male announcer: This
presentation is brought to you
00:00:02.20\00:00:03.73
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?
00:10:07.47\00:10:09.14
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
00:10:15.71\00:10:18.85
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."
00:10:22.72\00:10:25.59
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.
00:10:41.00\00:10:44.11
Job 23, verse 12, "I
have not departed from
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the commandment of his lips.
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I have treasured the
words of his mouth more than
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my necessary food."
00:10:52.71\00:10:54.75
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.
00:11:03.59\00:11:05.46
"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."
00:11:08.33\00:11:12.60
You know, the Bible tells
us that Martha who was a good
00:11:12.63\00:11:16.60
believer, a follower of
Jesus, she was a servant.
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And there was a
supper in Jesus's honor.
00:11:20.08\00:11:22.91
It's a good purpose.
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And she was just
busy cooking and storming
00:11:24.78\00:11:27.22
through the kitchen.
00:11:27.25\00:11:28.58
And, you know, every
church wants to have Marthas
00:11:28.62\00:11:31.89
in the church because,
boy, they make things happen.
00:11:31.92\00:11:34.66
And if you want something
done, give it to Martha.
00:11:34.69\00:11:37.83
And one day she was
preparing for a dinner.
00:11:37.86\00:11:40.56
She had to keep
stepping over Mary, her sister,
00:11:40.60\00:11:43.73
who was sitting at Jesus's feet
listening to Jesus as he was
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teaching there.
00:11:46.30\00:11:47.74
Maybe some of the
disciples and apostles were in
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the room with them.
00:11:49.34\00:11:50.74
And she's looking wistfully
into his face and listening to
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every word, and Martha
became a little perturbed.
00:11:53.58\00:11:57.11
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.
00:11:59.38\00:12:02.85
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,
00:12:05.19\00:12:07.16
"Lord, don't you see I'm
doing all of this serving?
00:12:07.19\00:12:10.63
I'm making your dinner.
00:12:10.66\00:12:12.16
Can you tell my sister, younger
sister, come and help me."
00:12:12.19\00:12:17.13
And what did Jesus say?
00:12:17.17\00:12:19.23
"Martha, Martha, you are weary,
worried, and troubled about many
00:12:19.27\00:12:22.70
things, and one thing is
needful and Mary has chosen
00:12:22.74\00:12:28.21
that better part."
00:12:28.24\00:12:29.68
That one thing is to
seek first God's kingdom.
00:12:29.71\00:12:32.28
She was sitting at Jesus's feet.
00:12:32.31\00:12:34.28
We need to spend time at Jesus's
feet every day--several times a
00:12:34.32\00:12:38.92
day in prayer, but at least
once a day we should sit down
00:12:38.95\00:12:42.16
and open the Word.
00:12:42.19\00:12:44.56
Am I regular in my
church attendance and fellowship
00:12:44.59\00:12:47.60
with others?
00:12:47.66\00:12:49.00
Well, I'm probably preaching
to the choir right now because
00:12:49.03\00:12:51.47
you're here, but
are you here faithfully?
00:12:51.50\00:12:55.54
And does that matter?
00:12:55.57\00:12:57.77
If a person is sporadic
and erratic in their regular
00:12:57.81\00:13:04.21
attendance in worship, these
times that God's appointed we
00:13:04.25\00:13:07.22
should come before him
and worship, that is not
00:13:07.25\00:13:10.19
a good indicator of
our spiritual health.
00:13:10.22\00:13:12.39
The Bible says in Acts chapter
2:46 when God poured out the
00:13:12.42\00:13:15.29
spirit, "So continuing daily
with one accord in the temple,
00:13:15.32\00:13:20.60
and breaking bread from
house to house, they ate their
00:13:20.63\00:13:23.40
food with gladness."
00:13:23.43\00:13:24.97
They came
together house to house.
