1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:11,200 Welcome to the Logan City Christian Church podcast where we bring God's Word to you 2 00:00:11,200 --> 00:00:12,200 weekly. 3 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:17,600 We pray that what you hear will bring clarity to your situation and open doors in your life. 4 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:18,600 Enjoy the message. 5 00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:24,000 Thank you, Ron, for yesterday morning, the men's breakfast. 6 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:27,880 There's such great ministry in this church and I'm just so pleased about that. 7 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:28,880 It's just great. 8 00:00:28,880 --> 00:00:31,240 Really, really good. 9 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:35,440 You know that Jesus is alive, right? 10 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:37,760 Alive forevermore. 11 00:00:37,760 --> 00:00:41,120 And we're here because of that. 12 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:44,640 We don't serve a dead religion. 13 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:51,680 We serve a living, a living God. 14 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:57,480 And there are times that we are faced with various situations. 15 00:00:57,480 --> 00:00:59,640 Thank you, Graham, for your testimony. 16 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:02,040 So encouraging. 17 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:12,440 We can face situations that may seem to be insurmountable, no hope, that there's no way 18 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:19,880 out and many of us encounter that at least once in our life. 19 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:21,300 But there's always an answer. 20 00:01:21,300 --> 00:01:25,240 God always has an answer for your life. 21 00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:29,000 Today I want to minister on this subject. 22 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:31,660 Thank God for His grace. 23 00:01:31,660 --> 00:01:33,960 Thank God for His grace. 24 00:01:33,960 --> 00:01:40,480 His grace is so amazing as we'll be reminded today and maybe if we hear it for the first 25 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:47,140 time, understand who God really is through His wonderful work of grace. 26 00:01:47,140 --> 00:01:50,760 And there's deliverance in the house of God this morning. 27 00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:55,480 I don't say that lightly, I say it because it's true. 28 00:01:55,480 --> 00:02:01,640 And God is so amazing how He ministers to people. 29 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:09,240 And I think, you know, a person said to me today, how would you describe a guy that was 30 00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:16,840 in a really bad way, never known God before and had experienced such a difficult life? 31 00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:21,680 He said, how would you explain God to me? 32 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:23,960 And he said, without saying God is love. 33 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:26,680 He said, I hear it all the time. 34 00:02:26,680 --> 00:02:30,240 And I said, well, that's not an easy thing that you've asked. 35 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:32,640 But God is kind. 36 00:02:32,640 --> 00:02:35,760 God is gentle. 37 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:37,520 God is truth. 38 00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:41,600 God is light. 39 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:45,080 God really cares for your soul. 40 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:47,720 And He cares for our soul. 41 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:55,520 And you might say, how do you know, how can you, what evidence can you give me that God 42 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:58,320 really does love me? 43 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:05,400 All we have to do is to look a little bit that way and see the cross of Calvary that 44 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:08,960 a man didn't have to but he did. 45 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:12,180 But he gave his life for yours. 46 00:03:12,180 --> 00:03:15,080 And he gave his life for mine. 47 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:19,320 And he gave his life for the entire world. 48 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:23,480 You might say, how much then does Jesus love me? 49 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:26,220 He said this much. 50 00:03:26,220 --> 00:03:29,440 And he stretched out his arms. 51 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:33,000 And he died for you. 52 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:35,720 He died for you so that you may live. 53 00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:43,760 And not live a life of mediocre, but to live a life of prosperity, I mean prosperity in 54 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:47,600 the right sense. 55 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:50,380 That God is for you. 56 00:03:50,380 --> 00:03:56,640 And if God is for you, who or what can be against you? 57 00:03:56,640 --> 00:04:04,040 And here is the creator of the universe who's right behind you, who's right in front of 58 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:11,080 you, who's right beside you, he's inside of you if you are truly born again. 59 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:14,280 So who else do we need? 60 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:25,020 The very person who spoke this world into existence is with you. 61 00:04:25,020 --> 00:04:33,800 The very one who gave of his life is with you. 62 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:43,560 And not only is he with you, his great grace, which I'm going to explain in the next 15, 63 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:51,800 20 minutes, that is so freely given to you and to me and to every single person in this 64 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:58,680 world, his great grace toward you is more than enough. 65 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:03,600 It's more than what we will ever, ever need in this life. 66 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:14,480 I'd like to read Romans chapter five, and I'm going to read from verse one. 67 00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:23,460 Prior to that, apostle Paul gives an exposition on faith and Abraham, the father of faith, 68 00:05:23,460 --> 00:05:30,480 and that here is Abraham, he's around a hundred years of age, and God says to him, he said, 69 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:36,160 look, I've got some news for you, Abraham, that he didn't have any children of his own, 70 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:42,040 biological children, and God says to him, you're going to be a dad. 71 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:46,720 And not only are you going to be a dad, you're going to be a father of many nations. 72 00:05:46,720 --> 00:05:50,780 And I want to share this, that there may be times that you feel that you're getting on 73 00:05:50,780 --> 00:05:54,440 in life and you think, what is God going to do with me? 74 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:57,760 Never give up because God has not finished with you. 75 00:05:57,760 --> 00:06:03,360 Now, I'm not going to say you're going to start having children at the age of a hundred 76 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:10,480 and walking around like a rooster wherever you go, but what I am saying is this, is that 77 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:15,680 don't take it that you're a certain age that it's all over. 78 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:20,120 No, no, it's that God doesn't see age. 79 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:22,420 He doesn't gauge things by your age. 80 00:06:22,420 --> 00:06:28,720 He gauges it by your heart and your enthusiasm and your willingness to just stretch out and 81 00:06:28,720 --> 00:06:31,760 do just that little bit more for Jesus. 