1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:09,040 Okay, so maybe one or two people want to say some things that they do when visitors are 2 00:00:09,040 --> 00:00:10,040 coming. 3 00:00:10,040 --> 00:00:14,080 Yes, go ahead, Elena. 4 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:17,880 Clean the house, yes, that's my number one, always clean the house. 5 00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:18,880 What else? 6 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:21,240 Anything else you do? 7 00:00:21,240 --> 00:00:24,820 Grocery shop, make sure you got food in the fridge, yes. 8 00:00:24,820 --> 00:00:27,820 Maybe made, but at least in the fridge, right? 9 00:00:27,820 --> 00:00:28,820 Anybody else? 10 00:00:28,820 --> 00:00:29,820 Yes, sorry. 11 00:00:29,820 --> 00:00:30,820 Jan. 12 00:00:30,820 --> 00:00:35,820 Oh, okay. 13 00:00:35,820 --> 00:00:43,520 Well, you got the good attitude, Jan, because that's where I was going actually. 14 00:00:43,520 --> 00:00:45,960 I often, oh yeah, go ahead. 15 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:49,120 Cook, okay, that's another thing we often do. 16 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:51,400 That's right, have the food ready. 17 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:56,520 And usually it's true for visitors, at least a lot of times I remember thinking, well, 18 00:00:56,520 --> 00:01:03,120 it's a good thing the visitors are coming because that's the way my house gets clean. 19 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:06,800 Because we tend to, we want to fix it up a little bit. 20 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:09,360 I want you to think about this. 21 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:10,960 What about Jesus? 22 00:01:10,960 --> 00:01:15,720 When you invite Jesus, do you feel like you have to clean up? 23 00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:21,160 Do you feel like you have to have things all perfect before he comes in, before you let 24 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:24,640 him come? 25 00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:25,640 Let's go ahead. 26 00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:28,920 Let's explore today actually, come as you are. 27 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:32,760 What it means to come to Jesus without doing anything first. 28 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:36,480 So let's bow our heads for another quick prayer. 29 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:41,120 Heavenly Father, I just want to pray that you empty me totally of myself today. 30 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:46,560 I want to be a conduit for you to speak to your people today. 31 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:52,720 Lord, may every single person here have some encouragement today, have something today 32 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:58,840 that they can grasp onto and they can go home and meditate on and just see how beautiful 33 00:01:58,840 --> 00:01:59,840 you are. 34 00:01:59,840 --> 00:02:02,920 And I pray this in Jesus' name, amen. 35 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:05,640 I want you to turn to Matthew 11. 36 00:02:05,640 --> 00:02:11,880 And by the way, I do need someone who's going to have a roving mic because I do want, as 37 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:15,120 you know, I like it a little bit more interactive, just a sermon. 38 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:21,000 So I would like you guys to help me reading and doing other things, answering questions 39 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:22,000 and so forth. 40 00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:25,640 So we're going to look at Matthew 11, 28 to 30. 41 00:02:25,640 --> 00:02:29,640 And I would like, is there a person who would mind carrying, I don't know if Caleb wants 42 00:02:29,640 --> 00:02:31,360 to do that. 43 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:34,720 Take the, he's our great helper. 44 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:36,120 Yeah, that would be great. 45 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:37,880 If anybody would like to read that. 46 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:42,880 And when you read, I want you to read nice and loud with expressions so that people really 47 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:46,080 get the text in case they don't have a Bible with them. 48 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:47,080 Okay? 49 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:50,060 So it's Matthew 11, 28 to 30. 50 00:02:50,060 --> 00:02:51,560 Anybody willing to read that? 51 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:55,120 Okay, for him over here. 52 00:02:55,120 --> 00:02:57,640 And put your hand up nice and high so Caleb can see it. 53 00:02:57,640 --> 00:03:00,160 He knows, he knows you. 54 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:02,200 Yeah, he's bringing a mic. 55 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:03,200 There we go. 56 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:04,200 Okay. 57 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:05,200 Nice and loud. 58 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:06,200 Okay. 59 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:13,360 It says, come unto me, all ye that labor in our heaven laden, and I will give you rest. 60 00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:14,360 Okay. 61 00:03:14,360 --> 00:03:17,720 Yeah, it was to, it's fine. 62 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:18,720 Stop there. 63 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:24,040 Okay, when we come to Jesus, what does he promise us? 64 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:25,680 The one word. 65 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:26,760 He promises rest. 66 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:28,360 You can continue reading. 67 00:03:28,360 --> 00:03:36,840 Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall 68 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:40,760 find rest into your souls. 69 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:45,880 Okay, thank you. 70 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:47,800 When do you come to Jesus, does he say? 71 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:50,960 It's right there in the first verse as well. 72 00:03:50,960 --> 00:03:53,960 When you're what? 73 00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:56,840 Tired? 74 00:03:56,840 --> 00:03:57,840 Heavy laden? 75 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:02,560 I'm going to repeat only for the sake of Zoom, so, or the video so they know what you're 76 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:03,560 saying. 77 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:08,400 Yeah, when you're, okay, does it say, come, when you've got it all together, come to me. 78 00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:09,400 Does he say that? 79 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:10,400 No. 80 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:15,480 He says when you're weary or weak or heavy laden, there are many different versions, but 81 00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:18,120 basically you've got to be having a problem, right? 82 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:20,360 There's a problem. 