WEBVTT - Hour 2: Pursuing Excellence 0:00:08.780 --> 0:00:12.650 Ordinarily, you ask the questions on open line and I 0:00:12.650 --> 0:00:16.040 do my best to answer them, but today will be 0:00:16.040 --> 0:00:18.890 a little different. Thanks for joining me at the Radio 0:00:18.890 --> 0:00:22.640 Kitchen table for our Bible study across America. This is 0:00:22.640 --> 0:00:25.910 open line with me. Doctor Michael Ray Zelnick, academic dean 0:00:25.940 --> 0:00:29.930 of Moody Bible Institute and professor of Jewish Studies and Bible. 0:00:29.960 --> 0:00:33.830 Today's program is prerecorded so I could share a special 0:00:33.830 --> 0:00:37.430 conversation with you that I had with Doctor George Sweeting. 0:00:37.460 --> 0:00:41.540 He was the sixth president of Moody Bible Institute. Doc, 0:00:41.570 --> 0:00:46.250 as I called him, would have turned 100 on October 1st, 2024. 0:00:46.370 --> 0:00:49.490 He passed away on September 10th. And I thought a 0:00:49.490 --> 0:00:53.000 good way to honor this man, whom I respect and 0:00:53.000 --> 0:00:56.720 view as my role model was to re-air a conversation 0:00:56.720 --> 0:01:00.540 we had back in 2019 when he was 95 years old. 0:01:00.540 --> 0:01:03.870 We talked about his book, The Pursuit of Excellence, which 0:01:03.870 --> 0:01:08.490 you can learn more about on our website, openline radio.org. 0:01:08.550 --> 0:01:13.740 Our team included producer Tricia McMillan and engineers Joel Swan 0:01:13.740 --> 0:01:16.920 and Courtney Young. I recommend you get yourself a cup 0:01:16.920 --> 0:01:20.130 of coffee and settle in with your Bible for a 0:01:20.130 --> 0:01:26.190 very special open line. My guest today is no stranger 0:01:26.190 --> 0:01:29.429 to Moody Radio. In fact, the first time I ever 0:01:29.430 --> 0:01:33.000 was on Moody Radio was a program back in 1974. 0:01:33.030 --> 0:01:35.610 I was a student, and he had me share my 0:01:35.610 --> 0:01:41.100 faith story on his radio program called Moody Presents. I 0:01:41.130 --> 0:01:44.039 am so grateful and happy to have Doctor George Sweeting 0:01:44.040 --> 0:01:46.440 join me right now. As I said, he was the 0:01:46.440 --> 0:01:49.830 sixth president of Moody as well as the Chancellor of 0:01:49.830 --> 0:01:53.309 the school. Today he is Chancellor Emeritus. He's an author, 0:01:53.340 --> 0:01:56.700 a Bible teacher and preacher. He's my role model and 0:01:56.700 --> 0:01:59.900 to my amazement and truly my delight. He is my 0:01:59.900 --> 0:02:02.180 dear friend. Welcome, doc. 0:02:02.210 --> 0:02:06.230 Well, thank you, Doctor Redelmeier. Wonderful to be with you. 0:02:06.260 --> 0:02:08.090 I don't think you've ever called me that before. It's 0:02:08.090 --> 0:02:08.990 just Michael. 0:02:09.980 --> 0:02:12.350 All right. I'll call you Michael. That's great. 0:02:12.350 --> 0:02:15.830 I'm so glad. So, so very glad to have you 0:02:15.860 --> 0:02:20.150 with me today. Because there's. You wrote a book recently, 0:02:20.150 --> 0:02:24.800 and I think it is so special. I've really enjoyed 0:02:24.800 --> 0:02:28.970 reading it. It's a wonderful Bible study resource. It's called 0:02:28.970 --> 0:02:32.990 The Pursuit of Excellence. And even before I read it, 0:02:32.990 --> 0:02:35.570 I was struck by the title. And the reason the 0:02:35.570 --> 0:02:38.240 title struck me is that when you were president of 0:02:38.240 --> 0:02:41.120 Moody and I was a student, you would frequently remind 0:02:41.120 --> 0:02:44.179 us that there was a reason for the very high 0:02:44.180 --> 0:02:47.750 demand that Moody education had of us. You would tell us, 0:02:47.750 --> 0:02:50.750 pressure produces. Do you remember saying? 0:02:50.840 --> 0:02:53.480 Oh, I do. Pressure from the book of James? 0:02:53.510 --> 0:02:57.190 Yeah. I always thought when I was a student, I thought, 0:02:57.190 --> 0:02:59.860 pressure produces a straitjacket or something. You know, there was 0:02:59.860 --> 0:03:03.940 a lot of pressure, but you were reminding us that 0:03:03.940 --> 0:03:08.980 the demand and expectation of excellence is produced through pressure. 0:03:09.010 --> 0:03:13.000 God brings pressure into our lives to develop us into 0:03:13.000 --> 0:03:14.919 what we need to be, to make us the people 0:03:14.950 --> 0:03:18.190 he wants us to be so that we can pursue 0:03:18.220 --> 0:03:23.200 excellence for him. And so, uh, pressure produces that, and 0:03:23.200 --> 0:03:25.869 I so appreciate it. As I looked at your book, 0:03:25.870 --> 0:03:28.150 that's what it was going. So let's if it's okay, 0:03:28.150 --> 0:03:29.470 we can talk about your book. 0:03:29.500 --> 0:03:33.639 Yes. Well, you were talking about pressure and that's James, 0:03:33.639 --> 0:03:39.369 one of the trying of your faith works. Patience. Let 0:03:39.400 --> 0:03:44.560 patience have her perfect work, her complete work. So that's 0:03:44.560 --> 0:03:50.020 really where the idea of pressure produces comes from. So yes, 0:03:50.020 --> 0:03:54.850 the book is all about excellence and how to achieve it. 0:03:54.850 --> 0:03:56.840 And the first or second. 0:03:56.870 --> 0:04:00.410 Let me just ask you, what prompted you? I mean, doc, 0:04:00.440 --> 0:04:04.280 you've written a lot of books. Uh, and I know 0:04:04.280 --> 0:04:07.970 I spoke last. Oh, almost two years ago, when you 0:04:08.000 --> 0:04:11.420 were stepping down from being the director of seniors, uh, 0:04:11.420 --> 0:04:14.450 Chain of Lakes Community Bible Church, and. And you were 0:04:14.480 --> 0:04:17.780 the pastor of seniors there. And I said to you, 0:04:17.810 --> 0:04:19.880 you're going to retire. What are you going to do? 0:04:19.880 --> 0:04:22.670 And you said, I got some books to write. And 0:04:22.670 --> 0:04:24.860 I thought, other people just go and relax. And you 0:04:24.860 --> 0:04:28.550 went and wrote a book. And what made you think 0:04:28.550 --> 0:04:30.469 that this is a book you needed to write? 0:04:30.500 --> 0:04:34.730 Well, I love to serve. I love to work. Uh, 0:04:34.730 --> 0:04:39.590 work is to me a wonderful privilege. God made us 0:04:39.589 --> 0:04:44.330 to work, and so I can't ever think of retirement. 0:04:44.360 --> 0:04:48.440 In fact, I don't believe in retirement. I'm 95 years 0:04:48.470 --> 0:04:53.839 old now. 95 years young now. And very grateful that 0:04:53.839 --> 0:04:57.720 I can still find something to do to serve and 0:04:57.750 --> 0:04:59.670 honor the Lord. So. 0:04:59.700 --> 0:05:03.120 And why was this topic so, uh, important to you? 0:05:03.150 --> 0:05:05.730 Well, it was one of my themes, really, while I 0:05:05.730 --> 0:05:10.620 was president of Moody Bible Institute. I remember I had 0:05:10.650 --> 0:05:14.820 a little sketch made of D.L. Moody, and across it 0:05:14.820 --> 0:05:19.500 I had him put in the word excellence. And I said, 0:05:19.500 --> 0:05:22.980 I would like that in every area of the work here. 0:05:22.980 --> 0:05:27.690 We strive to excel for the glory of God. So 0:05:27.690 --> 0:05:31.800 it was a theme that was in my mind and heart, 0:05:31.800 --> 0:05:34.979 and I felt necessary in doing the work of the Lord, 0:05:34.980 --> 0:05:38.820 that we do it the best way humanly possible to 0:05:38.820 --> 0:05:40.620 bring credit and honor to him. 0:05:41.100 --> 0:05:46.710 So now the book has nine marks of excellence, and 0:05:46.740 --> 0:05:49.589 I found it. Let me just say to anyone listening, 0:05:49.589 --> 0:05:52.290 this is a great book to get the pursuit of excellence. 