Participants: Pr. John Carter
Series Code: CR
Program Code: CR001317
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00:08 From Arcadia, California, the Carter Report presents
00:11 "The Living Word" around the world. 00:18 Hello, friend I am John Carter in Columbia. 00:23 Behind me is the great city of Bogota, 00:26 the capital of this amazing country. 00:30 This city is a city of more than eight million souls. 00:36 It's up more than 8,000 feet in the Andes. 00:41 And we've come here today with one purpose in mind 00:45 to preach the everlasting gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:50 We're here because we have a commission from God. 00:54 Jesus said, "Go into all the world 00:58 and preach the everlasting gospel 01:00 baptizing them in the name of the Father 01:03 and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." 01:06 The people here need the gospel of Christ. 01:10 And I am asking you today, come with us 01:13 if not in body but come with us in spirit. 01:17 This has been a very, very dangerous city. 01:20 A very dangerous part of the world. 01:23 But we believe that we are safe when we are in the hands of God. 01:28 Therefore, I am beseeching you in the name of Christ 01:32 and in the names of these eight million plus inhabitants 01:37 in the city of Bogota to come 01:40 and help us to preach the word of God. 01:42 Please, support the preaching of the word of God in Columbia. 01:46 Please write to me John Carter, 01:49 Post Office Box 1900, Thousand Oaks, California 91358. 01:55 In Australia write to me at the address Terrigal, 01:59 New South Wales, Australia. 02:02 Jesus said, work while it is day 02:05 the night is coming when no man can work. 02:09 Please, write to me today, thank you and God bless you. 02:20 We're extremely glad to welcome you today 02:23 to the Carter Report. 02:24 Today, I am going to talk about 02:26 "Keeping the Faith in Tough Times." 02:31 But firstly, great music from Kevin Youk. 02:35 Would you please welcome him here today? 03:01 Great is Thy faithfulness 03:05 O God my Father 03:09 There is no shadow of turning with Thee 03:16 Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not 03:24 As Thou hast been, 03:27 Thou forever wilt be 03:33 Great is Thy faithfulness 03:37 Great is Thy faithfulness 03:41 Morning by morning new mercies I see 03:48 All I have needed Thy hands hath provided 03:56 Great is Thy faithfulness 04:02 Lord, unto me 04:07 Pardon for sin and the peace that endureth 04:15 Thine own dear presence 04:19 To cheer and to guide 04:23 Strength for today 04:26 And bright hope for tomorrow 04:31 Blessings all mine, 04:35 With ten thousand beside 04:40 Great is Thy faithfulness 04:44 Great is Thy faithfulness 04:49 Morning by morning new mercies I see 04:56 All I have needed 04:59 Thy hands hath provided 05:04 Great is Thy faithfulness 05:10 Lord, unto me 05:24 Beverley and I have just come back from San Francisco. 05:30 Mark Twain said about San Francisco 05:33 "that the coldest winter 05:36 he'd spent anywhere in the world 05:39 it was a summer in San Francisco." 05:44 My daughter Julie and her husband 05:47 just had a little baby boy 05:50 but before I show you the pictures 05:51 of the little baby boy 05:53 I am gonna show you a picture of my little girl 05:59 whose name is Amelie. 06:02 Now, she is two years of age 06:05 and she is four months 06:08 and Beverley and I when Julie was in hospital 06:11 we were in-charge we told her just what to do 06:15 and she did everything-- 06:18 I am a tough grandpa. 06:21 Now let me tell you a story. 06:26 It had been a long day Julie had, 06:28 had this baby nine pounds fourteen ounces. 06:33 We'll talk about that later. 06:35 So Beverley and I were looking after Amelie 06:38 and the Amelie hadn't got much sleep in the afternoon. 06:42 And so when night time came about 7 o'clock 06:44 we said come on, we'll go to bed now 06:47 she gave her a bath and she said don't want. 06:52 You see, I just said well we just gonna do it. 06:56 She said don't want. 06:57 Now what do you-- 06:59 you know you got to be tolerant on these occasions. 07:01 What would you like to do? 07:02 She said, "I want to watch Thomas." 07:08 You know who Thomas is? 07:10 Thomas is a train. 07:12 Here Thomas is a train 07:14 and he has got lots of friends. 07:16 And so I did what I am best at doing. 07:18 I negotiated, I said, Amelie. 07:22 She's this high. She's this high. 07:27 And I said to her, now Emilie, 07:30 one Thomas then bed. 07:33 She said, two Thomas. 07:38 This high, two Thomas. 07:41 So Beverley said you know she, 07:42 it's she's all stood up and she is upset 07:45 and she doesn't know what's going on. 07:47 So, up the stairs we go to began Thomas. 07:50 We go up stairs and we sit down 07:53 and back to turn on Thomas. 07:55 She beep in the first little bit I thought may be. 07:58 So I said, come and sit on grandpa's knee. 08:01 She said, no I'll sit on lion. 08:04 Beverley bought her a chair it looks like a lion. 08:07 She said, no I'll sit on lion. 08:10 So anyhow we said all right 08:13 we will show you Thomas. 08:19 We looked a one Thomas and then she said two Thomas. 