And we welcome you once
again to, Pillars of Our Faith;
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a word for today
in today's world.
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We've been having a
wonderful time as we've listened
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to the messages by
Pastor Donnie Shelton,
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he of Touching
Hearts Ministries.
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He's been taking us through a
sermonic Bible study of sorts.
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We've looked at, Faith
Equals Knowledge Times Light;
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which I really like that
title, that thought, that idea.
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My Grace is Sufficient for Thee.
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And today's message is entitled,
The Gift of Eternal Life.
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And that's what it's all about.
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The gift of eternal life
that God has for each one of us
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if we follow Him, if
we are faithful to Him,
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as we are saved for eternity.
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What a wonderful
prospect to contemplate,
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that there is an
eternal gift for us.
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And that eternal gift
is indeed eternal life.
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And so we're thankful that
Donnie has gone into the Word.
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And we know that God has
a word for our souls today
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as the man of God
lifts up the name of Jesus
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and he talks about
the gift of eternal life.
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The overall theme for
these meetings has been
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faith leading to a
closer walk with God.
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And certainly we each
want, we each need and desire,
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a closer walk with
our Lord and Savior.
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And so these
messages have been designed
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to increase faith, to spur
on your walk with the Lord.
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They've been
practical, positive messages
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preached with
energy and with zeal,
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and with an
obvious love for the Lord.
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And so we expect
a fine message today
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as God uses His
servant to talk to us
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and to talk to our souls.
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I'm going to ask you now to join
with me in a word of prayer.
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And after we shall have prayed,
the next voice that you'll hear
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will be that of
Pastor Donnie Shelton
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of Touching Hearts Ministries.
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Preaching on the subject,
The Gift of Eternal Life.
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Shall we pray.
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Gracious Father, we do
thank You and praise You,
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for You are
truly a wonderful God.
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We thank You for Your Word,
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we thank You for
the power of that Word.
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We thank Thee that through
the foolishness of preaching
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You have determined
to save men and women.
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So now speak to Your servant,
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and then speak
through Your servant.
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Speak to us, give us open
and receptive ears and hearts,
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that we may do the will
of Him who has called us from
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darkness to light,
from error to truth.
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And we thank You,
Father, for this day
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and this message that is coming.
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In Jesus name, amen and amen.
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Thank you,
Pastor Murray, so much.
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It's always exciting
for me to be able to preach
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the unsearchable
riches of Jesus Christ.
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Now my cousin Danny has
a saying, and I love it.
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Taking the truth to the
world, the undiluted truth.
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In other words, a truth
that is not filled with error.
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A truth that is one-hundred
percent based upon the Bible
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and what the Bible says.
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The doctrines of the
Bible, the prophecies,
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and the golden nuggets
of faith and power that
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can be derived from
studying God's Word.
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So I'm excited today.
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The message today,
The Gift of Eternal Life.
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I've come to find out through
the study of the Word of God
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that faith is a
gift, grace is a gift,
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and eternal life is a gift.
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All that God asks you to do
is fall on your knees before Him
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and say, "Oh heavenly Father,
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I have
imperfections, I have faults.
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I need Your help. I've sinned.
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So Lord, please, in
Your mercy and grace,
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wash me clean with
the blood of Christ.
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Accept me."
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And the Lord says, "Come
unto Me all ye that labor,
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all that have
sinned, and come to Me.
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Let me remold your life."
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2 Corinthians 5:17, I
use that scripture a lot,
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"Therefore if
any man be in Christ,
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he's a brand new creature."
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God is wanting to place
His Holy Spirit into your life
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to guide you and
direct you into all truths.
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3ABN ministries, their truths
are based upon the Word of God.
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Not philosophies,
not based on science,
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but based upon what
the Word of God says.
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So today, I want to
encourage you that there is
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a gift of eternal life.
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And we're going
to talk about that.
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Let's go to the Scriptures now.
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And I want you to
get your Bibles out.
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And as I always say,
grab a pencil, a pad,
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and write these scriptures down.
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After the sermon, open
the Bible and study these
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scriptures for yourself.
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Now, we're going to go
to Matthew 25:34 first.
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Matthew 25:34
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And I want you to read
this scripture together with me,
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my brothers and sister.
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Let's read.
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"Then shall the King say
unto them on his right hand,
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'Come, ye blessed of my Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared
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for you from the
foundation of the world.'"
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Now let's break this down.
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When Jesus said,
"Come, and inherit the kingdom
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of heaven that was prepared
for you," it was a kingdom
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that was designed for
the wants, and the dreams,
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and the hopes, and the
desires of His children.
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Heaven, that New Jerusalem
that we're going to talk about
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very shortly, that city of
God that we're going to live
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and dwell in, was
designed for us to enjoy
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forever and ever and ever.
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Now, from the moment
that Jesus spoke this planet
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into existence,
His paramount desire
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of My Creator was that
everyone on this planet
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would accept His invitation
to spend eternity with Him.
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But few, oh so few
that accept this invitation.
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And we're going to
find out why today.
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Again, if you want to be
in the kingdom with Jesus,
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here's what He asks
you to do in 1 John 1:9.
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Listen, "If we confess our
sins, God is faithful and just
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to forgive us our
sins, and to cleanse us
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from all unrighteousness.
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And I say this probably in
pretty well all of my sermons.
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I like to include this:
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That Jesus Christ
goes out into the world
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and He finds you, He found me.
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He picks us up out of
the muck and the mire,
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and the sin of this
world, and He washes us clean
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with His own blood.
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And then He takes His
robe, Jesus takes His robe
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of righteousness
and wraps it around us.
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And then He fills us with
the power of the Holy Spirit.
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And then He says,
"Go to the Word and study
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to find yourself proved.
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And if you remain persistent
and consistent in your walk,
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and you remain faithful,
you will have eternal life."
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And I praise God for that.
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You know, when I
first went into the ministry
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oh 14 or 15 years
ago, my cousin Danny said,
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"What I want you to do,
don't try to be anyone else.
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You just be yourself."
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Now I don't
have eloquent speech.
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Sometimes my words
get a little twisted.
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Sometimes at our church if
I'm speaking, someone will say,
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"Now what did he say?"
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But I can tell you this.
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I love preaching
the gospel of Christ.
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I love opening the eyes
of folks out there, that God
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and His Son Jesus are
intensely in love with you.
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And they want to
share eternal life with you.
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Let's go a bit further here.
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Now, there's a
movement out there.
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That's why I love 3ABN.
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Their facts and their
truths are based upon the Bible.
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There is a movement out there.
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And this movement began
over a hundred years ago.
00:09:07.68\00:09:10.71
And here's what they teach.
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That everyone that
has ever been born,
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whether they're righteous
or ungodly or saved or unsaved,
00:09:15.65\00:09:19.95
however you want to put
it, that every one that's
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ever been born
will be in heaven.
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Let's go on.
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That salvation is
given to every man regardless
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of their lifestyle
or their character.
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They teach that
God is a God of love.
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Now He is the God of love.
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John says, "God is love."
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They teach that
God is a God of love
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and would never create anyone
that He would send to hell.
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Now you're going to
find out today what hell is.
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Hell is
referred to as the grave.
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Hell is referred to as forever
and ever separation from God.
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Hell is not a place...
00:10:01.93\00:10:04.50
Let me say this
again. This is a Bible truth.
00:10:04.53\00:10:06.97
It is not a place
where the unrighteous burn
00:10:07.17\00:10:10.71
forever and ever and ever.
00:10:10.74\00:10:12.74
And we're going to talk about
that in just a few moments.
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I can tell you this.
00:10:15.68\00:10:17.08
Being separated from
God in eternal death,
00:10:17.11\00:10:20.02
that's bad enough.
00:10:20.05\00:10:21.38
But let's go a bit further here.
00:10:21.42\00:10:22.75
Now a book called, Early
Writings, one of my favorite
00:10:22.78\00:10:26.89
writers, Ellen G. White,
chapter 52, here's what it says.
00:10:26.92\00:10:31.46
"It is a marvel to
me," she said, "that Satan
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could succeed so
well in making men believe
00:10:36.36\00:10:40.90
that the words of God, 'The soul
that sinneth, it shall die,'
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means that the
soul will live forever."
00:10:48.34\00:10:51.48
She said, "I
don't understand that.
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How did the devil do that?"
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"The soul that
sinneth, it shall die,"
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that it really means
that the soul that sinneth
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shall not die.
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She says those that
are unrighteous, that were
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unwilling to accept
Jesus Christ as their Savior,
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that they have
lived an ungodly life,
00:11:08.30\00:11:10.57
and that they have
lived for the world,
00:11:10.60\00:11:12.33
they will not be in the kingdom.
00:11:12.37\00:11:14.64
They will suffer what
we call, eternal death.
00:11:15.30\00:11:19.54
They will not
receive eternal life.
00:11:19.64\00:11:22.34
They made the decision,
"I am not going to serve God.
00:11:22.38\00:11:26.21
I'm going to serve
my wants and my needs."
