male announcer: This
presentation is brought to you
00:00:02.70\00:00:04.00
by the friends of the
Amazing Facts ministry.
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Doug Batchelor: At four feet
tall, the emperor penguin is
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the largest penguin
species in the world.
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Every spring, these majestic
birds travel up to 75 miles
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inland on the Arctic ice pack,
walking and sliding on their
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bellies to arrive at
one of the most desolate
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and remote places on earth.
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Once the female lays an egg, her
male companion quickly rolls it
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onto his feet and covers
it with a fold of his fat,
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feathery fur to keep it warm.
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While the females leave to
feed in the ocean for about two
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months, the males
huddle together in clusters for
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protection from the frigid wind,
incubating the eggs on their
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feet, while enduring the
brutally cold, dark winter.
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Emperor penguins demonstrate
some of the most patient
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devotion and warm love for
their young of any creatures.
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And they do this in the
coldest conditions on earth,
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where temperatures
can drop to 85 below zero.
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The Bible says in the last days,
because lawlessness will abound,
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the love of many will grow cold.
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But your love can stay
warm even in a cold world.
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As a Christian, are
you warming those around
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you with God's love?
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At the heart of all
of this is the question,
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is your Christianity real?
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Join me now, friends, as we look
at what the Bible has to say on
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this very important topic.
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Doug: I heard one time about
this mission organization that
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was placing missionaries in
different parts of the world.
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They had a unique way of
testing the missionaries.
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The candidate was told to arrive
at three in the morning for the
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exam, three in the morning.
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And so, this one candidate,
he came at three in the morning,
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he went to the room where he was
supposed to meet the examiner,
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and he waited there until five
in the morning, nobody there.
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So, he waited a little longer
until eight in the morning,
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finally the examiner came
in at eight in the morning.
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He said, "Can you please
spell the word 'baker' for me?"
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He said, "Baker, B-A-K-E-R."
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He said, "Very good."
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Said, "Now, can you please tell
me how much is two times two?"
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He said, "Four."
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He said, "Very good."
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He said, "I think that
the mission board is going to
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accept you as a missionary."
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And he got up and he left.
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That afternoon, the examiner
went and he met with the mission
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board, he said, "You
know, that candidate that I had
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an appointment with," he
said, "I think he's going
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to make a good missionary."
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Said, "I tested
him on self-denial.
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He got out of a warm bed on a
cold night while I know he was
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still tired, and he came.
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So, I tested him on patience.
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I made him then wait from three
in the morning until eight in
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the morning before I showed up.
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I then tested him on humility.
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I asked him questions that
any child would understand,
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and he was not offended.
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Then I asked him a
simple equation of addition,
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and he answered it
correctly and politely."
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And he said, "He's got what
it takes to be a missionary."
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It's going to
require self-denial,
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perseverance,
patience, humility.
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And so, they were tests.
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Well, there are
tests in the Bible.
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There--if you're
saying, "Doug, how do I know
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if my Christianity is real?
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I want to know, can I know?"
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Good news, there's a test.
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The Bible actually
gives you several tests.
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And so, we're going to ask that
very important question today,
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is my Christianity real?
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And is there a way to know?
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Well you know, the Bible tells
us that if we are going to do
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something about
counterfeit Christianity,
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or if our
Christianity isn't real,
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first you've got to
identify that, is that right?
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And so, there's
some preventative
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screening that happens.
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Now, I don't know if you've
been to the doctor for a regular
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checkup, but if you go for a
checkup, you don't always want
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to wait until you're sick
and then go to the doctor.
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As you get a little older,
they say you ought to go do
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some
preventative health screening.
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Something simple like
a blood pressure check,
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you could prevent death
by a simple test like that.
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A blood test that could
tell you about your blood sugar.
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Diabetes can kill a person,
you can slip into a coma.
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It could tell you about
your cholesterol levels,
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that could help you
prevent a heart attack.
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A whole scope of
different things can be
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determined by that, cancer.
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And so, doing some preventative
screening can save your life.
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How many of you have known
somebody and they came down with
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some terrible terminal disease,
and then somebody will say,
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"If they had only had
that checked a little sooner,
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they could have done something,
but they waited too long."
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You ever heard that?
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They waited
until it was too late.
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Right now, praise the Lord,
if you're alive and hearing my
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voice, you probably have not
grieved away the Holy Spirit and
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it's not too late for you to ask
those important and penetrating
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questions: is my
Christianity real?
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Because there will come a
time when it'll be too late.
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So, now's the time to find out.
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How sad it will be on that
day to find out that you are
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self-deceived, that you figured,
well, this was the world's
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standard of Christianity
and I measured up to the world's
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standard, and so I
thought I was going to make it.
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But to hear the words from Jesus
say, "I'm sorry, I don't know
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you," I can't think of anything
more frightening than that.
