I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Removing pain
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Lord, let my words
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Heal a heart that hurts
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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Hello, and welcome to
3ABN Today Family Worship,
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and happy Sabbath to you.
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I'm Jason Bradley.
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And I'm so glad that you decided
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to worship with us this evening.
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If you're
watching ,on television
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you can see that
the set is very festive.
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We've got...
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We're getting ready for
the Christmas season here.
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And, you know, we want
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to just focus on the
reason for the season.
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If you're listening on radio,
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I just want to tell you
it's very peaceful, serene,
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and all of those things.
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And we are going to
open up the Word of God.
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We're going to study
and learn about Jesus,
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our saving grace.
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Here with me, we
have Idalia Dinzey.
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It's great to have you.
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Thank you for the
invitation, Jason.
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I'm blessed to be here with you.
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Yes, it's a
blessing to have you.
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We have your husband
over here, John Dinzey.
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It's great to have you with us.
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It's a blessing for me as well.
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And I'm looking forward
to talking about the grace
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and salvation that
we find through Jesus.
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Amen. Amen.
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And we have Ronnie Shelton,
also known as Uncle Ronnie.
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There you go.
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It's great to have
you here, Uncle Ronnie.
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Thank you, Jason.
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I appreciate the invitation.
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Yes, Sir. Yes, Sir.
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So before we dive
into the Word of God,
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I want to start with prayer.
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Uncle Ronnie,
will you pray for us?
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Our great heavenly
Father, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit,
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we just thank you
for this opportunity
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to be here, to dive
into the Word of God.
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And I pray that our hearts
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and minds can be open to
the leading of Your Spirit.
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Lord, bless each and every one
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that might be viewing
the program this evening.
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I pray again that
hearts would be turned to You
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in Christ's name, amen.
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Amen. Amen.
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Our opening scripture
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is Jeremiah 31:3,
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"The Lord has
appeared of old to me, saying,
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'Yes, I have loved you
with an everlasting love.
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Therefore, with loving-kindness,
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I have drawn you.'"
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Amen.
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What stands out to
you all within this verse?
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Or what does this mean to you?
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It's intense.
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I have loved you
with an everlasting love,
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that everlasting love.
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And I thank God
for His loving-kindness
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that draws us to Him.
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Amen. Amen.
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Amen.
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Yes, and I liked that
it's love everlasting.
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You know, it's...
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God's love is
not dependent on, oh,
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what time of the day is it?
Or what day of the week is it?
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His love is everlasting.
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It's a love that's
beyond our ability to describe.
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And all are blessed by it.
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Amen. Amen. Amen.
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I was thinking also a couple
of things could be taken out
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of that that God didn't
differentiate between people.
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He didn't say, "I love all
of you people, but not you."
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You know, He just
throwed it out there.
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And I believe the
love He was talking about
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was the agape
love that you don't see
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much in the Old Testament.
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That a lot of people
would say, "Well, you know,
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Jesus and God were
two different things."
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But Jesus said,
"If you've seen Me,
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you've seen the Father."
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And here the Father, I believe,
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is using that agape love.
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He didn't discriminate
with who He was talking to.
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Absolutely,
absolutely. Praise the Lord.
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You know, I love the fact
that it says, of course the...
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You know, loved you
with an everlasting love,
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but therefore
with loving-kindness,
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I have drawn you.
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You know, when you
think about the love of Christ
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like God loved us first,
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you know, and out of that
love, it awakens love in us
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toward Him.
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And so that amazes me
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and the fact that
it's with loving-kindness.
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And I think that,
you know, as Christians,
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we need to follow
that example of Christ
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and how we love others,
how we show love to others.
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And that's very important to me.
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I'd like to
share that God loved us
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from the very creation.
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Yes.
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And that is why we are blessed
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to be able to
receive the Sabbath,
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because the
Sabbath was made for us
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out of love for us.
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The Lord blessed us
with this special day.
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It's just not any day,
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it is a day that was sanctified.
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It was separated.
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It was hallowed
because God loved...
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Loves us with
this everlasting love,
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that He has made
provision for every need.
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And He is longing for us
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to draw closer to
Him especially every day,
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of course.
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But for us to sup with Him,
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if you will, on Sabbath.
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Amen. Amen.
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Focusing in on that
word, loving-kindness,
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you know, it has
the word love in it.
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And there really...
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I was looking a little bit
into the Hebrew of that word.
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And it's...
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There's really no
English word equivalent for it.
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And this is, I guess,
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you could say the best
word they can come up with.
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Some translations
will say faithfulness.
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Okay.
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And it talks about
even God's covenant
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relationship with us,
and that He is faithful.
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His loving-kindness
is consistent, continual.
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And it says He draws
us with loving-kindness.
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I don't know if
you have ever been...
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Maybe as a child
perhaps you would say,
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"You're going to come with
me whether you like it or not."
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And they're pulling you and
pulling you to come with me.
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Come with me, you know,
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and you're kind of
just pulling on him.
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He draws us
with loving-kindness.
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His love is a drawing,
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has a drawing
characteristic towards it.
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It's like a magnet. Yes.
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Hallelujah.
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You know, I was
also thinking on that,
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Johnny, what it's
just talking about,
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to build on that a little bit.
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If He didn't draw
us, where would we be?
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Oh, terrible.
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You see, we're all born
with that carnal nature.
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We would be going away from Him
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if He didn't
continually draw us to Himself.
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Amen.
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And should we
draw away from Him,
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that love is so intense
that as we walk away from Him,
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we are like, you know what?
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The Holy Spirit speaks to
us and God allows U-turns.
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So you know what I mean? Yes.
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That love is so everlasting
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that if you're tempted
in walking out of the path
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where the Lord has
called you to walk through,
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the Lord will prompt your heart.
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Your ears will feel something,
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I believe, because
it has happened to me.
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You know, when I
was young and all.
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When anxious, I'm
like, "You know what?
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I think I'm just going
to take another turn in life
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or whatever."
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But when I skipped church
and instead of going to church
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and my mind was like,
"Well, Lord, I know I'm not...
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This is not pleasing to You.
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This is not pleasing to You."
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So I did go back, you know,
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and I did feel
that love of acceptance
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and that love that
those arms are wide open
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waiting for you to
just come and rest in Him.
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Yes. Yes. Amen.
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You know, you think about
the parable of the lost coin,
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the lost sheep, the lost son,
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and just how
heaven just rejoices
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when one comes home,
one turns and repents
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and gets drawn to the Father.
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I mean, this love
is truly incredible.
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You know, when you think about
love and you think how love...
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When someone loves someone,
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they have a plan for
them that is way better
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than they could ever imagine.
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And so like Jeremiah 29:11,
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and we'll go down a little bit.
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But Jeremiah 29:11,
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"For I know the thoughts
that I think towards you,
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says the Lord, thoughts of peace
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and not of evil, to
give you a future and a hope.
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Then you will call upon Me
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and go and pray to Me
and I will listen to you.
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And you will seek Me and find Me
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when you search for
Me with all your heart."
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Amen. God has a plan for us.
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He has thoughts of...
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He wants us to be in peace.
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Amen.
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And if we seek Him,
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we can talk to God
anytime of the day.
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No matter what we're
doing, we can go to God,
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which is absolutely incredible.
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Amen. Absolutely incredible.
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Yes, I remember.
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I'm sorry, I'm going to
share this experience as well.
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I remember I was so frustrated.
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I was just having a
rough day and I'm, oh, Lord!
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You know, and just
I was praying out loud
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and the person
that heard me said,
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"You talk to the Lord like that?
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I'm like, "Well,
00:10:02.33\00:10:05.33
He understands
that I'm frustrated.
00:10:05.37\00:10:07.70
I'm just like getting
all this off of my chest.
00:10:07.74\00:10:11.64
I mean, don't you
express yourself like that
00:10:11.67\00:10:13.54
with your closest friend?"
00:10:13.58\00:10:15.11
You know what I mean? Or my mom.
00:10:15.14\00:10:17.21
It's like, "Mom,
blah-blah," you know?
00:10:17.25\00:10:19.71
But with the Lord,
it's like, "Lord, like,
00:10:19.75\00:10:22.22
I am so frustrated right now."
00:10:22.25\00:10:24.42
And as I'm talking
to Him, He'll put a...
00:10:24.45\00:10:27.56
Even a song in my
heart and I'll start singing.
00:10:27.59\00:10:31.13
And, oh, before you know it,
00:10:31.16\00:10:33.46
you know, that peace that exists
00:10:33.50\00:10:36.73
when you go
into mode of worship.
00:10:36.77\00:10:39.20
So this Sabbath day,
we worshiped the Lord,
00:10:39.23\00:10:43.77
we adored the Lord.
00:10:43.81\00:10:45.14
We thank the gift of salvation.
00:10:45.17\00:10:48.61
We thank that baby Jesus
is the reason for the season.
00:10:48.64\00:10:53.11
Yes, amen.
00:10:53.15\00:10:54.48
You know, I'm thinking about
the idea Idalia mentioned that,
00:10:54.52\00:10:59.49
you know,
sometimes we walk away,
00:10:59.52\00:11:01.02
sometimes we walk away.
00:11:01.06\00:11:02.46
And the Bible
presents God, as you mentioned,
00:11:02.49\00:11:06.16
the lost coin, the lost
sheep has got interested in us
00:11:06.19\00:11:11.37
and goes to search for us
00:11:11.40\00:11:13.97
as if there was no other.
00:11:14.00\00:11:16.07
And it's a marvelous thing.
00:11:16.10\00:11:18.01
And when you combine
that with loving-kindness
00:11:18.04\00:11:20.14
He draws us, you know.
00:11:20.18\00:11:22.21
There's a scripture
in 2 Peter 3:9 that says
00:11:22.24\00:11:25.08
that He is not willing
that any should perish,
00:11:25.11\00:11:28.18
but that all
should come to repentance.
00:11:28.22\00:11:32.85
And we can see
God searching for us
00:11:32.89\00:11:36.32
and appealing to us.
00:11:36.36\00:11:37.99
Because when we
walk away from the Lord,
00:11:38.03\00:11:39.76
we are heading towards
destruction and suffering.
00:11:39.79\00:11:43.53
And, you know,
00:11:43.57\00:11:46.67
I'm going to go
ahead and tell this story.
00:11:46.70\00:11:50.61
I was trying to avoid it
00:11:50.64\00:11:51.97
The Dinzeys are full of stories.
00:11:52.01\00:11:53.58
Jump in there.
We love the stories.
00:11:53.61\00:11:55.31
I was trying to avoid it.
00:11:55.34\00:11:56.68
But anyway, many years ago,
00:11:56.71\00:11:59.78
you know, when I used to go
00:11:59.81\00:12:01.15
to a Spanish
church in South Chicago,
00:12:01.18\00:12:04.85
one of the young
guys that was married,
00:12:04.89\00:12:07.29
you know, he
stopped coming to church.
00:12:07.32\00:12:10.73
And many years passed.
00:12:10.76\00:12:14.03
And one day, I was
already working at 3ABN.
00:12:14.06\00:12:17.30
I mean, many years passed.
00:12:17.33\00:12:19.10
And I drive by the
church because I was by there.
00:12:19.13\00:12:21.60
I'm driving by the church,
00:12:21.64\00:12:23.20
and I see him just
looking at the church.
00:12:23.24\00:12:28.64
He's outside of his
car, looking at the church.
00:12:28.68\00:12:31.15
And I said, "Daniel."
00:12:31.18\00:12:34.88
And that's not
his name by the way.
00:12:34.92\00:12:36.25
"Daniel, I haven't
seen you in so long.
