1 00:00:00,960 --> 00:00:04,160 S1: Coming to you live from the call of Hope studio. 2 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:06,279 S1: This is Carl and crew. 3 00:00:06,320 --> 00:00:09,280 S2: Okay, we are going to go ape crazy for a 4 00:00:09,280 --> 00:00:13,280 S2: second here. I am more fired up about this super 5 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:16,599 S2: young thunder. You guys get to do it. Do your 6 00:00:16,640 --> 00:00:19,000 S2: thing in their team. Come on, let it rip. 7 00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:20,480 S3: All right, Diana, you want to start? You want me 8 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:22,360 S3: to do it? Go for it. All right, so listen, 9 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:23,840 S3: back in the old day. 10 00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:26,280 S2: Yeah. This is how you know. 11 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:28,920 S3: Hey, I know, yeah. I mean, this wasn't all that 12 00:00:28,920 --> 00:00:32,800 S3: long ago. Smart smartphones weren't until 2008. So this is 13 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:37,720 S3: this is generally new, but you used to grab your 14 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:40,479 S3: radio and your house and sit and listen, or you 15 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:42,519 S3: you'd get in the car and listen on your way 16 00:00:42,520 --> 00:00:45,000 S3: to work. And then, you know, sometimes you go on 17 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:47,840 S3: vacation and you'd really be hoping, man, I hope my 18 00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:50,720 S3: shows don't do anything too interesting while I'm gone, because 19 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:53,400 S3: I'm not gonna know about it. Well, the good thing is, 20 00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:55,600 S3: is now you don't even have to have that worry. 21 00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:57,320 S3: The problem is solved, right? 22 00:00:57,400 --> 00:00:58,760 S2: Worry is gone. 23 00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:01,830 S3: It's gone. Super die. Tell him about it. 24 00:01:02,350 --> 00:01:06,509 S4: Absolutely. Whether it's Carl and crew, another teaching program, whether 25 00:01:06,510 --> 00:01:09,630 S4: it's music, a podcast, whatever it may be, it's your 26 00:01:09,630 --> 00:01:13,149 S4: all in one stop shop app, the Moody App experience. 27 00:01:13,150 --> 00:01:15,710 S4: It is. And wherever you're going, as Jonathan mentioned, you 28 00:01:15,750 --> 00:01:19,310 S4: got it. Whether you have an Android, an iPhone, whatever, 29 00:01:19,350 --> 00:01:21,470 S4: it all works for everything. You can personalize your app 30 00:01:21,470 --> 00:01:23,950 S4: as well. It's so simple the details will send them 31 00:01:23,950 --> 00:01:27,550 S4: to you. Just text the word app, a text that word, 32 00:01:27,590 --> 00:01:33,390 S4: app details and link will come to your phone at (800) 555-7898. 33 00:01:33,430 --> 00:01:37,069 S4: So easy to use. Text the word app to 800 34 00:01:37,069 --> 00:01:40,030 S4: 555 7898. 35 00:01:40,310 --> 00:01:42,510 S2: All right, let's go app crazy right now. And this 36 00:01:42,510 --> 00:01:45,350 S2: is actually a great little tool. My bride does not 37 00:01:45,350 --> 00:01:49,150 S2: listen to the radio. She listens to us on the app. 38 00:01:49,190 --> 00:01:54,230 S2: Yeah yeah. And she's she's she then tunes in while 39 00:01:54,230 --> 00:01:57,430 S2: she's working listening to shows throughout the day, working around 40 00:01:57,430 --> 00:01:59,860 S2: the house. She'll whip that thing into a pocket and 41 00:01:59,860 --> 00:02:00,140 S2: all of a. 42 00:02:00,140 --> 00:02:00,900 S3: Sudden I'm. 43 00:02:00,900 --> 00:02:01,260 S2: Hearing. 44 00:02:01,300 --> 00:02:04,860 S3: It. It's nice. You know, sometimes I'll carry Bluetooth headphones 45 00:02:04,860 --> 00:02:07,740 S3: with me. So if I'm driving somewhere and I'm listening 46 00:02:07,780 --> 00:02:09,580 S3: to a podcast or whatever, and then I hop to 47 00:02:09,580 --> 00:02:11,740 S3: the grocery store, I can just put my headphones in 48 00:02:11,740 --> 00:02:14,100 S3: and continue to listen to what I'm listening to. You 49 00:02:14,100 --> 00:02:15,540 S3: don't have to have that feeling of, oh, I can't 50 00:02:15,540 --> 00:02:17,740 S3: get out of the car. No. Yes you can. You 51 00:02:17,740 --> 00:02:19,140 S3: just got to keep it going on the app. 52 00:02:19,180 --> 00:02:20,220 S4: It's movie on the go. 53 00:02:20,260 --> 00:02:22,940 S2: It's weird to walk into Costco with a boombox on 54 00:02:22,940 --> 00:02:23,579 S2: your shoulder. 55 00:02:23,660 --> 00:02:24,180 S3: Just a little. 56 00:02:24,220 --> 00:02:25,780 S2: Bit. That's just weird. 57 00:02:25,820 --> 00:02:27,139 S4: We keep telling you, Carl. 58 00:02:27,180 --> 00:02:31,100 S2: Stop it. I need to stop doing that, too. All right. Yeah. 59 00:02:31,380 --> 00:02:36,300 S2: Let's go. App. Crazy here. App. Yes. That's one word. 60 00:02:36,620 --> 00:02:46,460 S2: It's a word. App to 800 555, 78, 98 805 five, five, 78, 98. 61 00:02:46,460 --> 00:02:49,700 S2: Let's go. App. Crazy here. Boom! Crew. Whole new way 62 00:02:49,700 --> 00:02:53,899 S2: of listening with everything you need from Moody, right? One 63 00:02:53,900 --> 00:02:58,560 S2: stop shop is super. I love to say. Okay. Coming up. Boy, 64 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:01,640 S2: have we got a treat for you. Jim. Cymbala. Buckle up. 65 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:04,600 S1: You can take him out of Alaska, but you can't 66 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:08,440 S1: take Alaska out of him. Carl is in the crew. 67 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:11,240 S1: It's Carl and crew on Moody Radio. 68 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:14,120 S2: Well, I often say here, boom crew, that the Holy 69 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:18,280 S2: Spirit was my lost God. And it's often that way 70 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:21,760 S2: in the I've got air quotes going here evangelical Bible 71 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:25,480 S2: church movement. And a lot of that was a reaction 72 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:29,160 S2: to some abuses of the power of the spirit. But 73 00:03:29,160 --> 00:03:31,320 S2: one of the men that God used in my life 74 00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:34,440 S2: through by way of a book called Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire, 75 00:03:34,440 --> 00:03:38,880 S2: was Jim Cymbala. What happens when God's Spirit invades the 76 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:42,200 S2: hearts of people? That's the subtitle of this incredible book, 77 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:44,760 S2: by the way. And he's with us right now. Jim, 78 00:03:44,760 --> 00:03:47,040 S2: I want to thank you. I don't think I've told 79 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:51,200 S2: you this before, but your book, God used to help 80 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:55,400 S2: me find my lost God. Why is the Spirit of 81 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:58,750 S2: God either. It seems like we fall off two sides 82 00:03:58,750 --> 00:04:02,550 S2: of this high ridge. Either we have presumptive abuse of 83 00:04:02,550 --> 00:04:05,070 S2: the spirit or we neglect him all together. How do 84 00:04:05,070 --> 00:04:07,150 S2: we stay on that high ridge? How did we get here? 85 00:04:07,190 --> 00:04:09,990 S5: Yeah. You know, there's the old saying, if you only 86 00:04:09,990 --> 00:04:13,390 S5: emphasize the word, you dry up. If you only emphasize 87 00:04:13,390 --> 00:04:16,990 S5: the spirit, you blow up. And if you emphasize the 88 00:04:16,990 --> 00:04:19,790 S5: word and the spirit, you can grow up. And even 89 00:04:19,790 --> 00:04:23,430 S5: since the Reformation, Martin Luther and the reformers, all the 90 00:04:23,430 --> 00:04:26,790 S5: way up till, let's say, the mid 1900s, there was 91 00:04:26,790 --> 00:04:29,910 S5: a neglect of the person of the Holy Spirit. The 92 00:04:29,910 --> 00:04:32,790 S5: father was written about, and the son, of course. But 93 00:04:32,790 --> 00:04:36,349 S5: the spirit was, uh. And then you had the abuses 94 00:04:36,350 --> 00:04:39,950 S5: and still the abuses of some things in the charismatic movement. 