Participants: Pr. Doug Batchelor
Series Code: AFP
Program Code: AFP005004
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00:00 (MUSIC)
00:01 >>THE FOLLOWING IS A PAID PRESENTATION BROUGHT TO YOU 00:03 BY AMAZING FACTS, INCORPORATED. 00:11 >>HOW DO YOU THINK OUR HEAVENLY FATHER FEELS WHEN, AFTER HE HAS 00:15 PAID SO MUCH THAT YOU MIGHT LIVE IN A MANSION SOME DAY, 00:19 THAT WE GO TO THE GARBAGE OF THE DEVIL'S DUMPSTER FOR HAPPINESS? 00:26 >>FOR OVER 40 YEARS AMAZING FACTS HAS BEEN 00:28 DEDICATED TO SHARING GOD'S WORD THROUGH MEDIA. 00:32 THIS PROGRAM FEATURES HIGHLIGHTS FROM SOME OF OUR BEST 00:35 TELEVISION BROADCASTS. 00:37 WE INVITE YOU TO SIT BACK AND ENJOY THIS EDITION OF 00:40 AMAZING FACTS PRESENTS. 00:47 >>HELLO FRIENDS, WELCOME TODAY TO AMAZING FACTS PRESENTS. 00:50 AND I'M VERY THANKFUL THAT YOU COULD JOIN US FOR THIS FINAL 00:52 PRESENTATION IN A FOUR-PART SERIES WE'RE DOING - TALKING TO 00:56 CHRISTIANS WHO MAYBE HAVE BECOME DISTRACTED IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP 00:59 WITH THE LORD. 01:01 MAYBE THEY'VE DRIFTED FROM THEIR REGULAR COMMITMENT 01:03 TO CHURCH AND CHURCH ATTENDANCE. 01:05 A LOT OF PEOPLE GET SO INVOLVED WITH THE THINGS OF THE WORLD 01:08 THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO COME BACK. 01:10 TODAY WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN GET A NEW BEGINNING 01:13 AND RETURN TO JESUS, AND FIND OUR WAY BACK HOME. 01:17 >>I GREW UP IN A CHURCH-GOING FAMILY. I MEAN, WE WERE AT 01:21 EVERY MEETING. 01:22 I SANG IN FOUR OF THE CHOIRS THERE - I DIRECTED THREE. 01:27 VERY INVOLVED - VERY ACTIVE. 01:30 IT ALMOST SEEMED LIKE BUSY WORK SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW? 01:33 I WENT TO SUNDAY SCHOOL, I KNEW ABOUT GOD, I KNEW ABOUT JESUS, 01:38 BUT I DIDN'T HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST. 01:44 MY SENIOR YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL I GOT THE NEWS MY FATHER 01:49 HAD BEEN MURDERED. 01:53 I PLAYED IT OFF WELL. 01:54 NO ONE REALLY SAW THAT I WAS STRUGGLING WITH IT. 02:00 IT JUST REALLY FELT LIKE THERE WAS A HOLE THAT NEEDED TO BE 02:02 FILLED AND I TRIED TO FILL IT WITH DRUGS, WITH ALCOHOL, 02:07 WITH PARTYING. 02:10 AFTER COLLEGE I JUST STOPPED GOING TO CHURCH ALTOGETHER. 02:16 ONE DAY, ON A SUNDAY, BECAUSE I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE GOING TO CHURCH 02:20 WITH MY MOM, I THOUGHT, YOU KNOW, I SHOULD GET 02:24 A LITTLE BIT OF THE WORD. 02:25 AND THERE I AM, HIGH OFF COCAINE, WITH MY BIBLE IN HAND, 02:30 TRYING TO DO A BIBLE STUDY AND I HEARD AN AUDIBLE VOICE, 02:37 'JUST LOOK AT YOURSELF.' AND I DID. 02:41 AND I WAS LIKE, 'WHAT AM I DOING?' 02:49 AND I GOT ON MY KNEES - I SAID, 'LORD, IF YOU DO NOT TAKE THIS 02:52 AWAY FROM ME NOW, I'M GOING TO KILL MYSELF.' 03:01 I WAS GOING TO CONTINUE THIS LIFESTYLE AND I WAS GOING TO END 03:03 UP OVERDOSING, HAVING A HEART ATTACK - WHATEVER IT WAS. 03:08 'YOU HAVE TO TAKE THIS AWAY - ALL OF IT.' 03:14 AND THAT DAY HE LIFTED ALL OF IT AWAY FROM ME - 03:19 IT WAS ALL GONE. 03:22 WHEN GOD DOES SOMETHING IN YOUR LIFE, HE DOES IT COMPLETE. 03:29 MY NAME IS EDMOND GIBBS AND I RECLAIMED MY FAITH. 03:35 >>AMEN. 03:37 ONCE AGAIN, FRIENDS, WE ARE VERY THANKFUL THAT YOU ARE HERE FOR 03:39 THE 'RECLAIM YOUR FAITH' PROGRAM. 03:41 AND I HOPE THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE HERE, PART OF THE LIVE AUDIENCE, 03:44 WILL BE PRAYING IN YOUR HEARTS. 