WEBVTT - Live for the Lord Today 0:00:00.440 --> 0:00:04.360 Coming to you from the Morning Star Mission sponsored studio. 0:00:04.720 --> 0:00:08.120 This is Carl and crew on Moody Radio. 0:00:08.440 --> 0:00:11.040 It's a Freedom Friday, and I want to come out 0:00:11.039 --> 0:00:14.280 of the gate hot this morning. I need you to 0:00:14.640 --> 0:00:19.279 listen and interact with these truths today. Is it a 0:00:19.280 --> 0:00:25.040 proper motivation to get squared with God out of fear 0:00:25.040 --> 0:00:30.040 of being left behind when he comes? The answer is yes. 0:00:32.080 --> 0:00:35.000 This is why Jesus warns of this over and over again. 0:00:35.000 --> 0:00:37.559 And I'm just want to pull off the kid gloves 0:00:37.560 --> 0:00:41.479 and just lay it down here today. I want us 0:00:41.479 --> 0:00:44.920 to consider the time in which we live, where we're at. 0:00:44.960 --> 0:00:48.680 What's going on? Where are we now? Where are we 0:00:48.680 --> 0:00:52.440 in the course of history? We know that the prophecy 0:00:52.440 --> 0:00:56.800 is that knowledge is going to increase exponentially before the 0:00:56.800 --> 0:01:00.310 return of Christ, with the advent of AI. vie. We 0:01:00.350 --> 0:01:05.670 are there. I want to give you five things that I, 0:01:05.709 --> 0:01:08.510 experts predict are going to transform our lives in the 0:01:08.510 --> 0:01:14.230 next five years. Autonomous vehicles and transportation. I'm going to 0:01:14.230 --> 0:01:17.990 be bold with you. I don't even think you need 0:01:17.990 --> 0:01:20.510 to run out and get a self-driving car or anything 0:01:20.510 --> 0:01:26.830 like that right now, even though they're everywhere, because prognosticators 0:01:26.830 --> 0:01:30.870 say there is going to be a at ready call 0:01:30.870 --> 0:01:35.310 system to get shuttled wherever you need to go. Are 0:01:35.310 --> 0:01:38.630 there some good things about AI? Yeah. Road rage is 0:01:38.630 --> 0:01:44.550 going to be absolutely throttled. Accidents are going to go 0:01:44.550 --> 0:01:49.910 down exponentially. You might say, well, is AI smart? Yes. 0:01:49.950 --> 0:01:53.029 AI smart enough. It's proven over and over again. There's 0:01:53.030 --> 0:01:56.870 data points on this to prove that accidents will go down. 0:01:56.870 --> 0:01:59.529 If you have an insurance company that insures ensures cars 0:01:59.530 --> 0:02:04.410 you might want to get diversified. AI powered assistants are 0:02:04.410 --> 0:02:10.810 going to be everywhere. Smart homes and integration of smart technology. 0:02:13.330 --> 0:02:19.050 Optimize appliance usage. Enhance home security. Predict energy levels. Even 0:02:19.050 --> 0:02:22.090 predict the kind of needs that you have for living 0:02:22.090 --> 0:02:24.570 and devices that you're going to need that are going 0:02:24.610 --> 0:02:30.210 to adapt to your lifestyle. It's everywhere. Healthcare revolution AI 0:02:30.250 --> 0:02:34.050 diagnostics I'm already using this. Six months ago, my son 0:02:34.090 --> 0:02:36.889 asked for all my blood work from a physical that 0:02:36.889 --> 0:02:41.330 I have and he said, hang on, get right back 0:02:41.330 --> 0:02:43.889 to you. Five minutes later, he sent me a complete 0:02:43.889 --> 0:02:49.410 overview of every blood draw, every aspect of my data. 0:02:49.610 --> 0:02:52.370 What? That's crazy. That is far crazy. 0:02:52.410 --> 0:02:56.770 It was far beyond the diagnostics that my general practitioner 0:02:56.810 --> 0:02:57.490 could give me. 0:02:57.530 --> 0:02:57.770 Wow. 0:02:57.810 --> 0:02:59.760 And no knock on her at all. 0:02:59.960 --> 0:03:00.919 No, no, of course not. 0:03:00.960 --> 0:03:07.360 But a AI generated content that. First off, I got 0:03:07.360 --> 0:03:09.720 an A plus health rating for my age. 0:03:10.200 --> 0:03:11.320 Very nice. Praise God. 0:03:11.360 --> 0:03:13.520 But it also gave me two growth areas that I 0:03:13.520 --> 0:03:17.800 could shape up that I'd venture to say just a 0:03:17.800 --> 0:03:20.200 handful of docs, and it would take them a long 0:03:20.240 --> 0:03:24.080 time to do a deep dive on it could prescribe 0:03:24.919 --> 0:03:28.280 AI driven work and automation. Oh my goodness, the industry 0:03:28.280 --> 0:03:33.480 is going to be in upheaval. New industries, job categories. 0:03:33.480 --> 0:03:37.760 But concerns are already being raised about job displacement and 0:03:37.760 --> 0:03:41.280 they are currently grappling what's going to happen with AI 0:03:41.400 --> 0:03:48.600 when it displaces as it's doing now attorneys, accountants, code writers. 0:03:53.120 --> 0:03:56.480 So what do we do when we look to the future? 0:03:58.230 --> 0:04:02.310 There's one thing that's paramount here. I don't know when 0:04:02.310 --> 0:04:04.990 the Lord is coming. This is what we find in 0:04:04.990 --> 0:04:09.470 Matthew 24. But concerning the day or hour, no one knows. 0:04:09.470 --> 0:04:11.910 Not even the angels in heaven, nor the son, but 0:04:11.910 --> 0:04:17.510 the father only. For as were the days of Noah, 0:04:18.070 --> 0:04:20.670 that's a great indication. So will the coming of the 0:04:20.670 --> 0:04:26.910 Son of Man be. Wow! It's going to be coming. Coming. 