[0:00] I praise the Lord. It's good to be here and join in. You know, worship and prayer together does join our hearts, binds us together, reminds us! We are together. We are one in Christ and he's brought us to that.
[0:19] Yeah. Praise the Lord. I'm thankful for what you shared, Brother Jeff. He reminds me of my listening as well. And day by day we do listen to a lot of things, but I'm going to keep this in front of me this morning. Jesus is all I need. It's all you need.
[0:42] So just a reminder that he is the answer. My thoughts this morning are just going towards knowing Christ, just thinking of Paul's testimony when he was there in Philippians 3, where he said that he counted all things lost, but just those things now he put the thing.
[1:07] He had a lot of lists. He had a long list of things that he could have counted before God. But he said, I'm just counting them lost for the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus. So what does it take to know Christ in this life? I put some notes down here, so I'm going to try to stick to them much as I can. You know, in thinking of knowledge and knowing, you stop and just think of how God knows ahead of things, the foreknowledge of God.
[1:40] And you can go down and just look at that so much. Just, you know, the times in our lives when things happened or something and it just seemed to happen at the right time in the right place.
[1:54] And we knew God was there in that. We knew that it was his blessing because it could have happened some other way and been difficult. And then how do we look at things like this, this flood and disaster this weekend? It's difficult sometimes to understand those things that, you know, and you listen to the news reporters and they say, well, was there enough warning? Well, how do you how do you prepare for something like that? A flood that in just in I don't think they had hours, maybe even an hour to get ready for this flood that just washed down through there and they were water like that. So, you know, God is still one who knows all things. And I was just you read through the prophets and I see that again and again in those over well over 200 prophecies of Christ and his coming and there's prophets through the Old Testament would would speak about that. They they saw what was coming in so many different ways. And Job could stay that I, you know, I mentioned, well, he I look for him.
[3:02] I look for him all over, but he knows Job could stand and say he knows the way that I take. He he could say that with confidence, though he was going through a lot of turmoil. He knows the way that I take. So the knowledge or foreknowledge of God, how he sees the path that I am walking and the journey. And then Psalm one night, Psalm 139 goes to, you know, the Lord knows my down sitting, my uprising, my going forth and sitting in my house. He knows these things. If I ascend into, you know, I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the other most parts of the sea.
[3:39] He knows he's there. He knows all of that. And, you know, Proverbs 2 says that he even lays up. He stores ahead for the upright. And we know what that means. Mothers for your children, you're storing up for food, getting ready. You know what it's going to take to keep food in the on the table. He lays up and stores.
[4:07] Another translation puts it this way. He holds victory in store for the upright. He's planning ahead for our victory. Already looking out. How can I help these, my saints find the victory? How can I help them overcome? He's laying up for us. And that's the foreknowledge of God. Just thinking of that. So I think of the levels of knowledge and, you know, we know about that flood just at a distance. We wasn't there. We know of things. We hear these events, but have to have been there. And it's a little closer for you, John and Ellie, with your daughter there to think about, you know, that, that could have been there, their, their site, you know, it's a little more real when you think how that could be. So to know about something, but there's a, also the, this little step closer of a personal acquaintance, we're acquainted with one another here. And sometimes we think we're acquainted with people on Facebook and all the social media, but I don't think we really are that close to them. We see what's going on in their lives. You know, I, I listened to the, there's a funeral this week of Dave Overholt there in Ohio that passed away. And one comment I picked up, he, he was not one for, for texting much. He would rather have a face-to-face conversation. He'd rather sit down and talk. And I, I still appreciate that. There, there's something about just face-to-face conversation. And that's where we really get to know one another. And that's that level of intimacy that, that I think we, we know is pretty real. What do we think about when, when, when God said about Abraham, I'm going to turn to Genesis chapter 22 quickly here. And if you want to follow along Genesis 22, Abraham had taken
[6:05] Isaac to the Mount. God had commanded him to go and sacrifice. And, and Abraham was obedient. He went and had Isaac on the altar bound. And he stretched his hand, it says in verse 10, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven. He said, Abraham, Abraham, Abraham said, here I am. He said, lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him. For I know. For now I know. For now I know. For now I know that thou fearest God.
