WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.000 In previous Heart to Heart Talks, we've been 00:00:03.000 --> 00:00:09.720 discussing this thing of a victorious life. And 00:00:09.720 --> 00:00:14.039 remember something. The victorious life is not 00:00:14.039 --> 00:00:19.739 something which is obtained once and for all. 00:00:21.500 --> 00:00:30.100 This marvelous victory, this glorious... A life 00:00:30.100 --> 00:00:36.460 of constant peace and constantly being on top 00:00:36.460 --> 00:00:42.420 of things is a victory that's secured from moment 00:00:42.420 --> 00:00:48.560 to moment by a moment -by -moment faith. There's 00:00:48.560 --> 00:00:52.659 a constant victory for the believer so long as 00:00:52.659 --> 00:01:00.960 he trusts Christ entirely. Only so long. It isn't 00:01:00.960 --> 00:01:03.479 something that you get all at once and then you 00:01:03.479 --> 00:01:08.159 sit back and just rest in it and pull in your 00:01:08.159 --> 00:01:12.340 oars and say, well, I've gotten a good dose of 00:01:12.340 --> 00:01:16.760 it now and I've been injected with this thing 00:01:16.760 --> 00:01:22.379 of victory and now it's a once -for -all proposition. 00:01:23.480 --> 00:01:29.209 It isn't like that at all. The very moment that 00:01:29.209 --> 00:01:34.629 simple faith is lost, that moment the victory 00:01:34.629 --> 00:01:38.810 over sin is broken. And the sooner that you and 00:01:38.810 --> 00:01:43.590 I understand this fact, the better off we'll 00:01:43.590 --> 00:01:49.629 be. And it's just like that. And if you're one 00:01:49.629 --> 00:01:52.349 of God's children, if you've been born again, 00:01:52.430 --> 00:01:55.370 if you're a Christian, more than... Anything 00:01:55.370 --> 00:02:03.250 else. You desire this glorious victory. The victory 00:02:03.250 --> 00:02:06.230 over discouragement. The victory over sin. The 00:02:06.230 --> 00:02:09.009 victory over the enemy of your soul. The victory 00:02:09.009 --> 00:02:14.310 over temptation. There's nothing more thrilling 00:02:14.310 --> 00:02:22.789 than to live a consistent Christian life. Moment 00:02:22.789 --> 00:02:27.520 by moment. with peace of mind and peace of soul. 00:02:30.080 --> 00:02:35.159 I might have knew that there'll not be deep waters 00:02:35.159 --> 00:02:40.599 or troubles or problems. You see, I'm so well 00:02:40.599 --> 00:02:45.659 aware that we are a part of humanity, that there 00:02:45.659 --> 00:02:48.199 will be problems as long as we're in the flesh, 00:02:48.379 --> 00:02:52.090 that there will be troubles. Not only troubles, 00:02:52.229 --> 00:02:55.770 the Word of God says, but tribulations. I have 00:02:55.770 --> 00:02:58.909 them. You have them. I don't care how deeply 00:02:58.909 --> 00:03:03.289 spiritual you may be this very hour. I still 00:03:03.289 --> 00:03:07.629 promise you that so long as you are a part of 00:03:07.629 --> 00:03:13.889 humanity, as long as you're in this flesh and 00:03:13.889 --> 00:03:19.789 still living in this world, there will be problems. 00:03:20.879 --> 00:03:26.379 You will have troubles. And that's the reason 00:03:26.379 --> 00:03:27.919 that every time I come into your home, I always 00:03:27.919 --> 00:03:34.659 say, no matter what those troubles are, no matter 00:03:34.659 --> 00:03:40.099 what your discouragements might be, as long as 00:03:40.099 --> 00:03:43.599 God is still on his throne and hears and answers 00:03:43.599 --> 00:03:46.280 prayer, but you'll remember I never stopped there. 