I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Removing pain
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Lord, let my words
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Heal a heart that hurts
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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Hello, and
welcome to 3ABN Today.
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My name is CA Murray
and allow me once again
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to thank you for
sharing just a little of your,
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I suspect very busy day with us.
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To thank you as always, as
we do always for your love,
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your prayers, your support
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of Three Angels
Broadcasting Network
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as for over 30 years,
well over a generation now.
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We have been
partnering together to lift up
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the name of Jesus and
to carry the good news
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of Christ's soon
coming throughout this planet
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that is fast
coming to its close.
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Amen. So thank
you for joining us.
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I'm happy today
for number of reasons.
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First of all, we get to
talk about things of God.
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Our subject is
basically this is salvation 101,
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we're going to
examine some terms
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that we tend to
toss around a lot.
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But I have found
and I suspect my...
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I won't call them
guests, my fellow travelers,
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my fellow family
members have also seen that,
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many times we use terms
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we don't quite
know what they mean.
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That's true.
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And there is much
hesitation, some confusion
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as to what these things are
and how do we incorporate them
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into our lives as Christians
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trying to walk
the road to glory.
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I'm in the
company of Shelley Quinn.
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Shelley, good to have you
here. Wonderful to be here.
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A student of the Word
and someone I always like
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to share these
kinds of studies with
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because she brings
a good logical Bible
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based explanation
to everything she does.
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And someone we've come to
know and love very, very much,
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Pastor Kenny Shelton.
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Pastor, good to have
you here. Good to be here.
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Thank you. Yeah.
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So we're going to
have a good time today.
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We're gonna look at some terms.
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Basically, what is
conviction, what is conversion,
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what is repentance,
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how do they lead
into justification,
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and then if time allows
us we're going to leap over
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into sanctification.
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Because these
are important things
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that we need to wrestle with
and I have found in traveling,
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every now and again
we toss these terms out
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and you see this
kind of quizzical look
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on people's faces,
"What is he talking about,
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and what is conversion,
and what is repentance,
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what is conviction,
what is sanctification,
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what is justification."
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And perhaps
because in our history
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as an Adventist church,
we have leaned so heavily
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on keeping the law
and doing the work of God
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almost to the neglect
of the insertion of Christ
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into our lives.
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And, of course, we
made a course correction
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or at least attempted to in 1888
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as we tried to bring Christ
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back to the
center where He belongs.
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But always it has
been this tendency
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to sort of legalize
our dealings with the Lord,
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and to try to put
ourself in the middle of it,
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and work our way into something
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that God has already
given us as a free gift.
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So these terms then
become a little hazy,
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a little bit confused
because of the self element
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that we've always had
to sort of fight against
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in the history of our church.
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So today, we're
going to try to...
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Shelley, demythologize,
demystify some of this stuff
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and make it kind of
plain, and make it very simple.
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You know, we go to the seminary,
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we get these
degrees, and sometimes we take
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something as very simple
and make it ultra complicated.
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Yes.
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And God has not intended
that these things be so complex
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because salvation is
really a very linear,
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a very simple process.
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And these terms were
not meant to confuse us,
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they were meant to
help us in our walk.
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So today, by the grace of
God we're going to try to clean
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some of this stuff up
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and we can call
this salvation 101
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or the basic
ingredients of salvation.
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You know, and I'd
like to add one thing, CA,
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I believe that it is not
just the Adventist church,
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I think many churches,
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it is the
condition of the human heart
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that we think we
can earn something,
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that we can deserve
something, that we can do works
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to deserve it,
and it's called pride.
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You know, I think
that so many people
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have a difficult time in
accepting salvation by grace
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because they don't recognize...
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I mean it's like,
"Oh, I've got to, surely,
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I've got to do something."
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You know, it's always,
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it ends up being
grace plus works.
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Yes.
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And it's a
condition of the human heart.
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God's plan of
salvation is this simple,
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total dependence upon Him.
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Amen. That's His plan.
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And when pride is also...
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I would define pride as
being just the opposite to that,
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excuse me, humility is
total dependence on Him.
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So it's a condition that
many people fight against.
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Yeah. Yeah.
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I mean aren't we
conditioned even in this world,
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I know even, you
know, in construction
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or whatever job you may have,
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we're kind of conditioned to see
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how much work you put out.
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Even in ministry, you got
to put work out, you know,
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in order to be
almost nicely recognized
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or that you're doing your job.
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So sometime we relate
to a lot of those things
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and we bring them
into our spiritual life
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and work shouldn't
be as that point of it.
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But, of course, you
know, "Show me your faith by,"
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you know, "your
works" and so on.
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And so, you know,
that's maybe another subject,
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but we need to
look at closely enough
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I think here today to
realize that this part
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whence come
salvation that, you know,
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we can't work our
way into it at all.
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Works play no part
whatsoever, it's all about...
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You mentioned all
about Jesus. Amen.
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And, you know,
here is something else
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to add to speak to your point
is that growing up, you know,
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everybody used to pat
me on the back and say,
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"You are so independent,
you know, you are just a doer.
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You can take care of yourself.
You can take care of that."
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And you are stroked constantly
for being independent.
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And the whole idea
of salvation is to learn
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to be dependent upon Jesus.
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Very true. Very true.
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This idea of pull
yourself up by the bootstraps,
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you can do it, you know,
James talks about the balance
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between faith and works.
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And yet, there
is this thing in us
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that wants to say that
we had a little part in it.
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You know, it's like, if
can say I did something,
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then I can say I deserve this.
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And the truth is,
we deserve nothing
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and it has all been
granted to us, done for us.
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And we'll talk about
being done through us.
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But the
initiative when Jesus says,
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"I am the way."
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The methodology, the
way has been prepared,
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you just need to walk
in that way, you know.
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And, of course,
even the strength
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to do that walking has been
provided to us by Jesus Christ.
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Amen.
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So it's all about Him
and I guess that disturbs
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some people, Shelley, I
guess that bothers some people
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that the way has been prepared,
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the way has
been outlined for us,
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we just need to walk in the way.
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And even that
walk is Christ walk,
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you know, in us.
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It's by the power
of the Holy Spirit.
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And, you know,
the Bible tells us
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that we have been
saved by grace through faith,
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not of works
that any should boast.
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But it goes on to say
that we are God's workmanship
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created in Christ
Jesus to do the good works
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that God prepared in
advance for us to do.
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And it's interesting that text
comes right on the hills of,
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by the grace,
Ephesians 2:8, 3, and 10
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is the one that you quoted.
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So they go hand
in hand, you know,
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you are created for good work.
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And this is what
sometimes I find that
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when an Adventist audiences,
who know the importance
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of keeping the Ten Commandments,
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who know the importance
of walking in obedience
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that when you start
talking about grace there,
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it's always like,
"What about works?
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What about works?"
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And so, you know, we
just want to tell you today,
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we are not
suggesting by any means
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that we don't walk in obedience.
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God is a covenant
keeping God. Amen.
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And His covenant is...
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Christ is the
surety of the covenant,
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He is more than our substitute,
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He is the
guarantor of the covenant.
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And as He works in us to will
and to do His good pleasure,
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we will walk in obedience.
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I mean, when your
heart is converted,
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you want to obey because
it is our expression of love
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and loyalty to our
covenant keeping God.
00:09:18.62\00:09:21.62
But it is through Christ that
all of God's promises are ours
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and it is through
Christ that He will perfect
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the good work
He has begun in us.
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Amen. Well said.
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There is a text
in Thessalonians.
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I was looking at it just
this morning in my worship.
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Where he says...
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And I think
it's... First or second?
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I think it's 2
Thessalonians, I just...
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You know, you said you
stumble across something
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but it occurred to
me today and, in fact,
00:09:45.65\00:09:48.35
I still got my Bible here, yeah.
00:09:48.38\00:09:51.25
2 Thessalonians 2...
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Yeah, 2 Thessalonians 2:16.
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"Now may our Lord
Jesus Christ Himself
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and our God and
Father who has loved us
00:10:01.33\00:10:03.50
and given us
everlasting consolation."
00:10:03.53\00:10:06.17
Which is just two
words I just love,
00:10:06.20\00:10:08.47
everlasting consolation.
00:10:08.50\00:10:10.21
"And good hope by
grace, comfort your hearts
00:10:10.24\00:10:14.38
and establish you in
every good word and work."
00:10:14.41\00:10:19.85
You know, to establish...
00:10:19.88\00:10:21.22
So the work is not done
00:10:21.25\00:10:24.62
just by us as
much as it is done,
00:10:24.65\00:10:27.42
Shelley and Kenny, through
us, through Jesus Christ.
00:10:27.46\00:10:30.96
So He works through you to will
and to do His good pleasure.
00:10:30.99\00:10:34.70
So we let this mind be in us
which was also in Christ Jesus.
00:10:34.73\00:10:39.13
So there is a lot
here, a lot to talk about.
00:10:39.17\00:10:41.27
And...Well, let's
just launch out here
00:10:41.30\00:10:45.77
for just a moment
before we look at our music.
00:10:45.81\00:10:50.08
I want to talk
about what to my mind
00:10:50.11\00:10:53.01
and then I'll let
you guys sort of take off
00:10:53.05\00:10:55.38
on this little
bit is the beginning
00:10:55.42\00:10:57.39
of the experience
of coming to the Lord.
00:10:57.42\00:11:00.52
And for me, it
starts with conviction.
00:11:00.56\00:11:04.56
Conviction is the sense
that something is wrong.
00:11:04.59\00:11:08.70
Amen. Yes, yes.
00:11:08.73\00:11:10.07
You know, it's the
sense that something is wrong.
00:11:10.10\00:11:12.00
And, you know, I
was reading some things
00:11:12.03\00:11:13.97
by Ellen White last
night, if the Holy Spirit
00:11:14.00\00:11:16.30
just left you,
then something is wrong.
00:11:16.34\00:11:18.14
You can get pretty depressed.
00:11:18.17\00:11:19.87
But thank God, He
doesn't leave you at conviction,
00:11:19.91\00:11:22.98
He moves you along. But
it starts with conviction.
00:11:23.01\00:11:25.11
I was looking at in particular
the incident in John 8:9
00:11:25.15\00:11:30.02
where the woman is
caught in adultery.
00:11:30.05\00:11:31.85
And the Bible says, she
is caught in the very act.
00:11:31.89\00:11:34.12
Now, there is a lot we
could talk about with that,
00:11:34.16\00:11:36.26
I have got a
couple of sermons on that.
00:11:36.29\00:11:38.43
She was probably
set up to be caught.
