Participants: John Lomacang & John Stanton
Series Code: HCL
Program Code: HCL100001
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00:01 Hello, friends.
00:03 Grab your Bible and a friend and sit back as we explore 00:04 God's word together on this edition of House Calls. 00:23 Hello, friends and welcome to House Calls program. 00:25 We believe that this is the best program in the world 00:28 if not we wouldn't be here, am I telling the truth, John? 00:30 Amen. It's good to have you here 00:32 and we're glad that you've chosen to join us, 00:35 sit back and hit the record button; 00:36 because this is a program that 00:38 I think will give you a thankful heart, it's about gratitude. 00:42 And gratitude is something everyone needs 00:44 and so we're gonna talk about what God's word 00:46 says about how important it is to be thankful, 00:48 how important it is to be filled with a heart 00:51 that is a heart that the spirit of God brings gratitude to. 00:56 But we'd like to let you know that this is the program 00:59 that you make a very special one by sending your prayers 01:01 and your questions and your comments. 01:03 And continue doing that and we really 01:05 appreciate that very, very, much. 01:06 But before we do anything more, 01:08 we'd like to ask John to begin the program with prayer, 01:11 so bow your heads with us. 01:13 Father in heaven, we're so thankful 01:14 again to come before you here, 01:16 seeking your wisdom and your guidance. 01:19 As we talk about things that are important 01:22 we know to you and your word 01:24 and what is being accomplished here on this earth. 01:27 And we just pray that as this program reaches hearts 01:29 that you would touch our hearts and our minds 01:32 to be able to give you honor and glory 01:34 and everything we say and do, in Jesus name, amen. 01:36 Amen. Thank you, John. 01:38 Well, friends you know, you send you Bible questions 01:41 and your prayer request to us, 01:42 actually your Bible questions really, 01:45 sometimes we do get a prayer request, 01:46 sometimes we get a letter of gratitude 01:48 and thanks and we do appreciate that. 01:50 But if you have any questions to send, 01:52 send those questions to housecalls@3abn.org, 01:55 that's housecalls@3abn.org and we will get to them. 01:59 And those of you who have send it by mail, 02:01 we call it snail mail, we do appreciate those also. 02:04 You can send those to P.O. Box 220, 02:06 West Frankford, Illinois 62896 and we will answer those also. 02:11 But John is gonna begin our first question, 02:13 what do you have for us, John? 02:14 I've got a question from Valerie 02:16 and it's a real good question about salvation. 02:19 Okay. And I think it's a hot topic 02:20 of course on this program, that it's really important 02:24 that we spend sometime on it. 02:25 And this one is from a particular prospective. 02:28 She is saying what is the Adventist belief on being saved? 02:33 Can we always go back and ask forgiveness if we backslide? 02:37 Okay. And she says of course 02:41 we don't want to, we plan on it, 02:42 but she's just wondering you know what. 02:44 I guess the other way of asking this question is how, 02:46 how far does God's grace go? 02:49 Okay, it's the good way of looking at it. 02:50 But I'll bring up, maybe a counterpart to this question, 02:54 because you know a lot of times we read these texts, 02:57 these verses such as Hebrew 6:6. 02:59 Which is you know, once you've received that knowledge of God 03:04 and you've received his grace and you've walked 03:07 in his power that you fall away, 03:09 it's impossible to renew them to repentance. 03:11 And that's not saying renew them necessary to salvation 03:14 but the issue is renewing them to repentance, 03:17 that repentant attitude. Right. 03:18 And it also seems to imply their deliberate 03:21 walking away from God. 03:22 But you know aside from that verse we see throughout 03:26 the scriptures that God is so merciful 03:29 and his grace goes beyond any mistake that we can ever make. 03:33 That's true. That if, if we want 03:35 the Lord in our lives, he's always there to take us back 03:38 and so that's the blessing that we have 03:40 is a promise from the Lord. 03:41 But I think this issue really is more 03:44 of an issue of repentance from our own heart. 03:47 And I want to read a passage for you 03:49 and you'll see kind of where I'm coming from on that, 03:51 2nd Corinthians chapter 7, verses 8 through 11. 03:57 2nd Corinthians 7 beginning with verse 8 04:00 and we'll read through verse 11. 04:03 And see if you notice here the true issue 04:05 when it comes to salvation, for even someone who maybe 04:09 has drifted away or walked away that the issue resolve, 04:12 it really surrounds their heart and the repentance 04:15 that they need to comeback to the Lord. 04:18 It says for even if I made you sorry with my letter, 04:23 that is Paul writing a letter and making them feel sorrowful 04:26 for things happening there in the church, 04:28 so he's encouraging them to turn from. 04:30 I do not regret it, he says, though I did regret it. 04:34 For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, 04:38 though only for a while. 04:40 Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, 04:43 but that your sorrow led to what? 04:45 Repentance. 04:46 Repentance: For you were made sorry in a godly manner, 04:50 that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. 04:53 For godly sorrow produces repentance 04:56 leading to salvation, not to be regretted; 05:01 but the sorrow of the world produces death. 05:04 So you see there is two sorrows here, 05:05 sorrow that leads to repentance. 05:07 And repentance it's turning 180 degree 05:10 turning from what you're doing. That's right. 05:12 That is wrong, so that's sorrow leads to repentance 05:15 and lead you into a relationship with God, with Jesus. 05:18 That's a good one. 05:19 But there is a sorrow that also doesn't leads your repentance, 05:22 it's more of I guess today, 05:23 you'd say it's a sorry for getting caught. 05:27 I'll finish up with verse 11 here 05:28 before we talk a little bit about it here. 05:30 For observe this very thing that you were 05:33 sorrowed in a godly manner: 05:35 What diligence it produced in you, 05:37 what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, 05:41 what fear, what vehement desire, 05:43 what zeal, what vindication! 05:45 In all things you proved yourselves 05:47 to be clear in this matter." 05:49 In Other words that godly sorrow 05:51 that produced repentance caused them who ever 05:55 you know as Paul's writing this letter 05:56 cause they hear to turn from their way 05:59 with everything they had, to make sure and determined 06:02 if they were clear in this matter 06:04 that it wasn't gonna happen again. 06:05 Now, I think there's a couple other scriptures 06:09 that we can touch on and we probably will here, 06:11 but you know there is kind of repentance 06:14 that make you as I mentioned before, 06:16 sorry that you got caught. 06:19 You know, you know that's not good 06:21 and the Lord wouldn't be happy about that. 06:22 Okay, I'm sorry, it's like I use to tell a story when I, 06:28 you know stole a candy bar when I was young 06:30 and mom made me go back and give the candy bar 06:33 and say I'm sorry. 06:34 Well, I said the sorry because I was caught 06:36 not because I was sorry I took the candy bar. 06:39 And I can remember that distinctly, 06:40 the Lord wants us to receive forgiveness 06:45 and to want to have that walk with Him 06:48 that is close where we turn from the way 06:51 that we once had gone, the way of sinful life, 06:54 the practice of a sinful life. 06:55 And to live in harmony with his principles. 06:57 And that's what true or godly it says 07:00 here repentance is all about. 