Giving Helps - Dr. Frederick K. Price - August 13th, 2023
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00:00 Challenges or no challenges, your week was still blessed because you're blessed.
00:15 Hebrews 13, 8, are you there?
00:19 Well, we went over the vision last week, we read the vision of Crenshaw Christian Center,
00:32 that which was given to my father, and as we read this vision, I realized and we realized
00:40 there was no need to deviate from the set course, the ultimate goal, the end game regarding
00:49 Crenshaw Christian Center.
00:52 However, missions can change or missions can evolve, and so as we're moving forward in
01:01 ministry just like in our lives individually, we adapt to some things, we adjust some things,
01:10 we remove some things, and so for this ministry that the Lord both directed and permitted
01:22 my father to establish, there is a thread that must be present regardless of the mission,
01:32 regardless of the year, regardless of who the pastor is, and that ultimately is to teach
01:41 God's people God's Word.
01:45 That's what the voice said to him, that's what he heard in the back of that church so
01:51 many years ago.
01:54 But as time progresses, society progresses, society changes, there are new forms of communication,
02:08 new technologies that are birthed, and so what do we do with all of that when it comes
02:15 to ministry?
02:16 As a matter of fact, is there a certain point or time, and if so, when is that, that things
02:26 should become new?
02:31 Do things need to become new as we progress forward with this mission?
02:38 And I have to say that the same instructions, I didn't hear the voice, but I had the knowing
02:49 to teach God's people God's Word.
02:53 If there's one thing about my assignment I'm clear about, it's that.
02:58 And that's to teach His Word in a variety of environments, not just relegated to this
03:06 position here, but in a number of ways, and utilizing a number of technologies to allow
03:14 that teaching to go forth.
03:16 Not only am I to teach God's people God's Word, but I'm to be a teacher of teachers
03:22 as well.
03:24 And so that is the core competency that is ultimately the personality, along with other
03:35 things like integrity and excellence, but that's the personality of this ministry,
03:39 because that's what Dad brought to the scene when he stepped onto the scene.
03:45 He was doing something that had never been done before, it was unheard of.
03:50 You had a man who was not hooping and hollering, he was calm and calmly teaching the Word,
03:57 he was opening up an actual Bible and having you to do the same thing, and telling you
04:04 which chapter and verse, which book to go to.
04:09 And you went there and you saw the Scriptures yourself.
04:14 And when he birthed that in Crenshaw Christian Center specifically, but not only, but specifically
04:21 amongst black clergy, he birthed it in the body of Christ.
04:30 And so that still remains.
04:34 The question is, is how do we now go about doing it?
04:38 Why do I ask that question?
04:39 Well, one example is we don't have lines all the way down Vermont, do we?
04:45 But some of you remember the lines on Crenshaw.
04:50 Now why did you have lines going down Crenshaw Boulevard?
04:54 Well, it had never been done before, it was new.
05:03 And it remained new for a while and then it became, it's not that it became old, but it
05:06 became common because so many others were also doing it.
05:11 So how do we, and the thing about ministry is that it should not be competition, it's
05:16 not supposed to be.
05:18 But how does each ministry remain unique and productive and effective in the climate within
05:27 the body of Christ and in the world that we presently live in?
05:30 So let's look at a couple Scriptures about saying different old and new.
05:37 And let's see if we can pick up on God's M.O.
05:40 Beginning here with Hebrews 13, 8, we read that Jesus Christ is the same.
05:50 He's the same.
05:53 He's the same yesterday, today, and forever, which would automatically include tomorrow.
06:03 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
06:10 Let me ask you a question, is Jesus God?
06:15 So then God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
06:22 What might that mean?
06:24 What might that mean?
06:27 One thing I know for sure is that the word "same" is used in this Scripture, which tells
06:36 me that God doesn't change, He doesn't change, Jesus doesn't change, the Holy Spirit does
06:44 not change, they are, He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
06:52 Okay, holding on to that, let's make our way to Daniel chapter 7.
07:02 Look at the ninth verse, Daniel 7, 9.
07:15 Here's what it says, one of Daniel's visions, prophetic visions.
07:24 He says, "I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days was seated.
07:36 His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool.
07:40 His throne was a fiery flame, its wheels a burning fire."
07:44 This sounds like Jesus, sounds like the description we read about Him in Revelation 1.
07:49 Here's what I want to point out, man, God is old.
07:56 Because you know you're old when you're past old and you're ancient.
08:02 Daniel said, "He is the Ancient of Days."
08:07 So what do we have so far?
08:08 Jesus is the same, which means God is the same, and not only is God the same, He's ancient.
