Hello, friends.
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Grab your Bible and a friend
and sit back as we explore
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God's word together on
this edition of House Calls.
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Hello, friends and
welcome to House Calls program.
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We believe that this is
the best program in the world
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if not we wouldn't be here,
am I telling the truth, John?
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Amen. It's good to have you here
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and we're glad that
you've chosen to join us,
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sit back and hit
the record button;
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because this is a program that
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I think will give you a thankful
heart, it's about gratitude.
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And gratitude is
something everyone needs
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and so we're gonna
talk about what God's word
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says about how
important it is to be thankful,
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how important it is
to be filled with a heart
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that is a heart that the spirit
of God brings gratitude to.
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But we'd like to let you
know that this is the program
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that you make a very special
one by sending your prayers
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and your
questions and your comments.
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And continue
doing that and we really
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appreciate that
very, very, much.
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But before we do anything more,
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we'd like to ask John to
begin the program with prayer,
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so bow your heads with us.
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Father in
heaven, we're so thankful
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again to come before you here,
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seeking your
wisdom and your guidance.
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As we talk about
things that are important
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we know to you and your word
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and what is being
accomplished here on this earth.
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And we just pray that as
this program reaches hearts
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that you would touch
our hearts and our minds
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to be able to give
you honor and glory
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and everything we say
and do, in Jesus name, amen.
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Amen. Thank you, John.
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Well, friends you know,
you send you Bible questions
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and your prayer request to us,
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actually your
Bible questions really,
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sometimes we do
get a prayer request,
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sometimes we get a
letter of gratitude
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and thanks and we
do appreciate that.
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But if you have
any questions to send,
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send those questions
to housecalls@3abn.org,
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that's housecalls@3abn.org
and we will get to them.
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And those of you who
have send it by mail,
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we call it snail mail,
we do appreciate those also.
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You can send
those to P.O. Box 220,
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West Frankford, Illinois 62896
and we will answer those also.
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But John is gonna
begin our first question,
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what do you have for us, John?
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I've got a question from Valerie
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and it's a real good
question about salvation.
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Okay. And I
think it's a hot topic
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of course on this program,
that it's really important
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that we spend sometime on it.
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And this one is from a
particular prospective.
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She is saying what is the
Adventist belief on being saved?
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Can we always go back and
ask forgiveness if we backslide?
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Okay. And she says of course
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we don't want to, we plan on it,
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but she's just
wondering you know what.
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I guess the other way of
asking this question is how,
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how far does God's grace go?
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Okay, it's the good
way of looking at it.
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But I'll bring up, maybe a
counterpart to this question,
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because you know a lot of
times we read these texts,
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these verses such as Hebrew 6:6.
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Which is you know, once you've
received that knowledge of God
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and you've received
his grace and you've walked
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in his power that you fall away,
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it's impossible to
renew them to repentance.
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And that's not saying renew
them necessary to salvation
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but the issue is
renewing them to repentance,
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that repentant attitude. Right.
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And it also seems to
imply their deliberate
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walking away from God.
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But you know aside from
that verse we see throughout
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the scriptures
that God is so merciful
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and his grace goes beyond any
mistake that we can ever make.
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That's true. That if, if we want
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the Lord in our lives, he's
always there to take us back
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and so that's the
blessing that we have
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is a promise from the Lord.
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But I think this
issue really is more
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of an issue of
repentance from our own heart.
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And I want to
read a passage for you
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and you'll see kind of
where I'm coming from on that,
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2nd Corinthians
chapter 7, verses 8 through 11.
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2nd Corinthians 7
beginning with verse 8
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and we'll read through verse 11.
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And see if you
notice here the true issue
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when it comes to salvation,
for even someone who maybe
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has drifted away or walked
away that the issue resolve,
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it really surrounds
their heart and the repentance
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that they need to
comeback to the Lord.
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It says for even if I
made you sorry with my letter,
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that is Paul writing a letter
and making them feel sorrowful
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for things
happening there in the church,
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so he's
encouraging them to turn from.
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I do not regret it, he
says, though I did regret it.
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For I perceive that the
same epistle made you sorry,
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though only for a while.
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Now I rejoice, not
that you were made sorry,
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but that your
sorrow led to what?
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Repentance.
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Repentance: For you were
made sorry in a godly manner,
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that you might suffer
loss from us in nothing.
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For godly sorrow
produces repentance
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leading to
salvation, not to be regretted;
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but the sorrow of
the world produces death.
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So you see there
is two sorrows here,
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sorrow that leads to repentance.
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And repentance
it's turning 180 degree
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turning from what
you're doing. That's right.
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That is wrong, so that's
sorrow leads to repentance
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and lead you into a relationship
with God, with Jesus.
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That's a good one.
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But there is a sorrow that also
doesn't leads your repentance,
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it's more of I guess today,
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you'd say it's a
sorry for getting caught.
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I'll finish up
with verse 11 here
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before we talk a
little bit about it here.
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For observe this
very thing that you were
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sorrowed in a godly manner:
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What diligence
it produced in you,
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what clearing of
yourselves, what indignation,
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what fear, what vehement desire,
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what zeal, what vindication!
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In all things
you proved yourselves
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to be clear in this matter."
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In Other words that godly sorrow
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that produced
repentance caused them who ever
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you know as Paul's
writing this letter
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cause they hear to
turn from their way
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with everything they had,
to make sure and determined
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if they were
clear in this matter
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that it wasn't
gonna happen again.
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Now, I think there's a
couple other scriptures
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that we can touch on
and we probably will here,
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but you know there
is kind of repentance
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that make you as
I mentioned before,
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sorry that you got caught.
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You know, you
know that's not good
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and the Lord
wouldn't be happy about that.
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Okay, I'm sorry, it's like
I use to tell a story when I,
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you know stole a
candy bar when I was young
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and mom made me go
back and give the candy bar
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and say I'm sorry.
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Well, I said the
sorry because I was caught
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not because I was
sorry I took the candy bar.
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And I can
remember that distinctly,
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the Lord wants us
to receive forgiveness
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and to want to
have that walk with Him
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that is close where
we turn from the way
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that we once had gone,
the way of sinful life,
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the practice of a sinful life.
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And to live in
harmony with his principles.
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And that's what
true or godly it says
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here repentance is all about.
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So the issue really John
is now that enfolds here.
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Okay. The issue really is that
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someone can walk away from
the Lord or even deliberately
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in some cases
walk away from the Lord
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and live a life of sin again.
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But then in the
end, see what they have
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left behind and
be truly sorrowful
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and repentant for how they
just walked out on the Lord.
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In fact they can get to a point
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where they can't even
believe they did that.
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And the Lord would never say,
you know what you had a chance?
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He would always with a
sorrowful heart like that,
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a godly sorrow, He
will always take you back.
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You know, there are
a number of examples
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in our life the fact
that you use this text,
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this is one of the
text that you don't
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often see right off the bad.
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You know people don't often
use this verse in that context
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and it's a wonderful verse,
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because it talks about
the two kinds of sorrow.
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The sorrow that
leads to repentance
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and the sorrow
that's kind of like,
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like I caught and I
like the way you said that.
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But if you look in the
Bible one of those things
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that gives you
encouragement is this principle
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is played out in the lives of
many of those who followed God.
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Let's use
Solomon for an example,
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I mean honestly
friends how many wives do you
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have to have
before you're sorry.
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I mean, I go to that
example because what he had
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seven hundred wives,
three hundred concubines
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and that's probably a rounding
off number to say the least,
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probably an actual
number of a thousand women,
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but how far do you have to
go, before you start thinking
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to yourself you know I
think I've gone to far?
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You know, nowadays
if you met somebody
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that married four women
or five women or you'd say,
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boy that guy just seems
to living a reckless life.
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But you go back to a day
when I would think polygamy
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and multiple wives were
practiced in Solomon's time.
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But still 700 is quite
extreme and then he and the
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Bible says that they
turned his heart away from God.
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And it was, it was a
wise man who talked about how
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in the book of
Proverbs he talked about.
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You know, the lips of a strange
woman drops as honey-comb.
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So Solomon learned a lot out
of his, the error of his way.
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He wrote the book of Proverbs,
because of his experience.
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He learned a lot. Yes, he is.
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So, at certain
point, at a certain point
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at his walk with God,
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it was the repentance spirit
that brought him full circle
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and nowadays we refer
to him as the wisest man
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outside of Jesus that
ever walked the earth.
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So, when you
think of the example
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of the principle
you talked about here.
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I think that the
person's concern maybe more
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more in the category of
how far do I have to go,
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before God will accept me
back and I like that, backslide.
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Backsliding is
something that sometimes happens
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without our notice, we
don't perceive is happening.
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We just kind of like a person
who walking into a dark tunnel,
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you just go further
and further and further
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and further
until you turned around
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and see how far
in the dark you are.
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And so that's
sometimes is something
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that begins in
an inquisitive way.
00:10:01.58\00:10:04.53
But then when you
get so far in the tunnel,
00:10:04.54\00:10:06.94
the question is, does
God give you the opportunity
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to come out of that darkness and
back into the marvelous light?
00:10:09.87\00:10:12.64
And I believe once
that desire is there,
00:10:12.65\00:10:15.30
once you ask
that kind of question,
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you haven't gone too far. Yeah.
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You know God's
goodness and here's the text
00:10:18.90\00:10:20.99
I want to add to that, John.
00:10:21.00\00:10:22.18
Romans 2 and verse
4, listen to this text.
00:10:22.19\00:10:25.05
Paul is asking a
series of questions,
00:10:27.15\00:10:28.85
and I'm reading this from
the New King James Version,
00:10:28.86\00:10:30.62
it says: Or do you despise
the riches of His goodness,
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forbearance, and long
suffering, not knowing that the
00:10:35.79\00:10:42.17
goodness of God
leads you to repentance?
00:10:42.18\00:10:44.90
Don't you know
that's how you get back?
00:10:45.69\00:10:47.88
And sometimes and
I use this example,
00:10:47.89\00:10:50.44
I've heard of people that
have so wicked to other people.
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But the things that
has turned them around
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is the goodness
of the other person.
00:10:54.69\00:10:56.28
And so if we can be
good to help somebody
00:10:56.29\00:10:58.78
change their ways towards us,
00:10:58.79\00:11:01.36
how good can God be
and the goodness of God?
00:11:01.37\00:11:05.64
There are people that
have been blessed today
00:11:05.65\00:11:07.26
that are just
living awful lives.
00:11:07.27\00:11:09.13
And I've said to them
just imagine how more wonderful
00:11:09.14\00:11:12.23
your life could be if you just
put your life in the hand of God
00:11:12.24\00:11:16.21
and it's the goodness of
God that they taken note of.
00:11:16.22\00:11:18.86
Right. That leads
them to repentance.
00:11:18.87\00:11:20.82
So backsliding is incidental,
but you know God does give them,
00:11:20.83\00:11:24.50
I believe for them to comeback.
00:11:24.51\00:11:25.73
And it's a dangerous
thing, when you say backsliding;
00:11:25.74\00:11:28.09
there are obviously
various degrees of it.
00:11:28.10\00:11:30.18
Some have
backslidden knowing that God
00:11:30.19\00:11:33.82
is watching them backslide,
wants them to comeback to home,
00:11:33.83\00:11:36.55
but they outright
rejected God's goodness,
00:11:36.56\00:11:38.53
they don't want
anything to do with it.
