Hello, friends. Welcome to
3ABN's Spring Camp Meeting.
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All of God's
people are gathered here
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and they want to
welcome you with a hearty Amen.
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Can you say that? Amen!
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We are gearing up
for Pastor John Bradshaw
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who's going to break again
the bread of life as we look at
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the second coming of
Christ: an in-depth look.
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If you're in the driving
area of southern Illinois,
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we surely do extend to
you a warm invitation to come
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and join us here in
Thompsonville, the biggest
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little city in the
world. Do we believe that?
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Everything is happening
here to impact the world.
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We do believe not only
in the beauty of the message
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of the second coming
but we believe that Jesus
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is coming soon. And so
join us here for this wonderful
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Camp Meeting weekend at
the 3ABN Worship Center.
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You can't miss it.
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Thompsonville is
only just so large.
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Now we have gathered
here today to praise the Lord.
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And before we go any further
in talking about our speaker
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for the hour... Matter of
fact, let me do that first
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and then we'll have
prayer, we'll have our music,
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and then we will have him come
out and break the bread of life.
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Pastor John
Bradshaw is Speaker/Director
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of It Is Written, and
what a powerful speaker he is.
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Animated... loves the Lord,
loves to proclaim the Word.
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And he's going to add to
our unfolding picture of the
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second coming of Christ. There
are more meetings this morning,
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this afternoon,
this evening, tomorrow.
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And it's going to go on until
Saturday evening, so you're not
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too late to come and to join us.
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But in preparation for the
message, I'd like to invite you
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to bow your heads as
we recognize the presence
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of the Lord
with us. Let us pray.
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Gracious Father in
heaven, what a blessing it is
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to turn our eyes
away from this world
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and turn our eyes upon Jesus.
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We do pray, Lord, that You
will anoint Your manservant.
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That you will come and
inhabit this place continually.
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That You will find the hearts
of those that are watching
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the program, listening to
the program, and that are here
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attending the program.
Unify us with the great joy
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of preparing for the soon return
of our Savior and our Lord.
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And for those who
don't know You, Father,
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speak to their hearts
that they might be a part
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of that redeemed
host that will soon ascend
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to meet Jesus in peace.
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For this we pray
in Jesus' name, Amen.
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You know, one of the
most wonderful things to do
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in preparation for
the coming of the Lord
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is to turn our eyes upon Jesus.
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As I sing this song I
pray that you will desire
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not just to look at the
Word of God but to get a glimpse
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of Christ. As we
turn our eyes upon Him now
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we will be filled with joy
to turn our eyes upon Him then.
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May God bless you.
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O soul,
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are you weary and troubled?
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No light
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in the darkness you see?
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There's light
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for a look at the Savior,
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and there's life more abundant
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and free! Want to sing
the chorus? Are you ready?
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Turn your eyes
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upon Jesus,
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Look full in
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His wonderful face;
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And the things of earth
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will grow strangely dim
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In the light
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of His glory
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and grace.
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His word
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will not fail you
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He promised;
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Believe it
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and all will be well:
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Then go to a world
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that is dying
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with His perfect salvation
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to tell!
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Turn your eyes
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upon Jesus,
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Look full in
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His wonderful face;
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And the things of earth
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will grow strangely dim
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in the light
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of His glory
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and grace...
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in the light of His
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glory
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and grace...
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in the light
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of His glory
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and grace.
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Well good morning everyone.
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Good morning.
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Unless of course it's
not morning where you are.
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In which case, good
afternoon or good evening or
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however you like it.
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But where we are we
say "good morning. "
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I'm glad to see you.
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I hope you're glad to be here.
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I expect you are. Excuse me...
We do this routinely. All right.
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Well, why don't we
start at the beginning?
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You know what I believe? I
believe that music is given
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by God at a time like this to
direct our minds toward heaven
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and prepare our hearts for
the reception of God's Word.
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I'd like to think the
music has done just that.
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So let's pray and move on.
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Our Father in heaven, we
thank you that we can be here
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for this weekend
gathering. We are together.
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We focus on that wonderful truth
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that Jesus is coming again.
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And not only coming
again but coming again soon.
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So we are thankful that
You are not going to leave us
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here forever and that
soon we'll be in Your presence.
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Verily, soon we'll be in that
place where the sea is of glass
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and the streets are of gold.
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Father, let that day
come soon is our prayer,
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but while we are still here...
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You have said:
"occupy till I come. "
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Let us be doing that.
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I thank you for the
presence of Your Spirit
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and I pray that now
every heart here... every heart
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and mind watching will
be touched by Your Spirit.
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We cannot afford to
be left alone by You.
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Come to us and mold us.
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Connect with us and speak to us.
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Lord, the Bible refers to
the foolishness of preaching,
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and I'm praying now
that You would take this
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foolishness and do something
with it that will be more
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than an hour well spent
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but instead will be
something that blesses us
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with eternity in view.
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We thank you and we
pray together in Jesus' name.
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Please say amen. Amen.
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If you're from New Zealand,
then you know this story.
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But seeing as you
aren't... then I'll tell you.
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1968 the Olympic
Games were in Mexico City.
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And a New Zealand
woman named Sylvia Potts
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represented New
Zealand in the 800 meters.
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She did not win. She
qualified for the semi-final,
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ran well, didn't make the final.
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An American woman named
Madeline Manning won the
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gold medal. Sylvia Potts
ran with distinction and we -
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the Kiwi's - were
proud. But two years later...
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two years later Sylvia Potts did
something that we remember her
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for still. As a matter of fact,
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she said: "That's all
OK. " But what bugged her
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and her husband is that Sylvia
is remembered for what she
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didn't do rather
than what she did.
00:10:08.80\00:10:11.07
Now she did pretty
well at the Olympic Games,
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but we don't
remember her for that.
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In fact, no one even remembers.
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But it's what she didn't do
that people remember her for.
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Now, in 1970 the
Commonwealth Games...
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That's like the Olympics, but
for countries that are members
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of the British Commonwealth.
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That's the United
Kingdom nations and Canada
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and New Zealand and
Australia and Kenya and Malawi
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and Nigeria and so on.
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About 42 countries gathered
together in Edinburgh, Scotland.
00:10:43.91\00:10:47.58
And Sylvia was running in
the 1500 meters this time.
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And I don't think there was a
New Zealander who expected her
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to win, but 11,500
miles away from Edinburgh
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back in New Zealand
we... well, not me... but they
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were watching on TV.
00:11:02.02\00:11:04.23
And New Zealanders were
happy to see the black singlet -
00:11:05.56\00:11:10.07
that's what we call
it... the black singlet -
00:11:10.30\00:11:12.73
of New Zealand
being worn by Sylvia Potts
00:11:12.97\00:11:15.64
right in
contention in the 1500 meters.
00:11:16.00\00:11:18.27
In fact, into the fourth
and final lap Sylvia was...
00:11:18.41\00:11:20.94
she was right there.
00:11:20.98\00:11:22.41
And into the home stretch...
I mean, what? We didn't expect
00:11:22.64\00:11:26.48
this! Sylvia Potts took the lead
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and she was going to win
a gold medal for England!
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She's running
down the home stretch.
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I mean 50 meters left
to run. She's leading.
00:11:35.09\00:11:37.63
Behind her are
two British women...
00:11:37.66\00:11:39.19
two English
women and a Canadian.
00:11:39.43\00:11:42.23
But that's all right.
Doesn't matter who's behind her.
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The beauty of it was
nobody was in front of her.
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With 10 meters left
to... Now I need to translate
00:11:47.00\00:11:51.21
that because you all
don't know what a meter is.
00:11:51.34\00:11:53.07
But 10 meters is about 30 feet.
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Is that far? When you've
run a mile, and 1500 meters is
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just 109 meters short of a mile,
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30 feet is nothing.
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And 30 feet left
to go in the race
00:12:08.12\00:12:11.79
Sylvia Potts is in front.
00:12:11.93\00:12:14.73
Nine meters... eight meters...
00:12:15.83\00:12:19.83
seven meters...
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I mean with 5 meters left to
run, 15 feet left in the race,
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she's in front. Ah, New
Zealanders. We could already
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hear our national anthem
- God Defend New Zealand -
00:12:30.21\00:12:33.55
being played. We could already
see her standing on the victory
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dais with the gold
medal around her neck.
00:12:36.32\00:12:38.25
She could feel it;
she could touch it;
00:12:38.49\00:12:40.99
she could taste it, man!
Fifteen feet from the finish.
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I mean, how can you lose?
00:12:44.49\00:12:46.33
Two meters left to run.
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That's this far...
fingertip to fingertip.
00:12:50.03\00:12:53.67
Six feet. Six
feet from the finish
00:12:53.80\00:12:58.01
Sylvia Potts is leading
and New Zealand is going to win
00:12:58.24\00:13:02.38
a gold medal.
00:13:02.41\00:13:04.25
And Sylvia Potts' legs could
not carry her an inch further.
00:13:11.45\00:13:16.32
Exhausted she fell to the track.
00:13:17.53\00:13:21.83
And I don't expect you
to Google it, but if you did
00:13:22.36\00:13:25.17
you would see a photograph
of Sylvia reaching towards the
00:13:25.30\00:13:28.64
finish line
looking up in anguish.
00:13:28.67\00:13:30.77
The British
runners were running by
00:13:32.07\00:13:33.88
and the Canadian and I
don't know how many others.
00:13:33.91\00:13:36.64
I don't know where she
finished... IF she finished.
00:13:37.88\00:13:40.92
Doesn't really
matter. There's no gold medal
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for fourth or fifth.
There's no medal at all for...
00:13:42.82\00:13:45.25
You know, there's no medal
unless you're 1st, 2nd, or 3rd.
