should. It's okay. I didn't fill level I walked in the door you all know that that I I'm nervous about this for the many things I've done. I've spoken a mother-daughter banquets and things like that so anyway, maybe one time. Here is the setup was weakened and Glenda said please don't get started and just keep talking that we should be okay with client at all. Now I didn't thought that's not a problem but I wanted to be what God will one assist here. So the Scriptures today and I don't know don't need this post- midnights, but I do need it will do this. I don't enough of the bigger here than he should face the fact that she does have a big year. He always is willing to listen to something upfront gentleman everything else okay and we got ready come down. Take a deep breath, Rhonda and have confidence in him first things, that it talked about this is the principles of knowing God, and I have some Scriptures that I gave to José and I added one particular one at the ad, but Glenn and I were talking about the fact that she had been reading over the lessons imparted this is about relationships and relationship with exactly what my husband spoke on in his portion of speaking at his brother 's funeral, and I'm good. I just start with that because I just think that that might be what I what I was supposed to share today on. He spoke about that that that people that were at that funeral and it was a full church. It was a country church built the eighteen hundreds. The picture in church, which he and his wife. His wife always attended there and he and his wife and family have grown up through the church and the cemetery is right behind so you can picture a country church with a cemetery around and what he talked about was that everybody that was looking for sending a nephew that day looked at Bill McGee with a different relationship. Some of them knew him as part grandpa. He had twelve grandchildren sitting there in front of bus on some of them. As has been the mother. His dad. Some of the gnome as the farmer down the road. Some of the new United were so many different ways relationships that everybody that was the air cousin, uncle, everything that was there had a relationship with them. They went either not to make people discussion funeral, just to be there so it was truly a relationship, but that's sort of when we look at God, and we think about what it's like to know God on I will come to share another story about him. That wasn't really sure that day that my mother. Alice always had a desire for her children, all really be close with the Lord as she close with the word for a person of challenge, I would say because you question her and he would yell like and I know for a fact I wasn't fair. I know for a fact that when he was the young man, and he was baptized in water. He came out of the waters speaking into and people were baptized that day because of the experience and the spirit that was a leader, Bill went on to the Air Force. He went to one came back in. Truly he was in the State Department and the Pentagon for a period of time on it, and then eventually came back to the farm and nobody knew exactly why, except for the fact that he had the desire to form whether something happened whether you know there was a reason he left a prestigious job that he had attained they don't know and I don't know that anybody really has that answer. He later met his wife, who he's been married to for I was thinking a set forty eight years and I might be wrong or not, so I don't really know that they had three children. But the thing to see was he died on Thursday before Easter and then Saturday and Sunday they had berries together and every that he went home on Sunday to have Easter after churches because all three of his kids are very actively involved in so that was a neat thing to see that to know that and then we got together to celebrate on on Monday at the viewing and Tuesday at the funeral and you know, I think some of the said this to a few weeks ago, my husband had been there and there were a lot of plants don't know what he wanted exactly the song he wanted song was, what a day that will be when my Jesus, I will see you now the Scriptures. He chose the Scriptures. He told my husband was essay you` I know that it might have been very probably good to a point but not really to that much, but he really, really knew the Lord and how to close walk with the Lord. Especially these last days that were thankful for that, let's can have that because that's what I did suspect what he's trying to help us with and the first Scripture is obey God 's commandments. Now I have the message Bible port as they had to go in and change everything for me because I like the message Bible and when I read over the lesson yesterday I was reading from the one that was in the Sunday school quarterly and although I'll refer back to build little bit later because our confidence in Jesus and our relationships as what's those very, very important, but let's go through the Scriptures for a few minutes because we need to remind ourselves how important it is to obey God on in the word of God. There are things that are there that are there for a purpose. It's not just about it. Somebody wrote down a bunch of things on a bang. The missing essential to our walk before the Lord and just Scripture that were looking at today is first John the second chapter eight beginning with the third, first and the first section of this particular part of this lesson is about obeying God 's commandments. Keeping God 's commandments, and it starts with when we obey God, we are sure that we know him it out. That's the thing I can remember a long long time ago, hearing probably most likely my mother must say that when you're saved, you know that you know. Okay, it's not just you know it it it is exactly what it is. But you know that you know so when we obey God, we are sure that we know him but if we claim to know him and we don't base him were long and the truth really isn't in our hearts sort of hard to take guys. We don't want to be liars elected a liar. We don't want to be a liar. So we need to know that truth we truly love God only when we obey him as we should and when then we know that we belong to him. If