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I'd first like to read a verse in

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Matthew chapter 16.

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In Matthew 16 it says in verse 3,

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the middle of that verse, do you know

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how to discern the appearance of the sky?

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But you cannot discern the signs of the

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times.

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So in that day, if they had studied

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the scriptures, they would have known that the

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coming of Christ was near because even the

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exact time was prophesied in the book of

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Daniel in chapter 9.

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And so they were the experts at knowing

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when it's going to rain, what the weather

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is going to be like tomorrow.

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And we are also like that.

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We read the newspaper and the news here

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and there, and we know what's happening in

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Ukraine and we know what's happening here and

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there, but we may not know the signs

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of the times in which we live.

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So let me turn to another verse in

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Matthew chapter 24.

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In Matthew 24 and look at verse 37.

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Matthew 24, 37, it says, the coming of

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the Son of Man will be just like

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the days of Noah.

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In those days before the flood, they were

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eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage

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until the day that Noah entered the ark.

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And then suddenly the flood came and took

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them all away.

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It will be like that.

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Verse 40, when two men will be in

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the field, one will be taken, the other

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will be left.

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Two will be grinding at the mill and

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one will be taken and one will be

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left.

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Therefore, be on the alert for you don't

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know which day your Lord is coming.

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And if you turn to Genesis in chapter

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6 and see something about the days of

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Noah for a moment.

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In the days of Noah, we read in

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Genesis in chapter 6 that the earth had

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become corrupt.

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Genesis 6 verse 5, it says, the Lord

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saw that the wickedness of man was great

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on the earth.

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This is very true today.

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With all the type of evil, not only

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wars, perverted sex, homosexual activity, transgender and all

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types of things that are going on today.

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And verse 5 says, the Lord saw the

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wickedness of man was great on the earth.

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And every intent of the thoughts of his

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heart was only evil continued.

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We must be alert to these.

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We must not be like the Pharisees who

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are ignorant of what's happening in the times

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in which we live.

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Because the times in which we live are

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sort of very close to the coming of

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the Lord.

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And it's an amazing word.

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It says in verse 6, the Lord was

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sorry that he made man on the earth.

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You know, here God is speaking like a

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man.

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God knows the future.

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He knew everything that was going to happen

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in Noah's time.

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But he's speaking in a human terms to

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the old covenant people did not understand like

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we know.

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And he was saying how it grieved his

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heart to see man like this.

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And we say we want to be in

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fellowship with the Lord.

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A wife must be in fellowship with her

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husband.

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And if you are in the bride of

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Jesus Christ, your heart should be in fellowship

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with the Lord's heart.

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If he is grieved, not angry, grieved at

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the condition of man's wickedness, you know that

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you're the bride of Christ with one test.

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Are you grieved also when you see what's

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happening in the world around?

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Or you say it doesn't bother me, I'm

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earning enough money in the Gulf, and I'm

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educating my children well, and they're going to

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get good jobs.

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That's all you're worried about.

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You're no different from all the other heathen

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who work in the Gulf.

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The difference between us and all the other

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heathen, our non-Christians or nominal Christians or

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worldly Christians should be the difference between light

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and darkness.

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When you come into a room, you know

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immediately whether there's light or darkness there.

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And my dear brothers and sisters, when people

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around you, your relatives, your unconverted relatives, and

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a lot of people in your place of

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work and elsewhere in the Gulf, when they

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see you and meet with you and talk

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with you, they must see that you are

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different from the average Christian.

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I felt that very strongly when I was

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working on the ships in the Navy.

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There were many nominal Christians, but I wanted

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people to see that I was different, not

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just from the non-Christians, I was different

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from the other Christians, because I believed God's

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word, and I was not ashamed of Christ,

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not ashamed to be a witness.

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And I would stand up for the truth,

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even if it meant I would lose my

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job.

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And two or three times, my senior officers

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really made life difficult for me because I

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said I would not do something unrighteous.

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There were many temptations.

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People in the Navy would do so many

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unrighteous things, write wrong statements, and especially in

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money matters.

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And I would say, sorry, sir, I'm a

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Christian, I can't do that.

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And once I was transferred, within half an

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hour, that's fine.

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But I remember those years when I was

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just 23 years old and 24 years old,

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and the Lord tested me to see, is

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this man fit to serve me?

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Not just does he know the Bible, but

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is he willing to stand up for me

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when others around are compromising and corrupt?

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And I want to ask you a straight

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question.

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If you believe the coming of the Lord

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is near, and you're going to stand before

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him at his judgment seat and give an

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account of every single thing you ever did,

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every single account you ever wrote in your

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office or in your home, and every single

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word you ever spoke, are you ready to

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meet the Lord and say, Lord, I'm ready

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right now.

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My account is clear.

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My life is clear.

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There's nothing I have not confessed, nothing I

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have done wrong that I have not said

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right.

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And wherever possible, I'm trying to make it

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known that I'm a disciple of Jesus Christ.

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Not necessarily with words and preaching.

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I know you're not allowed to preach over

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there.

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But your life, Jesus didn't say, let your

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words be like the light.

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Matthew chapter 5, he said, let your light

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shine before men.

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And our light is the light.

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And I discovered that in the days when

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I worked with 200 unconverted people in a

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ship, not one born-again Christian there, I

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said, Lord, I'm going to let my life

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shine here.

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And because some of them would make fun

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of me and laugh at me, laugh about

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me behind my back, that's fine.

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They killed my Savior.

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What is the matter?

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I'm disturbed by somebody laughing at me.

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I'm not fit to be a disciple of

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Jesus.

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And I want to say to all of

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you, I want to challenge you, as if

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you believe that these days are like the

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days of Noah, let me read to you

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from Genesis chapter 6 again.

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It says here, the Lord was so breathed,

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verse 6, but then it says in verse

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8, but Noah found favor in the eyes

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of the Lord.

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What did we read in Matthew 24?

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The last days will be like the days

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of Noah.

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That means the world will be like Noah.

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And the main sins in the time of

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Noah, if you read earlier on, was, first

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of all, sexual perverted, perverted sexual sin.

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It says here in verse, chapter 6, verse

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1, that beautiful daughters were born to men.

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And verse 2, the sons of God is

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referring to the angels, the angels.

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Can the angels lust?

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I don't know fully, but when they possess

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a man, they do lust.

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They certainly, demons are the ones who provoke

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you to lust with your eyes and look

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at pretty women and look at pornography.

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Who do you think is tempting young men

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and even Christians to watch dirty movies and

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have pornography on their phone and laptop and

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all, and still sit in church as very

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holy people?

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That's demons, 100%.

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Those demons love it when you're watching pornography.

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And it says here, they looked at these

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beautiful daughters of men.

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Now they don't have any bodies.

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So these demons couldn't have sex directly with

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these women, but they possessed men in those

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days.

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And through those men, they would marry these

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women and many, many women.

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It says they took wives for themselves, whomever

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they chose.

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And the demons got some secondhand pleasure through

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these men.

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That it is sexual sin, promoted corrupt sex.

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And that's exactly what we see in the

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world today.

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It's never in the history of man, in

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all the 6,000 years of man's history,

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it has never been so perverted.

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Sex has never been so perverted as in

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our time.

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And even in Noah's day, it was bad,

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but this is 10 times or a hundred

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times worse today because Noah's time, there was

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no internet.

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There was no news going around.

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There were no videos, sex videos and all

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that type of stuff.

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It's all there today.

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We're living in a very perverted age and

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the world will be like that.

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They'll be corrupt.

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It will get worse and worse and worse

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and worse and worse.

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But if any one of you brothers sitting

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in a CFC church are looking at all

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these corrupt pictures, you should go and hang

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your head in shame and say, Lord, I'm

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ashamed to be a part of a CFC

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church.

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I'm claiming to be very holy and this

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is what I do in private.

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You may close your door and think nobody's

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watching.

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I tell you there are a hundred demons

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inside that closed room who are looking at

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you when you watch pornography.

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Steer clear of it.

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Hate it.

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You will not be able to have a

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satisfying, loving relationship with your wife if you

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watch all that rubbish.

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Why do I mention this?

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Because Jesus said, the last days will be

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like the days of Noah.

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Young men, old men, married men, they're all

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doing this type of stuff.

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And it's a time of rebellion and wickedness.

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It says in verse five, the wickedness of

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man was great.

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But praise God, it says here there was

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a man called Noah who found favor in

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the eyes of the Lord, verse eight.

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And do you want to be that man

275
00:12:34,470 --> 00:12:39,030
in whichever town you're living in, in your

276
00:12:39,030 --> 00:12:39,470
office?

277
00:12:40,670 --> 00:12:42,410
Do you want to be that man about

278
00:12:42,410 --> 00:12:46,850
whom the Holy Spirit can write this person

279
00:12:46,850 --> 00:12:51,190
and your name, found favor in the eyes

280
00:12:51,190 --> 00:12:51,790
of the Lord?

281
00:12:52,570 --> 00:12:55,190
I tell you that is a million times

282
00:12:55,190 --> 00:12:58,270
better than any good recommendation your boss can

283
00:12:58,270 --> 00:12:58,670
give you.

284
00:12:59,510 --> 00:13:00,290
I felt that.

285
00:13:00,950 --> 00:13:02,590
I said, I don't care what my bosses

286
00:13:02,590 --> 00:13:04,630
in the Navy ships and all would give

287
00:13:04,630 --> 00:13:04,850
me.

288
00:13:05,830 --> 00:13:07,990
I mean, my promotion in the Navy depended

289
00:13:07,990 --> 00:13:11,410
on what recommendation my commanding officer in the

290
00:13:11,410 --> 00:13:11,870
ship gave.

291
00:13:13,070 --> 00:13:15,110
But I said, Lord, if I have to

292
00:13:15,110 --> 00:13:18,030
compromise to get that good recommendation, I'm not

293
00:13:18,030 --> 00:13:18,570
going to do it.

294
00:13:19,130 --> 00:13:20,370
I don't want a good recommendation.

295
00:13:21,110 --> 00:13:23,070
I will remain as a lieutenant all my

296
00:13:23,070 --> 00:13:25,310
life and never be promoted.

297
00:13:25,410 --> 00:13:26,130
It's perfectly okay.

298
00:13:26,130 --> 00:13:28,130
Let the others become admirals around me, but

299
00:13:28,130 --> 00:13:30,470
I will remain a low rank because I

300
00:13:30,470 --> 00:13:31,590
stood up for Jesus Christ.