00:12:36.28\00:12:37.99
How are you doing?"
00:12:38.02\00:12:39.35
And his hair was longer
than he used to keep it.
00:12:39.39\00:12:40.99
You know, he used to
keep it nice and combed,
00:12:41.02\00:12:42.59
but now it's longer.
00:12:42.62\00:12:43.96
He looked different.
00:12:43.99\00:12:45.33
And he goes, "No, I was just
passing by and I decided to,
00:12:45.36\00:12:48.36
you know, just kind of
thinking of the old days."
00:12:48.40\00:12:51.43
And I said, "Oh,
are you back in church?"
00:12:51.47\00:12:52.80
"No, not yet, not yet."
00:12:52.83\00:12:54.77
I encouraged him to come back.
00:12:54.80\00:12:56.57
He goes, "Yeah,
I should come back.
00:12:56.60\00:12:58.07
You know, I should come back."
00:12:58.11\00:12:59.57
And so we talked for a
little bit then I left.
00:12:59.61\00:13:03.11
I had to be somewhere
00:13:03.14\00:13:05.31
and so
continued to pray for him.
00:13:05.35\00:13:08.02
I don't know if it was three,
maybe five years that passed.
00:13:08.05\00:13:11.15
We organized an
evangelistic campaign in Chicago
00:13:11.19\00:13:15.56
for 3ABN in Spanish.
00:13:15.59\00:13:19.19
By the way, Pastor Bohr,
he speaks perfect Spanish.
00:13:19.23\00:13:22.56
And so he was there.
00:13:22.60\00:13:25.30
This guy, Daniel, was there.
00:13:25.33\00:13:27.34
And so I was there,
you know, talking to people
00:13:27.37\00:13:29.57
and he comes and he greets me.
00:13:29.60\00:13:31.47
And now his hair was shorter
00:13:31.51\00:13:34.18
like he used to
keep it, nicely combed.
00:13:34.21\00:13:36.31
He looked neater
and he's in a suit now,
00:13:36.34\00:13:38.78
you know?
00:13:38.81\00:13:40.15
And I go, "Wow,
Daniel, how are you doing?
00:13:40.18\00:13:44.65
You look so different."
00:13:44.69\00:13:46.02
And he says, "Yes,
I'm back with the Lord."
00:13:46.05\00:13:48.62
He says, "It's
been two years now."
00:13:48.66\00:13:53.06
He said, "You know, I was away
from the Lord for 17 years."
00:13:53.09\00:13:55.93
Wow.
00:13:55.96\00:13:57.30
And then he said this,
00:13:57.33\00:13:58.67
he said they
were terrible years.
00:13:58.70\00:14:01.04
And I said, "Praise the Lord."
00:14:01.07\00:14:04.14
I said, "Praise the Lord,"
00:14:04.17\00:14:05.51
that he recognizes
that without the Lord,
00:14:05.54\00:14:08.78
they are terrible years there.
00:14:08.81\00:14:10.15
You're out there
suffering and, you know,
00:14:10.18\00:14:12.68
you don't have peace.
00:14:12.71\00:14:14.05
And he said,
"They were very bad."
00:14:14.08\00:14:16.28
And I say, "Yes,
praise the Lord."
00:14:16.32\00:14:17.65
And he says, "I'm happy,
00:14:17.69\00:14:19.32
and I'm glad to
be back in church."
00:14:19.35\00:14:21.36
So I, you know...
00:14:21.39\00:14:22.96
And God was
drawing him all the time.
00:14:22.99\00:14:26.29
And you ask
yourself, why do we resist?
00:14:26.33\00:14:28.86
Why do we resist
God's love, God's mercy,
00:14:28.90\00:14:32.57
God's willingness to accept
us to become His children?
00:14:32.60\00:14:36.37
And He's offering something
that doesn't have a value
00:14:36.40\00:14:40.74
that you can put on.
00:14:40.78\00:14:42.11
I mean, eternal everlasting
life without any suffering.
00:14:42.14\00:14:46.65
I mean, there's nothing on earth
00:14:46.68\00:14:48.25
that can compare with that.
00:14:48.28\00:14:49.62
Absolutely. You know, he says...
00:14:49.65\00:14:51.75
Daniel you were
talking about was part
00:14:51.79\00:14:54.52
of this verse that we
talk about in Jeremiah 29,
00:14:54.56\00:14:57.93
where he says, "I've
come to give you peace,
00:14:57.96\00:15:00.76
and a hope, and a future."
00:15:00.80\00:15:03.63
That's what the
world needs today.
00:15:03.67\00:15:05.13
Amen.
00:15:05.17\00:15:06.50
I mean, there's so
many people with no hope,
00:15:06.53\00:15:07.87
with no future.
00:15:07.90\00:15:09.24
Their future...
00:15:09.27\00:15:10.61
They can't see any
hope in their future.
00:15:10.64\00:15:11.97
Absolutely. And
that is so needed today.
00:15:12.01\00:15:13.71
And so I think that sounds like
that's what Daniel had found.
00:15:13.74\00:15:16.44
In the meantime, he had found
a future that had hope in it.
00:15:16.48\00:15:21.15
And, of course, he got
that by coming to the Lord.
00:15:21.18\00:15:23.05
That's right. That's the source.
00:15:23.08\00:15:24.55
Now imagine being in a house.
00:15:24.59\00:15:26.25
You're sitting at
home, your house is on fire,
00:15:26.29\00:15:29.12
and you're just sitting there
00:15:29.16\00:15:30.49
and you hear a
knock at the door.
00:15:30.53\00:15:33.46
It's the firemen.
00:15:33.50\00:15:35.20
They're coming there
to rescue and you're like,
00:15:35.23\00:15:37.53
"No, I'm comfortable.
00:15:37.57\00:15:39.63
I don't want to be
rescued. I don't want help.
00:15:39.67\00:15:42.74
I'm okay.
00:15:42.77\00:15:44.11
It's a little
warm, but I'm all right."
00:15:44.14\00:15:45.47
You know, and
you refuse the help.
00:15:45.51\00:15:48.14
They're trying to lead
you to life, but instead,
00:15:48.18\00:15:51.21
you just want to
stay in your comfort zone
00:15:51.25\00:15:55.12
and you're in the fire.
00:15:55.15\00:15:56.48
I mean, it
really makes no sense.
00:15:56.52\00:15:58.35
Why wouldn't we accept
00:15:58.39\00:16:00.42
what God has to
offer for us, to us?
00:16:00.46\00:16:04.03
And, Idalia, you mentioned
something a little while ago,
00:16:04.06\00:16:07.50
you know, with the
song and all of that.
00:16:07.53\00:16:10.17
I remember there was a time
00:16:10.20\00:16:11.53
where I was
worried about something.
00:16:11.57\00:16:13.54
And I was
listening to just some songs,
00:16:13.57\00:16:16.97
some gospel songs.
00:16:17.01\00:16:18.61
And it was on one
of these platforms
00:16:18.64\00:16:21.31
that it just goes
and it it'll take you
00:16:21.34\00:16:23.75
to the next
song and all of that.
00:16:23.78\00:16:25.81
And I was worried
about a particular thing.
00:16:25.85\00:16:30.09
And this song came
on, trust in the Lord.
00:16:30.12\00:16:34.19
And I was just like,
"Thank you for speaking to me."
00:16:34.22\00:16:37.43
Amen. I appreciate it.
00:16:37.46\00:16:38.79
It was...
00:16:38.83\00:16:40.16
And I was just like,
"Lord, I trust in You."
00:16:40.20\00:16:42.83
And it's incredible.
00:16:42.86\00:16:44.20
God draws us with
His loving-kindness.
00:16:44.23\00:16:47.30
And that's so powerful.
00:16:47.34\00:16:48.80
I want us to
look at Romans 6:23.
00:16:48.84\00:16:52.64
And, John Dinzey, if
you could read that for us.
00:16:52.67\00:16:57.28
John...
00:16:57.31\00:16:58.65
I mean, Romans
6:23. Romans 6:23.
00:16:58.68\00:17:01.38
Yeah.
00:17:01.42\00:17:02.75
And we have the words,
"For the wages of sin is death,
00:17:02.78\00:17:08.12
but the gift of
God is eternal life
00:17:08.16\00:17:10.99
in Christ Jesus our Lord."
00:17:11.03\00:17:13.60
Yes.
00:17:13.63\00:17:15.40
Beautiful passage
there because it tells you,
00:17:15.43\00:17:18.20
you know, the
wages of sin is death.
00:17:18.23\00:17:20.04
But there's a gift
that God has for each
00:17:20.07\00:17:23.37
and every one of us,
00:17:23.41\00:17:24.74
which is eternal
life in Christ Jesus
00:17:24.77\00:17:27.38
if we choose to accept Him.
00:17:27.41\00:17:30.05
We have the
choice. That's the...
00:17:30.08\00:17:33.18
That's such a key word,
if we chose, if you choose.
00:17:33.21\00:17:37.92
Because praise the
Lord, He's a kind God.
00:17:37.95\00:17:43.56
He does not make us follow Him.
00:17:43.59\00:17:46.90
He gives us the
choice. He gives...
00:17:46.93\00:17:49.26
He presents before us,
this is the way of perdition,
00:17:49.30\00:17:53.00
this is the way of salvation.
00:17:53.03\00:17:54.90
Choose you this day.
00:17:54.94\00:17:56.40
That's right. Right?
00:17:56.44\00:17:57.77
So right here,
00:17:57.81\00:17:59.14
I see in and it echoes
in my mind, in my heart.
00:17:59.17\00:18:03.08
For the wages of sin is
death, but the gift of God
00:18:03.11\00:18:05.95
is eternal life in Christ Jesus.
00:18:05.98\00:18:09.78
So choose you this
day, death or life.
00:18:09.82\00:18:12.89
Simple as that.
00:18:12.92\00:18:14.26
Just like you were
giving the illustration
00:18:14.29\00:18:15.99
of a house being burned down
00:18:16.02\00:18:17.86
and the people
inside are not listening
00:18:17.89\00:18:19.73
to the call to save them.
00:18:19.76\00:18:22.66
So, but they chose to
say, "Hey, we have a shower.
00:18:22.70\00:18:25.50
We'll turn on the water here.
00:18:25.53\00:18:27.04
And you know, we'll stay away
from the water, from the fire."
00:18:27.07\00:18:30.04
So... Yeah.
00:18:30.07\00:18:31.41
They're sitting
there, oh the game's on.
00:18:31.44\00:18:32.77
I don't want to go anywhere.
00:18:32.81\00:18:34.14
The game, my TV.
00:18:34.18\00:18:35.51
I've got my TV, I've got
my nice stuff, everything.
00:18:35.54\00:18:37.75
I'm comfortable with
my appliances, everything.
00:18:37.78\00:18:39.81
And no, I don't want...
00:18:39.85\00:18:41.18
I don't need any
rescuing. I'm okay.
00:18:41.22\00:18:42.88
Yes, the
distractions of the world.
00:18:42.92\00:18:45.29
Yes.
00:18:45.32\00:18:46.65
It's a dangerous place
and also it's our passions.
00:18:46.69\00:18:49.82
I think it's one
of the things that,
00:18:49.86\00:18:52.29
in my opinion, the
passions that we might have
00:18:52.33\00:18:55.40
and our priorities
that may draw us from...
00:18:55.43\00:19:00.40
Away from seeking
first the kingdom of God,
00:19:00.44\00:19:05.81
you know, and His salvation.