[6:55] Now I know that thou fearest God. It was through the test. It was through the test that Abraham was put here that God would now see something come out of Abraham. And so now I know. And God was, was getting to know Abraham, even as Abraham wanted to know God in the journey. And that's, that is how we continue to know Christ. And I look back to see when, if I look at my own life, just as a young guy who had it all, had the answers and I could just, I was independent and I was gone on my own.
[7:32] And I had, uh, made some choices, gone in some direction that, you know, I thought was okay. But, uh, others around, I, I'm glad we're keenly aware I was going the wrong direction. We're praying for me, but I remember the summer when I was, I was had a, was, we was in the, I was in the era. We did a lot of more dating and I was dating a girl for a couple of months, but, you know, people praying for her, people praying for me. I know my family was praying a lot and she, she rededicated her life to Christ and broke up just after a couple months. And, you know, in that I, it, it caught my attention. It got me to want to find out, okay, if this is so important, then it started turning my heart back to, to seek the Lord. But I would say at that time, I, I really didn't know the Lord. I mean, I was, I was hungry for him somewhat. I was interested now, whereas before I was just kind of just running. So it got my attention and I began to, yeah, I'm more regularly going to church now. I, I would, I would, uh, even go to Wednesday nights where I was for a while on the young guy that would be there. And, uh, but I, I, it got my attention, but I would say what really began now to, to, to really get me to know Christ is when I began to want victory and, and then the struggle of sin, I needed someone, I needed victory and I needed it, someone to help me overcome. And it was through the battles and the struggles that I really got to know Christ, the victorious one. Why? Because I was defeated constantly, constantly by sin and I needed someone to bring me victory. And there's where I got to know him. That was, that's my personal journey there.
[9:27] Um, and in other ways, I'm sure there was ways that God was working and was bringing that. Um, I want to talk a little bit, something of how, how in life can we, how can we in this journey um, set a platform for knowing him more, I guess a little bit. And one I would say is, is looking at how God uses things in our lives. And I'm going to say it in this way, you know, Romans five, he, uh, the writer mentions there that, you know, our faith being tested quickly turned to this.
[10:12] We glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation work with patience, patience, experience and experience hope. And hope does not make us ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us. So the things in life, and there's, there's just the daily grind of going to work, of getting up in the morning. Those are the pressures of life that I can learn Christ or I can, brother Jeff said, I can be listening in just the daily grind. And, uh, there God can speak through that and he can, he can work through those things. There's, there's also, there's also something in our life that's kind of, we coming out ahead and it puts a little pressure on us. We've got to get ready for that. We've, we're thinking about it. It's on our mind that for you guys is building, you're thinking about how that thing's coming together and you might be losing sleep on it, whatever. Um, but that thing in the head keeps some pressure there and it keeps your focus a little bit. So sometimes you have that focus, you know, like you said, sometimes your mind is so many things, but sometimes that focus is there and you're, you're getting ready for that. Uh, and we're just this last couple of days, I was kind of focused on here. So that's, that's something I, I, I can appreciate that. Then there's the emergencies in life where that, that becomes a real pressure point where we, we have to act quickly. We have to, we have to move right now. And that's a, uh, that also is a test. I want to read in Psalm 107 and, and just look at some of these, uh, examples here that, and if you've followed me on this,
[12:00] Psalm 100, 107, and it starts out, give thanks unto the Lord for his good that the redeemed of the Lord say so. You heard that in the worship time this morning, let us, let us speak and say what he has done. So it goes through here in this chapter and just mentions different people that, uh, were in situations in their life. And the first one is they were wandering in the wilderness in the solitary way and hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble and he delivered them out of their distresses. And he led them forth by the right way that they might find a city. Oh, that men would praise the Lord for his goodness. And for his wonderful works to the children of men, he satisfies the longing. So he filleth the hungry soul with goodness and another such that sit in darkness and the shadow of death bound in affliction and iron. They rebelled against the words of God. They contempt the contempt, the counsel, the most high, and he brought them down their heart with labor. They fell down and there was none to help. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble and he saved them.
