Participants: Pr. John Carter
Series Code: CR
Program Code: CR000904
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00:00 [MUSIC]
00:09 ♪ SEEMS I'VE IMAGINED HIM ♪ ♪ ALL OF MY LIFE ♪ 00:14 ♪ AS THE WISEST ♪ ♪ OF ALL OF MANKIND ♪ 00:18 ♪ BUT IF GOD'S HOLY WISDOM ♪ ♪ IS FOOLISH TO MAN ♪ 00:23 ♪ HE MUST HAVE SEEMED ♪ ♪ OUT OF HIS MIND ♪ 00:28 ♪ FOR EVEN HIS FAMILY SAID ♪ ♪ HE WAS MAD ♪ 00:32 ♪ AND THE PRIEST SAID ♪ ♪ A DEMON'S TO BLAME ♪ 00:37 ♪ BUT GOD IN THE FORM ♪ ♪ OF THIS ANGRY YOUNG MAN ♪ 00:42 ♪ COULD NOT HAVE SEEMED ♪ ♪ PERFECTLY SANE ♪ 00:47 ♪ BUT WE IN OUR FOOLISHNESS ♪ ♪ THOUGHT WE WERE WISE ♪ 00:52 ♪ HE PLAYED THE FOOL ♪ ♪ AND HE OPENED OUR EYES ♪ 00:56 ♪ BUT WE IN OUR WEAKNESS ♪ ♪ BELIEVED WE WERE STRONG ♪ 01:01 ♪ HE BECAME HELPLESS ♪ ♪ TO SHOW WE WERE WRONG ♪ 01:07 ♪ AND SO WE FOLLOW ♪ ♪ GOD'S OWN FOOL ♪ 01:11 ♪ BUT ONLY THE FOOLISH ♪ ♪ CAN TELL ♪ 01:16 ♪ BELIEVE THE UNBELIEVABLE ♪ ♪ COME BE A FOOL AS WELL ♪ 01:27 [MUSIC] 01:36 ♪ SO COME LOSE YOUR LIFE ♪ ♪ FOR A CARPENTER'S SON ♪ 01:40 ♪ FOR A MAD MAN WHO DIED ♪ ♪ FOR A DREAM ♪ 01:45 ♪ AND YOU'LL HAVE THE FAITH ♪ ♪ HIS FIRST FOLLOWERS HAD ♪ 01:50 ♪ AND YOU'LL FEEL ♪ ♪ THE WEIGHT OF THE BEAM ♪ 01:55 ♪ SO SURRENDER THE HUNGER ♪ ♪ TO SAY YOU MUST KNOW ♪ 01:59 ♪ HAVE THE COURAGE TO SAY ♪ ♪ I BELIEVE ♪ 02:04 ♪ FOR THE POWER OF PARADOX ♪ ♪ OPENS YOUR EYES ♪ 02:09 ♪ AND BLINDS THOSE ♪ ♪ WHO SAY THEY CAN SEE ♪ 02:14 ♪ BUT WE IN OUR FOOLISHNESS ♪ ♪ THOUGHT WE WERE WISE ♪ 02:18 ♪ HE PLAYED THE FOOL ♪ ♪ AND HE OPENED OUR EYES ♪ 02:23 ♪ BUT WE IN OUR WEAKNESS ♪ ♪ BELIEVED WE WERE STRONG ♪ 02:27 ♪ HE BECAME HELPLESS ♪ ♪ TO SHOW WE WERE WRONG ♪ 02:33 ♪ AND SO WE FOLLOWED ♪ ♪ GOD'S OWN FOOL THAT ONLY ♪ 02:39 ♪ THE FOOLISH CAN TELL ♪ ♪ BELIEVE THE UNBELIEVABLE ♪ 02:48 ♪ COME BE A FOOL AS WELL ♪ ♪ SO WE FOLLOW ♪ 02:55 ♪ GOD'S OWN FOOL THAT ONLY ♪ ♪ THE FOOLISH CAN TELL ♪ 03:02 ♪ BELIEVE THE UNBELIEVABLE ♪ ♪ COME BE A FOOL AS WELL ♪♪ 03:13 [MUSIC] 03:22 [CONGREGATION APPLAUDING] 03:27 >> HAPPY SABBATH, EVERYONE. 03:28 >> HAPPY SABBATH. 03:31 >> EVEN AS THE FINANCIAL SITUATION DEEPENS, MANY PEOPLE 03:35 ARE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO KEEP THEIR SPIRITS UP. 03:39 THEY'RE LOOKING FOR HUMOR IN ANYTHING THEY CAN. 03:42 FOR INSTANCE, THIS LAST WEEK I HEARD OF A MAN WHO WENT TO 03:45 THE BANK, TO THE ATM ACTUALLY TO DRAW OUT SOME MONEY. 03:49 AND THE ATM ASKED HIM FOR MONEY. 03:52 HE LATER WENT INTO THE BANK AND SAID TO THE BANK MANAGER, 03:55 "THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OVER THE FENCE." 03:58 BUT ANYWAY, WE JUST HAVE TO KEEP ON SMILING, DON'T WE? 04:01 THIS MORNING, I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU A STORY OF A MAN WHO 04:05 ALSO LIVED IN DESPERATE TIMES. 04:08 IN FACT, THERE WAS ONE BIG DIFFERENCE. 04:10 HIS LIFE AND THAT OF HIS COUNTRYMEN WERE ALSO AT STAKE. 04:14 THE STORY IS ABOUT THE PROPHET HABAKKUK. 04:17 NOW, SOME CALL HIM HABAKKUK, BUT I'M GOING TO CALL 04:20 HIM HABAKKUK. 04:21 HE WAS A CONTEMPORARY OF JEREMIAH AND THIS IS REALLY 04:25 A VERY FASCINATING STORY TOLD IN A BOOK WITH ONLY 04:29 THREE CHAPTERS. 04:30 IN THE FIRST CHAPTER, WE FIND HABAKKUK COMPLAINING TO GOD 04:35 ABOUT THE GREED AND SELFISHNESS--SOUND FAMILIAR? 04:38 OF HIS OWN PEOPLE. 04:40 AND HE SAYS, "NOW, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?" 04:42 AND GOD ANSWERS THAT HE IS GOING TO ALLOW HIS PEOPLE TO BE 04:47 PUNISHED BY THE BABYLONIANS. 04:49 WELL, THIS TAKES HABAKKUK BACK A LITTLE BIT AND HE SAYS, 04:54 "NOW, LORD, I THINK THAT'S GOING A LITTLE BIT TOO FAR. 04:56 IT'S NOT EXACTLY WHAT I HAD IN MIND BECAUSE THE BABYLONIANS, 05:00 THEY ARE MUCH, MUCH WORSE, MUCH MORE WICKED THAN OUR PEOPLE." 05:06 AND THEN IN CHAPTER 2 AND VERSE 2, GOD ANSWERS AGAIN. 05:10 AND THIS TIME HE SAYS, "HABAKKUK, WRITE THIS DOWN." 05:14 NOW, WHEN GOD SAYS, "WRITE SOMETHING DOWN," WE HAD BETTER. 05:18 AND THIS IS WHAT GOD TOLD HABAKKUK. 05:21 "THE UNRIGHTEOUS LIVE IN THEIR PRIDE AND THEIR SELFISHNESS. 05:25 AND EVEN THOUGH YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M DOING OR 05:28 WHAT I AM ABOUT TO DO, THE JUST, THE RIGHTEOUS ONES 05:33 SHALL LIVE BY FAITH." 05:36 NOW, THIS THEME WAS TAKEN UP BY THE GREAT APOSTLE PAUL LATER ON 05:39 IN THE BOOK OF ROMANS, WHICH LATER ON WAS READ 05:42 BY MARTIN LUTHER, WHICH LED TO THE REFORMATION. 05:47 AND SO THIS AMAZING CONVERSATION BETWEEN GOD 05:50 AND HABAKKUK COMES RIGHT DOWN TO OUR OWN DAY. 05:55 IN CHAPTER 3 WE SEE HABAKKUK REMEMBERING HOW GOD HAD DEALT 06:00 WITH THE NATIONS AND HIS PEOPLE IN THE PAST. 06:03 AND HE BELIEVES THAT GOD ONCE MORE WILL GIVE THIS SAME MERCY 06:09 AND JUSTICE AND FAITHFULNESS TO THOSE WHO LIVE BY FAITH BECAUSE 06:15 HE IS OUR ETERNAL FATHER. 06:18 HABAKKUK CLOSES HIS BOOK WITH A PSALM. 06:21 THE HYMN BEGINS WITH A PICTURE OF DEVASTATION, BUT IT CLOSES 06:25 WITH WORDS OF TRIUMPH. 06:27 IN ESSENCE, HE SAYS, "THOUGH THE WORLD TURN UPSIDE DOWN, 06:31 I WILL EXALT IN THE LORD. 06:34 I WILL REJOICE IN THE GOD OF MY SALVATION, FOR THE LORD GOD 06:39 IS MY STRENGTH." 06:41 HE RESOLVED TO REJOICE, NOT IN THE SITUATION ITSELF, BUT IN 06:46 HIS SAVIOR, WHO WOULD ALWAYS BE HIS STRENGTH. 