I want to welcome you
to Faith Chapel today.
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My name is
Evangelist Roger Duncan
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from the island of
Trinidad and Tobago,
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South Caribbean Conference.
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My subject today
is Night Visitor.
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Let's pray. Father
in heaven we thank you
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for being here. We
thank you for your word.
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We thank you that
you love us so much.
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We ask you to do
speak out of this book.
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May you touch your
people, may this not
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just be on
ordinary word, but the word
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that would
affect people profoundly
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and for eternity
in Jesus name, Amen.
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I just want to turn
to John the 2nd chapter,
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reading from verse 23
to 25. The Bible speaks
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and this is what it
says, Now when he was
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in Jerusalem at
the passover at the
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feast day, many
believed in his name,
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when they saw the
miracles which he did.
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But Jesus did not
commit himself unto them,
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because he knew all
men, And needed not that
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any should testify of man:
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for he knew what was in man.
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I remember I was traveling in an
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aeroplane over New York City,
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and as we descended
on the city I remember
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looking out
through my window looking
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how beautiful is
city looks at night,
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the lights with different colors
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and it was just
a beautiful scene
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and I remember
wandering in my mind,
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how beautiful runway lights look
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on an airport as
JFK. And as we descended
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on that airport I
remember as we were
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about a thousand or
so feet up, the pilot
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in that plane
jumped out of the plane
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and the plane started
to plummet down and down,
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I remember peoples
screaming and the fay
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and hysteria, that
was in that airplane
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it just keep
going down, down, down,
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going to nose dive,
eventually of course
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the plane crashed the
fact that I am standing
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here to tell you
the story is because
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I survived but
the thing is that's a
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parable, but this is
the point; the point is,
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it is good to have runway lights
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on the outside but
I prefer if I have to
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choose to have a
pilot on the inside
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because if a pilot is
on the inside even though
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there is no lights
on the outside he could
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still land the
plane. Now there is a cancer
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of the human heart
that likes external things
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better than internal
strength and victory.
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We like to look good
on the outside rather
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than have it on
the inside because
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when it's on the
outside people could see it
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and they could
applause and they could
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praise us. But when
Jesus came on earth,
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He emphasized
having internal strength,
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internal power,
first cleaning the inside
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of the cup then
the outside. Jesus most
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of his emphasis
was on people getting
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the heart right
before they think about
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outer things. He
looked at the Pharisees
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and he said you are
like whited sepulchers.
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You look good on
the outside but then the
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inside is dead man
bones. So Jesus placed
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the emphasis in
his Ministry on the
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inner man because
when the inner man
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is cleanest then
the outer man could be
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taking care of,
but human being today
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even in
Christendom, people have a way
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of emphasizing
the external. You have
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the truth, you clap your hands,
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you do this, you
do that or the other
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on the outside
and they sacrifice
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the internal
strength. Some people have
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public success. I am a doctor,
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I am lawyer, I am a successful
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businessman, I am a
successful Christian,
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public success but
have private failures
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because there is no
strength and as to this
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cancer today I
come to speak, there are
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people for example
for wedding, they will
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spend tons of money
on the wedding dress,
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the wedding cake
to have cards and
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bridesmaid spend a
lot of money on the
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wedding ceremony,
on the ring, expensive
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diamond ring just
to look good for people
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to see. But when
they do get marry we don't
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spend 1/10th of
that money to keep the
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marriage because people are more
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concerned on
how they look on the
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outside. You
will quarrel with your
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spouse all the way
from the home to the
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car, to the church
but when you reach the
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church somebody ask
you how things are going?
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You smile say
it's alright because we
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must look good for
the people outside but
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people are not
mindful of the inner
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mind and so
Jesus emphasis that we
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must place
emphasis on the internal.
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You cannot have kingdom behavior
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without first having
the heart of the king.
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The priority is not
just obeying the rules
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but having the
heart of the ruler.
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You must have the
internal change before
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you can think
about external things.