00:03:47.180 --> 00:03:50.599 You do not stop there. The whole responsibility 00:03:50.599 --> 00:03:57.520 is not God's. We continue, and the next part 00:03:57.520 --> 00:04:01.060 is what is so vitally important. And as long 00:04:01.060 --> 00:04:11.759 as your faith in Him is still intact. Remember 00:04:11.759 --> 00:04:14.759 that. You know, so many of us like to put the 00:04:14.759 --> 00:04:19.040 whole responsibility on God. And all we see is 00:04:19.040 --> 00:04:22.180 the bigness of God. That's thrilling. I could 00:04:22.180 --> 00:04:28.699 not agree more wholeheartedly than that. He's 00:04:28.699 --> 00:04:35.620 still God Almighty. His promises are still true. 00:04:36.300 --> 00:04:43.939 And they work. He still has all power in heaven 00:04:43.939 --> 00:04:49.399 and in earth. He still holds the key to every 00:04:49.399 --> 00:04:53.959 problem in that life of yours. But it's a two 00:04:53.959 --> 00:05:01.500 -way proposition. His part and your part. It's 00:05:01.500 --> 00:05:08.699 your faith in him. Your faith in his promises. 00:05:09.279 --> 00:05:13.199 Your faith to believe that he'll keep those promises. 00:05:14.480 --> 00:05:21.319 a moment -by -moment walk of faith on your part. 00:05:22.920 --> 00:05:29.079 And as long as your faith in him, in his promises, 00:05:29.120 --> 00:05:38.459 is intact, then you can say all things work together 00:05:38.459 --> 00:05:43.170 for good. Then you can say, I have victory in 00:05:43.170 --> 00:05:48.290 Christ Jesus. Then there will be peace of mind 00:05:48.290 --> 00:05:54.029 at all times. Then there will be victory over 00:05:54.029 --> 00:05:58.970 temptation and over sin. It's just like that. 00:05:59.509 --> 00:06:02.529 Now, let's come down to something very practical 00:06:02.529 --> 00:06:06.269 and something that isn't talked about very often. 00:06:06.569 --> 00:06:13.519 Do not assume. infallibility. You'll say, what 00:06:13.519 --> 00:06:17.740 in the world do you mean by that? Well, I can 00:06:17.740 --> 00:06:21.100 just picture many of you folks smiling at such 00:06:21.100 --> 00:06:26.500 a ridiculous counsel. I know that when I said, 00:06:26.579 --> 00:06:32.699 do not assume infallibility, that there are those 00:06:32.699 --> 00:06:38.019 who'll say, why, I wouldn't think of assuming 00:06:38.019 --> 00:06:43.610 the fact that I am infallible. Just a minute. 00:06:44.149 --> 00:06:48.170 There's a real danger in this, in both your life 00:06:48.170 --> 00:06:51.949 and mine. Oh, there's such a joy in unbroken 00:06:51.949 --> 00:06:56.730 communion with our Lord, and often such a wonderful 00:06:56.730 --> 00:07:02.189 consciousness of His power in His presence. Not 00:07:02.189 --> 00:07:06.490 our power, but that of the indwelling Christ. 00:07:08.269 --> 00:07:12.990 But I want you to know, there is a danger of 00:07:12.990 --> 00:07:17.350 our supposing that we always know God's will 00:07:17.350 --> 00:07:23.009 in any matter and that we are always right. Haven't 00:07:23.009 --> 00:07:27.910 you met folk? They're so spiritual that they're 00:07:27.910 --> 00:07:30.250 just dead sure they can never make a mistake. 00:07:31.930 --> 00:07:37.220 They're so sure. of the indwelling Christ. They 00:07:37.220 --> 00:07:40.819 are so sure of their knowledge of the Word. They 00:07:40.819 --> 00:07:45.720 are so sure of their relationship with Him. They 00:07:45.720 --> 00:07:52.819 are so sure that they are infallible in making 00:07:52.819 --> 00:08:02.720 any decision that it becomes a danger. I remember. 00:08:03.500 --> 00:08:06.240 A man, a very marvelous Christian, once telling 00:08:06.240 --> 00:08:12.779 of an occasion that he had to live with four 00:08:12.779 --> 00:08:16.660 consecrated men of God. They were all consecrated. 00:08:17.319 --> 00:08:20.819 All of them far more experienced in holy living 00:08:20.819 --> 00:08:25.240 than himself. And there was one of them that 00:08:25.240 --> 00:08:29.160 was indeed deeply taught of God. And he used 00:08:29.160 --> 00:08:32.460 to spend long hours in prayer. And I have found 00:08:32.460 --> 00:08:39.559 this to be true, that those who will boast, I 00:08:39.559 --> 00:08:42.879 say that advisedly because I always sort of feel 00:08:42.879 --> 00:08:49.399 that one is being very boastful. And I'm not 00:08:49.399 --> 00:08:51.440 saying this to be critical. Please believe me. 00:08:52.779 --> 00:08:57.100 But just consider with me. When someone says, 00:08:58.080 --> 00:09:04.960 I spend four hours every day alone on my knees 00:09:04.960 --> 00:09:07.840 in prayer. And after you've heard them tell it 00:09:07.840 --> 00:09:11.820 about 50 times, you sort of get the feeling that 00:09:11.820 --> 00:09:19.580 they're boasting about it, you know? Now, please 00:09:19.580 --> 00:09:23.460 believe me, I'm not being critical. That's wonderful. 