1 00:00:01,120 --> 00:00:03,400 Welcome to the cross Power Church podcast. 2 00:00:03,720 --> 00:00:06,800 You're listening to a service from our church in Campbell, TX. 3 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:10,480 We pray this message strengthens your faith and points you to the 4 00:00:10,480 --> 00:00:12,840 cross. Now let's join the service. 5 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:18,480 God is good. I miss that see all the time God 6 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:22,040 is good need to keep that in mind. 7 00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:30,280 I find that the, the, the more you, you stay focused, the 8 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:33,400 easier it is to stay focused. I don't know how how to explain 9 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:38,760 that, but it the more you are active about serving the Lord, 10 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:41,720 the more likely you're going to stay serving the Lord. 11 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:48,000 OK, So you need to keep that in your head and in your heart. 12 00:00:49,800 --> 00:00:54,600 We've got way too much that we can be thankful for and we got 13 00:00:54,600 --> 00:00:56,440 greater things ahead than behind. 14 00:00:57,320 --> 00:01:09,000 So I want to mention something because if you go over in Second 15 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:17,560 Timothy chapter 3, verse 16 and 17, it talks about or the Holy 16 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:21,720 Spirit speaking because he's really the one that that spoke 17 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:26,480 the word into existence. And, and he says that the word 18 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:31,040 of God is good for a multitude of things. 19 00:01:31,160 --> 00:01:34,040 It's good for correction, it's good for rebuke. 20 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:41,920 It's so and so forth. And sometimes it's like the Lord 21 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:47,280 give me give me some word that is really exciting to share, you 22 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:50,400 know, and, and encouraging for somebody. 23 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:54,600 And then other times it's like God, are you for sure? 24 00:01:56,120 --> 00:01:59,120 Are you, Are you sure on that? And how stupid is that? 25 00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:03,960 You know, and, but then he knows our weaknesses and I sitting 26 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:11,960 here during this worship service and, and got one confirmation, 27 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:15,800 another confirmation and a third confirmation, you know, and so 28 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:23,880 he encourages us along. But I want to remind you that as 29 00:02:23,880 --> 00:02:27,960 I just mentioned over there in that passage, it may be that one 30 00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:31,120 person's getting encouraged somehow and the other one is 31 00:02:31,120 --> 00:02:33,040 getting rebuked at the same time. 32 00:02:33,320 --> 00:02:38,680 OK, so just keep that in mind before you throw stone. 33 00:02:38,680 --> 00:02:41,960 I'm just fine. I heard it said actually here 34 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:46,800 one time, maybe twice that somebody mentioned preaching to 35 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:50,840 the choir and sometimes that's how I feel. 36 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:56,880 But somebody said even the choir can forget the words or 37 00:02:56,880 --> 00:02:59,200 something along that line and so. 38 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:01,920 There's a lot of truth. To that, I don't know if that 39 00:03:01,920 --> 00:03:03,640 came from, you might have, but it was. 40 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:10,560 It's a good word. And so I want to remind you of 41 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:13,280 that and say wake up. Oh, Sleeper. 42 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:17,880 OK. And by the time that I was nine 43 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:21,040 years old, I want to give you just a little bit of it'll tie 44 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:23,240 in. So just just bear with me. 45 00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:27,520 But by the time I was nine years old, I've been going to church 46 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:31,000 all my life, which wasn't long, but it seemed long to me, OK. 47 00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:34,520 And and while I was going to church, I accepted Jesus Christ 48 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:39,880 as my Savior and I struggled with him being the Lord. 49 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:44,480 But I find that that's not something that's uncommon 50 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:46,080 because most people have that problem. 51 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:50,560 But I also received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. 52 00:03:50,560 --> 00:03:53,880 By the time I was nine years old, I remember praying in 53 00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:58,640 tongues for hours at the altar. And I mean, I was nine years old 54 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:04,040 and I'm praying lost in my prayers at the altar, crying my 55 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:06,520 heart out and praying in tongues. 56 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:10,840 And by the time it got a midnight or something, it was 57 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:12,840 way late. And everybody else is gone, 58 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:15,840 except for a few people there that stayed, the pastor and his 59 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:19,480 wife or whatever. And my parents and somebody had 60 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:21,720 to get on one side of me and somebody had to get on the other 61 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:24,120 side of me. And they had to carry me along 62 00:04:24,280 --> 00:04:27,000 because I couldn't even walk. I didn't even have my legs yet. 63 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:30,880 You know, I mean, I was just that if you hear the expression, 64 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:34,280 sometimes drunk in the spirit. And again, I've been drunk 65 00:04:34,280 --> 00:04:38,200 before, but that was in the spirit, not in the world. 66 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:48,040 And when I was young, I repeatedly was told that Jesus 67 00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:52,880 could return at any time. We were just talking about it, 68 00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:56,480 right? OK, we're singing about it, but 69 00:04:56,480 --> 00:05:01,760 he could come at any time. Whenever I was a teenager I got 70 00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:08,840 caught up in my sinful ways and I would come in at night and 71 00:05:08,840 --> 00:05:11,880 though I believed my parents were fast asleep. 72 00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:16,040 I. I'd be sure to tell them good 73 00:05:16,040 --> 00:05:21,680 night, not because I was such a great kid, but because I wanted 74 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:23,520 to make sure they were still there. 75 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:28,680 And so if I didn't get an answer whenever I say goodnight, Mom, 76 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:30,720 you know. I'd say it a little bit louder 77 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:37,160 and I mom, because I knew if if the rapture came, my parents 78 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:39,320 were godly. I know they weren't doing what I 79 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:41,320 was doing. They were giving me the model 80 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:42,480 for what I should have been doing. 81 00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:45,280 But. I knew that they would go. 82 00:05:45,280 --> 00:05:49,720 I didn't know for sure I'd go because I knew I wasn't doing 83 00:05:49,720 --> 00:05:55,160 what I was supposed to. And if they didn't answer, I'd 84 00:05:55,160 --> 00:05:57,960 speak louder. Then I'd open the door and then 85 00:05:57,960 --> 00:05:59,920 I would ultimately turn on the light. 86 00:05:59,920 --> 00:06:01,960 And then once I saw that they weren't on the. 87 00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:04,200 Bed. I would walk around to the far 88 00:06:04,200 --> 00:06:06,880 side of the bed, look on the floor for a couple piles of 89 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:10,080 clothes that might have been left behind, just like I might 90 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:12,240 have been left behind. All right. 