Participants:
Series Code: TDY
Program Code: TDY018028A
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00:01 I want to spend my life
00:07 Mending broken people 00:12 I want to spend my life 00:18 Removing pain 00:23 Lord, let my words 00:29 Heal a heart that hurts 00:34 I want to spend my life 00:40 Mending broken people 00:45 I want to spend my life 00:51 Mending broken people 01:10 Hello, and welcome to 3ABN Today. 01:13 My name is CA Murray and allow me once again 01:15 to thank you for sharing just a little of your, 01:17 I suspect very busy day with us. 01:20 To thank you as always, as we do always for your love, 01:23 your prayers, your support 01:24 of Three Angels Broadcasting Network 01:26 as for over 30 years, well over a generation now. 01:30 We have been partnering together to lift up 01:33 the name of Jesus and to carry the good news 01:35 of Christ's soon coming throughout this planet 01:38 that is fast coming to its close. 01:41 Amen. So thank you for joining us. 01:43 I'm happy today for number of reasons. 01:45 First of all, we get to talk about things of God. 01:48 Our subject is basically this is salvation 101, 01:52 we're going to examine some terms 01:55 that we tend to toss around a lot. 01:57 But I have found and I suspect my... 01:59 I won't call them guests, my fellow travelers, 02:01 my fellow family members have also seen that, 02:04 many times we use terms 02:05 we don't quite know what they mean. 02:07 That's true. 02:08 And there is much hesitation, some confusion 02:11 as to what these things are and how do we incorporate them 02:14 into our lives as Christians 02:16 trying to walk the road to glory. 02:18 I'm in the company of Shelley Quinn. 02:21 Shelley, good to have you here. Wonderful to be here. 02:23 A student of the Word and someone I always like 02:25 to share these kinds of studies with 02:27 because she brings a good logical Bible 02:31 based explanation to everything she does. 02:34 And someone we've come to know and love very, very much, 02:37 Pastor Kenny Shelton. 02:38 Pastor, good to have you here. Good to be here. 02:40 Thank you. Yeah. 02:41 So we're going to have a good time today. 02:43 We're gonna look at some terms. 02:44 Basically, what is conviction, what is conversion, 02:47 what is repentance, 02:49 how do they lead into justification, 02:51 and then if time allows us we're going to leap over 02:53 into sanctification. 02:55 Because these are important things 02:57 that we need to wrestle with and I have found in traveling, 03:00 every now and again we toss these terms out 03:02 and you see this kind of quizzical look 03:05 on people's faces, "What is he talking about, 03:07 and what is conversion, and what is repentance, 03:09 what is conviction, what is sanctification, 03:12 what is justification." 03:13 And perhaps because in our history 03:15 as an Adventist church, we have leaned so heavily 03:19 on keeping the law and doing the work of God 03:25 almost to the neglect of the insertion of Christ 03:27 into our lives. 03:28 And, of course, we made a course correction 03:30 or at least attempted to in 1888 03:32 as we tried to bring Christ 03:34 back to the center where He belongs. 03:36 But always it has been this tendency 03:38 to sort of legalize our dealings with the Lord, 03:42 and to try to put ourself in the middle of it, 03:45 and work our way into something 03:46 that God has already given us as a free gift. 03:48 So these terms then become a little hazy, 03:51 a little bit confused because of the self element 03:55 that we've always had to sort of fight against 03:57 in the history of our church. 03:59 So today, we're going to try to... 04:00 Shelley, demythologize, demystify some of this stuff 04:04 and make it kind of plain, and make it very simple. 04:07 You know, we go to the seminary, 04:09 we get these degrees, and sometimes we take 04:10 something as very simple and make it ultra complicated. 04:13 Yes. 04:14 And God has not intended that these things be so complex 04:19 because salvation is really a very linear, 04:21 a very simple process. 04:23 And these terms were not meant to confuse us, 04:25 they were meant to help us in our walk. 04:27 So today, by the grace of God we're going to try to clean 04:30 some of this stuff up 04:32 and we can call this salvation 101 04:35 or the basic ingredients of salvation. 04:37 You know, and I'd like to add one thing, CA, 04:39 I believe that it is not just the Adventist church, 04:43 I think many churches, 04:45 it is the condition of the human heart 04:48 that we think we can earn something, 04:53 that we can deserve something, that we can do works 04:57 to deserve it, and it's called pride. 05:01 You know, I think that so many people 05:04 have a difficult time in accepting salvation by grace 05:08 because they don't recognize... 05:10 I mean it's like, "Oh, I've got to, surely, 05:11 I've got to do something." 05:13 You know, it's always, 05:14 it ends up being grace plus works. 05:15 Yes. 05:17 And it's a condition of the human heart. 05:20 God's plan of salvation is this simple, 05:23 total dependence upon Him. 05:24 Amen. That's His plan. 05:27 And when pride is also... 05:31 I would define pride as being just the opposite to that, 05:35 excuse me, humility is total dependence on Him. 05:40 So it's a condition that many people fight against. 05:45 Yeah. Yeah. 05:46 I mean aren't we conditioned even in this world, 05:49 I know even, you know, in construction 05:52 or whatever job you may have, 05:53 we're kind of conditioned to see 05:56 how much work you put out. 05:58 Even in ministry, you got to put work out, you know, 06:00 in order to be almost nicely recognized 06:04 or that you're doing your job. 06:06 So sometime we relate to a lot of those things 06:08 and we bring them into our spiritual life 06:11 and work shouldn't be as that point of it. 06:14 But, of course, you know, "Show me your faith by," 06:16 you know, "your works" and so on. 06:18 And so, you know, that's maybe another subject, 06:20 but we need to look at closely enough 06:22 I think here today to realize that this part 06:25 whence come salvation that, you know, 06:28 we can't work our way into it at all. 06:30 Works play no part whatsoever, it's all about... 06:34 You mentioned all about Jesus. Amen. 06:36 And, you know, here is something else 06:38 to add to speak to your point is that growing up, you know, 06:44 everybody used to pat me on the back and say, 06:46 "You are so independent, you know, you are just a doer. 06:49 You can take care of yourself. You can take care of that." 06:52 And you are stroked constantly for being independent. 06:56 And the whole idea of salvation is to learn 06:59 to be dependent upon Jesus. 07:01 Very true. Very true. 07:02 This idea of pull yourself up by the bootstraps, 07:05 you can do it, you know, James talks about the balance 07:07 between faith and works. 