Hello and welcome to
Behold the Lamb Presents.
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I'm Chris Shelton, your host.
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I wanna thank you for tuning in.
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Today's message will be
with Pastor Kenny Shelton.
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And we're gonna be
talking about once saved,
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always saved.
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You know, back years ago
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when I was much
younger, one gentleman
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I had met, he was,
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he had married a
good friend of mine
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from high school,
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and you would have
never thought of him
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as being a Christian.
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He liked to drink
and he liked to do things
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and watch things that
you would never associate
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with a Christ-like person.
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And yet, when we were trying
to witness with him one day,
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he says, you know, I'm saved.
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I believe in God, I'm saved.
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I can do whatever I want.
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I can live the way I want.
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I'm saved, once
saved, always saved.
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And that always brought
a big question to my mind.
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As I know it does for
many, many of you out there.
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Once saved,
always saved doesn't mean
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that you just
believe and then you go
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and you live your
life, or does the Bible teach
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something a
little bit different?
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I look forward to seeing
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what Pastor Kenny has
to share with us on that.
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But I wanna share
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just a few quick verses with you
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that as I've been studying this,
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that the Lord has shown me
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that many people use
to say, okay, there it is.
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That's why.
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And I'm sure as
I bring these up,
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he will go and expound
on them much, much more.
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But one is found in John 6:37.
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And it reads, "All
that the Father giveth me
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shall come to me, and
him that cometh to me,
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I will in no wise cast out."
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John 10:29, "My
father which giveth them me
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is greater than all,
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and no man is able to pluck them
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out of my Father's hand."
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You know, I do believe that,
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I do believe that no
one can take us from God,
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but I believe
there's another part.
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And we'll wait and see
if pastor brings that out.
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And another one, a final
one I wanna share is one that
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I'm sure all of
you know is John 3:16,
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"For God so loved the world
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that He gave His
only begotten Son,
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that whosoever believeth
in Him should not perish,
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but have everlasting life."
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Now, friends, the thief on
the cross is a good example.
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You know, that he believed,
and Christ said, you know,
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I'm telling you today,
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you're gonna be
with me in paradise.
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So we're gonna
look a little deeper
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and find out does it mean
that once saved, always saved.
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Stay tuned.
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Again, thank you for joining us
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once again here
at Behold the Lamb.
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You heard already about
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the title of the subject
once saved, always saved.
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Now it either
is a biblical truth
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or it's not a biblical,
we say it's an untruth.
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So we're gonna look at
that closely in scripture today.
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And we're gonna
spend this thoughtful hour
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on this subject that
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I believe will
be a real blessing,
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because if it is a
truth, praise God for it.
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If it's not a truth
that needs to be exposed
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from the Word of God,
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because I think maybe
many, many, many people
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believe in this subject.
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So before always
that we present the Bible
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before we open up the pages,
this beautiful book we pray.
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And I'm just, I'm believing that
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you're praying at home
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and I'm gonna be
praying right here.
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I'm going to kneel and ask
God's blessing upon His word.
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So let's pray
together, shall we?
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Loving Father in heaven,
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truly we thank You for
Your love and Your mercy.
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Now we invite thy Holy Spirit.
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Lord, what an
important subject this is.
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And we pray that our
hearts and minds will be open,
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that we may
receive this teaching
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from the Holy Spirit.
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Bless us we pray, now
may the things of earth
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go strangely dim as
we sit at your feet.
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We pray that You will speak
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and so we may
hear in Jesus' name.
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Amen.
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Again, make sure
you have your Bible
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and pencil and papers out,
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everything, so you can jot down.
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There's a lot of
information to cover.
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I doubt that we'll get through,
you know, we're just, again,
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touching on the edges,
once saved, always saved.
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A very familiar
verse in the Bible.
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And I want us to remember,
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and this was our
scripture reading
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and that's found in
1 Corinthians 10:12.
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Now remember 1
Corinthians 10:12.
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This was put there in the Bible
for a reason, for a reason.
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And you'll notice as we again go
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over 1 Corinthians 10:12,
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"Wherefore let him
that thinketh," what?
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That he standeth
take heed, lest he fall."
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Notice it.
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And that is a
warning, is that not?
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Wherefore let him that
thinketh he stands take heed,
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lest he fall because
there's a lot of people say,
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oh, no matter what
the devil throws at me,
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it doesn't matter.
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You know, we're
gonna beat the devil up.
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But remember we
need to be very careful
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about the
statements that we make.
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Certainly, we
serve a God that is able.
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And I think in this
study that we'll go through
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and prove beyond
a shadow of a doubt,
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God wants us to be saved.
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He wants us in the kingdom.
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He's made every
preparation that we can be there
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and salvation can be
assured to His people.
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But how far do we
go with that assurance?
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Do we go farther than
God has wanted us to go?
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Or do we go as far
as He wants us to go?
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And once saved, always saved.
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You know,
scripture warns us always,
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as we read to be on guard
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that we are not
deceived over and over, right?
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You read in the
Word, what does it say?
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Especially Matthew
24, "Don't be deceived."
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Some of the first word
Jesus spoke to the disciples
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when they wanted to know
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if He's coming and
what would take place?
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He said, "Be careful
that you're not deceived."
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Because He knew the
enemy would be out to do what?
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To deceive or the
enemy would be out
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and take a truth in the
Bible, and then he would what?
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He would change
it just a little bit,
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so that would deceive
people into thinking maybe that
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they are a little
bit better than they are,
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or maybe they just
don't need any help.
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Everything is all right,
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because many years ago
they gave their heart to God.
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Interesting when
you think about it.
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Many believe they
have reached a point
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in their Christian experience
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that nothing can bother them.
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Nothing can shake
them off of the platform.
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Have you ever met
someone like that?
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They just, and again, I
think we can be positive
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and sure based on God's Word,
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but there are
stipulations I believe.
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And I believe we'll
find as we study together.
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You know, is there such a thing?
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This is a question.
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Is there such a thing
as, "Oh, I'm not living."
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And I've heard people say,
"I'm not living as I should,
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but I believe if
something happens,
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I'll make it to heaven."
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Have you ever heard
anyone say something like that?
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I'm not, I'm not living
the way that I know I should.
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But I believe that
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I will be able to
make it to heaven.
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Why? Because,
well, because I was saved
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when I was 12, I'm 55 now.
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You follow me. I'm 55 now.
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I'm not living
the way that I should.
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I know what the Bible says,
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but I believe I'll be saved
because I was when I was 12.
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Is that really biblical?
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Is that really a
teaching from the Word of God?
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Can it be misleading?
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And a lot of people reach for it
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because it sounds good.
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It feels good.
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In other words,
I don't necessarily
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have to match up to anything
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to make heaven my home,
but it's gonna be my home
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because I really
did give my life to Him
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many years ago.
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Wow. Huh.
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I've had some
people say, you know what?
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My relationship with
Christ is solid as a rock.
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It's solid as a rock.
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Sometime we have
to be very careful
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about tying on to a
solid rock, unless it is Jesus,
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because it can take you under.
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Be very careful, make sure
it is the rock Jesus Christ.
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And notice.
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I wanna start out very
positive about being saved.
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And I know that we can be saved
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if we recognize what
true safety really is.
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True safety really is only
that which recognizes absolutely
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without any
question, that we are helpless,
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that we cannot make it
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to the kingdom
apart from Christ.
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We cannot grow
apart from Christ.
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We cannot learn
apart from the Holy Spirit,
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we understand that.
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And then a constant
need of the Holy Spirit.
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Notice that, some people say
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they don't need the Holy Spirit,
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they understand,
they know scripture
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and so on and so forth.
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Holy Spirit, the Bible
said promises to help us to gain
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victory over sin in our life.
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In that passage of scripture
in 1 Corinthians 10:12,
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it says, I like the words there,
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take heed.
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Do what? What
does that mean to you?
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Be careful.
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Should we listen
to that, take heed?
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Anybody says that?
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Before you open that door,
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take heed to what
I'm saying because.
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Well, you're
gonna say, well, what?
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Take heed. So we
need to listen up.
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That can be
repeated over and over,
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at least in my
opinion, but be careful
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because there's such a
thing as spiritual pride.
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Now we're gonna
look at a few things
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and attack a few
things as it were to look,
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to see how the
enemy may be covering up
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something here,
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and it must be
exposed by the Word of God.
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Spiritual pride.
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Can there be such a
thing as spiritual pride?
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I mean, every
one of you have met
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someone who's
had spiritual pride
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and we pray that we never
have that spiritual pride.
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You know, it what?
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It leads to something
that's very, very dangerous.
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It's self-confident, huh.
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Self-confidence.
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I... Well, I believe in what?
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Confidence in
self and not in God.
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Romans 11:20 says this.
00:10:00.30\00:10:02.36
It says, "Thou
standest by faith.
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Be not high-minded, but fear."
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I thought that was interesting.
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The Bible here
has given admonition
00:10:10.37\00:10:12.17
do not be high-minded.
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That means don't be arrogant
even in spiritual things.
00:10:13.58\00:10:17.41
Don't be a know it
all in spiritual things.
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If we understand
God, we understand heaven,
00:10:20.28\00:10:22.65
understand the
word just a little bit.
00:10:22.68\00:10:24.62
We'll realize
there's a whole lot that
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we don't know much more than
00:10:26.42\00:10:28.22
we don't know than we know.
00:10:28.26\00:10:30.93
And then what we know,
we think we know is barely
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just scratching the edges
00:10:33.73\00:10:35.66
and we'll be
learning through all eternity.
00:10:35.70\00:10:37.97
So we don't want
to be high-minded,
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the Bible says, but fear.
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I can think of one individual
and many in Scripture.
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We'll just give one illustration
00:10:45.34\00:10:46.68
because of our time.
00:10:46.71\00:10:48.04
I think of Nebuchadnezzar.
00:10:48.08\00:10:50.41
Do you remember that?
00:10:50.45\00:10:52.31
Habakkuk 2:4
just simply says this,
00:10:52.35\00:10:54.68
"Faith cannot live in a
man whose soul is lifted up."
00:10:54.72\00:10:58.42
Faith cannot what?
00:10:58.45\00:11:00.06
Faith cannot
live in a soul, right?
00:11:00.09\00:11:02.16
And then what? Who's
what? Who's lifted up?
00:11:02.19\00:11:05.16
And we think of
Nebuchadnezzar, do we not?
00:11:05.19\00:11:06.93
In Daniel 5:20, it says,
00:11:06.96\00:11:11.40
"His heart was lifted up."
00:11:11.43\00:11:15.04
And then he had to be
what? He had to be humble.
00:11:15.07\00:11:17.87
We need to be careful in
our relationship with Christ
00:11:17.91\00:11:21.61
that we do not get lifted up
00:11:21.64\00:11:23.35
and that we know
everything, you know.
00:11:23.38\00:11:27.22
Many, many years ago,
00:11:27.25\00:11:28.62
as we're starting
out, and just, you know,
00:11:28.65\00:11:30.79
being still in construction
given Bible studies,
00:11:30.82\00:11:32.99
one of my
greatest fears was this,
00:11:33.02\00:11:35.12
there somebody
would ask me a question
00:11:35.16\00:11:37.06
I did not have an answer for.
00:11:37.09\00:11:39.96
Hello?
00:11:40.00\00:11:41.33
Yeah, I didn't have...
00:11:41.36\00:11:42.70
I don't know if
any of you have ever
00:11:42.73\00:11:44.07
went through that or not.
00:11:44.10\00:11:45.43
I'm afraid somebody
is gonna ask something
00:11:45.47\00:11:46.80
I don't know.
00:11:46.84\00:11:48.17
But you know, the
Lord gives you what?
00:11:48.20\00:11:49.54
Give you wisdom on
those things to simply say,
00:11:49.57\00:11:50.91
you will not
always have the answer.
00:11:50.94\00:11:52.34
Some people come
00:11:52.37\00:11:53.71
from so many
different directions
00:11:53.74\00:11:55.64
that's not even a
biblical direction.
00:11:55.68\00:11:57.28
How can you have
a biblical answer?
