00:00 (music) This media has been presented to you by the Maryland Men of Faith where men are challenged and encouraged to form the character of Christ. For more information please visit MMOF.org (music).

00:32 Holy Father in Heaven, You sent the invitation to me; I did not go seeking it. And so I have come at Your command. I ask You now Father, having brought me, don’t abandon me; help me. Give me the write words, dear God, and help me to say them with the right attitude, the right spirit, because I am a sinner. Bless my brothers. Every person is different in Your eyes. But one sermon can touch every life if You will handle that sermon. And so I give myself to You, God. Use me, Father, I offer no resistance. Speak through me and bless Your sons. I pray in Jesus’ name amen.

01:15 Our subject: [The Bible Man] Son’s of Issachar. The theme for today: Give Me This Mountain. Give me this mountain. What is the mountain and who is the person saying Give me this mountain? And if God gives the mountain to him—I say him because we are all men—what will become of the mountain? Is he a good manager? Is he a good caretaker? Will the mountain be placed in reliable hands if God grants the request Give me this mountain? Let me introduce a principle with which you're familiar. Let's go to Genesis 1. Who wrote the book of Genesis? (Moses)—reading from the King James Version if you have that version, you may read with me. Genesis 1:31, the Bible says “And God saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good.” Give me other words that can take the place of very good. “And God saw everything that He had made and behold it was (perfect) (excellent) (awesome) (flawless) (magnificent) (beautiful) (amazing)—the most popular adjective in the United States—amazing. Anything else? (great) (incomparable)—incomparable, yes (perfect)—another word for perfect with respect to Adam and Eve (Godlike)—sinless. God made on the 1^st day (light), 2^nd day (firmament), 3^rd day (waters gathered; earth & plants appeared), 4^th day (luminaries), 5^th day (sea creatures & fowls), He made humans last on the 6^th day. This means He made a perfect world FIRST; then He ushered in perfect people to run a perfect world. That's profound; the Bible says it. God's original desire is that a perfect world be run by perfect people. Let me use a more popular word: a perfect world should be managed by sinless people. Will God make a new heaven and a new earth? (yes) What is He doing to us now to prepare us to run that new world? He's perfecting us: that's the process of removing sin from our life. When He completes that process we will be perfect then He will make a perfect world. The first time God created He made the world first then He made perfect people without asking them if they wanted to be made—then He tested them and they chose an imperfect situation and we're suffering. This time around God is making perfect people first and asking them Do you want to live in a perfect world? if the answer is yes then you must be a perfect person. God makes the person perfect first; then He will place them in a perfect world. In other words, they are deciding now: I want to live in a perfect world. God wants a perfect world run by perfect people; that has not changed. Let's look at it individually. Let's go to Genesis 7:1 the Bible says “And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.” What one word describes Noah? (righteous) that's the way he was. God called Noah to preach. 2 Peter 2:5 “And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness”—why is he called the eighth person? (from Adam) He was described as a preacher of righteousness. How was he described in Genesis 7:1? (righteous) So we have a message of righteousness preached by a righteous man. God requires holy things to be managed by holy people. 2 Peter 1:20, 21 this is a long lead up to the Sons of Issachar “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. ²¹For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” The Bible is the Holy Book, the Holy Word of God; it was written by holy men—a holy book must be written by holy men—a holy message must be preached by holy people—a holy world must be run by holy people. The Bible frequently represents God's Kingdom as a mountain: Mt Zion—mountains figure prominently—Mt Moriah, Mt Nebo, Mt Pisgah, Mt Horeb, Mt of Olives. Yes, in the Bible mountains figure prominently. God is almost always presented as dwelling on a mountain not in a valley because the mountain represents the position of advantage. You're fighting a war, you occupy the high ground. Psalm 121:1 “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.” Mountains represent God's power; God's place of residence; God’s place of administration—who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? [Psalms 24:3] Now we’re saying give me that mountain. These are Israelites. Caleb said I’m 80. I’m as good