by the friends of the
Amazing Facts Ministry.
00:00:03.70\00:00:06.40
Pastor Doug Batchelor:
The heighth of your spiritual
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experience is going to be in
exact proportion to the depth of
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your repentance
and your confession.
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Now I always like to use a story
as a springboard, and I'm going
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to turn to one that I think
you'll find familiar, it's in
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the Gospel of Luke,
chapter 15, verse 11.
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And Jesus said, "There was a
certain man that had two sons.
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And the younger of them said to
his father, Father, give me the
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portion of goods
that falls to me.
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So he divided to them his
livelihood, his inheritance.
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And not many days after,
the younger son gathered all
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together, and he journeyed to a
far country, and there he wasted
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his possessions with
prodigal living," sinful living.
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"But when he had spent all,
there arose a severe famine in
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that land, and he
began to be in want.
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And he went and he joined
himself to a citizen in that
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country, and he sent him out
into his fields to feed swine.
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And he would gladly have filled
his stomach with the pods that
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the swine ate, and no
one gave him anything."
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Now, living a life of sin, this
young man realized that he had
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squandered his opportunities,
he had squandered his father's
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blessings, and every sinner
ultimately will realize that
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before they repent.
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That God has given me so many
opportunities and blessings and
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time, and we
waste all selfishly.
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And then
there's always a payday.
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Eventually the pleasure is gone,
sin stops satisfying, it leaves
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you feeling empty, and he starts
to think about when he was back
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in the father's house.
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It says, he came to himself.
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It's almost like it's describing
sin as a form of insanity, and
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suddenly he got his sanity back.
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And he said, "How many of
my father's hired servants have
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bread enough to spare?
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My father's servants eat to the
full and I perish with hunger!"
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Why did Jesus come?
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Whoever believes in
him might not perish.
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This young man
realized he's perishing.
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If you are not converted
and saved, there's only one
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other option.
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You either have everlasting life
through Jesus, and a new heart
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being born again, or perishing.
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And God does not want us to
be lost, he wants to save us.
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He said, I'm
perishing with hunger.
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You know what satisfies that
hunger for bread, it's the Word
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of God.
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"I will arise and go
to my father's house."
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Notice what's happening here.
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He's making a decision
to go towards his father.
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Now, the promise is, in James,
if we draw near to God, James
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chapter 4--or James chapter 2
verses 4 through 7, he will draw
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near to us.
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And so we want to
be drawing near to God.
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He said, "'I will go to my
father, and I'll say to him,
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Father, I have sinned against
heaven and before you, and I'm
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no longer worthy
to be called your son.
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Make me as one of
your hired servants.'
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So he arose," he's got
this speech of confession in his
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mouth, and he arose
and he comes to his father.
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"His father saw him a long way
off, he had compassion, and he
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ran and he fell on his
neck and he kissed him.
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And the son said, 'Father, I
have sinned against heaven and
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in your sight, and I'm no longer
worthy to be called your son.'"
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As soon as he confesses,
the father reacts by completely
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embracing and adopting him back
into the family, says, you are
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my son.
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Calls for his servants, and he
says, "Bring out the best robe
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and put it on him, put a ring on
his hand," meaning that he was
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now going to have the authority
of the family, "and sandals on
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his feet.
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And bring the fatted calf here
and kill it, and let us eat and
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be merry, for this my son was
dead and he's alive again, he
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was lost and he's found."
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And they began to be merry.
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And I'm not gonna even go into
the part about the other son,
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because the point of the story I
wanted to emphasize, this young
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man came to himself, he
repented, but then he realized,
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I will say to my father.
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There was
something he needed to say.
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Everybody is going
to confess someday.
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You can read where Paul says, in
the book of Romans chapter 14,
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"For it is written: 'As I live,
says the Lord, every knee will
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bow to me, and every
tongue will confess.'"
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Tonight we're gonna talk very
specifically about an important
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part of the Christian
experience, the conversion
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experience, that has to
do with sincere confession.
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Now, don't be afraid of
confessing to God, because God
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knows everything.
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You know, we're living in an
interesting time in the world's
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history where it seems like no
matter where you go now, cameras
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are rolling.
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And, you know, people can even
go to websites where they can
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look through satellites and see
what's happening on the earth
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from space all over the world.
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Sometimes Karen will come in the
office, she'll see that I'm on a
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program called Google Earth and
I'm looking all over the world
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to see if I can
find deserted islands.
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I just love looking at maps,
I'm just intrigued, I'm a very
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visual person.
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But everywhere you go now,
everything, it seems like, is
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being recorded.
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And, more than ever, you know,
in the cities for security, we
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just installed a video doorbell
so that whenever anyone comes to
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our door, I know it's old
technology for most people, but
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it was very interesting for
me, whenever anyone comes to our
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doorbell, and they ring
the door, we get an alert on
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our phone.
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The funny thing is, every
time Karen goes to get the mail,
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every day, I get an alert.