07:02 So the issue really John is now that enfolds here. 07:04 Okay. The issue really is that 07:06 someone can walk away from the Lord or even deliberately 07:11 in some cases walk away from the Lord 07:13 and live a life of sin again. 07:15 But then in the end, see what they have 07:17 left behind and be truly sorrowful 07:20 and repentant for how they just walked out on the Lord. 07:23 In fact they can get to a point 07:24 where they can't even believe they did that. 07:26 And the Lord would never say, you know what you had a chance? 07:30 He would always with a sorrowful heart like that, 07:33 a godly sorrow, He will always take you back. 07:36 You know, there are a number of examples 07:38 in our life the fact that you use this text, 07:40 this is one of the text that you don't 07:41 often see right off the bad. 07:44 You know people don't often use this verse in that context 07:47 and it's a wonderful verse, 07:48 because it talks about the two kinds of sorrow. 07:50 The sorrow that leads to repentance 07:52 and the sorrow that's kind of like, 07:54 like I caught and I like the way you said that. 07:56 But if you look in the Bible one of those things 07:59 that gives you encouragement is this principle 08:01 is played out in the lives of many of those who followed God. 08:04 Let's use Solomon for an example, 08:06 I mean honestly friends how many wives do you 08:09 have to have before you're sorry. 08:11 I mean, I go to that example because what he had 08:15 seven hundred wives, three hundred concubines 08:19 and that's probably a rounding off number to say the least, 08:23 probably an actual number of a thousand women, 08:25 but how far do you have to go, before you start thinking 08:29 to yourself you know I think I've gone to far? 08:31 You know, nowadays if you met somebody 08:33 that married four women or five women or you'd say, 08:36 boy that guy just seems to living a reckless life. 08:39 But you go back to a day when I would think polygamy 08:42 and multiple wives were practiced in Solomon's time. 08:45 But still 700 is quite extreme and then he and the 08:50 Bible says that they turned his heart away from God. 08:53 And it was, it was a wise man who talked about how 08:58 in the book of Proverbs he talked about. 09:01 You know, the lips of a strange woman drops as honey-comb. 09:05 So Solomon learned a lot out of his, the error of his way. 09:09 He wrote the book of Proverbs, because of his experience. 09:11 He learned a lot. Yes, he is. 09:13 So, at certain point, at a certain point 09:15 at his walk with God, 09:16 it was the repentance spirit that brought him full circle 09:20 and nowadays we refer to him as the wisest man 09:25 outside of Jesus that ever walked the earth. 09:28 So, when you think of the example 09:30 of the principle you talked about here. 09:32 I think that the person's concern maybe more 09:34 more in the category of how far do I have to go, 09:38 before God will accept me back and I like that, backslide. 09:42 Backsliding is something that sometimes happens 09:46 without our notice, we don't perceive is happening. 09:49 We just kind of like a person who walking into a dark tunnel, 09:52 you just go further and further and further 09:55 and further until you turned around 09:56 and see how far in the dark you are. 09:59 And so that's sometimes is something 10:01 that begins in an inquisitive way. 10:04 But then when you get so far in the tunnel, 10:06 the question is, does God give you the opportunity 10:09 to come out of that darkness and back into the marvelous light? 10:12 And I believe once that desire is there, 10:15 once you ask that kind of question, 10:16 you haven't gone too far. Yeah. 10:18 You know God's goodness and here's the text 10:21 I want to add to that, John. 10:22 Romans 2 and verse 4, listen to this text. 10:27 Paul is asking a series of questions, 10:28 and I'm reading this from the New King James Version, 10:30 it says: Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, 10:35 forbearance, and long suffering, not knowing that the 10:42 goodness of God leads you to repentance? 10:45 Don't you know that's how you get back? 10:47 And sometimes and I use this example, 10:50 I've heard of people that have so wicked to other people. 10:52 But the things that has turned them around 10:54 is the goodness of the other person. 10:56 And so if we can be good to help somebody 10:58 change their ways towards us, 11:01 how good can God be and the goodness of God? 11:05 There are people that have been blessed today 11:07 that are just living awful lives. 11:09 And I've said to them just imagine how more wonderful 11:12 your life could be if you just put your life in the hand of God 11:16 and it's the goodness of God that they taken note of. 11:18 Right. That leads them to repentance. 11:20 So backsliding is incidental, but you know God does give them, 11:24 I believe for them to comeback. 11:25 And it's a dangerous thing, when you say backsliding; 11:28 there are obviously various degrees of it. 11:30 Some have backslidden knowing that God 11:33 is watching them backslide, wants them to comeback to home, 11:36 but they outright rejected God's goodness, 11:38 they don't want anything to do with it. 11:40 And then you get into the danger zone of this unpardonable sin 11:43 which I have the question and I want answer today. 11:45 Sure. But before I do that, 11:47 1st John chapter 5 seems to indicate 11:50 these two kinds of sinful practices. 11:54 Okay 1st John chapter 5. 11:56 Chapter 5 and I'm reading here, let's see verse 16: 12:00 If anyone sees his brother sinning 12:02 a sin which does not lead to death, 12:04 he will ask, and He will give him life 12:07 for those who commit sin not leading to death. 12:09 There is sin leading to death. 12:12 I do not say that he should pray for that. 12:16 All unrighteousness is sin, 12:17 and there is sin not leading to death. 12:20 In other words there is, there is the practice of sin 12:23 and this is what much of what 12:25 John talks about here in 1st John, 12:26 the practice of the sinful life not just committing one sin. 12:29 Right. This is the sinful practices 12:31 and he seems to indicate here that there is a 12:34 sinful practices someone will engage in that 12:37 does not necessarily lead to death, 12:38 because they're doing in a way that maybe 12:41 Solomon did or David did or Elijah did. 12:44 You know these patriarchs of old, 12:46 who at times distressed God or walked away from God, 12:50 but didn't do it with a 12:52 intentional motive of breaking from God. 12:56 And so those sins won't lead to death, 12:59 but they lead to repentance. 13:00 But he says clearly there are some sins 13:03 that would lead you to death. That's right. 13:05 And there is not much you can do about that, 13:06 in fact he says I don't says you should pray for that 13:09 and I believe probably he's alluding to in that case, 13:12 what we also hear and have spoken. 13:15 Now, the Bible even speaks of it as the unpardonable sin 13:17 and under if you want me to go ahead 13:20 and jump to that question before we deal 13:21 with it or not if you want to come back to it. 13:23 Well I wanna this and I think the topic 13:25 you're gonna lead into, this is a great segue to it. 13:28 But let's look at 2nd Peter 2:20, 13:30 I want to read down to verse 22 13:32 and this is a favorite passage that many look at. 13:37 When I say favorite in the sense of sometimes 13:40 painting the picture that it is horrible and terrible. 13:43 This text that Peter talks about is in those rare cases 13:48 were people just really don't want 13:50 God any more in their lives. 13:51 And I think of the, of the story in the 13:54 Book of Luke were, where a person their, 13:57 their house is a mess, but there its, 14:00 it's swept, it's clean, but its empty. 14:04 And most of all they, they don't wanna be 14:07 where they're at, Right. 