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And so I also
remember I was doing
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an ultrasound on a woman.
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She was about 4 months pregnant.
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She had missed the period.
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She had had the
morning sickness,
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here ankle swollen.
She had all the signs,
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her tummy was
big. It was scratching
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her because as
your tummy grows when
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you are pregnant
your skin begins to itch.
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She had all of
those things but as I was
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doing the
ultrasound I was not seeing any
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fetus. I was
not seeing any baby.
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Eventually call the
radiologist and when
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the radiologist
looked at the woman's
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tummy realized that
there was no baby there.
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And so in spite
of this fact that she
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had all the signs of pregnancy,
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the swelled
stomach, the missing of the
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period all these
things she had no baby.
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So she had the
external works but no
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inner chart, and
so how crushing it was
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to tell this mother
that you know what you
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are really not
pregnant and so one
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of the points I want
to make right here it is
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possible to go
to church, have your
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Bible, read the
text, preach the sermon,
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sing the songs and
yet there is no real Jesus
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in the inner man.
I have looked over
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crossing them
over the age and I've
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discovered that
people have a lot of the
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externals, the
entrappings that goes
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along to church.
But they don't have
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that you know Jesus.
If Jesus lived in our
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hearts the way in
which you want to,
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we will just
spread this Gospel with
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lightening speed
and leave this earth.
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And so in my
text Jesus will many
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miracles and the people believed
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because they saw
miracles. Some people will
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only believe in you
when they see miracles.
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But you have to do what God
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has led on your
heart, operate in your gift,
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even though people
don't believe on you
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because Jesus
said, that he knew what
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was in man so he
didn't give Himself to man.
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Jesus was not
elated by the applause of
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man, neither was he
rejected by their frown.
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He was fixed. He
knew his mission.
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He knew who he
was, and in spite of
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people's opinion
He still did what God
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had laid in his
heart. Because you see
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today people will
say to you Hosanna bless
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to see that comes in
the name of the Lord,
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and they will praise
you. But tomorrow the
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same people from
the same mouth will cry,
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crucify. So that
Jesus didn't way off to the
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opinions of man. He
state firm and I want
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to suggest us
whatever gift God has
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bless you with, whatever God has
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placed inside of
you, don't let people's
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opinion of you,
move you; you have
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to operate on the
opinion the Jesus has placed
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upon you. Because
Jesus will call you a
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mighty man of
valor like he did Gideon
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even though you
maybe trembling in a
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trust and flow.
Jesus sees in potential so
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he will call you
great even when you think
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you are nobody.
So you have to go
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on what Jesus says
you. So in my particular
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text, Jesus says,
that he knows what is in
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the heart of
man. When he begins to
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exhibit and to show us
what is in man's heart,
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and he uses in John
chapter 3, to explain
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to us what is in John's heart.
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And so he says in
our heart, he says,
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there was a man and
it uses a Greek work
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anthropos in another
words she is not using
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a "Aner" which
mean an individual man.
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He is using
anthropos and so he is using
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mankind. Jesus is
using Nicodemus as
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an example of
mankind. And this Nicodemus
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he came to Jesus by
night. Some people will
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only come to Jesus
at certain times and so
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as Christians as
people who believe
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in God we must be
welcoming to people
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who will come at
night. Now it's very easy to
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use the letter of
the book to say if you
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don't confess
Jesus before man then he
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will not confess
you. But because of God is
00:11:08.68\00:11:11.85
a God who
condescends to meet man where
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they are, He met
Nicodemus where he was.
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Nicodemus was
shamed to come in the
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day so he came by
night but Jesus still
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speak to him I found
God for his love that
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he such a good God that
he meets us where we are.
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And so I thank God for that.
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I bless the soul that
He meets us where we are.
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He tells us come as you are,
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but not stay where we
are. So God welcomes us
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into his kingdom
where we are, what
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we eat, what we
dress but once we come to
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Him, He begins to
walk in our hearts so
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that we can
change progressively.
