Participants: Jason Sliger
Series Code: FC
Program Code: FC000210
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00:31 We like to welcome you to the Faith Chapel once again.
00:33 My name is Jason Sliger. 00:36 I'm an evangelist with the Amazing Facts Ministry 00:39 and I enjoy sharing the Bible with those 00:40 that I get a chance to share the Bible with. 00:42 And today we're going to be taking a look at the subject 00:45 "The Lingering That Kills." 00:48 The lingering that kills. 00:49 To begin our study today I would like to go to 00:51 the Book of Luke, the 17th chapter 00:54 and we're gonna be looking at verses 28-30 00:57 the Bible tells us here 00:58 "Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot, 01:01 they did eat, they drank, they bought, 01:04 they sold, they planted, they builded 01:06 but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire 01:10 and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 01:13 Even thus shall it be in the day 01:16 when the Son of man is revealed." 01:18 We have to understand the context 01:20 of this chapter here and realize 01:22 that Jesus is talking about the end times. 01:24 He is talking about the end times 01:25 and pointing us in the direction 01:28 to look at the story of Lot. 01:29 And you're seeing during the time of Lot 01:31 they bought, they sold, they ate, they drink, 01:33 they did all of these things and then the Bible says 01:35 that it rained fire upon that city there, 01:38 that city called Sodom and Gomorrah. 01:41 As the fire rained down and destroyed that city 01:43 Jesus tells us "that as it was in the days of Lot 01:47 so shall it be in the days when the Son of Man comes." 01:50 I ask myself a question 01:51 when I look at this scenario here 01:52 and say well what is it 01:54 that I can learn from the story of Lot 01:56 that can help me better prepare myself 02:00 for when Jesus comes He comes very soon 02:03 I believe, to take each one of us home to be with Him. 02:06 I want to continue in this passage of scripture 02:08 and jump down to verse 32. 02:11 There's three words there and the Bible says this. 02:13 It says "Remember Lot's wife." 02:17 Now I ask myself the question okay, 02:20 its one thing for Jesus to say look at the scenario of Lot 02:23 and what took place in destruction of the Sodom 02:26 and Gomorrah and all of the issues that surrounded. 02:29 But then Jesus says this He gives this stark warning 02:32 and He says "Remember Lot's wife." 02:34 I ask myself why did Jesus ask me to remember Lot's wife? 02:37 There's not really that much 02:38 that's written about Mrs. Lot in the Bible 02:40 when actually go to Genesis there is very little 02:43 written about Mrs. Lot but none the less 02:45 either all of the people during that time 02:48 Jesus points us in the direction of Mrs. Lot 02:50 and He says "Remember Lot's wife." 02:53 I ask myself the question 02:54 why did Jesus tell us to remember? 02:56 You know I looked up this word remember in the Greek 02:59 and the definition for the word 03:00 remember in the Greek was to rehearse. 03:03 What are you doing when you rehearse something? 03:05 When you rehearse something its like 03:06 you reacted out inside of your mind. 03:08 It's something that's vivid. 03:09 It's something that's very inside of your mind 03:12 as you're thinking about it blow by blow play by play. 03:14 Jesus is telling us to rehearse what happened to Mrs. Lot? 03:18 What happened to Lot's wife? 03:19 Its something that's should be become alive 03:22 to each and every one of us. 03:23 What took place during the time of Lot and his family? 03:28 We go back and again look at verse 28 of Luke Chapter 17. 03:32 And the Bible says this 03:33 "Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot 03:35 they did eat, they drank, they bought, 03:37 they sold, they planted, they builded." 03:39 The Bible tells us that during the time of Lot's era 03:44 that they were buying, they were selling, 03:45 they were planting, they were building, 03:46 they were doing all these types of things. 03:47 And friends do you know 03:48 when I look at this passage of scripture 03:50 its almost like reading a newspaper 03:52 that's taking place toady. 