as I was at 40, give me that mountain. We know Caleb was a man of a different spirit from the other 10 spies; 12 went—they should not have gone but they went—only 2 came back and said we can conquer the land (Joshua and Caleb). The Bible says a different spirit was in them from the other 10 who said no, forget it; we can't do this. Because of that, Caleb and Joshua, were the only 2 adults to enter the Promised Land. All the other adults died in the wilderness. By God's arrangement when Moses died the leadership went to Joshua. By the way, the Israelites were more obedient under Joshua than they were under Moses. And Caleb comes to his friend Joshua, who had a similar spirit, and says give me that mountain. Joshua knew the kind of man Caleb was; Joshua knew he could entrust that mountain to Caleb who would drive out the enemy and let it be occupied by God's people. And so a holy man was given territory that God had earmarked for His people. Today, you and I are saying give me that mountain. Let's say the mountain is your family; the mountain is your individual church; the mountain is your conference. And you're saying to God give me that mountain. What kind of a man says give me that mountain? Let me introduce to you the Bible's version of a man. The Bible's version of a man; not television's version; not the NFL version; not the baseball version nor cricket’s version—depending on where you're from—the Bible’s version of a man, my brothers, a Bible man is hard work; it’s a heavy responsibility; it's not easy being a Bible man. Let’s go to Genesis 1:26 “And God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” God said Let us make man in Our image. Who is Our? the Father and the Son because if you read Hebrews 1:1 “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, ²Hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds.” So the world was created through Christ at the request, the command, of the Father. Let me say it again: creation was done by Christ, at the request, or command, of the Father—Let us make man in Our image. But what was the relationship between the Father and the Son so we can understand the image of God? Ellen White writes in Patriarchs and Prophets page 45, Par. 2 “Man was to bear God's image, both in outward resemblance and in character.” [PP 1:45.2] So Adam looked like God even though no one has seen God. More importantly his character was like God. So when God said name the animals every name Adam chose, God agreed. He didn't change one. And there are probably hundreds. Every single name Adam chose God agreed because their minds were one. By the way, this can be our privilege today: to be so connected to God that what we're thinking is what God is thinking. You and I through Christ can be so connected to God that what we're thinking is what He's thinking and vice-a-versa because God's standard has never, never been lowered. And so the Son and the Father—the union between the two is part of the image of God; not just the character, a morally upright character, but the interaction between Father and Son. The Son always subject to the Father even though the Bible teaches each one was essentially equal, same substance. Hebrews 1:3 “Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person”—the Father and the Son are the same in substance, in matter They’re the same but in function the Son has always obeyed the Father. Now, the Father says to the Son Let us make man and let them function the way We do. That one will be subject to the other. This is part of the image of God; one in a position of leadership; the other in a position of cooperation and following. Let's look at the creation of Adam, the creation of Eve as we continue Sons of Issachar. By the way, Issachar in Genesis 49:14 the Bible says “Issachar is a strong ass couching down between two burdens.” And I want you to see that the burden that rests upon the shoulder of a Bible man is a heavy burden. Genesis 2:7 “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” When that was done Eve was not yet made. Genesis 2:7 is referring only to Adam not Eve. Eve was not made directly from the dust of the ground; Adam was. And God said Let's make them in Our image. So when God made Adam, Adam was a direct image of God; he received that image directly from God. Genesis 2:21 the Bible says “And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and He [God] took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof.” What was the building matter God used to make Adam? (dust)—of the ground. What did He use to make Eve? (a rib)—from Adam “and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof. ²²And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made He a woman, and brought her unto the man.” Adam received the image of God directly. Eve also had the image of God. God doesn't have two images so how did Eve get it? through Adam. Who did that? God did. Now, in this modern world of sociology and feminism, that's unfair; but since God did it, it's right. (Amen!) So Adam received God's image directly from God. Eve received God's image through Adam. Eve received God's image through Adam and God arranged it that way so now Eve was dependent upon Adam, to some degree. In Patriarchs and Prophets page 46, Par.2 Ellen White writes “Eve was created from a rib taken from the side of Adam, signifying that she was not to control him as the head, nor to be trampled under his feet as an inferior, but to stand by his side as an equal, to be loved and protected by him”—the one protecting has to be stronger. The one being protected needs protection because that person has a degree of vulnerability.