07:09 And yet, there is this thing in us 07:11 that wants to say that we had a little part in it. 07:13 You know, it's like, if can say I did something, 07:16 then I can say I deserve this. 07:18 And the truth is, we deserve nothing 07:20 and it has all been granted to us, done for us. 07:23 And we'll talk about being done through us. 07:26 But the initiative when Jesus says, 07:28 "I am the way." 07:29 The methodology, the way has been prepared, 07:32 you just need to walk in that way, you know. 07:34 And, of course, even the strength 07:36 to do that walking has been provided to us by Jesus Christ. 07:38 Amen. 07:40 So it's all about Him and I guess that disturbs 07:43 some people, Shelley, I guess that bothers some people 07:46 that the way has been prepared, 07:49 the way has been outlined for us, 07:52 we just need to walk in the way. 07:54 And even that walk is Christ walk, 07:56 you know, in us. 07:57 It's by the power of the Holy Spirit. 07:59 And, you know, the Bible tells us 08:01 that we have been saved by grace through faith, 08:04 not of works that any should boast. 08:06 But it goes on to say that we are God's workmanship 08:09 created in Christ Jesus to do the good works 08:12 that God prepared in advance for us to do. 08:14 And it's interesting that text comes right on the hills of, 08:17 by the grace, Ephesians 2:8, 3, and 10 08:20 is the one that you quoted. 08:22 So they go hand in hand, you know, 08:23 you are created for good work. 08:25 And this is what sometimes I find that 08:27 when an Adventist audiences, who know the importance 08:34 of keeping the Ten Commandments, 08:35 who know the importance of walking in obedience 08:39 that when you start talking about grace there, 08:41 it's always like, "What about works? 08:43 What about works?" 08:44 And so, you know, we just want to tell you today, 08:46 we are not suggesting by any means 08:50 that we don't walk in obedience. 08:52 God is a covenant keeping God. Amen. 08:55 And His covenant is... 08:57 Christ is the surety of the covenant, 09:00 He is more than our substitute, 09:02 He is the guarantor of the covenant. 09:04 And as He works in us to will and to do His good pleasure, 09:09 we will walk in obedience. 09:12 I mean, when your heart is converted, 09:14 you want to obey because it is our expression of love 09:18 and loyalty to our covenant keeping God. 09:21 But it is through Christ that all of God's promises are ours 09:25 and it is through Christ that He will perfect 09:28 the good work He has begun in us. 09:30 Amen. Well said. 09:31 There is a text in Thessalonians. 09:33 I was looking at it just this morning in my worship. 09:37 Where he says... 09:39 And I think it's... First or second? 09:40 I think it's 2 Thessalonians, I just... 09:43 You know, you said you stumble across something 09:45 but it occurred to me today and, in fact, 09:48 I still got my Bible here, yeah. 09:51 2 Thessalonians 2... 09:55 Yeah, 2 Thessalonians 2:16. 09:58 "Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself 10:01 and our God and Father who has loved us 10:03 and given us everlasting consolation." 10:06 Which is just two words I just love, 10:08 everlasting consolation. 10:10 "And good hope by grace, comfort your hearts 10:14 and establish you in every good word and work." 10:19 You know, to establish... 10:21 So the work is not done 10:24 just by us as much as it is done, 10:27 Shelley and Kenny, through us, through Jesus Christ. 10:30 So He works through you to will and to do His good pleasure. 10:34 So we let this mind be in us which was also in Christ Jesus. 10:39 So there is a lot here, a lot to talk about. 10:41 And...Well, let's just launch out here 10:45 for just a moment before we look at our music. 10:50 I want to talk about what to my mind 10:53 and then I'll let you guys sort of take off 10:55 on this little bit is the beginning 10:57 of the experience of coming to the Lord. 11:00 And for me, it starts with conviction. 11:04 Conviction is the sense that something is wrong. 11:08 Amen. Yes, yes. 11:10 You know, it's the sense that something is wrong. 11:12 And, you know, I was reading some things 11:14 by Ellen White last night, if the Holy Spirit 11:16 just left you, then something is wrong. 11:18 You can get pretty depressed. 11:19 But thank God, He doesn't leave you at conviction, 11:23 He moves you along. But it starts with conviction. 11:25 I was looking at in particular the incident in John 8:9 11:30 where the woman is caught in adultery. 11:31 And the Bible says, she is caught in the very act. 11:34 Now, there is a lot we could talk about with that, 11:36 I have got a couple of sermons on that. 11:38 She was probably set up to be caught. 11:41 And they did catch her and, of course, 11:43 to catch someone in the act, you got to be spying on them, 11:45 or following behind them, or watching them, so on, 11:47 you know, they caught her in the act. 11:49 And, you know, we don't need to go too far into that. 11:51 But what is interesting... 11:56 They threw her at the feet of Jesus. 11:58 Best place in the world to be, Shelley. 12:00 You know, you can't be any better 12:01 than the feet of Jesus. 12:02 So they threw her at the feet of Jesus. 12:05 Christ begins now to listen to their complaints 12:09 and doesn't say anything because they had 12:10 to write stuff in the sand, you know. 12:13 And they are looking over to see what's, you know, 12:15 going on down there in the sand. 12:18 And they are seeing names, dates, 12:20 you know, places, assignations. 12:22 So they are seeing their own things there 12:23 written into sand. 12:25 And the Bible says they were convicted. 12:28 They were convinced that they weren't wrong. 12:32 And what did they do? Did they confess their sins? 12:34 No, they began to slip out quietly, just kind of, 12:37 let's not deal with us, just kind of get out of here. 12:40 It occurs to me that conviction being the sense 12:44 that something is wrong will do two things to you. 12:48 One, it will drive you 12:50 to the feet of Jesus in repentance. 12:52 Amen. 12:53 Or it will run you away from Jesus, you know. 12:57 Conviction is the sense that something is wrong 12:59 and something's got to change. 13:01 And we've all had that when you're going through life 13:03 and you are living your life, and one day the Spirit 13:06 touches your heart and "This is wrong, 13:09 I got to make some changes." It's recognition of our sin. 13:11 Yes, it is. It is. It is. 13:13 And that is the beginning point, 13:15 it's that we have to understand that all have sinned 13:19 and fallen short of the glory of God. 13:21 And when we recognize our own heart condition, 13:25 this is something that as you said, 13:27 either you are going to fall on your knees 13:30 to confess your sin and ask for the forgiveness 13:33 that you need. 13:35 Or some people because they don't know 13:39 what is available, some people will actually 13:43 run away in guilt, and condemnation, 13:46 and they don't come. 13:47 Precisely. But it is. 13:49 That is the very beginning. 13:51 I just have to say this, I interviewed... 13:53 Or excuse me, I met a women that Cheri Peters interviewed. 