82 00:06:31,760 --> 00:06:38,120 And so it's speaking about how Abraham, he, above all things, he just said, well, you 83 00:06:38,120 --> 00:06:39,120 know what? 84 00:06:39,120 --> 00:06:40,120 I'm near a hundred. 85 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:44,840 I don't know how this is going to work, but I believe God. 86 00:06:44,840 --> 00:06:46,900 I believe God. 87 00:06:46,900 --> 00:06:52,840 And it was accounted to him being righteous simply because he believed. 88 00:06:52,840 --> 00:07:00,480 And so Romans chapter five from verse one, because where you see it start with a therefore, 89 00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:03,060 there's a connecting, that's a connector. 90 00:07:03,060 --> 00:07:09,460 It's like, according to what has just been said, therefore having been justified. 91 00:07:09,460 --> 00:07:12,400 So we need to find out what was previously said. 92 00:07:12,400 --> 00:07:18,360 As they say, when you see a therefore, you have to find out why the, why the therefore 93 00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:20,100 is therefore. 94 00:07:20,100 --> 00:07:21,600 And I just explained it to you. 95 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:25,080 So let's start from chapter five, verse one. 96 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:33,160 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus 97 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:43,520 Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into his grace in which we stand and 98 00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:50,840 rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 99 00:07:50,840 --> 00:08:01,720 When we give thanks to God for his incredible grace, we remember all of the wonderful things 100 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:06,320 that God has done in your life. 101 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:12,800 Maybe you're here today or you're listening online and you have not yet encountered the 102 00:08:12,800 --> 00:08:16,640 saving grace of God. 103 00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:22,080 Today is a good day for you then, because at the end of this meeting, there will be 104 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:30,520 an opportunity for each and every person to experience this wonderful grace of God, the 105 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:33,640 saving grace of God. 106 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:36,560 And it's so freely given to every single person. 107 00:08:36,560 --> 00:08:43,640 And I believe many times people pass by it because we haven't understood what is on offer 108 00:08:43,640 --> 00:08:45,520 for humanity. 109 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:52,320 So this morning, I just want to, and I feel in my spirit to open up just a few passages 110 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:58,240 of scripture this morning and just trust that the Holy Spirit, who is the author of the 111 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:05,360 word of God, is going to bring to light the word in your life this morning and just illuminate 112 00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:14,040 with just light the truth of God's word and how much God really does love you. 113 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:16,880 You know, people say, how could God love me? 114 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:21,960 Surely, he doesn't know the things that I've done in my life. 115 00:09:21,960 --> 00:09:27,220 I want to address that this morning as well, because God knows everything. 116 00:09:27,220 --> 00:09:32,040 And in spite of us, he still loves us, because that's his nature. 117 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:35,480 He will never leave you and he'll never forsake you. 118 00:09:35,480 --> 00:09:41,520 And whoever calls on the name of Jesus, the Bible says, will be saved, not might be, will 119 00:09:41,520 --> 00:09:42,680 be. 120 00:09:42,680 --> 00:09:45,220 And so we serve an incredible God. 121 00:09:45,220 --> 00:09:48,920 We have this incredible gospel freely given to us. 122 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:55,240 And if we would just believe in the true gospel, the true gospel of Jesus Christ, so it says, 123 00:09:55,240 --> 00:09:58,400 for having been justified by faith. 124 00:09:58,400 --> 00:10:01,520 See, here is the thing. 125 00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:05,480 What does it mean to be justified by faith? 126 00:10:05,480 --> 00:10:13,160 30 years ago or so, when I came to the Lord, just like Abram believed God that he's with 127 00:10:13,160 --> 00:10:18,520 his promise that you will be a father of many nations, Chantelle, when she shared the gospel 128 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:21,240 with me for nine and a half years. 129 00:10:21,240 --> 00:10:27,000 I mean, I was a bit of a slow thinker, but it took nine and a half years for this gospel 130 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:29,000 to sink in. 131 00:10:29,000 --> 00:10:34,880 But let me tell you, when the gospel touched the bottom of that splintery wooden barrel, 132 00:10:34,880 --> 00:10:37,520 it began to germinate. 133 00:10:37,520 --> 00:10:41,140 God needs a heart, a heart that is open. 134 00:10:41,140 --> 00:10:46,480 And I believe a heart that is emptied of all kinds of religion and philosophies, emptied 135 00:10:46,480 --> 00:10:52,160 of everything so that there that Christ, when his word is preached, that it takes root inside 136 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:55,200 of us and begins to grow. 137 00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:58,440 And that was certainly my case. 138 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:04,800 But when I said just before that we've been justified by faith, what does that really 139 00:11:04,800 --> 00:11:05,800 mean? 140 00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:10,000 You see, justification is a work of grace. 141 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:13,720 Grace is God's love in action. 142 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:16,920 It's as simple as that. 143 00:11:16,920 --> 00:11:25,880 Being justified, the word justified actually comes from a legal term like a court, in a 144 00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:37,520 court setting, that if you can imagine that a criminal is brought in to be tried in court 145 00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:40,160 and they're guilty. 146 00:11:40,160 --> 00:11:43,100 They're guilty. 147 00:11:43,100 --> 00:11:53,360 And for some reason, the magistrate pardons this guilty prisoner. 148 00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:58,600 Let's take it now into Christianity. 149 00:11:58,600 --> 00:12:06,200 That there are going to be, and let me put it this way, every single person will one 150 00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:12,480 day stand before the Lord Jesus Christ and give an account for our life, every single 151 00:12:12,480 --> 00:12:13,480 one of us. 152 00:12:13,480 --> 00:12:16,440 There's no exception. 153 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:21,340 Every one of us will give account. 154 00:12:21,340 --> 00:12:30,440 And if we get to that place without our sins being, as they say, absolved or being forgiven 155 00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:36,560 through Christ, we are not going to be in a very good place. 156 00:12:36,560 --> 00:12:44,040 And this is why the gospel of Christ needs to be preached throughout this world. 157 00:12:44,040 --> 00:12:50,840 As many of you know, that through COVID and other things, I wasn't a promoter of rallies 158 00:12:50,840 --> 00:12:55,440 and protests. 159 00:12:55,440 --> 00:13:02,920 Through that time, this church and many others set their heart to a season of evangelism. 