Amazing Facts with Doug Batchelor

The Goal of the Godly

Three Angels Broadcasting Network

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Series Code: AFNB

Program Code: AFNB002242S


00:02 - [Announcer] This presentation is brought to you
00:03 by the friends of the Amazing Facts ministry.
00:10 - Each branch of the US Armed Services
00:12 has one or more elite teams of commandos.
00:16 They fight using sophisticated guerilla warfare tactics.
00:20 To serve in one of these select units,
00:22 a soldier must be highly disciplined
00:25 and they pass through incredibly difficult
00:27 physical and mental training.
00:30 Even a small team of these commandos,
00:32 because of their intense training,
00:34 can achieve great victories in a short time.
00:37 During the Gulf War, a team of US Navy Seals
00:41 created a convincing diversion by storming
00:44 the beaches of Kuwait, and they created such havoc
00:47 that the Iraqi generals were completely fooled
00:50 into thinking the US-led attack was coming from the sea.
00:55 Within a couple of days, the whole war was over,
00:57 and it all started with less than 20 soldiers.
01:01 The Book of Revelation tells about
01:03 another special forces unit,
01:05 an army of 144,000 that have the greatest mission
01:09 in the last days: to prepare the world for Jesus' return.
01:14 Let's explore together what the Bible facts are
01:16 about the 144,000, and learn how you can receive
01:20 the seal of the living God.
01:23 (bright inspiring music)
01:26 Our study tonight is going to deal a lot with the subject
01:29 of not being manipulated,
01:33 not being controlled by the crowd.
01:34 If you're going to be saved,
01:36 you need to have a one-on-one relationship with Jesus
01:39 where you're not following the mob,
01:42 because it's often true that the mob
01:43 is going the wrong direction.
01:46 Even Jesus, when He walked the earth,
01:47 was it the majority or the minority that believed Him?
01:52 And that's often the way you're going to see it happening.
01:54 In the days of Noah, was it the majority or the minority
01:57 that got on the ark?
01:59 So you need to think for yourself,
02:02 how do you know what's right?
02:03 It must be rooted and grounded in the Word of God.
02:07 And our presentation tonight is dealing with
02:10 the subject of the goal of the godly.
02:14 Now, one of my heroes in the Bible is the Apostle Peter,
02:19 and you'll find one story in particular here
02:22 in Matthew 26:31-75.
02:25 And I suppose I identify with Peter because
02:29 Peter was very gregarious and sometimes bombastic
02:33 and outspoken, and he would have his,
02:37 his mouth was going, but his brain was engaged, I might say.
02:40 And Peter always had something to say
02:42 on almost every occasion.
02:44 He was very willing to share his opinion.
02:47 And he was concerned often with what others
02:50 thought about him.
02:51 Some of you remember the story where the disciples
02:54 were out rowing by themselves in the middle
02:56 of the Sea of Galilee one night
02:58 and they couldn't make any progress
03:00 and they were afraid and the wind was swamping the boat.
03:03 And then they saw this apparition
03:05 out on the water, walking.
03:07 And they cried out in fear.
03:08 They thought it was a spirit.
03:10 And Jesus said, don't be afraid. It's me.
03:13 And Peter of the other 12 apostles was the one
03:16 who actually had the idea of saying, Lord,
03:19 if it's you, let me walk to you on the water.
03:23 No one else had the gumption to think of
03:25 something like that.
03:26 And Jesus was pleased. He said, well then come.
03:30 So Peter gets out of the boat and he starts walking
03:32 towards Jesus on the water, and he's feeling pretty good.
03:34 He's got his eyes on Christ
03:36 and he feels something firm under his feet,
03:38 and this has never happened before.
03:39 He's worked around the sea his whole life.
03:43 And then he got it in his head
03:45 there's probably nobody in the world
03:46 that has ever walked on water before besides Jesus and I.
03:50 I wonder if the guys are getting this on their iPhones.
03:52 And he turned around to see if,
03:54 he's wanting to go, hey guys, you getting this?
03:56 Are you getting this?