00:11:38.54\00:11:40.07
And then you get into the danger
zone of this unpardonable sin
00:11:40.08\00:11:43.24
which I have the question
and I want answer today.
00:11:43.25\00:11:44.97
Sure. But before I do that,
00:11:44.98\00:11:47.53
1st John chapter
5 seems to indicate
00:11:47.54\00:11:50.62
these two kinds
of sinful practices.
00:11:50.63\00:11:54.62
Okay 1st John chapter 5.
00:11:54.63\00:11:56.18
Chapter 5 and I'm reading
here, let's see verse 16:
00:11:56.19\00:12:00.88
If anyone sees
his brother sinning
00:12:00.89\00:12:02.59
a sin which does
not lead to death,
00:12:02.60\00:12:04.43
he will ask, and
He will give him life
00:12:04.44\00:12:07.35
for those who commit
sin not leading to death.
00:12:07.36\00:12:09.65
There is sin leading to death.
00:12:09.66\00:12:12.60
I do not say that he
should pray for that.
00:12:12.61\00:12:14.54
All unrighteousness is sin,
00:12:16.09\00:12:17.47
and there is sin
not leading to death.
00:12:17.48\00:12:20.17
In other words there is,
there is the practice of sin
00:12:20.18\00:12:22.98
and this is what much of what
00:12:22.99\00:12:25.09
John talks about
here in 1st John,
00:12:25.10\00:12:26.59
the practice of the sinful life
not just committing one sin.
00:12:26.60\00:12:29.34
Right. This is
the sinful practices
00:12:29.35\00:12:31.65
and he seems to
indicate here that there is a
00:12:31.66\00:12:34.30
sinful practices
someone will engage in that
00:12:34.31\00:12:37.15
does not
necessarily lead to death,
00:12:37.16\00:12:38.93
because they're
doing in a way that maybe
00:12:38.94\00:12:40.84
Solomon did or
David did or Elijah did.
00:12:41.63\00:12:44.46
You know these
patriarchs of old,
00:12:44.47\00:12:46.49
who at times distressed
God or walked away from God,
00:12:46.50\00:12:50.32
but didn't do it with a
00:12:50.33\00:12:51.72
intentional motive
of breaking from God.
00:12:52.73\00:12:56.53
And so those sins
won't lead to death,
00:12:56.54\00:12:59.19
but they lead to repentance.
00:12:59.20\00:13:00.65
But he says
clearly there are some sins
00:13:00.66\00:13:03.07
that would lead you
to death. That's right.
00:13:03.08\00:13:05.03
And there is not much
you can do about that,
00:13:05.04\00:13:06.58
in fact he says I don't
says you should pray for that
00:13:06.59\00:13:09.24
and I believe probably
he's alluding to in that case,
00:13:09.25\00:13:12.21
what we also
hear and have spoken.
00:13:12.22\00:13:15.01
Now, the Bible even speaks
of it as the unpardonable sin
00:13:15.02\00:13:17.96
and under if you
want me to go ahead
00:13:17.97\00:13:20.15
and jump to that
question before we deal
00:13:20.16\00:13:21.71
with it or not if you
want to come back to it.
00:13:21.72\00:13:23.17
Well I wanna this
and I think the topic
00:13:23.18\00:13:25.71
you're gonna lead into,
this is a great segue to it.
00:13:25.72\00:13:28.30
But let's look
at 2nd Peter 2:20,
00:13:28.31\00:13:30.66
I want to read down to verse 22
00:13:30.67\00:13:32.77
and this is a favorite
passage that many look at.
00:13:32.78\00:13:37.28
When I say favorite
in the sense of sometimes
00:13:37.29\00:13:40.67
painting the picture that
it is horrible and terrible.
00:13:40.68\00:13:43.62
This text that Peter talks
about is in those rare cases
00:13:43.63\00:13:48.54
were people just
really don't want
00:13:48.55\00:13:50.24
God any more in their lives.
00:13:50.25\00:13:51.44
And I think of
the, of the story in the
00:13:51.45\00:13:54.53
Book of Luke were,
where a person their,
00:13:54.54\00:13:57.18
their house is a
mess, but there its,
00:13:57.19\00:14:00.25
it's swept, it's
clean, but its empty.
00:14:00.26\00:14:04.26
And most of all
they, they don't wanna be
00:14:04.27\00:14:06.97
where they're at, Right.
00:14:06.98\00:14:08.02
They even hate
their life at times, yeah.
00:14:08.03\00:14:10.30
And their houses
swept, its clean is empty
00:14:10.31\00:14:13.10
which means unless,
unless you're cleaned up
00:14:13.11\00:14:16.20
and then filled
with the Spirit of God,
00:14:16.21\00:14:18.95
then the Bible
says in that same story,
00:14:18.96\00:14:21.11
seven more demons worse
then the former ones come in
00:14:21.12\00:14:25.00
and the latter end for them
is worse then the beginning.
00:14:25.01\00:14:27.91
And I think that
Peter is referring to this
00:14:27.92\00:14:30.07
here when he says,
for if after they have
00:14:30.08\00:14:32.72
escaped the pollutions
of the world through the
00:14:32.73\00:14:35.75
knowledge of the Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ.
00:14:35.76\00:14:37.86
They are again
entangled in them and over come
00:14:37.87\00:14:41.27
the latter end is worse
for them then the beginning.
00:14:41.28\00:14:45.19
For it would have been better
for them not to have known
00:14:45.20\00:14:49.41
the way of righteousness,
then having known it,
00:14:49.42\00:14:51.87
to turn from the Holy
Commandment deliver to them.
00:14:51.88\00:14:54.79
But it is happened to according,
but it is happened to them
00:14:55.96\00:14:58.35
according to the true proverb,
something that Solomon wrote.
00:14:58.36\00:15:01.98
A dog returns to his
own vomit; and a sow or pig
00:15:03.07\00:15:06.52
having washed to her
wallowing in the mire.
00:15:06.53\00:15:10.99
So in essence it says
some people come out dark life,
00:15:11.00\00:15:14.19
the drug life, they
putrid life of the world
00:15:14.20\00:15:16.86
and they come into
the life of the Christian.
00:15:16.87\00:15:19.71
But because there is no,
I think that Matthew says
00:15:20.14\00:15:23.10
no depth of earth
is one Matthew uses.
00:15:23.11\00:15:25.20
Luke talks about the
Holy Spirit hasn't come
00:15:25.21\00:15:27.69
in to fill their lives, so for a
long time they looked the part.
00:15:27.70\00:15:30.83
But they go back
wallowing in the mire because
00:15:30.84\00:15:34.07
there is no feeling in there.
00:15:34.08\00:15:35.16
I don't think a person
truly filled with Holy Spirit
00:15:35.17\00:15:37.63
walking with Christ day by
day just slides off the path
00:15:37.64\00:15:40.58
and just goes back and dives
in the sin, so haphazardly...
00:15:41.42\00:15:44.70
Yeah, that's a good point.
00:15:45.64\00:15:47.24
The reason I brought up
that issue about someone who,
00:15:47.25\00:15:50.13
who maybe living in sin but
not be happy with their lives,
00:15:50.14\00:15:52.87
actually be pretty much
depressed about their lives
00:15:52.88\00:15:55.28
is because you know, we
work with those who are addicts,
00:15:55.29\00:15:58.01
whether it be drug
or alcohol and so forth.
00:15:58.02\00:15:59.87
And they know they are
walking contrary to God
00:15:59.88\00:16:01.88
but they don't want to
do the things that they do.
00:16:01.89\00:16:03.90
And then they really try
but this addiction has got
00:16:04.90\00:16:08.52
such a hold of
them that they need
00:16:08.53\00:16:10.47
the Lord to break that bondage.
00:16:10.48\00:16:12.50
That's right. And I
think there are some
00:16:12.51\00:16:14.05
in those cases
you can't look at,
00:16:14.06\00:16:15.50
you can't judge
because you know what,
00:16:15.51\00:16:17.20
they are
candidates for salvation.
00:16:17.21\00:16:19.15
They want to be
where God wants them to be,
00:16:19.16\00:16:21.04
but they just
can't break away from it.
00:16:21.05\00:16:23.08
So they're
crying out to God and,
00:16:23.09\00:16:25.53
and there is a case right now,
00:16:25.54\00:16:27.96
well there is a
girl that is just,
00:16:27.97\00:16:29.11
alcohol has just
consumed her life
00:16:30.26\00:16:32.02
and I feel very bad for
her and I tried to help her,
00:16:32.03\00:16:34.17
but she, she doesn't
like where her life is going
00:16:34.18\00:16:37.20
and she is
trying to find the Lord,
00:16:37.21\00:16:39.42
but it's gonna take some while
00:16:39.43\00:16:41.25
before she
realizes how to do that.
00:16:41.26\00:16:43.79
And some people desire,
Paul in Romans chapter 7
00:16:44.40\00:16:48.09
talks about the
desire, he says I delight
00:16:48.10\00:16:52.18
after the love of God
according to the inward man.
00:16:52.19\00:16:55.41
He also says in that passage,
00:16:55.42\00:16:58.18
I wanna do this but how to
do it is what I can't find.
00:16:58.19\00:17:02.27
And he says O
wretched man that I am,
00:17:02.28\00:17:04.36
so there are many
people that are wretched.
00:17:04.37\00:17:05.68
Because some people are
so in control of their lives,
00:17:05.69\00:17:08.53
that they can't
control their lives,
00:17:08.54\00:17:10.45
you hear what I'm saying?
00:17:10.46\00:17:11.43
They want it to
happen a certain way,
00:17:11.44\00:17:13.24
they orchestrating,
they orchestrated their fall
00:17:13.25\00:17:15.59
and now they're trying to
orchestrate their comeback
00:17:15.60\00:17:17.87
when it's
impossible in the human sense
00:17:17.88\00:17:20.17
to be able to do that.
00:17:20.18\00:17:21.53
This second question look,
we're gonna comeback to the one
00:17:22.63\00:17:25.12
that you can talk
about, but the second question
00:17:25.13\00:17:26.56
we have here, and a
person wrote this letter.
00:17:26.57\00:17:28.75
And I think
that and as you know,
00:17:28.76\00:17:31.00
we still accept
letters written by mail,
00:17:31.01\00:17:33.10
just want you to remember that.
00:17:33.11\00:17:34.20
I don't think they we
have totally gone electronic
00:17:34.21\00:17:37.64
and only Internet,
but it says please explain
00:17:37.65\00:17:41.22
Matthew 8 verse 11 and
verse 12, so turn your Bibles
00:17:41.23\00:17:45.30
to Matthew 8
verse 11 or verse 12.
00:17:45.31\00:17:47.24
Do verse 12 and
here's how it reads,
00:17:47.25\00:17:50.08
I'll read them both together,
have it typed down here,
00:17:51.11\00:17:53.11
and I'm reading from
the New king James version
00:17:53.12\00:17:56.05
any translation
you have is fine.
00:17:56.06\00:17:57.83
And I say to you that many will
come from east and the west,
00:17:58.85\00:18:03.32
and sit down with Abraham, Isaac
00:18:03.33\00:18:06.14
and Jacob in the
kingdom of heaven.
