Participants:
Series Code: IIW
Program Code: IIW019189S
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00:19 >>John Bradshaw: This is It Is Written.
00:21 I'm John Bradshaw. Thanks for joining me. 00:24 Few transformations in American history 00:26 have been quite as dramatic, 00:28 and like so many great changes in people's lives, 00:31 this one was brought about by tragedy, 00:34 by the brutal interruption of a hard-hearted life's 00:37 chosen course. 00:39 It was May the 15th in 1972. 00:41 He was running for the president of the United States. 00:44 On that day, Governor George Wallace of Alabama 00:47 was permanently paralyzed from the waist down. 00:49 This happened following an assassination attempt 00:52 in a shopping center in Laurel, Maryland. 00:54 He was shot five times. One bullet lodged in his spine. 00:58 His life would never be the same again. 01:00 His spirit was broken. 01:02 His confident self-assurance was gone. 01:05 And until the day of his death 26 years later, 01:08 he would never experience another day without pain. 01:12 Governor Wallace had established himself in American politics 01:15 as an unabashed defender of racial segregation. 01:19 His first inaugural address as governor of Alabama 01:22 was delivered during the heart 01:23 of the American civil rights movement. 01:25 And it's best remembered for his defiant cry: 01:28 >>George Wallace: And I say segregation now, 01:30 segregation tomorrow, and segregation forever! 01:35 [Cheering and applause] 01:38 >>John: But a paralyzed man confined to a wheelchair 01:41 for the rest of his days has a tough time being defiant. 01:46 It seemed that God finally got through to Governor Wallace. 01:50 Not long afterwards, he wheeled himself down the center aisle 01:54 of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, just 500 feet, 01:57 one block away from the Alabama state capital in Montgomery. 02:01 This was the very church once pastored 02:04 a quarter of a century before by Martin Luther King Jr. 02:08 Turning his wheelchair around, 02:10 the governor spoke to a hushed congregation 02:12 in words no one present could forget. 02:16 He said, "I have learned what suffering means. 02:20 In a way that was impossible," 02:22 before the assassination attempt, 02:24 "I think I can understand some of the pain 02:26 black people have come to endure. 02:29 I know I contributed to that pain, 02:32 and I can only ask your forgiveness." 02:34 One sharecropper from Selma, Alabama, 02:37 who had marched with Martin Luther King, 02:39 compared the governor's transformation to the conversion 02:42 of Saul of Tarsus. 02:44 George Wallace, in the sharecropper's words, 02:46 "was struck down and then got up to do good." 02:51 Now, as you might expect, 02:53 not everyone was completely accepting of Wallace's apology. 02:56 He's been referred to as one of the great villains 02:59 of the civil rights era. 03:01 And his actions caused many, many people real hurt. 03:05 But following Wallace's death in 1998, 03:08 African-American Congressman John Lewis, 03:11 a giant in the civil rights movement since the early 1960s, 03:15 wrote an editorial in the New York Times, 03:19 in which he said, 03:21 "The George Wallace who sent troops to intimidate peaceful, 03:25 orderly marchers in Selma in 1965 was not the same man 03:31 who died this week. 03:33 With all his failings, 03:34 Mr. Wallace deserves recognition for seeking redemption 03:38 for his mistakes, 03:40 for his willingness to change and to set things right 03:43 with those he harmed and with his God." 03:47 You know, no experience speaks more decisively to the power 03:50 of Christianity than a radical change of heart. 03:54 And we're gonna focus on this experience today in this episode 03:57 of our ongoing series, "Great Chapters of the Bible." 04:02 The chapter we're going to be studying is the fifth chapter 04:04 of the Gospel of Matthew. 04:07 It's the opening chapter 04:08 in Jesus' famous Sermon on the Mount, 04:10 that great cornerstone of the Christian faith 04:13 that Jesus delivered at the very start of His ministry. 04:17 Matthew 5 is truly one of the richest chapters 04:20 in the four Gospels. 04:21 It contains a lot of important material. 04:24 The chapter starts with the Beatitudes-- 04:26 "blessed are the poor in spirit"; 04:27 "blessed are the meek"; "blessed are they that mourn." 04:31 But we're gonna jump over the Beatitudes 04:33 because we'll look at them another time. 04:34 Instead, we'll start in Matthew 5, verse 20. 