Participants: Mollie Steenson
Series Code: OTR
Program Code: OTR000821
|
01:00 Before our mission story this morning,
01:02 we have some people from Australia. 01:05 How many of you know John and Rosemary? 01:07 Come on now, guys. 01:08 How many of you know John and Rosemary Malkiewycz. 01:11 They are doing a tremendous work for us 01:14 in Australia. 01:15 They told me the most interesting experience 01:18 that was a very recent experience. 01:21 There was a taking of an afternoon 01:23 worship service, 01:24 it was at a two hour... 01:26 I think it was a testimony service. 01:28 That's true. 01:30 And there was something that was repeated 01:31 time after time. 01:33 What was that that was repeated 01:34 time after time 01:36 in that worship service or testimony service? 01:37 It was all about 3ABN. 01:40 Because of their efforts 01:41 and because of all of their, 01:44 our viewers, 01:46 our donors have helped us 01:48 with our efforts to be on the satellite 01:51 that's over Australia and New Zealand. 01:53 That country is being impacted 01:55 with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, 01:58 and they have some incredible stories 02:00 to tell you that I thought would just bless you all. 02:03 Have a good time this morning, Rosemary. 02:06 Thank you, Mollie. 02:08 You know, just over 2,000 years ago 02:12 Jesus gave a commission. 02:14 You find it in Matthew 28:19 and 20, 02:17 and he said, "Go ye and teach all nations, 02:21 baptizing them in the name of the Father, 02:24 and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, 02:27 teaching them whatsoever things I have thought you, 02:30 teach it to other people." 02:32 And, you know, 02:34 that commission has inspired thousands 02:38 over the years 02:39 since Jesus gave that commission 02:41 to become missionaries and to leave this, 02:44 their home land, their friends, 02:46 and their families and go out and preach the gospel 02:50 telling them about the love of Jesus, 02:53 the things that He can do for you in your life, 02:55 and those missionaries 02:58 had a desire to inspire others 03:01 to follow Jesus and do the same. 03:03 As our children were growing up, 03:05 we had the privilege where Rosemary did 03:07 of reading the stories about our missionaries. 03:10 Our children would sit there each night 03:12 and every time we came to the end of the chapter, 03:14 it was time to go to bed, they would say, 03:16 "Just one more chapter, just one more chapter." 03:19 You know, it wasn't very long 03:21 before our family left Australia 03:24 and we headed overseas to Nepal, 03:26 and we ourselves became missionaries. 03:28 And while we were there, we had a wonderful experience. 03:31 We actually, when Maranatha were there, 03:34 some of the Maranatha people told us about 3ABN. 03:38 Danny Shelton had been working here in America 03:41 for a number of years and we had never heard of 3ABN. 03:45 And it was only when we went out 03:46 into the mission field 03:48 that we heard about 3ABN. 03:51 On our way home we went to Bangkok, 03:54 and that was the first time, the Bangkok Adventist Hospital. 03:57 We spent some time there doing some work as missionaries, 04:00 and while we were there we actually got to see 3ABN, 04:04 and we became inspired 04:07 because we were hearing stories from other missionaries 04:10 at how it impacted their life 04:12 because as a missionary out there, you are isolated, 04:15 you don't get to hear what's happening 04:17 around the rest of the world. 04:19 You feel lonely. 04:21 And this was a way of reinforcing 04:23 what we as the people believe, seeing what God is doing 04:27 not only where we were working but all over the world. 04:30 So, on our way home, we were saying to the Lord, 04:33 we don't want to go back 04:34 and just go back into secular life. 04:37 We don't want a secular job, we wanna work for you 04:39 and little did we know as we prayed to the Lord that 04:42 when we would return home to Australia, 04:45 we would become missionaries in Australia. 04:48 We were inspired by God 04:50 to continue this ministry of 3ABN in Australia. 04:55 And this morning, we wanna tell you a story, 04:58 a missionary story from Australia. 05:01 Like John said, we had no idea 05:03 what impact this was gonna have on our lives to say, "Lord, 05:06 we wanna work for you full time when we go home, 05:08 we don't wanna just go back into the normal everyday 05:12 secular work that we have done before." 05:16 We never imagined to ever be standing here 05:18 and this is our fourth 3ABN Spring Camp Meeting, 05:21 so I praise God for that opportunity, 05:23 something we never believed that we would ever do, 05:26 let alone, well, come here once, 05:27 let alone four times. 05:29 But the story that I am going to tell you takes place back 05:33 where we live in Western Australia. 05:35 A few years ago, we headed off 05:37 for our first trip around Australia to spread 3ABN 05:41 further than Western Australia. 05:44 And just before we did that, we met up with a couple 05:47 who had been watching the searched videos. 05:50 You probably haven't heard of them, 05:51 they're produced by the Australian Media Center 05:54 with the Evangelist Geoff Youlde 05:56 as the main speaker, 05:58 and they're advertized on television 06:00 and people came phoning to receive these videos, 06:03 and church members take them to the people's homes. 06:07 You know, one week around, a new video each week, 06:12 and I used that as a way to try introduce people 06:14 to the truths of the Bible. 06:16 Well, there was a couple who were receiving those videos 06:19 and this story has actually been 06:21 in one of the 3ABN World magazines. 06:24 Some of you might have read about Doug and Lynette Lily. 06:28 We have a photograph of them that we will put up too. 06:30 They're on the screen now. 06:33 Doug and Lynette were coming along to a meeting 06:36 that Geoff Youlden held 06:37 after watching these search videos, 06:40 and a church member Bill was taking other videos to them 06:44 when they'd finish the search ones. 06:46 And when we met them, we said to them, 06:48 "How would you like to have 3ABN in your home?" 06:51 And John explained to them what 3ABN was 06:54 and they were very interested. 06:55 Few weeks later, they rang us and said, 06:57 "We've bought the equipment, we want it in our house." 06:59 So we had some church members put it in 07:01 because we were away. 07:03 Well, that couple spent time watching 3ABN 07:07 and they were so impressed. 07:10 They starting videoing the programs 07:12 to give to friends 07:14 and they were also baptized 07:17 into the Adventist Church in July, 2004. 07:21 After watching 3ABN they said that 07:24 all of their questions were answered 07:26 through watching 3ABN. 07:28 Now, Lynette is not well person, 07:30 she has post-polio syndrome and a couple of other illnesses 07:34 and she can't get to church every week. 07:36 So 3ABN has become her church 07:39 because she's too ill most of the time to attend, 07:41 but Doug visits church each week. 07:44 And as this couple have continued on watching 3ABN, 07:47 they have videoed more programs and they've got books, 07:51 and they've been handing them out 07:52 to their friends from the other churches 07:55 that they've attended before. 