Participants: Pr. Doug Batchelor
Series Code: CSH
Program Code: CSH021336
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00:01 (MUSIC)
00:46 >>WELCOME TO SACRAMENTO CENTRAL SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH 00:49 IN SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 00:53 IT IS BY NO ACCIDENT THAT YOU HAVE JOINED US TO STUDY TOGETHER 00:57 GOD'S WORD. WE HAVE A FAMILY OF BELIEVERS AND STUDIERS 01:02 THAT JOIN US EVERY WEEK FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND AROUND 01:05 THE WORLD AND WE ARE THRILLED THAT YOU HAVE JOINED US AGAIN. 01:09 BEFORE WE GET INTO OUR STUDY, LET'S SING TOGETHER. 01:12 SO PULL OUT YOUR HYMNALS, FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE AT HOME, 01:15 AND LET'S SING HYMN #75 - 'THE WONDER OF IT ALL'. 01:19 THIS COMES AS A REQUEST FROM BARBARA AND GERALDINE IN 01:22 ENGLAND, DARLINDA IN THE NETHERLANDS, SANLAN IN VANUATU, 01:27 JANICE, ROB AND RUTH IN NEW ZEALAND, AND FEZZY IN THE 01:31 REPUBLIC OF KOREA AND 40 OTHER PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE PLANET. 01:36 SO WE ARE SINGING A FAVORITE THIS MORNING - 'THE WONDER OF IT 01:38 ALL' - AND WE'LL SING BOTH VERSES. 01:41 (MUSIC) 04:06 >>AMEN. DO YOU EVER THINK ABOUT THAT DURING THE WEEK? 04:09 THE GOD OF HEAVEN, THE CREATOR OF ALL THINGS, THE GOD OF THE 04:12 UNIVERSE LOVES YOU AND LOVES ME AND GAVE HIS SON THAT WE COULD 04:17 BE RESTORED TO HIM. PRAISE THE LORD. 04:19 WE HAVE A LOT TO SING ABOUT AND CHEER ABOUT AND, ESPECIALLY 04:24 KNOWING THAT HE IS COMING SOON TO GET US. PRAISE THE LORD. 04:27 IF YOU HAVE A HYMN THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SING WITH US ON A 04:29 COMING STUDY TOGETHER, IT'S VERY SIMPLE. 04:32 JUST GO TO OUR WEBSITE AT 'SACCENTRAL.ORG', CLICK ON THE 04:36 'CONTACT US' LINK AND YOU CAN REQUEST ANY HYMN IN OUR HYMNAL 04:39 AND WE WOULD LOVE TO SING THAT WITH YOU ON A COMING 04:42 PRESENTATION. AS YOU KNOW, AND THOSE THAT YOU 04:45 ARE FOLLOWING US REGULARLY TO STUDY TOGETHER, WE ARE GOING 04:48 THROUGH THE HYMNALS AND LEARNING HYMNS THAT NOBODY KNOWS. 04:52 HYMN #67 IS OUR NEW HYMN THIS MORNING AND IT COMES AS A 04:57 REQUEST FROM KARL AND MAISIE IN FRANCE AND IRENE IN AUSTRALIA. 05:02 'O LORD, NOW LET YOUR SERVANT' - HYMN #67. 05:06 (MUSIC) 06:48 >>OH FATHER IN HEAVEN, AS SIMEON SAID SO LONG AGO, 06:52 'OUR EYES HAVE SEEN SALVATION AND WE ARE HERE BECAUSE WE HAVE 06:56 SEEN SALVATION AND BECAUSE IT IS GOOD TO US. 07:00 AND SO, LORD, JUST QUICKEN OUR HEARTS AS WE STUDY ABOUT YOU AND 07:04 AS WE LEAVE THIS PLACE TODAY, THAT WE TAKE THE WORDS THAT WE 07:07 HAVE LEARNED AND THE MESSAGE IN OUR HEARTS TO GIVE TO OTHERS 07:11 THAT ARE AROUND US THAT THEY WILL SEE YOU LIVING IN US. 07:13 PLEASE BLESS PASTOR BATCHELOR TODAY AS HE OPENS YOUR WORD. 07:16 LET HIS WORDS BE YOURS. AND LORD, JUST SAVE US FOR 07:20 THY KINGDOM. KEEP US FAITHFUL TO THE END. 07:23 I PRAY THESE THINGS IN THE PRECIOUS NAME OF JESUS, AMEN. 07:28 >>OUR STUDY TODAY WILL BE BROUGHT TO US BY PASTOR DOUG 07:30 BATCHELOR, SENIOR PASTOR HERE AT SACRAMENTO CENTRAL. 07:39 >>THANK YOU VERY MUCH JOLYNE AND OUR MUSICIANS AND SINGERS AND I 07:45 ENJOY SINGING THOSE NEW SONGS. GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY. 07:48 HAPPY SABBATH. AND I WANT TO WELCOME THOSE 07:50 WHO ARE WATCHING - OUR EXTENDED CLASS. 07:54 I HAD A GREAT EXPERIENCE THIS WEEK - THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS - 07:57 I'VE BEEN GONE TRAVELING. I WAS UP IN BRITISH COLUMBIA AT 08:00 A CAMP MEETING THERE. IT WAS FUN TO MEET SO MANY 08:02 PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT THERE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A BIG 08:05 COUNTRY AND SO MANY FOLKS ARE OUT IN THESE MOUNTAINS AND 08:07 CANYONS, A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE SATELLITE AND THEY STUDY 08:11 WITH US EVERY WEEK. SO I WANT TO GREET OUR FRIENDS 08:13 THAT ARE IN CANADA AND BRITISH COLUMBIA, IN PARTICULAR. 08:15 AND THEN LAST WEEK WE WERE WITH SOME OF THE ASI - AMAZING FACTS 08:19 TEAM WERE AT THE NATIONAL ASI MEETING IN ORLANDO. 08:23 I HAVEN'T BEEN THERE IN AWHILE AND - WOW - JUST LOTS AND LOTS 08:27 OF FRIENDS CAME OUT AND SAID, 'WE STUDY WITH YOU FOLKS EACH 08:29 WEEK.' AND SO IT WAS A DELIGHT TO MEET 08:31 ALL OF OUR FRIENDS SCATTERED EVERYWHERE. 08:34 WE DO HAVE A FREE OFFER THAT GOES ALONG WITH OUR LESSON 08:37 TODAY. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REVIVAL AND 08:39 CHANGE AND CAN YOU CHANGE - CAN YOU BE A DIFFERENT PERSON? 08:44 WE'VE GOT A BOOK 'CAN A SAVED MAN CHOOSE TO BE LOST' 08:47 BY JOE CREWS. THIS IS REALLY A CLASSIC 08:49 EVERYBODY OUGHT TO HAVE. YOU'VE ALL HEARD OF 08:51 PREDESTINATION - THE IDEA THAT ONCE YOU'RE SAVED YOU CAN'T BE 08:54 LOST - ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED. THIS ADDRESSES THIS IN A VERY 08:57 CLEAR BIBLICAL WAY AND YOU'LL ENJOY THAT. 09:01 OH, BY THE WAY, IF YOU WANT IT CALL 866-STUDY-MORE - THAT 09:05 TRANSLATES TO 866-788-3966 AND THAT'S OFFER #112. OKAY, SO 09:14 WE'RE GOING TO OUR LESSON - LESSON #10 - TALKING ABOUT 09:18 REFORMATION. IT'S A WILLINGNESS TO GROW AND TO CHANGE. 09:23 NOW OUR LESSON STUDY, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS SERIES 09:25 THAT PASTOR FINLEY WROTE DEALING WITH REVIVAL AND REFORMATION. 09:30 THERE IS NO REAL REVIVAL WITHOUT REFORMATION. 09:33 IN OTHER WORDS, IF SOMETHING ISN'T REFORMED OR CHANGED, 09:36 RENEWED IN SOME WAY, IT'S NOT REALLY REVIVAL. 09:40 SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE RESTORED FOR IT TO BE GENUINE REVIVAL. 09:44 AND SO WE HAVE A MEMORY VERSE AND THAT MEMORY VERSE IS JAMES 09:48 CHAPTER 4, VERSES 6 AND 7 AND THIS IS FROM THE NEW KING JAMES 09:52 VERSION. I INVITE YOU TO SAY IT WITH ME. 09:54 ARE YOU READY? JAMES 4, VERSES 6 AND 7. 09:58 HERE WE GO, "HE GIVES MORE GRACE. 10:01 THEREFORE HE SAYS, 'GOD RESISTS THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO 10:06 THE HUMBLE.' THEREFORE SUBMIT TO GOD. 10:09 RESIST THE DEVIL AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU." 10:13 NOW WE CAN GET VICTORY IF WE'RE WILLING TO CHANGE BUT CHANGE 10:18 DOESN'T ALWAYS COME EASY. WHO WAS IT - MARK TWAIN - THAT 10:24 SAID, 'THE ONLY PERSON WHO LIKES CHANGE IS A WET BABY.' 10:28 MOST OF US GET KIND OF INTO A RUT. 10:31 NOW I'LL NOTICE, AS A PASTOR, IF I WANT TO KNOW WHETHER CERTAIN 10:34 PEOPLE ARE MAKING IT TO CHURCH - IN A CHURCH THIS SIZE YOU'VE GOT 10:37 PLENTY OF OPTIONS AS TO WHERE YOU WANT TO SIT. 10:38 YOU CAN BE ON THE RIGHT, ON THE LEFT, THE SECOND LEVEL, THE 10:41 THIRD LEVEL AND I PRETTY MUCH KNOW WHERE TO LOOK. 10:45 SOME OF YOU SURPRISE ME EVERY NOW AND THEN, BUT I PRETTY MUCH 10:49 KNOW WHERE TO LOOK TO FIND CERTAIN PEOPLE. 10:52 HOW MANY OF YOU WILL 'FESS UP YOU SIT IN THE SAME GENERAL 10:55 VICINITY EVERY WEEK? AND THAT'S WHY YOU DON'T KNOW 11:00 HALF THE MEMBERS. YOU ONLY KNOW THOSE THAT SIT 11:04 AROUND YOU AND WHATEVER VISITORS WE MIGHT HAVE. 11:07 IT WOULD PROBABLY - YOU'D BREAK OUT INTO SPASMS AND FITS IF 11:12 SOMEONE MADE YOU SIT IN A DIFFERENT SIDE OF THE CHURCH 11:15 SOMEDAY, HUH? YOU MIGHT GET SEASICK OR 11:18 SOMETHING IF YOU JUST HAD TO COMPLETELY SWITCH SIDES. 11:21 BECAUSE WE GET IN OUR SPOT - AND SOME OF YOU HAVE A REASON, YOU 11:25 KNOW, YOU SAY, 'THIS IS A GOOD PLACE. 11:27 THE SOUND IS BETTER IN THIS' - YOU KNOW, THE SOUND IS DIFFERENT 11:29 IN PARTS OF THE CHURCH - SOMETIMES BETTER WITH THE 11:31 SPEAKERS AND THE WAY IT BOUNCES. 