It was April of 1994
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and a great
controversy was brewing
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in a small African nation.
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Its name was Rwanda.
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For many years,
two people groups
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had dominated the
landscape of that country.
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They were the
Hutus and the Tutsis.
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For years they had learned
to coexist together peacefully.
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They worked
together, they played together,
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they even went
to church together
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but all that changed
one terrible day in 1994,
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when the Hutu
president boarded his plane
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in order to go on
an international trip,
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but minutes after takeoff,
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his plane was shot down.
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He was murdered and
assassinated in cold blood.
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Nobody knew who did it or why.
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Immediately the
Hutus and the government
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blamed the rival Tutsis.
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And through a series of
brainwashing and propaganda,
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they put the word out
that the Tutsis were to blame,
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that they are the
enemies of this country
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and that in order for
this country to survive,
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all Tutsis must be exterminated.
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And so for the next few weeks,
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when the sun went down at night,
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Hutus would arm themselves
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with machetes and
clubs and other weapons,
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they would begin to
scour their villages
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in their neighborhoods,
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they would burst into the
homes of their Hutu neighbors,
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raped the women
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and butchered the
men and the children.
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And in about 100 days,
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800,000 people lost their lives
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in that bloodstained nation.
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And all the while the
United States said nothing,
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the United Nations did nothing,
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the world turned a
blind eye to the massacre.
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It was the worst conflict
that ever hit the African soil.
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Perhaps some of
you may remember that.
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But, you know,
Revelation talks about
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another great controversy,
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one that is far worse
than the Rwandan genocide,
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one that surpasses
any World War put together
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on the face of the earth.
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Revelation calls it
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the controversy
between good and evil
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or this conflict
between Jesus Christ and Satan.
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Because the Bible
tells us that it was Satan
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who first brought woe and
sin and sorrow to this planet.
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That he has been working to try
to pull mankind away from God
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and since that time,
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Jesus has been
working against him.
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The devil has been
trying to destroy us,
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Jesus wants to save us
and to bring us back to God.
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And so as we
study this controversy
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in the Book of Revelation,
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we're going to find out
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that this earth
is the playing field.
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And more specifically,
every decision that we make
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in our heart and our mind
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is another playing field
for that great controversy.
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In fact, tonight,
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we're going to answer
these three questions.
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Number one,
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how did this
great controversy begin?
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Secondly, how did sin
come into our world anyway?
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Where did the devil come from?
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And third, what is the solution?
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And I'm happy to say
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that Revelation
gives some clear answers
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to all three of those questions.
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So I want you
to take your Bibles
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and turn with me to
Revelation Chapter 12.
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And we're going
to begin in verse 7,
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"And war broke out," where?
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"In heaven,
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Michael and his
angels fought with the dragon
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and the dragon
and his angels fought,
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but they did not prevail,
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nor was a place found for
them in heaven any longer.
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So that great
dragon was cast out,
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that serpent of old
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who is called
the devil and Satan,
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who deceives the whole world,
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he was cast to the," where?
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"Earth and his angels
were cast out with him."
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Now we're going to
stop there for a second.
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Right here,
Revelation gives us the picture
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of a great controversy.
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It gives us a
picture of this conflict
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where it says that
Michael and his angels
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fought against the
dragon and his angels.
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And what
Revelation is telling us
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is really the shocking
truth that at one point,
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Satan was a faithful
angel in the courts of heaven.
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Do you realize that?
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Revelation tells us
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that he was once
a mighty cherubim
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who loved God, who honored God,
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who was willing to
follow the principles of God.
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But the Bible also tells us
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that at some
point in his existence,
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Satan lost his
love for his creator.
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It came to the point
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where he began to
plant insidious seeds
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in the minds of the other angels
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that God is not love,
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that God cannot be trusted,
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that holy angels
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should not have to
follow God's principles,
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they should not be
subject to God's laws,
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holy angels should be
able to rule themselves
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and over a period of time
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which the Bible does
not say how much time,
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he continued to plant
the seeds of deception
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until it eventually broke
out in a full scale rebellion
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that a portion of the
angels actually sided with Satan
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and tried to take
over the throne of God.
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And when that
happened, Revelation tells us
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that God was basically forced
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to cast out
Satan and his angels,
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and he became a fallen
angel and he was cast where?
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To this earth.
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You see, it's
actually a sad story to realize
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that sin came into existence
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because one loving angel
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or rather one unfaithful angel
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rebelled against
his loving creator.
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But when you think about it,
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the same
rebellion that he instigated
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in the courts of heaven,
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he has now brought to this earth
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because he plants
the same insidious seeds
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in our minds,
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in mankind that God is not love,
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that God cannot be trusted,
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that mankind is
too sophisticated.
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We need not be
subject to the principles
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and the commandments of God.
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And as a result,
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we have all kinds
of woe, and heartache,
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and sorrow right
here on this earth.
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Because think about it,
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when some of
the angels in heaven
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pulled away from the
principles of God's Word,
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did it bring pain, yes or no?
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Indeed.
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And so here on this earth,
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the more the devil pulls us away
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from the principles of happiness
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contained in the scriptures,
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the more
suffering we begin to see
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on the face of the earth.
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That is the great controversy,
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which Revelation
begins to talk about.
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But, you know,
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Revelation is not the
only book in the Bible
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that gives us a
glimpse into this rebellion.
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I want to go all the way
back to the Old Testament,
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because God gave some of
His Old Testament prophets,
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a bigger window
into this controversy.
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Turn in your Bibles
to Isaiah Chapter 14,
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and I want to start
reading in verse 12.
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You want to go
to Isaiah Chapter 14
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and what you're
going to read here
00:08:02.54\00:08:03.88
is actually rather interesting.
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God actually gave Isaiah
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a picture into what was going on
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in the heart of
Satan when he rebelled.
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The Bible was
actually going to reveal
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his innermost thoughts.
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Isaiah 14:12.
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The Bible says,
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"How you are
fallen from," where?
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"Heaven, O
Lucifer, son of the morning,
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how you are cut down
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to the ground you
who weaken the nations.
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For you have said in your heart,
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'I will ascend into heaven.
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I will exalt my throne
above the stars of God.
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I will also sit on the
mount of the congregation
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on the farthest
sides of the north.
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I will ascend above
the heights of the cloud.
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I will be like," who?
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"The most high.'"
00:09:03.94\00:09:06.07
I'm gonna pause
here for a second.
00:09:06.11\00:09:08.51
Here in Isaiah,
00:09:08.54\00:09:10.21
we are told that the
devil's name in heaven
00:09:10.25\00:09:13.28
was actually what?
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Lucifer.
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Now see, Lucifer
simply means day star,
00:09:17.09\00:09:20.96
which indicates to us
that he was a glorious,
00:09:20.99\00:09:24.29
that he was a
beautiful and a mighty angel,
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that God had actually
given him power and authority
00:09:27.40\00:09:30.97
over a portion of the angels.
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But you see,
00:09:33.80\00:09:35.14
Lucifer has now
become synonymous with evil,
00:09:35.17\00:09:39.01
because Lucifer
is a fallen angel.
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And really that
influences our world even today,
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because when you think about it,
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if you've ever
watched one of those,
00:09:45.98\00:09:47.45
you know,
science fiction movies,
00:09:47.48\00:09:49.62
many times what
name do they tend to give
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the most villainous
character in the film,
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what do you think?
00:09:55.32\00:09:56.96
Yeah, they call him Lucifer.
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I mean, when is the
last time you saw a mother
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who has just
given birth to a baby,
00:10:01.93\00:10:04.10
laid that baby on her bosom
00:10:04.13\00:10:05.67
and looked to the nurse and say,
00:10:05.70\00:10:07.04
"You know, I'm going
to call him Lucifer."
00:10:07.07\00:10:11.01
That never happens.
00:10:11.04\00:10:12.37
I'm sure it's happened somewhere
00:10:12.41\00:10:13.91
but it's very rare
because even today,
00:10:13.94\00:10:16.14
Lucifer is synonymous with evil.
00:10:16.18\00:10:19.45
In fact, I'll give
you another example
00:10:19.48\00:10:20.82
how the Bible
influences the modern world.
00:10:20.85\00:10:23.05
Let's take a girl's name.
00:10:23.08\00:10:24.45
What girl's name
that comes from the Bible
00:10:24.49\00:10:27.46
do mothers never
name their daughters?
00:10:27.49\00:10:30.36
You got it, Jezebel,
00:10:30.39\00:10:31.83
because that has become
synonymous with evil as well.
00:10:31.86\00:10:35.56
So here you have Lucifer,
00:10:35.60\00:10:37.87
now a fallen being
00:10:37.90\00:10:39.97
leading a rebellion
against his creator.
00:10:40.00\00:10:43.10
And Isaiah shows us
00:10:43.14\00:10:44.77
what he was
thinking in his heart,
00:10:44.81\00:10:47.54
that he will ascend into heaven,
00:10:47.58\00:10:51.05
that he will exalt
his throne above God's
00:10:51.08\00:10:55.08
and that he says I
will be like the most high.
00:10:55.12\00:11:01.06
And he was
willing to do anything
00:11:01.09\00:11:03.43
to get the throne of heaven.
00:11:03.46\00:11:05.79
And that included instigating
00:11:05.83\00:11:07.86
a full scale
rebellion against God.
00:11:07.90\00:11:13.40
That's a very sad story
00:11:13.44\00:11:14.80
when you think about
it, an angel, Lucifer,
00:11:14.84\00:11:19.94
who was given
probably everything
00:11:19.97\00:11:22.34
an angel could
want, honor and glory,
00:11:22.38\00:11:26.21
living in perfect paradise
in the courts of heaven,
00:11:26.25\00:11:29.92
and for whatever
reason, it just wasn't enough.
00:11:29.95\00:11:34.26
And when he rebelled,
he was cast out of heaven,
00:11:34.29\00:11:38.93
along with those
angels, who chose to follow him.
00:11:38.96\00:11:43.90
And he continues to bring that
same rebellion upon this planet
00:11:43.93\00:11:47.24
because what does
he say to mankind?
00:11:47.27\00:11:49.90
He convinces us that
we can be our own God,
00:11:49.94\00:11:55.04
that we don't have to be subject
00:11:55.08\00:11:57.08
to a higher
authority or to a creator
00:11:57.11\00:12:00.42
and as he continues
to lead us away from God,
00:12:00.45\00:12:03.65
we become separated from Him
00:12:03.69\00:12:05.55
because sin
separates us from God,
00:12:05.59\00:12:08.82
just as sin
separated the fallen angels
00:12:08.86\00:12:12.09
who decided to follow Lucifer.
