WEBVTT - Transformative Faith 0:00:00.380 --> 0:00:04.430 Coming to you from the Morning Star Mission sponsored studio. 0:00:04.460 --> 0:00:10.040 This is Carl and crew on Moody Radio. It's freedom Friday. 0:00:10.070 --> 0:00:12.320 Rise and shine. Everybody get a cup of coffee or tea, 0:00:12.350 --> 0:00:15.770 whatever it takes. But let's get rolling. So we've been 0:00:15.770 --> 0:00:18.830 talking faith and culture all week, Ali, and this has 0:00:18.829 --> 0:00:22.939 been some of the best content I man, I can't 0:00:22.940 --> 0:00:23.960 keep doing that. 0:00:24.800 --> 0:00:27.170 I can't keep. I love it. I was going to 0:00:27.170 --> 0:00:30.710 say if I had a dollar for every time we 0:00:30.740 --> 0:00:34.340 set a new record. This has been my favorite week 0:00:34.340 --> 0:00:37.010 of all time next week. Hey, hey, I have some. 0:00:37.400 --> 0:00:40.880 I have something in common with Jesus. We both use hyperbole. 0:00:43.400 --> 0:00:43.910 Can I blame. 0:00:43.909 --> 0:00:46.670 It on Jesus? Can I blame it on Jesus? He 0:00:46.670 --> 0:00:49.129 used hyperbole. Can I use hyperbole? 0:00:49.159 --> 0:00:50.480 Uh, you know what? I'll allow. 0:00:50.479 --> 0:00:51.199 It. Of course. 0:00:51.229 --> 0:00:51.860 You can. 0:00:51.890 --> 0:00:52.190 No. 0:00:52.610 --> 0:00:56.540 No, I'm stretching a christocentric theology there. That he used 0:00:56.540 --> 0:01:00.460 hyperbole for the purpose of describing things that were innately truthful, 0:01:00.460 --> 0:01:05.020 but in mine is not innately truthful because you can't 0:01:05.020 --> 0:01:06.610 keep raising the bar. 0:01:06.640 --> 0:01:08.980 It's okay though. I'm with you though. I really have 0:01:08.980 --> 0:01:10.839 enjoyed our conversations this week. 0:01:11.260 --> 0:01:13.630 It's been epic. All right, I want to break down 0:01:13.630 --> 0:01:16.300 a Christian worldview. I've jotted down four things that are 0:01:16.300 --> 0:01:20.950 characteristic of a Christian worldview. Now, let's. Okay. Christian worldview. 0:01:20.980 --> 0:01:23.229 Let's be more accurate. Biblical worldview. 0:01:23.260 --> 0:01:23.680 Okay. 0:01:23.709 --> 0:01:26.110 Because you can get a little mushy on that one. 0:01:26.140 --> 0:01:33.640 God is creator and sovereign Lord. Humanity has fallen, but 0:01:33.640 --> 0:01:38.619 redeemable still. Jesus Christ is the only way to salvation, 0:01:39.430 --> 0:01:43.120 and a life of faith leads to transformation and purpose. 0:01:43.780 --> 0:01:46.149 Those are just a tried to crunch it down to four. 0:01:46.180 --> 0:01:51.100 That's four. Okay. So if that's a worldview, here's my 0:01:51.100 --> 0:01:54.160 concern with this. And I've been noodling on it all night. 0:01:54.160 --> 0:01:56.740 Literally woke up in the middle of the night going 0:01:56.860 --> 0:02:00.059 home because I've been wrestling this week in a good way, 0:02:00.090 --> 0:02:02.910 not wrestling against God. But like, we've been going down 0:02:02.910 --> 0:02:05.460 a path together and Jesus has had his arm around 0:02:05.460 --> 0:02:08.970 my neck going. Listen up, kid. We're still growing up here. 0:02:08.970 --> 0:02:12.990 But here's the cool thing about this I am convinced 0:02:12.990 --> 0:02:21.000 that we have so made Christianity transactional and not transformational 0:02:21.000 --> 0:02:24.270 in our culture today, that this can just become a 0:02:24.270 --> 0:02:28.260 list that people can ascend to, but never experience it. 0:02:28.620 --> 0:02:32.670 That's a problem, man. We got our guest groaning in 0:02:32.669 --> 0:02:34.859 the studio here, which is a great sign. 0:02:35.160 --> 0:02:36.990 Yeah, he's in agreement with you. 0:02:37.020 --> 0:02:40.470 You can't see this online, but I am. Thumbs up, 0:02:40.470 --> 0:02:43.649 I am nodding. I am getting very excited right now. 0:02:43.680 --> 0:02:44.250 Yeah. 0:02:44.250 --> 0:02:46.980 So let's bring you in here, Peter Worrell. Ali, give 0:02:46.980 --> 0:02:49.530 the bio on this. He's more than a groaner. 0:02:49.530 --> 0:02:53.940 And a firmer. He is a moody professor. He's an 0:02:53.940 --> 0:02:57.760 associate professor here at Moody Bible Institute. Professor of educational ministry. 0:02:58.030 --> 0:03:00.610 We brought him in to talk about faith and culture 0:03:00.610 --> 0:03:04.660 because he actually teaches a class here on faith and learning. 0:03:04.660 --> 0:03:07.149 So when he heard that this was our theme this week, 0:03:07.180 --> 0:03:10.690 he popped in the studio actually and said, hey guys, 0:03:10.690 --> 0:03:13.570 can we talk about this? Yeah. So yeah, he's he's 0:03:13.570 --> 0:03:15.579 giving you lots of affirmation this morning. 0:03:15.610 --> 0:03:18.550 Yeah. And what's really cool about Peter Worrell and we're 0:03:18.550 --> 0:03:20.500 going to, by the way, load up a link, because 0:03:20.530 --> 0:03:22.390 by the time we're done with them this half hour, 0:03:22.389 --> 0:03:24.280 we're going to want to tell people how they can 0:03:24.280 --> 0:03:27.760 come learn from guys like this. Seriously, it's a cool thing. 0:03:27.790 --> 0:03:32.109 I mean, Peter's alive in Jesus, but that whole transaction, 0:03:32.139 --> 0:03:36.730 you know, versus transformational it Peter, that that can be 0:03:36.730 --> 0:03:39.250 a problem. And I wonder if, in fact, that's what 0:03:39.250 --> 0:03:41.620 happened with a lot of our kids growing up in 0:03:41.620 --> 0:03:43.870 the church for a long, long time is that they 0:03:43.870 --> 0:03:47.530 had a transaction mentally, but not a transformation. What do. 0:03:47.530 --> 0:03:51.040 You say? Oh, I've been thinking about this, actually. Um, 0:03:51.040 --> 0:03:55.360 just the the transactional nature of, oh, we speak at 0:03:55.380 --> 0:03:57.420 camps and at the camp. We build up to a 0:03:57.420 --> 0:03:59.970 Thursday night, and on the Thursday night we lay out 0:03:59.970 --> 0:04:03.030 the gospel. But the gospel is get out of hell free. 0:04:03.030 --> 0:04:04.950 And and they're like, oh, I want to get out 0:04:04.950 --> 0:04:07.710 of hell free. And they, they say a prayer and 0:04:07.710 --> 0:04:11.220 then they think they're done and nothing changes. Nothing goes on. 0:04:11.220 --> 0:04:15.540 Whereas if a person is alienated from God, you want 0:04:15.540 --> 0:04:19.229 