03:47 AS I SAID, I REALIZE THAT, IN SOME RESPECT, I MIGHT BE TALKING 03:50 HERE TO THE CHOIR, BUT WE KNOW STATISTICALLY THERE ARE A 03:53 LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO CHURCH THAT ARE JUST HANGING BY 03:56 THEIR FINGERNAILS AND WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU WHO ARE IN THE 04:00 CHURCH TO HOLD ONTO THAT PLOW AND NOT LOOK BACK. 04:05 AND THEN THERE ARE SOME OF YOU THAT HAVE MAYBE DRIFTED AWAY - 04:08 WE'RE THANKFUL THAT YOU'RE HERE, WE'RE THANKFUL THAT YOU'RE 04:10 WATCHING - AND THE LORD IS CALLING YOU. 04:13 YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE STORIES IN THE BIBLE THAT ALWAYS AMAZED ME 04:17 IS THE STORY OF JONAH. 04:21 HOW A PROPHET OF GOD - I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT TO BE A CHURCH MEMBER 04:24 TO BE A PROPHET OF GOD - COULD THINK YOU COULD RUN FROM GOD. 04:30 JONAH CHAPTER 1, VERSE 1, "NOW THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO 04:34 JONAH SON OF AMITTAI SAYING, "ARISE AND GO TO NINEVEH, THAT 04:40 GREAT CITY, AND CRY OUT AGAINST IT FOR THEIR WICKEDNESS 04:43 HAS COME UP BEFORE ME. 04:45 BUT JONAH AROSE TO FLEE TO TARSHISH FROM THE PRESENCE 04:49 OF THE LORD. 04:50 AND HE WENT DOWN TO JOPPA AND HE FOUND A SHIP GOING TO TARSHISH, 04:53 SO HE PAID THE FARE AND WENT DOWN INTO IT TO GO WITH THEM TO 04:56 TARSHISH FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD." 05:00 JONAH WAS RUNNING FROM THE FATHER. 05:03 GOD SAID FOR HIM TO GO EAST AND HE WENT WEST. 05:07 HOW CAN YOU RUN FROM THE PRESENCE OF GOD? 05:10 'WHERE CAN I FLEE FROM YOUR SPIRIT?' 05:13 THERE MIGHT BE SOME OF YOU HERE OR WATCHING AND YOU THINK THAT 05:17 GOD DOESN'T SEE YOU? 05:19 'THE EYES OF THE LORD RUN TO AND FRO THROUGH THE WHOLE EARTH.' 05:22 GOD SEES US WHEREVER WE GO. 05:24 JESUS SAID, 'I'M WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU GO.' 05:26 YOU CAN'T HIDE FROM GOD. 05:28 AND I HOPE YOU REALIZE THAT THE LORD, HE CHASES AFTER THE ONES 05:31 HE LOVES AND HE WILL MAKE YOU RESTLESS UNTIL YOU 05:35 FIND YOUR REST IN HIM. 05:38 YOU WILL NEVER BE HAPPY UNTIL YOU SURRENDER TO THE LORD AND 05:41 TO HIS WILL BECAUSE YOU ARE DESIGNED FOR 05:43 A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. 05:45 AND SO, ESPECIALLY THOSE MAYBE WHO HAVE GROWN UP IN THE 05:49 CHURCH AND NEVER REALLY HAD A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP, THEY'RE 05:52 STILL LOOKING FOR THAT MEANING. 05:54 AND SO, THEY TRY TO FIND IT OUT IN THE WORLD. 05:56 AND THEY RUN FROM THEIR FATHER'S HOUSE. 05:59 YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT SOME STORIES IN LUKE CHAPTER 15 06:03 - WE TALKED LAST NIGHT ABOUT THE LOST SHEEP. 06:09 AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THE STORY THAT YOU FIND HERE ABOUT - 06:11 IN VERSE 8 - "WHAT WOMAN, HAVING TEN SILVER COINS, IF SHE LOSES 06:14 ONE DOES NOT LIGHT A CANDLE AND SWEEP THE HOUSE AND SEEK 06:18 DILIGENTLY UNTIL SHE FINDS IT. 06:21 AND WHEN SHE FINDS IT SHE CALLS HER FRIENDS AND HER NEIGHBORS 06:23 TOGETHER SAYING, 'REJOICE WITH ME. 06:26 I'VE FOUND THE PIECE WHICH I LOST.' 06:29 LIKEWISE, I SAY TO YOU, THERE IS JOY IN THE PRESENCE OF THE 06:31 ANGELS OF GOD OVER ONE SINNER WHO REPENTS." 06:34 NOW THE COIN DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS LOST. 06:36 A WOMAN IN BIBLE SYMBOLOGY - YOU KNOW WHAT IT REPRESENTS? 06:40 TYPICALLY A CHURCH. 06:42 SOMETIMES IN OUR CHURCHES WE'VE GOT A PRECIOUS LOST COIN AND WE 06:45 MUST MAKE AN EFFORT TO LIGHT THE LAMP OF GOD'S WORD AND TO SWEEP 06:48 WITH THAT DILIGENCE AND LOOK THROUGH THE COMMUNITY AND FIND 06:52 THOSE PRECIOUS COINS. 06:54 THEY MAY NOT EVEN KNOW THEY'RE LOST - THEY USED TO BE IN THE 06:56 WOMAN'S HOUSE, BUT THEY'VE BEEN MISPLACED SOMEHOW. 07:01 I WONDER HOW MANY CHURCHES HAVE SOME PRECIOUS SILVER THAT'S 07:03 BEEN MISPLACED. 07:05 AND THEN WE GO TO ANOTHER - THE SHEEP, HE WANDERS - 07:07 HE DOESN'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. 