00:11:57.31\00:11:59.85
And so the Lord says
to me, Kenny, you know,
00:11:59.88\00:12:02.02
the next best thing to
knowing the answer is what?
00:12:02.05\00:12:05.89
Is where to find it.
00:12:05.92\00:12:07.49
The next best thing
00:12:07.52\00:12:08.86
from knowing the answer is what?
00:12:08.89\00:12:10.33
Where to find it.
00:12:10.36\00:12:11.69
So when they asked me a
question, I didn't know.
00:12:11.73\00:12:13.23
I'd say, I don't know,
but I know the Bible has it.
00:12:13.26\00:12:15.63
And we're gonna
go to the Word of God
00:12:15.66\00:12:17.00
and we're gonna
find that answer.
00:12:17.03\00:12:18.53
So therefore we
need not be afraid
00:12:18.57\00:12:20.44
as long as we're
digging in the Word of God.
00:12:20.47\00:12:23.44
Probably, and I think
00:12:23.47\00:12:24.81
it was read here on our opening,
00:12:24.84\00:12:27.01
that probably the
most recognized scripture
00:12:27.04\00:12:29.64
in the Bible
dealing with, again,
00:12:29.68\00:12:31.85
we're dealing with salvation,
00:12:31.88\00:12:33.68
we're dealing
with the, you know,
00:12:33.72\00:12:35.05
the scripture being saved.
00:12:35.08\00:12:37.52
And so how could we do
without reading John 3:16?
00:12:37.55\00:12:41.56
How could we
really go through this?
00:12:41.59\00:12:43.22
'Cause again,
people have memorized it
00:12:43.26\00:12:45.29
and yet you could
probably spend hours
00:12:45.33\00:12:47.10
on this one verse.
00:12:47.13\00:12:48.46
I'm not going to do that.
00:12:48.50\00:12:49.83
I just want to read
it for those who may be,
00:12:49.86\00:12:51.30
there may be someone tuning
00:12:51.33\00:12:52.67
in that's never
read this before.
00:12:52.70\00:12:54.37
Believe it or not,
they may have never read it.
00:12:54.40\00:12:56.77
They may have never
heard it. For God's so what?
00:12:56.81\00:13:00.34
He loved the world
that He gave His what?
00:13:00.38\00:13:03.08
Only, you like that
00:13:03.11\00:13:04.45
only begotten
Son that whosoever,
00:13:04.48\00:13:06.85
notice that
word, believeth in Him
00:13:06.88\00:13:09.18
should not perish,
but have everlasting life.
00:13:09.22\00:13:11.85
That sounds almost
like, be careful with this.
00:13:11.89\00:13:14.39
That sounds almost like
once saved, always saved.
00:13:14.42\00:13:19.66
It almost because it
says whoever believes, right?
00:13:19.69\00:13:23.50
He's not going to perish.
00:13:23.53\00:13:25.60
The word believeth there is that
00:13:25.63\00:13:27.34
if have assurance that
00:13:27.37\00:13:28.70
you really have
today assurance in God.
00:13:28.74\00:13:31.74
Do you really have faith in God?
00:13:31.77\00:13:33.41
That's what it means to believe.
00:13:33.44\00:13:34.78
Have you really
committed yourself to God?
00:13:34.81\00:13:38.31
Have you, do you
really trust in God?
00:13:38.35\00:13:41.92
Do you trust in your, in God's,
00:13:41.95\00:13:43.89
you know, His spiritual,
your wellbeing to God?
00:13:43.92\00:13:47.42
Do you really trust Him?
00:13:47.46\00:13:49.32
Believe it should not perish,
but have everlasting life.
00:13:49.36\00:13:52.76
Do we really
have that commitment?
00:13:52.79\00:13:54.20
Do we really trust Him?
00:13:54.23\00:13:56.53
Do we really trust Him with our,
00:13:56.56\00:13:59.20
you know, our own
soul and with our companion
00:13:59.23\00:14:01.64
and with our
family and our friends,
00:14:01.67\00:14:03.51
do you really trust Him?
00:14:03.54\00:14:05.14
I like this book
Acts of the Apostle
00:14:05.17\00:14:06.61
says this, page 209.
00:14:06.64\00:14:08.78
It says, "If sinners,"
now, who does this include?
00:14:08.81\00:14:12.38
Good. Everybody.
00:14:12.41\00:14:13.75
"If sinners can be led to give
one earnest look at the cross."
00:14:13.78\00:14:18.85
Again, we're talking about here.
00:14:18.89\00:14:20.22
We don't wanna be
overconfident in the Word.
00:14:20.26\00:14:22.99
Overconfident in the Word
00:14:23.02\00:14:24.76
causes us to look at ourselves
rather than Jesus Christ.
00:14:24.79\00:14:28.26
So we don't wanna
be overconfident here.
00:14:28.30\00:14:30.23
But notice, if sinners can
be led to give one, notice this,
00:14:30.27\00:14:35.14
one earnest look to the cross.
00:14:35.17\00:14:38.67
"If they could obtain a full,"
00:14:38.71\00:14:40.44
notice, "view of
the crucified Savior,
00:14:40.48\00:14:43.68
they would realize the
depth of God's compassion,"
00:14:43.71\00:14:46.85
and I like this,
00:14:46.88\00:14:48.22
"but, and of the
sinfulness of sin."
00:14:48.25\00:14:51.85
Two very important
things if you missed it.
00:14:51.89\00:14:54.39
If we behold the
cross of Calvary,
00:14:54.42\00:14:57.19
if we behold
Christ on that cross,
00:14:57.23\00:14:59.93
if we get a full view
of that and keep that ever
00:14:59.96\00:15:03.16
before us as God's
people, there's two things,
00:15:03.20\00:15:06.60
at least two
things that will help us.
00:15:06.63\00:15:08.70
Number one, the
depth of God's compassion,
00:15:08.74\00:15:12.34
the depth of the
love that He has.
00:15:12.37\00:15:15.44
If it was not for Calvary,
00:15:15.48\00:15:17.01
how would we understand
what true love really is.
00:15:17.05\00:15:19.71
In this world that we
live when somebody says love,
00:15:19.75\00:15:21.72
it's sometimes
just cheese cheap.
00:15:21.75\00:15:24.32
It's useless. Think about it.
00:15:24.35\00:15:28.16
But not the love
that Christ has for us.
00:15:28.19\00:15:30.99
And then we
would also realize this
00:15:31.03\00:15:33.03
by looking and beholding Christ,
00:15:33.06\00:15:34.86
we would see the
sinfulness of sin.
00:15:34.90\00:15:38.40
To see the sinfulness of sin
means we don't wanna go there.
00:15:38.43\00:15:42.47
That means we wanna
move away from that thing.
00:15:42.50\00:15:45.27
And then I look at
the cross and I say,
00:15:45.31\00:15:46.78
oh good, because we're talking
about once saved, always saved.
00:15:46.81\00:15:49.88
And if I'm
looking at it this way,
00:15:49.91\00:15:51.25
the cross is certainly
a pledge of my salvation.
00:15:51.28\00:15:56.05
The cross is good,
00:15:56.08\00:15:57.42
but again, there must
be a balance here somewhere
00:15:57.45\00:16:00.09
because so much scriptures
00:16:00.12\00:16:01.59
and so many things
that we can look at
00:16:01.62\00:16:03.09
seems to point
in that direction,
00:16:03.12\00:16:04.99
because salvation is
sure because of Jesus Christ.
00:16:05.03\00:16:10.10
But is there other extenuating
things that we need to look at?
00:16:10.13\00:16:14.90
A pledge of my salvation.
00:16:14.94\00:16:17.01
John 3:16 quickly, notice,
00:16:17.04\00:16:18.81
it points out a
couple of things,
00:16:18.84\00:16:20.28
here it's very interesting.
00:16:20.31\00:16:22.04
It points down that
00:16:22.08\00:16:23.41
we're gonna be
traveling down two ways road.
00:16:23.45\00:16:27.02
We're gonna be
traveling down the road.
00:16:27.05\00:16:28.68
Now one of the roads
leads to eternal life
00:16:28.72\00:16:31.92
and the other
one leads to death.
00:16:31.95\00:16:34.59
So we're confronted
with that every day.
00:16:34.62\00:16:38.26
But there has to be a choice.
00:16:38.29\00:16:41.26
We read that in Matthew 7:13-14,
00:16:41.30\00:16:44.27
which says somewhat
the same thing here,
00:16:44.30\00:16:46.27
because it
describes there's two roads.
00:16:46.30\00:16:48.87
There's the broad
road, and then there is what?
00:16:48.90\00:16:51.84
There's a narrow road,
00:16:51.87\00:16:53.71
but interesting
in that broad road,
00:16:53.74\00:16:55.11
what do you see?
00:16:55.14\00:16:56.48
What do you find? You think...
00:16:56.51\00:16:58.28
You see just about
everybody on that broad road,
00:16:58.31\00:17:01.35
because it's kind of easy.
00:17:01.38\00:17:03.18
It's kind of flat as it were.
00:17:03.22\00:17:04.95
There's not really any uphill.
00:17:04.99\00:17:06.39
It's not really, it just,
everybody wants to go there.
00:17:06.42\00:17:08.62
And after all,
as many people say,
00:17:08.66\00:17:10.89
you know, well, there's,
00:17:10.93\00:17:12.26
everybody's going over
here, so we ought to go too.
00:17:12.29\00:17:15.03
You get church.
00:17:15.06\00:17:16.40
There's a big church,
00:17:16.43\00:17:17.77
hundreds and
thousands of people go,
00:17:17.80\00:17:19.13
that must be the church.
00:17:19.17\00:17:20.50
Not necessarily.
00:17:20.54\00:17:22.07
That sure wasn't that way
in the time of Jesus, was it?
00:17:22.10\00:17:25.21
And it's not that way now.
00:17:25.24\00:17:26.57
It's gonna be a,
00:17:26.61\00:17:27.94
just a small
little group as the end
00:17:27.98\00:17:30.15
that will be
willing to follow Jesus.
00:17:30.18\00:17:32.08
But these two roads
00:17:32.11\00:17:33.45
that said enter
either straight gate.
00:17:33.48\00:17:36.25
Wide is the
gate, broad is the way
00:17:36.28\00:17:38.79
that leads to what?
00:17:38.82\00:17:40.36
To destruction.
00:17:40.39\00:17:41.72
The Bible said many,
there in that go that way.
00:17:41.76\00:17:44.43
Many people are going to do it.
00:17:44.46\00:17:46.80
Verse 14 says
because straight is the gate,
00:17:46.83\00:17:49.46
narrow is the way
which lead to eternal life.
00:17:49.50\00:17:52.50
Straight is the gate,
00:17:52.53\00:17:53.87
narrow is the
way that leads where?
00:17:53.90\00:17:56.10
To eternal life.
00:17:56.14\00:17:57.47
And it says, oh-oh,
few there be that find it.
00:17:57.51\00:18:01.34
How sad?
00:18:01.38\00:18:02.91
Somebody should be
upset just a little bit here.
00:18:02.94\00:18:05.61
Jesus Christ Himself
is saying here to us,
00:18:05.65\00:18:07.95
oh, my, here it is.
00:18:07.98\00:18:09.32
Here's the broad way, all
kinds of people are in it.
00:18:09.35\00:18:11.75
And the devil is making
sure that they're in it,
00:18:11.79\00:18:13.36
but there's little straight
way over here and road and gate.
00:18:13.39\00:18:16.12
And there's very
few that go in there.
00:18:16.16\00:18:18.93
Jesus said, notice this,
00:18:18.96\00:18:20.50
enter ye, enter
ye into the gate.
00:18:20.53\00:18:23.23
You remember Him saying that?
00:18:23.26\00:18:25.27
So when He says, enter ye
in, He says, there's two things.
00:18:25.30\00:18:29.00
He points out
how the way to begin.
00:18:29.04\00:18:32.61
See, some of us don't
have Christian experience.
00:18:32.64\00:18:34.14
Some of us we're
just accepting Christ.