13:57 And on the interview, she actually said 14:02 she had been in the church for 50 years and she said, 14:08 "I always thought what is the big deal 14:12 about Jesus being crucified?" 14:15 And get this 'cause she said, "Cause I thought 14:19 I didn't really need a savior. 14:20 I'm not breaking the big ten," 14:23 speaking of the Ten Commandments. 14:25 And it wasn't until after 50 years 14:28 that she finally began to realize this 14:32 God of love in her... 14:36 anemic response to Him. 14:38 She finally began to realize that she could include herself 14:42 in the Romans 3:23, "All have sinned 14:44 and fallen short of the glory of God." 14:46 She finally came under conviction of sin. 14:49 Yes. 14:51 And then it did become a big deal. 14:53 You know, so this is... 14:55 The problem of works oriented salvation 14:58 is that if you think, "Okay, you know, 15:00 I'm keeping the Ten Commandments." 15:03 And you think that you are not a sinner... 15:06 That you maybe the most lost of lost. 15:09 Look at the fears. Yeah. 15:10 Because you don't see your own condition, 15:12 you don't see yourself vis-a-vis Jesus Christ. 15:15 So what that tends to say and I don't want to condemn her 15:19 or anyone else is that you've never 15:20 really taken a look at Jesus. 15:22 Amen. 15:23 Because you may have looked at others 15:25 and if I look at Shelley Quinn or Kenny Shelton, 15:28 I will find something to justify myself. 15:31 But when I look at Jesus, 15:33 then I see myself as I really am. 15:35 That's when I come under conviction. 15:37 So for 50 years, somebody never 15:39 really took a look at themselves. 15:42 The word is... 15:44 And, Kenny, I want you to jump in on this, 15:45 elengcho in the Greek, 15:48 which means it's an understanding, 15:51 it's an internal evidence that something is wrong. 15:55 Something, when you look at yourself internally 15:58 there's evidence that my life is not right, 16:00 I'm not doing right, I'm not going right, 16:03 I'm not walking right, and I've got to make a change. 16:06 It is a self rebuke, Shelley. 16:09 Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. 16:11 Because I see Jesus as He really, really is. 16:14 And so the first step then is you got to get a look at Jesus. 16:20 Amen. 16:21 You know, you got see Jesus as that. 16:23 I mean the Word tells us right, "By beholding," right, 16:25 "we become changed." 16:26 Well said. Yes, yes. 16:28 So we have to behold Jesus and when we behold Jesus, 16:31 I see myself for what I really am. 16:32 Yes. 16:34 As a sinner in need of a savior. 16:35 Yes. 16:36 So there is conditions that draws me to Christ. 16:38 And so I think we need that experience 16:40 to just be honest and open enough. 16:42 Yes. 16:43 And you mentioned something a while ago, 16:45 both of you, it was interesting, 16:46 one of the questions that I hear a lot, 16:50 talked about in Adventism is they don't know 16:53 whether they are been born again or not. 16:55 They don't know whether they've been converted. 16:57 Now to me that's very interesting because... 16:59 It is... 17:01 Some people just have such an experience 17:03 when they meet Jesus. 17:04 Their life is turned upside down, 17:06 I mean they are just... Everything is just... 17:07 And others, it's quite, it's kind of like the wind. 17:09 Yes. 17:11 You know, we know that the change has to come. 17:13 Jesus says, you know, accept that change comes, 17:15 you know, you got to see the kingdom of God. 17:17 So they ask the question, they say... 17:20 And this lady was like 40 years in the church. 17:23 "I don't know whether I have been born again or not. 17:25 How do you know?" 17:27 And some people don't know what it does mean to be born. 17:29 They don't know and this tells me, you know, 17:31 and I could be wrong with this. 17:33 It tells me that they haven't experienced 17:35 any of the transitions that take place once you meet Him. 17:38 Yes. 17:39 You meet Him on the road to Emmaus as it were 17:41 or you meet Him in your closet. 17:44 We meet Him while I'm driving a car, 17:46 people have done that. 17:47 You meet Him in your little prayer say, 17:49 you meet Him in your worship. 17:50 Things begin to change because I found out 17:53 where Jesus is, changes take place. 17:55 Oh, yes. Amen. 17:57 You know, almost every time whether you pick up the Bible, 17:59 while you are in prayer, talking to someone else, 18:02 where the presence of Christ is, changes take place, 18:05 conviction comes. 18:07 I can remember talking to people, 18:09 praying the day 18:10 as they're going out to construction. 18:12 And I mentioned it before, if you're going out 18:14 on construction, Lord, send somebody 18:15 that I might lift up Your name. 18:17 Everyday, He would send someone. 18:20 But it was very interesting the person that would come 18:23 was open enough that they would stay in 18:26 or whatever it might be and listen. 18:28 You see, they were almost... 18:30 I'm gonna say he's nicely compelled 18:32 by the Holy Spirit to listen. 18:34 They were an answer to prayer of me 18:36 but also it helped me to grow. 18:38 So I think that's something that we need to look at, 18:41 to say as the conversion comes, 18:45 as there is going to be changes. 18:47 So if you don't know whether I've been converted or not, 18:48 has your life changed. 18:50 Things that you once hated, do you now love, right? 18:53 I mean those are things that takes place 18:54 because there's things that I used to hate, 18:56 now I love them. 18:58 You know, Shelton, I want to go back to something 19:00 'cause I want to spend a few moments on conversion 19:03 but I want to go back to conviction for just a moment. 19:07 You said, Pastor Kenny, 19:10 that we need to take a look at Jesus. 19:13 Now I'm going to pay you a compliment, Shelley. 19:14 It may not be a compliment. 19:16 Because you are a busy person but... 19:19 And I've known you long enough and know kind of 19:22 at the resonance that you kind of function. 19:25 I've also heard you say that "Having come to 3ABN, 19:30 my devotional life at times can suffer. 19:34 Because I get so busy doing the work of God 19:38 that I end up squeezing out time to be with God 19:42 and to internalize Him." 19:43 And that can happen to a person who was on fire for the Lord. 19:48 It can happen to a person 19:50 who has no interest in God at all. 19:51 Satan can keep you so occupied that you have no time 19:56 to lock in one-on-one with Jesus. 19:57 And that, of course, is the way where your strength comes from. 19:59 Amen. 20:01 So what he doesn't want you to do is to look at Jesus, 20:06 to take the time because conviction comes 20:08 once we get a vision of who Christ is. 20:12 And you can get so busy even preaching, 20:14 and preparing sermons, and doing "3ABN" stuff, 20:18 you know, good stuff in its own, 20:20 but it can squeeze out 20:21 your necessary time with the Lord. 20:23 And Satan is very, very pleased if you are so occupied 20:27 that you don't get a chance to look at and assess yourself 20:30 in the light of who Jesus is. 20:31 You can be doing good things 20:34 while leaving out the best thing. 