The message entitled
two roads, how many roads?
00:00:30.19\00:00:34.40
Two roads.
00:00:34.43\00:00:35.96
If you have your Bibles with you
00:00:36.00\00:00:37.33
which I believe you do
00:00:37.37\00:00:38.70
and I know that
also we are blessed
00:00:38.73\00:00:40.37
to have the
scripture on the screen.
00:00:40.40\00:00:43.54
Go with me to Deuteronomy 30:19.
00:00:43.57\00:00:49.51
Deuteronomy 30:19.
00:00:49.54\00:00:54.32
The word of the Lord says,
00:00:54.35\00:00:55.68
"I call heaven and earth
as witnesses today against you
00:00:55.72\00:01:01.39
that I have set before you..."
00:01:01.42\00:01:03.22
To what?
00:01:03.26\00:01:04.59
"Life and death,
blessing and cursing,
00:01:04.63\00:01:09.53
therefore choose life,
00:01:09.56\00:01:12.10
that both you and
your descendants may live."
00:01:12.13\00:01:18.01
Bow your heads with me as
I go to the Lord in prayer.
00:01:18.04\00:01:21.41
Loving Father in heaven,
00:01:21.44\00:01:22.78
thank You that this directive
00:01:22.81\00:01:24.71
is not just one that
begins with two choices,
00:01:24.75\00:01:28.92
but it ends with your
direct guidance, choose life.
00:01:28.95\00:01:35.56
Heavenly Father, today
00:01:35.59\00:01:38.36
in a world that is
so torn with choices,
00:01:38.39\00:01:41.26
help us to hear
00:01:41.30\00:01:42.83
above the
cacophony of distractions,
00:01:42.86\00:01:45.83
the voice of God
saying to us, choose life.
00:01:45.87\00:01:51.67
And so today,
Lord, take this message
00:01:51.71\00:01:53.58
and bring it to the
hearts of Your children
00:01:53.61\00:01:56.71
including my heart,
00:01:56.75\00:01:58.61
that we may hear
00:01:58.65\00:02:00.72
what Your
Spirit has to say to us
00:02:00.75\00:02:03.28
this morning in Jesus' name.
00:02:03.32\00:02:07.02
Amen. Amen.
00:02:07.06\00:02:10.56
Number of years ago
00:02:10.59\00:02:11.93
when I was being
raised in New York City,
00:02:11.96\00:02:13.56
I've told you the
story a number of times
00:02:13.60\00:02:16.16
about my old 1976 Toyota Corona,
00:02:16.20\00:02:21.57
the car that I
describe a number of times
00:02:21.60\00:02:23.74
as having cancer
on the front fenders,
00:02:23.77\00:02:27.18
you remember that story?
00:02:27.21\00:02:28.84
If you've not heard the
story in 1976 I was gifted,
00:02:28.88\00:02:34.12
actually in 1976 I
was gifted with a car
00:02:34.15\00:02:38.05
that had already been old.
00:02:38.09\00:02:39.42
And I may get the
details of the story,
00:02:42.69\00:02:44.69
it's been so long ago incorrect
but the car was a 1976 car,
00:02:44.73\00:02:49.86
didn't get at
that particular year,
00:02:49.90\00:02:53.70
but when I got the car
I was excited to get it
00:02:53.74\00:02:55.97
because the dad who said
he would never buy me a car
00:02:56.00\00:02:59.57
actually gave me
money to get that car.
00:02:59.61\00:03:02.61
And I was so desirous of
pleasing him that I said,
00:03:02.64\00:03:05.68
"Papa, I could take you anywhere
00:03:05.71\00:03:07.35
you want to go."
00:03:07.38\00:03:09.18
And so he decided
one day to challenge me
00:03:09.22\00:03:12.35
and put that
request into effect.
00:03:12.39\00:03:16.86
He decided, he
wanted to go to camp meeting
00:03:16.89\00:03:18.59
upstate New York.
00:03:18.63\00:03:19.96
We had a camp meeting called
the Victory Lake camp meeting
00:03:20.00\00:03:23.20
in Hyde Park, New York.
00:03:23.23\00:03:26.33
And I remember very well
taken off that Sabbath morning
00:03:26.37\00:03:29.30
going to camp meeting,
00:03:29.34\00:03:30.67
I had been there a
number of times before,
00:03:30.71\00:03:32.24
I'd either gone by church bus
00:03:32.27\00:03:35.04
or we had driven
with other friends
00:03:35.08\00:03:36.58
or we had driven ourselves
00:03:36.61\00:03:38.35
and I was so
familiar with the road,
00:03:38.38\00:03:41.02
I knew exactly where
the camp meeting was.
00:03:41.05\00:03:44.75
Got up early
that Sabbath morning
00:03:44.79\00:03:46.86
to get to camp
meeting in time for church,
00:03:46.89\00:03:49.02
in time for Sabbath school,
00:03:49.06\00:03:50.43
it was more than
just a camp meeting,
00:03:50.46\00:03:51.93
it was a social event.
00:03:51.96\00:03:53.60
All the young
people went to camp meeting
00:03:53.63\00:03:56.13
just to hang
out with each other.
00:03:56.16\00:03:59.17
And there I was, papa
in the passenger seat,
00:03:59.20\00:04:01.67
I'm driving and I said,
00:04:01.70\00:04:04.97
"Papa, I'm so glad
00:04:05.01\00:04:06.74
you're going to
camp meeting with me,
00:04:06.78\00:04:08.11
I know the way."
00:04:08.14\00:04:10.78
And on my way up
from the major highways
00:04:10.81\00:04:12.78
to the smaller county roads,
00:04:12.81\00:04:14.95
then to the least travel roads,
00:04:14.98\00:04:17.32
then to the one lane road,
00:04:17.35\00:04:19.29
on my way to camp meeting
00:04:19.32\00:04:20.66
I saw all these
cars whizzing by me.
00:04:20.69\00:04:25.06
And I could, I
remember saying to papa,
00:04:25.09\00:04:28.16
they're on their
way to camp meeting
00:04:28.20\00:04:29.53
but they're going the wrong way.
00:04:29.56\00:04:32.23
I saw them all
turn off and I said,
00:04:32.27\00:04:34.60
"Papa, good
thing you're with me,
00:04:34.64\00:04:36.17
we're going to get to
camp meeting before they
00:04:36.20\00:04:38.37
because they're all
going the wrong way."
00:04:38.41\00:04:41.34
Hold on.
00:04:41.38\00:04:44.55
So I ended up
00:04:44.58\00:04:48.85
in the main city of
Hyde Park, New York,
00:04:48.88\00:04:54.26
and I thought to myself,
00:04:54.29\00:04:55.69
I had done this
drive so many times,
00:04:55.72\00:05:00.16
how could I have
taken the wrong turn?
00:05:00.20\00:05:03.87
So Papa said, "Did we arrive?"
00:05:03.90\00:05:06.87
I said, "Yes, we did but
not where I thought we would be.
00:05:06.90\00:05:11.97
We are in Hyde Park,
00:05:12.01\00:05:13.78
but we are not at Victory Lake."
00:05:13.81\00:05:16.68
Humbled as I was at
that very realization,
00:05:16.71\00:05:20.22
I turned around
and began my trek back
00:05:20.25\00:05:23.28
and I realized that
what point in the road
00:05:23.32\00:05:26.05
I made my wrong turn,
00:05:26.09\00:05:28.16
I made the turn
five minutes to easy town
00:05:28.19\00:05:32.13
and I missed the road
that I was supposed to take.
00:05:32.16\00:05:35.33
I was on the wrong road
00:05:35.36\00:05:37.43
and I got to Victory
00:05:37.47\00:05:41.10
after everybody else got there.
00:05:41.14\00:05:43.84
I got to Victory late
because I made the wrong turn.
00:05:43.87\00:05:49.78
It was a humbling experience
00:05:49.81\00:05:51.15
and I remember from
that never to boast again
00:05:51.18\00:05:53.62
that I know the way,
00:05:53.65\00:05:55.42
and so often in our own lives
00:05:55.45\00:05:56.99
we wake up on
our day to day lives,
00:05:57.02\00:05:59.99
we wake up on Sabbath morning
00:06:00.02\00:06:01.59
and we believe in
ourselves that we know the way,
00:06:01.62\00:06:05.06
only to come up with the reality
00:06:05.09\00:06:07.70
that for that particular day
00:06:07.73\00:06:10.17
we made the wrong turn.
00:06:10.20\00:06:12.50
But I'm so glad that
when we make the wrong turn,
00:06:16.20\00:06:18.57
God allows U-turns,
can you say amen to that?
00:06:18.61\00:06:22.51
And so this morning we
are going to take a journey
00:06:22.54\00:06:25.75
down the road that
some of us have been down,
00:06:25.78\00:06:28.92
only to find out and
come to the realization
00:06:28.95\00:06:31.95
that in this life
nothing matters more.
00:06:31.99\00:06:35.26
Let me say that again,
00:06:35.29\00:06:36.62
nothing matters
more than knowing
00:06:36.66\00:06:39.33
that we are on the
right road to eternal life.
00:06:39.36\00:06:43.30
I mean, nothing matters
more, and as you get older,
00:06:43.33\00:06:46.77
young folk, hold on,
00:06:46.80\00:06:49.30
when you past a certain
chronological point in life,
00:06:49.34\00:06:53.91
when the
decades begin to add up,
00:06:53.94\00:06:57.91
and you realize that you
have more time behind you
00:06:57.95\00:07:01.82
than ahead of you,
00:07:01.85\00:07:03.18
all of a sudden going
in the right direction
00:07:03.22\00:07:05.69
makes a difference.
00:07:05.72\00:07:09.22
When you pause
to look at your life
00:07:09.26\00:07:10.96
where it has been
and where it could be.
00:07:10.99\00:07:14.36
When you begin
to measure the world
00:07:14.40\00:07:16.97
against what
Jesus has promised us,
00:07:17.00\00:07:19.67
all of a sudden
you begin to realize
00:07:19.70\00:07:22.14
that there is
nothing in this world
00:07:22.17\00:07:25.24
that we can trade
for that eternal kingdom
00:07:25.27\00:07:29.11
that Jesus has
gone to prepare for us.
00:07:29.14\00:07:32.51
There's nothing down here.
00:07:32.55\00:07:34.25
I've been to Broadway,
I've been to Australia,
00:07:34.28\00:07:37.19
I've been to
countries around the world,
00:07:37.22\00:07:38.65
there's not a country
00:07:38.69\00:07:40.02
that my wife and I
have touch with our feet
00:07:40.06\00:07:41.99
that we would
trade for the kingdom
00:07:42.02\00:07:43.96
that God is preparing for us.
00:07:43.99\00:07:47.13
But you never know that
until somehow you find yourself
00:07:47.16\00:07:50.77
going down the wrong road.
00:07:50.80\00:07:53.90
When Jesus stood
before the multitude,
00:07:53.94\00:07:55.47
today we're going to
consider a 2,000 year appeal
00:07:55.50\00:08:00.14
that Jesus
reverberated from His lips.
