Hello my name is Kenn Dixon
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and welcome to Faith Chapel.
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Let's pray.
Father in heaven, Lord,
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we thank you for this
day that you've given us.
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We ask now that your
Holy Spirit will come
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and abide with us.
Speak to us as we open
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your word and find the
yearning of our hearts.
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We pray these
things in your name, amen.
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Our topic today is
called the Hound of Heaven.
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To what degree would
Jesus go out to seek us.
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How far would
God go to redeem us.
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There is a story
that is told about a man
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that illustrates
how far God would go.
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In 1930 Stalin ordered
the plunging of all Bibles
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and all believers.
In Russia he ordered
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to carry, this
order was carried out
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with vengeance.
And thousands of Bibles
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were confiscated,
and millions of people
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and thousands of people
were thrown into prison.
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And they were there to die.
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Well there was a
group in Raleigh,
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North Carolina, that
tells the story about how,
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when they visited
this place that God
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did a miracle. When
they came to a certain
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city in Russia. They
did not know the history
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behind this certain
city. But when the team
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had difficulty getting
Bibles into that country.
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They decided to look
around to see what can,
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they can do.
And they remembered,
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someone remembered
that there was a warehouse
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where all of
these Bibles years ago
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were being held. And
so they decided to go
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and see if they
can get those Bibles
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and distribute
them. After some prayer
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the team got
together and they said lets go
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to the administrators
and see if they'll be
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willing to give us those Bibles,
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well lets see first
if they're still there.
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So they found
there were still there
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and they asked if
they can get those Bibles
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and distribute them
back out into that city.
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Well to their
surprise they said yes.
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The next day they
returned with a truck
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full of Russians,
so that they can help
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unload all these
Bibles and give them out.
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One of the helpers
that decided to work
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with them that
day was a skeptic.
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He was a student at
one of the local schools
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and he was just
there for the days wages.
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And as they loaded
Bibles, one of the team
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members realized that
this young man was missing.
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And eventually they
found him in the warehouse
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where he was in
the corner weeping.
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He had slipped
away hoping to take
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one of the Bible for himself.
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What he did not
know was that the Hound
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of Heaven was
seeking on his trial.
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What he found in
that Bible shook him
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to the core. So
when he opened the pages
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and opened the
cover and looked at the
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inscription that
was in it, he saw that
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it was a
handwritten signature of his
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own grandmother.
Out of all of the
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thousands of Bibles
that he could have taken,
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he took the very one
in which his grandmother
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had signed. And
this woman was a woman
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that was full of
faith and he knew this,
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this woman was
persecuted all her life,
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because of her belief in Jesus.
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Now wondering, no
wonder why that this
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young man was weeping so hard.
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You know to such
extend Jesus will go
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to seek us out.
He loves us so much
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and this young man
was amazed to find out
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that the Hound of
Heaven was after him.
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You know the Bible
says that, that heaven
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and earth cannot fill God.
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He is everywhere
and he is ever present
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wherever he goes.
Jesus is our ever seen
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and all seeing Hound of Heaven.
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He will track us
down wherever we're hiding
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and once he's on our
trail, he never gives up
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until we have turned
away from him completely,
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but he always is
there. You know once choosing
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to leave heaven and
the glory of the presence
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of his Father. He
decided to come down
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to this planet. Come
down to intermingle with us.
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The Bible says
in Luke 19 verse 10
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that Jesus loves us
so much that he would go
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to the ends of the
earth. Let see what the Bible
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says in Luke 19 and
verse 10. The Bible says,
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For the Son of
Man has come to seek
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and to save that which was lost.
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Jesus is seeking
and saving you and I.
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He will not give
up. He left the glory of
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heaven to this, and
come to this planet,
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to this cruel
planet, this sinful planet
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for you and I. It
was his desire that
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he would go through all of this,
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so that we can gain victory,
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that is such a
blessing to know that
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God loves us so much.
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Heaven and heaven and all the,
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the host that is
there and the father
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were
continuously seeking after us.
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And you know
even after Jesus died
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and went back to
heaven the Bible tells us
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in Hebrews 7 and verse 25,
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that he is still
there looking after our
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best interests.
Hebrews 7 verse 25 says,
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Therefore He is also
able to save to the uttermost
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those who come
to God through Him,
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since He is
always living to make an
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accession for us.
Jesus loves us so much.
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You see Jesus still
pursuing people through
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the message of
the Cross. The message
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of the Cross rises
above all the voices
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and calamity around
the world and through
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all cultures the
Cross is rising up.