07:57 We had the privilege of putting in a satellite dish 08:00 for their neighbor, Isabelle, 08:02 because they impacted Isabelle with what they were hearing. 08:06 And we put it in for Isabelle, 08:07 and one day she was going to attend 08:09 the Adventist Church for the first time 08:12 when John was going to preach 08:13 at that particular local church. 08:15 Unfortunately, that Friday night, 08:18 she suffered a heart attack 08:21 and she has not been able to attend church at all 08:24 in the Adventist Church, 08:26 but she considers herself a Seventh-day Adventist, 08:29 and she watches 3ABN 08:31 because it is church for her. 08:34 Now, Lynette and Doug were spreading 08:38 what they could of these videos that they were taping, 08:41 and some of them, they sent to a friend of theirs 08:43 up in Perth 08:45 who was a Pentecostal lady, 08:48 and they sent her lots of books and lots of videos, 08:52 and then earlier this year, that lady died, 08:55 but they had no idea of the impact 08:57 that these books and videos it had on her life. 09:01 So the daughter contacted them and said, 09:03 you know, would you like these things back? 09:06 So they decided to take them with them 09:09 and they took them to the memorial service 09:13 that was held down where they live in Bunbury 09:15 for this lady that had died. 09:17 And at that memorial service they had it announced that 09:20 anybody there was able to take any of the books or videos 09:25 that they wanted out of this box 09:27 of belongings of this lady who had died. 09:31 Well, they couldn't believe their eyes. 09:33 As I sat there, 09:34 they watched people devouring 09:36 the things in that box and they were going 09:38 and people were grabbing through 09:40 and reading the titles and oh, 09:41 take this, I'll take that. 09:43 And they were taking books. 09:44 Well, there was a couple who took some of the videos. 09:46 In fact, Lynette was saying, "You like this one? 09:49 Oh and this one is a good one too, 09:50 you'll really enjoy the message on here." 09:53 And so she was giving out these videos 09:55 and this couple took an Antichrist Agenda, 09:59 they took the Revelation Insight series 10:02 with Lyle Albrecht. 10:03 And I don't know what other videos they took, 10:05 but they took a few things. 10:07 When they looked at them and when they read the book, 10:10 they found that they were in harmony with each other, 10:13 that there was a perfect wholeness 10:15 that went through all of these things 10:18 and they started to take notice of what they were hearing 10:22 and what they were reading, 10:23 and it had an impact on their lives. 10:26 And just at the end of April, 10:28 we had Pastor Geoff Youlden who was the one 10:31 who was on those original search videos 10:33 that the Lily's had. 10:35 He came to Bunbury 10:36 and did a two weeks evangelistic series 10:39 and who turned up at the series? 10:41 But this couple Mike and Jenny. 10:45 We didn't know who they were. 10:47 We didn't know why they were there, 10:49 but they came from the very first night 10:51 and attended every meeting, 10:52 and it was a week later that we heard the story. 10:55 Oh, this couple is here because they were at a funeral 10:59 and they picked up all these videos 11:01 and started watching them. 11:04 And we had no idea, 11:05 and Doug was attending these meetings too, 11:08 and he couldn't believe his ears 11:10 when he heard this story that they were his videos. 11:13 His and his wife's, 11:15 so then they had the pleasure of meeting this couple 11:17 Mike and Jenny. 11:18 But Mike and Jenny also decided to bring 11:21 a couple of other friends David and Elena along 11:23 to these evangelistic meetings. 11:25 So they started attending as well. 11:28 And the snowball kept on growing, 11:31 but that's not all the story either of this couple, 11:36 Mike and Jenny, they are coming along 11:38 to some follow up evangelistic meetings 11:41 along with the other couple as well, 11:44 and they are very convicted of what they are hearing. 11:47 But going back a bit, 11:50 Doug and Lynette had an impact on their children, 11:54 and their daughter had a little baby named Seth 11:59 and she decided along with her husband, 12:01 though they were not Adventists and not really Christians, 12:04 they wanted their son dedicated to God, 12:08 and they had him dedicated by the local pastor 12:10 in the Adventist Church. 12:12 So the grandparents have been baptized 12:15 and the grandson had been dedicated, 12:18 and they story doesn't finish there either 12:21 because two weeks ago, 12:22 in this photograph that's on the screen now, 12:25 you will see little Seth, well, he's not so little anymore. 12:28 He's grown a bit since he was dedicated 12:31 but that is his mother Stacy, Doug and Lynette's daughter. 12:34 She was baptized two weeks ago today 12:38 into the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 12:40 So this story keeps on going, 12:42 God has His snowball 12:44 that keeps on rolling along and gathering more people. 12:48 Now each one of us can have a snowball, 12:51 each one of us can have the effect on someone else 12:55 just like Doug and Lynette have. 12:56 Lynette's sick, 12:58 she can't get out and do things, 12:59 she can't go out and witness in certain ways, 13:02 like a lot of us can, 13:03 but she's doing her work silently, quietly, 13:07 but she's spreading the gospel through using 3ABN. 13:11 And every one of you can do that. 13:12 All of our viewers can do that. 13:15 It's not something that any of us cannot do. 13:17 And I encourage you to do that thing 13:20 with spreading it on. 13:22 If you want to, go and learn 13:23 how to put a satellite dish in your area, 13:26 so you can put it in the homes of others. 13:28 And we have a couple, 13:30 I will just tell another quick story that 13:33 we were asked to put a satellite dish in for 13:36 and we did so. 13:38 And the female, the lady, 13:42 she was more into Eastern religion 13:46 than Christianity, 13:48 and the very first night 13:51 they started watching 3ABN after we've installed it, 13:55 it was on the state of the dead, 13:57 a message that they heard on 3ABN. 14:00 And at the end of that program, she said, "This is fantastic. 14:04 I haven't heard this before." 14:06 Because with the Eastern religion, 14:08 of course, you're taught reincarnation 14:11 and that type of thing, immortality of the soul. 14:15 And she was absolutely amazed by what she heard 14:18 and she believed it, this must be the truth. 14:20 Well, the man John, this is Tia and John. 14:23 And John said to me a few weeks later 14:26 they were attending church and he said that 14:30 they couldn't believe that every time 14:33 they had a discussion on a certain biblical topic, 14:36 that night when they watched 3ABN, 14:40 that's what all the program seemed to be about that night. 