I want to welcome all of
you to this afternoon's seminar.
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Have you enjoyed the
seminars so far today?
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Amen! I enjoyed Brenda
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talking about Getting
Out Of Your Comfort Zone.
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Wasn't that encouraging
and interesting what she shared
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with us? And Pastor
Finley on the Holy Spirit.
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And Charles
Bradford - Pastor Bradford -
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is one of the most incred...
Doesn't he just encourage you?
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I told someone at lunch today
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"He has the
ability to say things to us
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that maybe others couldn't
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because he's
lived through so much. "
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And he is such an
encouragement to us.
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Well this afternoon we
have Shelley Quinn with us.
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And she's going to be
speaking about Guarding Grace.
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And you know, I was telling
Shelly a little earlier...
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All of you know that
she travels internationally?
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That she's a much sought
after Camp Meeting speaker
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and speaker all over the world.
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She's an incredible author.
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She works here at 3ABN.
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She's all of these things.
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But what I can honestly
say about her from someone
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that works with her and
knows her: she's a godly woman.
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You know, she's the real deal.
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And not only that but
she's somebody that I consider
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my friend. So I know this
afternoon you're going to enjoy
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what she has to share.
But before Shelley comes
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we have the Rhodes
with us: Jim and Pam.
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And Pam, if you
will come on out.
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This is a couple that has
been with 3ABN for many years.
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And Pam: we love you,
we appreciate you so much.
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And Jimmy: we love
and appreciate you, too.
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What are you going to
share with us? Jesus Loves Me.
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OK. A little different
version than you probably know.
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In fact, do you
all like happy music?
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Amen. Do you
like happy music? OK.
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This is a happy song
and it's a fast-moving song.
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So hopefully my lips can
keep up with the pace, OK?
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So... here we go.
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Jesus loves me,
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Jesus loves me,
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loves me this I know.
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Gave Himself to die
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for me
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because He loves me so.
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How often have I failed
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Him...
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struggling here below.
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How often have I
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stumbled...
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in my distress and woe.
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I know that He will
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take me
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in His arms again
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and never shall forsake
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me
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in my alarm or pain.
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How often have I failed my Lord
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along my journey?
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How often have I stumbled
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in my struggles in
this life here below?
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And yet I know He'll take me
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in His arms again
and not forsake me
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in my alarm or pain
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because He loves me,
oh yes, He loves me so.
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How often have I failed my Lord
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along my journey?
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How often have I
stumbled in my struggles
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in this life here below?
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And yet I know He'll
take me in His arms again
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and not forsake me
in my alarm or pain
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because He loves me,
oh yes, He loves me so.
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Amen.
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Amen. Thank you,
Pam, and thank you, Jimmy.
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Well, it's so good always
to see your smiling faces.
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And I see people that I know
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and people... Who's
here for the first time?
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Oh, we've got a
lot of first-timers.
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Praise the Lord! Well, we're
glad that you're here with us.
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And it's just such
an honor and a privilege
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to have this opportunity to
share a message from the Bible.
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I see that I've got my... I
thought, Oh, I forgot my glasses
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and they're attached to me.
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What we're going to
talk about this morning
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or this afternoon
is Guarding Grace.
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What do you guard?
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Think of some
things that you guard.
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Your house? You guard your home.
How do you guard your home?
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Lock it when you leave.
Your car... you lock your car.
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What are some of the
other things we might guard?
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Laptop. Put
security passwords on it.
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How about our reputation?
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We guard, don't we?
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And if I were to give
you a $5,000,000 home,
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would you still guard it?
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You would? And if I were
to give you a Mercedes Benz
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would you guard it?
Even though it's a gift?
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You know, the greatest thing
that we can guard is grace.
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There's a lady
who is a precious soul
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and she calls me frequently.
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Not calls... excuse me.
She e-mails me frequently.
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She watches 3ABN regularly
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and she loves me.
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She's told me she loves me.
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And I know she's praying for me.
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But let me explain
why she prays for me.
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She is not an Adventist,
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and she thinks that
because I keep the Sabbath
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I'm not saved by grace.
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She thinks that
because I speak of obedience
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that I'm trying to
earn my way to heaven.
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I have written a book
called The Grace Pipeline.
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She was the reason...
she was the motivation
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behind me writing this book
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because as I e-mail back and
forth and try to explain to her
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what grace is, it's
like she won't listen.
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And I thought, OK, I'll put
it in a book. But guess what?
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She won't let me
send her the book.
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And I told her: "I
wrote this book specifically
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with you in mind. "
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And I found that some
people are a little leery
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of books on grace.
Why do you think that is?
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Is it because
perhaps sometimes we have an
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unbalanced teaching on grace?
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I'm going to speak to you today.
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We're going to look at
a passage in II Timothy.
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But before I do, I want
to kind of give you a little
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refresher course. Some of
you... Many of you, probably,
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didn't hear it...
this is your first time.
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But if you were here
for our Spring Camp Meeting,
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I spoke on grace.
And I'd like to give you
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a little refresher
course for those who were here
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or talk to you
about what grace is
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before we get into this message.
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So let me share with you
how the Lord explained it to me.
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And I think it is so amazing
because I really struggled
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with understanding grace.
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And finally as I came
to understand it I said:
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"Lord, You show me...
tell me... how to explain it.
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Give me, if You
will, an illustration
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of what grace is all about. "
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And here's what it is:
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God's love is so great
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for you and for me,
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His love is so great
for all of the world,
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that His heart just
overflows from grace.
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It wells up and overflows.
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And from this well of
divine love - and divine love
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has no equal... From
this well of divine love
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His gifts flow to us
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by grace through
the grace pipeline
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that comes down
from heaven to earth.
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Everything... Every
good and perfect gift, Lisa,
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comes by God's grace.
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The Bible says we
are called by grace.
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We repent by grace.
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It's a gift that God gives
to us: the gift of repentance.
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We are saved by grace.
00:10:00.63\00:10:03.90
We are justified by grace.
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All those sins washed
away... the past tense.
00:10:07.39\00:10:11.26
We are sanctified by grace
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which means that we are
growing in grace day by day.
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We are made righteous by grace.
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Everything comes
to us by God's grace.
00:10:23.57\00:10:28.39
Now, as it flows
down this pipeline,
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faith is the faucet.
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It's how we tap into
God's grace pipeline.
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Romans 5:2 says
that it is through Christ
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we have access by faith
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into this grace in
which we now stand.
00:10:47.79\00:10:51.11
Now as we tap in to the
grace pipeline by faith,
00:10:51.41\00:10:56.81
prayer is the handle
that opens this faith faucet.
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And trust is the foundation
for the prayer of faith.
00:11:03.09\00:11:09.05
Relationship is the
foundation for trust.
00:11:09.35\00:11:15.32
And love is the foundation
for our relationship with God.
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So we love God... why?
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Because He first loved us.
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And as we learn to
receive that love from Him
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the Bible says that He
pours His love into our hearts
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by the power of the
Holy Spirit: Romans 5:5.
00:11:36.27\00:11:38.61
So as we learn to open our
hearts and receive His love
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and recognize that God
has a plan for our life
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and it's better
than the one we're living
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we open our hearts
and then this love becomes
00:11:51.93\00:11:56.94
the foundation for a
relationship with our Lord...
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an intimate relationship
that He is calling us to.
00:12:01.48\00:12:05.57
And as we
develop this relationship
00:12:05.87\00:12:09.20
through prayer,
through the Word,
00:12:09.41\00:12:11.52
then we begin to trust in
God with all of our hearts
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and we don't lean on
our own understanding.
00:12:17.18\00:12:19.70
And the more we trust Him,
the greater the prayer of faith
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becomes... so we are turning
that handle on that faith faucet
00:12:24.35\00:12:29.55
with our prayers. And then
we begin to truly walk in faith
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and tap into
God's grace pipeline.
00:12:35.04\00:12:38.11
Now, let me ask you:
00:12:38.41\00:12:41.31
what are the 3
greatest gifts of God's grace?