00:13:25.00\00:13:26.30
They were meeting together
all the time to worship God,
00:13:26.33\00:13:29.70
to study his Word.
00:13:29.74\00:13:32.67
If you don't have enough faith
to get you to church once a
00:13:32.71\00:13:35.48
week, you probably don't have
enough to get you to heaven.
00:13:35.51\00:13:37.61
That's a pretty safe guess.
00:13:37.65\00:13:39.78
And, you know, I've
heard some just very spiritual
00:13:39.81\00:13:43.18
sophisticated
excuses, it's what they are,
00:13:43.22\00:13:46.22
for not going to church.
00:13:46.25\00:13:48.86
They say, "Well, I
keep the Sabbath at home.
00:13:48.89\00:13:51.16
I've had a rough week."
00:13:51.19\00:13:52.73
Tell your boss you had
a rough week and you're
00:13:52.76\00:13:54.30
just not coming in.
00:13:54.36\00:13:55.86
Say, "I had a
rough week at church.
00:13:55.90\00:13:57.50
I'm not coming to work."
00:13:57.53\00:13:58.90
Reverse that.
00:13:58.93\00:14:00.34
See if you put God ahead of your
boss, how that's going to work?
00:14:00.37\00:14:05.77
I suspect it
won't work very well.
00:14:05.81\00:14:08.24
Or they say, "Well, it's the
Sabbath and God's the creator
00:14:08.28\00:14:10.58
so I just--I kept
the Sabbath in nature."
00:14:10.61\00:14:13.58
Well, that's lovely
after church, but, you know,
00:14:13.62\00:14:16.45
the Bible calls the
Sabbath a holy convocation.
00:14:16.48\00:14:20.06
That's Leviticus chapter 23.
00:14:20.09\00:14:22.89
And what does convocation mean?
00:14:22.92\00:14:26.03
A convening, a coming together.
00:14:26.06\00:14:28.30
"Six days you shall work,
but the seventh day is a Sabbath
00:14:28.33\00:14:32.00
of solemn rest, a
holy convocation."
00:14:32.03\00:14:35.97
The word
convocation means assembly.
00:14:36.00\00:14:37.91
The Sabbath is called
a holy solemn assembly.
00:14:37.94\00:14:42.61
We are to come together.
00:14:42.64\00:14:44.01
There's something that happens
when we corporately worship God,
00:14:44.05\00:14:47.48
and this is not a suggestion.
00:14:47.52\00:14:49.78
Doug: Don't go
anywhere, friends.
00:14:49.82\00:14:52.09
In just a moment,
we'll continue with the rest
00:14:52.12\00:14:54.39
of today's presentation.
00:14:54.42\00:14:56.99
Have you ever thought
that life sometimes seems to be
00:14:57.03\00:14:59.59
a relentless
battle just to stay ahead?
00:14:59.63\00:15:03.06
You wash the car
and then it rains.
00:15:03.10\00:15:05.27
You have to wash it again.
00:15:05.30\00:15:07.04
You weed the garden and 2
weeks later, there's a whole new
00:15:07.07\00:15:10.47
crop of weeds.
00:15:10.51\00:15:12.27
Well, it's the same
way in a Christian's life.
00:15:12.31\00:15:15.21
Sometimes it seems like
when you successfully resist one
00:15:15.24\00:15:18.31
temptation then another one
surprises you from left field.
00:15:18.35\00:15:22.95
So you might be wondering, how
do you stay ahead in the battle
00:15:22.98\00:15:26.79
with temptation?
00:15:26.82\00:15:28.69
Does God really expect us to
experience consistent victory?
00:15:28.72\00:15:32.13
Absolutely yes.
00:15:32.16\00:15:33.90
The Lord wants you to experience
a life of joyful victory
00:15:33.93\00:15:36.87
and triumph.
00:15:36.90\00:15:38.67
Amazing Facts would like to send
you a special book that's called
00:15:38.70\00:15:41.47
"The Surrender of Self."
