Participants: Pr. John Carter
Series Code: CR
Program Code: CR001303
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00:08 From Arcadia, California, The Carter Report presents
00:11 "The Living Word" around the world. 00:18 Program today is entitled, 00:21 "The Deadly Snake in My House" 00:27 and other amazing stories of God's amazing grace. 00:33 But first today we have a beautiful and special guest. 00:37 We think she is just the very best. 00:41 We have taken her overseas 00:43 and she is The Carter Report angel. 00:48 Her name is Sharon Verde 00:51 and she is going to be accompanied today by Noel. 00:55 Would you please welcome them today? 01:30 'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, 01:38 Just to take Him at His word; 01:44 Just to rest upon His promise; 01:50 Just to know, Thus saith the Lord. 01:57 Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him, 02:04 How I've proved Him o'er and o'er, 02:10 Jesus, Jesus, Precious Jesus! 02:16 O for grace to trust Him more. 02:27 O how sweet to trust in Jesus, 02:34 Just to trust His cleansing blood; 02:40 And in simple faith to plunge me, 02:47 'Neath the healing, leansing flood. 02:54 Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him, 03:00 How I've proved Him o'er and o'er, 03:06 Jesus, Jesus, Precious Jesus! 03:13 O for grace to trust Him more. 03:23 Yes, tis sweet to trust in Jesus, 03:31 Just from sin and self to cease; 03:37 Just from Jesus simply taking 03:43 Life, and rest, and joy, and peace. 03:50 Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him, 03:56 How I've proved Him o'er and o'er, 04:02 Jesus, Jesus, Precious Jesus! 04:09 O for grace to trust Him more. 04:44 I'm so glad 04:47 I learned to trust Thee, 04:52 Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend; 04:57 And I know that Thou art with me, 05:04 Wilt be with me to the end. 05:10 Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him, 05:16 How I've proved Him o'er and o'er, 05:22 Jesus, Jesus, Precious Jesus! 05:29 O for grace to trust Him more. 05:57 The topic today is "the snake in my house 06:03 in the dark, night time," 06:08 and other amazing stories 06:11 topic today is, "A potpourri of Grace." 06:18 I want you to take your Bibles 06:19 and turn with me over here 06:20 to the Gospel of John chapter 1, 06:23 want to welcome every person here today. 06:26 We are glad that you are here. 06:27 We are glad that you joined us 06:29 specially those watching on television. 06:32 John 1:16 and 17, 06:40 really a great text this is John 1:16 and 17, 06:46 "From the fullness of his grace 06:49 we have all received one blessing after another. 06:56 For the law was given through Moses, 06:59 grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." 07:03 From the fullness it's grace 07:06 we have received one blessing after another. 07:09 Topic Potpourri of Grace, 07:12 Wikipedia which I now use on my I pad says 07:20 it is a mixture of dried 07:23 naturally fragrant plant material 07:26 used to provide a gentle natural cent. 07:33 Potpourri... it goes under say 07:35 potpourri is used inside the home 07:37 to give the air a pleasant smell. 07:42 The word Potpourri comes into English 07:47 from the French word "pot-pourri." 07:53 Why don't you grasp with amazement? 07:56 Pot-pourri. 07:57 You could see why when we go to France 08:00 my team has me order all of the meals 08:03 because it just flows off my tongue, Pot-pourri. 08:11 And this is only the start of my gymnastics 08:16 in language today. 08:17 The French term has two connotations. 08:21 It is the French name 08:23 for a Spanish stew 08:31 with a wide variety of ingredients called... 08:37 now I have to try, "olla podrida." 08:44 How is that Caesar? 08:46 Say it again, "olla podrida." 08:53 A specialty of the town of... 08:56 this is quite incredible 08:58 because we have these people in our church, 09:00 a specialty of the town of Burgos. 09:05 The word was taken and copied by the French military 09:09 during the Napoleonic occupation 09:11 of Burgos, 1808-1813. 09:19 In early 17th Century France fresh herbs 09:24 and flowers were gathered-- 09:27 starting in spring 09:29 and continuing through the summer. 09:32 The herbs were left for a day or two to become limp, 09:34 then layered with coarse sea salt. 09:38 The aging mixture was stirred occasionally 09:41 as layers were added to it. 09:44 The finished potpourri was set out in special pots 09:49 with perforated lids to perfume rooms." 09:55 Therefore I would say to you today blessed is the home. 10:00 Blessed is the church. 10:02 Blessed is the individual 10:05 that has a Potpourri of grace. 10:11 From the fullness of his grace 10:14 we have received one blessing after another. 10:19 First part of this sermon is the saga of the snake, 10:24 a manifestation of God's protecting grace. 