00:12:41.61\00:12:45.90
Let me start with this one.
00:12:47.64\00:12:49.85
"For God so loved the world
He gave His only begotten Son
00:12:50.15\00:12:55.07
that whoever would
believe Him would not perish
00:12:55.37\00:12:59.58
but have everlasting life. "
00:12:59.78\00:13:01.71
I love the story of
the woman at the well
00:13:02.11\00:13:05.86
in John 4:10. It's a
story kind of coming to a...
00:13:06.06\00:13:10.05
a climax if you
will in John 4:10.
00:13:10.78\00:13:14.77
Jesus tells this woman
who had had five husbands
00:13:14.97\00:13:20.34
living with a sixth man
00:13:20.54\00:13:22.69
now she meets the man of
perfection... the 7th man:
00:13:22.90\00:13:25.94
the perfect Man... Jesus Christ.
00:13:26.14\00:13:28.39
And as she meets Him and
they're having this exchange
00:13:28.69\00:13:33.29
then Jesus finally says to her:
00:13:33.49\00:13:36.64
"Oh, if only you knew
00:13:36.84\00:13:39.40
the gift of God and who
it is that is speaking to you
00:13:39.60\00:13:44.46
then you would ask
Him and He would give you
00:13:44.86\00:13:50.24
a drink of living water. "
00:13:50.44\00:13:53.46
Jesus was saying to
her: "If only you knew
00:13:53.66\00:13:56.78
I am the gift of God. "
00:13:56.98\00:14:00.17
"I am the greatest
gift that God has ever given
00:14:00.47\00:14:05.64
this earth. " And it is
because of this gift of grace
00:14:05.84\00:14:09.38
that we can have
salvation. Is that right?
00:14:09.58\00:14:12.32
Now, the second
greatest gift of grace is whom?
00:14:12.63\00:14:18.16
The Holy Spirit.
00:14:19.37\00:14:21.67
Because Jesus told them:
"Go and wait till you receive
00:14:21.97\00:14:25.57
the promise that
is from on high. "
00:14:25.77\00:14:27.73
And in Acts 2:38-39
00:14:27.93\00:14:30.45
after that promise
from on high was poured out
00:14:30.65\00:14:34.16
on the disciples
in the upper room
00:14:34.37\00:14:36.49
then when Peter was
preaching in Acts 2:38-39
00:14:36.69\00:14:42.08
he said: "Repent and be baptized
00:14:42.28\00:14:45.00
for the
remission of your sins. "
00:14:45.20\00:14:47.15
The dismissal...
the release from sin.
00:14:47.35\00:14:50.03
And he goes on to say
that as many as do this
00:14:50.34\00:14:54.82
will receive the
gift of the Holy Spirit.
00:14:55.02\00:14:58.05
And he says this promise is not
only for you and your children,
00:14:58.35\00:15:01.95
for those who are near, but
for those who are afar off...
00:15:02.15\00:15:06.11
for God's end-time people.
00:15:06.31\00:15:08.38
The Holy Spirit is
the second greatest gift
00:15:08.58\00:15:12.63
of God's grace,
and it is by the Spirit
00:15:12.83\00:15:16.67
that Christ lives in
our hearts through faith.
00:15:16.88\00:15:19.73
Ephesians 3:17 says:
00:15:19.93\00:15:22.24
"He dwells in our
hearts... " - Christ -
00:15:22.44\00:15:25.94
"by faith through
the Holy Spirit. "
00:15:26.14\00:15:29.57
So what do you think is
the 3rd greatest gift of grace?
00:15:29.87\00:15:32.58
His Word. II Timothy
3:16 says that His Word...
00:15:32.88\00:15:38.14
"All scripture was
given by inspiration. "
00:15:38.34\00:15:42.34
Given for reproof, for doctrine,
00:15:42.54\00:15:46.09
to teach us so that
every man, every woman,
00:15:46.29\00:15:50.61
could be thoroughly
equipped to do the will of God.
00:15:50.81\00:15:56.07
So do you see? If Christ
is the first gift of grace
00:15:56.37\00:16:01.83
and the greatest,
and if the Holy Spirit
00:16:02.13\00:16:05.42
is God's second
greatest gift of grace,
00:16:05.62\00:16:08.08
and if the Word of God -
which is living and powerful,
00:16:08.28\00:16:12.87
this Word that He
spoke and created the earth.
00:16:13.07\00:16:16.62
This Word that He spoke...
00:16:16.82\00:16:18.72
In II Peter 1:3-4
it says that this Word
00:16:18.92\00:16:24.16
through this Word God has
given us everything that we need
00:16:24.36\00:16:28.53
for a godly life.
00:16:28.73\00:16:30.67
He said that He's given
us His exceedingly great
00:16:30.97\00:16:34.73
and precious
promises so that through them
00:16:34.93\00:16:37.85
we may become
partakers of the divine nature.
00:16:38.05\00:16:42.33
Through the promises of God.
00:16:42.63\00:16:44.39
And escape the corruption
that's in the world by lust.
00:16:44.59\00:16:48.20
So do you see the power -
the divine power - of grace?
00:16:48.43\00:16:53.52
Grace is the
unearned, unmerited gifts
00:16:53.82\00:16:58.98
that are bestowed by
a God of infinite love
00:16:59.18\00:17:02.90
that bring with them
His divine assistance
00:17:03.20\00:17:08.22
and His supernatural
power for salvation.
00:17:08.42\00:17:12.04
So now having that definition
and understanding of grace
00:17:12.34\00:17:17.89
I want you to open your
Bibles if you will, please,
00:17:18.09\00:17:20.84
to II Timothy 2:13.
00:17:21.04\00:17:24.49
II Timothy 2:13.
00:17:24.79\00:17:27.72
I'll tell you
00:17:30.38\00:17:32.15
there is such
unbalanced teaching on grace
00:17:32.35\00:17:37.84
in our world, and I
want to truly appeal
00:17:38.04\00:17:42.43
to our Baptist
friends out there.
00:17:42.63\00:17:46.14
I want to appeal to
all of you who think that
00:17:46.45\00:17:51.01
if we talk about obedience
we are unlearned in grace.
00:17:51.21\00:17:55.00
And I want to be very respectful
because I know some people
00:17:55.31\00:17:58.20
believe once saved always saved.
00:17:58.40\00:18:01.31
But I believe that today
if you will follow us through
00:18:01.51\00:18:04.40
the scriptures - and I'll give
you all the scripture for this -
00:18:04.60\00:18:07.31
then you will see that grace
is something we should guard.
00:18:07.51\00:18:12.74
We should guard it like we
would the most valuable treasure
00:18:12.94\00:18:16.74
that is in our possession.
00:18:17.04\00:18:18.87
II Timothy 2:13.
00:18:19.17\00:18:21.75
And the Bible says:
"If we are faithless
00:18:22.06\00:18:26.54
He remains faithful.
He cannot deny Himself. "
00:18:26.74\00:18:32.61
You know, in Genesis 3:1
00:18:32.91\00:18:34.83
the serpent came to Eve.
00:18:35.03\00:18:38.53
And he was more
cunning than she was
00:18:38.73\00:18:41.85
and he said to her:
"Huh, did God really say?
00:18:42.05\00:18:47.00
Did God really say
if we are faithless
00:18:47.20\00:18:51.83
He will remain faithful because
He cannot deny Himself? "
00:18:52.03\00:18:56.62
That's not what he
was saying to her, was it?
00:18:56.92\00:18:59.17
He was saying: "Did God
really say that if you ate
00:18:59.27\00:19:02.68
from this tree
you'd die? No, no, no, no.
00:19:02.78\00:19:05.65
You're not going to die.
00:19:05.86\00:19:07.31
No, you'll become like a god.
00:19:07.61\00:19:09.94
You'll know the difference
between good and evil.
00:19:10.14\00:19:13.36
You can choose for
yourself what you think is good.