20:36 Well said, which is what Christ said to Martha. 20:39 Yes. 20:41 You were busy with many things, He didn't say they were bad, 20:43 He didn't say you need to put those pots down 20:44 and get over here with Mary. 20:45 He just said that, "You can be so busy with your stuff 20:49 which is good stuff that you forget 20:50 about the best stuff." 20:52 Well said. Yeah. 20:53 Could I suggest before we jump to conversion 20:56 'cause I think there are steps that we go through. 20:58 Yes. 21:00 There is the recognition of sin. 21:01 Conviction. 21:03 The conviction, but then there is that opening of their heart 21:07 so that godly sorrow can produce a change of heart, 21:14 and lead us to repentance, and to salvation. 21:16 So we see that even at that point, 21:20 once we understand our sin, it is the Spirit of God 21:24 who has brought that conviction. 21:27 But He brings this godly sorrow because it is only God 21:30 that can lead us to repentance. 21:33 And then what happens is as we understand 21:39 and I think to recognize sin, we've got to be exposed 21:43 to the Word of God. 21:44 Yes. 21:45 You know, there is times that you may kind of feel like 21:48 something is wrong but it's not until you open your heart 21:50 to listening to the Word of God that you realize, 21:53 "Oh, Lord, I'm doing something that's not pleasing to You." 21:57 And the godly sorrow brings the repentance, 21:59 but what happens is our attitudes 22:01 begin to change. 22:02 Yes. And then we confess our sins. 22:06 And that is the big step to me 22:09 is you go from conviction of recognizing 22:12 and letting godly sorrow work in your heart 22:15 to change your attitude. 22:17 Then we confess our sins and He is faithful 22:20 and just to forgive us of our sins, 22:22 cleanse us of all unrighteousness. 22:23 Cleanse us of all unrighteousness, yes. 22:25 But then the important next step to me 22:28 is to receive God's forgiveness. 22:31 And we can break these down a little further. 22:33 But like you said there are people in the church, 22:36 I've met people in many churches actually 22:39 who have confessed over, and over, and over again. 22:43 And they have never really received 22:44 the forgiveness of God, they haven't accepted 22:47 that a loving God has, you know. 22:51 And then at that point is where repentance, you know, 22:56 we receive God's power because even repentance, 22:59 conversion, and I mean that's what conversion means 23:02 is to turn about, to turn away from something to. 23:05 Yes, well said, it is a turn. 23:07 So this is the repentance that comes in 23:11 and it's by God's grace, 23:13 it's God working in us to empower us. 23:17 So it's kind of a logical sequence of steps. 23:20 It is. And it's all God. 23:22 And I agree with you so much that there follows 23:25 in that train of repentance 23:26 which is feeling bad enough to quit, not just feeling bad. 23:31 You know, I'll tell you a quick story, 23:32 we had a Bible study. 23:33 And I used to do it on Friday nights 23:35 when was I was pastoring. 23:36 And there were a lot of people... 23:38 Yvonne Lewis was a part of that Bible study, 23:40 and a lot of people were from the show business group. 23:44 And I like to be home on Friday nights, 23:45 getting ready for my sermon. 23:46 But there were so many "the stars" in this study, 23:49 I said I will make the sacrifice. 23:51 And there was this one young lady, 23:53 bless her heart. 23:54 She was a lead singer in a very popular disco group, 23:57 just very, very popular. 23:59 And every week, she would come to the Bible study 24:00 and I always had testimonial time 24:02 because these people need to unburden themselves. 24:04 And she'd say, "I went to this party, 24:06 and I met this guy, and I had something to drink. 24:08 And I woke up in bed with this fellow 24:10 and I don't even know his name." 24:12 They would all pray for here. 24:13 And the next week she would come back, 24:14 "Oh, I went to this party with this guy, 24:17 and woke up in bed with this guy, 24:19 and I didn't even know his name." 24:20 And they'd pray for her, pray for her again. 24:22 And then she'd come back a couple of weeks later, 24:25 "Well, I was at this party, and I met this guy, 24:29 and, you know, these three, four, five, 24:30 six, seven guys." 24:32 And somebody said, "Why don't you just stop going 24:33 to those parties, you know, obviously you can't take that, 24:36 you need to stop going to those parties." 24:39 So she would feel bad to your point, Shelley, 24:41 but not bad enough to quit, not bad enough to stop 24:45 making provision for the flesh. 24:47 You know, so one of the things that happen in this 24:50 conviction/repentance experience is that 24:54 there is sorrow for sin but also sorrow enough to quit. 25:00 If we confess, He is faithful and fair to forgive. 25:06 Yes. 25:07 But He doesn't leave you there a perpetual forgiven sinner, 25:11 He cleanses you, you know, from unrighteousness. 25:14 So we got to start doing stuff to get clean. 25:17 I just feel bad, you know, my parents are... 25:19 And I'll quit in a second. 25:20 It was easy for us to get repentance. 25:24 We had a thing called a strap, probably six inches long, 25:27 about a half inch wide, half inch thick. 25:29 And my mother would say, "Go get the strap." 25:32 Instant repentance. Yes. 25:34 You know, till the next time, "Go get the strap." 25:36 So it's not just sinning, and sinning, and sinning 25:39 but it's sinning, being forgiven, 25:41 and then cleansing is part of that experience. 25:44 But see, I believe that 25:47 there has to come a godly sorrow. 25:49 Yes. I mean I don't know... 25:50 For example, I know people who smoke 25:53 and they recognize it is bad for their health. 25:56 And my suggestion to them 25:59 because they really like smoking... 26:02 Yes. Oh, yes. 26:04 Yes, yes. 26:05 You know, and it is kind of like 26:06 I can't give this one up. 26:08 So my suggestion to them, or in my counsel I would say 26:10 to them is, do you recognize that you're harming your body? 26:14 Yes. 26:16 Do you recognize you're hurting the Lord in harming your body? 26:18 And they get to the, "Well, yeah I know 26:20 I'm harming my body." 26:21 And you have to kind of show them in scripture, 26:23 you know, how the Lord feels about it. 26:25 But the point is, if you are not sorry enough 26:30 for your sin, if godly sorrow hasn't been produced 26:34 in your heart, 26:35 don't let that keep you from confessing. 26:37 Yes. 26:38 Confess your sin and ask for godly sorrow. 26:41 And ask for it. 26:42 You know, that's what I have to do 26:44 when my schedule starts controlling me 26:48 rather than me controlling my schedule. 26:50 And I recognize that, you know, I've been very open about that 26:53 that there are times that, you know, 26:56 you can just hit the floor running in the morning. 26:58 And you get here and you think okay, 26:59 we're going to have corporate worship 27:01 or, you know... 27:02 But if you don't spend that one-on-one personal time 27:05 with the Lord, it makes a difference. 