00:18:06.15\00:18:08.50
But the sons of the kingdom will
be cast out into outer darkness,
00:18:08.51\00:18:12.78
there will be weeping
and gnashing of teeth.
00:18:12.79\00:18:15.59
And so the person
asked the question,
00:18:15.60\00:18:17.32
the children of God, is
that God's children now,
00:18:17.33\00:18:22.04
but just the ones
who came to Him after
00:18:24.32\00:18:27.99
that will be
saved, please explain?
00:18:28.00\00:18:30.67
You know, when you read
this text it suggest that the
00:18:30.68\00:18:33.94
sons of the kingdom will
be cast into outer darkness.
00:18:33.95\00:18:36.99
So if you, if you
look at that story,
00:18:37.00\00:18:38.71
you almost ask
yourself the question,
00:18:38.72\00:18:39.88
is there any hope for us?
00:18:39.89\00:18:41.23
We are the sons and
daughters of the kingdom,
00:18:41.24\00:18:43.02
we are part of
the kingdom of God,
00:18:43.03\00:18:44.55
so why is that
story in the way it is?
00:18:44.56\00:18:46.85
Well, let me just use this
word context, context, context.
00:18:46.86\00:18:51.64
When you read the
story, it's about a centurion
00:18:52.46\00:18:54.74
who actually
showed how little faith
00:18:55.87\00:18:58.58
the children of
Israel really had.
00:18:58.59\00:19:00.30
And he said to the
Lord, he threw himself
00:19:01.18\00:19:05.02
on the mercy of God and
he exercised a great faith
00:19:05.03\00:19:08.95
in the promise of
Jesus and what Jesus can do.
00:19:08.96\00:19:11.66
And so the
centurion gave Jesus and,
00:19:11.67\00:19:14.32
and the Lord said to him,
it is your faith that made
00:19:14.33\00:19:17.01
the difference
and then Jesus said,
00:19:17.02\00:19:19.10
you know what, I haven't found
faith like this at all in Israel
00:19:19.11\00:19:23.20
and they were the
children of the kingdom.
00:19:23.21\00:19:25.57
So, he is in essence
saying, matter of fact,
00:19:25.58\00:19:28.64
if you look at Matthew
chapter 8 verse 10 and verse 11,
00:19:29.73\00:19:36.51
this is were Jesus
makes that very statement.
00:19:36.52\00:19:40.11
When Jesus heard it, He
marveled and said to those
00:19:40.12\00:19:43.14
who followed
assuredly I say to you,
00:19:43.15\00:19:45.70
I have not found such
great faith not even in Israel.
00:19:46.86\00:19:51.11
He hasn't found it
there, and the continuing
00:19:51.12\00:19:53.88
of the verse makes it clear.
00:19:53.89\00:19:55.55
So he is saying
the kind of faith
00:19:55.56\00:19:57.05
that I would think my children
have, they really don't have.
00:19:57.06\00:19:59.65
And why is faith
so widely important
00:19:59.66\00:20:01.89
Hebrews 11 verse 6 says,
00:20:01.90\00:20:03.89
without faith it is
impossible to please God.
00:20:04.63\00:20:07.27
So then this centurion
who had faith pleased God
00:20:07.28\00:20:10.65
and the children of the kingdom
were not able to please God
00:20:10.66\00:20:14.41
because they did not
exercise the kind of faith
00:20:14.42\00:20:16.42
they he saw in this centurion.
00:20:16.43\00:20:18.06
So here it is
John in a nutshell,
00:20:18.07\00:20:19.72
if we're saved by
grace through faith,
00:20:22.23\00:20:23.66
if Revelation
refers to us as those
00:20:25.41\00:20:27.04
who keep the Commandments of
God and have the faith of Jesus
00:20:27.05\00:20:29.30
and we don't have any
faith, how can we be saved?
00:20:29.31\00:20:33.23
So what in essence is being
said here is Jesus is saying,
00:20:33.24\00:20:35.90
your title is a barrier to the
real faith that I'm looking for.
00:20:35.91\00:20:41.74
They were settled by
being the sons of the kingdom,
00:20:41.75\00:20:44.70
but it said I'm looking
for faith in my children
00:20:44.71\00:20:47.20
and He says if that's
the kind of faith you display
00:20:47.21\00:20:49.32
only thing that could happen
00:20:49.33\00:20:50.83
as you could be
cast into outer darkness.
00:20:50.84\00:20:52.59
This centurion, not being an
Israelite exercised more faith.
00:20:52.60\00:20:57.21
So this not blanket statement,
but the Lord is in essence
00:20:57.22\00:20:59.79
saying in a
nutshell Christianity without
00:20:59.80\00:21:02.30
faith is not a
vibrant living Christianity.
00:21:02.31\00:21:06.18
It's just a
title and the centurion
00:21:06.19\00:21:09.02
had a whole out more then that.
00:21:09.03\00:21:11.16
Matter fact John, if you
could turn to Deuteronomy
00:21:11.17\00:21:13.49
I want you to read this
for us because in Deuteronomy
00:21:13.50\00:21:16.63
the same problem
existed in Israel of old.
00:21:16.64\00:21:19.36
They didn't have the kind
of faith that they needed.
00:21:19.37\00:21:21.57
In Deuteronomy
chapter 32 verse 20
00:21:21.58\00:21:23.88
brings this out write that
down, this is amazing text.
00:21:23.89\00:21:27.68
But look at what
position the Lord took
00:21:27.69\00:21:30.23
because of the
lack of faith amongst
00:21:30.24\00:21:32.57
his children, read that for us.
00:21:32.58\00:21:33.92
And He said I will
hide my face from them,
00:21:34.49\00:21:36.67
I will see what
their end would be,
00:21:36.68\00:21:40.26
for they are a
perverse generation,
00:21:40.27\00:21:42.50
children in whom
there is no faith.
00:21:42.51\00:21:44.54
Okay, see and he referred
to his children that way
00:21:44.55\00:21:47.60
in the Book of Deuteronomy,
the same Israel that by the
00:21:47.61\00:21:50.40
New Testament, when
Jesus had the story recorded by
00:21:50.41\00:21:53.20
Matthew the
centurion had more faith.
00:21:53.21\00:21:55.22
So we have to be
a people of faith,
00:21:55.23\00:21:56.84
that what makes the difference.
00:21:56.85\00:21:58.08
That's right, very good.
00:21:58.09\00:22:00.03
Okay, to finish up our
topic there on forgiveness,
00:22:01.75\00:22:06.73
now we're talking
about faith and how faith
00:22:06.74\00:22:08.31
does now is the segue,
bring about forgiveness and we,
00:22:08.32\00:22:12.42
we know that at times there
are some who will backslide
00:22:12.97\00:22:15.58
and they're not utterly
lost, but the question is then
00:22:15.59\00:22:20.04
what about the unpardonable sin.
00:22:20.05\00:22:21.50
Okay.
00:22:22.13\00:22:23.34
And so, first of all let's
read about that Matthew 12:31.
00:22:23.35\00:22:28.47
Okay, Matthew, here we
are, turning there with you.
00:22:29.67\00:22:34.67
Look at that one turn, Matthew
12:31 the unpardonable sin.
00:22:34.68\00:22:41.38
John, this has eluded
people for generations.
00:22:41.39\00:22:43.62
Now they've been nervous
coming to evangelistic series
00:22:43.63\00:22:46.25
have I committed
unpardonable sin?
00:22:46.26\00:22:47.94
You have that question too?
00:22:47.95\00:22:49.22
Oh, man people
always wanna know that.
00:22:49.23\00:22:51.02
Therefore I say to
you, every sin and blasphemy
00:22:51.03\00:22:55.25
will be forgiven men,
but the blasphemy against
00:22:55.26\00:22:58.20
the Holy Spirit
will not be forgiven men.
00:22:58.21\00:23:00.60
And that there is you
know, the term where we find
00:23:00.61\00:23:05.18
the unpardonable
sin it's not forgivable.
00:23:05.19\00:23:08.05
And look at verse 32. Yeah.
00:23:08.06\00:23:09.69
That he compounds it. Right.
00:23:09.70\00:23:11.01
In 32 anyone who speaks a
word against the Son of Man,
00:23:11.02\00:23:13.78
it will be forgiven him;
but whoever speaks against
00:23:13.79\00:23:16.26
the Holy Spirit, it
will not be forgiven him,
00:23:16.27\00:23:18.25
either in this age
or in the age to come.
00:23:18.26\00:23:20.68
Wow, a pretty serious
thing to speak out or blaspheme
00:23:20.69\00:23:25.90
the Holy Spirit,
whatever that means.
00:23:25.91\00:23:28.36
Now, Paul uses a word
that's very similar here
00:23:28.37\00:23:33.30
that I think there is a little
more definition or explanation
00:23:33.31\00:23:38.09
to what blaspheming
the Holy Spirit means.
00:23:38.10\00:23:40.31
Okay. And I'm turning to
00:23:40.32\00:23:42.18
Ephesians chapter 4 verse 30,
it's just a brief quick text,
00:23:42.19\00:23:49.57
but I think it's very, very
clear and we're safe to probably
00:23:49.58\00:23:54.78
begin to defined blaspheming
against the Holy Spirit
00:23:54.79\00:23:57.49
if you read this,
Ephesians 4 verse 30.
00:23:57.50\00:24:00.58
Okay.
00:24:00.59\00:24:02.05
And do not grieve the
Holy Spirit of God by whom
00:24:04.31\00:24:07.59
you were sealed for
the day of redemption,
00:24:07.60\00:24:09.90
okay, do not
grieve the Holy Spirit.
00:24:09.91\00:24:13.03
What does that mean to
grieve the Holy Spirit?
00:24:13.04\00:24:15.07
You're asking me? Okay,
00:24:16.29\00:24:17.51
Well, I'm just
opening up before.
00:24:17.52\00:24:19.33
What is it mean to
grieve the Holy Spirit?
00:24:19.34\00:24:21.61
I mean clearly the
Holy Spirit loves us,
00:24:21.62\00:24:24.30
his is part of the God head,
he wants to living inside of us.
00:24:24.31\00:24:28.00
We have to invite him in
and Jesus into our hearts.
00:24:28.01\00:24:31.99
See actually the
presence of Christ
00:24:32.00\00:24:33.87
comes into our heart
through the Holy Spirit.
00:24:33.88\00:24:35.95
So Paul, if you read
some of his writings,
00:24:36.92\00:24:39.71
he talks about the
Holy Spirit dwelling in the
00:24:39.72\00:24:41.45
hearts of men who've
giving their lives to Jesus.
00:24:41.46\00:24:44.54
And when you
grieve the Holy Spirit,
00:24:44.55\00:24:46.57
then he is no longer
living in your heart.
00:24:46.58\00:24:48.73
Or you're pushing him
away by the things that you do,
00:24:48.74\00:24:51.30
that things you
say whatever it may be,
00:24:51.31\00:24:52.89
so grieving seems to
imply this pushing away.
00:24:52.90\00:24:56.37
If you by action or
word or deliberate intention
00:24:58.52\00:25:01.69
pushing away the
power of the Holy Spirit
00:25:01.70\00:25:04.33
from living in
your life and from you
00:25:04.34\00:25:06.82
as a Christian
walking in the Spirit.