00:08:00.18\00:08:02.84
He infatuatedly
appeal to the hearts
00:08:02.88\00:08:04.71
of those listening to Him
00:08:04.75\00:08:06.85
and He appealed to them
00:08:06.88\00:08:08.98
to not to be deceived
by going down the road
00:08:09.02\00:08:11.92
that looks better.
00:08:11.95\00:08:14.82
Everything that
looks better is not better.
00:08:14.86\00:08:20.03
Look at Matthew
7:13, the words of Jesus.
00:08:20.06\00:08:25.03
"Going down the road
00:08:25.07\00:08:26.47
that sometimes is
designed to look better,
00:08:26.50\00:08:29.67
but really it is not better."
00:08:29.70\00:08:33.01
The Word of God
says, Matthew 7:13,
00:08:33.04\00:08:36.91
"Enter by the..."
00:08:36.95\00:08:38.28
What kind of gate?
00:08:38.31\00:08:40.28
"The narrow gate,
for wide is the gate
00:08:40.32\00:08:44.82
and broad is the way
that leads to destruction,
00:08:44.85\00:08:49.72
and there are
many who go in by it."
00:08:49.76\00:08:55.40
Serving the Lord says that
00:08:55.43\00:08:57.00
these two roads mention
lead in opposite directions,
00:08:57.03\00:09:00.37
one is narrow and rugged,
00:09:00.40\00:09:01.97
the other is wider and smoother
but its end is destruction.
00:09:02.00\00:09:07.41
The smooth road is
not always the best road.
00:09:07.44\00:09:13.05
Those that climb
mountains know that,
00:09:13.08\00:09:14.62
you can't climb
a smooth mountain.
00:09:14.65\00:09:17.49
You cannot, you
cannot climb a mountain
00:09:17.52\00:09:20.49
that has
nothing rugged about it.
00:09:20.52\00:09:22.96
The roads that are ahead of us,
00:09:22.99\00:09:24.53
in the world Satan
has so artistically
00:09:24.56\00:09:27.26
made the world look
like, it is a smoother road.
00:09:27.30\00:09:31.07
That's why major cities have
00:09:31.10\00:09:32.63
all adopted the phrase Broadway,
00:09:32.67\00:09:35.27
Main Street.
00:09:35.30\00:09:36.64
When you go to
these major cities,
00:09:36.67\00:09:38.17
the lights are bright,
00:09:38.21\00:09:39.87
the entertainment
is all around you,
00:09:39.91\00:09:41.98
it's calling to your attention,
00:09:42.01\00:09:44.15
it's giving you the impression
that if you go down this road,
00:09:44.18\00:09:47.78
it's the road of fun,
and joy, and pleasure,
00:09:47.82\00:09:51.39
but I've been
around long enough to know
00:09:51.42\00:09:53.46
that the road that we go down
00:09:53.49\00:09:55.16
and Jesus is not down that road,
00:09:55.19\00:09:57.46
let me tell you brethren,
you don't find lasting joy.
00:09:57.49\00:10:00.26
Can you say amen to that?
00:10:00.30\00:10:02.26
You find joy, but
it's not lasting joy.
00:10:02.30\00:10:04.83
You find pleasure,
but it's like a spike
00:10:04.87\00:10:07.07
and then it just dips as
quickly as it took you up.
00:10:07.10\00:10:11.07
I think of the days
00:10:11.11\00:10:12.44
that I spent in
my partying life,
00:10:12.47\00:10:15.04
in my night life,
in my clubbing life
00:10:15.08\00:10:17.48
and as I walked down my road,
00:10:17.51\00:10:19.28
some of you in your own minds
begin to walk down your road.
00:10:19.31\00:10:23.72
I remember being there
00:10:23.75\00:10:26.49
so inoculated by
the noise of the club
00:10:26.52\00:10:29.12
that I can actually sit
down in front of a speaker
00:10:29.16\00:10:32.03
that is thumping
and just go to sleep.
00:10:32.06\00:10:37.40
Sit down in front of a
speaker that's thumping,
00:10:37.43\00:10:39.23
that's shaking
the wall of the club
00:10:39.27\00:10:42.14
and I could sit down
there so benumbed to it.
00:10:42.17\00:10:45.77
Just fall asleep,
00:10:45.81\00:10:47.88
because my body had become
00:10:47.91\00:10:49.31
so inoculated by
the things of the world
00:10:49.34\00:10:51.95
that it really didn't have
any impact on me any longer,
00:10:51.98\00:10:54.62
but I remember the call of it
and, you know, sin has a call.
00:10:54.65\00:10:58.99
Sin has a call, it has a voice.
00:10:59.02\00:11:01.16
It gets you to do things
00:11:01.19\00:11:02.52
that you never
thought you would.
00:11:02.56\00:11:04.03
You find yourself
going down the road
00:11:04.06\00:11:05.59
you never
anticipated you'll be on.
00:11:05.63\00:11:09.13
I can see
myself in New York City
00:11:09.16\00:11:10.73
in the freezing
winter sitting on the train,
00:11:10.77\00:11:13.60
there's ice on the platform,
00:11:13.64\00:11:15.47
the doors of the train
are open, it's freezing
00:11:15.50\00:11:18.64
and there I am sitting shaking,
00:11:18.67\00:11:20.38
shivering on my way to
a party or club somewhere.
00:11:20.41\00:11:25.18
Sin holds us and does to
us what God never intends.
00:11:25.21\00:11:30.09
But this morning
we're going to find
00:11:30.12\00:11:31.79
that there is no road
with greater blessings
00:11:31.82\00:11:34.32
than the road
that God puts us on.
00:11:34.36\00:11:38.09
These two roads, the
travelers on these roads
00:11:38.13\00:11:41.33
are opposite in character,
opposite in destination.
00:11:41.36\00:11:44.67
And when you look at the Bible
from Genesis to Revelation,
00:11:44.70\00:11:47.80
you'll find that
from God's perspective,
00:11:47.84\00:11:50.37
now stay with me,
00:11:50.41\00:11:51.74
you all stayed up
during the offering,
00:11:51.77\00:11:53.21
the children story,
00:11:53.24\00:11:54.71
don't let the devil
put you to sleep now.
00:11:54.74\00:11:57.55
I have to start
getting my water gun,
00:11:57.58\00:12:00.38
wake some of you folk up.
00:12:00.42\00:12:02.78
You'll wake up as soon
as I say amen at the end.
00:12:02.82\00:12:05.79
Right now the devil is
going to make some of you sleep,
00:12:05.82\00:12:08.36
stay awake.
00:12:08.39\00:12:09.72
Amen, somebody. Amen.
00:12:09.76\00:12:11.69
From God's point of
view, there has always,
00:12:11.73\00:12:14.83
there have always
been only two classes.
00:12:14.86\00:12:19.27
How many classes?
00:12:19.30\00:12:21.24
From the very beginning Cain
offered to God what he pleased.
00:12:21.27\00:12:25.57
Able offered to
God what he required.
00:12:25.61\00:12:29.44
From the very beginning,
00:12:29.48\00:12:31.71
there have always
been only two classes,
00:12:31.75\00:12:34.75
there is no third class.
00:12:34.78\00:12:37.19
There are saints and sinners.
00:12:37.22\00:12:39.32
The wicked and the righteous.
00:12:39.35\00:12:41.32
The unbeliever, the believer.
00:12:41.36\00:12:42.79
The tares, the wheat.
00:12:42.82\00:12:44.33
The enemies of
God, the friends of God.
00:12:44.36\00:12:47.10
The foolish, the wise.
00:12:47.13\00:12:49.26
The ungodly, the godly.
00:12:49.30\00:12:51.63
The wicked and once
again the righteous.
00:12:51.67\00:12:55.14
The children of this world
00:12:55.17\00:12:57.37
and the children of the kingdom.
00:12:57.41\00:12:59.34
Those who live
according to the flesh
00:12:59.37\00:13:01.78
and those who are
led by the Spirit.
00:13:01.81\00:13:05.31
Let me tell you,
00:13:05.35\00:13:06.68
I want to be in
the right category,
00:13:06.72\00:13:08.05
what about you?
00:13:08.08\00:13:09.42
This category is the category,
let me say it emphatically,
00:13:09.45\00:13:13.05
this is the
category that's getting ready
00:13:13.09\00:13:16.09
as Ivor was
saying for Jesus to come.
00:13:16.12\00:13:20.83
And I want to
tell you the reason
00:13:20.86\00:13:22.20
why the Lord hasn't come yet...
00:13:22.23\00:13:25.33
is because sometimes waiting
00:13:25.37\00:13:28.70
really tests whether
or not you're waiting.
00:13:28.74\00:13:33.44
Let me say that again.
00:13:33.48\00:13:34.88
Sometimes you can wait so long
that you get tired of waiting.
00:13:34.91\00:13:39.05
Let me encourage
you this morning.
00:13:39.08\00:13:40.42
The Lord doesn't
want us to just wait,
00:13:40.45\00:13:42.78
He wants us to
work while we wait
00:13:42.82\00:13:45.52
for the coming of the Lord.
00:13:45.55\00:13:47.79
If you're busy doing something,
00:13:47.82\00:13:49.32
getting people ready
for the coming of the Lord,
00:13:49.36\00:13:51.23
you don't get tired.
00:13:51.26\00:13:53.80
That's why He says in His word,
00:13:53.83\00:13:55.26
"Blessed is the servant
00:13:55.30\00:13:57.13
whom the Lord finds
doing when He comes."
00:13:57.17\00:14:01.34
Whereas the Negro spiritual
00:14:01.37\00:14:02.97
keeps so busy
working for my Jesus,
00:14:03.00\00:14:04.67
ain't got time to die.
00:14:04.71\00:14:06.98
If you're working for
the coming of the Lord,
00:14:07.01\00:14:08.91
if you're getting people ready
for the coming of the Lord,
00:14:08.94\00:14:10.98
you are so excited
about what you're doing
00:14:11.01\00:14:13.15
that you don't have time
00:14:13.18\00:14:16.12
to rush Jesus to return.
00:14:16.15\00:14:19.19
As every day you wake up,
00:14:23.93\00:14:26.13
there's somebody else
that needs to know Christ.
00:14:26.16\00:14:30.10
There's somebody
else that needs to know
00:14:30.13\00:14:32.43
that what you have
in the relationship
00:14:32.47\00:14:33.94
you have with the
Lord is what they need.
00:14:33.97\00:14:36.60
In the parable of the two roads,
00:14:36.64\00:14:40.04
Jackson, they
asked the question,
00:14:40.08\00:14:41.58
why is the wider
road not the best road?
00:14:41.61\00:14:46.45
The wider road is
not always the best road
00:14:46.48\00:14:48.15
because the wider road
gives room for man's opinions,
00:14:48.18\00:14:52.32
for false doctrines,
for man's preferences.
00:14:52.35\00:14:55.12
The wider road is a road
00:14:55.16\00:14:57.36
that does not have
self-denial in mind.
00:14:57.39\00:15:01.56
As you notice about it...
00:15:01.60\00:15:03.26
The wide road
does not scrutinize.
