I wanna share with you
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something very important today.
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Something, that's very
near and dear to my heart.
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And it's so important in fact
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that I would like to ask you
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to have an added
word of prayer with me.
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I know, we've had prayer,
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but we can't
approach God's throne too much
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to seek the
guidance of His Holy Spirit
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as we open this precious book.
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So would you just
right where you are,
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just bow your heads
with me as we talk to God.
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Gracious Father in heaven,
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we know, that You're there
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and that You hear
our voice right now.
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As we collectively as a group
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speak to You
through this prayer.
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Father, we know that
You want to talk to us,
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that You want to
communicate with us.
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And it is our great desire Lord,
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that we would be
sensitive to your voice
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that we would hear
what You have to say.
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So please, right now,
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we ask that Your Holy
Spirit would come very near
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to each one of us and that we
would be opened up deep inside
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our intellects
and our emotions Lord
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crying out for you reaching out
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from deep inside of us
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to apprehend something more
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of Your glory and Your love.
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Lord we desire
this with all our hearts
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and we know that You
will fulfill our desire,
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because we come
to You and we pray,
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in the beautiful
name of Jesus, amen.
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I want to begin this
afternoon by telling you,
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about a lady that I met
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in the beautiful country
of Latvia on the Baltic Sea.
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Her name is Agita.
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And Agita was
attending a series of meetings
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in a theatre that we rented,
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and I was the
featured speaker for.
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And of all the people in
this particular gathering
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and there were upwards
towards a thousand of them.
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With all those faces
out there it was a Agita
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that I noticed about
three rows back to my right
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I noticed her.
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And over and over
again in the meeting
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her facial
expressions were so in tune
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with what was being
said, that I thought
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I'd like to meet that lady
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and find out what's
going on in her mind.
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But then her facial
expressions begin to change.
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I noticed her again and now
she began to look frustrated.
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She began to look angry even.
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And so I focused on
what I was saying my message
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and turned my
attention away from her
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so as not to get distracted.
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And as soon as
the meeting was over
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and I stepped down
from the stage Agita,
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approached to me and she was
dead serious about something.
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Through her broken
English she came right up to me
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and looked into my eyes
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and she said these words to me.
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She said, why would
anybody want to live forever.
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I am trying to work up
the courage to end my life.
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Now, eternal life was
not the specific topic
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of my address that evening.
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But somewhere in that message
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I must have used
the words eternal life,
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or I must have spoken in
passing about living forever.
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Though, it wasn't my topic,
she latched on to those words.
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Now you have to understand
that Latvia is a country
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that is largely
made up of people
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who do not believe even
in the existence of God.
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It is largely
an atheist country.
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Now, it wasn't always atheist,
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but you see
Latvia during my visit
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was living in the dark aftermath
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of a very recent tragic history,
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because the Russians had come in
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and tried to impose communism
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on the people of
this lovely country.
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Before that time they
were a people rich in faith.
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And most of the
people believed in God,
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but now, now they had
witnessed with their eyes
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so much tragedy, so much
pain, so much heartaches,
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so much bloodshed by
the hand of their dominators
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that most of the people had
reasoned God out of existence
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and they said
there couldn't possibly
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be a God
anywhere in this universe.
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Because if there is a God
certainly He would not allow
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such horrible things to happen
to us and to our children.
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And you can understand
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their
frustration and their pain.
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You will find if
you look at history
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that atheism in our world is
for the most part a phenomenon
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that has come into
existence out of pain.
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And in other words many people
choose not to believe in God,
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because life hurts too bad.
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And they can't fit the equation
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together in their mind.
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God is love, and God is
good, and God is powerful,
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but look what's happening to me.
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Look at the pain, look at
the suffering in this world
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and so it's much easier
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psychologically and emotionally
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it's much easier for
some people to just say
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there must not be a
God. I don't believe in God.
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And you see
Agita was one of those.
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She was trying to reason God
out of existence in her mind.
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To rationalize that
there couldn't possibly
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be a God in heaven, because
of what she had gone through.
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And when I had spoken
those very, very charged words
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eternal life or living forever
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or whatever it was that I said
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that arouse her
frustration and anger.
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When I spoke those
words she bolted from her seat
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as soon as the meeting was over,
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came straight up
to me and she said,
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why would anybody
want to live forever?
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I am trying to work up
the courage to take my life
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and I begin to feel her pain.
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I said, please to meet
you, I didn't even get your name
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and she told me her name, Agita.
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And there we met
for the first time
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and she began not
willingly at first,
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but she began
to unfold the story
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of her very tragic life to me.
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Agita began by telling me
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how that when she
was a teenaged girl
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so happy in the
life that she had
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that the Russian soldiers,
they could hear them marching
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in the distance came
into her very neighborhood.
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They are in Madona, Latvia
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where I was
holding these meetings.
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And as the Russian soldiers
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marched through
her neighborhood,
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some of them came
right up to her house
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and as they came in she
said first thing that they did
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was they put a bullet
through my father's head
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right in front of our eyes.
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The next thing they did
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was they proceeded to
rape my mother and myself
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in front of my
fiancé and my brothers.
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Then they killed my
fiancé and my brothers
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and commanded my mother and I
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to take all of our
personal belongings
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that had any kind
of sentimental value
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like the marriage license
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of the father and
mother of that home.
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Like any family
photos, all financial records,
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birth certificates everything
that had any sentimental value
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the soldier said gather
up put it on the front lawn
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and they doused it
with fuel and torched it
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and then commanded
mother and daughter
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never to speak their
mother tongue of Latvian
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again on penalty of death.
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You are Russian
now they told them.
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Your family has gone make due
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and they put them
out of their house
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and one of the soldiers
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laid claim to
that house as his own.
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An incredible amount of pain
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was surging
through this lady's heart.
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And as she spoke to
me and told me the story
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I begin to understand
what she meant when she said,
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why would anybody
want to live forever?
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I am trying to work up
the courage to take my life,
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to end my existence.
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You see Agita was imagining
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that eternal life would
just be more of the same.
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More pain and heartache,
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more of the terrible atrocities
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that had afflicted her
life and she couldn't imagine
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even living for
fifty, sixty, seventy
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and eighty years in this life
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and finding any
thing to live for.
00:10:03.91\00:10:07.29
So when I spoke
those words, she thought
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why would anybody
that is a ridiculous idea
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she said to me, why would
anybody want to live forever?
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I don't wanna live forever
I'd like to end it right now.
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Life is so hard, the
memories are so vivid,
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the pain is so intense.
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Why would I
want to live forever?
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And with that she
proceeded to turn on her heals
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and to walk away from
me and head for the door
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having stated her case.
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I didn't know what to do,
but I had seen in her eyes
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a pain that I
thought might be healed.
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And so I said to her as
she was walking out the door
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shouting to the
back of her head.
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I said, Agita please don't go.
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Give me a chance to
explain something to you.
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She turned
around and glanced at me
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with her eyes filled with anger
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and she said
explain something to me,
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you can't
explain anything to me.
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Nothing could explain or justify
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or in anyway make sense
out of what I've been through.
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And I said, I agree and
I resonate with your pain,
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but please, please could I have
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a few moments of your time.
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She came back reluctant,
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but I could see that if there
wasn't answer she wanted it.
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Have you ever
met people like that?
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May be you've been
a person like that.
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Where on the surface
you're running from God,
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but deep in your heart you wish,
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He would take hold of
you and give an explanation.
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Have you ever felt like that?
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Well, if you were here yesterday
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to hear my personal
story, I can tell you that
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I definitely have felt
like that throughout my life.
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Longing for God to explain
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and feeling a deep
inner impulse to run from God
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well at the same time
wishing that He would find me.
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And Agita was like that.
00:12:05.21\00:12:07.09
Agita somehow wanted an
answer and yet couldn't believe
00:12:07.10\00:12:11.30
that there could be an answer.
00:12:11.31\00:12:14.53
But she reluctantly came
back and she stood before me
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and she said what
could you possibly say
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that would make a difference?
00:12:19.48\00:12:20.47
I said, well, I don't know
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if what I will say
would make a difference.