them to have a relationship with God. And actually a 0:04:19.230 --> 0:04:22.140 lot of things that I have conversations with kids about, 0:04:22.140 --> 0:04:24.630 a lot of things I have conversations with people about 0:04:24.630 --> 0:04:28.710 the devil also believes, and so the devil believes that 0:04:28.710 --> 0:04:31.140 Jesus is the Son of God. The devil believes that 0:04:31.140 --> 0:04:34.260 Jesus came and died, and he's very upset that he 0:04:34.260 --> 0:04:36.299 rose from the dead, and he's very upset, but he 0:04:36.300 --> 0:04:39.390 believes those things. And if it's just an idea of 0:04:39.390 --> 0:04:43.980 what do I understand, then you haven't got that relationship 0:04:43.980 --> 0:04:47.580 with Christ necessarily, because you have to have a dynamic 0:04:47.580 --> 0:04:50.940 relationship of loving the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, 0:04:50.940 --> 0:04:54.200 mind and strength, and loving your neighbor as Is yourself. 0:04:54.200 --> 0:04:58.520 And that is something that actually I don't have. Now 0:04:58.520 --> 0:04:59.990 let me explain that a little bit. 0:05:00.020 --> 0:05:02.060 Okay. Yeah. Let's get some explanation here. 0:05:02.089 --> 0:05:05.539 I love God more today than I ever have, but 0:05:05.540 --> 0:05:09.950 I don't love God with everything I've got all the time, everywhere. 0:05:09.950 --> 0:05:13.130 And I'm pushing on towards that and I'm pushing deeper. 0:05:13.130 --> 0:05:16.490 And it's a relationship that keeps growing and it keeps 0:05:16.490 --> 0:05:20.450 changing and it's dynamic. And some people, they're done with 0:05:20.450 --> 0:05:23.960 something that happened when they were seven and, and they, 0:05:23.960 --> 0:05:27.320 they just don't know God. And it's knowing God where 0:05:27.320 --> 0:05:28.430 the delight is. 0:05:28.460 --> 0:05:30.169 Peter, do you mind if I jump in here for 0:05:30.170 --> 0:05:32.270 a second? I you know, as you're talking about this 0:05:32.270 --> 0:05:35.360 dynamic relationship and loving the Lord your God more every 0:05:35.390 --> 0:05:38.600 day and loving your neighbor as yourself. Well, I think 0:05:38.600 --> 0:05:41.089 of that. And I say, well, I don't do that perfectly. 0:05:41.089 --> 0:05:44.150 And and I think about the illusion of salvation that 0:05:44.150 --> 0:05:46.640 I had, you know, and so I can think of 0:05:46.640 --> 0:05:49.250 myself as a young Christian going, oh, that kind of 0:05:49.279 --> 0:05:51.890 makes me nervous. I don't love him perfectly every day. 0:05:51.890 --> 0:05:54.190 Am I? Am I saved now because I love him 0:05:54.190 --> 0:05:55.839 really well? But when I don't love him really well? 0:05:55.870 --> 0:05:57.880 Am I unsaved? You know. How does that. How does that. 0:05:57.880 --> 0:06:00.370 Work? Yeah, well, it depends who you're walking with. So 0:06:00.370 --> 0:06:02.770 who is the first person in your life who is 0:06:02.770 --> 0:06:05.200 the first person that you're following? Did you come to 0:06:05.230 --> 0:06:09.159 Jesus and say, he is my Lord and I am 0:06:09.160 --> 0:06:11.230 going to follow him, and I am going to walk 0:06:11.230 --> 0:06:13.180 with him? If he says, go to that building, I'm 0:06:13.180 --> 0:06:15.279 going to that building. If he says, go to that country, 0:06:15.279 --> 0:06:17.890 I'm going to that country. I'm submitted to him, and 0:06:17.890 --> 0:06:21.310 I live for Jesus. Yeah. And I think, you know, 0:06:21.310 --> 0:06:25.240 how we can get into just the study of Jesus 0:06:25.420 --> 0:06:28.390 and we can pass tests on Jesus. You know, I know, 0:06:28.420 --> 0:06:31.000 and I know, you know, and that's why I'm looking 0:06:31.000 --> 0:06:33.550 at you right now. Because I know, you know, because 0:06:33.550 --> 0:06:36.760 if you don't know Jesus, that's the whole crux of 0:06:36.760 --> 0:06:40.180 the gospel, because you've got this personal relationship with Jesus 0:06:40.180 --> 0:06:44.440 that just excites you and sets you on fire. And 0:06:44.440 --> 0:06:48.580 I see fewer people in America who are on fire. 0:06:48.580 --> 0:06:52.770 And the religion of Christianity, died in England a long 0:06:52.770 --> 0:06:54.630 time ago, in a sense. I mean, I've heard you 0:06:54.660 --> 0:06:57.599 talking to England people. English people. And I'm being a 0:06:57.600 --> 0:07:01.290 little bit facetious. But the thing is that if we 0:07:01.290 --> 0:07:05.310 related the Jesus that we actually know. I think people 0:07:05.310 --> 0:07:07.680 would take our hands and they would hold his hand 0:07:07.680 --> 0:07:11.310 and we would introduce them, and they would be excited 0:07:11.310 --> 0:07:14.280 and they would be actually set on fire. 0:07:14.340 --> 0:07:16.350 You know, the Spirit of God might be, as a 0:07:16.350 --> 0:07:19.470 result of our interview with Peter here, just compelling you 0:07:19.470 --> 0:07:21.450 to come to Moody, and we're going to have a 0:07:21.450 --> 0:07:23.640 link for you. And we got a we got a 0:07:23.640 --> 0:07:27.690 Carl and crew, like, little special deal going on. So 0:07:27.720 --> 0:07:29.250 we'll tell you all about that coming up here in 0:07:29.250 --> 0:07:31.950 just a moment. But I want to I've been noodling 0:07:31.950 --> 0:07:34.800 on something here, Ali. As a matter of fact, I 0:07:35.550 --> 0:07:40.260 was preaching on it once downtown campus just recently, last 0:07:40.260 --> 0:07:45.960 week downtown three weeks ago out in the burbs. And 0:07:46.590 --> 0:07:51.310 I called it three dramatic realities of authentic salvation. One 0:07:51.310 --> 0:07:56.470 is we're overwhelmed with gratitude for God's grace. I see 0:07:56.470 --> 0:07:59.110 it everywhere in Scripture. Guys, you can't avoid it. Yeah. 0:07:59.140 --> 0:08:01.810 And my concern here is that we sometimes look at 0:08:01.810 --> 0:08:06.640 the disciples story, and we almost elevate them like they 0:08:06.640 --> 0:08:11.320 are something that we can only aspire to. Right. No. What? What? 0:08:11.440 --> 0:08:14.860 That's not biblical. That's not true. No. The woman at 0:08:14.860 --> 0:08:19.930 the well, the the the tax collector, Peter. Andrew, the 0:08:19.930 --> 0:08:24.220 list goes on and on. There's something characteristically different about 0:08:24.220 --> 0:08:28.690 a life that has been transformed by God. And we 0:08:28.690 --> 0:08:34.059 live imperfectly. Yeah. But there is an underlying, even transcending personality. 