>>Announcer: It has
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Still relevant in
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>>Chris: Do you remember the
tune? Certainly you remember the
words. Two all beef patties,
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special sauce, lettuce, cheese,
pickles all on a sesame seed
bun. That's right the infamous
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Big Mac. Whatever your thoughts
on a Big Mac may be, a study was
done a few years ago called "The
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Big Mac and the Ten
Commandments." I won't ask how
many of you have eaten a Big
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Mac. That little jingle has
stuck in the mind of millions
for many years? You know, the
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sad thing is that I haven't
eaten a Big Mac in a long, long
time. Yet, I am able to think of
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the ingredients with relative
ease. Here's the amazing thing,
the survey that they took shows
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that more people can name the
seven ingredients in a
McDonald's Big Mac than the Ten
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Commandments. Prepare for
yourself to be shocked. They
surveyed 1,000 people, and it
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showed that 80% of the people
could name the sandwich's
primary ingredient of two
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all-beef patties, but less than
60% of the people recalled the
commandment "Thou shalt not
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kill." Let that sink in for a
moment. They found 45% could
recall the commandment "Honour
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your father and mother," while
76% remembered the Big Mac
ingredient lettuce. 75% knew
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sesame seed bun. 66% knew
special sauce. 62% knew pickles.
60% knew cheese. But don't miss
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the point. All of those
ingredients are more than the
people could recall "Honour your
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father and mother." It is
remarkable that in this day and
age, more people know that there
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are pickles on a Big Mac than
the commandment "Thou shalt not
kill." What is happening in our
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society? A society where more
people know that a sesame seed
bun is a part of the ingredients
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of a sandwich from the golden
arches than the commandment
"Honour your father and your
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mother." What's happening in our
society? You see, something is
going on in our society. We read
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the newspaper, we watch the
news, we read the internet.
Lines are being blurred, and
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moral standards which were once
rock-solid are seemingly
non-existent. It seems that our
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society has turned its back on
God's moral standards. If we
look into the world of
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entertainment, we find competing
values. Many studies have been
done on this. The average
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18-year-old - let this sink in
now - the average 18-year-old
has witnessed 200,000 violent
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acts on television and in the
movies, including 40,000
murders. Let that sink in for a
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moment. What does that do to the
mindset, that someone witnesses
violent acts and murder? It has
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desensitized our society. And
what we're seeing and that the
research reveals is the Biblical
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reality, that by beholding, we
become changed. After you
witness violent act after
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violent act, murder after
murder, it becomes much easier
to pull the trigger. I'll never
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forget when I was in high
school, when we received news in
my 11th-grade year, that one of
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my classmates had been sitting
in the back of a car, and
someone approached their car,
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whose hat was turned just the
wrong way, whose shirt happened
to be the wrong colour, whose
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pants were rolled up on one side
- the wrong side. And this
classmate of mine, pulled out a
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gun and killed this young man.
Later he went to trial, was
found guilty and was sentenced
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to 65 years in prison.
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And you think about this, this
is what's happening in society.
It's becoming easier to pull the
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trigger, because if we're
pulling the trigger in video
games, how much easier is it?
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When we're playing video games
that are focussed with one
primary goal - how many kills
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can you achieve - it becomes
much easier to do it in real
life. Children who identify
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with aggressive TV characters
and perceive the violence to be
realistic are most at risk for
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later aggression, according to
the American Psychological
Association. In 2013, the Youth
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Risk Behaviour Survey found this
among high school students
during the past - what does it
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say? - 30 days: 35% of them
drank alcohol. I would remind
you, in high school, you're
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under the age of 18. 21% binge
drank; 10% drove while drinking
alcohol; 22% rode with a driver
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who had been drinking alcohol.
You see, it's starting younger
and younger and younger. Last
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year, I went to Nunavut, and in
Nunavut, we are doing a special
project to bring Bibles in
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Inuktitut, the language of the
Inuit peopleand we're also
working to build community
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centres where churches can meet,
but are used on a daily basis.
