Participants: Pr. Doug Batchelor
Series Code: CSH
Program Code: CSH021432
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00:01 (MUSIC)
00:45 >>WELCOME TO SACRAMENTO SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH 00:47 RIGHT HERE IN SUNNY CALIFORNIA. 00:49 WE'RE SO GLAD THAT YOU ARE TUNING IN. 00:51 WHETHER YOU'RE LISTENING ON THE RADIO, WATCHING LIVE ON OUR 00:54 WEBSITE AT 'SACCENTRAL.ORG', OR WATCHING ON THE VARIOUS 00:57 TELEVISION NETWORKS, IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW YOU'RE JOINING US 01:00 WE'RE JUST GLAD THAT YOU ARE. WE KNOW THAT MANY OF YOU ARE 01:03 PART OF OUR EXTENDED FAMILY THAT WATCH EVERY WEEK FROM ACROSS THE 01:07 COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD AND WE'RE SO GLAD THAT TODAY IS NO 01:10 EXCEPTION AND YOU ARE READY TO SING SONGS WITH US. 01:13 WE'RE ALL READY HERE AT SACRAMENTO CENTRAL AND SO WE 01:16 INVITE YOU TO TURN IN YOUR HYMNALS TO #511 AS WE BEGIN 01:20 CENTRAL STUDY HOUR AND WE ARE GOING TO SING THE FIRST, SECOND 01:24 AND THIRD STANZAS - LET'S DO THE FIRST, 01:27 SECOND AND FOURTH STANZAS OF #511. 01:29 THIS IS A REQUEST FROM GODFREY IN INDIA, ADA, JEAN, ESTA, 01:33 GLORIA, AND STELLA MARIE IN ITALY AND ALSO I'M GOING TO ADD 01:35 IN THERE WALTER ALDRIDGE WHO IS - TWO OF HIS SIBLINGS ARE UP 01:39 HERE SINGING TODAY AND HE'S IN ITALY RIGHT NOW SO HI WALTER, IF 01:43 YOU'RE WATCHING. JOY, ALLEN AND JANICE IN THE 01:45 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES AND GODFREY IN INDIA. I ALREADY SAID GODFREY 01:49 SO EXTRA SPECIAL WELCOME TO GODFREY IN INDIA. 01:52 FIRST, SECOND AND FOURTH STANZAS - 'I KNOW WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED'. 01:56 (MUSIC) 04:10 >>THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SENDING IN YOUR FAVORITE SONGS 04:13 AND I KNOW THERE ARE SO MANY MORE OF YOU. 04:16 I WAS JUST LOOKING AT THE LIST OF REQUESTS THIS WEEK AND WE'RE 04:19 ALMOST AT 20,000 REQUESTS AND THAT'S NOT ALL OF THEM THAT 04:23 WE'VE HAD SINCE 2004 WHEN WE STARTED LETTING YOU PICK THEM ON 04:27 OUR WEBSITE, SO IT'S VERY EXCITING. 04:29 WE HAVE SUNG THROUGH MANY OF THOSE 20,000 REQUESTS BUT IF WE 04:34 HAVE NOT GOTTEN TO YOUR SONG YET, DON'T FEAR. 04:37 I'M SURE ONE DAY WE WILL DO THAT. 04:40 OUR NEXT SONG - OUR NEW SONG - WAIT, I NEED TO TELL YOU THAT IF 04:44 YOU DO HAVE A FAVORITE THAT YOU WANT TO SING WITH US AND WE 04:46 HAVEN'T DONE IT YET, YOU CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE AT 04:49 'SACCENTRAL.ORG', CLICK ON THE 'CONTACT US' LINK, AND YOU CAN 04:52 SEND IN ANY SONG THAT'S HERE IN THE HYMNAL. 04:55 OUR NEW SONG, AS WE CONTINUE WORKING OUR WAY THROUGH THE 04:58 HYMNAL SINGING THE SONGS WE DON'T KNOW - #146 IS A BEAUTIFUL 05:03 SONG THAT WE'RE GOING TO LEARN TOGETHER TODAY. 05:06 WE'RE GOING TO DO ALL THREE STANZAS AND THIS IS FROM SANDY, 05:09 VERN, JAMIE, AND JENNY IN NORTH CAROLINA, AND OLIVIA IN 05:12 WASHINGTON. LET'S ALL SING TOGETHER #146. 05:17 (MUSIC) 06:46 >>WASN'T THAT BEAUTIFUL? I LOVE THAT NEW SONG. 06:49 THANK YOU SO MUCH. AT THIS TIME LET'S BOW OUR HEADS FOR PRAYER. 06:53 FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE BEAUTIFUL WORDS 06:58 OF THIS NEW SONG. WE IMAGINE BEING LITTLE CHILDREN BACK 2,000 07:06 YEARS AGO, CLIMBING ON YOUR LAP AND BEING BLESSED BY YOU. 07:11 FATHER, WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DAY WHEN ALL YOUR CHILDREN 07:16 WILL BE GATHERED TOGETHER AND WE'LL BE WITH YOU IN HEAVEN AND 07:20 WE CAN STILL CLIMB ON YOUR LAP AND TALK TO YOU FACE TO FACE. 07:25 PLEASE HELP US TO BE READY FOR THAT DAY AND WE PRAY THAT WE 07:29 WILL SHARE THE GOOD NEWS WITH OTHERS. 07:32 WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BLESSING US, FOR LOVING US, AND 07:35 FOR TAKING CARE OF US. BE WITH OUR SPEAKER AS HE BRINGS 07:39 US OUR LESSON STUDY. IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN. AT THIS TIME OUR 07:44 LESSON STUDY WILL BE BROUGHT TO US BY PASTOR DOUG BATCHELOR. 07:52 >>MORNING. THANK YOU DEBBIE, MUSICIANS, SINGERS. 07:58 APPRECIATE THAT. I ENJOY LEARNING THESE 07:59 NEW SONGS. HOW IS EVERYONE? 08:05 WELCOME TO THOSE WHO ARE STUDYING WITH US, OUR EXTENDED 08:08 CLASS AND ALSO THOSE WHO ARE EXTENDED MEMBERS OF THIS 08:13 CHURCH. WE'D LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. 08:15 WE'RE CONTINUING OUR STUDY DEALING WITH THE SUBJECT OF THE 08:19 TEACHINGS OF JESUS AND OUR LESSON - IN A MOMENT WE'LL GET 08:22 TO LESSON #6, BUT WE HAVE A FREE OFFER THAT DEALS WITH THE 08:27 GROWING IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE AND IT'S 'LIFE IN THE SPIRIT.' 08:31 IF YOU'D LIKE THIS BOOK IT'S REALLY A CLASSIC, BY JOE CREWS, 08:34 AND IT'S - WE'VE GOT A NEW COVER ON IT. IT'S BEEN VERY POPULAR. 08:37 WE'VE REPRINTED IT SEVERAL TIMES. 'LIFE IN THE SPIRIT' - 08:40 IF YOU'VE NOT READ THIS THEN PLEASE ASK FOR IT. IT'S FREE. 08:43 PLEASE JUST CALL THE NUMBER ON THE SCREEN AND ASK FOR OFFER 08:47 #155. THE PHONE NUMBER - 866-STUDY-MORE - 08:51 THAT'S 866-788-3966. ASK FOR THE FREE BOOK 08:56 'LIFE IN THE SPIRIT' - OFFER #155. 08:59 NOW OUR LESSON TODAY IS DEALING WITH 'GROWING IN CHRIST.' WE 09:03 TALKED LAST WEEK ABOUT HOW TO BE SAVED AND ONCE YOU ACCEPT CHRIST 09:08 THEN HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS? 09:13 AND WE HAVE A MEMORY VERSE. 09:15 A LOT OF THE LESSON IS BASED UPON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN, JESUS' 09:19 ENCOUNTER WITH NICODEMUS, AND THE MEMORY VERSE IS FROM THAT 09:23 CHAPTER - JOHN 3 - AND THAT'S JOHN 3:3. 09:27 I ALWAYS LIKE IF YOU COULD SAY THE MEMORY VERSE WITH ME IF 09:29 YOU'RE READY - JOHN 3:3 - READY? IT'S THE NEW KING JAMES VERSION. 09:34 "JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID TO HIM, 'MOST ASSUREDLY, I SAY TO YOU, 09:39 UNLESS ONE IS BORN AGAIN, HE CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD.'" 09:45 NOW NOT ONLY IS IT TRUE THAT UNLESS YOU'RE BORN AGAIN YOU 09:49 WILL NOT BE IN THAT KINGDOM AND SEE IT WITH YOUR NEW EYES; 09:53 UNLESS YOU'RE BORN AGAIN YOU CAN'T SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD NOW 09:57 BECAUSE JESUS SAID, 'THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND.' SO THERE'S A 10:00 NEW BIRTH THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN NOW IN THIS LIFE. AND SO IN OUR 10:05 LESSON TODAY WE'RE GOING TO EXPLORE GROWING IN CHRIST. 10:11 THE SANCTUARY - YOU KNOW THE BIBLE SANCTUARY? 10:15 IT'S AN ILLUSTRATION OF HOW TO BE SAVED AND IN THE VERY MIDDLE 10:21 OF IT IS THE PRESENCE OF GOD IN THE HOLY OF HOLIES AND MAN IS ON 10:26 THE OUTSIDE. HE'S SEPARATED. THE WHOLE OBJECT OF THE 10:29 SANCTUARY IS GETTING BACK TO GOD. 10:32 WE'VE BEEN SEPARATED FROM GOD. THERE'S ONE DOOR. 10:35 JESUS IS THE DOOR. YOU MUST FIRST COME TO THE CROSS 10:38 - THAT'S THE ALTAR - AND THEN THERE'S BAPTISM - THAT'S THE 10:41 LAVER - THERE'S A WASHING THAT TAKES PLACE. 10:43 THEN AFTER THE WASHING - AFTER YOU ACCEPT CHRIST AND YOU ACCEPT 10:47 THE SACRIFICE AND YOU'RE WASHED, THERE'S THE SANCTUARY - THE HOLY 10:51 PLACE. IN THE HOLY PLACE THERE ARE HOW MANY THINGS? 