Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn. 00:00:01.40\00:00:02.77 Does the Bible say we can fall from grace? 00:00:02.80\00:00:04.85 Can a loving God keep our feet from slipping off 00:00:04.88\00:00:07.87 His straight and narrow path of salvation? 00:00:07.90\00:00:10.55 Join us now to learn what the Bible says 00:00:10.58\00:00:12.95 about holding on to God's hand so that we don't slip. 00:00:12.98\00:00:17.25 Welcome to "The Grace Pipeline." 00:00:38.36\00:00:40.17 On our last program, we looked 00:00:40.20\00:00:42.22 at what the Bible had to say about guarding grace. 00:00:42.25\00:00:46.19 And today we will examine Bible evidence. 00:00:46.22\00:00:49.18 Why it is important to do so? 00:00:49.21\00:00:51.81 As you may already know, 00:00:51.84\00:00:53.21 this series is following the journey through scripture, 00:00:53.24\00:00:56.69 found in the book by the same title "The Grace Pipeline," 00:00:56.72\00:00:59.84 which was my great privilege to write. 00:00:59.87\00:01:02.10 If you're following along in the companion book, 00:01:02.13\00:01:04.43 we're beginning on the last half of chapter 11 on page 182. 00:01:04.46\00:01:09.79 Today's study is important and should by the end of it 00:01:09.82\00:01:13.92 bring great peace to your heart. 00:01:13.95\00:01:16.17 So let's get started with this critical question. 00:01:16.20\00:01:20.42 Is it possible to fall from grace? 00:01:20.45\00:01:23.38 We will see in a moment. 00:01:23.41\00:01:24.99 But let me put your heart at rest right from the start. 00:01:25.02\00:01:28.49 We have a loving Heavenly Father who invites us to hold His hand, 00:01:28.52\00:01:33.78 promising He will help us to make it 00:01:33.81\00:01:36.36 through our often difficult journey. 00:01:36.39\00:01:39.12 We have learned it is His great love 00:01:39.15\00:01:41.37 that is a compelling force behind His great grace. 00:01:41.40\00:01:44.80 Salvation and every good and perfect gift 00:01:44.83\00:01:47.51 comes from our Lord of infinite love, 00:01:47.54\00:01:50.14 through His grace pipeline ride into our lives 00:01:50.17\00:01:53.33 if we accept them by faith. 00:01:53.36\00:01:55.46 And as we tap in by faith, 00:01:55.49\00:01:57.53 God pours out all of His blessings on His children. 00:01:57.56\00:02:00.95 God has delivered us from the dark power of sin 00:02:00.98\00:02:04.47 into His marvelous light. 00:02:04.50\00:02:06.24 Because of the hope we have from learning the truth 00:02:06.27\00:02:09.28 of His Gospel of Grace, we should stay in His light 00:02:09.31\00:02:13.00 that we maybe filled with the knowledge of His will 00:02:13.03\00:02:15.87 and walk worthy of our Lord. 00:02:15.90\00:02:18.09 He will strengthen us by the power 00:02:18.12\00:02:20.39 of the Holy Spirit and the Word. 00:02:20.42\00:02:23.03 And in this way, we will bring glory to Christ 00:02:23.06\00:02:27.15 who gives us access into this faith, 00:02:27.18\00:02:30.28 this grace by which we stand. 00:02:30.31\00:02:33.08 The source of the New Testament grace 00:02:33.11\00:02:35.83 is the same source of Old Testament grace. 00:02:35.86\00:02:39.06 And it includes the wonderful law of God 00:02:39.09\00:02:42.48 written not on stone, but in our hearts. 00:02:42.51\00:02:45.81 As He speaks to us in Hebrews 8:8-10, 00:02:45.84\00:02:50.61 the Lord says, "The days are coming, says the Lord, 00:02:50.64\00:02:55.21 when I will make a new covenant. 00:02:55.24\00:02:57.45 For this is the covenant that I will make, says the Lord. 00:02:57.48\00:02:59.96 I will put my laws in their mind and write them on their hearts 00:02:59.99\00:03:04.79 and I will be their God, and they shall be My people." 00:03:04.82\00:03:10.46 When the Old Testament prophet Daniel 00:03:10.49\00:03:13.22 was praying in Daniel 9:4, he cried out, 00:03:13.25\00:03:17.59 "Oh, Lord, great and awesome God, 00:03:17.62\00:03:20.67 who keeps His covenant and mercy with those who love Him 00:03:20.70\00:03:25.47 and with those who keep His commandments." 