00:09:26.279 --> 00:09:29.940 But I would appreciate it far more if you spent 00:09:29.940 --> 00:09:35.820 an hour, two hours, three hours, four hours a 00:09:35.820 --> 00:09:39.600 day alone in prayer and just keep it to yourself. 00:09:40.480 --> 00:09:42.559 And you don't have to tell the whole world about 00:09:42.559 --> 00:09:48.399 it because there will be the results. And you 00:09:48.399 --> 00:09:51.240 won't have to talk about it. The people around 00:09:51.240 --> 00:09:55.279 you, your family, Those with whom you come in 00:09:55.279 --> 00:10:00.299 contact will see the result of that time spent 00:10:00.299 --> 00:10:03.820 in prayer. And you will not have to impress anyone 00:10:03.820 --> 00:10:07.940 by your spirituality by telling them the time 00:10:07.940 --> 00:10:16.340 that you spend along with God in prayer. Well, 00:10:16.500 --> 00:10:21.059 anyway, this one man was the kind who spent. 00:10:21.610 --> 00:10:28.509 hours alone in prayer, and he always assumed 00:10:28.509 --> 00:10:32.809 that in all things he had the mind of Christ, 00:10:33.110 --> 00:10:39.850 and that any proposal which conflicted with his 00:10:39.850 --> 00:10:45.990 ideas must certainly be wrong. He had to be right 00:10:45.990 --> 00:10:49.389 at all times because of the amount of time that 00:10:49.389 --> 00:10:53.549 he spent. along with God. He assumed that he 00:10:53.549 --> 00:10:56.409 was a little more spiritual than the rest of 00:10:56.409 --> 00:11:02.190 them. And sometimes, you know, he was right and 00:11:02.190 --> 00:11:06.490 sometimes he was wrong. And no matter how spiritual 00:11:06.490 --> 00:11:11.610 any of us may be, there are times when we can 00:11:11.610 --> 00:11:16.210 be wrong. We're still human. Nobody's always 00:11:16.210 --> 00:11:20.960 right all the time. And then one morning, He 00:11:20.960 --> 00:11:28.360 very quietly said, Now, I want you to know that 00:11:28.360 --> 00:11:32.500 in this decision, you'll have to choose my decision 00:11:32.500 --> 00:11:37.259 because I've spent more time alone with the master, 00:11:37.419 --> 00:11:44.200 and I know I'm right. One of the group said, 00:11:44.299 --> 00:11:48.500 Oh, my dear Jim, some of us think that we also 00:11:48.500 --> 00:11:58.700 are lit. a god. Do not misunderstand me. Remember, 00:11:58.980 --> 00:12:05.580 we all can be wrong because as a human being, 00:12:05.840 --> 00:12:16.679 it's possible that we can be fallible. For there's 00:12:16.679 --> 00:12:22.120 only one who is infallible. And that's Jesus 00:12:22.120 --> 00:12:30.759 Christ. You see, he always assumed that he was 00:12:30.759 --> 00:12:34.559 absolutely guided by God in all his proposals. 00:12:35.480 --> 00:12:41.580 The best of us is not a little deaf spiritually 00:12:41.580 --> 00:12:47.259 sometimes. And we do not always catch God's message. 00:12:48.240 --> 00:12:52.169 Just as the deaf... person does not always catch 00:12:52.169 --> 00:12:56.909 the right message from a telephone. It's true. 00:12:57.909 --> 00:13:02.029 You perhaps have someone who's a little deaf 00:13:02.029 --> 00:13:05.669 in your family, and if that one's answering the 00:13:05.669 --> 00:13:08.990 telephone, that one is liable to make a mistake 00:13:08.990 --> 00:13:15.370 because of their deafness. It's very easy for 00:13:15.370 --> 00:13:20.740 them to get the wrong number. And so it is also 00:13:20.740 --> 00:13:26.480 true that we are a little deaf spiritually sometimes. 