Well tonight I want to
talk to you on the subject
00:00:26.20\00:00:29.28
Can a man or a woman
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go so far into sin
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that God cannot save
them? In other words,
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can the go so far away from God
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that it's
impossible to come back to Him?
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You know,
tonight if God was here
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in a physical sense so
that we could actually see Him
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and He talked to
us, I would suggest
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that if He actually talked
to us we would never forget
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that experience
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and we would hang on
every word, isn't that right?
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I think we would.
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I know I would...
I'm sure you would, too.
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Because if God was able to
talk to us and we could actually
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hear Him... what a
wonderful experience!
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You know I've
had people say to me:
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"If I could literally
hear God I'd believe in Him. "
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Well actually,
God HAS spoken to us
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and He literally wants
to speak to us every day.
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Now it may not be in the
way that you and I are used to
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people talking to
us... with a voice.
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But God has
communicated to us in the Book.
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Because this is
God's letter to us.
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And you and I know
that if we want to grow
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into a relationship, what must
you do if you want to develop
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that relationship?
Those of you who are in love:
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And I hope that's
all... all husbands and wives
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and friends. If
you're in love with somebody,
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what have you got to do?
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All right. Get to
know their family.
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Spend time with that person.
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Tell me, if your partner -
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if your husband or wife
or whoever it might be -
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is very precious to you,
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is it hard to spend
time talking to them?
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Is it? No!
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In fact, it's very exciting
to spend time with them,
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isn't that right?
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Yes. Now that's the
way God wants us to be.
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He wants us to develop
a relationship with Him.
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Now the way that He talks
to us is through His Word.
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That's why the study of
the Bible is so very, very
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important. And when
I'm reading the Bible
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I've got to remember that
I'm not just reading words
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but I'm actually thinking
about the fact that this is God
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speaking to me.
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And so I'm not just
reading about a historical event
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way in the past, I am reading
it so that it talks to me...
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talks to my heart. So that's
why the Bible becomes very
00:03:27.94\00:03:31.20
precious. And then
when I want to talk to God,
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that's what we call prayer.
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That's my response to God.
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And we develop a
relationship with someone
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by spending time
by talking to them.
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You know, when
marriages break down
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usually it is because
communication breaks down.
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That's usually the bottom-line
cause of all marriage
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breakdowns.
Somewhere back in the past
00:03:55.67\00:03:59.80
communication
began to break down,
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and gradually gradually
gradually until it collapses.
00:04:02.47\00:04:06.93
And God wants us not to
break our relationship with Him.
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That's why He has
given to us the Word.
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And tonight I want to
study with you what I think is
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probably the worst
case in all the Bible.
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But before we turn that story
up let's come over to the book
00:04:23.35\00:04:26.54
of Romans at the back of
the Bible, Romans chapter 15.
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And Paul is talking
here in Romans chapter 15
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and verse 4. And
this is what he says.
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Romans the 15th
chapter and verse 4:
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You see, one of the
major reasons that the Bible
00:05:01.41\00:05:05.73
has been written
is to give us hope!
00:05:05.83\00:05:08.25
And when it says here
that "for whatever things were
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written before... "
what's that talking about?
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What's... what has
been written before?
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What was Paul
primarily talking about
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when he says: "what
things were written before? "
00:05:24.93\00:05:27.37
What's that? Yeah,
that's the Old Testament.
00:05:27.57\00:05:30.79
Because it didn't
include as yet the New Testament
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because the New Testament was
still being written, wasn't it?
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Now, of course, NOW it
includes the New Testament
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but when Paul was
writing it primarily included
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or it meant the Old Testament.
00:05:46.02\00:05:48.21
And that's why we must
be very, very careful -
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very suspicious about anybody
that would ever suggest to you
00:05:51.48\00:05:55.48
that some parts of the Bible,
particularly the Old Testament,
00:05:55.69\00:05:58.23
has been done away with or is
not necessary for us to study.
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Because the things that
have been written in the
00:06:01.75\00:06:04.75
Old Testament and now included
in the New Testament too for us.
00:06:04.85\00:06:09.09
But when Paul was writing
the things that were written
00:06:09.39\00:06:11.98
in the Old Testament
were written to give us hope.
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And it says here:
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So the best thing
about the Bible to understand
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is the fact that the Bible has
been written to give us comfort
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and to give us hope.
00:06:30.87\00:06:32.71
And this evening I want to
talk to you about what I think
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will be the most
hopeless case in all the Bible.
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And if there's hope for a
creature like we're going to
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talk about, then
there's hope for us all.
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You know, in the world
today there's not too much
00:06:50.17\00:06:52.96
that gives you a lot of hope.
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When we look at the environment,
that doesn't give us a lot
00:06:54.63\00:06:57.69
of hope today, does it?
00:06:57.79\00:06:59.00
We listen to the scientists
and the political leaders...
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that doesn't give us much hope.
00:07:03.34\00:07:05.56
But the Bible says it's
been written to give us hope
00:07:06.91\00:07:09.83
and as we study the scriptures
that we'll learn patience
00:07:11.31\00:07:15.19
and comfort.
00:07:15.39\00:07:16.50
You know, I went
through a hospital recently.
00:07:16.71\00:07:19.01
And as I walked through
the ward I saw ward after ward
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of children who were
disfigured and handicapped.
00:07:23.87\00:07:28.16
And any parent's heart
would just... just cry out
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when you see children
because you understand that
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some parent is hurting
because of their child was in
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this situation.
Terrible... ward after ward.
00:07:39.91\00:07:43.22
Then I went through ward
after ward of accident cases.
00:07:43.52\00:07:48.17
Mainly car accidents.
00:07:49.46\00:07:52.56
I saw one girl that had a
great cut right across her face.
00:07:53.82\00:07:59.33
Terribly disfigured.
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The nurse was saying
she was lucky to be alive.
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Looked to me as if she was, too.
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And when we look
within our own hearts
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there's not too
much to give us hope.
00:08:10.93\00:08:13.02
Pretty hopeless world.
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And yet the Bible says it's
been written to give us hope.
00:08:16.81\00:08:20.08
And as we study it tonight
I think we're going to see
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how much hope we can have.
00:08:25.22\00:08:26.52
And I know many of
us have a strong hope.
00:08:26.72\00:08:29.12
But sometimes I meet
people who talk about heaven
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that they hope that
they're going to have
00:08:32.94\00:08:34.76
and salvation that they
hope that they're going to have
00:08:34.96\00:08:37.50
one day. Well the Bible
says we ought to be confident
00:08:37.60\00:08:41.79
about our salvation.
00:08:41.90\00:08:43.23
We ought to be
confident about what we believe.
00:08:43.44\00:08:45.94
And when we look within our
own hearts, there's not too much
00:08:47.53\00:08:50.19
to give us confidence. For
example, let me illustrate.
00:08:50.30\00:08:53.05
If I had a camera here
and I took a picture of you
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and then I put
it up on the screen
00:08:58.19\00:09:00.58
for you all to have a look,
00:09:00.68\00:09:03.39
tell me this: whose picture
would you look for first?
00:09:03.60\00:09:06.78
Ah?
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I guarantee it wouldn't be mine.
00:09:10.80\00:09:12.44
You would be looking for your
own picture, isn't that right?
00:09:12.74\00:09:16.00
And let me suggest that
if you were looking good
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and bright eyed and bushy tailed
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you'd say: "What a
wonderful picture that is! "
00:09:23.02\00:09:25.04
Doesn't matter about others
who may have been blinking
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at the wrong time or, you know,
things weren't quite straight.
00:09:28.45\00:09:31.61
If you took a good picture:
"what a wonderful picture
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that is! "
00:09:35.29\00:09:36.53
That's how much self is
dead in each of our hearts.
00:09:36.93\00:09:40.42
And we all know that.
00:09:40.62\00:09:41.96
For example, when you
hear the fire siren go and
00:09:42.17\00:09:45.54
the fire engine coming
down and you're near your house,
00:09:45.64\00:09:48.28
whose house do
you think of first?
00:09:48.48\00:09:50.18
Um-hmm.
00:09:50.68\00:09:53.15
That's how much self
is dead in each of us.
00:09:53.46\00:09:56.05
And that's why when we
look within our own hearts
00:09:56.35\00:09:59.73
there is not a
lot to give us hope.
00:09:59.83\00:10:01.65
But the Bible says that the
things that have been written
00:10:01.85\00:10:04.66
aforetime... the things that
have been written in the past...
00:10:06.38\00:10:09.28
have been
written to give us hope.