83 00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:24,600 You're heavy laden, you're weary, you're tired, okay? 84 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:27,560 But does it say we don't work at all? 85 00:04:27,560 --> 00:04:28,560 There's nothing we do. 86 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:29,560 We just come. 87 00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:30,560 Resting means inactivity. 88 00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:34,160 Is that what it's saying? 89 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:38,000 What's the one word there that tells us there is some activity going on? 90 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:39,000 There's something going on. 91 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:40,000 There's work. 92 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:41,520 Yoke, okay? 93 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:45,440 Everybody knows what a yoke is, right? 94 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:51,080 Or two ox, and I like this image because it gives me the idea that, you know, God's the 95 00:04:51,080 --> 00:04:52,560 papa ox, right? 96 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:55,960 He's carrying the heavy load, but we still have to keep in step with him, right? 97 00:04:55,960 --> 00:04:57,880 We're still under the yoke. 98 00:04:57,880 --> 00:05:03,600 We may not be carrying the heavy burden of the yoke, he may be, but we're still under 99 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:04,600 the yoke. 100 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:09,120 So, we come to him because we have an issue, right? 101 00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:13,400 Let's look at Mark 2.17, and somebody can put up their hand right now so Caleb can come 102 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:14,640 to you and read that. 103 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:15,640 Mark 2.17. 104 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:23,280 Elena has her hand up right here. 105 00:05:23,280 --> 00:05:27,920 By the way, I think you guys should all take turns sitting up here when the kids have children's 106 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:28,920 story. 107 00:05:28,920 --> 00:05:31,960 It's such a delight to see them here. 108 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:36,040 This is how I want you today to contribute like they did today. 109 00:05:36,040 --> 00:05:38,600 Okay, Mark 2.17. 110 00:05:38,600 --> 00:05:39,600 Go ahead. 111 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:59,000 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them that they that are holy have no need of the... 112 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:00,000 This isn't... 113 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:06,920 But they that are sick. 114 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:15,560 I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repent. 115 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:21,360 So he says, you come to him when you need what? 116 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:23,440 When you need help, when you're sick, right? 117 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:24,440 When you need a visit. 118 00:06:24,440 --> 00:06:27,880 You don't go to a doctor when you're well and say, oh, I'm doing great. 119 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:31,160 Okay, how much do you charge me just to let me know? 120 00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:32,160 Yes, I'm really great. 121 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:37,440 No, you go to the doctor because you're sick, and it's the same thing here with Jesus. 122 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:39,680 So when the enemy tells you... 123 00:06:39,680 --> 00:06:41,880 Wait, you can't come to Jesus. 124 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:45,440 You got to clean yourself up a little bit. 125 00:06:45,440 --> 00:06:46,960 What do you tell him? 126 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:53,320 Get thee behind me, right? 127 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:59,480 Because the very thing that the enemy is telling you that's holding you back, he's telling 128 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:03,760 you to clean up is actually what qualifies you to go to Jesus. 129 00:07:03,760 --> 00:07:07,160 Jesus says, I don't want you to come if you have it all together. 130 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:12,240 Those are those self-sufficient, proud people who, I don't need Jesus, right? 131 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:20,700 I don't need a physician, but the ones who realize I'm sick, he says, come to me. 132 00:07:20,700 --> 00:07:26,120 And so it's your sin that qualifies you or recommends you to Jesus, and that's a beautiful 133 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:27,400 thing to think about. 134 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:29,840 I want you to look at Psalm 23. 135 00:07:29,840 --> 00:07:32,440 There's a picture there. 136 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:37,720 I love that picture because you see as they're letting the man down, and this is one of the 137 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:41,000 few times that Jesus did what before healing? 138 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:43,760 Before healing this man, what did he do? 139 00:07:43,760 --> 00:07:46,720 He forgave his sins. 140 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:48,640 And this man is kind of looking over the edge. 141 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:55,160 I just like the picture because he's kind of looking to see, is he going to accept me? 142 00:07:55,160 --> 00:08:00,840 Because obviously the Pharisees didn't, nobody did, but he's wondering if Jesus will accept 143 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:02,720 him and he does. 144 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:07,320 Psalm 23, one and two, who would like to read that? 145 00:08:07,320 --> 00:08:09,840 Paul. 146 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:11,400 The Lord is my shepherd. 147 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:13,520 I shall not want. 148 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:17,040 He makes me to lie down in green pastures. 149 00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:20,360 He leads me beside the still waters. 150 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:24,120 Okay. 151 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:25,880 He restores my soul, I guess. 152 00:08:25,880 --> 00:08:26,880 Was that three? 153 00:08:26,880 --> 00:08:27,880 Sorry. 154 00:08:27,880 --> 00:08:29,880 Should have put it to three. 155 00:08:29,880 --> 00:08:31,480 He restores my soul as well. 156 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:33,320 So I want to look at that. 157 00:08:33,320 --> 00:08:34,760 This is a very famous Psalm. 158 00:08:34,760 --> 00:08:38,920 We often go to this, and I love the progression in that Psalm because it does go through and 159 00:08:38,920 --> 00:08:41,640 it talks about being in the valley of the shadow of death. 160 00:08:41,640 --> 00:08:46,920 It does talk about being under the rod and the staff, right? 161 00:08:46,920 --> 00:08:50,240 Which insinuates that there's a little bit of discipline going on there, or there's some 162 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:51,240 kind of crucible. 163 00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:53,320 We've been talking about crucibles. 164 00:08:53,320 --> 00:08:57,320 But when you come to Jesus, the first thing, what does he do? 165 00:08:57,320 --> 00:09:04,160 What is the first thing that's listed here? 166 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:08,480 By still waters, or is it green pastures? 