00:15:06.43\00:15:10.34
The life of the
individual on the wide road,
00:15:10.37\00:15:12.94
we can do whatever we
want on the wide road,
00:15:12.97\00:15:15.64
but when we get on the
road that leads to eternal life,
00:15:15.68\00:15:19.31
there is a peering
down, there is a decluttering.
00:15:19.35\00:15:22.78
Just a few weeks ago,
00:15:22.82\00:15:24.15
my wife and I started a project.
00:15:24.19\00:15:25.85
We've been now
working diligently
00:15:25.89\00:15:28.39
to declutter our homes.
00:15:28.42\00:15:30.36
Some of you may
have remember the sermon,
00:15:30.39\00:15:31.93
"A Clutter".
00:15:31.96\00:15:33.29
Remember that sermon, "Clutter".
00:15:33.33\00:15:35.26
We've been
decluttering our lives,
00:15:35.30\00:15:38.13
and we are surprised
to see that there are,
00:15:38.17\00:15:42.10
there were things in our house
00:15:42.14\00:15:44.67
that we didn't even
know were still there.
00:15:44.71\00:15:47.61
Anybody know what
I'm talking about?
00:15:47.64\00:15:49.24
But there is stuff in your house
00:15:49.28\00:15:50.61
that you don't
even know is there,
00:15:50.65\00:15:51.98
you haven't touched
it for at least two years
00:15:52.01\00:15:56.25
and what makes it even so,
00:15:56.28\00:15:57.62
what makes it even worse for us
00:15:57.65\00:16:01.26
is we have a shed
00:16:01.29\00:16:02.62
that's just about
as big as our house.
00:16:02.66\00:16:06.80
Now it's not our
house, it's not our shed,
00:16:06.83\00:16:10.37
but it would have helped
if the shed was a lot smaller.
00:16:10.40\00:16:14.07
You notice the
more space you have,
00:16:14.10\00:16:15.70
what happens?
00:16:15.74\00:16:17.07
The more clutter you have.
00:16:17.11\00:16:19.44
And so we have
this new commitment,
00:16:19.47\00:16:20.84
we said, Lord, as
soon as spring is official,
00:16:20.88\00:16:26.55
we're going to get one
of those big green dumpsters
00:16:26.58\00:16:30.35
and I go from about here...
00:16:30.39\00:16:32.22
to here.
00:16:38.63\00:16:40.93
And we're going to get
our gas masks or dust masks.
00:16:40.96\00:16:46.33
Get a rag to cover our
heads 'cause I want to tell you,
00:16:46.37\00:16:50.97
if you spend any time in a shed
00:16:51.01\00:16:53.34
that all you do is
collect junk, you know,
00:16:53.38\00:16:55.64
there is anything
and everything in there.
00:16:55.68\00:16:59.31
That's the road that is broad.
00:16:59.35\00:17:01.72
It gives you
room to take anything
00:17:01.75\00:17:03.65
and everything with you.
00:17:03.69\00:17:05.02
We can't... Let me say that.
00:17:05.05\00:17:07.19
We cannot take anything we
have on this earth to heaven
00:17:07.22\00:17:11.53
but our character and secondly,
00:17:11.56\00:17:14.86
those that we
have touched for Jesus.
00:17:14.90\00:17:20.00
So when you
consider the contrast
00:17:20.04\00:17:21.57
between the
sinner and the saint,
00:17:21.60\00:17:24.11
the wicked and the righteous,
00:17:24.14\00:17:25.67
consider also that in the midst
of all of this unauthorized,
00:17:25.71\00:17:31.05
unrighteousness,
00:17:31.08\00:17:32.51
there is a longing
in the heart of Jesus
00:17:32.55\00:17:35.88
that's expressed
by a man who knows
00:17:35.92\00:17:38.35
what it's like to be redeemed.
00:17:38.39\00:17:39.99
2 Peter 3:9,
notice what He says,
00:17:40.02\00:17:43.53
when God looks at the
broad picture of the world
00:17:43.56\00:17:46.19
in which we live.
00:17:46.23\00:17:47.56
Listen to the heart of Jesus.
00:17:47.60\00:17:49.56
Here's what he said,
00:17:49.60\00:17:51.07
Peter the
redeemed fisherman says,
00:17:51.10\00:17:53.84
"The Lord is not slack
concerning His promise,
00:17:53.87\00:17:59.31
as some count
slackness, but..." He is what?
00:17:59.34\00:18:03.75
"Longsuffering toward
us, not willing that..."
00:18:03.78\00:18:07.02
What?
00:18:07.05\00:18:08.38
"Any should perish
00:18:08.42\00:18:10.62
but that all should
come to repentance."
00:18:10.65\00:18:12.85
That all should
come to repentance.
00:18:12.89\00:18:16.52
How many?
00:18:16.56\00:18:18.33
You know, what I
love about the Lord?
00:18:18.36\00:18:19.69
He's not willing to give
up any of us to the enemy.
00:18:19.73\00:18:22.70
I think sometimes,
00:18:26.87\00:18:28.20
we're more willing to
give ourselves to the enemy
00:18:28.24\00:18:30.51
than Jesus is to
forfeit us to the enemy.
00:18:30.54\00:18:33.51
Because we're the
ones going down that road,
00:18:33.54\00:18:36.41
but the goodness
of God allows us time
00:18:36.44\00:18:40.22
and opportunity
to examine ourselves,
00:18:40.25\00:18:43.79
and I don't want to
tell you how old I am,
00:18:43.82\00:18:46.69
you probably
already figured it out.
00:18:46.72\00:18:50.33
I'm past 40...
00:18:50.36\00:18:52.49
But the longer,
the longer I live,
00:18:58.73\00:19:04.41
I got to say this,
this is, the longer I live,
00:19:04.44\00:19:07.01
we've got, my wife
and I have a new saying,
00:19:07.04\00:19:09.81
we are living
with eternity in view,
00:19:09.84\00:19:14.72
not just heaven in view,
00:19:14.75\00:19:18.62
but eternity in view.
00:19:18.65\00:19:21.12
Come on, somebody.
00:19:21.16\00:19:23.19
You know, why?
00:19:23.22\00:19:24.56
Because you got to look,
00:19:24.59\00:19:26.49
when I was taking driver's head,
00:19:26.53\00:19:28.56
they always say
look ahead of you.
00:19:28.60\00:19:31.27
Look as far ahead of
you as your eyes can see.
00:19:31.30\00:19:34.10
They said don't
look at the things
00:19:34.14\00:19:35.47
that are near to you.
00:19:35.50\00:19:36.84
In this world
everything that's near to me
00:19:36.87\00:19:40.01
loses its hold on me
00:19:40.04\00:19:42.74
the longer God
gives me the privilege
00:19:42.78\00:19:45.38
to travel this road
called Christianity.
00:19:45.41\00:19:48.28
You know, you buy things,
you get excited when you buy,
00:19:48.32\00:19:50.69
given a few days or few weeks,
00:19:50.72\00:19:52.05
all of a sudden
it loses its hold,
00:19:52.09\00:19:53.62
and then the new thing come out
and they send these magazines,
00:19:53.66\00:19:56.42
and I know why they do it.
00:19:56.46\00:19:58.13
If you love electronics,
00:19:58.16\00:19:59.49
all the electronic
companies send you magazines.
00:19:59.53\00:20:01.66
Anybody know that?
00:20:01.70\00:20:03.13
If you like shoes, the
Macy's catalog shows up.
00:20:03.16\00:20:06.40
Whatever you like,
00:20:06.43\00:20:07.77
they send
catalogs to your house.
00:20:07.80\00:20:09.20
They gauge what
you buy in Walmart.
00:20:09.24\00:20:11.27
When you go to Kroger,
"Can I get your phone number?"
00:20:11.31\00:20:13.61
They track you,
00:20:13.64\00:20:15.11
they market to
keep you inoculated
00:20:15.14\00:20:17.85
and connected to the world,
00:20:17.88\00:20:19.48
but the more you
look in the distance,
00:20:19.51\00:20:21.55
the more you realize,
00:20:21.58\00:20:23.32
that what's on
this side of the road
00:20:23.35\00:20:25.12
and what's on
that side of the road
00:20:25.15\00:20:27.16
loses its appeal
00:20:27.19\00:20:29.09
when you keep your mind
fixed on the eternal road.
00:20:29.12\00:20:34.13
Living with eternity in view.
00:20:34.16\00:20:36.90
One of the reasons
why the road is broad.
00:20:36.93\00:20:40.27
In Signs of the
Times, July 22, 1904,
00:20:40.30\00:20:43.64
Ellen White says,
00:20:43.67\00:20:45.44
"There is no need
to search for the path
00:20:45.47\00:20:48.04
that leads to destruction."
00:20:48.08\00:20:49.51
You don't have to search
for it because the path is wide,
00:20:49.54\00:20:52.65
the way is broad,
and then she says,
00:20:52.68\00:20:55.05
"And the feet turn
naturally into the path
00:20:55.08\00:20:58.85
that ends in death."
00:20:58.89\00:21:01.82
One preacher once said,
00:21:01.86\00:21:03.19
"All you've got to do
to be lost is do nothing."
00:21:03.22\00:21:06.13
Don't have to try to be lost,
00:21:10.63\00:21:11.97
you just don't
have to try to be saved.
00:21:12.00\00:21:15.80
All you've got to do
to be lost is do nothing.
00:21:15.84\00:21:20.41
You don't have to do
anything wrong to be lost,
00:21:20.44\00:21:24.25
just do nothing to be saved
00:21:24.28\00:21:27.38
'cause whether
we know it or not,
00:21:27.42\00:21:28.75
we are all born
on this broad road
00:21:28.78\00:21:32.49
that says to us do
whatever, live however,
00:21:32.52\00:21:37.16
eat however, dress
however, think however,
00:21:37.19\00:21:42.13
watch whatever, speak
however, listen to whatever,
00:21:42.16\00:21:46.57
do whatever and
just enjoy your life.
00:21:46.60\00:21:50.41
And even our country,
00:21:50.44\00:21:51.77
life, liberty and
the pursuit of happiness.
00:21:51.81\00:21:56.41
And people today, I'm not happy.
00:21:56.44\00:21:59.08
What if the aim of God
was not to make you happy
00:21:59.11\00:22:02.28
but to make you holy?
00:22:02.32\00:22:03.82
Happiness.
00:22:06.96\00:22:10.56
Happiness comes as a
result of a holy life
00:22:10.59\00:22:16.70
and that kind of happiness
is not caffeine supported,
00:22:16.73\00:22:20.60
it's God's holy blood supported.
00:22:20.64\00:22:24.57
Let me tell you
why I said caffeine
00:22:24.61\00:22:26.11
because you get
the spikes, you know,
00:22:26.14\00:22:27.61
the world give
you spike happiness.
00:22:27.64\00:22:30.21
You get happy and all
of a sudden the movie ends,
00:22:30.25\00:22:33.21
you take the video back,
sorry, you take the DVD back.
00:22:33.25\00:22:39.19
And like you say, "Well..."
00:22:39.22\00:22:42.96
And then next thing you hear
part 2 is coming out next May.
00:22:42.99\00:22:46.36
I remember growing up,
00:22:50.43\00:22:52.73
some of you might remember this,
00:22:52.77\00:22:54.10
you know, we used to be sinners.