03:54 You know people in the world today 03:55 they're very concern about their financial wellbeing, 03:58 their house, their bank account, 04:00 their job, their family, their friends, 04:02 they're very concerned about the things in this world 04:05 and not as concerned sometimes about 04:08 what's gonna take place in the end of the world. 04:10 And friends, I believe that 04:11 more important than the things in this world 04:13 and things that we have obtained in this world 04:14 is a relationship with God. 04:16 And you see unfortunately 04:17 as we look at the story of Mrs. Lot 04:20 I must say that at that time the little bit 04:22 that is written about her there as we look at it today 04:25 unfortunately God was not number one in her life. 04:29 And I believe that's why God is pointing us 04:31 in the direction and saying, 04:32 remember Lot's wife, think about Lot's wife, 04:34 rehearse what happened to Mrs. Lot, 04:36 think about it make it become something that alive to you. 04:40 Friends, what do you seek after in your life today? 04:42 Do you seek after the things in this world? 04:45 Do you look for fame and popularity? 04:48 Do you search after financial wellbeing 04:50 and a good paying job? 04:51 What is number one in your life? 04:52 What is the thing that you think about 04:53 when you wake up in the morning? 04:54 Do you think about God or do you think about 04:56 what's you're going to do that day? 04:57 You see friends, God is telling us 04:59 to remember Lot's wife 05:00 so that the same thing that happened to Mrs. Lot 05:02 will not happen to you and to me. 05:04 God does not want to do destroy His people. 05:06 He wants to take all of His children home with Him. 05:09 But unfortunately there will be people 05:10 in this world during the end times 05:12 that will hold to their treasures, 05:14 that will hold to the things of this world 05:16 and unfortunately the Bible says 05:18 that they will be destroyed 05:20 if they do not seek after God first. 05:23 And Bible tells us to remember Lot's wife, 05:24 so what I have done in my study is 05:26 I have gone back to Genesis to take a look 05:28 and to look at what happened in scenario that surrounds Lot 05:31 and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. 05:34 Genesis 13:12 the Bible says this. 05:39 "Abram dwelled in the land of Canaan, 05:41 and Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, 05:45 and pitched his tent toward Sodom." 05:48 The Bible says that Lot pitched his tent towards Sodom. 05:53 Now the Bible says that Abraham he actually 05:56 he was living in the land of Canaan 05:57 and you know if you read the stories surrounding it 06:00 Lot and Abraham's herdsmen 06:02 they started having arguments and so Abraham and Lot 06:05 thought it would be better if they separated. 06:07 So Lot chose Canaan or Lot actually chose 06:12 the cities of the plain and Abraham chose Canaan. 06:15 And so the Bible says, now listen to me 06:16 now this is very interesting. 06:18 The Bible tells us 06:19 that Lot pitched his tents towards Sodom. 06:21 Now that doesn't mean that Lot right away moved into Sodom 06:24 and some people think some people well, okay, 06:26 they separated and Lot moved 06:27 right into Sodom and Gomorrah. 06:28 No that's not what the Bible says. 06:30 The first thing that Lot did 06:31 is he pitched his tent towards Sodom. 06:33 Now you know friends, there are steps that we take 06:37 to committing sin in our lives. 06:39 Some times we don't automatically 06:40 commit sin right away but there are steps 06:42 that we may take that lead us 06:44 in the direction of committing sin 06:46 and transgressing God's holy law. 06:49 And I believe that in the scenario with Lot 06:51 as God points us in the direction 06:53 in the end times about Lot and what took place 06:55 in the times of Sodom and Gomorrah 06:57 and also the scenario with Mrs. Lot or Lot's wife 07:00 I believe that the first mistake 07:02 unfortunately that they made 07:03 was pitching their tents toward Sodom and Gomorrah 07:06 that Pagan city, that godless city, 07:09 that city that was void of God and full of sin. 07:12 See friends, God doesn't want us to live 07:14 in areas like that 07:16 where there is sin and suffering all around us. 07:17 God wants His people to be in a place 07:20 where there is a pure environment 07:22 so that they can get to know 07:24 their Lord and Creator it better. 