160 00:13:02,920 --> 00:13:07,560 Let me tell you, we saw a lot of people come into the kingdom and while others are out 161 00:13:07,560 --> 00:13:14,160 there protesting, there was a remnant of those going out and using the season that we were 162 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:16,920 in to sow the gospel. 163 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:20,580 And it was a season of plenty of souls. 164 00:13:20,580 --> 00:13:23,220 It was wonderful. 165 00:13:23,220 --> 00:13:31,800 So in a time of darkness, God's relying on his church to do a work. 166 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:39,600 When we look at the early church, they were persecuted under death. 167 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:43,800 They were murdered, thrown to lions. 168 00:13:43,800 --> 00:13:50,080 They were strapped on posts at night, covered in wax and lit as human torches through the 169 00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:51,940 night. 170 00:13:51,940 --> 00:13:58,120 And the average person walked by, hearing the screams of people burning to death and 171 00:13:58,120 --> 00:14:00,540 thought nothing of it. 172 00:14:00,540 --> 00:14:05,920 Yet the early church never protested. 173 00:14:05,920 --> 00:14:13,360 The early church never raised a standard against the authorities of that day because they already 174 00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:17,600 knew that we already under the authority of Christ. 175 00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:20,760 There is no higher authority. 176 00:14:20,760 --> 00:14:27,080 And they knew like they knew that our job is not to jump over and to do things in human 177 00:14:27,080 --> 00:14:29,200 strength. 178 00:14:29,200 --> 00:14:36,400 Our job is to pray to God who created the heavens and earth that do we believe that 179 00:14:36,400 --> 00:14:45,240 when we pray that God hears and that God moves, and we've been asked to pray for our government, 180 00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:52,560 not criticise, and fresh and bitter water cannot come out of the same spring. 181 00:14:52,560 --> 00:14:55,560 And so we can't do both. 182 00:14:55,560 --> 00:15:00,200 I remember the day that the Lord woke me up to this fact. 183 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:03,600 And I've been, I believe, a better person since. 184 00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:08,360 You can be one or the other, but we can't be both. 185 00:15:08,360 --> 00:15:13,980 And so through this time of COVID, many people were justified. 186 00:15:13,980 --> 00:15:17,320 So what does justified mean? 187 00:15:17,320 --> 00:15:28,400 The day that you and I stand before Jesus, there will be that hearing and there may be 188 00:15:28,400 --> 00:15:36,240 a sentence as the devil would come and say to God, but Rob did this and Rob did that 189 00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:38,620 and Rob did all of those things. 190 00:15:38,620 --> 00:15:43,000 He even admitted it. 191 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:47,120 Then I would stand, we would stand before the Lord. 192 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:53,500 He would say, yes, but he's been washed in my blood. 193 00:15:53,500 --> 00:15:56,080 He's been acquitted. 194 00:15:56,080 --> 00:15:59,080 He's been justified. 195 00:15:59,080 --> 00:16:05,480 Devil there's something that you've forgotten that he now is a child of God, that you are 196 00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:07,720 a child of God. 197 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:13,120 And on that day when you gave your life to Christ and you asked him to forgive you of 198 00:16:13,120 --> 00:16:22,080 all your sin, Christ did exactly that, acquitted you, pardoned you. 199 00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:27,680 It was a legal and a very spiritual thing that took place. 200 00:16:27,680 --> 00:16:33,640 And from the time that you and I, when we came to an altar or at home or wherever it 201 00:16:33,640 --> 00:16:38,800 may have been that we gave our life to Christ, from the time that you got up and wiped your 202 00:16:38,800 --> 00:16:45,840 wet eyes dry, you wiped them dry, from that time that you got up and walked on, you were 203 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:49,600 acquitted. 204 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:52,000 You were innocent. 205 00:16:52,000 --> 00:17:03,120 You were pardoned, not by a lawyer or a magistrate here on earth, but by God Almighty, by God 206 00:17:03,120 --> 00:17:04,120 Himself. 207 00:17:04,120 --> 00:17:09,160 He says, no, I have forgiven him. 208 00:17:09,160 --> 00:17:12,400 I have forgiven you. 209 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:21,680 Therefore you stand before Almighty God justified, just as if you have never ever sinned once 210 00:17:21,680 --> 00:17:24,920 in your life. 211 00:17:24,920 --> 00:17:26,840 Isn't that something? 212 00:17:26,840 --> 00:17:33,680 That is something to be, to shout about, to be excited about because we have been justified, 213 00:17:33,680 --> 00:17:39,000 we have been forgiven. 214 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:46,080 And how the devil try and works on our past and trying to bring our past into our present 215 00:17:46,080 --> 00:17:50,680 and the times we already know the coming day, it's going to be in our future. 216 00:17:50,680 --> 00:17:58,560 Oh, but if the church of God would grab hold of this every day, devil, I've been justified. 217 00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:01,960 Yes, that was me, past tense. 218 00:18:01,960 --> 00:18:05,400 That's not me, present tense. 219 00:18:05,400 --> 00:18:07,500 Christ has forgiven me. 220 00:18:07,500 --> 00:18:14,520 As far as the East is from the West, so too has he forgotten all of my past, all of your 221 00:18:14,520 --> 00:18:15,800 past. 222 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:18,120 Is this ministering to somebody this morning? 223 00:18:18,120 --> 00:18:24,160 Why don't you just praise God and shout something because it's gospel. 224 00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:27,240 It really is. 225 00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:36,720 And so Jesus or the Word of God says here, therefore having been justified by faith, 226 00:18:36,720 --> 00:18:38,680 and what do we do? 227 00:18:38,680 --> 00:18:43,420 Did I have to sell my house and all my assets and give it to the church so that I could 228 00:18:43,420 --> 00:18:45,400 be in favor with God? 229 00:18:45,400 --> 00:18:51,440 No, no, no, no, that's a false religion. 230 00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:56,900 You give money and then that way your sins will be absolved according to how much you 231 00:18:56,900 --> 00:18:58,400 give. 232 00:18:58,400 --> 00:19:01,940 That is not the church of Jesus Christ. 233 00:19:01,940 --> 00:19:02,940 That's not it. 234 00:19:02,940 --> 00:19:10,240 And if you've ever been caught in that, you will find this one thing, that while you've 235 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:14,760 got money, you feel like maybe I'm in right standing with God, but when you're broke, 236 00:19:14,760 --> 00:19:18,840 you feel lousy because you think I've got nothing to give, so therefore I'm a hopeless 237 00:19:18,840 --> 00:19:20,920 sinner. 238 00:19:20,920 --> 00:19:24,000 Salvation does not come through works. 239 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:27,760 It doesn't come through how much money can be given to the church. 240 00:19:27,760 --> 00:19:29,080 It's none of those things. 241 00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:35,880 It's by faith and faith alone, by believing, believing, and I'm presenting to you the gospel 242 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:40,340 of Jesus Christ today, that He died for you. 243 00:19:40,340 --> 00:19:42,520 He gave His life for you. 244 00:19:42,520 --> 00:19:46,780 That whoever calls on the name of Jesus, He said, you will be saved. 245 00:19:46,780 --> 00:19:50,200 You'll be saved, you'll be claimed, you'll be given a new nature. 