...
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male announcer: This
presentation is brought to you
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by the friends of the
"Amazing Facts" ministry.
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[music]
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Doug Batchelor: For my yoke
is easy and my burden is light,
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as compared to what?
Now, there's a question.
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There's only two masters.
Jesus said, "You're with me
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or you're against me.
It's my yoke or the devil's
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yoke. It's my
service or his service."
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announcer: For over 40
years, "Amazing Facts" has been
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dedicated to sharing
God's Word through media.
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This program features
highlights from some of our best
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television broadcasts. We
invite you to sit back and
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enjoy this edition of
"Amazing Facts Presents."
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Doug: Straight is the
gate and narrow is the way,
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you've heard that before?
And few there be that find it.
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It's not that it can't be found.
But for some reason, a lot
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of us sort of think
in a herd mentality.
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And we just go down thebroad
road with everybody else.
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Is it easier to
be saved or lost?
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Well, first I want to make it
clear that good and bad comes to
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everybody in life.
There are struggles for
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everybody. We're not
talking about is life
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hard or easy because life
is difficult and there are
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problems. Now,
Jesus said, Matthew 5,
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verse 45, "He makes
the sun rise on the evil
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and the good. He
sends the rain on the just
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and the unjust."
Job, when trials came into
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his life, and he was a
perfect and upright man,
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it says, "Shall we indeed
accept good from the Lord,
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and shall we not
accept adversity?"
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You will have good and you will
have adversity in your life.
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Everybody's going
to have some trials.
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But people are wondering, "Is
it easier to be saved or lost?"
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And a lot of
folks get discouraged.
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They think, "I'd like
to be a Christian, but
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it's just so hard."
There are trials, there are
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struggles that come. Acts
14:22, Paul said, "We must
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through many tribulations
enter the kingdom of God."
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You notice--and this today is
not popular because the church
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at large, many evangelical
churches teach that God loves us
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too much to allow us
to suffer tribulation.
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That if you have faith,
you're going to be healthy,
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and you're going to be wealthy,
and you're going to be wise,
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and you won't have any problems.
And if you do, you just don't
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have enough faith.
And because the Lord loves
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us, the great tribulation
the Bible talks about, we
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won't experience that,
we will all be caught up.
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If you don't have
faith, you're left behind.
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We'll be caught up
before the tribulation.
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'Cause that's not
what the Bible teaches.
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God doesn't say he
saves us from tribulation.
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Do you notice what
Paul said? It is through.
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Now, that's the difference being
saved from it and being saved
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through it. Was
Noah saved from the
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flood or through the flood?
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Was Daniel saved from
the lion's den or through it?
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How about Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego?
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Did God, because he loved them,
save them from the furnace?
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He went through
the furnace with them.
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God said, "When you
pass through the fires,
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when you go through the
waters, I will go with you."
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But he doesn't promise that he's
going to save us from trouble.
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Paul said, "It is through
tribulation we enter the kingdom
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of God." Jesus
said, "He that endures to
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the end will be saved."
Christ said, Mark 13:13, "You'll
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be hated by all
for my name's sake.
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But he that endures to
the end shall be saved there."
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There's
endurance that is involved.
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And John 16:33, "These things
I've spoken to you that you
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might have peace. In
the world you will have
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tribulation; but be of
good cheer, I have overcome the
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world." And so,
the Lord is making
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very clear that believers will
have tribulation, but cheer up.
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Unbelievers
have tribulation too.
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Life is tough. How
many of you have had
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trials in your
life? Anyone trial free?
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Now, when I ok at the trial,
some people will go through,
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think, "I don't
have any problems."
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You know, after I come back from
one of these trips to India or
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Africa, and you see the shanties
and the people sleeping in the
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street, and just living
form hand to mouth, and then I
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think about, you know,
how a flat tire ruins my day.
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And in
perspective, I think, "Oh,
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it's really not that bad."
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And someone says, "Oh,
I had trials this week.
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I had a flat tire."
"Did you have a spare?"
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"Yeah, but I had
to change my tire."
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And so, you know, in our way
of thinking, those are trials.
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Most of us don't have--some of
us have more serious trials if
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we've got a terminal disease or
someone we love has a terminal
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disease, or going through
terrible health problems,
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or you might have
tremendous financial reverses,
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and struggles, and stress,
and someone you love is lost.
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There's all kinds of trials.
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But if you live long enough,
you're going to have problems.
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So, the question is not, do the
saved have problems and the lost
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don't? Or do the
lost have problems
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and the saved don't?
Everybody's got problems.
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But is it easier
to be saved than lost?
