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, friends,
welcome to 3ABN Today.
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Honey, what time is it?
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It's Sabbath, it's Friday
night Family Worship time.
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That's right.
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Thank you for turning to
this channel to invite us
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into your home and hearts.
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Amen.
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We have an amazingly
exciting topic tonight.
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What's the topic on, Honey?
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Well, we know that
in this world today
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there's such division not just
in the world but in families.
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And the topic is reconciliation.
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Reconciliation.
It's important, isn't it?
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Every time we began
3ABN, you hear Danny say
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we want to spend our
lives mending broken people.
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Not just forgiving broken people
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but mending
them, and this program
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is about reconciliation,
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how those
individuals get mended.
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So we're going to challenge you
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and we're going to
give you the Word of God.
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But before we do any of that,
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I want to just
thank you for your prayers
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and financial support of 3ABN
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as we continue
going and growing,
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getting ready for
the coming of the Lord.
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Honey, why don't you
introduce our guests tonight?
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Okay, over here we have
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Ricky Carter from Dare to Dream.
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What do you do at
Dare to Dream, Ricky?
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I'm Dare to
Dream's video editor.
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So I do little video editing
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and also I do a lot
of animation graphics.
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Wow.
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And your
background, I love this.
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My mom is Cuban. She's Cuban.
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And my father's from
Jamaica. I love that.
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So I've got a
Caribbean mixture there.
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Yes, you do. And you
were born in America?
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Oh, here in the
States, yes. Yeah.
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See I love that
because I like the mixture.
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That's called the fusion.
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I love the mixture.
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I got the great
taste in food though.
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Oh, yeah.
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On that note,
that's totally confusion.
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Good to have you
here, Ricky. Yes.
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And over here we
have Ron and Donna Baerg.
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Now, am I saying
your last name correctly?
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Yes. Is that good enough?
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Very good. Very good.
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Someone told me the other
day how incorrect, it's a Baerg.
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And welcome.
You're from Arizona.
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But Donna is from,
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originally from Illinois, right?
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Yes.
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And we're glad to
have you both here today.
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Thank you. Welcome.
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We're excited about this topic
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and you have a
wealth of knowledge also,
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all three of you
have a wealth of knowledge
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the Lord has blessed
you with to share tonight.
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That's right.
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You know, I think
what we need to do tonight
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before we go into the program,
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I think it's appropriate that
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since we're going to be
walking through God's Word,
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why don't we begin with prayer?
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And, Ricky,
I'll ask you to begin
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with prayer
tonight, if it's okay?
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Glad to.
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Heavenly Father, we
are so thankful that
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You set aside the Sabbath hours
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where we can
recommit ourselves to You
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or we can spend
time in Your Word
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and getting to know You more.
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Father, during this time,
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we ask that You would
help us to know You more.
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Help us to draw closer to You
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as we see the day approaching
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where You're going
to be here very soon.
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We want to hear You say
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well done good
and faithful servant.
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Father, help us
to remain faithful
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and give us a special measure
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of Your Holy
Spirit to understand
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Your Word as we seek,
we seek to know You more.
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We ask this in
Jesus' name. Amen.
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Amen. Thank you, Ricky.
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This topic is not
new to some of you.
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But the Lord
delivered it to me in a new way.
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He did.
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I had a
conversation with a gentleman
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on the phone a few weeks ago
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that reignited this word
in my mind, reconciliation.
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And I thought about it.
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Wow, you know, is
the ultimate measure
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of our Christian
walk forgiveness.
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And we often say to people,
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you know, if we
confess our sins,
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this is true
that God is faithful
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and just to forgive us
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and cleanse us from
all unrighteousness.
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And I thought, wow,
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if I'm forgiven,
that's all I need.
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But the Lord brought to me that
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there's something
greater and more powerful
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than forgiveness
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and that's what we're
going to talk about today,
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because there are Christians
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and we can all chime
in on this if we like.
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There are Christians
that worship the Lord,
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they go to church
from week to week.
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But some go down
aisle number one,
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others go down aisle number two,
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they don't wave at
each other, they don't talk.
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And then this
is I added to that,
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I'm not going to
speak to you again
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until we get to heaven
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and then we'll be
on the right page.
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Well, we want to go ahead
and dispel that false ideology
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and say, "The Lord
didn't come to say to us,
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"We'll talk when
we get to heaven."
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He came to reconcile
us to the Father here,
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so that we can be
fit to go to heaven.
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And you know,
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there are families that
don't talk to each other.
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And they'll say, "Well,
I forgave him years ago,"
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but they don't call,
they don't talk, they don't...
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The only time they see,
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as one person
said, is at a funeral.
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They just
become minimally civil.
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But they don't
have any connection
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with reconciliation.
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So we're going to
talk about that today.
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What it means to not
only forgive someone,
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but to bring that to
the point of reconciliation.
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All right, any comments on
that before we dive into it?
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Well, what you were saying
their pastor about, you know,
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they wouldn't
speak to each other
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until they got to heaven.
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There's probably a good chance
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they don't have
to worry about that
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because they
probably won't be there
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if they have that attitude,
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if they keep that
attitude in their heart.
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Yeah. That's very true.
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That's very true.
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The spirit behind it
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is what's going to prevent
them from being in the kingdom.
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Amen. Yes.
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Right. Yeah.
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Anything else, Honey?
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No, I'm just looking forward
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to diving into
this topic so let's go.
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Okay.
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So I introduced this in
a sermon not too long ago,
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I said, "The Lord
has revealed in His Word
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something more
powerful than forgiveness.
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So what we're going to
do is we're going to walk
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through the
process of forgiveness
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and we're going to use
some examples in Scripture
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and find out how can we get
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from a broken
relationship to an obvious sin,
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to the forgiveness of sin
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because of the
atonement of Christ,
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to the point of reconciliation.
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We're going to talk about that.
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So let's start with a
very, very important question,
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how must we or what must we do
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to receive forgiveness from God?
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We're going to go to
that very common passage.
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1 John 1:9, I'll have
Ricky read that for us.
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What does that say?
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What do we have to do
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to receive forgiveness from God?
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It says in 1 John 1:9,
"If we confess our sins,
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He is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins
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and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness."
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Okay. What does
that mean to you?
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I need to confess, I
need to come to God first.
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And if I can, it says
it's plain right there.
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If I confess my sins
to God, He's faithful.
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And He will forgive me
and I need that forgiveness.
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Okay.
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It should be specific with God
or should we just be general?
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Lord, I've sinned, I'm
sorry. What do you think?
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I think we should be specific.
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You know, what
you've done and, Lord,
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I'm sorry for what I've
done. I offended someone.
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And then, of course,
we'll get to the next step
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as we go on, right?
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That's right.
00:08:06.08\00:08:07.42
Because when you
look in the Bible,
00:08:07.45\00:08:08.78
those who came to God
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in true repentance were
clear about what they did.
00:08:10.19\00:08:13.19
You know, David said,
"My sin is ever before me."
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But he said,
"Create in me a clean heart
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and renew a right
spirit within me."
00:08:17.93\00:08:19.73
So I believe it's right.
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It's important to go
ahead and be specific about
00:08:21.13\00:08:23.37
what we're confessing about.
00:08:23.40\00:08:24.77
Because if you say things like,
00:08:24.80\00:08:26.33
well, if I've done anything
wrong to you, forgive me.
00:08:26.37\00:08:28.54
Yes, I've heard that.
00:08:28.57\00:08:29.90
This is like saying,
00:08:29.94\00:08:31.27
we'll go to the
airport and pick any plane,
00:08:31.31\00:08:32.64
I'll see you in New York.
00:08:32.67\00:08:35.24
I heard once
that, if you say if,
00:08:35.28\00:08:39.45
I have said anything to
you that you didn't like,
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or if I've done
something to you,
00:08:42.58\00:08:44.22
would you put that if in
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there your
question, did I really?
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Yes. That is.
00:08:48.62\00:08:49.96
You know, so just say
it, to say I have done wrong.
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I have hurt you. I'm sorry.
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Yeah. Not the if.
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That's right. I like that.
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Because the if is just
a presupposition at all,
00:09:00.00\00:09:02.70
since you feel that way.
00:09:02.74\00:09:04.21
Yeah.
00:09:04.24\00:09:05.97
If this works, since you
feel I've done something,
00:09:06.01\00:09:09.11
I'm sorry, whatever it is.
00:09:09.14\00:09:10.78
That's negative.
00:09:10.81\00:09:12.15
But I don't really
admit for what it is.
00:09:12.18\00:09:13.52
Very negative, very
negative. Anything, Ron?
00:09:13.55\00:09:17.32
Well, we know that
00:09:17.35\00:09:20.76
Christ forgave all of
our sins at the cross,
00:09:20.79\00:09:25.13
every sin from Adam
00:09:25.16\00:09:27.03
until He comes till
the close of probation.
00:09:27.06\00:09:31.63
But we have to go
00:09:31.67\00:09:34.27
and ask for that
forgiveness ourself,
00:09:34.30\00:09:37.57
we have to accept that.
00:09:37.61\00:09:40.84
It's, I could
give a little example,
00:09:40.88\00:09:43.28
if I got...
00:09:43.31\00:09:44.65
Sure.
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I got a lot of miles
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from having been in
the trucking business.
00:09:48.88\00:09:51.52
If I got a speeding ticket
and I went before the judge
00:09:51.55\00:09:56.66
and he said,
"Well, your fine's $140."
00:09:56.69\00:10:02.86
And Donna walks in
the back and she says,
00:10:02.90\00:10:07.44
"I've got a,
I've paid that $140.
00:10:07.47\00:10:10.51
I don't have
anything against me.
00:10:10.54\00:10:14.24
Apply this to him," and I say,
00:10:14.28\00:10:16.11
"No, I don't accept that."
00:10:16.14\00:10:22.78
That's the same as
if I don't accept my sin
00:10:22.82\00:10:28.22
and recognize it
and confess it myself.
00:10:28.26\00:10:33.63
And I accept
Christ's forgiveness,
00:10:33.66\00:10:36.67
I can accept His
forgiveness in my place.
00:10:36.70\00:10:40.94
Right.
00:10:40.97\00:10:42.30
And so it's not just,
00:10:42.34\00:10:43.81
it's not just the
forgiveness aspect,
00:10:43.84\00:10:46.68
but the receiving of it, right?
00:10:46.71\00:10:49.51
You know, when we come to
the, when we come to Christ,
00:10:49.54\00:10:51.38
we have to receive
the gift He's extending,
00:10:51.41\00:10:54.08
because
forgiveness is of no value
00:10:54.12\00:10:55.48
if you don't receive it.
00:10:55.52\00:10:57.22
If I don't accept that,
then it falls back on me.
00:10:57.25\00:11:01.09
So I'm going to
have to pay the penalty,
00:11:01.12\00:11:03.66
that death penalty,
00:11:03.69\00:11:05.56
that what the
wages of sin is what?
00:11:05.59\00:11:09.30
Death. Death.
00:11:09.33\00:11:10.70
So I don't want
to have to pay that.
00:11:10.73\00:11:13.40
I say, "Oh, I accept that."
00:11:13.44\00:11:16.40
You know, well, that's
the way I accept Christ,
00:11:16.44\00:11:20.48
dying on the cross for my sins.