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And so, if you're going to
know, don't you want to know?
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And wouldn't you
want to know soon enough
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to make a difference?
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Now, some people get
angry when I talk like this.
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And they
reproach me and they say,
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"Pastor Doug, you are
so works behavior-oriented.
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We are not supposed to
be looking at ourselves.
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We're just supposed
to be looking at Jesus."
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And it is true, a
Christian principally wants to
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fix their eyes on Jesus.
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But what I'm
saying to you is biblical,
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and we're a Bible church.
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Listen to what Paul says.
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2 Corinthians 13:5,
"Examine yourselves as
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to whether you are in the faith.
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Test yourselves."
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There is a time for us to
scrutinize, to test, to examine.
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I'm going to come
back to this verse,
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but I want to show you it's not
the only one 'cause you need at
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least two or
three witnesses here.
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Lamentations 3:40, "Let us
search our and examine our ways,
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and turn back to the Lord."
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It's talking about a search.
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In the book of
Haggai chapter 1, verse 5,
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"Now therefore, thus
says the Lord of hosts,
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'Consider your ways.'"
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So, do I have your support
that there is a time, the Bible
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says that every now and then,
we ought to do a little bit of
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introspection and then
figure out if there needs
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to be some changes?
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Now, you don't want to be
driving a car looking in the
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rearview mirror all the time.
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The rearview mirror is
there and it's very important,
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but if you spend all your
time looking in the rearview
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mirror, you're
going to have an accident.
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You got to be
looking where you're going.
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So, principally a
Christian wants to be
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forward thinking, amen?
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You want to look ahead, you
want to keep your eyes on Jesus.
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You want to keep
your eyes on the goal.
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But every now and then,
you better check your mirrors.
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You better take--situational
awareness is what they call it.
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And make sure that you're
where you're supposed to be,
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you're not drifting into
the wrong lane or someone's not
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coming up behind you,
going to plow into you.
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And so, there
needs to be a self test.
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The heart needs to be changed.
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We need to know
that we're converted.
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If our hearts are
changed, if we are born again,
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there'll be a difference.
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So, how do you know if
you're a real Christian?
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Number one, going to start right
with the most important, love.
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Do you love the Lord supremely?
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What's the great commandment?
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Love the Lord with a
little bit of your heart.
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What percentage,
eighty-five percent?
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Isn't that greedy
that God would want 100%?
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Thou shalt love the
Lord with all of your heart,
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all of your
soul, all of your mind.
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And this is a test.
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Gospel of John chapter 14,
verse 23, Jesus said, "If anyone
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loves me, he will keep my word;
and my Father will love him, and
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we will come and
make our abode with him.
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He that does not love
me does not keep my word."
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So, what's one of the
criteria for loving the Lord?
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Keeping his word.
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1 John 2:15 and 16, "If anyone
loves the world," meaning more
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than Jesus, "the love
of the Father's not in him.
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For all that's in the world,
the desires of the flesh and the
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desires of the eyes
and the pride of life,
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it's not from the Father,
but it's from the world."
00:09:03.34\00:09:06.31
James 4:4, "Do you not
know that friendship with the
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world is enmity with God?
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Whoever therefore wants to
be a friend of the world makes
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himself an enemy of God."
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So, we're going to have a
struggle going on, and one of
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the principle tests
is, do we love the Lord?
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Now, what if we
find, Lord, I don't
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love you as much as I should?
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Or maybe some of
you are thinking,
00:09:25.73\00:09:28.23
"You know, I love the Lord,
but I used to love him more.
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When I first became a Christian,
I was ready to do anything,
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go anywhere
Jesus wanted me to go.
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I was so grateful
when I realized he died
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for me on the cross."
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Well, there's hope.
00:09:39.61\00:09:41.11
Jesus speaking to
the church in Ephesus,
00:09:41.14\00:09:42.88
he said in Revelation 2:4,
"Nevertheless I have something
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against you in that
you've left your first love."
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He didn't say you
don't love me anymore.
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You just don't love
me the way you first did.
00:09:51.65\00:09:54.59
A lot of couples
might say that too.
00:09:54.62\00:09:57.16
Remember therefore,
so what's the solution?
00:09:57.19\00:09:59.89
"Remember from
where you have fallen.
00:09:59.93\00:10:01.86
Repent and do the first
works, or else I'll come to you
00:10:01.90\00:10:05.77
quickly and remove your
candlestick from its place."
00:10:05.80\00:10:09.47
Now, I want you
to notice something,
00:10:09.50\00:10:11.17
that in the verse that's really
the foundation for this whole
00:10:11.21\00:10:13.58
sermon, 2
Corinthians 13:5, he said,
00:10:13.61\00:10:17.08
"Examine yourself
to see if you're in the
00:10:17.11\00:10:19.78
faith, whether
you're in the faith."