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Is it easier to win or to
lose? Well, how many of you like
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losing? Jesus
asked this question,
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Matthew 16:26, "What profit
is it if a man gains his whole
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world--the whole
world, and loses his own soul?
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Or what will the man give
in exchange for his soul?"
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I remember reading back during
the stock market crash in was it
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1928? Some people
overnight--'29, and
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they overnight lost their
fortunes, and it was I guess
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fairly common.
Day after day, people
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were--these people who had great
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wealth lost it all, and they
were jumping from the windows
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because they thought that it
all--because they'd lost their
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earthly treasure,
they lost everything.
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They killed themselves,
believing their lives had no
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meaning. There
was a man in the news,
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very wealthy man in
charge of an energy company that
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was indicted.
And the day after the
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indictment, he drove
his car, he was by himself,
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very quickly into
a concrete abutment.
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And at first, they
couldn't say what it was,
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but they suspect it was suicide.
He was waiting to turn himself
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over to the authorities
and to be imprisoned.
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And he despaired of life.
He'd lived, was very successful,
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very popular, very
famous wealthy man.
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Killed himself.
So, losing can be hard.
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Some people take it pretty hard.
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Matthew 13, "The kingdom
of heaven is like a merchant
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seeking beautiful pearls.
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And when he has found one pearl
of great price, he goes and
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sells all that he has to get
it," because that's profitable.
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Willing to sacrifice everything
for that which lasts forever.
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Now, probably one
of the best analogies,
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if you're trying to decide, is
it easier to be saved or lost,
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is from the story of
Israel and the exodus.
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My question would be, is it
easier to be a slave or to be
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free? Some people would say, "Of
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course it's easier
to be free." Is it?
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Do you know how you get freedom?
Does freedom ever come easy?
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Do you know why we have
what freedom we have left?
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'Cause a lot of
people have died for it,
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and they spilt their blood,
and they sacrificed their lives.
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So yes, we want to be
free, but freedom costs a lot.
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And as we are willing to
sacrifice our freedoms one by
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one, I think we
forget what slavery is.
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There's a whole nation of
slaves called the Israelites.
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And after being
saved from their slavery,
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they forgot how hard it was, and
they wanted to go back to Egypt.
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It's amazing. "Oh
man, this going through the
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wilderness with God is tough.
I wish I was back in Egypt."
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And they forgot back in
Egypt, they're serving a king
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that hates them, they're
working for his glory, they're
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not getting paid.
Listen to how Moses describes
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it. Deuteronomy
26, verse 6, "But
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the Egyptians mistreated
us, afflicted us, and laid
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hard bondage on us.
Then we cried to the Lord
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God of our fathers, and the Lord
heard our voice and looked upon
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our affliction, our
labor, our oppression.
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So the Lord brought us up
out of Egypt with a mighty hand,
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with an outstretched arm,
with great terror and signs and
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wonders and power of God.
And he has brought us to this
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place and give us this
land, 'a land flowing with milk
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and honey.'" So,
which is easier, being a
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slave of the Pharaoh
or being a servant of God?
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Wouldn't you think, I mean,
if you could look at the two
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options, wouldn't
you think it'd be easier,
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"Well, I'm going
to the Promised Land"?
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But why did they
keep wanting to go back?
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They said, "Going
through the wilderness is hard."
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They had hope, God
fed them from heaven,
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they got hungry
before they cried for bread.
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He gave him water out of a rock,
they got thirsty before they got
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the water. They
were attacked by their
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enemies, he gave
them victory over their
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enemies, the Amalekites.
So, they did have struggles in
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the wilderness, but they
won. In every case, God took
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care of them. And
they were on their way
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to a land that was
theirs, to freedom.
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But in the
transition, it was hard.
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Is it harder to be
enslaved to the devil
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or to serve Jesus? I'd
like to tell you that the
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Bible I think is pretty clear
it is much harder, at least
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from my perspective,
to be a slave to the devil
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than to be a servant of
God. I spent years enslaved.
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People are
enslaved by their habits,
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and their
addictions, and their problems.
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Now, when you're
finally set free--I know a man,
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attends here every now
and then, alcoholic for years.
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And oh, it must be 25 years
ago God gave him victory over
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alcohol, but he struggled with
that slavery for so long that he
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can't stop praising
Jesus for setting him free.
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You talk to him, even
though it's been years,
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'cause he hasn't
forgotten what it was like.
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If you know what slavery is,
there's no question it's easier
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to fight for your freedom.
And there might be a fight,
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but it's worth it as
opposed to being a slave.
