Participants:
Series Code: BTLP
Program Code: BTLP000117A
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00:38 Hello and welcome to Behold the Lamb Presents
00:40 and thank you again for joining us. 00:42 My name is Chris Shelton. 00:45 Today's message is entitled Our Old and New Nature, 00:48 and it is the final and last message 00:50 in a 25-part series 00:52 that we have been doing in conjunction 00:54 with this Bible study guide that is entitled 00:57 Sharing God's Love Makes You Happier, 01:00 What the Bible Says. 01:01 And we wanna pause for just a moment 01:03 to thank Brother Richard Bland of United Prison Ministries 01:06 for allowing us to be a part of expanding 01:10 his 25 Bible study lessons into 25 one-hour programs 01:15 with myself and Pastor Kenny Shelton. 01:17 Many, many hours of study and preparation has gone 01:21 into offering these messages to the Lord's vineyard. 01:24 And truly, all of us who have been 01:27 a part of this outreach endeavor 01:30 have been richly blessed by the Spirit of God 01:33 for in giving, we shall receive, 01:35 and we pray 01:37 that His Spirit would just continue 01:39 to anoint these messages for years to come 01:42 should out Lord teary in His return. 01:45 Our old and new nature, again, 01:47 is our last focus in this 25-part series. 01:51 And no doubt Pastor Kenny Shelton 01:53 will be giving us from scripture 01:55 an accurate description of a life lived 01:58 outside of the Lord 01:59 and a life that is being made new in Christ Jesus, 02:03 our Lord and our Savior 02:05 but before joining Pastor Kenny Shelton, 02:07 let's visit 3ABN and truly wrap us this series 02:12 with a prophetic and all inspiring song 02:15 entitled "Glorious Church" 02:17 from 3ABN's Give Him Glory musical project 02:21 with Pastor Wintley Phipps 02:22 as a lead singer during the song and narration prelude. 02:28 "After these things 02:29 I saw another angel coming down from heaven, 02:33 having great authority, 02:35 and the earth was illuminated 02:37 with his glory. 02:38 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, 02:42 'Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, 02:45 and has become a dwelling place of demons, 02:49 a prison for every foul spirit, 02:52 and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! 02:57 For all the nations have drunk 02:59 of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, 03:02 the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, 03:06 and the merchants of the earth have become rich 03:10 through the abundance of her luxury.'" 03:14 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, 03:17 'Come out of her, my people, 03:19 that ye be not partakers of her sins, 03:22 and that ye receive not of her plagues." 03:30 The shining jewel of the ancient world 03:36 Babylon worshipped gods of stone 03:42 Power and pride were evil twins 03:48 That ruled her heart 03:51 And throne 03:57 She was likened to a harlot 04:03 Fornication was in the wine 04:09 That filled the cup 04:12 From which she drank 04:15 Sins of every kind 04:35 The golden head of Daniel's vision 04:42 Would topple, given time 04:48 As would nations, kings and merchants 04:53 Intoxicated by her wine 05:03 The prophets tried to warn her 05:09 Heed the writing on the wall 05:14 Turn from her wicked ways before the day 05:21 The wrath of God would fall 05:30 Oppressor of God's people 05:36 Babylon, so powerful and strong 05:42 She thought she was invincible 05:48 But God would prove her wrong 06:06 An angel filled with glory 06:12 Shall descend 06:13 With a shout proclaim 06:18 "Babylon, the Great is fallen" 06:24 She will die in sin and shame 06:33 Another voice from heaven 06:39 Will be heard across the earth 06:44 To give a warning loud and clear 06:49 To those who claim to be God's church 07:00 Come out of her 07:03 My people 07:06 Be not partakers of her sin 07:12 For I'm coming back for a glorious church 07:18 Undefiled and pure within 07:24 To him who worships 07:27 Me in spirit and truth 07:30 And is faithful to the end 07:35 I will say, 07:38 "Well done! 07:40 A crown of life you've won" 07:47 "Come sit and reign 07:50 With Me 07:52 Throughout eternity" 07:58 Thus saith the Lord 08:06 To him who worships me 08:11 In spirit and truth 08:13 And is faithful to the end 08:18 I will say 08:21 "Well done 08:24 A crown of life you've won" 08:30 "Come sit and reign 08:33 With Me 08:36 throughout eternity" 08:42 Thus saith the Lord 08:53 For Thine is the kingdom 08:59 And the power 09:02 And the glory forever 09:14 God's glorious church 09:24 Amen, Amen 09:38 Thanks for joining us 09:39 once again here at Behold the Lamb. 09:41 Oh, I tell you it's a thrill to be able to come 09:43 into your home or wherever you might be 09:45 and we can study the Word of God together. 09:47 Today is a wonderful subject 'cause you've already heard, 09:50 we're talking about old nature 09:51 and we're talking about new nature. 09:53 And so what does all that mean? 09:54 Well, we're gonna find out here in just a few moments. 09:56 But, you know, I just appreciate so much 09:58 that song that was sung God's Glorious Church 10:01 by Pastor Wintley Phipps. 10:02 I mean, I don't think anybody can do it like him. 10:04 So I'm just giving God praise for that 10:06 'cause certainly it's a blessing. 10:08 But always, before we go into the Word of God, 10:10 again, we always thank you, 10:11 we invite you to get a pencil and pen and so on, 10:13 jot down some things as we move along. 10:16 But we always pray again. 10:17 So we're gonna invite you to pray with us right now. 10:19 Would you do that? 10:21 Father in heaven, thank You for Your love, Your mercy, 10:23 Your long suffering with us. 10:25 Now we ask You to pour Your Spirit out upon us. 10:27 May our hearts and minds be open to receive 10:29 that which You have for us today. 10:31 We commit ourselves into that care and keeping, 10:33 ask You to cover us with Your blood 10:35 in Jesus name we pray, 10:36 Amen. 10:39 Again, the subject is that we're talking about 10:41 the old and the new nature, 10:42 you know, what are we born with 10:44 and when did the change take place 10:46 or does the change take place. 10:48 And I wanna give you just a passage, 10:50 we're gonna build on this as we go 10:52 because we need to prove, first of all, 10:54 how we're born in this world 10:55 with what kind of nature that we have 10:57 and then the transition that goes for the new man 11:00 or the new woman in Jesus Christ. 11:02 And remember, there must be a change. 11:05 In John 3:3, 11:07 the Bible tells us there, it says, 11:08 "Except a man be born," born, what? 11:11 "Born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." 11:16 To me, that just lays it out pretty quickly for us 11:18 and very plain 11:20 that unless a person is born again, 11:22 and we're not gonna play the game of, 11:24 "Well, I don't know we can be born..." 11:25 We're talking spiritually, for sure, aren't we? 11:27 We need to be born again in the blood of Jesus Christ, 11:31 old and new nature. 11:32 I found the Gallup poll 11:34 I thought I'm gonna share with you on this 11:35 quickly as I can 11:36 because I think it's of interest 11:38 when we were talking about being born again, 11:39 and we're talking about the new birth. 11:41 And it's very interesting this Gallup poll said that 11:44 people who were polled... 11:45 Over 1,000 people 11:47 that were asked this question about, 11:49 "Have you been born again?" 11:50 What would you say? 11:52 Somebody came up to you and said, 11:53 "Have you been born again?" 