0:05:52.300 --> 0:05:55.419 It's a book to study. It's a book to put 0:05:55.420 --> 0:05:59.529 some quality time in reading and to apply it. Uh, 0:05:59.620 --> 0:06:03.460 they just it's it's today we're only going to touch 0:06:03.490 --> 0:06:06.550 on a bit of the wisdom of this book, but 0:06:06.700 --> 0:06:09.099 I just am so grateful that it's there for us 0:06:09.100 --> 0:06:11.680 to study. You know, I've read other books of yours 0:06:11.710 --> 0:06:14.289 that have been very meaningful to me, but this one, 0:06:14.290 --> 0:06:16.810 I thought, this is a great Bible study guide. And 0:06:16.810 --> 0:06:18.909 so I'm really grateful for it. So let's start with 0:06:18.910 --> 0:06:22.450 the first mark of Christian excellence that you talk about. 0:06:22.450 --> 0:06:26.229 And you say that we have to begin our walk 0:06:26.230 --> 0:06:28.630 with the Lord by faith. Uh, we have to put 0:06:28.630 --> 0:06:32.350 faith in the Lord Jesus as our Redeemer. And you 0:06:32.380 --> 0:06:36.280 challenge us to faith as one of the marks of excellence. Uh, 0:06:36.279 --> 0:06:39.250 so I guess what I want to know is, why 0:06:39.250 --> 0:06:46.510 is faithful faith so essential for, uh, excellence? And why 0:06:46.510 --> 0:06:48.640 is Caleb such a great role model? 0:06:49.240 --> 0:06:53.570 The second chapter is faith, the power to move mountains. 0:06:53.600 --> 0:06:57.710 And of course, the Bible says in Romans ten, faith 0:06:57.740 --> 0:07:02.390 comes by hearing the message. And the message is heard 0:07:02.390 --> 0:07:07.640 through the word about Christ. And so we start by faith. 0:07:07.640 --> 0:07:12.440 That's the starting point for the Christian life. It was 0:07:12.440 --> 0:07:18.500 true in my family. My father and mother immigrated from 0:07:18.500 --> 0:07:25.970 Scotland to Haledon, new Jersey in 1923. I was born 0:07:25.970 --> 0:07:30.500 in 1924. My older brother and sister were born in Scotland, 0:07:30.500 --> 0:07:33.110 but I was born in the United States. It was 0:07:33.110 --> 0:07:35.690 a little joke in the family that I was the 0:07:35.690 --> 0:07:38.750 first one eligible in the family to be president of 0:07:38.750 --> 0:07:42.320 the United States someday, and we'd all laugh heartily. Well, 0:07:42.320 --> 0:07:42.619 you got to. 0:07:42.620 --> 0:07:44.090 Be president of Moody, so that's. 0:07:44.090 --> 0:07:47.300 Good. But I thank the Lord. Uh, the Lord was 0:07:47.300 --> 0:07:51.930 very gracious to me, but, uh, uh, They came from 0:07:51.930 --> 0:07:56.790 Scotland and things were going so well. They thought it 0:07:56.790 --> 0:08:00.480 was the land of milk and honey. And then in 0:08:00.480 --> 0:08:06.120 1928 the Great Depression began. My father was a builder, 0:08:06.150 --> 0:08:12.840 an engineer, builder of bridges and large buildings, and so 0:08:12.840 --> 0:08:18.510 he immediately lost his job. All building stopped in 1928 0:08:18.510 --> 0:08:23.520 and 29, and no major building went on for years. 0:08:23.550 --> 0:08:26.910 He couldn't find work, even. In fact, the only job 0:08:26.910 --> 0:08:30.660 he could find was as a night watchman. So we 0:08:30.660 --> 0:08:33.630 would read about the children of Israel. We'd read about 0:08:33.630 --> 0:08:36.600 their journeys of faith. We'd read about how God led 0:08:36.630 --> 0:08:40.980 them from place to place. We read about people like Caleb, 0:08:40.980 --> 0:08:46.830 Caleb the Conqueror, Caleb and Joshua believed God. They had 0:08:46.830 --> 0:08:51.600 faith in God. the other ten of the people who 0:08:51.630 --> 0:08:54.660 went to look over the land, they said, we can't 0:08:54.660 --> 0:08:59.610 go there. It's too difficult. The people are big. We're 0:08:59.610 --> 0:09:02.910 like grasshoppers in their sight. We can't do it. But 0:09:02.910 --> 0:09:06.929 Caleb and Joshua said, we can't do it, but God can. 0:09:07.110 --> 0:09:11.160 And so they trusted the Lord. And they said, by 0:09:11.160 --> 0:09:15.179 faith we're going to take the land. And God blessed them. 0:09:15.179 --> 0:09:18.809 And God did that. He gave them the land. So 0:09:18.809 --> 0:09:20.040 we begin by faith. 0:09:20.160 --> 0:09:23.819 Let me ask you. The Bible teaches that faith can 0:09:23.820 --> 0:09:25.800 be a spiritual gift. I mean, we're all supposed to 0:09:25.800 --> 0:09:28.200 have faith, but some people have a special measure of 0:09:28.200 --> 0:09:31.830 faith to to see great things. I think D.L. Moody 0:09:31.830 --> 0:09:34.800 was a man of great faith. Uh, as an example 0:09:34.800 --> 0:09:37.650 of that, who saw all the great things that God 0:09:37.650 --> 0:09:40.290 could do. How do you feel? Do you think that 0:09:40.320 --> 0:09:42.990 God has given you that as a spiritual gift? 0:09:43.020 --> 0:09:48.670 Yes, I think so. Hebrews says, without Faith. It's impossible 0:09:48.670 --> 0:09:52.120 to please God. You can build a house without faith. 0:09:52.120 --> 0:09:55.960 You can get married. Without faith, you could earn thousands 0:09:55.960 --> 0:10:02.350 of dollars. Without faith. But without faith you can't please God. Period. Yeah. 0:10:02.380 --> 0:10:06.339 And so it begins by faith, and it continues by faith, 0:10:06.340 --> 0:10:10.390 and it concludes by faith. It's faith from beginning to end. 0:10:10.420 --> 0:10:12.939 I agree. Trusting in what God can do, not what 0:10:12.940 --> 0:10:15.040 we can accomplish. Yeah. Yes. 0:10:15.040 --> 0:10:18.010 It's not what we can do. It's what God can do. 0:10:18.220 --> 0:10:21.280 Exactly. Okay. Now, one of the things I think has 0:10:21.280 --> 0:10:24.850 been lacking in many people. I think that's why we 0:10:24.850 --> 0:10:28.930 have a problem with with excellence in the body of 0:10:28.929 --> 0:10:32.380 Christ today, is that sometimes we have too many people 0:10:32.380 --> 0:10:38.620 who are pursuing grandiose schemes and big ideas without character. 0:10:38.740 --> 0:10:43.780 And you say the second mark of excellence. The second 0:10:43.780 --> 0:10:50.090 essential is character. Character always follows faith. It's the fruit 0:10:50.090 --> 0:10:54.200 of our desire to please God. So let's talk about character. What's. 0:10:54.230 --> 0:10:57.050 What is character? What's the role that it plays? 0:10:57.080 --> 0:11:00.530 Going back to D.L. Moody and D.L. Moody had some 0:11:00.530 --> 0:11:05.390 very wonderful sayings, but he used to say, this character 0:11:05.390 --> 0:11:09.110 is what you are in the dark. In other words, 0:11:09.110 --> 0:11:14.059 he was saying characters. The real you. I had another 0:11:14.059 --> 0:11:18.590 professor at Moody and Moody Bible Institute has always excelled. 0:11:18.620 --> 0:11:26.270 Our faculty excelled. It does today. It always has. But P.B. Fitzwater, 0:11:26.270 --> 0:11:29.780 who was one of the great teachers at Moody, he said, 0:11:29.780 --> 0:11:34.520 character is the sum and total of a person's choices. 