06:49 AND I PRAY THAT THIS WILL ALSO BE OUR EXPERIENCE AS WE GO 06:53 THROUGH THESE TURBULENT TIMES. 06:56 [CONGREGATION APPLAUDING] 07:03 >> THE SIEGE OF LENINGRAD WAS ONE OF THE WORST THINGS THAT 07:07 HAPPENED IN THE HISTORY OF RUSSIA, ONE OF THE WORST EVENTS 07:11 IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD. 07:13 IT LASTED FOR--THIS SEEMS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. 07:17 IT LASTED FOR 900 DAYS. 07:21 SEPTEMBER 1941 RIGHT THROUGH UNTIL JANUARY 1944. 07:27 THE NAZIS SURROUNDED THIS GREAT RUSSIAN CITY. 07:31 WE CALL IT TODAY ST. PETERSBURG, BUT BACK 07:34 IN THOSE DAYS IT WAS KNOWN AS LENINGRAD AFTER THE NAME, 07:39 OF COURSE, LENIN. 07:41 DURING THE WINTER OF 1941-42, THERE WAS NO HEATING IN THE CITY 07:47 AND LENINGRAD GETS COLD. 07:49 THERE WAS VIRTUALLY NO WATER SUPPLY, 07:52 VIRTUALLY NO ELECTRICITY, AND THE RATION OF DAILY FOOD 07:57 GOT DOWN TO A QUARTER OF A POUND OF BREAD PER DAY. 08:05 CAN YOU IMAGINE THIS? 08:06 THINK WE'RE HAVING TROUBLES HERE? 08:09 YOU THINK THE ECONOMY'S BAD HERE IN THE UNITED STATES 08:11 OF AMERICA? 08:15 DURING THE JANUARY AND THE FEBRUARY OF THAT YEAR, 1941-42, 08:20 200,000 RUSSIANS STARVED OR FROZE TO DEATH. 08:29 WHILE THEY WERE FREEZING, THE NAZIS WERE SHELLING THE CITY. 08:37 IT CERTAINLY SEEMED AS THOUGH ST. PETERSBURG WAS GOING TO 08:41 FALL BEFORE THE NAZI ONSLAUGHT, BUT THE RUSSIANS ARE COURAGEOUS 08:48 AND THEY WOULD NOT SURRENDER. 08:52 THEY HAD 1,172 LOUDSPEAKERS AND EVERY MORNING THE 3 MILLION 08:59 INHABITANTS OF ST. PETERSBURG WOULD LISTEN FOR THE TWO, AS 09:04 THEY CALLED THEM, MAGIC WORDS. 09:08 LENINGRAD SPEAKS. 09:11 AND DURING THE DAY, THE GOVERNMENT USED TO PLAY 09:13 FOR THE CITIZENS MUSIC. 09:18 MAYBE SOME GREAT ORCHESTRA WOULD BE PLAYING. 09:21 BUT THERE CAME A TIME IN THE HISTORY OF LENINGRAD WHEN 09:25 THE MUSIC STOPPED AND THE PEOPLE SAID, "IT LOOKS AS THOUGH THE 09:30 NAZIS ARE GOING TO BEAT US AND WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE KILLED." 09:35 BUT THEN, AS THE PEOPLE LISTENED, NO, THERE WAS NO 09:38 MUSIC, BUT THEN THEY HEARD THE SOUND OF A METRONOME, LIKE 09:44 THE BEAT OF A HUMAN HEART. 09:48 YOU KNOW WHAT IT GAVE THEM? 09:51 IT GAVE THEM HOPE. 09:54 THE SOUND OF THE MUSIC KEPT HOPE ALIVE IN SPITE OF TERRIBLE 09:59 SUFFERING, THE DEATHS OF SOME SAY MORE THAN A MILLION SOULS. 10:07 I'VE BEEN TO A CEMETERY IN ST. PETERSBURG WHERE THERE 10:12 ARE 500,000 MEN, WOMEN, AND CHILDREN BURIED IN A GREAT 10:20 MASS GRAVE. 10:22 IN SPITE OF INCREDIBLE SUFFERING, THE CITY WOULD 10:26 NOT GIVE IN AND THE CITY IN THE END BEAT THE NAZIS. 10:32 I WANT TO SAY TO YOU WE DON'T KNOW WHAT SUFFERING IS, BUT 10:38 WHEN THINGS ARE GOING BAD AND WE THINK THINGS ARE TOUGH, WE 10:42 ALL NEED TO HEAR THE MUSIC OF THE METRONOME BECAUSE THE MUSIC 10:51 OR THE METRONOME GIVES US HOPE. 10:57 DOCTORS MADE A REMARKABLE DISCOVERY WITH GERMAN SOLDIERS 11:04 ON THE EASTERN FRONT. 11:05 THAT WAS THE WORST PLACE TO BE SENT, THE EASTERN FRONT, 11:09 BEING SENT TO RUSSIA. 11:12 I'VE BEEN THERE 34 TIMES. 11:14 I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE, THE COLD. 11:19 THEY DISCOVERED THE GERMAN SOLDIERS WHO GOT TERRIBLE 11:24 WOUNDS, AWFUL WOUNDS, WOUNDS THAT NORMALLY WOULD BRING ABOUT 11:31 DEATH, THEY HAD A HIGHER SURVIVAL RATE THAN GERMAN 11:36 SOLDIERS WHO JUST GOT LITTLE PINPRICKS. 11:42 THE SOLDIERS WHO GOT THE WORST WOUNDS SURVIVED. 11:46 THEY HAD MUCH LESS INFECTION THAN THE SOLDIERS WHO GOT 11:49 MINOR WOUNDS. 11:50 YOU KNOW WHY? 11:54 BECAUSE IF YOU GOT A MAJOR WOUND, IT WAS A PASSPORT HOME. 12:02 WHEN THE GERMANS COULD FIND A PLANE, YOU KNEW I'M GOING HOME. 12:07 MAYBE NOT TOMORROW, BUT SOONER OR LATER I'M GOING HOME. 12:13 HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL IN THE HUMAN BREAST. 12:19 AND PEOPLE WHO HAD HOPE, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD DREADFUL 12:23 WOUNDS, GOT LESS INFECTION. 12:26 AND THEY HAD A HIGHER SURVIVAL RATE THAN SOLDIERS WHO HAD LESS 12:32 SERIOUS WOUNDS. 12:35 TODAY'S TOPIC, HERE IT IS. 12:38 "FIVE REASONS FOR HOPE." 12:44 I WANT YOU TO TAKE YOUR BIBLES AND TURN WITH ME TO THE THEME 12:47 TEXT, ROMANS 4:18-21. 12:52 AND THIS IS A BIBLE READING CHURCH. 12:56 WE TELL PEOPLE, "BRING YOUR BIBLES TO CHURCH." 12:59 WE SAY, "READ YOUR BIBLES EVERY DAY. 13:02 READ THEM IN YOUR HOMES AND READ YOUR BIBLE AS 13:05 THE PREACHER IS PREACHING." 13:07 TURN TO THE TEXT, ROMANS 4:18. 13:12 THE BIBLE SAYS, PAUL SAYS, "AGAINST ALL HOPE, ABRAHAM IN 13:20 HOPE BELIEVED AND SO BECAME THE FATHER OF MANY NATIONS, JUST AS 13:25 IT HAD BEEN SAID TO HIM, 'SO SHALL YOUR OFFSPRING BE.' 13:29 WITHOUT WEAKENING IN HIS FAITH, HE FACED THE FACT THAT HIS BODY 13:33 WAS AS GOOD AS DEAD, SINCE HE WAS ABOUT A HUNDRED YEARS OLD." 13:41 I'VE STILL GOT A FEW YEARS TO GO. 13:43 "AND THAT SARAH'S WOMB WAS ALSO DEAD. 13:48 YET HE DID NOT WAVER THROUGH UNBELIEF REGARDING THE PROMISE 13:52 OF GOD, BUT WAS STRENGTHENED IN HIS FAITH AND GAVE GLORY TO 13:57 GOD, BEING FULLY PERSUADED THAT GOD HAD POWER TO DO 14:02 WHAT HE HAD PROMISED." 14:05 NOW, LET ME TELL YOU WHAT HOPE IS NOT. 14:11 HOPE IS NOT OUR WISHY-WASHY RELIGION. 