00:22:54.14\00:22:55.50
Every now and then
we go peruse YouTube
00:23:01.21\00:23:03.04
and see Die Hard, Bruce Willis.
00:23:03.08\00:23:07.95
Die Hard with a vengeance.
00:23:07.98\00:23:10.55
Then Die Hard with a
vengeance on steroids.
00:23:10.59\00:23:13.82
Then Die Hard with
a vengeance in Africa.
00:23:13.86\00:23:16.66
I mean, they did
part 1, part 2, part 3
00:23:16.69\00:23:19.39
that the movie makers
know how to keep us drugged,
00:23:19.43\00:23:22.20
come on somebody.
00:23:22.23\00:23:24.00
They know how to
get us and, you know,
00:23:24.03\00:23:25.93
I found out,
00:23:25.97\00:23:27.60
I found out as
somebody had revealed to me,
00:23:27.64\00:23:31.74
young man I did
an interview with,
00:23:31.77\00:23:33.38
he said the movie makers today,
00:23:33.41\00:23:36.24
they literally
experiment on people's minds.
00:23:36.28\00:23:42.72
They invite people into their,
00:23:42.75\00:23:46.52
what I might refer
to as their laboratories
00:23:46.55\00:23:49.92
where they measure
your mental responses
00:23:49.96\00:23:53.50
to what you see on the screen
00:23:53.53\00:23:56.26
and they measure certain
portions of your brain to see,
00:23:56.30\00:23:59.43
if this portion gets more red,
00:23:59.47\00:24:02.20
they know that they
are really scaring you.
00:24:02.24\00:24:05.51
But if they don't
see as much impact
00:24:05.54\00:24:07.38
on that portion of your brain,
00:24:07.41\00:24:08.74
I'm not a doctor so
I'm calling this portion.
00:24:08.78\00:24:12.51
If that portion is
not as red as they like,
00:24:12.55\00:24:15.08
they know they have to
amp up the frightfulness of it
00:24:15.12\00:24:18.55
until they get you to a
point of almost terrified
00:24:18.59\00:24:21.62
and that's why kids nowadays,
00:24:21.66\00:24:22.99
I've heard some
young people say,
00:24:23.02\00:24:24.36
I asked some
young people they said,
00:24:24.39\00:24:25.73
do you watch scary movies?
00:24:25.76\00:24:27.10
They said,
00:24:27.13\00:24:28.46
"Oh, we like them really scary."
00:24:28.50\00:24:31.37
And you know what happens?
00:24:31.40\00:24:32.97
You cannot enjoy the outdoors
like here in Thompsonville
00:24:33.00\00:24:35.80
because your greatest
enemy is not what's outside
00:24:35.84\00:24:37.97
but what's inside.
00:24:38.01\00:24:39.91
We have people that
visited us from New York City,
00:24:39.94\00:24:42.88
came to our house,
00:24:42.91\00:24:44.25
you've been to our house before.
00:24:44.28\00:24:45.61
The driveway and the
doorway is not that far away
00:24:45.65\00:24:49.28
and they asked us to
walk them to their car.
00:24:49.32\00:24:52.99
I said, "Walk you to your
car, you are from New York?"
00:24:53.02\00:24:56.66
They say, "Yes, we
can't see out here."
00:24:56.69\00:25:00.46
I was like that's
all the more reason
00:25:00.50\00:25:01.83
why you don't have
to worry about anything.
00:25:01.86\00:25:03.37
What you can't
see won't hurt you.
00:25:03.40\00:25:06.23
They said, "Now, come
on, walk me to the car."
00:25:06.27\00:25:07.94
And they were serious.
00:25:07.97\00:25:10.21
I said you're from New
York and you're afraid out here.
00:25:10.24\00:25:15.71
You know what it is?
00:25:15.74\00:25:17.08
It's what's in here
that messes with us.
00:25:17.11\00:25:19.95
The devil wants to control this.
00:25:19.98\00:25:21.95
If he can control this,
00:25:21.98\00:25:23.42
he can keep you
on that broad path.
00:25:23.45\00:25:28.36
And that broad path
contains every distraction
00:25:28.39\00:25:32.19
that keeps us from
thinking about eternity
00:25:32.23\00:25:36.43
on that broad road.
00:25:36.46\00:25:38.43
Notice, look at Hebrews 12:1,
00:25:38.47\00:25:42.80
"Therefore we
also, since we are..."
00:25:42.84\00:25:46.44
What?
00:25:46.47\00:25:47.81
"Surrounded by so great
a cloud of witnesses..."
00:25:47.84\00:25:51.65
Look at this instruction,
"Let us lay aside..."
00:25:51.68\00:25:55.75
What?
00:25:55.78\00:25:57.12
"Every weight, and the sin
00:25:57.15\00:26:00.06
which so easily ensnares us..."
00:26:00.09\00:26:02.92
Where as the King
James Version says,
00:26:02.96\00:26:04.66
"The sin that so
easily besets us,
00:26:04.69\00:26:08.53
and let us run with..."
00:26:08.56\00:26:09.93
What?
00:26:09.96\00:26:11.30
"Endurance, the race
that has set before us."
00:26:11.33\00:26:14.74
In other words,
let's break that down.
00:26:14.77\00:26:16.64
We've got to lay aside the sin
that makes us fall so easily.
00:26:16.67\00:26:21.78
Got to lay aside our ways,
00:26:27.68\00:26:30.59
our will, our wrong habits.
00:26:30.62\00:26:35.52
We've got to lay aside
our un-Christ like traits.
00:26:35.56\00:26:40.00
I think one of the reasons that
00:26:40.03\00:26:42.26
we don't see this is clearly as
God intends for us to see it is
00:26:42.30\00:26:45.30
because the thing that is
00:26:45.33\00:26:46.74
in the way of
God's will is our will.
00:26:46.77\00:26:50.94
The thing that keeps
us going the wrong way
00:26:50.97\00:26:53.71
or that keeps us going
from the right way is our way.
00:26:53.74\00:26:57.35
We'd rather hit this way.
00:26:57.38\00:26:58.91
You've heard the phrase
00:26:58.95\00:27:00.28
we've never done
it this way before.
00:27:00.32\00:27:02.98
That's what the
human nature does.
00:27:03.02\00:27:04.52
It wants to
insist on its own way.
00:27:04.55\00:27:07.66
And if the Bible study
00:27:07.69\00:27:09.96
is not done at a particular time
00:27:09.99\00:27:12.59
or if it's not done
at a convenient time,
00:27:12.63\00:27:14.76
then I don't want to be
there 'cause it's not my way.
00:27:14.80\00:27:17.60
If you do it my way
00:27:17.63\00:27:19.13
and I almost fell into
that trap one day, Bob.
00:27:19.17\00:27:21.77
I almost fell into that trap.
00:27:21.80\00:27:23.37
Lord said, "Don't
fall into that trap."
00:27:23.41\00:27:24.94
I actually wanted to do a survey
00:27:24.97\00:27:27.78
that asked people write down
00:27:27.81\00:27:30.48
what's the best time
for us to have Bible study
00:27:30.51\00:27:33.31
so that you can show up?
00:27:33.35\00:27:35.22
You know what the Lord said?
00:27:35.25\00:27:36.58
Nobody's going to
agree on the same time.
00:27:36.62\00:27:40.49
And I said,
00:27:40.52\00:27:41.86
"But, Lord, how
we're going to get people
00:27:41.89\00:27:43.69
to come to Bible studies?"
00:27:43.73\00:27:45.39
He said you can't do anything
00:27:48.66\00:27:50.00
to get them to
come to Bible study.
00:27:50.03\00:27:52.97
If they can't come to me first,
00:27:53.00\00:27:55.54
they ain't
coming to Bible study.
00:27:55.57\00:27:58.31
If they don't have a
relationship with Me first,
00:27:58.34\00:28:00.11
there is no
desire to study My word.
00:28:00.14\00:28:04.31
If you're not having Bible study
00:28:04.35\00:28:06.21
in your own house,
00:28:06.25\00:28:08.05
you ain't leaving
your house on 32 degrees
00:28:08.08\00:28:09.95
to come and have
Bible study in the church.
00:28:09.98\00:28:12.59
So I said, "Okay,
Lord, well, spring is coming,
00:28:12.62\00:28:15.02
maybe they'll come
out when it gets warmer."
00:28:15.06\00:28:16.89
We've been here
spring, summer, winter, fall
00:28:16.93\00:28:19.66
and some of the
same saints show up.
00:28:19.69\00:28:21.76
And somebody once said to me,
00:28:21.80\00:28:23.13
"Oh, I watched the
program on television
00:28:23.16\00:28:25.23
and I saw some
of the same people
00:28:25.27\00:28:27.24
that were there last week,
that were there this week."
00:28:27.27\00:28:29.10
You know what I asked them?
00:28:29.14\00:28:30.47
"How come you weren't there?"
00:28:30.51\00:28:34.01
So I'm not asking you
to come to Bible studies
00:28:34.04\00:28:36.95
because the issue is
not the Bible studies,
00:28:36.98\00:28:39.48
is if you are not
connected to Christ,
00:28:39.51\00:28:42.75
then there is no burning desire.
00:28:42.78\00:28:44.72
Bible says,
00:28:44.75\00:28:46.09
"Forsake not the assembling
of ourselves together.
00:28:46.12\00:28:48.92
And all the more so,
00:28:48.96\00:28:50.29
seeing that day is approaching."
00:28:50.33\00:28:53.90
When you know that the
plane is about to arrive,
00:28:53.93\00:28:56.56
I've seen it at the
terminals, you know,
00:28:56.60\00:28:58.33
we go back sometimes we
get to whatever the airport,
00:28:58.37\00:29:01.10
the layover is, we get there
like three and a half hours
00:29:01.14\00:29:03.51
before the plane
is going to leave
00:29:03.54\00:29:04.87
and you go to the
gate, ain't nobody there.
00:29:04.91\00:29:07.28
You can sit in
any seats you want.
00:29:07.31\00:29:10.78
Ain't nobody there,
00:29:10.81\00:29:12.68
but 20 minutes
before the plane is leaving,
00:29:12.71\00:29:15.28
everybody is there,
'cause they know what time,
00:29:15.32\00:29:18.45
half hour, we get on
the plane half hour before,
00:29:18.49\00:29:21.26
when we know that
it's about time to get on,
00:29:21.29\00:29:23.22
my wife and I know
this, we get on, you know,
00:29:23.26\00:29:24.79
we got status
with American Airlines,
00:29:24.83\00:29:26.63
we get on 30 minutes
before the plane leaves.
00:29:26.66\00:29:28.70
They say our status,
we get on and, you know,
00:29:28.73\00:29:30.87
everybody still
standing there, we get on,
00:29:30.90\00:29:32.83
we're excited about that,
praise God for some privileges.
00:29:32.87\00:29:37.67
But everybody is there,
00:29:37.71\00:29:39.04
and I notice
people are ready to get on
00:29:39.07\00:29:41.11
before they even get called.
00:29:41.14\00:29:42.78
I wish people would be that way
00:29:46.88\00:29:48.22
when it comes to
coming to church,
00:29:48.25\00:29:51.15
Bible studies.