95 00:04:39,950 --> 00:04:42,230 S5: So people who know their Bibles go, no, if that's 96 00:04:42,230 --> 00:04:45,710 S5: the Holy Spirit barking like a dog, I pass on that. 97 00:04:45,830 --> 00:04:48,270 S5: So it's so hard to keep that balance. But if 98 00:04:48,270 --> 00:04:51,470 S5: we stay in the word and stay humble before the Lord, 99 00:04:51,790 --> 00:04:53,430 S5: he'll give us the balance we need. 100 00:04:53,750 --> 00:04:58,500 S2: I feel like there's a fresh balance in American, uh, 101 00:04:58,500 --> 00:05:00,940 S2: kind of in the West. It feels like the divide 102 00:05:00,940 --> 00:05:04,020 S2: isn't like it used to be in the 70s and 80s, Jim, 103 00:05:04,020 --> 00:05:06,580 S2: when there was a lot of that going on. Are 104 00:05:06,580 --> 00:05:08,900 S2: you encouraged by the movement of the spirit that you're 105 00:05:08,900 --> 00:05:10,380 S2: seeing across the West? 106 00:05:10,860 --> 00:05:13,940 S5: I do, I see really some good signs, and I 107 00:05:13,940 --> 00:05:16,299 S5: believe you're right. It's not as bad as it used 108 00:05:16,300 --> 00:05:20,420 S5: to be, but still, there's the tendency that some churches 109 00:05:20,420 --> 00:05:23,180 S5: are like cemeteries, just mental. We're going to study the 110 00:05:23,180 --> 00:05:26,420 S5: Bible like the Mormons study and the Jehovah's Witnesses study. 111 00:05:26,420 --> 00:05:28,220 S5: And then we'll go out to eat. And then on 112 00:05:28,220 --> 00:05:31,300 S5: the other side, they're flying off of walls and blaming 113 00:05:31,300 --> 00:05:33,580 S5: it on the Holy Spirit. But I see more and 114 00:05:33,580 --> 00:05:37,620 S5: more now because of young people drifting away from the 115 00:05:37,620 --> 00:05:41,339 S5: church and, and sons and daughters leaving the faith. People 116 00:05:41,339 --> 00:05:44,660 S5: are getting desperate. Lord, come down from heaven and help us. 117 00:05:44,700 --> 00:05:46,700 S2: Yeah, you know what, Jim? I want to linger there 118 00:05:46,700 --> 00:05:49,260 S2: because my bride has a list just in our two 119 00:05:49,300 --> 00:05:53,500 S2: church campuses here in Chicagoland at 180 Chicago Church. She's 120 00:05:53,500 --> 00:05:57,690 S2: got a list of 43. No joking. Jim, 43. Adult 121 00:05:57,690 --> 00:06:01,810 S2: children that were raised in imperfect but really good homes 122 00:06:02,250 --> 00:06:07,489 S2: that have walked away from church. God, most of them. 123 00:06:07,490 --> 00:06:10,970 S2: My aha moment. Holy spirit prompting is that most of 124 00:06:10,970 --> 00:06:14,490 S2: them were never really in Christ to begin with. But 125 00:06:14,529 --> 00:06:18,210 S2: what are you learning about these? Because we've got we've 126 00:06:18,210 --> 00:06:22,490 S2: got maybe thousands upon thousands of parents right now who 127 00:06:22,490 --> 00:06:25,970 S2: are heartbroken over wayward kids. What do you say to them? 128 00:06:26,410 --> 00:06:29,810 S5: Well, first of all, God recovers stolen property. You know, 129 00:06:29,850 --> 00:06:34,529 S5: David found out in first Samuel that when his family 130 00:06:34,529 --> 00:06:38,330 S5: and the families of his men were robbed by the Amalekites, 131 00:06:38,370 --> 00:06:40,810 S5: God led him to recover. And I think it's a 132 00:06:40,810 --> 00:06:44,570 S5: beautiful picture of the fact that through prayer and intercession, 133 00:06:44,570 --> 00:06:46,450 S5: we're going to see our kids come back. You have 134 00:06:46,450 --> 00:06:48,690 S5: to draw a line in the sand, Carla. You have 135 00:06:48,690 --> 00:06:51,969 S5: to say, no way. No, no, we dedicated that child 136 00:06:51,970 --> 00:06:55,039 S5: to the Lord. You can't just accept the fact that 137 00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:58,359 S5: they're drifting. But on the other side, we have to 138 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:02,560 S5: have revival in our churches because when growing up, people 139 00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:05,719 S5: experience the Lord. You know, the Bible doesn't say study 140 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:07,880 S5: and see. It says taste and see. 141 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:08,360 S2: Yes. 142 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:11,520 S5: So there has to be an experimental element to it, 143 00:07:11,520 --> 00:07:14,200 S5: because once you experience the Lord and his goodness and 144 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:16,920 S5: the power of the spirit, I don't care what arguments 145 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:19,560 S5: they give you in the college you attend, you're going 146 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:21,520 S5: to know, know my God is real. 147 00:07:21,560 --> 00:07:25,600 S2: Amen. Jim, my guest right now, senior pastor, Brooklyn, the 148 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:28,840 S2: Brooklyn Tabernacle in New York. All right. Take us back. 149 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:32,360 S2: You've seen the power of the spirit. Give us a 150 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:35,360 S2: story or two from the early days of launching the 151 00:07:35,360 --> 00:07:36,680 S2: Brooklyn Tabernacle. 152 00:07:36,960 --> 00:07:39,880 S5: My wife and I are unusual couple in that verse 153 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:42,720 S5: in the First Corinthians where it says, God uses the 154 00:07:42,720 --> 00:07:45,320 S5: weak things of the foolish things of the world. Our 155 00:07:45,320 --> 00:07:47,640 S5: pictures in the margin of that, if you get a 156 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:52,300 S5: good Bible. Mine's my wife's not trained musically, can't read 157 00:07:52,300 --> 00:07:55,220 S5: or write music. She's won six Grammy Awards. Her music 158 00:07:55,260 --> 00:07:57,980 S5: touched a lot of people around the world. I didn't 159 00:07:57,980 --> 00:08:00,660 S5: go to seminary. I was a basketball player in high school, College, 160 00:08:00,940 --> 00:08:04,100 S5: played in the NCAA tournament, ended up in the ministry 161 00:08:04,140 --> 00:08:06,940 S5: through a side door. Ended up in a rundown building 162 00:08:07,100 --> 00:08:11,620 S5: in downtown Brooklyn. Uh, years ago. Decades ago. No crack yet, 163 00:08:11,620 --> 00:08:17,180 S5: but a lot of heroin, alcoholism, gangs, homelessness. Just a mess. 164 00:08:17,380 --> 00:08:20,380 S5: The first offering we took was $85 was the total 165 00:08:20,420 --> 00:08:24,300 S5: tithes and offerings, and there'd be 16 on Sunday morning 166 00:08:24,340 --> 00:08:27,620 S5: and sometimes 3 or 4 on the midweek service. My 167 00:08:27,620 --> 00:08:30,460 S5: sermons were so bad when I started, I fell asleep 168 00:08:30,460 --> 00:08:31,540 S5: while I was preaching. 169 00:08:31,780 --> 00:08:35,260 S6: Not just the congregation, but it was the Sabbath day. 170 00:08:35,260 --> 00:08:36,980 S5: And that's supposed to be a day of rest. So 171 00:08:37,020 --> 00:08:38,100 S5: I rationalized. 172 00:08:38,100 --> 00:08:39,780 S6: It that way. So. 173 00:08:39,900 --> 00:08:43,660 S5: But, but listen, with the need around us, and after 174 00:08:43,660 --> 00:08:47,420 S5: making and still making mistakes, you get desperate for God. God, 175 00:08:47,460 --> 00:08:51,370 S5: would you place this here just to hold the fort? No, no, 176 00:08:51,410 --> 00:08:55,090 S5: there's got to be a purpose. So you begin to learn. 177 00:08:55,090 --> 00:09:00,010 S5: Humble yourself. Make mistakes. Like late friend Warren Wesley said. 178 00:09:00,010 --> 00:09:03,890 S5: You preach, you pray and you plod. And sometimes plodding 179 00:09:04,090 --> 00:09:08,609 S5: is most needed. Just keep going ahead. And now, decades later, 180 00:09:08,650 --> 00:09:11,250 S5: you know, we see all these thousands of people every 181 00:09:11,250 --> 00:09:15,650 S5: Sunday and the possibility of winning more for Christ, because 182 00:09:15,690 --> 00:09:18,770 S5: downtown Brooklyn right now is worse than I've ever seen it. 183 00:09:18,770 --> 00:09:21,210 S5: And I'm born and raised here, so we have a 184 00:09:21,210 --> 00:09:23,810 S5: mission field in front of us. But like someone said, 185 00:09:23,809 --> 00:09:27,410 S5: you can't curse the darkness and wring your hands about, oh, 186 00:09:27,530 --> 00:09:30,250 S5: look at what's going on. They never did that. In 187 00:09:30,250 --> 00:09:32,730 S5: New Testament. They said, let's get it on. Do what 188 00:09:32,730 --> 00:09:33,770 S5: the Lord said, preach. 189 00:09:33,770 --> 00:09:34,689 S6: The gospel. 190 00:09:34,690 --> 00:09:36,010 S5: And depend on the spirit. 191 00:09:36,290 --> 00:09:39,570 S2: You know, Jim, I am I am convinced that not 192 00:09:39,570 --> 00:09:43,569 S2: only do we need awakening, that it's for people to 193 00:09:43,610 --> 00:09:45,689 S2: going back to what you said, taste and see that 194 00:09:45,690 --> 00:09:49,330 S2: the Lord is good. I have a firm conviction that 195 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:56,200 S2: when lost people witness God's people aflame for Christ. It 196 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:59,680 S2: is one of the most compelling things going. I am 197 00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:04,000 S2: I try to tell our people, please cut it loose 198 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:07,040 S2: to the glory of God. If you feel compelled to 199 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:09,360 S2: lift a hand, lift a hand. If you want to 200 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:11,640 S2: give a shout of praise, give a shout of praise. 