11:55 What would your answer be? 11:56 Well, 42% said, "Oh, yeah, we're born again. 11:59 Yeah, we've been born again." 12:00 And the percentage between men and women being born again, 12:03 we're about the same. 12:05 In the south... 12:06 Here in North America, talking about the south, 12:09 the southern said, "Well, you know, 12:10 they're carrying about a 58%," 12:13 mainly because a lot of the evangelicals 12:15 and so on, they say, when you ask them, 12:17 "Have you've been born again?" 12:18 "Oh, yeah," they're gonna say, yes, they are. 12:19 Praise God. 12:21 But on the east coast, it goes way down to 26%, 12:24 on the west coast, it goes to 27%. 12:27 And then, of course, the mid say... 12:28 We call it the mid west here around 40%. 12:32 So born again, you know, think about it here in America. 12:36 What does it really mean to be born again? 12:38 Is it necessary that we're born again? 12:40 Here's the... 12:41 And the poll went on to ask this question here 12:43 and they came up with some answers. 12:44 It's very interesting. 12:46 Higher, notice this, born again, 12:49 highest in America are those who have, what? 12:52 No college. 12:53 Very interesting. 12:56 Those who say we're born again, they haven't been to college. 12:59 That don't mean things wrong with college, 13:00 it just means food for thought. 13:02 As the income goes up, 13:04 we find out to be born again. 13:07 Oh my, born again goes down. 13:09 I'll give you example, if you make $30,000 a year, 13:13 it's about 47% of those will say, 13:15 "Oh, yeah, I've had a change, 13:17 I'm born again." 13:18 If you make $75,000 13:21 or more a year, that goes down to 33%. 13:25 So I think today we're going to be focused on repentance, 13:27 we're gonna be focusing on spiritual rebirth. 13:31 Notice this, another question 13:32 I thought was very, very interesting 13:34 when we look at this about the belief. 13:37 A lot of people will ask a question, you know, 13:39 "Do you really believe the Bible 13:40 is really the Word of God? 13:43 Do you really believe the Bible is actually the Word of God?" 13:45 And how sad to say that only all of those that were polled, 13:48 only 38% said they really believe 13:51 that God's Word is really from Him 13:53 and it's really truth. 13:55 And then when you begin to question these individuals, 13:58 you know, for doctrine or an issue, 14:00 you ask a certain individual a question 14:02 that went down to being born again, 14:04 it went down to 22%. 14:06 Ain't that sad? 14:07 Boy, I'm telling you, by the grace of God, 14:09 that needs to change. 14:10 And we're gonna pray for change today. 14:11 In studying this lesson, 14:13 I think I found out and maybe you will find out 14:14 as we go along that, 14:16 you know, God doesn't need us. 14:18 We need Him. 14:20 We really need God. 14:23 Take a quick look, if you will, because we're going back, 14:25 we're gonna look back at Jesus Christ. 14:27 Now this is our example, isn't it? 14:29 We're looking back at Jesus and Jesus who led a what, 14:32 a sinless life. But notice, 14:35 He was born with the same nature 14:37 as we are born with. 14:39 Wow, very interesting, but yet He is without sin. 14:43 Wonder what happened to us? 14:44 Notice that with things Jesus 14:46 and why sometimes when you try to live 14:48 the good life in Jesus Christ, 14:51 a lot of people don't accept you. 14:54 You know, when Jesus walked around 14:55 the community many times, 14:56 people shunned him. 14:58 People didn't want to be around Him. 14:59 They didn't like what He stood for 15:01 because it brought condemnation to them. 15:03 Just being in His presence was like, "Oh, no." 15:05 It reminded them that they needed a change 15:08 from the old to the new. 15:10 Even his family didn't understand Him. 15:13 And they constantly tried to get Jesus 15:15 to do the wrong things. 15:17 That'd be quite a bit of pressure, I think, 15:19 don't you? 15:20 Hebrews 1:9, 15:22 just jot it down quickly, it says, 15:23 "Thou hast loved," because Jesus does, what? 15:25 He hated only one thing on this earth, 15:27 and that's sin. 15:29 Only one thing, it's sin. 15:30 Hebrews 1:9 says, 15:31 "Thou hast loved knows righteousness 15:33 and hated iniquity." 15:35 He does what? 15:37 He loves righteousness, hated iniquity. 15:39 Proverbs 8:13, 15:41 the Bible says, "The fear of the Lord is to hate evil." 15:45 So we come to a point in our life 15:46 somehow long after we're born, 15:48 we're gonna have to have a change somewhere, 15:50 you know, that takes place in our life 15:51 if we want heaven to be our home. 15:54 You know, I would say why did people... 15:56 Why do people not want to be around Jesus? 15:59 Number one, because He condemned sin, 16:01 He condemned evil, 16:04 He was opposed inside His home, 16:07 He was opposed outside of His home 16:09 and even in the church. 16:11 So that just gives us example 16:13 so that we can look at and say, 16:15 "Okay, this is what happened to Jesus, 16:16 but He was living the perfect life." 16:18 Jesus never consented, remember, 16:20 one wrong act, not one. 16:23 In fact, if He did, 16:25 He would have failed of being our perfect example. 16:29 You know, and it would fail in the plan of salvation, 16:32 you know? 16:33 But notice this, this gets down to the nitty-gritty, 16:35 you might say, but even if Jesus had admitted, 16:38 had even admitted, there was an excuse for sin. 16:42 Think about it, 16:44 the plan of salvation would not have been fulfilled 16:46 and so the world would have been lost. 16:50 Every temptation Christ had, He always had an answer for. 16:54 What was it? You remember? 16:55 It is good, it is written, Matthew 4:7. 16:59 And I'm good, I'm thankful for this passage 17:01 is found in the Book of Luke 19:10. 17:04 It said He came to seek and save that which was lost. 17:07 And so, you know, 17:08 we need to think about this heavy-duty today 17:10 just like Adam and Eve, we go back, 17:12 we think about Adam and Eve. 17:14 As long as Adam and Eve were living... 17:17 God created them, they were sinless. 17:20 And then, of course, they went about their business 17:22 there for a while, 17:23 but all of a sudden temptation came, 17:25 but as long as they lived and they obeyed Jesus Christ, 17:28 all was well. 17:29 Think about that. 17:31 The devil could not harm them. 17:32 The devil could not get to them 17:34 as long as they were obedient to God. 17:37 But once, notice this... 17:38 Once they yielded to the enemy, 17:41 their natures changed, 17:42 just talking about the old and the new nature. 17:44 Once we yield to knowingly to what? 17:48 Temptation or to sin, 17:50 our natures change right then right there. 17:52 That's pretty heavy-duty. 17:54 We've changed leaders under Jesus 17:56 certainly to the enemy. 17:59 What happens? 18:00 Why did the enemy want them to change leaders? 18:02 Because now under Satan, they have no power as it were, 18:06 they have no want to... 18:08 They have no disposition 18:10 to even want to resist the Satan. 18:13 Ain't that interesting? 18:15 When the Holy Spirit living inside, 18:17 right when Holy Spirit speaking, 18:18 it helps us sometime when temptation comes, 18:21 we hear that still small voice to help us 18:23 make the right choice and decision. 18:25 Let's quickly go back and look 18:27 'cause it's important to establish these points 18:29 about our nature and really hit them hard 18:31 and put them together well 18:32 so that we can see how we are born 18:34 and what kind of a change it has to take place 18:37 in order for heaven to be our home. 18:39 In the beginning, I think at least of Christians, 18:42 we say most Christians today, 18:44 we believe that God created man, 18:46 and we believe that He created him, what, 18:48 in His own image. 