00:19:13.46\00:19:16.08
You can choose for yourself
what you think is evil. "
00:19:16.29\00:19:19.22
He twisted God's words,
00:19:19.42\00:19:22.40
and as he twisted God's
words he caused Eve to fall
00:19:22.60\00:19:28.34
and she disobeyed
God. And you know what?
00:19:28.64\00:19:32.11
God is using that
same tactic today.
00:19:32.31\00:19:35.85
Jesus said: "Enter
by the narrow gate. "
00:19:36.75\00:19:42.05
He said: "Broad is
the path of destruction.
00:19:42.35\00:19:46.36
Many there are
who will follow it.
00:19:46.66\00:19:49.13
But narrow is the
gate... narrow is the path
00:19:49.43\00:19:53.13
that leads to salvation and
few there are who find it. "
00:19:53.33\00:19:58.44
Well, here's what the
story on this path is.
00:19:58.54\00:20:03.42
Then we'll come back to
that scripture that I did not
00:20:04.50\00:20:07.27
explain to you. But
this narrow path of salvation
00:20:07.47\00:20:11.81
is found in God's Word.
00:20:13.67\00:20:15.65
We've got to receive and
accept not just part of what
00:20:15.95\00:20:19.48
God's Word says but ALL
of what God's Word says.
00:20:19.68\00:20:22.41
And you know what? The
devil doesn't care which side of
00:20:22.71\00:20:27.23
the path you fall off.
He doesn't care if you step
00:20:27.33\00:20:30.70
over here... Let me
do it... your right but
00:20:30.80\00:20:33.84
if you step over here to
the right and you start becoming
00:20:34.04\00:20:36.88
legalistic and you
try to save yourself -
00:20:37.08\00:20:41.01
through obedience if
you're trying to save yourself
00:20:41.21\00:20:44.81
by keeping the law - he
doesn't care because he knows
00:20:45.01\00:20:49.19
that the Bible says if you
do this - and I'll prove it
00:20:49.40\00:20:52.04
in a moment -
you've fallen from grace.
00:20:52.14\00:20:54.69
Now, he doesn't care if
you step over to the left
00:20:54.99\00:20:59.70
and become too liberal thinking
"ha, ha, I'm saved by grace.
00:20:59.91\00:21:03.91
I don't have a
thing to worry about.
00:21:04.21\00:21:05.53
I don't need to worry
about obeying. I don't need to
00:21:05.63\00:21:08.25
follow the will of the
Lord. I've received this gift...
00:21:08.45\00:21:11.62
I don't need to lock it
up; I don't need to guard it. "
00:21:11.82\00:21:14.08
He doesn't care
which side you fall off on.
00:21:14.38\00:21:17.68
When I was
brought up, I never...
00:21:17.88\00:21:20.96
I was brought up in
church, different denomination.
00:21:21.06\00:21:23.57
I never heard
about grace... ever.
00:21:23.77\00:21:27.33
I was told I had to
be perfect to be loved,
00:21:27.63\00:21:29.66
and I trembled in my boots at
the thought of God the Father.
00:21:29.86\00:21:33.45
And you know what? What
happened was I stepped off
00:21:33.75\00:21:37.23
on this side of the path
and that steel-toothed trap
00:21:37.33\00:21:41.62
of the devil
grabbed me around the ankle
00:21:41.72\00:21:44.91
and I drug that
thing along for so long.
00:21:45.11\00:21:48.10
And I was spiritually
hobbled in my progress
00:21:48.40\00:21:52.44
as far as my walk with the Lord.
00:21:52.64\00:21:54.74
And because I
could not be perfect
00:21:54.94\00:21:57.99
and because I did not
understand God's plan of grace
00:21:58.20\00:22:01.67
I finally became so
disheartened I gave up!
00:22:01.87\00:22:05.68
And I walked in the ways
of the world for a while.
00:22:05.98\00:22:08.61
I thought: "That's
it. I'm beyond saving.
00:22:08.81\00:22:11.93
I can't be perfect. "
00:22:12.13\00:22:13.67
Have any of you
ever felt like that?
00:22:13.97\00:22:16.02
Like: "Oh, Lord,
what's wrong with me? "
00:22:16.32\00:22:19.08
But then what happened
00:22:19.39\00:22:22.39
was I began
studying in my Bible.
00:22:22.59\00:22:26.02
Not studying on grace but
I was studying in my Bible.
00:22:26.22\00:22:29.01
I came out of the
church of my youth
00:22:29.21\00:22:31.26
and I went to a
different church.
00:22:31.46\00:22:33.16
And at this church
then what I found was
00:22:33.36\00:22:36.68
"Whoo... this was
a neat experience. "
00:22:36.71\00:22:39.81
It was joyful; it was
a constant celebration.
00:22:40.01\00:22:45.86
It was... well... different.
00:22:46.16\00:22:49.84
But you know what happened?
My friend at this church
00:22:50.24\00:22:54.40
who knew I was trying
to understand about grace
00:22:54.60\00:22:56.55
read to me this
promise in II Timothy 2:13.
00:22:56.75\00:23:00.87
And you know what she said?
00:23:01.17\00:23:02.85
She said: "Shelley,
look at this. The Bible says
00:23:03.05\00:23:06.26
'if we are
faithless He remains faithful
00:23:06.56\00:23:10.99
for He cannot deny Himself. '
00:23:11.09\00:23:12.89
No matter... We're God's
children no matter what we do.
00:23:13.09\00:23:17.77
God's not going to disown
us... He can't deny Himself
00:23:17.97\00:23:21.61
'cause He's in us. "
00:23:21.91\00:23:22.96
And I looked at that
scripture and I said:
00:23:23.16\00:23:25.53
"Yeah, the Bible
does say that! Whoo-hoo! "
00:23:25.73\00:23:29.71
You know, it felt good
to think I could do no wrong
00:23:29.91\00:23:32.79
in the eyes of my Lord.
00:23:32.99\00:23:34.54
Guess what happened? Was I
on the narrow path any longer?
00:23:34.84\00:23:38.12
No, I had stepped over here
and all of a sudden "SNAP... "
00:23:38.42\00:23:41.85
here's that steel-toothed
snare and I'm dragging it along.
00:23:42.05\00:23:47.03
And my spiritual progression
is once again coming to
00:23:47.16\00:23:50.68
just a crawl. So
what happened was...
00:23:50.78\00:23:55.75
Open your Bibles to
II Corinthians, please,
00:23:55.96\00:23:59.70
because what was
going on is I thought
00:24:00.00\00:24:04.21
that I was walking in grace.
00:24:04.41\00:24:06.15
But I allowed this
single scripture - taken out of
00:24:06.45\00:24:09.57
context - to influence my
immature concept of grace.
00:24:09.67\00:24:13.31
Turn to I
Corinthians chapter 10.
00:24:13.61\00:24:17.98
I Corinthians
chapter 10. I actually became
00:24:18.18\00:24:22.65
so bold as to think that
anyone who taught on obedience
00:24:22.85\00:24:27.36
was unlearned in grace.
00:24:27.56\00:24:31.07
That they were legalistic.
00:24:31.37\00:24:32.98
And then one day I was
reading my Bible and I came
00:24:33.28\00:24:37.21
to a text that was just
flashing. It lit up like a
00:24:37.41\00:24:42.20
neon light nearly. And let
me explain what happened here.
00:24:42.40\00:24:45.99
Paul in his first letter to the
Corinthians in this chapter 10
00:24:46.19\00:24:49.78
he's just provided a
brief history of the wanderings
00:24:49.98\00:24:54.06
of the nation of Israel -
the called-out people of God...
00:24:54.16\00:24:57.68
the remnant of
the Lord if you will.
00:24:57.98\00:25:00.74
And he is explaining how
they tried the Lord's patience
00:25:00.95\00:25:06.91
over and over and over again.
00:25:06.94\00:25:10.58
And finally they
exhausted the Lord's patience.
00:25:10.78\00:25:15.56
So he says... and we're
going to look at verse 12...