00:12:12.13\00:12:16.36
But, you know, Isaiah
00:12:16.40\00:12:17.97
is not the only
Old Testament prophet
00:12:18.00\00:12:20.07
that was given a
glimpse into this conflict.
00:12:20.10\00:12:23.64
I want to take
you somewhere else,
00:12:23.67\00:12:25.01
you'll find that
Revelation actually takes us
00:12:25.04\00:12:27.48
all throughout the
different books of the Bible.
00:12:27.51\00:12:29.94
I want us to go to
the Book of Ezekiel.
00:12:29.98\00:12:31.71
Now this one,
00:12:31.75\00:12:33.08
I already have
written on the screen for you,
00:12:33.11\00:12:35.42
because it brings up some
very important points here.
00:12:35.45\00:12:38.49
It's Ezekiel Chapter 28,
00:12:38.52\00:12:40.96
and we're beginning in verse 13.
00:12:40.99\00:12:43.66
Because this is going
to answer the question,
00:12:43.69\00:12:46.23
did God create the devil?
00:12:46.26\00:12:50.87
Ezekiel 28:13, the Bible says,
00:12:50.90\00:12:55.24
and this is God
speaking to Lucifer.
00:12:55.27\00:12:58.04
"You were the
anointed cherub who covers..."
00:12:58.07\00:13:02.44
A cherub is a mighty angel.
00:13:02.48\00:13:04.58
"I established you,
00:13:04.61\00:13:06.88
you were on the
holy mountain of God..."
00:13:06.92\00:13:09.78
That's speaking of heaven.
00:13:09.82\00:13:11.25
"You walked back and forth
in the midst of fiery stones.
00:13:11.29\00:13:15.52
You were
perfect in all your ways
00:13:15.56\00:13:18.39
from the day you were created,
00:13:18.43\00:13:20.53
until iniquity was found in you.
00:13:20.56\00:13:23.77
By the
abundance of your trading,
00:13:23.80\00:13:25.90
you became filled
with violence from within,
00:13:25.93\00:13:28.97
and you sinned,
00:13:29.00\00:13:30.34
therefore I cast
you as a profane thing
00:13:30.37\00:13:33.88
out of the mountain of God."
00:13:33.91\00:13:38.31
Now I'm going to go back
to something that's written
00:13:38.35\00:13:40.02
right in the
middle of that passage.
00:13:40.05\00:13:42.55
Notice the
Bible says of Lucifer,
00:13:42.58\00:13:45.52
that he was a created being,
00:13:45.55\00:13:49.12
and that when he was created,
00:13:49.16\00:13:51.29
he was what in all his
ways, what does the Bible say?
00:13:51.33\00:13:54.90
"Perfect in all his ways,
00:13:54.93\00:13:57.63
until iniquity
was found in him."
00:13:57.67\00:14:01.54
You see, it's
important to understand,
00:14:01.57\00:14:03.87
God did not create the devil.
00:14:03.91\00:14:07.38
God did not create evil to
be on the face of the earth,
00:14:07.41\00:14:11.58
that was not part
of His original plan.
00:14:11.61\00:14:14.65
What God did is He
created a perfect loyal angel
00:14:14.68\00:14:19.49
who used his freedom of choice
00:14:19.52\00:14:21.86
to rebel against God
00:14:21.89\00:14:23.93
and iniquity
was found inside him
00:14:23.96\00:14:26.39
because truthfully,
where does sin begin?
00:14:26.43\00:14:30.73
In the heart,
00:14:30.77\00:14:32.10
and then from the
heart, we act out on it.
00:14:32.13\00:14:34.74
And clearly Ezekiel says
00:14:34.77\00:14:36.34
that violence was
found in Lucifer from within,
00:14:36.37\00:14:39.84
and eventually
he acted out on it
00:14:39.87\00:14:42.38
in a full scale rebellion.
00:14:42.41\00:14:45.01
And when that happened,
00:14:45.05\00:14:46.58
God cast him out of
heaven and into this earth.
00:14:46.61\00:14:53.09
But that leads us to a
question that many people ask.
00:14:53.12\00:14:59.36
Does God know the future?
00:14:59.39\00:15:01.40
Yes or no?
00:15:01.43\00:15:03.03
Does He know the
end from the beginning?
00:15:03.06\00:15:05.40
Indeed He does.
00:15:05.43\00:15:07.04
So many wonder if God knew
00:15:07.07\00:15:10.51
that Lucifer was
going to turn evil,
00:15:10.54\00:15:12.97
if he knew that
Lucifer would rebel
00:15:13.01\00:15:15.71
and cause all of this heartache,
00:15:15.74\00:15:18.28
why did God
create him to begin with?
00:15:18.31\00:15:22.78
How many people think
that's a good question,
00:15:22.82\00:15:24.15
can I see your hands?
00:15:24.19\00:15:25.52
Sure, it is.
00:15:25.55\00:15:26.89
Anybody who maybe
is reading the Bible
00:15:26.92\00:15:28.42
for the first
time would be very apt
00:15:28.46\00:15:30.96
to answer that
question or ask that question.
00:15:30.99\00:15:34.36
And so this is where
we have to understand
00:15:34.40\00:15:36.13
the concept of free will.
00:15:36.16\00:15:39.43
You see, God did
not create His angels,
00:15:39.47\00:15:42.30
nor does He create us as robots
00:15:42.34\00:15:45.21
who are forced and
programmed to follow Him.
00:15:45.24\00:15:48.68
We have a choice
because you cannot develop
00:15:48.71\00:15:53.11
a love
relationship with a robot.
00:15:53.15\00:15:56.02
In order to
develop a love relationship
00:15:56.05\00:15:59.29
with the beings that you create,
00:15:59.32\00:16:01.22
they must have the freedom
to choose to love you back.
00:16:01.26\00:16:06.23
Let me give you an example.
00:16:06.26\00:16:07.60
Let's take a husband
and wife relationship.
00:16:07.63\00:16:09.90
Now it may be that
there are some wives here
00:16:09.93\00:16:11.93
who may be thinking,
00:16:11.97\00:16:13.30
"You know, if I could
just open my husband's head
00:16:13.34\00:16:17.51
and program his brain
to think exactly like I do,
00:16:17.54\00:16:21.48
and do exactly
what I wanted him to do,
00:16:21.51\00:16:24.01
we would have the
perfect relationship."
00:16:24.05\00:16:27.75
Amen somebody said.
00:16:27.78\00:16:29.28
And conversely I
suppose some men would also say,
00:16:29.32\00:16:32.59
"You know, if I
could just program my wife
00:16:32.62\00:16:34.79
to think like me
and do what I want,
00:16:34.82\00:16:36.96
then yes, life
would be perfect."
00:16:36.99\00:16:39.93
On the outside... Now
the men are saying amen.
00:16:39.96\00:16:42.53
On the outside
that might seem logical,
00:16:42.56\00:16:45.57
but let me ask you a question.
00:16:45.60\00:16:47.90
Could you truly fall
in love with each other?
00:16:47.94\00:16:52.77
You could not because in order
00:16:52.81\00:16:55.14
for a love
relationship to develop,
00:16:55.18\00:16:58.01
two people must have the freedom
00:16:58.05\00:17:00.62
to love each other back.
00:17:00.65\00:17:02.78
If you are forced to
do it, it is not love.
00:17:02.82\00:17:07.19
And when someone has
the freedom to choose,
00:17:07.22\00:17:10.19
there is always the risk
00:17:10.23\00:17:12.26
that they may not
choose to love you back.
00:17:12.29\00:17:15.96
Probably all of us have
faced that pain in our life,
00:17:16.00\00:17:19.13
whether it's a
dating relationship
00:17:19.17\00:17:20.64
that broke up, or
maybe unfortunately,
00:17:20.67\00:17:22.77
a marriage that broke up
00:17:22.80\00:17:24.37
and that is a very,
very painful experience.
00:17:24.41\00:17:27.68
See, God knew
00:17:27.71\00:17:29.38
that if He creates us
with the freedom to choose,
00:17:29.41\00:17:32.68
there is the risk that
we might cause Him pain
00:17:32.71\00:17:36.79
by choosing not
to love Him back.
00:17:36.82\00:17:41.12
But God takes that risk,
00:17:41.16\00:17:43.39
because He loves us
enough to give us liberty
00:17:43.43\00:17:46.66
and the ability to choose.
00:17:46.70\00:17:48.46
All of us are
created with the desire
00:17:48.50\00:17:51.10
for freedom and liberty.
00:17:51.13\00:17:53.60
In fact, there are many citizens
00:17:53.64\00:17:55.54
of countries around this world
00:17:55.57\00:17:57.44
who are crying out
for that same liberty,
00:17:57.47\00:17:59.74
even our forefathers wrote
00:17:59.77\00:18:02.28
that liberty is
an inalienable right,
00:18:02.31\00:18:05.45
something that
God put inside of us
00:18:05.48\00:18:07.72
and they were right about that.
00:18:07.75\00:18:09.55
God gives us a free will.
00:18:09.58\00:18:14.42
But we can go farther than that.
00:18:14.46\00:18:17.56
You say, "Well, I can understand
00:18:17.59\00:18:20.06
why God gave him
the freedom to choose
00:18:20.10\00:18:22.20
but what about this question,
00:18:22.23\00:18:25.23
a question that
somebody is bound to ask.
00:18:25.27\00:18:27.64
Once Satan was given
the freedom to choose
00:18:27.67\00:18:30.31
whether or not he rebelled,
00:18:30.34\00:18:31.77
once he made that choice,
00:18:31.81\00:18:33.71
why didn't God just
destroy him when he rebelled?"
00:18:33.74\00:18:37.58
Couldn't you see
someone reading the Bible
00:18:37.61\00:18:39.35
when in Revelation it says
00:18:39.38\00:18:40.72
that Lucifer
rebelled against God
00:18:40.75\00:18:42.68
and he was cast out of
heaven, and where was he cast?
00:18:42.72\00:18:45.92
To this earth.
00:18:45.95\00:18:47.29
Could you see
someone asking the question,
00:18:47.32\00:18:49.22
"God, why did You
send him down here?
00:18:49.26\00:18:53.76
Why did You give him a chance
to come and bring woe to this
00:18:53.80\00:18:56.67
or why don't you
just destroy him?
