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Restoration Ministry

Restoration 2005: To The Point

Randy Skeete

What I Like About Mohammad

The Real Truth About Sin

Can God Feel My Pain?

James Kyle

Clean, but Empty

A Dean’s Letter from God

How to Live Without Fear

The Science of the Resurrection

World’s Greatest Crime

Research Suggests. So Does God.

How to Read Your Boyfriend’s Mind

How Safe is Safe Sex?

Lose Weight, Find Life

Are You Right or Righteous?

The Horror of Horoscopes

What and Where is the Kingdom of God?

Are There Degrees in Heaven?

All or Nothing

Phil Mills

Bible Study Hour

A Better Life Is Here

Question and Answer Session

God Used It. It Worked. You Try It.


Pastor Skeet, growing up my parents taught me that the Bible said that Christians shouldn't wear too much makeup and no jewelry at all. But being a rebellious child, I found texts that proved my parents wrong, like the father of the prodigal son putting a ring on his son's finger, kings of Israel wearing crowns, and other texts like that. Pastor Skeet, I'm not trying to hurt my parents. I just feel that they are being a little too legalistic on my taste and fashion. What do you and the Bible have to say about this?

Well I have nothing to say, I'll tell you what the Bible has to say. With respect to the prodigal son, which is found in Luke chapter 15 verse 11 to 32. If you read the text in the context of the culture then you'll understand that when the Bible says, and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet, the ring was not a piece of jewelry. In today's world when we want to make a document official, what do we do? We sign.

In those days, the signature was a mark. It was a seal that was affixed to a clay tablet, usually made of wax or some impressionable material which would subsequently harden and render that mark of authority prominent. And so what the father was demonstrating was his total reception of that boy back into his household. And so by giving him the ring he gave him the symbol of authority to transact business. It was not a piece of outward decoration.

I have a pen right in this pocket here with which I sign what I have to sign. Back then the pen was worn right here. It was not decoration, it was an official document, an official instrument for making documents valid. Now in Daniel 6 verse 17 when Daniel was put into the lion's den the Bible says and a stone was brought and laid upon the mouth of the den and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his Lords. The signet was again the official sign.

So when the king sealed that tomb it meant no 1 was to open that tomb and release Daniel. He sealed it with his own signet which he carried. When Judah had that adulterous affair with a woman who he thought was a prostitute not knowing she was his daughter-in-law, he had no money at the time to pay this prostitute and she said, well leave me something as some sort of assurance that when you come back you'll pay me and 1 of the things he left was his signet. Tremendous thing to leave. So when he went back several months later and the girl had removed her prostitute disguise and he had found out that she had sinned, she had gotten pregnant, for him he didn't know it, he went out to kill her.

We must kill sinners. So when he went to get her by the scruff of the neck she presented to him the signet and his heart broke because he recognized that this thing she had represented him and he said she is more righteous than I am in Genesis 35 reading from verse 1 the Bible says and God said unto Jacob arise go up to Bethel and make they an altar unto God that appeared unto thee, when thou fleddest from the face of thy brother Esau. And in verse 2 the Bible says, Then Jacob spake unto his household, and to all that were with him, and said, put away the strange gods that are among you and be clean and change your garment. Now in verse 4 the text goes on to say and they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods that which were in their hands and all the earrings which were in their ears and that simply represents everything earrings whatever hangs here here from around the ankles the back of your neck wherever you have them gave them up the Bible says and Jacob hid them under the tree which was by Shechem because God said purify yourself now you're going up to Bethel Bethel means house of God Jacob had finally settled the dispute with Esau they had put away they buried the hatchet so to speak We have in verse chapter 34 the story of Dinah who was raped by the Shechemite prince.

Now in 35 God is saying a different stage in your life come to Shechem, to Bethel the house of God, make an altar. You're coming to worship now with all the baggage of the past removed. Clean yourself and part of the cleaning of the self is the removal of that which God did not put on us when he made us. In Revelation chapter 12 verse 1 the Bible says, And they appeared of great wonder in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun and the moon under her feet and upon her head a crown of 12 stars. This woman represents the true church and all that makes her shine and glitter come from outside of her.