18:49 Genesis 1:27. 18:52 Now this tells us how man came into existence. 18:55 And I've often said there's no reason for us 18:58 to air on this. 18:59 There's no reason for us to worry about saying, 19:01 "Well, I'm not sure how man got here." 19:04 We're not gonna be like many people of the world, 19:06 you know, today. 19:08 They begin to think well... 19:10 We got here because there was a Big Bang Theory, 19:13 something happened. 19:15 We got here because... 19:16 We came from, you know, 19:17 we were created in the image of animals 19:20 or whatever it might be or slime pit, 19:22 they come up with all kinds of things 19:23 rather than going back to the Word of God 19:25 and say we were created in the image of God. 19:28 Bible said He created male and, what, male and female, 19:32 and He did not create any other kind of a third party 19:34 if you know what I'm talking about. 19:36 The in between, there's no such thing. 19:38 God said male and female. 19:41 Man was to bear... 19:43 This is important. 19:45 Man was to bear God's image and resemble His character. 19:50 So what was Adam and Eve's nature to begin with? 19:52 Well, it was pure, it was sinless. 19:54 His mind was like the mind of God, 19:57 who had no sin, it was like the angels of heaven. 19:59 And he could comprehend... 20:01 This is interesting. 20:02 He could comprehend divine things. 20:05 See, that's what we need to be doing today. 20:06 We need to have what? 20:07 The mind of Christ 20:09 so that we might comprehend divine things. 20:11 He was obedient, perfect, perfect. 20:13 Adam and Eve were perfect before sin to the will of God. 20:16 Whatever God... 20:17 That's what they were willing to do. 20:19 But here's what we're now, seeing a change, 20:21 a change took place as soon as Eve believed 20:24 the words of the enemy. 20:26 That same thing will happen to us today. 20:28 Let's be careful with this. 20:30 We know. 20:31 We heard it said before, what, just believe... 20:34 I've heard it over and over in my experience. 20:37 Just believe it's gonna be okay. 20:39 That's enough. 20:40 We have to say here that Eve really believed it, 20:43 Eve really believed what the enemy said 20:46 or she would not have done what she did. 20:48 Does that make sense? 20:49 He really got her, he hoodwinked her, 20:52 and he took her, and she said, "Oh, yeah. 20:54 Oh, boy, we are missing out on something here." 20:58 But because she listened to the enemy, this led to the, 21:00 what? 21:02 To the fall. 21:03 Not only of her and her husband and so the whole world. 21:06 Kind of interesting, isn't it? 21:08 But remember, she really believed 21:09 what she was doing. 21:11 People say, "Well, all I have to do is just believe." 21:12 Think about this. 21:14 She really believed it. 21:15 But you notice what... 21:17 It didn't save her from the penalty of sin, 21:20 it did not or disobeying God, it did not save her from that. 21:24 So now we look at she believed, notice, God first 21:28 and then she disbelieved God, 21:30 and she began to believe the enemy, 21:32 and the nature then began to change. 21:35 Notice Desire of Ages 55 says this, 21:37 "In the judgment men will not be condemned 21:40 because they have conscientiously 21:42 believed the lie, 21:45 but because they did not believe," what? 21:47 The truth. 21:48 "They did not believe the truth because they neglected 21:52 the opportunity of learning what is truth." 21:56 See this really fits today. 21:58 This is really in society today. 21:59 People really don't know or really want to know 22:01 what truth is. 22:02 I don't think. 22:04 It's hard to find somebody who says, 22:05 "I really wanna know," 22:06 hard to find somebody that says, "You know what, 22:08 I've been praying that God will lead me 22:10 into all truth." 22:12 This is very, very important for us to realize 22:15 that God says that we do not neglect 22:17 an opportunity to study to find out what truth is. 22:21 And so you question yourself... 22:23 "Are we looking? Are we searching? 22:24 Are we praying for truth today?" 22:27 Remember, you must desire to know what truth is. 22:31 If you desire, God's gonna give you 22:33 the desires of your heart. 22:34 You know what, and if you neglect 22:37 to know what truth is, 22:39 it will work to your ruin 22:40 just as well as it will certainly to mind. 22:42 This we can be sure of. 22:44 Anything, anything that we look in the Word 22:46 we're reading that goes against, 22:48 you know, contradicts God's Word, 22:51 we can be sure that the enemy has had a hand in it. 22:55 You find something that contradicts God's Word, 22:57 the enemy's there, he's working. 23:00 Notice how sin works quickly. 23:02 Again, establish this point, 23:03 then we'll try to get on to the other. 23:04 But it's very, very important that we look at this. 23:08 What happened as sin entered in? 23:10 It simply said that Eve listened to the enemy, 23:12 then once she plucked and she ate. 23:15 So what happened? 23:16 Now after she ate, 23:17 she's in transgression of God's law, 23:20 she became an agent of Satan. 23:24 And then she went about... 23:25 Now notice this how it transpires. 23:27 And then she went about, notice this here, 23:29 the ruin of her husband. 23:32 Kind of an interesting thought. 23:34 And I wonder today like Adam and Eve, 23:36 like Adam and Eve today, we try to charge somebody else, 23:40 we try to make excuses. 23:42 "It was, you know, circumstances that did it," 23:44 there's other things, even God, we try to blame God 23:48 with responsibility of our sin and our fall. 23:52 I don't know if you ever tried to do that or not, 23:54 but something happened bad and you try to blame somebody 23:56 or something. 23:57 And finally, you may end up trying to blame God. 24:02 That spirit of self-justification 24:04 is alive today 24:06 just as well as it was with our first parents. 24:09 Eve flattered herself. 24:11 What does she do? She flattered herself. 24:12 She listened to the enemy with the hope of entering 24:14 into, what? 24:16 A higher position or higher sphere 24:19 than God had originally given her. 24:24 So if we wanna go back, we go back to the beginning 24:26 of the way God set it up would be the right way, 24:28 wouldn't it? 24:29 I don't think we can have any complaints with that. 24:31 But if we try to rise above that 24:33 which God has ordained for us, 24:34 sometimes we get ourselves into trouble. 24:37 So in attempting to rise above her original position, 24:41 she what? 24:42 She fell far below it. 24:45 So we need to be praying always that God would help us 24:47 to fulfill what he has in mind for us, 24:50 what somebody else is doing, what somebody else is saying, 24:52 where somebody else is going, all this right here. 24:55 That's all may be fine and good. 24:56 But what is God require of you? 24:59 This is what is important. You must play your part. 25:02 And that means that if some may be preaching, 25:03 some maybe teaching, some doing school, 25:05 some doing... 25:06 Maybe done a lot of things in construction 25:08 and working that may be exactly 25:10 what God wants you to do to keep the gospel 25:11 going to all the world. 25:13 Just make sure you're where God wants you to be. 25:16 I think we figured out that sin in any degree 25:20 is offensive to God. 25:22 It's that simple. In any degree. 