00:11:38.46\00:11:41.46
And they did catch
her and, of course,
00:11:41.50\00:11:43.03
to catch someone in the act,
you got to be spying on them,
00:11:43.06\00:11:45.37
or following behind
them, or watching them, so on,
00:11:45.40\00:11:47.67
you know, they
caught her in the act.
00:11:47.70\00:11:49.04
And, you know, we don't
need to go too far into that.
00:11:49.07\00:11:51.47
But what is interesting...
00:11:51.51\00:11:56.18
They threw her at
the feet of Jesus.
00:11:56.21\00:11:58.35
Best place in the
world to be, Shelley.
00:11:58.38\00:11:59.98
You know, you
can't be any better
00:12:00.02\00:12:01.35
than the feet of Jesus.
00:12:01.38\00:12:02.72
So they threw her
at the feet of Jesus.
00:12:02.75\00:12:05.42
Christ begins now to
listen to their complaints
00:12:05.45\00:12:09.12
and doesn't say
anything because they had
00:12:09.16\00:12:10.66
to write stuff in
the sand, you know.
00:12:10.69\00:12:13.70
And they are looking
over to see what's, you know,
00:12:13.73\00:12:15.80
going on down there in the sand.
00:12:15.83\00:12:18.33
And they are
seeing names, dates,
00:12:18.37\00:12:20.67
you know, places, assignations.
00:12:20.70\00:12:22.34
So they are seeing
their own things there
00:12:22.37\00:12:23.71
written into sand.
00:12:23.74\00:12:25.07
And the Bible says
they were convicted.
00:12:25.11\00:12:28.68
They were convinced
that they weren't wrong.
00:12:28.71\00:12:32.15
And what did they do?
Did they confess their sins?
00:12:32.18\00:12:34.38
No, they began to slip
out quietly, just kind of,
00:12:34.42\00:12:37.49
let's not deal with us,
just kind of get out of here.
00:12:37.52\00:12:40.29
It occurs to me that
conviction being the sense
00:12:40.32\00:12:44.43
that something is wrong
will do two things to you.
00:12:44.46\00:12:48.06
One, it will drive you
00:12:48.10\00:12:50.23
to the feet of
Jesus in repentance.
00:12:50.27\00:12:52.27
Amen.
00:12:52.30\00:12:53.64
Or it will run you
away from Jesus, you know.
00:12:53.67\00:12:57.41
Conviction is the
sense that something is wrong
00:12:57.44\00:12:59.67
and something's got to change.
00:12:59.71\00:13:01.11
And we've all had that
when you're going through life
00:13:01.14\00:13:02.98
and you are living your
life, and one day the Spirit
00:13:03.01\00:13:06.55
touches your heart
and "This is wrong,
00:13:06.58\00:13:09.38
I got to make some changes."
It's recognition of our sin.
00:13:09.42\00:13:11.22
Yes, it is. It is. It is.
00:13:11.25\00:13:13.69
And that is the beginning point,
00:13:13.72\00:13:15.79
it's that we have to
understand that all have sinned
00:13:15.82\00:13:19.23
and fallen short
of the glory of God.
00:13:19.26\00:13:21.40
And when we recognize
our own heart condition,
00:13:21.43\00:13:25.63
this is
something that as you said,
00:13:25.67\00:13:27.57
either you are going
to fall on your knees
00:13:27.60\00:13:30.67
to confess your sin
and ask for the forgiveness
00:13:30.71\00:13:33.81
that you need.
00:13:33.84\00:13:35.18
Or some people
because they don't know
00:13:35.21\00:13:39.78
what is available,
some people will actually
00:13:39.81\00:13:43.59
run away in
guilt, and condemnation,
00:13:43.62\00:13:46.52
and they don't come.
00:13:46.55\00:13:47.96
Precisely. But it is.
00:13:47.99\00:13:49.32
That is the very beginning.
00:13:49.36\00:13:51.39
I just have to say
this, I interviewed...
00:13:51.43\00:13:53.43
Or excuse me, I met a women
that Cheri Peters interviewed.
00:13:53.46\00:13:57.60
And on the
interview, she actually said
00:13:57.63\00:14:02.20
she had been in the church
for 50 years and she said,
00:14:02.24\00:14:08.71
"I always thought
what is the big deal
00:14:08.74\00:14:12.05
about Jesus being crucified?"
00:14:12.08\00:14:15.02
And get this 'cause
she said, "Cause I thought
00:14:15.05\00:14:19.25
I didn't really need a savior.
00:14:19.29\00:14:20.92
I'm not breaking the big ten,"
00:14:20.96\00:14:23.56
speaking of the
Ten Commandments.
00:14:23.59\00:14:25.66
And it wasn't
until after 50 years
00:14:25.69\00:14:28.90
that she finally
began to realize this
00:14:28.93\00:14:32.57
God of love in her...
00:14:32.60\00:14:36.71
anemic response to Him.
00:14:36.74\00:14:38.91
She finally began to realize
that she could include herself
00:14:38.94\00:14:42.64
in the Romans
3:23, "All have sinned
00:14:42.68\00:14:44.91
and fallen short
of the glory of God."
00:14:44.95\00:14:46.85
She finally came
under conviction of sin.
00:14:46.88\00:14:49.78
Yes.
00:14:49.82\00:14:51.15
And then it did
become a big deal.
00:14:51.19\00:14:53.29
You know, so this is...
00:14:53.32\00:14:55.49
The problem of
works oriented salvation
00:14:55.52\00:14:58.36
is that if you
think, "Okay, you know,
00:14:58.39\00:15:00.86
I'm keeping the
Ten Commandments."
00:15:00.90\00:15:03.10
And you think that
you are not a sinner...
00:15:03.13\00:15:06.74
That you maybe
the most lost of lost.
00:15:06.77\00:15:09.57
Look at the fears. Yeah.
00:15:09.60\00:15:10.94
Because you don't
see your own condition,
00:15:10.97\00:15:12.51
you don't see yourself
vis-a-vis Jesus Christ.
00:15:12.54\00:15:15.61
So what that tends to say
and I don't want to condemn her
00:15:15.64\00:15:19.25
or anyone else
is that you've never
00:15:19.28\00:15:20.88
really taken a look at Jesus.
00:15:20.92\00:15:22.25
Amen.
00:15:22.28\00:15:23.62
Because you may
have looked at others
00:15:23.65\00:15:25.15
and if I look at
Shelley Quinn or Kenny Shelton,
00:15:25.19\00:15:28.49
I will find
something to justify myself.
00:15:28.52\00:15:31.79
But when I look at Jesus,
00:15:31.83\00:15:33.70
then I see
myself as I really am.
00:15:33.73\00:15:35.50
That's when I
come under conviction.
00:15:35.53\00:15:37.23
So for 50 years, somebody never
00:15:37.27\00:15:39.43
really took a
look at themselves.
00:15:39.47\00:15:42.70
The word is...
00:15:42.74\00:15:44.07
And, Kenny, I want
you to jump in on this,
00:15:44.11\00:15:45.81
elengcho in the Greek,
00:15:45.84\00:15:48.58
which means it's
an understanding,
00:15:48.61\00:15:51.88
it's an internal evidence
that something is wrong.
00:15:51.91\00:15:55.88
Something, when you
look at yourself internally
00:15:55.92\00:15:58.25
there's evidence
that my life is not right,
00:15:58.29\00:16:00.82
I'm not doing
right, I'm not going right,
00:16:00.86\00:16:03.43
I'm not walking right,
and I've got to make a change.
00:16:03.46\00:16:06.93
It is a self rebuke, Shelley.
00:16:06.96\00:16:09.63
Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah.
00:16:09.66\00:16:11.40
Because I see Jesus
as He really, really is.
00:16:11.43\00:16:14.34
And so the first step then is
you got to get a look at Jesus.
00:16:14.37\00:16:20.41
Amen.
00:16:20.44\00:16:21.78
You know, you got
see Jesus as that.
00:16:21.81\00:16:23.14
I mean the Word tells us
right, "By beholding," right,
00:16:23.18\00:16:25.51
"we become changed."
00:16:25.55\00:16:26.88
Well said. Yes, yes.
00:16:26.92\00:16:28.25
So we have to behold
Jesus and when we behold Jesus,
00:16:28.28\00:16:30.99
I see myself for
what I really am.
00:16:31.02\00:16:32.75
Yes.
00:16:32.79\00:16:34.12
As a sinner in need of a savior.
00:16:34.16\00:16:35.49
Yes.
00:16:35.52\00:16:36.86
So there is conditions
that draws me to Christ.
00:16:36.89\00:16:38.79
And so I think we
need that experience
00:16:38.83\00:16:40.90
to just be
honest and open enough.
00:16:40.93\00:16:42.30
Yes.
00:16:42.33\00:16:43.67
And you mentioned
something a while ago,
00:16:43.70\00:16:45.23
both of you, it was interesting,
00:16:45.27\00:16:46.60
one of the
questions that I hear a lot,
00:16:46.63\00:16:50.74
talked about in
Adventism is they don't know
00:16:50.77\00:16:53.54
whether they are
been born again or not.
00:16:53.58\00:16:55.54
They don't know
whether they've been converted.
00:16:55.58\00:16:57.95
Now to me that's very
interesting because...
00:16:57.98\00:16:59.95
It is...
00:16:59.98\00:17:01.32
Some people just
have such an experience
00:17:01.35\00:17:03.08
when they meet Jesus.
00:17:03.12\00:17:04.55
Their life is
turned upside down,
00:17:04.59\00:17:06.22
I mean they are
just... Everything is just...
00:17:06.25\00:17:07.69
And others, it's quite,
it's kind of like the wind.
00:17:07.72\00:17:09.72
Yes.
00:17:09.76\00:17:11.09
You know, we know that
the change has to come.
00:17:11.13\00:17:13.13
Jesus says, you know,
accept that change comes,
00:17:13.16\00:17:15.13
you know, you got to
see the kingdom of God.
00:17:15.16\00:17:17.43
So they ask the
question, they say...
00:17:17.47\00:17:20.37
And this lady was like
40 years in the church.
00:17:20.40\00:17:23.44
"I don't know whether I
have been born again or not.
00:17:23.47\00:17:25.91
How do you know?"
00:17:25.94\00:17:27.28
And some people don't know
what it does mean to be born.
00:17:27.31\00:17:29.31
They don't know and
this tells me, you know,
00:17:29.34\00:17:31.71
and I could be wrong with this.
00:17:31.75\00:17:33.08
It tells me that
they haven't experienced
00:17:33.11\00:17:35.65
any of the transitions that
take place once you meet Him.
00:17:35.68\00:17:38.59
Yes.
00:17:38.62\00:17:39.95
You meet Him on the
road to Emmaus as it were
00:17:39.99\00:17:41.62
or you meet Him in your closet.