00:19:05.84\00:19:07.88
You know, I think also,
Jason, attached to that,
00:19:07.91\00:19:10.85
you can look at that and say,
00:19:10.88\00:19:12.48
you know, there are consequences
00:19:12.51\00:19:14.48
to the choices that we make.
00:19:14.52\00:19:15.85
Yes.
00:19:15.88\00:19:17.22
I mean, so many
think, well, I can do this.
00:19:17.25\00:19:19.12
It won't bother me.
00:19:19.15\00:19:20.49
It won't hurt me, you know?
00:19:20.52\00:19:22.62
I've done it so
many years, you know?
00:19:22.66\00:19:25.79
For instance, you
know, there's certain things
00:19:25.83\00:19:27.43
that we could do
to our body and think,
00:19:27.46\00:19:28.96
man, that never touches me.
00:19:29.00\00:19:31.23
And after they'd been
there a number of years,
00:19:31.27\00:19:33.84
they find out they
got cancer or something.
00:19:33.87\00:19:35.67
And they look back and maybe
they'd been a tobacco user,
00:19:35.70\00:19:38.31
maybe some other
things, you know?
00:19:38.34\00:19:40.01
And you think,
there is a consequence
00:19:40.04\00:19:42.58
to all the choices we make.
00:19:42.61\00:19:43.98
That's right.
00:19:44.01\00:19:45.35
And so when it comes to
the salvational part of it,
00:19:45.38\00:19:47.72
for the wages of sin is death.
00:19:47.75\00:19:50.72
That's the consequences
of the choices of being,
00:19:50.75\00:19:54.49
you know, locked up into sin
00:19:54.52\00:19:56.32
and not being willing
to give it to the Lord.
00:19:56.36\00:19:59.09
So there's consequences.
00:19:59.13\00:20:00.66
You know, and
the Bible is so full
00:20:00.70\00:20:02.23
of promises
that are conditional.
00:20:02.26\00:20:05.00
Yes. If you look
at that, so many.
00:20:05.03\00:20:08.50
And I think I've
said this before.
00:20:08.54\00:20:09.87
I think maybe all of the
promises are conditional.
00:20:09.90\00:20:12.84
They're based upon God says
00:20:12.87\00:20:14.38
I will do this for you
if you will do this for Me.
00:20:14.41\00:20:18.41
And so all we have
to do is choose Him.
00:20:18.45\00:20:21.12
He says, "Choose life."
Why would you choose death?
00:20:21.15\00:20:23.55
Right.
00:20:23.59\00:20:24.92
Because the wages of
our actions, you know...
00:20:24.95\00:20:27.59
The wages of sin.
00:20:27.62\00:20:30.59
Yeah, the wages of sin...
00:20:30.63\00:20:32.83
Is death. Is death.
00:20:32.86\00:20:34.56
Why would we want to go that
route when we don't have to?
00:20:34.60\00:20:37.20
That's right.
00:20:37.23\00:20:38.57
What if there's someone
watching right now and saying,
00:20:38.60\00:20:40.30
"You know what?
00:20:40.34\00:20:41.67
This sounds all good and
all, but how do I accept that?
00:20:41.70\00:20:45.21
How do I, you know,
00:20:45.24\00:20:47.38
respond to that
calling or drawing?"
00:20:47.41\00:20:51.05
Because, you know, apparently,
it happens all the time, 24/7.
00:20:51.08\00:20:56.79
The Lord draws people to Him.
00:20:56.82\00:20:59.32
But it comes to a
point where we're like,
00:20:59.35\00:21:02.32
"Wait a minute.
00:21:02.36\00:21:03.69
I'm feeling something,
but how do I handle that?
00:21:03.73\00:21:05.06
What steps should I take,
00:21:05.09\00:21:06.96
you know, in order to
claim, okay, I accept Jesus?
00:21:07.00\00:21:11.60
I accept. I want life.
00:21:11.63\00:21:13.44
I want life eternal.
00:21:13.47\00:21:14.80
I want that gift of salvation.
00:21:14.84\00:21:16.60
I want that grace
that the Lord has for me.
00:21:16.64\00:21:19.61
So how do I do that?
00:21:19.64\00:21:21.14
How do I get it?"
00:21:21.18\00:21:22.91
That's a very good question.
00:21:22.94\00:21:24.28
I think I'd like to
start with Revelation 3:20.
00:21:24.31\00:21:28.32
Because in Revelation 3:20,
00:21:28.35\00:21:31.45
we have a scripture
00:21:31.49\00:21:34.42
that tells us
what Jesus is doing.
00:21:34.46\00:21:37.09
He says, "Behold, I
stand at the door and knock.
00:21:37.13\00:21:41.86
And if any man hears my
voice and opens the door,
00:21:41.90\00:21:46.74
I will come into him
00:21:46.77\00:21:48.10
and sup with
him and he with Me."
00:21:48.14\00:21:50.67
So I really...
00:21:50.71\00:21:53.78
I never noticed that before
until somebody mentioned it,
00:21:53.81\00:21:56.28
but there is a
painting made by someone
00:21:56.31\00:21:59.11
that's depicting
Jesus knocking at a door.
00:21:59.15\00:22:02.08
And as you look
at that painting,
00:22:02.12\00:22:03.45
you will notice that there's
not a knob on the outside.
00:22:03.49\00:22:07.39
The knob is on the other side.
00:22:07.42\00:22:08.76
And this is why you see
Jesus pictured as knocking
00:22:08.79\00:22:12.46
because you are
supposed to open the door.
00:22:12.49\00:22:15.96
So in order to
respond to God's call,
00:22:16.00\00:22:19.83
God's drawing, we
have to open the door,
00:22:19.87\00:22:22.70
in this case, the
door of our heart and say,
00:22:22.74\00:22:25.87
"Yes, Lord." What
is Jesus offering?
00:22:25.91\00:22:28.84
He's offering us
forgiveness for our sins,
00:22:28.88\00:22:32.05
complete forgiveness,
00:22:32.08\00:22:33.75
and He's
offering us eternal life.
00:22:33.78\00:22:37.09
And this eternal life
comes through His sacrifice
00:22:37.12\00:22:40.09
that He made for us.
00:22:40.12\00:22:41.46
He took our
place and died for us,
00:22:41.49\00:22:44.93
the equivalent
of the second death.
00:22:44.96\00:22:47.83
Because we say the
wages of sin is death.
00:22:47.86\00:22:49.96
And we say,
"Well, everybody dies."
00:22:50.00\00:22:51.60
They basically...
00:22:51.63\00:22:52.97
If you continue
living on this earth,
00:22:53.00\00:22:55.24
you either will die of old age,
00:22:55.27\00:22:57.34
die of a disease, or
somebody will kill you.
00:22:57.37\00:23:01.38
But what God is
offering goes beyond
00:23:01.41\00:23:04.85
what this world has to offer.
00:23:04.88\00:23:07.15
So it's eternal life
without suffering or pain.
00:23:07.18\00:23:09.88
So the steps respond by saying,
00:23:09.92\00:23:13.09
"Yes, Jesus, I
want what you offer.
00:23:13.12\00:23:15.12
You're offering
me eternal life."
00:23:15.16\00:23:17.19
Well, He's drawing us.
00:23:17.23\00:23:18.89
He's drawing us
to repentance to say,
00:23:18.93\00:23:22.10
"I want that forgiveness.
00:23:22.13\00:23:24.87
I repent of my sins."
00:23:24.90\00:23:26.23
And repentance is a word
that means sorrow for sins.
00:23:26.27\00:23:31.44
And you also do not
want to do that anymore.
00:23:31.47\00:23:35.04
You want to turn away from that
00:23:35.08\00:23:36.54
and go in the
opposite direction.
00:23:36.58\00:23:38.48
Yes. And so that is repentance.
00:23:38.51\00:23:40.68
And it's very simple in a sense,
00:23:40.72\00:23:42.82
but it was paid for
with an infinite price.
00:23:42.85\00:23:46.05
Yes, it was.
00:23:46.09\00:23:47.42
That's what... I'll add to that.
00:23:47.46\00:23:48.79
If somebody wants to...
00:23:48.82\00:23:50.16
Okay, I think that we
need to add to that the step
00:23:50.19\00:23:53.06
of recognizing
your need of the Savior.
00:23:53.09\00:23:56.36
Yes.
00:23:56.40\00:23:57.73
You know, a lot of times people
don't realize their state.
00:23:57.77\00:23:59.67
They think that they're
okay and that they're fine,
00:23:59.70\00:24:04.31
and they're doing
just fine without any help
00:24:04.34\00:24:07.11
or anything like that.
00:24:07.14\00:24:08.48
We're all in need of the Savior.
00:24:08.51\00:24:10.15
We're all in need
of Jesus. That's right.
00:24:10.18\00:24:12.28
And, you know,
00:24:12.31\00:24:13.65
I think right now in the place
00:24:13.68\00:24:17.72
in which we are with society,
00:24:17.75\00:24:20.16
is we're seeing a
whole bunch of enablers
00:24:20.19\00:24:23.32
and people that want
to enable bad behavior
00:24:23.36\00:24:26.63
and condone it or
be supportive of it,
00:24:26.66\00:24:29.63
rather than
teaching that you can gain
00:24:29.66\00:24:31.37
the victory over things.
00:24:31.40\00:24:32.83
You know, whatever
you're struggling with,
00:24:32.87\00:24:34.24
whatever stronghold,
whatever you're battling,
00:24:34.27\00:24:37.41
you can gain the
victory through Christ.
00:24:37.44\00:24:39.57
Amen.
00:24:39.61\00:24:40.94
You know, with
Christ, we can do all things
00:24:40.98\00:24:42.31
through Him who strengthens us.
00:24:42.34\00:24:44.08
So I think that's an
important step in there as well.
00:24:44.11\00:24:47.95
You know, Johnny,
and I would point out
00:24:47.98\00:24:50.05
to that it all starts.
00:24:50.09\00:24:51.49
We say, how do you do that?
00:24:51.52\00:24:52.85
How do you grab hold of this
thing and put it in my life?
00:24:52.89\00:24:57.09
It all starts with that
tiny little bit of faith.
00:24:57.13\00:24:59.79
A little... Mustard seed.
00:24:59.83\00:25:01.33
The size of a mustard seed.
00:25:01.36\00:25:03.13
Tiny little
bitty thing, you know?
00:25:03.16\00:25:04.50
That's right,
Ronnie. And somebody just...
00:25:04.53\00:25:06.30
I was in contact with
somebody just last night,
00:25:06.33\00:25:09.07
I think it was.
00:25:09.10\00:25:10.44
An old friend that I've
known for many, many years.
00:25:10.47\00:25:11.97
One of my
stories. One of these...
00:25:12.01\00:25:14.18
But it's recent.
00:25:14.21\00:25:15.54
I mean, it just
happened last night.
00:25:15.58\00:25:17.38
And this person had gotten
some bad news from the doctors,
00:25:17.41\00:25:21.15
and was getting
an MRI run today.
00:25:21.18\00:25:24.52
And anyway, this
person had been out
00:25:24.55\00:25:25.89
of the church for many
years, not going anywhere.
00:25:25.92\00:25:29.59
And so I noticed on Facebook,
they'd come on there and said,
00:25:29.62\00:25:34.03
"I need prayers."
00:25:34.06\00:25:35.40
I thought, "Well,
this is positive."
00:25:35.43\00:25:36.77
You know, this is positive
because they've been out
00:25:36.80\00:25:38.27
of the church for a long time.
00:25:38.30\00:25:39.63
So I contacted him
and I said, "You know,
00:25:39.67\00:25:41.90
I would like to pray with you."