00:10:09.48\00:10:11.88
That we through patience
and comfort of the scriptures
00:10:12.08\00:10:16.14
might have hope.
00:10:16.24\00:10:17.33
Now as I said, I want to talk
about the most hopeless case
00:10:17.53\00:10:20.36
in all the Bible. I
think by the time we're through
00:10:20.46\00:10:23.05
you will agree with me that
it is the most hopeless case.
00:10:23.25\00:10:26.21
And if there's hope for a
creature like we're going to
00:10:26.93\00:10:29.28
study about, then I think
there's hope for each of us.
00:10:29.38\00:10:32.00
Come back to II Kings, toward
the beginning of the Bible.
00:10:32.20\00:10:35.21
II Kings chapter 21.
00:10:35.42\00:10:37.77
II Kings chapter 21 and verse 9.
00:10:38.07\00:10:42.42
II Kings 21, and we'll pick
up here the story in verse 9.
00:10:44.87\00:10:50.81
It says:
00:10:51.21\00:10:52.68
Now honestly
friends, how Manasseh
00:11:06.83\00:11:10.40
did that I don't know.
00:11:10.60\00:11:13.08
I wouldn't believe it
except the Bible said it.
00:11:14.68\00:11:17.73
How he seduced God's people
to do worse than the Amorites
00:11:18.13\00:11:23.20
did and the Moabites
I just can't understand
00:11:23.30\00:11:27.93
because they fell to about
as low as it's possible to be
00:11:28.53\00:11:34.44
degraded as a human being.
00:11:34.54\00:11:36.11
You might remember that
the Amorites inhabited a place
00:11:37.32\00:11:39.80
called Jericho.
00:11:39.90\00:11:41.47
And you remember the story
of Jericho? How God's people
00:11:42.18\00:11:47.08
were to march
around the city walls
00:11:47.28\00:11:49.87
seven times
00:11:50.28\00:11:53.27
then the walls
eventually came tumbling down.
00:11:53.47\00:11:56.08
And God said to His people
00:11:56.38\00:11:58.70
when they went into the
city: "Don't touch anything
00:11:58.91\00:12:02.90
in the city. "
00:12:03.21\00:12:04.65
Things had become
so degraded, so filthy,
00:12:06.07\00:12:09.91
that God said:
"Don't touch anything! "
00:12:10.11\00:12:12.69
Now one man disobeyed.
00:12:12.89\00:12:15.25
Do you remember his name?
00:12:15.45\00:12:17.37
Yes, it was a man
by the name of Achan.
00:12:17.67\00:12:20.52
And he stole what he said was a
00:12:21.91\00:12:26.08
"goodly Babylonish garment. "
00:12:26.18\00:12:28.63
In other words, it must have
been a pretty good looking coat.
00:12:28.83\00:12:31.68
And it must have fitted him
00:12:32.99\00:12:34.23
and he got it from one of
the inhabitants of Jericho.
00:12:34.53\00:12:37.76
And he must have
looked pretty good in it.
00:12:39.06\00:12:40.99
And then he hid it in his tent.
00:12:42.50\00:12:45.40
And the Bible says that he
brought a curse upon the whole
00:12:46.83\00:12:50.24
camp of Israel
00:12:50.34\00:12:52.19
because he took that garment
00:12:52.59\00:12:55.91
because God said:
"Don't touch anything. "
00:12:56.21\00:12:58.79
You know, I meet
people from time to time...
00:13:00.78\00:13:03.63
In meetings like this
they come to me and they say:
00:13:03.83\00:13:06.62
"Geoff, I can never understand
00:13:06.65\00:13:09.02
why if God is a God of love
00:13:09.23\00:13:12.34
why He commanded the destruction
of the women and the children
00:13:12.54\00:13:17.09
of the Old Testament. "
00:13:17.19\00:13:18.41
I often am asked that question:
00:13:19.64\00:13:22.20
"If God is a God of
love, why did He do that? "
00:13:22.40\00:13:25.60
You may have wondered it too.
00:13:28.51\00:13:30.42
You know it always reminds me of
the chief of police of London.
00:13:32.41\00:13:36.54
He said as a young Christian
he could never reconcile
00:13:36.84\00:13:40.66
the God of love with
the destruction. In fact,
00:13:40.76\00:13:44.07
some people are so distressed
over this question that
00:13:44.27\00:13:47.44
they believe that the
God of the Old Testament
00:13:47.54\00:13:49.89
is different to the
Jesus of the New Testament.
00:13:50.10\00:13:52.29
Now there's no difference.
00:13:55.59\00:13:57.26
Folk just don't understand
when they make statements
00:13:57.46\00:14:00.87
like that. But this
chief of police of London
00:14:00.97\00:14:04.30
he said: "I could never
understand why God ordered
00:14:04.50\00:14:08.70
the destruction of the
women and the children of the...
00:14:08.80\00:14:10.64
of the Old Testament... "
he said, "until I became chief
00:14:10.74\00:14:14.53
of police of London. "
00:14:14.63\00:14:16.10
"Then, " he said, "my
biggest problem was why God
00:14:16.40\00:14:20.23
didn't destroy London. "
00:14:20.34\00:14:21.87
And it's not just London,
it's any of our big cities,
00:14:22.47\00:14:25.42
isn't that right?
00:14:25.62\00:14:26.93
Because when you get
to know what's going on
00:14:28.21\00:14:30.75
you wonder at the
forbearance and the love of God.
00:14:30.95\00:14:33.63
You know, when Billy Graham
wrote his book many years ago
00:14:36.85\00:14:39.88
called World Aflame,
his wife read the manuscript
00:14:40.08\00:14:43.73
before it was published.
00:14:43.93\00:14:45.38
And she said: "You know, Billy,
00:14:46.82\00:14:49.06
if Jesus doesn't come back soon
00:14:49.36\00:14:53.24
He'll have to apologize for
destroying Sodom and Gomorrah. "
00:14:53.44\00:14:57.29
Because our world is
about as filthy as they were.
00:14:59.56\00:15:04.47
And as I said, he could
never understand, he could never
00:15:06.64\00:15:09.93
reconcile this
00:15:10.03\00:15:11.38
until he saw the
filth and the degradation
00:15:11.58\00:15:15.52
of our big cities.
00:15:15.72\00:15:16.94
And you see, if God
hadn't destroyed those people
00:15:17.24\00:15:21.23
and allowed them to
continue to live on,
00:15:21.43\00:15:24.12
they had become so filthy
and degraded in their practices
00:15:24.22\00:15:27.85
that if God had allowed
them to live on they would have
00:15:28.05\00:15:30.94
infected the whole of humanity.
00:15:31.04\00:15:32.84
It's a bit like
a case of oranges.
00:15:34.15\00:15:36.11
You know very well if
you have a case of oranges
00:15:36.41\00:15:39.32
one thing you have to
be very careful about is
00:15:39.52\00:15:42.43
to go through those
oranges pretty regularly,
00:15:42.53\00:15:44.87
isn't that right?
Because all you need
00:15:44.98\00:15:47.65
almost overnight is one of
those oranges to go a bit furry
00:15:47.85\00:15:51.70
and what will
happen to the whole case
00:15:52.10\00:15:54.35
almost while you watch it?
00:15:54.56\00:15:56.57
It'll affect the whole case.
00:15:56.77\00:15:58.84
And God knew that. That's why
00:15:58.94\00:16:02.48
He allowed the destruction
of those who were living
00:16:02.68\00:16:05.97
such filthy degraded lives.
00:16:06.17\00:16:08.40
Otherwise they would have
infected the whole of humanity
00:16:08.80\00:16:12.63
and we all would
have been wiped out.
00:16:13.95\00:16:15.69
So in love and
mercy God destroyed those
00:16:15.99\00:16:20.22
who had fallen and
become so degraded.
00:16:20.42\00:16:22.72
Notice verse 11 of
II Kings chapter 21.
00:16:22.92\00:16:27.65
In verse 11 it says:
00:16:27.88\00:16:29.60
Now once again, verse 11 is
emphasizing this very point.
00:16:44.39\00:16:48.67
"He has done more
wickedly than the Amorites. "
00:16:48.87\00:16:52.00
And remember: Manasseh
was one of God's leaders
00:16:52.20\00:16:56.45
and he led God's
people to do worse above all.
00:16:56.65\00:17:01.46
Now there's not much an
excuse for Manasseh because
00:17:02.64\00:17:05.26
you may remember
Manasseh had a wonderful father.
00:17:05.36\00:17:08.67
If you go back to
chapter 20 and verse 21
00:17:08.88\00:17:12.82
it tells you who his father was.
