1 00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:03,420 Welcome to From the Pulpit and Classic Sermons. 2 00:00:03,880 --> 00:00:05,360 Each week we bring you a different message 3 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:07,460 from some of history's greatest speakers in the 4 00:00:07,460 --> 00:00:10,000 Christian faith and powerful sermons from modern preachers 5 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:10,260 too. 6 00:00:10,820 --> 00:00:12,960 This week we have Zach Kunin with his 7 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:15,940 message, Only One Life Will Soon Be Passed. 8 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:23,120 Only one life and it will soon be 9 00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:23,500 passed. 10 00:00:25,140 --> 00:00:29,760 Only what's done for Christ will last. 11 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:35,840 Only one life will soon be passed and 12 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:38,520 only what's done for Christ will last. 13 00:00:39,500 --> 00:00:40,840 Now you've got to understand it right. 14 00:00:43,060 --> 00:00:45,100 For years I didn't understand it right. 15 00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:46,680 I'm sure the man of God who said 16 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:48,860 it understood it right because he manifested it 17 00:00:48,860 --> 00:00:49,440 by his life. 18 00:00:51,340 --> 00:00:54,100 But here's what I mean by understanding it 19 00:00:54,100 --> 00:00:54,340 right. 20 00:00:56,680 --> 00:00:58,200 There are a lot of things we can 21 00:00:58,200 --> 00:01:06,740 do for Christ which won't last because of 22 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:14,020 one verse, Matthew 15 and verse 13. 23 00:01:14,160 --> 00:01:19,760 Matthew 15 verse 13, Jesus himself said every 24 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:22,920 plant which my heavenly father did not plant 25 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:27,950 shall be rooted up, shall be pulled out 26 00:01:27,950 --> 00:01:29,010 in the final day. 27 00:01:30,070 --> 00:01:31,050 What does that mean? 28 00:01:31,370 --> 00:01:32,770 Matthew 15 verse 13. 29 00:01:34,090 --> 00:01:38,250 That means if this wonderful thing you're doing 30 00:01:38,250 --> 00:01:41,370 for the Lord, if the idea did not 31 00:01:41,370 --> 00:01:45,390 originate in God, that's not going to last. 32 00:01:45,570 --> 00:01:47,590 If it just originated in your clever brain, 33 00:01:48,550 --> 00:01:49,590 it's not going to last. 34 00:01:51,210 --> 00:01:53,330 Every plant, it doesn't matter whether it's a 35 00:01:53,330 --> 00:01:55,490 good plant, that's not the point. 36 00:01:57,590 --> 00:02:04,270 Did the heavenly father plant it or was 37 00:02:04,270 --> 00:02:05,330 it your own bright idea? 38 00:02:06,710 --> 00:02:08,270 There are a lot of things which have 39 00:02:08,270 --> 00:02:12,050 been done for Christ, I would say in 40 00:02:12,050 --> 00:02:17,390 quotes, for Christ by some very sincere Christians 41 00:02:17,390 --> 00:02:18,790 because they have a lot of money. 42 00:02:21,140 --> 00:02:23,160 Today a lot of people think only we 43 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:26,440 had money we could do so many things 44 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:27,060 for Christ. 45 00:02:29,530 --> 00:02:29,870 Really? 46 00:02:31,510 --> 00:02:35,770 If so, why is it that the God 47 00:02:35,770 --> 00:02:39,710 who made Abraham a billionaire and Job a 48 00:02:39,710 --> 00:02:45,270 billionaire and Solomon and David billionaires, why did 49 00:02:45,270 --> 00:02:47,030 he make Peter and Paul paupers? 50 00:02:50,490 --> 00:02:52,350 Isn't there something wrong there? 51 00:02:52,490 --> 00:02:52,810 No. 52 00:02:56,940 --> 00:02:59,840 Why did he make the apostles so poor 53 00:02:59,840 --> 00:03:01,880 when he made all these Old Testament, the 54 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:02,420 same God? 55 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:09,540 It's because that abundance of wealth would have 56 00:03:09,540 --> 00:03:13,300 prevented Paul and Peter from preaching an authentic 57 00:03:13,300 --> 00:03:13,800 gospel. 58 00:03:14,980 --> 00:03:17,920 They would have depended more on money than 59 00:03:17,920 --> 00:03:20,160 on the Holy Spirit like a lot of 60 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:20,480 Christians. 61 00:03:23,630 --> 00:03:26,410 I come from India, which is considered a 62 00:03:26,410 --> 00:03:30,110 third world country, developing country, etc. 63 00:03:31,150 --> 00:03:33,830 The object of mission worked for 200 years, 64 00:03:36,350 --> 00:03:39,170 98% not even Christian by name. 65 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:48,150 And I've seen the amount of third-rate 66 00:03:48,150 --> 00:03:53,410 Christianity in our country because of dependence on 67 00:03:53,410 --> 00:03:53,730 money. 68 00:03:55,170 --> 00:03:57,450 All the prayer letters that go out asking 69 00:03:57,450 --> 00:04:00,010 people for money, money, money because we need 70 00:04:00,010 --> 00:04:00,630 it. 71 00:04:01,850 --> 00:04:04,250 It reduced Almighty God to a beggar. 72 00:04:06,890 --> 00:04:08,810 I say what is needed. 73 00:04:08,990 --> 00:04:11,250 I wish people would seek that earnestness for 74 00:04:11,250 --> 00:04:12,270 the power of the Holy Spirit. 75 00:04:13,590 --> 00:04:15,510 Without me you can do nothing. 76 00:04:16,370 --> 00:04:18,690 But as today's Christianity says, without money you 77 00:04:18,690 --> 00:04:19,410 can do nothing. 78 00:04:20,350 --> 00:04:21,250 That's not the gospel. 79 00:04:22,650 --> 00:04:25,530 Jesus said, without me you can do nothing. 80 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:29,700 And if my heavenly Father has not planted 81 00:04:29,700 --> 00:04:31,860 it, it's going to be pulled out. 82 00:04:32,020 --> 00:04:35,040 So the real way to say it would 83 00:04:35,040 --> 00:04:36,280 be only one life. 84 00:04:37,580 --> 00:04:42,260 It will soon be past and only what 85 00:04:42,260 --> 00:04:45,560 Christ does through me will last. 86 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:48,480 Not what I do for Christ. 87 00:04:49,500 --> 00:04:53,180 There's a world of difference between what I 88 00:04:53,180 --> 00:04:56,660 do for Christ and what Christ does through 89 00:04:56,660 --> 00:04:56,920 me. 90 00:04:57,140 --> 00:04:58,740 What I do for Christ, I'll come back 91 00:04:58,740 --> 00:05:01,560 with an empty fishing boat after years of 92 00:05:03,640 --> 00:05:05,860 struggling. 93 00:05:06,820 --> 00:05:08,680 What Christ does through me, my boat will 94 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:09,580 be filled in a moment. 95 00:05:12,340 --> 00:05:14,300 The five loaves and two fish can feed 96 00:05:14,300 --> 00:05:16,060 five thousand if Christ does through me. 97 00:05:17,500 --> 00:05:19,160 If I try to do it myself, I 98 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:20,960 may feed one person or two. 99 00:05:23,180 --> 00:05:24,220 There's a lot of difference. 100 00:05:24,740 --> 00:05:29,080 That life of humble dependence upon Christ moment 101 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:30,940 by moment like the branches. 102 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:35,060 This is one of the fundamental secrets of 103 00:05:35,060 --> 00:05:35,860 Christian life. 104 00:05:38,670 --> 00:05:41,090 And the other side of the same coin 105 00:05:41,090 --> 00:05:45,650 is what Paul said from his own experience 106 00:05:45,650 --> 00:05:47,870 after many years, after 30 years of walking 107 00:05:47,870 --> 00:05:48,450 with God. 108 00:05:49,410 --> 00:05:53,310 He writes in Philippians 4 verse 13, the 109 00:05:53,310 --> 00:05:54,890 other side of the same coin. 110 00:05:57,600 --> 00:06:01,900 I can do everything through Christ who strengthens 111 00:06:01,900 --> 00:06:02,100 me. 112 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:06,800 He's not saying like today's Christian workers, I 113 00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:08,660 can do everything if you fellas will give 114 00:06:08,660 --> 00:06:09,060 me money. 115 00:06:11,260 --> 00:06:12,700 That's another gospel. 116 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:19,720 God's work is suffering because you fellas are 117 00:06:19,720 --> 00:06:20,780 not giving enough money. 118 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:23,980 The time of recession, you chaps are not 119 00:06:23,980 --> 00:06:25,720 paying up enough to the mission peels. 120 00:06:26,500 --> 00:06:27,540 God's work is suffering. 121 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:33,490 Poor God, struggling for lack of money. 122 00:06:34,290 --> 00:06:35,430 What an insult it is. 123 00:06:38,880 --> 00:06:41,420 We live in a world where Christians have 124 00:06:41,420 --> 00:06:43,660 descended to the level of the corporate world 125 00:06:43,660 --> 00:06:45,820 where they think the is money. 126 00:06:46,860 --> 00:06:47,280 It's not. 127 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:48,380 It's the power of the Holy Spirit. 128 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:55,240 Without the Holy Spirit's power, you can try 129 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:57,240 to live whatever life you want to live. 130 00:06:57,300 --> 00:06:58,120 You'll never succeed. 131 00:07:01,350 --> 00:07:02,970 Jesus said, apart from me, you can do 132 00:07:02,970 --> 00:07:03,590 nothing. 133 00:07:03,690 --> 00:07:06,290 Like the branch in the tree, the sap 134 00:07:06,290 --> 00:07:08,210 flows from the branch to the tree. 135 00:07:08,990 --> 00:07:11,510 And that's the picture of Christ continuously filling 136 00:07:11,510 --> 00:07:12,570 us with the Holy Spirit. 