03:58 And when he took his eyes off Jesus,
04:01 then he put his eyes on the storm
04:03 and he saw all the wind and the waves
04:05 and his faith began to sink and he began to sink.
04:08 And just before he went down,
04:09 he uttered the shortest prayer in the Bible.
04:13 "Lord save me."
04:15 And Jesus immediately took him up and said,
04:18 why did you doubt?
04:19 By the way, in the Christian life,
04:21 it's impossible to live a godly life without a miracle.
04:28 But that miracle is keeping your eyes on Jesus.
04:30 You can walk in a different way in this world
04:34 if you have your eyes on Christ.
04:35 If you take your eyes off Christ, you can't do it.
04:37 Hebrews tells us in chapter 12,
04:39 let us therefore lay aside every sin
04:41 and the weight that does so easily beset us
04:43 and let us run with endurance the race that is before us,
04:47 fixing our eyes, setting our eyes upon Jesus,
04:50 the author and finisher of our faith.
04:52 This is the way that we run the race.
04:54 We must fix our eyes on Christ,
04:56 and you can do the impossible.
04:58 But Peter was always concerned what the others
05:00 were thinking and what the others were watching.
05:02 You know, they're at the Last Supper,
05:04 when Jesus said this night you're going to forsake me,
05:07 Peter jumps up and pounds on his chest and says,
05:10 though all of these might forsake you,
05:12 I will never forsake you.
05:14 And Jesus needed to help Peter learn a lesson in humility.
05:17 He said, now Peter, before the rooster crows twice,
05:19 you're going to deny me three times.
05:22 Oh no, I'd never do that.
05:23 And the others said the same thing.
05:26 Well, you know the story.
05:27 Jesus was betrayed. He's being tried.
05:30 And during the trial, Peter followed from a distance,
05:34 and they're taking Jesus to the judgment hall,
05:36 Peter followed from a distance.
05:39 Why was he following from a distance?
05:41 He was worried about what the crowd might think.
05:44 So he kept his distance.
05:46 There's a lot of Christians in the world out there.
05:48 They follow Jesus from a distance.
05:51 They don't want to get too close.
05:52 And when Jesus went into the judgment hall,
05:55 the Bible says John the Apostle went in with him,
05:58 but Peter stayed out and he kind of,
06:00 he tried to hang around and act like
06:03 the other servants of the high priest
06:05 and the court officials in there,
06:07 but he didn't want it to be known that he was an apostle.
06:11 But in the flickering of the fire that was keeping him warm,
06:14 someone recognized him and they said,
06:16 aren't you one of his followers?
06:18 The one in there that's been arrested,
06:20 that this false prophet that they're mocking inside?
06:23 Now Peter has a different audience
06:25 and he changes his behavior pretty quickly.
06:28 It's amazing, 'cause you go back, you know,
06:31 half an hour earlier when they came to arrest Jesus,
06:34 and he was surrounded by his buddies,
06:36 he pulls out a sword to fight for Christ.
06:38 Now all of them are gone. He's by himself.
06:40 He starts to morph back into the crowd.
06:43 He says, I don't know who Jesus is.
06:46 And they asked him again, He denied it again.
06:48 And then they asked it and with swearing and cursing
06:51 he said again, he denied it, and with an oath he said,
06:53 "I do not know the man!"
06:56 And right at that moment the rooster crowed,
06:58 he looked inside the judgment hall,
07:00 Jesus turned and looked at him and it broke his heart.
07:04 It just came back to his mind that God had said
07:08 night will not be over until you deny me three times.
07:11 And it says he went out and he wept bitterly.
07:14 Peter was a broken man after that.
07:17 He was dramatically converted.
07:18 You know it's interesting to note that Peter,
07:23 when Jesus rose from the dead, he told Mary,
07:24 go tell the disciples and Peter.
07:28 Why did he say that?
07:30 'Cause Peter was thinking that maybe he had gone too far.
07:32 And Jesus said, no I haven't.
07:33 I know that you're sorry.
07:35 Go tell the disciples and Peter.