246 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:51,960 All your past will be gone. 247 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:57,860 Your future, your present and future, wonderful in God's kingdom. 248 00:19:57,860 --> 00:20:05,200 And it all would come to your life today if you would just say, Lord, I believe you at 249 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:06,200 your word. 250 00:20:06,200 --> 00:20:10,000 Now, the next challenge that'll happen, I guarantee you this, is the thing, I'm not 251 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:12,180 worthy. 252 00:20:12,180 --> 00:20:14,860 I'm not worthy. 253 00:20:14,860 --> 00:20:16,800 You know what? 254 00:20:16,800 --> 00:20:20,240 We're not. 255 00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:23,720 Because that. 256 00:20:23,720 --> 00:20:30,960 But He made you worthy by what He did for you. 257 00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:31,960 Can you imagine? 258 00:20:31,960 --> 00:20:39,800 Like I was listening to Mick this morning in the prisons and taking communion into the 259 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:41,120 prisons, I just, I'd never heard that. 260 00:20:41,120 --> 00:20:48,140 I just thought, Christ is everywhere, reaching out everywhere. 261 00:20:48,140 --> 00:20:52,200 But how many in the prisons would feel that they're not worthy? 262 00:20:52,200 --> 00:20:56,440 In fact, John, up the back there, same, into prisons. 263 00:20:56,440 --> 00:20:58,800 Sorry to wake you up there, brother, but that's okay. 264 00:20:58,800 --> 00:20:59,800 I'm kidding. 265 00:20:59,800 --> 00:21:03,280 That was a joke. 266 00:21:03,280 --> 00:21:07,800 I'm letting you know today, Christ has made you worthy. 267 00:21:07,800 --> 00:21:12,660 And the reason why we feel unworthy is because there's nothing we can do in our natural strength 268 00:21:12,660 --> 00:21:16,440 to make us worthy, and we know that. 269 00:21:16,440 --> 00:21:23,000 So therefore, we've got to rely on what someone else has done for us and lean totally on Him, 270 00:21:23,000 --> 00:21:25,320 which is Jesus. 271 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:30,200 And the only way that we can experience that if we give our life to Him, it's the only 272 00:21:30,200 --> 00:21:31,200 way. 273 00:21:31,200 --> 00:21:32,200 There are no other ways. 274 00:21:32,200 --> 00:21:38,320 Jesus said, you know, in the gospel of John, chapter 14, verse 6, Jesus said, I am the 275 00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:49,280 way and I am the truth and I am the life and nobody can get to God the Father except through 276 00:21:49,280 --> 00:21:50,280 Him. 277 00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:51,840 There's no other way. 278 00:21:51,840 --> 00:21:56,880 I know I've said this before, but one guy was saying to me, are you Christians are so 279 00:21:56,880 --> 00:21:57,880 narrow minded? 280 00:21:57,880 --> 00:22:01,200 You think you're the only ones that have the only way. 281 00:22:01,200 --> 00:22:05,000 He said to me, you're so narrow minded, you can look through a keel with both eyes at 282 00:22:05,000 --> 00:22:06,200 the same time. 283 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:08,560 And I thought that was pretty funny. 284 00:22:08,560 --> 00:22:13,640 But sometimes the truth of the gospel makes it look like that. 285 00:22:13,640 --> 00:22:14,640 It can. 286 00:22:14,640 --> 00:22:22,120 You see, we're living in a day, an hour today that there are people see it as there are 287 00:22:22,120 --> 00:22:25,240 truths around. 288 00:22:25,240 --> 00:22:29,080 And my truth doesn't have to be your truth. 289 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:31,080 And your truth doesn't have to be my truth. 290 00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:37,000 And if we can respect each other's truths, that way we can coexist together and we can 291 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:42,120 live in tolerance and acceptance. 292 00:22:42,120 --> 00:22:43,400 That's the world we're living in today. 293 00:22:43,400 --> 00:22:50,040 And as soon as somebody says, actually, the Bible says you're automatically branded a 294 00:22:50,040 --> 00:22:53,320 religious fanatic. 295 00:22:53,320 --> 00:22:54,520 There is only one truth. 296 00:22:54,520 --> 00:22:56,360 Jesus said, I am the way. 297 00:22:56,360 --> 00:23:00,280 In other words, he said, if you're looking for a way to make peace with God, there's 298 00:23:00,280 --> 00:23:03,800 only ever been one way and only will ever be one way. 299 00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:06,480 And Jesus is saying, I'm the way. 300 00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:12,040 So if you want to get to God, to be at peace with God, Jesus is your only person. 301 00:23:12,040 --> 00:23:14,260 He's the only one. 302 00:23:14,260 --> 00:23:16,300 He is the only one. 303 00:23:16,300 --> 00:23:23,460 God provided one way for humanity to make peace with God, one way. 304 00:23:23,460 --> 00:23:25,560 And it's not even a religion. 305 00:23:25,560 --> 00:23:26,960 It's a way of life. 306 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:29,640 It's a relationship. 307 00:23:29,640 --> 00:23:35,240 God's word makes it clear that if you call upon the name of Jesus as your first step 308 00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:42,480 and yield your life to him, you'll experience that pathway is such a beautiful place. 309 00:23:42,480 --> 00:23:45,440 So Jesus said, I am the way. 310 00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:49,120 And he said, I am the truth. 311 00:23:49,120 --> 00:23:57,020 So if he is the truth, anything that tries to resist or project otherwise as to the truth 312 00:23:57,020 --> 00:24:04,380 of Jesus, then automatically makes it a lie. 313 00:24:04,380 --> 00:24:08,200 I was 30 years of age when I got saved and I believed a lie. 314 00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:15,120 I believed, oh, well, everyone told us that, you know, in school, we evolved from monkeys. 315 00:24:15,120 --> 00:24:17,400 Praise the Lord. 316 00:24:17,400 --> 00:24:23,280 Isn't that a great motivator for self-esteem? 317 00:24:23,280 --> 00:24:28,160 To wonder the world is a problem with self-esteem and motivation. 318 00:24:28,160 --> 00:24:29,160 Why are you down today? 319 00:24:29,160 --> 00:24:33,280 Oh, my great-great-grandfather was that much more of an ape than I am and it's just not 320 00:24:33,280 --> 00:24:35,440 helping me a lot. 321 00:24:35,440 --> 00:24:39,400 Can you imagine the theory of evolution? 322 00:24:39,400 --> 00:24:43,160 That's all that ever graduated to only a theory. 323 00:24:43,160 --> 00:24:48,120 The theory of evolution is such a lie. 324 00:24:48,120 --> 00:24:54,280 And it takes more to believe the whole story of these possibilities covered with billions 325 00:24:54,280 --> 00:24:58,000 of years because that's where it hides. 326 00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:02,240 It hides in this timeframe that no one really knows exactly how it happened. 327 00:25:02,240 --> 00:25:05,760 But it happened in this timeframe when we didn't, when we had our back to it, weren't 328 00:25:05,760 --> 00:25:06,760 looking but it happened. 329 00:25:06,760 --> 00:25:07,760 No, it didn't. 330 00:25:07,760 --> 00:25:15,520 You see, the Bible says in the beginning, God created. 331 00:25:15,520 --> 00:25:23,880 In the beginning. 332 00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:27,680 Praise God. 333 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:31,440 And so we have been justified by faith. 334 00:25:31,440 --> 00:25:37,560 If you truly have made Christ your Lord and Savior, you have been justified. 335 00:25:37,560 --> 00:25:45,680 You have been acquitted of everything that you've done wrong in your life. 336 00:25:45,680 --> 00:25:52,240 It's been paid for when Jesus died on the cross and God raised him from the dead. 337 00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:56,000 Jesus rose as the high priest. 338 00:25:56,000 --> 00:26:03,500 And in Hebrews chapter 9, it makes it clear how he himself presented his own blood into 339 00:26:03,500 --> 00:26:08,920 heaven in the mercy seat, the place where the blood would be poured to make peace for 340 00:26:08,920 --> 00:26:10,840 a nation in the Old Testament. 