137 00:07:15,840 --> 00:07:18,880 Every single day, my wife and I pray, 138 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:20,220 Lord, fill us with the Holy Spirit. 139 00:07:20,420 --> 00:07:22,760 It's the main thing we pray for in 140 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:24,160 the morning when we pray together. 141 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:26,880 Forgive us our sins and fill us with 142 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:28,360 the Holy Spirit this day. 143 00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:32,380 I get up to speak, Lord, fill me 144 00:07:32,380 --> 00:07:33,000 with the Holy Spirit. 145 00:07:33,100 --> 00:07:34,060 Give me the gift of prophecy. 146 00:07:34,340 --> 00:07:35,340 Give me your words according to the need 147 00:07:35,340 --> 00:07:35,840 of the people. 148 00:07:36,060 --> 00:07:36,760 Fill me with the Holy Spirit. 149 00:07:37,100 --> 00:07:38,960 Otherwise, I'm wasting people's time and my own 150 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:40,260 time and God's time. 151 00:07:41,220 --> 00:07:42,680 Without me, you can do nothing. 152 00:07:44,860 --> 00:07:46,800 And that by itself is not enough. 153 00:07:49,770 --> 00:07:52,690 With Christ, I can do everything, not everything. 154 00:07:53,290 --> 00:07:54,650 I mean, I can't win the 100 meters 155 00:07:54,650 --> 00:07:55,130 in the Olympics. 156 00:07:57,340 --> 00:07:59,360 You got to understand, all things means all 157 00:07:59,360 --> 00:08:00,840 things that God has designed that I should 158 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:01,160 do. 159 00:08:02,980 --> 00:08:07,220 Every single thing that God planned that I 160 00:08:07,220 --> 00:08:09,380 should do when he brought me into this 161 00:08:09,380 --> 00:08:13,060 earth through my mother, every single thing I'll 162 00:08:13,060 --> 00:08:15,140 be able to accomplish before I leave this 163 00:08:15,140 --> 00:08:16,620 earth so that I'll be able to say 164 00:08:16,620 --> 00:08:19,200 like Jesus, Father, I finished the work you 165 00:08:19,200 --> 00:08:19,820 gave me to do. 166 00:08:21,260 --> 00:08:24,060 And like the Apostle Paul said, I finished 167 00:08:24,060 --> 00:08:24,760 my race. 168 00:08:26,860 --> 00:08:27,680 I've kept the faith. 169 00:08:28,080 --> 00:08:29,160 I fought the good fight. 170 00:08:29,920 --> 00:08:31,100 You should be able to say that. 171 00:08:32,679 --> 00:08:34,700 Not that I somehow managed to scrape through 172 00:08:34,700 --> 00:08:37,080 to the end or I made a lot 173 00:08:37,080 --> 00:08:38,720 of money or became very famous. 174 00:08:39,299 --> 00:08:40,940 I finished the work, Lord, you gave me 175 00:08:40,940 --> 00:08:41,240 to do. 176 00:08:41,340 --> 00:08:42,620 I want to ask you, my dear brothers 177 00:08:42,620 --> 00:08:45,140 and sisters, do you believe God's given you 178 00:08:45,140 --> 00:08:45,800 work to do? 179 00:08:48,500 --> 00:08:52,980 I'm so thankful that I don't remember anybody 180 00:08:52,980 --> 00:08:54,400 telling me this, but as I read the 181 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:57,080 scriptures when I was 21 years old, soon 182 00:08:57,080 --> 00:09:00,900 after my baptism, I was gripped by this 183 00:09:00,900 --> 00:09:03,480 truth 50 years ago that God had a 184 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:04,440 plan for my life. 185 00:09:06,500 --> 00:09:07,880 I had already made a plan for my 186 00:09:07,880 --> 00:09:10,360 life because I joined the military in India 187 00:09:10,360 --> 00:09:12,120 before I was converted. 188 00:09:13,060 --> 00:09:14,360 And I had a plan to go right 189 00:09:14,360 --> 00:09:14,980 up to the top. 190 00:09:16,280 --> 00:09:18,600 But then Christ came into my life and 191 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:21,800 altered the direction of my life completely and 192 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:24,280 showed me from scripture that he had a 193 00:09:24,280 --> 00:09:25,460 plan for my life. 194 00:09:26,480 --> 00:09:27,960 That applies to all of us. 195 00:09:28,020 --> 00:09:30,600 Let me show you this verse, which originally 196 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:35,920 spoken to Israel, but applies to us, Jeremiah 197 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:36,480 29. 198 00:09:40,420 --> 00:09:42,460 Jeremiah 29 and verse 11. 199 00:09:45,180 --> 00:09:47,640 This is one of these Old Testament prophecies 200 00:09:47,640 --> 00:09:50,380 in the book of Jeremiah, which have a 201 00:09:50,380 --> 00:09:52,660 dual fulfillment, once in the nation of Israel 202 00:09:52,660 --> 00:09:54,140 and secondly in us. 203 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:57,100 There are many Old Testament prophecies like that, 204 00:09:57,620 --> 00:09:59,640 that have a double fulfillment, once in the 205 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:01,160 nation of Israel and the other for us. 206 00:10:01,860 --> 00:10:03,660 This was for the nation of Israel initially 207 00:10:03,660 --> 00:10:06,120 that God would bring them back from Babylon 208 00:10:06,120 --> 00:10:09,280 after 70 years, but it also applies to 209 00:10:09,280 --> 00:10:09,520 us. 210 00:10:09,620 --> 00:10:11,820 I know the plans I have for you. 211 00:10:11,940 --> 00:10:12,680 Make it personal. 212 00:10:14,620 --> 00:10:17,680 Plans for welfare and not for calamity. 213 00:10:18,280 --> 00:10:19,500 Not to mess up your life. 214 00:10:19,700 --> 00:10:20,980 I mean, if you don't follow my plan, 215 00:10:21,060 --> 00:10:22,040 you will mess up your life. 216 00:10:22,580 --> 00:10:25,800 But if you follow my plan, there will 217 00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:26,680 be no calamity. 218 00:10:26,780 --> 00:10:28,260 I'm not saying there won't be any trials. 219 00:10:29,580 --> 00:10:30,840 I'm not saying you won't be persecuted. 220 00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:32,540 I'm not saying you won't be killed for 221 00:10:32,540 --> 00:10:32,840 the faith. 222 00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:34,820 All the apostles except John were perhaps killed. 223 00:10:35,800 --> 00:10:37,080 I'm not talking about that, but there won't 224 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:38,560 be any spiritual calamity. 225 00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:44,780 Examples of spiritual calamity, credit card debt. 226 00:10:46,520 --> 00:10:47,860 You think of that as spiritual calamity? 227 00:10:48,040 --> 00:10:48,540 Absolutely. 228 00:10:48,900 --> 00:10:50,760 One of the biggest calamities facing people in 229 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:51,240 North America. 230 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:55,140 Complete disobedience to scripture in Romans 13 verse 231 00:10:55,140 --> 00:10:56,520 8, which says, oh no man anything. 232 00:10:57,920 --> 00:10:58,820 And how does it come? 233 00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:03,680 Through Christians covetous, covetous, covetous, wanting to buy 234 00:11:03,680 --> 00:11:05,460 things they cannot afford. 235 00:11:08,700 --> 00:11:09,160 Calamity. 236 00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:10,920 I think it is a calamity. 237 00:11:11,440 --> 00:11:13,220 I decided when I became Christian, I'd never 238 00:11:13,220 --> 00:11:13,720 get into debt. 239 00:11:15,300 --> 00:11:17,560 My wife and I have known deep levels 240 00:11:17,560 --> 00:11:19,380 of poverty when we were first married. 241 00:11:20,120 --> 00:11:23,720 Not today, but when we were first married. 242 00:11:24,600 --> 00:11:26,660 But we decided we'd never, never get into 243 00:11:26,660 --> 00:11:26,940 debt. 244 00:11:27,280 --> 00:11:29,100 We'd never, we never bought clothes because we 245 00:11:29,100 --> 00:11:29,740 couldn't afford them. 246 00:11:30,220 --> 00:11:32,060 We didn't buy many things because we couldn't 247 00:11:32,060 --> 00:11:32,560 afford them. 248 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:35,800 We said when God expands our financial boundary, 249 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:36,380 we'll buy them. 250 00:11:36,820 --> 00:11:40,100 And the result is in 71 years of 251 00:11:40,100 --> 00:11:41,780 my life, I've never been in debt for 252 00:11:41,780 --> 00:11:42,380 a single day. 253 00:11:44,290 --> 00:11:45,030 It's a calamity. 254 00:11:46,510 --> 00:11:48,130 Those are the type of calamities God saves 255 00:11:48,130 --> 00:11:48,670 us from. 256 00:11:49,330 --> 00:11:52,250 From messing up our life, messing up other 257 00:11:52,250 --> 00:11:59,490 people's lives by adultery, harming others, exploiting others. 258 00:12:00,730 --> 00:12:03,490 Paul said, we never took advantage of you. 259 00:12:05,360 --> 00:12:07,080 We were never a burden to you. 260 00:12:07,820 --> 00:12:09,880 So it's a calamity to make yourself a 261 00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:10,700 burden to other people. 262 00:12:13,380 --> 00:12:15,540 God is able to do all things for 263 00:12:15,540 --> 00:12:15,960 us. 264 00:12:17,420 --> 00:12:19,160 I've got a plan for your life, which 265 00:12:19,160 --> 00:12:22,580 will be the best possible plan, which you 266 00:12:22,580 --> 00:12:25,600 yourself will not be able to better, to 267 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:27,600 give you a future and a hope. 268 00:12:29,280 --> 00:12:32,040 I said, Lord, that's the plan I want. 269 00:12:32,440 --> 00:12:36,160 Think of someone planning your life, who knows 270 00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:39,320 everything about your personality, who knows all about 271 00:12:39,320 --> 00:12:40,880 the dangers that are going to take place 272 00:12:40,880 --> 00:12:43,240 in your life 50 years from now, all 273 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:45,900 through those years, and who's got maximum wisdom. 