Participants: Pr. John Carter
Series Code: CR
Program Code: CR001024
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00:00 >> FROM ARCADIA, CALIFORNIA, "THE CARTER REPORT"
00:09 PRESENTS THE LIVING WORD AROUND THE WORLD. 00:17 >> HELLO, I'M DAVE DENO FOR JOHN CARTER 00:18 AND "THE CARTER REPORT," HERE TO ENCOURAGE YOU 00:21 TO BE A PART OF THIS MINISTRY, TO BE A PARTNER IN THIS 00:24 MINISTRY, TO KNOW THE JOY OF GIVING. 00:28 GOD'S WORD TELLS US THAT IT IS MORE BLESSED TO GIVE THAN TO 00:31 RECEIVE AND I BELIEVE THAT IT IS MORE JOYFUL TO GIVE THAN 00:35 TO RECEIVE. 00:36 BUT THE ONLY WAY THAT YOU WILL KNOW THIS IS TO DO IT YOURSELF, 00:39 TO COME AND JOIN US IN THIS WONDERFUL MINISTRY OF BRINGING 00:42 THE GOSPEL TO HUNDREDS, THOUSANDS, TENS OF THOUSANDS, 00:46 HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN AREAS AROUND THE WORLD 00:50 THAT PERHAPS YOU AND I MAY NEVER HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY 00:53 TO TRAVEL TO. 00:54 THIS IS A WAY THAT YOU CAN SUPPORT THE PREACHING OF THE 00:57 GOSPEL, THAT YOU CAN SUPPORT NEW LIVES IN CHRIST. 01:03 NOW WE'RE VERY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION AND WE WANT 01:05 TO SHOW YOU THAT APPRECIATION BY SENDING SOMETHING 01:08 BACK TO YOU TO SAY, "THANK YOU FOR YOUR GIFT." 01:13 ONE WOULD BE A TERRIFIC BOOK THAT IS WRITTEN 01:16 BY JOHN CARTER CALLED "THE FATE OF THE HEATHEN." 01:19 NOW THIS IS A GREAT BOOK NOT ONLY FOR YOU TO READ, BUT ALSO 01:22 TO SHARE WITH FAMILY MEMBERS AND WITH FRIENDS. 01:24 IT'S VERY DIRECT, VERY TO THE POINT. 01:27 AND THEN ANOTHER BOOK THAT JOHN'S A LITTLE SHY ABOUT IS 01:30 THE HISTORY OF JOHN CARTER AND "THE CARTER REPORT." 01:34 YOU CAN SEND YOUR GIFT TO "THE CARTER REPORT" 01:36 AT P.O. BOX 1900, THOUSAND OAKS, 01:40 CALIFORNIA, 91358. 01:43 IN AUSTRALIA, YOU CAN SEND IT TO TERRIGAL, NEW SOUTH WALES, 01:48 AND THE BOX IS ON THE SCREEN. 01:50 I ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE A PART OF THIS MINISTRY. 01:54 WRITE TO US, AGAIN, AT THE CARTER REPORT, BOX 1900, 01:57 THOUSAND OAKS, CALIFORNIA, 91358. 02:01 AND IN AUSTRALIA, AT TERRIGAL, NEW SOUTH WALES. 02:06 AGAIN, THE BOX NUMBER IS ON THE SCREEN. 02:09 THANK YOU. 02:10 THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING A PART OF THIS MINISTRY. 02:18 >> NOW TODAY WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT FOUR DIFFERENT TYPES OF 02:22 SOIL, STARTING WITH BAD SOIL AND GOING DOWN TO GOOD SOIL. 02:29 THE QUESTION IS: CAN BAD DIRT BECOME GOOD SOIL? 02:37 THAT'S THE TOPIC TODAY. 02:39 WITH ME IS HEATHER HENRY AND SHE'S GONNA SING FOR US TODAY. 02:44 HEATHER IS A WONDERFUL PERSON WITH A WONDERFUL TALENT. 02:49 AND WHENEVER SHE COMES TO OUR CHURCH, WHEN SHE COMES IN SHE'S 02:53 LIKE A LIGHT BULB THAT GOES ON. 02:57 HEATHER, WHERE DO YOU COME FROM? 03:01 >> I LIVE IN FONTANA, CALIFORNIA. 03:03 >> AND WHERE'S FONTANA? 03:05 >> IT IS RIGHT NEAR ONTARIO, IF ANYONE KNOWS WHERE 03:08 THE ONTARIO AIRPORT IS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. 03:11 >> HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN SINGING GOSPEL SONGS? 03:15 >> I HAVE LOVED TO SING SINCE I WAS A LITTLE GIRL AND I STARTED 03:18 TAKING VOICE LESSONS AT THE AGE OF 13 AND CHRISTIAN MUSIC 03:23 PROBABLY SINCE ABOUT 18 YEARS OLD. 03:25 >> YOU HAVE A FAMILY. 03:26 I SEE YOUR CHILDREN SOMETIMES COME WITH YOU. 03:28 >> YES. 03:29 I HAVE A HUSBAND OF 15 YEARS AND 3 BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN, 03:33 13, 11, AND 9. 03:36 >> CAN YOU TELL US--BECAUSE THE GOSPEL MEANS SOMETHING TO YOU, 03:39 IT'S EXPRESSED IN THE WAY YOU SING, IN THE WAY YOU LOOK, 03:44 EXPRESSED IN YOUR FACE, HOW DID YOU GET TO KNOW JESUS 03:48 AS YOUR SAVIOR? 03:50 >> WHEN I WAS 13 YEARS OLD, MY MOM TOOK ME TO A PRAYER MEETING 03:54 AND THEY ASKED ME THERE IF I WANTED TO ACCEPT JESUS 03:56 AS MY SAVIOR. 03:58 AND I SAID YES AND THEY PRAYED WITH ME. 04:00 AND AFTER THAT, WHEN I STARTED READING THE BIBLE, THAT'S 04:03 REALLY WHEN I STARTED TO GROW IN THE LORD. 04:06 SO ACCEPTING HIM WAS THE FIRST STEP, BUT READING HIS WORD WAS 04:10 REALLY THE STEP THAT HELPED ME TO GROW AND BECOME A STRONG 04:12 CHRISTIAN. 04:13 >> DO YOU STILL READ THE WORD? 04:15 >> EVERY DAY. 04:16 >> YOU READ YOUR BIBLE EVERY DAY? 04:17 >> YES. 04:18 >> AND YOU CAN SEE IT IN YOUR FACE. 04:20 >> AMEN. 04:21 >> THAT'S WHAT THE SERMON IS GONNA TALK ABOUT TODAY, TURNING 04:25 BAD DIRT INTO GOOD SOIL. 04:28 WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT MATTHEW 13. 04:30 WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO SING FOR US NOW? 04:32 >> I'M GONNA SING A SONG CALLED "WITH ALL MY HEART, 04:35 WITH ALL I AM." 04:36 AND IT TALKS ABOUT JUST GIVING GOD ALL THAT WE ARE. 04:40 >> WE'RE SO GLAD TO HAVE YOU WITH US TODAY AND MICHELLE, SO 04:43 WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM AND WE LOVE YOU AND GOD LOVES YOU AND 04:47 THANK YOU FOR COMING. 