Father up in heaven, we
come to You this evening,
00:00:19.58\00:00:26.12
opening our hearts and our minds
00:00:26.15\00:00:31.19
as we take a look
00:00:31.23\00:00:34.73
at the provisions You have made,
00:00:34.76\00:00:38.57
that each of us
might have life eternal.
00:00:38.60\00:00:42.47
We pray that You will
give to us understanding.
00:00:42.50\00:00:48.28
Pray that we each
00:00:48.31\00:00:50.88
might surrender
all to Jesus Christ,
00:00:50.91\00:00:55.92
and that we might
have the privilege
00:00:55.95\00:00:59.32
of being in Your
kingdom because we have accepted
00:00:59.35\00:01:03.99
You as our Savior,
00:01:04.03\00:01:05.36
for this we pray
in Christ's name.
00:01:05.39\00:01:08.56
Amen.
00:01:08.60\00:01:09.93
In John Chapter 3,
00:01:18.17\00:01:21.34
a man by the name of Nicodemus,
00:01:21.38\00:01:25.75
who was a member
of the Sanhedrin,
00:01:25.78\00:01:30.85
a teacher in Israel,
00:01:30.89\00:01:34.22
came to Jesus by night,
00:01:34.26\00:01:36.86
said to Him, "Master,
00:01:36.89\00:01:38.23
we know that You
are a teacher from God."
00:01:38.26\00:01:42.86
And Jesus kind of cut
through all the periphery
00:01:42.90\00:01:46.97
and went right to the heart.
00:01:47.00\00:01:49.77
And he said to Nicodemus,
00:01:49.80\00:01:53.01
"Jesus answered and said to him,
00:01:53.04\00:01:55.78
'Most assuredly, I say to
you, unless one is born again,
00:01:55.81\00:02:00.12
he cannot see
the kingdom of God.'"
00:02:00.15\00:02:02.92
Said Nicodemus,
00:02:02.95\00:02:05.75
"Unless a person is born again,
00:02:05.79\00:02:08.49
he cannot see
the kingdom of God."
00:02:08.52\00:02:11.99
And Nicodemus
said, "What do you mean?
00:02:12.03\00:02:16.67
I'm an old man."
00:02:16.70\00:02:19.67
"Nicodemus said to Him,
00:02:19.70\00:02:21.77
'How can a man be
born when he is old?
00:02:21.80\00:02:26.44
Can he enter a second
time into his mother's womb
00:02:26.47\00:02:29.24
and be born?'"
00:02:29.28\00:02:30.68
He said, "What
are you talking about?
00:02:30.71\00:02:32.51
I'm an old man.
00:02:32.55\00:02:33.88
How can I be born a second time?
00:02:33.92\00:02:38.12
What? What are
you talking about?
00:02:38.15\00:02:39.85
What do you mean?"
00:02:39.89\00:02:41.92
And Jesus went on.
00:02:41.96\00:02:43.93
Jesus answered, "Most
assuredly, I say to you,
00:02:43.96\00:02:47.50
unless one is born
of water and Spirit,
00:02:47.53\00:02:52.13
he cannot enter
the kingdom of God."
00:02:52.17\00:02:55.84
Said Nicodemus,
00:02:55.87\00:02:57.21
"Unless you are born of
water and of the Spirit,
00:02:57.24\00:03:01.11
you cannot enter
the kingdom of God,
00:03:01.14\00:03:03.88
impossible."
00:03:03.91\00:03:06.11
And Nicodemus is
having a hard time
00:03:06.15\00:03:10.42
understanding that,
00:03:10.45\00:03:11.79
putting that together.
00:03:11.82\00:03:14.22
And Jesus said to him,
00:03:14.26\00:03:19.63
"That which is born
of the flesh is flesh,
00:03:19.66\00:03:24.97
and that which is born
of the Spirit is spirit."
00:03:25.00\00:03:29.80
Said Nicodemus,
00:03:29.84\00:03:31.17
"That which is
born of flesh is flesh,
00:03:31.21\00:03:36.24
that which is born of
the Spirit is spirit."
00:03:36.28\00:03:40.18
And Nicodemus
trying to understand,
00:03:43.69\00:03:47.29
trying to figure out
what Christ is talking about,
00:03:47.32\00:03:50.59
that he might be
able to put it together.
00:03:50.63\00:03:53.46
And Jesus went on and said,
00:03:53.50\00:03:55.06
"Do not marvel
that I said to you,
00:03:55.10\00:03:58.23
'You must be born again.'"
00:03:58.27\00:04:01.90
Now, dear friends,
Christ words are clear.
00:04:01.94\00:04:06.78
I mean, they're
clear as they can be,
00:04:06.81\00:04:09.44
He's telling you,
00:04:09.48\00:04:10.81
"You've got to be born again
00:04:10.85\00:04:13.65
or you won't enter
into the kingdom of heaven.
00:04:13.68\00:04:18.69
It just won't happen
unless you are born again."
00:04:18.72\00:04:23.49
He's made that
crystal clear to Nicodemus,
00:04:23.53\00:04:26.93
no question about it.
00:04:26.96\00:04:29.76
You see,
00:04:29.80\00:04:31.67
when God made a
decision way back
00:04:31.70\00:04:36.54
in the beginning to create.
00:04:36.57\00:04:40.01
When you have the
power as God does to create,
00:04:40.04\00:04:45.05
then you have
to make a decision.
00:04:45.08\00:04:47.68
And the
decision you have to make
00:04:47.72\00:04:49.58
is how are you going to create,
00:04:49.62\00:04:52.79
how are you going to do this.
00:04:52.82\00:04:56.12
Now, why did God create man?
00:04:56.16\00:05:01.70
I used to believe
when I was first struggling
00:05:01.73\00:05:04.80
and trying to
put things together,
00:05:04.83\00:05:06.80
I thought God created
man 'cause God was selfish.
00:05:06.84\00:05:11.47
Did you ever think about that?
00:05:11.51\00:05:13.81
And I thought, "Well,
00:05:13.84\00:05:15.18
God created man for
man could worship Him.
00:05:15.21\00:05:18.25
And so that man can obey
Him, and man could love Him,
00:05:18.28\00:05:23.05
and he could do
all those things."
00:05:23.08\00:05:24.49
And I felt, well, you know,
00:05:24.52\00:05:25.85
God did that
because God's selfish.
00:05:25.89\00:05:29.32
But when, we had children,
00:05:29.36\00:05:34.43
I changed my understanding.
00:05:34.46\00:05:37.13
You say, "Why do
you have children?"
00:05:37.17\00:05:40.00
Huh?
00:05:40.04\00:05:41.37
Do you have children
so they can love you?
00:05:41.40\00:05:43.97
Is that reason
you have children?
00:05:44.01\00:05:45.77
No, you have
children so you can love them.
00:05:45.81\00:05:48.68
You see,
00:05:48.71\00:05:50.05
you are a
social being so is God.
00:05:50.08\00:05:53.52
He is a social being.
00:05:53.55\00:05:55.12
So when God created man,
00:05:55.15\00:05:57.02
He created man so
that He can love him,
00:05:57.05\00:05:59.32
but in order to be able
to communicate with man,
00:05:59.35\00:06:03.36
to visit with man, God
had to do something, folks.
00:06:03.39\00:06:06.93
Listen to what it says here.
00:06:06.96\00:06:09.63
God is, John
4:24, "God is Spirit,
00:06:09.66\00:06:14.54
and those who
worship Him must worship Him
00:06:14.57\00:06:17.11
in spirit and truth."
00:06:17.14\00:06:19.54
So the scripture says
very clear that God is spirit
00:06:19.57\00:06:24.91
and they that
worship Him must worship Him
00:06:24.95\00:06:27.95
in spirit and in truth.
00:06:27.98\00:06:30.42
Therefore, when God
decided to create man,
00:06:30.45\00:06:35.42
God had to make
a definite decision
00:06:35.46\00:06:38.16
as to how He was
going to create him.
00:06:38.19\00:06:41.80
Why is He going to create him,
00:06:41.83\00:06:43.23
so he could
communicate with God?
00:06:43.26\00:06:47.24
Was that the way He
was going to create him?
00:06:47.27\00:06:49.07
Yes, He wanted to
be able to communicate
00:06:49.10\00:06:52.01
with Adam and Eve,
00:06:52.04\00:06:53.48
therefore, in order to
make him so God could create,
00:06:53.51\00:06:58.01
could communicate with him,
00:06:58.05\00:06:59.45
He had to give him
a spiritual nature,
00:06:59.48\00:07:04.19
had to give Adam and
Eve a spiritual nature.
00:07:04.22\00:07:07.16
So when God created them,
00:07:07.19\00:07:09.02
He made them in
a sense like Him,
00:07:09.06\00:07:11.86
because the scripture says,
00:07:11.89\00:07:14.43
Genesis 1:27,
00:07:14.46\00:07:16.40
"So God created man in
his," come on, "own image,
00:07:16.43\00:07:22.27
in the image of
God He created him,
00:07:22.30\00:07:24.77
male and female
He created them."
00:07:24.81\00:07:27.01
So it says that He
created man in His own image.
00:07:27.04\00:07:31.88
Therefore, when He created man,
00:07:31.91\00:07:33.92
He gave to man a
spiritual nature,
00:07:33.95\00:07:40.32
and He gave him a
body of flesh, okay,
00:07:40.36\00:07:45.49
had a spiritual nature
00:07:45.53\00:07:47.06
and a fleshly body
or a freshly nature,
00:07:47.10\00:07:50.87
He gave them both to him.