00:18:56.70\00:18:59.10
Why don't you just
give him a lightning bolt,
00:18:59.13\00:19:01.37
blot him out of existence."
00:19:01.40\00:19:04.01
You know, and
according to human thinking,
00:19:04.04\00:19:05.97
that would sound
like a logical idea.
00:19:06.01\00:19:09.94
But there is
two reasons at least
00:19:09.98\00:19:11.71
that God did not do that.
00:19:11.75\00:19:14.45
One has to do with fear.
00:19:14.48\00:19:17.82
Now think about it,
00:19:17.85\00:19:19.19
I want you to
picture the angels here.
00:19:19.22\00:19:21.86
Lucifer has told them
00:19:21.89\00:19:23.99
that his way is
better than God's.
00:19:24.03\00:19:26.63
So as soon as
Lucifer questions God
00:19:26.66\00:19:29.26
and steps out of line, boom,
00:19:29.30\00:19:31.13
God kills him and
blots him out of existence.
00:19:31.17\00:19:34.60
Imagine in your
mind the conversations
00:19:34.64\00:19:36.40
the other angels would have had.
00:19:36.44\00:19:38.14
"Boy, did you see
what happened to Lucifer?
00:19:38.17\00:19:40.48
Oh, as soon as he stepped
out of line, God killed him.
00:19:40.51\00:19:43.65
Boy, we better toe the
line or God may kill us too."
00:19:43.68\00:19:48.75
And the angels would have
begun to serve God out of fear,
00:19:48.78\00:19:53.86
because they were afraid not to.
00:19:53.89\00:19:57.36
And you see when you
have a relationship of fear,
00:19:57.39\00:20:00.83
that is not something God
wants with His created beings.
00:20:00.86\00:20:05.63
See, the Bible says
perfect love casts out what?
00:20:05.67\00:20:09.44
All fear.
00:20:09.47\00:20:10.81
So to have a love relationship,
fear cannot be involved.
00:20:10.84\00:20:15.01
See on this earth we would
call a relationship of fear
00:20:15.04\00:20:18.38
a dysfunctional relationship.
00:20:18.41\00:20:20.58
You know, it's a
psychological term.
00:20:20.62\00:20:22.32
I'll give you an illustration.
00:20:22.35\00:20:24.55
Unfortunately, all
of us have probably seen
00:20:24.59\00:20:28.39
perhaps or heard about a woman
00:20:28.42\00:20:30.56
who has been
abused by a husband,
00:20:30.59\00:20:34.13
and for whatever reason,
00:20:34.16\00:20:35.80
continues to go back
over and over and over again
00:20:35.83\00:20:40.04
because she's afraid.
00:20:40.07\00:20:42.47
She's afraid that if she leaves
that he will do worse to her
00:20:42.50\00:20:47.24
or that he may find her children
00:20:47.28\00:20:49.81
and so she stays with him
00:20:49.84\00:20:52.11
not because she's
in love with the man
00:20:52.15\00:20:54.95
but because it's an
enslaving relationship of fear,
00:20:54.98\00:20:59.29
we would call
that dysfunctional.
00:20:59.32\00:21:01.82
That's not the kind
of relationship God wants
00:21:01.86\00:21:04.79
with His angelic beings
00:21:04.83\00:21:06.73
or with the human
beings that He created.
00:21:06.76\00:21:09.86
He wants free choice,
00:21:09.90\00:21:11.73
He wants a relationship of love,
00:21:11.77\00:21:14.24
and so that the
angels would not fear Him,
00:21:14.27\00:21:16.81
He did not
destroy Satan on the spot.
00:21:16.84\00:21:21.31
Second reason,
think this through.
00:21:21.34\00:21:24.98
Satan claimed that his
program was better than God's.
00:21:25.01\00:21:29.45
Did the angels know
what Satan's program was?
00:21:29.48\00:21:32.12
Had they ever seen the program
of sin carried out anywhere?
00:21:32.15\00:21:36.73
Not really.
00:21:36.76\00:21:38.19
All they had known
was the perfect paradise
00:21:38.23\00:21:41.50
that God had given them,
00:21:41.53\00:21:43.37
surrounded with
unutterable love.
00:21:43.40\00:21:46.74
And then that should
have been enough for them.
00:21:46.77\00:21:49.44
But in order to be fair,
00:21:49.47\00:21:51.04
this is basically what God does.
00:21:51.07\00:21:53.31
He says, "All right.
00:21:53.34\00:21:54.98
I will give Lucifer a chance.
00:21:55.01\00:21:57.61
I will send you
down to the earth
00:21:57.65\00:21:59.58
and if and only if
the people allow you,
00:21:59.61\00:22:03.08
I will allow you to
carry out your program,
00:22:03.12\00:22:06.35
I will allow human
beings in the universe
00:22:06.39\00:22:08.79
to see what sin is
00:22:08.82\00:22:10.93
and when time is
all said and done,
00:22:10.96\00:22:13.09
I'll let them choose
who they want to follow."
00:22:13.13\00:22:17.23
But see,
there's a catch to that.
00:22:17.27\00:22:19.67
The only way
Lucifer, the only way Satan
00:22:19.70\00:22:22.84
will be allowed to carry
out his program on this earth is
00:22:22.87\00:22:25.84
if human beings open the door.
00:22:25.87\00:22:29.11
Human beings had to
choose to follow Satan's way
00:22:29.14\00:22:33.42
and to see his program.
00:22:33.45\00:22:35.68
And so now when you go
back to the Book of Genesis,
00:22:35.72\00:22:38.42
you begin to see the
fall of Adam and Eve,
00:22:38.45\00:22:42.46
which opened
the window for Satan
00:22:42.49\00:22:45.29
to bring his
rebellion to this planet.
00:22:45.33\00:22:48.60
Let's go back, now
we started in Revelation
00:22:48.63\00:22:50.80
so where are we going right now?
00:22:50.83\00:22:52.87
Yeah, Genesis, we started
in the last book of the Bible,
00:22:52.90\00:22:55.47
now we're in the
first book of the Bible
00:22:55.50\00:22:58.01
because the great controversy
is changing playing fields now.
00:22:58.04\00:23:03.18
It started in
the courts of heaven,
00:23:03.21\00:23:05.85
now it is coming
down to planet earth
00:23:05.88\00:23:09.05
and into our hearts and minds.
00:23:09.08\00:23:11.22
So let's go back to Genesis 3.
00:23:11.25\00:23:13.59
And let's notice how
sin came to this planet.
00:23:13.62\00:23:19.03
Genesis Chapter 3.
00:23:19.06\00:23:22.63
And I'm just going to go
and read verses 1 through 6,
00:23:22.66\00:23:26.47
straight through Genesis 3:1-6.
00:23:26.50\00:23:32.67
Verse 1, the Bible says,
00:23:32.71\00:23:35.81
"Now the
serpent was more cunning
00:23:35.84\00:23:37.78
than any beast of the field
which the Lord God had made.
00:23:37.81\00:23:42.48
And he said to the
woman, has God indeed said,
00:23:42.52\00:23:46.22
'You shall not eat of
every tree of the garden?'
00:23:46.25\00:23:49.26
And the woman
said to the serpent,
00:23:49.29\00:23:51.39
'We may eat the fruit
of the trees of the garden,
00:23:51.43\00:23:54.96
but of the fruit of the tree
00:23:55.00\00:23:56.70
which is in the
midst of the garden,
00:23:56.73\00:23:58.77
God has said
'You shall not eat it,
00:23:58.80\00:24:01.54
nor shall you touch
it lest you do,'" what?
00:24:01.57\00:24:04.77
"Die."
00:24:04.81\00:24:06.14
Now, was God pretty clear there?
00:24:06.17\00:24:08.71
Was there any
mistake in what He said?
00:24:08.74\00:24:11.25
Don't eat it, don't
touch it or you will die.
00:24:11.28\00:24:14.65
Verse 4,
00:24:14.68\00:24:16.02
"Then the serpent
said to the woman,
00:24:16.05\00:24:18.25
you will not surely die."
00:24:18.29\00:24:22.02
The first lie ever told
on the face of the earth,
00:24:22.06\00:24:24.56
for God knows that in
the day you eat of it,
00:24:24.59\00:24:27.83
your eyes will be opened.
00:24:27.86\00:24:31.43
And you will be like," what?
00:24:31.47\00:24:34.54
"God, knowing good and evil.
00:24:34.57\00:24:38.71
So when the woman saw
00:24:38.74\00:24:40.08
that the tree was good for food,
00:24:40.11\00:24:41.98
that it was pleasant to the eyes
00:24:42.01\00:24:43.95
and a tree
desirable to make one wise,
00:24:43.98\00:24:46.92
she took of its fruit and ate
00:24:46.95\00:24:49.15
and she also gave
to her husband with her
00:24:49.18\00:24:52.02
and he ate."
00:24:52.05\00:24:54.99
Now we have to stop right here.
00:24:55.02\00:24:57.53
There are so many
lessons pictured in that passage
00:24:57.56\00:25:01.76
that we often skip
over them too fast.
00:25:01.80\00:25:05.37
Here now the devil
apparently changes himself
00:25:05.40\00:25:09.84
into the form of a serpent.
00:25:09.87\00:25:12.31
And he plants himself
00:25:12.34\00:25:13.98
right beside the tree of
knowledge of good and evil,
00:25:14.01\00:25:17.11
the one tree that God
said they should not go near.
00:25:17.15\00:25:21.25
Now there is a principle there.
00:25:21.28\00:25:23.08
Notice, God did not
allow him to go roaming
00:25:23.12\00:25:26.32
around all the
other parts of the garden
00:25:26.35\00:25:29.42
trying to find Adam and Eve.
00:25:29.46\00:25:31.96
He was apparently
limited to that one area
00:25:31.99\00:25:35.26
where God had told Adam and Eve
00:25:35.30\00:25:37.50
they are not supposed to go.
00:25:37.53\00:25:40.14
See how fair and just God is.
00:25:40.17\00:25:41.87
He didn't just take Satan
00:25:41.90\00:25:43.24
and throw him
down to Adam and Eve.
00:25:43.27\00:25:46.07
He was restricted to
that part of the garden.
00:25:46.11\00:25:49.94
And Genesis leads us to believe
00:25:49.98\00:25:51.75
that somehow Eve
finds herself near
00:25:51.78\00:25:55.45
that forbidden tree
and as she nears it,
00:25:55.48\00:26:00.39
she notices the
serpent in its branches,
00:26:00.42\00:26:03.46
and the serpent
begins to talk to her.