00:12:22.08\00:12:24.19
But please let me try and
just as I was speaking to her
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in all honesty I didn't
know what I was gonna say.
00:12:27.16\00:12:30.74
I thought this
is such a horrible,
00:12:30.75\00:12:33.33
horrible situation.
00:12:33.34\00:12:35.20
What a problem to solve.
00:12:35.21\00:12:36.91
This woman wants
nothing to do with God.
00:12:36.92\00:12:39.38
She wants nothing to
do with eternal life,
00:12:39.39\00:12:41.32
because she thinks it
will just be more of the same,
00:12:41.33\00:12:44.68
endless days of
heartache and pain.
00:12:44.69\00:12:48.88
So I said Agita listen,
you gonna have to do something
00:12:48.89\00:12:51.58
that may be a little
bit awkward at first.
00:12:51.59\00:12:54.35
Would you just
cooperate for a minute,
00:12:54.36\00:12:56.31
you don't even know
me and I am gonna ask you
00:12:56.32\00:12:58.05
to do something that certainly
will seem a little strange,
00:12:58.06\00:13:01.47
but would you please
cooperate for a moment.
00:13:01.48\00:13:04.61
Agita would you close your eyes?
00:13:04.62\00:13:07.56
She said, close my eyes.
00:13:07.57\00:13:09.83
Well, we were in a public place
00:13:09.84\00:13:11.47
and there were people swarming
all around us in the theatre.
00:13:11.48\00:13:17.30
She looked
around a little nervous
00:13:17.31\00:13:19.35
and then she cooperated.
00:13:19.36\00:13:20.99
She said, okay, I
will close my eyes.
00:13:21.00\00:13:24.56
She closed her eyes and then
what I said to her was this.
00:13:24.57\00:13:27.99
I said, Agita right
now as your eyes are close,
00:13:28.00\00:13:30.11
I'd like you to do something,
would you please right now
00:13:30.12\00:13:33.17
in this moment would you please
00:13:33.18\00:13:34.92
call to the
forefront of your memory?
00:13:34.93\00:13:39.31
Would you please imagine
and picture the best things
00:13:39.32\00:13:45.09
that have ever
happened to you in this life?
00:13:45.10\00:13:47.71
Would you imagine, would
you remember just for a moment
00:13:47.72\00:13:51.91
the people and the
events that made you laugh
00:13:51.92\00:13:56.76
with joy, and cry with a
sense of acceptance and love,
00:13:56.77\00:14:02.93
would just remember
those people for a moment?
00:14:02.94\00:14:05.44
Remember them, are there
any people like that Agita.
00:14:05.45\00:14:07.95
People you loved and
people who loved you,
00:14:07.96\00:14:10.60
would you just
think and remember
00:14:10.61\00:14:13.50
the happiest
moments of your life.
00:14:13.51\00:14:16.00
The happiest moments
Agita and then I was silent.
00:14:16.01\00:14:20.44
And as I looked at her
face, the anger began to subside
00:14:20.45\00:14:25.19
and I saw tears
beginning to squeeze forth
00:14:25.20\00:14:28.06
out of her clenched eyes.
00:14:28.07\00:14:32.15
I said, okay,
Agita open your eyes now.
00:14:32.16\00:14:35.00
She opened her eyes
00:14:35.01\00:14:36.94
and now she was
soft in her appearance.
00:14:36.95\00:14:39.31
I said, Agita tell me
what were you remembering?
00:14:39.32\00:14:41.81
What were the
happiest moments of your life?
00:14:41.82\00:14:44.54
Who were the best
people you ever knew?
00:14:44.55\00:14:46.77
Tell me Agita, what
were you seeing in your mind
00:14:46.78\00:14:49.70
as you were remembering.
00:14:49.71\00:14:52.21
And I never
forget what she told me.
00:14:52.22\00:14:54.77
She began by
telling about happy days
00:14:54.78\00:14:57.38
by the lake near their home
00:14:57.39\00:14:59.37
when as a little
girl her daddy whom
00:14:59.38\00:15:01.60
she referred to as papa
would take her on his back
00:15:01.61\00:15:05.10
and pretend to be
a dolphin or a whale
00:15:05.11\00:15:07.59
and swim far out into
the lake and then swim back
00:15:07.60\00:15:10.96
and when she
spoke his name papa,
00:15:10.97\00:15:16.92
it was almost musical.
00:15:16.93\00:15:18.06
You could hear
intense love in her voice
00:15:18.07\00:15:21.79
as she talked about
and remembered her father.
00:15:21.80\00:15:25.06
And then she told about
her mom, she said my momma,
00:15:25.07\00:15:27.53
she was so beautiful.
What a lovely lady she was.
00:15:27.54\00:15:31.02
She would sit up with
me late into the night
00:15:31.03\00:15:33.57
and sometimes we were talking
giggle about girl things,
00:15:33.58\00:15:37.41
about teenaged things, about
whatever I was going through
00:15:37.42\00:15:40.82
and she said my momma
loved me and I always knew it.
00:15:40.83\00:15:45.81
Isn't that precious?
00:15:45.82\00:15:47.93
And then and then
Agita shifted gears
00:15:47.94\00:15:50.66
and she talked about
another kind of love.
00:15:50.67\00:15:54.23
Her voice changed
and it began to crack
00:15:54.24\00:15:56.55
with emotion and Agita proceeded
00:15:56.56\00:15:58.85
to tell me about her fiancé.
00:15:58.86\00:16:01.75
She referred to
him as her best friend
00:16:01.76\00:16:04.59
and she talked
about how great it was
00:16:04.60\00:16:07.23
to fall in love with him.
00:16:07.24\00:16:09.43
And how she was looking
forward to her wedding day.
00:16:09.44\00:16:13.63
As she told me
about when he had asked
00:16:13.64\00:16:16.23
if she would marry him and
how excited she was to say yes,
00:16:16.24\00:16:21.12
with all the
enthusiasm of her heart,
00:16:21.13\00:16:23.22
yes, I will marry you.
00:16:23.23\00:16:24.84
She talked about his virtues
and how good looking he was
00:16:24.85\00:16:29.25
and what a great
sense of humor he had,
00:16:29.26\00:16:31.44
and what a great friend he was.
00:16:31.45\00:16:34.27
My best friend, she said.
00:16:34.28\00:16:37.85
And they took him from me.
00:16:37.86\00:16:41.72
And then she began to cry again.
00:16:41.73\00:16:44.58
And then I said
Agita, Agita this is it
00:16:44.59\00:16:46.78
exactly what
you're talking about.
00:16:46.79\00:16:48.84
This is what
eternal life is all about.
00:16:48.85\00:16:50.80
She said, what do you mean?
What are you talking about?
00:16:50.81\00:16:53.04
I said Agita listen
to me, eternal life,
00:16:53.05\00:16:57.17
eternal life is
like the immortalizing
00:16:57.18\00:16:59.48
of those moments.
00:16:59.49\00:17:02.23
Eternal life is like
being in love with people,
00:17:02.24\00:17:07.01
like your papa and you
momma, and your fiancé.
00:17:07.02\00:17:11.02
Eternal life Agita is not
00:17:11.03\00:17:13.65
endless days of pain and sorrow.
00:17:13.66\00:17:16.49
Eternal life is like
falling in love forever
00:17:16.50\00:17:21.52
with the most beautiful
person in all the universe.
00:17:21.53\00:17:23.89
Eternal life is an endless,
nonstop, full throttled,
00:17:23.90\00:17:29.56
free fall of a love relationship
00:17:29.57\00:17:33.47
with the best person in all
the universe, and that's God.
00:17:33.48\00:17:40.97
And she was blown away,
00:17:40.98\00:17:42.19
she said what
are you telling me.
00:17:42.20\00:17:44.94
I said Agita, I
wanna share one Bible verse
00:17:44.95\00:17:46.71
with you, just one.
00:17:46.72\00:17:49.11
And most of you
don't have Bibles today,
00:17:49.12\00:17:51.28
that's understandable
here at this family funfair.
00:17:51.29\00:17:55.10
Do not have your Bible with you,
00:17:55.11\00:17:56.39
but I brought mine
and you've probably heard
00:17:56.40\00:17:58.50
this verse before, I am
just gonna share with you
00:17:58.51\00:18:01.57
as I did with Agita.