00:25:15.76\00:25:19.17
he explains God's
judgment against them
00:25:19.37\00:25:23.10
was a warning to
Christians. And he concludes
00:25:23.30\00:25:26.72
in I Corinthians 10 and verse 12
00:25:26.92\00:25:29.19
saying this: "Therefore,
let him who thinks he stands
00:25:29.39\00:25:34.66
take heed lest he fall. "
00:25:34.86\00:25:38.18
Do you think you stand?
00:25:39.77\00:25:43.85
Take heed; check yourself.
00:25:44.15\00:25:47.51
Make sure you're
standing lest you fall.
00:25:47.71\00:25:50.73
He goes on and
says: "No temptation
00:25:51.03\00:25:53.14
has overtaken you
except such as is common to man
00:25:53.34\00:25:58.02
but God is faithful who
will not allow you to be tempted
00:25:58.26\00:26:02.35
beyond what you are
able but with the temptation
00:26:02.55\00:26:06.23
will also make the way of escape
00:26:06.43\00:26:09.96
that you may be
able to bear it. "
00:26:10.16\00:26:12.76
Although I was very
active in church at the time
00:26:13.06\00:26:16.40
I took a look at this scripture
00:26:16.70\00:26:20.94
and started
taking a look at my life.
00:26:21.14\00:26:23.42
And I thought: "Oh,
Lord, I think I'm standing.
00:26:23.72\00:26:28.07
Am I ignoring Your
way out of temptation?
00:26:28.27\00:26:32.73
Am I in danger of maybe
taking a nose dive here? "
00:26:33.13\00:26:39.04
You know, my interpretation
00:26:40.47\00:26:46.35
of that single
scripture was very presumptuous
00:26:46.55\00:26:49.92
of thinking II Timothy
2:13 "If we are faithful...
00:26:51.63\00:26:55.74
or if we are
faithless He is faithful
00:26:55.94\00:26:58.64
because He
cannot deny Himself... "
00:26:58.84\00:27:00.47
I had taken that out of context
00:27:00.70\00:27:03.34
and I had become
like the Nicolaitins.
00:27:03.64\00:27:06.59
You know what the
Nicolaitins believed?
00:27:06.79\00:27:08.44
That they weren't
bound by moral law.
00:27:08.64\00:27:11.60
And what did Jesus
say in Revelation 2:6
00:27:11.80\00:27:14.58
about the Nicolaitins?
00:27:14.78\00:27:16.44
He said: "I hate their deeds. "
00:27:16.74\00:27:18.69
And that is who I had become.
00:27:18.89\00:27:21.37
Now turn to II Timothy. We're
going to stay there for a while.
00:27:21.57\00:27:24.49
II Timothy 2... and
let's look at my friend's
00:27:24.69\00:27:28.74
favorite scripture
within context because
00:27:28.94\00:27:31.58
this is what
the Lord did for me.
00:27:31.68\00:27:33.63
One I began studying and
realized I needed to take heed
00:27:33.84\00:27:38.39
lest I fall, He took
me back to II Timothy 2
00:27:38.60\00:27:42.55
and I began to
study within context
00:27:42.75\00:27:46.85
what the Bible is saying.
00:27:47.05\00:27:49.10
And we will begin with verse 11.
00:27:49.20\00:27:51.62
And here is what he says:
00:27:51.92\00:27:54.17
"For this is a faithful saying:
00:27:54.47\00:27:58.51
for if we... " - notice the if,
00:27:58.71\00:28:02.03
that's a
conditional... a condition -
00:28:02.23\00:28:05.57
"For if we died with Him
we shall also live with Him.
00:28:05.87\00:28:11.42
If we endure, we
shall also reign with Him.
00:28:11.72\00:28:17.32
If we deny Him,
He will also deny us.
00:28:17.62\00:28:22.82
If we are
faithless, He remains faithful
00:28:23.22\00:28:28.70
for He cannot deny Himself. "
00:28:28.91\00:28:32.68
As I probed these
verses, truth began to appeal
00:28:32.98\00:28:37.17
to solid reasoning, and
the Lord helped me escape
00:28:37.37\00:28:41.92
the snare of the devil.
00:28:42.12\00:28:43.44
Now let's unpack these
and see what Jesus is saying.
00:28:43.74\00:28:47.28
What Paul was
saying through Christ.
00:28:47.58\00:28:49.53
Let's look at II
Timothy 2:11 again.
00:28:49.83\00:28:52.70
"For if we died with Him
we shall also live with Him. "
00:28:53.10\00:28:59.01
If we're going to guard the gift
of grace that God has given us,
00:29:00.25\00:29:05.57
we must be dead to self and sin
00:29:05.87\00:29:11.34
but alive to God in His
gift of re-created life.
00:29:11.64\00:29:17.60
If you're taking
notes, just jot this down.
00:29:18.00\00:29:21.32
We're not going to turn there
right now, but Romans chapter 6,
00:29:21.62\00:29:24.74
powerful chapter -
Romans chapter 6 is one of my
00:29:24.94\00:29:28.06
favorites. In verses 3-10
let me just summarize this.
00:29:28.26\00:29:31.63
In verses 3 through
10 it's talking about
00:29:31.93\00:29:35.14
being baptized into His death.
00:29:35.35\00:29:38.54
What does that mean? To
be baptized into His death?
00:29:38.84\00:29:42.05
That means that we are going
to nail this old, unregenerated
00:29:42.35\00:29:47.30
self to the cross. We're
going to pick up our cross
00:29:47.50\00:29:50.34
and die to self.
And the results of that
00:29:50.54\00:29:53.59
as Romans 6 explains
is that we are no longer
00:29:53.89\00:29:58.93
slaves to sin.
00:29:59.13\00:30:01.64
If you're still a slave to
sin, you're not dead to self.
00:30:01.95\00:30:05.83
It's that simple.
00:30:06.13\00:30:07.33
But we must consider
ourself - sometimes, by faith -
00:30:07.83\00:30:13.76
we must first
consider ourselves dead to sin
00:30:13.96\00:30:17.25
and our
relationship to it broken.
00:30:17.45\00:30:20.05
Calling things that are
not as though they already were
00:30:20.25\00:30:23.26
because we know that this is
what God is going to work in us.
00:30:23.46\00:30:27.05
We must consider
ourselves alive to God
00:30:27.35\00:30:32.74
and our fellowship unbroken
with Him in Christ Jesus.
00:30:32.94\00:30:37.79
You know, Paul
said in Galatians 2:2:
00:30:38.09\00:30:40.28
"I have been
crucified with Christ
00:30:40.48\00:30:42.59
and the life I now live
in this body, it is no longer
00:30:42.89\00:30:47.40
me but it's
Christ living in me. "
00:30:47.60\00:30:49.84
And in Colossians 3:3 he says:
00:30:50.14\00:30:52.56
"For you have died... "
He's talking about right now.
00:30:52.76\00:30:56.68
That you've picked up
your cross and died to self.
00:30:56.98\00:31:00.61
And he says: "And your
real life is hidden with Christ
00:31:00.81\00:31:06.46
in God. " Have you
picked up your cross today?
00:31:06.66\00:31:11.42
Let me ask you: when
you got up this morning
00:31:11.72\00:31:14.80
were you guarding grace?
00:31:15.00\00:31:17.15
Did you say: "Oh, Lord, help me
00:31:17.45\00:31:20.35
to walk in surrender
to Your power today. "
00:31:20.55\00:31:23.13
"Help me to pick up
my cross and die to self
00:31:23.43\00:31:27.58
by the power of
Your Holy Spirit. "
00:31:27.78\00:31:29.80
"Help me to put to death
the misdeeds of my flesh. "
00:31:30.00\00:31:33.22
Through the regeneration
and renewal of the Holy Spirit
00:31:34.60\00:31:38.68
born-again
believers are alive to God.
00:31:38.88\00:31:43.05
Listen to this text.
00:31:43.25\00:31:44.95
This is Titus 3:5.
00:31:45.26\00:31:46.97
The Bible says... Paul's
writing to Titus and he says:
00:31:47.27\00:31:50.70
"He saved us, not because
of any works of righteousness
00:31:50.90\00:31:55.98
that we had done but because
of His own pity and mercy.