'I CAN SEE BETTER 11:33 FROM THIS PLACE.' OR YOU MIGHT HAVE YOUR REASONS 11:36 BUT WE GET INTO RUTS AND SOMEBODY ONCE SAID, 'A RUT IS A 11:41 SHALLOW GRAVE WITH THE ENDS KICKED OUT.' WE DO. 11:45 WE GET INTO RUTS OF BEHAVIOR. AND THAT'S ESPECIALLY TROUBLING 11:49 WHEN IT COMES TO CHANGE. IT BECOMES DIFFICULT TO CHANGE. 11:54 WE MIGHT PLAN ON CHANGING 'ONE OF THESE DAYS'. 11:58 WE MIGHT ALWAYS BE THINKING ABOUT THE DAY WE'RE GOING TO 11:59 MAKE THAT BIG CHANGE. WELL, THAT'S PART OF YOUR 12:02 BEING IN A RUT IS YOU'RE JUST ONLY THINKING ABOUT IT. 12:06 SOMEBODY LOOK UP FOR ME - WE'RE GOING TO START RIGHT OFF GETTING 12:09 YOU BUSY - ECCLESIASTES 1:9. WE GAVE OUT SOME VERSES - 12:13 YOU GOT THAT ONE? LET'S GET YOU A MICROPHONE. 12:15 ECCLESIASTES 1:9 AND I'LL BE CALLING OUT A COUPLE OF OTHER 12:19 VERSES IN A MINUTE. MATTER OF FACT, I'LL GIVE YOU 12:21 ONE OF THEM NOW. 1 JOHN 2 VERSES 1 AND TWO. 12:24 WHO DID WE GIVE THAT TO? THAT'S BACK HERE. 12:27 ALRIGHT, WE'LL GET YOU THE MICROPHONE NEXT JAN. 12:29 ALRIGHT, YEAH, THE LORD TELLS US THAT WE NEED TO MAKE CHANGES IF 12:35 WE'RE GOING TO GROW. HOW MANY OF YOU LIKE NOSTALGIA? YOU THINK, 12:39 'OH THE GOOD OLD DAYS.' YOU KNOW AND YOU LISTEN - YOU SAY, 12:43 'OH I HEARD THAT OLD SONG. THOSE WERE THE GOOD OLD DAYS.' 12:46 AND IT'S BECAUSE IT REMINDS US OF THINGS THAT ARE CONSTANT. 12:50 THINGS THAT ARE UNSTABLE OR WHEN THERE'S CHANGE, IT CAN THROW US. 12:56 BUT TO REALLY BE A VICTORIOUS CHRISTIAN, YOU NEED TO BE 13:00 WILLING TO MAKE CHANGES BECAUSE WE'RE ALL ADDICTED TO SIN AND IN 13:04 ORDER TO GET VICTORY OVER SIN, IT REQUIRES TRANSFORMATION. 13:08 SO GO AHEAD, READ FOR US ECCLESIASTES 1:9. 13:11 >>"THAT WHICH HAS BEEN IS WHAT WILL BE, THAT WHICH IS DONE IS 13:16 WHAT WILL BE DONE, AND THERE IS NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN." 13:21 >>"THAT WHICH HAS BEEN IS WHAT SHALL BE." 13:25 NOW WHO SAID THAT? SOLOMON - WISEST MAN. 13:29 THINGS HAVE A TENDENCY - HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF. 13:32 AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE USUALLY DIE LIKE THEY LIVE. 13:36 A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK, 'OH, BUT YOU KNOW, WHEN I GET READY TO 13:38 DIE I'M GOING TO MAKE A CHANGE. I'M GOING TO SURRENDER AND 13:41 BEFORE I DIE I'M GOING TO BE TOTALLY SURRENDERED AND I'M 13:44 GOING TO LOVE THE LORD AND I'M GOING TO GIVE UP THOSE CHERISHED 13:47 SINS' AND PEOPLE USUALLY DIE LIKE THEY LIVE. 13:51 AND YOU DON'T ALWAYS HAVE THAT WARNING. 13:52 AND SO, IT'S A GOOD IDEA THAT WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT'S WORKING 13:56 ON YOU AND YOU KNOW THERE'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE 13:58 CHANGED, DO IT NOW. THE BIBLE NEVER SAYS 'WHEN IT'S 14:02 CONVENIENT' OR 'ONE OF THESE DAYS' OR 'WHEN YOU GET AROUND 14:05 TO IT.' THE BIBLE SAYS, 'TODAY - NOW IS 14:08 THE ACCEPTED TIME.' 45 PERCENT OF AMERICANS WOULD 14:13 CHANGE A BAD HABIT IF THEY COULD. 64 PERCENT WOULD CHANGE 14:17 THEIR WEALTH. 51 PERCENT WOULD LIKE TO CHANGE 14:20 THEIR WEIGHT. THE NUMBER WHO WOULD LIKE TO 14:23 CHANGE THEIR INTELLIGENCE - ONLY 32 PERCENT. 14:27 BUT IT OCCURRED TO ME, IF YOU COULD CHANGE THAT IT WOULD 14:30 REALLY AFFECT ALL OF THE OTHER CHANGES THAT YOU WANTED. 14:33 THAT WOULD BE THE FIRST THING, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WERE A WHOLE 14:35 LOT SMARTER YOU MIGHT BE WEALTHIER, YOU MIGHT BE THINNER, 14:37 AND YOU MIGHT BE - WHAT WAS THE OTHER THING? 14:39 - OVERCOME THAT HABIT THAT YOU WANTED TO OVERCOME. 14:43 THE BIBLE TELLS US IN 2 CORINTHIANS 3:17, "NOW THE LORD 14:49 IS THAT SPIRIT; AND WHERE THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS, THERE IS 14:51 LIBERTY. BUT WE ALL, WITH UNVEILED FACE, 14:55 BEHOLDING AS IN A MIRROR THE GLORY OF THE LORD, ARE BEING 14:59 TRANSFORMED INTO THE SAME IMAGE FROM GLORY TO GLORY," - AND THAT 15:03 WORD 'TRANSFORMED' THERE - AND THIS IS GOING TO SOUND FAMILIAR 15:06 - METAMORPHOO. YOU KNOW, WHEN A BUTTERFLY - NO, 15:11 I SHOULD SAY, WHEN A CATERPILLAR TURNS INTO A BUTTERFLY IT GOES 15:13 THROUGH A METAMORPHOSIS AND THIS IS WHERE YOU GET THE WORD. 15:17 THAT CHANGE THAT IT'S TALKING ABOUT HERE IS NOT JUST CHANGE - 15:20 LIKE YOU CHANGE YOUR SOCKS, IT'S TALKING ABOUT A 15:22 DIFFERENT KIND OF CREATURE CHANGE. AND SO IT IS 15:26 THROUGH BEHOLDING. IT SAYS, "BUT WE WITH UNVEILED FACE, BEHOLDING 15:31 AS IN A MIRROR THE GLORY OF THE LORD, ARE BEING TRANSFORMED" - 15:34 WE'RE BEING METAMORPHOSED - INTO THE SAME IMAGE 15:38 THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. YOU KNOW WE LOOK INTO THE LORD - AT 15:42 THE LORD - AND WE'RETRANSFORMED. YOU BECOME CHANGED BY BEHOLDING. 15:46 I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE BUT I'M GOING TO REPEAT IT. 15:52 WITH CREATURES - CERTAIN CREATURES IN PARTICULAR, LIKE 15:54 WITH A DUCK OR A GOOSE OR A SWAN - THERE'S AN IMPRINTING THAT 15:59 HAPPENS AT A CRITICAL POINT SHORTLY AFTER THEY HATCH AND IF 16:03 THAT LITTLE DUCKLING OR THAT GOSLING - WHEN IT HATCHES - IT 16:08 SEES THE FAMILY DOG, ASSUMING THE DOG DOESN'T EAT IT, IT WILL 16:14 START TO QUACK AND PEEP AFTER THAT DOG AND IT PRETTY SOON WILL 16:18 FOLLOW THAT DOG EVERYWHERE AND IT THINKS, 'THAT'S WHAT I AM. 16:21 I'M A DOG' OR 'I'M WHATEVER THAT IS.' 16:23 AND I TOLD YOU THIS STORY, KAREN AND I WERE KAYAKING DOWN A RIVER 16:27 ONE TIME - IT WAS AN OVERNIGHT TRIP WITH SOME FRIENDS - AND WE 16:30 CAME UPON AN ABANDONED BABY DUCK AND TOOK IT BACK TO THE CAMP TO 16:35 SHOW EVERYONE ELSE - THERE WAS NO MOTHER AROUND AND WENT DOWN 16:37 TO THE WATER AND LET THE THING GO AND IT PEEPED AROUND A LITTLE 16:40 BIT AND WADDLED BACK UP AND STARTED TO FOLLOW US AROUND AND 16:43 WE COULDN'T GET RID OF THAT THING. 16:45 IT SLEPT WITH US THAT NIGHT. WHEN WE FINALLY BID FAREWELL AND 16:48 WENT KAYAKING DOWN THE RIVER, IT JUMPED IN THE WATER AND FLOATED 16:50 AFTER US AND KEPT COMING AND WE FINALLY LET IT STAY WITH US AND 16:54 IT WAS AMAZING TO ME BECAUSE WE'D GO THROUGH THESE RAPIDS AND 16:57 WE'D THINK 'THAT POOR LITTLE DUCK'S NEVER GOING TO MAKE IT' 17:00 BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY FLOAT LIKE DUCKS. AND IT WAS JUST 17:03 INCREDIBLE. AND THEN WE'D GO THROUGH CALM WATER IT'D COME UP 17:06 TO US AND IT WOULD JUMP UP ON OUR KAYAKS JUST LIKE A BABY DUCK 17:09 DOES ON ITS MOTHER'S BACK. AND THE THING JUST BONDED WITH US. 17:14 IT THOUGHT IT WAS A HUMAN. THIS HAPPENS WITH PEOPLE TOO. 17:18 AT A VERY EARLY AGE THERE'S A BONDING THAT HAPPENS. 17:21 THERE'S AN IDENTITY THING THAT GOES ON AND YOU BECOME LIKE 17:25 WHAT YOU LOOK AT. OUR SOULS ARE SOMETHING LIKE A 17:30 VIRGIN PHOTOGRAPHIC PLATE. YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU HAVE THAT 17:34 FILM THAT'S GOT THE CHEMICAL ON IT AND YOU QUICKLY EXPOSE IT 17:36 BY OPENING THE SHUTTER. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT DIGITAL 17:38 CAMERAS - THE OLD VERSION. YOU QUICKLY EXPOSE IT AND YOU 17:42 CLOSE IT AGAIN. WHATEVER LIGHT WAS IMPRINTED ON 17:45 IT IS CAPTURED AND OUR SOULS, OUR CHARACTERS BECOME 17:51 TRANSFORMED INTO WHAT WE BEHOLD. YOU BECOME CHANGED BY BEHOLDING. 17:58 SO ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS YOU CAN DO TO CHANGE IS 18:01 CHOOSE WHAT YOU LOOK AT. AND I THINK ONE OF THE MOST 18:05 TOXIC THINGS THAT'S HAPPENED TO THE CHURCH AND OUR CULTURE IS 18:09 WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. AND THE SOCIETY IS BEING CHANGED 18:17 BY BEHOLDING - THE MEDIA - WE CONSTANTLY HAVE IMAGES 0N 18:20 EVERYTHING FROM OUR SMART PHONES TO OUR COMPUTER SCREENS TO THE 18:23 TELEVISIONS AND VIDEOS AND DVDS THAT EVERYBODY'S WATCHING. 