0:04:26.910 --> 0:04:33.870 And then boom, he's going to come. And my concern 0:04:33.910 --> 0:04:38.549 for the vast majority of people listening here is that 0:04:38.910 --> 0:04:42.390 we are a group of people that is made up of. 0:04:44.470 --> 0:04:48.310 Those of you and me who have a God consciousness 0:04:48.310 --> 0:04:52.070 and awareness that God is real, that Jesus is who 0:04:52.070 --> 0:04:54.990 he said he was. And yet is it possible to 0:04:55.029 --> 0:04:58.690 ascend to those things and not be ready when he 0:04:58.690 --> 0:05:04.650 comes back. Yes. And I'm going to keep it right 0:05:04.650 --> 0:05:07.370 here because I got to talk to you about this. 0:05:08.650 --> 0:05:11.450 We talk a lot about the illusion of salvation, especially 0:05:11.450 --> 0:05:13.530 out of Matthew seven. Many will say to me on 0:05:13.570 --> 0:05:18.170 that day, Lord, Lord. But the context of Matthew 24 0:05:18.170 --> 0:05:21.330 goes right into Matthew 25, and the words of Jesus 0:05:21.330 --> 0:05:25.410 are profound. He tells the story of ten virgins. Very 0:05:25.410 --> 0:05:32.050 interesting story, and there are five that are ready for 0:05:32.050 --> 0:05:36.410 his return. Oil is in the lamp. Five are not 0:05:36.450 --> 0:05:41.810 ready and are left behind unprepared. How? They don't have 0:05:41.810 --> 0:05:48.929 oil of salvation in their soul. They're dressed up with 0:05:48.930 --> 0:05:54.730 no place to go. I spent the last two hours 0:05:55.760 --> 0:06:00.320 Just doubling down, going over every aspect of this parable. 0:06:01.200 --> 0:06:03.719 And I want to tell you with absolute confidence in 0:06:03.720 --> 0:06:10.200 the authority of Scripture. There will be vast numbers of people, many, 0:06:10.240 --> 0:06:16.480 Jesus said, who have an illusion of salvation. And I 0:06:16.480 --> 0:06:21.159 want you to know today you can't play games with 0:06:21.160 --> 0:06:30.840 your spiritual life. You can't play games any longer, friend. Now, 0:06:30.839 --> 0:06:33.880 the assurance of salvation that we have is profound, because 0:06:33.880 --> 0:06:37.960 the oil of the filling of the Holy Spirit is 0:06:37.960 --> 0:06:43.280 real and confirms, yes, I'm a child of God. Your 0:06:43.279 --> 0:06:47.480 preparation might be to get right with God so that 0:06:47.480 --> 0:06:51.320 he says, well done, good and faithful servant. As a 0:06:51.320 --> 0:06:53.520 matter of fact, that's what we find in one of 0:06:53.520 --> 0:06:57.020 the very next parables right after the parable of the 0:06:57.020 --> 0:06:59.300 Ten Virgins is a parable of the talents, and the 0:06:59.300 --> 0:07:04.940 direct application is those that aren't fearful at his return, 0:07:04.940 --> 0:07:10.700 but those that are joyful at his return. Some of 0:07:10.700 --> 0:07:13.020 you have joy at his return because you know you 0:07:13.020 --> 0:07:15.700 have a relationship with Jesus. Some of you are dressed 0:07:15.700 --> 0:07:19.420 up with no place to go. Straight up honesty, and 0:07:19.420 --> 0:07:21.860 it'd be malpractice for me to not tell you that. 0:07:24.620 --> 0:07:31.660 It's Jesus's words, not mine. So who are you? And 0:07:31.660 --> 0:07:34.260 is fear a proper motivation to get right with God? 0:07:34.260 --> 0:07:39.460 It is my friend. Some of you, by the power 0:07:39.460 --> 0:07:44.860 of the Holy Spirit and the genuine fear for which 0:07:45.020 --> 0:07:48.540 this fear in getting freedom from is the greatest freedom. 0:07:49.100 --> 0:07:54.450 A fear of being left behind when Jesus comes Is 0:07:54.450 --> 0:07:57.410 all the motivation the Holy Spirit needs to convict you 0:07:57.410 --> 0:08:01.010 of sin today and tell you, stop being dressed up 0:08:01.010 --> 0:08:07.210 with no place to go. We don't know the day 0:08:07.290 --> 0:08:14.810 or the hour. But it is definitive. Let me just 0:08:14.850 --> 0:08:21.210 read to you from the Moody Bible Commentary. The phrase 0:08:21.210 --> 0:08:24.730 those who were ready reveals the main point of the parable, 0:08:24.730 --> 0:08:30.250 namely that here readiness is preparedness. Before he returns, one 0:08:30.250 --> 0:08:35.290 cannot leave. Getting ready. End quote. To the last minute. 0:08:37.130 --> 0:08:39.810 If one seeks to get ready while he is coming, 0:08:39.809 --> 0:08:44.890 it is too late. The coming of the Lord in 0:08:44.890 --> 0:08:47.010 the rapture and the start of the day of the 0:08:47.010 --> 0:08:50.970 Lord will be completely unexpected. And unless one is prepared 0:08:50.970 --> 0:08:56.160 before that time, he will face the hardship of tribulation 0:08:56.160 --> 0:09:05.080 and judgment. That's hard, isn't it? But isn't it? 0:09:05.080 --> 0:09:08.640 Loving it is, he tells us, and he gives us 0:09:08.640 --> 0:09:11.640 plenty of time to to hear it and grapple with 0:09:11.640 --> 0:09:12.240 that truth. 