00:18:34.18\00:18:36.38
We don't know where to begin.
00:18:36.41\00:18:37.91
We don't know what to do.
00:18:37.95\00:18:39.51
Jesus just points to the gate.
00:18:39.55\00:18:40.88
And He say, enter ye
in, let's come on in.
00:18:40.92\00:18:42.92
Other words, here's
the way that we begin.
00:18:42.95\00:18:45.29
And then He says something else
00:18:45.32\00:18:46.69
and I'll show
you where to begin.
00:18:46.72\00:18:49.26
I need that kind of
direction in my own life.
00:18:49.29\00:18:51.89
Jesus says this
in John Chapter 10.
00:18:51.93\00:18:53.83
Do you remember that?
00:18:53.86\00:18:55.20
Certainly verses 7 and
9, John 10:7, 9 says that,
00:18:55.23\00:18:59.60
remember Jesus says this.
00:18:59.63\00:19:00.97
For the way in, I am
the, somebody say door,
00:19:01.00\00:19:04.54
and I'm loving it.
00:19:04.57\00:19:05.91
I am the door, He
says, I like that.
00:19:05.94\00:19:08.18
I am what? The door.
00:19:08.21\00:19:09.58
There is no other door.
00:19:09.61\00:19:11.71
So the people are pounding
and beating and carrying on,
00:19:11.75\00:19:14.12
trying to get in
some other way than God,
00:19:14.15\00:19:16.79
than Christ said, He said,
the only way is He is the door.
00:19:16.82\00:19:20.16
Only way you
will make it to heaven
00:19:20.19\00:19:21.52
is go through Jesus
Christ, isn't that right?
00:19:21.56\00:19:24.13
I am the door. I like that.
00:19:24.16\00:19:27.70
And then John 14:6, He
simply says, I am the way.
00:19:27.73\00:19:31.77
I am the way, there's no other.
00:19:31.80\00:19:33.84
I'm the door, I'm the way.
00:19:33.87\00:19:35.30
If you wanna make it to heaven,
00:19:35.34\00:19:36.81
you need to look in
this direction right here.
00:19:36.84\00:19:38.64
I'll show you the way to
begin and where to begin.
00:19:38.67\00:19:42.61
Seek ye, they said, notice this,
00:19:42.64\00:19:44.41
next verse goes on.
00:19:44.45\00:19:45.78
He says, "But many
will seek to come in,
00:19:45.81\00:19:48.98
but they're not gonna be able."
00:19:49.02\00:19:50.35
What could that possibly mean?
00:19:50.39\00:19:53.36
Huh, I'm the door.
00:19:53.39\00:19:55.99
And you said, I'm the way.
00:19:56.02\00:19:57.89
You wanna be saved,
00:19:57.93\00:19:59.26
there's only one
way, we made that clear.
00:19:59.29\00:20:01.83
Luke 13:24, jot them
down, so you can read them.
00:20:01.86\00:20:05.07
Says, "Many will seek to
enter and shall not be able.
00:20:05.10\00:20:09.74
What does that mean
they will seek to enter,
00:20:09.77\00:20:11.91
but they will not be able?
00:20:11.94\00:20:14.28
Huh. Why?
00:20:14.31\00:20:16.75
Maybe just because
they will not strive.
00:20:16.78\00:20:19.81
You have to strive to enter in.
00:20:19.85\00:20:21.98
Verse 24 tells us
we have to struggle.
00:20:22.02\00:20:24.82
You notice that?
00:20:24.85\00:20:26.55
We have to put forth an effort.
00:20:26.59\00:20:28.56
We have to exert.
00:20:28.59\00:20:30.26
We have to fight.
00:20:30.29\00:20:31.69
Does that make sense?
To qualify for the prize.
00:20:31.73\00:20:34.30
If anybody here wants the prize,
00:20:34.33\00:20:36.10
you have to be willing to exert.
00:20:36.13\00:20:38.17
You have to be
willing to get out
00:20:38.20\00:20:39.80
in the snow if you have to.
00:20:39.83\00:20:41.57
You have to be willing.
00:20:41.60\00:20:42.94
I'd rather, I tell
you, I'd rather be out
00:20:42.97\00:20:44.54
trying to get to church
and get stuck rather than say,
00:20:44.57\00:20:46.51
I'm not even gonna try.
00:20:46.54\00:20:47.88
And the roads are as
clear as they can be.
00:20:47.91\00:20:49.88
Well, now, you know
what I'm talking about here.
00:20:49.91\00:20:54.18
I'd rather be out
there and get stuck and say,
00:20:54.22\00:20:55.92
I've tried to get
there rather than say,
00:20:55.95\00:20:58.89
well, this is a chance to stay.
00:20:58.92\00:21:00.26
Listen, you'll
have plenty of chances
00:21:00.29\00:21:01.69
to stay home before too long.
00:21:01.72\00:21:03.06
If the country keeps
going like it's going right now,
00:21:03.09\00:21:05.13
they can, the doors will be shut
00:21:05.16\00:21:06.49
one of these days.
00:21:06.53\00:21:07.86
You won't be able to
get in. Jesus, I'm...
00:21:07.90\00:21:09.66
Remember I'm the
door strive to enter in,
00:21:09.70\00:21:11.90
struggle, exert, fight.
00:21:11.93\00:21:14.80
I don't know about
you, but every day,
00:21:14.84\00:21:16.71
you know regardless
Christ is on your side.
00:21:16.74\00:21:19.17
You've accepted
Him as Lord and Savior.
00:21:19.21\00:21:20.74
The devil says,
"I'm gonna beat you up."
00:21:20.78\00:21:23.85
Is that true?
00:21:23.88\00:21:25.21
The enemy's plan is to
beat you up for the day.
00:21:25.25\00:21:28.18
He'll beat you up
with circumstances.
00:21:28.22\00:21:30.45
He'll beat you up with a family.
00:21:30.49\00:21:32.15
He'll beat you
up with trying to,
00:21:32.19\00:21:33.86
well, well, well,
potty train a dog.
00:21:33.89\00:21:38.66
I had to get that out,
00:21:38.69\00:21:41.96
since we have
00:21:42.00\00:21:43.33
a two-month-old
puppy in the house.
00:21:43.37\00:21:46.63
Should I leave
that and just go on?
00:21:46.67\00:21:48.00
Okay.
00:21:48.04\00:21:49.37
You, you know
what I'm talking about?
00:21:49.40\00:21:51.41
Sometime you lose patience.
00:21:51.44\00:21:54.38
Isn't that right? Yeah.
00:21:54.41\00:21:58.71
I mean the dogs
nowadays, they like,
00:21:58.75\00:22:00.52
they wear diapers
and stuff too like kids,
00:22:00.55\00:22:02.48
I don't know.
00:22:02.52\00:22:04.25
Yeah.
00:22:04.29\00:22:07.86
But you know,
we've got to strive
00:22:07.89\00:22:11.83
for that dog to learn.
00:22:11.86\00:22:14.36
You have to repeat some things
00:22:14.40\00:22:17.27
and there's messes to clean up.
00:22:17.30\00:22:20.74
But eventually they will learn
00:22:20.77\00:22:23.30
just so we in our
own personal lives.
00:22:23.34\00:22:25.74
Strive, struggle, why?
00:22:25.77\00:22:27.31
Because there's a prize.
00:22:27.34\00:22:28.84
And there's a prize at the end.
00:22:28.88\00:22:31.05
1 Corinthians 9:25.
00:22:31.08\00:22:32.61
Notice quickly says,
every man that knows...
00:22:32.65\00:22:34.52
I'm gonna read
part of the passage.
00:22:34.55\00:22:35.88
You have to put
it down and read it.
00:22:35.92\00:22:37.32
1 Corinthians 9:25,
00:22:37.35\00:22:39.05
"Every man that
striveth for the mastery,"
00:22:39.09\00:22:42.59
of course it goes on and says,
"he's temperate in all," what?
00:22:42.62\00:22:45.29
"He's temperate in all things."
00:22:45.33\00:22:47.13
Remember, you have to
strive, oh, I'm saved.
00:22:47.16\00:22:49.70
I don't have to do
anything. I'm just saved.
00:22:49.73\00:22:51.33
I'm just, and God says,
00:22:51.37\00:22:52.70
I just, I believe, so I'm saved.
00:22:52.73\00:22:54.07
One guy said, I
know I'm going to heaven,
00:22:54.10\00:22:55.44
there's no doubt about it.
00:22:55.47\00:22:56.81
Me and God talk
every once in a while.
00:22:56.84\00:22:58.17
And we have an understanding
00:22:58.21\00:22:59.54
and I don't really
have to do anything.
00:22:59.57\00:23:01.04
I don't really do. We
have an understanding.
00:23:01.08\00:23:02.78
I said, yeah, God
has a good understanding.
00:23:02.81\00:23:04.45
I mean, it's sad if
a person means that.
00:23:07.98\00:23:12.69
There's much more to it.
00:23:12.72\00:23:14.06
If you...
00:23:14.09\00:23:15.42
If I'm going to
repopulate heaven.
00:23:15.46\00:23:18.26
God's just not gonna,
and may I make this simple?
00:23:18.29\00:23:20.23
God's not gonna just
let anybody in there.
00:23:20.26\00:23:24.60
There's some
qualifications, are there not?
00:23:24.63\00:23:27.00
And they said, oh, right,
long time ago, I was saved.
00:23:27.04\00:23:29.30
Now I live for the devil,
I do everything in the world,
00:23:29.34\00:23:31.27
but I was saved and
I'm going to be there.
00:23:31.31\00:23:33.11
Is that really a Bible teaching?
00:23:33.14\00:23:35.64
Colossians 1:29.
00:23:35.68\00:23:37.01
It says, "Whereunto I also labor
00:23:37.05\00:23:39.51
and I'm striving."
00:23:39.55\00:23:41.45
Paul said he had to
fight the good fight of faith.
00:23:41.48\00:23:43.28
We've to fight
the devil every day,
00:23:43.32\00:23:45.89
you can't just give up
00:23:45.92\00:23:47.26
and say, well, he's
just worked me over today.
00:23:47.29\00:23:48.86
No, don't ever say that.
00:23:48.89\00:23:50.23
By the grace of God,
we're more than conquerors.
00:23:50.26\00:23:53.16
1 Timothy 6:12.
00:23:53.19\00:23:54.53
You know this well.
00:23:54.56\00:23:56.00
Again, "Fight the
good fight of," what?
00:23:56.03\00:23:58.90
"Our faith, lay
hold," notice this, on what?
00:23:58.93\00:24:03.00
"Eternal life." But why?
00:24:03.04\00:24:05.87
Because we're
called to eternal life.
00:24:05.91\00:24:08.08
So there again, it
kind of points back like,
00:24:08.11\00:24:09.71
well, we give
our life to Christ.
00:24:09.74\00:24:11.08
We're
automatically going to make it
00:24:11.11\00:24:13.15
because it
indicates right here that
00:24:13.18\00:24:15.32
we're to strive
and we're to fight
00:24:15.35\00:24:16.72
and because there's eternal life
00:24:16.75\00:24:18.22
and we're
called to eternal life.
00:24:18.25\00:24:22.82
In order to, may I
say, use the word hit,
00:24:22.86\00:24:25.69
in order to hit this subject.
00:24:25.73\00:24:28.76
Let's back up a little bit
00:24:28.80\00:24:30.13
and let's look at
Luke 13:23, one verse.
00:24:30.17\00:24:33.40
There's a question
that's asked Jesus.
00:24:33.44\00:24:35.54
Now we're gonna get
more than once saved,
00:24:35.57\00:24:36.91
always saved, I
watched the clock,
00:24:36.94\00:24:38.27
oh my, pray for me.
00:24:38.31\00:24:40.11
There's so much
here to lead up to say,
00:24:40.14\00:24:41.81
I believe that we can
have eternal salvation.
00:24:41.84\00:24:45.55
Are you still with me church?
00:24:45.58\00:24:47.05
I believe that it can be assured
00:24:47.08\00:24:49.02
by the grace of God.