00:17:41.66\00:17:44.03
We meet Him while
I'm driving a car,
00:17:44.06\00:17:46.23
people have done that.
00:17:46.26\00:17:47.60
You meet Him in
your little prayer say,
00:17:47.63\00:17:48.96
you meet Him in your worship.
00:17:49.00\00:17:50.37
Things begin to
change because I found out
00:17:50.40\00:17:53.00
where Jesus is,
changes take place.
00:17:53.03\00:17:55.67
Oh, yes. Amen.
00:17:55.70\00:17:57.04
You know, almost every time
whether you pick up the Bible,
00:17:57.07\00:17:59.37
while you are in
prayer, talking to someone else,
00:17:59.41\00:18:02.61
where the presence of
Christ is, changes take place,
00:18:02.64\00:18:05.88
conviction comes.
00:18:05.91\00:18:07.48
I can remember
talking to people,
00:18:07.52\00:18:09.08
praying the day
00:18:09.12\00:18:10.55
as they're going
out to construction.
00:18:10.59\00:18:12.62
And I mentioned it
before, if you're going out
00:18:12.65\00:18:13.99
on construction,
Lord, send somebody
00:18:14.02\00:18:15.82
that I might lift up Your name.
00:18:15.86\00:18:17.83
Everyday, He would send someone.
00:18:17.86\00:18:20.13
But it was very interesting
the person that would come
00:18:20.16\00:18:23.40
was open enough
that they would stay in
00:18:23.43\00:18:26.53
or whatever it
might be and listen.
00:18:26.57\00:18:28.50
You see, they were almost...
00:18:28.54\00:18:30.64
I'm gonna say
he's nicely compelled
00:18:30.67\00:18:32.37
by the Holy Spirit to listen.
00:18:32.41\00:18:34.64
They were an
answer to prayer of me
00:18:34.68\00:18:36.11
but also it helped me to grow.
00:18:36.14\00:18:38.78
So I think that's something
that we need to look at,
00:18:38.81\00:18:41.75
to say as the conversion comes,
00:18:41.78\00:18:45.12
as there is going to be changes.
00:18:45.15\00:18:47.26
So if you don't know whether
I've been converted or not,
00:18:47.29\00:18:48.86
has your life changed.
00:18:48.89\00:18:50.53
Things that you once
hated, do you now love, right?
00:18:50.56\00:18:53.13
I mean those are
things that takes place
00:18:53.16\00:18:54.66
because there's
things that I used to hate,
00:18:54.70\00:18:56.53
now I love them.
00:18:56.56\00:18:58.20
You know, Shelton, I
want to go back to something
00:18:58.23\00:19:00.90
'cause I want to spend a
few moments on conversion
00:19:00.94\00:19:02.97
but I want to go back to
conviction for just a moment.
00:19:03.00\00:19:07.84
You said, Pastor Kenny,
00:19:07.88\00:19:09.98
that we need to
take a look at Jesus.
00:19:10.01\00:19:13.15
Now I'm going to pay
you a compliment, Shelley.
00:19:13.18\00:19:14.52
It may not be a compliment.
00:19:14.55\00:19:16.62
Because you are a
busy person but...
00:19:16.65\00:19:19.89
And I've known you
long enough and know kind of
00:19:19.92\00:19:22.92
at the resonance
that you kind of function.
00:19:22.96\00:19:25.83
I've also heard you say
that "Having come to 3ABN,
00:19:25.86\00:19:30.83
my devotional life
at times can suffer.
00:19:30.87\00:19:34.30
Because I get so
busy doing the work of God
00:19:34.34\00:19:38.17
that I end up squeezing
out time to be with God
00:19:38.21\00:19:42.54
and to internalize Him."
00:19:42.58\00:19:43.91
And that can happen to a person
who was on fire for the Lord.
00:19:43.95\00:19:48.82
It can happen to a person
00:19:48.85\00:19:50.19
who has no
interest in God at all.
00:19:50.22\00:19:51.59
Satan can keep you so
occupied that you have no time
00:19:51.62\00:19:56.16
to lock in
one-on-one with Jesus.
00:19:56.19\00:19:57.96
And that, of course, is the way
where your strength comes from.
00:19:57.99\00:19:59.66
Amen.
00:19:59.69\00:20:01.03
So what he doesn't want
you to do is to look at Jesus,
00:20:01.06\00:20:06.43
to take the time
because conviction comes
00:20:06.47\00:20:08.80
once we get a
vision of who Christ is.
00:20:08.84\00:20:12.44
And you can get so
busy even preaching,
00:20:12.47\00:20:14.74
and preparing sermons,
and doing "3ABN" stuff,
00:20:14.78\00:20:18.31
you know, good stuff in its own,
00:20:18.35\00:20:20.45
but it can squeeze out
00:20:20.48\00:20:21.82
your necessary
time with the Lord.
00:20:21.85\00:20:23.42
And Satan is very, very
pleased if you are so occupied
00:20:23.45\00:20:27.22
that you don't get a chance
to look at and assess yourself
00:20:27.26\00:20:30.16
in the light of who Jesus is.
00:20:30.19\00:20:31.73
You can be doing good things
00:20:31.76\00:20:34.76
while leaving
out the best thing.
00:20:34.80\00:20:36.77
Well said, which is
what Christ said to Martha.
00:20:36.80\00:20:39.63
Yes.
00:20:39.67\00:20:41.00
You were busy with many things,
He didn't say they were bad,
00:20:41.04\00:20:43.04
He didn't say you
need to put those pots down
00:20:43.07\00:20:44.51
and get over here with Mary.
00:20:44.54\00:20:45.87
He just said that, "You
can be so busy with your stuff
00:20:45.91\00:20:49.01
which is good
stuff that you forget
00:20:49.04\00:20:50.85
about the best stuff."
00:20:50.88\00:20:52.45
Well said. Yeah.
00:20:52.48\00:20:53.82
Could I suggest
before we jump to conversion
00:20:53.85\00:20:56.18
'cause I think there are
steps that we go through.
00:20:56.22\00:20:58.69
Yes.
00:20:58.72\00:21:00.06
There is the recognition of sin.
00:21:00.09\00:21:01.96
Conviction.
00:21:01.99\00:21:03.32
The conviction, but then there
is that opening of their heart
00:21:03.36\00:21:07.60
so that godly sorrow can
produce a change of heart,
00:21:07.63\00:21:13.97
and lead us to
repentance, and to salvation.
00:21:14.00\00:21:16.74
So we see that
even at that point,
00:21:16.77\00:21:20.84
once we understand our
sin, it is the Spirit of God
00:21:20.88\00:21:24.95
who has brought that conviction.
00:21:24.98\00:21:27.08
But He brings this godly
sorrow because it is only God
00:21:27.12\00:21:30.75
that can lead us to repentance.
00:21:30.79\00:21:33.82
And then what
happens is as we understand
00:21:33.86\00:21:39.09
and I think to recognize
sin, we've got to be exposed
00:21:39.13\00:21:43.13
to the Word of God.
00:21:43.16\00:21:44.50
Yes.
00:21:44.53\00:21:45.87
You know, there is times
that you may kind of feel like
00:21:45.90\00:21:48.14
something is wrong but it's
not until you open your heart
00:21:48.17\00:21:50.94
to listening to the
Word of God that you realize,
00:21:50.97\00:21:53.74
"Oh, Lord, I'm doing something
that's not pleasing to You."
00:21:53.78\00:21:56.98
And the godly sorrow
brings the repentance,
00:21:57.01\00:21:59.08
but what
happens is our attitudes
00:21:59.11\00:22:01.22
begin to change.
00:22:01.25\00:22:02.58
Yes. And then we
confess our sins.
00:22:02.62\00:22:06.65
And that is the big step to me
00:22:06.69\00:22:09.59
is you go from
conviction of recognizing
00:22:09.62\00:22:12.86
and letting godly
sorrow work in your heart
00:22:12.89\00:22:15.76
to change your attitude.
00:22:15.80\00:22:17.43
Then we confess our
sins and He is faithful
00:22:17.47\00:22:20.27
and just to
forgive us of our sins,
00:22:20.30\00:22:22.37
cleanse us of
all unrighteousness.
00:22:22.40\00:22:23.77
Cleanse us of all
unrighteousness, yes.
00:22:23.81\00:22:25.14
But then the
important next step to me
00:22:25.17\00:22:28.01
is to receive God's forgiveness.
00:22:28.04\00:22:31.28
And we can break
these down a little further.
00:22:31.31\00:22:33.21
But like you said there
are people in the church,
00:22:33.25\00:22:36.32
I've met people in
many churches actually
00:22:36.35\00:22:39.85
who have confessed over,
and over, and over again.
00:22:39.89\00:22:43.09
And they have
never really received
00:22:43.12\00:22:44.66
the forgiveness of
God, they haven't accepted
00:22:44.69\00:22:47.26
that a loving God has, you know.
00:22:47.30\00:22:51.23
And then at that point is
where repentance, you know,
00:22:51.27\00:22:56.07
we receive God's power
because even repentance,
00:22:56.10\00:22:59.74
conversion, and I mean
that's what conversion means
00:22:59.77\00:23:02.64
is to turn about, to
turn away from something to.
00:23:02.68\00:23:05.75
Yes, well said, it is a turn.
00:23:05.78\00:23:07.52
So this is the
repentance that comes in
00:23:07.55\00:23:11.35
and it's by God's grace,
00:23:11.39\00:23:13.42
it's God working
in us to empower us.
00:23:13.46\00:23:17.36
So it's kind of a
logical sequence of steps.
00:23:17.39\00:23:20.76
It is. And it's all God.
00:23:20.80\00:23:22.60
And I agree with you
so much that there follows
00:23:22.63\00:23:25.13
in that train of repentance
00:23:25.17\00:23:26.50
which is feeling bad enough
to quit, not just feeling bad.
00:23:26.53\00:23:31.14
You know, I'll
tell you a quick story,
00:23:31.17\00:23:32.51
we had a Bible study.
00:23:32.54\00:23:33.88
And I used to do
it on Friday nights
00:23:33.91\00:23:35.24
when was I was pastoring.
00:23:35.28\00:23:36.61
And there were
a lot of people...
00:23:36.64\00:23:38.95
Yvonne Lewis was a
part of that Bible study,
00:23:38.98\00:23:40.45
and a lot of people were
from the show business group.
00:23:40.48\00:23:43.99
And I like to be
home on Friday nights,
00:23:44.02\00:23:45.35
getting ready for my sermon.
00:23:45.39\00:23:46.72
But there were so many
"the stars" in this study,
00:23:46.76\00:23:49.96
I said I will
make the sacrifice.