0:09:12.440 --> 0:09:15.640 Today is the day, my friend. I'm asking you, have 0:09:15.640 --> 0:09:19.439 you ever truly surrendered your life to Jesus Christ and 0:09:19.440 --> 0:09:25.680 let the oil of the spirit fill your lamp? There's 0:09:25.679 --> 0:09:29.440 a lot of questions about what the oil specifically refers to, 0:09:29.480 --> 0:09:36.720 but it's it's very clear that it indicates whether or 0:09:36.720 --> 0:09:42.200 not the life of Jesus has filled your life, or 0:09:42.200 --> 0:09:45.200 if you're running on empty, dressed up with no place 0:09:45.200 --> 0:09:53.700 to go. Today is the day of salvation. Today is 0:09:53.700 --> 0:09:58.620 the day of salvation. And today is the day when 0:09:58.620 --> 0:10:02.100 you need to surrender your life to Jesus. And if 0:10:02.100 --> 0:10:04.540 the Spirit of God is calling you, please surrender your 0:10:04.540 --> 0:10:10.780 life to Jesus today. Please don't wait. Don't let the 0:10:10.780 --> 0:10:15.620 pride of spiritual pretense hold you back from the coming 0:10:15.660 --> 0:10:21.860 of Christ. Don't allow thinking I can get ready down 0:10:21.860 --> 0:10:25.900 the road. Keep you from abundant life in Christ Jesus. 0:10:28.460 --> 0:10:31.380 Don't live with fear any longer about whether you will 0:10:31.380 --> 0:10:35.900 be found in Christ when he comes. Today is the day. How? 0:10:39.140 --> 0:10:43.420 All pretense aside, you surrender your life completely and totally 0:10:43.420 --> 0:10:49.180 to the Son of God. You repent. You go God's way. 0:10:50.260 --> 0:10:53.370 If your heart is troubled This morning, Jesus prescribed the 0:10:53.370 --> 0:10:56.450 answer in John 14 let not your heart be troubled. 0:10:56.450 --> 0:10:59.690 Believe in God. Believe also in me. I'm going to 0:10:59.730 --> 0:11:02.090 prepare a place for you, and I will come again. 0:11:04.450 --> 0:11:07.490 Thomas said, what's the way? How do we know where 0:11:07.490 --> 0:11:09.929 you go? He said, I am the way and the 0:11:09.929 --> 0:11:14.929 truth and the life. The only way to go. Jesus 0:11:14.970 --> 0:11:17.730 way when he comes is to repent of your sins. Today, 0:11:17.770 --> 0:11:20.970 turn around and follow Jesus and understand you are not 0:11:20.970 --> 0:11:24.610 the ruler of your destiny. Jesus must be. Joy will 0:11:24.610 --> 0:11:30.929 fill your life. Must I repent, Carl? Yeah. To be 0:11:30.929 --> 0:11:36.210 born again, you must repent. It's embracing the truth that 0:11:36.210 --> 0:11:38.530 you are a sinner and you need a Savior. And 0:11:38.530 --> 0:11:41.450 his name is Jesus Christ. Today, I'm asking you to 0:11:41.490 --> 0:11:46.170 surrender your life to Jesus. Every bit of your soul. 0:11:46.210 --> 0:11:51.240 To Jesus. All you need courage. You've got to admit, 0:11:51.240 --> 0:11:53.600 for many of you that you've been dressed up with 0:11:53.600 --> 0:11:56.720 no place to go. And that's admitting to yourself and others. 0:11:56.720 --> 0:12:00.640 I've been dressed up with no place to go. Doesn't matter. 0:12:01.400 --> 0:12:03.920 What matters most is where you stand with God. And 0:12:03.920 --> 0:12:06.440 if the oil of your soul is filled with the 0:12:06.440 --> 0:12:16.160 Holy Spirit. Are you repenting today? Are you acknowledging you 0:12:16.160 --> 0:12:20.120 need a Savior? For the first time in your life, 0:12:20.120 --> 0:12:24.040 are you fully surrendering your life to Jesus? Is fear 0:12:24.040 --> 0:12:28.160 of being left behind when Jesus comes for his kids? 0:12:28.559 --> 0:12:34.120 Proper motivation to surrender to Jesus. It's a good starting point, 0:12:35.760 --> 0:12:38.640 and from there God will fill you up with joy 0:12:38.640 --> 0:12:44.439 and expectation and life. So do you acknowledge today by 0:12:44.440 --> 0:12:47.199 a cry of your soul, a cry of faith? Jesus, 0:12:47.200 --> 0:12:51.579 I'm a sinner, man. I need a savior. I've been 0:12:51.580 --> 0:13:00.420 dressed up but no place to go. God, I hear 0:13:00.420 --> 0:13:02.940 your voice. And today I repent I turn around, I'm 0:13:02.940 --> 0:13:07.660 leaving the broad path of spiritual performance. And I'm turning 0:13:07.660 --> 0:13:10.540 around to follow Jesus, the one who can fill my 0:13:10.540 --> 0:13:14.179 life and make me new. I never could do it. 0:13:15.820 --> 0:13:20.780 Today I surrender all to Jesus. If this is the 0:13:20.780 --> 0:13:26.100 cry of your soul today, today, count the cost. Don't 0:13:26.100 --> 0:13:29.179 be fake. Don't be half measured. But if today is 0:13:29.179 --> 0:13:33.140 the day of salvation for you, praise God. What a 0:13:33.140 --> 0:13:39.260 great joy and I want to help you today. Text 0:13:39.260 --> 0:13:41.820 the word new. Right now. I'm going to send you 0:13:41.820 --> 0:13:43.540 a link and some of you might have heard about 0:13:43.540 --> 0:13:45.820 this link before, but never have you seen your need 0:13:45.820 --> 0:13:48.339 for Jesus. Like this morning. Text the word new to 0:13:48.380 --> 0:13:54.330 800 555 7898. Text the word new right now to 0:13:54.370 --> 0:13:58.690 800 555 7898. I'll just shout out the last four 0:13:58.690 --> 0:14:02.170 numbers of your telephone number