The Most Important Lesson I Could Ever Teach

0:01 This morning I titled my message, The Most Important Lesson I Could Ever Teach. And I want you to know that's not an exaggeration. It's not something I just thought to get your attention. I really believe this. And in some ways I believe that this is the most important lesson I ever learned. In fact, if this were the only lesson I ever learned, it would be enough. It's the lesson that in this passage you'll see Peter is saying himself, he goes, I'm going to die soon But you've got to get this So in some ways it's the thing that he felt like I've got to impart this before I die And what this lesson is Is it's something I was taught when I was in high school And I was taught the lesson of how to spend time alone in this book studying this book for myself and having this time alone with God.

1:02 You see, because once I figured out how to read this book, which it's really not hard, especially nowadays with all the helps and everything I got on the internet, once I figured that out and once I began to study and learn this for myself, I was okay. That's really all I needed because now I could open up this book and just know what God has to say to me and just do what it says. I wasn't gonna spend the rest of my life dependent on other people to explain it to me. I could just do it by myself. In fact, I don't know how, I don't know how people, because I know a lot of you don't read the Bible for yourself. And personally, I don't know how you can pull off following God in our culture, in our world, without this time alone with God.

2:00 I mean, this is great. You learn from someone else, and you can listen to other messages, but there's something so different when you study it for yourself, when you spend that time studying it for you. Because the truth is, for me, it's the only time when I can't lie. I can lie to you. You know, I very easily can lie to you. I believe I have the ability to lie to anyone. Okay, I'm that good. Great quality to have in your pastor. It's really not that hard to deceive someone. I can pretend that I'm humble. I know the way to say it and the looks on my face and just the right words to make you think that I'm humble or to think that I'm close to God or to think whatever you want to think about. I mean, we get pretty good at communication. Most of us are pretty good at communicating who we want other people to think we are.

2:58 But then there's that time when you're alone with God and there's no one to lie to. And there's one person who right now knows, even as I'm speaking right now, you don't know what goes on in my heart and what thoughts are going on and the intention of my words. Maybe I'm saying it to make myself sound better. Maybe I'm telling you this so you don't think that I'm really thinking. You know what I mean? There's all of that going on. You don't know. But then I'm alone with God's word. Then I'm alone and I'm studying the book for myself. And here's God telling me I've got to do something. And here's a God that I can't. He knows not only my words, but the intention, the heart. He knows when I'm trying to sound good, even in my prayers. and then there's times when we're dumb enough to even try to sound good in our prayers and try to make it sound like we really love him and want to be with him when he knows our heart and he's seen us all week and and saw how we long for all the other things in the world and he's just an afterthought but we're dumb enough to say oh god i've just wanted you and thanks for this you know it's the one time when you you have to be real i i was asked just yesterday someone and someone came up to me and said, hey, you know, with all the success and stuff, how do you keep from being just super arrogant? I mean, you're just kind of arrogant. How do you keep from being like just majorly arrogant? And again, I just go, man, I don't know how anyone survives without spending time alone with God. If I did not have time with God, I would be so self-centered, so arrogant, so in my own world, because I can fool people. And it's this time when I am here just going, okay, well, here's what God says. And I can't think of a time in my lifetime when this lesson was more needed because I just see as I travel, there are just fewer and fewer people that love this book and love the truths in this book. And people instead are looking for new ideas, new thoughts, and they'd rather listen to opinions of other people rather than really looking at

5:07 at this book that's been around for thousands of years. These words that have been around for thousands of years that have proven themselves over time, that have changed lives over the centuries, and yet we try to run to these other things. And so Peter says in this passage, he starts off in 2 Peter 1, verse 12. He says, therefore, he goes, I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have I think it's right as long as I am in this body to stir you up by way of reminder since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me and I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things now i don't know what jumps out to you at in that passage but one of the things when i was reading it for the first time you know i'm looking at this going wow that's really weird peter says i know that the putting off of my body will be soon as our lord jesus christ made clear to me isn't that strange to you that peter knew that he was going to die soon and i love i love the phrasing even, the putting off of this body, because it's not really death. Like, I don't really die, okay? It's just, I'm putting off this body. And Peter says, I know that's going to be soon. How did Peter know?