00:13:28.659 --> 00:13:35.360 There must be a perfect doing of God's will before 00:13:35.360 --> 00:13:43.139 there is a perfect knowing of the doctrine. Let 00:13:43.139 --> 00:13:48.899 us recognize that we are fallible. We may be 00:13:48.899 --> 00:13:53.039 mistaken sometimes. This does not mean that the 00:13:53.039 --> 00:13:57.440 majority is always right. For remember the word 00:13:57.440 --> 00:14:01.799 of God, ten men once said, we're not able to 00:14:01.799 --> 00:14:04.379 go up against the people, for they're stronger 00:14:04.379 --> 00:14:09.860 than we. If the majority is always right, then 00:14:09.860 --> 00:14:12.460 they would have been right. They were the majority. 00:14:14.120 --> 00:14:17.120 And the ten said, We're not able to go up against 00:14:17.120 --> 00:14:23.080 the people. They're stronger than we. And only 00:14:23.080 --> 00:14:28.500 two urged and said, Let us go up at once and 00:14:28.500 --> 00:14:33.899 possess it, for we are well able to overcome 00:14:33.899 --> 00:14:38.080 it. Read it. It's in the Old Testament. Numbers, 00:14:38.080 --> 00:14:42.909 the 13th chapter, the 30th verse. The people 00:14:42.909 --> 00:14:48.629 sided with the ten, and years of misery and rebellion 00:14:48.629 --> 00:14:56.529 ensued, because the two were right and had the 00:14:56.529 --> 00:15:04.529 mind of God. But again I say to you, and I say 00:15:04.529 --> 00:15:12.730 to myself, do not assume infallibility. Any one 00:15:12.730 --> 00:15:17.690 of us can be wrong, regardless of how spiritual 00:15:17.690 --> 00:15:23.990 we may be. Now, here's another thing. Oh, I know 00:15:23.990 --> 00:15:25.950 these little heart -to -heart talks are practical. 00:15:26.350 --> 00:15:28.110 That's the reason we call them old -fashioned 00:15:28.110 --> 00:15:31.730 Missouri cornbread. But these are the things 00:15:31.730 --> 00:15:35.309 that help us grow. These are the things that 00:15:35.309 --> 00:15:38.759 are not discussed very often, you know. Oh! we 00:15:38.759 --> 00:15:40.679 like to hear about the wonderful mountaintop 00:15:40.679 --> 00:15:46.240 experiences. Those are glorious. We like messages 00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:51.980 regarding the Holy Spirit. But remember, even 00:15:51.980 --> 00:15:56.419 after that wonderful mountaintop experience that 00:15:56.419 --> 00:16:01.360 Peter, James, and John had, as they saw Jesus 00:16:01.360 --> 00:16:05.120 transfigured before the very eyes, and they saw 00:16:05.120 --> 00:16:09.539 Moses and Elijah, yet even after After that wonderful 00:16:09.539 --> 00:16:16.000 experience, they still had to come down the mountainside. 00:16:17.299 --> 00:16:24.360 Down to good, practical, everyday living. And 00:16:24.360 --> 00:16:29.320 that's what I'm talking about. Everyday living. 00:16:30.480 --> 00:16:36.259 We cannot ignore this world. Because we do not 00:16:36.259 --> 00:16:39.309 have to become a part of it. but we're still 00:16:39.309 --> 00:16:46.250 in the world. Jesus himself said exactly that 00:16:46.250 --> 00:16:51.549 when he prayed for us as he came in the presence 00:16:51.549 --> 00:16:56.669 of the Heavenly Father. In that glorious prayer, 00:16:56.769 --> 00:17:00.429 the prayer that Jesus prayed, it's his prayer, 00:17:00.629 --> 00:17:05.009 and he was praying for us. Oh, Father, Holy Father, 00:17:05.430 --> 00:17:10.349 I pray that thou, shouldest not take them out 00:17:10.349 --> 00:17:14.529 of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them 00:17:14.529 --> 00:17:21.349 from the evil. We are not to become a part of 00:17:21.349 --> 00:17:26.109 the world. But that does not mean that we are 00:17:26.109 --> 00:17:33.549 not in the world. We are. We're in the world. 