Participants: John Bradshaw
Series Code: IIW
Program Code: IIW001381A
|
01:30 [Theme music]
01:40 [Theme music] 01:50 >>John Bradshaw: This is It Is Written. I'm John Bradshaw. 01:52 Thanks for joining me. In 2011, a 53-year-old man walked out 01:58 into the waters of San Francisco Bay. 02:00 Bystanders became worried the man might drown; in fact, 02:04 it appeared as though he was intent on harming himself. 02:06 So they called authorities, and before long, 02:09 police officers and firefighters were right there at the scene. 02:13 But, the first responders didn't do anything to help. 02:18 Now, I know that doesn't sound right, 02:19 but that's exactly what happened. 02:22 And it happened because, among other reasons, 02:25 a policy instituted two years before prohibited 02:27 water rescues there. 02:29 Budget cuts meant that water rescue training was no longer 02:32 being given, and the rules were the rules, and so, 02:36 at the end of the day, the 53-year-old man was dead, 02:40 and the first responders were dry. 02:42 And, most importantly, the rules had been obeyed. 02:46 Honestly, they did the wrong thing for all the right reasons. 02:51 You don't just stand by and watch for an hour 02:53 while somebody drowns. 02:56 But you don't disobey city rules if you're a city employee. 03:00 And it's possible to do the right thing 03:02 for the wrong reasons. 03:03 We see that today, as we look at one of the parables 03:06 Jesus taught as part of our ongoing series, 03:09 "Lessons for All Time." 03:11 The parable that we're going to look at together 03:12 is found in the Bible's book of Luke, in chapter 18. 03:15 It's a parable that deals with prayer and persisting in prayer. 03:19 Now, it deals with a God who loves to answer your prayers. 03:24 We'll start in Luke, chapter 18 and verse 1. 03:27 The Bible says: 03:28 Then He spoke a parable to them, 03:30 that men ought always to pray and not lose heart. 03:35 Now, this is helpful because here at the beginning of the 03:37 parable we're told what the parable is about: 03:40 that we should pray and not lose heart, not give up. 03:44 And before we're done today, I'm going to share with you 03:47 seven secrets of effective, difference-making, 03:50 potentially life-altering prayer. 03:54 So let me ask you, 03:56 have you ever been tempted to quit praying about something? 04:00 Maybe you've done just that. My marriage is never going 04:03 to improve, so there's no point praying about it. 04:06 My father will never get well, so why should we pray for him? 04:09 I'll never get a job, or, or we're never going to be able 04:11 to make this business successful, so what's the use? 04:14 Why pray? I'll share something with you. 04:18 Some years ago a young lady told me that her parents' marriage 04:21 had fallen apart and that they had stopped going to church. 04:24 Her dad had gone back to drinking, her three brothers 04:27 had given up following God, and she herself was up and down, 04:31 mostly down, in her faith. And she told me right then 04:35 and there, she was recommitting her life to God, and that she 04:38 was going to pray and work to bring her whole family back to 04:42 faith in God. And I thought the chances of that ever happening 04:45 were somewhere between slim and none. 04:49 But I encouraged her, and I prayed with her, 04:52 and I thought to myself as I prayed, 04:54 this is never going to happen. I had faith in God, but I didn't 04:59 have faith in that situation. Which I guess really meant 05:02 I did not have faith in God. So how do you think that 05:06 situation worked out? I'll tell you a little later. 05:09 In this parable in Luke 18, Jesus encourages us to continue 05:14 to pray, to not give up on God, to continue to believe that God 05:19 can do great things, even when it appears he might not. 05:23 So let's go back to Luke, chapter 18. 05:26 We'll pick this up in verse 2, where Jesus said: 05:29 "There was in a certain city, a judge who did not fear God, 05:33 Nor regard man. 05:35 Now there was a widow in that city; 05:38 and she came to him, saying "avenge me of my adversary" 05:43 and he would not for a while; 05:45 but afterward he said within himself, 05:47 "Though I do not fear God nor regard man, 05:49 yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, 05:53 lest by her continual coming she weary me" 05:58 Then the Lord said "hear what the unjust judge said. 06:02 And shall not God avenge his own elect 06:05 who cry day and night to him, Though he bears long with them?" 06:09 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. 