0:11:34.550 --> 0:11:38.480 In other words, you're making choices every day and you 0:11:38.480 --> 0:11:43.429 are what you choose to be. Character is the sum 0:11:43.429 --> 0:11:47.550 and total of a person's choices. So it's not what 0:11:47.550 --> 0:11:54.630 you dream. It's not dreams, but it's choices that counts. 0:11:54.809 --> 0:12:00.929 Proverbs 423 says, above all else, guard your heart, because 0:12:00.929 --> 0:12:06.120 all you do flows from your heart. Joseph made the 0:12:06.120 --> 0:12:12.270 right choices. He chose first to be pure. Potiphar's wife 0:12:12.270 --> 0:12:17.490 had evil designs on him and she tried to seduce 0:12:17.490 --> 0:12:23.460 him to immorality. And when you face the flesh, there's 0:12:23.460 --> 0:12:26.280 one thing to do and that is to retreat. That's 0:12:26.280 --> 0:12:30.569 to flee. And Joseph is the example. He grabbed his 0:12:30.570 --> 0:12:33.960 hat and ran. And that's how you treat the flesh. 0:12:33.990 --> 0:12:34.380 But left. 0:12:34.380 --> 0:12:34.860 His coat. 0:12:34.860 --> 0:12:37.770 Apparently some people think it's you do it with the 0:12:37.770 --> 0:12:41.400 head or you. You do it with your affections, the heart. 0:12:41.520 --> 0:12:43.660 But it's not the head. It's not the heart, it's 0:12:43.660 --> 0:12:48.460 your heels. And the Bible says Paul, writing to Timothy, said, 0:12:48.460 --> 0:12:52.270 flee lusts. Flee. So when it comes to the flesh, 0:12:52.270 --> 0:12:54.819 you flee. You know, if you were on a railroad 0:12:54.850 --> 0:12:57.400 track and the train's coming down at you, you don't 0:12:57.400 --> 0:13:00.220 bulge your biceps and say, I'm ready. Come on. You 0:13:00.250 --> 0:13:03.250 get off the track. Yeah. And so the Bible simply 0:13:03.250 --> 0:13:05.770 tells us that we're to have nothing to do with 0:13:05.770 --> 0:13:11.410 the flesh. We're to put on Christ and make no provision, 0:13:11.410 --> 0:13:15.520 no plans for the lust of the flesh. That was 0:13:15.520 --> 0:13:18.370 the verse, by the way, that the Lord used to 0:13:18.400 --> 0:13:26.230 win Augustine to himself. He was immorally involved, and a 0:13:26.230 --> 0:13:30.550 friend spoke to him about Christ. And he was reading 0:13:30.550 --> 0:13:34.480 the book of Romans. And he read Romans 1314, put 0:13:34.480 --> 0:13:40.809 on Jesus, and don't make plans to fulfill the lusts 0:13:40.809 --> 0:13:44.720 of the flesh, and that was his solution. 0:13:44.750 --> 0:13:46.429 Well, that's one part of character we're going to pick 0:13:46.429 --> 0:13:48.800 up and talk a little bit more about character in 0:13:48.800 --> 0:13:52.520 just a moment. Uh, but what we're doing now is 0:13:52.520 --> 0:13:54.829 I am having the great privilege of talking with Doctor 0:13:54.830 --> 0:13:58.760 George Sweeting. My name is Michael Reinicke. You're listening to 0:13:58.790 --> 0:14:02.660 Open Line, and there's much, much more to talk about, 0:14:02.660 --> 0:14:06.200 so stay with us. More great conversation about the pursuit 0:14:06.200 --> 0:14:10.910 of excellence will follow. Don't go away. Open line is 0:14:10.910 --> 0:14:14.179 designed to take your questions and provide you with straightforward, 0:14:14.210 --> 0:14:17.480 honest answers from Scripture about the things that matter most. 0:14:17.480 --> 0:14:20.390 When you join our team of Kitchen Table Partners, your 0:14:20.390 --> 0:14:22.310 monthly gift will help us stay on the air to 0:14:22.340 --> 0:14:24.979 continue to share the truth of the Bible with those 0:14:24.980 --> 0:14:27.620 who need to hear it. Become a kitchen table partner 0:14:27.620 --> 0:14:34.220 by calling us at (888) 644-7122, or sign up online at 0:14:34.220 --> 0:14:39.260 Open Line radio.org. When autumn rolls around, people are always 0:14:39.260 --> 0:14:42.470 interested in the Jewish Fall Holy days, that's why. Chosen 0:14:42.470 --> 0:14:46.910 People Ministries is offering a free booklet titled Celebrate Israel's 0:14:46.910 --> 0:14:51.020 High Holidays. This booklet explores the fall Jewish High holidays 0:14:51.020 --> 0:14:54.230 of Rosh Hashanah, the Feast of Trumpets in the Bible 0:14:54.230 --> 0:14:57.710 called the New Year today, Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, 0:14:57.710 --> 0:15:01.490 and Sukkot, the Feast of Booths. Don't miss out, just 0:15:01.490 --> 0:15:05.420 go to the Openline website, Openline radio, or scroll down 0:15:05.420 --> 0:15:07.640 and click on the link that says A Free gift 0:15:07.640 --> 0:15:10.490 from Chosen People Ministries that will take you to a 0:15:10.490 --> 0:15:12.800 page where you can sign up for your very own 0:15:12.800 --> 0:15:27.980 copy of Celebrate Israel's High Holidays. Welcome back to Open 0:15:27.980 --> 0:15:31.220 Line with me, Michael Ray Dolnick. This is a special 0:15:31.220 --> 0:15:35.360 pre-recorded program from 2019 when I talked with the sixth 0:15:35.360 --> 0:15:39.210 president of Moody Bible Institute, Doctor George Sweeting. He was 0:15:39.210 --> 0:15:42.720 a dear friend of mine, but much more. He was 0:15:42.720 --> 0:15:46.500 my ultimate role model of a great husband, dad, godly 0:15:46.500 --> 0:15:50.010 leader and servant of the Lord. He passed away on 0:15:50.010 --> 0:15:53.670 September 10th and would have turned 100 on October 1st. 0:15:53.700 --> 0:15:56.670 You can learn more about Doctor Sweeting, his book The 0:15:56.670 --> 0:16:00.540 Pursuit of Excellence, and also link to a special radio program, 0:16:00.540 --> 0:16:05.190 Remembering Doc at our website Openline radio.org. You can also 0:16:05.190 --> 0:16:10.200 find past programs and leave your Bible question there. Openline radio.org. 0:16:10.830 --> 0:16:15.030 Now I am having the great fun and privilege of 0:16:15.030 --> 0:16:19.680 talking with Doctor George Sweeting, the Chancellor Emeritus of Moody 0:16:19.680 --> 0:16:22.470 Bible Institute and the author of The Pursuit of Excellence. 0:16:22.470 --> 0:16:26.430 We're going through different marks of excellence that God calls 0:16:26.430 --> 0:16:29.700 us to so we can serve him better. And, doc, 0:16:29.730 --> 0:16:34.740 you were just talking about, uh, the issue of character 0:16:34.740 --> 0:16:38.800 and that Joseph exemplifies character. Now we know he was 0:16:38.800 --> 0:16:41.860 a man that was committed to purity and and God 0:16:41.860 --> 0:16:45.610 used that. But he also had other qualities of character 0:16:45.610 --> 0:16:46.780 that came out. 0:16:46.810 --> 0:16:52.750 Yes. Well, I'd begin with the character of purity because 0:16:52.780 --> 0:16:57.550 Joseph chose to be pure. So many people say when 0:16:57.550 --> 0:17:02.590 they're involved in some sinful situation. Well, I'm not hurting anyone. 0:17:02.800 --> 0:17:08.590 That's false. You are hurting someone. You're hurting yourself. But 0:17:08.590 --> 0:17:13.420 you're hurting God because Joseph said, how could I do 0:17:13.420 --> 0:17:17.710 such a thing and sin against God? So in all 0:17:17.740 --> 0:17:22.690 of these situations, you are hurting yourself and it's sin 0:17:22.690 --> 0:17:27.370 against God. We do hurt others and we hurt ourselves. 