07:09 HE JUST GETS LOST. 07:09 A COIN CERTAINLY DOESN'T KNOW, BUT WHEN YOU GET TO THE LAST 07:11 STORY, IT'S NOT AN ACCIDENT, IT'S DELIBERATE DESERTION - 07:18 THE PRODIGAL SON. 07:20 LUKE 15, VERSE 11, AND THEN JESUS GOES ON AND HE SAYS, 07:24 "A CERTAIN MAN HAD TWO SONS AND THE YOUNGER OF THEM SAYS 07:28 TO HIS FATHER, 'FATHER, GIVE ME THE PORTION OF GOODS THAT 07:31 FALLS TO ME.' SO HE DIVIDED TO THEM 07:34 HIS LIVELIHOOD. 07:36 AND NOT MANY DAYS AFTER, THE YOUNGER SON GATHERED ALL 07:38 TOGETHER AND HE JOURNEYED TO A FAR COUNTRY AND THERE HE WASTED 07:44 HIS POSSESSIONS WITH PRODIGAL - OR WILD, WASTEFUL - LIVING. 07:50 YOU KNOW, I USED TO THINK WHAT THIS MEANT WAS THE BOY SAID TO 07:55 HIS FATHER, 'YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU TO DIE SO I CAN 07:57 GET MY INHERITANCE BUT YOU'RE TAKING TOO LONG AND YOUR HEALTH 07:59 LOOKS REALLY GOOD, SO CAN YOU JUST, YOU KNOW, PAY UP NOW?' 08:04 BUT IT WASN'T UNCOMMON IN BIBLE TIMES FOR THE YOUNGER SON, 08:07 MAYBE, ESPECIALLY IF HE WAS ENGAGED, TO GET HIS INHERITANCE 08:11 TO START HIS FAMILY - OR AT LEAST PART OF IT - BUT THE BOY, 08:15 EVIDENTLY, DIDN'T HAVE ANY MARITAL PROSPECTS AND HE 08:18 DIDN'T WANT TO LIVE UNDER THE FATHER'S THUMB. 08:21 HE EVIDENTLY DIDN'T GET ALONG VERY WELL WITH HIS BROTHER AND 08:24 HE SAID, 'LOOK, I JUST WANT TO GET OUT FROM UNDER DAD'S 08:26 RULES AND REGULATIONS.' THERE WAS SOME TENSION - 'DAD'S 08:30 TOO STRICT AND OLD-FASHIONED.' YOU EVER HEARD THAT? 08:35 NOW SOMETIMES, WHEN WE RUN AWAY FROM HOME, THERE IS A PERIOD OF 08:40 ENJOYMENT AND PLEASURE - YOU'LL HAVE AT LEAST THE 08:43 ILLUSION OF FREEDOM FOR AWHILE. 08:45 THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT THE PLEASURES OF SIN FOR A SEASON - 08:48 AND HE DID HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A PARTY WITH HIS FRIENDS - AND 08:50 AS LONG AS HE WAS WILLING TO BUY THE DRINKS HE HAD FRIENDS. 08:56 THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT WHEN YOU'VE GOT MONEY YOU'LL 09:00 AT LEAST SEEM LIKE YOU'VE GOT FRIENDS FOR AWHILE. 09:03 BUT THEN IT WAS ALL GONE. 09:06 HE WENT TO SWIPE HIS CARD AND THE CASHIER SAID, 09:11 'SORRY, THERE'S NOTHING LEFT.' HE SAID, 'I DON'T UNDERSTAND - 09:15 I STILL HAVE CHECKS IN MY BOOK, I SHOULD STILL HAVE MONEY.' 09:22 AND THEN THERE - SIMULTANEOUS WITH RUNNING OUT OF MONEY - 09:26 THERE CAME A FAMINE IN THE LAND AND HE BEGAN TO BE IN WANT. 09:29 NOW, WHILE THAT BOY IS IN THE FAR COUNTRY, WHAT IS 09:32 THE FATHER DOING? 09:35 HIS HEART IS YEARNING AFTER HIS SON IN THIS FAR COUNTRY. 09:39 HE IS PRAYING FOR HIS SON. 09:41 I WONDER HOW HE'S PRAYING. 09:43 HOW DO YOU PRAY FOR YOUR KIDS? 09:45 'LORD, KEEP THEM SAFE. 09:46 KEEP THEM WELL. 09:47 WATCH OVER THEM. 09:48 BLESS THEM.' SOMETIMES YOU MIGHT SAY, 09:51 'LORD, BRING INTO THEIR LIVES WHATEVER THEY NEED TO BE 09:55 SAVED FOR ETERNITY.' AND SO, MAYBE THAT DAD WAS 09:58 PRAYING AND A FAMINE CAME TO THAT COUNTRY AND HE HAD 10:04 NOTHING TO EAT. 10:05 MAYBE ONE OF HIS FORMER BAR BUDDIES IS THE ONE WHO 10:08 HAD THE PIG FARM. 10:09 AND IT SAYS IN VERSE 15, "HE WENT AND HE JOINED HIMSELF 10:12 TO A CITIZEN OF THAT COUNTRY AND HE SENT HIM INTO THE FIELDS 10:16 TO FEED SWINE." 10:19 NOW, KEEP IN MIND, YOU'VE GOT JESUS, A JEWISH RABBI, HE'S 10:22 TALKING TO JEWISH LISTENERS ABOUT THIS JEWISH BOY THAT GOES 10:26 INTO A FAR COUNTRY AND HE ENDS UP TENDING SOMEONE ELSE'S 10:30 PORK CHOPS. 10:32 THAT WAS AS LOW AS YOU COULD GET. 10:35 IN THE BIBLE, IF YOU WANTED TO TALK ABOUT REACHING THE BOTTOM - 10:38 JESUS SAID, 'YOU DON'T GIVE THAT WHICH IS HOLY TO THE DOGS AND 10:41 DON'T CAST YOUR PEARLS BEFORE SWINE.' 