00:24:49.05\00:24:50.49
I believe that
it's signed and sealed
00:24:50.52\00:24:52.05
by the cross of Calvary,
00:24:52.09\00:24:53.76
but there's conditions for it.
00:24:53.79\00:24:56.59
I'm gonna have to
continue on in my walk with Him
00:24:56.62\00:24:59.63
and we'll see that as we go.
00:24:59.66\00:25:01.00
But notice, let's
look at Luke 13:23.
00:25:01.03\00:25:03.57
There's a
question that's asked Jesus
00:25:03.60\00:25:06.13
and you know what they said?
00:25:06.17\00:25:07.67
The Pharisees,
Essenes, all these,
00:25:07.70\00:25:09.97
they love to ask Jesus question
00:25:10.01\00:25:11.34
and try to trip
Him up and fool Him.
00:25:11.37\00:25:12.84
And they said,
00:25:12.87\00:25:14.31
"Are there just a
few that will be saved?"
00:25:14.34\00:25:17.35
How many times
have we ever done that?
00:25:17.38\00:25:19.05
It seemed like only a
few is gonna be saved.
00:25:19.08\00:25:20.98
It seemed like only a
few is gonna be saved.
00:25:21.02\00:25:22.65
And I don't think
so-and-so is gonna be saved.
00:25:22.68\00:25:24.29
And I don't think she's gonna...
00:25:24.32\00:25:26.02
Listen, interesting how
Jesus responded to that.
00:25:26.05\00:25:29.02
And I want us to
respond the same way
00:25:29.06\00:25:31.16
that Jesus did if you
encounter this situation,.
00:25:31.19\00:25:34.70
Verse 24, Luke 13,
00:25:34.73\00:25:37.27
Jesus starts
out with number one.
00:25:37.30\00:25:39.10
He said, strive.
00:25:39.13\00:25:41.10
Don't you like
it? What did He say?
00:25:41.14\00:25:42.64
He said, strive.
That means you fight it.
00:25:42.67\00:25:45.57
That means you
put forth an effort.
00:25:45.61\00:25:47.18
That means when
you don't feel like it,
00:25:47.21\00:25:48.54
you get up and you
do it anyway, right?
00:25:48.58\00:25:50.51
We live by faith,
not feeling, not sight,
00:25:50.55\00:25:53.21
or I don't feel like
it today or a situation,
00:25:53.25\00:25:55.58
or if things are bad.
00:25:55.62\00:25:57.15
No, not at all.
We all feel that way.
00:25:57.19\00:25:59.72
There's some days I
just should stay in bed,
00:25:59.75\00:26:01.39
pull the covers over my
head and just not face it.
00:26:01.42\00:26:04.26
Is that okay to
say that? But what?
00:26:04.29\00:26:08.13
You do not let yourself
give into that because what?
00:26:08.16\00:26:10.83
We're part of the family
of God and we say, all right,
00:26:10.87\00:26:12.67
we've got a job to do today.
00:26:12.70\00:26:14.77
Right? God's gonna use me today.
00:26:14.80\00:26:17.31
And He will use you
if you ask to be used,
00:26:17.34\00:26:19.57
but notice what
Jesus starts out strive,
00:26:19.61\00:26:22.28
but notice interesting
00:26:22.31\00:26:23.95
when they ask Him this question,
00:26:23.98\00:26:25.91
Jesus did not
answer that question.
00:26:25.95\00:26:28.65
You know, there's some time
00:26:28.68\00:26:30.02
we'd be better off not
to answer some questions,
00:26:30.05\00:26:32.62
if we don't have
the correct answer.
00:26:32.65\00:26:34.96
Silence is golden, but notice,
00:26:34.99\00:26:37.46
Jesus did not
answer the question.
00:26:37.49\00:26:40.43
Instead, He
answers based on the truth
00:26:40.46\00:26:43.63
and principles of God's Word.
00:26:43.67\00:26:45.43
He answers this right here.
00:26:45.47\00:26:46.97
The primary concern should be
00:26:47.00\00:26:49.77
not how many
are going to heaven,
00:26:49.80\00:26:52.27
but notice this, but
whether we will be saved.
00:26:52.31\00:26:57.08
Come on
somebody, think about it.
00:26:57.11\00:26:58.75
My only concern
well, in the world
00:26:58.78\00:27:00.12
there's only gonna be a few.
00:27:00.15\00:27:01.48
There is no use.
00:27:01.52\00:27:02.85
You know what
people do that for?
00:27:02.88\00:27:04.22
You know, I'll just tell
you why some people do that?
00:27:04.25\00:27:05.59
You know what?
00:27:05.62\00:27:06.96
Because they wanna
make excuses for themselves.
00:27:06.99\00:27:08.32
Well, there's only
gonna be a small number.
00:27:08.36\00:27:09.69
It's only gonna
be a small numbers.
00:27:09.72\00:27:11.06
No use me to try.
00:27:11.09\00:27:12.89
You're not giving God,
you're not giving Christ,
00:27:12.93\00:27:15.20
you're not giving the
Holy Spirit much credit
00:27:15.23\00:27:18.73
because certainly
you can be changed
00:27:18.77\00:27:20.74
into the image of Jesus Christ.
00:27:20.77\00:27:22.44
By beholding, we become changed.
00:27:22.47\00:27:24.24
But notice what Jesus said.
00:27:24.27\00:27:25.61
He says to you and me today,
00:27:25.64\00:27:26.98
don't be
concerned about how many?
00:27:27.01\00:27:29.41
Don't be concerned
Adventist about the 144,000
00:27:29.44\00:27:32.58
as much as we are sometime.
00:27:32.61\00:27:33.95
I like to study.
00:27:33.98\00:27:35.32
I think it's
wonderful to study that.
00:27:35.35\00:27:36.69
We need to be looking
into that, but not oh,
00:27:36.72\00:27:38.59
there's just
such a small number.
00:27:38.62\00:27:39.95
We're not gonna...
00:27:39.99\00:27:41.32
Be concerned. Am I
ready to meet Jesus?
00:27:41.36\00:27:43.69
Well, if He should
come, am I gonna go home?
00:27:43.73\00:27:45.36
Am I gonna be
saved in the kingdom?
00:27:45.39\00:27:47.46
But notice elsewhere,
00:27:47.50\00:27:48.83
Jesus gives an
answer to this question,
00:27:48.86\00:27:52.13
but not here to them
00:27:52.17\00:27:53.97
because He knew
who He was talking to.
00:27:54.00\00:27:55.60
They needed to hear
something different.
00:27:55.64\00:27:58.07
Wisdom for you and for me
00:27:58.11\00:27:59.77
is sometime to know
whom we're talking to
00:27:59.81\00:28:02.98
and how far to go with
that and when to be quiet,
00:28:03.01\00:28:06.65
you know, don't give
them everything at once
00:28:06.68\00:28:08.05
if they're not ready
00:28:08.08\00:28:09.42
and they don't
know Jesus Christ.
00:28:09.45\00:28:10.95
You know, truth
don't know any...
00:28:10.99\00:28:12.32
Truth is no good to
anyone if you don't know Christ.
00:28:12.35\00:28:15.39
Does that make sense?
00:28:15.42\00:28:16.76
Once you know Him,
00:28:16.79\00:28:18.13
then it all
begins to make sense.
00:28:18.16\00:28:19.96
We need Jesus in our life.
00:28:20.00\00:28:21.73
In Matthew 13:31-32 says this.
00:28:21.76\00:28:25.60
Now Jesus was
talking about in the parable.
00:28:25.63\00:28:27.54
As far as we'll go
just quickly at the parable
00:28:27.57\00:28:29.54
of the mustard seed.
00:28:29.57\00:28:30.91
You remember
that one? Absolutely.
00:28:30.94\00:28:32.27
You know what?
00:28:32.31\00:28:33.64
And what did Jesus say
00:28:33.68\00:28:35.01
in the parable
of the mustard seed?
00:28:35.04\00:28:36.38
He said, "Woe,
there's gonna be many
00:28:36.41\00:28:37.98
that's gonna be saved."
00:28:38.01\00:28:40.02
He didn't answer them
00:28:40.05\00:28:41.38
because there was a
reason why He didn't answer.
00:28:41.42\00:28:43.39
And many times there's
reasons why we shouldn't answer.
00:28:43.42\00:28:45.75
But He said, yeah,
00:28:45.79\00:28:47.12
there's gonna be
many saved in the kingdom.
00:28:47.16\00:28:49.79
Now let's go
back quickly and touch
00:28:49.82\00:28:51.76
before we get a little farther,
00:28:51.79\00:28:53.13
deeper in the Word
of Matthew 7:13-14,
00:28:53.16\00:28:56.46
where He said the broad
00:28:56.50\00:28:57.83
and the narrow road, narrow way.
00:28:57.87\00:29:02.20
And broad road
almost sounds like Broadway.
00:29:02.24\00:29:06.71
Somebody not with me.
00:29:06.74\00:29:10.88
Broadway.
00:29:10.91\00:29:13.52
Just go wherever you wanna go
with that or many choose that.
00:29:13.55\00:29:18.82
And the narrow way
that few can find it.
00:29:18.85\00:29:21.86
And I've often wondered
about that in my experience.
00:29:21.89\00:29:24.93
Lord, why in this
world can't they find it?
00:29:24.96\00:29:27.30
Why can't I find it?
00:29:27.33\00:29:30.53
This begs a
question for us here.
00:29:30.57\00:29:33.87
Is the road, is the
gate too hard to find?
00:29:33.90\00:29:39.77
It shouldn't be, but
very few will find it.
00:29:39.81\00:29:44.71
And is that the
reason that few find it,
00:29:44.75\00:29:47.48
because it's too hard?
00:29:47.52\00:29:49.28
No, absolutely not.
00:29:49.32\00:29:52.05
Many overlook it, notice this,
00:29:52.09\00:29:53.76
because it's not too
hard, it's so simple.
00:29:53.79\00:29:57.43
Think church, it's so
simple He has prepared the way.
00:29:57.46\00:30:02.10
He came, He lived, He
died, and now I need what?
00:30:02.13\00:30:05.80
I need to accept His life,
not mine because I'm a sinner.
00:30:05.83\00:30:09.64
I wanna be saved by grace.
00:30:09.67\00:30:14.61
Many just say, oh,
it's too simple they have,
00:30:14.64\00:30:16.78
but the number
one, then they have,
00:30:16.81\00:30:18.55
they can't find it
because they don't have
00:30:18.58\00:30:19.95
an interest in finding it.
00:30:19.98\00:30:22.68
I often said, somebody said
00:30:22.72\00:30:24.05
there's a million dollars
he had it right underneath
00:30:24.09\00:30:25.45
where Brother
Wills sitting right now.
00:30:25.49\00:30:28.26
I do my best to
get him out of the way.
00:30:28.29\00:30:30.06
Yeah.
00:30:33.36\00:30:34.80
Are you following my thing?
00:30:34.83\00:30:36.50
If it's
something you really want,
00:30:36.53\00:30:39.83
you're gonna put forth what?
00:30:39.87\00:30:41.84
You're gonna put
forth an effort to do that,
00:30:41.87\00:30:43.51
you absolutely will.
00:30:43.54\00:30:45.54
Some just don't wanna find it.
00:30:45.57\00:30:48.44
And most say,
00:30:48.48\00:30:49.81
I'm going to make it to heaven,
00:30:49.84\00:30:51.18
but they say this,
00:30:51.21\00:30:52.55
but I'm going to make it my way.
00:30:52.58\00:30:55.68
As wrong as it wrong can be
00:30:55.72\00:30:57.09
because I heard a man sing
00:30:57.12\00:30:58.45
that for years, I did it my way.
00:30:58.49\00:31:02.76
You remember that?
00:31:02.79\00:31:04.63
Didn't care about
anything else that was going on?
00:31:04.66\00:31:07.13
But he says
simply as a bottom line,
00:31:07.16\00:31:08.93
I did it my way.
00:31:08.96\00:31:10.30
I can guarantee you, my
brothers and my sisters,
00:31:10.33\00:31:12.57
you do it your way,
heaven will never be your home
00:31:12.60\00:31:16.64
unless Christ is
included in that.