00:25:06.83\00:25:08.96
I mean is that
simple, simple enough.
00:25:08.97\00:25:11.59
Oh yeah, matter
of fact without the
00:25:11.60\00:25:14.85
Holy Spirit we are not able to
even stay in touch with Jesus.
00:25:14.86\00:25:18.78
Because He is
the one when we pray.
00:25:18.79\00:25:22.12
There is a text in Romans
8 verse 26 which talks about,
00:25:22.13\00:25:26.71
the Spirit is
able to utter things
00:25:26.72\00:25:30.43
that we ourselves cannot utter.
00:25:30.44\00:25:32.48
Otherwise he
takes our prayers and,
00:25:32.49\00:25:34.69
and as these are
received by Christ.
00:25:34.70\00:25:38.10
Because sometimes
we pray for things
00:25:38.11\00:25:40.43
and the Bible says
sometimes we pray for things
00:25:40.44\00:25:42.15
that we don't even
know what we're praying for.
00:25:42.16\00:25:43.57
Well, sometimes
whoever needs praying,
00:25:43.58\00:25:46.13
we're rambling off into
sleep, the Holy Spirit takes
00:25:46.14\00:25:49.49
that prayer gives to Christ.
00:25:49.50\00:25:51.83
Christ now is our
mediator between God and man.
00:25:51.84\00:25:54.81
And he brings that
to Jesus and that prayer
00:25:54.82\00:25:58.04
become acceptable through
the work of the Holy Spirit.
00:25:58.05\00:26:01.83
Why is the Holy
Spirit so widely important?
00:26:01.84\00:26:04.55
Well, you know when
Jesus left the world,
00:26:04.56\00:26:07.02
he says it's a necessary
that I gone and if I go,
00:26:07.03\00:26:09.50
if I do not go the
Holy Spirit cannot come,
00:26:09.51\00:26:12.14
when he comes, he will lead you
00:26:12.15\00:26:14.39
and he will guide
you into all truth.
00:26:14.40\00:26:15.71
But there is
something else he would do
00:26:15.72\00:26:17.14
and here where the grieving
here's the things that happen,
00:26:17.15\00:26:20.24
that shows us specifically
what the grieving does.
00:26:20.25\00:26:24.04
This is what these texts, this
is what these verses point out.
00:26:24.89\00:26:28.02
John chapter 16 verse 7
is where I'm going to start.
00:26:29.93\00:26:33.77
John chapter 16 verse 7,
00:26:33.78\00:26:36.61
nevertheless I
tell you the truth;
00:26:37.62\00:26:40.50
it is to your
advantage that I go away,
00:26:42.37\00:26:44.71
for if I do not go
away, the helper or the
00:26:44.72\00:26:48.35
Holy Spirit the
comforter will not come to you;
00:26:48.36\00:26:51.12
but if I depart, I
will send him to you.
00:26:51.13\00:26:54.83
And when he has come notice
the things that he has to do.
00:26:54.84\00:26:58.77
You know, this is
what if you cutoff this
00:26:58.78\00:27:00.51
then you'll never
understand your need of Christ.
00:27:00.52\00:27:02.69
He will convict
the world of sin.
00:27:02.70\00:27:06.49
Okay, when you
said to the Holy Spirit
00:27:06.50\00:27:09.01
I don't wanna hear it.
00:27:09.02\00:27:10.04
Then the convicting
voice of God is shutoff.
00:27:10.05\00:27:12.14
So you are dying in
your sin because your heart
00:27:12.15\00:27:15.56
is not convicted of sin.
00:27:15.57\00:27:17.10
I'm getting specific about what
grieving the Holy Spirit means.
00:27:17.11\00:27:19.66
Its not that he
won't forgive you.
00:27:19.67\00:27:22.61
Right. Is that he can't
00:27:22.62\00:27:23.62
because there is no
way to reach you and to,
00:27:23.63\00:27:25.98
to help you become repentant.
00:27:25.99\00:27:27.58
Right, if I
turned in the phone off.
00:27:27.59\00:27:28.74
I'm plugging the
phone and yelling.
00:27:28.75\00:27:30.64
And people will yell
through that phone all they want
00:27:30.65\00:27:33.46
but you've disconnected.
00:27:33.47\00:27:35.10
So you're disconnecting
yourself from the work
00:27:35.11\00:27:37.39
that the Spirit of
God is doing in your life.
00:27:37.40\00:27:39.67
That's what it says don't
grieve him were by your sealed.
00:27:39.68\00:27:42.37
Convict the world
of sin that's verse 8,
00:27:42.38\00:27:47.56
and of
righteousness, and of judgment
00:27:48.31\00:27:50.86
of sin because they
do not believe in me
00:27:50.87\00:27:53.09
and that's the biggest thing.
00:27:53.10\00:27:54.45
And if you look at the
Book of Hebrews chapter 3
00:27:54.46\00:27:56.29
it ends by saying the Israelites
00:27:56.30\00:27:57.80
could not enter in
because of unbelief.
00:27:57.81\00:27:59.56
So how we're gonna enter
heaven because of unbelief,
00:27:59.57\00:28:02.10
and the children
of Israel couldn't
00:28:02.11\00:28:03.99
enter earthly
kingdom because of unbelief.
00:28:04.00\00:28:05.76
Because their convictions
did not changed their heart
00:28:05.77\00:28:08.35
or the convicting
power of this Spirit of God
00:28:08.36\00:28:10.98
working on them was shut off,
they could not go in as sinners.
00:28:10.99\00:28:14.13
And so the
conviction of sin was,
00:28:14.14\00:28:16.05
and they willfully
shut it off. Oh, yes.
00:28:16.06\00:28:17.85
This is a willful
practice this isn't
00:28:17.86\00:28:19.28
someone not knowing
God and knowing or not
00:28:19.29\00:28:22.86
realizing that the Holy Spirit
is working on their hearts.
00:28:22.87\00:28:25.03
I'm glad you pointed it out.
00:28:25.04\00:28:26.01
This is knowing the
Holy Spirit is there
00:28:26.02\00:28:27.96
but they don't
want any part with God.
00:28:27.97\00:28:29.63
Right. And they say,
00:28:29.64\00:28:30.73
please leave me alone.
00:28:30.74\00:28:32.34
That's the
unpardonable sin not because
00:28:33.38\00:28:35.14
God can't forgive a sin we know
00:28:35.15\00:28:36.86
He can't forgive
the most heinous sin.
00:28:36.87\00:28:38.28
But it's that God
cannot get through to somebody
00:28:38.29\00:28:41.55
to create a repented
heart, they're shut off to it.
00:28:41.56\00:28:45.46
You know, there's
a story that I like,
00:28:45.47\00:28:47.20
I like you brought,
you brought a point out
00:28:47.21\00:28:49.13
that just kind of
remind me of a story
00:28:49.14\00:28:51.59
when I was
visiting another country.
00:28:51.60\00:28:53.07
I won't say what
country it is, but I remember
00:28:53.08\00:28:56.01
sleeping at night and all of a
sudden I heard during the night,
00:28:56.02\00:28:58.33
really, really, I thinking.
00:29:00.66\00:29:01.83
I woke up at that
4:30 in the morning
00:29:01.84\00:29:03.77
I woke up and what
happen was, it was a megaphone
00:29:03.78\00:29:06.56
of the community and
there was an I'm gonna,
00:29:06.57\00:29:09.07
I'll be very kind here.
00:29:09.08\00:29:10.30
The religion that was practicing
had early morning prayers
00:29:11.22\00:29:14.49
and they did it
through a megaphone
00:29:14.50\00:29:15.97
and it scared me out of
my sleep and I called 911.
00:29:15.98\00:29:21.10
I call the police
department and I said,
00:29:23.09\00:29:26.73
this is in another country
00:29:27.66\00:29:28.97
and I said and I put
in the initial complain
00:29:29.40\00:29:32.16
they said, what's your problem?
00:29:32.17\00:29:33.21
I said, it scared me out of
my sleep this large megaphone,
00:29:33.22\00:29:38.12
it sound like an
airplane landing.
00:29:38.13\00:29:39.84
And in the morning
when I asked the owners
00:29:40.56\00:29:43.51
did you hear last night?
00:29:43.52\00:29:44.79
They said no, what
are you talking about.
00:29:44.80\00:29:47.88
I said that megaphone,
that loud prayer being
00:29:47.89\00:29:50.85
chanted all
through the community.
00:29:50.86\00:29:52.60
They said man we hear that's,
we been hearing that so long,
00:29:52.61\00:29:55.63
when don't even
hear it anymore. Yeah.
00:29:55.64\00:29:57.39
And that's what happens.
00:29:57.40\00:29:58.78
When the Bible says
"Behold, I stand at the door
00:29:58.79\00:30:01.17
and knock if
anyone hears my voice,
00:30:01.18\00:30:02.84
and open the
door, hears the key.
00:30:02.85\00:30:05.07
Hears how you can
prevent the unpardonable sin.
00:30:05.08\00:30:07.35
When you hear the voice of God
the first time it's the loudest.
00:30:07.36\00:30:11.03
The longer you heard it
and ignore it gets so faint
00:30:11.69\00:30:14.28
that you no longer hear it.
00:30:14.31\00:30:15.89
And that's what
happens to some people that
00:30:16.39\00:30:17.69
leaving in the worid, the
voice of God is drowned up
00:30:17.73\00:30:20.23
by the worid.
00:30:20.26\00:30:21.23
And they don't really want
hear it and it get shout off.
00:30:21.24\00:30:23.91
Yeah, yeah. You
know, there is another
00:30:23.94\00:30:25.48
text here talking about
the willful state of that
00:30:25.52\00:30:28.06
kind of person.
00:30:28.42\00:30:29.39
Yes, go for it.
00:30:29.40\00:30:30.37
From Hebrews 10
beginning with verse 26 it says
00:30:30.38\00:30:35.29
"If we sin willfully after
we have received the knowledge
00:30:35.33\00:30:39.57
of the truth".
00:30:39.60\00:30:40.57
In other words after you
receive Christ and you know
00:30:41.10\00:30:44.01
about Him and you know about
the work of His Holy Spirit.
00:30:44.05\00:30:46.45
You know about what He
wants to do in your life
00:30:46.87\00:30:49.53
to make those changes
to prepare you for heaven.
00:30:49.57\00:30:52.20
When you sin willfully, in
other words you ignore that,
00:30:53.70\00:30:56.41
there no longer
remains a sacrifice for sins.
00:30:57.81\00:31:00.62
Right.
00:31:00.65\00:31:01.62
"But a certain fearful
expectation of judgment
00:31:02.01\00:31:04.93
and a fiery indignation,
00:31:04.96\00:31:06.12
which will
devour the adversaries".
00:31:06.16\00:31:07.96
Notice here verse 27, a
certain fearful expectation
00:31:08.49\00:31:12.26
of judgment.
00:31:12.29\00:31:13.26
In other words when you're
in this condition you know
00:31:13.27\00:31:15.82
that you are
doomed, but you don't care.
00:31:15.85\00:31:20.45
See that, did you ever see that,
00:31:21.03\00:31:22.01
I never really thought
about that much in this verse.
00:31:22.05\00:31:23.98
Oh yeah. But a
certain fearful expectation,
00:31:24.01\00:31:26.46
you know where you're
heard but you don't care
00:31:26.49\00:31:28.91
you can you get
drown of the Holy Spirit.