6:42 it doesn't really say it doesn't say in in scripture now it does say in scripture this is interesting i don't know if you ever noticed this but in john chapter 21 this is after the resurrection of jesus christ remember when jesus has that encounter with peter and tells him to feed my sheep. And in John chapter 21, in verse 18, he says to Peter, Jesus says that the resurrected Christ says to Peter, truly I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go. This he said to show by what kind of death he was going to glorify God. And after saying this, he said to him, follow me. So Jesus told Peter, he goes, look, he goes, remember when you were young? He goes, when you were young, you just kind of did whatever you wanted. You wore what you wanted. You went wherever you wanted. He goes, let me tell you what's going to happen when you get older. You're not going to be free.

8:00 someone's actually going to take you and lead you where you don't want to go and says that Jesus told him this to tell him the type of death he was going to die he says someone else is going to stretch out your hands see it was an explanation that Peter you're going to be crucified and tradition tells us that Peter was crucified in fact tradition tells us that Peter from what we understand didn't feel worthy to die in the same way that Jesus died, so he asked his executioners, would you crucify me upside down? Jesus told, think about this, think about the ramifications of this. Jesus told Peter, here's how you're gonna die, and then right after he says that, he says, follow me.

8:51 It goes completely against this nonsense that so many churches teach that, oh, if you follow Jesus, everything's gonna go so well in your life, you're gonna be so healthy, so wealthy, because that's his plan for you here on this earth. It certainly wasn't his plan for Peter. He says, Peter, man, it was better for you when you were young. You know, you had your freedom to go wherever you want to go. Guess what? For following me, if people are going to actually stretch out your hands, they're going to crucify you. Let me tell you how you're going to die. You're not going to have your freedoms when you're older, but follow me. Understand the message Jesus taught was, look, it's not going to be easy to follow me. In fact, here, Peter, this is how it's going to end for you. But let me tell you, I'm worth it. I'm worth it. Hold on to the end. And so Jesus told Peter, you're going to die. And here in 2 Peter, he's explaining, somehow, God communicated to Peter that the time is going to be soon.

9:48 Imagine what you would feel if you knew the time was running out, your life is about to be over, and not only that, but God told you the way you're going to be killed is a torturous death. Peter doesn't complain about it he doesn't say why me he just knows hey this is just the way it is but what I want you to notice in this passage is what Peter wants to do with the last few moments of his life see because if that were you what would you do? if you know okay my life's about over and it's crazy to me how some people answer this question the things you would do if you knew you only had weeks or months to live the things you would do, what would those things be?

10:34 So you see, Peter says, he goes, while I'm alive, while I'm here, he goes, it's right for me to remind you of all these ways you ought to live. He goes, but God's told me that I'm about to die. And so what he says, he goes in verse 15, I'm going to make every effort so that after my departure, you may be able at any time to recall these things. see Peter says I'm not going to be here to remind you hey this is how you're supposed to live this is this is what God said to do he goes I want to I want to set you up I want to make sure that once I'm gone you're still following God you'll be able to recall these things you'll know what God says and you'll be able to figure that on your own it's uh it's one of those things that really ought to be us as parents this should be our goal is that when we're gone our kids know how to follow God on their own that you know I said years ago that the goal of parenting is to train our kids to be independently dependent on God that somehow we teach them to be independently dependent on God, that their relationship with God isn't all about us, but that somehow we release them and go, you know you need to depend on God. You understand. You don't need me anymore. You've got his word. You've got him. You've got his spirit. Now go. That's the same thing Peter was saying to this church, to these followers who'd been following him as an apostle, these believers.

12:11 He's saying, look, you guys, you're scattered everywhere, whatever, you know, but I'm going to be gone soon and I'll keep reminding you of this stuff until it's time to go but I'm ready to die now and and so I'm going to make every effort to make sure you're okay see this is this is one of the things that concerns me I mean I know that some of you, I know that some of you, you'd be fine if I were gone tomorrow. You'd be like, big deal. You know, you've got your time with God. You're like, oh, it was cool having him around, but I'm not dependent on him. I study this book. I love this book. I love the teachings of this book. It doesn't matter who's up there. As long as they're teaching from this book, I love it, I love it, I love it. I just want that. but there's also a contingent here that man I hear about it it's it's it's like well Francis isn't teaching this week so I don't think I'm gonna go and and that's that's that's very sad and it's it's scary to me because it's it's like I don't ever want it to be about me it's got to be about this book and it's so weird how certain people they will only listen to this book if it's through a certain person for a certain amount of time at the right time of day, where everything's set up just perfectly.