00:25:41.94\00:25:43.71
You know, Jesus said
where two or three are gathered
00:25:43.74\00:25:45.67
together in My name,
00:25:45.71\00:25:47.04
there I'm in the midst.
00:25:47.08\00:25:48.41
Make your petitions
known to Him, you know?
00:25:48.44\00:25:51.28
And so this person said...
I said something about was...
00:25:51.31\00:25:55.18
This is all
happening quick, isn't it?
00:25:55.22\00:25:57.62
And so this person
says, "Well, you know,
00:25:57.65\00:26:00.16
it took me a long
time to get to my doctor
00:26:00.19\00:26:03.29
to actually make an
appointment for me."
00:26:03.32\00:26:05.49
I said, "During this COVID time,
00:26:05.53\00:26:06.86
seem like it's hard to get
medical attention, you know."
00:26:06.90\00:26:08.86
Yes.
00:26:08.90\00:26:10.23
And he said, "It took forever,"
00:26:10.27\00:26:11.60
is what this person said.
00:26:11.63\00:26:12.97
"It took forever for my
doctor to get me for an MRI,
00:26:13.00\00:26:15.54
which is happening today
while we're on this set."
00:26:15.57\00:26:18.57
Wow. And anyway,
I told the person...
00:26:18.61\00:26:21.98
And then she said,
00:26:22.01\00:26:24.65
after I got the
hold of my doctor
00:26:24.68\00:26:27.12
and the doctor
made the appointment,
00:26:27.15\00:26:29.42
it all happened
just very quickly.
00:26:29.45\00:26:31.99
Within this last week,
00:26:32.02\00:26:33.76
all of a sudden I saw my doctor
00:26:33.79\00:26:35.52
and they got me this
appointment for this MRI.
00:26:35.56\00:26:37.89
Happened very quick.
And I said, "You know what?
00:26:37.93\00:26:39.76
Just last week
00:26:39.79\00:26:41.36
when I saw you had
posted on Facebook,
00:26:41.40\00:26:43.80
I need prayers," I
said, God was working then.
00:26:43.83\00:26:47.87
That's right.
00:26:47.90\00:26:49.24
God was working then.
00:26:49.27\00:26:50.61
And I said, "And
then I contacted you."
00:26:50.64\00:26:51.97
And I said, "Let's
pray about this together."
00:26:52.01\00:26:54.24
And after that
happened, immediately,
00:26:54.28\00:26:56.48
she got her MRI appointment.
00:26:56.51\00:26:58.41
Wow.
00:26:58.45\00:26:59.78
I said, "Can you see
the connection there?"
00:26:59.81\00:27:02.68
And she wrote back
two words or three words,
00:27:02.72\00:27:05.45
"I can see
that." Praise the Lord.
00:27:05.49\00:27:07.02
Amen.
00:27:07.06\00:27:08.39
You know, because like I say,
00:27:08.42\00:27:09.76
she had wandered
so far away from God,
00:27:09.79\00:27:12.33
having no practice of God
in her life for a long time.
00:27:12.36\00:27:15.50
Right. Yes.
00:27:15.53\00:27:16.87
But I said,
"Before we were praying,
00:27:16.90\00:27:18.23
you said it took forever
for your doctor to get you
00:27:18.27\00:27:20.04
the appointment.
00:27:20.07\00:27:21.40
Now that they have, you got
an appointment within a week."
00:27:21.44\00:27:23.20
We started praying last
week about this situation.
00:27:23.24\00:27:25.41
Right.
00:27:25.44\00:27:26.78
So those little confirmations
that start out small
00:27:26.81\00:27:31.08
allows your faith to grow.
00:27:31.11\00:27:33.01
You know, and
as the faith grows,
00:27:33.05\00:27:34.38
you know, you
say, "Well, God is real
00:27:34.42\00:27:36.05
and God cares for me.
00:27:36.08\00:27:37.42
God loves me.
00:27:37.45\00:27:38.79
I can see that now." Amen. Amen.
00:27:38.82\00:27:40.16
I think that the Lord gives us
00:27:40.19\00:27:42.79
the faith that we
need to go through
00:27:42.82\00:27:45.13
the trial that
we're facing right then.
00:27:45.16\00:27:47.06
Yes. And He is...
00:27:47.10\00:27:50.63
He gives us the
peace that we need.
00:27:50.67\00:27:53.84
I mean, we need to accept it.
00:27:53.87\00:27:56.24
But yes, that trust in the Lord,
00:27:56.27\00:28:01.04
whatever trial you're
going through for that moment
00:28:01.08\00:28:04.05
and your faith has strengthened.
00:28:04.08\00:28:06.21
And then you can
encourage somebody else, right?
00:28:06.25\00:28:10.19
Because nothing
happens just to happen.
00:28:10.22\00:28:13.19
There is a purpose.
00:28:13.22\00:28:14.56
I mean, there's a
blessing in everything.
00:28:14.59\00:28:17.06
Your faith grew
00:28:17.09\00:28:18.43
or was stronger then you
share with somebody else.
00:28:18.46\00:28:21.56
You know, I said, the
Lord is going to be with you,
00:28:21.60\00:28:24.10
pray with them and
give the Lord a chance.
00:28:24.13\00:28:26.33
Haven't you noticed how that
God will lay it on your heart?
00:28:26.37\00:28:29.00
Yes. Maybe you've not contacted.
00:28:29.04\00:28:30.61
You know, I've been in contact
with that person for months,
00:28:30.64\00:28:33.41
maybe a year or two.
00:28:33.44\00:28:35.08
And all of a sudden,
that person is on your mind
00:28:35.11\00:28:37.78
and you make the connection.
00:28:37.81\00:28:39.38
And that's exactly the person
that they needed to hear from.
00:28:39.41\00:28:42.82
Amen.
00:28:42.85\00:28:44.19
Right on time. Right on time.
00:28:44.22\00:28:45.69
You know, I want to look
at where salvation comes from.
00:28:45.72\00:28:49.86
Idalia, if you could
read Acts 4:12 for us?
00:28:49.89\00:28:53.83
Acts 4:12. Yes.
00:28:53.86\00:28:55.70
Gladly.
00:28:55.73\00:28:57.07
Okay, Acts 4:12.
00:28:57.10\00:28:59.07
Acts is in the
New Testament, 4:12.
00:28:59.10\00:29:02.57
It says like this,
00:29:02.60\00:29:04.14
"Nor is there
salvation in any other,
00:29:04.17\00:29:07.58
for there is no other name
00:29:07.61\00:29:09.48
under heaven given among
men by which we must be saved."
00:29:09.51\00:29:14.48
Amen.
00:29:14.52\00:29:16.05
Blessed be the name of the Lord.
00:29:16.08\00:29:17.65
Who's that talking
about? Jesus Christ.
00:29:17.69\00:29:19.42
Jesus. Absolutely, absolutely.
00:29:19.45\00:29:22.29
In Isaiah 53:6,
let's look at that.
00:29:22.32\00:29:25.66
I'll read that for us.
00:29:25.69\00:29:27.46
"All we like
sheep have gone astray.
00:29:27.50\00:29:31.13
We have turned
everyone to his own way.
00:29:31.17\00:29:34.60
And the Lord has laid on
Him the iniquity of us all."
00:29:34.64\00:29:38.44
So does...
00:29:38.47\00:29:39.81
Did that say
some have gone astray?
00:29:39.84\00:29:42.14
We've all...
00:29:42.18\00:29:43.51
We've all gone astray.
00:29:43.55\00:29:45.68
We're all in need of a savior,
and that savior is Jesus.
00:29:45.71\00:29:51.39
Have you...
00:29:51.42\00:29:52.75
And perhaps we can open
the floor for discussion here.
00:29:52.79\00:29:55.89
Have any of you gone
astray from the Lord?
00:29:55.92\00:29:59.13
Have you, maybe gone
in the opposite direction
00:29:59.16\00:30:02.26
or you started
veering down the wrong path?
00:30:02.30\00:30:05.53
How has God grabbed
a hold of your life?
00:30:05.57\00:30:08.80
Well, I was never a
goody goody two-shoes.
00:30:08.84\00:30:12.27
Is that how you say it?
00:30:12.31\00:30:13.71
Is that the
expression in English?
00:30:13.74\00:30:15.78
Yes.
00:30:15.81\00:30:17.15
But you know, praise the Lord.
00:30:17.18\00:30:18.51
I had a wonderful mother
00:30:18.55\00:30:20.88
who's very strict
00:30:20.92\00:30:22.25
and very responsible
for her children, you know?
00:30:22.28\00:30:26.89
The Lord has been
good and merciful to me.
00:30:26.92\00:30:31.29
I had tried, like I
mentioned earlier, I tried...
00:30:31.33\00:30:34.66
I don't know why, but curiosity
00:30:34.70\00:30:39.03
when you're young is, you
know, you go with the flow.
00:30:39.07\00:30:42.10
You don't have
your feet on the ground.
00:30:42.14\00:30:44.07
It's like, "All my
friends are doing this.
00:30:44.11\00:30:46.61
I may as well do it."
00:30:46.64\00:30:47.98
And stuff like that.
00:30:48.01\00:30:49.54
So when I became a young adult,
00:30:49.58\00:30:53.62
my acquaintances
from work had a lot
00:30:53.65\00:30:56.48
of influence in my life.
00:30:56.52\00:30:59.12
I mean, I'm older now
00:30:59.15\00:31:00.49
and I've been
at 3ABN since 1994,
00:31:00.52\00:31:03.39
but I'm talking about
when I was a young, young,
00:31:03.43\00:31:06.29
young person, adult person.
00:31:06.33\00:31:08.56
Anyway, we were
doing the business
00:31:08.60\00:31:13.23
after five
events, which is cocktails
00:31:13.27\00:31:15.90
and sandwiches and,
you know, just parties.
00:31:15.94\00:31:18.61
So, I mean, I like to party.
00:31:18.64\00:31:21.14
I like a gathering,
00:31:21.18\00:31:22.51
you know, there's
nothing wrong with a gathering.
00:31:22.54\00:31:25.05
But one gathering would lead
to the other and to the other.
00:31:25.08\00:31:28.22
You know, eventually I
would start telling my mom,
00:31:28.25\00:31:30.55
"You know, I'll
meet you at church, Mom."
00:31:30.59\00:31:32.49
Ronnie, that's what
I would tell my mom.
00:31:32.52\00:31:34.39
I said, "Mama, I'll
meet you in Milwaukee.
00:31:34.42\00:31:37.76
Don't worry about it.
I will meet you there.
00:31:37.79\00:31:39.93
I will go to
church." And guess what?
00:31:39.96\00:31:42.10
I didn't show up for church
because there was a gathering,
00:31:42.13\00:31:45.50
you know, not a
Sabbath gathering.
00:31:45.53\00:31:47.84
So and I saw how...
00:31:47.87\00:31:51.34
The Lord showed me.
00:31:51.37\00:31:52.71
I know it was that Lord
showed me that what I...
00:31:52.74\00:31:55.81
The direction
00:31:55.84\00:31:57.18
where I was heading it was not
going to be for eternal life.
00:31:57.21\00:32:00.92
Right?
00:32:00.95\00:32:02.28
It was going to be of perdition.
00:32:02.32\00:32:03.69
So slowly but surely,
00:32:03.72\00:32:08.49
I felt the Lord
just drawing me back.
00:32:08.52\00:32:12.26
And I was the youth
director and we did,
00:32:12.29\00:32:14.96
you know, door
to door activities
00:32:15.00\00:32:16.60
and very, very faithful
and active in our local church.
00:32:16.63\00:32:21.00
But I put a way...
