¤¤ ¤¤ >> It has
stood the test of
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time -- God's book, the Bible
-- still relevant in today's
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complex world. ¤¤
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"It Is Written," sharing
messages of hope around the
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world. ¤¤
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>> Thank you for joining
us on "It Is Written Canada."
00:00:40.00\00:00:42.57
Have you ever seen the bumper
sticker that says "God accepts
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you the way that you are, but He
loves you too much to leave you
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that way"?
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It's really a question of
growth. And we've been talking
00:00:50.08\00:00:53.82
to presenter and Christian
author Lee Venden, and he's been
introducing us to an
00:00:53.82\00:00:59.05
illustration of a three-legged
stool, and really it's about
making Christianity real
00:00:59.05\00:01:04.16
and connecting with God. And
those three legs of the stool,
it's just an illustration
00:01:04.16\00:01:08.16
of these building blocks of
connecting with God through
reading His word, through prayer
00:01:08.16\00:01:13.50
and through sharing what you
have received by connecting with
Him through Bible study and
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prayer. >> And having a
meaningful relationship, a real
00:01:18.31\00:01:22.34
relationship. >> Yeah.
So, Lee, when you talk about
00:01:22.34\00:01:25.51
this, isn't it the question of
growth? Like, how do we continue
00:01:25.51\00:01:30.12
to go and hit the target and
not feel like such a failure at
00:01:30.12\00:01:33.46
times? >> Well, yeah, when you
say is it a question of growth,
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that's what the devil
would like to have us think.
00:01:35.79\00:01:37.46
He puts it into our head
that we're not growing rapidly
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enough.
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We're not overcoming, we're not
becoming more like Jesus. He
says, "You know, you're sure
00:01:40.36\00:01:43.47
messed up." And it puts me
in mind -- growth -- puts me in
00:01:43.47\00:01:47.44
mind of Jesus in John 15. He
said, "I'm the vine, you are the
00:01:47.44\00:01:52.11
branches. If you abide in Me and
I abide in you, you will bear
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much fruit." But He doesn't talk
to us about bearing fruit. He
talks to us about abiding.
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And that's kind of like saying
if you would spend time with me
daily, that would be the
00:02:01.08\00:02:05.49
abiding, you will
bear much fruit. >> Right.
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>> And so the focus is not on my
performance or my overcoming or
my becoming more like Jesus.
00:02:07.89\00:02:14.63
The focus is on just Jesus. >>
Yeah. >> Just get to know Jesus.
00:02:14.63\00:02:18.23
And He's saying that's what's
going to make the difference.
That's kind of like we've got
00:02:18.23\00:02:21.34
this broom here that we have on
the set, and we would like to
just try and demonstrate that,
00:02:21.34\00:02:25.31
Mike, so I can give you
the broom. If you would be kind
00:02:25.31\00:02:27.94
enough to take an open palm and
put one end if the broom, put
the broom there, and then I want
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you to try and balance the
broom, but only look down at
your hand. Only look down.
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Don't hit your wife! [ Laughter
] Okay. Okay. Okay. Alright.
00:02:37.52\00:02:41.22
Let's try it again. This
time use one finger, not an open
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palm, and look at the top of
the room instead and see how it
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works. >> Wow. >> Whoa.
>> There you go. >> It works.
00:02:48.86\00:02:51.40
>> There you go. >> So if I
keep looking up, I can do it.
00:02:51.40\00:02:55.50
>> That's exactly the point. I
think that's what Jesus is
trying to say right here.
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>> Yeah. >> He's like, "Keep
looking at Me, and I'll produce
00:02:58.97\00:03:02.64
fruit in your life." >> Yes.
>> If I don't see that fruit
00:03:02.64\00:03:05.81
being produced, if I feel like I
flopped and failed, oh, man,
then the devil's whispering.
00:03:05.81\00:03:09.98
He saying, "You blew it. In
fact, you know what? You just
soiled your spiritual
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diaper and you stink. Certainly
you aren't planning to to go sit
with Jesus right now
00:03:14.66\00:03:18.46
smelling like that." >> Yeah, he
wants us to feel guilty, right?
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>> So maybe it's a question of
not being sincere enough. >>
That's what some people
00:03:23.16\00:03:28.84
would suggest. They may say if
you're more sincere you wouldn't
00:03:28.84\00:03:31.97
keep flopping and failing.
>> Yeah. >> And I remember a guy
00:03:31.97\00:03:34.31
coming to me one time, and
he said, "Pastor, would you pray
00:03:34.31\00:03:37.31
for me?" And I said, "What would
you like me to pray for?" He
said, "I'd like you to pray
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that I could be more sincere
about following Jesus and living
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His way." >> Okay. >> I said,
"Well, why do you think that's
00:03:43.72\00:03:46.79
the problem?" And he said,
"Well, let me just level with
you. I'll tell you the truth.