04:38 We'll see this chapter focuses on a radical change 04:41 of the human heart. 04:42 Jesus says some things that absolutely shock the people 04:46 He's speaking to. 04:47 He said, "For I say unto you, that unless your righteousness 04:52 exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, 04:56 you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." 05:00 Now, that was a stunning statement. 05:04 The Pharisees were considered real religious leaders. 05:06 They were the spiritual elite. 05:09 They were rigorous in their obedience and very careful 05:12 to be seen to be religious and holy and in God's favor. 05:16 Jesus went on to identify what was so terribly wrong 05:20 with the professed righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees. 05:24 In some of the strongest words of His entire ministry, 05:28 Jesus revealed what was wrong with the Pharisees' approach: 05:31 outwardly, religious; inwardly, it was a different story. 05:38 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! 05:42 For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, 05:45 but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. 05:49 Blind Pharisees, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, 05:54 that the outside of them may be clean also. 05:57 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! 06:00 For you are like whitewashed tombs 06:03 which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, 06:05 but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. 06:09 Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, 06:12 but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness." 06:17 That's Matthew 23:25-28. 06:20 So this is the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees 06:23 that Jesus was talking about. 06:25 The kind of behavior that can't qualify anybody for heaven 06:30 because it's all on the outside and not on the inside. 06:34 Now, you might have met people like that. 06:36 You might even be like that. 06:38 This surface religion that Jesus was warning against 06:40 was something the Old Testament prophets had warned 06:43 the people of Israel against for hundreds of years. 06:47 A thousand years before the time of Christ, 06:49 the prophet Samuel warned King Saul about this very thing: 06:52 "Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings 06:55 and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? 06:58 Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, 07:02 and to heed than the fat of rams." 07:05 First Samuel 15:22. 07:07 As Jesus speaks more about this, He talks about hatred, 07:12 adultery, and one of the greatest evidences 07:15 for the power of God. 07:17 So what would be one of the greatest evidences 07:20 for the power of God? 07:21 I'll have that in just a moment. 07:24 ♪[Music]♪ 07:33 >>John: Temptation is a fact of life. 07:35 But you can be successful in the face of temptation. 07:39 Be sure you get today's free offer, 07:41 "When the Lion Roars," 07:43 and find out how you can successfully defeat temptation 07:47 instead of being defeated by sin. 07:50 To get your free copy of "When the Lion Roars," 07:52 call us on 800-253-3000. 07:56 You can write to the address on your screen 07:57 or visit us online at iiwoffer.com. 08:03 >>John: Don't miss "The Dangers of Technology" 08:06 from It Is Written. 08:07 This electronic age presents our planet with opportunities 08:11 that were unimaginable just a few years ago. 08:13 But it also brings some real challenges-- 08:16 among them, spiritual challenges. 08:18 In "The Dangers of Technology," 08:19 you'll learn how you can protect yourself from trouble online, 08:22 how you can safeguard your children, 08:24 and simple steps you can take to avoid some common pitfalls. 08:27 You'll learn from people with real-world experience-- 08:30 >>Kyla Steinkraus: Those companies, 08:31 those child predators are hunting these kids. 08:34 >>John: ...and with expertise in online security. 08:36 >>Michael Dinkins: Once it's out there, 08:37 it's out there, and it's out there probably forever. 08:40 >>John: Email, texting, social media, the World Wide Web-- 08:43 it's hard to imagine a world without them, 08:45 but years ago it was impossible to imagine the dangers 08:47 they would present. 08:49 "The Dangers of Technology." 08:50 Simple solutions to safeguarding you and your family online. 08:54 Don't miss "The Dangers of Technology" 08:56 on It Is Written TV. 08:57 Watch online at www.itiswritten.tv. 09:03 >>John Bradshaw: Thanks for joining me today 09:05 on It Is Written. 09:06 I'm John Bradshaw. 