00:15:41.50\00:15:43.81
This short but encouraging book
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00:15:43.84\00:15:47.01
biggest enemy and experience
a consistent life of victory.
00:15:47.04\00:15:51.55
You'll be amazed by the
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00:15:51.58\00:15:55.02
To get your free copy, call the
number on your screen and ask
00:15:55.05\00:15:58.52
for offer number 153,
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00:15:58.55\00:16:02.49
And after you read this
incredible resource, make sure
00:16:02.52\00:16:05.39
and share it with a friend.
00:16:05.43\00:16:07.40
Well, now let's get back to the
rest of today's presentation and
00:16:07.46\00:16:10.37
learn some more amazing
facts from the Word of God.
00:16:10.40\00:16:13.77
Doug: Not only where are
we to be doing this on earth,
00:16:15.47\00:16:17.97
the Bible says we're
going to do it in heaven.
00:16:18.01\00:16:20.38
"From one Sabbath to
another will all flesh come
00:16:20.41\00:16:23.91
and worship before me."
00:16:23.95\00:16:26.31
Those are coming together to
worship before God--how many of
00:16:26.35\00:16:29.68
you want to be in heaven
to come together and worship
00:16:29.72\00:16:31.85
before him there?
00:16:31.89\00:16:33.76
Do you think it'd be a good idea
to practice coming together and
00:16:33.79\00:16:35.72
worship before him here first?
00:16:35.76\00:16:38.33
Yeah.
00:16:38.36\00:16:39.79
You read in Hebrews chapter 10,
"Let us consider one another in
00:16:39.83\00:16:43.23
order to stir up love and good
works," that's what I'm trying
00:16:43.26\00:16:45.93
to do, friends, "not forsaking
the assembling of ourselves
00:16:45.97\00:16:50.51
together, as is the
manner of some is--"
00:16:50.54\00:16:52.81
they had that problem
way back in Paul's day.
00:16:52.84\00:16:55.01
"But exhorting one another."
00:16:55.04\00:16:56.51
This is called exhortation,
what's happening right now.
00:16:56.54\00:16:58.68
To encourage you, to admonish
you, we need to come together.
00:16:58.71\00:17:03.12
Why?
00:17:03.15\00:17:04.79
"All the more as you
see the day approaching."
00:17:04.82\00:17:08.06
If you want to
look that one up, that's
00:17:08.09\00:17:09.52
Hebrews chapter 10:24 and 25.
00:17:09.56\00:17:11.86
And you know what it
says in the next verse?
00:17:11.89\00:17:13.90
"If we continue to sin willfully
after we've received the
00:17:13.93\00:17:18.77
knowledge of the truth--" it
calls it willful sin after it
00:17:18.80\00:17:22.17
talks about coming
together to worship him.
00:17:22.20\00:17:24.57
Says, "If we continue to sin
willfully after we've received
00:17:24.61\00:17:27.51
the knowledge of the truth,
there remains no more sacrifice
00:17:27.54\00:17:30.21
for sin but a certain fearful
looking forward to have judgment
00:17:30.25\00:17:33.08
and fiery indignation."
00:17:33.11\00:17:36.75
So you think, you
know, Christianity 101
00:17:36.79\00:17:38.99
is we go to church.
00:17:39.02\00:17:41.42
But we're living in the age
of American independence and
00:17:41.46\00:17:44.09
spirituality and they
go, "But I'm spiritual.
00:17:44.13\00:17:47.13
I just going to be
spiritual at home."
00:17:47.13\00:17:48.80
It's often a cop out.
00:17:48.83\00:17:50.17
People are doing
what they want to do.
00:17:50.20\00:17:51.63
We need to go to church,
whether we feel like it or not.
00:17:51.67\00:17:55.54
Not, I mean, if you're sick,
and some people are shut in.
00:17:55.57\00:17:57.97
Don't misunderstand.
