male announcer: This
presentation is brought to you
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by the friends of the
Amazing Facts Ministry.
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Doug Batchelor: Ancient
Scandinavian history tells of
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a fearsome class of Norse
warriors called Berserkers.
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To appear more terrifying,
these Berserkers would dress
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themselves up in the
skins of bears, wolves,
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or other wild animals.
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Before entering battle,
Berserkers whipped themselves
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into a crazed frenzy, biting
their shields and howling like
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animals, possibly
aided by mind-altering drugs.
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In this trance-like state,
they were ferocious fighters
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impervious to pain.
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They attacked boulders and trees
and sometimes even killed their
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own people during the rampage.
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Irrational and violent, they
were totally out of control.
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Of course, these frenzied
Scandinavian fighters gave rise
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to the English word berserk to
describe somebody who's overcome
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with uncontrolled rage.
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Now, here's a question.
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If Christians lose their
temper and fly off the handle,
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are they really Christians?
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When professed believers
act berserk, are we really
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abiding in Christ?
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Remember, one of the fruits
of the Spirit is self-control.
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Let's explore
this subject together:
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"Is my Christianity Real?"
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Doug: And I saw
online, they've got a test.
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I knew it was there, but the
National Council on Alcoholism
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and Drug Dependency created a
test after years of research and
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looking at some of the
characteristics, if a person is
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drinking and they're
wondering, "Am I an alcoholic?"
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They've got a test with 26
questions that you go through.
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I'll give you an example.
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I'm not going to read
them all to you, and you can
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find this online.
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You can take the test and then
click results and it'll tell you
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if you're an alcoholic or if
you're a problem drinker, and
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they can be different levels.
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Do you avoid family or close
friends while you're drinking?
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Do you drink heavily when you're
disappointed, under pressure?
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Can you handle more alcohol than
when you first started to drink?
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Do you sometimes
feel uncomfortable?
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And each one of these
has a yes or no next to it.
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And if you say yes to a certain
percentage of them, it means
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that you've got
problems with your drinking.
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If you say--I think it's
like, you know, 12 or more.
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If you say yes,
you are an alcoholic.
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And so there's a test.
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They've got the questions
and you can look at this
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and you can evaluate.
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And you might be thinking,
"Well, Pastor Doug, is that what
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it's like to test and
see if you're a Christian?"
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Well, there are
questions you can ask.
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I was really happy when I looked
at this 'cause I could say
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no to all of them
'cause I don't drink.
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And so the test can be positive
and the test can be negative.
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But the Bible tells us that
there are guidelines that you
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can go through to
evaluate, "Am I a Christian?
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Is my Christianity real?"
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We're supposed to
use good judgment.
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Everyone says, "Don't judge."
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Well, Jesus actually
said, "When you judge, judge
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a righteous judgment."
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Not only does it say
you should examine yourself.
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Lamentations
3:40, "Let us search out
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and examine our ways."
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Again, Psalm 119, verse
59, "I thought about my ways,
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and I turned my feet
to your testimonies."
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One of the things that often
proceeds our turning back to God
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is doing a
little self-evaluation.
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The Book of Haggai chapter
1, verse 5, "Now, therefore,
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thus says the Lord of
hosts, 'Consider your ways.'"
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And so this is what we're
doing in this two-part series.
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We're looking at some of the
Bible tests you might go through
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to do a little healthy
self-evaluation and say,
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"Am I a real Christian?"
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You know, this sermon bothers
people who need it the most.
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People who say, "I don't
want to think about that."
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"Why?"
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"I'm afraid I might find
something or I might discover
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that maybe I'm not genuine."
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What did the
disciples say to Jesus?
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"Lord, is it I? Lord, is it I?"
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And we need to
sometimes ask that question.
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Luke chapter 13, "Then one
said to him, 'Lord, are there
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few who are saved?'
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And he said to them,
'Strive to enter in through the
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narrow gate, for I say to
you that many will seek to
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enter and not be able.
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When once the master of
the house has risen up and shut
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the door, and you begin
to stand outside and knock.
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You say, 'Lord, Lord--'"
They know the Lord's name.
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They think they're his servants.
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"'Lord, Lord, open for us.'
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And he will
answer and say, 'I do not
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know where you are from.'
And then you'll begin to say,
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'We ate and drank in
your presence, and you
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taught in our streets.'
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But he'll say, 'I
tell you, I don't know you,
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where you're from.
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Depart from me, all
you workers of iniquity.'
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And there will be
weeping and gnashing of teeth."
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Now, this is one of many
parables that Jesus shares that
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illustrates there are
some who think they are saved
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and they find out too
late that they are not.