00:11:20.51\00:11:23.85
That's right.
00:11:23.88\00:11:25.21
That imputed in and
imparted righteousness.
00:11:25.25\00:11:27.45
We can't do
anything of ourselves
00:11:27.48\00:11:28.92
to pay the penalty.
00:11:28.95\00:11:31.29
He does, He pays that price.
00:11:31.32\00:11:33.42
But there's something
else He does and I want to,
00:11:33.46\00:11:35.02
so we're going
to be chiseling away
00:11:35.06\00:11:36.39
at this whole
thought of forgiveness
00:11:36.42\00:11:38.33
because forgiveness sometimes,
00:11:38.36\00:11:40.73
as I've looked at it
and as I've relooked at it,
00:11:40.76\00:11:42.96
it's amazing that here
I am 33 years of ministry,
00:11:43.00\00:11:46.13
and a new light, a
light is coming on clearer
00:11:46.17\00:11:49.17
than it has ever been before.
00:11:49.20\00:11:50.91
That shows the
growth, the spiritual growth.
00:11:50.94\00:11:53.71
A light is coming on and saying,
00:11:53.74\00:11:55.41
"You've always preached
that people need to be forgiven
00:11:55.44\00:11:57.48
and you need to ask for
your sins to be forgiven."
00:11:57.51\00:11:59.78
But the Lord
says, "Wait a minute,
00:11:59.81\00:12:01.15
I don't just forgive your
sins, I do something else."
00:12:01.18\00:12:03.28
Let's go to the second one.
00:12:03.32\00:12:04.85
Because the Bible
describes who God is.
00:12:04.89\00:12:07.89
Honey, read that
for us, Psalm 103:3.
00:12:07.92\00:12:10.59
The Bible describes who God is
00:12:10.63\00:12:12.23
and what He does
other than just forgive.
00:12:12.26\00:12:15.56
"Who forgives
all your iniquities,
00:12:15.60\00:12:18.23
Who heals all your diseases."
00:12:18.27\00:12:21.24
Okay, what's
another word for disease?
00:12:21.27\00:12:24.01
Sin? Sin, right?
00:12:24.04\00:12:26.17
Sin.
00:12:26.21\00:12:27.54
So notice what it says,
Who heals all your diseases.
00:12:27.58\00:12:33.42
Now, we know
that many people die
00:12:33.45\00:12:36.32
from diseases, right?
00:12:36.35\00:12:39.09
So let's give a
broader understanding
00:12:39.12\00:12:40.86
to these diseases.
00:12:40.89\00:12:42.69
And so if we use the word sins,
00:12:42.72\00:12:45.33
people die from
diseases every day,
00:12:45.36\00:12:47.63
people die from diseases.
00:12:47.66\00:12:49.36
But if you remember
the story of the paralytic
00:12:49.40\00:12:52.83
when his friends brought
him on the bed to Christ,
00:12:52.87\00:12:54.77
remember that, Ron?
00:12:54.80\00:12:56.14
Right. You want to
recall that for us?
00:12:56.17\00:12:58.04
Are you talking about
where they laid him down?
00:12:58.07\00:13:00.44
Yes. Yes.
00:13:00.48\00:13:02.04
When they laid him down,
Christ says, "I forgive you."
00:13:02.08\00:13:07.32
And the Pharisees, "What?"
00:13:07.35\00:13:10.69
And Christ says,
00:13:10.72\00:13:12.05
"Is it easier to
forgive a man or healing?"
00:13:12.09\00:13:18.39
Christ had the
power granted to Him
00:13:18.43\00:13:20.53
from the Father
to do either one.
00:13:20.56\00:13:24.30
But they weren't
recognizing that.
00:13:24.33\00:13:27.64
And I would rather be
forgiven of my iniquities
00:13:27.67\00:13:31.71
or my sins by that disease
00:13:31.74\00:13:35.41
than an infirmity in my body.
00:13:35.44\00:13:38.55
I know. But he got both.
00:13:38.58\00:13:42.88
He got both. He got both.
00:13:42.92\00:13:45.09
What a
blessing. What a blessing.
00:13:45.12\00:13:46.96
Unlike the rich young
ruler. Right. Oh, yeah.
00:13:46.99\00:13:50.46
That's, you know
what He wanted everything.
00:13:50.49\00:13:53.09
And what did the Lord say?
00:13:53.13\00:13:54.80
He said, "You have
to give up everything
00:13:54.83\00:13:56.90
so that you can receive
the benefits of your relation."
00:13:56.93\00:13:59.23
How did he go away? Sad.
00:13:59.27\00:14:01.44
Sad, sorrowful.
00:14:01.47\00:14:04.27
Anything you want
to add to that, Ricky?
00:14:04.31\00:14:05.64
I was going to say
in the illustration
00:14:05.67\00:14:08.21
we're talking about disease
has a way of eating at you.
00:14:08.24\00:14:14.78
Think about cancer
00:14:14.82\00:14:16.65
and thinking
about the paralytic.
00:14:16.69\00:14:21.99
Not only did he
have that disease
00:14:22.02\00:14:24.03
that was eating
at him physically,
00:14:24.06\00:14:26.29
but he had that sin as
well that was eating at him.
00:14:26.33\00:14:30.17
And I can imagine the
joy that filled his heart is,
00:14:30.20\00:14:35.70
I can just see his
expression on his face
00:14:35.74\00:14:37.71
just come to a big
smile when Jesus said,
00:14:37.74\00:14:41.44
"You know, I forgive you."
00:14:41.48\00:14:43.04
So he was not only just healed
00:14:43.08\00:14:45.11
from the
sickness of the disease,
00:14:45.15\00:14:47.98
that was eating at him,
00:14:48.02\00:14:49.42
but also from the sin
that have been eating at him
00:14:49.45\00:14:52.39
over the years or
whatever the time period was.
00:14:52.42\00:14:55.49
They're just dump.
00:14:55.52\00:14:57.79
He was made
whole, and he just felt
00:14:57.83\00:15:01.03
I'm sure had a joy at his heart,
00:15:01.06\00:15:02.60
I'm sure it was
expressed on his face.
00:15:02.63\00:15:04.30
Wow, anything on that, Honey?
00:15:04.33\00:15:05.67
Oh, the guilt was
probably overwhelming.
00:15:05.70\00:15:08.14
You know, when
you live with guilt
00:15:08.17\00:15:09.67
and all that you've
done and you meet Jesus,
00:15:09.70\00:15:12.64
and then He's forgiving you.
00:15:12.67\00:15:15.18
Oh, the burden
00:15:15.21\00:15:16.64
that must have
been lifted from him.
00:15:16.68\00:15:18.68
That's right.
00:15:18.71\00:15:20.05
And that's why I've
often said is not necessarily
00:15:20.08\00:15:22.02
what a person's
eating, but what's eating him.
00:15:22.05\00:15:26.02
As Seventh-day
Adventist Christians,
00:15:26.05\00:15:27.39
we focus a lot on what we eat,
00:15:27.42\00:15:29.39
but we focus very
little on what's eating us.
00:15:29.42\00:15:32.16
And that's what
we're talking about. Ron?
00:15:32.19\00:15:33.83
Well, you know, back
then, the Jewish nation,
00:15:33.86\00:15:39.10
especially the
Pharisees and the ruler,
00:15:39.13\00:15:42.67
they looked at a
person if they had,
00:15:42.70\00:15:46.11
if they were blind,
or if they had some...
00:15:46.14\00:15:48.41
Leprosy. Yeah.
00:15:48.44\00:15:50.11
Especially like
leprosy. Boy, he was sinful.
00:15:50.15\00:15:54.48
God was punishing him for a sin,
00:15:54.52\00:15:57.39
in their eyes
didn't make any difference.
00:15:57.42\00:16:00.09
Okay, like the one did he sin,
00:16:00.12\00:16:04.26
or was that his parents?
00:16:04.29\00:16:08.13
Because there was a point
00:16:08.16\00:16:10.80
where he said unto the
third and fourth generation.
00:16:10.83\00:16:15.27
So they took
that literally, boy,
00:16:15.30\00:16:18.27
if your kids were
born with some impediment,
00:16:18.31\00:16:23.95
boy, you must, your parents
must have been very sinful.
00:16:23.98\00:16:27.48
Right. They must be sinful.
00:16:27.52\00:16:29.12
And, you know,
there's some cultures
00:16:29.15\00:16:30.49
that look at that in
a retributive way that,
00:16:30.52\00:16:33.02
you know, you're born blind
00:16:33.05\00:16:34.39
because your
parents were wicked,
00:16:34.42\00:16:35.76
or have all these things
00:16:35.79\00:16:37.13
that they
connect to the maladies
00:16:37.16\00:16:38.93
that go from
generation to generation.
00:16:38.96\00:16:40.80
But Jesus came to break that.
00:16:40.83\00:16:42.76
And so we're
going to now transition
00:16:42.80\00:16:44.40
into what he came to
break because remember,
00:16:44.43\00:16:46.37
he says, heals all your diseases
00:16:46.40\00:16:48.84
in the healing aspect
00:16:48.87\00:16:50.24
as we just pointed out,
is not only physical healing,
00:16:50.27\00:16:53.48
but you could recall
there are people that may die
00:16:53.51\00:16:55.41
from the illness like my mom.
00:16:55.44\00:16:59.41
She died from cancer,
00:16:59.45\00:17:01.55
even though she stopped smoking,
00:17:01.58\00:17:03.42
gave her life to
the Lord, got baptized,
00:17:03.45\00:17:05.75
the results of the nicotine
00:17:05.79\00:17:09.26
all that
eventually claimed her life,
00:17:09.29\00:17:12.09
but she died forgiven. Amen.
00:17:12.13\00:17:14.26
Because, you know,
00:17:14.30\00:17:15.63
she had abandoned
me at three months old
00:17:15.66\00:17:17.90
and I forgave her
and then she questioned
00:17:17.93\00:17:20.14
whether God can forgive her
00:17:20.17\00:17:21.50
and I assured her
that He can forgive her.
00:17:21.54\00:17:23.30
So she died in the
disease, but not in the sin.
00:17:23.34\00:17:27.91
Amen.
00:17:27.94\00:17:29.28
That's what you're
saying is more powerful to die
00:17:29.31\00:17:31.81
and be resurrected, than to die
00:17:31.85\00:17:34.35
and not have any
hope of resurrection.
00:17:34.38\00:17:36.65
So let's look at the
relationship aspect of it.
00:17:36.69\00:17:38.22
Go to James 5:16,
00:17:38.25\00:17:39.89
I'm going to have
Donna read this one.
00:17:39.92\00:17:41.82
What must we do to
receive forgiveness
00:17:41.86\00:17:44.46
from one another?
00:17:44.49\00:17:45.93
Because we just talked about
00:17:45.96\00:17:47.30
what we do to
receive forgiveness from God,
00:17:47.33\00:17:49.23
and He not only can, we confess
and we ask for forgiveness,
00:17:49.26\00:17:53.27
and I'll add this to the point.
00:17:53.30\00:17:54.67
We don't just confess,
00:17:54.70\00:17:56.37
but we should
also forsake that sin.
00:17:56.40\00:17:58.84
Right, don't just
confess it and continue in it.