00:17:35.180 --> 00:17:39.119 and we cannot just close our eyes and ignore 00:17:39.119 --> 00:17:50.380 it. Our father said that he had an experience 00:17:50.380 --> 00:17:58.859 with a little boy. He asked the question, do 00:17:58.859 --> 00:18:01.819 you think it's wrong of me to play marbles with 00:18:01.819 --> 00:18:08.240 my little boy of four? What a question. Do you 00:18:08.240 --> 00:18:12.000 think it's wrong for me to play marbles with 00:18:12.000 --> 00:18:19.039 my little boy of four? He was a Christian. He 00:18:19.039 --> 00:18:23.099 was a saint of God. I wonder what you would have 00:18:23.099 --> 00:18:26.859 said. I wonder how you would have answered him. 00:18:27.420 --> 00:18:30.460 I get questions like this every day of my life. 00:18:33.799 --> 00:18:37.049 I knew in that moment, it would delight the heart 00:18:37.049 --> 00:18:42.569 of satan if he could persuade all holy sanctified 00:18:42.569 --> 00:18:47.730 people that all pleasures were sinful and there's 00:18:47.730 --> 00:18:55.089 some folk who feel that way dear man of god by 00:18:55.089 --> 00:19:00.390 all means play marbles with your little boy if 00:19:00.390 --> 00:19:05.519 you are not tempted to cheat If you're tempted 00:19:05.519 --> 00:19:12.000 to cheat, then that becomes sin to you. And no 00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:15.039 matter what you do, how innocent the thing may 00:19:15.039 --> 00:19:20.940 be, you can make sin of anything. I don't care 00:19:20.940 --> 00:19:29.559 what it is. You can make sin of anything. We're 00:19:29.559 --> 00:19:32.359 living not only a spiritual life, but a bodily 00:19:32.359 --> 00:19:36.339 life. And whether we like it or not, a very large 00:19:36.339 --> 00:19:39.900 part of our time and interest is taken up with 00:19:39.900 --> 00:19:45.720 things which concern the body. Men living the 00:19:45.720 --> 00:19:50.920 victorious life are the happiest, the most human 00:19:50.920 --> 00:19:55.859 of all people, overflowing with the joy of the 00:19:55.859 --> 00:19:58.799 Lord, bubbling over with innocent fun and mirth. 00:19:59.019 --> 00:20:01.539 I believe that God's children should be the happiest 00:20:01.539 --> 00:20:05.640 people in the whole world. I believe it's very 00:20:05.640 --> 00:20:10.220 inconsistent that as a Christian you go around 00:20:10.220 --> 00:20:18.599 with a long face. A depressed attitude. Your 00:20:18.599 --> 00:20:24.480 very presence throwing off depression, despondency. 00:20:25.859 --> 00:20:29.920 I'm glad I don't have to live with you. I'm so 00:20:29.920 --> 00:20:35.500 glad I can't stand to be around people. who can't 00:20:35.500 --> 00:20:38.420 smile, who do not have the joy of the Lord. It's 00:20:38.420 --> 00:20:42.859 a wonderful world. This thing of living a Christian 00:20:42.859 --> 00:20:47.140 life is a wonderful life. You can still smile 00:20:47.140 --> 00:20:53.740 in spite of circumstances. The joy of the Lord 00:20:53.740 --> 00:20:56.960 is your strength. And that's the word of God. 00:20:58.599 --> 00:21:04.079 We are to rejoice evermore. And that means that 00:21:04.079 --> 00:21:11.359 we're to begin now on earth. Dear me, these people 00:21:11.359 --> 00:21:19.920 who enjoy being long -faced, I don't see how 00:21:19.920 --> 00:21:24.079 in the world they're going to enjoy heaven. Because 00:21:24.079 --> 00:21:29.259 there's going to be laughter. It's eternal joy 00:21:29.259 --> 00:21:33.839 in heaven. is kind of like our salvation. We 00:21:33.839 --> 00:21:37.519 don't wait until after death has come to become 00:21:37.519 --> 00:21:44.279 the sons of God. No. Now, beloved, are we the 00:21:44.279 --> 00:21:49.799 sons of God. Right now. This very moment. I haven't 00:21:49.799 --> 00:21:56.319 passed over into the other world. I'm still here 00:21:56.319 --> 00:22:02.089 in bodily form, in the flesh, in the world. Yet 00:22:02.089 --> 00:22:09.049 now, beloved, am I the Son of God. I do not have 00:22:09.049 --> 00:22:12.589 to wait until I get home to heaven to be happy 00:22:12.589 --> 00:22:18.250 and to rejoice. The joy of the Lord is my strength 00:22:18.250 --> 00:22:24.549 now, right here on earth at this very moment. 00:22:25.630 --> 00:22:31.740 Start enjoying your inheritance. In Christ Jesus.