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Seizing the
throat of those that will
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speak against it,
the Cross is speaking
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salvation to us. If
Jesus Christ was almighty
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incarnated. If
Jesus Christ was the one
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that said he
would come to save us.
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If Jesus Christ was
the one who said that
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he would ultimately
pay the price for this sin
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world then what should we do.
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You know in Romans
chapter 7 and verse 24
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Paul says something very deep.
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He says, O
wretched man that I am,
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who will deliver me
from this body of death.
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It is Jesus that will do it.
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But the good news is
that those who love him,
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that's all of us.
Those who love him,
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everyone that cares about him,
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everyone that is giving
their all and all to him.
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And even in this
present polluted world,
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Jesus has come to die for him.
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O wretched man that
I am, Jesus has come
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to deliver me from
this body of death.
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You know when I think
about the Hound of Heaven
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and I think about how
Jesus loves us so much
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and to what extend,
it reminds of the parable
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that is found
in Matthew chapter,
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Matthew chapter
18, verse 12 and 13,
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speaking about the lost sheep,
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what do you think if a
man has a hundred sheep,
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and one of them goes astray,
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does he not
leave the ninety-nine
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and go to the
mountains to seek the one
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that astray? And
if he should find it,
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assuredly I say to
you, he rejoices more over
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that sheep than
the ninety-nine that
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did not go
astray. Jesus is the hound
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that is seeking after
us. Jesus is that hound
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that goes out
looking for that one sheep
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that was lost from
the flock. The sheep,
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who is it? Its you and me.
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That sheep is the
one that has gone astray.
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That sheep is the
one that finds something
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better to do in
life. You know when I was
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growing up, I
never really found Jesus
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as my personal
savior. I never really said
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and committed my life to him.
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And I found that many
things were distracting.
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I would go out and I get in,
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engage in
various different things.
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But it was never
thought for my mind
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about Jesus' love,
because my mother always
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taught me said you
know sooner or later
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you're gonna have to
do what God has asked
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you to do. And you
know being young you know
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you kind of like
well I don't want to hear
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all of that. And I
tell you today that Jesus
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loves us and he
is seeking after us.
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No matter what we do.
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You can be running from him,
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you could be hiding
in some strange places,
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but he is always
seeking after us.
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It's amazing when I
thin about the love of Jesus.
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And all the things
that I've gone through
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in my life and you know
the Bible gives us some,
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some clear evidence
and some wonderful things,
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when speaking about
this lost sheep that
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had gone astray. When we look at
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Luke chapter 15,
starting at verse 5.
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The Bible speaks
about us. He says that,
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and what, and
when he has found it,
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talking about the sheep.
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He lays it on his
shoulders and rejoices.
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Can you imagine that.
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Think about it for a second.
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You have gone astray.
We're out there in the,
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in the, in the world
with all the wolves and stuff.
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We're just a little
sheep, and you know sheep
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are not very smart.
You know I like to think
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of myself as a
sheep, not very smart.
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You're out there
in the world and you,
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you, you think
you know everything.
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And you know
being young you say that
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I know its
best. And I know that,
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that, that the things that I,
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bring me happiness
and you get out there
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and you realize
that you have gone
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into foreign
soil. You are confused,
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you are looking
and searching around
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and before you know
it, you hear the sound
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of wolves around
you. And these wolves are
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closing in on
you. What do you do?
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Well it is good to
know that when the shepherd,
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he realizes, he
does his counting,
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he does 98, 99
and there's no more.
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He realized that you're missing.
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What does he do? He puts the,
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he closes the gate
and he puts his cloak
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on his back and
he grabs his staff
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and he grabs a
little, a little bag with him
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just in case you're hurt.
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And he goes out in
the middle of the night
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seeking after you.
And as he's going through
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various different
valleys and over the mountains
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and ranges and different things.
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He's looking for
you. Isn't that amazing,
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and as you're out
there and you've gotten
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caught up in it and
now you're surrounded
00:11:05.76\00:11:07.24
by wolves all of a
sudden you hear the sound
00:11:07.25\00:11:10.77
of the master. You
hear the sound of the
00:11:10.78\00:11:13.35
shepherd. He finds
you and he takes that
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staff and he
beats back those wolves
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and he grabs you
and you've been bruised,
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you've been out
there in the world
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and the world has
not treated you nicely.
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He picks you up and he
puts you on his shoulders.
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And the Bible
said that he rejoices,
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because he's found you
and he brings you home.