10:55 THREE THINGS. WHAT ARE THEY? YOU'VE GOT THE BREAD, 11:01 CANDLESTICK, ALTAR OF INCENSE. REMEMBER THAT. 11:05 THOSE THREE THINGS REPRESENT THE LIFE OF SANCTIFICATION GROWING 11:09 IN CHRIST. THE BREAD IS WHAT? A SYMBOL OF THE WORD OF GOD, 11:16 RIGHT? MAN DOESN'T LIVE BY BREAD ALONE 11:17 BUT BY EVERY WORD THAT COMES FROM THE LORD. 11:20 SO ONE OF THE THINGS YOU MUST DO TO GROW IN CHRIST - YOU NEED TO 11:23 HAVE - HOW OFTEN DO YOU NEED TO READ THE BIBLE? 11:27 GIVE US THIS DAY OUR? DAILY BREAD. 11:31 THAT'S NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT THE FOOD YOU EAT. 11:33 YOU CAN ACTUALLY FAST AND SOME OF US WOULD BENEFIT FROM THAT, 11:36 BUT DON'T FAST FROM THE WORD OF GOD. AND GOD SUPPLIED MANNA 11:40 FOR THEM SIX DAYS A WEEK - TWICE AS MUCH ON FRIDAY - SO THEY 11:44 COULD STILL EAT SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, RIGHT? DAILY BREAD. 11:47 AND SO WE NEED TO HAVE - DO YOU HAVE A DAILY DEVOTIONAL LIFE? 11:54 YOU'D BE SURPRISED HOW OFTEN I MEET PEOPLE THAT HAVE GONE TO 11:57 CHURCH FOR YEARS AND THEY'VE BEEN RAISED IN THE CHURCH AND 11:59 EDUCATED IN THE CHURCH AND - I TALKED TO A MAN LAST WEEK I 12:02 WON'T TELL YOU WHERE - AND HE SAID, 'I WANT TO BE REAL 12:06 CHRISTIAN.' AND I SAID, 'ALRIGHT, LET'S START AT THE 12:09 BEGINNING. DO YOU HAVE A DAILY' - HE'S BEEN 12:12 COMING TO CHURCH FOR ALL HIS LIFE. 12:14 DIDN'T FEEL LIKE THERE'S SOMETHING REAL. 12:16 I SAID, 'DO YOU READ YOUR BIBLE EVERY DAY?' 12:17 'NO.' I'M ASHAMED TO TELL YOU THAT IN MY QUIET MOMENTS I'VE 12:20 TALKED TO OTHER PASTORS AND I'VE SAID, 'DO YOU READ YOUR 12:23 BIBLE EVERY DAY?' 'NO.' BOY, THAT'S BASICS FRIENDS. 12:28 IF YOU WANT TO GROW IN CHRIST - IF YOU'VE GOT A PHYSICAL BODY 12:31 AND IT'S GOT PHYSICAL NEEDS AND IF YOU DON'T TAKE CARE OF THOSE 12:34 PHYSICAL NEEDS YOU FEEL IT PRETTY QUICK. 12:36 YOU HAVE A SPIRITUAL BODY THAT HAS SPIRITUAL NEEDS AND IF YOU 12:39 DON'T TAKE CARE OF THOSE NEEDS YOU'RE GOING TO FEEL IT. 12:42 AND ONE OF THE MOST ELEMENTARY NEEDS IS YOU'VE GOT TO EAT. 12:46 YOU KNOW, A DOCTOR MIGHT ASK YOU - WHEN YOU GO AND YOU SAY, 'I'M 12:49 NOT FEELING GOOD.' AND HE'LL SAY, 'WELL, HOW'S YOUR 12:51 APPETITE?' 'I DON'T HAVE MUCH OF AN 12:52 APPETITE.' THERE'S A PROBLEM. AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE A 12:55 SPIRITUAL APPETITE FOR THE BREAD OF LIFE, THERE'S A PROBLEM. 12:59 SOMETIMES IT'S BECAUSE WE'RE EATING JUNK FOOD - WE HAVE NO 13:02 APPETITE AT DINNERTIME FOR THE GOOD FOOD. 13:06 YOU EVER HAVE YOUR MOTHER SAY, 'DON'T EAT THAT STUFF NOW, YOU 13:09 WON'T WANT TO EAT THE GOOD STUFF LATER.' 13:12 HOW MANY OF YOU HEARD THAT SPEECH GROWING UP? 13:15 A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR DAY AND AGE HAVE NO APPETITE FOR GOD'S 13:19 WHOLESOME BREAD BECAUSE WE'RE SO FULL OF JUNK FOOD. 13:23 THE DEVIL'S GOT LOTS OF THINGS - THERE'S LOTS OF SECULAR 13:26 ENTERTAINMENT OUT THERE THAT WILL RUIN YOUR SPIRITUAL 13:29 APPETITE. AND SO YOU'VE GOT TO EAT THE BREAD OF LIFE. 13:33 THE OTHER THING WAS THERE WAS THAT ALTAR OF INCENSE. 13:36 WHAT DID THAT REPRESENT? PRAYER. IT ACTUALLY TELLS YOU IN 13:39 REVELATION THIS WAS A SYMBOL OF THE PRAYERS OF THE SAINTS. 13:43 AND SO YOU NEED TO READ THE WORD OF GOD. YOU NEED TO PRAY. 13:48 PRAYER IS LIKE THE BREATH OF THE SOUL. 13:52 HOW LONG CAN YOU GO WITHOUT EATING? 13:57 PROBABLY 40 DAYS. JESUS DID. ACTUALLY, ONE MAN, DURING 14:02 A HUNGER STRIKE IN IRELAND, HE WENT 80 DAYS AND THE BRITISH 14:08 GOVERNMENT SAID THEY WERE NOT GOING TO FORCE FEED HIM. 14:10 THEY LET HIM DO HIS HUNGER STRIKE AND HE FINALLY DIED. 14:13 I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU REMEMBER THAT. 14:15 PART OF THE I.R.A. BACK THEN. I WAS SHOCKED. 14:19 A MAN WILLINGLY STARVED HIMSELF TO DEATH. 14:21 SO YOU CAN GO LONGER THAN 40 DAYS BUT YOUR BODY WILL ACTUALLY 14:24 START TO CANNIBALIZE ITSELF AFTER A WHILE. 14:27 FASTING A FEW DAYS IS PROBABLY GOOD FOR YOU AT TIMES, BUT YOU 14:32 START TO FEEL IT IF YOU MISS A MEAL, RIGHT? 14:34 YOU EVER HEARD SOMEONE - DINNER IS TEN MINUTES LATE - 14:35 'I'M STARVING.' WE'RE REALLY NOT STARVING BUT YOU NOTICE IT WHEN 14:42 YOU DON'T EAT. HOW LONG CAN YOU GO WITHOUT BREATHING? 14:45 NOT VERY LONG. I CAN PROBABLY HOLD MY BREATH LONGER THAN MOST 14:50 OF YOU BECAUSE I - I USED TO PRACTICE. I GREW UP SWIMMING AND 14:56 WE HAD SWIMMING POOLS IN FLORIDA. THEN I SNORKEL AND I 14:59 SKIN DIVE - DO ANY OF YOU KNOW WHAT FREE DIVING IS? 15:02 IT'S WHERE YOU JUST TAKE YOUR SNORKEL AND YOUR MASK AND YOU GO 15:04 DOWN WITHOUT A SCUBA TANK - WE ALSO SCUBA DIVE - AND YOU 15:07 HYPERVENTILATE A LITTLE BIT FIRST AND SO I CAN GO FOUR 15:09 MINUTES. TRY THAT. DON'T DO IT RIGHT NOW. 15:13 WE'LL BE CALLING - IT'S HARD TO GO THAT LONG. 15:15 BUT IF YOU DON'T BREATHE - WHAT DO THEY SAY? 15:18 DOCTOR SAYS FIVE OR TEN MINUTES. IF YOU DROWN IN COLD WATER YOU 15:21 MIGHT LAST LONGER - MAYBE 20 MINUTES. 15:24 THEY'VE HAD PEOPLE THAT WERE UNDER WATER 20 MINUTES BUT IT 15:26 WAS COLD WATER SO IT CLOSED DOWN THE BODY SYSTEM AND THEY WERE 15:30 RECOVERED WITHOUT ANY BRAIN DAMAGE. RIGHT DR. STONE? YEAH. 15:34 BUT IF IT'S - YOU'RE WARM - YOU GO FIVE OR TEN MINUTES WITHOUT 15:38 AIR YOU CAN DIE OR HAVE BRAIN DAMAGE. 15:43 AND WHAT DOES A LIGHT REPRESENT IN THE SANCTUARY? 15:48 AND - LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE BEFORE MEN - SHARING YOUR FAITH. 15:53 SO HERE'S THREE THINGS I'M TALKING ABOUT TO GROW: 15:55 READ YOUR BIBLE, PRAY, TELL OTHER PEOPLE. 16:00 IF YOU ARE SHARING YOUR FAITH, YOUR OWN FAITH WILL GROW. 16:03 AS YOU GIVE IT AWAY YOU GET TO KEEP IT. 16:05 YOU DON'T GET TO KEEP IT IF YOU DON'T GIVE IT AWAY. 16:06 NOW, JESUS IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. 16:08 JESUS IS THE BREAD OF LIFE. JESUS IS OUR HIGH PRIEST THAT 16:12 INTERCEDES. JESUS IS ALL THOSE THINGS. 16:14 BUT ALSO, THOSE THINGS IN THE HOLY PLACE REPRESENT THE KEYS - 16:18 THE SECRETS TO HAVING A SPIRITUAL LIFE. 16:21 GET INVOLVED IN SOME MISSION WORK - SOME WAY OF USING YOUR 16:26 FAITH TO SHARE CHRIST. THERE'S LOTS OF WAYS TO DO IT. 16:30 YOU MAY NOT BE A PREACHER OR A MISSIONARY OR BE COMFORTABLE 16:33 GIVING BIBLE STUDIES - BE PART OF A SMALL GROUP. 16:36 GO ON A MISSION PROJECT - HELP BUILD A CHURCH. 16:39 THERE'S SOMETHING EVERYBODY CAN DO. 16:41 AND SO, SHARE YOUR FAITH, LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE SOMEHOW - GIVE 16:44 AWAY TRACTS - I MEAN, EVERYBODY CAN BUY LITERATURE AND LEAVE IT 16:46 LAYING AROUND AT HAIR SALONS OR SOMEWHERE. 16:50 YOU CAN PROBABLY TELL I WENT TO A HAIR SALON THIS WEEK. 16:55 ACTUALLY, THERE'S A STORY BEHIND THIS. 16:57 I WAS GIVING MYSELF A HAIRCUT AND, YOU MEN, YOU KNOW YOU'VE 17:01 GOT THOSE LITTLE BEARD TRIMMERS THAT KIND OF HOLD IT OFF SO FAR 17:04 AND I JUST - YOU KNOW, I JUST WANTED TO GET A SUMMER HAIRCUT 17:06 AND SHORTEN IT A LITTLE BIT. 17:07 I LIKE IT SHORT ENOUGH TO WHERE I DON'T HAVE TO FUSS WITH IT AT 17:09 ALL - IT'S, YOU KNOW - AND THE THING FELL OFF - THE LITTLE 17:13 SEPARATOR/CLIPPER THING FELL OFF AND I WAS GOING...AND I WENT, 17:16 'OH NO!' AND I WENT UP THERE AND I THOUGHT, 'OH, I'M COMMITTED 17:19 NOW.' SO I JUST...IT'LL GROW, YOU KNOW. 17:25 WHEN YOU - IT DOESN'T MATTER THAT MUCH FOR ME. 17:28 AND KAREN WAS ONLINE LAST NIGHT AND SHE WAS WATCHING A CAMP 17:32 MEETING SOMEWHERE AND SHE JUST YELPED OUT LAUGHING AND SHE 17:35 SAID, 'LOOK AT THIS. DAVID ASSHERICK JUST SHAVED HIS 17:37 HEAD ALSO.' I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU SAW THAT CAMP MEETING. 