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You got the
parable of the ten virgins.
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Five of them, they
think they're going in.
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They are stopped at the door.
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"You got the
sheep and the goats?"
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They said, "Lord, when did
we see you hungry or thirsty
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or naked or stranger?"
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They don't know. You
get the wedding phase.
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You get the
parable of the talents.
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There is several parables where
Jesus said, "There's a danger
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you need to be aware of.
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While you're alive, while
there's mercy, while there's
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hope, the door is open.
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Examine yourself.
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Make sure that you
have the real McCoy."
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Now, don't you want to know?
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Do you want to
find out too late?
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Proverbs 14:12, "There is a
way that seems right to a man,
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but in the end thereof
they're the ways of death."
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You know who's especially
at risk if you don't mind
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my saying so?
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Those who have
grown up in the church.
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They think, "I've
done this all my life.
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It's--I know that I know
the Lord because my father, my
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mother, my grandparents,
they just--yeah, of course.
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Of course, he's
going to know me.
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He's going to let me in."
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And they've almost had just
enough religion over their lives
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to inoculate them
against catching the real thing.
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It's like we had in
our study earlier today.
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The Apostle Paul, he was just
so on fire for God and he didn't
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realize he was on fire against
God and he was fighting God
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and he had that aha moment,
but it was in time for him.
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We want to examine
ourselves and know now.
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Let me give you one more
verse, and Paul wrote this.
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Galatians 6, verse 3, "For
if anyone thinks himself to be
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something, when he's
nothing, he deceives himself.
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But let each one
examine his own work."
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So if you've got a problem
with this kind of message,
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your problem is with the Bible.
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The Bible is pretty
clear that it is healthy for us
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to periodically do some
self-evaluation, to take an
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inventory, take
stock of ourselves and see,
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"Am I genuinely a Christian?"
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First of all, do
I love the truth?
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First of all,
Jesus is the truth.
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So I hope you love him.
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He is the truth embodied.
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2 Thessalonians 2:10,
"With all unrighteous deception
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among those who perish," why?
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"Because they did not
receive a love of the truth
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that they might be saved.
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And for this cause, God
sends them strong delusion
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that they should believe a lie."
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God wants us to love the truth.
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How many times have you met
somebody, they grew up believing
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something, and even though
you show them the evidence
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that is not true,
they say, "I don't care.
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It's what I've always done."
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They don't love the truth.
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A person who loves the truth
will make difficult decisions to
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bring their lives in
harmony with the truth because
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it's the truth.
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You know, when I first
discovered this message,
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I didn't know--I never met
Seventh Day Adventists before.
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I was just
saying, "I don't care.
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I just want to
know what is the truth.
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What is the truth about life?
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What's God's purpose?"
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Because who are we going
to answer to in the last days,
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people's opinions?
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We're going to answer to
the truth, a love of truth.
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The truth will set you free.
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So if you're satisfied believing
in lies, if you don't cherish
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truth, if you don't have
a desire to share truth--
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1 John 1:7, "But if
we walk in the light
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as he is in the light, we have
fellowship with one another,
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and the blood of
Jesus Christ his son
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cleanses us from all sin."
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This is what it
means to walk in the truth.
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The truth will set you free.
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You can't just call
something the truth.
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There is absolute truth.
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It's like these reporters
were giving Lincoln a hard time,
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arguing and parsing his words,
and there's lot of dishonesty
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in politics.
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And so Lincoln, he used
to love to tell stories.
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And he said, "How
many legs does a dog have?"
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And they said, "Four."
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And Lincoln said, "Now,
suppose you call the tail a leg,
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then how many legs
would the dog have?"
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They said, "Five."
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He said," No, the dog
still is only got four legs."
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He said, "Just 'cause
you call the tail a leg,
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he can't walk on it."
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And sometimes we think we
can just believe something,
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and because we believe it
we'll just make our own truth.
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And you've got your
truth and I've got my truth.
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Now, there is a truth and we
need to know what that truth is.
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So one of the characteristics of
Christianity--a real Christian
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is you love the truth and
you want to know what it is
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and you dig for it in his Word.
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Do I have regular devotions?
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Are you spending time
in Bible study and prayer?
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That I think is a
good question to ask.
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If you love the Lord and you
want to please him, you should
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have a hunger, Jesus said,
and a thirst for righteousness.
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Who's going to be filled?
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The ones who do search, the
ones who do hunger and thirst
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for righteousness.
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They will be filled.
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You know, a doctor, when you
go for a test, one of the things
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he might ask you is he'll
say, "How is your appetite?
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You say, "You know,
I've got no appetite."
00:10:23.15\00:10:26.02
Isn't that sometimes a
sign there's something wrong?
