Hello, friends, and
welcome to A Sharper Focus.
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Thank you so much
for tuning in tonight.
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We thank you
for taking the time,
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I hope you've enjoyed the
topics we've covered here.
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Last topic we covered
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which we're going to
continue on tonight is,
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"Face the Challenges."
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We've talked
about the challenges,
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not the
challenge of the economy,
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not the
challenge of the election
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which is thank
the Lord behind us,
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not the challenge of
what's going to happen over
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whether or not the
volcano up in Wyoming
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is going to blow up,
the super magnum a lake.
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That's not the
challenge we're talking about.
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Whether it's economic,
whether it's financial,
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whether it's weather related,
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whether the ice
is melting or not,
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is not the issue for tonight.
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The issue is
personal and spiritual.
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And so we pray that
you'll stay tuned tonight
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as we go through
the Bible to find out
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how do we face the
challenges and more importantly
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what are the challenges.
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We'll discover
that God has an answer
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to no matter
what the challenge is.
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We'll talk about
that as we go through
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all those
challenges one at a time,
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then talk about
the divine change
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that only God can make.
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If you like a copy of
the lesson to follow us,
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go to ASF.3abn.org.
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Download lesson number 11,
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which is entitled,
"Face the Challenges."
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And then you can follow us along
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as we go from
question to question.
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Hopefully you have
your Bible because sometimes
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we turn to text that are
not included in our syllabus
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and then we
cover those together.
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But before we do anything,
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before we have our
song which we enjoy to sing,
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which we enjoy singing,
we're going to have prayer
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and invite the Lord's
presence to continue with us.
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Our heavenly
Father, we thank You
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for the opportunity
tonight to study Your Word.
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We thank You for
the goodness of the Lord
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that really is beyond
our human comprehension.
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And, Father, we do ask
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that as we look
at the challenges
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both in our lives
and our family's lives
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that we see the
commonality there
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that it's not something
that's just affecting others,
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but truly it's a human
problem, a human dilemma.
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But we thank You tonight
as we continue in the study
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that Jesus is our answer,
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and truly there is no dilemma
that He cannot turn around
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by His righteousness
and by His shed blood.
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So be with us, speak to us,
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as we study may Your Holy Spirit
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open our minds and
impress our hearts.
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In Jesus' name we pray, amen.
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Well, we're going to sing
our song "Victory in Jesus,"
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you know that's the only
place we can find victory,
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isn't that right?
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Only in Christ.
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So join us tonight as
we sing our theme song,
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"Victory in Jesus."
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I heard an old, old story
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How the Savior came from glory
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How He gave His life on Calvary
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To save a wretch like me
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I heard about His groaning
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Of His precious blood's atoning
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Then I repented of my sin
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And won the victory
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How?
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O victory in Jesus
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My Savior, forever
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He sought me and bought me
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With His redeeming blood
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He loved me ere I knew Him
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And all my love is due Him
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He plunged me to victory
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Beneath the cleansing flood
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I heard about a mansion
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He has built for me in glory
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And I heard about
the streets of gold
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Beyond the crystal sea
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About the angels singing
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And the old redemption story
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And some sweet
day I'll sing up there
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The song of victory
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O victory in Jesus
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My Savior, forever
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He sought me and bought me
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With His redeeming blood
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He loved me ere I knew Him
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And all my love is due Him
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He plunged me to victory
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Beneath the cleansing flood
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He plunged me to victory
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Beneath the cleansing flood
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Amen for that.
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Plunged us to victory.
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Notice He didn't say
lifted us to victory,
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but did what? Plunged us.
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That's what baptism is,
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plunges us in that watery grave,
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and we come out to
walk in the newness of life,
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and then we're
faced with the challenge,
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how do we live a spiritual
life in a natural body.
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Now we become partaker
of a divine nature having
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escaped the
corruption that is in the world
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through lust, through desire.
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But tonight what we're going
to continue to talk about is,
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what are the
challenges that we face?
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We discover so far
that all of us have sinned.
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How many of us have sinned?
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Every one of us.
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Then we look at
our heart condition.
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Our heart condition says to us
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that we have hearts
that are not that good.
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What does he say
about our hearts?
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It's deceitful and
desperately wicked.
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That reminds of a...
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We were raising a
niece and she had mannerisms
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that could always tell me that
she's not telling the truth.
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A good friend of
mine, Doug Batchelor,
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he used to always
talk about a friend of his
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that whenever he
didn't tell the truth
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he say, "Yup, that's the truth."
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And he got so
locked into his mannerisms
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that all he had to do
is wait for him to say,
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"Yup, that's the truth."
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And he knew he was lying.
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And I've
discovered also that people,
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when the natural man takes over,
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there are things
that people do that
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they can't even keep
track of, and you say,
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"There they go,
there they go lying again.
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The right eye is twitching."
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Well, some kind of
human element shows
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parents are
able to pick that up,
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that's why sometimes...
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There's a story that
Nancy O'Brien talked about,
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remember that was a
great children's story,
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how the teacher
tried to figure out
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who stole all the
items in the class,
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and she waited for
somebody to confess,
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and nobody would
confess, and so she said,
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I will find out who did it.
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This shows how the
human element gives off the...
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It emits dishonesty,
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and they wondered how she said,
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"I'm going to look
at everyone in the eye
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and ask the question."
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And she went to every student
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and looked them in the
eyes, straight in the eyes,
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"Did you do it?"
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They all responded
and when she was done,
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she said, "I know who did it."
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And she called out his
name and they find out,
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well, he really
was the one who did it.
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And it was amazing,
she said even though
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that happened many years
ago, and it's a true story.
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She said to this very day
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when the teacher was
going to punish the student,
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the class is
waiting because she said
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he's going to be
severely punished
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and they were waiting
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'cause she went right back
to the study and they said,
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"Well, I thought you
are going to punish him."
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And she said,
"He already has been.
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He'll be forever
known as a thief."
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And she said
although that was years ago
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and she was in school
still to this very day
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when she mentions his name,
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the word thief or the
thought that he's a thief
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comes up in the same category.
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And so it is with
the human dilemma,
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that's why it's so
important to guard your heart,
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guard your character.
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We have great
leaders and right now
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our nation is fighting off this
new scandal that's in politics.
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I think one of
our great generals,
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another great
man brought down...
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I mean, my question is
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when will that
ever not be on the news
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'cause it seems
like from year to year
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you have all the another
great general brought on,
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another great politician,
another great leader,
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because they failed to realize
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the challenge that they
face from morning to morning.
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And as we dive
into this new challenge,
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we'll discover that
there's no challenge
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that the Lord cannot
give us a remedy for,
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there's no challenge
that He cannot fixed.
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Now here's the biggest challenge
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and I want to,
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I put this next
text into the category
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of a really big challenge.
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Just read the text and
then I'll go ahead and show you
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why I say it's a
tremendous challenge.
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Try to say that a 1000
times, tremendous challenge.
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Here we go.
Question number five.
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How naturally
does the Bible tell us
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we respond to the call of God?
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Hmm, I left the word
God out, but that's okay.
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How naturally
does the Bible tell us
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we respond to the
call, to the call of God?
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How naturally do
we respond to that?
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Well, I can tell you that
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there are more
sinners in the world
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than they are Christians,
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and there are more people
that are going their own way
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than those who are
seeking the way of the Lord.
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So that alone will tell us that
the percentage is not great.
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But when we read this next text,
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we'll discover that
Jesus did not target the un...
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Those who didn't know.
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He targeted
those who did know Him.
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He targeted those who said
they had a connection with Him.
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In Matthew 23:37.
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Here's the answer.
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"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem,
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the one who kills
the prophets and stones
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those who are sent to her!
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How often I wanted to
gather your children together,
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as a hen gathers her
chicks under her wings,
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but you were,"
what's the word there?
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"You were not willing!"
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Isn't that amazing,
just leave the word out not
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and it turns a
whole thing around.
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One word can make
the difference between
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a person's weakness
and a person's strength.
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You are willing, beautiful,
but you are not willing.
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The Lord speaks about
people that He had known for,
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He had chosen for millennia
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to be the
depositories of His truth.
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And one of the sad things
that we have to keep in mind is
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we are living in the day
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where the church is described
in the Bible as Laodicea.
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What's the condition there?
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Wretched, miserable,
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poor, blind and what else?
00:11:01.59\00:11:04.89
Naked.
00:11:04.93\00:11:06.26
Five prevalent conditions.
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The sad news is, the
church doesn't know it
00:11:09.00\00:11:12.50
and it knows not.
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You see that it knows
not, it does not know.
00:11:14.40\00:11:17.44
Notice how it
points the conditions out
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in just like we
find the word here not,
00:11:19.71\00:11:21.94
the church does
not know its condition.
00:11:21.98\00:11:24.28
The Christian of the last days
does not know its condition.
00:11:24.31\00:11:27.92
That's why we cannot settle
for just good Christian music.
00:11:27.95\00:11:31.65
Amen.
00:11:31.69\00:11:33.02
You can't just settle
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for a wonderful
stained glass windows
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and a lot of socialize.
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And I've discovered one
of the challenges today,
00:11:37.16\00:11:38.49
we live in what I call
the social media generation,
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people like socializing.
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If you mention food,
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you've got to shut the door
because the food will be gone,
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the people would eat it up.
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If you mention
entertainment or a bazaar,
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you know, we get
together in bazaar
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sell things, plays
game, people will come.
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You mention Bible studies.
00:12:00.68\00:12:03.08
What happens?
00:12:03.12\00:12:04.45
Wretched, miserable, poor,
blind, naked, don't know it.
00:12:04.49\00:12:10.19
And reality sets in.
00:12:10.23\00:12:12.16
So if you answer
the question here,
00:12:12.19\00:12:13.73
how naturally
does the Bible tell us
00:12:13.76\00:12:15.40
we respond to the call of God?
00:12:15.43\00:12:17.83
Put these two words
00:12:17.87\00:12:19.20
not willing, not willing.
00:12:19.23\00:12:24.47
Now when you do that, I
want you to go to Isaiah.
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And I want you to go to Isaiah1
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and we're going to
look at verse 19 and 20.
00:12:39.65\00:12:42.62
We are not going to use verse 18
00:12:42.66\00:12:44.39
because that comes
up in a future question.
00:12:44.43\00:12:47.50
All right, talking
about the not willing.
00:12:47.53\00:12:49.46
I remember growing up
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when parents had
to go to the store,
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we were raised in New York City
00:13:00.21\00:13:01.54
and sometimes when we'd go
shopping for food every week,
00:13:01.58\00:13:04.71
but we didn't own a car.
00:13:04.75\00:13:06.08
Most people in New
York City don't own cars
00:13:06.11\00:13:08.22
when you had the
wonderful transportation.
00:13:08.25\00:13:09.95
But we didn't have a car,
00:13:09.98\00:13:11.55
nobody else took
us to the food market.
00:13:11.59\00:13:14.42
We didn't have
family members with a car.
00:13:14.46\00:13:16.36
So what did we do?
00:13:16.39\00:13:17.86
We used, we had two wheel drive,
00:13:17.89\00:13:19.69
left, right, left, right.
00:13:19.73\00:13:22.66
We walked to the store.