10:46 YOU KNOW, IT'S AMAZING THAT YOU STAY AWAY FROM THE FATHER'S 10:51 HOUSE VERY LONG, YOU CAN FORGET EVERYTHING YOU LEARNED AND 10:53 END UP IN THE DUMPSTER. 10:58 HOW DO YOU THINK OUR HEAVENLY FATHER FEELS, WHEN AFTER HE HAS 11:02 PAID SO MUCH THAT YOU MIGHT LIVE IN A MANSION SOME DAY, 11:05 THAT WE GO TO THE GARBAGE OF THE DEVIL'S DUMPSTER FOR HAPPINESS? 11:10 IT BREAKS HIS HEART. 11:13 SO HE WAS OUT THERE FEEDING THE PIGS AND HE WAS SO HUNGRY THAT 11:18 HE WANTED TO EAT THE HUSKS THAT THE PIGS WERE REJECTING. 11:23 YOU'VE GOT TO BE PRETTY HUNGRY AT A TIME LIKE THAT. 11:26 AND EVEN THOUGH HE WAS BECOMING EMACIATED, IT SAYS 11:29 'NO ONE GAVE HIM ANYTHING.' THE WORLD CANNOT SATISFY WHAT 11:35 YOU REALLY NEED - THE WORLD WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SATISFY THAT REAL 11:38 HUNGER - THAT HUNGER FOR THE BREAD OF LIFE IS ONLY GOING TO 11:41 COME FROM THE FATHER'S HOUSE. 11:43 AND THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT ARE GOING FROM ONE THING TO 11:45 THE NEXT, OR THEY'RE GETTING DEEPER AND DEEPER IN ADDICTIONS, 11:49 AND THEY KEEP HAVING TO UP THEIR PRESCRIPTION BECAUSE THEY'RE 11:52 LOOKING FOR SOME KIND OF PEACE AND SATISFACTION. 11:55 YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO BE SATISFIED, IN THIS LIFE, 11:59 WITHOUT JESUS. 12:01 AND YOU'RE GOING TO FIND HIM AT CHURCH - IN SPITE 12:03 OF THE PEOPLE THAT MAY BE THERE, OR THE PROBLEMS, IN SPITE 12:06 OF ALL THE FLAWS AND THE WRINKLES AND THE DIFFICULTIES, 12:09 THE CHURCH IS THE OBJECT ON EARTH UPON WHICH GOD BESTOWS HIS 12:14 SUPREME REGARD - IT IS THE APPLE OF HIS EYE - IT IS THE PEOPLE 12:18 FOR WHOM HE DIED. 12:21 AND HE WANTS YOU IN THAT GROUP. 12:24 IT IS THE CRUCIBLE WHERE WE LEARN TO BE LIKE CHRIST. 12:29 SO, WHILE HE WAS OUT THERE WITH THE PIGS, HE STARTED TO THINK 12:34 ABOUT WHEN THEY USED TO GET THE FRESH BREAD OUT OF THE OVEN AT 12:38 HOME AND ALL OF THE THINGS HE HAD TAKEN FOR GRANTED IN HIS 12:42 FATHER'S HOUSE. 12:44 HE CAME TO HIMSELF - IT'S LIKE HE WOKE UP ONE DAY AND SAID, 12:48 'WHAT IN THE WORLD AM I DOING?' HE WENT TO WORK AND HE SMELLED 12:52 THE PIGS AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME AND - I DON'T KNOW IF 12:56 YOU'VE EVER TAKEN CARE OF PIGS - I HAVE. 13:00 I HAD SOME NEIGHBORS THAT THEY HAD A LITTLE FARM. 13:02 THEY'D GO ON VACATION AND ASK US TO MILK THE COWS AND 13:04 FEED THE PIGS. 13:05 I DIDN'T MIND MILKING THE COWS SO MUCH, BUT THE ONLY WORD I CAN 13:08 THINK OF TO DESCRIBE PIGS IS TO TELL YOU THAT THEY'RE PIGS AND 13:13 THEY SMELL AWFUL - AND THEY HAVE REALLY BAD HABITS. 13:19 AND HE, ONE DAY, WENT BACK TO WORK AND HE THOUGHT, 'WHAT IN 13:21 THE WORLD AM I DOING HERE? 13:23 I AM A JEWISH BOY FEEDING PIGS!' HE HAD AN EPIPHANY. 13:30 HE SAID, 'HERE MY FATHER'S GOT SERVANTS. 13:33 HE'S GOT SILOS FULL OF FOOD. 13:36 'THERE IS BREAD IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE. 13:37 WHAT AM I DOING HERE?' AND HE CAME TO HIS SENSES. 13:43 IT'S KIND OF LIKE - SIN WILL MAKE YOU CRAZY. 13:45 REALLY. 13:48 LIKE NEBUCHADNEZZAR - HE WAS SO FULL OF PRIDE, NEXT THING YOU 13:50 KNEW, HE WAS OUT OF HIS MIND. 13:53 AND IT TOOK SEVEN YEARS FOR HIM TO WAKE UP AND COME TO HIMSELF 13:55 AND THE FIRST THING THAT CAME OUT OF HIS MOUTH WHEN HE 13:57 CAME TO HIMSELF WAS, 'I PRAISE THE GOD IN HEAVEN.' 14:01 BECAUSE, UNLESS GOD IS YOUR PRIORITY, YOU'RE NOT 14:04 THINKING STRAIGHT. 14:06 REALLY. 14:07 I MEAN, IT'S LIKE MOSES BEFORE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL 14:10 ENTERED THE PROMISED LAND. 14:11 IN HIS CLOSING SERMON HE SAID, 'LET ME MAKE IT PLAIN' 14:14 - NO, I PUT THAT IN, BUT THIS IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT HE SAID, HE 14:17 SAID, 'I AM SETTING BEFORE YOU THIS DAY LIFE AND GOOD AND 14:20 BLESSING OR DEATH AND EVIL AND CURSING. 