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Now, that applies to patriotism
as well as Christianity.
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Jesus said, and this
was our memory verse,
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our Scripture
reading, Matthew 11:28,
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"Come to me, all
you who are heavy laden,
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and I will give you rest,"
as opposed to the serving the
00:12:05.99\00:12:09.86
Pharaoh with rigor.
"Take my yoke upon you."
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Jesus doesn't say
there's no service involved.
00:12:13.70\00:12:15.90
A yoke is an
instrument of burden.
00:12:15.93\00:12:18.63
"Take my yoke upon
you and learn from me,
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for I am gentle
and lowly in heart.
00:12:21.50\00:12:24.04
You will find
rest for your souls.
00:12:24.07\00:12:26.37
For my yoke is easy and my
burden is light," as compared to
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what? Now, there's a question.
00:12:31.15\00:12:34.12
Jesus says, "My yoke is
easy, my burden is light."
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His yoke compared to whose
yoke? There's only two masters.
00:12:36.89\00:12:41.29
Jesus said, "You're
with me or you're against me.
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It's my yoke or
the devil's yoke.
00:12:42.92\00:12:45.76
It's my service or his service."
00:12:45.79\00:12:47.96
And Jesus tells us, "My yoke
is easy as compared to his."
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He didn't say
there aren't trials,
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it is easy
compared to the devil.
00:12:53.00\00:12:54.94
My burden is light
compared to the devil.
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And it's either going
to be one or the other.
00:12:58.27\00:13:01.48
Proverbs 13:15, "Good
understanding gains favor.
00:13:01.51\00:13:06.25
But the way of the
transgressor is hard."
00:13:06.28\00:13:10.15
Is it easier to be
saved or to be lost?
00:13:10.19\00:13:12.85
The way of the
transgressor is hard.
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And they may not know it right
away 'cause there are pleasures
00:13:17.33\00:13:20.00
of sin for a season, but
you'll stay in the way of the
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transgressor and
it's going to be tough.
00:13:22.90\00:13:25.67
The way is hard.
Ecclesiastes 8:12.
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Now, this is
Solomon's observation also,
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"Though a sinner
does evil a hundred times,
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and his days are prolonged."
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Well, he's been
sinning, nothing bad happened.
00:13:36.88\00:13:39.85
Look like things are going okay.
00:13:39.88\00:13:42.02
I mean, they ask this
question in the book of Job.
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Job says, "Haven't you ever
noticed that sometimes you'll
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see sinners, and it looks
like their kids are healthy,
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and their flocks are breeding,
and their crops are full,
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and it seems like everything's
fine and they're prospering?"
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But it doesn't stay that way.
00:13:57.77\00:14:01.04
"Though a sinner
does evil a hundred times,
00:14:01.07\00:14:03.24
and his days are prolonged, yet
I surely know it will be well
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with those who fear
God, who fear before him.
00:14:07.51\00:14:10.25
It will not be
well with the wicked;
00:14:10.28\00:14:12.71
nor will he prolong his
days, which are a shadow,
00:14:12.75\00:14:15.82
because he does
not fear before God."
00:14:15.85\00:14:17.92
You know, in the
end of Ecclesiastes,
00:14:17.95\00:14:19.55
he says, "Let's hear the
conclusion of the whole matter.
00:14:19.59\00:14:22.62
Fear God and
keep his commandments,
00:14:22.66\00:14:24.33
for this is the
whole duty of man.
00:14:24.36\00:14:26.76
For God will bring every work
into judgment with every secret
00:14:26.80\00:14:29.30
thing, whether
it be good or evil."
00:14:29.33\00:14:30.87
He said in the end, you're going
to be better if you fear God and
00:14:30.90\00:14:36.34
keep his commandments.
All right, is it easier to be
00:14:36.37\00:14:40.04
rich than poor? Now,
don't misunderstand this.
00:14:40.08\00:14:42.28
This is not really a
statement on prosperity,
00:14:42.31\00:14:45.01
but I just want to
give you an illustration.
00:14:45.05\00:14:47.35
Some people think if you can
choose between being rich and
00:14:47.38\00:14:50.55
being poor, you think, "Oh man,
I'd much rather have money."
00:14:50.59\00:14:53.92
I think most of
us would say that.
00:14:53.96\00:14:55.96
But is that where
happiness comes from?
00:14:55.99\00:14:58.56
Notice Mark
10:27--Mark 10:20 through 27,
00:14:58.59\00:15:03.60
this rh young
ruler comes to Jesus.
00:15:03.63\00:15:05.43
He falls down on his knees.