91 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:20,320 And and it was that kind of conviction that I started with 92 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:24,000 whenever I started going down the wrong way and trying to do 93 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:29,680 my thing. But after a while that fades 94 00:06:29,680 --> 00:06:32,720 off. After a while, your hardened 95 00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:35,160 heart because of the sin that you commit. 96 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:40,440 And your desires overriding the the the the leadership of the 97 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:44,160 Holy Spirit or conviction of the Holy Spirit, you have a tendency 98 00:06:44,160 --> 00:06:47,440 to get dull in your senses spiritually. 99 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:57,200 You have a tendency to not not even feel Him whenever he stirs 100 00:06:57,200 --> 00:07:01,400 your heart or tries to, or not to hear His voice when he talks 101 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:05,000 to you, because you've cluttered your ears and your heart with so 102 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:07,880 much other stuff that it's hard to hear. 103 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:14,640 And over a number of years, I became hardened in my sin, and 104 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:18,280 the return of Christ never seemed to take place. 105 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:24,640 So I began to tell myself that the imminent return of Christ. 106 00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:30,760 It was a mistaken concept. I allowed myself to believe that 107 00:07:30,760 --> 00:07:37,240 Christ's return might happen someday, but a long time from 108 00:07:37,240 --> 00:07:40,040 now. And I had all the time in the 109 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:46,840 world to be the Lord of my own life rather than the servant of 110 00:07:46,840 --> 00:07:55,400 some faraway God. And as it is with sin, such 111 00:07:55,400 --> 00:08:01,640 thoughts led to greater sin and even greater hardening of my 112 00:08:01,640 --> 00:08:05,560 heart. And I began to deny that there 113 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:10,000 even was a God. And I found myself surrounded by 114 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:13,520 those who called themselves atheist and agnostic. 115 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:18,320 And I declared that Christianity, as with other 116 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:22,400 religions, was simply a crutch for those who are perishing to 117 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:26,320 help folks cope with the reality that whenever they die, that's 118 00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:31,520 it. And I've noticed that if you're 119 00:08:31,520 --> 00:08:38,440 willing to embrace a lie, the enemy is really ready to give 120 00:08:38,440 --> 00:08:41,240 you the lie. So I was going through the 121 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:47,840 University of of Houston, University of Houston down at 122 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:51,760 Clear Lake and then University Park and I was going through the 123 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:58,080 school and I was studying psychology, which turns out to 124 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:00,720 be one of the most useless things I've probably done. 125 00:09:01,320 --> 00:09:03,560 OK, we're my wife and I are talking about all these 126 00:09:03,560 --> 00:09:06,720 snowflake degrees that are out there these days. 127 00:09:06,720 --> 00:09:09,880 Now psychology is not so bad, but you can't get anywhere with 128 00:09:09,880 --> 00:09:14,240 it with a four year degree. And so I was kind of wasting my 129 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:19,760 time, but I was studying psychology and psychology in the 130 00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:23,520 school of psychology. They have really a strong 131 00:09:23,520 --> 00:09:27,080 conviction. A lot of a lot of teachers, you 132 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:31,280 know, legends in that discipline will tell you exactly what I 133 00:09:31,280 --> 00:09:35,120 just said, that it's just a crutch. 134 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:38,560 It's there's really no God. And I'm able to be able to deal 135 00:09:38,560 --> 00:09:41,160 with that. You have to have some way to 136 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:44,560 deal with it. So you create a God instead of 137 00:09:44,560 --> 00:09:47,520 him creating you, he just created him. 138 00:09:47,880 --> 00:09:49,720 So you're God now. Really. 139 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:51,920 OK. And and that's exactly where I 140 00:09:51,920 --> 00:09:53,920 wanted to be. I wanted to be God because I 141 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:57,120 wanted to be able to do whatever I wanted to do without any 142 00:09:57,120 --> 00:10:00,680 problem with that. And I don't think that I'm the 143 00:10:00,680 --> 00:10:04,480 only one. And as I look back now, I can 144 00:10:04,480 --> 00:10:08,000 see that my life had taken the course that was precisely 145 00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:13,880 opposite of the one that was described in Psalm chapter 1 as 146 00:10:13,880 --> 00:10:21,240 being blessed. If you read there in Psalm 147 00:10:21,240 --> 00:10:26,040 chapter 1 verses one through 3, let's do that right now, it 148 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:30,320 says. How blessed is the man who does 149 00:10:30,320 --> 00:10:36,480 not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of 150 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:42,440 the sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scoffers, but his delight 151 00:10:42,440 --> 00:10:46,880 is in the law of the Lord, and in his law he meditates day. 152 00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:54,120 And night now a lot of us would say, well, yeah, that that's 153 00:10:54,120 --> 00:10:57,560 more appropriate for me. I I, I love the word of God and 154 00:10:57,560 --> 00:11:00,800 I love the Lord. But do you meditate on it day 155 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:04,000 and night? Maybe you do. 156 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:06,000 I hope you do. Just just pointing that out, 157 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:07,520 says. He will be. 158 00:11:07,520 --> 00:11:11,960 Like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields 159 00:11:11,960 --> 00:11:17,160 its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. 160 00:11:17,160 --> 00:11:20,360 And in whatever he does, he prospers. 161 00:11:21,800 --> 00:11:26,400 Now let's just take a second and go back to that first verse. 162 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:32,520 Consider it again, because a lot of times we have a tendency just 163 00:11:32,520 --> 00:11:36,080 read through something. We didn't catch most of it, but 164 00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:38,560 we read it. So we're going to go back and 165 00:11:38,560 --> 00:11:41,880 we're going to read it again. The. 166 00:11:41,880 --> 00:11:45,800 Blessed man does not walk in the counsel of the wicked. 167 00:11:46,680 --> 00:11:49,800 Nor stand in the path of the sinners, nor sit in the seat of 168 00:11:49,800 --> 00:11:54,040 the scoffers. On the other hand, the one for 169 00:11:54,040 --> 00:11:59,560 whom Doom lingers hangs out with. 170 00:11:59,560 --> 00:12:04,200 Those who do not fear the Lord. It's the opposite is just as 171 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:08,800 true as what I'm getting at, OK? He listens to the voice of the 172 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:14,400 world and gradually accepts it to replace the truth. 173 00:12:15,240 --> 00:12:18,880 It's just very similar to what you'll find in Romans chapter 1 174 00:12:18,960 --> 00:12:21,960 when they embraced a lie instead of the truth. 175 00:12:22,760 --> 00:12:27,000 OK. And it goes on. 176 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:32,440 And if you keep dwelling on that for a minute, he's replacing the 177 00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:38,600 truth with a lie. And he stops walking and he 178 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:43,320 takes his stand with sinners who rejected the biblical notion of 179 00:12:43,320 --> 00:12:47,800 God. And then he moves from standing 180 00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:53,640 to sitting. Now I'm going to tell you, 181 00:12:56,920 --> 00:13:02,600 people say, well, I want the Lord to lead me, but he's not 182 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:07,000 going to force you. Therefore, if you find yourself 183 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:11,240 sitting, he's not going to drag you, OK? 184 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:15,840 It's much easier for him to get you back on the right path if 185 00:13:15,840 --> 00:13:21,360 you're at least moving. But there's a natural course 186 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:24,800 that takes place. And at first you're walking, 187 00:13:25,760 --> 00:13:30,200 you're hanging out with certain people who you don't need to be 188 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:34,480 hanging out with. And you start listening to the 189 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:39,800 voice of the world and you start accepting a lie instead of the 190 00:13:39,800 --> 00:13:43,200 truth. And then you find that you 191 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:48,280 you're no longer walking. And then you find that you're 192 00:13:48,280 --> 00:13:55,040 sitting seated with the scoffers who ridicule and mock the name 193 00:13:55,040 --> 00:13:59,160 of Jesus and the church, his bride and the word of God. 194 00:14:02,560 --> 00:14:09,760 And it's. Much more difficult the further 195 00:14:09,760 --> 00:14:13,800 you go. That's why there are a lot of 196 00:14:13,800 --> 00:14:18,840 people who started out in church and now they're 75 years old and 197 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:23,080 they never darken a doorstep of a church having in years and 198 00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:26,160 they are so far from Christ it's unbelievable. 