Give Me The Bible. 00:00:19.46\00:00:20.50 You remember that old hymn, 00:00:20.53\00:00:22.05 and what a great hymn 00:00:22.15\00:00:23.20 it really is! 00:00:23.30\00:00:24.80 And it's also the title of this series with Pastor Kenneth Cox. 00:00:25.00\00:00:29.66 And every message that you will listen to 00:00:29.86\00:00:32.81 is going to come right out of the Word of God. 00:00:33.01\00:00:35.65 You will not be hearing a lot of philosophy. 00:00:35.85\00:00:38.30 You will not be hearing what somebody thinks 00:00:38.40\00:00:40.39 about what the Bible says. 00:00:40.49\00:00:42.25 You will be hearing line upon line, precept upon precept. 00:00:42.45\00:00:47.76 And our speaker, Pastor Kenneth Cox, 00:00:47.96\00:00:50.55 has spoken around the world. 00:00:50.75\00:00:52.39 He's spoken on every continent. 00:00:52.49\00:00:54.54 I have heard him speak in some of these places. 00:00:54.74\00:00:57.96 I remember one special place: the Garden Tomb. 00:00:58.16\00:01:02.71 And how the Holy Spirit moved as he spoke to us 00:01:02.92\00:01:07.42 at the Garden Tomb. 00:01:07.52\00:01:08.99 Tonight he's going to be talking about Jesus... 00:01:09.20\00:01:12.06 the One that came forth from that tomb. 00:01:12.26\00:01:14.80 The One that gives to us eternal life. 00:01:15.01\00:01:19.03 And this first weekend is all about salvation. 00:01:19.24\00:01:24.45 And I'm looking forward to every subject 00:01:24.65\00:01:27.66 that Pastor Cox will be bringing to us. 00:01:27.86\00:01:30.64 Right now we're going to enjoy a song by Pam Rhodes. 00:01:30.84\00:01:36.47 And she's going to be accompanied by her husband Jimmy 00:01:36.57\00:01:38.89 and also by Dona Klein. 00:01:39.09\00:01:41.04 And that song is "One Of These Days. " 00:01:41.25\00:01:45.42 One of these days we're gonna 00:01:56.99\00:01:58.88 understand the whole thing better. 00:01:58.98\00:02:03.45 One of these days we're gonna understand the reason why. 00:02:04.29\00:02:10.18 After this life, with all of its sorrow, 00:02:11.65\00:02:15.29 there's gonna be a brighter tomorrow. 00:02:15.49\00:02:19.08 Question marks will vanish forever one of these days. 00:02:19.18\00:02:25.12 When sorrows come our way 00:02:26.54\00:02:28.19 and despair our souls with trials, 00:02:28.29\00:02:33.37 it's so hard to see the reason and so easy to ask why. 00:02:33.57\00:02:39.53 But though just now it's hard His plan to trace, 00:02:40.24\00:02:44.40 someday we'll meet Him face to face, and... 00:02:44.60\00:02:47.57 we'll leave this mystery behind us 00:02:47.77\00:02:50.82 one of these days. 00:02:50.92\00:02:54.61 One of these days we're gonna 00:02:55.43\00:02:57.24 understand the whole thing better. 00:02:57.34\00:03:01.33 One of these days we're gonna understand the reason why. 00:03:02.44\00:03:08.43 After this life, with all of its sorrow, 00:03:09.97\00:03:13.88 there's going to be a brighter tomorrow. 00:03:14.08\00:03:17.31 Questions marks will vanish forever one of these days. 00:03:17.51\00:03:23.01 One of these days we're gonna 00:03:24.40\00:03:26.41 understand the whole thing better. 00:03:26.51\00:03:30.57 One of these days we're gonna understand the reason why. 00:03:31.50\00:03:38.06 After this life, with all of its sorrow, 00:03:39.06\00:03:43.15 there's gonna be a brighter tomorrow. 00:03:43.25\00:03:46.53 Question marks will vanish forever one of these days. 00:03:46.73\00:03:52.57 Question marks will vanish forever one of these days. 00:03:53.88\00:03:59.86 Question marks will vanish forever 00:04:01.27\00:04:05.37 one of these 00:04:05.57\00:04:08.76 days. 00:04:08.96\00:04:14.29 Thank you, Pam. Appreciate that! 00:04:19.54\00:04:21.55 And good evening. 00:04:21.75\00:04:22.92 Welcome. Glad to have you back with us tonight. 00:04:23.12\00:04:26.79 And we'd like to say welcome 00:04:26.99\00:04:28.27 to our television audience. 00:04:28.47\00:04:30.39 Welcome back to Give Me The Bible. 00:04:30.59\00:04:32.86 We are studying this week 00:04:32.89\00:04:35.17 spending 5 nights on the subject 00:04:35.37\00:04:38.32 of salvation. 00:04:38.42\00:04:39.94 What does the scripture say about salvation? 00:04:40.14\00:04:42.95 As I mentioned: What says the Bible? The blessed Bible? 00:04:43.15\00:04:47.30 This my only question be. 00:04:47.50\00:04:51.28 The teachings of men so often mislead us. 00:04:51.49\00:04:54.91 What says the Bible to me? 00:04:55.11\00:04:58.22 That's what we want to find out. 00:04:58.42\00:04:59.87 That's what we want to know. 00:05:00.07\00:05:01.31 That's what we're looking at. 00:05:01.51\00:05:03.01 And tonight we're talking about the subject of repentance. 00:05:03.21\00:05:07.42 What we're looking at is the subject of repentance. 00:05:07.62\00:05:09.70 What does the scripture have to say about it? 00:05:09.80\00:05:11.38 Tomorrow night... 00:05:11.58\00:05:13.30 Tomorrow night our subject will be confession. 00:05:13.50\00:05:16.94 Confession. Why does the Bible talk about confession? 00:05:17.14\00:05:20.88 What is the difference between repentance and confession? 00:05:21.08\00:05:25.10 And what does confession do for us? 00:05:25.30\00:05:28.06 That's what we're going to look at tomorrow night 00:05:28.26\00:05:30.19 as we talk about the subject of confession. 00:05:30.29\00:05:32.37 So we hope you'll be sure to be right here 00:05:32.57\00:05:35.01 as we take a look at what the Word of God has to say 00:05:35.21\00:05:38.29 about it. But tonight we're looking at repentance. 00:05:38.39\00:05:42.10 Repentance... What do you want to know, 00:05:42.30\00:05:44.74 what do you want to find in tonight's presentation? 00:05:44.95\00:05:48.39 Well, one thing you want to know is what is repentance? 00:05:48.59\00:05:51.58 What is it? So look for that. 00:05:51.78\00:05:54.06 What is repentance? 00:05:54.26\00:05:55.88 Secondly, what's the reason for repentance? 00:05:56.08\00:05:59.99 And also, what is the gift of repentance? 00:06:00.19\00:06:05.40 And then we're going to take a look at some hindrances 00:06:05.60\00:06:08.35 to repentance. 00:06:08.45\00:06:09.80 Those are the things we're going to look at 00:06:10.00\00:06:11.24 in tonight's presentation. 00:06:11.34\00:06:12.70 So we hope that as we go through God's Word 00:06:12.81\00:06:16.30 and we follow it, that you will see what it has to say 00:06:16.50\00:06:20.77 about the wonderful subject of repentance. 