Participants: Pr. Doug Batchelor
Series Code: MIQ
Program Code: MIQ000009
|
00:00 [MUSIC]
00:04 >> YOU KNOW, THE WORLD PRODUCES A LOT OF GARBAGE AND NOT ALL 00:07 THE DUMPS ARE IN LANDFILLS. 00:10 MATTER OF FACT, THE BIGGEST DUMP IN THE WORLD IS OUT 00:13 IN THE OCEAN. 00:14 IT'S CALLED THE PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH AND IT GATHERS FROM ALL 00:19 OF THE GARBAGE THAT SEEMS TO FLOAT IN FROM THE RIVERS, 00:22 FROM THE COAST, FROM THE BOATS. 00:24 THEY DUMP MILLIONS OF TONS OF GARBAGE IN THE OCEAN EACH YEAR 00:28 AND A LOT OF IT FLOATS. 00:30 AND GRADUALLY THE WINDS AND THE WAVES AND THE CURRENTS MIGRATE 00:34 ALL THIS GARBAGE IN THE PACIFIC INTO A ZONE THAT IS NORTH 00:38 OF HAWAII BETWEEN JAPAN AND CALIFORNIA. 00:41 IT CREATES A VIRTUAL GALAXY OF GARBAGE, A VORTEX OF TRASH 00:45 THAT IS 1,000 MILES ACROSS. 00:48 IN PLACES, IT'S SO THICK YOU CAN WALK UPON IT. 00:52 PROBLEM IS A LOT OF ANIMALS GET TANGLED IN THE NETS, OR FISH 00:56 THAT EAT THE LITTLE PIECES OF PLASTIC THINK THAT IT'S SHRIMP, 01:00 OR BIRDS THAT INGEST THESE PIECES OF GARBAGE AND THEN THEY 01:03 HAVE THE FALSE SENSE THAT THEY'RE FULL AND THEY DIE 01:05 OF STARVATION. 01:07 AND IT'S GROWING EVERY YEAR, 100 MILLION TONS OF GARBAGE 01:12 SWIRLING AROUND IN A GALAXY THAT KEEPS GETTING BIGGER 01:16 AND BIGGER. 01:17 THE GREAT PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH. 01:19 YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE CAUGHT IN A VORTEX 01:22 OF SIN. 01:24 GOD SAYS HE'LL TAKE OUR SINS AND CAST THEM INTO THE DEPTHS 01:27 OF THE SEA, AND THEY DON'T FLOAT. 01:29 SO HOW DO WE ESCAPE THAT CYCLE OF SIN? 01:33 WE'RE GONNA FIND OUT TODAY ON "MIQ." 01:39 >> HOW CAN I KNOW THAT GOD IS LISTENING? 01:41 >> DID I COME FROM APES OR PREHISTORIC SLUDGE? 01:44 >> CAN THE BIBLE BE TRUSTED? 01:46 >> WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH MY LIFE? 01:48 >> COLLEGE? 01:49 CARS? 01:50 A JOB? 01:52 >> CAN I EVER BE PERFECT? 01:53 >> CAN I MAKE A DIFFERENCE? 01:54 >> DO MY PARENTS NEED ME? 01:55 [VOICES OVERLAPPING] 02:04 >> "MIQ," YOUR QUESTIONS, GOD'S ANSWERS. 02:10 >> ARE WE FOREVER DOOMED TO BE SIN-A-HOLICS? 02:12 OR CAN WE BREAK THESE ADDICTIVE HABITS? 02:14 JOIN US NOW FOR "MIQ." 02:17 >> HELLO EVERYBODY, WELCOME AGAIN TO "MIQ," 02:20 AMAZING FACTS FOR TEENS, AND WE'RE ON THIS 02:23 INTERACTIVE SEARCH FOR TRUTH. 02:26 I'D LIKE TO WELCOME OUR AUDIENCE WHO ARE WATCHING 02:28 ONLINE AND ON TELEVISION. 02:29 THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF THE PROGRAM. 02:31 AND IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO SEND IN YOUR BIBLE QUESTIONS. 02:35 YOU CAN GO TO THE WEB SITE, MIQTEENS.COM, AND YOU CAN POST 02:40 YOUR QUESTION ONLINE. 02:41 YOU CAN ALSO SEND US A TEXT MESSAGE AND THE NUMBER IS 02:44 760-523-2287. 02:49 THAT'S 760-5-AFACTS. 02:53 NOW FRIENDS, WE HAVE A THEME SONG THAT WE SING AT 02:56 THE BEGINNING OF EACH OF OUR PROGRAMS AND WE'RE GONNA DO 02:58 THAT RIGHT NOW, SO I'M GONNA INVITE OUR SONG LEADERS TO 03:01 PLEASE COME FORWARD. 03:02 IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING OUR THEME SONG, DELANCEY WILL HAVE OUR 03:06 OPENING PRAYER. 03:07 LET'S STAND AS WE SING. 03:10 [MUSIC] 03:16 ♪ WHEN I GAZE UP ♪ ♪ AT THE COUNTLESS STARS ♪ 03:21 ♪ WE'RE ON AN ENDLESS SEA ♪ ♪ MY MIND MAY SWIM ♪ 03:26 ♪ WITH QUESTIONS ♪ ♪ BEWILDERING TO ME ♪ 03:32 ♪ BUT THEN I READ THE BIBLE ♪ ♪ AND SEEK YOUR FACE ♪ 03:38 ♪ IN PRAYER ♪ ♪ I'M SATISFIED REMEMBERING ♪ 03:44 ♪ YOUR LOVING GRACE ♪ ♪ AND CARE ♪ 03:48 ♪ WHATEVER QUESTIONS ♪ ♪ I MAY HAVE ♪ 03:53 ♪ WHETHER GREAT OR SMALL ♪ ♪ I KNOW JESUS DIED ♪ 03:58 ♪ TO SAVE ME ♪ ♪ AND THAT HE FORGAVE ME ♪ 04:04 ♪ JESUS IS THE ANSWER ♪ ♪ TO IT ALL ♪ 04:12 ♪ JESUS IS THE ANSWER ♪ ♪ TO IT ALL ♪ 04:20 ♪ I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS ♪ ♪ I WONDER IN MY HEART ♪ 04:27 ♪ HOW SOMETHING COMES ♪ ♪ FROM NOTHING ♪ 04:31 ♪ WHEN DID FOREVER START? ♪ ♪ WHY CAN'T I SEE ♪ 04:37 ♪ YOUR GLORY? ♪ ♪ WHERE IS ♪ 04:40 ♪ THE PROMISED LAND? ♪ ♪ I'LL TRUST THAT YOU ♪ 04:45 ♪ WILL LEAD ME THERE ♪ ♪ IF I CAN TAKE YOUR HAND ♪ 04:51 ♪ WHATEVER QUESTIONS ♪ ♪ I MAY HAVE ♪ 04:56 ♪ WHETHER GREAT OR SMALL ♪ ♪ I KNOW JESUS DIED ♪ 05:01 ♪ TO SAVE ME ♪ ♪ AND THAT HE FORGAVE ME ♪ 05:07 ♪ JESUS IS THE ANSWER ♪ ♪ TO IT ALL ♪ 05:15 ♪ JESUS IS THE ANSWER ♪ ♪ TO IT ALL ♪♪ 05:24 >> DEAR JESUS, THANK YOU FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL DAY, THANK YOU 05:27 FOR WAKING US ALL UP. 05:29 THANK YOU THAT [INAUDIBLE] HAD THIS OPPORTUNITY 05:31 OF HOSTING "MIQ." 05:32 AND LORD, HELP US ALL TO GET A BLESSING OUT OF WHAT 05:34 DOUG BATCHELOR HAS TO SAY TO US TODAY. 05:38 PLEASE SEND YOUR HOLY SPIRIT AND JUST ENVELOP THE CHURCH 05:40 WITH YOUR HEAVENLY ANGELS. 05:42 THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE AND FORGIVENESS, LORD, AMEN. 05:47 [MUSIC] >> AMEN. 05:51 GOOD TO SEE EACH OF YOU HERE TODAY. 05:53 AND AGAIN, THANK YOU KELLY, TO OUR SINGERS. 05:56 AND I WANNA WELCOME OUR FRIENDS TO THIS SPECIAL PROGRAM, 05:59 AMAZING FACTS FOR TEENS, ALIAS "MY-Q," "MIQ," OR "MY-IQ." 06:06 DEALS WITH THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS. 06:10 AND SO WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING ABOUT SOME REALLY IMPORTANT 06:12 QUESTIONS RELATING TO HOW DO YOUNG PEOPLE RELATE TO 06:15 THE TRUTH AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THESE BIBLE ANSWERS 06:18 FOR THE CONUNDRUMS OF LIFE? 06:20 NOT GONNA BE DEALING WITH THE TRIVIA, BUT THE BIG QUESTIONS. 06:23 SO ARE WE READY? 06:24 >> WE'RE READY. 06:25 LET'S GO AHEAD AND TAKE A LOOK AT OUR FIRST QUESTION. 06:30 >> HI, MY NAME IS BRITTANY AND MY QUESTION IS, IF I'M GOING 06:33 TO CHURCH BUT I AM NOT GETTING ANYTHING OUT OF IT, 06:35 DO I STILL HAVE TO GO? 06:40 >> GOING TO CHURCH, BUT YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE NOT GETTING 06:43 ANYTHING OUT OF IT, DO YOU STILL NEED TO GO? 06:46 BEING PART OF THE BODY OF CHRIST IS A COMMITMENT. 06:49 IT'S LIKE A MARRIAGE AND THEY WERE BAPTIZED INTO THE BODY 06:54 OF CHRIST. 06:55 YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN DO TO 06:57 RECEIVE A BLESSING AT CHURCH. 06:59 MAYBE I SHOULD BACK UP AND APPROACH THIS DIFFERENTLY. 07:02 WHAT IS THE PRINCIPLE REASON THAT YOU GO TO CHURCH? 07:05 TO GET SOMETHING OUT OF IT OR TO GIVE? 07:09 ARE YOU GOING TO GET OR TO GIVE? 07:11 DO WE GO TO CHURCH TO GET? 07:13 YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT OUR CULTURE TODAY, BECAUSE WE'RE 07:17 SUCH AN ENTERTAINMENT-ORIENTED CULTURE, THAT WE AUTOMATICALLY 07:20 THINK CHURCH IS ANOTHER MEANS OF ENTERTAINMENT, AND IF 07:23 THE PASTOR AND THE SERVICE IS ENTERTAINING, WELL, 07:26 THEN I'LL KEEP COMING. 07:27 IF NOT, THEY GOTTA WIN MY RATINGS. 07:30 BUT A CHRISTIAN, REALLY, BIBLICALLY, YOU GO TO CHURCH 07:33 TO GIVE GOD YOUR LOVE, YOUR WORSHIP, TO SING HIS PRAISES, 07:38 TO GIVE YOUR OFFERINGS. 07:40 AND IF YOU GET SOMETHING, THAT'S GRAVY. 07:42 ISN'T THAT RIGHT? 07:44 DON'T WE REALLY GO BECAUSE WE LOVE GOD, TO WORSHIP HIM? 07:46 AND SO, IF YOU GO, BIBLE SAYS, "IT'S MORE BLESSED TO GIVE 07:50 THAN RECEIVE." 07:51 IF YOU GO TO CHURCH AND YOUR IDEA IS, "I'M GOING TO GIVE GOD 07:53 MY THANKS AND MY PRAISE AND MY WORSHIP AND MY LOVE," AND YOU 07:58 GET SOMETHIN', THAT'S THE-- A BENEFIT. 08:02 BUT IF YOU GO WITH THAT ATTITUDE, YOU WILL RECEIVE. 08:06 AND YOU KNOW, IF SOMETIMES-- PASTORS SOMETIMES CAN 08:08 GET MONOTONOUS. 08:09 I'M ONE, I KNOW. 08:10 I KNOW SOMETIMES I FIRE BLANKS WHEN I PREACH. 08:14 WELL, YOU GOT YOUR BIBLE. 08:14 I HOPE YOU BRING YOUR BIBLE TO CHURCH. 08:17 IF YOU DON'T BRING IT TO CHURCH, WHERE ARE YOU BRINGIN' 08:18 IT? 08:19 BRING YOUR BIBLE TO CHURCH AND READ THE BIBLE WHILE 08:21 YOU'RE THERE. 08:24 BUT GO TO WORSHIP GOD, THAT'S THE PRINCIPLE THING, AND YOU 08:26 WILL GET A BLESSING. 08:27 >> ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU PASTOR DOUG. 08:29 LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT OUR NEXT QUESTION. 