07:25 The first step I believe in the wrong direction 07:28 that Lot made and his family 07:29 was pitching their tents towards Sodom. 07:31 And I can almost imagine in my minds eye 07:33 that Mrs. Lot and the family 07:35 were encouraging Lot and saying you know what 07:37 there's some benefits that we might get 07:39 if we pitch our tents towards Sodom. 07:40 You know, we can drive our little oxcart 07:43 down to Sodom and Gomorrah 07:44 and if we pitch our tent down there 07:46 and we'll be able to get some of the modern conveniences, 07:48 buy some of the fresh fruits and vegetables 07:49 and the produce there, 07:50 be able to get some of that freshly squeezed grape juice 07:53 and that freshly squeezed olive oil 07:55 and have all of the modern conveniences of living 07:58 near that city of Sodom and Gomorrah. 08:00 I can imagine Mrs. Lot saying you know Lot, 08:02 if we pitch our tents towards Sodom 08:04 it will be more convenient for us 08:05 to maybe we'll be able to send our kids 08:07 to the schools over there in Sodom and Gomorrah 08:09 so that they can have a little close to be a little bit closer 08:11 and have to be able to journey right there 08:13 and be able to go to school. 08:14 You know I'm sure there was a lot of rational 08:16 for why they pitched their tents towards Sodom. 08:18 But listen my friends, 08:19 we should not rationalize against God 08:22 and think maybe this will be a good thing for me to do 08:26 when in actuality it may draw us further away from God. 08:29 So we have to think things all the way through 08:30 and ask ourselves the question 08:31 is this going to draw me closer to God? 08:33 Is what I'm getting ready to do is gonna draw closer to God 08:36 or is it going to draw me further away from God? 08:38 And unfortunately I believe that 08:39 the step that Lot and his family made 08:41 in pitching their tents towards Sodom 08:43 was the first mistake that Lot and his family made. 08:45 We continue our story in Genesis 19:15, 16 08:50 the Bibles tells us here. 08:52 "And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, 08:55 saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, 08:59 which are here lest thou be consumed 09:02 in the iniquity of the city." 09:04 Now let me explain to you a little bit of the scenario 09:06 that's taking place here. 09:07 Lot had been now moved into the city of Sodom and Gomorrah. 09:10 He no longer pitches his tents towards Sodom and Gomorrah. 09:13 The Bible later on tells us that now he's moved into it 09:16 he's bought himself a condominium 09:17 and he's living it up there inside of the city 09:19 in Sodom and Gomorrah 09:21 and God sends two messengers, 09:22 two angels to Lot and his family. 09:25 And he says listen Lot, there's going to be a destruction 09:27 of the city of Sodom and Gomorrah. 09:29 Sodom and Gomorrah is going to be destroyed 09:30 by fire and brimstone and I want you 09:33 a righteous man one of my people. 09:36 I want you to move out of the city. 09:38 I want you to leave the city. 09:39 I want you to gather your family and get out 09:41 and so these angels are appealing to Lot 09:43 and he's saying arise lest you be destroyed 09:46 in the iniquity of the city. 09:48 Now the passage goes on to say in verse 16 it says this. 09:52 "And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand 09:57 and upon the hand of his wife, 09:59 and upon the hand of his two daughters 10:01 the Lord being merciful unto him 10:04 and they brought him forth, and set him without the city." 10:09 Now I want you to realize a word 10:10 that just was spoken here. 10:12 The Bible says and well he lingered. 10:16 Can you imagine that? 10:18 The angels are there telling Lot 10:19 listen the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah 10:21 are going to be destroyed with fire and brimstone. 10:23 And the Bible says that Lot lingered 10:26 in the face of that destruction. 10:28 Now I'm gonna read to you a brief definition 10:30 from the Hebrew lexicon and what the word linger means. 10:34 The word linger the definition the word linger is to question, 10:38 to be reluctant, to delay to teary. 10:43 Let me ask you a question. Do you sometimes question God? 10:49 Do you sometimes linger or tarry 10:53 to follow His commands? 