07:38 But you know, after that experience,
07:40 Peter was thoroughly converted,
07:42 and the Bible tells us that when he was
07:44 being tried for his faith,
07:45 he boldly stood up and he said,
07:48 "We ought to obey God rather than men."
07:51 From then on, Peter was not going to be intimidated.
07:55 So we need to have that kind of courage,
07:56 'cause in the last days everybody's going to feel
08:00 incredible pressure from every corner,
08:02 sometimes even within the family,
08:04 to compromise your faith and not to follow the Bible.
08:08 So I want to encourage everybody,
08:09 follow Christ, not the crowd. Amen?
08:12 So it's with that kind of background,
08:14 let's go into our question for tonight.
08:16 Number one, how does God determine
08:18 whether or not we are on His side?
08:21 "Not everyone who says my to Me, 'Lord, Lord,'
08:25 shall enter the kingdom of heaven," but he who what?
08:28 Doeth.
08:30 "Who does the will of My Father in heaven."
08:33 It's not just hearing the will of God,
08:35 it's doing the will of God.
08:37 Jesus said the wise man is the one who builds
08:39 his house on the rock.
08:40 The fool builds his house on the sand.
08:43 And Jesus goes on to describe
08:46 He that hears these words of mine and does them.
08:49 It's so simple.
08:50 James says, be not a hearer of the word only
08:53 and not a doer of the word.
08:55 There's a lot of people out there,
08:56 they'll come to church once a week and they hear the Word,
08:58 but that doesn't save you.
08:59 Are you willing to then do what you hear?
09:03 I heard a preacher that came to a new church assignment,
09:05 and three weeks in a row he preached the same sermon.
09:08 And he was a little past middle age and someone had
09:10 to pull him aside and said, you need to visit a doctor.
09:13 He says, you probably don't know,
09:15 but you've preached the same sermon three weeks in a row.
09:18 He said, yeah, I'm doing it again next week
09:20 until you start listening to it.
09:22 (congregation laughing)
09:24 He wants us to be doers of the Word.
09:27 Jesus tells a parable, the man had two sons,
09:30 and he said to his sons, go work in my field.
09:33 And one said, I'm not going, Dad.
09:38 But he later repented and he went.
09:39 The other son said, I'm on my way, but he didn't go.
09:42 And Jesus said, which of the two did the will of the father?
09:47 And they said, well, the one that said
09:49 I'm not going, but he repented.
09:52 And Jesus said, you know, the scribes and Pharisees,
09:53 they're all going Lord, Lord, but they're not doing my will.
09:56 But the the tax collectors and the harlots,
09:58 they're repenting of their sins and they're willing to
10:00 follow and make these practical changes in their lives.
10:03 So God is very clear.
10:04 It's not everyone that says to me, Lord, Lord,
10:07 but he that does the will of my Father in heaven.
10:10 If you really love him, if you really believe,
10:12 He wants us to be doers of the Word.
10:15 Another verse on that, Romans 6:16.
10:17 "Do you not know that whom you present yourselves
10:20 slaves to obey, you are the servants of the one you obey.
10:25 Whether of sin leading to death
10:27 or obedience leading to righteousness."
10:29 In other words, if you say I'm a Christian
10:32 and you're saying, Lord, Lord,
10:33 but every day you're really living for the devil,
10:35 you can't really say you're a Christian
10:37 because you are the servant of another master.
10:41 The Lord wants us to be on His side.
10:43 Number two.
10:45 When the commands of God and men conflict,
10:49 whom did Peter say we should obey?
10:52 We just read this a moment ago, Acts 5:29.
10:55 Peter and the other apostles are being tried
10:57 for their faith.
10:58 They're before the Supreme Court,
10:59 the Sanhedrin of the Jewish nation.
11:01 They're commanding them not to preach
11:03 in the name of Jesus anymore.
11:04 What would you do in a situation like that?
11:06 They're telling you how to preach and how to witness.
11:08 By the way, that could happen in our country.
11:11 You know, there's parts of the world that I've been to
11:13 where I used to be able to preach freely
11:16 and now there are certain subjects you're not allowed
11:18 to preach, even though they're Bible topics
11:20 in some countries.
11:22 So what do you do?