00:10:19.81\00:10:21.12
What does that mean?
00:10:21.15\00:10:22.38
There's a possibility that you
might think you are and you're
00:10:22.42\00:10:25.09
not, so how do you know?
00:10:25.12\00:10:27.19
Tests.
00:10:27.22\00:10:28.52
Now, there's two words he uses,
examine and then he says test.
00:10:28.56\00:10:33.06
Doug: Don't go
anywhere, friends.
00:10:34.60\00:10:35.90
In just a moment,
we'll return for the
00:10:35.93\00:10:37.70
rest of today's presentation.
00:10:37.73\00:10:40.60
Did you know that aviation
engineers have studied the
00:10:40.64\00:10:43.87
bumblebee and determined with
their small wings and their fat,
00:10:43.91\00:10:48.08
hairy bodies, it
is aerodynamically
00:10:48.11\00:10:50.58
impossible for them to fly.
00:10:50.61\00:10:53.95
But fortunately, the bumblebees
have not read those reports yet,
00:10:53.98\00:10:57.09
so they keep on flying.
00:10:57.12\00:10:59.15
Sounds ridiculous, I know, yet
amazingly many Christians say
00:10:59.19\00:11:03.86
the same thing when
it comes to obeying God.
00:11:03.89\00:11:07.23
They say it's impossible for
Christians to really live a holy
00:11:07.23\00:11:10.87
life, but are they right?
00:11:10.90\00:11:13.20
To help get your answers,
Amazing Facts would like to send
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00:11:16.00\00:11:19.14
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00:11:25.18\00:11:28.82
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00:11:50.91\00:11:53.27
Well now, let's get back to the
rest of today's presentation and
00:11:53.31\00:11:56.24
learn some more amazing
facts from the Word of God.
00:11:56.28\00:11:59.28
Doug: You ever shop for a car?
00:12:00.92\00:12:03.02
I don't know about
you, but when that happens,
00:12:03.05\00:12:04.75
half the fun of a new
car for me is shopping.
00:12:04.79\00:12:06.96
Before I even buy it, I
have fun doing the research.
00:12:06.99\00:12:09.86
Now you can get online, there's
all these tools that you can
00:12:09.89\00:12:11.93
line up all the different
models, there are comparisons.
00:12:11.96\00:12:14.60
You can find horsepower,
horsepower, gas economy, or
00:12:14.63\00:12:17.20
comforts, all the different--I
just love doing that stuff.
00:12:17.23\00:12:20.64
And then you go
and you walk around it.
00:12:20.67\00:12:22.70
And as soon as
you walk on a car lot,
00:12:22.74\00:12:24.57
you know, they're circling.
00:12:24.61\00:12:29.11
And you think, "Oh,
there's nobody here."
00:12:29.14\00:12:31.05
You get out of your
car, five people show up.
00:12:31.08\00:12:35.88
And they're very nice.
00:12:35.92\00:12:37.62
And you start asking
them a few questions,
00:12:37.65\00:12:40.02
then you walk around,
you kick the tires, you
00:12:40.06\00:12:41.92
look at the sticker, you
have a heart attack, right?
00:12:41.96\00:12:46.19
And then if you're really
interested, you don't walk in
00:12:46.23\00:12:50.30
and say, "Okay, let's
sign at the bottom line."
00:12:50.33\00:12:52.93
Even the salesman would
be shocked if you didn't say,
00:12:52.97\00:12:56.50
"Let's take it for a drive."
00:12:56.54\00:12:58.77
So, when you're
testing yourself,
00:12:58.81\00:13:01.08
the Word is talking
about really taking a serious,
00:13:01.11\00:13:06.35
honest look in and around your
heart and your life and find
00:13:06.38\00:13:11.32
out, am I measuring up?
00:13:11.35\00:13:12.89
So, one thing is, do
I really love the Lord?
00:13:12.92\00:13:15.52
Another test is not only
loving God, it's hating evil.
00:13:15.56\00:13:19.69
How did you know
Job was a man of God?
00:13:19.73\00:13:22.40
Says there was a
perfect and upright man,
00:13:22.43\00:13:24.07
so Job's a good example, right?
00:13:24.10\00:13:25.50
Job's going to be in heaven.
00:13:25.53\00:13:27.47
Says he loved the
Lord, he hated evil.
00:13:27.50\00:13:30.11
It's not just
loving the right things,
00:13:30.14\00:13:31.44
it's hating the wrong things.
00:13:31.47\00:13:33.48
And the longer you
walk with the Lord,
00:13:33.51\00:13:35.68
the more you will hate sin.
00:13:35.71\00:13:38.45
You've heard it said
before the longer I live,
00:13:38.48\00:13:40.82
the more I know I
don't know, right?