14:43 The exact topic 14:44 that they had discussed that day 14:46 was on 3ABN and this went on. 14:48 He said it wasn't just once or twice, 14:50 it just continued 14:51 every single time they discussed something, 14:54 that night it was on that topic. 14:57 Tia is wanting to be baptized. 14:59 She has really come to known about Jesus 15:02 and to learn to love him 15:04 because they've been watching 3ABN. 15:06 It is a brilliant media. 15:08 It is a brilliant way to spread the gospel 15:10 and I just urge you to please get involved. 15:14 You know, Jesus gave that commission 15:16 and sometimes we think we need to be missionaries 15:18 to go into distant lands, 15:21 but I've learnt with 3ABN that you can be a missionary. 15:25 You know, some people think you have to have 15:27 a doctorate in theology 15:29 or a doctorate in medicine to be a missionary. 15:31 I wanna tell you today, you need some credentials, 15:34 you need to have a BA. 15:37 Born again. Born again, and a PhD. 15:41 Preparing for heaven daily. 15:43 That qualifies you to be a missionary. 15:46 With that spirit in your heart, 15:47 you'll be able to accomplish many things. 15:49 I believe we have a very short time. 15:52 Each one of us is given an opportunity here today. 15:54 Those of you who are supporting 3ABN 15:57 can do a little bit more. 15:58 Be the spokesperson for 3ABN, 16:00 wherever you go, tell the stories, 16:02 tell the amazing conversions, 16:05 the way people have been inspired 16:07 to accept Jesus Christ as our Savior. 16:10 There's nothing better. 16:11 Rosemary and I have been missionaries 16:14 for quite some time since I've became an Adventist 16:16 just over 30 years ago. 16:19 I didn't know where the Lord was leading me, 16:21 but since that time I've been going out 16:23 into the mission field working. 16:25 My desire was to spread and tell others about Jesus, 16:29 but I believe that this is probably 16:30 the greatest mission work that I've ever done, 16:32 working with 3ABN 16:34 because it not only impacts the people just where I am, 16:37 but the whole of Australia, the whole of New Zealand, 16:40 the whole of Papua New Guinea 16:41 is been blessed by this ministry. 16:43 If there's ever a time 16:45 that you need to support this work, it is now. 16:48 If there's ever a time that you have funds, use it now 16:52 because very soon those funds will be of little value. 16:57 We're seeing the world changing ever before us. 16:59 We need to be committed to this work, 17:02 committed to finishing the work 17:04 that Jesus Christ has called us to do. 17:06 I wanna be part of it. 17:08 Do you? 17:09 Praise God. 17:11 Thank you. Thank you. 17:18 When I came to 3ABN, 17:19 my wife and I about little more than four years ago, 17:23 lot of people we got to know here at this ministry 17:26 and as the time has gone on, and we've seen positions change 17:29 and new responsibility added, 17:32 we have really come to appreciate 17:35 Mollie Steenson. 17:37 Now Mollie Steenson is more than 17:41 what you see on the surface. 17:44 To be in the position that God has chosen 17:47 to place her in is the position of great responsibility. 17:51 But Mollie sees and hears what is being said, 17:54 but she also sees and hears 17:57 what's not being said. 17:59 When it comes to presenting the Word of God, 18:01 we've often said as we've seen people like Joyce Meyer, 18:03 and we say this humbly 18:05 but with confidence in God's gift 18:06 that He entrusted to her. 18:08 We say, well, Joyce Meyer's Mollie 18:10 really has nothing on you. 18:12 You are anointed by the Spirit of God just as she is. 18:15 And so this morning we know that 18:17 as this lesson is presented, 18:20 it's going to be done through a woman 18:21 I can honestly say is a godly woman. 18:25 Let's give God the glory 18:26 as He allows Mollie Steenson 18:29 to walk us through His Word this morning. 18:34 Thank you, Pastor Lomacang. 18:36 You know, 18:38 I was just telling them in the back 18:41 that the first time I ever spoke 18:44 in front of a group of people, 18:47 I got a migraine headache and threw up three times 18:50 before I got up and so 18:52 God has graced me and matured me 18:55 because I haven't thrown up yet today, 18:59 but aren't we enjoying 19:00 our Sabbath School series this quarter. 19:04 The name of our series 19:06 is Thy Word is a Lamp unto My Feet. 19:09 And I just wanted to encourage all of our viewers, 19:13 you know, 19:14 we're here in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 19:17 It is so universal. 19:19 The same lesson that I am teaching here today, 19:21 you know they're teaching over in India 19:24 and they're teaching in China, 19:26 all over the world is the same lesson. 19:29 And I just wanted to encourage all of you 19:31 that are viewing that aren't familiar 19:34 with the Sabbath school program 19:36 that you can go to your local Seventh-day 19:38 Adventist Church, pick up a quarterly 19:41 and just read along with us 19:43 and study along with us every Sabbath 19:47 and also, you know we've picked up 19:49 a whole new viewing audience, 19:52 people that have never had the opportunity 19:54 to view 3ABN before, 19:56 just I believe it was this last Wednesday. 19:58 So I wanted to personally welcome all of you 20:02 that are viewing on dish network 20:03 and welcome back all of you that are on Sky Angel 20:07 that had viewed us in the past, 20:08 do we welcome our new family to the viewing audience. 20:18 Today, we're looking at the Bible for today 20:22 and our revelation of hope. 20:24 Our memory text is Romans 15:4. 20:28 Now what I want to do 20:29 is encourage all of you to use your Bibles 20:32 to follow along in these scriptures. 20:34 How does faith come? 20:36 Somebody tell me, how faith comes. 20:39 Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word. 20:43 And so, don't just let me read you these scriptures 20:46 or poach you these scriptures, follow along in your Bible 20:49 and it will do you a world of good. 20:51 You at home, get your Bible and study along with me. 20:54 We're in Romans 15:4. 20:57 This is our memory text. 20:59 "For everything that was written in the past 21:02 was written to teach us, 21:05 so that through endurance 21:07 and the encouragement of the scriptures 21:13 we might have something." 21:14 What is it that we might have? 21:16 That we might have hope. 21:19 Hebrews 6:19 tells us that 21:23 hope is the anchor of our soul. 21:27 We use the word hope very often. 21:29 How many of you have used the word hope already 21:32 at least a few times today? 21:34 I was just thinking, we had probably said 21:38 before we came to camp meeting, boy, I hope it doesn't rain. 21:42 Particularly if you're in a camper 21:44 or in a tent there on the camp grounds, 21:46 I hope it doesn't rain. 21:48 This morning before you got here, 21:50 boy, I hope I get a good seat here today 21:54 but, you know, we can insert the word wish 21:58 in both of those places, can't we? 22:00 A lot of the times where we use the word hope, 22:03 what we're really using is the word wish. 22:06 Let's differentiate between 22:09 what we wish for 22:11 and what we hope for. 22:13 Let's suppose that your child, how many of you are parents? 