10:30 Few weeks ago I was in Australia 10:34 in a home in Terranora it's a two-storey house. 10:38 The floors are made largely of large Porcelain tiles. 10:45 In winter, we do not think of Australia as a cool place 10:49 but it does get cold. 10:52 And in the house that night, the sun had set, 10:56 in the house it was freezing cold. 11:00 I don't wear shoes inside the house lest I pollute it. 11:06 But I had on a pair of socks. 11:08 David was coming back from Papua, New Guinea, 11:11 because he been up there to negotiate 11:14 and starting our national television, 11:16 which will start any day soon on a big commercial station. 11:21 There is a room and a bathroom 11:24 and a little kitchen downstairs as well as a living space. 11:30 So I came down the staircase in my socks. 11:37 And because I believe in conserving energy, 11:40 I didn't turn the lights on downstairs. 11:43 But the lights shone down the stairs. 11:46 And as I came over to the bedroom 11:48 that David was going to occupy in about an hour's time, 11:53 I saw I didn't have my glasses on. 11:58 So I was sailing blind and I came down and I saw, 12:03 spread out near his door way, 12:08 a brown snake. 12:12 The brown snake, the eastern brown 12:15 Wikipedia tells me on my I-pad 12:19 is the second most deadly snake in the world. 12:27 Fortunately it was winter and snakes are cold blood dead. 12:34 And therefore somehow, I don't know 12:37 the snake had got inside the house 12:40 and it wasn't very big. It was about this long. 12:44 And it was lying on the tiles, but it was not active. 12:49 As I came it moved a little. 12:57 My heart almost came out of my chest 13:03 because I was facing 13:05 one of the most deadly creatures 13:07 on the face of the earth. 13:08 Fast, when he is provoked he will not give ground. 13:14 An eastern brown when he is provoked will stand his ground. 13:19 A big one can grow this tall and thick and he will strike. 13:29 And you only have virtually a few minutes 13:31 to get to the hospital that has the antivenin. 13:35 So I stopped and I consciously took a deep breath 13:39 and I prayed I said, Lord have mercy. 13:42 There is nobody around here. 13:43 I am the only person in the house 13:46 and I have no shoes on, no boots. 13:49 You should never leave the snake 13:52 because the snake could go anywhere. 13:55 I thought I have no alternative. 13:56 I have got to get outside the house 13:58 and I have got to get to the garage 14:00 and I have got to get on my big working boots. 14:02 So I said Lord don't let him move too fast, 14:06 don't let him go. 14:08 Because I have got to come back, 14:12 and so I went out and I got my boots, 14:16 didn't do the mud properly. 14:18 I came back, and the snake could only moved a foot. 14:21 And then I did 14:24 what one needs to do in Australia. 14:32 I have no question at all that God took care of me. 14:38 The snake was lying across the path 14:40 if I had stood on the snake he would have struck me. 14:49 There was nobody to call. 14:52 I may not have even had time to get to the hospital, 14:55 there was no one to call. 14:57 I could have called 000, 15:00 if I had been able to get upstairs. 15:02 I want you to come to Psalm 91. 15:07 We have received one blessing after another. 15:11 My life has been filled with incidents like these 15:16 but also the protecting hand of God. 15:19 Psalm 91 and verse 11 and onwards. 15:25 "For he will command his angels concerning you 15:28 to guard you in all your ways, 15:31 they will lift you up in your hands, 15:33 so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. 15:38 You will tread on the lion and the cobra 15:41 you will trample the great lion and the serpent. 15:45 An eastern brown is far more deadly than a cobra, 15:48 "Because he loves me," says the Lord, 15:51 "I will rescue him I will protect him, 15:54 for he acknowledges my name. 15:57 He will call upon me, and I will answer him. 16:01 I will be with him in trouble. 16:03 I will deliver him and honor him. 16:07 With long life will I satisfy him 16:10 and show him my salvation." 16:13 One blessing after another. 16:17 The second part of the sermon is the miracle of the lost bag. 16:23 A manifestation of God's looking out for you, grace. 16:29 And I have the bag here. 16:32 I was traveling 16:33 from the Gold Coast down to Sydney. 16:36 I'd gone to the domestic airport. 16:38 There are two airports in Sydney, 16:39 the domestic and the international. 16:42 I was carrying a huge suitcase 16:45 and also a very large carry on 16:48 and I had this bag over my shoulder, 16:53 holding on to it. 16:56 This bag had lots of things in it that I needed. 17:00 It had for instance my wallet, 17:04 and inside the wallet there were hundreds of dollars, 17:06 five or six hundred dollars, 17:08 plus all of my credit cards plus also my driver's license. 