However while I was there, I met
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young people 8 and 9 years old,
and this young man who was 8
years old, the first question he
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asked me was not, what's my
name, where are you from? The
first question he asked me was,
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"Do you use drugs?" Why did he
ask me that question? Because he
lived in a home where his
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parents were doing drugs, drugs
that they were obtaining from
outsiders, workers, who were
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bringing them in and selling
them. Then the parents would buy
the drugs and have no money for
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food. And then the children
could not eat. And then the
children would steal the
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parents' drugs. So you have
eight-year-olds, this
eight-year-old in particular,
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who was regularly smoking
marijuana. It's becoming younger
and younger. Our society
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seems to be in decay. One-third
of teenagers report that they
have used some illicit drug at
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some point in their lives.
According to some statistics 57%
of all men, 54% of all women
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report some type of marital
infidelity. A more disturbing
statistic is this, when asked
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the question, would you have an
affair if you never got caught?
74% of men said they would. 68%
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of women said they would. What's
happening in our society? What's
going on? There is moral
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decay in our society.
Pornography is rampant.
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When I was in school, and I had
to preach on the seventh
commandment - thou shalt not
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commit adultery - and I was in a
preaching class, and so you
know, when you preach to
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preachers, it's a little
intimidating, but I wanted to
make it relevant, so I started
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doing research. And the research
indicates that anywhere between
45 and 55% of all pastors have
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some form of pornographic
material on their computers at
that very moment. By the way,
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that's not to denigrate the
pastors; that's to demonstrate
the challenges we are facing in
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the eroding moral situation in
this country. You see, Proverbs
28:26 gives this little snippet,
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but how powerful it is:
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That's what's happening in our
society. We see it all around.
But today, we will look, because
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this is not what God intended.
You see the Jerusalem factor is
all about turning our eyes
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upward toward heaven and looking
to the new Jerusalem. To the
tabernacle made by God and not
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man and seek to find answers the
ever quickening moral decay or
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our society. Let's step back in
time, over 3,000 years ago, God
wrote some things in stone,
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that, if applied to the society
in Canada, the society in all of
North America, and the society
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around the world for that
matter.that would make a marked
difference in what is happening
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in society today. You see, Psalm
111 verses 7 to 9 says this:
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How long? Forever and ever. That
is powerful. You see, God wrote
His precepts, which is
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another word for laws or
regulations. He wrote them, that
they would stand forever. But
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God's law is under attack. But
you know, it is very
interesting, the book of Daniel
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actually predicts exactly what's
happening in society, because
there's an entity working to
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actually tear down the law of
God. We've read about it before
in Daniel chapter 7 and
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verse 25:
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He [speaking of that little
horn, religiopolitical power],
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Whose law is he trying to
change? God's law. So now we
have this entity that's actually
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trying to change the law.
Additionally in Daniel 8:25 this
little horn power is doing all
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he can to undermine
God's governance, it says:
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Who's the Prince of princes?
Jesus Christ Himself. But then
interestingly enough, when you
00:11:59.28\00:12:07.76
go to Daniel chapter 11, this
same little horn power is at it
once again, and it says that he
00:12:07.86\00:12:13.93
shall turn in rage against the
holy covenant. Whose covenant is
the holy covenant? That's God's
00:12:14.00\00:12:20.80
covenant. You see, Daniel told
us that at the end of time, when
this little horn power would
00:12:20.90\00:12:27.94
rise, in the judgement hour,
that this little horn power
would actually work to change
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the law, actually work against
the law, actually work against
the very name of God.
00:12:33.42\00:12:44.79
Why is this all important? Other
than the obvious reason of the
fact that the law of God is
00:12:46.13\00:12:51.63
the law of God. The book of
Revelation says something very
interesting about those who will
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be on the earth during the time
of the end. In Revelation
chapter 12 and verse 17, it
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talks about the dragon. Who is
the dragon? It is Satan. He was
enraged with the woman. In Bible
00:13:07.08\00:13:18.23
prophecy, a woman represents the
church. And he went to make war
with who? The rest of her
00:13:18.33\00:13:27.30
offspring. If you're reading
from the King James Version, it
says "the remnant of her Seed."