13:31 And there's no sense of, man, I know how to study this, man. I read it for myself. Those are the greatest times in my life is when I'm alone and I'm reading this and studying it and praying about it and changing my life over it. See, Peter says, I want to set you up so that after my departure, you at any time, you can recall these things. it's not about me you're not completely dependent on me I mean what if you were told you only have a short time what would you do with that time Would it be all centered around God and saying, okay, I've got to make sure the people I love can follow God without me being around. See, we don't know how Peter knew that he had a short time. Maybe, you know, some sort of prophecy that was given to him.

14:26 Now, some of you in this room, you only have a short time left on earth. That could be true of any of us, but some of us, you don't need a prophet to tell you you're dying soon. A mirror will do that. You can just look. Hey, let's just be honest here, okay? How much longer are you going to live, okay? It's just one of those taboo subjects that we don't like to talk about, but let's just be real here. I mean, you can try to, you know, get the surgeries or whatever else, but it's just noticeable.

15:09 Now, let me say something, though. Let me say something about this, because I might joke around about that, but I want to be respectful. Okay, I was raised in a very, believe it or not, I was raised in a very Asian home culturally. You know, we weren't allowed to speak English. You know, we just only spoke Chinese in the home and everything else. And part of my culture is tremendous respect for the elderly. You don't talk back to them. You don't question them. You don't try to teach them anything. You are there to be quiet and learn from them. Okay? Now, I understand that's different from some of the cultures you grew up in. But in my home, that's what we were taught as kids. And so understand, for those of you who are older than me, I understand this respect that I ought to have for you. And I understand that there's an honor biblically that I'm supposed to bestow upon you.

16:08 And there are things you've experienced in life. And it just does me well to learn what I can from those who are older than I am. However, there's also a truth in Scripture that while I am supposed to honor and respect those who are older than I am, I've also been placed in a position as your pastor. And in that position, I am called to challenge you in certain areas respectfully, nonetheless to challenge you. and I do want to say something to those who are older than I am.

16:48 I got to say in America, we do a very strange thing with this concept of retirement and really enjoying our last years that I don't see in Scripture. In fact, it saddens me. it surprises me and saddens me at the same time when i watch some of you who are elderly and the way that you live your lives it doesn't seem like you're really preparing for the moment when you're going to see god like i i don't i don't get this idea of i've only got a few years left so let me really enjoy this earth and maybe I'm being young and naive but I would think and I actually pray that when I'm that age that there's an even greater urgency about this time when I face God and how soon it's going to come and I pray that my thoughts will be less and less about the things of the earth and more and more about preparing for that moment. So far in my life, I've seen that every year, I see that I'm getting closer to the end. That's just reality. Yes, and Christ could return at any moment, but with this every year of my life, and even at 42, I feel like I am more serious about the end and that moment when I face God, and what do I have to show for it. And so it's hard for me to understand some of you who are still trying to accumulate here on the earth where I would think it's time to start letting go of everything and thinking about how do I want to approach that throne and what have I done with my life and let me end serving and giving and just trusting in him and make it all about him rather than all about me and I understand some of you do that

18:55 I'm just saying the vast majority. I don't see an urgency towards the end of your life. And I feel like it would be disrespectful if I didn't bring that up to you and challenge you respectfully on that to say, how are you ending this? Because I really mean it. You don't need a prophet to tell you that it's about that time. You can see it. That's the way God designed it. And we live in a world that's trying to hide it. and they're desperate to try to make themselves look like they're not coming to the end. It's a weird thing. I understand why no one wants to go to hell. What surprises me is it seems like there are very few people who really want to go to heaven.

19:42 You're living like this is going to last forever. Peter, when I read his words, he's just going, man, you know, it's about that time. I'm about to shed this body here. I'm going to put off the flesh pretty soon. I'm going to stand before God. So what I'm going to do is I'm going to make every effort. I'm going to work so hard at making sure those who are left behind here, that they know how to recall these truths of scriptures and the things that they've got to pursue. And I just pray that that's what you're pursuing in your life, no matter what age you're at. Because the truth is, this could be the last week of our lives. But what are we busy about? and what's it gonna be like when we come to the presence of God? He goes on in verse 16 and what Peter says, he says, for we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