He says, "Lord, what must I
00:15:05.47\00:15:08.44
do to have eternal
life?" And Jesus said, "Why do
00:15:08.47\00:15:10.77
you call me good?
There's no one good but
00:15:10.81\00:15:12.81
one, and that's God.
But if you would enter into
00:15:12.84\00:15:14.61
life, keep the commandments."
He says, "Which ones?"
00:15:14.64\00:15:17.28
And Jesus begins to recite
the 10 Commandments that apply
00:15:17.31\00:15:19.98
between man's relationship
with his fellow man.
00:15:20.02\00:15:23.42
So, "'Teacher, I've kept
all these from my youth.'
00:15:23.45\00:15:26.69
And Jesus,
looking at him, loved him.
00:15:26.72\00:15:30.09
And he said,
'One thing you lack.
00:15:30.13\00:15:32.76
Go your way, sell whatever
you have, give it to the poor.
00:15:32.79\00:15:35.50
You will have
treasure in heaven.
00:15:35.53\00:15:37.13
You want
treasure? You'll have it.
00:15:37.17\00:15:38.50
You'll have treasure
that thieves can't steal.
00:15:38.53\00:15:40.57
You'll have treasure
that'll last forever.
00:15:40.60\00:15:43.14
Unload, take up your
cross and follow me.'"
00:15:43.17\00:15:45.71
He was inviting him to be an
Apostle like Peter, and James,
00:15:45.74\00:15:48.41
and John forsook
their nets and followed him.
00:15:48.44\00:15:51.61
Matthew forsook his cash
register and followed Jesus.
00:15:51.65\00:15:55.55
He says to this
young man who he loved,
00:15:55.58\00:15:58.89
"You've got a lot of potential.
00:15:58.92\00:16:00.86
But you're going to have
to liquidate if you're gointo
00:16:00.89\00:16:02.92
follow me because your riches
are going to be a distraction."
00:16:02.96\00:16:08.10
"But he was sad at this word,
and he went away sorrowful,
00:16:08.13\00:16:13.44
for he had great possessions."
Now, here's a question.
00:16:13.47\00:16:17.37
When he went away, did he
still have great possessions?
00:16:17.41\00:16:21.91
But was he happy? He
was sad, he was sorrowful.
00:16:21.94\00:16:27.12
A man's life does not consist
in the abundance of things he
00:16:27.15\00:16:29.68
possesses. See, one
reason it's hard for
00:16:29.72\00:16:32.79
us to be saved, or it
seems like it, is because we're
00:16:32.82\00:16:36.76
trying to save the wrong thing.
00:16:36.79\00:16:39.86
We're thinking our
treasures are down here.
00:16:39.89\00:16:41.66
We're not calculating the
treasure that lasts forever.
00:16:41.70\00:16:45.47
"Jesus looked around and
he said to the disciples,
00:16:45.50\00:16:47.40
'How hard it is,'"
notice who's having a hard time.
00:16:47.44\00:16:51.21
It's the rich. "'How
hard it is for those who
00:16:51.24\00:16:53.24
have riches to
enter the kingdom of God!'
00:16:53.27\00:16:55.58
And the disciples were
astonished at his words.
00:16:55.61\00:16:58.58
And Jesus answered and said
to them again," just in case you
00:16:58.61\00:17:01.18
misunderstand, "children, how
hard it is for those who trust
00:17:01.22\00:17:04.39
in riches to enter
the kingdom of God!
00:17:04.42\00:17:07.49
It is easier," notice the
words "hard" and "easier."
00:17:07.52\00:17:10.63
"'It's easier for a camel to go
through the eye of a need than
00:17:10.66\00:17:13.93
for a rich man to
enter the kingdom of heaven.'
00:17:13.96\00:17:16.53
And they were astonished and
said, 'Who then can be saved?'
00:17:16.56\00:17:20.70
And he said, 'Well, with men
it's impossible, but with God
00:17:20.74\00:17:24.61
all things are possible.'"
Now, riches are not a curse
00:17:24.64\00:17:28.61
in and of themselves.
Proverbs has some--both sides
00:17:28.64\00:17:32.11
of the equation here.
It says in Proverbs 10:22,
00:17:32.15\00:17:35.08
"The blessing of
the Lord makes one rich,
00:17:35.12\00:17:37.79
and he adds no sorrow with it."
00:17:37.82\00:17:39.95
With the blessing of God,
you can have riches as Abraham,
00:17:39.99\00:17:42.29
Isaac, and Jacob, and
Job. And you can be blessed.
