Welcome to Anchors Of Truth
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live from the
3ABN Worship Center.
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Well we welcome you to our
last of the Anchors series here
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with Justin Torossian.
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And it has
really been a blessing.
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This afternoon's
topic is, Overcome.
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And we're
looking forward to this.
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It's been a series
involving the Laodicean church,
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of which the
Bible tells us we are.
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But it does tell us that
this church is victorious.
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And that's the great message
that we hear today from Justin.
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I'd like to tell you a
little bit about Justin.
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In addition to the fact
that he is the great great great
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grandson of James and
Ellen White, this young man
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has a real
passion for evangelism.
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He's still in seminary,
but he has taken leaves
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to hold evangelistic meetings.
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He's held meetings in
nine countries around the world
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working with Share
Him and other groups
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and presenting the gospel.
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When a young man that has that
kind of love for this message,
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you know that he loves the Lord
and that the Lord is using him.
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He loves working with young
people in a very special way.
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And God has given him
a real gift in that way.
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And he also is a normal person.
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Loving the mountains and
the outdoors, and loves to hike
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and get out in nature.
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And this just gives you a
little background for Justin.
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Currently he's at
Andrews University where he is
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a research assistant
and a graduate assistant
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for Dr. Jerry Moon who is
in the history area there,
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church history department,
of Andrews University.
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And he is working, Justin is, on
his Masters of Divinity degree.
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I know that many of
you have really been
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impressed with this series.
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Last night I got a
call from Kenneth Cox.
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"Who is this
young man," he said.
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And he wanted to
know more about Justin.
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So I was able to
share a few things with him.
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So this is an exciting time.
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We love Anchors.
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Anchors, normally,
we've had some of our
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more experienced speakers.
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But this time we said we wanted
a couple of younger speakers
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to come and to present to us.
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And Justin was one of
those that was chosen.
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There will be
another one in December.
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And you'll be able to
get acquainted once again
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with one of our
younger speakers.
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Before Justin comes,
our friend and our pastor,
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and a man that we love
so much, John Lomacang,
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is going to come sing
a song that we all love,
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at least I do,
Wonderful Merciful Savior.
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Wonderful, merciful Savior,
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precious Redeemer and Friend;
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who would have
thought that a Lamb could
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rescue the souls of men.
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Oh, You rescue the souls of men.
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Counselor, Comforter, Keeper,
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Spirit we long to embrace;
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You offer hope
when our hearts have
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hopelessly lost our way.
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Oh, we've
hopelessly lost our way.
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You are the One that we praise,
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You are the One we adore;
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You give the
healing and grace our
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hearts always hunger for.
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Oh, our hearts
always hunger for.
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You are the One that I praise,
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You are the One I adore;
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You give the
healing and grace my
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heart always hungers for.
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Oh, my heart always hunger for.
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Almighty, infinite Father,
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faithfully loving Your own;
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here in our weakness You find us
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falling before Your throne.
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Oh, we're falling
before Your throne.
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You are the One that we praise,
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You are the One we adore;
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You give the
healing and grace our
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hearts always hunger for.
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Oh, our hearts
always hunger for.
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You are the One that we praise,
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You are the One we adore;
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You give the
healing and grace our
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hearts always hunger for.
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Oh, our hearts
always hunger for.
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Praise God that Jesus is
our wonderful, merciful Savior.
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It's been a blessing to
be here with you at this
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Anchors Of Truth.
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And it's hard to believe
that we're already at our fifth
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and final message together.
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It's really flown by,
and you know, I have been
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tremendously blessed to
be able to be here with you
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sharing the Word of God.
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And in doing so, the
Lord has spoken to my own
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heart once again.
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We've been examining
Jesus' message together to the
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church of Laodicea.
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And our series,
Called, Chosen, Faithful,
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has been pointing us
as to how to be just that.
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Not just
called, not just chosen,
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but faithful
until Jesus comes again.
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Before we begin, I'd
just like to invite you to
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join me one more time as we ask
God's presence here in prayer.
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Our Father in
heaven, we thank You so much
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for the privilege of prayer.
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And that because of
Jesus we can boldly come
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before the throne of grace.
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Lord, we ask that You would
speak to our hearts and minds
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once again in the
way that only You can.
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We pray that as we examine the
last words of Jesus to Laodicea,
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that beautiful
promise to overcome,
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that we would not only
be inspired, but Lord, that
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we would be transformed.
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May we not just hear
information, but experience
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life transformation just now.
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We pray in Jesus name, amen.
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It was a few years
ago, and I was driving
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in Fresno,
California where I lived and was
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working as a pastor.
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And I was
listening to a radio station.
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And I loved the beautiful
Christian music on this station.
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But as I was listening,
there was an advertisement
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that came on for a book.
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And this particular radio
station believes and teaches
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that God has foreordained
a certain amount of people
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to be saved and the
rest of humanity to be lost.
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And that we have no
choice in the matter.
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So they were
advertising for this book.
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And I'll never forget,
they said, "To buy your copy of,
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'I Hope God Saves Me,' call
1-800-da da da - da da da da."
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And I though, "I
hope God saves me?"
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How many of you would
want to read a book called,
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"I Hope God Saves Me"?
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Do we have to wonder, is
God just picking and choosing
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who's going to be saved
and who is going to be lost?
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Our message today
is entitled, Overcome.
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And we're going to
answer the question,
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do we have to wonder
and be in fear and doubt
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as to if we are in a
saving relationship with Jesus
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or can we be assured
of salvation right now?
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In our series together
we've been taking a look at
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Jesus' message to
the church of Laodicea.
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And we know that besides
applying to the first century
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local literal
churches there in Asia Minor,
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these churches were symbolic
of seven time periods of
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church history down through time
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until Jesus comes
again in the clouds of glory.
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And this has been believed
and taught by many of the great
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Protestant reformers
who held to the historicist
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view of Bible prophecy.
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And we today know
that these seven churches
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are representative of seven
time periods of church history.
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So the last church on the list,
Laodicea, is the time period
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in which we
find ourselves today.
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We've seen that the Laodicean
message, the message from
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Jesus Himself,
is a strong message.
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But it's a
message given out of love.
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He says, "As many as I
love, I rebuke and chasten."
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Or, "I discipline and correct."
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And we know that God, our
Father, our heavenly Father,
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loves us so much
that like a loving parent,
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when we need
discipline and correction,
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He doesn't just let us
continue on in our mistakes.
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But He warns us of our danger.
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But as we've seen,
Jesus, the heavenly Physician,
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does not just
diagnose our disease of sin,
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but He offers us the solution.
00:12:08.76\00:12:10.76
And that is the
kind of God we serve.
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He doesn't just
point out our problems,
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but He provides
the solution for us.
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Praise God for that.
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We've seen that Jesus,
the heavenly Physician,
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to provide this
spiritual prescription,
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had to give His own
life to pay the price.
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And we've seen together
what that prescription is,
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that spiritual
solution to our problem of being
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wretched, miserable,
poor, blind, and naked.
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We've seen that Jesus
Himself received the victory
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over sin in His life,
and the victory over death.
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And He can offer
that to us as well.
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We've learned together that the
meaning of the name, Laodicea,
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contrary to what
many people believe,
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as they commonly think
that it means, lukewarm,
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we saw that lukewarm was
a description of Laodicea,
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but not its definition.
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The definition of Laodicea
is, people of the judgment.
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This message is a
message for God's church
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during the time
of God's pre-advent
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or investigative judgment.
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Now contrary to
what many of us believe,
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when we hear the word, judgment,
do we think of something
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negative or positive?
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Something negative.
00:13:32.24\00:13:33.58
Now contrary to this, in
the Bible, "judgment," primary
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meaning is
actually a positive one.
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Did you know that?
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Some people who have
thrown away the idea of the
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investigative judgment,
the biblical teaching of the
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pre-advent or investigative
judgment, have done so
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because they could not
reconcile assurance of salvation
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with the judgment.
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But friends, rather
than being a threat to our
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assurance of salvation, the
teaching and the biblical truth
00:13:59.27\00:14:03.14
of the investigative
judgment establishes
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assurance in our salvation.
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The Bible's primary meaning
when it comes to judgment
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is a positive one.
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Let's take a
look at it together.
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I hope you brought your Bibles.
00:14:15.35\00:14:16.69
I see many of
you did here today.
00:14:16.72\00:14:18.05
And if you're at home, go
ahead and grab your Bible.
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We're going to be using it.
00:14:20.36\00:14:21.69
Let's look at Psalm 76:8-9.