00:11:55.90\00:11:58.06
So Nicodemus came by night.
00:11:58.46\00:12:00.90
But Nicodemus was
a ruler of the Jew.
00:12:01.59\00:12:04.59
Nicodemus was a Christian.
Nicodemus was a preacher.
00:12:05.48\00:12:09.89
Nicodemus understood the Bible.
00:12:10.57\00:12:12.46
He knew Greek
and Hebrew, he could
00:12:12.47\00:12:14.49
exquisite the text, he
was a teacher of the Law.
00:12:14.50\00:12:18.41
Even though Nicodemus regime
00:12:19.51\00:12:22.15
that he was a
scholar, par excellent, he was
00:12:22.16\00:12:25.69
a great man of
God. He was a member of
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the Sanhedrin. He was
top in his profession.
00:12:28.60\00:12:33.19
He was a great
man, yet Jesus said to
00:12:33.42\00:12:37.22
Nicodemus that you
must be born again.
00:12:37.23\00:12:42.12
Now here is the point.
Just imagine this great
00:12:42.13\00:12:46.65
man of God, this Christian man
00:12:46.66\00:12:48.99
because he was a
Pharisee, he paid
00:12:49.00\00:12:51.45
thieve, he kept the
Sabbath, he believed
00:12:51.46\00:12:55.04
the truth, he didn't
eat unclean meat, in fact,
00:12:55.05\00:12:58.78
Nicodemus fasted
about 3 times a week,
00:12:58.79\00:13:02.23
he washed his hands
when he was going to
00:13:02.52\00:13:05.16
eat, he did all that
yet Jesus looked at this
00:13:05.17\00:13:09.45
man, and said, you
must be born again.
00:13:09.46\00:13:13.65
Is it possible
that I could attend your
00:13:14.26\00:13:17.01
service, I could
have a higher office,
00:13:17.02\00:13:19.65
I could be a
cardinal, I could be a vice
00:13:20.37\00:13:22.60
president of a
large institution, I am a
00:13:22.61\00:13:25.35
pastor of a church,
I am an elder, I teach
00:13:25.36\00:13:28.95
the lessons, I
preach the message,
00:13:28.96\00:13:31.27
I sing the song, I
have all these strappings of
00:13:31.41\00:13:34.83
a Christian and
yet the finger could be
00:13:34.84\00:13:37.96
pointed at me saying
you must be born again.
00:13:38.12\00:13:42.64
Nicodemus was
amazed that because
00:13:43.96\00:13:45.78
as far as he is concerned I am a
00:13:45.79\00:13:47.69
great man of God.
I teach the theology
00:13:47.70\00:13:50.31
class, I am a teacher
of the law, I know the
00:13:50.32\00:13:53.89
law, you can't be
talking to me, yes,
00:13:53.90\00:13:56.40
Jesus was talking to
him. It tells me therefore,
00:13:56.82\00:14:00.55
my brothers and
sisters, my viewer and
00:14:01.07\00:14:03.27
audience that is
possible that I could
00:14:03.28\00:14:05.96
have all these
things, I could have my Bible,
00:14:05.97\00:14:08.67
I could read it
every day, I could go to
00:14:09.16\00:14:11.74
church and do all
these things and yet
00:14:11.75\00:14:15.04
I don't have a
born again experience.
00:14:15.39\00:14:18.09
It is very important
to make sure in spite of
00:14:18.44\00:14:22.10
your church life, or
in spite of whatever that
00:14:22.11\00:14:25.43
you have an experience with God
00:14:25.44\00:14:28.13
that is individualistic
that is pulsating
00:14:28.52\00:14:31.40
that is a life you
have that connection with
00:14:31.79\00:14:34.81
God because church
of itself religious
00:14:34.82\00:14:38.14
activities of
itself cannot save you.