06:13 Nevertheless, when the son of man comes, 06:16 will He really find faith on the Earth?" 06:20 That's Luke 18, verses 1 through 8. 06:23 The judge Jesus, is talking about was clear: 06:26 I do not fear God and I do not regard my fellow human being. 06:30 This was a character who didn't feel any great responsibility 06:33 to anyone but himself, and, for a while, wouldn't help the widow 06:38 who came to him for help. Now, keep this in mind: 06:41 without a welfare system, and in a patriarchal society, 06:46 that widow needed the help of the judge. 06:49 But he wouldn't even help her. 06:52 You know, there are people in the world who live for others. 06:55 They're helpers. 06:56 They invest themselves in others. 06:58 They minister to others. Warren Buffett has pledged 07:01 to give away 99% of his wealth. Bill Gates said he'd give away 07:05 the vast majority of his resources, because these men 07:08 and others like them feel a responsibility to help others. 07:12 Now, you could say the same and maybe a whole lot more 07:15 for teachers and police officers, and volunteers, 07:18 and a thousand different causes. 07:20 People like Mother Teresa or Gandhi. 07:22 People could have made a whole lot more money than they made, 07:25 and live far more comfortably than they lived, 07:28 except they felt and they responded to a higher calling. 07:33 But the judge in this parable was, 07:35 was cut from a different cloth. The widow comes to him 07:38 repeatedly, telling him about the injustice 07:41 that she's suffered. 07:43 But over and over again, the judge just turns her aside. 07:48 But where another might quit, this woman is persistent, 07:51 and she keeps on coming back, 07:53 determined that she'll get justice. 07:55 Eventually the judge grows weary of her 07:58 showing up in his courtroom again and again and again. 08:00 So eventually we hear his words as Jesus recounts them: 08:06 "Though I do not fear God nor regard man, 08:09 yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, 08:13 lest by her continual coming she weary me" 08:17 That's Luke 18, verses 4 and 5. 08:20 Now, Jesus is teaching us something here. 08:23 But this is a really interesting way for him to do it. 08:26 This is a classic case of a self-serving politician 08:30 who does the right thing for the wrong reason. 08:34 He doesn't care about justice. 08:35 He doesn't care about the widow's plight. 08:37 He doesn't care about the wrong that she has endured. 08:40 He just wants her to go away. 08:43 So, in the end, he does the right thing for the woman, 08:45 though he does not do the right thing for the right reasons. 08:49 [Background music] 08:51 So what's the lesson here? 08:52 What's Jesus telling us about God? 08:55 Is God like that? 08:56 We keep praying and pleading until finally God says, 08:58 "All right, all right"? Is God like, is God like that? 09:03 We'll find out in just a moment. 09:04 [Music] 09:11 I'd like to give you the opportunity to go deeper 09:13 into the parables of Jesus Christ, 09:15 and receive this week's free offer, "The Unfair Judge." 09:20 Here's how to get it. Visit us online at 09:23 ItIsWritten.com, 09:24 or call us, 800-253-3000. 09:29 If you'd like to write, you can write to us at the address 09:32 on your screen. 09:33 This is a resource that will bless you immensely. 09:35 "The Unfair Judge." 09:37 It's yours free. Visit us online at 09:40 ItIsWritten.com. 09:41 Thanks for remembering that It Is Written 09:44 is a faith-based ministry, and your support makes it possible 09:47 for us to share God's Good News with the entire world. 09:52 Your tax-deductible gift can be sent to the address 09:54 on your screen, or through our website at 09:56 ItIsWritten.com. 09:59 Thank you for your continued prayerful support. 10:01 Again, our toll-free number is 800-253-3000, 10:07 and our web address is www.ItIsWritten.com. 10:13 [Music] 10:14 Planning for your financial future is a vital aspect 10:17 of Christian stewardship. 10:19 For this reason, It Is Written is pleased to offer free planned 10:22 giving and estate services. For information on how 10:25 we can help you, please call (800) 992-2219. 10:31 Call today, or visit our special website, 10:34 www.HisLegacy.com. 10:40 [Music] 10:47 This is It Is Written. I'm John Bradshaw. 10:49 I'm glad you've joined me. We're continuing our series 10:52 on the parables of Jesus: Lessons for All Time. 10:56 And today we're looking at the parable of the unjust judge, 10:59 sometimes referred to as the story of the importunate widow. 