00:13:45.39\00:13:47.72
And Sylvia Potts
got about as close
00:13:47.96\00:13:53.50
as you can get to
winning a gold medal
00:13:53.63\00:13:57.03
without actually winning it.
00:13:57.17\00:13:59.33
Six feet...
00:13:59.67\00:14:02.07
and she fell over.
00:14:03.20\00:14:05.14
What's that saying?
So near and yet so far.
00:14:05.57\00:14:10.61
Now we see this from
time to time in sport,
00:14:10.95\00:14:12.88
and it doesn't
really matter, does it?
00:14:13.01\00:14:14.18
I mean, how
important is sport anyway?
00:14:14.52\00:14:16.55
Who won the last Super Bowl?
Now somebody's going to say
00:14:16.79\00:14:18.62
Seattle 'cause it
was just last year.
00:14:18.65\00:14:20.39
But who won the one before that?
00:14:20.52\00:14:21.92
Probably nobody here even knows.
00:14:23.46\00:14:25.13
So it's not really important...
even though at the time
00:14:25.26\00:14:27.03
advertisers were
paying 3.5 million dollars
00:14:27.20\00:14:29.06
or whatever it was to
get a 30-second spot on.
00:14:29.10\00:14:31.30
When the Olympics come
around the nation stops.
00:14:31.43\00:14:34.00
It's just
sport... it doesn't matter.
00:14:34.24\00:14:36.47
It's inconsequential.
00:14:36.81\00:14:38.31
No... but you see
these hard luck stories.
00:14:38.54\00:14:41.18
A Frenchman was playing
in the British golf open
00:14:41.31\00:14:43.75
some years ago, and
with one hole left to play
00:14:43.88\00:14:46.95
he was leading by three strokes.
00:14:47.08\00:14:48.88
I mean, how can
you lose? You can't.
00:14:49.02\00:14:51.39
The only thing you can
do to not win from there
00:14:51.52\00:14:53.39
is die just about.
00:14:53.52\00:14:55.56
And he didn't die, thank
God, but Jean van de Velde's
00:14:57.56\00:15:00.50
golf game died. He
triple bogeyed the hole.
00:15:00.63\00:15:04.03
Ended up in a
tie. Lost the playoff.
00:15:04.27\00:15:06.63
Another man who is
remembered not for what he did
00:15:07.07\00:15:09.70
but for what he didn't do.
00:15:09.74\00:15:11.11
So near and yet so far.
00:15:12.51\00:15:14.41
It doesn't matter... doesn't
matter 'cause it's only sport
00:15:14.44\00:15:16.81
and sport isn't
significant in the big picture.
00:15:16.85\00:15:19.98
But what if we applied
this "So near and yet so far"
00:15:20.95\00:15:25.42
theme to
something really important
00:15:25.69\00:15:29.06
like salvation?
00:15:30.03\00:15:32.99
Today we're talking about
preparing for the second coming.
00:15:33.43\00:15:36.46
The tragedy is
that a lot of people
00:15:36.70\00:15:39.77
are going to be
"almost ready... "
00:15:39.90\00:15:42.84
if you'll allow me
to say it that way.
00:15:42.97\00:15:45.21
I don't know that
there's actually a scale...
00:15:45.34\00:15:47.24
I think you're either
ready or not, but you understand
00:15:47.28\00:15:49.48
what I mean. A lot of
people are going to come close
00:15:49.51\00:15:53.21
to salvation without
being quite close enough.
00:15:53.25\00:15:58.55
We read about this in the
Bible. Jesus said in Matthew 25
00:15:58.69\00:16:02.16
verse 41 and on:
"Then He will say also
00:16:02.29\00:16:06.39
to those on the left
hand: 'Depart from Me you cursed
00:16:06.53\00:16:09.76
into the everlasting fire
prepared for the devil and his
00:16:09.80\00:16:12.10
angels. For I was
hungry and you gave Me no food.
00:16:12.13\00:16:15.57
I was thirsty, and you
didn't give Me any drink.
00:16:15.70\00:16:18.51
I was a stranger;
you did not take Me in.
00:16:18.64\00:16:21.48
Naked... you did not clothe Me.
00:16:21.61\00:16:23.58
Sick and in prison...
and you did not visit Me. ' "
00:16:23.81\00:16:26.98
Now the reaction is interesting.
00:16:27.12\00:16:28.75
"Lord, when did we see You
hungry or thirsty or a stranger
00:16:28.88\00:16:33.39
or naked or sick in prison
and did not minister to You? "
00:16:33.52\00:16:36.69
What? No! "And He
will answer them saying:
00:16:36.86\00:16:40.76
'Assuredly I say to you
00:16:40.96\00:16:42.90
inasmuch as you did not do
it to one of the least of these
00:16:43.03\00:16:46.13
My brethren you
did it not to Me. ' "
00:16:46.17\00:16:48.87
And they go away to
everlasting punishment
00:16:49.00\00:16:50.97
but the righteous
into eternal life.
00:16:51.11\00:16:52.97
And they are surprised.
"Huh? You mean we didn't?
00:16:53.21\00:16:55.94
When was that?
How can that be? "
00:16:56.08\00:16:57.98
They thought they were
more right than they were.
00:16:58.21\00:17:00.72
It seems to me that these
ones are surprised that they're
00:17:00.85\00:17:03.45
not going in. And we read in
Matthew chapter 7 and verse 21
00:17:03.49\00:17:07.86
and on a similar
thought. Jesus said:
00:17:07.99\00:17:10.43
"Not everyone who says to Me
'Lord, Lord' shall enter into
00:17:10.56\00:17:14.20
the kingdom of heaven
but he that doeth the will
00:17:14.23\00:17:17.90
of My Father
which is in heaven. "
00:17:17.93\00:17:19.77
Now by definition, if
somebody is calling Jesus Lord
00:17:20.00\00:17:23.24
that person must be
a Christian... surely.
00:17:23.37\00:17:27.44
So Jesus says: "Now Christians,
don't be making the mistake
00:17:28.71\00:17:32.41
of thinking that
because you're a Christian
00:17:32.55\00:17:34.45
this somehow automatically
qualifies you for entrance
00:17:34.58\00:17:37.65
into the kingdom
BECAUSE it doesn't. "
00:17:37.69\00:17:40.89
"Not everyone who
calls Me 'Lord, Lord. ' "
00:17:41.02\00:17:43.12
He's made a distinction between
those who make a profession
00:17:43.26\00:17:47.10
and those who have a
possession of Jesus Christ.
00:17:47.23\00:17:51.10
He said: "It's important that
you do the will of My Father
00:17:51.43\00:17:54.30
in heaven. " Now
we've got to be careful
00:17:54.34\00:17:55.70
that we don't devolve into
legalists and by the time we're
00:17:55.84\00:17:58.41
done we'll have
left all of that behind.
00:17:58.44\00:18:00.81
But Jesus is clear: "Not
everyone... Many will say to Me
00:18:01.04\00:18:04.85
at that day: 'Lord, Lord,
haven't we prophesied in Your
00:18:04.88\00:18:08.25
name? ' That's a
good thing to do.
00:18:08.28\00:18:09.95
'And in Your name
have cast out devils? '
00:18:10.19\00:18:12.09
That's good, too.
00:18:12.22\00:18:13.36
'And in Your name, haven't
we done many wonderful works? '
00:18:13.49\00:18:16.52
And then I will profess to
them... ' And this is sobering.
00:18:16.56\00:18:20.96
Not 'I don't know
you' but 'I never knew you.
00:18:21.00\00:18:24.70
Depart from Me ye
that worketh iniquity. ' "
00:18:24.93\00:18:29.64
Now we shouldn't rush by this.
00:18:29.97\00:18:32.34
When we think about preparing
for the second coming of Jesus
00:18:32.57\00:18:35.88
this ought to get our attention.
00:18:36.01\00:18:37.38
"Hold on, Lord... we've
done all the right things,
00:18:37.61\00:18:39.61
haven't we? " And
rather than being saved
00:18:39.75\00:18:43.25
they're absolutely lost.
00:18:43.39\00:18:46.42
This is an urgent and
vitally-important truth:
00:18:46.55\00:18:50.19
Jesus is coming
back to this world!
00:18:50.43\00:18:54.36
And I believe
He's coming back soon.
00:18:54.60\00:18:56.26
And closely related to
this urgent, important,
00:18:56.30\00:19:00.67
unavoidable truth
00:19:00.80\00:19:03.94
we are confronted
today with the thought that
00:19:04.37\00:19:07.88
when Jesus comes back a lot
of people will not be ready.
00:19:08.01\00:19:13.98
Revelation chapter 6
"The kings of the earth,
00:19:16.99\00:19:20.02
the great men, the rich men,
00:19:20.16\00:19:22.96
the commanders, the mighty men,
00:19:23.19\00:19:25.23
every bond man
and every free man
00:19:25.46\00:19:27.86
hid themselves in the caves and
in the rocks of the mountains
00:19:28.00\00:19:30.77
and said to the
mountains and the rocks:
00:19:31.00\00:19:33.30
'fall on us and hide
us from the face of Him
00:19:33.54\00:19:39.47
who sits on the throne
and from the wrath of the Lamb
00:19:39.51\00:19:41.58
for the great day
of His wrath has come
00:19:41.81\00:19:43.75
and who shall be
able to stand? ' "
00:19:43.98\00:19:46.95
And that's an
interesting situation, isn't it?
00:19:47.18\00:19:48.78
Because they're hiding
themselves from a Lamb.
00:19:49.02\00:19:52.69
I don't know what you know
about lambs, but lambs are cute
00:19:53.12\00:19:57.69
and they are
harmless and they are docile.
