Welcome to Anchors Of Truth
00:00:13.09\00:00:15.61
live from the
3ABN Worship Center.
00:00:15.64\00:00:18.28
Hello and welcome to
the 3ABN Worship Center
00:00:22.74\00:00:25.40
to our special Anchors Of Truth
today, this special Sabbath day.
00:00:25.53\00:00:29.41
Are you all happy here, I
think I asked that to our crowd,
00:00:29.44\00:00:31.81
those of you at home?
00:00:31.84\00:00:32.87
We hope you're
happy in the Lord today.
00:00:32.93\00:00:35.05
God has a plan for your life.
00:00:35.27\00:00:37.33
And that is, that when He comes
back in the clouds of glory,
00:00:37.36\00:00:40.35
that you and I, all
of us, go to heaven.
00:00:40.38\00:00:43.44
He says He died that
not one should perish,
00:00:43.47\00:00:45.62
but all should
have everlasting life.
00:00:45.65\00:00:47.89
Isn't that good news?
00:00:47.92\00:00:49.13
Well along the way, we
have this controversy going on
00:00:49.59\00:00:52.72
between good and evil.
00:00:52.75\00:00:53.83
So the Lord has made a
plan, and Satan says, "I want to
00:00:54.08\00:00:57.04
distract and discourage,
and try to keep people from
00:00:57.07\00:01:00.86
making it to the kingdom."
00:01:00.89\00:01:02.31
So he's constantly...
00:01:02.66\00:01:04.42
And we're in a battle.
00:01:04.45\00:01:06.02
"But greater is He that is
in us," the Bible tells us,
00:01:06.05\00:01:09.63
"than he that is in the world."
00:01:09.66\00:01:11.19
What it's saying is,
that for where God guides,
00:01:11.22\00:01:14.72
He provides, right?
00:01:14.75\00:01:17.28
So today I don't want
you to be discouraged.
00:01:17.50\00:01:19.67
No matter what your
problems are, no matter what the
00:01:19.70\00:01:21.63
devil is throwing your
way, you know that through
00:01:21.66\00:01:24.88
Christ you can overcome.
00:01:24.91\00:01:26.48
"I can do all things through
Christ who strengthens me."
00:01:26.51\00:01:30.59
Isn't that good news today?
00:01:30.62\00:01:31.90
I'm thankful for Pastor
John Lomacang, his wife Angie.
00:01:32.28\00:01:35.11
What a great blessing they are
to this area, to this church,
00:01:35.14\00:01:38.58
to the ministry of 3ABN.
00:01:38.61\00:01:40.50
And literally they
evangelize around the world.
00:01:40.53\00:01:43.79
And I could stand here
and give accolades all day,
00:01:43.82\00:01:46.69
but we'll just
give credit to God.
00:01:46.72\00:01:48.59
I'm thankful that John has
chosen to submit and commit
00:01:48.62\00:01:51.97
his life to Jesus, and
that now he's being used of God
00:01:52.00\00:01:55.66
mightily, not only through his
preaching, but his music also
00:01:55.91\00:01:59.20
literally around the world.
00:01:59.61\00:02:01.41
Right before John comes, he's
asked me to sing this morning.
00:02:01.84\00:02:04.96
So, I like
singing in groups anymore,
00:02:04.99\00:02:09.30
I don't do solos
so much as I used to.
00:02:09.33\00:02:12.19
But when I stand on
this platform, I think about
00:02:12.39\00:02:15.29
when we started our very first
building almost 30 years ago.
00:02:15.32\00:02:18.76
We used to go out, and all we
had was the shell of a building,
00:02:19.69\00:02:22.36
and we'd go out and gather hands
together on a concrete slab
00:02:22.73\00:02:26.24
and sing, "We are
standing on holy ground."
00:02:26.50\00:02:29.11
Today, I still feel like
that when I come to 3ABN,
00:02:29.14\00:02:32.10
we come over, any of
the buildings I go in,
00:02:32.13\00:02:34.76
because the
presence of God is here.
00:02:34.79\00:02:36.55
So I hope this morning that
you are blessed by this song,
00:02:36.58\00:02:40.41
Holy Ground.
00:02:40.44\00:02:41.83
As I walked through the
door I sensed His presence,
00:02:58.20\00:03:05.37
and I knew this was the
place where love abounds;
00:03:07.57\00:03:17.49
for this is the
temple Jehovah God abides in.
00:03:19.66\00:03:29.22
We are standing in His presence
00:03:30.60\00:03:37.78
on holy ground.
00:03:38.21\00:03:41.01
We are standing
00:03:43.82\00:03:49.78
on holy ground,
00:03:49.81\00:03:55.38
and I know that there are angels
00:03:56.26\00:04:02.83
all around.
00:04:03.32\00:04:07.48
Let us praise, let us praise
00:04:08.31\00:04:14.97
Jesus now.
00:04:15.00\00:04:19.85
We are standing in His
presence on holy ground.
00:04:20.35\00:04:29.97
In His presence there
is joy beyond measure,
00:04:41.26\00:04:50.69
and at His feet
00:04:52.45\00:04:56.04
peace of mind
can still be found.
00:04:56.86\00:05:04.49
If you have a need,
my God has the answer.
00:05:05.41\00:05:15.00
Reach out and claim it,
for, child, you're standing
00:05:16.07\00:05:22.77
on holy ground.
00:05:23.07\00:05:26.54
We are standing
00:05:28.39\00:05:33.92
on holy ground,
00:05:33.95\00:05:40.14
and I know that there are angels
00:05:40.17\00:05:47.28
all around.
00:05:47.94\00:05:51.89
Let us praise, let us praise
00:05:52.15\00:05:58.41
Jesus now.
00:05:58.44\00:06:03.15
We are standing in His
presence on holy ground.
00:06:03.61\00:06:12.34
Sing it with me if you know it.
00:06:12.37\00:06:14.31
We are standing
00:06:15.69\00:06:21.38
on holy ground,
00:06:21.41\00:06:27.59
and I know that there are angels
00:06:27.62\00:06:34.64
all around.
00:06:34.84\00:06:39.29
Let us praise, let us praise
00:06:39.49\00:06:45.80
Jesus now.
00:06:45.83\00:06:51.06
We are standing in His presence,
00:06:51.27\00:06:57.33
we are standing in His presence,
00:06:57.73\00:07:03.22
we are standing in His presence
00:07:04.17\00:07:10.22
on holy ground.
00:07:11.50\00:07:18.14
Holy ground.
00:07:19.56\00:07:24.84
Thank you, Danny.
00:07:31.04\00:07:32.12
Good morning,
everyone. Happy Sabbath.
00:07:33.65\00:07:35.52
As they would say
in Kenya, "Happy day."
00:07:36.91\00:07:39.78
It's so good to be able to
be here again this morning.
00:07:40.35\00:07:42.73
Where else would I
be if I was in town?
00:07:42.76\00:07:46.47
The odd and challenging thing
about doing an Anchors series
00:07:46.50\00:07:50.67
is switching out of
the mindset of this is just
00:07:50.70\00:07:53.46
my normal Sabbath
morning and remembering that
00:07:53.49\00:07:56.44
I'm dedicated to the clock.
00:07:56.47\00:07:58.31
But we have been
walking this week through
00:07:58.58\00:08:00.72
the life and the journey
of the children of Israel.
00:08:00.75\00:08:03.88
And if you ever want to know
what the journey should entail
00:08:04.50\00:08:07.51
as we follow the Lord,
just take a look at the
00:08:07.54\00:08:09.89
lives of the children of Israel.
00:08:09.92\00:08:12.05
Find out what they did,
and do not do what they did.
00:08:12.48\00:08:16.82
For we have discovered that they
neglected the danger of neglect.
00:08:17.41\00:08:21.34
They chose not to
believe the danger of unbelief,
00:08:21.73\00:08:24.87
on Thursday night.
00:08:24.90\00:08:26.82
They chose to
begin to not mature.
00:08:27.11\00:08:31.59
They chose that
maturity was not something
00:08:31.62\00:08:34.30
that they would experience.
00:08:34.33\00:08:35.36
They chose not to
participate in growing
00:08:35.39\00:08:38.71
in their relationship with God.
00:08:38.74\00:08:40.46
Today, we're talking about
how those first three steps will
00:08:40.49\00:08:43.62
lead you to the place
where you begin to draw back.
00:08:43.65\00:08:47.34
And finally, the final
step; that of refusing God.
00:08:47.74\00:08:51.31
Which we will
cover this afternoon.
00:08:51.34\00:08:53.62
So this morning, as we
open God's Word together,
00:08:53.65\00:08:55.87
let's ask for the Spirit of
God to lead in consideration of
00:08:56.09\00:08:59.12
the message, The
Danger of Drawing Back.
00:08:59.15\00:09:01.84
Let us pray.
00:09:01.87\00:09:03.02
Gracious Father in
heaven, we thank You for the
00:09:03.36\00:09:05.27
opportunity, human
vessels are so inadequate,
00:09:05.30\00:09:09.30
but Lord, we pray that you'll
come now and pour Your presence
00:09:09.66\00:09:12.75
into this place,
into Your people.
00:09:12.78\00:09:15.21
And may we have ears
tuned to listen to Your voice.
00:09:15.24\00:09:19.79
May we discover the
blessing of continuing
00:09:20.09\00:09:22.14
to go forward in Christ.
00:09:22.17\00:09:23.62
In Jesus' name I pray, amen.
00:09:23.82\00:09:27.43
Now we're not going to
immediately read the scripture
00:09:28.14\00:09:30.81
that pertains to this text.
00:09:30.84\00:09:32.18
Although, if you're following
along, the verse that fits
00:09:32.21\00:09:35.65
best into the
context of drawing back is
00:09:35.68\00:09:38.36
Hebrews chapter
10 verses 38 and 39.
00:09:38.39\00:09:41.30
We're not going
to read that now.
00:09:41.33\00:09:42.91
This is one of those sermons
where we're going to leave
00:09:43.30\00:09:45.30
that scripture to the very end.
00:09:45.33\00:09:47.17
We're going to see,
as we build the platform,
00:09:47.37\00:09:49.80
that's where we're
going to eventually end up.
00:09:49.83\00:09:52.96
But I want to begin
today by talking about
00:09:53.28\00:09:55.27
the Christian journey.
00:09:55.30\00:09:56.66
Since I've been a
Christian, I've discovered that
00:09:57.04\00:09:59.21
there are lots of
pitfalls and lots of things that
00:09:59.24\00:10:01.15
we could avoid.
00:10:01.18\00:10:02.30
There are lots of benefits
and there are lots of deficits.