0:08:34.059 --> 0:08:37.750 There's an underlying passion, then, to live with God. 0:08:37.780 --> 0:08:41.650 Yes. Well, it is undeniable. I think that part of 0:08:41.650 --> 0:08:44.199 the thing that I'm wrestling with in the culture is 0:08:44.200 --> 0:08:47.469 people don't see that they're dead without Christ. Yeah. People 0:08:47.470 --> 0:08:50.490 don't see that they have no life that's worth anything. 0:08:50.490 --> 0:08:53.310 People don't see that they come from a worthless position. 0:08:53.309 --> 0:08:56.459 And if you come to God and you bring something 0:08:56.460 --> 0:08:59.520 and it's better than me, I mean, the people here 0:08:59.520 --> 0:09:01.829 in this room, I'm. I'm sure you've lived in your 0:09:01.830 --> 0:09:04.530 20s and been a little bit better than me. Well, 0:09:04.530 --> 0:09:07.439 if you're better than me, that doesn't mean anything than 0:09:07.470 --> 0:09:10.410 in front of God. Because God is God and He 0:09:10.410 --> 0:09:14.790 is Almighty, and he is transcendent and he is perfect. Now, 0:09:14.820 --> 0:09:17.760 if you look at the disciples, the disciples would have 0:09:17.760 --> 0:09:20.730 known what sin was and the disciples would have fallen 0:09:20.760 --> 0:09:24.870 off that, and they would have been like, I am 0:09:24.870 --> 0:09:28.440 a sinful person. And Jesus says, well, find God through me. 0:09:28.440 --> 0:09:31.920 They find God through him. And on Pentecost they get transformed. 0:09:31.920 --> 0:09:33.480 And in the book of acts, they're going out and 0:09:33.480 --> 0:09:37.350 telling everybody because they're excited, because they have access to God. 0:09:37.350 --> 0:09:40.979 They all were absolutely excited to the point that they 0:09:40.980 --> 0:09:44.970 would die for this. They would die for it because 0:09:44.970 --> 0:09:47.839 they believed it so fervently. Yeah. 0:09:47.960 --> 0:09:51.050 Peter Worrell, right now associate professor here at Moody Bible Institute, 0:09:51.080 --> 0:09:53.750 we're talking faith, learning and a whole lot of extra. 0:09:53.780 --> 0:09:56.810 We're throwing in extra this morning on Freedom Friday, which 0:09:56.809 --> 0:09:57.439 I love. 0:09:58.340 --> 0:10:02.000 So, Peter, let's boil this down. Coming up here in 0:10:02.000 --> 0:10:03.949 a few minutes, I want to boil this down to 0:10:03.980 --> 0:10:08.180 someone who's listening this morning and they say, man, I'm 0:10:08.179 --> 0:10:12.860 not overwhelmed by the gratitude of God's grace. I'm I 0:10:12.860 --> 0:10:19.400 there isn't an underlying passion for God. What do they do? 0:10:19.550 --> 0:10:24.230 It's on this Freedom Friday. It's there's a growing imperative 0:10:24.230 --> 0:10:26.870 that we feel led by the Holy Spirit, that we 0:10:26.900 --> 0:10:33.020 help draw a very clear line about transactional faith on 0:10:33.020 --> 0:10:36.050 one side of that line, and transformative faith on the 0:10:36.050 --> 0:10:38.929 other side of that line. And then even in this hour, 0:10:38.929 --> 0:10:42.380 we're going to talk about the three barriers that keep 0:10:42.380 --> 0:10:46.780 you from salvation. And then you actually know how to 0:10:46.809 --> 0:10:48.970 pray for people. It's all pretty cool. It all comes 0:10:48.970 --> 0:10:52.240 together when you look at God's Word just in an objective, 0:10:52.270 --> 0:10:53.800 humble heart. Hang on. 0:10:54.010 --> 0:10:58.059 He was running from God, but God's love brought him home. 0:10:58.059 --> 0:11:02.020 Carl is in the crew. It's Carl and crew on 0:11:02.050 --> 0:11:03.339 Moody Radio. 0:11:03.520 --> 0:11:06.189 Talking faith and culture all week. And today we're really 0:11:06.190 --> 0:11:11.350 drilling down on faith. It's freedom Friday. We've already established 0:11:11.350 --> 0:11:15.459 that transactional faith is no faith at all. Transformative faith 0:11:15.460 --> 0:11:20.050 is is what Jesus aimed at. And it's the fruit, Peter, 0:11:20.260 --> 0:11:23.469 of authentic discipleship. And I want to go back to this. 0:11:23.500 --> 0:11:28.959 It seems like we've elevated the apostles and even that 0:11:28.960 --> 0:11:31.840 early church. But if you look at the book of acts, 0:11:31.840 --> 0:11:34.569 it wasn't just a few guys that were meeting together. 0:11:34.570 --> 0:11:37.780 They were meeting home to home. I mean, leaning into 0:11:37.809 --> 0:11:41.140 God at the cost of their own lives. 0:11:41.170 --> 0:11:44.969 Oh yeah. Well, the Holy Spirit descends on the disciples 0:11:44.970 --> 0:11:48.990 and just transforms them and makes them different people. But 0:11:48.990 --> 0:11:52.770 if you see that, they're always kind of grasping. It 0:11:52.770 --> 0:11:55.230 struck me only after I studied at Moody because I 0:11:55.230 --> 0:11:59.790 studied at Moody, too. The transformational nature of what went 0:11:59.790 --> 0:12:03.660 on with the disciples. Because you've got people like Levi, 0:12:03.690 --> 0:12:07.290 the tax collector. He's swindling people. He's trying to make 0:12:07.320 --> 0:12:09.300 a buck, and he's he's trying. And then he just 0:12:09.300 --> 0:12:12.330 leaves it all, and he starts to follow Jesus and 0:12:12.330 --> 0:12:15.540 he starts to see what's Jesus about. Where's Jesus going? 