10:55 Do you sometimes say God, why do you do this? 10:58 God, why are you having me go here? 11:00 God, why are you allowing this to take place in my life? 11:02 Do you linger sometimes in the face of destruction? 11:06 You see the Bible tells us that one day 11:07 the earth is going to be destroyed 11:09 that the Bible the Bible tells us 11:11 that world is going to be destroyed 11:12 and that God is going to come back 11:13 and take His just people with Him 11:15 and destroy the unjust. 11:16 And you know what friends, 11:18 the thing that's going to do destroy the unjust 11:19 is those sins that they hold to. 11:21 The Bible tells us that sin cannot dwell 11:22 in the presence of God and that sin will consume 11:26 those people who are holding on to it. 11:28 And the thing that will destroy the people in this world 11:31 is not whatever, whatever they think it might be. 11:33 The thing that is going to destroy people in this world 11:35 my friends, is holding on the sin. 11:37 And I ask you the question 11:38 do you sometimes linger in the presence of God? 11:41 Do you sometimes question what God has asked you to do? 11:44 Do you sometimes say God, 11:45 do you really want me to give up this sin? 11:47 Do you really want me to give up 11:50 this thing in my life that I love so much? 11:51 You see friends, 11:52 God does not want to take away the good things from us 11:55 but He wants to take away the bad 11:57 and replace it with the good. 11:58 And so friends, whenever God asks us 12:00 to get rid of something in our lives 12:02 we should never linger as Lot did. 12:04 We should never tarry. 12:05 We should never question God and what He is asking us to do 12:08 but we should follow God's command explicitly 12:11 and do exactly what God has asked you 12:13 and asked me to do. 12:14 Now again I ask you if you were Lot 12:16 what would you have done? 12:18 You have built your occupation there. 12:20 You have got a home. You've got family. 12:22 You've friends, you've probably got a nice bank account, 12:25 you have whatever it maybe 12:26 you're now living up living it nicely 12:29 in the city of Sodom and Gomorrah 12:30 what would you have done? 12:31 Friends, I believe 12:32 what you would have done in that situation 12:34 might be what you do in the end of this world 12:35 when Jesus comes and says listen, 12:38 I want you to separate yourself 12:40 from all these things in the world 12:41 and I want you to dedicate your life completely to me. 12:44 Friends, what would you have done? 12:45 Notice what the Bible says 12:50 the Bible says this, "I made haste." 12:52 Now this is David talking here listen to what he says. 12:54 "I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments." 12:59 That word delay in that passage of scripture 13:01 is the same Hebrew word that is used in Genesis 19 13:05 when the Bible says that Lot lingered. 13:07 The Bible-- David here is saying I made haste 13:11 and delayed not to keep Your commandments. 13:13 And you know what I pray that this is your prayer 13:16 that you will delay not to keep the commandments of God, 13:18 that you will delay not to make haste 13:20 and keep God's commandments holy 13:21 as God has asked you and asked me 13:24 to keep those commandments that He has given to us. 13:27 Those guidelines, those principles 13:29 that bring us closer to God not further away. 13:32 Let's continue our story 13:34 as we continue to unfold the story 13:35 of Lot and his family and be good disciples 13:38 as Jesus said, "remember Lot's wife." 13:40 Let's continue and see what happened 13:42 the Bible tells us this. 13:46 "And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, 13:51 that he said, 13:53 Escape for thy life look not behind thee, 13:57 neither stay thou in all the plain 14:00 escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed." 14:04 The Bible here is telling us something very interesting. 14:07 It says that the angel came to Lot and his family 14:09 and it said and the angel said I want you to flee. 14:12 I want you to leave the city. 14:13 I don't want you to be in the city. 14:15 I want you to leave plains just take off and leave. 14:18 Now let me ask you a question. 