00:06:20.97\00:06:23.49 It means a great, great deal to you and to me spiritually. 00:06:23.69\00:06:28.90 Tonight we're very happy that Jim and Pam, Dona 00:06:29.10\00:06:33.49 are all here playing for us and singing for us. 00:06:33.69\00:06:36.46 We know you've been blessed. 00:06:36.66\00:06:38.23 Pam's going to sing a beautiful song, 00:06:38.43\00:06:40.81 one that I enjoy so much. 00:06:40.91\00:06:42.71 And I'm sure it will bless you very much. 00:06:42.91\00:06:46.09 "The Savior Is Waiting"... I think she's going to have 00:06:46.29\00:06:48.27 kind of a medley with it that "He's Also Listening. " 00:06:48.37\00:06:51.59 God bless you; appreciate it now. 00:06:51.79\00:06:54.62 The Savior is waiting 00:07:09.88\00:07:13.99 to enter your heart; 00:07:14.19\00:07:18.08 Why don't you let Him 00:07:18.28\00:07:21.85 come in? 00:07:22.05\00:07:25.01 There's nothing in this world 00:07:25.21\00:07:29.21 to keep you apart, 00:07:29.42\00:07:32.64 What is your answer 00:07:32.67\00:07:36.23 to Him? 00:07:36.43\00:07:40.71 Time after time, 00:07:41.28\00:07:44.47 He has waited before, 00:07:44.67\00:07:48.30 And now He is waiting again. 00:07:48.50\00:07:54.47 To see if you're willing 00:07:55.39\00:07:59.08 to open the door, 00:07:59.28\00:08:02.98 Oh how He wants to come in. 00:08:03.18\00:08:09.17 He's list'ning to you, 00:08:09.57\00:08:13.62 He's list'ning to you. 00:08:13.82\00:08:17.31 He knows ev'ry heartbreak 00:08:17.51\00:08:20.96 that you're going thru; 00:08:21.16\00:08:24.86 So tell Him today 00:08:25.06\00:08:28.24 that you're lonely and blue, 00:08:28.44\00:08:32.40 'Cause He's list'ning, 00:08:32.80\00:08:36.92 He's list'ning 00:08:37.13\00:08:39.77 to you. 00:08:39.97\00:08:43.12 No one knows 00:08:43.42\00:08:46.40 what a smile can conceal, 00:08:46.60\00:08:49.93 But God understands 00:08:50.13\00:08:53.28 how a young heart feels, 00:08:53.48\00:08:57.10 Your problems are never too great or too small, 00:08:57.21\00:09:03.11 For He sees the 00:09:03.31\00:09:06.04 tiniest sparrow fall. 00:09:06.24\00:09:12.15 He's list'ning to you, 00:09:13.38\00:09:17.38 He's list'ning to you. 00:09:17.58\00:09:21.15 He knows ev'ry heartbreak 00:09:21.35\00:09:24.64 that you're going thru; 00:09:24.84\00:09:28.45 So tell Him today 00:09:28.65\00:09:31.76 that you're lonely 00:09:31.96\00:09:35.06 and blue, 00:09:35.26\00:09:39.08 'Cause He's list'ning, 00:09:39.28\00:09:43.26 He's list'ning... 00:09:43.46\00:09:46.56 He's list'ning, yes He's list'ning, 00:09:46.76\00:09:52.49 He's list'ning 00:09:53.51\00:09:56.41 this moment 00:09:56.61\00:10:00.15 to you. 00:10:00.36\00:10:06.34 Heavenly Father, tonight 00:10:27.76\00:10:29.42 we come to You, realizing, Lord, 00:10:29.82\00:10:34.97 our condition. 00:10:36.26\00:10:37.99 Understanding that there's nothing that we have 00:10:38.85\00:10:44.04 that would merit or earn 00:10:44.24\00:10:48.41 the sacrifice that You made in our behalf. 00:10:48.61\00:10:51.76 We invite Your presence tonight. 00:10:52.83\00:10:55.31 May the Holy Spirit fill our hearts. 00:10:55.51\00:10:59.02 May we see and may we understand 00:10:59.23\00:11:03.44 our relationship to You. 00:11:05.17\00:11:06.84 And may we keep our lives surrendered. 00:11:07.04\00:11:11.88 May we be humble, 00:11:12.08\00:11:13.98 and may we look to You for guidance and direction 00:11:14.18\00:11:17.50 as we open Your Word, we pray. 00:11:17.53\00:11:20.23 In Christ's name, Amen. 00:11:20.43\00:11:23.33 I'm sure that most of you are familiar with the story 00:11:28.33\00:11:32.37 of Jonah. 00:11:32.47\00:11:33.67 You remember, God had told Jonah 00:11:33.87\00:11:36.61 that he was to go to the city 00:11:36.81\00:11:38.66 of Nineveh and to tell them 00:11:38.86\00:11:41.38 that they needed to repent 00:11:41.58\00:11:43.50 or else the city was going to be destroyed. 00:11:43.60\00:11:45.94 And Jonah didn't accept that with a great lot of good news. 00:11:46.24\00:11:51.10 He said: "Lord, I'm going to go there. 00:11:51.30\00:11:54.80 I'm going to preach 00:11:55.00\00:11:56.25 and these people are going to repent. 00:11:56.46\00:11:59.07 And when they repent, I know You well enough 00:11:59.27\00:12:03.03 that out of Your kindness and love that You will 00:12:03.23\00:12:07.32 forgive them and not destroy the city... 00:12:07.42\00:12:09.81 and then I'm going to look foolish. " 00:12:10.01\00:12:13.56 Therefore, Jonah caught a ship the opposite direction 00:12:13.76\00:12:19.40 to Tarshish. 00:12:19.60\00:12:20.79 On his way to Tarshish, well... there was a storm. 00:12:21.09\00:12:25.65 And as the sailors were discussing what was taking place 00:12:25.85\00:12:29.73 Jonah confessed that he was running away from God 00:12:29.94\00:12:32.98 and he said: "Throw me overboard 00:12:33.08\00:12:35.24 and the storm will stop. " 00:12:35.44\00:12:36.93 And they threw him overboard. 00:12:37.23\00:12:39.45 And it says that God had prepared a great fish, 00:12:39.65\00:12:42.94 and it swallowed Jonah. 00:12:43.14\00:12:45.67 And here Jonah is at the bottom of the ocean 00:12:46.65\00:12:50.70 in the belly of a whale, 00:12:50.90\00:12:52.89 and all of a sudden he begins to think about this. 00:12:53.09\00:12:57.43 In fact, the scripture records his thoughts. 00:12:57.63\00:13:00.39 He had this to say: 00:13:00.59\00:13:02.24 All of a sudden he was saying: 00:13:18.17\00:13:20.53 "Hey, this is a whole lot worse 00:13:20.63\00:13:24.49 than feeling foolish. 00:13:24.59\00:13:26.73 This is a whole lot worse than being embarrassed. " 00:13:26.93\00:13:29.80 Here he is down in the bottom of the ocean 00:13:30.00\00:13:32.07 in the belly of the whale, and he said: 00:13:32.17\00:13:33.96 "I remember the Lord and my prayer went up to You; 00:13:34.16\00:13:38.68 prayed to God into Your holy temple. " 00:13:38.88\00:13:41.74 You see he prayed to the Lord. 00:13:41.87\00:13:44.64 He repented. 00:13:44.84\00:13:47.73 Changed his way. 00:13:47.94\00:13:50.77 Said: "No, I shouldn't have done this. " 00:13:50.98\00:13:53.53 Repented of it and went to Nineveh and preached 00:13:53.74\00:13:58.49 to those people. 00:13:58.59\00:13:59.63 That... repentance means to turn around, 00:13:59.83\00:14:02.52 go a different direction. 00:14:02.62\00:14:04.16 Repentance is part of the gospel. 