Participants: Lemuel Vega
Series Code: FC
Program Code: FC000408
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00:01 Please stay with us,
00:07 3ABN presents 00:16 this closed captioned program. 00:31 A beautiful today at home wherever you may be 00:34 From 3ABN and Faith Chapel 00:37 Thank you for taking the time to join us today, 00:40 with probably 99 channels on your TV 00:42 or many more than that in this day and age, 00:45 you have many opportunities to select 00:47 lots of different programming, 00:48 and we are grateful that you have taken the time 00:51 to tune into Three Angels Broadcasting Network. 00:53 I would like to say 00:55 that what we are 00:56 going to share today, 00:57 I just want to ask a question 00:59 first of all. 01:00 How many of us are going 01:04 to be in Heaven 01:05 because we are good people? 01:07 Are you good enough my friend 01:10 to hear, "Well done thou good and faithful servant, 01:12 enter in to those pearly gates. ", 01:15 we deserve to be there of our own? 01:20 No. 01:22 Because we have not sinned? 01:24 No. 01:25 I would like to turn in the Bible, 01:27 but before we do that I would like to open this time 01:30 with God and with you in prayer. 01:34 Our dear heavenly Father, we thank You 01:36 for this awesome opportunity in this age of technology, 01:39 in computers wherever they are 01:41 in a hut in another land, 01:43 in a high rise office building, 01:46 wherever they are, that You've made it possible 01:48 that Your Word may go forth 01:50 unto the ends of the world 01:52 and the Bible says, "Then the end shall come. " 01:54 So we are grateful for technology 01:57 when used in a right way 01:58 and for what 3ABN is doing throughout the world. 02:01 We ask for Your help, Your presence, Your guidance 02:04 and the indwelling of Your Holy Spirit 02:06 as we open Your holy Word. 02:08 In Jesus name we pray. 02:10 Amen. 02:12 I want to say that we cannot drift 02:14 with the current of the world 02:17 and think that we will happen to drift into Heaven. 02:21 Absolutely not! 02:23 There is a part that we play, that humanity plays 02:28 in the ability of getting from this broken 02:30 sin torn, war torn, 02:32 shattered life, economic disasters on every side 02:36 into the glorious kingdom of Heaven. 02:39 It is not a lottery ticket that we hold in our hand, 02:43 that maybe your number will come up 02:46 and when you're a winner you get to go in, 02:48 or you're a loser and you're cast out, 02:50 we have a choice in this matter. 02:52 And I would like to turn the Bible, 02:54 to Romans, Romans 3 02:59 is what I'd like to use 03:01 for the opening of this program. 03:05 Romans 3:23 03:07 The Bible says, "For all have sinned 03:14 and come short of the glory of God. " 03:17 But there is a way, there is an opportunity. 03:20 And I would like to turn... there is hope for humanity... 03:24 yes there is, for you and me. 03:27 I'd like to go a little over to Romans 5:8 03:32 I want to tell you that here's the other side to that, 03:34 that we all have fallen short 03:36 and we all have sinned 03:37 and come short of the glory of God. 03:39 Here's the other side of that. 03:40 Romans 5:8 03:44 "But God commended His love towards us" 03:49 towards you and towards me, 03:51 my friend, 03:53 "in that while we were yet sinners 03:55 Christ died for us. " 03:58 In our sinful state, 04:01 not worthy for the kingdom of Heaven, 04:04 Christ came and died for us 04:07 that we can be forgiven. 04:09 That pardon through Christ's shed blood 04:12 could be written beside our names. 04:15 There is joy in this 21st century, 04:18 there's opportunity, there's hope, 04:20 only through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. 04:24 While we were yet sinners Christ died for us. 04:28 Verse 9: "Much more then being now justified 04:32 by His blood, we shall be saved 04:36 from wrath through Him. " 04:41 Through Him, 04:43 the Forgiver, the Repairer, 04:46 of the damaged broken society 04:49 in which we find ourselves. 04:51 Romans 5:1 04:57 "Therefore being justified by faith 05:00 we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. " 05:03 He establishes us, 05:04 this is the beginning of eternity, 05:06 it starts today, an heavenly relationship with Jesus. 