0:12:15.570 --> 0:12:18.510 And he knows the person of Jesus. And then the 0:12:18.510 --> 0:12:22.020 Holy Spirit fills him. And you see, in the New Testament, 0:12:22.020 --> 0:12:25.170 Peter can't stop speaking about Jesus. Paul can't stop speaking 0:12:25.170 --> 0:12:29.550 about Jesus. They're absolutely transformed because the Holy Spirit sets 0:12:29.580 --> 0:12:32.910 people on fire. And it's the fire that I want 0:12:32.940 --> 0:12:34.890 to see in a student's eyes. So when I'm at 0:12:34.890 --> 0:12:37.770 Moody and I'm teaching, I look around and there's some 0:12:37.770 --> 0:12:40.170 students who are just, you know, I got up, I 0:12:40.200 --> 0:12:43.160 got to your class, leave me alone. But there are 0:12:43.160 --> 0:12:47.540 many students who that fire begins to really catch. And 0:12:47.540 --> 0:12:51.260 I get so excited with them. And we have conversations 0:12:51.260 --> 0:12:55.670 and we're wrestling with things. And we actually took the 0:12:55.670 --> 0:12:58.850 article that you were talking about earlier this week from 0:12:58.850 --> 0:13:02.510 Arizona Christian, and because you were talking about it on 0:13:02.510 --> 0:13:05.120 the radio, I used it to introduce my class and 0:13:05.120 --> 0:13:07.490 they were talking about it and they were wrestling with it. 0:13:07.490 --> 0:13:10.219 And it's the fire that you see in the in 0:13:10.220 --> 0:13:13.010 the students because they want to know Jesus. It's about 0:13:13.010 --> 0:13:16.460 knowing a person, not just a concept. It's about knowing 0:13:16.490 --> 0:13:19.730 a person relationally. And I get excited about that. 0:13:19.760 --> 0:13:22.100 You know, when you talk about the fire, a lot 0:13:22.130 --> 0:13:25.730 of times people start to really look at what do 0:13:25.730 --> 0:13:29.540 I feel? Do I do I feel like I love 0:13:29.540 --> 0:13:32.930 Jesus today? Do I feel that fire? What do we 0:13:32.960 --> 0:13:35.780 what do you advise for the student who takes a 0:13:35.809 --> 0:13:38.540 lot of Bible classes, or for our listener who maybe 0:13:38.540 --> 0:13:41.910 listens to a lot of Christian radio and podcasts and 0:13:41.910 --> 0:13:45.990 takes in sermons and starts to wonder. I don't I 0:13:45.990 --> 0:13:48.840 don't know if I feel the right things. 0:13:48.870 --> 0:13:52.110 Yes, well, actually, it's what you think that leads to 0:13:52.140 --> 0:13:55.710 what you feel. So in our society, we've got things 0:13:55.710 --> 0:13:58.260 backwards and we think, well, when I feel different, I'll 0:13:58.290 --> 0:14:03.270 think different. But actually when you study scripture. Yeah. Things, 0:14:03.300 --> 0:14:06.870 things will leap off the page and you'll know something 0:14:06.870 --> 0:14:09.540 different and it'll excite you. And you've got to tell 0:14:09.570 --> 0:14:12.719 somebody else. My wife also teaches here, so I love 0:14:12.720 --> 0:14:14.670 to tell her. She loves to tell me things. We 0:14:14.670 --> 0:14:18.540 go back and forth and we get excited. So yes, 0:14:18.570 --> 0:14:22.890 being emotionally turned on to God is a thing, but 0:14:22.890 --> 0:14:26.520 it often comes through thinking different thoughts about God. So 0:14:26.520 --> 0:14:28.920 you have to be disciplined and you have to think 0:14:28.920 --> 0:14:32.160 and you have to wrestle. And when you wrestle, you 0:14:32.160 --> 0:14:35.220 get to know God. And when you know God, he 0:14:35.250 --> 0:14:38.070 sets you on fire. I mean, I think there's something 0:14:38.070 --> 0:14:41.030 about a fire resting over the heads of the the 0:14:41.030 --> 0:14:45.650 early Christians in the New Testament in acts because they 0:14:45.650 --> 0:14:49.370 they were set on fire by the God who they loved, 0:14:49.370 --> 0:14:51.980 and they began to serve him. But they knew so 0:14:51.980 --> 0:14:54.920 many things that they learned with Jesus, and then they 0:14:54.920 --> 0:14:57.770 were set on fire. So it's the knowledge first. 0:14:57.770 --> 0:15:02.900 So, Peter, these four little anchors, I just whittled it 0:15:02.900 --> 0:15:06.470 down to these God is the creator and sovereign Lord. 0:15:06.470 --> 0:15:11.540 Humanity is fallen but redeemable. Jesus Christ is the only 0:15:11.540 --> 0:15:16.460 way to salvation. A life of faith leads to transformation 0:15:16.460 --> 0:15:20.870 and purpose. We need to think deeply enough where those 0:15:20.870 --> 0:15:23.870 thoughts turn into what? 0:15:23.900 --> 0:15:27.830 Well, you're thinking about them, and they can be on 0:15:27.830 --> 0:15:31.160 a test and and you could pass them on a 0:15:31.160 --> 0:15:35.360 test and then you'd be cold. But there's something about 0:15:35.360 --> 0:15:40.630 the God who in in inhabits those ideas. Yes, God 0:15:40.630 --> 0:15:43.810 inhabits those ideas. And when you study them, you have 0:15:43.810 --> 0:15:46.390 to think, okay, how do I get to know the 0:15:46.390 --> 0:15:49.450 personal God who gave me this gift? How do I 0:15:49.450 --> 0:15:51.790 get to know the personal God who's running with me 0:15:51.790 --> 0:15:54.250 and walking with me and leading me on? And this 0:15:54.250 --> 0:15:57.190 is the importance of Jesus because Jesus shows us in 0:15:57.190 --> 0:16:00.190 Scripture what this God is like as a person and 0:16:00.190 --> 0:16:02.530 what he's like. Because the concept of God in the 0:16:02.530 --> 0:16:05.710 Old Testament is good and it's right, but it's God 0:16:05.710 --> 0:16:10.450 the Father, largely, and it's God the Father transcending reality. 0:16:10.450 --> 0:16:13.330 And you need to obey him and walk with him, 0:16:13.330 --> 0:16:17.200 and that is good. But the excitement that comes through God, 0:16:17.200 --> 0:16:20.979 the the Son and God the Holy Spirit, the Trinitarian 0:16:20.980 --> 0:16:25.180 view of of the Godhead, it actually sets us on fire. 0:16:25.180 --> 0:16:27.760 And that's what I'm saying. It's a relational thing that 0:16:27.760 --> 0:16:28.360 inhabits them. 0:16:28.390 --> 0:16:30.940 We've got Peter Worrell with us right now, associate professor 0:16:30.940 --> 0:16:34.300 here at Moody Bible Institute. So when you see a 0:16:34.300 --> 0:16:39.930 student and you notice that they are taking in the information. 0:16:40.230 --> 0:16:43.440 They're going to class, they're showing up, but you don't 0:16:43.440 --> 0:16:47.280 see that fire. They're passing the test. What do you 0:16:47.280 --> 0:16:51.330 do as a professor? I'm curious. Do you? I mean, 0:16:51.360 --> 0:16:54.330 give us a window into when you see a student. And, 0:16:54.360 --> 0:16:57.120 you know, I know Jonathan was a student here, and 0:16:57.150 --> 0:17:00.780 he can relate to this when you when you observe 0:17:00.780 --> 0:17:02.730 that happening in a student that you have enough of 0:17:02.730 --> 0:17:04.770 a relationship with, that you feel like you can have 0:17:04.770 --> 0:17:07.200 a conversation. Yes. What do you what do you do? 0:17:07.230 --> 0:17:10.020 Well, I don't always have enough of a relationship because 0:17:10.020 --> 0:17:13.380 it's a class scenario, sure. But what happens is I'll 0:17:13.380 --> 0:17:16.200 see people discussing and some students just 1 or 2 0:17:16.230 --> 0:17:18.720 in the class