00:14:04.36\00:14:07.13 In the very first part of it you find that when John 00:14:07.43\00:14:11.29 the Baptist preached, he talked immediately 00:14:11.39\00:14:15.22 about repentance. It says: 00:14:15.32\00:14:17.40 He said: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. " 00:14:34.03\00:14:38.72 It was part of his message. 00:14:38.92\00:14:40.80 You'll find that the scripture tells us that it was 00:14:41.00\00:14:43.57 part of Christ's message. 00:14:43.67\00:14:44.95 Christ said: 00:14:45.15\00:14:46.41 "Kingdom of heaven is at hand. " 00:14:56.68\00:14:58.94 This was part of the gospel. 00:14:59.14\00:15:01.41 Folks, this is more than feeling bad. 00:15:01.61\00:15:05.44 This is more than feeling you need to do something. 00:15:05.64\00:15:10.94 This is a command from God's Word 00:15:11.14\00:15:14.29 that you and I are to repent. 00:15:14.50\00:15:17.64 So we ask ourselves what is repentance? 00:15:17.84\00:15:21.32 Talking about repentance... 00:15:21.52\00:15:22.72 what is repentance when we take a look at it? 00:15:22.93\00:15:25.01 On the Day of Pentecost, Peter... 00:15:25.21\00:15:28.85 Peter is preaching on the Day of Pentecost. 00:15:29.05\00:15:31.60 And as he is preaching, he had this to say to them: 00:15:31.80\00:15:35.41 I mean they were "cut to the heart. " 00:15:50.34\00:15:51.85 That meant they saw their condition. 00:15:52.06\00:15:54.60 They realized the condition they were in. 00:15:54.80\00:15:56.53 They were cut to the heart and they said: 00:15:56.73\00:15:58.13 "What must we do? " 00:15:58.33\00:16:00.01 So he told them they were to repent. 00:16:15.00\00:16:18.15 So repentance means that I am changing 00:16:18.35\00:16:23.24 my direction. You see, the words repentance 00:16:23.44\00:16:27.27 and conversion are somewhat synonymous. 00:16:27.47\00:16:30.68 They are the same; they are used in the same way. 00:16:30.88\00:16:33.68 And so when it says to repent it means to change your direction. 00:16:33.88\00:16:37.56 An old preacher explained it this way: 00:16:37.76\00:16:41.00 He said: "I'm going to hell, I'm going to hell, 00:16:41.20\00:16:44.50 I'm going to hell, I'm going to hell. " 00:16:44.70\00:16:46.90 Turned around and said: "I'm going to heaven, 00:16:47.10\00:16:51.29 I'm going to heaven, I'm going to heaven. " 00:16:51.49\00:16:53.39 That's what it's about. 00:16:53.59\00:16:54.91 That's repentance. 00:16:55.11\00:16:56.28 I turn around... go the other direction... 00:16:56.48\00:16:59.01 not continuing on in the same direction. 00:16:59.21\00:17:02.26 Repentance is to leave 00:17:02.46\00:17:05.10 the sins that we loved before. 00:17:05.30\00:17:07.97 That's repentance: to leave the sins 00:17:08.17\00:17:10.66 that we loved before 00:17:10.86\00:17:11.99 to show that we in earnest grieve 00:17:12.19\00:17:15.80 by doing them no more. 00:17:16.01\00:17:18.75 That is repentance. 00:17:18.95\00:17:20.72 It's terrible... 00:17:20.92\00:17:25.00 absolutely terrible, when I run onto people 00:17:25.30\00:17:27.64 that say "God can't forgive me. " 00:17:27.94\00:17:31.62 When you say that God can't forgive you, friend, 00:17:32.96\00:17:37.31 you are putting a limit... 00:17:37.52\00:17:39.74 you are limiting the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:17:39.94\00:17:44.22 If you have said God can't forgive you, 00:17:44.62\00:17:49.57 dear friend, STOP. 00:17:49.77\00:17:51.61 Think that through. 00:17:51.91\00:17:53.31 That is not the case. 00:17:53.51\00:17:54.86 God WILL forgive you. 00:17:55.06\00:17:57.25 Nowhere... absolutely nowhere in God's Word 00:17:57.35\00:18:00.97 does it say your sins are so great that they 00:18:01.07\00:18:04.17 can't be forgiven. 00:18:04.27\00:18:05.67 The Holy Spirit never says that you can't be forgiven. 00:18:05.87\00:18:10.58 That is something God will do for you 00:18:10.78\00:18:14.19 and for me if we just will step out in faith, 00:18:14.39\00:18:18.89 believe, and follow Him. 00:18:19.09\00:18:21.72 A few days later as Peter and John were at the 00:18:21.92\00:18:24.92 Gate Beautiful, and here this cripple was begging alms. 00:18:25.03\00:18:30.00 And Peter looked upon him and asked him 00:18:30.20\00:18:33.36 if he wanted to be healed, and he healed the man. 00:18:33.56\00:18:35.94 And that attracted such a crowd of people 00:18:36.14\00:18:38.47 that gathered that Peter was speaking to them... 00:18:38.67\00:18:41.63 talking to them about the Lord, and here in Acts the 3rd chapter 00:18:41.83\00:18:46.53 verse 19 you find Peter saying this to them: 00:18:46.73\00:18:49.97 You see, no, friend, it doesn't say 00:19:00.51\00:19:02.60 that the sins that you've done can't be blotted out. 00:19:02.80\00:19:05.72 It says they CAN be blotted out. 00:19:05.92\00:19:07.58 So God says that if you and I come to Him, 00:19:12.00\00:19:15.25 confess our sins, that they will be forgiven. 00:19:15.46\00:19:20.36 Godly sorrow produces what? 00:19:20.56\00:19:24.56 Huh? 00:19:24.76\00:19:26.47 Godly sorrow produces repentance. 00:19:26.50\00:19:30.71 That's what it does. 00:19:30.81\00:19:31.88 Those are the things that take place. 00:19:42.04\00:19:44.04 You see, I can't... How should I put it? 00:19:44.24\00:19:48.80 To repent, folks, is not to be sorry for the suffering. 00:19:49.84\00:19:54.79 There's a lot of people that are sorry for the suffering. 00:19:55.65\00:19:58.90 That's not repentance. 00:19:59.10\00:20:00.58 And you have some excellent examples of that in scripture. 00:20:00.79\00:20:04.54 For instance, one was a fellow by the name of Balaam. 00:20:04.74\00:20:08.67 You remember, a king by the name of Balak had sent 00:20:09.79\00:20:15.00 for Balaam... wanting him to come and to curse Israel. 00:20:15.20\00:20:19.48 God had told that prophet in no uncertain terms 00:20:19.68\00:20:24.64 he was not to go. 00:20:24.84\00:20:26.37 But Balaam... he was finagling and went back to the Lord 00:20:27.54\00:20:32.32 and kept questioning things until finally 00:20:32.42\00:20:35.47 God said: "OK, go. " 00:20:35.67\00:20:38.25 So he gets on his donkey and heads out. 00:20:38.35\00:20:42.85 And as he's riding along on his donkey, 00:20:43.05\00:20:45.96 here standing in the path is an angel with a sword drawn. 