08:25 We showed her three Thomas's 08:26 and then she went down that she was prepared 08:29 then she was back falling over. 08:31 We took her down to put her in her bed. 08:33 And I said to her trying to do my sweetest 08:37 and a tough grandpa. 08:38 I said now, would you like grandpa to give you kiss? 08:42 She said, no. 08:47 Now folks, I got a message to tell you. 08:50 My daughter Julie said to me we looked at her fingers. 08:54 She got tiny little fingers. 08:56 Julie said, look to her little fingers it's tiny 08:58 but she has got you wrapped around it. 09:03 Let me tell you folks, something 09:05 you can negotiate with your grandpa 09:08 but you can't negotiate with God. 09:11 And today we are gonna talk about something's 09:13 that cannot be negotiated. 09:16 You can't go to God and say two Thomas. 09:21 You know God says, one. 09:22 You can't say, two Thomas 09:25 and see its three Thomas. 09:28 Want to see, want you to see the little boy 09:30 who was born because he is a grandson, 09:34 our first grandson 09:37 and his name is Leon Alexander, 09:44 nine pounds twelve ounces. 09:48 Now there's another picture here that shows him 09:49 a little better anyhow, nine pounds twelve ounces. 09:55 When the doctor came to see me 09:57 because of course he wanted to keep me informed. 10:00 He said to me he is a big boy. 10:03 He has got such a big chest and big arms. 10:06 He said, I guess he gets that from his grandpa. 10:11 Now he didn't say that at all 10:12 but I thought that's what he is thinking. 10:17 Now folks, there's something that's absolutely true-- 10:24 babies and parents today need prayer as never before 10:30 because of the world 10:32 into which these babies are born. 10:34 And I not just talking about liberal San Francisco, 10:38 I am talking about the world. 10:41 Babies and children and parents 10:45 need the prayers of those who love them. 10:48 I want you to take your Bibles 10:49 and turn with me to 2 Timothy 3:1-9 10:54 in the word of the Lord, 2 Timothy 3:1 and onwards. 11:01 I want you to notice these words in the Bible 11:05 and I am glad that you folks bring your Bibles to church. 11:09 "But mark this: 11:10 There will be terrible times in the last days." 11:13 The KJV says "perilous times will come." 11:17 "People will be lovers of themselves." 11:20 Have you heard Christians say to each other 11:24 "you got to love yourself." 11:27 They say that all the time. 11:28 You got to love yourself 11:30 and they quote the text Jesus said 11:32 "you shall love your neighbors as yourself." 11:33 Jesus wasn't talking about how it ought to be. 11:37 Jesus was talking about how it was. 11:40 And people today 11:43 have got an inordinate love for themselves. 11:46 Me, me, me. 11:47 Jesus said in the last days 11:49 "people are going to love themselves." 11:52 "Lovers of money, boastful, proud, 11:56 abusive, ungrateful, unholy, 11:59 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, 12:04 without self-control, brutal, 12:06 not lovers of the good, treacherous, 12:09 rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure 12:12 rather than lovers of God." 12:14 This is talking about people apparently, in the church. 12:18 "Having a form of godliness but denying its power. 12:23 Have nothing to do with them." 12:25 Keep on reading. 12:27 "They are the kind who worm their way into homes 12:30 and gain control over weak-willed women." 12:35 Now the translation says "gullible, naive, women 12:40 but it is true also of man." 12:42 "Who are loaded down with sins 12:44 and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 12:48 always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth." 12:53 Always learning. 12:56 "Just as Jannes and Jambres." Magicians. 13:00 "Opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth-- 13:04 men of depraved minds, 13:06 who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 13:10 But they will not get very far because, 13:12 as in the case of those men, 13:14 their folly will be clear to every person." 13:21 These verses, listen carefully, 13:25 are inept description of the people 13:30 who live in Los Angeles and Hollywood 13:35 and New York and Sydney 13:40 and Melbourne, around the world. 13:44 And these conditions were told will be we found 13:46 among professing believers. 13:49 I want to read from the book 13:51 by Ravi Zacharias, page 12, 13:54 "Can Man Live Without God." 13:56 Cindy Thula gave me this book sometime back 13:59 and I am starting to read it-- 14:00 just I have finished it. 14:02 Listen, "May I suggest that in this sense 14:06 we are possibly a unique generation. 14:10 A massive global assault has been launched upon us, 14:14 and it the arts more than any other single force 14:17 that predominate as an influential agent, 14:20 molding our character, our values and our beliefs. 14:26 This invasion bypasses our reason 14:30 and captures our imagination. 14:33 Never before in history." 14:38 Amazing "has so much been stake as is now 14:42 in the hands of the imagemakers of our time. 14:47 There is something very ironic here. 14:50 Western man is long prided himself 14:52 as being the offspring of the Enlightenment, 14:54 nurtured at the feet of sophisticated thinkers. 