00:18:01.58\00:18:03.23
And incredible insight that
Jesus gave in John 17, verse 3
00:18:03.24\00:18:07.44
this is what I
shared with Agita, verse 3.
00:18:07.45\00:18:10.38
Jesus speaking to His
heavenly Father in prayer,
00:18:10.39\00:18:13.21
this is what He
said about eternal life.
00:18:13.22\00:18:14.92
Listen to this very
carefully, Jesus said,
00:18:14.93\00:18:17.99
"And this is eternal
life, that they might know you
00:18:18.00\00:18:24.12
the only true God,
00:18:24.13\00:18:25.43
and Jesus Christ
whom you have sent."
00:18:25.44\00:18:29.18
Now, I want you to notice
something about this verse.
00:18:29.19\00:18:31.91
The same thing I
shared with Agita.
00:18:31.92\00:18:34.46
I want you to notice that
Jesus now this is something
00:18:34.47\00:18:37.08
you want to
carefully take note of.
00:18:37.09\00:18:39.59
Jesus did not
define eternal life
00:18:39.60\00:18:42.55
in terms of its duration.
00:18:42.56\00:18:45.58
Do you understand
what I mean by that?
00:18:45.59\00:18:47.20
He didn't say eternal life is
00:18:47.21\00:18:48.81
millions and
billions of years without end.
00:18:48.82\00:18:53.60
Now, that's often how
we think of eternal life.
00:18:53.61\00:18:56.60
We think eternal life
simply means to live, how long?
00:18:56.61\00:19:02.05
Can I hear you?
Forever that's right.
00:19:02.06\00:19:04.85
Eternal life
means to live forever,
00:19:04.86\00:19:06.52
that's what it means.
00:19:06.53\00:19:07.77
I mean, certainly eternal life
does include living forever.
00:19:07.78\00:19:14.13
But notice that Jesus
did not define eternal life
00:19:14.14\00:19:18.04
in terms of its
length or its duration.
00:19:18.05\00:19:21.23
He didn't say this is
eternal life to live forever.
00:19:21.24\00:19:25.41
Jesus rather
defined eternal life
00:19:25.42\00:19:28.45
in terms of its
quality, did you noticed that?
00:19:28.46\00:19:33.13
He said this is
eternal life to know God,
00:19:33.14\00:19:39.96
interesting isn't that?
00:19:39.97\00:19:42.91
What does it mean to know God?
00:19:42.92\00:19:45.75
Do you realize that Jesus used
00:19:45.76\00:19:47.72
perhaps the most
intimate word in scripture
00:19:47.73\00:19:51.76
both in the Hebrew language
and in the Greek language?
00:19:51.77\00:19:55.44
He said eternal
life means to know God.
00:19:55.45\00:19:59.72
It's the same word, same concept
00:19:59.73\00:20:02.66
that is used in
the Greek version
00:20:02.67\00:20:04.34
of the Old Testament
called the Septuagint.
00:20:04.35\00:20:06.84
It's the same word that
is used in the Old Testament
00:20:06.85\00:20:10.12
when the Bible says,
Adam knew his wife Eve
00:20:10.13\00:20:14.57
and she conceived
and brought forth a son.
00:20:14.58\00:20:18.91
Now, of course, what
this verse is talking about is
00:20:18.92\00:20:22.33
it's talking about the
sexual act within marriage.
00:20:22.34\00:20:26.84
Adam knew his wife Eve
and she became pregnant
00:20:26.85\00:20:31.07
and gave birth to a son.
00:20:31.08\00:20:33.57
So it's talking about a very
00:20:33.58\00:20:34.97
intimate kind of
knowing, isn't it?
00:20:34.98\00:20:37.63
within marriage it's
talking about the closest
00:20:37.64\00:20:41.24
that two human beings ever come,
00:20:41.25\00:20:42.91
I mean think about it.
00:20:42.92\00:20:45.04
The greatest
experiences that we ever know
00:20:45.05\00:20:47.40
in this life are the experiences
00:20:47.41\00:20:50.38
that come to us by way of
another person's personality
00:20:50.39\00:20:54.54
and character and life and body,
00:20:54.55\00:20:57.25
mind and soul
intersecting with our own
00:20:57.26\00:21:00.08
and we fall in love.
00:21:00.09\00:21:02.22
Would you agree that the
greatest experience in life
00:21:02.23\00:21:06.20
is to fall in love
with a man with a woman
00:21:06.21\00:21:09.69
with whom we can say
truly I have found fellowship
00:21:09.70\00:21:13.42
and this person is my friend.
00:21:13.43\00:21:16.25
Would you agree that
that's the greatest experience
00:21:16.26\00:21:18.47
in life that we can
have. It's not things, is it?
00:21:18.48\00:21:22.22
Even when you
think of going to heaven
00:21:22.23\00:21:23.84
really you know what,
00:21:23.85\00:21:24.84
heaven is not about
the streets of gold?
00:21:24.85\00:21:28.12
Heaven is not about the mansions
00:21:28.13\00:21:30.34
that Jesus promised.
00:21:30.35\00:21:32.27
Heaven is not about having
a city home and country home
00:21:32.28\00:21:35.37
and a crown with many stars.
00:21:35.38\00:21:38.68
All of that is
incidental, it's peripheral.
00:21:38.69\00:21:41.97
It is the icing on
the cake so to speak.
00:21:41.98\00:21:44.84
To be sure there
will be streets of gold,
00:21:44.85\00:21:46.99
there will be gates of pearl,
00:21:47.00\00:21:49.48
there will be mansion
and we'll live in them.
00:21:49.49\00:21:52.65
Eternal life will be totally
00:21:52.66\00:21:55.18
and complete posh and luxurious
00:21:55.19\00:21:59.57
as far as material
things are concerned.
00:21:59.58\00:22:03.35
But eternal life is not
about the streets of gold,
00:22:03.36\00:22:07.05
it's not about the mansions.
00:22:07.06\00:22:09.36
Eternal life is not
about material wealth
00:22:09.37\00:22:12.39
and posh
luxurious living, is it?
00:22:12.40\00:22:16.69
When Jesus defined eternal life,
00:22:16.70\00:22:19.23
Jesus did not say
00:22:19.24\00:22:20.36
eternal life is to live forever
00:22:20.37\00:22:22.32
in mansions on streets of gold.
00:22:22.33\00:22:25.99
Jesus said eternal
life finds its substance,
00:22:26.00\00:22:29.22
its meaning in a quality of life
00:22:29.23\00:22:33.11
that is defined by knowing God
00:22:33.12\00:22:36.78
at the deepest
level of intimacy.
00:22:36.79\00:22:40.68
Jesus used the same
word that the Bible uses
00:22:40.69\00:22:45.46
to speak of matrimonial intimacy
00:22:45.47\00:22:49.86
by which children are conceived.
00:22:49.87\00:22:53.30
That's absolutely
intimate and close
00:22:53.31\00:22:56.48
as human beings
can come in this life.
00:22:56.49\00:23:00.03
And Jesus lifted that word
00:23:00.04\00:23:03.97
that defined
that kind of intimacy
00:23:03.98\00:23:07.17
between a man and a woman.
00:23:07.18\00:23:08.80
And he transported that concept
00:23:08.81\00:23:11.30
into a spiritual realm.
00:23:11.31\00:23:13.43
And He said in essence,
eternal life is to know God,
00:23:13.44\00:23:19.07
that is eternal
life is to enter into
00:23:19.08\00:23:22.30
an intimacy with God,
a friendship an intimacy
00:23:22.31\00:23:27.81
with God of love,
and joy, and peace
00:23:27.82\00:23:32.92
that can only be found in
fellowship with the almighty.
00:23:32.93\00:23:37.97
Eternal life Jesus
said, is to know God,
00:23:37.98\00:23:42.64
to be intimate with the
creator of the universe,
00:23:42.65\00:23:46.92
incredible isn't it?
00:23:46.93\00:23:48.64
That's what eternal
life is really all about
00:23:48.65\00:23:51.16
and that's what I
shared with Agita.