199 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:29,400 I mean, it's like they never even started out on the right 200 00:14:29,400 --> 00:14:36,640 path. Proverbs chapter 16 verse 18 201 00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:42,800 says pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit 202 00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:47,800 before a halt. The fall, that's where I was, 203 00:14:49,120 --> 00:14:51,240 that's where I ended up. I fell. 204 00:14:52,520 --> 00:15:03,920 The world had created some. Lure that I embraced and now I 205 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:09,200 found myself having fallen from the point of thinking I'm God 206 00:15:09,200 --> 00:15:14,880 and I can do it however I want to the point of I'm flat on my 207 00:15:14,880 --> 00:15:17,240 back and I got nowhere to look but up. 208 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:23,120 And how many of you realize that God loves you despite the sins 209 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:25,280 that you've committed? However. 210 00:15:26,080 --> 00:15:28,640 There's always that however, however. 211 00:15:28,960 --> 00:15:35,040 You must also know that as much as God is a loving God, He is a 212 00:15:35,040 --> 00:15:42,240 holy and a just God and He will not let those who practice who 213 00:15:42,240 --> 00:15:46,840 make a lifestyle of sinfulness to enter into His presence 214 00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:52,440 except for condemnation. Now Hebrews Chapter 9 verse 27 215 00:15:52,440 --> 00:15:56,320 says that it's appointed unto men wants to die and then the 216 00:15:56,320 --> 00:15:59,680 judgment every single man, woman and child. 217 00:15:59,680 --> 00:16:02,760 Anybody who's drawn a breath is going to stand before the Lord 218 00:16:02,760 --> 00:16:08,840 at some point, and God will not allow you to fall if you're 219 00:16:08,840 --> 00:16:11,480 walking with him. You stumble and you it's. 220 00:16:11,480 --> 00:16:15,880 It's almost like, for example, when I started learning the 221 00:16:15,880 --> 00:16:17,080 voice of the. Lord. 222 00:16:18,040 --> 00:16:23,360 And I wasn't 100% sure. Is that God or is that just me? 223 00:16:23,640 --> 00:16:25,160 Anybody else had that problem before? 224 00:16:25,400 --> 00:16:27,840 OK. And, and you think, well, it 225 00:16:27,840 --> 00:16:31,400 might be got, hey, it's better to err on the side of caution, 226 00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:33,520 which doesn't mean think it's you. 227 00:16:33,520 --> 00:16:35,440 It means think it's him. OK. 228 00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:39,280 And and if it lines up with Scripture, you step out and you 229 00:16:39,280 --> 00:16:41,960 do what he's you think he's telling you to do. 230 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:45,520 And as you do that, if you make a few mistakes, it's kind of 231 00:16:45,520 --> 00:16:47,960 like the guy on the trapeze. You know, or whatever the. 232 00:16:48,200 --> 00:16:51,440 The, the tightrope Walker or whatever, and they have Nets 233 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:55,800 down below, unless, I mean, I guess some don't, but most of 234 00:16:55,800 --> 00:16:57,640 them I wouldn't do it. They wouldn't even try it in the 235 00:16:57,640 --> 00:16:59,400 first place, but especially if there wasn't a net. 236 00:16:59,480 --> 00:17:02,920 But anyway, God's got a net. He is your net, OK? 237 00:17:02,920 --> 00:17:08,520 And he's wanting you to step out and follow the, the, the word 238 00:17:08,520 --> 00:17:10,000 that he's putting into your heart. 239 00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:13,720 You know, when he tells you to do something or is putting 240 00:17:13,760 --> 00:17:18,520 impressing you somehow to step out and basically put him to the 241 00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:22,960 test, prove him that that that. And she also proves that you're 242 00:17:22,960 --> 00:17:26,880 willing to try. But if you sit back and you do 243 00:17:26,880 --> 00:17:29,960 like, you know, well, I don't know. 244 00:17:29,960 --> 00:17:32,880 And and it might just be me. I better do nothing. 245 00:17:34,600 --> 00:17:37,680 You it might be that you're just missing out on something and 246 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:40,280 somebody else might be missing out on something that the Lord 247 00:17:40,280 --> 00:17:43,280 had intended all along. It's better to err on the side 248 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:46,320 of caution now. God will allow you to fall. 249 00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:51,280 He allowed me to fall, but he allowed me to fall because I was 250 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:56,560 in rebellion to him. OK, so if you're walking in a 251 00:17:56,560 --> 00:17:59,000 way that you're not supposed to be walking, if you're 252 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:03,200 associating and, and, and living in a place, a lifestyle, making 253 00:18:03,200 --> 00:18:06,560 it a practice to do things you know he doesn't want you doing, 254 00:18:06,760 --> 00:18:09,600 then guess what? After a while, you're going to, 255 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:13,400 he's going to let you fall. You know, at first he's holding 256 00:18:13,400 --> 00:18:17,760 on to your hand, and after a while, if you're saying, no, I 257 00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:20,160 don't want you to hold my hand, I want to do my way, I'm going 258 00:18:20,160 --> 00:18:21,520 to do my thing. Guess what? 259 00:18:21,680 --> 00:18:25,520 OK, just fall then. Yeah, he still cares about you. 260 00:18:25,520 --> 00:18:29,160 But sometimes when you fall, then you're a whole lot more at 261 00:18:29,320 --> 00:18:32,520 to look up because that's whenever you realize, oh, I got 262 00:18:32,520 --> 00:18:36,240 a problem, right? OK, so God will allow you to 263 00:18:36,480 --> 00:18:38,480 fall to the bottom of the bottle. 264 00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:44,000 God will allow you to fall to the bottom of your hierarchy of 265 00:18:44,000 --> 00:18:49,080 importance and and He'll allow you to fall to the bottom of 266 00:18:49,080 --> 00:18:51,120 your life, which is no life at all. 267 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:57,600 Or at least it feels that way. For you'll be like the prodigal 268 00:18:57,600 --> 00:19:04,160 son who thought that he didn't need his father, who thought 269 00:19:04,160 --> 00:19:06,520 that he didn't need his father's house. 270 00:19:08,680 --> 00:19:12,360 He set a course for himself, kind of like Frank Sinatra. 271 00:19:12,920 --> 00:19:14,760 He said, I'll do it my way, right? 272 00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:18,360 That's what he did. But Scripture declares in 273 00:19:18,360 --> 00:19:23,640 Proverbs 1412 and also in Proverbs 1625, maybe in another 274 00:19:23,640 --> 00:19:25,680 place too, I don't know, but it's at least twice. 275 00:19:25,680 --> 00:19:31,440 It says there's a way that seems right unto men, but the end 276 00:19:31,440 --> 00:19:40,960 there of his death so. There is a way that seems at the 277 00:19:40,960 --> 00:19:42,680 time that it's got to be the right thing. 278 00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:47,200 If it doesn't match up with what the Lords telling you, it's the 279 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:50,560 wrong thing. And I've learned from experience 280 00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:53,520 that one. You've got to be in the word in 281 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:55,240 Matthew. I'm not Matthew, but John 282 00:19:55,240 --> 00:19:59,600 chapter 14. I'm sorry, 15 verses 4 and 5, 283 00:20:00,320 --> 00:20:02,040 John chapter 15. You know, that's the one that 284 00:20:02,040 --> 00:20:04,440 says I am the true vine. You are the branches, right? 285 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:06,920 OK. And it says that you have to 286 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:09,480 abide in him. He says abide in me. 287 00:20:10,200 --> 00:20:12,320 That means you dwell there, you stay there. 