09:07 A major problem facing the world today 09:09 is the lack of heart religion. 09:12 You know, it's easy to call yourself a believer, 09:15 but it's another thing altogether to be one, genuinely. 09:19 As we look today at a great chapter of the Bible, 09:21 we're looking at Matthew 5, 09:22 and we see that God speaks very clearly to this issue, 09:26 really to the problem of surface religion. 09:30 There was a lot of it around in Jesus' day. 09:31 In fact, 700 or so years before Jesus was born, 09:35 Isaiah the prophet wrote this: 09:38 "'To what purpose is the multitude 09:40 of your sacrifices to me?' says the Lord. 09:42 'I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams 09:45 and the fat of fed cattle. 09:47 I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs or goats. 09:51 When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; 09:56 even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. 09:59 Your hands are full of blood. 10:01 Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; 10:05 put away the evil of your doing from before [mine] eyes. 10:08 Cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, 10:12 [reprove] the oppressor; 10:14 defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.'" 10:17 Isaiah 1:11 and 15-17. 10:21 And then, as always, God assures His people of His power 10:24 to change them from the inside out so that the reform 10:27 of their lives won't be only a surface matter any longer. 10:31 "'Come now and let us reason together,' says the Lord, 10:34 'though your sins are like scarlet, 10:37 they shall be white as snow; 10:39 though they are red like crimson, 10:41 they shall be as wool.'" 10:42 Isaiah 1:18. 10:44 Another of the Old Testament prophets, the prophet Micah, 10:47 makes a similar appeal in Micah 6, starting in verse 6: 10:53 "With what shall I come before the Lord, 10:55 and bow myself before the High God? 10:57 Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, 10:59 with calves a year old? 11:01 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, 11:03 [or] ten thousand rivers of oil? 11:05 He has shown you, O man, what is good; 11:08 and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, 11:12 to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" 11:16 Micah 6:6-8. 11:19 The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter 5 speaks 11:22 of a genuine inward faith. 11:25 God wants for us something better than hypocrisy, 11:29 something better than a surface religion, 11:31 something better than outward show. 11:34 You can fool people, you can impress people, 11:38 but God sees the heart. 11:41 Right after Jesus warns His audience 11:43 against the surface righteousness practiced 11:45 by the religious leaders of His day, 11:48 He points to two of the Ten Commandments as examples 11:51 of how obedience goes all the way to the heart. 11:56 He starts with the sixth commandment, 11:58 and He says in verses 21 and 22, 12:01 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 12:04 'You shall not murder, 12:05 and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.' 12:08 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother 12:11 without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment." 12:15 The Apostle John said something very similar-- 12:17 1 John 3, verse 15: 12:20 "Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, 12:23 and you know that no murderer has eternal life 12:26 abiding in him." 12:28 Now, we understand not murdering, 12:31 but Jesus takes it much further, and He says, "Don't hate." 12:35 He gets to the heart of the matter: "Don't hate." 12:38 He says maybe you won't murder someone, 12:40 but it's not right for you even to hate that person. 12:45 Jesus continues on this theme in Matthew 5 when He turns 12:48 to the seventh commandment, the one forbidding adultery. 12:51 He says this in verses 27 and 28: 12:54 "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 12:57 'You shall not commit adultery.' 12:59 But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her 13:03 has already committed adultery with her in his heart." 13:07 Jesus lays out for us the depth of what obedience actually means 13:11 and the extent to which God will go to change a human heart. 13:14 No adultery. 13:15 Now, that's one thing, 13:17 but then He goes so far as to say that lust isn't acceptable, 13:20 which might just seem a little bit old-fashioned today. 13:24 But we both know that if society just took this simple injunction 13:27 just a little more seriously, 13:31 the entire world would be a very different place. 