08:31 [MUSIC] >> THIS IS A TEXT QUESTION 08:36 THAT'S COMING FROM LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY. 08:39 "CAN A HOMOSEXUAL REPENT AND BECOME STRAIGHT AGAIN?" 08:44 >> YOU KNOW, WE INCLUDED THIS BECAUSE WE GOT A LOT OF 08:46 QUESTIONS AROUND THIS THEME. 08:49 IN OUR CULTURE TODAY, THERE IS SORT OF AN EPIDEMIC OF PEOPLE 08:55 WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH THESE TENDENCIES AND I THINK 08:58 IT'S ACCENTUATED BY A COUPLE OF THINGS. 09:00 ONE IS THE RATE OF PEOPLE STRUGGLING WITH HOMOSEXUAL 09:03 TENDENCIES HAS GONE UP AT THE SAME RATE AS THE DETERIORATION 09:07 OF THE HOME WITH TWO PARENTS. 09:11 IT ALSO HAPPENS IN OTHER SITUATIONS, I REALIZE. 09:14 AND ALSO THE MEDIA IS REALLY BOMBARDING PEOPLE WITH 09:17 A MESSAGE THAT IS SEEKING TO NORMALIZE THESE TENDENCIES. 09:22 WELL, THE BIBLE'S PRETTY CLEAR AND I WANNA READ YOU SOME 09:24 VERSES THAT I THINK WILL GIVE YOU SOME ENCOURAGEMENT. 09:27 AND THIS IS FROM 1 CORINTHIANS 6:9. 09:32 THIS IS VERY PLAIN, SO LISTEN HERE. 09:35 "DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT THE UNRIGHTEOUS WILL NOT 09:38 INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD? 09:40 DO NOT BE DECEIVED. 09:42 NEITHER FORNICATORS, NOR IDOLATERS," THAT'S PEOPLE 09:46 WHO ARE HAVING SEX, YOU KNOW, WITH--HETEROSEXUAL SEX, 09:50 "NOR IDOLATERS, NOR ADULTERERS, NOR HOMOSEXUALS, NOR SODOMITES, 09:56 NOR THIEVES, NOR COVETOUS, NOR DRUNKARDS, NOR REVILERS, 09:59 NOR EXTORTIONERS WILL INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD." 10:03 THIS CAN'T BE MISUNDERSTOOD. 10:05 BUT KEEP READING, "AND WERE," IT SAYS, "AND SUCH WERE SOME 10:11 OF YOU. 10:12 BUT YOU HAVE BEEN WASHED, YOU HAVE BEEN SANCTIFIED, YOU HAVE 10:17 BEEN JUSTIFIED IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS AND BY 10:20 THE SPIRIT OF OUR GOD." 10:21 SO HE SAYS THE CHURCH IS COMPOSED OF PEOPLE WHO HAD 10:24 ALL KINDS OF BACKGROUNDS. 10:26 THAT MEANS THERE WERE ADULTERERS, IDOLATERS, 10:30 EXTORTIONERS, HOMOSEXUALS, AND A FEW OTHER THINGS 10:33 THAT ARE ITEMIZED. 10:34 AND HE SAYS, "SUCH WERE," WERE, PAST TENSE, "SOME OF YOU. 10:38 BUT YOU HAVE BEEN SANCTIFIED, YOU HAVE BEEN PURIFIED." 10:41 CAN GOD SAVE US FROM EVERY SIN? 10:43 CAN HE? 10:44 CAN YOU--HOW MUCH CAN YOU DO THROUGH CHRIST? 10:47 ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD. 10:49 I CAN DO ALL THINGS WITH JESUS. 10:51 AND PEOPLE WHO STRUGGLE WITH THESE TENDENCIES, YOU CAN GET 10:53 THE VICTORY, TOO, AMEN? 10:56 >> ALL RIGHT. 10:57 THANK YOU, PASTOR DOUG. 10:58 LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT OUR NEXT QUESTION. 11:03 >> HI, MY NAME IS CLAY. 11:04 WHY IS GOD REFERRED TO IN THE BIBLE AS A GUY AND NOT A GIRL? 11:11 >> WHY IS THE LORD REFERRED TO IN THE BIBLE AS A HE 11:15 AND NOT A SHE? 11:17 BECAUSE HEs ARE BETTER. 11:19 [LAUGHING] >> I JUST DID THAT TO GET 11:22 A REACTION. 11:24 THE BIBLE IS WRITTEN FROM A PATRIARCHAL PERSPECTIVE. 11:27 IN THE BEGINNING, GOD CREATED MAN AND MEN WERE DESIGNED BY 11:31 GOD TO BE THE LEADER-SERVANTS IN THE FAMILIES. 11:36 AND SO, YOU'LL FIND ALL THROUGH THE BIBLE THE MEN OFFERED 11:38 SACRIFICE, THE MEN WERE THE PATRIARCHS IN THE FAMILY, AND 11:42 WHEN IT FOLLOWS THE GENEALOGIES IN THE BIBLE, THE MEN WERE 11:44 TO BE THE PROVIDERS AND THE PROTECTORS. 11:46 AND SO BECAUSE GOD IS OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN, HE'S OFTEN 11:51 REFERRED TO IN THAT WAY. 11:52 BUT YOU KNOW, THERE'S TIMES IN THE BIBLE THAT GOD 11:54 ALSO SHOWS THE MOTHER OR THE FEMININE SIDE. 11:58 HE SAYS, YOU KNOW, "AS A HEN GATHERS HER CHICKS UNDER HER 12:02 WINGS, SO I SOUGHT TO PROTECT YOU, O JERUSALEM. 12:06 AND AS A MOTHER CANNOT FORGET HER CHILDREN, HOW COULD 12:10 I FORGET YOU?" 12:11 AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE LORD, HE DOESN'T--WE OFTEN TRY 12:15 AND PIN A GENDER ON GOD. 12:16 GOD MADE BOTH GENDERS IN HIS IMAGE, AMEN? 12:21 >> AMEN. 12:22 LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT OUR NEXT QUESTION. 12:25 [MUSIC] >> THIS IS A QUESTION FROM 12:31 MONTANA CITY, MONTANA. 12:33 "IS DATING A NON-CHRISTIAN BAD?" 12:37 >> WELL, IF YOU'RE A NON-CHRISTIAN, IT'S PROBABLY 12:38 NOT THAT BIG AN ISSUE. 12:40 YOU CAN BE LOST TOGETHER. 12:44 BUT IF YOU'RE A CHRISTIAN, FOR YOU TO DATE A NON-CHRISTIAN, 12:48 IT SAYS IN THE BOOK OF AMOS, "CAN TWO WALK TOGETHER 12:51 UNLESS THEY'RE AGREED?" 12:52 AND WHAT IT MEANS BY THAT TOGETHER, 12:54 IN THE SAME DIRECTION. 12:55 IT'S HARD FOR PEOPLE TO GO IN TWO OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS 12:58 IF THEY DON'T AGREE. 13:00 AND MATTER OF FACT, YOU CAN READ IN 2 CORINTHIANS, TELLS US 13:06 IN 6:14, "DO NOT BE UNEQUALLY YOKED TOGETHER WITH 13:11 UNBELIEVERS. 13:13 FOR WHAT FELLOWSHIP HAS RIGHTEOUSNESS WITH LAWLESSNESS? 13:16 AND WHAT COMMUNION HAS LIGHT WITH DARKNESS? 13:19 AND WHAT ACCORD HAS BELIAL," THAT'S THE DEVIL, "HAS CHRIST 13:23 WITH BELIAL? 13:25 OR WHAT PART HAS A BELIEVER WITH AN UNBELIEVER? 13:27 WHAT AGREEMENT HAS THE TEMPLE OF GOD WITH IDOLS?" 13:30 YOUR BODY BECOMES THE TEMPLE OF GOD. 13:32 AND SO, NO, IT BRINGS A WHOLE BASKET LOAD OF PROBLEMS WHEN 13:38 PEOPLE--THERE'S ALREADY CHALLENGES IN MARRIAGE. 13:40 YOU MULTIPLY THAT TIMES TEN WHEN YOU GET SOMEBODY WHO SAYS, 13:44 "I DON'T BELIEVE IN CHRIST, I DON'T WANT TO GO TO HEAVEN, I 13:47 DON'T WANNA FOLLOW THE BIBLE," WHO IS LINKING THEIR LIFE 13:50 AND BECOMING ONE FLESH WITH SOMEONE WHO SAYS, "I DO." 13:54 AND YOU HAVE TO ASK YOURSELF, "DOES THE CHRISTIAN LOVE GOD 13:57 SUPREMELY OR ARE THEY MAKING AN IDOL OUT OF THIS OTHER PERSON 14:01 AND PUTTING THEM AHEAD OF GOD?" 14:04 SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK, THAT MADE SENSE? 14:07 >> MADE SENSE. 14:08 >> YEAH, SIMPLE ANSWER WOULD BE BELIEVERS SHOULD NOT GET 14:11 EMOTIONALLY INVOLVED WITH UNBELIEVERS. 14:13 NOW YOU SHOULD WITNESS TO UNBELIEVERS. 14:15 I MEAN, GOD--THAT'S WHAT JESUS SENT US TO DO. 14:17 THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING A WITNESS AND BEING 14:20 A FRIEND, WHERE YOU'RE INFLUENCING EACH OTHER. 14:23 THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE. 14:24 >> ALL RIGHT. 14:25 WELL, THANK YOU PASTOR DOUG. 14:26 AND AGAIN, IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO SEND US YOUR BIBLE QUESTION. 14:29 THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE WATCHING, YOU CAN GO TO THE MIQ TEENS WEB 14:32 SITE, MIQTEENS.COM, AND YOU CAN POST YOUR QUESTION ONLINE 14:36 OR SEND US A TEXT MESSAGE, 760-523-2287. 14:42 PASTOR DOUG, THE TIME IS YOURS. 14:44 >> THANK YOU, PASTOR ROSS. 14:45 AND THANK YOU AGAIN, FRIENDS, FOR BEING HERE TODAY. 14:47 FOR THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING, I WANNA WELCOME YOU ONE MORE TIME 14:51 TO THIS SPECIAL PROGRAM, WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT 14:54 THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION. 14:57 JESUS CAME TO SAVE US FROM OUR SINS. 15:00 WE ALL HAVE A VERY SERIOUS ATTRACTION TO SIN. 15:04 IT'S INGRAINED IN OUR NATURES. 15:06 IT REQUIRES A MIRACLE OF HEART AND BRAIN SURGERY TO CHANGE US. 15:14 SO, EVEN THOUGH IT'S TRUE THAT JESUS DIED FOR THE SINS OF THE 15:18 WHOLE WORLD, AND ONCE WE COME TO CHRIST AND WE ACCEPT HIS 15:22 FORGIVENESS AND WE ARE JUSTIFIED AND OUR PAST RECORD 15:26 OF SIN IS WASHED AWAY, WE STILL LIVE IN A SINFUL WORLD, WE'RE 15:30 SURROUNDED BY MINIONS OF EVIL THAT WANNA TEMPT US AND GET US 15:33 INTO TROUBLE, WE'VE ALREADY GOT THIS NATURAL TENDENCIES OF SIN 15:37 IN OUR SELFISH NATURES. 15:39 HOW DO WE BREAK THE CYCLE? 15:41 HOW CAN WE BE FREE FROM SIN AND TEMPTATION? 15:44 OR AT LEAST HOW DO WE SURVIVE IN THIS WORLD? 15:48 NOW, DOES EVERYONE KNOW AS LONG AS YOU'RE IN THIS WORLD, YOU'RE 15:50 GOING TO BE TEMPTED, THERE'S GOING TO BE STRUGGLES? 15:53 SOME OF YOU PROBABLY HAVE GOTTEN DISCOURAGED BEFORE OR 15:56 YOU HAVE FELT LIKE YOU'VE BEEN SORT-OF STUCK IN A CYCLE OF YOU 16:00 SIN AND YOU REPENT AND YOU MIGHT HAVE A LITTLE JOY 16:03 AND PEACE FOR A WHILE, AND THEN YOU FALL AND YOU SIN 16:05 AND YOU REPENT. 