00:17:13.02\00:17:15.57
And if ever there was
a good man that lived,
00:17:15.78\00:17:18.11
like the Bible says, he was
one of the best if not the best.
00:17:18.31\00:17:21.94
Chapter 20 and verse 21 it says:
00:17:22.14\00:17:25.42
Now Hezekiah was a
wonderful, wonderful man.
00:17:33.45\00:17:37.78
The best king
probably that Israel ever had.
00:17:37.98\00:17:42.45
And so Manasseh had no excuses
because he was brought up
00:17:42.75\00:17:47.62
to understand the truth.
00:17:47.82\00:17:49.78
He was brought
up in a good home.
00:17:50.78\00:17:52.93
He had good
parents who loved God
00:17:53.13\00:17:56.86
and who served God.
00:17:57.06\00:17:58.97
And you may remember
that God came to Hezekiah
00:17:59.47\00:18:03.13
on one occasion
and He said: "Hezekiah,
00:18:03.34\00:18:05.16
I want you to get
your house in order
00:18:05.36\00:18:07.68
because you're going to die. "
00:18:07.88\00:18:09.39
Remember the story?
00:18:09.59\00:18:10.62
And Hezekiah didn't want to
die. He was 39 years of age.
00:18:12.37\00:18:16.12
Now when you're 39, you're just
at the best years of your life
00:18:16.32\00:18:18.89
because up until the age of
39 you've learned a few things
00:18:19.09\00:18:22.57
in life. Through your 40's,
somebody wrote a book some years
00:18:22.67\00:18:26.20
ago: "Life begins at 40. "
00:18:26.30\00:18:28.15
I don't know whether that's
true but that's what he said.
00:18:29.06\00:18:32.38
"Life begins at 40. " And
the philosophy of the book was
00:18:32.59\00:18:35.29
up until your 40's
you've had experience in life.
00:18:35.49\00:18:38.85
You've learned
lots of good things
00:18:39.05\00:18:41.43
and in your 40's you still
have the energy to be able to
00:18:41.73\00:18:45.61
put it into practice.
00:18:45.71\00:18:47.17
After the 40's...
00:18:47.57\00:18:51.94
it's only one direction.
00:18:52.04\00:18:53.68
Well you don't
have to agree with him
00:18:55.05\00:18:56.88
but that's... that's
the philosophy of the book
00:18:57.08\00:19:00.19
"Life begins at
40. " Well, Hezekiah
00:19:00.39\00:19:02.44
was just about to enter the
very best years of his life.
00:19:02.64\00:19:06.70
God said: "Get your
house in order, Hezekiah,
00:19:08.72\00:19:11.42
because you're going to die. "
00:19:11.63\00:19:12.85
And Hezekiah didn't want
to die and so he prayed to God
00:19:14.07\00:19:17.13
and twisted
God's arm so to speak.
00:19:17.33\00:19:20.07
And God answered his prayer
00:19:20.28\00:19:22.46
as Hezekiah
wanted it to be answered.
00:19:22.57\00:19:24.86
And He extended his life.
Do you know by how many years?
00:19:25.06\00:19:28.61
Fifteen years.
00:19:29.90\00:19:32.84
Now Hezekiah wanted a
sign. He wasn't satisfied
00:19:34.31\00:19:37.49
that God had said to him:
"Look, I'll extend your life
00:19:37.59\00:19:40.25
by 15 years. " He said:
Lord, You give me a sign. "
00:19:40.46\00:19:42.93
So finally the Lord relinquished
on that, too, and gave him
00:19:45.04\00:19:48.65
a sign. And you remember He
put the sun back 10 degrees?
00:19:48.75\00:19:51.42
In other words,
made the day longer.
00:19:52.99\00:19:55.05
Now that had a tremendous
impact upon the Babylonians
00:19:55.35\00:19:58.33
because they worshiped the sun.
00:19:59.80\00:20:01.74
And they sent
their best scientists,
00:20:03.02\00:20:06.46
their best ambassadors,
00:20:06.66\00:20:08.32
their best
mathematicians over to Hezekiah
00:20:08.52\00:20:11.46
because they heard that
it was the God of Hezekiah
00:20:11.56\00:20:14.41
that was actually able to
make their god, shift their god
00:20:14.61\00:20:17.31
in the sky.
00:20:17.41\00:20:18.69
And the tragic thing
is in the life of Hezekiah
00:20:20.53\00:20:23.83
who lived a very,
very wonderful life
00:20:24.03\00:20:26.83
up until those extra 15 years,
00:20:26.93\00:20:29.25
he made two tragic
mistakes in those 15 years.
00:20:29.55\00:20:34.88
The first was when
the ambassadors came over
00:20:35.66\00:20:39.27
he never told them
about God at all...
00:20:42.14\00:20:44.21
he told them all about Hezekiah.
00:20:44.41\00:20:46.20
And by the way, these
mathematicians were the
00:20:48.25\00:20:52.44
forerunners. They have given
to us much of our mathematics
00:20:52.54\00:20:55.92
today. For example,
you may have wondered
00:20:56.02\00:20:58.05
where you get 360
degrees from for our circle.
00:20:58.25\00:21:02.34
You see, the Babylonians
00:21:02.64\00:21:05.59
based all their
mathematics on the 60 system.
00:21:06.88\00:21:11.94
And we have changed
over to the decimal system...
00:21:12.14\00:21:15.37
at least most
countries in the world now
00:21:15.50\00:21:17.33
have changed over
to the decimal system.
00:21:17.53\00:21:20.11
And we find it much easier
because 10 is divisible by 5
00:21:20.41\00:21:25.10
and by 2. But 60 is
divisible by 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.
00:21:25.20\00:21:30.30
And the Babylonians
worked all this out.
00:21:33.07\00:21:34.88
That's where the idea
of 60 seconds to the minute
00:21:35.08\00:21:38.32
comes from and 60
minutes to the hour
00:21:38.43\00:21:40.78
and 360 degrees in a circle...
00:21:40.98\00:21:43.63
all comes to us
from the Babylonians.
00:21:43.83\00:21:46.01
They worked all that out. The #6
runs all through their system.
00:21:46.21\00:21:49.58
It's interesting when you get
over to the Bible and you study
00:21:51.26\00:21:53.43
the Bible the #7 is
God's number isn't it?
00:21:53.53\00:21:58.70
You know we have what?
In the book of Revelation
00:21:58.90\00:22:02.46
seven churches, seven seals,
seven trumpets, seven plagues,
00:22:02.56\00:22:05.62
seven overcomes. You've got
seven colors in the rainbow.
00:22:05.82\00:22:10.72
Seven notes in music.
00:22:10.92\00:22:13.42
Seven seas.
00:22:13.72\00:22:15.50
Seven days in the week.
00:22:16.81\00:22:18.75
Interesting, isn't it?
00:22:20.55\00:22:22.60
Seven. And I'll tell you some-
thing else that's interesting:
00:22:22.90\00:22:26.69
if you add 7 and 6
together, what do you get?
00:22:26.89\00:22:29.67
Thirteen. And what's
thirteen considered to be?
00:22:31.20\00:22:33.37
Unlucky. Now most people
don't know why 13 is unlucky,
00:22:33.67\00:22:37.47
but it comes to
us from the Bible.
00:22:37.67\00:22:39.54
Because the
Biblical people understood
00:22:39.74\00:22:41.99
when you mix the things of
God and the things of the world
00:22:42.09\00:22:45.00
together you
always have problems.
00:22:45.10\00:22:47.84
And they understood that.
00:22:48.14\00:22:49.70
That's why 13 is
considered to be unlucky
00:22:49.90\00:22:52.92
even by people who don't go to
church, have no idea about God.
00:22:53.12\00:22:55.49
They still are
superstitious about 13.
00:22:55.69\00:22:57.89
Comes to us from the Bible.
00:22:58.20\00:23:00.05
I wish I had more time to
talk to you on some of these
00:23:00.36\00:23:02.81
things because it's interesting.
00:23:02.92\00:23:04.55
And so the
ambassadors, the mathematicians,
00:23:04.85\00:23:09.13
all came over to sit at
Hezekiah's feet to learn about
00:23:09.43\00:23:13.28
his God. And the tragedy
is when you read the story
00:23:13.38\00:23:16.48
he never even
told them about God.
00:23:16.68\00:23:18.92
He told them all about Hezekiah.
00:23:19.12\00:23:21.02
Showed them all
his beautiful palaces,
00:23:21.22\00:23:23.86
all the gold and all
the silver, all that he had.