[13:12] And so this chapter goes through that different situations where these people get into a tight spot and then they cried into the Lord. So it's just an example of how pressure will move us somewhere. But these men, it seemed like they cried into the Lord and he delivered them. I don't want to be that kind of Christian where I've just cried to the Lord in my trouble, right? We don't want to be there, but sometimes we do know that's what drives us to see that we are his sufficiency. He is sufficient. He's what we need and he is enough. But they cried into the Lord. Their prayer, they had some, there was enough faith there to look up and even though they had been taken their own way, now they turned to the Lord. So the psalmist now is saying, oh, that men would praise the Lord out of that.
[14:06] Because he does wonderful works. He go down through here. You see the many works that he, that he does there. So they did cry into the Lord. So prayer is a very vital thing. And you know that this is the best example of prayer. There are many others in scripture. There's many answers to prayer that you've had. I would like to stop and just think a little bit. Maybe ask you what's, what's been an experience in your life? And I should have maybe said something like this earlier, but I'll give you some time to think about what, what may, what moves you to come to Christ? What, what is it that turns you to Christ? Like I said, I've had, you know, I know in the past it was, it was something, I needed something, a brick wall in front of me to get me to turn back to Christ as a young person.
[15:05] But going on in life, what, what, what really moves you to turn to Christ? Brother Jeff said, listening, being able to have that ear to listen. What's your experience?
[15:23] I'm willing to give us a little time to somebody wants to share what, what, what moves you to, to come to Christ and want to know him. As much as we don't like the hard times or a difficult time that just seems impossible.
[15:38] That's my experience is that's when we have to make that decision to see Christ. Also, when, when Christ is lifted up, when he is exalted in somebody else's life or testimony, that was a large fortune.
[16:00] It does. Knowing there's an eternal reward. Yeah, amen.
[16:13] Amen, there's a, there's a reward. It's not in vain. Yeah, I'm just wanting to provoke a little thought.
[16:27] You're welcome to keep thinking about that. I, I, with that thought, Brother Enos, I, I, that's kind of where I want to go in preparing in this journey.
[16:43] We, last Sunday, even in, at the jail, we got, I was, I started out just talking of heaven. I made the comment that not everyone's going to make it.
[16:54] And we went in to look at some verses that remind us that, yeah, it's only those that prepare, that are looking forward to it. And, you know, read some verses of, of heaven and of the judgment and so forth.
[17:07] But it was interesting how the conversation went to, I think I had four men in there. Conversation kind of went to the fact that a lot of times we don't prepare. It's like we think it's just going to happen easier.
[17:21] And it's in that way in all of life. We just kind of coast along and just think things are going to take care of themselves. And it, you know, if you read much at all in what Jesus words, it's, it's not, it's not so.
[17:37] It, it's going to take preparation. And in a revelation said that his wife has made herself ready.
[17:49] It's those that were prepared and were given the white robes. There was a preparation needed. And I want to just look a little bit here at Jesus words in, in Matthew seven, where he reminded that not everyone that says, Lord, Lord.
[18:12] We'll enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew seven, 21, he says, but he that doeth the will of my father, which is in heaven, many will say in that day, Lord, Lord.
[18:25] Have we not prophesied in thy name and in thy name? I've cast out devils and I named done many wonderful works. And then I will profess. I never knew you. Depart from me.
[18:39] He never knew. So that word knowing there. Again. I think. You know, I don't know how in God's all knowing wisdom, he knew about those ones, but he didn't know them.
[18:55] And they didn't know him intimately. They didn't have that intercourse with him, that communion, that face to face. I would say that you would want to sit down and spend time together that they were busy.
[19:08] They had prophesied. They'd cast out devils. But they didn't know communion with him and hadn't prepared. And so if we look at Matthew 25 as well, the ten virgins, some had prepared, some had made ready.