27:08 So what I recognize is it's not... 27:12 I'm not going to sit here and say it's a sin 27:16 as much as I recognize something is off as you said. 27:20 And then I'll tell the Lord, Lord, you know, 27:24 how busy my schedule is and what... 27:26 Please, Lord, lead me to repentance, I'm confessing, 27:30 I missed this time with You. 27:31 How is it that I can sit at Your feet, 27:33 and listen to Your voice, and have that privilege, 27:36 and then not do that anymore, you know. 27:39 Yes, yes. 27:40 So it's something that if we're not at that point like 27:46 Jesus says, "If you're hunger and thirst for righteousness, 27:49 you will be filled." 27:50 Well, if you are not hungering and thirsting 27:52 for righteousness, just go to the Lord and say, 27:54 "Lord, what's wrong with me? 27:56 I'm not hungering and thirsting for righteousness. 27:58 So would You please change my heart." 28:01 And guess what? 28:02 Whether it's smoking or whatever else, 28:04 if you're asking the Lord, He will start working in you. 28:08 But we have to love Jesus more than that thing. 28:13 You were talking about cigarette smoking 28:15 or whatever, you know. 28:17 You too mentioned a strap a while ago, 28:18 and what I was thinking about is because the strap 28:20 didn't work on me very well. 28:22 No, you were strap-proof, yeah. 28:24 Well, I don't know that I was but hardheaded enough 28:26 that it didn't bring repentance to where I've turned from it. 28:30 It might stop me for that moment 28:32 but the next day if I wanted to go back 28:33 and do it, I knew I was getting another strapping 28:35 but it was okay. 28:37 But it wasn't until it came in a conflict 28:39 with the love of my mother. 28:41 Yeah, that's the point. 28:42 See, the love of my mother... Yes. 28:44 The word that she said to me in due season broke my heart. 28:48 It couldn't break my heart with a strap, 28:50 but at the way that what she said to me 28:54 about being her son, and how she loved me, 28:56 and how she wanted to correct me, 28:58 and how she wanted me to do the right thing, 29:00 that worked. 29:01 So I'm thinking, it's that thing 29:03 which we love the most. 29:04 Absolutely. 29:06 And we love Jesus more than the cigarette, 29:07 or we love Jesus more than the parties, 29:09 or we love Jesus more than running over here 29:11 and doing this and that. 29:13 So I think that's where we have to begin, 29:15 it's falling in love with The Jesus. 29:17 Amen. 29:18 You know, because you can be in the church... 29:20 And not be. 29:21 We know it for years, and years, and years, 29:23 and be so lukewarm that you don't know 29:25 that you are not in love with Jesus. 29:27 Because you heard it all the time 29:29 and you think this is... 29:30 You start looking at everybody else, 29:32 these people love Jesus, this is what you do. 29:34 That is the biggest mistake in the whole world, 29:36 it was for me. 29:37 You know, people say, "Well, you know, 29:39 you were born into it or your..." 29:41 By the grace of God, I'm still trying to serve Him 29:44 in spite of all of those things. 29:46 Yeah. 29:47 You know, it's in spite of because they say, 29:48 "What you are, is because of your family..." 29:50 In spite of. Yeah. 29:51 And they are in church probably in spite of me today. 29:53 But it's because of Jesus is what we're talking about here. 29:56 Well said. 29:57 First of all just come to the point, 29:58 He is talking about your steps, has to be we have to come 30:01 to the fact that we are a sinner. 30:03 Absolutely. That we're in need of a savior. 30:05 You heard it the whole time where they call it, 30:06 what, A, B, and, C, and then even the D, 30:11 you can get to the D. 30:12 You know, it's accepting that you are a sinner 30:14 and then you have to believe, right? 30:16 Yeah. In Christ. 30:17 You have to claim the blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse you. 30:21 And then we have to be D, 30:23 determined by the grace of God to follow Him. 30:25 Amen. Well said. Well said. 30:27 We have to be determined. 30:28 If we're not, we're going to fall apart in this world 30:30 that we live in right now. 30:32 Douglas Cooper in his book "Living God's Love", 30:35 175-200 pages boils it down to this, who do you love more? 30:38 He says, "Sin is a failure to love God sufficiently." 30:42 If you love God sufficiently, you surrender 30:44 and then He will work through you 30:46 to have you overcome that sin. 30:49 And I think that point is 30:51 so very, very vital and important. 30:53 You are convicted, now that you're convicted, 30:58 you got to move from conviction to repentance 31:02 and then to conversion. 31:04 So one of the things you've got to do 31:05 and what conviction will do 31:07 is it will send you to the feet of Jesus. 31:11 One, it will send you to the feet of Jesus in prayer. 31:13 Two, it will send you to the feet of Jesus 31:15 in Bible study, so that you understand... 31:19 See, if you're not reading your Bible, 31:21 you don't even know what promises to claim. 31:22 Absolutely. 31:24 You got a bank account and no pin, you know, 31:25 you can't even get in there to get the goodies 31:27 that God has laid up for you. 31:29 So conviction is not just a feel bad and say, 31:32 "I'm a horrible person. 31:33 I wish I was..." You know, it's not that. 31:35 It's to arrest you in your course. 31:38 So that you don't develop this legacy of lethargy, 31:41 you know, you're just, "I'm convicted, 31:42 I can't do anything about it. 31:44 I'm just, my life is just... I'm just a mess." 31:46 Well, yeah you are a mess. 31:47 But God has made a way to unmess the mess. 31:50 You know, He has given you some steps 31:52 and some stuff to get you out of that. 31:54 So that you're not just stuck at conviction because 31:57 conviction will depress you if you don't have a way out. 31:59 The Spirit will tell you, 32:01 "You're not what you ought to be 32:02 but here is how you get to be what I want you to be." 32:04 You know, at the same time. 32:06 I just need to interject this, 32:07 I agree 100% about loving Jesus. 32:10 But the Bible says, John wrote in 1 John, 32:13 "We love Him because He first loved us." 32:16 And I think that... 32:20 There are many people who marry, 32:22 they think they know love, but it is over a period of time 32:28 that as they spend the time with each other, 32:31 they grow in true love. 32:33 There is quite a few people who if they don't understand 32:40 the love of God for them, they will never come 32:45 to love Jesus like they should. 32:48 Well said. 32:49 You know, because I mean we can say love Jesus, 32:51 love Jesus and people can say, "You know, 32:54 I really appreciate what He did for me. 32:56 I've got a feeling for Him." 32:58 But it's a matter of when we do recognize 33:03 because of what the Word says. 33:05 And we usually have an idea that something is off. 33:09 This little lady may not have known much about, you know, 33:12 adultery, and fornication, and all that. 33:14 But she knew... She knew, of course. 