00:17:58.87\00:18:00.78
Turn away from
it. Turn away from it.
00:18:00.81\00:18:03.58
So let's go to James
5:16. Donna, look at that.
00:18:03.61\00:18:07.08
Okay, James 5:16,
New King James Version,
00:18:07.12\00:18:11.22
"Confess your
trespasses to one another,
00:18:11.25\00:18:15.26
pray for one another,
that you may be healed.
00:18:15.29\00:18:18.59
The effective, fervent prayer
00:18:18.63\00:18:21.06
of a righteous man avails much."
00:18:21.10\00:18:24.03
Wow.
00:18:24.07\00:18:25.40
So know this,
confess your trespasses to...
00:18:25.43\00:18:30.24
I don't want to be
insensitive to the person
00:18:30.27\00:18:32.37
who didn't do anything wrong.
00:18:32.41\00:18:33.91
Who do you
confess it to? Each other.
00:18:33.94\00:18:36.34
You don't gossip.
Say it again, Honey.
00:18:36.38\00:18:38.25
You don't
gossip about it. Right.
00:18:38.28\00:18:40.42
If I've sinned, I've
hurt you, what do I do?
00:18:40.45\00:18:44.92
I come to you, "Honey.
00:18:44.95\00:18:46.35
I've done so and
so, I am so sorry."
00:18:46.39\00:18:49.49
Remember you said
there's a difference between
00:18:49.52\00:18:51.16
an apology and being sorry.
00:18:51.19\00:18:53.76
Right.
00:18:53.80\00:18:55.13
Apologies, that's, thank
you for bringing that up.
00:18:55.16\00:18:57.50
I've often in the
scheme of teaching,
00:18:57.53\00:19:00.67
in relationship counseling,
00:19:00.70\00:19:02.50
I say begin by
saying I apologize.
00:19:02.54\00:19:05.97
Later on the
godly sorrow will come
00:19:06.01\00:19:09.14
because sorrow to be sorrowful
00:19:09.18\00:19:11.55
is something that
God has to awaken in you.
00:19:11.58\00:19:14.42
And sometimes
it hits you one day
00:19:14.45\00:19:15.95
and you think I did that?
00:19:15.98\00:19:19.09
And then you go to
the person and say,
00:19:19.12\00:19:20.46
"I am so sorry
for what I've done."
00:19:20.49\00:19:24.23
But initially,
sometimes you say to kids,
00:19:24.26\00:19:26.26
"Now I apologize, you apologize.
00:19:26.29\00:19:28.80
I apologize. I apologize."
00:19:28.83\00:19:30.40
And like four weeks later,
mommy what, she was wrong.
00:19:30.43\00:19:34.14
I don't know, I can't
believe I did that to Johnny.
00:19:34.17\00:19:37.44
That's what the sorrow comes in.
00:19:37.47\00:19:39.14
So apologies is
legal, sorrow is godly.
00:19:39.17\00:19:43.85
Yeah. Ron.
00:19:43.88\00:19:47.65
One point there is
that you notice it says
00:19:47.68\00:19:51.92
and pray for one
another that you may be healed,
00:19:51.95\00:19:57.43
as you were talking
about earlier, you know,
00:19:57.46\00:20:00.46
you are healed when
you pray for one another
00:20:00.50\00:20:04.43
and you pray and you have also,
00:20:04.47\00:20:07.47
you not only have sinned
against Him, you've sinned,
00:20:07.50\00:20:11.17
because he is a child of God,
you've sinned against God too.
00:20:11.21\00:20:16.18
So God will heal you.
00:20:16.21\00:20:17.98
And the fervent prayer
00:20:18.01\00:20:19.35
of a righteous
man availeth much,
00:20:19.38\00:20:22.02
not just one thing.
00:20:22.05\00:20:24.05
Much. Who knows
how much it avails?
00:20:24.09\00:20:26.96
It just does good. Yes.
00:20:26.99\00:20:29.22
That's what the
Bible talks about.
00:20:29.26\00:20:30.59
When you forgive someone,
00:20:30.63\00:20:32.43
it covers a multitude of sins.
00:20:32.46\00:20:37.17
It goes a long way
00:20:37.20\00:20:38.90
when you have the
right attitude behind.
00:20:38.93\00:20:40.27
But pray for one
another. I like it.
00:20:40.30\00:20:42.74
Yeah, I've done
someone wrong, I pray,
00:20:42.77\00:20:45.01
and I've done that
00:20:45.04\00:20:46.37
I've prayed for them
till the Lord will heal
00:20:46.41\00:20:48.81
and it says what?
00:20:48.84\00:20:50.18
That you may be
healed, so I will be healed.
00:20:50.21\00:20:53.15
So that's beautiful because
we all want and need healing.
00:20:53.18\00:20:57.09
And it's even good to
pray with one another.
00:20:57.12\00:21:00.02
You see, and I just, I
prayed for you yesterday.
00:21:00.06\00:21:02.69
You did.
00:21:02.72\00:21:04.06
When people
asked me, pray for me,
00:21:04.09\00:21:05.89
I like to do it right
then and there because
00:21:05.93\00:21:07.60
sometimes I forget later
on, that's the human aspects.
00:21:07.63\00:21:10.33
Or we write it down and say,
00:21:10.37\00:21:11.70
I want to put
you on my prayer list
00:21:11.73\00:21:13.07
but I've discovered,
it's so much more personal
00:21:13.10\00:21:15.30
when you stop by there
and pray with that person.
00:21:15.34\00:21:17.81
They say thank you, it
really means a different,
00:21:17.84\00:21:19.94
and Ellen White says,
"When we pray for people,
00:21:19.97\00:21:22.21
we should let them know
00:21:22.24\00:21:23.58
so that they can respond
in accordance to the prayer."
00:21:23.61\00:21:27.95
Ron?
00:21:27.98\00:21:29.32
A while back, I
put that into practice
00:21:32.29\00:21:35.12
someone that I was
talking to on the phone.
00:21:35.16\00:21:40.60
They called and
they told me that
00:21:40.63\00:21:44.07
they were
suffering from something.
00:21:44.10\00:21:46.10
And I said, "Well, I'm
going to pray for you."
00:21:46.13\00:21:49.70
And I thought, you
know, usually say, well,
00:21:49.74\00:21:53.38
you say that, and
maybe you put them
00:21:53.41\00:21:55.08
on your prayer list.
00:21:55.11\00:21:56.44
I said, "I'm
going to pray for you."
00:21:56.48\00:21:57.85
And I prayed
for him right there.
00:21:57.88\00:21:59.21
There you go.
00:21:59.25\00:22:00.58
And he says, "I
can't believe that."
00:22:00.62\00:22:04.79
I said, "Well," I said,
"It makes me feel better too."
00:22:04.82\00:22:09.86
I got a blessing out of it
00:22:09.89\00:22:14.16
probably more
than that person did.
00:22:14.20\00:22:16.13
Yes, yes.
00:22:16.16\00:22:17.50
The other day we were in Walmart
00:22:17.53\00:22:20.44
and we met a couple people,
00:22:20.47\00:22:22.47
man that recognize you from 3ABN
00:22:22.50\00:22:24.71
and he talked to you
00:22:24.74\00:22:26.71
and having issues
with his family or self.
00:22:26.74\00:22:30.28
And he said,
"Would you pray for me?"
00:22:30.31\00:22:31.91
And what did you do?
00:22:31.95\00:22:33.28
We paused right there at
Walmart in freezer section.
00:22:33.31\00:22:34.65
Right there on
Walmart in freezer section.
00:22:34.68\00:22:37.25
We said, why
don't we pray right now?
00:22:37.29\00:22:39.22
I mean, people,
00:22:39.25\00:22:40.62
let's not be
ashamed of the Lord.
00:22:40.66\00:22:43.46
Let your light so shine.
00:22:43.49\00:22:45.83
And we stopped and
prayed right there.
00:22:45.86\00:22:47.30
And he was praying
while we were praying.
00:22:47.33\00:22:49.10
Thank you,
Father. Thank you, Jesus.
00:22:49.13\00:22:50.67
And it was so
beautiful. We never met the guy.
00:22:50.70\00:22:52.93
We don't know him.
I wrote his name down.
00:22:52.97\00:22:54.50
Remind me, Honey, I
have to send him something.
00:22:54.54\00:22:56.71
But that's what
happens when you do that,
00:22:56.74\00:22:58.61
it makes a difference.
00:22:58.64\00:22:59.97
And it starts to
mend that relationship.
00:23:00.01\00:23:01.48
And sometimes the
Lord responds right away.
00:23:01.51\00:23:03.78
Like I remember,
Comely Detroit, remember,
00:23:03.81\00:23:07.05
when the father was alive.
00:23:07.08\00:23:08.68
Yeah, Shell Detroit.
00:23:08.72\00:23:10.05
He was so, his
day was going horribly
00:23:10.09\00:23:12.52
and she called us
all way down here.
00:23:12.55\00:23:14.12
She lived in Michigan and said,
"Could you pray for my dad?
00:23:14.16\00:23:17.16
We just cannot get
him to quiet down."
00:23:17.19\00:23:19.76
And I said, "Hun,
let's pray right now."
00:23:19.79\00:23:21.36
Yes, you sure did.
00:23:21.40\00:23:22.83
And it was about maybe
a month later she could.
00:23:22.86\00:23:24.90
She said, "I have got so
busy, I meant to call you back."
00:23:24.93\00:23:26.94
She said, "Do you know that
00:23:26.97\00:23:28.40
right after we
ended that prayer,
00:23:28.44\00:23:30.71
when you prayed for my dad,
00:23:30.74\00:23:32.07
he immediately quieted down."
00:23:32.11\00:23:34.81
She said, "I
just want you to know,
00:23:34.84\00:23:36.18
I had never saw that before."
00:23:36.21\00:23:38.31
And... Praise the Lord.
00:23:38.35\00:23:39.68
We give God the glory,
but He works through us
00:23:39.71\00:23:42.55
in spite of us in all the glory,
00:23:42.58\00:23:44.49
because He's the one
that does the quieting down.
00:23:44.52\00:23:46.59
We just extend the petition
and God is the one that works
00:23:46.62\00:23:49.16
through that petition.
00:23:49.19\00:23:50.99
But there's another thing
00:23:51.03\00:23:52.36
that I want to also
point out the motive.
00:23:52.39\00:23:54.33
We have to have motives,
and the motive sometimes
00:23:54.36\00:23:57.37
is a big part of the
act that's going to follow.
00:23:57.40\00:23:59.57
Let's go to James 2:13.
00:23:59.60\00:24:03.24
Did I have you do
that? Okay. Ricky, James.
00:24:03.27\00:24:05.27
The question is,
why does the Bible...
00:24:05.31\00:24:07.48
Did we do
Proverbs 28? Okay, right.
00:24:07.51\00:24:09.98
Proverbs 28.
00:24:10.01\00:24:11.35
Read that for us,
Honey. This is important.
00:24:11.38\00:24:12.71
I illustrated this,
but I didn't read it today.
00:24:12.75\00:24:14.65
Okay, from Proverbs 28:13.
00:24:14.68\00:24:17.19
"He who covers his
sins will not prosper,
00:24:17.22\00:24:21.59
but whoever
confesses and forsakes them
00:24:21.62\00:24:25.56
will have mercy."