00:26:03.49\00:26:07.50
Now I gotta stop
right there, I can tell you,
00:26:07.53\00:26:10.10
that would not have
worked with my wife.
00:26:10.13\00:26:12.57
Because as soon as she
would have seen that snake,
00:26:12.60\00:26:14.97
she'd have been out the door,
00:26:15.00\00:26:16.34
you know, running down the path,
00:26:16.37\00:26:17.87
she would've not even
waited for the thing to speak.
00:26:17.91\00:26:20.01
So they would've...
00:26:20.04\00:26:21.38
He would've to
tempt her a different way.
00:26:21.41\00:26:22.74
Am I right, honey? Yes or no?
00:26:22.78\00:26:24.78
Absolutely.
00:26:24.81\00:26:26.15
Now, if it was me, of course,
00:26:26.18\00:26:27.82
I guess none of us
know what we would do.
00:26:27.85\00:26:29.85
But I can tell
you if I saw a snake,
00:26:29.88\00:26:32.05
and that thing
started speaking to me.
00:26:32.09\00:26:33.89
I wouldn't be waiting
around to see what it said.
00:26:33.92\00:26:36.73
But Eve listened.
00:26:36.76\00:26:38.89
And he says to her,
00:26:38.93\00:26:40.53
"Has God said, you can't
eat of any of the trees."
00:26:40.56\00:26:44.47
Now, did God say
that? He did not.
00:26:44.50\00:26:47.80
God didn't say you
can't eat of any of the trees.
00:26:47.84\00:26:50.44
He said you can
have all of them except
00:26:50.47\00:26:53.44
the one that's in the middle.
00:26:53.48\00:26:55.91
You see how the
devil was already trying
00:26:55.94\00:26:58.31
to twist God's
word and confused Eve.
00:26:58.35\00:27:02.78
And then
finally, Eve says to him,
00:27:02.82\00:27:05.05
and this was her mistake,
00:27:05.09\00:27:06.42
she stood there
and had a conversation
00:27:06.45\00:27:08.59
with the devil.
00:27:08.62\00:27:09.96
When temptation
comes our way God says,
00:27:09.99\00:27:13.16
"Run, pray, get away from it,
00:27:13.19\00:27:16.10
don't even put
ourselves in a position
00:27:16.13\00:27:18.73
where we can be tempted."
00:27:18.77\00:27:21.40
Now there are some times
00:27:21.44\00:27:22.77
we may not have
control over that,
00:27:22.80\00:27:24.27
when things happen at
work, that's where we work,
00:27:24.31\00:27:26.61
we can't stop what people do.
00:27:26.64\00:27:28.44
But when it's within our power,
00:27:28.48\00:27:30.51
God tells us not to purposely
put ourself in a position
00:27:30.55\00:27:35.48
where we know
the weak human nature
00:27:35.52\00:27:37.65
is going to be tempted.
00:27:37.69\00:27:40.06
Now, she begins to
reason with the devil,
00:27:40.09\00:27:43.02
which is always a very bad idea.
00:27:43.06\00:27:45.76
And she says,
00:27:45.79\00:27:47.13
"Oh, no, God says that
we can eat of all the trees,
00:27:47.16\00:27:49.70
just not the one in the middle.
00:27:49.73\00:27:51.07
God says when we
eat of it, we will die.
00:27:51.10\00:27:53.50
It will bring
death into this world."
00:27:53.54\00:27:56.04
And the devil comes right
back and he blatantly says,
00:27:56.07\00:27:59.31
"You will not surely die."
00:27:59.34\00:28:03.55
And then I want you to
notice what he says next
00:28:03.58\00:28:05.38
because it's very important.
00:28:05.41\00:28:07.02
There's something
here that is directly tied
00:28:07.05\00:28:09.48
to the Book of Revelation
and the Book of Isaiah.
00:28:09.52\00:28:13.25
Notice what the
devil says in verse 5.
00:28:13.29\00:28:16.89
He says to her,
00:28:16.93\00:28:18.83
"God knows, in the
day you eat of this fruit,
00:28:18.86\00:28:23.00
your eyes will be opened."
00:28:23.03\00:28:25.97
You will have special knowledge,
00:28:26.00\00:28:29.17
"You will be like God."
00:28:29.20\00:28:33.84
In other words,
he's insinuating.
00:28:33.88\00:28:36.14
God is withholding
something good from you.
00:28:36.18\00:28:40.12
Why this tree, the
fruit in this tree,
00:28:40.15\00:28:42.98
it's something that's good.
00:28:43.02\00:28:44.45
It's something that's desirable.
00:28:44.49\00:28:46.29
If you eat of it,
you'll know good and evil,
00:28:46.32\00:28:48.92
you'll have a higher
knowledge than you have now.
00:28:48.96\00:28:52.39
You will be like God.
00:28:52.43\00:28:55.36
Who was it that Isaiah
said wanted to be like God?
00:28:55.40\00:28:59.50
Lucifer.
00:28:59.53\00:29:00.90
And he's now
putting the same thought
00:29:00.94\00:29:03.74
in the minds of human beings.
00:29:03.77\00:29:07.28
And when Eve took of
that fruit and ate it,
00:29:07.31\00:29:11.45
and gave it to her
husband, that opened the door,
00:29:11.48\00:29:15.85
that gave permission to Satan
00:29:15.88\00:29:18.65
to begin to carry
out his program of sin
00:29:18.69\00:29:22.46
on this earth.
00:29:22.49\00:29:24.86
And from that moment on,
00:29:24.89\00:29:27.53
every person that
was born into this world
00:29:27.56\00:29:30.90
after Adam and Eve
00:29:30.93\00:29:33.44
is born with
sin already in them.
00:29:33.47\00:29:38.91
Do you understand that?
00:29:38.94\00:29:40.48
You see, traditionally we think
00:29:40.51\00:29:42.08
sin is only bad
things that you do.
00:29:42.11\00:29:44.65
Well, that's part of it.
00:29:44.68\00:29:46.11
But sin is like a
disease we are born with.
00:29:46.15\00:29:49.25
It's like a cancer inside of us.
00:29:49.28\00:29:52.92
You see, that
sin means we are born
00:29:52.95\00:29:55.59
with a tendency
already to do what's wrong.
00:29:55.62\00:29:58.73
It's easier for me to do wrong
than it is for me to do right
00:29:58.76\00:30:03.26
when I am left on my own,
that's the sinful human nature.
00:30:03.30\00:30:08.34
Let me give an example of that,
I'm always safe to use myself.
00:30:08.37\00:30:11.81
Let's suppose that I'm
putting siding on my house,
00:30:11.84\00:30:14.88
and I'm outside, you know,
I'm nailing it together, etc.
00:30:14.91\00:30:18.31
And lo and behold,
I'm not paying attention,
00:30:18.35\00:30:20.22
and all of a sudden
the hammer slips, boom,
00:30:20.25\00:30:22.42
I hit myself on the finger,
00:30:22.45\00:30:24.05
and automatically in
less than half a second,
00:30:24.09\00:30:27.49
maybe something
comes out of my mouth
00:30:27.52\00:30:29.62
that shouldn't come out
of the mouth of a Christian.
00:30:29.66\00:30:32.79
The curse word
flies, and I'm mortified.
00:30:32.83\00:30:35.86
I can't believe that I said that
00:30:35.90\00:30:38.37
because I actually have
to think about doing right.
00:30:38.40\00:30:42.40
The word came out
quickly and naturally,
00:30:42.44\00:30:45.44
because it's part of my nature.
00:30:45.47\00:30:47.74
It's easier for us to do wrong
00:30:47.78\00:30:50.51
than it is to do right.
00:30:50.55\00:30:53.52
I'll give you another example.
00:30:53.55\00:30:55.18
We could even use
children for this actually,
00:30:55.22\00:30:57.02
I'm gonna use my
two little girls.
00:30:57.05\00:30:59.29
I have two little
girls nine and six,
00:30:59.32\00:31:00.99
sweetest, cutest
things you'd ever imagine.
00:31:01.02\00:31:02.96
But let me ask you a question.
00:31:02.99\00:31:04.96
Do you think I have
to teach my two girls
00:31:04.99\00:31:07.40
how to fight with each other?
00:31:07.43\00:31:10.33
I don't have to teach them that.
00:31:10.37\00:31:12.23
They do it automatically.
00:31:12.27\00:31:14.87
It's in their nature
00:31:14.90\00:31:16.24
and not just my
children, all children
00:31:16.27\00:31:18.67
because they have
the same human nature.
00:31:18.71\00:31:20.88
I actually have to
teach them how not to fight.
00:31:20.91\00:31:25.31
Do you think you have
to teach your children
00:31:25.35\00:31:27.42
how to be selfish
and hoard their toys?
00:31:27.45\00:31:29.95
Do you have to teach them that?
00:31:29.98\00:31:32.09
Oh, come on now
you're not being honest.
00:31:32.12\00:31:33.52
Do you have to teach them that?
00:31:33.56\00:31:35.09
No, they do that automatically.
00:31:35.12\00:31:38.23
It's part of this
tendency towards evil
00:31:38.26\00:31:41.43
that we were born with
00:31:41.46\00:31:43.33
ever since sin
came into this world.
00:31:43.37\00:31:47.04
You can read about this.
00:31:47.07\00:31:48.40
It's actually in
the Book of Romans.
00:31:48.44\00:31:50.57
Romans 3:23 says,
00:31:50.61\00:31:54.68
"For all have sinned
00:31:54.71\00:31:57.15
and fall short of
the glory of God."
00:31:57.18\00:32:00.98
Now how many people
here believe the Bible?
00:32:01.02\00:32:02.38
Can I see your hands?
00:32:02.42\00:32:04.05
How many people
does it say sinned?
00:32:04.09\00:32:06.42
All.
00:32:06.45\00:32:07.79
Does that leave anyone out?
00:32:07.82\00:32:09.56
No human being.
00:32:09.59\00:32:10.93
All of us are already
born with sin inside of us.
00:32:10.96\00:32:16.46
But then it gets worse.
00:32:16.50\00:32:18.97
The wages of sin according
to Romans 6:23, is what?
00:32:19.00\00:32:23.61
It is death.
00:32:23.64\00:32:24.97
Now let's just think
this through for a second.
00:32:25.01\00:32:26.98
So far, do those two verses
give us good news, yes or no?
00:32:27.01\00:32:31.81
That's not good news.