00:13:40.85\00:13:44.19
It's also true the
longer you walk with the Lord,
00:13:44.22\00:13:46.59
the more sinful sin will appear.
00:13:46.62\00:13:49.29
If you're drifting from
God, the more you begin to
00:13:49.32\00:13:52.56
accommodate and ignore sin.
00:13:52.59\00:13:55.63
So, does sin grieve
you is one of the tests.
00:13:55.66\00:14:00.67
The great
commandment, love the Lord,
00:14:00.70\00:14:02.00
love your
neighbor, love yourself.
00:14:02.04\00:14:03.67
Sin is the opposite of that.
00:14:03.71\00:14:05.01
Sin hurts God, it hurts
others, and it hurts you.
00:14:05.04\00:14:09.64
And so, you've got
to recognize sin as
00:14:09.68\00:14:12.21
an awful thing that it is.
00:14:12.25\00:14:13.98
Ezra, you ever read about this?
00:14:14.02\00:14:16.02
In Ezra chapter 9, verse 3, when
Ezra heard about the terrible
00:14:16.05\00:14:19.92
things that some of
the people were doing,
00:14:19.95\00:14:21.66
he said, "I tore my
garment and my robe.
00:14:21.69\00:14:24.79
I plucked out some of my
hair and sat down astonished."
00:14:24.83\00:14:29.63
He was so grieved, and
it wasn't even his sin,
00:14:29.66\00:14:32.30
it was the sin of the people.
00:14:32.33\00:14:34.47
David, when he realized
00:14:34.50\00:14:36.07
about his sin, he
said, "I have sinned."
00:14:36.10\00:14:37.41
It says therefore
he pleaded with God.
00:14:37.44\00:14:39.41
He fasted, he laid on
his face all night for
00:14:39.44\00:14:42.88
seven days because of the sin.
00:14:42.91\00:14:46.65
Now, we live in a
sin-saturated world.
00:14:46.68\00:14:50.69
And you can get used to
it, and that's dangerous.
00:14:50.72\00:14:56.02
Romans 7:13, Paul said,
"Sin, that it might appear sin,
00:14:56.06\00:15:01.83
was producing death in
me through what is good,
00:15:01.86\00:15:04.60
so that sin
through the commandment
00:15:04.63\00:15:06.53
might become
exceedingly sinful."
00:15:06.57\00:15:09.24
We want to
understand the--Paul said,
00:15:09.27\00:15:11.07
"You know,
before I was converted,
00:15:11.11\00:15:12.74
I thought I was
a great Pharisee.
00:15:12.77\00:15:14.24
And then sin revived and I died.
00:15:14.28\00:15:16.24
I saw myself for
what I really am."
00:15:16.28\00:15:18.71
Sometimes, it's only
in the light of the cross
00:15:18.75\00:15:20.42
we see how bad sin is.
00:15:20.45\00:15:21.88
And so, that, I
think, is an accurate test.
00:15:21.92\00:15:24.45
Another verse, Isaiah 33:15, "He
who walks righteously and speaks
00:15:24.49\00:15:29.79
uprightly, who despises
the gain of oppressions,
00:15:29.82\00:15:32.73
who gestures with his
hands, refusing bribes,
00:15:32.76\00:15:35.63
who stops his ears
from hearing of bloodshed,
00:15:35.66\00:15:38.47
he shuts his eyes
from seeing evil."
00:15:38.50\00:15:41.44
Sounds like a fanatic, but
listen to what Isaiah says,
00:15:41.47\00:15:43.97
"He will dwell on
high with the Lord."
00:15:44.01\00:15:47.64
The person who is
offended, plug their
00:15:47.68\00:15:49.78
ears, hearing of violence.
00:15:49.81\00:15:52.28
They shake their hands when
someone tries to bribe them.
00:15:52.31\00:15:55.15
They cover their
eyes from seeing evil.
00:15:55.18\00:15:57.42
You know what that's called?
00:15:57.45\00:15:58.89
That's trying to be
holy in a wicked world.
00:15:58.92\00:16:02.32
You'll have an attitude where
you'll understand something
00:16:02.36\00:16:05.06
about the sinfulness of sin.
00:16:05.09\00:16:06.70
So, as you continue to
walk closer with the Lord,
00:16:06.73\00:16:09.23
you may spot more and
more wrong with your life.
00:16:09.26\00:16:11.53
That doesn't
mean you're not saved.
00:16:11.57\00:16:14.04
Really, it's a test, are
you still sensitive about sin?
00:16:14.07\00:16:18.67
Or have you gotten where you're
just not bothered by it anymore
00:16:18.71\00:16:22.61
because too
over-exposed, you become numb?
00:16:22.64\00:16:25.18
It's like a person who lives by
the railroad track and they just
00:16:25.21\00:16:27.78
don't hear the
train anymore, right?