00:31:56.18\00:32:01.54
He saved us by the
cleansing of the new birth,
00:32:01.74\00:32:06.32
the regeneration and
renewing of the Holy Spirit. "
00:32:06.62\00:32:11.00
Did you guard grace today?
00:32:11.20\00:32:13.99
Did you ask that you would
be filled with the Holy Spirit
00:32:14.29\00:32:19.03
before you left? One of the
things I want to encourage you
00:32:19.33\00:32:23.07
is each morning wake up
and say: "Lord, fill me afresh
00:32:23.27\00:32:29.16
with Your Holy Spirit. " We
can grieve the Spirit of God.
00:32:29.36\00:32:32.77
We can resist the Spirit of God.
00:32:32.98\00:32:35.15
We can quench the Spirit of God.
00:32:35.35\00:32:37.46
And day by day we've got to pick
up this cross and die to self.
00:32:37.76\00:32:41.53
Day by day we've got
to get up and say: "Lord,
00:32:41.83\00:32:44.57
let me walk in
surrender to You today.
00:32:44.60\00:32:47.38
Fill me afresh
with Your Holy Spirit. "
00:32:47.58\00:32:50.70
So now let's look on.
In II Timothy chapter 2
00:32:51.00\00:32:56.36
we are now ready for verse 12.
00:32:56.56\00:32:58.88
Paul writes and he says:
00:32:59.18\00:33:02.32
"If we endure, we
shall also reign with Him. "
00:33:02.82\00:33:08.80
What does that mean? You know,
Jesus said in Matthew 24:13
00:33:09.10\00:33:14.02
"He who endures to
the end will be saved. "
00:33:14.22\00:33:19.83
If we are guarding
grace, we've got to endure.
00:33:20.13\00:33:24.71
Romans 5:17 is one of
my favorite scriptures.
00:33:25.01\00:33:27.99
I say that about
so many, don't I?
00:33:28.29\00:33:30.20
But Romans 5:17 says
that those who have received
00:33:30.50\00:33:35.75
an abundance of grace...
00:33:35.95\00:33:39.07
What did we say the three
most important gifts of grace?
00:33:39.27\00:33:42.62
Christ, the
Spirit, and the Word.
00:33:42.82\00:33:47.12
Those who have
received an abundance of grace
00:33:47.32\00:33:50.49
and the gift of righteousness
00:33:50.69\00:33:53.14
will reign in life
through Christ Jesus.
00:33:53.35\00:33:57.80
Hallelujah!
00:33:58.10\00:33:59.39
So here he's saying if
we endure we shall also
00:33:59.59\00:34:04.08
reign with Him. We
must walk in endurance.
00:34:04.28\00:34:08.85
Turn to Hebrews
chapter 10 please.
00:34:09.15\00:34:11.86
Hebrews chapter 10.
00:34:12.16\00:34:15.15
In Hebrews 10... You
know, sometimes I'll have people
00:34:15.45\00:34:20.26
tell me that the idea of
saying we must do God's will
00:34:20.47\00:34:24.38
to be saved... and you'd
be shocked how many people
00:34:24.58\00:34:28.56
will say this... "You
know, that means you're not
00:34:28.76\00:34:31.75
following grace. "
00:34:31.95\00:34:34.03
But look at what
Hebrews 10:36 says.
00:34:34.23\00:34:36.74
Hebrews 10:36:
00:34:38.18\00:34:40.58
"For you have need of endurance
00:34:40.78\00:34:44.48
so that... " What?
Before you do the will of God?
00:34:44.68\00:34:49.95
"so that after
you do the will of God
00:34:50.26\00:34:55.04
you will receive the promise. "
00:34:55.24\00:34:57.55
You have need of
endurance so that after
00:34:57.85\00:35:02.04
you have done the will of God
you will receive the promise.
00:35:02.24\00:35:05.17
The wonderful thing is that
for us to do the will of God
00:35:05.47\00:35:09.79
it is all by grace.
Obedience is by grace.
00:35:09.99\00:35:15.02
We can only obey as God
works in us to will and to do
00:35:15.32\00:35:20.75
His good pleasure. Hallelujah!
00:35:20.85\00:35:22.56
So what we see here, then,
00:35:22.76\00:35:25.27
what Paul is writing...
"If... " - this is conditional -
00:35:25.47\00:35:28.83
"if we endure we
shall also reign with Him. "
00:35:29.03\00:35:32.31
So Christ's faithful followers
receive the promise of reigning
00:35:32.61\00:35:38.36
not only in eons of eternity
00:35:38.56\00:35:42.18
but here in life. Those that
receive the gift of grace...
00:35:42.38\00:35:45.68
the abundance of grace and
the gift of righteousness...
00:35:45.88\00:35:49.51
will reign in life
through Christ Jesus.
00:35:49.71\00:35:53.01
And so what we must do is go on
00:35:53.11\00:35:56.37
and endure to
the end as Jesus said
00:35:56.57\00:35:59.59
doing God's will, and we
know that we will receive
00:35:59.79\00:36:03.61
this promise of eternal life.
00:36:03.81\00:36:05.52
Now let's continue
on in verse 12 because
00:36:05.75\00:36:08.59
this is a very
important part of it.
00:36:08.79\00:36:11.69
"If we deny Him,
00:36:11.99\00:36:15.65
He will also deny us. "
00:36:15.85\00:36:19.74
Let me tell you something:
00:36:20.04\00:36:21.17
you may have heard
me speak of a woman
00:36:21.38\00:36:23.17
who is in a Muslim
country. She became a Christian
00:36:23.37\00:36:28.24
by watching 3ABN for several
years, watching to improve
00:36:28.44\00:36:31.63
her English. A
highly-educated woman.
00:36:31.73\00:36:33.92
She was a Muslim, and she
endured 3 years of beating
00:36:34.22\00:36:38.99
at the hands of
her Muslim husband
00:36:39.12\00:36:41.41
after she accepted Christ
00:36:41.51\00:36:43.59
and now is in a
divorce proceeding.
00:36:43.89\00:36:46.54
And you know what
the courts have told her?
00:36:46.85\00:36:49.14
If you will
renounce Christianity
00:36:49.54\00:36:54.13
and become Muslim again, you may
have custody of your 2 children.
00:36:54.33\00:36:57.93
If you do not, you're going
to lose your two little ones.
00:36:58.23\00:37:02.84
Now, mothers, I don't know
what that does to your heart...
00:37:03.14\00:37:05.59
or fathers... Can you imagine?
00:37:05.79\00:37:10.74
Can you imagine for a minute
00:37:11.04\00:37:13.60
the decision that
this woman was faced with?
00:37:13.91\00:37:18.64
If you denounce
Jesus... You know what she said?
00:37:18.94\00:37:23.59
This woman who has been
so greatly persecuted...
00:37:23.89\00:37:29.35
you know what she
said to the judge?
00:37:29.55\00:37:32.01
"God help me... I cannot. "
00:37:32.21\00:37:35.14
She said: "Even if I do
not see my children again
00:37:35.24\00:37:38.28
for the rest of my
life, I cannot deny my Lord
00:37:38.48\00:37:43.15
and Savior Jesus Christ. " Amen.
00:37:43.35\00:37:45.52
Oh, I pray that I would
have the faith to do that.
00:37:45.66\00:37:50.86
She called me weeping and
she said: "Pray for me that
00:37:51.16\00:37:54.52
I'll have the faith of Abraham.
00:37:54.72\00:37:56.40
That's what I'm praying
for is the faith of Abraham
00:37:56.70\00:37:59.83
that I can lay my
children on the altar
00:38:00.13\00:38:02.47
not knowing if He's going
to raise them back up or not. "
00:38:02.67\00:38:06.44
And I have to
tell you something.
00:38:06.54\00:38:09.44
We've never been faced
with something like that,
00:38:10.92\00:38:13.53
but I'll tell you that it
does not take a verbal rejection
00:38:13.83\00:38:19.62
to deny Christ.