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Caesar, our son, goes out to
jog, and I see him out the front
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yard, he's stretching and I'm
going, this is interesting, they
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don't know I'm watching.
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But it's like
there's cameras everywhere.
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And God has had
cameras for a long time.
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There are angels that
record everything we say.
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Jesus said, in the judgment
you'll give an account for every
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idle word that you speak.
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God sees everything we do.
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Let me give you a
few verses on that.
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Jesus says, in Luke chapter 12
verse 2, "For there is nothing
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covered that will not be
revealed, nor hidden that will
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not be known.
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Therefore whatever has been
spoken in the dark will be heard
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in the light, and whatever you
have spoken in the ear in the
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inner rooms will be
proclaimed on the housetops."
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Ecclesiastes 12 verse 14, "For
God will bring every work into
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judgment, including
every secret thing."
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We think nobody knows.
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Everything we'll
give an answer for.
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And you may have sinned and
thought, well, I got away with
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that, nobody will know, I
don't need to say anything.
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You don't get
away with anything.
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Everything that's done in secret
will be ultimately proclaimed
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from the housetops unless
it is confessed, repented of,
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forsaken, and you want
it under the blood of Jesus.
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You know, one reason I became
a Christian is because I saw,
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providentially, you don't
ever get away with anything.
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I was a thief, and I
realized I never really got away
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with anything.
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And I just became convinced
there must be a God, because it
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seemed like, we started calling
it karma, seemed like something
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always went wrong when
you try to do the wrong thing.
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And you know what they say on
the streets is what goes around
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comes around.
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It'll catch up with you.
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Nobody ever really
gets away with anything.
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And so I'm sharing this sort
of as a background, why it is
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important to confess, because
you'll never really get ahead by
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doing wrong or
by disobeying God.
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Hebrews chapter 4 verse 13,
Paul says, "There is no creature
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hidden from his sight, but all
things are naked and open to the
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eyes of him with whom
we must give an account."
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Now, I wonder how people would
behave if they knew that God is
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always recording.
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You know, we had a little church
up in the hills, and it had the
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strangest sound system, just had
an inexpensive Radio Shack sound
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system, and something about
the length of the wires to the
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speakers, they weren't shielded,
and whenever any airplane flew
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over or an ambulance went by,
I've never run into it before,
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it seemed to pick up
their frequencies, and it would
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broadcast it in the church.
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So while you're in there, in the
church, and you're preaching,
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all of a sudden you would hear
the ambulance drivers talking on
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the radio.
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And sometimes what even
ambulance drivers say to each
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other is not appropriate
to broadcast in a church.
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And I wondered, if they
only knew that what they think
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they're saying just on the
radio to the dispatch is being
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broadcast in the local church.
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How much more
careful would they be?
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Well, everything is naked
and open to the eyes of him with
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whom we have to do.
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There is a judgment day coming,
and everybody is going to give
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an account for everything.
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And that's why it's so crucial
for us to not wait until we
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kneel with the devil
outside of the New Jerusalem.
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Everybody will ultimately bow
before Christ and confess that
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Jesus is Lord.
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But to confess while the doors
of mercy are still open, that
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would be now.
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You can't wait, friends.
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Pastor Doug Batchelor: So,
with that little background, I'm
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going to go through my ritual of
having five or six points we're
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gonna cover about confession.
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And I'll start
with, why do we confess?
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Why would we confess?
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Jesus said, your heavenly
Father, and this is Matthew
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chapter 6 verse 8, he knows what
things you have need of before
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you even ask.
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So why tell him?
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Well, confession isn't
for the benefit of God.
00:10:00.93\00:10:03.77
You know, when I was a
baby Christian, I heard about
00:10:03.80\00:10:05.73
confession, you know, I just,
in my mind I had it like, all
00:10:05.77\00:10:09.87
right, Lord, you better sit
down, there's somethin' I gotta
00:10:09.90\00:10:11.64
tell ya.
00:10:11.67\00:10:12.97
And then I
realized wait a second!
00:10:13.01\00:10:14.71
God knows everything.
00:10:14.74\00:10:16.04
I'm not going to
fill in the Lord.
00:10:16.08\00:10:17.61
So when you confess, it's
not like you're sayin', brace
00:10:17.65\00:10:19.75
yourself, Lord, I've got some
heavy things to share with you.
00:10:19.78\00:10:22.85
He knows more about you
than you know about you.
00:10:22.88\00:10:25.62
So you're not
confessing to fill him in.
00:10:25.65\00:10:28.86
One very important thing that
happens when you're confessing
00:10:28.89\00:10:31.83
is you are recognizing in
your own heart what you're doing
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is wrong.
00:10:35.00\00:10:36.33
You're giving freedom, then,
of the Holy Spirit to give you
00:10:36.36\00:10:39.00
victory in that area, 'cause
you're admitting it's wrong and
00:10:39.03\00:10:41.84
you want change.
