Participants: Pr. John Carter
Series Code: CR
Program Code: CR001406
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00:08 From Arcadia, California,
00:09 the Carter Report presents 00:11 The Living Word around the world. 00:18 I just want to give the most 00:20 warm welcome to our viewers today on 3ABN 00:24 and also the Word Network right around the world. 00:30 This is a tremendous topic today winning the race, 00:36 the perseverance of the saints. 00:39 Thank you for joining us today. 00:41 But right now we have a beautiful lady 00:44 who is going to come and sing for us 00:46 her name is Sharon Verde. 00:49 Would you welcome her today? 00:51 Sharon Verde. 01:10 You are the Potter 01:17 And I am the clay 01:22 You are the Artist 01:28 And I am the paint 01:34 You are the Writer 01:40 And I am Your song 01:47 I will be Your instrument 01:52 My whole life long 02:05 Play me, change me, 02:13 Color me 02:19 In shades of You, 02:25 In shades of You 02:32 Play me, sing through me 02:38 A melody 02:44 So when they look at me 02:49 They will only see 02:54 Who You are 03:01 You are my Father 03:07 And I am Your child 03:12 An empty vessel 03:18 And You are the fire 03:24 All that You are Lord 03:30 Is all I desire 03:36 Master, Creator 03:41 Take my life 03:50 And mold me, change me 03:58 Color me 04:05 In shades of You, 04:10 In shades of You 04:17 Play me, sing through me 04:24 A melody 04:28 So when they look at me 04:34 They will only see 04:38 Who You are 04:46 Create in me a work of us 05:24 I want to tell you the story of a very special 05:28 courageous Russian woman, Mrs. Bartram. 05:34 How do I know? 05:35 The story is true because her son 05:36 who is a pastor told me the story. 05:40 I've known this man Vitelli for about 24 years. 05:47 So he has become like a brother. 05:49 He told me the story of his mother. 05:51 And when he told me the story 05:53 I was sort of overwhelmed. 05:56 They lived in a little village in heart of the Soviet Empire. 06:04 They were the only Christians. 06:06 They happened to be Adventist Christians. 06:08 But this story could be told about other Christians, 06:11 Baptists and so forth Pentecostals 06:15 with a twist of course a little different. 06:19 They were the only Christians. 06:23 The mother was a believer 06:24 the father however was a communist and atheist. 06:28 Very much opposed to the Christian faith. 06:33 And the people persecuted the mother 06:35 because she believed in God 06:37 and she believed in the Bible. 06:39 It didn't help things 06:41 when they only cow they had, 06:43 the family cow was struck by lightening. 06:47 Can you believe it? 06:48 The cow was struck by lightening 06:50 and the people said in the village 06:52 where is God, where is God. 06:54 Have you ever faced like this sometimes? 06:58 The cows of Christians get hit by lightening 07:00 on occasions, Christians do too. 07:02 Where is God? Well, God is there. 07:08 She was a person who believed 07:11 in keeping of the Sabbath, 07:12 the Seventh-day Sabbath. 07:15 And so to get to church 07:18 she would have to leave home on Friday afternoon. 07:23 I want you to think about this. 07:25 She'd leaved home on Friday afternoon 07:28 and she would start to walk through the snow. 07:32 And where she lived it got to minus forty below. 07:37 Can we comprehend this? 07:39 I have been in minus forty. 07:42 It's very, very cold. 07:46 And so she would walk all through the night, 07:48 it was worse when spring came 07:52 because the snow became slush. 07:54 And sometimes she went through 07:56 freezing water up to her hips. 08:01 And in the morning on Saturday morning 08:03 she got to a place 08:04 where she knew a man or had a truck 08:06 and she knew the truck 08:07 would be leaving at a certain time 08:09 and he let her sit in the back of the truck on the tray, 08:14 out in the cold and he drove about 30 miles. 08:18 When she got to church 08:20 they stayed at church 08:21 from 9 o'clock until 5 o'clock or 6 o'clock. 08:26 That's how long church lasted. 08:28 Why? 08:29 Because they were hungry for God, 08:32 this was anytime they had the fellowship. 08:34 Can you understand it? 08:35 And some of us can't get along to church on time 08:40 and we talk about having faith. 08:47 And then after church say may be 6 o'clock 08:50 and the sun would go down 08:51 as you know in winter 08:54 around 4 o'clock, quarter-to-four. 08:58 And so she would walk all through the night 09:01 and she get back home on Sunday morning. 