00:32:21.04\00:32:25.17
I used to, you know.
00:32:25.21\00:32:27.61
I know we're not created
to smoke because otherwise
00:32:27.64\00:32:30.45
we would have a
chimney, right, on our head?
00:32:30.48\00:32:33.42
So, you know, the smoking
and, you know, just socializing.
00:32:33.45\00:32:37.09
All these
things that were not...
00:32:37.12\00:32:38.72
I knew it was wrong. Yes.
00:32:38.75\00:32:40.62
But the Lord
rescued me from all that.
00:32:40.66\00:32:42.72
And so anyway,
00:32:42.76\00:32:44.09
different ideas that I
wanted to do with my life
00:32:44.13\00:32:46.29
that were not godly,
I was able to overcome.
00:32:46.33\00:32:49.43
And here I am,
praise the Lord. Yes.
00:32:49.46\00:32:52.97
So nothing wrong
with a gathering,
00:32:53.00\00:32:54.70
but it depends on
the type of gathering.
00:32:54.74\00:32:56.17
Exactly.
00:32:56.20\00:32:57.54
That it is for sure.
00:32:57.57\00:32:58.91
What are you breathing in?
00:32:58.94\00:33:00.28
You know, fresh air
or, you know, toxic air?
00:33:00.31\00:33:02.64
Yes.
00:33:02.68\00:33:04.08
Well, I praise the
Lord I did not stray away.
00:33:04.11\00:33:08.82
Basically, from a
child that was shown
00:33:08.85\00:33:14.09
to go to church and I've
never really walked away.
00:33:14.12\00:33:16.93
But you know, like you said,
00:33:16.96\00:33:19.26
all we like
sheep have gone astray.
00:33:19.29\00:33:20.63
All we have
gone through our way.
00:33:20.66\00:33:22.36
We have all sinned. Yes.
00:33:22.40\00:33:23.93
And we all need a savior.
00:33:23.97\00:33:25.93
And why do people sin?
00:33:25.97\00:33:28.34
Well, because it either
looks good, tastes good,
00:33:28.37\00:33:32.04
or feels good,
00:33:32.07\00:33:33.81
or you enjoy taking
something from someone else.
00:33:33.84\00:33:37.11
But what does it all do for you?
00:33:37.15\00:33:39.35
Well, you have
enjoyment for a while.
00:33:39.38\00:33:41.55
But the results are that
you're either hurting yourself
00:33:41.58\00:33:46.02
and you're hurting others.
00:33:46.05\00:33:47.39
Yes.
00:33:47.42\00:33:48.76
And, of course, you know,
00:33:48.79\00:33:52.43
we have this cloud over our head
00:33:52.46\00:33:54.90
of you're going to have
to pay for this somehow.
00:33:54.93\00:33:58.03
Because the Bible says
the wages of sin is death.
00:33:58.07\00:34:00.54
And what you sow, you will
have to reap the results of it.
00:34:00.57\00:34:04.37
Yes.
00:34:04.41\00:34:05.74
And so many people are
sick because of a sinful life.
00:34:05.77\00:34:07.88
Maybe some are
listening to me right now
00:34:07.91\00:34:10.11
that something they did,
00:34:10.15\00:34:12.58
now they are
reaping some of the results.
00:34:12.61\00:34:14.58
Yes.
00:34:14.62\00:34:15.95
But they can see
that God has been merciful
00:34:15.98\00:34:17.32
because God has been merciful
to each and every one of us.
00:34:17.35\00:34:20.12
And so, you know,
you ask yourself, "Why?"
00:34:20.16\00:34:22.09
You know, you asked before,
"Why would anyone want that?"
00:34:22.12\00:34:24.79
Because the result is death.
00:34:24.83\00:34:28.90
Well, I mentioned
some of the reasons
00:34:28.93\00:34:30.27
why people do things, you know.
00:34:30.30\00:34:31.63
It looks good, tastes good,
feels good, whatever it is,
00:34:31.67\00:34:34.40
but it all will
bring bad results.
00:34:34.44\00:34:37.17
And some people think, oh,
you being a Christian is boring.
00:34:37.21\00:34:39.67
No, no.
00:34:39.71\00:34:41.51
There are many, many things
you can do as a Christian.
00:34:41.54\00:34:43.81
And I like to read to you
this because some people say,
00:34:43.85\00:34:47.22
"Oh, I don't know if I
want to be a Christian."
00:34:47.25\00:34:48.58
Look...
00:34:48.62\00:34:49.95
Where are you reading from?
00:34:49.98\00:34:51.32
Psalm 16.
00:34:51.35\00:34:52.69
Psalm 16.
00:34:52.72\00:34:54.06
People have to understand
that being a Christian is fun.
00:34:54.09\00:34:58.03
Yes. It's enjoyable.
00:34:58.06\00:35:00.00
You are blessed with peace
00:35:00.03\00:35:02.63
and you have that hope
that Ronnie was talking about.
00:35:02.66\00:35:05.33
Yeah.
00:35:05.37\00:35:06.70
That a hope and
a future with hope.
00:35:06.74\00:35:09.60
So Psalm 16, reading verse 11.
00:35:09.64\00:35:11.91
It says, "You," that is God,
00:35:11.94\00:35:14.24
"will show me the path of life.
00:35:14.28\00:35:18.05
In your presence
is fullness of joy."
00:35:18.08\00:35:23.05
Yes. What verse is it?
00:35:23.08\00:35:24.42
I'm sorry. Psalm 16:11.
00:35:24.45\00:35:26.49
Okay.
00:35:26.52\00:35:27.86
So in your
presence is fullness of joy.
00:35:27.89\00:35:29.52
At your right hand are
pleasures forever more.
00:35:29.56\00:35:34.80
Yeah.
00:35:34.83\00:35:36.16
So if you really want to
have pleasures forever more
00:35:36.20\00:35:39.03
and have fullness of
joy, go with the Lord.
00:35:39.07\00:35:42.10
Answer the door that
Jesus is knocking at your heart,
00:35:42.14\00:35:45.51
and you will begin to experience
00:35:45.54\00:35:47.61
this wonderful joy of the Lord.
00:35:47.64\00:35:49.78
And being a Christian,
to me, has been fulfilling.
00:35:49.81\00:35:54.62
And I am very happy
that I am a Christian
00:35:54.65\00:35:57.99
and praise the Lord for that.
00:35:58.02\00:35:59.35
Yes. So I
recommend it to anyone.
00:35:59.39\00:36:01.59
Yes.
00:36:01.62\00:36:02.96
We're surrounded by
Christmas decoration.
00:36:02.99\00:36:05.29
You know, people are celebrating
00:36:05.33\00:36:07.10
the birth of Jesus.
00:36:07.13\00:36:09.26
But have we taken
time to know Jesus?
00:36:09.30\00:36:13.30
I mean, do we just
celebrate, go to the party?
00:36:13.34\00:36:16.04
You know, I love parties,
00:36:16.07\00:36:17.41
I love gatherings, I love gifts.
00:36:17.44\00:36:19.47
Sure, Ronnie,
anytime. Yeah, yeah.
00:36:19.51\00:36:22.84
Right? Yeah.
00:36:22.88\00:36:24.31
But all these things distract
us from the very important
00:36:24.35\00:36:28.22
point of we don't
know when Jesus was born.
00:36:28.25\00:36:32.39
True. Exactly right.
00:36:32.42\00:36:35.02
We do not know.
00:36:35.06\00:36:36.49
But Jesus did come.
00:36:36.52\00:36:38.19
Jesus did... Was born.
00:36:38.23\00:36:40.30
Huh?
00:36:40.33\00:36:41.66
I said, yeah, He was
born, whenever that was.
00:36:41.70\00:36:43.73
Exactly.
00:36:43.77\00:36:45.10
So who is this Jesus
that you're celebrating today?
00:36:45.13\00:36:48.07
Is He your savior
00:36:48.10\00:36:50.31
or is this something an
excuse for you to just join in,
00:36:50.34\00:36:53.81
you know, because your friends
00:36:53.84\00:36:55.21
and your peers are celebrating?
00:36:55.24\00:36:56.61
And let's have
a party, you know?
00:36:56.64\00:36:59.31
What is the
reason for you to do,
00:36:59.35\00:37:02.85
be doing what
you're doing, you know?
00:37:02.88\00:37:05.69
Because if you are celebrating
Jesus' birth here on earth,
00:37:05.72\00:37:10.56
in earth, He came
because He was the gift
00:37:10.59\00:37:14.10
that no one else can replace.
00:37:14.13\00:37:16.16
Yes. Right?
00:37:16.20\00:37:17.53
Yes. The gift of salvation.
00:37:17.57\00:37:19.23
So I just want to
challenge all of us
00:37:19.27\00:37:24.57
to remember to
not get distracted.
00:37:24.61\00:37:29.31
That everything looked pretty.
00:37:29.34\00:37:31.11
The lights look so
pretty and peaceful.
00:37:31.15\00:37:34.18
But is that peace in your heart
00:37:34.22\00:37:36.12
the peace that God has given us?
00:37:36.15\00:37:38.59
Are we celebrating Jesus?
00:37:38.62\00:37:40.06
Are we thankful to Jesus
for the sacrifice that He did?
00:37:40.09\00:37:44.13
He left everything in heaven.
00:37:44.16\00:37:45.63
He came willingly.
00:37:45.66\00:37:47.06
He was here, lived,
suffered, and died for our sins,
00:37:47.10\00:37:51.33
our transgressions.
00:37:51.37\00:37:53.34
And that's important.
00:37:53.37\00:37:54.70
We need to stay focused on that.
00:37:54.74\00:37:56.07
2 Corinthians 5:21 says,
00:37:56.10\00:37:58.27
"For He made Him
00:37:58.31\00:37:59.64
who knew no sin
to be sin for us,
00:37:59.67\00:38:02.28
that we might
become the righteousness
00:38:02.31\00:38:04.81
of God in Him."
00:38:04.85\00:38:06.28
Uncle Ronnie, I
want to go back to you
00:38:06.31\00:38:08.05
so you can maybe
share a story with us
00:38:08.08\00:38:10.69
about maybe there was a time
in your life were you walked...
00:38:10.72\00:38:13.79
I was thinking very definitely
when on that Isaiah 53:6.
00:38:13.82\00:38:17.29
"We all like
sheep have gone astray.
00:38:17.33\00:38:19.13
I was one of the sheep
00:38:19.16\00:38:20.50
who went astray
while still in the corral.
00:38:20.53\00:38:22.80
Ah. You see?
00:38:22.83\00:38:24.23
Yes.
00:38:24.27\00:38:25.60
See, a lot of
the sheep, you know,
00:38:25.63\00:38:26.97
they'll jump the
fence or break down the gate
00:38:27.00\00:38:28.34
and go out into the
world to do whatever.
00:38:28.37\00:38:31.17
I was going astray
while still in the corral,
00:38:31.21\00:38:33.91
while still in the church.
00:38:33.94\00:38:35.38
That's interesting thought.
00:38:35.41\00:38:36.75
And so whenever
you do that, of course,
00:38:36.78\00:38:38.11
you've lost your relationship
and it's really waning,
00:38:38.15\00:38:40.85
it's really weak, you know?
00:38:40.88\00:38:42.72
And things begin to
fall apart in your life.
00:38:42.75\00:38:45.22
And, of course, mine did,
you know, as many people has.
00:38:45.25\00:38:48.79
But thank God our
God never gave up on me.
00:38:48.82\00:38:51.99
Amen. Amen.