00:10:02.43\00:10:05.28
We've got to choose
which one we want to be a
00:10:05.31\00:10:07.37
part of our
Christian experience.
00:10:07.40\00:10:09.15
There are good days,
and then there are bad days.
00:10:09.38\00:10:12.00
There are moments
that we can disappoint God,
00:10:12.03\00:10:14.52
and there are
moments that we can thrive
00:10:14.55\00:10:16.58
in our relationship with God.
00:10:16.87\00:10:18.90
But there is no more solemn
a journey for the Christian
00:10:19.65\00:10:22.70
than the journey that we
enter after accepting Jesus.
00:10:22.95\00:10:27.74
Notice I said, it becomes
solemn after we accept Jesus.
00:10:27.77\00:10:32.23
We can do whatever
we want before that,
00:10:32.26\00:10:34.01
but once we dedicate
our lives to the Lord,
00:10:34.04\00:10:36.19
the journey
becomes a solemn one.
00:10:36.22\00:10:38.34
There is no more vibrant
a life than the life that
00:10:38.74\00:10:42.99
we experience when we
decide to follow Jesus.
00:10:43.02\00:10:47.03
You know, I compare my
life often times to the life I
00:10:47.13\00:10:49.51
could have had if I
did not follow the Lord.
00:10:49.54\00:10:51.80
I compare myself to the
world that I lived in before I
00:10:52.01\00:10:54.49
gave my heart to the Lord.
00:10:54.52\00:10:56.02
And I want to tell you,
it's quite a bit different
00:10:56.05\00:10:58.59
between traveling
from Brooklyn to Manhattan,
00:10:58.99\00:11:02.19
from Brooklyn to Manhattan,
just about four or five miles,
00:11:02.22\00:11:05.93
as compared to what
God has done in our lives
00:11:06.21\00:11:08.64
since we put our lives
in the hand of the Lord.
00:11:08.67\00:11:11.64
Only God can take a couple
to 54 countries around the world
00:11:11.67\00:11:16.67
for His glory and His honor.
00:11:16.70\00:11:17.75
Can you say amen to that?
00:11:17.78\00:11:19.00
That's an abundant life.
00:11:19.36\00:11:20.88
But it's never about
us, it's always about God.
00:11:20.91\00:11:23.12
And I believe that God will
send you on a mission for Him
00:11:23.15\00:11:27.77
if He knows that sending you
will not put His name at risk.
00:11:27.80\00:11:31.28
And so I always
pray, "God, keep us humble.
00:11:31.31\00:11:33.65
Wherever we go, may You
go before us and prepare us."
00:11:33.68\00:11:36.36
There's no more vibrant a
life that we can experience
00:11:36.85\00:11:39.74
than the life that we can
experience when we follow Jesus.
00:11:39.77\00:11:42.73
There is no other time that
being sober is more necessary
00:11:42.97\00:11:47.91
than after giving
our hearts to Christ.
00:11:47.94\00:11:50.82
There's no greater purpose
than dedicating one's life
00:11:50.85\00:11:53.82
to serving God.
00:11:53.85\00:11:55.34
And also, there is
no greater danger than
00:11:55.71\00:11:59.21
walking away from Jesus
after accepting and experiencing
00:11:59.24\00:12:03.93
the blessing of being delivered.
00:12:03.96\00:12:06.14
But before I get to
the drawing back stage,
00:12:06.90\00:12:08.82
I'd like to begin with
the going forward stage.
00:12:08.85\00:12:12.61
I want to say
emphatically this morning,
00:12:12.80\00:12:14.40
where would we be had
it not been for Jesus?
00:12:14.43\00:12:17.67
Can I get an amen somewhere?
00:12:17.70\00:12:19.30
Where would we be?
00:12:19.40\00:12:20.91
Where would we be?
00:12:21.38\00:12:22.57
You can think of a
number of places where your
00:12:22.60\00:12:24.70
life would have been, a
number of alleys where your life
00:12:24.73\00:12:27.03
would have ended, a number of
places where at the end of a gun
00:12:27.06\00:12:30.44
your life would have ceased.
00:12:30.47\00:12:31.89
And I've had those experiences.
00:12:31.92\00:12:33.22
But I believe that
the reason I'm here today
00:12:33.25\00:12:35.29
is because the plan of
God can never be diverted by
00:12:35.59\00:12:39.03
the plan of the enemy.
00:12:39.06\00:12:40.59
"Greater is He that is in us
than he that is in the world."
00:12:40.62\00:12:43.00
What do you say to that?
00:12:43.03\00:12:44.15
Who would we have
been apart from God?
00:12:45.32\00:12:47.65
You know, God takes a
bundle of clay and forms it and
00:12:47.68\00:12:51.12
puts into that
clay His breath of life,
00:12:51.15\00:12:53.81
as it were His Holy
Spirit, and makes that vessel
00:12:53.84\00:12:56.75
a vessel of honor.
00:12:56.78\00:12:57.91
So who would we be
apart from the Lord.
00:12:57.94\00:13:01.09
And finally, what hope would
we have apart from the Lord?
00:13:01.65\00:13:05.63
We wouldn't have any hope.
00:13:05.66\00:13:06.87
We would be hopeless.
00:13:06.97\00:13:08.07
As Paul said, "We would be
of all men most miserable."
00:13:08.10\00:13:12.80
So let's begin by taking
a look at the mercy of God.
00:13:13.17\00:13:16.50
Exodus chapter 3 verses 7 and 8.
00:13:16.53\00:13:19.65
And as you know, the text
will appear on the screen.
00:13:19.68\00:13:22.47
Thank you so much,
Will, for doing what you do
00:13:22.50\00:13:24.58
every time we get together.
00:13:24.61\00:13:26.22
Exodus 3 verses 7 and
8, notice the mercy of God.
00:13:26.92\00:13:30.02
He's speaking to His own people.
00:13:32.29\00:13:33.97
Let me just say this again,
I said this a few nights ago,
00:14:03.48\00:14:05.72
but here's my point.
00:14:05.75\00:14:06.99
Any place that the Lord
finds you is not as good as the
00:14:07.31\00:14:12.73
place that the Lord
is going to lead you.
00:14:12.76\00:14:14.63
Any place that the Lord
leaves you is a whole lot better
00:14:15.87\00:14:19.96
than the place
that the Lord finds you.
00:14:19.99\00:14:21.91
Any life that God
empowers when He finds you,
00:14:22.78\00:14:26.25
He takes you to a more
abundant, a more empowered life.
00:14:26.36\00:14:30.34
And you never know that
unless you get to the place
00:14:30.37\00:14:32.74
where you decide that
you are not God, and He is.
00:14:32.77\00:14:35.87
For He doesn't see as we see.
00:14:36.33\00:14:37.82
He sees the end
from the beginning.
00:14:37.85\00:14:40.26
And Isaiah the prophet
says, "From ancient times,
00:14:40.29\00:14:43.03
things that are not yet done."
00:14:43.06\00:14:45.14
So God sees us in
our moments of disbelief,
00:14:45.17\00:14:48.40
in our moments of rebellion.
00:14:48.43\00:14:49.65
In our moments of
falling away, God sees us.
00:14:49.68\00:14:53.32
And He saw the children of
Israel in the land of Egypt,
00:14:53.57\00:14:56.80
and He knew that there
must be a better place.
00:14:56.83\00:14:59.13
Like I said to my wife
when we worked together at
00:14:59.30\00:15:02.28
an excavation
construction company there
00:15:02.31\00:15:04.68
in Winter Springs, Florida.
00:15:04.71\00:15:06.74
I'll never forget that.
00:15:06.77\00:15:07.80
Shortly after we came home
from traveling around the world
00:15:08.39\00:15:11.35
with the Heritage Singers,
I sat there at my office
00:15:11.38\00:15:14.02
fiddling with paper, kind of
like Brian Hamilton, doing my
00:15:14.05\00:15:18.45
accounting work, and I
said, "Lord, there's got to be
00:15:18.48\00:15:21.93
more to life than this."
00:15:21.96\00:15:23.96
Now some people
are cut out for that.
00:15:24.57\00:15:26.10
Can we give Brian an amen?
00:15:26.13\00:15:27.59
But it wasn't for me.
00:15:28.02\00:15:29.18
After being in a
different location every day
00:15:29.21\00:15:31.14
singing and praising and
seeing people come to the Lord,
00:15:31.17\00:15:33.21
I said, "Lord, I cannot
spend the rest of my life
00:15:33.24\00:15:35.48
sitting behind a desk."
00:15:35.51\00:15:36.70
She said, "John, what's wrong?"
00:15:36.73\00:15:37.92
I said, "Honey, I want
to be in the ministry."
00:15:37.95\00:15:41.32
And we began to pray
and beseech the Lord.
00:15:42.36\00:15:44.61
And God found us in an
excavation construction company
00:15:44.93\00:15:47.99
dissatisfied by our
present circumstances.
00:15:48.29\00:15:51.16
And God, how merciful He
is, reached down and took these
00:15:51.19\00:15:55.62
two balls of discombobulated
clay and has been forming us
00:15:55.65\00:16:00.64
ever since that
day for His glory.
00:16:00.67\00:16:02.32
What do you say?
00:16:02.35\00:16:03.38
That's what God does.
00:16:03.41\00:16:04.54
He saw the
children of Israel in Egypt.
00:16:04.57\00:16:07.09
And I thank God today
that we do not serve a
00:16:07.39\00:16:09.28
stand by and do nothing God.
00:16:09.31\00:16:11.48
And I also say this, to witness
the unrivaled power of God,
00:16:11.72\00:16:15.68
just mess with His children.
00:16:15.71\00:16:18.01
I wish I could
preach a sermon on that.
00:16:18.04\00:16:19.77
We've had battled
through the years,
00:16:20.07\00:16:21.92
and we've left
those battles to the Lord.
00:16:22.12\00:16:23.82
If you've got a battle, let the
Lord fight your battles for you.
00:16:23.85\00:16:26.36
What do you say, church?
00:16:26.39\00:16:27.55
Because nobody can hit
with a left hook like Jesus can.
00:16:27.58\00:16:31.28
And nobody can prevent
your enemies from totally
00:16:31.72\00:16:34.25
bringing you
down like Jesus can.
00:16:34.28\00:16:36.88
But Israel
didn't understand that.
00:16:36.91\00:16:38.83
They didn't know that.
00:16:38.93\00:16:39.97
Notice what the Bible
says in 2 Chronicles 16 verse 9
00:16:40.30\00:16:43.18
about the
wonderful power of God.
00:16:43.21\00:16:45.95
The writer says...