25:24 And as I often say, it's not... 25:25 Well, I just told a little... 25:27 How many times you heard this? 25:28 I just told a little white lie. 25:30 Well, I just exaggerated a little bit, you know, I... 25:34 That's all a lie, isn't it? 25:36 That's a deception. 25:38 And Jesus warns us over and over about being deceived 25:40 and deceiving other people. 25:42 Sin in any degree is offensive to God. 25:46 Now remember, man is born with an old nature, 25:49 that means a sinful nature. 25:52 So again, fallen nature. 25:54 What does that mean? 25:56 He is incapable of obeying God's laws. 26:00 Do I leave it there? 26:02 Oh, no, we can't leave it there. 26:03 But because of the way that we are born, 26:05 without outside help, there's no way 26:07 that we can make any changes. 26:09 We need help. 26:11 That's why... 26:12 We read in John 3:3, absolutely, 26:15 right that we have to make sure that we commit ourselves 26:18 to Jesus Christ. 26:19 If we don't, we won't make it to the kingdom, 26:21 will we, at all? 26:22 Now notice, unless we're born again, 26:25 we'll not see the kingdom of God. 26:27 Fellas, here's how we're born, you're jotting down, 26:29 in Psalms 51, if you haven't read it lately, 26:32 Psalms 51:5. 26:33 Here's what the Bible says. 26:36 After sin came in, remember, after sin came in, 26:39 this is how we're born. 26:40 It says, "Behold, I was shapen," in what? 26:43 "In iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me." 26:47 Very interesting. Notice that. 26:49 What does David reveal? 26:50 What is David telling us? 26:52 He's telling us something here 26:53 that we need to read here today. 26:56 He recognizes that children inherit natures, 27:00 notice, with the tendencies to do evil. 27:03 So when our children... We wonder why. 27:05 Boy, I'll tell you, that we got to make 27:06 a lot of correcting to do, we got a lot of changes to do. 27:08 They're born with that tendency, 27:11 those natures to do those evil things. 27:14 And of course, here is David I think was writing, 27:17 he was not trying to make an excuse for sins 27:19 like we were born that way, so that's the way things go. 27:21 No, he's saying there must be a change 27:23 that means we need more of, what, grace and mercy from God. 27:27 So Psalms 58:3 tells us this, and it really gets in 27:31 and makes it, in this case, a little cloudy here. 27:33 Notice this one, Psalms 58:3. 27:36 It says, "The wicked," notice, "are estranged from the womb, 27:40 they go astray as soon as they are born, 27:43 speaking lies." 27:46 Oh, wow, did you notice that? 27:48 And that's why we see it sometimes in our children 27:51 or grandchildren when they're very small 27:52 and they're doing something 27:54 they know they're not supposed to do. 27:55 You know, they may not come of age 27:57 where they can make that change. 27:58 We're talking about from the old to the new. 28:00 But they realize, they recognize 28:01 they've been taught by mom and dad right and wrong. 28:03 And when they do things wrong, they wanna go hide. 28:05 Ain't that interesting? 28:07 Our first parents did something wrong 28:08 and they did what? 28:10 They went hid. Oh, absolutely. 28:11 Patriarchs and Prophets, page 61 says this, 28:16 it's talking about Adam and Eve here. 28:17 "Their natures had become depraved." 28:21 You know what depraved is? 28:23 We're talking about one sin. 28:24 Did you get it? 28:25 One act of disobedient, they were perfect for no time. 28:29 How long? 28:31 And they did one thing, 28:33 you see, and their natures changed. 28:35 That means they were... 28:36 That means morally bad. 28:39 That means corrupt, bad. 28:42 Wow. 28:43 By just one disobedient act, by disobeying God. 28:49 It says here, 28:50 "They had lessened their strength to resist evil 28:53 and had opened the way," 28:54 notice this, "for Satan to gain more readily access to them. 29:00 Their innocence they had yielded to temptation." 29:03 So started with, what, innocent, 29:05 and then they yielded to temptation. 29:07 Now notice this people say, "Well, just one sin 29:09 not gonna keep me out of heaven." 29:11 Don't fool yourself. 29:12 We don't want to be fooled here because we realize 29:14 what sin can do. 29:16 Adam and Eve sinned against God, 29:17 they were disobedient, 29:19 and they were cast out of their Eden home, 29:20 were they not? 29:21 We realize that Satan rebelled against God, right? 29:23 He was cast out of heaven. 29:26 Lot of examples in the Bible to say here, 29:28 God means what He says. 29:30 And so here He says, 29:32 you're gonna have to have a new nature, 29:33 you're gonna have to have a change because you see here 29:34 how we're born with the tendencies 29:36 to do the wrong thing. 29:37 That's why it's easier. 29:39 It seems like sometimes in the world, 29:40 before you have that change, 29:41 it's just easy to go on down the wrong road. 29:44 Just go ahead down the road, just do whatever you want, 29:46 however you feel like 29:48 because there's really no conscience there, 29:49 you just kind of do. 29:51 God's saying there needs to be a change 29:52 that takes place. 29:53 Why? 29:55 Because what happens when we continue 29:56 to maintain sin, 29:58 the doing the wrong things in our life? 30:00 We all know what sin does. 30:02 But you might be somebody who's never read 30:03 the Word of God. 30:05 Today, we're glad you're listening. 30:06 We're going to read this passage just for you, 30:08 Isaiah 59:2, the Bible said, 30:10 "But your iniquities or your sins have separated 30:14 between you and your God." 30:16 So even though we have heard it 30:17 many, many times, and sometimes we've grown, 30:20 you know, dull of hearing, and it's like, 30:22 "Well, we can do these little things 30:23 and God's going to make an exception." 30:25 I'm telling you that God makes no exceptions. 30:27 Much as He loves you, much as He had liked to, 30:29 He cannot do because He's just, He's merciful, He's good, 30:32 He does things right, does He not? 30:34 His judgments are right, what the Bible says. 30:36 Steps to Christ, page 17, 30:39 love this little book, Steps to Christ. 30:41 Book about, you know, about Jesus Christ 30:43 that leads you to Him. 30:45 And again, this is speaking of Adam and Eve, it said here, 30:47 and, of course, I'm going to put us, 30:49 I think this means us too. 30:51 It says, "After sin," notice this, 30:53 "After sin came in, he," Adam and Eve, 30:56 "Could no longer find joy in holiness." 31:01 After sin came in, did somebody get that? 31:03 After sin comes in or we're practicing 31:06 as it were maybe sin, 31:09 living in sin, 31:11 we can't find any joy in holiness anymore 31:15 because our nature has changed. 31:17 We've went from holiness and to what? 31:20 Unholy. 31:22 From Christ to the enemy. 31:24 Also, there must be a change in order to be saved 31:27 in God's kingdom, we've got to have the... 31:29 We must be born again here. 31:31 Notice, man separated from God 31:33 cannot resist temptations from the enemy. 31:37 Remember, anybody, anybody, out there, 31:39 if you're separated from God, 31:40 you may think yourself pretty good and holy, 31:43 and you're all doing the right thing, 31:44 you're not in church, 31:46 you know you're not doing the right thing. 31:47 You cannot resist the enemy in your own strength. 31:50 Why? 31:52 Because you yielded your life to Him. 31:54 Now you're the servant of the devil. 31:57 The devil is looking over your shoulder. 31:58 He's trying to take care of you, 32:00 doing things, you know, 32:01 lead you and do things that are wrong. 