00:31:28.94\00:31:31.35
Don't bother me
anymore I'm happy doing
00:31:31.71\00:31:33.65
what I'm doing leave me alone.
00:31:33.68\00:31:35.25
You Know. That'
the unpardonable sin.
00:31:35.29\00:31:37.05
One of the saddest pictures
you'll see and I've seen
00:31:37.09\00:31:38.89
this before and I've
gone to hospitals that people
00:31:38.92\00:31:40.69
that just don't
want God in their lives.
00:31:40.72\00:31:42.24
You could see them
slipping away but the agony,
00:31:43.43\00:31:45.63
the sting of death
is all over their face
00:31:45.66\00:31:47.35
because there are fearful.
00:31:47.38\00:31:48.56
They have no knowledge of what
happens after a person dies.
00:31:49.17\00:31:51.57
They think they gonna
go to hell right away.
00:31:51.60\00:31:53.60
They're fearful of
judgment to come they're not
00:31:53.63\00:31:55.60
being laid to rest in peace.
00:31:55.63\00:31:56.81
And it really does there
is a sting of death that sin
00:31:57.24\00:32:00.65
and the presence of sin
manifests a person's life.
00:32:00.69\00:32:04.07
You could run
from God all your life,
00:32:04.10\00:32:05.69
but at that point where
you know that all you have
00:32:06.22\00:32:09.42
is maybe the next birth.
It brings us a certain fear
00:32:09.46\00:32:12.63
when you don't know Jesus.
00:32:12.66\00:32:13.73
But those who are in
Christ, I've gone to encourage
00:32:14.14\00:32:16.41
them in hospitals
and I've left encouraged.
00:32:16.44\00:32:18.26
They say things like well
I'll see you in Jesus comes.
00:32:18.30\00:32:21.55
And they leave me with
hope that we'll see again.
00:32:22.10\00:32:24.75
So that's I think what
that text is talking about,
00:32:24.78\00:32:27.40
the fearful
indignation that will come.
00:32:27.43\00:32:29.17
Yeah.
00:32:29.20\00:32:30.17
Well, thank you
for your questions,
00:32:30.25\00:32:32.20
we covered as many as
we could in time that we've
00:32:32.24\00:32:35.04
allotted because we have
to now transitions to the
00:32:35.07\00:32:37.61
second part of the
program or actually the topic
00:32:37.65\00:32:40.45
that we have to present,
which is about gratitude
00:32:40.49\00:32:43.55
the opposite of
rejecting the graces of Christ.
00:32:43.58\00:32:46.61
But if you have any questions,
00:32:46.64\00:32:48.24
you wanna send those to us,
you can send those questions
00:32:48.28\00:32:50.44
to housecalls@3abn.org,
that's housecalls@3abn.org
00:32:50.47\00:32:56.65
and we really appreciate
every question you send
00:32:57.01\00:32:59.37
and if you are a
consistent viewer of 3ABN
00:32:59.76\00:33:02.49
and supporter you can
also mail your mail to 3ABN.
00:33:02.53\00:33:06.09
And John takes us into
the topic of gratitude,
00:33:06.72\00:33:09.69
one that you recommended
and I thought it was a
00:33:10.51\00:33:12.32
great topic so just kind a open
00:33:12.35\00:33:14.10
the door for us
lets walk in together.
00:33:14.14\00:33:15.51
You know, I recently,
00:33:16.22\00:33:17.82
in fact you've
even mention this too.
00:33:17.86\00:33:19.37
We have sermons that
we've given on gratitude.
00:33:19.93\00:33:21.89
Right.
00:33:21.92\00:33:22.89
And having that grateful,
a constant grateful attitude
00:33:22.90\00:33:25.89
for all that God has
done for us in our lives
00:33:25.92\00:33:28.68
and we definitely
should have that gratitude.
00:33:28.71\00:33:31.44
But you know, I as I
began to think in and prepare
00:33:32.23\00:33:35.25
for that message and
really get into what it means
00:33:35.28\00:33:38.27
to be grateful, what
it means to be thankful
00:33:38.30\00:33:40.54
to the Lord. It
struck me that I think,
00:33:40.94\00:33:43.15
you know, one of the
biggest barriers to a happy
00:33:43.19\00:33:47.54
victorious Christian
life is a lack of gratitude.
00:33:47.58\00:33:51.90
Okay.
00:33:51.93\00:33:53.15
We don't realize how
grateful to God that we're
00:33:53.83\00:33:56.58
for what we do have
and how He has blessed us.
00:33:56.62\00:33:59.34
And I think also if
really comes down to it,
00:34:00.37\00:34:03.49
how we respond to God and
His salvation that he offer us,
00:34:05.10\00:34:09.58
is directly proportionate
to how much gratitude
00:34:10.62\00:34:14.65
we have for the gift.
00:34:14.68\00:34:15.77
See if you offered a
gift and you don't really care
00:34:17.73\00:34:21.84
much about that gift,
then it doesn't really mean
00:34:21.88\00:34:25.92
a lot to you and you don't
treat it with the gratitude
00:34:25.96\00:34:29.65
but more than that you
don't treat with the care that
00:34:29.69\00:34:32.99
you would get a gift that
you just are excited about.
00:34:33.02\00:34:36.29
And so when God says I'll
take you from a sinful state
00:34:37.43\00:34:41.18
on the way to death,
eternal death and I'll put you
00:34:41.82\00:34:45.02
because of what my Son has done,
00:34:45.05\00:34:46.79
I'll put you on in
heaven, on the ground that he
00:34:46.83\00:34:51.01
should have been able to
walk without seeing death
00:34:51.04\00:34:53.86
that you should have
watched from the very beginning
00:34:53.89\00:34:57.59
through Adam And Eve
and that human family I want
00:34:57.63\00:35:00.36
to take you and bring
you back up and put you
00:35:00.40\00:35:03.06
in my kingdom. And you can
be as if you've never sinned.
00:35:03.10\00:35:06.12
To not be grateful for
that I think causes a lot of
00:35:06.68\00:35:10.17
unhappiness and puts
up barriers between us
00:35:11.00\00:35:14.62
and God for this wonderful
Christian walk that we have.
00:35:14.66\00:35:18.11
Yeah, I've said for a
number of years we are high
00:35:18.14\00:35:20.78
on a expectations,
low on appreciation.
00:35:20.81\00:35:24.47
And all one has to do
and I have a remedy for that
00:35:25.02\00:35:28.39
now I have had the privilege
of being able to go around
00:35:28.43\00:35:31.07
the worid and
sometimes those of us who,
00:35:31.10\00:35:33.61
I'm using this analogy
in reference to America or
00:35:33.65\00:35:36.70
maybe the cities that
are inundated with stuff.
00:35:36.74\00:35:39.76
You know, if we go around
the worid we could see that
00:35:40.37\00:35:42.46
there are many people
around the worid that don't have
00:35:42.50\00:35:44.56
what we have and I
think that that will be some
00:35:44.59\00:35:46.98
what defuse that is
lit to begin to spark
00:35:47.01\00:35:50.58
the attitude of gratitude.
00:35:50.61\00:35:52.14
Yeah.
00:35:52.17\00:35:53.14
And so there are
some stories in the Bible.
00:35:53.15\00:35:54.33
I'll let you continue,
lay the foundation for us
00:35:54.37\00:35:57.68
there how important it
is from God's word to be
00:35:57.71\00:36:00.99
thankful and to have gratitude.
00:36:01.02\00:36:03.48
Because you know, I
heard somebody once say
00:36:03.52\00:36:05.35
it takes more muscles to
frown then it does to smile.
00:36:05.95\00:36:10.21
Yeah.
00:36:10.24\00:36:11.21
And we're saying
that gratitude has to be
00:36:11.22\00:36:12.54
accompanied with a smile,
but it sure does help a frown.
00:36:12.58\00:36:15.68
Yeah. It makes a big difference.
00:36:15.71\00:36:17.15
You know, and we're
talking about the attitude.
00:36:17.50\00:36:19.84
I mean being thankful
is the expressión of mouth.
00:36:19.88\00:36:22.19
We're thankful, we're
showing our thanks to action,
00:36:23.03\00:36:25.11
verbalizing or showing actions.
00:36:25.14\00:36:26.56
But gratitude really,
we're talking about the attitude
00:36:27.19\00:36:28.89
what's inside of us.
00:36:28.92\00:36:29.96
And so when we're
saying that we need to be
00:36:30.48\00:36:33.82
grateful for what God has
done I think that's really
00:36:33.86\00:36:36.98
where it begins, in fact
to be spiritually grateful
00:36:37.02\00:36:40.11
in our heart, in my heart.
00:36:40.14\00:36:42.01
I have to grasp the
reality of where I'd be,
00:36:42.92\00:36:45.49
where I would be
today if the Lord hadn't
00:36:46.87\00:36:49.09
gotten a hold of my
life and turned it in around.
00:36:49.13\00:36:51.59
That's right.
00:36:51.62\00:36:52.59
And unless I'm grateful for Him,
00:36:53.06\00:36:55.26
to Him for doing that,
then I am where I am I today.
00:36:55.30\00:37:00.25
I still wouldn't be
where I am because the happy
00:37:00.81\00:37:03.17
Christian life, the life
that the God is giving me
00:37:03.21\00:37:05.54
I have no appreciation for it.
00:37:05.97\00:37:07.33
And you know,
what John you say that,
00:37:07.68\00:37:09.26
and I've said it
before and may be some of you
00:37:10.69\00:37:12.50
watching or listening
to this program have said
00:37:12.54\00:37:14.32
the same thing.
00:37:14.35\00:37:15.32
Where would I be
had it not be for Jesus.
00:37:15.33\00:37:16.44
But you know we kind of run past
00:37:16.47\00:37:17.82
that thought so fast sometimes.
00:37:17.86\00:37:19.18
Yeah.
00:37:19.21\00:37:20.18
That all we have to do
as a cinematographer may
00:37:20.19\00:37:23.67
say now very, very less
rewind that in a shuttle
00:37:23.70\00:37:27.36
through that very
slowly and began to see your
00:37:27.40\00:37:31.32
life in the detail that
it really was and you know
00:37:31.36\00:37:35.25
when you think of the
sin and the darkness that
00:37:35.67\00:37:38.28
life really it was and
what it really could have done
00:37:38.32\00:37:42.54
as far as
claiming us is concerned.
00:37:42.57\00:37:44.55
Then you could pause
and says well Lord truly I'm
00:37:45.01\00:37:49.13
thankful but then
again our gratitude
00:37:49.16\00:37:52.06
and our
appreciation grows when we stop.
00:37:52.10\00:37:54.97
Right.
00:37:55.00\00:37:55.97
And then we become
people that are really saying,
00:37:55.98\00:37:58.61
Lord, thank you.
00:37:58.64\00:37:59.61
Like the guy that almost
fell off a clip and somebody
00:37:59.62\00:38:01.89
grabbed his rope at the
last minute and held him on.
00:38:01.92\00:38:04.21
He is not gonna say thanks bud,
00:38:04.54\00:38:05.60
I appreciate that
very much and run as well.
00:38:05.64\00:38:07.02
Right, right.