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Psalm 76:8-9
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Here, David speaks of judgment.
00:14:29.86\00:14:33.17
And we're going to see
it is a positive statement.
00:14:34.17\00:14:38.21
Verses 8 and 9 of Psalm 76.
00:14:39.41\00:14:42.64
I'll be reading from
the New King James Version.
00:14:42.78\00:14:44.71
"You caused judgment
to be heard from heaven;
00:14:45.38\00:14:48.12
the earth feared and was
still when God arose to judgment
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to deliver all the
oppressed of the earth."
00:14:53.15\00:14:55.96
So here David says
that God arose for judgment,
00:14:56.42\00:14:59.03
but he doesn't say it
was some negative thing.
00:14:59.06\00:15:00.83
God arose to judgment in
order to deliver the oppressed.
00:15:00.86\00:15:05.20
Let's look now at Psalm 35:24.
00:15:05.23\00:15:08.24
The biblical picture of judgment
is primarily a positive one.
00:15:08.94\00:15:13.64
Psalm 35:24
00:15:13.88\00:15:15.78
Here David says,
"Vindicate me, O Lord my God,
00:15:16.31\00:15:19.38
according to Your righteousness;
00:15:19.41\00:15:21.65
and let them not
rejoice over me."
00:15:21.92\00:15:24.29
This word, "vindicate," is also
translated in many versions,
00:15:24.69\00:15:28.06
"Judge me, O Lord."
00:15:28.26\00:15:30.06
So David was actually
praying, "God, judge me."
00:15:30.39\00:15:33.90
When God judges us, and
our lives are in Christ,
00:15:34.86\00:15:38.27
it means that He
is justifying us.
00:15:38.30\00:15:40.54
Every time that we are
cleansed from our sins,
00:15:40.94\00:15:43.17
we pass through judgment.
00:15:43.20\00:15:45.34
And God decides
that we are righteous.
00:15:45.37\00:15:49.58
And you know, God doesn't
just say that we're righteous.
00:15:49.61\00:15:52.91
There is, in theological
circles, dispute as to
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whether the robe of
Jesus' righteousness is imparted
00:15:56.08\00:16:00.19
or imputed, and
whether it's given to us
00:16:00.22\00:16:03.12
and whether it
transforms us right away.
00:16:03.56\00:16:07.10
And this is discussed
in theological circles.
00:16:07.13\00:16:09.96
And friends, it's because
God's robe of righteousness
00:16:10.00\00:16:13.70
is both imputed
and imparted to us.
00:16:13.74\00:16:16.40
God cannot lie, Titus 1:2.
00:16:17.07\00:16:20.04
God cannot lie.
00:16:20.08\00:16:21.54
So when He declares
that you are righteous,
00:16:21.58\00:16:24.48
the creative power of His
word makes that a reality.
00:16:24.51\00:16:29.12
God's righteousness,
His robe of righteousness,
00:16:29.58\00:16:32.69
justifies and cleanses us.
00:16:33.02\00:16:35.82
Justification
and sanctification.
00:16:35.86\00:16:38.69
You know, the New
Testament also echoes this
00:16:39.23\00:16:41.50
positive view of judgment.
00:16:41.70\00:16:44.03
Positive at least for
those who are in Christ.
00:16:44.07\00:16:46.43
Let's turn to 1 John 4:17.
00:16:46.47\00:16:49.67
1 John 4 and
reading in verse 17.
00:16:50.21\00:16:57.18
Here, John says to the
church, "Love has been perfected
00:16:58.71\00:17:02.42
among us in this: that
we may have boldness in the
00:17:02.45\00:17:05.89
day of judgment; because as
He is, so are we in this world."
00:17:05.92\00:17:10.93
John is saying, "We can
have confidence, boldness,
00:17:10.96\00:17:13.93
in the time of
judgment if our lives have been
00:17:13.96\00:17:16.20
surrendered to Jesus Christ."
00:17:16.23\00:17:18.27
One last verse in the New
Testament to establish this.
00:17:18.77\00:17:22.10
Romans 8:1
00:17:22.14\00:17:24.57
Beautiful chapter we mentioned
the other night in our message,
00:17:24.91\00:17:27.71
Wretched, Miserable, Victorious.
00:17:27.94\00:17:30.65
This chapter is all about
the indwelling and infilling
00:17:30.68\00:17:33.21
of the Holy Spirit.
00:17:33.25\00:17:34.58
There in verse 1 Paul
says, "There is therefore..."
00:17:34.98\00:17:37.59
Now, how much condemnation?
00:17:37.75\00:17:39.55
"...no condemnation to
those who are in Christ Jesus;
00:17:40.09\00:17:44.33
who do not walk
according to the flesh,
00:17:44.36\00:17:46.43
but according to the Spirit."
00:17:46.46\00:17:49.33
Friends, if we are in Christ,
there is no condemnation.
00:17:49.36\00:17:52.87
And judgment is good news.
00:17:52.90\00:17:55.20
In the Old Testament times,
things were different than the
00:17:57.04\00:18:00.24
judicial system we have today.
00:18:00.28\00:18:02.14
We often, when we hear the
term, investigative judgment,
00:18:02.54\00:18:07.48
or God's judgment, we have a
picture of God on His throne,
00:18:07.52\00:18:12.65
and a person standing there and
Jesus with His arm around them,
00:18:13.36\00:18:18.33
and God the Father
as the judge behind
00:18:18.36\00:18:20.96
maybe a desk of some sort.
00:18:21.00\00:18:23.10
And the person has
their head and they're hanging
00:18:23.20\00:18:26.13
their head in shame.
00:18:26.17\00:18:27.50
Jesus has His arm around them
and He's pleading their cause.
00:18:27.54\00:18:31.04
But friends, in the
Old Testament, the picture
00:18:31.47\00:18:33.58
of judgment, a court of
justice, was very different
00:18:33.61\00:18:36.75
than what we have today.
00:18:36.78\00:18:38.25
You see, in the Old
Testament times, the judge
00:18:38.28\00:18:41.78
was also the advocate.
00:18:41.88\00:18:43.79
So the person who is
making decisions in judgment
00:18:44.45\00:18:47.12
was also looking for a
way to acquit the person,
00:18:47.16\00:18:49.99
to justify them, to
declare them as indeed righteous
00:18:50.03\00:18:54.50
and able to go free.
00:18:54.53\00:18:55.90
This is why in John chapter
5 Jesus says the Father has
00:18:56.10\00:18:59.03
committed how much
judgment to the Son?
00:18:59.07\00:19:01.10
All judgment to the Son.
00:19:01.14\00:19:02.80
1 John 2:1 says that we have
an Advocate with the Father.
00:19:03.04\00:19:06.74
Jesus Christ the righteous.
00:19:06.78\00:19:09.21
That is good news. Amen?
00:19:09.24\00:19:10.91
Jesus is not only our Advocate,
but He is also our Judge.
00:19:11.45\00:19:16.89
The primary meaning of
God's judgment in Scripture
00:19:17.15\00:19:21.06
is a positive one.
00:19:21.09\00:19:22.59
To those who are in
Christ it means vindication.
00:19:22.86\00:19:26.33
It means justification.
00:19:26.63\00:19:28.33
Judgment means salvation.
00:19:28.70\00:19:30.67
But if we haven't
given our lives to Christ,
00:19:31.60\00:19:33.77
it means condemnation.
00:19:33.97\00:19:35.50
But friends, if we
have surrendered to Christ,
00:19:35.94\00:19:38.54
we can have peace and assurance
even in this time of God's
00:19:38.57\00:19:43.35
investigative judgment.
00:19:43.55\00:19:45.41
Praise God for that. Amen?
00:19:45.45\00:19:46.95
And through His people, in
this judgment, God will display
00:19:47.18\00:19:51.75
His character of
love to the world.
00:19:51.79\00:19:53.59
And not only the world,
but to the on looking universe.
00:19:53.62\00:19:56.83
In this great controversy
between good and evil,
00:19:56.93\00:19:59.19
God's character
will be vindicated.
00:19:59.39\00:20:02.10
It will be seen that
indeed He is a God of love.
00:20:02.13\00:20:05.23
And His people will
perfectly reflect that picture.
00:20:05.27\00:20:09.47
Judgment to those in
Christ brings joy, not fear.
00:20:10.24\00:20:15.21
Now out there floating in the
unbiblical waters of doctrine
00:20:15.74\00:20:20.32
is a teaching called,
"Once saved always saved."