17:41 AND YOU CAN TELL BECAUSE HE'S GOT A SUNTAN EXCEPT ALL AROUND 17:44 HERE IS WHITE SO IT'S NEW. ANYWAY - SO I WAS GOING TO SEND 17:48 HIM AN E-MAIL AND SAY, 'WE'RE BROTHERS NOW.' HOW'D I GET ON 17:53 THAT SUBJECT? OKAY, YOU'VE GOT TO BE 17:55 BORN AGAIN. LET'S GET TO OUR LESSON. 17:57 SO NICODEMUS - NICODEMUS IS ONLY MENTIONED IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN, 18:02 BUT HE'S MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES. 18:03 THE NAME 'NICODEMUS' ACTUALLY IS A GREEK NAME AND - ANY OF YOU 18:09 EVER HEARD OF NIKE SHOES? NIKE COMES FROM THE GREEK WORD 18:13 'VICTORY'. AND NICODEMUS MEANS 'VICTORY OF 18:16 THE PEOPLE' - WHICH IS INTERESTING. 18:18 HE WAS A PHARISEE AND PART OF THE SANHEDRIN. 18:24 PHARISEES WERE A PEOPLE - 'PHARA' - THAT MEANT SEPARATED 18:28 ONES - PHARASH - 'TO SET APART; THE SEPARATED ONES' - AND JESUS 18:34 NOT ONLY DENOUNCED THEM IN THE STRONGEST TERMS, BUT IN SOME 18:38 WAYS HE COMMENDED THEM. HE SAID, 'UNLESS YOUR 18:40 RIGHTEOUSNESS EXCEEDS THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE PHARISEES 18:44 YOU WILL NOT ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.' MEANING IT NOT ONLY 18:47 NEEDED TO BE A DIFFERENT TYPE BUT A HIGHER QUALITY OF 18:50 RIGHTEOUSNESS. BUT THEY WERE VERY PARTICULAR. 18:53 REMEMBER THAT PHARISEE STOOD AND PRAYED, 'LORD, THANK YOU THAT 18:56 I'M NOT LIKE OTHER MEN.' VERY RIGHTEOUS GROUP. 18:59 THEY WERE VERY GODLY - VERY PARTICULAR AND HOLY - AND SOME 19:02 OF THEM WERE GOOD. A NUMBER OF THE PHARISEES - YOU 19:05 READ IN ACTS - CAME AROUND AND ENDED UP FOLLOWING JESUS. 19:08 SO THEY WERE SEEKING AFTER GOD. 19:11 THERE WERE MAINLY THREE - POSSIBLY FOUR GROUPS THAT YOU 19:15 HAD - RELIGIOUS GROUPS IN THE TIME OF CHRIST. 19:17 YOU HAD THE PHARISEES - VERY - THE MOST RELIGIOUS, YOU HAD THE 19:22 SADDUCEES - THEY WERE VERY LIBERAL. 19:27 THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE THERE WERE SPIRITS OR A RESURRECTION. 19:30 YOU HAD THE ZEALOTS AND THEY WERE MORE A POLITICAL BRANCH 19:33 THAT WANTED TO OVERTHROW - THEY WERE KIND OF THE NATIONALISTIC 19:35 GROUP - ONE OF CHRIST'S APOSTLES WAS ZELOTES AND HE WAS PROBABLY 19:42 AMONG THE ZEALOTS. AND BARABBAS WAS A ZEALOT. 19:45 AND THEN YOU HAD THE ESSENES - THE BIBLE DOESN'T SAY MUCH ABOUT 19:48 THEM BUT JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS PROBABLY ASSOCIATED WITH THAT 19:51 GROUP. THEY WERE SEPARATISTS - VERY HOLY - A LOT OF WASHINGS 19:56 AND BAPTISMS. THEY LIVED AROUND THE DEAD SEA. 19:58 AND SO IT WAS IN THAT CONTEXT NICODEMUS WANTED TO TALK TO 20:02 JESUS BUT BECAUSE THE PHARISEES HAD DENOUNCED JESUS, HE CAME BY 20:07 NIGHT. YOU KNOW IT SAYS THREE TIMES IN 20:08 THE BIBLE HE IS THE ONE WHO CAME AT NIGHT. 20:12 NOW ONE REASON HE CAME AT NIGHT IS NOT, PERHAPS, BECAUSE HE WAS 20:15 ASHAMED TO BE SEEN WITH JESUS DURING THE DAY; HE WANTED A 20:18 PRIVATE AUDIENCE WITH JESUS. JESUS WAS HARD TO GET ALONE, 20:21 BUT ALSO NICODEMUS WAS SOMEWHAT FAMOUS. 20:24 YOU KNOW IN THE JEWISH WRITINGS IT MENTIONS A PERSON BY THE NAME 20:30 OF NICODEMUS, THE SON OF GORDIAN, WHO LIVED DURING THE 20:35 TIME OF THE ROMAN EMPEROR VESPASIAN AND IT WAS SAID THAT 20:39 HE WAS SO RICH HE COULD SUPPORT ALL THE INHABITANTS OF JERUSALEM 20:43 FOR TEN YEARS. AND THAT'S WRITTEN IN 'ADAM 20:46 CLARK'S COMMENTARY.' THE BIBLE DOES SAY NICODEMUS WAS RICH. 20:50 HE HELPED PAY FOR THAT HUNDRED POUNDS OF MYRRH THAT WAS USED TO 20:55 ANOINT JESUS. EARLY IN JESUS' MINISTRY HE CAME ALONE. 20:58 AT THE END OF CHRIST'S LIFE HE CAME OPENLY AND WAS INVOLVED AS 21:03 A DISCIPLE AND HELPED SUBSIDIZE THE CHURCH, NO DOUBT, IN THOSE 21:06 EARLY DAYS. HE CAME TO JESUS AND HE HAD SOME QUESTIONS. 21:10 NOW I'M GOING TO HAVE SOME OF YOU READ SOME VERSES. 21:12 WE'VE GOT A MICROPHONE THERE AND I DON'T KNOW - YEP, WE HAVE A 21:15 MICROPHONE OVER HERE. WHO HAS JOHN 3:3? 21:17 WE WANT YOU TO READ THAT AGAIN. I KNOW IT'S IN OUR MEMORY VERSE 21:20 BUT WE'LL - YOU'VE GOT THAT RIGHT THERE? 21:22 WE'LL HAVE YOU READ THAT IN JUST A MOMENT. 21:24 AND IT SAYS HERE - REMEMBER WE READ THAT YOU NEED TO BE BORN 21:33 AGAIN, BUT EZEKIEL 18:30, VERSE 32 - WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? 21:39 EZEKIEL 18:30-32, "'REPENT, AND TURN FROM ALL YOUR 21:43 TRANSGRESSIONS, SO THAT INIQUITY WILL NOT BE YOUR RUIN. 21:47 CAST AWAY FROM YOU ALL THE TRANSGRESSIONS WHICH YOU HAVE 21:50 COMMITTED, AND GET YOURSELVES A NEW HEART'" - SO THE CONCEPT OF 21:55 A NEW HEART AND A NEW LIFE IS NOT JUST A NEW TESTAMENT 21:58 CONCEPT. YOU FIND THIS, ALSO, IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. 22:02 GO AHEAD AND READ THAT VERSE FOR US - JOHN 3:3. 22:06 >>JOHN 3:3, "JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID TO HIM, 22:09 'MOST ASSUREDLY, I SAY TO YOU, UNLESS ONE IS BORN 22:13 AGAIN, HE CANNOT SEE THE KINGDOM OF GOD.'" 22:17 >>NOW DOES JESUS SAY IT MAY BE MORE DIFFICULT TO SEE THE 22:18 KINGDOM OR YOU CANNOT? IS THAT CLEAR? 22:22 AND HE SAYS 'UNLESS YOU'RE BORN AGAIN.' THIS IS A CRITERIA - 22:27 'YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN' CHRIST SAID. 22:30 NOW WHEN NICODEMUS HEARD THAT THIS WAS A MUST AND SOMETHING 22:33 YOU HAD TO DO, IMMEDIATELY HE THOUGHT, 'I WANT TO MAKE SURE I 22:36 DON'T MISUNDERSTAND WHAT HE'S SAYING.' AND THEN HE STARTS TO 22:38 ASK THE OBVIOUS, I MEAN, IT'S ACTUALLY RIDICULOUS. 22:42 HE SAID, 'HOW CAN A MAN, WHEN HE'S OLD, ENTER INTO HIS 22:46 MOTHER'S WOMB AGAIN AND BE BORN A SECOND TIME?' 22:49 I MEAN, YOU KNOW, HE KNEW JESUS DIDN'T MEAN THAT. 22:52 SO HE WAS SAYING, 'TELL ME EXACTLY WHAT YOU MEAN BECAUSE 22:55 YOU'RE SAYING UNLESS THIS HAPPENS I CANNOT BE SAVED. 22:58 AFTER ALL I'VE DONE AS A PHARISEE AND THE EXACT WAY WE 23:01 FOLLOW THE TEACHINGS OF MOSES, I CANNOT BE SAVED?' 23:04 HE WANTED TO MAKE SURE HE UNDERSTOOD THAT. 23:07 JESUS SAID, 'HOW CAN YOU, A TEACHER IN ISRAEL, NOT 23:09 UNDERSTAND THESE THINGS. THEN - THAT'S ONE REASON I'M 23:12 READING THIS OLD TESTAMENT PASSAGE - HE SAID, 'YOU NEED TO 23:15 GET A NEW HEART.' WHERE DO YOU BUY A NEW HEART? 23:19 WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT A HEART TRANSPLANT. 23:21 THE BIBLE SAYS, 'AS A MAN THINKS IN HIS HEART.' WHERE DO YOU GET 23:24 A NEW MIND? THIS IS A GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 23:29 JEREMIAH 31:33, "BUT THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH 23:34 THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT 23:38 MY LAW IN THEIR MINDS, AND WRITE IT ON THEIR HEARTS; AND I WILL 23:43 BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE." 23:45 THE CONCEPT OF HAVING THE LAW OF GOD IN YOUR HEART GOES WAY BACK 23:48 BEFORE EVEN JEREMIAH. DEUTERONOMY CHAPTER 6. 23:52 YOU REMEMBER IN CHAPTER 5 MOSES GIVES THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 23:56 FOR THE LAST TIME? IN CHAPTER 6 HE SAYS, 'HEAR, O 23:59 ISRAEL, THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE. THOU SHALT LOVE THE LORD THY GOD 24:02 WITH ALL YOUR HEART. THESE WORDS I COMMAND YOU TODAY 24:05 SHALL BE IN YOUR HEART.' OF COURSE IT'S TALKING ABOUT 24:09 THE MIND. WE USE THE HEART - I MEAN, 24:11 VALENTINES DAY YOU GIVE SOMEONE A CARD SHAPED LIKE A HEART AND 24:16 IT'S ALWAYS THAT PRETTY KIND OF NEBULOUS-LOOKING HEART. 