00:38:07.05\00:38:08.02
He is gonna looking
that person and say oh.
00:38:08.03\00:38:09.75
I owe you my life.
00:38:09.78\00:38:11.10
Right, and you
know sometimes you have
00:38:11.36\00:38:12.81
to stop people from
trying to pay you back.
00:38:12.85\00:38:15.26
Yeah.
00:38:15.29\00:38:16.26
Because some people
spend their entire life just
00:38:16.27\00:38:18.41
showing their gratitude and
you have to say them sometimes.
00:38:18.45\00:38:20.63
It's okay.
00:38:20.66\00:38:21.63
Its okay, I mean I
would do that for anybody
00:38:21.64\00:38:23.76
but you did for me
and that's the key.
00:38:24.09\00:38:25.84
Jesus would have say to
anybody but the fact that
00:38:25.88\00:38:28.25
He did for us should awaken
the attitude of gratitude.
00:38:28.29\00:38:30.95
Very much so, you know
now and I think it becomes
00:38:30.98\00:38:33.75
this serious John with
God, in our relationship
00:38:33.79\00:38:37.22
with God that when we
complain and we're critical
00:38:37.26\00:38:40.66
and we're fault finding
in and where are unhappy
00:38:41.42\00:38:44.02
about our life that we have.
00:38:44.05\00:38:45.50
First of all probably as
Americans we can't really say
00:38:46.45\00:38:49.87
that any of us
are really that poor.
00:38:49.90\00:38:51.59
And you had a chance
to go over here recently
00:38:52.30\00:38:54.52
overseas to Africa
and see how poor is
00:38:54.55\00:38:57.43
and you really have a tough time
00:38:58.39\00:39:00.06
finding that in
America to that degree.
00:39:00.10\00:39:02.63
Right.
00:39:02.66\00:39:03.63
I know don't if
there are poor in
00:39:03.64\00:39:04.86
America but to
that degree it's major.
00:39:04.90\00:39:07.15
I've never been to a
mud house here in America.
00:39:07.42\00:39:09.80
Sure, but I would add
this I think you know,
00:39:09.84\00:39:12.15
a relationship with God, a
lack of gratitude is an insult.
00:39:12.19\00:39:16.74
Right.
00:39:16.77\00:39:17.74
When it comes done to
that it's an insult to God,
00:39:18.56\00:39:20.58
to be critical and they
be complaining consistently,
00:39:21.32\00:39:23.66
as apostle do all
things without murmuring and
00:39:23.69\00:39:25.97
disputing
complaining about your life.
00:39:26.00\00:39:28.28
And here's a text that
kind of gives us a little bit
00:39:28.91\00:39:32.37
of the perspective from
God here when we're ungrateful.
00:39:32.41\00:39:35.84
Hebrews 10:29 "Of how
much worse punishment,
00:39:36.32\00:39:39.87
do you suppose, will he
be thought worthy who has
00:39:39.91\00:39:43.23
trampled the Son
of God underfoot,
00:39:43.26\00:39:45.20
counted the
blood of the covenant
00:39:45.92\00:39:47.81
by which he was
sanctified, a common thing,
00:39:47.85\00:39:50.74
and insulted the
Spirit of grace?"
00:39:51.33\00:39:53.55
That text to me a
reeks of a lack of gratitude.
00:39:54.29\00:39:58.27
Yes, you know that
takes as it so powerful
00:39:58.84\00:40:01.05
and so much
slight I don't even care.
00:40:01.08\00:40:02.88
Its like just
straight out complacency.
00:40:04.03\00:40:06.51
Yeah.
00:40:06.54\00:40:07.51
Trample, I mean when you
say trample, that's a big word.
00:40:07.77\00:40:12.92
Yeah, and insulting
this spirit of grace we just
00:40:12.95\00:40:14.80
talk about the unpardonable sin.
00:40:14.83\00:40:16.39
You know, insulting
the spirit by saying here,
00:40:17.46\00:40:18.88
I don't care about you.
00:40:18.91\00:40:20.04
What would you do if
you gave somebody a card
00:40:20.08\00:40:21.65
when you're outside and they
00:40:21.68\00:40:22.65
threw on the
floor and trampled it.
00:40:22.66\00:40:23.93
Can make you feel
like not given him,
00:40:25.90\00:40:27.04
if you thinking
well that for sure.
00:40:27.69\00:40:28.87
But you know, I was
reading the story that's from
00:40:29.34\00:40:31.50
the Adventist Review recently,
00:40:31.53\00:40:33.32
and it was a guy
that's in Russia.
00:40:33.82\00:40:35.41
I like his articles a
lot and so I always read them
00:40:36.22\00:40:38.44
when I see his article.
00:40:38.47\00:40:39.46
And he said that he
stood in line for 20 minutes.
00:40:40.18\00:40:43.07
He can around the corner to
get on to the metro in Russia.
00:40:43.11\00:40:45.50
And he saw this line
was down around the corner
00:40:46.27\00:40:49.00
and out the door and he
stood in this long line for like
00:40:49.04\00:40:51.70
20, 25 minutes.
And when got up there
00:40:51.73\00:40:54.55
he got his monthly pass
this time rather then having
00:40:54.59\00:40:57.48
to come through this again,
but he got 10 extra tickets.
00:40:57.52\00:41:00.38
And he went to the back of
the line and wanted to give
00:41:01.61\00:41:04.62
this tickets to the people
in the back of line so they
00:41:04.66\00:41:07.64
wouldn't have to stand there.
00:41:07.67\00:41:08.64
Because he was
thinking boy wouldn't it be nice
00:41:08.65\00:41:10.23
someone just came up to
me give me a free ticket.
00:41:10.27\00:41:11.86
So he tries they
wouldn't take them.
00:41:12.77\00:41:14.72
He said here is a free ticket
and they looked at him like.
00:41:15.78\00:41:17.88
Suspicious.
00:41:19.45\00:41:20.42
And they wouldn't even
take the free ticket that
00:41:20.73\00:41:23.92
he was giving them.
00:41:23.95\00:41:24.92
They can get out of the line,
00:41:24.93\00:41:25.90
go up and jump on the train.
00:41:25.91\00:41:26.89
One old lady who was
standing back there took the
00:41:28.68\00:41:31.90
ticket she grabbed
it, she still in line.
00:41:31.93\00:41:35.12
She didn't even
get out the line,
00:41:35.15\00:41:36.12
she just stay in line.
00:41:36.13\00:41:37.10
And another guy
was so desperate,
00:41:38.26\00:41:39.92
he looked at the ticket
all right and he decided
00:41:40.36\00:41:43.12
just go use it.
00:41:43.15\00:41:44.12
Because it was
his last date afford.
00:41:44.13\00:41:45.10
He gave away two out of
ten tickets because only
00:41:45.52\00:41:48.46
two would take it.
00:41:48.49\00:41:49.84
And I think probably one
the lady was still suspicious
00:41:49.88\00:41:52.07
and she took it for
just because someone offers
00:41:52.10\00:41:53.63
her something.
00:41:53.66\00:41:54.63
But we can think you
know think about that in terms
00:41:54.64\00:41:57.58
of how God must feel to
offer us such an incredible
00:41:57.62\00:42:00.85
gift of salvation and we
don't even appreciate it.
00:42:00.88\00:42:04.08
No, we don't give God the glory.
00:42:04.98\00:42:07.47
In Luke 17,
there is a short story.
00:42:08.15\00:42:11.15
If you have your
Bibles go there with us to
00:42:11.19\00:42:12.70
Luke chapter 17 and I want
to you to see this verse 11.
00:42:12.74\00:42:19.58
You knows I was telling
the story years ago about
00:42:21.48\00:42:24.71
a small population they
were sitting together and
00:42:24.74\00:42:27.94
there was celebrating I believe
it was around Thanksgiving.
00:42:28.21\00:42:31.17
But there was a
little old lady and everyday
00:42:32.15\00:42:33.69
was going around the
room and talking about their
00:42:33.73\00:42:35.75
reasons to be thankful.
00:42:35.78\00:42:36.92
And you know, she
only had two teeth,
00:42:37.45\00:42:43.09
only two teeth, it's
a thanksgiving dinner,
00:42:43.78\00:42:46.79
she only had two
teeth and they said well now
00:42:47.30\00:42:50.35
maybe what are you
thankful for this year.
00:42:50.38\00:42:53.30
I thank God for two
perfectly good teeth.
00:42:53.34\00:42:56.23
Not a whole lot of
them, but man I tell you,
00:42:57.74\00:42:59.59
at thanksgiving that's
00:42:59.92\00:43:00.89
the thing you
wanna thank God for.
00:43:00.93\00:43:02.54
Amen.
00:43:02.57\00:43:03.54
Two perfectly good
teeth to just really enjoy
00:43:03.55\00:43:06.13
the meal and it
was funny about is,
00:43:06.16\00:43:08.92
she had one in the
upper jaw and one in the
00:43:08.96\00:43:12.23
lower jaw. It was
not like two on top.
00:43:12.26\00:43:14.47
And she used them.
00:43:14.95\00:43:15.92
And they worked
together to get that meal going.
00:43:15.93\00:43:18.55
And do you know, if all we
have are two functioning teeth.
00:43:19.19\00:43:22.76
Yeah.
00:43:22.79\00:43:23.76
That something to give
out thanks for but this story
00:43:23.77\00:43:25.88
illustrates in such a
very powerful and pointed way.
00:43:26.59\00:43:30.47
Yeah.
00:43:30.50\00:43:31.47
Of how important
it is to be thankful.
00:43:31.48\00:43:32.45
Follow it with me
I'm reading from the
00:43:32.50\00:43:34.20
New King James
Versión. Verse 11 says
00:43:34.24\00:43:35.87
"Now it happened as He
went to Jerusalem that is
00:43:35.91\00:43:39.97
Jesus went. That He
passed through the midst of
00:43:40.01\00:43:44.04
Samaria and Galilee.
00:43:44.49\00:43:46.14
Then as He
entered a certain village,
00:43:47.02\00:43:48.99
there met Him ten
men who were lepers,
00:43:49.76\00:43:54.03
who stood afar
off." And many of you know
00:43:54.50\00:43:57.12
that in the Bible
times lepers had to,
00:43:57.16\00:43:59.75
when they walk through
towns they had to announce
00:44:00.20\00:44:02.16
their entrance. You know leper,
00:44:02.19\00:44:03.55
leper and people scattered
in different directions
00:44:03.59\00:44:06.24
just to avoid the
plague of leprosy or any
00:44:06.27\00:44:09.58
contamination or be tainted.
00:44:09.61\00:44:11.77
And read the next verse for
us John if you have that there.
00:44:11.81\00:44:15.24
"And they lifted up
their voices and said,
00:44:15.62\00:44:17.51
"Jesus, Master,
have mercy on us."
00:44:17.54\00:44:20.37
Okay.
00:44:20.40\00:44:21.37
And so when He saw
them, He said to them,
00:44:21.38\00:44:23.40
"Go, show
yourselves to the priests."
00:44:23.69\00:44:25.79
And so it was that as they went,
00:44:26.33\00:44:28.90
they were cleansed.
00:44:28.93\00:44:30.08
Wow.
00:44:30.11\00:44:31.08
"And one of them, when
he saw that he was healed,
00:44:31.29\00:44:34.57
returned, and with a
loud voice glorified God.