16:06 AND HOW DO YOU BREAK OUT OF THAT AND HAVE A MORE 16:08 CONSISTENT, VICTORIOUS LIFE? 16:11 WELL, FIRST LET ME EXPLAIN. 16:14 CHRISTIANS STILL MAKE MISTAKES AND SIN AND FALL. 16:19 THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU DON'T LOVE AND BELIEVE 16:21 IN THE LORD. 16:23 WHAT I READ IN THE BIBLE IS WHAT REALLY MAKES THE 16:26 DIFFERENCE FOR A CHRISTIAN IS, ONCE YOU ACCEPT CHRIST, SIN NO 16:31 LONGER HAS DOMINION OVER YOU. 16:34 CHRIST IS NOW ON THE THRONE OF YOUR HEART. 16:37 HE IS YOUR LORD. 16:39 IT IS NOT RULING YOU. 16:40 YOU ARE NOT ENSLAVED. 16:41 BEFORE YOU'RE SET FREE BY JESUS, YOU CAN'T REALLY 16:44 CONTROL YOURSELF. 16:45 YOU'RE JUST DRUG AROUND WHEREVER TEMPTATION 16:47 AND THE DEVIL TAKES YOU. 16:48 BUT WHEN THE LORD COMES INTO YOUR LIFE, YOU THEN BEGIN 16:52 TO EXPERIENCE VICTORY AND HE MAKES CHANGES. 16:56 AND YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS LIKE TO PUT IT THIS WAY. 17:01 DO YOU BELIEVE THAT THE DEVIL CAN TEMPT YOU TO SIN? 17:04 LET ME SEE, YOU BELIEVE THAT? 17:05 I DO, RIGHT? 17:07 DO YOU BELIEVE THAT JESUS CAN KEEP YOU FROM TEMPTATION? 17:14 IF YOU BELIEVE THAT THE DEVIL CAN TEMPT YOU, BUT YOU DOUBT 17:17 THAT JESUS CAN KEEP YOU, YOU IN EFFECT ARE SAYING, "I THINK 17:20 THAT THE DEVIL'S MORE POWERFUL THAN CHRIST." 17:23 OR AT LEAST YOU'RE--YOU'VE GOT MORE FAITH IN THE DEVIL 17:25 THAN YOU DO IN JESUS. 17:26 "GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN YOU THAN HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD." 17:30 BELIEVE IN GOD. 17:32 HOW ARE WE SAVED? 17:33 "THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH." 17:36 WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH. 17:39 DON'T UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF FAITH IN GOD AND WHAT HE CAN 17:43 DO TO SET YOU FREE. 17:44 WELL, WE NEED TO GET INTO OUR LESSON OR I CAN BECOME 17:48 DISTRACTED BY MY OWN RAMBLINGS HERE. 17:51 QUESTION NUMBER ONE, WHY DO I SOMETIMES GET TRAPPED IN CYCLES 17:58 OF DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR? 18:02 ANSWER, JEREMIAH 17:9, "THE HEART IS DECEITFUL ABOVE ALL 18:08 THINGS, AND DESPERATELY WICKED. 18:11 WHO CAN KNOW IT?" 18:13 AFTER MAN FELL, SOMETHING HAPPENED TO OUR HEARTS. 18:16 WE'VE GOT THIS ADDICTION TO SIN. 18:20 BEFORE, MAN WAS MOTIVATED BY LOVE, IT WAS NATURAL FOR HIM 18:24 TO LOVE. 18:24 BUT THEN AFTER WE FELL, IT BECAME VERY NATURAL TO BE 18:27 SELFISH AND TO THINK ONLY ABOUT OURSELVES. 18:30 IT'S A MIRACLE OF GRACE THAT TEACHES US TO LOVE AGAIN. 18:33 YOU CAN READ IN THE BOOK OF JOB 5:7, "YET MAN IS BORN 18:38 TO TROUBLE, AS THE SPARKS FLY UPWARD." 18:42 YOU'VE SEEN SPARKS IN THE FIRE. 18:43 YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE GOT A FIRE AND COALS GOING, YOU TOSS 18:46 ANOTHER PIECE A WOOD IN, SPARKS WILL FLY UP. 18:50 THEY GO UP WITH THE HEAT. 18:51 WE HAVE THIS MAGNET IN OUR LIVES AND TEMPTATION PULLS ON 18:57 US--SIN, AND IT SAYS WE ALWAYS ARE GONNA FEEL IN THIS LIFE 19:01 THIS ATTRACTION OF YOUR LOWER NATURE TOWARDS SIN. 19:06 WELL, HOW DO YOU GET OUT OF THAT? 19:08 BY JUST TRYING A LITTLE HARDER? 19:11 THERE IS SOMETHING YOU NEED TO DO. 19:14 THE BIGGEST RESPONSIBILITY FOR A PERSON IN GETTING THE VICTORY 19:18 OVER SIN IS COMING TO THE LORD AND MAINTAINING A RELATIONSHIP 19:22 WITH HIM. 19:23 HE IS THE POWER. 19:25 WHEN I WAS IN RUSSIA YEARS AGO, WE WERE IN THIS TOWN OF 19:30 STAVROPOL AND THEY HAD A LOT OF BUSES THERE THAT WERE POWERED 19:33 BY ELECTRICITY. 19:34 THEY HAD THESE BARS THAT RAN ALONG THESE WIRES AND THE WIRES 19:37 WOULD GO AROUND THE TURN, THE BUS WOULD GO AROUND A TURN. 19:39 THEY HAD NO GAS IN THE BUS. 19:41 IT ALL WAS POWERED BY THE WIRES OVERHEAD. 19:44 AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, BUT ONE DAY A DRIVER GOT 19:46 A LITTLE TOO HAPPY GOING AROUND A TURN AND HE DROVE OUT FROM 19:49 UNDERNEATH THE WIRES. 19:52 SO THE PEOPLE HAD TO CLIMB OFF THE BUS. 19:55 AND THEY DECIDED, "WELL, WE DON'T HAVE ANY POWER ANYMORE, 19:57 LET'S JUST PUSH THE BUS TO OUR DESTINATION." 20:00 IS THAT WHAT THEY DID? 20:01 NO, THEY SAID, "LET'S PUSH THE BUS BACK UNDERNEATH THE WIRES 20:05 AND RECONNECT THE LEVER OVERHEAD, THEN WE'LL GET BACK 20:07 ONBOARD THE BUS." 20:09 THEIR EFFORT WAS IS RECONNECTION. 20:13 I'M EMBARRASSED TO TELL YOU THAT I WAS HOOKING UP 20:15 A COMPUTER ONE DAY AND I GOT ALL THESE COMPONENTS. 20:18 YOU KNOW, I GOT THE PRINTER AND I'VE GOT THE COMPUTER 20:20 AND I GOT THE MONITOR AND DIFFERENT THINGS. 20:22 AND YOU HAVE A POWER STRIP. 20:23 EVERYONE HERE KNOW WHAT A POWER STRIP IS? 20:25 GOT ALL THE PLUGS AND THEN ONE PLUG THAT, YOU KNOW, 20:27 GOES INTO THE WALL. 20:29 AND AFTER HOOKIN' IT ALL UP, I WENT BACK UP THERE AND I 20:31 COULDN'T GET ANYTHING TO TURN ON. 20:34 AND I THOUGHT, "WHAT'S THE MATTER, WHAT AM I DOING WRONG?" 20:36 AND I CHECKED EVERYTHING, I KEPT PRESSIN' ALL THE DIFFERENT 20:37 BUTTONS, NOTHIN' WOULD TURN ON. 20:39 I WENT DOWN AND GOT UNDER THE DESK, I LOOKED, I'M EMBARRASSED 20:41 TO TELL YOU, WHEN IT CAME TIME TO PLUG IN THE POWER STRIP, 20:45 I HAD PLUGGED IT INTO ITSELF. 20:47 [LAUGHING] >> NOW IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW, 20:51 THAT DOESN'T WORK! 20:54 AND SOMETIMES WE THINK, "YOU KNOW, IF I JUST TRY A LITTLE 20:57 HARDER," AND THEN WE JUST PLUG INTO OURSELVES FOR THE POWER, 21:00 AND NOTHING'S GONNA HAPPEN. 21:02 THERE IS NO POWER. 21:03 YOU'VE GOTTA BE PLUGGED INTO THE LORD IF YOU WANT 21:05 THAT POWER. 21:07 WHILE I'M AT IT--NOW I DIDN'T DO THIS, BUT YOU KNOW, I HEARD 21:10 SOMETHING PRETTY FUNNY. 21:11 A LADY, HER FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH A COMPUTER, SHE DECIDED 21:13 TO DO SOME ONLINE SHOPPING. 21:15 AND AS SHE WENT TO MAKE HER PURCHASE AND CHECK-OUT, 21:17 IT SAID--IT ASKED FOR A CREDIT CARD. 21:19 SHE OPENED UP THE DVD BAY AND STUCK HER CREDIT CARD IN IT. 21:23 [LAUGHING] >> AND WONDERED WHY IT WASN'T 21:26 WORKING. 21:27 I'VE HEARD SOME INTERESTING STORIES. 21:30 ANYWAY, SO WE GOTTA BREAK THAT CYCLE OF SIN BY STAYING PLUGGED 21:34 INTO THE POWER THAT JESUS PROVIDES. 21:36 NUMBER TWO, HOW DOES THE BIBLE DESCRIBE THIS CONDITION? 21:44 WE'VE ALL GOT THIS NATURAL SIN IN OUR NATURES. 21:47 PAUL PUTS IT THIS WAY IN ROMANS 7:19, "FOR THE GOOD 21:51 THAT I WILL TO DO, I DO NOT DO; BUT THE EVIL I WILL NOT TO DO, 21:56 THAT I PRACTICE." 21:58 YOU KNOW, WHEN WE DON'T HAVE THE LORD IN OUR LIVES, WE MAY 22:00 HAVE SOME DESIRE TO WANT TO DO THE RIGHT THING, BUT WITHOUT 22:04 THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT. 22:06 WE KEEP GRAVITATING BACK TOWARDS THE WRONG THING. 22:09 IT BECOMES SO AUTOMATIC. 22:11 IT'S LIKE THESE PARENTS THAT GAVE THEIR 8-YEAR-OLD BOY AN 22:16 AXE FOR HIS BIRTHDAY AND SAID, "NOW JUST DON'T CHOP ANYTHING." 22:19 WHAT DO YA THINK HE DID? 22:21 HE JUST BEGAN TO QUIVER IN HIS HANDS AS SOON AS HE HELD IT. 22:24 HE JUST SAID, "CHOP, CHOP, CHOP, CHOP," HAD TO CHOP 22:26 SOMETHING. 22:27 OR IT'S LIKE THE MAN, HAD A PROBLEM WITH HIS WEIGHT AND 22:32 PART OF THE PROBLEM WAS BECAUSE HE STOPPED AT THE DOUGHNUT SHOP 22:35 EVERY DAY ON THE WAY TO WORK. 22:38 AND SO HE THOUGHT, "WELL, I'M GONNA PRAY ABOUT THAT." 22:41 SO HE PRAYED AND HE SAID, "LORD," HE SAYS, "I KNOW THAT 22:46 I'M PROBABLY EATING TOO MANY DOUGHNUTS," BUT ON THE WAY TO 22:48 WORK HE KNEW HE HAD TO DRIVE BY THE DOUGHNUT SHOP AND HE REALLY 22:51 STARTED CRAVIN' THOSE DOUGHNUTS 'CAUSE HE WAS IN THE HABIT OF 22:53 EATING DOUGHNUTS EVERY DAY AND HE FELT THIS GREAT BATTLE 22:55 GOING ON. 22:56 AND HE FINALLY PRAYED, HE SAID, "ALL RIGHT, LORD, MAYBE IT'S 22:58 YOUR WILL FOR ME TO EAT THE DOUGHNUTS. 23:00 AND IF IT'S YOUR WILL FOR ME TO EAT THE DOUGHNUTS, THEN 23:04 THERE'LL BE A PARKING PLACE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF 23:06 THE ENTRANCE WHEN I DRIVE BY, AND THAT I'LL TAKE AS A SIGN," 23:10 BECAUSE HE KNEW IT WAS SO BUSY DURING RUSH HOUR, THERE WAS 23:12 NEVER ANY PARKING. 