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I'm a married man and I
have a beautiful wife and three
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children. But I have been so
unfaithful to her and cheated on
her so many times I couldn't
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even count them or tell you
the names of all the people that
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I've messed with. In fact right
now I'm living with a girl who's
not even my wife and my wife
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hasn't divorced me yet. I just
feel like if I could be more
sincere about living His
00:04:06.07\00:04:11.88
way that could make all the
difference." He said, "Recently
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I decided to go back to church,
the church my wife still goes to
and I used to attend.
00:04:16.02\00:04:19.99
And I got out of car in a
parking lot, and a deacon came
out and he said, 'What are you
00:04:19.99\00:04:23.96
doing here?' I said, 'I
thought I'd come to church.'
00:04:23.96\00:04:27.00
He said, 'Not this church. We
know what you're doing. We know
00:04:27.00\00:04:31.10
how you're living. We know
you're shacking up with that
girl. And for you to come into
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this church with your wife who
is wounded and broken over what
you're doing, it's like
00:04:33.80\00:04:39.21
rubbing salt in her wound and we
don't want her to have to have
that salt rubbed in her wound.
00:04:39.21\00:04:43.41
So when you're sincere about
following Jesus and living His
way, you can come here.
00:04:43.41\00:04:49.12
But until then, you go somewhere
else.'" And then this guy starts
00:04:49.12\00:04:53.25
crying. My initial thought was
he was going to dump on that
deacon for being so, you know.
00:04:53.25\00:04:57.16
But, no, he actually said, "I
think he must be right." He
said, "If I was sincere
00:04:57.16\00:05:02.40
enough about following Jesus and
living His way, I can't imagine
00:05:02.40\00:05:07.37
why I'd keep doing this. So
would you please --" he's
weeping -- "would you please
00:05:07.37\00:05:09.77
pray that I could be more
sincere?" I said, "Well I'll
00:05:09.77\00:05:13.11
pray for you, and before I do, I
want to ask you a question. If
someone asked you 'What is a
00:05:13.11\00:05:17.71
Christian?' how would you
describe that? How would you
00:05:17.71\00:05:21.62
answer that question?" He said,
"I would say Christian is
somebody who's doing the best
00:05:21.62\00:05:25.05
they can to stay out of trouble
and trying hard to do what's
00:05:25.05\00:05:28.19
right." I said, "Ah, that
explains your problem." He said,
"What do you mean?"
00:05:28.19\00:05:32.39
I said, "Well, you don't know
what a Christian is." He says,
00:05:32.39\00:05:36.20
"What?" I said, "Christianity is
not about what you do. It's
about who you know and then
00:05:36.20\00:05:41.77
who you know changes what
you do." He said, "I don't
00:05:41.77\00:05:47.31
understand." I said, "Well,
what's the root word of
Christian." He said, "Christ."
00:05:47.31\00:05:51.78
I said, "So, Christianity
is about becoming friends with
00:05:51.78\00:05:59.32
Christ." He said, "So, how do
you become friends with Christ?"
And of course you guys would
00:05:59.32\00:06:06.43
probably imagine, I talked
to him about the three-legged
00:06:06.43\00:06:10.90
stool, you know? And I told him,
"If you spend some time in God's
Word for the purpose of meeting
00:06:10.90\00:06:15.44
Jesus, I would suggest starting
with the Gospel of John. If you
talk to Him in prayer
00:06:15.44\00:06:18.67
as you would with a friend, if
you will spill over to other
people about how cool He is as
00:06:18.67\00:06:23.45
He starts to become real for
you, that's how you get to know
00:06:23.45\00:06:28.78
Christ." He said, "Wow." He
says, "Let me see if I get this
00:06:28.78\00:06:32.39
right. Are you telling me I
should quit trying to overcome
my besetting faults and failures
00:06:32.39\00:06:37.86
and sins? I should quit worrying
about those, and instead I
00:06:37.86\00:06:41.43
should start focusing on getting
to know Jesus as a friend, and
then if I do that, He'll take
00:06:41.43\00:06:46.07
care of the faults and
failures?" I said, "Oh, yeah.
Bingo. Move to the head of the
00:06:46.07\00:06:50.94
class. You just got it." He
goes, "Wow, I've never heard
that in my whole life."
00:06:50.94\00:06:54.64
He says, "My entire life, I've
been trying to be good by not
00:06:54.64\00:06:57.91
being bad." >> Mm. >> "I've been
trying to do what Jesus would
00:06:57.91\00:07:04.12
do, and I haven't been able to
do it. And I've just gotten
bruises and bumps and butted my
00:07:04.12\00:07:10.06
head up against the wall trying
to do it." He says, "It's been
00:07:10.06\00:07:12.19
mission impossible." He says,
"Getting to know Jesus, that
sounds like that can be
00:07:12.19\00:07:16.06
mission possible." I said, "It
is." He said, "Alright, alright.