13:34 Jesus says it's one thing not to commit the act, 13:37 but what He wants to do is change the heart, 13:41 even change the desires. 13:44 Now, if the people listening to Jesus had just gone back 13:48 and read the language of the Ten Commandments 13:50 as they were first written, 13:52 they would have seen how what Jesus was talking about 13:54 was nothing new. 13:56 The tenth commandment, the one that forbids coveting, 13:59 includes the words "you shall not covet your neighbor's wife," 14:02 Exodus 20, verse 17. 14:05 In other words, God declared when the commandments 14:07 were first proclaimed on Sinai 14:11 that the reach of these divine commands extended directly 14:14 to the intentions of the heart. 14:17 This is what the Apostle Paul was talking about when he said 14:19 he wouldn't have understood the true depth of God's law 14:23 except for the command that said, "You shall not covet." 14:26 He wrote that in Romans 7 and verse 7. 14:30 Now, this is a bridge too far for many people. 14:33 Too much, too demanding. 14:35 Who can even do that? The intents of the heart? 14:40 Well, there's one person who can do that, 14:43 and that's Jesus, and He'll do it when He lives in you. 14:49 You know, the scribes and the Pharisees of Jesus' day 14:51 were ignoring all this. 14:53 They'd forgotten all the admonitions 14:55 of the Old Testament prophets, 14:56 from Samuel and Solomon to Isaiah and Micah and others. 15:01 They saw righteousness as something on the outside, 15:05 while the inside remained unchanged. 15:09 In this way, they'd become no different 15:11 from the heathen nations around them. 15:14 You can't help but see the stark contrast between this attitude 15:19 and the word of the Lord to the prophet Samuel 15:21 in the Old Testament: 15:23 "Man looks at the outward appearance, 15:26 but the Lord looks at the heart." 15:29 First Samuel 16, verse 7. 15:32 In other words, in their practice of religion, 15:35 God's people in Jesus' time had become incredibly 15:38 like the heathen--who they despised, ironically. 15:42 What was on the surface mattered more than what was in the heart. 15:46 It was the purpose of Jesus to draw the chosen nation 15:49 back to the principles spelled out in the Old Testament, 15:53 and away from the religion for show which had taken the place 15:57 of the transformed heart. 15:59 It's this religion of the heart that true conversion brings, 16:03 and it makes possible what Jesus urged next. 16:07 You see, Christianity isn't just about what you do 16:09 on the outside. 16:11 You can sing in the choir or shout "amen!" or look the part, 16:15 and you can say all the right things, 16:17 but God wants His children to be transformed. 16:21 As Paul wrote in Romans 12, verse 2, 16:24 "And do not be conformed to this world, 16:27 but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, 16:30 that you may prove what is that good and acceptable 16:34 and perfect will of God." 16:36 Jesus spoke to Nicodemus-- and interestingly, 16:39 he was a Pharisee, a member of that very group 16:41 Jesus was correcting so strongly. 16:43 And Jesus said to him, "You must be born again." 16:47 Nicodemus had it all going right on the outside, 16:50 but inwardly he was empty. 16:52 He was failing spiritually when he wanted to be 16:55 spiritually successful. 16:57 And this is where a lot of people find themselves today. 17:00 From sea to shining sea there are people you would think 17:04 were doing great spiritually, 17:05 but on the inside they're dying, and they're failing. 17:09 And they realize their Christian experience 17:11 is not nearly what they want it to be. 17:14 Maybe you've been there. 17:16 You might be having an experience where you know 17:18 what God wants. 17:20 You know what Jesus wants your life to be like. 17:22 But you just can't deliver it. 17:24 Well, God has a solution for you, a way forward, 17:28 and that's what Matthew 5 is all about. 17:32 More in just a moment. 17:33 ♪[Music]♪ 17:42 >>John: Thank you for remembering 17:43 that It Is Written exists 17:45 because of the kindness of people just like you. 17:48 To support this international life-changing ministry, 17:51 please call us now at 800-253-3000. 17:55 You can send your tax-deductible gift 17:57 to the address on your screen, 17:58 or you can visit us online at itiswritten.com. 18:02 Thank you for your prayers and for your financial support. 18:05 Our number again is 800-253-3000, 18:09 or you can visit us online at itiswritten.com. 18:13 ♪[Music]♪ 18:17 >>Man 1: What does the Bible say about astrology? 