341 00:26:10,840 --> 00:26:11,880 Well, guess what? 342 00:26:11,880 --> 00:26:14,520 The original one's in heaven. 343 00:26:14,520 --> 00:26:23,280 And right now, the mercy seat in heaven, the blood of Jesus is there right now. 344 00:26:23,280 --> 00:26:26,160 It's not in a shroud somewhere or on a face covering. 345 00:26:26,160 --> 00:26:28,040 It's not, you know, anywhere else. 346 00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:30,840 No, it is in heaven. 347 00:26:30,840 --> 00:26:40,120 And Jesus being the sacrifice, Jesus being the very firstly, the person, innocent, born 348 00:26:40,120 --> 00:26:49,620 of a virgin, 100% God, 100% man, when he showed us how to live life, how to do relationships. 349 00:26:49,620 --> 00:26:51,500 And he taught us so many things. 350 00:26:51,500 --> 00:26:56,680 And we have his word to continue this on a daily basis. 351 00:26:56,680 --> 00:27:04,600 And then he himself gave himself as an offering for sin, that he himself became the spotless 352 00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:08,480 sacrifice without spot and blemish. 353 00:27:08,480 --> 00:27:14,160 And then when he was crucified, he paid the price for our sin. 354 00:27:14,160 --> 00:27:23,200 He went to the grave, totally relying on God himself to raise Jesus from the dead. 355 00:27:23,200 --> 00:27:27,960 See, Jesus' mission was to do what God showed him to do. 356 00:27:27,960 --> 00:27:30,440 He was going to the grave. 357 00:27:30,440 --> 00:27:38,840 And he was so reliant on God and God's faithfulness that God was going to raise him from the dead. 358 00:27:38,840 --> 00:27:43,960 We know that on the third day that Christ rose from the dead. 359 00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:52,240 He rose victoriously, far above all sin, sickness, disease, and everything that has a name in 360 00:27:52,240 --> 00:27:54,980 this world that is of the devil. 361 00:27:54,980 --> 00:27:59,360 It is subject to the name and the authority of the name of Jesus. 362 00:27:59,360 --> 00:28:05,800 And so when Jesus was raised from the dead, he then took on the role of the high priest 363 00:28:05,800 --> 00:28:12,360 to present his own blood, who was the sacrifice, into heaven to atone for the sin of the world. 364 00:28:12,360 --> 00:28:17,940 In other words, to pay the price for our sin. 365 00:28:17,940 --> 00:28:19,540 This is grace. 366 00:28:19,540 --> 00:28:23,920 And so therefore, because when you and I, you know, when I was 30 years of age and I 367 00:28:23,920 --> 00:28:32,560 came to Christ and I asked him to forgive me of my sin, not knowing then but I realize 368 00:28:32,560 --> 00:28:40,080 now, I was making a claim on the blood of Jesus that is eternally in heaven on the mercy 369 00:28:40,080 --> 00:28:41,920 scene. 370 00:28:41,920 --> 00:28:46,840 If you haven't met Christ yet and you do not yet know Christ, today is going to be a great 371 00:28:46,840 --> 00:28:53,160 day for you because you too, this opportunity given, you too, can ask Christ to forgive 372 00:28:53,160 --> 00:29:00,240 you and all of your sins will be washed away, totally forgiven, all because of this great 373 00:29:00,240 --> 00:29:01,240 grace. 374 00:29:01,240 --> 00:29:05,720 How often do we thank God for his grace? 375 00:29:05,720 --> 00:29:10,120 Wonderful grace, the grace of God. 376 00:29:10,120 --> 00:29:15,900 But it goes on to say, having been justified by faith, wonderful victory. 377 00:29:15,900 --> 00:29:21,280 It says we now have peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ. 378 00:29:21,280 --> 00:29:30,640 Prior to our salvation, mankind, there was no way that he or she were at peace with God. 379 00:29:30,640 --> 00:29:35,540 And that's why we see so many different religions and so many different philosophies and ways 380 00:29:35,540 --> 00:29:42,000 of life to try and fill that void in the heart of mankind. 381 00:29:42,000 --> 00:29:49,880 So man's always searching for something, depending upon what he finds takes him to where it will 382 00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:51,600 lead him. 383 00:29:51,600 --> 00:29:59,400 But I want to let you know today that Christ himself is the only answer to bridge that 384 00:29:59,400 --> 00:30:08,960 gap from humanity that was once so broken and in sin to be at peace with God. 385 00:30:08,960 --> 00:30:10,680 It's only Jesus. 386 00:30:10,680 --> 00:30:12,400 It's only Jesus. 387 00:30:12,400 --> 00:30:15,400 There's nobody else, there never will be anybody else. 388 00:30:15,400 --> 00:30:18,480 It's him or it's nothing. 389 00:30:18,480 --> 00:30:22,840 And I really believe that in my heart today that there are going to be some that you're 390 00:30:22,840 --> 00:30:28,560 going to say yes to Jesus because he's your only option. 391 00:30:28,560 --> 00:30:30,840 He's your only option. 392 00:30:30,840 --> 00:30:36,360 But to have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, that word peace is the Greek 393 00:30:36,360 --> 00:30:44,640 word RNA, which actually means to join together all the broken pieces. 394 00:30:44,640 --> 00:30:53,560 So many come to Christ broken, life destroying and breaking people. 395 00:30:53,560 --> 00:30:58,560 You see the devil is a tyrant, he's cruel, he's merciless. 396 00:30:58,560 --> 00:31:02,680 He comes to do nothing else but to steal, to kill and to destroy. 397 00:31:02,680 --> 00:31:06,920 That Jesus came to give life and life in its abundance. 398 00:31:06,920 --> 00:31:14,920 And Jesus in this salvation that we've been justified as if we'd never ever sinned, we 399 00:31:14,920 --> 00:31:21,240 come into the family of God and there God begins to put all the broken pieces together 400 00:31:21,240 --> 00:31:25,800 in one's life so that you can be whole again. 401 00:31:25,800 --> 00:31:29,320 Wholeness only comes through Christ. 402 00:31:29,320 --> 00:31:32,120 Salvation only comes through Christ. 403 00:31:32,120 --> 00:31:37,560 Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace, we have wholeness, we are put 404 00:31:37,560 --> 00:31:45,280 back together originally how God designed us to be with the absence of guilt and shame 405 00:31:45,280 --> 00:31:47,680 of the things that we've done wrong in the past. 406 00:31:47,680 --> 00:31:49,560 How good is that? 407 00:31:49,560 --> 00:31:55,320 Come on somebody, somebody say something because this is good news, it is the gospel. 408 00:31:55,320 --> 00:31:57,880 Praise be to God. 409 00:31:57,880 --> 00:32:04,680 And so for us that have been saved for a number of years, how often do we give thanks for 410 00:32:04,680 --> 00:32:07,400 God's grace? 411 00:32:07,400 --> 00:32:10,080 So what is God's grace? 412 00:32:10,080 --> 00:32:20,720 God's grace is His favour toward you that has no limit. 413 00:32:20,720 --> 00:32:28,220 His favour toward you and it doesn't have a limit. 414 00:32:28,220 --> 00:32:38,160 Another expression of grace, I've shared this from this pulpit before, that it's Christ 415 00:32:38,160 --> 00:32:44,720 leaning forward trying to get your attention to say, here I am. 416 00:32:44,720 --> 00:32:47,840 Hello, I'm here. 417 00:32:47,840 --> 00:32:56,200 Leaning toward you to bestow upon you great favour, great blessing of God. 418 00:32:56,200 --> 00:33:03,760 And it's in the setting that if a person was walking along and there were a line of people 419 00:33:03,760 --> 00:33:10,200 and one person's trying to offer you a pamphlet on some Eastern meditation and someone with 420 00:33:10,200 --> 00:33:15,320 border and someone with this and somebody with that and they're all just standing there 421 00:33:15,320 --> 00:33:22,760 but grace is Jesus reaching out in front of all of those others and say, hey, I'm here. 422 00:33:22,760 --> 00:33:24,680 I'm what you need. 423 00:33:24,680 --> 00:33:27,800 I'm the one that you're looking for. 424 00:33:27,800 --> 00:33:37,720 And He's making Himself so available and obvious to see to choose Him. 425 00:33:37,720 --> 00:33:39,360 That's grace. 426 00:33:39,360 --> 00:33:44,000 Grace is also an empowering ability. 