00:07:50.90\00:07:53.00
And God can come down
as the scripture says here
00:07:53.03\00:07:56.07
that God could come down
in the cool of the evening
00:07:56.10\00:07:59.57
and visit with Adam and Eve.
00:07:59.61\00:08:01.54
And since God was spirit
00:08:01.58\00:08:03.01
and they had a spiritual nature,
00:08:03.04\00:08:04.81
God could communicate with them.
00:08:04.85\00:08:08.65
That's the way He made them,
gave them spiritual nature.
00:08:08.68\00:08:14.36
But God placed in
the Garden of Eden,
00:08:14.39\00:08:17.89
a tree referred
to in the scripture
00:08:17.93\00:08:20.90
as the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil.
00:08:20.93\00:08:24.20
And it says in
Genesis 1, Genesis 2:17,
00:08:24.23\00:08:28.90
"But of the
tree of the knowledge
00:08:28.94\00:08:30.51
of good and evil
you shall not eat,
00:08:30.54\00:08:35.81
for in the day
that you eat of it,
00:08:35.84\00:08:38.91
you shall surely die."
00:08:38.95\00:08:41.72
Now, God told
Adam and Eve, listen,
00:08:41.75\00:08:43.82
you can eat of anything
you want to here in the garden,
00:08:43.85\00:08:48.59
anything, it's all made for you,
00:08:48.62\00:08:51.09
except that one
tree, don't eat of it,
00:08:51.13\00:08:54.16
because in the day
that you eat of it,
00:08:54.20\00:08:56.70
you shall what?
00:08:56.73\00:08:58.87
Surely die.
00:08:58.90\00:09:00.47
Said the day you eat of
it, you shall surely die.
00:09:00.50\00:09:03.41
And you remember the story.
00:09:03.44\00:09:05.67
You remember how
the devil in the form
00:09:05.71\00:09:07.48
of the serpent
tempted Eve and she ate of it,
00:09:07.51\00:09:12.61
and she gave it to
Adam and he ate of it.
00:09:12.65\00:09:15.52
I want to ask you a
question this evening.
00:09:15.55\00:09:18.49
Did they die that day?
00:09:18.52\00:09:19.85
Did they die that day?
00:09:22.92\00:09:25.63
Yes, they did.
00:09:25.66\00:09:29.00
The very moment
that Adam and Eve
00:09:29.03\00:09:32.63
ate of that tree,
00:09:32.67\00:09:36.30
that spiritual nature,
00:09:36.34\00:09:39.47
spiritual nature that
God had given Adam and Eve
00:09:39.51\00:09:42.34
so that He could communicate
with them and talk with them,
00:09:42.38\00:09:46.21
that spiritual nature died,
00:09:46.25\00:09:48.95
and all that was left of
Adam and Eve was only flesh.
00:09:48.98\00:09:54.86
That spiritual
nature died right there
00:09:54.89\00:09:58.23
and all that was
left was just flesh.
00:09:58.26\00:10:03.40
So that when God came down,
Adam and Eve were off hiding.
00:10:03.43\00:10:07.34
They were afraid
00:10:10.64\00:10:12.44
that spiritual nature
had departed from them,
00:10:12.47\00:10:17.05
had died right there.
00:10:17.08\00:10:19.31
And so,
00:10:19.35\00:10:21.45
when Adam and Eve had children,
00:10:21.48\00:10:27.72
all they could pass
on to their children
00:10:27.76\00:10:30.49
was only flesh,
00:10:30.53\00:10:34.10
and all that you
and I have is flesh.
00:10:34.13\00:10:38.30
That's what Paul
was talking about
00:10:38.33\00:10:41.07
when he cried out there
in Romans 7:24 and he said,
00:10:41.10\00:10:44.57
"O wretched man that I am!
00:10:44.61\00:10:47.51
Who will deliver me
from the body of this death?"
00:10:47.54\00:10:51.21
Because all that was
left was just a body of flesh,
00:10:51.25\00:10:55.72
nothing else.
00:10:55.75\00:10:57.65
So Adam and Eve
00:10:57.69\00:10:59.52
could pass on to
Cain and Abel only flesh.
00:10:59.55\00:11:04.89
And all that Cain and Abel
could pass on to their children
00:11:04.93\00:11:09.06
was only flesh.
00:11:09.10\00:11:13.20
And all your
parents could pass on to you
00:11:13.23\00:11:18.27
was only flesh.
00:11:18.31\00:11:20.81
And all you could
pass on to your children
00:11:20.84\00:11:24.41
was just flesh,
00:11:24.45\00:11:26.72
nothing more.
00:11:26.75\00:11:28.25
Sorry.
00:11:28.28\00:11:29.75
That's all you
can pass on to them.
00:11:29.78\00:11:33.15
And I run on to
dear Christian people
00:11:33.19\00:11:36.06
who have never understood this
because they get in their mind
00:11:36.09\00:11:39.89
that this can be
solved some other way.
00:11:39.93\00:11:43.57
They'll say, "Well,
00:11:43.60\00:11:44.93
I'm going to
send my child off here
00:11:44.97\00:11:47.24
to some good Christian school
00:11:47.27\00:11:49.54
and maybe they'll be all right."
00:11:49.57\00:11:54.61
Sorry. Sorry.
00:11:54.64\00:11:56.71
That isn't the
way it works, folks,
00:11:56.75\00:11:59.21
because all you can pass
on to that child is flesh.
00:11:59.25\00:12:04.39
What that child's
got to be is born again.
00:12:04.42\00:12:09.72
I even hear parents say,
00:12:09.76\00:12:11.59
"Well, I'm going to send my son
00:12:11.63\00:12:13.26
down here to
this Christian school,
00:12:13.29\00:12:15.20
and maybe he'll find
a good Christian girl."
00:12:15.23\00:12:19.67
Sorry, doesn't work that
way, just doesn't work that way,
00:12:19.70\00:12:24.84
it takes more than that.
00:12:24.87\00:12:26.68
You have to be born again.
00:12:26.71\00:12:30.25
That spiritual
nature died right there
00:12:30.28\00:12:33.88
and it won't work any other
way unless you are born again.
00:12:33.92\00:12:37.62
That's why Jesus said to him,
00:12:37.65\00:12:40.62
"Most assuredly, I say to you,
00:12:40.66\00:12:43.63
unless one is born again,
00:12:43.66\00:12:45.39
he cannot see
the kingdom of God."
00:12:45.43\00:12:48.83
You see what I'm
trying to tell you tonight
00:12:48.86\00:12:50.70
if you're not
catching on is you're born.
00:12:50.73\00:12:54.17
You're born half dead.
00:12:54.20\00:12:58.61
See, you're born only flesh.
00:12:58.64\00:13:02.01
That's the way you're born.
00:13:02.04\00:13:04.05
You're born half
dead, dear friends,
00:13:04.08\00:13:06.92
and you cannot have eternal life
00:13:06.95\00:13:11.39
unless you receive
a spiritual nature.
00:13:11.42\00:13:14.96
Sorry.
00:13:14.99\00:13:17.03
And that doesn't
come by education.
00:13:17.06\00:13:21.26
Now, don't misunderstand me.
00:13:21.30\00:13:23.43
I believe in education.
00:13:23.47\00:13:25.43
And I think it's
very, very important.
00:13:25.47\00:13:28.97
But I can tell you all
that education will do for you
00:13:29.00\00:13:32.14
is make you a
smart sinner, that's all.
00:13:32.17\00:13:38.11
You see, you
have to be born again.
00:13:38.15\00:13:41.45
And so the
question that you and I need
00:13:41.48\00:13:43.35
to ask ourselves tonight is how,
00:13:43.39\00:13:47.19
how can I be born again?
00:13:47.22\00:13:49.62
If I come into
this world only flesh,
00:13:49.66\00:13:52.49
how can I be born again?
00:13:52.53\00:13:54.06
I'm going to share
with you several ways
00:13:54.10\00:13:56.40
that the scripture
says you're born again and,
00:13:56.43\00:13:59.33
dear friend, let me
tell you, they work.
00:13:59.37\00:14:02.24
They're absolutely proof, sure,
00:14:02.27\00:14:06.21
they will absolutely
work if you'll do them.
00:14:06.24\00:14:09.08
So how are the ways
that we are born again
00:14:09.11\00:14:12.01
to begin with?
00:14:12.05\00:14:13.38
You're born again
by the Word of God.
00:14:13.42\00:14:15.95
This book I have told you
night after night is divine.
00:14:15.98\00:14:19.95
This book is more
than just a history book.
00:14:19.99\00:14:22.62
It's more than a book of morals.
00:14:22.66\00:14:24.49
It's more than a
good book of poetry.
00:14:24.53\00:14:27.20
This book is divine.
00:14:27.23\00:14:29.26
If you don't think it isn't,
00:14:29.30\00:14:30.97
you listen to what
I'm fixing to read to you.
00:14:31.00\00:14:33.34
This is what the scripture says,
00:14:33.37\00:14:36.20
"Having been born again,
not of corruptible seed..."
00:14:36.24\00:14:42.04
What does that mean,
not of corruptible seed?
00:14:42.08\00:14:46.41
That's flesh, not
of corruptible seed,
00:14:46.45\00:14:49.85
that's flesh,
00:14:49.88\00:14:51.22
but of incorruptible seed,
okay, having been born again,
00:14:51.25\00:14:57.03
not of corruptible
seed but incorruptible,
00:14:57.06\00:15:01.46
listen folks,
00:15:01.50\00:15:03.57
through the what?