04:48 GOD BLESS YOU, HEATHER. 04:49 THANK YOU. 04:52 [MUSIC] 05:15 ♪ INTO YOUR HANDS ♪ ♪ I COMMIT AGAIN ♪ 05:22 ♪ WITH ALL I AM ♪ ♪ FOR YOU, LORD ♪ 05:29 ♪ YOU HOLD MY WORLD ♪ ♪ IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND ♪ 05:36 ♪ AND I AM YOURS FOREVER ♪ 05:47 ♪ AND JESUS, I BELIEVE IN YOU ♪ ♪ AND JESUS, I BELONG TO YOU ♪ 06:00 ♪ YOU'RE THE REASON ♪ ♪ THAT I LIVE ♪ 06:04 ♪ THE REASON THAT I SING ♪ ♪ WITH ALL I AM ♪ 06:19 ♪ I WALK WITH YOU ♪ ♪ WHEREVER YOU GO ♪ 06:26 ♪ THROUGH TEARS AND JOY ♪ ♪ I WILL TRUST IN YOU ♪ 06:33 ♪ AND I WILL LIVE IN ALL ♪ ♪ OF YOUR WAYS ♪ 06:40 ♪ YOUR PROMISES, FOREVER ♪ 06:51 ♪ AND JESUS, I BELIEVE IN YOU ♪ ♪ AND JESUS, I BELONG TO YOU ♪ 07:06 ♪ YOU'RE THE REASON ♪ ♪ THAT I LIVE ♪ 07:10 ♪ THE REASON THAT I SING ♪ ♪ WITH ALL I AM ♪ 07:24 ♪ I BELIEVE, I BELIEVE IN YOU ♪ ♪ WITH ALL THAT I AM ♪ 07:39 ♪ WITH ALL THAT IS WITHIN ME ♪ ♪ I WILL WORSHIP ♪ 07:51 ♪ I WILL WORSHIP YOU ♪ ♪ I WILL WORSHIP ♪ 08:05 ♪ I WILL WORSHIP YOU ♪ ♪ I WILL WORSHIP ♪ 08:19 ♪ I WILL WORSHIP YOU ♪ ♪ 'CAUSE JESUS ♪ 08:28 ♪ I BELIEVE IN YOU ♪ ♪ AND JESUS, I BELONG TO YOU ♪ 08:41 ♪ YOU'RE THE REASON ♪ ♪ THAT I LIVE ♪ 08:45 ♪ THE REASON THAT I SING ♪ ♪ JESUS, I BELIEVE IN YOU ♪ 08:56 ♪ AND JESUS, I BELONG TO YOU ♪ ♪ YOU'RE THE REASON ♪ 09:05 ♪ THAT I LIVE ♪ ♪ THE REASON THAT I SING ♪ 09:12 ♪ WITH ALL I AM ♪♪ 09:24 [CONGREGATION APPLAUDING] >> AMEN. 09:28 THANK YOU. 09:30 >> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE HAVE A SPECIAL GUEST TODAY 09:34 AT "THE CARTER REPORT" AND THIS GREAT CHURCH. 09:38 THIS IS STEVE SAUZA, WHO IS THE LEADING ELDER 09:43 OF THIS CONGREGATION. 09:45 STEVE AND I HAVE BEEN FRIENDS FOR YEARS AND WE'RE--AND HE'S 09:48 COMING WITH US TO THE GREAT LAND OF SOUTH AFRICA IN JUST 09:53 A FEW WEEKS' TIME. 09:54 STEVE, WELCOME TO OUR MINISTRY. 09:57 WELCOME TO OUR CHURCH. 09:59 FOR HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A BELIEVER IN CHRIST? 10:03 >> WELL THANK GOD, ALL MY LIVE, THANKS TO MY MOM, MY DAD, 10:07 MY GRANDMOTHER. 10:08 THEY RAISED ME IN THE CHRISTIAN FAITH. 10:11 >> YOU WERE BLESSED. 10:12 SO YOUR MUM AND DAD WERE BELIEVERS, YOUR GRANDMOTHER 10:15 WERE BELIEVERS. 10:16 HOW DID THEY INTRODUCE YOU TO CHRIST AND THE BIBLE? 10:20 >> WELL, VERY EARLY. 10:21 THEY TOOK ME TO SABBATH SCHOOL. 10:23 THEY--MY DAD ALWAYS MADE SURE I WENT WEDNESDAY NIGHTS. 10:26 AND THEN AT HOME, MY GRANDMOTHER, I WOULD ALWAYS 10:28 SEE HER PRAYING AND READING HER BIBLE. 10:31 >> YOU SAW YOUR GRANDMOTHER PRAYING, READING HER BIBLE. 10:34 GLORY. 10:36 LOS ANGELES IS GOING THROUGH TOUGH TIMES. 10:38 AMERICA IS GOING THROUGH TOUGH TIMES. 10:41 UNEMPLOYMENT IS WORST IT'S BEEN IN, YOU KNOW, A LIFETIME. 10:45 POSSIBLY IN THIS AREA AROUND OUR CHURCH, UNEMPLOYMENT IS 10:49 12%, 13%, 14%, 15%. 10:51 HOW ARE YOU DOING AS A BUSINESSPERSON? 10:54 >> WELL, THANK GOD I'M SURVIVING, BUT IT'S STILL 10:57 A DIFFICULT ECONOMY TO WORK IN. 10:59 >> WHAT IS YOUR PROFESSION? 11:00 >> I'M AN ACCOUNTANT. 11:02 CURRENTLY, I'M THE CONTROLLER OF A COMPANY. 11:04 >> NOW YOU TOLD ME THINGS HAVE NOT ALWAYS BEEN EASY FOR YOU 11:08 BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS TO BE LAID OFF. 11:12 >> YES, I'VE BEEN LAID OFF FIVE TIMES. 11:16 >> FIVE TIMES. 11:18 SOMEBODY UP AT THE BACK OF THE CHURCH SAID, "WHY?" 11:20 WE CONSIDER THAT TO BE AN INAPPROPRIATE QUESTION. 11:24 TIMES GET TOUGH. 11:26 WHEN YOU'VE BEEN LAID OFF, WHAT HAVE BEEN YOUR THOUGHTS? 11:31 >> WELL, IT'S EASY TO GET DISCOURAGED 'CAUSE YOU THINK, 11:34 "WELL, NOBODY NEEDS YOU. 11:35 YOU'RE WORTHLESS." 11:37 BUT I ALWAYS TRY TO TEND TO THE POSITIVE AND WHAT I MADE SURE 11:41 IS I HAD MY DEVOTIONAL TIME EVERY MORNING SO THAT I WON'T 11:44 GET NEGATIVE. 11:45 AND SO I KEPT MYSELF BUSY. 11:47 I WOULD READ A BOOK, THE GOOD BOOKS, CHRISTIAN BOOKS, AND 11:51 THEN I TOOK A CLASS ONLINE, JUST TRYING TO STAY POSITIVE 11:54 AND READY FOR THE NEXT ASSIGNMENT. 11:57 >> AND STEVE, THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE. 11:59 YOU'RE A POSITIVE PERSON. 12:00 YOU THINK POSITIVELY. 12:02 YOU READ YOUR BIBLE. 12:04 YOU'RE A DYNAMIC CHRISTIAN LEADER IN OUR COMMUNITY. 12:07 YOU'RE COMING WITH US TO AFRICA AND ALL OF US THANK GOD FOR 12:11 STEVE SAUZA, HIS WIFE MARIA, AND YOUR BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN. 12:16 HAPPY SABBATH, STEVEN. 12:17 GOD BLESS YOU. 12:18 >> THANK YOU. 12:18 HAPPY SABBATH. 12:20 >> GOD BLESS YOU. 12:23 [APPLAUDING] 12:27 >> ONE OF THE GREAT REFORMERS WAS A MAN BY THE NAME OF 12:31 JOHN CALVIN, WHO TAUGHT MANY, MANY GOOD IDEAS. 