167 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:12,200 He has you lie down in green pastures. 168 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:16,680 He leads you by still, not just not bubbling brooks, right? 169 00:09:16,680 --> 00:09:20,420 He's leading you by still waters. 170 00:09:20,420 --> 00:09:24,320 He's restoring your soul. 171 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:29,300 And Jesus is saying, come to me because this is, I just want you to rest. 172 00:09:29,300 --> 00:09:32,740 And often we talk about going for Jesus, right? 173 00:09:32,740 --> 00:09:34,480 Going going, I'm going to be disciples. 174 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:39,600 And yes, but if you don't come to Jesus, you can't go for Jesus. 175 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:42,680 If Jesus says come, he doesn't just say go. 176 00:09:42,680 --> 00:09:47,880 He says, come to me and then I will send you out. 177 00:09:47,880 --> 00:09:50,120 But you need rest and you need healing. 178 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:52,560 And this is, by the way, not a one time thing, right? 179 00:09:52,560 --> 00:09:54,840 It's a daily thing. 180 00:09:54,840 --> 00:10:01,420 Every day, every morning, we need that come to Jesus time so we can go, right? 181 00:10:01,420 --> 00:10:05,880 Go out and shine for Jesus. 182 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:07,640 So I'm just going to read a few things here. 183 00:10:07,640 --> 00:10:13,640 You come to Jesus when you're weak and heavy laden, when you're exhausted and you don't 184 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:17,940 feel like caring about anybody or anything. 185 00:10:17,940 --> 00:10:26,120 When you sinned against God or maybe his people and you're too ashamed to approach God, come 186 00:10:26,120 --> 00:10:28,020 to him anyway. 187 00:10:28,020 --> 00:10:33,140 When you're sick and you wonder why he didn't intervene. 188 00:10:33,140 --> 00:10:37,200 When you're discouraged and you feel alone. 189 00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:43,780 When darkness presses around you and you feel overwhelmed with maybe even depression. 190 00:10:43,780 --> 00:10:49,880 When you're angry that he did not show up for you or for one of your loved ones. 191 00:10:49,880 --> 00:10:57,920 Just come to Jesus in every circumstance, in all circumstances. 192 00:10:57,920 --> 00:11:03,040 The little piece of paper you just got, I want you to write, it's going to be yes or 193 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:04,040 no. 194 00:11:04,040 --> 00:11:12,360 And I want you to write on that paper, yes or no, depending on, okay, this is the question. 195 00:11:12,360 --> 00:11:21,680 If you were to die tonight or whatever, do you have assurance of salvation? 196 00:11:21,680 --> 00:11:24,480 If you were to go tonight, do you have assurance of salvation? 197 00:11:24,480 --> 00:11:26,520 All you do is write yes or no. 198 00:11:26,520 --> 00:11:30,600 And then Caleb, I guess, or somebody, maybe Elena, would you mind, because Caleb has 199 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:32,600 a mic, would you mind picking them up? 200 00:11:32,600 --> 00:11:36,780 You can just turn it upside down there or fold it if you'd like. 201 00:11:36,780 --> 00:11:37,960 And Elena will come by. 202 00:11:37,960 --> 00:11:38,960 This is just between you. 203 00:11:38,960 --> 00:11:41,160 It's totally anonymous. 204 00:11:41,160 --> 00:11:45,560 We're going to take a count to see more or less where we are, you know, if people have 205 00:11:45,560 --> 00:11:46,560 that assurance. 206 00:11:46,560 --> 00:11:51,480 So I don't know, both of you girls, maybe, would you both like to go one? 207 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:53,200 If you can take one side, one, you can take the other. 208 00:11:53,200 --> 00:11:54,880 So get up and you can go ahead and pick them up. 209 00:11:54,880 --> 00:11:55,880 Who? 210 00:11:55,880 --> 00:11:58,920 I need two people who would like to count those for me. 211 00:11:58,920 --> 00:12:02,440 Okay, I got one, another person. 212 00:12:02,440 --> 00:12:06,520 Got to keep Carla accountable. 213 00:12:06,520 --> 00:12:07,760 We need two people. 214 00:12:07,760 --> 00:12:10,920 Anybody else want to help count the yeses and nos? 215 00:12:10,920 --> 00:12:11,920 Okay, Sarah. 216 00:12:11,920 --> 00:12:18,320 Okay, the two of you can go to the back and quickly do it as quickly as you can. 217 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:21,280 Oh, you can also. 218 00:12:21,280 --> 00:12:22,280 Yeah. 219 00:12:22,280 --> 00:12:24,560 Elena, do you want to pick them up on that side? 220 00:12:24,560 --> 00:12:27,240 Okay, we're going to do that as quickly as possible. 221 00:12:27,240 --> 00:12:35,560 And while we're doing that, I want you again to get with your neighbour. 222 00:12:35,560 --> 00:12:42,000 Everybody get those as quickly as possible so that they can count them. 223 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:43,400 Did everybody get a piece of paper? 224 00:12:43,400 --> 00:12:44,400 Does everybody have one? 225 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:47,400 I just want to make sure. 226 00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:50,360 All right. 227 00:12:50,360 --> 00:12:53,280 Do you guys have the other papers at the back? 228 00:12:53,280 --> 00:12:55,000 Did you give the papers to them? 229 00:12:55,000 --> 00:12:58,360 Go and give the papers to them. 230 00:12:58,360 --> 00:13:02,160 To Sarah and to Carlisle. 231 00:13:02,160 --> 00:13:04,520 Okay. 232 00:13:04,520 --> 00:13:07,240 So quickly count out the yeses and nos. 233 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:12,000 And okay, while we're doing that, I want you with the person next to you to say what is 234 00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:15,400 the one thing you are absolutely sure of? 235 00:13:15,400 --> 00:13:17,480 Or you can be absolutely sure of. 236 00:13:17,480 --> 00:13:18,480 Okay? 237 00:13:18,480 --> 00:13:20,720 The one thing you can absolutely be sure of. 238 00:13:20,720 --> 00:13:21,720 Okay? 239 00:13:21,720 --> 00:13:22,720 Thirty seconds each. 240 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:29,080 Go ahead and... 241 00:13:29,080 --> 00:13:38,800 I hear that infamous one that keeps coming up. 242 00:13:38,800 --> 00:13:41,440 All right, so what are some of the things you can absolutely be sure of? 243 00:13:41,440 --> 00:13:46,200 At least you can be absolutely sure of. 244 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:47,200 The love of God. 245 00:13:47,200 --> 00:13:50,760 That's a beautiful thing if you're assured of that. 246 00:13:50,760 --> 00:13:52,440 Somebody else? 247 00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:54,440 I heard over there what you guys were saying. 248 00:13:54,440 --> 00:13:57,440 You want to say it out loud? 249 00:13:57,440 --> 00:13:59,760 Eternal life? 250 00:13:59,760 --> 00:14:05,040 No, I was not looking for spiritual things at all. 251 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:07,280 I mean, if you have... 252 00:14:07,280 --> 00:14:08,280 Go ahead. 253 00:14:08,280 --> 00:14:12,900 Yeah, taxes, right? 254 00:14:12,900 --> 00:14:16,840 My father would say death and taxes is the only two things you can be sure of. 255 00:14:16,840 --> 00:14:18,920 And now we don't even know if death, right? 256 00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:21,320 We don't know when Jesus is coming. 257 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:26,000 But yeah, normally, under normal conditions, it would be death and taxes. 