00:24:25.59\00:24:26.93
That's right.
00:24:26.96\00:24:28.30
I just illustrated that
00:24:28.33\00:24:29.66
but I'm glad you
brought that out.
00:24:29.70\00:24:31.03
Because we say don't
just ask for forgiveness,
00:24:31.07\00:24:32.87
get rid of that thing.
00:24:32.90\00:24:34.24
Put it down, put the
dog back on the leash.
00:24:34.27\00:24:37.77
You know, it's not
having to bite you every day
00:24:37.81\00:24:39.34
and say why is
he biting everybody?
00:24:39.37\00:24:41.28
Get rid of that sin
00:24:41.31\00:24:42.64
and the Lord can
take it from you,
00:24:42.68\00:24:44.01
we want to just say that.
00:24:44.05\00:24:45.38
Anything you could do.
00:24:45.41\00:24:46.75
So why does the
Bible motivate us
00:24:46.78\00:24:48.32
to show mercy, James 2:13.
00:24:48.35\00:24:50.02
James 2:13 says, "For judgment
00:24:50.05\00:24:53.29
is without mercy to the
one who has shown no mercy.
00:24:53.32\00:24:58.93
Mercy triumphs over judgment."
00:24:58.96\00:25:01.76
Have mercy. Wow.
00:25:01.80\00:25:03.57
Say it again, Honey. Have mercy.
00:25:03.60\00:25:05.27
Wow, wow, wow.
00:25:05.30\00:25:07.07
What does that say, Ricky? Yeah.
00:25:07.10\00:25:09.40
Wow. I know I need some mercy.
00:25:09.44\00:25:11.84
I need some help with this one
00:25:16.78\00:25:18.11
because the fact
that it's saying judgment
00:25:18.15\00:25:21.42
is without mercy to the one
00:25:21.45\00:25:25.35
who has shown no mercy.
00:25:25.39\00:25:27.99
If I'm not showing mercy,
judgment going to be little,
00:25:28.02\00:25:32.16
more heavier on me,
00:25:32.19\00:25:33.53
is that kind of
what the text is saying?
00:25:33.56\00:25:34.90
This is what it's saying.
00:25:34.93\00:25:36.26
If you don't want to
show mercy to somebody,
00:25:36.30\00:25:37.73
God is going to
say, "Wait a minute,
00:25:37.77\00:25:40.20
whatever man sows,
that shall he also reap.
00:25:40.24\00:25:44.27
With the measure that you need,
00:25:44.31\00:25:46.21
it will be
measured back to you again.
00:25:46.24\00:25:48.24
Do unto others as you
would have them do unto you."
00:25:48.28\00:25:50.75
You don't want to show mercy?
00:25:50.78\00:25:52.11
Well, that's I guess
00:25:52.15\00:25:53.48
that's how you
want me to treat you.
00:25:53.52\00:25:54.85
I'm not going to
show you mercy either.
00:25:54.88\00:25:56.22
So it's a reciprocating value.
00:25:56.25\00:25:58.65
It's not just saying
do it because you think
00:25:58.69\00:26:00.42
you are in a position
to say, "Well, you know,
00:26:00.46\00:26:02.96
I'm going to
extend mercy to you."
00:26:02.99\00:26:04.63
Don't do it from a
throne to a peasant mentality.
00:26:04.66\00:26:08.63
He's not on any
throne, right, Donna?
00:26:08.66\00:26:11.37
One of my favorite sayings
00:26:11.40\00:26:12.73
is follow after
peace and pursue it,
00:26:12.77\00:26:16.57
that means chase it
down if you have to.
00:26:16.60\00:26:19.44
Pursue, chase, I
tell myself that.
00:26:19.47\00:26:22.31
Follow after peace,
00:26:22.34\00:26:23.68
doesn't matter
what they've done,
00:26:23.71\00:26:25.05
or doesn't matter
what they're saying.
00:26:25.08\00:26:26.41
Just be at peace,
and chase it down.
00:26:26.45\00:26:29.95
That's right.
00:26:29.98\00:26:31.32
Chase it down,
grab it by its ankles
00:26:31.35\00:26:32.82
and you don't want to.
00:26:32.85\00:26:34.19
You're not getting away from me.
00:26:34.22\00:26:35.56
You're not getting away from me.
00:26:35.59\00:26:36.93
And you know, the
Bible does say peace to peace
00:26:36.96\00:26:38.49
with all men, pursue it.
00:26:38.53\00:26:40.10
Where is it?
There it is, go get it.
00:26:40.13\00:26:41.80
You know, we got to go.
And a lot of us don't do that.
00:26:41.83\00:26:44.50
Psalm 119:165,
great peace have they...
00:26:44.53\00:26:47.97
Which love thy law. Nothing.
00:26:48.00\00:26:49.74
Nothing shall
offend. Wow, that's deep.
00:26:49.77\00:26:53.24
Yeah, that's the
Bible. It's good.
00:26:53.27\00:26:55.28
If you have peace,
nothing's going to offend you.
00:26:55.31\00:26:56.91
But a lot of people get offended
00:26:56.95\00:26:58.28
when somebody
does something wrong.
00:26:58.31\00:26:59.65
How dare they, but it
ended with this phrase.
00:26:59.68\00:27:01.88
Mercy triumphs over judgment.
00:27:01.92\00:27:06.19
Amen. Amen.
00:27:06.22\00:27:08.22
Okay, now let's just
apply this to all of us.
00:27:08.26\00:27:10.59
And I think you set the stage.
00:27:10.63\00:27:12.36
If you call the
court as a defendant,
00:27:12.39\00:27:16.87
what are you going to
ask for, mercy or justice?
00:27:16.90\00:27:19.93
I think about it. Mercy.
00:27:19.97\00:27:22.90
I'm gonna ask for
mercy anytime over judgment.
00:27:22.94\00:27:27.31
Right. Absolutely.
00:27:27.34\00:27:28.68
Now, if you know
you didn't do it,
00:27:28.71\00:27:30.35
you asked for justice.
00:27:30.38\00:27:32.18
I demand justice.
I'm wrongly accused.
00:27:32.21\00:27:35.35
But if you know you did it,
what are you going to ask for?
00:27:35.38\00:27:38.22
I'm going to ask for mercy.
00:27:38.25\00:27:39.99
What do they say,
throw yourself on the...
00:27:40.02\00:27:42.42
Mercy of the court.
00:27:42.46\00:27:45.13
Yes, God is a merciful God,
00:27:45.16\00:27:47.16
but we have to throw
ourselves on the mercy of God.
00:27:47.20\00:27:49.56
When we do that
and we receive mercy.
00:27:49.60\00:27:52.53
It reminds me of a story.
00:27:52.57\00:27:53.90
And I'm not going
to take a lot of time
00:27:53.94\00:27:55.27
because we have a
lot more to cover.
00:27:55.30\00:27:56.64
But it reminds
me of the gentleman
00:27:56.67\00:27:58.01
that was in debtor's
prison, his debt was forgiven.
00:27:58.04\00:28:00.18
He like owed
equivalently millions
00:28:00.21\00:28:02.94
of millions of dollars,
he couldn't pay the debt.
00:28:02.98\00:28:06.41
They let him out.
00:28:06.45\00:28:07.78
But on the way home, he
saw a guy that owed him $20
00:28:07.82\00:28:10.75
and he said, "Where's my money?"
00:28:10.79\00:28:13.46
And the judge heard about it,
00:28:13.49\00:28:15.39
and they got him and
put them back in prison.
00:28:15.42\00:28:17.99
In other words, God
has forgiven you so much,
00:28:18.03\00:28:20.96
who are you to require
more than God requires of us.
00:28:21.00\00:28:26.10
That's what this
topic is really all about.
00:28:26.13\00:28:28.07
God could judge us and
condemn us in a heartbeat.
00:28:28.10\00:28:31.47
But he said, John
3:17, "For God sent not a Son
00:28:31.51\00:28:35.24
into the world to
condemn the world,
00:28:35.28\00:28:37.71
but the world
through Him might be saved."
00:28:37.75\00:28:40.12
So let's dive into
the deeper part now.
00:28:40.15\00:28:41.58
Oh, Ron. Just one
short point, Pastor.
00:28:41.62\00:28:46.05
This here, the mercy
triumphs over judgment,
00:28:46.09\00:28:49.32
but also the one who
shows, has shown no mercy.
00:28:49.36\00:28:54.36
This is the same principle
00:28:54.40\00:28:55.96
that God asked us
to do with forgiveness.
00:28:56.00\00:28:59.73
This follows through,
00:28:59.77\00:29:01.30
this is one of the
underlying principles
00:29:01.34\00:29:04.37
I believe that God has,
00:29:04.41\00:29:06.88
that He will show us
mercy as we show mercy.
00:29:06.91\00:29:11.51
He forgives sins as we forgive.
00:29:11.55\00:29:15.78
It's not that He
doesn't want to, He can't.
00:29:15.82\00:29:20.02
If we haven't got that
00:29:20.06\00:29:21.49
forgiving
attribute in our heart,
00:29:21.52\00:29:27.70
how can we even expect
Him to extend that to us
00:29:27.73\00:29:33.00
if we're not
willing to extend it?
00:29:33.03\00:29:35.47
And so it follows,
that's one of the great...
00:29:35.50\00:29:40.58
Attributes. Attributes of God.
00:29:40.61\00:29:42.61
Thank you.
00:29:42.64\00:29:43.98
Well, didn't he say
to forgive us our sins
00:29:44.01\00:29:45.65
as we forgive.
00:29:45.68\00:29:47.92
Forgive us our
debts as we forgive.
00:29:47.95\00:29:50.39
Amen. See, it's a reciprocating.
00:29:50.42\00:29:52.35
I think if we
really locked that down,
00:29:52.39\00:29:55.16
we could begin to see,
00:29:55.19\00:29:56.69
you cannot not forgive somebody.
00:29:56.73\00:29:58.63
Yeah, right. Right, Donna?
00:29:58.66\00:30:00.00
Right.
00:30:00.03\00:30:01.36
You don't have the right to say,
00:30:01.40\00:30:02.73
I will not forgive you.
00:30:02.76\00:30:04.10
Oh, did I just hear you say
you're not going to forgive me?
00:30:04.13\00:30:06.43
I'll write that down.
John is not going to forgive.
00:30:06.47\00:30:08.30
So until he does,
00:30:08.34\00:30:09.67
there'll be no
forgiveness extended to you.
00:30:09.70\00:30:11.77
That's
reciprocating. That's scary.
00:30:11.81\00:30:14.08
What do you do
when someone says,
00:30:14.11\00:30:18.58
well, like you said, I
am not going to forgive you.
00:30:18.61\00:30:22.38
And you've tried to reconcile?
00:30:22.42\00:30:25.32
What do you do?
00:30:25.35\00:30:26.69
Well, that's, that's a,
00:30:26.72\00:30:28.16
it's not an easy pill to swallow
00:30:28.19\00:30:29.86
but here's what you do.
00:30:29.89\00:30:31.59
You do what Jesus did.
00:30:31.63\00:30:33.66
When Jesus before He
passed away on the cross,
00:30:33.70\00:30:36.46
before He died, He
said, "Father, forgive them,
00:30:36.50\00:30:38.73
for they know not what they do."