14:58 Yet he has, in turn 15:00 brought about the humiliation of reason." 15:03 The humiliation of the reason. 15:06 "By the instruments that were born 15:08 from the strength of the mind. 15:10 This second level of philosophizing, 15:13 through the arts, has shaped 15:15 the national mind-set in everything 15:18 from determining war strategy to electing presidents." 15:22 He is talking here to Americans. 15:25 "To finding ones identity in cars and deodorants. 15:30 Existentialist philosophy such as Jean-Paul Sartre 15:35 and Albert Camus did not waste their time 15:38 establishing syllogisms." 15:39 That is the basis for reason. 15:42 "They harnessed the passion of an empty world 15:46 within the human psyche infused it with their own ethos, 15:50 affecting the mood and feelings of an educated herd." 15:56 America has now become an educated herd. 16:03 "A homogenization of our cultural tastes 16:06 quickly ensued, 16:07 and a fastening upon our sensitivities or rather, 16:11 a desensitization of conscience, 16:17 but securely in place. 16:18 Through technology the whole world 16:20 has now become the media's parish, 16:25 talk show hosts the prophets, 16:28 actors and musicians the priests, 16:34 and any script will do for the Scriptures 16:36 as long as moral constraints are removed. 16:42 Sitting before a well-lit box is all the cultic performance needs 16:48 and each person can enthrone his or herself as divine. 16:54 Truth has been relegated to subjectivity." 16:57 Do you know what that means subjectivity? 17:02 Everything is subject. 17:04 It's subject to how you feel. 17:07 It is not based upon objective truth anymore. 17:11 We have seen in America a total paganisation of society 17:18 and you and I are part of it some more than others. 17:23 "Beauty has been subjected to the beholder 17:25 and as millions are idiotized" 17:32 as millions are idiotized. 17:35 "Night after night, 17:36 a global commune has been constructed 17:39 with the arts enjoying a totalitarian rule." 17:44 This means this that modern man 17:49 in his foolishness has given up God 17:53 and the truths of the Bible. 17:56 And even if he professes to be a Christian in America 18:00 he knows virtually nothing about the scriptures 18:03 and he is too lazy to read. 18:06 That's night by night he is idiotized. 18:14 He is ruled not by logic and reason 18:18 but by raw emotion in the church too. 18:22 Why do you do it? Because I feel like it. 18:24 Why are you getting married? 18:25 Because I feel like it. 18:26 Why are you getting a divorce? 18:28 Because I feel like it. 18:29 Why are you leaving your family? 18:31 Because I feel like it. 18:34 And Christians and church goes 18:37 in their moral attitudes surveys have carried out 18:40 and no different to the people in Hollywood 18:42 and San Francisco, idiotized. 18:49 Beverley and I with Russell and Paula Owens 18:52 from Texas and Paul Zink from California 18:55 went to Russia in 1991 18:58 to conduct an evangelistic campaign in Moscow 19:01 and we made an alarming discovery. 19:03 Are you strong enough to hear what we discovered? 19:07 Although communism was evil 19:10 and nobody has preached to more communist and I have. 19:14 Nobody has railed against communism 19:16 more than I have although communism was evil. 19:22 The people were able to think concentrate 19:25 and accept biblical truths 19:28 far better than Americans or Australians. 19:35 Why? Because apparently, 19:38 that evil system was not as bad as ours 19:43 in destroying the mind. 19:46 So I could preach to an audience of 10,000 people 19:49 night after night and they would not stir or not move 19:52 and they were like sponges 19:55 try doing that in America or Australia. 20:02 You know, this tale of the secret valley of the blind 20:05 I have told it to you on a number of occasions. 20:08 About the valley up in the himalays 20:11 where everybody was blind and they felt that was normal. 20:16 And the young man fell into that valley 20:20 and fell in love with a girl and they said 20:22 because he was abnormal, because he had eyes 20:26 he couldn't marry the girl until they blinded him. 20:30 The valley of the blind, let me tell you something 20:33 and don't forget it as you may not hear it 20:35 from me much longer. 20:37 Los Angeles is the valley of the blind. 20:41 And America has largely become 20:42 the valley of the blind 20:43 along with other western countries. 20:49 And we think we are normal when we are not. 20:56 What has happened to the human race? 20:58 What has happened to America? 21:00 The great universities were established 21:03 as Christian centers did you know that? 21:06 Harvard, Yale, Princeton 21:09 where founded as evangelical Christians centers 21:12 to preach the gospel. 21:14 I read not very long ago of an address 21:17 that was delivered at Harvard 21:19 back in the mid 1800s 21:21 and it was a talk on the trinity and the divinity of Christ. 21:28 Those places now don't even believe in God on the whole. 