24:20 YOU WOULDN'T REALLY GIVE THEM SOMETHING THAT LOOKED LIKE THE 24:23 ACTUAL PUMP WITH SEVERED ARTERIES. 24:26 I MEAN, THAT WOULDN'T LOOK VERY ROMANTIC. 24:28 BUT WHEN YOU SAY YOU'RE GIVING A PERSON YOUR HEART, WHAT DO YOU 24:31 REALLY MEAN? YOUR AFFECTIONS. IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING 24:34 FROM THE NECK UP, NOT IN THE CHEST. 24:36 SOMETIMES YOU FEEL SOMETHING IN THE CHEST WHEN YOUR HEART IS 24:40 ACHING, BUT IT REALLY BEGINS IN THE BRAIN. 24:44 SO YOU NEED TO BE BORN AGAIN. A.W. TOZIER SAID, 24:50 "THERE ARE" - OH WAIT A SECOND - I WANT TO GET 24:51 SOMEONE SET UP FOR THE NEXT VERSE. 24:53 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17 - WHO HAS THAT? 24:56 2 CORINTHIANS 5 - WE GAVE OUT THAT SLIP - OVER HERE? 24:59 LET'S GET YOU - PUT YOUR HAND UP SO HE'S SEES YOU - 25:01 WITH THE MICROPHONE. ALRIGHT, A.W. TOZIER SAID, 25:05 "THERE ARE TWO SPIRITS ABROAD IN THE EARTH. THE SPIRIT THAT WORKS 25:08 IN THE CHILDREN OF DISOBEDIENCE AND THE SPIRIT OF GOD. 25:11 THESE CAN NEVER BE RECONCILED IN TIME OR IN ETERNITY. 25:15 THE SPIRIT THAT DWELLS IN THE ONCE-BORN IS FOREVER OPPOSED TO 25:19 THE SPIRIT THAT INHABITS THE HEART OF THE TWICE-BORN." 25:23 SOMEONE SAID, 'IF YOU'RE BORN ONCE, YOU WILL DIE TWICE. 25:28 IF YOU'RE BORN TWICE, YOU WILL ONLY DIE ONCE." 25:32 IF YOU'RE BORN ONCE YOU DIE THE SECOND DEATH - YOU DIE TWICE - 25:36 BUT IF YOU'RE BORN TWICE - MEANING BORN PHYSICALLY AND THEN 25:41 LATER BORN SPIRITUALLY, YOU WILL ONLY DIE ONCE. YOU MAY NOT DIE 25:42 AT ALL IF YOU'RE ALIVE AND REMAIN WHEN THE LORD COMES, 25:44 RIGHT? 'GOD' - SOMEONE SAID - 'HAS NO GRANDCHILDREN.' 25:49 YOU CANNOT BE SAVED BY VIRTUE OF HAVING PARENTS THAT ARE IN THE 25:52 CHURCH, YOU MUST HAVE A PERSONAL CONVERSION EXPERIENCE - 25:57 A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD. IT'S GOT TO BE REAL. 26:01 NOW YOU REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED TO KING SAUL WHEN 26:03 THE HOLY SPIRIT CAME ON HIM? HE WAS - 26:07 KING SAUL STARTED OUT GOOD AND GOD - SAMUEL THE 26:11 PROPHET SAID TO HIM, 'THEN THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD WILL COME 26:14 UPON YOU AND YOU WILL PROPHECY WITH THEM AND YOU WILL BE TURNED 26:17 INTO ANOTHER MAN.' WOULDN'T YOU SAY THAT'S ANOTHER WAY OF 26:20 TALKING ABOUT THE NEW BIRTH? THE SPIRIT OF GOD COMES ON YOU 26:23 AND YOU ARE A NEW MAN. YOU ARE A DIFFERENT PERSON. 26:25 AND THAT LEADS US TO OUR VERSE WE'RE GOING TO READ. 26:28 SO GO AHEAD AND READ FOR US 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17. 26:33 >>"THEREFORE, IF ANYONE IS IN CHRIST, HE IS A NEW CREATION; 26:37 OLD THINGS HAVE PASSED AWAY; 26:40 BEHOLD, ALL THINGS HAVE BECOME NEW." 26:44 >>SO THIS IS A WORK OF THE SPIRIT, BEING BORN AGAIN. 26:49 HOW DO YOU SCHEDULE THE NEW BIRTH WITH GOD? 26:53 HOW DO YOU PUT YOUR ORDER IN? DO YOU APPLY? 26:56 WHERE DO YOU GO AND CLICK ON AND SAY, 'I'D LIKE TO DOWNLOAD A NEW 26:59 HEART?' HOW DO YOU ACTUALLY DO THAT? 27:05 WELL, THE BIBLE SAYS IT'S THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 27:09 YOU CANNOT ALWAYS SCHEDULE THE HOLY SPIRIT BUT YOU CAN DO 27:11 EVERYTHING YOU KNOW HOW TO DO PHYSICALLY TO INVITE THE SPIRIT 27:16 TO WORK ON YOUR HEART. FOR ONE THING, A CHANGE OF HEART 27:20 COMES BECAUSE WE SEE HIS LOVE FOR US. WE LOVE HIM. 27:24 OUR HEARTS CAN BE BROKEN BECAUSE WE SEE HIS LOVE FOR US. 27:27 THE HEART OF PETER WAS BROKEN AT THE CROSS. 27:29 THE HEART OF JOHN WAS BROKEN AT THE CROSS. 27:32 AND AS WE BEHOLD THE GOODNESS OF GOD AND HIS SACRIFICE FOR US, 27:35 THE HOLY SPIRIT MOVES UPON OUR HEARTS. 27:38 WE CAN MAKE A CHOICE THROUGH PRAYER. 27:41 EVEN THOUGH WE MAY NOT FEEL LIKE IT WE CAN CHOOSE TO PRAY AND 27:43 SAY, 'LORD, I WANT TO GIVE YOU MY HEART. 27:47 I MAY NOT FEEL LIKE IT. I MAY WANT TO CHANGE MY MIND IN 27:49 TEN MINUTES, BUT I KNOW IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO. 27:51 I WANT TO CHOOSE TO GIVE YOU MY HEART. TAKE MY WILL. 27:53 DO IN ME WHAT I CANNOT DO FOR MYSELF.' SURRENDER. 27:57 TURN YOURSELF UPSIDE DOWN. EMPTY YOURSELF. 28:00 SAY, LORD, I AM WILLING FOR YOU TO FILL MY LIFE. 28:02 MAKE ROOM, CONSCIOUSLY, WITH THE WILL THAT YOU DO HAVE, FOR THE 28:07 HOLY SPIRIT TO COME INTO YOUR LIFE AND THEN GOD CAN BEGIN TO 28:11 DO THINGS FOR YOU. YOU KNOW, GOD REALLY MAKES A 28:13 NOTE - YOU GIVE HIM PERMISSION, WHEN YOU SAY THINGS IN YOUR 28:18 PRAYERS, THAT HE OTHERWISE DOES NOT HAVE. 28:22 AND, YOU KNOW, IF A POLICEMAN KNOCKS ON YOUR DOOR AND SAYS, 28:28 YOU KNOW, 'I'D LIKE TO SEARCH YOUR HOUSE.' YOU SAY, 'GO 28:31 AHEAD.' HE HAS A RIGHT TO SEARCH YOUR HOUSE. 28:33 BUT IF YOU SAY, 'NO.' HE'S GOT TO GO BACK TO A JUDGE AND IT 28:36 TAKES A BIG PROCESS FOR HIM TO GET A WARRANT TO BE ABLE TO 28:39 SEARCH YOUR HOUSE. BUT IF YOU GIVE HIM PERMISSION, 28:41 WHEN HE STOPS YOU ON THE ROAD, TO SEARCH YOUR CAR, WITH YOUR 28:44 WORDS HE CAN THEN SEARCH YOUR CAR. 28:47 YOU MAY NOT EVEN WANT HIM TO BUT IF YOU SAY IT, HE CAN. 28:50 AND SO WHAT YOU SAY GIVES LEGAL PERMISSION FOR GOD TO BEGIN TO 28:57 DO THINGS IN YOUR HEART THROUGH YOUR PRAYERS. 29:00 EVEN THOUGH YOU MAY NOT FEEL LIKE IT, YOU CAN ASK HIM. 29:05 SO THE NEW BIRTH - THAT CHANGE OF HEART - THAT MIRACLE POWER OF 29:07 THE HOLY SPIRIT CAN HAPPEN THROUGH PRAYER. 29:10 DAVID PRAYED - PSALM 51 - "CREATE" - NOTICE HE DOESN'T 29:14 SAY, 'REPAIR IN ME THE OLD HEART?' HE SAYS, "CREATE IN ME 29:18 A NEW HEART." THIS MAN WAS SELLING HIS HOUSE 29:26 AND THE BUYER CAME BY AND THE MAN SAID, 'I'M SORRY, WE'LL TRY 29:30 AND FIX UP THE SHADES AND I KNOW IT NEEDS A LITTLE PAINT AND THE 29:32 FENCE IN THIS PLACE IS A LITTLE RICKETY. 29:34 WE'LL FIX IT UP.' AND THE MAN SAID, 'DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT 29:36 BECAUSE I PLAN ON TEARING DOWN THE HOUSE AND BUILDING A NEW ONE 29:38 SO DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME ON THE OLD ONE.' AND GOD DOES NOT 29:43 REMODEL OUR LIVES SO MUCH AS 'OLD THINGS ARE PASSED AWAY' - 29:48 HOW MUCH IS MADE NEW? 'ALL THINGS ARE MADE NEW. 29:51 THE THINGS YOU ONCE LOVED YOU WILL HATE' - WHEN YOU'RE 29:54 CONVERTED - THE MUSIC I ONCE LOVED I HATE. 29:57 THE FOOD I ONCE LOVED I HATE. THE FRIENDS I ONCE HUNG AROUND 30:03 WITH I AVOIDED. I MEAN, JUST EVERYTHING STARTS 30:07 TO CHANGE WHEN YOU GO THROUGH THIS NEW BIRTH. 30:10 AND THE THINGS YOU ONCE HATED YOU LOVE. 30:13 I MEAN, IT'S JUST A WHOLE CHANGE IN YOUR ACTIONS - IN YOUR 30:16 ATTITUDES. BUT THE CONCEPT OF A NEW BIRTH 30:20 IS NOT JUST A NEW TESTAMENT CONCEPT. 30:23 EVEN MOSES TALKED ABOUT CIRCUMCISING THE FORESKIN OF 30:25 YOUR HEART. IT'S A HEART TRANSFORMATION. 30:29 NOW YOU MAY NOT FEEL ANYTHING RIGHT AWAY, BUT YOU PRAY AND YOU 30:34 GIVE YOURSELF TO THE LORD. SOME PEOPLE, THEY'RE CONVERTED 30:36 LIKE THAT. IT'S JUST - IT'S AN INSTANTANEOUS, DRAMATIC, 30:41 EMOTIONAL UPHEAVAL - A CONVULSION - AND THEY BECOME 30:44 NEW. I'VE SEEN IT HAPPEN THAT WAY. AND THEN I'VE SEEN IT WHERE 30:47 IT'S LIKE A LITTLE BREAK IN THE DAM AND IT STARTS WITH A TRICKLE 30:51 AND LITTLE BY LITTLE GOD BEGINS TO WORK IN A PERSON'S LIFE UNTIL 30:55 PRETTY SOON THEY LOOK BACK AND THEY'RE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. 30:58 AND IT CAN HAPPEN IN DEGREES AND IT CAN HAPPEN INSTANTLY. 31:02 DON'T EVER QUESTION - GOD CAN DO IT INSTANTLY. 