20:41 Peter says, look, I'm telling you about how Christ is gonna return. Peter says, you know what? I'm not just making this stuff up. This isn't some clever philosophy I just learned. I'm not just biting into some myth. He goes, I saw him. I saw him on that mountain. You know, this week I was in San Francisco with my family and, you know, a big Thanksgiving thing. And one of the things we did was we went to a Golden Gate Park and there's this museum, planetarium, aquarium thing. It's not worth the money. Don't go. But, you know, it's just a whole family. we just went to something to do, and we went to this planetarium part of it where you watch a movie. I don't know if any of you have ever seen it out there, but it's kind of like, you know, how they used to have a growth park. I don't know if they still have it where, you know, you look up and you see something, and it used to be Pink Floyd, whatever, and all the lasers and everything, and everyone was just making out. But it's, this, in San Francisco, they had this thing and it was showing the stars and the beginnings of the earth and and it was it was pretty pretty amazing you know when you look at the you know the solar system we you know how i get into that because you just go man we're just this tiny speck and this mass universe and the sun and the way everything works but but then they talk about the beginning and they just go it all started with energy and dark matter.

22:11 Energy and dark matter. Billions of years ago. And you know how you're watching something and it just, it almost sickens you. Because you've just seen the beauty of this thing and you're just going, how could anyone in this room believe in eternal dark matter and energy and then all of this and then here we are sitting in this room even with the technology to create something like this and communicate and love one another and cry for one another and laugh with one another and go ah just a random chance It's just, oh, I just got sick to my stomach. But just the cleverness of the way they put it together and go, yeah, energy and dark matter. And then, then, then, then.

23:04 It's just, really? Now, did you hear what she said? you see peter here he's going listen listen what i'm telling you there's all sorts of beliefs in this world he goes but i'm not just telling you some sort of cleverly devised myth he goes i i experienced something he goes i we were eyewitnesses of his majesty he goes i actually saw something and he's refers to it in verse 17 he says for when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was born to him by the majestic glory, this is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased. We ourselves heard this very voice, born from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. What holy mountain is he talking about? He's talking about Matthew 17. Remember Matthew chapter 17? Peter talks about the time when Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and he goes, come up on this mountain with me. So it's just the four of them. They get up on the mountain, and Matthew 17 says, you know, he's there with Peter. So Peter, who wrote this, he goes, I was there. I was on the mountain. And he describes in Matthew 17, it's described where they're sitting there, and Jesus is talking to them. This is someone, you kind of put yourself in their shoes, okay?

24:22 Pretend it's me. Pretend it's me. And I go, hey, guys, let's go up to that mountain over there, the one with the cross on it. Let's walk up there. What if you and two of your friends walk up there with me. And what happens is as I'm talking to you, what if suddenly my face started shining like the sun? A little freaky? Some of you guys are like, okay. Shut up, like the sun. You know, like, what? We know this guy. He's just a person. Isn't he just a person? I mean, we've been hanging out with him. I mean, we did these miracles. I mean, that's what they're experiencing with Jesus. He He goes, we're on that mountain. It says his face starts shining like the sun. And then it says that all of his clothes, everything, his whole body just turns bright white. There's this beaming light and they're petrified. And then suddenly these two beings from heaven come down, Moses and Elijah.

25:15 He says they're on either side and he's talking with them. And it says, then Peter goes, hey, you know, this is great that you guys are here. He's talking, he's talking. and then suddenly it says that this bright cloud starts coming toward the mountain. And everyone knew what the bright cloud was. It's the Old Testament, it's the Shekinah, it's the glory, it's the cloud they followed in the desert, and it represented the presence of God. So now it says that the cloud not only rested there, but it was like it enveloped them. They're inside this cloud, Jesus is shining like the sun. Two heavenly beings just come down. Then they hear a voice come out of the cloud saying, this is my son. whom I love.

26:06 It says, with him I am well pleased. Listen to him. And it says they immediately just fell on their faces, terrified. Which is what you would do, right? Can you imagine hearing the voice? Peter says, look, I'm not screwing around. I'm not just coming up with some philosophy. I didn't hear this from anyone. When I was there on the mountain, man, I was shaking. I was talking for a while, and then suddenly the cloud starts talking, and I just fell on my face.