09:08 She had a son who was in the Soviet army 09:11 and the son who was in the Soviet army 09:14 was a young man who was a believer in God. 09:17 But he was killed in one of the wars 09:21 that the Russians got themselves into. 09:25 There is always a reason for a war, isn't there? 09:31 And so when the man came with the telegram 09:35 the father cursed. 09:38 He cursed God whom he didn't believe in, 09:42 he cursed Stalin, 09:45 he cursed everybody in the communist party 09:49 and he cursed the village, 09:51 he cursed and he cursed. 09:52 I said to Vitelli "What was your mother doing?" 09:56 He said, "When she got the news 09:58 she went in to the bedroom" 10:00 and he said "I was there as a little boy 10:04 and I heard her singing hymns 10:06 and praising God." 10:12 This woman and her son today 10:18 had and have the perseverance of the saints. 10:23 They are not easily turned away, 10:26 they are winners. 10:29 Now I want you to take your Bibles please. 10:32 And come over here to 2 Timothy 4:6-8 10:40 and we're going to turn to the words 10:43 of the great Saint Paul. 10:46 "For I am already being poured out 10:51 like a drink offering, 10:54 and the time for my departure." 10:56 Please turn to the text. 10:59 "I have fought the good fight, 11:02 I have finished the race." 11:04 He was not a quitter. "I have kept the faith. 11:09 Now there is in store for me 11:11 the crown of righteousness, 11:13 which the Lord, the righteous Judge, 11:15 will award to me on that day 11:17 and not only to me, but also to all 11:21 who have longed for his appearing." 11:23 You notice, those strong pungent phrases. 11:29 He says "I have fought the fight." 11:32 Don't think when you become a Christian 11:34 that this is just a little tiny game, 11:38 it is a battle against tremendous odds. 11:41 I have fought the fight. 11:43 I have finished the faith, not a quitter. 11:48 God doesn't call people to be quitters. 11:52 People will say "well look I just, I just, 11:54 just not strong enough." 11:55 Well done, just get strong in God. 11:59 See he says, I fought the fight, 12:03 finished the race, 12:04 I have kept the faith. 12:07 I have fought. I have finished. 12:08 I have kept. 12:10 God's people are called to fight, 12:12 to finish and to keep. 12:14 Now the precious friend of mine over there 12:17 in the former Soviet Union 12:19 in Moscow is a man 12:21 whom we call Paul the prisoner. 12:24 A Christian in Moscow. 12:27 He had a little printing press down 12:29 on the basement of his home 12:31 for the preparation of Christian literature. 12:35 One of the church members, 12:39 one of the elders of the church 12:42 went and informed on him to the KGB. 12:47 That happened a million times in the Soviet Union. 12:51 Brother shall betray brother. 12:55 He was thrown in a refrigerator cell 12:59 in Moscow naked, a little bit of soup 13:05 and a little bit of bread his teeth fell out. 13:09 He's got false teeth now. 13:14 I am humbled when I am in his presence, 13:18 he is a man, not a mass. 13:25 And so they said to him 13:26 you just tell us the other people 13:29 who were involved in the printing press. 13:31 He said, as the Russians can say very well "HET" no. 13:38 It's good to say yes and it's good to say no. 13:42 And he said, no. 13:44 Three years in prison, in a refrigerator cell. 13:49 He fought, he finished, he kept the faith. 13:54 He now goes into Russian prisons 13:56 which are little hells and works for the prisoners. 14:01 We gave him 10,000 Bibles to help me. 14:06 How did he survive, didn't have a Bible. 14:09 He recalled the texts of the Bible, 14:11 he had the Word of God in his head. 14:14 He didn't trust his feelings. 14:16 Most of us trust our feelings. 14:18 Oh, I'll go to church. 14:19 I don't feel like it. 14:22 I will standout all but I don't know 14:24 if I can do this. 14:26 I have just not feeling so good today. 14:29 We need to become men and women in Christ. 14:34 I fought the good fight, finished the race, 14:38 I have kept the faith. 14:40 He trusted in God, he didn't trust in his feelings. 14:44 If you trust in your feelings 14:46 the feelings are going to deceive you. 14:51 We need less tears 14:56 and more trials and tribulations 14:59 so that when we will learn to stand up for God 15:04 and to experience the perseverance of the saints. 15:08 Turn in your Bibles over here to Hebrews 3:14, 15:14 dear hearts and general people. 15:18 Hebrews Chapter 3 15:20 and we are glad to have a great audience in 3ABN 15:24 and the Word Network, with us today. 15:27 Hebrews 3:14, the Bible says, 15:33 "We have come to share in Christ 15:36 if we hold firmly till the end 15:39 the confidence we had at first." 