though. So it's a class of 35 students, 0:17:18.720 --> 0:17:21.030 and there may be 1 or 2 who are done 0:17:21.030 --> 0:17:23.550 with the discussion early because they want to get it done. 0:17:23.550 --> 0:17:26.310 And I'll just move over and I'll say, so what 0:17:26.310 --> 0:17:28.410 are you thinking then? Oh, well, I think this, this, this. 0:17:28.410 --> 0:17:31.199 But do you, you know, are you thinking in a 0:17:31.200 --> 0:17:35.429 relational sense, are you actually moving towards God? One of 0:17:35.430 --> 0:17:37.940 the things that really sets me on fire is the 0:17:37.940 --> 0:17:41.330 other side of the coin, where you have students who 0:17:41.359 --> 0:17:45.410 the spark catches and they begin to be enthusiastic. I 0:17:45.410 --> 0:17:48.530 get to meet them for lunch, I get to I 0:17:48.530 --> 0:17:51.440 have the students round to my house. I, I have 0:17:51.440 --> 0:17:54.320 those kinds of things going on which are relational. Can't 0:17:54.320 --> 0:17:58.760 force a relationship on people, right? But when I say 0:17:58.760 --> 0:18:02.629 I'm following Jesus. So come and follow and walk with 0:18:02.630 --> 0:18:05.510 me as I follow Jesus. It's not a it's not 0:18:05.510 --> 0:18:08.270 a case of following me. It's a case of following me, 0:18:08.270 --> 0:18:12.410 following Jesus. And they will have conversations with me, and 0:18:12.410 --> 0:18:15.230 we will get excited about Jesus, and we will find 0:18:15.230 --> 0:18:17.959 that we're up until late at night talking about Jesus. 0:18:17.960 --> 0:18:20.300 But you've got to try to set it on fire. 0:18:20.300 --> 0:18:23.150 And so in the classroom, I'll just move alongside somebody 0:18:23.150 --> 0:18:25.670 and say, so what are you thinking? How's it going? 0:18:25.700 --> 0:18:27.020 What are you thinking about? 0:18:27.380 --> 0:18:30.440 You know, I feel compelled here that there is someone 0:18:30.440 --> 0:18:34.980 listening and maybe far more than one, because Jonathan's story, 0:18:34.980 --> 0:18:37.830 the short of it is he was at Moody Bible 0:18:37.830 --> 0:18:43.229 Institute and he was passing tests with pretty good grades, 0:18:43.230 --> 0:18:48.300 but he wasn't born again. And that isn't a one off, folks, 0:18:49.920 --> 0:18:54.000 to be overwhelmed with God's gratitude, or the gratitude that 0:18:54.000 --> 0:18:57.450 you can have in his grace to be imperfect, but 0:18:57.450 --> 0:19:00.690 have a deep seated passion for God. If that's absent, 0:19:00.690 --> 0:19:03.690 could the Holy Spirit be calling you to follow Jesus 0:19:03.690 --> 0:19:08.430 today for the very first time? And the answer is absolutely. Amen. 0:19:09.030 --> 0:19:11.399 And I just want to appeal to you right now 0:19:11.400 --> 0:19:14.879 to surrender your life to Jesus. The Apostle Paul said, 0:19:14.880 --> 0:19:19.440 I beg you, be reconciled to God. And why would 0:19:19.440 --> 0:19:22.679 he urge that? Because he's urging people to get over 0:19:22.680 --> 0:19:29.070 the speed bump of religiosity and pride and self-will, and 0:19:29.070 --> 0:19:31.650 the Holy Spirit can use our time this morning to 0:19:31.680 --> 0:19:36.080 convict you and to compel you to surrender your life 0:19:36.080 --> 0:19:41.210 to Jesus today. And I want to ask you, have 0:19:41.210 --> 0:19:44.480 you been stuck in a transactional relationship with God? But 0:19:44.480 --> 0:19:48.470 the Holy Spirit right now has revealed you need transformation. 0:19:49.100 --> 0:19:51.770 I want you to just take a moment. If you're 0:19:51.770 --> 0:19:55.760 at home or driving, you can do this. I want 0:19:55.760 --> 0:19:58.909 you to bow your heart with me. I want you 0:19:58.910 --> 0:20:02.990 to bow your heart. Heads are optional, but I want 0:20:02.990 --> 0:20:07.490 you to receive Jesus today. So let me tell you 0:20:07.520 --> 0:20:12.350 what we find in Scripture. There needs to be a 0:20:12.350 --> 0:20:16.100 full throated confession and agreement with God that you're a 0:20:16.100 --> 0:20:21.109 sinner who needs a Savior. That God is sovereign over 0:20:21.109 --> 0:20:26.360 all things. That Jesus is the only way to not 0:20:26.359 --> 0:20:30.950 only eternal life, but life abundant today. And that he 0:20:30.950 --> 0:20:35.139 alone can change you in this new relationship with God. 0:20:36.190 --> 0:20:40.540 And if you're willing to confess with your mouth, speak 0:20:40.540 --> 0:20:42.729 it out. I'm a sinner. Say it right now. Wherever 0:20:42.730 --> 0:20:49.600 you are. I'm a sinner. I need a savior today. 0:20:49.600 --> 0:20:52.060 I don't want to have a transactional faith with God 0:20:52.060 --> 0:20:55.030 any longer. Today, for the first time in my life, 0:20:55.030 --> 0:20:58.480 I'm feeling the embrace and the love of Jesus Christ. 0:20:59.080 --> 0:21:02.470 I'm feeling the tug of the Holy Spirit dragging me 0:21:02.470 --> 0:21:08.199 across this threshold of pride and religiosity and self-will. And 0:21:08.200 --> 0:21:13.570 today I'm following Christ, which means that you repent. You 0:21:13.570 --> 0:21:17.770 turn around, away from all of your thinking into a 0:21:17.770 --> 0:21:24.310 relationship with Jesus. And if that's you today, your heart 0:21:24.310 --> 0:21:29.260 has cried the most honest prayer to God. The most 0:21:29.290 --> 0:21:33.900 honest prayer. And I want you to get your phone ready. 0:21:33.900 --> 0:21:35.969 I'm going to pray for you right now, but Ali 0:21:35.970 --> 0:21:38.310 is going to give you a link here in just 0:21:38.310 --> 0:21:40.800 a moment. I know we're blowing through news and everything, 0:21:40.800 --> 0:21:44.550 and I don't much care because this is most important. Yes, 0:21:45.510 --> 0:21:48.300 but today I want you to know that we are 0:21:48.300 --> 0:21:51.720 going to help you take your first steps with Jesus. 