14:08 They even hate their life at times, yeah. 14:10 And their houses swept, its clean is empty 14:13 which means unless, unless you're cleaned up 14:16 and then filled with the Spirit of God, 14:18 then the Bible says in that same story, 14:21 seven more demons worse then the former ones come in 14:25 and the latter end for them is worse then the beginning. 14:27 And I think that Peter is referring to this 14:30 here when he says, for if after they have 14:32 escaped the pollutions of the world through the 14:35 knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 14:37 They are again entangled in them and over come 14:41 the latter end is worse for them then the beginning. 14:45 For it would have been better for them not to have known 14:49 the way of righteousness, then having known it, 14:51 to turn from the Holy Commandment deliver to them. 14:55 But it is happened to according, but it is happened to them 14:58 according to the true proverb, something that Solomon wrote. 15:03 A dog returns to his own vomit; and a sow or pig 15:06 having washed to her wallowing in the mire. 15:11 So in essence it says some people come out dark life, 15:14 the drug life, they putrid life of the world 15:16 and they come into the life of the Christian. 15:20 But because there is no, I think that Matthew says 15:23 no depth of earth is one Matthew uses. 15:25 Luke talks about the Holy Spirit hasn't come 15:27 in to fill their lives, so for a long time they looked the part. 15:30 But they go back wallowing in the mire because 15:34 there is no feeling in there. 15:35 I don't think a person truly filled with Holy Spirit 15:37 walking with Christ day by day just slides off the path 15:41 and just goes back and dives in the sin, so haphazardly... 15:45 Yeah, that's a good point. 15:47 The reason I brought up that issue about someone who, 15:50 who maybe living in sin but not be happy with their lives, 15:52 actually be pretty much depressed about their lives 15:55 is because you know, we work with those who are addicts, 15:58 whether it be drug or alcohol and so forth. 15:59 And they know they are walking contrary to God 16:01 but they don't want to do the things that they do. 16:04 And then they really try but this addiction has got 16:08 such a hold of them that they need 16:10 the Lord to break that bondage. 16:12 That's right. And I think there are some 16:14 in those cases you can't look at, 16:15 you can't judge because you know what, 16:17 they are candidates for salvation. 16:19 They want to be where God wants them to be, 16:21 but they just can't break away from it. 16:23 So they're crying out to God and, 16:25 and there is a case right now, 16:27 well there is a girl that is just, 16:30 alcohol has just consumed her life 16:32 and I feel very bad for her and I tried to help her, 16:34 but she, she doesn't like where her life is going 16:37 and she is trying to find the Lord, 16:39 but it's gonna take some while 16:41 before she realizes how to do that. 16:44 And some people desire, Paul in Romans chapter 7 16:48 talks about the desire, he says I delight 16:52 after the love of God according to the inward man. 16:55 He also says in that passage, 16:58 I wanna do this but how to do it is what I can't find. 17:02 And he says O wretched man that I am, 17:04 so there are many people that are wretched. 17:05 Because some people are so in control of their lives, 17:08 that they can't control their lives, 17:10 you hear what I'm saying? 17:11 They want it to happen a certain way, 17:13 they orchestrating, they orchestrated their fall 17:15 and now they're trying to orchestrate their comeback 17:17 when it's impossible in the human sense 17:20 to be able to do that. 17:22 This second question look, we're gonna comeback to the one 17:25 that you can talk about, but the second question 17:26 we have here, and a person wrote this letter. 17:28 And I think that and as you know, 17:31 we still accept letters written by mail, 17:33 just want you to remember that. 17:34 I don't think they we have totally gone electronic 17:37 and only Internet, but it says please explain 17:41 Matthew 8 verse 11 and verse 12, so turn your Bibles 17:45 to Matthew 8 verse 11 or verse 12. 17:47 Do verse 12 and here's how it reads, 17:51 I'll read them both together, have it typed down here, 17:53 and I'm reading from the New king James version 17:56 any translation you have is fine. 17:58 And I say to you that many will come from east and the west, 18:03 and sit down with Abraham, Isaac 18:06 and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 18:08 But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness, 18:12 there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 18:15 And so the person asked the question, 18:17 the children of God, is that God's children now, 18:24 but just the ones who came to Him after 18:28 that will be saved, please explain? 18:30 You know, when you read this text it suggest that the 18:33 sons of the kingdom will be cast into outer darkness. 18:37 So if you, if you look at that story, 18:38 you almost ask yourself the question, 18:39 is there any hope for us? 18:41 We are the sons and daughters of the kingdom, 18:43 we are part of the kingdom of God, 18:44 so why is that story in the way it is? 18:46 Well, let me just use this word context, context, context. 18:52 When you read the story, it's about a centurion 18:55 who actually showed how little faith 18:58 the children of Israel really had. 19:01 And he said to the Lord, he threw himself 19:05 on the mercy of God and he exercised a great faith 19:08 in the promise of Jesus and what Jesus can do. 19:11 And so the centurion gave Jesus and, 19:14 and the Lord said to him, it is your faith that made 19:17 the difference and then Jesus said, 19:19 you know what, I haven't found faith like this at all in Israel 19:23 and they were the children of the kingdom. 19:25 So, he is in essence saying, matter of fact, 19:29 if you look at Matthew chapter 8 verse 10 and verse 11, 19:36 this is were Jesus makes that very statement. 19:40 When Jesus heard it, He marveled and said to those 19:43 who followed assuredly I say to you, 19:46 I have not found such great faith not even in Israel. 19:51 He hasn't found it there, and the continuing 19:53 of the verse makes it clear. 19:55 So he is saying the kind of faith 19:57 that I would think my children have, they really don't have. 19:59 And why is faith so widely important 20:01 Hebrews 11 verse 6 says, 20:04 without faith it is impossible to please God. 20:07 So then this centurion who had faith pleased God 20:10 and the children of the kingdom were not able to please God 20:14 because they did not exercise the kind of faith 20:16 they he saw in this centurion. 20:18 So here it is John in a nutshell, 20:22 if we're saved by grace through faith, 20:25 if Revelation refers to us as those 20:27 who keep the Commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus 20:29 and we don't have any faith, how can we be saved? 20:33 So what in essence is being said here is Jesus is saying, 20:35 your title is a barrier to the real faith that I'm looking for. 20:41 They were settled by being the sons of the kingdom, 20:44 but it said I'm looking for faith in my children 20:47 and He says if that's the kind of faith you display 20:49 only thing that could happen 20:50 as you could be cast into outer darkness. 20:52 This centurion, not being an Israelite exercised more faith. 20:57 So this not blanket statement, but the Lord is in essence 20:59 saying in a nutshell Christianity without 21:02 faith is not a vibrant living Christianity. 21:06 It's just a title and the centurion 21:09 had a whole out more then that. 21:11 Matter fact John, if you could turn to Deuteronomy 21:13 I want you to read this for us because in Deuteronomy 21:16 the same problem existed in Israel of old. 21:19 They didn't have the kind of faith that they needed. 