32:03 So when you get to Job 14:4 makes this statement here. 32:08 'Cause but once we become unclean, 32:10 once we make the wrong choice, 32:11 once we choose to live as it were in sin, 32:14 notice this, Job brings this out, 32:16 "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?" 32:20 And the answer comes back, "Not one." 32:22 So none of us within ourselves once we change leaders, 32:25 we cannot bring ourselves back. 32:28 From righteousness, we go into unholy, 32:30 and we're living unholy. 32:31 We can't change that position unless there's help. 32:34 And we need some help. 32:35 We need grace. We need mercy. 32:37 We need the Spirit of the living God to come in. 32:39 How does that happen? 32:40 How does that take place in our life? 32:43 Review and Herald article 1025 and 1892, 32:47 this was written. 32:48 Review and Herald 1025, 1892, this says... 32:51 I need to move quickly. 32:52 "You cannot bring up your children," notice this, 32:55 "As you should without divine help." 32:58 Think of the millions in the world today 33:00 that's bringing up their children 33:01 that never take them to church. 33:03 They're not praying, they're not being great, 33:04 and you're saying grace over their food, 33:06 this little simple prayers before they go to bed at night. 33:08 They're not taking them to church, 33:09 they might send one or two the church, 33:11 but they're not taking them there. 33:12 You cannot bring up your children as you should 33:16 without divine help. 33:18 And it's a real struggle. 33:20 Can I say that it's a real struggle 33:22 with divine help? 33:23 Because we're fighting against it. 33:24 It's not God's fault. 33:26 He's all powerful, He's all good, 33:27 it's us because we want to do things. 33:30 We have those tendencies, 33:32 you see, to do the wrong thing. 33:33 And that's why mom and dad has to encourage us 33:35 to do the right thing and sometimes help us 33:37 to do the right thing 33:38 if you know what I'm talking about. 33:41 Notice this. 33:42 Bring up the children you should without divine help 33:44 for the, notice this, for the fallen 33:46 or the old nature of Adam 33:48 is always striving for the mastery. 33:51 As long as we're in this world, 33:52 the enemy's going to be fighting, isn't he? 33:54 In case you missed it, let's do it again quickly. 33:56 In case you missed it about the old nature, 33:58 sinful nature of man, that we have, what, 34:01 inherited from birth, meaning we're born, what, 34:04 with the tendencies to do the wrong things. 34:08 We must somehow in our lives, 34:11 and we're going to look at this, 34:12 change from that old to the new. 34:16 Now remember, the old brings death, 34:20 the new gives life. 34:22 Ain't that wonderful? Romans 6:6 says, 34:23 "Knowing this, that our old man is," what? 34:26 "Our old man is crucified." 34:28 This is where something needs to take place. 34:29 The old man, 34:30 the old nature has got to be crucified somewhere. 34:32 If he's really crucified, if he's really dead, 34:35 he no longer will have eyes on himself 34:37 but eyes upon Jesus Christ. 34:39 certainly would fit here. 34:44 "He that is dead," notice this, "Is free from," what? 34:48 "From sin." 34:49 He that is dead... If we're really... 34:51 We're talking spiritually or spiritually dead. 34:53 From sin, if we really give our life to Christ, 34:55 we're free from sin. 34:56 We should be living that life by the grace of God. 34:58 Romans 5:12, 19 says this. 35:01 Notice, "Wherefore as long as by one man sin 35:04 entered into the world, and death by sin." 35:07 This is how it all came about. 35:08 We want to put it together now. 35:10 Remember what happened? 35:11 "As by one man sin," Adam and Eve's sin, 35:14 "Entered the world, death by sin, 35:16 and so death passed upon," 35:17 how many? 35:19 All good, "All man, for that all," the Bible said, 35:22 Have what? Have sinned. 35:24 For by... 35:25 Listen, for by one man's disobedience, 35:28 many were made sinners. 35:30 This clarifies what we've been talking about here. 35:33 So now we're all sinners. 35:35 That's what the Bible says. 35:36 Paul even said, you know, 35:38 I think of Paul as a great man of God, 35:40 and I know it's only because Jesus lived in his heart, 35:42 but still yet, man, what he represented 35:44 to the world was awesome. 35:46 The way he would speak, 35:47 and how he would work with people, 35:48 and how he would just endure and nothing bothered him, 35:51 he just stayed in there. 35:52 You know what Paul said? 35:54 Romans 7:19. 35:56 He said, "The good that I would I do not." 36:00 He's letting us know, 36:01 this is before his conversion, the words, 36:02 "I wanted to do good, but I just couldn't do it." 36:05 But after he met Jesus, his word were changed. 36:08 The things he once hated, he now loves. 36:11 There's a change. 36:12 Child Guidance page 475 says this. 36:16 It says, "The inheritance of children is that of sin." 36:20 I mean, this really gets down with almost... 36:21 I don't want to depress anybody here, 36:23 but I want you to listen now. 36:25 "The inheritance of children is that of sin. 36:28 Sin has separated them from God as related in the..." 36:31 Notice, "The first Adam, men receive from him 36:35 nothing but guilt and the," what? 36:38 "And the sentence of death." 36:41 So something has to take place. 36:42 Romans 3:10 says, "There is none righteous, 36:45 no, not one." 36:47 Education page 29 says this, 36:49 "The result of eating of the tree of knowledge 36:52 of good and evil is manifest." 36:54 Notice this, you say, "Well, I wasn't there. 36:56 I didn't do it." 36:57 "But it's manifest in every man's experience." 37:00 Every man has experienced that in his what? 37:03 "His nature," the old nature, "Is bent to do evil, 37:08 a force which is unaided." 37:10 Notice this, "He cannot resist." 37:13 See, it's really... We're making a habit here. 37:14 We want to make sure we understand this. 37:16 Isaiah 64:6 says this, "But we are all as," what? 37:21 "An unclean thing. 37:23 All our righteousness is as good as filthy rags." 37:28 Here's the way of the old nature, 37:30 and I'm going to move along quickly. 37:31 Notice this, this is the ways of the old nature 37:33 before we get into the ways of the new nature 37:36 when Jesus comes into the heart, and life, 37:38 and how He does that? 37:39 Galatians 5:19-21, I'll move as quickly as I can. 37:43 Notice, needs to be changed, 37:44 you know, it's by the grace of God. 37:46 It says, "Now the works of the flesh..." 37:49 Now what's the works of the flesh? 37:50 Those things are not held in check by the grace of God. 37:55 And that kind of three things... 37:56 A lot of them but three main ones 37:58 are our passions, and our feelings, 38:00 and our desires. 38:02 They've got to be held in check by the grace of God. 38:05 We can't do it. 38:06 We're emotional people, I'm telling you. 38:07 Sometimes, you know, we get right on, 38:09 we're passionate people about things sometimes. 38:12 We have desires of certain things. 38:13 We have to be careful that they're under the control 38:16 of the Holy Spirit at all times. 38:19 And he goes in, he says right here, 38:20 he's talking about those 38:21 that will not enter the kingdom of God... 38:23 Notice this, he says adultery, fornication, immorality, 38:27 uncleanliness is impurity, 38:29 he says lasciviousness, that's what? 38:31 Unbridled lust. Notice that. 38:33 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, that's hostility. 