00:23:24.06\00:23:27.81
And God said to Hezekiah:
"Hezekiah, they're going to
00:23:29.34\00:23:32.01
come down... " When
they went back He said:
00:23:32.11\00:23:33.81
"They're going to come down and
they're going to take the lot. "
00:23:34.01\00:23:36.00
You know the rest of the story.
00:23:36.30\00:23:38.19
That's exactly what
the Babylonians did.
00:23:38.29\00:23:39.97
That was the first
tragic mistake of Hezekiah.
00:23:40.17\00:23:42.70
The second tragic
mistake of Hezekiah was
00:23:42.90\00:23:45.56
that he had a son born
00:23:45.76\00:23:47.40
because he was born
in these added years.
00:23:48.97\00:23:53.99
How do I know that?
Well if you have a look at
00:23:54.02\00:23:55.72
chapter 21 and
verse 1 it says there
00:23:55.82\00:23:58.71
that Manasseh was 12
years old when his father died
00:23:58.91\00:24:02.76
which means that he was
born in those added 15 years.
00:24:02.96\00:24:06.84
Isn't that right?
00:24:07.04\00:24:08.10
And I want to tell you
something: the world would have
00:24:08.40\00:24:11.17
been a better place if Manasseh
had never drawn a breath.
00:24:11.27\00:24:15.67
A much better place.
00:24:16.75\00:24:18.51
You could hardly believe
that such a terrible man like
00:24:19.01\00:24:22.82
Manasseh could come from
such a godly mother and father
00:24:23.02\00:24:26.04
as Hezekiah and
his wife... but he did.
00:24:26.24\00:24:30.54
Just to give you some idea
if you think I'm exaggerating
00:24:30.84\00:24:34.07
when I am pointing out
here that Manasseh was such a
00:24:34.27\00:24:36.50
terrible man, you just have
a look at chapter 21 verse 2
00:24:36.60\00:24:41.61
and we'll read a
little bit about his actions.
00:24:41.81\00:24:44.65
Listen... verse 2:
00:24:44.85\00:24:45.95
In other words, he brought
Baal worship - which was nothing
00:25:14.25\00:25:18.19
more or less than sun worship,
00:25:18.29\00:25:20.02
the worship of the
Babylonians and the Assyrians
00:25:20.22\00:25:24.61
and all the heathen nations -
00:25:24.71\00:25:26.06
moon worship and sun worship
- he brought it right into the
00:25:26.26\00:25:30.28
very church of God,
into the very temple of God.
00:25:30.38\00:25:33.30
Right into the sanctuary.
00:25:33.51\00:25:35.27
And what his
father had broken down
00:25:36.79\00:25:40.25
he raised up again.
00:25:40.45\00:25:41.89
Taught the people
all this Baal worship.
00:25:42.19\00:25:45.91
This is where the
idea of the zodiac,
00:25:46.12\00:25:49.16
astrology, and he taught
the people to follow their luck
00:25:49.36\00:25:53.98
in the stars.
00:25:54.08\00:25:55.61
Because that all comes
to us from ancient Babylon.
00:25:55.91\00:25:59.57
That's where that originated.
00:25:59.87\00:26:01.48
And I'm surprised at
the number of people today
00:26:01.78\00:26:04.62
who would never start out
the day without looking at
00:26:04.82\00:26:07.16
the stars... reading
their luck in the stars.
00:26:07.26\00:26:10.37
People decorate
their homes by the stars.
00:26:10.57\00:26:12.82
They wouldn't do business
without checking on the stars.
00:26:13.12\00:26:16.18
I want to tell you: that comes
to us from ancient Babylon.
00:26:16.48\00:26:19.71
That doesn't come
to us from God at all.
00:26:19.81\00:26:21.80
Verse 4:
00:26:24.42\00:26:26.40
Verse 5:
00:26:35.96\00:26:38.09
Not satisfied to bring
sun worship and moon worship
00:26:44.37\00:26:49.54
and the worship of
the stars into Israel
00:26:49.74\00:26:53.32
he actually brought it
into the very sanctuary...
00:26:53.52\00:26:56.77
into the two courts
of the house of the Lord.
00:26:57.08\00:27:00.65
Verse 6:
00:27:00.96\00:27:02.60
And as I said,
this man knew the truth.
00:27:17.77\00:27:21.68
There's no excuse for Manasseh
because he was brought up
00:27:22.99\00:27:26.30
by these godly parents to under-
stand the difference between
00:27:26.50\00:27:29.91
right and wrong.
But in view of that
00:27:30.11\00:27:33.02
he cast it all aside and
rebelled against his good
00:27:33.22\00:27:37.25
upbringing and began to
follow all the practices of
00:27:37.35\00:27:40.81
the nations and the
people that surrounded him.
00:27:40.91\00:27:42.69
In other words, he copied those
who were living around him.
00:27:42.90\00:27:45.70
And then as we
read on here in verse 7:
00:27:48.53\00:27:52.23
Verse 8:
00:28:06.08\00:28:07.29
Now honestly, I
don't know how he did that,
00:28:35.40\00:28:37.93
but the Bible says
he did and so he did it.
00:28:38.13\00:28:40.85
But understand it? I can't.
00:28:41.15\00:28:43.48
In fact, we believe
00:28:43.68\00:28:46.77
that Manasseh put
the prophet Isaiah
00:28:46.97\00:28:50.47
into a hollow log.
00:28:50.67\00:28:52.56
And when he had pushed
him up in this hollow log
00:28:54.22\00:28:57.13
that they'd hollowed
out of this big trunk
00:28:57.33\00:28:58.95
pushed Isaiah up then
got a saw and cut it in half.
00:28:59.15\00:29:02.71
And of course the
New Testament tells us
00:29:04.26\00:29:07.28
in Hebrews the 11th chapter
that many of the prophets
00:29:07.48\00:29:09.99
were sawn
asunder. And we believe
00:29:10.19\00:29:12.53
that that's when
Isaiah met his end:
00:29:12.73\00:29:14.60
in the reign of Manasseh.
00:29:14.81\00:29:16.13
Because... The reason we
are pretty certain about this
00:29:17.76\00:29:20.64
is because you'll read about
Isaiah up until the beginning
00:29:20.74\00:29:23.94
of the reign of Manasseh then
you hear nothing more about him.
00:29:24.04\00:29:26.70
And so we believe that he
was cut in two by this wretch
00:29:27.70\00:29:33.05
Manasseh.
00:29:33.35\00:29:34.45
And the Bible
says he was a murderer.
00:29:34.75\00:29:36.71
Just have a look at verse 16:
00:29:36.91\00:29:39.02
So the Bible says
he was a murderer.
00:29:54.30\00:29:56.38
He filled the whole of Jerusalem
from one end to the other
00:29:56.68\00:29:59.32
with the blood of God's people.
00:29:59.52\00:30:01.74
Anyone who stood against him and
tried to stand for reformation
00:30:01.94\00:30:06.41
was killed.
00:30:06.81\00:30:08.82
Just like dictators do today...
that's what Manasseh did
00:30:09.12\00:30:13.49
until he had filled the whole of
Jerusalem with innocent blood.
00:30:13.79\00:30:16.71
Verse 17:
00:30:17.01\00:30:18.71
I thought: "Surely not...
there can't be any more! "
00:30:29.06\00:30:32.33
But the Bible says if you want
to read the rest of the acts
00:30:32.53\00:30:35.97
of Manasseh, go
over to II Chronicles
00:30:36.17\00:30:39.14
and it will tell you more.
00:30:39.35\00:30:41.16
So let's go
over to II Chronicles
00:30:41.46\00:30:42.98
which is the next book over.
00:30:43.28\00:30:45.63
I Chronicles then we
want to go to II Chronicles
00:30:45.83\00:30:48.10
and we'll pick up at chapter
33 and down here in verse 9.
00:30:49.46\00:30:55.41
II Chronicles 33 and verse 9.
00:30:55.81\00:31:00.37
It says:
00:31:00.87\00:31:02.83
So there the Bible is
emphasizing it again, isn't it?
00:31:15.12\00:31:17.47
Says it again.
00:31:17.67\00:31:18.98
They must have been a wretch
for the Bible to keep harping
00:31:20.33\00:31:23.60
on this very point.
00:31:23.70\00:31:24.89
Notice verse 10,
00:31:25.19\00:31:27.51
the first part of it. It says:
00:31:27.81\00:31:30.42
You know, I've got to admit
00:31:35.99\00:31:37.78
that if I'd been the
Good Lord back in those days -
00:31:37.98\00:31:40.96
and I guess it's one of
the reasons why I'm not -
00:31:41.06\00:31:44.43
but if I'd been the Good Lord
back in the days of Manasseh
00:31:44.63\00:31:47.69
I don't think I would
have been just speaking to him.