08:20 That same ancient God is the reason the universe remains intact.
08:30 It's amazing that the manner in which He has structured the universe has not changed.
08:38 Scientists are discovering new things, but it's not new to God.
08:46 Our writer of Hebrew says God is the same.
08:49 Daniel says He's the Ancient of Days.
08:54 But now let's go over to the book of Lamentations.
08:58 You all know where that is, right?
09:02 The book of Lamentations, and if you don't know where Lamentations is, somebody around
09:06 you does.
09:07 And if you don't want to ask them, it'll be on the screen in just a second.
09:13 Lamentations chapter 3, once you find Lamentations, it's only five chapters, not a whole lot to
09:25 look through.
09:27 Lamentations 3, find the 22nd verse.
09:35 And before you look at it, before we read it, quickly run over what we've already discussed.
09:45 Jesus Christ is the what?
09:47 He's the same.
09:51 And not only is Jesus the same, He's the what of days?
09:54 He's the same and ancient.
10:02 In some ways, these words can be somewhat of a turnoff because there are some same ways
10:12 that thwart progress and there's some ancient thinking that doesn't allow us to move forward
10:18 and yet the Bible says God is the same and He's ancient.
10:22 Look here in Lamentations chapter 3, verse 22.
10:28 We all know this worship hymn.
10:31 It says, "Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed," which means that consumption
10:38 because of our sinful nature was due us, but thank God for His mercy.
10:43 "Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed," why?
10:47 Because His compassions fail not.
10:50 They are new.
10:52 Okay, Mama Sita, you got excited on that one.
11:00 They are new every—not new once a week.
11:07 They are new every morning.
11:10 Great is your faithfulness.
11:11 Let me make sure I understand this.
11:13 The same God who's ancient has new mercies every morning.
11:19 Okay?
11:23 Continue on this journey with me.
11:24 Go to Isaiah 43, the prophet Isaiah.
11:32 Isaiah chapter 43, and when you get there, find verse 18.
11:46 Isaiah 43, 18.
11:47 When you have it, say, "I have it."
11:50 Okay, so let me make sure I understand this correctly because, you know, we're talking
11:53 about moving forward in ministry.
11:55 So do we remain the same?
11:56 Do we remain ancient?
11:59 Do we do something new?
12:00 Well, based on what we've read in Scripture regarding our God, He is the same.
12:06 He is ancient, yet His mercies are new every morning.
12:11 And then Isaiah has the audacity to be inspired by the Holy Spirit and say this in verse 18,
12:18 "Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old.
12:22 Behold, I'll do a new thing.
12:27 Now it shall spring forth.
12:29 Shall you not know it, I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."
12:36 This is a context pointing to Israel, but what we read here is our same ancient God
12:46 saying don't consider the things of old, He's doing a new thing.
12:51 Wait, God, you're the same, so how is it that you can do a new thing?
12:56 Why would you do a new thing if you're the same?
12:59 Let's keep going.
13:03 You all okay with that?
13:05 Goodness, go to Ecclesiastes and look at the first chapter of wisdom in this book,
13:20 Ecclesiastes 1, the preach to Solomon.
13:31 And he says here in Ecclesiastes 1, verse 9, oh man, this is, okay, Hebrews 13, 8, Jesus
13:45 is the same, which means God is the same.
13:49 And Daniel 7, 9, "He is the ancient of days, yet in Lamentations 3, 22 and 23, His mercies
13:54 are new every morning.
13:55 Isaiah 43, 18 and 19, don't remember the things of old, I'm doing a new thing, says God.
14:00 But then we read this in Ecclesiastes 1, look at verse 9, "That which has been," you all
14:09 know what has been means?
14:11 Okay, that which has been is what will be.
14:15 Let me, so let me make sure I'm reading this correctly.
14:21 It sounds like that which is old is what will be new, that which is in the past is what's
14:27 in the future, that which has been is what will be, that which is done, which is done,
14:34 right now that which is the present, when tomorrow comes, the present will be the past,
14:40 that which is done is what will be done, there's nothing new under the sun.
14:46 Is there anything of which it may be said, 'See, this is new'?
14:50 Nah, it's already been in ancient times before us.
14:54 Oh God, help me out here.
14:58 I need, okay, come on God, work with a brother right now.
15:02 You're the same yesterday, today and forever, you are the ancient of days but your mercies
15:07 are new and you're doing a new thing, telling us not to consider the things of old but you
15:14 just said what will be or what was is what will be, what's done is what will be done,
15:22 there's nothing new under the sun.
15:27 Can we say about anything, can we ask about anything, is this new?