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If you have no appetite for
the Word of God, if you have no
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appetite for the presence of God
in prayer, if you don't have any
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hunger for his righteousness, if
you're not seeking for his Word,
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that's not a good
sign of spiritual health.
00:10:41.44\00:10:44.54
Job 23, verse 12, "I
have not departed from
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the commandment of his lips.
00:10:48.44\00:10:50.31
I have treasured the
words of his mouth more than
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my necessary food."
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Bible calls it a hunger.
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Do you have a
hunger for the Word of God?
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Jesus said, "I'm that bread
that came down from heaven."
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Are you hungry for that bread?
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Jeremiah 15:16.
00:11:04.03\00:11:05.89
"Thy words were
found, and I did eat them.
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And thy word was to me the
joy and rejoicing of my heart."
00:11:08.76\00:11:13.03
You know, the Bible tells
us that Martha who was a good
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believer, a follower of
Jesus, she was a servant.
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And there was a
supper in Jesus's honor.
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It's a good purpose.
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And she was just
busy cooking and storming
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through the kitchen.
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And, you know, every
church wants to have Marthas
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in the church because,
boy, they make things happen.
00:11:32.35\00:11:35.09
And if you want something
done, give it to Martha.
00:11:35.12\00:11:38.26
And one day she was
preparing for a dinner.
00:11:38.29\00:11:40.96
She had to keep
stepping over Mary, her sister,
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who was sitting at Jesus's feet
listening to Jesus as he was
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teaching there.
00:11:46.74\00:11:48.17
Maybe some of the
disciples and apostles were in
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the room with them.
00:11:49.77\00:11:51.17
And she's looking wistfully
into his face and listening to
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every word, and Martha
became a little perturbed.
00:11:54.01\00:11:57.55
And every time she went through
the room, she kind of glare at
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her sister and Mary ignored her
and she kept listening to Jesus.
00:11:59.81\00:12:03.28
Finally, Martha had all
she could stand and she stopped
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and she folded her arms
and tapped her foot and said,
00:12:05.62\00:12:07.59
"Lord, don't you see I'm
doing all of this serving?
00:12:07.62\00:12:11.06
I'm making your dinner.
00:12:11.09\00:12:12.59
Can you tell my sister, younger
sister, come and help me."
00:12:12.63\00:12:17.57
And what did Jesus say?
00:12:17.60\00:12:19.67
"Martha, Martha, you are weary,
worried, and troubled about many
00:12:19.70\00:12:23.14
things, and one thing is
needful and Mary has chosen
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that better part."
00:12:28.68\00:12:30.11
That one thing is to
seek first God's kingdom.
00:12:30.15\00:12:32.71
She was sitting at Jesus's feet.
00:12:32.75\00:12:34.72
We need to spend time at Jesus's
feet every day--several times a
00:12:34.75\00:12:39.35
day in prayer, but at least
once a day we should sit down
00:12:39.39\00:12:42.59
and open the Word.
00:12:42.62\00:12:44.99
Am I regular in my
church attendance and fellowship
00:12:45.03\00:12:48.03
with others?
00:12:48.06\00:12:49.43
Well, I'm probably preaching
to the choir right now because
00:12:49.46\00:12:51.90
you're here, but
are you here faithfully?
00:12:51.93\00:12:55.97
And does that matter?
00:12:56.00\00:12:58.21
If a person is sporadic
and erratic in their regular
00:12:58.24\00:13:04.65
attendance in worship, these
times that God's appointed we
00:13:04.68\00:13:07.65
should come before him
and worship, that is not
00:13:07.68\00:13:10.62
a good indicator of
our spiritual health.
00:13:10.65\00:13:12.82
The Bible says in Acts chapter
2:46 when God poured out the
00:13:12.85\00:13:15.72
spirit, "So continuing daily
with one accord in the temple,
00:13:15.76\00:13:21.00
and breaking bread from
house to house, they ate their
00:13:21.03\00:13:23.83
food with gladness."
00:13:23.87\00:13:25.40
They came
together house to house.
00:13:25.43\00:13:26.74
They were meeting together
all the time to worship God,
00:13:26.77\00:13:30.14
to study his Word.
00:13:30.17\00:13:33.11
If you don't have enough faith
to get you to church once a
00:13:33.14\00:13:35.91
week, you probably don't have
enough to get you to heaven.
00:13:35.94\00:13:38.05
That's a pretty safe guess.
00:13:38.08\00:13:40.22
And, you know, I've
heard some just very spiritual
00:13:40.25\00:13:43.62
sophisticated
excuses, it's what they are,
00:13:43.65\00:13:46.65
for not going to church.