00:10:41.87\00:10:43.20
The other thing is, once
you admit it's wrong, something
00:10:43.24\00:10:46.14
happens within you mentally.
00:10:46.17\00:10:47.81
Then you realize
there's consequences and
00:10:47.84\00:10:49.74
you're accountable.
00:10:49.78\00:10:51.15
People don't like confessing,
it can sometimes make them
00:10:51.18\00:10:54.15
uncomfortable, but it's
actually good for you because
00:10:54.18\00:10:56.99
it's liberating.
00:10:57.02\00:10:58.42
"If we confess our sins, he is
faithful and just to forgive us
00:10:58.45\00:11:02.92
our sins and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness."
00:11:02.96\00:11:06.73
Now we're gonna talk
about the what of confession.
00:11:06.76\00:11:08.70
What do you confess?
00:11:08.73\00:11:10.47
Confess means, this is a
definition, it means to disclose
00:11:10.50\00:11:13.64
something that is damaging or
inconvenient to one's self, to
00:11:13.67\00:11:17.64
admit, to acknowledge.
00:11:17.67\00:11:19.71
As someone said, confession is
good for the soul but it's bad
00:11:19.74\00:11:22.21
for the reputation.
00:11:22.24\00:11:23.75
And the Bible says, Proverbs
28 verse 13, "He that covers his
00:11:23.78\00:11:27.72
sin will not
prosper, but whoever confesses
00:11:27.75\00:11:31.25
and forsakes them."
00:11:31.29\00:11:33.42
You know, I remember, even years
after I became a Christian,
00:11:33.46\00:11:35.92
something came to me.
00:11:35.96\00:11:39.09
I was in Miami Beach, where
I used to go to school, used to
00:11:39.13\00:11:41.80
work, and I just went
for a visit to the family.
00:11:41.83\00:11:45.63
And while I was in Miami Beach,
I remembered I had worked for a
00:11:45.67\00:11:49.47
Baskin Robbins ice cream store.
00:11:49.50\00:11:51.17
I got to work there and
they told me, you can eat all
00:11:51.21\00:11:53.41
the ice cream you want.
00:11:53.44\00:11:54.74
And it was a dream
job for me, 'cause I did.
00:11:54.78\00:11:56.41
They said,
you'll get tired of it.
00:11:56.44\00:11:57.75
I never did, I ate a lot of
ice cream while I was there.
00:11:57.78\00:12:00.52
And he trusted me.
00:12:00.55\00:12:01.88
I was just 14, 15 years old, but
I was a good worker, I'd been in
00:12:01.92\00:12:04.52
the military school, I kept
everything clean and organized.
00:12:04.55\00:12:07.19
And eventually he gave me the
keys, and he had me, Mr. Scott
00:12:07.22\00:12:11.63
was his name, he had me open the
place and close the place and do
00:12:11.66\00:12:15.00
the accounting and put the money
in the freezer, and when I got
00:12:15.03\00:12:18.97
ready to run away from home when
I was like 15 years old, I had
00:12:19.00\00:12:22.50
made myself an extra key.
00:12:22.54\00:12:25.17
And I went into the Baskin
Robbins late at night, and I
00:12:25.21\00:12:28.01
went into the freezer, I knew
where the key freezer was, and I
00:12:28.04\00:12:30.38
stole just enough cash where
he would have never known it
00:12:30.41\00:12:33.65
was missing.
00:12:33.68\00:12:35.98
Years later that came to me.
00:12:36.02\00:12:38.19
And I thought, you know,
I need to make that right.
00:12:38.22\00:12:42.22
And so I went back to that
Baskin Robbins, which I think
00:12:42.26\00:12:44.93
it's still there today after all
those years, on Lincoln Mall.
00:12:44.96\00:12:48.50
And I went back in and I went
in and I started asking for Mr.
00:12:48.53\00:12:50.97
Scott, and they said, oh, he
sold the place years ago, and,
00:12:51.00\00:12:55.34
you know, I just felt this
tremendous burden come off my
00:12:55.37\00:12:58.14
shoulders by going in there.
00:12:58.17\00:12:59.51
I wasn't worried about the $15
or $20, I just wanted to make
00:12:59.54\00:13:02.94
things right
with the Lord and God.
00:13:02.98\00:13:04.78
The biggest struggle for me was
going and telling him, 'cause he
00:13:04.81\00:13:07.88
trusted me.
00:13:07.92\00:13:09.22
I said, well, do you
know how I can contact him?
00:13:09.25\00:13:11.02
They said, no, we
have no way to contact him.
00:13:11.05\00:13:12.99
And God just took the burden off
me 'cause he wanted to know, are
00:13:13.02\00:13:15.72
you willing?
00:13:15.76\00:13:17.06
And once I got to the place
where I was willing, you know, I
00:13:17.09\00:13:19.69
just felt real peace.
00:13:19.73\00:13:21.26
And so he may
reveal things to you.
00:13:21.30\00:13:23.00
Now, someone might be thinking,
well, I robbed a bank, what do
00:13:23.03\00:13:28.64
I do?