26:39 And he goes, what I experienced I know was real. and here's the phrase that surprises me though it says we were there we saw we were with him on the holy mountain and then in verse 19 he goes and we have something more sure the prophetic word he goes that experience was awesome don't get me wrong he goes first of all this is not something i'm making up i was standing on the mountain i heard the voice of god saying this is the son of God. This is my son. I love him. You better listen to him. And so I'm freaked out. He goes, but he goes, I have something even greater than that. Something more sure. And that's this book, the prophetic word. He goes, when I talk about Christ coming back in all of his glory and judging the world, he goes, I know what's going to happen because I saw him in his glory. I saw him on the mountain. So it's not just something I'm telling you that I read in a book somewhere. That someone just came up with a clever myth and I came up with it.

27:40 He goes, man, I saw it. He goes, and not only that, but I have something even more sure, the prophecies, the prophetic word, these things that were spoken. See, because I look at this book and it says the same thing, that he is going to come. He is going to come in all of his glory. It's been written and I've experienced it. And all that together tells me I know this is going to happen. and I just remember reading that phrase and going, wow, we have something more sure, a prophetic word, and he goes, and you would do well to pay attention to this. Pay attention to it like a lamp in a dark place where it's the only light you got. Here you are on this earth full of darkness. It would do you well to pay attention to this. Because I'm leaving the earth, but it would do you well to pay attention to this book because I know it's true, and I know Christ is returning. I saw him. I saw his glory. I was on that mountain.

28:33 And we've got something here in the prophecies. It amazes me as I just see fewer and fewer people revere this word, this book that has stood for centuries, and how quick we are to run to some of these cleverly devised myths. Some of them aren't even clever. you know like like we just love to listen to the opinions of people um you notice that you know like every time election comes we want to know what do the actors think the actors.

29:13 Yeah, you know, that's what we want to hear. You know, I remember when I was a youth pastor. I used to be a youth pastor up at Rocky Peak years ago, about 20 years ago. And I still remember, you know how certain things you just click in your mind? But there was a band, and I remember this bumper sticker I saw in one of the girls that drove up to youth group. And you remember the band Oingo Boingo? I still remember this you guys remember them? Rick's going yeah, yeah you're pretty cool okay, an older guy remembering Oingo Boingo but I just remember this girl's bumper sticker it said Oingo Boingo knows what's best for you Think of that sentence. Isn't it weird how we'll just gravitate, whether it's Oingo Boingo or Chumba Wumba, remember them, or Kajagoogoo?

30:11 I mean, and some of you guys are laughing, like, ah, you're so dumb, you know, and the younger people, yeah, you listen to Lady Gaga. Yeah, that's, that's, that's, yeah, you're at another level than we were. But it's just, it's funny how we'll listen to someone because they sing well or dance well or they can hit a ball really far and run into a fire hydrant. And we'll, but we'll listen. Why? Why? You know, we so want these opinions of all these different people and we don't stop to consider. okay, think about this. Here is a book that has stood for thousands of years. There are prophecies in this book where guys wrote it and they would say something that would happen hundreds of years in the future and even pinpoint the date.

31:12 There's no way they would have known that hundreds of years later was gonna happen on that day, the crucifixion. You know, we're just proving itself over and over. Peter goes, man, we've got something really sure here. He goes, I saw him on the mountain. And yet we'll throw all of this away. The centuries that this book has changed people's lives. And we'll throw it all away because we heard the opinion of someone.

31:36 That sings well. Or the opinion of the majority. Peter goes, I don't really care what everyone thinks. I was on the mountain. I saw it. I heard that voice. So you can crucify me upside down. I'm not denying this thing. Go ahead. Take me. Crucify me. in fact don't do it the way you did put me upside down I don't really care anymore I know what I saw I know what I heard and I'm not going to back off of this thing I've got something absolutely sure it's a prophetic word of God you guys there have been holy books that have come out in the last hundred years or so the book of Mormon you know you got the the Koran that came out hundreds of years after after the after our scriptures there'll be plenty more books to come up you know the Dianetics whatever you want to there's going to be plenty of things and you can jump on any of these bandwagons i'm saying there's one thing that's been sure it's been sure for thousands of years and it's been proven and the church is called to be the pillar of truth first timothy 3 15 says meaning like a pillar you know when those ancient pillars you know you remember uh the story of samson when he was strapped to the pillars and he just broke the pillars what happens when the pillar crumbles. Everything comes down. The Bible says the church is the pillar of truth, that we're the ones to uphold it and go, no, this is it. This is it. It's always been this, and we've never deviated from this. Why are you running these other philosophies? Oh, this clever teaching, that clever teaching. Oh, the Da Vinci Code. Oh, and you just run. Oh, the answer. Oh, you're going to hear so many things in your lifetime, and I want to be one of those last ones standing going, man, I'm going to die for this thing. I'm going to hold this book up, and you're not going to, go ahead, crucify me upside down. I'm not going to back off from what it taught. I know this thing is true. I've experienced him in my life, and man, I'm going to stand for this thing. And I pray that as the church, that we will be those people, that as the philosophies of the world are going to go against this book, we go, no, I'm not backing