00:13:46.69\00:13:49.29
They say, "Well, I
keep the Sabbath at home.
00:13:49.32\00:13:51.59
I've had a rough week."
00:13:51.63\00:13:53.16
Tell your boss you had
a rough week and you're
00:13:53.19\00:13:54.73
just not coming in.
00:13:54.76\00:13:56.30
Say, "I had a
rough week at church.
00:13:56.33\00:13:57.93
I'm not coming to work."
00:13:57.97\00:13:59.33
Reverse that.
00:13:59.37\00:14:00.77
See if you put God ahead of your
boss, how that's going to work?
00:14:00.80\00:14:06.21
I suspect it
won't work very well.
00:14:06.24\00:14:08.68
Or they say, "Well, it's the
Sabbath and God's the creator
00:14:08.71\00:14:11.01
so I just--I kept
the Sabbath in nature."
00:14:11.05\00:14:14.02
Well, that's lovely
after church, but, you know,
00:14:14.05\00:14:16.89
the Bible calls the
Sabbath a holy convocation.
00:14:16.92\00:14:20.49
That's Leviticus chapter 23.
00:14:20.52\00:14:23.32
And what does convocation mean?
00:14:23.36\00:14:26.46
A convening, a coming together.
00:14:26.49\00:14:28.73
"Six days you shall work,
but the seventh day is a Sabbath
00:14:28.76\00:14:32.43
of solemn rest, a
holy convocation."
00:14:32.47\00:14:36.40
The word
convocation means assembly.
00:14:36.44\00:14:38.34
The Sabbath is called
a holy solemn assembly.
00:14:38.37\00:14:43.04
We are to come together.
00:14:43.08\00:14:44.45
There's something that happens
when we corporately worship God,
00:14:44.48\00:14:47.92
and this is not a suggestion.
00:14:47.95\00:14:50.22
Doug: Don't go
anywhere, friends.
00:14:50.25\00:14:52.52
In just a moment,
we'll continue with the rest
00:14:52.55\00:14:54.82
of today's presentation.
00:14:54.86\00:14:57.43
Have you ever thought
that life sometimes seems to be
00:14:57.46\00:15:00.10
a relentless
battle just to stay ahead?
00:15:00.13\00:15:03.50
You wash the car
and then it rains.
00:15:03.53\00:15:05.70
You have to wash it again.
00:15:05.73\00:15:07.47
You weed the garden and 2
weeks later, there's a whole new
00:15:07.50\00:15:10.91
crop of weeds.
00:15:10.94\00:15:12.71
Well, it's the same
way in a Christian's life.
00:15:12.74\00:15:15.64
Sometimes it seems like
when you successfully resist one
00:15:15.68\00:15:18.75
temptation then another one
surprises you from left field.
00:15:18.78\00:15:23.39
So you might be wondering, how
do you stay ahead in the battle
00:15:23.42\00:15:27.22
with temptation?
00:15:27.26\00:15:29.12
Does God really expect us to
experience consistent victory?
00:15:29.16\00:15:32.56
Absolutely yes.
00:15:32.59\00:15:34.30
The Lord wants you to experience
a life of joyful victory
00:15:34.36\00:15:37.30
and triumph.
00:15:37.33\00:15:39.10
Amazing Facts would like to send
you a special book that's called
00:15:39.13\00:15:41.90
"The Surrender of Self."
00:15:41.94\00:15:44.24
This short but encouraging book
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00:15:44.27\00:15:47.44
biggest enemy and experience
a consistent life of victory.
00:15:47.48\00:15:51.98
You'll be amazed by the
real changes in your life.
00:15:52.01\00:15:55.45
To get your free copy, call the
number on your screen and ask
00:15:55.48\00:15:58.95
for offer number 153,
or visit the web address.
00:15:58.99\00:16:02.92
And after you read this
incredible resource, make sure
00:16:02.96\00:16:05.83
and share it with a friend.
00:16:05.86\00:16:07.86
Well, now let's get back to the
rest of today's presentation and
00:16:07.86\00:16:10.80
learn some more amazing
facts from the Word of God.
00:16:10.83\00:16:14.20
Doug: Not only where are
we to be doing this on earth,
00:16:15.90\00:16:18.41
the Bible says we're
going to do it in heaven.
00:16:18.44\00:16:20.81
"From one Sabbath to
another will all flesh come
00:16:20.84\00:16:24.35
and worship before me."
00:16:24.38\00:16:26.75
Those are coming together to
worship before God--how many of
00:16:26.78\00:16:30.12
you want to be in heaven
to come together and worship
00:16:30.15\00:16:32.29
before him there?