12:37 I DON'T THINK HIS IDEA AS HE EXPRESSED IT ON PREDESTINATION 12:42 WAS SUCH A GOOD IDEA. 12:45 HE BECAME THE FOLLOWER OF MANY, MANY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE. 12:52 HE TAUGHT THAT BEFORE TIME AND ETERNITY, GOD ORDAINED 12:59 OR PREDESTINED THOSE WHO WERE GOING TO BE SAVED AND THOSE 13:04 WHO WERE GOING TO BE LOST. 13:07 THEREFORE, IF YOU BELONGED TO THE ELECT, YOU WOULD BE SAVED. 13:13 BUT IF YOU DID NOT BELONG TO THE ELECT, WHATEVER YOU DID, 13:18 YOU WOULD BE DAMNED AND BURNED FOR ALL ETERNITY 13:24 IN A WHITE-HOT FURNACE. 13:28 IN OTHER WORDS, HE SAID BAD DIRT WILL ALWAYS BE BAD DIRT. 13:38 WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT? 13:39 THE TOPIC IS IS IT POSSIBLE FOR HARD, PACKED DOWN DIRT TO 13:45 BECOME GOOD, FERTILE SOIL? 13:48 CALVIN SAID AND MILLIONS SAY, "NO, YOU ARE WHAT YOU ARE." 13:53 CAN BAD DIRT BECOME GOOD SOIL? 13:58 THAT'S THE TOPIC. 13:59 CAN BAD DIRT BECOME GOOD SOIL? 14:04 MY TEXT IS FOUND IN MATTHEW 13. 14:07 MATTHEW 13:1-9 AND PLEASE TURN TO THE TEXT. 14:12 MATTHEW 13:1-9. 14:16 I WANT TO SEND A GREETING TO MY FRIENDS AROUND THE WORLD, MY 14:19 FRIENDS ESPECIALLY AT AVONDALE COLLEGE, DR. TOM 14:25 AND PAM LUDOWICI, ALL OF YOU OVER THERE. 14:29 I WANT TO SEND GREETINGS TO MY FRIENDS IN SOUTH AFRICA. 14:33 ALSO MY FRIENDS IN INDIA. 14:36 NOW THE REST OF YOU HERE, I SEND YOU GREETINGS TOO. 14:39 MATTHEW 13:1 AND ONWARDS. 14:43 "THAT SAME DAY JESUS WENT OUT OF THE HOUSE AND SAT 14:46 BY THE LAKE. 14:48 SUCH LARGE CROWDS GATHERED AROUND HIM THAT HE GOT INTO 14:51 A BOAT AND SAT IN IT, WHILE ALL THE PEOPLE STOOD ON THE SHORE. 14:58 THEN HE TOLD THEM MANY THINGS IN PARABLES, SAYING, 'A FARMER 15:02 WENT OUT TO SOW HIS SEED. 15:05 AS HE WAS SCATTERING THE SEED, SOME FELL ALONG THE PATH, AND 15:11 THE BIRDS CAME AND ATE IT UP. 15:13 SOME FELL ON ROCKY PLACES, WHERE IT DID NOT HAVE 15:17 MUCH SOIL. 15:19 IT SPRANG UP QUICKLY, BECAUSE THE SOIL--" WAS WHAT? 15:25 "SHALLOW. 15:26 BUT WHEN THE SUN CAME UP, THE PLANTS WERE SCORCHED, 15:29 AND THEY WITHERED BECAUSE THEY HAD NO ROOT. 15:33 OTHER SEED FELL AMONG THORNS, WHICH GREW UP AND CHOKED 15:38 THE PLANTS. 15:40 STILL OTHER SEED FELL ON GOOD SOIL, WHERE IT PRODUCED A CROP, 15:45 A HUNDRED, SIXTY, OR THIRTY TIMES WHAT WAS SOWN. 15:51 HE WHO HAS EARS, LET HIM HEAR.'" OR AS THE KING JAMES VERSION 15:58 SAYS, "HE WHO HAS EARS TO HEAR, LET HIM HEAR." 16:08 AND THUS I SAY TO YOU TODAY IN THIS CHURCH AND TO THE VAST 16:12 TELEVISION AUDIENCE, HE WHO HAS EARS TO HEAR, LET HIM HEAR. 16:21 HERE WE HAVE FOUR CLASSES OF HEARERS AND I'M GOING TO GO TO 16:27 THE BLACKBOARD AND I'M GOING TO WRITE ON THE BLACKBOARD 16:32 FOUR CLASSES OF HEARERS. 16:36 WE READY FOR THIS? 16:39 THOSE ALONG THE PATH, WHERE THE DIRT HAS BEEN TRAMPLED DOWN, 16:47 ALONG THE PATH, THESE ARE PEOPLE, WE'RE GOING TO SEE, 16:54 WHO ARE HARD. 16:58 ALONG THE PATH, THEY HAVE BEEN BEATEN DOWN. 17:08 THE SECOND CLASS THAT JESUS SPOKE ABOUT, AND YOU KNOW THIS 17:12 AS WELL AS I DO, JESUS SPOKE ABOUT SHALLOW SOIL BECAUSE IT'S 17:20 GOT LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF ROCKS, SO IT IS SHALLOW BECAUSE 17:31 OF THE ROCKS. 17:33 AND THEN, THIRDLY, MY DEAR FRIEND, YOU HAVE THE SOIL THAT 17:40 IS FILLED WITH THORNS. 17:45 AH, WHAT DOES THIS REPRESENT, I WONDER? 17:49 BUT SOIL THAT IS FILLED WITH THORNS. 17:52 AND NUMBER FOUR, YOU HAVE RICH, DEEP, FERTILE SOIL. 17:59 SO WE'RE GOING TO WRITE HERE GOOD, GOOD SOIL. 18:06 AND THE QUESTION WE ARE GOING TO EXPLORE TODAY AS WE MOVE 18:10 THROUGH THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, IS SIMPLY THIS. 18:14 CAN BAD SOIL BECOME GOOD SOIL OR SHOULD WE GIVE UP 18:21 ON BAD SOIL? 18:23 AND CAN THORNY SOIL BECOME GOOD SOIL? 18:28 AND CAN SHALLOW SOIL SOMEHOW GET SOME BODY TO IT? 18:35 WE SHALL DISCUSS THIS AS WE GO ALONG. 18:39 NOW I WANT TO REMIND YOU AT THIS STAGE OF THE LITTLE THING, 18:44 THE FEW WORDS I REMINDED YOU OF SOME TIME AGO. 18:50 LISTEN, THE CAT, WHAT DOES HE DO? 18:54 REMEMBER THE CAT? 18:57 THE CAT LOOKS AT THE KING. 19:01 BUT DOES THE CAT SEE THE KING? 19:04 NO, HE DOESN'T KNOW WHETHER HE'S A KING OR NOT. 19:07 THE CAT LOOKS AT THE KING, BUT THE CAT DOESN'T--HE LOOKS, 19:14 BUT HE DOESN'T SEE. 19:16 THE CAT CAN LOOK, BUT HE DOESN'T HAVE INSIGHT. 19:23 SO WE NEED TO PRAY TODAY THAT THE LORD WILL HELP US NOT ONLY 19:30 TO LOOK, BUT TO SEE AS WE PURSUE THE QUESTION, CAN BAD 19:37 SOIL BECOME GOOD SOIL? 19:40 WOULD YOU PLEASE NOTICE MATTHEW 13:15-16. 19:46 MATTHEW 13:15-16, JESUS SAID, "FOR THIS PEOPLE'S HEART HAS 19:52 BECOME CALLOUSED." 19:54 WHAT DOES IT MEAN, CALLOUSED? 19:55 HARD. 19:58 "THEY HARDLY HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED 20:01 THEIR EYES. 20:02 OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT SEE WITH THEIR EYES, HEAR WITH THEIR 20:08 EARS, UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEARTS AND TURN, AND I WILL 20:14 HEAL THEM. 20:16 BUT BLESSED ARE YOUR EYES BECAUSE THEY SEE, AND YOUR EARS 20:22 BECAUSE THEY HEAR." 20:28 YOU CAN SEE, BUT NOT SEE. 20:32 AND YOU CAN HEAR AND NOT HEAR, AS WE SHALL DISCOVER WHEN WE 20:39 DISCUSS THE FOUR DIFFERENT TYPES OF HEARERS. 