258 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:27,000 Yes? 259 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:29,480 Your bread and water be sure. 260 00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:30,880 Your bread and water be sure. 261 00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:35,400 That's a beautiful thing. 262 00:14:35,400 --> 00:14:36,400 That's right. 263 00:14:36,400 --> 00:14:37,880 Okay, our necessities. 264 00:14:37,880 --> 00:14:42,120 Okay, anybody else want to contribute? 265 00:14:42,120 --> 00:14:43,120 God's faithfulness. 266 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:44,120 Okay. 267 00:14:44,120 --> 00:14:50,920 Do you guys have something back there yet? 268 00:14:50,920 --> 00:14:55,160 His presence? 269 00:14:55,160 --> 00:14:56,160 Say it again. 270 00:14:56,160 --> 00:14:57,160 His faithfulness. 271 00:14:57,160 --> 00:14:58,160 Truthfulness? 272 00:14:58,160 --> 00:15:08,480 Oh, you guys are just loaded with great things we can be sure of. 273 00:15:08,480 --> 00:15:10,720 His mercy. 274 00:15:10,720 --> 00:15:16,000 Seeing if they... 275 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:21,920 Before I move on, I'd like to have an idea of what the answers were. 276 00:15:21,920 --> 00:15:24,720 Okay, so what did you come up with? 277 00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:28,360 Here comes the paper. 278 00:15:28,360 --> 00:15:31,960 Okay, that's fine. 279 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:35,400 Okay, so 18 people said yes. 280 00:15:35,400 --> 00:15:36,840 That's beautiful. 281 00:15:36,840 --> 00:15:38,400 Three people said no. 282 00:15:38,400 --> 00:15:40,200 One said I don't know and there was a blank. 283 00:15:40,200 --> 00:15:43,200 So maybe it was, I'm not sure as well. 284 00:15:43,200 --> 00:15:48,320 And so that's a beautiful thing that 18 of you are assured of your salvation. 285 00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:49,320 And it's... 286 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:54,120 I'm speaking mainly to the three, but I'm speaking to everyone because there are always 287 00:15:54,120 --> 00:15:57,280 moments in our lives where we wonder, right? 288 00:15:57,280 --> 00:15:58,400 We wonder. 289 00:15:58,400 --> 00:16:03,840 And also in speaking with somebody else, how to encourage them. 290 00:16:03,840 --> 00:16:08,000 But I'm hoping that today when we come out that 18... 291 00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:13,360 One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, 23 people, just like Psalm 23, it's going 292 00:16:13,360 --> 00:16:18,040 to be 23 people going out of here that are all assured of their salvation. 293 00:16:18,040 --> 00:16:24,280 We're going to look at the first verse in Romans 8, 38 and 39. 294 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:31,560 Romans 8, 38 and 39. 295 00:16:31,560 --> 00:16:32,560 Who would like to read this? 296 00:16:32,560 --> 00:16:34,280 Put your hand up high. 297 00:16:34,280 --> 00:16:35,760 Okay, Kevin. 298 00:16:35,760 --> 00:16:39,440 Caleb, you can go over to Kevin there. 299 00:16:39,440 --> 00:16:45,440 Okay, you can go ahead, stand up. 300 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:47,160 Or you can just sit down there and read it. 301 00:16:47,160 --> 00:16:48,160 That's fine too. 302 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:53,680 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the 303 00:16:53,680 --> 00:17:00,600 present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all 304 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:05,480 creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our 305 00:17:05,480 --> 00:17:06,480 Lord. 306 00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:15,440 So what is, according to this verse, what is the one thing we can be sure of? 307 00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:17,880 Nothing can separate us from what? 308 00:17:17,880 --> 00:17:20,120 Not from God, but from his love, right? 309 00:17:20,120 --> 00:17:21,120 From his love. 310 00:17:21,120 --> 00:17:24,560 Unfortunately, there are things that can separate us from God, but nothing can separate us from 311 00:17:24,560 --> 00:17:25,960 his love. 312 00:17:25,960 --> 00:17:30,920 And it's interesting that Darren is the one who, that's the first thing he said. 313 00:17:30,920 --> 00:17:33,160 God's love, that's a sure thing. 314 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:37,840 So the first thing I want you to know is that there is nothing that can separate you from 315 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:38,880 his love. 316 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:44,600 And now often we confuse, I think, God's love with salvation. 317 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:46,600 Salvation is totally self-determined. 318 00:17:46,600 --> 00:17:51,300 In the end, every person will decide whether they're saved or lost. 319 00:17:51,300 --> 00:17:53,200 It's our decision. 320 00:17:53,200 --> 00:17:58,280 But God's love, he will love you for, I mean, even when you're gone, right? 321 00:17:58,280 --> 00:17:59,280 Eternity. 322 00:17:59,280 --> 00:18:00,280 He'll love you for eternity. 323 00:18:00,280 --> 00:18:01,920 He loves Lucifer. 324 00:18:01,920 --> 00:18:04,040 It was his first child, right? 325 00:18:04,040 --> 00:18:07,040 He went astray. 326 00:18:07,040 --> 00:18:11,440 But children make choices, right? 327 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:15,900 And he will respect, because he loves them, he will respect their choices, their choice 328 00:18:15,900 --> 00:18:18,440 not to be saved. 329 00:18:18,440 --> 00:18:22,360 But God's love is, he, nothing can separate you from his love. 330 00:18:22,360 --> 00:18:27,040 So I want you to remember that wherever you are at, he loves you. 331 00:18:27,040 --> 00:18:34,040 As deep, as dark as your experience is, he loves you and you can always turn around and 332 00:18:34,040 --> 00:18:35,400 come back to him. 333 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:36,760 I had your hand up. 334 00:18:36,760 --> 00:18:37,760 It's okay. 335 00:18:37,760 --> 00:18:40,760 I don't mind entertaining a question. 336 00:18:40,760 --> 00:18:46,720 I didn't condemn you. 337 00:18:46,720 --> 00:18:49,720 I didn't condemn you. 338 00:18:49,720 --> 00:18:51,720 Exactly. 339 00:18:51,720 --> 00:18:53,720 Beautiful. 340 00:18:53,720 --> 00:19:03,280 Thank you for sharing that. 341 00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:04,280 That's right. 342 00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:05,280 He wants to. 343 00:19:05,280 --> 00:19:07,160 He has true love for you. 344 00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:08,160 Okay. 345 00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:11,400 Lucifer's Romans 323 and just the first part of 623. 346 00:19:11,400 --> 00:19:12,880 Who would like to read that? 347 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:15,880 Hands up. 348 00:19:15,880 --> 00:19:25,400 Oh, Sarah's going to read it. 349 00:19:25,400 --> 00:19:26,400 Okay. 350 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:32,720 So 323 and 623, just the first part. 351 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:45,840 For all of sin and fall short of the glory of God, for the wages of sin is death. 352 00:19:45,840 --> 00:19:47,180 Okay. 353 00:19:47,180 --> 00:19:50,320 So what problem do we all have? 354 00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:51,320 Sin. 355 00:19:51,320 --> 00:19:52,320 Sin. 356 00:19:52,320 --> 00:19:53,320 Okay. 357 00:19:53,320 --> 00:19:57,000 So we can be sure that we are sinners and we're in need of God's help. 358 00:19:57,000 --> 00:20:00,360 Now why is this important to even admit or to know? 359 00:20:00,360 --> 00:20:07,320 I mean, why is this important to know that we're sinners? 