we say we are here, we must follow the example of least this is it in God 's commandment, my dear, I am not writing to give you a new commandment. This isn't anything new. It is the same one that you first were given and it is the message that you heard, but if it really is a new commandment. And you know its true meaning, just as Christ eyes you can see the darkness fading away, and the true light already shining. So knowing God leads to obeying God. And when God 's word becomes our roadmap on our journey of life. It shows how completely that we love you know it's not doing something because you have to do it, but because you want to do it and that's part of what I think we see here on lose my place. But if we really, but it really is a new commandment. And you know it's true meeting, just as Christ as you can see the darkness, dating away the true light already shining. If we claim to be the light someone. We're still in the but if we love others. We are in the light, we don't cause problems for them. If we hate others. We don't know where were going, because we can't see the dark. It was a really neat illustration here called follow the light and then read that right now because you realize how much light a little land turn her little thing will give off, but this is one night during a visit to Indiana journalists Lee Strobel and his group needed to travel from one rural village to another, and there were no streetlights, or there were no well marked, Rose and I know my husband had some situations where he's been in Africa and in El Salvador have even felt if there's not any light in its different because there is not always lights in in the houses and some of these countries there. Guide was a young Indian man who carried a small lantern Lee became impatient with the group so Lopez, so he decided to step out of the lighted half and walk on ahead, he didn't get there first. But as soon as we stepped out of the light, he humbled down a steep embankment, but right now, never the hill into a dry riverbed. The remarks that this experience gave him a deeper impression or a deeper appreciation for Psalm one nineteen, one oh five your luck. Your word is a layup to guide my feet and a light for my path. So often we don't think about it that way. We think while we can get there we can do it think that when we step out in the light. Sometimes it'll cause us to fall, so that's why it's so important that we stay where were to be one of the parts that I really thought that was interesting in this whole particular passage in first John, as you read certain chapters in certain verses in the Bible over and over and over again, and then you read, so this might be a Mac classification and it is addressed to all kind of people on starting the first twelve it says children are writing you because your sin had been forgiven. We had that confidence. That's a big word on finance in the name of Christ paid. I'm writing you because you have known the one who was there from the beginning, young people, I'm writing you because you have defeated the evil one. Children, I'm writing you because you would've known the father so on. All ages. No matter what your teachers whether Intel. It's an older person any other version. It talks about a little bit about the first being he speaks to little children. Then he focuses on the fathers. Then he refers to the young men, and that in any rate, God knows our situation and he will judge us if we have no difficulties to overcome. He's been a judge us by how we handle the perseverance of what we need to overcome. So I believe that that that's a good lesson for us today too. So don't love the world. This is verse fifteen don't love the world or anything that belongs to the world because it if you love the world, you cannot love the father, and I always looked at that struggle tremendously because I feel like will respect the law. There the world. You know, but I think when it's meaning is that we get taken up in our selfish desires and our desires. Perhaps everything we see none of this comes from the father, the world and the desires. It causes are disappearing. But if we obey God, but in a happen within a live forever and that's it. That's a big lesson, you know how many times have we dissipate our parents or we've done things that we know where right, but we need to a bag and that's a very important thing starting with first one he and Linda scoot on over I can't turn the page them pot, all while we are doing is is taking part in doing God 's wheel, but if verse twenty. It talks about continuing in Christ, so we obey God, we love God, and they will continue and that sometimes might be the part you know, because once you get to know Jesus and you are really really about him and you know Jesus as your Savior. I often think of the kids coming back from youth convention are you campers up they come back with that so much enthusiasm. The number of how quickly it can be pushed away by circumstances that you come upon in the next days and weeks after year you think well that was great, although to convention next year I'll be happy down there, but it's not that it's it's like we need to obey God. We need the law of God, and we need to continue day by day by day by day that's that's the biggest thing, and how can we do that, and this is what gives us the strength continuing cries. This is beginning with first John second chapter, verse twenty Christ holy one has blessed you and now all of you understand I did not need to write you about the truth. Since you already know about that, like we do think we know it. Don't wait. But Jesus, you know, we need to be reminded. You also know that the liars do not belong to the truth and a liar is. Anyone who says that Jesus isn't truly Christ. Maybe you had somebody say Christ what Christ is Christ. Those are liars. Anyone who says this is an enemy of Christ, and rejects both the father and the son. If we reject the sign we reject the father. But if we say we except the son. We have the father thinking of the message you first heard and you always be, and you will always be one in your heart with the son and the father because the sun has promised us eternal and back fly. I thought this message just