Dr. Tony Evans is known as a relevant expositor and is a pastor of pastors and a father in the faith.
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Dr. Tony Evans | Tony Evans - A Challenge To Greater Convictions | May 4, 2025
- ...
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- Tony evans: god's word, a sharp two-edged sword,
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- Is there to cut on your behalf
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- And against that which is against you.
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- But god's word will not cut
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- When it's been dulled by compromise.
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- You might get acceptance from the culture,
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- But what you won't get is a two-edged sword for you.
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- Word of god is not open for negotiation--
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- Not when god has spoken clearly on a subject.
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- ♪♪♪
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- Tony: let me tell you a little bit about pergamum.
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- Pergamum was a city some 45 miles north of ephesus
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- And then smyrna,
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- The two churches we've already seen.
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- A very wealthy city
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- But a city controlled by the devil.
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- Jesus starts and he speaks the first and the last,
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- Which he said about himself in smyrna,
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- Now says in verse 12,
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- "the one who has the sharp two-edged sword
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- Says this."
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- "the one who has the sharp two-edged sword
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- Says this."
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- "the one who has the sharp two-edged sword
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- Says this."
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- So jesus christ is talking, but he describes himself
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- As the possessor of the two-edged sword.
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- This is not the first time we've seen that phrase.
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- Chapter 1, verse 16, of revelation,
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- "in his right hand he held the seven stars
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- And out of his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword."
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- In chapter 19 of revelation, verse 15,
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- "from his mouth came a sharp sword."
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- Verse 21, "and the rest were killed with the sword
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- Which came from his mouth."
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- It says out of the lord jesus christ's mouth
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- Comes a very sharp two-edged sword.
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- The sword has two edges. both sides are sharp.
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- That can cut you going and coming.
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- It's sharp for blessings and it's sharp for judgment.
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- It's sharp for help, but it's sharp for correction.
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- It's sharp for your benefit,
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- But it's also sharp to deal with you
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- If you need to be dealt with.
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- They didn't have guns and pistols and bullets
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- Back then.
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- They had swords.
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- That sword was used for protection.
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- It was also used for advancing against an enemy,
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- And to possess the sword
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- Was a phrase of having the authority.
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- In romans chapter 13 it says that the the king
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- Does not wield the sword in vain.
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- That speaks of his authority to judge.
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- So when you read about jesus having the sword,
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- He is speaking about the authority.
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- Matthew 28, verses 19 and 20,
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- Jesus says, "all authority belongs to me in heaven
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- And on earth."
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- Translation, "i'm in charge now."
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- So when jesus says, "a sword is coming out of my mouth,"
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- He is laying claim to authority from heaven to history,
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- From eternity to time, from heaven to earth.
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- So jesus christ sits as the risen lord ascended
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- On the right hand of the father,
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- Speaking to his people, the church, at pergamum,
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- And he says, "i'm in charge here.
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- And i have a sword."
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- Where is the sword? "it's coming out of my mouth."
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- Now, the problem today is that we--and by we i mean any--
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- Even many christians have lost faith in the power of the sword
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- That comes out of jesus's mouth.
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- We have lost faith in the power of the word.
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- Oh, we respect it because we'll carry it
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- Under our arms or punch it in on our device.
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- We pay homage to it while simultaneously ripping it
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- From its authority.
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- Jesus says, "when my mouth speaks my word, it's sharp,"
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- And anything sharp will cut you.
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- So if you're uncut by the word of god,
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- You're not using what's coming out of his mouth.
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- If you can go day after day,
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- Week after week, month after month,
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- Year after year, and not be cut,
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- Then what he's doing and what you're doing
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- Can't be the same thing because he says,
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- "what's coming out of my mouth is sharp."
- 00:05:14.664 --> 00:05:20.570
- But because today christians in particular--
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- And certainly the society at large--
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- Has lost confidence in god's word,
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- They are going to every other word.