00:31:16.67\00:31:19.94
You're not
going to get to heaven
00:31:19.97\00:31:21.31
because the way
you choose to go,
00:31:21.34\00:31:23.58
it's the road that
Christ has laid out for us.
00:31:23.61\00:31:26.85
Yeah.
00:31:26.88\00:31:28.22
The end of life,
don't say I did it my way,
00:31:28.25\00:31:30.19
oh mercy.
00:31:30.22\00:31:32.02
Another question.
What is your concept?
00:31:32.05\00:31:34.22
Don't answer out loud, but
what's your concept of God?
00:31:34.26\00:31:37.39
What is your
concept of salvation,
00:31:37.43\00:31:39.26
eternal life and of heaven
00:31:39.29\00:31:40.63
and how am I could
reach the kingdom of God?
00:31:40.66\00:31:43.90
These are
questions I believe that
00:31:43.93\00:31:45.27
we should be asking
ourselves every day.
00:31:45.30\00:31:47.57
Why in this world are we
here in this miserable world
00:31:47.60\00:31:51.04
if it's not to
repopulate heaven?
00:31:51.07\00:31:54.88
Hmm. That's right.
00:31:54.91\00:31:56.34
Yeah, if you...
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:31:56.38\00:31:59.31
Absolutely.
00:31:59.35\00:32:00.68
If you ask some people of
how you're gonna find heaven.
00:32:00.72\00:32:06.09
It's all right, at
least somebody is excited.
00:32:06.12\00:32:07.46
Right?
00:32:07.49\00:32:08.82
I'm excited about
the gospel message.
00:32:08.86\00:32:11.36
This is good news.
00:32:11.39\00:32:13.13
You ask people
about how they find God,
00:32:13.16\00:32:14.66
how they're gonna find heaven,
00:32:14.70\00:32:16.03
but, but, you want to say,
00:32:16.06\00:32:17.40
some of them say in
simplicity, they'll say,
00:32:17.43\00:32:19.13
well, all you gotta do
is follow the golden rule.
00:32:19.17\00:32:21.44
Some of you've heard
that probably, right?
00:32:21.47\00:32:23.41
Just follow the golden rule.
00:32:23.44\00:32:24.77
What would the golden rule do?
00:32:24.81\00:32:26.14
I mean, I just
think the golden rule
00:32:26.17\00:32:27.51
is talking about do unto others
00:32:27.54\00:32:28.88
as you'd have them do unto you.
00:32:28.91\00:32:30.71
Isn't that it?
00:32:30.75\00:32:32.08
Now, I want you to
think if you think that
00:32:32.11\00:32:34.22
you can make it to heaven
by just doing good to others
00:32:34.25\00:32:36.82
or have them to do
good as you do to them
00:32:36.85\00:32:38.52
whatever it might be, you
might want to rethink that.
00:32:38.55\00:32:42.06
That's a certainly
00:32:42.09\00:32:43.43
a pretty good
little plan to start with,
00:32:43.46\00:32:45.49
but it goes beyond that.
00:32:45.53\00:32:48.40
Is it possible that
we can do this, you know,
00:32:48.43\00:32:50.87
do to others as we
would have them do unto us
00:32:50.90\00:32:53.07
and leave God
out of the picture?
00:32:53.10\00:32:55.60
Absolutely not.
00:32:55.64\00:32:58.31
Salvation and
eternal life have to do...
00:32:58.34\00:33:02.04
Listen carefully, my church,
00:33:02.08\00:33:04.55
have to do with a
direct confrontation with God
00:33:04.58\00:33:10.45
as revealed in Jesus Christ.
00:33:10.49\00:33:12.45
Does that make sense?
00:33:12.49\00:33:14.69
Salvation is not
well just doing the others
00:33:14.72\00:33:16.83
you'd have them do,
and the golden rule,
00:33:16.86\00:33:18.19
we're all going to make it.
00:33:18.23\00:33:19.56
It has to do with what?
00:33:19.59\00:33:20.93
Eternal life does with
the direct confrontation
00:33:20.96\00:33:23.37
that we're going to
have to have with God.
00:33:23.40\00:33:25.73
And the way we have it
through God is through Jesus.
00:33:25.77\00:33:27.97
Is that what? Jesus.
00:33:28.00\00:33:29.34
That's who we have it through.
00:33:29.37\00:33:32.21
That's where it's at.
00:33:32.24\00:33:36.18
We sing it so
often at the cross,
00:33:36.21\00:33:39.81
at the cross where
I first saw the light
00:33:39.85\00:33:44.82
and the burden of
my heart rolled away.
00:33:44.85\00:33:48.52
It was there by faith
that I received my sight.
00:33:48.56\00:33:52.73
And now I'm happy.
00:33:52.76\00:33:54.76
Whoa! Glory all the day.
00:33:54.80\00:33:57.23
In the midst of trial
and all the midst of the mess
00:33:57.27\00:33:59.80
that we're going on
because we've met Him.
00:33:59.83\00:34:02.67
We've had a personal
relationship with Him.
00:34:02.70\00:34:04.87
We've encountered him
as our Lord and our Savior.
00:34:04.91\00:34:08.31
It's changed our life.
00:34:08.34\00:34:10.05
We see Jesus in
a very special way.
00:34:10.08\00:34:12.58
And now He's lifted that burden.
00:34:12.61\00:34:14.62
I have faith to
believe that He's coming back.
00:34:14.65\00:34:17.75
I have faith to believe
that my side has been changed
00:34:17.79\00:34:20.82
and I wanna behold Him
00:34:20.86\00:34:22.29
rather than things of the world.
00:34:22.32\00:34:25.79
Many, my brothers and sisters,
as going to lose eternal life
00:34:25.83\00:34:30.23
because they love the
world more than they love God.
00:34:30.27\00:34:34.60
They forgot God.
00:34:34.64\00:34:35.97
They left God out of it.
00:34:36.00\00:34:38.47
And what does that
simply mean? You love the world.
00:34:38.51\00:34:40.34
Anything, anything, everything
that takes your attention
00:34:40.38\00:34:44.55
and your
affections away from God,
00:34:44.58\00:34:46.61
it becomes your idol,
00:34:46.65\00:34:48.45
becomes your god, anything.
00:34:48.48\00:34:52.72
Nowadays to have a
husband or wife or somebody say,
00:34:52.75\00:34:54.56
"Well, I can't go to church
00:34:54.59\00:34:55.92
'cause my husband won't let me."
00:34:55.96\00:34:57.29
Somebody needs to
get with the program
00:34:57.33\00:34:59.09
and vice versa.
00:34:59.13\00:35:00.60
My kids won't let me to go,
00:35:00.63\00:35:01.96
the grandkids,
nobody is gonna let me go,
00:35:02.00\00:35:03.33
because they're gonna...
00:35:03.37\00:35:04.70
You're putting them before God.
00:35:04.73\00:35:06.07
Your responsibility
00:35:06.10\00:35:07.44
is to come to Him when He calls.
00:35:07.47\00:35:08.94
And certainly He's calling
00:35:08.97\00:35:10.31
through the Holy
Spirit every day.
00:35:10.34\00:35:14.48
Mark 8:36.
00:35:14.51\00:35:16.44
Is just a warning
sound for all of us?
00:35:16.48\00:35:19.41
And like, we read it,
"What should it profit a man,
00:35:19.45\00:35:22.52
if he should gain what?
00:35:22.55\00:35:24.12
What does it profit
that you gain the whole world
00:35:24.15\00:35:25.99
and yet you lose your own soul."
00:35:26.02\00:35:28.66
There's many today,
hundreds and thousands
00:35:28.69\00:35:30.73
that selling their
soul for a bowl of pottage,
00:35:30.76\00:35:34.46
porridge what is it?
00:35:34.50\00:35:37.03
Yeah. Thank you.
00:35:37.07\00:35:38.40
Esau, was it?
00:35:38.43\00:35:40.64
Got so hungry that
he sold his inheritance,
00:35:40.67\00:35:42.80
sold his soul as it were.
00:35:42.84\00:35:44.27
And many of us
are doing that today.
00:35:44.31\00:35:46.17
Oh, what are we going to
gain if we lose our soul?
00:35:46.21\00:35:49.84
Some people we
meet and I'm shocked,
00:35:52.85\00:35:54.85
they're just not
interested in salvation at all.
00:35:54.88\00:35:57.32
They're not
interested in eternal life.
00:35:57.35\00:35:59.09
They just want...
00:35:59.12\00:36:00.46
Listen, church, they
just want to enjoy themselves.
00:36:00.49\00:36:03.19
You ever meet
somebody like that?
00:36:03.22\00:36:04.56
Well, I don't want
these restrictions.
00:36:04.59\00:36:05.93
Bible said
there's perfect freedom
00:36:05.96\00:36:07.30
in Jesus Christ,
00:36:07.33\00:36:08.66
but they say, I don't
want any restrictions.
00:36:08.70\00:36:10.03
Something is not jelling here.
00:36:10.07\00:36:11.53
I just wanna enjoy myself.
00:36:11.57\00:36:13.74
And I just, I just
wanna have some fun.
00:36:13.77\00:36:16.50
You ever hear,
especially young people
00:36:16.54\00:36:18.17
and some old
people are saying it now.
00:36:18.21\00:36:20.68
Well, I just
wanna have some fun.
00:36:20.71\00:36:22.14
Huh, well.
00:36:22.18\00:36:24.91
Let me ask you a question
00:36:24.95\00:36:26.28
and let me get it finished
before you start answering.
00:36:26.31\00:36:29.62
I'm not trying to
trip anybody up at all,
00:36:29.65\00:36:31.35
but let me say this,
00:36:31.39\00:36:33.86
can a person
have fun without God?
00:36:33.89\00:36:37.56
See Brother Ben, I told him,
00:36:43.06\00:36:44.40
don't answer it till I get done.
00:36:44.43\00:36:46.77
No, it's a good thought.
00:36:46.80\00:36:48.14
Really, I mean,
you're thinking spiritually,
00:36:48.17\00:36:49.50
spiritual things, but
let me say, can a person...
00:36:49.54\00:36:51.54
Think about it?
00:36:51.57\00:36:52.91
Can a person
have fun without God?
00:36:52.94\00:36:56.21
Yeah, sure.
00:36:56.24\00:36:58.35
There's no question
that there can be...
00:36:58.38\00:37:00.38
In other words,
there can be fun in a life
00:37:00.42\00:37:03.42
without God,
00:37:03.45\00:37:05.12
but the problem is
that the fun don't last.
00:37:05.15\00:37:10.53
Think about it. I'm
kind of setting you up.
00:37:10.56\00:37:12.33
I understand something
00:37:12.36\00:37:13.70
you're not
really wrong with that,
00:37:13.73\00:37:15.06
but just think about it.
00:37:15.10\00:37:16.43
Sure people are
saying I'm having a marble.
00:37:16.46\00:37:17.83
I'm having a time of my life.
00:37:17.87\00:37:19.40
I wouldn't
change it for anything.
00:37:19.43\00:37:20.77
And they're bound frail.
They think they're having fun.
00:37:20.80\00:37:26.51
As a Christian, you
know, better need, we need God.
00:37:26.54\00:37:28.84
We understand that. I'll
give you a quick example.
00:37:28.88\00:37:32.21
Kind of give it before,
but I'll give another example.
00:37:32.25\00:37:34.55
Just want to have fun.
00:37:34.58\00:37:35.92
My brother and I
went to teen town
00:37:35.95\00:37:37.75
when we were in high
school. What's teen town?
00:37:37.79\00:37:40.46
That's where they
danced and carried on.
00:37:40.49\00:37:43.63
Somebody's not with me.
00:37:43.66\00:37:46.49
Kids got out together,
they danced a little bit.
00:37:46.53\00:37:48.53
Sometime they
slipped out in the back
00:37:48.56\00:37:49.90
and smoked a little bit.
00:37:49.93\00:37:52.33
Then some of them would be brave
00:37:52.37\00:37:53.70
and they thought
they'd just tip the bottle
00:37:53.74\00:37:55.07
a little bit.