14:18 THE HOPE OF THE BIBLE IS DIFFERENT TO THE HOPE OF THE 14:21 WORLD TODAY, WHERE PEOPLE SAY IN A VERY VAGUE WAY, "I HOPE 14:26 IT'S GOING TO WORK OUT." 14:31 HOPE IS NOT WISHFUL THINKING. 14:33 IT IS NOT A LACK OF CONVICTION. 14:37 ABRAHAM'S HOPE WAS ROOTED IN AN UNSHAKABLE FAITH. 14:42 HE SAW BEYOND THE SORROWS, THE TEARS, AND THE TRIBULATIONS 14:47 OF THE PRESENT AND EMBRACED THE GLORIOUS CERTAINTIES 14:51 OF THE FUTURE. 14:54 I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER THIS SAYING, MAY IT SINK DOWN INTO 14:59 THE MOLECULES OF YOUR MIND, THAT THE DEATH OF HOPE ALWAYS 15:05 LEADS TO THE HOPE FOR DEATH. 15:11 BUT OUR BIBLE GIVES US REASON WHY WE CAN HAVE HOPE TODAY. 15:16 REMEMBER THE GERMAN SOLDIERS. 15:20 I WANT TO SAY THIS TODAY WITH A CLARION VOICE. 15:23 I WANT YOU TO HEAR IT. 15:25 WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW, WHAT AMERICA NEEDS NOW IS HOPE. 15:34 NOW, I DON'T WANT ANY PERSON WHO'S WATCHING THE TELECAST 15:38 TO SAY ALL THIS PIE IN THE SKY AND THE SWEET BYE AND BYE, 15:43 ALL OF THIS RELIGIOUS PALAVER. 15:47 HOPE IS NOT OPPOSED TO REALITY. 15:54 WE DO NOT ADVOCATE A POLLYANNA RELIGION. 16:00 LET US DO THAT WHICH IS PAINFUL FOR A START BEFORE WE HAVE 16:05 CONSOLATION AND LET US EXPERIENCE FACING THE FACTS. 16:14 IT IS NOW ESTABLISHED HERE IN THIS LAND THAT OUR BANKING 16:19 SYSTEM IS A HOUSE OF CARDS. 16:26 THAT WHICH WE THOUGHT WAS AS SAFE AS A BANK IS ANYTHING BUT. 16:35 THEY HAVE TO BE BAILED OUT. 16:38 WE'VE DISCOVERED THAT WALL STREET IS A HOUSE OF FEAR 16:45 AND GREED, A GAMBLING DEN THAT PLAYS WITH THE LIVES 16:52 OF MILLIONS. 16:53 YOU MAY AS WELL GO TO LAS VEGAS AND GAMBLE YOUR MONEY. 17:02 I CAN SEE NO DIFFERENCE AT ALL. 17:08 WE KNOW THAT THE FACTS ARE UNPALATABLE AND THE FACTS 17:14 ARE GRIM. 17:16 AND TODAY, I HAVE NOTICED AROUND THE WORLD THAT FEAR WITH 17:22 ICY COLD FINGERS IS CLUTCHING AT THE THROATS OF MILLIONS 17:28 OF MEN AND WOMEN, BUT I HAVE A MESSAGE FROM GOD TODAY. 17:34 THIS IS NOT THE TIME FOR FEAR! 17:37 NOW IS THE TIME FOR HOPE. 17:42 CAN YOU SAY AMEN? 17:46 THIS IS NOT THE TIME FOR FEAR. 17:48 I AM TIRED OF WATCHING TELEVISION. 17:52 I AM SICK OF THE STUFF THAT COMES OUT OF TELEVISION BECAUSE 18:00 IF ANYTHING IS BREEDING FEAR TODAY, IT IS 18:04 THE GREAT NETWORKS. 18:08 EVERYTHING IS DOOM AND GLOOM AND NO WONDER PEOPLE ARE AFRAID. 18:14 BUT TODAY IS NOT THE TIME FOR FEAR. 18:18 NOW IS THE TIME FOR HOPE. 18:21 AND TODAY, BY THE GRACE OF GOD I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU FIVE 18:26 POWERFUL REASONS WHY YOU AND I CAN HAVE HOPE. 18:33 NUMBER ONE, HERE IT IS. 18:36 BECAUSE THERE IS A GOD, AS FRANCIS SCHAEFER SAID, BECAUSE 18:41 THERE IS A GOD WHO IS THERE. 18:44 AND A GOD WE SAY WHO IS HERE AND HE IS PERSONALLY INVOLVED 18:51 IN THIS WORLD. 18:53 TAKE YOUR BIBLES PLEASE AND TURN TO ISAIAH 40:26 18:56 AND ONWARDS. 18:58 ISAIAH 40:26 AND ONWARDS. 19:05 THE BOOK OF ISAIAH 40:26. 19:12 AND I HOPE THAT EVERY PERSON HERE IS READING HIS BIBLE 19:16 EVERY DAY, VERSE 26. 19:20 "LIFT YOUR EYES AND LOOK TO THE HEAVENS. 19:22 WHO CREATED ALL THESE? 19:25 HE WHO BRINGS OUT THE STARRY HOST ONE BY ONE, AND CALLS THEM 19:29 EACH BY NAME. 19:30 BECAUSE OF HIS GREAT POWER AND MIGHTY STRENGTH, NOT ONE 19:34 OF THEM IS MISSING. 19:36 WHY DO YOU SAY, O JACOB, AND COMPLAIN, O ISRAEL, 19:40 'MY WAY IS HIDDEN FROM THE LORD; MY CAUSE IS DISREGARDED 19:45 BY MY GOD'? 19:47 DO YOU NOT KNOW? 19:49 HAVE YOU NOT HEARD? 19:51 THE LORD IS THE EVERLASTING GOD, THE CREATOR OF THE ENDS 19:55 OF THE EARTH. 19:56 HE WILL NOT GROW TIRED OR WEARY AND HIS UNDERSTANDING 20:01 NO ONE CAN FATHOM. 20:04 HE GIVES STRENGTH TO THE WEARY AND INCREASES THE POWER 20:09 OF THE WEAK. 20:12 EVEN YOUTHS GROW TIRED AND WEARY, AND YOUNG MEN STUMBLE 20:15 AND FALL; BUT THOSE WHO HOPE IN THE LORD WILL RENEW 20:19 THEIR STRENGTH. 20:20 THEY WILL SOAR ON WINGS LIKE EAGLES; THEY WILL RUN AND NOT 20:25 GROW WEARY; THEY WILL WALK AND NOT BE FAINT.'" 20:30 I WANT EVERY PERSON TO KNOW TODAY THAT WE CAN HAVE HOPE 20:34 AND I'M GOING TO PUT UP SOME OF THESE POINTS ON THE BLACKBOARD. 20:38 AND HERE IS THE FIRST GREAT TRUTH. 20:41 WE HAVE HOPE TODAY BECAUSE GOD IS--GOD IS ALIVE. 20:53 GOD IS HERE AND GOD IS PERSONALLY INVOLVED. 21:00 WE BELIEVE TODAY IN THE REALITY OF GOD. 21:06 WE DO NOT DOUBT IT FOR ONE MOMENT. 21:08 IT HAS BEEN SAID--I THINK FRANCIS SCHAEFER MAY HAVE SAID 21:11 IT, AN ATHEIST IS LIKE A MAN TRAPPED IN A CIRCULAR BUILDING. 21:20 IT HAS NO WINDOWS AND IT HAS NO DOORS AND IT HAS NO LIGHT. 21:27 IT IS TOTALLY BLACK AND THE MAN IS DESTINED TO WALK AROUND 21:34 THE PERIMETER. 21:38 HE HAS TO PACE AROUND AND AROUND AND HE GOES AROUND 21:41 AND HE'S FEELING FOR A WAY OUT, BUT THERE IS NO WAY OUT 21:44 AND THERE IS NO HOPE. 21:48 BUT WE ARE NOT LIKE THAT TODAY. 21:50 HOPE BREAKS THE WALL. 21:53 AND THE FIRST GREAT REASON, MY FRIEND, WHY WE HAVE HOPE TODAY 21:57 IS BECAUSE OF THE GREAT TRUTH THAT GOD IS AND GOD IS 22:04 PERSONALLY INVOLVED IN THIS WORLD AND HE'S PERSONALLY 22:08 INVOLVED IN YOUR LIFE AND HE'S INVOLVED IN MY LIFE, 22:13 THE GOD OF THE STARS. 22:15 NUMBER TWO, WE HAVE HOPE TODAY, WE CAN HAVE HOPE TODAY BECAUSE, 22:20 NUMBER TWO, GOD HAS A PLAN FOR US. 22:25 TURN TO ROMANS 8:28. 