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- They may sprinkle a little bible on it to make it sound good,
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- But they're going to every other word,
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- And they're wondering why the word is not working
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- Because the word that works
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- Must be the word coming out of his mouth,
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- Not the word coming out of your mouth.
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- But, see, what we have today are folk changing books
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- Or dumbing down the book to please other books,
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- Dulling the sword from being able to cut anything.
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- He says, "the sword from my mouth is sharp,
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- And if you're uncut,
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- It can't be coming from my mouth."
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- You follow the logic?
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- If you are unaffected, unchanged,
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- Because the way you know you're affected
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- Is you're changing.
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- So if there's no change, you've not been affected,
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- No matter how much you enjoy the word you heard.
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- Because if you cut, you bleed, okay?
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- He says to the church at pergamum,
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- "the sword that comes out of my mouth, my word,
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- Is sharp."
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- It cuts. it has authority.
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- Having said that, he now commends them in verse 14,
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- "i know where you dwell.
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- I know where you live. i know where you have church.
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- I know the community you're in."
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- He says that to pergamum bible fellowship.
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- "i know where you dwell-- where satan's throne is.
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- And you hold fast my name and did not deny my faith,
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- Even in the days of antipas, my witness, my faithful one
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- Who was killed among you-- where satan dwells."
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- Pergamum was the washington d.c. of satanism.
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- He says, "where the throne of satan is."
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- The throne of satan, he says, is in pergamum.
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- So the devil's headquarters--
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- Because a throne is where you rule from--
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- So the devil's headquarters was in pergamum.
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- In pergamum was pergamum bible fellowship--
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- Was the church there.
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- And it was sitting right in the midst of hell
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- Because satan was owning the location.
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- When they walked through those doors
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- Of wherever they met,
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- They were walking into hell's territory
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- Because satan was running the show.
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- And he compliments them and he says,
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- "but you have kept my name and you kept it so much
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- It cost one of your members--"
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- Or could even been the pastor of the church,
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- Doesn't say who it was.
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- "but one of your members was killed because he
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- Would not compromise my name."
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- He compliments them that, in hell,
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- They still held on to their christian faith.
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- The temptation will be to all of us, at varying levels,
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- To dumb down a commitment to christ
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- Because of the influence of satan or his surrogates.
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- And so he writes this church, telling them,
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- "i recognize what you're going through
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- And that you're seeking to be christian
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- In a realm of caesar worship, of zeus worship,"
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- Because they had temples to all these false gods
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- As well as the government-- caesar, caesar worship.
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- We talked about that last time.
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- If god is not the government or giving the guidelines
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- For the government, men who would like to be god will.
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- Governments that leave god out
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- Seek to become god over the people.
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- That's a whole discussion time will not allow us to get into.
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- But he compliments them and he says,
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- "you're doing this where satan dwells.
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- You're living in a hostile environment."
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- But now he comes to verse 14.
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- He says, "but i have a few things against you."
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- "okay, now i like--
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- I like the fact that you're still claiming me.
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- You're claiming my name.
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- You're claiming christianity in a hostile environment.
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- But i have a problem.
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- Because you have there
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- Some who hold the teachings of balaam,
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- Who kept teaching balaam to put a stumbling block
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- Before the sons of israel,
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- To eat things sacrificed to idols,
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- And to commit acts of immorality."
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- He says, "here's my problem:
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- While you still claim me, you compromise.
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- You still will say, 'i'm a christian,'
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- But you will tolerate compromise."
- 00:10:44.193 --> 00:10:48.831
- So the issue with this church is a lack of conviction.
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- You will compromise like balaam.
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- Now, the story of balaam is found
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- In numbers chapters 22 to chapters 25.
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- So let me summarize the story of balaam.
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- Balaam is a prophet. israel is on the march.
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- Balak--not balaam--balak, who's the king of moab,
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- He's a little scared
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- Because israel's gotten so large and so powerful
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- He's got to do something.
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- So he contacts balaam. balak contacts balaam.
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- Balak says, "balaam, i want you to curse god's people,
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- And we're gonna give you some change to do it.
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- We're gonna give profit for the prophet.