21:34 The great American universities 21:38 are now propagation centers of atheism 21:41 and meaninglessness aggressively antigod 21:46 and antichristian 21:48 and so are the universities in Europe 21:50 especially the German and the British ones. 21:56 I quote "Can Man Live Without God" page 31 22:00 where the author quotes 22:02 the great professor Stephen Jay Gould 22:08 a person who influences 22:10 the thinking of your favorite television people. 22:16 He says "We are here 22:18 because one odd group of fishes had a peculiar fin anatomy 22:24 that could transform into legs for terrestrial creatures 22:29 because comets struck the earth 22:31 and wiped out dinosaurs, thereby giving mammals 22:35 a chance not otherwise available. 22:36 So thank your lucky stars in a literal sense, 22:40 because the earth never froze entirely 22:42 during an ice age, 22:44 because a small and tenuous species, 22:47 arising in Africa a quarter of a million years ago, 22:52 has managed, so far, 22:53 to survive by hook and by crook. 22:57 We may yearn for a 'higher' answer 23:00 but none exists." 23:03 This is what is taught today. 23:05 This is what the media believes in the west. 23:12 "We may yearn for a 'higher' answer' 23:14 but none exists. 23:16 This explanation, though superficially troubling, 23:19 if not terrifying, 23:21 is ultimately liberating and exhilarating." 23:26 Now, Ravi Zacharias comments on this statement. 23:34 "There is a terrible irony in all of this, isn't there? 23:39 What is the exhilaration 23:40 and liberation he is talking about?" 23:44 I listened to Dr. Richard Dawkins, 23:50 last night debating 23:51 a Christian from Oxford University 23:55 who got the better of him at every point. 24:07 This man Dawkins says, "Because there is no God 24:11 we have a new and wonderful liberation." 24:16 It is what is told in the great universities. 24:18 "There is a terrible irony in all of this, isn't there? 24:21 What is the exhilaration 24:22 and liberation he is talking about? 24:23 Am I missing something? 24:26 Is this liberation synonymous with the fact 24:28 that we have become one of the most 24:29 violent and drugged nations on earth?" 24:33 Talking about America. 24:34 One of those violent 24:36 and drugged up nations on earth. 24:38 "Is this the acceleration that makes sedatives 24:40 and acids that most highly sold drugs 24:43 across pharmaceutical counters, 24:46 to slow us down from our mad rush 24:48 for an ever-increasing wealth." 24:51 And what I say refers also to Germany 24:55 where a million men everyday go to prostitutes. 25:00 Why not because there is no God 25:04 and there is no Bible and the churches are empty. 25:09 And one reason the churches are empty 25:11 is because the churches have failed 25:12 to reclaim the word of God 25:14 and have become cold dead centers. 25:18 "Is this the exhilaration that is sending our songwriters 25:21 and musicians into a frenzy on the stage 25:25 and into a stupor in their homes? 25:29 Is this the exhilaration venting forth on our talk shows 25:32 that pride themselves 25:33 in profane argument as entertainment? 25:37 Is this the exhilaration 25:38 that has fragmented our families 25:39 and often victimized the weakest in our midst? 25:42 Is this the exhilaration of living 25:44 in the bloodiest century in history? 25:50 Is this the exhilaration of generation of young people 25:53 often fatherless, many times hopeless? 25:58 Is all this reason for exhilaration? 26:01 Or are we playing deadly war games once again?" 26:05 I want to say this to you 26:07 and I say this to you very seriously. 26:09 This thinking has influenced all of us. 26:14 The church too often is reflection of society 26:18 that lives by its own rules. 26:21 Thus we find today growing more and more 26:24 lying, cheating, hating, 26:28 racism, sexual confusion. 26:31 Men don't know they're men and women 26:33 don't know they're women. 26:35 And it's taught from the highest people 26:37 in the land sexual depravity 26:41 no right or no wrong. 26:44 Well, I want to tell you something 26:45 the church is called to be better and to do better. 26:52 And so the Bible says mark this 26:54 "there will be terrible times in these last days." 26:57 Perilous times are here 26:59 and we must recognize 27:01 that these are no ordinary times 27:04 and extraordinary times called for an extraordinary response. 27:11 Hallelujah, amen. Amen. 27:17 A person I admire is Dr. Billy Graham, 27:21 95 and going strong. 27:27 Very recently Dr. Graham said, 27:30 America is changing and being changed. 27:34 He said why do they want to change America 27:37 it was founded on godly principles. 27:41 I can tell you why Dr. Graham, 27:45 you know, the reason he says 27:48 "there is a war against Christ. 27:50 Christians can expect persecution in America. 27:55 We are drowning in a sea of immorality." 28:01 Said Billy "judgment is coming." 28:06 And if you don't believe it my friend, 28:09 and if you don't turn to God and prepare to meet God 28:13 you're going to be swept away in the flood 28:15 because it's coming-- 28:17 judgment is coming upon America, 28:22 judgment is coming upon the world. 28:25 And the greater the light the nation has had 28:28 the greater the judgment. 28:31 And American has had more light than any other nation 28:34 in the history of the world except Israel. 28:40 An extraordinary time calls for an extraordinary response. 