38:39 Emulations, envy, anybody envious of anybody else? 38:43 Somebody's jealous of somebody else? 38:44 Watch it, wrath, and strife, and sedition 38:48 that meant dissensions, and heresies, 38:50 factions in the church. 38:52 Think about all of these things. 38:54 It goes on and the revelings, you know, that means carousing. 38:59 "They that do these things shall not inherit 39:02 the kingdom of God." 39:03 We need to check that list and check it twice to say, 39:05 "Man, there's something in there 39:06 that we need to make a change that God wants to help us on 39:09 'cause it says we're not going to enter the kingdom of God." 39:12 So in the midst of a fallen wicked world, 39:14 which I know we understand that today, 39:17 you know, we are still to represent Christ 39:19 and the character of Christ. 39:21 The nations of the world have gone, they've gone mad. 39:25 They no longer know right and wrong. 39:27 They're following corrupt practices. 39:30 They've lost the knowledge of God. 39:32 We no longer have the protection. 39:34 I believe that God wants to give the each of us 39:36 as Christians because man is throwing God 39:38 out of everything he possibly can. 39:41 We need to realize that the principles of God's Word, 39:46 the world has thrown those things out too. 39:48 They're no longer worried about truth, 39:50 no longer worried about justice, 39:51 no longer worried about purity, 39:53 gaining victory over sin in our life. 39:55 We don't even want to teach that in the church. 39:58 We've lost God's protection. 39:59 We're in trouble. 40:01 We need to be praying in church. 40:02 Galatians 5:6 says this. 40:04 Let's put that new man on. Let's spend time. 40:05 The new man needs to be put on. 40:07 Now notice this in Galatians 5:16, 40:09 the Bible says, 40:11 "This I say then, 40:12 'Walk in the Spirit 40:14 and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.'" 40:18 There's something about this now walking in what? 40:20 Walking in the Spirit, 40:21 walking with the Holy Spirit in the heart and in the mind 40:24 that will help us not to walk after 40:26 the flesh or the wrong things. 40:28 So let's put some value on the influence, shall we, 40:31 of the Holy Spirit here today? 40:33 This is the life of Christ in the soul. 40:37 This is heavy duty. 40:38 This is powerful when you think 40:39 about the influence of Christ in the soul. 40:42 And since we've all sinned, 40:44 since we've all come short of righteousness, 40:47 we are under the death penalty again. 40:49 Old nature must go, and we're by the grace of God, 40:52 right, a change must take place. 40:55 "Oh, God, I want that changes." 40:56 Oh, moms and dads, look at your children, 40:58 look at your children. 40:59 They're five, six, seven, eight-year-olds. 41:00 Those natures have to change. 41:02 Some point in their life, 41:04 they must give their life to Jesus. 41:05 Did you give it? 41:07 They must give their life to Jesus, 41:08 leave their old nature until they find Jesus. 41:10 Help them to do it. 41:12 Take them to church, 41:13 study with them, pray with them. 41:16 The only way to God is through Jesus Christ. 41:19 I think most of us understand that 41:21 'cause as He says that in John 14:6, 41:24 Jesus says, "I am the way, and I'm the truth, and," what? 41:27 "And I'm the life." 41:28 He said, "No man cometh to the Father but by Me." 41:32 That makes it pretty clear, no one. 41:34 We don't have to have a priest to get to Him, 41:35 we don't have to go through marriage, 41:37 we don't have to go through all this business. 41:38 We don't have to go through some pastor. 41:40 So I hope somebody's getting 41:41 what I'm talking about because there's... 41:42 We can go directly to the throne room of God. 41:44 Why? 41:45 Because of Jesus Christ, 41:47 He takes our petitions to the Father. 41:48 Praise God. 41:50 How wonderful that is. 41:51 How can a man make things right with God? 41:53 How can he? 41:55 How can we come to Christ? 41:56 After we had the sinful nature, 41:57 we're born with this fallen nature, 41:59 and now there's change must take place. 42:00 And we may be been in this situation for years, 42:02 and now seems like that we just can't get out of it. 42:05 You remember the time of Pentecost. 42:06 Oh, good things happen. 42:08 Many were convicted of sin. 42:09 Today, there's many out there in the world, 42:11 they're convicted of sin. 42:12 They're walking down the streets, 42:13 they're convicted of sin. 42:15 They don't understand why it's coming in their mind. 42:16 Holy Spirit's working on them right now. 42:18 Conviction of sin. 42:19 And simply what did they do, Pentecost, and do it today? 42:22 And said, "What should we do to be saved? 42:24 What should we do? 42:25 What do I do to be saved?" 42:27 Peter replied, it wasn't he had to hesitate. 42:28 He just... 42:30 Immediately there in Acts 2:38. 42:32 He said, "Repent, repent." 42:35 That's how you get to God. 42:36 And then he went on later and Acts 3:19. 42:39 He said, "Repent and be converted 42:42 that your sins may be," what? 42:43 "Be blotted out." 42:45 We talked about that in the times of refreshing. 42:46 Repent, and then notice this, and be converted. 42:49 Repentance includes sorrowful sin. 42:52 So not, "Oh, Lord, I'm sorry for sinning," 42:54 and get right back up and go do the same thing again. 42:56 "Oh, Lord, I'm sorry about that." 42:57 Get up and go do the same thing again. 42:58 That means that... 43:00 When you're sorry, 43:01 you don't want to get involved in that again, 43:02 you don't desire that anymore. 43:04 You don't want that anymore. 43:05 Not only it'll hurt you, it's hurt family members, 43:08 it's hurt the cause of Christ. 43:09 And so we need to come back to him. 43:12 Notice, Daniel... 43:15 Prayer of David. 43:16 After he sinned, we looked at that, 43:17 and we know that and you study that probably, 43:19 you know, well and you understand it, 43:20 but the nature... 43:22 This is the nature of true repentance 43:23 and true sorrow for sin, 43:25 which he had that we need today. 43:28 You know, it wasn't just prayer for, 43:30 "Lord, forgive me," and go on. 43:32 He went ahead, prayed, and said, 43:33 "I want a clean heart. 43:34 I want to clean mind. 43:36 I want to be new. 43:37 I want to be pure in heart and mind." 43:39 We should be praying that today if we're wanting to change, 43:41 if we're tired of the old life, we want to change. 43:44 Changing of the old man, the old nature to the new. 43:48 You may try to resist. 43:49 The spirits work on you. 43:51 You may try to resist the Spirit of God, 43:52 but I can guarantee you this, 43:53 if you do not resist the Spirit of the Living God, 43:56 I'm telling you, 43:58 He will come in and He'll sup with you. 43:59 He's going to be... 44:00 Just don't resist Him, 44:02 give Him the opportunity to come in. 44:03 He wants to come into you. 44:04 Oh, man. 44:06 Yeah. 44:07 If you say, you can say, "Well, Oh, I'm sinful. 44:10 I'm sinful, oh, Jesus won't come in." 44:12 Oh, yes, he will come in. 44:14 You invite Him, He will come in. 44:16 And you know what? 44:18 If you say today, "I'm sinful," 44:20 why not make that change for today? 44:22 Why not make that change? 44:24 Why not change in that old nature 44:26 for that new nature? 44:27 Don't wait. 44:29 Listen, I'm pleading with you today. 44:30 Don't wait for another opportunity. 44:32 Don't wait for a better time. 44:35 Don't wait. 44:36 You say, "Well, things will be better." 44:38 Don't wait till you retire. 44:40 Don't wait till the check comes in. 44:41 You follow what I'm saying? 