17:14 In my pocket I had five dollars, 17:19 which doesn't get you very far. 17:21 Also inside my bag 17:25 somewhere I had carefully hidden, 17:29 I had two passports. 17:33 I had my Australian passport 17:38 that I use when I go to Australia 17:40 and I had also my American passport 17:43 that I use when I go to the United States of America. 17:46 And so I use two passports when I travel. 17:51 And so in this bag I had all my money, 17:55 my wallet every credit card, 17:58 but there's one thing I had in my pocket 17:59 that I didn't put in here and that was my cell phone. 18:05 But what happened was this. 18:08 I got in the bus, the T-Bus that goes 18:11 from the domestic terminal to the international terminal. 18:16 And I sat down on the bus 18:17 and I had this large suitcase that I needed to manipulate 18:21 and I also had this bag 18:24 and I also as I mentioned before my carry on. 18:29 And when I got up out of the bus 18:31 I struggled with this big suitcase and my carryon. 18:35 And when I got to the United check-in desk, 18:40 the lady said to me "may I have your passport?" 18:44 And I reached for my passport and my bag was not there. 18:52 I got at my cell phone 18:53 and I tried to call the United States of America, 18:57 but my cell phone jammed up. 19:01 I couldn't use it. 19:02 I couldn't make a phone call 19:04 and I had no credit cards 19:05 and no passport and no id at all. 19:10 I said to the lady I have lost my passport my bag, 19:14 I have lost everything. 19:18 What she said of course you can't get on the plane. 19:22 I said I can't even call for a taxi to go to a hotel. 19:26 I can't call my family. I can't call my office. 19:31 She said go upstairs 19:33 to the "lost and found department," 19:35 which is the third floor of this airport. 19:37 So I went up there 19:39 and I spoke to the young woman 19:40 and I said I have lost my bag. 19:44 And she said nobody has passed it in. 19:50 So I stood there and I prayed 19:52 and I said Lord it's not just the case 19:55 of missing my flight back to Los Angeles, 19:58 I have nothing. 20:00 I don't know what I am going to do. 20:02 I can't even make a phone call 20:05 and when I got out of the elevator 20:07 or as I call it the lift. 20:09 As I got out of the lift 20:10 and I walked towards to the United desk 20:13 at the international terminal 20:15 the lady who had been talking to me 20:17 ran out to meet me and she held up my bag 20:19 and she said someone is looking after you. 20:26 The amazing thing that my bag had been left in the bus, 20:31 I wasn't even sure that I had left it in the bus 20:33 but my bag had been left in the bus 20:37 and somebody in the bus had opened my bag 20:44 and probably worked out that I was flying with United 20:48 and they returned my bag 20:50 and my wallet and not one cent was missing. 20:57 The lady said to me 20:59 someone today has been looking out for you. 21:02 I call this looking out for you, grace. 21:07 We have received one blessing after another. 21:10 Would come to Psalm 121: 3-8? 21:13 Psalm 121:3-8, 21:19 this is why you and I should never be discouraged. 21:24 Psalm 121: 3-8, 21:27 "He will not let your foot slip-- 21:29 he who watches over you will not slumber, 21:32 indeed, he who watches over Israel 21:35 will neither slumber nor sleep. 21:38 The Lord watches over you-- 21:40 the Lord is your shade at your right hand, 21:43 the sun will not harm you by day, 21:45 nor the moon by night. 21:47 The Lord will keep you from all harm-- 21:49 he will watch over your life. 21:51 The lord will watch over your coming 21:54 and your going both now and forevermore." 22:00 We have received one blessing after another. 22:04 The third blessing that comes to my mind today 22:06 and there are many, but here is the third blessing in my talk. 22:10 "The wonder and the joy when a king is born," 22:15 we call this royal triumphant grace. 22:20 Catherine Middleton is a commoner 22:25 married to Prince William, Duke of Cambridge. 22:31 She was married to the prince April 29, 2011 22:37 in the splendid and magnificent Westminster abbey. 22:43 They've had a little baby boy. 22:46 He has been named George Alexander Louis 22:52 after Louis Mountbatten. 22:57 George was the beloved father of the present Queen Elizabeth 23:03 and this little baby is named after the father of the Queen. 23:11 So you have the Queen, then her son, 23:15 and then you have William and now you have little George, 23:20 he is known in history as the stuttering king. 23:27 In 1939 Britain and Germany went to war, 23:35 because Germany had broken every law in the book 23:39 and had broken every treaty. 23:42 And so Great Britain declared war on Germany. 23:47 And on that occasion Great Britain 23:50 except for the commonwealth countries like Australia, 23:53 Canada and New Zealand, 23:56 Great Britain stood alone against the mess, 24:00 the hordes of the Nazis and the Communists. 