201 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:15,640 S2: Because the people on the streets of Brooklyn, streets of Chicago, 202 00:10:15,679 --> 00:10:19,880 S2: streets of Tampa, all the cities across America, they're dying 203 00:10:19,880 --> 00:10:22,400 S2: for something that's alive, aren't they, Jim? 204 00:10:22,720 --> 00:10:25,960 S5: They are something that's real. And that's why we use 205 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:28,600 S5: the first Sunday of every month. We call it Good 206 00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:31,520 S5: News Sunday, and we tell our people, bring you can 207 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:34,800 S5: bring them anytime, but bring your unsaved friends, neighbors and 208 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:36,760 S5: all that. And we're going to have maybe a little 209 00:10:36,760 --> 00:10:39,760 S5: extra music. But before I preach and close and give 210 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:42,280 S5: the gospel, we're going to have a testimony. So this 211 00:10:42,280 --> 00:10:45,559 S5: past Sunday, we had a woman who came into the church. 212 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:49,870 S5: She was hanging out with Rastafarians And smoking weed all 213 00:10:49,870 --> 00:10:54,350 S5: day long and shoplifting. And she said to herself, A 214 00:10:54,350 --> 00:10:57,270 S5: woman kept inviting her from our church to attend. And 215 00:10:57,270 --> 00:10:59,990 S5: when she shared what Jesus has done in her life, 216 00:11:00,110 --> 00:11:02,750 S5: I'm telling you, it lit up the place. We need 217 00:11:02,750 --> 00:11:05,510 S5: to remember with God, nothing is impossible. 218 00:11:05,550 --> 00:11:08,910 S2: Amen. Love it. Jim Cymbala, my guest right now, senior 219 00:11:08,910 --> 00:11:12,030 S2: pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle. He's got a brand new 220 00:11:12,030 --> 00:11:15,630 S2: book out called Jesus Every Day. And that fits our 221 00:11:15,630 --> 00:11:18,430 S2: wheelhouse here as we're helping you take your next step 222 00:11:18,429 --> 00:11:21,470 S2: with Jesus. More with Jim Symbolist. Straight ahead. 223 00:11:22,390 --> 00:11:26,390 S1: Take your next step with Jesus today. You're listening to 224 00:11:26,429 --> 00:11:27,430 S1: Carl and crew. 225 00:11:27,670 --> 00:11:30,270 S2: Jim Cymbala, my guest right now is senior pastor of 226 00:11:30,270 --> 00:11:33,990 S2: the Brooklyn Tabernacle in New York. All right, Jim, what 227 00:11:33,990 --> 00:11:37,070 S2: in the world, my man? Jesus. Every day. What compelled 228 00:11:37,070 --> 00:11:38,870 S2: you to pin this devotional? 229 00:11:39,110 --> 00:11:42,310 S5: Well, I've written other books, starting with Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire. 230 00:11:42,309 --> 00:11:45,550 S5: And then I like to start my day with devotionals. 231 00:11:45,550 --> 00:11:48,939 S5: I collect good devotionals, And I not only read the 232 00:11:48,940 --> 00:11:51,219 S5: entry from 1 or 2 of them, I go to 233 00:11:51,260 --> 00:11:53,820 S5: the chapter where the verse is and read that whole 234 00:11:53,820 --> 00:11:57,380 S5: chapter along with my other reading of the Bible. And 235 00:11:57,380 --> 00:11:59,940 S5: here's the important thing that I found and I want 236 00:11:59,980 --> 00:12:03,220 S5: to share with your listeners. The Christian life can only 237 00:12:03,220 --> 00:12:04,780 S5: be lived one day at a time. 238 00:12:04,820 --> 00:12:05,579 S6: In fact. 239 00:12:05,620 --> 00:12:10,060 S5: Your whole life. My whole life is only one thing today. 240 00:12:10,620 --> 00:12:14,620 S5: Yesterday's gone. You can't change one thing. Thank God for blessings. 241 00:12:15,179 --> 00:12:18,540 S5: Have mercy, Lord, on things we did wrong. Tomorrow is 242 00:12:18,540 --> 00:12:22,420 S5: not guaranteed, so why worry about it? Jesus said, you 243 00:12:22,420 --> 00:12:24,260 S5: don't even know if you'll see it. And a lot 244 00:12:24,260 --> 00:12:27,900 S5: of people can't live playing old video tapes from the 245 00:12:27,900 --> 00:12:32,699 S5: past who hurt them, what happened, and bitterness and unforgiveness. 246 00:12:32,700 --> 00:12:35,179 S5: And through all of that, and then they're worried about 247 00:12:35,179 --> 00:12:38,100 S5: the future. What's going to happen to the economy? What's 248 00:12:38,100 --> 00:12:40,339 S5: going to happen with my family? Where am I going 249 00:12:40,340 --> 00:12:42,260 S5: to be ten years from now? And they don't know 250 00:12:42,260 --> 00:12:44,620 S5: if they'll have more, ten more days of their life. 251 00:12:44,620 --> 00:12:48,720 S5: And what they do is missed today. Give us this day, 252 00:12:48,760 --> 00:12:54,520 S5: not a month. Supply our daily food. Daily grace. Daily wisdom. 253 00:12:54,520 --> 00:12:57,840 S5: Daily strength. It only comes one day at a time. 254 00:12:57,840 --> 00:12:59,520 S5: And that's why we got to meet with the Lord 255 00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:02,560 S5: every day. And like George Mueller, the great saint of 256 00:13:02,840 --> 00:13:06,319 S5: the 19th century, said, I can't start the day until 257 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:08,319 S5: I first get happy in Jesus. 258 00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:11,839 S2: I love that. Uh, all right, Jim. This is so 259 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:20,280 S2: true that we often forecast, prognosticate, actually have this demonic 260 00:13:20,280 --> 00:13:24,040 S2: prophecy in our head that's an overflow of a betrayal. 261 00:13:24,040 --> 00:13:28,280 S2: In the past, a job lost, an addiction that can't 262 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:31,200 S2: be won. How do we do a holy reset to 263 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:36,199 S2: pick up that new mercy today and not live in yesterday, 264 00:13:36,200 --> 00:13:38,960 S2: or worry about tomorrow? How do we do that? 265 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:41,880 S5: Well, it starts with being in the word. You got 266 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:43,840 S5: to open your heart and read the word. Not just 267 00:13:43,840 --> 00:13:46,709 S5: with your head, but with your heart. Lord, speak to me. 268 00:13:46,750 --> 00:13:49,150 S5: You know. Open my eyes that I might see the 269 00:13:49,150 --> 00:13:51,589 S5: eyes of my heart. I might see, you know, fresh 270 00:13:51,630 --> 00:13:54,030 S5: things from your word. And we have to remember his 271 00:13:54,030 --> 00:13:56,949 S5: mercies are new every day. So it doesn't matter what 272 00:13:56,950 --> 00:14:00,550 S5: yesterday was and how you messed up. You start today. 273 00:14:00,790 --> 00:14:03,870 S5: The sins are covered by the blood of Jesus. Now what? 274 00:14:03,910 --> 00:14:06,190 S5: You know, we tell people, you know God has a 275 00:14:06,190 --> 00:14:08,429 S5: plan for your life, but your life is made up 276 00:14:08,429 --> 00:14:12,510 S5: of days. So what's God's plan for today? Lord, lead 277 00:14:12,510 --> 00:14:14,710 S5: me to speak to the one you want me to speak. 278 00:14:14,750 --> 00:14:17,710 S5: Let me be led by the Holy Spirit today. And 279 00:14:17,710 --> 00:14:20,670 S5: when you're just taking up with the Lord and blessing 280 00:14:20,670 --> 00:14:25,110 S5: people without getting weird, then every day becomes like, exciting. 281 00:14:25,110 --> 00:14:28,510 S5: Because who knows what the Lord has for us today? Uh, 282 00:14:28,510 --> 00:14:31,230 S5: what prayer we can pray, what we can learn from 283 00:14:31,230 --> 00:14:34,150 S5: God's Word every day is exciting when you start it 284 00:14:34,150 --> 00:14:34,990 S5: with Jesus. 285 00:14:34,990 --> 00:14:37,230 S2: I love it. You know what I'm thinking about? I 286 00:14:37,230 --> 00:14:40,110 S2: don't have it open right now, but Ephesians one, Paul's prayer, 287 00:14:40,150 --> 00:14:42,950 S2: Oh God, that the eyes of their heart may see 288 00:14:42,950 --> 00:14:46,220 S2: the riches that they have in Jesus Christ that is 289 00:14:46,220 --> 00:14:50,180 S2: likened unto the raising of Christ from the dead. Wow. 290 00:14:50,380 --> 00:14:53,780 S2: If our if our heart has eyes to get a 291 00:14:53,780 --> 00:14:56,300 S2: vision of that every day, Jim. And it's a game changer, 292 00:14:56,300 --> 00:14:56,860 S2: isn't it? 293 00:14:57,140 --> 00:15:00,820 S5: Absolutely. And just think of that. The same power that 294 00:15:00,860 --> 00:15:04,020 S5: raised Jesus from the dead dwells in us. 295 00:15:04,180 --> 00:15:04,580 S6: Yes. 296 00:15:04,620 --> 00:15:08,660 S5: Just think how we live below what God could do. 297 00:15:08,700 --> 00:15:13,140 S5: Not because he hasn't made provision, but because we're not aware, 298 00:15:13,180 --> 00:15:16,060 S5: or we get distracted, or we get carnal, and we're 299 00:15:16,060 --> 00:15:19,700 S5: not thinking about the Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from 300 00:15:19,700 --> 00:15:22,860 S5: the dead is in me. So that's why Paul could say, 301 00:15:22,980 --> 00:15:25,300 S5: I can do all things through Christ. 