28:45 Look at 2 Timothy 3:10 and onwards. 28:50 "You, however, know all about my teachings, 28:53 my way of life, my purpose, my faith, my patience, 28:56 my love, my endurance, my persecutions and suffering. 29:01 What kinds of things happened to me 29:02 in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, 29:04 the persecutions that I endured." 29:06 Have you ever persecuted? 29:09 "Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. 29:11 `In fact everyone who wants to live a godly life 29:14 in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." 29:16 And we are not being persecuted 29:18 it's because we are failing in our mission. 29:23 "While evil man and impostors will go from bad to worse, 29:28 deceiving and being deceived." 29:31 It's not going to get better 29:32 its going to get worse until Jesus comes. 29:36 "And how from infancy 29:38 you have known the holy Scriptures, 29:39 which are able to make you wise for salvation 29:42 through faith in Christ Jesus. 29:44 All scriptures is God-breathed and useful for teaching, 29:48 rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 29:51 so that the man of God may be 29:53 thoroughly equipped for every good work." 29:58 We see here the rejection of reason 30:03 and in the place of kingly reason 30:06 we have the prostitute emotion. 30:09 The relegation or the rejection of scripture to a place 30:13 of obscurity will bring about the dark ages. 30:18 In the Middle Ages when this book 30:20 was no longer allowed to be read. 30:22 When they burn the Bibles and burn the martyrs 30:26 there was a time of darkness, 30:28 history calls it the dark ages as America 30:32 and the world steps out of the light of the gospel 30:35 we have another dark ages. 30:38 And America is now entering upon the dark ages. 30:47 Scripture is our hope in defense. 30:52 Now, I want you to notice carefully, 30:56 prayerfully Gods man, 31:00 Gods women for such a time as this? 31:05 Look at 2 Timothy 4:1 and onwards. 31:10 Extraordinary times demand extraordinary people. 31:16 Chapter 4, "In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus 31:21 who will judge the living and the dead 31:25 and in view of his appearing and his kingdom 31:29 I give you this charge, Preach the Word, 31:35 be prepared in season and out of season." 31:39 That's why our minister can never be on holidays. 31:43 He is still a minister when he is on holidays. 31:46 He doesn't say "I am going on vacation 31:48 therefore I am no longer a minister." 31:51 "In season out of season, 31:55 correct, rebuke and encourage 31:59 with great patience and careful instruction. 32:02 For the time will come when men will not put up 32:04 with sounds doctrine. 32:06 Instead, to suit their own desires, 32:08 they will gather around them a great number of teachers 32:11 to say what their itching ears want to hear. 32:17 They will turn their ears away from the truth 32:21 and turn aside to myths and fables. 32:26 But you, keep your head in all situations, 32:30 endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, 32:37 discharge all the duties of your ministry." 32:44 A Christian is called to be a soldier. 32:49 Paul said to Timothy you're called 32:54 to endure hardness as a good soldier. 32:59 A Christian is not called for weakness 33:02 he is called the strength. 33:05 I want to say a few words now 33:07 about the ordination of women 33:10 which is a discussion that is tearing through the churches 33:14 especially the Seventh-day Adventist church. 33:20 I think much of the present discussion misses the mark 33:25 and I will tell you why every person, 33:30 every man and every women 33:32 every person is called to preach the gospel. 33:38 This idea I can't preach the gospel 33:41 until I am ordained is a heresy. 33:46 I believe in the words of the Paul had said 33:51 "Christ the son of God has sent me to all widespread lands, 33:57 Mine the mighty ordination over the nail-pierced hands." 34:07 And it's interesting when I read in Mark 3:14 it says 34:14 "He ordained twelve that they might be with him 34:20 and that he might send them forth to preach." 34:24 Now look at me 34:27 that word ordained is not in the Greek. 34:33 You didn't know that. 34:34 Read it in the NIV it says 34:37 "He appointed twelve that they might be with him. 34:42 And that he might send them forth to preach." 34:47 Look at me I want to talk to the television audience 34:51 you folks over here the only reason 34:55 that a person ought to be ordained 34:58 or appointed is to go forth and preach. 35:02 Who agrees with me? H.M.S. Richards. 35:05 Go an read his book Feed My Sheep. 35:08 A person should not be appointed 35:12 or ordained to be an accountant 35:17 or any other job the Bible says 35:20 "that they might go forth and preach." 35:25 You all know John Wesley my hero John Wesley's mother 35:31 what a hero she would make. 35:34 On one occasion John Wesley was away 35:36 from the pulpit he was preaching somewhere else. 35:40 And then John Wesley heard the scandalous news 35:44 that his mother was preaching the word of God 35:47 to the people who stayed behind. 35:50 What a heresy? 35:51 He was an Anglican clergyman. 