00:13:22.70\00:13:24.03
Now we always needed food,
00:13:24.07\00:13:25.80
so when it was cold, we walked.
00:13:25.83\00:13:29.64
When it was rainy, we walked.
00:13:29.67\00:13:33.58
And when it got to the point
00:13:33.61\00:13:35.14
where the snow
was on the ground,
00:13:35.18\00:13:37.15
we walked.
00:13:37.18\00:13:38.51
And I could see in
my mind's eye right now,
00:13:38.55\00:13:40.15
if my sister is
watching this broadcast,
00:13:40.18\00:13:41.72
she can connect with
me from where we lived.
00:13:41.75\00:13:45.69
My dad was a bargain shopper.
00:13:45.72\00:13:49.22
So didn't matter how far it was,
00:13:49.26\00:13:50.59
he was going to
get the lesser price.
00:13:50.63\00:13:53.93
Do any of you
remember shopping carts?
00:13:53.96\00:13:56.80
Right.
00:13:56.83\00:13:58.23
Not the one, the
back trunk of your car.
00:13:58.27\00:14:00.24
I mean the two wheel
shopping carts that you'd pull,
00:14:00.27\00:14:03.67
you put your groceries in there,
00:14:03.71\00:14:05.04
they put those brown paper bags,
00:14:05.07\00:14:06.61
am I dating myself,
00:14:06.64\00:14:08.04
they put those brown paper bags,
00:14:08.08\00:14:09.41
they stack them all
the way almost halfway up.
00:14:09.44\00:14:11.31
So the next brown
paper bag could fit in that
00:14:11.35\00:14:13.38
and stack it up.
00:14:13.42\00:14:14.75
And so we go shopping
that our shopping carts,
00:14:14.78\00:14:17.35
two of them, I pull
one, papa pull the other one,
00:14:17.39\00:14:21.62
and we'll switch out back
and forth as we pull this.
00:14:21.66\00:14:24.06
But when it was cold outside,
00:14:24.09\00:14:28.23
I was not willing to go.
00:14:28.26\00:14:30.83
But, you know, you
know how he offset that,
00:14:30.87\00:14:32.93
you want to eat.
00:14:32.97\00:14:35.50
I'm willing.
00:14:35.54\00:14:36.97
I'm not really willing.
00:14:37.01\00:14:38.91
I'm like the son that
said, I won't go, but I went.
00:14:38.94\00:14:41.54
'Cause, you know,
the alternative of
00:14:41.58\00:14:42.91
not going is don't eat.
00:14:42.94\00:14:45.55
Well, you don't
want to go, fine,
00:14:45.58\00:14:47.35
because I knew that when I went,
00:14:47.38\00:14:50.22
I had a chance to
put in the shopping carts
00:14:50.25\00:14:51.59
some of the things I liked.
00:14:51.62\00:14:53.29
If I didn't go, it
wasn't going to happen.
00:14:53.32\00:14:55.69
So I was unwillingly willing
00:14:55.72\00:14:59.23
'cause I was
selfishly motivated.
00:14:59.26\00:15:01.83
What the Lord in
essence saying here is
00:15:01.86\00:15:03.63
when we are unwilling,
00:15:03.67\00:15:05.67
we don't
understand the blessings
00:15:05.70\00:15:07.50
that come on the
other side of being willing.
00:15:07.54\00:15:09.74
Look at Isaiah 1:19.
00:15:09.77\00:15:11.91
Isaiah 1:19.
00:15:11.94\00:15:14.68
So wonderful, and
the thing about it is
00:15:14.71\00:15:17.11
we are shortsighted,
00:15:17.15\00:15:18.48
we are living in a generation
00:15:18.51\00:15:19.85
that believes in
instant gratification.
00:15:19.88\00:15:22.22
We don't believe in
delayed gratification.
00:15:22.25\00:15:24.52
We can't see the
blessing way down the road.
00:15:24.55\00:15:27.42
We've got to get it now
and if we don't get it now,
00:15:27.46\00:15:28.96
we don't wait for it.
00:15:28.99\00:15:31.86
Verse 19, look at what it says,
00:15:31.89\00:15:34.86
"If you are," and the next word,
00:15:34.90\00:15:37.57
"willing and obedient,
00:15:37.60\00:15:40.70
you shall eat the
good of the land."
00:15:40.74\00:15:45.11
You'll get a chance to go
to the store and you'll eat,
00:15:45.14\00:15:47.91
and you'll get what you
like, you'll eat the good
00:15:47.94\00:15:50.45
'cause there's some
things in the grocery store
00:15:50.48\00:15:52.18
I just didn't like.
00:15:52.21\00:15:53.55
But if I want, I
can get some cookies,
00:15:53.58\00:15:55.18
or maybe some potato chips,
00:15:55.22\00:15:57.09
or maybe my favorite juice,
00:15:57.12\00:15:59.32
I get something
so when I come home
00:15:59.35\00:16:01.66
and he'll say,
"See if you didn't go,
00:16:01.69\00:16:03.12
you wouldn't have that, right?"
00:16:03.16\00:16:04.93
And I say,
"Yeah, but it was cold."
00:16:04.96\00:16:06.93
And we get the scarf
and wrap it around our face,
00:16:06.96\00:16:09.26
all those glass in our eyes,
00:16:09.30\00:16:10.63
we have an air
muffs on, a big old hat.
00:16:10.67\00:16:12.00
It was cold.
00:16:12.03\00:16:13.37
I mean, we're talking
about the ice on the ground.
00:16:13.40\00:16:14.94
And we're talking
about a long walk,
00:16:14.97\00:16:18.01
easily two miles.
00:16:18.04\00:16:20.11
And that's not round
trip, that's one way.
00:16:20.14\00:16:23.85
But all that, you
know, you're thinking,
00:16:23.88\00:16:25.31
"I'm hungry."
00:16:25.35\00:16:27.82
And you get in the
store, it's like arriving.
00:16:27.85\00:16:30.72
I arrived, I'm safe.
00:16:30.75\00:16:32.32
Only realize now it's going
to be worse going back home
00:16:32.35\00:16:34.82
because I'm pulling 55
pounds of groceries, and cans,
00:16:34.86\00:16:38.69
and bottles, and bread.
00:16:38.73\00:16:40.20
And if it wasn't coal,
it is when you get home.
00:16:40.23\00:16:43.53
But that's how it is.
00:16:43.57\00:16:44.90
If you're willing,
you eat of the good.
00:16:44.93\00:16:47.34
But verse 20, I
must include that.
00:16:47.37\00:16:50.27
But if you refuse and rebel,
00:16:50.31\00:16:52.04
you shall be
devoured by the sword,
00:16:52.07\00:16:55.54
for the mouth of the Lord
has spoken just like papa.
00:16:55.58\00:16:59.58
We didn't get
devoured by the sword,
00:16:59.61\00:17:00.95
we just got a spanking.
00:17:00.98\00:17:02.32
That's what we got.
00:17:02.35\00:17:03.69
We could either go willingly
or go after we got spanked.
00:17:03.72\00:17:06.59
So I always felt
it was easier to walk
00:17:06.62\00:17:08.62
if you go willingly.
00:17:08.66\00:17:10.76
Didn't have to walk.
00:17:10.79\00:17:12.13
And if you got a spanking,
00:17:12.16\00:17:13.50
you cooled off
in the cold weather.
00:17:13.53\00:17:15.66
But the Lord is so much more
willing to bless us sometimes
00:17:15.70\00:17:19.00
and we are
willing to be blessed.
00:17:19.03\00:17:20.74
And that's what this
text starts out by saying,
00:17:20.77\00:17:22.70
God wants to
bless us more abundantly
00:17:22.74\00:17:24.97
than we can ever imagine.
00:17:25.01\00:17:26.64
As the Bible says,
abundantly more than
00:17:26.68\00:17:28.44
you could've ask or think,
00:17:28.48\00:17:30.38
but what's the problem?
00:17:30.41\00:17:31.75
If you want to put
those two words there
00:17:31.78\00:17:33.11
in question number five,
00:17:33.15\00:17:34.48
what are the two words?
00:17:34.52\00:17:35.85
Not willing. Not willing.
00:17:35.88\00:17:39.79
Now let's go down to number six.
00:17:39.82\00:17:43.89
Number six.
00:17:43.93\00:17:45.89
Okay.
00:17:45.93\00:17:47.26
So far we've discovered that
00:17:51.10\00:17:53.50
we have all fallen
short, we have corrupt hearts,
00:17:53.54\00:17:56.37
we all have turned our own
way, we have been led astray,
00:17:56.40\00:18:00.48
we are not willing,
00:18:00.51\00:18:01.94
what is this next
one going to say to us.
00:18:01.98\00:18:04.88
Well, I'll tell you.
00:18:04.91\00:18:06.25
There's some hope coming
up here pretty soon, hold on,
00:18:06.28\00:18:09.15
we shall make a turn
in the good direction.
00:18:09.18\00:18:12.52
How much like God
are we in our thoughts?
00:18:12.55\00:18:17.69
Well, this is a seven
point sermon right here.
00:18:17.73\00:18:21.30
How much like God
are we in our thoughts?
00:18:21.33\00:18:26.23
Isaiah 55:9.
00:18:26.27\00:18:28.37
Isaiah 55:9 is
where you're turning
00:18:28.40\00:18:31.81
and it'll appear on the
screen in just a moment.
00:18:31.84\00:18:34.51
If you're driving in
the car, do not turn.
00:18:34.54\00:18:37.78
Just listen, here is the answer.
00:18:37.81\00:18:41.28
"For as the heavens
are higher than the earth,
00:18:41.32\00:18:45.92
so are My ways," what?
00:18:45.95\00:18:48.39
"Higher than your ways,
and my thoughts than," what?
00:18:48.42\00:18:52.43
"Your thoughts."
00:18:52.46\00:18:54.50
Notice, God's
thoughts are always higher.
00:18:54.53\00:18:57.23
So when it comes to
this natural element,
00:18:57.27\00:18:59.33
the human condition,
how high are our thoughts.
00:18:59.37\00:19:03.27
It can't be very high at all
00:19:03.30\00:19:05.27
because if you think about
where our thoughts come from,
00:19:05.31\00:19:07.84
our minds, corrupt
minds, corrupt hearts,
00:19:07.88\00:19:09.94
sinful bodies, sinful thought.
00:19:09.98\00:19:12.08
We're not willing,
we don't want to...
00:19:12.11\00:19:13.62
Christ calls us to come to Him,
00:19:13.65\00:19:14.98
we're not
willing to come to Him.
00:19:15.02\00:19:16.62
Sheep were wandering off
00:19:16.65\00:19:17.99
and if He hadn't had
a staff to pull us back,
00:19:18.02\00:19:20.96
we'd be out in the
wilderness all by ourselves.
00:19:20.99\00:19:23.39
It's like a bunch of
unruly little children.
00:19:23.43\00:19:26.76
And the Lord
looks down and says,
00:19:26.80\00:19:29.40
"Got to keep
working. Got to keep working."
00:19:29.43\00:19:31.60
You know, the good news
before we get to the good news.
00:19:31.63\00:19:33.23
The good news is,
00:19:33.27\00:19:34.60
one day each one
of us by God's grace
00:19:34.64\00:19:36.77
is going to be in
a perfect kingdom.