33:42 off. And that's the way Peter was. And that's the way we ought to be. And it's not about a person and how he delivers it, but it's your personal love for the word. And finally, he says in verse 20, he says, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. He goes, look at the prophecies. You think people came up with it? He goes, no prophecy comes because of someone's interpretation. And let me just mention something here. You know, this whole thing about no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's interpretation. I've heard it so many times, and you have too, that when you teach something from the Bible, sure enough, someone's going to say, well, that's your interpretation, right? That's just how you interpret it. The Bible can be interpreted many ways. No, what this passage is saying, no, that's not true. The Bible is not just some book that you can come up and read a verse and come up with your own interpretation.

34:55 No, prophecy is just about whatever you want to believe. It's about there's a truth in there, and you've got to work, and you've got to find it. You know, when people tell me, you know what, that's your interpretation, my question to them is, how do you interpret it then? have you ever studied have you ever come before god i mean do you do this do any of you do the i know some of you okay but do you do this where were you you pray and go god okay i want to i want to know the truth of this book i want to know what it says so god i know i have all these desires and all these things i want to be true but i don't i want to get rid of that i show me the truth even if i don't like it even if it goes against everything i've ever been taught just please tell me the truth. I just want your truth. Even if it makes it harder for me, I got to know what's true. Do you ever pray that? Then open up this book and try to interpret. And say, God, put aside all what I want. Because there's a lot of things I wish were true, and it's not in here. There's things I wish weren't true, and they are in there. But if I seek after truth, I go, God, just show me. Because I want to know the scriptures. I want to know the truth. I want to stand with those who hold up the truth. Do you do that? Because you do that, and God will give you the interpretation of His Word.

36:12 He'll give you the truth of His Word. But if you're just kind of going to follow someone else's opinion or thoughts, I beg you to study this book. If you don't study this book on your own, I'm not going to be able to talk you into anything. Sometimes I feel like I've got to talk you into stuff. This is not about interpretation. It's not a matter of interpretation. The issue, the problem we have is it's an issue of respect.

36:39 Respecting this is truly knowing that those prophets couldn't have known this unless they were really carried by the Holy Spirit of God. So therefore, I should respect this book. Listen, I read a verse this week. I think it was Tuesday or whatever, and I was just alone reading this verse. and I just, that was Monday, and I just started bawling and I couldn't get it out of my head.

37:09 It was Isaiah chapter 66, verse 2. It says this, all these things my hand has made, this is God speaking, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look, he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word. this is the one to whom I'll look, he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and yet that hit me, I go, gosh, the humility, the contriteness in spirit, is that really just what I'm known as, and who I really am, who God knows me as, but the phrase that really killed me, was and trembles at my word, do I tremble at his word, on that mountain I would have trembled as I heard the words coming out of that cloud and you would have also but do I carry that same type of respect for his word do I believe that's really his word to where it would be just like me on the mountain and him telling me like we've been studying the last few weeks make every effort to pursue this brotherly love to pursue this perseverance and steadfastness to pursue this self-control make it, those are the words of God.

38:35 I don't have to tremble at that. See, this is the underlying issue here. sometimes I feel like some of you come and reading the word of God isn't enough for you. Now I've got to convince you. It's almost like, okay, I know that's what it says, but give me a reason why I should do that.

38:59 Isn't it enough that it's just in there and it's the very words of God and we should just tremble and go, okay, I'm going to go, I'm going to do that. Or do you need someone to talk you into it and give you 10 reasons why it's going to work out better in your life if you do it this way. There ought to be a respect for God's word where we just tremble at it. And I noticed myself, you know, I read it, I study it, I memorize it. But do I tremble at it and really take it literally as the words of God to where my life is going to change because of it.