22:27 I'M GOING TO WRITE IT UP HERE ON THE BLACKBOARD. 22:29 IF YOU TURN TO THE TEXT, I'M GOING TO WRITE OUT 22:32 THE SECOND REASON. 22:34 BECAUSE GOD HAS A PLAN. 22:42 HE HAS A PLAN FOR YOU AND GOD HAS, GLORY BE TO GOD, 22:48 A PLAN FOR ME. 22:50 NOW, COME OVER HERE TO ROMANS 8:28. 22:54 ROMANS 8:28. 22:58 WHAT A GREAT TEXT THIS IS. 23:00 THE APOSTLE PAUL SAYS, HERE IT IS, "AND WE KNOW THAT IN ALL 23:05 THINGS GOD WORKS FOR THE GOOD OF THOSE WHO LOVE HIM, 23:09 WHO HAVE BEEN CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE." 23:13 CAN YOU THINK ABOUT THIS? 23:16 I MEET PEOPLE ALL THE TIME WHO ARE FILLED WITH DOUBTS 23:21 AND FEARS, AND THEY'RE DISILLUSIONED. 23:26 THOSE PEOPLE DON'T READ THEIR BIBLES, MIND YOU. 23:30 THEY LISTEN TO THEIR DOUBTS. 23:33 THAT'S WHAT THEY DO. 23:35 BUT THE BIBLE TELLS ME THAT GOD IS WORKING IN EVERYTHING, GOD 23:41 IS WORKING IN THIS RECESSION, GOD IS WORKING IN DEPRESSIONS. 23:47 GOD WORKS IN EVERYTHING FOR GOOD. 23:52 YOU KNOW THE STORY OF JOSEPH? 23:56 THAT'S JUST AN AMAZING STORY. 23:59 I WANT YOU TO COME TO A KEY TEXT ABOUT JOSEPH. 24:02 COME OVER HERE TO 37, GENESIS 37. 24:06 GENESIS 37. 24:09 HERE'S A STORY ABOUT A YOUNG MAN AND YOU WOULD WONDER, 24:12 "WAS GOD WORKING IN HIS LIFE?" 24:14 GENESIS 37:23. 24:17 "SO WHEN JOSEPH CAME TO HIS BROTHERS, THEY STRIPPED HIM OF 24:20 HIS ROBE, THE RICHLY ORNAMENTED ROBE HE WAS WEARING, AND THEY 24:24 TOOK HIM AND THREW HIM INTO THE CISTERN. 24:28 NOW THE CISTERN WAS EMPTY; THERE WAS NO WATER IN IT. 24:32 AS THEY SAT DOWN TO EAT THEIR MEAL, THEY LOOKED UP AND SAW 24:36 A CARAVAN OF ISHMAELITES COMING FROM GILEAD. 24:41 THEIR CAMELS WERE LOADED WITH SPICES, BALM AND MYRRH, 24:46 AND THEY WERE ON THEIR WAY TO TAKE THEM DOWN TO THE LAND 24:49 OF EGYPT." 24:50 YOU KNOW THE STORY, DON'T YOU? 24:53 YOU KNOW THE STORY. 24:54 HE GETS DOWN INTO EGYPT. 24:55 WHERE WAS GOD? 24:58 HE GETS SOLD AS A SLAVE INTO A HOUSE OF POTIPHAR. 25:04 WHERE WAS GOD WHEN JOSEPH WAS THROWN DOWN INTO THE PIT? 25:10 WAS GOD WORKING THEN? 25:13 YOU SAY, "I'M DOWN IN A PIT." 25:16 WELL, MAYBE YOU'RE NOT DOWN IN A PIT. 25:18 MAYBE IT'S YOUR IMAGINATION. 25:21 BUT MAYBE SOMEBODY HERE TODAY AND SOMEBODY WATCHING THE 25:24 TELECAST, MAYBE YOU'RE DOWN IN A PIT. 25:26 JOSEPH WAS DOWN IN A PIT. 25:28 WHERE WAS GOD? 25:31 AND THEN THE BIBLE GOES ON. 25:33 HE GETS INTO THIS HOUSE AND MRS. POTIPHAR ACCUSES HIM 25:38 OF RAPE. 25:42 WHERE WAS GOD? 25:44 WHEN MRS. POTIPHAR GOT HER EYES ON HIM, WHERE WAS GOD? 25:50 AND THEN HE'S THROWN INTO THE DUNGEON. 25:53 YOU KNOW THE BIBLE STORY. 25:54 HE'S THROWN INTO A DUNGEON. 25:56 WHERE WAS GOD, I ASK YOU, WHEN HE WAS IN THE DUNGEON? 26:03 AND BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE WERE NOT BELIEVERS IN THE TRUE GOD, 26:08 BECAUSE THEY WERE PAGANS, THEY TORTURED HIM. 26:13 THAT'S WHAT PAGANS DO. 26:16 THEY TORTURE PEOPLE. 26:17 WHERE WAS GOD WHEN THIS BOY WAS BEING TORTURED? 26:22 I ASK YOU THE QUESTION, WHERE WAS GOD WHEN THE CUPBEARER 26:28 FORGOT ABOUT HIM? 26:29 YOU KNOW THE STORY. 26:31 THERE WAS THE BAKER, HE LOST HIS HEAD. 26:34 AND THERE WAS THE BUTLER, THE BAKER AND THE BUTLER. 26:37 HE WAS THE CUPBEARER. 26:38 AND THE CUPBEARER GETS OUT OF PRISON. 26:40 HE SAID, "WHEN I GET OUT OF PRISON, I'M GOING TO TELL 26:43 PHARAOH ALL ABOUT YOU." 26:44 HE FORGOT ALL ABOUT IT. 26:47 WHERE WAS GOD? 26:50 I WANT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING. 26:53 GOD WAS THERE BECAUSE IN ALL THINGS, GOD WORKS FOR THE GOOD 27:01 OF THOSE WHO LOVE HIM AND THOSE WHO TRUST HIM. 27:06 AND THEN YOU KNOW THE STORY, DON'T YOU? 27:09 WELL, JOSEPH GETS OUT OF PRISON, THEY SHAVE HIM, 27:13 THEY PUT A ROBE ON HIM. 27:15 HE GOES OUT AND HE SEES PHARAOH AND HE BECOMES THE PRIME 27:18 MINISTER AND HE SAVES THE NATION. 27:21 HE SAVES THE WORLD. 27:22 AND HE SAVES HIS OWN FAMILY. 27:25 HE SAVES HIS OWN BROTHERS. 27:27 LISTEN TO ME. 27:29 GOD HAD A PLAN FOR JOSEPH. 27:32 GOD HAS GOT A PLAN FOR YOU AND GOD HAS GOT A PLAN FOR ME. 27:36 I WANT YOU TO TAKE YOUR BIBLE NOW, COME OVER A LITTLE 27:38 FURTHER, AND COME OVER TO THIS GREAT TEXT, GENESIS 50:20. 27:44 THIS IS A GREAT, MARVELOUS, WONDERFUL TEXT. 27:47 PLEASE TURN TO THE TEXT. 27:50 GENESIS 50. 27:52 THAT MEANS YOU. 27:53 GENESIS 50:20. 27:59 GENESIS 50:20. 28:01 HE SAYS TO HIS BROTHERS, DOES JOSEPH, "YOU INTENDED TO HARM 28:05 ME, BUT GOD INTENDED IT--" FOR WHAT? 28:10 "GOD INTENDED IT FOR GOOD TO ACCOMPLISH WHAT IS BEING DONE, 28:14 THE SAVING OF MANY SOULS," OR LIVES. 28:22 THEREFORE, I WANT TO LOOK YOU IN THE EYE AND TELL YOU THIS. 28:27 IN THE MIDST OF TRAGIC CIRCUMSTANCES, YOU AND I CAN 28:32 HAVE HOPE BECAUSE OF THE GOD WHO IS THERE AND BECAUSE 28:38 THIS GOD HAS GOT A PLAN FOR EVERY PERSON. 28:43 THE BIBLE SAYS IT. 28:46 THERE'S A THIRD REASON. 28:47 HERE IT IS. 28:49 WE CAN HAVE HOPE BECAUSE GOD HAS PROMISED TO TAKE CARE OF US. 28:59 I WANT TO PUT THIS HERE ON THE BLACKBOARD. 29:01 HERE IS THE THIRD GREAT REASON. 29:06 BECAUSE GOD HAS PROMISED AND GOD DOESN'T TELL LIES. 29:17 YOU KNOW, POLITICIANS TELL LIES, DON'T THEY? 29:22 YOU KNOW? 29:23 POLITICIANS TELL YOU ALL SORTS OF STORIES. 29:27 BUT GOD--THANK GOD, HE'S NOT A POLITICIAN. 