00:03:25.50\00:03:29.06 God keeps covenant with those who keep covenant with Him. 00:03:29.09\00:03:33.79 Everything that He asks of us, He first provides by grace. 00:03:33.82\00:03:38.91 He is faithful in His part of the agreement 00:03:38.94\00:03:41.83 and He expects us to be faithful in response. 00:03:41.86\00:03:45.45 The three greatest gifts of God's grace 00:03:45.48\00:03:48.61 which we have identified in this series 00:03:48.64\00:03:50.94 as our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, 00:03:50.97\00:03:53.52 the Holy Spirit, and the Word. 00:03:53.55\00:03:56.06 These three work in it-- within us 00:03:56.09\00:03:58.87 to cause our will to line up with God's will. 00:03:58.90\00:04:03.24 And further, these three great gifts 00:04:03.27\00:04:05.97 empower us to do His will. 00:04:06.00\00:04:08.90 Yoked with Christ, grace grants us 00:04:08.93\00:04:11.93 the supernatural power of salvation 00:04:11.96\00:04:14.67 and His divine assistance. 00:04:14.70\00:04:16.74 And Christ is the author of eternal salvation 00:04:16.77\00:04:20.31 for all who keep covenant with Him by obedience. 00:04:20.34\00:04:23.57 This is not my thought. 00:04:23.60\00:04:25.23 It is what scripture tells us in Hebrews 5:6-9. 00:04:25.26\00:04:30.69 "Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience 00:04:30.72\00:04:34.17 by the things which He suffered. 00:04:34.20\00:04:36.25 And having been perfected, 00:04:36.28\00:04:38.00 He became the author of eternal salvation 00:04:38.03\00:04:41.15 to all who obey Him." 00:04:41.18\00:04:44.38 You see, there are certain God ordained parameters 00:04:44.41\00:04:48.26 for the lives of His recreated children. 00:04:48.29\00:04:51.38 Obedience through the power of His grace 00:04:51.41\00:04:54.43 and by our faith is chief among these parameters. 00:04:54.46\00:04:58.94 Christ did not obey to become the Son of God. 00:04:58.97\00:05:02.41 He obeyed because He was the Son. 00:05:02.44\00:05:05.30 Likewise, we don't obey to become His children. 00:05:05.33\00:05:09.01 We should heed the warning 00:05:09.04\00:05:10.80 that if we attempt to be justified 00:05:10.83\00:05:13.02 by obedience to the law, 00:05:13.05\00:05:14.95 we are actually substituting our actions 00:05:14.98\00:05:18.79 for the sacrificial death of Christ. 00:05:18.82\00:05:21.52 Self-reliance has tragic results. 00:05:21.55\00:05:25.23 We actually sever our relationship with grace 00:05:25.26\00:05:28.68 and become alienated from the Savior. 00:05:28.71\00:05:31.66 Listen to Paul's words from Galatians 5:4. 00:05:31.69\00:05:35.28 He says, "You have become estranged from Christ, 00:05:35.31\00:05:40.51 you who attempt to be justified by law. 00:05:40.54\00:05:44.43 You have fallen from grace." 00:05:44.46\00:05:47.93 Christians are to obey out of respect and honor 00:05:47.96\00:05:52.26 for our Father because we are His children. 00:05:52.29\00:05:56.11 His grace gives us both the desire and the power 00:05:56.14\00:06:01.80 to obey His commandments. 00:06:01.83\00:06:03.74 Obedience is merely an expression of our love 00:06:03.77\00:06:06.70 for Him and our appreciation 00:06:06.73\00:06:09.65 of His indescribable gift, Christ Jesus. 00:06:09.68\00:06:13.32 How can we not follow 00:06:13.35\00:06:15.52 in Christ's footsteps of obedience 00:06:15.55\00:06:17.79 if we are submitted to His yoke and walking with Him? 00:06:17.82\00:06:23.12 You know, Jesus said to us in John 15:5, 6, 00:06:23.15\00:06:28.89 "I am the vine, you are the branches. 00:06:28.92\00:06:32.14 He who abides in Me and I in him, bears much fruit, 00:06:32.17\00:06:36.96 for without Me you can do nothing. 00:06:36.99\00:06:39.22 If anyone does not abide in Me, 00:06:39.25\00:06:40.96 he is cast out as a branch and is withered. 00:06:40.99\00:06:43.75 And they gather them and throw them 00:06:43.78\00:06:45.41 into the fire and they are burned." 00:06:45.44\00:06:48.82 Living in Christ, we will obey, not by our power. 