15:32 And he says, nah, it's all ancient.
15:37 Okay, okay, let's keep going, let's keep going.
15:43 Prayerfully as we're going over these scriptures, you all are picking up on God's MO.
15:50 You're seeing how God can be the same and fresh simultaneously and how God can both
15:57 be old and new.
16:01 Okay, Philippians, look at Philippians, you all probably know where we're going, 313.
16:20 Philippians 313, you know, the devil would like to keep you in bondage based on old things,
16:30 based on some old stuff.
16:35 And it doesn't matter if it happened 24 hours ago or 24 years ago, he'll try to keep you
16:40 in bondage about it.
16:45 But the same God who's ancient, whose mercies are new every morning and who's doing a new
16:49 thing who also said there's nothing new under the sun says this in his word, Philippians
16:55 313, "Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended or to have arrived, but one thing
17:02 I do, forgetting those things which are behind."
17:10 Sounds like he's talking about things in the past.
17:14 And he's reaching forward to those things which are ahead, so future things.
17:21 I'm reaching towards things that are in front of me, those would be new things.
17:26 But the reality is, is once those new things that are in my future become my present, at
17:31 some point they'll be my past.
17:37 Right now we are in the present.
17:39 Tomorrow is our future.
17:42 Yesterday was our past.
17:44 As a matter of fact, hours ago in this day is in the past.
17:49 All right, let's keep going, let's keep looking.
17:56 How about this?
17:57 How about the gospel according to John out of the words or the words out of the mouth
18:03 of Jesus Himself, who is the Ancient of Days, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever?
18:15 Here's something that he said in his gospel.
18:20 Look at John 13.
18:28 John 13, find verse 34.
18:37 Are you there?
18:38 Jesus is the same.
18:41 He's the Ancient of Days.
18:42 His mercies are new every morning.
18:45 He's doing a new thing.
18:47 There's nothing new under the sun, but forget those things which are behind you and reach
18:51 forward to those things which are ahead.
18:53 I mean, so far it sounds like God is old and He's new.
19:02 It sounds like God is the same and He's fresh and cannot be contained in a box.
19:13 Jesus here in verse 34 of John 13 says, "A new commandment.
19:21 I give to you that you love one another as I have loved you, that you also love one another
19:29 by this."
19:30 By what?
19:33 Loving one another.
19:36 "By this all will know that you belong to me.
19:41 By this all will know that you're my disciples if you have," what?
19:46 "Love for one another, which Jesus calls a new commandment."
19:52 What's wrong with the old commandment?
20:00 But Jesus is the one said it—who said, "A new commandment I give to you."
20:03 Well, that's what Jesus says regarding the commandment.
20:10 Look at what—look at what God tells us here in the book of Hebrews chapter 8 verse 6.
20:23 "A new commandment I give you," says Jesus.
20:30 Hebrews tells us this in the sixth verse, "But now He has obtained," that He is Jesus,
20:36 He, Jesus, "has obtained a more excellent ministry inasmuch as He is also mediator of
20:43 a better covenant which was established on better promises."
20:51 The more excellent is the better.
20:54 The better is more excellent, also known as the new.
20:57 It's talking about the New Testament, the new covenant.
21:02 So we have a—we have an ancient God who gave us a new commandment and a New Testament.
21:09 I find that interesting.
21:13 How about this?
21:17 Matthew 9.
21:22 I don't know about you, but what I've read so far, based on what I've read so far, is
21:32 biblically the proper placement of old and new and the proper application of old and
21:39 new.
21:40 When old is problematic and when old is of necessity, that's what I've been reading so
21:48 far, the point will be driven home when Jesus tells us this, Matthew 9.
21:57 Did I tell you Matthew 9?
22:00 Okay.
22:01 We're going to read verse 16.
22:03 We're going to read verses 16 and 17.
22:06 Matthew 9, beginning with verse 16, it says, "No one puts a piece," and Jesus was questioned
22:16 about fasting, and so this is the latter part of His response to the question.
22:22 It says, "No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment."
22:27 Why?
22:30 Because the patch pulls away from the garment and the tear is made worse.
22:36 And He says, "Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break,
22:47 the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined, but they put new wine into new wineskins,
22:58 and both are preserved."
23:03 Jesus said, "You don't put new wine into old wineskins."
23:08 That's a problem with a lot of ministries.
23:14 I mean, unfortunately in some areas, it's even been our problem, because we're no different
23:24 than any other ministry, although we are unique, because ministries go through the same thing.
23:30 Ministries deal with transitions, transitional phases, ebbs and flows and finances.