24:05 The Soviet Union and the Nazis had formed a pact, 24:10 an alliance against Great Britain. 24:13 And Britain was and still is a little country. 24:17 The King, 1939 gave the address 24:22 and remember here is a little nation standing alone, 24:27 no one to come to her aid. 24:32 Congress declared the active neutrality, 24:36 and wouldn't come to her aid 24:37 until the Japanese bomb to Pearl Harbor two years later. 24:43 The stuttering king said "in this grave hour, 24:50 perhaps the most fateful in our history 24:53 I send to every household of my peoples, 24:57 both at home and overseas, this message, 25:02 spoken with the same depth of feeling for each one of you 25:06 as if I were able to cross your threshold 25:09 and speak to you myself. 25:14 For the second time in the lives of most of us 25:18 we are at war. 25:21 Over and over again 25:25 we have tried to find a peaceful way 25:27 out of the differences between ourselves 25:30 and those who are now our enemies. 25:35 But it has been in vain. 25:39 We have been forced into a conflict. 25:42 For we are called, with our allies, 25:44 to meet the challenge of a principle 25:47 which, if it were to prevail, 25:50 would be fatal to any civilized order in the world. 25:55 It is the principle which permits a state, 25:58 in the selfish pursuit of power, 26:02 to disregard its treaties and its solemn pledges 26:06 which sanctions the use of force, 26:10 or threat of force, against the sovereignty 26:13 and independence of other states. 26:17 Such a principle, stripped of all disguise, 26:24 is surely the mere primitive doctrine that might is right 26:30 and if this principle were established 26:32 throughout the world, the freedom of our own country 26:36 and of the whole British Commonwealth of Nations 26:40 would be in danger. 26:44 But far more than this said the stuttering king-- 26:49 the peoples of the world 26:51 would be kept in the bondage of fear, 26:55 and all hopes of settled peace 26:57 and of the security of justice 27:00 and liberty among nations would be ended." 27:06 This is the ultimate issue which confronts us. 27:14 For the sake of all that we ourselves hold dear, 27:19 and of the world's order and peace, 27:21 it is unthinkable 27:24 that we should refuse to meet the challenge. 27:29 It is to this high purpose 27:32 that I now call my people at home 27:36 and my peoples across the seas, 27:39 who will make our cause their own. 27:43 I ask them to stand calm, and firm, 27:48 and United in this time of trial. 27:52 The task will be hard. 27:55 There may be dark days ahead, 27:58 and war can no longer be confined to the battlefield, 28:02 but we can only do the right as we see the right. 28:07 And reverently commit our cause to God. 28:12 If one and all we keep resolutely faithful to it, 28:20 ready for whatever service or sacrifice it may demand, 28:26 then with God's help 28:31 we shall prevail. 28:35 May God bless and keep us all. 28:39 The person, who helped to make that speech, 28:42 as you all know, 28:44 is the man who came from down under 28:46 who became the king's friend, Lionel Logue. 28:52 This little baby boy who has come into the world 28:59 there's in his veins 29:01 the blood of one of the bravest man 29:03 in the world has ever seen. 29:05 I want you to come to Isaiah 9:6 and 7, Isaiah 9 29:12 and we think today of another king. 29:16 Isaiah 9:6 and 7 29:19 "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, 29:25 and the government will be on his shoulders. 29:28 And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, 29:32 mighty God, Everlasting Father, 29:35 Prince of Peace." 29:38 Of the increase of his government 29:39 and peace there will be no end. 29:41 He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, 29:44 Establishing and upholding it 29:47 with justice and righteousness 29:49 from that time on and forever. 29:52 The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this." 29:58 Think for a moment when the little baby prince 30:04 was born recently, he was born with all safety, 30:11 security, and all the best health care 30:15 that a great nation could provide. 30:18 When he came out millions of people saw him, 30:23 hundreds of millions were glad when he came into the world. 30:28 He came as a tiny baby 8 pound 4 30:32 or something in a triumph. 30:37 But when Jesus became a man, 30:41 when he became a baby he was born in a shed. 30:46 There were no bands playing. 30:49 There were no soldiers marching. 30:51 There were no bells pilling. 30:55 And yet the Bible tells me that that little boy 30:59 who is called Jesus was king of kings and Lord of Lord. 31:06 We are told this, the Bible tells us 31:08 we have received one blessing after another 31:11 and the greatest blessing is the birth 31:13 of our Lord Jesus Christ, nor the king of England 31:17 even though we respect that and admire that. 31:20 Would you come with me to Revelation 19:11-16? 