00:44:34.60\00:44:37.85
Now another word of glorified
there is thankful, you know.
00:44:38.04\00:44:42.63
Thank God.
00:44:42.66\00:44:43.63
As we sing the song Give
Thanks With The Grateful Heart,
00:44:43.77\00:44:46.95
he returned and
he glorified God.
00:44:47.53\00:44:51.25
Well, that's a great
point I never thought about
00:44:51.29\00:44:53.80
it that much but the
word here is glorified.
00:44:53.83\00:44:56.31
Right.
00:44:56.34\00:44:57.31
I mean that they translated to
00:44:57.32\00:44:58.29
glorified this
not directly thanked.
00:44:58.30\00:44:59.54
Right.
00:44:59.57\00:45:00.54
But how connected
his thanked you know,
00:45:00.55\00:45:03.23
being thankful
to glorifying God.
00:45:03.26\00:45:05.54
Right.
00:45:05.57\00:45:06.54
It's got to be
absolutely connected.
00:45:06.55\00:45:09.02
Now catch this fear
God and give glory to him.
00:45:09.42\00:45:13.37
Yeah.
00:45:13.40\00:45:14.37
See in an hour when the
word is so filled with stuff
00:45:14.38\00:45:17.37
and so spoiled, if we
can use that phrase in many
00:45:17.40\00:45:20.82
societies that are
inundated with stuff.
00:45:20.85\00:45:22.65
What shall we be
doing at this time,
00:45:23.78\00:45:25.37
we should be
returning to give God thanks?
00:45:25.41\00:45:27.84
You know, we go
home our bed functions,
00:45:28.36\00:45:29.72
the lights are on, water is on,
00:45:29.75\00:45:31.73
the all that
utilities that we work.
00:45:31.77\00:45:33.73
Our cars filled with gasoline,
we've close in our closet,
00:45:33.77\00:45:36.61
food in our
refrigerator, heat in our homes.
00:45:36.86\00:45:39.49
And we get home and
say oh man I am just,
00:45:40.27\00:45:42.12
what's wrong with you?
00:45:44.34\00:45:45.31
I am just, I'm upset I
don't have and we began this
00:45:45.88\00:45:49.09
statement that way if we
could turned the worid upside
00:45:49.13\00:45:51.70
down and just sit where
you're and just have the Lord
00:45:51.73\00:45:53.88
spin the worid and we
end up in an another part of
00:45:53.91\00:45:56.04
country and somebody
that's turns up and ends up
00:45:56.07\00:45:58.22
in our seat they
would open their mouth with
00:45:58.26\00:46:00.38
glory to God.
They will glorify God.
00:46:00.41\00:46:03.31
But read the
rest of story for us,
00:46:04.00\00:46:05.04
look at this and
I'll stop you as we go on.
00:46:05.08\00:46:06.75
And what else did he do?
00:46:08.27\00:46:09.24
"With a loud
voice he glorified God,
00:46:09.25\00:46:10.66
and he fell down on
his face at his feet,
00:46:10.70\00:46:13.89
giving him thanks,
and he was a Samaritan."
00:46:13.92\00:46:17.04
Now who of makes that we
talked about the children
00:46:17.08\00:46:20.08
that had no faith, the
Israelites they had no faith.
00:46:20.11\00:46:23.08
Another example
of something that...
00:46:23.51\00:46:25.49
And let's used this
example the way I think Jesus
00:46:25.81\00:46:28.22
matter here is one thing
to call yourselves as son
00:46:28.25\00:46:31.11
or daughter of God. Its
one person it's one thing
00:46:31.14\00:46:34.12
to say you have all
this truth and that's in fact
00:46:34.15\00:46:37.10
the comparison here
because those who did not
00:46:37.60\00:46:41.33
come back to
glorify him or Israelites.
00:46:41.36\00:46:45.85
The one that came back
to give him glory was a
00:46:46.69\00:46:50.35
Samaritan. All lepers,
all cleansed but the Samaritan
00:46:50.57\00:46:54.91
who did never claimed
to have relationship with
00:46:55.26\00:46:57.47
Jesus was one that
came back glorified him and
00:46:57.50\00:46:59.68
fell down gave him thanks.
00:46:59.71\00:47:00.95
Now look at the question Jesus,
ask go to the next verse, John.
00:47:01.26\00:47:03.64
And Jesus answered and said,
00:47:04.38\00:47:05.86
"Were there not ten cleansed?
00:47:05.89\00:47:07.34
But where are the nine?
00:47:07.97\00:47:09.13
"Were there not any found
who returned to give glory
00:47:09.89\00:47:12.35
to God except this foreigner?"
00:47:12.38\00:47:13.95
And He said to
them, "Arise, go your way.
00:47:15.07\00:47:17.51
Your faith has made you
whole". And he said to him.
00:47:17.55\00:47:18.52
Did he said to
him, what did I say?
00:47:18.53\00:47:20.67
To them. I said to
him, "Arise go your way;
00:47:21.13\00:47:24.14
your faith has
made you well." Wow!
00:47:24.17\00:47:25.80
Okay notice, notice the
three things that are connected
00:47:25.84\00:47:28.35
there thanks,
faith and glorifying God.
00:47:28.38\00:47:33.48
Cannot be disconnected
His faith has made him whole.
00:47:35.09\00:47:38.61
He glorified God, He thanked
God interconnection faith,
00:47:39.27\00:47:44.78
glory and thanksgiving
interconnected right there
00:47:45.29\00:47:48.30
and you put and
single word in that,
00:47:48.60\00:47:50.01
that's gratitude that's
the package of gratitude.
00:47:50.05\00:47:52.46
Faith in Gods goodness,
faith that he would change
00:47:52.90\00:47:55.54
your life, thanks that
He did it and you will give
00:47:55.57\00:47:58.18
Him all the glory.
00:47:58.21\00:47:59.18
That's gratitude
that's the attitude to me.
00:47:59.27\00:48:01.45
Yeah.
00:48:01.48\00:48:02.45
The package of
gratitude what's in it?
00:48:02.46\00:48:03.43
Those three ingredients.
00:48:03.45\00:48:04.42
You know, and it's not something
00:48:04.43\00:48:05.97
I believe that
you can't conjure up.
00:48:06.24\00:48:08.10
Oh no, you can't.
00:48:09.06\00:48:10.03
I don't think you can
just say oh I'm gonna be more
00:48:10.04\00:48:11.19
grateful today.
00:48:11.22\00:48:12.19
You know we have
to pray about this,
00:48:12.89\00:48:14.49
I think sometimes we need
to repent that were ungrateful
00:48:14.53\00:48:17.58
and I find
myself you know, Lord,
00:48:17.61\00:48:19.63
I am sorry that I
just, I don't appreciate you
00:48:19.67\00:48:22.86
as much as I should.
00:48:22.89\00:48:24.08
And he honors that and
because I believe one of
00:48:25.24\00:48:28.32
the reason is because it's
God's will that we're grateful,
00:48:28.36\00:48:31.53
that we're thankful.
00:48:32.25\00:48:33.22
First
Thessalonians 5:18 look at that.
00:48:34.32\00:48:36.16
Oh that's a, you know
that's a wonderful passage.
00:48:36.80\00:48:38.67
First Thessalonians 5:18.
00:48:38.70\00:48:39.80
How many times have
you run through that,
00:48:39.84\00:48:40.82
read that, John.
00:48:40.85\00:48:41.82
"In everything give thanks;
00:48:41.90\00:48:44.19
for this is the will of
God in Christ Jesus for you."
00:48:44.82\00:48:49.03
Wow!
00:48:49.06\00:48:50.03
So God's will is that we
in everything give thanks.
00:48:50.04\00:48:52.63
Now if you
listening this program,
00:48:53.42\00:48:56.39
watching this
program. This isn't everything.
00:48:56.43\00:49:00.19
Yeah.
00:49:00.22\00:49:01.19
That's scary, because
what will make you in every
00:49:01.20\00:49:04.31
in situation give thanks
to God, what would make you
00:49:04.35\00:49:07.69
and everything
give thanks to God.
00:49:07.72\00:49:09.49
You have to ask
yourself that question because
00:49:09.75\00:49:12.46
it says in everything.
It didn't just say in the
00:49:12.49\00:49:14.21
good things, it didn't
just say on the bright days.
00:49:14.24\00:49:15.93
It says also in the clod
winter days when you have
00:49:16.31\00:49:18.84
to take more vitamin D.
00:49:18.87\00:49:20.08
In everything
give thanks to God.
00:49:20.59\00:49:22.14
You see it does say when
you cannot see the outcome,
00:49:22.82\00:49:25.66
when you don't have the
income to give thanks to God.
00:49:26.66\00:49:30.17
So why in everything,
00:49:30.82\00:49:31.82
how can we in
everything give thanks to God?
00:49:32.44\00:49:34.42
That in everything includes
in trails and struggles.
00:49:34.46\00:49:37.97
Okay.
00:49:38.00\00:49:38.97
And the challenges of
life, we should still be giving
00:49:38.98\00:49:41.34
thanks to God. I
don't think we find it easy
00:49:41.37\00:49:45.19
to give thanks
to Him for sending,
00:49:45.22\00:49:47.16
allowing the challenge,
the trail, the struggle.
00:49:47.20\00:49:49.60
But we sure can
give thanks to the Lord
00:49:50.36\00:49:52.17
that He is with us in
the trail and the struggle.
00:49:52.21\00:49:54.33
Yeah, you ever
dropped a weight on your foot.
00:49:55.47\00:49:58.22
Oh, yeah. Something heavy.
00:49:58.90\00:50:00.13
I remember when I was a
kid, I picked that I tried to
00:50:00.17\00:50:03.07
show off my friends I
could pick up this rock
00:50:03.10\00:50:05.04
and it was boulder
like, like this it's huge.
00:50:05.73\00:50:08.23
And I was probably nine,
picked up this rock and it
00:50:08.27\00:50:12.27
slipped out of my hands
and right on my right big toe.
00:50:12.31\00:50:16.28
And I mean I pulled
off my sock and blood was
00:50:17.27\00:50:19.75
coming out of
the bottom of my toe.
00:50:19.78\00:50:21.17
Oh it was a miserable
thing for us seems like
00:50:21.21\00:50:23.46
months to come.
00:50:23.49\00:50:24.46
But, I'll tell
you that hurt, so yes.
00:50:25.24\00:50:29.56
Yeah, when you think of
weight and I was looking
00:50:30.06\00:50:32.60
at a different
analogy of weight but that,
00:50:32.63\00:50:34.54
that does fit.
00:50:34.57\00:50:35.54
I mean that sure does
give you I think in that case
00:50:35.55\00:50:37.47
you could think you're
glad it wasn't your whole foot
00:50:37.51\00:50:39.58
that was bleeding.
00:50:39.61\00:50:40.58
That's a way to look at
it, it would have been worse.
00:50:41.14\00:50:43.52
Yes.
00:50:43.55\00:50:44.52
And truly in many
situations that you face in life
00:50:44.53\00:50:46.00
it could be worse.
00:50:46.03\00:50:47.00
But what I was
thinking of is when you says in
00:50:47.01\00:50:50.78
everything give thanks.