22:18 I am a parent, I am a grandparent. 22:20 You know, I've heard it say before 22:22 if you knew grandparents were gonna be so great, 22:24 you would had them first. 22:26 Oh, my little grand babies are precious. 22:28 Let's suppose your child 22:29 or your grandchild has been in an accident, God forbidden 22:34 and he is in surgery 22:36 and you know that it's very serious. 22:38 The surgery seems to have been going on and on and on. 22:42 Anybody ever had this experience? 22:44 I know some of you have. 22:46 The surgeon walks out of that surgical room 22:49 and he comes down the hall to talk to you. 22:53 I know you're a bit apprehensive 22:54 as he walks up, 22:56 but he says these two words to you, 22:58 there's hope. 23:01 Now, did that speak out little more profoundly to you 23:04 than you saying, I hope I get a seat in here this morning. 23:08 There's hope. 23:09 That's the kind of hope 23:11 that we want to talk about today. 23:14 This is a true story. 23:16 Four World War II fliers were shot down 23:20 and they were floating for 21 days 23:23 on a small life raft 23:25 in the middle of the Pacific. 23:27 They had no water or food. 23:30 However when their thirst got so bad, 23:33 it would rain 23:35 and they'd catch the rain and they would drink it, 23:38 when their hunger became unbearable, 23:40 seagulls would land on their rafts 23:43 and they would catch those birds and eat them. 23:46 When finally rescued, they were interviewed separately 23:50 and each were asked the same question. 23:53 To whom do you attribute your survival? 23:57 All the men, they gave basically the same answer. 24:02 There was a New Testament in the raft 24:05 which they read every day 24:08 and that book 24:10 gave them hope to press on 24:12 even when things looked hopeless. 24:15 Where did they draw their hope? 24:17 They drew their hope from the Word of God. 24:20 The hope that comes from the Bible 24:22 doesn't have a thing to do with wishing, does it? 24:25 The hope that comes from the Bible 24:27 is the truth about our loving God 24:30 who doesn't only provide for us today, 24:33 He's also prepared a place for us 24:36 throughout eternity, 24:38 and that's what we want to look at today, 24:41 hope for the hopeless. 24:43 Let me ask you this. 24:45 What was the number one bestselling book last year? 24:48 Does anybody know? 24:51 Wasn't Harry Potter, 24:52 hate to tell Danny and Shelley this, but it wasn't 24:54 the Ten Commandments Twice Removed. 24:57 The number one selling book last year 25:00 was the Holy Bible. 25:03 The number one selling book 25:04 year before last was 25:07 the Holy Bible. 25:08 Throughout history, 25:09 the number one selling book each year 25:13 has been the Bible. 25:15 What book is published in the most languages? 25:18 Again, it's the Bible. 25:20 The British Time says 25:22 forget modern British novelists and TV tie-ins. 25:26 The Bible is the bestselling book 25:28 every year. 25:30 They go on to say, it's wonderful 25:32 and it's weird, now this is a British word 25:35 that in this godless age, 25:37 what kind of age are we living in? 25:39 In this godless age, 25:41 this one book should go on selling 25:44 day after day, 25:45 week after week, 25:47 month after month and year after year. 25:50 Why is it, the holy Bible 25:53 consistently throughout the ages 25:55 the number one bestselling book? 25:58 Take a guess. 26:00 Because it offers hope. 26:02 Every one of us at some point, 26:05 how many of you have felt hopeless 26:06 at some point? 26:08 Hopeless or helpless, 26:10 and it gives us hope not just for today 26:13 but throughout eternity. 26:14 Have you ever known anybody 26:16 that truly felt they had been so bad 26:19 that there was no hope for them? 26:22 You ever known anybody like that? 26:23 On the prayer line occasionally, 26:25 Hal would tell me about someone that calls 26:28 and they honestly think they'd committed 26:32 so many heinous crimes or so many sinful things 26:35 that there is no hope for them. 26:37 Let me give you another true story. 26:40 A woman had been brutally murdered. 26:42 Police psychologist after examining the case 26:45 devised a plan to catch the killer. 26:48 They placed a hidden microphone 26:50 and video camera in the ground at her grave 26:54 and they waited. 26:56 One night a man came to the grave, 26:59 got on his knees 27:00 and begged the woman for forgiveness. 27:04 What drove the man back to this victim? 27:07 What do you think that was that drove him back? 27:10 It was guilt. 27:12 Even the worst sinner 27:14 who doesn't believe the Bible 27:16 or even understand the concept of sin as we do 27:21 has a sense of right and wrong 27:25 and often feels guilty for the wrong they do. 27:28 Guilt leads to despair 27:30 and you know what despair leads to? 27:33 Hopelessness. 27:35 Now let's put ourselves in the situation of someone 27:38 who is feel so guilty 27:40 and you know, 27:41 sitting in here today, 27:44 there are probably 27:46 people that this is speaking to their hearts. 27:48 They feel so guilty for something 27:50 that they feel God can't forgive them for 27:53 but do you know, we're speaking to a worldwide viewing audience 27:58 and I dare say, there are many that are viewing 28:00 this television station right now, 28:03 are listening right now 28:06 that feel like they've done something 28:08 that God can't forgive them for. 28:09 Is that true? 28:12 I'll tell you, there is more power 28:14 in the blood of Jesus Christ than any sin 28:17 that you could ever, ever commit. 28:21 What's the only hope? 28:22 The only source of hope for a sinner 28:25 is the Lord Jesus Christ. 28:27 I wanna go through a few scriptures. 28:29 Turn to Romans 5:8. 28:33 What we're doing right now 28:35 is we are going to speak to those 28:39 that feel like they have committed sins 28:42 that are so heinous, they can't be forgiven. 28:45 We want to offer hope, don't we? 28:47 Hope to this hopeless world. 28:49 What is Pastor Cox been ministering to us? 28:52 What's in the subject of his seminars 28:54 and his sermons? 28:56 Isn't it for us to reach souls? 28:59 That's our purpose. 29:01 Romans 5:8 tells us, 29:05 "But God commendeth His love toward us in that, 29:10 while we were yet," what? 29:13 "While we were yet sinners." Christ did something for us. 29:17 What did Christ do for us while we were yet sinners? 29:20 He died for us. 29:21 It doesn't matter what you've done. 29:25 Christ, He loves you so much, He's given His life for you. 29:29 He shed His precious blood for you 29:31 in that while you were yet a sinner. 29:34 He died for you, He's made provision for you. 29:37 Matthew 11:28, 29:41 this is an invitation that Jesus Himself 29:45 is extending to you. 29:47 You did feel that you've committed a sin 29:50 that can't be forgiven. 