00:07:16.06\00:07:20.17
So you said the three-legged
stool stuff." I said, "Yeah."
00:07:20.17\00:07:22.54
He says, "Okay." He says, "I'm
going to go home and tell that
00:07:22.54\00:07:25.61
girl I'm living with she's gonna
have to get out, 'cause I'm
gonna get serious about getting
00:07:25.61\00:07:28.71
to know Jesus." I said,
"Wait a minute. Time out.
00:07:28.71\00:07:30.75
You didn't understand." He goes,
"What?" I said, "You're still
00:07:30.75\00:07:35.22
confused. I didn't tell you to
tell the girl to get out." "Oh,"
he said, "you're confused
00:07:35.22\00:07:40.76
because I didn't tell you what
I'm doing with that girl. See,
we don't just share a house
00:07:40.76\00:07:44.03
and split the rent. I live
in the same bedroom and sleep in
00:07:44.03\00:07:47.03
the same bed, if you get my
drift." I said, "I got your
drift, but it's not -- the
00:07:47.03\00:07:50.17
girl's not your problem. Your
problem is...you're not spending
daily time with Jesus.
00:07:50.17\00:07:54.10
And the reason I know you're
confused is because you think
you have to clean up your life
00:07:54.10\00:07:57.51
to come to Jesus. But the truth
is we come to Jesus just as we
00:07:57.51\00:08:02.11
are in order to get our lives
cleaned up. Otherwise, we'd
never sing that song in the
00:08:02.11\00:08:06.18
hymnal "Just As I Am" --
"Without one plea except that
Your blood was shed for me."
00:08:06.18\00:08:11.05
So he goes, "Wow." I said,
"Here's more. Don't you think
00:08:11.05\00:08:15.79
God's just as interested in the
girl as he is in you?" >> Yeah.
00:08:15.79\00:08:18.13
>> "So why don't you go home to
that girl and tell her you just
discovered you can become
00:08:18.13\00:08:22.53
friends of Jesus and ask her if
she'd like to get to know Jesus
with you and read the
00:08:22.53\00:08:27.14
Gospel John together?" He
said, "Are you really a pastor?"
00:08:27.14\00:08:31.71
>> [ Chuckles ] >> I said, "I
am." He said, "I never heard a
00:08:31.71\00:08:34.44
pastor talk like that." I said,
"Well, I'm just telling you what
Jesus said, alright?
00:08:34.44\00:08:37.78
It's not my words. It's Jesus.
And He said, 'Whoever comes to
Me I'll never cast out.'"
00:08:37.78\00:08:41.65
He goes, "Okay, I'll do it."
I said, "Alright, then I'll pray
00:08:41.65\00:08:45.49
for you." So I prayed for him.
He went home to the girl, told
her, and she said, "Are you
00:08:45.49\00:08:51.39
kidding? I want nothing
to do with that nonsense.
00:08:51.39\00:08:54.23
I'm out of here." And she packed
up and moved out on him that
00:08:54.23\00:08:58.07
very night. But he did what he
said he was going to do. He
began spending daily time
00:08:58.07\00:09:01.20
with Jesus for the purpose of
becoming better acquainted. And
Jesus did what Jesus said
00:09:01.20\00:09:05.14
He will do -- "if I am lifted
up, I will draw you to Myself."
And this guy discovered that
00:09:05.14\00:09:10.68
as Jesus comes in, the garbage
gets crowded out. All his life
he'd been trying to
00:09:10.68\00:09:16.72
overcome the power of lust. He'd
been focusing on trying to not
00:09:16.72\00:09:22.79
be that way. But he kept
failing, kept failing. All of a
sudden, Jesus comes in
00:09:22.79\00:09:27.03
and he finds out that lust
got crowded out. He's been made
00:09:27.03\00:09:33.27
pure. You know, the fruits of
the spirit, you know, is pure --
00:09:33.27\00:09:37.91
He was so excited. He went back
to his wife. He told her, "Man,
Christianity's not about what
00:09:37.91\00:09:41.78
you do. It's about who you know
and then who you know in Jesus.
00:09:41.78\00:09:44.28
Let me tell you what Jesus is
doing in my life." And he starts
00:09:44.28\00:09:47.52
telling her about being friends
and Jesus, he starts telling her
about how this stuff is just
00:09:47.52\00:09:51.19
vanishing from his life that had
been so addictive to him, and
she could tell that this was not
00:09:51.19\00:09:56.73
phony baloney. She could
tell that there was a real
00:09:56.73\00:09:59.29
transformation going on in his
life. And then she asked this
00:09:59.29\00:10:02.63
amazing question. Remember she's
the church member that hasn't
quit going to church.