0:21:52.590 --> 0:21:54.840 I want to appeal to you, friend. Don't let the 0:21:54.840 --> 0:22:00.090 pride of your religiosity in your behavior and your comparison 0:22:00.090 --> 0:22:06.119 hold you back from life eternal and life today. So 0:22:06.119 --> 0:22:09.810 let me pray with you. Let's codify this with the 0:22:09.810 --> 0:22:16.830 Lord Jesus. Today I confess to you you are the 0:22:16.830 --> 0:22:19.590 Savior of the world and I needed it. Just tell 0:22:19.590 --> 0:22:26.310 him that I needed it. I thank you that you 0:22:26.310 --> 0:22:32.120 saw my sin And all my flaws. But you haven't 0:22:32.119 --> 0:22:37.400 rejected me. You've embraced me. So I come to you 0:22:37.400 --> 0:22:40.460 today for the first time authentically in my life. Moving 0:22:40.460 --> 0:22:45.859 past transaction into transformation. Today I surrender my life to 0:22:45.890 --> 0:22:55.220 you fully. Completely. Nothing held back. And Lord, I pray 0:22:55.220 --> 0:22:59.510 over this person right now who is turning around, surrendering 0:22:59.510 --> 0:23:05.270 all to Jesus Christ. That your love would wash over 0:23:05.270 --> 0:23:13.609 them in ways that would be. Inestimable. That you, Lord, 0:23:13.609 --> 0:23:18.290 would show them this whole new world. You've done it 0:23:18.290 --> 0:23:21.920 right now you're doing it, Lord. And I give you 0:23:21.920 --> 0:23:27.990 praise in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Ali, just from your heart. 0:23:28.020 --> 0:23:29.280 We want to help them, don't we? 0:23:29.310 --> 0:23:31.440 We do. We have something that we've put together. It's 0:23:31.440 --> 0:23:33.629 a resource just for you. Those of you who are 0:23:33.630 --> 0:23:36.990 accepting Jesus, you are turning and going a new direction 0:23:36.990 --> 0:23:42.690 with him. Just text the word new to 800 555 7898. 0:23:42.720 --> 0:23:48.270 Text new to 805 557898. You're going to get from 0:23:48.300 --> 0:23:50.550 us an auto reply that's going to have a link 0:23:50.550 --> 0:23:53.850 with some hyperlinks embedded. Go through it carefully. It's going 0:23:53.880 --> 0:23:55.290 to coach you up on what do I look for 0:23:55.320 --> 0:23:57.689 in a church if you don't already have one? What 0:23:57.690 --> 0:23:59.699 kind of Bible should I be reading? Is there a 0:23:59.700 --> 0:24:03.210 translation that I should look for? We also an opportunity 0:24:03.210 --> 0:24:05.700 to get a resource from us sent directly to your 0:24:05.700 --> 0:24:07.800 house that's going to help and encourage you. So if 0:24:07.800 --> 0:24:14.400 today that's you, just text new to (800) 555-7898 new new 0:24:14.790 --> 0:24:18.300 to 800 555 7898. 0:24:19.020 --> 0:24:23.340 Romans eight brought her to Jesus while broadcasting traffic overnight. 0:24:23.369 --> 0:24:27.320 Super die is in the crew. It's Carl and crew 0:24:27.350 --> 0:24:28.640 on Moody Radio. 0:24:28.670 --> 0:24:30.980 You know, I made a promise, Sally, that we would 0:24:30.980 --> 0:24:33.380 get a link out so that people can know. How 0:24:33.380 --> 0:24:36.709 in the world could we get schooled and under the 0:24:36.710 --> 0:24:38.960 tutelage of people like Peter Worrell. And boy, have we 0:24:38.990 --> 0:24:40.250 got a deal for you. Boom crew. 0:24:40.280 --> 0:24:44.419 We do. If you've ever considered Moody Bible Institute for yourself, 0:24:44.420 --> 0:24:46.490 or maybe for a loved one in your family who 0:24:46.490 --> 0:24:48.409 wants to go back to school or a first time 0:24:48.410 --> 0:24:51.230 college student, we've got some great perks for you. We've 0:24:51.230 --> 0:24:53.030 got a promo code that allows you to waive the 0:24:53.030 --> 0:24:55.970 application fee, and there's an opportunity, if you meet some 0:24:55.970 --> 0:24:58.699 certain requirements, that you could get a $500 credit. If 0:24:58.730 --> 0:25:01.910 you enroll in the fall and you get applied here 0:25:01.910 --> 0:25:04.400 in February. So just text the word moody and we'll 0:25:04.400 --> 0:25:10.550 get you all the details. Text Moody to 800 555 7898. 0:25:10.580 --> 0:25:15.560 Moody to 800 555 7898. You could end up in 0:25:15.560 --> 0:25:20.090 class with Peter Worrell in the fall. Imagine that. How sweet. 0:25:20.090 --> 0:25:20.510 Is that? 0:25:20.540 --> 0:25:23.990 Doctor Jim Coakley, doctor Winifred Neeley, we've got so many 0:25:23.990 --> 0:25:26.620 great professors that are regulars on our show. You could 0:25:26.619 --> 0:25:27.970 be sitting in class with them. 0:25:28.359 --> 0:25:31.930 Yeah, that's a sweet thing. So really spread the word. 0:25:31.930 --> 0:25:34.570 And as Ali said, it might be you. It might 0:25:34.570 --> 0:25:38.650 be a student, it could be a grandkid. And you go, 0:25:38.680 --> 0:25:40.930 I want you to check this out. You don't know 0:25:40.930 --> 0:25:43.780 what God might do to trip a trigger there, guys. 0:25:43.780 --> 0:25:48.910 So Tex Moody to 800 555 7898. Get the secret 0:25:48.910 --> 0:25:51.850 code for how you get the big discounts around here. 0:25:52.000 --> 0:25:56.290 Secret. We're sharing it pretty liberally. 0:25:56.380 --> 0:25:57.490 On the radio. 0:25:57.580 --> 0:26:00.640 I was like, it's secret. Oops. So yes, you can 0:26:00.640 --> 0:26:02.830 share it with somebody and they don't listen to Moody Radio. 0:26:02.830 --> 0:26:05.080 It's okay if they're a friend of yours. They're a 0:26:05.080 --> 0:26:06.070 friend of ours. 0:26:06.609 --> 0:26:11.050 Yeah, I love it. Oh my goodness. Okay. Tex Moody 0:26:11.170 --> 0:26:14.770 805 five five 7898. Coming up, we're going to talk 0:26:14.800 --> 0:26:21.250 about the three barriers, the three barriers that keep us 0:26:21.250 --> 0:26:23.850 away from authentic salvation. 0:26:24.090 --> 0:26:27.270 He was sharing the gospel on the radio and then 0:26:27.270 --> 0:26:31.619 he got saved. Young thunders in the crew. It's Carl 0:26:31.619 --> 0:26:33.540 and crew on Moody Radio. 0:26:33.570 --> 0:26:36.570 I was blown away when we were talking with Peter Worrell. 0:26:36.570 --> 0:26:40.440 We had a lot of just inadvertent boom show cast 0:26:40.470 --> 0:26:44.700 requests coming in, and that some people get it and 0:26:44.700 --> 0:26:47.280 some of you don't. You're wondering, well, I want to 0:26:47.280 --> 0:26:50.100 get it because you hear something or you hear a 0:26:50.100 --> 0:26:52.560 piece of what we had in a discussion, you go, shoot, 0:26:52.560 --> 0:26:54.119 I want to get more of that. How do I 0:26:54.119 --> 0:26:57.479 get more of that? Simple dimple? Ali's got all the 0:26:57.480 --> 0:26:58.350 answers around here. 0:26:58.350 --> 0:27:03.690 It's simple. Just text show to (800) 555-7898. This is going 0:27:03.720 --> 0:27:05.640 to get you the link to our show cast or 0:27:05.670 --> 0:27:08.010 a podcast where you can listen on your own time. 0:27:08.010 --> 0:27:09.840 You can listen back to the show. You can share 0:27:09.840 --> 0:27:11.939 it with a friend who you think might be interested. 