00:30:38.77\00:30:40.30
Forgiveness is more than
00:30:40.34\00:30:41.67
just the act of
freeing the other person,
00:30:41.70\00:30:43.41
it's the most powerful
act of freeing yourself.
00:30:43.44\00:30:46.41
You say I understand how
you feel but you know what?
00:30:46.44\00:30:50.21
When you do your part in
seeking that forgiveness,
00:30:50.25\00:30:54.05
the Lord is going to
bring to that person's table,
00:30:54.08\00:30:57.35
a plate of food that
they won't be able to eat,
00:30:57.39\00:30:59.75
and you know what's
going to be on that plate?
00:30:59.79\00:31:01.12
All of their sins.
00:31:01.16\00:31:03.36
That's why the
Lord wrote in the sand,
00:31:03.39\00:31:05.86
the woman that was accused
00:31:05.89\00:31:07.23
and brought before
the Lord to be stoned.
00:31:07.26\00:31:09.76
It's so beautiful,
00:31:09.80\00:31:11.13
He started writing on the ground
00:31:11.17\00:31:12.50
and He started looking,
"Where are your accusers?
00:31:12.53\00:31:14.50
Are any of them
here?" "No, Lord."
00:31:14.54\00:31:18.61
He did not condone
the sin of adultery.
00:31:18.64\00:31:21.34
He said to her do
what? Go and what?
00:31:21.38\00:31:24.31
"Sin no more." "Do
not do this again."
00:31:24.35\00:31:26.45
But He said first, He
said, "I do not condemn you."
00:31:26.48\00:31:31.75
Right. What did
He come to condemn?
00:31:31.79\00:31:35.16
Sin, not the
sinner. Not the person.
00:31:35.19\00:31:36.96
Right.
00:31:36.99\00:31:38.33
And we often
condemned sinners...
00:31:38.36\00:31:39.69
You wrote a song
about that, did you?
00:31:39.73\00:31:41.06
Oh, I got to record it, though.
00:31:41.10\00:31:42.66
It's called "Nor
do I condemn thee."
00:31:42.70\00:31:44.13
Yeah, a beautiful song. I was...
00:31:44.17\00:31:47.64
Yes, Donna. I
remember, I went to church.
00:31:47.67\00:31:52.04
And I asked the Lord,
you know, "Forgive me,
00:31:52.07\00:31:54.54
I have nothing to give
You but my black heart.
00:31:54.58\00:31:57.75
I have nothing."
00:31:57.78\00:31:59.35
And I asked for
full forgiveness.
00:31:59.38\00:32:01.42
You know, what did,
what do you ask for?
00:32:01.45\00:32:03.85
All forgiveness.
00:32:03.89\00:32:05.39
And I remember the next
morning when I was, I woke up.
00:32:05.42\00:32:09.99
And I hadn't even
gotten out of bed yet.
00:32:10.03\00:32:12.09
And it was like,
what's different?
00:32:12.13\00:32:14.83
What's different today?
00:32:14.86\00:32:16.20
Ah, I get to talk to God
today, all day if I want to.
00:32:16.23\00:32:20.50
It's like it was a new
concept. I was right with God.
00:32:20.54\00:32:24.07
And there was just
the neatest moment.
00:32:24.11\00:32:26.78
Amen. It's beautiful.
00:32:26.81\00:32:29.24
I want to dive
down to number seven now
00:32:29.28\00:32:30.75
because we'll come back
to number six in a moment
00:32:30.78\00:32:32.98
when we want before
00:32:33.01\00:32:34.35
we wind up the
problem if we can.
00:32:34.38\00:32:35.98
But this is where it really gets
00:32:36.02\00:32:38.05
to the rubber meets the road.
00:32:38.09\00:32:40.46
This is where the
rubber meets the road.
00:32:40.49\00:32:41.82
Because there's
somebody watching this program
00:32:41.86\00:32:43.46
that probably said, you know,
00:32:43.49\00:32:45.16
I will never
forget what A, B, and C
00:32:45.19\00:32:48.53
or what this family member,
what that person did to me.
00:32:48.56\00:32:51.00
I will never forget it.
00:32:51.03\00:32:53.27
I will never,
00:32:53.30\00:32:54.64
I'm going to
take it to my grave.
00:32:54.67\00:32:56.30
I... Well, will they forgive?
00:32:56.34\00:32:59.14
Watch this? Will they forgive?
00:32:59.17\00:33:02.88
Now let's see what
the Bible requires.
00:33:02.91\00:33:05.08
Okay, let's see. Okay.
00:33:05.11\00:33:06.45
Matthew 5:23-24.
00:33:06.48\00:33:09.45
Honey, now I think
it's your turn now.
00:33:09.48\00:33:10.99
Oh, me? Okay.
Ricky just read before.
00:33:11.02\00:33:13.32
"Therefore if you
bring your gift to the altar,
00:33:13.36\00:33:16.56
and there remember that
00:33:16.59\00:33:17.93
your brother has
something against you,
00:33:17.96\00:33:20.50
leave your gift
there before the altar,
00:33:20.53\00:33:22.93
and go your way.
00:33:22.96\00:33:25.40
First be
reconciled to your brother,
00:33:25.43\00:33:29.54
and then come
and offer your gift."
00:33:29.57\00:33:32.94
Wow. Wow, Ricky?
00:33:32.97\00:33:34.31
Pastor John,
listen, when you, when I,
00:33:34.34\00:33:37.35
when you sent this to me,
00:33:37.38\00:33:39.01
and I was
looking at this text...
00:33:39.05\00:33:40.62
Yes.
00:33:40.65\00:33:42.42
For most of my life,
00:33:42.45\00:33:43.79
I've always thought of
this text as something that,
00:33:43.82\00:33:48.99
let's say I'm at the altar,
00:33:49.02\00:33:50.49
something that I
did against my brother,
00:33:50.53\00:33:53.13
that I need to go
and ask for forgiveness.
00:33:53.16\00:33:58.73
But when I read this
again, what I'm seeing here,
00:33:58.77\00:34:03.00
it's something
that I'm seeing that,
00:34:03.04\00:34:06.27
hey, they wronged me
and the onus is on me
00:34:06.31\00:34:10.31
to go to them to
ask for reconciliation.
00:34:10.35\00:34:13.72
I don't know why I
never saw that before.
00:34:13.75\00:34:16.89
Um, but that was powerful
because that takes a lot to,
00:34:16.92\00:34:21.52
I mean, the person wronged me.
00:34:21.56\00:34:22.89
Right. Right.
00:34:22.92\00:34:24.79
The way that I naturally
want to ask, act as like,
00:34:24.83\00:34:27.60
I'm waiting for
this guy to, you know,
00:34:27.63\00:34:28.96
come in and make it right.
00:34:29.00\00:34:31.43
But that's not
what God is saying here.
00:34:31.47\00:34:33.60
It's on me to go
to him and to her
00:34:33.64\00:34:38.54
and to reconcile and
then I've got to also do it
00:34:38.57\00:34:42.11
in a way that's Christlike,
00:34:42.14\00:34:44.51
you know, being kind and tender.
00:34:44.55\00:34:50.42
That is also a way that
I'm not naturally like that.
00:34:50.45\00:34:55.36
Exactly. We're
not wired that way.
00:34:55.39\00:34:56.96
No, but man, praise God.
00:34:56.99\00:34:59.23
He can, He can work
in me to give me that
00:34:59.26\00:35:02.26
tender spirit to
be able to do that.
00:35:02.30\00:35:05.13
And it says to bring in
everlasting righteousness
00:35:05.17\00:35:09.54
on both parts.
00:35:09.57\00:35:10.91
That's right.
00:35:10.94\00:35:12.27
To make
reconciliation for iniquity,
00:35:12.31\00:35:13.64
bringing
everlasting righteousness
00:35:13.68\00:35:15.01
in Daniel 9:24.
00:35:15.04\00:35:16.38
But notice, this is the thing
00:35:16.41\00:35:17.75
that really caught me
and you know, you're right.
00:35:17.78\00:35:19.48
Even Angie talked to me.
00:35:19.51\00:35:20.85
She told me, she
says, I call her Angie.
00:35:20.88\00:35:22.68
But you say Angela.
00:35:22.72\00:35:25.69
When we read that passage, I
remember quoting it that way,
00:35:25.72\00:35:29.79
I said, "The Lord
puts the responsibility
00:35:29.82\00:35:32.59
of the reconciliation
on the innocent person."
00:35:32.63\00:35:35.83
She said, "Go to the
one that has wronged you.
00:35:35.86\00:35:38.43
Go to the one that
has done something to you
00:35:38.47\00:35:41.10
and seek reconciliation."
00:35:41.14\00:35:42.80
And as Ricky said,
00:35:42.84\00:35:44.17
"In the spirit of
humility restore such a one."
00:35:44.21\00:35:47.64
And then Paul says,
"Less you also be tempted."
00:35:47.68\00:35:50.11
He said, "Consider yourself."
00:35:50.15\00:35:51.68
So watch out because
one day the script may flip
00:35:51.71\00:35:55.08
and you'll be on the other side
00:35:55.12\00:35:56.45
and what would you
want people to do to you?
00:35:56.48\00:35:58.32
Because this
wounded sheep that the Bible
00:35:58.35\00:36:00.49
uses in an illustration,
the sheep that strayed away.
00:36:00.52\00:36:04.06
The Lord didn't
say, "Where's that sheep?
00:36:04.09\00:36:06.33
I'm waiting for
him to come back.
00:36:06.36\00:36:07.73
I'm waiting for
him to come back.
00:36:07.76\00:36:09.13
What did the Lord do?
00:36:09.16\00:36:11.13
He went out and
put them to His breast
00:36:11.17\00:36:13.87
and brought them
back and rejoiced.
00:36:13.90\00:36:15.30
Ron? Just as if you...
00:36:15.34\00:36:18.21
Well, I had two
points real quick.
00:36:18.24\00:36:20.44
First is, just
as the prodigal son
00:36:20.48\00:36:23.85
in the same chapter
in the same parable,
00:36:23.88\00:36:28.35
write down the verses there.
00:36:28.38\00:36:32.29
The father ran after the
son when he saw him coming.
00:36:32.32\00:36:37.19
One of my favorite ones.
00:36:37.23\00:36:39.23
But as Rick was
pointing out there,
00:36:39.26\00:36:44.17
the reconciliation it's
not just going and asking,
00:36:44.20\00:36:49.34
saying I forgive you, you know,
00:36:49.37\00:36:51.44
that's mean glorifying yourself.
00:36:51.47\00:36:57.05
You're going for
reconciliation be,
00:36:57.08\00:37:00.28
first be
reconciled to your brother.
00:37:00.32\00:37:02.78
Go there as you
play in a humble way.
00:37:02.82\00:37:05.82
Yes. That's right.
00:37:05.85\00:37:08.19
Mend those broken places.
00:37:08.22\00:37:10.39
Start applying the
glue and it'll dry in time.
00:37:10.43\00:37:14.50
You know, that's the
beautiful thing about it.
00:37:14.53\00:37:15.86
Anything else?