18:28 WE'RE BECOMING TRANSFORMED - OUR THINKING, OUR VALUES - 18:32 EVERYTHING BECOMES TRANSFORMED BY WHAT WE BEHOLD. 18:34 SO HOW DO YOU ARREST THAT? HOW DO YOU BECOME A BETTER 18:36 CHRISTIAN? WHAT DO YOU LOOK AT? 18:40 FIX YOUR EYES ON JESUS AND AS WE DAILY, THROUGH PRAYER - DO YOU 18:47 HAVE A MENTAL SCREEN WHEN YOU PRAY? 18:50 CAN WE SEE CHRIST THROUGH HIS WORD? 18:53 YEAH, WE PICTURE WORDS. I CAN TELL YOU A STORY RIGHT NOW 18:55 I JUST DID ABOUT A LITTLE DUCK AND YOU HAD PICTURES IN YOUR 18:57 MIND, I'M ASSUMING, AS I TOLD YOU THAT STORY. 19:00 AND SO, AS YOU READ HIS WORD AND THE TRUTHS OF GOD'S HISTORY AND 19:05 STORY ARE IMPRESSED ON YOUR MIND AND AS YOU PRAY AND AS YOU LOOK 19:08 AT THE CHARACTER OF JESUS YOU'LL BE TRANSFORMED. 19:11 BUT IF YOU'RE, EVERY DAY, TRYING TO BALANCE HOW MUCH MEDIA AM I 19:18 LOOKING AT AND HOW MUCH OF JESUS AM I LOOKING AT AND THERE'S THIS 19:22 WAR GOING ON IN YOUR SOUL BETWEEN THAT, YOU'RE GOING TO 19:26 HAVE AN AMALGAMATED IMAGE OF WHAT YOU BECOME. 19:30 AND IF YOU REALLY WANT TO BE PURELY A CHRISTIAN THEN YOU'VE 19:33 GOT TO STARVE ONE IMAGE AND FEED THE OTHER. 19:37 AND THE PROBLEM WITH THE CHURCH TODAY IS WE WONDER WHY WE'RE 19:40 STRUGGLING TO LIVE HOLY LIVES, WHY WE STRUGGLE WITH TEMPTATION. 19:43 WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT? YOU BECOME LIKE WHAT YOU LOOK AT. 19:48 THAT'S WHY IDOLATRY IS SUCH A BIG ISSUE IN THE BIBLE WITH GOD. 19:53 BECAUSE PEOPLE BECOME LIKE WHAT THEY WORSHIP AND IF YOU WORSHIP 19:56 GOD - WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU WORSHIP SOMETHING? 19:58 YOU LOOK AT THEM. YOU COME BEFORE THEM. 20:00 YOU FOCUS - YOU FIX ON IT AND YOU'RE TRANSFORMED BY BEHOLDING. 20:04 YOU'RE METAMORPHOSED BY BEHOLDING. 20:07 SO ONE OF THE SINGLE, SIMPLE, MOST IMPORTANT THINGS WE CAN 20:10 DO TO EXPERIENCE A CHANGE INTO THE IMAGE OF CHRIST - LOOK AT 20:15 WHO HE IS AND WE ARE TRANSFORMED BY THAT. 20:19 ALRIGHT, THAT WAS A BIG INTRODUCTION. 20:20 SORRY. WE NEED GRACE TO GROW. 20:24 DON'T BECOME DISCOURAGED IF YOU ARE NOT WHAT YOU KNOW YOU NEED 20:27 TO BE IF YOU CAN SEE GROWTH AND TRANSFORMATION. 20:32 MARK 9:33, IT SAYS, "THEN HE CAME TO CAPERNAUM. 20:36 AND WHEN HE WAS IN THE HOUSE HE ASKED THEM, 'WHAT WAS IT YOU 20:40 DISPUTED AMONG YOURSELVES ON THE ROAD?' 20:44 BUT THEY KEPT SILENT," - NO ONE WANTED TO SAY ANYTHING, LIKE 20:46 GUILTY CHILDREN, - "FOR ON THE ROAD THEY HAD DISPUTED AMONG 20:49 THEMSELVES WHO WOULD BE THE GREATEST." 20:51 'IN THE NEW KINGDOM I THINK I OUGHT TO BE PRIME MINISTER.' 20:55 'YOU? YOU PRIME MINISTER? 20:56 NO, I OUGHT TO BE PRIME MINISTER. 20:57 YOU SHOULD BE BUTLER.' 'NO, BUT' - AND THEY WERE ALL 21:01 TALKING ABOUT HOW GREAT AND HOW QUALIFIED THEY WERE FOR ANY JOB 21:05 OPENINGS JESUS MIGHT HAVE IN THE NEW KINGDOM AND THEY ALL THOUGHT 21:09 THAT THEY WERE SUPERIOR AND ARGUING WHICH OF THEM WAS THE 21:12 GREATEST. OF COURSE, THAT'S WHEN JESUS PUT 21:14 A CHILD IN THEIR MIDST AND SAID, 'IF YOU WANT TO ENTER THE 21:16 KINGDOM OF GOD YOU NEED TO BE HAVING THE ATTITUDE OF 21:19 A LITTLE CHILD.' THAT IN THE WORLD WE MEASURE HOW 21:23 GREAT WE ARE BY HOW MANY SERVE US, BUT IN CHRISTIANITY YOU 21:27 MEASURE HOW GREAT YOU ARE BY 'HOW MANY DO YOU SERVE?' 21:30 SO IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT MENTALITY. 21:32 ANYWAY, THE REASON FOR THIS SCRIPTURE AND THE POINT IS, WERE 21:36 THEY ALL THOROUGHLY CONVERTED? EVEN UP TO THE POINT OF THE 21:40 GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE WERE THE DISCIPLES STILL DISPUTING AND 21:44 BEING JEALOUS AND HAVING PROBLEMS AND THEY WERE KIND OF 21:47 ACTING A LITTLE BIT LIKE A TYPICAL CHURCH. NOW THEY WERE 21:50 GODLY MEN, PROBABLY BETTER THAN THE TYPICAL CHURCH, BUT THEY 21:53 WERE NOT TOTALLY SANCTIFIED AND CONVERTED. 21:56 AND YET, HAD JESUS ALREADY SENT THEM OUT TEACHING AND PREACHING? 22:00 SO THE LORD WAS USING THEM IN SOUL WINNING EVEN THOUGH THEY 22:03 WEREN'T TOTALLY CONVERTED. SO IS THERE HOPE FOR US? 22:08 YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WORKING FOR GOD IS PART OF YOUR 22:11 CONVERSION PROCESS. AND WE'LL GET TO THE STUDY OF 22:16 PETER IN JUST A MINUTE, BUT THEY NEEDED CHANGE EVEN AFTER THREE 22:20 AND A HALF YEARS OF FOLLOWING JESUS. 22:22 AND WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT FELL ON PENTECOST THEY HAD SOME BIG 22:24 CHANGES. LET ME GIVE YOU ANOTHER ONE, 22:27 LUKE 9:51, "NOW IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN THE TIME HAD COME FOR HIM 22:34 TO BE RECEIVED UP," - HE'S ABOUT TO ASCEND TO HEAVEN. 22:37 HE'S ON HIS FINAL JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM - "THAT HE STEADFASTLY 22:40 SET HIS FACE TO GO TO JERUSALEM," - HE'S UP IN 22:42 GALILEE, HE'S HEADING SOUTH TOWARDS JERUSALEM - "AND SENT 22:45 MESSENGERS BEFORE HIS FACE. AND AS THEY WENT, THEY ENTERED A 22:48 VILLAGE OF THE SAMARITANS, TO PREPARE FOR HIM." 22:50 - HE HAD SOME RUN AHEAD, 'SEE IF WE CAN FIND AN INN OR SOMEWHERE 22:52 WE CAN STAY. THE PLACE WAS BUSY - FEAST - LOT 22:56 OF TRAVELERS, 'SEE IF YOU CAN GET A ROOM FOR US.' 22:58 AND IT SAYS THAT THE SAMARITANS DID NOT RECEIVE HIM BECAUSE HE 23:05 WAS GOING TO JERUSALEM. NOW THE REASON FOR THIS - JUST A 23:07 LITTLE BIBLE HISTORY ON THE VERSE - THE SAMARITANS SAID 23:10 YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO WORSHIP ON MOUNT GARIZEM. 23:13 JESUS WAS ON HIS WAY TO WORSHIP ON MOUNT ZION - JERUSALEM - 23:15 MOUNT MORIAH. AND THEY SAID, 'LOOK, IF YOU'RE 23:17 GOING TO WORSHIP WITH THE JEWS - YOU HAD SPENT TIME TEACHING AND 23:20 PREACHING AMONG THE SAMARITANS - WE THOUGHT THAT YOU LIKED US - 23:23 AND YOU'RE GOING TO GO RIGHT THROUGH OUR VILLAGE ON THE WAY 23:25 TO JERUSALEM AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO WORSHIP WITH US. 23:26 YOU JUST KEEP ON GOING AND DON'T WORSHIP WITH US.' 23:28 SOMETHING OF AN INSULT THEY SAID, 'DON'T EVEN BOTHER STAYING 23:31 HERE IF YOU'RE GOING TO JERUSALEM TO WORSHIP. 23:34 WELL, THAT REALLY BOTHERED JAMES AND JOHN. 23:36 LISTEN TO WHAT THEY SAID. "AND WHEN HIS DISCIPLES JAMES 23:40 AND JOHN SAW THIS," - BY THE WAY, I'M IN LUKE 9 AND VERSE 54 23:43 NOW - WHEN "JAMES AND JOHN SAW THIS THEY SAID, 'LORD, DO YOU 23:47 WANT US TO COMMAND FIRE TO COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN AND CONSUME 23:50 THEM, JUST AS ELIJAH DID?'" 'WE'VE GOT A BIBLICAL PRECEDENT. 23:54 IT'S SCRIPTURAL. BURN 'EM ALL UP. 23:57 JUST GIVE US THE WORD AND WE'LL KNOW - ACTUALLY, WE'VE BEEN 24:01 WANTING TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT. 24:03 WE'VE BEEN WANTING TO TRY OUT ONE OF THESE ELIJAH-LIKE 24:05 MIRACLES AND HERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY, LORD. 24:07 THEY JUST - THEY SLIGHTED YOU. LET'S JUST KILL 'EM ALL. 24:11 NOT JUST KILL 'EM, LET'S BURN THEM TO DEATH.' 24:14 THESE ARE THE LOVING APOSTLES JAMES AND JOHN. 24:18 AND JESUS HE TURNED AND REBUKED THEM. 24:23 THAT MEANS THERE'S SOMETHING IN HIS VOICE THAT SAYS, 'GUYS, 24:27 WHAT'S WITH YOU?' YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T JUST GENTLE, 24:31 IT'S A REBUKE. AND HE SAID, "YOU DO NOT KNOW 24:33 WHAT MANNER OF SPIRIT YOU ARE OF." - 'IT'S NOT MY SPIRIT, 24:36 THAT'S A DIABOLICAL SPIRIT.' I MEAN, THERE'S ONLY TWO 24:38 SPIRITS, RIGHT? HE'S SAYING, 'THIS ISN'T MY SPIRIT.' - 24:42 "FOR THE SON OF MAN DID NOT COME TO DESTROY MEN'S LIVES BUT 24:46 TO SAVE THEM." AND HE JUST WENT ON TO ANOTHER VILLAGE. 