301
00:13:32,930 --> 00:13:37,430
Are you willing to suffer financial loss, loss

302
00:13:37,430 --> 00:13:41,250
of promotion, and loss of popularity, and loss

303
00:13:41,250 --> 00:13:43,970
of everything else because you stand up for

304
00:13:43,970 --> 00:13:44,570
Jesus Christ?

305
00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:49,000
It's very dangerous to live in a society

306
00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:52,600
where everybody is so wealthy like you are.

307
00:13:52,660 --> 00:13:54,660
It's not like living in some village in

308
00:13:54,660 --> 00:13:55,060
Kerala.

309
00:13:55,660 --> 00:13:57,960
You're living in one of the wealthiest places

310
00:13:57,960 --> 00:13:59,980
in the world where people glory in the

311
00:13:59,980 --> 00:14:02,060
fact that they don't pay tax.

312
00:14:02,720 --> 00:14:06,800
I know believers from CFC churches who go

313
00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:08,980
to other places, and I've heard them boast,

314
00:14:09,380 --> 00:14:10,840
oh, we don't pay any tax in the

315
00:14:10,840 --> 00:14:11,060
Gulf.

316
00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:11,980
Aha.

317
00:14:13,040 --> 00:14:15,000
When they consider marriage, they want to promote

318
00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:15,840
themselves like that.

319
00:14:16,860 --> 00:14:19,040
I was so ashamed that a CFC believer

320
00:14:19,040 --> 00:14:20,040
would ever talk like that.

321
00:14:20,820 --> 00:14:22,840
You may not say it, but it can

322
00:14:22,840 --> 00:14:23,780
be the back of your mind.

323
00:14:24,480 --> 00:14:26,060
You keep counting how much money you have,

324
00:14:26,980 --> 00:14:30,340
and that's fine, but make sure that you

325
00:14:30,340 --> 00:14:32,400
don't miss out when the Lord comes.

326
00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:34,700
It's wonderful to have all these Bible studies

327
00:14:34,700 --> 00:14:36,680
about the second coming of the Lord and

328
00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:38,260
know all about the signs and all that,

329
00:14:39,820 --> 00:14:42,220
but the important thing is to be ready.

330
00:14:42,860 --> 00:14:44,520
Let me turn back to Matthew 24.

331
00:14:46,420 --> 00:14:47,140
Matthew 24.

332
00:14:48,540 --> 00:14:50,500
It's good that Jesus told the Pharisees, you

333
00:14:50,500 --> 00:14:52,500
must know the signs of the times, and

334
00:14:52,500 --> 00:14:54,380
it's good for us also to know the

335
00:14:54,380 --> 00:14:55,740
signs of the times in which we live.

336
00:14:56,520 --> 00:14:57,900
Matthew 24, verse 6.

337
00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:02,020
You will hear of wars and rumors of

338
00:15:02,020 --> 00:15:03,540
wars, and we hear plenty of that.

339
00:15:04,860 --> 00:15:06,600
Let's be, I mean, for the last so

340
00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:08,120
many years, we've heard it here, there, or

341
00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:08,420
everywhere.

342
00:15:09,920 --> 00:15:13,800
Make sure you're not frightened, but those things

343
00:15:13,800 --> 00:15:18,460
have to take place, but it is still

344
00:15:18,460 --> 00:15:19,120
not the end.

345
00:15:19,900 --> 00:15:22,240
Nation will rise against nation, verse 7, kingdom

346
00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:25,120
against kingdom, and there will be famines and

347
00:15:25,620 --> 00:15:28,700
earthquakes, and all these things are only the

348
00:15:28,700 --> 00:15:29,080
beginning.

349
00:15:32,500 --> 00:15:34,500
A new birth is going to take place

350
00:15:34,500 --> 00:15:35,120
of the earth.

351
00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:36,620
The earth is going to be changed, and

352
00:15:36,620 --> 00:15:39,140
Jesus compares it to a woman giving birth

353
00:15:39,140 --> 00:15:41,440
to a new baby, the new world, the

354
00:15:41,440 --> 00:15:43,140
new earth, the new heavens and the new

355
00:15:43,140 --> 00:15:45,580
earth, and, you know, a woman goes through

356
00:15:45,580 --> 00:15:48,080
a lot of pain before the baby is

357
00:15:48,080 --> 00:15:50,500
born, and it says all these problems that

358
00:15:50,500 --> 00:15:53,640
are happening on the earth are the birth

359
00:15:53,640 --> 00:15:56,040
pains of a new world that is going

360
00:15:56,040 --> 00:15:58,920
to be born, and then this hasn't happened

361
00:15:58,920 --> 00:15:59,700
yet, verse 9.

362
00:16:00,860 --> 00:16:03,000
They will deliver you to tribulation and will

363
00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:03,540
kill you.

364
00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:07,420
That's not happened to any of us in

365
00:16:07,420 --> 00:16:10,980
CFC churches so far, but we must be

366
00:16:10,980 --> 00:16:14,360
prepared for it, and some of our brothers

367
00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:17,900
in North India have already suffered that, being

368
00:16:17,900 --> 00:16:20,260
killed for the name of Christ, and you

369
00:16:20,260 --> 00:16:23,800
will be hated by every nation because of

370
00:16:23,800 --> 00:16:24,360
my name.

371
00:16:25,960 --> 00:16:27,420
It's not just that you won't be allowed

372
00:16:27,420 --> 00:16:28,880
to witness like there in the Gulf.

373
00:16:29,020 --> 00:16:29,720
You'll be hated.

374
00:16:31,300 --> 00:16:32,920
Right now, some of you may be quite

375
00:16:32,920 --> 00:16:35,980
popular in your place of work, but here

376
00:16:35,980 --> 00:16:38,440
it says you'll be hated by all nations,

377
00:16:39,180 --> 00:16:41,920
and when that happens, what's going to happen

378
00:16:41,920 --> 00:16:42,580
in verse 10?

379
00:16:42,700 --> 00:16:45,820
It says here, many will fall away.

380
00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:47,640
How do you feel it when you read

381
00:16:47,640 --> 00:16:51,800
that, that as we approach the end, many

382
00:16:51,800 --> 00:16:53,660
believers are going to fall away?

383
00:16:56,690 --> 00:16:57,970
You just read that and go to the

384
00:16:57,970 --> 00:16:58,450
next verse?

385
00:16:58,530 --> 00:16:59,650
I don't want to read that and go

386
00:16:59,650 --> 00:17:00,370
to the next verse.

387
00:17:01,170 --> 00:17:02,890
I don't want to pretend, oh, I'm so

388
00:17:02,890 --> 00:17:04,150
strong, I will not fall away.

389
00:17:05,050 --> 00:17:06,690
Well, you know what the Bible says, let

390
00:17:06,690 --> 00:17:09,790
him who thinks he stands take heed lest

391
00:17:09,790 --> 00:17:10,270
he fall.

392
00:17:12,089 --> 00:17:14,230
The humble person will take that warning of

393
00:17:14,230 --> 00:17:18,410
Jesus and say, Lord, I will not be

394
00:17:18,410 --> 00:17:19,710
able to stand if you don't keep me.

395
00:17:20,349 --> 00:17:21,730
I want to cling to you.

396
00:17:23,069 --> 00:17:26,190
I want to use everything that happens to

397
00:17:26,190 --> 00:17:27,970
me to draw me closer to you.

398
00:17:28,630 --> 00:17:30,930
I want to read the word and let

399
00:17:30,930 --> 00:17:33,690
it challenge me to cling to you just

400
00:17:33,690 --> 00:17:36,870
like the branch in the tree.

401
00:17:38,230 --> 00:17:40,410
Always the Lord gives me the picture of

402
00:17:40,410 --> 00:17:42,070
the branch in the tree in every situation

403
00:17:42,070 --> 00:17:46,750
because that is the most perfect example of

404
00:17:46,750 --> 00:17:51,190
faith that I have found personally in the

405
00:17:51,190 --> 00:17:52,010
words of Jesus.

406
00:17:52,790 --> 00:17:55,110
As the branch abides in the vine, or

407
00:17:55,110 --> 00:17:57,530
perhaps you're not very familiar with vines, in

408
00:17:57,530 --> 00:18:00,590
the tree, so you must remain in me.

409
00:18:01,790 --> 00:18:03,330
Why is that a picture of faith?

410
00:18:05,130 --> 00:18:08,650
Because that branch is helpless without the tree.

411
00:18:08,750 --> 00:18:10,210
Even if it's been in the tree with

412
00:18:10,210 --> 00:18:15,190
50 years of experience of producing fruit, if

413
00:18:15,190 --> 00:18:17,850
it's cut off today, it is as useless

414
00:18:17,850 --> 00:18:19,510
as on the first day.

415
00:18:19,510 --> 00:18:20,510
It was in the tree.

416
00:18:21,490 --> 00:18:22,610
Experience doesn't help.

417
00:18:23,670 --> 00:18:25,350
50 years of walking with the Lord and

418
00:18:25,350 --> 00:18:27,850
you can fall away today and have no

419
00:18:27,850 --> 00:18:28,690
more fruit in your life.

420
00:18:28,770 --> 00:18:31,150
So anybody who thinks, oh, I've been a

421
00:18:31,150 --> 00:18:33,130
believer quite a long time, so I'm pretty

422
00:18:33,130 --> 00:18:33,450
safe.

423
00:18:33,510 --> 00:18:34,190
You're not, brother.

424
00:18:35,110 --> 00:18:36,850
You're more in danger if you're proud of

425
00:18:36,850 --> 00:18:37,150
it.

426
00:18:37,950 --> 00:18:40,970
Or if you are one of those conceited,

427
00:18:41,470 --> 00:18:44,350
proud people who are always comparing yourselves with

428
00:18:44,350 --> 00:18:47,630
other people in your church and saying, I'm

429
00:18:47,630 --> 00:18:48,490
not as bad as them.

430
00:18:49,490 --> 00:18:50,630
How do your sisters feel?

431
00:18:50,750 --> 00:18:53,330
Do your sisters feel you're better than some

432
00:18:53,330 --> 00:18:54,110
of the other sisters?

433
00:18:54,970 --> 00:18:56,690
And you have thoughts that I'm not so

434
00:18:56,690 --> 00:18:59,090
bad as them and you speak evil about

435
00:18:59,090 --> 00:19:01,590
some of them and backbite against them because

436
00:19:01,590 --> 00:19:02,690
you're not so bad as them.