00:17:58.01\00:17:59.44
A lot of people
watch this program at home.
00:17:59.47\00:18:01.11
They can't go.
We understand that.
00:18:01.14\00:18:02.61
God understands that.
00:18:02.64\00:18:04.25
But it's when you can and you
just don't feel like it or you
00:18:04.28\00:18:07.65
say, "It looks
like it might rain."
00:18:07.68\00:18:09.62
That never stops people from
going to a football game, right?
00:18:09.65\00:18:14.39
Is your speech Christ-like?
00:18:14.42\00:18:17.36
What about your words?
00:18:17.39\00:18:19.36
That's a gauge
where the heart is.
00:18:19.39\00:18:20.76
Jesus said, "Out of
the abundance of the heart
00:18:20.80\00:18:22.33
the mouth speaks."
00:18:22.36\00:18:23.73
Let me read this to you.
00:18:23.77\00:18:25.17
Matthew 12:34, he
said, "Brood of vipers.
00:18:25.20\00:18:28.20
How can you, being
evil, speak good things?"
00:18:28.24\00:18:30.91
He's basically saying there
needs to be change in our heart.
00:18:30.94\00:18:33.88
"For out of the abundance
of the heart the mouth speaks.
00:18:33.91\00:18:36.64
A good man out of the good
treasure of his heart brings
00:18:36.68\00:18:39.25
forth good things, an evil man
out of the evil treasure of his
00:18:39.28\00:18:42.88
heart brings forth evil things.
00:18:42.92\00:18:45.35
But I say to you, for every idle
word men may speak, they will
00:18:45.39\00:18:50.29
give an account thereof
in the day of judgment--"
00:18:50.33\00:18:53.60
Does that make you
shutter like it does me?
00:18:53.63\00:18:56.13
"For by your words, you will
be justified and by your words
00:18:56.16\00:18:59.33
you will be condemned."
00:18:59.37\00:19:01.90
One of the chief editors
of Christianity Today shared a
00:19:01.94\00:19:04.74
story that they were traveling
with a friend from San Francisco
00:19:04.77\00:19:08.48
to Chicago, and his friend got
pulled out of line for one of
00:19:08.51\00:19:13.08
these random security
checks and he ended up getting
00:19:13.11\00:19:15.92
on the plane last.
00:19:15.95\00:19:17.49
As he's getting on the
plane, he's sitting down
00:19:17.52\00:19:19.35
next to the editor.
00:19:19.39\00:19:20.89
The editor says to him, just
loud enough for others to hear,
00:19:20.92\00:19:22.89
"So why did they
pull you out of line?
00:19:22.92\00:19:25.06
Was it your beady
eyes or the explosives?"
00:19:25.09\00:19:28.40
He's just kidding.
00:19:28.43\00:19:29.76
One of the other
passengers heard that.
00:19:29.80\00:19:31.67
They said something
to the flight attendant.
00:19:31.70\00:19:33.60
The flight attendant
put him off the plane.
00:19:33.64\00:19:35.77
They called airport security and
in the process of interrogating
00:19:35.80\00:19:39.87
him, doing all this research on
him, the plane left without him,
00:19:39.91\00:19:44.61
and finally they realized he was
joking, even though it's a real
00:19:44.65\00:19:48.72
bad idea these
days to joke about that.
00:19:48.75\00:19:51.59
Had to wait in the airport.
He said, "It was just a few--"
00:19:51.62\00:19:54.99
This is a Christian.
00:19:55.02\00:19:56.62
A few idle words, but
the airport's--the airline
00:19:56.66\00:20:01.03
companies, they don't take any
risk with who they let through
00:20:01.06\00:20:05.17
the gates of a plane because it
could endanger everybody else.
00:20:05.20\00:20:10.01
Is God less careful about what
happens in heaven and getting
00:20:10.04\00:20:13.04
through his gates?