00:23:51.17\00:23:52.41
I said Agita listen
eternal life is not just days,
00:23:52.42\00:23:55.08
and weeks, and
months, and years or even
00:23:55.09\00:23:57.68
millions of years
or billions of years.
00:23:57.69\00:24:00.00
Eternal life is not
about how long it is
00:24:00.01\00:24:03.42
so much as it is what
that life is composed up.
00:24:03.43\00:24:07.10
What would you
think if I said to you
00:24:07.11\00:24:10.45
that I just celebrated
my anniversary last month
00:24:10.46\00:24:13.95
and I did?
00:24:13.96\00:24:16.39
And Sue and I've been
married now for 23 years.
00:24:16.40\00:24:21.72
And what if I said to you
just having a conversation here
00:24:21.73\00:24:26.12
among all the exhibits?
00:24:26.13\00:24:27.50
You and I just
standing there talking
00:24:27.51\00:24:28.80
and I said you know what
we just had our anniversary
00:24:28.81\00:24:31.04
being married to Sue,
00:24:31.05\00:24:32.33
I mean I am telling
you it is minutes, seconds,
00:24:32.34\00:24:35.38
days, years, months, weeks,
00:24:35.39\00:24:38.49
I mean it is a long being
married to Sue, it is long.
00:24:38.50\00:24:42.49
It's long time man.
00:24:42.50\00:24:44.10
I'll tell you what,
being married to Sue
00:24:44.11\00:24:46.27
is a very long drawn out event,
00:24:46.28\00:24:49.24
it is minutes, hours,
days, weeks, months and years.
00:24:49.25\00:24:53.01
What would you think
about our relationship?
00:24:53.02\00:24:55.84
What would you think
if I defined my marriage
00:24:55.85\00:24:59.57
to Sue in terms of merely time?
00:24:59.58\00:25:05.78
But what would you
think if I said to you
00:25:05.79\00:25:07.60
ah, being married to Sue,
I mean it is like a moment.
00:25:07.61\00:25:12.81
It's been 23 years,
but I'll tell you what,
00:25:12.82\00:25:15.19
it has been a great experience,
00:25:15.20\00:25:19.37
a great relationship,
00:25:19.38\00:25:22.44
and she is my best
friend in all the world.
00:25:22.45\00:25:24.83
Would you have a
different impression
00:25:24.84\00:25:26.22
of our relationship?
00:25:26.23\00:25:27.94
If I defined it in
terms of friendship
00:25:27.95\00:25:30.69
and its quality rather
than defining this life with Sue
00:25:30.70\00:25:35.39
in terms of time itself.
00:25:35.40\00:25:38.89
Jesus did that very thing.
00:25:38.90\00:25:40.98
Jesus didn't say
00:25:40.99\00:25:42.14
eternal life is to live forever.
00:25:42.15\00:25:44.50
Well, of course it is,
00:25:44.51\00:25:46.61
but really, really
what is eternal life?
00:25:46.62\00:25:49.40
In John,
Chapter 10 and verse 10,
00:25:49.41\00:25:52.27
Jesus made another profound
statement about eternal life.
00:25:52.28\00:25:56.47
Jesus said, "I have come
that you might have life."
00:25:56.48\00:26:01.15
Do you know the rest?
00:26:01.16\00:26:02.96
"And that you might
have it that is life."
00:26:02.97\00:26:05.80
How? Shout it out to me.
00:26:05.81\00:26:08.50
More abundantly.
00:26:08.51\00:26:10.30
Again what do you
see in that verse?
00:26:10.31\00:26:12.12
How is Jesus
defining eternal life there?
00:26:12.13\00:26:15.24
In terms of its
length, its duration.
00:26:15.25\00:26:17.39
No, He's defining eternal
life in terms of its quality.
00:26:17.40\00:26:22.85
And the quality of
eternal life is abundant.
00:26:22.86\00:26:25.53
It's an abundant quality.
00:26:25.54\00:26:27.92
It's a very high
quality of living.
00:26:27.93\00:26:30.78
Now what makes
your life worth living?
00:26:30.79\00:26:33.83
What gives quality
to your temporal life,
00:26:33.84\00:26:36.85
to your present
life in this world?
00:26:36.86\00:26:38.95
What is it that gives meaning
and quality to your life?
00:26:38.96\00:26:42.23
I would venture to say,
it's your relationships, right?
00:26:42.24\00:26:45.78
I spoke to a group of
kids on the island of Oahu
00:26:45.79\00:26:49.51
a couple of years ago.
00:26:49.52\00:26:51.58
About 300 teenagers
00:26:51.59\00:26:54.31
and they lived in
that tropical paradise
00:26:54.32\00:26:57.30
and they love it.
00:26:57.31\00:26:58.83
And I said I want you to imagine
00:26:58.84\00:27:01.83
that I am one of
the wealthiest people
00:27:01.84\00:27:04.11
in the world.
00:27:04.12\00:27:05.79
And I am going
to give you a gift
00:27:05.80\00:27:07.56
I said to these teenagers.
00:27:07.57\00:27:08.87
And that gift is
I am gonna give you
00:27:08.88\00:27:11.62
the island of
Kauai just not very far
00:27:11.63\00:27:14.46
from the Oahu the garden island
00:27:14.47\00:27:17.43
by most peoples estimation
the most beautiful island
00:27:17.44\00:27:20.75
of all the Hawaiian Islands
00:27:20.76\00:27:22.24
and by many peoples estimation
00:27:22.25\00:27:24.32
perhaps most
beautiful spot on earth.
00:27:24.33\00:27:27.26
Kauai, I'm the most
wealthy man in the world
00:27:27.27\00:27:30.08
I said to the teenagers
and I am gonna give you
00:27:30.09\00:27:32.13
the island of Kauai.
How many of you want it.
00:27:32.14\00:27:35.51
And I'll ask you the
same, how many of you
00:27:35.52\00:27:37.19
if hypothetically if I could
give you the island of Kauai
00:27:37.20\00:27:42.11
would the teenagers how
many of you would accept it?
00:27:42.12\00:27:44.93
Oh, of course, you
would hand it over.
00:27:44.94\00:27:48.47
Let's schedule the ticket.
00:27:48.48\00:27:50.33
I am going, it's mine, right?
00:27:50.34\00:27:52.72
And all the
kids, all the teenagers
00:27:52.73\00:27:54.62
raised their
hands and then I said
00:27:54.63\00:27:56.62
now it's yours there
is no doubt about it.
00:27:56.63\00:27:58.67
You've got it it's yours
00:27:58.68\00:28:00.16
but there is just
one little bitty catch.
00:28:00.17\00:28:04.91
What's the catch they said.
00:28:04.92\00:28:06.81
I said well, it's not a big deal
00:28:06.82\00:28:08.52
because you gonna
have the whole island
00:28:08.53\00:28:11.23
and lets just say I'm
gonna give you seven houses,
00:28:11.24\00:28:13.90
mansions all over this
island strategically place.
00:28:13.91\00:28:17.69
And a great road
system and whatever car
00:28:17.70\00:28:20.19
you want you pick
for each drive away.
00:28:20.20\00:28:22.54
You can pick any car you want
00:28:22.55\00:28:23.91
and kids started shouting
out their favorite cars.
00:28:23.92\00:28:26.92
And I said I am
gonna stock these houses
00:28:26.93\00:28:28.97
with every electronic
gizmo that you ever desired
00:28:28.98\00:28:32.84
for your parents to buy
for you, but they would not.
00:28:32.85\00:28:36.11
And they started
shouting their electronic gizmos
00:28:36.12\00:28:38.65
that they wanted.
00:28:38.66\00:28:40.56
And I said on top of
that what your favorite food
00:28:40.57\00:28:43.41
because we're
gonna stock these houses
00:28:43.42\00:28:45.20
with your favorite
food in all the world
00:28:45.21\00:28:48.52
and you will have
an abundance of it
00:28:48.53\00:28:50.29
and it will never end,
I'll keep the supply coming,
00:28:50.30\00:28:53.71
you can have all you
want of your favorite food.