18:24 >>Man 2: Why do bad things happen to good people? 18:33 >>Girl: What color is Jesus? 18:35 >>John Bradshaw: If you have a question, 18:37 we'd love to find an answer for you from the Bible. 18:39 Line Upon Line 18:40 from It Is Written TV. 18:43 >>John Bradshaw: In Matthew 5, verses 23 and 24 Jesus says, 18:46 "Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, 18:49 and there remember that your brother 18:51 has something against you, 18:52 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way." 18:56 He says, "First be reconciled to your brother, 18:58 and then come and offer your gift." 19:01 Clear up matters. Don't hang on to old scores. 19:05 Work things out. 19:07 Reconciliation, unity, 19:10 no grudges separating you from your neighbor. 19:14 And then this, the kind of statement that helps us 19:17 to see that in God's eyes, Christianity is the real thing. 19:22 The gospel is a living force that can change your life. 19:27 See, nobody feels good about themselves when they know 19:30 God wants them to live a certain life, but they can't do it. 19:35 Too many people today are living a double life: 19:38 Christ on the outside but the devil on the inside. 19:44 All profession of Christ, no possession of Christ. 19:49 And this is one of the things that gives Christianity 19:51 a bad name. 19:52 People call themselves Christian, 19:53 but you would never know looking at the way they live their life. 19:56 No power. 19:57 I'm not talking about people who stumble, 19:58 people who make mistakes. 20:00 That's going to happen as you grow as a believer. 20:04 It's just not necessary to live a life where you claim to be 20:07 a follower of Jesus, but your heart hasn't been changed. 20:12 Because the Christ of the Bible is in the business 20:15 of changing hearts, and He'll change yours. 20:19 Look at what Jesus said, starting in verse 38: 20:22 "You have heard that it was said, 20:24 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' 20:28 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. 20:31 But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, 20:34 turn the other to him also. 20:36 If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, 20:39 let him have your cloak also. 20:41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. 20:46 Give to him who asks you, 20:48 and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away." 20:53 You know what Jesus is saying. 20:55 Instead of fighting fire with fire, fight fire with love. 21:01 If someone mistreats you, love them anyway. 21:03 They want something? Give them that and more. 21:05 Someone takes? Give. 21:07 Someone wants to borrow? Lend. 21:09 Jesus isn't talking about what you do on the outside now, 21:13 He's talking about His ability to change a heart so radically 21:17 that when someone curses you, you'll bless them in return. 21:22 In fact, He frames this in a really graphic way: 21:26 "You have heard that it was said, 21:28 'You [should] love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 21:31 But I say to you, love your enemies, 21:34 bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, 21:38 and pray for those who spitefully use you 21:41 and persecute you." 21:43 That's Matthew 5:43-44. 21:45 Evidently, it was the belief in Jesus' day 21:47 that you should love those close to you, your neighbor, 21:50 while it was okay, even desirable, to hate other people. 21:55 Now, that certainly isn't God's way. 21:57 Christians are supposed to show their love to others, 22:00 even their enemies. 22:02 Now, I know that's tough. That's not easy. 22:04 John, you have no idea how these people wind me up, 22:06 how hard it is to show kindness. 22:09 Hard for you, sure. But hard for God? 22:11 No, it's not. 22:13 You see, God can do that in a person's life. 22:16 He can do it in your life. 22:17 Love your enemy? Yes, you can. 22:20 What was it that Paul wrote? 22:21 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." 22:25 That's Philippians 4 and verse 13. 22:28 This is where Christianity shows us what it's really all about. 22:31 Nothing gives the world more evidence that the Bible 22:34 has changed a person's life as when hatred turns to love. 22:40 This is why Jesus said in John 13:35, 22:43 "By this all will know that you are my disciples, 22:47 if you have love for one another." 22:51 Too many Christians seem to have a hard time remembering that. 22:54 Holding grudges is common, even in the church, 22:56 and it's poisonous. 