00:20:13.07\00:20:14.44
And so you've got to
be careful what we say.
00:20:14.48\00:20:17.31
Bible has a lot
to share about this.
00:20:17.35\00:20:18.95
Ephesians 4:29, "Let no corrupt
word proceed from your mouth,
00:20:18.98\00:20:24.92
but what is good and necessary
for edification that you might
00:20:24.95\00:20:28.89
impart grace to your hearers."
00:20:28.92\00:20:31.49
Is our speech imparting grace?
00:20:31.53\00:20:33.53
Or do we say a lot of
negative critical things?
00:20:33.56\00:20:37.33
Someone said, "Be careful with
what you do with the tongue.
00:20:37.37\00:20:39.10
It's a slippery place."
00:20:39.13\00:20:41.70
James chapter 3, verse 2, "For
we all stumble in many things."
00:20:41.74\00:20:45.64
So don't get discouraged when
you go through the tests and you
00:20:45.67\00:20:48.14
find there's
areas where you stumble.
00:20:48.18\00:20:49.51
Even James said we all
stumble in many things.
00:20:49.54\00:20:52.05
But he said, "If anyone
does not stumble in Word,
00:20:52.08\00:20:55.25
he is a perfect man."
00:20:55.28\00:20:56.79
So I probably should
have put this further up
00:20:56.82\00:20:58.32
on the list, huh?
00:20:58.35\00:20:59.95
If you can control what you say,
if you don't engage in gossip or
00:21:00.06\00:21:08.26
exaggeration--that sometimes
is another way of saying lying.
00:21:08.30\00:21:12.47
If you're honest, if your speech
is always calculated to bring
00:21:12.50\00:21:18.17
glory to God.
00:21:18.21\00:21:20.01
Colossians 4, verse 6.
00:21:20.04\00:21:21.91
"Let your speech always be
seasoned with grace, seasoned
00:21:21.94\00:21:26.51
with salt, that you
might know how you ought to
00:21:26.55\00:21:29.25
answer each one."
00:21:29.28\00:21:31.85
And so Bible says one of
the ways that we can decide,
00:21:31.89\00:21:34.99
one of the criteria if you're
doing your list of evaluating
00:21:35.02\00:21:39.06
yourself, how do I talk?
00:21:39.09\00:21:41.03
Now, let's suppose
you got a problem with
00:21:41.06\00:21:42.40
what you talk about.
00:21:42.43\00:21:44.80
Where do the words come from?
00:21:44.83\00:21:47.07
Out of the abundance of
the heart the mouth speaks.
00:21:47.10\00:21:50.04
So what do you do, muzzle
yourself or do you pray that God
00:21:50.07\00:21:54.94
will give you his
spirit and change your heart?
00:21:54.98\00:21:57.41
And the change of heart
will change the words, but words
00:21:57.45\00:21:59.41
are pretty good criteria.
00:21:59.45\00:22:01.78
Do I have peace and joy?
00:22:01.82\00:22:04.09
Is a Christian
supposed to be happy?
00:22:04.12\00:22:06.29
Shouldn't it be--it doesn't
mean you're giddy and joking all
00:22:06.32\00:22:08.56
the time, but it means
that there is an abiding peace.
00:22:08.59\00:22:11.76
There's a depth.
00:22:11.79\00:22:13.86
This is one of the most
sublime evidences of the spirit
00:22:13.90\00:22:16.70
is peace.
00:22:16.73\00:22:18.23
Psalm 119, verse 165, "Great
peace have they who love thy
00:22:18.27\00:22:23.24
law, and nothing
will offend them."
00:22:23.27\00:22:26.47
John chapter 14, Jesus said,
"My peace I give you, not as the
00:22:26.51\00:22:30.51
world gives do I give to you.
00:22:30.55\00:22:32.38
Let not your heart be troubled,
neither let it be afraid."