00:10:02.63\00:10:05.77
And she says to him, "So, how
do you get to know Jesus as a
00:10:05.77\00:10:10.51
friend?" >> Wow. >> Mm! >>
So it's possible to be a lost
00:10:10.51\00:10:14.38
coin in the church and
not know you're lost. >> Yes.
00:10:14.38\00:10:18.05
>> Isn't it good that someone's
looking for lost coins too? >>
00:10:18.05\00:10:21.15
That's right. x So he told her
about the three-legged stool.
She starts reading to know Jesus
00:10:21.15\00:10:25.55
in the Gospels, and Marji and I
-- my wife, Marji, and I had the
privilege of redoing their
00:10:25.55\00:10:30.46
wedding vows for them. And 25
years later, we bumped into them
at a church and they
00:10:30.46\00:10:35.80
tearfully thanked us for
introducing them to the glue
that has held their marriage
00:10:35.80\00:10:40.50
together for more than 30 years
now. And they also said, "And
00:10:40.50\00:10:45.14
you might be excited to know,
we've had the privilege of
helping more than 300 people
00:10:45.14\00:10:49.98
become friends with Jesus
that didn't know you could." >>
00:10:49.98\00:10:54.52
Right. Right. So those three
legs of the stool we're talking
about, this isn't -- we're not
00:10:54.52\00:10:58.95
talking about a stool. We're
talking about -- [ Laughter ]
00:10:58.95\00:11:01.36
We're talking about reading the
Bible for the purpose of
connecting with Jesus.
00:11:01.36\00:11:06.13
And he did that. >> And he
did that. >> He lifted up Jesus.
00:11:06.13\00:11:09.80
He prayed to God as you open
up your heart to a friend. >>
00:11:09.80\00:11:15.07
Right. >> And he had that
communication with God. And then
he started sharing it
00:11:15.07\00:11:18.41
with others. >> Exactly.
>> He shared it with his wife.
00:11:18.41\00:11:20.71
He shared it with everyone he
came in contact with, and it
transformed his life.
00:11:20.71\00:11:25.28
>> Transformed him. So, your
original question was sort of
like, so how do we deal
00:11:25.28\00:11:29.92
with flops and failures?
>> Correct. Yeah. Absolutely.
00:11:29.92\00:11:33.62
That's it. You stay connected
with Jesus and you look at Him
and not at yourself, and by
00:11:33.62\00:11:39.76
looking at Him, you are
transformed. We're going to look
at a Bible verse that says that
00:11:39.76\00:11:45.13
just in a minute, and we're
going to take a break, and we'll
come right back to that.
00:11:45.13\00:11:48.50
¤¤ ¤¤
00:11:50.61\00:12:01.35
¤¤ ¤¤ >> ¤ Lord
Jesus, I long to be
00:12:01.38\00:12:18.03
perfectly whole ¤ ¤ I want Thee
forever to live in my soul ¤
00:12:18.03\00:12:28.21
¤ Break down every idol, cast
out every foe ¤ ¤ Now wash me,
00:12:28.21\00:12:40.72
and I shall be whiter than
snow ¤ ¤ Whiter than snow, yes,
00:12:40.72\00:12:51.73
whiter than snow ¤ ¤ Now wash
me, and I shall be whiter than
00:12:51.73\00:13:09.42
snow ¤ ¤¤ ¤¤ ¤ Lord Jesus,
look down from Thy throne in the
00:13:09.42\00:13:24.30
skies ¤ ¤ And help me to make a
complete sacrifice ¤ ¤ I give up
myself and whatever
00:13:24.30\00:13:38.11
I know ¤ ¤ Now wash me, and
I shall be whiter than snow ¤
00:13:38.11\00:13:49.22
¤¤ ¤ Lord Jesus, for
this I most humbly entreat ¤
00:13:49.22\00:14:04.84
¤ I wait, blessed Lord, at Thy
crucified feet ¤ ¤ By faith for
00:14:04.84\00:14:17.29
my cleansing, I see Thy blood
flow ¤ ¤ Now wash me, and I
shall be whiter than snow ¤
00:14:17.29\00:14:28.96
¤ Whiter than snow ¤ Yes, whiter
than snow ¤ Now wash me and I
00:14:28.96\00:14:42.41
shall be whiter than snow ¤ ¤¤
00:14:42.41\00:14:49.52
¤ Now wash me and I
shall be whiter than snow ¤
00:14:49.55\00:15:08.84
>> Friends we are so thankful
that you joined us today. If you
would like to enhance
00:15:13.11\00:15:16.51
your relationship with God, we
have an offer for you today that
will help you to understand
00:15:16.51\00:15:21.42
the Bible better. >> Friends,
our offer for you today is the
00:15:21.42\00:15:26.52
"Discover" Bible study guides.
>> In these lessons, you will
find the key to help you to
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understand the Bible, God's holy
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you need in order to receive
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>> To request
today's offer, just log on to
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www.ItIsWrittenCanada.ca.