437
00:19:03,250 --> 00:19:04,830
I'll tell you, you're more in danger than

438
00:19:04,830 --> 00:19:05,390
those people.

439
00:19:07,070 --> 00:19:10,010
Remember in the prayer, the two people who

440
00:19:10,010 --> 00:19:11,710
prayed in the temple, the Pharisee said, I'm

441
00:19:11,710 --> 00:19:13,210
not so bad as that man over there.

442
00:19:13,970 --> 00:19:16,210
And the Bible says that other wicked man

443
00:19:16,210 --> 00:19:17,890
is the one whom God accepted, the Republican.

444
00:19:19,270 --> 00:19:20,930
And the Pharisee who thought he was better

445
00:19:20,930 --> 00:19:22,350
than the others, he got thrown out.

446
00:19:22,810 --> 00:19:24,710
And I believe that's really going to happen

447
00:19:24,710 --> 00:19:25,750
when Christ comes again.

448
00:19:26,470 --> 00:19:27,950
A lot of people who sit in churches

449
00:19:27,950 --> 00:19:30,590
and speak evil about others saying, I'm not

450
00:19:30,590 --> 00:19:31,330
as bad as them.

451
00:19:31,430 --> 00:19:32,270
I'm not very good.

452
00:19:33,030 --> 00:19:34,470
They're going to get a big surprise when

453
00:19:34,470 --> 00:19:35,050
Christ comes.

454
00:19:35,990 --> 00:19:37,270
So it's good for us to walk in

455
00:19:37,270 --> 00:19:37,730
humility.

456
00:19:38,670 --> 00:19:41,290
The Bible says in second Corinthians 10, I

457
00:19:41,290 --> 00:19:44,190
think it's verse 12, those who compare themselves

458
00:19:44,190 --> 00:19:46,170
with each other are foolish.

459
00:19:46,690 --> 00:19:49,030
It's a paraphrase, unwise, foolish.

460
00:19:49,870 --> 00:19:53,690
Anybody who compares himself with another believer, the

461
00:19:53,690 --> 00:19:56,050
Bible calls them in second Corinthians 10, a

462
00:19:56,050 --> 00:19:56,470
fool.

463
00:19:59,170 --> 00:20:00,130
I don't want to be a fool.

464
00:20:01,090 --> 00:20:02,370
I want to be wise.

465
00:20:03,470 --> 00:20:05,190
And one way of wisdom, there are many

466
00:20:05,190 --> 00:20:05,770
ways of wisdom.

467
00:20:05,970 --> 00:20:09,030
One way is don't compare yourself with other

468
00:20:09,030 --> 00:20:13,370
believers in your church or with other believers

469
00:20:13,370 --> 00:20:14,410
in other dead churches.

470
00:20:14,970 --> 00:20:16,330
Let them go their way.

471
00:20:17,110 --> 00:20:18,970
If you get the opportunity, witness to them,

472
00:20:19,790 --> 00:20:21,330
but don't compare yourself with them.

473
00:20:22,430 --> 00:20:23,990
Be thankful for God's mercy.

474
00:20:24,130 --> 00:20:24,870
There are many things.

475
00:20:25,770 --> 00:20:27,210
These are the words I say to the

476
00:20:27,210 --> 00:20:27,470
Lord.

477
00:20:29,910 --> 00:20:35,630
Luke's gospel and chapter 17, Luke's gospel and

478
00:20:35,630 --> 00:20:36,570
chapter 17.

479
00:20:43,640 --> 00:20:46,040
When you have done everything you have been

480
00:20:46,040 --> 00:20:47,700
told, how many of you have obeyed all

481
00:20:47,700 --> 00:20:48,780
the commands of Jesus?

482
00:20:51,360 --> 00:20:52,140
Have you tried to?

483
00:20:52,260 --> 00:20:54,680
I think some of us are really trying

484
00:20:54,680 --> 00:20:55,940
to obey all the commands of Jesus.

485
00:20:56,080 --> 00:20:58,900
I believe that if you have responded to

486
00:20:58,900 --> 00:21:00,460
the messages you've heard in the dark for

487
00:21:00,460 --> 00:21:04,900
many years from me and others, I'm sure

488
00:21:04,900 --> 00:21:08,260
you are one of those really trying to

489
00:21:08,260 --> 00:21:09,400
obey every command of Jesus.

490
00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:10,440
I thank God for that.

491
00:21:10,740 --> 00:21:10,980
Okay.

492
00:21:11,600 --> 00:21:13,100
Well then here is a word for you.

493
00:21:16,260 --> 00:21:17,920
Luke 17 and verse 10.

494
00:21:18,880 --> 00:21:19,740
See what it says.

495
00:21:21,080 --> 00:21:25,300
When you have done everything commanded, okay, maybe

496
00:21:25,300 --> 00:21:26,980
you think you've done everything God has commanded

497
00:21:26,980 --> 00:21:28,300
you according to the light you have.

498
00:21:28,420 --> 00:21:28,680
Great.

499
00:21:29,920 --> 00:21:31,640
If you have done everything you're commanded, what

500
00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:33,440
should you, you get a certificate then?

501
00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:35,320
What is the certificate you get from God?

502
00:21:36,140 --> 00:21:40,880
Say, we are unworthy servants.

503
00:21:42,460 --> 00:21:43,300
That's a certificate.

504
00:21:44,480 --> 00:21:46,240
And you don't get it until you obey

505
00:21:46,240 --> 00:21:47,660
everything the Lord has commanded.

506
00:21:49,700 --> 00:21:52,240
And if you haven't obeyed everything, then wait,

507
00:21:52,300 --> 00:21:53,680
you can't get that, even that certificate.

508
00:21:54,960 --> 00:21:56,840
Then your certificate is I'm a useless servant.

509
00:21:57,480 --> 00:21:59,940
But if you're obeying everything God has commanded,

510
00:21:59,940 --> 00:22:02,200
then you say, I'm an unworthy servant.

511
00:22:03,020 --> 00:22:06,440
I've been promoted from useless servant to unworthy

512
00:22:06,440 --> 00:22:10,220
servant because I've only done what I should

513
00:22:10,220 --> 00:22:10,640
have done.

514
00:22:12,780 --> 00:22:17,460
Dear brothers and sisters, I'm very thankful that

515
00:22:17,460 --> 00:22:19,040
very early in my life, I began to

516
00:22:19,040 --> 00:22:22,460
take God's word very seriously because I believed

517
00:22:22,460 --> 00:22:26,060
this is the only book that God has

518
00:22:26,060 --> 00:22:26,800
given on earth.

519
00:22:29,490 --> 00:22:31,070
That's why one of the first things, you

520
00:22:31,070 --> 00:22:33,530
know, I was born in an Orthodox Syrian

521
00:22:33,530 --> 00:22:35,010
Jacobite family.

522
00:22:35,550 --> 00:22:37,570
I was baptized as a baby when I

523
00:22:37,570 --> 00:22:41,050
was a few weeks old and I grew

524
00:22:41,050 --> 00:22:42,610
up there and I was not born again

525
00:22:42,610 --> 00:22:44,510
until I was 19 and a half.

526
00:22:46,130 --> 00:22:47,330
My father was born again.

527
00:22:47,390 --> 00:22:49,050
He never sent us to Jacobite church, but

528
00:22:49,050 --> 00:22:50,950
we went to a Sunday school in a

529
00:22:50,950 --> 00:22:51,590
brethren assembly.

530
00:22:52,210 --> 00:22:53,730
So I heard the gospel from a young

531
00:22:53,730 --> 00:22:54,050
age.

532
00:22:54,730 --> 00:22:56,550
Many times I said, Lord Jesus come into

533
00:22:56,550 --> 00:22:59,350
my heart, but I was never sure until

534
00:22:59,350 --> 00:23:01,410
one day when I was 19 and a

535
00:23:01,410 --> 00:23:02,990
half and I was sitting in the navel

536
00:23:02,990 --> 00:23:05,750
base in my room, I read the Bible

537
00:23:05,750 --> 00:23:08,750
in John 6, 37, Jesus saying, the one

538
00:23:08,750 --> 00:23:10,470
who comes to me, I will never cast

539
00:23:10,470 --> 00:23:10,710
out.

540
00:23:11,950 --> 00:23:13,370
And I said, Lord, I've come to you

541
00:23:13,370 --> 00:23:14,010
many times.

542
00:23:14,730 --> 00:23:16,170
And the Lord said, I never cast you

543
00:23:16,170 --> 00:23:16,330
out.

544
00:23:16,370 --> 00:23:20,190
That day, I got assurance of my salvation.

545
00:23:21,450 --> 00:23:27,030
64 years ago, I dropped an anchor and

546
00:23:27,030 --> 00:23:29,430
my ship has never drifted in 64 years.

547
00:23:30,930 --> 00:23:32,310
I'm not saying I never failed.

548
00:23:32,810 --> 00:23:34,190
I made a lot of mistakes, but my

549
00:23:34,190 --> 00:23:36,950
ship, my assurance that God has accepted me,

550
00:23:37,830 --> 00:23:39,650
I've never lost that assurance.

551
00:23:40,410 --> 00:23:41,570
I was absolutely sure.

552
00:23:43,830 --> 00:23:45,110
You must be absolutely sure.

553
00:23:47,190 --> 00:23:49,970
But then after that, I began to take

554
00:23:49,970 --> 00:23:50,810
the Bible seriously.

555
00:23:50,970 --> 00:23:53,330
And I realized that in 19 and a

556
00:23:53,330 --> 00:23:56,930
half years, calling myself a nominal person, I

557
00:23:56,930 --> 00:23:58,890
had never read the Bible even once.

558
00:24:00,550 --> 00:24:03,410
Did I really believe that there's only one

559
00:24:03,410 --> 00:24:05,910
book on earth written by God?

560
00:24:06,410 --> 00:24:07,590
I would say yes.

561
00:24:08,250 --> 00:24:09,290
So why don't I read it?

562
00:24:09,370 --> 00:24:10,650
Oh, well, it's boring.

563
00:24:11,690 --> 00:24:12,930
Or I don't have time forever.

564
00:24:13,050 --> 00:24:13,990
Something else things to do.

565
00:24:15,510 --> 00:24:17,070
I've got to study for my exams.

566
00:24:17,110 --> 00:24:18,910
I've got to prepare for my job.

567
00:24:19,790 --> 00:24:21,510
Promotion in my job is very important.

568
00:24:22,130 --> 00:24:23,290
If I read the Bible or not, it's

569
00:24:23,290 --> 00:24:23,930
not so important.