00:17:42.32\00:17:47.73
Proverbs 11:28, "He who
trusts in his riches will fall.
00:17:47.76\00:17:52.37
There is one who
makes himself rich,
00:17:52.40\00:17:53.97
and yet he has nothing; and
there's one who makes himself
00:17:54.00\00:17:55.70
poor, and yet has great riches.
This rich young ruler, if he had
00:17:55.74\00:17:59.44
made himself poor for Christ,
he would've had great riches.
00:17:59.47\00:18:03.04
But instead, he held
on his earthly riches,
00:18:03.08\00:18:04.45
and he made himself
poor, and he was sad.
00:18:04.48\00:18:08.55
And then Solomon
says in Ecclesiastes 5,
00:18:08.58\00:18:10.75
"The abundance of the rich
will not permit him to sleep."
00:18:10.79\00:18:15.19
So, here you got a man
who's sad and he can't sleep,
00:18:15.22\00:18:17.23
why? He's
worried about his stuff.
00:18:17.26\00:18:19.56
If you don't have anything, you
could sleep like a baby 'cause
00:18:19.59\00:18:21.76
you don't have to worry
about thieves breaking in.
00:18:21.80\00:18:25.10
He has nothing to steal.
I used to sing a song when I
00:18:25.13\00:18:29.70
was a hippie, "Freedom's
just another word for nothing
00:18:29.74\00:18:33.11
left to lose." And
Chris Kristofferson told
00:18:33.14\00:18:38.65
the truth there. You
don't have much and I've
00:18:38.68\00:18:41.35
been there before, you
don't worry about, "Will he
00:18:41.38\00:18:43.65
steal my stuff?" 'cause
you don't have anything.
00:18:43.69\00:18:46.39
There's a peace
there. So, who has peace?
00:18:46.42\00:18:50.59
Isaiah 48:22, "'There is
no peace,' says the Lord,
00:18:50.63\00:18:55.06
'for the wicked.'" I saw
a bumper sticker one time
00:18:55.10\00:19:00.40
and it said N-O God,
N-O peace. No God, no peace.
00:19:00.44\00:19:08.04
And then underneath
it, it said K-N-O-W God,
00:19:08.08\00:19:12.21
K-N-O-W peace.
00:19:12.25\00:19:15.98
If you have no
God, you have no peace.
00:19:16.02\00:19:17.42
But if you know God, you
will know or experience peace.
00:19:17.45\00:19:22.19
There is no peace to the wicked.
00:19:22.22\00:19:25.46
Isaiah 57:18, "I've seen
his ways and I'll heal him; I'll
00:19:25.49\00:19:30.00
lead him, I'll restore comforts
to him and to his mourners.
00:19:30.03\00:19:34.10
'I create the
fruit of the lips: peace,
00:19:34.14\00:19:36.34
peace to him who is afar
off and to him who is near,'
00:19:36.37\00:19:39.01
says the Lord,
'I will heal him.'
00:19:39.04\00:19:41.41
But the wicked are like
the troubled sea, it cannot
00:19:41.44\00:19:43.38
rest, whose waters
cast up mire and dirt.
00:19:43.41\00:19:46.41
'There is no peace,' says
my God, 'for the wicked.'"
00:19:46.45\00:19:48.85
So, you got it at
least twice there.
00:19:48.88\00:19:51.29
You remember when
Paul was running from God?
00:19:51.32\00:19:54.09
He's fighting Christians, he's
fighting his conscience really.
00:19:54.12\00:19:57.29
Finally, Jesus appears to him.
You remember what Jesus said
00:19:57.33\00:19:59.49
to Paul? He said,
"I'm Jesus who you're
00:19:59.53\00:20:02.43
persecuting. Is it
hard for you to kick
00:20:02.46\00:20:04.90
against the goads?"
You know, we probably
00:20:04.93\00:20:09.14
don't see it very much, it's
more common in other countries
00:20:09.17\00:20:11.57
that when their poor
people are kind of moving
00:20:11.61\00:20:14.58
their ox and their cattle along,
they'll have a sharp prod.
00:20:14.61\00:20:17.25
It might have one or
two prongs at the end of it.
00:20:17.28\00:20:18.91
And now they use electric
hotshots to move the cows,
00:20:18.95\00:20:22.02
and they jump pretty
good when you touch them.
00:20:22.05\00:20:25.92
But they had
these poking sticks.
00:20:25.95\00:20:27.92
And sometimes,
the horse or the cow,
00:20:27.96\00:20:29.56
or whatever it was
would kick against the prod,
00:20:29.59\00:20:32.03
and they would just cut
themselves 'cause it was sharp.