20:44 WOULD YOU PLEASE NOTICE MATTHEW 13:18 AND ONWARDS 20:49 AND OUR BLESSED LORD TELLS US WHAT IT MEANS. 20:52 PLEASE NOTICE IT IN THE HOLY WORD. 20:56 "LISTEN THEN TO WHAT THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER MEANS. 21:00 WHEN ANYONE HEARS THE MESSAGE ABOUT THE KINGDOM AND DOES NOT 21:05 UNDERSTAND IT, THE EVIL ONE COMES AND SNATCHES AWAY WHAT 21:11 WAS SOWN IN HIS HEART. 21:15 THIS IS THE SEED SOWN ALONG THE PATH." 21:20 SO I COME OVER HERE TO THIS BLACKBOARD. 21:24 NUMBER ONE, WE HAVE PEOPLE HERE WITHOUT SPIRITUAL--WITHOUT 21:32 SPIRITUAL PERCEPTION OR UNDERSTANDING. 21:40 SO WHEN THE WORD IS PREACHED ON TELEVISION OR IN CHURCH, IT 21:46 DOESN'T GO IN BECAUSE THEIR HEARTS ARE HARD. 21:50 THEY LACK SPIRITUAL PERCEPTION. 21:57 YOU SEE, THEY LOOK AT THE KING, BUT THEY DON'T SEE THE KING 22:05 BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO SPIRITUAL PERCEPTION. 22:12 NOW IT IS QUITE LIKELY THAT IN THIS BEAUTIFUL CHURCH THERE ARE 22:17 PEOPLE SITTING HERE TODAY WHO HAVE NO SPIRITUAL PERCEPTION, 22:24 NO UNDERSTANDING. 22:25 NOW NOTICE VERSE 20 AND 21, WHERE JESUS GOES ON. 22:30 HE SAYS, VERSE 20 AND 21, "THE ONE WHO RECEIVED THE SEED THAT 22:35 FELL ON ROCKY PLACES IS THE MAN WHO HEARS THE WORD AND AT ONCE 22:43 RECEIVES IT WITH JOY. 22:48 BUT SINCE HE HAS NO ROOT, HE LASTS ONLY FOR A SHORT TIME. 22:55 WHEN TROUBLE OR PERSECUTION COMES BECAUSE OF THE WORD, 22:59 HE QUICKLY FALLS AWAY." 23:04 THIS IS THE SECOND TYPE OF HEARER. 23:08 THE SECOND TYPE OF HEARER, THE PERSON WHO SITS IN CHURCH 23:13 OR WHO'S BEEN BROUGHT UP IN THE CHURCH, BUT IT DOESN'T ENDURE. 23:19 JESUS SAID THIS PERSON IS A SHALLOW PERSON. 23:24 HE IS A SUPERFICIAL PERSON, BUT THE BIBLE TELLS ME HE RECEIVES 23:32 THE WORD OF GOD WITH JOY. 23:36 AND SO HE COMES TO A GREAT EVANGELISTIC CAMPAIGN, 23:40 AND WHEN HE HEARS IT, HE SAYS, "HALLELUJAH! 23:43 I'VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR THIS ALL OF MY LIFE. 23:46 PRAISE GOD." 23:48 AND HE IS QUICKLY BAPTIZED AND THE BELIEVERS REJOICE. 23:55 BUT WHEN THE SUN COMES UP, WHAT HAPPENS TO HIM? 24:01 AH-HA. 24:10 THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS. 24:14 BECAUSE THE SOIL IS SHALLOW, IT DOESN'T HOLD THE WATER AND HE 24:23 DOESN'T LAST FOR A LONG TIME. 24:31 THE QUESTION IS, CAN THIS BECOME THIS? 24:40 I SEE SOME OF YOU SAYING, "NO, IT'S IMPOSSIBLE." 24:45 BUT REMEMBER, THE FAITH THAT WE BELIEVE TALKS ABOUT MIRACLES 24:53 AND RESURRECTIONS. 24:57 SO THIS IS THE SUPERFICIAL PERSON, WHO IS QUITE BUBBLY 25:04 AND HAPPY, BUT SOMEBODY IN THE CHURCH SAYS TO HIM, "X-Y-Z," 25:12 AND HE SAYS, OR SHE SAYS, "I WON'T BE BACK AGAIN." 25:18 HAVE YOU MET THEM? 25:20 OR, "I DIDN'T GET INVITED TO LUNCHEON. 25:24 THEY HAD A LUNCHEON WITHOUT ME." 25:31 NOT EVEN TROUBLE OR PERSECUTION. 25:37 SO THIS IS THE SHALLOW, JOYFUL PERSON, SUPERFICIAL. 25:44 NOW LOOK AT VERSE 22. 25:46 JESUS GOES ON. 25:47 "THE ONE WHO RECEIVED THE SEED THAT FELL AMONG THE THORNS IS 25:51 THE MAN WHO HEARS THE WORD." 25:54 THAT'S EVERYBODY SITTING HERE TODAY, INCLUDING ME. 25:58 "WHO HEARS THE WORD, BUT THE WORRIES OF THIS LIFE AND THE 26:03 DECEITFULNESS OF WEALTH CHOKE IT, MAKING IT UNFRUITFUL." 26:12 THESE PEOPLE, NOT BAD PEOPLE. 26:16 THEY DO HAVE SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING. 26:20 THEY ARE NOT SHALLOW PEOPLE, BUT THEY ARE PREOCCUPIED 26:27 PEOPLE. 26:28 THEY ARE PREOCCUPIED WITH THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD. 26:36 AND WITHOUT GETTING TOO CLOSE TO ANYBODY HERE, THEY SPEND 26:41 MUCH MORE TIME WATCHING TELEVISION THAN THEY DO READING 26:47 THEIR BIBLES. 26:50 THE THORNS CHOKE THE WORD. 26:56 "HOW ON EARTH AM I GOING TO MAKE A LIVING?" 26:59 THEY SAY. 27:01 AND THEREFORE, THEY STOP KEEPING THE SABBATH FOR A START 27:06 AND THEY STOP READING THEIR BIBLES. 27:09 THEY ARE NOT BAD PEOPLE. 27:11 THEY ARE VERY, VERY BUSY PEOPLE. 27:19 BUT THE THORNS CHOKE THE WORD. 27:24 NOW, WITHOUT A MIRACLE, EACH OF THESE THREE CLASSES IS LOST. 27:32 CALVIN WAS RIGHT. 27:34 THEY ARE LOST. 27:37 EACH OF THESE THREE CLASSES, THAT'S THREE OUT OF FOUR WHO 27:42 HEAR THE WORD, AND WE WOULD NOT PRESS THAT, BUT EACH OF THESE 27:50 THREE CLASSES, IF THEY SHOULD DIE OR IF THE LORD SHOULD COME, 27:56 THEY WOULD BE LOST, GOOD PEOPLE THOUGH THEY BE. 28:05 NOW NOTICE THE FOURTH CLASS. 28:08 WOULD YOU PLEASE? 28:10 PLEASE, THE FOURTH CLASS. 28:14 SHALL WE READ VERSE 22? 28:18 NO, VERSE 23. 28:20 "BUT THE ONE WHO RECEIVED THE SEED THAT FELL ON GOOD SOIL 28:26 IS THE MAN WHO HEARS THE WORD AND UNDERSTANDS IT." 28:32 THEREFORE, THERE ARE STEPS. 