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Let's go a bit further here.
00:11:29.82\00:11:31.15
And Ellen G. White
went on to say this,
00:11:31.19\00:11:33.72
"Satan has led men to adopt..."
00:11:33.92\00:11:39.39
"It was a marvel to me
that Satan could succeed so well
00:11:39.43\00:11:44.07
in making men believe
that the words of God that say,
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'The soul that
sinneth, it shall die,'
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mean that the soul that
sinneth, it shall not die..."
00:11:50.54\00:11:54.44
Can you imagine, she
said, they want men to believe
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that God says, "The soul
that sinneth, it shall die,"
00:11:59.81\00:12:02.98
means this, that the soul
that sinneth shall not die.
00:12:03.02\00:12:06.82
She went on to say, this
group of men are teaching
00:12:07.12\00:12:13.09
that we need to overlook
our sin, our unrighteousness,
00:12:13.13\00:12:18.10
and look at the
justice of God and the
00:12:18.13\00:12:20.77
threatenings of His Word.
00:12:20.80\00:12:22.24
They say that God is all mercy,
and that no one will perish.
00:12:22.34\00:12:27.51
Yet listen
carefully what the Bible says,
00:12:27.71\00:12:30.55
not what men think,
how they feel, emotions.
00:12:31.08\00:12:35.52
But what does the Bible say?
00:12:35.55\00:12:37.75
Yet the Bible
explicitly and clearly teaches
00:12:37.95\00:12:42.59
in many different parables,
examples, and clearly defined
00:12:42.62\00:12:47.53
statements that not
all will be in the kingdom.
00:12:47.56\00:12:51.17
Our loving God gave
every one of us a choice,
00:12:51.33\00:12:56.77
to make our own
decision whether we want to
00:12:57.04\00:13:00.18
remain a goat or sheep.
00:13:00.21\00:13:03.35
Let's study what I just said.
00:13:03.58\00:13:05.15
Matthew the 25th chapter.
00:13:05.18\00:13:06.95
Let's get those Bibles out.
00:13:07.05\00:13:08.45
Matthew the 25th chapter.
00:13:08.55\00:13:10.25
Let's read together
verses 32, 33, and 34.
00:13:10.29\00:13:15.72
Listen very carefully
again what the Bible says.
00:13:16.02\00:13:19.86
"And before him shall
be gathered all nations:
00:13:20.13\00:13:23.97
and he shall separate
them one from another,
00:13:24.17\00:13:28.17
as a shepherd divideth
his sheep from the goats.
00:13:28.20\00:13:32.01
And he shall set his
sheep on his right hand..."
00:13:32.21\00:13:36.34
The sheep are
referring to the righteous.
00:13:36.54\00:13:40.02
But the goats, the
ones that have sinned,
00:13:40.22\00:13:44.09
that have not
asked for forgiveness,
00:13:44.12\00:13:46.45
the goats He puts on the left.
00:13:46.49\00:13:48.22
"Then shall say the
King," listen, "to them on his
00:13:48.42\00:13:52.36
right hand," this is
what God and Jesus says,
00:13:52.39\00:13:55.80
"Come, ye blessed of my
Father, and inherit the kingdom
00:13:55.83\00:14:01.34
prepared for you from
the foundation of the world."
00:14:01.44\00:14:05.17
Praise God.
00:14:05.21\00:14:06.54
Ah verse 41.
00:14:06.57\00:14:07.98
Listen very carefully now.
00:14:08.01\00:14:09.51
"Then he shall say
also unto them on his left,
00:14:09.54\00:14:12.88
'Depart from me, ye
cursed, into everlasting fire,
00:14:12.91\00:14:18.02
prepared for the
devil and his angels.'"
00:14:18.12\00:14:21.79
You say, "Donnie, He
said everlasting fire."
00:14:21.99\00:14:25.19
Everlasting means, in
its effect it's everlasting.
00:14:25.53\00:14:30.37
And we're going to talk about
that in just a few moments here.
00:14:30.47\00:14:32.70
So, we see those men and women
that will inherit the kingdom.
00:14:32.80\00:14:40.58
And those who will not inherit
eternal life; because why?
00:14:40.61\00:14:45.51
Of their unbelief.
00:14:45.58\00:14:46.95
They chose to die.
00:14:46.98\00:14:49.95
Let's go a bit further here.
00:14:49.98\00:14:51.32
Here's what it
says in Malachi 4:1.
00:14:51.35\00:14:53.29
Now you talk about
the everlasting fire,
00:14:53.32\00:14:55.72
it's everlasting in its effect.
00:14:55.76\00:14:58.23
Here's what Malachi 4:1 says.
00:14:58.26\00:15:01.16
Read this with me now.
00:15:01.20\00:15:02.56
"For, behold, the day cometh
that shall burn as an oven;
00:15:02.83\00:15:08.87
and all the proud, yes,
and all that do wickedly,
00:15:09.37\00:15:14.14
shall be stubble.
00:15:14.18\00:15:15.98
And the day that
cometh shall burn them up..."
00:15:16.01\00:15:19.88
Let me say it again.
00:15:20.52\00:15:21.85
"...they shall be burned
up, saith the LORD of hosts,
00:15:22.38\00:15:27.46
that it shall leave them
neither root nor branch."
00:15:27.72\00:15:31.83
They are burned up forever.
00:15:31.86\00:15:34.66
The unrighteous, the
Bible says, shall be no more.
00:15:35.00\00:15:40.47
Hell to them is eternal death.
00:15:41.10\00:15:44.87
They will not be in a
fire burning forever and ever.
00:15:45.31\00:15:48.11
Malachi says they
shall be burned up.
00:15:48.14\00:15:50.48
They are gone
forever and ever and ever.
00:15:50.51\00:15:55.62
Again, let's read 2 Peter 3:10.
00:15:55.65\00:15:58.52
Give you time
to get your Bibles.
00:15:59.49\00:16:00.96
Let's read this together.
00:16:01.12\00:16:02.46
"But the day of the Lord will
come as a thief in the night;
00:16:02.62\00:16:07.86
in the which the heavens shall
pass away with a great noise,
00:16:08.06\00:16:12.67
and the elements shall
melt with a fervent heat.
00:16:12.70\00:16:17.51
The earth," listen,
"the earth also and the works
00:16:17.67\00:16:21.84
that are in shall be burned up."
00:16:21.88\00:16:25.01
They shall never more be.
00:16:25.05\00:16:27.05
They are gone
forever and ever and ever.
00:16:27.08\00:16:31.22
So, we find then that
everlasting fire means
00:16:31.32\00:16:35.89
all those that have
rejected Christ's invitation
00:16:35.92\00:16:40.76
and have decided to
live an ungodly life shall...
00:16:41.40\00:16:45.30
Their reward.
Let's say it together.
00:16:45.80\00:16:49.04
Their reward shall
be everlasting death.
00:16:49.20\00:16:54.58
And the earth and the
ungodly shall be consumed
00:16:54.74\00:16:58.81
when God comes.
00:16:58.85\00:17:00.18
Everything in the
earth and around the earth
00:17:00.22\00:17:03.75
shall be burned up.
00:17:03.79\00:17:05.25
And that
includes the unrighteous.
00:17:05.29\00:17:08.32
Those that decided to
serve the world and themselves
00:17:08.56\00:17:12.43
and rejected God.
00:17:12.46\00:17:14.46
God will never ever
force anyone to serve Him.
00:17:14.50\00:17:19.73
When we come to God, it
has to be with humbleness
00:17:20.07\00:17:25.57
and sorrowfulness,
and want to repent
00:17:25.81\00:17:29.24
and change our lives.
00:17:29.28\00:17:30.78
Not to live for the
world, but to live for God.
00:17:30.81\00:17:34.02
So, now I hope
we've cleared that up.
00:17:34.32\00:17:36.82
Let's go a bit further here.
00:17:36.85\00:17:38.19
Let's listen to
Revelation 22:11-13.
00:17:38.35\00:17:43.69
"He that is unjust,
let him be unjust still:
00:17:44.03\00:17:49.36
and he which is filthy,
let him be filthy still:
00:17:49.56\00:17:53.07
and he that is righteous..."
00:17:53.20\00:17:54.90
Oh folks, talking to us now.
00:17:54.94\00:17:57.31
When we accept
Christ, let's walk the journey
00:17:57.34\00:18:02.54
of this life in faith
and in confidence in God
00:18:02.81\00:18:07.95
and live for God.
00:18:08.05\00:18:09.55
Testify of God, praise God.
00:18:09.75\00:18:12.42
All of these different avenues
will encourage your faith,
00:18:12.45\00:18:15.99
and renew your faith,
and solidify your faith.
00:18:16.02\00:18:20.00
"...let him be righteous still:
00:18:20.33\00:18:23.00
and he that is holy,
let him be holy still."
00:18:23.03\00:18:27.10
That's what the Bible says.
00:18:27.14\00:18:28.84
Verse 12. Now
listen carefully now.