00:19:57.86\00:20:01.96
And here are people
hiding themselves from a Lamb.
00:20:02.20\00:20:07.90
It makes no sense... but that's
where they find themselves.
00:20:08.14\00:20:12.41
Isaiah 25 starting in verse 8:
00:20:12.61\00:20:14.91
"He will swallow up death
forever. " You ought to say
00:20:15.14\00:20:17.85
amen to that. "And the
Lord God will wipe away tears
00:20:17.88\00:20:21.38
from all faces. The rebuke
of His people He will take away
00:20:21.42\00:20:25.35
from all the earth
for the Lord has spoken.
00:20:25.39\00:20:28.69
And it will be said in
that day 'Lo, this is our God.
00:20:28.82\00:20:32.16
We have waited for
Him and He will save us.
00:20:32.39\00:20:34.46
This is the Lord!
We have waited for Him.
00:20:34.66\00:20:37.03
We will be glad and
rejoice in His salvation! "
00:20:37.17\00:20:41.50
But there's a flip side.
00:20:41.77\00:20:43.17
Remember when you used to
go to the record store and buy
00:20:43.30\00:20:45.21
singles? 45's? Now some of
you never had that experience...
00:20:45.24\00:20:50.18
but I remember. I remember
going to the record store
00:20:51.41\00:20:54.28
and buying Mull of
Kintyre by Paul McCartney.
00:20:54.42\00:20:58.19
How about that?
00:20:58.32\00:21:00.12
You know, that was
in a previous life.
00:21:00.46\00:21:03.26
And there was always
a B side... a flip side.
00:21:06.46\00:21:10.00
And I remember what
the flip side was...
00:21:10.53\00:21:12.67
song didn't make any sense.
00:21:12.80\00:21:13.84
I remember my brothers and
sisters, they would buy Beatles
00:21:14.07\00:21:16.91
records. The first song I
ever heard was "Hey Jude. "
00:21:16.94\00:21:20.01
And on the other
side was "Revolution. "
00:21:20.24\00:21:22.34
I mean, not that I care...
but that was quite a record!
00:21:22.48\00:21:26.75
There was a flip side, and
in Isaiah 25 you've got people
00:21:27.08\00:21:31.92
looking and saying:
"This is Jesus! Hallelujah! "
00:21:32.05\00:21:34.69
But there's a flip side.
00:21:34.92\00:21:37.29
You read in
Jeremiah 8 and verse 20
00:21:37.53\00:21:40.16
"The harvest is
past, the summer is ended
00:21:40.30\00:21:45.57
and we are not saved. "
00:21:45.80\00:21:50.57
Those are sad words,
aren't they? And yet John wrote:
00:21:50.71\00:21:54.64
"These things I have written
unto you that believe on the
00:21:54.78\00:21:56.78
name of the Son of God
that you may KNOW that you have
00:21:56.81\00:22:00.88
eternal life and that you
may believe on the name of the
00:22:00.92\00:22:03.18
Son of God. He that
hath the Son hath life. "
00:22:03.22\00:22:06.79
None of us ought
to be in any doubt.
00:22:07.02\00:22:09.19
God wants us to be confident.
00:22:09.42\00:22:10.93
We can be certain. Not
boastful... not proud...
00:22:11.16\00:22:14.30
not
lackadaisical... not arrogant
00:22:14.40\00:22:16.40
bit we may KNOW that
when we are connected to God
00:22:16.56\00:22:19.87
through faith in Jesus
Christ everlasting life is ours.
00:22:20.00\00:22:24.34
Now the fact of the matter
is there are many who will be
00:22:24.51\00:22:27.08
confident and they
will be wrongly confident.
00:22:27.11\00:22:30.28
There will be some
who won't be confident...
00:22:30.98\00:22:32.58
they just don't even
care. But the amazing thing is
00:22:32.71\00:22:35.92
for Christians today is that
there will be some who think
00:22:36.05\00:22:39.45
they are ready to meet
Jesus when He comes back
00:22:39.59\00:22:42.69
and they will not be ready.
00:22:42.82\00:22:45.13
I imagine, as a matter of fact,
they will find out before then
00:22:45.26\00:22:48.00
because the seven last plagues
will fall on all of those
00:22:48.13\00:22:51.80
who are not
ready to meet Christ.
00:22:51.93\00:22:53.30
And there will be people
saying: "Why these boils? "
00:22:53.54\00:22:56.20
"Why this water
turned into blood? "
00:22:56.34\00:22:58.67
"Why is this plague of darkness
affecting me this way? "
00:22:58.81\00:23:01.18
"Why is the sun
scorching me as it is? "
00:23:01.31\00:23:03.78
"I thought... I thought...
I thought... " And Jesus says:
00:23:03.91\00:23:08.15
"I never knew you.
" This is sobering.
00:23:08.38\00:23:11.52
And I don't think any of us
can afford to think that we are
00:23:12.92\00:23:15.26
beyond the reach of finding
ourselves in the wrong camp.
00:23:15.29\00:23:20.26
You know what I'm talking about.
00:23:20.40\00:23:21.56
And the truth is
every one of us by virtue
00:23:22.00\00:23:25.77
of the fact that we are
here today... whether here or
00:23:25.80\00:23:28.37
here on the other side of
the screen... every one of us
00:23:28.50\00:23:31.14
we are close. We are two
meters from the finish line.
00:23:31.37\00:23:36.34
The gold medal is
within our grasp... almost.
00:23:36.38\00:23:38.48
And it's not wrong
to put it like that
00:23:38.61\00:23:40.25
because Saint Paul when
he wrote about salvation
00:23:40.38\00:23:42.62
several times alluded to the
games... the precursor to the
00:23:42.85\00:23:46.96
modern games. And he
compared the Christian life
00:23:46.99\00:23:51.69
with these athletic events.
00:23:51.83\00:23:53.96
We are this close.
00:23:54.30\00:23:56.40
How do I say that?
00:23:56.53\00:23:57.70
Well because we're here gathered
around the Bible together.
00:23:57.73\00:24:00.04
I mean, we've got
the keys in our hands!
00:24:00.37\00:24:03.51
We own Bibles and good spiritual
books and we've attended church
00:24:03.74\00:24:08.28
or whatever the situation is.
00:24:08.41\00:24:11.31
Some are going to say:
"Well I never went to church. "
00:24:11.55\00:24:13.08
Yeah, but you live in a
land if you're in the free world
00:24:13.11\00:24:15.38
where the Bible is
literature's best-selling book.
00:24:15.52\00:24:19.65
So if you don't have one,
00:24:19.89\00:24:21.66
you have the
opportunity to have one.
00:24:21.69\00:24:24.29
You live in a place where
there are Christian television
00:24:24.63\00:24:27.20
programs all over. I
know, some people are put off
00:24:27.23\00:24:30.07
by the shenanigans of
some of these TV preachers.
00:24:30.20\00:24:32.60
I understand that.
00:24:32.73\00:24:33.84
But you don't say: "Man,
because some of those Christians
00:24:34.07\00:24:37.97
are hypocrites I don't
want to be a Christian. "
00:24:38.01\00:24:39.94
There are
Americans who are hypocrites.
00:24:40.08\00:24:42.04
Now you want to turn in
your citizenship and go live
00:24:42.18\00:24:44.18
in another
country? I don't think so.
00:24:44.21\00:24:46.01
There are doctors who
are hypocrites, so you're not
00:24:46.95\00:24:49.42
going to go see one
when you're sick? Oh no!
00:24:49.45\00:24:51.39
We take the good with the bad.
00:24:51.62\00:24:53.49
Masses of people...
they know about Jesus.
00:24:54.56\00:24:56.46
God knows they do because
He hears them using His name
00:24:56.69\00:24:58.99
all day long. We had
classmates who are Christians,
00:24:59.13\00:25:02.70
didn't we? Everyone heard about
that Noah movie and nobody said
00:25:02.83\00:25:06.27
"Who? " We know...
Noah, the guy in the Bible.
00:25:06.50\00:25:09.67
I mentioned to you my friend
and colleague at It Is Written
00:25:10.04\00:25:12.64
Ron Watts walking into a
village in India asking somebody
00:25:12.67\00:25:16.71
"Do you know Jesus Christ?
" And the answer he got was:
00:25:16.95\00:25:19.91
"Well, no. We haven't
heard of anybody by that name
00:25:20.25\00:25:23.49
living around here. " That might
be true in places like India.
00:25:23.52\00:25:27.09
In some parts of India.
00:25:27.32\00:25:29.99
Less and less by the grace
of God of places like India.
00:25:30.23\00:25:34.00
But where most of us
live God is a known quantity.
00:25:34.20\00:25:38.23
He may be a
misunderstood quantity
00:25:38.47\00:25:40.37
but we have this
idea that there is a God.
00:25:40.54\00:25:44.37
Every time something
happens that's tragic
00:25:44.61\00:25:47.61
what does the
person in the news say?
00:25:47.74\00:25:49.54
"Our thoughts and
prayers are with them. "
00:25:49.68\00:25:52.98
Always. Even if they're
not practicing Christians
00:25:53.31\00:25:56.28
they're kind enough to
say "thoughts and prayers. "
00:25:56.32\00:25:58.09
They are familiar with the idea.
00:25:58.22\00:26:00.06
Knowing what we
know, knowing who we know
00:26:00.36\00:26:04.69
it would be a tragedy
of immense proportions
00:26:04.73\00:26:06.80
were we not found ready to
meet Jesus when He comes back.
00:26:07.03\00:26:10.13
It's as though we can look
over into the Promised Land.
00:26:10.37\00:26:13.84
Now there's a world of
difference between looking over
00:26:14.17\00:26:16.47
and actually being there.