00:37:15.90\00:37:17.23
But look at Galatians
6:1, Donna, read that for us,
00:37:17.27\00:37:18.97
Galatians 6:1 on
the point number seven.
00:37:19.00\00:37:21.60
"Brethren, if a man is
overtaken in any trespass,
00:37:21.64\00:37:25.44
you who are spiritual restore
00:37:25.47\00:37:28.18
such a one in a
spirit of gentleness,
00:37:28.21\00:37:30.75
considering yourself lest you
00:37:30.78\00:37:35.62
also be tempted,"
like you were saying.
00:37:35.65\00:37:37.79
That's right. Lest
you also be tempted.
00:37:37.82\00:37:39.55
And this is
something I want to have...
00:37:39.59\00:37:41.62
Honey, would you read that
00:37:41.66\00:37:42.99
for us that quote in Ellen White
00:37:43.02\00:37:44.36
there in Desire of
Ages, page 440, paragraph two.
00:37:44.39\00:37:46.66
This is a
powerful statement. Yes.
00:37:46.70\00:37:49.06
"In the spirit of
meekness consider in thyself,
00:37:49.10\00:37:52.63
let's also be tempted."
00:37:52.67\00:37:56.71
In Galatians 6:1 we just read,
00:37:56.74\00:37:59.27
"To go to the erring
one and tell him his fault
00:37:59.31\00:38:04.01
between thee and him alone."
00:38:04.05\00:38:06.45
Between who?
Just the two people.
00:38:06.48\00:38:08.25
Okay.
00:38:08.28\00:38:09.62
Do not put him to shame
00:38:09.65\00:38:12.12
by exposing his
faults to others.
00:38:12.15\00:38:15.22
Nor bring dishonor upon Christ
00:38:15.26\00:38:19.53
by making public the sin
00:38:19.56\00:38:21.90
or error of one
who bears his name.
00:38:21.93\00:38:27.67
Often, the truth must be
plainly spoken to the erring.
00:38:27.70\00:38:33.11
He must be led to see
his error that he may reform.
00:38:33.14\00:38:38.88
But you are not
to judge nor condemn.
00:38:38.91\00:38:43.89
Make no attempt at
self-justification.
00:38:43.92\00:38:48.32
Let all your effort be
for his or her recovery.
00:38:48.36\00:38:54.60
In treating the
wounds of the soul,
00:38:54.63\00:38:56.93
there is need of
the most delicate touch,
00:38:56.97\00:39:00.84
the finest sensibility.
00:39:00.87\00:39:03.67
Only the love that flows
00:39:03.71\00:39:06.24
from the suffering one
of Calvary can avail here."
00:39:06.27\00:39:11.61
And it ends here,
"With pity and tenderness,
00:39:11.65\00:39:15.92
let brother deal with brother,
00:39:15.95\00:39:19.25
knowing that if you succeed,"
00:39:19.29\00:39:22.02
I love this,
"you will save a soul
00:39:22.06\00:39:24.43
from death and hide
a multitude of sins."
00:39:24.46\00:39:30.00
James 5:20.
00:39:30.03\00:39:32.77
That's powerful. Yes!
00:39:32.80\00:39:34.40
That's powerful because
in this Facebook world...
00:39:34.44\00:39:37.47
Oh, people put
everything on Facebook,
00:39:37.51\00:39:39.57
they pull all their junk,
00:39:39.61\00:39:40.94
they tell what
the people have done,
00:39:40.98\00:39:42.48
but what does it say?
00:39:42.51\00:39:43.98
Do not do that. But
what did it do to God?
00:39:44.01\00:39:46.78
It puts Christ to an open shame.
00:39:46.82\00:39:50.45
It bear, it injures
the name of Christ when...
00:39:50.49\00:39:53.25
You Facebook junkies,
00:39:53.29\00:39:54.86
let me talk to these
Facebook junkies right now,
00:39:54.89\00:39:56.73
I got to be just
very frank about it.
00:39:56.76\00:39:58.69
Hold on, Ron.
00:39:58.73\00:40:00.06
I'll be back to
normalcy in a moment here.
00:40:00.10\00:40:01.96
But you Facebook junkies
that like to put your business
00:40:02.00\00:40:04.43
in other people's
business on Facebook,
00:40:04.47\00:40:06.53
you ought to get
before God and repent.
00:40:06.57\00:40:09.10
Because God, if God
put your junk on Facebook,
00:40:09.14\00:40:11.34
you wouldn't,
00:40:11.37\00:40:12.71
you would not be able to recover
00:40:12.74\00:40:14.61
from the things you have done.
00:40:14.64\00:40:16.21
If you, if God did to you
what you've done to others,
00:40:16.24\00:40:20.48
by putting all their
business on Facebook,
00:40:20.52\00:40:23.72
naming details and shaming
individuals in a public forum,
00:40:23.75\00:40:28.82
because as I
heard this years ago,
00:40:28.86\00:40:31.09
and this is a minor illustration
00:40:31.13\00:40:33.09
as compared to the
real injury that follows,
00:40:33.13\00:40:35.73
because I've heard, you know,
00:40:35.76\00:40:37.10
husbands or wives a
lot will have an argument.
00:40:37.13\00:40:39.50
And I've said to
people many years ago,
00:40:39.53\00:40:41.07
if you and your
husband have an argument,
00:40:41.10\00:40:42.84
settle that argument
00:40:42.87\00:40:44.21
or go to a
counselor or a pastor,
00:40:44.24\00:40:45.57
somebody that's not
going to put it out in public.
00:40:45.61\00:40:47.71
But when you go
from a church member
00:40:47.74\00:40:49.14
to church
member to church member
00:40:49.18\00:40:50.51
to church member
and dog each other,
00:40:50.55\00:40:52.21
tear down your
husband or your wife,
00:40:52.25\00:40:54.25
long after you're healed,
other people can't get over it.
00:40:54.28\00:40:58.19
Every time they see, Ricky,
00:40:58.22\00:40:59.62
isn't he the one
that hit it what?
00:40:59.65\00:41:02.22
And not that you did that. No.
00:41:02.26\00:41:03.66
But that's what people do.
00:41:03.69\00:41:05.13
They link that behavior to
them and they never forget it,
00:41:05.16\00:41:07.46
and Ellen White said,
00:41:07.50\00:41:08.86
"God has not," I'm paraphrasing,
00:41:08.90\00:41:10.60
she says, I think is in
book My Character Personality.
00:41:10.63\00:41:13.20
She says, "God has not designed
00:41:13.23\00:41:16.44
that others may bear
the burden of your sin.
00:41:16.47\00:41:20.64
Do not put your
sin upon anyone else.
00:41:20.68\00:41:22.88
They cannot atone for it
and they cannot handle it."
00:41:22.91\00:41:25.75
And long after the
matter is resolved,
00:41:25.78\00:41:27.95
they'll never forget it.
00:41:27.98\00:41:29.32
But here it
says... Go ahead, Honey.
00:41:29.35\00:41:30.82
Now one thing about us.
00:41:30.85\00:41:32.49
We don't tell other
people what we're going through.
00:41:32.52\00:41:36.26
We're struggling
husband and wife.
00:41:36.29\00:41:38.46
We don't do that. We
rather fight than switch.
00:41:38.49\00:41:42.26
Remember that.
00:41:42.30\00:41:43.63
In 37 years of marriage,
00:41:43.67\00:41:45.00
you better believe, we disagree.
00:41:45.03\00:41:46.84
But we don't come to church
like she's in another car,
00:41:46.87\00:41:49.50
she'll be here in a
minute. I'll drive her today.
00:41:49.54\00:41:53.94
I'm not going to let her
be in my car until she is.
00:41:53.98\00:41:55.64
And there are
husbands and wives,
00:41:55.68\00:41:57.01
they don't talk for
weeks. I've had people say that.
00:41:57.05\00:41:59.91
Where's your wife?
We're not on talking terms.
00:41:59.95\00:42:01.88
Where's your husband? I
locked him out of the house.
00:42:01.92\00:42:05.05
I'll wait till I
feel it's right for him
00:42:05.09\00:42:07.06
to come back in.
00:42:07.09\00:42:08.42
This is dishonoring to God.
00:42:08.46\00:42:10.13
If God locked
us out of the house
00:42:10.16\00:42:12.93
till we were
right, Lord, have mercy.
00:42:12.96\00:42:15.76
We'll be cold. So
let's look what God...
00:42:15.80\00:42:17.63
Ron. Ron. Ron.
00:42:17.67\00:42:19.03
He looks like he's
going to say something.
00:42:19.07\00:42:20.40
Yeah, Ron is on fire right now.
00:42:20.44\00:42:22.40
Well, one day I was
counseled long time ago
00:42:22.44\00:42:28.24
that never, it
doesn't make any difference
00:42:28.28\00:42:32.08
if your wife has
done something wrong,
00:42:32.11\00:42:34.35
and somebody says
you never side with them.
00:42:34.38\00:42:40.36
You know, somebody
says something, boy,
00:42:40.39\00:42:43.22
you know, I love your
wife, but she does this.
00:42:43.26\00:42:47.06
You never side with them.
00:42:47.10\00:42:49.73
You always even if
that is a fault of hers,
00:42:49.76\00:42:54.47
you take up for her.
00:42:54.50\00:42:57.71
You always hold your mate up
even if you've had like you say
00:42:57.74\00:43:03.85
if you had a fight at
home, you don't bring that out.
00:43:03.88\00:43:08.45
But if somebody says
something, you never,
00:43:08.48\00:43:12.35
ever talk bad about your
mate, not even in a joking way.
00:43:12.39\00:43:17.83
Amen. That's
right. You know what?
00:43:17.86\00:43:19.29
There's a lady that we
have a good friend of ours.
00:43:19.33\00:43:20.93
Annie Johnson.
00:43:20.96\00:43:22.63
Annie, I hope you're listening.
00:43:22.66\00:43:24.57
She says to me, years
ago, she's in California.
00:43:24.60\00:43:28.84
And she says, "Angela,
one thing I know about you,
00:43:28.87\00:43:32.51
you never say anything
bad about your husband."
00:43:32.54\00:43:36.01
And it's true. I don't do that.
00:43:36.04\00:43:38.41
I don't do that publicly.
00:43:38.45\00:43:40.55
Well, behind the
closed doors, we'll talk,
00:43:40.58\00:43:43.18
we'll discuss right
whatever issues going on,
00:43:43.22\00:43:47.56
we'll discuss
it with each other.
00:43:47.59\00:43:48.92
We'll discuss
it with each other.
00:43:48.96\00:43:50.29
That's right. But I
don't do that publicly.
00:43:50.33\00:43:52.26
Yeah, don't tear your spouse
00:43:52.29\00:43:53.63
that you could be
ever so frustrated.
00:43:53.66\00:43:55.33
Don't drop your spouse's garbage
00:43:55.36\00:43:57.47
in other people's ears.
00:43:57.50\00:43:59.03
Because long after you
got the thing resolved,
00:43:59.07\00:44:00.87
they look at them
in a negative way.
00:44:00.90\00:44:02.94
But look at what we should do.
00:44:02.97\00:44:04.31
Let's go to Romans 5:8-11.
00:44:04.34\00:44:06.34
I think is it Ron's turn, Yeah,
00:44:06.37\00:44:09.24
Romans 5:8-11 on
the point number eight.