00:16:27.82\00:16:30.42
Or you're in the
flight path of an
00:16:30.45\00:16:32.62
airport, you don't even notice.
00:16:32.65\00:16:33.89
Friends are visiting, the whole
house is shaking as a jet comes
00:16:33.92\00:16:36.22
in for landing, and
you go, "What noise?"
00:16:36.26\00:16:39.33
You just don't hear it.
00:16:39.36\00:16:40.66
Or a teenager who learns to
sleep through the alarm clock.
00:16:40.70\00:16:42.56
It wakes up
everybody in the house,
00:16:42.60\00:16:45.67
but it doesn't wake them up.
00:16:45.70\00:16:48.27
It's kind of frightening, that's
where you get to the point where
00:16:48.30\00:16:50.17
you're grieving
away the Holy Spirit when
00:16:50.21\00:16:52.84
you're not convicted by sin.
00:16:52.87\00:16:55.94
It's a dangerous thing.
So, that's one of the tests.
00:16:55.98\00:16:59.51
And so, that's test number two.
00:16:59.55\00:17:01.18
Number three, do I
obey Jesus as Lord?
00:17:01.22\00:17:05.29
We often call him our Savior,
and some say Lord and Savior.
00:17:05.32\00:17:08.59
Well, what is a lord?
00:17:08.62\00:17:10.43
A lord is someone who gives
commands and you obey no matter
00:17:10.46\00:17:14.03
how difficult
those commands might be.
00:17:14.10\00:17:17.07
Now, this is a Bible test.
00:17:17.10\00:17:19.83
1 John 1:6, "If we say we have
fellowship with him and we walk
00:17:19.87\00:17:23.67
in darkness, we lie and we
do not practice the truth."
00:17:23.71\00:17:27.98
John 14:15, he said, "If
you love me," you know that,
00:17:28.01\00:17:31.55
"keep my commandments," amen?
00:17:31.58\00:17:34.15
1 John 2, verse 3 through
6, "Now by this we know him,
00:17:34.18\00:17:39.42
if we keep his
commandments, he who says,
00:17:39.45\00:17:41.52
'I know him,' and does not
keep his commandments is a liar,
00:17:41.56\00:17:43.83
and the truth is not in him.
00:17:43.86\00:17:45.53
But whoever keeps
his word, truly the
00:17:45.56\00:17:47.66
love of God is
perfected in him."
00:17:47.73\00:17:50.03
Now, what's the
reason for keeping it?
00:17:50.07\00:17:51.37
A love of God.
00:17:51.40\00:17:52.73
By this we know
that we are in him.
00:17:52.77\00:17:55.97
Notice the wording here.
00:17:56.00\00:17:57.84
Paul said, "Let us examine
ourselves whether we are in the
00:17:57.87\00:18:01.04
faith, whether we are in Christ.
00:18:01.08\00:18:03.95
John tells us here's a test.
00:18:03.98\00:18:05.71
By this we know
if we are in him.
00:18:05.75\00:18:08.48
He that says he
abides in him ought himself
00:18:08.52\00:18:11.99
to walk as he walked.
00:18:12.02\00:18:14.26
But what do you
get when you do that?
00:18:14.29\00:18:16.29
You get everything else.
00:18:16.32\00:18:18.06
Being a real Christian
means that you obey the Lord.
00:18:18.09\00:18:22.26
You're not just a
hearer of the Word.
00:18:22.30\00:18:23.80
James 1, chapter 1, verse
22, "But be doers of the word,
00:18:23.83\00:18:28.50
and not hearers only,
deceiving yourselves."
00:18:28.54\00:18:30.67
That's what I
don't want, friends.
00:18:30.71\00:18:33.34
I don't want to come and stand
before the Lord in that day,
00:18:33.38\00:18:35.48
what you think of me doesn't
00:18:35.51\00:18:36.81
matter at all, do you know that?
00:18:36.85\00:18:38.15
I mean, there's days
I care, but in the big
00:18:38.18\00:18:41.45
picture, it doesn't matter.
00:18:41.48\00:18:43.12
What's really going to
matter is what does he think.
00:18:43.15\00:18:47.39
Isn't that right?
00:18:47.42\00:18:48.82
What you promise
me doesn't matter.
00:18:48.86\00:18:51.23
What he promises
me is what matters.
00:18:51.26\00:18:53.73
And if I stand
before him and he says,
00:18:53.76\00:18:57.93
"I don't know you," because I've
deceived myself--James says,
00:18:57.97\00:19:01.07
"Here's one of the ways
you could deceive yourself is
00:19:01.10\00:19:02.90
thinking if I've got the
words, I don't need the deeds."
00:19:02.94\00:19:07.61
He said, "If you're not a doer
of the word and only a hearer,
00:19:07.64\00:19:10.75
you're deceiving yourself.