00:26:16.60\00:26:19.01
World of difference.
00:26:19.91\00:26:21.18
Just ask Moses.
00:26:21.51\00:26:23.61
God took Moses up to
the top of Mount Nebo.
00:26:23.95\00:26:26.72
He allowed him to look
over into the Promised Land.
00:26:26.95\00:26:29.22
"There's Jericho over
there and there's another land.
00:26:29.45\00:26:32.12
And look at this part
and look at that part.
00:26:32.25\00:26:34.02
Take a good look...
'cause you're not going in. "
00:26:34.26\00:26:36.89
And we know why.
00:26:38.23\00:26:39.93
There was Moses told by God:
"Go down there. Speak to the
00:26:40.36\00:26:43.50
rock. Water will come out. "
00:26:43.53\00:26:44.97
Moses was so mad
with those people.
00:26:45.30\00:26:47.34
And who can blame him?
00:26:47.50\00:26:48.77
He said: "Hear now you
rebels: must we fetch water out
00:26:49.84\00:26:52.74
of the rock? " Not
God... me... I'll do it.
00:26:52.77\00:26:54.58
"Have I got to get
water for you again
00:26:54.81\00:26:57.05
like I'm God? "
He struck the rock.
00:26:57.08\00:26:59.78
Oh, he lost his
temper. It wasn't good.
00:26:59.91\00:27:01.78
God said... Ah, and you
might say that was harsh
00:27:01.92\00:27:06.79
but it worked out OK.
Moses was ultimately resurrected
00:27:06.92\00:27:10.39
and taken to heaven.
But the point is he was not
00:27:10.43\00:27:13.73
permitted to go
into the Promised Land
00:27:13.86\00:27:15.60
because of... because of what?
00:27:15.83\00:27:19.33
It was because of sin.
00:27:19.67\00:27:21.67
Because of sin.
00:27:22.10\00:27:24.17
I know that somebody's
going to say: "No, no.
00:27:24.41\00:27:27.18
Sin isn't the problem.
Sin is merely symptomatic
00:27:27.41\00:27:32.75
of not having a good
relationship with Jesus. "
00:27:32.78\00:27:35.12
Well that's a very
spiritual way of looking at it
00:27:35.25\00:27:36.82
and I commend you for
that. I'm not going to tell you
00:27:36.95\00:27:38.89
you're wrong. But I have not
read in the Bible that the wages
00:27:39.02\00:27:41.99
of not having a good
relationship with Jesus
00:27:42.02\00:27:44.16
is death. God is pretty clear:
00:27:44.19\00:27:47.83
"The wages of sin is death. "
00:27:48.06\00:27:51.57
Now I'm going to
tell you two things
00:27:51.70\00:27:53.27
and I hope to explain both
of them to you before I'm done.
00:27:53.50\00:27:56.84
First, sin is the big problem
00:27:57.07\00:28:00.98
and secondly, sin
is not the problem.
00:28:01.31\00:28:05.11
Now I'll stitch this thing
back together before we're done
00:28:05.25\00:28:08.22
so hang in there with me.
00:28:08.35\00:28:09.78
If you stay with me
to the end, it'll be OK;
00:28:10.12\00:28:12.09
if you don't, you'll be confused
but good luck to you anyhow.
00:28:12.22\00:28:15.26
The Bible is clear
about sin. Clear... clear!
00:28:16.12\00:28:18.99
We ought to be clear about it.
00:28:19.03\00:28:20.43
Revelation 21:27: "But
there shall by no means
00:28:20.56\00:28:23.90
enter into it... " We're
talking about the New Jerusalem.
00:28:24.03\00:28:26.57
No one's going to go in
there or anything, rather,
00:28:26.80\00:28:29.67
that defiles or causes
an abomination or a lie!
00:28:29.80\00:28:35.81
Only those whose names
are written in the Lamb's
00:28:35.98\00:28:38.18
Book of Life. I mean
later on, Revelation 22
00:28:38.21\00:28:41.52
"Blessed are those
who do His commandments
00:28:41.65\00:28:43.79
that they may have
right to the Tree of Life
00:28:44.02\00:28:46.25
and enter in through
the gates into the city. "
00:28:46.39\00:28:48.49
That's good. "But
outside are dogs and sorcerers
00:28:48.52\00:28:51.46
and sexually immoral and
murderers and idolaters. "
00:28:51.59\00:28:55.40
Yeah, kick 'em out.
Get rid of all of them.
00:28:55.53\00:28:57.50
We don't want them in heaven.
00:28:57.53\00:28:58.67
But it goes even further:
00:28:58.80\00:29:00.04
"And whoever loves
and practices a lie. "
00:29:00.07\00:29:02.57
Oooh... You know, you
read in the Bible that pride
00:29:02.70\00:29:07.81
is an abomination to God.
00:29:07.94\00:29:10.05
Huh... it seems like God is
setting the bar pretty high.
00:29:10.38\00:29:14.35
I think it's time for God's
people to seriously get serious
00:29:14.38\00:29:17.65
about the
seriousness of sin. It's deadly!
00:29:17.69\00:29:21.09
Sin kills. The devil knows that.
00:29:21.36\00:29:24.46
That's why the Bible urges
us to be sober and vigilant
00:29:24.79\00:29:27.66
because "our adversary
the devil as a roaring lion
00:29:27.83\00:29:31.80
walketh about
seeking whom he may devour. "
00:29:31.93\00:29:35.07
He knows your name. He's
got a sin with your name on it,
00:29:35.20\00:29:38.41
something crafted for
you. The good news is you don't
00:29:38.54\00:29:41.48
have to fall... but
we'll come back to that.
00:29:41.51\00:29:43.45
He has been studying
human beings for 6,000 years.
00:29:43.58\00:29:47.72
He knows what makes us
tick; he knows our weaknesses.
00:29:47.95\00:29:50.99
He also knows that
in God we are strong.
00:29:51.22\00:29:54.76
He knows that but he walks
around trying to separate you
00:29:54.99\00:29:58.43
from God. Now again,
you don't need to be so
00:29:58.46\00:30:02.93
out of balance about this
that you chew your fingernails
00:30:03.47\00:30:07.07
and worry and shake.
00:30:07.20\00:30:08.67
And man, I think I may have
eaten one almond too many today.
00:30:08.80\00:30:12.71
Perhaps that was a sin.
And I wore this lovely skirt
00:30:12.94\00:30:16.91
today but my sister over here
tells me it's an inch too short
00:30:16.95\00:30:19.68
and so perhaps I'm
going to hell right now.
00:30:19.85\00:30:21.62
And you know that there are
some people who think that way.
00:30:21.85\00:30:24.05
God bless them...
they're an easy target.
00:30:24.42\00:30:26.25
I don't appreciate it
when preachers go after them
00:30:26.39\00:30:28.49
because they're just too easy.
00:30:28.52\00:30:29.99
But we don't
need to be like that.
00:30:30.43\00:30:32.03
Conscientiousness? Good.
00:30:32.36\00:30:34.40
But love God;
ask God to lead you;
00:30:34.56\00:30:37.70
follow His leading;
and get on with your life
00:30:37.83\00:30:40.44
not sweating about
whether there was vinegar
00:30:40.77\00:30:45.11
in the salad dressing.
00:30:45.24\00:30:46.98
Now if you don't want
to eat that, that's OK.
00:30:51.95\00:30:54.28
But if you did, don't go to
God and ask for forgiveness.
00:30:54.62\00:30:59.75
Don't start worrying that
maybe my name got taken out
00:31:00.29\00:31:03.99
the Book of Life. God has
bigger fish to fry than that.
00:31:04.03\00:31:08.86
If you love God, understand
that He's not lookin' at ya
00:31:09.20\00:31:14.47
with a magnifying glass trying
to lock you out of heaven.
00:31:14.60\00:31:18.21
He's doing everything
He can to get you in! Amen!
00:31:18.34\00:31:22.41
Thank the Lord for that.
00:31:22.58\00:31:24.38
No, no, no... don't be
lackadaisical. I don't mean that
00:31:24.61\00:31:26.48
and you know I don't mean that.
00:31:26.51\00:31:27.88
Jesus wants us to be
ready for Him to come back.
00:31:28.12\00:31:32.02
But sin will keep us from that.
00:31:32.15\00:31:34.02
Sin now. Isaiah said sin
separates a person from God.
00:31:34.36\00:31:38.06
And that's the
truth... it's true!
00:31:38.19\00:31:40.76
And if that's true, we don't
want to be casual about sin.
00:31:40.96\00:31:44.47
Understand we're
growing... we're growing.
00:31:44.70\00:31:47.00
And today there is something
that you're doing in your life
00:31:47.24\00:31:49.50
that tomorrow
you're going to say:
00:31:49.64\00:31:50.81
"I don't think that
was right. I'm growing. "
00:31:50.84\00:31:52.91
That's all right. So
now what I'm suggesting
00:31:53.14\00:31:55.84
not is that you go to
your brother and sister
00:31:55.88\00:31:57.98
and tell your
brother and sister to grow.
00:31:58.11\00:32:00.05
God will do that. Amen!
00:32:00.48\00:32:03.28
But it's time for me to sit
down and take a moral inventory
00:32:03.45\00:32:06.19
of my life. David did
that: "Search me, O God,
00:32:06.22\00:32:08.79
and know my heart. Try
me and know my thoughts.