427 00:33:44,000 --> 00:33:51,180 We read in 2 Corinthians chapter 12 how Apostle Paul was going through so many tests and trials 428 00:33:51,180 --> 00:33:55,540 and almost you can hear him saying, Lord, all I'm ever doing is preaching the gospel 429 00:33:55,540 --> 00:33:57,400 and doing what you called me to do. 430 00:33:57,400 --> 00:34:01,800 And it seems like since I started, all I'm doing is being persecuted. 431 00:34:01,800 --> 00:34:07,160 So Paul prayed this prayer three times, Lord, I want you to take the persecution away from 432 00:34:07,160 --> 00:34:11,500 the ministry, away from my life so that I don't have any distractions with persecution 433 00:34:11,500 --> 00:34:14,080 so I can get on with what you called me to do. 434 00:34:14,080 --> 00:34:18,120 And he prayed three times. 435 00:34:18,120 --> 00:34:23,440 And Jesus kind of like seems like He didn't even hear him, which He did, but He said, 436 00:34:23,440 --> 00:34:27,280 Paul, my grace is sufficient for you. 437 00:34:27,280 --> 00:34:30,760 My empowering ability, my favor, I'm always going to be with you. 438 00:34:30,760 --> 00:34:35,480 I'll never leave you nor forsake you that when you signed up, I said I would be with 439 00:34:35,480 --> 00:34:37,320 you and I'll be with you to the end. 440 00:34:37,320 --> 00:34:42,680 Have you ever been in a place where you felt that God's left you behind and got interested 441 00:34:42,680 --> 00:34:46,560 in somebody else and just like, oh, I'm just here, I'm left by myself? 442 00:34:46,560 --> 00:34:48,040 Anyone ever felt that before? 443 00:34:48,040 --> 00:34:49,040 Amen. 444 00:34:49,040 --> 00:34:50,040 Well, guess what? 445 00:34:50,040 --> 00:34:51,040 He hasn't. 446 00:34:51,040 --> 00:34:52,520 He's still there. 447 00:34:52,520 --> 00:34:54,480 He is still there. 448 00:34:54,480 --> 00:34:58,640 And He will always be there. 449 00:34:58,640 --> 00:35:01,440 Praise be to God. 450 00:35:01,440 --> 00:35:07,720 Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ through whom we also have access by faith 451 00:35:07,720 --> 00:35:12,000 into His grace. 452 00:35:12,000 --> 00:35:17,000 You know, I remember saying to Chantelle a number of times that she was saying, you know, 453 00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:18,300 Jesus is calling you. 454 00:35:18,300 --> 00:35:20,600 You know, you've heard the whole gospel. 455 00:35:20,600 --> 00:35:24,520 You know what my thing was that was hindering me? 456 00:35:24,520 --> 00:35:34,720 Because I figured that if God is holy like He is and that, you know, Creator of the universe 457 00:35:34,720 --> 00:35:40,480 and He has order and this is what was going in my mind, then I need to get my life cleaned 458 00:35:40,480 --> 00:35:45,720 up first so I can be respectable so that when I come to Jesus to get saved that I'm not 459 00:35:45,720 --> 00:35:47,800 disrespecting Him. 460 00:35:47,800 --> 00:35:51,920 Has anyone done that before? 461 00:35:51,920 --> 00:35:57,160 I tried from drinking around a carton of beer a day. 462 00:35:57,160 --> 00:35:59,520 I got back to maybe half of that. 463 00:35:59,520 --> 00:36:01,080 And I tried. 464 00:36:01,080 --> 00:36:02,360 I thought I'll try and be nice. 465 00:36:02,360 --> 00:36:03,360 I'll try and do this. 466 00:36:03,360 --> 00:36:04,360 I'll try and do that. 467 00:36:04,360 --> 00:36:08,320 You know, I was wearing myself out with the trying. 468 00:36:08,320 --> 00:36:09,320 Nothing worked. 469 00:36:09,320 --> 00:36:12,160 The more I tried, the harder it got. 470 00:36:12,160 --> 00:36:15,920 It's because I didn't understand grace. 471 00:36:15,920 --> 00:36:22,760 And I remember one particular night I said to Chantelle, if I feel the same way, I'm 472 00:36:22,760 --> 00:36:25,800 going to give my life to Jesus tomorrow. 473 00:36:25,800 --> 00:36:31,560 And that night started a series of about three to six months, I can't remember exactly, 474 00:36:31,560 --> 00:36:34,240 being attacked by demons. 475 00:36:34,240 --> 00:36:40,000 At night when I was asleep, visitations of the demonic and it was horrible. 476 00:36:40,000 --> 00:36:45,760 But I remember this one night I had enough. 477 00:36:45,760 --> 00:36:52,320 Had been on substance and drink that day. 478 00:36:52,320 --> 00:36:53,920 And I went, tried to go to sleep. 479 00:36:53,920 --> 00:36:56,600 I was too scared to sleep. 480 00:36:56,600 --> 00:37:01,200 It was really, really a dreadful thing. 481 00:37:01,200 --> 00:37:06,120 And I said to Chantelle, because I had another one of those things that would just come into 482 00:37:06,120 --> 00:37:10,960 my bedroom, physical form, and just try to finish me off. 483 00:37:10,960 --> 00:37:14,200 And that night was a big one. 484 00:37:14,200 --> 00:37:19,480 And we went into the dining room, I think it was, was at the dining room at 2am in the 485 00:37:19,480 --> 00:37:20,480 morning. 486 00:37:20,480 --> 00:37:30,440 In your PJs, you've been drinking all day and I gave my life to Jesus like that. 487 00:37:30,440 --> 00:37:31,440 It was so foreign to me. 488 00:37:31,440 --> 00:37:33,520 I thought, how could anyone disrespect God? 489 00:37:33,520 --> 00:37:38,640 Now I didn't decide like, I'm going to get drunk and I'm going to, you know, and then 490 00:37:38,640 --> 00:37:44,120 so that I'll go to God like I never intended it to be that way. 491 00:37:44,120 --> 00:37:47,580 And I don't think that would be the right thing to do. 492 00:37:47,580 --> 00:37:50,360 But it was the state that I was in. 493 00:37:50,360 --> 00:37:52,640 I understand. 494 00:37:52,640 --> 00:37:57,120 Jesus just wants you to come as you are. 495 00:37:57,120 --> 00:38:01,960 Broken in pieces. 496 00:38:01,960 --> 00:38:07,520 And that day that I gave my life to Christ, oh let me tell you, I've said it before a 497 00:38:07,520 --> 00:38:09,680 hundred times if not more. 498 00:38:09,680 --> 00:38:15,240 It felt like someone grabbed inside of me and pulled this dead man out of me and I felt 499 00:38:15,240 --> 00:38:21,880 so different. 500 00:38:21,880 --> 00:38:29,120 You see the following day and the days after, I wasn't bound by alcohol. 501 00:38:29,120 --> 00:38:31,220 I wasn't bound by anything anymore. 502 00:38:31,220 --> 00:38:35,560 There was a habit still there that I habitually went to do it and then realised I don't need 503 00:38:35,560 --> 00:38:39,460 it because I had peace. 504 00:38:39,460 --> 00:38:46,600 What was missing in my life was now there, full to overflowing. 505 00:38:46,600 --> 00:38:52,760 Folks, if you're trying to find peace any other avenue apart from Jesus, you're going 506 00:38:52,760 --> 00:38:56,400 to be disappointed. 507 00:38:56,400 --> 00:38:59,360 The only way you can be at peace with God is through Jesus Christ. 508 00:38:59,360 --> 00:39:06,480 It's the only way. 509 00:39:06,480 --> 00:39:12,600 I remember the next day because we had a palm farm, we didn't grow palms, there's palm trees 510 00:39:12,600 --> 00:39:18,640 and I went down there and for the first time I watched a spider spin a web and my eyes 511 00:39:18,640 --> 00:39:19,640 started leaking. 512 00:39:19,640 --> 00:39:26,440 I don't know about you guys but a lot of us fellas, we're brought up, real men don't cry. 513 00:39:26,440 --> 00:39:28,760 Anyone ever know that one? 514 00:39:28,760 --> 00:39:29,760 Real men don't cry. 515 00:39:29,760 --> 00:39:34,120 Well guess what, when Jesus gets hold of your heart and begins to soften it, real men do 516 00:39:34,120 --> 00:39:36,320 cry. 517 00:39:36,320 --> 00:39:39,920 And it's okay for real men to cry. 518 00:39:39,920 --> 00:39:45,680 And I watched the spider spin a web and the trees were beautiful and the grass was green 519 00:39:45,680 --> 00:39:49,960 and I'm thinking how long has it been like this? 520 00:39:49,960 --> 00:39:53,920 It's just a new day for me. 521 00:39:53,920 --> 00:39:58,720 You see God will do a work in your life right now if you give your life to him. 522 00:39:58,720 --> 00:40:01,160 It'll be a new day. 523 00:40:01,160 --> 00:40:04,400 A new day. 524 00:40:04,400 --> 00:40:11,720 Verse three, sorry I haven't finished verse two, we have access by faith into his grace 525 00:40:11,720 --> 00:40:14,840 in which we stand. 