00:18:29.24\00:18:31.61
"And, behold, I come quickly;
and my reward is with me,
00:18:31.64\00:18:38.58
to give," now listen to
this, "to give every man
00:18:38.61\00:18:43.52
according to his work shall be."
00:18:43.79\00:18:47.66
The righteous will
inherit eternal life.
00:18:48.16\00:18:52.23
The unrighteous will
inherit eternal death.
00:18:52.83\00:18:58.30
"Blessed are
they," the Bible says...
00:19:02.17\00:19:04.64
I love it.
00:19:04.67\00:19:06.01
"Blessed are
they," the Bible says,
00:19:06.04\00:19:07.81
"that do, that
keep His commandments;
00:19:07.84\00:19:10.68
that they may have the
right to the tree of life
00:19:10.71\00:19:15.38
and may enter in
through the gates of the city."
00:19:15.42\00:19:18.65
"Donnie, are you saying,
and are you still saying,
00:19:18.69\00:19:22.32
that the ten commandment
law is still in effect?"
00:19:22.36\00:19:24.66
Oh yes.
00:19:24.69\00:19:26.03
We've already studied
that the finger of God
00:19:26.63\00:19:29.70
etched the ten commandment
law into those stones.
00:19:29.73\00:19:32.53
And no one has the right
to change what God has etched
00:19:32.57\00:19:36.60
into that stone.
00:19:36.64\00:19:37.97
They are still in effect.
00:19:38.01\00:19:39.34
We said in a couple of
sermons ago that the only thing
00:19:39.37\00:19:43.11
that I came up with that was
nailed, and what the Bible says,
00:19:43.38\00:19:48.68
that was nailed to the cross
was the sacrificial system.
00:19:49.02\00:19:55.59
We don't need to
sacrifice animals anymore.
00:19:55.72\00:19:58.03
Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God.
00:19:58.06\00:20:00.03
He's been sacrificed.
00:20:00.06\00:20:01.40
But the ten commandment
law, it's alive, it's real.
00:20:01.43\00:20:05.47
And God says
right here in verse 12,
00:20:05.50\00:20:08.40
those that keep
His commandments...
00:20:08.44\00:20:10.51
The commandment to love? Yes.
00:20:10.74\00:20:12.37
But also those ten commandments.
00:20:12.41\00:20:14.11
Those are the
righteous, those are the just.
00:20:14.14\00:20:17.61
Those are the ones
that will be in the kingdom.
00:20:17.65\00:20:20.92
So, let's break these
scriptures down together.
00:20:21.25\00:20:24.32
We find here that on
that great day of judgment,
00:20:25.29\00:20:28.49
at the appearing of God, and
His Son, and the Holy Spirit,
00:20:29.19\00:20:35.60
and all the angels of
heaven, that there will be a
00:20:35.80\00:20:40.60
separation take place.
00:20:40.64\00:20:42.80
The goats, the
unrighteous, on His left,
00:20:43.20\00:20:45.81
the righteous, washed
in the blood of Christ,
00:20:46.07\00:20:49.01
wrapped in His righteousness,
the sheep, will be on His right.
00:20:49.11\00:20:53.62
The unjust, the ungodly,
the unrighteous, the goats,
00:20:54.02\00:20:59.85
will remain on the left.
00:21:00.02\00:21:01.66
There will be no
second chances when God comes.
00:21:02.16\00:21:07.30
Today is the day of salvation.
00:21:07.33\00:21:10.13
Today.
00:21:10.63\00:21:11.97
It's not like, "When
He comes, I tell you what,
00:21:12.00\00:21:14.40
when God comes, then
I'll ask Him for forgiveness."
00:21:14.44\00:21:16.71
Today is the day of salvation.
00:21:16.74\00:21:18.51
There will be no second chances,
there will be no reprieves.
00:21:18.67\00:21:22.51
The Book of Life was sealed
when Jesus left the Sanctuary.
00:21:22.54\00:21:26.98
If your name is found
written in the Book of Life,
00:21:27.08\00:21:30.25
you will be in the kingdom.
00:21:30.29\00:21:33.02
You will receive eternal life.
00:21:33.05\00:21:35.56
Praise the Lord.
00:21:35.59\00:21:36.93
And I went on to say this.
00:21:37.53\00:21:38.86
I wanted to write this down
because I didn't want to forget.
00:21:38.89\00:21:40.80
If your name was not
found in the Book of Life
00:21:40.90\00:21:43.26
when the book was sealed, then
it will never be written there.
00:21:43.30\00:21:47.24
Once God comes,
your name cannot be
00:21:47.34\00:21:49.77
written into that book.
00:21:49.80\00:21:51.17
Only the righteous that
serve God with faith and works
00:21:51.27\00:21:57.28
will be in the Book of Life;
so that when Jesus Christ comes,
00:21:57.38\00:22:02.45
their names are written there.
00:22:02.48\00:22:03.82
They will inherit eternal life,
through the promises of God.
00:22:03.85\00:22:08.49
Praise the Lord.
00:22:08.52\00:22:09.86
Now, that being said, not
all will be in the kingdom.
00:22:09.89\00:22:15.20
Emotions...
00:22:15.76\00:22:17.13
Now I want you to get
this. Listen carefully.
00:22:17.17\00:22:19.33
Emotions, traditions,
theories, and philosophies,
00:22:19.53\00:22:24.51
self-proclaimed ideals
will not change the justice
00:22:24.54\00:22:29.64
of the holy God.
00:22:29.68\00:22:31.01
The Bible says, let the
righteous, those that have
00:22:31.35\00:22:35.98
accepted Jesus' invitation,
rejoice that they have remained
00:22:36.02\00:22:41.79
faithful unto the end.
00:22:42.09\00:22:44.56
If we remain faithful to
the end, our names are sealed
00:22:45.76\00:22:49.80
in the Book of Life.
00:22:49.83\00:22:51.17
Praise the Lord.
00:22:51.20\00:22:52.53
"Now, Donnie,
you're talking about giving
00:22:52.57\00:22:55.64
yourself to Jesus Christ.
00:22:55.67\00:22:57.01
What does all that mean?
00:22:57.04\00:22:58.37
You say, fall before
Him in a humble, and meek,
00:22:58.51\00:23:01.11
and sorrowful attitude.
00:23:01.14\00:23:02.48
What are you trying to say?"
00:23:02.51\00:23:03.85
Well let's break that down.
00:23:03.88\00:23:05.21
We're going to break
it down with scriptures,
00:23:05.25\00:23:08.52
the truth from the Bible.
00:23:08.62\00:23:10.52
Now, number one I put
here, this is a tough one:
00:23:10.72\00:23:14.56
deny self.
00:23:15.22\00:23:16.56
Matthew 10:32
00:23:17.36\00:23:21.16
Here's what the Bible says.
00:23:21.46\00:23:22.93
"Whosoever therefore
shall confess me before men,
00:23:23.70\00:23:28.74
him will I confess before
my Father which is in heaven."
00:23:29.07\00:23:33.01
We need to praise God.
00:23:33.61\00:23:35.28
We need to testify.
00:23:35.31\00:23:36.81
We need to preach.
00:23:36.85\00:23:38.18
We need to teach.
00:23:38.21\00:23:39.55
But most of all, we need to
live the life of Jesus Christ.
00:23:39.58\00:23:43.89
Ask Christ to come into
your heart, mind, and soul
00:23:43.99\00:23:47.26
that you might be
transformed into His character.
00:23:47.29\00:23:50.53
Now, "But whosoever
shall deny me before men,
00:23:50.56\00:23:55.36
him will I also deny
before my Father in heaven."
00:23:55.73\00:23:59.47
If you deny Christ,
your name cannot be written
00:23:59.50\00:24:02.54
in the Book of Life.
00:24:02.57\00:24:03.91
What does confess mean?
00:24:04.34\00:24:06.01
Confess means
to, "Confess in Me."
00:24:06.11\00:24:09.44
Because of our
oneness with Christ,
00:24:09.48\00:24:12.15
it is when we abide in Him,
listen, when we abide in Him
00:24:12.31\00:24:20.09
He abides in us, that our
confession of faith in Him
00:24:20.12\00:24:24.59
will bear much fruit.
00:24:24.63\00:24:27.00
Once Christ comes into
your life, there will be changes
00:24:27.20\00:24:32.23
in your life.
00:24:32.27\00:24:33.60
Where you go, what you say,
what you do, even how you feel,
00:24:33.77\00:24:41.34
how you react to different
situations, will all change
00:24:41.38\00:24:46.08
when Jesus Christ
comes into your life.
00:24:46.11\00:24:49.02
The old things, that old
carnal nature, starts to die
00:24:49.05\00:24:52.42
and the new spiritual
nature, through the power
00:24:52.45\00:24:56.52
of the Holy Spirit,
you become transformed.
00:24:56.62\00:24:59.33
Oh praise God.
00:24:59.36\00:25:00.70
Let's go on here now.