33:16 She knew, you know, "This is not right waking up 33:18 with people I don't know their names." 33:20 She knew. 33:22 But if she can come to understand 33:24 how much God loves her, 33:27 and that He has a plan for her life, 33:31 and it's better than the one she is living, 33:33 and that there is really a hole in her heart 33:37 that only God can fill 33:39 'cause we were born as Solomon said, 33:43 "God placed eternity in our hearts." 33:46 So it's as you understand first the love of God 33:52 that you then begin to fall in love with Him. 33:54 And I guarantee you, 33:56 the longer you walk with the Lord, 33:57 it's just, you know, after you have been married 34:00 30 plus years just as JD and I have, 34:03 you know, you thought you knew what love was 34:05 when you first got married... 34:08 It's not what love really was all about. 34:10 It's through that experiential relationship. 34:16 And I think that's important 'cause I'm afraid 34:18 somebody is out there watching and saying, 34:20 "You know, I want to change but I don't really have 34:23 that real heartfelt love yet." 34:26 Don't worry, God will bring it, God will bring it about 34:30 as you spend time with Him. 34:32 It takes time 'cause that's part of, 34:34 you're talking justification, and sanctification, 34:37 and perfection, or holiness. 34:39 In that we realize that it's a growth, 34:40 so I think that needs to be inserted 34:42 and we're talking what you just mentioned, 34:44 there is a growth, don't be discouraged 34:46 because you haven't attained as it were. 34:49 I've often said do the right thing 34:51 because it is right. 34:52 Right thing, correct. 34:54 Regardless of the emotions and the feelings that you have, 34:56 do right because it is right. 34:58 And if we do that by the grace of God, it becomes a habit. 35:02 And then as we read and study more, 35:03 it becomes a conviction. 35:04 Yes. 35:06 And then it becomes a part of us and there's no longer I, 35:08 but Christ, you know, it's no longer my mind, 35:12 it's His mind. 35:13 So this is all the transformation, 35:14 this is all the changes takes place by. 35:16 As you mentioned, He first love us, 35:18 letting the Holy Spirit into our hearts 35:20 and life will bring conviction. 35:22 If we are open for that, 35:23 the Holy Spirit will do wonderful, wonderful things. 35:26 But there are people with strange thoughts, 35:29 show us that they don't love Jesus. 35:31 One man told me one time, 35:33 I'm in the church for many years, 35:34 he asked me just about 35:36 what it would be like in heaven for, 35:37 you know, the husband, and wife, and children, 35:40 and how is all going to relate. 35:42 And so I began to tell him a little bit about that. 35:45 And he said, "You know, 35:46 well, that sounds all right but, 35:48 you know, if my relationship's not the way that is 35:50 with my wife down here, I don't want to go." 35:54 Well, I was kind of shocked, you know. 35:57 And I've had people asked me in the church just say, 35:59 "If my husband doesn't go, I don't want to go." 36:01 I'm just saying it's sad 36:03 because there is something lacking, 36:04 that love of Christ, that relationship 36:07 that we need to have with Him, right? 36:09 It's just... 36:10 You want your companion to go, you want your children to go, 36:13 you want everybody to go. 36:14 Everyone be there the same, Brother CA wasn't there, 36:17 or Kenny wasn't there, I want it to be not the same, 36:19 Shelley wasn't there, it just won't be the same, 36:22 we'll be the same for Jesus. 36:23 If one of us were missing, it won't be the same for Jesus. 36:25 He will remember us through the ceaseless ages of time. 36:28 We wiped out of our mind 36:30 but grave on the palm of His hands, 36:32 I mean this is very, very important 36:34 that we see that kind of relationship 36:35 and how tighten we need to be with Jesus. 36:38 And then get our... 36:39 In the airplanes, what do they say first 36:41 if there is an emergency, something happens 36:43 and the oxygen mask falls. 36:44 What do they say? Put yours on first. 36:46 Grab it and put it on everybody... 36:47 No. 36:49 Get it here where it's right first 36:52 and then get it right first is what we have here, 36:55 what we are talking about. 36:57 And then God will use us to help other folks. 36:59 But may I suggest that this man doesn't know Jesus. 37:03 No. 37:04 See, and this is the thing is that if we don't understand 37:09 His love for us... 37:11 Yes. Yes. 37:13 And I think that's where it all begins. 37:14 Yes, I agree. 37:16 It has to begin that they understand how much... 37:19 'Cause, you know, you can't... 37:21 I mean, John said it the best. 37:24 We love Him because He first loved us. 37:26 Amen. 37:27 And that is a very compelling thing. 37:29 I actually had a dear friend that I went to college with. 37:33 And he was a rancher's son and the young lady that lived 37:38 at the next ranch over was probably 37:41 five years younger than he. 37:43 And he was very handsome and very intelligent 37:48 and she was not. 37:49 So she was a very average person 37:52 and I mean she's just been like 37:53 a little sister to him growing up. 37:55 And she was a very average person, 37:58 she was not that attractive. 38:01 And he had women that really would throw themselves 38:05 almost at him. 38:06 But, you know, what was interesting, 38:08 he married her. 38:09 Well. 38:10 And you know what he said, "She loves me so much, 38:13 I can't help but love her in return." 38:14 Oh, that's good. 38:16 And I think that as we learn how, you know, 38:19 some people's picture of God, you know, 38:21 they see a different God in the Old Testament. 38:23 They don't understand the Old Testament. 38:25 There you go. They don't understand. 38:26 Very true. 38:28 So that's where we have to begin is the love comes 38:34 as we really understand who God is and who Jesus is. 38:37 I think we've touched on this before, 38:40 that you really need to take time, 38:42 to take time to look at Jesus. 38:45 So that you understand that, "Hey, He loves me." 38:49 And I think there are a lot of people 38:51 who are devoid of that understanding 38:53 that they are loved by God. 38:55 They are comparing themselves with others as Acts says, 38:59 they are comparing themselves with themselves 39:01 and judging themselves among themselves. 39:03 And they are not wise in doing that. 39:06 And when you do that, you're going to come out 39:07 on the short end, but when you see Christ 39:09 as He really is, one, you see yourself as you really are. 39:14 And two, you are bowled over 39:17 by the fact that this Jesus loves me. 39:22 1 John 4... 39:24 Is it 4:19? 39:26 4:19, yeah, "We love Him because He first loved us." 39:30 Beautiful. 39:31 So it's a response, His love comes first 39:33 and your love responds. 39:35 And love responds to love, I'm sorry, it just does. 39:38 But let me suggest to that the love that we first feel 39:41 for Jesus before we're converted, before we... 39:45 And I kind of put conversion and repentance in the same... 39:48 I mean it means, they both mean to turn around, 39:51 to turn from something toward something. 