Are you following me? That which makes her glitter comes from outside of her now look at the other woman in Revelation they're only 2, Revelation 17 verse 4 and the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, that's the whore and decked with gold precious stones and pearls having a golden cup in her hand, full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication. There are 2 women in Revelation. 1 represents the true church and that which covers her was put on her by God is the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel must be seen in how we look.

The woman representing the false church is decked because she decked herself. Gold. Now the word decked means, I mean decked out. Gold and precious stones and pearls. Her beauty comes from the earth.

That's where gold comes from, precious stones and pearls. The light of the true church comes from the Sun, which is from above, the moon from above, and the stars from above. When Adam and Eve sinned, the first act, the first creation of man was something to put on the outside. The first act of creation by human beings was something to improve the way they look on the outside to fix up to give a false appearance to what was on the inside. When God came Genesis 321 he removed it and so Genesis 321 says unto Adam also unto his wife did the Lord God make what coats of skins and clothed them now there were literal coats of skins but because there were skins it meant someone had to die, something.

The animals died representing Jesus Christ. When we dress, somehow we must reflect the plan of salvation. We must look like those for whom Jesus shed his blood. God removed what they made themselves and he put on them that which would ever remind them of the sacrifice that would be made 4, 000 years later. In dress, in eating, in recreation, in everything we do, Christ must be seen in us.

I was conducting a crusade, I'm taking a lot of time for this is serious because today is the last day, I was doing a crusade in the country, won't say which 1, and in the hotel where I stayed after leaving the crusade, preaching, counseling, I'd get back to the hotel 11 o'clock at night or 1030 and that time of the night the ladies of the night came out you know who the ladies of the night are it's not there's a plant in the West Indies called lady of the night I'm not referring to that plant They came out and they were dressed a certain way Tight pants Low blouses Why it was part of the business to advertise A prostitute knows if you want to catch a man, give him a peep. Well just let him get a peek. That's how you generate business. You've never seen a prostitute wearing a whole long gown and her face covered up? No, she'd be out of business that same day.

They do not dress like that. They dress to generate business. Let's be honest. Now, I'd go to the tent to do the crusade and the ladies from the local churches some of them they dress the same way So I said from the pulpit wait a minute stop confusing me. I Want to be sure that the women outside my hotel, they are there to sell something and so they advertise.

Now I don't want to think that of you. I have to assume that's not your purpose. But you are doing the same thing in a certain sense. You are advertising. No 1 dresses scantily accidentally.

You look in your closet and you say, 2 motivations you have in mind, not a woman but let me tell you what I've seen and learned. 2 motivations in the mind of a woman 1 I need to outdress the other women I don't expect a men's don't give me them I need to look better than other women A woman's first concern is not to dress for a man, but to look better than other women. Now motivation too. Just in case that doesn't work, let me make sure something is showing that accomplishes what I have in mind. Attract somebody's attention.

I was listening to 2 women at my church back in wherever I'm from, I won't mention that church either, and 1 was advising the other 1 how to get a husband. I'm not joking. She said, girl that dress is too long. She said, what you're wearing is too loose. She said, tighten it up so the men can see.

Now this is very serious. In Genesis chapter 4, the story of Cain and Abel, 7 times we're told that Abel was his brother. It's the only place in Scripture where we have the birth of siblings and we're told over and over, his brother, his brother, meaning we have a responsibility for 1 another men are affected by what they see you come to church dress any way you like and men have a hard time focusing on the gospel. Not because they're not children of God but because they're made a certain way. Instead of you know 1 of these days Loma Linda said using all the health studies do a survey of what goes on in the mind of a man when a woman in a tight pants walks by.

Do that survey, you'll be shocked. Do it anonymously of course. You will be shocked at what honest men will say. Now again, a thought in the mind is not sin. It goes into the mind, you hit it with some scripture and you move on with your life.

But it makes it difficult for men. And men, be careful what you say to women there's a reason why pornography is largely directed at men naked magazines men You think cheerleaders are there for women? Cheerleaders on those professional teams are for men and cheerleaders do not wear long dresses. Let's be honest Christians, they are for men. Professional skating.