—“A part of man, bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh, she was his second self, showing the close union and the affectionate attachment that should exist in this relation.” [PP 1:46.2]

19:57 Let me pray again. Father, as I enter what may be to some “uncharted territories” grant me simple language, Father, take all the glory, dear God, but give us understanding. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen (amen). Early Writings page 148, Par. 1 “Satan knew that the woman would not fall alone.” [EW 34:148.1] Always remember the devil was the most intelligent being God ever made, more intelligent than Gabriel. Testimonies for the Church Volume 1 page 342, Par. 1 “All should understand that satan was once an exalted angel. His rebellion shut him out of heaven, but did not destroy his powers and make him a beast.” [1T 66:342.1] All the powers he had before he fell, he took with him. So he knows. When he saw the creation of Adam and Eve he realized let me go for her because I can't get him if I go straight to him. The servant of the Lord tells us satan knew the woman would not fall alone. If I get her, I'll get him. Also in Early Writings page 147, Par.2 she writes “satan began his work with Eve” [EW 34:147.2]. Here's the controversial part—I'll say it quietly, quickly, and carefully—here's a man, here's a woman. They were made differently; in psychology; in disposition; the flattery that the devil used on Eve would not have worked on Adam but it worked on Eve. By the way, it still works today. The flattery that worked on Eve would not have worked on Adam. In other words, the devil knew Eve was easier to get than Adam. They were different because God made them different so one would depend on the other. So God made them in such a way that both had to realize: Eve had to realize I need to be close to my husband, being close to him is a source of strength and security for me; Adam had to realize I need to protect my wife, I'm her protector not her abuser. She doesn't come to me to be abused and be sent to the emergency room. She comes to me to be protected because if she goes from me she's vulnerable. God made them that way. That one would feel the need for the other. And Adam was to feel the need for Eve because without her, he was incomplete; as strong as he might have been. The man who wants that mountain is the man who realizes I have a solemn responsibility to be a source of protection and strength to the women in my life—I don’t mean the girlfriends; I mean mother, wife, sister, niece—women should find in me strength. That’s a heavy burden for someone who was born with a carnal nature—that's a heavy burden. A large percentage of women who are killed in the United States are killed by their husbands or their lovers. A frightening percent are killed by husbands or lovers. God’s arrangement was for women to be preserved, protected, and built up by men because that was God's design. Genesis 3:1 the Bible says “Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made”—here's a serpent, here's a cow. Have you ever seen a cow in a circus? (no) they're stupid. Cows are stupid animals. They make good burgers but they’re stupid animals. I'm not promoting meat eating but have you seen a seal, have you seen an elephant? (yes) God deliberately made some animals more intelligent than others. And when he made human beings he made one tougher than the other so the one not so tough could find her toughness in that man. What I’m about to tell you keep to yourself unless the Holy Ghost tells you to spread it: satan chooses women for he can use them more successfully than he can men. This has been the case since back in the Garden of Eden. Let me say it again satan chooses women for he can use them more successfully than he can men. You take that and work all the way back; the devil knew if he went to Adam by himself he would never have gotten them; he used the woman to get the man. The man who wants that mountain must understand that God made him in such a way that he is to be a constant source of strength to the weaker vessel, which the Bible calls women [1 Peter 3:7]. You and I are required by God to be a