[19:23] I would. You know that they kind of had to listen to Amos, the prophet back there. They said, prepare to meet thy God. Prepare. He said this kind of stood out and jumped out there.
[19:35] As he was prophesying and so forth. I would like to read a story that kind of, you know, we read this again and again here of these words. And I want to read something that maybe kind of gets our emotions a little bit.
[19:50] I think sometimes we do need our emotions stir some to get us to think. But this is maybe a little, another version of the story of the prodigal son.
[20:05] It kind of reverses it. Let me read it through here. A certain man had two sons. The younger of him said to his father, give me my portion of your time, your attention, your companionship and counsel and guidance.
[20:23] He divided unto him his living. And he paid the boy's bills, sent him to school, college, and tried to believe that he was doing his full duty to his son.
[20:33] Not many days after, the father gathered all his interests and aspirations and took his journey into a far country, into a land of stocks and bonds and securities and other things that do not interest a boy.
[20:48] And there he wasted his precious opportunity to be a friend to his son. When he had spent the very best of his life and had gained money, but had failed to find any satisfaction, there arose a mighty famine in his heart.
[21:03] And he began to be in want of sympathy and real companionship. And he went and joined himself to a club in the country and they elected him chairman and president.
[21:15] And then they sent him to the legislator. This is written years ago. He was vain to have satisfied himself with the husks that other men did eat and they gave him no real friendship.
[21:31] But when he came to himself, he said, how many of my friends here have boys that they understand and who understand them and who talk about their boys and associate.
[21:44] With their boys and seem perfectly happy with their sons. Well, I perish here with heart hunger. I will arise and go to my son and will say to him, son, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight.
[21:55] I'm not worthy to be called thy father. Now make me one of thine acquaintances. And he rose and came to his son. Well, he was a far off. His son saw him and was moved.
[22:08] And instead of running and falling on his neck, he drew back and was ill at ease. The father said to him, son, I have sinned against heaven and in thy sight. And I've not been a father to you.
[22:19] Forgive me now. Let me be your friend. But the son said, not so. It's too late. There was time I wanted your companionship, your counsel, your advice.
[22:32] But you were too busy. I got the information and the companionship I needed. But I got the wrong kind. And now I'm a wretched soul.
[22:44] And it's too late. See, that moves our emotions. But it's just a reminder that there are things in life that have an end.
[22:54] And we don't, if we don't prepare, if we don't consider, then there is a day, a day coming.
[23:07] I'd like to read another story here. If you can bear with me. Let me first read.
[23:31] Christians can never sin cheaply. They pay a heavy price for iniquity. Transgression destroys peace of mind. It obscures our fellowship with Jesus.
[23:44] It hinders our prayer. Brings darkness over the soul. So Charles Spurgeon said, be not slave to sin. To neglect will bring great regret if we do not take action today.
[24:00] I thought as I came this morning. I would, my desire and I believe, I hope the Lord's desire is that we don't leave here today the same.
[24:12] But that we do really see our need of Jesus. And this story here kind of can bring, I hope, a little bit more to that. It's a, it's titled, which resurrection?
[24:26] Maybe you've read it before. A man knows that it will not be long now. Disease of his old age has weakened him to a point of death. By human standards, he has lived a good life.
[24:38] There will be the usual trials. He's had his frustrations, toil some hours to build his empire. He has experienced the joys and frustrations of fatherhood.
[24:49] He's experienced the death of an unusually good companion whom he considered next to perfect. If only she had not been so spiritual and so adoring of Jesus Christ whom she called Lord.
[25:01] The children and grandchildren have succeeded as well as most folks in these times. While readily admitting he did not have the faith of his wife, surely he did not do so badly.
[25:12] He had great respect for his wife. He had been baptized into her church a few years ago and made somewhat an effort to follow the way of life described. He had adequately provided for his family.
[25:24] He gave modest sums of money to the church. And now was leaving a sizable inheritance to the children. He could think of many even now on his deathbed who had done worse.
[25:35] So the man lying down with a certain assurance of the good he had done far outweighed the bad. He regretted having to leave this life and everything he lived for and worked for. But he had made his mind up that since death has come to all, he would be strong and face it with pride.