288 00:20:12,320 --> 00:20:14,080 That's where you're hanging out all the time. 289 00:20:14,360 --> 00:20:17,640 But a problem is that there's a lot of people in the world today 290 00:20:17,840 --> 00:20:20,560 that they say they're Christian, and they probably are, but 291 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:23,480 they're abiding way too much in the world than they are than in 292 00:20:23,480 --> 00:20:25,760 the Word. They're not abiding in Christ. 293 00:20:25,920 --> 00:20:28,880 And the more you abide in the world instead of in Christ, the 294 00:20:28,880 --> 00:20:32,280 more likely you are to end up stopping your walk. 295 00:20:33,080 --> 00:20:35,040 And then you're standing. Next thing you know, you're 296 00:20:35,040 --> 00:20:37,200 sitting and you're scoffing and you're ridiculing. 297 00:20:37,200 --> 00:20:39,600 You're doing things you never dreamed you would have done. 298 00:20:39,720 --> 00:20:42,000 And you're not the same person you used to be. 299 00:20:42,160 --> 00:20:44,280 And God is a long ways away from you. 300 00:20:44,880 --> 00:20:49,400 Now, if you will turn to him, he hears the cry of those who are 301 00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:52,360 repentant in their spirit. OK, he does. 302 00:20:52,480 --> 00:20:56,600 But Scripture says more than one spot that if you are a wicked 303 00:20:56,600 --> 00:20:59,080 person, because that's what you are at this point, you've 304 00:20:59,200 --> 00:21:00,840 you've. Turned from the Lord, you've 305 00:21:00,840 --> 00:21:02,800 embraced the world. Guess what? 306 00:21:03,160 --> 00:21:04,960 He doesn't hear the cries of the wicked. 307 00:21:04,960 --> 00:21:07,920 Now he hears everything, but he when it says that he doesn't 308 00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:10,840 hear the cry. What it means is that he's not 309 00:21:10,840 --> 00:21:15,320 moved to action on their behalf. They're not his kids. 310 00:21:19,640 --> 00:21:23,120 Now, the reason why I started out talking about myself was 311 00:21:23,120 --> 00:21:25,720 because I started out in a good spot. 312 00:21:35,530 --> 00:21:40,650 Though the prodigal child found those he thought were his 313 00:21:40,650 --> 00:21:45,250 friends. Though the prodigal child found 314 00:21:45,250 --> 00:21:51,640 his millions, his wealth and his fame, he ended up with nothing. 315 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:58,680 No friends, no money, no position, No title, no pride. 316 00:22:02,120 --> 00:22:06,680 All that he'd longed for had crumbled and vanished. 317 00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:14,560 He was left. With one thing. 318 00:22:16,240 --> 00:22:20,360 The desire to be fed by the same stuff he's feeding the pigs 319 00:22:20,360 --> 00:22:23,640 with. Now it's in Luke chapter 15. 320 00:22:23,640 --> 00:22:33,600 You're not familiar with the story, but it's it's an example 321 00:22:33,600 --> 00:22:35,760 of how the Lord will let you just go ahead. 322 00:22:35,760 --> 00:22:38,640 And if you're going to be hard headed and you're going to do 323 00:22:38,640 --> 00:22:42,040 your thing, he will let you hit rock bottom. 324 00:22:42,040 --> 00:22:50,640 Now let me tell you, in case you missed it, the prodigal child, 325 00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:56,320 the Sinner, that stinking, miserable Wretch started out in 326 00:22:56,320 --> 00:22:59,600 his in the House of his father, in his father's house. 327 00:23:00,880 --> 00:23:03,200 Think about that. I mean, because this isn't just 328 00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:05,120 about some wayward Sinner. OK? 329 00:23:05,120 --> 00:23:08,640 It is, But he started out in his father's house. 330 00:23:10,280 --> 00:23:13,360 So you can be in the Father's house, you can be here in the 331 00:23:13,360 --> 00:23:16,880 church, and you can be saying, Oh yes, praise God, Hallelujah. 332 00:23:17,120 --> 00:23:19,960 And if you're not careful and you'll allow little things to 333 00:23:19,960 --> 00:23:23,480 come in, after a while, you're not going to be in the same spot 334 00:23:23,480 --> 00:23:25,280 that you used to be. You won't be in the House of 335 00:23:25,280 --> 00:23:27,480 God. You won't even have a desire to 336 00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:29,920 please him. You may even do what I did and 337 00:23:29,920 --> 00:23:35,320 deny him and say there is no God and you'll know. 338 00:23:35,320 --> 00:23:38,880 Down deep, there is a God. But you'll say it with your 339 00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:40,720 lips. There is no God because you're 340 00:23:40,720 --> 00:23:42,320 too busy trying to do your thing. 341 00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:55,320 Don't think for a second that He went from having a wonderful 342 00:23:55,320 --> 00:23:59,080 evening meal and actively fellowshipping and loving His 343 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:05,120 Father to suddenly demanding of his father that he be allowed to 344 00:24:05,120 --> 00:24:08,400 leave the church, I mean his father's house, and to 345 00:24:08,520 --> 00:24:12,080 disassociate himself from his father's family. 346 00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:18,280 It didn't happen overnight with him, nor does it happen 347 00:24:18,280 --> 00:24:24,360 overnight today with any of us. In Luke chapter 15 where that 348 00:24:24,360 --> 00:24:28,480 story takes place in the 17th verse, it says. 349 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:33,360 There came a day when he. Came to his senses. 350 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:39,840 He woke up. He realized that it had been a 351 00:24:39,840 --> 00:24:45,160 lie. It was kind of too late in one 352 00:24:45,160 --> 00:24:48,640 sense, because now he's hit rock bottom, he's in the pigpen and 353 00:24:48,640 --> 00:24:50,840 everything hadn't gone right and it's a mess. 354 00:24:52,760 --> 00:24:58,680 But he realized it was a lie. The fact that he realized it is 355 00:24:58,680 --> 00:25:01,400 actually a blessing of God because in Second Corinthians 356 00:25:01,400 --> 00:25:06,480 chapter 4, verse 4, it talks about how the God of this world 357 00:25:06,480 --> 00:25:09,600 blind has blinded the minds of those who are in it. 358 00:25:10,480 --> 00:25:15,600 OK, now if our citizenship is in heaven and we're walking abiding 359 00:25:15,600 --> 00:25:18,800 in Him, guess what? We may be in this world. 360 00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:21,200 We're not of this world and the blinds aren't on us. 361 00:25:22,560 --> 00:25:27,160 If we walk away from him, who is the light, who is the truth, and 362 00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:31,520 allow the enemy in the world to put a blind on our eyes because 363 00:25:31,520 --> 00:25:33,240 we didn't want to see the. Truth. 364 00:25:37,680 --> 00:25:41,520 Then it takes the grace of God basically to take that blind 365 00:25:41,520 --> 00:25:45,520 back off of us so that we can see the truth again. 366 00:25:48,520 --> 00:25:50,520 And while he's sitting in that pigpen and he. 367 00:25:50,520 --> 00:25:55,760 Realizes that it's. A mess and his life's a wreck, 368 00:25:55,880 --> 00:26:04,840 and it's to no good end. The Lord takes the blinds away a 369 00:26:04,840 --> 00:26:06,920 little bit and allows him to see that. 370 00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:09,840 And that's grace. Because if we didn't see where 371 00:26:09,840 --> 00:26:13,200 we were, how would we ever have a need of anything, right? 372 00:26:13,440 --> 00:26:16,680 But when we see that we're a Sinner, well then we have we 373 00:26:16,680 --> 00:26:23,960 know we have a need. So he got up. 374 00:26:25,040 --> 00:26:26,680 So he got up. Say it. 375 00:26:26,960 --> 00:26:28,840 He got up. OK. 376 00:26:28,840 --> 00:26:33,320 He got up from his calamity and made his way back home. 377 00:26:34,600 --> 00:26:41,840 Now realize those around his father's house didn't know that 378 00:26:41,840 --> 00:26:45,080 he was living in a pig pen. There's nothing in there that 379 00:26:45,080 --> 00:26:49,200 indicates that anybody around his father's house saw him in 380 00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:52,920 the pig pen or that they knew he was in the pig pen. 381 00:26:53,920 --> 00:26:56,960 OK. And I say that because sometimes 382 00:26:57,040 --> 00:27:00,200 you may find yourself, if you're hard headed like I was, you 383 00:27:00,200 --> 00:27:03,360 might end up in the pig pen. And when you find yourself there 384 00:27:03,360 --> 00:27:07,320 and everything's a mess and you're just wishing you were 385 00:27:07,320 --> 00:27:11,000 back in your father's house, don't let the enemy deceive you 386 00:27:11,120 --> 00:27:14,800 and say and lie to you and buy his lie one more time, because 387 00:27:14,800 --> 00:27:15,920 he will. He'll tell you. 388 00:27:16,080 --> 00:27:19,200 Oh, but those people over at your father's house, they know 389 00:27:19,200 --> 00:27:22,680 where you've been and they know what kind of miserable rat you 390 00:27:22,720 --> 00:27:24,880 are. And, and you'll be like, oh, I 391 00:27:24,920 --> 00:27:26,200 don't know if I don't want to go or not. 392 00:27:26,240 --> 00:27:27,560 You know, I kind of want to be over there, bro. 393 00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:29,320 I can't really go. I can't show my face around 394 00:27:29,320 --> 00:27:32,200 them. They would, what might they say? 395 00:27:34,120 --> 00:27:37,040 It shouldn't matter so much what they might say. 396 00:27:37,040 --> 00:27:39,600 It matters what he has to say about it, Right. 