39:53 Correct. Yes. 39:54 Now the love we first feel is an emotional response 39:59 to understanding God's love. 40:02 But Romans 5:5 says that, "God pours His loves into us 40:06 by the power of the Holy Spirit." 40:08 Amen. So we can't even really... 40:11 When Jesus said in Mark 12:30 that, 40:13 "This is the greatest commandment to love the Lord, 40:15 your God with all of your heart, 40:16 soul, mind, and strength." 40:18 I can't, not by myself. No, no. 40:22 It has to be that God pours His love into my heart 40:26 that enables me to do that 40:29 as well as to love others as myself. 40:31 And then I'll give you this 'cause I know our time 40:33 but 1 Thessalonians 3:12 and 13. 40:38 I love this verse. 40:42 Paul writes and says, "May the Lord make you increase 40:47 and abound in love," So who is doing the work? 40:49 The Lord is. 40:50 It's God who is working in you to increase your love. 40:55 He said, "To one another 40:57 and to all just as we do to you, 40:59 so that," Anytime you see 41:00 so that it's a purpose statement. 41:02 "So that He may establish your hearts blameless 41:07 and holiness before our God and Father 41:10 at the coming of our Lord in Jesus Christ." 41:13 So what Paul is saying is that, as God works in us, 41:17 as He pours His love into our hearts, 41:20 the divine love of the Holy Spirit 41:23 that is how, you know, when people say how do you know 41:26 if you're filled with the Holy Spirit. 41:28 You're going to be loving 'cause He said right here that, 41:30 "When that love as He works in you, 41:33 He establish you hearts blameless and holiness." 41:37 I like that. 41:38 So the more you grow in the love of God... 41:41 Yes. The more you grow in holiness. 41:44 Because that's His divine essence, 41:46 that's who He is, that's who you become. 41:49 2 Corinthians 3:18, the Bible didn't actually say 41:53 by beholding we become change, but it says that as we behold, 41:58 He is leading us from one level of glory to the other, what? 42:03 By the power of the Holy Spirit. 42:05 Yeah. 42:06 So the big word is still love there. 42:09 The little article I jotted down 42:10 was Sons and Daughters of God, page 304, it says, 42:13 "Righteousness is love." 42:16 Isn't that interesting, righteousness is love. 42:19 Love is the light and the life of God. 42:22 Amen. We need that. 42:24 That's imparity to realize that love, 42:26 that's the foundation, 42:27 isn't it of why we do, what we do. 42:29 Yeah. Yeah. 42:30 Without that, I mean you have no foundation. 42:32 Righteousness is an embodiment of Christ and, of course, God. 42:37 God is what? God is love. 42:40 It comes back to us right here, 42:41 righteousness is conformity to the will of God. 42:45 And it's all still based upon love and the foundation of love 42:48 that we have, so I think it's encouraging those 42:51 who are viewing today... 42:52 Even though it's simple, Pastor CA said to begin with, 42:55 this is one-on-one, he says, 42:56 "The simplicity is what we need in the gospel. 42:59 It's not go, listen to the message 43:01 and the man was so deep, 43:02 you can't understand what he was saying." 43:04 It needs to come to the point that we say once again, 43:07 even though it may be elementary, 43:09 find a way to fall in love with Jesus. 43:12 If you don't love Him, tell God, say, 43:15 "I don't love you, I don't even know you. 43:17 But I want to, I want to get to know You." 43:19 "Fill me with Your Holy Spirit, 43:21 pour Your love into my heart, so they can." 43:23 Yeah, just ask. 43:24 But you mentioned a while ago which was to me interesting 43:26 is I have a hard time with this one still yet, 43:29 to this day. 43:30 It's that God loves me. 43:32 Now, it's easily proven from the Word, 43:34 that's not an issue. 43:35 But to look, to know me... Yeah. 43:38 Each one has to know themselves. 43:40 It's amazing, isn't it? It's amazing. 43:41 I want to admit that and maybe it's a guy thing. 43:44 But I wrestled with that even though 43:46 that's not I was up, 43:47 I wrestled with that that God loves me, 43:50 knows me thoroughly, and there is this thing 43:53 about God, He just loves me. 43:55 There is no if and no vacillation, 43:58 no hesitation, no equivocation, He just loves me. 44:01 He flat out loves me. 44:02 And maybe for guys, it's a little tough... 44:04 I know, it's same for women. Okay, well praise the Lord. 44:06 You talk with... 44:09 I think the reason being is we know ourselves. 44:12 And it's like I don't always feel lovable. 44:16 Yes. 44:17 You know, I mean this is what somebody is, 44:19 you know, and I used to... 44:20 Oh, mercy before I understood the Lord 44:22 and I'm not saying I... 44:24 I'm growing in my understanding of God's love. 44:26 But I used to say what's wrong with me, how can You love me? 44:31 And now I'm understanding better 44:33 and it's not, I don't... 44:35 If I ever hear myself say what's wrong with me, Lord, 44:38 then I know that I'm looking at self 44:41 rather than keeping my focus on Jesus Christ, 44:44 the author and finisher of my faith. 44:45 See, Satan will keep you hung up, 44:46 Shelley, at conviction. 44:48 Absolutely. 44:49 He will just keep you hung at conviction, 44:50 and conviction would just wear you out 44:52 because there is no way, but then there is repentance, 44:54 and conversion, and then justification, 44:56 and we don't even have time to get into that, 44:58 and I knew we wouldn't. 45:01 When you look at what Christ is doing in you, you know, 45:04 and I do this a lot, I did this recently 45:06 when we were in Phoenix doing evangelism. 45:10 I said church, how many here are converted? 45:11 How many know they are converted, stand up. 45:13 Folk won't stand up. 45:15 They are not 'cause they... 45:16 First of all, they don't understand the term. 45:18 Right. Exactly. 45:19 And then they think it means perfection. 45:20 Conversion means you've changed your direction. 45:23 It's repentances, I mean they are almost like 45:25 they are synonyms. 45:26 They can be used interchangeably 45:27 because you've changed, doesn't mean you're perfect, 45:30 doesn't mean you don't have a bad day, 45:31 doesn't mean the devil is not on you. 45:33 It means you've changed your direction. 45:34 Absolutely. Yeah. 45:36 Turned away from something to God and I have to say 45:39 that repentance, the Bible says 45:41 is a gift, Acts 5:31, it says that, 45:44 you know, that He gave Jesus... 45:47 "Him God exalted to the right hand 45:49 to be prince and savior to give repentance." 45:52 Yes. Yes. 45:54 And so, if there is something that you find you're confessing 45:59 the same sin over and over to the Lord, you know, 46:03 "Oh, Lord, I didn't mean to gossip." 46:05 The next day, "Lord, forgive me for gossiping." 46:07 The next day, "Oh, Lord, I was trying not to gossip 46:10 but she called and started talking about that woman 46:12 and I gossiped." 