11:04 A certain judge dismisses a woman's plea for justice, 11:06 but finally says, "Even though I don't care about God 11:09 or my fellow man, I'll help this woman 11:11 because I'm tired of her coming to me and bugging me about this. 11:14 So what lesson could Jesus be trying to teach us in a story 11:17 about an unethical judge who has no time for God? 11:21 Let's go back to the parable and pick it up 11:22 in Luke 18, and verse 6: 11:25 "Then the lord said, "hear what the unjust judge said. 11:29 And shall not God avenge his own elect which 11:32 cry day and night to Him, though he bears long with them?" 11:36 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. 11:39 Nevertheless, when the son of man comes, 11:41 will he really find faith on the earth?" 11:44 Jesus says, "Okay, listen to the judge. 11:46 See what he's like." Jesus says, "God is not like that." 11:52 When God's people come to him in prayer, God hears. 11:55 God is willing to help. God does not turn a deaf ear. 11:59 But have you ever had an experience where you've prayed 12:03 and prayed, and you feel like God just hasn't answered? 12:06 You've prayed for a sick relative who didn't get well. 12:09 Maybe you've prayed about a financial situation 12:12 and it never seemed to resolve. Or you've prayed to save your 12:14 marriage and [thumbs down]. So what do we make of that? 12:19 When prayers like that are not answered, 12:21 it isn't because God isn't willing to pour out 12:24 his blessings. 12:25 Now, it's not easy to know always why God didn't 12:28 answer your prayer the way you wanted Him to. 12:31 But it might simply be because the time wasn't right. 12:34 It might be because you're asking for the wrong thing. 12:36 It might be for reasons we can't understand. 12:38 It might be because there's other people involved 12:40 and they did not yield their heart to the will of God. 12:44 Keep in mind that God isn't Santa Claus. 12:47 He's not the tooth fairy. 12:49 We don't always get what we want. 12:51 And that has to be okay. It's important to trust God, 12:56 even when you think things are not going your way. 12:59 It's really important that we don't view God 13:02 as an unjust judge, unwilling to help his people, 13:05 unwilling to bless. 13:06 All over the Bible you'll read about God's mercy. 13:09 You just can't escape here. Here's Psalm 103, verse 11. 13:12 The Bible says: For as the Heavens are high 13:15 above the Earth, so great is his mercy toward those who fear him; 13:19 Six times the Bible says, 13:22 "Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, 13:24 for his mercy endures forever." Psalm 136 says, 13:28 "For his mercy endures forever" 26 times. 13:32 God wants us to have a clear picture 13:34 of what he's really like. This parable teaches us 13:38 something by contrast. 13:40 There's an unjust judge, but that's not God. 13:44 But let's look at this further. 13:45 The woman in Jesus' parable petitions the unjust judge to 13:49 "avenge me of my adversary." Luke 18, verse 3. 13:52 The Bible says that God's people have a persistent adversary 13:56 who accuses them day and night before God. 14:00 And that's Satan, the great adversary of God and humanity. 14:04 The Book of Revelation speaks of Satan as: 14:05 "the accuser of our brethren, who accused them 14:09 before our God day and night" 14:12 Revelation 12, verse 10. 14:13 A really clear example of that is found in the book of Job. 14:17 It's one of the greatest narratives in all the Bible 14:20 on purity, patience and perseverance. 14:23 Let's look at what the Bible says in Job, chapter 1. 14:26 It says this: 14:27 And the Lord said to Satan, "From where do you come?" 14:32 So Satan answered the Lord and said, 14:34 "From going to and fro on the Earth, 14:37 and from walking back and forth on it." 14:39 Then the Lord said to Satan, 14:42 have you considered my servant Job, 14:45 that there is none like him on the Earth, 14:47 a blameless and upright man, 14:50 one who fears God and shuns evil?" 14:53 That's Job, chapter 1, verses 7 and 8. 14:55 It's a great story. 14:57 Satan goes on to accuse Job of being true to God 15:00 only because God has so obviously blessed him 15:02 with prosperity. 15:04 God then allows Satan to test Job. 15:07 As Job loses everything; wealth, children, property; 15:13 everything but a nagging wife and three individuals 15:16 who give new meaning to the old saying, 15:19 "With friends like that, who needs enemies?" 15:21 Yet through it all, the Bible says that: 15:24 In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong. 15:29 Job 1 verse 22. 