00:23:49.99\00:23:51.86
And there was
this one young lady,
00:23:51.89\00:23:53.33
bless her heart.
00:23:53.36\00:23:54.70
She was a lead singer in
a very popular disco group,
00:23:54.73\00:23:57.60
just very, very popular.
00:23:57.63\00:23:59.00
And every week, she
would come to the Bible study
00:23:59.03\00:24:00.87
and I always
had testimonial time
00:24:00.90\00:24:02.24
because these people
need to unburden themselves.
00:24:02.27\00:24:04.27
And she'd say, "I
went to this party,
00:24:04.31\00:24:06.04
and I met this guy, and
I had something to drink.
00:24:06.07\00:24:08.78
And I woke up in
bed with this fellow
00:24:08.81\00:24:10.25
and I don't even know his name."
00:24:10.28\00:24:12.08
They would all pray for here.
00:24:12.11\00:24:13.45
And the next week
she would come back,
00:24:13.48\00:24:14.82
"Oh, I went to this
party with this guy,
00:24:14.85\00:24:17.19
and woke up in
bed with this guy,
00:24:17.22\00:24:19.19
and I didn't
even know his name."
00:24:19.22\00:24:20.59
And they'd pray for
her, pray for her again.
00:24:20.62\00:24:22.76
And then she'd come
back a couple of weeks later,
00:24:22.79\00:24:25.56
"Well, I was at this
party, and I met this guy,
00:24:25.59\00:24:29.10
and, you know,
these three, four, five,
00:24:29.13\00:24:30.70
six, seven guys."
00:24:30.73\00:24:32.07
And somebody said, "Why
don't you just stop going
00:24:32.10\00:24:33.80
to those parties, you know,
obviously you can't take that,
00:24:33.84\00:24:36.91
you need to stop
going to those parties."
00:24:36.94\00:24:39.51
So she would feel bad
to your point, Shelley,
00:24:39.54\00:24:41.94
but not bad enough to
quit, not bad enough to stop
00:24:41.98\00:24:44.98
making provision for the flesh.
00:24:45.01\00:24:47.22
You know, so one of the
things that happen in this
00:24:47.25\00:24:50.95
conviction/repentance
experience is that
00:24:50.99\00:24:54.72
there is sorrow for sin
but also sorrow enough to quit.
00:24:54.76\00:25:00.83
If we confess, He is
faithful and fair to forgive.
00:25:00.86\00:25:06.43
Yes.
00:25:06.47\00:25:07.80
But He doesn't leave you there
a perpetual forgiven sinner,
00:25:07.84\00:25:11.17
He cleanses you, you
know, from unrighteousness.
00:25:11.21\00:25:14.48
So we got to start
doing stuff to get clean.
00:25:14.51\00:25:17.05
I just feel bad, you
know, my parents are...
00:25:17.08\00:25:19.35
And I'll quit in a second.
00:25:19.38\00:25:20.75
It was easy for
us to get repentance.
00:25:20.78\00:25:23.99
We had a thing called a
strap, probably six inches long,
00:25:24.02\00:25:27.69
about a half inch
wide, half inch thick.
00:25:27.72\00:25:29.72
And my mother would
say, "Go get the strap."
00:25:29.76\00:25:32.59
Instant repentance. Yes.
00:25:32.63\00:25:33.96
You know, till the next
time, "Go get the strap."
00:25:34.00\00:25:36.06
So it's not just sinning,
and sinning, and sinning
00:25:36.10\00:25:39.40
but it's
sinning, being forgiven,
00:25:39.43\00:25:41.84
and then cleansing is
part of that experience.
00:25:41.87\00:25:44.81
But see, I believe that
00:25:44.84\00:25:47.38
there has to
come a godly sorrow.
00:25:47.41\00:25:49.41
Yes. I mean I don't know...
00:25:49.44\00:25:50.81
For example, I
know people who smoke
00:25:50.85\00:25:53.42
and they recognize it
is bad for their health.
00:25:53.45\00:25:56.52
And my suggestion to them
00:25:56.55\00:25:59.19
because they
really like smoking...
00:25:59.22\00:26:02.72
Yes. Oh, yes.
00:26:02.76\00:26:04.09
Yes, yes.
00:26:04.13\00:26:05.46
You know, and it is kind of like
00:26:05.49\00:26:06.83
I can't give this one up.
00:26:06.86\00:26:08.20
So my suggestion to them,
or in my counsel I would say
00:26:08.23\00:26:10.23
to them is, do you recognize
that you're harming your body?
00:26:10.27\00:26:14.74
Yes.
00:26:14.77\00:26:16.10
Do you recognize you're hurting
the Lord in harming your body?
00:26:16.14\00:26:18.57
And they get to
the, "Well, yeah I know
00:26:18.61\00:26:20.48
I'm harming my body."
00:26:20.51\00:26:21.84
And you have to kind
of show them in scripture,
00:26:21.88\00:26:23.91
you know, how the
Lord feels about it.
00:26:23.95\00:26:25.81
But the point is, if
you are not sorry enough
00:26:25.85\00:26:30.69
for your sin, if godly
sorrow hasn't been produced
00:26:30.72\00:26:34.26
in your heart,
00:26:34.29\00:26:35.62
don't let that keep
you from confessing.
00:26:35.66\00:26:37.46
Yes.
00:26:37.49\00:26:38.83
Confess your sin and
ask for godly sorrow.
00:26:38.86\00:26:41.46
And ask for it.
00:26:41.50\00:26:42.83
You know, that's
what I have to do
00:26:42.86\00:26:44.20
when my schedule
starts controlling me
00:26:44.23\00:26:48.47
rather than me
controlling my schedule.
00:26:48.50\00:26:50.67
And I recognize that, you know,
I've been very open about that
00:26:50.71\00:26:53.88
that there are
times that, you know,
00:26:53.91\00:26:55.98
you can just hit the
floor running in the morning.
00:26:56.01\00:26:58.35
And you get here
and you think okay,
00:26:58.38\00:26:59.75
we're going to
have corporate worship
00:26:59.78\00:27:01.12
or, you know...
00:27:01.15\00:27:02.48
But if you don't spend
that one-on-one personal time
00:27:02.52\00:27:05.39
with the Lord, it
makes a difference.
00:27:05.42\00:27:07.99
So what I
recognize is it's not...
00:27:08.02\00:27:12.96
I'm not going to sit
here and say it's a sin
00:27:12.99\00:27:16.10
as much as I recognize
something is off as you said.
00:27:16.13\00:27:20.80
And then I'll tell
the Lord, Lord, you know,
00:27:20.84\00:27:24.44
how busy my
schedule is and what...
00:27:24.47\00:27:26.91
Please, Lord, lead me to
repentance, I'm confessing,
00:27:26.94\00:27:30.15
I missed this time with You.
00:27:30.18\00:27:31.95
How is it that I
can sit at Your feet,
00:27:31.98\00:27:33.88
and listen to Your
voice, and have that privilege,
00:27:33.92\00:27:36.75
and then not do
that anymore, you know.
00:27:36.79\00:27:39.59
Yes, yes.
00:27:39.62\00:27:40.96
So it's something that if
we're not at that point like
00:27:40.99\00:27:46.09
Jesus says, "If you're hunger
and thirst for righteousness,
00:27:46.13\00:27:49.00
you will be filled."
00:27:49.03\00:27:50.47
Well, if you are not
hungering and thirsting
00:27:50.50\00:27:52.23
for righteousness,
just go to the Lord and say,
00:27:52.27\00:27:54.67
"Lord, what's wrong with me?
00:27:54.70\00:27:56.40
I'm not hungering and
thirsting for righteousness.
00:27:56.44\00:27:58.84
So would You
please change my heart."
00:27:58.87\00:28:01.48
And guess what?
00:28:01.51\00:28:02.84
Whether it's
smoking or whatever else,
00:28:02.88\00:28:04.95
if you're asking the Lord,
He will start working in you.
00:28:04.98\00:28:08.78
But we have to love
Jesus more than that thing.
00:28:08.82\00:28:13.25
You were talking
about cigarette smoking
00:28:13.29\00:28:14.99
or whatever, you know.
00:28:15.02\00:28:17.16
You too mentioned
a strap a while ago,
00:28:17.19\00:28:18.53
and what I was thinking
about is because the strap
00:28:18.56\00:28:20.66
didn't work on me very well.
00:28:20.70\00:28:22.43
No, you were strap-proof, yeah.
00:28:22.46\00:28:24.43
Well, I don't know that
I was but hardheaded enough
00:28:24.47\00:28:26.63
that it didn't bring repentance
to where I've turned from it.
00:28:26.67\00:28:30.77
It might stop me for that moment
00:28:30.81\00:28:32.24
but the next day
if I wanted to go back
00:28:32.27\00:28:33.78
and do it, I knew I was
getting another strapping
00:28:33.81\00:28:35.64
but it was okay.
00:28:35.68\00:28:37.08
But it wasn't until
it came in a conflict
00:28:37.11\00:28:39.55
with the love of my mother.
00:28:39.58\00:28:41.08
Yeah, that's the point.
00:28:41.12\00:28:42.48
See, the love of
my mother... Yes.
00:28:42.52\00:28:44.25
The word that she said to me
in due season broke my heart.
00:28:44.29\00:28:48.19
It couldn't break
my heart with a strap,
00:28:48.22\00:28:50.29
but at the way
that what she said to me
00:28:50.33\00:28:54.43
about being her son,
and how she loved me,
00:28:54.46\00:28:56.63
and how she
wanted to correct me,
00:28:56.67\00:28:58.07
and how she wanted me
to do the right thing,
00:28:58.10\00:29:00.30
that worked.
00:29:00.34\00:29:01.67
So I'm thinking, it's that thing
00:29:01.70\00:29:03.04
which we love the most.
00:29:03.07\00:29:04.81
Absolutely.
00:29:04.84\00:29:06.17
And we love Jesus
more than the cigarette,
00:29:06.21\00:29:07.54
or we love Jesus
more than the parties,
00:29:07.58\00:29:09.48
or we love Jesus more
than running over here
00:29:09.51\00:29:11.48
and doing this and that.
00:29:11.51\00:29:13.01
So I think that's
where we have to begin,
00:29:13.05\00:29:15.38
it's falling in
love with The Jesus.
00:29:15.42\00:29:17.32
Amen.
00:29:17.35\00:29:18.69
You know, because you
can be in the church...
00:29:18.72\00:29:20.32
And not be.
00:29:20.36\00:29:21.69
We know it for
years, and years, and years,
00:29:21.72\00:29:23.63
and be so lukewarm
that you don't know
00:29:23.66\00:29:25.53
that you are not
in love with Jesus.