29:51 Jesus Himself, this is written in red. 29:54 Jesus says to us, "Come unto Me," 29:58 What is He asking? 29:59 Come, "Come unto Me 30:01 all ye that labor and are heavy laden," 30:03 and He'll do something. 30:05 What will He do? 30:06 It says, "I will give you rest." 30:08 And then 1 John 1:9, 30:10 how many of you have memorized this scripture? 30:12 You can quote this one, 30:14 we need this scripture all the time, 30:16 don't we Pastor Cox? 30:18 Because it doesn't matter 30:20 where you are, 30:22 what you've accomplished, 30:23 what mighty feat that you have accomplished for God, 30:26 do you know every one of us have that same propensity 30:29 working within our stewing heart. 30:31 1 John 1:9, 30:33 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful 30:38 and just to forgive us of our sins, 30:40 and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 30:43 Do you see that that's in two parts? 30:45 Listen carefully. 30:47 First of all we confess our sins 30:51 and you know, 30:52 if you sin a sin 30:55 that is just black as pitch. 30:57 Don't go try to sweeten it up and make it kind of grey 31:00 and say, oh, God, I slipped. 31:02 Does God know? 31:04 Just confess your sins. Confess your sins. 31:08 He's faithful and He's just to do what? 31:12 He'll forgive you of that sin. 31:14 And when you're forgiven of that sin, 31:16 does it exist before God anymore? 31:19 No, He puts it in that sea of forgetfulness, 31:23 if you confess it. 31:24 But you have to confess it, 31:25 but He takes it one step further 31:28 and then He will cleanse us 31:30 from all unrighteousness. 31:33 So you confess your sins. 31:35 He's been faithful and just to forgive you 31:37 of your sins 31:39 and now, you know, 31:40 is that forgiveness instantaneous? 31:42 Oh, yes, but now there's cleansing 31:44 from unrighteousness. 31:46 I believe that is that process of sanctification 31:48 that is my understanding of this. 31:50 Mate, that's a process, allowing God to wash you 31:54 with the washing of the water of the Word, 31:56 but think about this. 31:57 I think we as Christians have such a problem of saying 32:01 that we're the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. 32:04 Do you know that if you confess your sins 32:06 and He forgives you and He cleanses you 32:08 from unrighteousness? 32:10 If you've been cleansed from all unrighteousness, 32:12 what does that make you? 32:14 If there's no unrighteousness in your life, what are you? 32:18 Come on, say it, you can say this. 32:20 You can say what the word says about you 32:22 and it says you're the righteousness of God 32:25 in Christ Jesus. 32:27 It's not anything that you've accomplished, 32:29 but it's the power of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, 32:32 effectively at work in your life. 32:35 You are nothing because of who you are. 32:37 You are something because of what He has done for you 32:41 and He has cleansed you 32:42 from all unrighteousness. 32:44 He has shed His precious blood for you. 32:46 Do you know that the scripture says 32:49 that you are the temple of the Holy Spirit, 32:53 Christ wear, that's the hope of glory. 32:56 It's Christ in you that's the hope of... 32:58 Where has Christ set up His abode? 33:01 Has He set up his abode in you? 33:03 There's another scripture that says, 33:04 what, know you not, you are the temple of God. 33:08 So you know what those scriptures 33:09 are telling us 33:11 that the power of the Godhead bodily 33:13 has set up residence on the inside of you. 33:15 Again, you are nothing because of what you've accomplished 33:19 or what you've done. 33:20 You are something because of what you contain. 33:23 We have accepted 33:25 what Christ wrought out for us at Cavalry. 33:28 There is our hope. 33:30 It's taken as we have been transformed 33:32 out of the kingdom of darkness. 33:35 When you get transformed out of the kingdom of darkness, 33:37 what kingdom do you come into? 33:40 It's the kingdom of God's dear Son. 33:42 You were a sinner 33:44 but now you are saved by grace 33:48 and we praise God for 1 John 1:9, 33:51 If we happen 33:54 and we all do to sin, 33:57 oh, thank God we've got an advocate with the Father, 34:00 and we can come back in right relationship with Him. 34:04 If we confess our sins, 34:05 oh, if you'll just confess your sin, 34:07 come before the Lord as a little child 34:09 and just tell Him the truth of what you've done, 34:12 it won't shock Him. 34:13 He knows exactly what you've done, 34:15 and then He'll cleanse you. 34:18 That burden of guilt and shame, and sin 34:21 and hopelessness is removed 34:23 by the forgiving grace of our Lord 34:25 and Savior Jesus Christ. 34:26 He took it all on Himself at Calvary, 34:30 can we praise God for that? 34:32 So that we could walk out from under that load of sin 34:35 and guilt and shame, pure and clean. 34:37 And here's another true story. 34:39 Sam Tannyhill was sentenced to death for murder. 34:43 While in prison, he was given something, 34:45 guess what he was given? 34:47 He was given a Bible. 34:49 That made him angry, 34:50 and he threw that Bible against the wall. 34:53 But one night, feeling guilt, 34:56 fear, and bitterness, 34:58 he wanted something to divert his thoughts. 35:01 So he picked up the Bible. 35:04 At first he didn't understand it, 35:06 and he just tore it apart. 35:08 But the more he read, 35:09 the more he came to know the Christ of the Bible. 35:13 Faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God 35:16 is quick and powerful, 35:18 and sharper than any two-edged sword. 35:20 Is there power in the Word of God? 35:22 You know what that word quick means? 35:24 It's a living force. 35:25 It's alive, and it will work effectively in you. 35:28 And it's the Word of God that will transform your mind. 35:33 As he was reading the Bible, the more he read, 35:35 the more he came to know the Christ of the Bible, 35:38 his life completely turned around 35:40 right there in jail. 35:43 The bitterness, the anger, 35:45 the guilt, and fear, 35:46 all left as he sobbed, 35:49 God, if You'll have me, I'm yours. 35:51 So when this man in a prison cell 35:55 fell on his knees, 35:57 and he sobbed and said, 35:59 "God, if You can, 36:00 if you can take anything, will you take me? 36:03 What do you think God did? 36:04 Oh, no you don't know what you've done. 36:07 No, He was faithful 36:09 and just to forgive him of his sins, 36:11 to cleanse him from unrighteousness. 36:13 And do you know this man, although he was on death row, 36:17 and he had to take the punishment 36:19 of what he has done. 36:21 Do you know we'll spend an eternity with him 36:23 in the presence of our Heavenly Father? 36:25 There's power in the Word. 36:27 I found these incredible quotes in a book. 36:31 Now, you all know I've only been 36:32 in the Adventist Church since 1999. 36:36 And, so and I've been teaching Sabbath School 36:39 for quite some time. 36:40 And I'll come to Sabbath School and I was like, 36:42 "Guys, did you all know this was in the Bible? 