00:15:03.60\00:15:06.50
"Through the Word of God
00:15:06.53\00:15:07.87
which lives and abides forever."
00:15:07.90\00:15:10.87
Right here, you
want to be born again.
00:15:10.91\00:15:14.08
Here it is.
00:15:14.11\00:15:15.78
Many, many
individuals of by themselves,
00:15:15.81\00:15:21.35
sometimes in a foxhole,
00:15:21.38\00:15:25.82
sometime out in
the middle of a desert,
00:15:25.85\00:15:28.86
sometime lost have
picked up the Word of God
00:15:28.89\00:15:34.80
and have been born
again as they read it.
00:15:34.83\00:15:39.63
Born again
through the Word of God.
00:15:39.67\00:15:43.07
So tonight, if
you want eternal life,
00:15:43.10\00:15:49.74
if you want more
than this whole world,
00:15:49.78\00:15:53.58
if you want eternal
life, let me tell you,
00:15:53.62\00:15:56.58
it's here right in this book.
00:15:56.62\00:16:00.29
You can find it. Watch.
00:16:00.32\00:16:02.32
Let me share some
other scriptures with you.
00:16:02.36\00:16:06.06
2 Peter 1:4,
00:16:06.09\00:16:07.93
"By which have been given to us
00:16:07.96\00:16:11.83
exceedingly great
and precious promises,"
00:16:11.87\00:16:15.30
been given to us in this book
00:16:15.34\00:16:17.31
exceeding great
and precious promises.
00:16:17.34\00:16:20.61
What were those exceeding
great and precious promises do
00:16:20.64\00:16:25.18
for you and me?
00:16:25.21\00:16:27.65
That through these,
00:16:27.68\00:16:29.08
those exceeding great
and precious promises.
00:16:29.12\00:16:31.95
"Through these you may be
partakers of the divine," what?
00:16:31.99\00:16:37.56
"Nature."
00:16:37.59\00:16:38.93
There's the spiritual
nature, through this book,
00:16:38.96\00:16:42.36
through the
promises of God's Word,
00:16:42.40\00:16:44.73
you may be a
partaker of the divine nature.
00:16:44.77\00:16:51.01
You want to be born again?
00:16:51.04\00:16:52.87
Right, there it is.
00:16:52.91\00:16:54.24
Let me tell you a little secret.
00:16:54.28\00:16:56.75
Don't leave it
laying on the coffee table.
00:16:56.78\00:17:02.88
Don't leave it in the bookshelf.
00:17:02.92\00:17:06.39
Don't leave it in the closet.
00:17:06.42\00:17:09.22
Get it out, spend time with it.
00:17:09.26\00:17:12.89
Marvelous is what you
learn in the Word of God.
00:17:12.93\00:17:19.10
These are the words of Jesus,
00:17:19.13\00:17:22.20
having escaped the corruption
00:17:22.24\00:17:23.57
that is in the
world through lust.
00:17:23.61\00:17:26.21
John 5:24,
00:17:26.24\00:17:28.04
"Most assuredly, I say to
you, he who hears My," what?
00:17:28.08\00:17:33.42
"Hears My word
and believes in Me,
00:17:33.45\00:17:38.15
who has sent Me,"
00:17:38.19\00:17:40.72
what?
00:17:40.76\00:17:42.09
"Has everlasting life."
00:17:42.12\00:17:45.99
That's one of my
favorite text, if you,
00:17:46.03\00:17:49.50
"He who accepts the Word of God,
00:17:49.53\00:17:53.03
picks it up, reads it,
00:17:53.07\00:17:55.44
believes in the
Lord Jesus Christ
00:17:55.47\00:17:58.67
that He said he
has everlasting life."
00:17:58.71\00:18:01.31
Listen, folks,
00:18:01.34\00:18:02.68
"And shall not
come into judgment,
00:18:02.71\00:18:07.32
but has passed from," what?
00:18:07.35\00:18:10.69
"From death into life."
00:18:10.72\00:18:14.16
Those are promises
that are given to you
00:18:14.19\00:18:16.83
that if you pick
it up and you read it,
00:18:16.86\00:18:18.49
and you believe in Him,
00:18:18.53\00:18:20.50
you'll not come into judgment.
00:18:20.53\00:18:23.47
I don't know about you,
00:18:23.50\00:18:24.83
but I don't care
about going into judgment.
00:18:24.87\00:18:28.44
When I come into judgment,
00:18:28.47\00:18:29.80
you have passed
from death unto life
00:18:29.84\00:18:35.98
that God offers to you.
00:18:36.01\00:18:39.05
So if you want eternal life,
if you want to be born again,
00:18:39.08\00:18:42.52
get out the good old
book, spend some time with it.
00:18:42.55\00:18:46.72
Secondly,
00:18:46.76\00:18:48.26
you'll find that
you and I are born again
00:18:48.29\00:18:52.59
by believing in Jesus Christ.
00:18:52.63\00:18:55.76
That's what the scripture says.
00:18:55.80\00:18:57.17
I pick up the book, I read it.
00:18:57.20\00:18:59.37
I read about Jesus Christ
00:18:59.40\00:19:01.00
and it says that
if I believe in Him,
00:19:01.04\00:19:04.71
I will receive eternal life.
00:19:04.74\00:19:07.44
Acts 16:30,
00:19:07.48\00:19:09.34
"And he brought
them out and said,
00:19:09.38\00:19:10.95
'Sir, what must
I do to be saved?'"
00:19:10.98\00:19:16.22
Paul, Silas up in Philippi.
00:19:16.25\00:19:22.02
They've been beaten,
they've been put in jail.
00:19:22.06\00:19:27.63
It's about midnight.
00:19:27.66\00:19:31.03
They're chained.
00:19:31.07\00:19:33.17
You know what they're doing?
00:19:33.20\00:19:34.54
They're
singing. They're singing.
00:19:38.57\00:19:41.61
I mean, they've been
beaten, they're singing.
00:19:41.64\00:19:45.28
And while they're singing,
00:19:45.31\00:19:47.65
all of a sudden
there's an earthquake
00:19:47.68\00:19:50.59
and the earthquake
knocks the windows open
00:19:50.62\00:19:53.05
and knocks the doors open
00:19:53.09\00:19:54.42
and the chains
fall off the prisoners,
00:19:54.46\00:19:57.66
and the guard thinks
00:19:57.69\00:19:59.03
that he's lost
all of his prisoners,
00:19:59.06\00:20:01.56
is about to take his
own life, and they said,
00:20:01.60\00:20:04.43
"Don't do yourself
any harm, we're all here."
00:20:04.47\00:20:07.57
And he came in and
fell down before him
00:20:07.60\00:20:09.60
and said,
00:20:09.64\00:20:10.97
this is a pagan, folks,
00:20:11.01\00:20:13.24
this is a man who
is a Roman soldier
00:20:13.27\00:20:15.64
that's a pagan,
00:20:15.68\00:20:17.01
and he has seen the
power of God and he said,
00:20:17.05\00:20:19.65
"What must I do to be saved?"
00:20:19.68\00:20:22.22
Listen.
00:20:22.25\00:20:25.29
"So they said,
00:20:25.32\00:20:29.86
'Believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ,
00:20:29.89\00:20:32.86
and you will be
saved and your household.'"
00:20:32.89\00:20:37.63
Believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ.
00:20:37.67\00:20:40.90
Oh, dear friends,
00:20:40.94\00:20:42.27
it's one thing for
it to be in the book,
00:20:42.30\00:20:44.87
but you got to believe,
00:20:44.91\00:20:47.21
you got to put your
belief in what it says.
00:20:47.24\00:20:52.21
If you don't believe,
it won't do you any good.
00:20:52.25\00:20:55.95
So believe in
the Lord Jesus Christ
00:20:55.98\00:20:58.55
and you shall be saved.
00:20:58.59\00:21:03.53
I'm telling you things
that the scripture says
00:21:03.56\00:21:06.83
that you use to be born again.
00:21:06.86\00:21:10.67
The Word of God, I
believe in Jesus Christ.
00:21:10.70\00:21:15.40
And I accept that by what?
00:21:15.44\00:21:19.24
Faith.
00:21:19.27\00:21:20.61
There was a Pharisee,
00:21:25.35\00:21:28.82
invited Jesus to
his home for a meal.
00:21:28.85\00:21:34.49
And while they
were there at the home
00:21:34.52\00:21:36.86
and Jesus was eating.
00:21:36.89\00:21:38.73
This woman
00:21:38.76\00:21:40.66
came into the
Pharisee's home, Simon's home,
00:21:40.70\00:21:46.40
trying to not be noticed.
00:21:46.43\00:21:49.84
But she went over
to where Jesus was,
00:21:49.87\00:21:51.67
and she knelt down by Him,
00:21:51.71\00:21:54.64
and she had an
alabaster box full of perfume,
00:21:54.68\00:21:59.28
and she took that alabaster box,
00:21:59.31\00:22:01.62
and opened it up
and began to pour
00:22:01.65\00:22:03.85
perfume on His feet,
00:22:03.89\00:22:06.02
and she was crying,
00:22:06.05\00:22:08.39
and she was taking her hair
and wiping His feet with it.