after Easter, as such, we realize now that Jesus died for us and your passengers illustrated sermon, I don't have one of those today with the lowly being cut to pieces and all this crazy things he did last week, but trying to show that same thing that it's Jesus. The father and end the Holy Spirit so that that's pretty much what we need to know. I'm writing to warn you about those people were misleading. You, but Christ has blessed you with what the price give you that will make the difference for you baby in the Holy Spirit, now the Spirit. Anything you and it says you don't need teachers. So I guess we don't need to be teachers that were not bit that what it's saying is you can know for yourself in a sometimes I think there were certain things, and in the Old Testament where people. We think it's an exclusive thing for the Priester for that, you know what remained like that solid ABS itself. We can't sometimes think the anointing of the Holy Spirit as the exclusive right of the minister who stand behind the pulpit, but you know King is the first right along to everyone like your birthright. It's like you what, what is yours. The Holy Spirit opens up the word to last and it leaves us to a knowledge of the truth. Jesus made this clear when he said, but the helper of Holy Spirit, whom the father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to you remembrances all things that I said unto you, so now we know that we at we except the sun. We have the author key thing about the fact that the father the son and the Holy Spirit, I'm writing to warn you remember we said that that those people do try to disagree with you are misleading. If they're not that they can't disagree with you. But if this agreement by Jesus. They are misleading. Christ is blessed you with the Holy Spirit. Now the Spirit stays in new when you don't need any teachers. The spirit is truthful and teaches you everything, so stay wanting art with Christ justice in the spirit has taught you to do, and in the last part is talking about receiving its telling us to stay or abide what does staying mean it needs to a by abiding Christ involves more than saying at, and more than believing X bullying in Christ we have confidence to stand before him in his appearing and so truly, there were a couple things today that I really felt that God wanted you know through this school lesson, long before I had any idea I'd be standing here now, but what is that we have to be careful that we know that we need to obey God. We need to love God, we need to continue in Christ. Now, as I was saying I had a couple things I wanted to look at about bills, funeral and one of them was the Scripture because I find this even at home before I knew again. I was good to be doing this here it starts on it is in second Corinthians chapter four and starting with verse seven or really it. I think it's it's more appropriate to start with first eight, but the real power comes from God, not from us we often software, but we are never crashed, and I think about my brother. He really had a suffering of pain through his life through three different physical conditions that he dealt with one being this back in the later being cancer and then third being his heart deterioration that he wants you know you can look at it. You could, he was crushed, but he really wasn't even when we don't know what to do. We never, and under the same never give up because you have that confidence, as I said I wanted to talk about. But the Scripture. In addition to the Sunday school Scriptures, because I think one of the biggest things we need to talk about his confidence in them. I got my bookmark inspected and there I looked number one ten qualities for enduring and endearing influence the number one thing is confidence, and I think as long as we believe in ourselves. I'm sure you know like this many times as a teacher. I think the think they really can't do it, but they really can't. If they don't give up if they have confidence probably as a coach you seen that there's somebody that thinks up. I missed the basket. I'm not an issue because I'm to make the night on getting this again been in the city get, you know, I live housework of the Penguins had done if they just decided to give up after gained what for, we would not in today would've been a different date for the Penguin thinks that they didn't give up. Plus they never gave up the whole entire game, and they had the victory because of it. They had like fifty one shots on goal, which is pretty much unheard but the night before the game before I made it look quite like that. It wasn't a very happy will you know what you mean they didn't give up. They've got the lead and makes that we won this thing and they gave up to quit, but we need to have confidence that we never give up in times of trouble, God is with one. Where not found. We get up again, and I think that's that's a good example. We face staff every day because of Jesus, our bodies show what his death was like, so that his life can also be seen in us. This means that death is working in us, but life is working in you, you know like yes were to all die now and I think that this week has been more of a reality of that same evening. I've looked I've seen old people, young people utility may like it's just been a week of and I think probably one of my hardest times of the week was on tour times and I still have that tenderness towards children and teens. The first one and then sitting behind my brother-in-law 's grandkids. It was hard for them on Monday, but ensure extent that it was twelve of them in the pew in front of us and they went from age four to age nineteen and they lost their grandpa and that some of them I really cannot have that much time with them. That made me think of the fact that my dad died when I was learning it out, I hear about my dad a lot, you know are right. But probably won't hear about it so much anymore, since all my brothers and sisters are going and I had a lot of good stories about my dad. So that was a good thing to keep me to have confidence I knew where he was. I knew he went to haven't it out so I had that confidence in the other time was looking at the football players that came to join Matt McAndrew