35:53 And so he hastened back and started 35:56 to rebuke his mother who cut him short. 35:58 She said "I am as much called to preach the gospel 36:02 as are you my son, John." 36:05 I want to tell you today 36:07 "every person whether he is a man 36:10 or a woman is appointed to preach the gospel." 36:18 But that's hard work. 36:22 We are not ordained or appointed 36:26 so that we feel better and we have a better status. 36:30 It's not about status, it is about soul winning. 36:37 Paul says to Timothy, preach the word. 36:41 Let me talk about this. 36:42 He didn't say preach the traditions of the church. 36:45 Every church has got its own traditions. 36:48 He didn't say preach the traditions of the church, 36:52 he said preach the word. 36:55 This is the word, the Bible 36:58 when in season and out of season. 37:02 That means whenever you're called, 37:05 whenever there is an opportunity you are to preach the word. 37:12 What word are you to preach? 37:16 You're to preach the gospel of Christ. 37:19 That's the most important word. 37:21 Come over here to 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, 37:24 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 dear hearts and general people. 37:31 "Now brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel 37:35 I preached to you which you received 37:38 and which you have taken your stand. 37:40 By this gospel you are saved, 37:43 if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. 37:45 Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 37:48 For what I received I passed on to you as a first importance 37:52 that Christ died for our sins 37:54 according to the scriptures, that He was buried, 37:58 that He was raised on the third day 38:00 according to the scriptures" 38:02 we are called to preach the good news, 38:06 the word of the gospel. 38:09 And I want to say to every person 38:11 who is watching on television 38:13 and we have an audience around the world 38:16 a sermon displeases God 38:20 if it doesn't somewhere have in it the gospel of Christ. 38:25 I have got to think of people coming into hear me preach 38:28 who may be lost souls. 38:30 I need to tell them the gospel God loves you. 38:34 Jesus died for you. 38:36 Christ went to the cross because He loves you. 38:40 He went to the cross and bore your sins. 38:43 He made an atoning sacrifice for your sins 38:47 and if you believe in Him today you are passed 38:51 from death unto life the heart of every sermon 38:55 is the cross of the Christ. 38:59 Hanging on the cross was the gospel. 39:03 We have to preach the sure word of Bible prophecy. 39:06 We have to preach Revelation 14 39:08 the Three Angels Messages. 39:10 The Lord of God the commandments, 39:14 His incarnation, His holiness, His atoning sacrifice. 39:20 We ought to preach the blood, 39:22 we ought to preach His resurrection, 39:24 His intercession, His coming again 39:26 the judgment life everlasting. 39:30 Preach the word. 39:32 And that's talking to you too. 39:34 You say it doesn't that's I am not a preacher. 39:36 Yes, God has called you to be a preacher, 39:38 to preach the word. 39:39 Every body is ordained to preach. 39:43 We are not called to please man 39:47 but God I am not appointed to seek popularity 39:52 what you think about me 39:54 my American friends is of little value to me. 39:59 Let's get that out of the way now. 40:02 What you think about me is really of no interest to me 40:07 I want to be a preacher of God's word who pleases God. 40:16 Preach the word in season, out of season. 40:22 Come back to 1 Timothy 4:2 and onwards. 40:26 And unless you and I are doing this 40:29 we are a gross of relevancy. 40:32 2 Timothy 4:2 and onwards. 40:40 "Preach the word, be prepared in season, 40:42 out of season, correct, rebuke and encourage 40:45 with great patience and careful instruction. 40:48 For the time will come when men will not put up 40:50 with sound doctrine. 40:52 Instead, to suit their own desires, 40:54 they will gather around them a great number of teachers 40:57 to say what their itching ears want to hear. 41:01 They will turn their ears away the truth 41:03 and turn aside to myths. 41:06 But you keep your head in all situations, 41:08 endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, 41:13 discharge all the duties of your ministry." 41:17 A minister is not called to be popular 41:20 but to be faithful. 41:23 The Bible talks about here is you have got itching ears 41:27 that describes the people of Los Angeles today. 41:32 It describes the people of San Francisco today. 41:37 It describes the people of Europe. 41:41 Did you know in England today 41:44 there are more people attending Muslim mosque 41:49 than going to Christian churches. 41:52 Why because the fire 41:55 has gone out on the pulpit in the churches. 41:59 They got dead men preaching to dead congregations 42:02 and the Muslims taking over. 42:07 People will say we got to stop the Muslim. 42:09 Well, you go just go and preach the word 42:14 and there will be a change. 42:17 Itching ears, that means people will say entertain me, 42:23 make me laugh, its great going to church 42:27 because I get so many laughs 42:29 and then I get fed up by the big potluck. 