just to say, I see 0:14:02.450 --> 0:14:08.210 that you see that Jesus has been speaking to you today, 0:14:09.690 --> 0:14:12.130 and that God loves you, and he's calling you out 0:14:12.130 --> 0:14:14.850 of darkness into the light. Just text the word new 0:14:14.850 --> 0:14:16.810 right now. I'm going to send you a link that's 0:14:16.809 --> 0:14:19.690 going to have three embedded links. Use every one of 0:14:19.690 --> 0:14:22.250 them just to glance through as we help you take 0:14:22.250 --> 0:14:25.570 your first steps with Jesus Christ, just text the word 0:14:25.610 --> 0:14:32.650 new right now to 800 555 7898. Today is your 0:14:32.650 --> 0:14:42.810 day of salvation. Today is your day. Went a little 0:14:42.810 --> 0:14:48.130 longer here than usual. But I thank you for listening. 0:14:48.440 --> 0:14:53.280 Text new to 805 55 7898. 0:14:53.560 --> 0:14:56.560 He's a sports fanatic with a stat for anything you 0:14:56.560 --> 0:15:00.800 can think of. Young Thunder is in the crew. It's 0:15:00.800 --> 0:15:03.080 curl and crew on Moody Radio. 0:15:03.480 --> 0:15:05.560 Praising God for those of you that by the power 0:15:05.560 --> 0:15:08.040 of the Holy Spirit are saying, I give it all 0:15:08.080 --> 0:15:13.080 to Jesus today. Just a quick shout out. 74, 64, 0:15:13.120 --> 0:15:31.880 47 3617 01941627. I got another number here. 1925 022605022462 0:15:32.120 --> 0:15:37.520 and 9657. Welcome to God's family. If you are surrendering 0:15:37.520 --> 0:15:42.920 your life to Jesus today and you surrender all acknowledging 0:15:42.920 --> 0:15:48.660 Jesus as the Savior of your life, Turning away from 0:15:48.980 --> 0:15:51.860 even the sin of being dressed up with no place 0:15:51.860 --> 0:15:55.060 to go. Hoping that you will be ready. It is 0:15:55.060 --> 0:15:59.340 coming and today you are repenting. You will be ready. 0:16:00.020 --> 0:16:04.980 Your lamp will be filled to overflowing. Your light will 0:16:04.980 --> 0:16:08.420 be lit and never go out until the coming of Christ. 0:16:08.460 --> 0:16:11.980 Welcome to the family. Coming up in a few minutes 0:16:12.500 --> 0:16:14.900 on this Freedom Friday, I've got a question for you. 0:16:16.300 --> 0:16:20.500 Did the fear of being left behind when God comes? 0:16:21.260 --> 0:16:24.780 Was that the impetus for you surrendering your life to Christ? 0:16:24.820 --> 0:16:27.620 Today I want one testimony right now. Is that you? 0:16:27.620 --> 0:16:32.980 805 55, 78, 98 was the fear of the coming 0:16:33.020 --> 0:16:37.740 of Christ and you being left behind what God used 0:16:37.740 --> 0:16:40.660 to call you out of darkness into his wonderful light? 0:16:41.020 --> 0:16:43.100 Give me a call right now. If that's you. I 0:16:43.100 --> 0:16:47.490 need one 800 555 Five, 78, 98. 0:16:47.690 --> 0:16:52.290 She's a choreographer extraordinaire and everything is Greek to her. 0:16:52.690 --> 0:16:56.450 Super die is in the crew. It's Carl and crew 0:16:56.450 --> 0:16:57.730 on Moody Radio. 0:16:58.290 --> 0:17:02.170 One simple question. Did the fear of being left behind 0:17:02.770 --> 0:17:05.770 cause you? As I've been texting back and forth here. 0:17:06.290 --> 0:17:10.570 This is so cool. Did it cause you to say, oh, God. 0:17:10.609 --> 0:17:15.570 And then that fear was what God used to regenerate 0:17:15.570 --> 0:17:18.010 your soul as you surrendered your life to Jesus. And 0:17:18.010 --> 0:17:22.450 then it changed everything. Carmen, first time caller from Cleveland, Ohio. 0:17:22.490 --> 0:17:24.929 Thank you, Carmen, for calling in. What's your story? 0:17:25.290 --> 0:17:29.250 Yeah, I was living same sex lifestyle for like 30 0:17:29.290 --> 0:17:34.170 plus years. And then one night I heard an online 0:17:34.530 --> 0:17:40.610 young lady, Charity Israel, and she said, hey, I'm kind 0:17:40.609 --> 0:17:42.250 of stammering here, but it's okay. 0:17:42.290 --> 0:17:42.930 It's okay. 0:17:42.970 --> 0:17:49.230 Totally transformed Formed my life. Snatched me out of that darkness. 0:17:49.590 --> 0:17:55.109 Revealed where I was wrong. Um, living that lifestyle. And 0:17:55.150 --> 0:17:58.670 the Lord is a redeemer. He redeemed my past. He 0:17:58.710 --> 0:18:04.070 healed my trauma. And he reunited me with my current husband, 0:18:04.070 --> 0:18:08.150 who I just met briefly in the military, um, 30 0:18:08.190 --> 0:18:11.389 some years ago. And, yeah. Carl. 0:18:11.430 --> 0:18:12.110 He smashed me. 0:18:12.109 --> 0:18:12.469 Carmen. 0:18:12.470 --> 0:18:12.870 It's real. 0:18:12.910 --> 0:18:15.110 And I did not want to be left behind. I 0:18:15.109 --> 0:18:18.590 was like, before, I was thinking, well, if I'm wrong 0:18:18.950 --> 0:18:21.070 and if I die, he'll let me know I was wrong. 0:18:21.270 --> 0:18:23.230 When I'm in front of him. But he let me 0:18:23.230 --> 0:18:24.510 know way before. 0:18:24.750 --> 0:18:26.310 Beautiful. Carmen. What a story. 