00:29:51.19\00:29:52.52
See this is
tradition right here.
00:29:52.55\00:29:54.02
You just show up on
Sabbath, that is tradition.
00:29:54.06\00:29:56.73
It doesn't require very much.
00:29:56.76\00:29:59.49
But to come on the day
that's not traditional,
00:29:59.53\00:30:02.73
you got to
really want to do that.
00:30:02.76\00:30:05.13
You've got to
really want to do that...
00:30:05.17\00:30:09.20
Because there is no third road.
00:30:09.24\00:30:12.17
Matthew 12:30, look
at, there is no third road.
00:30:12.21\00:30:16.04
He says, "He
who is not..." What?
00:30:16.08\00:30:19.31
"With Me is..." What?
00:30:19.35\00:30:20.92
"Against Me, and he
who does not gather with Me
00:30:20.95\00:30:25.75
scatters abroad."
00:30:25.79\00:30:30.86
At least one Bible study
in ten years would be great.
00:30:30.89\00:30:34.50
That's why the road to
eternal life is so narrow,
00:30:41.20\00:30:43.51
you cannot carry your duffle bag
00:30:43.54\00:30:45.44
of worldly possessions
00:30:45.47\00:30:47.48
or your garbage bag of
self-centered ambitions.
00:30:47.51\00:30:50.45
It's a narrow road,
it requires us to unload,
00:30:50.48\00:30:53.85
it requires us and just in case,
00:30:53.88\00:30:56.92
I may make it sound like
the Christian life is hard,
00:30:56.95\00:31:00.02
don't forget the
words of the wise man.
00:31:00.06\00:31:02.32
He said, "The way of
the transgressor is hard."
00:31:02.36\00:31:06.19
It's not hard to be a
Christian, you know why?
00:31:06.23\00:31:07.96
Because when you give
your life to the Lord,
00:31:08.00\00:31:09.73
He moves in and begins
to work out His will in us.
00:31:09.76\00:31:14.60
It's effortless,
00:31:14.64\00:31:16.44
because He is the one
putting forth the effort.
00:31:16.47\00:31:18.54
All He wants is
our participation.
00:31:18.57\00:31:20.44
He says, "Come to
me as you ought, come,
00:31:20.48\00:31:22.44
I will not cast you away,
00:31:22.48\00:31:24.11
but then I would
come into your life."
00:31:24.15\00:31:25.71
And it is God who begins
to work in you both to will
00:31:25.75\00:31:30.05
and to do of His good pleasure.
00:31:30.09\00:31:31.65
God does that, but
you'll never know that
00:31:31.69\00:31:35.72
unless you put
yourself in the place
00:31:35.76\00:31:39.19
where the Lord can make
a difference in your life.
00:31:39.23\00:31:41.63
You know, when you begin
to look at the left road,
00:31:41.66\00:31:45.47
the way of death,
and the right road,
00:31:45.50\00:31:48.64
the way of life,
there is a stark contrast.
00:31:48.67\00:31:52.11
Turn with me the Psalms
1, go there in your Bibles.
00:31:52.14\00:31:55.31
Look at this,
Psalms 1 is dedicated
00:31:55.34\00:32:00.02
to letting us know
00:32:00.05\00:32:01.38
that the entire theme
of the Book of Psalms is
00:32:01.42\00:32:03.39
just simply two roads,
two choices, two destinations,
00:32:03.42\00:32:07.86
two kind of individuals.
00:32:07.89\00:32:09.39
Look at the
blessing that comes here.
00:32:09.42\00:32:11.53
The blessing, it's
a beautiful passage,
00:32:11.56\00:32:13.93
Psalms 1.
00:32:13.96\00:32:16.80
The Bible begins and by the way,
00:32:16.83\00:32:18.37
the word blessed means happy.
00:32:18.40\00:32:21.27
And I'm reading this
in the King James Version
00:32:21.30\00:32:24.47
'cause that's the version
that's locked into my mind.
00:32:24.51\00:32:29.24
The Bible says,
"Blessed is the man
00:32:29.28\00:32:30.95
that walketh not in
the counsel of the ungodly,
00:32:30.98\00:32:34.92
nor standeth in
the way of sinners,
00:32:34.95\00:32:37.89
nor sitteth in the
seat of a scornful.
00:32:37.92\00:32:41.06
But his delight is
in the law of the Lord,
00:32:41.09\00:32:44.29
and in his law
doth he meditate..."
00:32:44.33\00:32:48.20
How often?
00:32:48.23\00:32:49.56
"Day and night." Now
look at the blessing.
00:32:49.60\00:32:53.03
Look at the blessing.
00:32:53.07\00:32:55.54
And I'll be honest
before I read this,
00:32:55.57\00:32:57.24
there's not a one of us in here
00:32:57.27\00:32:58.61
that don't need God's
blessings in our lives.
00:32:58.64\00:33:01.14
For a little dedication,
00:33:04.71\00:33:07.32
God will pour into your
life a ton of blessings.
00:33:07.35\00:33:10.62
Look at the blessing.
00:33:10.65\00:33:12.65
Verse 3, "And he
shall be like a..."
00:33:12.69\00:33:14.39
What?
00:33:14.42\00:33:15.76
"Tree planted by
the rivers of water,
00:33:15.79\00:33:18.36
that bringeth forth
his fruit in his season."
00:33:18.39\00:33:20.70
In other words, what
you plant is going to happen
00:33:20.73\00:33:23.77
as you plant it because
God is going to bless it.
00:33:23.80\00:33:27.44
"His leaf also
shall not wither..."
00:33:27.47\00:33:29.70
And look at this,
00:33:29.74\00:33:31.07
"And whatever he doeth shall..."
00:33:31.11\00:33:32.84
What? Prosper.
00:33:32.87\00:33:34.21
Whatever he does that is
in harmony with God's will.
00:33:34.24\00:33:36.95
Whatever he does
is going to prosper.
00:33:36.98\00:33:38.95
But now look at
the contrast, verse 4,
00:33:38.98\00:33:42.18
"The ungodly are not so,
00:33:42.22\00:33:45.59
but are like the chaff
which the wind driveth away.
00:33:45.62\00:33:49.56
Therefore the ungodly
shall not stand in the judgment,
00:33:49.59\00:33:52.99
nor sinners in the
congregation of the righteous.
00:33:53.03\00:33:56.30
For the Lord knoweth
the way of the righteous
00:33:56.33\00:33:58.73
but the way of
the ungodly shall..."
00:33:58.77\00:34:00.44
What?
00:34:00.47\00:34:01.80
"Shall perish."
00:34:01.84\00:34:04.11
Let's go down the
road of blessings.
00:34:04.14\00:34:05.47
Go to Deuteronomy
28, let's go quickly now.
00:34:05.51\00:34:08.04
Deuteronomy 28, we are reading
through the Bible together.
00:34:08.08\00:34:12.18
Deuteronomy 28 has 68 verses,
00:34:12.21\00:34:17.62
14 of those
verses are describing
00:34:17.65\00:34:22.09
God's willingness to bless us...
00:34:22.12\00:34:25.73
But 53 verses are describing
how God would curse you
00:34:32.53\00:34:38.61
if you don't want His blessings.
00:34:38.64\00:34:41.24
Now I want to tell you this,
00:34:41.28\00:34:43.08
God is not the kind of
God that wants to curse you,
00:34:43.11\00:34:45.51
but when you step
on, when you step from
00:34:45.55\00:34:48.45
under the umbrella
of God's blessings,
00:34:48.48\00:34:51.39
you're gonna get wet.
00:34:51.42\00:34:53.05
You cannot step out from
00:34:56.09\00:34:57.59
under the canopy
of God's blessings
00:34:57.63\00:34:59.23
and expect to stay dry.
00:34:59.26\00:35:01.53
So when you read, as
you gonna do at home,
00:35:01.56\00:35:04.07
you're gonna go home
and read from verse 15 to 68
00:35:04.10\00:35:06.70
and you're going to
stop along the way and say,
00:35:06.74\00:35:08.24
"Lord, have mercy.
00:35:08.27\00:35:09.70
Please give me the
heart to do right."
00:35:09.74\00:35:13.14
Look at the first blessing.
00:35:13.17\00:35:15.11
Boy, I mean, it's all
highlighted, see that,
00:35:15.14\00:35:19.78
it's highlighted.
00:35:19.81\00:35:21.15
You know what? I
didn't highlight one curse.
00:35:21.18\00:35:23.18
I didn't highlight one curse
00:35:26.49\00:35:28.89
'cause I ain't planning
on getting cursed by God,
00:35:28.92\00:35:31.16
come on somebody.
00:35:31.19\00:35:32.76
I highlighted the blessings,
00:35:32.79\00:35:34.93
I don't need to
remember the curses are.
00:35:34.96\00:35:37.43
I read that and I said,
00:35:40.47\00:35:41.80
how did they come up with stuff?
00:35:41.84\00:35:45.57
So I'm happy
about the blessings.
00:35:45.61\00:35:47.44
I want the blessings.
00:35:47.48\00:35:49.11
I ain't planning
for hell. Amen somebody.
00:35:49.14\00:35:53.85
I'm calibrated,
locked in and by God's grace,
00:35:53.88\00:35:56.15
I'm going to make my steps
to the kingdom a step at a time
00:35:56.18\00:36:00.32
during the day,
00:36:00.36\00:36:01.69
a day at a time during the week,
00:36:01.72\00:36:03.76
a week at a time by
God's grace during the month,
00:36:03.79\00:36:06.53
a month at a time by
God's grace during the year
00:36:06.56\00:36:08.93
and before you know
it, as the song says,
00:36:08.96\00:36:10.93
we put one foot in
front of the other,
00:36:10.97\00:36:13.77
that's all God wants
you to do by His grace,
00:36:13.80\00:36:15.87
you can't do it on your own.
00:36:15.90\00:36:17.71
Look at this blessing.
00:36:17.74\00:36:19.34
Look at this
blessing, Deuteronomy 28:1-2,
00:36:19.37\00:36:22.68
"Now, it shall come to pass..."
00:36:22.71\00:36:24.41
And when God said, it's going
to come to pass, believe me,
00:36:24.45\00:36:27.52
"If you..." What?
00:36:27.55\00:36:30.09
"Diligently..."
00:36:30.12\00:36:31.45
That means meticulously,
conscientiously, persistently,
00:36:31.49\00:36:35.82
thoroughly,
00:36:35.86\00:36:37.19
"If you diligently
00:36:37.23\00:36:38.56
obey the voice of
the Lord your God..."
00:36:38.59\00:36:43.33
I got a wake up call from God.
00:36:43.37\00:36:45.60
He said, "John, I
mean meticulously.
00:36:45.63\00:36:48.17
I mean conscientiously,
I mean persistently,
00:36:48.20\00:36:51.84
I mean thoroughly."
00:36:51.87\00:36:54.11
We keep the commandments
but do we do it meticulously
00:36:54.14\00:36:57.25
or
conscientiously or persistently?
00:36:57.28\00:36:59.81
He said, "If you diligently
00:36:59.85\00:37:01.18
obey the voice
of the Lord your God
00:37:01.22\00:37:02.55
and observe how?