31:04 NOW, BECAUSE A PERSON CAN CHANGE SOME OF THE OUTWARD BEHAVIOR, 31:09 DOES NOT MEAN THE INSIDE HAS BEEN REBORN. 31:11 THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS IN THE CHURCH IS THE 31:14 CHURCH IS FULL OF PEOPLE THAT STILL AREN'T CONVERTED. 31:16 THEY MAY BE MORAL PEOPLE. THEY MAY BE GOOD PEOPLE. 31:19 THEY MAY BE HONEST PEOPLE, BUT THEY'RE NOT BORN AGAIN YET. 31:22 NICODEMUS AND OTHERS, THEY WERE GOOD, MORAL PEOPLE BUT MAYBE 31:29 THEY WEREN'T BORN AGAIN. IN THE BOOK 'STEPS TO CHRIST' 31:32 PAGE 58, THERE E.G. WHITE SAYS, "IT IS TRUE THAT THERE MIGHT BE 31:38 AN OUTWARD CORRECTNESS OF DEPORTMENT WITHOUT THE RENEWING 31:40 POWER OF CHRIST. THE LOVE OF INFLUENCE - THE 31:43 DESIRE FOR THE ESTEEM OF OTHERS MAY PRODUCE A WELL-ORDERED LIFE. 31:47 SELF-RESPECT MAY LEAD US TO AVOID THE APPEARANCE OF EVIL. 31:50 A SELFISH HEART MAY PERFORM GENEROUS ACTIONS." 31:54 THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'VE BEEN CONVERTED. 31:56 THERE NEEDS TO BE A NEW LIFE IN THE SPIRIT, WHICH IS OUR NEXT 32:01 SECTION. MATTHEW CHAPTER 7 - THERE'LL BE A FRUIT DIFFERENCE. 32:09 HOW DO YOU KNOW IF A PERSON'S BEEN CONVERTED? 32:12 "A GOOD TREE CANNOT BEAR BAD FRUIT, NOR CAN A BAD TREE BEAR 32:16 GOOD FRUIT. EVERY TREE THAT DOES NOT BEAR 32:19 GOOD FRUIT IS CUT DOWN AND THROWN INTO THE FIRE. 32:21 THEREFORE BY THEIR FRUITS YOU WILL KNOW THEM." 32:24 IF THERE'S BEEN A CHANGE IN THE HEART, THERE'LL BE A DRAMATIC 32:27 DIFFERENCE IN THE FRUIT IN THE LIFE. 32:30 TITUS 3, VERSE 7 - I'M SORRY, TITUS 3:5 THROUGH 7, "NOT BY 32:35 WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH WE HAVE DONE, BUT ACCORDING TO HIS 32:38 MERCY HE SAVED US, THROUGH THE WASHING OF REGENERATION AND 32:42 RENEWING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT," - NOTICE IT'S WASHING - IT'S A 32:47 RENEWING - IT'S A REGENERATION - IT'S SOMETHING THAT MAY BE A 32:51 SANCTIFYING PROCESS THAT HAPPENS IN THE LIFE - "WHOM HE POURED 32:55 OUT ON US ABUNDANTLY THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR SAVIOR, THAT 32:59 HAVING BEEN JUSTIFIED BY HIS GRACE WE SHOULD BECOME HEIRS 33:03 ACCORDING TO THE HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE." THE LORD CHANGES US 33:07 GRADUALLY SOMETIMES - SOMETIMES IT'S DRAMATICALLY. 33:11 GALATIANS 6:15, "FOR IN CHRIST JESUS NEITHER CIRCUMCISION NOR 33:16 UNCIRCUMCISION AVAILS ANYTHING, BUT A NEW CREATION." 33:21 WE NEED TO BE BORN AGAIN. IT'S A NEW LIFE IN CHRIST. 33:28 THE OLD LIFE IS NOT TO BE RENOVATED. 33:31 YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER - YOU EVER HEARD THE EXPRESSION 33:33 'LOCK, STOCK, AND BARREL?' I USED THAT EXPRESSION FOR YEARS 33:37 BEFORE I EVEN KNEW WHAT IT MEANT. THEN I HEARD THE STORY 33:39 BEHIND IT. YEARS AGO, WHEN THEY HAD THESE 33:41 OLD FLINT LOCK RIFLES - A VERY SIMPLE MECHANISM. 33:46 YOU HAD THE WOODEN STOCK OF THE RIFLE, YOU HAD THE BARREL AND 33:49 YOU HAD THE LOCK, WHICH WAS THE TRIGGER MECHANISM. 33:53 AND THIS OLD FARMER CAME INTO THE GUNSMITH AND HE SAID, 'MY 33:55 GUN'S GOT SOME PROBLEMS.' AND THE SMITH LOOKED IT OVER AND HE 34:00 SAID, 'YEAH, IT LOOKS PRETTY WORN OUT.' AND THE FARMER SAID, 34:04 'WELL, I THINK IF YOU COULD JUST FIX UP THE BARREL AND GET ME A 34:08 NEW STOCK AND REPAIR THE LOCK' - HE SAYS - 'THEN IT WOULD BE 34:12 OKAY.' YOU KNOW, HE'D GROWN ATTACHED TO IT. 34:14 HE KIND OF WAS AFFECTIONATELY - HAD THAT RIFLE FOR YEARS. 34:19 AND THE GUNSMITH SAID, 'WELL, YOU'RE ASKING FOR A NEW LOCK, 34:21 STOCK AND BARREL - YOU MAY AS WELL GET A NEW RIFLE.' AND SO 34:26 THE LORD IS NOT WANTING TO PATCH US BACK UP. HE WANTS TO 34:29 MAKE US A NEW CREATURE. YOU BECOME A NEW PERSON. 34:33 AND WITHOUT A MIRACLE WE CAN'T DO THIS. 34:37 SOMEONE LOOK UP FOR ME - I'M GOING TO GET TO THIS IN JUST A 34:40 SECOND - 1 JOHN 2, VERSE 28. WHO HAS THAT? 34:45 WE'LL GET YOU A MICROPHONE OVER HERE. SOME OF YOU REMEMBER A 34:50 COUPLE OF YEARS AGO THERE WERE A COUPLE OF YOUNG MEN THAT WERE 34:54 TORMENTING SOME TIGERS IN THE SAN FRANCISCO ZOO? 34:58 AND ONE OF THE TIGERS SOMEHOW GOT OUT OF ITS CAGE AND, I 35:02 THINK, KILLED ONE MAN AND MAULED THE OTHER. 35:05 AND THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT SHOULD THEY EUTHANIZE THESE 35:08 TIGERS BECAUSE THEY WERE DANGEROUS? 35:10 AND I THINK THEY CONCLUDED THAT THE TIGER WAS ACTING EXACTLY 35:12 LIKE THE TIGER WAS SUPPOSED TO ACT. BUT PEOPLE WERE PROVOKING 35:17 IT. YOU KNOW THAT VERSE IN JEREMIAH 13? 35:21 "CAN THE ETHIOPIAN CHANGE HIS SKIN OR THE LEOPARD ITS SPOTS? 35:24 YOU MIGHT DO GOOD WHO ARE ACCUSTOMED TO DO EVIL." 35:29 THE FRUIT IN OUR LIVES IS THE OUTGROWTH OF WHAT'S ON THE 35:32 INSIDE OF OUR HEART. I GOT A BIRTHMARK. HAD IT ALL MY LIFE. 35:38 IT'S BECAUSE IT COMES FROM THE INSIDE OUT AND ALL OF US HAVE 35:45 BEHAVIOR THAT SEEMS TO CONTINUE TO COME OUT. 35:47 WE CAN TRY AND SUPPRESS AND ALTER WITH HUMAN EFFORT AND, YOU 35:52 KNOW, SOME THINGS CAN BE ACHIEVED BUT - THERE'S ALL KINDS 35:54 OF PROGRAMS YOU CAN GO TO, BUT THE REAL KEY IS IF THE HEART IS 35:59 CHANGED THEN THE BEHAVIOR ON THE OUTSIDE FLOWS OUT DIFFERENTLY. 36:04 DOES A LEOPARD HAVE TO TRY TO GROW SPOTS OR DOES IT JUST 36:10 HAPPEN NATURALLY? IF YOU AND I WANT TO HAVE THE 36:14 RIGHT FRUIT THEN WHERE THE EFFORT NEEDS TO BE IS A CHANGE 36:19 ON THE INSIDE AND, BY INVITING THE LORD TO CHANGE OUR HEARTS 36:23 AND TO FOCUS ON THE INSIDE, THE WORKS OF CHRISTIANITY BECOME 36:26 NATURAL WHEN THE HEART IS CHANGED. 36:29 SO MANY PEOPLE FIND THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION DRUDGERY 36:33 BECAUSE THEY ARE TRYING TO CHANGE SOMETHING ON THE OUTSIDE 36:38 THAT IS COMING BASED ON WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE INSIDE. 36:41 IT'S LIKE THE OLD ILLUSTRATION THAT YOU'VE GOT A CRABAPPLE TREE 36:44 THAT PRODUCES CRABAPPLES. 36:46 NOW A CRABAPPLE MIGHT HAVE GREAT FRUIT STOCK - THE TREE ITSELF - 36:49 BUT THE APPLES ARE GOING TO BE SOUR. 36:51 AND IF YOU TIE GRAVENSTEIN OR RED DELICIOUS OR FUJI APPLES ON 36:56 A CRAB APPLE TREE, THAT MIGHT FOOL PEOPLE FOR A LITTLE WHILE, 37:00 BUT EVENTUALLY IT'S GOING TO KEEP PRODUCING CRAB APPLES. 37:04 IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE WHAT THAT TREE IS GOING TO DO, YOU'VE 37:07 ACTUALLY GOT TO TAKE A CHAINSAW AND YOU CUT THAT THING OFF 37:10 PRETTY LOW ON THE TRUNK AND YOU GRAFT IN A WHOLE NEW KIND OF 37:13 TWIG AND THEN YOU HAVE DIFFERENT APPLES. 37:19 YOU CAN TAKE A CRABAPPLE TREE AND GRAFT IN RED DELICIOUS, 37:22 GRAVENSTEIN, FUJI - DID YOU KNOW THAT? 37:25 YEAH, I'VE GOT A FRIEND HE'S GOT LIKE TWELVE DIFFERENT KINDS OF 37:27 APPLES ON ONE TREE. YOU CAN GRAFT - THIS IS MORE 37:31 THAN YOU ASKED FOR BUT - WITH CITRUS FRUIT - YOU CAN GRAFT 37:35 VIRTUALLY ANY KIND OF CITRUS ON A CITRUS STALK. 37:38 YOU CAN HAVE ONE TREE THAT WILL HAVE MANDARINS, ORANGES, 37:41 GRAPEFRUITS. YOU CAN TAKE A WALNUT TREE AND 37:45 YOU CAN GET BLACK WALNUTS, ENGLISH WALNUTS - WHATEVER ELSE. 37:47 YOU CAN TAKE STONE FRUIT - PEACH - YOU CAN HAVE PLUMS ON THAT 37:51 TREE, CHERRIES - YOU CAN HAVE ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF STONE 37:53 FRUIT ON THAT ONE STALK. AND ON ONE APPLE STOCK YOU CAN 37:56 GRAFT IN ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF APPLE TREES. 