00:32:08.82\00:32:10.73
See if there be
any wicked way in me
00:32:10.96\00:32:13.26
and lead me in
the way everlasting. "
00:32:13.40\00:32:15.16
Christ is coming back! This is
no time to be casual about sin
00:32:15.30\00:32:19.83
because "the
wages of sin is death. "
00:32:20.07\00:32:22.57
Listen to what Peter wrote
and I love this. This is in
00:32:22.70\00:32:25.81
II Peter: "The Lord is not
slack concerning His promise
00:32:25.94\00:32:28.64
as some count slackness but
is longsuffering towards us. "
00:32:28.68\00:32:32.41
There's a beautiful verse...
it says: "The longsuffering
00:32:32.55\00:32:35.35
of God is salvation. "
00:32:35.38\00:32:37.55
I mean where would you be
without God's patience, right?
00:32:37.69\00:32:40.29
And if you can hear
me as I mean to be heard
00:32:40.56\00:32:44.53
if God is willing
to be patient with you,
00:32:44.76\00:32:47.76
then you be patient with others
and patient with yourself.
00:32:48.10\00:32:52.47
Amen! Patient with
yourself. We are growing.
00:32:52.60\00:32:55.97
"But the day of the Lord will
come as a thief in the night
00:32:56.10\00:32:58.07
in which the heavens will
pass away with a great noise.
00:32:58.31\00:33:00.78
The elements will
melt with fervent heat.
00:33:00.91\00:33:02.91
Both the earth and
the works that are in it
00:33:03.04\00:33:04.91
will be burned up. Therefore,
00:33:04.95\00:33:06.88
seeing that all of these
things will be dissolved... "
00:33:07.02\00:33:09.58
Now here's a question:
00:33:09.72\00:33:11.25
"what manner of
persons ought ye to be
00:33:11.39\00:33:14.02
in all holy conduct and
conversation or godliness?
00:33:14.16\00:33:17.39
Looking for and hastening the
coming of the day of God... "
00:33:17.73\00:33:21.13
and so on. In the
context of the coming of Christ
00:33:21.26\00:33:24.97
God asks us this question:
"What manner of persons
00:33:25.10\00:33:28.24
ought ye to be? " John
answered it: I John 3 verse 3.
00:33:28.37\00:33:32.01
"Every man that hath this
hope in him purifies himself
00:33:32.24\00:33:37.15
even as He... "
God... "is pure. "
00:33:37.28\00:33:41.42
Isn't that something?
00:33:41.65\00:33:42.75
"Purifies himself
even as God is pure. "
00:33:44.39\00:33:47.26
You know, it's really
interesting that people say:
00:33:48.62\00:33:50.09
well some... I've heard it said.
00:33:50.13\00:33:51.63
I was in a conversation
with a man who told me this
00:33:51.66\00:33:53.86
with a straight face: "We
could never be like Jesus...
00:33:53.90\00:33:56.16
no... no way. " And
I understand that Jesus
00:33:56.30\00:33:58.70
and I aren't exactly the same.
00:33:58.83\00:34:02.17
That is, I have a lifetime
of having practiced sin.
00:34:02.30\00:34:04.87
Jesus never had that.
00:34:05.01\00:34:05.94
I understand that. But
the Bible does say that
00:34:06.07\00:34:08.94
Jesus was tempted in
all points like as we are.
00:34:09.08\00:34:11.28
Made of the seed of Abraham.
I mean, this seems pretty
00:34:11.61\00:34:14.85
straightforward to
me. It seems that way
00:34:14.88\00:34:17.39
but put Jesus... I
can't put it that way.
00:34:17.62\00:34:20.66
But let's
consider somebody else.
00:34:20.82\00:34:22.49
The Bible says that Elijah was
a man subject to like passions
00:34:22.82\00:34:27.10
such as we are.
Elijah was just like us
00:34:27.13\00:34:31.03
yet Elijah was taken to heaven,
translated without seeing death.
00:34:31.27\00:34:37.31
So if you feel for a moment
like: "Well I can't be like
00:34:37.54\00:34:40.94
Jesus" be like Elijah.
00:34:40.98\00:34:43.51
Because Elijah
evidently had it figured out.
00:34:45.51\00:34:47.58
And without a shadow
of a doubt, Elijah and you
00:34:47.72\00:34:50.92
are made from the same stuff.
00:34:51.05\00:34:53.56
You see this thing with
sin... there's power in sin.
00:34:53.79\00:34:56.19
Sin is deceptive...
sin appeals to self.
00:34:56.32\00:34:59.63
You can indulge sin
and get hooked on it
00:34:59.76\00:35:02.70
like an addict
gets hooked to drugs.
00:35:02.83\00:35:05.53
I was talking to a friend
recently about a man he knows
00:35:05.67\00:35:08.64
and I need to be
careful with this.
00:35:08.67\00:35:09.84
The man used to go from church
to church singing in a musical
00:35:09.97\00:35:12.77
group and the man is now doing
a 150-year prison sentence.
00:35:12.81\00:35:17.85
Christian. People
thought he was a good fellow.
00:35:18.85\00:35:21.02
I visited a man recently who
attended a Christian university
00:35:21.45\00:35:25.55
the name of which
you would recognize.
00:35:25.69\00:35:27.36
But I did not visit
with him at an alumni event.
00:35:27.69\00:35:30.26
I visited with him on death row
00:35:32.13\00:35:34.10
and he's sitting
in a penitentiary
00:35:35.06\00:35:36.83
with a death
sentence hanging over his head
00:35:36.87\00:35:38.47
just waiting to be executed.
00:35:38.50\00:35:40.14
And in each situation
both of these gentlemen
00:35:41.14\00:35:44.84
just started to indulge sin
00:35:44.97\00:35:47.54
until it got bigger and
bigger and more and more
00:35:47.88\00:35:51.51
and they got to the place
that they just couldn't say
00:35:51.55\00:35:53.42
no to sin
00:35:53.45\00:35:54.55
and sin was
guiding and governing
00:35:54.68\00:35:56.85
and driving their lives.
00:35:56.89\00:35:57.85
Man I want to tell
you: it starts this small.
00:35:57.89\00:36:01.26
No one's first sin is
drug dealing or mass murder.
00:36:01.39\00:36:04.86
That comes later.
00:36:04.99\00:36:06.86
As a matter of fact, at least
one of these gentlemen I was
00:36:07.20\00:36:09.23
telling you about got his start
00:36:09.26\00:36:11.53
looking at
inappropriate websites.
00:36:11.67\00:36:14.20
And you know if
you read the statistics
00:36:16.44\00:36:18.47
it's phenomenal how many
people look at these things.
00:36:18.61\00:36:22.21
And then if you say to yourself
00:36:22.44\00:36:24.25
"In truth the church is
a whole lot like the world"
00:36:24.38\00:36:28.78
then you know that that
problem permeates the church.
00:36:29.02\00:36:31.59
Have mercy.
00:36:33.05\00:36:34.59
Can you imagine where
that's going to lead people?
00:36:34.92\00:36:37.56
Can you imagine?
00:36:37.79\00:36:38.93
Now I don't mean for a moment
like anybody here's going to
00:36:39.06\00:36:40.90
end up in prison for the
term of their natural lives
00:36:40.93\00:36:42.90
or end up sitting on death row.
00:36:43.03\00:36:44.43
And I can tell you - thank
the Lord - in the case of both
00:36:44.67\00:36:46.50
of the people that
I spoke to or spoke of
00:36:46.53\00:36:48.80
both of them have
repented. They've claimed Jesus.
00:36:49.04\00:36:52.11
If we are to understand
the way salvation works,
00:36:52.24\00:36:54.48
we can expect to
see them in heaven.
00:36:54.61\00:36:56.75
Not to minimize sin but
to maximize the grace of God.
00:36:56.88\00:36:59.81
Hallelujah! And perhaps
using examples like that
00:36:59.85\00:37:03.32
are just so far out that you
say: "Ah, maybe it separates us
00:37:03.35\00:37:08.02
from that. " But sin
starts small and grows big
00:37:08.19\00:37:12.73
and we can
imagine that... we can.
00:37:12.86\00:37:16.50
Oh let me say
this first about sin.
00:37:16.67\00:37:18.63
No, let me say
that second about sin.
00:37:18.97\00:37:21.27
What's sobering about this
00:37:21.80\00:37:23.94
is that sin
doesn't just affect you.
00:37:24.07\00:37:26.14
It affects your
family; it affects the church.
00:37:26.27\00:37:30.21
We hold these series of meetings
and we want to preach the gospel
00:37:31.45\00:37:33.92
and we have a smaller
return than we might wish
00:37:34.15\00:37:37.89
and we wonder why. And
the church isn't praying.
00:37:38.89\00:37:42.02
And there's so much
sin in some of the churches
00:37:42.06\00:37:44.86
that God knows it's better for
people to leave them out there
00:37:44.99\00:37:47.96
than bring them in here.
00:37:48.06\00:37:49.36
And if you have any doubt
about that, think of Achan.
00:37:50.50\00:37:52.87
Achan stole from Jericho.
00:37:53.10\00:37:55.47
And because of that sin
when Israel went into battle
00:37:55.60\00:37:58.54
Israel was defeated.
And the parallel is clear
00:37:58.67\00:38:01.64
because the church
is in a war right now...
00:38:01.78\00:38:04.05
a battle known as
the great controversy.
00:38:04.08\00:38:06.65
And we would do a whole lot
better if we had a whole lot
00:38:06.88\00:38:10.42
less sin clogging up the ar-
teries of our spiritual hearts.
00:38:10.45\00:38:14.36
If we get that
out and get God in,
00:38:14.59\00:38:17.09
God can bless the church more.
00:38:17.33\00:38:19.76
There's a reason the
shaking is going to come.
00:38:20.03\00:38:22.66
You know when Jesus comes back
He will come back for a church
00:38:23.93\00:38:26.87
without spot or
wrinkle or any such thing.
00:38:26.90\00:38:30.34
Holy and without blemish. The
sin is going to be shaken out.