31:26 Revelation 19:11-16, 31:36 and on wards, "I saw heaven standing open," 31:40 now this is when he comes back my friend. 31:43 "And there before me was a white horse, 31:45 whose rider is called Faithful and True." 31:48 This is our Lord. 31:50 "With justice he judges and makes war. 31:53 His eyes are like blazing fire. 31:55 On his head are many crowns. 31:59 He has a name written on him 32:00 that no one knows but he himself. 32:03 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, 32:06 and his name is the Word of God. 32:11 The armies of heaven were following him, 32:13 riding on white horses and dressed 32:15 in fine linen, white and clean. 32:18 Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword 32:20 with which to strike down the nations. 32:22 "He will rule them with an iron scepter." 32:26 He treads the winepress of the fury 32:29 of the wrath of God Almighty. 32:32 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name 32:35 written "King of Kings and Lord of Lords." 32:41 Now my beloved friends when he returns to this world 32:46 he doesn't come as gentle Jesus meek and mild. 32:51 He comes as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. 32:57 And he comes for his people. 33:00 And this will be the triumph of his grace, kingly grace. 33:07 We thank God for the coming of the king. 33:10 A potpourri of Grace, pot-pourri of grace, 33:16 persevering grace. 33:20 Forty years ago, I was a pastor of a church in Australia 33:25 that has the beautiful name Murwillumbah, 33:29 not to be confused with Mullumbimby, but Murwillumbah. 33:34 I want you to come to the text 2 Timothy 4:6 and 7, 33:39 we are talking here now about persevering grace. 33:44 Grace that doesn't give up, grace that continues 33:48 on year after year, grace that is not flaky or fickle. 33:54 Would you come to 2 Timothy 4:6 and 7? 33:59 "For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, 34:03 Paul says, and the time for my departure. 34:07 I have fought the good fight, 34:09 I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 34:14 Look at me, the Bible talks about persevering grace, 34:21 the grace of God that sustains 34:24 a person down through the years. 34:30 Often we do not see that grace today. 34:33 You will see a person baptized in the church 34:36 and you never see him again. 34:38 It's because he lacks persevering grace. 34:42 And then you hear somebody, he has some problem 34:45 that comes to him, and what has happened to him, 34:47 "oh, he has given up the faith 34:49 because he could not endure." 34:55 Apostle Paul was in every sense a man of God 35:01 for a good fight, finished by cause. 35:05 I have kept the faith, henceforth there is laid out 35:08 for me a crown of righteousness. 35:11 I went to this little church 35:13 where I was the pastor 40 years ago. 35:16 I saw there standing at the door to welcome me, the Sevens. 35:22 They were doing that 40 years ago. 35:25 I saw there the North. 35:28 They were doing that 40 years ago, 35:31 never miss a prayer meeting, never missed Sabbath school. 35:35 There before Sabbath school, Sevens, 35:40 the North, the Hancocks, Eunice, 35:46 Hank, and then I saw a man 35:50 that I baptized 40 years ago. 35:53 I saw him there was his wife, John and Margret. 35:56 I remember them so well because 35:58 they used to give me strawberries. 36:04 I said to John, "you have been 36:06 here John ever since." Yes, of course. 36:08 What have you done? 36:09 He said God has given me a ministry for young man, 36:13 young man who get in trouble with the law on the gold coast 36:16 to surface paradise in these places, 36:18 he says I had become their mentor. 36:21 I said how many? 36:22 And we stood there, and I think we got up 36:25 to more than 10,000. 36:31 I didn't have to go back and say to them 36:32 read your bibles everyday. 36:34 What's wrong with you people? 36:38 I didn't have to say you need to be studying 36:41 the scriptures every day. No. 36:46 The going home to glory they have persevering grace. 36:52 We have received one blessing after another. 36:56 We must not give up because things are tough. 37:02 One blessing after another. 37:04 I have been blessed 37:06 by fellowshipping grace, a potpourri. 37:08 Would you go when I read Romans 16? 37:10 I am going to take a text or two out of here. 37:13 This is an unusual chapter 37:14 because it's mainly made up of names of different people. 37:20 So chapter that talks about people. 37:23 This is fellowshipping grace, one blessing after another. 37:29 Romans 16:3 and onwards, "Greet Priscilla and Aquila, 37:33 my fellow workers in Christ Jesus. 