23:40 At one point being so hot, the hottest thing on the block, more relevant seemingly than
23:46 any other ministry, and then suddenly just one of many other ministries.
23:53 And while some of it is the natural flow of ministry in the earth realm, some of it can
24:01 be directed to things like this, trying to continue to do the same thing over and over
24:07 the same way.
24:09 You can't put new wine into old wineskins.
24:18 Okay, look at Acts 2.
24:31 If you read any one of these verses solely, apart from any of the other ones we've read,
24:41 you could make a case for old being negative always.
24:50 But that's not the case when it comes to the kingdom of God.
24:56 Everything must be properly categorized.
25:01 Acts 2, look at verse 16, "The day of Pentecost had fully come."
25:05 Ho, watch this, "A new thing was placed in the earth, the Holy Spirit and His fullness
25:12 for the church."
25:14 We hadn't seen a church either.
25:16 Church was new.
25:18 The ecclesia was new.
25:21 The ecclesia—now the ecclesia was common amongst the Greeks.
25:25 Ecclesia had nothing to do with the church, but it was a gathering.
25:29 Church context, political, the courts.
25:34 But when it came to this community of believers that would follow Christ post His resurrection
25:41 and ascension, the ecclesia became a new faith and community and pure religious movement
25:49 in the earth.
25:52 And so the day of Pentecost fully came.
25:55 The day of Pentecost was fulfilled.
25:58 The Holy Spirit came and filled the Jerusalem church in the upper room.
26:03 And something else new happened.
26:04 They began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
26:08 Earth hadn't seen that yet.
26:11 Well here's what Peter has to say about it when there were those that were mocking.
26:16 Peter says this in verse 16, he says, "They're not drunk like you suppose."
26:22 It's only the third hour of the day.
26:24 Nobody gets drunk at 9 a.m.
26:27 He says, "But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel."
26:31 Or we should say it's not the norm to get drunk at 9 a.m.
26:34 Obviously there are people who get drunk at 9 a.m.
26:36 They get drunk at all times of the day.
26:38 But Peter was saying, "You all know our customs and our ways.
26:41 9 a.m. is not the time for get drunk."
26:46 He says, "However," verse 16, "this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel.
26:51 And what Joel said was spoken a long time ago from the day of Pentecost.
26:59 And yet his old statement was new, fresh, and relevant."
27:04 Verse 17, "And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I'll pour out my
27:08 Spirit on all flesh.
27:10 Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.
27:12 Here's what your young men will do.
27:14 They'll see visions.
27:15 And here's what your old men will do.
27:16 They'll dream dreams."
27:17 It doesn't sound to me like God is done with old men and he only uses young men.
27:27 Sounds like he uses both young men and old men.
27:39 There's a Scripture I forgot to include in my notes, but it's in Proverbs twice, and
27:44 it reads like this.
27:46 "Be careful that you don't or do not remove the ancient landmarks."
27:51 Don't remove the ancient posts.
27:56 There are some things that are old that should never be touched.
28:04 This should never be removed.
28:06 We can build around it, but don't remove the ancient landmark.
28:11 Proverbs tells us that twice.
28:13 Okay, look now at Acts 17.
28:22 Acts 17.
28:25 Think about this.
28:27 Try to picture yourself 2,000 years ago.
28:31 You try to.
28:34 2,000, almost 2,000 years ago, a new faith shows up on the scene and it's growing like
28:42 a wildfire.
28:45 And you know what causes it to stand out?
28:47 There aren't any rituals.
28:53 There's no temple.
28:56 There are no sanctified or set apart garments.
29:05 There's no specific place in which this specific place is the only place you can go to worship
29:12 God.
29:14 It was genre-bending.
29:20 It was game-changing.
29:24 The world had never seen a faith like this.
29:28 All the other faiths required all of those things that I mentioned.
29:33 But Christianity shows up and the people are the temple.
29:40 And wherever the people go, that's where the worship goes.
29:47 So here we are in Acts chapter 17.
29:50 Now make your way to Acts 17.
29:52 I'm going to read you a piece of my favorite sermon preached by Paul, Acts 17.
30:00 I'm not going to do the whole sermon, but just this first part as we're discussing the
30:09 old and the new and the same and the different and the fresh and the relevant and the ancient.
30:21 The ancient God gave us a new commandment and a new covenant.
30:28 And with that new commandment and that new covenant came a new community of worshippers
30:32 in the earth, spewing a new kind of doctrine.
30:40 Look here, Acts 17, 16.
30:44 It says, "Now while Paul waited for them at Athens."
30:52 While Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him.
31:05 Why?