strong tower for the weaker vessel. The Bible says “the name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.” [Proverbs 18:10] That’s what we should be to our women. Let's look at the Bible man again; the burden of being a man. [Genesis 1:26] “And God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them have dominion”—in the book Confrontation page 10, Par. 4 Ellen White writes these words “Adam was crowned king in Eden.” You search Ellen White’s writings she never says Eve was crowned king. “Adam was crowned king in Eden. To him was given dominion over every living thing that God had created. The Lord blessed Adam and Eve with intelligence such as He had not given to any other creature. He made Adam the rightful sovereign over all the works of His hands” [Con 2:10.4]—one sentence says Adam was crowned king. The next sentence says Adam was given dominion. God gave both of them intelligence. Then it states Adam was made the rightful sovereign; not Eve. I’m not minimizing Eve. I'm simply highlighting God's arrangement which to our carnal mind seems unfair. But the man who wants that mountain must understand God has given him responsibility that is heavy because to whom much is given, much is required. [Luke 12:48] So if you're a man walking around saying God made me tougher than women, God requires more of you. God requires more of you in your home. What’s the spiritual condition of your home?—God looks at you. Who sinned first in the Garden of Eden? (Eve)—but to whom did God speak first? Adam, what’s the problem? I put you in charge, how could you let this happen? He spoke to Adam first; not Eve, even though she sinned first. God is not always chronological. God goes with regard to positions of responsibility. Adam, come there's a crisis in your home; you talk to me first. Adam, where art thou? My brothers, do you want that Mountain? Are you aware you are supposed to be a source of strength to the women in your lives? Am I aware that I carry tremendous burdens with this gift of dominion? Do I care for God's environment? Do I contribute to the pollution of society? Do I kill animals for no good reason and call it hunting? Do I exercise Godly dominion? The Bible says “over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air”—everything came under Adam and he had to exercise dominion the way God exercises dominion—that's a man, that's a Bible man. What else is there about the Bible man? And God said “Let them have dominion”—not ownership. With ownership Adam did not have to report to God because it's mine. But if he's a steward, he has to report to the Boss. (Amen.) With dominion there was built-in accountability. Talk to Me. Tell Me. What's going on in your house? What's going on with your children? Where are your sons? Where are your daughters? Where are your teenage children? Talk to Me. Don't tell Me you're the man, you wear the boots. You talk to Me. What's going on in your home? it's your responsibility, says God. And if you don't want it, you be the woman. What kind of a man wants that mountain? A man who is a source of strength; a man who is a protector; a man who has dominion and a man who realizes he’s accountable to someone above him. That's the man who can safely take that mountain and take care of the mountain the way it ought to be taken care of so that it flourishes and those who live there are happy and blessed. The enemy can never enter in. Why? because that mountain is managed by a Bible man; he carries the burdens of being a male—strength, protector, dominion, accountability. He carries it. He also carries the burden of primacy. What do I mean by primacy? He was made first. 1 Timothy 2:11-13 “Let the women learn in silence with all subjection. ¹²But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. ¹³For Adam was first formed, then Eve.” This means God deliberately made them in the order He did to emphasize one point: you're in charge. But what kind of in charge is this? it has to follow the image of God. Here's the image of God: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”—that's love. [John 15:13] Jesus says that, because He lay down His life. And so we read in 1 John 3:16 “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” So that is why you were made first, you were made with protective powers, you’re a source of strength, you’re given dominion, you’re given accountability—all of that so that in the carrying out of your work you are sacrificing yourself for the benefit of somebody else. Leadership in God’s view is self-sacrifice. Let me illustrate it. This is a candle on a candle stick. I light it and it starts to give light to the house but as the children enjoy the light and the wife enjoys the light what happens to the candle? It goes down. It gives itself. That is the role of a Bible man. The Bible says [Ephesians 5:22] “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto Christ. ²³For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.” We’re talking about a Bible man that wants this mountain. What does it mean by “he is the saviour of the body?” Here comes Eve with that fruit. Adam knows something's wrong; now he has a choice: be faithful to God or stick with Eve. The Bible says “he is the savior of the body.” Ellen White tells us that Jesus told satan if you repent I'll put you back in your position. I will restore you if you repent because God's forgiveness includes restoration. When we forgive—we forgive in Maryland but we ask you to move to Tennessee. When God forgives, He restores relationships. So if Lucifer had repented Christ would have restored him. Then why would He not have done that for Eve? Here's how Adam could have been “the savior of the body.” Adam should have said, Sweetheart, you made a mess. It's my fault. I allowed you to drift from me, and you left your protective zone. But we have to put God first. Come with me. Let me take you to God, stand behind me. Father, it's my fault. My wife sinned. I'm sorry. I come to intercede for her. If you have to kill someone, kill me. Now he's done nothing—who does that sound like? (Jesus Christ) But I love her, kill me—God can't do that. But here’s how modern men do like ancient Adam. Let me illustrate it this way: I was in Mombasa, Kenya conducting a crusade. I’m leaving the hotel one sabbath morning and the driver and I wave to the guard. The driver invites him to the meeting. He says I’m an Adventist—an Adventist then why are you working on the sabbath?—I have no choice I have a family. That's not the thinking of a Bible man. The Bible man will say I have a God and He comes first above everybody else. The worldly man will say to the admiration of the world I have a family. [And the world says:] You, I admire because you put your family ahead of God. Yep, admired north, south, east, and west because that's a worldly man; but the Bible man puts God first ALL THE TIME. When Adam fell from being a Bible man to being a worldly man God’s response is found in Genesis 3:17 “And unto Adam He said, because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife”—He didn't tell Eve, because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of the serpent—which she did but she was not in charge! Adam was. You were the man in charge—so God said—because you listened to the voice of your wife. Why did you listen to her, not that she doesn't have intelligence, but you realized she was wrong? Why do that?—curse is the ground for thy sake. My brothers, this world is cursed because a Bible man chose to be a worldly man. And here we are today and we still make that mistake today. Do you think that story is in the Bible just to fill out pages? (no) That story is placed for us that we might not make the same mistake. “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” [Romans 15:4] Let's leave Adam and Eve for a while and let's go to Abraham and Sarah. Abraham is the father of the faithful. Here comes his wife Abraham, my clock is ticking; nothing is happening. Why don't you try with Hagar? In other words Why don't you commit adultery? Abraham said Hagar you have a minute?—what could she say she was a slave? And here comes Ishmael. Abraham listened to wisdom that was contrary to God’s. He should have said to Sarah Darling, I know God is making us wait but God has a schedule, let's follow His timetable. If He has promised it, He will do it. Sarah, my darling, hold on. Then take her for a ride in the desert that night—get a camel with two humps: one for him, one for Sarah. Go riding into the desert and tell her God will do this, my darling, don't rush. He didn’t and the Arabs and the Israelis are still killing each other, today; because a Bible man behaved like a worldly man. As I come to the down slope of this message, why do you want the mountain?—to turn an orchard into a desert?—to fill it with sinners? Why do you want that mountain? What makes you qualified to occupy that mountain for God? you alone can answer that but you must be able to say I am a Bible man. I realize why God made men in connection with women. I realize my place as a man—as a source of strength—I am a protector—my wife is closer to God when she's close to me—I am a saviour of the body—I have dominion—I have to give an account to God for that over which I have dominion: my family—I realize God comes first if necessary, and if I have to make a choice, I'll choose God—God can count on that man—I'll choose God. You know what Joshua said in Joshua 24:15? “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose ye this day whom you will serve; …but as for me and my house”—what did he mean by my house? His family. Was he part of the family? Yes. So he could have said as for my house we will serve the Lord. He could have said that and be correct. But why does he say as for me and my house? because in his family