00:16:32.32\00:16:34.19
Do you think it'd be a good idea
to practice coming together and
00:16:34.22\00:16:36.16
worship before him here first?
00:16:36.19\00:16:38.76
Yeah.
00:16:38.79\00:16:40.23
You read in Hebrews chapter 10,
"Let us consider one another in
00:16:40.26\00:16:43.67
order to stir up love and good
works," that's what I'm trying
00:16:43.70\00:16:46.37
to do, friends, "not forsaking
the assembling of ourselves
00:16:46.40\00:16:50.94
together, as is the
manner of some is--"
00:16:50.97\00:16:53.24
they had that problem
way back in Paul's day.
00:16:53.27\00:16:55.44
"But exhorting one another."
00:16:55.48\00:16:56.95
This is called exhortation,
what's happening right now.
00:16:56.98\00:16:59.11
To encourage you, to admonish
you, we need to come together.
00:16:59.15\00:17:03.55
Why?
00:17:03.59\00:17:05.22
"All the more as you
see the day approaching."
00:17:05.25\00:17:08.49
If you want to
look that one up, that's
00:17:08.52\00:17:09.96
Hebrews chapter 10:24 and 25.
00:17:09.99\00:17:12.29
And you know what it
says in the next verse?
00:17:12.33\00:17:14.30
"If we continue to sin willfully
after we've received the
00:17:14.36\00:17:19.20
knowledge of the truth--" it
calls it willful sin after it
00:17:19.23\00:17:22.60
talks about coming
together to worship him.
00:17:22.64\00:17:25.01
Says, "If we continue to sin
willfully after we've received
00:17:25.04\00:17:27.94
the knowledge of the truth,
there remains no more sacrifice
00:17:27.98\00:17:30.65
for sin but a certain fearful
looking forward to have judgment
00:17:30.68\00:17:33.52
and fiery indignation."
00:17:33.55\00:17:37.19
So you think, you
know, Christianity 101
00:17:37.22\00:17:39.42
is we go to church.
00:17:39.45\00:17:41.86
But we're living in the age
of American independence and
00:17:41.89\00:17:44.53
spirituality and they
go, "But I'm spiritual.
00:17:44.56\00:17:47.56
I just going to be
spiritual at home."
00:17:47.60\00:17:49.23
It's often a cop out.
00:17:49.26\00:17:50.60
People are doing
what they want to do.
00:17:50.63\00:17:52.07
We need to go to church,
whether we feel like it or not.
00:17:52.10\00:17:55.97
Not, I mean, if you're sick,
and some people are shut in.
00:17:56.00\00:17:58.41
Don't misunderstand.
00:17:58.44\00:17:59.87
A lot of people
watch this program at home.
00:17:59.91\00:18:01.54
They can't go.
We understand that.
00:18:01.58\00:18:03.04
God understands that.
00:18:03.08\00:18:04.68
But it's when you can and you
just don't feel like it or you
00:18:04.71\00:18:08.08
say, "It looks
like it might rain."
00:18:08.12\00:18:10.05
That never stops people from
going to a football game, right?
00:18:10.09\00:18:14.82
Is your speech Christ-like?
00:18:14.86\00:18:17.79
What about your words?
00:18:17.83\00:18:19.79
That's a gauge
where the heart is.
00:18:19.83\00:18:21.16
Jesus said, "Out of
the abundance of the heart
00:18:21.20\00:18:22.76
the mouth speaks."
00:18:22.80\00:18:24.17
Let me read this to you.
00:18:24.20\00:18:25.60
Matthew 12:34, he
said, "Brood of vipers.
00:18:25.63\00:18:28.64
How can you, being
evil, speak good things?"
00:18:28.67\00:18:31.34
He's basically saying there
needs to be change in our heart.
00:18:31.37\00:18:34.31
"For out of the abundance
of the heart the mouth speaks.
00:18:34.34\00:18:37.08
A good man out of the good
treasure of his heart brings
00:18:37.11\00:18:39.68
forth good things, an evil man
out of the evil treasure of his
00:18:39.71\00:18:43.32
heart brings forth evil things.
00:18:43.35\00:18:45.79
But I say to you, for every idle
word men may speak, they will
00:18:45.82\00:18:50.73
give an account thereof
in the day of judgment--"
00:18:50.76\00:18:54.00
Does that make you
shutter like it does me?
00:18:54.03\00:18:56.56
"For by your words, you will
be justified and by your words
00:18:56.60\00:18:59.77
you will be condemned."