31:07 Because he saw that the city was given over to idols, idol worship.
31:15 There is a Roman writer by the name of Petronius who said that in this day, there were more
31:24 idols than men.
31:29 They're everywhere.
31:31 Everywhere you turn was an idol, an object of worship, a pagan image, a pagan symbol.
31:40 So here, Paul's waiting.
31:45 Another translation is, while Paul was minding his own business, he couldn't help but have
31:51 his spirit provoked in him because there's idolatry everywhere.
31:56 So verse 17 says, "Therefore he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews, but also he reasoned
32:05 with Gentile worshippers, those who were not Jews.
32:09 He's reasoning with both.
32:12 Where is he doing this?
32:16 Well with the Jews in the synagogue and with the Gentiles in the mall."
32:24 The bazaar, the swap meet.
32:30 This is the sloths and swap meet right here.
32:33 Real talk.
32:35 If you put Paul on sloths near Western, he's in a swap meet daily reasoning with Gentile
32:47 worshippers.
32:53 And he's reasoning with those who happen to be there.
32:57 Paul's talking to everybody about the gospel, talking to everybody about the kingdom.
33:03 Then it says this, then it says, "Certain Epicurean and Stoic philosophers," don't they,
33:09 they sound extremely intelligent, don't they?
33:11 Just, just by the way this reads, Epicurean and Stoic philosophers.
33:18 The Epicureans basically believed in hedonism, meaning do whatever you want, whenever you
33:24 want, if it feels good.
33:27 The Stoics were the complete opposite, do nothing.
33:33 And these schools of philosophy are constantly debating and butting heads.
33:38 So certain Epicureans and certain Stoics, they encountered this Paul fella and some
33:46 of them said, "What does this babbler want to say?"
33:52 They called him a babbler.
33:53 Now when you think babbler, you think of one thing in particular.
33:58 This word babbler is a pretty powerful word in the Greek.
34:02 You know that the word is logos or logos, right?
34:07 In the beginning was the word, right?
34:09 And the word was with God and the word was God.
34:11 We also read, "His name is called the word of God," logos.
34:17 The word became flesh, right?
34:20 The logos became flesh.
34:22 This word babbler is the Greek word sperma, logos.
34:32 Now when you think sperm, you should think seed, procreation, reproduction.
34:39 Matter of fact, the word means seed picker.
34:46 In a negative sense, a babbler would be a gossiper or a trifler.
34:53 But in a general sense, a babbler would be a person picking up seed, picking up the seed
35:02 of birds, but also a thief who lurks about the marketplace waiting to pick up whatever
35:11 falls.
35:14 But in a religious or spiritual context, the babbler that they're calling Paul is the individual
35:24 who's picking up on conversation waiting for an opportunity to sow truth.
35:31 So the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers who are always engaging each other, now they're
35:38 hearing about this message that this Paul is preaching and they want to know what does
35:43 this babbler have to say.
35:45 Others said he seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods.
35:49 Isn't that interesting how the Greeks looked at Jesus as a foreign god because they worship
35:54 their own gods.
35:56 So any other god who's not a Greek god or a Roman god, being that Rome was in power,
36:01 would be a foreign god.
36:03 So they said others said he seems to be a proclaimer of foreign gods because he preached
36:09 to them Jesus and the resurrection.
36:12 It's very important for us to know that whenever we preach Jesus, with the preaching of Jesus
36:18 is the preaching of the resurrection.
36:21 Because if there is no resurrection, there is no faith.
36:27 As daddy taught years ago, if Christ did not rise, what then?
36:34 What do we have?
36:35 What do we say?
36:36 Why are we living?
36:37 What are we preaching?
36:40 Verse 19 says, "And they took him and they brought him to the Areopagus."
36:45 Right there, the Mars hill or the rock of—the hill of Aries, rock of Aries.
36:50 It says, it says, "They brought him to the Areopagus and here's what they said.
36:55 They said, 'We know what this new doctrine is of which you speak.
37:01 You're bringing some strange things to our ears, but our ears are being tickled.'"
37:08 So we want to know what these things mean.
37:10 Why do they want to know?
37:12 Because all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there on the Areopagus, which was
37:19 a political setting as well, they spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or
37:25 to hear some what?
37:26 New thing.
37:31 They got together on this hill to talk about new stuff and to hear about new stuff.
37:38 And here comes this Paul preaching this new doctrine.
37:42 Now here we are almost 2,000 years ago and the Bible is calling this doctrine that was
37:50 being preached in the early days of the church, following the days of the resurrection of
37:55 Jesus as new doctrine.