00:22:32.41\00:22:35.92
If you're living in constant
fear--and I know some people
00:22:35.95\00:22:38.65
struggle with anxiety,
and there might be medical
00:22:38.69\00:22:40.96
reasons for that.
00:22:40.99\00:22:42.99
And I've got some friends that
they want to have this biblical
00:22:43.02\00:22:45.03
peace but they
just--they are anxious.
00:22:45.06\00:22:47.46
They are panicking.
00:22:47.50\00:22:48.83
But I'll tell you
what the Bible says.
00:22:48.86\00:22:50.60
"Perfect love casts out fear."
00:22:50.63\00:22:53.54
The Bible says, "The
fearful and unbelieving are cast
00:22:53.57\00:22:56.00
into the lake of fire."
00:22:56.04\00:22:57.84
Christians ought to
have a peace and a joy.
00:22:57.87\00:23:00.91
The gospel is not sad
news, it's not bad news.
00:23:00.94\00:23:04.51
It's good news.
00:23:04.55\00:23:06.41
And if we always go around
looking like we've been baptized
00:23:06.45\00:23:09.45
in lemon juice, then nobody's
going to want your religion.
00:23:09.48\00:23:14.96
Someone said, "If your religions
made you happy, then you
00:23:14.99\00:23:18.43
should notify your face."
00:23:18.46\00:23:20.73
F.B. Meyer said, "Joy
is peace dancing, and peace
00:23:20.76\00:23:25.30
is joy at rest."
00:23:25.33\00:23:27.87
"The things which you have
learned and received and heard
00:23:27.90\00:23:29.74
and saw in me, these do, and the
God of peace will be with you."
00:23:29.77\00:23:36.21
You know, one of the things
that's beautiful about the peace
00:23:36.24\00:23:40.58
of God is that, it's not--the
joy of God and the peace of God
00:23:40.62\00:23:44.09
is not dictated
by circumstances.
00:23:44.12\00:23:47.59
In other words, your
circumstances and even your
00:23:47.62\00:23:49.76
level of, you know, contentment
or happiness in that respect may
00:23:49.79\00:23:56.10
go up and down, but when
you know the Lord, you've got an
00:23:56.13\00:23:59.77
abiding peace and a joy.
00:23:59.80\00:24:02.07
The
circumstances don't change it.
00:24:02.10\00:24:04.24
The only thing that
changes it is when you take your
00:24:04.27\00:24:06.51
eyes off the Lord.
00:24:06.54\00:24:08.64
You start to sink.
00:24:08.68\00:24:11.01
And so we can have that peace.
00:24:11.05\00:24:13.05
It's God's desire for
us to have that peace.
00:24:13.08\00:24:15.98
Matthew chapter 13:44, "Again,
the kingdom of heaven is like
00:24:16.02\00:24:19.59
a treasure hidden in the field,
when a man finds it and he hides
00:24:19.62\00:24:24.79
it, and for joy over it he goes
and he sells all that he has."
00:24:24.83\00:24:30.37
Why? 'Cause he
got that inner joy.
00:24:30.40\00:24:31.70
He knows, "Man,
I've got a treasure.
00:24:31.73\00:24:33.87
Nobody knows about
the treasure I've got.
00:24:33.90\00:24:35.30
I've found something
that is so valuable."
00:24:35.34\00:24:37.21
That you're just
excited about it.
00:24:37.24\00:24:41.74
Jesus--John 15:11, "These things
I've spoken to you that your joy
00:24:41.78\00:24:45.61
might remain in you and
that your joy might be full."
00:24:45.65\00:24:50.45
Billy Sunday said, "If you've
got no joy, there's a leak in
00:24:50.49\00:24:53.12
your Christianity."
00:24:53.15\00:24:55.62
We need to have that happiness.
00:24:55.66\00:24:57.23
So Bible says let
everyone examine himself whether
00:24:57.26\00:25:00.56
he's in the faith.