14:23 WHICH ONE DO YOU WANT? 14:26 NOW, WHEN YOU PUT IT THAT WAY, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY YOU WANT? 14:28 DO YOU WANT THE LIFE AND GOOD AND BLESSING OF BEING A 14:30 CHRISTIAN AND IN THE CHURCH - IN SPITE OF THE PROBLEMS, IT'S 14:33 A LOT BETTER THAN BEING OUT HERE WHERE THERE'S THE DEATH AND 14:37 THE EVIL AND THE CURSING. 14:40 AND THAT'S WHY JESUS IS WANTING TO BLESS YOU. 14:43 HE BEGINS HIS SERMON WITH BEATITUDES BECAUSE HE WANTS 14:45 TO BLESS HIS PEOPLE. 14:47 THERE IS NO HAPPINESS OUTSIDE OF THE FATHER'S HOUSE. 14:51 NO ONE GAVE HIM ANYTHING. 14:54 FINALLY HE CAME TO HIS SENSES AND HE SAID, 'YOU KNOW, HOW MANY 14:57 OF MY FATHER'S HIRED SERVANTS HAVE BREAD ENOUGH AND TO SPARE? 15:02 THEY'VE GOT EXTRA. 15:02 THEY EAT TO THE FULL.' YOU KNOW, WHENEVER JESUS 15:06 FED PEOPLE IT SAYS THEY HAD LEFTOVERS. 15:09 HE'D MULTIPLY THE BREAD AND THERE WERE LEFTOVERS. 15:12 ELISHA BLESSED THE VESSEL OF OIL, THERE IN 2 KINGS CHAPTER 4, 15:18 AND THE WOMAN POURED IT AND IT JUST WAS OVERFLOWING. 15:23 GOD BLESSES WITH AN ABUNDANCE - AND HERE HE WAS WANTING TO EAT 15:28 THE HUSKS - THE SEED PODS - THAT THE PIGS WERE SNORTING THROUGH. 15:32 'THEY'VE GOT FOOD TO SPARE.' JESUS IS WANTING TO GIVE YOU 15:36 THAT BREAD OF LIFE. 15:39 'AND I PERISH WITH HUNGER.' YOU KNOW, JESUS CAME INTO THE 15:43 WORLD VERY SIMPLY - JOHN 3:16 - HE CAME INTO THE WORLD THAT YOU 15:46 MIGHT NOT PERISH. 15:49 AND IF YOU'RE NOT EATING THE BREAD OF LIFE - AT LEAST EVERY 15:53 WEEK - YOU SHOULD BE EVERY DAY - YOU WILL SURELY PERISH. 15:58 YOU'RE GOING TO BE STARVING. 16:00 YOU KNOW, IN THE LAST DAYS THE BIBLE FORETELLS THERE'S GOING TO 16:02 BE A FAMINE IN THE LAND AND IT'S NOT A FAMINE FOR BREAD OR A 16:07 THIRST FOR WATER, THIS IS AMOS CHAPTER 8, BUT FOR HEARING 16:10 THE WORD OF GOD. 16:13 AND I THINK YOU MIGHT EVEN FIND A FAMINE, SOMETIMES, AMONG 16:16 RELIGIOUS PEOPLE BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY COUNTERFEIT VERSIONS 16:19 OF THE WORD OF GOD. 16:20 PEOPLE READ ONE LITTLE VERSE AND THEN THEY'LL TALK ABOUT THE 16:23 LATEST MAGAZINE ARTICLES. 16:25 PEOPLE NEED TO REALLY GET INTO THE GRIST OF GOD'S WORD. 16:30 'THERE IS AN ABUNDANCE OF TRUTH IN THE FATHER'S HOUSE AND 16:32 I PERISH WITH HUNGER.' YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING, WHEN 16:36 THEY WOKE UP JONAH WHEN HE WAS RUNNING FROM GOD - OH, BY THE 16:40 WAY, GOING BACK TO JONAH - MY MIND BOUNCES AROUND LIKE THAT - 16:45 IT'S BECAUSE I USED DRUGS WHEN I WAS YOUNG, SO YOU JUST 16:46 HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT. 16:49 GOING BACK TO JONAH, YOU KNOW, WHEN HE WAS ASLEEP IN THE BOAT 16:51 ON THE WAY TO DESTRUCTION, GOD SENT A STORM TO SAVE HIM. 16:57 AND THE LORD SENT A FAMINE TO SAVE THAT BOY. 17:02 AND MAYBE SOME OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN OUT OF THE CHURCH, 17:04 YOU'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH SOME TRIALS AND WONDERING 17:06 'WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?' IT COULD BE BECAUSE GOD LOVES 17:08 YOU AND HE'S TRYING TO GET YOUR ATTENTION. 17:12 SOMETIMES IT TAKES A CRISIS. 17:14 IT MIGHT BE A CRISIS IN YOUR MARRIAGE, IT COULD BE A CRISIS 17:16 WITH YOUR HEALTH, OR AT WORK. 17:20 AND GOD IS SAYING, 'HELLO, CAN I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE?' 17:27 AND WHEN THE CAPTAIN WOKE UP JONAH, YOU KNOW WHAT HE SAID? 17:29 'ARISE O SLEEPER. 17:30 CAREST NOT THAT WE PERISH?' JESUS WAS ONCE ASLEEP IN A BOAT 17:36 DURING A STORM AND THEY WOKE HIM UP AND THEY ASKED JESUS THE 17:39 DUMBEST QUESTION IN THE WORLD. 