00:14:38.15\00:14:41.12
There are too many
people who are busy
00:14:41.61\00:14:43.82
in the work of the
Lord and they don't
00:14:44.23\00:14:47.16
have the Lord of
the work in their heart,
00:14:47.17\00:14:50.32
and so Nicodemus
was that kind of man,
00:14:50.90\00:14:53.53
and so Jesus said
to him in verse 3.
00:14:53.93\00:14:56.58
Jesus answered
and said unto him,
00:14:57.69\00:14:59.32
Verily, verily, I
say unto thee, except
00:14:59.50\00:15:02.91
a man be born again, he cannot
00:15:02.92\00:15:05.40
see the kingdom of
God. Now see in this context
00:15:05.41\00:15:10.27
mean he cannot
participate in the
00:15:10.28\00:15:12.60
kingdom, kingdom,
he cannot participate
00:15:12.76\00:15:15.90
in the kingdom. You see when you
00:15:15.91\00:15:17.68
are born again
you're like an ambassador in
00:15:17.69\00:15:20.99
the kingdom of God
and an ambassador is
00:15:21.00\00:15:24.09
a powerful
position. One of the things
00:15:24.10\00:15:25.95
about
ambassadors, ambassadors cannot
00:15:25.96\00:15:28.99
give their own
opinion. You could only speak
00:15:29.00\00:15:32.50
the opinion of your kingdom.
00:15:32.51\00:15:34.05
And so once you are
an ambassador all you
00:15:34.96\00:15:37.81
have to get is the
information from your
00:15:37.82\00:15:40.59
kingdom that is why
the Christian life in
00:15:40.60\00:15:43.03
this context is
easy. You don't have to
00:15:43.04\00:15:45.41
manufacture your
opinions, because you
00:15:45.42\00:15:47.87
belong to a
kingdom and I belong to a
00:15:47.88\00:15:50.35
kingdom that
tells me that the Ten
00:15:50.36\00:15:52.26
Commandments, it's
still applicable to thee.
00:15:52.27\00:15:54.95
So even though
people must say it's
00:15:55.70\00:15:57.36
not I'm under born
for my government to say
00:15:57.37\00:16:01.41
that it's still
applicable, as an
00:16:01.42\00:16:03.40
ambassador, when
you an ambassador
00:16:03.41\00:16:06.08
you don't have to
fear because you have the
00:16:06.65\00:16:09.27
army of your kingdom behind you.
00:16:09.28\00:16:11.91
If anybody touch you,
they will have to deal
00:16:12.31\00:16:16.20
with your kingdom
and so God wants us
00:16:16.54\00:16:19.48
to have kingdom
living. Do you know that the
00:16:19.49\00:16:22.41
United States Embassy in Haiti,
00:16:22.42\00:16:24.84
even though Haiti
is poor, that United
00:16:25.58\00:16:29.25
states Embassy of
itself is not a poor
00:16:29.26\00:16:33.50
place, is not a
building that is run
00:16:33.51\00:16:35.76
down, is not a bad building.
00:16:35.77\00:16:37.95
It has all the
facilities. In fact anything the
00:16:38.26\00:16:41.84
ambassador and it's
crew needs, they can
00:16:41.85\00:16:44.53
get it from their
kingdom. Once you're born
00:16:44.54\00:16:47.47
again even
though you are in a poor
00:16:47.48\00:16:49.54
place which
represents earth your kingdom is
00:16:49.55\00:16:53.72
rich, and so you
turn to your kingdom for
00:16:53.73\00:16:58.31
help and so you have
a vibrant prayer life,
00:16:58.32\00:17:02.09
a life that once
you need something you
00:17:02.33\00:17:04.96
call to your
kingdom and you will kingdom
00:17:04.97\00:17:07.41
will supply it.