00:13:28.67\00:13:30.21
If I confess, I
might go to jail.
00:13:30.24\00:13:32.44
I've had a lot of people that
have come to me and they said,
00:13:32.47\00:13:34.54
if I tell my boss what I've
been doing, he's gonna fire me.
00:13:34.58\00:13:37.75
I said, trust the Lord.
00:13:37.78\00:13:39.51
And I'm sure there's exceptions,
but almost every time I know of
00:13:39.55\00:13:42.55
when a member or somebody comes
to me and says, I'm convicted, I
00:13:42.58\00:13:46.09
need to go talk to my boss, I've
been cheating or doing something
00:13:46.12\00:13:48.49
dishonest, I said, you go to
them, if you tell them before
00:13:48.52\00:13:51.86
you're caught, they'll know that
there's a change in your heart.
00:13:51.89\00:13:55.06
"Search me, O God, and know me,
try me, know my thoughts, see if
00:13:55.10\00:13:59.13
there be any wicked way
in me, and lead me in the
00:13:59.17\00:14:01.60
way everlasting."
00:14:01.64\00:14:02.97
And it says, in Job 13:23,
"How many are my iniquities and
00:14:03.00\00:14:06.94
my sins?
00:14:06.98\00:14:08.28
Make me know my
transgression and my sin."
00:14:08.31\00:14:10.45
I'd like to make a suggestion
that, get by yourself, if you
00:14:10.48\00:14:15.55
want this revival to really make
a difference, then do something
00:14:15.58\00:14:17.99
tangible, go off by yourself.
00:14:18.02\00:14:21.52
Might be harder if you're home
sequestering right now, but find
00:14:21.56\00:14:24.93
a room, find your closet of
prayer, and get on your knees.
00:14:24.96\00:14:28.03
Tell the Lord.
00:14:28.06\00:14:29.30
You may not even feel anything,
but do it because you know it's
00:14:29.33\00:14:31.33
the right thing to do,
and watch what happens.
00:14:31.37\00:14:33.74
Get on your knees, say, Lord,
I want to repent of my sins.
00:14:33.77\00:14:36.04
I'm choosing to
repent of my sins.
00:14:36.07\00:14:38.67
I know I've sinned
all through my life.
00:14:38.71\00:14:40.91
I'm guilty of many things.
00:14:40.94\00:14:42.44
You can't remember everything
you've ever done wrong, but get
00:14:42.48\00:14:46.08
a piece of paper.
00:14:46.11\00:14:47.78
Don't let anyone get
ahold of that piece of paper.
00:14:47.82\00:14:49.95
Get a piece of
paper and make a list,
00:14:49.98\00:14:52.29
and start with
the Ten Commandments.
00:14:52.32\00:14:54.46
Have you ever
worshiped other gods?
00:14:54.49\00:14:56.66
Or taken God's name in vain?
00:14:56.69\00:14:59.23
Have you, well, I've never
committed adultery, but have you
00:14:59.26\00:15:01.73
thought impure thoughts?
00:15:01.76\00:15:03.57
Spiritual adultery.
00:15:03.60\00:15:04.90
I've never committed murder,
have you been angry with your
00:15:04.93\00:15:07.07
brother without cause?
00:15:07.10\00:15:08.74
Lying?
00:15:08.77\00:15:10.07
The Bible says, "Let your
yes be yes, and your no be no."
00:15:10.11\00:15:12.51
Have you ever been misleading?
00:15:12.54\00:15:14.18
And go through the Ten
Commandments, and then pray that
00:15:14.21\00:15:17.15
prayer that David says, search
me, Lord, try me, see if there
00:15:17.18\00:15:20.48
be any wicked way in me, and
lead me in the way everlasting.
00:15:20.52\00:15:23.75
The Holy Spirit will
bring things to your mind.
00:15:23.79\00:15:26.15
There may be friends, family,
could be a spouse, a loved one
00:15:26.19\00:15:29.99
that you are at odds with and
you need to right those wrongs.
00:15:30.03\00:15:33.46
Make a note of that.
00:15:33.50\00:15:34.76
Confess it first to God,
then go to that person next.
00:15:34.83\00:15:38.60
After you make that list, and
don't rush through it, look at
00:15:38.63\00:15:42.97
it and say, Lord, if I'm
forgetting something, show
00:15:43.00\00:15:44.61
me later.
00:15:44.64\00:15:45.97
He will.
00:15:46.01\00:15:47.31
Then claim the promise, "If we
confess our sins, he is faithful
00:15:47.34\00:15:50.41
and just to forgive us our
sins and to cleanse us from all
00:15:50.45\00:15:53.78
unrighteousness,"
said 1 John 1:9.
00:15:53.82\00:15:57.72
And he makes a promise.
00:15:57.75\00:15:59.05
He'll cleanse you from how much?
00:15:59.09\00:16:00.76
All unrighteousness.