00:06:48.85\00:06:53.59 For apart from Him, we can do nothing. 00:06:53.62\00:06:56.99 But we will obey by grace. If we deny His power to obey, 00:06:57.02\00:07:04.01 we are no longer abiding in Him. 00:07:04.04\00:07:06.99 In Hebrews 12:14, 15, Paul provides 00:07:07.02\00:07:10.51 an imperative instruction for the child of God. 00:07:10.54\00:07:13.46 Verse 14 says, "Pursue peace with all people, 00:07:13.49\00:07:17.46 and pursue holiness, without which no one will see the Lord." 00:07:17.49\00:07:22.41 And then verse 15 goes on to say. 00:07:22.44\00:07:24.82 "Looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the glory of God, 00:07:24.85\00:07:29.96 lest any root of bitterness springing up 00:07:29.99\00:07:33.49 would cause trouble, and by this many become defiled." 00:07:33.52\00:07:38.16 Some Christians are not aware 00:07:38.19\00:07:40.59 that Jesus told us in Luke 13:24, 00:07:40.62\00:07:44.33 "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, 00:07:44.36\00:07:47.65 for many, I say to you, 00:07:47.68\00:07:49.93 will seek to enter and will not be able." 00:07:49.96\00:07:55.13 When you think about it, an athlete does not cross 00:07:55.16\00:07:59.18 the finish line without some striving. 00:07:59.21\00:08:02.21 Likewise, Jesus is saying here 00:08:02.24\00:08:04.76 that a halfhearted effort does not get us into heaven. 00:08:04.79\00:08:08.14 We must strive to enter through the narrow gate of salvation 00:08:08.17\00:08:12.45 by simply seeking to cooperate 00:08:12.48\00:08:15.05 with God's process of sanctifying us, 00:08:15.08\00:08:18.02 setting us apart from sin. 00:08:18.05\00:08:20.73 We must become sanctification seekers, 00:08:20.76\00:08:24.71 which means exactly the same 00:08:24.74\00:08:26.73 as being one who pursues holiness. 00:08:26.76\00:08:30.04 Sanctification and holiness are synonyms. 00:08:30.07\00:08:33.28 They mean exactly the same thing, 00:08:33.31\00:08:35.15 and that is simply to be set apart from sin. 00:08:35.18\00:08:40.12 Many sincere Christians are not aware 00:08:40.15\00:08:42.90 we need to guard against falling short of the grace of God. 00:08:42.93\00:08:47.38 Some tragically resist the idea of pursuing holiness 00:08:47.41\00:08:51.72 as a consequence of hearing an unbalanced teaching on grace. 00:08:51.75\00:08:55.66 They have been swayed by unstable teachers 00:08:55.69\00:08:59.37 who did not understand God's full plan of salvation, 00:08:59.40\00:09:03.06 who've twisted the scriptures, 00:09:03.09\00:09:05.38 presenting God's act of justification 00:09:05.41\00:09:08.66 as the only need for salvation. 00:09:08.69\00:09:11.65 Justification is the legal process 00:09:11.68\00:09:14.58 by which God pardons us of sin and it is by God's grace, 00:09:14.61\00:09:19.52 based on the merits of the imputed righteousness 00:09:19.55\00:09:22.41 of Jesus Christ, our substitute. 00:09:22.44\00:09:25.39 In God's act of justification, 00:09:25.42\00:09:28.21 He declares us innocent of our sins 00:09:28.24\00:09:30.60 when we confess and repent, 00:09:30.63\00:09:32.82 but justification is only the first stage 00:09:32.85\00:09:36.65 of the grace of salvation. 00:09:36.68\00:09:38.42 We need to tap into God's grace pipeline 00:09:38.45\00:09:42.02 for all that He makes available to us. 00:09:42.05\00:09:45.09 Don't be deceived into thinking sanctification or holiness, 00:09:45.12\00:09:50.27 being set apart from sin is not required by our holy God. 00:09:50.30\00:09:54.97 He continues the salvation process 00:09:55.00\00:09:58.17 by His work of sanctification. 00:09:58.20\00:10:00.59 And He expects our full cooperation with Him. 00:10:00.62\00:10:04.88 Beware of being led way from the living Lord 00:10:04.91\00:10:08.87 with the spiritually lethal error of believing, 00:10:08.90\00:10:12.64 once saved always saved. 00:10:12.67\00:10:14.90 Grace can be received in vain. 00:10:14.93\00:10:17.72 As Paul points out in 2 Corinthians 6:1, 00:10:17.75\00:10:22.61 where he says that there is no advancement. 