00:22:08.42\00:22:12.59
And while she
was doing all that,
00:22:12.63\00:22:14.16
Simon was sitting there
00:22:14.20\00:22:15.86
thinking because this woman
00:22:15.90\00:22:18.00
was a great,
great sinner, folks,
00:22:18.03\00:22:22.84
and he was saying to himself,
00:22:22.87\00:22:26.88
if Jesus knew who this was,
00:22:26.91\00:22:28.94
He wouldn't be
permitting her to do this.
00:22:28.98\00:22:33.01
Wouldn't be letting her do this,
00:22:33.05\00:22:36.82
and Jesus perceiving
what Simon was thinking,
00:22:36.85\00:22:40.46
said, Simon, let
me tell you a story.
00:22:40.49\00:22:45.89
There was a man
who had two servants,
00:22:45.93\00:22:50.70
one owed him $60,
00:22:50.73\00:22:54.10
the other owed him $100,
00:22:54.14\00:22:57.27
and neither one of
them could pay him back.
00:22:57.31\00:23:00.98
And he forgave both of them.
00:23:01.01\00:23:05.25
Which loved him most?
00:23:05.28\00:23:09.98
And Simon said, "Well,
00:23:10.02\00:23:11.75
probably the one
that he forgave most."
00:23:11.79\00:23:15.42
And Jesus said, "You
have perceived right."
00:23:15.46\00:23:19.33
He said, "Simon, I came here.
00:23:19.36\00:23:23.13
This is a great
sinner, her sins are many,
00:23:23.16\00:23:27.47
but you didn't
give me a gift, Simon.
00:23:27.50\00:23:31.01
She did.
00:23:31.04\00:23:33.38
You didn't give me
water to wash my feet, Simon,
00:23:33.41\00:23:38.51
but she hasn't stopped
washing my feet with her tears.
00:23:38.55\00:23:43.75
You didn't give me a
towel to dry my feet,
00:23:43.79\00:23:47.96
but she has dried
them with her hair
00:23:47.99\00:23:50.99
because she has
been forgiven much,
00:23:51.03\00:23:56.63
therefore she has loved much
00:23:56.67\00:24:00.07
Now listen carefully
or you'll miss something.
00:24:00.10\00:24:05.91
"And then he said to the woman,
00:24:05.94\00:24:09.24
'Your faith has
saved you. Go in peace.'"
00:24:09.28\00:24:14.52
Folks, that text did not
say your faith will save you.
00:24:14.55\00:24:21.16
It doesn't say that.
00:24:21.19\00:24:22.59
It says your
faith has saved you.
00:24:22.62\00:24:27.23
You see, we use the word faith.
00:24:27.26\00:24:31.60
But if you look at it,
00:24:31.63\00:24:33.84
in English it takes
two words to make faith.
00:24:33.87\00:24:37.74
We use the word
faith several ways.
00:24:37.77\00:24:39.57
Sometimes we say
that's his faith.
00:24:39.61\00:24:42.74
And we mean that's his belief,
00:24:42.78\00:24:46.48
belief as we
found is part of faith,
00:24:46.51\00:24:49.38
but belief by
itself is not enough.
00:24:49.42\00:24:52.65
Sometimes we say,
"Well, I've got faith in Him.
00:24:52.69\00:24:55.82
What do we mean?
00:24:55.86\00:24:57.63
Well, we mean we trust Him.
00:24:57.66\00:25:00.20
You see,
00:25:00.23\00:25:01.56
belief and trust
is what makes faith.
00:25:01.60\00:25:05.50
And when a person has
faith in Jesus Christ,
00:25:05.53\00:25:10.61
they are born again.
00:25:10.64\00:25:14.68
Okay?
00:25:14.71\00:25:16.04
That is what takes place.
00:25:16.08\00:25:17.71
It's simply by my reaching
out and accepting Jesus Christ.
00:25:17.75\00:25:24.09
And by my accepting Him,
00:25:24.12\00:25:25.92
means that I believe in
Him and I have trust in Him.
00:25:25.95\00:25:31.59
And because I believe
in Him and I trust Him,
00:25:31.63\00:25:35.26
He gives to me eternal life.
00:25:35.30\00:25:40.44
I want to share with you
one of the great scriptures.
00:25:40.47\00:25:44.54
This is one of those scriptures
that I would tell you,
00:25:44.57\00:25:47.01
if you don't have
highlighted in your Bible,
00:25:47.04\00:25:49.24
if you don't have it underline,
00:25:49.31\00:25:50.91
you shouldn't
go to sleep tonight
00:25:50.95\00:25:52.31
without doing it.
00:25:52.35\00:25:54.05
It's found over in 1 John.
00:25:54.08\00:25:58.22
1 John 5:11, it says,
00:25:58.25\00:26:02.19
"And this is the testimony:
00:26:02.22\00:26:06.43
that God has given us" what?
00:26:06.46\00:26:09.63
"Eternal life and
this life is in His Son."
00:26:09.66\00:26:15.30
Oh, dear friend, let
me tell you something.
00:26:15.34\00:26:17.31
Don't go looking
forward any other place.
00:26:17.34\00:26:21.14
Don't go looking forward
tonight among the philosophers.
00:26:21.18\00:26:25.91
Don't go looking
for it in your ability
00:26:25.95\00:26:30.62
and what you can do,
00:26:30.65\00:26:33.39
it's found in Jesus Christ.
00:26:33.42\00:26:36.46
Listen as it continues.
00:26:36.49\00:26:39.73
"He who has the Son has life,
00:26:39.76\00:26:45.40
he who does not
have the Son of God
00:26:45.43\00:26:48.44
does not have life."
00:26:48.47\00:26:50.81
Oh, dear
friend, let me tell you.
00:26:50.84\00:26:52.67
If you've got
Jesus Christ tonight,
00:26:52.71\00:26:55.64
you have everything.
00:26:55.68\00:26:58.81
If you don't have Jesus
Christ, you don't have anything.
00:26:58.85\00:27:03.08
It's that simple.
00:27:03.12\00:27:04.89
He is everything
because He is life.
00:27:04.92\00:27:10.79
Okay?
00:27:10.83\00:27:12.16
And I have Jesus
Christ by believing in Him,
00:27:12.19\00:27:16.00
and by having faith in Him.
00:27:16.03\00:27:20.07
"These things
have I written to you
00:27:20.10\00:27:22.60
who believe in the
name of the Son of God,
00:27:22.64\00:27:25.14
that you may
know that you may know
00:27:25.17\00:27:30.38
that you have eternal life,
00:27:30.41\00:27:33.88
and that you may
continue to believe in the name
00:27:33.92\00:27:37.59
of the Son of God."
00:27:37.62\00:27:38.95
So it says tonight that
if you by faith reach out,
00:27:38.99\00:27:45.46
take hold of Jesus
Christ, you can be born again.
00:27:45.49\00:27:51.80
Unfortunately,
00:27:51.83\00:27:54.57
there's a lot of people
who by faith have reached out,
00:27:54.60\00:28:00.24
accepted Jesus Christ,
00:28:00.28\00:28:03.35
but they didn't
understand what takes place.
00:28:03.38\00:28:08.25
So tonight,
00:28:08.28\00:28:10.15
I want to share
with you what takes place
00:28:10.19\00:28:12.05
because I don't want you in
any doubt as to what happens
00:28:12.09\00:28:16.76
when you accept Jesus Christ,
00:28:16.79\00:28:19.23
because all of a sudden
00:28:19.26\00:28:21.26
you now find
yourself with two natures.
00:28:21.30\00:28:25.57
You have been
given a spiritual nature.
00:28:25.60\00:28:29.10
Okay?
00:28:29.14\00:28:30.47
You've been born again.
00:28:30.51\00:28:31.84
You've been given
a spiritual nature
00:28:31.87\00:28:33.78
and you have what
the scripture says,
00:28:33.81\00:28:36.14
a carnal nature.
00:28:36.18\00:28:38.11
Okay?
00:28:38.15\00:28:39.48
You understand the
word carnal, don't you?
00:28:39.51\00:28:42.68
Huh?
00:28:42.72\00:28:44.15
You understand that word carnal?
00:28:44.19\00:28:46.15
Come on, folks.
00:28:46.19\00:28:47.52
Don't act like,
you've eaten chili con carne.
00:28:47.56\00:28:51.63
Okay, that just means
flesh, it's what it is.
00:28:51.66\00:28:55.86
So you've got two natures,
00:28:55.90\00:28:57.23
you got a nature of flesh
and you got a spiritual nature,
00:28:57.27\00:29:00.77
and those two
natures are not the same.
00:29:00.80\00:29:03.17
Listen to what
it says about him.
00:29:03.20\00:29:05.74
2 Corinthians 5:17,
00:29:05.77\00:29:08.24
"Therefore if
anyone is in Christ,
00:29:08.28\00:29:10.81
he is a new creation,
00:29:10.85\00:29:14.55
old things have passed away,
00:29:14.58\00:29:17.62
behold, all
things have become new."
00:29:17.65\00:29:21.52
I have received a new
nature in Christ Jesus
00:29:21.56\00:29:24.83
and let me tell you something,
that nature is so sweet,
00:29:24.86\00:29:29.46
so sweet.
00:29:29.50\00:29:30.83
I can tell you, the sky is bluer
00:29:30.87\00:29:34.50
and the birds sing
sweeter in that new nature
00:29:34.54\00:29:38.27
than any other
place in the world.
00:29:38.31\00:29:41.48
And when you find it,
00:29:41.51\00:29:43.35
dear friend, it is like
the pearl of great price.
00:29:43.38\00:29:48.08
Go sell all that
you have and buy it,
00:29:48.12\00:29:52.89
because it makes
00:29:52.92\00:29:54.26
all the difference in the world.