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- We will pay you to curse god's people."
- 00:11:52.728 --> 00:11:57.366
- Balaam consults with god, and god tells him,
- 00:11:57.366 --> 00:11:59.769
- "you can't curse my people; they're my people."
- 00:11:59.769 --> 00:12:03.405
- Balaam--balak ups the price.
- 00:12:03.405 --> 00:12:07.209
- "we'll pay you a little more if you will curse god's people."
- 00:12:07.209 --> 00:12:13.149
- Balaam gets on a donkey.
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- Balaam is riding this donkey to meet with balak.
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- On the way, the angel of the lord stands
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- In front of the donkey.
- 00:12:26.228 --> 00:12:29.598
- So the donkey starts backing up.
- 00:12:29.598 --> 00:12:34.870
- The donkey--balaam hits the donkey, says, "giddy up,"
- 00:12:34.870 --> 00:12:39.408
- Because balaam doesn't see the angel of the lord.
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- He just sees the donkey backing up--wham!
- 00:12:41.277 --> 00:12:44.647
- It says the donkey sees the angel of the lord again
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- And moves over to the side.
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- Balaam wham, whacks it, "get going!"
- 00:12:51.821 --> 00:12:56.358
- The donkey gets going again, sees the angel of the lord,
- 00:12:56.358 --> 00:12:58.961
- Then falls down, okay?
- 00:12:58.961 --> 00:13:02.164
- Balaam whacks it for a third time.
- 00:13:02.164 --> 00:13:06.135
- This time the donkey is tired of getting hit.
- 00:13:06.135 --> 00:13:12.942
- So according to numbers chapter 22,
- 00:13:12.942 --> 00:13:18.180
- The donkey looks back at balaam
- 00:13:18.180 --> 00:13:21.016
- And says, "why you keep hitting me?"
- 00:13:21.016 --> 00:13:26.188
- So we got a talking donkey, all right?
- 00:13:26.188 --> 00:13:31.493
- It gets even worse because balaam talks back
- 00:13:31.493 --> 00:13:35.064
- To the donkey.
- 00:13:35.064 --> 00:13:40.936
- So the donkey's talking to balaam,
- 00:13:40.936 --> 00:13:43.239
- And balaam is talking to the donkey.
- 00:13:43.239 --> 00:13:47.543
- And he says, "you gotta, you gotta, you gotta--
- 00:13:47.543 --> 00:13:50.546
- Why you not taking me where i need to go?"
- 00:13:50.546 --> 00:13:52.348
- Then all of a sudden, the angel of the lord
- 00:13:52.348 --> 00:13:54.750
- Appears to balaam, says, "god was behind this."
- 00:13:54.750 --> 00:13:59.788
- Balaam can't curse the people of god.
- 00:13:59.788 --> 00:14:01.824
- God keeps blocking the curse.
- 00:14:01.824 --> 00:14:05.794
- So balaam tells balak,
- 00:14:05.794 --> 00:14:08.931
- "i'm not gonna be able to curse 'em.
- 00:14:08.931 --> 00:14:10.432
- I know you offered me a lot of money,
- 00:14:10.432 --> 00:14:12.434
- But god's blocking this thing.
- 00:14:12.434 --> 00:14:14.904
- So if you want to get 'em,
- 00:14:14.904 --> 00:14:16.939
- Here's how you got to get israel:
- 00:14:16.939 --> 00:14:19.842
- Make them compromise."
- 00:14:19.842 --> 00:14:24.346
- Says, "intermix them with your women,
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- Get them to marry.
- 00:14:29.818 --> 00:14:32.988
- They will adopt your gods.
- 00:14:32.988 --> 00:14:36.525
- If you would just get them to compromise,
- 00:14:36.525 --> 00:14:39.895
- Then god will curse them for you."
- 00:14:39.895 --> 00:14:42.831
- Ooh, so much theology there.
- 00:14:42.831 --> 00:14:44.867
- I can't curse them because they're god's people,
- 00:14:44.867 --> 00:14:48.604
- But god's character can't stand compromise.