[25:51] He would face death for what it was, the end. He would not lean on the crutch of the simpler and weaker ones who cheered themselves with the hope of resurrection and a better life to come. He regretted the day his wife had told him that she wanted Jesus Christ to be Lord of her life.
[26:04] Feeling somewhat jealous, he was reluctantly consented, believing that it might add to her happiness. So he would let her try. Her new life and faith had inspired him, even to the point of persuasion.
[26:17] But his pride and self-confidence and intellect had won out. There were times when it seemed an unrelenting force had kept him from yielding to a full commitment. His baptism and the attachment to the church had done little to increase his faith, but it had given his wife a great satisfaction and had stopped her pleadings for him to make Jesus Lord of his life.
[26:37] Surely, he thought, if this talk of heaven and hell and the resurrection proved to be true, the action he had taken certainly would be in his favor. The doctors and nurses, the children and friends have given him their final assistance and the comfort, the best they knew how.
[26:53] Now the hours pass slowly. The man, unconscious of his surroundings, lies waiting for the final moment. His subconscious mind repeatedly casts away the nagging question, Is death really the end?
[27:05] Deeply, deep down in his soul, he receives a spontaneous urge to live his life over again. While before determined to face death with dignity, now he is completely convinced he does not want to die.
[27:18] Up to now, he's been able to control his unpleasant, sobering thoughts, but now they linger with mounting persistence. From somewhere within his soul, his spirit prays, Oh, let me live my life again, or else let me die and remember no more forever.
[27:33] The man senses the end is very near, and his soul convulses with fury. He cries, Wait, but the change has been made. The man is aware that he has left his body, and a new fear stabs his soul as he realizes it's not the end.
[27:48] He senses he is confined to an endless chasm of blackness. A loneliness of state increases his anxious fear of what might lay ahead. He has no sense of direction or time, just the awareness of his troubled soul.
[28:02] The misty blackness is most oppressive, and all the emotions of fear and confusion, loneliness and insecurity seem to be focused themselves on the center of his soul. Suddenly, out of the darkness, he sees a light.
[28:18] It gives him a momentary relief. Hadn't he not read the testimonies of people leaving and returning to their bodies? Hadn't they described a tunnel of darkness with a light at the end, which they assumed they would have been with the Lord?
[28:36] The man chides himself on being so fearful, and everything is going to turn out all right after all. Maybe he would reenter his body. Suddenly, as the light blazes into full glory, the man does indeed reenter the body.
[28:48] In mixed emotions of hope and surprise, he finds himself standing at a distance from a massive, dazzling throne of brilliant brightness. He finds himself surrounded by a huge sea of resurrected dead, as far as the eye can see.
[29:02] The vast multitude from all peoples, kindreds, tribes, and tongues stand silently, captivated by the awesome grandeur, the majestic throne, and the being who sits thereon, whose countenance, as brilliant as jasper, of almost equal interest, is the countless number of glorious beings surrounding the throne, whom he guesses to be the angels of God.
[29:26] The man is still unaware of the movement of time. However, he is acutely surprised at how well he can see. He is bothered by the strange silence that prevails.
[29:37] He senses he is a stranger and a prisoner, confined to an ordered spot in the midst of this great ocean of people. Feelings of fear and anxiety creep over him, as he realizes some compelling force is urging him and the multitude to get closer to that white throne.
[29:57] The throne, massive and glorious in distance, at a distance, is now absolutely spellbound, as the man sees the angels of God ascending and descending, the long wide stairway leading to the glorious being at the top of it.
[30:12] That being, none other than the living God, sets far above the base of that throne. The multitude of the resurrection dead are being ushered up and down the stairs to the throne. Some of this is usually an imagination, but there is reference to a great throne there.
[30:31] So as the man is absorbed to the activity of the holy angels, the smell of heavenly incense fills his nostrils. A bright presence appears on either side of him. He is the grip of the angels clasping around the arms.