274 00:12:46,680 --> 00:12:48,900 Wouldn't you commit your life to ask him 275 00:12:48,900 --> 00:12:50,200 to plan your life and you plan it 276 00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:50,540 yourself? 277 00:12:50,640 --> 00:12:52,860 You're so short-sighted, so short-sighted that 278 00:12:52,860 --> 00:12:54,140 I don't even know what's going to happen 279 00:12:54,140 --> 00:12:54,740 tomorrow morning. 280 00:12:55,580 --> 00:12:57,180 That's how blind I am. 281 00:12:59,560 --> 00:13:02,900 I'm so ignorant about my own capabilities and 282 00:13:02,900 --> 00:13:03,720 my own limitations. 283 00:13:04,780 --> 00:13:06,420 I can have high thoughts about myself that 284 00:13:06,420 --> 00:13:07,620 I can do so many things. 285 00:13:08,460 --> 00:13:10,220 I thank God that I can commit my 286 00:13:10,220 --> 00:13:12,040 life to another person who plans my life. 287 00:13:13,860 --> 00:13:15,040 And that's what it means. 288 00:13:15,140 --> 00:13:17,240 I can do all things that God has 289 00:13:17,240 --> 00:13:20,240 planned for me, through Christ who strengthens me, 290 00:13:20,300 --> 00:13:21,300 that is through the power of the Holy 291 00:13:21,300 --> 00:13:21,580 Spirit. 292 00:13:24,140 --> 00:13:26,080 If you are gripped and if you're a 293 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:28,960 young brother, you're lucky to be gripped by 294 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:29,380 these truths. 295 00:13:29,500 --> 00:13:30,840 I often say to people in my own 296 00:13:30,840 --> 00:13:33,960 churches back in India, you who are young, 297 00:13:34,220 --> 00:13:37,400 boy, you don't realize how lucky you are 298 00:13:37,400 --> 00:13:39,320 to hear these truths when you're 17 years 299 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:39,760 old. 300 00:13:41,580 --> 00:13:43,240 I know people who are hearing when they 301 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:44,620 are hearing this for the first time when 302 00:13:44,620 --> 00:13:45,100 they are 50. 303 00:13:46,680 --> 00:13:48,320 They messed up their life for 50 years 304 00:13:48,320 --> 00:13:49,140 and now they are hearing. 305 00:13:49,420 --> 00:13:50,960 Thank God there's still some hope for them. 306 00:13:51,300 --> 00:13:52,560 But what can they do about those 50 307 00:13:52,560 --> 00:13:53,080 years they wasted? 308 00:13:53,360 --> 00:13:53,640 Nothing. 309 00:13:56,230 --> 00:13:57,950 There are certain things even Almighty God cannot 310 00:13:57,950 --> 00:13:58,330 do. 311 00:13:59,770 --> 00:14:02,650 For example, He cannot give you the year 312 00:14:02,650 --> 00:14:04,310 2010 once again. 313 00:14:04,990 --> 00:14:05,770 Sorry, that's gone. 314 00:14:07,170 --> 00:14:08,770 He can't even give you the first five 315 00:14:08,770 --> 00:14:09,690 months of 2011. 316 00:14:10,290 --> 00:14:10,650 It's gone. 317 00:14:11,170 --> 00:14:12,210 If you wasted it, it's wasted. 318 00:14:13,010 --> 00:14:14,690 However much you fast and pray, He can't 319 00:14:14,690 --> 00:14:16,030 give you those years back. 320 00:14:16,790 --> 00:14:19,730 I know there are people who quote that 321 00:14:19,730 --> 00:14:21,790 verse in Joel chapter 2 which says, I 322 00:14:21,790 --> 00:14:23,390 will restore to you the years that are 323 00:14:23,390 --> 00:14:24,870 locusts as eaten. 324 00:14:25,890 --> 00:14:32,910 Don't misquote it to find some comfort in 325 00:14:32,910 --> 00:14:33,470 your sin. 326 00:14:36,000 --> 00:14:36,940 It doesn't work. 327 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:38,960 God will forgive you. 328 00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:39,420 Sure. 329 00:14:39,940 --> 00:14:42,640 Acts 17 verse 30 says, the times of 330 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:43,860 ignorance He overlooks. 331 00:14:46,030 --> 00:14:49,870 But the wasted years are wasted years which 332 00:14:49,870 --> 00:14:51,150 could have been useful for God. 333 00:14:52,730 --> 00:14:54,650 I'm so thankful that I was gripped by 334 00:14:54,650 --> 00:14:56,150 this truth not when I was 51 but 335 00:14:56,150 --> 00:14:56,770 when I was 21. 336 00:14:57,210 --> 00:14:58,870 My only regret is that I wasn't gripped 337 00:14:58,870 --> 00:14:59,810 by it when I was six. 338 00:15:05,840 --> 00:15:10,120 Imagine how much more we could have offered 339 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:13,600 of our life for the Lord without having, 340 00:15:13,760 --> 00:15:16,260 you know, spoiled His name in any way 341 00:15:16,260 --> 00:15:18,460 by any action or word of ours. 342 00:15:18,600 --> 00:15:20,140 We don't realize how serious sin is. 343 00:15:21,180 --> 00:15:22,180 But what I want to say is when 344 00:15:22,180 --> 00:15:25,420 we think of this overcoming life, recognize these 345 00:15:25,420 --> 00:15:26,960 two very important truths. 346 00:15:28,940 --> 00:15:31,200 Apart from me, you can do nothing. 347 00:15:32,220 --> 00:15:33,840 Or in other words, whatever you think you 348 00:15:33,840 --> 00:15:36,700 have accomplished apart from Christ you have discovered 349 00:15:36,700 --> 00:15:38,140 in eternity is zero. 350 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:40,120 That is what the Bible calls in 1 351 00:15:40,120 --> 00:15:44,120 Corinthians 3, wood, hay and straw which will 352 00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:47,240 be tested by fire and it'll all be 353 00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:47,580 burned. 354 00:15:48,580 --> 00:15:50,520 And then there's gold, silver and precious stones 355 00:15:50,520 --> 00:15:51,880 which will remain through the fire. 356 00:15:52,360 --> 00:15:54,040 If you're not familiar with that scripture, let 357 00:15:54,040 --> 00:15:55,200 me show it to you in 1 Corinthians 358 00:15:55,200 --> 00:15:56,160 in chapter 3. 359 00:15:57,220 --> 00:16:02,100 1 Corinthians chapter 3, it says here, it's 360 00:16:02,100 --> 00:16:04,320 fine that you laid a foundation in Christ. 361 00:16:04,320 --> 00:16:06,780 That means your sins are forgiven and Christ 362 00:16:06,780 --> 00:16:07,740 is underneath your life. 363 00:16:07,900 --> 00:16:08,140 Great. 364 00:16:08,340 --> 00:16:09,940 1 Corinthians 3 verse 11. 365 00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:13,780 There's no other foundation a man can lay 366 00:16:13,780 --> 00:16:16,720 other than that which is laid Jesus Christ. 367 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:18,020 You founded your life on Christ. 368 00:16:18,140 --> 00:16:18,520 That's great. 369 00:16:19,020 --> 00:16:20,900 Most of you are really born again. 370 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:22,980 You received Christ as your Lord. 371 00:16:23,140 --> 00:16:26,940 Now it says you better be careful how 372 00:16:26,940 --> 00:16:27,740 you build. 373 00:16:27,900 --> 00:16:29,360 The picture is of a house that you're 374 00:16:29,360 --> 00:16:29,740 building. 375 00:16:30,640 --> 00:16:32,800 You've laid the foundation all right that your 376 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:33,460 sins are forgiven. 377 00:16:33,860 --> 00:16:37,000 Now be careful what type of bricks you're 378 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:37,340 using. 379 00:16:37,660 --> 00:16:38,780 In India we use bricks. 380 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:40,720 Or here you use wood. 381 00:16:41,520 --> 00:16:43,180 Be careful what type of wood you're using. 382 00:16:44,740 --> 00:16:48,160 In those days they built with stones. 383 00:16:48,440 --> 00:16:51,220 But here he's thinking of building a temple 384 00:16:51,220 --> 00:16:54,700 for God and the material you use must 385 00:16:54,700 --> 00:16:56,080 be material that lasts. 386 00:16:57,180 --> 00:16:59,680 And he says it's going to be tested 387 00:16:59,680 --> 00:17:01,160 by fire one day. 388 00:17:03,240 --> 00:17:05,260 A man can build either with gold, silver 389 00:17:05,260 --> 00:17:09,540 and precious stones or with wood, hay and 390 00:17:09,540 --> 00:17:10,000 straw. 391 00:17:11,740 --> 00:17:14,560 But whatever man uses, God's not going to 392 00:17:14,560 --> 00:17:17,680 force a person to, compel a person to 393 00:17:17,680 --> 00:17:19,220 use gold, silver and precious stones. 394 00:17:20,119 --> 00:17:22,520 Each man's work will become evident. 395 00:17:24,060 --> 00:17:26,900 What it looks like now is not going 396 00:17:26,900 --> 00:17:29,000 to be in the day the Lord comes. 397 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:31,800 The day will show it because every man's 398 00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:33,680 work will be revealed by fire. 399 00:17:35,420 --> 00:17:36,940 And this is why I say the opinion 400 00:17:36,940 --> 00:17:39,760 other people have about your life or your 401 00:17:39,760 --> 00:17:41,840 ministry is fit for the trash can. 402 00:17:42,840 --> 00:17:44,140 Throw it in the garbage bin. 403 00:17:44,840 --> 00:17:46,660 Whatever people said about you, good or bad, 404 00:17:46,920 --> 00:17:47,700 it's worth nothing. 405 00:17:47,700 --> 00:17:50,860 People think you're a wholehearted brother, throw it 406 00:17:50,860 --> 00:17:51,600 in the trash can. 407 00:17:52,980 --> 00:17:55,080 People think you're a compromiser or a hypocrite, 408 00:17:55,200 --> 00:17:56,100 throw it in the trash can. 409 00:17:56,280 --> 00:17:57,520 Live before God, brother. 410 00:17:58,300 --> 00:17:59,620 It's absolutely liberating. 411 00:17:59,720 --> 00:18:01,660 I tell you, one of the most liberating 412 00:18:01,660 --> 00:18:04,280 things I've experienced in my life is to 413 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:05,440 live before God's face. 414 00:18:06,960 --> 00:18:08,740 What does he think of my life? 415 00:18:10,630 --> 00:18:14,090 When he evaluates everything in my life by 416 00:18:14,090 --> 00:18:19,730 fire, my thoughts, my words, my attitudes, my 417 00:18:19,730 --> 00:18:21,350 motives, especially motives. 