360 00:20:07,320 --> 00:20:08,320 God can't help us if we... 361 00:20:08,320 --> 00:20:12,640 Yeah, if we're perfect or if we think we are. 362 00:20:12,640 --> 00:20:13,640 You know, right? 363 00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:17,760 He can't help us if we don't see a need for a solution. 364 00:20:17,760 --> 00:20:20,920 And so this is so important for us to realize. 365 00:20:20,920 --> 00:20:22,680 And it's a daily thing. 366 00:20:22,680 --> 00:20:28,760 I mean, I can tell you daily when I do confession and I ask the Lord, He does bring up things 367 00:20:28,760 --> 00:20:33,000 in my experience and things sometimes that shock me lately. 368 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:37,460 I've been reading through Joshua, I read through Achan and I'm reading a little bit smugly 369 00:20:37,460 --> 00:20:41,620 about how dumb can Achan be to take all that stuff? 370 00:20:41,620 --> 00:20:46,440 And then God told me, oh, but you have covetousness in your heart. 371 00:20:46,440 --> 00:20:55,180 Not like Achan, you're not going to stealing stuff, but you have a desire, same desires 372 00:20:55,180 --> 00:20:56,800 as Achan. 373 00:20:56,800 --> 00:21:01,120 And so He is constantly telling us, and He's the only solution, right? 374 00:21:01,120 --> 00:21:02,120 We learned, right? 375 00:21:02,120 --> 00:21:05,560 If we're sinners, we come to Jesus. 376 00:21:05,560 --> 00:21:08,920 There's no one else who has a cure for us. 377 00:21:08,920 --> 00:21:11,360 Okay, so let's read the last part. 378 00:21:11,360 --> 00:21:12,920 This is good news here. 379 00:21:12,920 --> 00:21:21,880 The last part of 623 and then Ephesians 2, 8 and 9. 380 00:21:21,880 --> 00:21:25,620 Anybody want to read that? 381 00:21:25,620 --> 00:21:29,520 Maybe, do you still have 623? 382 00:21:29,520 --> 00:21:30,520 I guess not, I was going to say. 383 00:21:30,520 --> 00:21:33,120 You could read the, okay, you know, you know it. 384 00:21:33,120 --> 00:21:37,600 Well, as you do the last part, who wants to read Ephesians 2, 8 and 9? 385 00:21:37,600 --> 00:21:41,960 Okay, way at the back there, Grace wants to. 386 00:21:41,960 --> 00:21:44,200 But the gift of God is eternal life. 387 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:45,200 Amen. 388 00:21:45,200 --> 00:22:01,400 So we can run back there to Grace and she's going to read Ephesians 2. 389 00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:05,640 For by grace you have been saved through faith and this is not your own doing, it is the 390 00:22:05,640 --> 00:22:06,640 gift of God. 391 00:22:06,640 --> 00:22:07,640 Amen. 392 00:22:07,640 --> 00:22:10,120 Not a result of works so that no one may boast. 393 00:22:10,120 --> 00:22:11,120 Amen. 394 00:22:11,120 --> 00:22:14,200 It's nice that it has your name in it too. 395 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:18,360 Okay, so what free gift does God offer us? 396 00:22:18,360 --> 00:22:20,600 Emphasis on free. 397 00:22:20,600 --> 00:22:24,600 That's right, eternal life. 398 00:22:24,600 --> 00:22:30,560 You can be sure that God offers you the free gift of salvation and eternal life. 399 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:31,560 It's hard. 400 00:22:31,560 --> 00:22:32,720 It's hard to take a gift. 401 00:22:32,720 --> 00:22:41,080 I can tell you that often since I, you know, semi-retired, I quit my job and it's very 402 00:22:41,080 --> 00:22:47,680 hard to receive, you know, for someone to say here, you know, help me out. 403 00:22:47,680 --> 00:22:52,760 And it's much easier to be on the giving end, to be the one who they owe me but I don't 404 00:22:52,760 --> 00:22:54,880 owe them, right? 405 00:22:54,880 --> 00:22:59,080 So we're, but it'd be ridiculous if you think it's your birthday and I know today's Bella's 406 00:22:59,080 --> 00:23:01,400 birthday. 407 00:23:01,400 --> 00:23:04,760 If I were to come up and say, here I have a little gift for you, Bella, and then she 408 00:23:04,760 --> 00:23:08,400 says, oh, and she pulls out her wallet and wants to pay me for it, right? 409 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:12,560 It's kind of like, it's almost a slap in the face. 410 00:23:12,560 --> 00:23:15,080 But yeah, that's, God is the same. 411 00:23:15,080 --> 00:23:16,680 He says, no, you can't. 412 00:23:16,680 --> 00:23:18,360 It's totally free. 413 00:23:18,360 --> 00:23:19,360 It's totally free. 414 00:23:19,360 --> 00:23:20,800 You can't pay for it at all. 415 00:23:20,800 --> 00:23:27,920 John 3.16, we all know it by heart and let's say it, for God so world that he gave his 416 00:23:27,920 --> 00:23:35,600 only begotten son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting 417 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:36,600 life. 418 00:23:36,600 --> 00:23:41,600 And when we say that, it rolls off our tongue, but did you get, how do we get this gift? 419 00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:44,320 What is the word in there? 420 00:23:44,320 --> 00:23:45,320 We believe. 421 00:23:45,320 --> 00:23:46,320 Okay? 422 00:23:46,320 --> 00:23:49,720 Believe, that's a loaded word, okay? 423 00:23:49,720 --> 00:23:51,280 It's a loaded word. 424 00:23:51,280 --> 00:23:53,280 It's not just mental assent. 425 00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:57,600 You know, when you really believe in something and you get passionate about it, like you 426 00:23:57,600 --> 00:23:59,600 practically sell your soul for it, right? 427 00:23:59,600 --> 00:24:02,480 You're just into your passion. 428 00:24:02,480 --> 00:24:04,760 And God says, I gave. 429 00:24:04,760 --> 00:24:06,160 I gave everything I had. 430 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:11,680 I poured out all of heaven for you and I want you to believe in the same way. 431 00:24:11,680 --> 00:24:15,560 I want you to buy in totally to this. 432 00:24:15,560 --> 00:24:24,520 So to believe that Jesus is your savior, be sure that Jesus is ready to, be sure to believe 433 00:24:24,520 --> 00:24:26,120 in Jesus as your savior. 434 00:24:26,120 --> 00:24:30,320 Okay, Revelation 3.20. 435 00:24:30,320 --> 00:24:37,600 I'll go ahead and read this one. 436 00:24:37,600 --> 00:24:42,480 So what is our answer to Jesus' request? 437 00:24:42,480 --> 00:24:48,600 Revelation 3.20 says, behold, I stand at the door and knock. 438 00:24:48,600 --> 00:24:56,160 If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and dine with him and 439 00:24:56,160 --> 00:24:58,280 he with me. 440 00:24:58,280 --> 00:25:01,040 So what is our answer to Jesus? 441 00:25:01,040 --> 00:25:02,880 And he says, here, here's the gift. 442 00:25:02,880 --> 00:25:05,320 We have a choice, right? 443 00:25:05,320 --> 00:25:07,880 Like here, he's knocking on the door. 444 00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:08,880 He has the gift. 445 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:11,640 And what do we have to do? 446 00:25:11,640 --> 00:25:16,040 We have to open, right? 447 00:25:16,040 --> 00:25:18,560 He comes into our heart by faith. 448 00:25:18,560 --> 00:25:21,120 The door, it's the door to our heart, of course. 449 00:25:21,120 --> 00:25:22,700 And he comes in there by faith. 450 00:25:22,700 --> 00:25:28,560 And he comes in with his righteousness and his purity and his perfection. 451 00:25:28,560 --> 00:25:33,640 And that's right. 452 00:25:33,640 --> 00:25:37,520 And actually, I don't know if it's actually the probably isn't, but in the picture. 453 00:25:37,520 --> 00:25:42,120 But yes, there is no knob on the outside of that door because he will never force himself 454 00:25:42,120 --> 00:25:43,120 in. 455 00:25:43,120 --> 00:25:45,740 He doesn't try door knobs. 456 00:25:45,740 --> 00:25:47,840 He just knocks, right? 457 00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:52,720 So you can be sure that Jesus is ready to live in your heart. 