You see women in long dresses? No men would come to the show. Short things that fly up. Men come, they pay for that. Men, watch what you say to women.

It's 1139, but you don't have to go to work. Watch what you say, because Ellen White says, the devil knew he could get Adam one-on-one he could get Eve for some reason God made us differently and I'm glad he did women will women have to talk things out a man he's done with it I'm done and you haven't started but he's done. A woman, you have to discuss it so she sees where every dot goes over the I and every cross goes over the T. So then her mind is clear. The devil knew that.

He said don't let me waste my time with Adam that man won't talk I need someone who will talk and he got the woman and she talked her way right into trouble and women still do that today. Many women find themselves involved with other men because they felt they had to explain to 1 man why they love somebody else. No, don't explain. Stop talking so much. Yes, next question.

Next question. Pastor Skeet, I used to use curse words, but now I have stopped. Instead I say words that sound a little different like darn or gosh or heck and maybe some other things you probably shouldn't read on stage is there anything wrong with using these not so harsh words Ephesians chapter 4 verse 29 let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Too often we speak loosely not really thinking of what we say. The Bible says we must choose our words carefully And heck is just a vegetarian version of hell.

And gosh is really God. And geez is Jesus. I'll stop right there. Do they slip out sometimes? Yes, because we're not very conscious that the cross of Christ must touch every aspect of our lives.

By the way that also goes for your patterns of speech. Even if you don't say gosh darn whatever, your patterns of speech must reflect a different background not necessarily where you came from read the book the voice in speech and song and hear what Ellen White has to say if you're baptized from a certain culture with people were just using slang slang slang slang after coming to Christ that has to go because when you speak you should not be associated with where you came from by that I mean if where you came from was not a source of glory to God. So if your culture was what's happening dog when you come to Jesus Christ you drop that. How are you brother? How are you sister?

God made dogs, He made human beings. That's a human being, He's not my dog. So we drop that because the cross of Christ touches our tongues. It does. Let's speak now as they speak in heaven.

Next question. Pastor Shkete, I've noticed that nobody claps here. Is there a reason for that? And sometimes it makes me feel a little uncomfortable. I don't understand why people don't clap.

There's abundant evidence in scripture that many times people responded to the word of God with the word Amen. You find Amen in scripture. Amen means let it be so. Amen has a meaning. Clapping is...

While clapping in and of itself is an expression of jubilation, because of its association, when some things are taken over by the world we have to drop them not because they're bad but now they carry a negative association for instance the Playboy logo is what a bunny who made the bunnies not Hugh Hefner God made the bunnies But if I walk into church with a t-shirt on a bunny head which God made You will not listen to me right or wrong. You won't listen to me Because immediately you draw what connections That bunny is now associated with pornography Why is that man wearing that t-shirt yet? I can argue from Genesis chapter 1 verse 24 God made the rabbit The same thing applies to drums and guitars in church. God made the people the skill to make the drums. You can glorify God but every rock group has drums.

Every rock group has guitars. There are 2 basic instruments, drums, guitars. Because of that association, when we see that, what comes to our mind is not the sanctuary. It is a Rolling Stones and whoever else is running around today, banging their heads. And so we try to distance ourselves from the association not because the thing itself is a sin but because it has been hijacked we disassociate ourselves from it so as not to put into people's minds the wrong ideas the mind is a sponge that you cannot squeeze once something gets in 07.10 If I have happened to get dissatisfied with some of the local churches in this area, is there anything wrong with joining an independent church that holds to the same beliefs as the Seventh-day Adventist church?

You know, these people are a lot nicer, too. 09. God had a people called the Israelites. He called them through Abraham. The Israelites for their entire history with minor periods of exemption were unfaithful to God.

In those times were they still his people yes or no? Yes. They'd gone authorize the the tribe of Judah to go join the Amalekites? Was it okay for the the Benjamites to go join the Hittites? Oh no.