37:36 They risked their lives for me." 37:38 Verse 5, "Greet also the church 37:41 that meets at their house." 37:42 They didn't have a church building. 37:45 The building is not the church. 37:48 The building is the people. Ameen. 37:53 Same verse, "Greet my dear friend Epenetus." 37:59 Verse 6, "Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you." 38:02 Seven "Greet Andronicus and Junias, 38:05 my relatives who have been in prison with me." 38:12 Come down to verse 8, "Greet Ampliatus, 38:16 whom I love in the Lord." 38:17 Verse 9 Urbanus. 38:20 Verse 10 Apelles, "Greet those who belong 38:24 to the household of Aristobulus." 38:27 Verse 11, "Greet Herodion, my relative. 38:30 Greet those in the household of Narcissus." 38:33 Verse 12, "Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa." 38:38 Greet my dear friend Persis." 38:40 And Verse 13 "Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, 38:45 and his mother, who has been a mother to me also." 38:49 And you can go right through there. 38:53 May I mention this to you, closer than earthly king 38:59 read it are our brothers and sisters in Christ. 39:04 This is Fellowshipping Grace. 39:06 If you haven't experience Fellowshipping Grace 39:09 then my friend you are living in a barren waste land. 39:14 Last Sunday I had a blessed experience. 39:19 Some of the saints of God from this church 39:21 came out to see Beverly and me, how we are doing. 39:25 They drove 15 miles to take us to lunch. 39:30 Fortunately, it had a nice restaurant. 39:33 Massey, and Larry Root, Suzie and Harriet Peirano, 39:39 Caroline and Isaac Simms, Elma Dickson, Patricia Belmont, 39:45 Ester Morris, Laura Lizardo, Maria and Steve Salsa, 39:51 Beverly and I were blessed 39:53 by the sweet perfume of fellowshipping Grace. 39:58 It is a greatest of all graces except 40:04 this last one which is Saving Grace. 40:11 The whole Potpourri comes from saving grace. 40:15 Come over here to John 1:16 and on wards. 40:18 John 1:16 and onwards, 40:23 John 1:16 and onwards, 40:30 here is the text committed to memory 40:32 dear hearts, general people. 40:34 "From the fullness of his grace 40:36 we have all received one blessing after another. 40:39 For the law was given through Moses; 40:41 grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." 40:47 I want to remind you folks of one thing. 40:50 You mustn't forget this. 40:52 This is the most important thing. 40:56 We are saved by good advice. 40:59 We are saved by good news. 41:01 We are saved by the blood of Christ. 41:05 The church is supposed to exist 41:09 for one great central of purpose 41:12 and that is the preaching 41:14 of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. 41:19 We have received on blessing after another, 41:23 and the greatest of all blessings 41:25 is the blood of Christ. 41:28 We are not saved because we are good. 41:31 We are not saved because somehow we have achieved. 41:36 We are saved by the blood of Christ. 41:39 Every sermon or the center on the greatest of all blessings 41:45 and that is the blood of Christ. 41:49 That is our hope. 41:51 That is our steadfast rock. 41:54 That is our assurance. 41:56 That is what gives us power to endure 42:00 and overcome every obstacle. 42:03 It is the blood of Christ. 42:06 I see his blood upon the rose. 42:09 "And in the stars the glory of his eyes, 42:13 His body gleams amid eternal snows, 42:16 His tears fall from the skies. 42:19 I see his face in every flower. 42:23 The thunder and the singing of the birds are but his voice. 42:29 And carved by his power, rocks are his written words. 42:36 All pathways by his feet are worn. 42:40 His strong heart stirs the ever-beating sea. 42:43 His crown of thorns is twined with every thorn, 42:50 His cross is every tree." 42:54 We are not saved by a morality or lost 42:58 because of the lack thereof. 43:02 We are saved by the blood of Christ, 43:04 and if you Sabbath school teachers 43:07 are not teaching the supremacy of the blood of Christ 43:10 in every lesson you are doing a vain work 43:20 The most important truth, the greatest of all truths 43:24 is that the king of the universe, 43:27 the Lord Jesus Christ came down 43:29 to this earth and lived among us. 43:32 He was born as a baby in a manger. 43:35 Not like little King George to be. 43:42 He worked among men. 43:44 He healed the sick. 43:45 He was full of compassion. 43:47 But that's not the gospel in itself. 43:50 The gospel happened when he went to the cross, 43:53 because hanging on the cross, 43:56 hanging on the cross, was the gospel. 44:00 We are not saved by our success in being like him. 44:05 It's just his will because none would be saved. 44:09 We should strive to be like him because that is the fruitage 44:13 of a relationship with God. 44:15 But we are not saved because 44:18 we are a bunch of little Christ's. 44:22 He is like a mighty towering peak. 44:26 He is a Himalaya and we are at the most a diminutive ant hill. 44:33 Never forget it. 44:35 If you forget that then you become proud and obnoxious. 