00:19:36.81\00:19:38.21
Amen.
00:19:38.24\00:19:39.57
And we will be like Him.
00:19:39.61\00:19:41.18
But this is what
He has to work with.
00:19:41.21\00:19:43.21
And unless we understand that
00:19:43.24\00:19:45.68
we may think more about
ourselves and we really are.
00:19:45.71\00:19:48.08
We think about our condition,
00:19:48.12\00:19:49.45
we say, "Well, I
can't be that bad."
00:19:49.48\00:19:51.05
It's dangerous to compare
yourself with somebody else
00:19:51.09\00:19:53.69
because the fact
of the matter is,
00:19:53.72\00:19:56.76
you're only as good as they are.
00:19:56.79\00:19:59.86
And if they're bad
and you ain't as bad...
00:19:59.89\00:20:03.70
Sorry you're not as bad,
00:20:03.73\00:20:05.93
I went Brooklyn
on, you ain't as bad.
00:20:05.97\00:20:07.97
And you're not as bad,
then you think you're good.
00:20:08.00\00:20:11.04
See, we have levels of good.
00:20:11.07\00:20:13.27
We mentioned
some people children,
00:20:13.31\00:20:15.38
you know, you say,
"Man, they are bad."
00:20:15.41\00:20:18.01
You remember that?
00:20:18.05\00:20:19.65
Those kids, they
say, "Ah, they are bad.
00:20:19.68\00:20:22.68
Don't go to their house,
00:20:22.72\00:20:24.05
they'll be jumping all over you.
00:20:24.09\00:20:25.42
They are bad."
00:20:25.45\00:20:26.79
And so we measure our
kids against their kids.
00:20:26.82\00:20:29.19
And when a child messes
up, the mother will say,
00:20:29.22\00:20:33.26
you better go to
school and see about your son.
00:20:33.29\00:20:36.36
But when they do
well, "Oh, my son."
00:20:36.40\00:20:39.60
Failure is an orphan.
00:20:39.63\00:20:41.77
Failure is always an orphan.
00:20:41.80\00:20:43.27
But success has
many mothers, all right?
00:20:43.30\00:20:46.71
So God's thoughts
are not our thoughts,
00:20:46.74\00:20:48.14
God's ways are not our ways.
00:20:48.18\00:20:49.94
Realizing that we need
to have the mind of Christ
00:20:49.98\00:20:52.61
and Paul says it so wonderfully,
00:20:52.65\00:20:54.58
"Let this mind be in you
00:20:54.62\00:20:56.55
which was also in Christ Jesus."
00:20:56.58\00:20:57.99
What's that word? Let.
00:20:58.02\00:20:59.75
You don't have to force it.
00:20:59.79\00:21:01.92
And by being on the Word of God,
00:21:01.96\00:21:04.46
by reading God's Word,
it's being text into your mind.
00:21:04.49\00:21:09.16
You may say, turn to
this text and that text,
00:21:09.20\00:21:11.83
Lord has been
texting long before us.
00:21:11.87\00:21:15.14
It is not going
to jump off the page.
00:21:17.51\00:21:19.17
When you open your Bible,
00:21:19.21\00:21:20.54
young folk in the
new generation think,
00:21:20.58\00:21:22.08
this is texting.
00:21:22.11\00:21:24.31
Amen somebody?
00:21:24.35\00:21:25.98
There's a best form
of texting right here.
00:21:26.01\00:21:27.65
What text did you turn to?
00:21:27.68\00:21:29.02
In fact included
in my sermon this week
00:21:29.05\00:21:30.49
and if you miss, you'll hear.
00:21:30.52\00:21:32.75
Texting, that's the
best texting you can do,
00:21:32.79\00:21:35.36
texting the Word of God,
00:21:35.39\00:21:36.73
one text after the
other after the other.
00:21:36.76\00:21:39.13
And there's a
whole lot of texting
00:21:39.16\00:21:40.50
in here by the way.
00:21:40.53\00:21:42.30
Praise God for that.
00:21:42.33\00:21:43.67
And what
happens is in your text,
00:21:43.70\00:21:45.07
while God is texting to you,
00:21:45.10\00:21:47.14
your texting is going to change.
00:21:47.17\00:21:49.94
God would just say, "Did
you get my text message?"
00:21:49.97\00:21:51.77
Oh, that's a good sermon.
00:21:51.81\00:21:54.64
Thank You, Lord.
00:21:54.68\00:21:57.45
Did you get God's text message?
00:21:57.48\00:21:59.25
Here it is right here.
00:21:59.28\00:22:01.22
Okay, inspiration
comes at odd moments,
00:22:01.25\00:22:03.59
that's why we
know God is behind it.
00:22:03.62\00:22:06.02
So what are our
thoughts? Our thoughts are low.
00:22:06.05\00:22:08.82
If God's thoughts are
high, what are our thoughts?
00:22:08.86\00:22:11.29
Low.
00:22:11.33\00:22:12.66
All right.
00:22:12.69\00:22:14.03
How much God are
we in our thoughts?
00:22:14.06\00:22:16.10
We're not.
00:22:16.13\00:22:17.47
Just put that we're not.
00:22:17.50\00:22:19.40
Let's not fool ourselves.
00:22:19.43\00:22:21.44
Okay, number seven.
00:22:21.47\00:22:23.14
Question number seven.
00:22:23.17\00:22:24.51
We're about to get some
help in just a moment here,
00:22:27.38\00:22:29.14
so hang on, Brother Derek.
00:22:29.18\00:22:30.71
We're going to dive
into a good section here.
00:22:30.75\00:22:33.31
You hanging on. Huh?
00:22:33.35\00:22:34.68
Okay, here we are.
00:22:34.72\00:22:36.12
Here's the next question.
00:22:36.15\00:22:37.49
How does our speech
reveal our need of God?
00:22:37.52\00:22:41.52
How does our speech
reveal our need of God?
00:22:41.56\00:22:46.80
I'll tell you.
00:22:46.83\00:22:48.16
James 3:8, just the
mention of the book,
00:22:48.20\00:22:50.80
you all know
where I'm going, right?
00:22:50.83\00:22:53.84
Boy, this book
is something else.
00:22:53.87\00:22:56.24
It's like going to a
divine doctor and he says,
00:22:56.27\00:22:58.74
"Open your mouth,
00:22:58.77\00:23:00.11
let me see your
tongue and you go, huh.
00:23:00.14\00:23:02.48
And this is what he said.
00:23:02.51\00:23:05.45
This is what he says
when we open our mouth.
00:23:05.48\00:23:07.62
Here it is.
00:23:07.65\00:23:09.08
"But no man can tame the tongue.
00:23:09.12\00:23:12.59
It is an unruly
evil, full of" what?
00:23:12.62\00:23:17.53
"Deadly poison."
00:23:17.56\00:23:20.40
Some people say,
"He lost his mind.
00:23:20.43\00:23:23.30
Did you hear his
language, deadly poison."
00:23:23.33\00:23:27.14
Then sometimes it
comes in the form of gossip,
00:23:27.17\00:23:30.37
and backbiting,
and spreading rumors,
00:23:30.41\00:23:35.78
and leading into
those rumors like
00:23:35.81\00:23:38.68
I got it from a reliable source.
00:23:38.71\00:23:42.28
The tongue is an unruly evil
00:23:42.32\00:23:46.99
full of deadly poison,
00:23:47.02\00:23:49.72
you can't tame it.
00:23:49.76\00:23:51.09
Now let me ask you a question.
00:23:51.13\00:23:52.46
We've got to
get this to sink in.
00:23:52.49\00:23:54.10
What if you went to the
pet shop, would you ask,
00:23:54.13\00:23:57.07
"You know, I want a pet,
I want an unruly evil pet."
00:23:57.10\00:24:02.60
Give me the most
evil pet you have in here.
00:24:02.64\00:24:05.37
You say, "What?"
00:24:05.41\00:24:07.48
I want an unruly evil
pet and make sure that
00:24:07.51\00:24:11.98
when it bites, it's
full of deadly poison.
00:24:12.01\00:24:16.38
Man, we don't sell rattlesnakes.
00:24:16.42\00:24:18.55
We sell dogs and cats here.
00:24:18.59\00:24:20.46
What you're
describing is a rattlesnake.
00:24:20.49\00:24:22.92
The Bible is in essence saying
00:24:22.96\00:24:24.29
the human tongue
is like a rattlesnake.
00:24:24.33\00:24:27.46
Unruly, evil.
00:24:27.50\00:24:28.93
We were in
Australia not too long ago,
00:24:28.96\00:24:30.77
I think it was earlier this year
00:24:30.80\00:24:32.13
and we went to
one of those parks,
00:24:32.17\00:24:33.50
I can't remember the name of it,
00:24:33.54\00:24:34.87
but that was talking about
00:24:34.90\00:24:36.24
three or four of the most
deadly snakes in Australia.
00:24:36.27\00:24:38.44
And each one was described at...
00:24:38.47\00:24:41.24
When it talked about
the power of its venom.
00:24:41.28\00:24:44.21
I have pictures of
it and you look at,
00:24:44.25\00:24:45.88
it looks like any other
snake, that's why I always say,
00:24:45.91\00:24:47.68
never try to classify
the condition of a person
00:24:47.72\00:24:50.49
by what you see on the outside
00:24:50.52\00:24:52.65
because it may
look like a copperhead
00:24:52.69\00:24:54.59
or it may look like
just a regular garden snake,
00:24:54.62\00:24:57.36
but it wasn't.
00:24:57.39\00:24:58.73
So they describe it this way.
00:24:58.76\00:25:00.10
Now that snake,
00:25:00.13\00:25:01.46
the guy that's in there
has on thick leather boots
00:25:01.50\00:25:03.26
and pant leg all way
up and he's got the whip
00:25:03.30\00:25:05.30
and, you know,
the whole nine yards,
00:25:05.33\00:25:06.84
not the whip with,
anyway the pull of control.
00:25:06.87\00:25:10.07
And he takes it
out of a garbage can,
00:25:10.11\00:25:11.44
I think he's wiggling
me, drops on the ground
00:25:11.47\00:25:12.84
and steps back very quickly.
00:25:12.87\00:25:14.21
And he says, now that
snake as he's talking to crowd
00:25:14.24\00:25:16.41
that standing
around this glass enclosure
00:25:16.44\00:25:18.91
as a snake is looking at
all these people thinking
00:25:18.95\00:25:22.02
why is there a glass there
00:25:22.05\00:25:24.32
because he's unruly,
00:25:24.35\00:25:25.82
an unruly evil,
full of deadly poison.
00:25:25.85\00:25:28.06
Snakes look at people that way
00:25:28.09\00:25:29.42
because they're
full of deadly...
00:25:29.46\00:25:30.79
They have no good intentions,
that's the human term.
00:25:30.83\00:25:34.03
So he says, now that
snake if it bites you,
00:25:34.06\00:25:36.56
within 30 minutes
you'll be paralyzed,
00:25:36.60\00:25:38.70
you'll have an asphyxiation,
00:25:38.73\00:25:41.00
you would not
be able to breathe.