00:20:20.42\00:20:24.19
It's a teaching that teaches,
at one little point in time
00:20:24.85\00:20:29.26
in the past, if you
gave your life to Christ
00:20:29.29\00:20:32.13
then you're covered.
00:20:32.16\00:20:33.76
No matter what you
do from that point on,
00:20:33.96\00:20:36.30
you can't lose
your eternal salvation.
00:20:36.50\00:20:39.30
You'll be fine no matter what.
00:20:39.33\00:20:41.34
But friends, the Bible doesn't
teach that this is the case.
00:20:41.60\00:20:45.37
Can a saved
person choose to be lost?
00:20:45.41\00:20:48.18
Absolutely. We see
some biblical examples.
00:20:48.64\00:20:50.81
King Saul is one example.
00:20:50.85\00:20:52.61
We see Judas who
literally walked with Jesus,
00:20:52.71\00:20:55.48
he was His disciple,
but Judas chose to be lost.
00:20:55.52\00:21:00.02
Let's turn to 1
Corinthians 10:12.
00:21:00.22\00:21:03.06
There, Paul
expresses this reality.
00:21:03.63\00:21:06.76
Hebrews 3:12 is
another place where the Bible
00:21:13.00\00:21:17.37
communicates this, that
it's possible for us to choose
00:21:17.41\00:21:21.64
to give our lives to
Jesus, but then to turn from Him
00:21:21.68\00:21:25.45
and to go the
opposite direction.
00:21:25.55\00:21:27.28
A saved person
can choose to be lost.
00:21:27.32\00:21:30.42
Hebrews 3:12, Paul says...
00:21:30.69\00:21:33.29
Paul was talking to
believers here, and he said,
00:21:41.86\00:21:44.27
"Look, be careful.
00:21:44.30\00:21:45.63
If there's an evil
heart, a doubting heart
00:21:45.67\00:21:47.60
of unbelief in you, you can
depart from the living God."
00:21:47.70\00:21:50.71
Friends, God wants us
to ask good questions.
00:21:51.37\00:21:55.01
But He wants us to ask questions
and seek for the answers.
00:21:55.21\00:21:59.08
Not to ask doubting questions.
00:21:59.18\00:22:01.62
You know, the difference
between essentially doubting
00:22:02.35\00:22:04.65
and asking good
questions is that when we ask
00:22:04.69\00:22:07.32
a question, we
really want to know.
00:22:07.52\00:22:09.49
When we're doubting,
we're not even really asking
00:22:09.69\00:22:12.43
or desiring to know.
00:22:12.46\00:22:13.80
We've already
almost made up our minds.
00:22:13.83\00:22:16.03
Now friends, the
opposite of this one extreme of
00:22:17.03\00:22:20.67
once you're saved
you're always saved,
00:22:20.77\00:22:22.84
is another ditch.
00:22:23.17\00:22:24.87
It's like, on the Christian
journey we're walking on a road.
00:22:24.91\00:22:28.21
And as we're walking this
pathway to heaven, there are
00:22:28.24\00:22:30.65
ditches on both
sides of the road.
00:22:30.68\00:22:33.45
One extreme and
the other extreme.
00:22:33.48\00:22:35.05
And the devil is happy
for us to be in either ditch
00:22:35.15\00:22:38.09
off of the road,
because it means we're no longer
00:22:38.19\00:22:40.99
continuing effectively
on the journey to heaven.
00:22:41.02\00:22:43.93
The opposite of this
teaching is that you can never
00:22:44.23\00:22:48.83
really be sure
of your salvation.
00:22:48.86\00:22:51.97
And this is also a
deception from Satan.
00:22:52.37\00:22:54.90
Let's turn together to
Jesus' words in Luke chapter 10.
00:22:54.94\00:22:58.34
He had just sent
His disciples out.
00:22:59.37\00:23:01.74
They had returned from
their first missionary journey.
00:23:02.51\00:23:05.41
They were so excited.
00:23:05.45\00:23:06.98
God had worked
miracles through them.
00:23:07.45\00:23:09.62
And they came back and they
said, "Lord, even the demons
00:23:09.65\00:23:12.45
are subject to us in Your name."
00:23:12.49\00:23:14.82
Friends, look at what
Jesus had to say to them.
00:23:15.39\00:23:18.16
Luke 10:12 says...
00:23:18.19\00:23:20.56
Excuse me.
00:23:21.30\00:23:22.63
Luke 10:20
00:23:23.57\00:23:25.40
Here, Jesus tells them...
00:23:25.80\00:23:27.14
Friends, you know,
when the Bible teaches
00:23:37.78\00:23:39.88
when we give our
lives to Christ in baptism,
00:23:39.98\00:23:42.52
our names are entered into
the Book of Life in heaven.
00:23:42.55\00:23:46.15
Every time that we sin,
the Bible teaches as well that
00:23:46.25\00:23:49.36
our sins are written
in the book of record.
00:23:49.59\00:23:52.36
And in God's
judgment at the end of time,
00:23:52.76\00:23:55.33
one of two things
will be blotted out.
00:23:55.56\00:23:58.10
If we have not
confessed those sins,
00:23:58.30\00:24:00.54
our names will be
blotted out of the Book of Life.
00:24:00.57\00:24:03.74
But the good news, the
good news of the gospel is that
00:24:03.97\00:24:06.98
if we confess those
sins and repent of them,
00:24:07.01\00:24:09.81
God will blot out our
sins with the blood of Jesus.
00:24:10.01\00:24:13.72
Praise God that
to those in Christ,
00:24:14.25\00:24:17.22
no one need fear the
judgment; but it can bring joy.
00:24:17.39\00:24:21.46
Now Jesus here said
that, "You should rejoice,"
00:24:21.76\00:24:25.76
He told His disciples,
"because your name is..." What?
00:24:25.79\00:24:29.16
"...written in heaven."
00:24:29.26\00:24:30.60
Simply question,
could the disciples rejoice
00:24:30.67\00:24:34.54
if they didn't really know their
names were written in heaven?
00:24:35.07\00:24:38.47
Yes or no?
00:24:38.51\00:24:39.84
They couldn't.
00:24:40.38\00:24:41.71
Jesus was saying
here, "You can be sure,
00:24:41.74\00:24:44.21
you can rejoice, that because
you've given your lives to Me
00:24:44.25\00:24:47.45
and you're
following Me, that your names
00:24:47.48\00:24:49.92
are written in the
Lamb's Book of Life.
00:24:49.95\00:24:52.45
Your names are
written in heaven."
00:24:52.49\00:24:53.82
They could be sure of that.
00:24:53.86\00:24:55.56
Another place where
the Bible communicates
00:24:55.86\00:24:57.96
this beautiful
truth is 1 John 5:12-13.
00:24:57.99\00:25:03.80
1 John 5 talks about the
good news that we can be sure
00:25:04.47\00:25:10.51
of our salvation when
we've given our lives to Christ
00:25:10.54\00:25:13.38
and surrendered our all.
00:25:13.41\00:25:14.78
1 John 5:12-13
00:25:14.81\00:25:17.45
There John says, "He
who has the Son has life.
00:25:19.35\00:25:22.95
He who does not have
the Son does not have life.
00:25:23.18\00:25:25.95
These things I have
written to you who believe
00:25:26.45\00:25:28.82
in the name of the Son of
God that you may know that
00:25:28.86\00:25:31.93
you have eternal life,
and that you may continue
00:25:31.96\00:25:34.83
to believe in the
name of the Son of God."
00:25:34.86\00:25:37.73
Friends, He said, "I
have written these things
00:25:37.83\00:25:39.27
to you so you
can know, not wonder,
00:25:39.30\00:25:41.90
but know that you
have eternal life."
00:25:42.07\00:25:45.41
We can be sure of
our salvation, friends,
00:25:45.44\00:25:48.38
if we've given our lives
into the precious hands of Jesus
00:25:48.41\00:25:51.55
and we're surrendering
to Him moment by moment.
00:25:51.58\00:25:55.28
Ellen White echoed this when in
a talk to the General Conference
00:25:55.72\00:25:59.55
in 1903 she said, "We
must not base our salvation
00:25:59.59\00:26:03.79
upon supposition..."
00:26:03.83\00:26:05.36
Friends, as Christians God wants
to share the gospel through us.
00:26:26.65\00:26:31.69
Matthew 24:14, Jesus
there says that when the gospel
00:26:31.72\00:26:35.99
of the kingdom is preached
in all the world as a witness
00:26:36.02\00:26:39.19
to all nations,
then shall the end come.