15:31 At one point Job even declares speaking of God: 15:34 Though He slay me, yet will I trust him. 15:37 Job 13:15 15:39 In the end, Job is blessed for his faithfulness, 15:42 and God gives him a brand new family and twice as much 15:45 material wealth as he had before. 15:47 God avenged his faithful servant, 15:50 and put the accusing adversary to shame. 15:53 Now, it didn't happen overnight, and it called for real faith 15:57 on the part of Job. 15:58 But that's the point of the parable that we should pray 16:00 always and not faint. Not quit. 16:04 You don't want to give up on God, 16:06 because God never gives up on you. 16:10 Now, there's another story like this in the book of Zechariah, 16:13 the second last book of the Old Testament. 16:17 Joshua, the high priest of Israel, is representing God's 16:19 people before God's throne. The scene takes place 16:22 after the Babylonian captivity and the restoration of Israel. 16:26 Joshua, as the representative of God's covenant community, 16:29 is dressed in the filthy attire that represents Israel's sin. 16:34 And as in the story of Job, Joshua has an accuser 16:38 standing by his side. 16:40 We'll pick up the story 16:41 in Zechariah, chapter 3, starting in verse 1: 16:46 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest 16:49 standing before the Angel of the Lord, 16:52 and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him. 16:55 And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! 16:59 The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! 17:02 Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?” 17:05 Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, 17:09 and was standing before the Angel. 17:11 Then He answered 17:12 and spoke to those who stood before Him saying, 17:15 “Take away the filthy garments from him.” 17:18 And to him He said, 17:19 “See, I have removed your iniquity from you, 17:23 and I will clothe you with rich robes.” 17:27 That's Zechariah 3:1 through 4. 17:30 Again, Satan is accusing God's people, and God comes quickly 17:35 to Joshua's defense. And Joshua is vindicated. 17:39 These are stories that ought to encourage you, 17:41 because everyday Christianity isn't always neat and tidy. 17:44 There's something of Job's experience and Zechariah's 17:48 experience in all of us. Bad things happen. 17:51 Circumstances and events can come crashing down 17:54 on the most sincere and dedicated believer. 17:56 Months and years of adversity can pass, 18:00 and it can look like it'll never end. 18:03 You're praying, you're praying, you wonder if there's anyone 18:05 out there listening. And there is. 18:08 God hears you. And he's willing 18:10 to move and to act when you call. 18:12 Jesus said in John 14:14, "If you ask anything in my name, 18:17 I will do it." 18:18 Now, do be careful. 18:20 You want to pray according to God's will. 18:22 You want to pray real prayers. But that's what Christ said. 18:26 Powerful. 18:27 Now, I'm going to share with you seven secrets 18:30 of successful prayer. I'll have them in just a moment. 18:32 [Music] 18:41 >>Announcer: In Matthew 4:4, the Word of God says: 18:43 “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, 18:46 but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'” 18:51 "Every Word" is a one-minute, Bible-based daily devotional 18:54 presented by Pastor John Bradshaw, 18:55 and designed especially for busy people like you. 18:59 Look for Every Word on selected networks, or watch it online 19:03 every day on our website, ItIsWritten.com. 19:06 Receive a daily spiritual boost. Watch "Every Word." 19:10 You'll be glad you did. Here's a sample. 19:14 [Theme music] 19:20 >> John Bradshaw: I've been asked a lot about how to know 19:22 God's will in certain situations. 19:25 That can be a difficult question to answer at times. 19:27 But there are some things about God's will 19:29 that are easy to know. Listen to this. 19:31 John 6:40 says: 19:33 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, 19:35 that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him 19:38 may have everlasting life; 19:40 and I will raise him up at the last day.” 19:43 Did you catch that? God's will is for you 19:45 to have everlasting life. 19:47 Now, what adjective are you going to use to describe that? 19:50 Outstanding! 19:51 Remarkable! 19:52 Extraordinary! 19:53 Phenomenal! 19:54 If you believe in Jesus, 19:55 it's God's will that you live forever. 