17:41 THEY SAID, 'MASTER, CAREST NOT THAT WE PERISH?' 17:47 DOES JESUS CARE WHETHER OR NOT WE PERISH? 17:50 WHY DID HE COME INTO THIS WORLD? 17:52 'THAT WE MIGHT NOT PERISH.' AND IF YOU'VE GOT JESUS IN YOUR 17:57 BOAT, YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE IT FRIENDS. 18:00 HE SAID, 'AND I PERISH WITH HUNGER. 18:02 I WILL ARISE.' GOD TOLD JONAH, 'ARISE AND GO.' 18:07 FINALLY HE SAID, 'I WILL ARISE AND GO TO MY FATHER AND I'LL SAY 18:11 TO HIM, 'FATHER.'' - HE'S GOT A SPEECH PREPARED - 18:14 'HOW CAN I WALK BACK AND TALK TO DAD AFTER WHAT I'VE DONE? 18:17 HERE I BASICALLY WAS SO RUDE, DISRESPECTFUL, DIDN'T HONOR HIM, 18:21 ASKED FOR MY INHERITANCE EARLY? 18:23 THEN I TOOK IT AND I'M COMING BACK WITH NOTHING 18:25 TO SHOW FOR IT. 18:26 HE WORKED FOR YEARS TO GET ALL THAT.' 18:29 YOU NOTICE THE BOY, EARLIER, HE WANTED HIS FATHER BUT HE DIDN'T 18:32 WANT A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS FATHER - I'M SORRY, HE WANTED 18:34 HIS FATHER'S BLESSINGS, HE WANTED HIS FATHER'S RESOURCES, 18:38 BUT HE DIDN'T WANT THE FATHER. 18:41 NOW I THINK EVERYBODY HERE WANTS GOD'S BLESSINGS. 18:45 THERE ARE WHOLE CHURCHES THAT ARE BUILT AROUND THE REASON 18:48 THAT GOD EXISTS IS JUST TO BE A FUNNEL OF BLESSINGS FOR YOU. 18:53 REALLY, WE EXIST FOR THE GLORY OF GOD AND THE SECRET OF LIFE IS 18:58 NOT, ULTIMATELY, YOUR HAPPINESS, IT'S YOUR HOLINESS. 19:02 BUT YOUR HOLINESS WILL LEAD TO HAPPINESS. 19:05 AND, BY THE WAY, JESUS SAID, 'IT'S MORE BLESSED TO GIVE 19:07 THAN RECEIVE.' AND THE MOST IMPORTANT WAY FOR 19:09 YOU TO BE BLESSED IS TO GIVE - YOUR HEART - THEN YOU RECEIVE 19:14 THE GREATEST BLESSING. 19:16 THAT'S THE ONLY WAY YOU'RE GOING TO EVER BE HAPPY, IS BY GIVING 19:18 YOUR LIFE TO JESUS. 19:21 'I'M GOING TO ARISE AND GO TO MY FATHER'S HOUSE.' 19:23 HE'S THINKING ABOUT, 'HOW DO I EVER FACE HIM AGAIN 19:24 AFTER WHAT I'VE DONE. 19:27 I'LL GO AND HERE'S WHAT I'LL SAY - I HAVE TO CONFESS - 19:30 'FATHER, I HAVE SINNED.'' - BY THE WAY, YOU MUST CONFESS 19:35 WHEN YOU COME TO GOD. 19:36 DON'T BE AFRAID - DOES HE KNOW ANYWAY? 19:39 YOU'LL FEEL BETTER IF YOU CONFESS. 19:40 HE ALREADY KNOWS, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SHOCK HIM. 19:44 ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS YOU DO IS YOU REPENT. 19:47 TELL GOD YOU'RE SORRY AND YOU CONFESS YOUR SINS. 19:49 AND AS SOON AS YOU DO THAT, YOU GIVE HIM PERMISSION TO RELEASE 19:52 THE POWER OF HIS SPIRIT IN YOUR LIFE. 19:55 'AND I'LL SAY, 'FATHER, I'VE SINNED AGAINST HEAVEN 19:58 AND BEFORE YOU. 19:59 I'M NO LONGER WORTHY TO BE CALLED YOUR SON.'' 20:01 WHO'S WORTHY TO BE A SON OF GOD? 20:05 THAT'S WHY JOHN TELLS US IN 1 JOHN CHAPTER 3, 'BEHOLD WHAT 20:09 MANNER OF LOVE THE FATHER'S BESTOWED ON US' - HE CAN'T EVEN 20:12 EXPLAIN IT, HE SAYS, 'JUST BEHOLD IT. 20:15 THAT WE SHOULD BE CALLED SONS OF GOD.' 20:18 HE'S WILLING TO GIVE US A NEW NAME AND BRING US BACK INTO THE 20:20 FAMILY WITH THE FULL STATURE OF BEING SONS. 20:25 'I'M NOT WORTHY.' WHAT IS IT THAT MAKES US WORTHY? 20:29 IT'S ONLY GOD'S GRACE AND HIS SON JESUS CHRIST. 20:32 'I'M NOT WORTHY TO BE CALLED YOUR SON. 20:34 MAKE ME LIKE ONE OF YOUR HIRED SERVANTS.' 20:37 NOW, THAT IS THE ATTITUDE THAT WE ALL NEED WHEN WE COME BACK 20:40 TO THE FATHER. 20:41 'LORD, I'M WILLING TO COME AND SERVE YOU. 20:45 I DON'T DESERVE TO BE YOUR SON, I'LL BE HAPPY AS YOUR SERVANT.' 