00:25:00.73\00:25:02.06
Let's go back to
what the Bibles says.
00:25:02.60\00:25:04.37
Matthew 16:24-27
00:25:04.67\00:25:08.24
There are so many Bible truths.
00:25:08.27\00:25:11.17
If we'll spend time in His Word
we'll discover these truths.
00:25:11.97\00:25:15.58
"Well how do I do that?"
00:25:15.61\00:25:16.95
You need to ask the Holy
Spirit every time you sit down
00:25:16.98\00:25:19.41
and you open this
Book, say, "Oh Holy Spirit,
00:25:19.45\00:25:22.18
would you guide me and direct
me, and help me to interpret
00:25:22.22\00:25:25.15
these scriptures?"
00:25:25.89\00:25:27.22
Now, let's go a
little bit further here now.
00:25:27.26\00:25:28.82
"For what does it profit a man
if he shall gain the whole world
00:25:30.43\00:25:36.93
and lose his soul?
00:25:37.30\00:25:38.63
Or what shall a man give
in exchange for his soul?"
00:25:39.10\00:25:42.47
Now, when Jesus comes back,
if your name is not written
00:25:42.77\00:25:47.64
in the Book of Life,
no matter how powerful
00:25:47.68\00:25:51.05
you were known as on this
earth or how much money you had,
00:25:51.08\00:25:55.15
you can't buy
your way into heaven.
00:25:55.18\00:25:56.69
Eternal life is a gift.
00:25:57.49\00:26:00.32
Praise God.
00:26:00.76\00:26:02.09
It's a gift.
00:26:02.12\00:26:03.46
We're unworthy,
we all fall short.
00:26:03.49\00:26:05.89
But because of
God's amazing grace,
00:26:05.93\00:26:09.96
His unmerited favor,
we will receive heaven.
00:26:10.00\00:26:13.47
And He promises that.
00:26:13.50\00:26:14.84
And I believe in
the promises of God.
00:26:14.87\00:26:17.41
Let's go a
little bit further here.
00:26:17.44\00:26:18.77
Deny himself means, to
submit yourself to God.
00:26:18.81\00:26:23.45
Deny yourself means, to
submit your will to God.
00:26:23.88\00:26:28.12
And henceforth, to live
for Christ rather than self.
00:26:28.15\00:26:33.42
You've got to let self go.
00:26:34.26\00:26:35.72
All those self wants and
desires; self, self, self.
00:26:36.06\00:26:39.16
That, "all about me,"
complex that most of us possess.
00:26:39.19\00:26:42.06
I've been guilty myself.
00:26:42.10\00:26:43.43
We've got to let that go.
00:26:43.47\00:26:44.80
Now, Jesus said,
"Take up the cross."
00:26:44.83\00:26:48.60
"What does that mean,
Donnie, take up the cross?"
00:26:48.94\00:26:51.01
That is, to assume
the responsibilities
00:26:51.74\00:26:56.01
that accompany discipleship.
00:26:56.04\00:26:59.05
Once you accept Christ...
00:26:59.68\00:27:02.22
Say you find out about Jesus
Christ and you're in a church
00:27:02.32\00:27:05.52
and you're sitting on the
pew, you hear this message,
00:27:05.55\00:27:08.29
"Come unto Me if you labor.
00:27:08.32\00:27:11.23
Come unto Me if you
want to give your life to Me,
00:27:11.36\00:27:13.50
and let Me change your life."
00:27:13.53\00:27:15.10
What that means is,
once you accept Jesus Christ
00:27:15.23\00:27:18.37
as your personal Savior,
there is no stopping point.
00:27:18.40\00:27:21.60
Once you accept Christ, you
need to stand up off that pew
00:27:21.87\00:27:25.04
and say, "Oh God, now
what would You have me do?
00:27:25.07\00:27:28.51
I know I've got
some responsibilities.
00:27:28.84\00:27:30.68
What would You have me do?"
00:27:30.71\00:27:32.85
And God will give you,
He'll give you a ministry.
00:27:32.88\00:27:35.95
We've talked about it before.
00:27:36.38\00:27:37.72
It might be a prayer ministry,
it might be a phone ministry,
00:27:37.75\00:27:40.22
you might be one
that will go visit folks
00:27:40.39\00:27:42.59
in nursing homes and hospitals.
00:27:42.62\00:27:44.13
God's got a plan for everybody.
00:27:44.16\00:27:45.86
Let's go a bit further here.
00:27:45.89\00:27:47.26
Now, to save one's life
means, to seek first the things
00:27:47.30\00:27:54.24
of this present life.
00:27:54.27\00:27:55.60
If we want to continue
just to save our lives,
00:27:56.07\00:27:59.27
we need to lose our
lives; give our lives to Christ.
00:27:59.37\00:28:02.04
Devote our lives
to speaking truth
00:28:02.08\00:28:05.58
through what the Bible
says, and then living the truth.
00:28:05.61\00:28:09.42
Let's go a bit further.
00:28:09.45\00:28:10.79
Take for instance, let me
give you a perfect example here,
00:28:10.82\00:28:13.36
that once you accept
Christ, get up off that pew
00:28:14.02\00:28:16.89
and get to work
for Jesus Christ.
00:28:16.93\00:28:18.76
Listen, take for
instance the young man...
00:28:18.79\00:28:21.03
And let's read this together.
00:28:21.06\00:28:22.40
You'll find that in
Matthew 19:16, 17, 20-22.
00:28:22.73\00:28:29.44
Read these words
with me, would you please.
00:28:29.77\00:28:31.74
"And, behold, one
man came to him and said,
00:28:32.14\00:28:35.44
'Good Master, what
good thing shall I do,
00:28:35.48\00:28:40.38
that I may
inherit eternal life?'
00:28:40.48\00:28:44.45
And Jesus said unto him,
'Why do you call me good?
00:28:45.69\00:28:48.82
There is none good but God.
00:28:48.92\00:28:51.03
But if thou wilt
enter into life...'"
00:28:51.33\00:28:53.60
What did He say?
00:28:53.63\00:28:54.96
"...keep the commandments."
00:28:55.00\00:28:56.33
Here's what the young man said.
00:28:56.70\00:28:58.23
"'All these things
have I kept from my youth.
00:28:59.20\00:29:02.60
What do I lack?'
00:29:03.37\00:29:04.77
Jesus said, 'If you want
to be perfect, go and sell
00:29:05.24\00:29:10.11
all that you
have, give to the poor;
00:29:10.51\00:29:13.35
and thou shalt have
treasure in heaven.'"
00:29:13.38\00:29:15.88
And then He went on to
say, "Come and follow me."
00:29:15.92\00:29:19.95
"But when the young
man heard that saying,
00:29:20.22\00:29:23.73
he went away sorrowful:
for he had great possessions."
00:29:23.76\00:29:27.60
The fact of the matter, his
interest was in worldly things,
00:29:29.23\00:29:33.10
and in wealthy, and in power.
00:29:33.13\00:29:35.04
When God asks
you to give those up,
00:29:35.07\00:29:37.21
what did I say a while ago?
00:29:38.07\00:29:39.41
This young man with all
these riches and wealth,
00:29:39.44\00:29:42.11
he could not buy
his way into heaven.
00:29:42.21\00:29:44.21
You can't work
your way into heaven.
00:29:44.25\00:29:46.15
You can't work your way
to receive eternal life.
00:29:46.45\00:29:49.52
Remember what I
said a while ago.
00:29:49.62\00:29:51.42
Eternal life is a gift.
00:29:51.45\00:29:53.52
We can't work our
way in, buy our way in.
00:29:53.69\00:29:56.46
We have to follow Jesus,
live for Him, and in Him,
00:29:56.69\00:30:01.83
and through Him.
00:30:01.86\00:30:03.20
Now I put this little note
here at the bottom of the page.
00:30:03.43\00:30:06.50
Jesus knew full well
that the young man was rich.
00:30:07.24\00:30:10.94
He knew he had
great possessions.
00:30:12.47\00:30:14.51
But the young man
loved the temporal life here
00:30:14.91\00:30:18.71
more than he
desired eternal life.
00:30:19.11\00:30:23.55
How about you?
00:30:24.19\00:30:25.52
Let's go a little
bit further again.
00:30:26.15\00:30:27.49
And again, the Bible
makes it clear that sin
00:30:27.52\00:30:30.16
leads to eternal death.
00:30:30.19\00:30:32.29
Sin does not lead,
if you continue in sin,
00:30:32.73\00:30:37.67
does not lead to eternal life.
00:30:37.70\00:30:39.83
But I've got some
good news for you today.
00:30:39.87\00:30:42.40
Let's read Romans 6:23 together.
00:30:42.87\00:30:44.74
Romans 6:23
00:30:45.44\00:30:47.21
"For the wages
of sin is death..."
00:30:47.64\00:30:51.95
Wow, if it ended
there, I'm in trouble.
00:30:52.41\00:30:55.52
But here's what it says.