00:18:59.80\00:19:02.34
One of the chief editors
of Christianity Today shared a
00:19:02.37\00:19:05.17
story that they were traveling
with a friend from San Francisco
00:19:05.21\00:19:08.91
to Chicago, and his friend got
pulled out of line for one of
00:19:08.94\00:19:13.52
these random security
checks and he ended up getting
00:19:13.55\00:19:16.35
on the plane last.
00:19:16.38\00:19:17.92
As he's getting on the
plane, he's sitting down
00:19:17.95\00:19:19.79
next to the editor.
00:19:19.82\00:19:21.32
The editor says to him, just
loud enough for others to hear,
00:19:21.36\00:19:23.32
"So why did they
pull you out of line?
00:19:23.36\00:19:25.49
Was it your beady
eyes or the explosives?"
00:19:25.53\00:19:28.83
He's just kidding.
00:19:28.86\00:19:30.20
One of the other
passengers heard that.
00:19:30.23\00:19:32.10
They said something
to the flight attendant.
00:19:32.13\00:19:34.04
The flight attendant
put him off the plane.
00:19:34.07\00:19:36.20
They called airport security and
in the process of interrogating
00:19:36.24\00:19:40.31
him, doing all this research on
him, the plane left without him,
00:19:40.34\00:19:45.05
and finally they realized he was
joking, even though it's a real
00:19:45.08\00:19:49.15
bad idea these
days to joke about that.
00:19:49.18\00:19:52.02
Had to wait in the airport.
He said, "It was just a few--"
00:19:52.05\00:19:55.42
This is a Christian.
00:19:55.46\00:19:57.06
A few idle words, but
the airport's--the airline
00:19:57.09\00:20:01.46
companies, they don't take any
risk with who they let through
00:20:01.50\00:20:05.60
the gates of a plane because it
could endanger everybody else.
00:20:05.63\00:20:10.44
Is God less careful about what
happens in heaven and getting
00:20:10.47\00:20:13.48
through his gates?
00:20:13.51\00:20:14.88
And so you've got to
be careful what we say.
00:20:14.91\00:20:17.75
Bible has a lot
to share about this.
00:20:17.78\00:20:19.38
Ephesians 4:29, "Let no corrupt
word proceed from your mouth,
00:20:19.41\00:20:25.35
but what is good and necessary
for edification that you might
00:20:25.39\00:20:29.32
impart grace to your hearers."
00:20:29.36\00:20:31.93
Is our speech imparting grace?
00:20:31.96\00:20:33.96
Or do we say a lot of
negative critical things?
00:20:34.00\00:20:37.77
Someone said, "Be careful with
what you do with the tongue.
00:20:37.80\00:20:39.53
It's a slippery place."
00:20:39.57\00:20:42.14
James chapter 3, verse 2, "For
we all stumble in many things."
00:20:42.17\00:20:46.07
So don't get discouraged when
you go through the tests and you
00:20:46.11\00:20:48.58
find there's
areas where you stumble.
00:20:48.61\00:20:49.94
Even James said we all
stumble in many things.
00:20:49.98\00:20:52.48
But he said, "If anyone
does not stumble in Word,
00:20:52.51\00:20:55.68
he is a perfect man."
00:20:55.72\00:20:57.22
So I probably should
have put this further up
00:20:57.25\00:20:58.75
on the list, huh?
00:20:58.79\00:21:00.46
If you can control what you say,
if you don't engage in gossip or
00:21:00.49\00:21:08.70
exaggeration--that sometimes
is another way of saying lying.
00:21:08.73\00:21:12.90
If you're honest, if your speech
is always calculated to bring
00:21:12.93\00:21:18.61
glory to God.
00:21:18.64\00:21:20.44
Colossians 4, verse 6.
00:21:20.48\00:21:22.34
"Let your speech always be
seasoned with grace, seasoned
00:21:22.38\00:21:26.95
with salt, that you
might know how you ought to
00:21:26.98\00:21:29.68
answer each one."
00:21:29.72\00:21:32.29
And so Bible says one of
the ways that we can decide,
00:21:32.32\00:21:35.42
one of the criteria if you're
doing your list of evaluating
00:21:35.46\00:21:39.49
yourself, how do I talk?
00:21:39.53\00:21:41.46
Now, let's suppose
you got a problem with
00:21:41.50\00:21:42.83
what you talk about.
00:21:42.86\00:21:45.23
Where do the words come from?
00:21:45.27\00:21:47.50
Out of the abundance of
the heart the mouth speaks.
00:21:47.54\00:21:50.47
So what do you do, muzzle
yourself or do you pray that God
00:21:50.51\00:21:55.38
will give you his
spirit and change your heart?
00:21:55.41\00:21:57.85
And the change of heart
will change the words, but words
00:21:57.88\00:21:59.85
are pretty good criteria.