44:43 So the blood of Christ, 44:45 "I see his blood upon the rose, 44:52 and in the stars, the glory of his eyes, 44:55 his body gleams amid eternal snows, 44:58 his tears fall from the skies. 45:00 I see his face in every flower. 45:03 The thunder and the singing of the birds are but his voice 45:07 and carved by his power, rocks are his written words. 45:12 His crown of thorns is twined with every thorn, 45:17 his cross is every tree." 45:22 A church without a cross is a tomb. 45:30 It's dead, and it stinks with the smell of rotting flesh. 45:36 The only hope for the church, the only hope that a person 45:40 can endure is that he has the cross set before him. 45:47 And that's what drove the great apostle Paul on. 45:52 That is why he was not a wimp. 45:59 And those people in that little church, 46:01 in that little country town in North New South Wales 46:05 have endured because of the blood of Christ. 46:12 So we have received one blessing after another, 46:15 and it all comes from the king. 46:20 We are delighted to have with us today 46:22 someone who could be joining our team. 46:28 That is Pastor Cesar Cardenas 46:33 Like me he has two passports. 46:39 He has a Colombian passport 46:42 and he also has an Australian passport. 46:47 And in a few days, The Carter Report team 46:51 or some of the Carter Report team are leaving 46:53 to go down to Colombia, where we have been asked 46:57 to run a joint series of meetings. 47:01 And if it works out that we go, 47:04 we go for one purpose and that is to preach Christ. 47:09 The primary aim of everyone of that campaign 47:13 is to not make, is not to get people to join 47:16 our church, but to get people to come to Christ. 47:19 And then if they join the church 47:21 they will be blessed church members otherwise 47:25 they may be just legalists. 47:29 And so we go to preach Christ 47:31 and I want you to welcome today Pastor Cesar Cardenas 47:37 from Colombia, but more recently from Australia. 47:43 Thank you. Pastor Cesar. 47:51 I am personally glad to see you. 47:54 My amigo. My friend. Thank you. 47:57 Tell me-- Tell me a little bit about Colombia. 48:01 You were born there. You've worked there. 48:02 How big is Colombia? 48:06 Colombia has 49 million people in population, 48:09 right now and it's a beautiful country 48:12 with different kind of people and smiling people always, 48:16 they're always happy. 48:20 Well that's wonderful. 48:22 Colombia has had a some problems 48:25 with the drug lords and crime, tell me a little bit about that. 48:30 Back in the 80's, we have very, very strong drug wars. 48:36 We have Pablo Escobar down 48:38 there holding mafia and the drug dealers. 48:41 And it was a really, really tough time to Colombia. 48:44 And Colombia was well know in around the world 48:47 because it was dangerous country. 48:49 Now thank God the last ten years, 48:51 Colombia has been changed and the lord 48:54 has been blessing very, very much the country. 48:58 You have been here working 48:59 at The Carter Report office for about a month. 49:03 And you have been doing a great job. 49:05 Tell the folks what you have been doing. 49:07 I have been translating all your serials 49:10 that you had in PNG in Papua, New Guinea. 49:13 And it's been a blessing, not just for me, 49:15 but I know it's going to be a blessing 49:18 to all the Spanish speaking people around the world 49:21 that is 400 million Spanish 49:23 speaking people around the world. 49:25 And just here in America it's 52 million people 49:28 that needs to hear the message of the Lord. 49:31 We believe, Cesar that the time 49:33 has come for the Spanish people in America 49:35 and in Latin America and Mexico 49:39 and all of these countries. 49:42 We are going to Colombia because 49:45 the church down there has invited us. 49:47 Tell us a little bit about what they are planning to do? 49:51 What they want us to do and the campaign 49:54 that they have in mind. 49:56 Well, now Colombia and all that in America, 49:59 it is waking up to the gospel. 50:02 You know, the church, the Great Church, 50:06 you know, traditionally 50:07 it has a new Spanish or Latin, you know, leader. And-- 50:13 I think-- I think you are talking about the pope. 50:14 Yes. Yes. He is Argentinean. 50:17 So every, every single country 50:20 in South America it's waken up to, 50:22 you know, to study the Bible to see what is the truth? 50:25 What is going on? 50:26 And in Colombia they are planning 50:28 to have the biggest crusade ever. 50:30 They are planning to run a crusade 50:33 and baptize 5000 people in just one day for the glory of God, 50:37 you know, with the Carter Report. 