22:58 Refusing to forgive is common, 23:00 even though Jesus made clear in Matthew chapter 6 23:04 that people who refuse to forgive others 23:07 won't be forgiven by God. 23:08 You'll find husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, 23:11 bosses and employees, teammates, students, and teachers 23:15 holding on to grievances for years, even decades. 23:20 When Jesus said that our righteousness must exceed 23:24 that of the scribes and Pharisees, 23:26 He was saying that the righteousness we have 23:29 has to come from a changed heart. 23:32 It ought to be evidence of a changed life. 23:35 Of course, a person could look at someone 23:37 like Governor George Wallace, 23:38 who made a career out of hating people and encouraging others 23:41 to do the same, and find it hard to manifest forgiveness, 23:45 or to feel anything other than bitterness. 23:48 But to look at a person and that person's misdeeds-- 23:52 now, that's a dangerous thing. 23:55 The more important question is the one that addresses 23:57 what's going on in your heart, not someone else's. 24:03 The message of Matthew 5 is that God can change any heart, 24:08 if you'll let Him. 24:10 He can still give us the grace to love and forgive our enemies. 24:15 Historians still debate whether George Wallace was sincere 24:19 in his request for forgiveness 24:21 from those he'd wronged so terribly. 24:24 And that's understandable. 24:26 Was he sincere, do you think? Was he? 24:29 Let's let God decide that. 24:32 Author Dan Carter, who wrote a biography on George Wallace, 24:35 quoted an English writer who said, 24:39 "Men's hearts are concealed, 24:42 but their actions are open to scrutiny." 24:46 Although human hearts are very much concealed, 24:49 the Bible assures us, speaking of God: 24:52 "[You, You only] know the hearts of all the sons of men." 24:57 First Kings 8:39. 24:59 And the same God who alone can read our hearts 25:04 is the One who alone possesses the power to change them. 25:10 ♪[Music]♪ 25:12 >>Announcer: Planning for your financial future 25:14 is a vital aspect of Christian stewardship. 25:17 For this reason, 25:19 It Is Written is pleased to offer 25:21 free planned giving 25:22 and estate services. 25:23 For information on how we can help you, 25:26 please call 800-992-2219. 25:31 Call today 25:31 or visit our website: hislegacy.com. 25:35 Call 800-992-2219. 25:40 >>John Bradshaw: Temptation is a fact of life, 25:43 but you can be successful in the face of temptation. 25:46 Be sure you get today's free offer, 25:48 "When the Lion Roars," 25:50 and find out how you can successfully defeat temptation 25:55 instead of being defeated by sin. 25:57 To get your free copy of "When the Lion Roars," 26:00 call us on 800-253-3000. 26:03 You can write to the address on your screen 26:05 or visit us online at iiwoffer.com. 26:11 >>John Bradshaw: Let me pray with you now. 26:13 Our Father in heaven, we thank You in the name of Jesus 26:15 that You are able to change our heart. 26:17 ♪[Music]♪ 26:18 And we don't want to be the type of person who outwardly puts on 26:22 a good show of being a Christian, 26:24 demonstrates religiosity, 26:27 while on the inside we're corrupt and full of malice, 26:31 and we're sick, and we are failing. 26:35 Lord, we know it is Your intention to change us inwardly 26:39 and outwardly, to do a thorough, complete job, 26:42 to convert us that we might be, as Jesus said to Nicodemus, 26:47 born again. 26:49 Friend, as you look into your heart, what do you see? 26:52 Do you see a heart that's at one with the heart of God? 26:56 Do you see a heart that is united with Jesus? 26:58 If so, then I want you to say, "Thank You, Lord." 27:01 But if you don't, 27:03 if you look on the inside and you see a hypocrite, 27:06 if you look on the inside and you see someone 27:08 who's just playing a game or going through the motions, 27:12 whose practice doesn't meet with his or her profession, 27:17 then right now I'd like you to ask Jesus 27:18 to give you a new heart. 27:20 Father, would You do that for me, for each of us? 27:24 Give us a new heart, a new mind, 27:27 that our profession might be demonstrated by a life 27:33 that reveals to others that there is a Savior. 27:38 We thank You, and we pray in Jesus' name. 27:43 Amen. 27:44 Thank you so much for joining me. 27:46 I'm looking forward to seeing you again next time. 27:48 Until then, remember: 27:50 "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, 27:55 but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" 28:00 ♪[Theme music]♪ |
Revised 2022-06-21