458 00:25:52,720 --> 00:25:57,680 Okay, this is all about what God wants to do for you. 459 00:25:57,680 --> 00:26:01,120 All right. 460 00:26:01,120 --> 00:26:03,480 Who did Jesus die for? 461 00:26:03,480 --> 00:26:04,480 Everyone. 462 00:26:04,480 --> 00:26:09,320 Will everyone accept? 463 00:26:09,320 --> 00:26:10,320 Unfortunately not. 464 00:26:10,320 --> 00:26:11,640 But he did die for anyone. 465 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:15,160 And like Jan said, there's no door knob on the outside. 466 00:26:15,160 --> 00:26:17,440 He does not force. 467 00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:22,400 So let's look up the last verse here, 1 John 1, 9. 468 00:26:22,400 --> 00:26:23,400 Very beautiful. 469 00:26:23,400 --> 00:26:24,400 Oh, sorry. 470 00:26:24,400 --> 00:26:27,360 This is not the last verse, second last verse. 471 00:26:27,360 --> 00:26:28,360 Okay. 472 00:26:28,360 --> 00:26:33,520 And when you invite Jesus in, what does he immediately do? 473 00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:34,800 Let's look at 1 John 1, 9. 474 00:26:34,800 --> 00:26:39,800 Who would like to read that? 475 00:26:39,800 --> 00:26:40,800 You might. 476 00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:43,160 Okay, Paul right here. 477 00:26:43,160 --> 00:26:46,160 Thank you. 478 00:26:46,160 --> 00:27:02,560 If you confess your sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us from our sins and to cleanse 479 00:27:02,560 --> 00:27:04,480 us from all unrighteousness. 480 00:27:04,480 --> 00:27:09,120 So what does he do when we invite him in? 481 00:27:09,120 --> 00:27:12,800 He forgives and he cleanses. 482 00:27:12,800 --> 00:27:14,880 And this is kind of the two-part process. 483 00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:18,520 It isn't, you know, it's a lifetime process, right? 484 00:27:18,520 --> 00:27:21,000 He's forgiving and cleansing every day. 485 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:25,120 And cleansing is the great news that he doesn't just want to forgive us of our sins, but he 486 00:27:25,120 --> 00:27:29,680 wants to take away our sins to the point that they become odious to us, like hateful to 487 00:27:29,680 --> 00:27:30,680 us. 488 00:27:30,680 --> 00:27:33,440 We don't want to do them anymore. 489 00:27:33,440 --> 00:27:35,040 And I know he's done that for me. 490 00:27:35,040 --> 00:27:39,760 When I look back at some things that were very pleasurable and enjoyable for me, and 491 00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:43,340 now I look and I say, oh, I can't even, you know. 492 00:27:43,340 --> 00:27:47,920 But he's still working on me because there's still things he's revealing to me that I 493 00:27:47,920 --> 00:27:51,240 still kind of like and I want to hold onto, you know? 494 00:27:51,240 --> 00:27:56,520 And so this is a process of the forgiving and the cleansing because he's living in my 495 00:27:56,520 --> 00:27:57,640 heart. 496 00:27:57,640 --> 00:28:02,000 And now for the last good news one here. 497 00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:06,880 Be sure Jesus completely cleans our hearts, 1 John 5.13. 498 00:28:06,880 --> 00:28:10,120 And this is a, this I want you really to hold onto. 499 00:28:10,120 --> 00:28:11,380 You put a little bookmark there. 500 00:28:11,380 --> 00:28:13,000 Read this at home. 501 00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:14,000 Read this verse again. 502 00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:15,000 1 John 5.13. 503 00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:18,080 Who would like to read that nice and loud? 504 00:28:18,080 --> 00:28:19,080 Okay. 505 00:28:19,080 --> 00:28:24,800 Angelina's going to say it for me, read it for me. 506 00:28:24,800 --> 00:28:27,560 1 John 5.13. 507 00:28:27,560 --> 00:28:30,080 Thank you. 508 00:28:30,080 --> 00:28:35,360 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that 509 00:28:35,360 --> 00:28:41,240 ye may know that ye have eternal life and that ye may believe on the same, I'm sorry, 510 00:28:41,240 --> 00:28:44,320 that you may believe on the name of the Son of God. 511 00:28:44,320 --> 00:28:50,760 So what does this verse tell us that we can know for sure? 512 00:28:50,760 --> 00:28:54,560 What did she say? 513 00:28:54,560 --> 00:28:57,680 You can know that you have what? 514 00:28:57,680 --> 00:28:58,840 Eternal life. 515 00:28:58,840 --> 00:29:00,860 It actually says that right there. 516 00:29:00,860 --> 00:29:02,360 You can know. 517 00:29:02,360 --> 00:29:07,080 You can be assured that you have eternal life. 518 00:29:07,080 --> 00:29:11,760 And with assurance of salvation there comes that peace, that rest, right? 519 00:29:11,760 --> 00:29:15,320 The joy in Jesus. 520 00:29:15,320 --> 00:29:17,520 You can be assured of your salvation. 521 00:29:17,520 --> 00:29:18,520 Okay. 522 00:29:18,520 --> 00:29:21,820 So you can be sure, be sure. 523 00:29:21,820 --> 00:29:29,200 When you leave this place you can know if you follow these steps you can be sure of 524 00:29:29,200 --> 00:29:31,520 your salvation if you come to Jesus. 525 00:29:31,520 --> 00:29:38,200 I want to give you a short testimony before I end here. 526 00:29:38,200 --> 00:29:46,800 I don't know, short testimony, short relative, but anyway. 527 00:29:46,800 --> 00:29:54,160 I've had a few addictions in my life in the past and I didn't grow up really in a Christian 528 00:29:54,160 --> 00:29:57,000 home or as an Adventist or anything like that. 529 00:29:57,000 --> 00:30:02,840 But when I became a Christian I guess I had the idea that as soon as I walked out of the 530 00:30:02,840 --> 00:30:07,240 baptismal tank all those things would just melt away. 531 00:30:07,240 --> 00:30:11,880 And there were things that did fall away, you know, but it isn't like everything. 532 00:30:11,880 --> 00:30:17,760 And there's one in particular, one addiction I had that did not disappear, did not fall 533 00:30:17,760 --> 00:30:18,760 to the wayside. 534 00:30:18,760 --> 00:30:20,680 It was very hard for me to resist. 535 00:30:20,680 --> 00:30:24,640 And it came to the point where I threw in the towel at some point in my life even though 536 00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:29,520 I loved God, I spent my little time with him in the morning. 537 00:30:29,520 --> 00:30:36,320 Sometimes I prayed, maybe falling asleep at night, but I loved God but at the same time 538 00:30:36,320 --> 00:30:40,960 I felt like I had no recourse, like this is just something that was going to stay with 539 00:30:40,960 --> 00:30:48,960 me and I told Lord, well, you have to take it away or I'll just die and maybe not make 540 00:30:48,960 --> 00:30:50,360 it or you're going to have to save me this. 541 00:30:50,360 --> 00:30:51,360 I didn't know. 542 00:30:51,360 --> 00:30:57,400 I just basically, like I said, I just kind of gave up. 543 00:30:57,400 --> 00:31:02,440 So I had a very good friend who lived with me for a time and she told me, because we 544 00:31:02,440 --> 00:31:10,840 got really close, she had a very similar experience and she told me how she got over her addiction. 545 00:31:10,840 --> 00:31:13,660 And basically she said spend more time with Jesus. 546 00:31:13,660 --> 00:31:19,360 And in fact when she got over this addiction she didn't want anything to do with Jesus. 547 00:31:19,360 --> 00:31:22,400 But her father said just spend time with Jesus and she said I don't want anything to do with 548 00:31:22,400 --> 00:31:26,800 Jesus and he said that's okay, spend time with Jesus and then when you're over the addiction 549 00:31:26,800 --> 00:31:28,200 you can let Jesus go. 550 00:31:28,200 --> 00:31:30,800 But you need Jesus to get over the addiction. 551 00:31:30,800 --> 00:31:32,320 Very smart father. 