23:13 AND HE TOLD HIS FRIENDS AT WORK, "IT MUST BE GOD'S WILL 23:15 FOR ME TO EAT DOUGHNUTS BECAUSE THERE WAS A PARKING PLACE THERE 23:19 AFTER I WENT AROUND THE BLOCK EIGHT TIMES. 23:21 I FOUND IT!" 23:23 [LAUGHING] >> AND WE KEEP LOOKING FOR 23:26 OPENINGS TO SIN BECAUSE WE'VE GOT THIS CARNAL NATURE INSIDE 23:31 THAT GRAVITATES TOWARDS IT. 23:33 AND SO IT TAKES AN OUTSIDE POWER TO GIVE US THAT VICTORY. 23:38 THE LORD HAS TO BE THE CENTER OF OUR LIVES, WHICH BRINGS US 23:42 TO QUESTION NUMBER THREE. 23:46 HOW CAN I MAKE GOD THE CENTER OF MY LIFE? 23:52 YOU KNOW, WE OFTEN HEAR QUESTIONS DURING A PROGRAM LIKE 23:54 THIS, "HOW DO WE FIT GOD INTO OUR LIVES?" 23:59 AND REALLY, YOU'RE ASKING THE WRONG QUESTION. 24:01 MAKE GOD THE FOUNDATION. 24:04 MAKE SURE THAT HE PERMEATES EVERYTHING. 24:06 HE IS THE WATER THAT YOU DRINK, HE IS THE AIR THAT YOU BREATHE, 24:10 AND THEN FROM THERE YOU SAY, "HOW DO I FIT EVERYTHING ELSE 24:13 IN?" 24:16 I REMEMBER WHERE I WAS--I'M EMBARRASSED AGAIN TO TELL YOU. 24:20 SOMEONE ASKED ME TO TAKE CARE OF AN APPOINTMENT ONE TIME AND 24:24 I SAID, "I CAN'T TAKE CARE OF AN APPOINTMENT BECAUSE KAREN 24:28 IS GONE THAT DAY AND I'M BABYSITTING." 24:31 AND SHE LOOKED AT ME AND SHE SAID, "IF THEY'RE YOUR KIDS, 24:33 YOU'RE NOT BABYSITTING. 24:34 IT'S CALLED PARENTING." 24:37 I SAID, "OH YEAH. 24:38 THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A PRIORITY, ISN'T IT?" 24:40 AND SOMETIMES WE ACT LIKE WE'VE GOTTA FIT IN THESE 24:43 IMPORTANT THINGS. 24:44 WE'VE GOTTA REMEMBER WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS? 24:47 IF JESUS IS THE MIDDLE OF YOUR LIFE, THAT MEANS THAT-- 24:52 START THE DAY WITH HIM. 24:54 FIRST THING YOU DO. 24:55 WHEN I OPEN MY EYES, MANY TIMES BEFORE I EVEN GET OUTTA BED, I 24:57 DON'T EVEN WANT MY FEET TO HIT THE FLOOR WITHOUT THE LORD. 25:00 AND I THANK GOD THAT I'M ALIVE ANOTHER DAY. 25:04 AND THEN ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I DO, I USUALLY GET UP 25:06 AND GET MY SCRUPLES TOGETHER, GET A CUP OF HOT WATER, THEN I 25:09 GET ON MY KNEES AND I PRAY. 25:11 SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO PRAY WHEN YOU'RE TOO SLEEPY, 25:14 'CAUSE YOU'RE STILL KINDA DRIFTIN' OFF. 25:15 SO I WALK AROUND FOR A SECOND, I WAKE UP, AND THEN I PRAY. 25:18 AND PRAYER ISN'T JUST TALKING TO GOD, SAYING, "HERE'S MY LIST 25:20 FOR THE DAY." 25:22 I LIKE TO LISTEN. 25:23 AND I WANNA HEAR IF THE HOLY SPIRIT'S REMINDING ME 25:26 OF SOMETHING GOD WANTS ME TO DO. 25:27 SO YOU HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WHERE GOD IS WITH YOU IN 25:30 THE DAY, HE'S YOUR FRIEND, YOU COMMUNICATE WITH HIM. 25:33 IT'S NOT THAT HE'S A THING OUT THERE, IT'S NOT THAT HE'S 25:36 A PHILOSOPHY OR AN IDEA, AND YOU GO THROUGH THIS RITUAL 25:38 OF SAYING THESE PRAYERS OVER AND OVER AGAIN. 25:43 YOU KNOW, IN OUR FAMILY, WE'VE SEEN IT WITH OUR KIDS. 25:46 YOU'VE GOT THE WAKE-UP PRAYER--WE HAVE WORSHIP 25:48 IN OUR FAMILY. 25:49 AND THEN YOU GOT THE PRAYER, "DEAR LORD, THANK US--WE THANK 25:52 YOU FOR THE FOOD." 25:53 THEN YOU GO TO SLEEP AT NIGHT AND YOU SAY, "THANK YOU 25:55 FOR A GOOD DAY. 25:56 KEEP US THROUGH THE NIGHT, KEEP US SAFE." 25:58 AND YOU KNOW, WE GET INTO THE HABIT OF PRAYER SOMETIMES 26:00 WHERE--I'VE DONE IT, OUR KIDS DO IT. 26:03 WE KNEEL DOWN AND WE'RE HAVING OUR GOODNIGHT PRAYER, AND ONE 26:07 OF THE KIDS WILL SAY, "DEAR LORD, THANK YOU FOR THIS FOOD. 26:10 PLEASE BLESS IT." 26:12 BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A HABIT, "IS THIS PRAYER NUMBER ONE, 26:14 PRAYER NUMBER TWO, OR PRAYER NUMBER THREE?" 26:17 AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT REALLY PRAYER, IS IT? 26:19 YOU WANNA OPEN YOUR HEART TO GOD, TELL HIM WHAT'S 26:22 ON YOUR HEART. 26:22 AND YOU KNOW, IF YOU CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING, 26:25 SAY, "LORD, HELP ME PRAY." 26:26 THERE'S NOTHIN' WRONG WITH THAT. 26:28 BE HONEST WITH HIM, HE'S REAL. 26:29 BUT YOU NEED AN ONGOING RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM. 26:32 HOW DO YOU MAKE HIM THE CENTER OF YOUR LIFE? 26:35 YOU CAN READ IN JEREMIAH 29:13-14, IT SAYS, 26:40 "YOU WILL SEEK FOR ME AND YOU WILL FIND ME, WHEN YOU SEARCH 26:45 FOR ME WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART." 26:48 WHAT IS THE GREAT COMMANDMENT? 26:50 "THOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART." 26:53 IF YOU DON'T LOVE THE LORD, YOU CAN'T OBEY HIM. 26:56 NOW HOW MANY OF YOU EXPECT TO FALL IN LOVE SOMEDAY? 27:02 I'M NOT ASKING YOU IF YOU'RE IN LOVE NOW. 27:04 IF YOU ARE, YOU CAN STILL RAISE YOUR HAND. 27:06 BUT HOW MANY OF YOU ARE HOPING TO FALL IN LOVE SOMEDAY 27:08 WITH SOMEBODY? 27:10 I MEAN, THAT'S NATURAL, THAT'S NORMAL. 27:12 I HOPE THAT YOU HAVE THAT FEELING, OKAY. 27:16 DO YOU EXPECT TO BE EXPERIENCING LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT? 27:20 DO YOU THINK THAT YOU'LL JUST BE WALKIN' AROUND ONE DAY AND 27:22 ALL OF A SUDDEN, YOU'LL LOOK AT SOMEBODY AND YOU'LL-- 27:25 VIOLIN MUSIC AND BELLS IN THE BACKGROUND. 27:28 AND THEY'LL HAVE A HALO AROUND 'EM AND YOU'LL HEAR 27:30 AN INNER VOICE SAYING, "THIS IS THE ONE." 27:32 [LAUGHING] >> IS THAT HOW YOU'RE EXPECTING 27:35 IT TO HAPPEN? 27:37 OH, YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT HAVE ATTRACTION AT FIRST SIGHT. 27:42 AND YOU KNOW, GOD CAN SOMETIMES REVEAL A PERSON SUPERNATURALLY, 27:45 "THIS IS THE ONE FOR YOU," I'M NOT DOUBTING THAT. 27:49 I THINK MORE TIMES THAN NOT, IT'S NOT LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT. 27:51 I THINK SOMETIMES IT'S LUST AT FIRST SIGHT, YOU THINK THEY'RE 27:54 JUST REALLY GOOD LOOKIN', AND YOU THINK, "WOW, 27:56 THAT'S THE ONE!" 27:59 BUT DO YOU KNOW HOW IT USUALLY HAPPENS? 28:02 YOU BEGIN TO TALK TO SOMEBODY AND THEY TALK TO YOU, AND YOU 28:06 SAY, "YOU KNOW, I REALLY LIKE THE ESSENCE OF WHO 28:09 THIS PERSON IS." 28:11 AND THEY SAY, "I REALLY LIKE THIS PERSON." 28:14 YOU GET TO KNOW THEIR CHARACTER. 28:16 AND YOU LOVE WHO THEY ARE. 28:19 WELL, IF YOU KNOW GOD, YOU WILL LOVE GOD. 28:25 JESUS SAID, "IF YOU LOVE ME, KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS." 28:30 YOU CANNOT KEEP GOD'S COMMANDMENTS IF YOU DON'T 28:33 LOVE HIM. 28:34 A LOT OF PEOPLE STRUGGLE IN BEING CHRISTIANS, AND YOU KNOW 28:36 WHY THEY'RE HAVIN' A HARD TIME? 28:38 BECAUSE THEY DON'T LOVE THE LORD. 28:40 YOU KNOW WHAT MAKES LOVING THE LORD SO EASY? 28:44 WHEN YOU GET TO KNOW HIM. 28:46 HOW DO YOU GET TO KNOW SOMEBODY? 28:47 HOW ARE YOU GONNA FALL IN LOVE? 28:49 COMMUNICATION. 28:51 SOMEONE WILL BE TALKIN' TO YOU, YOU'LL BE TALKIN' TO THEM, 28:53 YOU'LL BE SPENDING TIME TOGETHER, YOU DEVELOP A LOVE 28:55 RELATIONSHIP, AND THEN YOU'LL SAY, "BOY, I WANNA BE 28:57 WITH YOU FOREVER. 28:59 I DON'T WANNA DO ANYTHING TO HURT YOU 'CAUSE I LOVE YOU." 29:02 WHEN YOU HAVE COMMUNICATION WITH GOD, YOU TALK TO HIM 29:05 THROUGH PRAYER, HE SPEAKS TO YOU THROUGH HIS WORD, THROUGH 29:07 PROVIDENCE, WHEN YOU HAVE THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD, YOU'RE 29:11 GONNA FALL IN LOVE WITH HIM, YOU'RE GONNA GET TO KNOW 29:13 WHO HE REALLY IS. 29:14 NOT JUST LISTENIN' TO WHAT THE PREACHER'S TELLING YOU ABOUT 29:16 GOD, BUT YOU'RE REALLY GONNA HAVE A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE 29:20 WITH HIM AND KNOW HIM AS AN INDIVIDUAL. 29:22 YOU'LL LOVE HIM AND YOU'LL WANT TO OBEY HIM. 29:25 AND THAT WILL CHANGE EVERYTHING IN YOUR LIFE. 29:27 BETTER YOU KNOW HIM, THE MORE YOU'LL LOVE HIM. 29:30 THE MORE YOU LOVE HIM, THE BETTER YOU'LL SERVE 29:32 AND OBEY HIM. 29:34 SO TAKE TIME TO GET TO KNOW HIM. 29:36 HEY, WE'VE GOT A TEXT QUESTION THAT'S COME IN. 29:39 [MUSIC] >> THIS IS FROM BERMUDA, AND IT 29:46 SAYS HOW DO YOU KNOW IF THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS FORSAKEN YOU? 29:51 HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU'VE GRIEVED AWAY THE HOLY SPIRIT? 