00:16:00.79\00:16:02.69
Now, if he's cleansed you from
all unrighteousness, when you
00:16:02.72\00:16:04.89
get off your knees, is
God gonna keep his promise?
00:16:04.93\00:16:08.23
Don't say, oh but, Lord, I don't
know how well I'm going to live
00:16:08.26\00:16:10.33
as a Christian today.
00:16:10.37\00:16:11.67
At that moment, he
gives you eternal life.
00:16:11.70\00:16:13.84
That will then
affect your behavior.
00:16:13.87\00:16:15.70
You start becoming righteous
by faith when you believe
00:16:15.74\00:16:19.14
his promise.
00:16:19.17\00:16:20.51
He then can give you the spirit
and you'll be surprised, moment
00:16:20.54\00:16:22.51
by moment, how you start living
in a different kind of life.
00:16:22.54\00:16:25.45
So try going
through those steps.
00:16:25.48\00:16:27.55
God will bring
things to your mind.
00:16:27.58\00:16:29.85
Romans 10:10, "For with
the heart one believes unto
00:16:29.88\00:16:33.15
righteousness, and
with the mouth confession
00:16:33.19\00:16:35.79
is made unto salvation."
00:16:35.82\00:16:38.16
Then what about
the when of confession?
00:16:38.19\00:16:40.70
When's the
right time to confess?
00:16:40.73\00:16:42.73
You know, one of the most
beautiful prayers in the Bible
00:16:42.76\00:16:44.93
is in Daniel chapter 9, where
Daniel is reading the Bible.
00:16:44.97\00:16:49.34
And in reading the Bible, he
reads the prophecy of Jeremiah,
00:16:49.37\00:16:52.87
and he knows that God wants
to bring his people back, and
00:16:52.91\00:16:55.04
Daniel becomes convicted
that he has not been praying for
00:16:55.08\00:16:57.61
his people.
00:16:57.65\00:16:58.88
And the Bible tells us, if you
read in Daniel chapter 9 verse
00:16:58.91\00:17:01.42
9--verse 3 through 6, 'Then I
set my face towards the Lord and
00:17:01.45\00:17:06.99
made my request by prayer
and supplications, with fasting,
00:17:07.02\00:17:11.36
sackcloth, ashes.
00:17:11.39\00:17:12.99
And I prayed to the Lord
my God, and made confession."
00:17:13.03\00:17:16.46
Notice what happens.
00:17:16.50\00:17:17.83
He's reading the Word, then
he feels impressed to confess.
00:17:17.87\00:17:22.47
And while he's praying and
confessing, Daniel 9 verse 20,
00:17:22.50\00:17:26.51
"While I was speaking, and
praying, and confessing my sin
00:17:26.54\00:17:29.51
and the sin of my people Israel,
and presenting my supplication
00:17:29.54\00:17:32.98
before the Lord my God of the
holy mountain of my God, yes,
00:17:33.01\00:17:36.32
while I was speaking in prayer,
the man Gabriel, whom I had seen
00:17:36.35\00:17:40.02
in the vision at the beginning,
being caused to fly swiftly,
00:17:40.06\00:17:42.99
reached me about the
time of the evening offering."
00:17:43.02\00:17:46.36
So while he's
praying, God sends an angel.
00:17:46.39\00:17:49.80
When does Daniel confess?
00:17:49.83\00:17:51.50
As soon as he is
impressed about his sin.
00:17:51.53\00:17:54.70
Go back to Psalm 32, I want you
to notice something about the
00:17:54.74\00:17:57.07
best time to confess.
00:17:57.11\00:17:58.71
"I acknowledged my sin to you.
00:17:58.74\00:18:01.44
And my iniquity
I have not hidden.
00:18:01.48\00:18:03.41
I said, 'I will confess my
transgression to the Lord.'
00:18:03.45\00:18:06.38
And you forgave
the iniquity of my sin.
00:18:06.41\00:18:09.05
For this cause everyone who
is godly shall pray to you in a
00:18:09.08\00:18:13.56
time when you may be found."
00:18:13.59\00:18:16.56
"Call on him," Isaiah says,
chapter 55 verse 6, "seek the
00:18:16.59\00:18:20.73
Lord while he may be found.
00:18:20.76\00:18:22.06
Call upon him why he is near.
00:18:22.10\00:18:24.17
Let the wicked forsake his
way, and the unrighteous man his
00:18:24.20\00:18:27.47
thoughts; let them return to
the, Lord and he will have mercy
00:18:27.50\00:18:30.91
upon them, to our God, and
he will abundantly pardon."
00:18:30.94\00:18:34.01
So, you don't
want to wait too long.
00:18:34.04\00:18:36.44
Call upon him while he's
near and he hears your prayer.
00:18:36.48\00:18:40.98
During this series, we're hoping
that you go through these steps
00:18:41.02\00:18:43.95
of salvation, and repent of your
sins and confess and come to
00:18:43.99\00:18:47.56
the Lord.