00:31:47.89\00:31:49.88
Do you think you might
have just been speaking to him?
00:31:50.08\00:31:51.71
I think we may have
used some more positive
00:31:52.01\00:31:55.63
actions, don't you think?
00:31:55.83\00:31:57.68
Yes.
00:31:57.89\00:31:59.96
But the wonderful thing
is the Bible says the Lord
00:32:00.47\00:32:04.97
spoke to Manasseh.
00:32:05.07\00:32:07.07
Didn't hit him
with some big judgment.
00:32:08.32\00:32:11.04
Tried to reason with
him and spoke to him.
00:32:11.35\00:32:14.36
And when I read that
first I gasped because
00:32:16.28\00:32:19.65
it's almost unbelievable after
all that Manasseh had done -
00:32:21.06\00:32:24.98
all that he had
said, all his rebellion,
00:32:26.29\00:32:29.35
all his murders and all,
00:32:29.55\00:32:32.06
bringing sun worship
and all the pagan practices
00:32:32.26\00:32:34.94
right into the temple of God -
00:32:35.14\00:32:37.37
after all of that the Bible
says that God spoke to Manasseh.
00:32:37.57\00:32:42.42
And I tell you,
friend: you and I ought to be
00:32:42.72\00:32:45.24
very grateful for a God
like that, don't you think so?
00:32:45.44\00:32:48.27
You know, I'm very
grateful for a God like that.
00:32:49.18\00:32:52.73
That is so merciful
and so longsuffering
00:32:52.93\00:32:57.78
that He would still
speak to Manasseh after all
00:32:57.98\00:33:01.28
that he had done.
A life of rebellion.
00:33:01.48\00:33:04.83
And not just a
mistake here and there.
00:33:05.03\00:33:07.19
That's not what
we're talking about.
00:33:07.39\00:33:08.68
We're talking about a
deliberate planned rebellion
00:33:08.88\00:33:12.76
over many years.
00:33:13.16\00:33:15.25
No excuse for him.
00:33:16.77\00:33:18.58
But the Lord, the Bible
says, spoke to Manasseh.
00:33:18.88\00:33:22.94
Therefore... notice
what happened in verse 11.
00:33:23.24\00:33:26.59
First of all it
says in verse 10:
00:33:26.90\00:33:29.95
See that? Wouldn't listen.
00:33:32.43\00:33:34.43
Then verse 11 goes on to say:
00:33:34.83\00:33:37.07
Just what he
deserved, don't you think?
00:33:49.58\00:33:51.79
Good!
00:33:52.09\00:33:54.41
He's got what he deserved.
00:33:54.61\00:33:56.15
That's how we react, isn't it?
00:33:56.45\00:33:59.07
Because the Assyrians or
the Babylonians came down
00:34:00.23\00:34:03.21
and they took him with hooks.
00:34:03.41\00:34:05.59
Now you see, back in those days
00:34:05.79\00:34:08.27
they didn't have any
trouble with prisoners escaping
00:34:09.74\00:34:12.54
because what they would
do is they would put a ring
00:34:12.74\00:34:15.48
through the noses
of all the prisoners.
00:34:15.68\00:34:18.22
Just like we do with a bull.
00:34:18.42\00:34:20.60
And then they would have a chain
which went to the next prisoner
00:34:20.91\00:34:25.35
through his nose to the
next one to the next one.
00:34:25.55\00:34:31.00
So do you think any
of them pulled back?
00:34:31.31\00:34:33.66
No. They all ran to keep
up to keep the chain loose.
00:34:33.96\00:34:37.58
Because you can just
imagine what would happen.
00:34:37.78\00:34:43.19
So they had no
trouble with the prisoners
00:34:43.40\00:34:48.25
jogging back to
Babylon... or back to Assyria.
00:34:48.45\00:34:51.96
None whatsoever.
Bound him with hooks.
00:34:52.26\00:34:55.81
And that's how Manasseh
was carried off to Babylon.
00:34:56.11\00:34:58.50
And it says he
was put into prison.
00:34:59.91\00:35:02.78
You know, one of the great
teachings of the Bible is this:
00:35:04.16\00:35:08.27
"Whatever a person sows
00:35:08.47\00:35:11.09
that shall they also... " What?
00:35:12.34\00:35:15.07
"reap. "
00:35:15.37\00:35:16.80
You know, I notice that
people like to do the sowing
00:35:17.10\00:35:20.83
but nobody likes
to do the reaping.
00:35:22.22\00:35:25.13
Because sin always appears
good before it's committed
00:35:25.53\00:35:31.52
and while it's being committed
00:35:31.72\00:35:33.81
but when it IS
committed it bites like a snake.
00:35:34.11\00:35:37.98
And as I said, people like to...
to get involved with sin but
00:35:39.63\00:35:44.14
they don't like
the results of sin.
00:35:44.34\00:35:46.22
They cry out then!
00:35:47.25\00:35:49.13
When their life of rebellion
starts to catch up with them
00:35:49.43\00:35:52.99
then they cry out to God:
"Why, God, are You allowing
00:35:53.19\00:35:55.29
this to happen to me? "
00:35:55.39\00:35:56.76
And they blame God for it.
00:35:56.96\00:35:58.57
And a person who lives a life
of not caring for their health,
00:36:01.42\00:36:06.32
smoking and so forth and
they're living a life like this,
00:36:06.42\00:36:09.03
and suddenly they
finish up with lung cancer
00:36:09.13\00:36:11.42
and they say to God:
"God? Where is God in this? "
00:36:11.62\00:36:15.06
Well I want to tell
you something, friend:
00:36:17.69\00:36:19.52
God doesn't come down
and blow the match out
00:36:19.82\00:36:22.44
when we begin to light
our cigarette. Is that right?
00:36:22.64\00:36:24.76
God's not going to pull
your chair away from the table
00:36:25.16\00:36:28.53
when you're overeating.
00:36:28.73\00:36:30.58
God doesn't work like that.
00:36:31.71\00:36:33.24
He's given us freedom of choice.
00:36:33.54\00:36:35.57
The people don't
like the reaping.
00:36:37.13\00:36:40.89
They may like the
sowing but not the reaping.
00:36:41.20\00:36:44.54
And yet the Bible says
whatever we sow we will reap.
00:36:45.75\00:36:51.03
It's a very important principle
for us always to remember.
00:36:51.17\00:36:54.23
Sow good things and
you will reap good things.
00:36:54.53\00:36:56.85
Sow bad things and eventually
it catches up with you.
00:36:56.88\00:37:00.45
Reminds me of a man who
was going through a prison once
00:37:02.78\00:37:05.11
and he saw a
prisoner sitting down there
00:37:05.31\00:37:08.09
sewing a... making a
basket, you know, of cane.
00:37:08.19\00:37:12.20
Make a basket.
00:37:12.40\00:37:13.57
And he wanted to say something
pleasant as he went past.
00:37:13.87\00:37:16.92
He said: "Oh, I see
you're doing a bit of sewing. "
00:37:17.12\00:37:19.08
"Oh, no, " said the
man. He said: "I'm reaping. "
00:37:20.37\00:37:23.71
And reaping is a tragedy.
00:37:25.15\00:37:27.58
And now Manasseh begins to reap.
00:37:27.88\00:37:32.03
You know, I've
seen the life story.
00:37:32.23\00:37:33.69
I've had people
tell me their life story.
00:37:33.89\00:37:35.75
Come to meetings and I
visit them in their home
00:37:36.05\00:37:38.96
and so forth and
they tell me their story.
00:37:39.06\00:37:40.76
And you can often see the story
in the lines on their faces
00:37:40.96\00:37:43.98
because you
cannot get away with sin.
00:37:44.38\00:37:48.12
It catches up with us.
00:37:48.42\00:37:50.82
It may appear for a little while
00:37:51.12\00:37:54.03
that God is not on His throne.
00:37:55.19\00:37:56.92
That God doesn't care.
00:37:57.32\00:37:59.86
But I want to tell you
this: eventually it catches...
00:38:00.16\00:38:03.98
God gives every person
opportunity after opportunity
00:38:04.09\00:38:08.28
after opportunity,
but finally the time comes
00:38:08.48\00:38:12.67
when the sowing begins
and then the reaping follows
00:38:12.87\00:38:16.35
like a whirlwind.