19:58 And if you don't believe in Jesus, 19:59 it's God's will that you do, so you can have eternal life. 20:03 God's will for you right now is the best it could possibly be. 20:07 Let that encourage you today. 20:08 I'm John Bradshaw for It Is Written. 20:11 Let's live today by every word. 20:15 [Theme music] 20:21 >>John Bradshaw: In the parable of the unjust judge, 20:23 Jesus teaches us by contrast what God is like. 20:27 God is not like the man who only helped the importunate widow 20:30 because he didn't want to be bothered by her any longer. 20:33 God is willing to bless you and help you and answer your prayers 20:36 according to His will and wisdom. 20:40 But here's a question: 20:42 How do we get through to God when we pray? 20:44 How can our prayers succeed, like the perseverance 20:48 of the widow in Jesus' parable? 20:49 I want to give you seven secrets of successful prayer. 20:54 Number one: You have to feel a need. 20:57 God declares in his word: 20:58 For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, 21:01 And floods on the dry ground; 21:03 Isaiah 44, verse 3. 21:04 Jesus spoke of how those who think themselves perfectly 21:08 healthy don't need a physician. If we come before God 21:12 feeling no particular need, we can't expect him 21:15 to intervene in our behalf. 21:17 Okay, second of seven secrets of successful prayer. 21:20 Number two: Don't cherish known sin. 21:25 We read in the Psalms: 21:26 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear. 21:29 That's Psalm 66, verse 18. 21:31 That's not to say God doesn't answer the prayers of sinners. 21:34 He does. 21:35 But when you are loving the sin and clinging to it 21:39 when you know better, there's a problem, 21:41 and it gets in the way of your prayers being answered. 21:45 Number three: Have faith. 21:48 The book of Hebrews tells us: 21:50 he who comes to God must believe that He is, 21:53 and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. 21:56 Hebrews 11:6 21:58 Jesus said in Matthew 21:22: 21:59 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer; 22:04 believing ye shall recieve. 22:06 And that's, that's a pretty big statement. 22:09 Keep this in mind: 22:10 we don't pray simply to convince God to do what we want. 22:13 Ultimately, prayer is about finding out what God wants. 22:17 And when you're convinced something is God's will, 22:19 you take hold of the throne of God and don't let go. 22:23 And believe, have faith, that God is able. 22:28 Number four: Be willing to forgive others. 22:32 Now, this is where it gets touch for a lot of people, 22:35 because it's easy to hold a grudge and remember wrongs. 22:39 But Jesus is very clear that unless we are willing to forgive 22:42 those who've done us wrong, God can't forgive us. 22:46 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, 22:48 your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 22:51 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, 22:54 neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 22:57 That's Matthew 6, verses 14 and 15. 23:00 Forgiveness is just a good idea anyway. 23:05 A World War II veteran who had been brutally treated as a POW 23:08 and came home with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder 23:11 said that he saw his nightmares stop completely 23:15 after he made the decision to forgive his captors. 23:19 He even went back to where he had been a prisoner 23:22 and personally forgave the people who tortured him. 23:25 He said several of them became Christians. 23:29 Number five of the seven secrets of successful prayer: 23:33 Persevere. 23:34 Just like the woman in the parable. 23:36 Remember, Jesus told us this story to encourage us always 23:40 to pray and not to faint. 23:41 Paul told us to pray without ceasing, 23:44 I Thessalonians 5, verse 17. 23:47 Giving up shouldn't be an option when it comes to prayer. 23:50 What if the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement had all decided 23:53 it wasn't worth the trouble? What if anti-apartheid activists 23:56 gave up when it looked like they weren't making any progress? 23:59 A man I know walked away from God when he was 17 years old, 24:03 and his mother prayed for him every day for decades. 24:09 And when she was 99 years old, she witnessed that son 24:14 being baptized. She persevered. 24:18 Number six: Pray anywhere. 24:20 In the story of Nehemiah, 24:23 King Artaxerxes asks Nehemiah what he wanted. 24:26 And before he answered, Nehemiah prayed. 