00:19:10.78\00:19:12.08
For anyone who is a hearer
of the word and not a doer,
00:19:12.11\00:19:15.15
he's like a man who
observes his face in a mirror;
00:19:15.18\00:19:17.69
he observes himself, and he goes
away and immediately forgets
00:19:17.72\00:19:20.42
what kind of man he is.
00:19:20.46\00:19:22.09
But he who looks into the
perfect law of liberty," meaning
00:19:22.12\00:19:25.59
the commandments,
"and continues in it,
00:19:25.63\00:19:28.36
not being a forgetful
hearer but a doer of the work,
00:19:28.40\00:19:32.27
this one will be," cursed?
00:19:32.30\00:19:34.30
No, he'll be blessed.
00:19:34.34\00:19:36.10
You want to be blessed?
00:19:36.14\00:19:37.44
There's also blessings
that come with the commandments.
00:19:37.47\00:19:39.97
Now, is God
asking us to keep 80%?
00:19:40.01\00:19:46.11
Do we get a 10%
discount and he just wants 90%?
00:19:46.15\00:19:48.82
Some churches think
90% is all you need.
00:19:48.85\00:19:52.19
Or does the Lord say,
Deuteronomy chapter 5,
00:19:52.22\00:19:55.42
I think it's verse 29, "Oh,
that my people would fear me and
00:19:55.46\00:20:00.00
keep all of my
commandments always that
00:20:00.03\00:20:02.63
it might be well with
them," that's a blessing,
00:20:02.66\00:20:05.17
"and their children forever."
00:20:05.20\00:20:08.07
He's calling us to
obey all that we know.
00:20:08.10\00:20:11.77
And he promises
you'll be blessed.
00:20:11.81\00:20:13.78
This is how you separate the
genuine from the counterfeit.
00:20:13.81\00:20:17.35
Now, I'm not saying that you're
not a real Christian if you sin.
00:20:17.38\00:20:21.58
Is that clear?
00:20:21.62\00:20:23.45
The Bible makes that clear.
00:20:23.49\00:20:24.89
You look at 1 John 1:8, the same
guy who said you need to be a
00:20:24.92\00:20:27.99
doer of the word
and obey, he said,
00:20:28.02\00:20:30.96
"If we say we have no
sin, we deceive ourselves."
00:20:30.99\00:20:34.20
Now, he's talking
to the church there.
00:20:34.20\00:20:36.13
But what's the difference
for the true Christian?
00:20:36.16\00:20:39.33
What has dominion?
00:20:39.37\00:20:41.70
Paul says, "Do
not let sin reign."
00:20:41.74\00:20:44.31
Reign is on the throne.
00:20:44.34\00:20:45.64
Do not let sin
have dominion over you.
00:20:45.67\00:20:47.88
Sin should not
control your life.
00:20:47.91\00:20:49.64
There should be no
area of your life where the
00:20:49.68\00:20:51.48
devil has a regular foothold.
00:20:51.51\00:20:54.18
It doesn't mean
that we don't fall,
00:20:54.22\00:20:55.75
it doesn't mean we
don't make mistakes.
00:20:55.78\00:20:58.59
You have to apply these
tests and you'll understand.
00:20:58.62\00:21:01.49
There are fruits of sin.
00:21:01.52\00:21:04.46
It's adultery,
fornication, uncleanness,
00:21:04.49\00:21:06.93
lewdness,
idolatry, sorcery, hatred,
00:21:06.96\00:21:10.03
contentions,
jealousy, outbursts of wrath,
00:21:10.07\00:21:13.13
you have an anger
problem, selfish ambitions,
00:21:13.17\00:21:16.27
dissensions,
heresies, evil, murders,
00:21:16.30\00:21:18.51
drunkenness,
revelry, and the like.
00:21:18.54\00:21:21.61
Those are called
the fruits of the flesh.
00:21:21.64\00:21:24.65
He says, "Let all fornication
and uncleanness or covetousness,
00:21:24.68\00:21:28.15
let it not even be
named once among you,
00:21:28.18\00:21:30.72
as fitting for saints."
00:21:30.75\00:21:32.79
So, there ought
to be a difference in
00:21:32.82\00:21:34.39
the life of the saints.
00:21:34.42\00:21:35.72
"Whoever says, 'I know
him,' and does not keep his
00:21:35.76\00:21:38.56
commandments,"
he says is a liar.
00:21:38.59\00:21:41.13
All right, test number four.
00:21:41.16\00:21:42.86
Talked about a loving God.
00:21:42.90\00:21:44.20
Who else are you
supposed to love?
00:21:44.23\00:21:46.63
Your neighbor. Do
you love your neighbor?
00:21:46.67\00:21:50.14
Jesus said that his
followers will be known by love.