00:44:09.28\00:44:12.15
In what condition
were we when God extended
00:44:12.18\00:44:16.45
reconciliation to us?
00:44:16.48\00:44:18.39
Romans 5:8-11, look at this.
00:44:18.42\00:44:20.79
I love this. I love this.
00:44:20.82\00:44:22.69
This is Paul and I are
going to have a long talk
00:44:22.72\00:44:27.66
when we get to heaven.
00:44:27.70\00:44:29.43
But this is one thing
that I love that he said,
00:44:29.46\00:44:35.14
New King James Version.
00:44:35.17\00:44:37.54
"But God demonstrates
His own love toward us
00:44:37.57\00:44:41.74
in that while we
were still sinners,
00:44:41.78\00:44:44.51
Christ died for us.
00:44:44.55\00:44:46.82
Much more than having now
been justified by His blood,
00:44:46.85\00:44:52.25
we shall be saved
from wrath through Him.
00:44:52.29\00:44:55.56
For if when we were
enemies we were reconciled..."
00:44:55.59\00:44:57.59
Oh, wow, wait. Pause a moment.
00:44:57.63\00:44:58.96
I got to say, if
while we were what?
00:44:58.99\00:45:01.46
Enemies. Still enemies.
00:45:01.50\00:45:03.40
Enemies, keep going.
00:45:03.43\00:45:05.93
"We were reconciled to
God to the death of His son,
00:45:05.97\00:45:10.47
much more
having been reconciled,
00:45:10.51\00:45:13.81
we shall be saved by His life."
00:45:13.84\00:45:16.68
Okay, keep going.
00:45:16.71\00:45:18.05
"And not only that,
but we also rejoice in God
00:45:18.08\00:45:22.62
through our Lord Jesus Christ,
00:45:22.65\00:45:25.85
through whom we have now
received the reconciliation."
00:45:25.89\00:45:30.26
Amen. Isn't that beautiful?
00:45:30.29\00:45:32.86
Isn't that beautiful,
00:45:32.89\00:45:34.23
the checkbook of
salvation balance that.
00:45:34.26\00:45:36.83
Isn't that
hopeful? Amen. Praise God.
00:45:36.87\00:45:39.80
I mean, it's
hopeful because you know,
00:45:39.83\00:45:41.17
none of you
watching this program
00:45:41.20\00:45:42.97
could even stand up and
say, now I deserve to be saved.
00:45:43.00\00:45:47.98
Sit down.
00:45:48.01\00:45:49.64
None of us could stand up
and say I deserve to be saved.
00:45:49.68\00:45:52.15
And even if
you're not a Christian,
00:45:52.18\00:45:53.68
I want to give you
this word of encouragement.
00:45:53.72\00:45:56.05
Don't think that
Christians have an advantage
00:45:56.08\00:46:00.69
other than they just accepted
the pardoning grace of Christ.
00:46:00.72\00:46:05.76
So all you've got to do
00:46:05.79\00:46:07.13
to come into
reconciliation with God
00:46:07.16\00:46:09.00
and have the joy is accept
that gift of reconciliation.
00:46:09.03\00:46:12.57
He said, "I want to forgive you.
00:46:12.60\00:46:14.37
I have atoned for
you to be forgiven.
00:46:14.40\00:46:16.20
But now let me close the
gap between you and My Father."
00:46:16.24\00:46:19.94
And that's the person of Christ.
00:46:19.97\00:46:21.31
Amen to that? Amen.
00:46:21.34\00:46:22.68
We often don't see that.
00:46:22.71\00:46:24.05
So this is something,
00:46:24.08\00:46:25.41
we were enemies
when that happened.
00:46:25.45\00:46:27.45
But now as
children, we accept it,
00:46:27.48\00:46:29.52
and we're no longer enemies.
00:46:29.55\00:46:30.89
Ron? Did you
call that checkbook?
00:46:30.92\00:46:33.99
That checking account
could never be overdrawn.
00:46:34.02\00:46:38.46
Never be overdrawn. Amen!
00:46:38.49\00:46:42.16
I really do. Never. Praise God.
00:46:42.20\00:46:44.40
That's why I pause that
if you and I are redeemed
00:46:44.43\00:46:45.80
with things like silver and gold
00:46:45.83\00:46:47.40
with the precious blood,
you know, all of our need,
00:46:47.44\00:46:50.37
according to his
riches and glory.
00:46:50.41\00:46:51.81
Amen. That's powerful.
00:46:51.84\00:46:53.94
Blood is priceless. Priceless.
00:46:53.98\00:46:55.64
Priceless.
00:46:55.68\00:46:57.01
Now, I want to
get to this next one
00:46:57.05\00:46:58.38
because it's going up
00:46:58.41\00:46:59.75
to the next level in the ladder,
00:46:59.78\00:47:01.62
the next rung on the ladder.
00:47:01.65\00:47:03.49
In what way does the Bible
00:47:03.52\00:47:04.92
reveal the
importance of reconciliation?
00:47:04.95\00:47:07.42
Is it Ricky now?
00:47:07.46\00:47:08.79
Yeah. Okay, Ricky.
00:47:08.82\00:47:10.16
2 Corinthians 5:17-19 is
where we're headed right now.
00:47:10.19\00:47:13.70
In the New King
James Version, it says.
00:47:13.73\00:47:15.46
"Therefore, if
anyone is in Christ,
00:47:15.50\00:47:18.20
he is a new creation,
00:47:18.23\00:47:21.10
old things have
passed away, behold,
00:47:21.14\00:47:23.74
all things have become new."
00:47:23.77\00:47:25.11
Okay. Pause right there.
00:47:25.14\00:47:26.47
Pause it there. Now
we got to grab this.
00:47:26.51\00:47:27.98
This is such a powerful passage.
00:47:28.01\00:47:29.54
You got to break it down.
00:47:29.58\00:47:30.91
It's like a
really good cheesecake,
00:47:30.95\00:47:34.28
I'm using a loose illustration.
00:47:34.32\00:47:35.65
A vegan tofu cheese. Exactly.
00:47:35.68\00:47:38.19
It's like a cheesecake
that you absolutely love.
00:47:38.22\00:47:40.66
And you take the first bite
and I've seen this people go...
00:47:40.69\00:47:43.76
Melt in your
mouth. What's wrong?
00:47:43.79\00:47:46.70
It is saying if
anyone is in Christ
00:47:50.33\00:47:52.13
he's a new creation.
How does that happen?
00:47:52.17\00:47:56.20
Old things.
00:47:56.24\00:47:57.57
What things? Old.
00:47:57.61\00:47:59.51
Anything behind
you is old, right?
00:47:59.54\00:48:01.58
What has happened to them, Ron?
00:48:01.61\00:48:03.91
They have passed away.
00:48:03.95\00:48:05.48
Another word for
passed away, they're dead.
00:48:05.51\00:48:08.05
How many things that
come, how many things are new?
00:48:08.08\00:48:09.98
All.
00:48:10.02\00:48:11.35
So all the stuff you did is gone
00:48:11.39\00:48:15.56
because you are in Christ.
00:48:15.59\00:48:19.26
And you are a new
creation, to God be the glory.
00:48:19.29\00:48:21.83
Now, Ricky, take it
hold on to your seats,
00:48:21.86\00:48:24.50
because verse 18-20
00:48:24.53\00:48:26.00
is going to
light up that furnace.
00:48:26.03\00:48:29.27
"Now all things are of
God, who has reconciled us
00:48:29.30\00:48:33.58
to Himself through Jesus Christ,
00:48:33.61\00:48:37.58
and has given us the
ministry of reconciliation."
00:48:37.61\00:48:41.62
So what I've done
for you, now you go do,
00:48:41.65\00:48:44.39
this is your ministry.
00:48:44.42\00:48:46.45
Keep going.
00:48:46.49\00:48:47.96
"That is, that God was in Christ
00:48:47.99\00:48:51.96
reconciling the
world to Himself,
00:48:51.99\00:48:55.53
not imputing their
trespasses to them,
00:48:55.56\00:48:59.03
and has committed to us
the word of reconciliation."
00:48:59.07\00:49:04.21
Okay. Notice what he did.
00:49:04.24\00:49:05.77
God through Christ
reconciled the world to Himself.
00:49:05.81\00:49:10.98
But then it says not imputing
their trespasses to them.
00:49:11.01\00:49:13.85
What does that mean?
00:49:13.88\00:49:15.22
That means that
00:49:15.25\00:49:16.58
He's not holding
their trespasses.
00:49:16.62\00:49:19.09
He's not keeping them
00:49:19.12\00:49:21.09
over here in a
bank against them.
00:49:21.12\00:49:23.36
Just in case he
needs it. Bring it up.
00:49:23.39\00:49:26.59
Remember what you did?
00:49:26.63\00:49:28.93
Remember what you did,
you know that's irritating.
00:49:28.96\00:49:31.13
Yes, it is.
00:49:31.17\00:49:33.10
Donna, good to
see but I never forgot
00:49:33.13\00:49:34.60
what you did seven years ago.
00:49:34.64\00:49:37.07
The Lord doesn't do
that. What does He do?
00:49:37.11\00:49:40.11
He throws into the depths
of the sea, He forgets it,
00:49:40.14\00:49:44.65
He remembers it no more,
00:49:44.68\00:49:46.35
and the Bible says
somebody once said that
00:49:46.38\00:49:48.18
he puts out a no fishing sign.
00:49:48.22\00:49:51.25
And as far as the east is
from the west so far has as,
00:49:51.29\00:49:54.99
so far has he removed
our transgressions from us.
00:49:55.02\00:49:57.83
So here's the point.
00:49:57.86\00:49:59.19
When you think about
what God has done for you,
00:49:59.23\00:50:01.03
don't do
opposite to somebody else.
00:50:01.06\00:50:03.03
But now Ricky
is going to take it
00:50:03.06\00:50:04.40
to the next level in verse 20.
00:50:04.43\00:50:05.77
Okay.
00:50:05.80\00:50:07.14
"Now then, we are
ambassadors for Christ,
00:50:07.17\00:50:11.47
as though God were
pleading through us:
00:50:11.51\00:50:15.14
we implore you
on Christ's behalf,
00:50:15.18\00:50:18.41
be reconciled to God."
00:50:18.45\00:50:21.02
Isn't that powerful?
00:50:21.05\00:50:22.42
So watch this, you're
new creation in Christ
00:50:22.45\00:50:25.92
because Jesus atoned and
got rid of all your junk.
00:50:25.95\00:50:30.23
You are new creation.
00:50:30.26\00:50:31.59
Everything in front
of you is brand new,
00:50:31.63\00:50:33.26
what have
happened to that ulcer?
00:50:33.29\00:50:34.63
It was gone, I
just throw it out,
00:50:34.66\00:50:36.00
the garbage truck left,
00:50:36.03\00:50:37.37
it's going to
dump it into the ocean,
00:50:37.40\00:50:38.73
have no fishing sign.
00:50:38.77\00:50:40.10
Nobody has gone there ever
since I put that sign there.
00:50:40.14\00:50:42.10
Praise God for that.
00:50:42.14\00:50:43.47
But now here's
what I want you to do.
00:50:43.51\00:50:44.94
I just reconciled to you.