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And verse 6 in Luke chapter 15,
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it goes on to say
that, he loves us so much
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that he says, And
when he comes home,
00:11:38.49\00:11:39.94
he calls together
his friends and neighbors
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saying to them, rejoice with me
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for I have found my
sheep which was lost.
00:11:45.18\00:11:47.53
He calls everyone
together and rejoices
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because he's found
the one that was lost.
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You know many
times people think that
00:11:55.32\00:11:58.51
no one cares.
And when you put it
00:11:59.29\00:12:01.95
into perspective, you
think about Jesus finding
00:12:01.96\00:12:04.28
the lost sheep. He
goes back to heaven
00:12:04.29\00:12:07.03
with the millions
upon millions upon billions
00:12:07.16\00:12:10.27
of angels and he says
I have found the sheep
00:12:10.28\00:12:13.37
that has gone
astray. You remember,
00:12:13.38\00:12:14.90
you remember Ken when
he, when he went away for
00:12:15.52\00:12:18.35
so many years. He, he
was caught up in so many
00:12:18.64\00:12:21.17
different
things. His life was not
00:12:21.18\00:12:22.62
where it should
be. And you know that
00:12:22.63\00:12:25.19
he was gone and
destined to be lost.
00:12:25.20\00:12:27.70
But guess what, we found him.
00:12:28.23\00:12:29.93
And he was out
there playing the fool
00:12:30.27\00:12:32.72
and acting crazy and all
of these different things,
00:12:32.73\00:12:35.09
but we found him
and heaven rejoices over
00:12:35.27\00:12:39.34
one person that is
saved. All the angels flap their
00:12:39.35\00:12:43.91
wings and the harps
are going and the sound
00:12:43.92\00:12:46.47
of heaven is rejoicing.
It sounds like a carnival
00:12:46.48\00:12:50.53
of activity because of you.
00:12:51.28\00:12:53.72
Think about that for a second.
00:12:54.68\00:12:56.00
Though no one here
may care that you've given
00:12:56.17\00:12:58.89
your life back to Jesus.
00:12:58.90\00:13:00.04
Jesus and all
heaven rejoices because
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you have done it.
And verse 7 of that same
00:13:03.53\00:13:06.28
chapter 15. It says,
and I say to you that
00:13:06.86\00:13:09.40
likewise there is
more joy in heaven over
00:13:09.44\00:13:12.61
one sinner who
repents than over ninety-nine
00:13:12.62\00:13:16.90
just people, just
persons who need no repentance.
00:13:16.91\00:13:20.42
You know who is, who is greatly
00:13:21.01\00:13:23.35
to be appreciated. I
think it's the person that
00:13:23.36\00:13:26.64
has gone astray
and who has done much.
00:13:26.78\00:13:28.72
You know what good is
it if you live your life
00:13:29.06\00:13:32.41
and you said you
know I'm alright,
00:13:32.75\00:13:34.56
I have no need for Jesus.
00:13:34.57\00:13:36.68
What good does that
do? What I think about
00:13:37.63\00:13:40.42
is when you get down
on your knees at night
00:13:40.46\00:13:42.53
and you've realized
that you have made a mess
00:13:42.54\00:13:44.80
of your life. And
all of a sudden you say
00:13:44.81\00:13:47.50
surely God does not
care. He is not here,
00:13:47.67\00:13:51.23
he does not care
anything about me.
00:13:51.24\00:13:53.04
And you get down on your knees
00:13:53.29\00:13:54.90
and you're praying and
your tears are starting
00:13:55.07\00:13:57.22
to flow,
something comes to mind that
00:13:57.23\00:14:01.31
I want you to
remember. And that is the Hound
00:14:01.32\00:14:04.35
of Heaven never
sleeps. He never sleeps,
00:14:04.48\00:14:08.01
he never slumbers.
You know once he finds us
00:14:08.37\00:14:12.63
and puts us on our shoulders.
00:14:12.83\00:14:14.65
He doesn't, it's not
just this feeling or emotion,
00:14:14.77\00:14:18.05
where we get all happy
and stuff and say I found
00:14:18.06\00:14:20.01
Jesus and we don't do anything.
00:14:20.02\00:14:21.51
No. The Bible
says in John verses,
00:14:22.02\00:14:24.92
John chapter 5 in verse 14.
00:14:24.93\00:14:26.68
It says something that, that,
00:14:26.91\00:14:28.65
after we have been
found, after Jesus found
00:14:28.99\00:14:31.72
him in the
temple, he said to him,
00:14:31.73\00:14:33.37
see you have been
made well, sin no more,
00:14:33.38\00:14:36.94
lest the worse
thing come upon you.