00:30:55.55\00:30:56.95
"...but the gift
of God is eternal life
00:30:56.99\00:31:02.29
through Jesus Christ..."
00:31:02.32\00:31:03.83
The wages of sin is
certain eternal death.
00:31:04.13\00:31:08.06
But once we
confess our sins, God said,
00:31:08.23\00:31:11.17
"The gift of God
is eternal life..."
00:31:11.20\00:31:13.20
Through who? Jesus Christ.
00:31:13.23\00:31:15.60
That's a promise.
00:31:15.64\00:31:16.97
I believe in
the promises of God.
00:31:17.01\00:31:18.74
Here's what Acts 4:12 says.
00:31:18.77\00:31:20.88
"Neither is there
salvation in any other."
00:31:20.91\00:31:25.45
Remember what we said
in a couple of sermons ago?
00:31:27.35\00:31:29.82
I am not saved by
keeping the ten commandment law.
00:31:31.42\00:31:35.22
But because I love Jesus,
because I'm following Jesus,
00:31:35.49\00:31:40.50
I want to keep the
ten commandment law.
00:31:40.53\00:31:44.70
I'm saved through Jesus.
00:31:45.87\00:31:47.90
And this puts the
desire in me to please my Lord
00:31:48.17\00:31:52.11
and keep those ten commandments.
00:31:52.14\00:31:53.74
Listen, "Neither is
there salvation in any other:
00:31:53.78\00:31:57.38
for there is none
other name," the Bible says,
00:31:57.41\00:32:01.78
"under heaven given among
men, whereby we must be saved."
00:32:01.82\00:32:06.76
It is through Jesus Christ.
00:32:06.79\00:32:09.69
Here's what 1 John 2:1-2 says.
00:32:09.72\00:32:13.36
Turn in your Bibles.
Give you just a second here.
00:32:14.10\00:32:16.30
1 John 2:1-2
00:32:16.33\00:32:19.27
Here's what the Bible
says. Listen carefully.
00:32:19.30\00:32:21.60
"My little children,
these things write I unto you,
00:32:22.57\00:32:26.21
that ye sin not.
00:32:26.24\00:32:27.81
And if any man sin..."
00:32:28.58\00:32:30.25
Praise God. Let me
throw that in there.
00:32:30.28\00:32:32.48
"...we have an
Advocate with the Father."
00:32:32.88\00:32:35.52
And who is that
Advocate? Who's my Lawyer?
00:32:35.55\00:32:38.22
Who's the High
Priest? Who's the Sacrifice?
00:32:38.25\00:32:40.96
"...we have an
Advocate with the Father;
00:32:40.99\00:32:43.43
Jesus Christ the righteous."
00:32:43.46\00:32:47.06
If the righteous scarcely
make it, the Bible says,
00:32:48.00\00:32:51.60
where are the
ungodly going to be?
00:32:51.63\00:32:55.40
Eternal death.
00:32:55.80\00:32:57.14
Only through the grace
of God, through Jesus Christ
00:32:57.51\00:33:02.28
His Son, and through the
power of the Holy Spirit.
00:33:02.68\00:33:07.42
Being washed in the
blood will I be in the kingdom.
00:33:07.78\00:33:11.85
And only through the name
of Jesus, the sacrificial Lamb.
00:33:11.89\00:33:17.49
Now, Christ is the
propitiation for our sins.
00:33:17.73\00:33:21.76
And not ours only, but
also for the sins of the world.
00:33:21.96\00:33:26.94
For the remission of
sin, the Bible says...
00:33:27.24\00:33:30.67
Love to go back to that Bible.
00:33:30.87\00:33:33.01
Listen, for the remission
of sins, blood must be shed.
00:33:33.04\00:33:38.51
And the blood to be
shed to cleanse all men
00:33:39.15\00:33:43.39
from all sin is the
blood of Jesus, the Son of God.
00:33:43.42\00:33:48.72
It's all through Jesus.
00:33:49.26\00:33:50.96
Not just for cleansing of our
sins, but for the whole world.
00:33:51.26\00:33:56.26
Jesus died for the whole world.
00:33:56.30\00:34:00.04
He is no respecter of persons.
00:34:00.07\00:34:02.30
Jesus Christ, let
me put it this way,
00:34:02.34\00:34:05.21
when He looks down on
this world, He sees babies.
00:34:05.97\00:34:10.71
He sees His children.
00:34:11.65\00:34:13.68
He sees that through Him they
can be His brothers and sisters.
00:34:14.02\00:34:19.72
We find that through
Jesus, He is our Best Friend,
00:34:19.85\00:34:24.36
He is our
Creator, He is our Savior,
00:34:24.46\00:34:28.30
He is our Redeemer.
00:34:28.33\00:34:29.90
And it goes on and on and on.
00:34:29.93\00:34:32.03
Everything is done
through Jesus Christ.
00:34:32.07\00:34:35.54
Eternal life... I
thought this was interesting.
00:34:35.74\00:34:38.81
Eternal life is a gift, but
so few accept and want the gift.
00:34:39.57\00:34:47.55
So few. So few.
00:34:48.28\00:34:50.79
But here's what the Bibles
says on that matter, by the way.
00:34:50.82\00:34:53.82
Matthew 7:13
00:34:53.86\00:34:55.29
I always love to go
back to what the Bible says.
00:34:55.32\00:34:58.16
Listen carefully.
00:34:58.19\00:34:59.53
"Enter in ye at the strait gate:
00:34:59.79\00:35:03.53
for wide is the
gate and broad is the way
00:35:03.90\00:35:08.94
that leadeth to destruction,
00:35:08.97\00:35:10.71
and many there be
which go in after it."
00:35:11.11\00:35:15.08
Jesus says, "Broad is the way
that leadeth to destruction."
00:35:16.38\00:35:21.32
Why does it need to be broad?
00:35:21.35\00:35:23.18
There's a lot of people
on that road to destruction.
00:35:23.22\00:35:26.59
It's broad.
00:35:26.62\00:35:27.96
"Because strait,"
Jesus said, "is the gate
00:35:28.26\00:35:32.23
and narrow is the way
which leadeth unto eternal life:
00:35:32.46\00:35:36.87
and few there be that find it."
00:35:36.97\00:35:42.20
Isn't that amazing?
00:35:42.24\00:35:43.94
We have the privilege
and the honor of accepting
00:35:45.24\00:35:51.28
the free gift of
eternal life, and we refuse it.
00:35:51.48\00:35:56.52
And yet we will fight
and scratch to stay alive
00:35:56.92\00:36:02.12
in the temporal life.
00:36:02.16\00:36:03.49
Doesn't make sense, does it?
00:36:04.03\00:36:05.73
Listen. Go back to the Bible.
00:36:07.80\00:36:09.93
Just go back to
the Bible with me here.
00:36:09.96\00:36:11.37
John 3:16. Now listen carefully.
00:36:11.40\00:36:13.60
"For God so loved the world that
he gave his only begotten Son,"
00:36:13.90\00:36:20.11
Jesus, "that
whosoever," I love this promise,
00:36:20.91\00:36:25.15
"that whosoever believeth
in him should not perish,
00:36:25.35\00:36:29.38
but have everlasting life."
00:36:29.42\00:36:32.35
Why do we choose the temporary
life when we could choose
00:36:32.39\00:36:37.33
eternal life
through Jesus Christ?
00:36:37.36\00:36:40.46
Not by our merits, again.
00:36:40.53\00:36:42.50
It's by the grace of
God, through the power and the
00:36:42.80\00:36:46.94
forgiving spirit of Jesus,
that we will be in the kingdom.
00:36:46.97\00:36:51.44
Now verse 17 says...
00:36:51.61\00:36:53.54
Listen very carefully.
00:36:53.58\00:36:54.91
Without Jesus we
are condemned. Why?
00:36:55.54\00:36:59.98
Because of unbelief.
00:37:00.58\00:37:01.95
Unbelief.
00:37:02.65\00:37:03.99
Unbelief in what?
00:37:04.02\00:37:05.35
In the Son of God.
00:37:05.55\00:37:06.89
We are
condemned to eternal death
00:37:08.19\00:37:11.76
because we love the world
more than we love the Light.
00:37:12.26\00:37:16.33
Who is the Light? Jesus.
00:37:16.36\00:37:18.33
We love the worldly things
and the things that are in it,
00:37:19.07\00:37:23.74
and this temporal life,
and we throw away eternal life.
00:37:24.27\00:37:29.04
Eternal life and eternal
bliss, and joy and happiness.
00:37:29.78\00:37:33.75
We throw all that away.
00:37:33.78\00:37:35.12
The only reason
that God has tarried...
00:37:36.45\00:37:40.92
"What are you
talking about, Donnie?"
00:37:40.96\00:37:42.29
Well turn to 2
Peter 3:9 with me, please.
00:37:42.32\00:37:45.03
2 Peter 3:9
00:37:45.56\00:37:48.03
"The Lord is not slack
concerning his promises..."
00:37:48.40\00:37:52.60
They will happen.