00:20:46.16\00:20:51.52 The donkey sees it; Balaam doesn't. 00:20:51.72\00:20:54.90 And the donkey, out of care, 00:20:55.10\00:20:58.92 laid down... 00:21:00.27\00:21:02.16 even crushed the prophet's foot against the wall. 00:21:02.37\00:21:06.12 Made Balaam so mad that he took his rod and beat on the 00:21:06.32\00:21:09.84 donkey and said: "If it was a sword, I'd kill you. " 00:21:09.94\00:21:12.49 And then his eyes were opened, 00:21:14.30\00:21:16.10 and he saw the angel standing there with the sword drawn. 00:21:16.30\00:21:20.28 And when he did that, he said: "Oh my! " 00:21:20.48\00:21:23.07 He said: "I have sinned. " 00:21:23.28\00:21:24.67 You see, Balaam wasn't sorry for the sin. 00:21:24.87\00:21:27.80 Balaam was sorry that he was about to be killed. 00:21:28.00\00:21:32.68 That was what he was concerned about... 00:21:32.88\00:21:34.93 not... not for the sin. 00:21:35.13\00:21:37.01 See, that's not repentance, folks. 00:21:37.21\00:21:39.31 Repentance requires that I am sorry for the sin 00:21:39.51\00:21:45.16 that I have been doing. 00:21:45.36\00:21:47.25 Another clear example was that of Pharaoh. 00:21:47.45\00:21:49.85 Remember, the plagues had fallen and finally the tenth plague 00:21:51.15\00:21:55.01 when all the first-born in the land had been slain. 00:21:55.11\00:21:58.46 And he called for Moses and Aaron. 00:21:58.76\00:22:01.99 Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste and said: 00:22:02.19\00:22:05.85 He was not sorry for his sins. 00:22:09.31\00:22:12.92 He wanted the plagues stopped. 00:22:13.12\00:22:14.94 Because the moment they stopped, then what did he do? 00:22:15.14\00:22:18.67 Turned right around and tried to take Israel captive again. 00:22:18.87\00:22:21.77 No, he wasn't sorry for that, 00:22:22.07\00:22:24.40 he just didn't want the plagues to continue. 00:22:24.60\00:22:26.56 That is not what the scripture classifies as repentance. 00:22:26.76\00:22:32.35 I must be sorry for the sin that I am doing... 00:22:32.55\00:22:38.07 of what I am doing. 00:22:38.27\00:22:39.39 Now I can remember talking to a young lady. 00:22:39.50\00:22:41.44 We were talking about conversion, 00:22:41.54\00:22:44.31 and she said to me... 00:22:44.51\00:22:46.31 She said: "Brother Cox, before I came to the Lord 00:22:46.51\00:22:48.97 I thought everybody was stupid. " 00:22:49.17\00:22:51.86 And she said: "Then I came to the Lord and found out 00:22:52.06\00:22:56.29 that I was the one that was stupid. " 00:22:56.39\00:22:58.50 You know... And that's what it does 00:22:58.70\00:23:01.43 is we see ourselves as we really are. 00:23:01.63\00:23:05.22 You know the old saying? 00:23:05.42\00:23:07.04 Oh that God would give us the gift to see ourselves 00:23:07.24\00:23:09.68 as others see us. 00:23:09.78\00:23:12.03 That's one thing. 00:23:12.24\00:23:14.06 You know, it'd be quite something else 00:23:14.26\00:23:17.14 if God would give us the gift to see ourselves 00:23:17.24\00:23:21.13 as God sees us. 00:23:21.23\00:23:23.58 That might be really revealing 00:23:23.88\00:23:27.16 if we saw ourselves as God sees us! 00:23:27.36\00:23:30.73 But repentance gives us the opportunity to see ourselves. 00:23:30.93\00:23:35.71 David... David repented. 00:23:35.91\00:23:39.03 That's one of the reasons that God said he was a man 00:23:39.23\00:23:42.04 "after His own heart" 00:23:42.14\00:23:44.53 is because David understood what repentance was, 00:23:44.73\00:23:50.10 because he said: 00:23:50.20\00:23:51.32 No question. "I have sinned against the Lord. " 00:23:57.38\00:23:59.99 But you see, that wasn't enough. 00:24:00.19\00:24:02.22 He wasn't saying "Listen, you know, 00:24:02.32\00:24:04.81 I've sinned against the Lord. " 00:24:04.91\00:24:06.52 He goes on and takes it to the point of telling us 00:24:06.62\00:24:09.37 exactly what repentance is. Watch: 00:24:09.48\00:24:12.44 See folks, this is not just saying 00:24:29.96\00:24:31.47 forgive me of my sins. 00:24:31.57\00:24:33.26 That's talking about "Listen, Lord, I need a change. 00:24:33.46\00:24:37.12 I need a change in my life. " 00:24:37.32\00:24:39.88 Wash me. I shall be whiter than snow. 00:24:46.78\00:24:49.56 He said: "Lord, create in me a clean heart. 00:24:57.73\00:25:00.39 Make me a new person. " 00:25:00.59\00:25:01.98 This, folks, is repentance. 00:25:02.18\00:25:04.57 And so with you and I... 00:25:04.77\00:25:06.88 We must come to God and we must repent 00:25:08.43\00:25:12.79 of the way we are. 00:25:12.99\00:25:15.15 I must see it as it actually is 00:25:15.35\00:25:19.90 and confess it before God. 00:25:20.10\00:25:22.54 It's necessary. 00:25:22.74\00:25:24.28 I, over the years, have visited with people 00:25:30.13\00:25:35.39 and I've had them tell me: 00:25:35.59\00:25:37.13 "Well Brother Cox, there's a few things I just really need 00:25:37.33\00:25:41.93 to clear up or clean up before I come to the Lord. " 00:25:42.03\00:25:44.99 No. That... repentance doesn't 00:25:45.29\00:25:50.32 earn you one thing. 00:25:50.42\00:25:53.14 Get it clear. 00:25:54.43\00:25:55.64 Repentance does not earn you one thing. 00:25:55.84\00:25:59.58 It does not even put you in the position for forgiveness. 00:25:59.78\00:26:04.89 That's not the purpose of repentance. 00:26:05.09\00:26:08.81 Repentance is the purpose is for you to see 00:26:09.01\00:26:12.69 what you really are. 00:26:12.80\00:26:14.20 That's what repentance is to do. 00:26:14.40\00:26:16.54 It's to help you understand your true condition 00:26:16.64\00:26:19.39 and what you really are. 00:26:19.49\00:26:20.55 It isn't to make God all of a sudden be favorable 00:26:20.65\00:26:24.38 to forgive you. 00:26:24.48\00:26:25.60 No. That's not what it's for. 00:26:26.72\00:26:28.92 It is a gift, and God - simply out of His love, 00:26:29.12\00:26:34.11 out of His mercy we talked about last night, 00:26:34.31\00:26:37.98 out of His grace - He invites you to come. 00:26:38.18\00:26:42.11 And He says here: 00:26:42.31\00:26:43.89 Says "Come to Me, all you that are heavy laden, 00:26:51.86\00:26:54.92 I will give you rest. " 00:26:55.12\00:26:58.35 But not only will He give you rest 00:26:58.55\00:27:00.95 but He'll give you repentance. 00:27:01.15\00:27:04.89 Because He says here clearly: 00:27:05.09\00:27:07.66 You see, He gives that person repentance. 00:27:26.67\00:27:30.79 You don't earn repentance. 00:27:30.99\00:27:34.73 It's not something that you offer. 00:27:34.93\00:27:37.44 It's not something that makes God desirous 00:27:37.54\00:27:41.57 of forgiving you. None of that. 00:27:41.67\00:27:44.17 Repentance is just simply to help you and I 00:27:44.37\00:27:47.36 understand our true condition 00:27:47.56\00:27:50.47 and understand where we stand before God. 00:27:50.67\00:27:53.79 And, you see, I'm a sinner, folks. 