If you prefer, you may call
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toll-free at 1-888-CALLIIW.
That's 1-888-CALLIIW.
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And thank you for your prayer
requests and your generous
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financial support.
00:15:59.42\00:16:01.02
>> And we are back, and we
promised you a Bible verse, and
it's really all about Jesus.
00:16:03.29\00:16:10.13
The story that that Lee showed
with us of his experience of how
he shared with this man who was
00:16:10.13\00:16:17.41
struggling. He thought that
he was insincere, and really his
00:16:17.41\00:16:22.28
focus was really not on Jesus.
And when he turned his focus
towards Jesus, when he practiced
00:16:22.28\00:16:26.92
what Lee called the three legs
of the stool -- and those three
legs being bible study for the
00:16:26.92\00:16:31.92
purpose of getting to know Jesus
and praying for the purpose of
00:16:31.92\00:16:37.39
communicating with Him and
having that dialogue, that
connection with Jesus, and then
00:16:37.39\00:16:43.20
finally sharing, spilling over
and sharing His faith with
others. He became so attractive
00:16:43.20\00:16:48.10
to other people, to his wife.
And she fell in love with Jesus,
and other people -- he led over
00:16:48.10\00:16:54.78
300 people to Christ. And so as
he practiced that, as he looked
00:16:54.78\00:17:02.18
at Jesus, he was transformed.
And so what is the key to our
falling and our failing and
00:17:02.18\00:17:08.29
overcoming through the strength
of Jesus? And so I'm going to
00:17:08.29\00:17:11.79
ask Rene to give us that bible
verse that is really the key. >>
00:17:11.79\00:17:18.40
It's found in 2 Corinthians 3:18
-- "But we all, with unveiled
face, beholding as in a mirror
00:17:18.40\00:17:27.38
the glory of the Lord, are being
transformed into the same image
from glory to glory, by the
00:17:27.38\00:17:35.72
Spirit of the Lord." >> So,
what is a verse saying to us?
00:17:35.72\00:17:40.46
>> I was just thinking as she
said it that that's where we get
00:17:40.46\00:17:44.06
the old expression "by beholding
we become changed." >> Mm-hmm.
00:17:44.06\00:17:47.56
>> That's a fairly
common expression. >> It is.
00:17:47.56\00:17:49.76
>> I'm not sure if all
of us realize that came from
00:17:49.76\00:17:53.44
Corinthians. >> That's right,
yeah. >> But it said as we look
at Jesus, beholding Him, it said
00:17:53.44\00:18:01.94
we are transformed through the
power in His likeness, into His
00:18:01.94\00:18:06.78
image... >> Yes. >> ...through
the power of the Holy Spirit.
00:18:06.78\00:18:09.38
So it is kind of like sometimes
people say, "I wonder what God's
part is and what my part is in
00:18:09.38\00:18:14.92
overcoming sin." And I think
that verse pretty much says it
00:18:14.92\00:18:20.60
all in one concise little
package. It says, "Here's your
part. You behold Jesus.
00:18:20.60\00:18:24.40
Behold the Lord, and as you keep
your eyes on the Lord, the Holy
Spirit transforms you
00:18:24.40\00:18:31.81
into His image." Well, if you
were transformed in the image of
00:18:31.81\00:18:35.84
the Lord, would you be
Christlike? >> Absolutely. >>
Would you have the fruits of
00:18:35.84\00:18:38.51
the spirit? >> Absolutely.
>> Would you be an overcomer?
00:18:38.51\00:18:40.68
>> Yeah. >> Would you be
what we might call victorious?
00:18:40.68\00:18:42.92
>> Yes. >> Christian? >> Yeah.
00:18:42.92\00:18:44.62
>> And all of those things where
the byproduct of keeping your
00:18:44.62\00:18:50.76
eyes on Jesus. >> Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm. Absolutely. >> Yeah. >>
And so then what do you
00:18:50.76\00:18:55.10
become, if you become like
Jesus, what do you look like? >>
Well, you look like Jesus.
00:18:55.10\00:18:59.27
>> Yeah. >> Yeah.
And this guy that we were
00:18:59.27\00:19:01.20
talking about, this story that
we used, he got -- he became
more and more like Jesus not by
00:19:01.20\00:19:07.44
trying to be like Jesus. He
became more and more like Jesus
by simply keeping his eyes
00:19:07.44\00:19:12.35
on Jesus. And that's one of our
problems. I think, and I don't
00:19:12.35\00:19:16.28
know, you might disagree with me
and other people watching this
program might disagree with me,
00:19:16.28\00:19:20.89
but I think years ago there was
a movement called WWJD. And the
idea that was invoked
00:19:20.89\00:19:26.73
with that movement was
what would Jesus do in this
00:19:26.73\00:19:29.56
situation? Figure it out, and
then you behave like He would
behave because you want to be
00:19:29.56\00:19:33.57
like Jesus. And so people were
focusing on behavior trying to
00:19:33.57\00:19:38.41
behave more and more like Jesus,
trying to act like Jesus, be
like Jesus, behave like Jesus,
00:19:38.41\00:19:44.78
and the focus was on, "How am I
doing? Am I doing a good job of
behaving like Jesus?