00:26:39.23\00:26:41.90
And the word, "witness,"
there is the Greek word
00:26:42.00\00:26:44.33
of which the
root is, "martureó."
00:26:44.37\00:26:47.14
It's the word from
which we get martyr.
00:26:47.37\00:26:49.84
In other words, this word
does not just mean a profession.
00:26:50.44\00:26:53.88
You know, we need to
preach the gospel and to
00:26:54.11\00:26:56.21
share the gospel, amen?
00:26:56.24\00:26:57.81
But God wants to give a living
demonstration to the world
00:26:57.91\00:27:01.85
of the power of the gospel
when it transforms our lives.
00:27:01.88\00:27:05.62
A witness.
00:27:05.65\00:27:06.99
Witnessing is not
just something we do.
00:27:07.02\00:27:08.36
A witness is
something that we are.
00:27:08.39\00:27:11.06
A friends, every one of
you in this room and within the
00:27:11.73\00:27:14.23
sound of my voice
has a sphere of influence
00:27:14.26\00:27:17.43
that no one else has.
00:27:17.47\00:27:18.97
You know, you can reach
people that certain preachers
00:27:19.33\00:27:22.40
and teachers cannot reach.
00:27:22.44\00:27:24.04
And God has given
all of us the privilege
00:27:24.21\00:27:26.71
of sharing the life
changing power of His gospel.
00:27:26.74\00:27:30.65
You know, we can
walk so closely with God
00:27:31.51\00:27:35.28
that we can be like Enoch.
00:27:36.08\00:27:37.85
Genesis 5:24 tells us
a little bit about Enoch.
00:27:38.19\00:27:41.26
There's not a lot said
in the Bible about him,
00:27:42.02\00:27:44.49
but what is there
is incredibly powerful.
00:27:44.76\00:27:47.36
He's mentioned in the
New and the Old Testament.
00:27:47.56\00:27:50.13
Genesis 5:21, "Enoch
lived sixty-five years,
00:27:50.23\00:27:54.27
and begot Methuselah."
00:27:54.30\00:27:55.90
Excuse me, verse 24.
00:27:55.94\00:27:57.44
"And Enoch walked with God..."
00:27:57.47\00:27:59.34
Enoch walked so closely with
God that one day, I imagine,
00:28:03.98\00:28:07.98
that as Enoch was
walking with God, God said,
00:28:08.28\00:28:11.32
"Enoch, why don't you
just come to My house.
00:28:11.35\00:28:13.96
It's closer."
00:28:13.99\00:28:15.32
Friends, we can walk and
talk with God in the same way.
00:28:15.59\00:28:18.26
Enoch walked with
God through prayer.
00:28:18.29\00:28:21.06
And you know, we can train, by
God's grace and by His strength,
00:28:21.36\00:28:24.27
we can train our very
thought processes to be prayer.
00:28:24.30\00:28:28.04
You know how you think
to yourself, "Oh, I need to
00:28:28.20\00:28:29.77
remember to
write a 'to do' list.
00:28:29.80\00:28:31.34
I need to write
this. I need to..."
00:28:31.37\00:28:32.71
And you're thinking to
yourself, and there's that voice
00:28:32.74\00:28:35.44
that you're thinking, speaking
to yourself, so to speak.
00:28:35.48\00:28:38.15
We can actually train that
to be conversation with God
00:28:38.51\00:28:42.78
where we're constantly praying.
00:28:42.82\00:28:45.02
And this is what
Paul meant when he said,
00:28:45.05\00:28:46.65
"Pray without ceasing."
00:28:46.69\00:28:49.36
We can
constantly be praying to Him
00:28:49.62\00:28:52.09
and in conversation with Him,
00:28:52.13\00:28:53.73
and walking and
talking with Jesus.
00:28:53.76\00:28:56.53
Louis Pasteur was
looking into a microscope
00:28:57.67\00:29:02.50
by one of his lab assistants.
00:29:02.54\00:29:04.77
And he was so still that the
man decided not to say anything,
00:29:05.31\00:29:11.51
and he just walked out.
00:29:11.55\00:29:12.88
But as he was walking
out, Louis Pasteur said,
00:29:13.15\00:29:15.52
"Yes, do you need something?"
00:29:15.72\00:29:17.15
And the man said, "Oh I'm sorry.
00:29:18.02\00:29:19.75
I thought you were praying."
00:29:19.79\00:29:21.12
And as he was looking
into that microscope, he said,
00:29:21.72\00:29:24.13
"I was."
00:29:24.39\00:29:25.73
Friends, in everything that we
do, every aspect of our lives,
00:29:26.36\00:29:30.77
we can be in communion with God.
00:29:30.80\00:29:32.87
He wants to walk with us.
00:29:33.10\00:29:34.97
He wants to talk with us.
00:29:35.00\00:29:37.14
He wants to spend time with us.
00:29:37.17\00:29:39.37
And praise the Lord for that.
00:29:39.77\00:29:41.28
And as we walk and talk
with Him, as we spend time
00:29:41.88\00:29:44.61
in communion with Him day
after day, moment by moment,
00:29:44.65\00:29:48.98
it is possible for Him
to keep us from stumbling,
00:29:49.25\00:29:53.25
to keep us from falling.
00:29:53.29\00:29:54.99
To keep us from falling
into the sins that have bound us
00:29:55.02\00:29:59.66
or pulled us down for so long.
00:29:59.69\00:30:01.46
Jude verse 24.
00:30:01.96\00:30:03.40
There's only one
chapter in the book of Jude.
00:30:03.43\00:30:05.27
But it's a powerful little book.
00:30:06.43\00:30:08.24
Right before
Revelation. Jude verse 24.
00:30:08.47\00:30:11.24
I just want to finish it.
00:30:24.29\00:30:25.62
I'll finish it in
the New King James.
00:30:25.65\00:30:26.99
"...to God our Savior, who alone
is wise, be glory and majesty,
00:30:27.02\00:30:31.29
dominion and power,
both now and forever, amen."
00:30:31.49\00:30:37.47
Friends, God is able to
keep you and I from falling.
00:30:37.73\00:30:41.74
This is possible through
constant communion with Christ.
00:30:41.94\00:30:45.84
You know, victory over
sin is not possible by us
00:30:46.61\00:30:50.31
focusing on victory over sin.
00:30:50.35\00:30:52.68
Did you catch that?
00:30:53.75\00:30:55.08
Victory over the sins
that hold us is not possible
00:30:55.22\00:30:58.22
by focusing on them.
00:30:58.25\00:30:59.92
Victory over sin is
only possible as we focus
00:31:00.16\00:31:02.72
our eyes on Christ.
00:31:02.76\00:31:04.39
And as we do, in
the words of the song,
00:31:04.43\00:31:06.93
"Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
look full in His wonderful face,
00:31:07.23\00:31:11.80
and the things of
earth will grow strangely dim
00:31:11.83\00:31:15.20
in the light of
His glory and grace."
00:31:15.24\00:31:18.21
Friends, when we
turn our eyes upon Christ,
00:31:18.24\00:31:20.81
the things of this
world, as we focus on Him,
00:31:21.01\00:31:24.55
and as we fall in
love with Him more and more
00:31:24.58\00:31:26.82
and are grateful for
the infinite sacrifice
00:31:26.85\00:31:29.42
He paid for our
eternal salvation,
00:31:29.45\00:31:31.99
friends, in our hearts
we'll develop a hatred for sin,
00:31:32.29\00:31:36.49
a disgust for the sins
that crucified our Savior.
00:31:36.52\00:31:39.96
We will want to stay as far
away from those as possible.
00:31:40.06\00:31:44.33
And you know, rather
than praying in the negative,
00:31:44.83\00:31:48.07
and praying, "God,
help me not to swear."
00:31:48.10\00:31:50.91
"Help me not to lie."
00:31:50.94\00:31:52.94
"Lord, help me not
to..." fill in the blank,
00:31:52.97\00:31:55.58
we should pray in the positive.
00:31:55.61\00:31:57.45
We should focus
on Christ and say,
00:31:57.78\00:31:59.88
"Lord, help me
to tell the truth."
00:32:00.02\00:32:02.98
"Lord, help me to have
pure language like Jesus had."
00:32:03.52\00:32:06.96
"Lord, help me to have
self-control like Jesus did."
00:32:07.36\00:32:10.59
And as we pray in the
positive and focus our spiritual
00:32:10.63\00:32:13.36
eyesight on Christ, He'll
grant us victory through the
00:32:13.40\00:32:16.67
indwelling of His Holy Spirit.