46:14 Then what you need to do is, you know, 46:17 confession is the clearing house of the conscience. 46:20 But the process isn't repeated until or complete I should say, 46:25 it is the idea of turning away from that sin, 46:30 but only God can give you the power to do that. 46:33 And He will through the Holy Spirit 46:35 and this is when you say, 46:38 "Lord, help me to repent of this sin, 46:41 grant me repentance, give me the gift of repentance, 46:45 empower me, make me aware." 46:47 Yes. Yes. 46:48 And then, you know, initially this is where... 46:51 I think sometimes we think of conversion 46:54 as being the same as regeneration. 46:57 The rebirth but it really isn't... 46:59 I mean according to if you look the words up in the Greek, 47:04 conversion means turning from something to something. 47:07 But the regeneration, when we do turn 47:12 and make that determination as you said, 47:15 we daily, hour by hour... 47:18 Then it starts. 47:19 We've got to ask to be filled with the Holy Spirit. 47:22 I mean that point of repentance, conversion, 47:25 whatever we're going to say, that's justification. 47:28 That's God changing our record. Yes. 47:31 That's the imputed righteousness, 47:35 where Christ record is credited to our account. 47:40 But if we just stopped there... 47:45 We're in trouble. 47:46 Yes, like we made the u-turn and you are marching in place. 47:48 Yeah. 47:50 So you've got, that's where you are saying, 47:51 "Lord, fill me with the Holy Spirit. 47:54 Lead me by Your good Spirit, teach me Your will." 47:57 And then that's the process of sanctification 48:00 and that's where 2 Corinthians 3:18 48:02 comes in, you know. 48:04 Couldn't it be that some of our biggest disappointments 48:08 and failures have become my greatest blessing? 48:12 Absolutely. 48:13 Because by falling into a trap, by doing the wrong things, 48:19 and making wrong choices, you come face to face 48:22 with a point that it needs to change. 48:24 Yes. 48:26 And only the Holy Spirit can help you make that change 48:27 that you need. 48:29 And then when you confess, it's more like David. 48:33 "Create me a clean heart 48:35 and I never want to go there again. 48:38 And by the grace of God, I will never go there again. 48:42 The lesson was too hard. It was too difficult. 48:46 It caused too many problems. 48:48 And through it all, by the grace, and goodness, 48:51 and the mercy of Jesus Christ, we can move on through that. 48:56 But it's a lesson I never want to return there again." 49:00 Something just occurred to me, from what you said. 49:05 It is sometimes easier to abandon big sins 49:10 than little sins. 49:11 Oh, yes. 49:13 Because the big sin makes you, that godly sorrow 49:16 just overwhelms you and you know all the... 49:20 Every sin has consequences. 49:22 But the big sins were sitting here going, 49:25 "I don't want to do, I don't want, 49:26 ever want to go through this experience, 49:27 I don't want to cause pain to someone." 49:29 But it's those little foxes that spoil the mind. 49:33 That are hard to sometimes get to that point 49:37 where you are sorry enough for it to really repent. 49:40 It's amazing because we used 49:42 the terms big sins and little sins. 49:44 And, of course, all sin will keep you out, 49:45 but I understand totally what you are saying. 49:47 Yeah. 49:48 Because when you come to the Lord at that conviction, 49:51 you are looking at the big picture, 49:53 I need to stop lying, I need to stop going 49:55 in my wife's purse and taking out her money, 49:57 I need to stop, you know, 49:58 I need to put that cigarette down, 50:00 or alcohol, those big things... 50:02 Or to call the same person that has committed adultery 50:04 and they see the pain it cause. 50:06 Precisely. 50:07 You know, it's easy for them to say, "Never..." 50:09 Never again, not doing that. 50:11 I mean, Lord, by Your grace I will never let myself 50:13 get trapped in that situation again." 50:15 A lot of people say, 50:16 "Well, I never get into that situation," 50:18 as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he, 50:21 many have been in that same situation, 50:23 they have done it in their heart and their mind. 50:24 Yeah. 50:26 Not in outward form, 50:27 but they are still just accountable, 50:28 God, give me victory. 50:30 Well said, because, "Okay, I'm never going to go to bed 50:31 with another person who is not my wife." 50:33 But I may see somebody go by and I was like ooh. 50:35 Easy now. 50:37 So there you are again, you are right there. 50:38 See that's a little thing because it's just between... 50:40 Lord knows what went on in there, 50:42 but your wife doesn't know and no one else knows. 50:43 So now, the Lord's got to come in and clean down, 50:46 He's got to drill down to that also. 50:48 Yes, that has been taken care of too. 50:50 It's still sin, yeah. 50:51 That's not a little thing because Jesus said, 50:54 "If you're lust in the heart, you're guilty of adultery." 50:57 So to me that lust is like huge. 50:58 Yeah, it is. 51:00 That's why we have to ask God to help us with our thoughts, 51:01 purify our thoughts, even our dreams, everything. 51:03 Very much so. 51:05 You know, we're coming down 51:06 to the time to go to our news break. 51:08 And I think someone mentioned this before, 51:10 I'm in Romans 2:4, 51:12 "The goodness of God leads to repentance." 51:14 So the idea that 51:16 one of the integral parts of changing 51:19 and holding on to Christ is to reflect on 51:21 how good He is been to you. 51:22 Amen. 51:23 And if you look over your life and see how good God has been, 51:26 you know, it does, it's like, "I don't want to hurt God 51:28 who has loved me so much 51:30 and done all these things for me." 51:32 And sometimes you only get that perspective 51:35 as you look back over what God has done for you. 51:38 And it really does solidify, I need to serve this God 51:41 because He's been so very, very good to me. 51:45 Amen. Rethought. 51:46 Yes. 51:48 In Phoenix, there was a man who was attending, 51:49 who hadn't been in church for 27 years. 51:52 And he said to me about the sixth or eighth, ninth, 51:56 he wrote it out actually, 51:58 I got a beautiful card from him. 52:00 He said, "Now I know why my life 52:01 has been such a mess." 52:02 He said, "I didn't know how loving God was. 52:05 I didn't know God loved me." 52:09 And so he said, you know, that's why he got into church 52:13 and got out of church. 52:14 He didn't feel like he could please the Lord. 52:17 So, you know, I just keep going back to this one thing 52:20 until we understand what God's love is for us, 52:24 we can't love Him. 52:26 Praise the Lord. Yes, yes, yes. 52:27 It's a response to a love that already, 52:29 a preexisting condition. 52:31 There you go. Amen. 52:33 That He loves you with an everlasting love, 52:35 and there's nothing you can do to make Him stop loving you. 52:38 We've got to go to our news break, 52:39 then we're gonna come back and put a little bow on this 52:40 and sort of wrap this up. 52:42 We'll see you in just a few minutes. |
Revised 2018-04-23