42:32 Make me feel good tell me how to make money, 42:36 tell me that I am going to heaven 42:39 when I am living like hell. 42:42 Itching ears, that's our society, 42:50 that's our civilization 42:52 and that's why Billy Graham said with a voice of thunder, 42:56 judgment is coming upon America. 43:00 A minister doesn't say to the congregation, 43:04 what do you want to do? 43:05 He doesn't say that. 43:07 He tells them what the Bible tells them to do. 43:11 He doesn't preach myths and fairytales 43:15 but he endures hardship. 43:17 If you are going to be a true Christian today 43:20 you got to endure hardship. 43:23 He says, do the work of an evangelist. 43:29 People always think of me 43:30 as an evangelists but I am pastor. 43:35 I am pastor. 43:37 When I go to Australia I am not a gardener, 43:42 I am not a tractor driver 43:45 but I do the work of a gardener 43:49 and I get out with my little tractor. 43:53 I do the work of a tractor driver. 43:57 Every minister, every church member 44:00 is called to do the work of an evangelist. 44:03 What's wrong with us? 44:06 We're talking about the Spirit of God 44:07 but the Spirit of God my friend, 44:10 is never given until we preach the word 44:13 and live the word. 44:18 I left home when I was 16. 44:21 Traveled a thousand miles, 44:24 drove a bulldozer, North Queensland, 44:27 12 hours a day up at quarter-to-four 44:30 in the morning in Taipei country-- 44:36 one of the most dangers snakes in the world. 44:41 I love seeing a sun come up when I am sitting up 44:45 there on a great big diesel tractor 44:49 and I am doing the work of a tractor driver 44:53 even though I am not. 44:56 So I went through college driving a bulldozer 44:59 I know bit about it. 45:04 You're called to do the work of an evangelist 45:08 so it's too hard. 45:09 Well, then my friend, 45:12 you got a problem only God can heal you. 45:16 The church I have discovered 45:17 after pastoring the biggest churches 45:19 in the smallest ones as around the world 45:21 the church becomes contentious and gossipy 45:25 when evangelism is neglected. 45:27 You notice that when I would go into a place 45:30 I would often find churches firing like mad, 45:33 killed candy cats as they'd would say in Ireland. 45:36 People fighting, people criticizing, 45:38 criticizing the church pastor, 45:40 criticizing everybody else talking about 45:44 what people wear on their fingers 45:47 and everything else. 45:51 But the people will lose themselves 45:54 in the chorus greater than themselves, 45:58 the church will grow. 46:01 Listen to this, leaders of this church, 46:03 if this church is not doing the work of an evangelists, 46:08 if this church is not growing, 46:11 if this church is dying and God will remove 46:15 the candlestick out of its place. 46:18 Be warned. 46:20 Preach the word, do the work of an evangelist. 46:27 Like in verse 6, 46:29 "For I am already being poured out 46:31 like a drink offering, 46:34 and the time has come for my departure." 46:35 He said just about worn myself out 46:39 my life is heading away. 46:42 Verse 7, "I fought the good fight." 46:48 Most of us have no idea what that means. 46:52 This work in which we are engaged is a battle. 46:56 Paul said "I have been beaten by the Jews, 47:00 I have been stoned, I have shipwrecked, 47:02 my back has been opened up by the lash. 47:11 I fought a good fight." 47:16 I know a little bit about this. 47:20 We are called to be soldiers 47:25 not babies. 47:28 "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race," 47:35 a runner has goal he needs discipline. 47:38 The race is not for the cowardly or the indolent. 47:47 "I have kept the faith" Paul said. 47:53 "I remain true. I have not turned back. 47:58 I have been faithful to my calling." 48:01 There was a time when Paul was so overwhelmed 48:04 by the work that he almost gave up. 48:09 Ellen White says, he looked back to the cross, 48:12 because he felt like giving it all away. 48:15 The beatings, the coldness in the church, 48:18 the treachery of the brethren. 48:22 He looked back to the cross, and took courage. 48:30 I have kept the faith. 48:36 This calls for an extraordinary endowment of God's grace. 48:43 We live in an age of babies, spiritual weaklings. 48:49 We are called to be men and women 48:54 and fight the fight of faith. 49:04 Verse 8, "Now there is in store for me 49:09 the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, 49:11 the righteous judge will award to me on that day 49:15 and not only to me, 49:16 but also to all who have longed for His appearing." 49:19 The end result is the reward, the crown. 49:23 This reward is not for all. 49:26 People will say, no, no, no 49:28 everybody is gonna be saved, everybody is gonna be saved. 49:35 No one is gonna be lost everybody is going to be save. 49:38 No, it's not true. 49:42 Reward is for the person who fights the faith, 49:46 fights the battle, keeps the faith. 49:49 You say, well, this is salvation by works. 49:51 No, but unless you have these works 49:54 you are not saved. 49:56 Salvation, leads to a complete turn around in the life. 50:02 Boys become men, girl's become women 50:08 they are people with some strength of character. 