00:28:53.72\00:28:59.08
You'll never guess
what they shouted out
00:28:59.09\00:29:00.62
their favorite
food was most of them
00:29:00.63\00:29:03.32
it was tragic
they said Top Ramen
00:29:03.33\00:29:05.96
was their favorite food.
00:29:05.97\00:29:08.47
And that was fine
because it's cheap.
00:29:08.48\00:29:10.64
And even though I am
one of the wealthiest men
00:29:10.65\00:29:12.26
in the world that
fifteen cents per package
00:29:12.27\00:29:14.49
that's a good deal.
00:29:14.50\00:29:16.66
And so I said fine
you have all the Top Ramen
00:29:16.67\00:29:18.83
you could possibly ever
eat one little bitty catch.
00:29:18.84\00:29:23.39
One little condition they
said what is it? What is it?
00:29:23.40\00:29:25.49
There couldn't any catch
give us the island we want it.
00:29:25.50\00:29:28.85
One catch you've
got to live there
00:29:28.86\00:29:30.62
for the rest of your
life never leave the island
00:29:30.63\00:29:33.34
you got to live there
for the rest of your life.
00:29:33.35\00:29:35.24
They said fine,
fine fine, no problem.
00:29:35.25\00:29:37.18
You've got to live there
for the rest of your life
00:29:37.19\00:29:39.02
let me finish, alone.
00:29:39.03\00:29:42.97
How many of you
still want the island
00:29:42.98\00:29:45.32
I asked the teenager
and they were the just like
00:29:45.33\00:29:47.86
two or three
completely materialistic males,
00:29:47.87\00:29:52.08
they still wanted the island.
00:29:52.09\00:29:54.44
None of the females wanted it.
00:29:54.45\00:29:56.48
And most of the
young man did not want it.
00:29:56.49\00:29:58.74
How many of you
everything that I have described
00:29:58.75\00:30:02.47
the island of
Kauai, seven mansions.
00:30:02.48\00:30:05.56
seven cars of your
choice and all the things
00:30:05.57\00:30:07.90
you could possibly
desire of material wealth
00:30:07.91\00:30:10.17
its all yours right now.
00:30:10.18\00:30:11.65
Would you accept it
if you had to live there
00:30:11.66\00:30:13.31
the rest of your life, alone
00:30:13.32\00:30:15.93
and never see or
speak to another soul.
00:30:15.94\00:30:18.22
How many of you would want it?
00:30:18.23\00:30:20.32
I didn't think so. Why not?
00:30:20.33\00:30:23.64
Because
intuitively you and I know
00:30:23.65\00:30:27.21
that life truly is not made
up of material up things, is it?
00:30:27.22\00:30:34.37
That the quality of life
is defined by relationships
00:30:34.38\00:30:37.37
and every one of
you would say no way.
00:30:37.38\00:30:39.42
I'd rather live in a
cave in the desert in Arizona
00:30:39.43\00:30:44.21
with my honey, with my children,
00:30:44.22\00:30:48.75
with my friends
with those I love
00:30:48.76\00:30:50.48
and those who love me.
00:30:50.49\00:30:51.48
I'd rather live
in a cave in Arizona
00:30:51.49\00:30:55.77
than on the island
of Kauai all by myself.
00:30:55.78\00:31:00.88
Because we know that
00:31:00.89\00:31:02.27
life is really defined
by relationships, isn't it?
00:31:02.28\00:31:07.40
And like wise heaven
and eternal life listen,
00:31:07.41\00:31:10.44
it's not about the stuff, is it?
00:31:10.45\00:31:14.21
It's not about
the material wealth.
00:31:14.22\00:31:15.91
It's not about luxurious living.
00:31:15.92\00:31:18.23
Heaven is going to be luxurious.
00:31:18.24\00:31:21.23
But I'll tell you what the
greatest thing about heaven
00:31:21.24\00:31:24.05
is going to be the
ongoing continuation
00:31:24.06\00:31:28.25
of an endless falling in love
with the most beautiful person
00:31:28.26\00:31:32.52
in all the
universe, God Almighty!
00:31:32.53\00:31:37.26
That's what eternal
life is really all about.
00:31:37.27\00:31:39.52
So Jesus said this is
life eternal, to know God,
00:31:39.53\00:31:45.04
to become intimate with
God, to become friends with God,
00:31:45.05\00:31:48.58
that's what
eternal life is all about.
00:31:48.59\00:31:51.78
So let me ask
you another question.
00:31:51.79\00:31:54.58
What do we know
when we know God.
00:31:54.59\00:31:57.99
I mean what will we discover
00:31:58.00\00:31:59.86
because whenever you get to know
00:31:59.87\00:32:01.04
a person you
discover things about them.
00:32:01.05\00:32:03.27
And some times it's
kind of scary isn't it.
00:32:03.28\00:32:05.58
Some of you got
married you're head over heals
00:32:05.59\00:32:08.34
in love with him, with her.
00:32:08.35\00:32:10.43
And then the
minutes turned into hours
00:32:10.44\00:32:14.15
and the hours turned into days
00:32:14.16\00:32:16.33
and the days turned into weeks
00:32:16.34\00:32:18.41
and now you are
wiping your brow.
00:32:18.42\00:32:21.92
You know, marriage can
be the most wonderful thing
00:32:21.93\00:32:23.81
that ever happened to
you or the worse thing
00:32:23.82\00:32:25.68
that ever happened to
you. Do you agree, yes?
00:32:25.69\00:32:31.60
But listen, Jesus told us that
eternal life is to know God,
00:32:31.61\00:32:38.27
so what do we
know when we know God.
00:32:38.28\00:32:40.35
What do we discover
when we discover Him.
00:32:40.36\00:32:42.65
When we get into
the mind, the heart,
00:32:42.66\00:32:45.44
the life of God when
we become friends of God.
00:32:45.45\00:32:48.55
When we know
God, what do we know.
00:32:48.56\00:32:50.71
I give you another
verse, don't have your Bible,
00:32:50.72\00:32:53.00
that's fine, I'll
just read it to you.
00:32:53.01\00:32:54.74
It's just the short scripture
00:32:54.75\00:32:56.02
from First John
Chapter 4 and verse 16,
00:32:56.03\00:32:59.75
this is an incredible
statement by Apostle John.
00:32:59.76\00:33:02.75
He ought to know
because he was directly
00:33:02.76\00:33:05.94
in association with
Jesus for three-and-a-years
00:33:05.95\00:33:09.04
and this is what John
said about knowing God
00:33:09.05\00:33:12.08
and what we will
discover when we know God.
00:33:12.09\00:33:14.03
Notice this in First
John Chapter 4, verse 16,
00:33:14.04\00:33:17.64
the apostle John
said these words,
00:33:17.65\00:33:19.95
he said, "And we have
known and believed the love
00:33:19.96\00:33:25.25
that God has
toward us. God is love.
00:33:25.26\00:33:30.34
And those who live in love
live in God and God in them."
00:33:30.35\00:33:37.24
Did you catch that? What
are those three keywords?
00:33:37.25\00:33:40.77
Right in the middle of the text
00:33:40.78\00:33:41.83
that we've to
memorize like our phone number.
00:33:41.84\00:33:44.42
What are those 3 words
would you say them with me?
00:33:44.43\00:33:46.74
Loud and clear shout out
the truth to all the universe.
00:33:46.75\00:33:50.15
"God is love."
I didn't hear you.
00:33:50.16\00:33:53.95
One more time, God is love.
00:33:53.96\00:33:59.20
That is the key
reality of the universe.
00:33:59.21\00:34:04.01
That is the
bottom line of the gospel
00:34:04.02\00:34:07.34
that is the most foundational
truth of all the universe.
00:34:07.35\00:34:12.18
God is love and it is
the most powerful force.
00:34:12.19\00:34:16.39
in all the cosmos beyond
00:34:16.40\00:34:18.80
and in this world and in
your home and in your heart.
00:34:18.81\00:34:22.87
God's love is the
most powerful influence
00:34:22.88\00:34:25.18
in all the universe.
And it is his very identity.
00:34:25.19\00:34:29.84
Notice that it
doesn't say God loves people,
00:34:29.85\00:34:34.35
or God is loving. No,
it says God is what, love.