00:21:59.88\00:22:02.22
Do I have peace and joy?
00:22:02.25\00:22:04.52
Is a Christian
supposed to be happy?
00:22:04.55\00:22:06.72
Shouldn't it be--it doesn't
mean you're giddy and joking all
00:22:06.76\00:22:08.99
the time, but it means
that there is an abiding peace.
00:22:09.02\00:22:12.19
There's a depth.
00:22:12.23\00:22:14.30
This is one of the most
sublime evidences of the spirit
00:22:14.30\00:22:17.13
is peace.
00:22:17.17\00:22:18.67
Psalm 119, verse 165, "Great
peace have they who love thy
00:22:18.70\00:22:23.67
law, and nothing
will offend them."
00:22:23.71\00:22:26.91
John chapter 14, Jesus said,
"My peace I give you, not as the
00:22:26.94\00:22:30.95
world gives do I give to you.
00:22:30.98\00:22:32.81
Let not your heart be troubled,
neither let it be afraid."
00:22:32.85\00:22:36.35
If you're living in constant
fear--and I know some people
00:22:36.38\00:22:39.09
struggle with anxiety,
and there might be medical
00:22:39.12\00:22:41.39
reasons for that.
00:22:41.42\00:22:43.43
And I've got some friends that
they want to have this biblical
00:22:43.46\00:22:45.46
peace but they
just--they are anxious.
00:22:45.49\00:22:47.86
They are panicking.
00:22:47.93\00:22:49.26
But I'll tell you
what the Bible says.
00:22:49.30\00:22:51.03
"Perfect love casts out fear."
00:22:51.07\00:22:53.97
The Bible says, "The
fearful and unbelieving are cast
00:22:54.00\00:22:56.44
into the lake of fire."
00:22:56.47\00:22:58.27
Christians ought to
have a peace and a joy.
00:22:58.31\00:23:01.34
The gospel is not sad
news, it's not bad news.
00:23:01.38\00:23:04.95
It's good news.
00:23:04.98\00:23:06.85
And if we always go around
looking like we've been baptized
00:23:06.88\00:23:09.88
in lemon juice, then nobody's
going to want your religion.
00:23:09.92\00:23:15.39
Someone said, "If your religions
made you happy, then you
00:23:15.42\00:23:18.86
should notify your face."
00:23:18.89\00:23:21.13
F.B. Meyer said, "Joy
is peace dancing, and peace
00:23:21.16\00:23:25.73
is joy at rest."
00:23:25.77\00:23:28.30
"The things which you have
learned and received and heard
00:23:28.34\00:23:30.17
and saw in me, these do, and the
God of peace will be with you."
00:23:30.21\00:23:36.64
You know, one of the things
that's beautiful about the peace
00:23:36.68\00:23:41.02
of God is that, it's not--the
joy of God and the peace of God
00:23:41.05\00:23:44.52
is not dictated
by circumstances.
00:23:44.55\00:23:48.02
In other words, your
circumstances and even your
00:23:48.06\00:23:50.19
level of, you know, contentment
or happiness in that respect may
00:23:50.23\00:23:56.53
go up and down, but when
you know the Lord, you've got an
00:23:56.56\00:24:00.27
abiding peace and a joy.
00:24:00.30\00:24:02.50
The
circumstances don't change it.
00:24:02.54\00:24:04.67
The only thing that
changes it is when you take your
00:24:04.71\00:24:06.94
eyes off the Lord.
00:24:06.98\00:24:09.08
You start to sink.
00:24:09.11\00:24:11.45
And so we can have that peace.
00:24:11.48\00:24:13.48
It's God's desire for
us to have that peace.
00:24:13.52\00:24:16.42
Matthew chapter 13:44, "Again,
the kingdom of heaven is like
00:24:16.45\00:24:20.02
a treasure hidden in the field,
when a man finds it and he hides
00:24:20.06\00:24:25.23
it, and for joy over it he goes
and he sells all that he has."
00:24:25.26\00:24:30.80
Why? 'Cause he
got that inner joy.
00:24:30.83\00:24:32.13
He knows, "Man,
I've got a treasure.
00:24:32.17\00:24:34.30
Nobody knows about
the treasure I've got.
00:24:34.34\00:24:35.74
I've found something
that is so valuable."
00:24:35.77\00:24:37.64
That you're just
excited about it.
00:24:37.67\00:24:42.18
Jesus--John 15:11, "These things
I've spoken to you that your joy
00:24:42.21\00:24:46.05
might remain in you and
that your joy might be full."
00:24:46.08\00:24:50.89
Billy Sunday said, "If you've
got no joy, there's a leak in
00:24:50.92\00:24:53.56
your Christianity."