552 00:31:32,320 --> 00:31:36,760 He was probably praying on the way, you know, praying like mad for her and she said she 553 00:31:36,760 --> 00:31:42,000 spent five minutes and you know, but eventually she did get over this and so it was giving 554 00:31:42,000 --> 00:31:43,160 me hope. 555 00:31:43,160 --> 00:31:47,800 At the same time I went through kind of a tragedy in my life and I felt like I didn't 556 00:31:47,800 --> 00:31:49,720 have anywhere to turn. 557 00:31:49,720 --> 00:31:55,840 So there were several things that were, I think God put in my life totally, that caused 558 00:31:55,840 --> 00:31:59,760 me to really start spending serious time with him. 559 00:31:59,760 --> 00:32:03,120 And God was never my friend. 560 00:32:03,120 --> 00:32:07,420 Even though I loved him, he was never, I couldn't call him like my best buddy or my friend because 561 00:32:07,420 --> 00:32:12,420 I felt always this thing, like I'm talking at the beginning where I had to clean up my 562 00:32:12,420 --> 00:32:16,320 act and almost shame to talk to him. 563 00:32:16,320 --> 00:32:22,520 So I did my little thing but I was always kind of distant from God, not realizing, not 564 00:32:22,520 --> 00:32:27,520 realizing that my very condition was what was recommending me to him. 565 00:32:27,520 --> 00:32:35,320 Anyway, so as I was reading and praying and spending more time with God and I was, his 566 00:32:35,320 --> 00:32:42,400 desire for him was increasing, I also realized that my role was surrender. 567 00:32:42,400 --> 00:32:44,480 I realized that I was going about it the wrong way. 568 00:32:44,480 --> 00:32:50,800 I was always trying to get over this and I was focusing so much on this addiction that 569 00:32:50,800 --> 00:32:51,800 that's all I was doing. 570 00:32:51,800 --> 00:32:52,800 I wasn't focusing on the Lord. 571 00:32:52,800 --> 00:32:53,800 I kept saying, okay, I gotta stop. 572 00:32:53,800 --> 00:32:55,800 I gotta stop thinking about it. 573 00:32:55,800 --> 00:32:57,360 I gotta stop doing it. 574 00:32:57,360 --> 00:33:01,080 I was just always like, gotta change my circumstances. 575 00:33:01,080 --> 00:33:05,440 I gotta have this in the house and not this in the, I was trying to change so many things 576 00:33:05,440 --> 00:33:10,040 and I realized, no, I can't do it. 577 00:33:10,040 --> 00:33:12,640 I need God to do it. 578 00:33:12,640 --> 00:33:15,880 I need to just surrender this to Jesus and that's what I did. 579 00:33:15,880 --> 00:33:21,560 And every time, every time it would happen, I just said, okay, God, I surrender it to 580 00:33:21,560 --> 00:33:22,560 you. 581 00:33:22,560 --> 00:33:23,560 Please forgive me. 582 00:33:23,560 --> 00:33:24,560 Please. 583 00:33:24,560 --> 00:33:25,720 I would surrender. 584 00:33:25,720 --> 00:33:30,360 And I was claiming verses like, I think my favorite verse during that whole time was 585 00:33:30,360 --> 00:33:38,640 1 Thessalonians 524 and it says, he who has called you is faithful and he will do it. 586 00:33:38,640 --> 00:33:41,240 And I kept saying, God, you said you're gonna do it. 587 00:33:41,240 --> 00:33:45,400 You're faithful, you're gonna do it and I just kept on actually at the same time, God 588 00:33:45,400 --> 00:33:50,240 gave me another person who was struggling with something very similar and we were kind 589 00:33:50,240 --> 00:33:54,640 of going through it together so we could text and encourage each other. 590 00:33:54,640 --> 00:34:00,360 Anyway, so this day, and I can tell you another thing that I did is, you know that beautiful 591 00:34:00,360 --> 00:34:05,760 text that says that with every temptation comes a way of escape. 592 00:34:05,760 --> 00:34:09,960 And so I would ask God, sometimes I could feel like the temptation was coming and then 593 00:34:09,960 --> 00:34:15,160 I literally, and I would say it out loud if I was alone, usually in the car or someplace 594 00:34:15,160 --> 00:34:19,120 like that where I knew, oh, I don't wanna go somewhere or do this or whatever, I just 595 00:34:19,120 --> 00:34:23,040 say, a way of escape, God, I need a way of escape. 596 00:34:23,040 --> 00:34:25,320 And he always gave it every single time. 597 00:34:25,320 --> 00:34:29,320 I had a choice, didn't have to take the way of escape, but I usually took the way of 598 00:34:29,320 --> 00:34:34,240 escape because I saw it, I recognized that he gave me a way of escape. 599 00:34:34,240 --> 00:34:40,320 Anyway, so there's a lot of details and a lot of things that go up to it, but I'm just 600 00:34:40,320 --> 00:34:47,360 gonna tell you that he took it away completely and it was literally getting up and saying, 601 00:34:47,360 --> 00:34:54,040 wow, yesterday I didn't indulge in that and thinking, wow, that's crazy, God, I didn't 602 00:34:54,040 --> 00:34:59,880 even go through the day like trying to resist, it just didn't happen. 603 00:34:59,880 --> 00:35:08,400 And I realized that my desire for God was outweighing my desire for that thing. 604 00:35:08,400 --> 00:35:12,080 And in fact, I hated that thing. 605 00:35:12,080 --> 00:35:15,880 But one day I woke up and it was gone and I'm telling you, it's gone. 606 00:35:15,880 --> 00:35:22,140 It was just so totally gone and I didn't do it, but I had to constantly surrender. 607 00:35:22,140 --> 00:35:23,280 Can I go back to it? 608 00:35:23,280 --> 00:35:27,080 Yes, because God gives you that freedom, but will I go back? 609 00:35:27,080 --> 00:35:28,080 No. 610 00:35:28,080 --> 00:35:29,080 Never again. 611 00:35:29,080 --> 00:35:36,480 But I wanna encourage you, I don't know what your situation is, you just may be very... 612 00:35:36,480 --> 00:35:43,520 It's very difficult for you to give up your independence and your desire to do it your 613 00:35:43,520 --> 00:35:49,280 way, whatever that may be, but just keep surrendering it to God. 614 00:35:49,280 --> 00:35:51,780 Keep coming to Jesus. 615 00:35:51,780 --> 00:35:54,480 Don't distance yourself from him. 616 00:35:54,480 --> 00:35:58,240 He is very close to you, right? 617 00:35:58,240 --> 00:36:02,200 He says, yeah, come close to God and he will draw an eye to you, right? 618 00:36:02,200 --> 00:36:04,240 Draw an eye to God and he will draw an eye to you. 619 00:36:04,240 --> 00:36:12,360 I wanted to read one quote from the Spirit of Prophecy that actually just yesterday somebody 620 00:36:12,360 --> 00:36:14,360 shared it with me and I said, this is perfect. 621 00:36:14,360 --> 00:36:16,480 Perfect, it goes exactly with my sermon. 622 00:36:16,480 --> 00:36:24,520 It says, the tempted one needs to understand the true force of the will. 623 00:36:24,520 --> 00:36:25,520 Should say the will, I think. 624 00:36:25,520 --> 00:36:26,520 I don't know what I did there. 625 00:36:26,520 --> 00:36:37,160 This is, okay, this is the governing power in the nature of man, the power of decision, 626 00:36:37,160 --> 00:36:39,080 of choice. 627 00:36:39,080 --> 00:36:43,040 Everything depends on the right action of the will. 628 00:36:43,040 --> 00:36:48,040 Desires for goodness and purity are right as far as they go, but if we stop there, they 629 00:36:48,040 --> 00:36:49,460 avail nothing. 630 00:36:49,460 --> 00:36:55,600 Many go down to ruin while hoping and desiring to overcome their evil propensities. 631 00:36:55,600 --> 00:36:57,880 And that was describing me basically. 632 00:36:57,880 --> 00:36:59,280 That's where I was. 633 00:36:59,280 --> 00:37:05,680 Thank goodness God didn't, you know, he worked with me until I got to the place. 634 00:37:05,680 --> 00:37:08,280 They do not yield to the will of God. 635 00:37:08,280 --> 00:37:11,280 They do not choose to serve him. 636 00:37:11,280 --> 00:37:13,320 God has given us the power of choice. 637 00:37:13,320 --> 00:37:15,920 It is ours to exercise. 638 00:37:15,920 --> 00:37:17,740 We cannot change our hearts. 639 00:37:17,740 --> 00:37:20,960 We cannot control our thoughts, our impulses, our affections. 