24:49 HE SAID, 'I'M NOT GOING TO BURN THEM ALL UP BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T 24:51 GIVE ME A HOTEL ROOM.' THEY DIDN'T GIVE HIM A HOTEL 24:53 ROOM WHEN HE WAS BORN, RIGHT? HE DIDN'T BURN UP EVERYONE IN 24:56 BETHLEHEM. SO DID JAMES AND JOHN NEED SOME 25:00 ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENTS? DO YOU READ LATER IN THE BIBLE 25:04 AND SEE THAT THEY DID MAKE THOSE CHANGES? THAT'S RIGHT. 25:08 SO DON'T BECOME DISCOURAGED. DO EVEN PEOPLE WHO ARE PART OF 25:13 THE CHURCH SOMETIMES EXPERIENCE UN - INAPPROPRIATE INDIGNATION? 25:22 AND YET JESUS DIDN'T SAY, 'LOOK, I'M NOW GOING TO EXCOMMUNICATE 25:27 YOU FROM YOUR APOSTLESHIP.' HE REBUKED THEM AND SAID, 25:31 'THAT'S THE WRONG SPIRIT.' AND IS THERE A TIME FOR US TO 25:35 CHALLENGE ONE ANOTHER WHEN WE HAVE THE WRONG SPIRIT? 25:39 WHEN A BROTHER OR SISTER STARTS TO, YOU KNOW, COME DOWN REAL 25:43 HARD ON SOMEBODY AND YOU HAVE TO SAY, IN A LOVING, GENTLE WAY, 25:47 'THAT'S THE WRONG SPIRIT.' NOT FOR THE PURPOSE OF SAYING, 25:51 'I'M RIGHT AND YOU'RE WRONG, BUT FOR THE PURPOSE OF SAYING, 'HEY, 25:53 WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER AND THAT'S NOT HOW WE OPERATE AS 25:55 CHRISTIANS.' SO I THINK THERE NEEDS TO BE 25:58 ACCOUNTABILITY. BUT THAT'S WHAT LEADS TO 26:00 REVIVAL. SOMETIMES WE NEED TO CHALLENGE 26:03 EACH OTHER AND SAY, 'YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU'RE DOING NOW IS NOT A 26:07 PRAYER REQUEST, IT'S CALLED GOSSIP.' 26:10 A LOT OF TIMES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EACH OTHER AND IT'S UNDER 26:12 THE CONTEXT OF 'IT'S SO YOU CAN PRAY ABOUT THEM. 26:15 LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT ALL THEIR PROBLEMS IN THEIR FAMILY. 26:18 SO YOU CAN PRAY ABOUT THEM.' SURE. 26:20 IT'S JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE BEING - WANTING SOME SALACIOUS 26:23 CONVERSATION. SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT, 26:27 DO IT TO BE REDEMPTIVE. MATTHEW 20, VERSES 20-22. 26:33 "THEN THE MOTHER OF ZEBEDEE'S SONS CAME TO HIM WITH HER SONS, 26:36 KNEELING DOWN AND ASKING SOMETHING FROM HIM. 26:39 AND HE SAID TO HER, 'WHAT DO YOU WISH?'" - 26:40 HE ALREADY KNEW, BUT HE ASKED - "SHE SAID TO HIM, 'GRANT 26:43 THAT THESE TWO SONS OF MINE MAY SIT, ONE ON YOUR RIGHT HAND AND 26:47 THE OTHER ON THE LEFT, IN YOUR KINGDOM.'" - 26:50 YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS GROWING UP MY MOTHER WAS IN SHOW 26:52 BUSINESS AND I HAD A LOT OF FRIENDS WHOSE MOMS WERE IN SHOW 26:56 BUSINESS AND WE CALLED THEM 'STAGE MOTHERS'. 27:00 HAVE YOU EVER HEARD THAT EXPRESSION BEFORE? 27:03 THEY'RE ALWAYS KIND OF PUSHING THEIR CHILD OUT ON THE STAGE AND 27:06 PROMOTING THEIR CHILDREN AND TRYING TO GROOM THEIR CHILDREN 27:09 AND TRYING TO GET THE BEST PARTS FOR THEIR CHILDREN AND THEY 27:11 COULD BE REALLY - IT CAN BE REALLY DIFFICULT IF YOU'RE A 27:14 SCHOOL PRINCIPAL AND ONE OF YOUR - YOU'RE HAVING A SCHOOL PLAY 27:18 AND - MY MOTHER OFFERED TO HELP PRODUCE A SCHOOL PLAY, ONCE, FOR 27:24 THE PUBLIC SCHOOL I WENT TO AND SHE ACTUALLY DID A REALLY GOOD 27:28 JOB, BUT GUESS WHO HAD PRIME ROLES? 27:32 YOU KNOW IT'S ALWAYS, 'MY CHILD.' YOU KNOW? 27:36 'THEY SHOULD BE OUT THERE.' I CAN THINK OF TWO OR THREE 27:37 TIMES MY MOM GOT MY BROTHER AND ME ON TELEVISION TO DO SOMETHING 27:43 OR OTHER AND SHE WASN'T THE ONLY STAGE MOTHER OUT THERE BACK 27:47 THEN. THERE'S STILL A FEW AROUND TODAY. 27:50 BUT ZEBEDEE WAS MARRIED TO A WIFE - MIGHT HAVE BEEN WONDERFUL 27:56 BUT SHE WANTED THE BEST FOR HER CHILDREN. 27:58 DOESN'T EVERY MOTHER WANT THE BEST FOR HER - THEIR CHILDREN? 28:03 THERE'S ALSO STAGE GRANDMOTHERS. BONNIE'S IN CHARGE OF SPECIAL 28:08 MUSIC AND SOMEHOW STEPHEN ENDS UP IN THE LINE-UP ON A 28:10 REGULAR BASIS. WHEN HE'S AROUND. WE ALWAYS WANT THEM TO SHINE. 28:16 WE ALWAYS WANT THE BEST FOR THEM. 28:17 WELL ZEBEDEE, YOU KNOW, JAMES AND JOHN'S MOTHER, THEY WANTED 28:21 THAT TOO. "AND HE SAID TO HER, 'WHAT DO YOU WISH?' 28:24 SHE SAID TO HIM, 'GRANT THAT THESE TWO SONS OF MINE MIGHT 28:27 SIT, ONE ON YOUR RIGHT HAND AND THE OTHER ON THE LEFT,'" - 'WE 28:30 DON'T JUST WANT, YOU KNOW, THE RIGHT ONE, WE WANT THE RIGHT AND 28:32 THE LEFT.' - JAMES AND JOHN, ZEBEDEE'S SONS, FLANKING JESUS 28:36 LIKE BOOKENDS IN YOUR KINGDOM. AND ON THE RIGHT AND LEFT MEANT 28:40 THE PREMIER POSITIONS 'IN YOUR KINGDOM'. - 28:44 "BUT JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID, 'YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU ASK. 28:47 ARE YOU ABLE TO DRINK THE CUP THAT I AM ABOUT TO DRINK, AND BE 28:50 BAPTIZED WITH THE BAPTISM THAT I AM BAPTIZED WITH?'" - 28:52 THEY SAID, 'OH SURE, YES WE ARE, LORD, WE'RE ABLE.' 28:55 AND JESUS WAS SAYING, YOU KNOW, 'SITTING - THE HIGHEST PLACE IN 28:59 MY KINGDOM DOESN'T COME FROM PRESTIGE AND POSITION AND 29:02 PROMOTION AND POSSESSIONS, IT COMES FROM SERVICE.' 29:08 AND I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING THAT OF THE TWELVE APOSTLES, 29:11 JAMES WAS THE FIRST ONE TO DIE A MARTYR'S DEATH. 29:14 HE SAID, 'YOU WANT HONOR IN MY KINGDOM? 29:16 THIS IS HOW YOU GET IT.' AND JOHN, HE WAS THE LAST OF THE 29:19 APOSTLES TO DIE. ISN'T THAT INTERESTING? 29:22 SO THEY DID KIND OF FLANK THE APOSTLES AND ONE WAS THE FIRST 29:24 AND ONE WAS THE LAST. JOHN WAS THE ONLY ONE TO DIE OF OLD AGE. 29:28 BUT WAS HE PERSECUTED FOR HIS FAITH? 29:31 PRISONER SEVERAL TIMES - SAME THING WITH PAUL AND HE SAYS, 'IF 29:34 YOU REALLY WANT HONOR IN MY KINGDOM, IT'S NOT ABOUT POSITION 29:37 AND PEOPLE FAWNING AFTER YOU, IT'S ABOUT SACRIFICE AND 29:40 SUFFERING.' SO, ALRIGHT READ FOR US, GO 29:44 AHEAD, 1 JOHN NOW. >>"MY LITTLE CHILDREN, THESE 29:49 THINGS I WRITE TO YOU, SO THAT YOU MAY NOT SIN. 29:52 AND IF ANYONE SINS, WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE WITH THE FATHER, JESUS 29:56 CHRIST THE RIGHTEOUS. AND HE HIMSELF IS THE 29:59 PROPITIATION FOR OUR SINS, AND NOT FOR OURS ONLY BUT ALSO FOR 30:04 THE WHOLE WORLD." >>YOU KNOW, THIS IS A VERY, VERY 30:08 IMPORTANT VERSE FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS. 30:10 FIRST OF ALL, HE SAYS, 'MY LITTLE CHILDREN' - SO WHO'S HE 30:12 TALKING TO? TALKING TO THE CHURCH. 30:15 AND HE SAID, 'I'M WRITING THESE THINGS TO YOU SO YOU DON'T SIN.' 30:20 NOW, IN THE CHURCH THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF EXCUSES BEING MADE 30:25 FOR SIN AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE SAYING, 'WELL, WE ALL SIN.' 30:30 AND 'WHO DOESN'T SIN?' AND 'ALL HAVE SINNED.' 30:32 AND A LOT OF DISCUSSION, A LOT OF SERMONS ARE BEING DEDICATED 30:37 TO TRYING TO MAKE EVERYBODY FEEL BETTER BECAUSE WE'VE SINNED AND 30:42 IT IS TRUE THAT IF ANYONE SINS GOD HAS PROVIDED A REMEDY. 30:49 BUT DON'T EVER UNDERESTIMATE THE PART OF THE VERSE THAT SAYS, 30:52 'I'VE WRITTEN TO YOU THAT YOU DO NOT SIN.' 30:55 HE DOESN'T WANT US TO SIN. WELL, HE WANTS US TO SIN 31:00 A LITTLE BIT? DOES HE WANT US TO SIN A LITTLE? GOD'S HOLY. 31:03 HE DOESN'T WANT US TO SIN AT ALL. 31:05 IT'S HIS WILL THAT YOU SHOULD BE SANCTIFIED AND THE STANDARD IS 31:11 THAT YOU BE LIKE CHRIST AND CHRIST IS A PERFECT STANDARD AND 31:14 SO, YOU KNOW PART OF ME WANTS TO MAKE IT CLEAR TO YOU - 31:18 SIN IS WHAT PUT JESUS ON THE CROSS AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT JESUS 31:22 SUFFERING ON THE CROSS, THINK ABOUT WHAT OUR SINS DID TO HIM 31:26 AND HOW MUCH SIN HURTS HIM. WHY WOULD YOU EVER WANT TO MAKE 31:30 AN EXCUSE FOR THAT? WHY WOULD YOU EVER WANT 31:32 TO EMBRACE THAT? AND SO, MAKE SURE THAT, LIKE 31:35 JOB, YOU LOVE GOD AND YOU ESCHEW EVIL - YOU HATE SIN. 31:40 AND SO, HE SAYS, 'BUT, I WANT TO GIVE YOU HOPE. 31:45 I'VE WRITTEN TO YOU THAT YOU DO NOT SIN.' 31:47 GOD WANTS US TO BE HOLY. AND DON'T EVER FEEL COMFORTABLE 31:49 ABOUT SIN. BUT IF YOU SIN - YOU KNOW, THAT 31:53 TELLS US - ARE THERE CHILDREN OF GOD THAT DO FALL? 31:58 HE SAYS, 'MY LITTLE CHILDREN, I'VE WRITTEN TO YOU THAT YOU DO 31:59 NOT SIN. BUT IF YOU SIN.' NOTICE HE DIDN'T SAY, 32:03 'WHEN YOU SIN'? IS THERE A DIFFERENCE? 