00:16:46.42\00:16:47.82
You want to see a strong God?
00:17:03.93\00:17:05.33
Simply be loyal to God.
00:17:05.36\00:17:06.88
You want to see God
move in your behalf?
00:17:06.91\00:17:08.62
Simply be faithful to God.
00:17:08.65\00:17:09.96
You want to see God remove the
obstacles that are before you?
00:17:09.99\00:17:12.53
Simply trust what God can do.
00:17:12.56\00:17:14.44
For nobody, nobody
can do what God can do.
00:17:14.47\00:17:19.13
As long as Israel trusted in
God, He provided their needs.
00:17:20.10\00:17:24.30
As long as Israel followed
God, He removed their obstacles.
00:17:24.33\00:17:30.31
As long as Israel
stood with the Lord,
00:17:30.34\00:17:33.10
He stood in their defense.
00:17:33.13\00:17:35.92
The nations that
surrounded Israel...
00:17:36.93\00:17:38.61
You should read some of
the stories in the Bible.
00:17:38.64\00:17:40.33
There were instances where
they heard that the Israelites
00:17:40.53\00:17:42.52
were passing through.
00:17:42.55\00:17:43.58
And even though the
Israelites were miles away,
00:17:43.61\00:17:46.64
the nations that heard that the
Israelites were passing through,
00:17:46.67\00:17:49.80
they were filled with fear.
00:17:49.83\00:17:51.52
They said to one
another, "We hear the Israelites
00:17:51.79\00:17:53.82
are coming our way.
00:17:53.85\00:17:54.99
What do we do?"
00:17:55.02\00:17:56.27
Just the very thought of
hearing the trodden hooves,
00:17:56.48\00:18:00.78
just the thought of seeing
the thunderous cloud of the
00:18:00.81\00:18:03.55
millions that were traveling
through the wilderness,
00:18:03.58\00:18:05.99
the nations that
surrounded them shook with fear.
00:18:06.02\00:18:08.83
Because they knew that
if Israel were faithful,
00:18:08.86\00:18:11.40
there was no nation
that could ever withstand
00:18:11.43\00:18:13.65
the God of Israel.
00:18:13.68\00:18:14.91
And whoever
stood against Israel,
00:18:17.18\00:18:18.78
they were no match for God.
00:18:18.81\00:18:19.89
Look at Deuteronomy 26 verse 8.
00:18:19.92\00:18:22.05
They were no match
for the Lord of Israel.
00:18:22.15\00:18:25.21
Deuteronomy 26 and verse 8.
00:18:27.66\00:18:29.31
"...with great terror..."
00:18:40.10\00:18:41.34
That is to the
nations around them.
00:18:41.37\00:18:42.95
Who else but God can
put a pillar of fire between
00:18:46.21\00:18:50.00
you and your enemies?
00:18:50.03\00:18:51.06
Come on, talk to me.
00:18:51.09\00:18:52.14
Who else but God can
cool your journey down
00:18:52.24\00:18:55.16
in the desert of
your days other than God
00:18:55.19\00:18:57.45
by creating a cloud
just for you to travel under?
00:18:57.48\00:19:01.39
Who else but God can
bring water out of a rock
00:19:01.63\00:19:04.79
and cause serpents to lose
their appetite when you pass by?
00:19:04.82\00:19:07.72
Come on, somebody say amen.
00:19:07.75\00:19:09.08
Whoever but God can do that?
00:19:09.11\00:19:11.23
But the children of Israel,
and I say this to us today,
00:19:11.50\00:19:13.99
look at their
lives where they failed,
00:19:14.02\00:19:15.84
and where they
failed to trust God.
00:19:15.87\00:19:17.40
If God can do that for them,
He wants to do the same for us.
00:19:17.43\00:19:21.26
But they forgot to trust God.
00:19:21.71\00:19:23.25
The problem with
Israel was not God.
00:19:23.51\00:19:26.15
God was fully
committed to Israel.
00:19:26.18\00:19:27.93
He made a covenant
with them that He ratified
00:19:28.22\00:19:30.55
with His own blood.
00:19:30.58\00:19:31.67
Look at
Jeremiah 32 and verse 40.
00:19:31.70\00:19:33.67
The Lord made it very,
very clear what kind of
00:19:34.07\00:19:35.78
covenant He made.
00:19:35.81\00:19:37.13
He says in
Jeremiah 32 and verse 40...
00:19:37.48\00:19:39.59
What kind of covenant, church?
00:19:42.30\00:19:43.68
Everlasting.
00:19:43.75\00:19:44.78
God's not going
to change His mind.
00:19:44.81\00:19:46.13
He's fully committed,
He's in for the long haul.
00:19:46.16\00:19:48.04
Oh, sometimes if God
has to shake your house
00:20:05.79\00:20:07.90
to get you to
stay home, He'll do it.
00:20:07.93\00:20:09.27
Come on, somebody, talk to me.
00:20:09.30\00:20:10.80
If God has to make
your car break down
00:20:10.83\00:20:12.69
when you're about to
leave your family, He'll do it.
00:20:12.72\00:20:15.61
The book of Hosea is so
replete with examples of God
00:20:16.41\00:20:19.25
preventing Gomer from
completely destroying her life.
00:20:19.28\00:20:22.50
That's how God is.
00:20:22.53\00:20:23.56
Sometimes He puts obstacles
in our way to prevent us
00:20:23.59\00:20:27.36
from making havoc of our lives.
00:20:27.39\00:20:29.77
God said, "I'll put the
fear of the Lord in their hearts
00:20:30.73\00:20:33.19
so they will not
go to anybody else."
00:20:33.22\00:20:35.29
And they heard thunder.
00:20:35.32\00:20:36.66
And the voice of God brought
them to a great place of fear.
00:20:37.24\00:20:39.62
But they know that
God was still with them.
00:20:39.65\00:20:42.02
As long as Israel remained
faithful to the covenant,
00:20:42.22\00:20:44.92
the benefits were theirs.
00:20:44.95\00:20:46.61
The Lord also was planning
and hoping that they would not
00:20:46.64\00:20:52.50
depart from Him.
00:20:52.70\00:20:54.72
But now let's go
to the next level.
00:20:55.83\00:20:57.45
When you think
about this relationship
00:20:57.66\00:20:59.13
that we have now as God had
with the children of Israel.
00:20:59.16\00:21:02.20
I think of a saving relationship
in the same way that
00:21:02.23\00:21:05.28
I think of a
marriage relationship.
00:21:05.31\00:21:07.33
Look at Ephesians
chapter 5 verses 25 to 27.
00:21:07.36\00:21:10.80
The saving relationship
and the marriage relationship;
00:21:10.90\00:21:13.48
a lot of similarities.
00:21:13.51\00:21:14.77
That's why Jesus is
called the husbandman.
00:21:14.80\00:21:17.12
Look at this, my
brothers and sisters.
00:21:17.43\00:21:19.53
He says...
00:21:19.56\00:21:20.62
That's God's
ideal for His people.
00:21:55.24\00:21:57.64
One day we're
going to see ourselves
00:21:57.67\00:21:59.15
like God always sees us.
00:21:59.18\00:22:00.24
Come on say amen, J.D.
00:22:00.27\00:22:01.63
One day we're going to
see ourselves in the spotless
00:22:01.66\00:22:03.89
robes of His
eternal righteousness.
00:22:03.92\00:22:06.02
But until then, we've got
to trust that God is continuing
00:22:06.05\00:22:09.62
to clean up all the spots
and wrinkles in our lives.
00:22:09.65\00:22:12.60
But married people know...
00:22:14.19\00:22:15.79
See, I'm going
somewhere with this.
00:22:16.44\00:22:17.56
Married people know that it
takes time to get rid of the
00:22:17.59\00:22:22.17
spots and wrinkles
in your relationship.
00:22:22.20\00:22:24.77
Married people know that.
00:22:26.38\00:22:27.68
But the good news is
that Jesus can sanctify
00:22:28.77\00:22:31.35
and cleanse His church.
00:22:31.38\00:22:32.52
Jesus can sanctify and cleanse
the marriage relationship.
00:22:32.55\00:22:35.55
I've sat down
with countless couples.
00:22:35.58\00:22:37.65
And I always am amazed
when they get together,
00:22:37.85\00:22:39.98
when they're
married on that first day,
00:22:40.01\00:22:41.85
they're getting
married, they're filled with
00:22:41.88\00:22:43.76
what I call, euphoria.
00:22:43.79\00:22:45.59
They are excited
about things that they are
00:22:45.73\00:22:49.25
completely unaware of.
00:22:49.28\00:22:50.88
They don't know that
there's a storm coming,
00:22:50.91\00:22:53.07
a tsunami of
relationship challenges.
00:22:53.10\00:22:55.43
And they are so unaware
that all they can say is,
00:22:55.46\00:22:57.86
"I love her."
00:22:57.89\00:22:59.27
"I just love the way he smells."
00:23:00.62\00:23:02.95
"She just has such
a beautiful figure."
00:23:04.93\00:23:07.69
Brothers and sisters, don't fall
in love with things that change.
00:23:08.37\00:23:11.46
Help me out, somebody.
00:23:11.49\00:23:12.76
Because it's going to change.
00:23:13.43\00:23:14.94
I've finally given up.
00:23:15.18\00:23:16.35
You know, I've been
confessing for years.
00:23:16.38\00:23:18.17
I've finally given up.
00:23:18.20\00:23:19.59
You know, I have a young
person here I see over here.
00:23:19.80\00:23:22.44
She says, "Pastor,
don't color your hair.
00:23:22.54\00:23:24.82
I like the gray."
00:23:24.85\00:23:25.90
When a young
person tells you that,
00:23:25.93\00:23:27.25
you've got to do something.
00:23:27.28\00:23:28.31
Help me out.
00:23:28.34\00:23:29.37
"I like the gray."
00:23:29.69\00:23:30.83
I don't know if I'm
getting older or getting wiser.
00:23:30.86\00:23:33.32
I think I'm getting
a little bit of both.
00:23:33.35\00:23:34.65
Amen?
00:23:34.68\00:23:35.71
But you've got to
understand that it takes time
00:23:35.90\00:23:39.21
from where God finds you to get
to where God's ideal is for you.
00:23:39.24\00:23:43.88
The children of
Israel were just impatient.
00:23:43.91\00:23:47.10
That's why when you get married,
you've got to get married
00:23:47.89\00:23:50.37
and be in that
thing for the long haul.
00:23:50.40\00:23:52.48
When we were married, we
entered a marriage relationship.