00:29:54.29\00:29:56.76
A new nature, you become a
new person in Christ Jesus.
00:29:56.79\00:30:01.66
Now,
00:30:01.70\00:30:03.53
you still got an old nature,
00:30:03.57\00:30:07.40
"That you may put off
concerning your former conduct,
00:30:07.44\00:30:12.21
the old man..."
00:30:12.24\00:30:16.34
You see, that's the old nature,
00:30:16.38\00:30:18.75
"The old man which
grows," what? "Corrupt."
00:30:18.78\00:30:24.25
I mean, he gets worse every day.
00:30:24.29\00:30:26.86
"He grows corrupt
00:30:26.89\00:30:28.42
according to the
deceitful lusts."
00:30:28.46\00:30:30.53
"And that you put on the"
00:30:34.20\00:30:37.53
what?
00:30:37.57\00:30:38.90
"The new man"
that's the new nature,
00:30:38.93\00:30:41.47
"which was
created according to God,
00:30:41.50\00:30:43.77
in true
righteousness and holiness."
00:30:43.81\00:30:46.27
So you've got two natures,
you've got it old nature,
00:30:46.31\00:30:49.31
that's the fleshly nature,
00:30:49.34\00:30:50.95
and you've got a new nature
which is the spiritual nature
00:30:50.98\00:30:55.75
that God has given you.
00:30:55.78\00:30:57.42
Okay, so once we have those,
00:30:57.45\00:31:00.56
let's see what we can
find out about the new nature.
00:31:00.59\00:31:04.03
The Bible tells us
00:31:04.06\00:31:05.39
that the new nature doesn't sin.
00:31:05.43\00:31:08.83
Did you know that?
00:31:08.86\00:31:11.33
The new nature does not
sin, it's a spiritual nature.
00:31:11.37\00:31:15.17
1 John 3:9,
00:31:18.44\00:31:20.44
"Whoever has been
born of God does not sin,
00:31:20.48\00:31:25.71
for His seed remains
in him, and he cannot sin,
00:31:25.75\00:31:30.69
because he has
been born of God."
00:31:30.72\00:31:34.02
That new nature cannot
sin, it is a spiritual nature.
00:31:34.06\00:31:38.86
Okay.
00:31:38.89\00:31:40.23
It does not sin.
00:31:40.26\00:31:43.43
1 John 5:18,
00:31:43.47\00:31:44.93
"We know that whoever is
born of God does not sin,
00:31:44.97\00:31:48.84
but he who has been
born of God keeps himself,
00:31:48.87\00:31:52.77
and that the wicked
one does not touch him."
00:31:52.81\00:31:55.98
That spiritual nature is
given to that person by God
00:31:56.01\00:31:59.78
when you're born again,
00:31:59.81\00:32:01.15
that spiritual
nature cannot sin.
00:32:01.18\00:32:03.62
The Bible refers
to it now, folks,
00:32:07.32\00:32:10.33
as a babe.
00:32:10.36\00:32:12.99
The spiritual nature
is given to you as a baby,
00:32:13.03\00:32:16.83
it's not given
to you full-grown.
00:32:16.87\00:32:20.40
That's what new Christians
many times don't understand.
00:32:20.44\00:32:24.27
It's given to
you just as a babe.
00:32:24.31\00:32:28.71
"For everyone who
partakes only of milk
00:32:28.74\00:32:31.15
is unskilled in the
word of righteousness,
00:32:31.18\00:32:33.75
for he is a babe."
00:32:33.78\00:32:37.55
So did you hear tonight,
00:32:37.59\00:32:39.52
those of you all
across this country
00:32:39.55\00:32:41.59
and around the world,
00:32:41.62\00:32:42.96
if tonight you're
reaching out in faith
00:32:42.99\00:32:44.79
and accepting Jesus
Christ in your heart,
00:32:44.83\00:32:47.70
He's going to
give you a new nature,
00:32:47.73\00:32:49.90
but it's going to be
given to you only as a babe.
00:32:49.93\00:32:54.87
Okay.
00:32:54.90\00:32:56.74
Therefore,
00:32:56.77\00:32:58.67
the old man of sin,
00:32:58.71\00:33:01.31
the old fleshy nature,
00:33:01.34\00:33:03.55
he is full-grown.
00:33:03.58\00:33:07.75
The Bible talks
about him as the old man.
00:33:07.78\00:33:12.55
Let me tell you something.
00:33:12.59\00:33:13.92
The old man
doesn't like the baby.
00:33:13.96\00:33:18.06
Okay?
00:33:18.09\00:33:19.43
Watch.
00:33:19.46\00:33:21.26
"For we know that
the law is spiritual,"
00:33:21.30\00:33:26.53
nothing wrong with God's law.
00:33:26.57\00:33:28.37
"the law is
spiritual," all right,
00:33:28.40\00:33:31.77
"but I am carnal,
00:33:31.81\00:33:34.81
I am flesh, sold under sin.
00:33:34.84\00:33:39.55
But now, it is no
longer I who do it,
00:33:39.58\00:33:42.95
but sin that dwells in me.
00:33:42.98\00:33:47.36
For I know that in
me, that is in my flesh,
00:33:47.39\00:33:51.86
nothing good dwells."
00:33:51.89\00:33:54.56
That's the old man
of sin, for to will.
00:33:54.60\00:33:59.63
How to do it?
00:33:59.67\00:34:01.00
"For to will is present with me,
00:34:01.04\00:34:03.24
but how to perform what is good
00:34:03.27\00:34:06.01
I do not find."
00:34:06.04\00:34:09.38
That's the old man of sin.
00:34:09.41\00:34:12.35
Okay.
00:34:12.38\00:34:13.72
What you've got to
consider tonight is,
00:34:13.75\00:34:18.75
how does that new nature grow.
00:34:18.79\00:34:21.92
You see, dear friend,
if you accept Jesus Christ
00:34:21.96\00:34:25.13
and He gives you a new nature
00:34:25.16\00:34:26.53
and it's given to you as a baby,
00:34:26.56\00:34:29.46
it's got to grow,
00:34:29.50\00:34:31.23
so how you gonna make it grow.
00:34:31.27\00:34:35.07
Well, this is the way it grows.
00:34:35.10\00:34:38.77
"Knowing this,
that our old man,"
00:34:38.81\00:34:42.04
that's the old man of sin,
00:34:42.08\00:34:43.51
the old fleshly nature was what?
00:34:43.55\00:34:47.02
"Crucified with him."
00:34:47.05\00:34:48.58
Let me just tell you right now.
00:34:48.62\00:34:50.75
If you don't take the old
man and crucify him every day,
00:34:50.79\00:34:56.59
I can tell you
00:34:56.62\00:34:57.96
he's going to stomp on the baby.
00:34:57.99\00:35:01.80
Do you understand me?
00:35:01.83\00:35:04.37
If you don't do that,
00:35:04.40\00:35:06.00
the old man is much
stronger than the baby.
00:35:06.03\00:35:11.41
And so if you don't
get up as Paul said,
00:35:11.44\00:35:15.31
"I am crucified with Christ,
00:35:15.34\00:35:18.71
nevertheless I live yet not
I but Christ live within me."
00:35:18.75\00:35:23.32
Paul said, "I die daily."
00:35:23.35\00:35:27.56
Got to take that old man of sin,
00:35:27.59\00:35:29.72
and I've got to
crucify him on the cross,
00:35:29.76\00:35:33.93
then the baby stands a chance.
00:35:33.96\00:35:38.07
Okay.
00:35:38.10\00:35:41.00
That the body of sin
00:35:41.04\00:35:44.37
might be done away with,
00:35:44.41\00:35:47.28
that we should no
longer be slaves of sin."
00:35:47.31\00:35:52.38
I know
individuals that reach out
00:35:52.41\00:35:54.18
and accept Jesus Christ
as their personal Savior.
00:35:54.22\00:35:56.72
They see their need of Him,
00:35:56.75\00:35:58.32
but they don't
crucify the old man of sin,
00:35:58.35\00:36:01.42
so the old man of sin
00:36:01.46\00:36:02.79
just runs over the
new nature all the time,
00:36:02.82\00:36:06.63
and they never grow
00:36:06.66\00:36:08.00
because they don't
crucify the old man of sin.
00:36:08.03\00:36:11.40
Once I am willing to
crucify the old man of sin,
00:36:11.43\00:36:16.81
then
00:36:16.84\00:36:19.91
I must feed the baby.
00:36:19.94\00:36:22.84
As newborn babes,
00:36:22.88\00:36:25.08
desire the pure
milk of the word,
00:36:25.11\00:36:27.78
that you may grow thereby."
00:36:27.82\00:36:30.19
Psalms 119:11,
00:36:33.79\00:36:35.82
"Your word have I
hidden in my heart,
00:36:35.86\00:36:37.96
that I might not
sin against You!"
00:36:37.99\00:36:41.13
You see, this is food.
00:36:41.16\00:36:45.60
This is food for
the spiritual nature.
00:36:45.63\00:36:50.77
Man shall not
live by bread alone,
00:36:50.81\00:36:54.48
but by every word
that proceedeth out
00:36:54.51\00:36:56.95
of the mouth of God.
00:36:56.98\00:36:58.68
And I have people
come to me and they say,
00:36:58.71\00:37:00.22
"Oh, Brother Cox,
I just, I'm so busy.
00:37:00.25\00:37:03.89
And I don't know
00:37:03.92\00:37:05.25
what's wrong with my
Christian experience.