36:45 Or did you all, have you all read this 36:48 in Sister White's writings?" 36:49 Oh, yeah, they learned it in cradle roll. 36:52 But not me, I'm just learning 36:56 about these incredible writings 36:57 that Sister White gave us. 36:59 I praise God for her. 37:01 And it has encouraged me and strengthened me 37:03 in many ways. 37:05 But I found these incredible quotes 37:06 in the Desire of Ages. 37:09 This one says, Christ was treated 37:12 as we deserve, 37:14 that we might be treated as He deserves. 37:16 See, I knew y'all learned it in cradle roll. 37:20 Oh, when I saw that, 37:22 oh, that spoke so loudly to me. 37:26 How was he treated? 37:28 Was He beaten? 37:30 Was He scourged? 37:32 Was His beard plucked out? 37:34 Was He spit upon? 37:36 Did they hang Him on a cross, a cruel death? 37:41 Who deserved that? 37:43 Did He do anything to deserve that? 37:45 Who deserves that? 37:47 See, we deserve that. 37:49 He was treated as we deserve 37:52 that we might, 37:53 we're gonna get to be treated like He deserves. 37:57 How does He deserve to be treated? 37:59 Oh, your heavens a real place. 38:02 And it's going to be glorious. 38:04 That's what Christ has done for us. 38:07 He was condemned for our sins, 38:10 in which He had no share, 38:13 that we might be justified by His righteousness 38:17 in which we had no share. 38:20 He was condemned for our sins. 38:25 Those sins that should be condemning us, 38:28 they are now 38:30 under the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, 38:32 we praise God. 38:33 I mean this is a blood, 38:36 it's not a bloodless religion. 38:38 The blood of the Lord Jesus Christ 38:41 is what has cleansed us from our sins. 38:43 I think of the children of Israel 38:47 when they were in Egypt, 38:49 and right before they left Egypt, 38:52 they were given instruction to do something. 38:55 They were given instruction 38:57 to slay the sacrificial lamb. 39:01 Remember that? 39:02 And what were they to do with that blood? 39:04 They would take, they were to take the blood 39:07 and apply it to the doorpost and the lintels of their homes. 39:12 Why did they do that? 39:14 So that when the death angel passed over, 39:18 that death angel would see the blood 39:20 and if the death angel saw the blood, what did he do? 39:24 He would pass over that house. 39:28 So now, how many of you have 39:30 had a Passover experience in your life? 39:33 When you make Jesus Christ the Lord of your life, 39:37 that blood is applied to the doorpost 39:40 and the lintels of your heart? 39:42 And now when the death angel passes over, 39:44 it looks for the blood and when it sees the blood, 39:48 oh, that one, I can't touch. 39:50 There will be no eternal death 39:53 for those that have the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ 39:55 applied to the doorpost and the lintels of their heart. 39:58 You know, there's a powerful thing 40:00 about the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. 40:02 The Scripture says 40:03 that the blood of Jesus speaks louder 40:07 than the blood of Abel. 40:08 Did Cain kill Abel? 40:10 And where was Abel's blood? 40:12 Abel's blood was spilt upon the ground 40:15 and what does the Scripture say did that blood Christ? 40:18 What does the blood of Abel cry out? 40:21 It cries out for vengeance. 40:23 But you know what the blood of Jesus Christ cries out for? 40:27 Mercy, 40:28 oh, mercy, 40:30 that blood was applied to the mercy seat. 40:32 And now when God looks down, and He looks at us, 40:36 He looks at us through the blood of Jesus, 40:39 and that blood is ever speaking 40:41 and when God looks at me 40:44 in my degraded state, 40:47 and He sees the blood of Jesus covering me, 40:50 that blood is saying, oh, God, have mercy on Mollie. 40:53 Oh, God have mercy on everyone that's in here 40:57 that had that blood applied to their lives 41:00 that God's blood is crying out for mercy. 41:04 If you've made Jesus Christ the Lord of your life, 41:07 what are you clothed with right now? 41:10 What does the Scripture say that you're clothed with? 41:13 See. we now are clothed in His righteous robes. 41:18 What an exchange? 41:20 What an exchange we make. 41:23 What is our righteousness like? 41:26 Is it like filthy rags? 41:28 We have taken these filthy rags of our life 41:32 and He has clothed us 41:34 in the righteousness of His life. 41:37 What hope we have in that? 41:41 Solomon, 41:42 was Solomon the wisest man who ever lived? 41:45 Isn't that what we know, Solomon for all of his wisdom. 41:49 He has this to say 41:51 about those who are righteous, 41:53 have we convinced you now 41:55 that you are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus? 41:58 Can you accept? 42:00 Then this is what Solomon has to say about 42:03 each and every one of us? 42:05 It says in Psalms 37:25, 42:10 "I have been young, 42:12 and now am old, 42:14 yet have I not seen 42:17 the righteous forsaken 42:19 nor his seed begging bread? 42:22 So does God give us hope, 42:26 for provision, 42:28 He gives us hope for forgiveness, 42:30 and with that forgiveness comes hope for salvation 42:34 but according to this, 42:36 when we come out of the kingdom of darkness, 42:38 and we come into the kingdom of God's dear Son, 42:41 does He give us hope that He will take care of us? 42:45 Solomon says, I've never seen the righteous forsaken 42:48 nor their seed begging bread? 42:51 Psalms. 42:52 Pardon me? 42:54 What is the first thing that we're to seek for? 42:57 What does it say that we're to seek for? 43:00 Matthew 36:33, 43:04 talking about righteousness 43:07 and hope, 43:08 but seek ye first the kingdom of God 43:12 and His righteousness. 43:15 And what's going to be added unto you? 43:17 All these things are gonna be added unto you. 43:21 God is a God of provision, 43:23 but is there some responsibility 43:25 on our part? 43:27 You know, I ask people this occasionally. 43:30 And they don't much like it. 43:32 But I say, and don't anybody respond to this. 43:36 How many of you would like to have more of Jesus 43:38 and, you know, you get this response? 43:39 But we're on international television. 43:41 So I don't want to do that, to have you respond. 43:45 Because I'm here to tell every one of us, 43:47 we've got all of Jesus right now 43:49 that we won't. 43:51 Oh, people don't like to hear that. 43:53 Because this scripture says, 43:55 "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, 43:58 and His righteousness 44:00 and all these things will be added unto you." 44:04 Blessed, Matthew 5:6, 44:06 "Blessed are they which do 44:08 hunger and thirst after righteousness, 44:11 for they shall be filled." 44:13 If you want to be filled with God's righteousness, 44:16 then we are to seek Him. 44:18 We are to be God's seekers. 