29:32 WE NEVER ELECTED GOD. 29:35 BECAUSE GOD HAS PROMISED TO TAKE CARE OF US. 29:50 THAT'S WHY WE CAN HAVE HOPE. 29:55 BECAUSE GOD HAS PROMISED TO TAKE CARE OF US. 29:59 TURN TO THE WORDS OF THE BOOK OF PSALMS. 30:02 COME OVER HERE TO PSALM 146. 30:04 PLEASE TURN TO THE TEXT. 30:05 PSALM 146:5 AND ONWARDS. 30:11 PSALM 146. 30:13 YOU TURN TO THE TEXT, MY FRIEND. 30:15 PSALM 146:5 AND ONWARDS. 30:20 "BLESSED IS HE WHOSE HELP IS THE GOD OF JACOB, WHOSE HOPE 30:25 IS IN THE LORD HIS GOD, THE MAKER OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, 30:29 THE SEA, AND EVERYTHING IN THEM, THE LORD, WHO REMAINS FAITHFUL 30:34 FOREVER. 30:35 HE UPHOLDS THE CAUSE OF THE OPPRESSED AND GIVES FOOD 30:39 TO THE HUNGRY. 30:40 THE LORD SETS PRISONERS FREE, THE LORD GIVES SIGHT TO THE 30:43 BLIND, THE LORD LIFTS UP THOSE WHO ARE BOWED DOWN, THE LORD 30:47 LOVES THE RIGHTEOUS. 30:49 THE LORD WATCHES OVER THE ALIEN," THE PERSON WHO'S JUST 30:54 SLIPPED ACROSS THE RIO GRANDE, "AND SUSTAINS THE FATHERLESS 31:00 AND THE WIDOW, BUT HE FRUSTRATES THE WAYS 31:05 OF THE WICKED." 31:07 DON'T YOU REMEMBER THE STORY OF ELIJAH? 31:10 THAT'S A GREAT STORY. 31:12 THERE WAS THIS POOR WIDOW AND SHE HAD A LITTLE BIT 31:16 OF FLOUR LEFT. 31:18 THE BIBLE TELLS US THAT THERE WASN'T MUCH. 31:21 SHE HAD, IN THE WORDS OF THE NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, 31:24 SHE HAD A BIT OF FLOUR IN A JAR AND SOME OIL IN A JUG. 31:31 WE'RE LIKE THAT AT THE "CARTER REPORT" 31:33 ON SOME OCCASIONS. 31:35 SOMETIMES WE ONLY GOT A BIT OF FLOUR LEFT AND WE'VE ONLY GOT 31:38 A LITTLE OIL IN A JUG. 31:43 YOU KNOW WHAT GOD DID FOR THAT WIDOW? 31:45 EVERY TIME SHE NEEDED SOME, EVERY TIME SHE WENT TO GET SOME 31:49 BREAD, GET SOME FLOUR, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT THERE. 31:53 AND EVERY TIME SHE WENT TO GET SOME OIL, THERE WAS A LITTLE 31:57 BIT THERE BECAUSE GOD SAID, "I'LL TAKE CARE OF YOU." 32:02 NOW, YOU SITTING HERE IN THIS CHURCH, IN THIS GREAT LAND OF 32:06 THE UNITED STATES, WHICH IS GOING THROUGH A GREAT ECONOMIC 32:10 STORM, YOU MAY SAY, "I'VE ONLY GOT A LITTLE BIT OF FLOUR LEFT. 32:16 I'VE ONLY GOT A BIT OF-- A LITTLE BIT OF OIL IN A JAR 32:20 OR IN A JUG." 32:21 I WANT YOU TO KNOW IF YOU ARE FAITHFUL TO GOD, GOD IS GOING 32:25 TO MULTIPLY IT AND YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO RUN SHORT. 32:31 SO YOU CAN HAVE HOPE. 32:33 LOOK, GOD IS-- GOD IS NOT DEAD. 32:40 GOD IS--YOU KNOW WHAT NIETZSCHE SAID, DON'T YOU? 32:43 YOU WRITE UP ON THE BLACKBOARD--NIETZSCHE, 32:46 THE GREAT GERMAN UNBELIEVER, HE WROTE UP AND SAID, "GOD IS 32:49 DEAD, SIGNED NIETZSCHE." 32:52 BUT SOMETIME LATER, WHEN NIETZSCHE DIED, 32:55 SOMEBODY CAME IN AND WROTE, "NIETZSCHE IS DEAD, SIGNED GOD." 32:59 [LAUGHING] NOW, I WANT YOU TO KNOW WE 33:03 HAVE HOPE BECAUSE GOD HAS A PLAN AND GOD HAS PROMISED THAT 33:08 HE'S GOING TO TAKE CARE OF US. 33:12 WHEN I WAS A YOUNG MINISTER A FEW YEARS AGO--2 OR 3 YEARS 33:18 AGO ACTUALLY. 33:22 I WAS SENT--NOW, I WANT TO TALK TO MY OZZIE FRIENDS AND I WANT 33:26 TO THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THIS MINISTRY. 33:28 YOU'RE SOME OF THE GREATEST SUPPORTERS ON THE FACE OF 33:31 THE EARTH. 33:32 I WANT TO THANK MY AUSTRALIAN SUPPORTERS. 33:35 THANK YOU IN JESUS' NAME. 33:40 BEVERLEY AND I WENT TO A LITTLE TOWN BY THE NAME OF PARKS. 33:43 WE THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE A BIG PARK. 33:45 HARDLY ANY PARKS AT ALL. 33:47 IT'S PRETTY DRY. 33:49 BUT OUTSIDE OF PARKS, THERE WAS A--WELL, IT WASN'T EVEN A TOWN. 33:53 IT WAS CALLED GANUMBLA. 33:55 THAT WAS THE BIGGEST THING ABOUT THE TOWN, ITS NAME. 34:00 AND THE FIRST PEOPLE I BAPTIZED--HERE THEY COME. 34:06 LIZ AND DAISY WARD. 34:09 THEY WERE SHEEP FARMERS AND THEY GREW WHEAT BY THE MILE. 34:16 THEY'RE THE FIRST PEOPLE I EVER BAPTIZED. 34:20 LIZ AND DAISY WARD. 34:21 I REMEMBER PUTTING THEM UNDER THE WATER IN THE LITTLE 34:24 PARKS CHURCH. 34:28 I CAN REMEMBER A TREMENDOUS DROUGHT CAME TO AUSTRALIA. 34:32 PEOPLE SAY, "OH, AUSTRALIA'S HAVING A DROUGHT." 34:34 AUSTRALIA'S ALWAYS HAVING DROUGHTS. 34:36 EITHER AUSTRALIA'S HAVING A DROUGHT OR IT'S 34:38 HAVING A FLOOD. 34:40 EITHER PEOPLE ARE BEING DROWNED OR THEY'RE BEING BURNED 34:43 IN BUSH FIRES. 34:45 DOWN IN THE SOUTH IN VICTORIA, THE MOST BEAUTIFUL STATE, 34:50 A WONDERFUL STATE, THEY'VE HAD HELLISH BUSH FIRES THAT HAVE 34:55 BURNED TO DEATH MORE THAN 200 PEOPLE. 34:59 ALL THE FIRE, AT ONE STAGE, 50 METERS, 150 FEET HIGH. 35:05 WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH THAT? 35:07 CAN'T PUT IT OUT. 35:08 BUT IN THE NORTHERN PART OF AUSTRALIA, IN THE STATE 35:11 OF QUEENSLAND, WHICH IS ABOUT 3 OR 4 TIMES BIGGER THAN TEXAS, 35:15 TEXANS, 20 TIMES BIGGER THAN CALIFORNIA, TWO-THIRDS OF 35:21 THAT--WHILE DOWN SOUTH THEY HAD BUSH FIRES, TWO-THIRDS OF 35:26 QUEENSLAND WAS UNDERWATER. 35:31 FEET OF WATER. 35:32 AND COMING OVER SOME OF THE DAMS, WATER COMING OVER, 35:36 10 FEET OVER THE SPILLWAY, JUST ROARING DOWN THE RIVERS. 35:41 SO, FLOODS AND FIRES AND DROUGHTS ARE NOT NEW 35:44 IN AUSTRALIA. 35:45 THEY'VE HAD 'EM FOREVER. 35:49 THE WARD'S FARM WAS UNDER A TERRIBLE DROUGHT. 