00:10:22.64\00:10:26.36 If there's no advancement in the development 00:10:26.39\00:10:28.37 of a Christ-like character in our lives, 00:10:28.40\00:10:31.10 if we don't go beyond having our past sins forgiven, 00:10:31.13\00:10:36.10 then we have received the grace of God in vain. 00:10:36.13\00:10:40.51 Sin can cancel out God's grace. 00:10:40.54\00:10:44.12 Paul clearly points out 00:10:44.15\00:10:45.99 that obedience leads to righteousness, 00:10:46.02\00:10:48.79 but sin leads to death. 00:10:48.82\00:10:50.95 In Roman 6:16, listen to this. 00:10:50.98\00:10:54.27 He says, "Do you not know 00:10:54.30\00:10:56.57 that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, 00:10:56.60\00:10:59.78 you are that one's slaves whom you obey, 00:10:59.81\00:11:02.65 whether of sin leading to death, 00:11:02.68\00:11:05.30 or of obedience leading to righteousness?" 00:11:05.33\00:11:08.50 And just as Paul pointed out in Galatians 5:4 00:11:08.53\00:11:11.74 that we can fall from grace by attempting 00:11:11.77\00:11:13.96 to be justified by the law, 00:11:13.99\00:11:16.04 we can, likewise, fall from grace 00:11:16.07\00:11:18.58 if we do not obey the righteous requirements of God's law. 00:11:18.61\00:11:22.90 Empowered by the Holy Spirit and by the word of God, 00:11:22.93\00:11:26.54 we are to walk in the footsteps of Christ. 00:11:26.57\00:11:29.68 As Paul tells us in Colossians 2:6-10, 00:11:29.71\00:11:33.96 where he says, "As you therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, 00:11:33.99\00:11:38.94 so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him 00:11:38.97\00:11:41.85 and established in the faith, as you have been taught, 00:11:41.88\00:11:45.24 abounding in it with thanksgiving. 00:11:45.27\00:11:47.84 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy 00:11:47.87\00:11:51.57 and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, 00:11:51.60\00:11:55.15 according to the basic principles of the world, 00:11:55.18\00:11:57.83 and not according to Christ. 00:11:57.86\00:11:59.96 For in Him dwells all the fullness 00:11:59.99\00:12:02.77 of the Godhead bodily, and you are complete in Him." 00:12:02.80\00:12:09.03 The grace of God, those unearned, undeserved gifts 00:12:09.06\00:12:13.24 bestowed by our Heavenly Father of infinite love 00:12:13.27\00:12:16.69 which provide His divine assistance 00:12:16.72\00:12:18.96 and supernatural power of salvation, 00:12:18.99\00:12:21.63 teaches us to deny ungodly actions and worldly lusts. 00:12:21.66\00:12:27.41 In Titus 2:11-14, the Bible says, 00:12:27.44\00:12:32.21 "For the grace of God that brings salvation 00:12:32.24\00:12:35.99 has appeared to all men, teaching us that, 00:12:36.02\00:12:39.75 denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, 00:12:39.78\00:12:42.68 we should live soberly, righteously, 00:12:42.71\00:12:44.93 and godly in the present age, 00:12:44.96\00:12:47.39 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing 00:12:47.42\00:12:50.82 of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 00:12:50.85\00:12:53.68 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us 00:12:53.71\00:12:57.68 from every lawless deed and purify for Himself 00:12:57.71\00:13:01.71 His own special people, zealous for good works." 00:13:01.74\00:13:06.91 Our Savior came not only to redeem us, 00:13:06.94\00:13:10.41 but for the purpose of purifying us. 00:13:10.44\00:13:14.15 Christ painted a word picture of His second coming 00:13:14.18\00:13:17.25 through His Parable of the Ten Virgins 00:13:17.28\00:13:19.50 which we studied in an earlier program. 00:13:19.53\00:13:22.29 Tragically in today's Christian culture, 00:13:22.32\00:13:25.16 many can be compared to the five foolish virgins 00:13:25.19\00:13:29.02 who had an experience with the justification of grace 00:13:29.05\00:13:33.71 but refused the sanctification of grace. 