00:32:31.85\00:32:33.18
Okay, if all of
us are born with sin,
00:32:33.21\00:32:35.62
we already have sin inside of us
00:32:35.65\00:32:37.92
that we will
eventually act out on.
00:32:37.95\00:32:40.59
And the Bible says
the resort of sin is death
00:32:40.62\00:32:42.92
because that's what sin
does, it separates us from God.
00:32:42.96\00:32:45.86
It means eventually
we will die eternal death
00:32:45.89\00:32:48.46
and be eternally
separated from Him.
00:32:48.50\00:32:51.97
That is not good.
00:32:52.00\00:32:54.07
That means from the
time of Adam and Eve,
00:32:54.10\00:32:56.30
every human
being would be hopeless
00:32:56.34\00:32:58.77
and unable to be saved.
00:32:58.81\00:33:03.14
But that's not what God wants.
00:33:03.18\00:33:06.51
Now picture God's dilemma.
00:33:06.55\00:33:09.48
Man has just sinned.
00:33:09.52\00:33:12.45
Opened the door
to Satan's program.
00:33:12.49\00:33:17.39
God's law says, "The
wages of sin is death."
00:33:17.43\00:33:21.20
The sinner must eventually die
00:33:21.23\00:33:23.50
or sin would exist forever.
00:33:23.53\00:33:27.60
But God created man.
00:33:27.64\00:33:31.04
God loves man.
00:33:31.07\00:33:33.84
God doesn't want
man to have to die.
00:33:33.88\00:33:38.61
So how does God get rid of sin
00:33:38.65\00:33:42.98
but save man who is a
sinner at the same time?
00:33:43.02\00:33:48.29
That's God's dilemma.
00:33:48.32\00:33:50.96
And that's where
prophecy introduces to us,
00:33:50.99\00:33:54.63
what the Bible calls the
glorious plan of salvation.
00:33:54.66\00:34:00.24
I want you to read with
me, John 3:16, if you would.
00:34:00.27\00:34:03.37
The Bible says, say it with me.
00:34:03.41\00:34:05.27
"For God so loved the world
00:34:05.31\00:34:08.34
that He gave His
only begotten Son,
00:34:08.38\00:34:11.91
that whosoever believeth in Him
00:34:11.95\00:34:14.92
should not perish but
have everlasting life."
00:34:14.95\00:34:20.82
See what God did
is that Jesus Christ
00:34:20.86\00:34:24.13
took the form of a human being,
00:34:24.16\00:34:26.96
that He would leave
the perfection of heaven,
00:34:27.00\00:34:31.20
a place where all angels
bowed down to Him in adoration,
00:34:31.23\00:34:36.44
that He would come down
here and take our nature,
00:34:36.47\00:34:40.68
that He would walk
this earth for 33.5 years,
00:34:40.71\00:34:45.65
this chaotic sin ridden earth,
00:34:45.68\00:34:47.88
that He would allow
Himself to be nailed to a cross,
00:34:47.92\00:34:50.99
that He would pay
that death penalty for us.
00:34:51.02\00:34:54.96
And when we
accept Him as Savior,
00:34:54.99\00:34:56.73
He would allow
His righteous life
00:34:56.76\00:34:58.66
to count for you and for me.
00:34:58.69\00:35:02.23
See, that's what the Bible
calls the plan of salvation,
00:35:02.26\00:35:05.13
which had been formulated
00:35:05.17\00:35:06.67
from the
foundation of the world.
00:35:06.70\00:35:10.77
Do you realize,
00:35:10.81\00:35:12.71
the Bible tells us
that God the Father,
00:35:12.74\00:35:14.64
and God the Son, and
really God the Holy Spirit,
00:35:14.68\00:35:18.55
they had already
formed the plan of salvation
00:35:18.58\00:35:21.35
before Lucifer ever rebelled?
00:35:21.38\00:35:25.55
They had a plan
already made in their minds
00:35:25.59\00:35:28.32
that if men or if angels
would use their free will
00:35:28.36\00:35:32.86
to rebel against Him,
00:35:32.89\00:35:35.53
that Jesus would be the one
00:35:35.56\00:35:37.07
who would come and pay
the death penalty for us
00:35:37.10\00:35:41.34
because God
can't change His law.
00:35:41.37\00:35:43.94
God will not change that
the wages of sin is death.
00:35:43.97\00:35:46.94
So God Himself
comes in the form of Jesus
00:35:46.98\00:35:50.21
to pay that death penalty.
00:35:50.25\00:35:52.61
So you realize what that means.
00:35:52.65\00:35:54.15
That means Jesus is the answer.
00:35:54.18\00:35:56.32
Can you say amen?
00:35:56.35\00:35:58.02
He took the blame for our sin.
00:35:58.05\00:36:01.19
He is the one that
offers forgiveness,
00:36:01.22\00:36:03.53
He allows His
perfect life to count for us
00:36:03.56\00:36:06.96
so that when someone
accepts Christ as their Savior,
00:36:07.00\00:36:10.37
their unrighteous life,
00:36:10.40\00:36:12.93
their filthy
rags, as the Bible says,
00:36:12.97\00:36:15.64
was laid on Jesus on the cross,
00:36:15.67\00:36:17.91
that He was stricken
because of our sins, smitten
00:36:17.94\00:36:21.74
because of our transgressions,
He took the blame.
00:36:21.78\00:36:26.41
I want you to
think something through.
00:36:26.45\00:36:28.85
How many of you have
ever experienced guilt
00:36:28.88\00:36:31.89
when you know you
did something wrong?
00:36:31.92\00:36:33.25
Can I see your hands?
00:36:33.29\00:36:34.79
How does guilt feel?
00:36:34.82\00:36:37.03
Feels pretty lousy, doesn't it?
00:36:37.06\00:36:39.49
Let me ask you something.
00:36:39.53\00:36:41.50
Some people can
barely handle their own guilt
00:36:41.53\00:36:44.27
in this world for wrong
choices that they've made.
00:36:44.30\00:36:48.50
Do you realize
00:36:48.54\00:36:51.01
when Jesus died on
the cross of Calvary,
00:36:51.04\00:36:55.61
He was bearing the
guilt and the responsibility
00:36:55.64\00:37:00.98
of every single sin
00:37:01.02\00:37:04.99
that would ever be committed
on the face of this earth
00:37:05.02\00:37:08.89
for thousands of years,
00:37:08.92\00:37:10.36
by billions and
billions of people.
00:37:10.39\00:37:15.33
He felt as though He was the one
00:37:15.36\00:37:18.03
that committed all the sins,
the murders, the robberies.
00:37:18.07\00:37:22.67
See, Jesus
didn't just simply die,
00:37:22.70\00:37:25.37
because He hung on a
cross, that's part of it.
00:37:25.41\00:37:27.24
That's what the
Bible alludes to the fact
00:37:27.28\00:37:28.94
that He died
from a broken heart,
00:37:28.98\00:37:30.48
He felt that separation from God
00:37:30.51\00:37:33.78
because He was bearing
the guilt of the world,
00:37:33.82\00:37:36.82
an awful feeling of guilt
00:37:36.85\00:37:38.59
we can't even
begin to understand.
00:37:38.62\00:37:41.12
That's why in the Garden
of Gethsemane, Jesus said,
00:37:41.16\00:37:43.49
"Father, if possible,
let this cup pass from Me."
00:37:43.53\00:37:48.56
He was already
feeling that guilt.
00:37:48.60\00:37:50.90
Jesus did that for you.
00:37:50.93\00:37:53.17
He took your guilt,
00:37:53.20\00:37:55.60
so that you could
take His righteousness
00:37:55.64\00:37:58.31
and that you could be saved.
00:37:58.34\00:38:01.04
Can you say amen?
00:38:01.08\00:38:02.74
So here's what I want to do
00:38:02.78\00:38:04.11
on our time
that remains tonight.
00:38:04.15\00:38:06.38
We understand the
great controversy.
00:38:06.41\00:38:10.15
We understand the war
between good and evil.
00:38:10.19\00:38:12.59
We understand how
sin came to this world,
00:38:12.62\00:38:14.99
which by the way,
00:38:15.02\00:38:16.49
this is also why
God does not stop
00:38:16.52\00:38:18.59
every bad thing from happening.
00:38:18.63\00:38:21.13
See, we sometimes
wonder, "God, it's not fair.
00:38:21.16\00:38:24.40
Good things
happen to bad people,
00:38:24.43\00:38:27.00
and bad things happen
to good people, why God?"
00:38:27.04\00:38:32.07
It's part of the
great controversy.
00:38:32.11\00:38:34.84
If God stopped every evil thing
from happening in this world,
00:38:34.88\00:38:40.72
we would never
get a true picture
00:38:40.75\00:38:42.45
of what sin really is.
00:38:42.48\00:38:44.89
We would never
get a true picture
00:38:44.92\00:38:46.99
of how much we need salvation
00:38:47.02\00:38:49.59
and how much we
need Christ crucified.
00:38:49.62\00:38:53.46
So even though it
breaks God's heart,
00:38:53.50\00:38:57.33
to see the
tragedies and atrocities
00:38:57.37\00:38:59.83
that happen on this
earth, the majority of the time,
00:38:59.87\00:39:02.74
God does not stop
it from happening.
00:39:02.77\00:39:06.24
But He does promise
that in the end when He come,
00:39:06.27\00:39:09.34
all wrongs will be made right.
00:39:09.38\00:39:12.88
He's allowing us
to see what sin is,
00:39:12.91\00:39:15.85
so that we will
choose to follow Him
00:39:15.88\00:39:18.55
and to gain eternal life.
00:39:18.59\00:39:22.52
And so now here's the question.
00:39:22.56\00:39:25.89
How do I accept
Jesus as my Savior?
00:39:25.93\00:39:29.36
You say,
00:39:29.40\00:39:30.73
"Why should you cover
this in a prophecy seminar?"
00:39:30.77\00:39:33.74
Sometimes we think this
is not a prophetic subject.
00:39:33.77\00:39:36.54
But I want to
ask you a question.
00:39:36.57\00:39:38.77
What's the purpose of
the Book of Revelation?
00:39:38.81\00:39:42.41
Is the purpose of Revelation
to educate us about antichrist
00:39:42.44\00:39:45.91
and the mark of the beast?
00:39:45.95\00:39:47.88
Or we might say
that's a secondary purpose.
00:39:47.92\00:39:50.95
But what is the main purpose?