0:27:11.970 --> 0:27:14.340 Be sure to subscribe because then you'll get them each 0:27:14.340 --> 0:27:17.010 time we update them. You'll get them to your phone. 0:27:17.010 --> 0:27:21.870 So just text show to 800 555 7898. Show to 0:27:21.890 --> 0:27:24.650 800 555 7898. 0:27:25.040 --> 0:27:29.929 So if we take three dramatic realities of authentic salvation, 0:27:29.930 --> 0:27:34.040 which are we're overwhelmed with gratitude for God's grace. We 0:27:34.040 --> 0:27:39.800 live imperfectly. But there's an underlying passion for God. And 0:27:39.800 --> 0:27:41.840 by the way, one that we hadn't even hit this 0:27:41.840 --> 0:27:45.050 morning because we got sometimes too much content here. But 0:27:45.050 --> 0:27:46.790 let me just lay it out right now. We care 0:27:46.790 --> 0:27:51.230 for people's souls more than their behaviors. That's a big one, 0:27:51.230 --> 0:27:52.190 by the way. 0:27:52.609 --> 0:27:54.320 When you a gigantic one. 0:27:54.470 --> 0:27:56.389 Yeah, we need that on a shirt. 0:27:57.470 --> 0:28:03.740 Yeah. I mean, because and this is most lethal with parents. Okay. 0:28:04.130 --> 0:28:09.590 You you want your kids so much to know God and. Right. 0:28:09.619 --> 0:28:11.960 I mean, come on, if you've been born again, you 0:28:11.960 --> 0:28:14.480 want your kids to know God. Yes. They're pretty quick. 0:28:14.510 --> 0:28:19.790 You'll start looking for behaviors to validate. 0:28:20.350 --> 0:28:21.429 Your. 0:28:21.430 --> 0:28:27.910 Passion. Yeah, and that can be tough. So yes, Jesus 0:28:27.940 --> 0:28:30.100 is clear, by the way, a lot of people say 0:28:30.100 --> 0:28:33.490 we're not called to be fruit inspectors. I couldn't disagree more. 0:28:33.490 --> 0:28:35.830 We actually are called to be fruit inspectors. 0:28:35.859 --> 0:28:38.590 What do you mean by that? Someone who's hearing that 0:28:38.590 --> 0:28:39.160 for the first time? 0:28:39.190 --> 0:28:42.280 Well, that's that's a common term from ages ago. I 0:28:42.280 --> 0:28:45.400 remember probably 30 years ago, people were saying, we're not 0:28:45.400 --> 0:28:47.920 called to be fruit inspectors. I would say a tweak 0:28:47.920 --> 0:28:52.000 on that. We're not called to be fruit scrutinizers. But 0:28:52.000 --> 0:28:55.660 Jesus himself said, you can tell. You can tell what 0:28:55.690 --> 0:28:58.780 a tree is because a good a good tree cannot 0:28:58.780 --> 0:29:02.290 bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 0:29:02.290 --> 0:29:05.469 So we and we see the fruit of the spirit 0:29:05.470 --> 0:29:08.920 in Galatians five. In fact, we're supposed to be looking 0:29:08.920 --> 0:29:12.370 at our own lives, going, oh wow, I got deeds 0:29:12.370 --> 0:29:14.740 of the flesh coming off my branches, not fruit of 0:29:14.740 --> 0:29:17.530 the spirit. I need to abide in my relationship with 0:29:17.530 --> 0:29:19.760 Jesus more and let the Holy Spirit flow through me. 0:29:19.760 --> 0:29:24.740 So we don't want to. I would say this you 0:29:24.740 --> 0:29:29.840 do want to be able to look at your children's behavior, 0:29:29.840 --> 0:29:35.570 but not through the lens of scrutiny for judgment, and 0:29:35.570 --> 0:29:41.900 especially not for the purpose of finding validation for yourself. 0:29:41.900 --> 0:29:44.960 That's where it gets kind of sticky. You're looking for 0:29:44.960 --> 0:29:48.950 evidence that my kids. Okay. A greater prayer is God, 0:29:48.950 --> 0:29:52.640 give me evidence that their souls okay. Not that they're okay. Yes. 0:29:52.670 --> 0:29:54.800 I tell parents this all the time. Don't pray that 0:29:54.800 --> 0:29:57.020 your kids get back in church. Pray that they get 0:29:57.020 --> 0:30:00.440 in Christ and that they can't stay away from church 0:30:00.470 --> 0:30:04.550 because it darkened. The door of a church might be good, 0:30:05.120 --> 0:30:06.230 but it might not. 0:30:06.260 --> 0:30:08.960 Yeah, there there are things that and I think that's 0:30:08.960 --> 0:30:10.820 where we need to understand what fruits of the spirit 0:30:10.820 --> 0:30:15.140 are nowhere in, in the Scripture does it say that 0:30:15.140 --> 0:30:17.510 a fruit of the spirit is church attendance, you know, 0:30:17.560 --> 0:30:21.190 and and so we can't say that that church attendance 0:30:21.220 --> 0:30:25.330 is this is this clear indication that that our kids 0:30:25.330 --> 0:30:31.360 know God but love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, 0:30:31.360 --> 0:30:35.530 self-control those things show that's a fruit of the spirit. 0:30:35.560 --> 0:30:38.530 My kid knows Jesus because I see what God's doing 0:30:38.530 --> 0:30:41.710 in them through those things, not through church attendance. Or 0:30:41.710 --> 0:30:43.780 they went on a ministry trip last summer or those 0:30:43.780 --> 0:30:44.440 kinds of things. 0:30:44.440 --> 0:30:47.410 Yeah, and that's tough to hear. But here's here's what 0:30:47.410 --> 0:30:51.969 I'm saying. I know you love your kids enough that 0:30:51.970 --> 0:30:56.620 you want to pray rightly for them, and I know 0:30:56.620 --> 0:31:02.140 that about you and grandkids, I know that. I mean, 0:31:02.170 --> 0:31:06.700 I was talking with Howie Rosin, 95 years old, my uncle, 0:31:06.700 --> 0:31:11.170 he's in Clovis, California, in an assisted living home. I said, 0:31:11.170 --> 0:31:13.690 how are you doing, Howie? For 95? Carl ain't doing 0:31:13.720 --> 0:31:16.330 too bad. I'm actually doing pretty well. Pretty well here. 0:31:16.360 --> 0:31:16.650 I love. 0:31:16.650 --> 0:31:18.030 That answer. Wow. 0:31:18.060 --> 0:31:21.180 But he's, you know, one of his greatest joys. He said, 0:31:21.180 --> 0:31:25.920 my son is finally following Jesus Christ. I said, how'd 0:31:25.920 --> 0:31:28.080 that happen? He said the prayers of my bride that 0:31:28.080 --> 0:31:33.330 went home to be with the Lord. My aunt Barb, um, 0:31:33.840 --> 0:31:37.200 two years ago. He said her prayers got him around 0:31:37.200 --> 0:31:40.800 the corner. He said, I know it. Said I'd hear 0:31:40.800 --> 0:31:43.590 Barb praying morning, noon and night for our boy. Isn't 0:31:43.590 --> 0:31:44.310 that cool? 0:31:45.660 --> 0:31:48.120 That's emotional, man. That's emotional. 