00:29:25.56\00:29:27.90
Because you
heard it all the time
00:29:27.93\00:29:29.26
and you think this is...
00:29:29.30\00:29:30.63
You start looking
at everybody else,
00:29:30.67\00:29:32.00
these people love
Jesus, this is what you do.
00:29:32.03\00:29:34.57
That is the biggest
mistake in the whole world,
00:29:34.60\00:29:36.30
it was for me.
00:29:36.34\00:29:37.84
You know, people
say, "Well, you know,
00:29:37.87\00:29:39.21
you were born
into it or your..."
00:29:39.24\00:29:41.14
By the grace of God, I'm
still trying to serve Him
00:29:41.18\00:29:44.05
in spite of all of those things.
00:29:44.08\00:29:46.11
Yeah.
00:29:46.15\00:29:47.48
You know, it's in
spite of because they say,
00:29:47.52\00:29:48.85
"What you are, is
because of your family..."
00:29:48.88\00:29:50.22
In spite of. Yeah.
00:29:50.25\00:29:51.59
And they are in church
probably in spite of me today.
00:29:51.62\00:29:53.82
But it's because of Jesus is
what we're talking about here.
00:29:53.86\00:29:56.19
Well said.
00:29:56.22\00:29:57.56
First of all just
come to the point,
00:29:57.59\00:29:58.93
He is talking about your
steps, has to be we have to come
00:29:58.96\00:30:00.96
to the fact
that we are a sinner.
00:30:01.00\00:30:03.16
Absolutely. That
we're in need of a savior.
00:30:03.20\00:30:05.23
You heard it the whole
time where they call it,
00:30:05.27\00:30:06.60
what, A, B, and, C,
and then even the D,
00:30:06.63\00:30:11.21
you can get to the D.
00:30:11.24\00:30:12.57
You know, it's
accepting that you are a sinner
00:30:12.61\00:30:14.54
and then you have
to believe, right?
00:30:14.58\00:30:16.04
Yeah. In Christ.
00:30:16.08\00:30:17.65
You have to claim the blood
of Jesus Christ to cleanse you.
00:30:17.68\00:30:21.68
And then we have to be D,
00:30:21.72\00:30:23.05
determined by the
grace of God to follow Him.
00:30:23.08\00:30:25.79
Amen. Well said. Well said.
00:30:25.82\00:30:27.49
We have to be determined.
00:30:27.52\00:30:28.89
If we're not, we're going
to fall apart in this world
00:30:28.92\00:30:30.63
that we live in right now.
00:30:30.66\00:30:31.99
Douglas Cooper in his
book "Living God's Love",
00:30:32.03\00:30:35.00
175-200 pages boils it down
to this, who do you love more?
00:30:35.03\00:30:38.73
He says, "Sin is a failure
to love God sufficiently."
00:30:38.77\00:30:42.04
If you love God
sufficiently, you surrender
00:30:42.07\00:30:44.87
and then He
will work through you
00:30:44.91\00:30:46.24
to have you overcome that sin.
00:30:46.27\00:30:49.08
And I think that point is
00:30:49.11\00:30:51.88
so very, very
vital and important.
00:30:51.91\00:30:53.88
You are convicted,
now that you're convicted,
00:30:53.92\00:30:58.35
you got to move from
conviction to repentance
00:30:58.39\00:31:02.69
and then to conversion.
00:31:02.72\00:31:04.06
So one of the
things you've got to do
00:31:04.09\00:31:05.86
and what conviction will do
00:31:05.89\00:31:07.30
is it will send you
to the feet of Jesus.
00:31:07.33\00:31:11.17
One, it will send you to
the feet of Jesus in prayer.
00:31:11.20\00:31:13.94
Two, it will send
you to the feet of Jesus
00:31:13.97\00:31:15.94
in Bible study, so
that you understand...
00:31:15.97\00:31:19.17
See, if you're not
reading your Bible,
00:31:19.21\00:31:21.21
you don't even know
what promises to claim.
00:31:21.24\00:31:22.91
Absolutely.
00:31:22.94\00:31:24.28
You got a bank
account and no pin, you know,
00:31:24.31\00:31:25.65
you can't even get in
there to get the goodies
00:31:25.68\00:31:27.85
that God has laid up for you.
00:31:27.88\00:31:29.48
So conviction is not
just a feel bad and say,
00:31:29.52\00:31:32.09
"I'm a horrible person.
00:31:32.12\00:31:33.52
I wish I was..."
You know, it's not that.
00:31:33.56\00:31:35.42
It's to arrest
you in your course.
00:31:35.46\00:31:38.29
So that you don't
develop this legacy of lethargy,
00:31:38.33\00:31:41.23
you know, you're
just, "I'm convicted,
00:31:41.26\00:31:42.70
I can't do anything about it.
00:31:42.73\00:31:44.07
I'm just, my life is
just... I'm just a mess."
00:31:44.10\00:31:46.10
Well, yeah you are a mess.
00:31:46.13\00:31:47.57
But God has made a
way to unmess the mess.
00:31:47.60\00:31:50.31
You know, He has
given you some steps
00:31:50.34\00:31:52.51
and some stuff to
get you out of that.
00:31:52.54\00:31:54.48
So that you're not just
stuck at conviction because
00:31:54.51\00:31:57.25
conviction will depress you
if you don't have a way out.
00:31:57.28\00:31:59.75
The Spirit will tell you,
00:31:59.78\00:32:01.12
"You're not what you ought to be
00:32:01.15\00:32:02.48
but here is how you get
to be what I want you to be."
00:32:02.52\00:32:04.62
You know, at the same time.
00:32:04.65\00:32:05.99
I just need to interject this,
00:32:06.02\00:32:07.92
I agree 100% about loving Jesus.
00:32:07.96\00:32:10.86
But the Bible says,
John wrote in 1 John,
00:32:10.89\00:32:13.90
"We love Him
because He first loved us."
00:32:13.93\00:32:16.93
And I think that...
00:32:16.97\00:32:20.00
There are many people who marry,
00:32:20.04\00:32:22.70
they think they know love,
but it is over a period of time
00:32:22.74\00:32:28.38
that as they spend
the time with each other,
00:32:28.41\00:32:31.65
they grow in true love.
00:32:31.68\00:32:33.31
There is quite a few people
who if they don't understand
00:32:33.35\00:32:40.29
the love of God for
them, they will never come
00:32:40.32\00:32:45.19
to love Jesus like they should.
00:32:45.23\00:32:48.10
Well said.
00:32:48.13\00:32:49.46
You know, because I
mean we can say love Jesus,
00:32:49.50\00:32:51.83
love Jesus and
people can say, "You know,
00:32:51.87\00:32:54.50
I really
appreciate what He did for me.
00:32:54.54\00:32:56.54
I've got a feeling for Him."
00:32:56.57\00:32:58.47
But it's a matter
of when we do recognize
00:32:58.51\00:33:03.45
because of what the Word says.
00:33:03.48\00:33:05.91
And we usually have an
idea that something is off.
00:33:05.95\00:33:09.25
This little lady may not
have known much about, you know,
00:33:09.28\00:33:12.85
adultery, and
fornication, and all that.
00:33:12.89\00:33:14.79
But she knew...
She knew, of course.
00:33:14.82\00:33:16.46
She knew, you know,
"This is not right waking up
00:33:16.49\00:33:18.79
with people I
don't know their names."
00:33:18.83\00:33:20.53
She knew.
00:33:20.56\00:33:22.06
But if she can
come to understand
00:33:22.10\00:33:24.70
how much God loves her,
00:33:24.73\00:33:27.40
and that He has a
plan for her life,
00:33:27.44\00:33:31.01
and it's better than
the one she is living,
00:33:31.04\00:33:33.68
and that there is
really a hole in her heart
00:33:33.71\00:33:37.65
that only God can fill
00:33:37.68\00:33:39.55
'cause we were
born as Solomon said,
00:33:39.58\00:33:43.65
"God placed
eternity in our hearts."
00:33:43.69\00:33:46.29
So it's as you
understand first the love of God
00:33:46.32\00:33:52.03
that you then begin
to fall in love with Him.
00:33:52.06\00:33:54.73
And I guarantee you,
00:33:54.76\00:33:56.13
the longer you
walk with the Lord,
00:33:56.16\00:33:57.73
it's just, you know,
after you have been married
00:33:57.77\00:34:00.24
30 plus years
just as JD and I have,
00:34:00.27\00:34:03.41
you know, you thought
you knew what love was
00:34:03.44\00:34:05.31
when you first got married...
00:34:05.34\00:34:08.01
It's not what love
really was all about.
00:34:08.04\00:34:10.91
It's through that
experiential relationship.
00:34:10.95\00:34:16.42
And I think that's
important 'cause I'm afraid
00:34:16.45\00:34:18.65
somebody is out
there watching and saying,
00:34:18.69\00:34:20.86
"You know, I want to
change but I don't really have
00:34:20.89\00:34:23.36
that real heartfelt love yet."
00:34:23.39\00:34:26.76
Don't worry, God will bring
it, God will bring it about
00:34:26.80\00:34:30.93
as you spend time with Him.
00:34:30.97\00:34:32.80
It takes time
'cause that's part of,
00:34:32.83\00:34:34.34
you're talking justification,
and sanctification,
00:34:34.37\00:34:37.21
and perfection, or holiness.
00:34:37.24\00:34:39.11
In that we realize
that it's a growth,
00:34:39.14\00:34:40.91
so I think that
needs to be inserted
00:34:40.94\00:34:42.48
and we're talking
what you just mentioned,
00:34:42.51\00:34:44.55
there is a growth,
don't be discouraged
00:34:44.58\00:34:46.78
because you haven't
attained as it were.
00:34:46.82\00:34:49.28
I've often said
do the right thing
00:34:49.32\00:34:51.49
because it is right.
00:34:51.52\00:34:52.85
Right thing, correct.
00:34:52.89\00:34:54.22
Regardless of the emotions
and the feelings that you have,
00:34:54.26\00:34:56.93
do right because it is right.
00:34:56.96\00:34:58.63
And if we do that by the grace
of God, it becomes a habit.
00:34:58.66\00:35:02.06
And then as we
read and study more,
00:35:02.10\00:35:03.57
it becomes a conviction.
00:35:03.60\00:35:04.93
Yes.
00:35:04.97\00:35:06.30
And then it becomes a part
of us and there's no longer I,
00:35:06.33\00:35:08.74
but Christ, you know,
it's no longer my mind,
00:35:08.77\00:35:12.17
it's His mind.
00:35:12.21\00:35:13.54
So this is all
the transformation,
00:35:13.58\00:35:14.91
this is all the
changes takes place by.