00:13:33.74\00:13:37.49 They did not make it across the finish line. 00:13:37.52\00:13:41.32 How sad it is to think about anyone 00:13:41.35\00:13:43.87 who had once tasted the goodness of grace 00:13:43.90\00:13:47.02 and then just lazily drifted away, unaware. 00:13:47.05\00:13:51.48 It is all the more devastating 00:13:51.51\00:13:53.58 when someone has been deceived and their spiritual progress 00:13:53.61\00:13:56.46 has been hindered by a blind guide 00:13:56.49\00:13:59.32 who presents an unbalanced teaching on grace, 00:13:59.35\00:14:03.04 setting aside the word of God 00:14:03.07\00:14:05.29 like the religious rulers of Christ's day. 00:14:05.32\00:14:08.51 These unlearned teachers present vain arguments 00:14:08.54\00:14:12.64 that grace grants us liberty from obedience, 00:14:12.67\00:14:16.45 ignoring Christ's warning that every tree 00:14:16.48\00:14:19.31 that does not bear good fruit 00:14:19.34\00:14:21.57 will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 00:14:21.60\00:14:24.26 In the same passage of scripture 00:14:24.29\00:14:26.38 that I'm referring to, our Lord added His indictment 00:14:26.41\00:14:29.88 against disobedient Christians. 00:14:29.91\00:14:31.95 In Matthew 7:21-27, he says, 00:14:31.98\00:14:36.51 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' 00:14:36.54\00:14:39.82 shall enter the kingdom of heaven, 00:14:39.85\00:14:42.21 but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 00:14:42.24\00:14:47.32 Many will say to Me in that day, 00:14:47.35\00:14:49.32 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, 00:14:49.35\00:14:51.91 cast out demons in Your name, 00:14:51.94\00:14:53.92 and done many wonders in Your name?' 00:14:53.95\00:14:56.67 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you. 00:14:56.70\00:15:00.99 Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.'" 00:15:01.02\00:15:05.54 You know, the Bible tells us in 1 John 3:4 00:15:07.89\00:15:11.18 that "Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness," 00:15:11.21\00:15:15.14 saying that sin is lawlessness. 00:15:15.17\00:15:17.63 Of course, we know that Paul said in Roman 6:23 00:15:17.66\00:15:21.20 that "The wages of sin is death, 00:15:21.23\00:15:23.41 but the gift of God is eternal life 00:15:23.44\00:15:26.24 in Christ Jesus our Lord." 00:15:26.27\00:15:28.17 The wages of sin have always been eternal death. 00:15:28.20\00:15:32.02 As revealed in the Lord's word to Moses in Exodus 32:33 00:15:32.05\00:15:39.56 where he said, "Whoever has sinned against Me, 00:15:39.59\00:15:43.28 I will blot him out of My book." 00:15:43.31\00:15:47.20 This message is echoed by Christ 00:15:47.23\00:15:49.95 in the manner of a promise to keep us by His power. 00:15:49.98\00:15:54.38 And that is found in Revelation 3:5 where he says, 00:15:54.41\00:15:59.30 "He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, 00:15:59.33\00:16:03.36 and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life, 00:16:03.39\00:16:08.59 but I will confess his name 00:16:08.62\00:16:10.33 before My Father and before His angels." 00:16:10.36\00:16:13.99 It is clear, sinners will not enter 00:16:14.02\00:16:16.39 the holy city foursquare. 00:16:16.42\00:16:18.33 For the message of Revelation 21:27 says, 00:16:18.36\00:16:22.25 "There shall be by no means enter in anything 00:16:22.28\00:16:27.05 that defiles or causes an abomination or a lie, 00:16:27.08\00:16:30.73 but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life." 00:16:30.76\00:16:36.63 My dear, brother and sister, how important it is 00:16:36.66\00:16:40.25 that we heed the message of Hebrews 2:1-3 which says, 00:16:40.28\00:16:46.28 "Therefore we must give the more earnest heed 00:16:46.31\00:16:50.16 to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. 00:16:50.19\00:16:54.69 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, 00:16:54.72\00:16:59.26 and every transgression and disobedience 00:16:59.29\00:17:02.51 received a just reward, how shall we escape 00:17:02.54\00:17:07.06 if we neglect so great a salvation." 