00:23:52.75\00:23:56.79
When we are saved, we
enter a saving relationship.
00:23:56.82\00:24:00.79
Now I want to tell you,
the first day you get married,
00:24:00.82\00:24:03.33
that's not the
rest of your life.
00:24:03.36\00:24:04.83
You've got to live that thing.
00:24:04.86\00:24:06.62
You've got to
get up every morning,
00:24:06.88\00:24:08.76
you've got to brush your teeth,
she's got to brush her teeth.
00:24:08.79\00:24:11.47
And then you've got
to kiss good morning.
00:24:11.50\00:24:12.80
Help me out, somebody.
00:24:12.83\00:24:13.92
But after a while you
stop brushing your teeth.
00:24:14.68\00:24:16.77
Can I get a witness?
00:24:16.80\00:24:18.26
After a while you figure,
"You know my breath smells now.
00:24:18.29\00:24:20.68
I'm going to kiss you anyhow."
00:24:20.71\00:24:21.84
Come on, help me out.
00:24:21.87\00:24:22.90
After a while we start
peeling away all the layers
00:24:23.27\00:24:26.34
of things that we tried to hide
in the early stages of marriage.
00:24:26.37\00:24:29.68
And that's the sad part.
00:24:30.27\00:24:31.33
When you get too comfortable,
sometimes your spouse has to
00:24:31.36\00:24:33.87
remind you, "Honey,
you never did that before.
00:24:33.90\00:24:35.93
What's up?"
00:24:35.96\00:24:37.03
That's how it is with
the children of Israel.
00:24:37.63\00:24:39.34
They got so comfortable
in the relationship with God,
00:24:39.37\00:24:41.47
they began to do things
that God had never envisioned
00:24:41.50\00:24:44.35
that they could do.
00:24:44.38\00:24:45.67
So as in the marriage covenant,
00:24:45.82\00:24:47.25
also so as the
Christian covenant.
00:24:47.35\00:24:49.49
But what I like
about this analogy is,
00:24:49.52\00:24:52.18
Jesus is the
husbandman of His bride.
00:24:52.21\00:24:55.41
Jesus is committed.
00:24:55.51\00:24:57.02
He's not going anywhere.
00:24:57.05\00:24:59.37
He's not going anywhere for us,
00:24:59.73\00:25:01.37
He wasn't going anywhere
for the children of Israel.
00:25:01.40\00:25:03.46
They just never embraced that.
00:25:03.49\00:25:05.26
They were so
Egypt... They were so...
00:25:05.55\00:25:07.82
I'm going to try
to find a word here.
00:25:07.85\00:25:09.17
They were so Egyptologized...
00:25:09.37\00:25:12.14
Don't look for
that in the dictionary.
00:25:12.17\00:25:13.40
It ain't there.
00:25:13.43\00:25:14.46
...that they could not
think of being Canaanized.
00:25:14.86\00:25:17.71
They were so stuck
with where they were;
00:25:18.25\00:25:20.61
their hip-hop in
Egypt, their food in Egypt,
00:25:20.64\00:25:23.20
their dress in Egypt,
their nightclubs in Egypt.
00:25:23.23\00:25:25.51
Sitting up at 2:30
in the morning eating
00:25:25.61\00:25:27.80
Kentucky Fried Chicken.
00:25:27.83\00:25:28.86
That's where they were in Egypt.
00:25:28.89\00:25:30.32
But God was trying to say,
"Health reform, dress reform.
00:25:30.80\00:25:33.77
You've got to change your music,
you've got to walk differently."
00:25:33.97\00:25:36.60
Help me out, somebody.
00:25:36.63\00:25:37.90
He was getting them
ready for the better party;
00:25:38.00\00:25:40.32
the great celebration.
00:25:40.74\00:25:42.24
And you can't
celebrate in Canaan like you
00:25:42.27\00:25:44.16
celebrated in Egypt.
00:25:44.19\00:25:45.74
But the problem
has never been God.
00:25:46.77\00:25:48.62
The problem always was Israel.
00:25:48.65\00:25:50.41
Look at Hosea 11 verse 7.
00:25:50.44\00:25:52.18
Hosea 11 verse 7.
00:25:52.53\00:25:53.98
God is never the problem.
00:25:55.39\00:25:56.46
He never will be the problem.
00:25:56.49\00:25:57.80
He said of Israel...
00:25:57.83\00:25:59.06
You know what that means?
00:26:08.53\00:26:09.69
Some people pray all week
long, "Lord, help me with this."
00:26:09.72\00:26:12.81
"Lord, help me with that."
00:26:12.84\00:26:13.99
But He said, "I wish you
would stop praying and start
00:26:14.02\00:26:16.50
exalting Me by
the way you live."
00:26:16.53\00:26:18.79
They called Him, but
they did not exalt Him.
00:26:19.39\00:26:21.23
They thought that God
was Wal-Mart, MP, Sam's Club,
00:26:21.26\00:26:24.20
you name it.
00:26:24.23\00:26:25.26
But they were not
willing to do what God had said.
00:26:25.29\00:26:27.96
He said in Luke, I don't
remember the actual verse,
00:26:27.99\00:26:30.52
but Luke chapter 6, He says,
"Why call Me, 'Lord, Lord,'
00:26:30.55\00:26:33.91
and do not do the
things which I say?"
00:26:33.94\00:26:36.66
Some people like the
fact that God is a Savior.
00:26:37.21\00:26:39.75
But He's also a Lord.
00:26:39.78\00:26:40.85
And there's a difference.
00:26:40.88\00:26:41.91
You see, the Savior saves you,
00:26:41.94\00:26:43.17
but the Lord
tells you how to live.
00:26:43.20\00:26:44.99
The, "Lord," comes from
the Greek word, "landlord."
00:26:45.10\00:26:47.61
He's the one that
tells us how to live.
00:26:47.90\00:26:49.59
People want saviors, but
they don't want landlords.
00:26:49.62\00:26:52.23
The Lord wanted to
be the Savior of Israel,
00:26:53.03\00:26:54.75
and also their Landlord.
00:26:54.78\00:26:56.39
That's why today when you
think about this whole topic,
00:26:56.72\00:26:58.76
one of the most
deceptive teachings embraced by
00:26:58.96\00:27:01.18
Christianity, is
the idea that we are,
00:27:01.21\00:27:03.77
"once saved, always saved."
00:27:03.80\00:27:06.25
There is no such thing.
00:27:06.28\00:27:08.46
Follow me carefully.
00:27:09.22\00:27:10.49
The promise, even the promise,
"I will never leave thee,
00:27:10.93\00:27:13.83
nor forsake
thee," is conditional.
00:27:13.86\00:27:16.80
Now let's build on that.
God always does His part.
00:27:17.07\00:27:19.47
But we're the ones
that often walk away.
00:27:19.50\00:27:21.80
He said, "I won't leave."
00:27:21.83\00:27:23.47
But He didn't say
that you wouldn't leave.
00:27:23.68\00:27:25.56
Look at Judges
chapter 10 verses 11 to 14.
00:27:25.59\00:27:28.10
The problem
always is the people.
00:27:28.26\00:27:29.96
The problem is never God.
00:27:29.99\00:27:31.72
Judges chapter
10 verses 11 to 14.
00:27:31.99\00:27:34.33
Continue on the screen.
00:27:34.77\00:27:35.96
I like this.
00:27:39.30\00:27:40.33
You know, when they
were about to mess up,
00:27:40.36\00:27:41.83
God said, "Let's have a talk.
00:27:41.86\00:27:43.04
Before you mess up,
let's talk this out."
00:27:43.07\00:27:44.89
He said...
00:27:44.92\00:27:45.95
"Didn't I do that?
You remember that?"
00:28:06.29\00:28:07.82
Verse 13...
00:28:08.59\00:28:09.80
That's amazing.
You think about that.
00:28:25.83\00:28:27.48
This whole idea that
God ain't going anywhere.
00:28:27.51\00:28:29.38
You know, my brothers and
sisters, the reason why the
00:28:29.41\00:28:32.47
Israelites ended up in
Babylon is because God would not
00:28:32.50\00:28:35.07
allow them to
act like Babylonians
00:28:35.10\00:28:38.84
while living in Jerusalem.
00:28:38.87\00:28:40.40
You want to live
like Babylonians?
00:28:40.59\00:28:42.20
Do it in Babylon.
00:28:42.23\00:28:43.48
But if you're in
Israel, if you're in Jerusalem,
00:28:44.74\00:28:46.39
you've got to live like Jews,
00:28:46.42\00:28:48.80
you've got to
live like Israelites.
00:28:48.83\00:28:50.09
You've got to live in
the church like folk that
00:28:50.29\00:28:53.07
are in the church.
00:28:53.50\00:28:54.83
Some folk come to
church and want to live like
00:28:55.48\00:28:57.22
they're still in the world.
00:28:57.25\00:28:58.31
If you're going to be in
the church, be in the Lord.
00:29:01.41\00:29:03.90
Help me out, somebody.
00:29:03.93\00:29:05.13
But don't be in
the church acting like
00:29:05.85\00:29:08.47
you're in Babylon still.
00:29:08.50\00:29:09.94
God said, "I'm not into that."
00:29:09.97\00:29:11.34
When you get to that
point, He says, "Let those that
00:29:12.23\00:29:14.65
you have chosen as your
gods deliver you next time
00:29:14.68\00:29:17.43
you're bill can't get paid.
00:29:17.46\00:29:19.09
Call on them.
00:29:20.36\00:29:21.44
Call on Jay Z and
Beyoncé to pay your bills.
00:29:21.67\00:29:24.07
I bet you they
won't send you a nickel.
00:29:26.14\00:29:28.30
But if you believe Me, if
you trust Me, I will provide
00:29:29.79\00:29:32.82
all your needs according
to My riches and glory."
00:29:32.85\00:29:35.33
Amen, somebody.
00:29:35.36\00:29:36.47
And God's got a bank account.
00:29:36.74\00:29:38.80
I ain't seen the
end of the zeros yet.
00:29:39.48\00:29:41.59
There's a one in
the front and there's...
00:29:42.91\00:29:44.90
I've been following those
zeros and I don't have that much
00:29:45.07\00:29:47.69
time to keep looking.
00:29:47.72\00:29:48.93
But God does not count
His wealth by the cattle.
00:29:49.94\00:29:52.01
He counts it by the hills.
00:29:52.04\00:29:53.75
Even the economy of the
world is based on God's gold.
00:29:54.35\00:29:56.89
"The gold and
silver is Mine," He says.
00:29:56.92\00:29:58.90
And then He says,
"If I were hungry,
00:29:58.93\00:30:01.34
I won't even tell you.