0:17:27.369 --> 0:17:33.370 Joseph decided to flee and he was not only one 0:17:33.369 --> 0:17:36.620 who wanted to be pure, but he determined that he 0:17:36.619 --> 0:17:40.429 would be honest. Proverbs 11 three says, the honesty of 0:17:40.430 --> 0:17:45.409 the godly will guide them, but dishonesty will destroy them. 0:17:45.440 --> 0:17:53.720 Very simply put. Honesty builds. Dishonesty destroys. A Proverbs four 0:17:53.750 --> 0:17:57.440 again says, keep your heart carefully, for out of it 0:17:57.440 --> 0:18:02.180 spring the issues of life. Joseph found favor with his 0:18:02.180 --> 0:18:07.129 owner and with God because he could be trusted. He 0:18:07.130 --> 0:18:10.520 was an honest person and the Lord used him. He 0:18:10.520 --> 0:18:15.889 was also a humble person. His life was one of serving. 0:18:15.920 --> 0:18:19.400 He found grace in the eyes of his owner. As 0:18:19.400 --> 0:18:22.609 a boy. He served his dad, Jacob, and then he 0:18:22.609 --> 0:18:26.360 served Potiphar. And then he served Pharaoh. But you see, 0:18:26.359 --> 0:18:31.280 most of all, he was serving God. He determined that 0:18:31.280 --> 0:18:34.520 God was the one that he wanted to please. And 0:18:34.520 --> 0:18:37.889 so Joseph was not only pure, he chose to be pure, 0:18:37.890 --> 0:18:40.290 but he also chose to be honest. 0:18:40.320 --> 0:18:42.000 You know, one of the most interesting things, as I 0:18:42.000 --> 0:18:45.210 read the Joseph story to me is that it goes 0:18:45.210 --> 0:18:51.600 from his brother Solomon to slavery, and then he gets 0:18:51.600 --> 0:18:55.199 falsely accused by Potiphar's wife, and then he gets thrown 0:18:55.200 --> 0:18:57.480 in jail. And every time it gets worse, there's this 0:18:57.480 --> 0:19:01.109 interesting phrase that the Bible says of him, and the 0:19:01.109 --> 0:19:04.710 Lord was with him. And I am so struck by that, 0:19:04.710 --> 0:19:08.490 that so often we think that God's not with us 0:19:08.490 --> 0:19:11.730 and when bad things are happening. But Joseph was always 0:19:11.730 --> 0:19:14.220 aware of it, and that's why I think he was 0:19:14.220 --> 0:19:15.510 such a man of character. 0:19:15.540 --> 0:19:17.070 Because, yes, because he. 0:19:17.070 --> 0:19:19.109 Knew God was with him and everything. 0:19:19.350 --> 0:19:26.100 It's really amazing. But, uh, trial after trial, his brothers 0:19:26.100 --> 0:19:31.020 were half brothers. And so you can understand how jealousy 0:19:31.320 --> 0:19:36.160 comes into that Situation, but they didn't like him. They 0:19:36.160 --> 0:19:39.609 called him the dreamer. They wanted to get rid of him. They. 0:19:39.609 --> 0:19:42.190 They threw him into a pit. They sold him to 0:19:42.220 --> 0:19:47.949 the Ishmaelites. So really, uh, everything seemed to go wrong 0:19:47.950 --> 0:19:53.290 for Joseph. He was accused by his master's wife. He 0:19:53.290 --> 0:19:56.740 was thrown into jail. And yet, as you just said 0:19:56.770 --> 0:20:01.900 a moment ago, repeatedly, it says the Lord was with him. 0:20:01.900 --> 0:20:05.350 With him all the way. Yeah. And what a remarkable 0:20:05.350 --> 0:20:09.850 thing it is to know that Joseph excelled because he 0:20:09.850 --> 0:20:13.960 was pure, because he chose to be honest, because he 0:20:13.960 --> 0:20:19.930 chose to serve. He was a humble, God filled man 0:20:19.930 --> 0:20:22.210 who wanted to please the Lord. 0:20:22.210 --> 0:20:24.369 So one of the funnier things I once read in 0:20:24.369 --> 0:20:27.160 a book on how to interpret the Bible, it said, 0:20:27.190 --> 0:20:28.990 you know, if you read the story of Joseph and 0:20:28.990 --> 0:20:31.750 you think Joseph is a role model, you're not reading 0:20:31.750 --> 0:20:36.340 the story, right? I think First Corinthians ten says, God 0:20:36.340 --> 0:20:40.090 has given us all these stories for our education, for 0:20:40.090 --> 0:20:43.209 our instruction. These things are written for your instruction. And 0:20:43.240 --> 0:20:46.780 of course, Joseph is a role model of excellence, of 0:20:46.780 --> 0:20:51.370 excellent character. And I'm so glad you included him. But, uh, 0:20:51.369 --> 0:20:56.710 there's another aspect of excellence. And one of the things 0:20:56.710 --> 0:20:59.619 that that one step that people take is they say, 0:20:59.619 --> 0:21:03.340 I want to develop my character. Yes. But then they 0:21:03.340 --> 0:21:06.040 don't do anything. And you say it's not enough to 0:21:06.070 --> 0:21:10.060 have excellent character to be to pursue excellence, we have 0:21:10.060 --> 0:21:15.010 to take action. I have a quote here. Scripture challenges us, 0:21:15.010 --> 0:21:17.740 challenges us to act. We must be doers of the 0:21:17.740 --> 0:21:20.980 word and not hearers only. In turn, God promises that 0:21:20.980 --> 0:21:23.260 a doer of the word will be blessed in what 0:21:23.260 --> 0:21:26.109 he does. Why do so many people who really love 0:21:26.109 --> 0:21:30.040 the Lord, uh, fail to be people of action? What 0:21:30.040 --> 0:21:32.480 do you what do you think can motivate people to action? 0:21:32.510 --> 0:21:37.220 Sometimes it's fear. It's hard to know exactly what it is. 0:21:37.220 --> 0:21:40.760 I think of Henrietta mears. She used to say it's 0:21:40.760 --> 0:21:45.560 hard to steer a parked car, but once you get 0:21:45.560 --> 0:21:49.430 it moving, it's easy to steer it. And so she 0:21:49.430 --> 0:21:53.060 calls for action. She calls for us to do what 0:21:53.060 --> 0:21:58.730 James 122 says. Do not merely listen to God's word, 0:21:58.730 --> 0:22:05.150 but do what it says. Ecclesiastes 122 whatever your hand 0:22:05.150 --> 0:22:08.869 finds to do, do it. Do it how? Do it 0:22:08.869 --> 0:22:16.790 with all your might. Joshua 2415. Choose for yourself today, 0:22:16.790 --> 0:22:20.810 this day, whom you will serve. You see, Joshua called 0:22:20.810 --> 0:22:27.080 for a decision. Choose today. Choose now. Action. There has 0:22:27.080 --> 0:22:29.580 to be a place Moody used to say. People are saying, 0:22:29.580 --> 0:22:32.310 I'm aiming to do this, he said. You've been aiming 0:22:32.310 --> 0:22:36.030 all your life. It's time to fire. And so there's 0:22:36.030 --> 0:22:41.280 a time for action. And so after observing thousands of 0:22:41.280 --> 0:22:45.600 college students for many decades, I've noticed a common trait 0:22:45.600 --> 0:22:49.530 that makes those who excel, and that is this a 0:22:49.530 --> 0:22:54.899 burning desire to do something that will make a difference 0:22:54.900 --> 0:22:57.630 in their life and in the lives of others. 0:22:57.900 --> 0:23:01.170 It's like that sometimes it's it's just time to get 0:23:01.200 --> 0:23:04.230 off your chair and go do something. That's right. Yeah. 0:23:04.260 --> 0:23:06.390 Now is the day of salvation. 0:23:06.420 --> 0:23:10.440 Start doing something for the Lord. Uh, I think that 0:23:10.440 --> 0:23:13.590 that activity for the Lord. I mean, we don't want 0:23:13.619 --> 0:23:16.110 to just have lots of motion, but we do want 0:23:16.140 --> 0:23:21.060 to serve God towards a goal. And action is crucial. Uh, now, 0:23:21.060 --> 0:23:26.070 here's this is this strikes me so much of you personally. 