- 00:14:48.604 --> 00:14:52.641
- So if we can get them to compromise--
- 00:14:52.641 --> 00:14:55.811
- Because god's character won't accept compromise,
- 00:14:55.811 --> 00:14:59.381
- God himself will do for you
- 00:14:59.381 --> 00:15:01.951
- What you're asking me to do that i can't do.
- 00:15:01.951 --> 00:15:05.120
- God will interject because god won't accept compromise.
- 00:15:05.120 --> 00:15:11.660
- And so that's exactly what balak did.
- 00:15:11.660 --> 00:15:14.964
- He got them to inter-marry, interconnect.
- 00:15:14.964 --> 00:15:18.834
- He calls it immorality leading to idolatry,
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- Which brought god's judgment on israel.
- 00:15:22.638 --> 00:15:27.643
- So that god was no longer operating
- 00:15:27.643 --> 00:15:29.912
- For the people.
- 00:15:29.912 --> 00:15:32.181
- "what's that got to do with you and me,
- 00:15:32.181 --> 00:15:33.515
- And why is he telling that to them?"
- 00:15:33.515 --> 00:15:35.084
- Guess what he's telling them?
- 00:15:35.084 --> 00:15:37.286
- Compromise will keep god's word
- 00:15:37.286 --> 00:15:40.489
- From cutting anything in your life.
- 00:15:40.489 --> 00:15:44.293
- God's word, a sharp two-edged sword,
- 00:15:44.293 --> 00:15:47.830
- Is there to cut, to cut on your behalf
- 00:15:47.830 --> 00:15:51.333
- And against that which is against you.
- 00:15:51.333 --> 00:15:53.502
- But god's word will not cut when it's been dulled
- 00:15:53.502 --> 00:15:57.573
- By compromise.
- 00:15:57.573 --> 00:16:00.309
- So you can worship all day, say "i love jesus all day."
- 00:16:00.309 --> 00:16:04.313
- But when you compromise biblical values,
- 00:16:04.313 --> 00:16:07.483
- When you compromise biblical truth
- 00:16:07.483 --> 00:16:09.985
- In order to be popular in the culture,
- 00:16:09.985 --> 00:16:12.588
- You might get acceptance from the culture,
- 00:16:12.588 --> 00:16:15.124
- But what you won't get is a two-edged sword for you
- 00:16:15.124 --> 00:16:19.661
- Because you will have dulled the sword
- 00:16:19.661 --> 00:16:24.066
- As it was meant to do--
- 00:16:24.066 --> 00:16:26.335
- So many christians wonder why god is not moving.
- 00:16:26.335 --> 00:16:30.139
- Because of compromise.
- 00:16:30.139 --> 00:16:33.642
- You compromise spiritual value, you compromise with other gods,
- 00:16:33.642 --> 00:16:37.012
- You compromise-- we compromise with lifestyle,
- 00:16:37.012 --> 00:16:39.448
- We compromise in so many ways.
- 00:16:39.448 --> 00:16:41.216
- Well, you need to understand:
- 00:16:41.216 --> 00:16:42.785
- Once you do that, the god who is for you
- 00:16:42.785 --> 00:16:45.421
- Can no longer be for you.
- 00:16:45.421 --> 00:16:51.193
- The god of the bible does not accept compromise
- 00:16:51.193 --> 00:16:54.863
- On biblical principle-- not preferences--principle.
- 00:16:54.863 --> 00:17:01.637
- He says, "and you've got this going on in your church,"
- 00:17:01.637 --> 00:17:04.206
- And he comes to the next verse, and he says who they are.
- 00:17:04.206 --> 00:17:07.443
- He says in verse 15,
- 00:17:07.443 --> 00:17:11.847
- "so you also have some who in the same way
- 00:17:11.847 --> 00:17:16.151
- Hold the teachings of the nicolaitans."
- 00:17:16.151 --> 00:17:19.955
- The nicolaitans were doing the teachings of balaam.