00:37:55.10\00:37:56.44
Well, that never
really interested us.
00:37:56.47\00:37:58.07
But we were told not to go
because there's nothing there.
00:37:58.11\00:38:02.84
And soon as I
was told not to go,
00:38:02.88\00:38:04.31
I wanted to go see.
00:38:04.35\00:38:06.78
Oh no, you're not like that. No.
00:38:06.82\00:38:10.29
What? Just, you know why?
00:38:10.32\00:38:11.65
'Cause I just
wanted to have some fun.
00:38:11.69\00:38:15.29
Want to go where
the action was at.
00:38:15.32\00:38:19.26
We were not told
not to go. We did.
00:38:19.29\00:38:23.93
We thought it'd be fun.
00:38:23.97\00:38:26.13
It was while it lasted.
00:38:26.17\00:38:29.90
Yeah, but it
didn't last very long.
00:38:32.91\00:38:37.81
In fact, we were found
out, as soon as we got home.
00:38:37.85\00:38:41.95
I told my brother, Ronnie,
00:38:41.98\00:38:43.32
when he come in, I said, Ronnie,
00:38:43.35\00:38:44.69
keep a straight face, boy.
00:38:44.72\00:38:47.22
Mama, look at you
right in the eyes,
00:38:47.26\00:38:48.59
she'll spot something.
00:38:48.62\00:38:50.03
She always did.
00:38:50.06\00:38:52.23
And I said, don't
give it away by your look.
00:38:52.26\00:38:54.16
She looked at Ronnie,
00:38:54.20\00:38:55.60
she said, "Where have you been?"
00:38:55.63\00:39:00.40
See, it's all over your face.
00:39:00.44\00:39:01.77
I said, Ronnie, I told you.
00:39:01.80\00:39:03.14
Where have you been?
00:39:07.74\00:39:09.54
Said, "We went to teen town."
00:39:09.58\00:39:11.31
That you were told not to go.
00:39:11.35\00:39:13.08
We wanted to have fun.
00:39:13.11\00:39:14.58
And we did.
00:39:14.62\00:39:15.95
Well, you think
this is gonna be fun.
00:39:15.98\00:39:18.09
And it wasn't.
00:39:18.12\00:39:21.16
That fun didn't last very long.
00:39:21.19\00:39:23.29
And then
reality, reality struck.
00:39:23.32\00:39:27.46
We had to pay the Piper.
00:39:27.50\00:39:32.23
Remember when you
say, I don't need God.
00:39:32.27\00:39:36.64
I just wanna have fun.
00:39:36.67\00:39:39.27
Remember it doesn't last.
00:39:39.31\00:39:44.61
A man was trying to find God.
00:39:44.65\00:39:48.78
He prayed and he read,
00:39:48.82\00:39:52.02
he prayed and he read some more.
00:39:52.05\00:39:55.42
I can't find God.
00:39:55.46\00:39:57.66
I need to talk to somebody.
00:39:57.69\00:39:59.79
There seemed to
be no one to talk to,
00:39:59.83\00:40:02.46
but I can't seem to find God.
00:40:02.50\00:40:04.77
Finally, he met
someone and he said,
00:40:04.80\00:40:06.47
I just need
somebody to talk about.
00:40:06.50\00:40:08.37
I need a friend to
ask some questions.
00:40:08.40\00:40:11.37
And then he asked this
man, his friend a question.
00:40:11.41\00:40:13.71
He looked around,
he said, "Is God lost."
00:40:13.74\00:40:17.71
I said, "What? Is God lost?
00:40:17.75\00:40:19.78
What do you mean
is God lost? Huh.
00:40:19.81\00:40:23.28
Of course not."
00:40:23.32\00:40:25.35
He replied to his
friend, "God's not lost.
00:40:25.39\00:40:26.99
He's never been lost."
00:40:27.02\00:40:30.06
And the man looked
at him and he said,
00:40:30.09\00:40:31.43
"Then why Is he
so hard to find?"
00:40:31.46\00:40:34.53
Hmm.
00:40:34.56\00:40:36.93
God is never the problem.
00:40:36.97\00:40:41.20
But maybe
there's something wrong
00:40:41.24\00:40:44.64
with our searching.
00:40:44.67\00:40:48.51
Did we get it?
00:40:48.54\00:40:50.21
There's something
wrong with our searching.
00:40:50.25\00:40:52.21
There's nothing wrong with God.
00:40:52.25\00:40:53.58
He's not hard to find.
00:40:53.62\00:40:57.45
Scripture, you know,
00:40:57.49\00:40:58.82
Scripture tells us that
God will find those who...
00:40:58.85\00:41:01.49
What is it?
00:41:01.52\00:41:02.86
Jeremiah 29:13, He said,
00:41:02.89\00:41:04.49
"You'll find Him
when you search with Him`
00:41:04.53\00:41:05.86
with all your,
with all your heart."
00:41:05.89\00:41:08.20
You'll find Him
00:41:08.23\00:41:09.56
if you're searching
with all your hearts,
00:41:09.60\00:41:10.93
rather than just say, I'm saved.
00:41:10.97\00:41:12.30
And that's the way
it is long time ago
00:41:12.33\00:41:13.67
and I don't
have to live anymore.
00:41:13.70\00:41:15.04
And, but if I, you know,
00:41:15.07\00:41:16.40
if we search, we're gonna find
if he was going to be there.
00:41:16.44\00:41:18.91
John 5:39 says,
"Search the scriptures,
00:41:18.94\00:41:23.75
for in them you think you
have eternal life and," what?
00:41:23.78\00:41:27.82
"They are they
which testify of Me."
00:41:27.85\00:41:31.12
The scriptures
testify of Jesus Christ.
00:41:31.15\00:41:33.36
You wanna have eternal life.
00:41:33.39\00:41:34.72
You say I'm
reading the scriptures.
00:41:34.76\00:41:36.09
I think I want, I'm
gonna have eternal life.
00:41:36.12\00:41:37.86
I'm giving my life to Him.
00:41:37.89\00:41:41.60
How safe, how
secure is our salvation?
00:41:41.63\00:41:47.30
Is there anything really
wrong in believing once saved,
00:41:47.34\00:41:50.41
always saved.
00:41:50.44\00:41:51.81
Start with a few
quick passage of scripture,
00:41:51.84\00:41:53.44
only 12 minutes and some
left and I've got two hours.
00:41:53.48\00:41:57.51
Huh.
00:41:57.55\00:41:58.98
Let's start with a
few texts, shall we?
00:41:59.01\00:42:00.68
That support we can have a safe
00:42:00.72\00:42:02.22
and secure
relationship with Christ.
00:42:02.25\00:42:05.35
There's no doubt about.
00:42:05.39\00:42:06.72
Proverbs 29:25 says this,
00:42:06.76\00:42:09.89
"Whoso now putteth his trust
00:42:09.92\00:42:12.56
in the Lord shall be safe."
00:42:12.59\00:42:15.93
Hmm.
00:42:15.96\00:42:18.60
I say again,
whoso putteth his trust
00:42:18.63\00:42:22.17
in the Lord shall be safe.
00:42:22.20\00:42:25.24
Isn't that good?
Yeah, that's true, isn't it?
00:42:25.27\00:42:27.58
That word there
means set on high.
00:42:27.61\00:42:30.61
He who puts his trust in
God shall be set on high.
00:42:30.65\00:42:34.08
Oh, that sounds like,
for sure I can be saved.
00:42:34.12\00:42:36.65
There's no doubt about it.
00:42:36.69\00:42:38.22
And it can't be taken away.
00:42:38.25\00:42:39.59
That's positive and that's good.
00:42:39.62\00:42:41.06
I'm claiming it.
00:42:41.09\00:42:43.63
So the sinner who
simply comes to Christ
00:42:43.66\00:42:46.06
is free from the condemnation.
00:42:46.09\00:42:47.43
How many times you heard that?
00:42:47.46\00:42:48.80
Well, we're free
00:42:48.83\00:42:50.17
from the condemnation of the law
00:42:50.20\00:42:52.00
through the
blood of Jesus Christ.
00:42:52.03\00:42:53.37
Absolutely.
00:42:53.40\00:42:54.74
You know what this is called?
This is called justification.
00:42:54.77\00:42:57.54
First step, praise
God for justification,
00:42:57.57\00:42:59.17
isn't that right?
00:42:59.21\00:43:00.54
We come to Him,
confessing our sins, right?
00:43:00.58\00:43:02.68
And we begin to live the life,
00:43:02.71\00:43:04.31
and then
there's no condemnation.
00:43:04.35\00:43:06.21
Jesus said, "Oh, the
old devil come after Me,
00:43:06.25\00:43:08.05
but he can't
find anything in Me."
00:43:08.08\00:43:11.92
Make sure there's nothing in you
00:43:11.95\00:43:13.62
where the devil can
find something to get in.
00:43:13.66\00:43:16.09
Because if there's
something wrong inside of you,
00:43:16.12\00:43:18.23
that gives him the
open door to come in.
00:43:18.26\00:43:20.00
Whom He pardons,
notice, He first makes pennant.
00:43:24.93\00:43:30.81
Again, can our
salvation be secure?
00:43:30.84\00:43:32.57
Absolutely.
00:43:32.61\00:43:33.94
Because 1
Timothy 1:15 says this,
00:43:33.98\00:43:36.41
tells us the reason
Jesus came into the world.
00:43:36.44\00:43:38.65
Nothing new,
00:43:38.68\00:43:40.02
nothing may be startling to you.
00:43:40.05\00:43:41.38
But notice, He
came into the world
00:43:41.42\00:43:42.75
to save what?
00:43:42.78\00:43:44.12
To save sinners, the Bible said,
00:43:44.15\00:43:45.95
and that's the whole world.
00:43:45.99\00:43:48.26
He came, one
purpose to this world
00:43:48.29\00:43:51.13
is to save sinners.
00:43:51.16\00:43:52.49
And we're all sinners.
00:43:52.53\00:43:54.33
And only way we'll
be saved is by grace.
00:43:54.36\00:43:58.33
Matthew, 1:21.
00:43:58.37\00:43:59.70
You read it so
often, "For he, Jesus,
00:43:59.73\00:44:01.34
shall save His
people from" what?
00:44:01.37\00:44:03.34
"From their sins." How
complete is our salvation?
00:44:03.37\00:44:06.04
My how complete it is.
00:44:06.07\00:44:07.41
It sounds almost like
once saved, always saved.
00:44:07.44\00:44:09.84
If you read Hebrews 7:25,
00:44:09.88\00:44:11.61
the Bible said
"Wherefore He is," what?
00:44:11.65\00:44:14.48
"Able to save
them to the uttermost."
00:44:14.52\00:44:17.99
Oh, the uttermost.
00:44:18.02\00:44:19.35
That means He's able
to save them completely.
00:44:19.39\00:44:21.29
That means He's
able to save them fully.
00:44:21.32\00:44:23.83
It means He's able to save them,
00:44:23.86\00:44:25.29
notice the word, is forever.
00:44:25.33\00:44:27.60
Hmm.
00:44:27.63\00:44:28.96
Which, notice this,
That come to God by Him,
00:44:29.00\00:44:32.17
seeing He ever
liveth to make," what?
00:44:32.20\00:44:34.64
"Intercession."
00:44:34.67\00:44:36.00
The song, He's ever interceding.
00:44:36.04\00:44:38.54
You know how happy we should be.
00:44:38.57\00:44:40.34
We have a Lord and
Savior that's interceding for me
00:44:40.38\00:44:42.58
and you right now
because we are in a mess.
00:44:42.61\00:44:46.31
We're sinners,
we're on the death decree.
00:44:46.35\00:44:48.25
We need a Savior, and
He's interceding for me.
00:44:48.28\00:44:51.05
What? Between me and the Father.
00:44:51.09\00:44:52.59
I can't get to the Father.
00:44:52.62\00:44:54.62
I can't get to the
Father without Jesus Christ.
00:44:54.66\00:44:56.86
You see what I'm saying?