05:10 "Therefore being justified by faith 05:12 we have peace with God 05:13 through our Lord Jesus Christ 05:15 by whom also we have access 05:18 by faith into His grace 05:21 wherein we stand 05:22 and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. " 05:26 Hope in the dictionary is, "an expectation to have. " 05:29 When you get in your car and you want to go somewhere 05:32 you stick the car key in the ignition 05:34 and you have a hope, you have an expectation 05:36 that the motor is going to start 05:38 and that you're going to go on your journey 05:40 wherever that may be. 05:41 "Rejoice in the hope of the glory of God, 05:44 and not only so, but we glory in tribulations also. " 05:48 Oh, no. 05:51 We glory in tribulation also? 05:53 "knowing that tribulation worketh patience. " 05:57 So through trials and temptations, 05:59 and problems in our lives, 06:01 this worketh patience because we call unto God 06:04 and we have that living relationship 06:07 each and every day. 06:08 When Christ died upon the cross of Calvary 06:11 the veil of the temple was 'rent in twain' the Bible says, 06:14 from the top to the bottom, 06:16 you now have direct access 06:18 with the King of the Universe! 06:20 So, tribulation worketh patience, Amen. 06:24 Thank You Lord. I knew I've been having some issues in my life 06:27 but it's okay because it's continued 06:29 to perfect my character. 06:30 "And patience, experience, and experience, hope, 06:34 and hope maketh not ashamed 06:37 because the love of God is shed abroad 06:39 in our hearts by the Holy Ghost 06:42 which is given unto us. " 06:44 The Holy Spirit, the Comforter that Jesus promised 06:49 that when He ascended unto Heaven 06:51 that He would send the Comforter for you and me. 06:55 "For when we were yet without strength 07:00 in due time Christ died for the ungodly. " 07:05 So, He didn't come to die for those who were ready 07:08 to go to the kingdom of Heaven 07:09 He came and He died for us, my friend. 07:12 The Bible, that we read already says that we all have sinned 07:14 and fallen short of the glory of God. 07:16 "For yet when we were without strength 07:18 in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 07:21 For scarcely for a righteous man 07:25 will one die, yet peradventure 07:28 for a good man some even dare to die. 07:30 But God commended His love towards us 07:33 in that while we were yet sinners 07:35 Christ died for us. " 07:39 So therefore, my friend, out of great appreciation 07:44 that we can be forgiven, 07:47 in humble humility we come and we say, "Thank You Lord", 07:53 that is my prayer today that this will be a new beginning. 07:58 Even if you've been walking with Jesus for some years 08:01 the perplexities and the trials of the daily life 08:04 that we can realize that is perfecting in our characters 08:07 what He wants and be willing to trust Him no matter what. 08:11 Look back in your life and see how God has lead you, 08:14 protected you and cared for you, and supplied your needs, 08:17 He will take care of today what ever trials you may be facing. 08:22 I would like to turn to Matthew, Matthew 9. 08:27 Matthew is an easy book for me to find 08:30 because it is the first chapter of the New Testament. 08:32 Matthew 9 and I'd like to look at verse 10 08:36 verse 10 to 13, 08:41 "And it came to pass as Jesus sat at meat" 08:46 He was eating dinner 08:47 or lunch or whatever, in the house 08:49 "behold, many publicans and sinners 08:52 came and sat down with him and his disciples. 08:55 And when the Pharisees saw it, 08:57 they said unto his disciples," 08:58 Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?" 09:02 But here's what Jesus said, 09:04 "But when Jesus heard that He said unto them, 09:07 They that be whole need not a physician, 09:10 but they that are sick. " 09:12 You don't go to a doctor when 09:14 you're feeling well and all hunky dory. 09:16 You go when you have a problem and you say, "can you help me"? 09:20 And that's how it is with Jesus Christ, 09:22 we go with our problems and say, "Can you help me?" 09:25 And as He begins to raise us up, 09:26 and we begin to walk, 09:27 and begin to think again, 09:29 begin to have some clearness of mind, 09:31 from the drugs or the alcohol, 09:33 whatever so easily- or the TV, 09:35 the ways of the world, 09:37 that so easily beset us, 09:38 we begin to have some clearness of mind. 09:39 Do we forget Him then? 09:42 No. We grow stronger in our friendship with Jesus Christ. 