he's still an individual responsible to God. In other words, if my family leaves God I will still serve Him. How many of us can look our families in the eye and say that? I have a very precious friend in a certain place of the world. And her son left the church because he no longer believed what we teach. Nice fellow but academic degrees do not protect you from error. Only the Bible—and it mustn't just stay in a page, it must get into your head by study and obedience—into the head by study; into the heart by obedience. He no longer follows the teachings of the church. He goes to a Sunday church. If I ever left the church, I'm not going to church. I'm just not going to church. Now his wife believes in the teachings but she went with him. Why did she follow him? What should she have said to him? No. Honey, I love you—because even though the woman was made in such a way that she gains strength from the man,—I know it’s men’s day but men, we’re not complete without a woman—when Eve was made the Bible says [Genesis 2:21] “And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam”— not just a sleep, a deep sleep. Sleep represents death. So Adam was practically dead. When God made Adam, Eve didn't exist. For all intents and purposes, when God made Eve, Adam didn't exist. In other words, God is saying this is between Adam and Me, so there's no Eve. This is between Eve and Me, so there's no Adam. Once He had established Eve then He brought Adam into the picture. So even though Adam was made strong, a protector, a source of strength, God still wants Eve to understand you have an individual responsibility to put Me first AT ALL TIMES, because when I met you, when you opened your eyes the first person you saw was Me; not a boyfriend. When Adam opened His eyes the first person he saw was God, not a woman. By the way young men, you're looking for girlfriend? See God first. Don't see a woman first; look for God, see God first. Only a Bible man has a right to say give me that mountain. If you're not a Bible man you will ruin the mountain. God called Israel, gave them the temple, but a few hundred years later Jesus said your house is left unto you desolate [Matthew 23:38] and He had told them to build it but because of the way they managed that house and their behavior He left it. God gives you that mountain; you're not a Bible Man? God may say to you your mountain is left unto you desolate. And so today I ask Are you willing to be a Bible man that carries the burdens of being a man? What are the burdens? leadership—you’re a source of strength—you’re a spiritual power to your wife and to the women in your life—you are the saviour of the body—you carry those burdens as a son of Issachar bowing down between two burdens. How many will say Father, help me to be a Bible Man? May I see your right hand? Stand up with me—a Bible man. Tell me what a Bible man does not do with respect to his wife and family. What does he not do? he does not abuse—does not cheat—he does not ignore—he does not criticize all the time making the woman shrivel up—he does not abandon—he does not lie and mislead—he does not stop his leadership role—he does not avoid family worship so he can catch the N.F.L.—he does not put himself first—he’s a Bible man—a son of Issachar bowing down under the burden of being a man. It’s easy to be a woman if you look at it Biblically. It's tough to be a man but that's why God made you a man because he has tough things for you to do. We’re standing to say Father, I want to be a Bible man. God is a God of confirmation. If you still stand by your commitment, may I see your right hand again? Hands down. Heads bowed. Father, we thank You for Your word, dear God. We thank You because You know how to do things. You do everything well; as the song says Jesus doeth all things well.

45:50 Dear God, the arrangement You made between men and women, that's what You wanted, that is part of Your image, and there's no conflict between You and Your Son. Help us to live by that image, dear God. Look at my brothers; they don't look at me. Father, if there's distance between us and the ideal Bible man, narrow that distance and eliminate me, God, as we come in line with what You would describe as a Bible man—a man of leadership—a man of dominion—a man of accountability—a man who is a saviour—a man who practices self-sacrificial leadership. Dear God, let us be attracted to that kind of man; not the man the world presents on television. Bless my brothers, dear God, and yes, Father, give us this mountain that we may soon manage this mountain that Christ’s coming will be hastened. I pray from my heart in Jesus’ name. Let the Bible men say amen and amen.

46:40 (music) We hope this presentation from the Maryland Men of Faith has been a blessing to you. Your feedback is welcomed. Please visit us at MMOF.org (music).

The Bible Man

Parent Conference

Sponsor

Recorded

Sound Doctrine