00:14:36.95\00:14:39.05
Jesus is saying
after he has found us,
00:14:39.99\00:14:42.85
after he has put
us on his shoulders
00:14:42.86\00:14:45.39
and has carried us to heaven.
00:14:45.40\00:14:46.88
And all the heaven
is rejoicing, don't go
00:14:46.89\00:14:49.41
and get back in the
mud. It doesn't make
00:14:49.42\00:14:52.41
any sense. Don't
be like the pig after
00:14:52.42\00:14:55.25
you've cleaned him up.
After you've took him out
00:14:55.26\00:14:58.50
of the muddy pit,
brought him inside
00:14:58.51\00:15:01.13
and washed him clean
and got a tooth brush
00:15:01.14\00:15:03.42
and even did his
teeth. And clean out his ears
00:15:03.43\00:15:06.04
and get him nice and
smelling nice and sweet
00:15:06.05\00:15:09.55
if a pig can ever smell sweet,
00:15:09.56\00:15:10.86
but you get him nice and sweet.
00:15:11.05\00:15:12.68
And you dress him up
and you bring him outside
00:15:12.69\00:15:15.90
and you show everyone
the first thing the pig
00:15:15.91\00:15:18.23
is gonna do is he's
gonna run and jump back
00:15:18.24\00:15:20.54
into the mud. Jesus is saying go
00:15:20.55\00:15:22.75
and sin no more,
don't make a mess out of
00:15:22.76\00:15:25.96
your life again.
But you're saying,
00:15:25.97\00:15:28.31
well you know I can't help it.
00:15:28.32\00:15:29.56
I can't help it its,
its, its human nature.
00:15:29.90\00:15:32.61
I've been brought up that way
00:15:32.62\00:15:34.04
and that's all I
know. Jesus is giving you
00:15:34.05\00:15:36.82
the out when he
risks, when he goes out
00:15:37.04\00:15:39.58
and save you. And
puts you on his shoulders
00:15:39.80\00:15:42.48
as a shepherd goes
out and find the sheep.
00:15:42.49\00:15:43.85
He now empowers
you with something.
00:15:44.07\00:15:46.86
He gives you the
power to overcome.
00:15:46.88\00:15:48.85
So you don't have
to go back out and jump
00:15:49.11\00:15:51.53
in the mud and
wallow in there and do
00:15:51.54\00:15:53.25
all this craziness.
He gives you the power
00:15:53.26\00:15:56.02
to overcome. Jesus
gives us the power through
00:15:56.19\00:15:59.51
his Holy Spirit to gain
the victorious life that
00:15:59.52\00:16:02.32
he gained. When
Jesus was here on earth,
00:16:02.50\00:16:04.96
he was attacked
by every known sin.
00:16:05.43\00:16:08.52
Here the Bible says
that in all the points
00:16:08.53\00:16:10.67
he was tempted
and he didn't sin.
00:16:10.68\00:16:12.76
See we're not
tempted in all the points,
00:16:13.27\00:16:15.06
see there are
certain things that tempt me
00:16:15.07\00:16:16.68
that don't affect anyone else.
00:16:17.25\00:16:19.83
And the certain
things that tempt you that
00:16:19.90\00:16:21.89
won't affect me,
but Jesus was tempted
00:16:21.90\00:16:24.25
in all points,
yet he did not sinned.
00:16:24.26\00:16:26.57
He astray, the devil
threw everything at him.
00:16:26.77\00:16:29.80
See, we're only
attacked with things
00:16:29.94\00:16:31.69
that we're familiar
with and we can fall
00:16:31.70\00:16:32.88
easily too, but see
Jesus is being tempted
00:16:32.89\00:16:35.95
with everything.
Every known sin in the world
00:16:35.96\00:16:38.65
he was tempted
with, but yet he gained
00:16:38.99\00:16:40.79
the victory, why? So
that we can gain the victory.
00:16:40.80\00:16:43.81
The Spirit of God
comes into the life
00:16:44.15\00:16:46.53
and it changes the life.
00:16:46.54\00:16:47.95
And I'm not
speaking just, you know,
00:16:48.10\00:16:50.90
you know the words
that they were followed.
00:16:50.91\00:16:53.01
I'm speaking of experience.