32:07 'IF YOU FALL' MEANS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO. 32:10 IF YOU SAID, 'WHEN YOU FALL' THAT MEANS THAT YOU'RE PLANNING 32:12 ON IT. SO WHAT SHOULD OUR ATTITUDE BE? WHEN WE SIN? 32:16 ARE YOU WAKING UP EVERY DAY SAYING 'WHEN I SIN'? 32:19 OR ARE YOU WAKING UP EVERY DAY SAYING 'IF I SIN'? 32:22 THERE'S A DIFFERENCE. IF YOU GO INTO IT AND JUST PLAN 32:25 ON IT, THEN YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO GET VICTORY. 32:28 YOU SEE WHAT I'M SAYING? DOES THIS MAKE SENSE? 32:32 ALRIGHT WELL, ENOUGH ABOUT THAT. SOMEONE LOOK UP FOR ME 32:35 JOSHUA 24:15. WHO HAS THAT? WE'VE GOT A VERSE RIGHT HERE? 32:39 MICROPHONE, THANK YOU BARRY. AND THE OTHER VERSE - I'LL GIVE 32:41 YOU TWO TOGETHER - PHILIPPIANS 2:12-14 - RIGHT OVER HERE. 32:46 ALRIGHT, NOW WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE POWER OF CHOICE. 32:51 DON'T UNDERESTIMATE THAT WE CAN CHOOSE TO BE DIFFERENT. 32:55 THAT YOU ARE NOT DESTINED TO JUST BE WHO YOU ARE. 32:58 THAT GOD GAVE YOU A BRAIN AND THE ABILITY AND A WILL TO CHOOSE 33:02 TO BE DIFFERENT. NOW SOME OF MY CHRISTIAN FRIENDS 33:05 IN OTHER CHURCHES BELIEVE 'ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED' AND THERE'S 33:10 THIS IDEA OF 'THE ELECT' - THAT GOD HAS PREDETERMINED THAT SOME 33:15 PEOPLE HE'S GOING TO SAVE AND MAKES THEM TO BE SAVED. 33:18 THEY ARE CREATED FOR LIFE AND OTHERS ARE CREATED FOR 33:20 DESTRUCTION. AND DOESN'T THE POTTER HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY 33:23 OVER HIS VESSELS, 'I'M GOING TO MAKE THIS A VESSEL OF HONOR. 33:25 I'M GOING TO MAKE THIS A VESSEL OF DISHONOR. 33:27 I'M GOING TO MAKE THIS VESSEL AND PUT IT IN MY MANSION AND 33:29 FILL IT WITH FLOWERS AND I'M GOING TO PUT THIS ONE IN THE 33:31 LAKE OF FIRE.' AND 'YOU HAVE BEEN CREATED FROM 33:33 THE BEGINNING' - I'M BEING SARCASTIC HERE, BUT SOME 33:37 CHURCHES SAY, 'YOU'VE BEEN CREATED FROM THE BEGINNING - GOD 33:39 HAS PREDESTINED WHETHER YOU ARE GOING TO BE SAVED OR LOST' - AS 33:43 THOUGH YOU HAVE NO CHOICE IN THE MATTER. 33:45 BUT THE BIBLE DOES NOT TEACH THAT. 33:47 THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT PEOPLE ARE SAVED AND LOST AND THE 33:50 REASON THAT THE WICKED ARE PUNISHED IS BECAUSE THEY HAD AN 33:53 OPPORTUNITY TO CHOOSE TO BE DIFFERENT. 33:55 WHY WOULD YOU MAKE A CREATURE - MAKE THAT CREATURE WHERE IT HAS 33:59 NO CHOICE TO BE EVIL - YOU MAKE IT, IT TURNS OUT EVIL BECAUSE 34:03 YOU MADE IT AND PREDETERMINED IT WAS GOING TO BE EVIL AND THEN 34:06 YOU'RE GOING TO TORTURE IT FOREVER IN HELL BECAUSE IT WAS 34:08 EVIL. THE OTHER THING ABOUT THIS IDEA 34:11 THAT YOU DON'T HAVE A CHOICE - IT MEANS THAT GOD CREATED YOU 34:15 AND YOU HAVE NO CHOICE - HE BECOMES AN ACCOMPLICE IN YOUR 34:18 SINS - YOU SEE THAT? BECAUSE YOU'RE DOING WHAT HE 34:23 MADE YOU TO DO. YOU HAVE NO CHOICE. 34:25 YOU'RE JUST GOING TO SIN BECAUSE HE MADE YOU - THEN HE KIND OF 34:28 BECOMES RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT. BUT HE MADE YOU FREE. 34:32 A FREE MORAL AGENT AND YOU CAN CHOOSE. 34:35 HERE'S SOME VERSES THAT ILLUSTRATE THAT POINT: 34:38 DEUTERONOMY 30, VERSES 19 AND 20 - MOSES IS SPEAKING, THIS IS HIS 34:42 SWAN SONG - HIS LAST SERMON. "I CALL HEAVEN AND EARTH AS 34:46 WITNESSES TODAY AGAINST YOU, THAT I HAVE SET BEFORE YOU LIFE 34:50 AND DEATH, BLESSING AND CURSING; THEREFORE CHOOSE LIFE, THAT BOTH 34:57 YOU AND YOUR DESCENDANTS MAY LIVE; THAT YOU MAY LOVE THE LORD 34:59 YOUR GOD, THAT YOU MAY OBEY HIS VOICE, AND THAT YOU MAY CLING TO 35:02 HIM, FOR HE IS YOUR LIFE AND THE LENGTH OF YOUR DAYS; AND THAT 35:06 YOU MAY DWELL IN THE LAND WHICH THE LORD SWORE TO YOUR FATHERS, 35:08 TO ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB, TO GIVE THEM." CHOOSE LIFE. 35:12 SO DO WE HAVE A CHOICE? IF WE DON'T THEN WHY DID HE 35:15 SAY THAT? ALRIGHT, READ FOR US JOSHUA - 35:17 IS THAT YOU MIKE? READ FOR US JOSHUA 24:15. 35:22 >>JOSHUA 24:15, "AND IF IT SEEMS EVIL TO YOU TO SERVE THE LORD, 35:27 CHOOSE FOR YOURSELVES THIS DAY WHOM YOU WILL SERVE, WHETHER THE 35:31 GODS WHICH YOUR FATHERS SERVED THAT WERE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF 35:34 THE RIVER, OR THE GODS OF THE AMORITES, IN WHOSE LAND YOU 35:38 DWELL. BUT AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE 35:41 WILL SERVE THE LORD." >>IT'S PRETTY CLEAR. 35:46 I MEAN, BOTH MOSES AND JOSHUA, THEN AGAIN AT THE END OF HIS 35:49 LIFE, APPEALING TO THE PEOPLE OF GOD, 'CHOOSE - YOU CAN CHOOSE 35:52 WHAT GOD YOU WANT TO SERVE.' AND YOU - MOST OF US MAKE LITTLE 35:56 CHOICES EVERY DAY ABOUT WHICH GOD WE'RE GOING TO SERVE. 35:59 LET ME GIVE YOU ANOTHER ONE - PHILIPPIANS - WHO HAS THAT - 36:01 JOLYNE? PHILIPPIANS 2:12? >>"THEREFORE, MY BELOVED, AS YOU 36:06 HAVE ALWAYS OBEYED, NOT AS IN MY PRESENCE ONLY, BUT NOW MUCH MORE 36:10 IN MY ABSENCE, WORK OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION WITH FEAR 36:13 AND TREMBLING;" >>YEAH, READ THE NEXT VERSE TOO. 36:18 >>"FOR IT IS GOD WHO WORKS IN YOU BOTH TO WILL AND TO DO FOR 36:23 HIS GOOD PLEASURE. DO ALL THINGS WITHOUT 36:26 COMPLAINING AND DISPUTING." >>I JUST WANT YOU TO ESPECIALLY 36:29 NOTICE 'FOR IT IS GOD WHO WORKS IN YOU' - BUT HE'S APPEALING 36:32 TO THEM 'WORK OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION'. 36:34 NOW, DOESN'T THAT SOUND LIKE SALVATION BY WORKS? 36:38 THAT'S A DIRTY WORD BUT, YOU KNOW, IN REALITY THERE IS A 36:41 WORK. YOU ARE NOT SAVED BY YOUR WORKS 36:43 BUT THERE IS A WORK INVOLVED. LISTEN TO SOME OF THE TERMS THAT 36:46 ARE USED WHEN IT COMES TO SALVATION IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. 36:50 WE WRESTLE, WE STRIVE, WE WAR, WE RUN, WE FIGHT, WE ENDURE, 36:58 WE PLEAD. ARE THOSE TERMS THAT SEEM TO 37:02 DENOTE SOME KIND OF INVOLVEMENT OR INVESTMENT THAT THERE'S 37:05 SOMETHING YOU NEED TO DO? SURE THERE IS. 37:08 THERE IS EFFORT INVOLVED. THERE'S A STRUGGLE INVOLVED IN 37:11 BEING A CHRISTIAN. BUT WHERE IS THAT STRUGGLE? 37:14 LET ME READ SOMETHING TO YOU FROM THE CLASSIC BOOK 'STEPS TO 37:17 CHRIST' AND THIS IS PAGE 47. THIS IS GREAT. 37:21 I'VE READ IT MANY TIMES AND I ALWAYS APPRECIATE IT. 37:24 "MANY ARE INQUIRING 'HOW AM I TO MAKE THE SURRENDER OF MYSELF TO 37:28 GOD?' YOU DESIRE TO GIVE YOURSELF TO 37:30 HIM BUT YOU'RE WEAK IN MORAL POWER, IN SLAVERY TO DOUBT AND 37:34 CONTROLLED BY HABITS OF YOUR LIFE OF SIN. 37:40 YOUR PROMISES AND RESOLUTIONS ARE LIKE ROPES OF SAND.' 37:43 - YOU EVER FEEL THAT WAY? GOOD NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION - I'M 37:46 GOING TO DO THIS AND THIS AND THIS DIFFERENTLY AND THEN YOU 37:50 RUN INTO THE SAME TEMPTATIONS AND WEAKNESS AND IT DOESN'T LAST 37:53 VERY LONG. 'YOUR PROMISES AND RESOLUTIONS 37:56 ARE LIKE ROPES OF SAND. YOU CANNOT CONTROL YOUR 37:59 THOUGHTS, YOUR IMPULSES, YOUR AFFECTIONS. 38:01 THE KNOWLEDGE OF YOUR BROKEN PROMISES AND FORFEITED PLEDGES 38:04 WEAKENS YOUR CONFIDENCE IN YOUR OWN SINCERITY AND CAUSES YOU TO 38:08 FEEL THAT GOD CANNOT ACCEPT YOU. BUT YOU NEED NOT DESPAIR. WHAT 38:12 YOU NEED TO DO IS TO UNDERSTAND THE TRUE FORCE OF THE WILL. 38:17 THIS IS THE GOVERNING POWER IN THE NATURE OF MAN. 38:19 THE POWER OF DECISION OR OF CHOICE. 38:21 EVERYTHING DEPENDS ON THE RIGHT ACTION OF THE WILL. 38:25 THE POWER OF CHOICE GOD HAS GIVEN TO MEN. 38:28 IT IS THEIRS TO EXERCISE. YOU CAN'T CHANGE YOUR HEART. 