00:19:44.78\00:19:50.02
No, not in this area. I need to
work on this area. I need to
work on this one too,
00:19:50.02\00:19:54.06
because I want to be more like
Jesus." Those sound like really
00:19:54.06\00:19:57.09
wholesome things... >> They do.
>> ...but I actually think that
00:19:57.09\00:19:59.63
was the devil sneaking in, and I
think the reason is because the
00:19:59.63\00:20:04.03
devil knows if by beholding we
become changed... >> Yes. >>
...then the only way I'd ever
00:20:04.03\00:20:09.64
become like Jesus would be by
keeping my eyes on Jesus instead
of beholding the defects in my
00:20:09.64\00:20:15.74
character that aren't like Jesus
that I'm trying to get rid of so
I can be more like Jesus.
00:20:15.74\00:20:19.88
>> Yes. >> Do you
see how that's a trick?
00:20:19.88\00:20:21.78
>> Yes. I see that. Yes. >> It's
like a little trick. >> So
you're asking yourself
00:20:21.78\00:20:24.62
the question "How am I doing?
How am I doing? How am I doing?"
00:20:24.62\00:20:27.79
>> Yeah. >> All about behavior,
yeah. >> Instead of, you know,
what's Jesus doing?
00:20:27.79\00:20:34.46
>> Yeah, what's Jesus doing? And
the truth is Jesus does when He
does kind of almost
00:20:34.46\00:20:39.77
imperceptibly to us. >> Yes.
>> It's like while we keep our
00:20:39.77\00:20:43.14
eyes on Him, He is -- well, you
know how Philippians says, "He
who began a good work in
00:20:43.14\00:20:48.44
you is going to bring it to
completion." And then it says,
00:20:48.44\00:20:52.85
"By the day of Christ Jesus."
>> Yeah. >> And I think that's
00:20:52.85\00:20:55.05
really important because
what that means -- it's His time
00:20:55.05\00:20:58.25
frame. >> Yes. >> Not mine. And
if there's one thing that I've
discovered is His time
00:20:58.25\00:21:02.06
frame and mine aren't the same.
>> They aren't the same. >> I
have all kinds of things
00:21:02.06\00:21:05.59
I'd like to see Him do more
quickly in my life. And for
whatever reasons that
00:21:05.59\00:21:10.40
He's got, He doesn't seem to
think that the things I think
that need to get done right now
00:21:10.40\00:21:14.97
are things that he needs to
get done right now. >> That word
00:21:14.97\00:21:18.81
"transformed" is metamorphosis,
right? It's this transformation,
it's changing from one form to
00:21:18.81\00:21:26.15
another. So like a butterfly
used to be a caterpillar.
00:21:26.15\00:21:29.52
>> Yeah. >> And now it can
fly, so it's a transformation.
00:21:29.52\00:21:32.55
So it's a complete change
of character, becomes a new
00:21:32.55\00:21:36.79
creation. >> A new creation --
that is huge, and that puts me
in mind of another thing.
00:21:36.79\00:21:41.33
The Bible is so clear there
there is scripture -- I actually
have a handful of them here.
00:21:41.33\00:21:47.40
Isaiah 64 says,
"We are all unclean.
00:21:47.44\00:21:50.47
All of our righteousness
is like filthy rags."
00:21:50.47\00:21:52.94
Romans 3 says, "There's
no one righteous, not one."
00:21:52.94\00:21:55.24
Jeremiah says, "Can you change
the color of your skin or a
00:21:55.24\00:21:57.35
leopard remove his spots?
Neither can you change your
00:21:57.35\00:21:59.48
heart." Jeremiah
also says, "Your heart
00:21:59.48\00:22:01.48
is deceitful. It's
desperately wicked.
00:22:01.48\00:22:03.39
You can't fix it."
Proverbs says, "You can't say,
00:22:03.39\00:22:06.12
'I've cleansed my heart.
I'm pure and free from sin.'"
00:22:06.12\00:22:09.46
I guess what I'm trying to say
is you just said "transformed"
and you said "new creation."
00:22:09.49\00:22:13.80
The reason we can't really be
like Jesus by trying to be like
Jesus is 'cause we have sick
00:22:13.80\00:22:19.43
hearts. >> Yeah >> We
are internally defective.