00:17:07.09\00:17:12.26 You know, just going with the flow 00:17:12.29\00:17:15.64 won't get us into heaven. 00:17:15.67\00:17:17.49 If we don't make an earnest effort to cooperate with God 00:17:17.52\00:17:21.36 in the process of our sanctification, 00:17:21.39\00:17:24.51 we will drift away from Him. 00:17:24.54\00:17:27.15 Do we think we stand? 00:17:27.18\00:17:29.32 Let us take heed that we don't fall. 00:17:29.35\00:17:32.79 Grace is the ink of Christ's blood 00:17:32.82\00:17:36.10 that writes your name in God's Book of Life. 00:17:36.13\00:17:39.24 To abuse a relationship of grace by disobedience 00:17:39.27\00:17:43.25 is to abuse our gentle Master. 00:17:43.28\00:17:46.35 Be watchful and guard the precious relationship 00:17:46.38\00:17:49.91 you have with the Lord. 00:17:49.94\00:17:51.50 Pray for grace, for God's divine assistance 00:17:51.53\00:17:54.72 and supernatural power and to salvation 00:17:54.75\00:17:57.29 to grow in Christian virtues. 00:17:57.32\00:18:00.45 Yes, it requires a personal effort, 00:18:00.48\00:18:03.06 but as we have studied, it is a spirit empowered effort. 00:18:03.09\00:18:08.17 Let us grow in grace. 00:18:08.20\00:18:10.60 Find our strength in grace. Stand in grace. 00:18:10.63\00:18:14.84 The Apostle Paul said, "That the night is far spent, 00:18:14.87\00:18:18.26 and the day is at hand. 00:18:18.29\00:18:19.66 Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, 00:18:19.69\00:18:22.66 and let us put on the armor of God." 00:18:22.69\00:18:25.51 God commanded light to shine out of darkness 00:18:25.54\00:18:29.39 and into our hearts by the knowledge of His glory 00:18:29.42\00:18:33.08 and the face of Jesus Christ. 00:18:33.11\00:18:35.62 We are brought into relationship with God through grace. 00:18:35.65\00:18:40.11 Accepting the yoke of relationship 00:18:40.14\00:18:42.99 our burden is eased. 00:18:43.02\00:18:45.24 Personal contact with Christ brings us perfect confidence. 00:18:45.27\00:18:50.22 He guides us to walk in the light of God's word, 00:18:50.25\00:18:54.17 showing us the path of life. 00:18:54.20\00:18:56.56 And in His presence we find joy and peace 00:18:56.59\00:19:00.37 and our hearts overflow with hope. 00:19:00.40\00:19:03.20 Paul instructs us in Colossians 3:2, 3. 00:19:03.23\00:19:08.23 He says, "Set your mind on things above, 00:19:08.26\00:19:11.19 not on things on the earth. 00:19:11.22\00:19:14.18 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." 00:19:14.21\00:19:21.53 Our security is that our lives are hidden with Christ in God. 00:19:21.56\00:19:27.61 And because He lives, we live also. 00:19:27.64\00:19:31.49 Now we are concealed with Christ, 00:19:31.52\00:19:35.00 clothed with His righteousness and encompassed by His love. 00:19:35.03\00:19:39.78 He is our hiding place and in Him 00:19:39.81\00:19:42.63 we live and move and have our being. 00:19:42.66\00:19:45.87 We have entered His rest of absolute dependence upon Him. 00:19:45.90\00:19:52.38 We are dead to the world. 00:19:52.41\00:19:54.37 Our old life was buried with Him in death, 00:19:54.40\00:19:57.60 but we are alive to God. 00:19:57.63\00:20:00.01 Our new life is resurrected with Him. 00:20:00.04\00:20:03.58 Look at the promise of 1 John 5:11, 12. 00:20:03.61\00:20:08.57 "This is the testimony that God has given us eternal life, 00:20:08.60\00:20:13.22 and this life is in His Son. 00:20:13.25\00:20:15.67 He who has the Son has life." 00:20:15.70\00:20:19.73 Our Savoir secures our eternal life. 00:20:19.76\00:20:22.96 As long as we remain in Him, 00:20:22.99\00:20:25.25 the treasure of our reward is stored in heaven with God. 00:20:25.28\00:20:29.86 Soon we will be revealed with Christ 00:20:29.89\00:20:33.57 when He returns for all those 00:20:33.60\00:20:35.96 who identified with God by relationship 00:20:35.99\00:20:39.24 and sanctified by Him who is faithful. 00:20:39.27\00:20:42.22 As the beautiful promise of 1 Thessalonians 5:23, 24 00:20:42.25\00:20:47.00 assures us saying, "Now may the God of peace Himself." 