38:32 YOU CAN'T, OF YOURSELF, GIVE TO GOD IT'S AFFECTIONS, BUT YOU CAN 38:37 CHOOSE TO SERVE HIM. YOU CAN GIVE HIM YOUR WILL. 38:42 HE WILL THEN WORK IN YOU TO WILL AND TO DO ACCORDING TO HIS GOOD 38:45 PLEASURE. THUS, YOUR WHOLE NATURE WILL BE 38:48 BROUGHT UNDER THE CONTROL OF HIM, THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST. 38:51 YOUR AFFECTIONS WILL BE CENTERED UPON HIM, YOUR THOUGHTS WILL BE 38:54 IN HARMONY WITH HIM.' YOU KNOW, THE - JUST TO SEE IF I 39:00 COULD EMPHASIZE THIS A LITTLE BIT - ONCE AGAIN, THAT'S 'STEPS 39:04 TO CHRIST' PAGE 47. YOU MAY WANT TO READ IT. 39:10 I'VE PRAYED BEFORE AND SAID, 'LORD, I KNOW I NEED TO STOP 39:12 SINNING' - OR SOME SIN IN PARTICULAR - 'BUT I DON'T WANT 39:15 TO.' I DIDN'T QUIT SMOKING BECAUSE I 39:18 WAS COUGHING AND HAD LUNG CANCER, I ENJOYED SMOKING. 39:23 I WAS STILL YOUNG WHEN I QUIT AND SO I HADN'T FELT ALL THE 39:25 EFFECTS OF IT, BUT I KNEW GOD WANTED ME TO. 39:29 AND SO I SAID, 'LORD, I DON'T WANT TO QUIT, BUT I'M WILLING 39:34 FOR YOU TO MAKE ME WILLING BECAUSE I KNOW YOU WANT ME TO. 39:38 SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CHANGE ME, LORD, BUT I'M WILLING 39:40 TO ASK YOU TO CHANGE ME. I'M WILLING FOR YOU TO DO 39:43 WHATEVER IT TAKES TO HELP ME HAVE WHATEVER I'M MISSING 39:47 TO WANT TO DO YOUR WILL.' BECAUSE EVERY TIME I FELL 39:50 I SAID, 'LORD, HOW COME SOME PEOPLE MAKE IT AND I'M NOT 39:53 MAKING IT? HOW COME SOME PEOPLE HAVE THE 39:55 VICTORY AND I DON'T? WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE, LORD? 39:57 I'M WILLING FOR YOU TO DO FOR ME AND IN ME WHATEVER YOU NEED TO 40:01 DO TO PROVIDE THAT DIFFERENCE. I WANT TO DO YOUR WILL. 40:05 SO HELP ME KNOW WHAT IT IS.' AND THEN GOD BEGINS TO 40:07 REVEAL THINGS. 40:08 IT MIGHT BE PRACTICAL THINGS YOU CAN DO TO PARTICIPATE WITH HIM. 40:11 AND SO, YOU KNOW, GRADUALLY WHEN - I WAS TALKING WITH NATHAN 40:17 ABOUT THIS VERY SUBJECT LAST NIGHT AND I SAID - YOU KNOW, 40:21 SOMETIMES KIDS, WHEN THEY MAKE A DECISION, THEY WANT TO SERVE GOD 40:25 AND THEN THEY FIND OUT YOU FALL AND YOU MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE 40:29 AND YOU FALL INTO THE SAME TEMPTATION - WHETHER IT'S A 40:31 VIDEO GAME OR WHATEVER IT IS, AND THEY SAY, 'OH, I PRAYED AND 40:35 ASKED GOD TO HELP ME WITH THIS SO MANY TIMES AND I FALL AGAIN. 40:38 IS SAID, 'WELL, DON'T GET DISCOURAGED. 40:40 YOU KNOW HOW MANY TIMES I QUIT SMOKING BEFORE I QUIT?' 40:43 BUT I'M GLAD I DIDN'T QUIT QUITTING. 40:46 AND SO YOU'VE GOT TO SOMETIMES KEEP AT IT. 40:49 AND IT MAY TAKE YEARS. NOW, I'M NOT GIVING YOU - 40:52 I DON'T WANT TO GIVE YOU AN EXCUSE, BUT DON'T QUIT QUITTING. 40:58 DON'T QUIT WRESTLING AND STRIVING AND FIGHTING AND 41:02 PRAYING FOR THE VICTORY. IT MIGHT BE YOUR TEMPER, IT 41:05 MIGHT BE A GOSSIPING TONGUE, IT COULD BE A BROAD SPECTRUM 41:09 OF THINGS. WHATEVER IT IS, JUST SAY, 'LORD' 41:12 - HOW MANY OF YOU FEEL LIKE SOMETIMES IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE 41:16 IT'S TWO STEPS FORWARD AND ONE STEP BACK? 41:20 ARE YOU MAKING PROGRESS THOUGH? AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE SEEN IT WORK 41:25 BOTH WAYS WHEN IT COMES TO CHANGE. 41:27 I HAVE SEEN PEOPLE THAT EXPERIENCE A DRAMATIC TOTAL 41:31 CONVERSION WHERE EVERYTHING CHANGED ALL AT ONCE. 41:35 IT WASN'T THAT WAY WITH ME AND OTHERS, BUT I HAVE MET PEOPLE 41:38 WHO, LIKE THE APOSTLE PAUL, JUST MAN, THEY HAVE ONE OF THESE 41:41 EXPERIENCES WHERE THEY WERE JUST BLINDED ON THE ROAD TO DAMASCUS 41:43 WITH THE GLORY OF GOD AND THEY GO FROM A PERSON WHO CURSES AND 41:47 THEY BEAT THEIR WIFE AND THEY DRINK AND THEY SMOKE AND THEY 41:49 CURSE AND THEY LIE AND JUST ALL THIS STUFF AND THEY HAVE A JESUS 41:52 EXPERIENCE AND THEY WEEP AND THEY PULL OVER ON THE SIDE OF 41:55 THE ROAD AND THEY'RE A DIFFERENT PERSON. 41:57 AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY SAY, 'GOD JUST TOOK IT AWAY. 42:01 I STOPPED CURSING. I STOPPED BEATING MY WIFE. 42:03 I STOPPED STEALING. I STOPPED DRINKING. 42:04 THE HOLY SPIRIT FILLED ME.' AND JUST - POOF! - 42:06 THEY'RE DIFFERENT. IT DOESN'T MEAN THEY DON'T EVER 42:08 SIN AGAIN BUT - JUST ALL OF IT AT ONCE. 42:11 AND THEN YOU AND I, WE ALL KNOW PEOPLE - HAVE ALL THOSE SAME 42:14 PROBLEMS AND THEY SAID, 'YOU KNOW, THE HOLY SPIRIT STARTED 42:18 WORKING ON ME AND GOD JUST GAVE ME THE VICTORY OVER MY TEMPER 42:21 AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T LOSE MY TEMPER ANYMORE. 42:25 BUT I'M WORKING ON THE DRINKING. AND THEN GOD HELPED ME,' - YOU 42:28 KNOW, THEN YOU TALK TO THEM - THEY SAY, 'YOU KNOW, GOD - 42:30 PRAISE THE LORD - PASTOR DOUG PRAY FOR ME. 42:32 GOD'S GIVEN ME THE VICTORY OVER MY TEMPER AND I HAVEN'T HAD A 42:34 DRINK IN A MONTH.' WELL, YOU KNOW, I DON'T TALK TO 42:37 THAT PERSON AND SAY, 'YOU KNOW, YOU NEED TO - WE NEED TO TALK TO 42:42 YOU ABOUT THE PORK CHOPS' - WHEN THEY TELL ME THAT THEY'VE QUIT 42:48 DRINKING. I SAY, 'WELL, PRAISE THE LORD. 42:51 I'M HAPPY FOR THE PROGRESS.' YOU KNOW, AND THEN THEY COME TO 42:53 ME ONE DAY AND THEY SAY, 'YOU KNOW, AND NOW I'VE QUIT 42:55 SMOKING.' AND, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE VARYING DEGREES. 43:00 IF SOMEONE COMES TO ME AND THEY SAY, 'YOU KNOW, I'M DRINKING AND 43:02 BEATING MY WIFE.' I DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE 43:03 CIGARETTES BECAUSE USUALLY WHEN YOU'RE DRUNK YOU JUST CAN'T 43:08 RESIST ANY TEMPTATION. SO YOU'VE GOT TO TAKE CARE OF 43:10 THAT FIRST. AND SO, THERE ARE DEGREES AND I 43:14 REMEMBER WHEN I WAS PASTORING A SMALL CHURCH, KAREN AND I WENT 43:17 BACK TO WATERFALL, NEW MEXICO AND MET WITH THE NAVAJOS THERE. 43:21 WHEN THEY JOIN THE CHURCH, MANY OF THEM STRUGGLE WITH ALCOHOL 43:24 AND THEY - IT WASN'T PORK CHOPS, THEY USED TO EAT BLOOD SAUSAGE. 43:28 AND I REMEMBER SOME OF OUR FRIENDS - WE HAD A NAVAJO CHURCH 43:33 AND IT WAS JUST WONDERFUL - WE'D GET TOGETHER AND WE'D HAVE A 43:35 POTLUCK AND SOME OF THE SAINTS WOULD COME FROM ANOTHER 43:38 CONGREGATION A FEW MILES AWAY AND THEY SAID, 'PASTOR DOUG, WE 43:41 NEED TO TALK TO YOU.' AND THEY'D PULL US ASIDE AND 43:43 THEY'D SAY, 'I NOTICE THAT THESE FOLKS HAVE GOT CHEESE IN THEIR 43:46 POTLUCK.' AND I'D SAY, 'BROTHER OR SISTER, 43:49 THEY JUST GAVE UP BEATING THEIR WIFE, DRINKING AND BLOOD 43:52 SAUSAGE.' I SAID, 'GIVE THEM A BREAK.' I SAID, 'THEY MAY 43:56 GO VEGAN SOMEDAY BUT BE PATIENT.' SO YOU SEE 43:59 THERE'S VARYING DEGREES, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING? 44:02 AND SO HERE'S MY QUESTION: ARE YOU GROWING? 44:06 CAN YOU LOOK BACK AND SEE THAT THERE'S SANCTIFICATION 44:09 HAPPENING? IS THERE PROGRESS? OR HAVE YOU STALLED SOMEWHERE? 44:14 SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, THERE'S GROWTH AND GOD IS MAKING 44:16 CONSTANT CHANGES AND HE REVEALS NEW THINGS AND YOU WALK IN THE 44:19 LIGHT HE REVEALS MORE LIGHT, YOU WALK IN THE LIGHT HE GIVES YOU 44:21 POWER AND YOU MAKE NEW VICTORIES, BUT IF YOU JUST GET 44:24 WHERE ALL OF A SUDDEN IT GETS STAGNANT - YOU DON'T HAVE A 44:28 PROBLEM WHEN YOU'VE GOT A BABY AND THE FIRST FEW TIMES THEY TRY 44:33 TO EAT AND THE FOOD DOESN'T GO IN THE MOUTH, IT GOES IN THE 44:36 NOSE AND IT GOES IN THE EARS AND IT GOES ON THE FLOOR AND ACROSS 44:39 THE WALL AND, I MEAN, YOU SAY, 'OH, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE 44:41 LEARNING.' BUT IF AFTER THEY'RE FIVE AND THEY'RE STILL NOT 44:44 GETTING IT IN THE MOUTH, YOU GO SEE THE DOCTOR, DON'T YOU. 44:49 YOU DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WHEN THEY'RE FIRST LEARNING TO WALK, 44:51 IF THEY TAKE A FEW STEPS AND THEY TUMBLE AND THEY JUST, YOU 44:53 KNOW, THEY'RE CRAWLING HALF THE TIME, BUT WHEN THEY GET, YOU 44:58 KNOW, FIVE AND SIX AND THEY CAN'T TAKE THREE OR FOUR STEPS 45:01 WITHOUT FALLING DOWN, YOU GO SEE THE DOCTOR. 