20:49 AND SO, HE BEGINS HIS JOURNEY HOME. 20:53 HE AROSE AND HE CAME TO HIS FATHER AND IT TOOK A LONG WAY 20:56 FOR HIM TO PLOD. 20:58 HE PROBABLY DIDN'T HAVE ANY SPARE FOOD IN HIS BACKPACK - HAD 21:01 TO BEG ALONG THE WAY, BUT HE WAS SHOCKED AS HE STARTED GETTING 21:05 NEAR THE FAMILY FARM. 21:10 WHILE HE WAS STILL A GREAT WAY OFF - COMING OVER THE HILL AND 21:13 THE SILHOUETTE OF HIS FORM IS SEEN THERE HOBBLING ALONG - 21:17 AS SOON AS THE FATHER SPIES HIM, HE RUNS TO MEET HIM. 21:25 HE DOESN'T MAKE HIM WAIT - YOU KNOW, SOME OF US, I THINK, WE'D 21:28 SAY, 'WELL, I TOLD YOU YOU'D BE - COME DRAGGING BACK.' 21:32 ARMS FOLDED ON THE FRONT PORCH, TAPPING OUR FOOT, 21:34 LOOKING THE OTHER WAY. 21:36 WE'D SAY, 'ALL RIGHT, WAS I RIGHT OR WAS I RIGHT?' 21:41 THAT'S WHAT I'D PROBABLY DO. 21:44 WE'VE GOT THAT SPEECH, 'I TOLD YOU SO.' 21:48 OR WE'D MAKE THAT STATEMENT IN FRONT OF THE SPOUSE AND SAY, 21:51 'DIDN'T I TELL YOU THAT HE'D' - BUT NOT THIS FATHER, HE CAN'T 21:57 EVEN WAIT FOR HIM TO COME HOME. 21:59 SO THAT HE WON'T BE LEFT WITH ANY DOUBT OF HIS ACCEPTANCE, HE 22:02 ARISES AND HE RUNS TO MEET HIM. 22:05 YOU KNOW, THERE'S A PROMISE IN THE BIBLE THAT SAYS, 22:07 'YOU DRAW NEAR TO GOD AND HE WILL DRAW NEAR TO YOU.' 22:12 OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN IS SO ANXIOUS FOR US TO BE SAVED - 22:15 THAT MEANS THAT AS SOON AS WE TAKE SOME STEPS AND WE BEGIN TO 22:19 MOVE TOWARDS GOD, AND HE SEES US MAKING AN EFFORT TO COME TO HIM, 22:24 WHAT DOES HE DO? 22:26 HE WILL RUN TO MEET US. 22:29 NOW, HOW COME THAT FATHER DIDN'T SEND OUT BOUNTY HUNTERS 22:34 TO FIND THE SON WHEN HE FIRST WENT AWAY FROM HOME? 22:38 CAN YOU FORCE SOMEONE TO LOVE YOU? 22:42 AND, YOU KNOW, OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN CAN'T FORCE YOU 22:43 TO COME HOME. 22:45 HE'S NOT GOING TO FORCE YOU TO COME BACK TO CHURCH. 22:47 YOU'VE GOT TO COME TO YOUR SENSES AND TAKE THOSE FIRST 22:49 STEPS AND SAY, 'YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE THIS IS WHERE I'M 22:53 SUPPOSED TO BE. 22:54 THERE'S BREAD IN MY FATHER'S HOUSE.' 22:56 AND AS YOU COME - AS SOON AS YOU MAKE THAT FIRST STEP - YOU DRAW 23:01 NEAR TO GOD, HE WILL DRAW NEAR TO YOU. 23:03 YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SCRIPTURES THAT ARE 23:06 ON THAT LINE. 23:12 FIRST YOU COME AND YOU COME CONFESSING. 23:15 JEREMIAH CHAPTER 3, VERSE 14, "'ONLY ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR INIQUITY 23:20 THAT YOU'VE TRANSGRESSED AGAINST THE LORD YOUR GOD, THAT YOU'VE 23:22 NOT OBEYED MY VOICE' SAYS THE LORD." 23:25 HE'S PLEADING WITH ISRAEL HERE, HE SAYS, "'RETURN O BACKSLIDING 23:27 CHILDREN' SAYS THE LORD 'FOR I AM MARRIED TO YOU.'" 23:32 YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY HERE IN JEREMIAH BUT IN THE BOOK OF 23:34 HOSEA, GOD, NOT ONLY COMPARES IT TO A FATHER AND A SON, 23:38 BUT HE COMPARES IT TO A HUSBAND AND A WIFE. 23:41 AND HE SAYS, 'YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH YOU'VE BEEN UNFAITHFUL, 23:44 EVEN THOUGH YOU'VE GONE AFTER OTHER GODS, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH 23:48 THAT I'LL STILL TAKE YOU BACK.' THAT TAKES A LOT OF LOVE 23:53 BECAUSE, I'LL TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT 23:56 THINGS TO DEAL WITH IS WHEN THERE'S BEEN INFIDELITY 23:59 IN A MARRIAGE. 24:00 SOME PEOPLE FOLD THEIR ARMS AND STOMP THEIR FOOT AND SAY, 24:03 'THAT'S THE END.' BUT GOD'S LOVE IS SO INCREDIBLE 24:09 THAT HE SAYS TO HIS PEOPLE, 'EVEN AFTER YOU HAVE SPURNED BY 24:12 LOVE WITH SOMEONE ELSE, RETURN TO ME. 24:15 HE SAYS TO HIS PEOPLE, 'RETURN O BACKSLIDING CHILDREN' SAYS THE 24:18 LORD 'FOR I AM MARRIED TO YOU.' AND AGAIN IN VERSE 22, "RETURN 24:22 YOU BACKSLIDING CHILDREN AND I WILL HEAL YOUR BACKSLIDING." 24:27 HOW ANXIOUS IS GOD TO BE REUNITED WITH YOU? 24:30 YOU THINK THAT GOD'S MAD AT YOU? 24:33 SIN WILL DESTROY YOU - IT'S NOT BECAUSE GOD DOESN'T LOVE YOU - 24:35 IT'S THE NATURE OF SIN. 24:37 GOD DOESN'T NEED TO BE MAD AT YOU. 24:39 SIN IS - IT JUST SELF-DESTRUCTS. 