00:37:02.58\00:37:04.45
Carefully..."
00:37:04.49\00:37:06.35
That means cautiously,
wisely, vigilantly, sensibly,
00:37:06.39\00:37:10.76
if you observe
carefully, obey diligently,
00:37:10.79\00:37:13.23
look at what He will do.
00:37:13.26\00:37:14.96
"That the Lord your
God will set you high
00:37:18.33\00:37:21.17
above all nations on the earth.
00:37:21.20\00:37:24.31
And all the
blessings shall come upon you
00:37:24.34\00:37:27.21
and overtake you,
00:37:27.24\00:37:29.44
because you obey the
voice of the Lord your God."
00:37:29.48\00:37:32.45
I don't know if you caught that.
00:37:32.48\00:37:34.55
He didn't just say the blessings
00:37:34.58\00:37:36.25
will come upon you,
00:37:36.28\00:37:37.62
He said the
blessings will overtake you.
00:37:37.65\00:37:39.72
Your blessings will
move faster than you can.
00:37:39.75\00:37:42.29
Come on, somebody.
00:37:42.32\00:37:44.13
How many need a
blessing like that?
00:37:44.16\00:37:46.16
The blessings
are coming so fast,
00:37:46.19\00:37:48.10
you can't catch them.
00:37:48.13\00:37:49.46
This is not just words,
00:37:52.37\00:37:56.27
this is God's promise.
00:37:56.30\00:37:58.37
He said, I'll
bless you so rapidly
00:37:58.41\00:38:01.24
that you won't even be
able to catch the blessings
00:38:01.28\00:38:03.45
that are going to come so fast.
00:38:03.48\00:38:04.81
They're going to overtake
you. You want an illustration.
00:38:04.85\00:38:06.95
Go down to the beach
and try to outrun the waves.
00:38:06.98\00:38:09.65
And He says in verse 3,
00:38:19.56\00:38:22.40
boy, He gets specific.
00:38:22.43\00:38:25.23
This is some good stuff.
00:38:25.27\00:38:28.64
No amen required.
00:38:28.67\00:38:32.97
"Blessed shall
you be in the city,
00:38:33.01\00:38:36.95
and blessed shall
you be in the country."
00:38:36.98\00:38:40.12
When you go to New York,
you gonna find blessings,
00:38:40.15\00:38:42.65
when you go to Thompsonville,
you're gonna find blessings.
00:38:42.68\00:38:46.45
No matter where you go, Jim,
00:38:46.49\00:38:48.36
the blessings going to
be there waiting for you.
00:38:48.39\00:38:53.63
But then He didn't just
say it's going to be there
00:38:53.66\00:38:56.10
just waiting for you,
00:38:56.13\00:38:57.47
He's going to do
something with the blessing.
00:38:57.50\00:38:59.03
Verse 4 and 5, look
at what He's going to do.
00:38:59.07\00:39:03.07
He says, "Blessed shall
be the fruit of your body,
00:39:03.10\00:39:06.91
the produce of your ground,
00:39:06.94\00:39:09.11
you herds, the
increase of your cattle
00:39:09.14\00:39:12.05
and the offspring of your flock.
00:39:12.08\00:39:14.35
Blessed shall be your
basket and your kneading bowl."
00:39:14.38\00:39:19.62
Well, God is in essence saying,
00:39:19.65\00:39:20.99
He says everything you
have, everything you have,
00:39:21.02\00:39:25.73
I'm going to bless it.
00:39:25.76\00:39:27.96
Everything you have,
00:39:28.00\00:39:30.03
and when I read
that, the reason why...
00:39:30.07\00:39:33.34
And, you know,
00:39:33.37\00:39:34.70
my sister-in-law
made this observation,
00:39:34.74\00:39:36.74
praise the Lord for that.
00:39:36.77\00:39:39.07
My sister-in-law
made this observation.
00:39:39.11\00:39:40.58
She said, you guys
don't just read your Bible,
00:39:40.61\00:39:43.18
you read your Bible.
00:39:43.21\00:39:45.75
I mean, you slowly study it.
00:39:45.78\00:39:48.18
The Bible is like
00:39:48.22\00:39:49.55
a cold drink of
water on a hot...
00:39:49.58\00:39:54.59
Yes.
00:39:57.66\00:40:00.56
The Bible is like the
best strawberry milkshake
00:40:00.60\00:40:03.87
you can ever have.
00:40:03.90\00:40:05.93
Sorry you vegans, hold on.
00:40:05.97\00:40:09.57
Lacto-ovo. Yeah.
00:40:09.60\00:40:12.31
It's the most refreshing
experience you can have
00:40:12.34\00:40:15.01
and when you
begin to read the Bible
00:40:15.04\00:40:17.65
and you're looking for God,
00:40:17.68\00:40:19.01
all of a sudden you
start noticing things
00:40:19.05\00:40:21.05
that happened in your life.
00:40:21.08\00:40:22.42
You start noticing
answers to prayers.
00:40:22.45\00:40:25.42
They come so rapidly
that you start saying,
00:40:25.45\00:40:27.36
"Wait a minute,
God's got... now..."
00:40:27.39\00:40:29.39
Wow...
00:40:33.80\00:40:37.73
you say, "God's got to be real."
00:40:37.77\00:40:41.37
There's no way that,
00:40:41.40\00:40:43.04
that prayer could have been
answered the way it was prayed
00:40:43.07\00:40:46.47
but God did it.
00:40:46.51\00:40:48.14
And I'm beginning
to get to the place,
00:40:51.71\00:40:53.52
let me rephrase that.
00:40:53.55\00:40:54.88
We are at the place
00:40:54.92\00:40:56.89
where reading the
Bible is exciting.
00:40:56.92\00:40:59.99
You know, why?
00:41:00.02\00:41:01.36
'Cause you want to hear
what next God is going to say.
00:41:01.39\00:41:05.13
Now we did read all the curses,
00:41:05.16\00:41:07.50
but I didn't
highlight one of them
00:41:07.53\00:41:11.13
'cause I don't need
to remember any of them,
00:41:11.17\00:41:13.90
'cause I'm not stepping
into the left lane anymore.
00:41:13.94\00:41:18.44
And I'm asking God to
keep me out off the left lane,
00:41:18.47\00:41:22.71
we all want to be
in the right lane.
00:41:22.74\00:41:24.48
What do you say?
00:41:24.51\00:41:26.28
He says, I'm going to
bless every possession you have,
00:41:26.31\00:41:28.48
but that's not,
He didn't stop yet.
00:41:28.52\00:41:30.85
He didn't stop there, He says,
00:41:30.89\00:41:32.69
"I'm going to bless
even the way you walk."
00:41:32.72\00:41:34.92
Look at verse 6.
00:41:34.96\00:41:37.13
He says, "Blessed
shall you be when..."
00:41:37.16\00:41:41.86
What happens?
00:41:41.90\00:41:43.30
"When you come in,
00:41:43.33\00:41:46.60
and blessed
shall you be, when..."
00:41:46.63\00:41:49.00
What happens?
00:41:49.04\00:41:50.37
"When you go out."
00:41:50.41\00:41:51.74
You're going to be
blessed coming home,
00:41:51.77\00:41:53.11
you're going to be
blessed leaving home.
00:41:53.14\00:41:54.98
When you go out,
blessings are waiting for you.
00:41:55.01\00:41:56.85
When you come home,
blessings are waiting for you
00:41:56.88\00:41:59.81
unless you have
never been to the place
00:41:59.85\00:42:02.18
where you have
wanted to be blessed,
00:42:02.22\00:42:04.29
you cannot understand the power
00:42:04.32\00:42:06.59
and the promise that are
contained in these verses.
00:42:06.62\00:42:10.39
When you live the life
that God asks you to live
00:42:10.43\00:42:12.93
and you put
this before the Lord.
00:42:12.96\00:42:14.86
Have you ever heard the
phrase claiming the promises?
00:42:14.90\00:42:19.63
Say, Lord, you said.
00:42:19.67\00:42:22.47
You said, "Blessed
shall I be when I come in,
00:42:22.50\00:42:25.81
and blessed shall
I be when I go out."
00:42:25.84\00:42:27.18
Lord, you said, and by
Your grace and strength
00:42:27.21\00:42:31.15
I've done my part to
Your glory and honor.
00:42:31.18\00:42:33.78
I'm not saying
You owe me anything,
00:42:33.82\00:42:35.38
but, Lord, I've done
what You asked me to do,
00:42:35.42\00:42:38.35
can You show me Yourself?
00:42:38.39\00:42:40.19
And I tell you, God
does it in such a way
00:42:40.22\00:42:42.96
that only if you've
been there can you know
00:42:42.99\00:42:46.19
that the blessings
are really from God?
00:42:46.23\00:42:48.26
I don't know how you
can read these things,
00:42:48.30\00:42:51.03
pray the prayer,
ask God by His Spirit
00:42:51.07\00:42:53.80
to lead you in that direction,
00:42:53.84\00:42:55.60
experience this and still wonder
00:42:55.64\00:42:58.17
whether or not God is real.
00:42:58.21\00:43:01.04
There's no way.
00:43:01.08\00:43:02.41
But God didn't stop talking yet.
00:43:09.55\00:43:12.09
Verse 7,
00:43:12.12\00:43:14.32
"The Lord will
cause your enemies
00:43:14.36\00:43:16.22
who rise against
you to be defeated
00:43:16.26\00:43:19.69
before your face,
00:43:19.73\00:43:22.80
they shall come
out against you one way
00:43:22.83\00:43:25.53
and flee before you seven ways."
00:43:25.57\00:43:28.14
I never forgot reading
00:43:31.34\00:43:32.67
what Ellen White
talks about in prayer,
00:43:32.71\00:43:34.08
when we did our prayer here.
00:43:34.11\00:43:36.68
Ellen White says
that the weakest saint,
00:43:36.71\00:43:38.98
the weakest saint,
00:43:39.01\00:43:41.98
when they call
upon God in prayer,
00:43:42.02\00:43:44.75
the weakest saint
is more than a match
00:43:44.79\00:43:51.56
of all the evil angels,
00:43:51.59\00:43:53.73
all the evil angels of hell
00:43:53.76\00:43:55.86
can't do anything
to the weakest saint
00:43:55.90\00:43:59.00
that calls upon
God in time of need.
00:43:59.03\00:44:04.67
You don't have
to be able to fight,
00:44:04.71\00:44:07.04
you just got to pray.
00:44:07.08\00:44:09.28
You've got to order
your steps and pray.
00:44:09.31\00:44:12.91
That's why I like Proverbs 16:7.
00:44:17.85\00:44:21.26
Solomon ought to
know that, he said,
00:44:21.29\00:44:23.32
"When a man's
ways please the Lord,
00:44:23.36\00:44:27.03
He makes even his enemies
to be at peace with him."
00:44:27.06\00:44:33.34
I remember years ago
00:44:33.37\00:44:38.11
being in the place where
God had to fight battles for us.