00:20:32.06\00:20:35.43
And if they would just go the
way that the owner was directing
00:20:35.46\00:20:38.33
them, it would be easy.
But they're kicking against the
00:20:38.37\00:20:40.84
goads. They get
to this King James,
00:20:40.87\00:20:42.84
kicking against the pricks.
And this is what Paul was
00:20:42.87\00:20:46.57
doing as he was fighting
God. And Jesus said, "How's it
00:20:46.61\00:20:50.68
going, Paul?" He was miserable.
00:20:50.71\00:20:54.18
He said, "Isn't it hard?"
Jesus said, "Isn't it hard
00:20:54.22\00:20:58.35
fighting your conscience,
and fighting the Lord,
00:20:58.39\00:21:00.96
and serving the devil?"
And finally, Paul surrendered.
00:21:00.99\00:21:04.26
And when he fell
in love with Jesus,
00:21:04.29\00:21:06.39
well, the world
was never the same.
00:21:06.43\00:21:09.46
He said, "Woe unto me
if I preach not Christ."
00:21:09.50\00:21:12.60
There's no peace for the wicked.
Now, there are battles in life.
00:21:12.63\00:21:16.40
And sometimes, we struggle.
And look at the terminology
00:21:16.44\00:21:21.88
that is used.
Ephesians 6:12, "For we do
00:21:21.91\00:21:26.41
not wrestle against
flesh and blood, but against
00:21:26.45\00:21:29.12
principalities, and powers, the
rulers of darkness of this age,
00:21:29.15\00:21:32.82
against spiritual hosts of
wickedness in heavenly places."
00:21:32.85\00:21:35.76
There are titanic battles with
the devil that you're going to
00:21:35.79\00:21:39.16
fight. The Bible says we need to
00:21:39.19\00:21:41.46
put on armor. When
do you put on armor?
00:21:41.50\00:21:43.50
'Cause there's a war. 1
Corinthians 9:26, "Therefore I
00:21:43.53\00:21:47.60
run thus: not with uncertainty.
Thus I fight: not as one who
00:21:47.64\00:21:51.67
beats the air. But
I disciple my body and
00:21:51.71\00:21:53.98
bring it into subjection,
lest, when I preach to others,
00:21:54.01\00:21:57.01
I myself should be
disqualified or be a castaway."
00:21:57.05\00:22:00.05
Paul said there are struggles.
There's effort involved, there's
00:22:00.05\00:22:02.58
no question.
Here's some of the words
00:22:02.62\00:22:04.45
that are used. "We
wore, wrestle, fight,
00:22:04.49\00:22:08.82
run, strive, press on, labor."
Now, those who say, you know,
00:22:08.86\00:22:13.83
they preach a Christianity where
there's no effort involved,
00:22:13.86\00:22:16.03
they're lying to
people. But you know what?
00:22:16.06\00:22:19.30
It's tough to be a real
Christian, it's a lot tougher
00:22:19.33\00:22:22.94
to be lost. And
sometimes, it is so hard
00:22:22.97\00:22:27.21
to hold on. We
feel like in our own
00:22:27.24\00:22:30.38
strength, we just can't do
it. I remember when I was very
00:22:30.41\00:22:33.98
young, my father
taught me to water ski.
00:22:34.02\00:22:38.65
And right out of our back door,
my dad had a home on the bay,
00:22:38.69\00:22:44.66
Biscayne Bay. We
had a ski boat and
00:22:44.69\00:22:46.46
he took me out. I
was like 8 years old.
00:22:46.49\00:22:47.96
I remember he'd take us
skiing early in the morning,
00:22:47.96\00:22:49.80
and the water was like
glass. Before we went to school,
00:22:49.83\00:22:52.03
he'd wake us up, I hated
it. He'd wake us up extra early,
00:22:52.07\00:22:55.74
"Come on, we're
going to go skiing."
00:22:55.77\00:22:57.07
He'd take us out,
the water was all glassy.
00:22:57.11\00:22:58.51
It was before he went
to work, before we went to
00:22:58.54\00:23:00.04
school. And I remember he was
00:23:00.08\00:23:03.38
trying to teach me to ski.
And I'd see my brothers get up,
00:23:03.41\00:23:07.02
they were all older
and they'd ski, two skis.
00:23:07.05\00:23:11.45
And my father put me in
the water, and he put the life
00:23:11.49\00:23:13.46
belt on me. It was
just a belt back then,
00:23:13.49\00:23:16.06
they didn't have
the whole vest thing.