00:25:41.04\00:25:44.11
And then, okay, he
puts that one away,
00:25:44.14\00:25:45.61
brings another
one, little small one,
00:25:45.64\00:25:47.28
that one, you'll be paralyzed
in about a half an hour
00:25:47.31\00:25:51.75
and you'll wish you were dead
00:25:51.78\00:25:53.21
because the pain
that follows that paralyze
00:25:53.25\00:25:55.48
feeling is an awful pain.
00:25:55.52\00:25:57.29
You would wish you were dead.
00:25:57.32\00:25:59.69
And I'm
thinking, where do you...
00:25:59.72\00:26:01.46
And somebody said,
00:26:01.49\00:26:02.82
"Where do you
find these snakes?"
00:26:02.86\00:26:04.19
Oh, they're in the
outback in Australia.
00:26:04.23\00:26:06.66
He said that one will bite you
00:26:06.70\00:26:08.03
and you think you
just got scratched
00:26:08.06\00:26:09.40
until you fall down
flat and you're paralyzed.
00:26:09.43\00:26:12.23
And I'm thinking, Australia.
00:26:12.27\00:26:14.64
Stay in America, we
love you Australians.
00:26:14.67\00:26:18.17
And then the last one he says,
00:26:18.21\00:26:19.54
now, that snake, if
that one bites you, he said,
00:26:19.57\00:26:22.31
"Only one person in
Australia has survived
00:26:22.34\00:26:24.48
the bite of that snake."
00:26:24.51\00:26:25.85
One.
00:26:25.88\00:26:27.22
Young man was out one afternoon
00:26:27.25\00:26:28.58
with his father
walked through bushes
00:26:28.62\00:26:29.95
and had got bitten
by the snake knowing
00:26:29.98\00:26:32.35
he instantly took
out his knife on his hip
00:26:32.39\00:26:35.82
and slashed his
leg, I mean, cut himself,
00:26:35.86\00:26:39.53
gashed himself
where the snake bit him
00:26:39.56\00:26:41.53
in the attempt to
stop the deadly poison.
00:26:41.56\00:26:45.23
Well, he did survive
after being in a coma
00:26:45.27\00:26:47.94
for two weeks or two
months something to that effect.
00:26:47.97\00:26:50.84
Is still enough of the poison
got in that he was in a coma.
00:26:50.87\00:26:54.44
He was the only
one that survived
00:26:54.48\00:26:55.81
because of his instant reaction.
00:26:55.84\00:26:57.51
He said that one usually
kills you within 30 minutes.
00:26:57.55\00:27:00.62
And there is no
anti-venom for it.
00:27:00.65\00:27:03.05
That's why it's
the deadliest snake.
00:27:03.08\00:27:05.39
Nothing to offset that
'cause most people don't,
00:27:05.42\00:27:08.49
that poison is so toxic.
00:27:08.52\00:27:11.13
The point of the matter is,
00:27:11.16\00:27:12.49
this verse is not about a snake,
00:27:12.53\00:27:14.80
this verse is about what?
00:27:14.83\00:27:16.60
The tongue.
00:27:16.63\00:27:18.00
You wouldn't have a
snake like that in your house.
00:27:18.03\00:27:20.00
But it says, each one of
us has snakes in our house,
00:27:20.04\00:27:25.77
deadly poison.
00:27:25.81\00:27:27.64
And the sad thing about it is,
00:27:27.68\00:27:29.88
if you read the
beginning of the verse,
00:27:29.91\00:27:31.25
it says, "No man can tame it."
00:27:31.28\00:27:34.95
That's why we need divine help.
00:27:34.98\00:27:36.85
So are you all ready now
to go for the divine help?
00:27:36.89\00:27:39.32
Say yes. Say amen.
00:27:39.35\00:27:41.42
Do we all need help? Yes.
00:27:41.46\00:27:43.53
Do we need help?
00:27:43.56\00:27:44.89
I know, you know by now.
00:27:44.93\00:27:46.26
You've been following us along,
00:27:46.29\00:27:47.63
you know that right now
each one of us needs help.
00:27:47.66\00:27:50.03
So let's go to
question number eight.
00:27:50.07\00:27:52.70
Need some help
as they would say,
00:27:52.73\00:27:54.87
"Help me, Lord."
00:27:54.90\00:27:56.71
Lord said, "Okay,
00:27:56.74\00:27:58.07
no matter about your
heart, your condition
00:27:58.11\00:27:59.44
which you got
from Adam, your mind,
00:27:59.47\00:28:00.81
the fact that you just
won't respond to my call,
00:28:00.84\00:28:03.41
the fact that you
go astray all the time,
00:28:03.45\00:28:05.01
you have horrible thoughts
00:28:05.05\00:28:06.38
and you can't
control your tongue."
00:28:06.41\00:28:09.52
How many
children would you want?
00:28:09.55\00:28:12.15
Would you take care of kids
00:28:12.19\00:28:13.86
for weekend with
somebody like that?
00:28:13.89\00:28:15.66
Could you take care of
my kid for the weekend?
00:28:15.69\00:28:17.03
Sure.
00:28:17.06\00:28:18.39
Any problems? Well, yeah.
00:28:18.43\00:28:22.13
This kid is, never
does anything right,
00:28:22.16\00:28:27.40
never does anything good,
00:28:27.44\00:28:29.20
his thoughts,
corrupt, his heart, deceitful.
00:28:29.24\00:28:32.17
If his mouth is
moving, he's lying.
00:28:32.21\00:28:36.24
Would you want to watch a
kid like that for the weekend?
00:28:36.28\00:28:38.45
And then watch out what he says
00:28:38.48\00:28:39.81
'cause he'll try his
best to get out at you.
00:28:39.85\00:28:41.82
Would you want to watch
a child for that weekend?
00:28:41.85\00:28:44.19
That's the condition.
00:28:44.22\00:28:45.55
God looks at His
children and He says,
00:28:45.59\00:28:47.26
"No matter how bad
your condition is,"
00:28:47.29\00:28:48.99
good news for you
tonight, He can change that.
00:28:49.02\00:28:51.86
Question number
eight. Here it is.
00:28:51.89\00:28:53.40
How completely
does the Bible tell us
00:28:53.43\00:28:55.90
our deliverance can be?
00:28:55.93\00:28:58.63
How completely
does the Bible tell us
00:28:58.67\00:29:01.04
our deliverance can be?
00:29:01.07\00:29:02.90
Now last we turn to Isaiah 1.
00:29:02.94\00:29:05.01
This time go to
verse 18. I like this.
00:29:05.04\00:29:08.08
We're going to
go to the physician.
00:29:08.11\00:29:10.11
Remember earlier we
read in Matthew, he said,
00:29:10.15\00:29:12.18
I want to gather you
but you wouldn't come,
00:29:12.21\00:29:14.15
so he had an invitation again.
00:29:14.18\00:29:16.05
And by the way, this
is the early invitation.
00:29:16.08\00:29:18.45
And in Matthew again,
he reminded the Israelites
00:29:18.49\00:29:20.36
of this invitation.
00:29:20.39\00:29:22.32
He said, let's talk about it.
00:29:22.36\00:29:23.69
Come, I would
gather you together
00:29:23.73\00:29:25.86
if you would respond,
but you're not willing.
00:29:25.89\00:29:27.93
Here is the answer.
00:29:27.96\00:29:29.36
How completely?
Here's the answer.
00:29:29.40\00:29:31.47
The Bible says, "Come
now, and let us do," what?
00:29:31.50\00:29:35.67
"Reason together."
00:29:35.70\00:29:37.17
Let's talk about
it says the Lord.
00:29:37.21\00:29:40.44
"Though your
sins are like scarlet,
00:29:40.48\00:29:43.14
they shall be as white as snow,
00:29:43.18\00:29:46.11
though they are red like," what?
00:29:46.15\00:29:48.18
"Crimson, they
shall be as wool."
00:29:48.22\00:29:51.29
Isn't that good news?
00:29:51.32\00:29:52.95
How completely
does the Bible tell us
00:29:52.99\00:29:56.29
our deliverance can be?
00:29:56.32\00:29:58.79
Night, day, dark, light,
00:29:58.83\00:30:04.43
evil, good,
sinner, son and daughter.
00:30:04.47\00:30:11.37
How complete is our deliverance?
00:30:11.41\00:30:13.38
Amen to that? Amen.
00:30:13.41\00:30:14.84
That deliverance is coming.
00:30:14.88\00:30:16.21
That's the aim that God
has for every one of us.
00:30:16.24\00:30:19.15
He wants us not to be
discouraged by our condition,
00:30:19.18\00:30:22.02
but to be
encouraged by the one who says,
00:30:22.05\00:30:24.19
"Come, let's talk about it."
00:30:24.22\00:30:26.02
I have learned something.
00:30:26.05\00:30:28.52
I've been injured so
many times in basketball,
00:30:28.56\00:30:31.56
never got paid to play
a single basketball game,
00:30:31.59\00:30:34.20
got trophies in school,
but never got paid to play.
00:30:34.23\00:30:36.90
It wasn't a profession,
but I have my broken bones.
00:30:36.93\00:30:40.04
When you
understand your condition,
00:30:40.07\00:30:41.40
you don't mind
going to the doctor.
00:30:41.44\00:30:42.77
My first very bad break
was an elbow on my face,
00:30:42.80\00:30:45.34
I got three broken
bones, and two in the nose.
00:30:45.37\00:30:51.21
When the pain set in and I
got rushed to the hospital,
00:30:51.25\00:30:55.82
when I got
there, the nurse said,
00:30:55.85\00:30:57.62
"We're going to
give you a needle."
00:30:57.65\00:30:58.99
And the doctor said,
"Right about now I don't think
00:30:59.02\00:31:00.96
he's concerned about
the pain from the needle."
00:31:00.99\00:31:04.16
There's pain, then
there's pain, right?
00:31:04.19\00:31:07.93
Here's what I mean by that.
00:31:07.96\00:31:09.40
There's the
pain of our condition
00:31:09.43\00:31:11.07
and then there is
the painful process
00:31:11.10\00:31:12.70
of being remolded
into the image of God,
00:31:12.73\00:31:14.60
because you know why
it's a painful process?
00:31:14.64\00:31:16.20
Because it's not natural,
it is not a natural thing.
00:31:16.24\00:31:18.87
We don't like to
naturally be molded.
00:31:18.91\00:31:20.78
It's just not
something we want to do
00:31:20.81\00:31:22.54
because it is about
our will versus God's will,
00:31:22.58\00:31:25.55
it's about our
desires versus God's desires,
00:31:25.58\00:31:28.55
it's about our thoughts
00:31:28.58\00:31:29.92
being replaced
by God's thoughts.
00:31:29.95\00:31:32.39
It's about our
straying being redirected
00:31:32.42\00:31:35.79
into stay in the
fold, and the shepherd's
00:31:35.82\00:31:38.76
got that staff, pulling us back.
00:31:38.79\00:31:41.96
We want to go...
Ah, get back here.
00:31:42.00\00:31:44.17
Everything he's done
is designed to not fit
00:31:44.20\00:31:49.00
in harmony with
our natural tendencies.
00:31:49.04\00:31:51.77
And so he says in this
verse, "Let's talk about it."
00:31:51.81\00:31:54.74
Where is the toothache?