00:38:16.45\00:38:17.75
And people don't like that.
00:38:18.05\00:38:19.62
And this is what now
was happening to Manasseh.
00:38:19.82\00:38:22.78
He was taken with hooks.
00:38:22.98\00:38:25.86
Bound him with bronze fetters
and carried him off to Babylon.
00:38:26.06\00:38:29.08
Then it say in verse
12... notice what it says here:
00:38:29.28\00:38:32.52
Can you imagine the
audacity of this guy now
00:38:47.30\00:38:51.56
down there in captivity
00:38:51.86\00:38:54.66
in this terrible
prison? And believe me,
00:38:55.83\00:38:58.34
back in those days prisons
were not like they are today.
00:38:58.54\00:39:01.46
No nice bed and
television and...
00:39:01.67\00:39:05.31
and nice toilet and
so forth in the corner.
00:39:05.51\00:39:08.76
Wash basin and so forth.
00:39:09.06\00:39:11.28
Nothing like that.
00:39:11.58\00:39:13.28
No, the toilet
facilities were very crude
00:39:13.68\00:39:17.06
as you can just imagine.
00:39:17.26\00:39:18.68
And so they were dirty,
dark, and smelly places.
00:39:19.88\00:39:24.92
And here is Manasseh...
he's been thrown down there
00:39:25.33\00:39:29.22
without any windows, down...
dark, underneath the bowels
00:39:29.42\00:39:32.65
of the earth. And he's
thrown there into prison.
00:39:32.75\00:39:35.67
And while he's in prison
he's got nothing else to do
00:39:37.08\00:39:40.09
but he begins to pray to God.
00:39:40.39\00:39:43.10
Now you imagine...
after all that he had done
00:39:43.40\00:39:46.16
the audacity of a guy
like that to start to pray now.
00:39:46.36\00:39:50.74
Why didn't he think
about that a long time before?
00:39:52.00\00:39:54.24
But he begins to pray.
00:39:55.49\00:39:56.89
Do you think God would
be interested in listening
00:39:57.19\00:39:59.54
to a prayer of a man like that?
00:39:59.74\00:40:01.13
After all that he had
done and the rebellious life
00:40:01.34\00:40:03.34
that he'd lived?
Do you think He would?
00:40:03.44\00:40:05.58
You just read the rest of
the story here in verse...
00:40:05.88\00:40:09.22
verse 13... and prayed to Him:
00:40:09.73\00:40:13.43
You know, I am amazed
every time I read that story
00:40:27.00\00:40:30.70
of the grace of
the Lord Jesus Christ
00:40:31.93\00:40:35.42
to listen, first of all,
and then to answer the prayer
00:40:35.83\00:40:41.76
of a man like that.
00:40:41.96\00:40:44.09
You know, reminds me of that
great hymn writer John Newton
00:40:44.29\00:40:48.52
who was a slave trader.
00:40:48.72\00:40:51.71
Trading in the souls of
black men and women from Africa.
00:40:52.12\00:40:56.18
One of the darkest
stories of English history.
00:40:56.38\00:40:59.60
Terrible.
00:41:00.00\00:41:01.99
Disgraceful.
00:41:02.29\00:41:04.48
And he was a leader in it.
00:41:05.80\00:41:08.52
And the ship
that he was on board
00:41:10.29\00:41:14.18
got into a big storm
00:41:14.38\00:41:16.91
and it looked as
if it was going down
00:41:18.61\00:41:20.86
and he thought
he was going to die.
00:41:22.11\00:41:24.16
And he'd had a good
mother who'd taught him
00:41:24.47\00:41:26.89
right principles, and he prayed.
He made a bargain with God
00:41:27.09\00:41:30.00
on that ship that if he
was saved he would serve God.
00:41:30.10\00:41:34.23
And the ship was
saved, and he served God.
00:41:34.43\00:41:37.65
A wonderful transformation.
And he wrote that hymn
00:41:37.85\00:41:40.68
that everybody knows so well:
00:41:40.98\00:41:43.50
Amazing grace,
how sweet the sound,
00:41:43.70\00:41:48.01
that saved a wretch like me.
00:41:48.22\00:41:51.06
I once was
blind but now can see.
00:41:51.37\00:41:56.40
Wonderful!
00:41:57.64\00:41:59.37
And every time I read this
verse I think of John Newton.
00:41:59.67\00:42:02.85
You know, it's not to a man's
credit to pray in a crisis.
00:42:05.28\00:42:08.84
Everybody prays in a
crisis, isn't that right?
00:42:09.04\00:42:11.88
I don't care who a person is.
00:42:13.00\00:42:15.64
The grandest and the most
militant atheist that you've
00:42:15.94\00:42:20.26
ever met, you put him out
in the middle of the ocean
00:42:20.36\00:42:23.92
in a little boat all on
his own and a storm breaks up
00:42:24.12\00:42:27.76
and that boat is being
tossed to and fro like a cork
00:42:27.96\00:42:31.89
I'll guarantee no
matter who he is or she
00:42:32.09\00:42:35.90
they will pray.
Isn't that right?
00:42:36.10\00:42:38.30
You notice on television
when there's a crisis on.
00:42:40.26\00:42:43.48
These parents that lost
their child over in England...
00:42:44.93\00:42:48.29
they have no hesitation
in asking people to pray.
00:42:50.52\00:42:54.49
Now I don't know anything about
them, but I can almost guarantee
00:42:55.71\00:42:58.53
that they probably
never think about God
00:42:58.73\00:43:00.56
from one day to
the next ordinarily.
00:43:00.66\00:43:03.36
Plenty of people are like that.
00:43:03.67\00:43:05.94
And it's not to a person's
credit to pray in a crisis.
00:43:07.46\00:43:11.39
Anybody will do that.
00:43:11.79\00:43:13.88
And here he is
praying down there in prison.
00:43:15.36\00:43:18.82
He can't get out.
00:43:18.92\00:43:20.83
And the Bible says
that while he was there
00:43:21.03\00:43:23.87
God heard his
prayer and his supplication
00:43:24.07\00:43:27.81
and put him back on
the throne in Israel.
00:43:29.35\00:43:33.20
And then the
Bible says Manasseh knew
00:43:33.50\00:43:36.06
that the Lord was God.
00:43:37.66\00:43:41.14
You know, I've had
plenty of people say to me that
00:43:41.44\00:43:44.02
they have committed
the unpardonable sin.
00:43:44.22\00:43:46.27
They've gone just too far.
00:43:47.52\00:43:50.16
When people come to
meetings like this, I tell you,
00:43:50.46\00:43:53.27
one of the biggest problems
that many folk struggle with
00:43:53.37\00:43:56.43
in their heart is that they feel
that they've just done so many
00:43:56.63\00:43:59.77
bad things in their life
that God could never, ever
00:43:59.97\00:44:03.09
forgive them. Well I want
to tell you something today:
00:44:03.19\00:44:07.86
the reason why this story
has been recorded in the Bible
00:44:08.06\00:44:12.88
is to give us all hope.
00:44:13.18\00:44:15.13
That's why it's
been written there.
00:44:15.43\00:44:17.64
It's not just to take up space.
00:44:17.85\00:44:19.60
But nobody - absolutely
nobody listening to me
00:44:20.96\00:44:26.53
either here or on television -
nobody has sinned anything like
00:44:27.04\00:44:32.99
Manasseh sinned.
00:44:33.19\00:44:34.71
Impossible!
00:44:36.18\00:44:38.35
And yet the Bible says that
God heard Manasseh's prayer.
00:44:39.89\00:44:45.22
Not only did He hear his prayer
00:44:45.42\00:44:47.37
but He answered it and put him
back on the throne in Jerusalem.
00:44:47.57\00:44:50.70
Now my point is this:
that if God would listen
00:44:52.16\00:44:55.84
to the prayer of
a creature like that
00:44:56.04\00:44:58.31
there's hope for us
all, isn't that right?
00:44:58.51\00:45:00.30
Because nobody
has sinned like that.
00:45:00.60\00:45:03.88
Like Manasseh has.
00:45:04.08\00:45:05.69
Some of us may have
lived a pretty colorful life...
00:45:06.00\00:45:08.29
that may be very true...
00:45:08.59\00:45:10.57
but it's nothing
compared to Manasseh.
00:45:10.87\00:45:13.46
And yet God was
patient with Manasseh.
00:45:13.76\00:45:16.98
God heard his prayer
00:45:17.38\00:45:20.27
and restored him back
to the throne in Jerusalem.