29:54 YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE FEEL THAT WAY BECAUSE THEY JUST FEEL 29:59 LIKE, "YOU KNOW, I DON'T FEEL GOD'S TALKING TO ME." 30:01 USUALLY WHEN YOU ARE LIVING IN DEFIANCE TO GOD'S WILL, 30:05 IT SEEMS LIKE THE VOICE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT GETS QUIET 30:07 AND WE BEGIN TO WONDER IF HE'S GIVEN UP ON US. 30:10 TYPICALLY, WHEN A PERSON IS ASKING THAT QUESTION, 30:13 GOD HAS NOT GIVEN UP ON YOU BECAUSE YOU HAVE AN INTEREST 30:16 IN THE QUESTION. 30:18 I ESPECIALLY WORRY ABOUT PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT EVEN ASKING THAT 30:21 QUESTION, THEY DON'T EVEN CARE TO ASK IT. 30:23 IN MOST CASES, WHEN SOMEONE IS WONDERING, "HAVE I GRIEVED AWAY 30:26 THE HOLY SPIRIT? 30:27 HOW COME I CAN'T HEAR THE VOICE OF THE LORD?" 30:30 THAT MEANS HE'S STILL CALLING YOU, BUT IT'S A STILL, 30:32 SMALL VOICE. 30:33 YOU NEED TO LISTEN TO THAT VOICE AND COME TO HIM, 30:35 CALL OUT TO HIM. 30:36 HE'S STILL VERY REAL. 30:37 QUESTION NUMBER FOUR, HOW CAN I BE SURE THAT GOD WANTS 30:43 A RELATIONSHIP WITH ME? 30:47 WELL, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF EVIDENCE IN THE BIBLE 30:50 FOR THIS. 30:51 A GOOD SCRIPTURE IS JEREMIAH 31:3, WHERE THE LORD 30:55 TELLS US, "THE LORD HAS APPEARED OF OLD TO ME, SAYING, 30:59 'YES, I HAVE LOVED YOU WITH AN EVERLASTING LOVE. 31:04 THEREFORE WITH LOVING KINDNESS I HAVE DRAWN YOU.'" 31:10 GOD DRAWS US WITH HIM BECAUSE HE LOVES US WITH AN EVERLASTING 31:14 LOVE. 31:16 YEARS AGO, THERE WAS A BOY THAT LIVED IN ONE OF THESE 31:21 MIDWESTERN TOWNS AND HE BECAME GOOD FRIENDS WITH 31:25 A LOCAL BLACKSMITH. 31:27 HE LIKED TO WATCH THE BLACKSMITH WORK. 31:29 HE WAS SO STRONG AND HE JUST REALLY ENJOYED WATCHING HIM 31:31 OPERATE THE BILLOWS AND SHAPING THE HORSESHOES AND MAKING 31:34 DIFFERENT THINGS OUT OF STEEL AND FORGING METAL. 31:37 AND THE BLACKSMITH GREW PRETTY FOND OF THE BOY BECAUSE HE'D 31:39 STAY THERE EVERY DAY AFTER SCHOOL AND THEY'D TALK TOGETHER 31:41 AND THEY GOT TO BE PRETTY GOOD BUDDIES. 31:44 THEN ONE DAY, WHILE THE BLACKSMITH WAS WORKING, 31:46 HE HEARD THE ALARM OF A FIRE. 31:48 THEY WERE RINGING THE BELL, CALLING FOR THE VOLUNTEER FIRE 31:51 DEPARTMENT TO COME TOGETHER, AND HE WAS PART OF THAT. 31:54 AND HE RAN TO THE PLACE IN TOWN WHERE A 3-STORY HOUSE 31:57 WAS ON FIRE AND IT WAS TIMMY CARPENTER'S HOUSE, 32:01 THE BOY THAT HE HAD BECOME FRIENDS WITH, 32:04 AND THERE HE WAS, ON THE TOP FLOOR OF THE HOUSE, 32:07 OUT STICKING HIS HEAD OUT OF THE WINDOW. 32:10 SMOKE WAS BILLOWING OUT, BLACK SMOKE ABOVE HIS HEAD, 32:13 AND HE WAS CALLING FOR HELP. 32:14 IT WAS A LITTLE TOO HIGH TO JUMP. 32:17 WELL, IT WAS A BRICK BUILDING AND THERE WAS ACTUALLY A IRON 32:21 FIRE RAILING STEPS THAT HAD BEEN ENGRAVED IN THE SIDE 32:26 OF THE BUILDING. 32:27 IF YOU LIVED IN NEW YORK CITY, YOU KNOW WHAT I'M 32:29 TALKING ABOUT. 32:30 THEY HAVE THOSE ON ALL THOSE BROWNSTONE BUILDINGS. 32:32 AND SEVERAL PEOPLE TRIED TO GO UP AND GET THE BOY, 32:35 BUT THE FIRE HAD MADE THE IRON STAIRCASE, OR THE IRON LADDER, 32:39 TOO HOT. 32:40 WELL, THE BLACKSMITH, HIS HANDS WERE PRETTY USED TO IT AND HE 32:44 STILL HAD HIS GLOVES ON RUNNING FROM THE SHOP. 32:47 HE SAID, "HANG ON, TIMMY, I'M COMING." 32:49 AND EVEN THOUGH THE LADDER WAS RED HOT, HE WENT UP. 32:55 HIS SHOES WERE BEGINNING TO MELT UNDER HIS FEET, HIS HANDS 32:57 WERE BURNING EVEN THROUGH HIS LEATHER GLOVES, BUT HE GOT UP 32:59 TO THE THIRD FLOOR AND HE SAID, "JUMP! 33:01 JUMP TIMMY! 33:02 JUMP TO MY BACK!" 33:03 TIMMY WAS ABLE TO JUMP. 33:05 HE GOT ABOUT HALFWAY DOWN, HE COULDN'T HANG ON ANYMORE 33:07 BECAUSE THE BURNING WAS TOO BAD. 33:09 HE LET GO AND THEY FELL TO THE GROUND BUT THEY BOTH SURVIVED. 33:12 WELL, THE TRAGEDY WAS IN THE FIRE HIS MOTHER AND HIS FATHER 33:16 HAD BEEN KILLED. 33:19 AND THEY HAD NO RELATIVES THAT LIVED ANYWHERE CLOSE BY. 33:22 AND SO THEY HAD SOME PROCEEDINGS IN THE TOWN TO FIND 33:24 OUT WHO WAS GOING TO ADOPT TIMMY. 33:27 THINGS WERE VERY SIMPLE BACK THEN. 33:29 AND THE CARPENTER--OR THE BLACKSMITH SHOWED UP 33:32 AND HE SAID, "I'D LIKE TO HAVE TIMMY CARPENTER AS MY SON." 33:35 AND TIMMY SAID, "I'D LIKE TO GO WITH HIM TOO." 33:38 AND THE JUDGE SAYS, "YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE A VERY GOOD 33:40 INCOME," HE SAID TO THE BLACKSMITH, "AND YOU KNOW, 33:45 THERE'S OTHER FAMILIES THAT HAVE OFFERED TO TAKE HIM. 33:47 THEY CAN PROVIDE A MUCH BETTER EDUCATION." 33:49 AND IT WAS JUST BREAKING THE HEART OF THE BLACKSMITH BECAUSE 33:51 HE LOVED THE BOY SO MUCH AND THEY HAD A RELATIONSHIP. 33:54 AND FINALLY, AS A LAST PLEA, WHEN THE JUDGE SAYS, "IS THERE 33:58 ANY OTHER EVIDENCE THAT YOU CAN OFFER THAT HE SHOULD LIVE 34:01 WITH YOU?" 34:02 HE SAYS, "YOU DON'T HAVE A WIFE. 34:04 YOU DON'T MAKE ENOUGH MONEY." 34:05 AND YOU KNOW WHAT HE DID? 34:06 HE HELD OUT HIS HANDS THAT WERE TERRIBLY SCARRED FROM THE BURNS 34:10 OF SAVING THE BOY. 34:12 HE SAYS, "THIS IS ALL I CAN OFFER." 34:14 HE SAYS, "I LOVE HIM." 34:15 AND YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT JESUS IS TELLING US. 34:18 HE SAYS, "IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBTS ABOUT HOW MUCH I LOVE 34:20 YOU, JUST LOOK AT MY HANDS. 34:22 LOOK AT HOW MUCH I PAID TO SAVE YOU." 34:25 WHAT MORE WOULD YOU ASK OF A PERSON TO PROVE THEIR LOVE 34:28 FOR YOU THAN GIVING THEIR LIFE? 34:32 SOMETIMES WE GIVE LITTLE GIFTS TO SHOW PEOPLE WE LOVE THEM. 34:35 BUT WHAT MORE CAN YOU GIVE THAN YOUR LIFE? 34:37 I'LL TELL YOU THERE'S SOMETHING MORE. 34:40 IF YOU GIVE THE LIFE OF YOUR SON, YOU GIVE THE LIFE OF YOUR 34:43 CHILD, "GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY 34:49 BEGOTTEN SON." 34:50 THE ONLY TIME THAT GOD BECAME A MAN WAS IN GOD THE SON, JESUS. 34:53 AND GOD THE FATHER ALLOWED-- THE GREATEST LOVE HE HAS 34:58 FOR ANY BEING IN THE COSMOS WAS THE LOVE HE HAS FOR JESUS. 35:03 AND HE ALLOWED JESUS TO COME AND TO SUFFER BECAUSE HE LOVES 35:06 YOU SO MUCH. 35:09 THE DEVIL WANTS TO DESTROY YOU. 35:11 THE ONLY THING THE DEVIL LOVES IS HIMSELF. 35:13 YOU GET TO CHOOSE WHICH FAMILY YOU WANT, THE ONE WHO LOVES YOU 35:18 OR JUST FOLLOW THE DEVIL WHO IS OFFERING YOU THE FLEETING 35:21 PLEASURES OF THE WORLD THAT WILL LEAVE YOU EMPTY 35:24 AND GRIEVED. 35:26 QUESTION NUMBER FIVE, CAN JUST PRAYING AND READING MY BIBLE 35:32 CHANGE ME? 35:34 DOES THAT REALLY WORK? 35:36 SEEMS LIKE IT'S JUST A SHALLOW EFFORT. 35:39 ANSWER? 35:40 MATTHEW 4:4, JESUS SAID, "IT IS WRITTEN, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY 35:46 BREAD ALONE, BUT BY EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS FROM THE MOUTH 35:50 OF GOD.'" THERE IS POWER IN THE WORD 35:53 OF GOD. 35:54 IT IS NOT SIMPLY BLACK INK ON WHITE PAPER. 35:57 THESE ARE THE WORDS OF GOD. 35:58 IT'S DIFFERENT FROM ANY OTHER BOOK. 36:01 AND WHEN YOU PRAY FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT AND YOU ASK GOD TO GUIDE 36:03 YOU AND YOU READ THIS SACRED BOOK, THE WORDS COME ALIVE. 36:08 KEEP IN MIND, THIS IS JESUS. 36:11 THIS IS THE BREAD OF LIFE. 36:13 THE BIBLE SAYS CHRIST WAS THE WORD AND HE SAID, "UNLESS YOU 36:16 EAT MY FLESH AND DRINK MY BLOOD, YOU HAVE NO LIFE 36:19 IN YOU." 36:20 WHEN YOU ARE READING THE BIBLE, YOU ARE IN A SENSE EATING 36:21 HIS FLESH. 36:23 YOU ARE TAKING CHRIST WITHIN YOU, THIS BREAD OF LIFE, 36:25 AND IT DOES SOMETHING FOR YOU. 36:27 AND YOU MAY NOT NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE RIGHT AWAY, 36:30 BUT YOU KEEP DOING IT, YOU'LL NOTICE A BIG DIFFERENCE. 36:33 YOU SEE, YOU HAVE TWO NATURES THAT ARE AT WAR INSIDE OF YOU. 36:41 NOW SOME SPORTS HERO WAS ARRESTED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO 36:45 BECAUSE HE WAS ENGAGING IN DOG FIGHTS. 36:48 AND THAT'S KIND OF BRUTAL, BUT IT'S MORE COMMON IN OTHER PARTS 36:53 OF THE WORLD. 