Where is the sin ache?
00:31:54.78\00:31:57.38
What's the problem?
Where is the heart issue?
00:31:57.41\00:31:59.68
Where is the mind
issue? Where is the life issue?
00:31:59.71\00:32:01.88
Come let's talk about it.
00:32:01.92\00:32:03.95
And then he looks at it,
he says, that's really bad,
00:32:03.99\00:32:05.59
but I'm going to tell you this.
00:32:05.62\00:32:07.72
That root canal may
hurt some but next week
00:32:07.76\00:32:10.49
you'll be glad
you did it, all right?
00:32:10.53\00:32:12.49
Though it shall be.
00:32:12.53\00:32:14.60
We've got to
look to the shall be.
00:32:14.63\00:32:15.96
Amen to that?
00:32:16.00\00:32:17.33
So the answer to that is
00:32:17.37\00:32:18.70
how completely
does the Bible tell us
00:32:18.73\00:32:20.07
our deliverance can be?
00:32:20.10\00:32:22.60
Complete. All right.
00:32:22.64\00:32:25.34
Couldn't give a
better answer myself.
00:32:25.37\00:32:27.74
Couldn't give a
better answer myself.
00:32:27.78\00:32:29.64
Question number
nine. Question number nine.
00:32:29.68\00:32:31.68
Let's move a pace here.
00:32:31.71\00:32:33.31
All right, here we go.
00:32:33.35\00:32:35.55
What kind of
change can we expect
00:32:35.58\00:32:37.59
when we submit to Christ?
00:32:37.62\00:32:40.49
What kind of
change can we expect
00:32:40.52\00:32:43.53
when we submit to Christ?
00:32:43.56\00:32:46.19
We're turning to 1 John 1:9.
00:32:46.23\00:32:49.53
Another theologian's text
00:32:49.56\00:32:51.90
that some of you know by heart.
00:32:51.93\00:32:54.80
What kind of
change can we expect?
00:32:54.84\00:32:56.57
In 2008, just
around December of 2008,
00:32:59.74\00:33:02.74
with our brand new
car, we ran into a deer.
00:33:02.78\00:33:06.35
Let me rephrase
that, the deer ran into us,
00:33:06.38\00:33:09.48
because we were
minding our own business,
00:33:09.52\00:33:11.52
saw the deer on
the side of the road.
00:33:11.55\00:33:14.36
It was a buck for those
of you who are city dwellers.
00:33:14.39\00:33:18.49
That's a male
with a lot of horns.
00:33:18.53\00:33:21.36
A buck in the
city is a dollar bill.
00:33:21.40\00:33:24.03
But a buck in the country
is a deer with some big horns,
00:33:24.07\00:33:26.20
right?
00:33:26.23\00:33:28.87
So I'm on the side of the road
00:33:28.90\00:33:30.24
just continued at our
pace of 60-62 miles an hour.
00:33:30.27\00:33:33.88
I saw it, my
light hits his eyes,
00:33:33.91\00:33:35.24
we were standing there.
00:33:35.28\00:33:36.61
When we got closer,
he lowered his horns
00:33:36.64\00:33:37.98
and like the goat, the
he goat there in Daniel,
00:33:38.01\00:33:41.62
he swiftly crossed the highway,
00:33:41.65\00:33:43.18
rammed into the
front of our car,
00:33:43.22\00:33:46.82
$10,200 damage.
00:33:46.86\00:33:49.52
All the airbags
deployed on the left side.
00:33:49.56\00:33:51.59
Thank the Lord, the
front one didn't deploy
00:33:51.63\00:33:53.43
because it had knocked me silly.
00:33:53.46\00:33:55.36
But all the curtain airbags,
car was messed up, axle bent,
00:33:55.40\00:33:59.40
car was just four months old.
00:33:59.43\00:34:02.07
Oh, my brand new Honda,
00:34:02.10\00:34:06.44
four months old, damaged beyond.
00:34:06.47\00:34:08.64
It just looked
horrible. Couldn't drive it.
00:34:08.68\00:34:11.91
But we were safe, we were
safe. Thank the Lord for that.
00:34:11.95\00:34:16.15
But we submitted that
to the body shop there
00:34:16.18\00:34:19.92
in Carbondale to
Toyota, and I was hoping,
00:34:19.95\00:34:24.13
I was hoping they'd
say, "It was totaled."
00:34:24.16\00:34:26.66
Come on, you know
what I'm talking about.
00:34:26.70\00:34:28.13
Brand new car, right?
00:34:28.16\00:34:30.10
But they looked at
that car and they said,
00:34:30.13\00:34:31.57
know what he said,
00:34:31.60\00:34:33.60
"We could fix it
like it was brand new."
00:34:33.64\00:34:35.57
And I'm looking at it.
00:34:35.60\00:34:36.94
Fender messed up,
doors messed up, back
00:34:36.97\00:34:39.37
'cause the deer not
only hit the front left,
00:34:39.41\00:34:41.91
tore everything, the
fender, the passenger door,
00:34:41.94\00:34:44.75
the driver's door, he
rolled all along the left
00:34:44.78\00:34:48.12
from the front and
the back was messed up.
00:34:48.15\00:34:50.09
All the bags deployed.
00:34:50.12\00:34:52.35
And I'm thinking,
"Can't you just hold it out
00:34:52.39\00:34:54.39
and give us a new car."
00:34:54.42\00:34:57.13
And when I went
to pick up my car
00:34:57.16\00:35:00.23
three weeks later.
00:35:00.26\00:35:02.43
I'm looking for the damage.
00:35:02.46\00:35:04.97
And I couldn't find it.
00:35:05.00\00:35:06.87
And I thought to
myself, "If man can do that
00:35:06.90\00:35:11.04
to damaged metal,
00:35:11.07\00:35:13.98
what can God do
to a damaged heart?
00:35:14.01\00:35:16.58
What can God do
to an unruly tongue?
00:35:16.61\00:35:19.21
What can God do to
thoughts that are so low
00:35:19.25\00:35:21.68
that God's thoughts
are high than the heavens
00:35:21.72\00:35:24.02
and yours are not
even in the neighborhood?
00:35:24.05\00:35:26.55
If man can do that to metal,
00:35:26.59\00:35:28.36
what can God do
to the humanheart?
00:35:28.39\00:35:30.36
That simply submits to Him.
00:35:30.39\00:35:31.73
Here's the answer, 1 John
1:9, look at what it says?
00:35:31.76\00:35:35.46
It starts with a
powerful word, a huge word,
00:35:35.50\00:35:37.90
"If we confess our
sins, He is," what?
00:35:37.93\00:35:41.97
"Faithful and just
to forgive us our sins
00:35:42.00\00:35:46.98
and to do," what?
00:35:47.01\00:35:48.34
"Cleanse us from," how much?
00:35:48.38\00:35:50.28
"All unrighteousness."
00:35:50.31\00:35:53.88
You know what
unrighteousness means.
00:35:53.92\00:35:56.85
The opposite of
righteousness is what?
00:35:56.89\00:36:00.36
Here's a new
word wrongteousness.
00:36:00.39\00:36:03.56
It's not in the dictionary,
00:36:03.59\00:36:05.86
but it's the
opposite of righteousness,
00:36:05.89\00:36:07.90
wrongteousness,
spelled W-R-O-N-G
00:36:07.93\00:36:12.17
and you could
add the rest of it.
00:36:12.20\00:36:14.24
T-E-
O-U-S-N-E-S-S. Wrongteousness.
00:36:14.27\00:36:18.14
Everything that's
wrong in our lives,
00:36:18.17\00:36:19.54
the Lord can fix it.
00:36:19.57\00:36:20.91
Amen to that.
He's that kind of God.
00:36:20.94\00:36:23.01
And when you submit your
life to the Lord, you'll say,
00:36:23.04\00:36:25.41
but what about all
those dents in my life?
00:36:25.45\00:36:27.48
What about all those
things that were broken
00:36:27.52\00:36:29.08
and turned out of the way?
00:36:29.12\00:36:30.45
What about all those
things that were being deployed
00:36:30.49\00:36:31.95
like bad words, bad
thoughts, bad deeds,
00:36:31.99\00:36:34.02
bad ideas, being
deployed from our minds,
00:36:34.06\00:36:36.29
and our hearts, and our lives?
00:36:36.32\00:36:38.46
He says, here it
is, here's your life.
00:36:38.49\00:36:41.06
And you think, you
measuring the lines.
00:36:41.10\00:36:44.63
I'm a detail guide,
Greg, and I look at the lines.
00:36:44.67\00:36:47.57
You know, like in printing,
you measure up all those lines,
00:36:47.60\00:36:49.97
he's in the print shop
you make sure everything is,
00:36:50.01\00:36:52.41
you know, lined up
and plushed, I mean plumb.
00:36:52.44\00:36:55.21
I was looking at those
lines and thought, "Man,
00:36:55.24\00:36:57.91
the lines on the front
door match up perfectly
00:36:57.95\00:36:59.88
with the lines
on the back door,"
00:36:59.91\00:37:01.68
'cause you don't want a car
00:37:01.72\00:37:03.05
with the lines
that will whack you.
00:37:03.08\00:37:04.42
You go back and it seemed like
for guys that are detail guys,
00:37:04.45\00:37:07.32
it is like the huge,
it's the huge transgression.
00:37:07.36\00:37:11.09
You put on new doors and
my lines are not lined up.
00:37:11.13\00:37:15.16
Right, irritates you.
00:37:15.20\00:37:17.87
Like missing word in
the text, like we just had.
00:37:17.90\00:37:22.14
But they lined that
thing up so perfectly.
00:37:22.17\00:37:23.71
And I thought to myself,
"If they can do that to metal,
00:37:23.74\00:37:26.98
what can God do
to a human life?"
00:37:27.01\00:37:29.28
The hope that I
have is God has never,
00:37:29.31\00:37:32.78
He has never excluded anybody
00:37:32.81\00:37:35.48
from His shop of
refurbishing human lives,
00:37:35.52\00:37:40.02
getting them brand new
starts, fixing all the dents,
00:37:40.06\00:37:44.59
taking out all the
things that have been smashed,
00:37:44.63\00:37:47.50
and broken, and
look beyond repair.
00:37:47.53\00:37:50.57
So the answer, what
kind of change can we expect
00:37:50.60\00:37:52.63
when we submit to Christ?
00:37:52.67\00:37:54.20
Complete
cleansing. Complete cleansing.
00:37:56.50\00:38:00.54
You can put the
word there complete.
00:38:00.58\00:38:03.08
Can't find a better
word, full restoration.
00:38:03.11\00:38:07.52
If we confess, that's the key.
00:38:07.55\00:38:10.52
He forgives, but we
have to begin by saying,
00:38:10.55\00:38:14.52
"I've got a problem."
00:38:14.56\00:38:16.49
And we talked
about those problems
00:38:16.52\00:38:17.89
in the first seven
questions of this syllabus.
00:38:17.93\00:38:23.47
All right, let's go
down to number 10 now.
00:38:23.50\00:38:26.37
Number 10.
00:38:26.40\00:38:28.60
What kind of truce
does the Bible tell us
00:38:28.64\00:38:32.07
forgiveness brings?