418 00:18:21,630 --> 00:18:22,570 You can do a good thing with the 419 00:18:22,570 --> 00:18:23,090 wrong motive. 420 00:18:24,250 --> 00:18:25,610 And it's all going to be tested by 421 00:18:25,610 --> 00:18:26,010 fire. 422 00:18:26,770 --> 00:18:29,290 And look at this lovely word, quality. 423 00:18:30,090 --> 00:18:33,570 Verse 13, the fire will test not the 424 00:18:33,570 --> 00:18:37,450 quantity, but the quality of each man's work. 425 00:18:38,810 --> 00:18:41,550 In Christendom today, as I've observed it for 426 00:18:41,550 --> 00:18:48,110 50 years, statistics is the big thing. 427 00:18:52,230 --> 00:18:53,650 Have you heard that saying, there are three 428 00:18:53,650 --> 00:18:54,350 types of lies? 429 00:18:55,890 --> 00:18:58,030 Black lies, white lies, and statistics. 430 00:19:01,480 --> 00:19:02,700 So many people were converted. 431 00:19:04,180 --> 00:19:05,540 So many people came to the meeting. 432 00:19:07,850 --> 00:19:09,710 So many reports that go out like that, 433 00:19:09,870 --> 00:19:10,970 one would think the whole of India is 434 00:19:10,970 --> 00:19:11,550 already converted. 435 00:19:12,550 --> 00:19:14,330 The number of total of all the people 436 00:19:14,330 --> 00:19:16,590 different Christian organizations are saying are converted. 437 00:19:19,120 --> 00:19:19,940 Quantity, quantity. 438 00:19:20,060 --> 00:19:21,200 That's how it's in the corporate world. 439 00:19:21,320 --> 00:19:22,340 What is the bottom line? 440 00:19:24,700 --> 00:19:26,600 How much profit did we make this year? 441 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:29,100 Quantity, numbers, numbers. 442 00:19:29,380 --> 00:19:30,260 How big is your church? 443 00:19:31,040 --> 00:19:31,880 Only 10,000. 444 00:19:31,980 --> 00:19:33,380 We got 30,000 in our church. 445 00:19:34,820 --> 00:19:35,400 What is it? 446 00:19:37,280 --> 00:19:38,660 Quantity, quantity, quantity. 447 00:19:38,820 --> 00:19:40,720 Here it says the Bible tests quality. 448 00:19:45,410 --> 00:19:46,410 I say that constantly. 449 00:19:46,490 --> 00:19:47,450 I'm not talking about other churches. 450 00:19:47,550 --> 00:19:48,450 I'm talking about my own church. 451 00:19:50,150 --> 00:19:52,970 We have maybe about 200 adults in our 452 00:19:52,970 --> 00:19:53,290 church. 453 00:19:53,870 --> 00:19:55,870 And I said to them like this, this 454 00:19:55,870 --> 00:19:57,250 is what I speak in my home church. 455 00:19:58,910 --> 00:20:00,650 Less people think I'm only speaking about others. 456 00:20:01,790 --> 00:20:03,990 I say, brothers, if someone were to ask 457 00:20:03,990 --> 00:20:06,830 me, and we have about 200 grand people 458 00:20:06,830 --> 00:20:07,850 and children, so 400. 459 00:20:10,590 --> 00:20:12,870 I say, if people ask me, how many 460 00:20:12,870 --> 00:20:13,550 people in your church? 461 00:20:13,610 --> 00:20:16,350 I said, we have 400 chairs that are 462 00:20:16,350 --> 00:20:17,290 usually filled on Sunday. 463 00:20:20,830 --> 00:20:22,120 But how many are disciples? 464 00:20:22,500 --> 00:20:24,640 Supposing one of the angels were to ask 465 00:20:24,640 --> 00:20:27,900 the Lord, Lord, how many disciples are there 466 00:20:27,900 --> 00:20:31,910 down in Christian Fellowship Center Bangalore? 467 00:20:34,150 --> 00:20:35,350 Lord says, about 20. 468 00:20:41,080 --> 00:20:41,900 Will I be shocked? 469 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:45,840 I said this in a meeting there. 470 00:20:48,500 --> 00:20:52,100 I said, brothers and sisters, I'll be thrilled 471 00:20:52,100 --> 00:20:56,180 if there are 20 wholehearted disciples in this 472 00:20:56,180 --> 00:20:56,500 church. 473 00:20:57,780 --> 00:21:00,060 11 people turned the first world upside down. 474 00:21:00,180 --> 00:21:01,580 Can you imagine what 20 can do in 475 00:21:01,580 --> 00:21:01,800 India? 476 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:07,820 Don't glory in numbers. 477 00:21:08,280 --> 00:21:08,920 It means nothing. 478 00:21:10,760 --> 00:21:11,240 Quality. 479 00:21:13,340 --> 00:21:13,820 Wholehearted. 480 00:21:17,900 --> 00:21:21,840 So remember this, that your life is quality 481 00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:23,700 that's going to be tested in the final 482 00:21:23,700 --> 00:21:24,000 day. 483 00:21:24,640 --> 00:21:26,500 I'm not saying about going to heaven, because 484 00:21:26,500 --> 00:21:29,120 it says if you're built with wood, hay, 485 00:21:29,220 --> 00:21:31,840 and straw, verse 15, a man's work will 486 00:21:31,840 --> 00:21:32,480 be burnt up. 487 00:21:32,480 --> 00:21:34,940 He shall suffer loss, but he will be 488 00:21:34,940 --> 00:21:35,280 saved. 489 00:21:38,530 --> 00:21:40,370 So if all you're interested in is going 490 00:21:40,370 --> 00:21:43,410 to heaven, you might as well not come 491 00:21:43,410 --> 00:21:45,850 tomorrow onwards for the meetings, because you've got 492 00:21:45,850 --> 00:21:46,590 nothing to tell you. 493 00:21:49,680 --> 00:21:51,600 But if you're interested in overcoming life, you're 494 00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:54,840 interested in standing before the Lord, people have 495 00:21:54,840 --> 00:21:56,400 asked me, Brother Zak, why do you so 496 00:21:56,400 --> 00:21:58,800 often say that people will have regret in 497 00:21:58,800 --> 00:21:59,040 heaven? 498 00:22:01,390 --> 00:22:03,050 Well, I'll tell you, I believe that. 499 00:22:05,920 --> 00:22:07,880 And my main aim is to prevent people 500 00:22:07,880 --> 00:22:09,700 from having regret when they stand before the 501 00:22:09,700 --> 00:22:09,900 Lord. 502 00:22:10,020 --> 00:22:10,760 And I'll tell you why. 503 00:22:11,880 --> 00:22:12,840 I'll show it to you from scripture. 504 00:22:14,080 --> 00:22:16,100 Supposing you're one of those people who spent 505 00:22:16,100 --> 00:22:20,180 years and years and years emphasizing quantity and 506 00:22:20,180 --> 00:22:21,320 doing this thing for the Lord and that 507 00:22:21,320 --> 00:22:22,460 thing for the Lord and giving money for 508 00:22:22,460 --> 00:22:23,680 the Lord and this thing and other thing, 509 00:22:23,960 --> 00:22:25,380 going here, going there and doing so many 510 00:22:25,380 --> 00:22:25,700 things. 511 00:22:26,440 --> 00:22:28,860 And in God's eyes, the whole thing is 512 00:22:28,860 --> 00:22:29,900 wood, hay and straw. 513 00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:33,320 None of those things originated in God's mind. 514 00:22:33,520 --> 00:22:34,560 It was all your bright ideas. 515 00:22:35,220 --> 00:22:37,260 And you were pretty proud of all that 516 00:22:37,260 --> 00:22:38,800 you were doing so called for the Lord 517 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:42,120 and all the people you thought you were 518 00:22:42,120 --> 00:22:42,920 reaching, etc. 519 00:22:43,160 --> 00:22:44,160 I'm not against numbers. 520 00:22:45,080 --> 00:22:46,760 The first day of Pentecost, 3000 were converted 521 00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:47,640 and the Bible says that. 522 00:22:50,460 --> 00:22:54,820 Sure, I'm delighted if multitudes become disciples, not 523 00:22:54,820 --> 00:22:57,140 just say they believe in Jesus. 524 00:22:59,340 --> 00:23:01,300 And you stand in the Lord before the 525 00:23:01,300 --> 00:23:01,420 Lord. 526 00:23:01,500 --> 00:23:04,100 Let's imagine Jesus has come and you're standing 527 00:23:04,100 --> 00:23:07,020 before the throne and one by one we 528 00:23:07,020 --> 00:23:07,700 are being evaluated. 529 00:23:07,860 --> 00:23:08,680 Your turn has come. 530 00:23:09,780 --> 00:23:13,360 Okay, the Lord reveals and plays the videotape 531 00:23:13,360 --> 00:23:15,780 of your life from the time you're born 532 00:23:15,780 --> 00:23:17,900 again, because all the previous part of your 533 00:23:17,900 --> 00:23:18,720 life is blotted out. 534 00:23:18,860 --> 00:23:21,040 Okay, from the day you're born again, here's 535 00:23:21,040 --> 00:23:21,500 your life. 536 00:23:22,400 --> 00:23:26,240 And shows by the standards of heaven, what 537 00:23:26,240 --> 00:23:29,840 your life was worth, not by what people 538 00:23:29,840 --> 00:23:30,580 thought about you. 539 00:23:31,900 --> 00:23:34,980 And your work is tested there by God's 540 00:23:34,980 --> 00:23:35,280 standards. 541 00:23:38,320 --> 00:23:42,000 And you stand there after 50 years of 542 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:45,060 being a believer, with nothing to show for 543 00:23:45,060 --> 00:23:45,540 your life. 544 00:23:47,700 --> 00:23:51,200 Everything was done by human methods and for 545 00:23:51,200 --> 00:23:54,500 money and honor and everything earthly. 546 00:23:55,240 --> 00:23:57,180 Not the result of waiting on God and 547 00:23:57,180 --> 00:23:59,020 trying to find out His will or seeking 548 00:23:59,020 --> 00:24:00,300 for the power of the Holy Spirit or 549 00:24:00,300 --> 00:24:01,100 for the glory of God. 550 00:24:01,940 --> 00:24:03,220 A lot of it for your own honor, 551 00:24:03,440 --> 00:24:04,000 etc, etc. 552 00:24:04,060 --> 00:24:05,320 And it's all wiped out. 553 00:24:06,200 --> 00:24:07,400 And the Lord says, but you're forgiven. 554 00:24:10,010 --> 00:24:13,790 Tell me, will you have regret at that 555 00:24:13,790 --> 00:24:14,070 time? 556 00:24:15,390 --> 00:24:18,710 I tell you, if I heard that from 557 00:24:18,710 --> 00:24:22,690 the Lord, I would bow my head in 558 00:24:22,690 --> 00:24:24,390 shame and sorrow. 559 00:24:25,290 --> 00:24:27,650 Say, Lord, please give me one more chance. 560 00:24:29,410 --> 00:24:30,550 No more chance to live on earth. 561 00:24:31,270 --> 00:24:33,230 The one life, not because I won't get 562 00:24:33,230 --> 00:24:33,930 a reward in heaven. 