37:58 The Athenians said, "This is new stuff to our ears."
38:02 Paul then goes ahead and he preaches a masterful sermon and in the very end there are those
38:07 who mocked him.
38:08 They rejected the new doctrine.
38:10 Then there were those who reasoned about the new doctrine and then there were those who
38:14 received the new doctrine.
38:18 Now my question to you is, here in this setting, in this year, it was called new doctrine.
38:24 Is it still new doctrine today?
38:31 I hear yes and no.
38:36 Well think about it.
38:41 It's old in the sense that it comes from he who is the same and he who is ancient.
38:49 But the only way for you to get born again is to first hear it and when you hear it,
38:55 it's new.
38:58 Matter of fact, it's even new to those who have heard about it but they've never really
39:04 heard it.
39:08 There are those who have been sitting in churches for eons.
39:13 They came out of ritual.
39:15 They never believed on Jesus.
39:17 The doctrine that they heard weekly for whatever reason didn't inspire them to respond to the
39:24 call of salvation, but 25 years later they did because they heard something new regarding
39:30 the old.
39:32 Okay?
39:36 Look now at Hebrews 13 again.
39:44 Let's close this portion with Hebrews 13 verse 8 again, but this time we're going to read
39:50 verse 9.
39:53 We're going to read 8 and 9.
39:56 Hebrews chapter 13, verse 8 and 9.
40:02 Now think about what—think about what the Athenians and the philosophical Greeks were
40:10 saying about the gospel of Jesus and the resurrection preached.
40:14 They called it a what?
40:15 A new doctrine.
40:19 Here in Hebrews 13, 8, we already read it.
40:22 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
40:25 But look at verse 9, "Do not be carried away or about with various and strange doctrines."
40:35 That kind of then helps us understand what the writer is saying about Jesus being the
40:43 same because various and strange doctrines will arise on the scene and they'll sound
40:48 new and they'll sound fresh.
40:50 They may even have a flavor of the gospel in it.
40:55 And because it's so new and because it's so different, people will be, oh, just like Jesus
40:58 said through Paul in Ephesians 4, 11 through 16, being tossed to and fro.
41:06 See we should be so mature in the faith that we're able to pick up on the same Jesus when
41:12 he's preached.
41:14 And when a different Jesus, who Paul also warned us about, when a different Jesus in
41:19 a different gospel is preached, we're not easily carried away by the cunning craftiness
41:26 of men and the trickery of false doctrine.
41:32 We know Jesus Christ is the same when it comes to his, watch this, his new doctrine.
41:39 His new doctrine that showed up in the earth thousands of years ago, almost 2,000 years
41:46 ago.
41:49 That's old, but it's new.
41:54 So what were you able to pick up?
41:58 Here's what I was able to pick up.
42:01 Yeah, God's the same in that in his nature and his character, he doesn't change.
42:09 When it comes to his word, he doesn't change.
42:13 And because he existed before the beginning, yep, he's ancient.
42:20 But because he's not bound by time, for God, it's just today.
42:25 Doesn't sound that old to me.
42:30 He's the same and he's ancient, but what he gives to his people is new and fresh.
42:40 And even what you've heard before, you've heard it in your past, you've read it before,
42:49 it's been taught to you before, it's still new and it's still fresh.
42:55 If you are of the caliber of child of God and student of the word that is able to open
43:03 yourself up to receiving the word of God in a manner that is like the author of the word,
43:13 if his mercies are new every morning and if he's doing a new thing, then this old text
43:19 should be able to tell me and give me something new.
43:24 Once again, it's not new to God, but it's new to me.
43:30 So make your way to 1 Chronicles now, chapter 12.
43:38 First Chronicles 12.
43:40 Ooh, I'm hot.
43:44 I'm gonna stand on this vent right now.
43:52 I think I need a fan and a cloth.
43:59 Go to 1 Chronicles 12, find verse 23.
44:14 The ministry of Dr. Price, Crenshaw Christian Center, has been around for a while and therefore
44:29 it's not new in that sense.
44:35 Crenshaw Christian Center was birthed in 1973.
44:40 Here we are celebrating 50 years.
44:43 Before that, dad was filled with the spirit three years earlier, 1970.
44:49 But before that, he had been saved 17 years, correct?
44:52 Oh, had he been preaching 17 years?
44:57 17 years, so dad goes--so he's born again.
45:00 When he's born again, that's new.
45:02 He goes 17 years.
45:05 That's quite a bit of time that has passed, but then he gets filled with the spirit.
45:08 That was something new.
45:09 Matter of fact, it revolutionized his life.
45:14 It revolutionized West Washington.