28:33 YOU MUST HEAR THE WORD. 28:35 YOU MUST UNDERSTAND IT. 28:37 "HE PRODUCES A CROP, YIELDING A HUNDRED, SIXTY 28:42 OR THIRTY TIMES WHAT WAS SOWN." 28:46 SO HERE WE HAVE ANOTHER CLASS OF CHRISTIANS BECAUSE ALL 28:54 OF THESE PEOPLE WOULD CALL THEMSELVES CHRISTIANS. 28:57 THIS PERSON IS A FRUITFUL PERSON. 29:03 AND IN SPITE OF PERSECUTION AND IN SPITE OF A RECESSION AND IN 29:11 SPITE OF A THREATENED MORTGAGE, THE ROOTS HAVE GONE DOWN 29:18 SO DEEP THAT IT PRODUCES A MARVELOUS HARVEST. 29:27 THIS IS PRODUCED. 29:30 THIS IS PRODUCED. 29:36 AND I MUST ASK YOU THE QUESTION, AS I ASK MYSELF-- 29:48 REMEMBER, THE CAT LOOKS AT THE KING. 29:50 CAT DOESN'T SEE THE KING. 29:53 ARE YOU LOOKING TODAY OR ARE YOU SEEING? 29:57 OR ARE YOUR EARS CLOSED? 30:02 ARE YOUR EYES BLINDED? 30:07 ASK YOURSELF THE QUESTION. 30:09 NOW SOMEONE SAID TO ME THE OTHER DAY, ONE OF THE ELDERS OF 30:13 THE CHURCH, SHE SAID TO ME, "WHEN YOU PREACH THESE SERMONS, 30:17 NOBODY THINKS IT APPLIES TO THEM." 30:23 I SAID I'VE--SHE SAID, "NO. 30:26 THEY SAY, 'THIS APPLIES TO SOMEBODY ELSE, NOT TO ME.'" 30:36 BUT IT DOES APPLY TO US. 30:38 THEREFORE, I SHOULD HAVE THE COURAGE TO ASK MYSELF 30:43 THE QUESTION. 30:45 AM I A PERSON SITTING HERE TODAY WITH NO SPIRITUAL 30:48 PERCEPTION? 30:50 AM I A SHALLOW PERSON? 30:52 THE BIBLE SAYS SHALLOW AND JOYFUL. 30:56 WE THINK OF A JOYFUL PERSON AS BEING A SAVED PERSON, BUT THIS 31:00 IS A SHALLOW PERSON, BUT JOYFULLY RECEIVING THE WORD. 31:05 THIS PERSON IS PREOCCUPIED. 31:09 VERY BUSY PERSON. 31:12 VERY BUSY PERSON. 31:15 AND THE FOURTH PERSON IS A FRUITFUL PERSON. 31:21 NOW BEFORE WE CONSIDER THESE FOUR KINDS OF PEOPLE IN GREATER 31:26 DETAIL, WE MUST TURN OUR ATTENTION TO THE SEED. 31:33 WHAT, I WONDER, IS THE SEED? 31:38 SOWER GOES FORTH TO SOW. 31:40 AS HE GOES, AS THEY DID IN THE OLD DAYS, HE HAD SEED 31:44 AND HE FLUNG IT AROUND. 31:46 WHAT ON EARTH OR IN THE EARTH IS THE SEED? 31:50 LOOK AT MATTHEW 13:19. 31:56 MATTHEW 13:19. 31:58 "WHEN ANYONE HEARS THE MESSAGE ABOUT THE KINGDOM AND DOES NOT 32:03 UNDERSTAND IT," AND SO FORTH. 32:05 THE SEED IS THE MESSAGE ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST. 32:14 THAT'S WHAT JESUS SAID. 32:15 THE SEED REPRESENTS THE MESSAGE. 32:19 TODAY, AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF CHRIST, I'M SOWING SOME SEED. 32:28 HE WHO HAS EARS TO HEAR, LET HIM HEAR. 32:35 THE SEED IS THE MESSAGE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 32:39 WOULD YOU PLEASE COME OVER HERE TO 1 PETER 1:23 AND ONWARDS, 32:44 MY DEAR FRIENDS? 32:47 1 PETER 1:23 AND ONWARDS. 32:54 1 PETER 1:23 IN THE HOLY BIBLE. 33:02 PETER SAYS, "FOR YOU HAVE BEEN BORN AGAIN--" NOT OF WHAT? 33:07 SAY IT. 33:09 "NOT OF PERISHABLE SEED--" BUT OF WHAT? 33:11 "IMPERISHABLE, THROUGH THE LIVING AND ENDURING WORD 33:16 OF GOD. 33:17 FOR, 'ALL MEN ARE LIKE GRASS, AND THEIR GLORY IS LIKE THE 33:22 FLOWERS OF THE FIELD; THE GRASS WITHERS AND THE FLOWERS FALL, 33:30 BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD STANDS FOREVER.' 33:34 AND THIS IS THE WORD THAT WAS PREACHED TO YOU." 33:40 THE WORD OF GOD IS LIKENED UNTO THE SEED. 33:48 IT IS A SEED THAT IS UNLIKE ANY OTHER SEED. 33:53 NOW I'M GOING TO DO SOMETHING VERY RISKY. 34:00 HERE I'M GOING TO TRY TO SAY IT. 34:05 CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 34:12 CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 34:13 WAS THAT BETTER? 34:15 THAT IS A WORD I CAN'T SAY. 34:18 CHRYSANTHEMUMS. 34:20 DID I SAY IT? 34:21 I'M LIKE THE MAN WHO WENT TO A MAN LIKE DR. BURT ROGER, 34:25 WHO WAS A WONDERFUL DOCTOR AND A PSYCHIATRIST, BURT. 34:29 AND THE MAN CAME ALONG AND THE PSYCHIATRIST SAID, "WHAT IS 34:32 YOUR PROBLEM, MY GOOD MAN?" 34:33 HE SAID, "I CANNOT SPEAK." 34:36 BUT THE PSYCHIATRIST SAID, "BUT YOU ARE SPEAKING." 34:40 "OH," HE SAID, "I CANNOT SPEAK." 34:42 WELL, HE SAID, "SAY FOR ME THE WORD ELEPHANT." 34:45 "AH, DOCTOR," HE SAID, "ELEPHANT IS THE VERY WORD 34:47 I CANNOT SPEAK." 34:52 LET ME TRY TO SAY THIS AGAIN BECAUSE CHRYSANTHEMUMS IS 34:58 THE VERY WORD I CANNOT SPEAK. 35:00 NOW I'M NOT GOING TO SAY IT AGAIN. 35:02 SO WHEN I REFER TO IT AGAIN, I SHALL CALL THEM MUMS. 35:07 THAT'S WHAT THEY CALL THEM, MUMS. 35:09 I WAS TAUGHT TO SAY MUMS WHEN I WAS A LITTLE BOY WHEN I TALKED 35:13 TO MY MOTHER. 35:14 NOW I HAVE IN HERE SOMETHING WHICH IS QUITE AMAZING. 35:19 IT TOOK ME A LOT OF TROUBLE GETTING THESE THINGS. 35:22 I'M GOING TO GET THEM OUT. 35:27 NOW WATCH THIS. 35:35 HEY, THERE THEY'RE FALLING OUT. 35:40 I HAVE ABOUT A DOZEN SEEDS THERE. 35:44 CAN YOU SEE THEM? 35:46 AH, YOU HAVE TO COME UP AFTER THE CHURCH SERVICE 35:50 AND EXAMINE MY HAND. 35:54 LOOK AT THESE SEEDS. 35:57 THEY'RE SO TINY AND THEY MAKE THESE. 36:05 IT IS A MIRACLE. 36:09 THE SEED HAS GOT LIFE IN IT. 36:15 INTERVIEWED A GREAT SCIENTIST THIS WEEK, BIOCHEMIST, ON LIFE 36:20 IN THE LABORATORY. 