21:21 In Deuteronomy chapter 32 verse 20 21:23 brings this out write that down, this is amazing text. 21:27 But look at what position the Lord took 21:30 because of the lack of faith amongst 21:32 his children, read that for us. 21:34 And He said I will hide my face from them, 21:36 I will see what their end would be, 21:40 for they are a perverse generation, 21:42 children in whom there is no faith. 21:44 Okay, see and he referred to his children that way 21:47 in the Book of Deuteronomy, the same Israel that by the 21:50 New Testament, when Jesus had the story recorded by 21:53 Matthew the centurion had more faith. 21:55 So we have to be a people of faith, 21:56 that what makes the difference. 21:58 That's right, very good. 22:01 Okay, to finish up our topic there on forgiveness, 22:06 now we're talking about faith and how faith 22:08 does now is the segue, bring about forgiveness and we, 22:12 we know that at times there are some who will backslide 22:15 and they're not utterly lost, but the question is then 22:20 what about the unpardonable sin. 22:22 Okay. 22:23 And so, first of all let's read about that Matthew 12:31. 22:29 Okay, Matthew, here we are, turning there with you. 22:34 Look at that one turn, Matthew 12:31 the unpardonable sin. 22:41 John, this has eluded people for generations. 22:43 Now they've been nervous coming to evangelistic series 22:46 have I committed unpardonable sin? 22:47 You have that question too? 22:49 Oh, man people always wanna know that. 22:51 Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy 22:55 will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against 22:58 the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven men. 23:00 And that there is you know, the term where we find 23:05 the unpardonable sin it's not forgivable. 23:08 And look at verse 32. Yeah. 23:09 That he compounds it. Right. 23:11 In 32 anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, 23:13 it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against 23:16 the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, 23:18 either in this age or in the age to come. 23:20 Wow, a pretty serious thing to speak out or blaspheme 23:25 the Holy Spirit, whatever that means. 23:28 Now, Paul uses a word that's very similar here 23:33 that I think there is a little more definition or explanation 23:38 to what blaspheming the Holy Spirit means. 23:40 Okay. And I'm turning to 23:42 Ephesians chapter 4 verse 30, it's just a brief quick text, 23:49 but I think it's very, very clear and we're safe to probably 23:54 begin to defined blaspheming against the Holy Spirit 23:57 if you read this, Ephesians 4 verse 30. 24:00 Okay. 24:04 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God by whom 24:07 you were sealed for the day of redemption, 24:09 okay, do not grieve the Holy Spirit. 24:13 What does that mean to grieve the Holy Spirit? 24:16 You're asking me? Okay, 24:17 Well, I'm just opening up before. 24:19 What is it mean to grieve the Holy Spirit? 24:21 I mean clearly the Holy Spirit loves us, 24:24 his is part of the God head, he wants to living inside of us. 24:28 We have to invite him in and Jesus into our hearts. 24:32 See actually the presence of Christ 24:33 comes into our heart through the Holy Spirit. 24:36 So Paul, if you read some of his writings, 24:39 he talks about the Holy Spirit dwelling in the 24:41 hearts of men who've giving their lives to Jesus. 24:44 And when you grieve the Holy Spirit, 24:46 then he is no longer living in your heart. 24:48 Or you're pushing him away by the things that you do, 24:51 that things you say whatever it may be, 24:52 so grieving seems to imply this pushing away. 24:58 If you by action or word or deliberate intention 25:01 pushing away the power of the Holy Spirit 25:04 from living in your life and from you 25:06 as a Christian walking in the Spirit. 25:08 I mean is that simple, simple enough. 25:11 Oh yeah, matter of fact without the 25:14 Holy Spirit we are not able to even stay in touch with Jesus. 25:18 Because He is the one when we pray. 25:22 There is a text in Romans 8 verse 26 which talks about, 25:26 the Spirit is able to utter things 25:30 that we ourselves cannot utter. 25:32 Otherwise he takes our prayers and, 25:34 and as these are received by Christ. 25:38 Because sometimes we pray for things 25:40 and the Bible says sometimes we pray for things 25:42 that we don't even know what we're praying for. 25:43 Well, sometimes whoever needs praying, 25:46 we're rambling off into sleep, the Holy Spirit takes 25:49 that prayer gives to Christ. 25:51 Christ now is our mediator between God and man. 25:54 And he brings that to Jesus and that prayer 25:58 become acceptable through the work of the Holy Spirit. 26:01 Why is the Holy Spirit so widely important? 26:04 Well, you know when Jesus left the world, 26:07 he says it's a necessary that I gone and if I go, 26:09 if I do not go the Holy Spirit cannot come, 26:12 when he comes, he will lead you 26:14 and he will guide you into all truth. 26:15 But there is something else he would do 26:17 and here where the grieving here's the things that happen, 26:20 that shows us specifically what the grieving does. 26:24 This is what these texts, this is what these verses point out. 26:29 John chapter 16 verse 7 is where I'm going to start. 26:33 John chapter 16 verse 7, 26:37 nevertheless I tell you the truth; 26:42 it is to your advantage that I go away, 26:44 for if I do not go away, the helper or the 26:48 Holy Spirit the comforter will not come to you; 26:51 but if I depart, I will send him to you. 26:54 And when he has come notice the things that he has to do. 26:58 You know, this is what if you cutoff this 27:00 then you'll never understand your need of Christ. 27:02 He will convict the world of sin. 27:06 Okay, when you said to the Holy Spirit 27:09 I don't wanna hear it. 27:10 Then the convicting voice of God is shutoff. 27:12 So you are dying in your sin because your heart 27:15 is not convicted of sin. 27:17 I'm getting specific about what grieving the Holy Spirit means. 27:19 Its not that he won't forgive you. 27:22 Right. Is that he can't 27:23 because there is no way to reach you and to, 27:26 to help you become repentant. 27:27 Right, if I turned in the phone off. 27:28 I'm plugging the phone and yelling. 27:30 And people will yell through that phone all they want 27:33 but you've disconnected. 27:35 So you're disconnecting yourself from the work 27:37 that the Spirit of God is doing in your life. 27:39 That's what it says don't grieve him were by your sealed. 27:42 Convict the world of sin that's verse 8, 27:48 and of righteousness, and of judgment 27:50 of sin because they do not believe in me 27:53 and that's the biggest thing. 27:54 And if you look at the Book of Hebrews chapter 3 27:56 it ends by saying the Israelites 27:57 could not enter in because of unbelief. 27:59 So how we're gonna enter heaven because of unbelief, 28:02 and the children of Israel couldn't 28:04 enter earthly kingdom because of unbelief. 28:05 Because their convictions did not changed their heart 28:08 or the convicting power of this Spirit of God 28:11 working on them was shut off, they could not go in as sinners. 28:14 And so the conviction of sin was, 28:16 and they willfully shut it off. Oh, yes. 28:17 This is a willful practice this isn't 28:19 someone not knowing God and knowing or not 28:22 realizing that the Holy Spirit is working on their hearts. 28:25 I'm glad you pointed it out. 28:26 This is knowing the Holy Spirit is there 28:27 but they don't want any part with God. 28:29 Right. And they say, 28:30 please leave me alone. 28:33 That's the unpardonable sin not because 28:35 God can't forgive a sin we know 28:36 He can't forgive the most heinous sin. 28:38 But it's that God cannot get through to somebody 28:41 to create a repented heart, they're shut off to it. 28:45 You know, there's a story that I like, 28:47 I like you brought, you brought a point out 28:49 that just kind of remind me of a story 28:51 when I was visiting another country. 