00:44:38.14\00:44:41.74
And I want to tell you
the same Lord that brought us
00:44:45.68\00:44:47.58
through difficulties in
our lives is the same God
00:44:47.62\00:44:50.92
that wants to
bring every one of us
00:44:50.95\00:44:53.86
through the
difficulties in our lives.
00:44:53.89\00:44:57.73
But He can't do it.
00:44:57.76\00:44:59.19
The promise here
is when your way,
00:44:59.23\00:45:02.06
when the way you
live pleases the Lord,
00:45:02.10\00:45:06.30
He quells the
battles around you.
00:45:06.33\00:45:09.50
Remember, you read in the book
I think it's 2 Kings where Asa,
00:45:09.54\00:45:12.61
the Bible says, Asa had peace
in all the days of his reign
00:45:12.64\00:45:16.61
because he did
what pleased the Lord.
00:45:16.64\00:45:21.42
Asa had a change of heart
00:45:21.45\00:45:23.39
and God quelled all of
the surrounding nations,
00:45:23.42\00:45:26.89
the Amalekites, the Hittites,
the Jebusites, the Hivites,
00:45:26.92\00:45:30.36
the Perizzites, they all
tried to come up against Israel
00:45:30.39\00:45:33.43
but God changed their mind
00:45:33.46\00:45:35.60
and their attitude about Israel,
00:45:35.63\00:45:37.13
and they wouldn't
even attack Israel
00:45:37.17\00:45:39.30
because God made them
not even consider Israel
00:45:39.33\00:45:43.54
that way anymore.
00:45:43.57\00:45:45.57
God changes the mind
00:45:45.61\00:45:47.84
those that will
come up against you.
00:45:47.88\00:45:49.84
But God is not done yet.
00:45:49.88\00:45:51.98
Look at verse 8.
00:45:52.01\00:45:53.75
Look at verse 8.
00:45:53.78\00:45:55.52
If you've been wondering
00:45:55.55\00:45:56.89
why many of your
problems are unresolved,
00:45:56.92\00:45:59.75
the issues may be your life.
00:45:59.79\00:46:02.09
The divine observation is
00:46:02.12\00:46:03.73
if you live a
life pleasing to God,
00:46:03.76\00:46:05.93
He will fight
your battles for you.
00:46:05.96\00:46:09.13
Deuteronomy 28:8,
00:46:09.16\00:46:12.73
"The Lord will
command the blessing on you
00:46:12.77\00:46:14.77
in your storehouse
00:46:14.80\00:46:17.21
and in all to
which you set your hand,
00:46:17.24\00:46:19.64
He will bless you in the land
00:46:19.67\00:46:22.24
which the Lord
your God is giving you."
00:46:22.28\00:46:24.81
Who's going to bless you?
00:46:24.85\00:46:26.45
God is.
00:46:26.48\00:46:27.82
God's going to bless you.
00:46:27.85\00:46:30.39
David said it, "I've been young,
00:46:30.42\00:46:32.32
now I'm old, I've never
seen the righteous forsaken
00:46:32.35\00:46:34.92
nor their seed begging bread."
00:46:34.96\00:46:36.56
Can I tell you a story?
00:46:36.59\00:46:38.39
Thank you.
00:46:38.43\00:46:39.76
I remember telling
you a story years ago
00:46:44.13\00:46:46.20
when I was a
young pastor in a church
00:46:46.23\00:46:47.60
up in the mountains of
Weaverville, California.
00:46:47.64\00:46:49.57
By the way,
they're inviting us to come
00:46:49.60\00:46:51.01
and be the speaker
for their 50th anniversary
00:46:51.04\00:46:53.64
and in April, we're going to be
00:46:53.68\00:46:55.74
in the mountains of
Northern California,
00:46:55.78\00:46:57.21
way up there in the attic,
way up there, way up there.
00:46:57.25\00:47:01.98
Way up there where
you can drive off the road
00:47:02.02\00:47:03.69
if you don't stay awake.
00:47:03.72\00:47:05.42
No guardrails.
00:47:05.45\00:47:06.96
Make your stomach
hurt driving up there.
00:47:06.99\00:47:10.59
I remember saying
that one Sabbath morning
00:47:10.63\00:47:14.60
and I had a $75
charge for insurance
00:47:14.63\00:47:17.57
and God's tithe and
offering was $75 and I said,
00:47:17.60\00:47:23.00
"Okay, Lord,
I'll pay my insurance
00:47:23.04\00:47:24.37
and I'll give you Your
tithes and offerings later."
00:47:24.41\00:47:26.04
When my elder prayed
00:47:32.91\00:47:35.55
and it was about my turn,
00:47:35.58\00:47:37.25
two more stages in the bulletin,
00:47:37.29\00:47:39.42
I said, "Okay Lord, I got it."
00:47:39.45\00:47:41.39
I heard him say,
00:47:41.42\00:47:42.76
"You can't speak for
me if you can't trust me."
00:47:42.79\00:47:47.06
And I return to God
what belonged to Him
00:47:47.10\00:47:49.76
and God tripled it
before the day ended
00:47:49.80\00:47:53.13
with a check
that came in the mail
00:47:53.17\00:47:54.50
from somebody I never knew.
00:47:54.54\00:47:55.87
Let me tell you
something, that was then
00:47:55.90\00:47:57.67
but throughout our
lives, every now and then
00:47:57.71\00:47:59.81
and some of you know
what I'm talking about,
00:47:59.84\00:48:01.18
throughout your
life, difficulty,
00:48:01.21\00:48:02.94
economic challenges come
and God will every now and then
00:48:02.98\00:48:05.88
revisit you with
an economic challenge
00:48:05.91\00:48:07.62
to see if you still
have the same attitude
00:48:07.65\00:48:09.22
you had 25 years ago.
00:48:09.25\00:48:11.82
Anybody know what
I'm talking about?
00:48:11.85\00:48:14.12
So funny it is, I
preach this financial sermon,
00:48:14.16\00:48:17.19
preaches financial sermon.
00:48:17.23\00:48:18.56
Remember that,
financial sermon few weeks ago,
00:48:18.59\00:48:20.20
making sense?
00:48:20.23\00:48:21.56
Right after that,
this unexpected financial,
00:48:21.60\00:48:26.27
I said, "Wait a minute,
where did that come from?"
00:48:26.30\00:48:30.44
And I dug down in my
finances and made sure
00:48:30.47\00:48:33.14
and it left me skinny on
the other side financially.
00:48:36.28\00:48:42.65
I thought, wow, gonna
be tight this month, Lord,
00:48:42.68\00:48:48.06
we're going to
slide by paper thin.
00:48:48.09\00:48:52.69
And the Lord
said, "Remember 1988."
00:48:52.73\00:48:57.63
I said, "I remember 1988."
00:48:57.67\00:48:59.10
He said, "I am the same
God, just go ahead and give Me
00:48:59.13\00:49:01.87
what belongs to Me,
you'll be just fine."
00:49:01.90\00:49:04.81
And, you know what?
That encouraged my heart.
00:49:04.84\00:49:06.37
God tapped me on the
back of my head and said,
00:49:06.41\00:49:08.08
"Remember 1988?"
00:49:08.11\00:49:09.91
I remember 1988.
00:49:09.94\00:49:11.28
Go ahead and do what
you're supposed to do
00:49:11.31\00:49:12.81
and it'll be all just fine.
00:49:12.85\00:49:14.25
And I would tell you, I
could stand here this morning
00:49:14.28\00:49:16.35
God is faithful all the
time. Can somebody say amen?
00:49:19.52\00:49:22.89
Verse 9 and 10,
let's get this thing done.
00:49:22.92\00:49:24.56
You guys are slowing me down.
00:49:24.59\00:49:28.43
"The Lord will establish
you as a holy people to Himself,
00:49:28.46\00:49:31.43
just as He has sworn to you,
00:49:31.47\00:49:33.50
if you keep the commandments
of the Lord your God
00:49:33.54\00:49:35.77
and walk in His ways,
00:49:35.80\00:49:37.14
then all the peoples
of the earth shall see
00:49:37.17\00:49:39.44
that you are called
by the name of the Lord,
00:49:39.47\00:49:42.61
and they shall
be afraid of you."
00:49:42.64\00:49:44.38
Who else can do that but God?
00:49:44.41\00:49:47.18
Verse 11 and 12,
00:49:47.22\00:49:49.45
"And the Lord will
grant you plenty of goods,
00:49:49.48\00:49:52.25
in the fruit of your body,
00:49:52.29\00:49:53.62
in the increase
of your livestock,
00:49:53.66\00:49:55.02
in the produce of your ground,
00:49:55.06\00:49:57.09
in the land of which the Lord
00:49:57.13\00:49:58.56
swore to your
fathers to give you.
00:49:58.59\00:50:00.30
The Lord will open to
you His good treasure,
00:50:00.33\00:50:02.96
and to bless all
the work of your hand.
00:50:06.33\00:50:08.44
You shall lend to many nations,
but you shall not borrow."
00:50:08.47\00:50:12.17
Sometimes God allows
adversity to distract us,
00:50:15.18\00:50:18.01
but remember
through much tribulation,
00:50:18.05\00:50:19.91
we will enter the
kingdom of heaven,
00:50:19.95\00:50:21.68
that's just gonna happen.
00:50:21.72\00:50:23.18
But verse 13 and 14,
00:50:23.22\00:50:26.76
you shall be above
only, and not beneath,
00:50:30.86\00:50:34.33
if you heed..."
00:50:34.36\00:50:35.70
Look, "If you heed commandments
of the Lord your God,
00:50:35.73\00:50:39.37
which I command you today,
00:50:39.40\00:50:41.54
and be careful to observe them.
00:50:41.57\00:50:43.44
So you shall not turn
aside from any of the words
00:50:43.47\00:50:47.01
which I command you this day,
to the right or to the left,
00:50:47.04\00:50:50.75
to go after other
gods and to serve them."
00:50:50.78\00:50:53.72
God wants to bless us.
Who wants to be blessed?
00:50:53.75\00:50:56.89
I am gonna end with the story.
00:50:56.92\00:50:59.39
Story was most tragic story.
00:50:59.42\00:51:02.16
Thanksgiving weekend, 2006,
00:51:02.19\00:51:06.29
husband Jamie, his wife
Katie and their daughters,
00:51:06.33\00:51:09.63
7-month-old Sabina
and 4-year-old Penelope,
00:51:09.66\00:51:14.97
they were traveling,
going to visit family,
00:51:15.00\00:51:18.01
they had had Thanksgiving
in Seattle, Washington.
00:51:18.04\00:51:20.48
Jenny, you can come up.
00:51:20.51\00:51:22.14
Right after this we're
going to have our closing song.
00:51:22.18\00:51:26.05
They were traveling
00:51:26.08\00:51:32.15
and their plan after that was
00:51:32.19\00:51:33.59
to go down to Gold
Beach along the Oregon Coast
00:51:33.62\00:51:37.29
about 140 miles away.