00:38:32.11\00:38:34.44
What kind of truce
does the Bible tell us
00:38:34.48\00:38:37.05
forgiveness brings?
00:38:37.08\00:38:38.41
And the reason I
used the word truce
00:38:38.45\00:38:40.08
is because we don't know that,
00:38:40.12\00:38:41.45
but we are born at war with God.
00:38:41.48\00:38:44.45
We are born, this
nature that we have
00:38:44.49\00:38:46.86
is at war with God.
00:38:46.89\00:38:48.76
It is at war with
His righteousness.
00:38:48.79\00:38:50.99
It's at war with His perfection.
00:38:51.03\00:38:53.16
But when we come into a
relationship with Christ,
00:38:53.19\00:38:55.50
there's a truce.
00:38:55.53\00:38:56.87
And the Bible describes
the kind of truce that we have
00:38:56.90\00:38:59.43
when we accept the
righteousness of Jesus.
00:38:59.47\00:39:02.60
Romans 5:1 is
we're going to turn to.
00:39:02.64\00:39:05.31
Romans 5:1. All right?
00:39:05.34\00:39:08.84
Let's look at that, Romans 5:1.
00:39:08.88\00:39:11.28
And the Bible reads as follows.
00:39:11.31\00:39:14.55
"Therefore, having
been justified by," what?
00:39:14.58\00:39:19.12
"Faith, we have
peace with God..."
00:39:19.15\00:39:23.02
That is the truce,
00:39:23.06\00:39:24.39
"through our Lord Jesus Christ."
00:39:24.43\00:39:27.06
The truce is we have what?
00:39:27.10\00:39:29.16
We have what kind of
peace? Complete peace.
00:39:29.20\00:39:32.37
A peace that
passes all understanding.
00:39:32.40\00:39:34.24
We have a peace
that does not even need
00:39:34.27\00:39:36.30
to be explained.
00:39:36.34\00:39:38.44
I like the way that some
of the translations say that
00:39:38.47\00:39:40.48
a peace that does
not need to be explained,
00:39:40.51\00:39:42.98
we have a peace.
00:39:43.01\00:39:44.35
When you have a peace with
God, there's a truce, a treaty.
00:39:44.38\00:39:49.52
When we are in
relation with God,
00:39:49.55\00:39:51.99
when things between
us and God are removed,
00:39:52.02\00:39:54.46
there's a truce.
00:39:54.49\00:39:55.82
We have peace with
God and I tell you this.
00:39:55.86\00:39:58.73
If you want anybody
to get upset with you,
00:39:58.76\00:40:00.93
just make sure it's not God.
00:40:00.96\00:40:04.03
Right, 'cause if
anybody else is upset with you,
00:40:04.07\00:40:06.84
you don't have to
worry about that that much.
00:40:06.87\00:40:08.24
I mean every problem
we have with humanity
00:40:08.27\00:40:10.44
will be
resolved sooner or later.
00:40:10.47\00:40:12.27
At least that's our
hope and our prayer.
00:40:12.31\00:40:14.71
But if you have
a problem with God
00:40:14.74\00:40:16.08
that has not been settled,
that's an eternal issue.
00:40:16.11\00:40:19.35
Seek to have a truce with God,
having been justified by faith.
00:40:19.38\00:40:24.75
When we are saved
by grace through faith,
00:40:24.79\00:40:26.62
we are justified.
00:40:26.65\00:40:27.99
We are brought into a
relationship with God.
00:40:28.02\00:40:29.46
And now we have a peace,
00:40:29.49\00:40:31.29
a peace that we could never
have imagined that we have.
00:40:31.33\00:40:34.40
It's like when you resolve
an issue between two people,
00:40:34.43\00:40:36.90
it seems tough when
you first start talking.
00:40:36.93\00:40:39.77
But then after
an hour and a half,
00:40:39.80\00:40:41.14
two hours, three
hours, however long it takes.
00:40:41.17\00:40:44.11
You look at each other
completely exhausted and say,
00:40:44.14\00:40:47.58
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
00:40:47.61\00:40:50.88
And all of a
sudden, you have a truce.
00:40:50.91\00:40:53.08
And all the stuff
that was being deployed
00:40:53.11\00:40:55.42
from your mind and your
mouth didn't matter after that
00:40:55.45\00:40:58.72
because you have a
truce, you found a common ground
00:40:58.75\00:41:00.96
where you can
measure the benefits
00:41:00.99\00:41:03.59
of being at
peace with one another.
00:41:03.63\00:41:05.69
Wow. That's beautiful.
00:41:05.73\00:41:07.96
The answer is,
what kind of truce
00:41:08.00\00:41:09.86
does the Bible tell
us brings forgiveness?
00:41:09.90\00:41:12.60
Peace with God. Peace with God.
00:41:12.63\00:41:16.07
If you want to be angry
with somebody, don't get...
00:41:16.10\00:41:18.91
I've heard people
say, I'm angry with God.
00:41:18.94\00:41:21.04
And I've heard
Christians say that.
00:41:21.08\00:41:22.71
Have you heard that?
00:41:22.74\00:41:24.08
I mean, if you're a Christian
and you're angry with God,
00:41:24.11\00:41:27.95
then you must be
happy with the devil.
00:41:27.98\00:41:30.75
I don't know, I
can't get that one.
00:41:30.79\00:41:32.59
I'm mad at God right now.
00:41:32.62\00:41:36.02
Which means, you
aim at the devil.
00:41:36.06\00:41:39.19
If you're mad at God,
the devil is happy, right?
00:41:39.23\00:41:41.70
If you're mad at the
devil, then God is happy.
00:41:41.73\00:41:43.93
So be very, very careful
where that anger is directed.
00:41:43.97\00:41:50.71
Let me just put it
way, be angry and sin not.
00:41:50.74\00:41:55.28
That's why I like that fact
00:41:55.31\00:41:56.64
when the Lord came
into the marriage supper
00:41:56.68\00:41:58.65
and He saw a man there
without the wedding garment,
00:41:58.68\00:42:01.15
the Lord said, "How
did you come in here
00:42:01.18\00:42:02.52
without a wedding garment?"
00:42:02.55\00:42:03.89
And He realized, it's not
going to help if I say anything.
00:42:03.92\00:42:08.22
He said not a word.
00:42:08.26\00:42:11.66
I have had
experiences in my life
00:42:11.69\00:42:13.26
where things
were not going the way
00:42:13.29\00:42:14.63
that I would like it
to go and I was so angry,
00:42:14.66\00:42:17.17
I didn't say anything.
00:42:17.20\00:42:18.67
Did you get so angry,
you don't say anything?
00:42:18.70\00:42:21.60
You're okay?
00:42:21.64\00:42:24.84
You're going to make it?
00:42:24.87\00:42:28.48
Something wrong?
00:42:28.51\00:42:31.75
That's when
you're steaming, right?
00:42:31.78\00:42:34.02
When you can't
even get a word out.
00:42:34.05\00:42:36.99
And sometimes you
at that point say,
00:42:37.02\00:42:38.35
"Look, don't
let me get started."
00:42:38.39\00:42:40.79
Right.
00:42:40.82\00:42:42.42
That's a good thing
to do, don't get started
00:42:42.46\00:42:44.16
because sin will take over
00:42:44.19\00:42:45.53
and you'll say a lot of
stuff that you'll regret.
00:42:45.56\00:42:48.40
You do things that you
would never want to do.
00:42:48.43\00:42:50.67
So don't get started.
00:42:50.70\00:42:52.33
You want to have
a truce with others
00:42:52.37\00:42:54.17
and you want to
have peace with God.
00:42:54.20\00:42:55.54
Praise God for that.
00:42:55.57\00:42:57.41
Let's go to number
11. Moving right along.
00:42:57.44\00:43:00.24
How does the Bible describe
our unlimited access to God?
00:43:00.28\00:43:06.92
I remember,
00:43:06.95\00:43:08.28
I went to one of the
sporting good stores.
00:43:08.32\00:43:11.42
I found a book,
not a beer, but a book.
00:43:11.45\00:43:14.56
I had a book in my pocket.
00:43:14.59\00:43:15.92
I went to one of those
sporting goods stores years ago
00:43:15.96\00:43:18.56
and when you buy
a certain sneakers,
00:43:18.59\00:43:20.53
certain gym shoe
inside of the gym shoe
00:43:20.56\00:43:23.43
because I paid so much for,
00:43:23.47\00:43:24.80
there was a
little grey purple card,
00:43:24.83\00:43:28.20
and it had the title
on it unlimited access.
00:43:28.24\00:43:32.37
And I thought
unlimited access to what?
00:43:32.41\00:43:36.14
Do I now have access
00:43:36.18\00:43:37.51
to all the
sneakers in the store?
00:43:37.55\00:43:39.55
I mean, unlimited access. No.
00:43:39.58\00:43:42.15
But what's the unlimited access?
00:43:42.18\00:43:43.82
You get 20% discount.
00:43:43.85\00:43:45.39
That's not unlimited
access, that's 80% limit, right?
00:43:45.42\00:43:48.69
He's limiting me to 80%.
I only get a 20% discount.
00:43:48.72\00:43:51.49
You call that unlimited access.
00:43:51.53\00:43:53.50
Well, you know when God
talks about unlimited access,
00:43:53.53\00:43:55.83
that's exactly
what He means, right?
00:43:55.86\00:43:57.93
Unlimited access.
00:43:57.97\00:43:59.30
When God turns
the situation around,
00:43:59.33\00:44:01.37
the access is the limitless.
00:44:01.40\00:44:04.24
Look at Hebrews
4:16. Hebrews 4:16.
00:44:04.27\00:44:08.74
Unlimited access.
00:44:08.78\00:44:10.98
I tell you guys
mess around with people
00:44:11.01\00:44:12.51
that give you limited access.
00:44:12.55\00:44:14.38
You line yourself up
with God, line up with God,
00:44:14.42\00:44:16.99
there is no limit to
the access you have to God.
00:44:17.02\00:44:20.72
Here is the answer.
00:44:20.76\00:44:22.56
Hebrews 4:16, "Let
us therefore come," how?
00:44:22.59\00:44:27.86
"Boldly to the throne of
grace, that we may obtain mercy
00:44:27.90\00:44:33.54
and find grace
to help in," what?
00:44:33.57\00:44:35.67
"Time of need."
00:44:35.70\00:44:37.04
You know when you come boldly
before the throne of grace,
00:44:37.07\00:44:39.11
that's in the context of
the strong tower language.
00:44:39.14\00:44:43.45
You know the Bible says,
"Our God is a strong tower
00:44:43.48\00:44:45.85
that we could run into.
00:44:45.88\00:44:47.45
When you read in the
Bible about the tower,
00:44:47.48\00:44:49.78
God was our
refuge and our strength."
00:44:49.82\00:44:52.62
That refuge, that
tower that we can run into.
00:44:52.65\00:44:56.59
If somebody was chasing you
and your life was in jeopardy,
00:44:56.62\00:45:00.66
the priest waited for you
00:45:00.70\00:45:02.03
at the door of
the City of Refuge.
00:45:02.06\00:45:05.00
And once you got in there
before that person caught you,
00:45:05.03\00:45:07.84
as long as that
priest is alive, you're safe.