37:58 HOW MANY OF YOU KNEW THAT? YEAH, YOU CAN - SOME OF THESE 38:01 TREES, ONCE YOU'RE IN THEIR KIND, YOU CAN GRAFT ALL KINDS OF 38:04 DIFFERENT THINGS. YOU CAN'T GRAFT AN ORANGE INTO 38:07 AN APPLE. YOU'VE HEARD THAT EXPRESSION? 38:09 'DIFFERENT AS APPLES AND ORANGES.' BUT YOU CAN GRAFT 38:13 STONE FRUIT - PLUMS, NECTARINES, PEACHES - INTO A GOOD STALK AND 38:19 THERE MAY BE SOME EXCEPTIONS TO THAT BUT IN MANY CASES THEY'LL 38:23 DO JUST FINE. ANYWAY, BUT THERE'S GOT TO BE A 38:25 CHANGE IN THE ROOT OF IT. ALRIGHT, THAT IS A GOOD SEGUE 38:29 INTO 'ABIDING IN CHRIST,' WHICH IS OUR NEXT SECTION. 38:33 AND WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD AND READ FOR US - 38:36 I BELIEVE IT'S 1 JOHN 2:28. 38:39 >>"AND NOW, LITTLE CHILDREN, ABIDE IN HIM; THAT WHEN HE 38:42 SHALL APPEAR, WE MAY HAVE CONFIDENCE, AND NOT BE ASHAMED 38:46 BEFORE HIM AT HIS COMING." 38:48 >>'LITTLE CHILDREN ABIDE IN HIM.' DOES THAT SOUND SIMILAR? 38:51 TURN IN YOUR BIBLES TO JOHN 15 - I WAS JUST GOING TO READ JOHN 38:56 15:5 BUT I THOUGHT, 'WELL, I MAY AS WELL READ MORE OF THAT 38:58 CHAPTER BECAUSE THAT'S THE ESSENCE OF THE WHOLE SEGMENT 39:04 TEACHING THAT JESUS HAS ABOUT ABIDING. GO TO VERSE 1 - 39:07 JOHN 15:1 - "I AM THE TRUE VINE," - MEANING THERE ARE FALSE 39:11 ONES OUT THERE - "AND MY FATHER IS THE VINEDRESSER. 39:15 EVERY BRANCH IN ME" - NOW WAIT A SECOND. YOU KNOW WHAT THAT'S A 39:18 PICTURE OF? THE FATHER IS THE VINEDRESSER. 39:25 THE FATHER IS WANTING US TO BE ABIDING IN HIS SON, CHRIST. 39:30 THE FATHER'S NOT ASKING US TO ABIDE IN HIM, BUT TO ABIDE IN 39:34 THE ONE HE SENT IN HIS NAME. AND THE FATHER IS DOING ALL HE 39:38 CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE PRUNED PROPERLY AND WE ARE BEING 39:41 FRUITFUL AND THAT WE ARE ABIDING IN CHRIST. 39:44 "I AM THE TRUE VINE, AND MY FATHER IS THE VINEDRESSER. 39:48 EVERY BRANCH IN ME" - YOU KNOW, READ THROUGH THE NEW TESTAMENT - 39:52 JUST TYPE IN THE WORDS 'IN CHRIST' - FIND OUT - THAT'S ONE 39:55 OF PAUL'S FAVORITE TEACHINGS - IN CHRIST - EVERYTHING IS IN THE 39:58 LORD - IN CHRIST - YOU NEED TO BE ABIDING IN HIM - "EVERY 40:01 BRANCH IN ME THAT DOES NOT BEAR FRUIT HE TAKES AWAY; AND EVERY 40:04 BRANCH THAT BEARS FRUIT HE PRUNES, THAT IT MAY BEAR MORE 40:08 FRUIT." ANOTHER REASON THIS IS AN 40:10 IMPORTANT VERSE - YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME THAT TEACH THAT 40:13 ONCE YOU ARE SAVED YOU CANNOT BE LOST. 40:15 DOESN'T JESUS SAY THERE ARE BRANCHES THAT ARE IN HIM THAT 40:18 ARE NOT BEARING FRUIT THAT WILL BE TAKEN AWAY? 40:22 ISN'T THAT WHAT IT JUST SAID? SO THE IDEA THAT ONCE YOU ARE IN 40:24 CHRIST YOU CANNOT BE LOST - JESUS DOESN'T TEACH THAT. 40:28 "EVERY BRANCH IN ME THAT DOES NOT BEAR FRUIT...HE PRUNES IT 40:31 THAT IT MAY BEAR MORE FRUIT." AND IF WE DON'T BEAR FRUIT 40:35 WE'RE CAST AWAY. "YOU ARE ALREADY CLEAN BECAUSE 40:40 OF THE WORD WHICH I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU. ABIDE IN ME AND I IN YOU 40:44 AS A BRANCH CANNOT BEAR FRUIT OF ITSELF." 40:47 YOU HAVE A GRAPEVINE - I SHOULD HAVE BROUGHT ONE IN TODAY - 40:50 YOU HAVE A GRAPEVINE AND YOU DISCONNECT IT, YOU HAVE A LITTLE 40:54 BRANCH, THE LITTLE TWIGS THAT GO OFF THE GRAPE BRANCH - YOU 40:57 DISCONNECT IT - IT'S NOT GOING TO BEAR FRUIT. 40:59 IF IT WAS STARTING FRUIT IT WILL SHRIVEL. IT JUST DIES. 41:03 "AS THE BRANCH CANNOT BEAR FRUIT OF ITSELF, UNLESS IT 41:07 ABIDES IN THE VINE, NEITHER CAN YOU, UNLESS YOU ABIDE IN ME." 41:10 SO FOR US TO HAVE THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT - LOVE, JOY, PEACE, 41:15 SO FORTH - WE NEED TO SPEND OUR TIME MAKING SURE THAT 41:18 WE ARE REMAINING ATTACHED TO JESUS. 41:23 AND THAT'S THROUGH THAT DEVOTION LIFE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT. 41:26 DAILY WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE ATTACHED TO JESUS. 41:30 YOU EVER DONE ANY GRAFTING? YOU CAN GRAFT GRAPES TOO, YOU 41:33 KNOW, ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF GRAPES. 41:34 YOU CAN HAVE ONE GRAPEVINE THAT'LL HAVE SEVERAL DIFFERENT 41:36 KINDS OF GRAPES ON IT. THAT'S TRUE. 41:39 YOU CAN TAKE A BRANCH FROM A RED - OR WHAT DO YOU CALL IT? 41:44 SEEDLESS - RED SEEDLESS - OR FROM A CONCORD OR DIFFERENT 41:48 KINDS - AND YOU CAN HAVE ONE GRAPEVINE THAT WILL HAVE ALL 41:51 DIFFERENT KINDS OF GRAPES ON IT. BUT WHEN YOU GRAFT THEM, 41:56 IT'S A DELICATE PROCESS. YOU MAKE A CAREFUL CUT, YOU'VE 41:58 GOT TO CUT THE BRANCH DOWN WHILE IT'S STILL GREEN. 42:01 YOU HAVE TO DO IT WHILE IT'S GOT THE LIFE AND THE SAP IN IT AND 42:05 YOU MAKE A 'V' IN IT AND YOU CAN STICK IT IN THERE. 42:08 YOU CAN WRAP IT - THEY ALSO HAVE A SUBSTANCE YOU CAN PAINT ON IT 42:10 TO MAKE SURE IT STAYS DRY - THAT IT STAYS MOIST - THAT IT DOESN'T 42:13 DRY OUT AND THE SAP WILL BEGIN TO FLOW BETWEEN THEM AND PRETTY 42:17 SOON IT STARTS TO HEAL THE SPOT WHERE IT GRAFTED AND IT GROWS 42:20 STRONG. YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ANYMORE. 42:24 BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE CARED FOR. 42:26 WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GRAFTED INTO CHRIST AND THAT WE 42:29 ARE DRAWING SAP - WE'RE DRAWING LIFE FROM HIS SPIRIT. 42:32 IF WE'RE DOING THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE FRUITS. 42:35 THE FRUITS WILL COME BECAUSE THE MIND OF CHRIST ENDS UP BEING 42:38 YOUR MIND AND THE LIFE OF CHRIST STARTS BEING YOUR LIFE. 42:43 SO IT'S ALL ABOUT ABIDING IN HIM. "ABIDE IN ME, AND I IN YOU. 42:47 AS THE BRANCH CANNOT BEAR FRUIT OF ITSELF, UNLESS IT ABIDES IN 42:49 THE VINE, NEITHER CAN YOU, UNLESS YOU ABIDE IN ME. 42:53 I AM THE VINE, YOU ARE THE BRANCHES. 42:55 HE WHO ABIDES IN ME, AND I IN HIM, BEARS MUCH FRUIT; WITHOUT 42:59 ME YOU CAN DO NOTHING. IF ANYONE DOES NOT ABIDE IN ME, 43:03 HE IS CAST OUT AS A BRANCH AND IS WITHERED; AND THEY GATHER 43:07 THEM AND THROW THEM INTO THE FIRE, AND THEY ARE BURNED. 43:11 IF YOU ABIDE IN ME, AND MY WORDS ABIDE IN YOU, YOU WILL ASK WHAT 43:15 YOU DESIRE AND IT SHALL BE DONE FOR YOU. 43:18 BY THIS MY FATHER IS GLORIFIED, THAT YOU BEAR MUCH FRUIT;" - THE 43:21 PURPOSE OF OUR LIVES IS TO BEAR FRUIT FOR THE GLORY OF GOD. 43:24 - "SO YOU WILL BE MY DISCIPLES. AS THE FATHER LOVED ME, I ALSO 43:28 HAVE LOVED YOU; ABIDE" - THERE'S THAT WORD AGAIN - "IN MY LOVE. 43:33 IF YOU KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS, YOU WILL ABIDE" - NOTICE THAT, THE 43:37 COMMANDMENTS ARE CONNECTED WITH ABIDING - "IF YOU KEEP MY 43:39 COMMANDMENTS, YOU WILL ABIDE IN MY LOVE JUST AS I HAVE KEPT MY 43:42 FATHER'S COMMANDMENTS AND ABIDE IN HIS LOVE." 43:45 HOW DOES HE WANT US TO KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS? AS HE KEPT 43:47 HIS FATHER'S COMMANDMENTS. DOES THAT LEAVE ANY DOUBT? 43:51 "THESE THINGS I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU, THAT MY JOY MAY REMAIN IN 43:54 YOU, AND THAT YOUR JOY MAY BE FULL." 43:57 SO THIS WHOLE PASSAGE ABOUT ABIDING ENDS IN JOY. 44:01 BUT HE JUST MAKES IT SO CLEAR THAT WE NEED TO REMAIN IN CHRIST 44:04 IN ORDER FOR US TO HAVE THAT FRUIT. MARK 4:19 - WHAT KEEP US 44:10 FROM BEARING FRUIT? - "AND THE CARES OF THIS WORLD, 44:14 THE DECEITFULNESS OF RICHES, AND THE DESIRES FOR OTHER THINGS 44:18 ENTERING IN CHOKE THE WORD AND IT BECOMES UNFRUITFUL." 