00:34:34.36\00:34:40.34
God is love, that's right.
00:34:40.35\00:34:42.12
It is the
essence of His identity.
00:34:42.13\00:34:45.15
It is the core of His character.
00:34:45.16\00:34:47.86
God is love and
then notice what he says.
00:34:47.87\00:34:51.60
Anybody who lives
in love, lives in God
00:34:51.61\00:34:56.34
and God lives in that
person, isn't that incredible?
00:34:56.35\00:35:01.76
Love is God's very identity.
00:35:01.77\00:35:04.44
And so listen when Jesus
says this is life eternal
00:35:04.45\00:35:07.78
to know God again I ask you.
00:35:07.79\00:35:11.61
When we know God,
what shall we know?
00:35:11.62\00:35:15.27
What we will know His love.
00:35:15.28\00:35:17.61
We will know that God is love
00:35:17.62\00:35:19.98
and we will know in our
inmost soul that His love is for
00:35:19.99\00:35:24.81
and toward me and toward you.
00:35:24.82\00:35:30.27
We will know that God's love
00:35:30.28\00:35:32.56
is personal in its application.
00:35:32.57\00:35:37.16
We will know as
we get to know God,
00:35:37.17\00:35:40.08
that we are the special objects
00:35:40.09\00:35:43.76
of His focused interest.
00:35:43.77\00:35:46.90
To use the words of
an Old Testament prophet,
00:35:46.91\00:35:50.22
we will
discover when we know God
00:35:50.23\00:35:52.29
that we are the
apple of His eye.
00:35:52.30\00:35:55.40
And what does that phrase mean.
00:35:55.41\00:35:58.34
To be the apple
of his eye means,
00:35:58.35\00:36:00.37
that we are the
focus of His attention.
00:36:00.38\00:36:03.53
Jesus went so far as to say that
00:36:03.54\00:36:05.33
not even a sparrow can
fall dying to the ground,
00:36:05.34\00:36:09.73
but our heavenly
Father takes notice.
00:36:09.74\00:36:13.81
And then Jesus said, how
much more valuable are you
00:36:13.82\00:36:18.01
than many sparrows?
00:36:18.02\00:36:19.44
What was Jesus is point there?
00:36:19.45\00:36:21.21
What was He trying
to say to you and me?
00:36:21.22\00:36:23.52
He was trying to say
listen, God is so sensitive,
00:36:23.53\00:36:28.93
God is so filled
with love and goodness
00:36:28.94\00:36:32.72
that not even a
sparrow, not even a bird,
00:36:32.73\00:36:36.19
not even an animal can die,
00:36:36.20\00:36:40.36
and not have
God's heart be impacted
00:36:40.37\00:36:42.75
by that death of that animal.
00:36:42.76\00:36:45.92
Isn't that an
incredibly sensitive person
00:36:45.93\00:36:48.36
that Jesus is describing?
00:36:48.37\00:36:50.76
Isn't God truly
a beautiful person
00:36:50.77\00:36:56.23
by Jesus' own
description? Yes, He is.
00:36:56.24\00:37:00.51
And then Jesus says,
00:37:00.52\00:37:02.84
and you are far more
valuable than many sparrows.
00:37:02.85\00:37:05.90
What's the point?
00:37:05.91\00:37:07.32
Another words, God loves
you personally individually.
00:37:07.33\00:37:13.82
Listen God loves you
dear friend whoever you are,
00:37:13.83\00:37:17.18
I don't know your
names God loves you
00:37:17.19\00:37:20.18
as if you were the only person
00:37:20.19\00:37:22.92
to love in all
the vast universe.
00:37:22.93\00:37:25.51
God loves you as
though it were just you
00:37:25.52\00:37:28.38
and He alone in existence.
00:37:28.39\00:37:32.15
God loves you
with all the passion
00:37:32.16\00:37:35.47
and energy and
intensity of His divine heart.
00:37:35.48\00:37:41.52
That's how God loves you
and that's how God loves me.
00:37:41.53\00:37:44.99
You say wait a minute,
there are too many of us,
00:37:45.00\00:37:46.66
how could God
possibly love me like that?
00:37:46.67\00:37:49.67
How could He
possibly be that aware of me?
00:37:49.68\00:37:53.14
How could He possibly
be that interested in me?
00:37:53.15\00:37:55.69
There are billions of people
00:37:55.70\00:37:58.16
and multiplied billions
of angels to share His love.
00:37:58.17\00:38:01.78
How could God possibly
love me with that kind of love?
00:38:01.79\00:38:06.73
Well, let me just
tell you something.
00:38:06.74\00:38:09.16
Some of your parents,
00:38:09.17\00:38:10.95
I want you to
imagine the unimaginable.
00:38:10.96\00:38:12.75
Imagine that not
only are you parents
00:38:12.76\00:38:14.88
you are way,
way, way, way parents.
00:38:14.89\00:38:17.50
Imagine that you
have ten children.
00:38:17.51\00:38:19.63
Anybody here have ten kids?
00:38:19.64\00:38:21.92
I didn't think so, that
kind of went out with the coming
00:38:21.93\00:38:26.16
in of the technological
revolution, didn't that?
00:38:26.17\00:38:30.19
Nobody has ten kids anymore,
00:38:30.20\00:38:31.72
but imagine that
you have ten kids
00:38:31.73\00:38:33.88
and let me ask you a question.
00:38:33.89\00:38:35.24
If mathematically
your love all the love
00:38:35.25\00:38:38.78
that you have to
give is represented
00:38:38.79\00:38:41.44
by the number one hundred
percent, you got that so far.
00:38:41.45\00:38:44.70
Your love all of
it is represented
00:38:44.71\00:38:46.57
by the number
one hundred percent.
00:38:46.58\00:38:50.60
And you have ten kids.
00:38:50.61\00:38:54.79
Do you love each
of those ten children
00:38:54.80\00:38:56.92
with a ten
percent strength love?
00:38:56.93\00:39:01.42
Did you love each
of those ten children
00:39:01.43\00:39:03.36
with just ten
percent of the hundred?
00:39:03.37\00:39:06.42
Because they're ten after all
00:39:06.43\00:39:08.19
and you must divide
your love among the ten,
00:39:08.20\00:39:11.17
is that how it works even in
human affairs, of course not.
00:39:11.18\00:39:15.26
How do you love
all ten children?
00:39:15.27\00:39:19.93
You love every one of them
00:39:19.94\00:39:21.34
with one hundred
percent of your love, yes or no?
00:39:21.35\00:39:26.00
Yes, and so did you
see the reality of love.
00:39:26.01\00:39:30.75
Love is exponential, love
is something that multiplies.
00:39:30.76\00:39:35.49
It doesn't divide as it's given,
00:39:35.50\00:39:38.59
it multiplies, it
grows, it intensifies.
00:39:38.60\00:39:42.00
The more people
there are to love,
00:39:42.01\00:39:43.72
the more God loves.
00:39:43.73\00:39:46.64
There are billions
of people no doubt,
00:39:46.65\00:39:49.35
but God loves every single
one with one hundred percent
00:39:49.36\00:39:56.59
of all the love that
throb in His divine heart.
00:39:56.60\00:40:00.78
Isn't that
incredible to think of that,
00:40:00.79\00:40:03.34
to know that, to believe that.
00:40:03.35\00:40:05.81
Well, I hope you do believe it,
00:40:05.82\00:40:07.24
because that's exactly
what the Bible teach us.
00:40:07.25\00:40:11.22
The Bible teach us
that God loves you and me.
00:40:11.23\00:40:15.68
He knows your name,
He knows your address.
00:40:15.69\00:40:18.09
Jesus went so far as
to say that He even knows
00:40:18.10\00:40:21.19
how many hairs are on your head.
00:40:21.20\00:40:25.85
And for some of us that is
becoming a subtraction event
00:40:25.86\00:40:29.92
as He keeps track, right?
00:40:29.93\00:40:33.96
God knows and loves you as
individually and as personally
00:40:33.97\00:40:38.14
as if you were the only
person in all the universe.
00:40:38.15\00:40:44.71
Rest in that.