00:32:16.70\00:32:19.23
You know, there's what I
like to call, a divine paradox,
00:32:20.84\00:32:24.21
in the Christian walk.
00:32:24.24\00:32:25.81
And that is that the
closer you come to Jesus,
00:32:26.24\00:32:29.38
the closer we come to
Him, the more we recognize
00:32:29.94\00:32:33.62
our own unworthiness.
00:32:33.65\00:32:35.68
The closer we come to
Him, we recognize all the more
00:32:36.89\00:32:40.86
how sinful and
filthy spiritually we are.
00:32:41.09\00:32:45.19
So friends, know that as
you're drawing closer to Christ,
00:32:45.76\00:32:48.90
you'll
recognize how bad you are.
00:32:48.93\00:32:51.00
But don't be discouraged
by looking at yourself.
00:32:51.10\00:32:54.14
I love the way
Martin Luther, the great
00:32:54.17\00:32:56.14
Protestant reformer put it.
00:32:56.24\00:32:57.74
He said, "When I look at myself,
00:32:57.84\00:33:00.24
I don't see how
I could be saved.
00:33:00.28\00:33:02.41
But when I look at Jesus, I
don't see how I could be lost."
00:33:02.44\00:33:06.18
Keep your eyes on Christ.
00:33:06.55\00:33:09.28
Philippians 1:6 gives
this beautiful promise.
00:33:09.65\00:33:13.19
One of my favorite
in all of Scripture.
00:33:13.22\00:33:15.12
You know, I'm really
good at starting projects.
00:33:26.43\00:33:29.64
Whether it's writing a
song, or maybe writing a book,
00:33:30.54\00:33:34.81
or building something,
I'm great at starting stuff.
00:33:34.84\00:33:38.71
My problem is finishing them.
00:33:39.15\00:33:41.78
And friends, I am so glad that
God doesn't have that problem.
00:33:42.32\00:33:45.72
When God starts
something, He finishes it.
00:33:45.95\00:33:49.26
And He's promised us that
the good work that He's begun
00:33:49.42\00:33:52.56
in your heart and in my
heart will be carried forth
00:33:52.59\00:33:55.96
to completion when Jesus
comes in the clouds of glory.
00:33:56.00\00:33:59.13
At that day when we're
not only free from the sins
00:33:59.33\00:34:04.04
that He's broken us free from
here as we've walked with Him,
00:34:04.07\00:34:06.78
but we'll be free from
even the sinful nature that
00:34:06.81\00:34:09.71
leads us to be tempted.
00:34:09.74\00:34:11.35
We'll be even free
from the presence of sin.
00:34:11.55\00:34:14.12
No more temptation.
00:34:14.22\00:34:15.55
And you know, it's
not a sin to be tempted.
00:34:15.95\00:34:18.25
Christ Himself was tempted.
00:34:18.29\00:34:20.16
And in the same way that
He overcame, Revelation 3:21,
00:34:20.46\00:34:23.73
He tells us that
we are to overcome.
00:34:23.76\00:34:25.59
How did Christ overcome?
00:34:25.63\00:34:27.10
Through Scripture.
00:34:27.96\00:34:29.30
He said, "It is written..."
00:34:29.33\00:34:30.67
And friends, you and I can't
stop temptations from coming
00:34:30.70\00:34:34.00
sometimes, but we can
answer with Scripture,
00:34:34.04\00:34:36.91
quote a Bible verse, sing a
song, and that will disappear.
00:34:37.21\00:34:41.91
It will melt away.
00:34:41.94\00:34:43.28
You know, we can't stop the
birds from lying over our heads,
00:34:44.08\00:34:46.92
but we can stop them from
making a nest in our hair.
00:34:47.15\00:34:49.62
And that is what
God would have us do;
00:34:50.35\00:34:51.92
answer with Scripture.
00:34:51.95\00:34:53.62
You may be thinking,
"This sounds great, you know.
00:34:54.62\00:34:59.73
It sounds beautiful,
but I'm too messed up.
00:34:59.76\00:35:03.97
My life is too
bad for God to fix."
00:35:04.23\00:35:08.37
Friend, you know,
God's promises in His Word,
00:35:08.94\00:35:13.24
the one we just
read, Philippians 1:6,
00:35:13.34\00:35:16.14
all of them, they're for you.
00:35:16.44\00:35:18.61
They're for you
and they're for me.
00:35:19.58\00:35:22.42
No matter what your background,
no matter what your walk
00:35:22.62\00:35:25.32
has been, God can
transform your life.
00:35:25.35\00:35:28.96
I love this quote, and we're
going to share a few quotes
00:35:29.22\00:35:31.59
from this book, Steps To Christ.
00:35:31.63\00:35:33.43
It's one of the best
books you'll ever read
00:35:33.46\00:35:35.33
outside of the Bible.
00:35:35.36\00:35:36.70
And if you call
the team here at 3ABN,
00:35:36.73\00:35:39.17
they'll send you a
free copy of this book.
00:35:39.20\00:35:41.67
Here in page 52, it says...
00:35:42.14\00:35:44.71
How many believing souls?
00:35:58.15\00:35:59.49
Every believing soul.
00:35:59.72\00:36:01.06
Friends, God's promises,
every last one of them,
00:36:18.67\00:36:21.51
are for you.
00:36:21.71\00:36:23.04
And they're for me.
00:36:23.24\00:36:24.58
The Faith I Live By, page
102, another beautiful promise.
00:36:25.25\00:36:28.88
A beautiful statement.
00:36:29.48\00:36:30.92
Friends, we can
have assurance if we've
00:36:41.03\00:36:43.90
given our lives to Christ.
00:36:43.93\00:36:45.33
It's a necessity.
00:36:45.63\00:36:46.97
And here's why it's a necessity.
00:36:47.00\00:36:48.47
As God wants us to share
the gospel with the world,
00:36:48.67\00:36:51.14
can you share
something you don't have?
00:36:51.17\00:36:53.41
Of course we can't.
00:36:54.18\00:36:55.51
If we don't have the assurance,
the biblical assurance,
00:36:55.54\00:36:59.08
that we are in a saving
relationship with Jesus,
00:36:59.11\00:37:02.08
then we can't share anything
of eternal value with anyone.
00:37:02.35\00:37:05.85
But friends, we can
rest assured, we can know
00:37:06.12\00:37:10.03
that Christ, if we've
surrendered our hearts to Him,
00:37:10.23\00:37:13.09
Christ, would He
return in this moment,
00:37:13.90\00:37:16.16
we would be saved by His grace.
00:37:16.43\00:37:18.60
One preacher put it this
way: Justice means we get
00:37:19.43\00:37:24.21
what we deserve.
00:37:24.24\00:37:25.57
Mercy means we
don't get what we deserve.
00:37:25.94\00:37:29.08
But grace means we
get what we don't deserve.
00:37:29.11\00:37:32.78
And friends, God's grace
offers us what we don't deserve.
00:37:32.95\00:37:36.89
And that is the gift of
eternal life through Christ.
00:37:36.92\00:37:39.59
You know, the devil often
gets us to look at ourselves
00:37:40.26\00:37:43.19
and become discouraged.
00:37:43.22\00:37:44.69
Isaiah chapter 6 is
one example of this.
00:37:45.13\00:37:47.90
And as we said, part of
it is the divine paradox.
00:37:47.93\00:37:51.63
Because the closer we come
to Christ, the more we recognize
00:37:51.67\00:37:54.34
our desperate need of Him.
00:37:54.37\00:37:55.80
Which is a good thing.
00:37:55.84\00:37:57.17
We cast ourselves upon
the Savior for His help.
00:37:57.21\00:37:59.77
In Isaiah chapter
6, Isaiah was in vision
00:38:00.61\00:38:03.78
and he saw God
in His holy temple.
00:38:03.81\00:38:07.52
He said in verse 5,
"Woe is me, for I am undone.
00:38:07.92\00:38:11.99
Because I am a man of
unclean lips, and I dwell in the
00:38:12.22\00:38:15.29
midst of a
people of unclean lips;
00:38:15.32\00:38:17.29
for my eyes have seen
the King, the Lord of hosts."
00:38:17.49\00:38:22.40
Friends, when we
recognize our own sinfulness,
00:38:23.30\00:38:27.07
it's that very thing
that we recognize, if we could
00:38:27.17\00:38:30.41
surrender it to God,
that He cleanses us from.
00:38:30.44\00:38:33.01
Let's continue reading.