45:04 AND SO, ARE YOU STILL - PETER TALKS ABOUT - HE SAID, 'YOU 45:09 KNOW, I WROTE TO YOU, I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE BASICS 45:12 OF CHRISTIANITY BUT INSTEAD OF GIVING YOU MEAT I'VE GOT TO GIVE 45:14 YOU MILK BECAUSE YOU'RE STILL EATING BABY FOOD.' 45:19 ARE YOU GROWING IN SANCTIFICATION? 45:21 ARE YOU GAINING VICTORY OR ARE YOU STILL DOING THE SAME THINGS 45:24 YOU WERE DOING 20 YEARS AGO? AND SO THERE OUGHT TO BE GROWTH. 45:29 I DON'T WANT TO DISCOURAGE YOU AND I'M SPEAKING TO MYSELF TOO. 45:33 YOU SHOULDN'T BE DISCOURAGED IF YOU SEE PROGRESS AND YOU'RE 45:36 BECOMING MORE LIKE CHRIST AND YOU CAN LOOK BACK OVER THE 45:38 PANORAMA OF YOUR LIFE AND YOU CAN SAY, 'WELL, PRAISE THE LORD, 45:40 I CAN SEE CONSISTENT GROWTH AND SANCTIFICATION.' 45:43 IT WOULD BE WONDERFUL IF THE HOLY SPIRIT WERE TO JUST 45:45 SURROUND YOU LIKE PAUL AND ALL OF IT HAPPENS IN ONE DAY, BUT 45:50 FOR MOST OF US, THE BIBLE SAYS, 'LEARN TO DO GOOD. 45:54 CEASE TO DO EVIL.' YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS? 45:56 LEARN IS A PROCESS OF LEARNING. YOU'VE GOT TO LEARN TO DO GOOD. 45:59 WHEN YOU SPEND YOUR WHOLE LIFE DOING WRONG AND YOU ARE 46:01 CONVERTED, YOU'VE GOT TO START LEARNING HOW TO DO RIGHT. 46:05 AND SO - BUT ARE YOU GROWING? ALRIGHT, WE'VE GOT TO KEEP 46:08 MOVING ALONG HERE BECAUSE WE'VE GOT A LOT LEFT. 46:11 ALRIGHT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE POWER TO CHOOSE. 46:13 CONFIDENCE AND DOUBT - MATTHEW 26 - SOMEONE LOOK UP FOR ME 46:18 MATTHEW 26:69 - MATTHEW 26:69 - WHO HAS THAT? 46:23 DID WE GIVE THAT TO SOMEONE? RIGHT OVER HERE, OKAY? 46:25 WE'LL GET TO YOU IN JUST A SECOND. 46:27 I'M GOING TO READ MATTHEW 26, VERSE 31, "THEN JESUS SAID TO 46:31 THEM, 'ALL OF YOU WILL BE MADE TO STUMBLE BECAUSE OF ME THIS 46:35 NIGHT, FOR IT IS WRITTEN, 'I WILL STRIKE THE SHEPHERD, AND 46:38 THE SHEEP OF THE FLOCK WILL BE SCATTERED.' 46:40 BUT AFTER I HAVE BEEN RAISED, I WILL GO BEFORE YOU TO GALILEE.' 46:43 PETER ANSWERED AND SAID TO HIM, 'EVEN IF ALL ARE MADE TO STUMBLE 46:46 BECAUSE OF YOU, I WILL NEVER BE MADE TO STUMBLE.' 46:49 JESUS SAID TO HIM, 'ASSUREDLY, I SAY TO YOU THAT THIS NIGHT, 46:52 BEFORE THE ROOSTER CROWS, YOU WILL DENY ME THREE TIMES.' 46:56 PETER SAID TO HIM, 'EVEN IF I HAVE TO DIE WITH YOU, I WILL NOT 46:59 DENY YOU.'" NOW, WAS HE SINCERE? 47:03 PROBABLY WAS AT THE MOMENT. BUT DID HE KNOW HIS OWN HEART? 47:07 ONE OF THE KEYS TO A VICTORIOUS LIFE, DO NOT TRUST YOURSELF. 47:11 WE ARE WEAK AND IN A FEW MINUTES OF LISTENING TO THE DEVIL WE CAN 47:15 LOSE A WHOLE LIFETIME OF MIRACLES AND EXPERIENCE. 47:19 AND PETER DID NOT PREPARE FOR THAT BIG TRIAL THAT WAS COMING. 47:24 JESUS SAID, 'PRAY' - BUT HE SLEPT WHEN HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN 47:26 PRAYING - 'LEST YOU ENTER INTO TEMPTATION.' 47:29 ALRIGHT, SO WHAT HAPPENED? LET'S LOOK AT - GO AHEAD, READ 47:31 FOR US MATTHEW 26 AND JUMP TO VERSE 69. 47:35 >>NOW PETER SAT OUTSIDE IN THE COURTYARD. 47:38 AND A SERVANT GIRL CAME TO HIM, SAYING, 'YOU ALSO WERE WITH 47:41 JESUS OF GALILEE.' BUT HE DENIED IT BEFORE THEM 47:44 ALL, SAYING, 'I DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE SAYING.'" 47:48 >>ALRIGHT, AND WE DON'T NEED TO READ THE WHOLE SORDID TALE. 47:51 YOU KNOW THAT PETER DENIED JESUS NOT ONCE BUT THREE TIMES AND THE 47:54 THIRD TIME HE PUNCTUATED IT WITH CURSING. 47:58 SO THOSE WORDS THAT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SANCTIFIED FROM 48:01 WERE STILL THERE ON THE TOP SHELF WHEN HE NEEDED THEM AND IT 48:05 JUST KIND OF REMINDS US PETER IS LIKE US. 48:08 BUT WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT? AFTER HE DENIED JESUS THE THIRD 48:12 TIME, JESUS LOOKED AT HIM AND IT BROKE HIS HEART. 48:15 HE WENT OUT AND HE WEPT BITTERLY AND, DURING THE RESURRECTION HE 48:19 WAS A CONVERTED MAN. PENTECOST - PETER IS NOW THE 48:22 SPOKESMAN - HE'S THE PREACHER. BUT DIDN'T JESUS SAY TO PETER, 48:25 'PETER' - THREE TIMES AFTER JESUS APPEARED TO HIM, BEFORE HE 48:27 ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN, 'DO YOU LOVE ME? DO YOU LOVE ME? 48:31 DO YOU LOVE ME?' AND HE WAS LETTING PETER KNOW, 48:34 'DON'T TRUST YOURSELF' - IT'S GOING TO BE BASED ON LOVING HIM. 48:38 SO WHAT'S ONE OF THE KEYS TO REAL CHANGE? 48:40 DO PEOPLE CHANGE WHEN THEY FALL IN LOVE? 48:43 YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING WATCHING YOUR TEENAGE BOYS - 48:47 THEY JUST COULDN'T CARE LESS ABOUT HYGIENE WHEN THEY'RE EIGHT 48:50 AND TEN YEARS OLD AND 'BRUSH YOUR TEETH! 48:53 BRUSH YOUR TEETH!' 'OH, (GRUMBLES)' YOU KNOW, AND 48:56 YOU'VE GOT TO WRITE IT ON THE WALL AND 'CHANGE YOUR SHIRT! 48:59 WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU TOOK A SHOWER?' 49:02 AND SOMETHING STARTS HAPPENING AROUND 13, 14 - THEY START DOING 49:06 IT ON THEIR OWN INITIATIVE AND YOU FIND OUT THAT THEY'RE 49:09 SITTING AT A DESK NEXT TO A PRETTY GIRL. 49:14 ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY'RE VERY PREOCCUPIED WITH THEIR 49:15 APPEARANCE WHEN THEY COULDN'T HAVE CARED LESS WHEN THEY WERE 49:17 EIGHT YEARS OLD. BECAUSE THEY'RE MAKING CHANGES 49:22 BECAUSE THEY'RE SUDDENLY INTERESTED IN SOMEBODY AND LOVE 49:27 - WHEN YOU LOVE SOMEBODY - IT HAS A TRANSFORMING INFLUENCE. 49:32 PETER WAS CHANGED, BUT DID HE STILL MAKE MISTAKES EVEN AFTER 49:36 PENTECOST? LET ME READ THIS TO YOU. 49:39 THIS WAS WRITTEN BY PAUL. THIS IS PAUL TALKING ABOUT 49:42 PETER. IS THIS GOSSIP? I DON'T KNOW. 49:45 GALATIANS 2, VERSE 11 - PAUL IS WRITING HERE, "NOW WHEN PETER 49:49 HAD COME TO ANTIOCH, I WITHSTOOD HIM TO HIS FACE, BECAUSE HE WAS 49:52 TO BE BLAMED; FOR BEFORE CERTAIN MEN CAME FROM JAMES," - THAT'S 49:57 THE JEWS FROM JERUSALEM - "HE WOULD EAT WITH THE GENTILES; BUT 50:00 WHEN THEY CAME, HE WITHDREW AND SEPARATED HIMSELF, FEARING THOSE 50:03 WHO WERE OF THE CIRCUMCISION." HE THOUGHT, 'OH, WHAT WOULD THE 50:06 JEWS THINK. HEY, I'D BETTER NOT EAT WITH YOU 50:07 GUYS ANYMORE BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO LOOK BAD.' 50:09 AND WHAT DOES PAUL SAY ABOUT THAT? 50:13 "AND THE REST OF THE JEWS ALSO PLAYED THE HYPOCRITE WITH HIM, 50:15 SO THAT EVEN BARNABAS WAS CARRIED AWAY WITH THEIR 50:17 HYPOCRISY." LOOSE TRANSLATION: PAUL WAS 50:20 SAYING PETER WAS A HYPOCRITE AND BARNABAS WAS A HYPOCRITE. 50:25 HE GOT CARRIED AWAY WITH HYPOCRISY. 50:27 THEY WERE PREOCCUPIED WITH WHAT EVERYONE THOUGHT OF THEM AND 50:30 THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH EATING WITH GENTILES BUT THEY 50:32 THOUGHT, 'WELL, YOU KNOW, THE OLD CULTURE OF THE JEWS - WHAT 50:34 WILL THEY THINK OF ME?' AND YOU KNOW WHAT THAT'S CALLED? 50:37 DISCRIMINATION. PETER AND BARNABAS SLIPPED INTO 'WELL, 50:42 WE DON'T WANT TO - WE DON'T WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT 50:44 WE'RE EATING WITH THE GENTILES.' WAS THAT WRONG FOR PETER? 50:49 PAUL'S TELLING THE TRUTH. WHAT PETER DID WAS WRONG. 50:52 PETER WAS COMPROMISING. DO YOU THINK PETER REPENTED 50:56 OF THAT? I THINK HE DID. 50:58 WHEN PAUL CONFRONTED HIM - BY THE WAY, PETER, AFTER PAUL SAYS 51:01 THIS, CALLS PAUL HIS BELOVED BROTHER - YOU CAN READ IN THE 51:05 SECOND LETTER OF PETER - AND PETER SAYS THAT WHAT PAUL WROTE 51:08 WAS SCRIPTURE. ISN'T THAT INTERESTING? 51:11 THAT'D BE TOUGH FOR ONE APOSTLE TO SAY THE OTHER APOSTLE WROTE 51:15 SCRIPTURE WHEN HE WAS CALLING HIM A HYPOCRITE. 