00:38:30.57\00:38:35.28
God... And I can
tell you for a fact
00:38:35.41\00:38:38.18
that if I am connected to that
sin I'll be shaken out with it!
00:38:38.31\00:38:41.92
And I don't want that to happen.
00:38:42.05\00:38:43.65
Now if you're feeling
awful about being a big sinner
00:38:43.99\00:38:46.19
right now: "Oh man, I
feel so bad because of
00:38:46.22\00:38:49.66
this and this and
this, " my response to you is
00:38:49.69\00:38:52.39
"Good... you ought to
feel awful about sin! "
00:38:52.63\00:38:55.60
Problem is we get
too casual about it.
00:38:56.87\00:38:59.03
But let me say this: the
Bible says blessed are they
00:38:59.37\00:39:02.44
that mourn; they
shall be comforted. "
00:39:02.47\00:39:05.41
Recognizing your sinfulness
is the first step in being able
00:39:05.54\00:39:08.94
to do something about
it. Jesus said He didn't come
00:39:08.98\00:39:11.91
for the righteous. He came
to call sinners to repentance.
00:39:11.95\00:39:15.28
If you
recognize you're a sinner,
00:39:15.52\00:39:17.09
then you are the
person that Jesus can save.
00:39:17.22\00:39:18.99
You see,
identifying sin is one thing,
00:39:19.22\00:39:21.99
but letting it be like
an avalanche that sweeps you
00:39:22.12\00:39:24.16
down the
mountainside... that's another.
00:39:24.19\00:39:26.26
Now somebody said that the
biggest battle that we ever
00:39:27.13\00:39:29.40
have to fight against is self.
00:39:29.43\00:39:31.10
You ever hear that?
00:39:31.33\00:39:32.63
I'll never forget that sweet
man talking about how he wanted
00:39:32.87\00:39:36.60
the ketchup but his
son grabbed the ketchup.
00:39:36.64\00:39:38.57
And he was going to take
the ketchup from his son.
00:39:38.71\00:39:40.51
There was only
enough for one person.
00:39:40.54\00:39:42.04
But he said: "No, no, that's
self and so I won't do that
00:39:42.38\00:39:45.61
and I will deny
self right now. "
00:39:45.75\00:39:47.22
God bless you. I mean,
if that's the biggest battle
00:39:47.45\00:39:49.65
you have to fight with
self, you've got one foot on the
00:39:49.68\00:39:52.05
sea of glass already.
00:39:52.09\00:39:53.52
In the Bradshaw family it
works altogether differently.
00:39:58.03\00:40:00.40
If there's ketchup for one
and my son reaches to get it,
00:40:01.40\00:40:05.97
dad says: "Are you
forgetting that there are adults
00:40:07.54\00:40:10.57
seated at the table? "
00:40:10.71\00:40:12.67
This becomes a teaching moment.
00:40:13.01\00:40:15.51
"Should you not at least
offer that to the adults? "
00:40:18.01\00:40:20.88
"Oh yeah... dad, want some? "
00:40:21.98\00:40:23.62
"Yes. "
00:40:24.89\00:40:27.39
If that's self for
you... I know, I need another
00:40:37.27\00:40:42.30
chocolate chip
cookie, whatever it is...
00:40:42.54\00:40:44.57
OK, that's your battle. Fine.
00:40:44.71\00:40:47.31
And that's not to minimize
that... well, no it is to
00:40:50.41\00:40:52.85
minimize that because what I'm
about to say I think is a whole
00:40:52.88\00:40:54.88
lot more important than that.
00:40:54.92\00:40:56.58
A bigger battle with self,
in my opinion, is the battle
00:40:58.25\00:41:00.62
that comes along when you hear
a preacher talking about sin
00:41:00.66\00:41:03.56
and you say: "You know
what? I'm just a hypocrite.
00:41:03.59\00:41:06.86
I guess I should just leave.
I should just leave the Camp
00:41:07.10\00:41:10.10
Meeting because I have secret
sin in my life that nobody knows
00:41:10.13\00:41:13.50
about. And that storm
last night was probably because
00:41:13.54\00:41:16.37
of me. And if I stay around,
Lord only knows who's going
00:41:16.40\00:41:20.28
to get struck by
lightning. So I need to leave
00:41:20.31\00:41:22.94
and I'll just have
my membership dropped
00:41:23.08\00:41:25.88
and done. Because I'm
55 years old and I've been
00:41:26.01\00:41:29.58
failing for as long
as I can remember. "
00:41:29.62\00:41:32.02
Now that, ladies
and gentlemen, is self.
00:41:33.59\00:41:36.59
And it's a deadly,
deadly, deadly version of
00:41:37.79\00:41:41.26
self-centeredness.
00:41:41.40\00:41:44.17
Those people who say: "Woe
is me. God couldn't save me"
00:41:44.70\00:41:48.00
they are self-centered.
00:41:48.14\00:41:49.94
They just are... self-centered.
00:41:50.17\00:41:52.97
Not just a person who spends all
morning looking in the mirror
00:41:53.14\00:41:55.84
enjoying what they see.
That's self-centeredness too.
00:41:55.88\00:41:58.88
But when you say
"God can't save me"
00:42:00.35\00:42:02.78
that's self-centeredness.
00:42:03.02\00:42:04.49
Why can't God save
you? Jesus died to save you
00:42:04.62\00:42:07.19
just like He died
to save anybody else.
00:42:07.32\00:42:08.99
You see, when you make
that mistake, here's what you're
00:42:09.86\00:42:11.79
doing: you are looking
not at Jesus but at yourself.
00:42:11.83\00:42:15.66
So if you have identified
sin and hypocrisy and whatever,
00:42:15.90\00:42:20.40
say: "Thank God I found it. Now
Lord, do something about it. "
00:42:20.54\00:42:24.84
And stop looking at your
sin and start looking at Jesus!
00:42:25.07\00:42:29.14
He is a great
Savior... mighty to save!
00:42:29.28\00:42:32.38
He can save - what does it
say in the book of Hebrews? -
00:42:32.71\00:42:34.82
"to the uttermost those
who come to God by Him. " Amen!
00:42:35.05\00:42:39.02
The worst you are? Bring
it because "where sin abounded
00:42:39.05\00:42:42.52
grace did much more abound. "
00:42:42.66\00:42:44.39
Don't you sit around having
a pity party worrying about
00:42:44.53\00:42:46.73
your sin. I don't
care how bad you are!
00:42:46.76\00:42:48.63
Moses was a murderer...
God took him to heaven.
00:42:48.76\00:42:51.27
David? "A man after
my own heart" God said.
00:42:51.70\00:42:53.90
And we struggle with
that because David was a mess
00:42:53.94\00:42:57.37
and yet God was able
to straighten out the mess
00:42:57.41\00:43:00.18
and clean that brother
up. What God did for David
00:43:00.31\00:43:02.74
and Solomon and
Hezekiah and Abraham
00:43:02.88\00:43:06.82
and all the rest of them
He can do for you - Amen! -
00:43:06.95\00:43:10.85
and for your children -
Amen! - your neighbor - Amen! -
00:43:10.99\00:43:14.22
some person you
think can never be saved.
00:43:14.46\00:43:16.62
I don't mind talking
about sin 'cause when I do
00:43:16.76\00:43:19.03
I will talk about the Savior.
"There is a balm in Gilead. "
00:43:19.19\00:43:21.96
Christ can save anyone from sin.
00:43:22.20\00:43:26.10
And that includes
you... praise the Lord!
00:43:26.27\00:43:28.44
We ought to be urgent
about it though... urgent.
00:43:28.67\00:43:30.64
Tell you something: I
don't think there's enough
00:43:30.87\00:43:34.28
urgency. I'll tell you why.
00:43:34.41\00:43:35.88
What happens when you get sick?
00:43:35.91\00:43:37.61
You go to a doctor
if you've got any sense.
00:43:37.75\00:43:39.78
Doctor says: "You are so
sick you need chemotherapy. "
00:43:40.12\00:43:45.35
And you say: "Well,
what's that going to do? "
00:43:45.69\00:43:47.49
"Well, we hope it's going
to get rid of the cancer. "
00:43:47.62\00:43:50.53
"Anything else? " "Oh,
yeah, you'll lose your hair. "
00:43:50.76\00:43:52.89
"Well, what else? "
"Well you'll have neuropathy. "
00:43:53.03\00:43:55.33
"Anything else? " Ah,
your ears will ring forever. "
00:43:55.46\00:43:57.57
"Oh, OK... what else? "
00:43:57.80\00:43:59.10
"Well, I mean you're going
to feel like you want to die. "
00:43:59.33\00:44:03.61
"Uh-huh. "
"You'll feel so tired.
00:44:03.74\00:44:05.87
You never
imagined being so tired. "
00:44:06.01\00:44:07.54
"OK... anything else? "
00:44:07.68\00:44:09.08
"Probably... " And you
say: "When can I start? "
00:44:09.21\00:44:14.12
"You are so sick,
lady, you need radiation. "
00:44:20.89\00:44:23.99
"Why what's that
going to be like? "
00:44:24.13\00:44:25.23
"It's going to be terrible.
00:44:25.36\00:44:26.49
You will be in some way
less for the rest of your life
00:44:26.53\00:44:30.00
than you are now. It
will burn you... maybe.
00:44:30.23\00:44:32.43
Doesn't burn everybody. It
will do this; it will do that.