00:37:05.29\00:37:07.16
I just don't seem to be growing,
00:37:07.19\00:37:11.16
and nothing
seems to be happening."
00:37:11.19\00:37:13.03
And I say to them,
00:37:13.06\00:37:14.40
"Well, are you
spending time in the Word?
00:37:14.43\00:37:16.13
And they say, "Oh,
Brother Cox, I'm so busy,
00:37:16.16\00:37:17.80
I don't have time to do that."
00:37:17.83\00:37:21.50
And I say,
00:37:21.54\00:37:23.51
"Yeah, you're starving the
baby to death, aren't you?"
00:37:23.54\00:37:26.91
It's what you're doing,
00:37:26.94\00:37:28.28
you're starving
the baby to death
00:37:28.31\00:37:29.64
and you wonder what's wrong.
00:37:29.68\00:37:32.18
You see, I learned,
00:37:32.21\00:37:34.28
I learned a long time ago
00:37:34.32\00:37:37.02
that I found
time every day to eat.
00:37:37.05\00:37:43.29
I don't seem to have any trouble
00:37:43.32\00:37:44.79
finding time every day to eat
00:37:44.83\00:37:49.30
and I decided,
well, boy, if you can eat
00:37:49.33\00:37:52.77
and you can feed this
old fleshly body of yours,
00:37:52.80\00:37:56.44
you can certainly find time
to feed the spiritual nature.
00:37:56.47\00:38:00.01
And I made a decision, I said,
00:38:00.04\00:38:02.14
"No food goes in here
unless I feed this one too."
00:38:02.18\00:38:07.22
And you know, since I did that,
00:38:07.25\00:38:08.58
I never seem to
having trouble finding time.
00:38:08.62\00:38:12.39
You know, learn to
spend time in the Word of God
00:38:12.42\00:38:16.36
because it is the food
for the spiritual nature.
00:38:16.39\00:38:21.36
It's what makes it grow.
00:38:21.40\00:38:24.53
"Your word is a lamp to my feet,
00:38:24.57\00:38:27.14
a light to my path."
00:38:27.17\00:38:29.80
Spiritual nature can't grow
00:38:29.84\00:38:31.81
unless you spend
time in the Word of God.
00:38:31.84\00:38:34.94
And, dear friend,
00:38:34.98\00:38:36.54
you know, you don't
have to do anything special.
00:38:36.58\00:38:40.72
You don't have to have a degree.
00:38:40.75\00:38:43.08
You don't have to
have a degree in theology
00:38:43.12\00:38:45.32
or from the seminary.
00:38:45.35\00:38:46.69
Just pick it up and read
it and open up your heart.
00:38:46.72\00:38:52.33
Open up your heart, friend,
00:38:52.36\00:38:54.76
just, you know,
00:38:54.80\00:38:56.33
don't try to find
in the Word of God
00:38:56.36\00:39:02.44
what you want it to say,
00:39:02.47\00:39:05.34
you know,
00:39:05.37\00:39:06.74
don't be like the woman
00:39:06.78\00:39:08.68
where the
preacher was preaching,
00:39:08.71\00:39:11.48
and he was preaching away
00:39:11.51\00:39:13.21
and she was agreeing
with everything he had to say.
00:39:13.25\00:39:15.25
And she was saying amen.
00:39:15.28\00:39:17.52
You know then,
he had hit something
00:39:17.55\00:39:19.35
that just wound her
heart and she said amen.
00:39:19.39\00:39:22.92
And as the
preacher was preaching,
00:39:22.96\00:39:24.66
all of a sudden he hit something
00:39:24.69\00:39:27.00
that cut went the opposite way.
00:39:27.03\00:39:30.07
And she said, woo,
00:39:30.10\00:39:31.43
he's quit preaching
and started meddling,
00:39:31.47\00:39:33.27
you know.
00:39:33.30\00:39:34.64
So, you know,
00:39:34.67\00:39:36.00
open up your
heart, keep it soft.
00:39:36.04\00:39:39.24
Let the Holy
Spirit speak to you.
00:39:39.27\00:39:42.08
And as you do that, you'll grow,
00:39:42.11\00:39:44.51
that's what it takes.
00:39:44.55\00:39:46.28
Secondly,
00:39:46.31\00:39:49.15
prayer.
00:39:49.18\00:39:52.59
Prayer is the
breath of the soul.
00:39:52.62\00:39:58.26
You see, God not
only feed the baby,
00:39:58.29\00:40:00.90
you got to let the baby breathe,
00:40:00.93\00:40:04.27
and prayer is how
you let it breathe.
00:40:04.30\00:40:07.27
And I can tell you
00:40:07.30\00:40:08.64
a number of
secrets about prayer.
00:40:08.67\00:40:11.07
One of them is
00:40:11.11\00:40:13.48
five minutes of
prayer in the morning
00:40:13.51\00:40:15.64
will save a half hour
of confession at night
00:40:15.68\00:40:20.55
any day.
00:40:20.58\00:40:23.59
When you wake up in the morning,
00:40:23.62\00:40:25.12
it says in the Psalm 4,
00:40:25.15\00:40:27.02
it's what it
say, Psalm 4:4 and 5,
00:40:27.06\00:40:29.76
when you wake up in the morning,
00:40:29.79\00:40:31.69
it says, lay
there and talk to God.
00:40:31.73\00:40:34.46
You don't have
to crawl out of bed.
00:40:34.50\00:40:37.33
And your first
thoughts can be of Him
00:40:37.37\00:40:40.44
and just talk to the Lord
as you lay there in your bed.
00:40:40.47\00:40:44.51
And then it says in the Psalm 4,
00:40:44.54\00:40:46.64
that after you've
talked to the Lord, be still.
00:40:46.68\00:40:49.81
It's what it says.
00:40:49.84\00:40:51.18
Most of us pray and jump up.
00:40:51.21\00:40:53.05
God says, "Be still."
00:40:53.08\00:40:55.38
Listen to what God has to say
00:40:55.42\00:40:58.59
because touch your
heart bit different,
00:40:58.62\00:41:00.49
take time to pray.
00:41:00.52\00:41:02.82
Spend time in prayer.
00:41:02.86\00:41:04.19
It's the breath of the soul.
00:41:04.23\00:41:05.93
You know, if
you're not going to pray,
00:41:09.03\00:41:12.03
you know what you're doing.
00:41:12.07\00:41:14.04
You're killing the baby.
00:41:14.07\00:41:15.94
That's what you're doing.
00:41:15.97\00:41:17.31
If you don't pray,
you're killing the baby
00:41:17.34\00:41:19.81
'cause it cannot exist
if it can't breathe, okay?
00:41:19.84\00:41:24.85
I'm telling you things
00:41:24.88\00:41:26.21
to make that
spiritual nature grow.
00:41:26.25\00:41:28.75
Now, don't misunderstand
me here tonight, dear friend,
00:41:28.78\00:41:32.42
if by faith you don't reach out
00:41:32.45\00:41:34.59
and accept Jesus Christ
as your personal Savior,
00:41:34.62\00:41:37.99
and receive the new birth.
00:41:38.03\00:41:39.59
That is something
that is given by God,
00:41:39.63\00:41:41.63
that is a work of
grace that is given by God
00:41:41.66\00:41:44.47
that has nothing to
do with your ability.
00:41:44.50\00:41:47.57
Do you understand me?
00:41:47.60\00:41:50.07
Reading the Word of God,
00:41:50.11\00:41:53.01
praying,
00:41:53.04\00:41:55.01
all these things
will not do you any good
00:41:55.04\00:41:58.45
unless you've been born again.
00:41:58.48\00:42:01.35
Are you with me?
00:42:01.38\00:42:02.98
So you've got to
reach out in faith
00:42:03.02\00:42:05.22
and accept Jesus Christ.
00:42:05.25\00:42:07.62
But once you've done
that, and the baby's been born
00:42:07.66\00:42:11.66
then, folks,
please, give it some TLC,
00:42:11.69\00:42:18.10
you know, feed it.
00:42:18.13\00:42:21.54
Let it breathe.
00:42:21.57\00:42:23.84
Unfortunately,
00:42:23.87\00:42:27.01
I find there are
a lot of Christians
00:42:27.04\00:42:30.21
that eat spiritually
and breathe spiritually,
00:42:30.25\00:42:36.25
and that's all they do.
00:42:36.28\00:42:38.59
And you know what happens?
00:42:38.62\00:42:41.49
They get fat.
00:42:41.52\00:42:42.86
You know, they don't exercise.
00:42:45.49\00:42:49.43
And you know what happens
to you when you don't exercise?
00:42:49.46\00:42:53.70
They become invalids,
00:42:53.74\00:42:56.81
they're Christian invalids
00:42:56.84\00:42:59.34
because they do not exercise
00:42:59.37\00:43:02.24
and you know, dear
friend, if you're an invalid,
00:43:02.28\00:43:05.98
you're not worth
much spiritually.
00:43:06.01\00:43:09.78
Okay?
00:43:09.82\00:43:11.15
God says that you
and I must exercise,
00:43:11.19\00:43:15.39
this is what it says.
00:43:15.42\00:43:17.83
Romans 10:9,
00:43:17.86\00:43:19.66
"That if you
confess with your mouth
00:43:19.69\00:43:23.83
the Lord Jesus and
believe in your heart
00:43:23.87\00:43:28.17
that God has
raised Him from the dead,
00:43:28.20\00:43:30.21
you will be saved."