00:22:19.43\00:22:22.77
We're born defective. And people
who are strong willed and
self-disciplined can make it
00:22:22.77\00:22:27.51
look like they have gotten the
victory 'cause they no longer
00:22:27.51\00:22:31.08
get into trouble. >> Yeah. >> A
guy said to me, "I haven't
smoked, you know, in 10 years.
00:22:31.08\00:22:35.35
I haven't wanted to in
10 minutes." He was a strong
00:22:35.35\00:22:39.19
person. He could keep. And I
said, "Hey, the victory that
Jesus wants to give you is
00:22:39.19\00:22:42.76
better than that. It's
metamorphosis. It's transformed.
00:22:42.76\00:22:45.73
It's a new creation. It's the
butterfly's not even a
caterpillar anymore.
00:22:45.73\00:22:49.93
And He says, 'You can't change
your heart, which is why I have
00:22:49.93\00:22:55.00
to do that work.'" That's why
the Holy Spirit -- Isaiah says
when the enemy comes in like a
00:22:55.00\00:22:59.91
flood, the Spirit of the Lord
raises up the standard against
him. Who's going to battle
00:22:59.91\00:23:04.08
temptation? Who's gonna battle
sin? Who's going to overcome the
00:23:04.08\00:23:06.92
enemy? Not me. >> Yes.
00:23:06.92\00:23:09.12
>> Jesus. >> Yes. So
that caterpillar is, you
00:23:09.12\00:23:13.39
know, "I am in sin, I am a
sinner, I can't change my heart,
I'm just on the ground, I'm a
00:23:13.39\00:23:20.00
snake," right? "I can't change.
I'm just evil." And what changes
00:23:20.00\00:23:25.80
that caterpillar is that it goes
into a cocoon, right? And when
it's in there, it's
00:23:25.80\00:23:30.61
kind of resting, right? So I
think of that in terms of a
relationship with Jesus to get
00:23:30.61\00:23:36.61
into a relationship with Jesus.
So there is an illustration your
00:23:36.61\00:23:42.25
father used to use about an
elevator. >> Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah. >> Do you want to share
00:23:42.25\00:23:45.92
that with us? >> Well, he
was comparing what we've been
00:23:45.92\00:23:48.56
referring to as the three-legged
stool experience -- which is
just out summary way of talking
00:23:48.56\00:23:52.39
about taking daily time alone
with Jesus to become better
acquainted with Him through His
00:23:52.39\00:23:55.26
Word and through prayer and then
sharing that -- he was referring
to that whole idea as a
00:23:55.26\00:23:59.63
relationship elevator. And he
said, "Let's imagine you ring
the bell, and you want to
00:23:59.63\00:24:04.04
get into the relationship
elevator. The door opens and
00:24:04.04\00:24:07.04
there's Jesus and He's smiling
and He says, 'I am so delighted
you want to get into this
00:24:07.04\00:24:11.01
elevator, a relationship with
Me.' So you get in, and He says,
'What floor did you want to get
00:24:11.01\00:24:14.75
out on?' You say, 'I'm going
to go to the top, and He says,
00:24:14.75\00:24:17.32
'Good choice," and He punches in
a 777 or some number like that
and the elevator starts going
00:24:17.32\00:24:22.26
up. As it's going up, there's a
lurch in the elevator cable. You
lose your balance, and you
00:24:22.26\00:24:26.36
fall on the floor. Now
this is the cool part of the
00:24:26.36\00:24:29.63
illustration. If you fall down
in an elevator, do you quit
going up? >> No, you keep going
00:24:29.63\00:24:35.04
up. >> That's so awesome to me.
I used to be I couldn't even say
that story without crying
00:24:35.04\00:24:39.34
because it was just so in my
heart. And it's not that it's
00:24:39.34\00:24:43.68
not in my heart right now, but
you know, you've said it
sometimes more than once, you
00:24:43.68\00:24:47.75
kind of got a little kind of --
Anyway... >> So you're in that
relationship with Jesus.
00:24:47.75\00:24:51.85
You just keep going up you keep
'cause Jesus is carrying you. >>
I'm so glad you got that.
00:24:51.85\00:24:55.69
>> Even when you fall. >> Yes.
I'm so glad you brought that
00:24:55.69\00:24:58.06
point out because we need to
recognize that failures do not
00:24:58.06\00:25:02.60
cast us out. >> Yes. >> Mm.
>> So many times we've thought,
00:25:02.60\00:25:05.47
"Well, my spiritual
diaper's soiled. It stinks.
00:25:05.47\00:25:08.27
God must want me to just
leave the room." >> Yeah.
00:25:08.27\00:25:10.91
>> But God's going, "No, we
change diapers. That's what we
00:25:10.91\00:25:14.14
do. We clean up." You know, if
there's one thing Heaven's good
00:25:14.14\00:25:18.15
at it's taking garments soiled
dark with sin, dipping them in
red, pulling them out white.