God kept 12 tribes. When they were rebellious, he whipped them. Send them into captivity, but they were still his. Nor is light was ever authorized to leave the 12 tribe conglomeration. The seventh day Adventist Church is God's prophetic church today.

Let me say it differently, we are as much God's people today as Israel was in the Old Testament. Are we ornery? Oh yes. Are we disobedient? Yes.

Do we look like the world? Yes. Do we run all that we do on the basis of the world's standards? Yes. Are we still the Seventh-day Adventist God raised up?

Yes. You don't like what the church does do what you can do for the church from within the church let me tell you another common-sense reason for that Adventists generally have a very dim view of those who leave the church. Now you're leaving the church to fix things up and you want people to come, but there are some people who will never come as long as they know you left the organization. You carry a brand, you carry a stamp, you carry a stigma, regardless of the purity of your intentions. Whatever you do outside the fence, you can do within the fence.

So my, I will never leave this church. Now the church has gotten me old before my time but I will never leave this church and a white never left never counseled people to leave yeah she did counsel them to set up some ministries that were not controlled by the church. That's a different thing. But they were still under the organizational umbrella of the church because they were still Seventh-day Adventists. You have a ministry, let it be a Seventh-day Adventist ministry.

And take your motives to God for divine examination. There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. Our final question for Restoration 2005. Pastor Skeet, I have been revived by your messages, but I know that when Restoration is over, I'll just go back to my old habits. I don't want to, but it's happened to me a lot of times already.

My spiritual walk seems to be like a roller coaster ride. How can I stay solid for the Lord all the time? Alright. The more you experience a roller coaster, the more difficult it is to get out of it, because you're building some sort of mental pathway. 1, make sure that commitment you're making this time is a solid commitment that goes all the way down to the foundation of your heart.

In other words, purpose in your mind the way Daniel purposed even at the possible loss of his life purpose in your heart you'll remain faithful to God by his grace to associate yourselves with the people who put on restoration find out if they have Bible studies anywhere and go 3 1 way to strengthen yourself is try to save somebody else. If you have been blessed, tell people, here is the blessing I received. Buy the CDs, give them to people. As I said, attend Bible studies. 2.

Put yourself on a study program. Get the books of Ellen White. Get the Bible. And if you're new to Bible study, get those books that she has written, which have the Bible text at the bottom of the page. You can read the Bible, read what she's written, follow along, begin at an elementary level, the Spirit will bless you.

Do these things, develop a program of daily conduct 1 day at a time and spend time praying. Don't just pray and say Lord bless me, that's too general. Be very specific with God. Lord I have had a rollercoaster relationship with you, give me a made-up mind. That's what you pray for.

Lord, I have difficulty understanding your word. Open my eyes that I may behold wonders things out of thy law. Lord, I have a temper, take it out of me. Precise. God bless you.

Series

Restoration 2005: To The Point

Question and Answer Session

Parent Series

Sponsor

Recorded

Other Teachings in Series

What I Like About Mohammad

32m

What I Like About Mohammad

39m

The Real Truth About Sin

37m

The Real Truth About Sin

49m

Can God Feel My Pain?

35m

Can God Feel My Pain?

41m

Clean, but Empty

38m

A Dean’s Letter from God

1h 13m

How to Live Without Fear

49m

The Science of the Resurrection

34m

The Science of the Resurrection

51m

World’s Greatest Crime

31m

World’s Greatest Crime

39m

Research Suggests. So Does God.

25m

Research Suggests. So Does God.

48m

How to Read Your Boyfriend’s Mind

28m

How to Read Your Boyfriend’s Mind

45m

How Safe is Safe Sex?

59m

Lose Weight, Find Life

1h 10m

Are You Right or Righteous?

55m

The Horror of Horoscopes

36m

The Horror of Horoscopes

50m

What and Where is the Kingdom of God?

33m

What and Where is the Kingdom of God?

50m

Are There Degrees in Heaven?

34m

All or Nothing

34m

All or Nothing

1h

Bible Study Hour

38m

A Better Life Is Here

58m

Question and Answer Session

24m

God Used It. It Worked. You Try It.

49m

Sound Doctrine