00:16:53.02\00:16:54.48
There is no reason
why I should be here
00:16:54.49\00:16:56.58
and I'm telling you
this that Jesus gives power
00:16:56.59\00:16:59.65
to overcome. In the
Scriptures there is power
00:16:59.91\00:17:04.27
to overcome. If we
desire something so much,
00:17:04.48\00:17:08.95
we would do all
that we can to gain it.
00:17:09.44\00:17:12.69
And Jesus died so
that we gain victory,
00:17:13.02\00:17:17.14
not only hereditary,
but cultivated tendencies
00:17:17.15\00:17:20.61
to do wrong. He
gives us victory over it.
00:17:20.87\00:17:23.13
You know the Bible
speaks in John chapter 10
00:17:23.68\00:17:25.78
and starting at
verse 14 it says that,
00:17:26.67\00:17:28.23
after Jesus found
him in the temple he said
00:17:28.24\00:17:30.88
see that you
have been made well.
00:17:31.38\00:17:33.57
Sin no more,
lest the worse thing
00:17:34.52\00:17:36.65
come upon you. It
goes on to say that,
00:17:36.66\00:17:39.38
I am the good
shepherd, I know my sheep,
00:17:39.69\00:17:44.22
I am known by my own.
00:17:44.47\00:17:47.19
As the Father knows Me,
00:17:47.20\00:17:48.67
even so I know the Father,
00:17:48.68\00:17:50.17
and I will lay down
my life for the sheep.
00:17:50.18\00:17:52.70
It goes on to say
that, and other sheep
00:17:53.37\00:17:55.45
I have which are
not of this fold,
00:17:55.46\00:17:57.38
them I must bring, and
they will hear My voice,
00:17:57.57\00:18:01.79
and there will be one
flock and one shepherd.
00:18:01.80\00:18:05.50
Jesus is saying that he will go
00:18:05.77\00:18:07.94
and he will bring
those who he is calling.
00:18:08.10\00:18:11.22
Those who, he is seeking after,
00:18:11.23\00:18:13.22
he will call them
and they know his voice.
00:18:13.23\00:18:15.44
When you hear the voice of Jesus
00:18:15.84\00:18:17.62
in the Scriptures, you
know it is Jesus calling.
00:18:17.63\00:18:20.14
No one can tell you
otherwise, no preacher,
00:18:20.15\00:18:23.57
no teacher, no
friend, no family.
00:18:23.68\00:18:26.66
You know its Jesus
voice, because you've read it
00:18:26.67\00:18:29.11
in the Scriptures and
you see it for yourself.
00:18:29.12\00:18:30.79
No one can confuse
you, there are voices
00:18:31.35\00:18:34.07
that are all over
the place, but no one can
00:18:34.08\00:18:36.43
tell you otherwise. It
is Jesus that is calling
00:18:36.44\00:18:39.99
you and when he
calls his sheep they know
00:18:40.00\00:18:43.07
his voice. In the
Middle East I'm told.
00:18:43.08\00:18:46.14
I have not been there yet,
00:18:46.67\00:18:48.08
but in the Middle
East I'm told that
00:18:48.28\00:18:50.32
there are shepherds
that will come together
00:18:50.33\00:18:52.77
and each morning they
start off and they bring
00:18:52.78\00:18:54.82
all of their sheep together.
00:18:54.83\00:18:56.11
And as they go out and
their sheep going grazing,
00:18:56.18\00:18:59.17
the shepherds when
it's time to eat lunch
00:18:59.18\00:19:01.45
they will go and they
will sit off by themselves
00:19:01.46\00:19:04.10
with each other and
they will laugh and joke
00:19:04.57\00:19:06.35
and all these sheep will
mingle in with each other
00:19:06.36\00:19:09.18
and there will be
you know one shepherd
00:19:09.19\00:19:11.73
sheep here and one
shepherd sheep there
00:19:11.74\00:19:13.36
and they're just
all eating together
00:19:13.37\00:19:14.90
and having a good time.
00:19:14.91\00:19:16.10
But when it's
time for the shepherds
00:19:16.49\00:19:18.32
when they finish
eating their meal,
00:19:18.33\00:19:19.43
they all do
something very unique I'm told.
00:19:19.78\00:19:23.09
One will go off to
the East, one will go off
00:19:23.28\00:19:25.69
to the West and one
will stay right there.
00:19:25.70\00:19:27.63
And they will
make a certain sound
00:19:27.87\00:19:29.92
and only the sheep
that know that shepherd's
00:19:30.10\00:19:33.13
sound will go to that shepherd.
00:19:33.14\00:19:35.13
Jesus is that shepherd.