00:13:27.40\00:13:35.41
What is that talking about?
That's talking about those who
are God's people that are
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leftover that look like the
original intention of God's
people. And how are they
00:13:41.45\00:13:46.52
defined?
00:13:46.62\00:13:51.76
You see, the book of Daniel
talks about the law of God being
attacked. The book of Revelation
00:14:01.74\00:14:06.27
says that God's people, at the
end of time, will be keepers of
the commandments of God. And
00:14:06.37\00:14:12.95
this is not just one isolated
verse, by the way. Revelation
00:14:13.05\00:14:18.32
14:12 says: Please don't miss
the point of these verses. They
are two different verses that
00:14:31.60\00:14:36.40
describe what God's end-time
people look like. Those who are
on the earth, faithful to God,
00:14:36.50\00:14:43.24
awaiting the return of Jesus,
both of these verses say they
will be keeping the
00:14:43.35\00:14:50.12
commandments. And here's the
amazing thing about the Ten
Commandments. Even though the
00:14:50.22\00:14:54.66
Ten Commandments were written
sometime about 3500 years ago,
the Ten Commandments speak with
00:14:54.76\00:15:02.06
relevance and meaning to the
21st century. Now, let me
clarify what I just said. God
00:15:02.16\00:15:09.04
wrote it in stone and gave it to
Moses 3500 years ago. But we're
going to see in our study, that
00:15:09.14\00:15:16.28
God's law has not existed only
for 3500 years. The Bible says
that God's law is eternal.
00:15:16.38\00:15:23.15
But look at these commandments.
What would happen in society
today? What would happen - and
00:15:25.35\00:15:32.99
let's not make it so big - what
would happen in Calgary or
Toronto or St John's or
00:15:33.09\00:15:39.93
Vancouver, what would happen in
Canada, if no one placed any
other God before the God of
00:15:40.04\00:15:48.34
heaven? Now, I'm not talking
about forced religion. What if
people placed God first in their
00:15:48.44\00:15:59.79
life? What would happen? What
would happen if we lived in a
society where people did not
00:15:59.89\00:16:04.09
worship idols? And by the way,
when I speak of worshipping
idols, don't say in your mind,
00:16:04.19\00:16:09.00
"Oh, I don't have any statues in
my house." But idols being, "th
worshipping people or events or
00:16:09.10\00:16:18.97
other things, and caring about
those things more than I do
about God." What would happen in
00:16:19.07\00:16:24.45
our society if the name of God
was never taken in vain? You
know, I travel a lot, and I'll
00:16:24.55\00:16:29.45
never forget, not too long ago,
we were travelling at the same
time, we were sitting in the
00:16:29.55\00:16:36.06
lounge waiting for our airplane,
and there was a man across the
way that - and I'm not being
00:16:36.16\00:16:42.36
judgemental of him, I'm simply
making an observation -
literally, not figuratively,
00:16:42.46\00:16:47.54
literally, every other word out
of his mouth was a foul word.
And I just sat there, and I
00:16:47.64\00:16:54.01
said, "You know, I think I'm
going to turn my phone on and
I'm going to record him, and
00:16:54.11\00:16:59.21
then when it's really quiet, I'm
going to play it back really
loud, so he can hear what he
00:16:59.31\00:17:04.55
sounds like. Now, I didn't do
that, but imagine a society with
00:17:04.65\00:17:14.83
clean language. What would
happen in a society that's
overburdened, stressed, and full
00:17:16.33\00:17:22.64
of people who are suffering from
anxiety, to remember what God
said, that we should have one
00:17:22.74\00:17:30.18
day that is completely dedicated
to God? What would happen in
society if children honoured
00:17:30.28\00:17:37.12
their father and mother? By the
way, let me expand upon that.