at this if the funeral home. The other night is young men. Why were they there may because coach said you don't you get yourself down there to film him tonight because were to support Matt because his dad, but I believe some of them really. I looked at some of those kids and I know they too have had personal experiences in the life then I had one more incident yesterday that really touched my heart and that was that the drunks forget my husband 's a medicine talking to the pharmacy to fight pharmacist to find out what we could get them. They gave him an antibiotic. It wasn't blatantly needed something more back there who is there in the end, Hoffman, who just a few weeks ago experiences shooting and had been shot in her head, and in walked Brian Della Valle walked right until one year ago. You know he had that horrible accident. They never expected. Now both of these young people I had in school. So to me again. Here's my students and I just wanted to look at them and I wanted in Vienna was the same age as Rachel Ryan always tells everybody. I had her three times if he really he was never great. I just should. It was just I moved from kindergarten to first, and then I moved from first to fourth that I have them all three topics that I know that the good thing or bad thing, but it always laughed about that what our family with his family last the rhymes always been very heavy in my heart to see him. He was all dressed in his funeral close to go to the funeral home and he was the lamp will family your bid. He said it's good to be upright with his remark and I think that's due to a lot of prayers and a lot of confidence and I watch his dad a few weeks ago, had written a private message to some people on Facebook and I I received it, and one of the things that he shared about was how their whole family has grown this past year with Ryan's accident, you know, I went to high government, and I forgot if you can have one arm now different, but he had to meet with the other arm without even thinking. And you I was thinking of his legs good variations. You know he's he's on a per thesis and doing very well. I guess that that's what he said and I don't. It's been all too long that he has been operating of the last few times I've seen them in a wheelchair but praise God, you know because you know if we give up. If we can never give up. We need to have that confidence that we know that whatever the relationship once we have Jesus in our heart. I baked you could just never gave up in times of trouble, God is with us. This is starting again at verse nine and when we are not now we get again we face death every day because of Jesus, our bodies show what his death was like, so that his life can also be seen in us. This means that death is working in us, but life is working in you in the Scriptures, it says I spoke because I had faith. We have that same kind of faith. So we speak, because we know that God raised the Lord Jesus to life. What an appropriate Scripture is the Sunday after Easter, and just as God raised Jesus. He will also you also raise us to life. Many will bring us into his presence to gather with you. All of this has been done for you, so that more and more people will know how trying God is and will praise and honor him goes on into the next part and says we will never give up our bodies are gradually dying, but we ourselves are being made stronger each day. These little troubles are getting us ready for an eternal glory that will make all of our troubles seem like nothing. So I just praise the Lord for that. And I finally someone has been. He has all these chances to finish in order to be early, but I think I'm good at it. This should fix with that because I just believe that Affleck are less than this. That's what we need to know. We need to know that army relationship with people, not for my husband challenge a challenge. The people at his funeral. Here I am on figment of the second and think he challenged his the people at the funeral to how the relationship with people you know. That's why they where they are because they had a relationship with Bill McGee, you need a lot here today and have a relationship with whoever it is, whether beer family, whether it be somebody at the grocery store. Whether it be the NL whoever go out and have a relationship and speak and share your self and your love in your kindness that you've received from Jesus share with somebody else being that light along the path and don't walk out of the light because remember what could happen if you did you stumble and fall. Thankfully, that person was there to help him get back up, but truly that's I think the biggest thing that we need to realize that we can't walk out in the light, we know Jesus Ivar. Just remember to keep him. You don't obey him love him by with him and realize the treasure that you have received, but our heads precious heavenly father, we are so undeserving in so many ways that we have confidence because we know you, Jesus, we've spoken those words and said those prayers and they are part of our heart, not just a bunch of words in Jesus. Now we ask that as we leave this place today. That's something we say to someone else will help them to see the relationship we have, not with Bill McGee with our heavenly father, we need to license shed the light you are light. The Lord Jesus these days as we look around us and see that the tragedies in and look at the end times, Lord, it is our time. As Christians, the staff of and just show our light to everyone we come in contact with Sonata were Jesus we pray that you bless us as we go this week, we ask that you be with us each and every day and you prepare our way on this journey in you in our life till we get to have the celebration of meeting you and have him, we ask these things in your precious holy name them inKnowing that he had it. It's starting to get on at his brother 's funeral and he did a part of the speaking for God, that whole thing was just the realm blessing, but it really felt God moved in the lives, particularly in he shared with this Wednesday night, particularly in the life of one of his great nephews. He really, really got share best better clip that thank you you given me a warning okay, but