526 00:40:14,840 --> 00:40:21,640 As another message there, I don't have time, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 527 00:40:21,640 --> 00:40:29,040 Not only that but we also glory in tribulations knowing that tribulation produces perseverance 528 00:40:29,040 --> 00:40:32,080 and perseverance character and character hope. 529 00:40:32,080 --> 00:40:38,400 Now hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by 530 00:40:38,400 --> 00:40:40,480 the Holy Spirit who has given to us. 531 00:40:40,480 --> 00:40:44,240 Look there is just so much more there that I could get into. 532 00:40:44,240 --> 00:40:49,840 We just don't have time but I will say this, that if you're going through tribulation and 533 00:40:49,840 --> 00:40:54,400 tough times, God's grace is more than enough to get you through. 534 00:40:54,400 --> 00:40:55,400 Is more than enough. 535 00:40:55,400 --> 00:40:57,200 Is more than enough. 536 00:40:57,200 --> 00:40:58,600 Can I just finish on one scripture? 537 00:40:58,600 --> 00:41:03,360 It'll probably only be about five minutes but I feel it's just really important that 538 00:41:03,360 --> 00:41:11,280 I share this because here is the thing that for me it took a while for the realization 539 00:41:11,280 --> 00:41:16,000 to hit me that I was saved by grace and not anything that I did. 540 00:41:16,000 --> 00:41:20,280 Some of us guys, I don't know about ladies, I've never been a lady and I'm not intending 541 00:41:20,280 --> 00:41:21,280 to. 542 00:41:21,280 --> 00:41:25,200 I was born a man, I'll stay a man and I'm happy with that. 543 00:41:25,200 --> 00:41:26,980 Praise the Lord. 544 00:41:26,980 --> 00:41:32,320 But as men we like to try and fix things, work things out and fix everything. 545 00:41:32,320 --> 00:41:37,280 And when we come to spiritual things we realize that nobody can fix spiritual things apart 546 00:41:37,280 --> 00:41:38,280 from Jesus. 547 00:41:38,280 --> 00:41:40,480 It's the only way. 548 00:41:40,480 --> 00:41:45,720 And for some of us men it's a humbling thing to actually accept that. 549 00:41:45,720 --> 00:41:52,800 But once we do, it's done and we receive and understand that for ladies you know when you 550 00:41:52,800 --> 00:41:59,800 say oh Jesus loves you, you know you'll be his bride at the catching away. 551 00:41:59,800 --> 00:42:02,920 Have you ever thought what it feels like for a guy to read that? 552 00:42:02,920 --> 00:42:08,000 I'm going to be the bride? 553 00:42:08,000 --> 00:42:16,600 We know what it means but I want to read something here because I'm trying to put this the best 554 00:42:16,600 --> 00:42:21,520 way with the most impact. 555 00:42:21,520 --> 00:42:32,240 So many walk away from Christ or are discouraged because we just can't get over that hump of 556 00:42:32,240 --> 00:42:35,380 our past life. 557 00:42:35,380 --> 00:42:37,040 It's a big deal, trust me. 558 00:42:37,040 --> 00:42:41,640 For those of us here today who have been pastoring for quite some time, you know what I'm talking 559 00:42:41,640 --> 00:42:44,040 about. 560 00:42:44,040 --> 00:42:52,120 And the devil tries to tie up people so tightly that they can't move. 561 00:42:52,120 --> 00:42:57,440 And I believe that we as Christians, we all have a ministry. 562 00:42:57,440 --> 00:43:03,120 It's one thing to lead someone to Christ and that's wonderful but the next step is to disciple 563 00:43:03,120 --> 00:43:09,000 them, to lead them from darkness to light so that they understand. 564 00:43:09,000 --> 00:43:15,960 And in John chapter 11 we read the story where Jesus, one of his favourite family friends, 565 00:43:15,960 --> 00:43:21,680 you know there was Lazarus and Martha and Mary and then Jesus gets the message, Lazarus 566 00:43:21,680 --> 00:43:25,320 has died and Jesus was really upset. 567 00:43:25,320 --> 00:43:31,340 So Jesus in a few days makes his way back there and one of the sisters said Jesus if 568 00:43:31,340 --> 00:43:33,840 you were here you wouldn't have died. 569 00:43:33,840 --> 00:43:41,960 Jesus just didn't entertain those things at all but this is what he did. 570 00:43:41,960 --> 00:43:46,440 Here was Lazarus in the grave. 571 00:43:46,440 --> 00:43:52,240 He'd been there four days and one of them said Lord if you think you're going to raise 572 00:43:52,240 --> 00:43:56,840 him from the dead, I mean I'm putting this in my own words, he'd been there four days, 573 00:43:56,840 --> 00:44:01,520 he's going to smell. 574 00:44:01,520 --> 00:44:12,280 Jesus is focused but he said something to them that I believe is speaking to us today. 575 00:44:12,280 --> 00:44:17,040 He said to them you need to roll that stone away. 576 00:44:17,040 --> 00:44:25,400 Jesus wasn't going to do it and I think there are times in our lives that maybe we haven't 577 00:44:25,400 --> 00:44:29,000 realised there's something we have to do. 578 00:44:29,000 --> 00:44:32,240 I need to roll a stone away. 579 00:44:32,240 --> 00:44:38,360 You see that stone represents finality, death, it'll never live again. 580 00:44:38,360 --> 00:44:45,600 And our faith in Jesus Christ is one of the first steps to say my Lord is with me. 581 00:44:45,600 --> 00:44:50,560 There is life beyond that stone but I will roll that stone away. 582 00:44:50,560 --> 00:44:54,480 It's not works, it's faith. 583 00:44:54,480 --> 00:45:01,320 And the second thing that happened, Jesus cried out and said Lazarus come forth and 584 00:45:01,320 --> 00:45:06,640 out he came alive bound hand and foot. 585 00:45:06,640 --> 00:45:12,220 And Jesus did not then say praise the Lord it's all done, hallelujah, everyone back to 586 00:45:12,220 --> 00:45:13,480 business as usual. 587 00:45:13,480 --> 00:45:18,760 No he said loose him and untie him. 588 00:45:18,760 --> 00:45:25,080 And to me this is one of the most important things that I think is being missed in discipleship 589 00:45:25,080 --> 00:45:27,560 and in Christianity today. 590 00:45:27,560 --> 00:45:32,560 We get people saved but they need to be loosed. 591 00:45:32,560 --> 00:45:40,680 Untie them, untie them and that takes one on one. 592 00:45:40,680 --> 00:45:44,000 That is another realm of grace. 593 00:45:44,000 --> 00:45:48,520 A lot of those bandages are a person's past. 594 00:45:48,520 --> 00:45:52,340 You cannot allow a past to define their future. 595 00:45:52,340 --> 00:45:57,160 You cannot walk backwards into the future. 596 00:45:57,160 --> 00:46:04,240 So what I have to just read is three verses that when I read this as a newly saved Christian, 597 00:46:04,240 --> 00:46:08,880 wow, I didn't understand a lot of the words but I got the message and let me read this 598 00:46:08,880 --> 00:46:10,820 to you. 599 00:46:10,820 --> 00:46:19,800 From 1 Corinthians chapter 6 and verse 9 I'll close from here, that's my first close. 600 00:46:19,800 --> 00:46:26,200 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? 601 00:46:26,200 --> 00:46:28,920 Do not be deceived. 602 00:46:28,920 --> 00:46:38,400 Neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor homosexuals nor sodomites nor thieves 603 00:46:38,400 --> 00:46:48,800 nor covetous nor drunkards nor revelers nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 604 00:46:48,800 --> 00:46:57,880 And unfortunately too many people stop at verse 10 and do not read the grace loaded 605 00:46:57,880 --> 00:47:00,500 in verse 11. 606 00:47:00,500 --> 00:47:12,120 And such were some of you but you were washed but you were sanctified but you were justified 607 00:47:12,120 --> 00:47:18,220 in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our Lord. 608 00:47:18,220 --> 00:47:21,320 So what am I saying here today? 609 00:47:21,320 --> 00:47:31,600 The church of Jesus Christ today around the world, the church universal has in their congregations 610 00:47:31,600 --> 00:47:41,600 people that were fornicators but now are born again Christians that love God, serve God, 611 00:47:41,600 --> 00:47:46,360 have been forgiven, washed clean. 612 00:47:46,360 --> 00:47:54,600 There are idolaters and adulterers that one time came to Christ and confessed their sin 613 00:47:54,600 --> 00:47:59,140 to him and Christ forgave them. 614 00:47:59,140 --> 00:48:07,080 They were washed, they were cleansed, they were forgiven, they were sanctified waiting 615 00:48:07,080 --> 00:48:12,160 for the glorious day of the return of Jesus. 616 00:48:12,160 --> 00:48:18,120 And within the congregations around the world there'd be idolaters as I've mentioned before 617 00:48:18,120 --> 00:48:20,480 and adulterers. 