00:23:16.09\00:23:18.33
And he said, "Put your
knees up, aim your ski tips up,
00:23:18.36\00:23:21.26
put the rope." Then
he said, "Now hang on."
00:23:21.30\00:23:23.93
He thought, well, the rope's
going to pop out of my hands
00:23:23.97\00:23:25.67
when he tries to pull me
up. He says, "Don't let go,
00:23:25.70\00:23:27.50
hang on." That
was the last thing he
00:23:27.54\00:23:29.70
said, "Now hang on."
So, as soon as I started
00:23:29.74\00:23:32.81
going up, my ski
is parted like that.
00:23:32.84\00:23:36.34
And I went
forward. But I hung on.
00:23:36.38\00:23:43.99
And I could--I could
hold my breath pretty well.
00:23:44.02\00:23:46.82
And my father
had gunned the boat,
00:23:46.86\00:23:48.16
and he told my
brother to watch me.
00:23:48.19\00:23:49.42
Now, my brother's the spotter.
My brother didn't say anything
00:23:49.46\00:23:51.89
to my father
about, "Doug's down."
00:23:51.93\00:23:54.20
He thought this would be
interesting, so he's just
00:23:54.20\00:23:55.80
watching. And I'm
holding on, my dad is
00:23:55.83\00:23:57.97
going like you would go
when you're pulling a skier.
00:23:58.00\00:24:01.30
And I guess I have a pretty
good grip because I held on,
00:24:01.34\00:24:04.51
and it was going
faster and faster.
00:24:04.54\00:24:05.87
And all these bubbles
and roars going by me,
00:24:05.91\00:24:08.14
and water's going in
my ears, and up my nose,
00:24:08.18\00:24:10.48
and around behind my eyeballs.
And I'm trying to hang on.
00:24:10.51\00:24:15.35
I was doing--I
was like a torpedo.
00:24:15.38\00:24:18.62
I'm going underneath the
water and up above the water.
00:24:18.65\00:24:21.26
And finally, when I realized
my bathing suit was around my
00:24:21.29\00:24:23.59
knees, I let go of the rope.
I couldn't hold on anymore.
00:24:23.63\00:24:27.86
My knuckles were so sore.
And--but you know, when the
00:24:27.86\00:24:34.94
Lord is telling us to hold on,
it's different than you holding
00:24:34.97\00:24:37.67
on with your strength.
He is holding onto you.
00:24:37.71\00:24:43.61
You can read about this
here. Can we trust Jesus?
00:24:43.65\00:24:47.05
John 6:37, "All that the
Father gives me will come to me,
00:24:47.08\00:24:52.32
and the one who comes to me
I will by no means cast out."
00:24:52.35\00:24:57.33
John 6:39, "This is the
will of the Father who sent me,
00:24:57.36\00:25:01.10
that all he has given me I
should lose nothing," he'll hang
00:25:01.13\00:25:04.00
on to you, "but I'll
raise him up the last day."
00:25:04.03\00:25:07.94
Philippians 1:6, "Being
confident of this very thing,
00:25:07.97\00:25:11.07
that he who has begun a good
work in you will complete it,
00:25:11.11\00:25:14.61
will perform it until
the day of Jesus Christ."
00:25:14.64\00:25:17.48
Hebrews 12:2,
"Looking unto Jesus,
00:25:17.51\00:25:19.91
the author and finisher," notice
the words of complete there.
00:25:19.95\00:25:23.99
He will complete it.
"He's the author and the
00:25:24.02\00:25:26.15
finisher of our
faith, who for the joy
00:25:26.19\00:25:29.39
that was set before
him endured the cross."
00:25:29.42\00:25:31.49
Would you let go of
something you paid so much,
00:25:31.53\00:25:34.30
you gave your life to save?
00:25:34.30\00:25:35.86
God is going to do everything
he can do to hang onto you.
00:25:35.90\00:25:38.63
He's on your side if
you're willing to be willing.
00:25:38.67\00:25:43.94
And if you just come to
the Lord, and if you fall,
00:25:43.97\00:25:45.51
you tell him. Say,
"Lord, I've given you
00:25:45.54\00:25:47.48
my life. Do
whatever you've got to
00:25:47.51\00:25:48.84
do to change me." He
will work in your life.
00:25:48.88\00:25:51.71
He works at your salvation. 2
Timothy 1:12, "For this is the
00:25:51.75\00:25:56.72
reason I suffer these things;
nevertheless I am not ashamed,
00:25:56.75\00:26:00.16
for I know whom I have
believed, and I am persuaded
00:26:00.19\00:26:04.36
that he is able to
keep what I have committed
00:26:04.39\00:26:07.50
to him until that day."