what things that Glenda and I just talked about before church, and one of the things that you know whenever yesterday. He said he. He wasn't, you know it's too late. I can't call anybody specific behaviors you know you can help it. And he said. I said while the Sunday school, but when I Sunday school lesson yesterday and studied it even more early this morning. I really felt like it's okay if they should. It's okay. I didn't fill level I walked in the door you all know that that I I'm nervous about this for the many things I've done. I've spoken a mother-daughter banquets and things like that so anyway, maybe one time. Here is the setup was weakened and Glenda said please don't get started and just keep talking that we should be okay with client at all. Now I didn't thought that's not a problem but I wanted to be what God will one assist here. So the Scriptures today and I don't know don't need this post- midnights, but I do need it will do this. I don't enough of the bigger here than he should face the fact that she does have a big year. He always is willing to listen to something upfront gentleman everything else okay and we got ready come down. Take a deep breath, Rhonda and have confidence in him first things, that it talked about this is the principles of knowing God, and I have some Scriptures that I gave to José and I added one particular one at the ad, but Glenn and I were talking about the fact that she had been reading over the lessons imparted this is about relationships and relationship with exactly what my husband spoke on in his portion of speaking at his brother 's funeral, and I'm good. I just start with that because I just think that that might be what I what I was supposed to share today on. He spoke about that that that people that were at that funeral and it was a full church. It was a country church built the eighteen hundreds. The picture in church, which he and his wife. His wife always attended there and he and his wife and family have grown up through the church and the cemetery is right behind so you can picture a country church with a cemetery around and what he talked about was that everybody that was looking for sending a nephew that day looked at Bill McGee with a different relationship. Some of them knew him as part grandpa. He had twelve grandchildren sitting there in front of bus on some of them. As has been the mother. His dad. Some of the gnome as the farmer down the road. Some of the new United were so many different ways relationships that everybody that was the air cousin, uncle, everything that was there had a relationship with them. They went either not to make people discussion funeral, just to be there so it was truly a relationship, but that's sort of when we look at God, and we think about what it's like to know God on I will come to share another story about him. That wasn't really sure that day that my mother. Alice always had a desire for her children, all really be close with the Lord as she close with the word for a person of challenge, I would say because you question her and he would yell like and I know for a fact I wasn't fair. I know for a fact that when he was the young man, and he was baptized in water. He came out of the waters speaking into and people were baptized that day because of the experience and the spirit that was a leader, Bill went on to the Air Force. He went to one came back in. Truly he was in the State Department and the Pentagon for a period of time on it, and then eventually came back to the farm and nobody knew exactly why, except for the fact that he had the desire to form whether something happened whether you know there was a reason he left a prestigious job that he had attained they don't know and I don't know that anybody really has that answer. He later met his wife, who he's been married to for I was thinking a set forty eight years and I might be wrong or not, so I don't really know that they had three children. But the thing to see was he died on Thursday before Easter and then Saturday and Sunday they had berries together and every that he went home on Sunday to have Easter after churches because all three of his kids are very actively involved in so that was a neat thing to see that to know that and then we got together to celebrate on on Monday at the viewing and Tuesday at the funeral and you know, I think some of the said this to a few weeks ago, my husband had been there and there were a lot of plants don't know what he wanted exactly the song he wanted song was, what a day that will be when my Jesus, I will see you now the Scriptures. He chose the Scriptures. He told my husband was essay you` I know that it might have been very probably good to a point but not really to that much, but he really, really knew the Lord and how to close walk with the Lord. Especially these last days that were thankful for that, let's can have that because that's what I did suspect what he's trying to help us with and the first Scripture is obey God 's commandments. Now I have the message Bible port as they had to go in and change everything for me because I like the message Bible and when I read over the lesson yesterday I was reading from the one that was in the Sunday school quarterly and although I'll refer back to build little bit later because our confidence in Jesus and our relationships as what's those very, very important, but let's go through the Scriptures for a few minutes because we need to remind ourselves how important it is to obey God on in the word of God. There are things that are there that are there for a purpose. It's not just about it. Somebody wrote down a bunch of things on a bang. The missing essential to our walk before the Lord and just Scripture that were looking at today is first John the second chapter eight beginning with the third, first and the first section of this particular part of this lesson is about obeying God 's commandments. Keeping God 's commandments, and it starts with when we obey God, we are sure that we know him it out. That's the thing I can remember a long long time ago, hearing probably most likely my mother must say that when you're saved, you know that you know. Okay, it's not just you know it it it is exactly what it is. But