51:18 SO PETER KNEW, 'I WAS WRONG.' SO EVEN AFTER PENTECOST DID THEY 51:23 STILL MAKE MISTAKES? BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT KIND OF 51:26 HYPOCRISY WAS NOT AS BAD AS DENYING CHRIST. 51:30 SO AS YOU GROW IN CHRIST, THE CHANGES THAT ARE MADE, THEY 51:34 OUGHT TO BE IN KEEPING WITH WHAT CHRISTIAN GROWTH LOOKS LIKE. 51:39 THERE OUGHT TO BE A PROGRESS THERE THAT'S ON THE SCALE. 51:44 ALRIGHT, LET ME LOOK HERE. 51:46 JOHN 20, VERSE 24 - I'M KIND OF BACKTRACKING A LITTLE BIT - JOHN 51:49 20, VERSE 24, "NOW THOMAS, CALLED THE TWIN, ONE OF THE 51:54 TWELVE, WAS NOT WITH THEM WHEN JESUS CAME. 51:57 THE OTHER DISCIPLES THEREFORE SAID TO HIM, 'WE HAVE SEEN THE 51:59 LORD.' SO HE SAID TO THEM, 'UNLESS I SEE IN HIS HANDS 52:03 THE PRINT OF THE NAILS, AND PUT MY FINGER INTO 52:05 THE PRINT OF THE NAILS, AND PUT MY HAND INTO HIS SIDE, 52:08 I WILL NOT BELIEVE." - 'YOU JUST FORGET IT. 52:09 YOU GUYS ARE ALL CRAZY. YOU'RE SEEING THINGS. 52:11 I'M NOT GOING TO BELIEVE IT - UNLESS I SEE IT WITH MY EYE - 52:13 I'M FROM MISSOURI, UNLESS I SEE IT WITH MY OWN EYES I'M NOT 52:17 GOING TO BELIEVE.' WELL, WE'RE SAVED BY WHAT? 52:21 THE JUST ARE SAVED BY FAITH, RIGHT? HOW WAS THOMAS' FAITH? 52:26 AFTER THREE AND A HALF YEARS OF FOLLOWING JESUS AND AFTER JESUS 52:29 SAYING, 'I'M GOING TO DIE AND RISE AGAIN.' 52:31 BEFORE HE DIED AND ROSE HE TOLD THEM IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN AND, 52:34 FINALLY, WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN, WHAT DOES THOMAS SAY? 52:37 'I'VE GO TO SEE IT.' AND JESUS FINALLY APPEARS TO 52:39 THOMAS AND SAYS, 'YOU BELIEVE BECAUSE YOU'VE SEEN. 52:43 BLESSED ARE THOSE WHO BELIEVE WITHOUT SEEING.' 52:46 ALRIGHT, POWER TO CHOOSE. SO - I TALKED ABOUT THAT ALREADY 52:51 - CONSTANT - LET ME SEE - 'FAITH TO ACT' - THAT'S THE PART 52:55 I WANT. JOHN 5, VERSES 5 AND 6. AND IT SAYS, "NOW A CERTAIN MAN 53:04 WAS THERE WHO HAD AN INFIRMITY THIRTY-EIGHT YEARS. 53:07 WHEN JESUS SAW HIM LYING THERE," - THIS IS AT THE POOL OF 53:10 BETHESDA - "AND KNEW THAT HE ALREADY HAD BEEN IN THAT 53:13 CONDITION A LONG TIME, HE SAID TO HIM, 'DO YOU WANT TO BE MADE 53:15 WELL?'" HE SAID, 'OH, LORD, I'D LIKE 53:18 TO BE MADE WELL BUT WHENEVER I COME TO THE POOL' - HE SAYS - 53:21 'SOMEONE ELSE GETS IN BEFORE ME AND I CAN'T.' 53:24 AND JESUS SAID, 'GET UP AND WALK.' 53:27 NOW HE COULD HAVE ARGUED AND SAID, 'WELL, I CAN'T BECAUSE 53:29 I'VE BEEN CRIPPLED THIRTY-EIGHT YEARS, BUT HE DIDN'T ARGUE. 53:32 WHEN CHRIST GIVES YOU A COMMAND, BUILT INTO THE COMMAND THAT 53:37 JESUS GIVES YOU IS THE POWER TO OBEY. 53:40 THAT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT PRINCIPLE. GOD WILL NEVER ASK 53:43 YOU TO DO SOMETHING THAT YOU CANNOT DO WITH HIS POWER. 53:47 EVEN THOUGH YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO - I REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, WHEN 53:51 WE WERE TEACHING OUR KIDS TO WATER SKI OR SNOW SKI OR SO MANY 53:54 THINGS AND THEY WERE SLIPPING AND FALLING DOWN AND WOULD SAY, 53:56 'OH, I CAN'T' AND I'D SAY, 'YES YOU CAN. 53:58 LET'S TRY IT AGAIN.' 'I CAN'T. 54:00 I KEEP FALLING.' I SAID, 'YES YOU CAN. 54:02 HANG ON TO MY LEG.' PRETTY SOON THEY'RE SKATING OR 54:04 THEY'RE SKIING OR WHATEVER IT IS AND THEN THEY GO, 'I GUESS I 54:08 CAN.' HAVE YOU EVER HAD YOUR KIDS SAY 54:11 THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO TRY SOMETHING BECAUSE THEY FAILED A 54:13 COUPLE TIMES? AND YOU KNEW THEY COULD DO IT, 54:15 THEY JUST GOT DISCOURAGED BECAUSE THEY FAILED. 54:17 'I DON'T REALLY WANT TO ANYWAY.' YEAH THEY DID, BUT THEY WERE 54:21 AFRAID TO FAIL. AND SOME OF US HAVE STOPPED 54:23 TRYING TO CHANGE BECAUSE WE FAILED SO MANY TIMES. 54:28 DON'T GET DISCOURAGED. GOD WILL NEVER ASK YOU TO DO 54:31 SOMETHING HE WILL NOT GIVE YOU THE POWER TO DO. 54:33 YOU MAY NOT SUCCEED THE FIRST TIME, BUT DON'T GIVE UP. 54:38 AND WHATEVER IT IS, YOU CAN LEARN TO DO IT WITH GOD'S HELP. 54:42 ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH CHRIST, AMEN? 54:46 AND THEN THERE'S A SECTION I JUMPED OVER BUT I JUST WANT TO 54:48 RETURN TO IT. PART OF REVIVAL MEANS A 54:51 CONVICTION TO RETURN HOME - LIKE THAT PRODIGAL SON - AND THAT, 54:55 OF COURSE IS LUKE 15:17 - THAT FAMOUS PARABLE - YOU COME TO 54:59 YOUR SENSES AND YOU SAY, 'WHAT IN THE WORLD AM I DOING? 55:05 I WILL ARISE AND GO TO - I ENDED UP IN THE PIGPEN. 55:08 I WILL ARISE AND GO TO MY FATHER'S HOUSE.' 55:10 NOTHING COULD BE WORSE FOR A JEW THAN TO END UP IN A PIGPEN. 55:14 IT'S KIND OF LIKE A PERSON WHO'S IN A BOAT OUT IN THE SEA AND 55:16 THEY SAY, 'I'M SEASICK. THIS BOAT IS CRAMPED AND SMALL 55:19 AND IT SMELLS AND I'M GETTING OUT OF HERE' - AND THEY JUMP IN 55:21 THE WATER. WELL, THEY DIDN'T REALIZE IT'S A 55:23 STORM AND THEY'RE SWIMMING AWAY FROM THE BOAT AND THEY REALIZE 55:27 THEY'RE GETTING WEAK. THE WAVES ARE HIGH, THE WIND IS 55:29 STRONG, THE WATER'S COLD AND SUDDENLY THEY SAY, 'WHAT AM I 55:32 GOING TO DO? I'M GOING TO DROWN OUT HERE. 55:33 THAT WAS THE DUMBEST THING I'VE EVER DONE. 55:35 I'VE GOT TO GET BACK TO THE BOAT.' 55:37 IN SPITE OF ALL THE PROBLEMS IN THE BOAT, IT'S A LOT BETTER TO 55:41 LIVE IN THE BOAT THAN TO BE OUT HERE IN THE STORM. 55:44 AND SO, SOMETIMES WE'VE GOT TO COME TO OUR SENSES WHEN WE'RE 55:47 LIVING IN SIN AND REALIZE THIS IS - YOU'LL DIE IF YOU DO NOT 55:52 COME TO JESUS - IF YOU DON'T CHANGE AND GET THE VICTORY 55:55 THROUGH HIS POWER. YOU'LL NEVER WALK, YOU'LL JUST DIE. 55:59 AND THAT'S WHY MOSES SAID, 'I'VE SET BEFORE YOU TWO CHOICES: LIFE 56:02 AND DEATH, BLESSING AND CURSING - CHOOSE LIFE.' 56:06 AND THAT'S WHAT THIS LESSON IS REALLY ABOUT. 56:08 HEY FRIENDS, DON'T FORGET OUR FREE OFFER. 56:10 IT'S 'CAN A SAVED MAN CHOOSE TO BE LOST?' 56:14 AND WE'LL SEND IT TO YOU, JUST ASK. 56:16 IT'S OFFER #112 WHEN YOU CALL THE NUMBER AND THE NUMBER AGAIN 56:19 IS 866-788-3966 - THAT'S 866-STUDY-MORE. 56:25 THANK YOU FOR STUDYING WITH US TODAY AND, LORD WILLING, WE'LL 56:28 DO IT AGAIN NEXT WEEK. >>IMPACT YOUR WORLD. 56:33 THE AMAZING FACTS CENTER OF EVANGELISM IS THE FIRST AND 56:36 ORIGINAL BIBLE TRAINING SCHOOL OPERATING FOR OVER TEN YEARS. 56:40 YOU'LL RECEIVE PRACTICAL TRAINING IN PERSONAL AND PUBLIC 56:42 EVANGELISM. LEARN HOW TO GIVE DYNAMIC PUBLIC 56:45 PRESENTATIONS. GIVE COMPELLING CHRIST-CENTERED 56:47 BIBLE STUDIES AND ALL WHILE GAINING A PERSONAL, 56:49 DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF GOD. LEARN FROM DOUG BATCHELOR AND 56:53 OTHER WORLD-CLASS EVANGELISTS. >>THE WORLD IS FULL OF BUSY 56:56 THINGS PEOPLE ARE DOING. THERE'S A LOT OF WORK YOU CAN 56:58 DO: BUILD HOUSES, YOU CAN FIX CARS BUT, ULTIMATELY, WHEN JESUS 57:03 COMES THE HOUSES WILL BURN AND THE CARS WILL MELT. 57:05 THE ONLY WORK THAT IS REALLY GOING TO LAST FOREVER IS WHEN 57:09 HEARTS ARE TRANSFORMED. AND THIS IS WHY THE WORK OF 57:12 AFCOE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT WORK IN THE WORLD. 57:14 BECAUSE THE RESULTS - CHANGED LIVES - WILL LAST THROUGH 57:17 ETERNITY. >>TO ENROLL TODAY, VISIT 57:20 'AFCOE.ORG' OR CALL 916-209-7249. 57:27 >>IN SIX DAYS GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH. 57:32 FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS MAN HAS WORSHIPED GOD ON THE SEVENTH DAY 57:35 OF THE WEEK. NOW, EACH WEEK, MILLIONS OF 57:38 PEOPLE WORSHIP ON THE FIRST DAY. WHAT HAPPENED? 57:42 WHY DID GOD CREATE A DAY OF REST? 57:44 DOES IT REALLY MATTER WHAT DAY WE WORSHIP? 57:47 WHO WAS BEHIND THIS GREAT SHIFT? 57:49 DISCOVER THE TRUTH BEHIND GOD'S LAW AND HOW IT WAS CHANGED. 57:53 VISIT SABBATHTRUTH.COM. (MUSIC) |
Revised 2014-12-17