35:53 THEY'D JUST BECOME BELIEVERS IN CHRIST AND ACCEPTED THE TRUTHS 35:57 OF THE THREE ANGELS' MESSAGES. 36:01 WE PRAYED FOR THEM. 36:03 THE WHEAT CAME UP GREEN. 36:06 THERE WAS NO RAIN. 36:08 AND THEN IT STARTED TO DIE AND AS WE PRAYED AND AS THEY 36:11 PRAYED, THEY WOULD GET A SHOWER OF RAIN JUST WHEN 36:16 THEY NEEDED IT. 36:18 SOMETIMES IT WOULD COME ALMOST A DAY TOO LATE. 36:22 NO, IT DIDN'T. 36:26 SHE SAID TO ME, "OUR BARNS ARE FULL. 36:30 GOD HAS BLESSED US." 36:32 MY FRIEND, THERE IS A GOD WHO IS THERE AND WHO IS HERE, 36:36 WHO HAS A PLAN AND WHO HAS PROMISED TO TAKE CARE OF US. 36:40 THAT IS WHY WE HAVE HOPE. 36:43 CAN YOU HEAR THE MUSIC? 36:46 CAN YOU HEAR THE METRONOME? 36:48 CAN YOU HEAR THE BEATING OF THE HEART? 36:52 IT IS THE HEART OF GOD THAT YOU HEAR. 36:59 THE FOURTH REASON WE CAN HAVE HOPE, BECAUSE GOD HAS PROMISED 37:04 TO FORGIVE OUR SINS AND GIVE US EVERLASTING LIFE. 37:09 COME OVER HERE TO THE BOOK OF ROMANS 5:6-8. 37:12 ROMANS 5:6-8. 37:17 "YOU SEE, AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME, WHEN WE WERE STILL 37:21 POWERLESS, CHRIST DIED FOR THE UNGODLY." 37:25 THAT'S US. 37:26 "VERY RARELY WILL ANYONE DIE FOR A RIGHTEOUS MAN, THOUGH 37:30 FOR A GOOD MAN SOMEONE MIGHT POSSIBLY DARE TO DIE. 37:35 BUT GOD DEMONSTRATES HIS OWN LOVE FOR US IN THIS. 37:38 WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS, CHRIST DIED FOR US." 37:45 YOU KNOW SOMETHING? 37:46 YOU FOLKS JUST LISTEN UP. 37:50 IT'S PRETTY HARD TO HAVE HOPE IF YOUR LIFE IS DOWN BENEATH 37:56 A HEAVY BLACK CLOUD OF SIN. 38:02 THAT'S ONE REASON PEOPLE DON'T HAVE HOPE. 38:05 BECAUSE THEIR SIN HAS SEPARATED THEM FROM GOD. 38:11 BUT THE BIBLE TELLS US WE CAN HAVE HOPE BECAUSE--LET ME WRITE 38:16 IT UP HERE. 38:17 POINT NUMBER FOUR, GOD HAS PROMISED TO FORGIVE OUR SINS. 38:30 MY FRIEND, THAT IS GREAT FOR ALL OF US BECAUSE YOU SITTING 38:36 BACK THERE, YOU NEED FORGIVENESS. 38:39 AND SITTING DOWN AT THE FRONT, WE NEED FORGIVENESS. 38:44 AND THE BIBLE TELLS US GOD HAS PROMISED TO FORGIVE OUR SINS 38:49 IF WE COME IN REPENTANCE AND PENITENCE TO THE CROSS 38:57 LIKE JOHN NEWTON. 39:01 OH GOODNESS ME. 39:03 YOU'VE ALL HEARD OF JOHN NEWTON. 39:07 JOHN NEWTON, THE MAN WHO WROTE "AMAZING GRACE." 39:13 THIS ENGLISHMAN CONVERTED THOUGH THE MINISTRY OF 39:17 THE WESLEY'S, A MAN WHO USED TO KEEP SLAVES, A MAN WHO TRADED 39:25 IN THE BLOOD AND THE FLESH OF MEN AND WOMEN 39:30 OF A DIFFERENT COLOR. 39:34 BUT GOD FORGAVE HIS SINS. 39:37 HE BECAME A MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL. 39:43 AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE HOPE BECAUSE GOD HAS PROMISED 39:47 TO FORGIVE OUR SINS. 39:50 YEARS AGO--2 OR 3 YEARS AGO-- 25 YEARS AGO, YOU NOTICE 39:59 HOW NICE AND CURLY MY HAIR WAS. 40:04 I RESENT THE LAUGHTER. 40:08 YOU SEE THAT OTHER GUY OVER THERE, THAT'S GRAEME BRADFORD, 40:13 YEAH. 40:14 THAT'S GRAEME BRADFORD, YEAH. 40:16 AT LEAST I GOT HAIR. 40:18 THAT'S MORE THAN HE CAN SAY. 40:21 THIS IS IN DEATH ROW IN MANILA. 40:26 WE'RE BAPTIZING YOUNG MEN THERE WHO WERE TERRORISTS, AND WHO 40:30 WENT AROUND MURDERING PEOPLE. 40:35 I PREACHED TO THEM ON THE AMAZING GRACE OF GOD. 40:40 THE AMAZING THING IS THAT GOD WILL FORGIVE A TERRORIST 40:44 WHO COMES TO GOD AND REPENTS OF HIS SINS. 40:51 AND SO WE CAN HAVE HOPE TODAY BECAUSE GOD HAS PROMISED 40:55 TO FORGIVE OUR SINS. 40:58 THIS IS ALL SORT OF AMAZING. 41:00 I WANT YOU TO COME OVER HERE TO MICAH CHAPTER 7:19, MICAH 7:19. 41:10 MICAH, THAT'S A LITTLE BOOK WITH A BIG MESSAGE AFTER 41:12 THE BOOK OF DANIEL. 41:14 MICAH 7:19, IS ONE OF THE MINOR PROPHETS WITH A MAJOR MESSAGE. 41:19 MICAH 7:19, IT SAYS, "YOU WILL AGAIN HAVE COMPASSION ON US; 41:23 YOU WILL TREAD OUR SINS UNDERFOOT AND HURL ALL OUR 41:26 INEQUITIES INTO THE DEPTHS OF THE SEA." 41:29 WE KNOW THAT THE SEA IN SOME PLACES IS 6 OR 7 MILES DEEP. 41:32 THE BIBLE SAYS, "GOD WILL PUT OUR SINS RIGHT DOWN IN THE 41:35 BOTTOM OF THE SEA." 41:36 COME OVER HERE TO PSALM 103. 41:39 PSALM 103:12-13. 41:43 PSALM 103:12-13. 41:47 THE BIBLE SAYS, "AS FAR AS THE EAST IS FROM THE WEST," 41:50 THAT'S A LONG, LONG, LONG WAY, "SO FAR HAS HE REMOVED OUR 41:54 TRANSGRESSIONS FROM US. 41:56 AS A FATHER HAS COMPASSION ON HIS CHILDREN, SO THE LORD 41:59 HAS COMPASSION ON THOSE WHO FEAR HIM." 42:02 THE BIBLE TELLS US, CAN YOU MEASURE FROM EAST TO WEST? 42:05 NO YOU CAN'T. 42:07 THE BIBLE SAYS THAT'S AS FAR AS I'M GOING TO PUT YOUR 42:09 SINS AWAY. 42:10 I WANT YOU TO COME OVER NOW TO THE BOOK OF ISAIAH 38:17. 42:16 ISAIAH 38:17. 42:20 ISAIAH 38:17. 42:25 THE BIBLE SAYS, "SURELY IT WAS FOR MY BENEFIT THAT I SUFFERED 42:29 SUCH ANGUISH. 42:31 IN YOUR LOVE YOU KEPT ME FROM THE PIT OF DESTRUCTION; YOU 42:34 HAVE PUT ALL MY SINS BEHIND YOUR BACK." 42:36 YOU THINK OF GOD PUTTING HIS SINS BEHIND HIS BACK. 42:40 IF GOD IS STANDING HERE, MY FRIEND, AND YOU GOT YOUR 42:43 ENEMIES IN FRONT OF YOU, AND GOD HAS PUT YOUR SINS BEHIND 42:46 HIS BACK, NOBODY CAN SEE THOSE SINS. 42:50 THE BIBLE SAYS IF I COME TO JESUS IN TRUE FAITH, HE'LL 42:53 FORGIVE ALL OF MY SINS. 42:56 YOU KNOW THE TEXT, DON'T YOU? 42:58 JOHN 3:16. 