00:18:47.59\00:18:48.89
Who do you confess to?
00:18:48.92\00:18:50.83
Well, James 5:16, it says,
"Confess your trespasses to one
00:18:50.86\00:18:56.30
another, and pray for
one another, that you might
00:18:56.33\00:18:58.80
be healed."
00:18:58.83\00:19:00.24
If I've offended
somebody, I'll confess that sin.
00:19:00.27\00:19:03.71
If you have a close friend
you can trust, it's good to have
00:19:03.74\00:19:07.44
accountability with people.
00:19:07.48\00:19:08.71
If people are struggling with
different things, it's good to
00:19:08.74\00:19:11.15
have a friend who knows how to,
Proverbs says, conceal a matter,
00:19:11.18\00:19:14.58
meaning keep a confidential
trust, that they can pray with
00:19:14.62\00:19:17.72
you about something
you're struggling with.
00:19:17.75\00:19:20.16
But you want to be really
careful about confessing private
00:19:20.19\00:19:22.86
things to people because, well,
you know, sometimes they say, if
00:19:22.89\00:19:27.20
two people know a secret,
it's not a secret anymore.
00:19:27.23\00:19:31.30
And so, the sin against
God should be confessed to God.
00:19:31.33\00:19:35.57
Public sin should
be confessed publicly.
00:19:35.60\00:19:38.11
Private sin should
be confessed privately.
00:19:38.14\00:19:41.18
You probably heard the story
about the three pastors, they
00:19:41.21\00:19:44.41
decided they needed to take a
little vacation together, and so
00:19:44.45\00:19:46.85
they all went out fishing.
00:19:46.88\00:19:48.28
They're all off in the middle of
a lake, and they're fishing, and
00:19:48.32\00:19:50.29
things are going fine.
00:19:50.32\00:19:51.62
Now one of the pastors breaks
down and he starts to cry.
00:19:51.65\00:19:54.42
And it's kind of awkward for
the other two, they hadn't done
00:19:54.46\00:19:56.26
anything, they don't
know what's come over him.
00:19:56.29\00:19:58.23
And he said, you know, we're all
alone out here, I feel like I
00:19:58.26\00:20:00.33
can finally confide in somebody.
00:20:00.36\00:20:02.06
Says, I've got a
really big problem.
00:20:02.10\00:20:03.97
He said, I'm
cheating on my wife.
00:20:04.00\00:20:07.54
And the other two looked at him
and said, well, brother, you got
00:20:07.57\00:20:09.50
to make that right,
but let's pray with you.
00:20:09.54\00:20:10.94
And while they're praying,
another pastor started crying.
00:20:10.97\00:20:14.74
And they said,
what's the problem?
00:20:14.78\00:20:16.85
He said, well, my brother here
inspired me, I need to open up
00:20:16.88\00:20:19.48
and let you guys know of it.
00:20:19.51\00:20:20.82
I've got a
problem, I'm a kleptomaniac.
00:20:20.85\00:20:22.95
I steal all the time.
00:20:22.98\00:20:24.29
Little things.
00:20:24.32\00:20:25.65
Don't need to, I
just can't help myself.
00:20:25.69\00:20:28.36
And they said,
well, we'll pray for you.
00:20:28.39\00:20:29.72
So they're praying, and the two
of them look at the other guy
00:20:29.76\00:20:31.69
who had been strangely quiet.
00:20:31.73\00:20:33.53
They said,
anything you want to share?
00:20:33.56\00:20:35.56
He says, well, yeah,
but I can't, it's too awful.
00:20:35.60\00:20:38.53
They said, well what could
be worse than what we described?
00:20:38.57\00:20:41.27
You can trust us.
00:20:41.30\00:20:42.94
He said, well, my sin is gossip,
and I can't wait to get back
00:20:42.97\00:20:46.04
home and tell everybody.
00:20:46.07\00:20:48.11
So you want to be really careful
about confessing your sins
00:20:48.14\00:20:51.68
to people.
00:20:51.71\00:20:53.08
You want the private
sin to be confessed to God.
00:20:53.11\00:20:58.55
The where of confession.
00:20:58.59\00:21:00.62
Public sin should
be publicly confessed.
00:21:00.66\00:21:03.69
Sometimes there's something
that's very obvious and you may
00:21:03.73\00:21:05.89
want to actually share it
publicly, if you're in a public
00:21:05.93\00:21:09.10
position when you
commit those sins.
00:21:09.13\00:21:11.40
Peter publicly denied the
Lord with swearing and cursing.
00:21:11.43\00:21:15.74
And, you know after the
resurrection, then Jesus asked
00:21:15.77\00:21:18.71
him to identify that, and three
times he said, Simon Peter, do
00:21:18.74\00:21:24.55
you love me?
00:21:24.58\00:21:26.01
Do you love me? Do you love me?
00:21:26.05\00:21:28.72
When you do confession, you
want to do the whole confession.