0:31:48.630 --> 0:31:51.990 So here's I'm going to coming up here. Do we 0:31:51.990 --> 0:31:53.820 have time for this, guys? Yeah. Yeah, we got time. 0:31:53.910 --> 0:31:58.170 We'll cram it in. Uh, three. The three barriers of salvation. 0:31:58.170 --> 0:32:02.190 When you hear these biblical barriers, then these biblical barriers, 0:32:02.190 --> 0:32:05.100 then you will know how to pray rightly. This is 0:32:05.100 --> 0:32:06.870 just right from the word. Hang on. 0:32:06.900 --> 0:32:09.810 She was trying to earn her way to God, but 0:32:09.810 --> 0:32:13.290 God showed her she didn't have to. Ali is in 0:32:13.290 --> 0:32:16.970 the crew. It's Carl and crew on Moody Radio. 0:32:17.450 --> 0:32:21.050 Great thing about God's Word is that it is so clear. 0:32:21.230 --> 0:32:23.600 And I want to give you the three barriers to 0:32:23.630 --> 0:32:27.770 salvation as I see it through Scripture. I'm not saying 0:32:27.770 --> 0:32:30.950 it's absolutely limited to these, but these are three big 0:32:30.950 --> 0:32:35.300 buckets that are barriers to salvation that are explicit in Scripture. 0:32:35.300 --> 0:32:38.930 And if you understand these barriers, then you can pray rightly. 0:32:38.930 --> 0:32:41.360 And that's the cool thing, right, Ali? Because we go 0:32:41.360 --> 0:32:42.980 to God for this anyway. 0:32:43.010 --> 0:32:47.090 It's not us changing ourselves or anyone else. 0:32:47.270 --> 0:32:51.140 Oh, and praise God for that. If this is on me, 0:32:51.170 --> 0:32:52.100 we're toast. 0:32:52.310 --> 0:32:53.090 Yeah. 0:32:54.290 --> 0:32:59.600 Toast. Terrific, man. It ain't going to change diddly. Okay. 0:32:59.630 --> 0:33:03.950 The three barriers to salvation. Number one rebellion. Now, this 0:33:03.950 --> 0:33:06.440 is going to surprise you. Romans one, check this out. 0:33:06.440 --> 0:33:08.870 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against 0:33:08.870 --> 0:33:13.930 all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their Unrighteousness. 0:33:13.930 --> 0:33:17.440 Suppress the truth, suppress the truth. For what can be 0:33:17.440 --> 0:33:19.390 known about God is plain to them, because God has 0:33:19.390 --> 0:33:22.120 shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his 0:33:22.150 --> 0:33:25.480 eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived ever 0:33:25.480 --> 0:33:28.240 since the creation of the world in the things that 0:33:28.240 --> 0:33:33.940 have been made. My granddaughter's little precious fingers in her eyes. 0:33:33.940 --> 0:33:38.080 Oh my goodness, there's a God. So they are without excuse. 0:33:38.080 --> 0:33:42.130 But look at verse 21. Romans 121. Always look at 0:33:42.130 --> 0:33:47.590 this verse. For although they knew God. So we sometimes ask, 0:33:47.800 --> 0:33:51.850 do you know God? Well, there's a depth of knowledge 0:33:51.850 --> 0:33:55.900 that is not going to change lives here. For they 0:33:55.900 --> 0:33:58.720 knew God, they did not honor him as God or 0:33:58.720 --> 0:34:01.690 give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, 0:34:01.690 --> 0:34:06.790 and their foolish hearts were darkened. Rebellion is this. It's 0:34:06.790 --> 0:34:09.250 staring the truth right in front of your face. In 0:34:09.250 --> 0:34:11.529 your heart stays hard and your fist goes up in 0:34:11.530 --> 0:34:13.700 the air. In essence, your fist goes up in the 0:34:13.700 --> 0:34:18.140 air and says, I'm not going your way. Oh, and 0:34:18.140 --> 0:34:22.100 we know that. We know that happens. We've all met 0:34:22.130 --> 0:34:26.030 people that have been in rebellion and in true spiritual terms. 0:34:26.030 --> 0:34:28.250 We were all born with our backs to God, walk 0:34:28.280 --> 0:34:30.709 in our own way down this broad path, and by 0:34:30.710 --> 0:34:34.219 his grace alone, he softens those hearts. Let me go 0:34:34.219 --> 0:34:40.520 to barrier number two. It's blindness. Barrier number two is blindness. 0:34:41.239 --> 0:34:44.540 In Second Corinthians four three through four. And even if 0:34:44.540 --> 0:34:48.200 our gospel Paul writes to the Corinthian church is veiled, 0:34:48.200 --> 0:34:52.070 it is veiled to those who are perishing, in their case, 0:34:52.100 --> 0:34:55.010 the God of this world, that Satan and his demonic 0:34:55.010 --> 0:34:59.450 forces has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep 0:34:59.450 --> 0:35:02.570 them from seeing the light of the gospel of the 0:35:02.570 --> 0:35:05.390 glory of Christ, who is the image of God. And 0:35:05.390 --> 0:35:09.080 my contention here is that what Satan does is he 0:35:09.080 --> 0:35:13.600 creates spiritual light pollution that keeps us from seeing who 0:35:13.600 --> 0:35:17.050 Jesus is. He gets us so busy with this light 0:35:17.050 --> 0:35:20.740 pollution here horizontally that we can't see what's going on vertically. 0:35:20.770 --> 0:35:24.280 The third one is deception. It's out of Matthew seven. 0:35:24.280 --> 0:35:28.210 Many will say on that day. Didn't I prophesy, baptize, 0:35:28.210 --> 0:35:30.399 do mighty works in your name? And he's going to say, 0:35:30.400 --> 0:35:32.530 I never knew you. Here's how I want you to 0:35:32.530 --> 0:35:37.240 pray and think about this. Pray for those with hard 0:35:37.239 --> 0:35:39.940 hearts that they would be softened and that their fists 0:35:39.940 --> 0:35:42.640 would come down and they would receive Jesus. Pray for 0:35:42.640 --> 0:35:45.610 the blind, that the veil of darkness would be removed, 0:35:45.610 --> 0:35:48.790 and the light pollution of this world would fade away. 0:35:49.810 --> 0:35:53.920 And pray for those in deception that they would see. 0:35:53.920 --> 0:35:56.800 All the spiritual activity in the world cannot save them, 0:35:56.800 --> 0:36:00.460 but Jesus alone can. Ali, you get the final word. 0:36:00.850 --> 0:36:03.160 We put this up in a quick video on Facebook. 0:36:03.160 --> 0:36:05.110 If you want to share this. See this? See it again. 0:36:05.110 --> 0:36:07.419 Just go to Facebook. Carl and crew mornings. What are 0:36:07.420 --> 0:36:10.390 those three barriers to salvation? We've got them for you.