[30:43] The first sounds he hears is his own voice. Wait, I'm not ready. In spite of his fear and the alarm, he is surprised how clear and fresh his voice sounds. Come, sir, the angels urge.
[30:54] And the man feels himself propelled forward along the stairway. Up and up, they ascend. The man's anxiety mounts with every step. The angels remain silent. Their faces sober.
[31:05] Higher and higher, they ascend. The man cannot bear to look up. He is overwhelmed at his own reluctance to move on. He begs the angels to stop, but they still ascend. He is now conscious of time, for he realizes his time has run out.
[31:21] Please let me go, wells the man. But higher they ascend. Up and up they arise. Higher and higher. And finally, the plateau is reached, and the angels relinquish their hold. The man slowly opens his eyes.
[31:33] He is shocked, delighted. Feelings of excasies pulsate through him as oceans of heavenly splendor, panoramic beauty. Before him is the promised land.
[31:44] He can see so far. He can see so well. The sweetest singing fills his ears. The most pleasant scenes overwhelm his eyes. Stretching forth is a gigantic, beautiful city.
[31:55] Streets of pure gold lined with stately heavenly mansions. Springing fountains of living water. The city thrives with multitudes of happy saints. Overflows with sweet singing and praise.
[32:05] The man never dreamed anything could be so lush and pure. He never imagined anything so fantastic. The desire to walk the streets of the city overwhelming. And he surveys one particular part.
[32:18] His gaze is suddenly fixed on one of the saints. So pure and beautiful she is.
[32:35] And yet so familiar. And he recognizes his loving wife. The man begs the angels to let him enter.
[32:54] But he does. As he does. The city just vanishes from his view. He finds himself staring to the face of a living God. The man stands like a statue.
[33:05] Sober. The piercing, blazing eyes of the Almighty cut through him like a sword. How he wishes to escape. To run. To hide. To close his eyes. But he cannot. He stands fixed and imprisoned by the penetrating gaze of the Most High.
[33:19] The disappointed, hopeless feeling of his soul seems to be reaching the breaking point. The strong urge to cry with despair seems to be already spent in eternity looking into the overpowering presence of the Lord.
[33:34] The man desires to die. How he wishes he had never been born. He had never had life. How he hopes that it's just a dream.
[33:46] Tomorrow he'll wake up. And lay hold of eternal life. And embrace the love of the Lord Jesus Christ with all of his soul and strength. He continues to stare into the face of God. And he sees Jesus in the bosom of the Father.
[34:00] The countenance of the Son of God is very sad. The man knows. Because he has forfeited the salvation. The salvation the Lord Jesus has freely offered. He cries out and begs for mercy.
[34:11] But his lips are sealed. Then in a moment the great Creator speaks with a voice of thunder. Behold, I have made all things new. Heaven and earth are passed away.
[34:21] But my word shall never pass away. It was appointed unto men once to die. Now this is the judgment. This is the day I appointed to judge the world in righteousness by that man.
[34:33] Whom I have ordained to be the judge of the quick and the dead. It was my intent that men should not live by bed alone. But by every word that proceeded from my mouth.
[34:44] It was my realization that all men have sinned and come short of my glory. Therefore, I sent my own begotten Son into the world. That whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
[34:56] I did not send my Son to condemn the world. But that the world through him might be saved. It's my desire that whosoever, that whatsoever men should do in word or deed. They would do to the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to me through him.
[35:10] I watched him bear your sins on that tree of Calvary. That you being dead to sin should shower your love and affection on things above.
[35:22] I received him back at my right hand after I raised him from the dead. For your justification. I watched with joy as multitudes received him as their Lord and Savior.
[35:33] And they lived and they suffered and they died for him. It was with grief yet that I blotted out many from the book of life. Because they went back and walked no more with me.
[35:45] And it was with sadness. That I saw great numbers reject him as their Lord and Savior. And try to live their own strength. And self-will. Now in this, the day of revelation of my righteous judgment.
[35:59] I will render to every man according to his deeds. Whosoever is not found written. In the book of life. Shall be cast. Into the lake of fire.