50:38 Praise God it might happen, if it his will, 50:41 and we are going to try to do everything we can. 50:43 Then they are other countries 50:45 like Venezuela and Mexico and Peru. 50:49 Tell us a little bit about some of the work 50:51 you have done in Mehico, saying I am so fluent in French, 50:56 you know, Spanish. 50:58 Mexico or Mehico 50:59 is one of the most beautiful countries in Latin America. 51:03 And in the south part of Mexico the gospel has been, 51:08 you know, growing in a very, very strong way., 51:12 Chiapas Tabasco, you know, all those states down 51:15 in South America there is amazing. 51:18 We just had a crusade where more than a thousand people 51:21 were baptized for the glory of God down there. 51:24 So we know that the Lord is working in Mexico. 51:28 Also in Peru you have almost one million 51:31 Seventh-Day Adventists in that little country. 51:34 And in Venezuela you have - we just had, 51:38 you know, a very strong influence way 51:40 to communism with Chavez, you know, 51:43 the last president that was there. 51:45 So now the - I think is the time 51:48 to go and preach the gospel in the Spanish community. 51:51 Pastor Cesar, we are so glad that you are with us. 51:55 We are looking forward to going down to Colombia 51:58 with you and our team is going, 52:01 and we believe that you've come to this church 52:04 and to this ministry for such a time as this. 52:07 We welcome you. 52:08 We are glad to have you with us. 52:09 God bless you, Cesar. Thank you. 52:20 So we plan to go and preach the gospel of forgiveness, 52:23 mercy, transforming power eternal life 52:26 of the blood of Christ. 52:29 Grace upon grace, a potpourri of blessings. 52:34 Protecting grace, looking out for you grace, 52:38 triumphant kingly grace, fellowshipping grace, 52:43 saving grace, I said you today breath it in, 52:49 breath it in, part take of it. 52:55 And how can we forget the words of John Newton 52:59 who was converted by John Wesley back in Old England. 53:06 Amazing grace! how sweet the sound, 53:09 that saved a wretch like me! 53:11 I once was lost but now am found, 53:14 was blind but now I see. 53:17 Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, 53:21 and grace my fears relieved; 53:24 how precious did that grace appear 53:26 the hour I first believed! 53:28 Through many dangers, toils, and snares, 53:33 I have already come; 53:35 first grace hath brought me safe thus far, 53:38 and grace will lead me home. 53:41 The Lord has promised good to me, 53:43 his word my hope secures; 53:45 he will my shield and portion be 53:48 as long as life endures. 53:52 When we've been there ten thousand years, 53:55 bright shining as the sun, 53:57 we've no less days to sing God's praise 54:03 than when we first begun. 54:05 Amazing grace! how sweet the sound, 54:09 that saved a wretch like me! 54:12 I once was lost but now am found, 54:16 I was blind but now I see. 54:22 Amen. Amen. 54:27 The Carter Report is a self supporting ministry 54:30 with a global mission. 54:32 We believe that the most important thing 54:34 that we can do in this tremendous hour 54:37 is to tell people about the Lord Jesus Christ 54:40 because Jesus said, "I am the way, 54:43 the truth, and the life." 54:44 We do not believe that this is business as usual. 54:48 We believe that we are living in the closing hours, 54:52 in the history of this world. 54:54 Bless your heart, friend. 54:55 Look at the signs that are being fulfilled almost every day. 54:59 The signs of the times are shouting at us, 55:02 and they're saying, "Jesus is coming soon." 55:06 I want you to be my partner in global mission. 55:09 I want you to be my partner in helping to tell the world 55:12 about the coming of Jesus. 55:15 I want you to be my partner in the preaching 55:17 of the distinctive truths of the Three Angels messages. 55:22 Please check us out 55:25 at the New Carter Report website, cartereport.org. 55:29 We have a special section whereby you can ask questions 55:34 and I will give you the answers 55:36 from the living word of the living God. 55:40 That is the cartereport.org. 55:44 My friend, we want you to join us in the mission to preach 55:49 the gospel in China, in India, in Australia, in Africa, 55:55 in the United States of America, wherever people are lost 55:59 and wherever people need to hear the good news that Jesus saves. 56:05 Please check us out. 56:07 The new carter report website, cartereport.org. 56:12 I want to hear from you today. 56:29 He has waited before 56:33 And now He is waiting again 56:42 To see if you are willing 56:47 To open the door 56:52 Oh, how He wants to come in 57:02 Time after time 57:07 He has waited before 57:12 And now He is waiting again 57:20 To see if you are willing 57:25 To open the door 57:31 Oh, how He wants, 57:35 Oh, how He wants to, 57:41 Oh, how He wants to come in. |
Revised 2014-12-17