00:38:33.24\00:38:34.58
"Then one of the seraphim
flew to me, having in his hand
00:38:34.84\00:38:37.81
a live coal which he had taken
with the tongs from the altar."
00:38:37.85\00:38:41.52
Verse 7 of Isaiah 6, "And
he touched my mouth with it,
00:38:41.85\00:38:45.29
and said, 'Behold,
this has touched your lips;
00:38:45.65\00:38:48.12
your iniquity is taken
away, and your sin purged.'"
00:38:48.16\00:38:52.39
Where did that
coal touch Isaiah?
00:38:52.83\00:38:54.53
His lips.
00:38:55.10\00:38:56.43
What did Isaiah
say was his problem?
00:38:56.46\00:38:58.10
"I'm a man of unclean lips."
00:38:58.93\00:39:01.00
Friends, God will transform
us in the areas where we
00:39:01.04\00:39:04.94
recognize we have
problems and come to Him
00:39:04.97\00:39:07.24
and say, "Lord,
please transform me.
00:39:07.28\00:39:09.71
Because I can't
do it on my own."
00:39:09.74\00:39:11.81
But Isaiah looked at
himself and he was discouraged.
00:39:12.78\00:39:16.28
God didn't let him stop there.
00:39:16.89\00:39:18.25
He sent an angel
to encourage him.
00:39:18.29\00:39:20.76
You know, the devil
wants us to look at ourselves
00:39:21.26\00:39:23.99
and become discouraged
and believe that there is
00:39:24.03\00:39:27.20
no hope for us.
00:39:27.23\00:39:28.56
Steps To Christ, page 71, this
beautiful quote says this...
00:39:28.70\00:39:33.20
Amen, praise the Lord
for the mercies of Jesus.
00:40:09.24\00:40:12.57
And that we need not
look at ourselves and become
00:40:12.84\00:40:15.51
so discouraged
that we have no hope.
00:40:15.54\00:40:17.61
Friends, it's good
to look at ourselves,
00:40:18.61\00:40:20.68
to recognize our own sinful
as we're in Christ's presence,
00:40:21.65\00:40:24.29
because it leads
us to look to Christ;
00:40:24.32\00:40:27.69
the One who is our hope.
00:40:27.72\00:40:30.29
Micah 7:19 gives
the beautiful promise.
00:40:31.86\00:40:35.36
You know, God's Word
is so full of promises.
00:40:35.40\00:40:39.77
And we can praise Him
that all of them are for us.
00:40:41.70\00:40:44.11
Micah 7:19, there he says...
00:40:45.01\00:40:48.38
You know, there are
some places in the sea,
00:40:58.72\00:41:00.59
like the Mariana
Trench, that we have not
00:41:00.62\00:41:02.89
even been able to explore.
00:41:02.92\00:41:04.66
It is so deep, the pressure
down there is so strong,
00:41:05.03\00:41:08.96
that we haven't even been able
to send machines down there.
00:41:09.16\00:41:13.03
Friends, the ocean is
a symbol of what God is
00:41:13.60\00:41:16.47
going to do with our sins.
00:41:16.50\00:41:17.84
He's going to cast
them away, they'll be gone,
00:41:17.87\00:41:20.38
if we confess them to Him.
00:41:20.58\00:41:22.51
We turn from them.
00:41:22.71\00:41:24.35
God takes those and it is
as if they have never existed.
00:41:24.38\00:41:28.18
But you know, sometimes we
act like that's not the case.
00:41:29.85\00:41:34.06
We've confessed
our sins, but we feel
00:41:34.32\00:41:37.76
like we haven't been forgiven.
00:41:38.69\00:41:40.03
And based on that feeling, we
keep asking God for forgiveness.
00:41:40.06\00:41:44.50
You know, some time ago
I was praying, and the Lord
00:41:44.73\00:41:47.17
really convicted me on this.
00:41:47.20\00:41:48.57
I was praying, and a few days
before there had been something
00:41:49.30\00:41:52.17
that I had confessed to
the Lord and repented of.
00:41:52.21\00:41:54.78
And I found myself two days
later confessing that sin again.
00:41:55.01\00:41:58.95
And it was as if
the Holy Spirit told me,
00:41:59.21\00:42:00.82
"Justin, why are
you confessing that?
00:42:00.85\00:42:03.65
I've already forgiven you.
00:42:03.69\00:42:05.25
It's gone, why are
you bringing it back up?"
00:42:05.75\00:42:08.26
Friends, the devil wants
to point us to our past sins,
00:42:08.82\00:42:11.59
even the ones that have
been forgiven and cleansed
00:42:11.63\00:42:13.70
by the blood of
Jesus, to discourage us
00:42:13.73\00:42:15.90
from moving forward.
00:42:15.93\00:42:17.27
But we can have
confidence and assurance
00:42:17.47\00:42:19.90
that when God has forgiven
our sins, they are blotted out.
00:42:20.14\00:42:23.77
They are in the
deepest end of the ocean.
00:42:23.81\00:42:26.07
They are as far away as
the east is from the west.
00:42:26.17\00:42:29.58
Friends, they are gone.
00:42:29.84\00:42:31.18
And we can trust Him
by taking Him at His word.
00:42:31.21\00:42:34.28
There was a man who was
teaching his daughter to drive.
00:42:35.75\00:42:40.16
And as he was, they were driving
past their neighbor's house
00:42:41.02\00:42:44.83
and the neighbor's cat
ran out in front of them.
00:42:45.26\00:42:48.43
And rather than
hitting the breaks soon enough,
00:42:48.66\00:42:50.70
she ended up hitting the
cat and they killed the cat.
00:42:50.73\00:42:53.47
And she felt
terrible, she was in tears.
00:42:54.04\00:42:57.07
And they took the cat
to the neighbor's door,
00:42:57.11\00:42:59.44
they rang the door bell,
and they said, "We're so sorry.
00:42:59.47\00:43:01.94
I'm so sorry I killed your cat."
00:43:01.98\00:43:04.21
And they shed some
tears and they said,
00:43:04.41\00:43:06.41
"Well, we'll bury
Fefe in the back yard."
00:43:06.45\00:43:08.42
And the cat was
buried, and they said,
00:43:09.02\00:43:11.75
"You know, we forgive
you. Mistakes happen."
00:43:11.79\00:43:13.82
And some time went on.
00:43:14.62\00:43:16.36
It was the next day, actually.
00:43:16.39\00:43:17.73
And the family
received a knock at their door.
00:43:17.76\00:43:20.73
And they answered the door
and they were kind of perturbed,
00:43:21.43\00:43:24.33
because this girl had
dug up the cat, and said,
00:43:24.37\00:43:27.04
"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."
00:43:27.07\00:43:29.20
They said, "You
know, that's okay."
00:43:29.90\00:43:32.07
And they buried
the cat together again.
00:43:32.57\00:43:34.54
The next day, a
knock on the door.
00:43:34.64\00:43:37.11
The girl is there
with the cat again,
00:43:37.41\00:43:38.75
"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."
00:43:38.78\00:43:40.95
They said, "Look,
leave the cat buried."
00:43:41.05\00:43:43.15
Friends, this is a good
illustration of what we do
00:43:44.19\00:43:46.35
sometimes with our sins.
00:43:46.39\00:43:47.89
They're gone, but we
keep bringing them up
00:43:47.92\00:43:50.26
as if Christ
has not cleansed us.
00:43:50.29\00:43:52.49
And this is often because if you
have confessed your sin to God
00:43:52.93\00:43:56.97
and repented of it, it
doesn't necessarily mean that
00:43:57.00\00:44:00.34
you feel okay.
00:44:00.37\00:44:02.27
It doesn't necessarily mean
that you feel good about it.
00:44:02.60\00:44:05.67
And those feelings of
guilt can continue on.
00:44:05.71\00:44:08.31
Friends, I love this quote
from, Steps To Christ, page 52.
00:44:08.51\00:44:12.95
paragraph 1.
00:44:13.11\00:44:14.45
Listen to this and quote this,
memorize this little quote.
00:44:14.48\00:44:18.29
It is beautiful.
00:44:18.32\00:44:19.65
And when you don't feel like
your sins have been forgiven,
00:44:19.69\00:44:23.99
but you want to
take God at His word
00:44:24.26\00:44:26.83
that you are
cleansed, quote this
00:44:26.86\00:44:30.03
along with 1 John 1:9.
00:44:30.87\00:44:33.34
She says to say, "I
believe it, it is so;
00:44:33.74\00:44:38.51
not because I feel it,
but because He has promised."