44:21 How many of you would like God today 44:23 to touch your heart, 44:24 to set you on fire for God, 44:26 to give you such a hungering 44:28 and a thirsting for the things of God, that you can't, 44:31 you find that you can't be satisfied, 44:33 that you are up early every morning, 44:36 searching things that are in God's Word, 44:38 to give you nourishment for the day. 44:41 And you can't go to bed at night 44:43 until you have been in God's Word 44:45 to give you nourishment for the day. 44:47 Is this word not the only place 44:49 that we're going to receive the hope 44:50 and the nourishment that we need? 44:53 And so if you want more of God, 44:56 then it's found in God's Word. 44:58 It's found in His holy scriptures. 45:00 That's where you're gonna get your nourishment. 45:03 Not only does God make provision 45:05 for His children, 45:07 He is also our protector. 45:10 Go to Psalms 46:1. 45:15 So for all of you that need hope, 45:18 hope in a helpless situation, 45:21 then you fall on your face before God, 45:24 "Seek ye first the kingdom of God." 45:26 Look to Him. 45:28 And if you will confess your sins, 45:29 He'll forgive you, and He'll cleanse you. 45:32 And there in is your hope, 45:33 and He's there to make provision for you. 45:37 He's also your protector. 45:39 Psalms 46:1, 45:42 God is our refuge and strength, 45:46 a very present help, in a time of trouble. 45:49 How many of you have been in a time of trouble 45:54 and you ran into Him? 45:57 You look to Him 45:59 and He was able to deliver you. 46:01 The scripture, 46:03 Proverbs 18:10 says, 46:05 "The name of the Lord is a strong tower, 46:09 the righteous run into it and they're safe." 46:12 That's the name of the Lord. 46:14 You know, the three most powerful forces 46:16 in the universe, according to Mollie, 46:19 is the Word of God, 46:22 the name of Jesus, 46:24 and the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. 46:27 Oh, those are powerful forces. 46:29 When you are covered in the blood 46:32 and you've got God's Word actively at work within you 46:35 and you're using the name of Jesus. 46:39 Is there any force that can overtake you 46:42 or tear you down? 46:43 What has to flee at the name of Jesus? 46:46 Every demonic force has to flee at the name of Jesus. 46:50 The name of the Lord is a strong tower, 46:53 the righteous run into it and they're safe. 46:57 Psalms 34:7 tells us 47:00 that "The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them 47:04 that fear Him," and does something. 47:06 Look at that scripture, the angel of the Lord, 47:09 how many of you know that you've got guardian angel? 47:11 Seems like Danny may have asked us this yesterday? 47:14 We've got guardian angels, thank God. 47:17 The Scripture says that He sends His angels 47:20 to minister unto those that be heirs of salvation. 47:24 How many of you are heirs of salvation? 47:26 Those ministering angels 47:28 are sent forth to minister to you. 47:30 This auditorium is full of angels. 47:34 Don't you wish sometimes that we could pull back 47:37 and look into the spirit realm 47:40 and see all the forces of God 47:42 that are battling on our behalf? 47:44 There are ministering angels, 47:46 there are guardian angels, do you know that 47:48 there are warrior angels as well? 47:51 Something that Shelley Quinn and I pray together 47:53 and Barbara Nolan, most every day, 47:56 and something that we pray quite often is, 47:58 Oh, Father, send Your warring angels 48:01 to do battle in the heavenlies on behalf of 3ABN today. 48:05 Do you know those airwaves is where the message 48:07 is going forth all over the world, 48:10 and we don't want in the airwaves 48:12 in those heavenlies for that message 48:14 to be interfered with in any way. 48:16 So we pray, O God, send forth those ministering angels, 48:20 let God encamp about us, 48:22 this is what the scripture tells us. 48:24 "The angel of the Lord 48:26 encampeth round about them that fear him." 48:28 And He does something? 48:30 He delivers them. 48:33 Psalms 14 pardon me, 48:35 Psalms 91:4, 48:38 "He shall cover thee..." 48:39 You want to run, go to that scripture, 48:41 Psalms 91:4. 48:44 I still hear paper turning 48:48 so you're not quite there yet. 48:51 Psalms 91:4 says 48:53 "He shall cover thee with his feathers, 48:57 and under his wing shall thou trust." 49:01 I heard a story about this some years ago, 49:03 supposed to be a true story. 49:05 The other three I can vouch for they were true stories. 49:08 This one I'm not positive about. 49:10 But this, as it came to me, as I was told. 49:14 I believe this was in Birmingham, Alabama. 49:17 We got people from Alabama here today, thank God. 49:20 But this was supposed to be in Birmingham, Alabama. 49:22 And there was a big ladies convention 49:26 and part of the study that they'd had 49:30 that evening included the scripture, 49:32 "He'll cover thee with His feathers, 49:34 and under his wing shall thy trust." 49:37 And so this lady had stayed around 49:40 and talked a little too long 49:41 and she had parked way on the back streets 49:45 to get to the convention center. 49:47 And so, as she was leaving, she realized, 49:50 "Oh, it's gotten really dark. 49:53 All the cars are gone in my area." 49:55 And as she was walking, 49:57 she realized somebody was following her. 50:00 Two men actually were following her. 50:03 And she got very apprehensive and she thought, okay, 50:06 the Word of God is my protector. 50:09 What was that scripture? Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. 50:11 Something about feathers. 50:13 And she started saying repeatedly, 50:15 I'm covered with feathers. 50:16 I'm covered with feathers. I'm covered. 50:18 That's all she could remember. 50:19 Here's the power that's in the Word of God, 50:22 as she was saying what she could remember, 50:24 I'm covered in feathers. 50:25 She overheard them as they walked by her, 50:27 "Oh, she's nuts. 50:28 Let's leave her alone." 50:31 There's power in this Word. 50:34 He shall cover thee with His feathers, 50:38 and under His wing, shall thy trust. 50:42 Does that give you hope today? 50:44 It doesn't matter what situation you're in. 50:47 God is your protector. 50:49 He is your provider. 50:51 He will forgive you of your sins 50:53 and when you confess those sins, 50:55 I'm gonna get you to say this with me. 50:57 If you confess your sins, He's faithful 51:00 and just to forgive you of your sins 51:02 and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness. 51:07 And if you are cleansed from all unrighteousness, 51:10 do you realize 51:11 you are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. 51:14 I want you to get that within you. 51:16 Oh, I want people to know they are somebody 51:19 because of what Christ has accomplished for them. 51:22 We have got for us to be able to stand up boldly, 51:27 and proclaim the Word of the living God. 51:29 If we feel like we are nothing's 51:31 and nobody's, 51:33 then we will have the boldness to step forward inside, 51:36 thus saith the Lord God. 51:38 This is what the Word says, 51:40 and be able to bring deliverance 51:42 and help to those that need it so badly. 51:46 The Bible, I want you to turn 51:47 to 1 Corinthians Chapter 15. 