00:37:53.80\00:37:55.14
"...as some men count slackness;
but God is long-suffering,
00:37:55.50\00:38:00.64
not willing that any
should perish, but that all
00:38:01.01\00:38:06.85
should come to repentance."
00:38:06.88\00:38:08.75
Why does He want
everybody to come to repentance?
00:38:09.38\00:38:12.72
Because He loves you.
00:38:12.75\00:38:14.12
He loves you in your
shortcomings, in your faults.
00:38:14.62\00:38:17.86
He loves you anyway.
00:38:18.39\00:38:19.73
He even loves you in your sin.
00:38:19.93\00:38:21.26
He doesn't condone
sin, but He loves you.
00:38:21.30\00:38:24.07
Let's go a
little bit further here.
00:38:24.10\00:38:25.43
The only reason
that God has tarried
00:38:25.63\00:38:28.57
in His triumphant return...
00:38:28.60\00:38:30.37
Isn't God wonderful?
00:38:30.64\00:38:32.24
Isn't God lovely?
00:38:32.27\00:38:34.08
The only reason that God has
tarried in His triumphant return
00:38:35.24\00:38:38.45
is that He is giving men
every opportunity to accept Him.
00:38:38.48\00:38:45.59
Our God truly
loves each one of us.
00:38:46.62\00:38:50.96
But God, on the other
hand, is a God of justice,
00:38:51.29\00:38:55.70
and I love it, a God of truth.
00:38:55.90\00:38:58.50
On judgment day there
will be those who will receive
00:38:59.10\00:39:04.04
the reward of eternal life
and those that will receive
00:39:04.07\00:39:08.88
the reward of eternal death.
00:39:08.91\00:39:12.28
Not writhing in a place called
hell forever and ever and ever.
00:39:12.61\00:39:18.02
But they will be
forever, ever, never ever,
00:39:18.22\00:39:22.16
in the presence of God.
00:39:22.19\00:39:23.53
They will be dead
forever and ever and ever.
00:39:23.56\00:39:26.36
So we call that eternal death.
00:39:26.39\00:39:28.73
I don't want you to think today
that someone that's passed on
00:39:29.80\00:39:32.87
is writhing in agony.
00:39:32.90\00:39:34.40
They are in the grave
waiting for that judgment day.
00:39:34.44\00:39:37.64
And maybe we'll get to that here
in just a few minutes as well.
00:39:37.67\00:39:40.04
Now, Ezekiel 34:16.
00:39:40.28\00:39:42.64
Here's what the Bible says.
00:39:43.11\00:39:44.51
"I will seek that which
was lost, and bring again that
00:39:45.51\00:39:50.05
which was driven away, and
bind up that which was broken,
00:39:50.09\00:39:54.82
and strengthen
that which was sick:
00:39:54.99\00:39:57.66
but I will destroy
the fat and the strong;
00:39:57.93\00:40:00.06
and I will feed
them with judgment."
00:40:00.10\00:40:02.86
Fatness in this
scripture is symbolic of people
00:40:03.16\00:40:06.84
living in prosperity.
00:40:06.87\00:40:08.30
And prosperity many times often
leads to forgetfulness of God.
00:40:08.97\00:40:15.28
Forgetting Him,
throwing Him aside.
00:40:15.91\00:40:18.28
They're thinking,
"Why do we need God?
00:40:18.31\00:40:19.78
I have all that I need here."
00:40:19.81\00:40:21.65
The unfaithful shepherds
have waxed cold and fat
00:40:22.12\00:40:27.52
by robbing the flock.
00:40:27.56\00:40:29.59
Someday they will
have to face judgment.
00:40:29.92\00:40:33.50
Now, I've got a few
questions for you here.
00:40:34.03\00:40:36.97
If all would be saved, like
the movement we talked about
00:40:38.53\00:40:42.30
earlier in our
sermon, if all will be saved,
00:40:42.34\00:40:45.54
then there are some questions
that need to be answered.
00:40:45.84\00:40:48.24
Why, if everyone's going
to be saved and in the kingdom
00:40:48.91\00:40:52.45
regardless of whether they're
righteous or unrighteous,
00:40:52.48\00:40:54.65
why do I need God's
grace, His unmerited favor?
00:40:54.75\00:40:57.72
Why do I need God's mercy?
00:40:57.89\00:40:59.75
Why would any sacrifice
have to die, my Savior Jesus?
00:41:00.29\00:41:05.76
Sorry.
00:41:07.40\00:41:08.73
Why would He have to
die if everyone is going to
00:41:08.76\00:41:12.97
be in the kingdom anyway?
00:41:13.00\00:41:14.37
You know,
sometimes I almost lose it
00:41:14.94\00:41:17.84
when I'm preaching the gospel.
00:41:17.87\00:41:19.21
I just want to break
down and cry sometimes.
00:41:19.24\00:41:20.94
And every now and then
I'll say I'm sorry or apologize.
00:41:21.24\00:41:24.25
Well Mollie Steenson,
Pastor Hal's wife, told me,
00:41:24.28\00:41:26.75
"Don't you ever
apologize for having feelings
00:41:26.78\00:41:31.19
for Jesus Christ."
00:41:31.22\00:41:32.55
So I'm not going to apologize.
00:41:32.59\00:41:33.96
I said, "I'm sorry,"
but I take that back.
00:41:33.99\00:41:35.72
It's okay to love Jesus.
00:41:35.99\00:41:38.23
It's okay to be
excited about Jesus.
00:41:38.73\00:41:42.16
It's okay to show our
feelings and our emotions
00:41:42.43\00:41:45.93
on how we feel
and love Jesus Christ.
00:41:46.43\00:41:50.61
It's okay.
00:41:50.64\00:41:51.97
If I can get excited about
a major league baseball team
00:41:52.01\00:41:55.64
winning the world
series, I can get excited
00:41:55.68\00:41:58.31
when Jesus said, "Donnie,
if you will remain faithful,
00:41:58.35\00:42:00.88
you have eternal life," I can
get excited and I can say amen.
00:42:00.92\00:42:03.89
Praise the Lord.
00:42:03.92\00:42:05.25
Let's go on from there.
00:42:05.82\00:42:07.16
1 Peter 4:17-18
00:42:07.19\00:42:10.09
Now listen what the Bible says.
00:42:11.13\00:42:12.89
"For the time is come
that judgment must begin
00:42:13.43\00:42:17.40
at the house of God.
00:42:17.43\00:42:19.13
And if it begins with us
first, what shall the end be
00:42:19.37\00:42:23.61
of them that obey
not the gospel of God?
00:42:23.64\00:42:26.21
And if the
righteous scarcely be saved,
00:42:26.81\00:42:30.41
where shall the
ungodly and the sinner be?"
00:42:30.71\00:42:33.28
They will be dead
forever and ever and ever.
00:42:33.65\00:42:36.42
I hope we've made that
point perfectly clear today.
00:42:37.62\00:42:39.85
Revelation 22:11-12
00:42:39.99\00:42:42.29
Listen to what the Bible says.
00:42:42.32\00:42:43.69
When Christ comes,
and God, when He comes
00:42:44.06\00:42:48.70
the second coming, "He that is
unjust, let him be unjust still:
00:42:48.73\00:42:54.14
he which is filthy,
let him be filthy still:
00:42:54.40\00:42:57.74
he that is righteous,
let him be righteous still:
00:42:57.91\00:43:01.28
and he that is holy," who
is wrapped in the righteous
00:43:01.31\00:43:05.01
robes of Christ,
"let him be holy still."
00:43:05.05\00:43:08.12
And God went on to say,
listen, "I come quickly."
00:43:08.15\00:43:12.15
"Behold, I come quickly;
and my reward is with me,
00:43:12.55\00:43:16.89
to give every man
according as his work shall be."
00:43:16.93\00:43:20.90
Now, on the positive side.
00:43:20.96\00:43:24.53
There's a lot of positive
things when Jesus Christ comes.
00:43:24.83\00:43:27.67
But there's more.
00:43:27.70\00:43:29.04
And I want to talk about
that just for a little bit.
00:43:29.07\00:43:31.31
I call this title,
The First Million Years.
00:43:31.54\00:43:36.41
Here's what it says
in Revelation 21:1-2.
00:43:36.78\00:43:40.28
Read these scriptures with me,
please, brothers and sisters.
00:43:40.38\00:43:43.45
Listen, "And I saw..."
Now this is John talking.
00:43:43.49\00:43:47.72
"I saw a new
heaven, I saw a new earth.
00:43:48.52\00:43:52.23
For the first heaven and the
first earth were passed away;
00:43:52.59\00:43:57.03
and there was no more sea."
00:43:57.07\00:43:58.93
And oh listen to this verse.
00:43:58.97\00:44:01.94
Oh I love this one.
00:44:02.10\00:44:03.44
"And I John saw the
holy city, the new Jerusalem,
00:44:04.44\00:44:11.18
coming down from God out
of heaven, prepared as a bride
00:44:11.41\00:44:15.78
adorned for her husband."