00:44:32.47\00:44:34.74
Laundry list of side effects. "
00:44:34.97\00:44:37.34
And you say: "But you think
it's going to get the cancer. "
00:44:37.57\00:44:39.94
"We hope so. " "I'm in. "
00:44:40.08\00:44:41.71
"Ah... that diabetes is so bad
we have to take off your foot. "
00:44:48.18\00:44:51.35
"I don't want to lose my foot. "
00:44:51.59\00:44:52.69
"Well, we can let you keep it. "
00:44:52.82\00:44:55.42
"Well what then? "
"Well you'll die. "
00:44:55.56\00:44:57.43
"Oh... here it is. Take
it off! Take it off now! "
00:44:57.56\00:45:01.73
That famous actress?
She had a double mastectomy.
00:45:02.80\00:45:06.57
She didn't even have cancer.
00:45:06.80\00:45:09.07
It was to lower her
risk of getting cancer.
00:45:09.84\00:45:13.34
That's rad... I'm not
criticizing... that's radical!
00:45:14.28\00:45:16.88
But people do that stuff.
00:45:17.21\00:45:18.71
"Ask your doctor
about this medication.
00:45:19.05\00:45:22.15
Now the medication could cause
cancer, acid rain, deforestation
00:45:22.28\00:45:26.12
or cause global warming.
00:45:26.25\00:45:28.29
It could cause depression
and suicidal thoughts. "
00:45:31.53\00:45:33.83
And that's not funny.
00:45:33.86\00:45:35.26
"It can cause all of
these things. " And you go:
00:45:35.50\00:45:37.40
"Awesome! Doc, can
I have some of that? "
00:45:37.53\00:45:39.37
Why do people do that?
00:45:41.87\00:45:43.71
And the people say:
"Well from now on I will never
00:45:43.94\00:45:45.67
eat sugar for the rest of my
life and I'm only going to ever
00:45:45.71\00:45:47.44
eat raw food. And I'll
drink carrot juice every day
00:45:47.48\00:45:50.01
until Jesus comes back. " And
they go on these radical diets.
00:45:50.05\00:45:53.42
Why? People do this stuff
'cause they want to get well!
00:45:53.65\00:45:56.99
'Cause they think if they
don't, they might die. Right?
00:45:57.85\00:46:01.66
And you'll do anything
when your life is on the line.
00:46:01.99\00:46:06.46
Anything. Hopefully,
anything within reason.
00:46:06.70\00:46:10.33
And that's why
people do this stuff:
00:46:10.77\00:46:12.87
because they want to live.
00:46:13.00\00:46:15.04
Well I want to tell you
something: whether you've got
00:46:15.37\00:46:17.17
some disease or
not we're all sick!
00:46:17.21\00:46:20.74
The worst
disease... the disease of sin.
00:46:21.18\00:46:24.48
And it kills.
00:46:24.61\00:46:26.58
And for our health we have the
National Institutes of Health
00:46:26.92\00:46:30.39
and the CDC. And you've got that
guy out there on the West Coast
00:46:30.52\00:46:33.76
who gave a $500
million matching grant
00:46:33.89\00:46:37.69
to an Oregon university.
By the time they're done
00:46:37.83\00:46:39.76
a billion dollars
given for cancer research.
00:46:39.89\00:46:42.03
Ted Turner gave a billion
dollars to the United Nations
00:46:42.26\00:46:46.07
to eradicate polio
or some such thing.
00:46:46.20\00:46:48.34
Bill Gates and all of his
wealth... they're trying to get
00:46:48.47\00:46:50.64
rid of diseases. I mean...
00:46:50.67\00:46:54.28
Where's the institute for sin?
00:46:54.51\00:46:58.15
And I guess somebody could say:
"Well that's in our churches
00:46:58.91\00:47:00.85
and that's in our
theological institutions. "
00:47:00.98\00:47:02.88
All right. Perhaps...
perhaps... perhaps you're right.
00:47:03.12\00:47:06.05
We put so much energy
and money and time and effort
00:47:07.02\00:47:10.33
and resources into getting well.
00:47:10.36\00:47:13.43
That's OK.
00:47:13.66\00:47:15.56
We recognize easily the
urgency for getting over
00:47:16.10\00:47:19.50
illness so that we
can be healthy again.
00:47:19.63\00:47:21.30
But there is an illness,
man: sin. It will take you down
00:47:21.47\00:47:24.94
and take you out.
00:47:25.17\00:47:27.81
Worse than cancer or a stroke
or diabetes or heart disease.
00:47:28.24\00:47:31.85
Worse! Much worse.
00:47:31.98\00:47:34.75
Now God has a
remedy, thank the Lord.
00:47:35.08\00:47:36.92
He has a word for us
today; the word is repent.
00:47:37.15\00:47:39.65
Repent; repent.
Whether it is something dark
00:47:39.89\00:47:43.29
or something more fashionable
00:47:43.53\00:47:46.26
God says "Repent! "
00:47:46.39\00:47:48.46
We are this close to
entering into the kingdom.
00:47:48.60\00:47:52.37
If you stand on your tiptoes
and look, you can just about
00:47:52.63\00:47:55.67
see over the border
into the Promised Land.
00:47:55.70\00:47:57.47
Jesus is coming back
soon and yet what do we say?
00:47:57.81\00:48:02.01
"Well now be careful
around old Bob the deacon
00:48:02.04\00:48:03.81
because he's a bit irascible;
he's a little scratchy.
00:48:03.95\00:48:06.41
But that's OK. That's
just old Bob. We love him. "
00:48:06.55\00:48:09.02
Well it's good that we
love him but it's not OK.
00:48:09.25\00:48:11.09
Bob's got to get the victory.
00:48:12.02\00:48:13.36
"Well now that you're in this
church - and I hate to say this
00:48:14.16\00:48:16.09
but we do need to tell you -
00:48:16.12\00:48:17.33
be careful what you
say around old Mrs. Brown
00:48:17.46\00:48:19.26
because... hhhh...
she'll tell everybody.
00:48:19.39\00:48:23.23
But that's just Mrs.
Brown; we love her anyway. "
00:48:23.57\00:48:27.54
Well it's right to love her
but Mrs. Brown needs to quit
00:48:27.87\00:48:30.47
that gossip. And the
Bible talks about that
00:48:30.81\00:48:32.74
and it's wrong. God
wants us to live lives
00:48:32.87\00:48:36.01
that are above reproach.
00:48:36.14\00:48:37.58
They wanted to mess with Daniel.
00:48:37.81\00:48:39.11
They couldn't find anything
to trip him up on because
00:48:39.28\00:48:41.52
he lived such a
holy, committed life.
00:48:41.55\00:48:44.49
He purposed in his heart
that he would not dishonor
00:48:44.82\00:48:48.92
God. Now the remedy for sin...
00:48:49.06\00:48:51.59
I said sin is the problem.
00:48:51.73\00:48:53.93
Yes, that's the problem because
"the wages of sin is death. "
00:48:54.03\00:48:56.40
But sin is not the problem.
00:48:56.73\00:48:58.40
Let me talk about that
for just a moment here.
00:48:58.53\00:49:00.07
What's the remedy for
sin? You could say forgiveness.
00:49:00.40\00:49:03.37
You'd be right.
You could say grace.
00:49:03.51\00:49:05.64
You'd be right again.
00:49:05.97\00:49:07.44
You could say oneness with God.
00:49:07.58\00:49:09.94
Nothing wrong with that.
00:49:10.21\00:49:11.55
But if you want to be
most right you would say that
00:49:11.81\00:49:14.78
the remedy for sin is Jesus.
00:49:14.92\00:49:18.15
Jesus. Not
forgiveness from Jesus
00:49:18.95\00:49:22.99
but Jesus who brings
forgiveness into your life.
00:49:23.22\00:49:26.23
Not merely
righteousness from Christ
00:49:26.56\00:49:29.83
but the righteousness of
Christ that you don't receive
00:49:30.70\00:49:34.77
from Him but you receive in Him.
00:49:35.00\00:49:38.24
Jesus is the remedy.
00:49:38.57\00:49:41.34
One day they were dying
out there in the wilderness.
00:49:41.38\00:49:43.31
Snake bites had got them.
00:49:43.45\00:49:44.65
"Moses, make a snake out
of brass. Stick it on a pole.
00:49:44.78\00:49:47.72
Tell the people to look
and they'll be able to live. "
00:49:47.85\00:49:51.29
And miraculously
they looked at this snake
00:49:51.52\00:49:55.12
and they lived. If
you will look to Jesus,
00:49:55.26\00:49:58.79
what did we hear?
"Turn your eyes upon Jesus.
00:49:58.93\00:50:02.83
Look full in His
wonderful face. "
00:50:03.06\00:50:05.13
It's true that the things
of earth grow strangely dim
00:50:05.47\00:50:08.04
in the light of
His glory and grace.
00:50:08.07\00:50:10.54
Christ is the way out!
00:50:10.77\00:50:12.31
John wrote:
"Unto Him who loved us
00:50:12.54\00:50:14.34
and washed us from our
sins in His own blood. "
00:50:14.51\00:50:17.88
Look, if you've got a
dirty mind the Bible promises
00:50:18.01\00:50:20.98
that you can have
the mind of Christ.
00:50:21.12\00:50:23.22
If you've got a tongue
that operates without restraint,
00:50:23.35\00:50:25.92
God can touch that
and train it right away.
00:50:26.15\00:50:29.92
The dishonest can become honest.
00:50:30.16\00:50:31.79
The impure, pure. The
addict can be clean and sober.
00:50:31.93\00:50:34.96
The drunk can dry
out, and let me add
00:50:35.00\00:50:37.37
it's true that for some sins -
00:50:37.60\00:50:40.20
even though God
can forgive them all -
00:50:40.34\00:50:42.10
it's right in some
cases to get some help.
00:50:42.24\00:50:45.87
'Cause you end up
getting down here in this place.