00:40:44.72\00:40:47.35
Take deep repulse, and peace,
00:40:47.36\00:40:52.53
and joy in knowing that
God loves you like that.
00:40:52.54\00:40:56.37
And listen, not only
does God love you like that,
00:40:56.38\00:41:01.75
but guess what?
00:41:01.76\00:41:03.35
Not only is His
love exponential,
00:41:03.36\00:41:05.21
but the Bible teaches
that God's love is creative.
00:41:05.22\00:41:09.16
In other words, it creates
in its own likeness, right?
00:41:09.17\00:41:14.28
When the Bible
says in Genesis 1,
00:41:14.29\00:41:16.48
"God created man in His own."
00:41:16.49\00:41:18.80
You know the
words what are they.
00:41:18.81\00:41:20.50
In his own what? "Image."
00:41:20.51\00:41:23.37
When the Bible
says God created man
00:41:23.38\00:41:25.01
in his own image,
what does that mean?
00:41:25.02\00:41:27.50
It means that God
created man in the image
00:41:27.51\00:41:31.12
that is the image of
God. And what is that image?
00:41:31.13\00:41:33.30
We just read in First John 4:16.
00:41:33.31\00:41:35.57
What is the image of
God? What is His character?
00:41:35.58\00:41:37.53
What is the
essence of His identity?
00:41:37.54\00:41:39.94
God what are those three
words we have memorized now,
00:41:39.95\00:41:42.37
God is what? Love.
00:41:42.38\00:41:47.00
So God created
man in His own image,
00:41:47.01\00:41:49.61
meaning God created mankind
in the image of His love.
00:41:49.62\00:41:54.42
To love like God loves.
00:41:54.43\00:41:57.50
What then was the
fall of mankind all about?
00:41:57.51\00:42:00.86
What is the sin
problem really all about?
00:42:00.87\00:42:04.58
Well, the Bible defines
the sin problem like this.
00:42:04.59\00:42:08.01
In Romans 3:23, it says,
00:42:08.02\00:42:10.86
"All have sinned
and come short of"
00:42:10.87\00:42:14.05
of what of God, do you remember?
00:42:14.06\00:42:16.16
"The glory of God." Guess what?
00:42:16.17\00:42:18.88
From a biblical perspective
00:42:18.89\00:42:20.39
do you know what
the glory of God is?
00:42:20.40\00:42:23.10
According to Exodus 33
and 34, when Moses said,
00:42:23.11\00:42:26.47
Lord I beseech thee
show me Your glory."
00:42:26.48\00:42:29.87
God said, okay Moses,
I will show you My glory.
00:42:29.88\00:42:32.04
I'll make all My
goodness to pass before you.
00:42:32.05\00:42:36.28
And what is the goodness of God?
00:42:36.29\00:42:37.60
What is that makes
God good? God's love.
00:42:37.61\00:42:42.09
So when the
Bible says, all sinned
00:42:42.10\00:42:43.76
and come short
of the glory of God.
00:42:43.77\00:42:46.12
We translate that
to mean that all sinned
00:42:46.13\00:42:48.20
and forfeited that image
in which we were created.
00:42:48.21\00:42:52.73
We forfeited the image of God.
00:42:52.74\00:42:54.57
We forfeited His love.
00:42:54.58\00:42:57.16
We began to live for who?
00:42:57.17\00:42:59.70
For ourselves
rather than living in love
00:42:59.71\00:43:02.95
which means to live for others.
00:43:02.96\00:43:07.11
And so do you see
that the sin problem
00:43:07.12\00:43:11.70
is the forfeiture of God's love
00:43:11.71\00:43:13.55
as the ruling governing
power of our existence.
00:43:13.56\00:43:18.59
We became self centered
00:43:18.60\00:43:19.72
rather than other
centered due to sin.
00:43:19.73\00:43:23.44
Now listen, listen carefully.
00:43:23.45\00:43:25.89
What then reasoning logically
00:43:25.90\00:43:28.65
what then with the plan
of salvation be all about?
00:43:28.66\00:43:31.63
Help me out, think this through.
00:43:31.64\00:43:33.85
If God created us in His image,
00:43:33.86\00:43:35.53
the image of His love
to love like He loves.
00:43:35.54\00:43:38.90
And if the sin problem
is to forfeit that love
00:43:38.91\00:43:42.08
as the ruling governing
force of our existence.
00:43:42.09\00:43:46.16
What would the plan of
salvation be all about?
00:43:46.17\00:43:49.41
What would the
gospel really be all about?
00:43:49.42\00:43:51.34
It's about Jesus by His saving
grace restoring to you and me
00:43:51.35\00:43:57.57
and in you and me God's love.
00:43:57.58\00:44:01.02
How do I know this is true?
00:44:01.03\00:44:02.32
Well, look at it with
me if you have your Bible
00:44:02.33\00:44:04.26
if you don't just
listen to these words.
00:44:04.27\00:44:06.20
In John 17, you remember
verse 3, where Jesus said,
00:44:06.21\00:44:09.23
"And this is life eternal."
00:44:09.24\00:44:10.98
And what is life
eternal according to Jesus?
00:44:10.99\00:44:13.49
To know who, to
know God, that's right.
00:44:13.50\00:44:18.00
Eternal life means to know God
00:44:18.01\00:44:20.70
and then Jesus
in the same chapter
00:44:20.71\00:44:22.48
goes on please don't miss this.
00:44:22.49\00:44:24.50
He goes on and He
defines what it will be
00:44:24.51\00:44:27.50
like to live for
eternity with God.
00:44:27.51\00:44:30.24
Listen to this, Jesus said,
00:44:30.25\00:44:33.32
"Oh righteous Father the
world hath not known you."
00:44:33.33\00:44:36.09
Verses 25 and 26 of John 17,
00:44:36.10\00:44:38.65
"The world has not known
you, but I have known you,
00:44:38.66\00:44:43.42
and I have known
and they have known
00:44:43.43\00:44:45.42
that you sent
me into the world."
00:44:45.43\00:44:47.97
Now notice these words,
00:44:47.98\00:44:49.71
"And I Jesus
have declared to them.
00:44:49.72\00:44:52.47
Humanity, your name Father,
00:44:52.48\00:44:55.36
so that the love with which you
00:44:55.37\00:44:59.19
Father have loved me Jesus
may be in them and I in them."
00:44:59.20\00:45:07.13
Did you catch that?
00:45:07.14\00:45:08.42
Jesus says in verse 3,
00:45:08.43\00:45:10.18
"This is life
eternal to know God."
00:45:10.19\00:45:14.17
And then in
verse 26, He says that
00:45:14.18\00:45:16.84
when we come into
fellowship with God
00:45:16.85\00:45:19.42
and are finally transported
into eternity with God.
00:45:19.43\00:45:23.67
Guess what Jesus says
that when we know God,
00:45:23.68\00:45:27.12
it will be an
experience in which His love
00:45:27.13\00:45:31.96
is in us and we in him.
00:45:31.97\00:45:36.51
Isn't that incredible to
know God is to know His love.
00:45:36.52\00:45:41.99
To experience God is
to experience His love.
00:45:42.00\00:45:45.65
And which one of us
does not want to experience
00:45:45.66\00:45:49.41
that kind of selfless
love of God for our souls.
00:45:49.42\00:45:56.10
Think about it.
00:45:56.11\00:45:57.29
There is no greater
peace, there is no greater joy,
00:45:57.30\00:45:59.92
there is no greater satisfaction
00:45:59.93\00:46:01.41
that to know of a certainty
in your inmost heart of hearts,
00:46:01.42\00:46:05.22
that you are the object of
God's special care and love.
00:46:05.23\00:46:09.57
There is nothing greater
than to know His acceptance
00:46:09.58\00:46:13.80
to feel perfectly at
home in God's presence
00:46:13.81\00:46:19.95
in His acceptance,
His affirmation, His love,
00:46:19.96\00:46:25.00
and that's what Jesus says
00:46:25.01\00:46:26.12
the plan of
salvation is all about.
00:46:26.13\00:46:29.26
The plan of salvation
00:46:29.27\00:46:30.58
is God reversing
the effects of the fall.