14:19 And then the angel actually said look not behind you. 14:23 Don't look behind you don't look at 14:24 what's going behind you. 14:25 Now let me ask you a question physically 14:27 now not mentally but physically was it something 14:29 did the angel asked them to do something that was difficult? 14:32 Is it difficult not to look behind you 14:34 and just continue to move straight? 14:35 No, its not physically difficult 14:37 but see the thing was is that they were mentally attached 14:40 to that city of Sodom and Gomorrah 14:42 and I might add that when Mrs. Lot and Lot and his family 14:45 moved into the city of Sodom and Gomorrah 14:47 not only did Mrs. Lot move into that city 14:51 but the city moved into her. 14:53 And when she was walking through that plain 14:54 and she was walking through that plain 14:55 that message was going in their minds 14:57 and message was going through their heads 14:59 that the angel gave them 15:00 look not behind thee and leave that plain. 15:05 Go and leave. 15:06 Now it wasn't something physically difficult to do 15:07 and you know what listen to me now. 15:10 What God asks us to do when God asks us to do things 15:13 it's not difficult what He asks us to do. 15:15 The thing is that, we make it difficult on ourselves 15:18 because sometimes we become attached to sins. 15:21 If we ask God to dis-attach ourselves from sins 15:25 it would not be as difficult as sometimes it is. 15:28 But you see Mrs. Lot had become attached to that city. 15:30 She had grown to love it. 15:32 She had grown to enjoy the modern conveniences 15:34 of all the safe ways 15:36 and all the different shopping centers' 15:38 and all the different plazas 15:40 and stores and things of that nature. 15:42 She had grown to enjoy living in that area of the world. 15:47 And friends, unfortunately listen to me now 15:49 she enjoyed living in Sodom and Gomorrah 15:51 more than she enjoyed obeying the Word of God. 15:56 The story goes on in verse 26 15:58 of Genesis Chapter 19 it says this. 16:01 "But his wife looked back from behind him," 16:05 and the Bible says "she became a pillar of salt." 16:10 Lot's wife she turned around, she looked behind 16:12 and she became a pillar of salt. 16:13 Jesus said "Remember Lot's wife." 16:15 He pointed us in the direction of Lot's wife. 16:17 He said remember Lot's wife. Remember what Lot's wife did. 16:20 Friends, Lot's wife she loved the city of Sodom and Gomorrah 16:23 more than she loved to obey God. 16:25 And I ask you the question 16:26 do you love your sins in your life? 16:28 Do you love the things in your life? 16:29 Do you love those pet sins that you have in your life 16:32 more than you love God? 16:34 And I pray that the answer you give to yourself 16:36 and your mind and before God is that no God, 16:38 I love You more than I love any sin in my life. 16:42 You know what friends, as I look at the story 16:45 something very interesting comes up in my mind. 16:48 You may ask yourself the question 16:49 well, that's pretty harsh for God to destroy 16:51 Mrs. Lot for just looking behind her 16:53 at city of Sodom and Gomorrah. 16:55 But you know what friends, 16:56 God calls that kind of action sin. 16:59 Whenever we go against the Word of God 17:01 no matter how big or how small 17:03 we may rationalize it to be in our minds, 17:05 no matter what it is if we go against that Word of God 17:08 the Bible calls that kind of action sin. 17:11 And when Mrs. Lot by the mere 17:12 turn of the head turned her head 17:14 and looked behind her that was a sin 17:18 and God had to destroy her 17:19 as a result of the sin she had committed. 17:22 You know I look at few other stories in the Bible 17:24 we don't have time to look at them in detail 17:26 but I will look at the story of Nadab and Abihu. 17:28 Many of you may know this, many of you may not. 17:29 Nadab and Abihu were they were priests 17:32 they were sons of Aaron 17:34 which was the high priest in the sanctuary system 17:37 in the Book of Leviticus. 17:39 Nadab and Abihu one day they got some strange fire 17:44 and they took it inside the sanctuary. 17:45 Now you have to remember 17:46 the Bible tells us that God said 17:48 that there was only certain kind of fire a sanctified fire 17:51 that was supposed to go into the sanctuary. 