- 00:17:19.955 --> 00:17:23.792
- So here's the problem: they tolerated compromise.
- 00:17:23.792 --> 00:17:31.200
- He says, "you have some in your midst
- 00:17:31.200 --> 00:17:33.268
- Who are teaching this and you're not saying anything."
- 00:17:33.268 --> 00:17:37.339
- So wait a minute.
- 00:17:37.339 --> 00:17:39.208
- Even if you are not compromising but you tolerate compromising--
- 00:17:39.208 --> 00:17:45.814
- You tolerate the nicolaitans.
- 00:17:45.814 --> 00:17:49.017
- That is infecting the church by saying,
- 00:17:49.017 --> 00:17:53.789
- "it's okay to compromise your standards,
- 00:17:53.789 --> 00:17:56.758
- Compromise your morals, compromise your your deities.
- 00:17:56.758 --> 00:18:01.063
- You can compromise, and god understands."
- 00:18:01.063 --> 00:18:06.368
- Let me say it another way: they misunderstood grace.
- 00:18:06.368 --> 00:18:13.242
- One of the greatest words--
- 00:18:13.242 --> 00:18:15.043
- The greatest word-- in the christian language
- 00:18:15.043 --> 00:18:17.446
- Is "grace."
- 00:18:17.446 --> 00:18:19.047
- It means unmerited favor.
- 00:18:19.047 --> 00:18:22.351
- But they did not use grace properly.
- 00:18:22.351 --> 00:18:26.088
- They were using it like romans chapter 6, verse 1:
- 00:18:26.088 --> 00:18:28.757
- "shall we sin that grace may abound?"
- 00:18:28.757 --> 00:18:30.893
- Let's put it another way:
- 00:18:30.893 --> 00:18:32.427
- "shall we sin just because we know god will forgive me?"
- 00:18:32.427 --> 00:18:34.863
- And you've heard people say that: "oh, god?
- 00:18:34.863 --> 00:18:36.865
- God will forgive me."
- 00:18:36.865 --> 00:18:38.634
- So they were using grace as an excuse to sin.
- 00:18:38.634 --> 00:18:43.505
- That is both a misunderstanding and misuse of the greatest word
- 00:18:43.505 --> 00:18:47.576
- In the christian language.
- 00:18:47.576 --> 00:18:49.011
- Here's how you know you are using grace properly.
- 00:18:49.011 --> 00:18:53.048
- You are using grace properly not when it frees you to sin
- 00:18:53.048 --> 00:18:57.019
- But when it is so powerful it's freeing you from sin.
- 00:18:57.019 --> 00:19:02.658
- Shall we sin that grace may abound?
- 00:19:02.658 --> 00:19:04.793
- He says, "god forbid."
- 00:19:04.793 --> 00:19:09.131
- He says at the end of titus chapter 2,
- 00:19:09.131 --> 00:19:11.500
- "grace teaches us to deny ungodliness,"
- 00:19:11.500 --> 00:19:16.371
- Not be comfortable in it.
- 00:19:16.371 --> 00:19:19.775
- That's called having the grace of god in vain.
- 00:19:19.775 --> 00:19:24.079
- The grace of god is designed to free us from compromise,
- 00:19:24.079 --> 00:19:28.283
- Not make us comfortable in compromise.
- 00:19:28.283 --> 00:19:32.120
- That means it's either not understood
- 00:19:32.120 --> 00:19:34.723
- Or it's not applied.
- 00:19:34.723 --> 00:19:36.058
- But the idea is this great word is a powerful word for victory.
- 00:19:36.058 --> 00:19:41.163
- But for nicolaitans-- were letting folk off the hook,
- 00:19:41.163 --> 00:19:46.168
- Making them feel comfortable in their compromise.
- 00:19:46.168 --> 00:19:49.238
- No, your job is not to make yourself
- 00:19:49.238 --> 00:19:54.443
- Or people in your circle of influence
- 00:19:54.443 --> 00:19:56.778
- Feel comfortable in their compromise
- 00:19:56.778 --> 00:19:59.681
- Because their compromise could be messing you up.