36:55 NOW IF YOU TAKE TWO DOGS, JUST AS AN ILLUSTRATION, SAME BREED, 37:02 TWO MALE DOGS, SAME HEIGHT, SAME WEIGHT, SAME AGE, AND YOU 37:07 TAKE ONE AND YOU PUT HIM IN A YARD AND YOU CHAIN HIM 3 INCHES 37:12 OF CHAIN FROM HIS NECK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE YARD OUT IN THE 37:16 SUN AND FOR 4 DAYS YOU DON'T GIVE HIM ANY FOOD OR ANY WATER 37:20 OR ANY EXERCISE, NOW THAT WOULD BE TERRIBLE. 37:23 ILLUSTRATION. 37:24 YOU TAKE THE OTHER DOG, YOU GIVE HIM THE BEST FOOD, 37:28 YOU GIVE HIM EXERCISE, PLENTY OF WATER. 37:32 AT THE END OF 4 DAYS, YOU HAVE THOSE 2 DOGS FIGHT. 37:36 WHICH ONE DO YOU THINK IS GOING TO WIN? 37:40 THE ONE THAT HAS BEEN CARED FOR THE BEST. 37:43 THE ONE THAT'S GOING TO HAVE THE STRENGTH AND THE ENERGY. 37:45 YOU MIGHT THINK, "WELL, THE OTHER ONE'S MORE FEROCIOUS." 37:47 WELL, HE'LL BE WEAK. 37:48 YOU'VE GOT TWO NATURES THAT ARE AT WAR INSIDE OF YOU. 37:51 IT'S CALLED THE SPIRIT AND THE FLESH. 37:53 WE ALL HAVE IT. 37:54 YOU KNOW WHAT MAKES THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE? 37:55 WHEN YOU'RE TEMPTED, WHICH SIDE IS GOING TO WIN? 37:58 WHO ARE YOU FEEDING? 38:01 WHICH DOG ARE YOU TAKING CARE OF? 38:03 IF YOU CONTINUE TO FEED YOUR MIND ONTO, YOU KNOW, 38:05 THE READING OF THE WORLD AND THE VIDEOS AND DVDS AND THE MUSIC 38:09 OF THE WORLD AND YOU'RE JUST FILLING YOUR MIND WITH THAT 38:11 AND YOU'RE WONDERING, "WHY DO I KEEP GETTING OVERCOME 38:13 BY TEMPTATION?" 38:14 YOU'RE FEEDING THE WRONG DOG! 38:16 AND YOU'RE NOT FEEDING THE SPIRITUAL SIDE OF YOUR NATURE. 38:19 YOU'VE GOT TO STARVE ONE AND FEED THE OTHER. 38:23 AND THEN IT WILL BE STRONG WHEN TEMPTATION COMES. 38:27 THAT'S WHY CHRIST WAS ABLE TO SAY, "IT IS WRITTEN, IT IS 38:29 WRITTEN, IT IS WRITTEN," WHEN THE DEVIL TEMPTED HIM, BECAUSE 38:31 HE HAD SPENT HIS LIFE FEEDING HIS SPIRITUAL NATURE. 38:35 "HE THAT SOWS UNTO THE FLESH WILL OF THE FLESH REAP DEATH." 38:39 IN OTHER WORDS, IF YOU'RE SPENDING YOUR TIME FEEDING AND 38:41 NURTURING AND TAKING CARE OF THE CARNAL SIDE OF YOUR NATURE, 38:45 IT'S GOING TO END IN DEATH. 38:46 BUT IF YOU RESIST THAT NATURAL TENDENCY AND SAY, "LORD, I'M 38:50 GOING TO PLUG INTO YOUR POWER AND I'M GOING TO DO WHAT I CAN 38:52 DO TO FEED ON SPIRITUAL THINGS, WHAT--THE PEOPLE I HANG AROUND 38:57 WITH--" THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU DON'T WITNESS TO EVERYBODY, 38:59 "BUT THE FRIENDS I CHOOSE, WHAT I READ, WHAT I WATCH, 39:03 WHAT I STUDY, WHAT I LISTEN TO." 39:05 EVEN THE FOOD YOU EAT. 39:08 YOUR LIFESTYLE IN EVERY WAY, YOU CAN SAY, "I WANT TO LIVE 39:10 BY THE SPIRIT." 39:11 WELL, FROM THE SPIRIT REAP EVERLASTING LIFE. 39:14 SO YOU'RE CHOOSING EVERY DAY WHICH DOG TO FEED. 39:18 AND THAT'S WHERE, WHEN TEMPTATION COMES, 39:20 AND WHEN THERE IS A FIGHT, YOU CAN TELL AHEAD OF TIME 39:22 WHO'S GOING TO WIN. 39:23 WE'RE TRAINING EVERY DAY FOR THOSE BATTLES. 39:27 NUMBER SIX, WHAT IF I DON'T FEEL LIKE I'M CONNECTING 39:32 WITH GOD? 39:35 YOU KNOW IT TELLS US, LUKE 8:5, "A SOWER WENT OUT TO SOW 39:39 HIS SEED. 39:40 AND AS HE SOWED, SOME OF THE SEED FELL BY THE WAYSIDE; AND 39:44 IT WAS TRAMPLED DOWN AND THE BIRDS OF THE AIR DEVOURED IT." 39:48 IN THIS PARABLE THE LORD IS SAYING SOME SEED FALLS ON 39:51 THE PATH AND THE BIRDS OF THE AIR EAT IT UP. 39:53 I ACTUALLY WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW A PATH IS FORMED. 39:58 IF YOU SEE A NORMAL, OPEN FIELD, YOU'LL SEE THAT, 40:01 YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST A FIELD. 40:02 IF YOU WANT A PATH IN THAT FIELD, YOU'VE GOT TO WALK MORE 40:05 THAN ONCE ACROSS THE GRASS. 40:07 YOU EVER HEARD SIGNS--YOU MIGHT HAVE THEM ON CAMPUS HERE. 40:09 "PLEASE KEEP OFF THE GRASS." 40:11 AND SOMETIMES THE CONCRETE PATH DOESN'T ALWAYS GO WHERE YOU 40:15 WANT TO GO. 40:17 AND THE CONCRETE PATH IS THE LONG WAY AND YOU WANT TO MAKE 40:19 A NEW PATH ACROSS THE GRASS. 40:21 ONE TRIP ACROSS THE GRASS IS NOT GOING TO DO IT. 40:24 IT TAKES MULTIPLE TRIPS. 40:27 AND THEN PRETTY SOON YOU WEAR A GROOVE. 40:30 THAT'S HOW IT IS IN YOUR LIFE. 40:32 YOU MIGHT SAY, "I'M JUST NOT USED TO THINKING THIS WAY. 40:35 I JUST DON'T SEE A PATH IN MY LIFE OF SPIRITUAL THINGS." 40:38 FIRST TRIP YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FIND ONE. 40:40 BUT YOU KEEP MAKING UP YOUR MIND, "I AM GOING TO KEEP DOING 40:43 WHAT GOD SAYS AND I'M GOING TO KEEP MAKING THIS DECISION," 40:45 PRETTY SOON IT GETS EASY, IT GETS NATURAL. 40:48 YOU KNOW, ON THE ROAD WHERE-- WE LIVE UP IN THE HILLS. 40:52 WE HAVE A HOUSE WAY UP IN THE HILLS, AND KAREN AND I 40:54 HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF 2 MILES OF DRIVEWAY TO OUR HOUSE. 40:57 THE COUNTY--NO ONE TAKES CARE OF IT BUT US. 41:00 AND IT'S A DIRT ROAD AND IN THE WINTER WE GET PUDDLES IN IT 41:04 AND THEY GET PRETTY DEEP AND YOU GOT TO MAINTAIN IT OR THOSE 41:07 PUDDLES WILL SWALLOW A FOUR WHEEL DRIVE. 41:09 THEY GET PRETTY FEROCIOUS. 41:11 AND SOMETIMES I'LL RIDE DOWN THE ROAD AND I HAVE A PICK ON 41:14 MY QUAD TO MAINTAIN THE ROAD. 41:17 YOU KNOW WHAT I DO? 41:17 WHEN THERE'S A BIG OLD PUDDLE THAT'S FORMING IN THE ROAD AND 41:19 SOMETIMES THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, 15 FEET ACROSS, FULL OF WATER, 41:23 LOW SPOT. 41:24 I WANT TO DITCH THE PUDDLE AND DRAIN THE WATER OUT 41:27 SO IT RUNS OFF THE ROAD. 41:29 AND WHAT I DO IS I TAKE THE PICK AND I START DIGGING. 41:31 AND AT FIRST I GET A LITTLE TRICKLE AND IT STARTS 41:33 TO DRAIN OUT. 41:35 AND THE WATER BEGINS TO WORK WITH ME. 41:38 AND IF I DIG A LITTLE DEEPER, MORE WATER IS GOING IN THE 41:42 DITCH THAT I JUST DUG AND IT'S MAKING THE DRAIN FOR THE PUDDLE 41:45 GO FASTER. 41:47 AND THE MORE I DIG, THE MORE THE WATER ERODES. 41:50 AND EVERY TIME I MAKE A STROKE WITH THAT PICK, THE DITCH GETS 41:55 DEEPER AND THE PUDDLE IS DRAINED. 41:58 IT'S THROUGH REPETITION AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE GET 42:01 DISCOURAGED WITH CHRISTIANITY BECAUSE EVERYONE WANTS INSTANT 42:04 GRATIFICATION. 42:05 "LET ME JUST SAY THIS PRAYER AND THEN ALL MY PROBLEMS 42:09 WILL GO AWAY." 42:11 THAT'S--THE BIBLE DOESN'T TEACH THAT. 42:14 THERE'S CHALLENGES IN LIFE. 42:15 THERE'S TEMPTATION IN LIFE. 42:16 THERE'S TRIBULATION. 42:17 JESUS SAID, "BE OF GOOD CHEER, THOUGH. 42:20 I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD." 42:21 BUT YOU'RE GOING TO FIND IT GETS EASIER IF YOU STAY AT IT. 42:25 DON'T GET DISCOURAGED. 42:26 YOU MAY NOT FEEL HIM IN YOUR LIFE RIGHT NOW, BUT YOU KEEP 42:29 DOING WHAT GOD SAYS AND YOU'RE GOING TO FIND THINGS START 42:32 TO CHANGE. 42:33 NEW PATTERNS, NEW HABITS, NEW FEELINGS. 42:36 YOU KNOW, WHEN I FIRST CAME TO CHRIST, I TOLD YOU. 42:40 YOU HEARD MY STORY. 42:42 I WAS A ZERO ON STEROIDS. 42:46 I MEAN, YOU COULDN'T BE A BIGGER NOTHING THAN I WAS. 42:49 JUST ALL THE WRONG HABITS, WRONG BACKGROUND. 42:53 I HAD TO JUST FORM A NEW WAY OF THINKING. 42:57 AND YOU KNOW WHAT I USED TO THINK? 42:58 "I'D LIKE TO BE A CHRISTIAN, LORD, BUT CHRISTIANS DON'T HAVE 43:00 ANY FUN." 43:02 AND I USED TO SMOKE. 43:04 AND I DIDN'T SMOKE SO MUCH. 43:05 I MEAN, I WAS IN GOOD SHAPE. 43:06 I DIDN'T SMOKE SO MUCH THAT I WAS FEELING THE SIDE EFFECTS. 43:09 I WAS 17, 18 YEARS OLD. 43:12 AND I FELT CONVICTED GOD WANTED ME TO STOP. 43:14 I MEAN, AFTER ALL, IT SAYS ON EVERY PACK THIS STUFF'S GOING 43:16 TO KILL YOU EVENTUALLY. 43:18 SO THAT KIND OF WAS A HINT. 43:20 BUT I SAID, "LORD, I LIKE SMOKING. 43:23 AND IT'S NOT THAT EXPENSIVE," BECAUSE I USED TO ROLL MY OWN. 43:25 BACK THEN, IT WAS PRETTY CHEAP. 43:28 I'M PRETTY GOOD AT BURRITOS, I JUST GO BLOOP. 43:32 BECAUSE I ROLLED A LOT OF CIGARETTES AND OTHER THINGS. 43:35 AND I DIDN'T WANT TO QUIT! 43:38 AND YOU KNOW WHAT? 43:39 I HEARD A LITTLE VOICE SAY, "WELL, DOUG, I'M NOT GOING 43:41 TO STOP YOU." 43:43 SO I KEPT SMOKING. 43:46 AND GIRLS TOLD ME MY BREATH TASTED LIKE A WET ASHTRAY. 43:51 AND I NEARLY RAN A CAR OFF THE ROAD AND KILLED MYSELF BECAUSE 43:54 THE HEAD OF THE CIGARETTE FELL IN MY LAP WHILE I WAS DRIVING. 43:59 WELL, THAT WILL WAKE YOU UP IN A HURRY. 44:03 AND I PANHANDLED AND SPENT MY LAST $2 ON A CAN OF TOBACCO 44:06 WHEN I HAD NOTHING TO EAT. 44:11 AND THE LORD SAID, "DOUG, ARE YOU ENJOYING YOURSELF?" 