397 00:27:39,840 --> 00:27:44,160 But we'll have a tendency to stay away from the church when 398 00:27:44,160 --> 00:27:49,200 we realize that we've messed up and the place we need to be is 399 00:27:49,200 --> 00:27:53,320 back in the Father's house. So just go anyway, OK? 400 00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:56,400 And you might be amazed at how many people would lovingly 401 00:27:56,400 --> 00:27:59,160 embrace you and welcome you back, just like the Father did, 402 00:27:59,160 --> 00:28:01,640 because they have the Spirit of God living within them. 403 00:28:01,840 --> 00:28:05,360 And if he is love, the love is existing there too, right? 404 00:28:07,440 --> 00:28:12,960 So the prodigal didn't care who might see him along the way. 405 00:28:13,920 --> 00:28:16,280 He didn't care what the neighbors might say. 406 00:28:16,840 --> 00:28:20,360 He cared about one thing, and that was getting home, returning 407 00:28:20,360 --> 00:28:24,280 to the presence of his father. And while he was yet afar off, 408 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:27,840 the father saw him right, You know that story. 409 00:28:28,200 --> 00:28:32,560 And he saw him that he was making his way back to the 410 00:28:32,560 --> 00:28:36,720 house. His father wasn't ashamed. 411 00:28:37,440 --> 00:28:42,520 His father wasn't embarrassed. His father didn't say, boy, who 412 00:28:42,520 --> 00:28:46,240 do you you think you are anyway? Some nerve you've got. 413 00:28:46,320 --> 00:28:52,040 His father didn't say that, but he came running. 414 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:56,200 But he didn't come running Before the guy got up and 415 00:28:56,200 --> 00:29:02,840 started walking back, some of us said, well, God knows where I'm 416 00:29:02,840 --> 00:29:04,240 at. If he wants to do something 417 00:29:04,240 --> 00:29:08,840 healing, he can do it. We got to get off up off our. 418 00:29:08,840 --> 00:29:12,960 Butt and we got to be moving for him to be able to use this 419 00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:16,320 better for him to be able to do anything with us. 420 00:29:16,720 --> 00:29:19,040 It's like I just said that a while ago, did I not? 421 00:29:23,280 --> 00:29:28,560 And some here might say to yourself, I don't have to get 422 00:29:28,560 --> 00:29:31,440 up. I don't have to go down front. 423 00:29:33,560 --> 00:29:36,520 I can return to the Father right where I am. 424 00:29:40,600 --> 00:29:45,240 But I'm going to tell you, according to Second Chronicles 425 00:29:45,240 --> 00:29:52,680 16, verse 9, which says the eye of the Lord is going to and fro 426 00:29:52,680 --> 00:29:57,600 across the globe, OK, around the world, to see whose heart is 427 00:29:57,600 --> 00:30:01,320 wholly His, that He might strongly support them. 428 00:30:02,480 --> 00:30:05,920 OK. He's looking for somebody that's 429 00:30:05,920 --> 00:30:10,240 not just going to lay down, sit down and refuse to get up unless 430 00:30:10,240 --> 00:30:16,800 he was to drag you off, OK. And if you remember right, in 431 00:30:16,800 --> 00:30:20,600 First Samuel chapter 16, whenever David was about to be 432 00:30:20,600 --> 00:30:22,920 anointed the king to replace Saul. 433 00:30:25,240 --> 00:30:28,360 The prophet was looking at the brothers and going, oh, that 434 00:30:28,360 --> 00:30:31,600 must be him. What did God say about it? 435 00:30:31,800 --> 00:30:34,040 Said no, it's not him. You're looking on the outside, 436 00:30:34,040 --> 00:30:37,240 I'm looking on the inside. God looks on the inside. 437 00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:47,270 OK, so get up from that position of the muck and mire of your 438 00:30:47,270 --> 00:30:53,190 sin, just like he did, and head his way in Ephesians chapter 5, 439 00:30:53,190 --> 00:30:58,120 verse 14. In Ephesians chapter 5 verse 14, 440 00:30:58,120 --> 00:31:01,720 there's a really interesting verse there. 441 00:31:03,480 --> 00:31:07,480 The Holy Spirit through the pen of the apostle Paul provides us 442 00:31:07,480 --> 00:31:13,840 with a warning. He says, awake, O sleeper, arise 443 00:31:13,840 --> 00:31:17,160 from the dead, and Christ will give you light. 444 00:31:18,440 --> 00:31:28,640 OK, well, what's that mean? I mean. 445 00:31:30,560 --> 00:31:34,400 Is he dead? Says Rise from the dead. 446 00:31:35,680 --> 00:31:40,040 Now it's talking about a believer or somebody who has 447 00:31:40,040 --> 00:31:43,520 named the name of Christ. In our situation here, you could 448 00:31:43,520 --> 00:31:47,480 say that they they know who God is, but they've allowed 449 00:31:47,480 --> 00:31:49,840 themselves to stop. Walking. 450 00:31:50,560 --> 00:31:57,160 Start laying down in the pigpen with the enemy, OK? 451 00:31:57,960 --> 00:32:04,040 They've allowed themselves to embrace the lies of the world 452 00:32:04,040 --> 00:32:09,160 instead of the truth of Christ and, and the word to that 453 00:32:09,520 --> 00:32:14,400 believer who's not acting like a believer because he's reaching 454 00:32:14,400 --> 00:32:16,520 out for what the world's got to offer. 455 00:32:17,280 --> 00:32:21,520 And therefore he's lying among the dead who are spiritually 456 00:32:21,520 --> 00:32:23,520 dead, right? Because he's doing what they're 457 00:32:23,520 --> 00:32:26,400 doing. And the word of the Lord to that 458 00:32:26,400 --> 00:32:30,120 person is rise up out of that mess. 459 00:32:32,240 --> 00:32:36,280 Stop acting like you're a Sinner when you're supposed to be a 460 00:32:36,280 --> 00:32:41,520 Christian right now. I'm, I'm just not going to get 461 00:32:41,520 --> 00:32:44,040 into all the little details of things, but the Holy Spirit 462 00:32:44,040 --> 00:32:48,680 knows and you know, he knows and he's convicting certain people 463 00:32:48,800 --> 00:32:50,560 and he's telling you, hey, you know that thing that you're 464 00:32:50,560 --> 00:32:52,120 doing you thought nobody knew about. 465 00:32:52,680 --> 00:32:56,120 I know. And it's time you let go of that 466 00:32:56,240 --> 00:32:58,680 and you get up and you start moving my way. 467 00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:05,760 You see, it's like the parable of 10 virgins or brides spoken 468 00:33:05,760 --> 00:33:09,040 of in Matthew chapter 25, the 1st 13 verses. 469 00:33:10,960 --> 00:33:13,640 And I want for the sake of time go there, but I'm going to say 470 00:33:13,640 --> 00:33:18,040 it again, Matthew chapter 25, the 1st 13 verses, I'm just 471 00:33:18,040 --> 00:33:23,360 going to tell you there were 10 bridesmaids or not bridesmaids, 472 00:33:23,360 --> 00:33:24,360 brides. OK? 473 00:33:24,360 --> 00:33:30,280 There are 10 virgins and they were all, all ten of them were 474 00:33:30,280 --> 00:33:34,040 considered virgins and brides to the groom. 475 00:33:34,240 --> 00:33:37,160 OK, Now it helps if you know a little something about the 476 00:33:37,160 --> 00:33:41,080 custom of the time, so. Way it worked back then it was 477 00:33:41,080 --> 00:33:47,000 the guy that was the groom. He would accept, you know, this, 478 00:33:47,000 --> 00:33:49,920 this lady or embrace this lady as his wife. 479 00:33:50,200 --> 00:33:55,040 However they the, the marriage part of it wasn't fully finished 480 00:33:55,200 --> 00:33:57,680 because he would have to go back to his dad's house. 481 00:33:57,920 --> 00:34:02,600 He would have to prepare a place for that bride and then he would 482 00:34:02,600 --> 00:34:06,120 come back and get the bride, which is very similar to what 483 00:34:06,120 --> 00:34:09,400 you read in John chapter 14 in the first 3 verses when he said 484 00:34:09,400 --> 00:34:10,360 hey. Hey, don't let your heart be 485 00:34:10,360 --> 00:34:12,360 troubled. I'm going to go away, but when I 486 00:34:12,360 --> 00:34:14,280 go away, I'm going to come back and get you one. 487 00:34:14,440 --> 00:34:16,560 Because that's exactly what the groom does. 488 00:34:16,679 --> 00:34:19,159 He comes back to get his bride. He doesn't come back to get the 489 00:34:19,159 --> 00:34:21,760 whole world because the whole world hasn't received him. 490 00:34:21,760 --> 00:34:25,159 Is there as the groom, OK, But he does come back to get the 491 00:34:25,159 --> 00:34:28,440 bride. And, and so there's 10 brides, 492 00:34:28,880 --> 00:34:32,719 there's 10 virgins. There were ten of them waiting 493 00:34:32,719 --> 00:34:34,639 for the return of the bridegroom. 494 00:34:36,040 --> 00:34:38,880 There were ten of them who had prepared themselves for the 495 00:34:38,880 --> 00:34:43,480 wedding celebration. There were ten of them who had 496 00:34:43,480 --> 00:34:49,520 on that the wedding garments. There were ten of them who had a 497 00:34:49,520 --> 00:34:54,840 Lantern to stay up and watchful for the groom to come. 498 00:34:57,080 --> 00:35:03,400 All ten of them were, but there were five of them who let the 499 00:35:03,400 --> 00:35:04,880 light of their. Lantern burn out. 500 00:35:06,040 --> 00:35:09,400 There were five of them who decided the groom wasn't going 501 00:35:09,400 --> 00:35:13,800 to come anytime soon. There were five of them who got 502 00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:17,800 LAX and decided to lay down and take a nap. 503 00:35:19,760 --> 00:35:21,840 But it was then that the bridegroom came. 504 00:35:24,120 --> 00:35:29,680 He didn't come for all 10. He only came for those who were 505 00:35:29,680 --> 00:35:33,360 ready and eagerly looking for his return. 