00:50:44.97\00:50:46.64
Now I want you to do
the same to other people.
00:50:46.68\00:50:48.98
But I don't want you to
do it in an arrogant way.
00:50:49.01\00:50:51.31
I want you to implore
them on Christ's behalf.
00:50:51.35\00:50:54.18
I've said when I
do appeals, friends,
00:50:54.22\00:50:57.65
I said I don't
mind begging for Jesus.
00:50:57.69\00:51:01.22
When I do an appeal,
people say why you took so long?
00:51:01.26\00:51:03.73
Oh no, I'm not taking
long. It's not a sermon process.
00:51:03.76\00:51:06.43
I'm saying to you,
be reconciled to God,
00:51:06.46\00:51:08.86
give your life to Christ.
00:51:08.90\00:51:10.23
That's why this
quotation from Desire of Ages,
00:51:10.27\00:51:11.97
I'm going to read
the first paragraph.
00:51:12.00\00:51:13.97
And then we're going to
wind up on the second one.
00:51:14.00\00:51:15.80
Look at this.
00:51:15.84\00:51:17.17
Desire of Ages,
page 440, paragraph one.
00:51:17.21\00:51:21.04
"We then that are strong
00:51:21.08\00:51:22.54
ought to bear the
infirmities of the weak
00:51:22.58\00:51:24.91
and not to please ourselves.
00:51:24.95\00:51:27.15
No soul who believes in Christ,
though His faith may be weak,
00:51:27.18\00:51:31.45
and steps wavering as
those of a little child
00:51:31.49\00:51:34.39
is to be lightly esteemed,
00:51:34.42\00:51:37.03
by all that has given
us advantage over another.
00:51:37.06\00:51:41.56
Be it education, refinement,
nobility of character,
00:51:41.60\00:51:45.13
Christian training,
religious experience,
00:51:45.17\00:51:47.64
we are in debt to
those less favored,
00:51:47.67\00:51:52.21
and so far as it
lies in our power,
00:51:52.24\00:51:54.64
we are to do what,
minister on to them.
00:51:54.68\00:51:58.08
If we are strong,
00:51:58.11\00:51:59.78
we are to stay up
the hands of the weak.
00:51:59.81\00:52:02.65
Angels of glory that do
00:52:02.68\00:52:04.45
always behold the face
of the Father in heaven,
00:52:04.49\00:52:07.66
joy in ministering
to His little ones,
00:52:07.69\00:52:11.16
trembling souls,
00:52:11.19\00:52:12.66
who have many objectionable
traits of character."
00:52:12.69\00:52:16.06
Don't wait till they
all got everything in line.
00:52:16.10\00:52:18.10
Don't wait to say, "Well,
when you get it all together,
00:52:18.13\00:52:19.47
I'll help you out."
00:52:19.50\00:52:20.84
No. God's got to do that.
00:52:20.87\00:52:22.64
But it goes on to
say, "Trembling souls
00:52:22.67\00:52:25.27
who have many objectionable
traits of character
00:52:25.31\00:52:28.28
are their special charge.
00:52:28.31\00:52:30.75
Angels are ever present,
where they are most needed.
00:52:30.78\00:52:35.05
For those who
have the hardest battle
00:52:35.08\00:52:37.79
with self to fight,
00:52:37.82\00:52:40.12
and whose surroundings
are the most discouraging.
00:52:40.16\00:52:43.06
And this in this ministry,
00:52:43.09\00:52:46.09
Christ's true
followers will cooperate."
00:52:46.13\00:52:48.56
But look at how it ends.
00:52:48.60\00:52:49.93
And you have another
quotation about you had early,
00:52:49.96\00:52:51.77
I want you to not forget that.
00:52:51.80\00:52:53.17
Wants you to get
that in the end here.
00:52:53.20\00:52:54.64
Listen to this part, friends.
00:52:54.67\00:52:57.07
"If one of these
little ones shall be overcome
00:52:57.11\00:52:59.57
and committed wrong against you,
00:52:59.61\00:53:01.91
then it is your work
to seek His restoration.
00:53:01.94\00:53:05.71
Do not wait for him
to make the first effort
00:53:05.75\00:53:08.42
for reconciliation."
00:53:08.45\00:53:10.95
How think he said
Jesus, if a man have 100 sheep,
00:53:10.99\00:53:14.59
and one of them be gone astray?
00:53:14.62\00:53:17.79
Doth he not leave the 99
and go into the mountains
00:53:17.83\00:53:21.23
and seek that which was
that which has gone astray
00:53:21.26\00:53:24.17
and if so be that he find
it, verily I say unto you,
00:53:24.20\00:53:29.17
he rejoices more of that sheep
00:53:29.20\00:53:33.71
then of the 99
which went not astray,
00:53:33.74\00:53:37.85
even so it is not
the will of your father,
00:53:37.88\00:53:41.65
which is in heaven,
00:53:41.68\00:53:43.02
that one of these
little ones should perish."
00:53:43.05\00:53:45.72
So we are saying the
ministry of reconciliation,
00:53:45.75\00:53:47.52
God did all that for you.
00:53:47.56\00:53:48.99
Don't wait for
people to come to you.
00:53:49.02\00:53:50.93
You go to them.
00:53:50.96\00:53:52.29
Don't wait for
people to have all the,
00:53:52.33\00:53:53.66
everything right.
00:53:53.70\00:53:55.03
You don't have
everything right, right?
00:53:55.06\00:53:56.73
And this one more quote,
00:53:56.77\00:53:58.10
and then we'll have
some closing thoughts.
00:53:58.13\00:53:59.47
Listen to this,
Honey. Where's this from?
00:53:59.50\00:54:01.50
Christ Object Lessons, page 144.
00:54:01.54\00:54:03.47
Paragraph two.
00:54:03.51\00:54:04.84
"One of Christ's last
commands to His disciples
00:54:04.87\00:54:08.48
was love one
another, as I have loved you."
00:54:08.51\00:54:11.95
John 13:34, "Do
we obey this command
00:54:11.98\00:54:15.68
or are we indulgent and sharp
00:54:15.72\00:54:18.09
on Christlike
character of traits?
00:54:18.12\00:54:21.59
If we have in any way
grieved or wounded others,
00:54:21.62\00:54:26.56
it is our duty
to confess our fault
00:54:26.59\00:54:29.83
and seek for reconciliation.
00:54:29.86\00:54:33.07
This is an essential preparation
00:54:33.10\00:54:36.20
that we may come
before God in faith and ask,
00:54:36.24\00:54:39.74
to ask His blessings."
00:54:39.77\00:54:41.34
Wow. It's a
precursor to blessings.
00:54:41.38\00:54:42.71
Yeah.
00:54:42.74\00:54:44.08
Let me give you
guys an opportunity
00:54:44.11\00:54:45.45
to comment here before we close.
00:54:45.48\00:54:46.82
Yes. We'll start with you, Ron.
00:54:46.85\00:54:49.05
You know, one thing
00:54:49.08\00:54:50.45
I got out of
this is reconciliation
00:54:50.49\00:54:55.49
is if someone has done something
00:54:55.52\00:54:58.43
against you, you say,
well, I've forgiven them.
00:54:58.46\00:55:02.36
I've deeply, I forgave them.
00:55:02.40\00:55:05.93
And it's so sad
that we can't get along.
00:55:05.97\00:55:10.47
No, this is saying
that you need to go to them,
00:55:10.51\00:55:14.78
and not brag about
your forgiveness of them.
00:55:14.81\00:55:18.65
But go to them and say, "Listen,
00:55:18.68\00:55:20.45
this is come between us.
00:55:20.48\00:55:23.39
Let's pray about this.
Let's get this out of the way.
00:55:23.42\00:55:28.59
Let's get back to that
friendship that we had.
00:55:28.62\00:55:32.33
Let's get back to
serving the Lord together."
00:55:32.36\00:55:36.06
That's right. Together.
00:55:36.10\00:55:38.53
Donna?
00:55:38.57\00:55:39.90
Well, it seems with everything
that we have looked at,
00:55:39.93\00:55:43.77
I believe that it's more.
00:55:43.81\00:55:47.38
God helped me keep the
negativity out of myself,
00:55:47.41\00:55:50.08
out of my heart
because if I don't,
00:55:50.11\00:55:53.38
then it'll just keep
getting blacker and blacker.
00:55:53.42\00:55:57.02
And I know, I always
talk about the 10 virgins,
00:55:57.05\00:55:59.92
why did the five
not get to go in,
00:55:59.95\00:56:03.12
something wrong in the
heart, it was something wrong.
00:56:03.16\00:56:06.70
Right. Ricky?
00:56:06.73\00:56:08.26
I got an example
I'll close within.
00:56:08.30\00:56:10.07
In the Civil War, there was
a lot of death, lot a carnage.
00:56:10.10\00:56:14.04
The Jefferson Davis of
the Confederacy, he died.
00:56:14.07\00:56:18.34
Of course, after later on,
00:56:18.37\00:56:19.71
and Ulysses Grant
of the Union, he died.
00:56:19.74\00:56:23.24
But what's interesting is
that there are two spouses,
00:56:23.28\00:56:27.55
Verina Davis and Julia Grant,
the two of them, the wives,
00:56:27.58\00:56:33.79
they actually
settled near each other.
00:56:33.82\00:56:37.23
And it said that they
became the closest of friends.
00:56:37.26\00:56:40.23
Wow.
00:56:40.26\00:56:41.73
There had to be some
kind of reconciliation
00:56:41.76\00:56:44.13
there between those two parties.
00:56:44.17\00:56:46.27
And I thought that
was a great example for us
00:56:46.30\00:56:48.04
to remember of how
this can come together
00:56:48.07\00:56:52.84
this
reconciliation that we all need.
00:56:52.87\00:56:54.84
That's right, they
were on the opposite sides
00:56:54.88\00:56:56.31
in the war, the Confederate war.
00:56:56.34\00:56:57.91
Honey?
00:56:57.95\00:56:59.61
Being reconciled, I
don't want it to be fake.
00:56:59.65\00:57:01.95
I want it to be real.
00:57:01.98\00:57:03.72
To be reconciled with
my brother, my sister,
00:57:03.75\00:57:06.55
I'm reconciled with my Lord.
00:57:06.59\00:57:08.62
That's right.
00:57:08.66\00:57:10.26
And, friends, what
we talked about today
00:57:10.29\00:57:11.69
cannot happen except
that Christ abides in you.
00:57:11.73\00:57:16.87
So our prayer for
you is that you sit down
00:57:16.90\00:57:18.77
and just start
inventorying your life.
00:57:18.80\00:57:20.84
Are you at peace
with your family?
00:57:20.87\00:57:22.54
Are you at peace
00:57:22.57\00:57:23.91
with your brothers
and sisters in church?
00:57:23.94\00:57:25.27
Are you at peace if
there's something between
00:57:25.31\00:57:27.04
you and anybody else?
00:57:27.08\00:57:28.74
We pray that you
can be reconciled to God
00:57:28.78\00:57:30.95
so that God can
reconcile you to others.
00:57:30.98\00:57:33.55
May God do that
until we see you again.
00:57:33.58\00:57:36.15
Happy Sabbath. Happy Sabbath.
00:57:36.18\00:57:37.79