you know that you know so when we obey God, we are sure that we know him but if we claim to know him and we don't base him were long and the truth really isn't in our hearts sort of hard to take guys. We don't want to be liars elected a liar. We don't want to be a liar. So we need to know that truth we truly love God only when we obey him as we should and when then we know that we belong to him. If we say we are here, we must follow the example of least this is it in God 's commandment, my dear, I am not writing to give you a new commandment. This isn't anything new. It is the same one that you first were given and it is the message that you heard, but if it really is a new commandment. And you know its true meaning, just as Christ eyes you can see the darkness fading away, and the true light already shining. So knowing God leads to obeying God. And when God 's word becomes our roadmap on our journey of life. It shows how completely that we love you know it's not doing something because you have to do it, but because you want to do it and that's part of what I think we see here on lose my place. But if we really, but it really is a new commandment. And you know it's true meeting, just as Christ as you can see the darkness, dating away the true light already shining. If we claim to be the light someone. We're still in the but if we love others. We are in the light, we don't cause problems for them. If we hate others. We don't know where were going, because we can't see the dark. It was a really neat illustration here called follow the light and then read that right now because you realize how much light a little land turn her little thing will give off, but this is one night during a visit to Indiana journalists Lee Strobel and his group needed to travel from one rural village to another, and there were no streetlights, or there were no well marked, Rose and I know my husband had some situations where he's been in Africa and in El Salvador have even felt if there's not any light in its different because there is not always lights in in the houses and some of these countries there. Guide was a young Indian man who carried a small lantern Lee became impatient with the group so Lopez, so he decided to step out of the lighted half and walk on ahead, he didn't get there first. But as soon as we stepped out of the light, he humbled down a steep embankment, but right now, never the hill into a dry riverbed. The remarks that this experience gave him a deeper impression or a deeper appreciation for Psalm one nineteen, one oh five your luck. Your word is a layup to guide my feet and a light for my path. So often we don't think about it that way. We think while we can get there we can do it think that when we step out in the light. Sometimes it'll cause us to fall, so that's why it's so important that we stay where were to be one of the parts that I really thought that was interesting in this whole particular passage in first John, as you read certain chapters in certain verses in the Bible over and over and over again, and then you read, so this might be a Mac classification and it is addressed to all kind of people on starting the first twelve it says children are writing you because your sin had been forgiven. We had that confidence. That's a big word on finance in the name of Christ paid. I'm writing you because you have known the one who was there from the beginning, young people, I'm writing you because you have defeated the evil one. Children, I'm writing you because you would've known the father so on. All ages. No matter what your teachers whether Intel. It's an older person any other version. It talks about a little bit about the first being he speaks to little children. Then he focuses on the fathers. Then he refers to the young men, and that in any rate, God knows our situation and he will judge us if we have no difficulties to overcome. He's been a judge us by how we handle the perseverance of what we need to overcome. So I believe that that that's a good lesson for us today too. So don't love the world. This is verse fifteen don't love the world or anything that belongs to the world because it if you love the world, you cannot love the father, and I always looked at that struggle tremendously because I feel like will respect the law. There the world. You know, but I think when it's meaning is that we get taken up in our selfish desires and our desires. Perhaps everything we see none of this comes from the father, the world and the desires. It causes are disappearing. But if we obey God, but in a happen within a live forever and that's it. That's a big lesson, you know how many times have we dissipate our parents or we've done things that we know where right, but we need to a bag and that's a very important thing starting with first one he and Linda scoot on over I can't turn the page them pot, all while we are doing is is taking part in doing God 's wheel, but if verse twenty. It talks about continuing in Christ, so we obey God, we love God, and they will continue and that sometimes might be the part you know, because once you get to know Jesus and you are really really about him and you know Jesus as your Savior. I often think of the kids coming back from youth convention are you campers up they come back with that so much enthusiasm. The number of how quickly it can be pushed away by circumstances that you come upon in the next days and weeks after year you think well that was great, although to convention next year I'll be happy down there, but it's not that it's it's like we need to obey God. We need the law of God, and we need to continue day by day by day by day that's that's the biggest thing, and how can we do that, and this is what gives us the strength continuing cries. This is beginning with first John second chapter, verse twenty Christ holy one has blessed you and now all of you understand I did not need to write you about the truth. Since you already know about that, like we do think we know it. Don't wait. But Jesus, you know, we need to be reminded. You also know that the liars do not belong to the truth and a liar is. Anyone who says that Jesus isn't truly Christ. Maybe you had somebody say Christ what Christ is Christ. Those