0:18:26.350 --> 0:18:30.350 What a story to anyone that questions Carmen. If God 0:18:30.350 --> 0:18:33.550 can reorder what we feel like. Is life spent down 0:18:33.550 --> 0:18:35.470 the wrong avenue? What do you say to him? 0:18:35.630 --> 0:18:41.750 Yeah. Allow him to heal, to redeem, to restore, and 0:18:41.750 --> 0:18:44.670 to welcome you into his family. 0:18:45.020 --> 0:18:48.420 Carmen, I love you. Sister, give your husband Carl. Give 0:18:48.420 --> 0:18:50.220 me a. Give your husband a big old bear hug 0:18:50.220 --> 0:18:51.060 for me, would you? 0:18:51.460 --> 0:18:53.220 I sure will. We love you. 0:18:53.420 --> 0:18:58.060 We love you. Carmen. First time caller from Cleveland, Ohio. Boom! 0:18:58.340 --> 0:18:59.300 What a story. 0:18:59.340 --> 0:19:00.100 Boom! 0:19:00.820 --> 0:19:02.260 That was so great. 0:19:06.020 --> 0:19:09.860 He was running from God, but God's love brought him home. 0:19:10.060 --> 0:19:14.020 Carl is in the crew. It's Carl and crew on 0:19:14.020 --> 0:19:15.020 Moody Radio. 0:19:15.580 --> 0:19:22.540 The unbelievable reality is that what we see as important 0:19:22.540 --> 0:19:27.820 and valuable on earth will go poof when the Lord returns. 0:19:28.660 --> 0:19:32.300 Unless our heart is filled with the oil of the 0:19:32.300 --> 0:19:37.459 Holy Spirit that seals us in Christ Jesus until the 0:19:37.460 --> 0:19:42.140 day of his coming. That changes everything. You know my 0:19:42.180 --> 0:19:44.169 thought and what's on my heart here is that the 0:19:44.170 --> 0:19:47.530 parable of the Ten virgins almost has a dual application. 0:19:47.570 --> 0:19:49.889 It causes those that are dressed up with no place 0:19:49.890 --> 0:19:54.290 to go, because there were five that appeared to be ready, 0:19:54.290 --> 0:19:58.170 but they weren't. It's fascinating, by the way, that Jesus 0:19:58.170 --> 0:20:04.090 paints that picture. Five dressed up. No place to go. Why? 0:20:04.130 --> 0:20:08.330 Because the unseen things matter most. The oil of salvation 0:20:08.330 --> 0:20:13.730 was not there. And there wasn't time to get ready. 0:20:15.330 --> 0:20:18.209 Because there will be a time that Jesus returns and 0:20:18.210 --> 0:20:21.490 we don't know when that is. I do believe it's near, 0:20:23.050 --> 0:20:29.490 but being ready is vitally important. And it's an awesome 0:20:29.490 --> 0:20:33.810 mercy that Jesus gave us these stories, parables to illustrate 0:20:33.810 --> 0:20:38.250 what salvation was all about. Many surrendering to Christ today 0:20:38.770 --> 0:20:42.330 can fear of being left behind when Jesus comes. Be 0:20:42.330 --> 0:20:46.470 an impetus, proper one for salvation. Yeah, it can start there. 0:20:46.470 --> 0:20:49.070 But here's the beauty. It doesn't end there. You don't 0:20:49.070 --> 0:20:53.430 live with fear, with full surrender to Jesus. He changes 0:20:53.430 --> 0:20:58.989 everything about you and then hope springs up. It's an 0:20:58.990 --> 0:21:03.990 amazing thing. And so the other application point here is 0:21:03.990 --> 0:21:08.429 that those who have their lamps filled are dressed up, 0:21:09.310 --> 0:21:13.070 buttoned up, not in our strength, but in the power 0:21:13.070 --> 0:21:17.429 of the spirit. Ready to hear, well done, good and 0:21:17.430 --> 0:21:23.030 faithful servant. What's that mean? Investing our lives, giving ourselves away, 0:21:23.190 --> 0:21:26.630 surrendering all that we are to Jesus. Knowing that if 0:21:26.630 --> 0:21:32.550 we've got Jesus, we got everything we need. I'm asking you, 0:21:32.550 --> 0:21:34.630 in light of the fact that we don't know when 0:21:34.630 --> 0:21:38.550 the coming of Christ is, will you live ready today 0:21:38.670 --> 0:21:42.460 as a disciple of Christ? Live ready friend. 0:21:42.940 --> 0:21:47.500 A basketball mom who's mastered the dad joke. Ali is 0:21:47.500 --> 0:21:51.140 in the crew. It's Carl and crew on Moody Radio. 0:21:51.460 --> 0:21:53.900 We got a fireball from the other side of the pond. 0:21:53.940 --> 0:21:58.020 Simon Guilbeau. This guy boy has God using him. In fact, 0:21:58.020 --> 0:21:59.659 I got a dear friend that I've known for a 0:21:59.700 --> 0:22:02.780 lot of years who's a good friend of this cool 0:22:02.820 --> 0:22:05.020 dude coming in here in just a moment. But I 0:22:05.020 --> 0:22:06.979 want to set it up. He says. This is a 0:22:06.980 --> 0:22:09.020 guy that can stir the pot, and I'm like, this 0:22:09.020 --> 0:22:11.540 is what we need. You don't want the pot to 0:22:11.540 --> 0:22:14.740 be still. We got to think not for the purpose 0:22:14.740 --> 0:22:19.260 of disruption, for the purpose of experiencing the power and 0:22:19.260 --> 0:22:23.500 the goodness of God. Simon Guilbeau actually has a podcast 0:22:23.500 --> 0:22:27.140 that is the second most listened to podcast in all 0:22:27.140 --> 0:22:30.139 of the UK. Simon, how did that happen? 0:22:30.500 --> 0:22:32.900 Well, I spent 20 years living in a war zone 0:22:32.900 --> 0:22:37.060 in Central Africa and seeing lots of very depressing, grim things, 0:22:37.060 --> 0:22:39.260 but also some absolutely amazing things. And I think we 0:22:39.260 --> 0:22:41.179 spend too much time listening to the bad stuff and 0:22:41.180 --> 0:22:44.450 we need to be inspired by the incredible good stuff. 