50:13 Not man be bambies not wimps. 50:21 It's not for all but for those who keep the faith. 50:24 Paul said, "Beyond the dungeon, 50:26 the grave desfile of tears there is a bright shining light 50:29 it's called the heaven." 50:31 When I was in Australia I buried my brother-in-law. 50:35 I was his best man when he married my sister. 50:39 John was a faithful Christian. 50:42 My last memories of John Stockerhof 50:46 when I went up to study the word with him 50:48 and give him some comfort a few months ago. 50:52 John with his Bible, 50:54 marked underlined a man of God 50:57 who was totally consistent in his walk. 51:00 He was in a church one week and stayed 51:02 away the next week because he was a spiritual wimp. 51:09 He kept the faith. 51:16 Look at verses 14 to 18 51:20 "Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm." 51:22 It will happen to you. 51:24 You'll have elders who do you great deal of harm 51:26 and people who try to destroy you. 51:29 I have received bullets in my offering plates. 51:35 "Alexander the metalworker 51:36 he did me a great a deal of harm. 51:37 The Lord will repay him for what he has done. 51:39 You too should be on your guard against him 51:41 because he is strongly opposed our message. 51:43 At my first defense, no one came to my support, 51:46 but everyone deserted me." 51:47 Where were the brethren? 51:50 "May it not be held against them. 51:52 The Lord stood by my side and gave me strength, 51:55 so that through me message might be fully proclaimed 51:58 and all the Gentiles might hear it. 52:00 And I was delivered from the lion's mouth." 52:02 From Nero. 52:05 "The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack 52:08 and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom 52:11 to him be glory for ever and ever. 52:14 Amen." 52:18 I can tell you for those are faithful, 52:21 for those who read the word, 52:23 oh, I can't take time to read the word, 52:25 get over that indolence and that spiritual laziness. 52:30 If you say that it is because you have been 52:32 brainwashed by the foolish media 52:37 and idiotized by the box. 52:41 But you give your life to Christ 52:44 and if you follow Him 52:46 and if you are faithful to the mission 52:49 to preach the word and if you don't runaway 52:53 from the foe but if you gonna look the foe in the eye 52:57 and you will say can say "I will not move." 53:06 There is a crown of glory. 53:10 Extraordinary times demand an extraordinary response 53:15 from an extraordinary people. 53:21 When engulfed by the terror of the tempestuous sea, 53:25 unknown waves before you roll. 53:28 At the end of doubt and peril is eternity, 53:31 though fear and conflict seize your soul. 53:35 Just think of stepping on shore, 53:38 and finding it heaven of touching a hand, 53:43 and finding it God's of breathing new air, 53:47 and finding it celestial of waking up in Glory, 53:53 finding it "Home." 53:56 When surrounded by the blackness 53:58 of the darkest night, oh, how lonely death can be. 54:02 At the end this long tunnel is a shinning light, 54:05 for death is swallowed-up in victory. 54:10 But just think of stepping on shore, 54:14 and finding it heaven, of touching a hand, 54:20 and finding it God's of breathing new air, 54:26 and finding it celestial 54:31 of waking up in Glory, 54:35 and finding it "Home." 54:42 In the name of the Father and of the Son 54:46 and of the Holy Spirit. 54:48 Amen. 54:52 The Carter Report is a self supporting ministry 54:55 with a global mission. 54:57 We believe that the most important thing 54:59 that we can do in this tremendous hour 55:02 is to tell people about the Lord Jesus Christ. 55:05 Because, Jesus said "I am the way 55:08 the truth and the life." 55:10 We do not believe that this is business as usual. 55:14 We believe that we are living in the closing hours 55:17 in the history of this world. 55:19 Bless your heart friend. 55:20 Look at the signs that are been fulfilled all most everyday. 55:24 The signs of the times are shouting at us 55:27 and they are saying Jesus is coming soon. 55:31 I want you to be my partner in global mission. 55:34 I want you to be my partner in helping to tell the world 55:37 about the coming of Jesus. 55:40 I want you to be my partner in preaching 55:43 of the distinctive truth of the Three Angels Messages. 55:48 Please, check us out at the New Carter Report 55:52 website cartereprot.org. 55:55 We have a special section whereby you can ask questions 55:59 and I will give you the answers 56:01 from the living word of the living God 56:05 that is the cartereport.org. 56:09 My friend, we want you to join us in the mission 56:14 to preach the gospel in China, 56:17 in India, in Australia, in Africa, 56:20 in the United States of America 56:22 wherever people are lost 56:24 and wherever people need to hear the good news 56:28 that Jesus saves. 56:30 Please check us out the New Carter Report website 56:34 cartereprot.org. 56:37 I want to hear from you today. 56:53 Our debtors 57:01 And lead us not into temptation 57:08 But deliver us from evil 57:12 For thine is the kingdom 57:19 And the power 57:22 And the glory 57:27 For ever 57:34 Amen |
Revised 2014-12-17