00:38:52.03\00:38:53.36
He never gave up on
me till when I think
00:38:53.40\00:38:55.23
I talked to you a little
bit earlier today that I was,
00:38:55.26\00:38:58.00
I think I was 57 when
called into the ministry.
00:38:58.03\00:39:00.94
Yes.
00:39:00.97\00:39:02.30
And I think,
thank God, you know,
00:39:02.34\00:39:03.84
even though I went astray
while still in the corral,
00:39:03.87\00:39:06.84
He still takes me back.
00:39:06.88\00:39:08.21
Amen.
00:39:08.24\00:39:09.58
And has a
ministry work for me to do.
00:39:09.61\00:39:10.95
And I became a
pastor when I was 57.
00:39:10.98\00:39:12.51
Yes.
00:39:12.55\00:39:13.88
You know, for a lot of
people would say, "Well,
00:39:13.92\00:39:15.25
you're done over the hill.
00:39:15.28\00:39:16.62
You know, if you're
going to be a pastor,
00:39:16.65\00:39:17.99
you got to start,
you know, go through
00:39:18.02\00:39:19.35
the colleges and the, you know,
00:39:19.39\00:39:21.36
get your
degrees and all of that.
00:39:21.39\00:39:23.32
But God uses those
that He thinks can be used,
00:39:23.36\00:39:28.26
that are willing to be used.
00:39:28.30\00:39:29.63
Let me put it that way.
00:39:29.66\00:39:31.17
And He called me into
ministry to be a pastor
00:39:31.20\00:39:33.17
when I was 57 years old.
00:39:33.20\00:39:34.77
Wow. Praise God. Amen.
00:39:34.80\00:39:36.14
So praise God.
00:39:36.17\00:39:37.51
And so now I'm considerably
older and not pastoring now,
00:39:37.54\00:39:40.01
but I still preach
every chance I get, you know?
00:39:40.04\00:39:43.14
Amen.
00:39:43.18\00:39:44.51
I still spread the news
00:39:44.55\00:39:45.88
and spread the good news
that Jesus is coming soon.
00:39:45.91\00:39:47.72
Absolutely.
00:39:47.75\00:39:49.08
So I'm so thankful that
He never gives up on us.
00:39:49.12\00:39:50.45
Amen. Yes.
00:39:50.49\00:39:51.82
And we're thankful that
you're on the Lord side.
00:39:51.85\00:39:53.19
That's right. Absolutely.
00:39:53.22\00:39:54.56
That's right. That's
the best side to be on.
00:39:54.59\00:39:56.06
You know, when I
was 14 years old,
00:39:56.09\00:39:57.89
I strayed away.
00:39:57.93\00:39:59.26
My mother had
raised me in the church
00:39:59.29\00:40:00.63
and all of those things,
but I ended up going down
00:40:00.66\00:40:03.06
the wrong path.
00:40:03.10\00:40:04.43
And, you know, with
staying focused on the Word
00:40:04.47\00:40:07.44
and staying focused on
Christ, I wasn't doing that.
00:40:07.47\00:40:10.87
I was filling my
mind with poison.
00:40:10.91\00:40:13.27
I was listening to
the wrong types of music,
00:40:13.31\00:40:15.01
I was watching the
wrong types of movies.
00:40:15.04\00:40:16.68
I was doing things
that were leading me down
00:40:16.71\00:40:19.38
another path that's contrary
to the biblical principles
00:40:19.41\00:40:23.49
that we find in the Word of God.
00:40:23.52\00:40:25.32
And so that
took hold of my life.
00:40:25.35\00:40:28.22
And then I saw those
things manifesting in my life,
00:40:28.26\00:40:33.50
in my everyday activities.
00:40:33.53\00:40:35.66
Like my whole behavior,
00:40:35.70\00:40:38.07
all of that stuff
00:40:38.10\00:40:39.43
started shifting in
the wrong direction.
00:40:39.47\00:40:41.57
And I remember
just going through life.
00:40:41.60\00:40:43.74
I've run into
some serious issues
00:40:43.77\00:40:46.84
where I was
arrested at one point
00:40:46.88\00:40:48.58
and was facing a potential
maximum prison sentence
00:40:48.61\00:40:51.81
of 15 years.
00:40:51.85\00:40:53.18
Wow.
00:40:53.21\00:40:54.55
And it was just
a downward spiral,
00:40:54.58\00:40:56.99
downward
spiral, downward spiral.
00:40:57.02\00:40:58.79
Well, I hit my rock bottom.
00:40:58.82\00:41:01.29
And I didn't give my
heart to the Lord at that point.
00:41:01.32\00:41:03.86
I just made a simple
behavioral modification.
00:41:03.89\00:41:06.70
That was the last
time I touched drugs.
00:41:06.73\00:41:08.76
But then I switched to alcohol.
00:41:08.80\00:41:11.57
And then I started
managing a sports bar
00:41:11.60\00:41:13.44
and doing those things.
00:41:13.47\00:41:14.80
And I was doing club promotions
and all of these other things.
00:41:14.84\00:41:17.44
So I didn't have that
genuine transformation
00:41:17.47\00:41:20.08
that only comes from Christ,
00:41:20.11\00:41:22.34
but thank God that He
doesn't give up on us.
00:41:22.38\00:41:24.48
Amen. And thank
God for a praying mom.
00:41:24.51\00:41:27.12
Because my mother
had prayed for me,
00:41:27.15\00:41:29.15
and prayed for me, and
prayed for me for so long.
00:41:29.18\00:41:32.62
And the Holy Spirit
was working on my heart.
00:41:32.65\00:41:34.92
I remember I was
working 70 hours a week.
00:41:34.96\00:41:37.63
Wow.
00:41:37.66\00:41:38.99
And I got a call from my mom
00:41:39.03\00:41:40.53
and she invited me
to come out to 3ABN.
00:41:40.56\00:41:43.47
She was looking for an assistant
00:41:43.50\00:41:45.07
and she had been praying for me.
00:41:45.10\00:41:47.04
And I happened to be
at a place in my life
00:41:47.07\00:41:50.44
where I was feeling so
empty because there was a void
00:41:50.47\00:41:54.48
that I knew from my upbringing
that only Christ could fill.
00:41:54.51\00:41:59.18
And so I came out to
3ABN, checked it out.
00:41:59.21\00:42:01.65
And pop, for our
viewing audience and listeners,
00:42:01.68\00:42:05.92
Danny Shelton, who
said that, you know,
00:42:05.95\00:42:08.19
"If you leave this
place and you can't get it out
00:42:08.22\00:42:09.79
of your mind, then
perhaps this is where God
00:42:09.82\00:42:11.93
would have you to be."
00:42:11.96\00:42:13.29
I went back to
that 70-hour week job
00:42:13.33\00:42:15.20
and all I kept
thinking about was 3ABN.
00:42:15.23\00:42:18.00
And I was like, you know what?
00:42:18.03\00:42:19.37
I got to turn in my resignation.
00:42:19.40\00:42:20.74
This is not...
00:42:20.77\00:42:22.10
This life of sin
is not working for me.
00:42:22.14\00:42:24.84
I got to go accept life.
00:42:24.87\00:42:26.34
Praise the
Lord. And I'm so glad.
00:42:26.37\00:42:28.81
Things are so
much better on the side
00:42:28.84\00:42:31.51
of Christ than on
the side of the world.
00:42:31.55\00:42:33.28
Amen.
00:42:33.31\00:42:34.65
You know, something
that I thought about
00:42:34.68\00:42:36.02
when you was telling
that story is the story
00:42:36.05\00:42:37.39
of the prodigal son.
00:42:37.42\00:42:38.75
Yes.
00:42:38.79\00:42:40.12
Those of us who
are familiar with that,
00:42:40.16\00:42:41.49
the viewers that
are familiar with that.
00:42:41.52\00:42:42.86
Luke chapter...
00:42:42.89\00:42:44.23
I think that the
prodigal son didn't mean to go
00:42:44.26\00:42:47.13
where he went.
00:42:47.16\00:42:48.50
You said you hit bottom. Yes.
00:42:48.53\00:42:49.86
You know, you
don't plan that. Right.
00:42:49.90\00:42:51.30
You don't plan to hit
bottom. That's all right.
00:42:51.33\00:42:53.30
You know, but one day
you wake up and you say,
00:42:53.34\00:42:55.57
"I don't know
how I even got here."
00:42:55.60\00:42:57.07
That's right.
00:42:57.11\00:42:58.44
I don't remember
making those choices.
00:42:58.47\00:42:59.81
But again, you make the choices
00:42:59.84\00:43:01.81
and there's
consequences to our choices.
00:43:01.84\00:43:03.85
And one day, you hit bottom
00:43:03.88\00:43:05.45
without planning on being there.
00:43:05.48\00:43:07.68
At that point, the
prodigal son began to look back.
00:43:07.72\00:43:10.02
He looked back at his
father's home and he said,
00:43:10.05\00:43:12.82
"Well, I had it made
in my father's house."
00:43:12.85\00:43:15.22
Yes. You know.
00:43:15.26\00:43:16.59
That's right. And he
said, "Now look at me.
00:43:16.62\00:43:17.96
I'm here feeding the swine.
00:43:17.99\00:43:19.76
You know, I'm in
the pig pen." Yeah.
00:43:19.79\00:43:21.40
That's basically where
you are when you hit bottom.
00:43:21.43\00:43:23.60
You're basically living
00:43:23.63\00:43:25.33
the life of
living in the pig pen
00:43:25.37\00:43:27.57
instead of in
the shepherd's fold.
00:43:27.60\00:43:29.20
Yes.
00:43:29.24\00:43:30.57
So you look back
then and you say,
00:43:30.61\00:43:32.07
"You know, only
thing I can do is go back
00:43:32.11\00:43:35.91
to my father and
go back to his house
00:43:35.94\00:43:38.85
and see if he will accept me."
00:43:38.88\00:43:40.45
His arms are wide open.
00:43:40.48\00:43:41.82
And, of course,
we know that he did.
00:43:41.85\00:43:43.18
It says that the
father ran to meet his son
00:43:43.22\00:43:45.55
whenever he saw him
coming. That's right.
00:43:45.59\00:43:47.26
And then they had
a great celebration
00:43:47.29\00:43:48.72
because the son was home.
00:43:48.76\00:43:50.09
Yeah.
00:43:50.13\00:43:51.46
That's the way He
looks at each one of us
00:43:51.49\00:43:52.83
when we stray and return.
00:43:52.86\00:43:54.20
So there's nobody out there
00:43:54.23\00:43:55.56
who can say I've been too bad.
00:43:55.60\00:43:57.47
There's no such thing
as being too bad, too old,
00:43:57.50\00:43:59.73
too young, nothing, you know?
00:43:59.77\00:44:01.10
Yes.
00:44:01.14\00:44:02.47
Return to the father's house
00:44:02.50\00:44:03.84
and He will take
you back instantly.
00:44:03.87\00:44:05.31
Amen. Amen.
00:44:05.34\00:44:06.68
I just want to thank the
Lord for the forgiveness of sin.
00:44:06.71\00:44:09.54
You know,
00:44:09.58\00:44:11.71
I've had times of meditations.
00:44:11.75\00:44:14.12
And you know
when you are praying
00:44:14.15\00:44:17.09
and asking the
Lord to reveal to you,
00:44:17.12\00:44:19.65
you know, anything that
you have not repented of,
00:44:19.69\00:44:23.99
He will reveal it to you
00:44:24.03\00:44:25.93
and you will feel so elated.
00:44:25.96\00:44:30.53
I mean,
00:44:30.57\00:44:32.70
so filled because the Lord
has brought this to your mind
00:44:32.73\00:44:36.44
and you have an opportunity
to repent from your sin.