24:29 Peter prayed out on a lake. You can pray in school, 24:32 at work, at home, while you're doing the laundry or driving 24:35 to work or waiting for a train. Imagine if we prayed more, 24:40 simply by praying throughout the day as opportunities 24:43 present themselves. And you don't have to pray 24:46 like you're some sort of orator. A prayer doesn't have to be 24:49 the Gettysburg Address. Just pray. 24:53 Talk to God as you'd talk to a friend. 24:57 Number seven: Pray with praise. 25:01 Prayer can often be a shopping list. 25:03 Okay, God, here's what I want from you today. 25:06 And to an extent that's okay. But it's one-sided, 25:10 and ultimately it's self-oriented. 25:12 Spend time thanking God and praising God. 25:16 What can you praise God for? David said: 25:19 Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, 25:21 And for His wonderful works to the children of men! 25:24 Psalm 107, verse 8. 25:26 And here's an eighth secret of successful prayer. 25:30 It's a bonus. Trust God. 25:33 If you don't see your prayers being answered, 25:36 trust him anyway. God doesn't stop 25:39 being God just because your prayer isn't answered. 25:42 And God can see the big picture. He knows what we really need. 25:45 And he understands how he can bring good things out 25:48 of what we might think are disasters. 25:50 Remember, prayer isn't a "get out of jail free" card. 25:53 It's not a limitless credit with God. 25:55 Prayer is given to draw us closer to God, 25:58 to strengthen us, to grow our faith. 26:00 Sometimes unanswered prayer is best for us. 26:04 So that we come to the point that when our prayers 26:06 aren't answered the way we want, we'll still trust God. 26:12 Jesus taught the parable of the unjust judge so we could see 26:15 what God is not like, and that God is good, and he is gracious. 26:21 He's a prayer-answering God who hears us. 26:25 You don't want to see God as being like the unjust judge. 26:29 That's like a child trying to figure out how to steal 26:31 the neighbor's apples, not realizing that if he just asked 26:33 the man next door, he'd be able to take as many 26:35 apples as he wanted. God wants to bless you. 26:40 How's your prayer life? Do you believe that God 26:42 is good, willing to answer your prayers? 26:45 Have you seen some prayers go unanswered? 26:48 Maybe that bothers you. 26:50 But I want to encourage you today. 26:52 God answers prayer. 26:54 Jesus said, "Ask, and you shall receive." 26:58 God has made hundreds of promises to us to assure us 27:01 that he has our best interests at heart. 27:04 [Background music] 27:05 So pray. Pray and trust. 27:09 Pray and expect God to do great things for you. 27:12 And he will. He really will. 27:16 [Music] 27:24 I'd like to give you the opportunity to go deeper 27:26 into the parables of Jesus Christ, 27:28 and receive this week's free offer, 27:30 "The Unfair Judge." 27:32 Here's how to get it. Visit us online at 27:36 ItIsWritten.com, 27:37 or call us, 800-253-3000. 27:41 If you'd like to write, you can write to us 27:44 at the address on your screen. 27:45 This is a resource that will bless you immensely. 27:48 "The Unfair Judge." It's yours free. 27:52 Visit us online at ItIsWritten.com. 27:54 Thanks for remembering that It Is Written 27:57 is a faith-based ministry, and your support makes it possible 28:01 for us to share God's Good News with the entire world. 28:05 Your tax-deductible gift can be sent to the address 28:07 on your screen, or through our website at 28:10 ItIsWritten.com. 28:12 Thank you for your continued prayerful support. 28:15 Again, our toll-free number is 800-253-3000, 28:20 and our web address is www.ItIsWritten.com. 28:27 Let's pray together. 28:28 [Background music] 28:29 Our Father in Heaven, we thank you today 28:32 that you are a God who hears, who cares, 28:36 and who will respond when we call. 28:38 Give us grace today that we'll view you as you really are. 28:42 And thank you for the great day that's coming when we'll 28:45 see Jesus and be with him forever. 28:48 Friend, if you've never done so, will you accept Jesus 28:51 now as your Savior, and surrender your life to him? 28:54 Can you do that now? 28:56 Lord, we want a God like you in our lives, 29:00 and we thank you that we can trust you. 29:03 Give us grace to pray, to pray in faith and to believe. 29:06 And we will trust you, by faith in Jesus. 29:11 In Jesus' name we pray, 29:14 Amen. 29:15 Thanks so much for joining me today. 29:17 I'm looking forward to seeing you again next time. 29:19 Until then, remember: "It is written, 29:23 man shall not live by bread alone but by every word 29:28 that proceeds from the mouth of God." 29:30 [Music] |
Revised 2017-03-25