09:45 "They that be whole need not a physician 09:48 but they that are sick. 09:49 But go ye and learn what that meaneth. 09:54 I will have mercy and not sacrifice" 09:56 Here it is my friends, here it is, 10:00 "I have not come to call the righteous 10:02 but the sinners to repentance. " 10:05 So we find here that we all have sinned, 10:07 we all need a Savior, 10:09 and Christ died for us while we 10:11 were in our ungodly sinful state. 10:13 "And, I am not come to call the righteous 10:17 but sinners to repentance. " 10:18 So He comes and He's calling us, 10:20 and He's wooing us, 10:22 and He's working with us, 10:23 so don't kick against the thorns. 10:27 Be willing to say, "Lord, here I am" 10:29 and open your heart to Him and you'll never be sorry. 10:33 Luke 18. I'd like to go to Luke. Matthew, Mark, Luke... 10:38 Luke 18 and I just want to share briefly here... 10:44 God is looking for a humble heart, 10:47 one who is willing to say 10:49 Luke 18:9 10:53 "And he spake a parable unto a certain 10:55 which trusted in themselves. 10:57 Unto certain which trusted in themselves 11:00 that they were righteous and despised others. " 11:03 So here's a group of people, 11:04 a group of Christian people 11:06 at that time when Jesus walked upon this earth. 11:08 "Two men went into the temple to pray. 11:12 The one a Pharisee," - all fancy person - 11:15 "and the other a publican" 11:17 perhaps a poor beggar or common person of that day 11:20 "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 11:25 God I thank Thee that I am not as the other men are 11:29 extortioners, unjust, adulterers, 11:33 or even as this publican. " 11:35 I'm glad I'm not like him, 11:37 because I'm somebody special to You God, 11:40 I don't want to be just a regular person, 11:42 "I fast twice in the week, 11:45 I give tithes of all that I possess, 11:47 And here's the publican. 11:49 "And the publican, standing afar off, 11:52 would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, 11:56 but smote upon his breast, saying, 11:59 God be merciful to me a sinner. " 12:04 "I tell you," Jesus said 12:07 "this man went down to his house justified 12:11 rather than the other. 12:14 for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; 12:19 and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. " 12:22 So we in this world, we all want to be exalted, 12:26 and be someone special or someone fancy, 12:28 here it is God is saying that the one who humbleth himself 12:31 God will take you and exalt you and use you 12:36 for His honor and glory and for His kingdom. 12:39 Let's look at Psalms 139, 12:42 speaking about a humble heart, 12:44 let's look at Psalms 139:23, 24 12:50 "Search me, O God, and know my heart:" 12:54 We're asking God to search us. 12:57 "try me, and know my thoughts: 13:00 And see if there be any wicked way in me," 13:04 in you. 13:05 "and lead me in the way everlasting. " 13:10 That's our prayer that God would search us and try us, 13:13 because we can trust this God, 13:15 who gave His only Son Jesus to die on the cross of Calvary; 13:19 We can trust Him because He is looking 13:21 to reinstate us into the kingdom of Heaven. 13:24 I would like to go to 1 John, 13:27 1 John 2, if we could go to 1 John 2, 13:34 that has always been kind of a hard one to find, 1 John 2:1-6 13:43 "My little children, these things write I unto you, 13:46 that you sin not. " 13:47 So, we find ourselves in a sinful condition, 13:50 a Savior God, came to save us 13:52 "And if any man sin, we have an advocate 13:55 with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous: 13:58 And He is the propitiation for our sins: 14:01 and not for ours only, 14:03 but also for the sins of the whole world. " 14:06 My friend I don't care what it is that you've done 14:08 right here it says He has been the propitiation, 14:11 He's been the payment for the sins of the whole world. 14:14 You don't stay in that sinful condition. 14:17 He pulls you up out of that and works with you day by day, 14:20 moment by moment. 