506 00:35:34,160 --> 00:35:37,080 It came for those who had kept their oil in their lamp. 507 00:35:37,800 --> 00:35:41,560 It trimmed the the Wick and and let their light shine. 508 00:35:43,800 --> 00:35:47,160 And Grim came for those who were watchful and eagerly awaiting 509 00:35:47,920 --> 00:35:48,720 his. Return. 510 00:35:51,040 --> 00:35:56,760 I'm telling you, Jesus Christ is the groom. 511 00:35:57,640 --> 00:36:03,520 Just get that real clear. You're supposed to be. 512 00:36:03,960 --> 00:36:14,000 Right, but only five of them out of the 10, we're ready now if 513 00:36:14,000 --> 00:36:17,400 you move that to modern day, OK, and make it just use the 514 00:36:17,400 --> 00:36:20,400 averages, OK, that means about half of them that were in the 515 00:36:20,400 --> 00:36:26,600 church didn't go. Why? 516 00:36:26,880 --> 00:36:29,720 Because they warmed that bench every Sunday. 517 00:36:30,360 --> 00:36:33,400 So. What was the relationship like 518 00:36:33,400 --> 00:36:35,480 with Christ? What did they do behind the 519 00:36:35,480 --> 00:36:37,880 scenes whenever nobody else was looking? 520 00:36:43,690 --> 00:36:47,370 Christ has not fallen asleep, nor has he stopped watching over 521 00:36:47,370 --> 00:36:52,210 His bride, and there's nothing to keep him from returning this 522 00:36:52,290 --> 00:36:56,570 very day. Second Peter chapter 3 verse 9 523 00:36:56,570 --> 00:36:59,570 declares. These words the Lord is not 524 00:36:59,570 --> 00:37:04,640 slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness or 525 00:37:04,640 --> 00:37:10,360 slowness, but he is long-suffering toward us, not 526 00:37:10,360 --> 00:37:13,040 willing that any should perish, but that all should come to 527 00:37:13,040 --> 00:37:18,440 repentance. Now who is this us that's 528 00:37:18,440 --> 00:37:21,560 referred to in this verse? Let me say it again. 529 00:37:21,720 --> 00:37:26,600 But he's long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should 530 00:37:26,600 --> 00:37:30,760 perish, or that any should, but that all should come to rather 531 00:37:30,760 --> 00:37:33,720 to repentance. Who is the US? 532 00:37:36,520 --> 00:37:40,320 Well, if you look back in the 1st chapter, second Peter, he's 533 00:37:40,320 --> 00:37:44,760 talking to the believers. Now think about that again. 534 00:37:45,520 --> 00:37:50,720 So here you've got this verse that says it's not as though 535 00:37:51,560 --> 00:37:54,440 he's just deliberately being slow and he's kind of half 536 00:37:54,440 --> 00:37:56,760 forgotten that he's supposed to be coming back. 537 00:37:58,560 --> 00:38:06,040 But he doesn't want anybody to be left behind and the. 538 00:38:06,040 --> 00:38:11,680 US referred to there is is a pronoun that refers back to the 539 00:38:11,680 --> 00:38:15,520 believers, including himself who was writing this OK. 540 00:38:16,360 --> 00:38:19,720 So you could rightly say the US is US. 541 00:38:21,400 --> 00:38:24,960 And about some sinners out there in the world someplace, the US 542 00:38:24,960 --> 00:38:27,840 is US, OK? And he's saying he doesn't want 543 00:38:27,840 --> 00:38:34,520 any of us to be left behind. So why would the Holy Spirit, 544 00:38:34,520 --> 00:38:38,240 speaking through the pen of Paul, say that because he loves 545 00:38:38,240 --> 00:38:47,200 you, the groom loves the bride, But the groom doesn't isn't 546 00:38:47,400 --> 00:38:51,080 going to take the bride if the bride is deliberately being 547 00:38:51,120 --> 00:38:55,760 unfaithful before they've even finished the wedding, right? 548 00:39:01,520 --> 00:39:04,680 Man, this is some tough stuff. I'm, I'm, I'm glad nobody's 549 00:39:04,680 --> 00:39:07,400 going. You know, you're stepping on my 550 00:39:07,400 --> 00:39:08,320 toes. I'm leaving. 551 00:39:08,320 --> 00:39:11,960 But I'm just saying when I feel like the Spirit of God is 552 00:39:11,960 --> 00:39:15,840 telling me to tell you so somebody needs to hear this. 553 00:39:16,160 --> 00:39:18,840 And I think a. Lot of us need to hear this. 554 00:39:30,000 --> 00:39:32,800 What happened to me and what happened to the prodigal can 555 00:39:33,120 --> 00:39:40,280 happen to any believer. If she or he's not on guard, we 556 00:39:40,280 --> 00:39:42,360 have a tendency to stop too soon. 557 00:39:44,480 --> 00:39:49,280 We may say a prayer call out to the Lord because we know that 558 00:39:49,440 --> 00:39:51,560 whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. 559 00:39:52,120 --> 00:40:00,800 So we do that part, but then. We allow sin to harden our heart 560 00:40:01,960 --> 00:40:05,120 and drive a wedge between US and the one that just saved us. 561 00:40:08,360 --> 00:40:10,600 And and I'm talking to. The bride. 562 00:40:10,760 --> 00:40:14,000 I'm I'm talking to the choir, right? 563 00:40:14,520 --> 00:40:16,920 Why? Because the choir knows. 564 00:40:16,920 --> 00:40:19,320 But sometimes they forget the verses. 565 00:40:20,120 --> 00:40:23,680 They forget the song they're supposed to be singing and they 566 00:40:23,680 --> 00:40:26,440 start singing a different song. And I don't know if any of you 567 00:40:26,440 --> 00:40:28,840 have ever done that before, but I've sang song and then found 568 00:40:28,840 --> 00:40:30,960 out, you know, I got a little bit of this song in there and I 569 00:40:30,960 --> 00:40:33,400 got a little bit of that song. I just got melded them all 570 00:40:33,400 --> 00:40:35,560 together. You can't live that way. 571 00:40:36,800 --> 00:40:43,080 Hebrews 9, chapter 28 or Chapter 9, verse 28, Hebrews 928 tells 572 00:40:43,080 --> 00:40:46,880 us that. So Christ, having been offered 573 00:40:46,880 --> 00:40:52,040 once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not 574 00:40:52,040 --> 00:40:57,240 to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting 575 00:40:57,240 --> 00:40:58,320 for him. Who? 576 00:40:58,560 --> 00:41:04,080 The ones who are eagerly waiting for Him now. 577 00:41:04,320 --> 00:41:10,320 This should be a real simple question or answer, but I want 578 00:41:10,320 --> 00:41:16,160 you to think about it. Are you eagerly waiting for him 579 00:41:16,960 --> 00:41:23,320 because you love the groom, or are you eagerly waiting for him 580 00:41:23,320 --> 00:41:25,880 because you'll be glad to get out of this mess that you're in 581 00:41:25,880 --> 00:41:28,240 down here? And I'm telling you, there's 582 00:41:28,240 --> 00:41:33,480 some truth to that too. But the the heart of the bride 583 00:41:33,480 --> 00:41:42,400 should be for the groom. And then I find that a lot of 584 00:41:42,400 --> 00:41:46,560 times among the brides, among the church, there's probably 585 00:41:46,560 --> 00:41:52,280 about half of us that. Really aren't eagerly awaiting 586 00:41:52,280 --> 00:41:56,440 his return. In fact, if we thought that he 587 00:41:56,440 --> 00:42:03,880 was coming right now, you'd be like, hey, can I get about 10 588 00:42:03,880 --> 00:42:07,760 seconds? At least say I'm sorry, forgive 589 00:42:07,760 --> 00:42:08,600 me, Lord. Right? 590 00:42:08,840 --> 00:42:12,080 Because you know that there's things in your life that don't 591 00:42:12,080 --> 00:42:22,720 necessarily need to be there. Though we may, like the five 592 00:42:22,720 --> 00:42:27,920 foolish virgins, fail to keep our lanterns burning, we may 593 00:42:27,920 --> 00:42:31,240 have decided the bridegroom isn't coming back for anytime 594 00:42:31,240 --> 00:42:36,520 soon anyway. But this could be the day for he 595 00:42:36,520 --> 00:42:40,240 is returning for those who are eagerly awaiting for him in 596 00:42:40,240 --> 00:42:43,040 First Thessalonians chapter 4. And you know the passage, just 597 00:42:43,040 --> 00:42:46,760 read it in First Thessalonians chapter 4 verse, starting with 598 00:42:46,840 --> 00:42:54,120 verse 13, it says, and now, dear brothers and sisters, he's 599 00:42:54,120 --> 00:42:57,000 talking to the brides. Yeah, even though there's 600 00:42:57,000 --> 00:43:00,960 brothers and sisters in there says we want you to know that 601 00:43:01,360 --> 00:43:06,040 what will happen to the believers who have died so you 602 00:43:06,040 --> 00:43:09,960 will not grieve like people who have no hope for. 603 00:43:09,960 --> 00:43:14,080 Since we believe that Jesus died and he raised he was raised to 604 00:43:14,080 --> 00:43:19,080 life again, We also believe that when Jesus returns. 605 00:43:20,160 --> 00:43:24,360 Then say if Jesus returns, says when Jesus returns, God will 606 00:43:24,360 --> 00:43:27,520 bring back with him the believers who have died. 607 00:43:29,320 --> 00:43:32,400 Now you might have a different translation up there, but that's 608 00:43:32,400 --> 00:43:35,960 the way mine reads. OK, so it's the same thing. 609 00:43:35,960 --> 00:43:40,160 I don't know what translation that is, but sometimes I pick up 610 00:43:40,160 --> 00:43:44,280 something that's real simple. You know, the easier the better. 611 00:43:44,280 --> 00:43:48,200 Sometimes we tell verse 15 it says, we tell you this directly 612 00:43:48,200 --> 00:43:51,280 from the Lord. We who are still living when the 613 00:43:51,280 --> 00:43:55,680 Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. 