43:00 WE DON'T NEED TO TURN TO IT. 43:02 YOU KNOW IT. 43:03 THE BIBLE SAYS, "'FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE 43:07 HIS ONLY SON, SO THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL 43:11 NOT PERISH BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE.'" 43:15 SO GOD SAYS IF I COME IN TRUE FAITH TO CHRIST, IF I COME TO 43:19 HIS CROSS, IF I CAN CONFESS MY SINS, IF I REPENT OF MY SINS, 43:25 HE'S GOING TO FORGIVE MY SINS, HE'S GOING TO PUT THEM DOWN 43:28 IN THE OCEAN, COVER THEM WITH 7 MILES OF WATER. 43:30 HE'S GOING TO PUT THEM BEHIND HIS BACK. 43:33 AND BECAUSE OF THIS, WE CAN HAVE HOPE BECAUSE GOD HAS 43:37 PROMISED ME THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS AND EVERLASTING LIFE. 43:42 MARTIN LUTHER SAID ON ONE OCCASION, AND HE WAS THE GREAT 43:45 PROTESTANT REFORMER, HE SAID, "LORD, DO YOU WANT YOU WANT 43:49 TO DO NOW. 43:50 DO WHAT YOU WILL. 43:51 IF YOU WANT TO STRIKE ME DOWN NOW THAT I KNOW THAT MY SINS 43:57 ARE FORGIVEN, I BELIEVE THAT YOU AND I CAN FACE ANY TROUBLE, 44:05 ANY SUFFERING, ANY TRIBULATION, ANYTHING THE DEVIL CAN THROW 44:11 AT US, IF WE KNOW THAT OUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN AND WE HAVE 44:17 EVERLASTING LIFE." 44:20 I WANT TO ASK YOU TODAY, DO YOU HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE? 44:26 IF YOU DIE TONIGHT, ARE YOU GOING TO WAKE UP IN 44:29 THE RESURRECTION? 44:31 DO YOU KNOW THAT YOUR SINS ARE BEHIND GOD'S BACK? 44:36 IN FACT, HE'S GOT THEM DOWN BENEATH THE WATER, 7 MILES 44:39 OF OCEAN ON TOP OF YOUR SINS. 44:42 AS FAR AS THE EAST IS FROM THE WEST, THAT'S AS FAR AS HE'S 44:45 GOT RID OF YOUR SINS. 44:47 IF YOU HAVE THAT HOPE TODAY, THEN NOTHING WILL SHAKE YOU. 44:53 AND THERE IS A FIFTH REASON. 44:55 HERE IT IS. 44:57 WAIT FOR IT. 44:58 WE CAN HAVE HOPE BECAUSE--WE CAN HAVE HOPE BECAUSE GOD HAS 45:07 A PLAN FOR PLANET EARTH, OUR WORLD. 45:13 AND GOD'S PLAN IS SO WONDERFUL IT GIVES US HOPE. 45:19 COME OVER HERE TO THE BOOK OF ROMANS, MY DEAR FRIENDS. 45:21 OVER HERE TO THE BOOK OF ROMANS 8:22 AND ONWARDS 45:26 IN YOUR BIBLE. 45:28 ROMANS 8:22 AND ONWARDS. 45:32 YOU KNOW, I WOULDN'T GO TO A CHURCH WHERE THEY DIDN'T TURN 45:34 TO THE TEXT OF THE BIBLE. 45:36 ROMANS 8:22 AND ONWARDS. 45:40 THE BIBLE SAYS, HERE IT IS, "WE KNOW THAT THE WHOLE CREATION 45:43 HAS BEEN GROANING AS IN THE PAINS OF CHILDBIRTH RIGHT UP 45:47 TO THE PRESENT TIME. 45:49 NOT ONLY SO, BUT WE OURSELVES, WHO HAVE THE FIRSTFRUITS OF 45:53 THE SPIRIT, GROAN INWARDLY AS WE WAIT EAGERLY FOR OUR ADOPTION 46:01 AS SONS, THE REDEMPTION OF OUR BODIES. 46:05 FOR IN THIS HOPE WE WERE SAVED. 46:09 BUT HOPE THAT IS SEEN IS NO HOPE AT ALL. 46:13 WHO HOPES FOR WHAT HE ALREADY HAS? 46:17 BUT IF WE HOPE FOR WHAT WE DO NOT YET HAVE, WE WAIT FOR 46:22 IT PATIENTLY." 46:25 NOW ALL LOOK AT ME. 46:27 LISTEN TO THIS BECAUSE THIS IS TREMENDOUSLY IMPORTANT. 46:34 WHATEVER HAPPENS TO THIS WORLD FOR US IS NOT SUCH A BIG DEAL 46:42 BECAUSE WE'RE CITIZENS OF ANOTHER WORLD. 46:46 AND WE HAVE A HOPE THAT ONE DAY WE'RE GOING TO GET 46:49 BRAND-NEW BODIES. 46:51 I'M GOING TO GET MY CURLS BACK. 46:55 I'M GOING TO GET A FACE-LIFT. 46:59 YOU KNOW WHAT SOMEBODY SAID TO ABRAHAM LINCOLN? 47:01 THEY ACCUSED HIM OF BEING TWO-FACED. 47:04 HE SAID, "I LEAVE IT TO MY AUDIENCE TO JUDGE. 47:08 IF I HAD TWO FACES, HOW DO YOU FIGURE I'M WEARING THE ONE 47:11 I'VE GOT?" 47:18 GOD IS GOING TO PREPARE SOMETHING FOR US GLORIOUS, 47:22 WONDERFUL, MAGNIFICENT, AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THIS HOPE. 47:26 I'M GOING TO WRITE IT UP HERE ON THE BLACKBOARD. 47:28 THE FIFTH REASON, NUMBER FIVE, "GOD HAS A WONDERFUL, NOT JUST 47:40 ANY PLAN, BUT GOD HAS A WONDERFUL PLAN 47:47 FOR PLANET EARTH. 47:51 GOD IS GOING TO MAKE IT OVER AGAIN." 47:55 I WANT YOU TO TURN NOW TO THE BOOK OF REVELATION. 47:58 COME OVER HERE TO REVELATION 21:1-5. 48:02 REVELATION 21:1-5. 48:06 REVELATION 21:1-5, "THEN I SAW A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH, 48:11 FOR THE FIRST HEAVEN AND THE FIRST EARTH HAD PASSED AWAY, 48:15 AND THERE NO LONGER ANY SEA. 48:17 I SAW THE HOLY CITY, THE NEW JERUSALEM, COMING DOWN OUT 48:20 OF HEAVEN FROM GOD, PREPARED AS A BRIDE BEAUTIFULLY DRESSED 48:24 FOR HER HUSBAND. 48:26 AND I HEARD A LOUD VOICE FROM THE THRONE SAYING, 'NOW THE 48:29 DWELLING OF GOD IS WITH MEN, AND HE WILL LIVE WITH THEM. 48:32 THEY WILL BE HIS PEOPLE, AND GOD HIMSELF WILL BE 48:35 WITH THEM AND BE THEIR GOD. 48:37 HE WILL WIPE EVERY TEAR FROM THEIR EYES. 48:41 THERE WILL BE NO MORE DEATH OR MOURNING OR CRYING OF PAIN, 48:45 FOR THE OLD ORDER OF THINGS HAS PASSED AWAY.' 48:48 HE WHO SEATED ON THE THRONE SAID, 'I AM MAKING 48:51 EVERYTHING NEW.' THEN HE SAID, 'WRITE THIS DOWN, 48:56 FOR THESE WORDS ARE TRUSTWORTHY AND TRUE.'" 49:00 JUST THINK OF IT, A BEAUTIFUL, WONDERFUL NEW WORLD. 49:04 COME OVER NOW TO THE BOOK OF TITUS 2:13. 49:10 TIMOTHY, AND THEN YOU COME TO THE BOOK OF TITUS TOWARDS 49:13 THE NEW TESTAMENT. 