28:53 I won't say what country it is, but I remember 28:56 sleeping at night and all of a sudden I heard during the night, 29:00 really, really, I thinking. 29:01 I woke up at that 4:30 in the morning 29:03 I woke up and what happen was, it was a megaphone 29:06 of the community and there was an I'm gonna, 29:09 I'll be very kind here. 29:11 The religion that was practicing had early morning prayers 29:14 and they did it through a megaphone 29:16 and it scared me out of my sleep and I called 911. 29:23 I call the police department and I said, 29:27 this is in another country 29:29 and I said and I put in the initial complain 29:32 they said, what's your problem? 29:33 I said, it scared me out of my sleep this large megaphone, 29:38 it sound like an airplane landing. 29:40 And in the morning when I asked the owners 29:43 did you hear last night? 29:44 They said no, what are you talking about. 29:47 I said that megaphone, that loud prayer being 29:50 chanted all through the community. 29:52 They said man we hear that's, we been hearing that so long, 29:55 when don't even hear it anymore. Yeah. 29:57 And that's what happens. 29:58 When the Bible says "Behold, I stand at the door 30:01 and knock if anyone hears my voice, 30:02 and open the door, hears the key. 30:05 Hears how you can prevent the unpardonable sin. 30:07 When you hear the voice of God the first time it's the loudest. 30:11 The longer you heard it and ignore it gets so faint 30:14 that you no longer hear it. 30:16 And that's what happens to some people that 30:17 leaving in the worid, the voice of God is drowned up 30:20 by the worid. 30:21 And they don't really want hear it and it get shout off. 30:23 Yeah, yeah. You know, there is another 30:25 text here talking about the willful state of that 30:28 kind of person. 30:29 Yes, go for it. 30:30 From Hebrews 10 beginning with verse 26 it says 30:35 "If we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge 30:39 of the truth". 30:41 In other words after you receive Christ and you know 30:44 about Him and you know about the work of His Holy Spirit. 30:46 You know about what He wants to do in your life 30:49 to make those changes to prepare you for heaven. 30:53 When you sin willfully, in other words you ignore that, 30:57 there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins. 31:00 Right. 31:02 "But a certain fearful expectation of judgment 31:04 and a fiery indignation, 31:06 which will devour the adversaries". 31:08 Notice here verse 27, a certain fearful expectation 31:12 of judgment. 31:13 In other words when you're in this condition you know 31:15 that you are doomed, but you don't care. 31:21 See that, did you ever see that, 31:22 I never really thought about that much in this verse. 31:24 Oh yeah. But a certain fearful expectation, 31:26 you know where you're heard but you don't care 31:28 you can you get drown of the Holy Spirit. 31:31 Don't bother me anymore I'm happy doing 31:33 what I'm doing leave me alone. 31:35 You Know. That' the unpardonable sin. 31:37 One of the saddest pictures you'll see and I've seen 31:38 this before and I've gone to hospitals that people 31:40 that just don't want God in their lives. 31:43 You could see them slipping away but the agony, 31:45 the sting of death is all over their face 31:47 because there are fearful. 31:49 They have no knowledge of what happens after a person dies. 31:51 They think they gonna go to hell right away. 31:53 They're fearful of judgment to come they're not 31:55 being laid to rest in peace. 31:57 And it really does there is a sting of death that sin 32:00 and the presence of sin manifests a person's life. 32:04 You could run from God all your life, 32:06 but at that point where you know that all you have 32:09 is maybe the next birth. It brings us a certain fear 32:12 when you don't know Jesus. 32:14 But those who are in Christ, I've gone to encourage 32:16 them in hospitals and I've left encouraged. 32:18 They say things like well I'll see you in Jesus comes. 32:22 And they leave me with hope that we'll see again. 32:24 So that's I think what that text is talking about, 32:27 the fearful indignation that will come. 32:29 Yeah. 32:30 Well, thank you for your questions, 32:32 we covered as many as we could in time that we've 32:35 allotted because we have to now transitions to the 32:37 second part of the program or actually the topic 32:40 that we have to present, which is about gratitude 32:43 the opposite of rejecting the graces of Christ. 32:46 But if you have any questions, 32:48 you wanna send those to us, you can send those questions 32:50 to housecalls@3abn.org, that's housecalls@3abn.org 32:57 and we really appreciate every question you send 32:59 and if you are a consistent viewer of 3ABN 33:02 and supporter you can also mail your mail to 3ABN. 33:06 And John takes us into the topic of gratitude, 33:10 one that you recommended and I thought it was a 33:12 great topic so just kind a open 33:14 the door for us lets walk in together. 33:16 You know, I recently, 33:17 in fact you've even mention this too. 33:19 We have sermons that we've given on gratitude. 33:21 Right. 33:22 And having that grateful, a constant grateful attitude 33:25 for all that God has done for us in our lives 33:28 and we definitely should have that gratitude. 33:32 But you know, I as I began to think in and prepare 33:35 for that message and really get into what it means 33:38 to be grateful, what it means to be thankful 33:40 to the Lord. It struck me that I think, 33:43 you know, one of the biggest barriers to a happy 33:47 victorious Christian life is a lack of gratitude. 33:51 Okay. 33:53 We don't realize how grateful to God that we're 33:56 for what we do have and how He has blessed us. 34:00 And I think also if really comes down to it, 34:05 how we respond to God and His salvation that he offer us, 34:10 is directly proportionate to how much gratitude 34:14 we have for the gift. 34:17 See if you offered a gift and you don't really care 34:21 much about that gift, then it doesn't really mean 34:25 a lot to you and you don't treat it with the gratitude 34:29 but more than that you don't treat with the care that 34:33 you would get a gift that you just are excited about. 34:37 And so when God says I'll take you from a sinful state 34:41 on the way to death, eternal death and I'll put you 34:45 because of what my Son has done, 34:46 I'll put you on in heaven, on the ground that he 34:51 should have been able to walk without seeing death 34:53 that you should have watched from the very beginning 34:57 through Adam And Eve and that human family I want 35:00 to take you and bring you back up and put you 35:03 in my kingdom. And you can be as if you've never sinned. 35:06 To not be grateful for that I think causes a lot of 35:11 unhappiness and puts up barriers between us 35:14 and God for this wonderful Christian walk that we have. 35:18 Yeah, I've said for a number of years we are high 35:20 on a expectations, low on appreciation. 35:25 And all one has to do and I have a remedy for that 35:28 now I have had the privilege of being able to go around 35:31 the worid and sometimes those of us who, 35:33 I'm using this analogy in reference to America or 35:36 maybe the cities that are inundated with stuff. 35:40 You know, if we go around the worid we could see that 35:42 there are many people around the worid that don't have 35:44 what we have and I think that that will be some 35:47 what defuse that is lit to begin to spark 35:50 the attitude of gratitude. 35:52 Yeah. 35:53 And so there are some stories in the Bible. 