are liars. Anyone who says this is an enemy of Christ, and rejects both the father and the son. If we reject the sign we reject the father. But if we say we except the son. We have the father thinking of the message you first heard and you always be, and you will always be one in your heart with the son and the father because the sun has promised us eternal and back fly. I thought this message just after Easter, as such, we realize now that Jesus died for us and your passengers illustrated sermon, I don't have one of those today with the lowly being cut to pieces and all this crazy things he did last week, but trying to show that same thing that it's Jesus. The father and end the Holy Spirit so that that's pretty much what we need to know. I'm writing to warn you about those people were misleading. You, but Christ has blessed you with what the price give you that will make the difference for you baby in the Holy Spirit, now the Spirit. Anything you and it says you don't need teachers. So I guess we don't need to be teachers that were not bit that what it's saying is you can know for yourself in a sometimes I think there were certain things, and in the Old Testament where people. We think it's an exclusive thing for the Priester for that, you know what remained like that solid ABS itself. We can't sometimes think the anointing of the Holy Spirit as the exclusive right of the minister who stand behind the pulpit, but you know King is the first right along to everyone like your birthright. It's like you what, what is yours. The Holy Spirit opens up the word to last and it leaves us to a knowledge of the truth. Jesus made this clear when he said, but the helper of Holy Spirit, whom the father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to you remembrances all things that I said unto you, so now we know that we at we except the sun. We have the author key thing about the fact that the father the son and the Holy Spirit, I'm writing to warn you remember we said that that those people do try to disagree with you are misleading. If they're not that they can't disagree with you. But if this agreement by Jesus. They are misleading. Christ is blessed you with the Holy Spirit. Now the Spirit stays in new when you don't need any teachers. The spirit is truthful and teaches you everything, so stay wanting art with Christ justice in the spirit has taught you to do, and in the last part is talking about receiving its telling us to stay or abide what does staying mean it needs to a by abiding Christ involves more than saying at, and more than believing X bullying in Christ we have confidence to stand before him in his appearing and so truly, there were a couple things today that I really felt that God wanted you know through this school lesson, long before I had any idea I'd be standing here now, but what is that we have to be careful that we know that we need to obey God. We need to love God, we need to continue in Christ. Now, as I was saying I had a couple things I wanted to look at about bills, funeral and one of them was the Scripture because I find this even at home before I knew again. I was good to be doing this here it starts on it is in second Corinthians chapter four and starting with verse seven or really it. I think it's it's more appropriate to start with first eight, but the real power comes from God, not from us we often software, but we are never crashed, and I think about my brother. He really had a suffering of pain through his life through three different physical conditions that he dealt with one being this back in the later being cancer and then third being his heart deterioration that he wants you know you can look at it. You could, he was crushed, but he really wasn't even when we don't know what to do. We never, and under the same never give up because you have that confidence, as I said I wanted to talk about. But the Scripture. In addition to the Sunday school Scriptures, because I think one of the biggest things we need to talk about his confidence in them. I got my bookmark inspected and there I looked number one ten qualities for enduring and endearing influence the number one thing is confidence, and I think as long as we believe in ourselves. I'm sure you know like this many times as a teacher. I think the think they really can't do it, but they really can't. If they don't give up if they have confidence probably as a coach you seen that there's somebody that thinks up. I missed the basket. I'm not an issue because I'm to make the night on getting this again been in the city get, you know, I live housework of the Penguins had done if they just decided to give up after gained what for, we would not in today would've been a different date for the Penguin thinks that they didn't give up. Plus they never gave up the whole entire game, and they had the victory because of it. They had like fifty one shots on goal, which is pretty much unheard but the night before the game before I made it look quite like that. It wasn't a very happy will you know what you mean they didn't give up. They've got the lead and makes that we won this thing and they gave up to quit, but we need to have confidence that we never give up in times of trouble, God is with one. Where not found. We get up again, and I think that's that's a good example. We face staff every day because of Jesus, our bodies show what his death was like, so that his life can also be seen in us. This means that death is working in us, but life is working in you, you know like yes were to all die now and I think that this week has been more of a reality of that same evening. I've looked I've seen old people, young people utility may like it's just been a week of and I think probably one of my hardest times of the week was on tour times and I still have that tenderness towards children and teens. The first one and then sitting behind my brother-in-law 's grandkids. It was hard for them on Monday, but ensure extent that it was twelve of them in the pew in front of us and they went from age four to age nineteen and they lost their grandpa and that some of them I really cannot have that much time with them. That made me think of the fact that my dad died when I was learning it out, I