14:22 "And hereby we do know that we know Him, 14:25 if we keep His commandments. " 14:28 His law, His love, His letter of love. 14:31 "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not His commandments 14:35 is a liar, and the truth is not in him. " 14:37 We can't deceive God. 14:39 "But whoso keepeth His word, in him verily 14:42 is the love of God perfected: 14:45 hereby know we that we are in Him. 14:49 He that saith he abideth in Him 14:51 ought himself also so to walk, 14:54 even as He walked. " 14:57 I'd also like to look at 1 John 2:15, 16 15:05 "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. 15:10 If any man love the world, 15:12 the love of the Father is not in him. " 15:14 My friend, the world has to diminish that He may increase, 15:19 our lives have to be emptied out that He may be increased. 15:22 We can't hold the things, hoard the things of the world 15:25 in our lives and expect God's blessings 15:27 to come in and overflow out of us, 15:29 we have to be willing to empty our cup 15:32 of the things of the world, to empty it out. 15:35 If you're like me I never could keep my cup full 15:38 anyway because there is no bottom. 15:39 With the things of the world you stuff it in and in and in 15:42 it keeps going out the bottom and you can never contain it. 15:45 With the love of God, when you are on the true solid foundation 15:48 of the love of God, His blessings will come in 15:51 and fill out to overflowing. 15:53 That's how it's worked in my life 15:55 and I guarantee it will work the same and abundantly more 15:59 in your life. 16:00 "For all that is in the world, " in verse 16 16:05 "For all that is in the world, 16:07 the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, 16:10 and the pride of life, is not of the Father, 16:13 but is of the world " 16:14 "And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: 16:18 but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever. " 16:27 So those are just awesome promises that I 16:32 just pray that you'll grasp on to. 16:34 I'd like to look at Revelation 16:36 go to Revelation the last book of the Bible 16:38 and I'd like to look at Revelation 12:12 16:41 "Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. " 16:45 This is saying, "Rejoice ye heavens 16:47 and ye that dwell in them " 16:49 There's still created beings in the kingdom of Heaven 16:52 that have not fallen into sin. 16:54 Lucifer the devil has took a third of the angels 16:57 out to this earth. 16:58 God has the winning side, He has two thirds 17:00 in the kingdom of Heaven working for you 17:03 my friend and for me. 17:06 "Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! 17:09 for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, 17:14 because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. " 17:16 And he doesn't want you to be where he will never 17:20 have the opportunity to be again, 17:23 he has lost that opportunity. 17:25 Matthew 25:41, my friend Matthew 25:41, 17:31 we must go there, Matthew 25:41, 17:35 this is in red letters, this is Jesus speaking here, 17:39 and this, there's gonna be a separation 17:42 at the end time when Jesus comes. 17:44 The sheep and the goats are going to be separated, 17:47 in verse forty one, I just want to share this with you. 17:51 "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, 17:57 Depart from me, ye cursed, " this is the other side 18:02 from hearing, "well done thou good and faithful servant 18:04 Enter in..." "depart from me ye cursed 18:07 into everlasting fire. " 18:09 There's everlasting life, 18:11 the Bible says, into everlasting fire, 18:14 that's eternal separation from Jesus Christ... 18:17 your opportunity is today! 18:18 As you hear His voice, harden not your heart 18:21 because today is the opportunity for salvation 18:24 to begin in your life. 18:26 "Ye cursed, into everlasting fire," 18:29 listen to this, the Bible says, 18:32 that it was prepared for the devil and his angels, 18:35 not for humanity, not for you and me! 18:38 Everlasting fire was prepared for the devil and his angels. 18:42 God did not design it to scare you 18:44 into coming to Him, 18:45 surrender your life unto Him. 18:47 God doesn't use those tactics, 18:49 the devil uses those tactics. 18:51 The everlasting fire was created for the devil and his angels. 