24:43 AND THAT'S WHY TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE. 24:45 THE LONGER THAT WE WAIT TO COME BACK TO THE FATHER'S HOUSE, 24:50 WE'RE LIVING A VERY RISKY LIFE THAT WE'RE GOING TO STARVE OR 24:55 END UP LIKE THE PIGS THAT WE LIVE WITH. 24:59 YOU KNOW YOU CAN COME TO YOUR SENSES AND WAKE UP AND HAVE AN 25:01 EPIPHANY AND SAY, 'I NEED TO ARISE AND GO TO MY FATHER.' 25:04 WHEN YOU REALIZE THAT YOU NEED TO ACT ON IT. 25:07 IT IS DANGEROUS FOR YOU TO THINK THAT YOU CAN PLAY WITH THE GIFT 25:10 OF REPENTANCE AND THAT IT WILL COME LATER AT YOUR CALL. 25:15 GOD TELLS US IN ACTS CHAPTER 2, REPENTANCE IS EVEN A GIFT. 25:18 AND SO THE IMPRESSION THAT YOU'VE GOT - THAT YOU NEED TO 25:20 COME BACK TO CHURCH - YOU NEED TO ACT ON THAT WHEN YOU GET IT 25:24 BECAUSE THAT'S A GIFT OF GOD. 25:25 GOD IS CALLING YOU. 25:26 AND THE LONGER THAT WE SAY NO TO THE FATHER'S SPEAKING TO US AND 25:29 THROUGH HIS SPIRIT WOOING US, THE VOLUME CAN GET LOWER AND 25:33 LOWER - IT CAN BE DROWNED OUT BY ALL THE OTHER BACKGROUND NOISE 25:37 SO THAT YOU CAN GET TO THE PLACE WHERE YOU DON'T HEAR IT ANYMORE. 25:41 AND SO IF YOU HEAR THE FATHER CALLING YOU - IF YOU KNOW THAT 25:46 IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO COME BACK, DON'T WAIT FOR A BETTER 25:49 OPPORTUNITY. NOW IS THE TIME. 25:52 YOU KNOW I TOLD YOU THIS STORY IS ABOUT REJOICING. 25:55 THIS WHOLE CHAPTER - REJOICING WHEN THAT LOST SHEEP IS FOUND, 25:59 REJOICING WHEN THE MISSING COIN IS RECOVERED, REJOICING IN 26:05 HEAVEN WHEN THE PRODIGAL - WHO HAS BEEN, MAYBE OUT OF THE 26:08 CHURCH AND THE FATHER'S HOUSE FOR YEARS - COMES HOME. 26:12 THERE'S LIKEWISE REJOICING WITH GOD WHEN WE COME BACK TO HIM. 26:18 HE IS INFINITELY MORE WILLING TO RECEIVE US THAN SOMETIMES 26:22 WE ARE TO COME. 26:24 HE'S PAID SO MUCH THAT WE MIGHT BE FORGIVEN - THAT WE MIGHT HAVE 26:27 EVERLASTING LIFE. 26:28 WHY DO WE WANT TO GO TO THAT FAR COUNTRY AND DIG IN THE 26:30 DEVIL'S DUMPSTER? 26:33 IT'S NEVER GOING TO SATISFY YOU. 26:35 THE ONLY THING THAT'S GOING TO BRING SATISFACTION IS JESUS. 26:40 >>STAY TUNED. 26:41 WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH THIS WEEK'S SPECIAL OFFER. 26:51 >>YOU DON'T READ ABOUT ANY REAL MIRACLES OF JESUS 26:54 UNTIL HE WAS BAPTIZED. 26:56 AT HIS BAPTISM HE WAS FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT - HE BEGAN 26:59 PREACHING AND TEACHING. 27:00 HE BEGAN A LIFE OF SERVICE. 27:04 AND SO, WHEN A PERSON COMES OUT OF THE WATER IT REPRESENTS A NEW 27:06 BREATH, A NEW BIRTH. 27:11 EVERYTHING IN HEAVEN WILL BE MADE NEW AND THAT MEANS THAT 27:14 WE NEED TO BE MADE NEW TOO. 27:21 >>EVERY DAY PEOPLE SPEND ABOUT 7 HOURS AND 45 MINUTES SLEEPING, 27:25 17 SECONDS BRUSHING THEIR TEETH, 1 HOUR AND 15 MINUTES EATING, 27:29 4 HOURS AND 50 MINUTES WATCHING TV, AND 33 MINUTES ON THE PHONE. 27:33 WITH ONLY 24 HOURS IN THE DAY, WHERE DOES GOD FIT IN? 27:36 MOVING MOUNTAINS. 27:38 A NEW DAILY DEVOTIONAL. 27:39 IT'S ABOUT UNDERSTANDING GOD AND BUILDING YOUR FAITH. 27:42 WITH 366 SHORT STORIES TO INSPIRE AND ENCOURAGE, 27:45 YOUR DAY WILL NEVER BE THE SAME. 27:47 AFBOOKSTORE.COM. 27:49 LIFE-CHANGING CHRISTIAN RESOURCES. 27:56 >>THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS WEEK'S 27:58 SPECIAL FREE OFFER. 28:00 THERE IS NO COST OR OBLIGATION. 28:02 JUST CALL THE TOLL-FREE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN AND BE SURE TO 28:05 NOTE THE OFFER NUMBER WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR REQUEST. 28:23 >>THE PRECEDING WAS A PAID PRESENTATION BROUGHT TO YOU |
Revised 2015-02-06