00:38:19.82\00:38:21.49
We can deny Christ
through habitual disregard
00:38:21.79\00:38:25.95
of His commandments.
00:38:26.15\00:38:27.42
Through deliberate sin...
that's a denial of Christ.
00:38:27.72\00:38:31.73
That's rejecting His
authority if we refuse to abide
00:38:32.03\00:38:36.30
in Him and allow the power
of His grace to abide in us.
00:38:36.50\00:38:41.36
We're disowning Him.
00:38:41.67\00:38:43.31
And Paul says here: "If we
deny Him, He will deny us. "
00:38:43.61\00:38:46.97
Turn to Titus chapter 3.
00:38:47.17\00:38:49.49
Excuse me, Titus chapter 1.
00:38:49.79\00:38:52.59
Hard to see through these tears.
00:38:52.89\00:38:54.69
Titus chapter 1.
00:38:54.99\00:38:57.87
Paul identifies people of
the mindset who call themselves
00:38:58.17\00:39:03.72
Christians yet they
deny... by their actions
00:39:03.92\00:39:07.79
they deny Christ. He
calls them pretenders.
00:39:08.09\00:39:12.17
That's what he's
calling them is pretenders.
00:39:12.57\00:39:15.43
And here he's speaking
to unconverted teachers
00:39:15.73\00:39:19.04
and followers who are
insubordinate to the gospel...
00:39:19.24\00:39:22.46
particularly to
those of the circumcision
00:39:22.66\00:39:24.69
who were following
Jewish fables and ritual purity.
00:39:24.99\00:39:28.86
But there were others who
were tingled with Gnosticism.
00:39:29.16\00:39:33.23
And here's what he
says in Titus 1:16:
00:39:33.53\00:39:35.93
He said: "They
profess to know God
00:39:36.23\00:39:40.03
but in works they deny Him. "
00:39:40.23\00:39:44.45
Let me ask you a question.
00:39:44.75\00:39:46.80
Would your
neighbor say that about you?
00:39:48.31\00:39:51.49
Would your
co-worker say that about you?
00:39:53.50\00:39:57.70
Could your spouse
say that about you?
00:39:59.55\00:40:03.49
Or, God forbid, could
your child say that about you?
00:40:03.79\00:40:08.36
Do you profess to know Christ
going to church every Sabbath?
00:40:08.66\00:40:12.56
Every Wednesday
night prayer meeting?
00:40:12.76\00:40:15.05
Maybe you're an elder
or a deacon in the church.
00:40:15.35\00:40:19.34
Maybe you're a Sabbath School
teacher or a Sabbath School
00:40:19.67\00:40:24.01
superintendent. Do your
actions outside of the church
00:40:24.04\00:40:28.07
building show that
you are truly a Christian?
00:40:28.27\00:40:32.87
Are your actions at
home? Do they show that you are
00:40:33.17\00:40:37.40
surrendered to
Christ, dead to self and sin,
00:40:37.60\00:40:41.06
but alive to God?
Because if you are not,
00:40:41.26\00:40:46.03
you are merely a
pretender professing to know Him
00:40:46.23\00:40:50.21
but denying Him in your actions.
00:40:52.26\00:40:54.44
And you know what
Jesus said in Matthew 10:33.
00:40:54.74\00:40:57.53
He said: "Anyone
who denies Me before men
00:40:57.73\00:41:01.47
I will deny before
My Father in heaven. "
00:41:01.67\00:41:05.69
There's a passage that
really got my attention
00:41:07.30\00:41:10.93
back in the day when I was
in a different denomination.
00:41:11.23\00:41:15.62
Back in the day when I thought
grace meant I didn't have to
00:41:15.93\00:41:19.61
worry about
obeying God's commandments.
00:41:19.71\00:41:23.27
Not that... I mean, I
wasn't disobeying any one of...
00:41:23.57\00:41:26.57
I kept 9 of them. What do
you think I wasn't keeping?
00:41:26.77\00:41:29.39
The Sabbath.
00:41:30.71\00:41:32.11
But... there... I
read in Matthew chapter 7
00:41:32.41\00:41:37.02
verses 21-23 where Jesus says
00:41:37.22\00:41:41.45
"Not everyone who
says to me 'Lord, Lord'
00:41:41.85\00:41:44.38
shall enter the
kingdom of heaven
00:41:44.88\00:41:48.07
but he who does the
will of My Father. "
00:41:48.47\00:41:54.38
He said: "You know, in that
day many of them are going to
00:41:54.68\00:41:56.70
come to Me and say 'Lord, Lord,
00:41:56.80\00:41:59.06
did we not
prophesy in Your name?
00:41:59.26\00:42:02.66
Cast out demons in Your name?
00:42:02.76\00:42:04.55
Done many
wonders in Your name? ' "
00:42:04.75\00:42:07.08
And what is He going to say?
00:42:07.28\00:42:09.11
"Away from Me, you... " Yes...
00:42:09.41\00:42:14.94
"Away from Me - depart from Me -
you who practice lawlessness. "
00:42:15.14\00:42:19.51
Only those who do the will of
God are going to be in heaven.
00:42:19.81\00:42:24.65
And how do we
do the will of God?
00:42:24.95\00:42:28.03
By the grace of God.
00:42:28.23\00:42:30.55
It is Christ living in
our hearts through faith.
00:42:30.85\00:42:34.43
Through the Holy Spirit...
the Holy Spirit empowering us.
00:42:34.63\00:42:38.21
If we are trying to
walk in Christ's footsteps
00:42:38.41\00:42:43.75
without the power
of the Holy Spirit,
00:42:43.95\00:42:46.40
we are to be pitied
because it is impossible.
00:42:46.61\00:42:49.64
But God's plan is
that we will be 100%
00:42:49.94\00:42:53.92
absolutely,
totally dependent upon Him.
00:42:54.13\00:42:58.41
He wants to have this
Father- child relationship
00:42:58.71\00:43:02.89
with us where we look to
Him for all of the answers.
00:43:03.09\00:43:06.50
Where we look to
Him for all things.
00:43:06.70\00:43:09.80
Turn to Jude chapter 1.
00:43:10.00\00:43:13.00
Jude chapter 1.
00:43:13.30\00:43:16.18
Well there's only
one chapter in Jude.
00:43:16.48\00:43:18.94
But you know you always
list it that way and when you're
00:43:20.35\00:43:23.30
writing: Jude 1... but Jude.
00:43:23.50\00:43:26.39
If we look at
this book of Jude -
00:43:26.69\00:43:31.50
and I love the way... we're
going to start with verse 3-
00:43:31.71\00:43:34.20
Jude's writing and he says:
00:43:34.50\00:43:37.26
"Beloved, while I was
very diligent to write to you
00:43:38.76\00:43:42.80
concerning our common
salvation... " In other words,
00:43:43.00\00:43:45.07
he's saying: "You
know, that was my plan.
00:43:45.27\00:43:47.24
My plan was to sit down
and write to you about our
00:43:47.44\00:43:49.65
common salvation 'cause
I love the gospel" is what
00:43:49.75\00:43:53.54
Jude's saying. "This is a great
story - the story of Jesus -
00:43:53.64\00:43:58.70
our common salvation. "
00:43:58.80\00:44:00.46
"But, " he says "I found
it necessary to write to you
00:44:00.76\00:44:05.93
exhorting you to
contend earnestly
00:44:06.13\00:44:10.37
for the faith which was once
for all delivered to the saints.
00:44:10.40\00:44:15.23
For certain men have
crept in unnoticed who long ago
00:44:15.53\00:44:19.99
were marked out for
this condemnation. "
00:44:20.19\00:44:22.69
Ungodly men
creeping into the church.
00:44:22.99\00:44:25.99
"Who turn the
grace of our Lord God
00:44:26.19\00:44:30.48
into lewdness, and by so doing
00:44:30.68\00:44:34.96
deny the only Lord God
00:44:35.26\00:44:39.25
and the Lord Jesus Christ. "
00:44:39.56\00:44:42.19
If you deny Him,
He will deny you.