00:27:54.09\00:28:00.00 Are you? 00:28:02.46\00:28:04.03 But see, when you repent you're still a sinner. 00:28:05.54\00:28:09.92 I'm a sinner now. 00:28:11.56\00:28:13.34 When I repent I'm still a sinner. 00:28:13.54\00:28:16.00 That doesn't change. 00:28:16.20\00:28:18.40 I'm in need of God's grace; 00:28:18.70\00:28:23.23 greatly in need of it. 00:28:23.43\00:28:25.22 It doesn't make me all of a sudden worthy 00:28:25.42\00:28:29.89 to receive His grace. 00:28:29.99\00:28:32.59 Doesn't do that. 00:28:32.79\00:28:34.04 It just helps me understand and see what my condition is. 00:28:34.24\00:28:40.17 Probably Peter, who just said those words 00:28:40.37\00:28:46.01 that I read with you, 00:28:46.11\00:28:47.18 he understood repentance probably better than 00:28:48.54\00:28:51.28 anybody else because you remember 00:28:51.38\00:28:54.78 He had denied his Lord. 00:28:54.98\00:28:58.35 Suffered greatly over that. 00:28:58.55\00:29:00.56 The crucifixion has taken place, 00:29:00.76\00:29:03.69 the resurrection has happened, 00:29:03.89\00:29:05.93 Peter and the disciples are down at the Sea of Galilee 00:29:06.13\00:29:09.95 fishing. They had fished all night. 00:29:10.15\00:29:11.62 And they look over there on the shore, 00:29:11.82\00:29:14.15 and they see Christ on the shore. 00:29:14.35\00:29:16.28 It says that Peter jumped into the water, swam to shore. 00:29:16.38\00:29:20.13 Told the Lord he wasn't worthy. 00:29:20.33\00:29:23.18 But as they sat down there and they are eating breakfast, 00:29:23.38\00:29:28.00 I want you to listen to what it has to say: 00:29:28.20\00:29:30.66 Three time he denied his Lord. 00:29:56.95\00:30:01.05 Three times Christ asked him that question: 00:30:02.27\00:30:05.43 "Simon Peter, lovest thou Me? " 00:30:05.63\00:30:09.40 Oh, how embarrassing, 00:30:09.60\00:30:13.25 how stinging that must have been 00:30:13.46\00:30:15.91 to sit there with all of the disciples around him 00:30:16.11\00:30:20.13 and say to him "Simon Peter, lovest thou Me? " 00:30:20.33\00:30:24.49 There is not any indication here, friends... 00:30:25.51\00:30:28.77 no indication of forwardness, 00:30:28.97\00:30:32.71 no indication of impetuousness, 00:30:32.91\00:30:36.69 no indication of self-will. 00:30:36.72\00:30:39.93 None of that old Peter is there. 00:30:40.13\00:30:43.19 Just not there. 00:30:43.40\00:30:45.00 But he's calm, and he said: 00:30:45.20\00:30:48.32 "Lord, you know I love You. " 00:30:48.42\00:30:50.24 "You know I love You. " 00:30:50.44\00:30:51.88 You see, a change. 00:30:52.08\00:30:55.85 Change of direction. Change of his life. 00:30:56.05\00:30:58.87 There in the Garden of Gethsemane after he had denied 00:30:59.07\00:31:02.81 his Lord, he got a good, good picture of himself... 00:31:02.91\00:31:08.89 saw what he was. 00:31:08.99\00:31:11.61 Repented with bitter tears 00:31:11.81\00:31:15.67 and saw his true condition. 00:31:15.87\00:31:18.02 And as he saw his true condition, 00:31:18.22\00:31:20.87 he in turn could see the marvelous love and grace 00:31:21.07\00:31:26.71 of his Savior, Jesus Christ. 00:31:26.92\00:31:29.50 And so he said: 00:31:29.70\00:31:31.23 "You know I love you, Lord. " 00:31:31.26\00:31:33.50 The Lord said: "Feed My lambs. " 00:31:33.70\00:31:37.09 "Feed My lambs, Peter. Care for them. " 00:31:37.29\00:31:40.12 That's repentance. 00:31:40.32\00:31:41.87 That's why it says: 00:31:42.07\00:31:43.47 Certainly, if John the Baptist 00:32:10.80\00:32:14.17 opened up his ministry by preaching 00:32:14.37\00:32:17.79 "Repent, the kingdom of God is at hand, " 00:32:17.99\00:32:20.49 and if Jesus opened up His ministry by saying 00:32:20.69\00:32:23.83 "Repent, the kingdom of God is at hand, " 00:32:24.03\00:32:26.01 in this day and in this age, 00:32:26.21\00:32:29.09 in the time in which we are living, 00:32:29.29\00:32:31.03 we certainly ought to be saying REPENT 00:32:31.23\00:32:33.36 for the kingdom of God is at hand. 00:32:33.46\00:32:36.77 It is! We need to be preparing for the coming of the Lord. 00:32:36.97\00:32:41.10 Why should I repent? 00:32:46.39\00:32:48.46 Reasons for it. 00:32:50.02\00:32:51.27 Well, there are several reasons for repenting. 00:32:51.47\00:32:54.18 One is you don't even know your own heart. 00:32:54.39\00:32:59.47 You see, you are not aware 00:32:59.77\00:33:04.99 of really your own condition. 00:33:05.19\00:33:08.11 If you ask most people if they're a sinner, 00:33:09.79\00:33:14.55 most people would tell you "Yes, I'm a sinner. " 00:33:14.75\00:33:17.65 But how many of those people want their heart changed? 00:33:19.48\00:33:24.50 How many want their heart changed? 00:33:24.70\00:33:27.42 Because that's what it takes. The heart has to be changed. 00:33:27.62\00:33:31.11 If I don't know my own heart, 00:33:38.41\00:33:42.11 then it's really impossible for me 00:33:42.31\00:33:48.23 to repent. 00:33:48.43\00:33:49.71 Ever think about that? 00:33:52.85\00:33:54.16 If I don't know my own heart, 00:33:54.36\00:33:56.64 it's really impossible for me to repent 00:33:56.84\00:34:01.44 of something that I don't know. 00:34:01.65\00:34:05.33 That's the reason we'll look... It says that "it is a gift 00:34:05.53\00:34:09.81 that God gives" to you and to me. 00:34:10.01\00:34:13.76 It goes on and tells us here: 00:34:13.96\00:34:15.81 The goodness of God leads to repentance. 00:34:34.33\00:34:37.47 And as I see what God has done, 00:34:37.57\00:34:42.02 I understand what God has done, 00:34:42.22\00:34:45.00 it leads to repentance... change. 00:34:45.20\00:34:49.34 I will never forget. I went to visit a couple 00:34:50.47\00:34:54.34 as a pastor. I got out there, 00:34:54.44\00:34:57.78 and visited a little bit, and they said: 00:34:57.88\00:34:59.18 "Brother Cox, we appreciate your coming, " 00:34:59.38\00:35:01.08 Said: "but you're wasting 00:35:01.28\00:35:04.30 your time. " 00:35:04.40\00:35:05.69 And I said: 00:35:05.89\00:35:07.21 "What do you mean I'm wasting 00:35:07.41\00:35:08.60 my time? " 00:35:08.71\00:35:09.81 They said: "We're lost. " 00:35:10.01\00:35:11.38 Said: "There's no hope for us; 00:35:11.58\00:35:13.74 we're lost. " 00:35:13.84\00:35:14.90 And I said: "What are you talking about? " 00:35:15.10\00:35:18.21 They said: "Oh, Brother Cox, we smoke. " 00:35:18.41\00:35:21.43 Said: "We smoke, and we've never been able to gain the victory 00:35:21.63\00:35:25.80 over it and there's no hope for us. 00:35:25.90\00:35:28.32 We've gone through Five Day Plans. 