302 00:15:25,340 --> 00:15:26,340 S6: Who strengthens me. 303 00:15:26,380 --> 00:15:29,820 S2: Amen. Whether I have suffering, need, or whether I have much. 304 00:15:29,860 --> 00:15:32,700 S2: That's the beauty of the gospel, isn't it, Jim? Now 305 00:15:32,700 --> 00:15:35,700 S2: we're all over the scriptures, but, I mean, the gospel 306 00:15:35,700 --> 00:15:38,060 S2: transcends our circumstances. 307 00:15:38,660 --> 00:15:41,980 S5: Exactly. And, you know, we got to save ourselves from 308 00:15:41,980 --> 00:15:45,410 S5: American gospel, which is God just wants me to get 309 00:15:45,410 --> 00:15:49,250 S5: another car and a new iPhone. God is for us 310 00:15:49,250 --> 00:15:52,170 S5: and sometimes it's not so easy. But if we suffer 311 00:15:52,170 --> 00:15:55,570 S5: with him, we'll reign with him. But every day has 312 00:15:55,570 --> 00:15:58,730 S5: to be lived, Lord. Make it a masterpiece today. 313 00:15:58,930 --> 00:15:59,290 S2: Yeah. 314 00:15:59,330 --> 00:16:00,210 S6: Love it. And it'll never. 315 00:16:00,250 --> 00:16:03,130 S5: Be on the pulpit. It'll never be written about in newspapers. 316 00:16:03,130 --> 00:16:05,530 S5: But who cares? At the end of life, you're not 317 00:16:05,530 --> 00:16:08,570 S5: going to answer to an editorial board. You're going to 318 00:16:08,570 --> 00:16:09,650 S5: stand before the Lord. 319 00:16:10,050 --> 00:16:13,810 S2: Ah, beautiful. Okay, boom! Crew, listen to me. It's a 320 00:16:13,810 --> 00:16:17,490 S2: new work called Jesus Every Day, a hundred day devotional. 321 00:16:17,490 --> 00:16:20,570 S2: This is a kick start to your day. This is 322 00:16:20,570 --> 00:16:23,930 S2: something that you will begin to bury your heart in, 323 00:16:24,210 --> 00:16:27,130 S2: and the eyes of your heart will begin to grab 324 00:16:27,130 --> 00:16:31,050 S2: a greater vision, day by day, moment by moment of 325 00:16:31,050 --> 00:16:35,690 S2: what God has for you. We've been talking Christmas promises 326 00:16:35,690 --> 00:16:38,450 S2: all week long. Guys. This is a way to get 327 00:16:38,450 --> 00:16:43,160 S2: a Christmas promise every day. Here's the key word. Text 328 00:16:43,200 --> 00:16:48,360 S2: the word. Every every. Just one word. Every. As in Jesus. 329 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:54,120 S2: Every day. Text every to 805, five, five, 78, 98. 330 00:16:54,120 --> 00:16:56,560 S2: We'll have a link there. You can grab a copy, 331 00:16:56,760 --> 00:17:00,280 S2: get 2 or 3 and give them out for Christmas. 332 00:17:00,440 --> 00:17:03,440 S2: You want to give out a Christmas devotional? This is it. 333 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:13,640 S2: Text every to 800 555, 7898 every to 800 555 7898. 334 00:17:13,880 --> 00:17:16,600 S1: She was trying to earn her way to God, but 335 00:17:16,600 --> 00:17:20,000 S1: God showed her she didn't have to. Ali is in 336 00:17:20,040 --> 00:17:23,520 S1: the crew. It's Carl and crew on Moody Radio. 337 00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:25,760 S2: I'm going to bring in my guest right now. Sam storms, 338 00:17:25,760 --> 00:17:27,280 S2: how you doing this morning, Sam? 339 00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:29,199 S7: I'm doing very well. And you. 340 00:17:29,240 --> 00:17:32,359 S2: Uh, tremendous morning. Tremendous morning. You know, we just sang 341 00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:35,040 S2: or just heard this song about Bethlehem. I want to 342 00:17:35,040 --> 00:17:38,160 S2: go back to this massacre of the innocents as found 343 00:17:38,160 --> 00:17:41,580 S2: in Matthew. It's called the massacre of the innocents. That's 344 00:17:41,580 --> 00:17:45,939 S2: how we've captured it. Matthew 216 Herod ordered the killing 345 00:17:45,980 --> 00:17:49,300 S2: of all male children in Bethlehem and in all that 346 00:17:49,340 --> 00:17:52,220 S2: region who were two years old and under. But I 347 00:17:52,220 --> 00:17:55,260 S2: want to give some quick takeaways, some thoughts that I 348 00:17:55,260 --> 00:17:58,540 S2: have here. Jesus was then seen as a real threat 349 00:17:58,540 --> 00:18:02,300 S2: to power. He still is to today. Evil often targets 350 00:18:02,300 --> 00:18:05,660 S2: innocents first. But the third thing I want to just 351 00:18:05,660 --> 00:18:08,900 S2: spike here is that God's plan is not stopped by 352 00:18:08,900 --> 00:18:11,940 S2: human violence. Boy, that's important for this world of conflict 353 00:18:11,940 --> 00:18:13,820 S2: that we live in today, isn't it? Sam, what are 354 00:18:13,820 --> 00:18:14,580 S2: your thoughts? 355 00:18:14,820 --> 00:18:17,540 S7: Yeah. In fact, I would even say that God, in 356 00:18:17,540 --> 00:18:21,980 S7: his sovereignty and providence, orchestrates the crisis of our times 357 00:18:21,980 --> 00:18:25,219 S7: precisely to draw people to himself, to bring them to 358 00:18:25,260 --> 00:18:28,580 S7: a place where they realize there's only one hope, and 359 00:18:28,580 --> 00:18:33,500 S7: it's in Jesus. And I, as horrible and as, as tragic, 360 00:18:33,500 --> 00:18:36,139 S7: are these kind of incidents that happened then that happened 361 00:18:36,140 --> 00:18:38,060 S7: in our day in different ways. I mean, think of 362 00:18:38,060 --> 00:18:41,050 S7: the of the war in Ukraine and the thousands of 363 00:18:41,050 --> 00:18:45,250 S7: people and women and children who are killed and slaughtered 364 00:18:45,250 --> 00:18:47,970 S7: in other places in the world where this is happening. 365 00:18:48,250 --> 00:18:51,250 S7: And it's I think God is saying, look, I'm your 366 00:18:51,250 --> 00:18:54,209 S7: only hope. I'm your only answer. It's going to get 367 00:18:54,250 --> 00:18:56,850 S7: worse than it is now unless you turn to me. 368 00:18:56,930 --> 00:19:00,090 S7: So I think the Lord, in his mercy and his sovereignty, 369 00:19:00,130 --> 00:19:04,449 S7: turns these events for good, in that he causes people 370 00:19:04,450 --> 00:19:07,290 S7: to see there's only one hope, and it's not in 371 00:19:07,290 --> 00:19:09,489 S7: anything I can own in this world, or anybody that 372 00:19:09,490 --> 00:19:12,050 S7: I can bully in this world. It's found in the 373 00:19:12,050 --> 00:19:13,050 S7: person of Jesus. 374 00:19:13,570 --> 00:19:16,370 S2: You know, and that that hope. Sam, I appreciate that 375 00:19:16,369 --> 00:19:19,130 S2: because we live in a world right now. It's pretty 376 00:19:19,130 --> 00:19:21,690 S2: astonishing to me. I was talking with Michael Redlich about 377 00:19:21,690 --> 00:19:24,810 S2: this after we did a big conference here on Israel 378 00:19:24,810 --> 00:19:29,690 S2: and the last days, and I never would have imagined 379 00:19:29,690 --> 00:19:33,609 S2: this even a few years ago. But both right and left, 380 00:19:33,609 --> 00:19:38,090 S2: both polar ends of the political spectrum have really a 381 00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:43,520 S2: disdain for Israel. That is quite breathtaking. And if we're 382 00:19:43,520 --> 00:19:46,600 S2: not careful, we can look at the political fabric in 383 00:19:46,600 --> 00:19:50,879 S2: our nation and, uh, you know, the threat of attacking 384 00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:57,280 S2: supreme courts and removing filibuster and the, uh, the post-Christian 385 00:19:57,280 --> 00:20:01,920 S2: ness of our nation. And candidly, it can get a 386 00:20:01,920 --> 00:20:07,240 S2: little scary. But but, Sam, there's always been a remnant, right? 387 00:20:07,240 --> 00:20:08,000 S2: My brother. 388 00:20:08,359 --> 00:20:11,840 S7: Oh, absolutely. No, you're exactly right. Uh, and I'm not 389 00:20:11,840 --> 00:20:15,240 S7: trying to minimize the the the pain and the hurt 390 00:20:15,240 --> 00:20:20,480 S7: that so many people face. But again, you're you're exactly right. 391 00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:23,840 S7: The the situations in our government, the situations in our streets, 392 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:27,720 S7: in our schools, uh, everywhere, even in churches that are 393 00:20:27,720 --> 00:20:31,120 S7: abandoning the gospel, uh, because they don't want to carry 394 00:20:31,119 --> 00:20:32,399 S7: the reproach of Christ. 395 00:20:32,440 --> 00:20:32,880 S2: Yes. 396 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:36,280 S7: But, uh, you know, there's hope. There's hope. That's what 397 00:20:36,280 --> 00:20:38,590 S7: the whole message of Christmas is, is that the light 398 00:20:38,590 --> 00:20:41,869 S7: from on high has broken into the darkness of this world. 399 00:20:42,109 --> 00:20:43,629 S7: That's the message of Christmas. 