- 00:19:59.681 --> 00:20:03.885
- You are not supposed to judge preferences,
- 00:20:03.885 --> 00:20:08.390
- But you are to judge principles.
- 00:20:08.390 --> 00:20:12.227
- This is god's house.
- 00:20:12.227 --> 00:20:14.263
- He doesn't want foreign ideas being communicated in the house.
- 00:20:14.263 --> 00:20:19.801
- One of the major--
- 00:20:19.801 --> 00:20:21.570
- See, a lot of folks don't understand church.
- 00:20:21.570 --> 00:20:23.772
- The job of the church is not to bring
- 00:20:23.772 --> 00:20:25.807
- The world's ideas into the church.
- 00:20:25.807 --> 00:20:28.410
- That's not the job of the church.
- 00:20:28.410 --> 00:20:33.181
- The job of the church is to bring god's word
- 00:20:33.181 --> 00:20:36.985
- To its members,
- 00:20:36.985 --> 00:20:38.620
- Whether or not it agrees with the word out there.
- 00:20:38.620 --> 00:20:42.958
- A lot of folk only want church
- 00:20:42.958 --> 00:20:45.727
- To be made spiritually comfortable,
- 00:20:45.727 --> 00:20:49.564
- Not to be spiritually corrected.
- 00:20:49.564 --> 00:20:52.367
- And unless you come to be corrected--
- 00:20:52.367 --> 00:20:56.338
- As well as inspired-- you have misunderstood.
- 00:20:56.338 --> 00:21:00.375
- And so what we wind up doing is going to dull church.
- 00:21:00.375 --> 00:21:05.480
- There's no sword because nobody getting cut.
- 00:21:05.480 --> 00:21:08.483
- Because he says, "the sword out of my mouth is cutting."
- 00:21:08.483 --> 00:21:14.089
- Refusal to compromise can cost you money.
- 00:21:14.089 --> 00:21:18.160
- Refusal to compromise can cost you relationships.
- 00:21:18.160 --> 00:21:21.430
- Refusal to compromise can cost you position.
- 00:21:21.430 --> 00:21:24.266
- Refusal to compromise can cost you notoriety.
- 00:21:24.266 --> 00:21:27.169
- And so i don't want to stand up here
- 00:21:27.169 --> 00:21:29.771
- And tell you that if you don't compromise,
- 00:21:29.771 --> 00:21:34.276
- It's all gonna work out right then and there,
- 00:21:34.276 --> 00:21:36.712
- And there will be no price.
- 00:21:36.712 --> 00:21:38.046
- It cost antipas his life.
- 00:21:38.046 --> 00:21:42.851
- But if you want to see the two-edged sword,
- 00:21:42.851 --> 00:21:47.456
- You don't just want to have church.
- 00:21:47.456 --> 00:21:48.924
- You don't just want to be, you know, be--
- 00:21:48.924 --> 00:21:51.193
- Sing songs and clap your hands.
- 00:21:51.193 --> 00:21:53.328
- You want the sword and not dulled.
- 00:21:53.328 --> 00:21:58.767
- Then he says it can't be with compromise.
- 00:21:58.767 --> 00:22:01.503
- So he says to them, "i have this against you."
- 00:22:01.503 --> 00:22:06.875
- And it's such a big issue-- compromise is.
- 00:22:06.875 --> 00:22:11.980
- It's such a whopping issue.
- 00:22:11.980 --> 00:22:13.682
- He says, "therefore repent or else i am coming to you
- 00:22:13.682 --> 00:22:19.354
- Quickly, and i will make war with them
- 00:22:19.354 --> 00:22:21.957
- With the word of my mouth."
- 00:22:21.957 --> 00:22:25.127
- And he's talking to his church. "i will make war with them."
- 00:22:25.127 --> 00:22:29.931
- Who's the "them"?