00:21:28.75\00:21:31.75
Isaiah 6 verse 5. Isaiah was
being specific, he said, "Woe is
00:21:31.79\00:21:36.16
me, for I am undone!
00:21:36.19\00:21:38.33
Because I am a
man of unclean lips.
00:21:38.36\00:21:40.76
And I dwell in the midst of a
people of unclean lips, for mine
00:21:40.80\00:21:44.17
eyes have seen the King."
00:21:44.20\00:21:45.83
You notice what happened is,
when Isaiah said, "I'm a man of
00:21:45.87\00:21:48.57
unclean lips and I dwell in
the midst of a people of unclean
00:21:48.60\00:21:51.54
lips," the angel then takes a
coal from the altar, and where
00:21:51.57\00:21:54.94
does he put it?
00:21:54.98\00:21:56.41
Puts it on his lips.
00:21:56.44\00:21:58.65
God, when you identify with the
specific problems are, you're
00:21:58.68\00:22:02.15
then giving God permission
and power to help you in those
00:22:02.18\00:22:05.12
specific areas.
00:22:05.15\00:22:06.92
And people are
saying, well, how often?
00:22:06.96\00:22:09.29
Doesn't God get tired of hearing
me confess to him over and over
00:22:09.32\00:22:12.79
about the same thing?
00:22:12.83\00:22:15.06
I think that you will get tired
of confessing a lot sooner than
00:22:15.10\00:22:17.80
God gets tired of hearing.
00:22:17.83\00:22:19.80
If you ever come to the Lord and
you are sincere and sorry about
00:22:19.83\00:22:23.87
your sin, then he is sincerely
willing to forgive you.
00:22:23.91\00:22:28.44
Peter asked the Lord, "How often
shall my brother sin against me
00:22:28.48\00:22:32.55
and I forgive him?
00:22:32.58\00:22:33.88
Seven times?"
00:22:33.92\00:22:35.25
And Jesus said, "70 times 7."
00:22:35.28\00:22:36.95
And Jesus said, "If your brother
comes you seven times in one
00:22:36.99\00:22:39.65
day, and says, 'I
repent,' forgive him."
00:22:39.69\00:22:43.26
Now, is God asking us to do less
for each other than he's willing
00:22:43.29\00:22:47.40
to do for us?
00:22:47.46\00:22:48.83
Don't get discouraged, friends,
and think that God is not
00:22:48.86\00:22:51.80
willing to forgive you.
00:22:51.83\00:22:53.13
The reason Jesus came into
the world is to seek and to save
00:22:53.17\00:22:56.57
the lost.
00:22:56.60\00:22:57.91
He is very earnest
about wanting to forgive us.
00:22:57.94\00:23:00.44
That's his supreme desire, that
was the mission of Jesus in the
00:23:00.48\00:23:03.88
world, is to
come and to save us.
00:23:03.91\00:23:07.32
So, there is a risk that some
will wait and confess too late.
00:23:07.35\00:23:12.92
You know, Judas confessed.
00:23:12.95\00:23:14.86
He says, I have
betrayed innocent blood.
00:23:14.89\00:23:17.19
But at that point, he had
grieved away the Holy Spirit.
00:23:17.23\00:23:20.03
And the pharaoh, he confessed,
and he repented, but he waited
00:23:20.06\00:23:24.57
until he had grieved
away the Holy Spirit.
00:23:24.60\00:23:27.54
And there's a danger
that you can wait too long.
00:23:27.57\00:23:30.11
It's so important that
when you hear God call.
00:23:30.14\00:23:32.74
Today is the day of salvation.
00:23:32.77\00:23:34.74
The Bible says now is the
appointed time, today, if you
00:23:34.78\00:23:37.98
hear his voice.
00:23:38.01\00:23:39.35
When Jesus calls people,
whenever he called the apostles,
00:23:39.38\00:23:42.88
he said, follow me.
00:23:42.92\00:23:44.25
They dropped what they were
doing and they followed him.
00:23:44.29\00:23:47.02
And if you're hearing the
Holy Spirit speak to you about
00:23:47.06\00:23:49.82
something now,
listen to the Spirit.
00:23:49.86\00:23:51.83
God is not wanting to take away
your joy, he's wanting to give
00:23:51.86\00:23:54.96
you joy and peace.
00:23:55.00\00:23:56.53
He says, "I've come that
you might have life and have it
00:23:56.56\00:23:58.47
more abundantly."
00:23:58.50\00:23:59.83
But before God can lift you up,
the Bible says, we must humble
00:23:59.87\00:24:03.10
ourself before the Lord,
and then he will lift us up.
00:24:03.14\00:24:06.61
Now, years ago I heard about
a coal mine accident, I was in
00:24:06.64\00:24:11.21
Kentucky somewhere, and this was
a long time ago, and these men
00:24:11.25\00:24:14.45
were trapped.