570
00:24:25,070 --> 00:24:27,230
And you know what the result was in

571
00:24:27,230 --> 00:24:28,410
all those 19 and a half years?

572
00:24:29,070 --> 00:24:30,610
I was up and down and up and

573
00:24:30,610 --> 00:24:33,290
down and backslidden and good for nothing, useless

574
00:24:33,290 --> 00:24:33,850
to God.

575
00:24:36,680 --> 00:24:38,400
But when Christ came to my heart and

576
00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:39,680
I had that assurance and I began to

577
00:24:39,680 --> 00:24:42,400
take the Bible seriously, and I said, Lord,

578
00:24:42,440 --> 00:24:46,460
I believe there's only one book you have

579
00:24:46,460 --> 00:24:46,740
written.

580
00:24:48,540 --> 00:24:52,220
Imagine, dear sisters, or if you're, or your,

581
00:24:52,300 --> 00:24:54,980
your husband is away in a far country,

582
00:24:55,660 --> 00:24:57,080
and you haven't seen him for a long

583
00:24:57,080 --> 00:24:58,440
time, because he's working.

584
00:24:59,280 --> 00:25:02,580
And he sends you a long 10 page

585
00:25:02,580 --> 00:25:04,780
letter, which he's taken a long time to

586
00:25:04,780 --> 00:25:05,020
write.

587
00:25:06,540 --> 00:25:07,900
And you get that letter.

588
00:25:09,300 --> 00:25:11,180
And you read one sentence here and there,

589
00:25:11,320 --> 00:25:13,140
page one, page four, page six, a few

590
00:25:13,140 --> 00:25:15,020
sentences and leave it on the table for

591
00:25:15,020 --> 00:25:15,660
months on end.

592
00:25:16,400 --> 00:25:17,760
You say that you love your husband?

593
00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:18,420
No.

594
00:25:20,300 --> 00:25:21,900
I'd say you're an unfaithful wife.

595
00:25:23,560 --> 00:25:25,760
Your husband is working there so hard to

596
00:25:25,760 --> 00:25:28,280
send you money and take the trouble to

597
00:25:28,280 --> 00:25:29,200
write a 10 page letter.

598
00:25:29,340 --> 00:25:30,960
And you read only a few sentences here

599
00:25:30,960 --> 00:25:32,340
and there and page three and page five

600
00:25:32,340 --> 00:25:32,920
and page six.

601
00:25:33,460 --> 00:25:34,640
That's how people read the Bible.

602
00:25:35,740 --> 00:25:36,860
They don't read the whole thing.

603
00:25:37,480 --> 00:25:39,060
And yet they say, Oh, Jesus Christ is

604
00:25:39,060 --> 00:25:39,840
my bridegroom.

605
00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:40,360
Really?

606
00:25:41,900 --> 00:25:44,380
Well, he sent you a letter with 66

607
00:25:44,380 --> 00:25:45,080
books in it.

608
00:25:45,460 --> 00:25:47,140
How much of you have you read?

609
00:25:48,260 --> 00:25:51,120
Don't ever say Jesus is your bridegroom again,

610
00:25:51,800 --> 00:25:53,040
until you read the Bible.

611
00:25:53,860 --> 00:25:56,920
The one letter that he sent from heaven.

612
00:25:58,360 --> 00:25:59,540
I'll tell you what I did.

613
00:25:59,740 --> 00:26:00,300
1959.

614
00:26:01,440 --> 00:26:02,760
I got converted in July.

615
00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:05,000
Assurance of salvation.

616
00:26:05,620 --> 00:26:08,180
And in the next six months, six months,

617
00:26:08,300 --> 00:26:09,060
I was working.

618
00:26:10,600 --> 00:26:12,160
We had a very busy life in the

619
00:26:12,160 --> 00:26:13,620
naval base in Pochin.

620
00:26:14,360 --> 00:26:16,460
But I finished reading the whole Bible in

621
00:26:16,460 --> 00:26:16,980
six months.

622
00:26:19,110 --> 00:26:21,070
I just cut down a little bit of

623
00:26:21,070 --> 00:26:21,590
my sleep.

624
00:26:22,090 --> 00:26:23,130
That's all you got to do.

625
00:26:24,910 --> 00:26:26,270
Cut out half an hour of your sleep.

626
00:26:26,650 --> 00:26:27,890
You won't die if you cut out half

627
00:26:27,890 --> 00:26:28,590
an hour of your sleep.

628
00:26:29,730 --> 00:26:32,570
And say, Lord, I'm going to start tomorrow.

629
00:26:34,650 --> 00:26:36,130
And I'm going to finish the Bible in

630
00:26:36,130 --> 00:26:37,130
six months or less.

631
00:26:38,570 --> 00:26:40,070
Cut out a half an hour of your

632
00:26:40,070 --> 00:26:40,270
sleep.

633
00:26:40,390 --> 00:26:42,130
In fact, you'll be healthier if you cut

634
00:26:42,130 --> 00:26:43,670
out half an hour of your sleep and

635
00:26:43,670 --> 00:26:44,490
start reading the Bible.

636
00:26:45,150 --> 00:26:46,050
I didn't get sick.

637
00:26:46,130 --> 00:26:46,670
I was healthier.

638
00:26:48,470 --> 00:26:49,630
And at least I knew what it is.

639
00:26:49,710 --> 00:26:50,670
I didn't understand it all.

640
00:26:51,610 --> 00:26:54,310
But there began in my heart that day,

641
00:26:54,990 --> 00:26:58,650
a passion to know what is God speaking

642
00:26:58,650 --> 00:27:00,990
to man and what is God speaking to

643
00:27:00,990 --> 00:27:01,270
me.

644
00:27:03,440 --> 00:27:06,040
And if you don't listen to God's word,

645
00:27:06,800 --> 00:27:08,080
it's no use saying I'm ready for the

646
00:27:08,080 --> 00:27:08,720
coming of the Lord.

647
00:27:08,960 --> 00:27:10,100
I'm not ready for the coming of the

648
00:27:10,100 --> 00:27:10,300
Lord.

649
00:27:11,700 --> 00:27:13,840
Do you know the first words that Jesus

650
00:27:13,840 --> 00:27:15,640
spoke in his ministry?

651
00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:20,060
The first words Jesus spoke in his public

652
00:27:20,060 --> 00:27:20,560
ministry.

653
00:27:21,140 --> 00:27:22,360
It's important to know it.

654
00:27:25,790 --> 00:27:26,890
If I say it, you will know it.

655
00:27:26,930 --> 00:27:28,470
But those are the first words Jesus spoke.

656
00:27:29,130 --> 00:27:31,730
And that was in the temptation when Satan

657
00:27:31,730 --> 00:27:33,610
tempted him to turn stones into bread.

658
00:27:34,170 --> 00:27:37,490
He said, man shall not live, Matthew 4,

659
00:27:37,550 --> 00:27:37,750
4.

660
00:27:38,130 --> 00:27:40,650
Man shall not live by bread alone, by

661
00:27:40,650 --> 00:27:43,790
food alone, but by every word.

662
00:27:43,950 --> 00:27:45,850
The important word there is every.

663
00:27:47,330 --> 00:27:48,690
Okay, if you're not sure of that, go

664
00:27:48,690 --> 00:27:49,990
to Matthew 4, verse 4.

665
00:27:50,430 --> 00:27:51,650
Some of you may not even know that

666
00:27:51,650 --> 00:27:51,930
verse.

667
00:27:52,630 --> 00:27:54,030
Matthew 4 and verse 4.

668
00:28:02,540 --> 00:28:08,660
Man shall not, absolute, shall not is a

669
00:28:08,660 --> 00:28:11,320
clear word, live on food alone.

670
00:28:14,650 --> 00:28:16,650
There are three things man, God has created

671
00:28:16,650 --> 00:28:17,690
desire in man.

672
00:28:18,250 --> 00:28:19,830
Food, sleep, sex.

673
00:28:20,390 --> 00:28:21,390
Okay, you have all three.

674
00:28:22,390 --> 00:28:23,270
That's not enough.

675
00:28:24,790 --> 00:28:28,390
You need every word that proceeds out of

676
00:28:28,390 --> 00:28:29,090
the mouth of God.

677
00:28:30,370 --> 00:28:32,350
75% of the words, no.

678
00:28:32,350 --> 00:28:36,930
If you want to live, you must live

679
00:28:36,930 --> 00:28:42,670
by every single word that's proceeded from the

680
00:28:42,670 --> 00:28:43,550
mouth of God.

681
00:28:45,410 --> 00:28:46,770
And there you have it in print.

682
00:28:47,610 --> 00:28:49,750
Do you know that for 1,500 years

683
00:28:49,750 --> 00:28:53,210
nearly, Christians did not have a printed Bible?

684
00:28:54,650 --> 00:28:57,650
Printing was discovered only in the 1400s.

685
00:28:57,650 --> 00:29:00,930
I think the first printed Bible was printed

686
00:29:00,930 --> 00:29:03,650
around 1460 or something like that.

687
00:29:04,950 --> 00:29:06,830
So if you were living in the first

688
00:29:06,830 --> 00:29:10,010
1,500 years of Christianity, you wouldn't have

689
00:29:10,010 --> 00:29:10,630
had a Bible.

690
00:29:12,110 --> 00:29:14,490
We're so privileged today to have the Bible.

691
00:29:15,930 --> 00:29:19,370
So in those days, Matthew 4, 4, how

692
00:29:19,370 --> 00:29:20,130
did they obey it?

693
00:29:21,290 --> 00:29:25,250
Every word, listen carefully, that proceeded from the

694
00:29:25,250 --> 00:29:26,610
mouth of God and they didn't have a

695
00:29:26,610 --> 00:29:29,470
Bible, but God was speaking to them every

696
00:29:29,470 --> 00:29:30,410
day in their conscience.

697
00:29:31,970 --> 00:29:35,270
So Matthew 4, 4 primarily refers to the

698
00:29:35,270 --> 00:29:37,610
conscience, even if you don't have a Bible.

699
00:29:38,430 --> 00:29:39,970
And when you have a Bible, then of

700
00:29:39,970 --> 00:29:41,170
course, you read the whole Bible and your

701
00:29:41,170 --> 00:29:42,970
conscience becomes more sensitive.