0:22:44.490 --> 0:22:47.570 I mean, through our ministry, we've probably seen about 100,000 0:22:47.570 --> 0:22:50.169 people come to Jesus just in the last 12 months. 0:22:50.330 --> 0:22:53.250 So there's lots of good news. Which witch doctors bowing 0:22:53.290 --> 0:22:56.010 the knee, demons being cast out, people being healed. I've 0:22:56.010 --> 0:22:57.370 got loads of stories. 0:22:57.410 --> 0:23:00.050 Oh, well, give us one. And we've been talking today 0:23:00.050 --> 0:23:03.730 about freedom from this illusion of salvation. And it's real. 0:23:03.730 --> 0:23:07.250 It's not only repeated in Matthew found in Matthew seven, 0:23:07.250 --> 0:23:11.010 but repeated in the parables, especially the ten virgins and 0:23:11.010 --> 0:23:13.530 the parable of the talents. We don't want to be 0:23:13.530 --> 0:23:15.730 people who are dressed up with no place to go. 0:23:15.730 --> 0:23:19.570 And yet when we're in Christ, that's when the adventure begins. 0:23:19.570 --> 0:23:22.209 And we can be inspired. Speak to that, Simon. 0:23:22.250 --> 0:23:24.330 Well, you know, you mentioned the parable of the ten virgins. 0:23:24.330 --> 0:23:26.570 I was preaching on the Congolese border while back, and 0:23:26.570 --> 0:23:28.530 I was, you know, it was it was dangerous, but 0:23:29.210 --> 0:23:31.730 the sense of urgency was real. And my message was 0:23:31.730 --> 0:23:34.570 pretty simple. It was, Jesus is coming. Nobody knows when. 0:23:34.609 --> 0:23:36.250 Are you ready? So that was on a Sunday. I 0:23:36.250 --> 0:23:38.689 preached that in a refugee camp. Jesus is coming. Nobody 0:23:38.690 --> 0:23:41.550 knows when. Are you ready? On a Tuesday on my motorbike. 0:23:41.550 --> 0:23:43.790 I was heading back towards that village. I was stopped 0:23:43.790 --> 0:23:46.150 at a military checkpoint. They said you cannot proceed any further. 0:23:46.150 --> 0:23:48.030 There's been an attack on that village and all those 0:23:48.030 --> 0:23:51.790 people are getting killed. And it struck me like never 0:23:51.790 --> 0:23:55.790 before that the urgency of the gospel, because just two 0:23:55.790 --> 0:23:59.790 days before they had heard Jesus is coming. Nobody knows when. 0:23:59.830 --> 0:24:02.910 Are you ready? And two days later, they were dead. So, 0:24:02.950 --> 0:24:03.149 you know. 0:24:03.190 --> 0:24:06.070 You must have those faces in your mind, right? I mean, 0:24:06.070 --> 0:24:07.710 they're they're still etched. 0:24:07.750 --> 0:24:09.389 Yeah. And when you live in a war zone, the 0:24:09.390 --> 0:24:11.590 thing is, guys in the States, it's a different war zone. 0:24:11.590 --> 0:24:13.910 I've been here. I'm over here preaching right now, and 0:24:13.910 --> 0:24:20.710 I see bombs falling all over the United States. Apathy, distraction. Materialism. 0:24:20.710 --> 0:24:23.030 And we've just got to recognize what's going on. And, 0:24:23.070 --> 0:24:25.190 you know, again, you talk about living. Ready. My favorite 0:24:25.190 --> 0:24:27.470 quote from a guy called Smith Wigglesworth was this. He 0:24:27.470 --> 0:24:31.190 said live ready. If you have to get ready when 0:24:31.190 --> 0:24:34.070 the opportunity comes your way, you'll be too late. Opportunity 0:24:34.109 --> 0:24:36.750 doesn't wait, not even while you pray. You must not 0:24:36.750 --> 0:24:39.550 have to get ready. You must live ready at all times. 0:24:39.580 --> 0:24:42.100 And then he says this. Be filled. Be filled with 0:24:42.100 --> 0:24:44.379 the spirit that is, be soaked with with the spirit. 0:24:44.380 --> 0:24:47.659 Be so soaked that every thread in the fabric of 0:24:47.660 --> 0:24:51.660 your life will have received the requisite ray of the spirit. 0:24:51.660 --> 0:24:55.780 And then when you are misused and squeezed to the wall, 0:24:55.980 --> 0:24:58.780 all that will ooze out of you will be the 0:24:58.780 --> 0:25:02.139 very nature of Christ. 0:25:02.540 --> 0:25:03.060 Yeah. 0:25:03.100 --> 0:25:06.580 Wigglesworth is quite the guy and I love that too. Okay, 0:25:06.580 --> 0:25:08.300 coming up here in a moment, Simon, here's what I 0:25:08.300 --> 0:25:09.820 want us. Can you stay on with me a couple 0:25:09.859 --> 0:25:13.580 of minutes? Yeah. Okay. Coming back here, I want us 0:25:13.580 --> 0:25:16.899 to talk about this preparedness because there's a lot listening. 0:25:16.900 --> 0:25:20.900 Many thousands who have experienced freedom in Christ. Genuine freedom. 0:25:21.540 --> 0:25:24.740 But the constant threat of apathy we know is real. 0:25:24.740 --> 0:25:25.940 All you got to do is look at the book 0:25:25.940 --> 0:25:29.580 of revelation, whether it's Church of Laodicea that pushed Jesus 0:25:29.580 --> 0:25:34.940 out because of their economic wealth, or Ephesus because they 0:25:34.940 --> 0:25:37.420 lost their first love. How do we get that back? 0:25:37.420 --> 0:25:39.770 How do we build on this so that what oozes 0:25:39.770 --> 0:25:43.050 out of us is an overflow of the spirit. More 0:25:43.050 --> 0:25:45.210 with my guest, Simon Gilbert, coming up. 0:25:45.730 --> 0:25:48.650 You're listening to Carl and crew on Moody Radio. 