00:43:30.24\00:43:32.97
If you confess with your what?
00:43:33.01\00:43:36.14
Your mouth.
00:43:36.18\00:43:38.98
You've got to
witness, you've got to confess.
00:43:39.01\00:43:42.98
God calls you to be a
witness, there is no such thing.
00:43:43.02\00:43:47.66
Listen to me.
00:43:47.69\00:43:49.02
There is no such
thing as being born
00:43:49.06\00:43:52.89
into the kingdom of God
and not be a missionary.
00:43:52.93\00:43:57.43
There's no such thing.
00:43:57.47\00:43:59.80
Everybody that's born
into the kingdom of God
00:43:59.83\00:44:02.77
is born into the
kingdom of God as a witness,
00:44:02.80\00:44:06.81
and I must witness in my life
00:44:06.84\00:44:11.31
and I must witness by my mouth.
00:44:11.35\00:44:15.15
I must tell other
people about Jesus Christ.
00:44:15.18\00:44:21.49
Let me tell you a little secret.
00:44:21.52\00:44:24.06
If this is bothering you,
00:44:24.09\00:44:26.16
let me tell you
how to take care of it.
00:44:26.19\00:44:28.66
If you say, "Oh, Brother Cox,
00:44:28.70\00:44:30.13
I really have trouble
talking to people about Jesus."
00:44:30.17\00:44:34.07
Well, if you have trouble,
00:44:34.10\00:44:35.44
let me tell you
how to take care of it.
00:44:35.47\00:44:39.57
The Bible says
00:44:39.61\00:44:42.51
that you and I are to go
to the fountain and drink.
00:44:42.54\00:44:47.58
Okay.
00:44:47.62\00:44:48.95
So get in the Word and
spend time in the Word,
00:44:48.98\00:44:52.82
and drink, and drink, and
drink until your cup runs over.
00:44:52.85\00:44:58.79
And when your cup runs over,
00:44:58.83\00:45:00.53
you won't be
able to help yourself.
00:45:00.56\00:45:04.57
Because if your
cup is only half full,
00:45:04.60\00:45:09.00
you don't have
anything to share with anybody.
00:45:09.04\00:45:12.67
But when your cup runs over,
you can't do anything about it.
00:45:12.71\00:45:16.88
So spend time in the Word,
00:45:16.91\00:45:19.51
that makes all the difference.
00:45:19.55\00:45:23.45
Romans 10:10,
00:45:23.49\00:45:25.52
"For with the heart
00:45:25.55\00:45:27.72
one believes
unto righteousness,"
00:45:27.76\00:45:30.56
okay,
00:45:30.59\00:45:32.06
"and with the mouth
00:45:32.09\00:45:33.80
confession is
made unto salvation."
00:45:33.83\00:45:38.80
So, dear friend, if you want
that spiritual nature to grow,
00:45:38.83\00:45:43.00
you got to let it exercise,
00:45:43.04\00:45:45.91
it will get
strong, it will stronger.
00:45:45.94\00:45:49.01
If you don't let it exercise,
you might read the Word of God,
00:45:49.04\00:45:53.38
you might pray,
00:45:53.42\00:45:54.75
but the old man of
sin if you're an invalid,
00:45:54.78\00:45:57.55
then you can't
do anything to him.
00:45:57.59\00:46:00.02
But I guarantee
you, if you exercise,
00:46:00.06\00:46:02.69
it can become
stronger all the time.
00:46:02.72\00:46:08.53
One other point and,
folks, as far as I'm concerned,
00:46:08.56\00:46:13.20
this is the most
important of all of them.
00:46:13.23\00:46:15.54
And this is
again, one of these texts
00:46:15.57\00:46:17.27
that if you
haven't underlined it,
00:46:17.31\00:46:20.48
you haven't
highlighted in your Bible,
00:46:20.51\00:46:22.51
don't go to sleep until you do.
00:46:22.54\00:46:24.95
Okay.
00:46:24.98\00:46:26.31
2 Corinthians 3:18,
00:46:26.35\00:46:29.62
"But we all, with unveiled face
00:46:29.65\00:46:33.72
beholding as in a
mirror the glory of the Lord,"
00:46:33.76\00:46:38.33
all right,
00:46:38.36\00:46:39.69
beholding as in a
mirror the glory of the Lord,
00:46:39.73\00:46:45.00
are being, come on,
00:46:45.03\00:46:47.80
"are being
transformed into the same image
00:46:47.84\00:46:53.58
from glory to glory,
00:46:53.61\00:46:54.94
just as by the
Spirit of the Lord."
00:46:54.98\00:46:57.05
That text simply
tells you that by beholding,
00:46:57.08\00:47:01.25
you and I become changed.
00:47:01.28\00:47:04.95
You understand that.
00:47:04.99\00:47:06.32
That's what changes you
00:47:06.35\00:47:08.06
is by beholding
the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:47:08.09\00:47:11.23
that you and I are changed,
00:47:11.26\00:47:13.40
are transformed
into the same image
00:47:13.43\00:47:17.73
by beholding Jesus Christ.
00:47:17.77\00:47:21.87
I read a story the other day.
00:47:21.90\00:47:24.74
These people had a little dog.
00:47:24.77\00:47:28.14
She was pregnant.
00:47:28.18\00:47:30.38
She was about four
weeks from delivery.
00:47:30.41\00:47:35.32
And she was running,
00:47:35.35\00:47:39.29
I guess out on the line
while they were mowing it.
00:47:39.32\00:47:42.26
And she ran under the lawn mower
00:47:42.29\00:47:44.76
and it cut off
her two back legs,
00:47:44.79\00:47:47.63
and they rushed her to the vet.
00:47:47.66\00:47:51.20
And the vet
examiner, and he said,
00:47:51.23\00:47:53.17
"Well, we have two choices."
00:47:53.20\00:47:55.27
He said, "The pups as
far as I can tell are okay,
00:47:55.30\00:47:59.57
so your choices."
00:47:59.61\00:48:00.94
He said, "I can give her
a shot and put her to sleep,
00:48:00.98\00:48:03.58
or I can sew up the
stubs that are left there
00:48:03.61\00:48:07.15
and let her go
ahead and have the pups.
00:48:07.18\00:48:09.62
While the children were pleading
00:48:09.65\00:48:11.19
not to put her to sleep
00:48:11.22\00:48:13.79
and so the parents decided
to have her legs sewed up,
00:48:13.82\00:48:16.93
and they took her home.
00:48:16.96\00:48:18.83
And surprisingly,
in a matter of weeks,
00:48:18.86\00:48:22.76
of a week, she
had learned to walk.
00:48:22.80\00:48:25.57
She took two steps
with her front feet.
00:48:25.60\00:48:28.70
And then she would
pull those stubs behind her,
00:48:28.74\00:48:30.74
and she would
take two more steps
00:48:30.77\00:48:32.11
and pull those stubs behind her,
00:48:32.14\00:48:33.48
and that's the way
she learned to walk.
00:48:33.51\00:48:35.68
And she gave birth to the pups,
00:48:35.71\00:48:38.51
they were all healthy, fine.
00:48:38.55\00:48:41.32
She nursed them,
00:48:41.35\00:48:43.15
and they were just as
normal as any other pups,
00:48:43.18\00:48:46.76
except when
they learned to walk,
00:48:46.79\00:48:48.26
they walked just
like their mother.
00:48:48.29\00:48:52.09
You see, by
beholding, we become changed.
00:48:52.13\00:48:58.03
See, that's what God
does for you and for me.
00:48:58.07\00:49:02.60
So, dear friend, spend time,
00:49:02.64\00:49:05.37
spend time with the Word of God,
00:49:05.41\00:49:08.34
don't...
00:49:08.38\00:49:09.71
I plead with you,
00:49:09.74\00:49:11.25
don't permit preconceived ideas,
00:49:11.28\00:49:15.28
don't permit things
00:49:15.32\00:49:16.65
that you may
thought that you understood
00:49:16.69\00:49:20.29
to stand in your way.
00:49:20.32\00:49:22.22
Open up your heart.
00:49:22.26\00:49:24.03
Look at God's Word
and say, yes, and follow,
00:49:24.06\00:49:27.23
let the Holy Spirit lead you.
00:49:27.26\00:49:29.63
It makes great, great
difference in your life.
00:49:29.66\00:49:34.10
Okay.
00:49:34.14\00:49:35.90
That's how you
feed the new nature.
00:49:35.94\00:49:39.04
Now, let me tell you something.
00:49:39.07\00:49:41.64
As I told you, the old
nature doesn't like the baby.
00:49:41.68\00:49:47.02
You have to understand that.
00:49:47.05\00:49:50.35
Galatians 4:29,
00:49:50.39\00:49:52.65
"But, as he who was
born according to the flesh
00:49:52.69\00:49:56.09
then persecuted" did what?
00:49:56.12\00:49:59.79
"Persecuted him who was
born according to the Spirit,
00:49:59.83\00:50:05.63
even so it is now."
00:50:05.67\00:50:09.34
You see,
00:50:09.37\00:50:10.71
the old nature
persecutes the new nature.
00:50:10.74\00:50:16.38
And, dear friend, if sometimes,
00:50:16.41\00:50:19.28
if sometimes it seems hard,
00:50:19.31\00:50:23.28
it seems so hard
00:50:23.32\00:50:26.49
and the old nature is shouting
00:50:26.52\00:50:30.96
and demanding,
dear friend, understand,
00:50:30.99\00:50:36.33
crucify that old man.