702
00:29:43,990 --> 00:29:45,230
But even if you don't have a Bible,

703
00:29:46,150 --> 00:29:50,030
like many of our poor sisters in the

704
00:29:50,030 --> 00:29:51,750
Tamil Nadu villages, I've met some of them

705
00:29:51,750 --> 00:29:55,370
who cannot read or write, but they've got

706
00:29:55,370 --> 00:29:55,950
a conscience.

707
00:29:56,330 --> 00:29:59,390
I'm talking about CFC believers today in some

708
00:29:59,390 --> 00:30:00,650
of our poor Tamil Nadu churches.

709
00:30:00,750 --> 00:30:02,150
I wish some of you would visit them.

710
00:30:04,640 --> 00:30:06,100
It would be a tremendous blessing if you

711
00:30:06,100 --> 00:30:07,520
don't just go to the rich people in

712
00:30:07,520 --> 00:30:09,240
Kerala and visit some of the poor believers

713
00:30:09,240 --> 00:30:10,180
in the Tamil Nadu churches.

714
00:30:10,960 --> 00:30:13,720
Spend three, four days of your holidays like

715
00:30:13,720 --> 00:30:13,960
that.

716
00:30:14,200 --> 00:30:15,160
It will really bless you.

717
00:30:16,060 --> 00:30:17,580
I encourage my children to do that.

718
00:30:19,180 --> 00:30:21,900
And I saw there sitting with those poor

719
00:30:21,900 --> 00:30:22,160
people.

720
00:30:22,540 --> 00:30:25,540
The Bible says very clearly, James chapter two,

721
00:30:26,020 --> 00:30:27,460
that God has called the poor people of

722
00:30:27,460 --> 00:30:28,380
the world rich in faith.

723
00:30:29,480 --> 00:30:32,040
Why not spend a little time with the

724
00:30:32,040 --> 00:30:33,280
poor people in the world who are rich

725
00:30:33,280 --> 00:30:33,720
in faith?

726
00:30:34,280 --> 00:30:37,380
I've been tremendously encouraged in my faith by

727
00:30:37,380 --> 00:30:38,040
going there.

728
00:30:39,020 --> 00:30:40,400
Yeah, I have to sacrifice something.

729
00:30:40,520 --> 00:30:40,740
Sure.

730
00:30:41,480 --> 00:30:43,340
I like to always be with my relatives,

731
00:30:43,660 --> 00:30:45,520
but if I love the Lord, I have

732
00:30:45,520 --> 00:30:47,200
to sacrifice some of that in order to

733
00:30:47,200 --> 00:30:49,480
be more effective for him.

734
00:30:50,520 --> 00:30:54,600
So conscience is very, very, very important.

735
00:30:56,000 --> 00:30:57,920
Every word that proceeds from the mouth of

736
00:30:57,920 --> 00:31:00,220
God proceeds means present tense.

737
00:31:00,400 --> 00:31:01,920
That means it's God is speaking even now.

738
00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:04,080
It's not just in the past and he

739
00:31:04,080 --> 00:31:05,000
speaks to our conscience.

740
00:31:05,520 --> 00:31:08,420
And that's the only way to be ready

741
00:31:08,420 --> 00:31:09,360
for the coming of Christ.

742
00:31:12,200 --> 00:31:16,440
Because Jesus said, turn with me to Luke's

743
00:31:16,440 --> 00:31:17,420
gospel chapter 12.

744
00:31:27,180 --> 00:31:32,100
It says in verse 35, be dressed and

745
00:31:32,100 --> 00:31:35,720
in readiness and keep your lamps lit.

746
00:31:37,420 --> 00:31:41,900
Verse 34, where your treasure is, there your

747
00:31:41,900 --> 00:31:42,900
heart will be also.

748
00:31:44,260 --> 00:31:47,820
And verse 36, be like men who are

749
00:31:47,820 --> 00:31:51,020
waiting for their master when he returns from

750
00:31:51,020 --> 00:31:54,000
the wedding feast so that they may immediately

751
00:31:54,000 --> 00:31:56,840
open the door to him when he comes

752
00:31:56,840 --> 00:31:57,340
and knocks.

753
00:31:57,500 --> 00:31:58,600
I want to ask you whether you're in

754
00:31:58,600 --> 00:31:59,500
readiness like that.

755
00:32:03,970 --> 00:32:09,280
And you know, Jesus said that all that

756
00:32:09,280 --> 00:32:11,180
we speak comes out from our heart.

757
00:32:13,600 --> 00:32:18,000
And he said, every idle word that men

758
00:32:18,000 --> 00:32:20,320
speak, they will give an account on the

759
00:32:20,320 --> 00:32:20,880
day of judgment.

760
00:32:21,700 --> 00:32:23,140
That's something we have to be very, very

761
00:32:23,140 --> 00:32:26,120
careful about because when Christ comes again and

762
00:32:26,120 --> 00:32:27,560
he's going to set up a judgment seat,

763
00:32:31,580 --> 00:32:33,600
we're not just going to give a general

764
00:32:33,600 --> 00:32:35,620
test of whether we are born again or

765
00:32:35,620 --> 00:32:35,840
not.

766
00:32:37,540 --> 00:32:40,860
Everything we have done and everything we have

767
00:32:40,860 --> 00:32:50,040
spoken, how can God expose every single thing

768
00:32:50,040 --> 00:32:51,160
you've ever done and spoken?

769
00:32:53,740 --> 00:32:54,920
Let me show you that verse.

770
00:32:56,180 --> 00:32:57,500
Matthew chapter 12.

771
00:33:00,260 --> 00:33:01,460
Please, I don't know how many of you

772
00:33:01,460 --> 00:33:02,100
know this verse.

773
00:33:02,200 --> 00:33:06,740
Matthew chapter 12 and verse 36.

774
00:33:10,560 --> 00:33:15,820
Jesus said, I tell you, whenever Jesus said,

775
00:33:16,020 --> 00:33:17,700
I mean, everything is what he said, but

776
00:33:17,700 --> 00:33:20,280
when he emphasizes something, he knows that some

777
00:33:20,280 --> 00:33:21,340
people don't take it seriously.

778
00:33:22,020 --> 00:33:27,900
I tell you, every single careless word that

779
00:33:27,900 --> 00:33:32,180
people speak, believer or non-believer, they will

780
00:33:32,180 --> 00:33:34,580
give an account for it in the day

781
00:33:34,580 --> 00:33:35,000
of judgment.

782
00:33:36,640 --> 00:33:39,840
I'm absolutely convinced that 99.9% of

783
00:33:39,840 --> 00:33:41,040
believers don't believe that much.

784
00:33:42,300 --> 00:33:45,280
Because the way they speak carelessly, they speak

785
00:33:45,280 --> 00:33:47,820
so carelessly to their wives, to their husbands,

786
00:33:48,780 --> 00:33:51,520
they speak so carelessly to each other, they

787
00:33:51,520 --> 00:33:54,440
crack dirty jokes to get a reputation for

788
00:33:54,440 --> 00:33:56,880
humor, all kinds of things.

789
00:34:00,020 --> 00:34:01,800
Do you think they believe that every word

790
00:34:01,800 --> 00:34:03,120
they speak, they're going to give an account

791
00:34:03,120 --> 00:34:03,920
in the day of judgment?

792
00:34:04,620 --> 00:34:05,440
Definitely not.

793
00:34:07,080 --> 00:34:09,120
I mean, the way I hear believers speaking

794
00:34:09,120 --> 00:34:11,420
backbiting and speaking evil of others and all

795
00:34:11,420 --> 00:34:17,730
that, you should write Matthew 12, 37 on

796
00:34:17,730 --> 00:34:19,889
a little cardboard and put it up on

797
00:34:19,889 --> 00:34:20,330
your table.

798
00:34:23,219 --> 00:34:24,900
Matthew 12, 36.

799
00:34:27,940 --> 00:34:29,520
Print it out on a card and put

800
00:34:29,520 --> 00:34:31,340
it on your table and remind you every

801
00:34:31,340 --> 00:34:36,659
day, every careless word you speak today, you

802
00:34:36,659 --> 00:34:37,800
will give an account in the day of

803
00:34:37,800 --> 00:34:38,020
judgment.

804
00:34:38,420 --> 00:34:40,940
We need to be reminded, you know, because

805
00:34:40,940 --> 00:34:42,300
we are such forgetful people.

806
00:34:43,639 --> 00:34:46,280
You keep on reminding yourself, reminding yourself that

807
00:34:46,280 --> 00:34:47,179
it sticks in your mind.

808
00:34:47,980 --> 00:34:49,440
It's like the multiplication table.

809
00:34:50,800 --> 00:34:52,340
When we were in school, we were taught

810
00:34:52,340 --> 00:34:54,120
the multiplication table from 1 to 12.

811
00:34:54,760 --> 00:34:56,160
And even today, I remember it.

812
00:34:56,900 --> 00:34:58,220
You know, 12 ones are 12, 12 twos

813
00:34:58,220 --> 00:34:59,180
are 24 and so on.

814
00:34:59,180 --> 00:35:02,720
It's by the constant repetition that we know

815
00:35:02,720 --> 00:35:02,960
it.

816
00:35:03,880 --> 00:35:07,640
And if I keep this before me, constantly

817
00:35:07,640 --> 00:35:09,840
reminding myself, it'll stick to you.

818
00:35:10,560 --> 00:35:13,680
And then you'll become very careful in the

819
00:35:13,680 --> 00:35:14,920
way you speak to your wife.

820
00:35:16,280 --> 00:35:19,560
You'll be very careful in the way you

821
00:35:19,560 --> 00:35:20,500
speak to your husband.

822
00:35:21,700 --> 00:35:23,300
What will be the result of that?

823
00:35:24,500 --> 00:35:27,720
Your home will become like a little foretaste

824
00:35:27,720 --> 00:35:28,240
of heaven.

825
00:35:29,480 --> 00:35:30,860
And you know who'd be blessed?

826
00:35:31,500 --> 00:35:31,920
Your children.

827
00:35:33,640 --> 00:35:36,360
Your children would have grown up in heaven,

828
00:35:39,370 --> 00:35:40,570
in a heavenly atmosphere.

829
00:35:41,570 --> 00:35:43,370
And they'll go out and get married.

830
00:35:44,830 --> 00:35:47,410
And they will want to build a home

831
00:35:47,410 --> 00:35:48,230
like that themselves.

832
00:35:51,480 --> 00:35:53,080
See, I'm so happy as I visit the

833
00:35:53,080 --> 00:35:54,920
homes of my children today.

834
00:35:56,180 --> 00:35:57,660
It really thrills my heart.