00:51:37.33\00:51:39.46
Never having
traveled that way before,
00:51:39.49\00:51:42.50
they left San Francisco
on Friday November 17th
00:51:42.53\00:51:45.23
and they did this long drive,
they made it to their family,
00:51:45.27\00:51:47.57
they had a wonderful time,
00:51:47.60\00:51:49.30
according to the reports
00:51:49.34\00:51:50.67
after spending the
holiday with their family,
00:51:50.71\00:51:52.51
they began this
140 mile trek down
00:51:52.54\00:51:55.44
on their way to Gold Beach,
00:51:55.48\00:51:58.15
off the coast of Oregon.
00:51:58.18\00:52:00.98
Well, the husband
Jamie never having traveled
00:52:01.02\00:52:03.25
that way before.
00:52:03.28\00:52:06.55
According to reports,
00:52:06.59\00:52:10.46
Jamie took a wrong turn.
00:52:10.49\00:52:13.90
He was in the
unfamiliar back roads of Oregon
00:52:13.93\00:52:17.97
and he took a wrong turn
00:52:18.00\00:52:21.20
and he went on a logging road.
00:52:21.24\00:52:24.24
Well, rather than coming
back out of that logging road
00:52:24.27\00:52:27.84
that he had gone
down when he realized
00:52:27.88\00:52:29.64
he had gone down the road,
00:52:29.68\00:52:31.41
reports said
00:52:31.45\00:52:32.98
he decided to keep
going down that road
00:52:33.01\00:52:34.65
and make another turn
00:52:34.68\00:52:37.39
only to have his wife, himself
00:52:37.42\00:52:41.12
and their two young
children stuck on a road
00:52:41.16\00:52:45.39
that was packed with snow
00:52:45.43\00:52:47.06
that does not get
plowed until the spring season.
00:52:47.10\00:52:52.23
And there he was
00:52:52.27\00:52:54.10
according to reports
00:52:54.14\00:52:55.97
they were there
for a number of days.
00:52:56.00\00:52:58.31
They began to ration their fuel.
00:52:58.34\00:53:00.51
The temperatures began to drop.
00:53:00.54\00:53:01.88
They couldn't
find their way out.
00:53:01.91\00:53:04.21
They would run the fuel at night
00:53:04.25\00:53:06.41
when the temperatures
drop to keep the car warm.
00:53:06.45\00:53:08.92
They had some pies with them
00:53:08.95\00:53:11.19
that they hail
from the family outing
00:53:11.22\00:53:13.56
that they had
together at Thanksgiving.
00:53:13.59\00:53:15.32
They had some
goodies, some chips,
00:53:15.36\00:53:16.83
some little
things for the children
00:53:16.86\00:53:18.86
that they
rationed off as they ate
00:53:18.89\00:53:21.16
and the rain and the
snow came down in buckets.
00:53:21.20\00:53:24.93
It got so bad, after
they ran out of fuel,
00:53:32.21\00:53:34.18
that Jamie said to his wife,
00:53:34.21\00:53:37.21
I got it, Jack,
let's take the tires off,
00:53:37.25\00:53:39.05
let's burn the tires for heat.
00:53:39.08\00:53:44.65
They went through one tire,
00:53:44.69\00:53:46.59
a second tire, a
third tire, a fourth tire,
00:53:46.62\00:53:50.09
they burned all their tires,
00:53:50.13\00:53:51.49
the car was now
flat to the ground.
00:53:51.53\00:53:54.63
And finally, the weather led up.
00:53:54.66\00:53:59.53
And Jamie with
just a light jacket
00:53:59.57\00:54:01.14
and his tennis shoes,
00:54:01.17\00:54:03.07
he remembered he said
about four miles away,
00:54:03.10\00:54:04.71
there's got to be a town.
00:54:04.74\00:54:06.74
So let me go
ahead and take the time,
00:54:06.78\00:54:08.28
It's only four miles
away, the weather's pretty nice,
00:54:08.31\00:54:10.71
it's cold but I
think I can make it.
00:54:10.75\00:54:12.31
I'll be back tonight.
00:54:12.35\00:54:13.88
Two days later,
now after 16.2 miles,
00:54:22.36\00:54:28.66
Jamie's lifeless
body was found on a creek.
00:54:28.70\00:54:32.00
A pilot that had his
own private helicopter,
00:54:35.04\00:54:38.04
he wasn't a part of a rescue,
00:54:38.07\00:54:39.47
they didn't even
know they were missing,
00:54:39.51\00:54:41.24
he was not even
part of the rescue team,
00:54:41.28\00:54:43.08
he was just flying around.
00:54:43.11\00:54:44.45
He said, he enjoyed flying,
00:54:44.48\00:54:45.91
he loved to see
the wilderness life
00:54:45.95\00:54:48.15
and he saw the
mother and her two daughters
00:54:48.18\00:54:50.99
walking on a
deserted country road
00:54:51.02\00:54:55.19
and he radioed the
local police department
00:54:55.22\00:54:59.59
and they found the mother,
00:54:59.63\00:55:02.10
Katie and the two daughters,
00:55:02.13\00:55:04.20
Penelope and Sabina
and they rescued them.
00:55:04.23\00:55:09.27
And they said,
what happened to Jamie?
00:55:09.30\00:55:10.84
They said he left two days ago.
00:55:10.87\00:55:13.74
The sad part of the story is,
00:55:13.78\00:55:16.78
when Jamie was
found 16.2 miles later,
00:55:16.81\00:55:21.78
he was found one mile
short of a winter lodge,
00:55:21.82\00:55:26.96
although it was closed,
00:55:26.99\00:55:28.52
they said they
never locked the doors
00:55:28.56\00:55:30.06
because it was so isolated
00:55:30.09\00:55:32.06
It was packed with food,
00:55:32.09\00:55:34.00
clothing and all the
supplies he would have needed
00:55:34.03\00:55:38.47
for his family to survive.
00:55:38.50\00:55:40.94
It made the San
Francisco newspaper,
00:55:40.97\00:55:43.44
and the tragic
part of that story
00:55:43.47\00:55:45.07
is best described by
the wise man Solomon.
00:55:45.11\00:55:48.98
There is a way that
seems right to a man
00:55:49.01\00:55:53.88
but in the end,
it's the way of death.
00:55:53.92\00:55:58.85
Jesus is soon to come.
00:55:58.89\00:56:01.69
Jesus is soon to come.
00:56:01.72\00:56:05.43
As your pastor,
00:56:05.46\00:56:08.20
God has challenged me
00:56:08.23\00:56:09.56
to make sure I'm
on the right road.
00:56:09.60\00:56:13.30
And I'm
challenging you to go home
00:56:13.34\00:56:14.94
and take inventory
of the road you're on.
00:56:14.97\00:56:18.37
It may look like the right road,
00:56:18.41\00:56:19.74
it may be smooth,
it maybe the delightful
00:56:19.77\00:56:21.21
and may promise
you all the attractions
00:56:21.24\00:56:23.65
that the world
can throw your way,
00:56:23.68\00:56:27.45
but as you walk on
this unfamiliar road,
00:56:27.48\00:56:30.25
you will not
understand until your last step
00:56:30.29\00:56:34.12
that you've been
on the wrong road.
00:56:34.16\00:56:36.66
Jesus is soon to come.
00:56:36.69\00:56:39.29
And my appeal to
you this morning,
00:56:39.33\00:56:41.20
is there anybody here today
00:56:41.23\00:56:42.56
that wants to make
this declaration before God?
00:56:42.60\00:56:45.83
It's not to me,
this is to the Lord,
00:56:45.87\00:56:47.67
say Heavenly Father,
00:56:47.70\00:56:50.57
this morning I'm
going to take my stand
00:56:50.61\00:56:54.98
because I want to be on
that road to eternal life.
00:56:55.01\00:56:57.55
I don't want to
chance it anymore
00:56:57.58\00:56:59.01
that maybe I'll
get there eventually,
00:56:59.05\00:57:02.88
but I want to be on
that road to eternal life.
00:57:02.92\00:57:07.52
If that's a
desire that God may bring
00:57:07.56\00:57:09.52
to your heart this morning,
00:57:09.56\00:57:10.93
He may be speaking to
you, He may be saying to you,
00:57:10.96\00:57:14.80
you've been on the
wrong road for too long,
00:57:14.83\00:57:18.50
it's time to follow
Me on the right road.
00:57:18.53\00:57:22.97
If there's
somebody here this morning
00:57:23.00\00:57:24.34
that wants to make
that dedicated stand,
00:57:24.37\00:57:25.97
want to make that commitment,
00:57:26.01\00:57:27.34
you want to stay
on the right road.
00:57:27.38\00:57:28.71
And if you've been on
the right road this morning,
00:57:28.74\00:57:31.25
you're standing
say, Heavenly Father,
00:57:31.28\00:57:33.25
please keep me
on the right road.
00:57:33.28\00:57:37.49
I want my savior to
lead me all the way.
00:57:37.52\00:57:41.26
I don't want to
be left to wonder
00:57:41.29\00:57:43.53
whether or not my
journey is going to be safe,
00:57:43.56\00:57:45.29
I want the savior
to lead me all the way.
00:57:45.33\00:57:48.63
And you can do that
if you study His word.
00:57:51.63\00:57:54.57
He can do that if
you confess your sin.
00:57:54.60\00:57:57.24
He can do that
00:57:57.27\00:58:00.14
if you're tired of the road
that brings no satisfaction.
00:58:00.18\00:58:02.78
He can do that.
00:58:02.81\00:58:05.18
And He will do it.
00:58:05.21\00:58:06.55
And the blessings we read,
the blessings we read about,
00:58:06.58\00:58:09.78
oh, my brothers and sisters,
it's just the beginning.
00:58:09.82\00:58:14.42
He's more willing to bless
us than we are willing to live
00:58:14.46\00:58:17.33
that life of blessing.
00:58:17.36\00:58:19.13
Father, lead Your people
to live the life of blessing.
00:58:19.16\00:58:22.60
Not just because
we look for things,
00:58:25.70\00:58:28.64
but because we're
looking for Jesus.
00:58:28.67\00:58:31.47
We thank You for
Your forgiveness,
00:58:31.51\00:58:33.07
for Your grace, for Your mercy.
00:58:33.11\00:58:35.11
In the wrong turns
that we have taken,
00:58:35.14\00:58:36.85
we thank You that
You have come after us,
00:58:36.88\00:58:39.11
Adam, where are you?
00:58:39.15\00:58:41.58
John, where are you?
00:58:41.62\00:58:44.42
When may we hear
that longing voice
00:58:44.45\00:58:46.76
that calls us
back to the right road
00:58:46.79\00:58:49.09
and may we
respond to that voice,
00:58:49.12\00:58:51.63
Heavenly Father,
before it is ever too late.
00:58:51.66\00:58:57.97
There are two roads,
00:58:58.00\00:58:59.73
life and
blessings, death and cursings.
00:58:59.77\00:59:04.47
And, Father, today we
hear You say choose life.
00:59:04.51\00:59:09.11
Lord, lead us all the way.
00:59:09.14\00:59:11.21
And when this journey is done,
00:59:11.25\00:59:14.52
we will meet You in peace.
00:59:14.55\00:59:18.05
We will meet You face to face
00:59:18.09\00:59:22.92
and we pray in Jesus' holy name.
00:59:22.96\00:59:26.19
Amen.
00:59:26.23\00:59:27.76