00:35:14.94\00:35:16.64
As you
mentioned, He first love us,
00:35:16.68\00:35:18.51
letting the Holy
Spirit into our hearts
00:35:18.55\00:35:20.22
and life will bring conviction.
00:35:20.25\00:35:22.05
If we are open for that,
00:35:22.08\00:35:23.95
the Holy Spirit will do
wonderful, wonderful things.
00:35:23.99\00:35:26.19
But there are people
with strange thoughts,
00:35:26.22\00:35:29.86
show us that
they don't love Jesus.
00:35:29.89\00:35:31.23
One man told me one time,
00:35:31.26\00:35:33.13
I'm in the
church for many years,
00:35:33.16\00:35:34.80
he asked me just about
00:35:34.83\00:35:36.16
what it would be
like in heaven for,
00:35:36.20\00:35:37.83
you know, the husband,
and wife, and children,
00:35:37.87\00:35:40.07
and how is all going to relate.
00:35:40.10\00:35:42.04
And so I began to tell
him a little bit about that.
00:35:42.07\00:35:45.44
And he said, "You know,
00:35:45.47\00:35:46.94
well, that sounds all right but,
00:35:46.98\00:35:48.68
you know, if my relationship's
not the way that is
00:35:48.71\00:35:50.71
with my wife down
here, I don't want to go."
00:35:50.75\00:35:54.85
Well, I was kind
of shocked, you know.
00:35:54.88\00:35:57.22
And I've had people asked
me in the church just say,
00:35:57.25\00:35:59.29
"If my husband doesn't
go, I don't want to go."
00:35:59.32\00:36:01.69
I'm just saying it's sad
00:36:01.72\00:36:03.06
because there is
something lacking,
00:36:03.09\00:36:04.43
that love of
Christ, that relationship
00:36:04.46\00:36:07.70
that we need to
have with Him, right?
00:36:07.73\00:36:09.26
It's just...
00:36:09.30\00:36:10.90
You want your companion to go,
you want your children to go,
00:36:10.93\00:36:13.20
you want everybody to go.
00:36:13.23\00:36:14.70
Everyone be there the
same, Brother CA wasn't there,
00:36:14.74\00:36:17.31
or Kenny wasn't there, I
want it to be not the same,
00:36:17.34\00:36:19.47
Shelley wasn't there,
it just won't be the same,
00:36:19.51\00:36:22.11
we'll be the same for Jesus.
00:36:22.14\00:36:23.78
If one of us were missing,
it won't be the same for Jesus.
00:36:23.81\00:36:25.88
He will remember us through
the ceaseless ages of time.
00:36:25.91\00:36:28.65
We wiped out of our mind
00:36:28.68\00:36:30.05
but grave on the
palm of His hands,
00:36:30.09\00:36:32.19
I mean this is
very, very important
00:36:32.22\00:36:34.19
that we see that
kind of relationship
00:36:34.22\00:36:35.69
and how tighten we
need to be with Jesus.
00:36:35.72\00:36:38.49
And then get our...
00:36:38.53\00:36:39.86
In the airplanes,
what do they say first
00:36:39.89\00:36:41.40
if there is an
emergency, something happens
00:36:41.43\00:36:43.10
and the oxygen mask falls.
00:36:43.13\00:36:44.60
What do they say?
Put yours on first.
00:36:44.63\00:36:46.30
Grab it and put
it on everybody...
00:36:46.33\00:36:47.77
No.
00:36:47.80\00:36:49.77
Get it here
where it's right first
00:36:49.80\00:36:52.54
and then get it right
first is what we have here,
00:36:52.57\00:36:55.88
what we are talking about.
00:36:55.91\00:36:57.25
And then God will use
us to help other folks.
00:36:57.28\00:36:59.65
But may I suggest that
this man doesn't know Jesus.
00:36:59.68\00:37:03.32
No.
00:37:03.35\00:37:04.69
See, and this is the thing
is that if we don't understand
00:37:04.72\00:37:09.82
His love for us...
00:37:09.86\00:37:11.66
Yes. Yes.
00:37:11.69\00:37:13.03
And I think that's
where it all begins.
00:37:13.06\00:37:14.76
Yes, I agree.
00:37:14.80\00:37:16.13
It has to begin that
they understand how much...
00:37:16.16\00:37:19.17
'Cause, you know, you can't...
00:37:19.20\00:37:21.67
I mean, John said it the best.
00:37:21.70\00:37:24.17
We love Him
because He first loved us.
00:37:24.21\00:37:26.07
Amen.
00:37:26.11\00:37:27.44
And that is a
very compelling thing.
00:37:27.48\00:37:29.34
I actually had a dear friend
that I went to college with.
00:37:29.38\00:37:33.11
And he was a rancher's son
and the young lady that lived
00:37:33.15\00:37:38.55
at the next
ranch over was probably
00:37:38.59\00:37:41.89
five years younger than he.
00:37:41.92\00:37:43.26
And he was very
handsome and very intelligent
00:37:43.29\00:37:48.10
and she was not.
00:37:48.13\00:37:49.50
So she was a very average person
00:37:49.53\00:37:52.27
and I mean she's just been like
00:37:52.30\00:37:53.64
a little sister
to him growing up.
00:37:53.67\00:37:55.84
And she was a
very average person,
00:37:55.87\00:37:57.97
she was not that attractive.
00:37:58.01\00:38:00.98
And he had women that
really would throw themselves
00:38:01.01\00:38:05.35
almost at him.
00:38:05.38\00:38:06.72
But, you know,
what was interesting,
00:38:06.75\00:38:08.18
he married her.
00:38:08.22\00:38:09.55
Well.
00:38:09.58\00:38:10.92
And you know what he
said, "She loves me so much,
00:38:10.95\00:38:13.32
I can't help but
love her in return."
00:38:13.36\00:38:14.96
Oh, that's good.
00:38:14.99\00:38:16.32
And I think that as
we learn how, you know,
00:38:16.36\00:38:19.03
some people's
picture of God, you know,
00:38:19.06\00:38:21.70
they see a different
God in the Old Testament.
00:38:21.73\00:38:23.93
They don't
understand the Old Testament.
00:38:23.97\00:38:25.47
There you go.
They don't understand.
00:38:25.50\00:38:26.84
Very true.
00:38:26.87\00:38:28.20
So that's where we have
to begin is the love comes
00:38:28.24\00:38:33.98
as we really understand
who God is and who Jesus is.
00:38:34.01\00:38:37.48
I think we've
touched on this before,
00:38:37.51\00:38:40.42
that you really
need to take time,
00:38:40.45\00:38:42.15
to take time to look at Jesus.
00:38:42.18\00:38:45.35
So that you understand
that, "Hey, He loves me."
00:38:45.39\00:38:49.62
And I think there
are a lot of people
00:38:49.66\00:38:50.99
who are devoid of
that understanding
00:38:51.03\00:38:53.13
that they are loved by God.
00:38:53.16\00:38:55.93
They are comparing themselves
with others as Acts says,
00:38:55.96\00:38:59.10
they are comparing
themselves with themselves
00:38:59.13\00:39:01.14
and judging
themselves among themselves.
00:39:01.17\00:39:03.27
And they are not
wise in doing that.
00:39:03.30\00:39:06.07
And when you do that,
you're going to come out
00:39:06.11\00:39:07.58
on the short end,
but when you see Christ
00:39:07.61\00:39:09.94
as He really is, one, you
see yourself as you really are.
00:39:09.98\00:39:14.52
And two, you are bowled over
00:39:14.55\00:39:17.65
by the fact that
this Jesus loves me.
00:39:17.69\00:39:22.52
1 John 4...
00:39:22.56\00:39:24.03
Is it 4:19?
00:39:24.06\00:39:26.19
4:19, yeah, "We love Him
because He first loved us."
00:39:26.23\00:39:29.96
Beautiful.
00:39:30.00\00:39:31.33
So it's a response,
His love comes first
00:39:31.37\00:39:33.90
and your love responds.
00:39:33.94\00:39:35.27
And love responds to
love, I'm sorry, it just does.
00:39:35.30\00:39:38.11
But let me suggest to that
the love that we first feel
00:39:38.14\00:39:41.94
for Jesus before we're
converted, before we...
00:39:41.98\00:39:45.51
And I kind of put conversion
and repentance in the same...
00:39:45.55\00:39:48.58
I mean it means, they
both mean to turn around,
00:39:48.62\00:39:50.99
to turn from
something toward something.
00:39:51.02\00:39:53.52
Correct. Yes.
00:39:53.56\00:39:54.89
Now the love we first
feel is an emotional response
00:39:54.92\00:39:59.36
to understanding God's love.
00:39:59.39\00:40:02.36
But Romans 5:5 says that,
"God pours His loves into us
00:40:02.40\00:40:06.67
by the power of
the Holy Spirit."
00:40:06.70\00:40:08.50
Amen. So we can't even really...
00:40:08.54\00:40:11.01
When Jesus said
in Mark 12:30 that,
00:40:11.04\00:40:13.58
"This is the greatest
commandment to love the Lord,
00:40:13.61\00:40:15.58
your God with all of your heart,
00:40:15.61\00:40:16.95
soul, mind, and strength."
00:40:16.98\00:40:18.91
I can't, not by myself. No, no.
00:40:18.95\00:40:21.98
It has to be that God
pours His love into my heart
00:40:22.02\00:40:26.45
that enables me to do that
00:40:26.49\00:40:29.09
as well as to
love others as myself.
00:40:29.12\00:40:31.19
And then I'll give you
this 'cause I know our time
00:40:31.23\00:40:33.46
but 1 Thessalonians 3:12 and 13.
00:40:33.50\00:40:38.53
I love this verse.
00:40:38.57\00:40:42.54
Paul writes and says,
"May the Lord make you increase
00:40:42.57\00:40:47.41
and abound in love,"
So who is doing the work?
00:40:47.44\00:40:49.41
The Lord is.
00:40:49.44\00:40:50.78
It's God who is working
in you to increase your love.
00:40:50.81\00:40:55.82
He said, "To one another
00:40:55.85\00:40:57.22
and to all just as we do to you,
00:40:57.25\00:40:59.05
so that," Anytime you see
00:40:59.09\00:41:00.96
so that it's a
purpose statement.
00:41:00.99\00:41:02.96
"So that He may
establish your hearts blameless
00:41:02.99\00:41:07.80
and holiness
before our God and Father
00:41:07.83\00:41:10.53
at the coming of our
Lord in Jesus Christ."