00:24:14.48\00:24:15.78
The regular shaft that took them
up the elevator and out of the
00:24:15.82\00:24:18.69
mine was completely
imploded, and they thought it
00:24:18.72\00:24:20.92
was hopeless.
00:24:20.96\00:24:22.29
Gradually they saw that their
lights were growing dim, which
00:24:22.32\00:24:25.13
made them worry that they
were running out of oxygen.
00:24:25.16\00:24:27.73
But there was one old miner
there, and he said, you know, I
00:24:27.76\00:24:30.60
think there's hope.
00:24:30.63\00:24:32.47
They were in the dark,
but he felt a light breeze.
00:24:32.50\00:24:35.77
And he said, we had an old
ventilation shaft that went from
00:24:35.80\00:24:39.37
this chamber to another chamber,
but you've gotta crawl for
00:24:39.41\00:24:42.91
almost a quarter mile.
00:24:42.94\00:24:44.45
It's gonna be dark, you're gonna
have to just be on your belly,
00:24:44.48\00:24:47.95
you can't take
any gear with you.
00:24:47.98\00:24:50.09
He said, follow me, and I
think we've got a way out.
00:24:50.12\00:24:53.66
Well, they had to get
down and crawl for a while, and
00:24:53.69\00:24:56.49
eventually the shaft, the
air duct shaft was open and they
00:24:56.52\00:25:00.13
were all able to escape.
00:25:00.16\00:25:01.73
But they all had to unload, and
they had to get down, and they
00:25:01.76\00:25:04.67
had to crawl.
00:25:04.70\00:25:06.03
You know, there's a way to
freedom, there's a way to the
00:25:06.07\00:25:07.94
light, but we have to humble
ourselves before the Lord.
00:25:07.97\00:25:11.67
If we will humble ourselves
and pray, the Bible tells us, he
00:25:11.71\00:25:16.11
will then hear our prayers.
00:25:16.14\00:25:17.81
It's sometimes hard for people
to say they're sorry, and, you
00:25:17.85\00:25:21.25
know, even in the closest
relationships, sometimes I find
00:25:21.28\00:25:24.22
it's harder for couples to
apologize to each other than it
00:25:24.25\00:25:27.86
is for a person to apologize to
his work associates or somebody
00:25:27.89\00:25:32.79
in public.
00:25:32.83\00:25:34.56
You have to admit your humanity,
admit your weakness, and that
00:25:34.56\00:25:37.43
requires that we
humble ourselves.
00:25:37.47\00:25:40.60
But Jesus says, if we will
humble ourselves, he will then
00:25:40.64\00:25:43.84
lift us up.
00:25:43.87\00:25:45.21
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It's now easier than ever
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Amazing Facts
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00:26:18.44\00:26:21.14
male announcer: The
statistics are grim.
00:26:22.74\00:26:24.45
Millions have been infected
by coronavirus, thousands
00:26:24.48\00:26:27.72
have died.
00:26:27.75\00:26:29.08
Race riots have broken out on
streets, political tensions are
00:26:29.12\00:26:32.12
at an all-time high.
00:26:32.15\00:26:33.76
Does the Bible have anything to
say about the times in which we
00:26:33.79\00:26:37.23
are living?
00:26:37.26\00:26:38.59
Pastor Doug
Batchelor: Hi, friends.
00:26:38.63\00:26:39.93
This is Pastor Doug Batchelor.
00:26:39.96\00:26:41.26
Many people are wondering if
the world's about to implode.
00:26:41.30\00:26:44.57
Some are fearful that global
events point to a coming crisis
00:26:44.60\00:26:48.07
unlike anything
we've ever witnessed.
00:26:48.10\00:26:50.87
Did you know the Bible book of
Revelation actually speaks about
00:26:50.91\00:26:54.24
the days in
which we're living now?
00:26:54.28\00:26:56.34
And it contains a message of
hope, if we would only listen.
00:26:56.38\00:27:00.92
That's why I'd
like to invite you to
00:27:00.95\00:27:02.48
"Revelation Now: Decoding the
Bible's Greatest Prophecies."
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In this multi-part series, I'll
be sharing relevant truths for
00:27:07.06\00:27:10.56
our time from the
last book in the Bible.
00:27:10.59\00:27:13.40
male announcer:
Coming October 23rd.
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To learn more,
visit revelationnow.com.
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male announcer: You can become
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These 24 easy-to-read lessons
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what the Bible really says
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afterlife, and so much more.
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Even better, it's absolutely
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male announcer: Don't forget to
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sure to be a blessing.
00:28:00.84\00:28:02.41
And thank you for your continued
support as we take the gospel of
00:28:02.44\00:28:05.81
Jesus Christ to the world.
00:28:05.85\00:28:07.75
We hope you'll join us next week
as we delve deep into the Word
00:28:07.78\00:28:11.22
of God to explore
more amazing facts.
00:28:11.25\00:28:14.22
male announcer: This
presentation was brought to you
00:28:23.50\00:28:24.90
by the friends of the
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00:28:24.93\00:28:27.77