35:54 I'll let you continue, lay the foundation for us 35:57 there how important it is from God's word to be 36:01 thankful and to have gratitude. 36:03 Because you know, I heard somebody once say 36:05 it takes more muscles to frown then it does to smile. 36:10 Yeah. 36:11 And we're saying that gratitude has to be 36:12 accompanied with a smile, but it sure does help a frown. 36:15 Yeah. It makes a big difference. 36:17 You know, and we're talking about the attitude. 36:19 I mean being thankful is the expressión of mouth. 36:23 We're thankful, we're showing our thanks to action, 36:25 verbalizing or showing actions. 36:27 But gratitude really, we're talking about the attitude 36:28 what's inside of us. 36:30 And so when we're saying that we need to be 36:33 grateful for what God has done I think that's really 36:37 where it begins, in fact to be spiritually grateful 36:40 in our heart, in my heart. 36:42 I have to grasp the reality of where I'd be, 36:46 where I would be today if the Lord hadn't 36:49 gotten a hold of my life and turned it in around. 36:51 That's right. 36:53 And unless I'm grateful for Him, 36:55 to Him for doing that, then I am where I am I today. 37:00 I still wouldn't be where I am because the happy 37:03 Christian life, the life that the God is giving me 37:05 I have no appreciation for it. 37:07 And you know, what John you say that, 37:10 and I've said it before and may be some of you 37:12 watching or listening to this program have said 37:14 the same thing. 37:15 Where would I be had it not be for Jesus. 37:16 But you know we kind of run past 37:17 that thought so fast sometimes. 37:19 Yeah. 37:20 That all we have to do as a cinematographer may 37:23 say now very, very less rewind that in a shuttle 37:27 through that very slowly and began to see your 37:31 life in the detail that it really was and you know 37:35 when you think of the sin and the darkness that 37:38 life really it was and what it really could have done 37:42 as far as claiming us is concerned. 37:45 Then you could pause and says well Lord truly I'm 37:49 thankful but then again our gratitude 37:52 and our appreciation grows when we stop. 37:55 Right. 37:56 And then we become people that are really saying, 37:58 Lord, thank you. 37:59 Like the guy that almost fell off a clip and somebody 38:01 grabbed his rope at the last minute and held him on. 38:04 He is not gonna say thanks bud, 38:05 I appreciate that very much and run as well. 38:07 Right, right. 38:08 He is gonna looking that person and say oh. 38:09 I owe you my life. 38:11 Right, and you know sometimes you have 38:12 to stop people from trying to pay you back. 38:15 Yeah. 38:16 Because some people spend their entire life just 38:18 showing their gratitude and you have to say them sometimes. 38:20 It's okay. 38:21 Its okay, I mean I would do that for anybody 38:24 but you did for me and that's the key. 38:25 Jesus would have say to anybody but the fact that 38:28 He did for us should awaken the attitude of gratitude. 38:30 Very much so, you know now and I think it becomes 38:33 this serious John with God, in our relationship 38:37 with God that when we complain and we're critical 38:41 and we're fault finding in and where are unhappy 38:44 about our life that we have. 38:46 First of all probably as Americans we can't really say 38:49 that any of us are really that poor. 38:52 And you had a chance to go over here recently 38:54 overseas to Africa and see how poor is 38:58 and you really have a tough time 39:00 finding that in America to that degree. 39:02 Right. 39:03 I know don't if there are poor in 39:04 America but to that degree it's major. 39:07 I've never been to a mud house here in America. 39:09 Sure, but I would add this I think you know, 39:12 a relationship with God, a lack of gratitude is an insult. 39:16 Right. 39:18 When it comes done to that it's an insult to God, 39:21 to be critical and they be complaining consistently, 39:23 as apostle do all things without murmuring and 39:26 disputing complaining about your life. 39:28 And here's a text that kind of gives us a little bit 39:32 of the perspective from God here when we're ungrateful. 39:36 Hebrews 10:29 "Of how much worse punishment, 39:39 do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has 39:43 trampled the Son of God underfoot, 39:45 counted the blood of the covenant 39:47 by which he was sanctified, a common thing, 39:51 and insulted the Spirit of grace?" 39:54 That text to me a reeks of a lack of gratitude. 39:58 Yes, you know that takes as it so powerful 40:01 and so much slight I don't even care. 40:04 Its like just straight out complacency. 40:06 Yeah. 40:07 Trample, I mean when you say trample, that's a big word. 40:12 Yeah, and insulting this spirit of grace we just 40:14 talk about the unpardonable sin. 40:17 You know, insulting the spirit by saying here, 40:18 I don't care about you. 40:20 What would you do if you gave somebody a card 40:21 when you're outside and they 40:22 threw on the floor and trampled it. 40:25 Can make you feel like not given him, 40:27 if you thinking well that for sure. 40:29 But you know, I was reading the story that's from 40:31 the Adventist Review recently, 40:33 and it was a guy that's in Russia. 40:36 I like his articles a lot and so I always read them 40:38 when I see his article. 40:40 And he said that he stood in line for 20 minutes. 40:43 He can around the corner to get on to the metro in Russia. 40:46 And he saw this line was down around the corner 40:49 and out the door and he stood in this long line for like 40:51 20, 25 minutes. And when got up there 40:54 he got his monthly pass this time rather then having 40:57 to come through this again, but he got 10 extra tickets. 41:01 And he went to the back of the line and wanted to give 41:04 this tickets to the people in the back of line so they 41:07 wouldn't have to stand there. 41:08 Because he was thinking boy wouldn't it be nice 41:10 someone just came up to me give me a free ticket. 41:12 So he tries they wouldn't take them. 41:15 He said here is a free ticket and they looked at him like. 41:19 Suspicious. 41:20 And they wouldn't even take the free ticket that 41:23 he was giving them. 41:25 They can get out of the line, 41:26 go up and jump on the train. 41:28 One old lady who was standing back there took the 41:31 ticket she grabbed it, she still in line. 41:35 She didn't even get out the line, 41:36 she just stay in line. 41:38 And another guy was so desperate, 41:40 he looked at the ticket all right and he decided 41:43 just go use it. 41:44 Because it was his last date afford. 41:45 He gave away two out of ten tickets because only 41:48 two would take it. 41:49 And I think probably one the lady was still suspicious 41:52 and she took it for just because someone offers 41:53 her something. 41:54 But we can think you know think about that in terms 41:57 of how God must feel to offer us such an incredible 42:00 gift of salvation and we don't even appreciate it. 42:04 No, we don't give God the glory. 42:08 In Luke 17, there is a short story. 42:11 If you have your Bibles go there with us to 42:12 Luke chapter 17 and I want to you to see this verse 11. 42:21 You knows I was telling the story years ago about 42:24 a small population they were sitting together and 42:28 there was celebrating I believe it was around Thanksgiving. 42:32 But there was a little old lady and everyday 42:33 was going around the room and talking about their 42:35 reasons to be thankful. 42:37 And you know, she only had two teeth, 42:43 only two teeth, it's a thanksgiving dinner, 42:47 she only had two teeth and they said well now 42:50 maybe what are you thankful for this year. 42:53 I thank God for two perfectly good teeth. 42:57 Not a whole lot of them, but man I tell you, 42:59 at thanksgiving that's 43:00 the thing you wanna thank God for. 43:02 Amen. 43:03 Two perfectly good teeth to just really enjoy 43:06 the meal and it was funny about is, 43:08 she had one in the upper jaw and one in the 43:12 lower jaw. It was not like two on top. 43:14 And she used them. 43:16 And they worked together to get that meal going. 