0:25:49.170 --> 0:25:51.770 After years in marketing, he's now a banner ad for 0:25:51.770 --> 0:25:54.530 the good news of Jesus Christ. His name is Simon Gilbert. 0:25:54.570 --> 0:25:56.450 He's with me right now. And by the way, he 0:25:56.490 --> 0:25:59.130 has got from time to time it hits number one. 0:25:59.130 --> 0:26:03.370 But toggles between number one and number two UK Christian podcast. 0:26:03.770 --> 0:26:06.010 And we're going to have a link for that. All right. 0:26:06.010 --> 0:26:08.929 Let's revisit where we were here Simon. And then I 0:26:08.930 --> 0:26:12.010 want to build on this because there is a it's 0:26:12.010 --> 0:26:14.490 time to be ready. And living ready is one of 0:26:14.490 --> 0:26:17.410 the most beautiful things. It's not arduous because this is 0:26:17.410 --> 0:26:21.170 the abundant life that Jesus promised. Am I wrong, Simon? 0:26:21.250 --> 0:26:22.450 You are right. 0:26:22.490 --> 0:26:23.610 How do we do it, buddy? 0:26:23.730 --> 0:26:26.090 Well, you got to understand the grace of God. You've 0:26:26.090 --> 0:26:27.930 got to be all in. I love telling a story 0:26:27.930 --> 0:26:29.330 about a girl that I've got a picture of her 0:26:29.330 --> 0:26:31.650 in my arms. And, you know, she was found down 0:26:31.650 --> 0:26:33.850 a toilet. So her mother gave birth to her, then 0:26:33.850 --> 0:26:36.570 threw her away down a down a toilet. And then 0:26:36.570 --> 0:26:39.190 the next person fished her out and she was still 0:26:39.190 --> 0:26:41.149 alive because her neck got caught in the u-bend of 0:26:41.150 --> 0:26:43.510 the toilet and she was cleaned off and fed through 0:26:43.550 --> 0:26:45.990 a straw like a little bird. And she's now she's 0:26:45.990 --> 0:26:48.550 still alive. She's now she's worked for me. We got 0:26:48.550 --> 0:26:50.950 her scholarship to America. She got a distinction of degree 0:26:50.990 --> 0:26:53.630 and she's flying. And my friend who adopted her gave 0:26:53.630 --> 0:26:56.790 her the most fabulous name. And that name is Grace. 0:26:57.350 --> 0:27:01.430 And I name my daughter Grace after that grace. Because basically, 0:27:01.470 --> 0:27:03.550 you're only going to live. You know, the start of 0:27:03.590 --> 0:27:05.870 Grace's life is a picture of the gospel that God 0:27:05.869 --> 0:27:09.389 reaches down into our mess and we need a Savior, 0:27:09.390 --> 0:27:11.350 and we need a rescue, and we can't save ourselves. 0:27:11.350 --> 0:27:13.310 And like that lady stuck her hand down the toilet 0:27:13.310 --> 0:27:16.150 and got filthy in the process. God came down in 0:27:16.150 --> 0:27:18.350 Jesus and he picks us up and he cleans us up, 0:27:18.350 --> 0:27:20.310 and he takes our filth on him so that we 0:27:20.310 --> 0:27:22.550 can be clean and beautiful and acceptable. And if you 0:27:22.550 --> 0:27:26.350 understand that grace, then it fills you with a love. 0:27:26.350 --> 0:27:29.830 And then Christ's love compels you to live and to live, 0:27:29.869 --> 0:27:32.869 prioritizing what matters. It was C.S. Lewis that said, anything 0:27:32.869 --> 0:27:36.949 which isn't eternal is eternally out of date. And it 0:27:37.100 --> 0:27:39.140 doesn't last. Which is why Jesus says, come on. Store 0:27:39.140 --> 0:27:41.980 up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust. 0:27:42.020 --> 0:27:44.460 You know, basically that last forever. And I paraphrase that 0:27:44.460 --> 0:27:46.340 to save time. But, you know, we get so caught 0:27:46.340 --> 0:27:48.060 up in the here and now, and I've got the 0:27:48.060 --> 0:27:50.580 privilege of working and living with people that have got 0:27:50.580 --> 0:27:54.260 so little materially. Yet unlike unlike in the States where 0:27:54.260 --> 0:27:56.380 people often have got everything to live with, but they've 0:27:56.380 --> 0:27:59.139 got nothing to live for out there. You know, I 0:27:59.140 --> 0:28:00.940 think just let me tell this one, this a friend 0:28:00.940 --> 0:28:03.540 of mine, she saw a guy in his rags with 0:28:03.540 --> 0:28:05.460 an empty bowl praying in a refugee camp. She went 0:28:05.460 --> 0:28:07.260 over and sat next to him and said, what's your story, 0:28:07.260 --> 0:28:08.860 old man? And he told her how he'd seen his 0:28:08.859 --> 0:28:10.980 wife and kids hacked to death and his house burnt down. 0:28:10.980 --> 0:28:13.740 And he'd walked six days to get that refugee camp. 0:28:13.740 --> 0:28:15.540 He was in his 80s, and he turned to her 0:28:15.780 --> 0:28:18.580 at the end of this horrific story. And he said, Madame, 0:28:19.380 --> 0:28:24.139 I never realized that Jesus was all I needed until 0:28:24.140 --> 0:28:29.180 Jesus was all I had. Yeah. 0:28:29.940 --> 0:28:32.460 That's where it begins. That's where it begins. You know, 0:28:32.500 --> 0:28:36.139 what's interesting is Simon and I've been. We talk a 0:28:36.240 --> 0:28:40.040 lot about this here on this show. But I've been 0:28:40.040 --> 0:28:42.680 living it and experiencing it been a lot of years 0:28:42.680 --> 0:28:45.200 in ministry. I've seen God do a lot of things. 