00:44:15.82\00:44:17.99
Jesus is looking
forward to this day.
00:44:18.02\00:44:21.99
As a groom does for the
day that he gets married
00:44:22.19\00:44:25.16
and he can look down the aisle
and he sees his beautiful wife
00:44:25.19\00:44:28.90
coming down the aisle
dressed in white and purity.
00:44:28.93\00:44:32.40
That is the
greatest day of his life.
00:44:32.53\00:44:36.10
Jesus is saying, "I'm looking
so forward to this event.
00:44:36.91\00:44:42.21
I'm going to
compare it with a marriage."
00:44:42.61\00:44:45.58
The church, Jesus said,
those that are born again,
00:44:46.45\00:44:50.75
washed in the blood,
wrapped in His righteousness,
00:44:50.99\00:44:54.02
filled with the Holy
Spirit, the church is His bride.
00:44:54.06\00:44:57.66
And Jesus is
looking forward to that day.
00:44:57.69\00:45:02.10
Praise God.
00:45:02.13\00:45:03.47
Praise the Lord.
00:45:03.67\00:45:05.00
Through the eyes of
John... I put a little not here.
00:45:05.03\00:45:07.20
Through the eyes of
John on the island of Patmos,
00:45:07.97\00:45:10.51
we are enabled to
see that New Jerusalem,
00:45:10.54\00:45:13.74
that holy city of God.
00:45:14.11\00:45:17.38
The city, I threw this in,
that houses the worship center
00:45:17.88\00:45:22.82
of the universe is
coming down out of heaven
00:45:23.02\00:45:27.02
and seating
itself on the new earth.
00:45:27.06\00:45:29.69
What a scene that John beheld!
00:45:30.56\00:45:34.40
What a sight
that must have been.
00:45:35.13\00:45:37.30
The New Jerusalem was
created to last for an eternity.
00:45:38.23\00:45:44.37
It's beauty is
beyond description.
00:45:44.41\00:45:47.94
1 Corinthians 2:9
00:45:48.14\00:45:49.74
Read that with me.
Here's what the Bible says.
00:45:50.01\00:45:52.31
"For as it is written, 'Eye hath
not seen, nor ear hath heard,
00:45:52.51\00:45:58.05
neither have entered
into the heart of man,'"
00:45:58.32\00:46:00.76
the most awesome, the
most beautiful things,
00:46:01.36\00:46:05.53
"that God hath prepared
for them that love him."
00:46:05.56\00:46:09.16
That believe in
Him, that trust in Him,
00:46:09.36\00:46:13.97
that have placed
their faith in Him.
00:46:14.00\00:46:17.77
And that's why we need
to study the Scriptures.
00:46:17.81\00:46:19.74
What John saw
there, it encourages me,
00:46:21.08\00:46:24.61
it solidifies my faith.
00:46:24.65\00:46:26.75
I believe in
the promises of God.
00:46:26.78\00:46:29.72
I love reading scriptures
such as 1 Corinthians 2:9.
00:46:29.75\00:46:33.42
Now, John recorded to the best
that a human could comprehend,
00:46:33.46\00:46:39.06
by observing the arrival of
God's city, the description,
00:46:39.56\00:46:43.20
the magnificence, the
utter awe of that city.
00:46:43.37\00:46:48.07
Now as I've traveled
across America, done a lot of
00:46:48.27\00:46:51.87
flying at night, I flew
over some beautiful cities.
00:46:51.91\00:46:55.34
And they're all lit up at
night as you fly over them,
00:46:55.38\00:46:58.11
and they look beautiful.
00:46:58.15\00:46:59.48
But the city of God, the
New Jerusalem, doesn't need any
00:46:59.51\00:47:04.25
type of electrical lights.
00:47:04.29\00:47:06.55
God and His Son and the Holy
Spirit light up all of heaven
00:47:07.36\00:47:13.16
with their purity
and their holiness.
00:47:13.19\00:47:16.03
We don't need a
sun up there either.
00:47:16.06\00:47:18.10
We have light. We
have Jesus Christ.
00:47:18.20\00:47:21.30
2 Peter 3:10 and 13 says,
oh, "But the day of the Lord
00:47:21.50\00:47:26.57
will come as a
thief in the night..."
00:47:26.61\00:47:28.14
Now listen.
00:47:28.18\00:47:29.51
"...in the which the
heavens shall pass away with a
00:47:29.54\00:47:31.08
great noise, and the elements
shall melt with fervent heat;
00:47:31.11\00:47:34.55
the earth also and the works
that are in shall be burned up."
00:47:34.58\00:47:38.69
"Nevertheless," he
said, "we," God's people,
00:47:39.02\00:47:43.83
"in accordance to his promises,
we look for new heavens
00:47:44.19\00:47:50.10
and a new earth,
wherein dwelleth righteousness."
00:47:50.30\00:47:54.24
Put a little another note here.
00:47:54.54\00:47:56.64
The new earth, God creating,
God cleansing this earth
00:47:56.67\00:48:00.78
from all the scars of sin.
00:48:00.81\00:48:02.98
Burning up all unrighteousness,
and all sin, and all blasphemy.
00:48:04.15\00:48:08.78
And, praise God,
burning up Satan as well.
00:48:08.82\00:48:12.45
He will be gone
forever and ever and ever.
00:48:12.49\00:48:16.83
Praise the Lord.
00:48:16.86\00:48:18.19
Our brother in
Christ, John, what sight.
00:48:18.23\00:48:23.87
He saw the New Jerusalem
coming down out of heaven
00:48:24.27\00:48:27.40
and finding its
resting place on the new earth.
00:48:27.67\00:48:31.27
We're going to
call it holy ground.
00:48:31.44\00:48:33.21
There's no unrighteousness then.
00:48:33.24\00:48:35.04
The beginning of a world
without end was taking place
00:48:35.48\00:48:40.62
right before the eyes of John.
00:48:40.65\00:48:43.65
It was the
beginning of eternity.
00:48:44.02\00:48:47.89
Time without end, without
interruption, had arrived.
00:48:48.19\00:48:53.73
And it's going to arrive.
00:48:53.86\00:48:55.33
Because God said so.
00:48:55.36\00:48:56.97
Because God's promises are true.
00:48:57.30\00:48:59.50
Eternal life is
just a breath away.
00:48:59.70\00:49:03.41
Eternal life is
just a heartbeat away.
00:49:03.51\00:49:07.14
We don't know how much
time we have left here.
00:49:09.11\00:49:11.28
But if I should
pass on today or tonight,
00:49:11.65\00:49:15.72
if I should pass on, I
have confidence in God that
00:49:16.02\00:49:20.29
when He comes, as He promised in
1 Thessalonians the 4th chapter,
00:49:21.22\00:49:26.33
that when He comes, if
Donnie Shelton is in the grave,
00:49:26.46\00:49:30.20
God promises He will
raise me up out of that grave
00:49:30.47\00:49:34.74
and that I will
spend eternity with Him.
00:49:34.77\00:49:39.54
Praise God.
00:49:39.74\00:49:41.31
Listen, it says here that
there will be no more sea.
00:49:41.34\00:49:44.95
Now on this present
earth the sea divides us here.
00:49:44.98\00:49:48.42
We have different countries.
00:49:48.52\00:49:49.85
We have friends, and
brothers and sisters,
00:49:49.88\00:49:51.62
in other countries,
and the sea divides us.
00:49:51.72\00:49:54.32
But the Bible says
there's no sea there.
00:49:54.36\00:49:57.23
There's no division.
00:49:57.26\00:49:58.59
Everyone is in total
harmony and unity there.
00:49:58.63\00:50:02.86
We will all be
together. Praise God.
00:50:02.90\00:50:05.97
The new world,
let's say it again,
00:50:06.30\00:50:08.10
will be bathed in
the light from heaven.
00:50:08.67\00:50:12.44
The years will move
on, one year after another.
00:50:12.91\00:50:17.58
First, a million years.
00:50:17.78\00:50:19.71
And then that million years
leads to another million years,
00:50:20.12\00:50:24.12
and then another million
years, to a world without end.
00:50:24.15\00:50:29.86
In this life, it's temporary.
00:50:30.43\00:50:32.76
Things begin and end.
00:50:32.79\00:50:34.13
But praise God, the
New Jerusalem in heaven
00:50:34.16\00:50:37.03
will be here forever
and ever and ever and ever.
00:50:37.07\00:50:41.27
You know, the
Adventist Bible Commentary...
00:50:41.30\00:50:43.84
If you don't have one, you
need to get some commentary,
00:50:44.87\00:50:47.21
the Adventist
Commentary, Bible and books.
00:50:47.24\00:50:49.74
They state that this earth
is the place of preparation
00:50:50.78\00:50:54.52
for heaven.
00:50:55.08\00:50:56.42
The time here is
the Christian's winter.
00:50:56.52\00:50:59.59
And the chilly winds of
affliction blow upon us.