00:24:53.59\00:24:56.06
We need to have that happiness.
00:24:56.09\00:24:57.66
So Bible says let
everyone examine himself whether
00:24:57.69\00:25:00.96
he's in the faith.
00:25:01.00\00:25:03.06
How did you do?
00:25:03.10\00:25:04.53
If you found that there were
some areas where there's room
00:25:04.57\00:25:06.90
for improvement,
don't let that trouble you.
00:25:06.94\00:25:10.24
That is the biggest room in the
world, the room for improvement.
00:25:10.27\00:25:13.48
God wants us to do that because,
as I mentioned earlier, being
00:25:13.51\00:25:17.58
a Christian it's not a sprint.
00:25:17.61\00:25:21.25
It's a marathon and
it's like running a farm.
00:25:21.28\00:25:25.35
You need to
start over every day.
00:25:25.39\00:25:28.46
Have you ever driven by a house
of somebody and they got just a
00:25:28.49\00:25:31.19
beautiful garden and
their house and the yard
00:25:31.23\00:25:32.63
is always beautiful?
00:25:32.66\00:25:34.96
And you think, "How
do they keep their house
00:25:35.00\00:25:36.46
and the yard so beautiful?"
00:25:36.50\00:25:38.60
It's because they
are constantly weeding.
00:25:38.63\00:25:42.27
They're constantly out
there. They are pruning.
00:25:42.30\00:25:45.04
They are weeding.
They're investigating.
00:25:45.07\00:25:48.64
They're evaluating.
00:25:48.68\00:25:50.48
This is what it's
like to be a Christian.
00:25:50.51\00:25:52.71
There is maintenance involved.
00:25:52.75\00:25:54.12
The Bible says, on a regular
basis, you need to evaluate,
00:25:54.15\00:25:57.52
you need to examine yourself.
00:25:57.55\00:25:59.62
It doesn't say examine
your beliefs 'cause you say,
00:25:59.65\00:26:01.56
"I got good beliefs."
00:26:01.59\00:26:02.92
No, he said examine yourself.
00:26:02.96\00:26:04.56
That means, are you
walking the walk of a Christian?
00:26:04.59\00:26:08.76
Because the worst thing
that could happen is for you
00:26:08.80\00:26:14.04
to neglect that healthy
self-examination and come to the
00:26:14.07\00:26:17.81
great judgment day, Jesus
has given us so many parables to
00:26:17.84\00:26:21.31
warn us against waiting
until it's too late, and to hear
00:26:21.34\00:26:25.01
him say, "I don't know you."
00:26:25.05\00:26:26.88
I want to hear him say, "Well
done, good and faithful servant.
00:26:26.92\00:26:30.49
Enter into the joy of the Lord."
00:26:30.52\00:26:32.39
Christians can have assurance
about the relationship with the
00:26:32.42\00:26:34.66
Lord if they do the regular
maintenance, if they will take
00:26:34.69\00:26:40.80
stock, if they will do inventory
with the Holy Spirit and then
00:26:40.83\00:26:44.63
make the adjustments
as God shows it to them.
00:26:44.67\00:26:48.20
They can have peace.
00:26:48.24\00:26:49.60
They can have assurance based on
the promise of God and the power
00:26:49.64\00:26:51.84
of God, but we also need
to be faithful with ourselves.
00:26:51.87\00:26:56.24
announcer: Don't forget to
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To get your digital copy of
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It's now easier than ever
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Amazing Facts
wherever and whenever you want,
00:27:26.84\00:27:29.98
and most important
to share it with others.
00:27:30.01\00:27:32.61
announcer: What if
you could know the future?
00:27:32.65\00:27:37.89
What would you do?
00:27:37.92\00:27:39.75
What would you change?
00:27:39.79\00:27:41.82
To see the future, you
must understand the past.
00:27:41.86\00:27:46.80
This intriguing documentary
hosted by Pastor Doug Batchelor
00:27:46.83\00:27:50.30
explores the most striking
Bible prophecies that have
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been dramatically
fulfilled throughout history:
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"Kingdoms in Time."
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For more information,
visit kingdomsintime.com.
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announcer: Don't forget to
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It's sure to be a blessing,
and thank you for your continued
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support as we take the gospel
of Jesus Christ to the world.
00:28:12.32\00:28:16.62
We hope you'll join us next week
as we delve deep into the Word
00:28:16.66\00:28:20.00
of God to explore
more amazing facts.
00:28:20.03\00:28:23.53
announcer: This presentation
was brought to you by
00:28:26.07\00:28:27.37
the friends of the
Amazing Facts Ministry.
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