640 00:37:20,960 --> 00:37:30,280 We cannot make ourselves pure or fit for God's service, but we can choose to serve God. 641 00:37:30,280 --> 00:37:33,680 Then we can give him our will. 642 00:37:33,680 --> 00:37:37,320 Then he will work in us to will and to do his good pleasure. 643 00:37:37,320 --> 00:37:44,200 Thus, our whole nature will be brought under the control of Christ. 644 00:37:44,200 --> 00:37:51,920 You know the story of the, this is my favorite parable, the prodigal son. 645 00:37:51,920 --> 00:37:55,720 And it should be called the good father, I think. 646 00:37:55,720 --> 00:37:59,360 But the prodigal son who goes out and he spends his fortune. 647 00:37:59,360 --> 00:38:06,680 And once I spoke with a Muslim man, a Christian, but he was Muslim and he said, people on the 648 00:38:06,680 --> 00:38:11,960 West don't really understand this parable, but he says this would be when Jesus was talking 649 00:38:11,960 --> 00:38:17,880 to the Palestinian and he was explaining that this boy wanted his inheritance. 650 00:38:17,880 --> 00:38:21,680 He was basically saying, dad, I want you dead because that's the only time you got your 651 00:38:21,680 --> 00:38:22,680 inheritance. 652 00:38:22,680 --> 00:38:28,640 Your dad didn't divide out his inheritance until he died and then his inheritance. 653 00:38:28,640 --> 00:38:34,080 And so a lot of times if this happened, when the boy got away, they would have a bounty 654 00:38:34,080 --> 00:38:39,840 on this boy's head and he would be murdered because he went in the front to say that to 655 00:38:39,840 --> 00:38:41,160 his father. 656 00:38:41,160 --> 00:38:48,160 And so this is quite, it raised a lot of eyebrows, I can imagine, when Jesus was telling the 657 00:38:48,160 --> 00:38:49,160 story. 658 00:38:49,160 --> 00:38:53,360 But the father gave him the inheritance. 659 00:38:53,360 --> 00:38:58,080 And he went out and spent it all, ended up in a pig's die and he came to his senses, 660 00:38:58,080 --> 00:39:03,200 the scripture says, he came to his senses and he said, servants in my dad's house do 661 00:39:03,200 --> 00:39:05,280 better than this. 662 00:39:05,280 --> 00:39:10,200 And he must have had a little inkling of something of the goodness of his father to go back, 663 00:39:10,200 --> 00:39:14,120 right now, in that culture, to actually go back. 664 00:39:14,120 --> 00:39:17,200 And this is the picture that I love so much. 665 00:39:17,200 --> 00:39:23,440 I found it on Google there, but it's so beautiful because this is exactly the picture of the 666 00:39:23,440 --> 00:39:25,240 father. 667 00:39:25,240 --> 00:39:28,760 When he's going back, he's coming and the father, what is the father doing? 668 00:39:28,760 --> 00:39:31,920 Is he sitting at home enjoying himself? 669 00:39:31,920 --> 00:39:36,840 All these, I mean, for years, he goes to the gate every day, right? 670 00:39:36,840 --> 00:39:37,840 And he just looks. 671 00:39:37,840 --> 00:39:41,120 I wonder if today's the day my son will come home. 672 00:39:41,120 --> 00:39:47,680 And when he sees him from afar, he's filthy, he probably looks nothing like his son, you 673 00:39:47,680 --> 00:39:54,600 know, he might even limp now, but he says, I know that's my son and he starts running. 674 00:39:54,600 --> 00:39:58,760 It's just like, it just brings so much emotion to me because I think he's not the father 675 00:39:58,760 --> 00:40:05,720 who says, oh, let him come home and grovel a little bit before I let him in. 676 00:40:05,720 --> 00:40:10,080 He's the father that's running out there to get him. 677 00:40:10,080 --> 00:40:13,080 And then when he runs out there, of course, the son has a speech, right? 678 00:40:13,080 --> 00:40:17,240 There's a little speech, I'll plan, dad, I'm not worthy to be called your son. 679 00:40:17,240 --> 00:40:18,440 I'll just be your son. 680 00:40:18,440 --> 00:40:22,420 And the father doesn't want to hear anything about it. 681 00:40:22,420 --> 00:40:26,720 He hugs and he kisses his filthy neck. 682 00:40:26,720 --> 00:40:30,440 And he says to the servant, bring out the best robe. 683 00:40:30,440 --> 00:40:34,000 And then does he say, go take a shower so I can get all this stuff on you? 684 00:40:34,000 --> 00:40:35,000 No. 685 00:40:35,000 --> 00:40:40,080 And he puts the robe right on his body, his dirty body, and he puts the ring. 686 00:40:40,080 --> 00:40:42,880 What does the ring signify? 687 00:40:42,880 --> 00:40:45,000 Who wears the ring? 688 00:40:45,000 --> 00:40:48,140 The son, because that has the seal on it. 689 00:40:48,140 --> 00:40:51,760 That's saying, you're no servant, you are my son. 690 00:40:51,760 --> 00:40:54,320 And you've come back home, you're always my son. 691 00:40:54,320 --> 00:40:56,560 You were just one astray, but you were always my son. 692 00:40:56,560 --> 00:41:00,000 And then what does he put on his dirty feet? 693 00:41:00,000 --> 00:41:02,520 Sandals. 694 00:41:02,520 --> 00:41:05,800 He doesn't ask him to clean up. 695 00:41:05,800 --> 00:41:10,800 He puts all that beautiful stuff, and then he says, go kill the fatted calf, because 696 00:41:10,800 --> 00:41:13,440 we're gonna have a party. 697 00:41:13,440 --> 00:41:17,360 Because you were gone and now you're back. 698 00:41:17,360 --> 00:41:19,320 Such a beautiful picture of our God. 699 00:41:19,320 --> 00:41:24,240 And that's what the picture I want you to leave with today, to remember that there is 700 00:41:24,240 --> 00:41:32,240 nothing you can do to make God love you more, or want you more, or to fix yourself up so 701 00:41:32,240 --> 00:41:34,720 he will accept you. 702 00:41:34,720 --> 00:41:36,400 He will accept you as you are. 703 00:41:36,400 --> 00:41:39,600 Yes, he wants to change you, he's not gonna leave you there. 704 00:41:39,600 --> 00:41:42,840 He didn't want to leave his son in the filth. 705 00:41:42,840 --> 00:41:45,120 He was gonna get cleaned up. 706 00:41:45,120 --> 00:41:52,760 But when you come to Jesus, you come as you are, and he cleans you up. 707 00:41:52,760 --> 00:42:00,080 That's bow our heads for prayer. 708 00:42:00,080 --> 00:42:06,040 My father, I just love this picture of you running, running, running to meet us, just 709 00:42:06,040 --> 00:42:09,360 wanting to make that one step to turn around to face you. 710 00:42:09,360 --> 00:42:15,360 Lord, you are the giver of the gift of salvation, and we are sinners so much in need of you. 711 00:42:15,360 --> 00:42:17,800 And so we want to all come to you. 712 00:42:17,800 --> 00:42:20,240 We want to confess our sins, Lord. 713 00:42:20,240 --> 00:42:22,160 We want you to live in our hearts. 714 00:42:22,160 --> 00:42:23,720 We thank you for forgiveness. 715 00:42:23,720 --> 00:42:26,080 We thank you, Lord, that you want to live here. 716 00:42:26,080 --> 00:42:29,720 We thank you that you want us to know that we are saved. 717 00:42:29,720 --> 00:42:33,400 That every time we fall, it doesn't mean that we fall out of favor. 718 00:42:33,400 --> 00:42:38,440 But you pick us up and you put us back on the road, and you help us and you continue 719 00:42:38,440 --> 00:42:40,720 to forgive and cleanse. 720 00:42:40,720 --> 00:42:43,240 And Lord, we all want to be on this road together. 721 00:42:43,240 --> 00:42:48,600 Lord, I pray that every single person here will be assured of their salvation when they 722 00:42:48,600 --> 00:42:52,720 leave, that they will know this is really what they want, that they want you. 723 00:42:52,720 --> 00:42:58,560 They want a father like you, dear Lord, who's just gonna take them and surround them and 724 00:42:58,560 --> 00:43:01,480 hold them up and clean them up. 725 00:43:01,480 --> 00:43:07,920 Lord, I pray for each person here as we leave that we go home, dear Lord, that we won't 726 00:43:07,920 --> 00:43:12,200 be the same, that we will want to spend time with this beautiful Jesus who wants to spend 727 00:43:12,200 --> 00:43:13,700 time with us. 728 00:43:13,700 --> 00:43:15,800 And we thank you in Jesus' name, we pray. 729 00:43:15,800 --> 00:43:29,320 Amen.