00:44:56.89\00:44:58.43
I've got to
have Jesus in my life
00:44:58.46\00:45:00.10
or I can't get to the Father.
00:45:00.13\00:45:01.56
Jesus gets to the Father
and He pulls up His hands.
00:45:01.60\00:45:04.20
He said, Father, what?
00:45:04.23\00:45:05.57
My blood, my blood,
these nail prints the death,
00:45:05.60\00:45:07.14
right, His death,
00:45:07.17\00:45:08.50
that everything about Him, what?
00:45:08.54\00:45:09.87
I did it for these
people and where I am,
00:45:09.90\00:45:11.74
I want them with Me.
00:45:11.77\00:45:13.27
Isn't that wonderful?
00:45:13.31\00:45:14.64
And He begins to
call you out by name.
00:45:14.68\00:45:18.28
Think of everybody here.
He calls you out by name.
00:45:18.31\00:45:21.32
He knows you by name.
00:45:21.35\00:45:23.45
I want them where I want them
to sit on the throne with Me
00:45:23.49\00:45:25.99
and we look around and say,
00:45:26.02\00:45:27.36
oh yeah, but this little deal
00:45:27.39\00:45:28.72
or that little deal over there,
00:45:28.76\00:45:30.09
that's gonna keep
you out of heaven.
00:45:30.13\00:45:31.46
Don't let that do
it. Right now Jesus.
00:45:31.49\00:45:36.56
Right now,
Hebrews 6:19 tells us,
00:45:36.60\00:45:40.17
He's our High Priest
He's entered into the veil.
00:45:40.20\00:45:44.01
Do you notice that?
00:45:44.04\00:45:45.41
He's seated on the
right hand of the Majesty.
00:45:45.44\00:45:49.31
Hebrews 1:3.
00:45:49.34\00:45:51.45
Now we may come
boldly to the throne
00:45:51.48\00:45:54.08
and find help full
assurance in our time of need.
00:45:54.12\00:45:58.25
Our sinners' only hope
is God's amazing grace.
00:45:58.29\00:46:02.42
Once saved, always saved,
men want to cut to the chase.
00:46:02.46\00:46:05.76
I want to get that
to a couple of pages
00:46:05.79\00:46:07.13
there at the end,
00:46:07.16\00:46:08.50
because I think
it's very important.
00:46:08.53\00:46:12.53
Very, very
important to look at it
00:46:12.57\00:46:14.37
from biblical stand for it.
00:46:14.40\00:46:18.71
Saved, once saved, always saved.
00:46:18.74\00:46:21.61
When you say saved,
that means it's fixed, right?
00:46:21.64\00:46:25.15
Ed. I'm saved.
00:46:25.18\00:46:27.52
Once saved, always saved.
00:46:27.55\00:46:28.88
That means it's forever done.
00:46:28.92\00:46:30.75
It's fixed already,
00:46:30.79\00:46:32.12
but how could it be
fixed if we still have life?
00:46:32.15\00:46:35.02
If we're still living,
00:46:35.06\00:46:37.43
that means it's beyond
change if you say that.
00:46:37.46\00:46:40.33
It can only be fixed at death
or the Second Coming of Jesus.
00:46:40.36\00:46:45.23
As long as they're
still alive, you know what?
00:46:45.27\00:46:47.00
There's a possibility of
us submitting to temptation.
00:46:47.04\00:46:52.91
I like saying being in a
saving relationship means
00:46:52.94\00:46:56.44
an ongoing
relationship with Christ,
00:46:56.48\00:46:58.75
that means
growing daily with Him,
00:46:58.78\00:47:00.45
gaining victories, overcoming,
enduring unto the end,
00:47:00.48\00:47:04.82
the same shall be saved.
00:47:04.85\00:47:07.29
Daniel 12:10,
"Many shall be purified
00:47:07.32\00:47:09.79
and made," what?
00:47:09.82\00:47:11.16
"White tried and made white.
00:47:11.19\00:47:12.76
Imagine this is
beautiful, James 1:12,
00:47:12.79\00:47:15.13
"Only he who endures to the end
00:47:15.16\00:47:17.70
will receive a crown of life."
00:47:17.73\00:47:21.17
What does this tell you
about once saved, always saved,
00:47:21.20\00:47:23.07
If you endure, where?
00:47:23.10\00:47:24.91
Unto the end, not
that you start out
00:47:24.94\00:47:26.71
and you're running a good race
00:47:26.74\00:47:28.08
and then you
decide you don't wanna run
00:47:28.11\00:47:29.44
that race anymore.
00:47:29.48\00:47:30.81
Then you don't want
God's blood anymore,
00:47:30.85\00:47:32.18
Christ's blood, right?
00:47:32.21\00:47:33.55
You don't want it
anymore evidently.
00:47:33.58\00:47:35.65
Believing in once saved,
always saved is dangerous.
00:47:35.68\00:47:37.69
And I'll tell you
because I'll give you
00:47:37.72\00:47:39.05
a couple of
reasons why it's dangerous.
00:47:39.09\00:47:41.59
There's always
danger in trusting to self.
00:47:41.62\00:47:44.76
Trusting self is
always dangerous.
00:47:44.79\00:47:48.73
If we trust in self,
00:47:48.76\00:47:50.70
we will lose
sight of Jesus Christ.
00:47:50.73\00:47:54.04
We're going to lose
sight of our weaknesses.
00:47:54.07\00:47:56.94
See people don't wanna
look at their weaknesses.
00:47:56.97\00:47:58.31
We need some help.
00:47:58.34\00:47:59.67
We need to
overcome in this area.
00:47:59.71\00:48:01.04
If we can work saved anyway,
00:48:01.08\00:48:02.41
it doesn't make
any difference with.
00:48:02.44\00:48:04.05
We lose sight of our weaknesses
00:48:04.08\00:48:06.98
and we'll lose our
need of a divine strength.
00:48:07.02\00:48:12.02
And when temptation comes,
00:48:12.05\00:48:13.99
we're unprepared
for Satan's temptations.
00:48:14.02\00:48:17.83
Just like Peter,
you remember Peter?
00:48:17.86\00:48:19.49
Absolutely, what happened?
00:48:19.53\00:48:23.23
He need to quote
like 1 Corinthians,
00:48:23.26\00:48:24.87
we talked about 10:12
00:48:24.90\00:48:26.23
in our scripture
reading right here,
00:48:26.27\00:48:28.04
that Peter had an issue.
00:48:31.17\00:48:32.77
The Lord didn't save
Peter from his trial.
00:48:32.81\00:48:35.21
Do you notice that?
00:48:35.24\00:48:36.58
But he could have
saved Peter from his defeat.
00:48:36.61\00:48:39.71
He didn't save him
from what? His trial.
00:48:39.75\00:48:42.05
He let him go through
that for his own good.
00:48:42.08\00:48:43.92
But he could have saved.
00:48:43.95\00:48:45.52
He could have
saved him from defeat.
00:48:45.55\00:48:48.12
How, how do you say?
00:48:48.16\00:48:49.49
He could have
saved him from defeat
00:48:49.52\00:48:51.33
if Peter had simply
been willing to listen
00:48:51.36\00:48:54.16
and follow what Christ had said.
00:48:54.20\00:48:55.96
Previous to that,
in Luke 22:32, He...
00:48:56.00\00:49:00.34
Notice this, He said,
00:49:00.37\00:49:01.70
if you watch and you
pray and walk accordingly.
00:49:01.74\00:49:05.54
Now did Peter do that?
00:49:05.57\00:49:06.91
Now, remember what
Jesus said to Peter?
00:49:06.94\00:49:08.41
He said, "Peter, I
have prayed for you."
00:49:08.44\00:49:10.61
Do you remember?
00:49:10.65\00:49:11.98
I have prayed for you that what?
00:49:12.01\00:49:13.82
That your faith fail
not. But what happened?
00:49:13.85\00:49:18.19
Peter failed
through self-sufficiency.
00:49:18.22\00:49:22.89
He felt like he
didn't need anything else.
00:49:22.92\00:49:25.03
He felt like he had been saved.
00:49:25.06\00:49:26.46
He felt like he
had been with Jesus.
00:49:26.49\00:49:28.06
He see, he was all right.
00:49:28.10\00:49:29.60
And he began to look
to himself and he failed.
00:49:29.63\00:49:33.03
I'm all right, I'm pretty good.
00:49:33.07\00:49:35.07
I'm saved.
00:49:35.10\00:49:36.44
Christ Object Lesson
154 says this, I'm hurrying.
00:49:36.47\00:49:38.07
Notice this.
00:49:38.11\00:49:39.44
It says, notice this,
00:49:39.47\00:49:40.81
"Pride and
self-sufficiency of all sin
00:49:40.84\00:49:43.55
is the most
helpless and most incurable."
00:49:43.58\00:49:47.22
What is it?
00:49:47.25\00:49:48.58
Pride and
self-sufficiency, only one way
00:49:48.62\00:49:52.35
that you can trace
the knowledge of self.
00:49:52.39\00:49:55.02
We must behold
Christ any man, woman,
00:49:55.06\00:49:57.73
child in this
life that's called,
00:49:57.76\00:49:59.39
oh, they do righteous thing.
00:49:59.43\00:50:00.86
Everything is all good.
00:50:00.90\00:50:02.23
They need, oh, my
goodness. Think about this.
00:50:02.26\00:50:05.50
If we look to Christ
00:50:05.53\00:50:06.90
and we're really
beholding Christ,
00:50:06.94\00:50:08.27
we can never say that
we can never take anything,
00:50:08.30\00:50:10.97
any credit we say for things
00:50:11.01\00:50:12.74
that God and
Holy Spirit is doing.
00:50:12.77\00:50:15.61
How can we empty
ourselves of self quickly?
00:50:15.64\00:50:17.65
How can we?
00:50:17.68\00:50:19.05
Is it possible and the Bible
00:50:19.08\00:50:20.42
talks about empty ourselves
of self, isn't that right?
00:50:20.45\00:50:22.22
Is it possible we can
empty ourselves of self?
00:50:22.25\00:50:25.05
Just like Jesus did.
00:50:25.09\00:50:27.09
I'm gonna tell
you that we cannot.
00:50:27.12\00:50:28.86
Not on our own.
00:50:28.89\00:50:30.23
We cannot accomplish that.
00:50:30.26\00:50:31.59
All we can do is
simply to consent
00:50:31.63\00:50:34.23
to the Holy
Spirit working in us.
00:50:34.26\00:50:36.06
Just like Jesus did,
00:50:36.10\00:50:37.67
so that He could
carry out the work
00:50:37.70\00:50:39.03
His Father asked Him to do.
00:50:39.07\00:50:41.04
We have to consent to let
the Savior in to do the work.
00:50:41.07\00:50:44.41
We can glory.
00:50:44.44\00:50:45.77
And when we glory, it
has to be in the cross.
00:50:45.81\00:50:48.08
Galatians 6:14, you
have nothing to glory.
00:50:48.11\00:50:50.95
I have nothing to glory. Okay.
00:50:50.98\00:50:52.78
How many might
people toot your horn
00:50:52.81\00:50:54.95
or they don't toot your horn.
00:50:54.98\00:50:56.82
We have nothing to
glory here in this life.
00:50:56.85\00:50:58.95
Only the cross of Calvary,
this is where it's all out.
00:50:58.99\00:51:01.82
This is where there's power.
00:51:01.86\00:51:05.43
I'm gonna turn
and read the passage,
00:51:05.46\00:51:06.80
last three minutes.
00:51:06.83\00:51:08.16
This is why we talk
about one saved, always saved.
00:51:08.20\00:51:09.53
If you get to this
00:51:09.56\00:51:10.90
in the Book of
Ezekiel right here,
00:51:10.93\00:51:12.27
you're gonna see
beyond a shadow of a doubt.
00:51:12.30\00:51:14.37
I know, we won't get as
far as we wanted to get.
00:51:14.40\00:51:15.94
But notice this
is, Ezekiel Chapter 18,
00:51:15.97\00:51:18.27
I'm gonna read verses 4 and 20.