00:30:01.37\00:30:02.71
Because you don't have
the kind of food that I eat."
00:30:03.04\00:30:05.40
What a God.
00:30:06.85\00:30:08.02
But God is so faithful that
even sometimes in our moments of
00:30:10.30\00:30:13.22
backsliding, God is still there.
00:30:13.25\00:30:15.05
Come on say amen, somebody.
00:30:15.08\00:30:16.46
Look at Jeremiah 3 and verse 14.
00:30:16.68\00:30:18.36
Even in the time of rebellion,
God remained unchanged.
00:30:18.39\00:30:22.18
We've got to get that.
00:30:22.21\00:30:23.24
Because our
rebellion doesn't change God.
00:30:23.27\00:30:26.72
Our rebellion affects us.
00:30:27.44\00:30:29.39
But our rebellion
never changes God.
00:30:29.62\00:30:31.24
"He's the same," come on,
"yesterday, today, and forever."
00:30:31.27\00:30:35.81
Jeremiah 3 and verse 14,
the unchangeable nature of God.
00:30:36.37\00:30:39.81
That's how good God is, He says,
00:30:57.64\00:30:59.03
"Bob, you want to
come back? I'll take you."
00:30:59.31\00:31:01.27
You know what I like
about God? Somebody once said...
00:31:01.30\00:31:03.12
I've said this before,
but it fits right here.
00:31:03.15\00:31:05.26
When people are not on
talking terms with God,
00:31:05.29\00:31:07.33
you're in serious trouble.
00:31:07.36\00:31:09.14
Because if you ain't
on talking terms with God,
00:31:09.90\00:31:11.89
the devil would love to
have a conversation with you.
00:31:11.92\00:31:13.91
But the problem is, you've
got to check out what happened
00:31:13.94\00:31:15.78
to Eve when she had a
conversation with him.
00:31:15.81\00:31:18.09
The devil does not play fair.
00:31:18.36\00:31:19.57
Some people think that
when you don't want to hear God,
00:31:19.60\00:31:21.78
that somehow the
devil is going to say,
00:31:21.81\00:31:22.96
"Oh, I feel really bad for you."
00:31:22.99\00:31:25.44
He's not going to do that.
00:31:25.61\00:31:26.64
He's going to try to do
you in as quickly as he can.
00:31:26.67\00:31:28.91
That's why we have to
be sober and be vigilant.
00:31:28.94\00:31:31.77
And remember that the devil,
at no point in his existence,
00:31:31.80\00:31:34.72
is ever on our side.
00:31:34.75\00:31:36.45
Matter of fact, not
even the evil angels
00:31:36.77\00:31:39.09
are on each other's side.
00:31:39.12\00:31:40.45
They are selfish, they
battle amongst each other.
00:31:40.55\00:31:43.42
They don't even
support each other,
00:31:45.71\00:31:47.30
let alone the children of God.
00:31:47.33\00:31:49.18
But God is different.
00:31:49.28\00:31:50.62
He says, "I have loved
you, I'm married to you.
00:31:50.79\00:31:54.10
And if you go away, I'll
have you come back; I love you."
00:31:54.13\00:31:58.13
Can you say amen to that?
00:31:58.16\00:31:59.51
Sometimes we wonder
why God wants us back.
00:32:00.15\00:32:02.65
I'll tell you why.
00:32:02.68\00:32:03.71
Because when God makes
a covenant, that covenant
00:32:03.74\00:32:05.90
is based on God's
character, not our character.
00:32:05.93\00:32:08.98
That's why we can still have
hope, even when things go bad.
00:32:09.74\00:32:12.37
Look at Jeremiah 31 verse 3.
00:32:12.40\00:32:14.47
Even when it's not going
the way we'd like it to go,
00:32:14.50\00:32:16.80
we still have hope.
00:32:16.83\00:32:18.46
Because God is
an unchanging God.
00:32:18.68\00:32:21.71
Jeremiah 31
beginning with verse 3.
00:32:22.49\00:32:24.35
You know what I like about God?
00:32:44.11\00:32:45.46
If you mess up, God
doesn't take a broomstick
00:32:45.49\00:32:47.99
to go look for His sheep.
00:32:48.02\00:32:49.64
God goes out there
looking for that lost sheep,
00:32:52.73\00:32:55.29
shaking in the cold weather,
frozen in fear in a dark
00:32:55.65\00:32:59.95
wilderness somewhere.
00:32:59.98\00:33:01.28
And God finds that sheep
and picks it up, and says,
00:33:01.31\00:33:04.44
"It's going to be alright."
00:33:04.47\00:33:06.14
He doesn't even yell at
it and say, "Where you been?
00:33:06.35\00:33:08.70
What's wrong with you?"
00:33:09.37\00:33:10.83
He picks that sheep up
and puts it to His bosom.
00:33:11.29\00:33:14.34
And the heart of God
warms the heart of that sheep.
00:33:15.39\00:33:19.05
Then he turns and says, "Papa,
I'm so glad to be back home."
00:33:19.47\00:33:24.98
You know what I love
about the love of God?
00:33:25.34\00:33:26.63
Is that even when we
strain our walk with God,
00:33:26.66\00:33:29.21
sometimes we make left
turns when we shouldn't,
00:33:29.24\00:33:31.32
and we get off in the rest areas
of the world where we shouldn't,
00:33:31.35\00:33:33.89
but God is right there when
you get back on the highway.
00:33:34.09\00:33:36.67
"I've been waiting for you."
00:33:36.70\00:33:38.09
That's who God is.
00:33:38.30\00:33:39.33
He's got this love
that is an everlasting love.
00:33:39.36\00:33:41.58
And the love of God is so
good that if you think about
00:33:41.61\00:33:43.61
the love of God, it'll draw you.
00:33:43.64\00:33:45.33
It'll draw you, because
you have never experienced
00:33:45.36\00:33:47.50
anything like the love of God.
00:33:47.53\00:33:49.04
Paul the apostle said, it
is not the commandments of God
00:33:49.79\00:33:52.26
that leads you to repentance,
nor the anger of God that
00:33:52.29\00:33:54.70
leads you to repentance,
nor the doctrines of God that
00:33:54.73\00:33:57.34
leads you to repentance.
00:33:57.37\00:33:58.50
It is the goodness of God
that leads us to repentance.
00:33:58.60\00:34:01.20
Can the church say amen?
00:34:01.23\00:34:02.51
You know, when you think
about people that are good,
00:34:02.71\00:34:03.96
you think, "Now why did I leave?
00:34:03.99\00:34:06.04
And where am I going?
00:34:06.46\00:34:07.56
I'm going back home."
00:34:08.52\00:34:09.88
I remember one night I
told my German Shepherd
00:34:10.06\00:34:11.91
when I was a young
foolish kid, I was about maybe
00:34:11.94\00:34:14.04
11 or 12 years old and
I didn't like discipline,
00:34:14.07\00:34:16.29
I remember telling my
German Shepherd one day...
00:34:16.32\00:34:18.26
He didn't know what
I said, but I told him.
00:34:20.37\00:34:21.92
I said, "I'm running away."
00:34:24.47\00:34:25.93
He looked at me like...
00:34:27.13\00:34:28.23
Like he always
does; "What did he say?"
00:34:28.56\00:34:31.30
"I'm running away.
00:34:32.24\00:34:33.64
I'm tired of getting
spankings, I'm running away."
00:34:33.67\00:34:36.13
You know where I ran
to? Right back to my bed.
00:34:36.79\00:34:39.33
Because I figured, you
know, "Where am I going?
00:34:40.02\00:34:41.87
This is Brooklyn.
00:34:41.90\00:34:43.09
Where is an 11 year
old boy going to find
00:34:43.96\00:34:45.69
safety in Brooklyn?"
00:34:45.72\00:34:46.75
Can I get an amen, Jason?
00:34:46.78\00:34:48.16
Where is an 11 year
old boy going to find...
00:34:48.19\00:34:49.63
I said, "You better
get your little narrow
00:34:49.66\00:34:51.19
behind back to bed.
00:34:51.22\00:34:52.28
You ain't going nowhere."
00:34:52.31\00:34:53.47
And I ran away,
right back to my bedroom.
00:34:53.50\00:34:56.19
Because I knew when I
woke up the next morning
00:35:00.41\00:35:02.00
there's going to
be food on the table.
00:35:02.03\00:35:03.34
Help me out, somebody.
00:35:03.37\00:35:04.40
There's going to be
some food on the table,
00:35:04.43\00:35:06.24
there's going to be hot
water, I'm going to have a bed,
00:35:06.27\00:35:08.70
and somebody else
is going to pay for the
00:35:08.73\00:35:10.50
reason that I can stay there.
00:35:10.53\00:35:11.82
Papa is going to pay the rent,
mama is going to cook the food.
00:35:12.11\00:35:14.83
Why would you mess that up?
00:35:14.86\00:35:16.43
Some folk walk away from God
and forget the provision of God.
00:35:17.45\00:35:20.01
It's far greater than the
provision of man could ever be.
00:35:20.11\00:35:22.85
God has no
bottom to His money bag.
00:35:22.88\00:35:25.56
God has no stopping point to
His gracious love towards us.
00:35:25.59\00:35:29.67
That's why when I
talk about drawing back,
00:35:29.91\00:35:31.39
you see, I'm building the
platform because don't know
00:35:31.42\00:35:33.99
what they were thinking to
draw back from this kind of God.
00:35:34.02\00:35:37.99
God is love.
00:35:40.67\00:35:42.17
And because He's eternal,
His love is also eternal.
00:35:42.70\00:35:47.57
Why would anyone want to draw
back from that kind of love?
00:35:47.60\00:35:52.83
Now in order to answer
the question, we've got to
00:35:53.60\00:35:55.12
take some time and look
at people that did draw back
00:35:55.15\00:35:57.28
to discover
where the dangers are.
00:35:57.31\00:35:59.27
Let's go to the first example.
00:35:59.65\00:36:01.14
Let's call this example,
"When doing everything right
00:36:01.32\00:36:05.17
is not enough."
00:36:05.20\00:36:06.33
Did you hear what I said?
00:36:06.36\00:36:07.39
When doing
everything right is not enough.
00:36:07.84\00:36:11.02
Let's go to Matthew
chapter 19, the first example.
00:36:11.05\00:36:14.05
We're going to look
at a couple of those.
00:36:14.08\00:36:15.26
The first example, "When doing
everything right is not enough."
00:36:15.38\00:36:18.36
Sometimes you've got to want
more than just what you ask for.
00:36:19.55\00:36:24.26
Matthew 19 verse 16.