44:24 SOMETIMES WE ARE NOT BEARING FRUIT BECAUSE THE CARES OF THIS 44:27 WORLD, THE DECEITFULNESS OF RICHES, THE DESIRE FOR OTHER 44:30 THINGS CHOKE OUT OUR DESIRE FOR GOD. 44:32 IF WE, THROUGH OUR CHOICE, MAKE THE DESIRE FOR GOD SUPREME IN 44:37 OUR LIVES - SOMEONE TELL ME IF YOU CAN THINK OF ANYTHING - WHAT 44:41 IS MORE IMPORTANT IN LIFE THAN GOD? 44:45 EVERYTHING'S MADE BY GOD. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE 44:48 FOREVER WITH GOD. GOD IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE SO 44:52 WHAT SHOULD OCCUPY OUR THINKING THAT IS WORTHY MORE THAN GOD? 44:58 SO GOD SHOULD BE ALL IN ALL FOR US - IN OUR LIVES - IN OUR 45:03 MINDS. PSALM 80, VERSES 8 AND 9 - THERE'S SOME OLD TESTAMENT 45:09 TEACHING ABOUT THE VINE HERE. 'YOU HAVE BROUGHT A VINE OUT OF 45:13 EGYPT; YOU HAVE CAST OUT THE NATIONS, AND PLANTED IT. 45:16 YOU PREPARED ROOM FOR IT, AND CAUSED IT TO TAKE DEEP ROOT, 45:20 AND IT FILLED THE LAND." 45:21 WHAT WAS THE VINE THAT HE BROUGHT OUT OF EGYPT? 45:24 IT'S HIS PEOPLE - AND JESUS IS A TYPE OF THAT BUT IT WAS ISRAEL. 45:28 NOTICE THIS NEXT ONE - ISAIAH 5:7, "FOR THE VINEYARD OF THE 45:32 LORD OF HOSTS IS THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, AND THE MEN OF JUDAH ARE 45:36 HIS PLEASANT PLANT" - THE VINEYARD IS GOD'S PEOPLE AND THE 45:41 INDIVIDUAL VINES REPRESENT - OR THE VINEYARD, RATHER, IS GOD'S 45:46 NATION - THE INDIVIDUAL VINE IS GOD'S PEOPLE - "HE LOOKED FOR 45:50 JUSTICE, BUT BEHOLD, OPPRESSION; FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS, BUT BEHOLD, A 45:53 CRY FOR HELP." - AND HE SAID, 'AND IF MY VINE 45:55 BRINGS FORTH BITTER GRAPES WHAT WILL I DO? 45:57 BREAK DOWN THE WALL. CUT DOWN THE VINES. 45:59 LET THE WILD BEASTS GO THROUGH IT.' HE WANTS THE FRUIT. 46:01 YOU CAN READ THAT WHOLE PASSAGE THERE IN ISAIAH CHAPTER 5:1 46:04 THROUGH 7. JOHN - I'M SORRY, 1 JOHN 3:6, 46:09 "WHOEVER ABIDES IN HIM DOES NOT SIN." NOW, THAT VERSE - IT'S 46:16 VERY PLAIN - IT SAYS, "WHOEVER ABIDES IN HIM DOES NOT SIN. 46:19 WHOEVER SINS HAS NOT SEEN HIM NEITHER KNOWN HIM." 46:22 DOES THAT MEAN A PERSON WHO IS ABIDING IN HIM NEVER SINS? 46:27 NOT NECESSARILY BECAUSE THE WORD 'SIN' HERE IN THE GREEK 46:30 IS TALKING ABOUT PRACTICES SIN. IT'S NOT REALLY TALKING ABOUT AN 46:35 ISOLATED INCIDENT. IT'S TALKING ABOUT LIVING A LIFE 46:38 OF SIN. IF WE ARE LIVING A LIFE OF 46:40 ABIDING IN JESUS, THAT IS INCONGRUOUS WITH LIVING A LIFE 46:44 OF SIN. THE TWO DO NOT GO TOGETHER. 46:46 THEY DO NOT MIX LIKE OIL AND WATER. AND SO, IF YOU WANT TO 46:49 MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE NOT LIVING A LIFE OF SIN, MAKE SURE 46:52 YOU ARE LIVING A LIFE OF ABIDING IN HIM. AVOIDING SIN IS SO MUCH 46:57 MORE NATURAL WHEN WE ARE ABIDING IN CHRIST. 47:00 PEOPLE WHO ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH TEMPTATION - WHAT DID JESUS 47:03 USE TO FIGHT TEMPTATION? THE WORD OF GOD. 47:08 WHAT IS CHRIST ALSO CALLED? THE WORD OF GOD. 47:11 IF WE'RE ABIDING IN HIM - IF WE'RE FEASTING ON THE WORD - 47:15 DOES THE WORD HELP KEEP US - 'THY WORD I HAVE HIDDEN IN MY 47:19 HEART THAT I MIGHT NOT SIN.' WHAT KEEPS US FROM SIN? 47:25 'THY WORD I HAVE HIDDEN IN MY HEART THAT I MIGHT NOT SIN 47:27 AGAINST YOU.' AND SO THE MORE TIME WE SPEND ABIDING IN CHRIST 47:31 - JESUS IS THE WORD - THE EASIER IT IS FOR US TO LIVE THOSE LIVES 47:35 WHERE HE'S IN US. ALRIGHT, LET ME SEE HERE, I'VE 47:42 GOT ONE MORE SECTION - OH WELL, I TELL YOU WHAT, LET'S GO TO 47:45 'PRAYER' - I WANT TO DEAL WITH THAT. 47:48 MARK 1, VERSE 35 - A CHRISTIAN IS A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST - WHAT 47:55 WAS JESUS' EXAMPLE? "NOW IN THE MORNING, HAVING 47:58 RISEN A LONG WHILE BEFORE DAYLIGHT, HE 48:01 WENT OUT AND DEPARTED TO A SOLITARY PLACE; AND THERE HE 48:04 PRAYED." JESUS MADE TIME FOR PRAYER. 48:09 AND IT SAYS, 'HAVING RISEN A LONG WHILE BEFORE IT WAS 48:13 DAYLIGHT.' YOU KNOW, AT ONE POINT IT SAYS, 'AT THE FOURTH 48:17 WATCH.' HE HAD BEEN IN THE MOUNTAINS PRAYING - AT THE 48:20 FOURTH WATCH HE CAME TO THE DISCIPLES - THAT WAS THREE IN 48:22 THE MORNING. IT'S PRETTY EARLY TO WAKE UP. 48:26 MARTIN LUTHER USED TO WAKE UP ABOUT 3:30 OR 4:00 IN THE 48:28 MORNING EVERY DAY AND HE'D DEVOTE TWO OR THREE HOURS TO 48:31 PRAYER. JOHN WESLEY - WOKE UP EARLY AND SPENT HOURS IN PRAYER. 48:38 GEORGE WHITFIELD, JONATHAN EDWARDS - I'M MENTIONING THESE 48:41 NAMES BECAUSE THESE WERE PEOPLE WHO BROUGHT GREAT REVIVAL AND 48:45 ONE OF THE KEYS TO THE GREAT REVIVAL WAS THE TIME THEY SPENT 48:47 IN COMMUNION WITH GOD - IS PRAYER. 48:51 VERY FEW PEOPLE SPEND A LOT OF TIME PRAYING AND I THINK THAT 48:58 THAT'S THE KEY - THAT'S REALLY THE KEY TO REVIVAL. 49:01 THAT'S KEY TO ABIDING IN HIM - IS JUST PLEADING FOR THAT 49:04 RELATIONSHIP. WHEN YOU ARE NOT IN PRAYER, THE 49:09 DEVIL IS PROBABLY PREYING ON YOU. 49:11 AND SO THE MORE TIME THAT YOU ARE IN PRAYER, THE DEVIL 49:14 TREMBLES WHEN GOD'S PEOPLE PRAY. YOU ARE IMPERVIOUS TO THE 49:18 DEVIL'S ASSAULTS WHEN YOU ARE ON YOUR KNEES. 49:21 DO YOU KNOW IT'S HARD TO PRAY AND SIN AT THE SAME TIME? 49:24 DON'T TRY IT BUT - PRAYER KEEPS YOU. 49:29 JESUS SPENT TIME IN PRAYER. SO THIS IS PART OF LIVING THAT 49:32 NEW LIFE. MATTHEW 6:5 - JESUS SAID, "AND WHEN YOU PRAY, 49:37 YOU SHALL NOT BE LIKE THE HYPOCRITES." 49:39 YOU NOTICE JESUS DIDN'T SAY, 'AND IF YOU PRAY.' JESUS IS 49:43 ASSUMING PRAYER WAS GOING TO BE PART OF THE LIFE OF THE BELIEVER 49:46 SO HE SAID, 'AND WHEN YOU PRAY' - NOT 'IF YOU PRAY.' HE SAID, 49:50 'DON'T PRAY FOR OTHERS TO SEE. YOU KNOW, THEY USED TO PRAY LONG 49:55 PRAYERS IN PUBLIC FOR PEOPLE TO THINK HOW PIOUS THEY WERE AND HE 49:58 SAID, 'PRAY TO YOUR FATHER. HAVE IT TO BE SPONTANEOUS. 50:03 SOMEONE LOOK UP FOR ME MARK 11:24 - WHO HAS THAT VERSE? 50:07 HOLD YOUR HAND UP. OH, YOU'VE GOT THAT RIGHT HERE? 50:08 HOLD YOUR HAND UP. RIGHT OVER HERE. 50:11 SO A MICROPHONE CAN FIND YOU AND A CAMERA AS WELL. 50:17 AND THEN THERE - AND IF YOU'RE GOING TO PRAY, PRAY WITH 50:19 PASSION. JAMES 5:16, "...THE EFFECTIVE, 50:25 FERVENT PRAYER OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN AVAILS MUCH." 50:30 NOW THE FACT THAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT EFFECTIVE FERVENT PRAYERS 50:34 WOULD LEAD ME TO BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE INEFFECTIVE, LISTLESS 50:38 PRAYERS. LET'S BE HONEST WITH EACH OTHER. 50:44 DO YOU SOMETIMES STRUGGLE TO PRAY ORIGINAL PRAYERS? 50:48 I MEAN, IF YOU ARE IN THE HABIT OF PRAYING DAILY YOU WILL FIND 50:51 YOURSELF SAYING THE SAME THING. AND IT ACTUALLY TAKES SOME 50:56 EFFORT TO SAY SOMETHING NEW AND ORIGINAL SO THAT IT'S - AND THAT 51:02 MEANS YOU'VE GOT TO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IN PRAYER. 51:07 IF YOU HAD A DAILY APPOINTMENT WITH THE PRESIDENT AND HE SAID, 51:12 'LOOK, WE'RE GOING TO SPEND FIVE MINUTES TOGETHER EVERY DAY AND 51:15 EVERY DAY YOU SAW HIM YOU SAID THE SAME THING, WOULDN'T YOU 51:17 THINK, 'WELL, THAT SOUNDS KIND OF BORING. 51:20 SAY SOMETHING ORIGINAL. SAY SOMETHING INTRIGUING. 51:23 I'VE GOT FIVE MINUTES TO CONVERSATE WITH THE PRESIDENT. 51:26 WOULDN'T YOU WANT TO - YOU'D THINK IF YOU SAID THE SAME THING 51:32 EVERY DAY YOU'D THINK IT WOULD PROBABLY BE AN INSULT. 51:34 HE'D SEE YOU COMING AND GO, 'UH, HERE IT COMES AGAIN.' 