563 00:24:34,030 --> 00:24:35,050 That's not what I'm looking for. 564 00:24:35,190 --> 00:24:36,150 No, no, no, no, no. 565 00:24:36,150 --> 00:24:37,250 Don't misunderstand me. 566 00:24:37,690 --> 00:24:39,230 Not because, oh, I can't sit with the 567 00:24:39,230 --> 00:24:39,990 throne of Jesus. 568 00:24:40,170 --> 00:24:41,870 Jesus on the throne or won't have some 569 00:24:41,870 --> 00:24:43,270 crown or mansion. 570 00:24:43,430 --> 00:24:44,470 Those are not the things that I'm looking 571 00:24:44,470 --> 00:24:44,730 for. 572 00:24:44,830 --> 00:24:46,170 But I'll tell you what will bring me 573 00:24:46,170 --> 00:24:46,470 sorrow. 574 00:24:47,510 --> 00:24:50,430 Lord, you gave me one life on earth 575 00:24:50,430 --> 00:24:54,630 to show you, show my gratitude for what 576 00:24:54,630 --> 00:24:56,130 you did for me on the cross. 577 00:24:57,330 --> 00:24:59,190 And I wasted it. 578 00:24:59,610 --> 00:25:03,570 Seeking man's honor, seeking to advance myself in 579 00:25:03,570 --> 00:25:06,290 the world, making more money, trying to become 580 00:25:06,290 --> 00:25:09,710 famous and living basically for myself. 581 00:25:11,150 --> 00:25:13,610 Knowing more about movies and film stars than 582 00:25:13,610 --> 00:25:14,590 I know about the Bible. 583 00:25:15,550 --> 00:25:18,410 And I fooled other people that I was 584 00:25:18,410 --> 00:25:19,730 a wholehearted disciple of Jesus. 585 00:25:20,230 --> 00:25:22,270 And I raised up children who are like 586 00:25:22,270 --> 00:25:22,550 me. 587 00:25:23,030 --> 00:25:24,730 And I produced other believers who are like 588 00:25:24,730 --> 00:25:25,010 me. 589 00:25:26,890 --> 00:25:28,330 Boy, I tell you, if I were like 590 00:25:28,330 --> 00:25:32,730 that, I'd have tremendous regret, because I can't 591 00:25:32,730 --> 00:25:33,510 live my life again. 592 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:37,460 Forget the reward. 593 00:25:38,420 --> 00:25:40,240 Lord, I let you down in the one 594 00:25:40,240 --> 00:25:42,360 life you gave me on earth. 595 00:25:43,280 --> 00:25:44,540 What's the use shouting in heaven? 596 00:25:44,680 --> 00:25:45,580 Oh, I love you, Lord. 597 00:25:45,620 --> 00:25:46,260 I love you, Lord. 598 00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:47,940 It'll sound so empty. 599 00:25:49,020 --> 00:25:50,440 Because the one life he gave me on 600 00:25:50,440 --> 00:25:51,860 earth, where he wanted me to prove my 601 00:25:51,860 --> 00:25:52,660 love for him, I didn't. 602 00:25:53,120 --> 00:25:54,120 I lived for myself. 603 00:25:57,140 --> 00:25:57,960 Think about it. 604 00:25:58,440 --> 00:25:59,160 This is real. 605 00:26:00,580 --> 00:26:02,740 I'm not painting an imaginary picture. 606 00:26:03,120 --> 00:26:04,100 It's all from scripture. 607 00:26:06,060 --> 00:26:07,780 Turn to 2nd Corinthians chapter 5. 608 00:26:11,120 --> 00:26:13,180 2nd Corinthians chapter 5, verse 10. 609 00:26:19,820 --> 00:26:28,590 We must all appear for, whenever you find 610 00:26:28,590 --> 00:26:31,250 the word for, connect it to the previous 611 00:26:31,250 --> 00:26:31,750 verse. 612 00:26:33,130 --> 00:26:36,890 2nd Corinthians 5.9. We have, we can 613 00:26:36,890 --> 00:26:37,870 say, one ambition. 614 00:26:38,870 --> 00:26:41,570 That is, whether we are in heaven or 615 00:26:41,570 --> 00:26:43,850 earth, to please God. 616 00:26:44,810 --> 00:26:45,330 Why? 617 00:26:45,590 --> 00:26:51,410 Because, because, for means because we must all 618 00:26:51,410 --> 00:26:54,110 appear before the judgment seat of Christ. 619 00:26:55,150 --> 00:26:57,030 Not whether we're going to heaven or hell, 620 00:26:57,650 --> 00:27:01,110 so that we can be rewarded according to 621 00:27:01,110 --> 00:27:03,450 the deeds we did on our, in our 622 00:27:03,450 --> 00:27:05,790 body, whether good or bad. 623 00:27:06,010 --> 00:27:07,790 Good or bad means whether gold, silver, or 624 00:27:07,790 --> 00:27:11,190 precious stones, or wood, hay, and straw, by 625 00:27:11,190 --> 00:27:11,950 God's standards. 626 00:27:13,930 --> 00:27:19,510 And therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, 627 00:27:20,650 --> 00:27:21,830 we persuade men. 628 00:27:22,130 --> 00:27:24,830 We tell others, hey fellas, don't forget that 629 00:27:24,830 --> 00:27:26,090 you're going to stand at the judgment seat 630 00:27:26,090 --> 00:27:26,430 of Christ. 631 00:27:28,340 --> 00:27:32,200 Make sure you're ready to be evaluated by 632 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:32,900 God's standards. 633 00:27:34,580 --> 00:27:37,400 And so Paul says, verse 9, this verse 634 00:27:37,400 --> 00:27:38,200 has really gripped me. 635 00:27:38,720 --> 00:27:39,820 I want you to think for a moment, 636 00:27:39,920 --> 00:27:41,220 I feel that many of us read the 637 00:27:41,220 --> 00:27:43,340 scriptures too superficially, too fast. 638 00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:45,920 I want to encourage you to develop the 639 00:27:45,920 --> 00:27:48,700 habit of sometimes stopping on a verse for 640 00:27:48,700 --> 00:27:49,220 a whole day. 641 00:27:49,460 --> 00:27:50,580 It's happened to me many times. 642 00:27:51,120 --> 00:27:52,500 I read the Bible and I get to 643 00:27:52,500 --> 00:27:54,000 a verse and it's like a stoplight there 644 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:54,680 saying, stop. 645 00:27:55,460 --> 00:27:56,160 Don't go further. 646 00:27:57,700 --> 00:27:58,300 I stop. 647 00:27:58,560 --> 00:27:59,920 It's like obey the traffic lights on the 648 00:27:59,920 --> 00:28:00,520 road, I stop. 649 00:28:01,400 --> 00:28:02,780 God's got something to say to me. 650 00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:05,680 And sometimes the next morning when I get 651 00:28:05,680 --> 00:28:06,840 up, the stoplight is still red. 652 00:28:07,600 --> 00:28:08,840 I can't move on from that verse. 653 00:28:08,980 --> 00:28:10,180 God's got something more to say to me 654 00:28:10,180 --> 00:28:10,940 from the same verse. 655 00:28:11,200 --> 00:28:12,220 Have you ever had that experience? 656 00:28:14,660 --> 00:28:17,700 Or you're trying to, you know, somehow complete 657 00:28:17,700 --> 00:28:18,440 the Bible in one year. 658 00:28:20,890 --> 00:28:22,990 You know, I'll tell you honestly, once upon 659 00:28:22,990 --> 00:28:24,570 a time I had that goal, but I 660 00:28:24,570 --> 00:28:25,730 don't want to get into the Guinness Book 661 00:28:25,730 --> 00:28:27,930 of Records of how many times I went 662 00:28:27,930 --> 00:28:28,490 through the Bible. 663 00:28:29,550 --> 00:28:31,990 I want the Bible to go through me 664 00:28:31,990 --> 00:28:34,570 once in my life. 665 00:28:35,330 --> 00:28:36,470 Every verse in scripture. 666 00:28:37,150 --> 00:28:38,130 I prayed this prayer. 667 00:28:38,370 --> 00:28:41,190 I said, Lord, every commandment I'm supposed to 668 00:28:41,190 --> 00:28:43,950 obey as a New Testament Christian, I want 669 00:28:43,950 --> 00:28:45,250 to obey before I leave this earth. 670 00:28:48,690 --> 00:28:49,610 And so what does God do? 671 00:28:49,670 --> 00:28:50,610 He gives me a few enemies. 672 00:28:51,630 --> 00:28:53,090 But how can I love my enemies if 673 00:28:53,090 --> 00:28:53,810 I don't have enemies? 674 00:28:54,730 --> 00:28:55,530 Thank God for enemies. 675 00:28:56,090 --> 00:28:57,330 Otherwise I wouldn't be able to obey that 676 00:28:57,330 --> 00:28:57,830 one verse. 677 00:28:59,490 --> 00:29:01,350 He gives me people who persecute me because 678 00:29:01,350 --> 00:29:02,450 it says you got to pray for those 679 00:29:02,450 --> 00:29:03,090 who persecute you. 680 00:29:03,210 --> 00:29:04,510 He gives me people who curse me, thank 681 00:29:04,510 --> 00:29:06,290 God, because it says you've got to bless 682 00:29:06,290 --> 00:29:06,990 those who curse them. 683 00:29:08,090 --> 00:29:08,770 I'm serious. 684 00:29:10,010 --> 00:29:12,150 I thank God for all these things which 685 00:29:12,530 --> 00:29:15,710 the Lord has arranged so that I, he's 686 00:29:15,710 --> 00:29:16,850 trying to answer my prayer. 687 00:29:18,470 --> 00:29:20,070 He makes me lose money sometimes. 688 00:29:20,490 --> 00:29:21,530 And I asked him, my Lord, why did 689 00:29:21,530 --> 00:29:22,110 you do that? 690 00:29:22,750 --> 00:29:23,950 Didn't you pray that you want to be 691 00:29:23,950 --> 00:29:24,930 free from the love of money? 692 00:29:25,410 --> 00:29:26,370 Okay, Lord, fine. 693 00:29:26,510 --> 00:29:28,170 If that's the reason, it's okay. 694 00:29:32,510 --> 00:29:35,570 And I said, the other thing is, I 695 00:29:35,570 --> 00:29:41,990 want to claim every promise that there is 696 00:29:41,990 --> 00:29:44,090 in scripture which I'm supposed to claim as 697 00:29:44,090 --> 00:29:45,030 a New Testament Christian. 698 00:29:47,280 --> 00:29:51,400 I remember there were some who hated me 699 00:29:51,400 --> 00:29:55,690 a lot, who created some problems for me, 700 00:29:58,600 --> 00:29:59,520 so-called Christians. 701 00:30:01,550 --> 00:30:06,160 But finally, after a number of years, I 702 00:30:06,160 --> 00:30:07,320 just loved them and did nothing. 703 00:30:10,150 --> 00:30:13,490 They came and sought peace and cleared the 704 00:30:13,490 --> 00:30:14,370 whole thing. 705 00:30:15,370 --> 00:30:16,170 I said, praise the Lord. 706 00:30:17,190 --> 00:30:19,010 Fulfillment of Proverbs 16, 7. 707 00:30:20,270 --> 00:30:21,970 When a man's ways please the Lord, he 708 00:30:21,970 --> 00:30:24,390 makes him and his enemies to be at 709 00:30:24,390 --> 00:30:25,950 peace with him. 710 00:30:28,080 --> 00:30:31,900 I want to give you a project, lifetime 711 00:30:31,900 --> 00:30:32,540 project. 712 00:30:34,510 --> 00:30:36,830 Ask God what I ask God. 713 00:30:37,610 --> 00:30:40,230 Lord, before I leave this earth, I want 714 00:30:40,230 --> 00:30:43,650 to obey every commandment I'm supposed to obey 715 00:30:43,650 --> 00:30:44,750 as a New Covenant Christian. 