He says that his people
00:19:35.37\00:19:38.94
know his voice.
They listening to him,
00:19:39.05\00:19:41.68
they don't have to be
told by some minister.
00:19:41.69\00:19:44.65
They can see it
in the Scriptures
00:19:44.66\00:19:46.22
and the Bible speaks to them.
00:19:46.23\00:19:48.01
And Jesus is saying
my sheep know my voice.
00:19:48.40\00:19:51.73
Now once you hear that
voice, what is our job?
00:19:51.74\00:19:55.04
What does God want us
to do? well, in Hebrews
00:19:55.05\00:19:57.96
chapter 3 and
verse 15 Jesus says that,
00:19:57.97\00:20:00.48
while it is said:
Today if you hear,
00:20:00.62\00:20:03.57
hear His voice, do
not harden your hearts
00:20:03.58\00:20:06.71
as in rebellion. He
says don't harden your heart.
00:20:06.72\00:20:10.38
Today if you hear my
voice harden not your
00:20:10.90\00:20:13.18
heart you know when you
hear that voice of Jesus,
00:20:13.19\00:20:15.58
it has not time to
resist. The Hound of Heaven
00:20:15.71\00:20:18.66
is seeking after us.
He is looking after us
00:20:18.67\00:20:21.21
and you know I'm
amazed about hounds.
00:20:21.22\00:20:23.91
Hounds have the
ability to smell for,
00:20:24.73\00:20:28.14
you know smells that
we can never pick up.
00:20:28.77\00:20:31.24
They are able to
stay on a trail for hours.
00:20:31.52\00:20:34.68
When a child or
someone is missing.
00:20:35.19\00:20:37.38
They get a piece of
article of that person
00:20:37.66\00:20:39.62
and they put it
in the hound's noise
00:20:39.63\00:20:41.36
and that hound
smells it and he gets that
00:20:41.37\00:20:43.24
scent all into him
and then he goes out
00:20:43.25\00:20:45.83
and he gets on the trail.
00:20:45.84\00:20:46.95
And he does not
stop until he finds
00:20:46.96\00:20:51.00
what he's looking
for. He will search
00:20:51.01\00:20:52.62
and he will search high and low,
00:20:52.63\00:20:54.37
he will not stop
until he has found
00:20:54.38\00:20:56.80
what he is seeking after.
00:20:57.04\00:20:58.28
Jesus is that Hound of Heaven.
00:20:58.29\00:21:00.68
He seeks after us,
he's consistently on
00:21:00.90\00:21:03.97
the trail, consistently
moving, never tiring like
00:21:03.98\00:21:08.13
that hound. He
never tires, he is always
00:21:08.14\00:21:11.18
looking after you.
You know it is interesting
00:21:11.19\00:21:15.18
that when we hear
that voice of Jesus,
00:21:15.19\00:21:17.57
it does something
to us. It touches us
00:21:17.97\00:21:21.08
in such a way that
no one else can ever do.
00:21:21.09\00:21:24.05
The words that I'm
speaking to you today
00:21:24.50\00:21:26.58
are not my
words, because I can get
00:21:26.87\00:21:30.03
up here, the only
that I can do is I get up
00:21:30.04\00:21:31.66
here and talk some foolishness.
00:21:31.67\00:21:32.97
You know, but it is
the words of Jesus that
00:21:33.21\00:21:36.68
touches the hearts
that's the only thing
00:21:36.69\00:21:38.78
that changes. When
Jesus does these things
00:21:38.79\00:21:42.35
and he, he gives us
the Scriptures in which
00:21:42.36\00:21:44.87
to speak to our
minds. He is doing something
00:21:44.88\00:21:47.80
that no one else can
do. He is touching chords
00:21:48.18\00:21:51.28
in which he has
created. When Jesus formed us
00:21:51.69\00:21:56.16
so long ago, when
he formed Adam and Eve
00:21:57.03\00:21:59.90
and he, he bent
down and he molded man
00:21:59.91\00:22:02.85
and he breathed
into his nostrils the
00:22:03.02\00:22:05.39
breath of life. He
was intimately involved
00:22:05.40\00:22:08.81
in our creation. And
he knew what lies in man,
00:22:08.93\00:22:13.05
he know the
things that bothered man,
00:22:13.06\00:22:15.96
he knew the
things that would come up
00:22:15.97\00:22:18.11
with man. But yet
he still said I will
00:22:18.12\00:22:22.59
create man. And not only that,
00:22:22.60\00:22:24.46
but he went so
far as to know that
00:22:24.47\00:22:28.47
he would have to
die. But you know
00:22:28.48\00:22:30.45
its something that
when you think about it.