00:44:36.47\00:44:41.41
And I tell you what?
00:44:41.44\00:44:42.91
You feel it in your veins,
00:44:42.94\00:44:44.35
you feel it from
your head to your toes
00:44:44.38\00:44:47.22
as you are praying, confessing.
00:44:47.25\00:44:49.58
And the Lord is so merciful
00:44:49.62\00:44:52.22
and to forgive
you from your sins.
00:44:52.25\00:44:55.86
So I just want to tell
you that if you are thinking,
00:44:55.89\00:45:01.33
you know, the Lord
will not forgive my sins.
00:45:01.36\00:45:04.03
The Lord will
forgive you your sins.
00:45:04.07\00:45:06.30
If you do not remember your sin,
00:45:06.33\00:45:08.57
ask the Lord to remind you.
00:45:08.60\00:45:10.04
So there's nothing
between you and His throne,
00:45:10.07\00:45:13.84
you know, and Him.
00:45:13.88\00:45:15.21
So that way, you can
walk with your face high,
00:45:15.24\00:45:19.11
your chin up
high, because you know
00:45:19.15\00:45:21.08
you have been
forgiven and you are clean.
00:45:21.12\00:45:24.45
Your sins will be
tossed in the deepest part
00:45:24.49\00:45:28.19
of the ocean, right?
00:45:28.22\00:45:29.56
Yes.
00:45:29.59\00:45:30.93
Idalia, while you were
saying that it made me think
00:45:30.96\00:45:32.29
of when you pray that prayer
00:45:32.33\00:45:33.86
of bringing up what I need.
00:45:33.90\00:45:35.66
Yes. Bring back
what I need to repent of.
00:45:35.70\00:45:38.57
And my first thought went to...
00:45:38.60\00:45:40.14
And be as gentle
as you can about it.
00:45:40.17\00:45:43.47
And He will, that's
the thing. Praise the Lord.
00:45:43.51\00:45:45.67
Whenever He does
bring those to your mind,
00:45:45.71\00:45:47.41
He's not bringing
them with a big club
00:45:47.44\00:45:49.18
to hit you over the head.
00:45:49.21\00:45:50.55
That's right. That's right.
00:45:50.58\00:45:51.91
He's bringing to you
with that agape love.
00:45:51.95\00:45:53.28
With that loving-kindness.
00:45:53.31\00:45:54.65
That loving-kindness
that He has drawn you with.
00:45:54.68\00:45:56.08
Yes.
00:45:56.12\00:45:57.45
So He will be as
gentle as He possibly can
00:45:57.49\00:45:58.95
and still get through to you.
00:45:58.99\00:46:00.36
Yes. Absolutely.
00:46:00.39\00:46:01.72
You know, I just want
to encourage all because,
00:46:01.76\00:46:04.39
you know, we
human beings remember
00:46:04.43\00:46:06.76
what you did or what not.
00:46:06.80\00:46:10.63
And the Lord chooses
00:46:10.67\00:46:14.47
and He has promise.
00:46:14.50\00:46:15.84
He...
00:46:15.87\00:46:17.21
It is forgiven us as if
nothing has ever happened.
00:46:17.24\00:46:20.21
Yes.
00:46:20.24\00:46:21.58
So shame on us
that when the Lord
00:46:21.61\00:46:24.51
is transforming someone's life,
00:46:24.55\00:46:27.32
if we do not encourage
that person in domination
00:46:27.35\00:46:31.82
and the love of Christ,
00:46:31.85\00:46:33.52
to have that
kindness towards them.
00:46:33.56\00:46:37.43
It's not the same as Christ,
because Christ is perfect love,
00:46:37.46\00:46:41.26
you know, agape love.
00:46:41.30\00:46:43.06
But we need to ask Christians
as brothers and sisters,
00:46:43.10\00:46:47.60
to lift and encourage
those that are growing,
00:46:47.64\00:46:50.87
that are having their
transformation in their lives.
00:46:50.91\00:46:53.68
Amen. So that we
are not a stone...
00:46:53.71\00:46:57.15
Stumbling block. Yes.
00:46:57.18\00:46:59.61
Absolutely.
00:46:59.65\00:47:00.98
You look like you got
something on your mind,
00:47:01.02\00:47:02.35
John, didn't you?
00:47:02.38\00:47:03.72
Well, I was
thinking, you know, that...
00:47:03.75\00:47:06.72
Something Idalia said
made me think about this
00:47:06.76\00:47:08.46
because we do have
an enemy and the enemy,
00:47:08.49\00:47:13.80
you know,
sometimes the enemy is us.
00:47:13.83\00:47:15.70
Yes.
00:47:15.73\00:47:17.07
Because Ronnie
mentioned this earlier
00:47:17.10\00:47:19.70
that there's something
in us that draws us to sin.
00:47:19.73\00:47:23.41
But Jesus...
00:47:23.44\00:47:25.01
When Jesus comes in,
00:47:25.04\00:47:26.37
He begins to change
that so that we are not drawn
00:47:26.41\00:47:28.58
to sin, but drawn to goodness.
00:47:28.61\00:47:30.61
Yes. And so...
00:47:30.65\00:47:32.21
But we have to
remember that the devil
00:47:32.25\00:47:34.12
is as a roaring lion
seeking who he made devour.
00:47:34.15\00:47:36.58
Yes.
00:47:36.62\00:47:37.99
And he knows because he keeps
a list of what you've done.
00:47:38.02\00:47:41.59
And even though
you've been forgiven,
00:47:41.62\00:47:43.02
he may take out
that list and say, "Hey."
00:47:43.06\00:47:45.53
All of a
sudden. I remember that.
00:47:45.56\00:47:47.90
Especially when
you asked for it, huh?
00:47:47.93\00:47:50.70
You did this.
00:47:50.73\00:47:52.40
And he looks through his list.
00:47:52.43\00:47:53.77
And you did this.
00:47:53.80\00:47:55.14
You don't
deserve God's goodness.
00:47:55.17\00:47:56.50
You don't deserve His mercy.
00:47:56.54\00:47:58.17
But you see,
00:47:58.21\00:47:59.97
just as I may have
words on this side,
00:48:00.01\00:48:02.64
you know, God
wipes that record clean
00:48:02.68\00:48:05.61
because the blood of
Jesus Christ cleanses us
00:48:05.65\00:48:08.12
completely from sin.
00:48:08.15\00:48:09.55
Amen.
00:48:09.58\00:48:10.92
And whatever list
the devil has, you know.
00:48:10.95\00:48:13.49
Because of Jesus,
we have been forgiven
00:48:13.52\00:48:15.86
and we have to remember
00:48:15.89\00:48:17.23
that we are accepted by the Lord
00:48:17.26\00:48:19.93
because of Jesus Christ.
00:48:19.96\00:48:21.53
Amen.
00:48:21.56\00:48:22.90
And this is why when, you know,
when you have that scripture
00:48:22.93\00:48:24.27
that you read
earlier, 2 Corinthians 5:21.
00:48:24.30\00:48:28.47
Yes.
00:48:28.50\00:48:29.84
"For He made Him, that is Jesus,
00:48:29.87\00:48:32.01
who knew no sin
00:48:32.04\00:48:34.64
to be sin for us,"
00:48:34.68\00:48:38.25
notice, "that we might
become the righteousness
00:48:38.28\00:48:42.68
of God in Him.
00:48:42.72\00:48:44.95
What an exchange. Amen.
00:48:44.99\00:48:46.92
A life of sin
completely forgiven,
00:48:46.96\00:48:51.69
and you get the
full righteousness
00:48:51.73\00:48:53.33
of Christ given to you.
00:48:53.36\00:48:54.70
Yes.
00:48:54.73\00:48:56.06
You know, Johnny, when
we add to that picture,
00:48:56.10\00:48:58.00
we say, well, why does
that have to take place?
00:48:58.03\00:49:00.64
Because the law demands justice.
00:49:00.67\00:49:03.30
That's right. That's right.
00:49:03.34\00:49:04.71
And Jesus says, the
Bible teaches us that the blood
00:49:04.74\00:49:09.74
of Christ takes away our sins.
00:49:09.78\00:49:11.88
So there has to be bloodshed.
00:49:11.91\00:49:13.78
That's right.
00:49:13.82\00:49:15.15
So what he says is, "I
will shed my blood for you."
00:49:15.18\00:49:16.99
Yes. And that's how
you get His righteousness.
00:49:17.02\00:49:19.82
Yeah, and you think
what a trade is that?
00:49:19.85\00:49:21.32
He takes my sins and I
take His righteousness.
00:49:21.36\00:49:24.73
Wow, what a God.
00:49:24.76\00:49:26.09
We get all the benefits. Yes.
00:49:26.13\00:49:27.46
And, of course, He
didn't benefit from dying for us
00:49:27.50\00:49:30.10
except that it
says that for the joy...
00:49:30.13\00:49:32.57
It says in Hebrew. This
is a marvelous scripture.
00:49:32.60\00:49:34.94
In Hebrews Chapter
12, I believe it is.
00:49:34.97\00:49:37.77
It says, "For the joy
that was set before him
00:49:37.81\00:49:41.44
He endured the cross."
00:49:41.48\00:49:42.88
Yes. What joy?
00:49:42.91\00:49:44.71
What was the joy? The suffering?
00:49:44.75\00:49:46.21
No.
00:49:46.25\00:49:47.58
The joy of you, you accepting
00:49:47.62\00:49:51.95
His sacrifice in your behalf.
00:49:51.99\00:49:54.39
That was His joy.
00:49:54.42\00:49:55.76
And it really speaks to the fact
00:49:55.79\00:49:57.13
that we can't work
our way into heaven.
00:49:57.16\00:49:59.43
Ephesians 2:8-9,
00:49:59.46\00:50:01.70
"For by grace you have
been saved through faith,
00:50:01.73\00:50:05.67
and that not of yourselves.
00:50:05.70\00:50:08.50
It is the gift of
God, not of works,
00:50:08.54\00:50:11.77
lest anyone should boast."
00:50:11.81\00:50:15.11
So we can't work
our way into heaven.
00:50:15.14\00:50:18.05
That's right. I was
thinking about that.
00:50:18.08\00:50:19.75
I preached last week
over at Marion Church,
00:50:19.78\00:50:21.78
and this was my
focus text, right here.
00:50:21.82\00:50:24.95
Wow.
00:50:24.99\00:50:26.32
And I said all
the way through this,
00:50:26.35\00:50:28.06
and I was speaking to
Dave Turner that we all know.
00:50:28.09\00:50:31.06
I was working with him
yesterday and he kept saying,
00:50:31.09\00:50:33.60
"You know, Ronnie kept
telling me at church last week
00:50:33.63\00:50:36.16
I can't do any good work.
00:50:36.20\00:50:37.77
I can't do no
good works, he said."
00:50:37.80\00:50:39.47
You know, I said, "I don't know
00:50:39.50\00:50:40.84
why 3ABN's kept
you around for 28 years
00:50:40.87\00:50:42.80
if you couldn't
do some good work,
00:50:42.84\00:50:44.27
you know."
00:50:44.31\00:50:45.64
But spiritually, we
can't do good work, you know.
00:50:45.67\00:50:48.24
As Isaiah 64:6
says all of our works,
00:50:48.28\00:50:53.95
all of them, no matter
how good we think they are,
00:50:53.98\00:50:56.69
are as filthy rags.