- 00:22:29.931 --> 00:22:31.366
- The nicolaitans who were teaching
- 00:22:31.366 --> 00:22:32.701
- The false doctrine.
- 00:22:32.701 --> 00:22:34.269
- So if you care about them, you better go talk to them.
- 00:22:34.269 --> 00:22:41.676
- You see, you may not be the one compromising.
- 00:22:41.676 --> 00:22:43.645
- You just may be tolerating them.
- 00:22:43.645 --> 00:22:48.483
- He says, "well, if you care about them,
- 00:22:48.483 --> 00:22:51.453
- Before i get to them, you better get to them.
- 00:22:51.453 --> 00:22:56.024
- Because when i get to them, it's not going to be pretty
- 00:22:56.024 --> 00:22:59.027
- Because they're messing up a bunch of other folk."
- 00:22:59.027 --> 00:23:04.800
- He says, "i want you to repent.
- 00:23:04.800 --> 00:23:07.002
- Repent of your compromise,
- 00:23:07.002 --> 00:23:08.804
- And repent of tolerating the compromise of others
- 00:23:08.804 --> 00:23:13.308
- Who are influencing others to compromise."
- 00:23:13.308 --> 00:23:18.780
- Repent, turn away, deal with it in the family of god.
- 00:23:18.780 --> 00:23:25.887
- And then he comes to the great verse, verse 17.
- 00:23:25.887 --> 00:23:30.959
- "he who has an ear,
- 00:23:30.959 --> 00:23:32.427
- Let him hear what the spirit says
- 00:23:32.427 --> 00:23:35.497
- To the churches.
- 00:23:35.497 --> 00:23:37.966
- To him who overcomes,
- 00:23:37.966 --> 00:23:40.235
- To him i will give some of the hidden manna,
- 00:23:40.235 --> 00:23:43.505
- And i will give him a white stone
- 00:23:43.505 --> 00:23:45.240
- And a new name written on the stone
- 00:23:45.240 --> 00:23:48.243
- Which no one knows but he who receives it."
- 00:23:48.243 --> 00:23:54.249
- Okay, he that hath an ear, let him hear.
- 00:23:54.249 --> 00:23:57.052
- Because just because you can--
- 00:23:57.052 --> 00:23:58.820
- You have an ear doesn't mean you hear.
- 00:23:58.820 --> 00:24:02.657
- We've all talked to people who can repeat what you said,
- 00:24:02.657 --> 00:24:05.093
- But you know they weren't paying attention.
- 00:24:05.093 --> 00:24:07.896
- So that means "pay attention. this is big."
- 00:24:07.896 --> 00:24:11.266
- "he that hath an ear--"
- 00:24:11.266 --> 00:24:12.901
- So now while he's talking to the churches,
- 00:24:12.901 --> 00:24:15.337
- He says, "i'm speaking to every individual."
- 00:24:15.337 --> 00:24:17.038
- So now it's self-examination.
- 00:24:17.038 --> 00:24:20.976
- "to the one who overcomes--" that's our word "nikao," "nike."
- 00:24:20.976 --> 00:24:26.715
- Overcomes what?
- 00:24:26.715 --> 00:24:28.183
- Overcomes the temptation to compromise
- 00:24:28.183 --> 00:24:29.818
- Or to tolerate compromising.
- 00:24:29.818 --> 00:24:32.020
- "to the one who overcomes,
- 00:24:32.020 --> 00:24:33.421
- To the one who operates by divine conviction,
- 00:24:33.421 --> 00:24:39.427
- Particularly among believers--"
- 00:24:39.427 --> 00:24:41.096
- Because he's talking to what was happening
- 00:24:41.096 --> 00:24:42.430
- In the church.
- 00:24:42.430 --> 00:24:43.865
- You can't control what non-believers do.
- 00:24:43.865 --> 00:24:46.268
- But in the family of god, to care for one another
- 00:24:46.268 --> 00:24:49.137
- Means that we need to correct, help, challenge one another
- 00:24:49.137 --> 00:24:52.407
- When we are compromising on biblical principles.