43:19 And do you know, if all we have are two functioning teeth. 43:22 Yeah. 43:23 That something to give out thanks for but this story 43:26 illustrates in such a very powerful and pointed way. 43:30 Yeah. 43:31 Of how important it is to be thankful. 43:32 Follow it with me I'm reading from the 43:34 New King James Versión. Verse 11 says 43:35 "Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that is 43:40 Jesus went. That He passed through the midst of 43:44 Samaria and Galilee. 43:47 Then as He entered a certain village, 43:49 there met Him ten men who were lepers, 43:54 who stood afar off." And many of you know 43:57 that in the Bible times lepers had to, 44:00 when they walk through towns they had to announce 44:02 their entrance. You know leper, 44:03 leper and people scattered in different directions 44:06 just to avoid the plague of leprosy or any 44:09 contamination or be tainted. 44:11 And read the next verse for us John if you have that there. 44:15 "And they lifted up their voices and said, 44:17 "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us." 44:20 Okay. 44:21 And so when He saw them, He said to them, 44:23 "Go, show yourselves to the priests." 44:26 And so it was that as they went, 44:28 they were cleansed. 44:30 Wow. 44:31 "And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, 44:34 returned, and with a loud voice glorified God. 44:38 Now another word of glorified there is thankful, you know. 44:42 Thank God. 44:43 As we sing the song Give Thanks With The Grateful Heart, 44:47 he returned and he glorified God. 44:51 Well, that's a great point I never thought about 44:53 it that much but the word here is glorified. 44:56 Right. 44:57 I mean that they translated to 44:58 glorified this not directly thanked. 44:59 Right. 45:00 But how connected his thanked you know, 45:03 being thankful to glorifying God. 45:05 Right. 45:06 It's got to be absolutely connected. 45:09 Now catch this fear God and give glory to him. 45:13 Yeah. 45:14 See in an hour when the word is so filled with stuff 45:17 and so spoiled, if we can use that phrase in many 45:20 societies that are inundated with stuff. 45:23 What shall we be doing at this time, 45:25 we should be returning to give God thanks? 45:28 You know, we go home our bed functions, 45:29 the lights are on, water is on, 45:31 the all that utilities that we work. 45:33 Our cars filled with gasoline, we've close in our closet, 45:36 food in our refrigerator, heat in our homes. 45:40 And we get home and say oh man I am just, 45:44 what's wrong with you? 45:45 I am just, I'm upset I don't have and we began this 45:49 statement that way if we could turned the worid upside 45:51 down and just sit where you're and just have the Lord 45:53 spin the worid and we end up in an another part of 45:56 country and somebody that's turns up and ends up 45:58 in our seat they would open their mouth with 46:00 glory to God. They will glorify God. 46:04 But read the rest of story for us, 46:05 look at this and I'll stop you as we go on. 46:08 And what else did he do? 46:09 "With a loud voice he glorified God, 46:10 and he fell down on his face at his feet, 46:13 giving him thanks, and he was a Samaritan." 46:17 Now who of makes that we talked about the children 46:20 that had no faith, the Israelites they had no faith. 46:23 Another example of something that... 46:25 And let's used this example the way I think Jesus 46:28 matter here is one thing to call yourselves as son 46:31 or daughter of God. Its one person it's one thing 46:34 to say you have all this truth and that's in fact 46:37 the comparison here because those who did not 46:41 come back to glorify him or Israelites. 46:46 The one that came back to give him glory was a 46:50 Samaritan. All lepers, all cleansed but the Samaritan 46:55 who did never claimed to have relationship with 46:57 Jesus was one that came back glorified him and 46:59 fell down gave him thanks. 47:01 Now look at the question Jesus, ask go to the next verse, John. 47:04 And Jesus answered and said, 47:05 "Were there not ten cleansed? 47:07 But where are the nine? 47:09 "Were there not any found who returned to give glory 47:12 to God except this foreigner?" 47:15 And He said to them, "Arise, go your way. 47:17 Your faith has made you whole". And he said to him. 47:18 Did he said to him, what did I say? 47:21 To them. I said to him, "Arise go your way; 47:24 your faith has made you well." Wow! 47:25 Okay notice, notice the three things that are connected 47:28 there thanks, faith and glorifying God. 47:35 Cannot be disconnected His faith has made him whole. 47:39 He glorified God, He thanked God interconnection faith, 47:45 glory and thanksgiving interconnected right there 47:48 and you put and single word in that, 47:50 that's gratitude that's the package of gratitude. 47:52 Faith in Gods goodness, faith that he would change 47:55 your life, thanks that He did it and you will give 47:58 Him all the glory. 47:59 That's gratitude that's the attitude to me. 48:01 Yeah. 48:02 The package of gratitude what's in it? 48:03 Those three ingredients. 48:04 You know, and it's not something 48:06 I believe that you can't conjure up. 48:09 Oh no, you can't. 48:10 I don't think you can just say oh I'm gonna be more 48:11 grateful today. 48:12 You know we have to pray about this, 48:14 I think sometimes we need to repent that were ungrateful 48:17 and I find myself you know, Lord, 48:19 I am sorry that I just, I don't appreciate you 48:22 as much as I should. 48:25 And he honors that and because I believe one of 48:28 the reason is because it's God's will that we're grateful, 48:32 that we're thankful. 48:34 First Thessalonians 5:18 look at that. 48:36 Oh that's a, you know that's a wonderful passage. 48:38 First Thessalonians 5:18. 48:39 How many times have you run through that, 48:40 read that, John. 48:41 "In everything give thanks; 48:44 for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 48:49 Wow! 48:50 So God's will is that we in everything give thanks. 48:53 Now if you listening this program, 48:56 watching this program. This isn't everything. 49:00 Yeah. 49:01 That's scary, because what will make you in every 49:04 in situation give thanks to God, what would make you 49:07 and everything give thanks to God. 49:09 You have to ask yourself that question because 49:12 it says in everything. It didn't just say in the 49:14 good things, it didn't just say on the bright days. 49:16 It says also in the clod winter days when you have 49:18 to take more vitamin D. 49:20 In everything give thanks to God. 49:22 You see it does say when you cannot see the outcome, 49:26 when you don't have the income to give thanks to God. 49:30 So why in everything, 49:32 how can we in everything give thanks to God? 49:34 That in everything includes in trails and struggles. 49:38 Okay. 49:39 And the challenges of life, we should still be giving 49:41 thanks to God. I don't think we find it easy 49:45 to give thanks to Him for sending, 49:47 allowing the challenge, the trail, the struggle. 49:50 But we sure can give thanks to the Lord 49:52 that He is with us in the trail and the struggle. 49:55 Yeah, you ever dropped a weight on your foot. 49:58 Oh, yeah. Something heavy. 50:00 I remember when I was a kid, I picked that I tried to 50:03 show off my friends I could pick up this rock 50:05 and it was boulder like, like this it's huge. 50:08 And I was probably nine, picked up this rock and it 50:12 slipped out of my hands and right on my right big toe. 50:17 And I mean I pulled off my sock and blood was 50:19 coming out of the bottom of my toe. 50:21 Oh it was a miserable thing for us seems like 50:23 months to come. 50:25 But, I'll tell you that hurt, so yes. 50:30 Yeah, when you think of weight and I was looking 50:32 at a different analogy of weight but that, 50:34 that does fit. 50:35 I mean that sure does give you I think in that case 50:37 you could think you're glad it wasn't your whole foot 50:39 that was bleeding. 