45:16 You all were breaking fire code every Sunday.
45:19 Thank God no one got arrested and you didn't get shut down because it only held, what,
45:25 150?
45:26 158 and you all were packing 300 weekly?
45:31 Why?
45:32 Because when daddy got filled, he became this new man preaching what appeared to be a--watch
45:45 this, it appeared to be new doctrine, but it wasn't new doctrine, but it was new to
45:51 him and therefore new to those who were hearing it.
45:54 He got filled with the spirit, everybody else got filled with the spirit.
45:56 That was new.
45:58 And then three years later, Crenshaw Christian Center was born, that was new.
46:05 You moved in '84?
46:07 We moved in '84, something like that?
46:11 Pepperdine, that was new.
46:13 The dome was built in '89, that's new.
46:16 So you have all these new moments.
46:19 It's the same doctrine, it's the same word, but you have these new facets of the ministry
46:24 being birthed.
46:26 And it's causing the ministry to experience a growth and experience a freshness.
46:36 It's causing people who hadn't heard the doctrine before to now hear it and it wasn't his doctrine,
46:41 it was the Word of God.
46:44 And now they're hearing it and it's new to them and it's changing lives.
46:48 Now here we are in 2023 and the doctrine hasn't changed, I would agree with the Athenians
46:56 that this doctrine is still new.
47:00 And the reason why I say that is because we serve a God who makes things new.
47:05 All right, he's not the God of new things, he's the God of things new.
47:11 Gotta know the difference between the two.
47:14 New things and things new are two different things.
47:19 There's a difference between a new car and making your old car new.
47:24 There's a difference between a new house and making your old house new.
47:28 There's a difference between a new husband and making your old husband new.
47:38 God works in the business of the latter, he makes things new.
47:43 When you got born again, he didn't remove your old spirit and replace it with a new
47:49 spirit, he made your spirit new.
47:52 You have the same soul from before you got born again.
47:56 Your soul is being made new and when we are resurrected, it's not a brand new body that
48:04 we never had before, it's our same bodies that were aging the moment we were born that
48:10 eventually make their way back to the dust of the earth, it's the same body made new
48:15 because God makes things new.
48:18 When John sees a new heaven and a new earth, it's not that God got rid of earth, it's not
48:24 that God got rid of heaven, he made heaven new, he made the earth new because God is
48:29 a things new God, he's in the things new business.
48:35 So how do we make Crenshaw new?
48:38 Because we've already been here for 50 years, so in that sense, we ain't new, we old.
48:48 But if the matriarch of this ministry, Dr. Betty Price, if she really did hear from the
48:55 Lord, if she really had this green light and witness in her spirit that this ministry will
49:03 be here in existence and in operation until the appearing of the Lord, then watch this,
49:11 we're going to have to recognize the ancient landmarks and not touch them, but make new
49:17 what we can make new.
49:21 Now here's why we and many ministries, as a matter of fact, some of these fresh, hot
49:29 ministries that are all over the place, you're constantly hearing about them, part of the
49:38 reason that they're experiencing the success that they're experiencing is because they
49:41 are new.
49:44 The question is, will they adapt when they're not as new as they are right now?
49:51 Or in order to remain new, will they compromise?
49:56 Because compromising will keep you fresh daily.
50:01 Look here in 1 Chronicles 12, 1 Chronicles chapter 12, you should be there by now, I
50:13 told you to go to verse 23.
50:18 Okay, look at 1 Chronicles 12, 23, which says, "Now these were the numbers of the divisions
50:32 that were equipped for war, and came to David at Hebron to turn over the kingdom of Saul
50:40 to him according to the word of the Lord."
50:45 All right, let's look at this again, "These were the numbers of the divisions that were
50:52 equipped for war, they came to David at Hebron," to do what?
50:57 "To turn over the kingdom of Saul to him according to the word of the Lord."
51:03 Now what you would read next, what would follow are the breakdowns of these divisions.
51:11 We just want to look at one division, one division, and that is in verse 32, one of
51:19 the divisions we're reading about in verse 32.
51:24 If you start with verse 24, you'll see, "And the sons of Judah," and if you keep reading,
51:28 "And the sons of, and the sons of," you'll notice these are the sons of the tribes of
51:32 Israel, right?
51:37 The fruit of the tribes of Israel who, of course, the tribes of Israel are the fruit
51:42 of the sons of Israel.
51:45 So these divisions are consisting of various numbers from the tribes and we want to focus
51:52 in on one, and that's verse 32, which reads like this.
51:58 It says, "Of the sons of Issachar," "Of the sons of Issachar," what are we reading again?