44:14 AND IT GRADUALLY BEGAN TO DAWN ON ME--I'M SLOW. 44:18 I SAID, "LORD, I DON'T WANT TO GIVE UP DRINKING. 44:20 I LIKE DRINKING, IT'S WHAT I DO WITH MY FRIENDS. 44:22 IT'S EXCITING, IT'S RELAXING, FORGET MY TROUBLES." 44:25 GOD SAID, "WELL, I WON'T MAKE YOU STOP." 44:28 SO I KEPT DRINKING. 44:30 AND I'D WAKE UP, FIND OUT THAT I'D DONE SOMETHING TERRIBLY 44:34 RIDICULOUS TO EMBARRASS MYSELF, OR I'D WAKE UP AND I WAS 44:38 HUNG OVER. 44:39 AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WORSHIPING 44:42 THERE AT THAT PORCELAIN ALTAR. 44:46 OR I'D WAKE UP IN JAIL AND SAY, "WHAT DID I DO TO LAND HERE?" 44:52 AND I HEARD THIS LITTLE VOICE SAYING, "ARE YOU ENJOYING 44:54 YOURSELF, DOUG?" 44:56 AND I'M SLOW, BUT EVENTUALLY GOD GOT THROUGH TO ME. 45:01 HE ONLY WANTS US TO GIVE UP THE THINGS THAT ARE GOING 45:05 TO TAKE AWAY OUR HAPPINESS. 45:07 AND NOW I HAVE MORE FUN THAN YOU CAN DREAM. 45:11 I MEAN, I'VE GONE PARACHUTING. 45:13 KAREN AND I SCUBA DIVE. 45:15 GOT A PILOT'S LICENSE. 45:16 WE GO RIDING AND CAMPING AND I TRAVEL AROUND THE WORLD. 45:20 I HAVE SO MUCH FUN AS A CHRISTIAN. 45:22 YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THE DIRTY, SINFUL, DESTRUCTIVE THINGS OF 45:26 THE WORLD TO HAVE AN ABUNDANT, FUN, FULL LIFE AND YOU 45:30 DON'T HAVE A HANGOVER AND A GUILTY CONSCIENCE. 45:32 YOU CAN BE A NEW CREATURE! 45:35 NOW I'M GETTING A LITTLE BIT BEHIND HERE, BUT--OH, 45:39 I SEE THERE'S ANOTHER-- I GOT ANOTHER TEXT QUESTION. 45:41 WE'LL TAKE ONE MORE TEXT QUESTION THAT CAME IN. 45:43 AND THIS ONE LOOKS LIKE IT'S FROM SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, 45:48 OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. 45:50 WHAT SHOULD I DO WHEN MY PAST SINS HAUNT ME? 45:55 NOW THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. 45:57 YOU EVER WORRIED? 45:58 YOU SAY, "LORD, I PRAYED, BUT I CAN'T FORGET MY PAST SINS." 46:02 WELL, YOU KNOW, DON'T WORRY THAT GOD WILL NOT FORGIVE YOU. 46:05 IF YOU HAVE REPENTED AND CONFESSED FROM YOUR PAST SINS, 46:08 AND IF YOU'VE TURNED FROM YOUR PAST SINS--MAYBE I'LL JUST 46:11 ASK THIS WAY. 46:13 HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE DONE THINGS IN THE PAST THAT YOU'RE 46:15 ASHAMED OF, YOU ASK GOD TO FORGIVE YOU, BUT YOU KEEP 46:18 THINKING ABOUT IT? 46:19 IT STILL BOTHERS YOU. 46:23 DO NOT ALLOW YOURSELF TO THINK THAT YOU ARE A HIGHER COURT 46:29 THAN GOD. 46:31 IF GOD HAS RULED IN HIS TRIBUNAL THAT YOU ARE FORGIVEN, 46:36 THEN DO YOU HAVE YOUR OWN LITTLE COURT THAT'S MORE 46:38 IMPORTANT THAN GOD'S COURT, WHERE YOU SAY, "WELL I KNOW 46:40 THAT HIS COURT HAS SAID I'M FORGIVEN, BUT I GOT MY OWN 46:42 LITTLE COURT THAT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN GOD'S COURT"? 46:44 IF GOD HAS FORGIVEN YOU, THEN YOU CAN FORGIVE YOURSELF. 46:47 YOU KNOW WHAT HELPS ME? 46:48 HE SAYS, "YOU ARE A NEW CREATURE." 46:50 BOY, I TELL YOU, IF YOU KNEW WHAT I HAD DONE DURING MY LIFE, 46:52 YOU DON'T KNOW THE HALF OF IT. 46:54 WHAT'S IN MY TESTIMONY IS THE G-RATED VERSION. 46:57 I DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW. 46:59 I'D BE ASHAMED. 47:00 THE ONLY WAY IN MY OWN CONSCIENCE I CAN STAND BEFORE 47:03 YOU AND PREACH THE GOSPEL IS BECAUSE I REALLY BELIEVE 47:06 THAT PERSON'S DEAD. 47:09 I AM NOW BORN AGAIN. 47:10 I AM A DIFFERENT PERSON. 47:11 I AM A NEW CREATURE. 47:12 AND SO I FEEL SOME SEPARATION FROM THE GUILT OF EVERYTHING 47:15 THAT HAPPENED BACK THEN BECAUSE THAT WAS A DIFFERENT PERSON! 47:19 AND SO YOU BECOME A NEW CREATURE! 47:21 AMEN? 47:22 THAT'S GOOD NEWS! 47:24 ALL RIGHT, QUESTION NUMBER SEVEN. 47:28 WHAT IF THERE'S SOMETHING I'M AFRAID OR NOT WILLING 47:30 TO GIVE UP FOR GOD? 47:34 WELL, I THINK WE ALL STRUGGLE WITH THAT. 47:36 WE'VE GOT THESE PET SINS OR THINGS THAT WE DON'T WANT 47:39 TO LET GO OF. 47:40 HOW DO WE DO THAT? 47:42 YOU PROBABLY PANIC WHEN YOU BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT THAT. 47:45 JAMES 4:7-8, "THEREFORE SUBMIT TO GOD. 47:50 RESIST THE DEVIL AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU. 47:54 DRAW NEAR TO GOD AND HE WILL DRAW NEAR TO YOU." 47:56 THIS IS SO IMPORTANT. 47:58 YOU DO WHAT YOU CAN DO HUMANLY TO RESIST THE DEVIL, AND AS YOU 48:03 USE THE HUMAN STRENGTH AND WISDOM AND INTELLECT AND POWER 48:06 THAT GOD HAS GIVEN YOU, SAY, "I, LORD, AM TRUSTING 48:08 TO FOLLOW YOU." 48:09 AND YOU TAKE THAT STEP. 48:12 THEN GOD SAYS, "I WILL RUN TO YOU AS SOON AS YOU SHOW THAT 48:15 YOU'RE TAKING THE FIRST STEP THAT YOU REALLY WANT ME." 48:18 BUT WE MUST TAKE A STEP. 48:20 WE CAN'T STAND THERE AND EXPECT THAT WE'RE JUST GOING TO FOLD 48:22 OUR ARMS AND SAY, "LORD, YOU GOTTA DO THIS. 48:24 I'M NOT GOING TO EVEN MAKE AN EFFORT TO COME TO YOU. 48:26 I'M MAKING NO HUMAN EFFORT TO OBEY YOU." 48:29 WHEN YOU DRAW NEAR GOD, HE WILL DRAW NEAR YOU. 48:32 IT'S LIKE THE PRODIGAL SON. 48:34 AS SOON AS THE FATHER SAW HIM COMING, HE RAN TO MEET HIM. 48:38 THE FATHER COULDN'T DRAG HIM HOME. 48:40 THE SON HAD TO BE WILLING TO COME. 48:43 STORY IN THE BIBLE, LUKE 17, 10 LEPERS DYING OF LEPROSY. 48:48 THEY COME TO THE BROW OF A HILL AND THEY CALL TO JESUS, 48:50 THEY CAN'T GET TOO CLOSE BECAUSE THEY'VE GOT LEPROSY. 48:53 THEY SAY, "SON OF DAVID, HAVE MERCY ON US!" 48:57 AND JESUS LOOKS UP AT THEM, AND HE SAYS, "GO AND SHOW YOURSELF 49:00 TO THE PRIEST AND MAKE THE OFFERING FOR CLEANSING 49:03 FROM LEPROSY." 49:04 WELL, THAT DIDN'T MAKE ANY SENSE AT ALL BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT 49:06 SUPPOSED TO SHOW YOURSELF TO THE PRIEST FOR AN EXAMINATION 49:09 UNTIL YOU'RE LEPROSY IS GONE. 49:11 THEY STILL HAD LEPROSY. 49:12 WHY WOULD YOU GO AND BE PRONOUNCED CLEAN WHEN YOU STILL 49:15 HAVE LEPROSY? 49:16 BUT JESUS SAID, "GO." 49:19 SO THEY LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AND THEY SAID, "ALL RIGHT. 49:23 WE'RE NOT--THIS IS NOT THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO WORK, 49:25 BUT WE STILL GOT LEPROSY." 49:28 AND THEY TOOK THE FIRST STEPS TO DO WHAT JESUS SAID AND YOU 49:30 KNOW WHAT IT SAYS IN THE BIBLE? 49:32 "IN GOING THEY WERE CLEANSED." 49:37 AS YOU MAKE AN EFFORT TO DO WHAT GOD HAS TOLD YOU TO DO, 49:40 A MIRACLE CAN TAKE PLACE. 49:43 IT'S TRUE! 49:45 THAT'S THE WAY IT WORKS. 49:46 YOU KNOW, ONE TIME CHRIST TOLD THE DISCIPLES TO CROSS THE SEA. 49:49 AND HE SAID, "I'LL CATCH UP WITH YOU." 49:51 THEY DIDN'T KNOW HOW. 49:53 HALFWAY ACROSS THE SEA, THEY'RE OUT THERE IN THE MIDDLE, 49:55 THEY'RE ROWING WITH ALL OF THEIR MIGHT, BUT THE WIND 49:57 WAS AGAINST THEM AND THEY'RE NOT GETTING ANYWHERE. 49:59 THEY'RE STATIONARY, JUST ROWING, NOT GOING ANYWHERE. 50:03 I REMEMBER ONE TIME I WAS FLYING A SMALL PLANE UP BY 50:06 MOUNT SHASTA, CALIFORNIA, FLYING OVER INTERSTATE 5. 50:09 AND THERE WAS A HEADWIND THAT WAS 100 MILES AN HOUR 50:12 OVER MOUNT SHASTA. 50:14 AND THE PLANE WAS ONLY GOING ABOUT 105 MILES AN HOUR, 50:17 WHICH MEANS I WAS GOING 5 MILES AN HOUR. 50:20 AND I LOOKED AT THE CARS DOWN ON INTERSTATE 5 AND HERE I AM 50:23 IN AN AIRPLANE AND THE CARS ARE PASSING ME. 50:26 I WASN'T GETTING ANYWHERE. 50:28 AND THAT'S HOW THE DISCIPLES WERE. 50:30 THEY'RE ROWING AND THEY'RE JUST NOT GOING ANYWHERE AND THEY'RE 50:32 ARMS ARE BECOMING TIRED. 50:33 AND THEY THOUGHT, "WE'RE GOING TO DROWN OUT HERE 50:35 ON THE OCEAN." 50:36 AND THEN JESUS CAME TO THEM, WALKING ON THE WATER. 50:38 AND IT SAYS IN JOHN 6 SOMETHING INTERESTING HAPPENED. 50:41 WHEN THEY RECEIVED JESUS INTO THE BOAT, INSTANTLY THEY WERE 50:46 AT THEIR DESTINATION. 50:49 HE CAME TO THEM WHILE THEY WERE DOING WHAT HE HAD TOLD THEM 50:52 TO DO AND HE SAID, "I'LL WORK A MIRACLE FOR YOU, BUT ARE YOU 50:56 GOING TO USE THE GOD-GIVEN BRAINS AND BRAWN THAT I'VE 50:58 GIVEN YOU DO TO MY WILL? 51:01 OR ARE YOU JUST GOING TO SIT THERE, FOLD YOUR ARMS, 51:02 AND ASK ME TO DRAG YOU ALONG?" 51:04 GOD WANTS YOU TO COOPERATE WITH HIM. 51:06 AND HE WILL THEN WORK A MIRACLE FOR YOU AND GIVE YOU 51:08 A NEW HEART. 