11:23 "We ought to obey God rather than men."
11:27 Is there going to be a command in the last days
11:29 telling us to worship contrary to the Word of God?
11:31 What will you do?
11:33 Will you follow the crowd?
11:34 Or will you say we ought to obey God rather than men?
11:37 Why did Daniel survive the lions den?
11:39 Because he made up his mind to obey God
11:41 instead of the king of Persia.
11:44 And Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, the three Hebrews,
11:46 how did they survive the fiery furnace?
11:48 There was a law that they were supposed to bow
11:50 to the image of Babylon and they wouldn't bow to it
11:54 because they decided we ought to obey God rather than men.
11:57 We're going to have the same issue in the last days, friends.
11:59 That's why this lesson is so important.
12:01 That we are determined that the Word of God
12:03 and following Christ is absolute,
12:06 no matter what it costs.
12:08 That's the only safe thing to do.
12:10 If you only follow God when it's convenient,
12:12 then the devil will see to it it's never convenient.
12:16 If you're waiting, and I used to do this,
12:18 I'd be struggling with cigarettes and I kept thinking,
12:21 when would be a good time to quit?
12:23 I'll wait until this stress is gone or that stress is gone.
12:26 If I quit now I might gain too much weight.
12:28 I had all these excuses.
12:30 That actually wasn't my excuse,
12:32 but I've heard it used a lot.
12:33 I had all these excuses waiting for it to be
12:35 the perfect time.
12:36 And you know, the devil arranged my life
12:37 so it never was the perfect time.
12:39 I had to just make up my mind, perfect or not perfect.
12:42 No matter what the struggle is,
12:43 this is what God wants me to do, and I did it.
12:46 How do we best demonstrate our love for God?
12:50 John 8:31.
12:52 "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed."
12:58 Abiding in the Word of God means that
13:00 you're rooted in the Word of God,
13:01 that you're feeding it, you're gathering sap from it.
13:05 And you know, if you're separated for very long,
13:08 you don't get that nourishment and you shrivel up.
13:11 We need to be drawing from the sap of God's Word every day.
13:14 And we've had some people that have written in.
13:15 They said, you know, I struggle reading.
13:17 That's okay. Some people do.
13:19 Today, praise the Lord.
13:21 You can listen to tapes, you can listen on your phone,
13:23 there's all these streaming devices.
13:25 There are websites you can go to and click on
13:27 any verse in the Bible that'll just start reading to you.
13:29 And listen to good inspirational sermons.
13:34 Listen to Christian music.
13:36 But you need to be feeding your soul good food all the time.
13:39 Jesus said, if you love me, do what?
13:42 (congregation murmuring)
13:43 "He who says, 'I know Him,'
13:45 and does not keep His commandments is a liar,
13:47 and the truth is not in him."
13:49 I was doing a Bible study one day,
13:50 and friend I was studying with, he says,
13:52 Doug, you're being legalistic.
13:55 He said, we don't need to keep His commandments.
13:58 He said, I'm a Christian and I'm being led by the Spirit.
14:01 And this was very early in my Christian experience,
14:03 and I thought, this isn't right.
14:05 And I opened my Bible and my eyes fell on this verse,
14:09 and I hadn't remembered ever reading it before
14:11 and I read that to him and he was just thunderstruck.
14:14 He was dumbfounded by that.
14:16 It's so simple.
14:17 You say I know Him and you don't keep His commandments,
14:19 you're a liar.
14:21 "For whoever shall keep the whole law,
14:23 and yet stumble in one point, he's guilty of all."
14:27 So if you know, if we say, well look,
14:31 you cheat on your wife and you say,
14:33 but I'm keeping the other nine commandments,
14:36 that's not going to work.
14:38 I can tell you right now.
14:40 That one's going to make a big difference.
14:41 The whole relationship's going to be broken.
14:43 Would you agree?
14:45 And some people will say, well,
14:46 doesn't God give us at least like a 10% discount?
14:50 I mean can't we keep all of 'em
14:52 except like the fourth commandment that says remember?
14:55 No, they're not optional, they're not 10 recommendations.