00:35:28.43\00:35:30.24 We're lost. " 00:35:30.44\00:35:31.89 And I said: "Well... " 00:35:32.09\00:35:34.26 I said: "I didn't come out here to talk to you about joining 00:35:34.46\00:35:37.52 the church. " And they said: 00:35:37.62\00:35:39.58 "Well, what did you come out here for? " 00:35:39.68\00:35:41.22 And I said: "I came out here to ask you to accept 00:35:41.42\00:35:43.41 Jesus Christ. " 00:35:43.51\00:35:44.73 And they said: "Are you trying to tell us that we can accept 00:35:45.51\00:35:48.85 Christ and smoke? " 00:35:49.05\00:35:50.11 And I said: "That's exactly what I'm trying to tell you. " 00:35:50.41\00:35:53.37 They said: "Let's hear what you have to say. " 00:35:53.57\00:35:56.55 So I just explained to them what it meant 00:35:56.75\00:35:59.89 to give their hearts to Jesus Christ. 00:35:59.99\00:36:01.76 Asked them if they would like to accept Christ, 00:36:01.96\00:36:04.53 and they said "yes. " 00:36:04.73\00:36:06.74 And we knelt there... 00:36:06.94\00:36:08.46 knelt there and they gave their hearts to the Lord beautifully. 00:36:08.67\00:36:11.60 Wonderful time. 00:36:11.80\00:36:13.29 And after we were through and I was about ready to leave, 00:36:13.49\00:36:15.77 they said to me... They said: 00:36:15.97\00:36:17.10 "Brother Cox, what about our cigarettes? " 00:36:17.30\00:36:19.67 And I said: "Well smoke if you want to smoke. " 00:36:20.63\00:36:22.65 Walked out the door. 00:36:22.85\00:36:24.89 They came to the meeting that night, and they said: 00:36:27.29\00:36:29.26 "Brother Cox, " said: "we just can't tell you 00:36:29.46\00:36:33.26 what a load that took off of our backs. " 00:36:33.46\00:36:35.94 They said: "You just don't know what that did for us. " 00:36:36.14\00:36:39.09 They said: "It just changed everything. " 00:36:39.19\00:36:42.23 I said: "That's great! " 00:36:42.43\00:36:43.77 They were about ready to leave, they said: 00:36:43.97\00:36:45.56 "What about our cigarettes? " 00:36:45.76\00:36:46.97 I said: "Smoke if you want to smoke. " 00:36:47.17\00:36:49.25 Came back the next night, and they said: 00:36:50.70\00:36:53.11 "Man, what a difference it makes. " 00:36:53.31\00:36:55.27 They said: "The grass is green, the birds sing. " 00:36:55.37\00:36:57.96 They said: "We haven't had a day like that we can remember. " 00:36:58.16\00:37:01.16 They said: "This is wonderful! " 00:37:01.36\00:37:03.17 And I said: "That's great. I'm glad you are rejoicing 00:37:03.37\00:37:06.31 in the Lord. " And they said: 00:37:06.34\00:37:07.33 "Brother Cox, what about our cigarettes? " 00:37:07.53\00:37:09.51 And I said: "Smoke if you want to smoke. " 00:37:09.71\00:37:11.93 Well they came back the next night and they said: 00:37:13.48\00:37:17.02 "We just want to thank you again. " 00:37:17.22\00:37:19.30 They said: "We thought there was no hope for us at all. " 00:37:19.50\00:37:23.80 Said: "We thank you so much. " 00:37:24.00\00:37:25.45 And I said: "You're welcome. " 00:37:25.65\00:37:27.26 They said: "What about our cigarettes? " 00:37:27.46\00:37:30.50 And I said: "Well, smoke if you want to smoke. " 00:37:30.70\00:37:33.54 They said: "It's running us nuts! " 00:37:33.64\00:37:35.38 I said: "Well, quit if you want to quit. " 00:37:35.58\00:37:37.48 They quit! 00:37:37.68\00:37:39.25 Now, you see there's something there, folks, that you have to 00:37:39.99\00:37:44.41 understand, and it's the thing of coming to Christ 00:37:44.51\00:37:49.01 and seeing the goodness of the Lord and what He does 00:37:49.11\00:37:52.24 that changes the life... makes it different. 00:37:52.34\00:37:55.23 I see and I understand what God does in my life 00:37:55.43\00:37:59.32 and what a change it makes. 00:37:59.52\00:38:01.32 That leads me and leads you and each one of us 00:38:01.52\00:38:05.98 to repentance. 00:38:06.18\00:38:07.41 This, you see, is the... 00:38:07.61\00:38:10.45 That's the reason it's a gift 00:38:13.67\00:38:17.31 because it's the Holy Spirit that works in our life 00:38:17.51\00:38:20.80 that changes us and makes us different. 00:38:21.01\00:38:23.84 That's what the Holy Spirit does. 00:38:24.04\00:38:26.38 Let me tell you something. When you come to the Lord, 00:38:39.54\00:38:42.30 the Holy Spirit is the One who works on that heart 00:38:42.50\00:38:45.08 and convicts you of sin. 00:38:45.28\00:38:47.26 That's the work of the Holy Spirit. 00:38:47.46\00:38:49.33 Convicts you of sin and you see yourself in light 00:38:49.44\00:38:53.75 that you have never seen yourself in before. 00:38:53.85\00:38:56.60 That is the work of the Holy Spirit on your heart. 00:38:56.80\00:38:59.94 When He's done that work, 00:39:01.20\00:39:03.27 then He begins to show you 00:39:03.47\00:39:06.57 the righteousness of Jesus Christ. 00:39:07.70\00:39:10.73 And let me tell you something... 00:39:10.93\00:39:12.75 When you begin to see the righteousness of Jesus, 00:39:12.95\00:39:16.25 the closer you come to Him 00:39:16.45\00:39:19.24 the more sinful you are going to appear in your own eyes. 00:39:19.44\00:39:23.42 That just happens! 00:39:23.62\00:39:25.32 That's the work of the Holy Spirit in your life. 00:39:25.52\00:39:27.89 And as He convicts the world of sin, 00:39:29.74\00:39:32.39 then of righteousness, He also convicts them 00:39:32.59\00:39:37.42 concerning the judgment. 00:39:37.52\00:39:39.13 And I see very clearly that in the judgment 00:39:39.34\00:39:43.64 I desperately need a Mediator. 00:39:43.84\00:39:47.58 I need someone to stand in my place. 00:39:47.78\00:39:50.25 This is what the Holy Spirit does in our lives. 00:39:50.45\00:39:54.13 Christ told a parable 00:39:54.33\00:39:57.90 how some people react to this. 00:40:01.93\00:40:04.20 And He said here about a tax collector and a Pharisee. 00:40:04.40\00:40:08.32 Let's read it and see what it says: 00:40:08.52\00:40:10.28 Now put it down... 00:40:21.68\00:40:22.86 Of all the people that Christ couldn't do anything for, 00:40:23.16\00:40:29.08 it was the self-righteous. 00:40:29.28\00:40:31.47 OK. Those were the ones He had the hardest time with. 00:40:31.67\00:40:34.42 Worthy. 00:41:19.89\00:41:24.15 I'm an elder in the church. 