The reason why so
00:17:07.42\00:17:09.93
many people are
starving spiritually
00:17:09.94\00:17:12.67
and have an empty
experience because
00:17:13.10\00:17:15.62
they are not truly
born again, yes you went
00:17:15.63\00:17:18.35
down in the
water; yes you have the
00:17:18.36\00:17:20.53
trappings, but look
at Nicodemus. Jesus told
00:17:20.54\00:17:23.86
him, except a man
be born again he cannot
00:17:23.87\00:17:28.48
enter, he cannot participate in
00:17:28.49\00:17:31.33
kingdom living. An embassy or an
00:17:31.34\00:17:34.09
ambassador is as
rich as his kingdom,
00:17:34.10\00:17:38.09
not way he is. In
other words even though
00:17:38.70\00:17:41.10
I'm on earth, I'm in
the world, but I'm not
00:17:41.11\00:17:46.68
off the world, I'm
in this country as an
00:17:46.69\00:17:50.02
ambassador but I'm
not off this country,
00:17:50.03\00:17:52.98
I'm as rich as
the country I'm from,
00:17:52.99\00:17:56.39
not the country
I'm residing now.
00:17:56.70\00:17:59.03
And so as ambassadors in the
00:17:59.37\00:18:01.45
kingdom of God, we
are just to here as
00:18:01.46\00:18:04.61
so journals, but
rarely we belong to a
00:18:04.62\00:18:07.11
kingdom that is
rich. When you understand
00:18:07.12\00:18:10.34
that you belong to
this kingdom you will
00:18:10.35\00:18:13.53
walk a certain way,
you will talk a certain
00:18:13.54\00:18:16.29
way, you will eat a certain way.
00:18:16.30\00:18:18.17
It will effect
your entire life, but
00:18:18.55\00:18:21.19
Nicodemus even though he was
00:18:21.20\00:18:23.57
intellectual,
even though he preached
00:18:23.58\00:18:25.65
the sermon, even
though he paid his
00:18:25.66\00:18:27.71
tithe cummin, of
mint and anise and fasted,
00:18:27.72\00:18:31.21
he did not have a
born again experience.
00:18:31.74\00:18:35.54
It is of this
issue that burns my heart
00:18:35.98\00:18:39.46
everywhere I go
because I see people have
00:18:39.47\00:18:42.19
things of God,
without having God
00:18:42.36\00:18:45.12
himself and I
urge you to question
00:18:45.13\00:18:48.15
yourself, am I
just going to church?
00:18:48.16\00:18:50.26
Am I just reading my Bible?
Am I just believe in this?
00:18:50.65\00:18:53.83
But I'm not really
having a rich, vibrant
00:18:54.12\00:18:57.50
born again
experience. Now Jesus went onto
00:18:57.82\00:19:02.31
say: Nicodemus
saith unto him, how can a
00:19:02.32\00:19:05.26
man be born
again when he is old?
00:19:05.27\00:19:07.57
can he enter the
second time into his
00:19:07.96\00:19:10.31
mother's womb,
and Jesus answered,
00:19:10.32\00:19:13.59
and said unto
him, I say unto you,
00:19:13.86\00:19:16.29
Except a man be
born of water and of the
00:19:16.49\00:19:20.20
Spirit, he cannot
enter into the kingdom.
00:19:20.21\00:19:22.22
Now, I want you
to look at verse 7.
00:19:23.55\00:19:26.28
Verse 7 says:
"Marvel not that I said unto
00:19:26.29\00:19:30.72
thee, ye must be born again".
00:19:30.73\00:19:33.64
Now Nicodemus
is surprise and the
00:19:34.66\00:19:36.70
reason why Nicodemus is surprise
00:19:36.71\00:19:40.03
because he is a
Christian, because he
00:19:40.74\00:19:44.27
believes, because
he pays his tithes.