17:52 But they took common fire, 17:54 they took it inside the sanctuary 17:55 and the Bible says 17:56 God destroyed them just like that. 17:59 There is another story that the Bible will tell us 18:02 about a man by the name of Uzzah. 18:05 The Bible tells us that Uzzah was a man 18:07 that pretty much he loved God. 18:09 And one day what was happening 18:10 was that the Ark of the Covenant 18:12 was being brought back into the city. 18:14 And the Ark of the Covenant unfortunately was not being 18:17 transported the way God wanted to be transported. 18:19 It is being transported on an oxcart 18:21 and the Bible tells us that God wanted 18:22 the Ark of Covenant to be carried by the Levites, 18:25 the priests on their shoulders. 18:26 And they were bringing 18:27 the Ark of the Covenant into the city 18:29 and as it was going along the road 18:31 it hit one of the mini potholes in the road there 18:34 and it began to slide 18:36 and Uzzah out of his love and respect for God 18:38 and the Ark of the Covenant he reached out 18:40 and he to stabilize the Ark of the Covenant 18:42 and the Bible says God destroyed him. 18:43 Why? 18:45 Because only the Levites 18:47 where to touch the Ark of the Covenant 18:48 and Uzzah had disobeyed. 18:50 And we look at another story, another story 18:52 we go back to Genesis Chapter 3. 18:54 And we look at the story of Adam and Eve. 18:56 Eve was there before the tree 18:57 of the knowledge of good and evil 18:59 and the serpent was speaking to her. 19:00 Hath God really said that you shall not eat 19:03 every tree in the garden? 19:04 And Eve was beguiled by the serpent 19:07 and then before we know it 19:08 Eve plucks that fruit off and begins to eat it. 19:11 Now is there anything wrong with eating fruit? 19:13 You may have ate fruit 19:14 sometimes throughout course of your day. 19:15 Did you sin as a result of eating that fruit? 19:17 No, you didn't but God had said 19:20 don't eat this fruit of this tree 19:22 and Eve went against what God said 19:24 and 6,000 years later 19:25 we have been dealing with the result of sin. 19:27 What does God call of all of these 19:28 little tiny actions, my friends? 19:30 God calls these little things sin. 19:32 What do we learn from these stories? 19:34 The thing that we learned from these stories is this, 19:37 God is concerned about the little sins in our life. 19:40 God is concerned about the little things that we do. 19:43 God is concerned about some of the little pet sins 19:46 that we may have in our lives. 19:47 Those ever so often may be those little white lies, 19:50 those little indulgences into sin. 19:52 God is concerned about those things my friends, 19:55 and God wants us to eradicate every sin out our life 19:58 and to draw close to Him and to Him alone. 20:02 I ask you the question, 20:06 do you enjoy those pet sins in your life 20:10 or do you want to give your life 20:11 completely over to God as some of the other 20:15 Bible characters in the Bible have? 20:17 We continue our study today 20:19 and we look another passage of scripture here. 20:23 In Luke Chapter 14 and we're gonna look at verse 33. 20:26 Luke 14:33 Jesus is talking to His disciples here 20:30 and He says this "So likewise, whosoever he be of you 20:34 that forsaketh not all that he hath, 20:37 he cannot be my disciple." 20:40 Jesus said that if you do not forsake everything 20:43 if you don't get rid of everything 20:44 if you don't stop searching after the things in this world, 20:47 if you do not forsake all you cannot be My disciple. 20:51 I ask you the question have you do you forsake 20:53 all things in your life and make God number one? 20:55 Now that doesn't mean that we are to live a lazy life 20:58 and never do anything in our life. 20:59 That's not what God is asking us to do. 21:01 But what God is asking us to do 21:03 is to place our priorities in the right order. 21:05 What is number one in your life? 21:06 What is the first priority that you have? 21:08 Is you first priority to God 21:10 is your first priority to man and the things in this world? 21:13 Jesus says if you don't forsake all, 21:14 forsaking all means forsaking your family, 21:17 forsaking your friends, forsaking your job, 21:19 your occupation, 21:20 maybe forsaking your bank account, 21:23 maybe forsaking whatever it may be 21:25 the thing that you love more than you love God. 21:27 The Bible tells us if we do not forsake all of these things 21:30 that we cannot be God's disciple. 