What would happen in a society
00:17:37.22\00:17:43.63
that children honoured their
father and mother because their
father and mother were
00:17:43.73\00:17:50.07
honourable? But by the way,
that's not a condition of the
commandment. But what would
00:17:50.17\00:17:54.14
happen? What would happen in a
society where no one killed each
other? I'm going to tell you
00:17:54.24\00:17:59.01
what would happen in society.
Every news outlet would go out
of business. What would happen
00:17:59.11\00:18:04.95
in a society where there was no
adultery? Where there was no
adultery, no infidelity, ever?
00:18:05.05\00:18:10.25
What would happen in that
society? What would happen in a
society where no one stole
00:18:10.35\00:18:14.96
anything, where everyone
honoured the realities of
ownership? What would happen in
00:18:15.06\00:18:20.00
a society where no one lied, no
one bore false witness against
their neighbour? What would
00:18:20.10\00:18:24.73
happen in a society? What would
happen in a society where no one
coveted other people's stuff?
00:18:24.83\00:18:31.61
And I'm going to hit the pause
button, because I want to be
very clear in what I'm about to
00:18:31.71\00:18:40.88
say. I believe in God. I have
given my life to Jesus Christ.
But here's what I want to ask,
00:18:40.98\00:18:46.09
for the sceptic that may be
watching or listening right now.
Even if God did not exist, tell
00:18:46.19\00:19:00.54
me that God's laws would not
make society a better place.
Imagine for a moment - which I
00:19:00.64\00:19:07.34
don't believe - but imagine for
a moment that God didn't exist,
imagine for a moment that the
00:19:07.44\00:19:12.75
entirety of the Bible - which I
do not believe - but imagine it
was all just a fairytale - which
00:19:12.85\00:19:19.82
again I do not believe. But
imagine that we lived, each one
of us, lived our lives in
00:19:19.92\00:19:28.93
accordance with the Ten
Commandments, and we got to the
end of our life and found out
00:19:29.03\00:19:34.80
that Jesus really wasn't coming
again. Would we be worse for the
wear to live in such a way?
00:19:34.90\00:19:40.78
But here's the beauty of it all:
God does exist. Jesus is coming
soon. And Jesus is coming
00:19:44.25\00:19:49.78
to set up a kingdom that looks
like that. And it's a beautiful
thing. You see, God's law is the
00:19:49.88\00:19:58.93
very foundation of His throne.
It's the foundation of His
governance. And God's law is
00:19:59.03\00:20:04.40
eternal. It is the eternal moral
standard which defines sin and
establishes our accountability
00:20:04.50\00:20:13.11
to God. That is the Jerusalem
factor. There exists an
unchangeable moral standard for
00:20:13.21\00:20:22.88
all time. So I want you to
notice now, we're going to try
to understand why the law
00:20:22.98\00:20:28.79
exists, because there is a lot
of discussion in Christianity
about the law of God, with many
00:20:28.89\00:20:34.76
Christians ignoring the law
of God. But 1 John 3:4 is very
00:20:34.86\00:20:42.10
clear. Other versions will say
that sin is the transgression of
the law. You see, sin is defined
00:20:55.78\00:21:02.96
by God's law. Sin is when we
break God's law. How do we
identify sin? How do we know
00:21:03.06\00:21:09.86
what sin is? God's law defines
it for us. The beauty of that
is, there's no floating
00:21:09.96\00:21:16.50
definition of what is sin. So
that way there is no
relativistic approach to moral
00:21:16.60\00:21:25.28
living, a what is sin for you is
not sin for me, no, no, no. In
God's law, what is sin, is sin
00:21:25.38\00:21:38.43
There is great beauty in God's
law, because when you talk about
God's law, some Christian
00:21:38.53\00:21:42.66
preachers will say, "That's very
restrictive," but see, God's law
is the pathway to freedom and
00:21:42.76\00:21:55.11
genuine happiness.