00:51:18.31\00:51:20.31
And then I'll
tell you the verses
00:51:20.34\00:51:21.68
as we go as quick
as I can with our time.
00:51:21.71\00:51:23.51
I want you to understand this.
00:51:23.55\00:51:24.88
First of all, Ezekiel 18:4.
00:51:24.91\00:51:27.48
One line simply says,
"Behold, all souls are mine,
00:51:27.52\00:51:31.55
as the soul of
the father and so."
00:51:31.59\00:51:33.19
Then it says here,
00:51:33.22\00:51:34.56
"The soul that
sinneth, it shall" what?
00:51:34.59\00:51:36.69
"It shall die."
00:51:36.73\00:51:38.06
Verse 20, notice that,
00:51:38.09\00:51:39.43
"The soul that
sinneth, it shall die."
00:51:39.46\00:51:40.93
It's repeated again
in verse 21, notice this.
00:51:40.96\00:51:43.87
"But if the
wicked," notice this,
00:51:43.90\00:51:45.63
"will turn from all his
sins that he hath committed
00:51:45.67\00:51:48.90
and keep my statues, and do that
00:51:48.94\00:51:51.11
which is lawful and right,
00:51:51.14\00:51:53.51
he shall surely
live, he shall not die."
00:51:53.54\00:51:56.34
Did you get that?
If the wicked do what?
00:51:56.38\00:51:59.11
If they repent,
isn't that right?
00:51:59.15\00:52:00.75
They keep,
remember there's condition.
00:52:00.78\00:52:02.48
If the wicked
then turned to Christ,
00:52:02.52\00:52:04.55
keep His statues, do it lawful,
00:52:04.59\00:52:06.09
that which is right,
he shall live and not die.
00:52:06.12\00:52:08.72
Verse 22, "All
of his transgression
00:52:08.76\00:52:11.26
that he hath committed,
00:52:11.29\00:52:12.99
they shall not be mentioned
it to him in his righteousness
00:52:13.03\00:52:15.86
that he hath
done he shall live."
00:52:15.90\00:52:18.17
Sinner comes,
ask forgiveness what?
00:52:18.20\00:52:20.20
He cleansed you
from all unrighteousness.
00:52:20.24\00:52:21.67
We have to walk in
His will and His way.
00:52:21.70\00:52:24.01
Notice about the
once saved, always saved.
00:52:24.04\00:52:25.97
Again, verse 24.
00:52:26.01\00:52:27.48
But when the righteous,
'cause people say this,
00:52:27.51\00:52:29.28
there's no way, I
gave my life to Christ.
00:52:29.31\00:52:30.95
You know, I'm righteous.
00:52:30.98\00:52:32.41
I've done everything right.
00:52:32.45\00:52:33.85
And if you're righteous,
00:52:33.88\00:52:35.22
you give your life to
Christ, you can't fall.
00:52:35.25\00:52:36.58
And then they say, well,
00:52:36.62\00:52:37.95
after 10 years of
living a righteous life,
00:52:37.99\00:52:39.82
they went out into
the world and they say,
00:52:39.85\00:52:41.19
well, they weren't saved anyway.
00:52:41.22\00:52:43.32
That's not biblical.
You're not the judge.
00:52:43.36\00:52:47.10
Notice what the Bible says.
00:52:47.13\00:52:48.46
"And when the righteous turneth
away from his righteous,"
00:52:48.50\00:52:50.67
when the
righteousness does what?
00:52:50.70\00:52:52.93
"Turns away from
his righteousness
00:52:52.97\00:52:54.30
and committeth," what?
00:52:54.34\00:52:55.67
"Sin, iniquity,
and doeth according
00:52:55.70\00:52:57.77
to all the abominations
that the wicked man doeth,
00:52:57.81\00:53:00.51
shall he live?
00:53:00.54\00:53:02.21
All the righteousness that
00:53:02.24\00:53:03.68
he hath done
shall not be mentioned,
00:53:03.71\00:53:05.81
in his trespass
that he has trespassed,
00:53:05.85\00:53:08.18
and in his sin
that he has sinned,
00:53:08.22\00:53:10.22
in them," what?
00:53:10.25\00:53:11.59
"He shall die."
00:53:11.62\00:53:14.29
Verse 36, again, "When
a righteous man turneth
00:53:14.32\00:53:16.46
away from his righteousness."
00:53:16.49\00:53:17.83
There you go right here.
00:53:17.86\00:53:19.19
Once saved,
always saved doesn't fit.
00:53:19.23\00:53:20.56
It says when the righteous man,
00:53:20.60\00:53:21.93
that means a man
that's doing right.
00:53:21.96\00:53:23.30
The man that once gave
his life to Jesus Christ,
00:53:23.33\00:53:25.03
but he decided he
wants to do his own thing.
00:53:25.07\00:53:26.80
And he goes out
in the world of sin.
00:53:26.84\00:53:28.40
"He committeth
iniquity, he dies in them,
00:53:28.44\00:53:30.64
for his iniquity that
he hath done shall he die.
00:53:30.67\00:53:33.68
Again, when the
wicked man turneth away
00:53:33.71\00:53:35.58
from the wickedness
that he hath committed
00:53:35.61\00:53:37.78
and doeth that
which is lawful and right,
00:53:37.81\00:53:39.88
he shall save his soul alive."
00:53:39.91\00:53:42.28
Wish we had time to
go to Ezekiel Chapter 3,
00:53:42.32\00:53:44.29
we do not, read
verses 20 and 21.
00:53:44.32\00:53:46.29
It reiterates what
we're talking about here.
00:53:46.32\00:53:48.19
Plus it goes into
saying we have responsibility
00:53:48.22\00:53:50.66
to warn the person
00:53:50.69\00:53:52.36
who has slipped
away from Christ,
00:53:52.39\00:53:54.03
but notice what it is,
00:53:54.06\00:53:55.40
when the
righteous man turns away
00:53:55.43\00:53:56.77
from doing
righteous and he commits sin
00:53:56.80\00:53:59.43
and he doesn't make a
change, he will die in that sin.
00:53:59.47\00:54:03.71
Not once saved, always saved.
00:54:03.74\00:54:05.07
That is the lie of the enemy.
00:54:05.11\00:54:06.74
We need to be very
careful about that.
00:54:06.78\00:54:08.71
I wish we had
time to go more in it
00:54:08.74\00:54:10.08
and talk a little
bit about the sanctuary
00:54:10.11\00:54:11.91
and how the sins
you know, committed.
00:54:11.95\00:54:13.78
Yeah, sanctuary, right?
00:54:13.82\00:54:15.15
You know, every day
00:54:15.18\00:54:16.52
they're symbolically
stored up in the sanctuary.
00:54:16.55\00:54:18.82
Once a year,
they have atonement.
00:54:18.85\00:54:20.26
They're clear,
they have judgment.
00:54:20.29\00:54:22.09
If people only knew...
00:54:22.12\00:54:23.46
five seconds with time,
00:54:23.49\00:54:24.83
we're living in the
hour of God's judgment.
00:54:24.86\00:54:27.10
That means that's a
cleansing of the sanctuary.
00:54:27.13\00:54:28.83
That means it's
the blotting out,
00:54:28.86\00:54:30.93
the blotting out of sin.
00:54:30.97\00:54:33.47
This is a time
that we're living in.
00:54:33.50\00:54:34.84
It's a very precarious time.
00:54:34.87\00:54:36.20
We need to be make sure
we're right with Jesus Christ.
00:54:36.24\00:54:38.47
May God help each
and every one to say,
00:54:38.51\00:54:40.11
we need to keep
our eyes on Christ.
00:54:40.14\00:54:42.01
We need again to
look at the Word of God
00:54:42.04\00:54:43.38
and find out
what truth really is.
00:54:43.41\00:54:44.78
And don't accept a counterfeit
by the enemy to make you feel
00:54:44.81\00:54:47.98
you're a lot
better off than you are
00:54:48.02\00:54:49.88
when the Bible says no.
00:54:49.92\00:54:51.62
If we are in Christ,
we're gonna live for Him.
00:54:51.65\00:54:55.22
Isn't that
wonderful to know that?
00:54:55.26\00:54:56.89
That's the decision that
we all have to make today.
00:54:56.93\00:54:58.36
I know we're done today,
00:54:58.39\00:54:59.73
I might as well
gonna close with this.
00:54:59.76\00:55:01.10
Just a short
prayer if you don't mind.
00:55:01.13\00:55:02.46
Just closing prayer together
00:55:02.50\00:55:03.83
because I know
there's people today,
00:55:03.87\00:55:05.20
they're saying they're upset.
00:55:05.23\00:55:06.57
They don't wanna hear
these kinds of things,
00:55:06.60\00:55:07.94
but you know what?
00:55:07.97\00:55:09.30
It's a beautiful
truth from God's Word.
00:55:09.34\00:55:10.67
I'm thankful.
00:55:10.71\00:55:12.04
We can be assured of
our eternal salvation.
00:55:12.07\00:55:14.81
We can be assured
because of what Jesus has done,
00:55:14.84\00:55:17.25
but then we have to
continue to walk in that way,
00:55:17.28\00:55:19.71
continue to walk
and He will guide.
00:55:19.75\00:55:21.35
Let's pray, shall we?
00:55:21.38\00:55:22.72
Loving Father in
heaven, thank You for Your Word.
00:55:22.75\00:55:24.55
Thank You for
Your sweet Holy Spirit.
00:55:24.59\00:55:26.76
Thank You that by
going to the Word of God,
00:55:26.79\00:55:29.02
we can find out what truth is.
00:55:29.06\00:55:30.89
And also we can find the
counterfeits of the enemy.
00:55:30.93\00:55:33.96
Bless us we pray. Those
who have made that choice
00:55:34.00\00:55:35.76
and decision today, say, whoa!
00:55:35.80\00:55:37.27
I may have been
believing the wrong thing.
00:55:37.30\00:55:39.23
Now I'm going to
make that change.
00:55:39.27\00:55:41.44
It's very important to follow
00:55:41.47\00:55:42.80
in His footsteps in Jesus' name.
00:55:42.84\00:55:44.47
Amen.
00:55:44.51\00:55:46.71
Hello and welcome back, friends.
00:55:46.74\00:55:48.84
Pastor Kenny
Shelton had so very much.
00:55:48.88\00:55:51.58
He wanted to continue to share
with each and every one of us,
00:55:51.61\00:55:54.48
but that clock, it
just waits on no one.
00:55:54.52\00:55:57.55
You know, in the beginning,
00:55:57.59\00:55:58.92
before he spoke, I
talked to you a little bit
00:55:58.95\00:56:01.32
from John 6:37,
John 10:29 and John 3:16.
00:56:01.36\00:56:07.16
One of them read
that he that cometh to me
00:56:07.20\00:56:09.63
in no wise will I cast out.
00:56:09.66\00:56:11.23
The other one said,
00:56:11.27\00:56:12.60
no man is able to pluck
them out of my Father's hand.
00:56:12.63\00:56:14.94
I told you that I
believe that, it's our choice.
00:56:14.97\00:56:18.37
Ezekiel makes
that very, very clear.
00:56:18.41\00:56:21.14
We are free will agents.
00:56:21.18\00:56:22.91
It's our choice to leave God.
00:56:22.94\00:56:25.35
Friends, if this
message is something
00:56:25.38\00:56:27.35
you wanna add to your library,
00:56:27.38\00:56:28.85
we're making it available to you
00:56:28.88\00:56:30.39
for a love gift
of just $8 or more.
00:56:30.42\00:56:33.22
All you need to
do is contact us here
00:56:33.25\00:56:35.56
in the United States at
Behold the Lamb Ministries
00:56:35.59\00:56:38.89
at (618) 942-5044.
00:56:38.93\00:56:43.53
Or you may write to
Behold the Lamb Ministries
00:56:43.57\00:56:45.63
at PO Box 2030,
Herrin, Illinois 62948.
00:56:45.67\00:56:49.94
Friends, until next time,
may the Lord richly bless you.
00:56:49.97\00:56:53.38