00:39:50.99\00:39:53.92
To lead us to a saving
relationship with Jesus Christ,
00:39:53.96\00:39:58.96
that's what all
prophecies meant to do,
00:39:58.99\00:40:01.36
to point us to
Jesus, not to antichrist,
00:40:01.40\00:40:05.47
not to mark of the beast.
00:40:05.50\00:40:06.84
Yes, we'll study those things,
00:40:06.87\00:40:08.27
but prophecy
points us to the cross.
00:40:08.30\00:40:11.24
So for me, I feel that it
would be unconscionable for me
00:40:11.27\00:40:15.51
to spend a few weeks
00:40:15.54\00:40:16.88
going through 20
some topics in Revelation
00:40:16.91\00:40:20.02
or in other parts of the Bible,
00:40:20.05\00:40:21.45
and never once explain,
00:40:21.48\00:40:23.82
how do I accept
Jesus Christ as my Savior?
00:40:23.85\00:40:28.99
That's what I want to do
in our time that remains.
00:40:29.02\00:40:31.33
You see, because many
people ask the question
00:40:31.36\00:40:36.06
"What do I do to accept Jesus?
00:40:36.10\00:40:39.10
Am I supposed to
say a few magic words?
00:40:39.13\00:40:42.97
If I just go to
church and sit in a pew,
00:40:43.00\00:40:44.91
does that mean He's my Savior?
00:40:44.94\00:40:46.98
Do I have to come forward
00:40:47.01\00:40:48.34
in an altar call
and do something?
00:40:48.38\00:40:50.78
How do I accept
Him as my Savior?
00:40:50.81\00:40:53.01
You will be
amazed how many people
00:40:53.05\00:40:54.98
do not know the
answer to that question.
00:40:55.02\00:40:57.65
And just assume
because they sit in a pew
00:40:57.69\00:41:00.32
and they listen to sermons
that they have accepted Him.
00:41:00.36\00:41:04.16
So what I'd like to do
00:41:04.19\00:41:05.76
is to take you
through the three steps
00:41:05.79\00:41:07.83
of what it means
00:41:07.86\00:41:09.43
to accept Christ as your Savior.
00:41:09.46\00:41:12.10
Because in every
meeting I've done almost always
00:41:12.13\00:41:15.30
there is at least
one person who realizes,
00:41:15.34\00:41:17.61
I've never
accepted Him as my Savior
00:41:17.64\00:41:19.77
and chooses to
do so on that night.
00:41:19.81\00:41:23.01
For some, this may be a review
00:41:23.04\00:41:24.68
to help us
recommit our life to Jesus.
00:41:24.71\00:41:27.42
But I don't feel I can
go any further in Revelation
00:41:27.45\00:41:30.42
until we talk about
00:41:30.45\00:41:31.79
how do I invite
Jesus into my life.
00:41:31.82\00:41:35.99
So I'd like to share
with you the three steps.
00:41:36.02\00:41:39.33
Step number one is repentance.
00:41:39.36\00:41:43.57
Now, the order is
not what's important.
00:41:43.60\00:41:45.17
There may be a different
order in these three steps.
00:41:45.20\00:41:47.10
God works with
people in different ways.
00:41:47.14\00:41:49.50
But you see, repentance
00:41:49.54\00:41:50.97
is when I start to
experience a sorrow for sin.
00:41:51.01\00:41:55.54
You know, that, that
I'm desiring something
00:41:55.58\00:41:57.65
better than what I have now,
00:41:57.68\00:41:59.11
we talked about this
00:41:59.15\00:42:00.85
in our question
and answer period,
00:42:00.88\00:42:03.55
that I'm going down a path
00:42:03.59\00:42:04.92
where I'm not following God,
00:42:04.95\00:42:06.29
His principles
aren't in my life.
00:42:06.32\00:42:09.16
And so those choices
00:42:09.19\00:42:10.59
are bringing me
pain and heartache
00:42:10.63\00:42:13.53
and I want something
better than what I have now.
00:42:13.56\00:42:17.43
That is God's Holy
Spirit trying to reach us,
00:42:17.47\00:42:21.30
and to give us the
gift of repentance.
00:42:21.34\00:42:24.44
Notice what it
says in John 6:44,
00:42:24.47\00:42:26.47
it's printed on
the screen for you.
00:42:26.51\00:42:28.71
Jesus spoke these words.
00:42:28.74\00:42:30.61
He said, "No one can come to Me
00:42:30.65\00:42:34.58
unless the Father
who sent Me," does what?
00:42:34.62\00:42:38.65
"Draws him."
00:42:38.69\00:42:40.46
And this reminds me of a story.
00:42:40.49\00:42:43.43
There was once a man
00:42:43.46\00:42:44.79
who was going to a
set of revival meetings,
00:42:44.83\00:42:47.66
much like this one.
00:42:47.70\00:42:49.63
And he went to the preacher
because one night the preacher
00:42:49.66\00:42:52.27
used this very verse that talks
about the Father drawing people
00:42:52.30\00:42:56.34
and the man was intrigued by it.
00:42:56.37\00:42:58.61
So he went to the preacher
after the meeting and he said,
00:42:58.64\00:43:00.81
"Preacher, you read
that verse from John 6:44,
00:43:00.84\00:43:03.55
let me ask you a question.
00:43:03.58\00:43:05.88
When I come home
from work each night,
00:43:05.91\00:43:08.42
I'm just so dog tired.
00:43:08.45\00:43:10.99
I just want to
sit in my easy chair,
00:43:11.02\00:43:13.09
order a pizza,
and rest and relax,
00:43:13.12\00:43:15.69
and just watch TV
the rest of the night.
00:43:15.72\00:43:17.63
I don't want to go out anywhere.
00:43:17.66\00:43:20.36
But there's just something
deep inside of me that says,
00:43:20.40\00:43:24.50
'You ought to go to
that meeting tonight.
00:43:24.53\00:43:27.10
There's something
good waiting for you there.
00:43:27.14\00:43:29.20
You need to go and
open up the Word of God'
00:43:29.24\00:43:31.31
and even though I'm
just so utterly exhausted,
00:43:31.34\00:43:34.28
something just pulls
me out of that chair,
00:43:34.31\00:43:36.68
to come to the meeting.
00:43:36.71\00:43:38.78
Preacher, is that
like what Jesus said?
00:43:38.81\00:43:41.25
Is that God drawing me?"
00:43:41.28\00:43:43.79
And the preacher
said, "Yes, sir, it is.
00:43:43.82\00:43:45.39
That's God trying to
draw you to something better."
00:43:45.42\00:43:51.33
See, I believe
that's what's happening
00:43:51.36\00:43:52.69
to everybody who's here tonight.
00:43:52.73\00:43:54.16
God is drawing you.
00:43:54.20\00:43:56.26
I mean, I'm no
fool, let's be honest,
00:43:56.30\00:43:57.83
it's Friday night.
00:43:57.87\00:43:59.27
It's not like
there's nothing else
00:43:59.30\00:44:00.64
you could be doing
in this world, right?
00:44:00.67\00:44:02.67
I mean, you could be
going to a restaurant,
00:44:02.70\00:44:04.27
you could be home watching TV,
00:44:04.31\00:44:06.14
you could be cleaning the house.
00:44:06.17\00:44:07.51
So I don't know anybody
00:44:07.54\00:44:08.88
particularly likes
cleaning the house.
00:44:08.91\00:44:10.25
But there's a 100 other
things you could be doing.
00:44:10.28\00:44:12.65
It's not like you're not
busy but for some reason,
00:44:12.68\00:44:16.42
the Holy Spirit has drawn you
00:44:16.45\00:44:18.22
and you have
responded to dedicate an hour
00:44:18.25\00:44:21.02
or an hour and a
half of your time to come
00:44:21.06\00:44:23.29
and open up the Word of God
00:44:23.32\00:44:25.03
because you want
something better.
00:44:25.06\00:44:28.06
Believe me, it's
not your human nature
00:44:28.10\00:44:30.07
that's drawing you here tonight,
00:44:30.10\00:44:31.97
that is God's Holy
Spirit, drawing you to Jesus,
00:44:32.00\00:44:36.14
wanting to give you
that something better.
00:44:36.17\00:44:38.97
Can you say amen?
00:44:39.01\00:44:40.34
So when you begin
to experience that,
00:44:40.38\00:44:42.28
that's God already
trying to reach a person.
00:44:42.31\00:44:46.92
But then comes step number two,
because not everybody responds
00:44:46.95\00:44:51.39
to the desire
for something better.
00:44:51.42\00:44:54.49
Step number two
is then, confession.
00:44:54.52\00:44:58.06
This is where I
admit that I am a sinner.
00:44:58.09\00:45:02.06
I recognize I have sin in
my life and I need a Savior
00:45:02.10\00:45:06.20
and I actually take
the step of in prayer,
00:45:06.23\00:45:10.07
asking Jesus Christ
into my life to forgive me,
00:45:10.11\00:45:13.88
cleanse me of sin
and become my Savior.
00:45:13.91\00:45:17.35
I can't just sit
there and assume it.
00:45:17.38\00:45:20.35
I must ask Him and give
Him permission to do so.
00:45:20.38\00:45:24.75
Jesus will not force
His way into our lives.
00:45:24.79\00:45:29.66
That's what the Bible compares
our relationship with God
00:45:29.69\00:45:32.49
as marrying Him, think about it.
00:45:32.53\00:45:35.36
When I met Marquita,
00:45:35.40\00:45:37.47
and I asked her to marry
me in Collegedale, Tennessee,
00:45:37.50\00:45:41.54
or actually technically
we were in Chattanooga.
00:45:41.57\00:45:44.21
It was Thanksgiving time,
00:45:44.24\00:45:45.97
this was a year
after we had graduated,
00:45:46.01\00:45:47.94
and we were going down
00:45:47.98\00:45:49.31
to visit her
family for Thanksgiving.
00:45:49.34\00:45:51.61
And we had gone to
one of the special parks
00:45:51.65\00:45:53.95
that we had gone to that it
00:45:53.98\00:45:55.65
had a pier over
one of the lakes,
00:45:55.68\00:45:57.59
we've gone there
many, many times.
00:45:57.62\00:46:00.42
And in fact, I
can remember that,
00:46:00.46\00:46:01.96
I had actually
decided in my mind
00:46:01.99\00:46:04.26
long before we ever left home.
00:46:04.29\00:46:06.29
I was going to ask her to
marry me over Thanksgiving.
00:46:06.33\00:46:10.73
Somebody ought
to say amen to that.
00:46:10.77\00:46:12.33
All right.