00:44:38.71\00:44:42.84
Friends, we can know that if
we've confessed our sins to Him,
00:44:43.28\00:44:47.02
repented of those sins,
that He has cleansed us.
00:44:47.05\00:44:50.29
He's forgiven us of them.
00:44:50.49\00:44:52.09
Even if you don't
feel it, it is so.
00:44:52.12\00:44:55.06
God has promised, and
He is a God who cannot lie.
00:44:55.16\00:44:58.83
Steps To Christ, page
64, another beautiful quote
00:45:01.60\00:45:04.47
expressing this
biblical beautiful truth.
00:45:04.50\00:45:07.94
Friends, if we have
given our lives to Christ,
00:45:59.35\00:46:02.06
even in the times that we
may fall and we may mess up,
00:46:02.09\00:46:05.49
we can have assurance
that God doesn't reject us.
00:46:05.76\00:46:08.20
He doesn't cast us off.
00:46:08.23\00:46:09.86
But He helps us up
by His righteousness
00:46:10.27\00:46:12.73
to confess those
sins, to repent of them.
00:46:13.00\00:46:15.17
And He helps us to
walk with Him in victory.
00:46:15.54\00:46:19.97
Praise the Lord for that.
00:46:20.38\00:46:21.71
We need not be discouraged.
00:46:21.74\00:46:23.14
We can have confidence and
assurance, blessed assurance,
00:46:23.41\00:46:27.82
that Jesus is ours.
00:46:27.85\00:46:29.72
Christ, who is dwelling
in our hearts once we've
00:46:30.82\00:46:33.76
surrendered to
Him, is our Advocate
00:46:33.79\00:46:36.52
as well as our Judge.
00:46:36.56\00:46:38.26
And He's dwelling
in our hearts by faith.
00:46:38.49\00:46:40.26
We have nothing to
fear for God's judgment.
00:46:40.30\00:46:43.87
I want to invite you to
turn with me to 2 Timothy.
00:46:44.67\00:46:49.87
The book of 2 Timothy.
00:46:51.04\00:46:52.87
Paul here is sharing
with Timothy, a young pastor.
00:46:53.51\00:46:57.65
And as he is, he's
knowing that he's heading
00:46:59.81\00:47:03.22
toward the end of his life.
00:47:03.25\00:47:04.75
And in 2 Timothy 4:6, some
of his last words, he says,
00:47:05.62\00:47:08.52
"For I am already being
poured out as a drink offering,
00:47:08.56\00:47:11.89
and the time of my
departure is at hand.
00:47:11.93\00:47:14.36
I have fought the good
fight, I have finished the race,
00:47:14.56\00:47:18.63
I have kept the faith.
00:47:18.67\00:47:20.47
Finally, there is laid up for
me the crown of righteousness,
00:47:20.57\00:47:23.27
which the Lord,
the righteous Judge,
00:47:23.30\00:47:25.57
will give to me on
that Day, and not to me only
00:47:25.61\00:47:29.34
but also to all who
have loved His appearing."
00:47:29.44\00:47:33.38
Friends, Paul said, "I
have confidence, not because
00:47:33.78\00:47:37.35
I'm confident in myself,
but because I'm confident
00:47:37.39\00:47:39.85
in Christ that I will have that
crown of life, by His grace.
00:47:39.89\00:47:43.56
Because Christ has
overcome in my life."
00:47:43.76\00:47:47.60
Friends, all of us
will either be overcome
00:47:47.90\00:47:51.83
or we will overcome.
00:47:51.87\00:47:53.70
And if we've given ourselves to
Christ and we continue to do so,
00:47:54.00\00:47:57.21
we need not be
overcome, but we can overcome.
00:47:57.24\00:48:01.51
What is the
key? What is the key?
00:48:02.64\00:48:06.01
Revelation 3:20, Jesus' last
words to the Laodicean church.
00:48:06.05\00:48:10.72
Revelation 3:20, the invitation
of the Savior, He says...
00:48:11.82\00:48:15.86
Friends, Jesus
wants to dine with us.
00:48:26.27\00:48:29.24
You know, it's very interesting.
00:48:29.27\00:48:30.61
In the Greek language,
there are three words for
00:48:31.24\00:48:34.78
three different
meals of the day.
00:48:34.81\00:48:36.34
Just like we have in
English and most languages.
00:48:36.64\00:48:39.41
The New Testament
was written in Greek.
00:48:39.45\00:48:40.92
And the first word is akratisma,
which means breakfast.
00:48:40.95\00:48:45.85
And this was usually
just a little piece of bread,
00:48:45.89\00:48:48.59
some juice.
00:48:48.62\00:48:49.96
And you would eat it
quickly, on the rush.
00:48:49.99\00:48:52.19
Different people
would eat it on their own.
00:48:52.23\00:48:54.60
Then there was
ariston, which was lunch.
00:48:54.63\00:48:56.67
And it was usually
by the working men.
00:48:56.70\00:48:58.47
They would go aside in
kind of a picnic style lunch.
00:48:58.50\00:49:01.34
They would just eat
their meal together.
00:49:01.37\00:49:03.54
But deipnon was dinner.
00:49:03.64\00:49:05.97
Deipnon was supper, that
evening meal when the family
00:49:06.44\00:49:08.98
would gather together,
when they would spend time
00:49:09.01\00:49:11.21
with each other, when they
would commune with each other.
00:49:11.25\00:49:13.95
This is the word
that Jesus uses here.
00:49:14.28\00:49:16.58
He says, "I will
deipneo with you."
00:49:16.79\00:49:19.15
Christ wants to dwell with us.
00:49:19.45\00:49:21.09
He wants to spend
time with us, friends.
00:49:21.12\00:49:23.39
Not just a, you know, Pop
Tart devotion in the morning.
00:49:23.73\00:49:27.10
A quick
breakfast, a quick spiritual
00:49:27.30\00:49:29.63
breakfast devotional time.
00:49:29.66\00:49:31.00
He wants to remain with us.
00:49:31.03\00:49:32.77
He wants to spend
quality time with us.
00:49:33.30\00:49:36.00
And friends, when we
do, Christ will enable us to
00:49:36.44\00:49:40.18
be faithful, full of faith.
00:49:40.21\00:49:43.48
Because we've spent time
with Him and we've spent time
00:49:43.78\00:49:46.95
in His Word.
00:49:47.38\00:49:48.72
Revelation 17:14 gives us the
key of how not to be overcome,
00:49:48.75\00:49:55.86
but how to overcome.
00:49:55.89\00:49:58.09
Revelation 17, speaking of
the forces of earth that will
00:49:59.09\00:50:03.06
make war against
Christ, the Lamb.
00:50:03.10\00:50:05.53
There it says, "These
will make war with the Lamb,
00:50:06.50\00:50:09.34
and the Lamb will..." What?
00:50:09.70\00:50:11.71
"...overcome them.
00:50:11.94\00:50:13.34
For He is Lord of
lords and King of kings.
00:50:13.38\00:50:16.38
And those who are with Him are
called, chosen, and faithful."
00:50:16.41\00:50:21.92
Friends, what's the key there?
00:50:22.68\00:50:24.19
Those that are what?
00:50:24.39\00:50:25.79
Those that are with Him.
00:50:26.29\00:50:28.09
Friends, the key to
victory, the key to overcoming
00:50:28.42\00:50:30.96
rather than being
overcome, is to be with Jesus.
00:50:30.99\00:50:34.50
He wants to spend time with us.
00:50:34.86\00:50:37.00
He wants to enter our hearts by
faith and transform our lives.
00:50:37.03\00:50:41.50
They key is
spending time with Jesus.
00:50:41.54\00:50:44.01
You know, I praise the
Lord for media ministry.
00:50:44.44\00:50:47.04
You know, God raised up
the media to finish the work
00:50:47.21\00:50:50.48
of taking the
gospel to all the world.
00:50:50.51\00:50:52.51
You know, the devil may
have hijacked it in some
00:50:52.88\00:50:55.12
different ways, but it is what
God has raised up as His tool
00:50:55.15\00:50:58.85
to help finish the work.
00:50:58.89\00:51:00.99
But you know,
Laodicea, as we learned,
00:51:01.99\00:51:04.06
they plumbed their water
supply in from Hierapolis.
00:51:04.63\00:51:07.73
And by the time it got
there, it was lukewarm.
00:51:08.20\00:51:10.60
They didn't have a
water source of their own.