49:14 TITUS 2:13 SAYS THESE WORDS, "WHILE WE WAIT FOR THE BLESSED," 49:20 WHAT? 49:22 COME ON SAY IT. 49:23 >> HOPE. 49:24 >> "THE BLESSED HOPE, THE GLORIOUS APPEARING OF OUR GREAT 49:28 GOD AND SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST." 49:30 THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT THE SECOND COMING BY THE TERM, 49:35 "THE BLESSED HOPE." 49:37 "WE HAVE THIS HOPE THAT BURNS WITHIN OUR HEARTS, HOPE IN 49:41 THE COMING OF THE LORD. 49:43 WE HAVE THIS FAITH THAT CHRIST ALONE IMPARTS FAITH IN 49:47 THE PROMISE OF HIS WORD." 49:49 AND THEN EVERY PERSON KNOWS THIS GREAT OLD HYMN. 49:53 "WHEN ALL MY LABORS AND TRIALS ARE O'ER, AND I AM SAFE ON THAT 49:58 BEAUTIFUL SHORE JUST TO BE NEAR THE DEAR LORD I ADORE, 50:04 WILL THROUGH THE AGES BE GLORY FOR ME. 50:09 WHEN BY THE GIFT OF HIS INFINITE GRACE, I AM ACCORDED 50:12 IN HEAVEN A PLACE JUST TO BE THERE, AND TO LOOK ON HIS FACE, 50:17 WILL THROUGH THE AGES BE GLORY FOR ME. 50:20 FRIENDS WILL BE THERE. 50:22 I HAVE LOVED SONG-- I HAVE LOVED LONG AGO. 50:25 JOY LIKE A RIVER AROUND ME WILL FLOW. 50:29 YET JUST A SMILE FROM MY SAVIOR I KNOW, WILL THROUGH THE AGES 50:32 BE GLORY FOR ME. 50:35 O THAT WILL BE GLORY FOR ME, GLORY FOR ME, GLORY FOR ME. 50:43 WHEN BY HIS GRACE, I SHALL LOOK ON HIS FACE, THAT WILL BE 50:51 GLORY, BE GLORY FOR ME." 50:56 THAT IS WHY WE HAVE HOPE. 50:59 AND WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS TODAY AND WHAT AMERICA NEEDS MORE 51:04 THAN ANYTHING ELSE IS HOPE, AND HOPE HOLDS US WHEN EARTHLY 51:11 THINGS ARE SWEPT AWAY BY THE FLOOD OF FEAR. 51:16 COME OVER HERE TO HEBREWS 6:19-20. 51:20 HEBREWS 6:19-20, AND IT TALKS ABOUT THE ANCHOR FOR THE SOUL. 51:28 HEBREWS 6:19-20, "WE HAVE THIS HOPE AS AN ANCHOR FOR THE SOUL, 51:35 FIRM AND SECURE. 51:37 IT ENTERS THE INNER SANCTUARY BEHIND THE CURTAIN, WHERE 51:41 JESUS, WHO WENT BEFORE US, HAS ENTERED ON OUR BEHALF." 51:46 THE BIBLE TELLS US, IF YOU GO INTO THE WHERE JESUS IS, 51:54 YOU WILL HAVE HOPE, AND THIS IS THE ANCHOR FOR THE SOUL. 52:00 THE POET SAID THESE WORDS, LISTEN, AN OLD HYMN, "WILL YOUR 52:06 ANCHOR HOLD IN THE STORMS OF LIFE? 52:10 WHEN THE CLOUDS UNFOLD THEIR WINGS OF STRIFE, 52:14 WHEN THE STRONG TIDES LIFT, AND THE CABLES STRAIN, 52:19 WILL YOUR ANCHOR DRIFT, OR FIRM REMAIN? 52:24 WE HAVE AN ANCHOR THAT KEEPS THE SOUL STEADFAST AND SURE 52:29 WHILE THE BELLOWS ROLL; FASTENED TO THE ROCK WHICH 52:33 CANNOT MOVE, GROUNDED FIRM AND DEEP IN THE SAVIOR'S LOVE. 52:40 IT WILL FIRMLY HOLD IN THE FLOODS OF DEATH, 52:46 WHEN THE WATERS COLD CHILL OUR LATEST BREATH. 52:52 ON THE RISING TIDE, IT CAN NEVER FAIL, WHILE OUR HOPES 53:00 ABIDE WITHIN THE VEIL." 53:06 WE HAVE THIS HOPE. 53:08 LET US KNEEL. 53:22 OUR FATHER, WE THANK YOU TODAY THAT IN A WORLD THAT'S FILLED 53:27 WITH FEAR, WE HAVE HOPE AND WE HAVE HOPE TODAY BECAUSE YOU ARE 53:34 THE GOD WHO IS THERE AND HERE. 53:39 WE THANK YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE OUR GOD AND YOU ARE OUR LIFE. 53:44 YOU HAVE A PLAN FOR EVERYONE OF US. 53:48 WE HAVE HOPE BECAUSE YOU HAVE A PLAN. 53:52 WE THANK YOU TODAY, OUR FATHER, THAT YOU HAVE PROMISED 53:56 TO FORGIVE ALL OF OUR SINS. 53:58 WE HAVE HOPE OF EVERLASTING LIFE. 54:02 WE THANK YOU THAT YOU'VE TOLD US DURING TIMES OF RECESSION 54:06 AND DEPRESSION THAT YOU WILL SUPPLY THE NEEDS OF YOUR 54:10 FAITHFUL CHILDREN. 54:12 THEREFORE, WE HAVE HOPE, AND WE HAVE HOPE TODAY BECAUSE 54:17 WE BELIEVE IN THE BLESSED HOPE THAT JESUS WILL COME. 54:23 AND SOON THERE WILL BE A BRAND-NEW WORLD FOR 54:27 OUR BRAND-NEW PEOPLE. 54:31 WE THANK YOU TODAY THAT OUR ANCHOR HOLDS BECAUSE IT'S 54:37 FIRMLY ROOTED TO THE ROCK THAT CANNOT MOVE. 54:42 AS WE'RE PRAYING IN CHURCH TODAY, HOW MANY WILL SAY, 54:48 "I, TODAY, CHOOSE HOPE OVER DESPAIR"? 54:53 WOULD YOU RAISE YOUR HAND AS YOU SAY, "TODAY, 54:56 I CHOOSE HOPE." 54:59 SAY IT WITH ME, "I CHOOSE HOPE BECAUSE I CHOOSE CHRIST, 55:07 BECAUSE I CHOOSE CHRIST." 55:09 BLESS US TODAY, OUR FATHER. 55:10 BLESS THIS CONGREGATION. 55:12 BLESS EVERY UPRAISED HAND, EVERY UPRAISED HEART, AND DEAR 55:16 FATHER, BLESS PRESIDENT OBAMA AS WE HAVE BEEN INSTRUCTED 55:22 IN THE SCRIPTURES TO PRAY FOR OUR RULERS. 55:26 WE PRAY THAT YOU WILL BLESS HIM AND LEAD HIM AND GUIDE HIM. 55:29 GIVE HIM A WISDOM THAT HE DOESN'T HAVE IN HIMSELF. 55:33 BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA THAT THIS TIME OF 55:37 TROUBLE WILL SHAKE US LOOSE FROM OUR ADDICTION TO THINGS. 55:43 WE HAVE BECOME A PEOPLE, DEAR FATHER, A SINFUL PEOPLE, WHO 55:49 WORSHIP THINGS INSTEAD OF YOU. 55:52 MAY THESE TRIALS SHAKE US FREE FROM THAT DREADFUL ADDICTION, 55:59 AND BLESS OUR FRIENDS AROUND THE WORLD IN AUSTRALIA, IN NEW 56:04 ZEALAND, IN CANADA, IN LATIN AMERICA, IN GREAT BRITAIN, 56:11 AND OUR SUFFERING BELIEVERS IN RUSSIA, BLESS THEM. 56:16 WE THANK YOU TODAY THAT WE, THAT WE TODAY ARE FILLED WITH 56:23 CERTAINTY THAT COMES FROM FAITH IN YOUR WORD, AND WE THANK YOU 56:29 FOR THE BLESSED HOPE. 56:31 IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN AND AMEN. 56:39 [MUSIC] 56:58 ♪ BEFORE THE THRONE ♪ ♪ OF GOD ABOVE ♪ 57:03 ♪ I HAVE A STRONG ♪ ♪ AND PERFECT PLEA ♪ 57:08 ♪ A GREAT HIGH PRIEST ♪ ♪ WHOSE NAME IS LOVE ♪ 57:13 ♪ WHO EVER LIVES ♪ ♪ AND PLEADS FOR ME ♪ 57:18 ♪ MY NAME IS GRAVEN ♪ ♪ ON HIS HANDS ♪ 57:23 ♪ MY NAME IS WRITTEN ♪ ♪ ON HIS HEART ♪ 57:29 ♪ I KNOW THAT WHILE ♪ ♪ IN HEAVEN HE STANDS ♪ 57:34 ♪ NO TONGUE CAN BID ME ♪ ♪ THENCE DEPART ♪ 57:40 ♪ NO TONGUE CAN BID ME ♪ ♪ THENCE DEPART ♪♪ 57:48 [MUSIC] |
Revised 2015-02-05