00:20:47.03\00:20:51.61 Whose work is this? 00:20:51.64\00:20:53.01 "May the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely 00:20:53.04\00:20:57.03 and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless 00:20:57.06\00:21:02.11 at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:21:02.14\00:21:05.72 He who calls you," that's God, 00:21:05.75\00:21:08.34 "is faithful, who will also do it." 00:21:08.37\00:21:12.27 Listen to the words of the Lord found in Isaiah 41:13, 00:21:12.30\00:21:17.10 where he says, "For I, the Lord, will hold your right hand, 00:21:17.13\00:21:23.02 saying to you, Fear not, I will help you." 00:21:23.05\00:21:27.13 May your heart sing at the thought of it 00:21:27.16\00:21:30.15 as did the temple musician and Psalmist Asaph 00:21:30.18\00:21:34.12 who said to the Lord in Psalms 73:23-28. 00:21:34.15\00:21:40.94 Asaph said, "I am continually with You. 00:21:40.97\00:21:44.46 You hold me by my right hand. 00:21:44.49\00:21:46.99 You will guide me with your counsel, 00:21:47.02\00:21:49.66 and afterward receive me to glory. 00:21:49.69\00:21:53.62 God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. 00:21:53.65\00:21:58.32 I have put my trust in the Lord God." 00:21:58.35\00:22:04.11 You can like Asaph put your trust in the Lord. 00:22:04.14\00:22:09.34 You know, the mystery of God's unfailing love is unfathomable. 00:22:09.37\00:22:14.93 I don't know how to explain divine love 00:22:14.96\00:22:18.71 because I yet have come to totally understand it. 00:22:18.74\00:22:22.21 But I hope that like me your heart cry will be, 00:22:22.24\00:22:27.03 "Lord, I want more of You. 00:22:27.06\00:22:29.43 I want to understand Your love better." 00:22:29.46\00:22:34.15 Because as we understand His love, 00:22:34.18\00:22:37.61 it is the natural heart response that we will love Him in return. 00:22:37.64\00:22:43.76 I do know one thing. 00:22:43.79\00:22:45.44 The overflowing riches of His grace constantly amaze me. 00:22:45.47\00:22:51.51 Please recognize you can depend upon Him. 00:22:51.54\00:22:54.84 If you keep your hand in His 00:22:54.87\00:22:57.55 and walk in relationship with Him daily, 00:22:57.58\00:23:00.77 yoked to Christ, trust Him, 00:23:00.80\00:23:03.57 His grace will give you the victory. 00:23:03.60\00:23:07.35 The Lord promises that he will perfect that which concerns you. 00:23:07.38\00:23:13.52 And I hope that in this series 00:23:13.55\00:23:16.48 as we have considered the three most important gifts 00:23:16.51\00:23:20.32 through which God manifests His grace, 00:23:20.35\00:23:23.20 our Savior, the Holy Spirit, and the Word, 00:23:23.23\00:23:26.57 I hope that this journey through scripture 00:23:26.60\00:23:29.76 has magnified the sense of grace in your heart. 00:23:29.79\00:23:33.46 I hope that your mind is more settled in understanding 00:23:33.49\00:23:37.76 and having a well-balanced understanding on grace. 00:23:37.79\00:23:41.52 Through the blood of the everlasting covenant 00:23:41.55\00:23:44.25 and His gifts of grace, God will make you complete 00:23:44.28\00:23:48.25 in every good work to do His will. 00:23:48.28\00:23:50.75 Working in you what is well pleasing 00:23:50.78\00:23:53.93 in His sight through Jesus Christ. 00:23:53.96\00:23:57.66 There remain so many more gifts to be explored 00:23:57.69\00:24:02.66 in the continued study of God's awe inspiring grace. 00:24:02.69\00:24:07.22 All of God's promises are yours if you're abiding in Christ. 00:24:07.25\00:24:11.79 I hope you will invest time 00:24:11.82\00:24:14.30 to learn all that your loving Heavenly Father 00:24:14.33\00:24:16.94 wants to give to you. 00:24:16.97\00:24:18.67 The Kingdom of God is a kingdom of grace 00:24:18.70\00:24:21.82 with its immeasurable riches and power. 00:24:21.85\00:24:25.44 God is the giver of every good and perfect gift 00:24:25.47\00:24:29.16 which flow to you freely from the Father of lights 00:24:29.19\00:24:33.12 through His grace pipeline. 