51:38 HAVE YOU HEARD PEOPLE PRAY THAT YOU KNOW AND THEIR PRAYERS 51:42 ALMOST ALWAYS SOUND EXACTLY THE SAME? 51:45 IT'S A STRUGGLE IN OUR FAMILY PRAYERS SINCE WE PRAY IN THE 51:48 MORNING AND WE PRAY AT NIGHT AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S TYPICAL 51:50 THINGS WE ALWAYS PRAY ABOUT - OUR LOVED ONES AND WE PRAY FOR 51:53 HEALTH AND DIFFERENT THINGS, BUT I THINK GOD WANTS TO HEAR US 51:57 SPEAK FROM OUR HEARTS. SO IT'S WORTH INVESTING SOME TIME. 52:02 GOD SAYS, 'COME NOW, LET US REASON TOGETHER.' YOU KNOW WHAT 52:04 THAT'S APPEALING TO? HE WANTS YOU TO THINK. 52:08 THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING TO HIM. 52:09 REASON WITH HIM IN PRAYER. SO IT'S AN EFFECTUAL PRAYER - 52:13 IT'S A FERVENT PRAYER. WHAT DOES 'FERVENT' MEAN? 52:16 PASSIONATE. IT'S FROM THE HEART. 52:19 YOU KNOW WHAT MAKES YOUR PRAYERS THE MOST ELOQUENT? 52:22 IT'S YOUR SINCERITY - YOUR DESPERATION. 52:26 ALRIGHT, GO AHEAD, READ FOR US MARK 11:24. 52:30 >>MARK 11:24, "THEREFORE I SAY TO YOU, WHATEVER THINGS YOU ASK 52:35 WHEN YOU PRAY, BELIEVE THAT YOU RECEIVE THEM, 52:39 AND YOU WILL HAVE THEM." 52:40 >>ALRIGHT, SO HE'S NOT ONLY TELLING US TO PRAY WITH PASSION 52:43 AND PRAY WITH OUR HEADS, HE'S SAYING PRAY WITH FAITH. 52:47 WHENEVER YOU ASK FOR SOMETHING, BELIEVE THAT YOU RECEIVE IT. 52:52 NOW DOES THAT MEAN YOU CAN ASK FOR ANYTHING? 52:53 OR DOES JAMES ALSO SAY, 'IF YOU ASK ANYTHING ACCORDING TO HIS 52:56 WILL?' AND SO, IF YOU ARE ABIDING IN CHRIST, YOU WILL NOT 53:01 BE PRAYING FOR THE WRONG KIND OF THINGS. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? 53:06 BECAUSE YOU'LL BE WANTING GOD'S WILL. I MEAN, EVEN JESUS SAID, 53:09 NOT MY WILL, THY WILL BE DONE. HE WAS FULLY SURRENDERED TO THE 53:12 FATHER'S WILL IN HIS PRAYER. CHRIST'S PRAYERS WERE ALWAYS 53:14 ANSWERED BECAUSE HE ALWAYS PRAYED ACCORDING TO GOD'S WILL, 53:17 RIGHT? AND SO ASK THAT GOD WILL HELP YOU TO KNOW 53:21 HIS WILL BETTER. SOMEONE LOOK UP FOR ME LUKE 9:23. 53:25 WHO HAS THAT? RIGHT OVER HERE. WE'LL GET YOU A MICROPHONE. 53:30 AND THE LAST SECTION IS PROBABLY THE MOST - ONE OF THE MOST 53:38 IMPORTANT - AND IT DEALS WITH DYING TO SELF EVERYDAY. 53:43 PAUL SAYS, IN GALATIANS 2:20, "I HAVE BEEN CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST; 53:47 IT IS NO LONGER I WHO LIVE, BUT CHRIST LIVES IN ME; AND THE LIFE 53:52 WHICH I NOW LIVE IN THE FLESH I LIVE BY FAITH IN THE SON OF GOD, 53:57 WHO LOVED ME AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR ME." 54:00 HARDEST THING IN THE WORLD IS TO DENY OUR NATURAL CARNAL DESIRES 54:06 - IS TO DENY THEY - JUST THE NATURAL, SELFISH INCLINATIONS 54:09 THAT WE ALL HAVE. OKAY, ARE YOU READY? 54:12 GO AHEAD, YOU CAN READ FOR US LUKE 9:23. 54:16 >>LUKE 9:23, "AND HE SAID TO THEM ALL, IF ANY MAN WILL COME 54:20 AFTER ME, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF, AND TAKE UP HIS CROSS DAILY, 54:24 AND FOLLOW ME. 54:26 FOR WHOSOEVER WILL SAVE HIS LIFE SHALL LOSE IT: BUT WHOSOEVER 54:30 WILL LOSE HIS LIFE FOR MY SAKE, THE SAME SHALL SAVE IT." 54:34 >>YOU KNOW WHY I LIKE THIS - I LIKE THIS PASSAGE IN PARTICULAR 54:39 IS BECAUSE HERE IN LUKE, WHEN JESUS MAKES THIS STATEMENT, HE 54:42 INCLUDES A VERY IMPORTANT WORD: 'DAILY' - DAILY. NOT ONLY DO WE 54:48 NEED DAILY BREAD, IT SAYS, 'TAKE UP HIS CROSS DAILY.' IT'S NOT 54:53 SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS ONE TIME BUT PART OF GROWING IN CHRIST 54:56 IS EVERY DAY LAYING YOUR PLANS BEFORE THE LORD. 54:59 DAILY PRAYER, DAILY BREAD, DAILY CHOICE NOT TO LIVE A SELFISH 55:06 LIFE BUT TO LIVE ACCORDING TO GOD'S WILL, DAILY LOOKING FOR 55:09 OPPORTUNITIES - EVERY DAY YOU SHOULD PRAY AND SAY, 'OH LORD, 55:12 HOW CAN I SHARE MY FAITH WITH SOMEONE ELSE TODAY?' AMEN? 55:16 YOU KNOW, BEFORE WE RUN OUT OF TIME, I JUST WANT TO READ 55:18 SOMETHING TO YOU FROM - THIS IS ALSO FROM THE BOOK 'STEPS TO 55:21 CHRIST' AND I LOST THE REFERENCE, I APOLOGIZE. 55:24 IT'S IN THE SECTION ABOUT BEING BORN AGAIN. 55:28 REMEMBER JESUS SAID TO NICODEMUS, 'DON'T MARVEL 55:32 THAT I SAID YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN. 55:33 THE WIND BLOWS WHERE IT WISHES AND YOU HEAR THE SOUND OF IT BUT 55:37 YOU CANNOT TELL WHERE IT CAME OR WHERE IT'S GOING. 55:39 SO IS EVERYONE WHO IS BORN OF THE SPIRIT. 55:42 WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT CAME AT PENTECOST IT CAME LIKE A RUSHING 55:45 WIND, DIDN'T IT? "A PERSON MAY NOT BE ABLE TO TELL THE EXACT 55:49 TIME OR PLACE OR TRACE ALL THE CHAIN OF CIRCUMSTANCES 55:52 IN THE PROCESS OF CONVERSION, BUT THIS DOES NOT PROVE HIM 55:55 UNCONVERTED. CHRIST SAID TO NICODEMUS, 'THE 55:58 WIND BLOWETH WHERE IT LISTETH AND THOU HEAREST THE SOUND 56:00 THEREOF, BUT YOU CANST NOT TELL WHENCE IT COMETH 56:02 AND WHITHER IT GOETH. SO IS EVERYONE THAT IS BORN OF 56:05 THE SPIRIT. JOHN 3:8. LIKE THE WIND, WHICH IS 56:07 INVISIBLE, YET THE EFFECTS OF WHICH ARE 56:10 PLAINLY SEEN AND FELT, IT IS THE SPIRIT OF GOD IN ITS 56:12 WORK UPON THE HUMAN HEART. THAT REGENERATING POWER, WHICH 56:16 NO HUMAN EYE CAN SEE, BEGETS A NEW LIFE IN THE SOUL. 56:20 IT CREATES A NEW BEING IN THE IMAGE OF GOD. 56:23 WHILE THE WORK OF THE SPIRIT IS SILENT AND IMPERCEPTIBLE, ITS 56:26 EFFECTS ARE MANIFEST. IF THE HEART HAS BEEN RENEWED BY 56:30 THE SPIRIT OF GOD, THE LIFE WILL BEAR WITNESS TO THE FACT." 56:34 IT'LL BE SEEN - THE FRUITS WILL BE IN THE LIFE. 56:36 YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO TRACE ALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES - YOU KNOW, I 56:38 MEET THESE PEOPLE AND THEY SAY, 'I REMEMBER THE DAY WHEN THE 56:40 ALTAR CALL WAS MADE AND THE MUSIC THAT WAS PLAYING AND I 56:44 CAME FORWARD AND I ACCEPTED JESUS THAT DAY AND' - SOME OF 56:47 YOU MAY BE ABLE TO PUT YOUR FINGER ON THE DAY. 56:49 I CAN'T DO THAT. BECAUSE FOR ME, IT WAS SORT OF 56:52 LIKE A - IT WAS A TRANSITION THAT I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHEN 56:56 IT STARTED. I KNOW THE RANGE OF TIME. 56:58 IT WAS OVER A PERIOD OF MONTHS. A LOT OF CHANGES WERE HAPPENING. 57:01 I WAS CONVICTED AND IT JUST SORT OF HAPPENED IN STAGES. 57:04 BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS YOU OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO LOOK BACK AND SAY, 57:07 'SOMETHING HAPPENED.' THAT YOU'RE A NEW CREATURE - OLD 57:11 THINGS HAVE PASSED AWAY, ALL THINGS ARE MADE NEW. AMEN? 57:14 WELL, WE'RE OUT OF TIME FOR TODAY'S STUDY. 57:16 I WANT TO REMIND THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING, WE DO HAVE A FREE BOOK 57:18 IF YOU MISSED IT AT THE BEGINNING. 57:20 JUST CALL AND ASK FOR THE BOOK 'LIFE IN THE SPIRIT.' THE 57:22 NUMBER'S ON THE SCREEN. ASK FOR OFFER #155. 57:26 WE'LL SEND IT TO YOU. PLEASE READ IT AND THEN SHARE IT 57:28 WITH SOMEBODY ELSE. AND UNTIL NEXT TIME, GOD BLESS 57:31 YOU AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO STUDYING TOGETHER AGAIN. 57:37 >>DID YOU KNOW THAT NOAH WAS PRESENT AT THE BIRTH OF ABRAHAM? 57:40 OKAY, MAYBE HE WASN'T IN THE ROOM, BUT HE WAS ALIVE AND 57:44 PROBABLY TELLING STORIES ABOUT HIS FLOATING ZOO. 57:47 FROM THE CREATION OF THE WORLD TO THE LAST DAY EVENTS OF 57:50 REVELATION, 'BIBLEHISTORY.COM' IS A FREE RESOURCE WHERE YOU CAN 57:54 EXPLORE MAJOR BIBLE EVENTS AND CHARACTERS. 57:57 ENHANCE YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE BIBLE AND DRAW CLOSER TO GOD'S 58:00 WORD. GO DEEPER. VISIT 'BIBLEHISTORY.COM'. 58:07 (MUSIC) |
Revised 2014-12-17