14:58 Someone said the 10 commandments are not multiple choice.
15:02 They're all 10.
15:04 They're not the 10 suggestions.
15:06 God wants us to obey them and He's God.
15:09 If there's anybody that has a right to tell us
15:11 how we should live, who would that be?
15:12 - [Parishioner] God.
15:14 - Creator and our Redeemer.
15:15 The one who made us and then died to save us again.
15:19 Don't go anywhere, friends.
15:20 In just a moment will return for the rest
15:22 of today's presentation.
15:24 What if you had an extraordinary friend?
15:27 Always dependable, consistently inspiring you
15:30 to noble actions,
15:31 bringing out your best character traits
15:34 and loving you no matter what?
15:36 Someone who would be with you throughout
15:38 your entire life.
15:39 Well, according to the Bible,
15:41 you can find that friend in Jesus.
15:43 We have a beautiful full-color resource
15:45 we'd like to give you that will help you
15:47 get to know Jesus like never before.
15:50 Thousands have become acquainted with Him
15:52 through this powerful life-changing book,
15:54 and have found in Him a best friend forever.
15:57 To get your free copy, call the phone number
15:59 on your screen and ask for offer number 800,
16:03 or visit the web address on the screen.
16:05 And after you read this incredible resource,
16:08 make sure and share it with a friend.
16:10 Well, let's get back now to today's presentation
16:13 and learn some more amazing facts about the Word of God.
16:18 According to Jesus, why did the hypocrites act religious?
16:23 You know, in the teachings of Christ,
16:28 the first thing that Jesus hit with both hands,
16:31 He said, you pray, you fast, you give.
16:34 That's all good.
16:35 But He said to the religious leaders,
16:36 you're praying to be seen of men.
16:38 Praying long prayers while you devour widow's houses.
16:41 He says you fast and then you try to, you know,
16:44 beat yourself up and drag around
16:46 and let everyone know you're fasting
16:48 so they'll be impressed by how you're suffering
16:49 for your religion.
16:51 And you give, but when you give,
16:52 you blow the trumpets so everyone sees you give
16:54 so you can look real generous,
16:56 but at the same time you really have much more than that.
16:59 Some people give, you know?
17:00 You can give a hundred dollars and think, wow,
17:01 that's very generous.
17:03 Well, I got 10 million.
17:04 It's no sacrifice for them.
17:06 What was it that Jesus was condemning?
17:08 It says, "That they might have glory from men."
17:11 "That they might be seen by men."
17:14 This was the challenge that Peter had.
17:16 He was always concerned about everybody watching.
17:19 When Jesus was raising the dead,
17:20 when Jesus was doing miracles,
17:22 Peter wanted to be right there next to Him
17:24 like His bodyguard running interference,
17:26 and you know, being His administrative secretary
17:28 because he thought, you know,
17:29 I want to be with the one who's popular.
17:31 We're good friends. Jesus and I were like that.
17:35 But when Jesus was no longer popular,
17:39 Peter would get into trouble.
17:40 He had to get the victory over the crowd control.
17:44 He struggled with crowd control.
17:47 Is it generally safe to follow the crowd?
17:50 What does the Bible say?
17:51 "You shall not follow a crowd to do evil."
17:54 Now, if a crowd's doing something noble and good,
17:56 that's great.
17:58 Sometimes I've seen crowds of people that get together
18:00 and get involved in cleaning a beach
18:02 or doing some good humanitarian thing, and it's great.
18:06 But we're talking about in the context of the last days.
18:08 It's typically the multitude that goes the wrong way.
18:12 On Mount Carmel there was a brave prophet named Elijah.
18:16 Elijah against 800 false prophets,
18:19 400 prophets of Baal and 450 prophets of Asherah.
18:23 I know that adds up to 850.
18:25 But you've got one Elijah.
18:27 All the other prophets had kinda gone underground.
18:30 You only had one that had the audacity to stand up.
18:33 That's often what you see in the Bible.
18:35 Like Noah in the last days.
18:38 Do not follow the crowd, again, Jesus tells us.
18:41 "Enter by the narrow gate;
18:43 for broad is the way that leads to destruction,
18:47 and there are many who go there."