835
00:35:57,720 --> 00:36:00,400
I brought up my four sons very strictly,

836
00:36:01,200 --> 00:36:06,080
using the rod where they needed discipline, very

837
00:36:06,080 --> 00:36:06,540
strict.

838
00:36:07,200 --> 00:36:09,100
And I don't regret it, because I see

839
00:36:09,100 --> 00:36:10,500
the result in all four of them today

840
00:36:10,500 --> 00:36:12,760
serving the Lord, building the church.

841
00:36:13,580 --> 00:36:16,100
And the thing that excites me is, I

842
00:36:16,100 --> 00:36:20,280
find them bringing up my 17 grandchildren in

843
00:36:20,280 --> 00:36:20,860
the same way.

844
00:36:22,080 --> 00:36:30,440
I'm just excited that families do it in

845
00:36:30,440 --> 00:36:30,980
different ways.

846
00:36:31,440 --> 00:36:34,200
For example, one family is getting their children

847
00:36:34,200 --> 00:36:38,680
every day to listen to this 10-minute

848
00:36:38,680 --> 00:36:41,360
daily devotions that is on CFC.

849
00:36:43,420 --> 00:36:46,120
Every morning, CFC puts out a daily devotion.

850
00:36:46,260 --> 00:36:46,940
It's only 10 minutes.

851
00:36:47,580 --> 00:36:50,240
Very little time, maximum 12, 13 minutes.

852
00:36:51,240 --> 00:36:53,460
I'm so happy that my grandchildren are listening

853
00:36:53,460 --> 00:36:53,900
to it.

854
00:36:55,360 --> 00:37:00,720
Every day, it will have an effect on

855
00:37:00,720 --> 00:37:01,460
them in the long term.

856
00:37:02,880 --> 00:37:04,140
What does it mean to bring up your

857
00:37:04,140 --> 00:37:06,780
children in the discipline of the Lord?

858
00:37:07,940 --> 00:37:09,660
Some of you have got grandchildren.

859
00:37:11,160 --> 00:37:13,520
Tell your children to bring them up in

860
00:37:13,520 --> 00:37:14,960
the discipline of the Lord from a very

861
00:37:14,960 --> 00:37:15,700
young age.

862
00:37:17,140 --> 00:37:19,240
The Lord does not have many faithful servants

863
00:37:19,240 --> 00:37:19,800
in the world.

864
00:37:20,320 --> 00:37:21,700
We want to increase that number.

865
00:37:22,480 --> 00:37:24,900
And God has raised up CFC churches so

866
00:37:24,900 --> 00:37:27,960
that we can increase the number of faithful

867
00:37:27,960 --> 00:37:28,940
disciples on earth.

868
00:37:30,040 --> 00:37:32,960
And my dear brothers and sisters, you are

869
00:37:32,960 --> 00:37:33,540
part of that.

870
00:37:33,620 --> 00:37:36,820
You have a responsibility to increase the number

871
00:37:36,820 --> 00:37:39,040
of faithful believers on this earth.

872
00:37:39,820 --> 00:37:40,820
Begin with your children.

873
00:37:41,900 --> 00:37:43,120
Teach them to read God's word.

874
00:37:44,120 --> 00:37:47,860
I was so happy many years ago when

875
00:37:47,860 --> 00:37:51,260
I saw in the front page of one

876
00:37:51,260 --> 00:37:52,700
of my sons, in the front page of

877
00:37:52,700 --> 00:37:55,180
that Bible he had written, he was just

878
00:37:55,180 --> 00:38:00,660
about 16 or 17 years old, completed reading

879
00:38:00,660 --> 00:38:01,540
the Bible today.

880
00:38:03,220 --> 00:38:04,660
Oh, I was so excited.

881
00:38:05,780 --> 00:38:08,460
The 16-year-old boy has completed reading

882
00:38:08,460 --> 00:38:08,920
the Bible.

883
00:38:08,920 --> 00:38:10,040
I gave him a Bible as a gift.

884
00:38:10,380 --> 00:38:11,080
It was a living Bible.

885
00:38:11,280 --> 00:38:12,040
It was easier to read.

886
00:38:12,620 --> 00:38:13,960
He wrote in the front of that, completed

887
00:38:13,960 --> 00:38:14,880
reading the Bible today.

888
00:38:16,560 --> 00:38:19,840
Please, please encourage your children to read the

889
00:38:19,840 --> 00:38:20,120
scriptures.

890
00:38:21,320 --> 00:38:23,280
And if they don't understand something, tell them

891
00:38:23,280 --> 00:38:26,060
to come to you and encourage them.

892
00:38:26,340 --> 00:38:27,560
And you start reading it yourself.

893
00:38:27,680 --> 00:38:28,340
Be an example.

894
00:38:29,880 --> 00:38:32,460
I remember another son of mine telling me

895
00:38:34,280 --> 00:38:36,280
many years later, he said, Dad, there's one

896
00:38:36,280 --> 00:38:37,240
thing I can never forget.

897
00:38:38,400 --> 00:38:41,180
In the years I was at home, you

898
00:38:41,180 --> 00:38:44,220
know, whenever we got up 10 years old,

899
00:38:44,340 --> 00:38:46,600
11 years old, 12, 14, 13, we had

900
00:38:46,600 --> 00:38:48,520
to get up in the early morning to

901
00:38:48,520 --> 00:38:49,540
get ready to go to school.

902
00:38:49,660 --> 00:38:51,180
And I would come into the sitting room

903
00:38:51,180 --> 00:38:53,060
and I would see you sitting there with

904
00:38:53,060 --> 00:38:53,400
the Bible.

905
00:38:54,620 --> 00:38:56,020
Every day when I woke up.

906
00:38:56,820 --> 00:38:58,300
And he says, that image I can never

907
00:38:58,300 --> 00:38:59,180
forget in my mind.

908
00:39:00,720 --> 00:39:03,480
See, there are images that remain in the

909
00:39:03,480 --> 00:39:04,340
mind of our children.

910
00:39:04,980 --> 00:39:07,720
They see you, maybe reading the Bible.

911
00:39:08,240 --> 00:39:09,800
Maybe they see you kneeling in prayer.

912
00:39:10,020 --> 00:39:11,080
They see you.

913
00:39:11,580 --> 00:39:13,960
And that has such a powerful effect on

914
00:39:13,960 --> 00:39:14,240
them.

915
00:39:14,700 --> 00:39:16,340
More than all the sermons you preach to

916
00:39:16,340 --> 00:39:16,500
them.

917
00:39:16,620 --> 00:39:18,080
That will prepare them for the coming of

918
00:39:18,080 --> 00:39:18,380
Christ.

919
00:39:20,320 --> 00:39:22,900
So I'm talking about something practical.

920
00:39:25,240 --> 00:39:26,660
I pray that you will take these things

921
00:39:26,660 --> 00:39:28,020
very seriously.

922
00:39:29,960 --> 00:39:34,820
Let me turn to 1 Thessalonians.

923
00:39:40,160 --> 00:39:49,790
1 Thessalonians in chapter 4, it says, when

924
00:39:49,790 --> 00:39:51,470
the Lord comes and the trumpet of the

925
00:39:51,470 --> 00:39:57,830
Lord sounds, 1 Thessalonians 4, 17, then we

926
00:39:57,830 --> 00:40:00,650
who are alive and remain will be caught

927
00:40:00,650 --> 00:40:04,350
up together with them in the clouds to

928
00:40:04,350 --> 00:40:06,490
meet the Lord in the air.

929
00:40:07,210 --> 00:40:09,090
That is what we are looking forward to.

930
00:40:09,970 --> 00:40:11,850
We are not looking forward to death.

931
00:40:11,990 --> 00:40:13,170
I'm older than all of you.

932
00:40:14,210 --> 00:40:16,910
I'm 83 years old, but I'll tell you

933
00:40:16,910 --> 00:40:19,870
before God, I am not looking for death.

934
00:40:21,170 --> 00:40:22,810
I will not look for death even if

935
00:40:22,810 --> 00:40:24,190
I live to be 100 years old.

936
00:40:25,030 --> 00:40:27,170
The sky is my goal, not the grave.

937
00:40:29,250 --> 00:40:31,190
There's a song we sing like that.

938
00:40:31,270 --> 00:40:32,990
The sky, not the grave is our goal.

939
00:40:34,430 --> 00:40:36,450
So we should be as people who are

940
00:40:36,450 --> 00:40:38,110
waiting to be caught up.

941
00:40:39,230 --> 00:40:42,550
And when we are caught up, we stand

942
00:40:42,550 --> 00:40:43,830
at the judgment seat of Christ.

943
00:40:45,210 --> 00:40:48,410
And how is the Lord going to bring

944
00:40:48,410 --> 00:40:50,030
out every word that we spoke?

945
00:40:53,020 --> 00:40:54,600
Yeah, I thought about that.

946
00:40:56,080 --> 00:40:59,520
There's a little track that I wrote.

947
00:41:00,360 --> 00:41:02,060
You'll find it on the CFC website.

948
00:41:03,180 --> 00:41:06,400
It's called the videotape of our memory.

949
00:41:06,800 --> 00:41:07,920
It's only a two page track.

950
00:41:08,280 --> 00:41:09,260
You can read it sometime.

951
00:41:10,640 --> 00:41:12,500
The videotape of our memory.

952
00:41:12,920 --> 00:41:15,940
It's in one of the small articles there.

953
00:41:16,300 --> 00:41:19,720
So go to cfcindia.com, resources and books.

954
00:41:20,260 --> 00:41:21,300
Down there you'll find it.

955
00:41:21,800 --> 00:41:26,880
Anyway, and what I said there was in

956
00:41:26,880 --> 00:41:30,580
our memory, it's like a videotape.

957
00:41:31,900 --> 00:41:33,880
You know how a videotape, you switch it

958
00:41:33,880 --> 00:41:40,080
on and it's running all the time, recording

959
00:41:40,080 --> 00:41:43,980
everything, words spoken.

960
00:41:44,560 --> 00:41:46,680
But this memory videotape can even record our

961
00:41:46,680 --> 00:41:47,080
thoughts.

962
00:41:48,640 --> 00:41:51,000
It can record the attitudes we have towards

963
00:41:51,000 --> 00:41:51,540
other people.

964
00:41:52,640 --> 00:41:55,820
It can record any grudge or any good

965
00:41:55,820 --> 00:41:56,940
thought we have about people.

966
00:41:57,040 --> 00:41:58,640
Everything is being recorded in our memory.