00:25:00.60\00:25:02.63
How did you do?
00:25:02.66\00:25:04.10
If you found that there were
some areas where there's room
00:25:04.13\00:25:06.47
for improvement,
don't let that trouble you.
00:25:06.50\00:25:09.80
That is the biggest room in the
world, the room for improvement.
00:25:09.84\00:25:13.04
God wants us to do that because,
as I mentioned earlier, being
00:25:13.07\00:25:17.15
a Christian it's not a sprint.
00:25:17.18\00:25:20.82
It's a marathon and
it's like running a farm.
00:25:20.85\00:25:24.92
You need to
start over every day.
00:25:24.95\00:25:28.02
Have you ever driven by a house
of somebody and they got just a
00:25:28.06\00:25:30.76
beautiful garden and
their house and the yard
00:25:30.79\00:25:32.19
is always beautiful?
00:25:32.23\00:25:34.56
And you think, "How
do they keep their house
00:25:34.56\00:25:36.03
and the yard so beautiful?"
00:25:36.06\00:25:38.17
It's because they
are constantly weeding.
00:25:38.20\00:25:41.84
They're constantly out
there. They are pruning.
00:25:41.87\00:25:44.61
They are weeding.
They're investigating.
00:25:44.64\00:25:48.21
They're evaluating.
00:25:48.24\00:25:50.05
This is what it's
like to be a Christian.
00:25:50.08\00:25:52.28
There is maintenance involved.
00:25:52.31\00:25:53.68
The Bible says, on a regular
basis, you need to evaluate,
00:25:53.72\00:25:57.09
you need to examine yourself.
00:25:57.12\00:25:59.19
It doesn't say examine
your beliefs 'cause you say,
00:25:59.22\00:26:01.12
"I got good beliefs."
00:26:01.16\00:26:02.49
No, he said examine yourself.
00:26:02.52\00:26:04.13
That means, are you
walking the walk of a Christian?
00:26:04.16\00:26:08.33
Because the worst thing
that could happen is for you
00:26:08.36\00:26:13.60
to neglect that healthy
self-examination and come to the
00:26:13.64\00:26:17.37
great judgment day, Jesus
has given us so many parables to
00:26:17.41\00:26:20.88
warn us against waiting
until it's too late, and to hear
00:26:20.91\00:26:24.58
him say, "I don't know you."
00:26:24.61\00:26:26.45
I want to hear him say, "Well
done, good and faithful servant.
00:26:26.48\00:26:30.05
Enter into the joy of the Lord."
00:26:30.09\00:26:31.95
Christians can have assurance
about the relationship with the
00:26:31.99\00:26:34.22
Lord if they do the regular
maintenance, if they will take
00:26:34.26\00:26:40.36
stock, if they will do inventory
with the Holy Spirit and then
00:26:40.40\00:26:44.20
make the adjustments
as God shows it to them.
00:26:44.23\00:26:47.77
They can have peace.
00:26:47.80\00:26:49.17
They can have assurance based on
the promise of God and the power
00:26:49.20\00:26:51.41
of God, but we also need
to be faithful with ourselves.
00:26:51.44\00:26:55.81
announcer: Don't forget to
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It's now easier than ever
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Amazing Facts
wherever and whenever you want,
00:27:26.41\00:27:29.54
and most important
to share it with others.
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announcer: What if
you could know the future?
00:27:32.21\00:27:37.45
What would you do?
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What would you change?
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To see the future, you
must understand the past.
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This intriguing documentary
hosted by Pastor Doug Batchelor
00:27:46.39\00:27:49.86
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,
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support as we take the gospel
of Jesus Christ to the world.
00:28:11.89\00:28:16.19
We hope you'll join us next week
as we delve deep into the Word
00:28:16.22\00:28:19.56
of God to explore
more amazing facts.
00:28:19.59\00:28:23.10
announcer: This presentation
was brought to you by
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the friends of the
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