18:49 And you know, the heartbreaking thing is,
18:52 how many people's sins did Jesus die for?
18:56 The Bible says He died for all.
18:57 - [Parishioner] Amen.
18:59 - All those people He'd like to save.
19:01 It's not that salvation cannot be found,
19:03 but they're just preoccupied with the world.
19:07 There are many who go by that.
19:08 "Whereas narrow is the gate and difficult the way
19:11 that leads to life, and there are a few who find it."
19:15 Pastor Doug, what do you mean difficult the way?
19:17 Well let me just explain here. Life is difficult.
19:20 So if you're thinking I'm looking for that
19:22 which is not difficult, there is no option in this world.
19:26 It is difficult for the wicked.
19:28 The Bible says the way of the transgressor is hard.
19:30 So if you're wondering is it easier to be saved or lost?
19:33 Let's put it this way.
19:36 Would you rather be a slave in Egypt
19:39 serving under hard labor,
19:42 or would you rather follow the Lord through a desert
19:44 on your way to the promised land?
19:46 Those are are your options.
19:49 You can either be a hopeless slave in Egypt
19:52 or you can follow the Lord where you have
19:54 the presence of God.
19:55 He feeds you with bread from heaven,
19:56 gives you water from a rock,
19:58 and an occasional quail every now and then.
20:01 And you've got His presence and He's teaching you.
20:04 I mean, how much better?
20:06 But you know, even the people following God
20:08 to the promised land got discouraged and they said
20:10 I wish I was back in Egypt.
20:12 What benefits come as a result of accepting
20:15 and following the truth?
20:18 "Great peace have they who love Your law,
20:22 and nothing causes them to stumble."
20:24 You know, Peter learned those lessons of peace
20:26 after he completely surrendered to the Lord.
20:29 Bible tells a story in Acts chapter 12
20:31 where Peter was in prison,
20:32 he's going to be executed the next day.
20:34 He's chained between two soldiers,
20:37 and he's sleeping like a baby.
20:40 He had great peace because he knew his life
20:43 was in God's hands.
20:44 By the way, God delivered him from that jail
20:45 and he did not die.
20:48 David said even though my enemy is hunting my life,
20:51 I will lay me down and sleep 'cause God watches over me.
20:55 Great peace has who?
20:57 Those that love His law.
20:59 If you make up your mind to do the will of God.
21:01 And by the way, I have mentioned this,
21:02 but you may have missed it.
21:04 The law of God is the will of God,
21:06 and the will of God is the law of God.
21:08 The law of God is the most simple expression of His will.
21:12 They got great peace.
21:13 You will know the truth and the truth will make you free.
21:17 It gives you purpose, it gives you direction,
21:18 it gives you a wonderful sense of serenity
21:21 knowing that God is guiding you and watching over you.
21:23 And I don't worry like people that don't know
21:26 there's a God that loves them.
21:28 I think it was George Whitfield who said
21:30 several people tried to kill him.
21:31 He was a famous preacher.
21:33 He'd preach in public and people would throw rocks
21:34 at him and try and kill him,
21:36 and he was kind of an unconventional preacher.
21:38 And he said, "I am immortal until my work is done.
21:42 As long as I'm serving God, nobody can hurt me."
21:45 He ended up dying at home on his knees with his Bible open.
21:49 And you don't have to worry.
21:53 Since you have purified your souls in obeying
21:55 the truth through the Spirit.
21:56 God promises to give us the Spirit,
21:58 and He'll purify our hearts.
22:00 Don't worry about making every change in one day.
22:03 You surrender your life to Jesus,
22:04 He is then given permission to work in your life.
22:08 Work out your own salvation
22:10 and He'll be the author and the finisher of your faith.
22:13 Does following Jesus involve some struggle
22:16 and self denial?
22:18 It requires commitment.
22:21 There's struggle involved.
22:22 And there's sacrifice involved in following Jesus.
22:27 And I know it's easy for us to talk about it.
22:29 It's a little harder to do it sometimes.