52:07 These are the numbers of the divisions that were equipped for war and they came to David
52:12 at Hebron to turn over what?
52:15 To turn over the kingdom of Saul to him.
52:18 These are their divisions.
52:19 Verse 32 reads, it says, "Of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times."
52:29 I believe in the traditional, it's "who were discerners of the times."
52:36 And this is where ministries have lost it.
52:39 We have not discerned the times.
52:41 We have not paid attention to the time in which we live in.
52:47 And we were doing some things that were relevant and hot when we were doing them and suddenly
52:52 they weren't so hot anymore, but we kept on doing them.
53:00 But what does…what does verse 32 says?
53:03 It says, "Of the sons of Issachar who had understanding or discernment of the times
53:07 to know what Israel ought to do."
53:16 To know what a ministry ought to do.
53:19 We need understanding of the times.
53:22 We need discernment of the times.
53:24 Watch this, this doesn't mean that you cave in and give in to the times.
53:31 Whatever is going on within the times, but we're to have understanding and discernment
53:37 so that we know the necessary midcourse adjustments and changes to make.
53:46 Now speaking of times, we read about them in Ecclesiastes 3.
53:51 This is where we'll finish today.
53:56 Ecclesiastes 3 and the theme moving forward for the rest of this lesson will be the sons
54:03 of Issachar.
54:06 We got to look at everything now with time discernment.
54:12 We got to look at everything with an understanding of what's going on out there.
54:20 I'm not…I'm not going to compromise, act like, look like, and sound like what's
54:25 going on out there, but I'm going to have understanding, discernment, because that understanding
54:30 and that discernment will help us know how to spiritually penetrate those who are out
54:36 there.
54:38 Out there simply, I don't mean outside of the walls of Crenshaw Christian Center, but
54:41 outside of the body of Christ.
54:46 But if this ministry, in fact, has been called of God, which I firmly believe it has, and
54:52 I believe like my father, I've been called to teach and equip saints, which means saints
54:57 have to be in this building, which means you sheep got to go get them.
55:05 Look here at Ecclesiastes 3.
55:07 Let's finish here.
55:09 Ecclesiastes 3, you all know this chapter, you know how it starts.
55:15 This one, "To everything there is a what?
55:20 A time for every purpose under heaven."
55:25 I believe we can read it this way.
55:31 To everything there is a season and to every time there is a purpose, both seasons and
55:40 purposes under heaven.
55:45 The things seem to have a season and the purposes seem to have a time and it's all under heaven.
55:57 In Acts chapter 1, the disciples asked Jesus, "All right, when's God going to restore Israel?"
56:05 And Jesus responded to them, "It's not for you to know the times and the seasons."
56:10 It's the Kronos and the Kairos.
56:12 It's not for us to know the time of that kind of fulfillment.
56:16 We know it's going to happen, but that's in God's hand.
56:20 Watch this.
56:21 That's above heaven, but for everything under heaven, here's what we know.
56:27 There is a time to be born and there's a time to die, a time to plant and a time to pluck
56:35 Look what is planted—a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a
56:40 time to build up, a time to weep, a time to laugh, a time to mourn, and a time to dance,
56:45 a time to cast away stones, a time to gather stones, a time to embrace, a time to refrain
56:50 from embracing, a time to gain and a time to lose, a time to keep, a time to throw away,
56:56 a time to tear, a time to sow, a time to keep silent, a time to speak, a time to love, a
57:01 time to hate, a time of war, and a time of peace.
57:09 We're going to have to expound on these next week.
57:12 Father, we thank you for your word.
57:14 It's life and truth.
57:15 It will not and cannot return to you void.
57:18 It will accomplish what it set out to do.
57:20 It will prosper where it's sent.
57:21 I thank you indeed that the incorruptible seed of the word has indeed gone forth.
57:26 It has been sown into the hearts of those, the good ground of those who are present,
57:33 those watching wherever they are watching, sown into their hearts and it will produce
57:38 in their lives.
57:39 Father, because of your word be, it will not return to you void, empty, vain, useless,
57:44 or lazy, but it will accomplish when you send it out and where you send it, it will prosper.
57:52 And I thank you that the word has gone forth.
57:55 It's accomplishing and prospering in the name of the Lord Jesus.
58:02 Thank you for the invitations I'll mention in just a moment.
58:05 Holy Spirit, thank you for making them available to those present, those streaming wherever
58:10 they are.
58:11 If you don't know Jesus, you can know him today.
58:19 This new doctrine of Jesus, Savior of the world, you can know him today.
58:27 [BLANK_AUDIO]