51:52 The Bible gives us hope. 51:54 What is your source of hope? 51:56 The Bible is our source of hope. 52:00 The Bible gives us hope 52:02 for forgiveness of our sins. 52:06 The hope, the Bible gives us hope 52:08 for provision. 52:10 The Bible gives us hope for protection. 52:14 But the Bible also gives us hope 52:17 for eternal life, 52:19 hope for an everlasting life. 52:23 There's one thing that is nondiscriminatory. 52:27 It doesn't matter who you are, 52:30 how rich you are, 52:32 how powerful you are, 52:34 how beautiful you are, 52:35 or how famous you are. 52:39 This is nondiscriminatory. 52:41 Everybody's going to face death. 52:46 Medicine can't stop it. 52:49 Diet won't stop it, 52:51 it might prolong, thank God for medicine. 52:54 Do we all praise God for medicine, 52:56 and for changing our diet? 52:59 Exercise might delay it. 53:01 But it's inevitable. 53:03 Guys, we just can't be shortsighted. 53:06 This isn't all there is. 53:09 What we do on this side of eternity 53:12 affects us on the other side of eternity, does it not? 53:15 We can't be shortsighted. 53:17 Some people live by the motto or the creed 53:21 that we need to get all we can 53:27 on this side, go, you know, 53:30 all that you need to do on this side of death, 53:33 because they're living life as though 53:35 that this is all there is. 53:38 But we that have made Jesus Christ 53:40 the Lord of our life, 53:41 we have hope not just in the present 53:43 but what do we have hope for? 53:46 We have hope for eternity. 53:48 We can't be shortsighted. 53:51 Now, while there is still hope 53:54 because once you pass from this life 53:58 in our asleep, 54:01 you're either asleep in Jesus, 54:03 or you're not asleep in Jesus. 54:05 There's no third area. 54:08 And if you go to sleep 54:10 and you're not asleep in Jesus, 54:13 is there any more hope for you? 54:15 No. 54:17 So I just want to encourage you 54:20 on this side of eternity. 54:22 This is where we make provision. 54:24 What is the only thing of any value? 54:28 Can you take anything with you past the grave, 54:30 anything physical? 54:32 What is the only thing of any value 54:35 that you can take with you 54:36 from this life into the grave? 54:40 It's your character. 54:41 It's that which is on the inside of you 54:44 and that which is on the inside of you is formed 54:48 by your relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. 54:51 We must look at things 54:52 that have eternal value. 54:57 Death doesn't have the final word 55:00 if you've accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior. 55:03 Can we find encouragement in that? 55:06 But if you've not made Jesus Christ 55:08 the Lord of your life, and again, 55:10 speaking to this congregation, 55:12 speaking to all you beautiful people, 55:14 you know, if you didn't have a relationship 55:17 with the Lord Jesus Christ, 55:19 if you weren't hungering for the things of God, 55:22 you wouldn't have come all the way 55:23 to Southern Illinois, 55:25 to be at 3ABN's camp meeting. 55:27 This is not des... 55:29 Have y'all found that Thompsonville 55:30 isn't a destination city? 55:33 It's not. 55:34 But there is something here that has drawn you. 55:37 And I believe that you've been drawn here 55:39 by the Spirit of the Living God. 55:42 But again, 55:44 we have to realize that 55:46 there are people 55:47 in this congregation here today 55:50 that need to make Jesus Christ the Lord of their life. 55:53 They need to fall, 55:54 they're there in prisons of their own 55:56 or they're viewing through 3ABN 55:59 or listening through 3ABN Radio, 56:01 they're in prisons of their own, 56:03 maybe not in a physical prison. 56:05 And they need to do just as the gentleman did 56:08 that we read about earlier. 56:10 They need to fall on their knees, 56:12 and repent and ask God, 56:14 Oh, God, if You can do anything with anybody, 56:17 would you take me and do something with me? 56:20 That is our only hope for eternity. 56:23 Let's look here in 1 Corinthians Chapter 15, 56:26 the 15th through, 56:28 starting with the 51st verse, 56:30 that's 1 Corinthians 15 56:32 starting in verse 51. 56:35 It says, "Behold, I'll show you a mystery. 56:39 You shall not all sleep, 56:41 but we shall all be changed. 56:44 In a moment, 56:45 in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, 56:49 for the trumpet shall sound 56:51 and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, 56:53 and we shall be changed." 56:55 Let's just pause there a minute. 56:56 Have any of you ever heard of a secret rapture? 57:00 This is a very noisy scripture, 57:02 for something that's supposed to be a secret, isn't it? 57:05 This is the return of the Lord, in a moment, 57:08 in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump, 57:11 for the trumpet shall sound 57:12 and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, 57:15 and we shall be changed, 57:17 for this corruptible 57:19 must put on incorruption, 57:22 and this mortal 57:24 must put on immortality. 57:27 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, 57:31 and this mortal shall have put in on immortality, 57:35 then shall be brought to pass the saying 57:38 that is written, 57:39 death is swallowed up in what? 57:41 Death is swallowed up in victory 57:44 and that is our great hope, is it not? 57:48 Our first hope Christ in us is the hope of glory, 57:51 but to have that eternal hope. 57:54 Step number one, we must have the Lord Jesus Christ, 57:58 living in our lives 57:59 and you know what separates us 58:02 from the loving face of the living God? 58:05 What is the only thing that can separate us from God? 58:09 It's sin. 58:10 I just want to encourage every one of you. 58:13 If there's areas in your life 58:15 that are separating you from God, 58:18 you know, let's pray 58:19 and ask God by the power of His Holy Spirit, 58:22 to search us. 58:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart, 58:26 try me and know my thoughts. 58:27 See if there be any evil way in me 58:29 and lead me in the path everlasting. 58:32 How many of you would like to say today, 58:34 oh, God, look into my heart. 58:37 See if there's anything in me that is separating me from you, 58:40 and oh, Father, cleanse me of that thing. 58:44 Let's all pray together. 58:46 Holy Father, we come before You in the name of Jesus. 58:49 And I praise You and I thank You, Holy Father, 58:52 for the power that's in Your Word 58:54 to cleanse us and to heal us 58:56 and to set us free 58:58 from every area of darkness or sin. 59:01 So, Father, as Your Word declares, 59:03 we pray over everyone 59:05 that is here in this auditorium, 59:07 that's listening from home around the world, 59:10 search us, oh, God, and know our hearts. 59:12 Try us and know our thoughts. 59:15 Oh, Father, if there's any evil way in us, 59:18 we ask Lord, that You would bring it to the surface 59:21 that we could deal with it, that we could repent of it, 59:24 and then, oh, Father, 59:25 lead us in the path everlasting. |
Revised 2019-08-27