00:19:44.28\00:19:47.25
Because he does all
these religious things,
00:19:47.63\00:19:50.79
he marvels and
so Jesus said don't
00:19:51.38\00:19:53.20
marvel, don't be
surprise it's possible
00:19:53.21\00:19:56.95
to have all these
things and yet be not
00:19:56.96\00:20:00.35
born again. Now, what bothers me
00:20:00.36\00:20:02.51
about the text
is that Jesus says,
00:20:02.52\00:20:05.15
Ye must be born
again. Now Ye in this
00:20:06.15\00:20:09.38
text is a plural poor
noun. In other words Jesus
00:20:09.39\00:20:13.41
was saying you
all. Now watch this
00:20:13.42\00:20:16.42
Nicodemus
belonged to the Sanhedrin.
00:20:17.25\00:20:19.64
He belonged to
the council of elders.
00:20:20.47\00:20:22.80
He belonged to
these men that ruled
00:20:23.23\00:20:25.60
the organization.
Now Jesus is saying
00:20:25.61\00:20:29.27
not only you Nicodemus needs to
00:20:29.62\00:20:32.48
be born of again,
he's using the plural poor
00:20:32.49\00:20:35.31
noun, he's saying
you all, all of you that
00:20:35.32\00:20:39.66
belong to the
Sanhedrin need a born
00:20:39.67\00:20:43.21
again
experience. Now that is mind
00:20:43.22\00:20:45.52
blowing because
they're the rulers.
00:20:45.53\00:20:48.35
They're one
in-charge. They're the one that
00:20:48.76\00:20:51.34
teaches the law.
They're the one that
00:20:51.35\00:20:53.71
gets up on the
Sabbath Day and read
00:20:53.72\00:20:56.01
the scrolls.
They're the one that is
00:20:56.02\00:20:58.48
responsible for
teaching the church.
00:20:58.49\00:21:01.00
And in this
context Jesus is looking of
00:21:01.22\00:21:04.31
this man eyeball to
eyeball and saying to
00:21:04.32\00:21:07.53
him you all must be born again.
00:21:07.54\00:21:11.17
It tells me
something as a man of God,
00:21:11.39\00:21:13.78
whatever organization
I belong to there is no
00:21:14.17\00:21:17.26
safety in just
belonging to whatever
00:21:17.27\00:21:20.94
my post is, whatever
my educational status
00:21:20.95\00:21:24.60
in life, whatever
money I have in the
00:21:24.61\00:21:26.76
bank it is not the
determinant factor.
00:21:26.77\00:21:29.46
The determinant
factor is that I must
00:21:29.93\00:21:32.20
have a born again
experience with Jesus
00:21:32.21\00:21:34.59
that is continual
and continuous and that
00:21:35.00\00:21:38.26
I pray and fast and stay in a
00:21:38.27\00:21:41.14
relationship with
Jesus. That is so vibrant that
00:21:41.15\00:21:44.63
I keep growing
and growing and moving
00:21:44.64\00:21:47.32
in on and on until
the perfect day and the
00:21:47.33\00:21:51.13
reason why I
keep emphasis in this
00:21:51.14\00:21:53.39
particular point
because everywhere
00:21:53.40\00:21:56.12
I go. I see
people emphasis in their
00:21:56.13\00:21:59.12
external hence
the reason why the
00:21:59.13\00:22:01.59
Apostle Paul as if
exacerbated he said
00:22:01.60\00:22:04.65
that we maybe
strengthen with might
00:22:04.66\00:22:07.36
in the inner
man. He uses the Greek
00:22:07.68\00:22:10.06
word that it
says Endotome; he uses
00:22:10.07\00:22:13.49
the word for
impressive strength,
00:22:13.75\00:22:15.63
inner strength
because Paul understood
00:22:15.98\00:22:18.42
if you have inner
strength in the inner
00:22:18.78\00:22:21.50
man it was flow on the outside.