00:51:10.63\00:51:13.13
Friends, you
know, I praise the Lord
00:51:13.54\00:51:15.84
for the preaching of the gospel.
00:51:16.17\00:51:18.51
And sermons are
an excellent resource
00:51:18.61\00:51:20.68
to listen to, to watch, friends.
00:51:20.71\00:51:22.44
They can strengthen
us in our spiritual walk.
00:51:22.48\00:51:24.71
But there is nothing
like the source of water that
00:51:24.91\00:51:27.82
God wants to give us as
we personally study His word.
00:51:27.85\00:51:31.25
It cannot stop, it cannot
be completely watching sermons
00:51:31.45\00:51:35.09
and learning things that
God has revealed to others
00:51:35.12\00:51:37.23
as they have
spent time with Him.
00:51:37.26\00:51:38.59
Friends, we ourselves must
drink from the waters of life.
00:51:38.63\00:51:42.36
I love what someone
said, they said the Holy Spirit
00:51:42.66\00:51:44.67
is not
symbolized as a waterfall,
00:51:44.70\00:51:47.74
something
beautiful to be admired,
00:51:47.77\00:51:49.64
but as water to be drank
and to become a part of us.
00:51:49.84\00:51:53.68
As we spend time in
God's Word, His promise to that
00:51:53.94\00:51:56.71
Samaritan woman in
John 4 is the promise to us.
00:51:56.75\00:51:59.65
That we will have waters of
life, a river of life, flowing
00:52:00.62\00:52:05.55
out from us.
00:52:05.59\00:52:07.09
The Holy Spirit will fill us.
00:52:07.12\00:52:08.82
And friends, we will be
able to share the good news of
00:52:09.32\00:52:12.06
what Christ has done in
our lives with those around us.
00:52:12.09\00:52:15.66
The key to not be
overcome but to overcome in this
00:52:16.40\00:52:20.40
great controversy
is to be with the Lamb.
00:52:20.44\00:52:23.97
This is how we can be
called, chosen, and faithful.
00:52:24.31\00:52:29.54
To be with Christ,
the One who has overcome.
00:52:29.98\00:52:33.92
If the devil discouraging
you about your past sins,
00:52:34.78\00:52:38.05
he's pointing you to
the past, then take heart.
00:52:38.09\00:52:41.46
Turn your eyes upon Christ.
00:52:41.49\00:52:43.89
If you have confessed
those sins, know that they are
00:52:43.99\00:52:46.96
forgiven of you.
00:52:47.00\00:52:48.70
Friends, they are cleansed.
00:52:49.10\00:52:50.83
And you can trust
that you're transformed.
00:52:51.77\00:52:54.84
Martin Luther had a dream.
00:52:56.40\00:52:58.44
In Martin Luther's dream,
the devil was standing there.
00:52:59.81\00:53:04.51
And he had a long roll, a
scroll, that he just rolled out.
00:53:05.88\00:53:10.65
And it continued
going and going as far as
00:53:10.69\00:53:12.79
Martin Luther could see.
00:53:12.82\00:53:14.22
Martin Luther
looked at that scroll.
00:53:15.49\00:53:17.73
And in detail were
a list of his sins.
00:53:18.06\00:53:22.20
The devil, his arm on that
scroll, said, "Martin Luther,
00:53:22.96\00:53:26.13
are these your sins?"
00:53:26.60\00:53:28.37
And he said, "Yes."
00:53:29.20\00:53:30.57
But he saw
something light emanating
00:53:31.21\00:53:33.04
from behind the devil's hands.
00:53:33.07\00:53:34.94
And he said,
"But move your hands."
00:53:35.21\00:53:37.65
The devil said, "No.
00:53:38.51\00:53:39.85
Martin Luther, are
these not your sins?"
00:53:40.22\00:53:44.02
And Martin Luther said,
"Yes, but move your hands."
00:53:45.09\00:53:47.96
The devil said, "No.
00:53:48.39\00:53:49.72
Martin Luther,
are these your sins?"
00:53:50.39\00:53:53.03
Martin Luther said,
"Yes, but in the name of Jesus
00:53:54.23\00:53:57.07
move your hands."
00:53:57.10\00:53:58.67
And at the name
of Jesus, Satan fled.
00:53:59.17\00:54:01.70
And there, what
Satan had been covering up
00:54:02.54\00:54:05.54
in words written in
light were, "The blood of Jesus
00:54:05.57\00:54:11.95
cleanses Martin
Luther from all his sins."
00:54:11.98\00:54:15.82
Friends, we can take
courage, if our lives are in
00:54:16.92\00:54:20.62
Christ's hands, He has cleansed
us from our sins of the past.
00:54:20.66\00:54:24.73
Today, maybe when it
comes to thinking about
00:54:27.06\00:54:31.03
the time of God's
judgment, you don't have peace
00:54:31.23\00:54:35.57
in your mind.
00:54:35.60\00:54:36.94
And that's for
one of two reasons.
00:54:38.01\00:54:40.18
It's either because the
devil is discouraging you
00:54:41.94\00:54:44.25
even though you've
given your life to Christ
00:54:44.28\00:54:45.95
and the judgment
can mean peace and joy,
00:54:45.98\00:54:48.52
or because your life
is not in God's hands.
00:54:49.72\00:54:52.12
Friends, we have reason
to be afraid of the judgment
00:54:53.19\00:54:56.96
if our lives are not
in the hands of Jesus.
00:54:56.99\00:54:59.69
Today, we've heard
God's voice and we've seen it
00:55:00.56\00:55:04.53
clear from His Word that God,
our Judge, is also our Advocate.
00:55:04.57\00:55:11.87
He wants to justify
you through His grace.
00:55:12.57\00:55:15.64
He wants to
change your life and mine
00:55:15.98\00:55:18.51
so that the judgment can bring
joy and assurance of salvation
00:55:19.15\00:55:22.88
and not fear.
00:55:22.92\00:55:24.32
And just now, if you want to
say, "Lord, I fear the judgment
00:55:25.72\00:55:29.82
because I haven't
given myself to You.
00:55:29.86\00:55:32.06
But in this moment, I want
to surrender my all to You."
00:55:32.49\00:55:38.03
If that's your
desire, I want to invite you
00:55:39.33\00:55:41.34
to raise your hand.
00:55:41.37\00:55:42.74
Praise the
Lord. Praise the Lord.
00:55:43.30\00:55:45.44
Now maybe you are
afraid when it comes to
00:55:47.48\00:55:51.21
hearing about the
judgment, but you've given your
00:55:51.25\00:55:53.62
life to Jesus already.
00:55:53.65\00:55:55.08
You've surrendered to Him,
00:55:55.58\00:55:56.92
you've walked with
Him moment by moment.
00:55:56.95\00:55:58.49
Yes you've fallen, but
you've confessed those sins.
00:55:58.52\00:56:01.32
And you want to
say, "Lord, I recognize
00:56:03.09\00:56:05.33
that those sins that
the devil is pointing me to,
00:56:05.76\00:56:08.23
You've forgiven me of those.
00:56:08.26\00:56:10.17
Please, Lord."
00:56:10.37\00:56:11.70
You want to pray,
"Please, Father, give me the joy
00:56:11.83\00:56:15.24
and the peace, the
assurance that comes
00:56:15.27\00:56:17.71
in walking with
Jesus," I want to invite you
00:56:18.01\00:56:20.51
to join me in standing.
00:56:20.54\00:56:22.24
Standing to say, "Lord,
give me the peace, the assurance
00:56:23.65\00:56:26.31
that comes by
Christ living in my heart."
00:56:26.35\00:56:29.78
Amen, amen.
00:56:30.19\00:56:32.45
Let's sing together through
song, and let us invite God
00:56:32.49\00:56:35.46
one more time to
come into our hearts.
00:56:35.49\00:56:38.96
Into my heart, into my heart,
00:56:41.60\00:56:49.77
come into my heart, Lord Jesus.
00:56:49.80\00:56:58.45
Come in today, come in to stay;
00:56:58.65\00:57:07.86
come into my heart, Lord Jesus.
00:57:08.06\00:57:17.80
Father in heaven,
this is our prayer.
00:57:18.13\00:57:20.14
Come into our hearts, Lord.
00:57:20.77\00:57:22.40
Transform us.
00:57:23.17\00:57:24.54
Give us the peace and
assurance You want to offer us.
00:57:24.94\00:57:28.21
We thank You for Jesus.
00:57:28.51\00:57:30.65
In His name we pray, amen.
00:57:30.68\00:57:33.35