44:43 Right now is the day of salvation. 44:46 We cannot make this change without Christ. 44:49 There's no way to make it without Christ. 44:51 Don't wait maybe for a stronger invitation. 44:57 Sometimes it has got to be a certain kind of invitation, 44:59 and but don't wait for another invitation. 45:01 Don't wait for a better opportunity. 45:04 There may not be another opportunity for you. 45:06 There may not be another opportunity for me. 45:08 Let's get it settled. 45:10 We come to Christ. 45:12 And I encourage you today, 45:13 come as you are, come as you are. 45:17 Don't reject God's love, don't reject God's mercy, 45:21 don't reject His grace. 45:23 All that He wants to bestow upon you 45:25 to make you that new man, that new woman, 45:27 that new child in Him. 45:29 Aren't you tired of the old mess 45:30 that you've been living? 45:32 And I'll just say this as a little warning too. 45:34 If you think that God is too good 45:36 to deal with sinners, 45:38 just look at Calvary. 45:42 The conditions of obtaining the mercy of God is simple. 45:47 Salvation is simple. 45:48 Let's go over, shall we, with just a few, 45:49 I'm going to go ahead. 45:51 You know, we don't have to... 45:52 People say, "Well, you have to do this 45:54 and you have to do that." 45:55 It's not about works at all. 45:56 It's about the grace and that of Jesus Christ 45:58 and love of Jesus Christ. 45:59 But there are things, 46:01 you see, that God would have us to do 46:03 because when we take a test, you see we're going to take... 46:05 We're going to have to pass that test. 46:07 And so we look at the conditions 46:09 obtaining mercy is just simple. 46:12 The Bible says in Isaiah 55:7, 46:14 I love this, and I'll just simply say, 46:15 when we come to Him, we confess and forsake, 46:19 He will have mercy. 46:21 And then the Bible says there, "He will abundantly pardon." 46:24 He will what? 46:26 He will abundantly pardon is what the Bible said, 46:28 Isaiah 55:7. 46:29 And the Bible said also Psalm 34:18, 46:31 "The Lord is nigh." 46:33 Where is He? "He's nigh. 46:35 He's close to them that are a broken heart." 46:38 Sometimes things that we do breaks our own heart. 46:41 And so our heart is broken. 46:42 No one can fix the heart but Jesus. 46:44 He's the only one. 46:45 Let him come in and do that heart surgery. 46:47 He'll do it right with the least amount of pain. 46:50 Give Him a chance. 46:52 Maybe you've never given Him a chance before. 46:53 Man, why not give Him that chance today? 46:56 Man, you won't even recognize yourself. 47:00 And your friends certainly won't recognize you. 47:02 Ain't that good? What they'll see is Jesus. 47:04 You know, there must be a decided change. 47:06 There's no doubt about that takes place in our life. 47:10 Everything offensive has to go. 47:13 He knows, we know that. 47:14 We need to give those things up. 47:16 The Bible simply says, 47:17 "Cease to do evil and learn to do," what? 47:20 "And learn to do well." In Isaiah 1:16, 17. 47:24 Do what? 47:26 "Cease to do evil," is what God's simply saying. 47:27 "You cease to do it, I'm going to come in. 47:29 I'm going to sup with you. 47:31 You're going to be my child, 47:32 I'm adopting you into the family." 47:35 Once again, by nature, we are alienated from God. 47:39 We're dead in trespasses and sin, 47:41 Ephesians 2:1. 47:44 God wants us to... 47:46 He wants to heal us. 47:47 He wants to touch us today. 47:49 He wants us to make us a new creature in Him. 47:52 A transformation needs to come about. 47:55 The renewing of the whole nature. 47:58 Jesus said this and I love it. 48:00 In Ezekiel 36:26, 48:02 let it just soak in for a moment. 48:04 Let it just soak in. 48:05 He said, 48:08 "A new heart also will I give you, 48:10 and a new spirit will I put within you." 48:14 Did you notice that? 48:16 Talking about getting ready. 48:17 We've had the old spirit, 48:19 spirit of the enemy for too long 48:20 because we've never dedicated ourselves to Christ. 48:23 And He says, "Now if you'll come to me, 48:25 what I'm going to do, 48:26 I'm going to give you a new heart." 48:28 Because your heart is deceitfully wicked, 48:31 you know? 48:32 It's why He's passed, man. 48:33 You just can't comprehend how wicked our hearts is 48:36 when we look and think, "Oh, we're pretty good." 48:39 There's none good, the Bible says. 48:41 "I'll give you a new spirit." 48:44 Notice this, how wonderful. 48:46 "I'll put it inside you." 48:48 Where do we need the Spirit? 48:50 We need it in our hearts and in our mind. 48:51 That's a new covenant, isn't it, 48:53 that God wants to make that covenant with us. 48:56 Let's go with those steps. 48:58 It's real simple, 48:59 you're making that decision for Christ right now. 49:01 You listen to the message after message, 49:03 and you've come to the point that, 49:05 "I need to make a change." 49:06 This is how simple. 49:08 People will do it a little different ways, 49:09 but the Bible is very clear 49:10 the principles of giving your life to Christ. 49:13 Now's the time to do it. 49:16 Now's the day of salvation. 49:18 First of all, we do what? 49:20 Confess our sins and put away sins 49:23 'cause He says, "If we confess our sins," 49:25 refer John 1:9, 49:27 "If we confess our sins, He's," what? 49:28 "Faithful and just to forgive us our sins 49:31 and cleanse us from all..." 49:33 See every time I read that, every time that comes in, 49:35 I hear, then hearing I'm rejoicing. 49:38 I'm rejoicing because He said, "I will cleanse you from all," 49:42 all the dirt, and all the filth, 49:44 all the wrong choices, all the wrong decisions. 49:47 God says, "I'll cover you with My blood 49:49 if you just come to Me." 49:52 Right now, 49:53 you want to trade in that old nature for that new. 49:56 Confess your sins and then putting them away. 50:00 Number two, commit yourself to God. 50:04 It's very, very important to make that commitment. 50:07 Not, "Well, I'll think about it or next week, I'll do it 50:09 or maybe in time I'll be able to do it," 50:11 but commit yourself to God right now. 50:15 No reservations, no holding back, 50:18 no somebody is in my way, 50:20 or I've got this to straighten out, 50:22 you commit yourself to Jesus Christ right now. 50:24 Confess your sins, put them away. 50:26 Don't go back there, 50:28 and then commit yourself to God. 50:29 Number three, ask Him to wash away your sins. 50:34 Ask Him to give you a new heart. 50:36 He said He would. 50:38 He said He would right here, regardless of your life, 50:40 regardless of how pathetic it may be like the rest of us. 50:42 Paul said he was about 50:44 as filthy and dirty as they come, 50:45 and I'm paraphrasing, but you know what I mean. 50:48 You may feel that way, 50:49 but you come as would you wash away my sins. 50:52 All He wants to do with His blood. 50:54 He's the only one that can do it 50:55 in the name of Jesus, Jesus' blood. 50:57 He's the only one who can wash them away. 50:58 And then He's going to get for that old heart 51:00 that was doing the wrong thing, 51:01 He's going to give you a new heart 51:02 which is talking about mind too here. 51:04 He's going to give you a new mind 51:05 to make right choices and right decisions. 51:07 Why do I know this? 51:08 Because the Bible says there in Isaiah 1:18 it says, 51:11 "Though your sins be as scarlet, 51:14 they shall be white as," what? 51:16 "They shall be white as snow." 51:19 Regardless. 51:20 It's a good news, 51:22 regardless of how it's been with you. 51:25 He said regardless. 