0:23:26.100 --> 0:23:31.270 You point out that single mindedness for a lifetime is 0:23:31.270 --> 0:23:35.020 a must. Single minded. I want to know. You say 0:23:35.020 --> 0:23:41.200 single mindedness is is a, uh, a characteristic of excellence? 0:23:41.230 --> 0:23:44.290 What are you single minded about, doc? 0:23:44.380 --> 0:23:50.409 Well, very early in life, I wrote out my first goals, 0:23:50.470 --> 0:23:55.090 and I wrote first. Bring glory to God. I was 0:23:55.090 --> 0:24:00.100 on my knees in my bedroom, an unheated bedroom, and I. 0:24:00.100 --> 0:24:03.700 That night I had yielded my life to Christ. And 0:24:03.700 --> 0:24:08.109 so I wrote down, first of all, bring glory to God. Secondly, 0:24:08.109 --> 0:24:15.040 I wrote down, uh, develop the inner life. Now, I 0:24:15.040 --> 0:24:17.200 don't know what I know about the inner life, but 0:24:17.200 --> 0:24:19.510 I knew it was important. I knew it was more 0:24:19.510 --> 0:24:22.930 important than the outer life. And so I wrote down 0:24:22.930 --> 0:24:27.510 cultivate the Inner Life, and then I wrote down thirdly, 0:24:27.570 --> 0:24:33.150 disciple as many other people as humanly possible. And I 0:24:33.150 --> 0:24:35.460 don't know where all of that came from. I'm sure 0:24:35.460 --> 0:24:40.230 it was the lessons I heard many times, consciously and subconsciously. 0:24:40.230 --> 0:24:43.139 And then I wrote down, fourthly, when as many to 0:24:43.170 --> 0:24:47.640 Christ as humanly possible. Those four goals were written when 0:24:47.640 --> 0:24:52.110 I was about 15. I'll never forget them. I still 0:24:52.109 --> 0:24:55.680 refer to them and I still go back and repeat them. 0:24:55.710 --> 0:25:00.149 Yeah, that's your single minded in your determination to serve God. 0:25:00.150 --> 0:25:03.480 And it's it's one of the reasons why now, at 95, 0:25:03.510 --> 0:25:05.880 you remain my role model because I want to be 0:25:05.880 --> 0:25:06.990 like you when I grow up. 0:25:07.020 --> 0:25:09.750 Well thank you. You know, Moody himself said. 0:25:09.780 --> 0:25:11.310 We're going to take a break here and then we're 0:25:11.310 --> 0:25:13.830 going to come back. But, uh, if you're listening, I 0:25:13.830 --> 0:25:16.680 hope you are. I'll be back with Doctor Sweeting in 0:25:16.680 --> 0:25:19.859 just a moment. We're talking about the pursuit of excellence 0:25:19.859 --> 0:25:22.560 for the Lord. So stay right where you are. There's 0:25:22.560 --> 0:25:25.800 more of this important discussion coming up straight ahead. Don't 0:25:25.800 --> 0:25:32.100 go away. We're so glad that Febc partners with Open 0:25:32.100 --> 0:25:36.690 Line with Doctor Michael Radonich, bringing the Febc mailbag every week. 0:25:36.690 --> 0:25:39.929 Learn how Far East Broadcasting Company is taking Christ to 0:25:39.960 --> 0:25:44.250 the world at febc. Org on their weekly podcast. Until 0:25:44.280 --> 0:25:47.010 all have heard with Ed Cannon, you'll hear stories of 0:25:47.010 --> 0:25:51.120 lives changed by Messiah all across the globe. Again, you 0:25:51.119 --> 0:25:57.300 can hear the podcast when you visit febc.org that's febc. Org. 0:26:06.150 --> 0:26:09.840 Welcome back to Open Line. So glad that you're listening today. 0:26:09.840 --> 0:26:12.659 It's it's one of my great joys today that I 0:26:12.660 --> 0:26:16.140 get to talk with Doctor George Sweeting about his wonderful book, 0:26:16.140 --> 0:26:19.620 The Pursuit of Excellence. It's a great biblical study. It 0:26:19.619 --> 0:26:25.470 covers in this book nine qualities, nine Characteristics of excellence 0:26:25.470 --> 0:26:29.520 and this. Thus far we've covered faith and character and 0:26:29.520 --> 0:26:34.470 action and single mindedness. And now we're coming to one 0:26:34.470 --> 0:26:40.320 that I think doc has, uh, really epitomized your ministry 0:26:40.350 --> 0:26:44.250 more than anything else through the years. And that is love. Uh, 0:26:44.250 --> 0:26:47.700 it's one of the essential qualities that are needed for excellence. 0:26:47.700 --> 0:26:49.470 And I think you even wrote a whole book about 0:26:49.470 --> 0:26:53.130 love once. The greatest of these. Right? Uh, and I've 0:26:53.130 --> 0:26:55.200 always I remember that was the first sermon I ever 0:26:55.200 --> 0:26:58.770 heard you preach. Uh, you you spoke about the importance 0:26:58.770 --> 0:27:01.530 of love. And so I think you're right. It is 0:27:01.530 --> 0:27:05.219 one of the essential qualities of excellence. Why? Why is 0:27:05.220 --> 0:27:06.570 that so important? 0:27:06.690 --> 0:27:10.410 Well, early in life, I read a book by John 0:27:10.410 --> 0:27:15.780 James McConkie on the power of God's love. And as 0:27:15.780 --> 0:27:19.679 I read it, I fell in love with First Corinthians 0:27:19.680 --> 0:27:25.810 13 one through 13, and it just, uh, spoke to 0:27:25.840 --> 0:27:28.390 me so much. And then I think of what Jude 0:27:28.420 --> 0:27:32.650 had to say. Jude says, and it's only one chapter. 0:27:32.680 --> 0:27:39.640 Verse 21, keep yourselves in God's love as you wait 0:27:39.640 --> 0:27:43.210 for the mercy of our Lord Jesus to bring you 0:27:43.210 --> 0:27:47.680 to eternal life. So we're we're we have a responsibility 0:27:47.680 --> 0:27:53.080 of keeping ourselves in God's love. Uh, I write the 0:27:53.080 --> 0:27:57.520 sixth chapter, call it Love the Mender of Souls. And 0:27:57.550 --> 0:28:03.310 the theme of this book is excellence. And Paul calls 0:28:03.340 --> 0:28:08.170 God's love the excellent way, in fact, that first Corinthians 12, 0:28:08.200 --> 0:28:11.980 verse 31, he says, and now I show unto you 0:28:11.980 --> 0:28:16.150 a more excellent way. And then he begins to define 0:28:16.150 --> 0:28:21.220 that excellent way. It's the way of God's love. And 0:28:21.260 --> 0:28:24.590 in verses one through three he points out the need 0:28:24.590 --> 0:28:29.030 for it. He said, it's greater than speaking eloquently. It's 0:28:29.030 --> 0:28:33.650 greater than faith, it's greater than understanding mysteries. And the 0:28:33.650 --> 0:28:37.910 verses four through eight, he mentions the traits of this love. 0:28:37.910 --> 0:28:42.620 So this love is patient. This love is kind. This 0:28:42.620 --> 0:28:47.840 love is not self-seeking. This love doesn't behave itself unseemly. 0:28:47.870 --> 0:28:52.040 This love bears all things. This love believes all things. 0:28:52.040 --> 0:28:55.850 This love never fails. And then he says, and now 0:28:55.880 --> 0:28:59.750 abideth faith, hope, love. But the greatest, the greatest, the 0:28:59.750 --> 0:29:04.730 greatest of these is love. So God's love in you 0:29:04.730 --> 0:29:09.080 and in me is a major trait that he wants 0:29:09.080 --> 0:29:13.820 us to have. It's a trait of excellence. It was 0:29:13.820 --> 0:29:18.560 true of D.L. Moody. God's love transformed D.L. Moody and 0:29:18.560 --> 0:29:20.400 changed his life completely. 