00:36:25.04\00:36:26.65
This is the story
of the young ruler.
00:36:31.23\00:36:33.74
We call him the
rich young ruler.
00:36:33.77\00:36:35.30
In other words, "What must
I do to get from where I am
00:36:47.50\00:36:51.09
to where I need to be?
00:36:51.12\00:36:52.97
What do I need to do?"
00:36:53.11\00:36:54.33
He looked at Jesus
knowing that His name had been
00:36:55.79\00:36:58.64
all around town, that
every place Jesus goes
00:36:58.67\00:37:00.64
folk are
healed, dead are raised,
00:37:00.91\00:37:03.63
eyes of the blind are opened.
00:37:03.66\00:37:04.92
I mean, that's the kind
of friend you want to have.
00:37:05.02\00:37:06.99
Jesus had a résumé
that was impeccable.
00:37:07.02\00:37:09.28
He never failed a case.
00:37:09.31\00:37:10.95
They couldn't recluse
Him, they couldn't refuse Him,
00:37:11.98\00:37:14.29
they couldn't shut
Him down or shut Him out.
00:37:14.32\00:37:15.85
Jesus was
successful wherever He went.
00:37:15.88\00:37:17.45
So this young man,
with all of his possessions,
00:37:17.48\00:37:19.48
"What do I need to do,
what good thing do I need to do
00:37:19.51\00:37:22.78
that I may have eternal life?"
00:37:22.88\00:37:24.56
And in summary, Jesus said
to him, "Keep the commandments."
00:37:25.04\00:37:28.21
Now hold onto that thought.
00:37:29.58\00:37:31.08
Because if keeping
the commandments were a
00:37:31.22\00:37:34.19
pre-requisite to
salvation, this young ruler
00:37:34.22\00:37:37.63
would have been
saved already, Adventists.
00:37:37.66\00:37:42.61
Keeping the
commandments won't get us into a
00:37:46.45\00:37:51.06
relationship with Jesus.
00:37:51.09\00:37:53.00
We keep them because we are
in a relationship with Jesus.
00:37:53.03\00:37:57.15
There's some folk
that hang around Adventists
00:37:58.23\00:38:01.00
to keep the Sabbath,
but they don't know Jesus.
00:38:01.03\00:38:03.61
They eat vegan food,
but they don't know Jesus.
00:38:03.77\00:38:08.02
You can know all of that
stuff, but it's not going to
00:38:08.39\00:38:12.50
amount to a hill of beans.
00:38:12.57\00:38:14.20
None of those
things are going to make
00:38:14.40\00:38:15.43
a difference in your life.
00:38:15.46\00:38:16.57
You can be in
the right location,
00:38:16.60\00:38:18.87
keeping the right
day, eating the right diet,
00:38:18.90\00:38:21.89
dressing the right
way, walking on the...
00:38:21.92\00:38:24.59
You know, doing
everything right.
00:38:24.79\00:38:26.52
But my point is, when
doing everything right
00:38:26.55\00:38:29.51
is not enough.
00:38:29.54\00:38:31.48
"What good thing
do I need to do?"
00:38:31.84\00:38:33.17
And Jesus said,
"Keep the commandments."
00:38:33.20\00:38:36.07
But I want you to know
that keeping the commandments
00:38:36.75\00:38:38.38
don't motivate love.
00:38:38.41\00:38:39.59
Love motivates
keeping the commandments.
00:38:39.62\00:38:43.12
That's why the Lord didn't say,
00:38:43.15\00:38:44.23
Keep My commandments,
and then you'll love Me."
00:38:44.26\00:38:46.04
He said, together,
"If you love Me..."
00:38:46.07\00:38:49.74
What did He say?
John 14:15, look at it.
00:38:49.77\00:38:51.63
"If you love Me..."
00:38:56.38\00:38:57.56
Some folk have a
problem with the commandments,
00:38:57.59\00:38:59.68
but the problem is
not the commandments.
00:38:59.71\00:39:01.29
The problem is, you
don't love the Lord.
00:39:01.32\00:39:03.22
"Many will say
to Me in that day,
00:39:04.90\00:39:06.10
'Lord, Lord, have
we not prophesied,
00:39:06.13\00:39:08.13
cast out demons, done
many wonderful works?'"
00:39:09.16\00:39:11.26
Then God will say,
"I never knew you."
00:39:11.44\00:39:13.36
And the reason why the
Lord won't know many of us
00:39:15.04\00:39:16.98
is because we don't
approach our relationship
00:39:17.01\00:39:21.11
from the basis of love.
00:39:21.14\00:39:23.25
You've got to approach
your relationship with Jesus
00:39:23.28\00:39:25.79
from the basis of love.
00:39:25.82\00:39:27.57
Don't go on the 28
fundamental route first.
00:39:27.60\00:39:30.86
Fall in love with somebody,
and then what they require
00:39:30.89\00:39:33.81
is an easy thing
because you love them.
00:39:33.84\00:39:35.69
I didn't give my
wife three books to read
00:39:37.86\00:39:40.00
before she married me.
00:39:40.03\00:39:41.56
"Honey, don't forget chapter 4.
00:39:42.05\00:39:43.80
If you can agree with
that, we'll get married."
00:39:43.83\00:39:45.55
Am I telling the truth?
00:39:46.50\00:39:47.65
"Honey, don't... I think...
00:39:48.27\00:39:49.49
Did you check chapter
9, the second question?
00:39:49.52\00:39:51.94
'Will you cook my
food really well?'"
00:39:52.18\00:39:55.04
No, we didn't do that.
00:39:55.89\00:39:56.92
But all the things that
she does for me, and all
00:39:56.95\00:39:59.18
that I do for her,
is because I love her.
00:39:59.21\00:40:01.72
And you know what?
00:40:01.75\00:40:02.78
Some of us would be terrified
if we knew how many laws
00:40:02.81\00:40:05.46
there were on the
books that govern the
00:40:05.49\00:40:07.58
relationship of marriage.
00:40:07.61\00:40:09.00
You never know
until you say, "D."
00:40:09.03\00:40:11.22
I don't even use that word.
00:40:14.02\00:40:15.47
So you figure out what
the rest of the word is.
00:40:15.50\00:40:17.31
When you start
going down the "D" word...
00:40:18.37\00:40:20.25
I don't even use that word.
00:40:23.92\00:40:24.95
We've never, in 31
years, ever even uttered
00:40:24.98\00:40:29.04
that word to one another.
00:40:29.07\00:40:30.67
We don't do that.
00:40:32.17\00:40:33.20
If you wouldn't kick
out your poodle when he
00:40:33.99\00:40:35.81
tinkles on the
carpet, why would you treat
00:40:36.16\00:40:38.21
your wife worse than a poodle?
00:40:38.24\00:40:39.77
Well that's another sermon.
00:40:42.35\00:40:43.66
The young ruler said to
Jesus, "I've been a commandment
00:40:45.65\00:40:47.50
keeper since I was young.
00:40:47.53\00:40:48.56
What else do I need to do?"
00:40:48.59\00:40:49.62
Look at verse 21
and 22 of Matthew 19.
00:40:49.65\00:40:51.62
"What else do I need to do?
00:40:51.65\00:40:52.68
I've been doing
that all my life."
00:40:52.71\00:40:53.99
Some of you have been keeping
the commandments all your life
00:40:54.02\00:40:55.82
and still don't know Jesus.
00:40:55.85\00:40:57.29
But don't think
too long on that.
00:40:57.71\00:40:58.85
Let's keep going.
00:40:58.88\00:40:59.99
You've got to have
that intimate connection.
00:41:01.04\00:41:02.32
Verse 21...
00:41:02.35\00:41:03.38
Now the reason why
that is there is because
00:41:11.31\00:41:13.11
God knew, Jesus knew,
that whatever possessions
00:41:13.14\00:41:15.77
that people receive was for
the purpose of helping others.
00:41:15.80\00:41:19.30
Think about that.
00:41:19.33\00:41:20.36
That's why the New Testament
church, when they got together,
00:41:20.39\00:41:22.63
they sold their possessions
and helped one another.
00:41:22.66\00:41:25.60
He didn't do that yet.
00:41:26.30\00:41:27.33
That's why Jesus
brought that to his plate.
00:41:27.36\00:41:29.04
Look at the rest of the text.
00:41:29.07\00:41:30.29
Now, don't miss this.
00:41:47.96\00:41:49.40
We often point out that
he had great possessions,
00:41:49.43\00:41:53.20
and if we were him, we
would have gladly given it up
00:41:53.23\00:41:56.22
to follow Jesus.
00:41:56.25\00:41:57.68
Don't fool yourself.
00:42:00.02\00:42:01.35
Don't fool yourself.
00:42:03.74\00:42:04.92
I don't want to
put any test your way,
00:42:05.42\00:42:06.94
but it's going to come.
00:42:06.97\00:42:08.23
Because we ain't taking none
of this stuff with us to heaven.
00:42:08.26\00:42:10.58
Amen, somebody.
00:42:10.61\00:42:11.71
It could be shiny and polished,
it could be 1500 square feet,
00:42:11.98\00:42:15.60
it could be 3 square
feet, you ain't taking with you
00:42:15.63\00:42:18.00
into the kingdom.
00:42:18.03\00:42:19.06
Somewhere along the
way, we're going to have to
00:42:19.09\00:42:20.15
leave our
possessions to follow Jesus.
00:42:20.18\00:42:22.75
They follow the Lamb
withersoever He goes.
00:42:22.96\00:42:25.47
That's what
Christianity is all about.
00:42:25.50\00:42:27.09
We often get to this point
and say, "I would have gladly
00:42:27.12\00:42:29.53
given that up."
00:42:29.56\00:42:30.97
But one of the first
principles of drawing back,
00:42:31.38\00:42:34.72
or drawing back from
God, is he was not content
00:42:34.98\00:42:38.65
to give the
leadership of his life to Jesus.
00:42:38.68\00:42:42.10
He was a leader already.
00:42:42.76\00:42:44.24
Those that are used to
being leaders must one day,
00:42:45.38\00:42:49.00
in order to be a
follower of Jesus,
00:42:49.03\00:42:50.85
must learn to be followers.
00:42:50.88\00:42:53.59
Because Jesus is the leader.
00:42:54.02\00:42:55.71
Look at Luke 9 verse 23.
00:42:55.74\00:42:57.14
Look at what He says to those
that want to be Christians,
00:42:57.17\00:43:00.81
to those that
want to follow Him.
00:43:00.84\00:43:02.42
"He said to them all..."
00:43:02.45\00:43:03.89
...and take us his cross weekly.