00:50:48.71\00:50:51.25
You've got these
functions. You're messed up
00:50:51.38\00:50:53.11
and it's good sometimes
to get some people that help
00:50:53.15\00:50:56.22
you get
untangled from all of that.
00:50:56.35\00:50:58.79
But THE problem isn't sin
even though sin is THE problem.
00:51:00.22\00:51:04.69
Jesus told us
clearly what the problem is.
00:51:04.93\00:51:08.06
John 5 verse 40.
00:51:08.30\00:51:10.87
He said: "But you
will not come to Me
00:51:12.10\00:51:16.87
that you might have life. "
00:51:17.01\00:51:19.24
That's the problem.
The reason I say that is
00:51:19.67\00:51:21.34
the sin problem
has been taken care of.
00:51:21.58\00:51:23.58
We know it. Jesus
died for our sins.
00:51:23.91\00:51:26.45
The Bible says so.
00:51:26.68\00:51:27.78
We sing about it. "There is
a fountain filled with blood
00:51:27.92\00:51:30.49
drawn from Immanuel's veins.
00:51:30.52\00:51:32.19
Sinners plunged beneath
that flood lose all their guilty
00:51:32.32\00:51:36.36
stains. " So there! The sin
problem has been taken care of.
00:51:36.39\00:51:40.03
Question is: what are
you willing to do about it?
00:51:40.26\00:51:42.56
Will you come to Jesus
that you might have life?
00:51:43.70\00:51:46.13
Because there is life in
Jesus. Not death but life.
00:51:46.37\00:51:50.44
Life! Furthermore we
are told in Jude verse 24
00:51:50.47\00:51:54.24
"Now unto Him who is able
to keep you from falling. "
00:51:54.38\00:51:58.78
Praise the Lord for that!
00:51:59.01\00:52:00.98
There's power in Christ.
00:52:01.42\00:52:03.15
You don't have
to be what you were.
00:52:03.28\00:52:04.65
He can keep ya and make
you what you're not right now.
00:52:04.79\00:52:07.59
"There hath no temptation
taken you but such as is common
00:52:07.92\00:52:10.83
to man" Paul wrote
to the Corinthians.
00:52:10.86\00:52:12.63
"But God is faithful.
He will not allow you to be
00:52:12.76\00:52:15.60
tempted above
that which you are able
00:52:15.63\00:52:19.27
but will with the
temptation make a way to escape
00:52:19.50\00:52:21.94
that you may be
able to bear it. "
00:52:22.17\00:52:24.37
Oh, thank God for that.
00:52:24.61\00:52:26.01
Isn't that something?
00:52:27.18\00:52:28.58
Preparation for the
second coming of Jesus.
00:52:29.71\00:52:32.15
If we are serious about being
ready for the second coming,
00:52:32.38\00:52:35.58
we'll be praying
like we mean business.
00:52:35.95\00:52:39.45
Fasting when God
prods us to do so.
00:52:39.79\00:52:43.49
Reading our Bibles
00:52:43.93\00:52:46.23
with the fervor that we
check our Facebook page.
00:52:46.56\00:52:50.80
Hard to imagine, huh?
00:52:54.90\00:52:56.57
Memorizing scripture.
00:52:57.97\00:53:00.28
It'll be in our minds.
00:53:00.51\00:53:02.18
Of course we'll eat well
and do all of those things.
00:53:02.61\00:53:04.68
We will. I'm not down on that.
00:53:04.81\00:53:06.45
But if we are serious
about being ready for the second
00:53:07.92\00:53:10.39
coming of Jesus we
will not put the cart
00:53:10.42\00:53:14.39
before the horse.
00:53:14.62\00:53:15.99
Heaven awaits. It is
those who put Jesus first,
00:53:16.32\00:53:21.10
those who have come to Christ,
00:53:21.23\00:53:24.30
those who have
demanded that Jesus own them...
00:53:24.43\00:53:28.77
You know, in a certain sense
00:53:30.41\00:53:35.18
if sin is the problem
00:53:35.41\00:53:38.28
it's not your
problem... it's God's problem
00:53:39.71\00:53:44.39
because the only One who
can do anything about the sin
00:53:45.39\00:53:48.16
in your life is God.
00:53:48.19\00:53:50.96
All you can do is
give God permission
00:53:51.39\00:53:55.70
to come into your
life and do the work.
00:53:56.03\00:53:58.87
Then you cooperate with God.
00:53:59.30\00:54:01.27
But that's all part of
turning your life over to God
00:54:01.50\00:54:03.37
and giving Him the
permission to work.
00:54:03.51\00:54:05.51
Now you can take me
out of context if you like
00:54:05.74\00:54:07.71
but I trust you not to do that.
00:54:07.74\00:54:09.28
I say again: the sin
problem is God's problem.
00:54:09.71\00:54:13.75
He already paid the price.
Debt was cancelled at Calvary.
00:54:13.98\00:54:17.79
Whssh... done.
00:54:17.92\00:54:20.09
Now that's to be
worked out in your life.
00:54:20.32\00:54:22.22
That's God's work.
00:54:22.56\00:54:24.56
Now if you'll be
inpatient, God can work.
00:54:25.66\00:54:28.86
That is: "Lord,
let's get it done. "
00:54:29.00\00:54:32.30
"Lord, don't wait
a moment longer. "
00:54:33.47\00:54:37.41
"Lord, You've
got to clean me up. "
00:54:37.84\00:54:40.78
"Heavenly Father,
do not let my hand go
00:54:41.21\00:54:45.41
even for a moment. Lord,
on my own I cannot make it. "
00:54:45.55\00:54:49.22
But clothed in
Christ's righteousness
00:54:49.35\00:54:53.66
I can't fail to make it.
00:54:53.89\00:54:55.69
And these are things
that only God can do for us
00:54:56.12\00:54:58.76
so we ask God to
be God in our lives.
00:54:58.89\00:55:01.76
And will God fail
to answer that prayer?
00:55:01.90\00:55:03.70
All God wants us to
do is get out of His way
00:55:04.03\00:55:06.50
and let Him work.
00:55:06.74\00:55:07.84
That's all. To stop being God.
00:55:08.07\00:55:10.21
When we come to the fork in
the road we say: "All right,
00:55:10.24\00:55:12.57
which way? " When
we come to temptation
00:55:12.71\00:55:15.21
we pause. God is
prodding us to pause.
00:55:15.24\00:55:17.48
He's telling us to pause;
He's calling out to us to pause.
00:55:17.71\00:55:20.08
We stop. "All
right... which way? "
00:55:20.22\00:55:22.05
God will guide
us in the way to go.
00:55:22.28\00:55:24.42
He promises to do that.
00:55:24.55\00:55:27.36
Jesus is coming back
soon; He wants us to be ready.
00:55:28.46\00:55:31.79
No point being close
but not close enough.
00:55:32.03\00:55:36.90
Before Jesus comes back
the Bible paints this amazing
00:55:37.87\00:55:40.24
picture. In
Revelation chapter 20
00:55:40.27\00:55:42.64
the Holy City -
the New Jerusalem -
00:55:42.67\00:55:44.34
has come down
from God out of heaven.
00:55:44.37\00:55:46.24
Inside that thing is Christ
00:55:47.31\00:55:50.28
and all of the redeemed.
00:55:50.71\00:55:52.71
The walls - as best as I
can tell - are transparent.
00:55:53.15\00:55:57.12
And on the outside
are all of the lost.
00:55:57.45\00:56:01.59
And of course, we can't
know exactly what that situation
00:56:03.53\00:56:06.06
is going to be like,
but it seems right to assume
00:56:06.09\00:56:09.40
that those on the
outside can see in
00:56:09.53\00:56:11.77
and those on the
inside can see out.
00:56:11.90\00:56:13.44
Imagine coming up in
the second resurrection
00:56:13.77\00:56:16.30
having known Jesus,
having owned a Bible
00:56:16.54\00:56:19.17
and a phone with
Bible apps on it.
00:56:19.34\00:56:21.78
Having come to Camp Meeting.
00:56:22.44\00:56:24.55
Having gone to
church and been a deacon
00:56:24.78\00:56:26.58
and sung in the choir
and taken up the offering -
00:56:26.61\00:56:28.12
"Good day... lovely
to see you, brother" -
00:56:28.15\00:56:29.85
and having a heart
that was full of corruption
00:56:30.82\00:56:33.66
and was never yielded to God.
00:56:33.79\00:56:35.72
Preparation for the
second coming of Jesus:
00:56:37.93\00:56:40.43
Christ in the
heart; Christ in the life.
00:56:40.56\00:56:43.83
Jesus all and in all.
00:56:44.07\00:56:47.07
We must have that.
What do you say? Amen!
00:56:47.20\00:56:50.44
Pray with me. Let us
pray: Our Father and our God,
00:56:50.81\00:56:52.81
we know Jesus is coming
back soon and we are thankful.
00:56:52.97\00:56:55.54
And I pray today - we
pray today - take our hearts
00:56:57.31\00:57:00.05
for we cannot give them.
00:57:00.15\00:57:01.42
Keep them pure because
we cannot keep them for You.
00:57:01.55\00:57:03.99
Save us in spite of ourselves...
our weak, unChristlike selves.
00:57:04.12\00:57:07.49
Mold us, fashion us, raise us
into a pure and holy atmosphere
00:57:07.62\00:57:11.69
where the rich current of Your
love can flow through our souls.
00:57:11.93\00:57:14.86
Ready us for Jesus'
soon return, we pray
00:57:15.00\00:57:18.03
and we thank you
in Jesus' name, Amen.
00:57:18.07\00:57:23.20
Amen. God bless you.
00:57:23.34\00:57:26.71
The best truly is yet to come.
00:57:26.84\00:57:30.51