400 00:20:43,910 --> 00:20:47,790 S2: What do you see going on geopolitically, Sam, that causes 401 00:20:47,790 --> 00:20:51,350 S2: you to go home? I mean, obviously, in fact, one 402 00:20:51,350 --> 00:20:53,229 S2: of the things I was talking with Michael about and 403 00:20:53,230 --> 00:20:57,350 S2: he's a messianic Jew, so he's got some interest in this. 404 00:20:57,869 --> 00:21:01,590 S2: It it now feels like for the first time, we've 405 00:21:01,590 --> 00:21:05,350 S2: always been a great friend of Israel, but it seems 406 00:21:05,350 --> 00:21:12,590 S2: like the dovishness that is growing toward Israel and even 407 00:21:12,590 --> 00:21:16,390 S2: having their backs now, we're still there right now politically, 408 00:21:16,790 --> 00:21:20,230 S2: but it seems like the deck is set for our 409 00:21:20,230 --> 00:21:25,950 S2: relative absence as a power broker internationally in the last days. 410 00:21:25,990 --> 00:21:29,990 S7: Sam, you may well be right. I will confess, I 411 00:21:30,030 --> 00:21:33,830 S7: do not understand where this anti-Semitism comes from. 412 00:21:33,869 --> 00:21:35,310 S2: It's demonic, isn't it? 413 00:21:35,470 --> 00:21:38,820 S7: It it just makes no sense whatsoever. Why in the 414 00:21:38,820 --> 00:21:43,460 S7: world would people just take this position? I mean, this vitriol, 415 00:21:43,500 --> 00:21:46,940 S7: this hostility, the vile nature of things that are being 416 00:21:46,940 --> 00:21:50,500 S7: said and done, you know, in the name of against Israel, 417 00:21:50,540 --> 00:21:53,180 S7: I think. Where where did this come from? I know 418 00:21:53,220 --> 00:21:55,860 S7: obviously with the Holocaust, it came from Hitler who was 419 00:21:55,859 --> 00:21:59,619 S7: seriously demon possessed. But in our day, you're talking about 420 00:22:00,180 --> 00:22:03,500 S7: college kids on campuses. You're talking about just run of 421 00:22:03,500 --> 00:22:06,300 S7: the mill neighbors in your where you live. And I 422 00:22:06,340 --> 00:22:10,219 S7: cannot understand. It just makes no sense. It has to 423 00:22:10,220 --> 00:22:14,179 S7: be demonically inspired. Uh, it's just it's mind boggling. 424 00:22:14,980 --> 00:22:19,379 S2: Well, generally speaking, um, what are you what are you seeing? 425 00:22:19,380 --> 00:22:23,020 S2: And what's your challenge to the church when we see 426 00:22:23,060 --> 00:22:27,180 S2: things geopolitically and even in this post-Christian nation that we 427 00:22:27,180 --> 00:22:31,260 S2: live in, we're moving toward Christmas. We're celebrating the birth 428 00:22:31,260 --> 00:22:34,740 S2: of Christ. What do you say to people that have 429 00:22:34,740 --> 00:22:37,440 S2: a little bit of hand wringing going on. What do 430 00:22:37,440 --> 00:22:38,159 S2: you say, Sam? 431 00:22:39,200 --> 00:22:41,960 S7: Well, not to get overly theological with you, but this 432 00:22:41,960 --> 00:22:45,080 S7: is my perspective on as we approach the end times, 433 00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:49,320 S7: I think the common grace of God is gradually being lifted, 434 00:22:49,320 --> 00:22:51,720 S7: and by common grace, I mean the work of the 435 00:22:51,720 --> 00:22:56,840 S7: Holy Spirit in restraining evil. I think we're seeing the 436 00:22:56,840 --> 00:22:59,440 S7: Spirit of God lift his hand off of human hearts, 437 00:22:59,440 --> 00:23:03,120 S7: and the full expression of the evil within is going 438 00:23:03,119 --> 00:23:05,880 S7: to come to the front. But with the withdrawal of 439 00:23:05,880 --> 00:23:10,080 S7: common grace comes the bestowal or the impartation of special grace. 440 00:23:10,320 --> 00:23:13,160 S7: In other words, God will pour out his special, saving, 441 00:23:13,160 --> 00:23:16,960 S7: redemptive grace and his power on his people. So on 442 00:23:16,960 --> 00:23:19,959 S7: the one hand, we see common grace lifted. On the 443 00:23:19,960 --> 00:23:23,399 S7: other hand we see special grace being bestowed. So I, 444 00:23:23,560 --> 00:23:26,560 S7: I take encouragement from this. I think what it's saying 445 00:23:26,560 --> 00:23:29,800 S7: to us is, yeah, look around you, it's getting worse 446 00:23:29,800 --> 00:23:31,960 S7: and it's going to get worse and worse because the 447 00:23:31,960 --> 00:23:36,909 S7: restraining ministry of the spirit is being lessened, diminished. But 448 00:23:36,910 --> 00:23:42,070 S7: the powerful impartation of God's saving, redemptive grace is increasing. 449 00:23:42,430 --> 00:23:44,990 S7: So I, you know, people say, well, are we going 450 00:23:45,030 --> 00:23:46,750 S7: to see a great revival? Are we going to see 451 00:23:46,750 --> 00:23:50,430 S7: the nations turn to Christ? Um, I think the answer 452 00:23:50,430 --> 00:23:52,270 S7: to that is yes. I don't know how extensive it 453 00:23:52,270 --> 00:23:55,350 S7: will be, but I do think as the special saving 454 00:23:55,350 --> 00:23:58,150 S7: grace of the Lord is poured out, that we will 455 00:23:58,150 --> 00:24:01,670 S7: see a turning in in our society. That doesn't mean 456 00:24:01,750 --> 00:24:04,030 S7: things are going to get better. Uh, in terms of 457 00:24:04,030 --> 00:24:07,149 S7: economy and in terms of the political climate and the 458 00:24:07,150 --> 00:24:10,950 S7: ethics of our society. But it should give us all 459 00:24:10,950 --> 00:24:14,350 S7: hope that God has is not taking his hand off 460 00:24:14,350 --> 00:24:17,389 S7: of the unbeliever to let them get worse when he 461 00:24:17,390 --> 00:24:19,590 S7: isn't at the same time putting his hand on the 462 00:24:19,590 --> 00:24:22,150 S7: believer and on the church and helping us to make 463 00:24:22,150 --> 00:24:22,869 S7: it better. 464 00:24:22,910 --> 00:24:25,150 S2: Sam, I'm feeling that in my own life. I was 465 00:24:25,150 --> 00:24:28,150 S2: out way early this morning walking a husky puppy that 466 00:24:28,150 --> 00:24:31,790 S2: I just got from Alaska. And I got to tell you, Sam, 467 00:24:32,230 --> 00:24:36,060 S2: this almost chokes me up. I am sensing personally what 468 00:24:36,060 --> 00:24:38,899 S2: you've just said. I'm sensing a movement of the spirit 469 00:24:38,900 --> 00:24:41,260 S2: in my life and it comes with conviction. By the way, 470 00:24:41,500 --> 00:24:43,980 S2: if you want a movement of the spirit, it comes 471 00:24:43,980 --> 00:24:47,900 S2: with conviction and guidance and love and counselor and. And 472 00:24:47,900 --> 00:24:50,740 S2: I'm sensing that in my own life it's now it's 473 00:24:50,740 --> 00:24:54,380 S2: no longer let's go to church. It's let's be the church. 474 00:24:54,380 --> 00:24:58,780 S2: And I'm sensing that, that there's this dividing line happening 475 00:24:58,780 --> 00:25:01,540 S2: even in the church. And you had mentioned it. There's 476 00:25:01,540 --> 00:25:05,020 S2: some that are getting weak in the knees about the gospel, 477 00:25:05,260 --> 00:25:09,580 S2: but the remnant remains, Sam. And that's encouraging, isn't it? 478 00:25:10,060 --> 00:25:12,820 S7: Oh, absolutely. You know, it reminds me of Paul in 479 00:25:12,820 --> 00:25:15,739 S7: Romans 11 when, uh, you know, he was trying to 480 00:25:15,740 --> 00:25:18,619 S7: address the unbelief in Israel in the first century and 481 00:25:18,619 --> 00:25:21,660 S7: why they rejected Jesus. And he said, yes, but there 482 00:25:21,700 --> 00:25:24,820 S7: has always been a remnant according to Grace. And Paul says, 483 00:25:24,820 --> 00:25:27,220 S7: I am an example of that. And he cites the 484 00:25:27,220 --> 00:25:29,340 S7: experience of Elijah. You know, he thought that he was 485 00:25:29,340 --> 00:25:31,419 S7: the only one who stood for the Lord. And the 486 00:25:31,420 --> 00:25:34,490 S7: Lord said, no, I've got 7000 others, which is probably 487 00:25:34,490 --> 00:25:37,330 S7: just a symbolic number for a whole lot. So we 488 00:25:37,330 --> 00:25:40,169 S7: have to remember, God always has his people in the 489 00:25:40,170 --> 00:25:43,050 S7: midst of the darkness. There is always the light that shines. 490 00:25:43,050 --> 00:25:46,810 S2: Yeah. And the. And the power of even a small awakening. 491 00:25:47,050 --> 00:25:52,290 S2: The numbers on the three Great Awakenings maximum are 15% 492 00:25:52,290 --> 00:25:54,609 S2: of our nation that was fully surrendered. But it was 493 00:25:54,609 --> 00:26:00,450 S2: such a radical surrender that it it impacted the balance 494 00:26:00,450 --> 00:26:04,490 S2: of our nation. So we can be encouraged. Okay. Sam Storms, 495 00:26:04,490 --> 00:26:06,330 S2: my guest, coming up here in a moment, we're going 496 00:26:06,369 --> 00:26:11,010 S2: to look at a prophecy from Zechariah. And it's fascinating 497 00:26:11,010 --> 00:26:14,290 S2: because he speaks of Jesus, and then he speaks of 498 00:26:14,290 --> 00:26:17,209 S2: John the Baptist himself. Hang on more with Sam Storm 499 00:26:17,210 --> 00:26:17,889 S2: straight ahead. 500 00:26:18,970 --> 00:26:23,450 S1: Breaking chains and running free. You're listening to Carl and crew. 501 00:26:23,570 --> 00:26:26,290 S2: There's a few websites that are go to sites, and 502 00:26:26,290 --> 00:26:28,010 S2: I'm going to have one for you here in a moment. 