00:43:10.33\00:43:12.94
Monthly.
00:43:13.62\00:43:14.96
Just on Sabbath morning.
00:43:15.24\00:43:16.65
Just on Wednesday night.
00:43:17.45\00:43:18.93
Oh help me out, somebody.
00:43:18.96\00:43:20.32
Every day. Amen, church.
00:43:20.35\00:43:22.85
But some folk don't do that.
00:43:23.15\00:43:24.23
They figure,
"It's Sabbath morning.
00:43:24.26\00:43:25.59
I need to take up my cross."
00:43:25.62\00:43:27.19
And it's a bigger
cross if the pastor preached
00:43:27.45\00:43:29.21
more than an hour.
00:43:29.24\00:43:30.61
Don't say anything.
00:43:33.64\00:43:34.67
Just giggle.
00:43:34.70\00:43:36.13
Take it up.
00:43:38.50\00:43:39.69
I'm going to invite
Paul the apostle to preach.
00:43:40.59\00:43:43.13
He'll preach till midnight.
00:43:43.16\00:43:44.49
And some of you will
fall down and bust your head
00:43:45.09\00:43:46.99
just like Eutychus did.
00:43:47.02\00:43:48.36
You've got to understand,
following Jesus is never
00:43:49.42\00:43:51.64
on our condition.
00:43:52.10\00:43:53.19
The other problem
with this rich young ruler
00:43:53.29\00:43:55.43
is he did not
own his possessions.
00:43:55.46\00:43:57.35
His possessions owned him.
00:43:57.45\00:44:00.31
There's some folk
that own their possessions.
00:44:00.69\00:44:02.81
And then some people that
are owned by their possessions.
00:44:03.03\00:44:05.85
You know that man that Jesus
try to get him to follow Him,
00:44:05.88\00:44:08.28
he said, "I bought some land.
00:44:08.31\00:44:10.10
I need to go check it out."
00:44:10.79\00:44:12.20
"I bought me a cow, I need to
go see if it could be milked."
00:44:12.64\00:44:16.49
And the other one was amazing.
00:44:16.87\00:44:18.10
"I just got married."
00:44:18.13\00:44:19.50
That's why the Bible says,
"No man can serve two masters."
00:44:19.83\00:44:22.28
Come on help me out, somebody.
00:44:22.31\00:44:23.60
You've got to sometimes put
the Lord before your spouse.
00:44:24.00\00:44:26.84
That's another sermon.
00:44:29.93\00:44:31.09
Those possessed by possessions
cannot be possessed by Jesus.
00:44:32.29\00:44:38.12
You've got to decide who
you want to be possessed by.
00:44:38.15\00:44:41.54
And don't get possessed by
things, because you know what?
00:44:41.57\00:44:43.68
When the next iPhone comes out,
you're going to lose your love
00:44:43.77\00:44:46.04
for the iPhone you have.
00:44:46.07\00:44:47.51
Come on, techies, say amen.
00:44:48.47\00:44:50.01
When the next
laptop comes out, you know
00:44:50.75\00:44:53.32
there's some folk can't wait.
00:44:53.35\00:44:54.68
What's today's date? The 9th?
00:44:54.71\00:44:55.79
I don't know what it is.
00:44:55.82\00:44:56.86
But there's some
people lining up already
00:44:56.89\00:44:58.82
for the 9th of September.
00:44:58.85\00:45:01.49
Apple is going to
unveil something new.
00:45:01.67\00:45:04.70
You know, let me
tell you something.
00:45:04.75\00:45:05.78
Jesus unveils
something new every morning.
00:45:05.81\00:45:08.22
Come on help me out.
00:45:08.25\00:45:09.28
His mercies are
new every morning.
00:45:09.31\00:45:10.66
You don't got
to wait for a date.
00:45:10.69\00:45:12.81
You've got to just get
up in the morning and say,
00:45:13.28\00:45:14.67
"Lord, thank You
for opening my eyes.
00:45:14.70\00:45:17.42
Thank You for giving me breath.
00:45:17.59\00:45:19.18
Thank You for
making my legs work."
00:45:19.21\00:45:21.46
Just all those things are
far greater than any new advice
00:45:23.11\00:45:26.83
or any new device that can
come out by Samsung or Apple.
00:45:26.86\00:45:30.32
Some people say it's
Android, others say it's Apple.
00:45:30.42\00:45:32.91
It's Jesus. Help
me out, somebody.
00:45:32.94\00:45:35.13
Those possessed by possessions
cannot be possessed by Christ.
00:45:36.22\00:45:39.29
Think of Ananias and Sapphira.
00:45:39.47\00:45:41.01
Lost their souls
over possessions.
00:45:41.04\00:45:43.33
The rich man with all of his
full barns lost his eternity,
00:45:43.36\00:45:47.51
traded eternity
for his possessions.
00:45:47.54\00:45:49.73
Lot's wife.
00:45:49.76\00:45:51.06
First salt shaker; lost
her life over her possessions.
00:45:51.45\00:45:55.62
Mark 10 verse 25.
00:45:57.51\00:45:58.98
That's why Jesus
said these words...
00:45:59.55\00:46:01.49
You know what
amazes me about this text?
00:46:27.52\00:46:29.38
Instead of people listening
to it, they theologically
00:46:29.64\00:46:32.02
debate whether Jesus
meant a sewing needle
00:46:32.05\00:46:34.58
or the needle gate.
00:46:34.61\00:46:35.64
Whichever one He
meant, it's still easier.
00:46:35.67\00:46:38.50
You know, they try to say,
00:46:41.42\00:46:42.45
"Well Jesus didn't
mean a sewing needle.
00:46:42.48\00:46:44.79
He meant the needle
gate where the camel had to
00:46:45.37\00:46:48.36
kneel down and crawl
through on his legs."
00:46:48.39\00:46:50.69
If I need to kneel
down to crawl through to get
00:46:50.72\00:46:52.90
to the New
Jerusalem, I'll kneel down.
00:46:52.93\00:46:54.52
Help me out, somebody.
00:46:54.55\00:46:55.82
That's what He meant when He
said it's easier for a camel.
00:46:56.67\00:46:58.86
The point is, if you
think your riches are something,
00:46:58.89\00:47:01.37
you ain't getting in there.
00:47:01.40\00:47:02.88
Don't ever put
that before the Lord.
00:47:03.61\00:47:05.93
Many are willing to exchange
paradise for possessions.
00:47:07.30\00:47:10.52
But look at Matthew 16 verse 26.
00:47:10.55\00:47:12.87
The Lord continues
talking to those that
00:47:15.85\00:47:17.61
may think about drawing back.
00:47:17.64\00:47:19.40
What would he give?
00:47:35.55\00:47:36.58
He wants a corner
office with red carpet,
00:47:36.61\00:47:38.61
a seven figure salary.
00:47:39.50\00:47:41.16
What can he give?
00:47:41.19\00:47:42.53
Joan rivers just died.
00:47:42.56\00:47:43.99
Every picture I
saw of Joan Rivers...
00:47:45.52\00:47:47.36
And I am not deciding her fate.
00:47:47.39\00:47:49.47
But she's opulent.
00:47:50.03\00:47:51.37
The lady could dress.
00:47:51.40\00:47:53.06
She was funny.
00:47:53.43\00:47:54.61
But I hope that her
salvation is secure in Jesus.
00:47:56.76\00:48:00.30
Amen, somebody?
00:48:00.33\00:48:01.46
I can't decide her fate.
00:48:01.49\00:48:02.64
And that's not the
purpose of my comment.
00:48:02.67\00:48:04.59
And God does not
hate rich people.
00:48:05.17\00:48:06.61
Don't leave with
that thought either.
00:48:06.64\00:48:08.12
Because there are very
many people in the Bible
00:48:08.29\00:48:09.91
that were wealthy, but
they were not possessed
00:48:09.94\00:48:11.92
by their possessions.
00:48:11.95\00:48:12.98
They were
possessed by the Lord. Amen?
00:48:13.01\00:48:14.69
Solomon, Abraham, the
list goes on and on, Job.
00:48:14.72\00:48:17.35
He had so much cattle that they
didn't know where to put it.
00:48:17.38\00:48:19.30
Abraham and his nephew, Lot;
00:48:19.34\00:48:21.61
they had so much
they had to separate.
00:48:21.64\00:48:23.25
God is not a God who
doesn't like possessions.
00:48:23.28\00:48:25.88
But if your
possessions go before the Lord,
00:48:25.91\00:48:28.14
you've got a problem.
00:48:28.17\00:48:29.38
There are many that are not
wealthy, but they still exchange
00:48:32.44\00:48:34.85
heaven for things.
00:48:34.96\00:48:36.63
Some people exchange their job.
00:48:36.81\00:48:39.57
They'd rather keep their
job than honor the Sabbath.
00:48:40.33\00:48:43.83
Some people will rather
keep drinking their alcohol, and
00:48:44.95\00:48:48.73
smoking their cigarettes,
and eating their unclean foods,
00:48:48.76\00:48:51.59
and viewing
unholy entertainment.
00:48:51.62\00:48:55.39
It's not just about what
the rich young ruler did.
00:48:56.18\00:48:58.33
Some people would
rather wear precious stones
00:48:58.36\00:49:00.71
than walk on precious stones.
00:49:00.74\00:49:02.77
Some people
exchange family religion over
00:49:03.49\00:49:06.78
the truth of God's Word.
00:49:07.09\00:49:08.79
The question that God is
posing to those who may think of
00:49:09.07\00:49:12.23
not going all the way with Jesus
is, "What will you hold onto
00:49:12.26\00:49:17.43
that's better
than holding onto Me?"
00:49:17.46\00:49:20.15
What could you hold onto that's
better than holding onto Jesus?
00:49:21.07\00:49:24.08
Go through your inventory.
00:49:24.32\00:49:25.60
Take all the time you need.
00:49:25.63\00:49:26.89
But you don't have
a whole lot of time.
00:49:26.92\00:49:28.92
Because there ain't
nothing that we can hold onto
00:49:29.72\00:49:32.40
that can take away
the luster and the glory
00:49:32.59\00:49:34.53
of the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:49:34.56\00:49:36.24
So here's the solution.
00:49:36.97\00:49:38.23
Don't allow anything to
get between you and Jesus.
00:49:38.26\00:49:40.73
Can the church say amen?
00:49:40.76\00:49:41.79
Don't allow
anything to get there.
00:49:41.82\00:49:43.40
You know, as we get older...
00:49:43.67\00:49:44.80
I don't know if
it's just about age.