618 00:48:20,480 --> 00:48:26,720 There'll be homosexuals and sodomites, ones that lived that lifestyle that chose to come 619 00:48:26,720 --> 00:48:35,140 to Jesus and Jesus forgave them, He washed them clean, He set them apart and with a new 620 00:48:35,140 --> 00:48:41,160 heart and a new nature that they are in churches today around the world. 621 00:48:41,160 --> 00:48:49,920 There's a living testimony of the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. 622 00:48:49,920 --> 00:48:55,960 They're free, they're forgiven, they're not to look back but to look forward. 623 00:48:55,960 --> 00:49:07,120 Jesus loves all people, the Christian church loves all people, no exception. 624 00:49:07,120 --> 00:49:12,440 But I notice here how the Bible's making it clear that these people obviously at some 625 00:49:12,440 --> 00:49:20,240 point came to Christ, that Christ loved them enough not to leave them as they were but 626 00:49:20,240 --> 00:49:26,960 to lead them onto greatness, into holiness, into children of the living God. 627 00:49:26,960 --> 00:49:38,160 And around the world thieves, covetous people, drunkards, I was one of them. 628 00:49:38,160 --> 00:49:46,960 Revelers, people that are just like the slanderers and just not nice people, extortionists, they'll 629 00:49:46,960 --> 00:49:52,400 rip you off while they're making a promise. 630 00:49:52,400 --> 00:49:57,440 Such were some of these people in the world but they encountered the grace of God and 631 00:49:57,440 --> 00:50:02,320 He changed them, their life totally changed. 632 00:50:02,320 --> 00:50:07,080 Now that doesn't make you feel like jumping up and doing a lap around the block, nothing 633 00:50:07,080 --> 00:50:09,120 will. 634 00:50:09,120 --> 00:50:17,000 Because such were some of us and today I want to present to you and offer to you and those 635 00:50:17,000 --> 00:50:25,160 watching online that if you feel today that you're unworthy or not making the grade, well 636 00:50:25,160 --> 00:50:26,840 guess what? 637 00:50:26,840 --> 00:50:29,280 There's an answer to that and His name is Jesus. 638 00:50:29,280 --> 00:50:35,160 I'm going to give an altar call, an altar call is when I give an opportunity for those 639 00:50:35,160 --> 00:50:41,940 to respond, to just raise your hand and say yes that is me, I'm ready for that today. 640 00:50:41,940 --> 00:50:45,040 I need this, I need Jesus. 641 00:50:45,040 --> 00:50:49,960 Let me say this, don't let it go another day, don't let it go nine and a half years like 642 00:50:49,960 --> 00:50:53,960 me, it's just like what is wrong with you boy? 643 00:50:53,960 --> 00:50:58,800 When I received Christ I realized why did it take so long? 644 00:50:58,800 --> 00:51:03,080 It wasn't God, it was me. 645 00:51:03,080 --> 00:51:05,960 Praise God. 646 00:51:05,960 --> 00:51:13,120 When Christ saves you, He saves you, He forgives you and you're accepted into the family of 647 00:51:13,120 --> 00:51:14,120 God. 648 00:51:14,120 --> 00:51:18,440 Look there's so much more I could say about the gospel, we're out of time. 649 00:51:18,440 --> 00:51:24,720 So that's today, today is the day of salvation. 650 00:51:24,720 --> 00:51:32,200 Now I want you to be bold, be strong in your decision today because either way we're going 651 00:51:32,200 --> 00:51:34,960 to make a choice. 652 00:51:34,960 --> 00:51:41,880 This morning you're going to make a choice yes or no to Jesus, it's as simple as that. 653 00:51:41,880 --> 00:51:47,400 But if you choose to say yes to Jesus I can guarantee you this much, you are going to 654 00:51:47,400 --> 00:51:55,520 experience a peace in your heart that you've never experienced before, a wholeness, contentment 655 00:51:55,520 --> 00:52:02,200 that Christ is with you and He is never ever ever going to leave you. 656 00:52:02,200 --> 00:52:03,680 Amen? 657 00:52:03,680 --> 00:52:05,280 Amen? 658 00:52:05,280 --> 00:52:06,960 Amen. 659 00:52:06,960 --> 00:52:12,400 Well can we all just stand, if you're able, if you're not able to stand stay seated. 660 00:52:12,400 --> 00:52:21,000 I'm going to make this very easy this morning but it's up to you from here. 661 00:52:21,000 --> 00:52:25,640 I'm going to lead you through a prayer very similar to the one that Shantel led me in 662 00:52:25,640 --> 00:52:26,800 some 30 years ago. 663 00:52:26,800 --> 00:52:29,480 Can you imagine 30 years ago? 664 00:52:29,480 --> 00:52:42,160 I don't look a day over 40 or a bit and if you truly mean from your heart what you're 665 00:52:42,160 --> 00:52:49,140 about to pray the greatest miracle that can ever happen to any human being will happen 666 00:52:49,140 --> 00:52:51,000 to you today. 667 00:52:51,000 --> 00:52:58,480 It'll happen for you and that is this grace, this forgiveness, this justification just 668 00:52:58,480 --> 00:53:00,840 as if you've never sinned. 669 00:53:00,840 --> 00:53:02,760 How good is that? 670 00:53:02,760 --> 00:53:03,760 How good is that? 671 00:53:03,760 --> 00:53:11,040 All right if we could just do this for a sec in respect to the Lord if we bow our heads you 672 00:53:11,040 --> 00:53:15,520 can close your eyes if you wish, you don't have to. 673 00:53:15,520 --> 00:53:22,200 I'm going to pray a prayer and I'm not going to ask if you, I'm asking if you can repeat 674 00:53:22,200 --> 00:53:31,400 this after me and if you do and you mean it from your heart Jesus is going to do a wonderful 675 00:53:31,400 --> 00:53:33,800 work in your life today. 676 00:53:33,800 --> 00:53:36,240 Are you ready? 677 00:53:36,240 --> 00:53:39,000 Okay please follow me in prayer. 678 00:53:39,000 --> 00:53:47,040 Father God I come to you in the name of Jesus. 679 00:53:47,040 --> 00:54:00,120 I believe in my heart and I confess with my mouth that you Jesus are the Son of God and 680 00:54:00,120 --> 00:54:03,400 you died for me. 681 00:54:03,400 --> 00:54:09,440 God did you raise him from the dead for me. 682 00:54:09,440 --> 00:54:19,760 This day I confess everything I've done wrong before you Lord and I ask that you would forgive 683 00:54:19,760 --> 00:54:31,080 me and justify me just as if I have never sinned once in my life. 684 00:54:31,080 --> 00:54:36,040 Jesus I give my life to you. 685 00:54:36,040 --> 00:54:39,200 Amen. 686 00:54:39,200 --> 00:54:45,320 Now while every eyes closed and every head bowed or if you've prayed that prayer for 687 00:54:45,320 --> 00:54:48,320 the first time today can you do something for me? 688 00:54:48,320 --> 00:54:50,840 Very quickly raise your hand up very quickly. 689 00:54:50,840 --> 00:54:55,000 Let me, I see that hand over there, I see that hand over there, I see three hands, are 690 00:54:55,000 --> 00:54:56,000 there any more? 691 00:54:56,000 --> 00:54:57,000 Anyone here this morning? 692 00:54:57,000 --> 00:55:00,400 I see two hands over there, I see another one here. 693 00:55:00,400 --> 00:55:02,400 Oh thank you Jesus. 694 00:55:02,400 --> 00:55:04,960 I thank you Jesus. 695 00:55:04,960 --> 00:55:05,960 Praise be to God. 696 00:55:05,960 --> 00:55:09,880 You can put your hand down, praise be to God. 697 00:55:09,880 --> 00:55:15,000 I'm going to ask you to do a second thing if you would be so bold. 698 00:55:15,000 --> 00:55:18,280 I feel in my spirit to pray for you. 699 00:55:18,280 --> 00:55:21,400 Would you be so bold to come forward and let me pray for you? 700 00:55:21,400 --> 00:55:22,680 Allow me to, would you do that? 701 00:55:22,680 --> 00:55:23,680 Just come just quickly. 702 00:55:23,680 --> 00:55:27,640 Don't be shy and if you're shy just get someone that you came with whatever take you would 703 00:55:27,640 --> 00:55:31,600 drag them down and say hey I'm a chicken today just come with me. 704 00:55:31,600 --> 00:55:33,760 That's okay, it's all right. 705 00:55:33,760 --> 00:55:34,760 Amen. 706 00:55:34,760 --> 00:55:36,160 Praise the Lord. 707 00:55:36,160 --> 00:55:40,920 And some more, and some more, there's some more. 708 00:55:40,920 --> 00:55:53,960 Isn't it a wonderful thing to see salvation in the house of God? 709 00:55:53,960 --> 00:55:59,680 Praise God. 710 00:55:59,680 --> 00:56:00,800 Thank you for joining us. 711 00:56:00,800 --> 00:56:03,480 We pray God's richest blessing on your life. 712 00:56:03,480 --> 00:56:08,120 If you haven't already, make sure to join us on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. 713 00:56:08,120 --> 00:56:12,160 You can also find us at LoganCityChristianChurch.com. 714 00:56:12,160 --> 00:56:34,320 See you next week.