00:41:24.28\00:41:26.64 See? 00:41:26.94\00:41:29.82 I give 00:41:30.68\00:41:33.33 very, very liberally 00:41:33.53\00:41:36.31 to the church. 00:41:36.51\00:41:37.99 I have much to recommend me to God. 00:41:39.03\00:41:44.93 Said: "O Lord, just be merciful to me a sinner! " 00:42:04.96\00:42:08.42 "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified. " 00:42:10.05\00:42:16.01 Have you ever stood 00:42:30.18\00:42:35.39 and kind of said: "Well, 00:42:35.49\00:42:41.36 I'm sure glad I'm not like that fellow standing on the corner? " 00:42:41.57\00:42:44.51 Hmmm? 00:42:45.74\00:42:46.83 Or have you ever felt exalted? 00:42:47.04\00:42:51.29 God said: "No. That's not the way you 00:42:53.64\00:42:57.92 and that's not the way I'm supposed to be. " 00:42:58.12\00:43:00.37 I'm supposed to be humble. 00:43:00.67\00:43:02.96 Wait on the Lord; listen to Him. 00:43:03.16\00:43:06.41 This is what He wants us to do. 00:43:06.61\00:43:08.87 Now probably of anybody in all the Bible, 00:43:09.07\00:43:13.19 of any individual in all the scripture 00:43:13.40\00:43:15.55 that understood this thing of being exalted, 00:43:15.66\00:43:19.71 of being puffed up, that thought well of himself... 00:43:19.91\00:43:23.55 Paul probably is one that could speak out of experience 00:43:23.76\00:43:29.39 better than anybody else. 00:43:29.59\00:43:31.82 Listen... Listen to Paul as he talks about himself. 00:43:32.87\00:43:35.67 This is before he found Christ. 00:43:35.87\00:43:38.04 This is before he came to the road of Damascus. 00:43:38.14\00:43:42.08 This is before he confronted Christ face-to-face. 00:43:42.28\00:43:45.00 This is what he said about himself: 00:43:45.20\00:43:46.39 I mean, he's telling you he's got the pedigree. 00:44:01.54\00:44:04.29 He's got it all; he's done all this. 00:44:04.49\00:44:06.67 Watch: 00:44:06.77\00:44:07.78 I mean he's telling you this... I had it. 00:44:19.94\00:44:22.40 I did all these things. 00:44:22.60\00:44:24.60 Exalted. And then the day came 00:44:25.89\00:44:30.20 when he met the Savior 00:44:31.47\00:44:33.93 and he saw Him face to face. 00:44:34.13\00:44:37.55 And from that day on his life was changed. 00:44:38.92\00:44:41.74 You see he saw... When he saw Christ, 00:44:52.18\00:44:55.17 he saw the spiritual side that he had never seen before. 00:44:55.27\00:44:58.41 And he said: "I am crucified with Christ. 00:45:05.96\00:45:08.33 Nevertheless I live, yet not I 00:45:08.53\00:45:12.18 but Christ liveth in me. " 00:45:12.38\00:45:16.66 Change of life; change of his way. 00:45:16.86\00:45:20.30 Let me talk about some of the hindrances 00:45:20.50\00:45:23.53 of repentance because as you preach and you visit 00:45:24.57\00:45:29.62 over the years you run into many, many different hindrances 00:45:29.83\00:45:35.03 that people have to repentance. 00:45:35.23\00:45:37.48 And the one that I'm going to 00:45:37.68\00:45:39.23 share with you may come as kind 00:45:39.34\00:45:40.59 of a shock to you. 00:45:40.69\00:45:41.85 But this is the one I've run into over and over 00:45:42.06\00:45:45.42 and over. One of the biggest hindrances that I find 00:45:45.52\00:45:49.23 is old age. 00:45:49.33\00:45:51.65 Old age. 00:45:53.06\00:45:54.48 I run onto person after person say: 00:45:55.41\00:45:57.83 "Oh, Brother Cox. It's no use. 00:45:57.93\00:46:00.64 I've been a sinner all these years. It's too late. 00:46:00.84\00:46:05.02 God can't forgive me. 00:46:05.22\00:46:06.66 Too old. I haven't followed the Lord all this... " 00:46:06.86\00:46:10.00 And they use old age as an excuse. 00:46:10.20\00:46:14.34 I want to share some things with you. 00:46:14.65\00:46:16.98 Did you ever realize this? 00:46:18.10\00:46:20.05 Listen to this: 00:46:20.25\00:46:21.82 Solomon in his old age left the Lord 00:46:40.93\00:46:45.02 and went out and served other gods. 00:46:45.22\00:46:47.80 And finally right down at the end of his life 00:46:48.93\00:46:52.27 he came back. 00:46:52.47\00:46:55.53 And you know what? 00:46:55.73\00:46:57.99 God accepted him. 00:46:58.19\00:47:01.02 Came back... God accepted him. 00:47:01.22\00:47:04.17 I mean, here he had... David was his father. 00:47:04.37\00:47:08.86 Here he had all the evidence in the world 00:47:09.07\00:47:12.24 and yet he left God. 00:47:12.34\00:47:13.62 And in his old age he came back, and God accepted him. 00:47:14.79\00:47:18.20 Let me share another king of Israel with you. 00:47:18.40\00:47:21.50 This one always amazes me. 00:47:21.80\00:47:24.21 I think of any story in the Bible, probably this amazes me 00:47:24.41\00:47:26.95 more concerning God's grace than any other story. 00:47:27.05\00:47:30.18 Manasseh. 00:47:30.38\00:47:31.78 He reigned longer than any other king. 00:47:42.85\00:47:46.65 Reigned longer than any other king of Israel was Manasseh. 00:47:46.86\00:47:51.55 His father was Hezekiah. 00:47:51.75\00:47:54.98 Hezekiah was one of the best kings of Israel. 00:47:55.18\00:47:58.70 I mean, a great man of God. Watch this: 00:47:58.90\00:48:02.48 Did evil in the sight of the Lord. 00:48:14.93\00:48:17.88 I mean, everything that Hezekiah did 00:48:33.46\00:48:36.20 he tried to undo. 00:48:36.40\00:48:37.97 Took the whole nation of Israel and brought them back 00:48:38.17\00:48:42.43 to serving foreign gods. 00:48:42.53\00:48:45.52 Now listen... Listen to what happens here: 00:48:45.72\00:48:48.37 Spoke to them. They would not listen. 00:48:58.30\00:49:01.52 What happened? 00:49:01.72\00:49:03.37 Came in, overtook them, carried him off. 00:49:22.58\00:49:25.44 Watch what happens here, folks. 00:49:25.64\00:49:27.27 I mean, here he is in bonds and affliction. 00:49:37.18\00:49:40.34 How sad. 00:49:40.64\00:49:43.45 How sad 00:49:43.75\00:49:45.89 that he had to be afflicted. He had to be in bonds. 00:49:46.09\00:49:50.32 He had to go through all that before he woke up. 00:49:50.52\00:49:53.62 Before he realized what his condition was. 00:49:53.65\00:49:57.07 But he did. 00:49:58.06\00:49:59.26 And Manasseh knew that the Lord was God. 00:50:19.33\00:50:22.25 Now folks, here's a king that went all of his life 00:50:22.98\00:50:27.51 and went just the opposite direction until he was old. 00:50:27.71\00:50:32.07 I mean OLD! 00:50:33.27\00:50:34.61 And then God what? 00:50:35.91\00:50:37.37 Forgave him. 00:50:37.58\00:50:39.54 Accepted him back in. 00:50:39.58\00:50:42.82 All that's the greatness of God! 00:50:43.02\00:50:45.33 Wonderful what He does for you and for me. 00:50:45.53\00:50:48.44 The other is... a hindrance to repentance is 00:50:49.95\00:50:55.04 self-righteous. 