716 00:30:45,950 --> 00:30:49,950 I want to claim every promise there is 717 00:30:49,950 --> 00:30:53,290 in the Bible which I'm supposed to claim 718 00:30:53,290 --> 00:30:55,050 as a New Covenant Christian. 719 00:30:55,490 --> 00:30:57,330 I don't want these empty promises other people 720 00:30:57,330 --> 00:30:58,510 are trying to claim which are not in 721 00:30:58,510 --> 00:30:58,810 scripture. 722 00:31:02,730 --> 00:31:05,170 And I said, Lord, this verse really gripped 723 00:31:05,170 --> 00:31:05,330 me. 724 00:31:05,390 --> 00:31:07,050 Verse 9, 2 Corinthians 5, 9. 725 00:31:08,410 --> 00:31:11,850 If you read the context, you will read 726 00:31:11,850 --> 00:31:15,230 there that at home means heaven and absent 727 00:31:15,230 --> 00:31:16,910 means absent from heaven. 728 00:31:17,090 --> 00:31:18,310 Earlier verses indicate that. 729 00:31:18,730 --> 00:31:21,050 So what he's saying is, whether I'm in 730 00:31:21,050 --> 00:31:25,150 heaven or on earth, I have only one 731 00:31:25,150 --> 00:31:25,530 ambition. 732 00:31:26,390 --> 00:31:28,650 Verse 9, to be pleasing to God. 733 00:31:28,750 --> 00:31:29,750 And I meditated on that. 734 00:31:29,930 --> 00:31:32,910 I stood at that stoplight and I said, 735 00:31:32,990 --> 00:31:34,570 Lord, what does that mean for me? 736 00:31:36,540 --> 00:31:39,380 And the Lord said, think what will be 737 00:31:39,380 --> 00:31:42,000 your ambition when you go to heaven? 738 00:31:44,460 --> 00:31:48,800 Will it be to become famous or make 739 00:31:48,800 --> 00:31:51,560 more money or to be known as a 740 00:31:51,560 --> 00:31:53,300 great preacher in heaven? 741 00:31:54,040 --> 00:31:54,820 I said, ridiculous. 742 00:31:55,500 --> 00:31:57,100 I wouldn't have any such ambition in heaven. 743 00:31:58,950 --> 00:32:00,510 I said, Lord, I only have one ambition 744 00:32:00,510 --> 00:32:02,670 in heaven, to please you. 745 00:32:04,230 --> 00:32:06,330 If you're a wholehearted disciple, that'll be your 746 00:32:06,330 --> 00:32:07,730 ambition on earth as well. 747 00:32:08,510 --> 00:32:09,590 That's what Paul says. 748 00:32:10,770 --> 00:32:13,130 That means when I move into heaven, there's 749 00:32:13,130 --> 00:32:14,750 not going to be any change of ambition. 750 00:32:15,630 --> 00:32:16,530 There's going to be a change in my 751 00:32:16,530 --> 00:32:17,230 body, sure. 752 00:32:18,470 --> 00:32:19,690 There's going to be a change in my 753 00:32:19,690 --> 00:32:20,030 mind. 754 00:32:20,110 --> 00:32:22,230 I shall understand things I never understood before. 755 00:32:23,030 --> 00:32:24,710 My body will never be sick again. 756 00:32:24,830 --> 00:32:25,950 I'll have a resurrected body. 757 00:32:26,110 --> 00:32:27,410 I won't be wearing glasses there. 758 00:32:28,650 --> 00:32:31,130 But no change in ambition. 759 00:32:32,410 --> 00:32:32,850 Great. 760 00:32:35,010 --> 00:32:36,190 I want to ask all of you a 761 00:32:36,190 --> 00:32:36,870 straight question. 762 00:32:38,630 --> 00:32:39,730 Don't give it the answer to me. 763 00:32:39,790 --> 00:32:41,890 Give the answer to yourself before God. 764 00:32:43,430 --> 00:32:48,830 Will your present ambition change if you go 765 00:32:48,830 --> 00:32:49,410 to heaven today? 766 00:32:54,510 --> 00:32:56,190 Then you know for yourself whether you're a 767 00:32:56,190 --> 00:32:57,230 wholehearted Christian or not. 768 00:32:59,210 --> 00:33:00,810 I took that decision years ago. 769 00:33:01,350 --> 00:33:05,810 I said, Lord, I don't want any change 770 00:33:05,810 --> 00:33:06,970 of ambition when I go to heaven. 771 00:33:07,090 --> 00:33:09,270 I want to align my earthly... 772 00:33:09,270 --> 00:33:10,870 I've had many ambitions in the past, but 773 00:33:10,870 --> 00:33:13,050 I want to align my earthly ambition to 774 00:33:13,050 --> 00:33:15,490 be exactly the same so that I don't 775 00:33:15,490 --> 00:33:16,630 have to alter track when I go to 776 00:33:16,630 --> 00:33:16,750 heaven. 777 00:33:16,910 --> 00:33:17,970 Hey, I've got to please God now. 778 00:33:18,090 --> 00:33:18,650 No, no, no, no. 779 00:33:19,190 --> 00:33:22,130 It's the same old ambition I had on 780 00:33:22,130 --> 00:33:24,770 earth for a number of years to please 781 00:33:24,770 --> 00:33:25,270 God. 782 00:33:26,310 --> 00:33:28,350 Not to impress people, not to impress the 783 00:33:28,350 --> 00:33:31,430 angels or impress anybody in heaven, but my 784 00:33:31,430 --> 00:33:31,850 Savior. 785 00:33:32,470 --> 00:33:34,370 And it's exactly the same on earth. 786 00:33:36,660 --> 00:33:37,900 And the only way to do that is 787 00:33:37,900 --> 00:33:39,460 if I judge myself all the time. 788 00:33:40,860 --> 00:33:42,040 I do that every day. 789 00:33:42,880 --> 00:33:46,240 I never preach a sermon without going home 790 00:33:46,240 --> 00:33:47,200 and judging myself. 791 00:33:48,360 --> 00:33:50,200 Lord, was there something I said? 792 00:33:50,300 --> 00:33:51,960 I sat here between the two sessions. 793 00:33:52,760 --> 00:33:54,120 At the end of the last session, I 794 00:33:54,120 --> 00:33:54,980 said, Lord, show me. 795 00:33:55,120 --> 00:33:56,420 Is there something I said in the last 796 00:33:56,420 --> 00:33:58,740 session which was really not of use? 797 00:34:00,160 --> 00:34:01,320 I want to cleanse myself. 798 00:34:03,740 --> 00:34:05,640 If you live in that, if you think 799 00:34:05,640 --> 00:34:07,400 it's a burdensome life, far from it. 800 00:34:08,900 --> 00:34:10,639 Is it a burdensome thing to have a 801 00:34:10,639 --> 00:34:12,040 shower and get rid of all the dirt 802 00:34:12,040 --> 00:34:12,659 from your body? 803 00:34:13,960 --> 00:34:15,500 Don't you feel fresh when you come out 804 00:34:15,500 --> 00:34:15,900 of a shower? 805 00:34:16,480 --> 00:34:17,460 That's exactly how you feel. 806 00:34:17,560 --> 00:34:19,500 Judging yourself is like having a spiritual shower. 807 00:34:20,620 --> 00:34:21,480 Lord, cleanse me. 808 00:34:21,600 --> 00:34:23,460 Show me the things that some dirt's taking 809 00:34:23,460 --> 00:34:24,060 here and there. 810 00:34:26,860 --> 00:34:28,340 As long as we live on this earth, 811 00:34:28,760 --> 00:34:30,440 we're going to perspire and be dirty. 812 00:34:31,600 --> 00:34:32,980 But thank God for a shower. 813 00:34:34,480 --> 00:34:36,139 If you have the habit of taking a 814 00:34:36,139 --> 00:34:37,980 daily shower, have the habit of cleansing yourself 815 00:34:37,980 --> 00:34:38,500 every day. 816 00:34:39,080 --> 00:34:40,540 I've developed that habit long ago. 817 00:34:42,580 --> 00:34:44,580 Make sure that you're, you know, we all 818 00:34:44,580 --> 00:34:46,400 start off with many, many ambitions when we 819 00:34:46,400 --> 00:34:46,940 are born again. 820 00:34:47,020 --> 00:34:48,400 I don't think every born again person has 821 00:34:48,400 --> 00:34:49,739 the ambition only to please God. 822 00:34:52,710 --> 00:34:55,190 What is your ambition in life? 823 00:34:57,400 --> 00:35:00,060 On what basis did you make the decisions 824 00:35:00,060 --> 00:35:01,320 that you made in life? 825 00:35:02,520 --> 00:35:04,480 After you're born again, forget the early years. 826 00:35:05,280 --> 00:35:10,420 After you're born again, what, on what basis? 827 00:35:10,600 --> 00:35:12,480 There are many decisions you made in life 828 00:35:12,480 --> 00:35:13,720 after you were born again. 829 00:35:14,320 --> 00:35:16,420 Whom to marry, what to do, where to 830 00:35:16,420 --> 00:35:16,700 live. 831 00:35:17,920 --> 00:35:20,980 What was the motive behind those decisions? 832 00:35:21,640 --> 00:35:24,140 Was it, I want to please God. 833 00:35:24,980 --> 00:35:26,200 If I want to please God, I must 834 00:35:26,200 --> 00:35:27,440 find out his plan for my life. 835 00:35:30,040 --> 00:35:31,880 Don't think that the most difficult task on 836 00:35:31,880 --> 00:35:33,240 earth is always God's will for you. 837 00:35:34,800 --> 00:35:36,300 Or maybe God wants me to go to 838 00:35:36,300 --> 00:35:37,540 Afghanistan and I'm living here. 839 00:35:38,440 --> 00:35:41,120 That's a crazy thing. 840 00:35:41,280 --> 00:35:43,060 A lot of people think that if I 841 00:35:43,060 --> 00:35:44,960 seek God's plan, he will always give me 842 00:35:44,960 --> 00:35:48,080 the most miserable possible thing I can think 843 00:35:48,080 --> 00:35:48,320 of. 844 00:35:49,640 --> 00:35:51,260 Young people fear like that. 845 00:35:51,340 --> 00:35:52,960 If I say, God, I'll marry anybody you 846 00:35:52,960 --> 00:35:54,780 choose for me, God will pick out the 847 00:35:54,780 --> 00:35:56,940 ugliest woman in the world and say, marry 848 00:35:56,940 --> 00:35:57,160 her. 849 00:35:59,270 --> 00:36:02,370 Or if I'm asking God for a job, 850 00:36:02,450 --> 00:36:05,190 he'll pick up the most low-paying job 851 00:36:05,190 --> 00:36:06,170 in the world and say, take that. 852 00:36:07,290 --> 00:36:08,690 Or if I ask him where I should 853 00:36:08,690 --> 00:36:12,030 live, he'll tell me some, the most inconvenient 854 00:36:12,030 --> 00:36:13,170 place on the face of the earth and 855 00:36:13,170 --> 00:36:13,710 go and live there. 856 00:36:14,790 --> 00:36:16,090 Who gives you these ideas? 857 00:36:16,790 --> 00:36:17,310 The devil. 858 00:36:18,670 --> 00:36:21,050 To make you feel that God's not a 859 00:36:21,050 --> 00:36:21,570 good father. 860 00:36:22,170 --> 00:36:23,090 He's not a good father. 861 00:36:23,870 --> 00:36:25,210 He's one who's out to mess up your 862 00:36:25,210 --> 00:36:25,550 life. 863 00:36:26,230 --> 00:36:27,950 I remember one young person telling me this. 864 00:36:29,570 --> 00:36:30,590 I said, why don't you give your life 865 00:36:30,590 --> 00:36:31,430 completely to Christ? 866 00:36:33,570 --> 00:36:34,810 He said, I want to enjoy life a 867 00:36:34,810 --> 00:36:34,930 little. 868 00:36:36,590 --> 00:36:38,110 In other words, if I give my life 869 00:36:38,110 --> 00:36:39,110 to Christ now, I won't be able to 870 00:36:39,110 --> 00:36:39,530 enjoy it. 871 00:36:39,650 --> 00:36:41,030 I'll mess up my life and I can't 872 00:36:41,030 --> 00:36:42,050 do this and I can't do that and 873 00:36:42,050 --> 00:36:42,890 can't do the other thing. 