00:21:50.17\00:21:52.64
"By this all people will
know that we are his disciples,
00:21:52.67\00:21:55.28
by our love for one another."
00:21:55.31\00:21:57.98
1 John 4:20, "If anyone says,
'I love God,' and he hates his
00:21:58.01\00:22:02.82
brother, he is a liar; for
he who does not love his brother
00:22:02.85\00:22:07.19
who he has seen, how can he
love God who he has not seen?
00:22:07.22\00:22:10.89
And this is the
commandment that we have of him.
00:22:10.93\00:22:13.26
Whoever loves God must
also love his brother."
00:22:13.29\00:22:16.60
So, is that clear
or is that ambiguous?
00:22:16.63\00:22:19.67
Or I should unambiguous?
00:22:19.70\00:22:22.10
Again, Jesus said, "Everyone
who is angry with his brother
00:22:22.14\00:22:25.51
without cause is
liable of judgment."
00:22:25.54\00:22:28.71
We're supposed to
love our brothers.
00:22:28.74\00:22:30.38
Matthew chapter 6, verse
14, "If you forgive men their
00:22:30.41\00:22:34.05
trespasses, your heavenly
Father will forgive you.
00:22:34.08\00:22:36.99
But if you do not
forgive men their trespasses,
00:22:37.02\00:22:39.55
neither will your Father
forgive your trespasses."
00:22:39.59\00:22:43.46
So, one of the tests is not
only do you just love people,
00:22:43.49\00:22:47.46
do you care about
the needs of others?
00:22:47.50\00:22:49.30
Do you have
sympathy and compassion
00:22:49.33\00:22:51.07
in your heart for others?
00:22:51.10\00:22:52.80
Do the crying need of poverty
and the problems in the world
00:22:52.83\00:22:57.84
when people
don't know the gospel,
00:22:57.87\00:22:59.47
do you feel concern
for your fellow man?
00:22:59.51\00:23:01.54
But have you forgiven people?
00:23:01.58\00:23:04.48
You know, Jesus said
that this is the benchmark.
00:23:04.51\00:23:06.92
He said if you're going to come
to my altar and ask for mercy,
00:23:06.95\00:23:10.09
but you've got anger
in your heart for someone
00:23:10.12\00:23:12.19
else, Jesus says what?
00:23:12.22\00:23:13.76
"Leave your gift at the altar.
00:23:13.79\00:23:16.09
Go be reconciled with your
brother, then bring your gift."
00:23:16.12\00:23:20.36
The Bible says you
should love your neighbor,
00:23:20.40\00:23:22.00
and the Bible says you
should love your enemy.
00:23:22.03\00:23:23.57
I think that it's interesting
that he says love your neighbor,
00:23:23.60\00:23:26.80
which is your nigh brother, and
then he says love your enemy.
00:23:26.84\00:23:29.30
And it is possible that's
because so often in the Bible,
00:23:29.34\00:23:32.01
your nigh brother
becomes your enemy.
00:23:32.04\00:23:36.01
You notice the
biggest problems in the Bible
00:23:36.04\00:23:37.78
was with friendly fire.
00:23:37.81\00:23:41.08
Joseph's brothers sell him.
00:23:41.12\00:23:43.18
David's son hunts him.
00:23:43.22\00:23:44.85
David's king tries to kill him.
00:23:44.89\00:23:47.39
You often find the
disciples are arguing among
00:23:47.42\00:23:49.79
themselves which of
them is the greatest.
00:23:49.82\00:23:51.13
Sometimes, it's those closest.
00:23:51.16\00:23:53.23
And there are people who are
married for years to people that
00:23:53.26\00:23:57.10
they feel like they're enemies.
00:23:57.13\00:23:59.77
What could be
closer than a spouse?
00:23:59.80\00:24:02.14
So, part of salvation
is loving and forgiving
00:24:02.17\00:24:04.81
those that are close to you.
00:24:04.84\00:24:07.48
That would be brothers
and sisters in the church.
00:24:07.51\00:24:09.31
What's going to do
the most for evangelism?
00:24:09.34\00:24:11.11
All men will know
you are my disciples
00:24:11.15\00:24:13.42
by your love for one another.
00:24:13.45\00:24:15.62
In the early
church, they would marvel,
00:24:15.65\00:24:17.25
they'd say, "See how
they love each other."
00:24:17.29\00:24:20.02
And so, this is
one of the criteria.
00:24:20.06\00:24:21.89
Do we have that
primitive Christian love?
00:24:21.92\00:24:24.53
Have we forgiven others?
00:24:24.56\00:24:26.76
You know, one of Abraham
Lincoln's early political rivals
00:24:26.80\00:24:30.87
was a man named Edwin Stanton.