21:33 And friends, I don't about you 21:34 but I want to be disciple of God. 21:36 I want to give my life completely over to God 21:38 and say Lord, I want to be a disciple for You. 21:40 I want to follow Your path that You've asked me to do. 21:43 You know what friends, 21:44 the path of a true disciple for God is a joyful path. 21:47 It's a path of joy and happiness. 21:49 It's a path that brings happiness to our life and peace 21:53 that God wants to give to all people a peace 21:55 that passes all understanding. 21:57 And friends, the question is, are you willing to forsake all 22:01 to give you life completely over to God? 22:02 Do you know what? 22:04 You know when you look at the woman 22:05 caught in the adultery 22:07 the story about the woman that was caught in adultery. 22:09 Jesus looked at her when her accusers had left 22:13 and He said to that woman caught in adultery 22:15 He told her He said "go and sin no more." 22:19 He didn't say go and taper off your sins. 22:20 He didn't say go sin less and less 22:22 but He said to that woman caught in adultery 22:24 He told her He said "go and sin no more." 22:27 The story in 1 John 2:1, 22:29 John is writing there in to some of the people 22:31 and he says, he says to them he says, 22:34 these things write I unto you that you sin not. 22:38 Not that you sin less and less, 22:39 not that you taper off your sins, 22:40 not that you do little bit, 22:42 something a little bit different, but he says 22:43 I write these things unto you that you sin not. 22:45 You see, God is looking for people 22:47 that can have total true and total victory 22:49 over sin in your lives. 22:50 And you know there's this school of thought 22:52 in the world today that you cannot overcome sin, 22:54 that you cannot overcome those bad habits in your life. 22:57 But friends, the Bible tells me and it tells you 23:00 that we can do all things through Christ Jesus 23:03 which strengthens you and strengthens me. 23:05 It doesn't matter what it maybe. 23:07 It doesn't matter what sin you may be struggling with. 23:09 It doesn't matter what it maybe 23:10 but friends, we can overcome 23:12 all things through Jesus Christ who gives us strength. 23:15 I remember, I was doing some meetings 23:18 in Cincinnati, Ohio in the United States of America. 23:22 And there was a lady there 23:23 that was coming to my meetings night by night 23:25 and this lady she came to me one night 23:27 after I had finished my sermon about 23:29 how our bodies are the temple of God 23:31 and how we need to take care of our bodies. 23:32 And as she came to me and she said Jason, 23:34 you know I have been struggling with smoking for years. 23:36 I have been struggling with this addiction 23:38 and I want to give this addiction up. 23:39 I want to get rid of this she was actually 23:41 a Sunday school teacher in a church. 23:43 And she said I don't want to do this any more. 23:44 Can you please help me to gain this victory? 23:48 And I said to Elizabeth, I said we can do that. 23:50 And one day I schedule an appointment to go 23:52 visit Elizabeth in her home me and a friend of mine. 23:55 We went over to Elizabeth's home 23:57 and asked Elizabeth I said Elizabeth, 23:58 do you really want to have the victory? 24:00 She said yes Jason, I really want to have the victory. 24:03 Said in order for us to-- 24:04 in order to for you to get the victory 24:06 you have to be willing to get rid of everything 24:09 all of those things, all of those things 24:11 that surround this sin of 24:12 or this addiction to cigarettes. 24:15 I said what you need to do is 24:17 you need to get rid of those cigarettes 24:19 and you need to get rid of those ashtrays 24:20 you get rid anything that has anything to do 24:22 with smoking and claim the victory 24:23 that God can give you through His word. 24:25 She said are you sure, do I really have to do that? 24:27 I said yes Elizabeth, the Bible tells us 24:29 that we are not to make any provisions for the flesh, 24:30 to fulfill the lust thereof. 24:32 We cannot make any provision for the flesh to commit sin. 24:36 We have to get rid of those provisions. 