614 00:43:56,320 --> 00:43:59,280 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with the 615 00:43:59,280 --> 00:44:03,200 commanding shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the 616 00:44:03,200 --> 00:44:06,160 trumpet call of God. First the believers who have 617 00:44:06,160 --> 00:44:10,080 died will rise from their graves, and then together with 618 00:44:10,080 --> 00:44:13,800 them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be 619 00:44:13,800 --> 00:44:15,720 caught up in the clouds to meet the. 620 00:44:15,720 --> 00:44:19,960 Lord in the air, yeah, there there's a lot of people and 621 00:44:19,960 --> 00:44:22,760 there's going to be more that evidently are coming around on 622 00:44:22,760 --> 00:44:25,280 the world, on the surface of the world, walking the same ground 623 00:44:25,280 --> 00:44:26,680 we are. And they're saying I'm the 624 00:44:26,680 --> 00:44:32,800 Christ you've heard of. Some what, you know immediately 625 00:44:32,800 --> 00:44:35,600 that that's not true because that's not the way it's going to 626 00:44:35,600 --> 00:44:38,960 happen, right? He's going to snatch up the 627 00:44:38,960 --> 00:44:42,920 remaining bride, those who are eagerly awaiting for Him, and 628 00:44:42,920 --> 00:44:46,960 we'll meet Him in the air with those who have gone before us. 629 00:44:48,400 --> 00:44:52,120 Then together with them, we who are still alive and remain on 630 00:44:52,120 --> 00:44:54,760 the earth will get caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in 631 00:44:54,760 --> 00:44:57,320 the air, and then we'll be forever with the Lord. 632 00:44:57,320 --> 00:44:59,280 So encourage each other with these words. 633 00:44:59,960 --> 00:45:06,800 Now there's a little issue that you might find in there. 634 00:45:08,320 --> 00:45:15,280 How can believers who passed on be returning with Christ and 635 00:45:15,280 --> 00:45:17,480 rise up from the grave at the same time? 636 00:45:20,800 --> 00:45:23,280 That's interesting, but that's what I said. 637 00:45:23,840 --> 00:45:26,520 OK, so. Let me just. 638 00:45:26,960 --> 00:45:29,880 Tell you how this works before the devil tries to tell you how 639 00:45:29,880 --> 00:45:31,840 it works and he tells you a lie. OK, here. 640 00:45:31,920 --> 00:45:35,160 Here's how it works. OK, whenever, if you go to 641 00:45:35,160 --> 00:45:38,720 Philippians chapter 1 verses 21 through 23, and you don't have 642 00:45:38,720 --> 00:45:41,120 to turn there right now necessarily, but that's where 643 00:45:41,120 --> 00:45:43,920 it's at. Philippians 121 through 23. 644 00:45:44,120 --> 00:45:48,120 Also in Second Corinthians chapter 5 verse 8, it they both 645 00:45:48,120 --> 00:45:52,000 refer to the fact that to be absent from the body is to be 646 00:45:52,000 --> 00:45:56,000 present with the Lord. If you are a believer, OK, so we 647 00:45:56,000 --> 00:45:59,360 know that whenever their body was given up, the believers went 648 00:45:59,360 --> 00:46:02,320 to be with the Lord. We know that they're not sitting 649 00:46:02,320 --> 00:46:04,960 around in a grave somewhere, OK? They went to be with the Lord, 650 00:46:05,280 --> 00:46:07,920 and then we know. That that's true because when he 651 00:46:07,920 --> 00:46:11,200 comes back, it said just a second ago when we read it that 652 00:46:11,200 --> 00:46:14,920 he would have them with him. OK, So they're going to be 653 00:46:14,920 --> 00:46:22,280 coming down with him. OK, now how can they be rising 654 00:46:22,280 --> 00:46:24,520 up out of the grave and coming down at the same time? 655 00:46:24,720 --> 00:46:27,440 Because that's the time that according to First Corinthians 656 00:46:27,440 --> 00:46:30,920 chapter 15, we're this perishable must put on the 657 00:46:30,920 --> 00:46:33,560 imperishable. This mortal must put on 658 00:46:33,560 --> 00:46:36,120 immortality. We have to have a new body 659 00:46:36,120 --> 00:46:39,400 because we got eternal life ahead and this body isn't good 660 00:46:39,400 --> 00:46:42,280 enough, right? And that's what's taking place 661 00:46:42,280 --> 00:46:44,320 right then at the rapture of the church. 662 00:46:44,480 --> 00:46:46,560 That's whenever the bride's getting caught up. 663 00:46:46,680 --> 00:46:50,680 That's whenever the those people first who have already gone on, 664 00:46:50,880 --> 00:46:52,480 they got the first dibs, I guess. 665 00:46:52,480 --> 00:46:55,560 And so they're going to get the, the, the changed body. 666 00:46:56,200 --> 00:46:59,440 OK, That old body, you said, well, what if you're cremated? 667 00:46:59,440 --> 00:47:01,680 Oh, what if you are? You think God doesn't know where 668 00:47:01,680 --> 00:47:04,280 every little Adam is? He knows where. 669 00:47:04,320 --> 00:47:07,520 I mean, it could be, and I've said this before, the fish could 670 00:47:07,520 --> 00:47:09,720 have eaten you if you were spread out in the ashes in the 671 00:47:09,720 --> 00:47:12,040 sea, and they could have pooped you out and something else 672 00:47:12,040 --> 00:47:15,040 happened and something else happened and God still knows 673 00:47:15,040 --> 00:47:18,960 where you're at. God has not lost sight of you. 674 00:47:19,320 --> 00:47:21,800 He knows right where you're at. He knows what you're going 675 00:47:21,800 --> 00:47:23,240 through. And he says, come on back, 676 00:47:24,040 --> 00:47:26,200 right? Because I'm fixing to come and 677 00:47:26,200 --> 00:47:37,370 you don't want to miss. This to those who say I'm 678 00:47:37,370 --> 00:47:41,290 already saved, it's obvious I love the Lord because I come to 679 00:47:41,290 --> 00:47:46,050 church faithfully. I don't remember, you know, 680 00:47:46,770 --> 00:47:48,570 sometimes, I mean, I only put it this way. 681 00:47:48,570 --> 00:47:53,840 Sometimes we come up with some of the the lamest supporting 682 00:47:54,440 --> 00:47:56,800 things, you know, to support what we're trying to do. 683 00:47:58,120 --> 00:48:01,800 And it doesn't even, it's not right at all, you know, and yet 684 00:48:01,800 --> 00:48:05,240 we, that's where I understand. That's my story and I'm sticking 685 00:48:05,240 --> 00:48:06,560 to it. Well, you might need to change 686 00:48:06,560 --> 00:48:09,760 your story. Recall this John chapter 14, 687 00:48:09,760 --> 00:48:13,440 verse 15. Jesus said if you love me, you 688 00:48:13,440 --> 00:48:16,800 will what? Keep my commandments? 689 00:48:16,880 --> 00:48:19,480 You will keep my commandments. What if you love me? 690 00:48:19,600 --> 00:48:25,960 Second John chapter 6, I'm sorry, verse 6 it says this, and 691 00:48:25,960 --> 00:48:30,440 this is love, that we walk in obedience to his commands. 692 00:48:31,400 --> 00:48:33,560 OK, So he says if you love me, you're going to keep my 693 00:48:33,560 --> 00:48:35,640 commandments. And then it's basically repeated 694 00:48:36,960 --> 00:48:41,000 in Matthew chapter 28, verse 18. Most of you will remember that. 695 00:48:41,000 --> 00:48:45,800 That's where Matthews reveals the Great Commission. 696 00:48:46,120 --> 00:48:50,880 OK. Jesus is is already died. 697 00:48:50,880 --> 00:48:54,080 He's risen from the grave. He gives them a Great Commission 698 00:48:54,080 --> 00:48:56,920 before he leaves. And that Great Commission is 699 00:48:57,120 --> 00:49:01,400 according to if you study it out, not it's not just for the 700 00:49:01,400 --> 00:49:05,960 12. It was for all who believe that 701 00:49:05,960 --> 00:49:08,360 includes you and me. OK. 702 00:49:08,600 --> 00:49:13,600 And in Matthew 28, verse 18, and for the next couple verses there 703 00:49:13,800 --> 00:49:16,600 he renders there, gives this Great Commission telling that 704 00:49:16,600 --> 00:49:20,680 they're supposed to go out and they're supposed to start at 705 00:49:20,680 --> 00:49:24,320 Jerusalem, right? And then they go to Sumerian and 706 00:49:24,320 --> 00:49:26,800 then all the way to the uttermost parts of the world. 707 00:49:30,400 --> 00:49:32,840 And that's for you and that's for me. 708 00:49:34,320 --> 00:49:38,960 Not just the 12 that great commission's not simply a great 709 00:49:38,960 --> 00:49:41,880 because it was wonderful. It's great because it's 710 00:49:41,880 --> 00:49:45,000 important. It's great because is mag. 711 00:49:45,000 --> 00:49:47,520 I don't know the right words. Critical. 712 00:49:49,320 --> 00:49:56,840 It wasn't the great suggestion it could. 713 00:49:56,840 --> 00:50:00,200 Accurately and easily be called the Great Commandment. 714 00:50:01,760 --> 00:50:03,720 And what did he say? If you allow me, he'll keep my 715 00:50:03,720 --> 00:50:06,120 commandments. Now he's giving you this great 716 00:50:06,120 --> 00:50:07,840 commandment. What was it? 717 00:50:08,560 --> 00:50:11,400 That you got to go save. People, no, you can't save 718 00:50:11,400 --> 00:50:13,160 anybody. You can barely save yourself, 719 00:50:13,160 --> 00:50:15,360 right? What you can do, though, is you 720 00:50:15,360 --> 00:50:17,560 can point them to the one who can, OK? 721 00:50:17,560 --> 00:50:21,000 And you don't have to wait to disciple somebody and you don't 722 00:50:21,000 --> 00:50:23,480 have to wait until they get saved to start discipling. 723 00:50:24,200 --> 00:50:26,600 OK. And and what you need to do is 724 00:50:26,600 --> 00:50:29,200 you need to find the people around you that need somebody to 725 00:50:29,200 --> 00:50:31,560 point them towards Christ. And you start pointing, you 726 00:50:31,560 --> 00:50:34,480 start working, you start showing them love, you start reaching 727 00:50:34,480 --> 00:50:36,200 out and telling them about Jesus. 728 00:50:36,960 --> 00:50:39,920 Don't you sit back and say, well they can surely figure it out. 729 00:50:39,920 --> 00:50:46,320 By the way, I live my life. What if they didn't and tomorrow 730 00:50:46,320 --> 00:50:51,400 they get in a car wreck and you were the one that God had there 731 00:50:51,400 --> 00:50:53,680 just so that you could bring them to him, and you thought, 732 00:50:53,680 --> 00:50:55,360 well, one day they'll see it in you. 733 00:50:58,080 --> 00:51:00,560 I'm going to close with this John chapter 21. 