00:45:07.87\00:45:11.47
Now I don't
know if you got that.
00:45:11.51\00:45:12.97
Because how long is
our High Priest alive?
00:45:13.01\00:45:15.58
Forever.
00:45:15.61\00:45:16.95
If we run into that
tower, which is Jesus Christ,
00:45:16.98\00:45:18.68
as long as the High
Priest is alive, we're safe.
00:45:18.71\00:45:22.85
And in Bible times
you can stay in that,
00:45:22.88\00:45:26.52
the house of safety
00:45:26.55\00:45:28.32
until the
priests and the people,
00:45:28.36\00:45:32.06
actually the people
when you read the story,
00:45:32.09\00:45:33.80
the people gave you
the right to exist outside.
00:45:33.83\00:45:38.43
When that matter was
settled satisfactorily,
00:45:38.47\00:45:41.40
the people of
that community said,
00:45:41.44\00:45:43.51
"You now have the right
to return to the community.
00:45:43.54\00:45:45.61
And we as a community will
see that no harm comes to you."
00:45:45.64\00:45:49.88
Isn't that wonderful.
00:45:49.91\00:45:51.81
But you ran and by the way,
the way to the City of Refuge
00:45:51.85\00:45:55.48
had to remain unhindered.
00:45:55.52\00:45:57.22
There can be rocks,
it was a smoothest ground
00:45:57.25\00:45:59.62
because that person had to
run with his life in his mind
00:45:59.65\00:46:03.32
right into the City of Refuge,
we can run in and be saved.
00:46:03.36\00:46:06.49
That's what it
means by, it says,
00:46:06.53\00:46:07.86
"Come, boldly before
the throne of grace."
00:46:07.90\00:46:10.57
When you get in that
city, what do you get?
00:46:10.60\00:46:12.40
You obtain mercy
00:46:12.43\00:46:13.80
and you find grace to help when?
00:46:13.84\00:46:15.67
In time of need.
00:46:15.70\00:46:17.94
Beautiful. Isn't that wonderful?
00:46:17.97\00:46:20.08
You got to remember
that in your life no matter
00:46:20.11\00:46:21.68
what you struggle with,
there is a strong tower,
00:46:21.71\00:46:23.85
His name is Jesus, for
our Lord is a strong tower
00:46:23.88\00:46:27.58
that we can run
into and be saved.
00:46:27.62\00:46:30.19
A lot of times
people don't take advantage
00:46:30.22\00:46:32.22
or don't benefit.
00:46:32.25\00:46:33.59
I wouldn't even
say take advantage,
00:46:33.62\00:46:34.96
they don't benefit
from what God is made
00:46:34.99\00:46:36.32
available to them
00:46:36.36\00:46:37.69
and they tried to resolve
their issues on their own.
00:46:37.73\00:46:40.33
That's why the
church has less people
00:46:40.36\00:46:43.13
than it really could
00:46:43.16\00:46:44.50
because there's
some people that say,
00:46:44.53\00:46:45.87
you know, when I
get my life together,
00:46:45.90\00:46:50.11
well, let's see what
you're going to work with.
00:46:50.14\00:46:53.34
You go back to the
first seven questions,
00:46:53.38\00:46:54.91
how much do they
have to work with?
00:46:54.94\00:46:56.51
Nothing.
00:46:56.54\00:46:57.88
Messed up mind,
messed up heart, full of sin,
00:46:57.91\00:46:59.71
corrupt tongue,
corrupt thoughts.
00:46:59.75\00:47:01.88
Your mouth can't
say anything right.
00:47:01.92\00:47:04.62
What do you have to work with?
00:47:04.65\00:47:05.99
Deceitful heart, you don't
have anything to work with,
00:47:06.02\00:47:07.69
nothing that's good.
00:47:07.72\00:47:09.62
So you got to run to
Christ and you'll be saved.
00:47:09.66\00:47:12.86
Let's go to number 12.
00:47:12.89\00:47:16.30
And the answer to number 11,
00:47:16.33\00:47:17.67
how does the Bible describe
our unlimited access to God?
00:47:17.70\00:47:20.90
Come boldly. Come boldly.
00:47:20.94\00:47:27.71
He's saying, "Run, run, run."
00:47:27.74\00:47:30.28
And I'm waiting for
you. Number 12, here it is.
00:47:30.31\00:47:33.15
What kind of resources
00:47:33.18\00:47:34.78
does salvation
make available to us?
00:47:34.82\00:47:37.75
What kind of resources
00:47:37.79\00:47:39.35
does salvation
make available to us?
00:47:39.39\00:47:42.09
When you don't have a lot,
00:47:42.12\00:47:44.19
and all the sudden a lot
is made available to you.
00:47:44.23\00:47:48.03
It's like
publishers clearing house.
00:47:48.06\00:47:50.23
I don't gamble.
00:47:50.27\00:47:51.67
I don't understand
00:47:51.70\00:47:53.03
the publishers
clearing house thing,
00:47:53.07\00:47:54.40
I don't know if it's
a gamble or what it is.
00:47:54.44\00:47:55.77
But when people
get that doorbell ring
00:47:55.80\00:47:57.84
and they open the
door and they say,
00:47:57.87\00:47:59.21
"You won the publishers
clearing house sweepstakes."
00:47:59.24\00:48:02.51
That's what they
call it, I guess.
00:48:02.54\00:48:05.91
And people often
just fall to their knees,
00:48:05.95\00:48:08.58
they cry now,
they're just so excited.
00:48:08.62\00:48:13.12
I think that's how we
should be when we understand
00:48:13.15\00:48:17.03
the things that are made
available to us through Christ.
00:48:17.06\00:48:19.33
It's not a temporary check
from an earthly institution.
00:48:19.36\00:48:24.23
It is resources here,
there and throughout eternity.
00:48:24.27\00:48:29.74
Look at the way that
Peter says it here, 2 Peter 3.
00:48:29.77\00:48:33.01
2 Peter 1:3 and 4.
00:48:33.04\00:48:36.61
2 Peter 1:3 and
4. Beautifully said.
00:48:36.64\00:48:43.45
"As his divine
power," whose power?
00:48:43.49\00:48:47.56
"His divine power says,
00:48:47.59\00:48:52.29
has given to us
how many things..."
00:48:52.33\00:48:55.40
Now remember,
earlier we had problems
00:48:55.43\00:48:56.97
with all, all,
all, we're like sheep,
00:48:57.00\00:48:58.83
all have gone astray,
all, all, all, but this says,
00:48:58.87\00:49:01.10
as his divine power has
given to us how many things,
00:49:01.14\00:49:03.87
"All things that
pertain to," what?
00:49:03.91\00:49:06.14
"Life and godliness
through the knowledge of Him
00:49:06.17\00:49:11.05
who called us by," what?
00:49:11.08\00:49:13.68
"Glory and virtue."
00:49:13.72\00:49:15.72
That text is a text that
you can ponder and think.
00:49:15.75\00:49:18.55
You mean all things
pertaining to life and godliness
00:49:18.59\00:49:21.46
I have access to.
00:49:21.49\00:49:24.39
How many things for life
00:49:24.43\00:49:29.43
and for godliness?
00:49:29.46\00:49:33.57
So if you want to live
godly, is there a way to do it?
00:49:33.60\00:49:37.21
Is there a way to do it?
00:49:37.24\00:49:38.71
Because how much
has God made available?
00:49:38.74\00:49:40.68
All.
00:49:40.71\00:49:42.24
Nothing makes me
more disappointed
00:49:42.28\00:49:43.65
when I see
something in the catalog
00:49:43.68\00:49:45.11
and go to the
store and they say,
00:49:45.15\00:49:46.78
"We're out of stock."
00:49:46.82\00:49:49.12
"You have another set?"
00:49:49.15\00:49:50.69
"Oh, it's discontinued."
"Could I pay for getting well?"
00:49:50.72\00:49:54.26
"Actually that sale
was only on our stock."
00:49:54.29\00:49:58.09
So if I order one, well,
00:49:58.13\00:49:59.46
it's going to be
the regular price.
00:49:59.49\00:50:02.43
But not with God
because He's made all things
00:50:02.46\00:50:05.20
that pertain to
life and godliness.
00:50:05.23\00:50:07.27
And it says has given
to us, has given to us.
00:50:07.30\00:50:11.94
We have access to a God
00:50:11.97\00:50:13.31
who just wants
to give us things.
00:50:13.34\00:50:14.68
He wants to change
and transform our lives.
00:50:14.71\00:50:16.81
So when you look at
what I'm talking about here
00:50:16.85\00:50:18.98
of facing the challenge,
the challenge is great,
00:50:19.01\00:50:21.85
but God is greater
than the challenge.
00:50:21.88\00:50:24.15
His blessings are far above
00:50:24.19\00:50:26.05
the challenges you
face on day by day basis.
00:50:26.09\00:50:28.59
You may be
struggling but read the text in.
00:50:28.62\00:50:30.33
And once again,
think on this text,
00:50:30.36\00:50:32.63
pray on this
text, like Shelley says,
00:50:32.66\00:50:34.60
life affirmation say,
"Lord, thank You for giving me
00:50:34.63\00:50:37.70
all things that
pertain to life and godliness,"
00:50:37.73\00:50:40.44
claim the text.
00:50:40.47\00:50:42.74
So it becomes not
just a part of your mind,
00:50:42.77\00:50:44.41
but a part of
your life, all right?
00:50:44.44\00:50:46.68
So the answer is.
00:50:46.71\00:50:49.04
what kind of resources.
00:50:49.08\00:50:51.85
Three letter word,
spell it to me somebody?
00:50:51.88\00:50:54.45
A-L-L. All.
00:50:54.48\00:50:57.09
All the resources. All
the resources are there.
00:50:57.12\00:51:00.56
And by the way, let me
read the rest of the verse,
00:51:00.59\00:51:01.96
I forgot.
00:51:01.99\00:51:03.73
The rest of the verse, it says,
"By which have been given to us
00:51:03.76\00:51:09.70
exceedingly great
and precious promises,
00:51:09.73\00:51:13.77
that through
these you may be," what?
00:51:13.80\00:51:16.94
"Partakers of the divine nature,
00:51:16.97\00:51:19.71
having escaped the corruption
00:51:19.74\00:51:22.68
that is in the
world through," what?
00:51:22.71\00:51:25.01
"Through lust."
00:51:25.05\00:51:26.38
In other words, we have
desires that are preventing us
00:51:26.41\00:51:28.45
from receiving
all these wonderful,
00:51:28.48\00:51:29.95
tremendous blessings,
00:51:29.98\00:51:31.65
but the Lord is
making available to us.
00:51:31.69\00:51:33.15
He says, "You don't
have to worry about that.
00:51:33.19\00:51:34.59
All the things that are natural
are borrowing these blessings."
00:51:34.62\00:51:37.46
If you ignore the natural,
00:51:37.49\00:51:39.56
if you turn away
from the natural,
00:51:39.59\00:51:41.36
and turn to the spiritual,
this text become a promise,
00:51:41.40\00:51:47.70
this text becomes the promise.
00:51:47.74\00:51:49.70
How much can you
draw from that? All.
00:51:49.74\00:51:52.51
Exceedingly great
and precious promises.