00:50:56.72\00:50:58.52
And anytime that
we mix in our works
00:50:58.55\00:51:02.42
with the equation of salvation,
00:51:02.46\00:51:04.39
we've polluted the
whole principle of the thing.
00:51:04.43\00:51:07.56
Yes, that's true.
00:51:07.60\00:51:09.13
You know, you alluded...
00:51:09.16\00:51:10.50
You were heading in
that direction about this.
00:51:10.53\00:51:12.67
You know, the Lord...
00:51:12.70\00:51:14.57
If you're not doing
sin, what are you doing?
00:51:14.60\00:51:17.44
You're going to be doing
righteousness by the grace
00:51:17.47\00:51:20.24
of the Lord.
00:51:20.28\00:51:21.61
Yes.
00:51:21.64\00:51:22.98
And it says in
Psalm 119 verse like 164
00:51:23.01\00:51:27.15
or something around there.
00:51:27.18\00:51:28.52
He says,
00:51:28.55\00:51:29.88
"All of your
commandments are righteousness."
00:51:29.92\00:51:32.49
So doing God's commandments
is doing righteousness
00:51:32.52\00:51:37.03
through the grace of Christ.
00:51:37.06\00:51:38.93
Does that earn you
entrance into heaven?
00:51:38.96\00:51:41.86
No. Because you just said it.
00:51:41.90\00:51:44.13
By grace are we
saved through faith
00:51:44.17\00:51:47.20
and that not of ourselves.
00:51:47.24\00:51:48.57
It is the gift of God.
00:51:48.60\00:51:49.94
So it's a gift from God.
00:51:49.97\00:51:52.01
But after we see
that we have been drawn
00:51:52.04\00:51:56.14
to the Lord with
His loving-kindness
00:51:56.18\00:51:58.25
and we realize that
Jesus died on the cross for us,
00:51:58.28\00:52:01.75
and a love for the Lord
00:52:01.78\00:52:05.42
awakens in our heart for Him.
00:52:05.45\00:52:07.62
And Jesus says to us,
00:52:07.66\00:52:09.69
"If you love Me,
keep My commandments."
00:52:09.72\00:52:12.06
Yes.
00:52:12.09\00:52:13.43
In John 14:15, "If you
love Me, keep My commandments."
00:52:13.46\00:52:17.20
Why?
00:52:17.23\00:52:18.57
Because if you're
walking in His commandments,
00:52:18.60\00:52:20.30
you're not doing
harm to yourself,
00:52:20.34\00:52:22.24
you're not doing harm to others.
00:52:22.27\00:52:23.91
Yes.
00:52:23.94\00:52:25.27
You are loving the Lord
00:52:25.31\00:52:26.64
and loving your
neighbor as yourself.
00:52:26.68\00:52:28.01
Let me ask you this question.
00:52:28.04\00:52:29.38
And why do you
treat Idalia so good?
00:52:29.41\00:52:32.21
Why do you do the things like,
00:52:32.25\00:52:34.05
let's say your
wedding vows, for example.
00:52:34.08\00:52:35.75
Like, why do
you carry those out?
00:52:35.78\00:52:38.75
Why didn't you ask
me? I treat him good.
00:52:38.79\00:52:43.89
You know, you
look at that and...
00:52:43.93\00:52:46.63
I love her. Yes.
00:52:46.66\00:52:48.63
And she loves you. Yes.
00:52:48.66\00:52:51.43
And you want to find more
reasons to show your love.
00:52:51.47\00:52:55.27
Yes.
00:52:55.30\00:52:56.64
And to, you say, well, I
wish I could treat her better
00:52:56.67\00:52:58.41
than I do.
00:52:58.44\00:53:00.61
But why? It's because of love.
00:53:00.64\00:53:02.54
Because of love.
00:53:02.58\00:53:04.78
And so you've
established that relationship.
00:53:04.81\00:53:07.05
And how did you establish
that relationship together?
00:53:07.08\00:53:10.82
I will let her speak this time.
00:53:10.85\00:53:14.16
Wise man, wise man.
00:53:14.19\00:53:16.12
By spending time together. Yes.
00:53:16.16\00:53:19.09
I mean, it's been since
1994 that we've been married.
00:53:19.13\00:53:22.26
Wow.
00:53:22.30\00:53:23.63
So you know,
it's been a long time.
00:53:23.67\00:53:28.50
And it's been with its highs
and its lows and of challenges.
00:53:28.54\00:53:34.11
But love
overall, it conquers all.
00:53:34.14\00:53:38.08
So you spent time
together. Spent time.
00:53:38.11\00:53:40.55
So if we want to...
00:53:40.58\00:53:41.98
We grow closer to the
Lord we spend time in His Word.
00:53:42.02\00:53:45.49
We learn what He likes. Yes.
00:53:45.52\00:53:47.76
And we get drawn
towards what He likes
00:53:47.79\00:53:51.06
and we dislike
what He doesn't like.
00:53:51.09\00:53:52.73
By beholding we
become changed. Absolutely.
00:53:52.76\00:53:55.16
Yes, yes. Absolutely.
00:53:55.20\00:53:56.53
That's powerful.
00:53:56.56\00:53:57.90
You know, I want to jump down
00:53:57.93\00:53:59.27
to this verse
here because people
00:53:59.30\00:54:01.20
that are searching,
they need to hear this.
00:54:01.24\00:54:03.14
This is Isaiah 55:6-7.
00:54:03.17\00:54:06.71
"Seek the Lord
while He may be found.
00:54:06.74\00:54:10.41
Call upon Him while He is near.
00:54:10.45\00:54:13.48
Let the wicked forsake his way,
00:54:13.52\00:54:15.65
and the
unrighteous man his thought.
00:54:15.68\00:54:18.35
Let him return to the Lord.
00:54:18.39\00:54:20.19
So if you've gone
astray, return to the Lord
00:54:20.22\00:54:24.73
and He will have mercy on him.
00:54:24.76\00:54:27.33
And to our God,
00:54:27.36\00:54:28.70
for He will abundantly pardon."
00:54:28.73\00:54:32.17
Amen. Powerful, pastor.
00:54:32.20\00:54:33.54
Praise the Lord for His pardon.
00:54:33.57\00:54:36.97
Absolutely.
00:54:37.01\00:54:38.34
I mean, we'd be
in a world of trouble
00:54:38.37\00:54:40.24
if we didn't have it.
00:54:40.28\00:54:41.61
You know, it's interesting
as you look at the beginning
00:54:41.64\00:54:44.71
and when you look at Genesis
00:54:44.75\00:54:46.08
and you see that Adam and
Eve were tempted with appetite,
00:54:46.11\00:54:49.08
and then Jesus in the wilderness
00:54:49.12\00:54:50.69
was tempted with appetite.
00:54:50.72\00:54:52.05
And then what do you
think we're going to be tempted
00:54:52.09\00:54:54.56
with as human beings?
00:54:54.59\00:54:55.92
We're tempted with our appetite,
00:54:55.96\00:54:57.29
our passions, our
desires, our, you know,
00:54:57.33\00:54:59.93
the things that we
want that we shouldn't.
00:54:59.96\00:55:03.90
We're tempted with those things.
00:55:03.93\00:55:05.40
But here's the beautiful thing,
00:55:05.43\00:55:07.47
is that the devil
can't make us sin.
00:55:07.50\00:55:10.14
He can't make us
yield to temptation.
00:55:10.17\00:55:12.67
He can present the
temptation and he does,
00:55:12.71\00:55:15.84
but he can't make us yield.
00:55:15.88\00:55:17.35
And where there is
temptation, the Lord provides
00:55:17.38\00:55:19.58
a way of escape.
00:55:19.61\00:55:21.38
Amen. Which is
absolutely incredible.
00:55:21.42\00:55:24.25
Praise God. Praise God.
00:55:24.29\00:55:26.02
Hallelujah.
00:55:26.05\00:55:27.42
Thank you, Jesus.
00:55:27.46\00:55:28.79
You know, the
natures that we have...
00:55:28.82\00:55:30.16
Of course, I said earlier
00:55:30.19\00:55:31.53
we are born
with a carnal nature.
00:55:31.56\00:55:32.89
That's the
nature that sins. Yes.
00:55:32.93\00:55:35.43
But God offers us an eternal
nature, a spiritual nature.
00:55:35.46\00:55:40.54
And whichever one we feed,
00:55:40.57\00:55:42.27
that's the one
that's going to grow.
00:55:42.30\00:55:43.74
That's true. That's right.
00:55:43.77\00:55:45.17
That's right.
00:55:45.21\00:55:46.57
We feed the spiritual
nature and that's the nature
00:55:46.61\00:55:48.44
that will grow.
00:55:48.48\00:55:49.81
Yes. Amen.
00:55:49.84\00:55:51.18
And that's what we
need to be feeding.
00:55:51.21\00:55:52.85
1 John 3:7-9 says,
00:55:52.88\00:55:55.48
"But if we walk in the
light as He is in the light,
00:55:55.52\00:55:59.39
we have
fellowship with one another,
00:55:59.42\00:56:01.42
and the blood of Jesus Christ
00:56:01.46\00:56:03.12
His son
cleanses us from all sin.
00:56:03.16\00:56:06.53
If we say that we have no
sin, we deceive ourselves,
00:56:06.56\00:56:10.07
and the truth is not in us.
00:56:10.10\00:56:12.40
If we confess our sins,
00:56:12.43\00:56:14.20
He is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins
00:56:14.24\00:56:18.41
and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness."
00:56:18.44\00:56:22.51
So we have to
recognize our state.
00:56:22.54\00:56:24.78
We have to recognize
the state that we're in
00:56:24.81\00:56:27.38
and recognize our
need for a savior.
00:56:27.42\00:56:30.45
And that savior is Jesus Christ.
00:56:30.49\00:56:32.82
Yes. Amen.
00:56:32.85\00:56:34.19
Well, I'm the
first one to recognize it
00:56:34.22\00:56:36.69
and acknowledge I
need Jesus in my life.
00:56:36.73\00:56:39.59
Amen. Amen.
00:56:39.63\00:56:41.43
Well, I praise the Lord
00:56:41.46\00:56:42.80
that salvation is by grace,
00:56:42.83\00:56:48.34
through faith in our
Lord and savior Jesus Christ.
00:56:48.37\00:56:51.07
And we all have the
opportunity of having
00:56:51.11\00:56:53.58
salvation through Jesus.
00:56:53.61\00:56:54.94
Amen. That it is a
free gift, by the way.
00:56:54.98\00:56:58.38
You can't buy it, you
know... It's been paid.
00:56:58.41\00:57:01.42
You just accept it by faith.
00:57:01.45\00:57:03.18
Ask for it and He
promises to provide it,
00:57:03.22\00:57:05.99
to give it to us by faith.
00:57:06.02\00:57:07.39
Praise the Lord. Amen.
00:57:07.42\00:57:08.76
I'm so thankful for that.
00:57:08.79\00:57:10.13
And you know, I'm glad
that we can't pay for it.
00:57:10.16\00:57:13.90
You can't put a price on that.
00:57:13.93\00:57:15.26
We'd in trouble, wouldn't
we, if we had to pay for it?
00:57:15.30\00:57:16.63
We would be in a
world of trouble.
00:57:16.67\00:57:18.00
That's right. Yes, absolutely.
00:57:18.03\00:57:19.93
Thank you so much
for... Thank you, Jason.
00:57:19.97\00:57:21.57
What you all
have contributed here
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and with this study.
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And I'm so thankful for Jesus.
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And I hope that you
are thankful for Jesus too.
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If you haven't
given Him a chance,
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give Him a chance.
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Your life won't be the same.
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God bless. Amen.
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