00:22:30.46\00:22:32.96
When you hear the
words of God as I was saying
00:22:32.97\00:22:35.07
before he touches
the chords of life.
00:22:35.08\00:22:37.05
How can he know?
Because he formed all
00:22:37.06\00:22:40.24
the things that
are in us. You know in,
00:22:40.25\00:22:43.17
in John chapter 9,
starting at verse 35.
00:22:43.54\00:22:46.96
The Bible says,
Jesus heard that they had
00:22:47.31\00:22:50.21
cast him out, and
when He had found him,
00:22:50.22\00:22:53.25
He said to him. Do you
believe in the son of God?
00:22:53.26\00:22:56.75
And He answered and
said, who is He Lord
00:22:57.27\00:22:59.89
that I may believe in
Him? And Jesus said to him,
00:22:59.90\00:23:02.55
you have both seen
Him and it is He who
00:23:02.78\00:23:05.76
is talking with
you. And then he said,
00:23:05.77\00:23:08.68
Lord I believe.
And he worshiped Him.
00:23:08.69\00:23:11.19
This man had been plagued with,
00:23:11.20\00:23:13.64
with, with this
problem of being blind for all
00:23:13.65\00:23:18.92
his life. And he
was struggling and
00:23:18.93\00:23:20.68
people believed
that because he sinned
00:23:20.69\00:23:22.64
or his family
sinned or something
00:23:22.65\00:23:24.21
had come about,
but you know what even
00:23:24.22\00:23:26.58
in your sin people
will reject you when
00:23:26.59\00:23:29.94
you are over that sin.
You know people like to,
00:23:29.95\00:23:33.39
you know it's
amazing that when I was out
00:23:33.40\00:23:35.97
there in the world
and I was having my,
00:23:35.98\00:23:37.57
my good time. I had a
lot of friends as long as
00:23:37.58\00:23:40.97
I was in my sins.
But the minute I decided
00:23:40.98\00:23:43.67
to make a decision
for Jesus and give my life
00:23:43.68\00:23:45.69
to Jesus. You know
friends started changing.
00:23:45.70\00:23:48.52
The same friends that
were with me all my life
00:23:48.70\00:23:50.86
decided they wanted
to turn my back on me.
00:23:51.03\00:23:52.87
Because they said I
can't be around you when
00:23:52.88\00:23:55.96
your talking all
of this craziness,
00:23:55.97\00:23:57.79
but you know it was
so funny because after
00:23:57.80\00:23:59.99
a few years they came around.
00:24:00.00\00:24:02.10
And now we sit down and we talk
00:24:02.11\00:24:04.27
and we laugh
about the times in which
00:24:04.28\00:24:06.35
we were out there in
the world acting a plum
00:24:06.36\00:24:08.35
fool and then how
we came and gave our
00:24:08.36\00:24:10.82
lives to Jesus. And
that is the joy of being
00:24:10.83\00:24:13.95
with Jesus. See the
Hound of Heaven does
00:24:13.96\00:24:16.26
not stop. Even
when there is rejection
00:24:16.27\00:24:18.87
that comes, even
when he comes and people,
00:24:18.88\00:24:21.62
your family member
turn their back on you,
00:24:21.63\00:24:23.36
the Hound of
Heaven is always there.
00:24:23.56\00:24:25.75
He never gives up.
He is always seeking
00:24:25.87\00:24:29.23
after you. You
know when I think about
00:24:29.24\00:24:33.10
this is that,
the encouraging words
00:24:33.11\00:24:35.76
that come to mind is
when you, when a father
00:24:35.77\00:24:39.36
tells his son,
son, I want you to do
00:24:39.37\00:24:42.24
good in life. Son, I
want you to be successful.
00:24:42.25\00:24:46.02
I want you to do
this, but the most important
00:24:46.03\00:24:48.28
thing son, I
want you to find Jesus
00:24:48.29\00:24:51.33
and once you have
found Jesus everything
00:24:51.96\00:24:54.62
will be added unto
you. All of the desires
00:24:54.63\00:24:58.19
will be in lined
with his desires.
00:24:58.20\00:24:59.91
All of your,
your pleasures will be
00:25:00.04\00:25:02.97
in lined with his pleasures.