00:46:30.59\00:46:36.29
The plan of salvation is
Jesus coming into the world
00:46:36.30\00:46:40.26
to reveal to you and me,
a knowledge of God's love,
00:46:40.27\00:46:45.95
His beautiful character of
selfless other centered love.
00:46:45.96\00:46:49.58
And then we by
faith reaching out
00:46:49.59\00:46:53.01
of our fallen sinful
souls, we reach out by faith
00:46:53.02\00:46:56.63
and we say yes to God's love.
00:46:56.64\00:47:00.30
And when we say,
yes to God's love
00:47:00.31\00:47:02.31
and we begin
that journey with Him.
00:47:02.32\00:47:04.68
It is indeed an
endless falling in love
00:47:04.69\00:47:09.45
that begins in the here and now.
00:47:09.46\00:47:13.25
In First John Chapter
5 and verses 13 and 14,
00:47:13.26\00:47:16.93
the apostle of John
says, "That we may know
00:47:16.94\00:47:20.30
that we have eternal
life in the present tense."
00:47:20.31\00:47:24.99
You see, eternal life is
not something that God gives us
00:47:25.00\00:47:28.07
at the end of our
journey, because as we've noted
00:47:28.08\00:47:32.08
eternal life is a
quality of life, isn't it?
00:47:32.09\00:47:35.60
And because it's
a quality of life
00:47:35.61\00:47:37.36
that is defined
by knowing God's love
00:47:37.37\00:47:40.23
personally intimately, because
that's what eternal life is.
00:47:40.24\00:47:44.25
Listen, it can begin here
and now, can't you see that?
00:47:44.26\00:47:49.81
We may know that
we have eternal life
00:47:49.82\00:47:53.69
right this very
moment, we may know that,
00:47:53.70\00:47:56.12
and how we may know it?
00:47:56.13\00:47:57.96
How may we know that
we have eternal life?
00:48:03.54\00:48:06.67
Well by faith to
drink in, to accept,
00:48:06.68\00:48:10.28
to feed upon
God's love assures us
00:48:10.29\00:48:15.94
that we have eternal life.
00:48:15.95\00:48:19.64
Right at this moment I'd
like to invite the ushers
00:48:19.65\00:48:23.33
to cooperate with me in
putting a card in your hand.
00:48:23.34\00:48:28.13
And this card is very important,
00:48:28.14\00:48:29.57
because it gives
you the opportunity.
00:48:29.58\00:48:31.76
It gives me the opportunity
to make a clear declaration
00:48:31.77\00:48:36.99
of our acceptance of God's love.
00:48:37.00\00:48:39.87
And so the ushers
are going to quickly
00:48:39.88\00:48:42.09
put this card in your hands
and make it available to you.
00:48:42.10\00:48:45.71
If you don't have
a pen or a pencil,
00:48:45.72\00:48:47.73
you are going to find
pencils with the cards
00:48:47.74\00:48:51.13
and I wanna
encourage you to take this card
00:48:51.14\00:48:53.47
and make use of it.
00:48:53.48\00:48:55.15
That you would commit
appropriately on this card.
00:48:55.16\00:48:59.72
You will see a place that you
can check the appropriate box
00:48:59.73\00:49:03.37
as we've talked today.
00:49:03.38\00:49:05.69
Would you like to
check the box there it says
00:49:05.70\00:49:09.45
that I would like to be
certain of eternal life?
00:49:09.46\00:49:13.49
Would you like to be
certain of eternal life?
00:49:13.50\00:49:16.16
Well I would, and you can
be certain of eternal life
00:49:16.17\00:49:20.71
as you receive God's
love as it is manifest
00:49:20.72\00:49:26.67
and revealed in the
person of Jesus Christ.
00:49:26.68\00:49:29.84
And what a
precious privilege that is.
00:49:29.85\00:49:33.43
Would you like a clearer
understanding of the Bible
00:49:33.44\00:49:36.88
where you will
see two boxes there,
00:49:36.89\00:49:38.54
where you can check
that you have an interest
00:49:38.55\00:49:40.09
in having Bible studies?
00:49:40.10\00:49:41.41
They will take you
where you need to go
00:49:41.42\00:49:45.23
to drink more
deeply of God's love.
00:49:45.24\00:49:48.67
And those Bible
studies by the way
00:49:48.68\00:49:50.13
not only are
available by this card
00:49:50.14\00:49:53.66
and putting your
name, and phone number,
00:49:53.67\00:49:55.11
and address there,
so that we can make sure
00:49:55.12\00:49:56.75
you get these
free Bible studies.
00:49:56.76\00:49:58.86
But you can also
get these Bible studies
00:49:58.87\00:50:01.04
and start right
here at these tables,
00:50:01.05\00:50:03.24
there are people who
are going to be available
00:50:03.25\00:50:05.92
to help you if you'd
like to begin enlarging
00:50:05.93\00:50:09.50
and deepening your
knowledge of God's love.
00:50:09.51\00:50:13.44
Finally, as you
pass in the cards,
00:50:13.45\00:50:15.29
I want cards, I
wanna share with you
00:50:15.30\00:50:18.54
the conclusion of
my time with Agita.
00:50:18.55\00:50:23.59
Agita began to realize
00:50:23.60\00:50:26.81
that eternal life is
not just living forever
00:50:26.82\00:50:29.30
with a continuation of pain.
00:50:29.31\00:50:32.22
She began to realize
that truly eternal life is
00:50:32.23\00:50:36.06
a quality of life that
is defined in knowing God.
00:50:36.07\00:50:40.11
loving God and
being loved by Him.
00:50:40.12\00:50:44.42
And I am happy to tell you
00:50:44.43\00:50:46.35
that as Agita remember
the happy moments of her life,
00:50:46.36\00:50:50.97
and as she realized that
eternal life could begin here
00:50:50.98\00:50:55.07
and now by entering in by faith
00:50:55.08\00:50:58.37
to a love relationship with God
00:50:58.38\00:51:00.56
to deep and
throughout all the eternity.
00:51:00.57\00:51:02.82
I am happy to tell you
that that precious young lady
00:51:02.83\00:51:06.62
there in Latvia
who was trying so hard
00:51:06.63\00:51:09.61
not to believe in
God deep in her heart
00:51:09.62\00:51:12.53
she was
persuaded that God is good
00:51:12.54\00:51:15.67
and right there with
me she made a decision
00:51:15.68\00:51:19.17
to begin falling
in love with God.
00:51:19.18\00:51:22.45
I wanna encourage
you to do the same.
00:51:22.46\00:51:25.00
That you will pause
with me right now as we pray
00:51:25.01\00:51:28.47
and that you would say
yes to God's love for you.
00:51:28.48\00:51:32.51
Father in heaven,
you are truly great Lord.
00:51:32.52\00:51:37.84
You are beautiful beyond compare
00:51:37.85\00:51:40.71
of anything that
we see in this world.
00:51:40.72\00:51:44.56
God right now by faith
we want to reach out to you
00:51:44.57\00:51:49.17
and receive your love for us.
00:51:49.18\00:51:51.77
And as we do, as we
receive Your love for us,
00:51:51.78\00:51:54.36
we ask that it
would recreate in us
00:51:54.37\00:51:58.04
that same love that
we may in turn love you
00:51:58.05\00:52:01.18
and everyone with whom we
have contact in our lives.
00:52:01.19\00:52:05.51
We want to love
like you love Father.
00:52:05.52\00:52:08.20
We want to be like
you in every possible way.
00:52:08.21\00:52:12.70
Thank you for Jesus, who
came from heaven to earth
00:52:12.71\00:52:15.50
and sacrificed
his life on the cross
00:52:15.51\00:52:18.51
to demonstrate how
truly great and passionate
00:52:18.52\00:52:21.46
Your love is for us.
00:52:21.47\00:52:24.26
Lord, may we
turn to you right now
00:52:24.27\00:52:27.41
in the quietness of this moment
00:52:27.42\00:52:29.00
may we each one
deep in our heart say
00:52:29.01\00:52:31.85
yes to Your love
in Jesus name, amen.
00:52:31.86\00:52:37.56