00:25:18.15\00:25:22.32
You know? "We clean you up.
Just say in the elevator, and
00:25:22.32\00:25:26.99
I'll get you to the top floor."
>> It's such a beautiful
illustration, because when we do
00:25:26.99\00:25:32.16
do something wrong, we do soil
our diaper, God's not gonna hit
the stop button, let the
00:25:32.16\00:25:38.03
elevator doors open, and say,
"Okay, out with you." >> Yeah.
00:25:38.03\00:25:42.60
>> Because He's still in there
with us. He's gonna say, "Hey,
00:25:42.60\00:25:46.11
you know what? Give me your
hand." >> Give me your hand.
00:25:46.11\00:25:49.18
>> He's hand is there already.
We just have to grab onto him
and just -- And he'll pull us
00:25:49.18\00:25:54.52
up again and then we continue
to go up. >> He doesn't cast us
00:25:54.52\00:25:58.45
out. >> No. >> Yeah. >>
So He takes us right to the
00:25:58.45\00:26:01.29
top. >> So I think that's --
There's two points I think that
00:26:01.29\00:26:03.83
are really worth underscoring
when we talk about overcoming
and becoming more like Jesus,
00:26:03.83\00:26:08.00
and the first one is that He
promises to do the work that we
can't do if we just stay in an
00:26:08.00\00:26:13.77
abiding relationship with Him.
And then the other one is that
we're not cast out when we do
00:26:13.77\00:26:21.11
flop or fail, so we don't have
to give up in discouragement. >>
Right. Right. Right.
00:26:21.11\00:26:26.18
So it's not about me. It's about
Jesus. >> It's all about Him.
00:26:26.18\00:26:29.65
>> And then the more we focus on
Him, we are transformed into His
00:26:29.65\00:26:33.59
image. And the things
we used to hate... >> Yeah.
00:26:33.59\00:26:37.43
>> ...coming to the Bible. >>
Yeah. It wasn't attractive. >>
Yeah, it wasn't attractive.
00:26:37.43\00:26:41.10
The things we used to
hate, we now love. >> Right.
00:26:41.10\00:26:43.57
>> And the things we used
to love, we now hate. >> That's
00:26:43.57\00:26:48.44
transformation. >> Yeah, that's
transformation. You are no
longer a caterpillar. Now you
00:26:48.44\00:26:52.61
can fly on, and by the grace of
God, by His strength abiding
within you. >> Abiding.
00:26:52.61\00:26:56.71
So it's back to the vine.
>> Absolutely. >> John 15.
00:26:56.71\00:26:59.35
>> Yes. Yes. So, I'm going
to ask you as we close, John 15,
00:26:59.35\00:27:06.35
that is it -- to abide in
Christ. Let's have a time a
prayer to pray together and ask
00:27:06.35\00:27:13.73
the Lord to keep us strong and
to stay strong to Him and pray
on behalf of those who are
00:27:13.73\00:27:19.73
listening to this conversation
that they will also find that
abiding relationship with Christ
00:27:19.73\00:27:24.47
so that they can overcome
in His strength. >> Alright.
00:27:24.47\00:27:26.68
Lord Jesus, thank You that
You're bigger than the enemy and
that You've never asked us
00:27:26.68\00:27:31.28
to try to overcome him. You've
asked us to fight the good fight
00:27:31.28\00:27:36.18
of faith, to seek You, to spend
time with You, to look into Your
face, and You promise if we do
00:27:36.18\00:27:42.36
that You'll take care of the
stuff that needs to be taken
care of. Give us the grace to
00:27:42.36\00:27:47.76
trust You with that and to not
grow impatient with Your time
frame, and encourage us when we
00:27:47.76\00:27:54.00
flop and fail to recognize that
we are not cast out, we are not
abandoned, and we're not
00:27:54.00\00:27:59.24
forsaken. You are our heavenly
Father, and even if we soil our
00:27:59.24\00:28:03.81
diapers, You don't -- You're a
Heavenly Father. You change our
00:28:03.81\00:28:08.18
diapers, You keep loving us into
wholeness and You promise to
take us home and You promise to
00:28:08.18\00:28:14.82
so clean us while we're en route
that when we get there, we're
safe to spend eternity with You.
00:28:14.82\00:28:20.03
Give us that courage and that
determination to continue
seeking You first and foremost.
00:28:20.03\00:28:28.47
In Jesus name, amen. >>
Amen. Thank you very much, Lee.
00:28:28.47\00:28:33.17
So, friends, I just want to
remind you again of the words of
Jesus when He said, "It is
00:28:33.17\00:28:37.78
written: 'Man shall not live by
bread alone, but by every word
that proceeds out of the mouth
00:28:37.78\00:28:43.62
of God.'"
00:28:43.62\00:28:45.32
¤¤ ¤¤
00:28:45.35\00:28:59.50