00:50:55.14\00:50:56.52 Those that are self-righteous 00:50:56.72\00:50:59.95 never, never see their need of God. 00:51:00.06\00:51:05.80 They never understand their true condition. 00:51:06.96\00:51:10.34 They are self-righteous. 00:51:10.54\00:51:13.27 Self-righteous... can't do anything for them. 00:51:26.50\00:51:31.09 Let me tell you something. 00:51:31.29\00:51:32.44 The dark angel... the dark angel of sinful living 00:51:32.64\00:51:38.57 has slain his thousands. 00:51:38.67\00:51:41.87 But the white angel of self-righteousness 00:51:42.07\00:51:46.04 has slain his ten thousands. 00:51:46.24\00:51:48.74 You and I need to be very, very careful 00:51:49.93\00:51:54.99 that we don't get into being self-righteous. 00:51:55.19\00:51:57.84 The other is pride. 00:51:58.14\00:52:00.64 I can't be proud. 00:52:01.70\00:52:03.95 Can't be lifted up. 00:52:04.15\00:52:06.65 Those are hindrances to repentance. 00:52:06.85\00:52:10.41 Said: "You need to repent. " 00:52:20.47\00:52:23.24 Probably one of the great stories of repentance 00:52:23.44\00:52:26.73 in the scripture is the story of Job. 00:52:26.83\00:52:30.68 How he repented. 00:52:30.88\00:52:32.69 You know, he's gone through all this. 00:52:32.89\00:52:34.75 He's lost his cattle; he's lost everything he has. 00:52:34.85\00:52:38.22 He's lost his children. 00:52:38.42\00:52:39.59 He's got boils; he has all that. 00:52:39.79\00:52:42.13 We're down to the end. 00:52:42.33\00:52:44.17 Down to the very time of his life, 00:52:44.37\00:52:46.90 and listen to what happens here: 00:52:47.10\00:52:48.31 He said: "Lord, I know You can do everything. 00:52:57.18\00:53:00.29 Nothing can be withheld from You. " 00:53:00.49\00:53:02.07 Said: "I said all these things I really didn't know. " 00:53:21.63\00:53:24.51 Now listen to Job as he answers: 00:53:34.70\00:53:36.89 He said: "I see myself, Lord. 00:53:58.39\00:54:00.47 I understand my condition. 00:54:00.67\00:54:02.70 I repent in dust and ashes. " 00:54:02.90\00:54:06.92 Saw himself 00:54:07.12\00:54:08.87 for what he really was. 00:54:09.07\00:54:10.23 So you and I 00:54:10.43\00:54:12.13 need to take a look 00:54:12.33\00:54:14.61 at our lives. We need to understand 00:54:14.81\00:54:18.25 where we are. 00:54:18.45\00:54:20.27 Says that Jesus came saying: 00:54:20.47\00:54:23.29 The gospel of Jesus Christ is offered to you 00:54:31.73\00:54:35.97 and to me 00:54:36.17\00:54:37.56 that if we will repent 00:54:37.77\00:54:40.41 and come to Him. 00:54:40.51\00:54:42.47 Oh, dear friend, the Savior is waiting. 00:54:42.67\00:54:45.27 The Savior is waiting with arms open 00:54:45.47\00:54:48.80 to receive you and take you into His kingdom. 00:54:49.00\00:54:53.01 You and I just simply need to come to Him... 00:54:53.21\00:54:56.85 open up our hearts and let the Holy Spirit do its work 00:54:57.05\00:55:01.81 in our lives and to change us 00:55:02.01\00:55:04.17 and to make us sons and daughters of God. 00:55:04.37\00:55:07.85 This is what He wants to do 00:55:08.05\00:55:09.76 for you and for me. 00:55:09.96\00:55:11.94 May we each one learn to come humbly before the Lord 00:55:12.14\00:55:17.84 and depend upon Him. 00:55:17.87\00:55:19.86 And He promises that if we do 00:55:20.06\00:55:22.97 that He will bless us 00:55:23.17\00:55:25.39 and that each one of us can be children of God 00:55:25.59\00:55:30.28 because of what Jesus Christ has done for us. 00:55:30.48\00:55:34.64 May God bless you in your walk with Jesus Christ. 00:55:34.84\00:55:38.35 Day by day stay close to Him. 00:55:38.55\00:55:41.47 He'll care for you; for this we thank God in Christ's name. 00:55:41.67\00:55:45.96 Jesus said in John the sixth chapter 00:55:49.84\00:55:52.06 "I am the living bread that cometh down from heaven 00:55:52.26\00:55:54.87 that a man may eat thereof and not die. 00:55:55.07\00:55:58.72 He who comes to Me will never hunger or never thirst. " 00:55:58.92\00:56:03.05 He went on to say: 00:56:03.25\00:56:04.39 "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit 00:56:04.59\00:56:08.05 and they are life. Just as the Father sent me 00:56:08.15\00:56:11.31 and I live because of the Father, 00:56:11.41\00:56:13.31 so he who eats of this bread will live because of Me. " 00:56:13.52\00:56:19.07 So many people in this world are literally starving 00:56:20.67\00:56:24.01 and weak because they do not feed on the Word of God. 00:56:24.11\00:56:27.63 Their minds are filled with matters of minor importance. 00:56:27.83\00:56:31.33 Instead of eating the bread which came down from heaven, 00:56:31.53\00:56:34.46 if they would only eat the Bread of Life, 00:56:34.66\00:56:37.51 they would be regenerated and renewed. 00:56:37.71\00:56:40.14 The bread sent down from heaven would give them new life. 00:56:40.34\00:56:43.51 The Holy Spirit would show them things of God. 00:56:43.71\00:56:46.47 As we feed upon the Word, 00:56:46.67\00:56:48.77 we would become new creatures in Christ. 00:56:48.97\00:56:51.89 Our whole ministry exists for one purpose only: 00:56:53.62\00:56:56.55 to bring the Bread of Life to those who are hungering 00:56:56.75\00:56:59.46 and thirsting for truth. 00:56:59.56\00:57:00.99 I wish you could see the eagerness with which 00:57:01.20\00:57:03.89 they take hold of the spiritual food that we offer them. 00:57:03.99\00:57:06.55 I wish you could see the light that comes on in their eyes 00:57:06.75\00:57:10.13 as they accept Him as their Savior. 00:57:10.33\00:57:12.30 Christ is able, Christ is willing, 00:57:12.50\00:57:15.77 Christ is longing to save all who will come unto Him. 00:57:15.97\00:57:20.43 Please pray for these souls. 00:57:20.73\00:57:22.76 And I hope you will consider supporting our ministry 00:57:22.96\00:57:26.75 as we continue to offer Jesus, the Bread of Life, 00:57:26.95\00:57:30.62 to all who are hungry and thirsty for new life. 00:57:30.82\00:57:34.34 We thank you for your support. 00:57:34.55\00:57:37.27 If the Holy Spirit impresses you to support this ministry, 00:57:37.47\00:57:40.82 please send your tax-deductible gifts to: 00:57:41.02\00:57:43.45 Thank you for helping us to bring the gift of salvation 00:57:57.06\00:57:59.82 to millions all over the world. 00:57:59.92\00:58:02.07