00:46:12.37\00:46:13.70
And so we were sitting there,
standing there on the pier.
00:46:13.74\00:46:15.90
Now, my wife has a
different version of the story,
00:46:15.94\00:46:18.67
but she's not
speaking right now.
00:46:18.71\00:46:20.51
So you're going to hear
my version of the story.
00:46:20.54\00:46:22.64
You can ask her
about hers later.
00:46:22.68\00:46:24.68
She says that I
just pussyfooted around
00:46:24.71\00:46:28.35
before I would
ever asked the question
00:46:28.38\00:46:30.02
and took about an hour before
00:46:30.05\00:46:31.39
I'd get the
words out of my mouth.
00:46:31.42\00:46:32.79
I don't quite
remember it that way,
00:46:32.82\00:46:34.52
maybe that's what happened.
00:46:34.56\00:46:35.89
But eventually, I got
down on my knees and I said,
00:46:35.92\00:46:39.49
Marquita, I love you.
00:46:39.53\00:46:41.96
Would you marry me?
00:46:42.00\00:46:44.33
Do you think it would have been
a good idea for me to go ahead
00:46:44.37\00:46:47.07
and rent a hall and
send out invitations
00:46:47.10\00:46:50.54
before I ever
asked her to marry me?
00:46:50.57\00:46:52.97
Would that be a good idea?
00:46:53.01\00:46:55.21
Probably not.
00:46:55.24\00:46:56.58
I could have gone on faith.
00:46:56.61\00:46:57.95
I'm pretty sure that
she would have said yes,
00:46:57.98\00:46:59.55
but you ought to
ask the person first.
00:46:59.58\00:47:02.38
It's the same with Jesus.
00:47:02.42\00:47:04.59
I must ask Him to be my Savior.
00:47:04.62\00:47:07.49
He already wants to, but
I've got to invite Him in.
00:47:07.52\00:47:12.89
In fact, in 1 John 1:9,
He gives us this promise.
00:47:12.93\00:47:17.33
1 John 1:9, the Bible says,
00:47:17.37\00:47:20.87
"If we confess our
sins, He is faithful and just
00:47:20.90\00:47:25.14
to forgive us our
sins and," to do what?
00:47:25.17\00:47:28.58
"Cleanse us from,"
how much unrighteousness?
00:47:28.61\00:47:31.21
"All unrighteousness."
00:47:31.25\00:47:32.61
Think about the
promise that says.
00:47:32.65\00:47:35.78
He is guaranteeing us
00:47:35.82\00:47:38.49
that if we ask
Him to be our Savior,
00:47:38.52\00:47:40.62
if we confess
that we are a sinner
00:47:40.66\00:47:42.49
who needs forgiveness, it says
00:47:42.52\00:47:44.63
He is faithful, He
will wipe our slate clean,
00:47:44.66\00:47:48.16
He will cleanse us
from all unrighteousness,
00:47:48.20\00:47:51.70
because He takes
the unrighteousness away
00:47:51.73\00:47:53.67
from our record book
00:47:53.70\00:47:55.80
and He gives us
His righteousness.
00:47:55.84\00:48:00.61
Now I have to tell you a
story that's connected to this.
00:48:00.64\00:48:04.61
I have a preacher friend.
00:48:04.65\00:48:06.85
And he was once invited
to go to a Christian school
00:48:06.88\00:48:10.99
and speak for
their week of prayer,
00:48:11.02\00:48:13.22
the week of
prayer's kind of like
00:48:13.25\00:48:14.99
when they have chapel services
00:48:15.02\00:48:16.69
during a special, you know,
spiritual week of emphasis.
00:48:16.73\00:48:20.20
And so while he
was at that school,
00:48:20.23\00:48:21.63
the officials
came to him and said,
00:48:21.66\00:48:23.00
"Listen, you know,
00:48:23.03\00:48:24.37
we have one of the troublemakers
00:48:24.40\00:48:25.73
in this school, you know,
00:48:25.77\00:48:27.10
one of the bad boys.
00:48:27.14\00:48:28.47
We wondered, would you have
a counseling session with him?"
00:48:28.50\00:48:30.77
And so my preacher friend
said, "Oh, I would love to.
00:48:30.81\00:48:33.34
I love bad boys,
00:48:33.38\00:48:34.71
because I used
to be one of them."
00:48:34.74\00:48:36.41
And so they put
him in this room.
00:48:36.44\00:48:38.31
And this kid
just walks in the room
00:48:38.35\00:48:40.35
and you could see attitude
written all over his face,
00:48:40.38\00:48:43.79
big chip on his
shoulder and so he goes,
00:48:43.82\00:48:47.02
and he asked the
preacher, he says,
00:48:47.06\00:48:48.76
"Let me ask you a question.
00:48:48.79\00:48:51.43
Does God see and
hear everything we do?"
00:48:51.46\00:48:54.60
Now, the preacher knew
this was a trick question,
00:48:54.63\00:48:56.60
he was being led into something
00:48:56.63\00:48:58.13
but he had to
answer it honestly.
00:48:58.17\00:49:00.14
And what's the answer?
00:49:00.17\00:49:01.50
Does God see and hear
everything we do, yes or no?
00:49:01.54\00:49:03.61
Indeed He does. So my
friend had to say yes.
00:49:03.64\00:49:06.74
And so the kid says back to him,
00:49:06.78\00:49:08.54
"In chapel today, you said,
00:49:08.58\00:49:10.11
'We gotta go
confess our sins to God.'
00:49:10.15\00:49:12.71
Well, if God sees and
hears everything we do,
00:49:12.75\00:49:14.92
why do I gotta go
tell him about it,
00:49:14.95\00:49:16.35
if He already knows it?"
00:49:16.38\00:49:18.45
You think
that's a good question?
00:49:18.49\00:49:20.52
I do.
00:49:20.56\00:49:21.92
You know, you ever think
about the answer to that?
00:49:21.96\00:49:25.03
If God does see and
hear everything we do,
00:49:25.06\00:49:28.06
if He already knows
that we're a sinner,
00:49:28.10\00:49:30.20
why do I have to
go and confess my sins
00:49:30.23\00:49:32.87
which He already knows about?
00:49:32.90\00:49:36.87
Let's illustrate it this way.
00:49:36.91\00:49:39.87
Let's suppose...
I'm going to use Mark
00:49:39.91\00:49:41.24
since he's
sitting on the front row.
00:49:41.28\00:49:43.91
Let's suppose after
the meeting tonight,
00:49:43.95\00:49:45.28
I'm standing out
there in the lobby,
00:49:45.31\00:49:46.72
just shaking hands
and greeting people.
00:49:46.75\00:49:48.95
And as Mark walks by,
00:49:48.98\00:49:50.32
the devil puts a
dirty thought in my mind,
00:49:50.35\00:49:52.55
and I decide to just
stick out my foot and trip him.
00:49:52.59\00:49:55.96
And he falls on the
ground flat on his face
00:49:55.99\00:49:57.96
and I laugh at him and say,
00:49:57.99\00:49:59.33
"Oh, Mark is such a dunce,
00:49:59.36\00:50:00.70
he can't even balance
himself and stay on his feet,
00:50:00.73\00:50:02.53
ha-ha, ha-ha."
00:50:02.56\00:50:05.07
And Mark being the
good Christian that he is,
00:50:05.10\00:50:06.77
is just going to get
up and dust himself off,
00:50:06.80\00:50:08.90
turn the other
cheek and walk away.
00:50:08.94\00:50:12.37
Later that night
before I go to bed,
00:50:12.41\00:50:15.31
Marquita gets a hold of me.
00:50:15.34\00:50:17.41
And she says David, and you know
00:50:17.45\00:50:19.61
when your wife says it that way,
00:50:19.65\00:50:20.98
you're in trouble.
00:50:21.02\00:50:22.38
"David, why did
you do that to Mark?
00:50:22.42\00:50:25.79
You tripped him,
00:50:25.82\00:50:27.19
you made fun of
him, you embarrassed him,
00:50:27.22\00:50:29.06
that was an awful
thing for you to do.
00:50:29.09\00:50:31.99
And now I'm feeling what?
00:50:32.03\00:50:34.60
Guilty.
00:50:34.63\00:50:35.96
And I think, "Oh,
honey, you're so right.
00:50:36.00\00:50:37.63
I can't believe I did that
in front of all those people.
00:50:37.67\00:50:40.50
What kind of an example am I.
00:50:40.54\00:50:42.04
Oh, what a horrible thing.
00:50:42.07\00:50:43.71
And that night I can't sleep.
00:50:43.74\00:50:45.67
The next morning I
can't eat my breakfast.
00:50:45.71\00:50:47.71
I can't wait to go to
the meeting the next night
00:50:47.74\00:50:50.31
and go to Mark and
as soon as I see Mark,
00:50:50.35\00:50:52.65
I go up to him, I say
00:50:52.68\00:50:54.02
"Mark I'm so sorry, you know,
the other night I tripped you.
00:50:54.05\00:50:57.29
You fell on your face.
00:50:57.32\00:50:58.65
I laughed at you
and I made fun of you.
00:50:58.69\00:51:00.42
Mark, would you
please forgive me?"
00:51:00.46\00:51:04.19
Mark, you're gonna forgive me.
00:51:04.23\00:51:06.29
He's holding a grudge.
00:51:06.33\00:51:08.80
Now, let me ask you a question.
00:51:08.83\00:51:11.33
When I go to
Mark and I tell him,
00:51:11.37\00:51:12.90
you tripped me
and I made you fall
00:51:12.93\00:51:14.27
or I tripped you and I
made you fall on your face,
00:51:14.30\00:51:16.57
am I telling Mark something
he doesn't already know.
00:51:16.60\00:51:19.94
If anybody knows
what I did, it's Mark.
00:51:19.97\00:51:23.21
But I'm confessing it
00:51:23.24\00:51:25.18
because it's restoring
my relationship with Mark.
00:51:25.21\00:51:29.52
And it's relieving
me of my load of guilt.
00:51:29.55\00:51:33.56
That's why we
confess our sins to God.
00:51:33.59\00:51:36.56
It's restoring our
relationship with Him.
00:51:36.59\00:51:39.59
It's allowing
Jesus to take that load
00:51:39.63\00:51:42.36
of guilt off of our backs,
00:51:42.40\00:51:44.83
that's why
confession is important.
00:51:44.87\00:51:47.94
It's not telling God
what He doesn't know,
00:51:47.97\00:51:50.01
He already knows that.