00:50:50.81\00:50:51.79
If you were not a child
of God you would have reason
00:50:52.57\00:50:54.87
to worry, but because
we are children of God
00:50:54.90\00:50:57.88
you know we driving on
a highway and let's use
00:50:58.47\00:51:00.48
Florida as a wonderful example.
00:51:00.51\00:51:01.92
Florida has that
changeable whether the midwest
00:51:01.96\00:51:04.66
has it also. But in Florida
as I was driving going to Miami
00:51:04.70\00:51:08.12
once left Orlando was
nice and sunny and bright,
00:51:08.15\00:51:10.81
and I looked at the
road in front of me.
00:51:11.19\00:51:13.56
My wife and I caught
a glimpse of the clouds.
00:51:13.60\00:51:15.48
John, it was like black death,
a wall of water in front of us.
00:51:15.84\00:51:19.75
And as we got closer, it
went from a drizzle to a,
00:51:19.78\00:51:22.80
to a vehemently
torrential downpour.
00:51:23.15\00:51:26.26
We had to pull off the
road, it was water coming in
00:51:27.01\00:51:28.90
through the seals in
the car that's how heavy
00:51:28.93\00:51:30.50
it was raining.
And but you know,
00:51:30.53\00:51:33.20
that's not the
movement you thank the Lord,
00:51:33.24\00:51:34.71
because you can't see we
pulled off the road almost
00:51:34.75\00:51:37.31
hit a motorcycle
pulling under the overpass.
00:51:37.34\00:51:40.06
But I want to say this
and this is the spiritual
00:51:40.45\00:51:43.23
comparison whatever
dirt that was on that car
00:51:43.26\00:51:46.01
before we went
in that rainstorm,
00:51:46.04\00:51:47.67
there was not a speck of
dirt after we went through.
00:51:48.70\00:51:50.72
So, sometimes the
downpours in our lives is the
00:51:51.45\00:51:54.07
very thing we need
to clean ourselves.
00:51:54.10\00:51:55.82
So, that's why God
says I know that every,
00:51:56.51\00:52:01.63
we know that all things
work together for good to
00:52:02.15\00:52:04.03
those who love God to
those who're the called
00:52:04.06\00:52:05.91
according to His purpose.
00:52:05.94\00:52:06.97
Some of you maybe in
your life where you're living
00:52:07.52\00:52:10.79
through that downpour of
health of a lack of finances,
00:52:10.83\00:52:14.07
of no job, of a broken
home, it's pouring rain,
00:52:14.44\00:52:19.75
but if you trust God in
it I can guarantee like in my
00:52:20.15\00:52:22.95
situation when
you come to that John,
00:52:22.98\00:52:25.49
all that dirt that was
in your life before will be
00:52:25.85\00:52:28.16
washed away.
00:52:28.19\00:52:29.16
Because trials have a
way of bringing us before God
00:52:29.17\00:52:31.81
in a cleansing experience
and helping us to see the
00:52:32.11\00:52:34.66
difference between
religion we thought we had
00:52:34.69\00:52:36.52
and now the Christ
that we now know we do have.
00:52:36.87\00:52:39.24
It makes a
difference and gratitude is the
00:52:39.86\00:52:41.23
big part of it.
00:52:41.26\00:52:42.23
You thank God for
bringing you through,
00:52:42.24\00:52:43.67
but then you
realize you could now
00:52:44.32\00:52:46.00
thank God for
allowing you to get into it.
00:52:46.04\00:52:47.89
Right. You see.
00:52:47.92\00:52:49.44
You know as I, you
know I think about this,
00:52:50.50\00:52:53.93
this whole life of gratitude
and I think what we're gonna
00:52:53.97\00:52:57.16
get into in the next
program here because this one
00:52:57.19\00:52:58.92
is quickly closing up.
00:52:58.95\00:53:01.05
Is how can we live our life
in an attitude of gratitude,
00:53:01.52\00:53:05.72
how do we live our life
everyday and it's not just,
00:53:06.85\00:53:08.87
that's why I didn't
choose the word thankful.
00:53:09.15\00:53:10.97
Right.
00:53:11.00\00:53:11.99
You know one person said
gratitude is the attitude of
00:53:12.03\00:53:15.47
one's heart. Thankfulness
is the exercise of one's mouth.
00:53:15.50\00:53:18.91
So, being thankful and saying
you're thankful is one think
00:53:20.13\00:53:22.51
and we should we're
thankful to the Lord.
00:53:22.54\00:53:24.52
But he wants us to
allow that heart of gratitude
00:53:25.14\00:53:29.63
to be expressed
in other ways besides
00:53:29.93\00:53:31.98
just saying we're thankful.
00:53:32.01\00:53:33.30
Right.
00:53:33.33\00:53:34.30
He wants our life to
show that we're thankful,
00:53:34.31\00:53:36.22
and that's why I wanted
to put together in a program
00:53:37.19\00:53:40.47
various things that we
can show that we can live,
00:53:40.50\00:53:43.75
ways we can live to
show that we're grateful.
00:53:43.91\00:53:47.55
That we've gratitude to
God for what He has done
00:53:48.07\00:53:51.48
for us. So, because
here's a text, another one,
00:53:51.51\00:53:54.89
Colossians 3:17 And
whatever you do in word
00:53:56.30\00:54:00.40
or what deed, deed do all
in the name of the Lord Jesus,
00:54:00.52\00:54:05.68
giving thanks to
God and the Father,
00:54:05.71\00:54:08.74
God the Father through Him.
00:54:09.02\00:54:10.34
So, whether you do it in word
or indeed or to give thanks.
00:54:11.08\00:54:14.64
Were to give thanks, so
we can live a life and be
00:54:16.49\00:54:21.02
thankful in how we live our life
00:54:21.05\00:54:22.93
as much as say we're thankful.
00:54:22.97\00:54:24.82
Yeah.
00:54:24.85\00:54:25.82
And that's the key,
that's the important part I
00:54:25.83\00:54:27.62
wanted to kind of get
across here with this program
00:54:27.66\00:54:29.66
is how do we
live our life showing
00:54:29.69\00:54:32.31
that we're grateful to God?
00:54:32.34\00:54:33.76
Wow! That's right,
how do you do that?
00:54:33.80\00:54:35.64
And that's something
because people hear the theory
00:54:36.00\00:54:38.77
you know all these texts
that we quote about living
00:54:38.81\00:54:41.55
our lives with grateful hearts,
00:54:41.58\00:54:43.63
grateful hearts it brings to
a situation where all the pieces
00:54:43.99\00:54:48.30
of cake are being passed
out and the slice you get
00:54:48.33\00:54:51.56
you're thankful for.
People that don't have attitudes
00:54:51.81\00:54:55.46
of gratitude they're
looking for the big slice, yeah,
00:54:55.49\00:54:59.11
but people that have
an attitude of gratitude,
00:54:59.14\00:55:01.23
the slice comes
around to them and its okay,
00:55:01.97\00:55:04.55
it's just fine, this is
good enough for me. Yeah.
00:55:05.09\00:55:07.22
And I have seen
situations were you've both,
00:55:07.25\00:55:09.04
little kids that they'll
take this thing like a shovel
00:55:09.55\00:55:12.21
and pile food on their
plate and the adults that come
00:55:12.24\00:55:14.87
way down the roads
scraping whatever is left.
00:55:14.90\00:55:17.62
People say do you
need more I'm, I'm just,
00:55:19.01\00:55:21.13
I'm okay, I'm
fine, I'll be all right.
00:55:21.16\00:55:23.25
That's not just a humble
spirit, but sometimes that's
00:55:23.80\00:55:26.09
an attitude of
gratitude realizing
00:55:26.12\00:55:27.67
this is really
what I really need.
00:55:28.10\00:55:29.54
Yeah. And that's
make a difference.
00:55:29.58\00:55:30.99
Let's end this
program with Psalm 34.
00:55:31.67\00:55:34.45
Okay. Psalm 34 verses 1, 2, 3.
00:55:34.72\00:55:37.17
Okay.
00:55:37.20\00:55:38.17
I will bless the
Lord at all times,
00:55:38.18\00:55:40.46
His praise shall
continually be in my mouth.
00:55:42.09\00:55:45.29
My soul shall make
it's boast in the Lord.
00:55:45.91\00:55:48.30
The humble shall
hear of it, and be glad.
00:55:48.94\00:55:51.66
O magnify the Lord with me,
00:55:52.33\00:55:54.17
and let us exalt
his name together.
00:55:54.21\00:55:56.55
Wow! And I think praise
and, and the way we bless,
00:55:56.59\00:56:01.42
let me put it in a
little different way.
00:56:01.94\00:56:03.04
When we're grateful
and we're thanking the Lord
00:56:03.08\00:56:05.05
and we're praising His name
from that heart of gratitude.
00:56:05.09\00:56:08.28
That is the way
that we bless God.
00:56:09.15\00:56:11.38
Some have a problem with that,
00:56:11.98\00:56:13.24
what do you mean you bless God?
00:56:13.64\00:56:14.80
Though he blesses us,
no the Bible actually says
00:56:14.84\00:56:17.85
that we bless God as
well by what we returned him
00:56:17.89\00:56:20.87
in the form of thanksgiving
and gratitude, praise,
00:56:21.17\00:56:25.68
all those things. And
so what kind of a life,
00:56:27.08\00:56:28.72
look at this next time,
what ways can our life live?
00:56:29.13\00:56:31.58
When can we live our
life showing that our heart
00:56:31.89\00:56:34.52
truly is grateful?
And if its not then let's
00:56:34.55\00:56:36.84
pray about it and make
sure that we establish,
00:56:36.88\00:56:39.10
allow the Lord to establish
that grateful heart in us.
00:56:39.14\00:56:43.29
You know when we think
of God as owning everything,
00:56:43.91\00:56:45.95
the question we often ask
ourselves is there anything
00:56:45.99\00:56:48.00
we can give back to God.
00:56:48.03\00:56:49.28
Yes, the Lord inhabits
the praises of His people.
00:56:49.75\00:56:53.68
He inhabits our houses?
00:56:54.62\00:56:55.72
Yes, He inhabits
our worship, yes.
00:56:55.76\00:56:57.68
But He inhabits the
praises of his people and this
00:56:58.05\00:57:00.96
attitude this, this,
this topic on gratitude,
00:57:00.99\00:57:03.64
it's a non denominational topic.
00:57:03.67\00:57:05.73
But I like about it but
when we talk about lot of
00:57:05.77\00:57:07.41
issues at, can be identified
with specific denominations,
00:57:07.45\00:57:10.26
but if you're a
Christian or person who wants
00:57:10.29\00:57:12.41
his or her life to be enhanced,
00:57:12.44\00:57:13.65
the attitude of gratitude
is so significant to have
00:57:14.02\00:57:16.51
and we're gonna talk
about that more on our next
00:57:16.83\00:57:19.21
upcoming program. But
we do believe that when
00:57:19.24\00:57:21.67
count your blessings
and name them one by one
00:57:21.70\00:57:24.48
as the writer says then
it will surprise you what
00:57:24.52\00:57:27.01
the Lord has done.
Begin counting those blessings
00:57:27.04\00:57:29.50
today and you'll
see how much gratitude
00:57:29.53\00:57:31.96
you'll find in
your Lord Jesus Christ.
00:57:31.99\00:57:34.39