51:26 Though your sins be scarlet like red, blood wine red. 51:32 He said, "I'll make them white as snow." 51:35 He's going to make you a new creature in Jesus Christ. 51:39 He said He wants to do that. 51:40 All we have to do now is act on His promises, 51:44 act on His Word. 51:46 As we act on these things 51:48 and we make these little commitments 51:49 right here to Him, 51:50 He's going to give us power to gain victory 51:52 over the temptations of the enemy 51:54 that's going to be throwing on us every day. 51:56 We're going to be leading a new life. 51:58 Again, it might be your friends 52:00 who won't even recognize you anymore 52:01 because of such a change that developed. 52:03 And you know what? 52:04 That's the way it should be. 52:05 If they still recognize you 52:07 and you're the same old, same old, 52:08 you've not been born again. 52:11 Give your life to Jesus. 52:13 You know, if you read John 3:3, if you read John 3:3-7, 52:19 you'll see Jesus said, "You need to be born 52:21 of the water and of the Spirit 52:23 in order to make heaven your home." 52:25 So we're giving that invitation, 52:26 the Holy Spirit's giving you that invitation right now, 52:29 that choice needs to be made, needs to be made right now, 52:31 need to contact somebody, 52:32 you need to get hold of somebody. 52:34 Somebody maybe in your area that can help you 52:35 and continue to lead you on to Christ to that day 52:38 that you can get down in that watery grave with Him. 52:41 That old nature has to go, and the new spirit... 52:44 You know what? 52:45 You know how you can tell 52:47 if you've really made the right choice? 52:48 You know, when the change has come about, 52:50 and the old nature has been laid off, 52:51 and buried, and crucified, 52:53 and now you're the new man living in Jesus Christ, 52:55 you know what? 52:56 Because Galatians 5 tell you'll produce different fruits. 52:58 You remember the fruits of the old man? 53:00 You remember all the murder, and lying, adultery, 53:02 and fornication, you remember that? 53:03 The fruits of the Spirit, when you're really changed, 53:06 and I have to look at everyone and question myself on it, 53:09 Galatians 5:22, 23 it says what? 53:12 "This is the fruit of love, joy, good, peace, 53:15 longsuffering, gentleness, kindness, faith, meekness," 53:20 you know, we talked about "Temperance." 53:23 There's nothing against these things. 53:24 This thing tells us your life is changed in Jesus Christ. 53:28 You know, by God's grace, 53:29 if you've made that commitment today 53:31 and you've committed your life to Him, 53:32 you've asked Him to take away your sin 53:34 and wash you clean, and what, 53:35 you are a new person in Christ Jesus. 53:37 Galatians 5:24, 25. 53:39 We are at last passage. 53:41 But notice this. 53:42 Galatians 5:24, 25, 53:44 "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh 53:48 with the affections and lusts." 53:50 Verse 25, "If we live in the Spirit, 53:54 let us also walk in the Spirit." 53:58 And you know what, 54:00 you're going to come up and you're going to say like 54:01 Paul basically said, "The things that I once loved, 54:03 I now hate, and the things that I hate I now love." 54:06 Why? 54:08 You've been transformed. 54:09 You've given your life to Jesus. 54:11 The old nature is gone. 54:12 The new nature now is involved now. 54:14 It's out there for the world to see Christ in you, 54:17 the hope of glory, 54:19 transformed by the grace of God. 54:22 I am... 54:23 And say it with me if you believe it. 54:24 I'm a new creature in Jesus Christ. 54:27 I am a new creature in Jesus Christ. 54:31 Why don't we pray about that right now? 54:33 You made that choice, you made that decision. 54:35 Before we close on this program, 54:36 I want to have just a word of prayer 54:38 to make sure that we send it 54:39 right to the throne room of God. 54:41 And you made that commitment not for just today 54:42 but for eternity. 54:44 Let's pray, shall we? 54:46 Our merciful, kind, loving Heavenly Father, 54:48 we thank You for Your sweet Holy Spirit. 54:51 We thank You that You have such love, 54:53 tremendous love for us that You will take the old 54:55 and You'll make the new. 54:56 Thank You that You prepared a place for us. 54:58 Thank You that you've made that opportunity 55:00 that where we fail so miserably that we can come to You 55:02 in the blood of Jesus Christ, our Lord and our Savior. 55:05 And we can begin life all over again. 55:07 How wonderful that is. 55:09 Thank You for forgiveness of sin. 55:10 Thank You for Calvary, thank You for Jesus. 55:12 And for those who have made that decision right now, 55:15 not for today, but for eternity. 55:17 And we look forward to spend eternity 55:18 with each one in Jesus' name. 55:20 Amen. 55:22 Again, as usual, we really appreciate 55:24 each and every one of you. 55:25 You know, being able to spend this time with you. 55:28 You know, I sense it while we're doing the program. 55:31 I sense that I'm talking to somebody who's out there. 55:33 A lot of somebodys. 55:35 And I sense that there's changes taking place. 55:36 Why because we... 55:38 We get those cards and we get those letters, 55:40 we get those phone calls 55:41 that the Spirit of the living God 55:42 inspired of us, 55:44 the Spirit of the Living God is speaking to your heart, 55:46 speaking to your life, you're making those changes, 55:49 and how exciting 55:50 that is from young to the older. 55:52 You're saying, "You know what? 55:53 I found Jesus in a special way. 55:55 You know, I don't want to miss heaven. 55:56 Would you pray for me? 55:58 Would you pray for my family? 55:59 Would you pray for my friends?" 56:01 These things come in and we want you to know 56:02 that we're praying for you. 56:03 We'd like for you to pray for us 56:05 as we battled the enemy as we're that we need... 56:07 We need His Holy Spirit, we need the power of God. 56:09 So pray for us as we pray for you. 56:11 We love you and appreciate what you do for us. 56:13 In God's name we pray. 56:15 Amen. 56:17 Hello and welcome back. 56:18 And thank you, Pastor Kenney, 56:20 for inspiring us once again with the Word of God 56:23 to be a part of God's Glorious Church 56:26 by being hid in Christ and accepting his gift 56:29 of a new nature. 56:31 And although we will be saying goodbye to this 25-part series 56:35 for just a little while, you don't have to. 56:38 We would be happy to send this message entitled 56:42 Our Old and New Nature to you 56:44 for a love gift of just $8 or more. 56:46 Or should you love to own all 25 hours of study 56:51 with messages such as Following Christ all the Way, 56:54 Your Day in Court, and Hope in Times of Trouble, 56:58 we will send them your way 57:00 for a love gift of just $175 or more. 57:04 So order now, and along with each order, 57:07 we will include as a free gift 57:10 Brother Richard Bland's Bible study guide 57:12 that is entitled Sharing God's Love 57:14 Makes You Happier, 57:16 What the Bible Says. 57:17 We look forward to hearing from you. 57:20 You may call Behold the Lamb Ministries 57:22 in the United States at 618-942-5044, 57:27 that's central time 57:29 or write to Behold the Lamb Ministries 57:31 PO Box 2030, Herrin, Illinois 62948. 57:35 Email your order 57:37 to BeholdTheLambMinistries @yahoo.com 57:39 or you may also order these messages 57:42 by visiting our website at BeholdTheLambMinistries.com 57:46 and don't forget to like and join 57:48 Behold the Lamb Ministries on Facebook. 57:51 Until next time, friends, 57:52 may our Precious Lord 57:54 continue to richly bless you and yours. |
Revised 2019-06-20