15:43 So the Bible tells me 15:45 that I am saved by the blood of Jesus 15:51 as I hold on to the confidence. 15:55 Somebody has asked the pertinent question, 15:58 what about the teaching "once saved always saved." 16:04 That means, I come to Christ 16:06 then it doesn't matter 16:08 I am safe forever whatever I do. 16:11 Number one, three truths, 16:13 I may be a great sinner 16:16 but in the words of John Newton 16:18 I may be a great-- I am a great sinner 16:22 but Christ is a great Savior. 16:25 Now come over here to John Chapter 10, please. 16:28 John Chapter 10. 16:29 Are you glad to be in church? 16:31 Amen. 16:32 John Chapter 10 16:33 we're gonna preach up a storm here today. 16:36 John 10:27 onwards. Are you ready? 16:40 "My sheep listen to my voice, 16:44 I know them, and they follow Me. 16:47 I give them eternal life, 16:49 and they shall never perish, 16:51 no one can snatch them out of My hand. 16:54 My Father, who has given them to Me, 16:56 is greater than all. 16:58 No one can snatch them out of My Father's hand." 17:01 Look at me. 17:03 If I am in Christ and if I am trusting in Christ 17:08 nobody can take me out of the Father's hand 17:13 I have eternal security. 17:16 Amen. It's a teaching of the Bible. 17:21 Doesn't depends so much upon my grasp upon him 17:26 as His mighty grasp on me. 17:29 Number two, second truth. 17:31 God will never force me to follow Him. 17:34 God never revokes the privilege of freedom of choice. 17:40 Come over here, come on. 17:42 Come over here John Chapter 15. 17:45 John 15:5 and onwards. 17:48 You better listen to this. 17:50 "I am the vine, you are the branches. 17:52 If a man remains in me, and I in him, 17:54 he will bear much fruit apart for me 17:57 you can do nothing. 17:58 If anyone does not remain in me, 18:00 he is like a branch 18:02 that is thrown away and withers, 18:05 such branches are picked up, 18:07 and thrown into the fire and burned." 18:14 The Bible says if we abide in Christ 18:16 we are eternally secure. 18:18 But the Bible says if I severe my relationship to Christ 18:26 I will be thrown into the fire and burnt. 18:30 Would you come down here to verse 16 18:35 "You did not choose me, 18:37 but I chose you and appointed you 18:40 to go and bear fruit, fruits that will last." 18:44 The proof that I am in Christ is that 18:48 I will be bearing fruit. 18:52 The proof that a church is in Christ 18:56 is that it is bearing fruit 18:59 and people are coming to Christ 19:02 and they're getting baptized. 19:05 That is the proof that we are in Christ. 19:11 Would you come over here now to Luke Chapter 8 19:15 and verse--Matthew, Mark, Luke, 19:18 Luke Chapter 8-- 19:20 I am just an old fashioned Bible preacher God help us all. 19:25 Luke 8:11 and onwards. 19:29 This is talking about the sower. 19:33 "This is the meaning of the parable. 19:35 The seed is the word of God." 19:37 We're preaching it today. 19:41 "Those along the path are the ones who hear, 19:43 and then the devil comes 19:44 and takes away the word from their hearts, 19:47 so that they may not believe and be saved." 19:50 Look at me, this text says in the words of our Lord 19:55 if you truly believe you're saved. 19:58 So belief is salvation. 20:01 "Those on the rock are the ones 20:03 who receive the word with joy 20:05 when they hear it but they have not, have no root. 20:09 They believe for a while." 20:12 Therefore if they believe they're saved. 20:16 "They believe" they are saved "for a while, 20:21 but in the time of testing they fall away." 20:27 God has given to every person 20:30 the gift of freedom of choice. 20:33 He will never, He will never force 20:36 His will upon me and force me to follow Him. 20:41 I want you to know this. 20:43 And I want you to know 20:46 that his grace is sufficient for all of our needs. 20:51 Would you come over here 20:52 to 2 Corinthians 12:7 and onwards, 20:59 2 Corinthians 12:7 and onwards. 21:03 "To keep me from becoming conceited 21:05 because of these surpassingly great revelations, 21:10 that was given me a thorn in my flesh, 21:13 a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 21:17 Three times I pleaded with the Lord 21:20 to take it away from me. 21:23 But he said to me, 21:25 'My grace is sufficient for you, 21:29 for my power is made perfect in weakness.' 21:35 Therefore I will boast all the more gladly 21:39 about my weaknesses, 21:40 so that Christ's power may rest on me. 21:44 That is why, for Christ's sake, 21:46 I delight in weaknesses, 21:47 in insults, in hardships, 21:49 in persecutions, in difficulties. 