503 00:26:28,050 --> 00:26:31,760 S2: Sam storms has phenomenal Content on his site, and we'll 504 00:26:31,760 --> 00:26:35,200 S2: give you that link before we're done here. Uh, Sam, 505 00:26:35,240 --> 00:26:38,040 S2: this is amazing. John the Baptist. Dad, I think we 506 00:26:38,040 --> 00:26:41,040 S2: need to say that John the Baptist. Dad, oftentimes we 507 00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:44,160 S2: we just we see names and we forget this, but 508 00:26:44,400 --> 00:26:46,639 S2: he was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he prophesied 509 00:26:46,640 --> 00:26:51,520 S2: about Jesus and then about his own son in Luke one. 510 00:26:51,560 --> 00:26:54,160 S2: What are your hot takes on this prophecy, Sam? 511 00:26:54,520 --> 00:26:57,639 S7: Yeah. And, you know, just to give people a little background, 512 00:26:57,640 --> 00:27:01,080 S7: what makes it even more remarkable is to remember that 513 00:27:01,080 --> 00:27:04,280 S7: for the previous nine months, he couldn't speak at all. 514 00:27:04,560 --> 00:27:04,760 S6: Oh. 515 00:27:05,080 --> 00:27:07,000 S2: Yeah. We can't leave that out. Right? 516 00:27:07,040 --> 00:27:09,920 S7: Yeah. The angel appeared to him in the temple, and 517 00:27:09,920 --> 00:27:13,080 S7: Zechariah was a little hesitant to believe the truth of 518 00:27:13,080 --> 00:27:14,959 S7: what he said. And so he said, well, you're not 519 00:27:14,960 --> 00:27:17,000 S7: going to be able to speak until the time comes 520 00:27:17,000 --> 00:27:20,280 S7: to pass. And so his wife conceives and her old age. 521 00:27:20,480 --> 00:27:23,240 S7: And then when she finally gives birth, he he is 522 00:27:23,240 --> 00:27:26,639 S7: finally enabled to speak again. And what comes out of 523 00:27:26,640 --> 00:27:29,750 S7: his mouth is this incredible, as you said, this prophecy 524 00:27:30,109 --> 00:27:34,630 S7: about the Lord and how he's visiting and redeeming his people. And, um, 525 00:27:35,030 --> 00:27:38,110 S7: it's really remarkable. And then when he turns to talk 526 00:27:38,109 --> 00:27:40,869 S7: about his son, he says, and you, child, will be 527 00:27:40,869 --> 00:27:43,510 S7: called the prophet of the Most High, for you will 528 00:27:43,510 --> 00:27:46,270 S7: go before the Lord to prepare his ways to give 529 00:27:46,270 --> 00:27:49,030 S7: knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of 530 00:27:49,030 --> 00:27:52,990 S7: their sins. And then I love this 78th verse, chapter one, 531 00:27:53,310 --> 00:27:57,150 S7: because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the 532 00:27:57,150 --> 00:28:00,710 S7: sunrise shall visit us from on high. And this is 533 00:28:00,710 --> 00:28:02,790 S7: one of the one of the benefits of being able 534 00:28:02,790 --> 00:28:07,630 S7: to read Greek. That phrase tender mercy. I love the word. 535 00:28:07,630 --> 00:28:12,070 S7: It's called splosna vecna. It means the guts, the. 536 00:28:12,350 --> 00:28:14,190 S2: Now we're going back. Yes. 537 00:28:14,390 --> 00:28:17,229 S7: Now, in other words, he's saying, listen, I want you 538 00:28:17,230 --> 00:28:21,429 S7: to tell you how. How much God's mercy is overflowing 539 00:28:21,470 --> 00:28:23,910 S7: to you, how much he loves you. It moves him 540 00:28:23,910 --> 00:28:28,650 S7: in the depths of his bowels. Now, again, obviously figurative language. Um, 541 00:28:28,690 --> 00:28:33,530 S7: but that's the way the New Testament describes God's purposes 542 00:28:33,530 --> 00:28:37,890 S7: through Jesus. And the expression of his tender mercies. Yeah. Um. 543 00:28:37,890 --> 00:28:39,130 S7: I just love that. 544 00:28:39,170 --> 00:28:41,490 S2: Yeah, it goes on in the final verse is epic 545 00:28:41,490 --> 00:28:44,010 S2: for me as well. To give light to those who 546 00:28:44,050 --> 00:28:46,970 S2: sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. To 547 00:28:47,010 --> 00:28:49,810 S2: guide our feet into the way of peace. Now, when 548 00:28:49,810 --> 00:28:53,050 S2: I look at John the Baptist, I think sometimes we 549 00:28:53,050 --> 00:28:55,690 S2: can look at these historical figures and go, wow, what 550 00:28:55,730 --> 00:28:58,450 S2: a guy. But we've got a wow, what a guy 551 00:28:58,650 --> 00:29:02,969 S2: that Jesus and God allowed to be in Scripture as 552 00:29:02,970 --> 00:29:07,010 S2: a model for what we can be in the world, 553 00:29:07,010 --> 00:29:09,770 S2: illuminating for those that are in the darkness. That's not 554 00:29:09,770 --> 00:29:11,250 S2: a far reach, is it, Sam? 555 00:29:11,810 --> 00:29:15,170 S7: No it's not. And again, this is the fascinating thing 556 00:29:15,170 --> 00:29:19,570 S7: about John. John. When he baptized Jesus, he heard the 557 00:29:19,570 --> 00:29:21,890 S7: audible voice of God from heaven saying, This is my 558 00:29:21,890 --> 00:29:24,810 S7: beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. He saw 559 00:29:24,850 --> 00:29:27,680 S7: the the Spirit of God descend as if a dove 560 00:29:27,680 --> 00:29:30,640 S7: on him, and to anoint him with power. He called 561 00:29:30,640 --> 00:29:32,480 S7: him the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin 562 00:29:32,520 --> 00:29:35,920 S7: of the world. And then not long after he's arrested, 563 00:29:35,920 --> 00:29:39,680 S7: thrown in prison and he starts doubting. He sends his 564 00:29:39,680 --> 00:29:42,120 S7: disciples say, go ask, are you the one? Or should we. 565 00:29:42,120 --> 00:29:43,080 S6: Look for another? 566 00:29:43,680 --> 00:29:46,800 S7: And I think, John, I know you're a little scared. 567 00:29:46,800 --> 00:29:49,840 S7: You're about to lose your head, literally. But how could 568 00:29:49,840 --> 00:29:52,840 S7: you doubt? You heard the audible voice of God identify 569 00:29:52,840 --> 00:29:55,600 S7: him and I. That's an encouragement to me. Because when 570 00:29:55,600 --> 00:29:58,320 S7: I find myself in the midst of what Paul calls 571 00:29:58,360 --> 00:30:01,560 S7: a crooked generation, how do I hold on to faith? 572 00:30:01,560 --> 00:30:03,719 S7: How do I confidently believe that God's going to do 573 00:30:03,720 --> 00:30:07,120 S7: what he promised and prophesied to do? And you know, 574 00:30:07,160 --> 00:30:09,880 S7: it's like art, Lord, are you really the one? Are 575 00:30:09,880 --> 00:30:12,000 S7: you really going to do what you said you would do? 576 00:30:12,200 --> 00:30:13,880 S7: And of course, Jesus says, you go back and tell 577 00:30:13,880 --> 00:30:16,600 S7: John what you've seen and heard. The sick are healed, 578 00:30:16,600 --> 00:30:19,840 S7: the demonized are delivered, the lepers are cleansed, the dead 579 00:30:19,840 --> 00:30:22,520 S7: are raised. Uh, and blessed is him who takes no 580 00:30:22,520 --> 00:30:25,680 S7: offense at me. So I just love I love the 581 00:30:25,830 --> 00:30:28,750 S7: realism of John the Baptist. He he was a you know, 582 00:30:28,750 --> 00:30:31,750 S7: Jesus said that up until that time, there was none 583 00:30:31,750 --> 00:30:34,430 S7: greater in the kingdom of God than John. And yet 584 00:30:34,430 --> 00:30:38,630 S7: John was languishing in prison, doubting, wondering. I mean, like 585 00:30:38,630 --> 00:30:40,710 S7: so many people today, we look around and we see, 586 00:30:40,750 --> 00:30:42,630 S7: good grief, how in the world can we believe that 587 00:30:42,630 --> 00:30:45,270 S7: God's in control, that he's going to win in the end? 588 00:30:45,790 --> 00:30:48,750 S7: And we're a little bit like John. And Jesus says, 589 00:30:49,030 --> 00:30:51,870 S7: just look around you. Look around you. What I'm doing 590 00:30:51,870 --> 00:30:54,430 S7: in the life of God's people. Uh, so that's the 591 00:30:54,430 --> 00:30:56,390 S7: encouragement to me from this man's life. 592 00:30:56,990 --> 00:30:59,510 S2: You know, I had Jim's symbol on earlier this morning, 593 00:30:59,710 --> 00:31:03,590 S2: and I just asked him about this. This. We had 594 00:31:03,590 --> 00:31:08,190 S2: a polar divide between charismatic and Bible teaching churches, and 595 00:31:08,630 --> 00:31:12,270 S2: and I confess here readily that the Holy Spirit was 596 00:31:12,270 --> 00:31:14,990 S2: my lost God. I was raised in a tradition of 597 00:31:15,190 --> 00:31:19,350 S2: of Bible great school, Multnomah, and then Denver Seminary. But 598 00:31:19,350 --> 00:31:21,830 S2: as I began to read the scriptures and I started 599 00:31:21,830 --> 00:31:26,500 S2: to understand, know the Spirit of God. Jesus said, it's 600 00:31:26,500 --> 00:31:29,140 S2: to your advantage that I go and the Holy Spirit 601 00:31:29,140 --> 00:31:32,300 S2: will come. Well, the Holy Spirit is central here in 602 00:31:32,300 --> 00:31:38,860 S2: this prophecy. What can we do to bring. Health. Health 603 00:31:38,860 --> 00:31:42,260 S2: with regard to the Holy Spirit, back to the church. 604 00:31:42,380 --> 00:31:45,420 S2: And even Jim was saying, yeah, we he said this 605 00:31:45,420 --> 00:31:49,140 S2: howling at the moon stuff. We gotta let's not go there. 606 00:31:49,140 --> 00:31:53,220 S2: But but we can't throw out the proverbial baby with 607 00:31:53,220 --> 00:31:56,940 S2: the bathwater. If we're going to see the remnant revived. 608 00:31:57,100 --> 00:32:00,620 S2: The Holy Spirit is front and center, front and center 609 00:32:00,660 --> 00:32:02,540 S2: even in this season. Right, Sam? 610 00:32:03,140 --> 00:32:05,620 S7: Well, you're preaching to the choir now because I am 611 00:32:05,660 --> 00:32:08,820 S7: actually putting the finishing touches on a book on the 612 00:32:08,820 --> 00:32:13,020 S7: Holy Spirit. Good. That'll be published by Kregel Publications. So 613 00:32:13,020 --> 00:32:17,340 S7: I've been immersed in this for for the last several weeks. 