00:45:20.47\00:45:25.02
You know, there's a text
in... in the New Testament
00:45:25.32\00:45:28.49
which says this: that
God can save to the uttermost
00:45:28.70\00:45:32.52
them that come unto God
00:45:33.02\00:45:35.78
by Him, seeing He ever lives
to make intercession for them.
00:45:36.18\00:45:41.29
In other words, someone has
quaintly paraphrased that verse
00:45:41.52\00:45:44.90
by saying "God can
save from the guttermost
00:45:45.10\00:45:48.45
to the uttermost. "
00:45:48.65\00:45:50.80
That's true!
00:45:51.20\00:45:52.89
God can lift us from
the very, very bottom
00:45:53.19\00:45:56.41
and lift us back to glory.
00:45:56.81\00:46:00.71
All we have to
do is to pray to God
00:46:02.18\00:46:04.48
even if we pray
like Manasseh prayed...
00:46:04.68\00:46:07.63
because he had no alternative.
00:46:07.83\00:46:09.42
With his back to the wall
God still heard his prayer.
00:46:10.70\00:46:14.95
And listen: if you
and I will do the coming,
00:46:15.25\00:46:19.66
Christ will do the saving.
00:46:20.93\00:46:23.31
Because it's God's
responsibility to save us.
00:46:24.51\00:46:27.40
It's not our responsibility.
00:46:27.60\00:46:29.08
We cannot save ourselves...
that's God's responsibility.
00:46:29.38\00:46:33.15
And He has
promised: "If you come unto Me
00:46:33.45\00:46:37.39
I will in no
wise cast you out. "
00:46:37.59\00:46:40.11
No matter who we are;
no matter what we've done.
00:46:41.58\00:46:44.30
And that puts us all on
the same level together.
00:46:44.71\00:46:47.58
That's why we can
be confident today.
00:46:47.78\00:46:49.75
That's why we can have
the assurance of salvation.
00:46:49.95\00:46:52.74
Not because of anything that
we have done or ever will do
00:46:52.94\00:46:56.42
that will merit God's
goodness toward us because
00:46:56.73\00:47:00.39
we haven't got anything
that can merit God's goodness.
00:47:00.59\00:47:03.72
But God accepts us as we are.
00:47:04.91\00:47:08.16
And when He accepts us as we are
00:47:09.52\00:47:12.10
he then begins to
work upon us to change us
00:47:12.30\00:47:15.80
so that we don't
remain as we are.
00:47:16.00\00:47:18.83
But God wants then to
change our life and to
00:47:19.03\00:47:21.15
make us as He is.
00:47:21.25\00:47:22.75
But that doesn't
happen in a moment.
00:47:22.95\00:47:26.11
That's a process. But the very
first thing that we need to do
00:47:26.41\00:47:31.83
is to come to Him.
And when we come to Him
00:47:32.03\00:47:35.49
and we present our
life as a testimony to Him
00:47:35.69\00:47:40.23
then He will change us.
00:47:40.43\00:47:42.11
And that's why in the book
of Revelation if you were to
00:47:45.49\00:47:48.66
pick up the book of Revelation
as we begin to study it more
00:47:48.87\00:47:52.57
you will find that nowhere
in the book of Revelation does
00:47:52.77\00:47:57.01
it say people
get to heaven and say
00:47:57.11\00:48:00.33
"Well thank God I made it! "
00:48:00.53\00:48:02.99
You'll never read that in
the Bible I can assure you
00:48:04.53\00:48:06.89
because the praise is to God
00:48:07.98\00:48:12.75
who has made it
possible... through Jesus' blood
00:48:12.95\00:48:15.90
that's made it possible.
Because salvation is a gift
00:48:16.10\00:48:19.96
that's given to us.
It's not something we earn.
00:48:20.16\00:48:23.79
That's why we are
all standing level.
00:48:23.99\00:48:27.95
Whether we are the most
educated or the highest position
00:48:28.97\00:48:32.20
in the land or the
lowest it makes no difference.
00:48:32.30\00:48:35.48
Because we all stand
together because salvation is
00:48:36.93\00:48:40.43
given to us all as a gift.
00:48:40.63\00:48:43.14
And when something
is given to us as a gift
00:48:43.45\00:48:46.77
if I'm going to get the
gift what do I have to do?
00:48:46.97\00:48:50.16
See I can have a beautiful
gift that I'm going to give you.
00:48:50.56\00:48:56.16
I might have $1,000
that I'm going to give you.
00:48:56.36\00:49:00.61
But what have you got to
do in order to get the $1,000?
00:49:00.91\00:49:06.59
I might tell
you I've got it here
00:49:06.89\00:49:09.33
and I'm willing to give it
to you, but what's your part?
00:49:09.63\00:49:12.88
Yeah, you must accept it.
00:49:14.18\00:49:15.88
I must accept it.
00:49:17.27\00:49:19.63
And that's our part in
the story of salvation:
00:49:20.03\00:49:23.50
we must accept it. And
some people are going to be
00:49:23.70\00:49:26.32
lost because they
refused to accept it.
00:49:26.42\00:49:29.87
Not because of their life.
00:49:31.04\00:49:33.19
Not because of
what they have done.
00:49:33.69\00:49:36.10
That's not the reason
they're going to be lost.
00:49:36.40\00:49:38.02
It's because they
choose not to accept it.
00:49:38.22\00:49:41.20
And I don't know what
more God can do for us.
00:49:41.61\00:49:43.91
He offers us that,
00:49:44.11\00:49:46.03
and all we have to do
is to accept that gift.
00:49:46.34\00:49:49.76
And if we will, then
we receive salvation.
00:49:51.51\00:49:55.38
And that's why we can
have the absolute assurance.
00:49:55.58\00:49:58.38
That's why we can be
confident... not in ourselves
00:49:58.58\00:50:02.05
but confident in the
gift that God has given.
00:50:02.15\00:50:04.50
Let me tell you about a
man in the Old Testament
00:50:08.37\00:50:12.02
that you have heard
about... the story of Cain.
00:50:12.22\00:50:14.47
Come back to the
book of Genesis chapter 4.
00:50:14.68\00:50:17.85
I'm sure you know the
story of Cain and Abel.
00:50:18.15\00:50:21.20
Cain, you remember,
murdered his brother.
00:50:23.90\00:50:26.39
Now the Bible says that Cain
will not be found in heaven.
00:50:28.14\00:50:32.65
Now why won't Cain
be found in heaven?
00:50:35.32\00:50:37.62
Is it because of the
fact that he murdered Abel?
00:50:37.82\00:50:42.01
Is that the reason?
00:50:42.31\00:50:43.91
Well if it is, there's going
to be an awful lot of people
00:50:46.34\00:50:49.67
in the Bible
who won't get there.
00:50:49.77\00:50:51.21
Moses was a murderer.
00:50:51.41\00:50:52.98
And plenty of people throughout
the Bible were murderers.
00:50:53.48\00:50:56.69
If murder is the
unpardonable sin,
00:50:56.99\00:50:59.81
then there'll be a lot of people
who will never make heaven.
00:51:02.18\00:51:04.67
But murder isn't
the unpardonable sin.
00:51:04.87\00:51:06.76
Even though it's a terrible
thing to do, it's not the
00:51:06.96\00:51:09.73
unpardonable sin.
00:51:09.83\00:51:11.37
And that's not the
reason why Cain won't be saved.
00:51:11.57\00:51:14.57
You have a look at verse 13.
00:51:14.87\00:51:17.38
This is chapter 4
verse 13. It says:
00:51:17.69\00:51:20.17
Now it's
interesting that the old version
00:51:27.39\00:51:30.54
says in the margin...
You know, one of those old
00:51:30.74\00:51:32.70
Bibles that has the
margin down the middle?
00:51:32.80\00:51:34.55
It has a little
number in the verse
00:51:34.85\00:51:37.91
which says "my punishment
is greater than I can bear. "
00:51:38.11\00:51:40.39
When you look over
in the margin it says
00:51:40.59\00:51:42.40
"mine iniquity is greater
than it may be forgiven. "
00:51:42.70\00:51:48.31
What was Cain's problem then?
00:51:49.91\00:51:52.28
You see, Cain felt
that he had sinned so badly
00:51:55.45\00:51:59.99
that God wouldn't forgive
him or couldn't forgive him.
00:52:01.07\00:52:03.74
He felt that he was a greater
sinner than God was a Savior.
00:52:04.95\00:52:08.89
Get the thought?
00:52:08.99\00:52:10.21
That's why Cain
won't be saved...
00:52:10.41\00:52:12.18
not because of what he did.