00:25:02.98\00:25:04.16
And it is Jesus when
he, when he comes into
00:25:04.31\00:25:07.44
life he does
something. It is such a powerful
00:25:07.45\00:25:10.91
thing that he
changes you slowly.
00:25:10.92\00:25:13.55
I wasn't always a
preacher, I wasn't always
00:25:13.94\00:25:17.85
talking about Jesus,
I wasn't always the nice
00:25:17.86\00:25:22.22
guy that you see
today. Many times people
00:25:22.23\00:25:24.95
said you know you
need to smile more,
00:25:24.96\00:25:26.56
well you know what I
had nothing to smile about,
00:25:26.63\00:25:29.36
but now I do. When
Jesus comes into life
00:25:29.71\00:25:33.02
it does something to your heart,
00:25:33.03\00:25:35.14
it does
something to your attitude.
00:25:35.21\00:25:36.99
You don't dress the same way.
00:25:37.13\00:25:38.77
Somebody has,
doesn't have to tell you
00:25:38.78\00:25:40.30
how to dress. When
Jesus comes into your life
00:25:40.31\00:25:42.45
he will teach you. You
don't talk the same way.
00:25:42.46\00:25:45.10
You know, you don't
come out with the four letter
00:25:45.19\00:25:47.51
words and all of this craziness,
00:25:47.52\00:25:48.84
you speak with love.
People want to be around
00:25:48.85\00:25:53.01
you and it is because of Jesus.
00:25:53.02\00:25:55.39
It's not anything
that you have done.
00:25:55.40\00:25:56.95
It is Jesus in
your life. You know I,
00:25:56.96\00:26:00.38
I think about
this and the words that
00:26:00.39\00:26:03.42
I can let you hear
are the words that came
00:26:03.43\00:26:06.28
to me, keep the
faith. Step, steadfast,
00:26:06.29\00:26:10.36
remain faithful to
Jesus no matter what,
00:26:11.01\00:26:14.21
he will never leave
you nor forsake you.
00:26:14.45\00:26:17.14
I'm encouraging you,
as we wind this thing
00:26:17.39\00:26:21.45
down to understand
that the Hound of Heaven
00:26:21.46\00:26:23.61
is in pursuit, that
young man that was coming
00:26:23.62\00:26:27.58
for a day's wage,
seeking just to gain
00:26:27.59\00:26:32.05
some money to help
with loading Bibles
00:26:32.06\00:26:35.27
on to some trucks.
Realized that he said
00:26:35.28\00:26:38.76
that you know I
want to find this,
00:26:38.77\00:26:41.24
this Bible and
make fun of it and so I,
00:26:41.79\00:26:45.64
he took one of
them and he went away,
00:26:46.01\00:26:48.07
but what he realized
was that Jesus would go
00:26:48.08\00:26:50.76
to the greatest lengths to save.
00:26:50.77\00:26:53.87
It is he that is
seeking after us.
00:26:54.95\00:26:57.24
You know and as I
think about how much
00:26:57.65\00:27:00.72
God loves us. I'm
reminded of the text in
00:27:00.73\00:27:03.70
Jeremiah 31 and verse
3 where the Bible says.
00:27:03.71\00:27:07.79
He says that he loves us.
00:27:08.44\00:27:10.51
The Lord has
appeared of old to me, saying:
00:27:11.65\00:27:14.99
Yes, I have loved you
with an everlasting love.
00:27:15.77\00:27:18.68
Therefore with loving kindness
00:27:18.99\00:27:20.85
have I drawn you.
He loves us with an
00:27:20.86\00:27:24.81
everlasting love.
Let's now thank him
00:27:24.82\00:27:27.31
for the love in
which he has given for us
00:27:27.32\00:27:29.14
that never ends. Let's
pray. Father in heaven,
00:27:29.29\00:27:32.39
Lord we thank you for
your everlasting love.
00:27:32.40\00:27:34.67
Giving us your son
to die on the Cross Lord
00:27:34.68\00:27:37.98
for our sins, so that
we can gain the victory,
00:27:37.99\00:27:40.49
be with us Lord
and give us the peace
00:27:40.77\00:27:42.53
that we so desperately need.
00:27:42.54\00:27:43.82
We pray this in your name, amen.
00:27:43.83\00:27:45.85
Thank you for
joining us at Faith Chapel,
00:27:46.01\00:27:47.94
may God be with you,
may God bless your home,
00:27:47.95\00:27:50.56
bless your family
and bless everything
00:27:50.74\00:27:53.05
that you do,
keep your eyes on Him.
00:27:53.06\00:27:54.83