614 00:32:17,700 --> 00:32:20,740 S7: And again, you just think about, you know, when Jesus said, 615 00:32:20,740 --> 00:32:22,820 S7: it's to your advantage that I go away. And he said, 616 00:32:22,820 --> 00:32:23,969 S7: what in how in. 617 00:32:23,970 --> 00:32:24,530 S6: The world can. 618 00:32:24,530 --> 00:32:27,690 S7: That be the case? And it's my good friend JD 619 00:32:27,690 --> 00:32:31,290 S7: Greer wrote a book called The Holy Spirit. Inside you 620 00:32:31,290 --> 00:32:33,130 S7: is better than Jesus beside you. 621 00:32:33,490 --> 00:32:34,730 S2: And right on. 622 00:32:35,090 --> 00:32:37,290 S7: Yeah. How in the world can that be? But that's 623 00:32:37,290 --> 00:32:39,770 S7: what the Holy Spirit does. He. He shines a light 624 00:32:39,770 --> 00:32:42,690 S7: on Christ. He glorifies the Son of God. He leads 625 00:32:42,690 --> 00:32:45,850 S7: us into all truth. He brings conviction when we're straying 626 00:32:45,850 --> 00:32:49,010 S7: from him. He empowers us when we cry out in 627 00:32:49,010 --> 00:32:52,810 S7: prayer to him. So, you know, it's it's amazing. One 628 00:32:52,810 --> 00:32:55,850 S7: thing I've discovered, as I've been looking at ever more 629 00:32:55,850 --> 00:32:59,170 S7: deeply into the New Testament, is that the word power 630 00:32:59,170 --> 00:33:01,850 S7: in the New Testament is largely a synonym for the 631 00:33:01,850 --> 00:33:04,930 S7: person of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is power, 632 00:33:05,170 --> 00:33:08,330 S7: and it's the power of God Himself, not just some, 633 00:33:08,370 --> 00:33:11,530 S7: you know, not like this is another political party striving 634 00:33:11,530 --> 00:33:14,570 S7: for votes in the election season. This is the power 635 00:33:14,570 --> 00:33:19,570 S7: of God Himself has been imparted to us, and is 636 00:33:19,610 --> 00:33:22,510 S7: what gives us the hope that we can actually serve, sir. 637 00:33:22,590 --> 00:33:25,070 S7: Not just survive, but thrive in the midst of the 638 00:33:25,070 --> 00:33:27,470 S7: mess that we're in in this world. So I just 639 00:33:27,470 --> 00:33:31,470 S7: encourage people to remember the Spirit of God lives in you. 640 00:33:31,510 --> 00:33:33,910 S7: You are the temple of the of the God of 641 00:33:33,910 --> 00:33:37,790 S7: this universe. He dwells in you, and he empowers us 642 00:33:37,790 --> 00:33:40,790 S7: to do the things that otherwise we would never even, uh, 643 00:33:40,790 --> 00:33:42,310 S7: even conceive of doing. 644 00:33:42,670 --> 00:33:45,670 S2: Sam storms, listen, you're listening right now, and you want 645 00:33:45,670 --> 00:33:48,910 S2: a site to look at that's really going to illuminate 646 00:33:49,070 --> 00:33:52,430 S2: some core theological truths that will direct and guide your 647 00:33:52,430 --> 00:33:56,790 S2: life in power. Just text storm one word storm to 648 00:33:56,830 --> 00:34:06,310 S2: 800 555 7898. One word storm to 800 555 7898. Man, 649 00:34:06,350 --> 00:34:08,430 S2: Sam can't wait for that book to come out. My man, 650 00:34:08,430 --> 00:34:10,430 S2: we're going to get you on here first thing. 651 00:34:10,469 --> 00:34:13,030 S4: You are listening to the Carl and Crew show cast. 652 00:34:13,030 --> 00:34:16,510 S4: I'm Diana Super Di and so glad you've tuned in. 653 00:34:16,550 --> 00:34:19,230 S4: Just a bit of a intermission. You know, you can 654 00:34:19,230 --> 00:34:23,060 S4: hear us live weekday mornings from 5 to 9 central. 655 00:34:23,060 --> 00:34:27,180 S4: That's right. Carl and crew. Weekday mornings 5 to 9 central. 656 00:34:27,180 --> 00:34:29,620 S4: With all the great ways to hear us. Just check 657 00:34:29,620 --> 00:34:32,779 S4: it out at Carl and crew for now. Back to 658 00:34:32,820 --> 00:34:34,500 S4: the Carl and Crew Show cast. 659 00:34:34,980 --> 00:34:38,060 S1: He's a sports fanatic with a stat for anything you 660 00:34:38,060 --> 00:34:42,300 S1: can think of. Young Thunder is in the crew. It's 661 00:34:42,300 --> 00:34:44,580 S1: Carl and crew on Moody Radio. 662 00:34:44,860 --> 00:34:47,259 S2: Carl and crew, and we are going to celebrate here 663 00:34:47,260 --> 00:34:51,460 S2: for a few moments. You surrendered to Jesus Christ. God 664 00:34:51,460 --> 00:34:54,700 S2: called you out of darkness in just the last year. 665 00:34:54,700 --> 00:34:56,739 S2: And this is going to be a Christmas like none 666 00:34:56,739 --> 00:34:59,580 S2: other you've ever had. And we want to hear your story. 667 00:34:59,580 --> 00:35:05,020 S2: Give us a call right now. 800 555 7898. Nathan 668 00:35:05,020 --> 00:35:08,300 S2: in Chicago. What's your story, my man? Welcome to the family. 669 00:35:09,300 --> 00:35:12,820 S8: Hey, thanks for welcoming me to the family. My story 670 00:35:12,820 --> 00:35:15,620 S8: is I got baptized in October. I've been clean since 671 00:35:15,660 --> 00:35:21,690 S8: October 14th. Uh, and I've been going to uh, regularly 672 00:35:21,770 --> 00:35:24,850 S8: AA meetings, but I started I found this guy at 673 00:35:24,850 --> 00:35:28,250 S8: a meeting who was wearing a Jesus Loves Me hat. And, uh, 674 00:35:28,730 --> 00:35:31,530 S8: you know, I got, you know, I started following him 675 00:35:31,530 --> 00:35:34,689 S8: slowly and surely throughout the years and ended up going 676 00:35:34,730 --> 00:35:39,930 S8: to his church and and getting, uh, you know, saved and. 677 00:35:40,250 --> 00:35:43,570 S2: You know, saved. Yes. And, Nathan, um, so. 678 00:35:43,610 --> 00:35:45,650 S8: A lot more I could talk about. But, you know. 679 00:35:45,810 --> 00:35:51,169 S2: Nathan, listen, the story is this Jesus came to save 680 00:35:51,410 --> 00:35:54,770 S2: sinners like you and me, buddy. And that's what he 681 00:35:54,770 --> 00:35:57,570 S2: did in your life. And that is powerhouse, bro. Thank 682 00:35:57,570 --> 00:36:01,250 S2: you for calling in Wes. First time caller. Orlando, Florida. 683 00:36:01,250 --> 00:36:02,330 S2: What do you say, Wes? 684 00:36:03,969 --> 00:36:05,930 S9: Uh, good morning, Carl. I want to thank you guys 685 00:36:05,930 --> 00:36:10,049 S9: so much. Moody radio totally changed my life. Uh, 1129 686 00:36:10,090 --> 00:36:14,290 S9: 2025 I finally gave up. I came to the Lord. 687 00:36:14,330 --> 00:36:17,489 S9: You know, I thought I could clean myself up, but 688 00:36:17,489 --> 00:36:21,040 S9: I realized this myth is way beyond cleaning up. 689 00:36:21,480 --> 00:36:21,880 S6: Wow. 690 00:36:21,920 --> 00:36:26,680 S9: And you know, I struggled with substance abuse. Self-pleasure. You know, 691 00:36:26,719 --> 00:36:29,280 S9: just I was going to church, but I just wasn't 692 00:36:29,280 --> 00:36:33,720 S9: getting in the word. And just one day, I just decided, 693 00:36:34,360 --> 00:36:36,759 S9: you know, you know, I'm not going to help myself. 694 00:36:36,760 --> 00:36:40,320 S9: I need to have someone, you know, baptize me. And 695 00:36:40,360 --> 00:36:43,840 S9: I was so scared to take that first step. But, man, 696 00:36:43,880 --> 00:36:46,400 S9: since I've taken that step and been filled with the 697 00:36:46,400 --> 00:36:49,440 S9: Holy Spirit, I can't lie. I can't do anything anymore. 698 00:36:49,480 --> 00:36:51,640 S9: He's got total control over you. 699 00:36:52,680 --> 00:36:55,960 S2: I love you, man. Wes. First time caller from Orlando. 700 00:36:56,000 --> 00:36:59,600 S2: I can't lie. I can't get away with anything anymore. Yeah, 701 00:36:59,800 --> 00:37:03,520 S2: that's what the Holy Spirit does. Awesome. Greg. First time 702 00:37:03,520 --> 00:37:06,720 S2: caller from Georgia. What do you say, Greg? What's your story? 703 00:37:08,480 --> 00:37:11,040 S10: Uh, yes. I came to, um, let me get pulled 704 00:37:11,040 --> 00:37:15,840 S10: over here. I'm over grabbing. Um, March 23rd is my birthday, 705 00:37:15,840 --> 00:37:18,790 S10: and I came to Christ. I had of him 35 706 00:37:18,830 --> 00:37:26,310 S10: year mental addiction and and God saved me. And this past, 707 00:37:26,550 --> 00:37:28,950 S10: this past Saturday, we went to a different church and stuff. 708 00:37:28,950 --> 00:37:31,390 S10: And this lady came down from from North Carolina and 709 00:37:31,390 --> 00:37:34,470 S10: prophesied over me. And I was sort of scared because 710 00:37:34,469 --> 00:37:37,910 S10: I've never seen nothing like that before. And this lady 711 00:37:37,910 --> 00:37:41,549 S10: tells me, she said, you've been battling addiction for years. 712 00:37:41,590 --> 00:37:43,870 S10: And she said, it's under your feet now. And that 713 00:37:43,870 --> 00:37:45,630 S10: has lit my spirit up so much. 714 00:37:45,670 --> 00:37:48,190 S2: Well, let me tell you something, Greg. Greg, let me 715 00:37:48,190 --> 00:37:49,790 S2: give you let me give you the basis for that 716 00:37:49,790 --> 00:37:53,189 S2: one really quick. Greg, first time caller from Georgia. It's 717 00:37:53,190 --> 00:37:55,790 S2: under your feet because you are standing on the rock 718 00:37:56,230 --> 00:38:00,109 S2: and his name is Jesus. And that, my friend, is beautiful. 