00:41:10.57\00:41:13.23
So what Paul is saying
is that, as God works in us,
00:41:13.27\00:41:17.57
as He pours His
love into our hearts,
00:41:17.61\00:41:20.78
the divine love
of the Holy Spirit
00:41:20.81\00:41:23.68
that is how, you know,
when people say how do you know
00:41:23.71\00:41:26.18
if you're filled
with the Holy Spirit.
00:41:26.21\00:41:28.08
You're going to be loving
'cause He said right here that,
00:41:28.12\00:41:30.89
"When that love
as He works in you,
00:41:30.92\00:41:33.32
He establish you hearts
blameless and holiness."
00:41:33.36\00:41:37.46
I like that.
00:41:37.49\00:41:38.83
So the more you grow
in the love of God...
00:41:38.86\00:41:41.10
Yes. The more
you grow in holiness.
00:41:41.13\00:41:44.30
Because that's
His divine essence,
00:41:44.33\00:41:46.00
that's who He is,
that's who you become.
00:41:46.03\00:41:49.30
2 Corinthians 3:18, the
Bible didn't actually say
00:41:49.34\00:41:53.14
by beholding we become change,
but it says that as we behold,
00:41:53.17\00:41:58.71
He is leading us from one level
of glory to the other, what?
00:41:58.75\00:42:03.72
By the power of the Holy Spirit.
00:42:03.75\00:42:05.32
Yeah.
00:42:05.35\00:42:06.69
So the big word
is still love there.
00:42:06.72\00:42:09.26
The little article I jotted down
00:42:09.29\00:42:10.73
was Sons and Daughters
of God, page 304, it says,
00:42:10.76\00:42:13.90
"Righteousness is love."
00:42:13.93\00:42:16.87
Isn't that interesting,
righteousness is love.
00:42:16.90\00:42:19.03
Love is the light
and the life of God.
00:42:19.07\00:42:22.17
Amen. We need that.
00:42:22.20\00:42:24.41
That's imparity
to realize that love,
00:42:24.44\00:42:26.27
that's the foundation,
00:42:26.31\00:42:27.64
isn't it of why
we do, what we do.
00:42:27.68\00:42:29.01
Yeah. Yeah.
00:42:29.04\00:42:30.38
Without that, I mean
you have no foundation.
00:42:30.41\00:42:32.25
Righteousness is an embodiment
of Christ and, of course, God.
00:42:32.28\00:42:37.65
God is what? God is love.
00:42:37.69\00:42:40.02
It comes back to us right here,
00:42:40.06\00:42:41.46
righteousness is
conformity to the will of God.
00:42:41.49\00:42:45.06
And it's all still based upon
love and the foundation of love
00:42:45.09\00:42:48.83
that we have, so I
think it's encouraging those
00:42:48.86\00:42:51.03
who are viewing today...
00:42:51.07\00:42:52.43
Even though it's simple,
Pastor CA said to begin with,
00:42:52.47\00:42:55.34
this is one-on-one, he says,
00:42:55.37\00:42:56.77
"The simplicity is
what we need in the gospel.
00:42:56.81\00:42:59.44
It's not go,
listen to the message
00:42:59.47\00:43:01.01
and the man was so deep,
00:43:01.04\00:43:02.38
you can't
understand what he was saying."
00:43:02.41\00:43:04.38
It needs to come to the
point that we say once again,
00:43:04.41\00:43:07.38
even though it
may be elementary,
00:43:07.42\00:43:09.25
find a way to fall
in love with Jesus.
00:43:09.28\00:43:12.92
If you don't love
Him, tell God, say,
00:43:12.95\00:43:15.32
"I don't love you,
I don't even know you.
00:43:15.36\00:43:17.63
But I want to, I
want to get to know You."
00:43:17.66\00:43:19.73
"Fill me with Your Holy Spirit,
00:43:19.76\00:43:21.40
pour Your love into
my heart, so they can."
00:43:21.43\00:43:23.37
Yeah, just ask.
00:43:23.40\00:43:24.80
But you mentioned a while
ago which was to me interesting
00:43:24.83\00:43:26.74
is I have a hard time
with this one still yet,
00:43:26.77\00:43:29.40
to this day.
00:43:29.44\00:43:30.77
It's that God loves me.
00:43:30.81\00:43:32.61
Now, it's easily
proven from the Word,
00:43:32.64\00:43:34.14
that's not an issue.
00:43:34.18\00:43:35.64
But to look, to know me... Yeah.
00:43:35.68\00:43:38.65
Each one has to know themselves.
00:43:38.68\00:43:40.02
It's amazing,
isn't it? It's amazing.
00:43:40.05\00:43:41.38
I want to admit that
and maybe it's a guy thing.
00:43:41.42\00:43:44.05
But I wrestled
with that even though
00:43:44.09\00:43:46.32
that's not I was up,
00:43:46.35\00:43:47.69
I wrestled with
that that God loves me,
00:43:47.72\00:43:50.16
knows me thoroughly,
and there is this thing
00:43:50.19\00:43:53.80
about God, He just loves me.
00:43:53.83\00:43:55.90
There is no if
and no vacillation,
00:43:55.93\00:43:58.73
no hesitation, no
equivocation, He just loves me.
00:43:58.77\00:44:00.97
He flat out loves me.
00:44:01.00\00:44:02.34
And maybe for guys,
it's a little tough...
00:44:02.37\00:44:04.64
I know, it's same for women.
Okay, well praise the Lord.
00:44:04.67\00:44:06.91
You talk with...
00:44:06.94\00:44:09.21
I think the reason
being is we know ourselves.
00:44:09.24\00:44:12.78
And it's like I
don't always feel lovable.
00:44:12.81\00:44:16.12
Yes.
00:44:16.15\00:44:17.49
You know, I mean
this is what somebody is,
00:44:17.52\00:44:19.02
you know, and I used to...
00:44:19.05\00:44:20.46
Oh, mercy before I
understood the Lord
00:44:20.49\00:44:22.39
and I'm not saying I...
00:44:22.42\00:44:24.26
I'm growing in my
understanding of God's love.
00:44:24.29\00:44:26.80
But I used to say what's wrong
with me, how can You love me?
00:44:26.83\00:44:31.60
And now I'm understanding better
00:44:31.63\00:44:33.84
and it's not, I don't...
00:44:33.87\00:44:35.90
If I ever hear myself say
what's wrong with me, Lord,
00:44:35.94\00:44:38.81
then I know that
I'm looking at self
00:44:38.84\00:44:41.48
rather than keeping
my focus on Jesus Christ,
00:44:41.51\00:44:43.98
the author and
finisher of my faith.
00:44:44.01\00:44:45.35
See, Satan will
keep you hung up,
00:44:45.38\00:44:46.72
Shelley, at conviction.
00:44:46.75\00:44:48.08
Absolutely.
00:44:48.12\00:44:49.45
He will just keep
you hung at conviction,
00:44:49.48\00:44:50.82
and conviction
would just wear you out
00:44:50.85\00:44:52.19
because there is no way,
but then there is repentance,
00:44:52.22\00:44:54.92
and conversion,
and then justification,
00:44:54.96\00:44:56.62
and we don't even
have time to get into that,
00:44:56.66\00:44:58.79
and I knew we wouldn't.
00:44:58.83\00:45:01.10
When you look at what Christ
is doing in you, you know,
00:45:01.13\00:45:04.80
and I do this a
lot, I did this recently
00:45:04.83\00:45:06.57
when we were in
Phoenix doing evangelism.
00:45:06.60\00:45:10.01
I said church, how
many here are converted?
00:45:10.04\00:45:11.67
How many know they
are converted, stand up.
00:45:11.71\00:45:13.88
Folk won't stand up.
00:45:13.91\00:45:15.24
They are not 'cause they...
00:45:15.28\00:45:16.61
First of all, they
don't understand the term.
00:45:16.64\00:45:17.98
Right. Exactly.
00:45:18.01\00:45:19.35
And then they think
it means perfection.
00:45:19.38\00:45:20.72
Conversion means
you've changed your direction.
00:45:20.75\00:45:23.08
It's repentances, I
mean they are almost like
00:45:23.12\00:45:25.15
they are synonyms.
00:45:25.19\00:45:26.52
They can be used interchangeably
00:45:26.55\00:45:27.89
because you've changed,
doesn't mean you're perfect,
00:45:27.92\00:45:30.53
doesn't mean you
don't have a bad day,
00:45:30.56\00:45:31.89
doesn't mean the
devil is not on you.
00:45:31.93\00:45:33.26
It means you've
changed your direction.
00:45:33.29\00:45:34.66
Absolutely. Yeah.
00:45:34.70\00:45:36.03
Turned away from something
to God and I have to say
00:45:36.06\00:45:39.20
that repentance, the Bible says
00:45:39.23\00:45:41.77
is a gift, Acts
5:31, it says that,
00:45:41.80\00:45:44.67
you know, that He gave Jesus...
00:45:44.71\00:45:47.68
"Him God exalted
to the right hand
00:45:47.71\00:45:49.91
to be prince and
savior to give repentance."
00:45:49.94\00:45:52.81
Yes. Yes.
00:45:52.85\00:45:54.18
And so, if there is something
that you find you're confessing
00:45:54.22\00:45:59.92
the same sin over and
over to the Lord, you know,
00:45:59.95\00:46:03.06
"Oh, Lord, I
didn't mean to gossip."
00:46:03.09\00:46:05.43
The next day, "Lord,
forgive me for gossiping."
00:46:05.46\00:46:07.66
The next day, "Oh, Lord,
I was trying not to gossip
00:46:07.70\00:46:10.27
but she called and
started talking about that woman
00:46:10.30\00:46:12.33
and I gossiped."
00:46:12.37\00:46:14.07
Then what you need
to do is, you know,
00:46:14.10\00:46:17.44
confession is the clearing
house of the conscience.
00:46:17.47\00:46:20.44
But the process isn't repeated
until or complete I should say,
00:46:20.48\00:46:25.68
it is the idea of
turning away from that sin,
00:46:25.71\00:46:30.05
but only God can give
you the power to do that.
00:46:30.09\00:46:33.12
And He will
through the Holy Spirit
00:46:33.15\00:46:35.29
and this is when you say,
00:46:35.32\00:46:38.03
"Lord, help me to
repent of this sin,
00:46:38.06\00:46:41.70
grant me repentance, give
me the gift of repentance,
00:46:41.73\00:46:45.03
empower me, make me aware."
00:46:45.07\00:46:47.10
Yes. Yes.
00:46:47.14\00:46:48.84
And then, you know,
initially this is where...
00:46:48.87\00:46:51.57
I think sometimes
we think of conversion
00:46:51.61\00:46:54.88
as being the
same as regeneration.
00:46:54.91\00:46:57.28
The rebirth but
it really isn't...