00:51:00.16\00:51:03.29
But in the near
future when Christ comes,
00:51:03.53\00:51:09.00
sorrows and sighings
will be forever ended.
00:51:09.26\00:51:13.54
Aren't you looking
forward to that time?
00:51:13.87\00:51:16.60
Here's what it says
in Revelation 21:3-5.
00:51:16.71\00:51:20.88
Read it with me.
00:51:20.91\00:51:22.71
"And I heard a great
voice out of heaven saying,
00:51:22.98\00:51:27.88
'Behold, the
tabernacle of God is with men,
00:51:27.92\00:51:31.29
and he will dwell with them,
and they shall be his people,
00:51:31.65\00:51:36.59
and God himself shall be
with them, and be their God.
00:51:37.63\00:51:41.86
And God shall wipe away
all the tears from their eyes;
00:51:42.23\00:51:46.07
and there shall be no
more death,'" praise God,
00:51:46.17\00:51:50.27
"no sorrow, no crying, neither
shall there be any more pain:
00:51:50.51\00:51:56.58
for the former
things are passed away."
00:51:56.78\00:51:59.65
How long? Forever
and ever and ever.
00:51:59.68\00:52:04.35
No more death, no more pain,
no more crying, no more sorrow.
00:52:04.39\00:52:10.23
We will live in eternal
bliss with God, and His Son,
00:52:10.26\00:52:15.40
and the Holy
Spirit, and the angels
00:52:15.43\00:52:18.23
forever and ever and ever.
00:52:18.27\00:52:21.57
"I will make things new."
00:52:22.70\00:52:24.14
No more death, no more sickness,
00:52:24.67\00:52:28.84
no more hospitals,
no more nursing homes,
00:52:30.45\00:52:33.92
no more cancer clinics,
don't need any more doctors,
00:52:35.15\00:52:38.89
no more wheelchairs, no crying.
00:52:39.45\00:52:43.19
These bodies that we
will inherit in eternal life,
00:52:43.43\00:52:47.13
they are designed by our
Creator, and they will never
00:52:47.83\00:52:52.53
ever age, or change,
or weaken, or become ill.
00:52:52.57\00:52:58.44
They will never
experience any kind of mental,
00:52:58.74\00:53:02.68
or emotional, or physical pain.
00:53:02.71\00:53:05.18
Listen, for God Himself
shall be in our presence.
00:53:06.21\00:53:10.22
And that evil
one, man's worst enemy,
00:53:10.25\00:53:13.82
is gone forever
and ever and ever.
00:53:14.09\00:53:18.56
Praise the Lord.
Let's go on here.
00:53:18.59\00:53:20.73
Christ has
promised us eternal life.
00:53:20.76\00:53:23.13
He has promised us
to live in eternity;
00:53:23.83\00:53:27.84
a time without end.
00:53:28.40\00:53:30.41
Listen to this.
00:53:31.17\00:53:32.51
A permanent life
without interruption.
00:53:33.38\00:53:36.34
No death, just
eternal bliss in heaven.
00:53:36.98\00:53:41.85
All will be
healthy, all will be happy.
00:53:42.65\00:53:46.62
I try to put it in a way
that I can understand it.
00:53:47.29\00:53:50.76
If I enter heaven, we'll
say, in a 25 year old body,
00:53:51.96\00:53:56.36
a perfect 25 year old
body, perfect, designed by God
00:53:56.80\00:54:03.17
to last forever and
ever and ever and ever,
00:54:03.20\00:54:04.81
if I enter heaven
with this 25 year old body,
00:54:05.47\00:54:09.44
one-hundred million
years after I've been in heaven
00:54:10.05\00:54:15.08
it will still be
a 25 year old body,
00:54:15.12\00:54:18.79
perfect and without blemish.
00:54:18.82\00:54:20.49
Praise the Lord.
00:54:20.52\00:54:21.86
Perfectly healthy.
00:54:22.12\00:54:23.63
It will never change
forever and ever and ever.
00:54:23.89\00:54:28.36
All things in
this life are temporary
00:54:28.93\00:54:32.03
and are for a short time.
00:54:32.07\00:54:34.57
Eternity, let's say it again,
it is without interruption.
00:54:35.14\00:54:39.71
No timeouts.
00:54:40.18\00:54:41.71
No stopping.
00:54:42.94\00:54:44.81
Praise the Lord.
00:54:46.18\00:54:47.52
Eternity is
mentioned in the Bible.
00:54:47.78\00:54:50.39
And here's what it says
about eternity in Isaiah 57:15.
00:54:50.42\00:54:55.12
"For thus saith the
high and lofty One,"
00:54:55.66\00:54:58.09
God we're talking about,
00:54:58.39\00:55:01.00
"the one that inhabits
eternity, whose name is Holy,
00:55:01.20\00:55:05.67
He says, 'I dwell with
thee on high in the holy place,
00:55:06.23\00:55:11.27
inhabit eternity,
and I will dwell with you
00:55:11.31\00:55:14.31
forever and ever.'"
00:55:14.34\00:55:15.84
This lofty One is quoted
as being the eternal One.
00:55:16.28\00:55:20.28
We're talking about God.
00:55:20.32\00:55:22.42
The high and holy
place signifies the highest
00:55:22.82\00:55:26.86
place in heaven.
00:55:26.89\00:55:29.06
God dwells there, and
we will dwell with Him
00:55:29.09\00:55:33.26
in perfect harmony and health
forever and ever and ever.
00:55:33.29\00:55:38.27
Praise God.
00:55:38.30\00:55:39.63
Now, a comforting thought
here, that one so great as the
00:55:39.67\00:55:47.04
high and lofty One,
God, that He actually
00:55:47.08\00:55:50.95
cares about me.
00:55:50.98\00:55:53.11
He cares about you.
00:55:53.78\00:55:55.85
And He desires that you
live with Him forever and ever.
00:55:56.55\00:56:01.89
By faith.
00:56:02.12\00:56:04.06
Pillars of Faith.
00:56:04.66\00:56:06.49
By faith.
00:56:06.86\00:56:08.73
Again, I love 3ABN's message.
00:56:09.00\00:56:12.97
Taking the truth, undiluted;
not with the errors of man
00:56:13.23\00:56:18.27
and their thoughts, and
philosophies, and science.
00:56:18.31\00:56:20.94
But 3ABN is based upon
what the Word of God says.
00:56:21.24\00:56:27.72
So I'm going to say again,
they have been grace given,
00:56:28.55\00:56:32.19
they are faith driven.
00:56:32.52\00:56:35.09
They are driven
by faith to preach
00:56:36.12\00:56:39.06
the unsearchable truths of God.
00:56:39.09\00:56:41.70
Today we are
talking about a promise.
00:56:41.93\00:56:44.50
We are talking about a truth.
00:56:44.53\00:56:46.43
We are talking
about eternal life today.
00:56:46.47\00:56:50.31
Jeremiah 31:3, a
scripture that I quote
00:56:51.04\00:56:54.41
in many, many,
many of my sermons.
00:56:54.44\00:56:56.61
Jesus, and God, and the
Holy Spirit are saying here
00:56:57.38\00:57:01.05
in Jeremiah 31:3, "I have
loved you, I will love you,
00:57:01.08\00:57:08.46
throughout eternity
with an everlasting love."
00:57:08.49\00:57:13.76
Folks, we're all sinners.
00:57:14.36\00:57:17.27
But God says in His Word
that if we bow down before Him
00:57:18.67\00:57:24.57
and confess Him before
men, and then live for Him,
00:57:24.84\00:57:31.15
and trust and rely on Him,
and place our faith in Him,
00:57:31.51\00:57:37.49
He promises that a day
will come, no matter how sinful
00:57:38.22\00:57:43.73
we were in the past,
it's what we do with our life
00:57:43.76\00:57:47.33
after we accept Christ.
00:57:47.36\00:57:49.76
I always put it this way:
00:57:49.80\00:57:51.23
You can't unscramble eggs.
00:57:51.27\00:57:53.17
You can't unscramble the past.
00:57:53.34\00:57:55.07
But today is the
day of salvation.
00:57:55.27\00:57:58.57
God is asking and
pleading with you today,
00:57:59.24\00:58:02.38
"Come unto Me, I
want to save you.
00:58:02.78\00:58:06.41
I want to have a
relationship with you.
00:58:07.15\00:58:09.75
I want to give you eternal
life, that you and I can spend
00:58:10.15\00:58:15.09
eternity with each
other walking hand in hand
00:58:15.12\00:58:19.33
up and down the golden
streets of the New Jerusalem."
00:58:19.36\00:58:22.66
Remember again, folks,
00:58:23.20\00:58:24.70
you don't have to
earn eternal life.
00:58:24.80\00:58:26.84
It's a gift. You can't buy it.
00:58:27.67\00:58:29.60
It's a gift from
the heavenly Father,
00:58:29.70\00:58:33.11
again, who is
intensely in love with you.
00:58:33.14\00:58:38.21