874 00:36:43,550 --> 00:36:44,670 I said, it's the other way around. 875 00:36:46,880 --> 00:36:48,220 To do your own will is like eating 876 00:36:48,220 --> 00:36:49,700 the pig's food, the prodigal son. 877 00:36:50,380 --> 00:36:52,380 To do God's will is like sitting at 878 00:36:52,380 --> 00:36:53,620 the banquet table with God. 879 00:36:53,840 --> 00:36:54,420 Do you believe that? 880 00:36:55,440 --> 00:36:57,740 Hasn't the devil reversed it and said, doing 881 00:36:57,740 --> 00:36:58,940 your own will is like sitting at the 882 00:36:58,940 --> 00:37:00,900 banquet table and doing God's will. 883 00:37:00,940 --> 00:37:02,380 That's like in the far country with the 884 00:37:02,380 --> 00:37:02,620 pigs. 885 00:37:03,700 --> 00:37:05,780 The devil's a master at reversing the truth. 886 00:37:08,240 --> 00:37:10,940 Dear brothers and sisters, I encourage you. 887 00:37:11,840 --> 00:37:14,600 An overcoming life is God's will for every 888 00:37:14,600 --> 00:37:15,860 single one of us sitting here. 889 00:37:16,820 --> 00:37:19,560 It's not something for the spiritual elite. 890 00:37:20,440 --> 00:37:22,060 You know, those who are upper class Christians. 891 00:37:22,180 --> 00:37:23,660 There's no such thing as upper class Christians. 892 00:37:23,760 --> 00:37:25,000 There's only one class of Christians. 893 00:37:25,600 --> 00:37:28,200 Those are disciples of Jesus and God wants 894 00:37:28,200 --> 00:37:29,600 every one of us to live an overcoming 895 00:37:29,600 --> 00:37:32,940 life and that is the best possible life 896 00:37:32,940 --> 00:37:34,200 you can ever live on this earth. 897 00:37:35,640 --> 00:37:37,740 I wish I could convince people about this. 898 00:37:38,740 --> 00:37:40,680 I feel my words are so inadequate. 899 00:37:41,740 --> 00:37:43,740 So often when I finish preaching, I say, 900 00:37:43,840 --> 00:37:47,540 Lord, I tried my best, but your Holy 901 00:37:47,540 --> 00:37:48,740 Spirit's got to convince them. 902 00:37:49,360 --> 00:37:50,340 I can't do it. 903 00:37:50,560 --> 00:37:55,580 Flesh and blood cannot reveal to anyone that 904 00:37:55,580 --> 00:37:59,640 following God's plan every day is the best 905 00:37:59,640 --> 00:38:00,820 possible life you can have. 906 00:38:03,120 --> 00:38:06,200 Obeying him in all things, walking in humility, 907 00:38:07,120 --> 00:38:09,320 when it says put away all anger, it 908 00:38:09,320 --> 00:38:10,340 means put away all anger. 909 00:38:11,440 --> 00:38:13,620 When it says put away all hatred, it 910 00:38:13,620 --> 00:38:14,680 means put away all hatred. 911 00:38:14,680 --> 00:38:18,240 If I say, please put away all the 912 00:38:18,240 --> 00:38:20,640 pews from this building, how many pews will 913 00:38:20,640 --> 00:38:21,020 be left? 914 00:38:21,800 --> 00:38:22,480 Not even one. 915 00:38:23,720 --> 00:38:26,240 You take verses like that, Ephesians 4.31, 916 00:38:26,720 --> 00:38:30,140 put away all anger, put away all knots. 917 00:38:30,680 --> 00:38:31,660 You take it like that or do you 918 00:38:31,660 --> 00:38:33,760 think a few remnants lying around are okay? 919 00:38:34,600 --> 00:38:35,780 It's all a question of how seriously you 920 00:38:35,780 --> 00:38:36,460 take God's word. 921 00:38:37,520 --> 00:38:39,120 There is a life we are missing. 922 00:38:39,920 --> 00:38:44,720 You don't realize what a wonderful, glorious life 923 00:38:44,720 --> 00:38:45,780 the overcoming life is. 924 00:38:45,880 --> 00:38:49,200 I hope you'll get a little glimpse of 925 00:38:49,200 --> 00:38:49,840 it and want it. 926 00:38:53,600 --> 00:38:56,940 Like many things that people want to sell 927 00:38:56,940 --> 00:38:58,660 us something, give us a taste of something, 928 00:38:58,740 --> 00:38:59,500 that you want it. 929 00:39:00,300 --> 00:39:03,200 I hope that you'll want this overcoming life. 930 00:39:03,400 --> 00:39:05,260 God wants you to have it, brother, sister. 931 00:39:05,400 --> 00:39:08,600 Jesus died that we might all be overcomers. 932 00:39:08,600 --> 00:39:10,260 Let me show you this verse in Revelation 933 00:39:10,260 --> 00:39:11,700 21. 934 00:39:12,620 --> 00:39:17,200 Revelation 21, it says, verse 7, this is 935 00:39:17,200 --> 00:39:17,960 talking about heaven. 936 00:39:19,720 --> 00:39:21,680 Revelation 21, it's speaking about the new heaven 937 00:39:21,680 --> 00:39:23,280 and the new earth in verse 21, verse 938 00:39:23,280 --> 00:39:23,580 1. 939 00:39:24,740 --> 00:39:25,820 And who are the ones who are going 940 00:39:25,820 --> 00:39:27,220 to inherit this new heaven and the new 941 00:39:27,220 --> 00:39:27,420 earth? 942 00:39:29,520 --> 00:39:30,780 I saw a new heaven and a new 943 00:39:30,780 --> 00:39:32,600 earth, verse 1, because the first heaven and 944 00:39:32,600 --> 00:39:33,640 first earth have passed away. 945 00:39:34,740 --> 00:39:38,700 And God says in verse 7, he who 946 00:39:38,700 --> 00:39:41,600 overcomes shall inherit these things. 947 00:39:42,660 --> 00:39:45,900 I will be his God and he will 948 00:39:45,900 --> 00:39:47,400 be my son. 949 00:39:48,540 --> 00:39:49,720 I want to be in that number. 950 00:39:50,700 --> 00:39:51,980 I hope you also want to be in 951 00:39:51,980 --> 00:39:55,120 that number, inheriting all things that God has 952 00:39:55,120 --> 00:39:57,740 prepared for us, that Jesus died to purchase 953 00:39:57,740 --> 00:39:58,760 on the cross for us. 954 00:39:59,380 --> 00:40:02,420 In that day, we shall see that all 955 00:40:02,420 --> 00:40:04,900 the things of earth, which we valued so 956 00:40:04,900 --> 00:40:12,790 much, were temporary, were used by God, not 957 00:40:12,790 --> 00:40:15,970 for us to keep permanently, but to test 958 00:40:15,970 --> 00:40:21,840 us, to see what we're going to do 959 00:40:21,840 --> 00:40:22,100 with it. 960 00:40:22,160 --> 00:40:24,100 Let's turn to 1 Timothy chapter 6. 961 00:40:27,320 --> 00:40:29,360 I want to show you one word, which 962 00:40:29,360 --> 00:40:30,780 you may have missed out in this verse. 963 00:40:30,880 --> 00:40:34,480 We're all familiar with this verse, but there's 964 00:40:34,480 --> 00:40:37,340 one word that you may have missed out. 965 00:40:38,200 --> 00:40:42,600 1 Timothy chapter 6, and that verse makes 966 00:40:42,600 --> 00:40:43,300 a lot of difference. 967 00:40:43,500 --> 00:40:44,080 One word. 968 00:40:44,800 --> 00:40:46,300 1 Timothy 6, verse 7. 969 00:40:48,940 --> 00:40:49,740 Let's read it slowly. 970 00:40:53,300 --> 00:40:57,180 For we have brought nothing into the world, 971 00:40:58,060 --> 00:41:01,380 so we cannot take anything out of it 972 00:41:01,380 --> 00:41:01,820 either. 973 00:41:05,180 --> 00:41:06,620 What is the important word? 974 00:41:07,480 --> 00:41:07,660 So. 975 00:41:09,910 --> 00:41:15,310 So, why can't you take anything when you 976 00:41:15,310 --> 00:41:16,030 leave this earth? 977 00:41:19,100 --> 00:41:20,900 Because when you were born, you brought nothing 978 00:41:20,900 --> 00:41:21,200 in. 979 00:41:25,200 --> 00:41:29,580 It's like I've seen sometimes, you know, mothers 980 00:41:29,580 --> 00:41:31,620 come with their little children to visit a 981 00:41:31,620 --> 00:41:36,600 home, and the people in that home are 982 00:41:36,600 --> 00:41:39,480 very kind to let that little boy play 983 00:41:39,480 --> 00:41:42,020 with the toy cars and all types of 984 00:41:42,020 --> 00:41:42,420 things. 985 00:41:43,920 --> 00:41:45,920 And like little boys who like these toys, 986 00:41:46,080 --> 00:41:47,500 may put one or two toy cars into 987 00:41:47,500 --> 00:41:50,420 their pockets when they are leaving the house. 988 00:41:51,240 --> 00:41:53,420 So, mommy has to check the pockets before 989 00:41:53,420 --> 00:42:00,490 leaving the house, and says, son, you shouldn't 990 00:42:00,490 --> 00:42:01,410 take these out. 991 00:42:02,390 --> 00:42:03,870 But mommy, they allowed me to play with 992 00:42:03,870 --> 00:42:03,990 it. 993 00:42:04,050 --> 00:42:05,690 Yes, but that's only when you're here. 994 00:42:06,810 --> 00:42:08,450 They were kind enough to let you play 995 00:42:08,450 --> 00:42:08,830 with it. 996 00:42:08,890 --> 00:42:10,770 We empty our pockets when we leave the 997 00:42:10,770 --> 00:42:10,970 house. 998 00:42:11,130 --> 00:42:11,270 Why? 999 00:42:12,270 --> 00:42:13,810 Because you came to this house with empty 1000 00:42:13,810 --> 00:42:14,210 pockets. 1001 00:42:15,970 --> 00:42:18,550 So, we must go with empty pockets. 1002 00:42:19,190 --> 00:42:20,330 Now, apply it to this verse. 1003 00:42:21,590 --> 00:42:22,610 You came with nothing. 1004 00:42:24,230 --> 00:42:25,550 You have to go with nothing. 1005 00:42:26,690 --> 00:42:28,370 So, what about all this I worked so 1006 00:42:28,370 --> 00:42:31,270 hard to achieve and earn? 1007 00:42:32,710 --> 00:42:35,490 You didn't realize they were just toys God 1008 00:42:35,490 --> 00:42:38,390 gave you to play with on this earth. 1009 00:42:38,670 --> 00:42:41,130 And more than toys, God was using them 1010 00:42:41,130 --> 00:42:45,190 to see how you would use them. 1011 00:42:46,880 --> 00:42:47,380 Did he help? 1012 00:42:48,180 --> 00:42:49,520 He just tested you to see what you 1013 00:42:49,520 --> 00:42:50,220 do with that help. 1014 00:42:53,460 --> 00:42:57,260 I remember once, I was invited to pray 1015 00:42:57,260 --> 00:43:00,900 for some nominal Christian. 1016 00:43:01,040 --> 00:43:01,680 He wasn't born again. 1017 00:43:03,430 --> 00:43:05,110 So, I wanted to help him to understand 1018 00:43:07,010 --> 00:43:08,290 the meaning of praying. 1019 00:43:09,630 --> 00:43:10,510 It's not just an empty. 1020 00:43:14,460 --> 00:43:16,640 So, I said to him, I said, so 1021 00:43:16,640 --> 00:43:20,900 brother, I mean, I call him brother just 1022 00:43:20,900 --> 00:43:21,500 to encourage him. 1023 00:43:22,560 --> 00:43:24,160 He's a brother as a human being, not 1024 00:43:24,160 --> 00:43:24,820 as a Christian. 