00:44:43.00\00:44:47.37
"But I want to remind
you, though you once knew this,
00:44:47.67\00:44:51.60
that the Lord - having saved the
people out of the land of Egypt
00:44:51.80\00:44:56.09
afterward... "
After He saved them...
00:44:56.29\00:44:59.61
"He destroyed those
who did not believe. "
00:44:59.81\00:45:05.18
Let me ask you a question.
00:45:05.48\00:45:07.09
Do our actions
deny a true conversion?
00:45:07.39\00:45:11.89
You know, Christ - in the
Great Commission - He called us
00:45:13.35\00:45:17.29
to be ambassadors for Him.
00:45:17.39\00:45:19.47
And I tell you that I really
came to understand this better
00:45:19.77\00:45:24.72
in 2009 when Bien Tejano,
00:45:24.92\00:45:29.11
who is the Philippine
ambassador to New Zealand,
00:45:29.32\00:45:32.16
came to visit 3ABN
00:45:32.36\00:45:34.04
and he spoke at
our morning worship.
00:45:34.14\00:45:36.08
And he said:
"Let me explain to you
00:45:36.38\00:45:38.21
what my job is as an ambassador.
00:45:38.41\00:45:40.46
My job is to know the exact will
00:45:40.66\00:45:45.82
of the president
of the Philippines.
00:45:46.02\00:45:48.60
My job is to know all of the
code of regulations, the law,
00:45:48.90\00:45:54.12
of my country
because as an ambassador
00:45:54.32\00:45:58.20
when I go to New Zealand
to represent the Philippines
00:45:58.40\00:46:01.95
as an ambassador I am
responsible. Every word I speak
00:46:02.15\00:46:06.76
is taken as if it were
a word from my president.
00:46:06.96\00:46:10.91
So I have to know the laws.
00:46:11.21\00:46:13.20
I only have to speak what
the president would speak.
00:46:13.30\00:46:15.55
And I must 100% uphold
the laws of my country.
00:46:15.75\00:46:21.24
Anything less would be
a denial of my country,
00:46:21.54\00:46:26.80
my duties, and a
reason for dismissal. "
00:46:27.00\00:46:29.69
Let me ask you: is it
any less for Christians?
00:46:29.99\00:46:34.69
We're to be ambassadors.
00:46:35.00\00:46:37.06
We're to be letters
written on the heart
00:46:37.27\00:46:40.27
from God to the people.
00:46:40.57\00:46:42.55
Shouldn't we know the
will of God and be speaking
00:46:42.85\00:46:46.15
according to His
Word and His will?
00:46:46.35\00:46:48.79
Shouldn't we know and
uphold the law of God?
00:46:49.09\00:46:52.90
Let's go on...
because here is the scripture
00:46:55.28\00:46:58.91
that tripped me
up for several years.
00:46:59.11\00:47:01.57
Couple of years, anyway.
00:47:01.87\00:47:03.04
II Timothy 2:13 as we continue.
00:47:03.34\00:47:06.05
"If we are faithless
00:47:07.44\00:47:10.46
He remains faithful.
00:47:10.66\00:47:14.29
He cannot deny Himself. "
00:47:14.59\00:47:17.19
Now see, Satan beguiled
me to twist this scripture
00:47:17.49\00:47:20.75
with unstable reasoning.
00:47:20.85\00:47:22.67
But within the context
of Paul's whole passage here
00:47:22.87\00:47:27.64
and the context of the rest
of the teaching of scripture
00:47:27.84\00:47:30.81
in the Bible, God
lifted the veil from my eyes.
00:47:30.91\00:47:34.42
Paul's intent in
verse 13 is to forewarn us.
00:47:34.72\00:47:38.44
What Paul is saying
here is if we don't believe
00:47:38.74\00:47:43.22
in God's power to save,
if we're unfaithful to Him,
00:47:43.42\00:47:47.91
then God cannot help but
to remain faithful to His Word
00:47:49.01\00:47:54.98
and His promises.
00:47:55.18\00:47:57.39
Because His righteous character
00:47:57.79\00:48:01.43
is represented by His sure Word.
00:48:01.63\00:48:05.17
His promises are trustworthy.
00:48:05.47\00:48:07.38
And how many of them
are ours in Christ Jesus?
00:48:07.58\00:48:09.89
All of His promises
are ours in Christ Jesus.
00:48:10.19\00:48:13.42
God will faithfully reward
those who live by divine grace.
00:48:13.62\00:48:19.10
You can count on it!
00:48:19.40\00:48:21.35
If you're counting on Christ
living in your heart by faith,
00:48:21.65\00:48:25.34
you're counting on the
Holy Spirit to lead you,
00:48:25.57\00:48:28.35
you're surrendering to the Lord,
00:48:28.56\00:48:30.40
counting on His
Word and His promises,
00:48:30.60\00:48:33.56
God will faithfully reward you.
00:48:33.76\00:48:36.25
He will never forsake
anyone who is trusting in Him.
00:48:36.55\00:48:41.27
But He is equally faithful
to His promises of punishment
00:48:41.58\00:48:47.54
for the wicked. And that
is what Paul is saying here.
00:48:47.74\00:48:52.21
You know, I believe
that our heavenly Father
00:48:52.42\00:48:56.23
anguishes over
any lost relationship.
00:48:56.43\00:49:00.86
The Bible says that
He... His heart... He desires
00:49:01.17\00:49:04.74
that all men would be saved.
00:49:04.94\00:49:07.03
Yet He has made a
promise, and that promise is
00:49:07.33\00:49:13.25
that He cannot deny His
Word. Because to deny His Word
00:49:13.35\00:49:17.67
would be to deny Himself.
00:49:17.87\00:49:19.85
John 10:29: Christ
promises "No one can snatch us
00:49:20.15\00:49:24.22
from the hand of
our loving Father. "
00:49:24.23\00:49:27.26
Our... the
protective hand of God.
00:49:27.56\00:49:30.64
In Romans 8:35-39
Paul further promises that
00:49:30.94\00:49:35.08
absolutely nothing can
separate us from God's love.
00:49:35.28\00:49:41.10
The unfailing love, His
protection and patience,
00:49:41.40\00:49:47.07
is our safeguard.
00:49:47.27\00:49:49.47
He will cause us to be
all that He calls us to be.
00:49:49.77\00:49:53.23
I Peter 1:5 says that
it is through our faith
00:49:53.70\00:49:59.65
in His provision of grace
that we are kept by His power
00:49:59.85\00:50:05.12
for salvation. Hallelujah!
00:50:05.42\00:50:08.22
But even so, grace does
not eliminate free will.
00:50:08.42\00:50:12.88
Turn to Hebrews chapter 3.
00:50:13.18\00:50:16.55
Hebrews chapter 3.
00:50:17.05\00:50:19.75
It is possible to
have a form of godliness
00:50:20.15\00:50:25.17
but deny its power.
00:50:25.47\00:50:27.55
I was speaking in
England and I did a whole series
00:50:27.75\00:50:31.13
on the love of God. And I
had a gentleman who came to me
00:50:31.33\00:50:34.91
in his 70's who was
actually an elder in the church.
00:50:35.11\00:50:37.96
And you know what he said to
me after this five-night series?
00:50:38.16\00:50:42.01
He said: "I have served in the
church for sixty-some odd years"
00:50:42.31\00:50:46.78
and he said "I have never
given my heart to the Lord
00:50:47.08\00:50:51.23
until tonight. " He said "I
never understood what it meant
00:50:51.43\00:50:55.32
to have an intimate relationship
with God and I've never
00:50:55.52\00:50:59.36
overcome the power
of sin in my life. "
00:50:59.46\00:51:01.91
He said: "What people
see of me is a camouflage.
00:51:02.11\00:51:07.49
They don't know
what's in my heart. "
00:51:07.69\00:51:10.06
But it is possible to
have that form of godliness
00:51:10.36\00:51:14.87
and deny its power. But it's
possible to choose to cast off
00:51:15.07\00:51:20.44
Christ's yoke and walk away...