36:22 SCIENTISTS ARE TRYING TO CREATE LIFE. 36:26 HE SAID, "WE DON'T EVEN KNOW A GOOD DEFINITION FOR LIFE. 36:32 WE KNOW LIFE WHEN WE SEE IT." 36:37 BUT THERE'S LIFE IN THE SEED AND THERE'S LIFE IN THE WORD 36:42 OF GOD. 36:47 WE GO SHORTLY TO AFRICA AND WHEN I PREACH AND WHEN I SOW 36:52 THE SEED, THIS IS WHAT I WILL PREACH. 36:56 I WILL PREACH THERE IS A CREATOR GOD WHO LOVES YOU. 37:01 THE BIBLE IS HIS MESSAGE TO YOU. 37:04 GOD BECAME A MAN. 37:08 JESUS, THE MAN WHO WROTE HIS OWN LIFE STORY BEFORE HE WAS 37:12 BORN, MADE THE UNIVERSE. 37:14 HE MADE YOU. 37:15 YOU ARE NOT AN ANIMAL OR A MACHINE. 37:18 THERE'S LIFE IN THE WORD. 37:20 CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS. 37:22 FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON SO 37:24 THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE 37:28 EVERLASTING LIFE. 37:29 THERE'S LIFE. 37:31 HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO BE SAVED? 37:32 COME NOW. 37:33 YOU CAN BE SAVED NOW IF YOU TRULY COME AS A REPENTANT 37:36 SINNER. 37:38 YOU CAN BE A NEW PERSON AND I'VE SEEN THOUSANDS OF LIVES 37:42 CHANGED BY THE POWER OF GOD. 37:44 I'M HERE TO SUGGEST TO YOU TODAY--NOT TO SUGGEST TO YOU 37:49 TODAY, TO PROCLAIM TO YOU TODAY ON THE AUTHORITY OF THE WORD 37:53 OF GOD THAT NUMBER ONE CAN BECOME NUMBER FOUR. 38:02 AND IF THAT IS NOT SO, WHAT HOPE IS THERE FOR YOU AND WHAT 38:08 HOPE IS THERE FOR ME? 38:12 I WISH TO TELL YOU THAT THE POWER OF GOD IS SO GREAT 38:18 THAT IF YOU AND I LET HIM-- AND THAT IS THE PROBLEM. 38:22 WE WILL NOT LET HIM. 38:27 BUT IF WE LET HIM, HE CAN TAKE PEOPLE WITH NO SPIRITUAL 38:31 PERCEPTION, SHALLOW PEOPLE, PEOPLE WHO ARE PREOCCUPIED, 38:37 AND HE CAN MAKE THEM GOOD SOIL. 38:43 THAT GOES ENTIRELY AGAINST THE DOCTRINE OF PREDESTINATION. 38:49 LISTEN. 38:52 IT IS A POWERFUL SEED. 38:54 LAST TUESDAY NIGHT, WE HAD A CARTER REPORT BOARD MEETING. 38:57 MRS. WOOLLY JORDAN, A VERY DEAR FRIEND OF MINE, 39:01 I LOVE HER SO MUCH. 39:02 SHE'S IN CHARGE OF THE FRED JORDAN MISSION. 39:05 SHE'S A SAINT OF GOD. 39:06 SHE'S A GREAT PREACHER. 39:08 SHE CAME WITH US TO UKRAINE. 39:09 I HOPE SHE CAN COME WITH US TO AFRICA. 39:12 SHE WANTS TO COME WITH US TO AFRICA. 39:15 SHE SAID, "I WAS THERE IN THE MEETING I THINK IN HARKOV 39:18 OR DNEPROPETROVSK." 39:20 SHE SAID THERE WERE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE 39:23 WHO HAD NEVER BEEN EXPOSED TO THE WORD BEFORE. 39:27 SHE SAID, "I WILL NEVER FORGET A YOUNG WOMAN JUST DOWN FROM ME 39:33 A LITTLE BIT. 39:34 AND AS THE WORD WAS PREACHED, SHE WAS CRYING AND RECEIVING 39:39 THE WORD." 39:45 THAT WAS NOT SEED ALONG THE PATH OR SHALLOW OR THORNS, 39:51 BUT SHE HAD A HEART OPEN TO GOD. 39:56 MRS. JORDAN SAID, "IT IS A POWERFUL WORD." 40:00 YES, IT IS, IN THAT LITTLE SEED THAT I DROPPED THERE, BUT I'VE 40:05 GOT SOME OTHERS TO PROVE TO YOU I'VE GOT THEM HERE. 40:09 IN THAT SEED IS THE POWER OF GOD. 40:12 HAVE YOU EVER SEEN PLANTS PUSHING UP THROUGH THE CONCRETE 40:16 ALONG THE FREEWAYS? 40:20 EVER SEEN THAT? 40:22 DRIVING ALONG THE FREEWAYS, THE 101, THE 405, AND THERE IS A 40:27 PRECOCIOUS PLANT THAT SHOULD BE LYING DOWN AND DYING 40:32 AND IT HAS THE TEMERITY AND THE AUDACITY TO PUSH UP 40:37 AND GROW THROUGH CONCRETE. 40:46 THERE'S POWER IN THE SEED BECAUSE GOD IS IN THE SEED 40:52 BY HIS POWER. 40:55 THERE'S LIFE IN THE SEED. 40:57 NOW LOOK AT THESE MUMS. 41:03 THEY CAME FROM THOSE LITTLE SEEDS. 41:07 DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHERE I GOT THESE? 41:11 HERE'S A COMMERCIAL. 41:12 I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE IT TO YOU. 41:14 I'M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU THE NAME OF THE STORE, 41:16 BUT IT STARTS WITH C-O AND IT ENDS WITH C-O. 41:25 FOURTEEN DOLLARS. 41:27 MY AUSTRALIAN FRIENDS, BEAT THAT. 41:33 THE BEAUTY AND THE LIFE AND THE COLOR AND PEOPLE HAVE 41:40 THE AUDACITY TO SAY THERE IS NO GOD. 41:46 ALL OF THIS CAME FROM A TINY SEED. 41:54 WHEN THE SEED OF THE WORD OF GOD GETS INTO GOOD SOIL, IT 41:57 BRINGS FORTH LIFE. 42:00 AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED THE WORD OF GOD IN OUR LIVES EVERY DAY. 42:04 THAT IS WHY I'VE TOLD YOU OVER AND OVER AND SOME OF YOU HAVE 42:09 ONLY LOOKED, BUT YOUR EARS HAVE BEEN DEAF. 42:15 BECAUSE TO THIS POINT IN TIME, SOME OF YOU ARE HARD AND OTHERS 42:21 ARE SHALLOW AND MANY HAVE GOT SO MANY THORNS. 42:27 AND YOU THINK THAT I'M HERE AS AN ENTERTAINER, 42:30 TO MAKE YOU LAUGH. 42:34 AND YOU COME TO CHURCH AND YOU SAY, "BOY, IT WAS GOOD TODAY, 42:37 WASN'T IT?" 42:38 IT'S AS THOUGH YOU'D BEEN TO A CIRCUS. 42:45 BUT I WOULD HAVE YOU KNOW TODAY THIS LIFE MANIFESTS ITSELF 42:51 IN BEAUTY AND PERFUME AND IT BRINGS FORTH LIFE. 42:57 AND THAT'S WHY I PERSONALLY NEED THE WORD OF GOD IN MY LIFE 43:01 EVERY DAY. 43:03 THAT'S WHY I SAY TO YOU READ YOUR BIBLE EVERY DAY. 43:07 HE WHO HAS EARS TO HEAR, LET HIM HEAR. 43:14 THE SEED ELEVATES, REFINES, PROSPERS, CLEANSES, BRINGS 43:23 HEALTH, HEALING, LONG LIVES, LONGEVITY, ERADICATES CRIME, 43:29 POVERTY, AND INJUSTICE WHEREVER IT GOES. 43:34 COME OVER HERE TO HEBREWS 4:12-13. 