18:55 The devil has come down unto us, the earth, 18:57 having great wrath because he knoweth he has but a short time. 19:01 He probably knows better than you and me, 19:03 but if we're daily willing to seek and follow Jesus Christ, 19:06 we can sense...God lets our eyes be opened 19:09 to sin for what it is and we can see the time, the tragic time 19:13 in which we live in our world. 19:14 Like Sodom and Gomorrah, as in the days of Noah 19:17 we live also, I believe 19:21 in the last days of earth's history. 19:23 And soon and very soon 19:25 we shall see Jesus Christ come back. 19:29 I want to go to John 3:16 19:32 You probably know it by heart, 19:33 but perhaps you're like me, 19:36 I'm learning the Bible and we begin to learn verses, 19:41 my mind has been slowed from drug addiction and alcoholism, 19:44 my mind has been wearied from the ways of the world, 19:48 and perhaps yours has too. 19:50 Let's go to John 3:16, 19:52 it's in red letters again, my friends. 19:55 Here it says, "For God so loved the world, 19:59 that He gave His only begotten Son, 20:02 that whosoever believeth in Him 20:03 should not perish..." to believe in God 20:07 means: equals not to perish. 20:10 "but have everlasting life." Verse 17 20:14 "For God sent not His Son into the world 20:16 to condemn the world; but that the world 20:18 (that you and I) through Him..." 20:19 ...will be saved?, the Bible says, "might be saved." 20:23 We have a choice in the matter, 20:24 that we might be saved, because if we chose Him 20:27 we will be saved! 20:28 It's a daily relationship with Jesus Christ, 20:31 I don't believe in a once saved always saved relationship, 20:34 some people preach it. They say, "You come to the altar today 20:37 and you're saved;" you're in like Flynn, 20:39 I don't believe it. 20:41 Today as you come to the altar of sacrifice... 20:43 and you sacrifice your will 20:45 and your life unto Jesus Christ... 20:47 this is the beginning of your personal 20:50 relationship with Jesus Christ. 20:51 It's a daily relationship that is so worthwhile, 20:57 and as you ask Jesus Christ 20:59 for that help in your life... 21:00 I want to tell you that it says 21:03 that the devil and his angels, 21:05 those who chose not to follow Jesus Christ 21:08 will be cast into the lake of fire 21:11 prepared for the devil and his angels. 21:13 I want to share with you something here 21:16 God wants us to bear fruit for Him, 21:21 beautiful fruit for Jesus Christ. 21:24 As you come to Him Jesus says, 21:26 "I am the Vine, I am the Truth, I am the Way " 21:30 This grape cannot exist and continue to grow 21:34 separated from Jesus Christ. 21:36 He says He's the Vine, 21:38 and so my friends as you make that commitment 21:40 that decision to follow Jesus today 21:42 He will begin to create in your life 21:46 fruit for Him, that you will be blessing to others. 21:50 Here's the counterpart of that blessing, 21:53 the counterpart, the other side 21:55 These will be, "ye cursed... 21:57 into everlasting fire " separated from Jesus forever, 22:03 and we do not want to hear those words, 22:06 we want to bear fruit for Jesus Christ. 22:09 He will use us in awesome ways 22:12 if we're just willing to surrender unto Him. 22:14 I want to tell you that maybe you don't 22:16 have lots of fruit in your life today, 22:18 but I want to tell you my dear friend that we can trust God. 22:22 As I walked out in the woods this morning 22:24 I found this branch and I thought it was dead 22:28 but as I look at it, it has little buds on it, 22:31 and as you break the branch you can see that it is green. 22:35 There's hope for you, my friend. 22:39 It starts with a beginning, it starts with a prayer. 22:42 And I say, "Dear Jesus, I am sorry, 22:44 I come to You today just as I am. 22:48 Please take me and remake me." 22:50 There's a young man that was in the prison... 22:53 I'm so thankful to 3ABN, 3ABN organized a... 22:57 there's a prison not too far from here 22:59 of young people and 3ABN organized a group to go 23:04 and pass out some gift packages 23:06 with all the prisoners and all the officers in that prison. 23:10 I'll tell you that what happened 23:12 there was a young man that came up, 23:15 I don't know how old he was, the ages were from 13-21. 23:18 This young man was maybe 17 or 18. 