22:32 I remember that chicken and a pig really liked
22:34 the farmer 'cause he fed them very well and they said,
22:36 we need to do something nice for the farmer
22:38 and let's make 'em breakfast.
22:39 Pig said, that sounds fair. What have you got in mind?
22:42 So let's make him a ham and eggs breakfast.
22:45 And the pig said, well, for you it's a contribution.
22:47 For me it's total commitment.
22:49 (congregation laughing)
22:51 When you really get down to doing it, it's serious business.
22:56 Is there self denial in following Jesus?
22:59 Luke 9:23.
23:01 "If anyone desires to come after me,
23:03 let him deny himself and take up his cross."
23:06 Do you do that once?
23:08 "Daily, and follow me."
23:12 Every day as a Christian, it's kinda like marriage.
23:14 Marriage is not a sprint, it's a marathon.
23:16 Every day it's like farming.
23:17 You get up and you're committed every day.
23:20 Say I've loved this person,
23:21 I'm going to do my best to honor and serve this person.
23:24 And that's the secret also in the Christian life.
23:26 It's a relationship you renew every day.
23:28 And you must die to self every day.
23:31 Paul said, I die daily.
23:32 What do you think he's talking about?
23:34 Instead of living for myself, the world,
23:36 it's all about what shall I do for me?
23:38 Most of the thoughts about me, me, me.
23:41 And sin is S-I-N.
23:43 I is in the middle of sin.
23:45 It's all about this.
23:46 But the secret to happiness is joy.
23:49 J-O-Y.
23:50 Jesus, others, then yourself.
23:53 That's the equation.
23:55 And you've gotta make up that decision
23:56 to not just die daily, but to be born again every day.
23:59 Renew your commitment to Christ.
24:01 Is it safe to procrastinate or postpone
24:05 a decision to follow Jesus?
24:07 I heard one time that the devil had a convention,
24:11 and he invited all his top demons to come.
24:13 There were thousands of 'em there.
24:15 And he said, look, we're looking for
24:17 a new marketing campaign.
24:18 We need something really good.
24:21 I'm open to suggestions.
24:24 And one demon comes up and he says, I've got it.
24:26 He said, tell 'em there's no God.
24:30 The devil says, well, we've done that before
24:31 with some success, but there's so much evidence of God,
24:34 we're still losing a lot of people.
24:37 And another one came up and he said,
24:39 tell 'em God doesn't love 'em.
24:41 And the devil said, well, that often works,
24:43 but, he said, even though I don't understand it,
24:46 he said, there's a lot of evidence of God's goodness
24:48 and love in the world and still we're not able
24:51 to get people.
24:53 And one after another,
24:54 these different demons came up with
24:56 their brilliant marketing strategies.
24:58 And Satan was listening and finally this one
25:01 especially diabolical devil, he came up and he said,
25:05 I know what the answer is.
25:08 He said, tell 'em that there is a God.
25:10 Tell 'em they should go to church.
25:12 Tell 'em that God loves 'em.
25:14 Tell 'em they should make a complete surrender.
25:16 But tell 'em not today.
25:20 And a satanic smile curled over Lucifer's face
25:25 and he said, that's it.
25:27 Just get 'em to plan on doing it all,
25:30 plan on believing it all,
25:31 but don't ever come to the point of making
25:33 a complete surrender.
25:36 And I think that hell is going to be bursting over
25:38 with people who really had the best of intentions,
25:42 but they never got around to it.
25:43 You know, people often die the way they live.
25:45 Procrastinating day after day in making
25:47 that complete surrender.
25:49 Is it safe to procrastinate?
25:51 "Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts."
25:57 "How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?"
26:00 I heard a sermon one time where someone said,
26:03 here's something that God can't answer.
26:07 You think God can do everything.
26:08 God can't answer how we will escape
26:10 if we neglect so great a salvation.
26:13 Don't neglect it, embrace it.
26:15 Surrender to Him.
26:16 Trust Him with your life and He will not let you down.
26:19 I promise, friends.
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26:59 - [Announcer] Have you always wanted to be
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27:28 the rapture, the antichrist, and the mark of the beast.
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Revised 2023-12-28