50:41 That's a way to look at it, it would have been worse. 50:43 Yes. 50:44 And truly in many situations that you face in life 50:46 it could be worse. 50:47 But what I was thinking of is when you says in 50:50 everything give thanks. 50:52 If you were not a child of God you would have reason 50:54 to worry, but because we are children of God 50:58 you know we driving on a highway and let's use 51:00 Florida as a wonderful example. 51:01 Florida has that changeable whether the midwest 51:04 has it also. But in Florida as I was driving going to Miami 51:08 once left Orlando was nice and sunny and bright, 51:11 and I looked at the road in front of me. 51:13 My wife and I caught a glimpse of the clouds. 51:15 John, it was like black death, a wall of water in front of us. 51:19 And as we got closer, it went from a drizzle to a, 51:23 to a vehemently torrential downpour. 51:27 We had to pull off the road, it was water coming in 51:28 through the seals in the car that's how heavy 51:30 it was raining. And but you know, 51:33 that's not the movement you thank the Lord, 51:34 because you can't see we pulled off the road almost 51:37 hit a motorcycle pulling under the overpass. 51:40 But I want to say this and this is the spiritual 51:43 comparison whatever dirt that was on that car 51:46 before we went in that rainstorm, 51:48 there was not a speck of dirt after we went through. 51:51 So, sometimes the downpours in our lives is the 51:54 very thing we need to clean ourselves. 51:56 So, that's why God says I know that every, 52:02 we know that all things work together for good to 52:04 those who love God to those who're the called 52:05 according to His purpose. 52:07 Some of you maybe in your life where you're living 52:10 through that downpour of health of a lack of finances, 52:14 of no job, of a broken home, it's pouring rain, 52:20 but if you trust God in it I can guarantee like in my 52:22 situation when you come to that John, 52:25 all that dirt that was in your life before will be 52:28 washed away. 52:29 Because trials have a way of bringing us before God 52:32 in a cleansing experience and helping us to see the 52:34 difference between religion we thought we had 52:36 and now the Christ that we now know we do have. 52:39 It makes a difference and gratitude is the 52:41 big part of it. 52:42 You thank God for bringing you through, 52:44 but then you realize you could now 52:46 thank God for allowing you to get into it. 52:47 Right. You see. 52:50 You know as I, you know I think about this, 52:53 this whole life of gratitude and I think what we're gonna 52:57 get into in the next program here because this one 52:58 is quickly closing up. 53:01 Is how can we live our life in an attitude of gratitude, 53:06 how do we live our life everyday and it's not just, 53:09 that's why I didn't choose the word thankful. 53:11 Right. 53:12 You know one person said gratitude is the attitude of 53:15 one's heart. Thankfulness is the exercise of one's mouth. 53:20 So, being thankful and saying you're thankful is one think 53:22 and we should we're thankful to the Lord. 53:25 But he wants us to allow that heart of gratitude 53:29 to be expressed in other ways besides 53:32 just saying we're thankful. 53:33 Right. 53:34 He wants our life to show that we're thankful, 53:37 and that's why I wanted to put together in a program 53:40 various things that we can show that we can live, 53:43 ways we can live to show that we're grateful. 53:48 That we've gratitude to God for what He has done 53:51 for us. So, because here's a text, another one, 53:56 Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do in word 54:00 or what deed, deed do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, 54:05 giving thanks to God and the Father, 54:09 God the Father through Him. 54:11 So, whether you do it in word or indeed or to give thanks. 54:16 Were to give thanks, so we can live a life and be 54:21 thankful in how we live our life 54:22 as much as say we're thankful. 54:24 Yeah. 54:25 And that's the key, that's the important part I 54:27 wanted to kind of get across here with this program 54:29 is how do we live our life showing 54:32 that we're grateful to God? 54:33 Wow! That's right, how do you do that? 54:36 And that's something because people hear the theory 54:38 you know all these texts that we quote about living 54:41 our lives with grateful hearts, 54:43 grateful hearts it brings to a situation where all the pieces 54:48 of cake are being passed out and the slice you get 54:51 you're thankful for. People that don't have attitudes 54:55 of gratitude they're looking for the big slice, yeah, 54:59 but people that have an attitude of gratitude, 55:01 the slice comes around to them and its okay, 55:05 it's just fine, this is good enough for me. Yeah. 55:07 And I have seen situations were you've both, 55:09 little kids that they'll take this thing like a shovel 55:12 and pile food on their plate and the adults that come 55:14 way down the roads scraping whatever is left. 55:19 People say do you need more I'm, I'm just, 55:21 I'm okay, I'm fine, I'll be all right. 55:23 That's not just a humble spirit, but sometimes that's 55:26 an attitude of gratitude realizing 55:28 this is really what I really need. 55:29 Yeah. And that's make a difference. 55:31 Let's end this program with Psalm 34. 55:34 Okay. Psalm 34 verses 1, 2, 3. 55:37 Okay. 55:38 I will bless the Lord at all times, 55:42 His praise shall continually be in my mouth. 55:45 My soul shall make it's boast in the Lord. 55:48 The humble shall hear of it, and be glad. 55:52 O magnify the Lord with me, 55:54 and let us exalt his name together. 55:56 Wow! And I think praise and, and the way we bless, 56:01 let me put it in a little different way. 56:03 When we're grateful and we're thanking the Lord 56:05 and we're praising His name from that heart of gratitude. 56:09 That is the way that we bless God. 56:11 Some have a problem with that, 56:13 what do you mean you bless God? 56:14 Though he blesses us, no the Bible actually says 56:17 that we bless God as well by what we returned him 56:21 in the form of thanksgiving and gratitude, praise, 56:27 all those things. And so what kind of a life, 56:29 look at this next time, what ways can our life live? 56:31 When can we live our life showing that our heart 56:34 truly is grateful? And if its not then let's 56:36 pray about it and make sure that we establish, 56:39 allow the Lord to establish that grateful heart in us. 56:43 You know when we think of God as owning everything, 56:45 the question we often ask ourselves is there anything 56:48 we can give back to God. 56:49 Yes, the Lord inhabits the praises of His people. 56:54 He inhabits our houses? 56:55 Yes, He inhabits our worship, yes. 56:58 But He inhabits the praises of his people and this 57:00 attitude this, this, this topic on gratitude, 57:03 it's a non denominational topic. 57:05 But I like about it but when we talk about lot of 57:07 issues at, can be identified with specific denominations, 57:10 but if you're a Christian or person who wants 57:12 his or her life to be enhanced, 57:14 the attitude of gratitude is so significant to have 57:16 and we're gonna talk about that more on our next 57:19 upcoming program. But we do believe that when 57:21 count your blessings and name them one by one 57:24 as the writer says then it will surprise you what 57:27 the Lord has done. Begin counting those blessings 57:29 today and you'll see how much gratitude 57:31 you'll find in your Lord Jesus Christ. |
Revised 2014-12-17