Do you believe that if you
00:26:07.50\00:26:10.77
commit your life to
Jesus, he is able to save you?
00:26:10.80\00:26:14.04
Would he give all that he gave
for you to be saved if it wasn't
00:26:14.07\00:26:18.04
possible for you to be
saved? Of course it is, friends.
00:26:18.07\00:26:21.24
Don't let the devil make you
think the Christian life is a
00:26:21.28\00:26:23.31
hard life. Serving
him is the hard life.
00:26:23.35\00:26:26.28
Serving Jesus, he
says, "My burden is easy.
00:26:26.31\00:26:29.08
My yoke is easy,
my burden is light."
00:26:29.12\00:26:31.29
Do you believe that?
00:26:31.32\00:26:34.42
Doug: I remember
meeting someone that told me,
00:26:36.69\00:26:38.39
"Oh, I'm a Christian, I'm just
not a practicing Christian."
00:26:38.43\00:26:41.76
And of course, what they
were talking about is they had
00:26:41.80\00:26:44.03
accepted Christ
earlier in their life,
00:26:44.07\00:26:46.53
and they figured once
you're saved, you can't be lost.
00:26:46.57\00:26:48.97
It doesn't really
matter if you're practicing the
00:26:49.00\00:26:51.14
teachings of
Christ or following Jesus.
00:26:51.17\00:26:54.11
Does the Bible
really teach that?
00:26:54.14\00:26:56.58
And once you are
saved, can you be lost?
00:26:56.61\00:26:59.25
How much of a choice do
we have, and what is meant by
00:26:59.28\00:27:01.58
predestination? All
of these vy important
00:27:01.62\00:27:04.39
issues are answered in this
special book, "Can a Saved Man
00:27:04.42\00:27:08.36
Choose to Be Lost?"
We'd like to send it to
00:27:08.39\00:27:10.33
you, friends, for free.
Just go to the web address
00:27:10.36\00:27:12.83
on your screen,
amazingfacts.org, or call the
00:27:12.86\00:27:16.60
phone number there and
ask for offer number 112.
00:27:16.63\00:27:20.34
This is a very difficult
study, and it's something you
00:27:20.37\00:27:22.90
owe it to
yourself to understand.
00:27:22.94\00:27:25.54
I can promise you
you'll never be the same,
00:27:25.57\00:27:27.54
and you will be encouraged
and comforted by this study.
00:27:27.58\00:27:31.08
And that's why we do what we do
here at "Amazing Facts," because
00:27:31.11\00:27:34.05
God's message is our mission.
00:27:34.08\00:27:36.92
announcer: Can't get enough
"Amazing Facts" Bible study?
00:27:37.85\00:27:40.59
You don't have to wait
until next week to enjoy more
00:27:40.62\00:27:42.86
truth-filled programming.
00:27:42.89\00:27:44.89
Visit the "Amazing Facts"
media library at aftv.org.
00:27:44.93\00:27:49.83
At aftv.org, you can enjoy
video and audio presentations,
00:27:49.86\00:27:54.77
as well as printed material, all
free of charge 24 hours a day,
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7 days a week right from
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00:27:59.37\00:28:03.04
Visit aftv.org
00:28:03.08\00:28:06.18
female announcer: Let's
face it, it's not always easy to
00:28:07.52\00:28:09.82
understand everything
you read in the Bible.
00:28:09.85\00:28:12.39
With over 700,000
words contained in 66 books,
00:28:12.42\00:28:16.16
the Bible can
generate a lot of questions.
00:28:16.19\00:28:18.29
To get biblical,
straightforward answers,
00:28:18.33\00:28:20.96
call into Bible Answers Live,
a live nationwide call-in radio
00:28:21.00\00:28:24.43
program where you can talk
to Pastor Doug Batchelor and ask
00:28:24.47\00:28:28.17
him your most
difficult Bible questions.
00:28:28.20\00:28:30.41
For times and
station in your area,
00:28:30.44\00:28:32.64
or to listen to answers online,
visit bal.amazingfacts.org.
00:28:32.67\00:28:37.08
announcer: Together, we have
spread the gospel much farther
00:28:41.02\00:28:44.12
than ever before.
Thank you for your support.
00:28:44.15\00:28:47.52
[music]
00:28:48.59\00:28:57.97
[music]
00:29:04.71\00:29:13.68
[music]
00:29:16.75\00:29:20.52
announcer: This presentation
was brought to you by the
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friends of the
Amazing Facts Ministry.
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