hear about my dad a lot, you know are right. But probably won't hear about it so much anymore, since all my brothers and sisters are going and I had a lot of good stories about my dad. So that was a good thing to keep me to have confidence I knew where he was. I knew he went to haven't it out so I had that confidence in the other time was looking at the football players that came to join Matt McAndrew at this if the funeral home. The other night is young men. Why were they there may because coach said you don't you get yourself down there to film him tonight because were to support Matt because his dad, but I believe some of them really. I looked at some of those kids and I know they too have had personal experiences in the life then I had one more incident yesterday that really touched my heart and that was that the drunks forget my husband 's a medicine talking to the pharmacy to fight pharmacist to find out what we could get them. They gave him an antibiotic. It wasn't blatantly needed something more back there who is there in the end, Hoffman, who just a few weeks ago experiences shooting and had been shot in her head, and in walked Brian Della Valle walked right until one year ago. You know he had that horrible accident. They never expected. Now both of these young people I had in school. So to me again. Here's my students and I just wanted to look at them and I wanted in Vienna was the same age as Rachel Ryan always tells everybody. I had her three times if he really he was never great. I just should. It was just I moved from kindergarten to first, and then I moved from first to fourth that I have them all three topics that I know that the good thing or bad thing, but it always laughed about that what our family with his family last the rhymes always been very heavy in my heart to see him. He was all dressed in his funeral close to go to the funeral home and he was the lamp will family your bid. He said it's good to be upright with his remark and I think that's due to a lot of prayers and a lot of confidence and I watch his dad a few weeks ago, had written a private message to some people on Facebook and I I received it, and one of the things that he shared about was how their whole family has grown this past year with Ryan's accident, you know, I went to high government, and I forgot if you can have one arm now different, but he had to meet with the other arm without even thinking. And you I was thinking of his legs good variations. You know he's he's on a per thesis and doing very well. I guess that that's what he said and I don't. It's been all too long that he has been operating of the last few times I've seen them in a wheelchair but praise God, you know because you know if we give up. If we can never give up. We need to have that confidence that we know that whatever the relationship once we have Jesus in our heart. I baked you could just never gave up in times of trouble, God is with us. This is starting again at verse nine and when we are not now we get again we face death every day because of Jesus, our bodies show what his death was like, so that his life can also be seen in us. This means that death is working in us, but life is working in you in the Scriptures, it says I spoke because I had faith. We have that same kind of faith. So we speak, because we know that God raised the Lord Jesus to life. What an appropriate Scripture is the Sunday after Easter, and just as God raised Jesus. He will also you also raise us to life. Many will bring us into his presence to gather with you. All of this has been done for you, so that more and more people will know how trying God is and will praise and honor him goes on into the next part and says we will never give up our bodies are gradually dying, but we ourselves are being made stronger each day. These little troubles are getting us ready for an eternal glory that will make all of our troubles seem like nothing. So I just praise the Lord for that. And I finally someone has been. He has all these chances to finish in order to be early, but I think I'm good at it. This should fix with that because I just believe that Affleck are less than this. That's what we need to know. We need to know that army relationship with people, not for my husband challenge a challenge. The people at his funeral. Here I am on figment of the second and think he challenged his the people at the funeral to how the relationship with people you know. That's why they where they are because they had a relationship with Bill McGee, you need a lot here today and have a relationship with whoever it is, whether beer family, whether it be somebody at the grocery store. Whether it be the NL whoever go out and have a relationship and speak and share your self and your love in your kindness that you've received from Jesus share with somebody else being that light along the path and don't walk out of the light because remember what could happen if you did you stumble and fall. Thankfully, that person was there to help him get back up, but truly that's I think the biggest thing that we need to realize that we can't walk out in the light, we know Jesus Ivar. Just remember to keep him. You don't obey him love him by with him and realize the treasure that you have received, but our heads precious heavenly father, we are so undeserving in so many ways that we have confidence because we know you, Jesus, we've spoken those words and said those prayers and they are part of our heart, not just a bunch of words in Jesus. Now we ask that as we leave this place today. That's something we say to someone else will help them to see the relationship we have, not with Bill McGee with our heavenly father, we need to license shed the light you are light. The Lord Jesus these days as we look around us and see that the tragedies in and look at the end times, Lord, it is our time. As Christians, the staff of and just show our light to everyone we come in contact with Sonata were Jesus we pray that you bless us as we go this week, we ask that you be with us each and every day and you prepare our way on this journey in you in our life till we get to have the celebration of meeting you and have him, we ask these things in your precious holy name them in