00:51:20.65\00:51:22.97
breaking the heart
of our loving Father.
00:51:23.17\00:51:25.00
But look at Hebrews 3:12.
00:51:25.20\00:51:27.71
He says: "Beware, brethren...
" Who is he speaking to here?
00:51:27.91\00:51:32.13
If I get up here and say
to you "Beware, brethren, "
00:51:32.53\00:51:36.04
who am I speaking to?
00:51:36.24\00:51:37.86
I'm speaking to the
people of the church.
00:51:38.16\00:51:40.81
That's who Paul's speaking to.
00:51:41.01\00:51:42.68
"Beware, brethren, lest
there be in any of you" -
00:51:42.98\00:51:47.54
any of you who
profess to be Christians -
00:51:47.74\00:51:50.26
"an evil heart of unbelief in
departing from the living God. "
00:51:50.46\00:51:56.30
You know what? This
warning to Christians clearly
00:51:57.27\00:51:59.66
demonstrates the
possibility of taking a detour
00:51:59.86\00:52:03.22
from that narrow path of life
00:52:03.43\00:52:06.58
and walking away from
God's source of grace.
00:52:06.78\00:52:11.27
If we draw back from following
in the footsteps of Christ,
00:52:11.57\00:52:16.04
we're departing from the Father.
00:52:16.24\00:52:18.58
Now since you're in Hebrews,
turn and look at Hebrews 10
00:52:18.88\00:52:22.02
and let's look at verse 39
00:52:22.22\00:52:24.92
because this is so
important that we understand.
00:52:26.46\00:52:31.51
We don't have to
shimmer and shake in our boots.
00:52:31.71\00:52:36.91
God is on our side.
00:52:37.11\00:52:40.88
God's... by
grace... Remember we said
00:52:41.18\00:52:43.80
everything comes by grace.
00:52:44.00\00:52:45.95
And God wants more to save
you than you want to be saved
00:52:46.15\00:52:49.36
yourself. Hebrews 10:39
00:52:49.46\00:52:52.53
says "We are not of those
who draw back to perdition
00:52:54.74\00:53:00.04
but of those who believe
to the saving of the soul. "
00:53:00.24\00:53:04.09
Hallelujah!
00:53:04.19\00:53:05.94
Say after me: "I
am not - I am not -
00:53:06.25\00:53:09.81
of one who will
draw back to perdition -
00:53:09.91\00:53:13.24
of one who will
draw back to perdition -
00:53:13.44\00:53:16.10
but I am the one who believes -
00:53:16.20\00:53:19.49
but I am the one who believes -
00:53:19.69\00:53:21.42
to the saving of my soul -
00:53:21.62\00:53:23.62
to the saving of
my soul. " Hallelujah!
00:53:23.82\00:53:26.17
So what does it
mean to guard grace?
00:53:26.47\00:53:30.21
Guarding grace means that
we understand God's love...
00:53:30.61\00:53:36.59
this welling heart of love.
00:53:36.90\00:53:40.55
That we begin to know God.
00:53:40.75\00:53:42.82
John 17:3:
"This is eternal life:
00:53:43.02\00:53:45.45
to know Him and the
One whom He has sent. "
00:53:45.65\00:53:48.39
And as we learn, then,
the power of divine grace
00:53:48.69\00:53:53.76
we will walk by faith.
00:53:53.96\00:53:56.07
To guard grace means we
must be dead to self and sin...
00:53:56.27\00:54:01.00
considering
ourselves dead to sin.
00:54:02.14\00:54:05.60
And I'll tell you what:
there is not a better way.
00:54:05.90\00:54:08.74
We receive the life of Christ
in our hearts through faith.
00:54:10.13\00:54:14.26
We receive the Holy Spirit, and
as we get into the Word of God
00:54:14.46\00:54:18.69
and we confess His
Word over our life...
00:54:18.90\00:54:21.65
Sometimes we are calling
things that are not as though
00:54:21.95\00:54:24.94
they already were,
but as we return that Word
00:54:25.04\00:54:27.43
it doesn't return void.
00:54:27.63\00:54:28.96
God does something;
He re-programs our mind
00:54:29.27\00:54:32.49
and He will
transform us by His power.
00:54:32.80\00:54:36.74
To guard grace means
we must be alive to God.
00:54:37.04\00:54:40.92
Spirit filled, enjoying a
relationship through prayer
00:54:41.22\00:54:45.81
and through the Word.
00:54:46.01\00:54:47.14
To guard grace means that we
must be surrendered day by day.
00:54:47.44\00:54:51.13
Completely depending upon
His power; led by the Spirit.
00:54:51.33\00:54:55.74
Walking in the
footsteps of Jesus.
00:54:55.94\00:54:58.85
To guard grace
means that we are careful
00:54:59.05\00:55:01.96
not to deny Christ through
our attitude or our actions.
00:55:02.16\00:55:06.38
To guard grace means we will
not turn away from the truth
00:55:06.58\00:55:10.54
and seek teachings that
tickle our itching ears.
00:55:10.64\00:55:13.86
To guard grace means we
will keep the commandments
00:55:14.06\00:55:18.86
but not attempting to
be justified by the law
00:55:19.06\00:55:23.20
and thereby fall from grace.
00:55:23.40\00:55:24.76
I want to show you that
scripture 'cause I forgot to
00:55:24.86\00:55:26.74
earlier. Galatians.
Please turn in your Bibles
00:55:26.84\00:55:30.15
to Galatians. We always think
of falling off the narrow path
00:55:30.35\00:55:35.30
as maybe falling over to the
side of the liberal where we're
00:55:35.50\00:55:38.39
not worried about obedience.
00:55:38.42\00:55:40.08
But look at Galatians 5:4.
00:55:40.28\00:55:42.69
The Bible says in Galatians 5-
00:55:45.27\00:55:47.71
help if I was in verse 5-
00:55:49.05\00:55:50.52
and verse 4... chapter 5, 4.
00:55:50.62\00:55:53.74
I still hear pages
turning. I love that sound.
00:55:55.01\00:55:57.87
And in Galatians 5:4 it says:
00:56:00.10\00:56:02.57
"You have become
estranged from Christ... "
00:56:02.67\00:56:07.20
You're cut off from Christ.
00:56:07.40\00:56:09.57
You've separated from Christ...
00:56:09.77\00:56:11.87
"you who attempt to be justified
00:56:12.07\00:56:16.37
by law. You have
fallen from grace. "
00:56:16.57\00:56:20.73
Oh, how we need
to understand grace.
00:56:21.14\00:56:24.14
Oh, how we must guard
grace so that we don't try...
00:56:24.44\00:56:28.75
There's nothing that we
can do to earn our salvation.
00:56:28.88\00:56:31.27
But at the same time, when
Christ is living in our hearts
00:56:31.47\00:56:35.13
through faith, we
will be guarding grace
00:56:35.23\00:56:38.86
and we will endure to the end.
00:56:39.06\00:56:41.39
No trial or tribulation
can cause us to depart.
00:56:41.59\00:56:44.76
We'll walk in the light, being
renewed by the quickening grace
00:56:44.97\00:56:48.63
of His righteousness
and be numbered among those
00:56:48.83\00:56:52.01
who believe unto the
salvation of our souls.
00:56:52.21\00:56:54.42
Let me leave you
with this scripture:
00:56:54.63\00:56:55.96
I Thessalonians 5:23-24.
00:56:56.06\00:56:58.55
"Now may the grace... " Excuse
me, "the God of peace Himself
00:56:58.85\00:57:02.68
sanctify you completely
00:57:02.88\00:57:04.81
and may your whole spirit, soul,
and body be preserved blameless
00:57:05.01\00:57:08.85
at the coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ.
00:57:09.05\00:57:11.31
He who calls you is
faithful who will also do it. "
00:57:11.51\00:57:16.80
He will do it if
you will guard grace.
00:57:17.00\00:57:20.13