967
00:42:00,280 --> 00:42:02,080
And you can't stop that tape.

968
00:42:02,260 --> 00:42:03,720
It's just recording all the time.

969
00:42:03,860 --> 00:42:06,940
From the day you were born, it's been

970
00:42:06,940 --> 00:42:09,120
recording good and bad and everything.

971
00:42:11,160 --> 00:42:14,340
Now there are a lot of bad things

972
00:42:14,340 --> 00:42:15,680
in all of our videotapes.

973
00:42:16,960 --> 00:42:18,940
Now foolishness, we have all sinned.

974
00:42:20,580 --> 00:42:25,180
But every sin that you honestly confess to

975
00:42:25,180 --> 00:42:27,800
the Lord, not where you blame other people,

976
00:42:28,620 --> 00:42:30,040
where you take the blame yourself.

977
00:42:31,100 --> 00:42:33,720
Confession means you take the blame yourself.

978
00:42:33,960 --> 00:42:35,880
You don't say he did that, therefore I

979
00:42:35,880 --> 00:42:36,240
did this.

980
00:42:36,240 --> 00:42:36,940
That's like children.

981
00:42:37,580 --> 00:42:38,720
He hit me, so I hit him.

982
00:42:38,860 --> 00:42:39,320
No, no, no.

983
00:42:40,380 --> 00:42:41,380
Just say I hit him.

984
00:42:42,220 --> 00:42:43,280
Never mind what he did.

985
00:42:44,660 --> 00:42:48,720
Take wherever you have honestly acknowledged and taken

986
00:42:48,720 --> 00:42:51,180
the blame yourself and said, Lord, I don't

987
00:42:51,180 --> 00:42:52,160
want to do that again.

988
00:42:52,800 --> 00:42:53,540
That is repentance.

989
00:42:54,360 --> 00:42:57,440
That part of your videotape is blotted out,

990
00:42:57,620 --> 00:42:58,820
blank.

991
00:43:00,060 --> 00:43:00,940
Thank God.

992
00:43:03,840 --> 00:43:06,680
All the evil parts in our videotape can

993
00:43:06,680 --> 00:43:10,640
be blotted out completely if you honestly take

994
00:43:10,640 --> 00:43:11,140
the blame.

995
00:43:11,560 --> 00:43:12,860
If you blame somebody else, it will not

996
00:43:12,860 --> 00:43:13,420
be blotted out.

997
00:43:15,080 --> 00:43:17,080
Anything wrong that you did in the past,

998
00:43:17,900 --> 00:43:19,440
which you blamed your wife or you blamed

999
00:43:19,440 --> 00:43:21,440
your husband for it or blamed some relative

1000
00:43:21,440 --> 00:43:22,720
for it or your brother-in-law or

1001
00:43:22,720 --> 00:43:24,820
mother-in-law, that will not be blotted

1002
00:43:24,820 --> 00:43:25,860
out from your videotape.

1003
00:43:26,020 --> 00:43:26,740
It will remain there.

1004
00:43:29,500 --> 00:43:30,980
Confessing sin means you take the blame.

1005
00:43:32,800 --> 00:43:34,560
Repentance means, Lord, I want to turn from

1006
00:43:34,560 --> 00:43:35,560
what I did wrong.

1007
00:43:36,460 --> 00:43:38,120
Forget about how my mother-in-law treated

1008
00:43:38,120 --> 00:43:39,640
me or how my brother-in-law cheated

1009
00:43:39,640 --> 00:43:41,160
me of the family inheritance.

1010
00:43:41,480 --> 00:43:42,160
That's unimportant.

1011
00:43:43,320 --> 00:43:44,940
What is my reaction?

1012
00:43:46,060 --> 00:43:46,760
What did I say?

1013
00:43:46,820 --> 00:43:47,320
What did I do?

1014
00:43:47,380 --> 00:43:47,980
What did I think?

1015
00:43:48,060 --> 00:43:48,640
What is my attitude?

1016
00:43:48,800 --> 00:43:49,940
Did I wish evil for him?

1017
00:43:50,220 --> 00:43:51,240
Did I forgive him?

1018
00:43:52,840 --> 00:43:54,180
Then it's blotted out.

1019
00:43:56,510 --> 00:43:58,750
And in the final day of judgment, all

1020
00:43:58,750 --> 00:44:01,470
that the Lord has to do is press

1021
00:44:01,470 --> 00:44:05,610
the rewind button in my memory and wish

1022
00:44:05,610 --> 00:44:06,970
to go back to the day I was

1023
00:44:06,970 --> 00:44:07,250
born.

1024
00:44:08,390 --> 00:44:09,530
And then the Lord plays it.

1025
00:44:10,790 --> 00:44:13,350
Now, this is actually going to happen because

1026
00:44:13,350 --> 00:44:16,470
we've got all eternity before us.

1027
00:44:17,090 --> 00:44:19,030
The Lord will play back that videotape for

1028
00:44:19,030 --> 00:44:20,870
everybody to see right from the day you

1029
00:44:20,870 --> 00:44:23,310
were born, every idle word you spoke.

1030
00:44:23,910 --> 00:44:25,030
That's how it's going to come.

1031
00:44:25,750 --> 00:44:26,910
He's not going to ask you what you

1032
00:44:26,910 --> 00:44:27,170
spoke.

1033
00:44:27,470 --> 00:44:28,450
He's not going to ask you anything.

1034
00:44:28,570 --> 00:44:29,350
He's going to play it back.

1035
00:44:31,280 --> 00:44:34,320
And then he'll ask you, what do you

1036
00:44:34,320 --> 00:44:34,620
feel?

1037
00:44:35,980 --> 00:44:37,680
Do you feel you reserve a reward or

1038
00:44:37,680 --> 00:44:38,020
a judgment?

1039
00:44:38,500 --> 00:44:40,640
You yourself can answer in that day when

1040
00:44:40,640 --> 00:44:43,660
you see the videotape of your memory.

1041
00:44:45,120 --> 00:44:48,260
The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from

1042
00:44:48,260 --> 00:44:51,640
all sin, but only if you repent, not

1043
00:44:51,640 --> 00:44:52,420
if you confess.

1044
00:44:53,700 --> 00:44:54,880
Repent and confess.

1045
00:44:56,820 --> 00:44:59,460
The last message of the Lord to the

1046
00:44:59,460 --> 00:45:04,110
church is not, I'm coming soon.

1047
00:45:04,550 --> 00:45:06,650
It is Revelation chapter 2 and chapter 3.

1048
00:45:06,810 --> 00:45:10,150
To five churches, the Lord says, repent, repent,

1049
00:45:10,470 --> 00:45:10,770
repent, repent.

1050
00:45:12,090 --> 00:45:14,590
That is the last message in the closing

1051
00:45:14,590 --> 00:45:15,370
book of the Bible.

1052
00:45:16,370 --> 00:45:17,890
Turn around from sin.

1053
00:45:22,200 --> 00:45:32,400
One final word, 1 Corinthians chapter 11 is

1054
00:45:32,400 --> 00:45:34,740
speaking here primarily in connection with the Lord's

1055
00:45:34,740 --> 00:45:34,980
table.

1056
00:45:38,500 --> 00:45:40,040
And it says here in connection with the

1057
00:45:40,040 --> 00:45:43,820
Lord's table, that we must examine ourselves 1

1058
00:45:43,820 --> 00:45:48,490
Corinthians 11, 28, and then eat the bread

1059
00:45:48,490 --> 00:45:49,310
and drink the cup.

1060
00:45:50,090 --> 00:45:51,870
But it's good to do that every day,

1061
00:45:53,530 --> 00:45:55,130
not just once a month.

1062
00:45:57,740 --> 00:45:59,220
And verse 31, this is the verse I

1063
00:45:59,220 --> 00:45:59,880
want to point out.

1064
00:46:01,220 --> 00:46:02,560
We're talking about the final judgment.

1065
00:46:04,180 --> 00:46:09,020
If we judge ourselves rightly today and every

1066
00:46:09,020 --> 00:46:13,540
day in the final judgment, we will not

1067
00:46:13,540 --> 00:46:14,340
be judged.

1068
00:46:17,120 --> 00:46:18,220
But what a wonderful promise.

1069
00:46:18,340 --> 00:46:20,500
I've taken that verse very seriously.

1070
00:46:23,310 --> 00:46:24,450
And God is my witness.

1071
00:46:26,270 --> 00:46:30,210
God is my witness that I judge myself

1072
00:46:30,210 --> 00:46:38,060
every day and many times a day, because

1073
00:46:38,060 --> 00:46:44,030
I want to be totally pure inwardly, not

1074
00:46:44,030 --> 00:46:45,070
just to get a reward.

1075
00:46:46,110 --> 00:46:48,290
I don't want any mansion in heaven or

1076
00:46:48,290 --> 00:46:49,730
crown or any such thing.

1077
00:46:49,830 --> 00:46:51,270
I just want to be close to Jesus

1078
00:46:51,270 --> 00:46:52,650
for all eternity.

1079
00:46:53,870 --> 00:46:55,470
The reason I want to be like this

1080
00:46:55,470 --> 00:46:57,490
is not to get a reward, but out

1081
00:46:57,490 --> 00:47:00,210
of gratitude for all that the Lord did

1082
00:47:00,210 --> 00:47:00,650
for me.

1083
00:47:03,510 --> 00:47:04,990
And I say, Lord, how much you suffered

1084
00:47:04,990 --> 00:47:07,890
for my sin to be crucified and killed

1085
00:47:07,890 --> 00:47:10,290
and face being forsaken by the Father for

1086
00:47:10,290 --> 00:47:11,150
three hours on the cross.

1087
00:47:11,870 --> 00:47:13,630
I don't want to take my sin lightly.

1088
00:47:14,970 --> 00:47:16,670
I want to take my sin very seriously.

1089
00:47:17,850 --> 00:47:19,350
That's how I keep myself ready for the

1090
00:47:19,350 --> 00:47:19,870
coming of the Lord.

1091
00:47:21,430 --> 00:47:23,130
And so I want to do what it

1092
00:47:23,130 --> 00:47:23,490
says here.

1093
00:47:23,710 --> 00:47:24,730
Judge myself rightly.

1094
00:47:25,350 --> 00:47:27,370
Verse 28, examine myself not only at the

1095
00:47:27,370 --> 00:47:29,670
breaking of bread, examine yourself every day.