23:21 He came with tears streaming down his face 23:25 and he said, "Will you pray with me? " 23:27 So we went over there to pray with that young man 23:31 and he said, "I'm tired of the drugs and the gangs 23:35 and all the problems in life. 23:38 I'm tired of doing time and 23:40 I've been doing time since I was 13 years old." 23:43 He had tears streaming down his face, and 23:45 we prayed with that young man. 23:48 So as our heads were bowed, and our eyes were closed, 23:52 and we were holding hands 23:54 somebody said, "Now you pray." 23:57 And that young man said, "I don't know how to pray." 24:04 Someone has never taught that young man about Jesus Christ, 24:08 and perhaps you don't know today either. 24:12 I said, "He's your friend, 24:14 just talk to Him like He's your friend." 24:16 And that young man as he was sobbing 24:19 he prayed and he says, 24:20 "Dear Jesus, please forgive me of my sins." 24:26 That is the beginning for that young man, 24:29 I may never see that young man again 24:31 until we get to the kingdom of Heaven, 24:33 but I guarantee you without a shadow of doubt, 24:36 that he will be in the kingdom of Heaven, 24:38 as he, each and every day, surrenders his will 24:41 and his heart to Jesus Christ. 24:43 He did something that we all have to do, 24:46 he did something, he opened the door to his heart and his life 24:52 at that moment and asked the Creator of the Universe 24:55 for help with his problems, 24:57 with his sinful condition. 24:59 We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, 25:02 but the choice is up to us now, 25:05 belief in a god is not enough, it takes action. 25:09 That young man upon his knees in that prison took action. 25:12 And he said, "Please forgive me." 25:15 What he did is that he asked the Creator of the Universe 25:19 for help with his life, 25:21 he opened the door to his heart, 25:24 and gave Jesus Christ permission to come in. 25:30 He doesn't come in and force Himself, my friend. 25:33 He knocks at the door tenderly quietly calling, 25:38 wooing you and I in our sinful broken condition, 25:43 back unto Him and says, "Will you follow Me?" 25:47 Jesus when He was here on the earth 25:49 He didn't go to the fancy synagogues 25:51 to the scribes and Pharisees. 25:53 The message was carried to everybody, 25:56 but He went down to the common people at the seaside 25:59 and said, "Will you follow Me? " 26:01 Yes Lord. "Will you follow Me? " 26:05 Yes Lord. 26:06 I too surrendered my heart to Jesus Christ 26:10 almost twelve years ago, 26:12 the fogginess, the drug addiction, 26:15 the alcoholism, the ways of the world 26:17 the pain and the suffering, 26:18 it was a Friday evening, 26:21 I was in a hospital and I knew those doctors couldn't help me 26:24 because they wanted to give me medication for my drug problems. 26:28 But I said, "I don't want no more drugs, period." 26:31 I had my bed pushed up against the door, 26:33 I didn't want to talk to nobody, 26:36 I wasn't sure if I wanted to try or not try. 26:39 It was a Friday evening and I walked over 26:42 to the big picture window in my room, 26:44 and I looked out on that Friday evening 26:47 and I saw the most beautiful sunset 26:50 that I'd ever seen in my whole life, 26:52 and I knew that the Creator of the Universe 26:55 that could paint that picture which would be gone 26:57 in a few minutes of time, 26:58 that HE was the answer to my problems, 27:01 that HE was the One who could help me. 27:03 And I too, as that young boy who got down on his knees 27:06 and asked God to forgive him, 27:08 I said, "Dear Jesus, 27:10 please help me. 27:11 I want to quit but I can't." 27:13 On our own we cannot conquer these sins and temptations 27:17 that so easily beset us. 27:19 But by His grace, through His shed blood 27:23 being applied to our hearts and our lives 27:25 we now have the ability to over come temptation through Christ 27:31 living in our lives. 27:33 So you too, my friends 27:34 have now the key to success 27:37 to the kingdom of Heaven, 27:38 to ask and you shall receive, 27:40 seek and you shall find, 27:42 knock and it shall be opened unto you. 27:44 I wish you God's rich blessings until we meet again 27:47 I pray, in that great day in the kingdom of Heaven, 27:50 don't look back, stay focused and continue your walk 27:54 with Jesus Christ. |
Revised 2014-12-17