00:51:52.54\00:51:55.84
Now I see why Pastor CA says,
God is not good in bad times,
00:51:55.88\00:51:59.18
He's great.
00:51:59.21\00:52:01.18
Praise God for
that. Wonderful thought.
00:52:01.22\00:52:03.45
So the question is
all, the answer is all.
00:52:03.49\00:52:08.86
Okay, question number
13 moving right along.
00:52:08.89\00:52:12.56
What peace can we find
00:52:12.59\00:52:14.13
when we stumble in
our Christian growth?
00:52:14.16\00:52:17.40
You've got to
have some peace there
00:52:17.43\00:52:19.53
that goes beyond your stumblings
00:52:19.57\00:52:21.87
because we're not
perfect as we are growing.
00:52:21.90\00:52:24.81
And by the way, let
me just say something,
00:52:24.84\00:52:26.71
don't live in though we
are not perfect neighborhood
00:52:26.74\00:52:30.41
because you can get comfortable
00:52:30.45\00:52:32.21
with your, we're
not perfect statements.
00:52:32.25\00:52:34.35
And a lot of
times when people say
00:52:34.38\00:52:35.72
"We're not perfect."
00:52:35.75\00:52:37.09
What they are in essence
doing is excusing the things
00:52:37.12\00:52:38.45
that they do.
00:52:38.49\00:52:39.82
Well, I'm not
perfect. Well, we know that.
00:52:39.85\00:52:42.79
But if you are perfect,
00:52:42.82\00:52:44.16
go to one who is perfect, right?
00:52:44.19\00:52:46.70
Matter of fact going
to a doctor and he says,
00:52:46.73\00:52:48.13
I'm gonna looking at
you, but I'm not perfect.
00:52:48.16\00:52:51.17
Let me give you a
needle, but I am not perfect.
00:52:51.20\00:52:54.17
Don't tell me that you
gonna give me a needle,
00:52:54.20\00:52:55.94
don't tell me you're not perfect
00:52:55.97\00:52:57.31
while I'm lying in this
chair with one mouth wide open,
00:52:57.34\00:52:59.17
right?
00:52:59.21\00:53:02.01
Count to 10, you'll
be under anesthesia,
00:53:02.04\00:53:04.45
but before you go, I
just want to you know
00:53:04.48\00:53:05.81
I've made a few mistakes
on this surgery in the past.
00:53:05.85\00:53:09.48
So do you want to hear that?
00:53:09.52\00:53:12.19
We don't have that kind of God.
00:53:12.22\00:53:13.56
Praise Lord for that.
We've got a perfect God.
00:53:13.59\00:53:16.26
So in your stumblings,
00:53:16.29\00:53:17.63
what kind of peace can you find?
00:53:17.66\00:53:19.56
What kind of peace can you find?
00:53:19.59\00:53:22.63
Let me see here,
where am I? Here, okay...
00:53:22.66\00:53:26.23
Did I put that in
there? Okay, let's turn...
00:53:26.27\00:53:30.31
It's number 13, let
us turn to the text.
00:53:30.34\00:53:33.68
I don't think I
wrote that one in,
00:53:33.71\00:53:35.54
let's turn to the text,
but it's in the syllabus.
00:53:35.58\00:53:38.05
1 John 2:1. 1 John 2:1.
00:53:38.08\00:53:41.98
"I want to go right past
that to the next question.
00:53:42.02\00:53:44.19
1 John 2:1.
00:53:44.22\00:53:46.02
I have it in my syllabus,
00:53:46.05\00:53:47.39
but I didn't
put a slide together
00:53:47.42\00:53:49.22
shows you that God
is still working on me.
00:53:49.26\00:53:52.59
Yes, He is.
00:53:52.63\00:53:53.96
Here it is, that's what happens
when my wife is not around,
00:53:54.00\00:53:56.36
She can point out
in my imperfections.
00:53:56.40\00:53:59.77
She helped me tremendously.
00:53:59.80\00:54:01.40
Here it is, "My little children,
00:54:01.44\00:54:04.07
these things I write to
you, that you may not," what?
00:54:04.11\00:54:08.78
"May not sin,
and if anyone sins,
00:54:08.81\00:54:13.95
we have, what?
00:54:13.98\00:54:15.55
"An Advocate with the Father
Jesus Christ the righteous."
00:54:15.58\00:54:21.09
I did give them the text.
00:54:21.12\00:54:22.82
I forgot to
give myself the text,
00:54:22.86\00:54:24.73
but they have it.
00:54:24.76\00:54:26.09
If anyone sins, we have
an Advocate with the Father,
00:54:26.13\00:54:28.60
an advocate.
00:54:28.63\00:54:29.96
You know what an advocate is?
00:54:30.00\00:54:32.10
A lawyer, simple word.
00:54:32.13\00:54:36.44
He's going to
take your interest.
00:54:36.47\00:54:37.81
He's going to
understand your condition.
00:54:37.84\00:54:39.27
And somebody once said,
00:54:39.31\00:54:40.91
"If you going to be
dishonest with anybody,
00:54:40.94\00:54:42.58
don't be
dishonest with your lawyer."
00:54:42.61\00:54:46.61
'Cause I've seen lawyers say,
"Why didn't you tell me that?
00:54:46.65\00:54:51.85
Why did you let
us get in the court
00:54:51.89\00:54:53.25
and that comes up
as a shock to me."
00:54:53.29\00:54:55.86
But I want to tell you today,
00:54:55.89\00:54:57.23
nothing comes up as a
shock to our heavenly lawyer.
00:54:57.26\00:54:59.46
Amen? He knows it all.
00:54:59.49\00:55:01.63
So if He knows it all,
confess it. Confess it.
00:55:01.66\00:55:04.70
I know it, but I
want to hear you say,
00:55:04.73\00:55:06.80
like a parent will
know that some children
00:55:06.84\00:55:08.90
are involved in
habits and practices
00:55:08.94\00:55:11.44
they think their
parents don't know about.
00:55:11.47\00:55:14.84
And the parent will say,
"Until she or he confesses,
00:55:14.88\00:55:17.61
I'm not doing anything.
00:55:17.65\00:55:18.98
They're not getting
that gift they want."
00:55:19.01\00:55:20.82
But when they come out
and finally confess it,
00:55:20.85\00:55:23.05
the parent will
say, "You know how long
00:55:23.08\00:55:24.42
I've been waiting
for you to admit that.
00:55:24.45\00:55:26.09
I've known about it,
but until you admitted it,
00:55:26.12\00:55:29.02
I couldn't do anything for you.
00:55:29.06\00:55:30.39
I couldn't help you at all."
00:55:30.43\00:55:31.76
And that's what an
advocate is all about.
00:55:31.79\00:55:33.19
When we admit our condition,
God can help us with something
00:55:33.23\00:55:36.30
that we need help with.
00:55:36.33\00:55:37.67
Amen?
00:55:37.70\00:55:39.03
But until we admit
it, we can't get help.
00:55:39.07\00:55:42.04
And who are we fooling.
00:55:42.07\00:55:44.67
If we say we have no
sin, we fool ourselves,
00:55:44.71\00:55:47.61
we deceive ourselves
00:55:47.64\00:55:49.08
'cause He knows it,
the advocate knows it.
00:55:49.11\00:55:51.35
So the answer
here to number 13 is,
00:55:51.38\00:55:54.68
we have an advocate.
00:55:54.72\00:55:56.18
What peace can we
find when we stumble,?
00:55:56.22\00:55:58.39
We have an
advocate, we've got a lawyer.
00:55:58.42\00:56:02.22
We've got a lawyer.
Praise God for that.
00:56:02.26\00:56:05.26
Number 14. Number 14.
00:56:05.29\00:56:08.96
All right.
00:56:09.00\00:56:11.10
How do we know that
Jesus can deliver us
00:56:11.13\00:56:13.44
from any kind of sin?
00:56:13.47\00:56:15.87
From any kind of sin.
00:56:15.90\00:56:17.81
One of my favorite texts.
00:56:17.84\00:56:19.71
In the Bible they both
have the same verse and number,
00:56:19.74\00:56:22.24
but a different book.
00:56:22.28\00:56:23.61
Daniel 7:25, "He shall
think to change times and laws."
00:56:23.65\00:56:27.18
Hebrew 7:25 is my favorite text.
00:56:27.22\00:56:29.72
Here it is together.
00:56:29.75\00:56:31.25
How do we know that
Jesus can deliver us
00:56:31.29\00:56:34.32
from any kind of sin?
00:56:34.36\00:56:36.36
This is a real
city text right here.
00:56:36.39\00:56:38.69
Here it is,
00:56:38.73\00:56:40.66
"Therefore He is able
to save to the uttermost
00:56:40.70\00:56:46.57
those who come to God
through Him, since He," what?
00:56:46.60\00:56:52.11
"Always lives to make
intercession for them."
00:56:52.14\00:56:55.74
The King James, I
like the way he said.
00:56:55.78\00:56:57.31
He ever liveth to
make intercession for them.
00:56:57.35\00:57:01.55
So as I say in the city...
00:57:01.58\00:57:03.75
I'm doing a lot of
cities, but I don't know,
00:57:03.79\00:57:06.59
I'm in a New York frame of mind,
00:57:06.62\00:57:08.56
going back to the city.
00:57:08.59\00:57:09.92
He's able to save
us from the gutter most
00:57:09.96\00:57:13.19
to the uttermost.
00:57:13.23\00:57:14.66
Amen for that.
00:57:14.70\00:57:16.03
You don't have a
lot of gutters out here,
00:57:16.06\00:57:17.40
we got side
road and white lines.
00:57:17.43\00:57:19.37
But in the city where
there are gutters everywhere,
00:57:19.40\00:57:21.30
you know, people that have
fallen in their lives afar,
00:57:21.34\00:57:23.10
we say, they're in the gutter.
00:57:23.14\00:57:24.47
That's what we say.
00:57:24.51\00:57:25.84
He's able to
reach down to the gutter
00:57:25.87\00:57:27.34
to the gutter most and
save us to the uttermost.
00:57:27.38\00:57:30.91
Now so far we've seen
that God's plan for deliverance
00:57:30.95\00:57:33.85
is far better than the condition
00:57:33.88\00:57:36.08
that we found
ourselves in at birth,
00:57:36.12\00:57:37.59
isn't that right?
00:57:37.62\00:57:39.02
If you think
about how bad life is,
00:57:39.05\00:57:41.49
don't spend time on that,
think of how great God is,
00:57:41.52\00:57:44.49
that God adopt pastors.
00:57:44.53\00:57:46.09
Think of how great
the God that we serve is.
00:57:46.13\00:57:49.10
And then you'll realize
that it's not the gutter most
00:57:49.13\00:57:51.77
that's your problem,
00:57:51.80\00:57:53.13
but it's the
uttermost that is your promise.
00:57:53.17\00:57:55.24
Continue studying God's Word.
00:57:55.27\00:57:56.97
And if your
life is out of focus,
00:57:57.01\00:57:58.51
you'll discover by
giving your life to Him,
00:57:58.54\00:58:00.78
it will come
into A Sharper Focus.
00:58:00.81\00:58:03.35
God bless you.
00:58:03.38\00:58:04.71