00:24:33.15\00:24:35.46 Indeed, the love of God is the compelling force 00:24:35.49\00:24:39.26 behind the grace of God. 00:24:39.29\00:24:41.31 And the greater our understanding 00:24:41.34\00:24:43.33 of God's love for us, 00:24:43.36\00:24:45.22 the greater our love will be for Him. 00:24:45.25\00:24:47.98 We love Him because He first loved us. 00:24:48.01\00:24:50.99 The greater our love, the more intimate 00:24:51.02\00:24:54.39 our relationship will become with Him. 00:24:54.42\00:24:57.30 And the more intimate that our relationship is, 00:24:57.33\00:25:01.64 the greater our trust will be in our Heavenly Father. 00:25:01.67\00:25:05.40 We'll lean not on our own understanding, 00:25:05.43\00:25:08.46 but we'll lean on what His word says. 00:25:08.49\00:25:10.99 And the greater our trust, 00:25:11.02\00:25:12.75 the more persistent our prayer of faith will become. 00:25:12.78\00:25:17.12 The more persistent that prayer is, 00:25:17.15\00:25:20.05 the greater our actions of faith will develop. 00:25:20.08\00:25:23.70 And the greater our faith, the more we will tap 00:25:23.73\00:25:26.50 into the various area of God's grace. 00:25:26.53\00:25:30.27 And as we do, as we access God's grace pipeline, 00:25:30.30\00:25:35.71 the greater blessings will flow. 00:25:35.74\00:25:39.48 God's streams of grace flow from His heavenly pipeline 00:25:39.51\00:25:44.30 without any shortage of supply, and will turn our dry and dusty 00:25:44.33\00:25:48.94 life experiences into a spiritual oasis. 00:25:48.97\00:25:53.17 You can triumph in and by God's sustaining grace. 00:25:53.20\00:25:57.83 Will you tap into His grace pipeline by faith? 00:25:57.86\00:26:01.37 Let's pray. 00:26:01.40\00:26:02.94 Our loving Father, we thank you for this opportunity. 00:26:02.97\00:26:06.55 Lord, to have spent time in Your word. 00:26:06.58\00:26:10.47 And, Father, we come in the name of Jesus Christ, 00:26:10.50\00:26:14.31 approaching your throne boldly. 00:26:14.34\00:26:17.44 And I pray, Lord, that every person 00:26:17.47\00:26:19.64 within the range of my voice, every person, Father, 00:26:19.67\00:26:24.48 who is struggling and wondering 00:26:24.51\00:26:28.22 about their relationship for You--with You, 00:26:28.25\00:26:31.35 I ask in the name of Jesus, Father, 00:26:31.38\00:26:34.09 that even now by the power of Your Holy Spirit, 00:26:34.12\00:26:37.97 You would touch their hearts, 00:26:38.00\00:26:40.40 convict and convince them, Father. 00:26:40.43\00:26:43.14 Convict them of their sin 00:26:43.17\00:26:45.07 and convince them of Your great love. 00:26:45.10\00:26:47.78 I ask in the name of Jesus, Father, 00:26:47.81\00:26:50.43 that You would grant them repentance, 00:26:50.46\00:26:53.08 that they would turn around 00:26:53.11\00:26:55.68 and turn full faced to You, Father. 00:26:55.71\00:26:59.04 That they might receive the abundant life 00:26:59.07\00:27:03.79 that Jesus Christ came to give them. 00:27:03.82\00:27:07.26 I pray that You will break us free 00:27:07.29\00:27:10.75 from the chains that bind us. 00:27:10.78\00:27:13.18 And I ask in the name of Jesus, Father, 00:27:13.21\00:27:16.05 that for my brothers and my sisters 00:27:16.08\00:27:19.64 that today will be the day that they recognize 00:27:19.67\00:27:24.03 You are the God of new beginnings. 00:27:24.06\00:27:26.49 And, Father, that they will put their hand into Your right hand, 00:27:26.52\00:27:31.62 and that You will guide them in that walk, 00:27:31.65\00:27:35.95 Lord, that joy, the experience of salvation 00:27:35.98\00:27:40.36 along the narrow path. 00:27:40.39\00:27:42.72 Father, You are our God and our love. 00:27:42.75\00:27:48.76 And we thank You. 00:27:48.79\00:27:50.49 We ask these things in the name of Jesus 00:27:50.52\00:27:52.83 and receive them in the name of Jesus. 00:27:52.86\00:27:55.06 Amen. 00:27:55.09\00:27:56.46 Now grow in grace and in the knowledge 00:27:56.49\00:27:59.00 of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 00:27:59.03\00:28:01.34