00:50:36.36\00:50:38.70
Crucify him
00:50:38.73\00:50:40.50
because it won't
work any other way
00:50:40.54\00:50:42.64
'cause he's going
to persecute the baby.
00:50:42.67\00:50:45.87
"I say then:
Walk in the Spirit."
00:50:45.91\00:50:51.71
You and I must learn
to live in the Spirit.
00:50:51.75\00:50:55.98
"Walk in the Spirit,
00:50:56.02\00:50:57.45
and you shall not
fulfill the lust of the flesh.
00:50:57.49\00:51:03.32
For the flesh
lusts against the Spirit,
00:51:03.36\00:51:05.66
and the Spirit
against the flesh."
00:51:05.69\00:51:07.63
They're not
together, they never will be.
00:51:07.66\00:51:09.96
they war against one another.
00:51:10.00\00:51:11.83
It will always be that way.
00:51:11.87\00:51:13.87
And until you
make a decided decision
00:51:13.90\00:51:16.57
in your Christian life
to war against the flesh,
00:51:16.60\00:51:21.08
to crucify the old man,
00:51:21.11\00:51:22.94
then the Spirit is
always going to have trouble,
00:51:22.98\00:51:25.91
take that.
00:51:25.95\00:51:28.85
And these are
contrary to one another,
00:51:28.88\00:51:33.99
so that you do not do
the things that you wish.
00:51:34.02\00:51:39.36
See, that's when
00:51:39.39\00:51:40.73
the old carnal
nature is crying out.
00:51:40.76\00:51:45.53
That's when the
temptation is there.
00:51:45.57\00:51:48.30
And the old carnal
nature has raised its ugly head
00:51:48.34\00:51:51.71
and it's crying out
for all that it can,
00:51:51.74\00:51:55.61
then you do not
do what you wish,
00:51:55.64\00:51:59.95
because that's
the old carnal nature,
00:51:59.98\00:52:03.89
I must crucify it.
00:52:03.92\00:52:07.46
"Therefore we do not lose heart.
00:52:07.49\00:52:11.29
Even though our
outward man is perishing,"
00:52:11.33\00:52:15.10
that's the old man
of sin, he's perishing,
00:52:15.13\00:52:17.47
"yet the inward man is
being renewed day by day."
00:52:17.50\00:52:22.14
He's growing stronger every day.
00:52:22.17\00:52:25.97
You see, let me
tell you a little secret.
00:52:26.01\00:52:30.95
Self, the old man of sin,
00:52:30.98\00:52:35.88
he would rather
be thought of badly
00:52:35.92\00:52:38.55
than not to be
thought of at all,
00:52:38.59\00:52:41.66
any day, selfhood.
00:52:41.69\00:52:45.39
So let me tell you a
story about overcoming
00:52:45.43\00:52:50.47
because until
you understand this,
00:52:50.50\00:52:53.80
you can't really overcome.
00:52:53.84\00:52:57.47
There was a man who
walked into an Indian village,
00:52:57.51\00:53:02.34
he told all the villagers
that he could make gold.
00:53:02.38\00:53:07.22
Everybody gathered around.
00:53:07.25\00:53:10.19
And the man took out a pot,
poured some water in the pot,
00:53:10.22\00:53:15.32
took out a
little bag of chemicals
00:53:15.36\00:53:17.66
and poured some
chemicals into the pot of water.
00:53:17.69\00:53:21.20
And then he took out a stick
and he began to stir the pot
00:53:21.23\00:53:24.20
and just repeat
meaningless words.
00:53:24.23\00:53:29.40
As he stirred the pot,
00:53:29.44\00:53:31.91
something happened out in
the audience with the people
00:53:31.94\00:53:35.04
and their
attention was distracted,
00:53:35.08\00:53:37.41
and he dropped into the
pot two nuggets of gold.
00:53:37.45\00:53:41.88
Continued to stir the pot
and after a bit, he stopped,
00:53:41.92\00:53:47.92
poured off the water,
00:53:47.96\00:53:49.36
and lo and behold in the
pot were two nuggets of gold.
00:53:49.39\00:53:54.96
All the villagers,
they wooed and they awed
00:53:55.00\00:53:58.60
and the businessmen
offered him 500 rupees,
00:53:58.63\00:54:02.10
if he would tell them
the formula for making gold.
00:54:02.14\00:54:06.37
And after some consideration,
he decided that he would.
00:54:06.41\00:54:11.75
He gave them the pot.
00:54:11.78\00:54:13.88
He gave them the
sack of chemicals.
00:54:13.92\00:54:16.12
He gave them the stick.
00:54:16.15\00:54:17.65
He told them how much
water to put in the pot.
00:54:17.69\00:54:19.72
He told them how
long to stir the pot.
00:54:19.75\00:54:21.72
And he told them
what words to say.
00:54:21.76\00:54:24.76
They gave him the 1500
rupees, and he walked away.
00:54:24.79\00:54:30.20
But when he got out
on the edge of the crowd,
00:54:30.23\00:54:33.60
he stopped,
00:54:33.64\00:54:35.04
and he turned back
and he said to them,
00:54:35.07\00:54:37.11
one other thing,
00:54:37.14\00:54:39.11
when you stir the pot,
00:54:39.14\00:54:41.28
you must not think
of the red faced monkey.
00:54:41.31\00:54:46.51
But lo and behold, every
time they stirred the pot,
00:54:46.55\00:54:49.92
on the edge of their
mind set the red faced monkey.
00:54:49.95\00:54:54.69
Now, dear friends,
00:54:54.72\00:54:56.06
that's the same
thing in overcoming.
00:54:56.09\00:54:59.16
You see, if I put my
attention on my sins,
00:54:59.19\00:55:03.67
you know what's going to happen?
00:55:03.70\00:55:05.77
I'm going to do the more.
00:55:05.80\00:55:09.10
If you focus on your faults,
if you focus on your sins,
00:55:09.14\00:55:14.18
you will do the more.
00:55:14.21\00:55:16.48
You take your
focus off of your sins
00:55:16.51\00:55:19.68
and you put
them on Jesus Christ.
00:55:19.71\00:55:22.75
You see, it's by
beholding, we become changed.
00:55:22.78\00:55:27.86
It's by looking at Him.
00:55:27.89\00:55:29.39
That's how that
whole process takes place.
00:55:29.42\00:55:32.93
And He will do marvelous
things in your life and mine.
00:55:32.96\00:55:36.63
"And if Christ is in you,
00:55:36.67\00:55:39.43
the body is dead because of sin,
00:55:39.47\00:55:42.60
but the Spirit is life
because of righteousness."
00:55:42.64\00:55:48.11
You see, this is
what happens to a person.
00:55:48.14\00:55:53.31
So how do I do that?
00:55:53.35\00:55:55.95
I do it by the
good fight of faith.
00:55:55.98\00:55:59.89
My faith in Jesus
Christ, what He can do.
00:55:59.92\00:56:04.19
"Fight the good fight of faith,
00:56:04.23\00:56:07.60
lay hold on eternal life
00:56:07.63\00:56:12.07
to which you were also called,
00:56:12.10\00:56:15.47
lay hold of it, and
have good confession,
00:56:15.50\00:56:19.17
and have confessed
the good confession
00:56:19.21\00:56:21.84
in the presence
of many witnesses."
00:56:21.88\00:56:24.61
So it simply tells you and I
00:56:24.65\00:56:26.35
that we're to have
faith in Him, hang on.
00:56:26.38\00:56:29.82
If I'm willing to do that,
00:56:29.85\00:56:33.49
then, dear friend,
I've been born again.
00:56:33.52\00:56:36.49
Not only have I been born again,
00:56:36.52\00:56:38.59
but that
spiritual nature will grow
00:56:38.63\00:56:41.40
and it will become
stronger, and stronger,
00:56:41.43\00:56:43.40
and stronger each day.
00:56:43.43\00:56:45.07
For whatever is born of what?
00:56:45.10\00:56:48.50
God overcomes the world.
00:56:48.54\00:56:53.48
That person who
has been born again,
00:56:53.51\00:56:56.34
that new nature cannot sin.
00:56:56.38\00:57:00.02
He overcomes the world.
00:57:00.05\00:57:02.08
And this is the victory
that has overcome the world.
00:57:02.12\00:57:08.59
What?
00:57:08.62\00:57:09.96
Our faith.
00:57:09.99\00:57:11.43
That's what overcomes the world.
00:57:11.46\00:57:13.56
That's what gives you
victory in the Christian life.
00:57:13.60\00:57:16.30
And so tonight, if
you have been struggling,
00:57:16.33\00:57:22.57
maybe there's some
of you here tonight
00:57:22.60\00:57:25.37
that have been
going to church for years,
00:57:25.41\00:57:29.64
but you've
never been victorious.
00:57:29.68\00:57:32.75
There may be some of you here
that your Christian experience
00:57:32.78\00:57:36.55
has never really been
what it should have been.
00:57:36.58\00:57:40.99
And tonight, you
understand that really,
00:57:41.02\00:57:45.06
you probably
never been born again.
00:57:45.09\00:57:48.36
And tonight,
00:57:48.40\00:57:50.00
you'd like to just
accept that new nature
00:57:50.03\00:57:52.17
in Christ Jesus.
00:57:52.20\00:57:53.94
He's inviting you to do that.
00:57:53.97\00:57:56.40
And if you by faith
will just look up to Him,
00:57:56.44\00:58:01.88
He'll give you a new nature.
00:58:01.91\00:58:03.35