1096
00:47:31,090 --> 00:47:33,030
And if I judge myself rightly, let me

1097
00:47:33,030 --> 00:47:34,070
read verse 31 again.

1098
00:47:34,590 --> 00:47:37,690
If you judge yourself rightly, the important word

1099
00:47:37,690 --> 00:47:40,910
there is rightly, without putting the blame on

1100
00:47:40,910 --> 00:47:45,130
others in the final judgment, your judgment will

1101
00:47:45,130 --> 00:47:45,690
be zero.

1102
00:47:45,690 --> 00:47:49,550
Oh, what a promise.

1103
00:47:51,110 --> 00:47:52,870
You mean when my turn comes, I stand

1104
00:47:52,870 --> 00:47:56,150
before the Lord and the Lord says, there's

1105
00:47:56,150 --> 00:47:57,230
nothing to judge you, Zach.

1106
00:47:57,830 --> 00:47:58,730
You can go.

1107
00:47:59,930 --> 00:48:00,550
You're free.

1108
00:48:01,290 --> 00:48:02,050
You're blessed.

1109
00:48:03,170 --> 00:48:05,450
Nothing to be judged in your entire life

1110
00:48:05,450 --> 00:48:06,010
on earth.

1111
00:48:08,160 --> 00:48:09,080
Can you believe it?

1112
00:48:10,900 --> 00:48:11,980
I believe it.

1113
00:48:12,400 --> 00:48:14,640
But it says there, you will not be

1114
00:48:14,640 --> 00:48:18,000
judged if we judge ourselves rightly.

1115
00:48:18,180 --> 00:48:19,820
That's why I judge myself every day.

1116
00:48:20,620 --> 00:48:21,700
That doesn't make me miserable.

1117
00:48:21,840 --> 00:48:23,520
People say, oh, if you judge yourself miserable,

1118
00:48:23,660 --> 00:48:24,940
you'll be unhappy and gloomy.

1119
00:48:25,020 --> 00:48:25,440
Not at all.

1120
00:48:25,500 --> 00:48:27,280
I was unhappy and gloomy when I did

1121
00:48:27,280 --> 00:48:28,040
not judge myself.

1122
00:48:30,020 --> 00:48:32,360
I can say before God for the last

1123
00:48:32,360 --> 00:48:34,280
so many years in my life, I'm never

1124
00:48:34,280 --> 00:48:34,780
discouraged.

1125
00:48:35,620 --> 00:48:38,780
I've never been discouraged for many years now.

1126
00:48:39,900 --> 00:48:42,600
I don't live in self-condemnation since many

1127
00:48:42,600 --> 00:48:43,240
years now.

1128
00:48:43,400 --> 00:48:45,820
Before that, as a believer, I was full

1129
00:48:45,820 --> 00:48:50,280
of discouragement and gloom and self-condemnation and

1130
00:48:50,280 --> 00:48:50,720
all that.

1131
00:48:50,820 --> 00:48:51,280
It's gone.

1132
00:48:52,320 --> 00:48:56,280
Because of one habit, I decided to examine

1133
00:48:56,280 --> 00:48:58,960
myself and judge myself every day.

1134
00:48:59,540 --> 00:49:00,880
I recommend that to you.

1135
00:49:01,400 --> 00:49:02,840
So when you hear about being ready for

1136
00:49:02,840 --> 00:49:04,820
the coming of the Lord, don't just think

1137
00:49:04,820 --> 00:49:06,480
of the wars and earthquakes and pandemics and

1138
00:49:06,480 --> 00:49:07,520
all religious and science.

1139
00:49:07,880 --> 00:49:09,080
Lord, I want to be ready.

1140
00:49:12,110 --> 00:49:15,290
If I've spoken strongly, it's because I love

1141
00:49:15,290 --> 00:49:15,670
you all.

1142
00:49:16,990 --> 00:49:17,850
You're like my children.

1143
00:49:19,770 --> 00:49:21,750
For many, many years, I've come there seeking

1144
00:49:21,750 --> 00:49:24,110
to build you up in the faith, and

1145
00:49:24,110 --> 00:49:25,250
I don't want to let you down.

1146
00:49:26,110 --> 00:49:27,690
At the same time, I have a responsibility

1147
00:49:27,690 --> 00:49:30,030
before God to make sure that I speak

1148
00:49:30,030 --> 00:49:30,450
the truth.

1149
00:49:31,030 --> 00:49:33,950
I know that every sermon I preached in

1150
00:49:33,950 --> 00:49:36,990
my life, a lot of them are on

1151
00:49:36,990 --> 00:49:38,870
YouTube, but I'll hear all of them when

1152
00:49:38,870 --> 00:49:39,890
Christ comes back.

1153
00:49:40,790 --> 00:49:41,910
And the Lord will ask me, when I

1154
00:49:41,910 --> 00:49:44,330
spoke the truth, did I say anything to

1155
00:49:44,330 --> 00:49:44,830
please anybody?

1156
00:49:45,990 --> 00:49:47,290
Did I preach something to get money?

1157
00:49:48,070 --> 00:49:49,050
Did I preach the truth?

1158
00:49:50,390 --> 00:49:51,930
Did you live the truth before you preached

1159
00:49:51,930 --> 00:49:52,290
the truth?

1160
00:49:52,730 --> 00:49:53,650
I want to live like that.

1161
00:49:53,710 --> 00:49:55,170
Many of you get the opportunity to share

1162
00:49:55,170 --> 00:49:55,570
the word.

1163
00:49:56,190 --> 00:49:57,410
Dear brothers, be faithful.

1164
00:49:58,170 --> 00:50:00,250
Be faithful in your life and let your

1165
00:50:00,250 --> 00:50:03,010
words come out of your life and speak

1166
00:50:03,010 --> 00:50:04,190
and build up the body of Christ.

1167
00:50:04,270 --> 00:50:07,010
There's a great need in all those places

1168
00:50:07,010 --> 00:50:10,910
you live in, Dubai, Sharjah, Doha, Bahrain, Muscat,

1169
00:50:11,910 --> 00:50:13,430
Saudi, every place.

1170
00:50:14,310 --> 00:50:14,910
There's a need.

1171
00:50:15,210 --> 00:50:15,950
There's a great need.

1172
00:50:16,070 --> 00:50:17,690
There are many people all around you.

1173
00:50:18,770 --> 00:50:19,910
Say, Lord, make me a light.

1174
00:50:20,770 --> 00:50:23,610
Even if I cannot openly, boldly preach, let

1175
00:50:23,610 --> 00:50:25,330
me be a light that I can draw

1176
00:50:25,330 --> 00:50:25,970
people to you.

1177
00:50:27,250 --> 00:50:28,230
God bless you all.

1178
00:50:28,310 --> 00:50:29,310
Let us bow our heads in prayer.

1179
00:50:35,480 --> 00:50:40,520
Please take a moment to think about what

1180
00:50:40,520 --> 00:50:41,060
you have heard.

1181
00:50:43,580 --> 00:50:47,870
And the stronger the word, the more God

1182
00:50:47,870 --> 00:50:48,350
loves you.

1183
00:50:55,140 --> 00:50:56,980
Search me, O God, and know my heart.

1184
00:50:59,210 --> 00:51:00,770
Try me and know my thoughts and see

1185
00:51:00,770 --> 00:51:02,430
if there be any wicked way in me.

1186
00:51:05,360 --> 00:51:06,600
Lead me in the way everlasting.

1187
00:51:08,460 --> 00:51:13,980
Or as another translation says, Lord, show me

1188
00:51:13,980 --> 00:51:17,080
anything in my life that is making you

1189
00:51:17,080 --> 00:51:17,520
sad.

1190
00:51:19,000 --> 00:51:21,520
Show me anything in my life that is

1191
00:51:21,520 --> 00:51:22,480
making you sad.

1192
00:51:23,620 --> 00:51:24,880
I want to get rid of it.

1193
00:51:27,280 --> 00:51:29,000
Make that a prayer every day of your

1194
00:51:29,000 --> 00:51:29,240
life.

1195
00:51:31,820 --> 00:51:33,440
I'm saying this as one who tries to

1196
00:51:33,440 --> 00:51:34,440
live by that every day.

1197
00:51:35,640 --> 00:51:36,620
God bless you all.

1198
00:51:36,660 --> 00:51:40,220
Heavenly Father, I thank you for these very

1199
00:51:40,220 --> 00:51:44,040
precious brothers and sisters in all these Gulf

1200
00:51:44,040 --> 00:51:47,220
countries who've been such a tremendous support to

1201
00:51:47,220 --> 00:51:50,000
all our CFC churches through the years.

1202
00:51:50,080 --> 00:51:53,480
And I pray that above all, Lord, you

1203
00:51:53,480 --> 00:51:55,960
protect them from the dangers of the love

1204
00:51:55,960 --> 00:51:57,840
of money and the dangers of a comfortable

1205
00:51:57,840 --> 00:52:01,260
life and many other dangers they face there.

1206
00:52:02,720 --> 00:52:05,700
We pray that you save them from the

1207
00:52:05,700 --> 00:52:08,280
dangers of taking an easy way through life,

1208
00:52:08,940 --> 00:52:11,440
have them to really seriously examine themselves, judge

1209
00:52:11,440 --> 00:52:15,120
themselves, and become purer and purer every day,

1210
00:52:15,540 --> 00:52:17,680
that the churches in all these places will

1211
00:52:17,680 --> 00:52:21,660
become stronger and more bright lights shining for

1212
00:52:21,660 --> 00:52:24,220
you in those needy countries.

1213
00:52:26,730 --> 00:52:28,110
Fill them with the Holy Spirit.

1214
00:52:29,250 --> 00:52:31,090
Baptize them in the Holy Spirit and fire.

1215
00:52:31,790 --> 00:52:33,470
Give them a hunger for that baptism in

1216
00:52:33,470 --> 00:52:35,550
the Holy Spirit that will never stop until

1217
00:52:35,550 --> 00:52:38,130
they are actually filled and the rivers of

1218
00:52:38,130 --> 00:52:39,470
living water flow out from them.

1219
00:52:40,590 --> 00:52:41,690
Help us, Lord, we pray.

1220
00:52:42,810 --> 00:52:43,450
Bless the word.

1221
00:52:43,570 --> 00:52:45,130
Let it remain in people's hearts and bring

1222
00:52:45,130 --> 00:52:45,770
forth fruit.

1223
00:52:46,610 --> 00:52:47,930
We pray in Jesus' name.

1224
00:52:48,610 --> 00:52:48,810
Amen.