0:29:20.400 --> 0:29:23.550 I think when I meet people more than any other 0:29:23.550 --> 0:29:26.280 issue in their life, I think people would like to 0:29:26.310 --> 0:29:30.540 be assured of unconditional love. And and I think that's 0:29:30.540 --> 0:29:33.690 why it's such a key to ministry, to actually love 0:29:33.690 --> 0:29:37.440 people when you're ministering to them. It leads to an 0:29:37.440 --> 0:29:42.330 excellent ministry because people are desperate for authentic love might 0:29:42.330 --> 0:29:46.470 be confronting, love might be unconditional and unconditionally loving people, 0:29:46.470 --> 0:29:50.610 even correcting them. But always loving I just I that 0:29:50.610 --> 0:29:53.640 strikes me as such an important part of effective ministry. 0:29:53.670 --> 0:29:57.630 Oh yes. And D.L. Moody had that when he stood 0:29:57.660 --> 0:30:01.620 before the people in the old Moody church. It wasn't 0:30:01.620 --> 0:30:05.520 called the Moody Church then it was the LaSalle Street Church. 0:30:05.520 --> 0:30:10.110 But they said, you felt God's love. You. You just 0:30:10.110 --> 0:30:14.070 couldn't escape it. They they called it a house of 0:30:14.070 --> 0:30:18.000 love back in the early days because they they loved God, 0:30:18.030 --> 0:30:21.850 but they loved each other. And then that love moved 0:30:21.850 --> 0:30:26.230 out to a lost world that needed to know God's love. 0:30:26.320 --> 0:30:30.130 And so this. This dominated the life of Moody. And 0:30:30.130 --> 0:30:33.820 he prayed earnestly that the Lord would make him a 0:30:33.820 --> 0:30:38.770 man who would overflow with his love. God's love became 0:30:38.770 --> 0:30:40.420 his main concern. 0:30:40.450 --> 0:30:45.190 Well, I think that if more people knew how much 0:30:45.190 --> 0:30:49.510 God loved them, it would just revolutionize people's lives. And 0:30:49.510 --> 0:30:52.060 that's why it's such an important mark. But I have 0:30:52.060 --> 0:30:53.410 to move on because I want to hit all these 0:30:53.410 --> 0:30:58.990 nine marks of excellence. And so you've we've talked about 0:30:58.990 --> 0:31:02.230 a number of them, but one other mark of excellence 0:31:02.230 --> 0:31:06.340 is one that we don't want. None of us looks 0:31:06.340 --> 0:31:10.960 for it. It's called suffering. You say how in the 0:31:10.960 --> 0:31:15.880 world suffering is. Sometimes you write God's way of bringing 0:31:15.880 --> 0:31:19.280 us back. How? I mean, none of us wants to suffer. 0:31:19.310 --> 0:31:21.350 How could that be a mark of excellence? 0:31:21.920 --> 0:31:26.630 And yet it's all through Scripture, isn't it? Yes. Peter 0:31:26.630 --> 0:31:32.180 says in first Peter 510, The God who called you 0:31:32.180 --> 0:31:39.020 to his eternal glory, after you have suffered a little while, 0:31:39.020 --> 0:31:42.590 will restore you and make you strong. And make you 0:31:42.620 --> 0:31:47.390 firm and make you steadfast. And I've often thought if 0:31:47.390 --> 0:31:53.630 God exempted Christians from suffering, Christianity would be an insurance 0:31:53.630 --> 0:31:59.570 policy for a pain free ride. And that's not so. 0:31:59.600 --> 0:32:04.070 We're going to know something about suffering. Uh, the great 0:32:04.070 --> 0:32:09.020 British preacher, Baptist preacher, Charles Haddon Spurgeon said, I owe 0:32:09.050 --> 0:32:13.640 more to the fire and to the hammer and to 0:32:13.640 --> 0:32:18.770 the file than anything else in the Lord's workshop, and 0:32:18.770 --> 0:32:22.460 so suffering was part of it. Here's second Corinthians four, where, 0:32:22.460 --> 0:32:26.930 hard pressed, Paul said on every side. He said, but 0:32:26.930 --> 0:32:30.140 we're not crushed. He said, we're perplexed, but we're not 0:32:30.140 --> 0:32:36.860 in despair. Persecuted but not abandoned. Struck down, but not destroyed. 0:32:36.890 --> 0:32:43.100 Paul experienced much suffering, and yet it is through suffering. 0:32:43.100 --> 0:32:48.170 The Lord teaches us, and through suffering that we're made usable. 0:32:48.200 --> 0:32:51.050 God allows us to suffer. So. 0:32:51.320 --> 0:32:56.420 In my experience, a person I love and esteem more 0:32:56.420 --> 0:33:00.140 than probably anyone else. There's a person and this person 0:33:00.140 --> 0:33:06.290 has had cancer three times. Yeah. Uh, and I always wondered, 0:33:06.320 --> 0:33:09.770 you know, someone once said, uh, what doesn't kill us 0:33:09.770 --> 0:33:12.770 makes you stronger, right? And then I heard someone else say, 0:33:12.770 --> 0:33:17.490 what doesn't kill us makes you bitter. That's not true. 0:33:17.520 --> 0:33:20.850 But what? What this I found is this is a 0:33:20.850 --> 0:33:24.600 person who is more determined to do the will of 0:33:24.600 --> 0:33:29.130 God and pursue him. And it's because of saying God 0:33:29.130 --> 0:33:32.820 has given me life. I've suffered, but he's given me life. 0:33:32.820 --> 0:33:35.250 And now I want to do all I can for him. 0:33:35.250 --> 0:33:38.160 There's no other person like that. And it's the suffering, 0:33:38.160 --> 0:33:40.410 I think, that has brought that out. It's hard for 0:33:40.410 --> 0:33:42.210 us to imagine, but I think it's true. 0:33:42.240 --> 0:33:46.080 No. It's true. Personally, in my experience, while I was 0:33:46.080 --> 0:33:52.620 a student at Moody, I was afflicted with testicular cancer 0:33:52.830 --> 0:33:56.700 and went to the Swedish Covenant Hospital, had two major 0:33:56.700 --> 0:34:01.200 surgeries and a doctor, Titus Johnson, the school doctor who, 0:34:01.230 --> 0:34:05.760 and doctor Titus Johnson was a great missionary doctor. He said, George, 0:34:05.760 --> 0:34:09.630 I don't think you'll see the year out. And then 0:34:09.630 --> 0:34:11.610 he said to me, he said, I don't think you'll 0:34:11.610 --> 0:34:15.580 ever have children. I said, well, you're a cheerful guy. 0:34:15.730 --> 0:34:20.020 And but I remember in the hospital I said, Lord, 0:34:20.020 --> 0:34:23.080 this bed is my altar. And I want to take 0:34:23.080 --> 0:34:28.180 the flesh hooks of, of of discipline and determination and 0:34:28.180 --> 0:34:31.510 lay it into the sacrifice and adjusted to the center 0:34:31.510 --> 0:34:34.299 of the altar. I want what you have. If you 0:34:34.300 --> 0:34:37.060 want me to live, fine. If you want me to die, fine. 0:34:37.060 --> 0:34:41.080 I want what you want. And I'll never forget that 0:34:41.080 --> 0:34:44.800 time of suffering. But it was part of the Lord 0:34:44.830 --> 0:34:47.740 teaching me things that I needed to learn. It's amazing what. 0:34:47.770 --> 0:34:50.950 God did, though. I mean, how many kids, how many grandchildren? 0:34:51.580 --> 0:34:52.719 14. 0:34:52.900 --> 0:34:56.230 14 grandkids. And your four kids, right? 0:34:56.260 --> 0:35:00.819 Yeah. That's right. Four sons. I'll never forget when Hilda 0:35:00.820 --> 0:35:02.980 thought she was pregnant and I said, well, honey, it 0:35:02.980 --> 0:35:06.400 can't be, but I'll call Doctor Johnson. And I called him. 0:35:06.400 --> 0:35:09.879 I was a student at Gordon-conwell Seminary. Then I said, 0:35:09.880 --> 0:35:12.830 Doctor Johnson, my wife thinks she's pregnant. He said, well, 0:35:12.830 --> 0:35:15.410 take her to a doctor. I said, but you said 0:35:15.440 --> 0:35:19.580 she would never have children. So he said, what do 0:35:19.580 --> 0:35:23.360 I know? I'm just a doctor. I'm practicing. And and 0:35:23.360 --> 0:35:27.470 we we laughed. But the Lord has been good. God was. 0:35:27.469 --> 0:35:28.609 So gracious. Wow. 0:35:28.610 --> 0:35:29.780 And we're grateful. 