[36:13] That story goes on. I think I'll stop there. Can we look around and see.
[36:28] Do we have awareness that there are many around us. That are. They're not prepared. And they're not making preparations. They.
[36:39] They just go on their way day after day. And they're not. Not. Not concerned of. Eternity. They're not looking for. Eternal life.
[36:52] You know. You know. This. This was written. There's some things in there. Maybe that. We. We want to question or challenge. But nevertheless.
[37:02] It's. It's surely the. The day of judgment. That's. Reminded. Jesus spoke often of it. In. In. In some of the. The various parables.
[37:13] He. He reminded us of that. But. There was the one. There was the. The. What was called the parable. The rich man of Lazarus. But you know.
[37:24] Names are given there. Kind of different from the other parables. Lazarus is given the name. And I believe that's a very real. Situation. I want to.
[37:36] Just. Can we ask some questions. Do we today believe. In an actual hell. Or do. Is it just a theory. Something we've been taught. Do we believe. That that rich man.
[37:47] Is still in hell right now. Do you. Do you believe. Maybe some of your family. Have not prepared to meet God. Do you believe.
[38:05] That some are. Spending eternity. Separated from God. A thousand years. A million years. You believe. Your next door neighbor. Who is unsaved.
[38:16] Will be suffering. Will be suffering. In torment. Do we believe. That most people. Are unsaved. Do we really believe. That. People on airplanes.
[38:27] People out. Pleasure seeking. Half dressed. They will be in hell. For a few years. In a few years. Weeping. Wailing. Nashing their teeth. Crying out. For a drop of cool water. As.
[38:38] The rich man was. No way of getting out. If you do. If I do. Will I try to warn them. Now. Today. And if I don't. If you don't.
[38:48] Their blood will be upon. Our hands. I have to think of. The early church. And we can debate.
[39:00] Just what happened. There. The day of Pentecost. Was fully calm. God gave them power. And all that gave. But you know. What that produced.
[39:11] Is what I like. It produced. A fire. In those men. And they went forth. From there. Zealous. Hungry. To let others know. It produced.
[39:22] A. A. A revival. That. When. The religious. Rulers. Saw them. What could they say. These are unheard men.
[39:33] But they have been with Jesus. They've been with Jesus. They know Jesus. They conversed with him. They. They were. They were. They were day by day. In his presence. And they had.
[39:45] That's what they. That's what they saw. In those men. That was the effect. Of Pentecost. That was. What came. When the power. The Holy Spirit came. They went forth. And they. They had a burden.
[39:56] For those around them. And. May God give us that again. May God just. Move our hearts. To bring Jesus. To those around us. We can.
[40:08] We can give a lot of orthodoxy. It would say. Form and religion. But. Let's bring him life. Let's give him Jesus. Because that's who we're going to meet one day.
[40:18] He's the resurrection and life. And I. I long to be with him. So thankful. That I see him in your lives. That we're growing in grace and knowledge. As Peter said.
[40:30] And that. I'm thankful for what he did in my life. Over the years. I'm thankful for his work. His constant work. To. To draw me. And bring me back to himself. So that I can say one day.
[40:40] I'm going to be with him. I don't have to hear those words. But I. I'm going to be with him. I look forward to that. I. I'm just. I long that for you. I want. To encourage you. To keep. Pressing on.
[40:51] Keep. Keep seeking to know Christ. And. As Paul said. Whatever it takes. Count it all lost. Other things. If that's what it takes. That you might know the excellency.
[41:03] The surpassing. Excellency of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord. And hearing his voice say. Well done. Thou good and faithful servant. Let's pray. Father. I thank you for. Your.
[41:13] Your faithfulness. I thank you for the. Your word. That does not fail. It's sure and steadfast. It's a rock. That we can build on. And you are that solid rock as well.
[41:25] We thank you Lord for. Your presence today. Would you continue to. Work in our hearts. And draw us. And. Do that good work in us.
[41:36] That. You can do Lord. That we trust you. To do in our. In each of our lives. For your blessing would go with us. As we go from here today. In Jesus name.