00:22:21.51\00:22:23.71
And so this is
the emphasis of Jesus
00:22:24.43\00:22:26.72
anywhere you go
Jesus most chasing
00:22:26.73\00:22:30.70
your marks, who
are people who attend
00:22:30.71\00:22:34.17
church religious
Pharisees who teach
00:22:34.18\00:22:37.57
the law, who teach
all of these, pay their
00:22:37.58\00:22:40.16
tithes, has most
caring remarks was to them
00:22:40.17\00:22:43.11
and the reason is
that it's possible to get
00:22:43.55\00:22:46.73
comfortable with
religious activities
00:22:46.74\00:22:50.16
and miss out on a
born again experience.
00:22:50.49\00:22:53.44
So, Jesus says
marvel not that I say
00:22:53.98\00:22:57.72
unto thee you
must be born again and
00:22:57.73\00:23:00.83
of course in the
chapter he go on to
00:23:00.84\00:23:03.36
explain the
working of the Holy Spirit.
00:23:03.37\00:23:06.74
But then
Nicodemus saith unto him in
00:23:08.08\00:23:09.86
verse 9:
Nicodemus answered and said
00:23:09.87\00:23:12.55
unto him, how
can these things be?
00:23:12.56\00:23:15.44
How could I do
it? How, how, how,
00:23:15.81\00:23:18.37
verse 10 says:
Jesus answered and said
00:23:19.72\00:23:22.74
unto him, Art
thou a master, he use a
00:23:22.75\00:23:27.55
definite article
art thou a master in
00:23:27.56\00:23:31.33
Israel. Jesus
is pinning him down
00:23:31.34\00:23:33.91
now. Jesus is
saying Nicodemus you are a
00:23:33.92\00:23:36.92
leader, you are your
pastor, you are a vice
00:23:36.93\00:23:40.02
president in a huge
conference, you are a
00:23:40.03\00:23:42.48
head man and I'm
saying to you that,
00:23:42.49\00:23:45.43
thou art a master
of Israel, you have a
00:23:46.31\00:23:49.45
high post
Nicodemus. And knowest not
00:23:49.46\00:23:53.42
these things? Here is the point.
00:23:53.43\00:23:56.56
Jesus is saying to
this man that you a great
00:23:56.75\00:23:59.55
man of God, and
you don't know, now the
00:23:59.56\00:24:02.82
Greek word that is not
just intellectual knowledge.
00:24:02.83\00:24:06.79
Nicodemus had that
knowledge, but Jesus
00:24:07.29\00:24:10.92
is saying you don't
know from experience
00:24:10.93\00:24:14.50
what is it to be born again?
00:24:14.90\00:24:16.45
And Jesus was
trying to get Nicodemus to
00:24:16.84\00:24:19.43
this point to see
that religious activities
00:24:19.44\00:24:22.29
alone will not do
it. It will not save him.
00:24:22.30\00:24:25.90
He needs to be
born again, he needs to
00:24:26.40\00:24:28.84
have the king
inside, he needs to have the
00:24:28.85\00:24:31.36
pilot inside not
just light outside.
00:24:31.52\00:24:34.32
Now it's wonderful
to have lights outside.
00:24:34.33\00:24:37.81
But it's better to
have the lights on the
00:24:40.87\00:24:43.65
outside and the
pilot on the inside but if
00:24:43.66\00:24:47.62
you have to
sacrifice one for another,
00:24:47.63\00:24:50.13
it is better to
have Jesus in the inside.
00:24:51.19\00:24:54.91
Because when Jesus
is in the inside he can
00:24:55.45\00:24:58.71
land your place.
And so Jesus says
00:24:58.86\00:25:02.17
to Nicodemus you're
a master of the Jew,
00:25:02.40\00:25:04.85
you're ambassador
in Israel and you alone
00:25:05.40\00:25:07.69
know from
experience these things.