0:35:29.810 --> 0:35:32.630 Yeah. Okay. Uh, we're going to we're going to take 0:35:32.630 --> 0:35:34.820 a little break, uh, and we're going to come right 0:35:34.820 --> 0:35:40.100 back with more of our discussion about the pursuit of excellence. 0:35:40.130 --> 0:35:44.060 Lots of great stories in here, biblical stories and stories 0:35:44.060 --> 0:35:46.879 from Doctor Sweeting. You're listening to Open Line with Michael 0:35:46.880 --> 0:35:49.819 Radonich and my guest today, Doctor George Sweeting. Stay with us. 0:35:52.940 --> 0:35:55.880 Sometimes we want to read the Bible but don't know 0:35:55.880 --> 0:35:58.340 how to get the most out of it. My friend, 0:35:58.370 --> 0:36:02.029 Moody Professor Doctor Jim Coakley, has written 14 Fresh Ways 0:36:02.030 --> 0:36:04.640 to Enjoy the Bible, a book that helps us understand 0:36:04.640 --> 0:36:08.810 the full riches of Scripture by giving 14 practical principles 0:36:08.810 --> 0:36:11.759 to bring them to life. Request your copy today with 0:36:11.760 --> 0:36:17.609 a gift of any amount to open line, call (888) 644-7122 0:36:17.610 --> 0:36:29.730 or visit Open Line radio.org. Welcome back to a special 0:36:29.730 --> 0:36:33.330 pre-recorded edition of Open Line. My name is Michael Ray Dolnick. 0:36:33.330 --> 0:36:37.680 I'm so glad you're listening. Today we're re-airing a 2019 0:36:37.680 --> 0:36:41.340 conversation I had with Doctor George Sweeting, the sixth president 0:36:41.340 --> 0:36:43.920 of Moody Bible Institute. He was president when I was 0:36:43.920 --> 0:36:46.830 a student. He passed away on September 10th at age 0:36:46.830 --> 0:36:49.770 99 and is someone I considered a dear friend and 0:36:49.770 --> 0:36:53.730 role model. Thank you Michael, I am so glad for 0:36:53.730 --> 0:36:55.560 this book, The Pursuit of Excellence, one of the great 0:36:55.560 --> 0:36:58.110 Bible study books that you could ever have. We're going 0:36:58.110 --> 0:37:03.750 over nine characteristics of Excellence, and so far we've covered faith, 0:37:03.780 --> 0:37:09.069 character and action, single mindedness, love. And then the hard 0:37:09.070 --> 0:37:13.270 part suffering. And there's three more. And I don't think 0:37:13.270 --> 0:37:15.250 we're going to have time to cover each of these 0:37:15.250 --> 0:37:19.030 three in depth. So the seventh is prayer. And the 0:37:19.030 --> 0:37:22.150 eighth is wisdom. But this is the one. The final 0:37:22.150 --> 0:37:28.990 characteristic that you mention is staying power endurance of ending. Well, 0:37:28.989 --> 0:37:31.390 and again, this makes me think of another book of 0:37:31.390 --> 0:37:36.220 yours that I found very encouraging, which is you wrote 0:37:36.219 --> 0:37:38.560 a book, How to Begin the Christian Life, and you 0:37:38.560 --> 0:37:40.240 wrote a book on how to grow. 0:37:40.270 --> 0:37:42.730 How to continue the Christian life. Yeah. 0:37:42.760 --> 0:37:45.670 And then the last one that I found when I 0:37:45.670 --> 0:37:46.600 turned 60, I read it. 0:37:46.630 --> 0:37:47.410 Finish the Christian. 0:37:47.440 --> 0:37:50.560 How to Finish the Christian Life. And that's with staying power. 0:37:50.560 --> 0:37:55.780 So here's what I'm wondering. Why is staying power so important? 0:37:55.780 --> 0:37:59.680 But more importantly, we figure it's important. I also want 0:37:59.680 --> 0:38:02.050 to know how do I get it? So how do 0:38:02.050 --> 0:38:04.270 I get staying power. So let's start with why is 0:38:04.270 --> 0:38:05.950 it so important? Yes. 0:38:05.980 --> 0:38:10.550 Well, I take it from Scripture, of course, and of 0:38:10.550 --> 0:38:16.310 the early church it says in acts 242 they continued 0:38:16.310 --> 0:38:22.730 steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, and the breaking 0:38:22.760 --> 0:38:26.629 of bread and of prayers. And you see how the 0:38:26.630 --> 0:38:34.310 early church, step by step, faithfully followed those principles there. Again, 0:38:34.310 --> 0:38:40.880 first Corinthians four two. It is required, not suggested, not 0:38:40.880 --> 0:38:45.410 just recommended. It is required that those who have been 0:38:45.410 --> 0:38:51.290 given a trust, a position of confidence that they must 0:38:51.290 --> 0:38:56.390 prove themselves faithful. The Apostle Paul said, I have fought 0:38:56.420 --> 0:39:00.470 a good fight. He said, I finished the race. He said, 0:39:00.469 --> 0:39:06.170 I've kept the faith. Staying power. The endurance to end Well, 0:39:06.170 --> 0:39:11.810 when Jesus had received the sour vinegar and wine on 0:39:11.810 --> 0:39:16.880 the cross, he said, it is finished. He said, the 0:39:16.880 --> 0:39:21.170 work my father gave me to do, it's done. And 0:39:21.170 --> 0:39:24.770 it says he bowed his head and he gave up 0:39:24.770 --> 0:39:30.530 his spirit. Staying power. The crowd said, come down from 0:39:30.530 --> 0:39:33.980 the cross. If you're the Son of God, prove it. 0:39:34.190 --> 0:39:38.540 But the Lord Jesus stayed on the cross. He didn't 0:39:38.540 --> 0:39:42.830 come down. It's human to come down. It's human to quit. 0:39:42.860 --> 0:39:47.330 It's divine to hang there. It's divine to be faithful, 0:39:47.360 --> 0:39:52.760 to have that staying power. He persevered, not quitting, but 0:39:52.760 --> 0:39:55.670 doing the will of his father. And that's what God 0:39:55.670 --> 0:39:57.320 calls us to do today. 0:39:57.350 --> 0:39:59.420 What makes people quit, do you think? 0:39:59.450 --> 0:40:09.719 Fear. Tiredness. Others. Uh, but I think if we have 0:40:09.719 --> 0:40:15.060 a vision of God and especially as expressed in the 0:40:15.060 --> 0:40:20.610 Lord Jesus, uh, he was out to finish what the 0:40:20.610 --> 0:40:25.500 Lord the Heavenly Father gave him to do. And his 0:40:25.500 --> 0:40:29.520 purpose statement in life was, I've come to seek and 0:40:29.520 --> 0:40:34.500 to save the lost. And so he knew he had 0:40:34.500 --> 0:40:36.390 to go to the cross. Peter didn't want him to 0:40:36.390 --> 0:40:39.060 go to the cross, but he knew he had to 0:40:39.060 --> 0:40:41.730 go to the cross. He was to die there for 0:40:41.730 --> 0:40:45.660 the sins of the world. And finally on the cross 0:40:45.660 --> 0:40:48.900 he said, it's done. I've done what my father has 0:40:48.930 --> 0:40:51.779 asked me to do. The veil of the temple was 0:40:51.780 --> 0:40:55.710 rent in twain. He completed the purpose for which he 0:40:55.710 --> 0:40:56.910 came to earth. 0:40:57.360 --> 0:41:02.670 Okay, so now, doc, you've already mentioned that you're 95 0:41:02.670 --> 0:41:06.610 years old. You don't believe in retirement. You're still serving God. 0:41:06.610 --> 0:41:09.880 You're still. How many years? Are you married now? 0:41:10.150 --> 0:41:11.230 72. 0:41:11.260 --> 0:41:14.560 Only 72. So you got a lot more years there? Uh, 0:41:14.590 --> 0:41:16.420 a very patient wife, I guess. Right? 