734 00:51:02,480 --> 00:51:08,000 In John chapter 21, Christ has already died. 735 00:51:08,040 --> 00:51:14,840 He's already been resurrected and He's shown himself to His 736 00:51:14,840 --> 00:51:19,800 disciples, His followers, and the disciples are in this boat 737 00:51:20,800 --> 00:51:24,840 out on the water, and they've been fishing all night long and 738 00:51:24,840 --> 00:51:27,520 caught no fishes, right? OK. 739 00:51:28,080 --> 00:51:35,360 And Jesus positions himself on the shore and he's got a little 740 00:51:35,360 --> 00:51:40,320 fire going, and he's got fish already so that he can feed 741 00:51:40,320 --> 00:51:44,560 them. So it wasn't that he needed 742 00:51:44,560 --> 00:51:50,760 their fish, but he tells them, hey, if you'll throw the net on 743 00:51:50,760 --> 00:51:53,000 the other side of the water, even though you've been fishing 744 00:51:53,000 --> 00:51:55,520 all night long on your own or didn't work, throw it on the 745 00:51:55,520 --> 00:51:58,720 other side of the boat rather and and you'll and they caught 746 00:51:58,720 --> 00:52:00,560 a. Huge net full, right? 747 00:52:01,040 --> 00:52:04,200 And then he says bring them here. 748 00:52:06,160 --> 00:52:08,360 Now I'm paraphrasing, but you can go check it out. 749 00:52:08,600 --> 00:52:12,520 He says bring them here. Said come show me your catch. 750 00:52:14,480 --> 00:52:24,430 Come show me a fishy. Cod There's a whole lot of 751 00:52:24,430 --> 00:52:29,870 people that name the name of the Lord that are among the brides. 752 00:52:31,910 --> 00:52:34,150 And one day the Lord's going to come, and one day we're going to 753 00:52:34,150 --> 00:52:36,230 stand before him, and one day I believe. 754 00:52:36,230 --> 00:52:43,990 He's going to say show me the fishy cod and some of us aren't 755 00:52:43,990 --> 00:52:45,390 going to be. Able to do a very good job of 756 00:52:45,390 --> 00:52:49,960 that. Because we spent too much time 757 00:52:50,520 --> 00:52:53,800 thinking about worldly things. We we sang the songs of the 758 00:52:53,800 --> 00:52:57,960 world, we meditated on things of the world and and we just browse 759 00:52:57,960 --> 00:53:00,680 through or kind of peruse through the church every now and 760 00:53:00,680 --> 00:53:05,840 then, once a week at least. But our relationship with Christ 761 00:53:05,920 --> 00:53:11,120 isn't there because we're not even doing what He said would 762 00:53:11,120 --> 00:53:14,080 prove that we were his. Now what was that? 763 00:53:14,200 --> 00:53:18,560 If you, if you love me, you'll keep my commandments. 764 00:53:19,040 --> 00:53:22,880 And one of the greatest commandments was go fishing for 765 00:53:22,880 --> 00:53:26,560 real people, not just fish. OK. 766 00:53:28,640 --> 00:53:32,600 And yet we kind of act like, well, that's the preacher's job. 767 00:53:32,680 --> 00:53:34,760 That's Lance's job. When he gets here, man, he'll 768 00:53:34,760 --> 00:53:36,400 take care of that. We'll just take that. 769 00:53:36,440 --> 00:53:39,040 We'll take your name down, Sir, and we'll we'll let him know 770 00:53:39,040 --> 00:53:40,040 about that. No. 771 00:53:40,080 --> 00:53:42,160 Why don't you just start telling him about Jesus? 772 00:53:42,240 --> 00:53:45,400 Why don't you start telling everybody about Jesus and set 773 00:53:45,400 --> 00:53:48,800 this thing on fire so that everybody can go to heaven? 774 00:53:49,400 --> 00:54:00,000 All right. It wasn't just for the 12, it 775 00:54:00,000 --> 00:54:05,680 was for all of us, but we just have a tendency to pick and 776 00:54:05,680 --> 00:54:10,680 choose what we want and live our own way and we get kind of in a 777 00:54:10,680 --> 00:54:11,800 comfortable. Spot. 778 00:54:13,920 --> 00:54:16,320 I don't think Jesus or the disciples had too many 779 00:54:16,320 --> 00:54:20,440 comfortable spots. The only comfort they got was 780 00:54:20,440 --> 00:54:24,760 being right up next to Him, and the only comfort that he got was 781 00:54:24,760 --> 00:54:26,600 being right up next to the Father. 782 00:54:27,720 --> 00:54:32,560 They stayed there. Just like in John 15 where he 783 00:54:32,560 --> 00:54:38,160 said, hey, you need to dwell here. 784 00:54:38,160 --> 00:54:47,320 You need to not just cruise by on Sunday, you need to stay 785 00:54:47,800 --> 00:54:50,640 dwelling in me. If you'll dwell in me, then I'll 786 00:54:50,640 --> 00:54:52,480 dwell in you. And then there's that 787 00:54:52,480 --> 00:54:55,440 relationship and there's the fire that'll lead to salvation 788 00:54:57,360 --> 00:55:00,640 unless we shut our mouth and just stay with the comfortable 789 00:55:00,640 --> 00:55:05,400 flow and hope that we don't actually stop and sit down or 790 00:55:05,400 --> 00:55:07,760 lay down and not be able to get back up. 791 00:55:10,040 --> 00:55:13,240 I'm going to tell you one last thing and I'm going to shut up. 792 00:55:13,240 --> 00:55:18,000 But in Revelation chapter 21, verse 4, there's a really 793 00:55:18,000 --> 00:55:21,520 unusual thing there. For it says that there will be 794 00:55:21,520 --> 00:55:26,720 no crying in heaven, but then it says that he'll be wiping away 795 00:55:26,720 --> 00:55:30,200 your tears. Now, how is it that there's no 796 00:55:30,200 --> 00:55:32,920 crying in heaven if she's got, I mean, there's got to be tears 797 00:55:32,920 --> 00:55:35,320 for him to wipe, all right, if he's going to wipe them away and 798 00:55:35,320 --> 00:55:40,600 then it says there's no crying. I'm I am convinced I know the 799 00:55:40,640 --> 00:55:52,720 answer to that. The bride, before she's allowed 800 00:55:53,200 --> 00:55:59,680 to have eternity in the presence of the Father in heaven, that 801 00:55:59,680 --> 00:56:06,760 bride is going to face judgment. It's not condemnation. 802 00:56:06,760 --> 00:56:10,000 He's not going to kick you out and say you can't come here, you 803 00:56:10,000 --> 00:56:17,760 got to go to hell, but he is going to judge you to see how 804 00:56:17,760 --> 00:56:19,440 well you did the things that he told you to. 805 00:56:19,480 --> 00:56:23,520 Do did you just say Hallelujah, Amen, praise God and you did 806 00:56:23,520 --> 00:56:26,560 your little church thing or did you really seek after me? 807 00:56:26,680 --> 00:56:28,840 Did you really do what I told you to do? 808 00:56:29,000 --> 00:56:31,640 And the first thing is show me your fish. 809 00:56:32,120 --> 00:56:35,040 And whenever he says that and we go, well, I don't have any fish, 810 00:56:35,720 --> 00:56:43,200 I think we're going to cry. I know I would cry to think that 811 00:56:43,320 --> 00:56:48,120 He offered me an opportunity to rescue through working with him 812 00:56:48,120 --> 00:56:52,120 to rescue the perishing. And all I could think of was my 813 00:56:52,120 --> 00:56:55,920 own desires, my own comfort. And I didn't want to, you know, 814 00:56:56,480 --> 00:57:00,600 I didn't feel like it that day. I'm going to cry. 815 00:57:01,560 --> 00:57:06,160 And I think all of us will cry because none of us are perfect. 816 00:57:07,920 --> 00:57:12,000 But if we realize that now, maybe there'll be fewer tears 817 00:57:12,000 --> 00:57:15,760 for him to wipe away from us later because we decided we're 818 00:57:15,760 --> 00:57:19,080 going to do something about it before while there's still 819 00:57:19,080 --> 00:57:22,040 breath in our lungs. We're going to get up and we're 820 00:57:22,040 --> 00:57:24,560 going to start telling people about Jesus in a way we never 821 00:57:24,560 --> 00:57:29,720 did before. Now, you know, I used to wear a, 822 00:57:30,040 --> 00:57:34,960 I'm just, I used to wear a, a Jean Jag with the arms cut off 823 00:57:34,960 --> 00:57:36,400 and rode a motorcycle and whatever. 824 00:57:36,400 --> 00:57:38,680 And I see there's some, I know there's a motorcycle kind of 825 00:57:38,680 --> 00:57:45,640 place. You can't just wear a jacket 826 00:57:45,640 --> 00:57:49,800 that says you're part of a Christian motorcycle group and 827 00:57:49,800 --> 00:57:54,840 think that's good enough. OK, you need to wear Jesus 828 00:57:54,840 --> 00:57:58,960 Christ and you need to walk every day in such a way that 829 00:57:58,960 --> 00:58:01,680 you're reaching out and you're fishing and you're trying to 830 00:58:01,680 --> 00:58:05,040 save as many as you can, even though it's not you. 831 00:58:05,040 --> 00:58:07,280 All right? It's him, but he's working with 832 00:58:07,280 --> 00:58:07,800 you. It's a. 833 00:58:07,800 --> 00:58:10,720 Commission. That ME Co means what? 834 00:58:10,720 --> 00:58:15,920 Together, it's a Commission. There's so many times we don't 835 00:58:15,920 --> 00:58:17,040 let him work. Why? 836 00:58:17,200 --> 00:58:19,360 Because we're not working and it's a Commission. 837 00:58:23,240 --> 00:58:25,280 I'm going to pray. Pray with me up. 838 00:58:25,880 --> 00:58:28,920 Father God, I thank you for your love and your mercy. 839 00:58:29,560 --> 00:58:32,120 Thanks for listening to the Cross Powered Church podcast. 840 00:58:32,480 --> 00:58:36,080 May you know that true hope, peace, and salvation can only be 841 00:58:36,080 --> 00:58:39,520 found in Jesus. If you're near Campbell, TX, we 842 00:58:39,520 --> 00:58:41,640 would love for you to join us in person. 843 00:58:42,160 --> 00:58:45,200 You can find service times at crosspowerchurch.com.