00:51:50.04\00:51:51.37
It allows us to
reconnect with Him.
00:51:51.41\00:51:55.38
And God tells me,
00:51:55.41\00:51:56.75
I can go directly to
Jesus to confess my sins,
00:51:56.78\00:52:01.12
according to 1 John 1:9.
00:52:01.15\00:52:05.49
But then there's a third step.
00:52:05.52\00:52:07.76
See, many times we
stop after the first two.
00:52:07.79\00:52:11.13
And we have the impression,
"Oh, well, I just, you know,
00:52:11.16\00:52:13.80
speak a few words and
now I'm just going to go
00:52:13.83\00:52:15.90
and continue to
live like the devil.
00:52:15.93\00:52:18.87
But God wants
more for us than that.
00:52:18.90\00:52:21.50
He doesn't want
to leave us alone
00:52:21.54\00:52:23.34
at the moment we
accept Christ as our Savior.
00:52:23.37\00:52:26.11
He wants to move
on to the third step
00:52:26.14\00:52:28.44
which is conversion.
00:52:28.48\00:52:30.18
Can you say amen?
00:52:30.21\00:52:31.58
Where the Holy Spirit
now begins to change us...
00:52:31.61\00:52:34.48
The Holy Spirit wants
00:52:34.52\00:52:35.85
to take the bad
that's in my life
00:52:35.88\00:52:37.62
and to turn it
into something good.
00:52:37.65\00:52:40.39
Change the way I
think, change the way I speak.
00:52:40.42\00:52:44.16
And truthfully,
00:52:44.19\00:52:45.53
that doesn't
happen in a day, does it?
00:52:45.56\00:52:47.90
Now we can be saved in a moment.
00:52:47.93\00:52:49.43
We can accept Jesus as
our Savior in one moment,
00:52:49.46\00:52:52.50
genuinely and truly,
00:52:52.53\00:52:54.40
but being changed and converted
happens over time, doesn't it?
00:52:54.44\00:52:59.71
See, when I give
my life over to Jesus
00:52:59.74\00:53:01.38
does that automatically mean
00:53:01.41\00:53:02.74
that right away
my nature is changed
00:53:02.78\00:53:04.25
or that I'll never be tempted
00:53:04.28\00:53:05.61
or that I will never fall again.
00:53:05.65\00:53:07.75
In fact, it's
quite likely the devil
00:53:07.78\00:53:09.12
will work harder on you
than he ever has before.
00:53:09.15\00:53:12.55
And so now the Holy
Spirit wants to do a work
00:53:12.59\00:53:14.79
of conversion
and transformation.
00:53:14.82\00:53:17.99
That's why Jesus
said in Matthew 26:41,
00:53:18.03\00:53:21.36
and these are
eternally important words,
00:53:21.40\00:53:23.70
He said, "Watch and pray,
00:53:23.73\00:53:28.10
lest you enter into temptation.
00:53:28.14\00:53:31.01
For the spirit
indeed is willing,
00:53:31.04\00:53:33.78
but the flesh is weak."
00:53:33.81\00:53:37.25
You know what those
two words watch and pray,
00:53:37.28\00:53:39.31
just simply translating,
you know what they really mean?
00:53:39.35\00:53:42.42
It's basically talking
about spending time with Jesus
00:53:42.45\00:53:45.49
in Bible study and prayer,
00:53:45.52\00:53:47.66
watching or paying attention
to one's spiritual life.
00:53:47.69\00:53:54.16
You see the best way
00:53:54.20\00:53:55.53
I can open my
heart to the Holy Spirit,
00:53:55.56\00:53:58.40
to do this work
of transformation
00:53:58.43\00:54:00.67
is by spending time in
the Bible every single day.
00:54:00.70\00:54:05.41
Setting aside those 30 minutes
00:54:05.44\00:54:07.28
where I read
God's love letter to me,
00:54:07.31\00:54:09.71
I let His principles
be immersed into my heart,
00:54:09.74\00:54:13.28
into my soul to the point
00:54:13.31\00:54:15.02
where it begins
to change who I am.
00:54:15.05\00:54:18.75
And then through prayer,
I share my life with God.
00:54:18.79\00:54:23.73
One Christian writer said,
00:54:23.76\00:54:25.26
"Prayer is like
opening your heart to God
00:54:25.29\00:54:28.36
as you would to a friend."
00:54:28.40\00:54:30.83
It's not about
fancy and special words,
00:54:30.87\00:54:33.60
it's just being who you
are and speaking to God.
00:54:33.64\00:54:36.71
Does God care about
00:54:36.74\00:54:38.07
the little insignificant
things in your life, yes or no?
00:54:38.11\00:54:41.48
Indeed He does.
00:54:41.51\00:54:42.84
If He cares about the sparrow
that falls to the ground,
00:54:42.88\00:54:45.61
He cares about you and me.
00:54:45.65\00:54:48.55
I can talk to Him
00:54:48.58\00:54:50.12
about the things I
talk to a friend about,
00:54:50.15\00:54:52.35
because God is my best friend.
00:54:52.39\00:54:55.09
You see, in the
Bible, God speaks to me,
00:54:55.12\00:54:58.79
in prayer I can speak to God.
00:54:58.83\00:55:01.96
And as I spend
that time in Bible study
00:55:02.00\00:55:04.37
and prayer every
day, after a while,
00:55:04.40\00:55:07.24
the change that I
could never make in myself,
00:55:07.27\00:55:11.17
the Holy Spirit
begins to make in me,
00:55:11.21\00:55:15.18
and He converts me
00:55:15.21\00:55:16.91
to be more like
Jesus as time passes.
00:55:16.95\00:55:21.52
You say how fast
does that happen?
00:55:21.55\00:55:24.49
Well, I guess it
depends on how completely
00:55:24.52\00:55:27.36
we're willing to
submit and surrender to God.
00:55:27.39\00:55:31.03
You see, we all have low points
in our Christian experience.
00:55:31.06\00:55:34.10
We all go through valleys,
sometimes we grow faster,
00:55:34.13\00:55:37.13
other times we have
setbacks and we grow slower
00:55:37.17\00:55:39.77
but the wonderful
thing is, Jesus says,
00:55:39.80\00:55:42.50
"I'll never leave you.
00:55:42.54\00:55:44.41
I will never forsake you."
00:55:44.44\00:55:47.64
In fact, He
gives us this promise.
00:55:47.68\00:55:50.35
"The one who comes to Me,
00:55:50.38\00:55:53.21
I will by no means cast out."
00:55:53.25\00:55:57.59
Maybe there's
someone here tonight,
00:55:57.62\00:55:58.95
and you're thinking,
00:55:58.99\00:56:00.32
"I need to accept
Jesus Christ as my Savior.
00:56:00.36\00:56:03.96
I've never
actually prayed that prayer,
00:56:03.99\00:56:06.49
just confessing my sin
00:56:06.53\00:56:07.96
and inviting Him
to come into my life."
00:56:08.00\00:56:10.97
There may be people here tonight
00:56:11.00\00:56:12.33
who want to say,
00:56:12.37\00:56:13.70
"You know, I just
need to rededicate my life
00:56:13.74\00:56:15.90
to the Lord Jesus Christ."
00:56:15.94\00:56:17.94
I want to invite you
00:56:17.97\00:56:19.31
to take out your response cards.
00:56:19.34\00:56:20.94
You notice that
these are different
00:56:20.98\00:56:23.24
than the ones that we had
been using night by night.
00:56:23.28\00:56:25.61
This is a
special one for tonight.
00:56:25.65\00:56:27.78
And it says Revelation's
King, there are some in English,
00:56:27.82\00:56:31.75
there are some in Russian
00:56:31.79\00:56:33.12
because we have some
Russian speaking folks
00:56:33.15\00:56:34.66
that are with
us in this seminar.
00:56:34.69\00:56:37.06
Now if you do not have this card
00:56:37.09\00:56:38.89
that says Revelation's King,
00:56:38.93\00:56:40.80
I'd invite you just to
briefly raise your hand
00:56:40.83\00:56:43.23
and one of the ushers
00:56:43.26\00:56:44.60
will be happy to
get you that card.
00:56:44.63\00:56:46.74
I'm going to
briefly go over it with you.
00:56:46.77\00:56:49.77
The first box says,
00:56:49.80\00:56:52.37
"I believe that Jesus loves me
00:56:52.41\00:56:55.11
and died on the
cross for my sins.
00:56:55.14\00:56:58.48
If you have the
assurance and you can say,
00:56:58.51\00:57:00.68
'Pastor, I know
that God loves me.
00:57:00.72\00:57:02.95
I know I'm not perfect,
00:57:02.98\00:57:04.45
but I know that He loves me
and He has died for my sins.'"
00:57:04.49\00:57:07.49
If you have that assurance,
00:57:07.52\00:57:09.82
I'd like to invite you
to check that box tonight.
00:57:09.86\00:57:13.70
The second one says,
"Today, I am accepting Jesus
00:57:13.73\00:57:18.57
as my personal
Savior for the first time."
00:57:18.60\00:57:22.80
Maybe you've never
actually taken that step
00:57:22.84\00:57:25.17
and invited Him into your life.
00:57:25.21\00:57:27.48
And if you'd like to do
that for the first time tonight,
00:57:27.51\00:57:30.48
I'd like you to check that box.
00:57:30.51\00:57:32.68
Because later this weekend,
00:57:32.71\00:57:34.05
I'd like to find a special
gift to give to you privately,
00:57:34.08\00:57:38.02
to just help you
remember this special time
00:57:38.05\00:57:41.39
when you gave
your heart to Jesus.
00:57:41.42\00:57:44.49
And box number three,
00:57:44.53\00:57:46.29
"I would like to request prayer
for something in my life."
00:57:46.33\00:57:49.16
Maybe there's just
something you'd like to ask
00:57:49.20\00:57:51.20
a prayer team to pray over.
00:57:51.23\00:57:53.87
I'd invite you to check that box
00:57:53.90\00:57:55.34
and whatever it is,
00:57:55.37\00:57:56.71
whatever you want to share
00:57:56.74\00:57:58.07
you can write that
on the back of the card
00:57:58.11\00:58:00.28
and we will share
this with a prayer team
00:58:00.31\00:58:02.24
who will lift your request
up to the throne of heaven.
00:58:02.28\00:58:06.38
And then lastly number four,
00:58:06.41\00:58:08.65
"I'd like to
talk with a pastor."
00:58:08.68\00:58:10.35