21:52 For when I am weak, then I am strong." 21:59 So His grace is sufficient. 22:02 When I ran years ago 22:04 the great campaign in that magnificent building 22:09 the Sydney Opera House 22:12 I brought out from the United States 22:14 a great singer Pastor Marshall Kelly. 22:19 I will never forget that great African American 22:23 that saint of God singing the song 22:26 "He giveth more grace 22:28 when the burdens grow greater, 22:30 He giveth more strength 22:32 when the labors increase, to added affliction 22:37 He addeth His mercy, to multiplied trials, 22:41 His multiplied peace." 22:47 So I would have you realized today 22:50 whatever the struggle He is sufficient. 22:55 Listen, carefully because that 22:57 I am going to give a strong word, 22:59 this is being the preamble. 23:03 "We are called in weakness 23:07 but we are not called for weakness." 23:11 Did you hear me? 23:12 We are called in weakness, 23:14 some people stay weak all their lives 23:19 no one know that Christian church 23:23 is in such a desperate situation so often. 23:27 We are called in weakness 23:30 but we are not called for weakness, 23:33 we are called for strength. 23:36 We are not called for defeat. 23:40 We are called for victory. Amen. 23:43 We are not called to runaway, 23:46 we are called to fight the foe. 23:47 We are not called to be quitters. 23:52 We are not called to surrender the flag, 23:56 we are called to lift up the banner of Prince Emanuel. 24:03 I was at a place that I liked very much Vancouver Harbor. 24:09 Beverley and I were there 24:10 and we were walking along looking at the boats. 24:16 And a little long American lady came along 24:19 and engaged us in conversation. 24:22 She said to me, 24:23 you look like a Conservative and I am Republican. 24:30 But, I told her and I don't wish to fool out with anyone, 24:33 I told her, "I don't belong to Republican Party 24:37 or the Democratic Party, 24:38 I belong to Christ party." Amen. 24:41 But she spoke about a terrible incident 24:43 that it happened in the Middle East 24:45 where apparently, our soldiers were told to stand down. 24:52 And she said this little lady this high 24:56 quivering with indignation and righteousness 24:59 she said to me "Americans don't stand down." 25:03 Amen. 25:06 And neither do Christians. Amen. 25:10 We are not called to be quitters. 25:15 I fought the good fight, 25:19 I have finished my cause, 25:22 I have kept the faith. 25:27 Therefore we come to this question 25:30 how can I be a child of God 25:32 who perseveres to the end? 25:35 If everybody had come through the doors 25:37 of this church had remained true 25:39 this church would have a membership of 10,000. 25:45 How can I be a child of God 25:47 who perseveres to the end that is next? 25:52 So stay tuned and be with me next time. 26:05 Hello friend, I am John Carter in Columbia. 26:10 Behind me is the great city of Bogota 26:13 the capital of this amazing country. 26:17 This city is a city of more than eight million souls. 26:23 It's up more than 8,000 feet in the Andes. 26:28 And we've come today with one purpose in mind 26:32 to preach the everlasting gospel 26:34 of our Lord Jesus Christ. 26:37 We are here because we have a commission from God. 26:41 Jesus said, "Go into all of the world 26:45 and preach the everlasting gospel. 26:47 Baptizing them in the name of the Father 26:50 and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." 26:53 The people here need the gospel of Christ. 26:57 And I am asking you today 26:59 come with us if not in body 27:01 but come with us in spirit. 27:04 This has been a very, very dangerous city 27:07 a very dangerous part of the world. 27:10 But we believe that we are safe 27:12 when we are in the hands of God. 27:15 Therefore, I am beseeching you in the name of Christ 27:19 and in the names of these eight million plus 27:22 inhabitants in the city of Bogota to come 27:27 and help us to preach the word of God. 27:29 Please, support the preaching of the word of God in Columbia. 27:34 Please write to me John Carter, 27:36 Post Office Box 1900, 27:38 Thousand Oaks, California, 91358. 27:42 In Australia write to me at the address 27:45 Terrigal, New South Wales, Australia. 27:49 Jesus said "Work while it is day 27:52 the night is coming when no man can work." 27:56 Please write to me today. Thank you and God bless you. 28:23 We pray for blessings 28:27 We pray for peace 28:31 Comfort for family 28:35 Protection while we see 28:39 We pray for healing, for prosperity 28:47 We pray for Your mighty hand 28:51 To ease our suffering |
Revised 2014-12-17