00:46:57.31\00:46:59.78
I mean according to if you
look the words up in the Greek,
00:46:59.81\00:47:03.99
conversion means turning
from something to something.
00:47:04.02\00:47:07.89
But the
regeneration, when we do turn
00:47:07.92\00:47:12.36
and make that
determination as you said,
00:47:12.39\00:47:15.06
we daily, hour by hour...
00:47:15.10\00:47:18.10
Then it starts.
00:47:18.13\00:47:19.47
We've got to ask to be
filled with the Holy Spirit.
00:47:19.50\00:47:22.47
I mean that point of
repentance, conversion,
00:47:22.50\00:47:25.27
whatever we're going to
say, that's justification.
00:47:25.31\00:47:28.61
That's God
changing our record. Yes.
00:47:28.64\00:47:31.91
That's the
imputed righteousness,
00:47:31.95\00:47:35.42
where Christ record is
credited to our account.
00:47:35.45\00:47:40.49
But if we just stopped there...
00:47:40.52\00:47:45.16
We're in trouble.
00:47:45.19\00:47:46.53
Yes, like we made the u-turn
and you are marching in place.
00:47:46.56\00:47:48.66
Yeah.
00:47:48.70\00:47:50.03
So you've got,
that's where you are saying,
00:47:50.07\00:47:51.87
"Lord, fill me
with the Holy Spirit.
00:47:51.90\00:47:54.37
Lead me by Your good
Spirit, teach me Your will."
00:47:54.40\00:47:57.61
And then that's the
process of sanctification
00:47:57.64\00:48:00.58
and that's where
2 Corinthians 3:18
00:48:00.61\00:48:02.84
comes in, you know.
00:48:02.88\00:48:04.81
Couldn't it be that some
of our biggest disappointments
00:48:04.85\00:48:08.62
and failures have
become my greatest blessing?
00:48:08.65\00:48:12.19
Absolutely.
00:48:12.22\00:48:13.56
Because by falling into a
trap, by doing the wrong things,
00:48:13.59\00:48:19.19
and making wrong
choices, you come face to face
00:48:19.23\00:48:22.56
with a point that
it needs to change.
00:48:22.60\00:48:24.73
Yes.
00:48:24.77\00:48:26.10
And only the Holy Spirit
can help you make that change
00:48:26.13\00:48:27.80
that you need.
00:48:27.84\00:48:29.17
And then when you
confess, it's more like David.
00:48:29.20\00:48:33.81
"Create me a clean heart
00:48:33.84\00:48:35.38
and I never want
to go there again.
00:48:35.41\00:48:38.88
And by the grace of God,
I will never go there again.
00:48:38.91\00:48:42.22
The lesson was too
hard. It was too difficult.
00:48:42.25\00:48:46.02
It caused too many problems.
00:48:46.05\00:48:48.39
And through it all, by
the grace, and goodness,
00:48:48.42\00:48:51.39
and the mercy of Jesus Christ,
we can move on through that.
00:48:51.43\00:48:56.03
But it's a lesson I never
want to return there again."
00:48:56.06\00:49:00.17
Something just occurred
to me, from what you said.
00:49:00.20\00:49:05.01
It is sometimes
easier to abandon big sins
00:49:05.04\00:49:10.55
than little sins.
00:49:10.58\00:49:11.91
Oh, yes.
00:49:11.95\00:49:13.28
Because the big sin
makes you, that godly sorrow
00:49:13.31\00:49:16.55
just overwhelms you
and you know all the...
00:49:16.58\00:49:20.76
Every sin has consequences.
00:49:20.79\00:49:22.82
But the big sins
were sitting here going,
00:49:22.86\00:49:25.09
"I don't want to
do, I don't want,
00:49:25.13\00:49:26.46
ever want to go
through this experience,
00:49:26.49\00:49:27.83
I don't want to
cause pain to someone."
00:49:27.86\00:49:29.73
But it's those little
foxes that spoil the mind.
00:49:29.76\00:49:33.44
That are hard to
sometimes get to that point
00:49:33.47\00:49:37.07
where you are sorry
enough for it to really repent.
00:49:37.11\00:49:40.71
It's amazing because we used
00:49:40.74\00:49:42.34
the terms big
sins and little sins.
00:49:42.38\00:49:44.25
And, of course, all
sin will keep you out,
00:49:44.28\00:49:45.61
but I understand
totally what you are saying.
00:49:45.65\00:49:47.15
Yeah.
00:49:47.18\00:49:48.52
Because when you come to
the Lord at that conviction,
00:49:48.55\00:49:51.15
you are looking
at the big picture,
00:49:51.19\00:49:53.12
I need to stop
lying, I need to stop going
00:49:53.15\00:49:55.59
in my wife's purse
and taking out her money,
00:49:55.62\00:49:57.43
I need to stop, you know,
00:49:57.46\00:49:58.79
I need to put
that cigarette down,
00:49:58.83\00:50:00.60
or alcohol, those big things...
00:50:00.63\00:50:02.23
Or to call the same person
that has committed adultery
00:50:02.26\00:50:04.50
and they see the pain it cause.
00:50:04.53\00:50:06.50
Precisely.
00:50:06.53\00:50:07.87
You know, it's easy
for them to say, "Never..."
00:50:07.90\00:50:09.64
Never again, not doing that.
00:50:09.67\00:50:11.01
I mean, Lord, by Your
grace I will never let myself
00:50:11.04\00:50:13.91
get trapped in
that situation again."
00:50:13.94\00:50:15.28
A lot of people say,
00:50:15.31\00:50:16.64
"Well, I never get
into that situation,"
00:50:16.68\00:50:18.21
as a man thinketh
in his heart, so is he,
00:50:18.25\00:50:21.78
many have been in
that same situation,
00:50:21.82\00:50:23.32
they have done it in
their heart and their mind.
00:50:23.35\00:50:24.69
Yeah.
00:50:24.72\00:50:26.05
Not in outward form,
00:50:26.09\00:50:27.42
but they are
still just accountable,
00:50:27.46\00:50:28.79
God, give me victory.
00:50:28.82\00:50:30.16
Well said, because, "Okay,
I'm never going to go to bed
00:50:30.19\00:50:31.66
with another person
who is not my wife."
00:50:31.69\00:50:33.26
But I may see somebody
go by and I was like ooh.
00:50:33.29\00:50:35.86
Easy now.
00:50:35.90\00:50:37.23
So there you are
again, you are right there.
00:50:37.27\00:50:38.60
See that's a little thing
because it's just between...
00:50:38.63\00:50:40.37
Lord knows what
went on in there,
00:50:40.40\00:50:41.97
but your wife doesn't
know and no one else knows.
00:50:42.00\00:50:43.74
So now, the Lord's got
to come in and clean down,
00:50:43.77\00:50:46.54
He's got to drill
down to that also.
00:50:46.57\00:50:48.61
Yes, that has
been taken care of too.
00:50:48.64\00:50:49.98
It's still sin, yeah.
00:50:50.01\00:50:51.85
That's not a little
thing because Jesus said,
00:50:51.88\00:50:54.45
"If you're lust in the heart,
you're guilty of adultery."
00:50:54.48\00:50:57.15
So to me that lust is like huge.
00:50:57.19\00:50:58.69
Yeah, it is.
00:50:58.72\00:51:00.06
That's why we have to ask God
to help us with our thoughts,
00:51:00.09\00:51:01.72
purify our thoughts,
even our dreams, everything.
00:51:01.76\00:51:03.63
Very much so.
00:51:03.66\00:51:04.99
You know, we're coming down
00:51:05.03\00:51:06.36
to the time to go
to our news break.
00:51:06.39\00:51:08.56
And I think someone
mentioned this before,
00:51:08.60\00:51:10.77
I'm in Romans 2:4,
00:51:10.80\00:51:12.50
"The goodness of God
leads to repentance."
00:51:12.53\00:51:14.14
So the idea that
00:51:14.17\00:51:16.07
one of the
integral parts of changing
00:51:16.10\00:51:19.04
and holding on to
Christ is to reflect on
00:51:19.07\00:51:20.98
how good He is been to you.
00:51:21.01\00:51:22.34
Amen.
00:51:22.38\00:51:23.71
And if you look over your life
and see how good God has been,
00:51:23.75\00:51:26.41
you know, it does, it's
like, "I don't want to hurt God
00:51:26.45\00:51:28.95
who has loved me so much
00:51:28.98\00:51:30.32
and done all
these things for me."
00:51:30.35\00:51:32.25
And sometimes you
only get that perspective
00:51:32.29\00:51:35.42
as you look back over
what God has done for you.
00:51:35.46\00:51:38.59
And it really does solidify,
I need to serve this God
00:51:38.63\00:51:41.56
because He's been so
very, very good to me.
00:51:41.60\00:51:45.23
Amen. Rethought.
00:51:45.27\00:51:46.60
Yes.
00:51:46.63\00:51:47.97
In Phoenix, there was
a man who was attending,
00:51:48.00\00:51:49.70
who hadn't been in
church for 27 years.
00:51:49.74\00:51:52.54
And he said to me about
the sixth or eighth, ninth,
00:51:52.57\00:51:56.85
he wrote it out actually,
00:51:56.88\00:51:58.45
I got a beautiful card from him.
00:51:58.48\00:51:59.98
He said, "Now I know why my life
00:52:00.02\00:52:01.35
has been such a mess."
00:52:01.38\00:52:02.92
He said, "I didn't
know how loving God was.
00:52:02.95\00:52:05.82
I didn't know God loved me."
00:52:05.85\00:52:09.49
And so he said, you know,
that's why he got into church
00:52:09.52\00:52:13.46
and got out of church.
00:52:13.50\00:52:14.83
He didn't feel like
he could please the Lord.
00:52:14.86\00:52:17.17
So, you know, I just keep
going back to this one thing
00:52:17.20\00:52:20.64
until we understand
what God's love is for us,
00:52:20.67\00:52:24.64
we can't love Him.
00:52:24.67\00:52:26.01
Praise the Lord. Yes, yes, yes.
00:52:26.04\00:52:27.38
It's a response to
a love that already,
00:52:27.41\00:52:29.51
a preexisting condition.
00:52:29.54\00:52:31.41
There you go. Amen.
00:52:31.45\00:52:33.52
That He loves you
with an everlasting love,
00:52:33.55\00:52:35.32
and there's nothing you can
do to make Him stop loving you.
00:52:35.35\00:52:38.05
We've got to go
to our news break,
00:52:38.09\00:52:39.42
then we're gonna come back
and put a little bow on this
00:52:39.45\00:52:40.79
and sort of wrap this up.
00:52:40.82\00:52:42.16
We'll see you in
just a few minutes.
00:52:42.19\00:52:43.53