00:24:31.53\00:24:34.47
And he was just absolutely
vicious in his attacks
00:24:34.50\00:24:39.47
of Lincoln for his politics.
00:24:39.51\00:24:41.58
He called Lincoln
an ape, a gorilla.
00:24:41.61\00:24:44.78
He called him terrible things.
00:24:44.81\00:24:47.12
Well, when
Lincoln became president,
00:24:47.15\00:24:48.65
he said, "I want Stanton
to be the secretary of war."
00:24:48.68\00:24:50.29
And everyone
said, "Are you kidding?
00:24:50.32\00:24:51.62
He's your worst enemy."
00:24:51.65\00:24:52.95
He said, "Yeah, but he's
the best man for the job,
00:24:52.99\00:24:54.42
and I've forgiven him."
00:24:54.46\00:24:57.69
You know who spoke
at Lincoln's funeral?
00:24:57.73\00:25:00.66
Stanton.
00:25:00.70\00:25:02.10
And he said, "Here lies the most
perfect ruler of men the world
00:25:02.13\00:25:05.90
has ever seen," because
Lincoln knew how to forgive.
00:25:05.93\00:25:10.47
And he knew that he put
into practice the things
00:25:10.51\00:25:13.74
that he saw in the Bible.
00:25:13.78\00:25:15.81
Another test.
00:25:15.84\00:25:17.61
This one you already
knew, what are the fruits?
00:25:17.65\00:25:20.88
Jesus said you'll
know them by the fruit.
00:25:20.92\00:25:22.25
What kind of fruit are
you bearing in your life?
00:25:22.28\00:25:25.29
Galatians 5:22,
"Love, joy, peace,
00:25:25.32\00:25:29.86
longsuffering,
kindness, goodness,
00:25:29.89\00:25:32.43
faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control."
00:25:32.46\00:25:35.30
You're not saved by your works,
but your fruit is going to tell
00:25:35.33\00:25:37.83
whether or not you are saved.
00:25:37.87\00:25:39.93
Do you have the
fruits of the Spirit?
00:25:39.97\00:25:41.27
If the Holy Spirit is
in your life, you're saved.
00:25:41.30\00:25:44.11
If you're being led by
the Spirit, you're saved.
00:25:44.14\00:25:46.41
And what is the fruit of the
Holy Spirit ruling in your life?
00:25:46.44\00:25:49.31
It's going to be
all those good things.
00:25:49.34\00:25:51.11
Galatians tells us that,
then Matthew chapter 7 said,
00:25:51.15\00:25:54.32
"Do men gather
figs from thistles?
00:25:54.35\00:25:57.65
Even so, every good
tree will bear good fruit."
00:25:57.69\00:26:01.02
You want to know
if you're real or not,
00:26:01.06\00:26:02.36
what kind of fruit?
00:26:02.39\00:26:03.69
"A bad tree has bad fruit.
00:26:03.73\00:26:06.16
A good tree
cannot bear bad fruit,
00:26:06.19\00:26:08.46
nor can a bad
tree bear good fruit.
00:26:08.50\00:26:10.83
By their fruits
you'll know them."
00:26:10.87\00:26:13.40
You ever heard the expression
if it swims like a duck,
00:26:13.44\00:26:18.51
if it waddles like a
duck, if it paddles like a duck,
00:26:18.54\00:26:21.91
if it flies like
a duck, if it quacks
00:26:21.94\00:26:24.51
like a duck, what is it?
00:26:24.55\00:26:27.28
It's a duck, isn't that right?
00:26:27.32\00:26:30.15
And so, you start applying
some of these tests and you say,
00:26:30.19\00:26:34.42
does he talk like a Christian?
00:26:34.46\00:26:36.89
Does he spend like a Christian?
00:26:36.93\00:26:38.29
Does he love like a Christian?
00:26:38.33\00:26:39.69
Does he or she
obey like a Christian?
00:26:39.73\00:26:42.86
That's a Christian.
00:26:42.90\00:26:45.23
Do you have the fruits?
00:26:45.27\00:26:46.57
You know what
else, Jesus doesn't just
00:26:46.60\00:26:48.04
say you're supposed to
have the right fruits, you're
00:26:48.07\00:26:49.37
supposed to have lots of them.
00:26:49.40\00:26:51.91
Says every branch that abides
in me will bear much fruit.
00:26:51.94\00:26:55.91
So, you might say,
"Well, I got a little love,
00:26:55.94\00:26:57.81
and I do make a
little donation, and I do--"
00:26:57.85\00:27:00.78
I mean, you know, even
the people in jail obey
00:27:00.82\00:27:03.69
God some of the time, so
you're going to find a little
00:27:03.72\00:27:05.92
bit of good in everything.
00:27:05.95\00:27:07.29
But Christians should have
much fruit in their lives, amen?
00:27:07.32\00:27:10.69
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