1025 00:43:26,460 --> 00:43:27,540 What shall I pray for? 1026 00:43:28,440 --> 00:43:29,980 You're sick, you're lying in bed. 1027 00:43:31,140 --> 00:43:34,600 So, I pray, Lord, give him strength so 1028 00:43:34,600 --> 00:43:37,700 that he can watch internet pornography. 1029 00:43:37,820 --> 00:43:39,140 Now, he's not able to do that because 1030 00:43:39,140 --> 00:43:39,900 he's lying in bed. 1031 00:43:40,660 --> 00:43:42,260 He's not strong enough to yell at his 1032 00:43:42,260 --> 00:43:44,440 wife, Lord, please give him strength and heal 1033 00:43:44,440 --> 00:43:45,900 him so he can get up and start 1034 00:43:45,900 --> 00:43:49,200 yelling at his wife again or go and 1035 00:43:49,200 --> 00:43:50,940 stand in line for the cinema tickets. 1036 00:43:51,020 --> 00:43:51,780 He's not able to stand. 1037 00:43:51,860 --> 00:43:52,760 Do that now, Lord. 1038 00:43:56,550 --> 00:43:58,070 What do you want God to heal you 1039 00:43:58,070 --> 00:43:58,370 for? 1040 00:44:00,770 --> 00:44:01,830 I say that to Christians. 1041 00:44:02,030 --> 00:44:02,750 Do you pray for healing? 1042 00:44:04,820 --> 00:44:07,360 I've had different problems at different times. 1043 00:44:07,360 --> 00:44:09,140 I'm 71 years old now and you can 1044 00:44:09,140 --> 00:44:13,040 expect that the machine doesn't work perfectly always. 1045 00:44:13,600 --> 00:44:16,340 So, we pray for God to repair it. 1046 00:44:17,780 --> 00:44:20,100 But the question is why do you want 1047 00:44:20,100 --> 00:44:20,920 God to repair it? 1048 00:44:22,730 --> 00:44:24,090 Why do you want God to repair this 1049 00:44:24,090 --> 00:44:24,390 body? 1050 00:44:26,870 --> 00:44:31,790 I can honestly say every time, Lord, only 1051 00:44:31,790 --> 00:44:34,650 to do your will better on earth. 1052 00:44:35,930 --> 00:44:37,070 No other desire. 1053 00:44:39,300 --> 00:44:40,620 I've said that for many years now. 1054 00:44:43,400 --> 00:44:45,040 So, you will discover in that day that 1055 00:44:45,580 --> 00:44:48,400 all the offerings, God gave you health. 1056 00:44:48,540 --> 00:44:49,460 You can ask, what do you do with 1057 00:44:49,460 --> 00:44:49,600 it? 1058 00:44:50,380 --> 00:44:51,300 He gave you a house. 1059 00:44:54,400 --> 00:44:55,520 What do you do with that house? 1060 00:44:55,620 --> 00:44:58,220 I remember the first time years ago when 1061 00:44:58,220 --> 00:45:01,020 I owned a house of my own and 1062 00:45:01,020 --> 00:45:01,660 I was scared. 1063 00:45:03,580 --> 00:45:05,680 I was scared because I said, Lord, I 1064 00:45:05,680 --> 00:45:07,140 never expected in my life that I would 1065 00:45:07,140 --> 00:45:08,940 own my house, own a house of my 1066 00:45:08,940 --> 00:45:09,100 own. 1067 00:45:09,160 --> 00:45:11,800 It wasn't worth very much but the old 1068 00:45:11,800 --> 00:45:15,860 house we lived in, but it was a 1069 00:45:15,860 --> 00:45:18,160 place and I was so scared. 1070 00:45:18,280 --> 00:45:19,420 I said, Lord, please take it away. 1071 00:45:19,580 --> 00:45:20,680 It's going to be an idol in my 1072 00:45:20,680 --> 00:45:20,960 life. 1073 00:45:21,720 --> 00:45:23,580 I want nothing on earth but Jesus. 1074 00:45:24,860 --> 00:45:27,400 This is way back, nearly 40 years ago. 1075 00:45:28,320 --> 00:45:29,560 I said, I only want Jesus and if 1076 00:45:29,560 --> 00:45:30,980 you think this thing is going to come 1077 00:45:30,980 --> 00:45:32,400 between me and Jesus, burn it up. 1078 00:45:33,160 --> 00:45:34,720 Let there be some electrical short circuit or 1079 00:45:34,720 --> 00:45:35,780 something and it gets burned up. 1080 00:45:37,440 --> 00:45:38,820 I don't even have insurance on the house 1081 00:45:38,820 --> 00:45:40,080 so I'd really be reduced to zero. 1082 00:45:40,800 --> 00:45:41,160 Great. 1083 00:45:42,800 --> 00:45:44,340 But I don't want anything come between me 1084 00:45:44,340 --> 00:45:44,720 and Jesus. 1085 00:45:45,060 --> 00:45:46,420 For six months, I really thought he would 1086 00:45:46,420 --> 00:45:48,320 burn it up but he didn't. 1087 00:45:48,500 --> 00:45:49,620 I placed my Isaac on the altar. 1088 00:45:49,740 --> 00:45:50,640 He said, you can have it back. 1089 00:45:51,480 --> 00:45:52,760 But now I said, God, you've got to 1090 00:45:52,760 --> 00:45:53,220 give me a house. 1091 00:45:53,280 --> 00:45:54,040 What am I going to do with it? 1092 00:45:54,560 --> 00:45:55,440 Use it for my glory. 1093 00:45:56,480 --> 00:45:59,020 And that's where, three years later, the church 1094 00:45:59,020 --> 00:45:59,480 was born. 1095 00:46:01,360 --> 00:46:02,100 People were saved. 1096 00:46:02,340 --> 00:46:03,300 Demons were cast out. 1097 00:46:03,660 --> 00:46:04,380 People were healed. 1098 00:46:05,680 --> 00:46:09,080 That became the door of heaven and the 1099 00:46:09,080 --> 00:46:10,500 gateway into God's kingdom for many. 1100 00:46:12,220 --> 00:46:12,840 God loves you. 1101 00:46:12,940 --> 00:46:13,480 I gave you a house. 1102 00:46:13,560 --> 00:46:14,240 What did you do with it? 1103 00:46:15,800 --> 00:46:17,940 It was something God was testing you with. 1104 00:46:18,080 --> 00:46:20,440 I gave you an increase in your salary. 1105 00:46:20,560 --> 00:46:21,380 What do you do with that? 1106 00:46:25,210 --> 00:46:25,990 So many things. 1107 00:46:26,090 --> 00:46:26,790 I gave you children. 1108 00:46:26,950 --> 00:46:27,650 What do you do with them? 1109 00:46:30,860 --> 00:46:35,280 One life and at the end of it, 1110 00:46:35,960 --> 00:46:36,580 it's all gone. 1111 00:46:37,800 --> 00:46:39,220 What did I do with it during this 1112 00:46:39,220 --> 00:46:39,620 one life? 1113 00:46:43,490 --> 00:46:45,150 God took me through trials. 1114 00:46:46,190 --> 00:46:47,170 What do you do with that? 1115 00:46:48,090 --> 00:46:50,310 They were meant to produce glory in me. 1116 00:46:51,430 --> 00:46:53,650 Instead of that, it produced complaining and grumbling. 1117 00:46:54,630 --> 00:46:55,250 I messed up. 1118 00:46:57,510 --> 00:46:59,930 I said, Lord, of the years that are 1119 00:46:59,930 --> 00:47:01,430 left to me, I can't do anything about 1120 00:47:01,430 --> 00:47:01,970 the past. 1121 00:47:04,210 --> 00:47:06,770 Help me to bow and do your will. 1122 00:47:07,690 --> 00:47:08,930 I want to be an overcomer. 1123 00:47:09,770 --> 00:47:11,370 I want to live as Jesus lived on 1124 00:47:11,370 --> 00:47:14,530 the earth, with one ambition, to please the 1125 00:47:14,530 --> 00:47:14,810 Father. 1126 00:47:14,970 --> 00:47:16,670 Don't think gifts are necessary for that. 1127 00:47:17,330 --> 00:47:18,790 You may not have the gift of preaching 1128 00:47:18,790 --> 00:47:19,870 that God's given me. 1129 00:47:20,690 --> 00:47:22,790 I find in India that I many times 1130 00:47:22,790 --> 00:47:24,890 pray, Lord, I wish you'd give a hundred 1131 00:47:24,890 --> 00:47:27,250 people in India this gift of being able 1132 00:47:27,250 --> 00:47:29,130 to preach like you've given me. 1133 00:47:29,890 --> 00:47:32,550 But He hasn't done it. 1134 00:47:33,470 --> 00:47:34,630 I wish there were many more. 1135 00:47:35,350 --> 00:47:36,930 But the Lord showed me that gifts are 1136 00:47:36,930 --> 00:47:37,710 not the main thing. 1137 00:47:39,230 --> 00:47:41,750 Get people to live the way Jesus lived. 1138 00:47:44,000 --> 00:47:46,160 That's the main thing, to live the way 1139 00:47:46,160 --> 00:47:47,400 He lived, even if you don't have any 1140 00:47:47,400 --> 00:47:47,720 gifts. 1141 00:47:48,280 --> 00:47:51,160 Jesus lived for 30 years without any gifts, 1142 00:47:51,380 --> 00:47:54,080 not preaching a sermon, not healing the sick, 1143 00:47:54,180 --> 00:47:55,100 not casting out demons. 1144 00:47:55,720 --> 00:47:57,700 And the Father said, I'm well pleased with 1145 00:47:57,700 --> 00:47:57,840 him. 1146 00:47:58,460 --> 00:48:00,220 Can God be well pleased with a man 1147 00:48:00,220 --> 00:48:03,240 who never preached a sermon, never healed a 1148 00:48:03,240 --> 00:48:04,580 sick person, never cast out a demon? 1149 00:48:05,560 --> 00:48:06,700 Is that the overcoming life? 1150 00:48:06,780 --> 00:48:07,580 Yes, it is. 1151 00:48:08,940 --> 00:48:11,080 33 years Jesus lived on earth, only 10 1152 00:48:11,080 --> 00:48:12,040 % was in ministry. 1153 00:48:12,920 --> 00:48:15,740 33 years He lived an overcoming life. 1154 00:48:15,840 --> 00:48:17,420 So the overcoming life has got to do 1155 00:48:17,420 --> 00:48:19,760 more with our daily life as a mother, 1156 00:48:19,920 --> 00:48:22,720 as a father, as a brother in the 1157 00:48:22,720 --> 00:48:25,620 church and serving, not just in fantastic gifts. 1158 00:48:26,940 --> 00:48:27,940 May God help us. 1159 00:48:28,100 --> 00:48:30,480 I hope we got a little of our 1160 00:48:30,480 --> 00:48:32,180 ground plowed up to receive what the Lord 1161 00:48:32,180 --> 00:48:33,300 has for us in the coming days. 1162 00:48:33,420 --> 00:48:34,320 Let's bow before God. 1163 00:48:37,120 --> 00:48:41,410 Heavenly Father, as we bow before you, we 1164 00:48:41,410 --> 00:48:44,650 pray that you will help us to be 1165 00:48:44,650 --> 00:48:47,930 gripped, even if we don't remember everything we 1166 00:48:47,930 --> 00:48:50,910 heard in our mind, that we be gripped 1167 00:48:50,910 --> 00:48:55,140 in our heart by the challenge to live 1168 00:48:55,140 --> 00:48:57,440 the way the Lord Jesus lived on earth. 1169 00:48:58,060 --> 00:48:58,740 Help us. 1170 00:49:00,300 --> 00:49:02,040 You've been listening to the From the Pulpit 1171 00:49:02,040 --> 00:49:03,180 and Classic Sermons series. 1172 00:49:03,660 --> 00:49:05,780 This week you heard Zach Poonen with his 1173 00:49:05,780 --> 00:49:08,660 message, Only When Life Will Soon Be Passed. 1174 00:49:09,100 --> 00:49:10,620 Tune in next week to hear Grant Jeffrey 1175 00:49:10,620 --> 00:49:13,240 talk about pre-tribulation rapture of the church 1176 00:49:13,240 --> 00:49:15,820 on From the Pulpit and Classic Sermons.