00:25:07.70\00:25:10.63
Nicodemus needed to
know that he needs a
00:25:11.30\00:25:13.97
true encounter
with Jesus, but upon
00:25:14.11\00:25:17.18
reading the
scriptures, upon reading the
00:25:17.19\00:25:19.38
Bible you discover
that that hard talk to
00:25:19.39\00:25:23.14
Nicodemus gotten his
heart. And he followed
00:25:23.15\00:25:26.52
Jesus teaching
and he followed Jesus
00:25:26.53\00:25:29.12
ministry and
even though he came by
00:25:29.13\00:25:31.76
night and he hid in
the darkness of the night,
00:25:31.77\00:25:36.53
yet the light of
the glorious gospel of
00:25:37.03\00:25:40.04
Jesus Christ got in
his heart and eventually
00:25:40.05\00:25:43.18
when Jesus was in
the cross both Nicodemus
00:25:43.63\00:25:46.72
and Joseph of Arimathea went and
00:25:46.73\00:25:48.91
beg the body of
Jesus. And so we see from
00:25:49.22\00:25:52.46
the story
Nicodemus eventually got the
00:25:52.47\00:25:56.42
message change
his life and he was
00:25:56.43\00:25:58.93
transform and had a
born again experience.
00:25:58.94\00:26:01.96
And the book of
Acts tells us that when
00:26:01.97\00:26:04.31
Peter preached, and
they begin to preach
00:26:04.32\00:26:06.48
the gospel a lot of
scribes and Pharisees
00:26:06.49\00:26:09.33
came in and they were changed.
00:26:09.34\00:26:11.14
I'm suggesting to
us in view our land.
00:26:11.44\00:26:13.88
We need examine
ourselves, we need to
00:26:14.93\00:26:17.52
examine our hearts,
we need to see where
00:26:17.53\00:26:20.66
are we placing our emphasis?
00:26:20.67\00:26:22.81
Are we just
trying to look good into
00:26:23.22\00:26:24.90
outside, wear a
nice suite, have a nice
00:26:24.91\00:26:27.82
face, have a lot of
money? But no Jesus inside no
00:26:27.83\00:26:31.47
Jesus says to us whatever your
00:26:32.00\00:26:34.08
position is, whatever
your status in life is.
00:26:34.09\00:26:37.39
Wherever you are
yes you may have a big
00:26:37.95\00:26:40.10
post, good
education, Masters Degrees,
00:26:40.11\00:26:43.45
Ph.D. all these
things on the outside are
00:26:43.46\00:26:47.04
wonderful but you know what?
00:26:47.05\00:26:48.85
Do you know what
I've come to say to
00:26:49.50\00:26:50.69
you that you
need to be born again?
00:26:50.70\00:26:53.32
Those of you who
are looking, you need to
00:26:54.33\00:26:58.21
be born again. The message comes
00:26:58.22\00:27:01.08
home and Jesus
is speaking to your
00:27:01.09\00:27:04.07
heart, are you just religious?
00:27:04.08\00:27:05.96
Are you just a whited sepulcher?
00:27:07.14\00:27:08.91
Do you have all these
things in the outside?
00:27:09.63\00:27:11.95
But Jesus is
changing your face today and
00:27:12.59\00:27:15.70
saying you must be
born again, you need
00:27:15.71\00:27:21.01
a rich,
vibrant, pulsating a live
00:27:21.36\00:27:26.26
relationship with your God.
00:27:26.27\00:27:28.26
It is Jesus in the
heart. It is Jesus in the
00:27:28.67\00:27:32.64
vessels that
makes you smile of the
00:27:32.65\00:27:34.90
stone, it is Jesus
in your heart that could
00:27:34.91\00:27:38.06
make you take
criticism and don't
00:27:38.07\00:27:40.69
answer back. It
is Jesus in the heart
00:27:40.70\00:27:43.80
that could make you
lose things and still
00:27:44.20\00:27:46.56
stand up with Jesus.
It is this Jesus that
00:27:46.57\00:27:49.95
I recommend to you today,
00:27:49.96\00:27:51.87
Jesus who loves
you and I want you to
00:27:52.18\00:27:54.64
keep sweet in
Jesus. God bless you.
00:27:54.65\00:27:57.14