43:37 ARE YOU HAVING A GOOD TIME IN CHURCH TODAY? 43:39 I'M HAVING A GOOD TIME IN CHURCH TODAY. 43:41 HEBREWS 4 AND THIS IS A TEXT ABOUT THE DIVINE WORD OF GOD. 43:47 HEBREWS 4:12-13. 43:52 HAVE YOU GOT THE TEXT? 43:54 OKAY. 43:55 "FOR THE WORD OF GOD." 43:56 SAY IT WITH ME. 43:57 COME ON, FOLKS, COME ON. 43:58 FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS WHAT? 44:00 "IS LIVING AND ACTIVE. 44:02 SHARPER THAN ANY DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD, IT PENETRATES EVEN TO 44:06 DIVIDING SOUL AND SPIRIT, JOINTS AND MARROW; IT JUDGES 44:11 THE THOUGHTS AND ATTITUDES OF THE HEART. 44:14 NOTHING IN ALL CREATION IS HIDDEN FROM GOD'S SIGHT. 44:18 EVERYTHING IS UNCOVERED AND LAID BARE BEFORE THE EYES 44:21 OF HIM TO WHOM WE MUST GIVE ACCOUNT." 44:25 I'M TALKING, MY FRIEND, ABOUT A SUPERNATURAL WORD, 44:29 A MIGHTY WORD. 44:31 I'VE SEEN THE POWER OF THIS WORD MANIFESTED WHERE PEOPLE 44:37 HAVE GOT OPEN HEARTS. 44:43 THERE'S POWER IN THE WORD. 44:46 I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU AN AMAZING EVIDENCE THAT THE WORD 44:49 OF GOD IS MIGHTY AND POWERFUL. 44:56 THIS MAY BE POLITICALLY INCORRECT. 44:58 INCORRECT. 44:59 BUT THEN, SO AM I. 45:02 THIS IS NEWSWEEK MAGAZINE. 45:05 MOST OF YOU, I WOULD HOPE, WOULD READ A GOOD NEWS MAGAZINE. 45:10 IT'S LIKE TIME MAGAZINE. 45:11 THIS IS A FAMOUS AMERICAN MAGAZINE WRITTEN BY AMERICANS 45:16 FOR AMERICANS AND OTHER PEOPLE AROUND THE GLOBE. 45:21 HAVE A LOOK AT IT. 45:22 NEWSWEEK MAGAZINE. 45:26 AND HERE IS THE DATE. 45:28 AUGUST 23 AND 30. 45:31 AND IT SAYS THE BEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD IS--HAS THAT GOT 45:39 YOUR INTEREST? 45:42 THE BEST? 45:43 NO, NO, DON'T BE SO PREJUDICED AS TO THINK I'D SAY AUSTRALIA 45:46 IS. 45:47 WHY WOULD YOU THINK THAT? 45:48 THE BEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD IS--ARE YOU READY? 45:54 OH, THERE IT IS. 45:55 IT'S UP ON THE SCREEN. 45:57 HERE IT IS. 45:58 I'M GOING TO TURN TO IT. 46:00 IT SAYS THE BEST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD--TO GET THE WORLD CUP, 46:05 THE OLYMPICS, EVEN THE MISS UNIVERSE PAGEANT, THESE 46:08 ARE THE GLOBE'S TRUE NATIONAL CHAMPIONS. 46:15 NOW I'M GOING TO DRAW SOME CONCLUSIONS. 46:18 IF YOU WERE BORN TODAY, WHICH COUNTRY WOULD PROVIDE YOU WITH 46:23 THE VERY BEST OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE A HEALTHY, SAFE, 46:28 REASONABLY PROSPEROUS AND UPWARDLY MOBILE LIFE? 46:33 WHAT ON EARTH HAS THIS GOT TO DO WITH THE WORD? 46:36 WELL, I'LL TELL YOU. 46:38 HERE THEY ARE. 46:41 A GROUP OF AMERICAN SCHOLARS, SOCIOLOGISTS, OTHER PEOPLE 46:45 GOT TOGETHER. 46:47 HERE IT IS. 46:48 BE READY FOR THE SURPRISE FROM THIS GREAT AMERICAN MAGAZINE. 46:53 CHINA IS NUMBER 59. 46:56 RUSSIA IS 51. 46:58 BRAZIL IS 46. 46:59 MEXICO 45. 47:01 PANAMA 41. 47:03 VIETNAM 81. 47:05 NIGERIA 99. 47:10 THE TOP COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD, NUMBER ONE, FINLAND. 47:15 YOU SAY, "I NEVER HEARD OF IT." 47:17 OH, GOODNESS. 47:20 FINLAND. 47:20 NUMBER TWO, SWITZERLAND. 47:23 THREE, SWEDEN. 47:24 FOUR, AUSTRALIA. 47:28 LUXEMBOURG, NORWAY, CANADA, THE NETHERLANDS, JAPAN, DENMARK. 47:34 NUMBER 11, THE UNITED STATES. 47:37 GERMANY. 47:38 NUMBER 13, NEW ZEALAND. 47:40 NUMBER 14, UNITED KINGDOM. 47:42 NUMBER 15, SOUTH KOREA. 47:46 NOW LISTEN TO THIS BECAUSE THIS IS THE TRUTH. 47:52 THE BEST 15 COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD SAYS THIS MAGAZINE, 47:59 WRITTEN BY AMERICANS, THE BEST 15 COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD WITH 48:04 1 EXCEPTION ARE THE RESULT OF THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION 48:11 AND THE PREACHING OF THE BIBLE. 48:17 I SHOWED THIS LIST TO SOMEBODY AND THE MAN IMMEDIATELY SAID, 48:21 "THEY ARE PROTESTANT COUNTRIES." 48:28 EVERY ONE OF THOSE COUNTRIES WITH THE EXCEPTION OF JAPAN-- 48:34 SOMEBODY SAYS, "BUT NO, NOT SOUTH KOREA." 48:37 MY FRIEND, THE BIGGEST PROTESTANT CHURCH, 48:40 WHERE THEY PREACH THE BIBLE, IS IN SOUTH KOREA. 48:45 CHRISTIANITY IS STORMING IN SOUTH KOREA. 48:50 THERE CAME A GREAT MOVEMENT IN THE WORLD. 48:55 INCIDENTALLY, I SAY THIS WITH COURTESY AND LOVE. 49:01 THERE ARE NO MOSLEM COUNTRIES IN THE TOP 20 OR ANYTHING 49:05 LIKE THAT. 49:08 THERE CAME A GREAT RELIGIOUS MOVEMENT AND THAT GREAT 49:13 RELIGIOUS MOVEMENT THAT SPREAD AROUND THE WORLD WAS BASED ON 49:17 SOLA CHRISTUS, SOLUS SCRIPTURA, ONLY SCRIPTURE. 49:21 SOLA GRATIA, SOLA FIDE. 49:24 NO, WE DO NOT WANT RELIGIOUS HIERARCHIES OR DICTATORS. 49:36 THESE COUNTRIES ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE BIBLE, 49:39 IN CONTRAST TO OTHER COUNTRIES THAT ARE THE SORRY PRODUCTS 49:42 OF MANMADE RELIGION. 