Notice, James 2:12:
00:21:55.21\00:22:01.75
Do you want true freedom? Are
you looking for liberty from
those things that bind you down?
00:22:09.32\00:22:15.20
Come to Jesus. He is the one who
authored the ten commandments. A
moral standard of living that
00:22:15.30\00:22:24.01
leads to freedom and liberty. He
gives us the enabling strength
to abide by His word. There is
00:22:24.11\00:22:34.45
more to say about God's law and
the Jerusalem Factor, but we are
all out of time. Friend, let us
00:22:34.55\00:22:42.59
cling to Jesus, the Author and
finisher of our faith who has
given us a standard to live by.
00:22:42.69\00:22:51.07
Take my life, let it be
00:22:52.90\00:22:58.74
Consecrated, Lord, to Thee
00:22:59.44\00:23:04.98
Take my moments and my days
00:23:05.21\00:23:10.82
Let them flow
in ceaseless praise
00:23:11.05\00:23:16.56
Let them flow
in ceaseless praise
00:23:16.79\00:23:24.27
Take my hands, let them move
00:23:27.44\00:23:32.97
At the impulse of Thy love
00:23:33.21\00:23:38.75
Take my feet and let them be
00:23:39.05\00:23:44.95
Swift and beautiful for Thee
00:23:45.19\00:23:50.56
Swift and beautiful for Thee
00:23:50.83\00:23:57.53
I am yours, set apart for you
00:23:57.83\00:24:03.14
I am yours,
hungry for your truth
00:24:03.64\00:24:09.04
Take my life, you
are all I live for
00:24:09.41\00:24:15.08
I am yours
00:24:15.42\00:24:20.49
Take my voice, let me sing
00:24:22.56\00:24:27.96
Always only for my King
00:24:28.23\00:24:33.94
Take my lips and let them be
00:24:34.54\00:24:39.91
Filled with messages from Thee
00:24:40.58\00:24:46.05
Filled with messages from Thee
00:24:46.45\00:24:52.79
I am yours, set apart for you
00:24:53.15\00:24:58.49
I am yours,
hungry for your truth
00:24:58.86\00:25:04.20
Take my life, you
are all I live for
00:25:04.53\00:25:10.44
I am yours
00:25:10.97\00:25:16.14
Take my will and make it Thine
00:25:18.45\00:25:23.59
It shall be no longer mine
00:25:24.19\00:25:29.56
Take my heart, it is Thine own
00:25:30.09\00:25:35.70
It shall be Thy royal throne
00:25:36.30\00:25:41.77
It shall be Thy royal throne
00:25:42.14\00:25:47.81
I am yours, set apart for you
00:25:49.11\00:25:54.28
I am yours,
hungry for your truth
00:25:54.82\00:26:00.19
Take my life, you
are all I live for
00:26:00.52\00:26:06.33
I am yours, set apart for you
00:26:06.56\00:26:11.67
I am yours,
hungry for your truth
00:26:12.00\00:26:17.04
Take my life, you
are all I live for
00:26:17.64\00:26:23.28
I am yours
00:26:26.05\00:26:32.02
I am yours
00:26:32.55\00:26:36.32
I am yours
00:26:37.86\00:26:44.70
My dear friends much of
Christianity has been confused
on the role of God's law. Today
00:26:51.11\00:26:56.48
I want to offer you a little
booklet called "Does God's grace
blot out the law". It will help
00:26:56.58\00:27:02.68
you understand more about this
law of liberty. Here's the
information you need to receive
00:27:02.78\00:27:08.42
today's offer.
00:27:08.52\00:27:10.13
My dear friend, God has, as the
foundation of His government, a
law of liberty - a law that
00:28:10.62\00:28:17.13
gives you freedom from sin that
you might walk in His ways. I
hope today that you found
00:28:17.23\00:28:22.73
freedom in Jesus. I'd invite you
to join us again next week Until
then remember, man shall
00:28:22.83\00:28:30.17
not live by bread alone, but
by every word that proceeds from
00:28:30.27\00:28:37.41