24:38 And so she got up, she walked around her house, 24:40 she gathered her things, she got her ashtrays 24:43 her cigarettes her lighters and everything 24:45 and she placed it in the plastic bag 24:47 and she came into that living room 24:48 where me and my friend was sitting down 24:50 and she said here it is. 24:51 I said okay Elizabeth, I took the bag 24:53 I put it down on the carpet there in the living room 24:55 and we got down in a circle and we prayed. 24:57 We held hands and we prayed and I prayed and said "God, 25:00 Elizabeth is wanting to claim the victory. 25:01 Give her the victory today. 25:02 She wants to overcome the sin of smoking 25:04 please give her the victory." 25:05 My friend prayed God please give Elizabeth the victory. 25:08 Elizabeth she prayed there that day and she said 25:10 God please give me the victory I don't want to smoke anymore. 25:13 And after we finished those prayers 25:14 and claim the promises of God's word 25:16 we got up that promise 25:17 that we can do all things through Christ Jesus. 25:19 It doesn't matter what it is 25:20 we can be as over comers my friends, over sin. 25:23 We got up off that carpet. 25:25 We stood up and Elizabeth looked at me 25:26 and she said Jason I feel different. 25:28 And I said Elizabeth, you're different. 25:29 You're not a smoke anymore. 25:30 You've gained the victory through Jesus Christ your Lord. 25:33 You've gained the victory through the Bible. 25:34 Not too long ago I was talking to Elizabeth. 25:37 I went back to that church and I visited there 25:39 and I talked to Elizabeth 25:40 and I said Elizabeth, how is it going? 25:41 She said I haven't' struggled with addiction for cigarettes 25:43 and since we had that prayer in my living room. 25:46 You know what friends, 25:47 victory over sin is not just for you, 25:49 it's not just for me and it's just for Elizabeth, 25:51 its not just for anybody, its for everybody in this world 25:54 God wants to give everybody the victory over sin 25:57 and God wants to give it to you today. 25:59 Friends, you can overcome anything 26:00 it doesn't matter what it is. 26:01 It could be a big sin it could be a little sin 26:02 God could give you the victory. 26:04 God is looking for people that are willing to forsake all 26:07 to become a disciple of Him. 26:09 Notice what the Bible says in 2 Corinthians6:17. 26:12 The Bible tells us "Wherefore come out from among them, 26:16 and be ye separate, saith the Lord, 26:19 and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you." 26:24 The Bible says here that we are to come apart 26:27 that we are to separate ourselves 26:28 from the things in this world, 26:30 that we are not to be amongst those things in this world. 26:33 We are to separate ourselves 26:34 and to become a part of God's family. 26:37 To not have anything to do 26:40 these sinful things in this world 26:41 but to completely give our lives 26:43 over to Lord to separate ourselves 26:45 from those terrible wicked things in the world. 26:48 I want to share one more passage with you 26:50 in Galatians Chapter 2, Galatians 2:20. 26:54 The Bible tells us here "I am crucified with Christ 26:58 nevertheless I live yet not I, but Christ liveth in me 27:01 and the life which I now live in the flesh 27:03 I live by the faith of the Son of God, 27:06 who loved me, and gave himself for me." 27:10 The Bible tells us I'm crucified with Christ. 27:14 I'm is self. 27:16 Self is to be crucified with Christ, friends. 27:18 And I ask you the question today 27:19 are you willing to sacrifice yourself 27:22 to give your life completely over to God? 27:24 Just like Jesus says not My will 27:26 but thy will be done as He was there 27:27 in the garden of Gethsemane. 27:28 Are you willing to be like Jesus and to say "God, 27:31 completely I want to give my life over to you? 27:33 I want to be like you. 27:34 I want to follow the warnings 27:36 that you've given us in Your word 27:37 about the story of Lot and Lot's wife. 27:40 I don't want to be a Lot's wife I want to be a child 27:43 that is fully dedicated over to you 27:45 that has given their life completely to You 27:48 and wants to fully surrender to You." 27:50 Friends, is that your desire just like God know today 27:53 as you make that commitment to Him in your heart. |
Revised 2014-12-17