51:09 THIS IS WHERE MANY FAIL. 51:11 YOU TAKE THE STEPS, YOU DRAW NEAR TO GOD, AND THEN HE'LL 51:14 DRAW NEAR TO YOU. 51:16 DO SOMETHING TANGIBLE TO SHOW YOU TRUST HIM. 51:20 I'VE SEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE GET THE VICTORY OVER ALCOHOL 51:23 OR CIGARETTES AND YOU KNOW WHAT WE DO? 51:25 WE PRAY TOGETHER. 51:27 AND I SAY, "WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE FREE?" 51:29 THEY SAY, "YES!" 51:30 MAYBE THEY'RE STRUGGLING WITH PORNOGRAPHY OR DRUGS. 51:35 I SAY, "DO YOU WANT TO BE FREE?" 51:36 THEY SAY, "I WANT TO BE FREE." 51:37 "DO YOU BELIEVE THAT GOD WANTS YOU TO QUIT DRINKING?" 51:40 "YES, I BELIEVE IT!" 51:41 I SAID, "DO YOU BELIEVE GOD WILL HELP YOU DO WHAT HE WANTS 51:44 YOU TO DO?" 51:45 "YES, I BELIEVE IT!" 51:47 I SAID, "OKAY, HERE'S YOUR FIRST STEP. 51:49 DO YOU HAVE ANY ALCOHOL IN THE HOUSE? 51:51 ANY CIGARETTES? 51:52 ANY DIRTY MAGAZINES?" 51:54 "WELL, YEAH." 51:55 I SAID, "GO GET THEM. 51:58 LET'S THROW IT AWAY. 51:59 LET'S DESTROY IT. 52:00 FLUSH IT DOWN THE TOILET. 52:02 YOU TAKE A STEP RIGHT NOW. 52:03 AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO PRAY. 52:04 AND I'M NOT GOING TO PRAY UNTIL YOU TAKE THAT STEP." 52:06 THAT'S THE KEY. 52:07 A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY, "BUT WE COULD PRAY THAT GOD WILL GIVE 52:10 THEM THE STRENGTH TO TAKE THE STEP." 52:11 NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. 52:13 I SAID, "BUT IF YOU REALLY WANT TO SEE A MIRACLE, YOU CHOOSE 52:17 TO TAKE THE FIRST STEP. 52:19 YOU DRAW NEAR TO GOD AND YOU SEE IF HE DOESN'T 52:20 SET YOU FREE." 52:21 AND THIS IS WHERE MILLIONS FAIL! 52:23 THEY DON'T TAKE THE FIRST STEP OF SAYING, "LORD, 52:25 I'LL DO WHAT I CAN. 52:26 I'M WILLING TO THROW IT AWAY AND TO PRAY." 52:29 AND DON'T GET DISCOURAGED IF YOU FAIL. 52:31 I'VE TOLD YOU, YOU KNOW HOW MANY TIMES I THREW AWAY MY 52:33 CIGARETTES BEFORE I STOPPED DIGGING THEM OUT OF THE GARBAGE 52:35 CAN? 52:36 OR I'D THROW THEM IN THE STOVE. 52:39 OR I'D THROW THEM IN THE OUTHOUSE. 52:41 THAT USUALLY WORKED. 52:42 I WOULDN'T GO AFTER THEM THERE. 52:44 BUT THEN I'D GO BUY ANOTHER PACK. 52:46 I'D SAY, "OH, LORD!" 52:47 HE'D SAY, "DOUG, DRAW NEAR TO ME." 52:49 I'D THROW THEM AWAY AGAIN. 52:50 I'D PRAY. 52:52 AND YOU KNOW, THE LAST TIME I THREW THEM AWAY, I THREW THEM 52:53 AWAY AND HE GAVE ME THE VICTORY. 52:55 HE WORKED A MIRACLE AND THAT'S BEEN 30-SOMETHING YEARS NOW. 52:58 PRAISE GOD, I HAVEN'T HAD ONE CIGARETTE IN MY MOUTH 53:01 AND I WAS ADDICTED! 53:02 AND HE DID THAT FOR ME WITH ALCOHOL AND HE DID THAT FOR ME 53:04 WITH CURSING AND HE DID IT-- HE'LL DO IT IN EVERY AREA 53:07 OF YOUR LIFE. 53:08 YES, YOU CAN! 53:10 DON'T BELIEVE YOU CAN. 53:11 YOU ARE INSULTING JESUS IF YOU DON'T THINK THAT HE CAN SAVE 53:14 YOU. 53:15 YOU HAVE A PRETTY HIGH ESTIMATE OF YOURSELF IF YOU THINK YOU 53:18 ARE A BETTER SINNER THAN HE IS A SAVIOR. 53:21 HE CAN SAVE YOU FROM YOUR SINS. 53:22 QUESTION IS, DO YOU BELIEVE THAT HE HAS A HEAVEN 53:25 TO OFFER YOU? 53:26 DO YOU BELIEVE AND LOVE HIM SO MUCH BECAUSE HE DIED FOR YOU? 53:31 WILL YOU TRUST HIM? 53:32 ARE YOU WILLING TO TAKE THE FIRST STEP? 53:36 YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO JUMP AHEAD HERE. 53:39 I'M GOING TO GO TO NUMBER 11. 53:43 DO I HAVE TO BE PERFECT FOR GOD TO ACCEPT ME? 53:49 NO, NOBODY IS PERFECT. 53:52 HE WOULDN'T ACCEPT ANYBODY. 53:54 HE WILL RECEIVE YOU WHEN YOU COME TO HIM RIGHT NOW, 53:56 JUST LIKE YOU ARE. 53:58 REVELATION 22:17, THE BIBLE ENDS WITH A DESPERATE APPEAL. 54:02 GOD WANTS YOU IN HEAVEN. 54:03 LISTEN TO THE LORD. 54:04 "THE SPRIT AND THE BRIDE SAY, 'COME! 54:08 AND LET HIM WHO HEARS COME! 54:10 AND LET HIM WHO HAS A THIRST FOR THIS LIVING WATER, WHOEVER 54:14 DESIRES, LET HIM TAKE THE WATER OF LIFE FREELY." 54:17 WHOSOEVER BELIEVES, WHOSOEVER DESIRES, YOU CAN COME TO GOD. 54:20 YOU CAN HAVE A NEW LIFE. 54:23 AND YOU KNOW, FRIENDS, AS I'M WINDING UP THIS PRESENTATION, 54:27 I THINK I'D BE MAKING A MISTAKE IF I DID NOT GIVE YOU 54:31 AN OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND IN SOME WAY. 54:34 I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO DO SOMETHING VERY SIMPLE. 54:37 AND I'M JUST GOING TO ASK YOU TO STAND. 54:39 NOW LISTEN CAREFULLY. 54:41 WE ALL ARE SINNERS. 54:43 YOU, ME, EVERYBODY, WE ALL HAVE SINNED. 54:46 WE ALL HAVE THINGS IN OUR LIVES THAT ARE CHAINING US TO 54:48 THE WORLD. 54:50 BUT I BELIEVE SOME OF YOU ARE WILLING TO TAKE THOSE 54:52 FIRST STEPS TO BE SET FREE. 54:55 YOU CAN MAKE A DECISION RIGHT NOW BY THE GRACE OF GOD TO SAY, 54:59 "LORD, I KNOW THERE'S SOMETHING IN MY LIFE YOU WANT TO CHANGE." 55:02 MAYBE A FEW THINGS. 55:05 AND YOU'RE WILLING TO SAY, "LORD, BY YOUR GRACE, 55:07 I'M WILLING TO TAKE THAT STEP AND DRAW NEAR TO YOU, TO RESIST 55:10 THE DEVIL." 55:12 AND HE SAYS, "I WILL RUN TO YOU." 55:15 HE'LL RUN TO EMBRACE YOU. 55:17 HE'LL GIVE YOU HIS POWER. 55:18 HE'LL WORK A MIRACLE OF BREAKING THE CHAINS 55:20 AND LIBERATING YOU. 55:21 BUT WE NEED TO TAKE A STEP AND SAY, "I BELIEVE 55:25 THAT YOU LOVE ME, JESUS." 55:27 NOW I BELIEVE THERE ARE SOME OF YOU HERE, THERE MAY BE 55:30 SPECIFIC THINGS. 55:31 THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE WATCHING, YOU'VE GOT A SIN IN YOUR LIFE. 55:35 THERE MAY BE SEVERAL THINGS, SOMETHING YOU NEED TO CHANGE. 55:39 ARE YOU WILLING TO SAY, "LORD, BY YOUR GRACE, I'M GOING TO GO 55:43 BACK TO MY HOME, I'M GOING TO GO TO MY CLOSET OR MY CUPBOARD 55:46 OR MY GLOVE BOX OR WHEREVER IT HAPPENS TO BE AND I'M GOING 55:48 TO THROW THIS THING AWAY. 55:50 I'M GOING TO PLACE IT ON THE ALTAR. 55:52 AND I'M GOING TO THEN PRAY AND SAY, 'LORD, SAVE ME. 55:55 SET ME FREE. 55:57 GIVE ME A NEW HEART.'" AND THEN START FEEDING 56:00 OUR SOULS. 56:02 BEFORE I CLOSE WITH PRAYER, IF THERE ARE SOME OF YOU HERE WHO 56:05 SAY, "I'VE GOT SOMETHING I WANT TO BRING TO JESUS AND I WANT TO 56:08 BE SET FREE," I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO STAND IN HIS PRESENCE. 56:12 DON'T WORRY ABOUT OTHERS WHO ARE AROUND YOU. 56:14 THIS IS REALLY BETWEEN YOU AND THE LORD. 56:17 AND HE CAN WORK A MIRACLE IN YOUR LIFE. 56:19 PRAISE GOD FOR THOSE HERE AT GREAT LAKES ACADEMY. 56:22 I HOPE THAT THERE ARE SOME WHO ARE WATCHING THAT ARE HAVING 56:26 THAT SAME VOICE SPEAK TO THEIR SPIRIT THAT WANT TO BE 56:29 SET FREE. 56:30 YOU COME TO JESUS JUST LIKE YOU ARE AND HE'LL DO IT. 56:34 CAN I PRAY WITH YOU RIGHT NOW? 56:38 DEAR LOVING FATHER, LORD, WE'RE SO THANKFUL FOR THE GOOD NEWS 56:42 THAT WE CAN BE NEW CREATURES, THAT WE CAN HAVE A NEW BIRTH, 56:46 THAT WE CAN HAVE THAT GIFT OF EVERLASTING LIFE AND A LOVING, 56:50 SAVING RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU. 56:53 LORD, I PRAY YOU WILL WORK MIRACLES OF YOUR POWER RIGHT 56:56 NOW IN THE LIVES OF ALL THESE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO HAVE MADE 56:58 THESE DECISIONS. 57:00 YOU KNOW WHAT IT MEANS IN EACH ONE OF THEIR HEARTS. 57:03 YOU KNOW WHAT THE SPECIFICS ARE. 57:05 BREAK THE CHAINS, SET THEM FREE. 57:07 I PRAY THAT THEY WILL BE CLEANSED AS THEY WALK AND GO 57:10 AND GROW TOWARDS YOU BECAUSE WE'RE ASKING IN THE MIGHTY NAME 57:14 OF JESUS, AMEN. 57:17 [MUSIC] 57:22 >> THANK YOU FOR WATCHING THIS EPISODE OF "MIQ." 57:24 DURING OUR NEXT PRESENTATION, WE WILL BE TAKING A LOOK AT THE 57:27 CHURCH AND WHAT IT REALLY MEANS TO BE BORN AGAIN. 57:30 SEE YOU THEN. 57:34 [MUSIC] 57:59 >> VIDEO GAMES, TELEVISION, SHOPPING, THEY ALL EAT UP 58:03 PRECIOUS TIME. 58:04 WELL, WHY NOT TAKE A MUCH NEEDED TIME OUT AND GET 58:07 CONNECTED WITH GOD WITH THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS 58:10 DVD SERIES, A BOXED SET THAT INCLUDES TEN 1-HOUR 58:13 PRESENTATIONS AND A 126 PAGE COMPANION GUIDE TO THE MOST 58:17 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON GOD, THE BIBLE, AND LIVING 58:20 A CHRISTIAN LIFE, PRESENTED BY TV EVANGELIST DOUG BATCHELOR? 58:25 TO GET YOUR COPY, VISIT STORE.AMAZINGFACTS.ORG. |
Revised 2015-02-05