49:44 IF YOU WANT PEACE, CLEANLINESS, SAFETY, HEALTH, PROSPERITY, 49:48 FREEDOM, RESPECT FOR WOMEN, BELIEVE AND RECEIVE 49:54 THE DIVINE SEED. 49:58 NOW YOU SAY, "BUT MANY OF THESE COUNTRIES HAVE BECOME SECULAR." 50:02 CORRECT. 50:04 BUT MY FRIEND, IT STARTED WITH A TREMENDOUS WAVE. 50:12 AND THE WAVE HAS BECOME DIMINISHED, BUT THE INFLUENCE 50:17 CONTINUES ON. 50:24 THAT IS A PROOF I CHALLENGE ANY PERSON TO REFUTE. 50:32 IT IS AN OVERWHELMING PROOF THAT THERE'S POWER 50:37 IN THE WORD OF GOD. 50:41 TRY GOING TO COUNTRIES THAT DON'T BELIEVE IT. 50:46 NOW BACK FOR A CLOSER LOOK AT THE FOUR CLASSES. 50:51 PACKED DOWN DIRT, HARD HEARTED, NO SPIRITUAL PERCEPTION. 51:01 STONY, SHALLOW, SUPERFICIAL, BUT JOYFUL. 51:04 THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE EASILY MOVED. 51:09 THEIR CHRISTIANITY IS BASED ON THEIR EMOTIONS. 51:15 SO IF THINGS ARE GOOD, THEY GO TO CHURCH, BUT IF SOMEBODY 51:18 SAYS, "OH, I'M NOT GOING TO GO ANYMORE." 51:25 HAVE YOU MET THEM? 51:27 EASILY OFFENDED. 51:28 WHEN THE SUN CAME UP, THEY WERE WITHERED. 51:33 THERE YOU'VE GOT THEM, THE EMOTIONAL CHRISTIANS. 51:37 NOTHING WRONG WITH EMOTION, BUT DON'T BUILD ON EMOTION. 51:42 DON'T BUILD ON IT. 51:45 THE THORNS, THE WORRIES OF THIS LIFE, THE DECEITFULNESS OF 51:49 WEALTH, THE SIN OF OUR AGE. 51:51 WHAT DO YOU TALK ABOUT, EVEN WHEN YOU COME TO CHURCH? 51:54 SOME OF YOU COME HERE TO CHURCH TO DO BUSINESS DEALS. 52:00 THE THORNS HAVE GOT YOU BY THE THROAT. 52:02 GOOD SOIL. 52:05 I THINK OF MY SOLDIERS BAPTIZED IN 1992 IN RUSSIA, STILL 52:09 HOLDING FIRM IN SPITE OF HELL. 52:13 I THINK OF DR. JULIA OUTKINA, BAPTIZED IN '92, FAITHFUL, 52:17 CONSISTENT. 52:21 CAN PACKED DOWN DIRT BECOME SOFT AND RECEPTIVE 52:24 OR IS IT SETTLED FOREVER, AS CALVIN SAID? 52:31 IS THERE ANY HOPE? 52:34 WELL, WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO READ IT NOW, BUT IN THE BOOK OF 52:38 JEREMIAH AND THE BOOK OF HOSEA, IT SAYS, "BREAK UP THE HARD 52:43 SOIL." 52:46 THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS. 52:48 SO IF GOD SAYS, "BREAK IT UP," THEN IT CAN BE BROKEN UP. 52:57 IT CAN BE. 53:01 WE NEED TO OPEN OURSELVES TO THE SPIRIT OF GOD. 53:03 SOME HAVE COMMITTED THE UNPARDONABLE SIN, BUT IF YOU 53:06 HAVE A DESIRE FOR GOD AND SALVATION, IT IS NOT 53:09 TOO LATE NOW. 53:13 IS THERE HOPE FOR THE SHALLOW, EMOTIONAL BELIEVER WHO WILTS 53:16 WHEN THE SUN GETS HOT? 53:17 THERE IS HOPE IF WE LET GOD COME INTO OUR LIVES AND TAKE 53:21 THE ROCKS OUT AND BUILT UP THE SOIL. 53:24 YES, THERE'S HOPE. 53:26 IS THERE HOPE FOR THE PERSON WHO IS CONSUMED BY WORLDLY 53:28 WORRY, MONEY, EARTHLY PLEASURES, THE THORNS? 53:32 YES. 53:35 BUT ONLY IF HE OR SHE HAS A GOOD, HARD LOOK AT HIMSELF 53:38 OR HERSELF AND SUBMITS TO THE SPIRIT. 53:42 I BELIEVE GOD CAN WORK A MIRACLE WITH OUR COOPERATION 53:47 AND TRANSFORM HARD, INDIFFERENT, PLEASURE-SEEKING, 53:51 WORLDLY, SHALLOW, SUPERFICIAL, EMOTIONAL HEARTS. 53:57 BUT WE NEED TO SEE OUR NEEDS, REPENT, AND BE WILLING. 54:03 THEREFORE, HERE IS MY MESSAGE FOR YOU TODAY IF YOU WILL 54:10 HEAR IT. 54:15 LET THE SEED IN. 54:18 CHANGE OUR WAYS. 54:22 AND READ OUR BIBLES EVERY DAY. 54:28 AND REMEMBER WHAT JESUS SAID WHEN HE SPOKE TO RELIGIOUS 54:32 PEOPLE, LIKE US SITTING HERE TODAY, WHO THINK THEY KNOW 54:37 IT ALL. 54:40 "HE WHO HAS EARS TO HEAR, LET HIM HEAR." 54:50 BY GOD'S GRACE, LET US PROVE JOHN CALVIN WRONG FOR 55:00 THE SALVATION OF OUR SOULS. 55:03 LET US KNEEL. 55:14 HERE WE ARE ON OUR KNEES, LORD, AND SOME OF US ARE LIKE THE 55:20 PEOPLE WITH HARD, ROCKY SOIL, BEATEN DOWN BY MANY, 55:27 MANY YEARS OF USE. 55:30 AND WE GOT SO HARD. 55:33 AND SOME OF US ARE LIKE THE PEOPLE WITH ROCKS AND SO 55:37 THERE'S NOT MUCH DIRT AND WE'RE SUPERFICIAL. 55:43 AND WHEN PERSECUTION OR ANYTHING COMES, A SNUB EVEN, 55:49 WE'RE OUT THE DOOR AND WE WILT. 55:54 AND THEN SOME OF US ARE LIKE THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE GOT 55:56 ALL THE THORNS. 55:57 JESUS SAID THE DECEITFULNESS OF WEALTH, WORLDLY WORRIES. 56:05 GOD, WORK A MIRACLE THROUGH THE MIGHTY POWER OF YOUR WORD 56:10 AND TODAY CHANGE ONE, TWO, THREE INTO NUMBER FOUR, THAT WE WILL 56:19 BE GOOD SOIL AND BRING FORTH ABUNDANTLY AND BE SAVED 56:28 IN THE KINGDOM. 56:31 HE WHO HAS EARS TO HEAR, LET HIM HEAR. 56:37 IN JESUS' NAME, AMEN. 56:41 AND AMEN AND AMEN. 56:46 [MUSIC] ♪ LEAD ME TO YOUR HEART ♪ 56:54 ♪ LEAD ME TO THE CROSS ♪ ♪ WHERE YOUR LOVE ♪ 56:59 ♪ POURED OUT ♪ ♪ BRING ME TO MY KNEES ♪ 57:04 ♪ LORD, I LAY ME DOWN ♪ ♪ RID ME OF MYSELF ♪ 57:11 ♪ I BELONG TO YOU ♪ ♪ OH, HEAL ME ♪ 57:20 ♪ LEAD ME, LEAD ME ♪ ♪ TO THE CROSS ♪ 57:24 ♪ WHERE YOUR LOVE ♪ ♪ POURED OUT ♪ 57:29 ♪ BRING ME TO MY KNEES ♪ ♪ LORD, I LAY ME DOWN ♪ 57:36 ♪ RID ME OF MYSELF ♪ ♪ I BELONG TO YOU ♪ 57:42 ♪ OH, LEAD ME ♪ ♪ LEAD ME TO THE CROSS ♪♪ |
Revised 2015-02-05