719 00:38:00,150 --> 00:38:02,230 S2: It's an awesome thing when God gets a hold of 720 00:38:02,230 --> 00:38:04,750 S2: our heart. And you've heard story after story here for 721 00:38:04,750 --> 00:38:07,350 S2: the last few minutes of people that have been saved 722 00:38:07,350 --> 00:38:12,950 S2: from a lot of substances, but more than anything else, 723 00:38:12,950 --> 00:38:18,690 S2: save from themselves. And you might feel like this morning, boy, 724 00:38:18,730 --> 00:38:22,170 S2: I need someone to save me from me. And I 725 00:38:22,170 --> 00:38:24,770 S2: want you to know that's what Jesus came to do. 726 00:38:24,810 --> 00:38:26,609 S2: If you want to hear the gospel, I want to 727 00:38:26,610 --> 00:38:30,450 S2: give it to you. There's some good news in verse 728 00:38:30,450 --> 00:38:33,570 S2: 14 of the gospel of Mark says, now after John 729 00:38:33,570 --> 00:38:37,649 S2: was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee proclaiming the gospel of 730 00:38:37,650 --> 00:38:42,210 S2: God and saying, these are his words. The time is 731 00:38:42,210 --> 00:38:46,650 S2: fulfilled and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent 732 00:38:46,850 --> 00:38:50,810 S2: and believe in the gospel. What is the gospel? The 733 00:38:50,850 --> 00:38:57,290 S2: gospel is that Jesus died. He was the blameless, perfect 734 00:38:57,290 --> 00:39:03,169 S2: sacrifice who laid down his life for you. And there's 735 00:39:03,170 --> 00:39:05,969 S2: a lot of you that have had a lot of 736 00:39:05,969 --> 00:39:10,009 S2: spiritual encounters, but you've not yet been transformed by the 737 00:39:10,010 --> 00:39:16,839 S2: power of God. King Agrippa spiritual encounter. Herod. Spiritual encounter. 738 00:39:17,160 --> 00:39:24,839 S2: Rich young ruler. Spiritual encounter. Transformed. Don't know, but you 739 00:39:24,840 --> 00:39:30,600 S2: can know today. And what Jesus said here is believe 740 00:39:30,600 --> 00:39:33,759 S2: in the gospel. The gospel is Jesus came to save 741 00:39:33,760 --> 00:39:39,680 S2: you because you can't save yourself. Now, oftentimes we've asked 742 00:39:39,680 --> 00:39:42,640 S2: people to accept Jesus. The problem is that word is 743 00:39:42,640 --> 00:39:47,320 S2: nowhere in the New Testament. Nowhere. We're called to receive him. 744 00:39:47,840 --> 00:39:52,000 S2: But that's an internalizing of truth that we're sinners and 745 00:39:52,000 --> 00:39:55,320 S2: that we're bound for an eternal destination that is far 746 00:39:55,320 --> 00:40:00,359 S2: separated from God. But God, being rich in mercy, sent 747 00:40:00,400 --> 00:40:03,640 S2: his son that whoever believes in him will not perish 748 00:40:03,640 --> 00:40:06,279 S2: but have everlasting life. But that word belief is not 749 00:40:06,280 --> 00:40:09,200 S2: a mere intellectual assent, or else the demons would be 750 00:40:09,200 --> 00:40:14,359 S2: saved because they believe in Jesus. According to James, it 751 00:40:14,510 --> 00:40:18,310 S2: involves repentance. You were born on a broad path that 752 00:40:18,350 --> 00:40:22,830 S2: leads to destruction. But today, God, in his mercy and 753 00:40:22,830 --> 00:40:25,189 S2: by the power of the spirit, is calling you out 754 00:40:25,190 --> 00:40:30,790 S2: of darkness and into light. Now, what's been left out 755 00:40:30,790 --> 00:40:35,870 S2: of the gospel far too long is repentance. Jesus said it. 756 00:40:36,590 --> 00:40:39,509 S2: The time is fulfilled. The kingdom of God is at hand. 757 00:40:39,510 --> 00:40:44,950 S2: Repent and believe in the gospel. You see, until you 758 00:40:44,950 --> 00:40:48,510 S2: turn around, you were born with your back to God. 759 00:40:49,590 --> 00:40:53,350 S2: You're on a broad path that leads to destruction. Every 760 00:40:53,590 --> 00:40:58,350 S2: person born is born onto the broad path that leads 761 00:40:58,350 --> 00:41:02,150 S2: to destruction. And until we see our need for a 762 00:41:02,150 --> 00:41:05,670 S2: Savior and repent, which is a loving word, it means 763 00:41:05,670 --> 00:41:10,069 S2: turn around, friend, and surrender all that we are to 764 00:41:10,110 --> 00:41:12,830 S2: Jesus Christ. We're not fit for the kingdom of God. 765 00:41:12,830 --> 00:41:16,180 S2: Some of you have wondered, why doesn't Christianity work for me? 766 00:41:16,180 --> 00:41:20,859 S2: Because it's more than a culture. It's an internal transformation 767 00:41:20,860 --> 00:41:25,620 S2: of the soul, and even the unction and the power 768 00:41:25,620 --> 00:41:27,779 S2: that you have to turn around is brought to you 769 00:41:27,780 --> 00:41:30,380 S2: by God. You bring nothing to the table. And that's 770 00:41:30,380 --> 00:41:34,379 S2: good news for you today, isn't it, friend? Because you know, 771 00:41:34,380 --> 00:41:42,980 S2: you bring nothing. The gospel changes everything. But the gospel 772 00:41:42,980 --> 00:41:48,420 S2: without repentance is not good news at all. God's calling 773 00:41:48,420 --> 00:41:52,020 S2: you to turn around today, to leave this path that 774 00:41:52,020 --> 00:41:56,100 S2: you've been walking to turn into. Step toward Jesus and say, 775 00:41:56,100 --> 00:42:00,740 S2: I give you my life, renew my mind, retake every dream, 776 00:42:00,739 --> 00:42:03,899 S2: every aspiration I've ever had. I just surrender it all 777 00:42:03,900 --> 00:42:07,180 S2: to you today. God, I give you my life completely. 778 00:42:07,380 --> 00:42:09,339 S2: And for some of you, many of you, this is 779 00:42:09,340 --> 00:42:15,210 S2: the first time you've ever repented of your sin in 780 00:42:15,210 --> 00:42:19,410 S2: Jesus's arms are wide open, ready to take you on 781 00:42:19,410 --> 00:42:21,890 S2: a journey of a lifetime. Will it be, as Reuben said, 782 00:42:21,890 --> 00:42:25,049 S2: filled with adversity? Yeah, there's going to be attacks on 783 00:42:25,090 --> 00:42:30,050 S2: that path, but our God who transforms you is able 784 00:42:30,050 --> 00:42:35,450 S2: to carry you all the way to heaven and give 785 00:42:35,450 --> 00:42:41,450 S2: you life abundant today. Is today the day when you 786 00:42:41,450 --> 00:42:46,650 S2: recognize it's time to believe? Not just believe, that Jesus 787 00:42:46,650 --> 00:42:50,049 S2: is real, but believe that he is the Savior of 788 00:42:50,050 --> 00:42:54,290 S2: your soul and he will alone save you from your sins. 789 00:42:56,010 --> 00:42:59,450 S2: Is today the day that you are turning around? Just 790 00:42:59,450 --> 00:43:02,610 S2: say it to God. I'm a sinner. I need a Savior. 791 00:43:02,650 --> 00:43:05,330 S2: Say it out loud right now. Wherever you are, I'm 792 00:43:05,330 --> 00:43:09,210 S2: a sinner. I need a Savior. Today. By your power 793 00:43:09,210 --> 00:43:14,549 S2: I am turning around and turning everything over to you. Jesus. 794 00:43:15,989 --> 00:43:22,710 S2: Full surrender. Holding nothing back. Is that you? I'm going 795 00:43:22,750 --> 00:43:24,069 S2: to pray for you. And then I'm going to give 796 00:43:24,070 --> 00:43:25,709 S2: you a link to help you in your first steps 797 00:43:25,710 --> 00:43:29,350 S2: with Jesus. Father, thank you that you sent your son 798 00:43:29,830 --> 00:43:36,669 S2: to die for us, bringing salvation to all who believe. 799 00:43:38,350 --> 00:43:42,549 S2: And Lord, this belief is not some whim. It's not 800 00:43:42,550 --> 00:43:45,870 S2: a hand in the air. It's a soul bowed low 801 00:43:45,870 --> 00:43:48,509 S2: and turning around, saying, I give you all that I 802 00:43:48,550 --> 00:43:50,950 S2: am today. And Lord, I pray for the down and 803 00:43:50,989 --> 00:43:54,670 S2: outers and the up and outers and everyone in between. God. 804 00:43:56,150 --> 00:44:00,030 S2: Show them your love, your mercy, your grace and your 805 00:44:00,030 --> 00:44:05,989 S2: power today. In the name of Jesus, we pray it. Amen. 806 00:44:07,070 --> 00:44:09,589 S2: If this is you and for the first time ever 807 00:44:09,590 --> 00:44:14,899 S2: in your life. You are surrendering all every bit of 808 00:44:14,900 --> 00:44:17,500 S2: what you are to Jesus Christ. Today we're going to 809 00:44:17,500 --> 00:44:19,860 S2: help you with something. I'm going to ask you to 810 00:44:19,900 --> 00:44:23,060 S2: be bold. We've got people that want to help you 811 00:44:23,060 --> 00:44:25,299 S2: take your next steps with Jesus. And so we've got 812 00:44:25,300 --> 00:44:27,540 S2: a little resource. I want you to grab it right now, 813 00:44:27,540 --> 00:44:29,620 S2: and I want you to follow the links as you 814 00:44:29,620 --> 00:44:36,540 S2: go through this text. New to (800) 555-7898. Just one word. 815 00:44:36,540 --> 00:44:43,980 S2: New to 800 555 7898. That's it. Just one word. 816 00:44:43,980 --> 00:44:50,339 S2: New to 800 555 7898. And this will be a 817 00:44:50,340 --> 00:44:58,219 S2: Christmas unlike any Christmas you've ever had before. God is 818 00:44:58,219 --> 00:45:03,460 S2: making you new. God reached into the shadows to change 819 00:45:03,460 --> 00:45:09,500 S2: your life today. Just text new to 800 555 7898.