- 00:24:52.407 --> 00:24:58.213
- "to the one who overcomes, here's what i'm going to do.
- 00:24:58.213 --> 00:25:02.884
- I'm going to give him, first, hidden manna."
- 00:25:02.884 --> 00:25:07.188
- Hidden manna, okay.
- 00:25:07.188 --> 00:25:11.593
- Remember, some things god does, some things god does--
- 00:25:11.593 --> 00:25:14.696
- Some of it is in time,
- 00:25:14.696 --> 00:25:16.798
- And some of it is in eternity, okay?
- 00:25:16.798 --> 00:25:19.434
- We don't get it all now.
- 00:25:19.434 --> 00:25:20.769
- We get some of it now, some of it later, okay?
- 00:25:20.769 --> 00:25:23.638
- "but if you overcome,
- 00:25:23.638 --> 00:25:25.273
- What i will give you is hidden manna."
- 00:25:25.273 --> 00:25:27.208
- He says, "and then i'm gonna give the one who overcomes--
- 00:25:27.208 --> 00:25:31.713
- I'm gonna give him a white stone."
- 00:25:31.713 --> 00:25:33.782
- That's what he says in verse 17.
- 00:25:33.782 --> 00:25:35.183
- "i'm gonna give him a white-- gonna give him hidden manna.
- 00:25:35.183 --> 00:25:37.218
- Then i'm gonna give him a white stone."
- 00:25:37.218 --> 00:25:38.820
- And how special you are will determine
- 00:25:38.820 --> 00:25:42.824
- Some of what you get now and some of your rewards then
- 00:25:42.824 --> 00:25:46.161
- Predicated on how you view your commitment of compromising.
- 00:25:46.161 --> 00:25:52.767
- "so you carry my name-- i like that--
- 00:25:52.767 --> 00:25:55.670
- But you compromise and tolerate compromising."
- 00:25:55.670 --> 00:26:00.442
- Now, none of us is perfect,
- 00:26:00.442 --> 00:26:01.810
- But he's talking about a toleration of it,
- 00:26:01.810 --> 00:26:05.413
- Rather than a resistance to it.
- 00:26:05.413 --> 00:26:07.482
- One day the king of kings and lord of lords
- 00:26:07.482 --> 00:26:10.919
- Is gonna step forward.
- 00:26:10.919 --> 00:26:13.655
- And when he steps forward, all of the believers will be
- 00:26:13.655 --> 00:26:17.058
- Around the throne.
- 00:26:17.058 --> 00:26:18.994
- But don't you want to be one of the folk?
- 00:26:18.994 --> 00:26:21.896
- You know, "oh, billy, i see you over there, billy.
- 00:26:21.896 --> 00:26:26.001
- You walked with me during your life.
- 00:26:26.001 --> 00:26:27.435
- Ruth, i see you over there, ruth.
- 00:26:27.435 --> 00:26:29.971
- You were a faithful servant of mine.
- 00:26:29.971 --> 00:26:32.207
- Betty, i see you over there, betty.
- 00:26:32.207 --> 00:26:34.676
- Girl, you hung in there for me.
- 00:26:34.676 --> 00:26:37.212
- Daniel, i see you over there, daniel.
- 00:26:37.212 --> 00:26:40.181
- I thank you for hanging in there with me."
- 00:26:40.181 --> 00:26:43.184
- All of us will be a part of the crowd
- 00:26:43.184 --> 00:26:45.654
- Who know jesus christ,
- 00:26:45.654 --> 00:26:47.122
- But only some will get their names called
- 00:26:47.122 --> 00:26:49.858
- Because they refuse to compromise
- 00:26:49.858 --> 00:26:52.694
- And stood up for the values of the kingdom of god.
- 00:26:52.694 --> 00:26:57.198
- ♪♪♪
- 00:26:57.198 --> 00:27:21.189
- Male: that's right. all: hey!
- 00:27:01.169 --> 00:27:23.525
- ♪♪♪
- 00:27:23.525 --> 00:27:23.525