0:28:45.480 --> 0:28:49.000 None of it attached to me. It's a God thing. 0:28:49.440 --> 0:28:52.480 But you know, what's intriguing is we as Christians, especially 0:28:52.480 --> 0:28:57.960 here stateside, anyone in the West, we've had this notion, 0:28:57.960 --> 0:29:00.880 and I think this is the greatest false notion that 0:29:00.920 --> 0:29:04.160 leads us to emptiness. Although we're born again, we're saved 0:29:04.160 --> 0:29:08.280 as by fire. It's just we're just. Just born again. 0:29:08.280 --> 0:29:13.360 And now on our own. We've forgotten that the posture 0:29:13.360 --> 0:29:19.000 of dependence and humility is the birthplace of all that matters. 0:29:19.080 --> 0:29:20.920 Andrew Murray I quote him all the time from his 0:29:20.920 --> 0:29:24.400 book humility. He says humility is the one virtue that 0:29:24.400 --> 0:29:28.240 gives birth to every other virtue. And I've often had 0:29:28.240 --> 0:29:31.000 people tell me, oh, Pastor Carl, I feel so. I'm 0:29:31.000 --> 0:29:34.600 at the very bottom. The irony is, is that's the 0:29:34.600 --> 0:29:38.190 greatest position to be in where God can begin to 0:29:38.230 --> 0:29:41.430 use us. Speak to that from your own life and 0:29:41.430 --> 0:29:42.710 those that you see. 0:29:42.750 --> 0:29:45.510 Yeah, I mean, not that we choose it, but, you know, 0:29:45.550 --> 0:29:48.030 I remember once praying. I mean, each morning we would 0:29:48.030 --> 0:29:49.950 pray in the war, and the war was not on 0:29:49.950 --> 0:29:52.070 right now, but it's still extremely heavy and it's hit. 0:29:52.070 --> 0:29:53.830 It's hit world headlines even this week with what's going 0:29:53.830 --> 0:29:59.390 on in the Congo spilling across. But we would pray the. Most, 0:29:59.430 --> 0:30:02.230 which is Lord Jesus, we thank you for bringing us 0:30:02.230 --> 0:30:05.190 safely to the beginning of a new day. And we 0:30:05.190 --> 0:30:08.230 pray that prayer like a liturgy, because we've been listening 0:30:08.270 --> 0:30:11.030 to shooting and gunfire and bombs and bombs in the night, 0:30:11.350 --> 0:30:15.630 and life was so precious. And when you're stripped of everything. 0:30:15.630 --> 0:30:18.390 And then one guy prayed once. Lord, thank you that 0:30:18.390 --> 0:30:21.390 all our hope is gone. And I'm like, what? But 0:30:21.390 --> 0:30:23.989 then he carried on, and then he carried. He carried on, 0:30:24.030 --> 0:30:29.150 he said, because now our only hope is you. And 0:30:29.150 --> 0:30:31.990 then I could give a sort of more hearty, slightly 0:30:31.990 --> 0:30:33.950 begrudging Amen, because I don't want my only hope to 0:30:33.950 --> 0:30:36.540 be you. But actually we do. We do. He is 0:30:36.540 --> 0:30:39.219 our only hope and we can try to turn to 0:30:39.260 --> 0:30:42.580 other other things. Like people will medicate their their pain 0:30:42.580 --> 0:30:45.979 through through porn or retail therapy or social media and 0:30:45.980 --> 0:30:48.620 look for affirmation of. But you know, we just we 0:30:48.620 --> 0:30:51.180 need to to live out our lives before the audience 0:30:51.180 --> 0:30:54.060 of one and just seek him. And it's not that 0:30:54.060 --> 0:30:56.540 we desire it, but, you know, when you're out there 0:30:56.580 --> 0:31:00.860 stripped of everything and, uh, I never realized that Jesus 0:31:00.860 --> 0:31:04.260 was all I needed until Jesus was all I had. 0:31:04.500 --> 0:31:04.740 Yeah. 0:31:04.740 --> 0:31:09.420 It's beautiful. Simon Gilbert, our guest right now. And I've 0:31:09.460 --> 0:31:12.620 got a link for you boom crew to come and get. 0:31:12.820 --> 0:31:16.700 And this is a this is a sweet morning we're 0:31:16.700 --> 0:31:20.260 having here. If you want to get a link to 0:31:20.300 --> 0:31:25.900 a podcast that tens of thousands, if not many more 0:31:26.220 --> 0:31:29.100 doesn't really matter. Number one or number two on Christian 0:31:29.100 --> 0:31:34.080 podcasts and all across the UK. And you want to 0:31:34.080 --> 0:31:39.440 have a weekly shot of being inspired in your dependence 0:31:39.440 --> 0:31:43.800 on God. Just text the word inspired right now to 0:31:43.840 --> 0:31:53.960 800 555 7898. Text inspired to 805 55 7898. Check 0:31:53.960 --> 0:31:59.360 it out. Text inspired right now to 805 55 7898. 0:31:59.360 --> 0:32:05.880 Inspired to 805 55 7898. Got 10s for what's on 0:32:05.880 --> 0:32:07.320 your heart. What do you say, Simon? 0:32:07.600 --> 0:32:10.200 Live. Ready, guys? Give him everything. He is faithful. The 0:32:10.200 --> 0:32:12.600 one who calls you is faithful. You will not be discouraged. 0:32:12.600 --> 0:32:15.240 Look around and be depressed. Look within and be distressed. 0:32:15.280 --> 0:32:18.120 Look to Jesus and be at rest. 0:32:18.560 --> 0:32:22.120 Those are more than pithy words, man, that's real text 0:32:22.160 --> 0:32:29.040 inspired to 800, 555, 7898. Check it out. There's more 0:32:29.040 --> 0:32:33.720 where this came from. Inspired to 855 five 7898.