00:52:12.38\00:52:13.70
And let me assure
you, any of us here
00:52:14.00\00:52:16.67
that will be lost will not be
lost because of what we've done.
00:52:16.87\00:52:20.79
It'll be because we
don't believe that God
00:52:21.72\00:52:24.64
will forgive us if we
confess our sins to Him.
00:52:24.84\00:52:27.28
And that was
Cain's tragic mistake.
00:52:29.20\00:52:32.07
He never believed
that God would forgive him.
00:52:33.50\00:52:35.67
"Mine iniquity is greater
than it may be forgiven. "
00:52:37.16\00:52:39.93
Now in the New Testament
we have the story of two men.
00:52:41.15\00:52:45.35
Once again, you know
these men very, very well.
00:52:45.55\00:52:47.99
The two men I'm
thinking about: Judas Iscariot
00:52:49.10\00:52:52.56
and Saint Peter.
00:52:54.22\00:52:56.06
Very familiar men
in the New Testament.
00:52:57.31\00:52:59.27
Now let me ask you a question:
00:53:00.71\00:53:02.15
which of those two
men sinned the greater?
00:53:02.45\00:53:04.70
Peter or Judas? You
think about that for a moment.
00:53:05.88\00:53:09.00
Which of those two
men sinned the greater?
00:53:09.20\00:53:12.14
Peter or Judas?
00:53:12.64\00:53:15.27
You know, I'm hearing both.
00:53:18.00\00:53:19.57
Yes, it is true
that first of all Judas
00:53:23.70\00:53:27.70
betrayed Jesus, didn't he?
00:53:28.00\00:53:30.34
And then he went
out the Bible says
00:53:30.74\00:53:33.19
and hung himself.
00:53:33.49\00:53:35.19
On the other hand, Peter
denied Jesus how many times?
00:53:35.79\00:53:41.44
Three times.
00:53:41.84\00:53:43.51
And furthermore,
Jesus had warned Peter
00:53:43.81\00:53:47.00
before it happened
that he would do it.
00:53:47.30\00:53:51.27
So he was given
time to think about it.
00:53:51.50\00:53:53.81
And then even after
the cock had crowed once
00:53:55.01\00:53:58.16
he still had two more times.
00:53:58.36\00:54:00.35
Which of those two
men sinned the greater?
00:54:02.02\00:54:04.33
Well I'm not sure that
you could actually measure
00:54:05.34\00:54:08.56
on a scale because I think
00:54:08.96\00:54:12.65
they both sinned about the same.
00:54:12.85\00:54:15.04
But the difference
between Judas and Peter
00:54:17.55\00:54:21.68
is that when Judas was convicted
that he'd done the wrong thing
00:54:21.98\00:54:27.31
he didn't feel that
Christ would forgive him.
00:54:30.05\00:54:31.89
He went out and took the
responsibility and hung himself.
00:54:32.09\00:54:34.70
Whereas when Peter...
conviction came to his heart
00:54:35.10\00:54:39.54
what did he do?
00:54:39.74\00:54:40.74
He went out to the Garden
of Gethsemane where he had
00:54:41.05\00:54:43.60
slept the night
before where Jesus had sweat
00:54:43.81\00:54:46.62
great drops of blood,
and he fell down there
00:54:46.82\00:54:49.92
on the ground and cried
because he realized that
00:54:50.12\00:54:53.05
he'd betrayed his best friend.
00:54:53.26\00:54:55.47
And repentance took place,
00:54:55.77\00:54:58.39
and that's when
Peter was converted.
00:54:58.59\00:55:00.14
He was a changed man.
00:55:00.44\00:55:02.50
Spent all that time with Jesus
00:55:02.80\00:55:04.75
and still really
wasn't converted.
00:55:04.95\00:55:06.70
Not until that experience.
00:55:07.11\00:55:09.55
And so you see it's not so
much a matter of what we do
00:55:09.85\00:55:13.49
that is the essence of
whether we are saved or not.
00:55:13.79\00:55:17.75
What is the issue is
whether we believe that God
00:55:17.96\00:55:21.55
can forgive us.
00:55:21.75\00:55:23.09
And the good news that the story
of Manasseh reminds us about
00:55:23.39\00:55:27.47
is that Jesus
is a greater Savior
00:55:27.67\00:55:31.31
than we are sinners.
00:55:32.86\00:55:34.31
Isn't that good news?
00:55:34.61\00:55:36.34
And no matter what we have done,
00:55:36.64\00:55:38.51
no matter what we have said,
00:55:38.71\00:55:40.53
no matter what we
have been involved with,
00:55:40.73\00:55:42.76
if we come to Jesus and
make a clean confession of our
00:55:42.96\00:55:47.06
mistakes to Him, the
Bible says He will forgive us.
00:55:47.17\00:55:51.07
Cleanse us from
all unrighteousness.
00:55:51.37\00:55:54.67
Not one of us is
worthy of that, but thank God
00:55:55.07\00:55:58.44
the story of Manasseh has
been recorded to give us hope.
00:55:58.64\00:56:02.43
You know, the story of Manasseh
is really the Prodigal Son
00:56:02.73\00:56:06.02
of the Old Testament.
00:56:06.12\00:56:07.53
You know, we're all very
familiar with the Prodigal Son
00:56:07.73\00:56:10.45
of the New Testament.
00:56:10.65\00:56:12.35
But God's people for
hundreds and hundreds of years
00:56:12.65\00:56:16.69
didn't know anything about the
story Jesus was going to tell
00:56:16.99\00:56:20.42
one day. They knew
the story of Manasseh.
00:56:20.52\00:56:23.90
And that would
have been quoted to them
00:56:25.15\00:56:27.21
as a means of hope
to give them confidence
00:56:27.51\00:56:31.46
in the Old Testament
00:56:31.76\00:56:32.91
the same as the Prodigal
Son in the New Testament
00:56:33.21\00:56:35.92
gives us hope in
the New Testament.
00:56:36.12\00:56:38.22
And so tonight I
want to assure you
00:56:39.47\00:56:44.16
that no matter who we are,
no matter what we have done,
00:56:44.36\00:56:47.20
God will accept us.
00:56:48.74\00:56:51.29
And as we begin to learn truth
00:56:51.89\00:56:54.50
and as we begin to put into
practice what we are learning
00:56:54.70\00:56:57.94
let's never ever be tempted
to think that I'm not good
00:56:58.14\00:57:01.35
enough. So many people say
to me: "Geoff, I'm just not
00:57:01.45\00:57:04.73
good enough yet. "
00:57:04.84\00:57:06.19
That's not the basis!
00:57:06.49\00:57:08.52
We'll never be good enough.
00:57:08.62\00:57:10.60
Because the closer you
get to Jesus the more you will
00:57:11.00\00:57:13.97
recognize that
you're not good enough.
00:57:14.08\00:57:16.11
That's a good sign when a person
says: "I'm not good enough. "
00:57:16.31\00:57:19.68
But the closer we get to
Jesus the more we realize
00:57:21.04\00:57:24.09
that God takes people who are
not good enough in themselves
00:57:24.29\00:57:27.82
and makes them perfect.
00:57:28.02\00:57:30.63
Tonight God promises to
give us that gift of salvation.
00:57:31.13\00:57:35.83
Who would like to join me
and say: "God, I want to accept
00:57:36.13\00:57:37.97
that gift tonight...
that gift of salvation
00:57:38.07\00:57:40.46
because I desperately
need it? " God bless you.
00:57:40.66\00:57:42.73
Let's just bow our
heads together in prayer.
00:57:42.83\00:57:44.97
Our wonderful Father,
I just want to thank you
00:57:45.28\00:57:47.17
for Your grace tonight...
the grace that is so wonderful.
00:57:47.37\00:57:51.33
So much higher than
the highest mountain;
00:57:51.53\00:57:53.60
deeper than the deepest sea.
00:57:53.80\00:57:55.00
Lord, we are just so
grateful tonight for the story
00:57:55.10\00:57:57.62
of Manasseh... the story that's
been recorded to give us all
00:57:57.72\00:58:00.16
hope. I pray that as
we go home that You will
00:58:00.26\00:58:03.14
put a song in our hearts
as we realize there is hope
00:58:03.24\00:58:05.63
for us all. And as
You teach us step by step
00:58:05.73\00:58:08.98
that You will lead us into
a greater and more wonderful
00:58:09.08\00:58:12.26
knowledge of the grace
of the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:58:12.36\00:58:14.65
Bless us to this end I
pray for Jesus' sake, Amen.
00:58:15.05\00:58:18.95