00:49:44.90\00:49:46.99
I keep talking about
age. I must be getting older.
00:49:47.02\00:49:49.17
But there's
something about getting older.
00:49:49.94\00:49:51.52
You know the things that used to
thrill you when you were young,
00:49:51.55\00:49:54.17
as one song writer
said, "The thrill is gone."
00:49:54.20\00:49:56.87
You know,
sometimes you've got to say,
00:49:58.01\00:49:59.50
"I use to be excited about that.
00:49:59.53\00:50:01.76
Now I'd be glad if I
could play once a week."
00:50:01.86\00:50:04.25
You know?
00:50:05.44\00:50:06.47
The things that used to
thrill us when we were young,
00:50:06.50\00:50:08.21
they start losing.
00:50:08.24\00:50:09.53
I think that's what the
song writer meant when he says,
00:50:09.56\00:50:11.49
"And the things of
earth will grow strangely dim
00:50:11.52\00:50:13.98
in the light of His
glory and His grace."
00:50:14.01\00:50:16.40
You've got to keep your eyes
focused in the right direction.
00:50:16.50\00:50:18.94
When you lose
focus, things look good,
00:50:19.19\00:50:21.44
but they're not really good.
00:50:21.47\00:50:22.93
Second reason why people
often decide to draw back.
00:50:24.12\00:50:27.88
Here's the other one.
00:50:27.91\00:50:28.95
When your origin is more
important than your destiny.
00:50:28.98\00:50:33.25
Luke 14 verses 26 to 30,
look at this one very quickly.
00:50:33.65\00:50:36.76
Don't have a lot of
time, don't hold me up.
00:50:36.79\00:50:38.24
Here we go.
00:50:38.27\00:50:39.30
The point simply is, drawing
back principle number two,
00:51:14.79\00:51:18.61
holding onto Jesus
requires letting go of anyone
00:51:18.64\00:51:23.91
that prevents Jesus.
00:51:24.11\00:51:26.38
That's serious.
00:51:26.98\00:51:28.15
You know, we hear the stories.
00:51:29.51\00:51:30.54
We were down in Africa, and
the young lady, Arabian lady,
00:51:30.57\00:51:33.65
we were living at the home
with the people that knew her.
00:51:33.68\00:51:36.01
There's some people in foreign
lands that would rather die
00:51:36.81\00:51:39.65
than give up Jesus.
00:51:39.68\00:51:41.38
But in America, we give up Jesus
for a job offer at Wal-Mart.
00:51:41.58\00:51:46.23
Oh, my good friend Doug
Batchelor, "Can you imagine
00:51:48.62\00:51:50.72
missing heaven for a
$12 an hour job at K-Mart?"
00:51:50.76\00:51:55.07
It's going to burn up.
00:51:57.84\00:51:59.01
You've got to be willing
to give it all up for Jesus.
00:51:59.25\00:52:01.60
Anybody that gets
between you and the Lord.
00:52:01.63\00:52:03.52
I remember making an
appeal one day in a sermon.
00:52:03.55\00:52:07.00
And I've got to move on here.
00:52:07.03\00:52:08.06
I remember making an
appeal one day in a sermon.
00:52:08.09\00:52:09.74
And a young sailor who
was in the Marines stood up
00:52:09.84\00:52:13.64
there in Vallejo, California.
00:52:13.91\00:52:16.58
He stood up to give
his life to the Lord.
00:52:16.91\00:52:18.31
God had been wrestling
with his heart all seminar long.
00:52:18.34\00:52:20.81
And his wife said to him
when he stood up, she said,
00:52:20.84\00:52:22.33
"If you go down that
aisle, I'm going to leave you."
00:52:22.36\00:52:25.86
And he sat down.
00:52:27.54\00:52:28.92
She didn't leave him, he
just joined another church.
00:52:30.63\00:52:33.56
She stayed with him.
00:52:33.59\00:52:34.62
The devil will do anything
he can to keep you from drawing,
00:52:34.65\00:52:38.53
to keep you from accepting
the truth of God's Word.
00:52:38.56\00:52:41.39
He's only concerned if
you stand for the truth.
00:52:41.96\00:52:44.21
He doesn't care where
you go, as long as you don't
00:52:44.24\00:52:46.55
follow the truth of God's Word.
00:52:46.58\00:52:48.28
Be willing to give
up anybody that stands
00:52:48.31\00:52:51.04
between you and the Lord.
00:52:51.07\00:52:52.35
Amen, church?
00:52:52.38\00:52:53.41
Some think that
following Jesus means you get
00:52:53.58\00:52:55.56
nothing in return.
00:52:55.59\00:52:56.62
That's not the case. Look
at Mark 10 verses 28 to 30.
00:52:56.65\00:52:59.09
I'm going to finish this sermon.
00:52:59.12\00:53:00.50
Here we go.
00:53:00.53\00:53:01.56
Come on, somebody, say amen.
00:53:31.75\00:53:33.12
I talked to somebody the
other day, I talked to somebody
00:53:33.15\00:53:35.31
not too long ago, they
said, "You know, if so and so
00:53:35.34\00:53:37.32
is not in heaven,
I don't want to go."
00:53:37.35\00:53:38.87
You know what, brethren?
00:53:38.90\00:53:39.93
That kind of philosophy does not
apply to any other area of life.
00:53:39.96\00:53:43.74
Let me test it for a moment.
00:53:44.52\00:53:46.01
If I give you a Mercedes
and not give your brother,
00:53:46.04\00:53:48.31
would you refuse it?
00:53:48.34\00:53:49.83
I bet you'd keep it and
just give him a ride in it.
00:53:50.45\00:53:52.64
If I give you a million dollars
and not give your sister,
00:53:53.60\00:53:56.16
would you refuse
the million dollars?
00:53:56.19\00:53:58.00
I don't think so.
00:53:58.03\00:53:59.24
If I give you a new house
and not give your best friend,
00:53:59.54\00:54:02.15
would you refuse it?
00:54:02.18\00:54:03.21
I don't think so.
00:54:03.24\00:54:04.36
That philosophy doesn't
work in any other area of life.
00:54:04.47\00:54:07.19
Don't ever allow anybody
or anything or any situation
00:54:07.29\00:54:11.05
to eclipse the blessing
that's on the other side
00:54:11.08\00:54:14.04
of following Jesus.
00:54:14.07\00:54:15.78
Matthew 16 verse 25, look at it.
00:54:16.25\00:54:18.49
We won't experience abundant
life until we choose Jesus.
00:54:25.36\00:54:28.96
Solution number two, make
your destiny more important
00:54:28.99\00:54:32.67
than your origin.
00:54:32.70\00:54:33.95
Amen, church?
00:54:33.98\00:54:35.04
And our final example is called,
"When your roots are missing."
00:54:35.07\00:54:38.93
Matthew 13 verses 20 and 21.
00:54:39.75\00:54:41.55
Come on, let's move on now.
00:54:41.58\00:54:42.98
He gets excited, but
because he has no root,
00:54:58.65\00:55:01.15
because it doesn't
appeal to his heart's desire,
00:55:01.18\00:55:03.55
he turns away from it.
00:55:03.58\00:55:04.98
And why does he
turn away from the Word?
00:55:05.49\00:55:06.78
Here's the reason.
00:55:06.81\00:55:07.96
Hebrews 4 and verse 12.
00:55:07.99\00:55:09.63
Some people don't read
the Bible because it reveals
00:55:26.12\00:55:28.79
how foolish they really are.
00:55:28.82\00:55:30.96
Oh, you think about it.
00:55:32.00\00:55:33.10
"A fool says in his
heart, 'There is no God.'"
00:55:33.20\00:55:35.22
If you're an
atheist, something's wrong.
00:55:35.25\00:55:36.98
All you've got to do is
look up at night and realize
00:55:37.39\00:55:39.48
that wasn't an accident.
00:55:39.58\00:55:41.09
All you've got to do is
even look at your own intellect
00:55:41.27\00:55:43.09
and realize that
was not an explosion.
00:55:43.12\00:55:44.72
That was a design.
00:55:44.75\00:55:46.05
Solution number three, accept
God's Word as the standard,
00:55:47.46\00:55:50.95
and not your heart.
00:55:50.98\00:55:52.61
You see, there are
those that won't draw back.
00:55:53.30\00:55:56.49
And they won't draw back
because they are willing to
00:55:56.60\00:55:58.97
abandon material possession,
they're willing to sacrifice
00:55:59.00\00:56:02.30
the people connection, and
they are willing to resolve
00:56:02.33\00:56:04.82
their heart connection
for the sake of Jesus.
00:56:04.85\00:56:08.14
Abandon materials,
sacrifice some people,
00:56:08.69\00:56:11.14
resolve your heart issues;
but don't draw back from God.
00:56:11.17\00:56:14.75
Don't allow anything to
get you to draw back from God.
00:56:14.78\00:56:19.64
And here's the
closing scripture.
00:56:19.67\00:56:21.13
Hebrews 10 verses 38 and 39.
00:56:21.90\00:56:23.74
This was the foundation
of the entire message.
00:56:23.77\00:56:26.05
Can we say amen today?
00:56:42.99\00:56:44.60
I'm going to keep
going forward. Anybody else?
00:56:44.63\00:56:46.78
I'm going to keep trusting God.
00:56:46.81\00:56:48.11
It's not going to get
better, it's going to get worse.
00:56:48.14\00:56:50.32
But when it gets better,
it's going to be good eternally.
00:56:50.35\00:56:53.12
I'm not worried
about what people say,
00:56:53.64\00:56:55.20
and what the politics say, and
what's happening in the ISIS.
00:56:55.23\00:56:58.28
I'm looking at
what's happening in the
00:56:58.31\00:56:59.90
Holy Land, the New Jerusalem.
00:56:59.93\00:57:01.27
What do you say?
00:57:01.30\00:57:02.33
I'm not worried about the
decisions of the president,
00:57:02.36\00:57:04.16
because there's
somebody in the Right House
00:57:04.19\00:57:05.91
that has never let me down.
00:57:05.94\00:57:07.66
So don't let
anything get you to draw back.
00:57:08.21\00:57:09.85
Don't think about the family
ties, and the worldly pursuits,
00:57:09.88\00:57:13.14
and the financial gains,
and the situational ethics.
00:57:13.17\00:57:15.96
Think about the blood of
Jesus that has gone all the way
00:57:15.99\00:57:19.37
to make
salvation possible for you.
00:57:19.40\00:57:21.67
And when Jesus comes,
my brother and my sister,
00:57:21.70\00:57:24.72
you will be glad that
you have not drawn back.
00:57:24.75\00:57:29.92