0:41:16.570 --> 0:41:22.090 Very patient. She's. I owe everything to her. Apart from 0:41:22.090 --> 0:41:26.739 the Lord, she's been the most important person. Even greater 0:41:26.739 --> 0:41:29.560 than my mother and father. And I love them dearly. 0:41:29.770 --> 0:41:32.469 So here's my question. What is the key? I mean, 0:41:32.469 --> 0:41:36.040 I have never seen anyone with as much staying power 0:41:36.040 --> 0:41:39.669 and serving God and loving God as you. And so 0:41:39.670 --> 0:41:42.550 what do you think prompted that? What's the key that 0:41:42.550 --> 0:41:45.820 you found for staying power in your life? 0:41:46.120 --> 0:41:49.180 I think it comes from the scriptures, from the Word 0:41:49.180 --> 0:41:53.110 of God, because as I see it from beginning to end, 0:41:53.140 --> 0:41:55.360 whether it was the early church or whether it was 0:41:55.360 --> 0:42:00.370 the ministry of Jesus, uh, the work was to be done. 0:42:00.610 --> 0:42:05.750 And The. The Lord at that right moment said, it's finished, 0:42:05.750 --> 0:42:09.620 the work is done. And then, of course, he was 0:42:09.620 --> 0:42:13.819 buried and ascended, and then appeared to his disciples and 0:42:13.820 --> 0:42:16.759 outlined what they were to do. He said, you're here's 0:42:16.760 --> 0:42:19.549 what you're to do. You're to be witnesses unto all 0:42:19.550 --> 0:42:23.419 of what you've seen and heard. And so that's what 0:42:23.420 --> 0:42:24.529 we're doing. Did you ever. 0:42:24.560 --> 0:42:25.460 Want to quit? 0:42:27.469 --> 0:42:32.660 Well, if so, it wasn't for long. Yeah. That's it. 0:42:32.900 --> 0:42:38.060 Maybe a few seconds. And then I said, Lord help me. Uh, 0:42:38.150 --> 0:42:42.439 rebuild my faith. Give me a vision of. And help 0:42:42.440 --> 0:42:46.550 me to be one that perseveres and serves you to 0:42:46.580 --> 0:42:47.120 the end. 0:42:47.150 --> 0:42:49.880 I think that's the thing that we're all going to 0:42:49.880 --> 0:42:52.969 get discouraged sometimes. Yeah. And want to quit. But I 0:42:52.969 --> 0:42:56.839 think if we keep remembering our Redeemer, that's what kept me. 0:42:56.989 --> 0:42:59.690 There was a point where I wanted to quit serving God, 0:42:59.690 --> 0:43:04.560 and I heard a song on Moody Radio of all things, uh, 0:43:04.560 --> 0:43:08.070 early in the morning, and it was Steven Curtis Chapman 0:43:08.070 --> 0:43:11.670 singing My Redeemer is faithful and true. 0:43:12.060 --> 0:43:12.690 Faithful and. 0:43:12.690 --> 0:43:15.660 True. And I heard that, and I thought, he is faithful. 0:43:15.810 --> 0:43:19.440 I have to be faithful. And that was a transforming 0:43:19.440 --> 0:43:20.430 moment for me. 0:43:20.460 --> 0:43:23.700 Oh, yeah. And Paul, you know, he says, I fought 0:43:23.730 --> 0:43:27.120 a good fight. It's a fight. Yeah. And he said, 0:43:27.120 --> 0:43:30.420 I've kept the faith. Yeah. And then he said, I 0:43:30.450 --> 0:43:34.859 finished the course that God had marked out for him. Yeah. 0:43:34.890 --> 0:43:37.950 What words? I threw me. And I said, Lord, I'd 0:43:37.950 --> 0:43:40.680 just like to have a little bit of that. I'd 0:43:40.680 --> 0:43:43.620 like to be a little like Paul was like Jesus was. 0:43:43.620 --> 0:43:45.630 I'd like to reflect him. Yeah. 0:43:45.660 --> 0:43:48.510 You you have a chapter in the book as D.L. Moody, 0:43:48.540 --> 0:43:52.860 as an example of someone who followed excellence, pursued excellence. 0:43:52.890 --> 0:43:55.770 So could you talk a little bit about D.L. Moody? 0:43:55.770 --> 0:43:58.050 Because so often, you know, people hear Moody Bible Institute 0:43:58.050 --> 0:44:01.200 or Moody Radio and they think it means the radio 0:44:01.200 --> 0:44:05.850 station for Grumpy people or the Grumpy Bible Institute. It's 0:44:05.850 --> 0:44:09.510 not that it's named after a very famous man, D.L. Moody. Uh, 0:44:09.510 --> 0:44:12.600 and so, uh. Yeah. Yeah. 0:44:12.630 --> 0:44:15.090 D.L. Moody used to say, give me a man who 0:44:15.090 --> 0:44:18.270 says this one thing I do, and not these 50 0:44:18.300 --> 0:44:22.259 things I dabble in. And that was his singleness of 0:44:22.260 --> 0:44:27.690 of purpose. But listen to Emma Dryer. Emma Dryer really 0:44:27.690 --> 0:44:31.770 knew D.L. Moody better than most people knew him. And 0:44:31.770 --> 0:44:41.730 she said this organization was not pre-eminently. D.L. Moody's gift founding, evangelizing, 0:44:41.730 --> 0:44:47.910 and quick execution were emphatically his gifts. Wow. He was 0:44:47.910 --> 0:44:52.950 an Elijah. He was a divinely equipped flying artillery on 0:44:52.950 --> 0:44:58.750 life's battlefield. I mean, that's how she describes D.L. Still moody. Wow. 0:44:58.780 --> 0:45:04.690 An RA Tory working with D.L. Moody said millions of 0:45:04.690 --> 0:45:11.680 dollars passed into Mr. Moody's hands, but they passed through. 0:45:11.770 --> 0:45:16.450 They did not stick to his fingers. You see, Moody 0:45:16.480 --> 0:45:19.990 was a person who was giving his all to serve 0:45:19.989 --> 0:45:25.270 others and to serve Jesus Christ. Uh, Dale Moody's life's 0:45:25.270 --> 0:45:31.210 verse was the world and its desires pass away. But 0:45:31.210 --> 0:45:36.100 whoever does the will of God lives forever. Now, he 0:45:36.100 --> 0:45:39.130 only lived to be 62 years of age. But here, 0:45:39.130 --> 0:45:45.160 these years afterward, and thousands of students are being trained 0:45:45.160 --> 0:45:49.510 through the Moody Bible Institute and the radio program that 0:45:49.510 --> 0:45:53.680 goes out. Moody would have loved radio goes out day 0:45:53.680 --> 0:45:57.169 after day, all over the nation, all over the world. 0:45:57.200 --> 0:46:00.200 And that message still goes forward. And the. 0:46:00.200 --> 0:46:03.440 Colportage society, which became Moody Publishers, Moody. 0:46:03.469 --> 0:46:04.279 Publishers. 0:46:04.310 --> 0:46:05.690 All the books that. 0:46:05.870 --> 0:46:10.610 I think, I think Moody Publishers, in many ways, uh, 0:46:10.610 --> 0:46:15.890 shows Moody's passion maybe more than any other way. Yeah. Uh, 0:46:15.890 --> 0:46:20.180 thousands will study at a school. Millions will read his books. 0:46:20.840 --> 0:46:22.790 And so the work goes on. 0:46:23.060 --> 0:46:26.780 Well, that's the fastest hour I have ever passed. Thank you, 0:46:26.810 --> 0:46:30.469 Doctor Sweeting, for joining me today. And thanks for listening, everyone. 0:46:30.500 --> 0:46:31.970 You know, if you want to get a copy of 0:46:31.969 --> 0:46:34.010 The Pursuit of Excellence, probably the best way is to 0:46:34.010 --> 0:46:36.860 go to the Open Line Radio org website. There's a 0:46:36.860 --> 0:46:40.130 link there that you can click on for the Pursuit 0:46:40.130 --> 0:46:43.489 of Excellence. It's a featured resource. You can click on that. 0:46:43.520 --> 0:46:45.410 It will take you to the web page where you 0:46:45.410 --> 0:46:48.230 can order your very own copy. Open line with Doctor 0:46:48.230 --> 0:46:50.930 Michael Ray Zelnick is a production of Moody Radio, a 0:46:50.930 --> 0:46:53.120 ministry of Moody Bible Institute.